#gotta unpack somethings and pack others

[dreams-in-daylight]

.

[shockercoco]

A House to a Home

Austin Butler x reader

Warnings - some suggestion, lighthearted, fluff

Word count - 1926

a/n - request: “i don’t know if you’re taking request but what about the reader & austin moving into their first house together? reader is so hellbent on unpacking and getting everything out together but someone has other ideas” - this was such a good idea tysm! i hope you all enjoy :)

“Where do you plan on putting these?” Austin asks, looking over at you with a handful of your knick-knacks in his hands.

“I’m not sure yet, I’ll figure it out later,” you respond as you go to open up another box.

You still can’t process the fact that you’re actually moving in with him — that the two of you are owning a home together. The two of you have been dating for about a year and a half, and it was Austin’s idea that you move in with him.

He had just come back home after one of his meetings, and he had found you standing in his walk-in closet trying to figure out how to organize it. He didn’t even say ‘hi’ to you, he just blurted out the question, causing you to turn around and give him a speechless look. 

You were iffy at first because you’ve never lived with someone else after you moved out of your parent’s house – you’ve never even had a roommate so you wondered how it would be to go back to no longer living alone. You also wondered if the two of you were moving too fast. You were both adults and had been dating for long enough without too many problems, so it makes sense that Austin would want to take the next step.

But, that would mean moving into a large home in the hills of LA, where a lot of other celebrities and influencers lived. Did you belong in an area like that? Did you even deserve to live in such a nice part of LA just because you were dating a famous person, even though you yourself weren't rich or famous?

What if the two of you just happened to break up and you no longer had a place to stay?

Austin had seen the panic in your face and was quick to reassure you that you didn’t have to give him an answer right that moment. That you could take all the time that you needed and he would be patiently waiting for your answer.

How could you say no to a face like that, though?

You don’t say no, which is why you didn’t.

“And this?” Austin raises an eyebrow at you, holding in a laugh as he holds up one of the stuffed animals you packed.

You playfully roll your eyes before grabbing a pillow from his bed and throwing it at his head. Austin dodges it, though, using the stuffed animal as a shield.

“Put him down,” you laugh.

“Him?” He gives you a look. “Your stuffed animal is a ‘him’?”

You continue to laugh as you walk towards him and snatch the plushie out of his hand. “Why are you jealous?” you joke.

“Of course not, there’s nothing to be jealous of,” Austin snickers and goes to bend down to retrieve something else out of a box, but stops when he sees you toss the stuffed animal onto his bed. “What are you doing?”

“He needs a place to stay too,” you giggle as you walk into the closest to begin putting some of your clothes away.

“And he’ll find one, just not here,” you hear his voice say from behind you, but you continue your task.

You manage to fill up the majority of your side of the closest before deciding to take a break and move onto something else. Walking out, you expect to see the bedroom with more decoration, but instead all you see is Austin on the floor, going through your box of books.

“Have you done anything in the past 45 minutes?” You ask, your hands on your hips.

“Of course I have. I’ve managed to read one page from almost all of these,” he answers, motioning to the box in front of him, “and I gotta say, some of these are a little spicy. No wonder you’re always reading.”

Your eyes widen as you quickly take the book in his hands away from him, put it inside the box with the rest, and move the box out into the hallway. You’re an adult and you're allowed to read whatever you want, but that doesn’t stop you from feeling embarrassed because some of the books are really dirty.

Austin chuckles as he watches you. “You know, sweetheart, you don’t need any of these books as your source of pleasure, that’s what I’m here for.”

“That’s not what I use them for,” you mumble as you step back into the room.

“Oh, really?” Austin raises an eyebrow at you, and you roll your eyes.

“Y’know, while you’re so focused on me, you could use some of that energy to actually get some of these boxes empty,” you huff, standing above another full box of items.

“But I’m supposed to be focused on you, am I not?” Austin asks, tilting his head in full confusion.

“Ha ha, you’re so funny,” you tell him.

“Alright, alright. What do you want me to do?” Austin questions, standing up from his spot on the floor to look at the mess scattered around the bedroom floor.

“Stop taking breaks, and unpack,” you emphasize, shoving a box into Austin’s chest. He stumbles back, but takes the box from your hands.

You leave him in the bedroom, heading towards the kitchen for a change of scenery — and so you don’t strangle Austin.

The house is still pretty empty, except for some small things and decor. The rest of your furniture was supposed to arrive today, but everything got delayed. It had upset you at first, but hey, what can you do? Besides, this gives you a chance to fully admire the home before you completely make it yours. 

You head into the kitchen to begin putting the dishware and kitchenware up where they belong. Surprisingly, the majority of it is Austin’s, given the fact he likes to cook, and you don’t really know how.

When you come across a mug Austin had bought you while he’s out of the country on a press tour, you can’t help but take a second to admire it.

You and him both know that you don’t really use them and that you just like to collect them because they look pretty.

Honestly, how did you ever get so lucky with a man like him? What did he see in you all those months ago when he had seen you on set? You were part of the crew, and that day Austin had been invited on set to meet the director. Of course, you thought he was cute, but you didn’t think anything could actually happen between the two of you – which is why Austin made the first move instead of you.

You’re so lost in thought that you don’t hear Austin’s footsteps enter the kitchen. You feel him come up behind you and wrap his arms around your waist, resting his head on your shoulder.

“You told me to stop taking breaks, but look at you. You’re in here daydreaming,” Austin says.

“I get to because I’m actually doing my job and putting things away,” you tell him.

“Hey, I did put some things away,” Austin feigns hurt. “What were you thinking about?”

“Nothing,” you shrug, placing the mug into the cabinet with the rest of the cups.

“Okay, let’s try again, but this time you actually tell me the truth?”

“Austin…” you sigh. You’re not really in the mood to pour out your feelings.

“No, don’t ‘Austin” me. Tell me,” he insists, giving you a light squeeze as encouragement. You breathe out another sigh as you contemplate whether you should tell the truth or not. When you take too long to decide, you feel Austin remove his head from your shoulder and turn you around to face him. He raises an eyebrow at you, waiting for you to continue.

You just decide to say, “I’m just in my head is all.”

That’s all you needed to say for Austin to understand what you meant. “Sweetheart, I’ve already told you several times there’s no need to overthink.”

“I know, I know,” you nod.

“Do you?” Austin asks, dipping his head down so his eyes could meet yours.

“Yes, I do,” you reply, giving him a soft smile to try and reassure him.

“Okay…” Austin squints his eyes, not completely believing you, but he decides to move on. For now. Then he adds, “but just so you know I have no problem reassuring you.”

Your jaw drops as you hit him across the chest, causing him to smile. “And since we’re both doing such a good job with everything, I think we should take another break. I’m tired,” he continues.

You playfully scoff. “Of course you are. How about you go rest, while I continue,” you answer and go to move out of his grasp, but Austin just tightens his hold on your waist.

“Why don’t you join me?”

“Because I don’t want to.”

“Come on, baby,” Austin whines.

“No,” you laugh. You place your hands over his and try to pull them off of you, but again, no use.

“Okay, how about we do something else then?” Austin suggests, his voice getting lower as he begins to kiss the side of your neck.

“I thought you said you were tired,” you recall as you turn your head the best you can to get a good look at him.

“I am,” he tells you. You raise an eyebrow at him, already knowing he’s not finished. Austin then hovers his lips over the shell of your ear and whispers, “I’m tired of unpacking.”

You playfully shove him off of you, and this time he lets you. “Well, maybe if we get everything finished by the time the sun goes down, I’ll let you have what you want,” you offer, suppressing your smile as you move to the other side of the kitchen to tackle some of the boxes over there. 

“Y’know that is a good idea, but I have a better one,” you hear Austin say behind you, before you feel him grab your arm and spin you back towards him. A surprised gasp leaves your lips along with a giggle as your chest collides with his. “How about I just have what I want now?”

Before you could get another word out, he picks you up and throws you over his shoulder, already making his way in the direction of the bedroom.

“Oh come on!” you shout as you're turned upside down. You don’t put up much of a fight, as you allow Austin to drag you away.

“What? I gotta reassure you that you’re what I want,” you hear him say.

Once inside the bedroom, Austin plops you down onto the bed. As you start to crawl back towards the headboard, he just pulls you back down by the ankle.

“You’re such a bad influence,” you point out, your tone light. 

“And so are you,” Austin smirks as he begins to crawl over you. 

Just as his lips are about to connect with yours, you place a finger on his lips as something out of the corner of your eye catches your attention.

“Austin?”

“Yeah?” his eyebrows scrunch in confusion.

“Why is my stuffed animal on the floor?”

“He wasn’t invited. That is unless you enjoy being watched, but I didn’t peg you for the type, baby,” he wiggles his eyebrows at you.

“Ew, quit it,” you lightly give his chest a shove.

“Wait a second, I didn’t hear you deny it,” Austin raises an eyebrow.

like what you see? check out my masterlist :)

[luvergirl-866]

something like love

part - 5

pairing - paige bueckers x azzi fudd

word count - 3.0k

c/w - language

a/n - yall have been all up in my asks today, so i pumped this chapter out. gotta give the people what they want fr. sorry it’s a lil short, this chapter was kind of a filler tbh! also, did anyone catch the irl past references in the first scene? ;) as always, hope yall enjoy!! (also, this is unedited. like usual lol)

Azzi is woken bright and early the next morning by none other than her best friend, who seems awfully cheerful considering the night they just had.

“Wow, P,” Azzi grumbles once she’s sitting up in bed, watching Paige buzz around the room through bleary eyes. “It’s early for you.”

“Didn’t really sleep,” Paige says, slipping out of her pajamas so she’s only in boxers and a sports bra. (Azzi knows she should probably look away, but she doesn’t.) “We gotta run to the store, get up.”

“Okay,” Azzi yawns, blinking slowly while Paige slips into a pair of basketball shorts and a crop top that Azzi’s pretty sure belongs to her. “Be up in a sec.” But Paige disappears into the bathroom and Azzi can’t help but lay back down, snuggling under the warm sheets—if she’s being honest, she didn’t get much sleep last night, either. But where the lack of sleep is making Paige hyper, it’s making Azzi want nothing more than drift back off for just a few more minutes.

She’s barely fallen back asleep when something large and solid lands on top of her, and she buries her head into the pillow, groaning. “Ow, Paige, get off.”

“Get your ass outta bed,” Paige responds, but she is laying across the entire length of Azzi’s body like a warm, nice-smelling weighted blanket, and it only lulls Azzi back to sleep. She thinks about the irony of it, that their roles have switched this morning—usually Azzi is the one who has to drag Paige out of bed.

She’s only half-asleep but she swears she’s started snoring when Paige rolls of her and jabs her in the ribs. “Azzi!”

“No, Paige, please,” Azzi mumbles, throwing an arm over her face. “I’m tired.”

“Well I’m not going to the store by myself,” Paige says stubbornly, tugging on Azzi’s hand. “Come onnn.”

“We’ll go later,” Azzi tries to reason, but Paige won’t have that, pulling on her arm even harder.

“We gotta go now, Lauren’s gonna be here in a couple hours.”

Oh. Right. Paige’s siblings get back from their respective activities this morning, and of course Paige would never reunite with them empty-handed.

“Okay, okay,” Azzi concedes, finally sitting up once again, stretching out her arms. Paige, satisfied that Azzi is up now, gets back out of bed and heads back to the bathroom.

“Get ready fast, I wanna give ourselves plenty of time,” she calls, and Azzi watches her as she washes her face in the sink, rubbing her face aggressively like she always does.

Yawning, Azzi finally gets out of bed, wincing when she finds her neatly packed suitcase next to Paige’s already disorganized one, her clothes strewn haphazardly across the floor. “Paige, we need to unpack today.”

Paige pokes her head out of the bathroom and looks down at the mess that is her suitcase, then shrugs. “Nah, it’s okay.”

“That wasn’t a suggestion,” Azzi says, kneeling down to move her suitcase away from Paige’s before she starts carefully rifling through the outfits she packed. “I dunno what to wear.”

“It’s warm out today,” Paige says, disappearing back into the bathroom. “You pack those lil jean shorts? With the flowers on them?”

“Yeah,” Azzi replies, instantly looking for those. “But my ass hangs out in them.”

There’s silence in the bathroom and Azzi thinks maybe Paige didn’t hear her, but a moment later she’s saying, “Yeah, wear those with your purple tank.”

It may raise her eyebrows, but it also makes her smirk, and Azzi does exactly as Paige says.

Thirty minutes later, the two of them—after successfully sneaking out of the house without running into Paige’s parents—are at the store, tossing anything they think her siblings will like into the basket. A new video game and snacks for Ryan, and some brand-name makeup and flowers for Lauren. (They also get energy drinks, even though Azzi doesn’t think Paige needs it.)

By the time they get back home, they should still have an hour until Lauren gets home—but as soon as they walk through the front door a young, strawberry-blonde girl is barreling into Paige’s arms, squealing.

Paige grunts dramatically, and then hands off the grocery bags to Azzi so she can wrap her arms around her little sister. “Whoa, what you doing home?” she asks, bending down to kiss her hair. “We were supposed to get here before you.”

“I couldn’t wait,” Lauren replies, muffled from where she’s buried in Paige’s chest. “So I came home early but you weren’t even here, and Mom and Dad said they didn’t know where you went to.”

“Sorry, Laur,” Paige responds, rubbing her sister’s back before pulling away. “We were out getting some stuff.”

Lauren waggles her eyebrows. “Gifts?”

“Mm. Maybe.” Paige smiles when Lauren giggles excitedly, and it’s only then that they address Azzi, who is standing somewhat awkwardly, trying to let the two sisters have their moment.

Lauren’s smile falters only a little when she sees Azzi. To her credit, she still sounds cheerful when she says, “Hi, Azzi, it’s good to see you.”

“Yeah, good to see you too,” Azzi responds, smiling as openly as she can. She’s only met Paige’s siblings a few times—not counting Drew, obviously—and so it’s a little uncomfortable when Lauren goes in for a hug. But this is a twelve-year-old girl, and Azzi is a grown adult, and she welcomes her with open arms, hugging her as well as possible with her groceries still in her arms. Paige takes them back from her after only a second of her struggling.

“You’ve gotten taller,” Azzi comments, because that’s something that you say to kids, right?

It seems to be a good thing to say because Lauren pulls back and beams up at her. “Mom says I’m almost as tall as Paige was at my age.” She looks back at Paige with a proud smile.

Paige grins back, ruffling her hair. “That mean you gonna start playin’ ball?”

“No way,” Lauren replies, playfully vehement. “Ryan keeps saying he wants to try, though.”

“I’ll convince him, for real,” Paige insists, and they all start moving to the kitchen so they can set the grocery bags down.

“Can I see my gift now?” Lauren asks, sliding into a bar stool.

Paige wags a finger at her. “Nuh-uh. We gotta wait for brother.”

Lauren groans dramatically, then giggles at herself and looks curiously at Azzi. “So, is Josh not here, then?”

Beside her, Paige freezes. Azzi glances cautiously at her, and she collects herself quickly, sharing a comforting look with Azzi. “Um,” she says, rounding the island to sit next to Lauren, “did Mom not tell you?”

Lauren wrinkles her eyebrows. “Tell me what?”

That’s enough of an answer, and Paige runs a hand over her face, clearly nervous to have to go through this all over again. It makes Azzi angry, for the millionth time, at her parents—of course they wouldn’t tell her younger siblings. Of course they’d make Paige do it.

“Well, uh,” Paige starts, “yeah, no, Josh isn’t coming. He and I, we actually broke up.”

“Oh.” Lauren frowns. “Sorry. Are you sad about it?”

“No, um, it’s okay. I realized I didn’t like him that much.”

“Why not?” Lauren asks.

“Well, because,” Paige looks to Azzi for help, and all Azzi can do is nod at her. “It’s because he’s a boy.”

Lauren’s frown deepens. “What do you mean?”

“I mean…” she looks down at her lap, then makes eye contact with her little sister, “I mean I don’t really like boys, Laur.”

Lauren stares at her sister, and then she glances at Azzi before looking at the countertop, eyebrows furrowed just like Paige’s do when she’s thinking. “So,” she begins slowly, looking back up to Paige, “you like girls? Like, you like like them?”

“Yeah,” Paige says, and she and Azzi share a look, unsure of where this is going. Azzi hasn’t even noticed until now that she’s holding her breath.

“And you wanna date them?” Lauren clarifies.

“Well, I actually am dating one already,” Paige says, and before she can finish her sentence Lauren looks back at Azzi and she can swear she sees the moment it clicks in her brain.

“So Azzi is your girlfriend?” she says.

Paige hesitates, then says, “Yeah, she is.”

Azzi was expecting a lot of reactions, but Lauren’s bright, proud smile wasn’t one of them. “I guessed!” she hops off her barstool to round the island and give Azzi yet another hug. “So that means I have a new sister!”

Sort of incredulously, Azzi laughs, rubbing the younger girl’s shoulder. Paige blinks once before saying, “That’s not how that works.”

“She’s my in-law now,” Lauren replies with a duh tone, like Paige is slow, and it makes Azzi laugh again.

“No, she’s not your in-law until we get—“ Paige cuts herself off, biting her lip and Azzi stops laughing. Because they’re going to ‘break up’ almost as soon as this trip is over and they can’t get Lauren’s hopes up too much about things like marriage.

Lauren doesn’t seem to notice. She shakes her head firmly. “She’s my sister. I don’t care what you say.” Smiling slyly up at Azzi, she says, “So, cooler older sister,”—Paige gasps, offended—“will you please convince your girlfriend to let me open my gifts now.”

Azzi falters, but then she’s looking over at Paige, who is staring at her little sister with something like awe, and she decides that for now, they should just enjoy the innocent, loving acceptance of 12-year-old girls.

——————————————

By the time Ryan gets home Paige’s parents have joined them in the kitchen, and even though it’s tense with them around, Lauren’s chatter lifts the tension significantly. When the front door opens, Ryan barrels into Paige in a similar fashion as his little sister did, and the three siblings reunite happily, all of them a bundle of teasing and arguing and catching up.

When Ryan catches sight of Azzi, nobody has time to be nervous or hold their breaths because Lauren wraps an arm around her waist and says, “Azzi is here because she’s Paigey’s girlfriend. Say hi.”

Ryan opens his mouth, then closes it, then glances at his parents—who are stubbornly avoiding anybody’s gaze—before looking at his older sister with a questioning expression. Paige nods, and so he turns back to Azzi and says, in classic teenage-boy fashion, “Hey.”

Azzi takes much satisfaction in the way his parents fumble over themselves, apparently shocked that their children are capable of so much more love and acceptance than they are.

After the kids open their gifts, they drag Paige and Azzi upstairs to give them the ‘grand tour’ of their rooms. “Mine has changed,” Lauren says once they arrive at the room across the hallway from Paige’s. “We painted it sage green because the pink was too babyish for me.”

Paige and Azzi nod in agreement.

“And I don’t have my unicorn blanket anymore,” Lauren continues, jumping onto her bed to showcase this fact.

Paige places a hand over her heart. “You got rid of blankie? You love that thing.”

Azzi smiles, knowing that exact feeling—being a big sister and watching your siblings grow up without your permission.

But then Lauren heads to her closet and rummages around inside before pulling out a tattered, pink baby blanket with unicorns sewn into the fabric. “Don’t tell Ryan, but I couldn’t actually get rid of it.”

Paige sighs in relief.

Ryan’s room is dark, lit only by red LED lights, and his bed is unmade. He’s got a PS5 set up in one corner of his room and a desk that looks widely unused in the other. There’s dirty clothes everywhere.

“It’s kinda messy,” he says, carelessly tossing a few clothes off his bed to sit in it, powering up his TV.

“You take after me,” Paige says proudly, and Azzi nudges her in the arm, rolling her eyes. Paige grins at her, wrapping an arm around her shoulders, and Ryan glances away from his TV at them.

“So, you guys are really dating?” he asks.

At the question, the both of them share a nervous glance—does he suspect something? But when Paige says, “Yeah, why?” he replies with a simple, “I figured.”

“Whatchu mean?” Paige asks.

He shrugs nonchalantly, looking back at his TV. “I could tell. Whenever we came to visit you were always texting Azzi or calling Azzi or talking about Azzi. It was all, Azzi this, Azzi that, my name’s Paige and I’m soooo in love with my little Azzi-Wazzi—“

“Yo, okay, bye!” Paige says loudly, going to shove Azzi out of the room, but she keeps her feet planted, amused and so, so curious.

“No, seriously, it was annoying.” Ryan sighs. “I remember the one time we came up and Azzi was staying with you and y’all kept playing footsies under the dinner table. It was gross.”

“We did not!” Paige exclaims as Azzi laughs loudly.

“Did too. And that night you dragged Azzi to your room and I heard you moaning really loud allll night.”

Azzi is cracking up now, and Paige puts her hands on her hips, having given up on trying to drag her away. “Okay, now you’re just making shit up. That’s inappropriate.”

Ryan shrugs again, a slight smirk on his face. “I wouldn’t be surprised if that actually happened, though.”

Paige puts her face in her hands. Azzi looks over at her, grinning widely, and knows it’s her duty to give her shit for this later.

——————————————

During the aforementioned later, while the two of them are getting ready for bed side-by-side in the bathroom, Azzi’s barely even opened her mouth before Paige says, “Don’t.”

The two of them didn’t get a second alone for the rest of the day, because Paige has a little sister and it’s kind of her job to follow them around everywhere and ask annoying questions. Or at least, annoying to Paige. Azzi was more than happy to let Lauren talk her ear off—she’s never had a little sister before.

And besides, she’s used to it considering who her best friend is.

Lunch was spent outside on the porch, soaking in the sun, and it was good because Paige’s parents opted to eat inside. But dinner was awkward, all of them sitting around the table, eating the roast beef Dean had made. Lauren still didn’t seem to pick up on the tension, but Ryan, being a little older, did—apparent in the way he looked curiously between the four adults at the table. He never asked about it, though, and when Paige held Azzi’s hand over the table her parents didn’t say a thing (though Dean looked a bit like he wanted to smack their hands apart) so that’s gotta be a good thing.

Now that they’re finally alone, Azzi is not going to miss out on her opportunity to tease the hell out of her best friend.

“So, you’ve always been a little obsessed with me, huh?” she grins, ignoring Paige’s warning.

Paige rolls her eyes, but Azzi swears her cheeks turn a little pink. “He was making that up.”

“Weird, because I believed him,” Azzi replies, watching as Paige starts brushing her teeth. “Seems like a trustworthy kid.”

“He’sh a fifteen-year-old boy, you can’t trusht none of those,” Paige says around the toothbrush in her mouth.

“Maybe it’s you I can’t trust.”

Paige spits and then gives her an offended look. “I wouldn’t lie to you.”

“Would you?” Azzi teases, and for some reason, it seems to actually make Paige nervous.

She turns away, wiping her mouth on a towel. “‘Course I wouldn’t.”

“Not even if you had a big, fat crush on me?” Azzi says, wish is super unfair because Azzi is the one lying about her big, fat crush, but it feels pretty good to project.

“Bro,” Paige groans, walking into their room, kicking off her basketball shorts on the way.

But Azzi isn’t going to let up. “He seemed pretty serious.”

“He said he heard us moaning,” Paige says, looking around on the floor for a pair of pajamas. (They did not, in fact, unpack today.)

“Okay, he might’ve lied about that,” Azzi admits. She watches, amused, as Paige mumbles to herself while pulling on a pair of PJ pants before she pulls her shirt over her head. “What’re you getting all nervous for?”

“You’re teaming up with my brother,” Paige replies, flopping onto her side of the bed.

“You apparently talk about me 24/7,” Azzi counters.

“Talked,” Paige immediately corrects, and when she sees the triumphant grin on Azzi’s face, she backtracks. “I mean, I didn’t! Obviously I didn’t, that’d be weird.”

“Uh-huh,” Azzi says, “super weird.”

“And I’on even think about you like that, you’re my best friend.”

“I know.”

“And you’re not even my type, for real.”

“Uh-huh.” A week ago, maybe even yesterday, that sentence would’ve been a dagger straight through Azzi’s heart, a harsh reminder of her unreciprocated feelings. But Paige says it like she’s trying to convince herself, and she’s clearly all flustered, her cheeks very evidently pink now, and Azzi wonders—

Slowly, she makes eye contact with Paige, unbuttons her little jean shorts, and shimmies out of them.

Paige averts her gaze, reaching onto the bedside table to take a drink of water.

Interesting. Taking it a little further, Azzi turns away from Paige and pulls her shirt off, letting Paige know two things at once: one, she is wearing a thong, and two, she has not had a bra on all day.

Behind her, a coughing fit starts and she can hear Paige thumping at her chest while her water goes down the wrong pipe.

She grins to herself, sauntering into the bathroom. “Imma take a shower. Don’t miss me too much while I’m gone.” And without a glance behind her, she closes the door.

Pressing her ear to it, she can hear Paige mumbling to herself. She can’t make out exactly what she’s saying, but she does make out a few strings of curse words.

Well. What an interesting development this is.

@azzibuckets @smiths-fan--13 @ch12334 @makethemhoesmad @the-other-half @rosemariiaa

[pbaz7]

It’ll Always Be Her Chapter 18

AN: Well that game was something. In all honesty it wasn’t completely terrible and Paige did what she could with what she was given but I really wish we would stop over helping and leaving shooters open ✨. Anywho here’s the next chapter to brighten the mood around here. Let me know what you think and leave comments or live reactions if you can. Only one more chapter after this

Word Count: 6.2k

The day had finally arrived. UConn was set to face South Carolina in the NCAA Championship—a showdown the entire country had been anticipating. Up in their hotel room, Paige and Azzi were getting ready in their usual contrasting styles. Azzi stuck to her serious game-day routine, meticulously going through her steps to prepare. Paige, on the other hand, was her usual goofy self, bouncing around the room and yapping Azzi’s ear off about random things that would barely make sense to anyone not named Azzi who knew the blonde like the back of her hand.

"Okay, but hear me out," Paige began, lying upside down on the bed, legs propped up against the headboard. "What if I started wearing sunglasses on the court? Would that count as a performance enhancer? Like, would the refs freak out, or would they just assume I’m too cool to care?"

Azzi popped her head out of the bathroom, her expression one of amused disbelief. “Paige, you can barely see the basket as it is without your contacts. Add sunglasses, and we’d lose by thirty and you’d play the worst game of your life.”

“Rude,” Paige shot back, rolling onto her stomach. “But think about the drip, babe. The aesthetic. The world wouldn’t be ready.”

Azzi disappeared back into the bathroom, muttering, “The world isn’t ever ready for your antics, that’s for sure.”

Paige grinned, hopping off the bed and trailing into the bathroom doorway. “Speaking of antics, I was thinking—TikTok time! We haven’t blessed the fans in a minute.”

Azzi groaned audibly, stepping out with a towel draped around her neck. “Paige, we’re about to play the biggest game of our lives. I don’t think TikTok is on the priority list.”

“But that’s exactly why we should do it!” Paige countered, her voice rising with excitement. “Last UConn game day. Gotta give the people what they want!”

Azzi paused to unpack her suitcase, carefully placing items back in their designated spots. “The people want a championship, not a dance video,” she said dryly, not even looking up at her being so used to the girls' antics.

Paige pouted, pulling out her secret weapon: wide, puppy-dog blue eyes that Azzi could never say no to. “Please?” she pleaded, her voice soft and sugary. “Just one? For me? I promise I’ll stop bothering you for the rest of the day.”

Azzi glanced up briefly, then sighed, shaking her head. “You’re a liar. You’re definitely going to bother me again.”

“Okay, maybe,” Paige admitted with a sheepish grin. “But I’ll try really hard not to.”

Azzi shook her head, a small laugh escaping despite herself. “You’re impossible. Fine. After we’re ready.”

“Yessss!” Paige celebrated before darting off to finish getting dressed, leaving Azzi to shake her head in fond exasperation.

Once they were both ready, Paige eagerly dragged Azzi into the TikTok operation. It took some time, mostly because Paige kept breaking out into giggles whenever they messed up the moves, and Azzi—ever the perfectionist—insisted they start over until they got it just right.

“Paige, focus!” Azzi said, trying to stifle her own laughter as Paige flopped onto the bed mid-dance. “We are never going to finish this.”

“I am focusing!” Paige argued through her giggles. “It’s not my fault your serious face is hilarious. You look like you’re plotting world domination.”

Azzi crossed her arms, raising an eyebrow. “Do you want this TikTok, or do you want me to pack my bag and leave you here?”

“Fine, fine, I’ll behave,” Paige said, standing up and saluting. “Captain Serious, reporting for duty.”

Eventually, they nailed the routine, with Paige cheering triumphantly as she hit the post button on Azzi’s TikTok account—a rare move, given how private Azzi usually was online. They captioned it simply: “Last UConn game day.”

The comments came pouring in almost immediately. Paige leaned over Azzi’s shoulder, reading them out loud while Azzi scrolled.

“‘Omg, queens blessing us before the game 😭😭,’” Paige read in a dramatic voice. “‘Good luck!! Bring that trophy home!!!’” She grinned. “See? They love it. I told you this was a good idea.”

Azzi rolled her eyes but smiled. “Let’s just hope they’re this excited after we win.”

“They will be,” Paige said confidently, grabbing her bag. “Because we’re awesome. And by ‘we,’ I mean me, obviously.”

Azzi smirked, grabbing her own bag. “Keep talking like that, and I might pass you the ball once tonight.”

“Gee, thanks, MVP,” Paige said with a mock bow as they headed out the door. “Remind me to show you how much I appreciate you later.”

Azzi laughed, shaking her head as they made their way toward the team bus. “You’re unbelievable.”

“And you love it,” Paige shot back with a wink, earning another groan from Azzi as they stepped into the hallway.

As the elevator doors slid open, Paige and Azzi stepped out with their security team, immediately greeted by the buzz of a crowd gathered outside the hotel. Fans were lined up along the barricades, yelling their names, holding up posters, and waving phones in hopes of snapping pictures or getting autographs. The energy was electric, but Paige felt the subtle shift in Azzi’s demeanor instantly.

The playful, relaxed Azzi from just minutes ago was gone, replaced with someone more guarded. Paige knew why. Ever since the stalker incident, these moments had been difficult for Azzi. The overwhelming attention wasn’t just part of the job—it was a trigger. Paige, ever attuned to her girlfriend’s moods, reached out instinctively, her hand brushing against Azzi’s back as she tried to gently guide her forward, like she always did.

But this time, Azzi didn’t move. She stood firm, her eyes scanning the crowd as if lost in thought. Paige stopped beside her, lowering her voice. “Azzi, you don’t have to do this. We can head straight to the bus.”

Azzi turned to her, her beautiful brown eyes filled with a mix of determination and vulnerability. “I have to get over this hill eventually,” she said softly, but with conviction. “The fans deserve it.”

Paige studied her for a moment, then nodded, offering a small, reassuring smile. “Alright. But I’m right here, okay?”

Azzi’s lips twitched upward in a faint smile, and together they approached the crowd. The fans erupted as they came closer, the excitement palpable. Paige took the lead, chatting easily with the fans, signing autographs, and taking selfies. All the while, she kept a careful eye on Azzi. At first, Azzi was tense, her movements measured, her smile polite but a little forced. Paige recognized the unease in the way her hand hovered over the sharpie she was holding, hesitating before signing anything.

But as the minutes passed, Azzi started to loosen up. A fan complimented her three-pointer in the last game, and she finally cracked a genuine smile. Another asked for advice on shooting form, and she launched into a quick explanation, her voice steady and confident. Paige watched as the Azzi she knew—the Azzi who loved connecting with people and sharing her passion for the game—slowly emerged from behind her cautious exterior.

It was going smoothly until a group of fans got a little overzealous. A couple of them jostled forward, eager to get Azzi’s attention, and in the commotion, one bumped into her. Azzi stumbled slightly, her balance wavering. Before she could even fully react, Paige was there, wrapping an arm securely around her waist and pulling her close.

“Hey,” Paige said, her voice low and steady as she looked her over. “You okay?”

Azzi blinked, looking up at Paige. Her eyes softened as a grateful smile spread across her face. “Yeah, I’m okay. Thank you,” she murmured, her voice laced with admiration.

Paige nodded, her hold on Azzi lingering for just a second longer than necessary before she loosened her grip. She offered the fans a calm but firm reminder to be careful, her usually playful tone replaced with quiet authority

Azzi seemed more at ease now, laughing with fans and joking with Paige who easily switched the mood back to playful.

“Alright, who’s ready to see the future champs?” Paige teased, earning a cheer from the fans. She turned to Azzi with a smirk. “That includes you, obviously.”

Azzi rolled her eyes but smiled, letting out a small laugh. “Glad to know I made the cut.”

Paige shot her a look. “Barely. Gotta see how you play tonight first.”

The fans around them chuckled, one yelling out, “Don’t listen to her, Azzi! You’re the real MVP!”

Azzi grinned at the comment. “Thank you! At least someone around here appreciates me.” She side-eyed Paige with mock offense, and Paige raised her hands in mock surrender.

“Okay, okay, she may win the MVP,” Paige said loudly, pretending to announce it to the crowd. “But only because I taught her everything she knows.”

Azzi turned to her with a raised eyebrow. “Oh, really? You’re the one teaching me?”

Paige shrugged, her grin widening. “You’ve seen my highlights.”

Before Azzi could respond, a fan jumped in with a sly smile. “Is this how you two always are? Like, this constant back-and-forth?”

“Pretty much,” Paige said without missing a beat. “I can’t help it. She makes it too easy to.”

“Right, because you’re so much harder to deal with,” Azzi replied dryly, crossing her arms.

A younger fan, barely holding a sign steady, piped up nervously. “You guys are so cute!”

Azzi glanced at Paige, her cheeks flushing ever so slightly, but Paige didn’t skip a beat. “You hear that, Az? I’m cute. Not annoying, cute.”

Azzi shook her head, the corners of her mouth twitching up. “I think they’re talking about me, not us as a whole. You’re still annoying.”

They continued signing autographs and taking selfies, Paige taking the lead in conversations. She joked with fans about their favorite plays, hyped up UConn’s chances in the game, and teased Azzi at every opportunity.

At one point, a fan handed Azzi a poster with her own face on it. Paige, standing nearby, immediately burst out laughing. “Wow, Az, they even brought your headshot. Is this for motivational purposes or—”

“Unlike you, I’m not obsessed with myself and don’t need extra motivation,” Azzi quipped, cutting her off. “But I’ll sign it anyway.”

As Azzi scribbled her signature, another fan boldly asked, “So, uh...are you guys, like, dating?”

At the fan’s bold question, Azzi paused for a brief moment, glancing at Paige with a small smile tugging at the corners of her lips. Paige caught her gaze, her own smile widening into something mischievous yet soft.

Neither of them said a word.

Instead, Azzi turned her attention back to the poster she was signing, her cheeks faintly tinged with pink, while Paige let out a light chuckle and moved on to the next autograph. The fans around them buzzed with excitement, catching the silent exchange and immediately reading into it.

“Did you see that? They totally just gave each other that look!” one fan whispered loudly to their friend.

“I knew it!” another said, practically bouncing with joy.

Paige, overhearing the comments, glanced up and raised an eyebrow at the fans. “What are you guys whispering about over there?”

“Nothing!” one of them squeaked, clearly lying, which made Azzi smirk as she handed back the signed poster.

“Uh-huh,” Paige said, her tone playful as she moved to take a selfie with a group of fans.

After a little more time they made their way to the bus. As they waited for the rest of the team to join them, Paige leaned against the side of the vehicle, her eyes still on Azzi. “You handled that like a pro,” she said with a grin. “Proud of you.”

Azzi tilted her head, her expression soft. “I had a good safety net,” she replied, her voice warm. Paige smirked, nudging her shoulder playfully, but inside, she was beaming.

As they finally stepped onto the bus once everyone was there, the buzzing energy from the fans still lingered in the air. Azzi and Paige settled into their usual seats, a comfortable quiet replacing the chaos of earlier. Paige glanced at Azzi, who was already slipping on her headphones, and gave her a small, knowing smile. She resisted the urge to tease her girlfriend for the first time all day, understanding how focused Azzi became as they got closer to game time.

Instead, Paige popped in her own headphones and leaned back into the seat, keeping her energy more subdued. Azzi, letting out a soft breath, leaned her head on Paige’s shoulder. Paige didn’t move, letting her rest, her hand casually resting on her knee as the bus rumbled toward the arena.

The surreal weight of the day settled over them both. This was it—their final game in UConn jerseys.

In the locker room, the air was electric, the quiet tension almost palpable. Paige and Azzi sat next to each other as they laced up their sneakers. Paige, ever the goofball, nudged Azzi lightly with her elbow.

“You nervous, superstar?” Paige asked, her voice teasing but soft.

Azzi glanced at her with a raised eyebrow. “Nope, not as nervous as you should be. You’re the one with all the expectations.” she quipped back, tightening her laces.

Paige smirked, leaning back against the wall. “Please, I was born for moments like this. You, on the other hand…” She let the sentence hang, drawing out a reaction.

Azzi rolled her eyes but couldn’t hide the small smile tugging at her lips. “If you spent half as much time focusing as you do bothering me, we’d already have this game won.”

“Yeah, but then who’d keep you on your toes?” Paige shot back.

Azzi chuckled, shaking her head. “You’re impossible.”

“And you love it,” Paige said, grinning.

Azzi didn’t respond, but the warmth in her smile said enough.

When they stepped onto the court for unofficial warm-ups, their usual routine took over. Among the drills and team stretches, Paige and Azzi made time for their tradition—a quick game of one-on-one. It had started as a way to loosen up and get in rhythm, but over the years, it had become their thing.

Today’s match-up was particularly playful, with Paige trying to trash-talk Azzi as she drove to the basket.

“Told you you can’t guard me” Paige teased, sinking a fadeaway jumper.

Azzi smirked, taking the ball and stepping back to the three-point line. “Keep talking. You’re about to regret it.” She drained the shot effortlessly, holding up three fingers as Paige groaned dramatically.

“Okay, okay, calm down, Steph Curry Jr,” Paige said, shaking her head with a laugh. “Save some of that for the actual game.”

Azzi grinned, tossing her the ball. “I don’t need to. I’ve got plenty.”

Their banter drew a few laughs from their teammates, who were used to their antics but still found them entertaining. By the time warm-ups ended, they were both grinning, their energy high and ready for the game.

As they stood in the huddle just before tip-off, Paige gave Azzi a quick pat on the back. “One more,” she said, her voice laced with determination.

Azzi’s gaze hardened with focus, but her lips quirked into a small smile. “One more,” she replied.

And with that, they stepped onto the court, ready to make their final game one to remember.

…

The championship game against South Carolina started with an intensity that promised a battle until the final buzzer. South Carolina’s size and defensive pressure gave them an early edge, forcing UConn into tough shots. On the other end, their star forward dominated in the post, scoring on back-to-back possessions to give South Carolina a quick six-point lead.

But UConn was no stranger to adversity. Paige and Azzi, as they had done all season, answered the call. Paige got things going by splitting a double team and sinking a floater in the lane, drawing a foul in the process. She stepped to the free throw line and sunk the shot, cutting the lead in half.

On the next possession, Azzi picked off a lazy pass, sprinting down the court for an uncontested layup. As she backpedaled on defense, she glanced at Paige, who gave her a pat on the back in approval.

South Carolina responded with a three-pointer, but Paige wasted no time striking back. She dribbled up the court with a defender hounding her, then threw a perfect no-look pass to Azzi in the corner. Azzi caught it in rhythm and drained the shot, sending a ripple of excitement through the UConn bench.

The game became a tug-of-war, with neither team able to establish dominance. South Carolina used their height to crash the boards, earning second-chance points, while UConn relied on quick ball movement and the undeniable chemistry between Paige and Azzi.

Midway through the first half, Paige took over. She drilled two deep threes in a row, the second coming off a screen set by Azzi. On the next possession, Paige returned the favor, threading a bounce pass through traffic to Azzi, who finished with a reverse layup that drew gasps from the crowd.

South Carolina adjusted their defense, throwing double teams at Paige and switching on Azzi to limit her opportunities. But the two stars adapted just as quickly, finding ways to free each other up. When Paige was trapped, Azzi slipped into open spaces for quick jumpers. When Azzi was blanketed on the perimeter, Paige drove to the hoop, forcing defenders to collapse and creating openings elsewhere.

By halftime, Paige had 22 points on an array of dazzling plays, including a transition three that left her defender stumbling. Azzi added 14 points, most of which came off assists from Paige. Despite their heroics, South Carolina’s relentless play and physicality gave them a 46-43 lead heading into the break.

As the UConn players headed to the locker room, their faces were a mix of determination and exhaustion. The crowd, buzzing with anticipation, knew the second half would be just as thrilling.

Inside the locker room, the tension was palpable. Players stretched, drank water, and wiped sweat from their faces as they prepared for Geno’s halftime speech. But before he entered, Paige found Azzi sitting at her locker, adjusting her shoe.

“They’re crowding you up top every time,” Paige said, sitting next to her. “Let’s hit them with those back cuts we talked about. I’ll find you.”

Azzi gave her a knowing smile. “And if they collapse, I’ll kick it back out. You’ll be open.”

Paige bumped her shoulder lightly. “Classic two-for-one special.”

Azzi laughed softly as Geno walked in

The second half began with the same ferocity as the first. South Carolina continued to dominate the boards, their bigs muscling through traffic for contested putbacks. But UConn’s pace and precision kept them in the game. Paige opened the half with a step-back three that sent the arena into a frenzy, followed by Azzi cutting behind her defender for an easy layup.

Each possession felt like a battle in itself, with the lead shifting multiple times. South Carolina’s star guard hit a clutch jumper to give them a brief advantage, only for Paige to answer with a quick crossover and a pull-up jumper.

By the final minute, the score was tied at 87-87, both teams trading blows like heavyweight fighters. The tension was almost unbearable as UConn had possession and called a timeout with 5.6 seconds left on the clock.

Geno grabbed his clipboard and began to draw up a play. “Here’s the plan. Paige, you’ll take the ball out. Pass it in to KK, and then get it right back. South Carolina’s going to double you, no doubt about it. That’s where Azzi comes in.” He pointed to the baseline. “Azzi you’re going to fake ball side but you’re coming off a screen on the backside baseline. If we do it right they’ll get stuck and be too many steps behind. As soon as Paige gets doubled, she’ll find you. Quick release. Game over. Simple” Geno describes the play as if it’s the easiest thing in the world as he has complete faith in the two girls who’ve led the team all season.

Paige and Azzi exchanged a glance, their confidence in each other unshakable. This was the kind of moment they had trained for thousands of times. All the time they spent in the gym together passing to each other, making up scenarios, all for this moment they dreamed about.

The players broke the huddle and took their positions. The arena was deafening, the crowd on their feet, the tension so thick it felt like time had slowed. Paige stood on the sideline, the ball in her hands, her face calm but determined.

The referee blew the whistle, and the play began. Paige passed the ball in to KK, then darted to the wing. As Geno predicted, the double team came immediately when she got the ball back, two defenders swarming her. But Paige didn’t panic. She knew where Azzi would be—she always did.

On the opposite side of the court, Azzi cut hard off a baseline screen from Ice, her defender trailing just a couple of steps too late. Paige spotted her, their connection automatic, and fired a perfect pass.

The ball sailed through the air in what felt like slow motion. Azzi caught it in stride, her feet set behind the three-point line. Without hesitation, she rose up for the shot. Her release was quick, smooth, and precise.

The ball arced high, the crowd holding their breath. It swished through the net without touching the rim.

The buzzer sounded. UConn had won.

As the ball swished through the net and the buzzer sounded, the entire arena erupted in cheers. Azzi stood frozen for a moment, her mind still processing what had just happened. They had won. The NCAA Championship was theirs. But before she could fully take in the moment, she felt a body collide with hers, Paige running toward her at full speed.

Without a second thought, Azzi’s arms went around Paige, who pulled her into a tight embrace, lifting her off the ground for a brief, euphoric moment. The crowd roared around them, but all Azzi could focus on was the weight of Paige's arms around her, the feel of her steady heartbeat against her chest.

“WE DID IT!” Paige shouted, her voice muffled slightly as she buried her face in Azzi's shoulder.

Before either of them could process much more, the rest of the UConn team was pouring onto the court. They huddled together in a jumble of players, screaming, jumping, and celebrating, all of them caught up in the emotion of the championship win. Azzi’s heart was racing, but there was no time to catch her breath—there was still the handshake line ahead.

Paige, always the leader, was the first to move toward the line, her infectious smile lighting up her face. Azzi followed, her heart swelling with pride as she watched Paige lead her team with such confidence and grace.

After the final handshake, Paige immediately found Azzi and pulled her into another hug. This time, they both held on a little longer, savoring the moment of the win and everything it meant. Azzi melted into the embrace, her heart racing as she buried her face in Paige’s shoulder.

“You’re amazing,” Paige whispered, her voice full of pride.

Azzi pulled back just enough to look at her, smiling in that soft, quiet way that always made Paige’s heart skip a beat. “Yeah, right. You’re the superstar here.”

Paige chuckled, brushing her hand gently on Azzi’s face. “Nope we’re a team, remember?”

Azzi smiled, her eyes full of love as she whispered, “I love you.”

Paige’s eyes softened. “I love you too.”

Just as they were about to pull away, the entire team surrounded them, pouring water on both of them in celebration. Azzi laughed, shaking her head as the cool water drenched her, but she didn’t mind. This was their moment, and she couldn’t have been happier to share it with Paige.

…

After some time celebrating on the court, the team finally began to settle into the moment. Hats and championship shirts were handed out, each player eagerly pulling them on over their jerseys. They posed for pictures and cheered, and the energy remained electric. When the stage was ready, the announcers ushered the team forward, and the crowd roared as the official ceremonies began.

After a few words honoring their incredible season, the team was presented with the championship trophy. The players exchanged glances, everyone hesitating for a moment—until Ice, KK, and a few others practically shoved Azzi forward to claim it. Azzi stumbled slightly, laughing nervously as she walked up to receive the trophy. She held it up high for the crowd, her usual serious demeanor softening as her teammates cheered loudly behind her.

Shortly after, the announcer called Paige’s name as the tournaments Most Valuable Player, listing her impressive stat line that night: 37 points, 8 rebounds, and 7 assists. The arena erupted once again as Paige stepped forward, a mix of joy and humility written across her face. She accepted the MVP trophy, glancing back at her team as they clapped and hollered for her some even throwing confetti that they collected in their hats.

Paige raised the mic and spoke with her usual poise. “Thank you,” she started, her voice clear but humble. “This is a huge honor, but I want to make it clear—I couldn’t have done any of this without my team. Every single person here contributed to this win and this season. We did this together.” She paused, smiling at the group behind her before continuing. “And I want to shout out Azzi specifically. She was incredible tonight, just like she’s been all year after battling back from tough injuries. I’m extremely lucky to play with someone as amazing as her.”

The team whooped loudly, laughing as Azzi groaned and buried her face in her hands. Paige grinned at her reaction before finishing, “Thank you all for the support, and let’s celebrate together Husky nation!”

The crowd cheered, and as the announcer handed the mic to Geno, Paige stepped off to the side. She immediately made her way over to Azzi, the MVP trophy still clutched in her hands. Azzi, already shaking her head, started to back away playfully.

“Nope,” Azzi said firmly as Paige held the trophy out to her.

“Come on, Az,” Paige teased, her eyes dancing with mischief. “You deserve this as much as I do.”

Azzi crossed her arms, raising an eyebrow. “You know that’s not true. You earned this. Ms.Thirty-seven points. Don’t even try.”

Paige shrugged dramatically, still holding the trophy between them. “Fine, but I’m letting you get the next one,” she said with a sly grin.

Azzi smirked, tilting her head. “Oh, you’re letting me win now?” she teased, her voice dripping with sarcasm.

Paige chuckled, nudging her lightly with her shoulder. “I’ll give you a head start.”

Azzi laughed, shaking her head as the playful banter between them faded into the background of the ongoing celebration.

…

The atmosphere was electric, a mix of celebratory chaos and genuine happiness. Paige, now a little more than tipsy, had stationed herself next to Azzi at the bar, fully committing to her self-assigned mission of making Azzi blush. Azzi, who had only had one drink, was clearly enjoying Paige’s antics, though she tried to maintain her usual composed demeanor.

“Okay, okay,” Paige started, holding her hands up like she was about to say something profound. “How about this one, Az? If beauty were time, you’d be eternity.”

Azzi snorted mid-sip, nearly choking on her second drink. “Are you Googling these? Be honest.”

“Nope.” Paige tapped her temple with a sly grin. “All me. Original content.”

So, Az,” Paige began again, leaning closer and resting her chin on her hand. “Do you believe in love at first sight? Or should I walk by again?”

Azzi rolled her eyes but couldn’t hide her smile. “You’ve used that one before. Try harder.”

“Alright, alright,” Paige said, straightening up like she was about to deliver something groundbreaking. “If you were a vegetable, you’d be a cute-cumber.”

Azzi groaned, shaking her head as laughter bubbled out of her. “That one’s worse.”

Paige smirked, undeterred. “You’re laughing, though. Admit it—I’m charming.”

“Charming? Sure,” Azzi teased, taking another sip. “But I think the alcohol is doing most of the work.”

“I don’t need help to be charming,” Paige shot back, gesturing dramatically before leaning closer to Azzi again. “But if you think this is bad, wait ‘til I really start trying.”

Azzi raised an eyebrow, clearly enjoying herself. “This isn’t you trying?”

“Not even close,” Paige replied with a confident grin.

Azzi doubled over, her laughter drawing the attention of their teammates nearby. KK and Ice walked over, clearly amused.

“Paige, are you seriously trying to pick up Azzi right now?” KK asked, shaking her head in disbelief.

“I don’t know what you’re talking about,” Paige replied innocently. “I’m just admiring the most gorgeous woman in the room.”

“Uh-huh,” Ice said, smirking. “How many drinks have you had, P?”

“Not enough,” Paige shot back, grinning as she leaned into Azzi again. “So...do I have a chance, or are you out of my league?”

Azzi rolled her eyes, her cheeks hurting from smiling so much. “Definitely out of your league.”

The team erupted into laughter, the lighthearted banter filling the air. Paige pretended to be wounded, clutching her chest dramatically. “Ouch, Az! That’s cold.”

“Don’t worry,” Azzi replied with a smirk. “I like a a good challenge.”

Aubrey who was on TikTok live sauntered over with her phone. She panned the camera to Ice and a few other teammates who cheered. Then she moved to Paige and Azzi. Paige immediately straightened up, leaning into the frame with an exaggerated smile.

“Hellooo, internet!” Paige said, waving dramatically. “Your favorite champs reporting live.”

Azzi shook her head, already sensing where this was going. “Don’t let her talk too much,” she warned Aubrey.

The live chat exploded with comments as KK laughed, reading them out loud. “Oh, they’re already asking about y’all. ‘Paige and Azzi look so good together.’ Pazzi confirmed?’”

Paige leaned closer to read the screen, squinting slightly. “Pazzi? That’s… creative,” she said, clearly a little slower than usual as she casually addressed her and Azzi’s rumored relationship.

Azzi chuckled. “She’s not drunk, I promise,” she said, addressing the camera before turning to Paige. “Right?”

“I’m not drunk,” Paige insisted, pointing at Azzi. “But you’re dodging the important questions.”

“Oh, yeah? What questions?” Azzi asked, humoring her.

“Like… how do you look this good after playing 40 minutes?” Paige said, her tone teasing but genuinely impressed.

KK groaned, dramatically tilting Aubrey’s phone away before bringing it right back. “Y’all are too much.”

Azzi laughed as Paige blinked at the phone, trying to think of a comeback. Before she could, a fan comment caught her attention.

“‘Who’s the better shooter?’” Paige read out loud, turning to Azzi. “Obviously me, right?”

Azzi smirked. “Yeah, if we’re talking about shots you’ve taken in the bar. On the court? Me, all day.”

The team burst into laughter, Ice shouting, “She got you, P!”

Paige, undeterred, grinned and pointed at the camera. “Alright, internet, I’m gonna remember this moment when I outshoot her in our next game together.”

“Sure you will,” Azzi said, still smiling as she reached over and gently covered Paige’s mouth not wanting her to say anything about Golden State. “And on that note, we’re taking a break from the live.” She pulled Paige slightly out of frame, ignoring Paige’s muffled protests.

The celebration continued, with Paige and Azzi rejoining the team. Drinks flowed, the music thumped, and the energy only grew as more fans and family filtered into the space. Paige eventually returned to the bar with Azzi, her tipsiness making her even bolder.

“I’m just saying,” Paige started, leaning against Azzi with a dramatic sigh. “You’re lucky I love you so much.”

“Oh, yeah?” Azzi asked, tilting her head and raising an eyebrow. “And why’s that?”

“Because otherwise, you’d never survive my charm,” Paige replied with a wink.

Azzi laughed, leaning closer to whisper. “Your charm is dangerous, alright. But not for the reasons you think.”

Their banter was interrupted by KK, still on live and now moving the camera back toward them. “The people want more of Paige and Azzi,” KK said, grinning. “What do y’all have to say to the fans?”

Paige leaned into the frame again, this time draping her arm over Azzi’s shoulders. “Hi, fans,” she said with a dramatic wave. “We love you. Stay hydrated. Be great. Go UConn.”

Azzi, smiling but exasperated, pulled Paige back slightly. “She’s had enough screen time for one night.”

The live chat erupted in protest, flooded with “Noooo, don’t let Paige leave!” and “We need more MVP content!”

Azzi, amused, glanced at the screen. “Oh, the people are rioting.” She laughed, shaking her head. “Guess they’re not ready to say goodbye to you, huh?”

Paige grinned triumphantly, leaning closer to the phone. “See? They love me.”

As Azzi tried to nudge her away, Paige’s eyes locked on a specific comment. She tilted her head, then read aloud with absolutely no filter, “‘Y’all should just kiss already.’”

The room fell into a momentary hush as Paige’s words hung in the air. Realizing what she’d just said, Paige’s eyes widened, and she immediately slapped her hand over her mouth. “Oops,” she mumbled, muffled by her fingers.

Azzi stared at her for a beat before bursting into laughter. “Oh my God, you’re unbelievable.”

The live chat exploded: “DO IT!!!” “Paige drunk and exposing herself lmao.” “Azzi, please end us with this kiss and we promise we’ll never complain again!”

Paige, her cheeks flushed from both embarrassment and the drinks, dropped her hand and looked sheepishly at Azzi. “Uh… sorry?”

Azzi chuckled, shaking her head as she turned to face her girlfriend. “You’re a mess,” she said softly, though her tone was warm.

Azzi glanced at the phone in KK’s hand, her eyes narrowing playfully at the sea of messages. She reached out, gently nudging Paige aside, and leaned slightly toward the camera. “This is never happening again on social media, so don’t get used to it.”

Before anyone could react, she turned to Paige, who was still blinking in a mix of tipsy confusion and nervous excitement. Without hesitation, Azzi reached out, cupped Paige’s jaw with a gentle but assured touch, and pulled her into a kiss.

The bar erupted into chaos as cheers, whistles, and laughter filled the room. KK nearly dropped the phone, shouting, “No way! Yo, they really did it!”

The live chat exploded: “OMG THEY ACTUALLY KISSED!!!” “PAZZI IS REAL!!!” “WE WONNNNNNN!”

When Azzi finally pulled back, Paige’s cheeks were flushed, her expression a mix of awe and giddy disbelief. Azzi smirked at her and leaned in close, murmuring just loud enough for her to hear, “That’s for making me deal with all this tonight.”

Paige’s grin spread wide as she stammered, “Totally worth it.”

Azzi straightened, glancing back at the camera. “Alright, now she’s really done for the night.” She waved at KK’s phone with a chuckle. “Bye, internet.” Then, taking Paige’s hand, she tugged her out of frame as the live chat continued to explode.

KK turned the camera back to herself, laughing so hard she could barely speak. “Y’all, you saw it here first! The MVP and Ms. Azzi Fudd. I can’t believe this!”

The team swarmed Azzi and Paige as soon as they returned, cheering loudly and teasing relentlessly. Paige, still tipsy and smiling ear-to-ear, leaned against Azzi, her voice light with laughter. “You really kissed me in front of everyone.”

Azzi smirked, her hand slipping to Paige’s waist to steady her. “I did,” she said, her voice low and teasing. “So let’s go, and you can thank me properly back in the room.”

Paige’s cheeks flushed, though whether it was the drinks, Azzi’s words, or both, she wasn’t sure. Without hesitation, Azzi took her hand, gently pulling her through the crowd.

The team called after them with a mix of cheers and playful jabs. KK’s voice rose above the noise, shouting, “Don’t forget to hydrate, lovebirds!”

Paige turned just enough to stick her tongue out at KK, making the team laugh even harder. Azzi shook her head, her smirk never fading as they made their way outside.

The cool night air hit them as they stepped out of the bar, the sounds of celebration fading behind them. A sleek car pulled up to the curb, its driver stepping out to open the door. Azzi helped Paige in before sliding in after her, the door closing softly behind them.

Paige leaned her head against Azzi’s shoulder, her giggles subsiding into a contented hum. “I can’t believe you kissed me in front of everyone and on live.”

Azzi glanced down at her, her hand finding Paige’s. “I told them it wouldn’t happen again,” she said, her voice warm. “But you? You’re worth it.”

Paige smiled, her fingers lacing with Azzi’s as the car pulled away, leaving the celebration behind.

[chibikyo]

Day 14 - Voyeurism

Johnny Cage (mk1) x F!Reader

Reader, sensing Johnny might be a feeling a little lonely at the thought of returning to an empty home, agrees to return to L.A. with Johnny after the battle on the pyramid. After a long flight both are tired and just want to sleep, but reader happens to catch Johnny in the shower and he puts on quite a show for her, even if he doesn't realize it.

Warnings: Voyeurism, Masturbation, Masturbating in shower, non-consensual Voyeurism (though Johnny isn't upset when reader is caught), unrequited love, not actually unrequited love, mutual masturbation

*******************************************************

Y/n sighed, stretching her back as she made her way toward the room Johnny had provided her. Before the tournament, Y/n would never have considered accepting an acting role in a motion picture, but Johnny had managed to talk her into pitching the project with him. Even if she didn’t want to accept a role in the movie he had assured her that she’d be a great addition to his presentation. ‘Sex sells, Y/n,’ he’d told her with a smug grin. She’d rolled her eyes fondly as she agreed to tag along back with him to his L.A. home. 

She hadn’t had anything else going on before Liu Kang had found her so it wasn’t like she didn’t have the time, but, if she was honest, it hadn’t been his confidence or enthusiasm that had sold her on following him home. There had been a sadness in his eyes, his smile not quite able to mask his silent plea that only she had seemed to notice. She had an idea of why he looked so despondent and she’d only been proven right as he’d guaranteed her the VIP tour of his home town. It was the idea of returning to his empty home that seemed to sit heavy in his heart.

She could understand why. His divorce had been settled in his absence while he was training with the monks and despite pretending otherwise, she knew he’d burned a lot of bridges with his friends. Likely the only friends he had were Kenshi and the others and Y/n hoped he counted her among them. He’d laughed off the rejections from the others, but Y/n had been watching him, and had seen his eyes drop just a bit before he’d turned his charm on her. Of course she’d said yes and though she tried to convince herself otherwise, it wasn’t just because she couldn’t stand to see the older man unhappy.

“Uh Oh.” She stopped in the hall and glanced at the doors on either side, trying to remember which room he’d said was hers. They had finally arrived at his mansion less than an hour ago. She’d collapsed on his couch, her muscles aching and exhausted from two days of flying and Johnny dragging her around, and he’d given her directions to her room before excusing himself to shower and change. He’d offered to carry her upstairs, but she’d waved him off saying she just needed a minute to relax and hoped he hadn’t seen the blush on her cheeks. 

They’d flown in first to her hometown so she could check in on her flat and pack a wardrobe more appropriate for a big city rather than meditating and punching the hell out of a bunch of sweaty men. Johnny had run around her place like an overexcited toddler as Y/n unpacked her bags and then he’d taken over the packing process completely, shoving her out of her own room to repack toiletries while he personally selected her wardrobe for the trip. She almost stepped in to take over when she’d heard him saying, ‘gotta pack this sexy little number, for sure’, but he’d followed it up with, ‘Oh yeah these look hella comfy for a movie night’ and ‘Ohh and I remember her wearing those cropped hoodies a lot so like, three of those,’ and she’d been so charmed he would remember something like that she had ultimately left him to the task. 

They’d flown into L.A. that afternoon, but Johnny had detoured to his favorite cafe to get them coffee, then treated her to dinner at his favorite diner, and they’d walked off the meal with a tour outside his mansion. So when they’d finally managed to actually get inside her social battery was drained, her legs felt like lead, and she wanted nothing more than to collapse onto the nearest soft object and melt into it. He’d laughed at her threat to simply sleep on his couch, but she had been half serious because by god it was soft.

All that had led her to this moment of frustration as she tried to remember exactly what he’d said. Based on what she remembered he had directed her to the last door at the end of the hall, but just based on the door and layout of the mansion that almost had to be the master bedroom. There was an open concept sitting room to her left, her right had another door that could be a room, then the door at the end of the hall that was emblazoned with a gold star. He hadn’t mentioned a star, but then again he’d stated it wasn’t the one across from the upstairs lounge. She was tired and decided it wasn’t worth arguing with the actor.

“At this point I don’t care as long as there’s a bed.” She sighed, heading down the hall and through the ornate door. The room was actually quite cozy, less of the modern contemporary feel of the main rooms and more intimate. It had a feeling of being lived in and Y/n still wasn’t convinced this wasn’t the master. The bed at the center of the room looked so comfy and inviting that she actually felt herself swaying toward it. Her bags were waiting at the foot of the bed and Y/n considered just stripping and crawling into the bed as she was, but she decided it would be best to wash off the sweat and grime of several airports and greasy diners so she spent a few minutes digging out what she would need to get cleaned up.

There was a changing room with his and her vanities that opened up to either the bathroom or a walk in closet. The bathroom door was ajar and as she started to push it open Y/n was hit with a puff of warm, steamy air and the sound of running water. She glanced up, confusion giving way to shock as she saw Johnny standing in what may have been the most decadent shower she’d ever seen. The shower had multiple recessed sprayers making it look more like Johnny was standing under a rain cloud. It was huge too, easily enough room for two or three people to shower comfortably. She was so engrossed in the design that it took her brain a moment to catch up to the most important and prominent feature; Johnny was in the shower, fully nude, and his left hand was slowly stroking the length of his cock.

She was sure she heard as her brain powered down for a few seconds, vision blurring as she rubbed at her eyes, sure that she wasn’t seeing things right. It didn’t help, as when things came back into focus it was to the sight of Johnny bracing himself against the shower wall, his forehead resting against his supporting arm as he steadily increased his pace. She swallowed as she watched his lips part as if letting out a wanton sigh, but she couldn’t hear it over the rush of water or the pounding of her own heart. She felt a spike of arousal coil thick and heavy between her legs and her face flushed with shame.

‘I need to leave. Johnny is my friend and I’m just standing here watching him like a pervert.’ She chastised, but her legs were frozen in place, her eyes glued to his strong fingers gripped around his leaking shaft. She clenched her thighs as she watched his hand give a little twist over the tip, wanting nothing more than to join this display of pleasure, but it would be wrong to masturbate to the sight of him, right? To bring herself to completion like the perverted voyeur she was. 

He readjusted, leaning his back against the wall so his other hand was free to roam. He kept the same languid, easy pace on his cock as his other hand skimmed his chest, teasing and pinching. Y/n had to bite down on her free hand to stifle a moan at the sight. How the hell had he maintained a perfect tan underneath his shaolin robes? All that slick, tawny skin on display was making her ache to feel it under her fingers. He moved lower, stroking down his abs, down past his cock to fondle his balls. He had his eyes closed and mouth open and Y/n could just hear the little gasps and moans likely falling from those plush lips.

She stopped thinking of anything that wasn't Johnny. She bit back a whimper as her hand slowly skimmed down her body, sliding beneath the lip of her shorts and pressing roughly against her clit. She rubbed it slowly, her panties wet with slick already creating a rough drag across her skin. She could feel her arousal growing, tight and hot and she nearly drew blood to hold in her moans. She saw Johnny adjust his grip on his cock, his hips thrusting in time with his strokes which were becoming faster, rougher. Her own fingers sped up to match his pace. His face was flushed and twisted up in ecstasy and Y/n could see the moment when his orgasm hit, shuddering and hand jerking erratically.

"Ahh, hnn, Y/n!" He moaned, loud enough she could hear it over the rush of water as he came and she couldn't help but gasp as she felt herself spill over with him. Her other hand twitched violently as Johnny let out a needy whine and to her horror the small bundle of toiletries she was holding clattered to the ground, echoing loudly as it hit the marbled tiles.

She froze as Johnny’s eyes shot up to meet hers, honing in on where her hand was disappearing under her shorts. His cock slipped out of his grasp, still not yet soft but he did nothing to hide his nudity. She wanted to run, but it was like being a deer caught in his headlights as she saw a little smirk grace his lips. He was moving, sliding open the glass shower doors, pace strong and steady as he approached her. She only managed to snap out of her stupor when she felt his hands slide down her sides, settling along the dip of her waist as he tugged her forward into the hot, moist air of the bathroom.

“Enjoy the show, stardust?” Johnny asked, his voice sly as one eyebrow raised up inquiringly. She felt her face flush even redder at the nickname, something he’d started using after he’d watched her fight the first time. ‘You move so fast, like a shooting star. Going to leave the rest of us in the dust aren’t you?’ He’d said it sincerely and Y/n had laughed it off, but then he’d started calling her stardust ever since. “Let's check."

She gasped as he reached down to tug her hand from her shorts. He brought it up to inspect, his tongue darting out to lap at the wet, sticky essence still clinging to them. Y/n let out a small groan as she watched him sucking her cum off her fingers. He released them with an obscene pop."

"Mmm. Delicious." He hummed. "If you wanted to see me naked you just had to ask, honey."

“Omg, Johnny what the hell?! I wasn’t trying to see you naked!” Y/n exclaimed, eyes snapping shut in horror as her brain finally caught up with what was happening. She pressed at his biceps to try and pry his hands away as she let out a slew of verbal nonsense. “I thought this was the guest room cause this is the room you told me to use and my bags are beside the bed and I didn’t mean to walk in on you and I, omg I shouldn't have watched you that was so wrong. Im such a fucking pervert, I'm so sorry Johnny, I never…"

"Calm down, stardust." Johnny interrupted gently. She glanced up as she felt Johnny’s hands tighten on her waist, his thumbs rubbing soothing circles into the fat of her hips as he stared at her. Her own hands settled along his upper arms, gripping them tight as she watched his eyes dance with barely contained laughter. He leaned down, captured her lips beneath his own as he pulled her firmly against him. His mouth was warm and soft and he kissed her like she was made of the very oxygen he needed to live. It was desperate and needy but filled with a tenderness that had her melting into him, seeking more. She didn’t even notice the hot press of his cock against her stomach or the wetness seeping into her clothes as he took her apart with his clever lips.

“Why not? After all, It was you that had me all hot and bothered to begin with.” Johnny kissed her again, chaste and sweet as he let one hand drift down to squeeze at her pert ass. “Knowing you were going to be sleeping in my bed, hopefully in those cute little PJ’s I packed for you. God, stardust, do you even know how pretty you are? How much I’ve wanted you for months now?” Y/n shook her head.

“Let's get a few things straight.” Johnny laughed. “First of all, I'm not at all upset that you enjoyed my performance. I'm honestly flattered. I would have loved to see your face when you came. Shame I missed it. Next time you should just join me.” He tugged at the hem of her shirt for emphasis and Y/n blushed. “Second, it’s my fault not yours. I wasn’t ready to sleep in that big bed all by myself, so I was going to use one of the guest rooms. I was going to just take a quick shower, but I got a little carried away and that’s on me, not you.”

“Still, I shouldn’t have been watching you… doing that.” Y/n murmured.

“I thought it was just me.” She squeaked and Johnny’s smile grew wider. “Thought maybe you weren’t ready to start looking again, with the divorce and all.”

“I wasn’t before, but that didn't stop me from noticing you, honey.” He smirked. "Now, how about you join me for a nice, long, hot shower and maybe you can give me an encore?" He tugged at her shirt again and Y/n couldn't help the grin spreading across her own face.

"Sounds perfect, Johnny."

[timkontheunsure]

I’d like your opinion on a few theories about something Viv teased about the next episodes. She said that they culminate in the ending of an arc they’ve been building up for awhile. I have 3 theories what that could be

1. Blitz-overcoming his low self esteem and demons, able to move on

2. Stolas- he stands up for himself against the goetia, possibly stripped of his title.

3.stolitz- they finally talk, possibly confess and reconcile

Or it could be a combo of all 3. But it sounds like she’s talking about a specific arc, and while I’d like for it to be Stolitz development, I have a feeling it’s a specific character arc.

What do you think?

Humm ok (again obligatory warning about head injury, so sorry about typos, or not connecting things properly ect).

But kinda think all 3 are getting advanced, but only 1 of them finished by the end of this season.

1)Blitz-overcoming his low self esteem and demons, able to move on.

Well we've definitely had some of that Oops and Blitz getting the unattainable of Fizz forgiving him, and being his best friend again.

And I think we're going to see some of that trauma get explored in Ghostfuckers.

It's also likely that it's going to be the episode with Blitz's hearing he makes everything worse from evil Millie.

But I don't think that's going to be neatly packed away, because Barbie's met to be back in s3.

It also doesn't quite make sense if that's not the main focus of the last two episodes. Mastermind and Sinsmas don't seem to be able that. Though we do appear to have the least clips about those.

But honestly mostly because this show understands trauma is with us for the long haul. We can unpack it, make it lighter to carry, but it's always with us.

2) Stolas- he stands up for himself against the goetia, possibly stripped of his title.

Could be. A big theme is Stolas learning he's allowed to choose, but also setting up one hell of a backlash for stepping out of line.

We've had a theme of people standing up to the powerful.

With Blitz standing up to Ozzie for M&M,

Loona standing up to Bee,

Fizz standing up to Mammon.

Stolas either telling Paimon, or the Goetias council, that he's getting the divorce no matter what they do; could play into that theme.

The tile striping seems fairly likely, but possible down the road. Maybe suspension first?

But again I don't think that's going to be nice wrapped up either. With the trail plot starting in series 3.

Assuming that'll be about the book deal, because chekhov's gun says it's gotta blow up in their faces at somepoint.

Also Stolas coming out in his 30s was always going to be a bit messy.

Can't really see that being fully over in a couple of episodes because this show gets trauma, and missed developmental stages and secondary adolescence take a while to work through.

(Take it for someone who was parentified from an early age, you don't really get to move on till you've dealt with it. Even if it's as small as being silly every now and again. Or just keeping a teddy.)

Pretty sure this is why Stolas has to hug himself to sleep. (Link for people that have no clue what I'm on about here)

3)stolitz- they finally talk, possibly confess and reconcile.

Yer this would be my bet for the one that's getting nicely tied up.

Best guess it'll be them both admitting they love eachother.

Because Blitz has spent the first 2 series pretending as hard as possible that he doesn't like Stolas, and definitely doesn't love him.

(Despite everyone around him, but Stolas, able to tell he's head over heels for his fluffy owl).

I'm not expecting miracles with our sweet dummies though.

That's kinda all I'm expecting to sort.

With them probably not full getting together because of issues they need to work though, the divorce, Stella's abuse and plot to kill Stolas, and Via being against them dating ect.

(She's gotta be called CockblOctavia for a reason after all. Ok had to add the other link to Brandon calling her that, cus too funny).

[katyawriteswhump]

the power of love part 7 (steddie, stobin, steve whump fic)

Steve has a habit of surviving near death experiences then getting sick for no reason. And Eddie and those fatal bat bites? After an impossible feat of mouth-to-mouth resuscitation from Steve, he’s mysteriously fixed. So, Eddie’s back to being banished, this time with Steve and Robin in tow. Eddie’s healing, but Steve isn’t… and life gets even more confusing, when Eddie develops feelings for Steve, which aren’t entirely unrequited.

Part 1 Part 2 Part 3 Part 4 Part 5 Part 6 Part 8 Part 9 Part 10 Part 11 Part 12

(also on AO3 here)

Chapter Seven

Eddie POV

Steve insists on being pathfinder lead for the next hour. 

Eddie’s gotta admit—following Steve, as he thrashes his way through the undergrowth, is the best entertainment that banishment has provided yet. Steve’s tight-fitting pants don't do any harm. Goddammit, the perspiration patches on Steve’s shirt make Eddie sweat even harder than Steve is.

“You need the fedora hat,” calls Robin, “and you’ve totally nailed the junior Indiana Jones look.”

Steve smirks over his shoulder. “I was channelling that guy out of Romancing the Stone.” 

“Michael Douglas? No way as hot.” Eddie flashes his best flirtatious grin with ever greater confidence. This afternoon, Steve has begun returning them. “Stick to Indy, man.”

By the time they reach the logging camp, however, they’re all beyond exhausted.

Eddie’s feet are raw with blisters, and Robin’s been complaining of the same for the past hour. She limps through the door of the first cabin they come to, which fortunately turns out to be a bunkhouse. She throws down her pack then throws herself onto the bottom of one of two sets of bunks. Steve collapses onto the other lower bunk and appears to fall instantly asleep.

Eddie considers crawling up onto one of the top bunks and seeing if sleep takes pity on him.

He doubts it would. The choppers were a stark reminder of the nightmare reality snapping at his heels, and he’s wired as hell. He begins to unpack their supplies. Robin, having taken a moment, sits back up.

“We should check this place out,” she whispers. “There must be a clean water supply somewhere, maybe a generator. Definitely canned food and that kinda stuff, for when the loggers come back in the autumn.” 

“I guess it’ll make a change from cardboard-flavoured cereal.”

“God, I know, right! I’d literally murder for some Count Chocular right now.”

They split up to search the various cabins. Eddie hits the jackpot first, in the guise of a crate of bottled beer. 

“Seriously?” says Robin, when she meets him outside the bunkhouse. Eddie sits on the beer crate he’s dragged out, taking a well-earned rest. “You’re gonna get buzzed?”

“You got it in one, sister.”

He doesn’t feel the need to justify this—I saw Chrissy butchered in front of my eyes. I’ve spent a week on the run from the cops. I BASICALLY DIED IN A WHIRLWIND OF EVIL KILLER DEMOBATS. And now I’m on the run again, with Steve ‘The Hair’ Harrington, and I’ve fallen stupid hard for him. Oh, and there’s a small but real possibility he’s been flayed. Or something else freaky along those lines.

Robin hasn’t quit scowling at him. His smile is the first overtly false one he’s bothered with for a while:

“Forgive me, Robin. I’ve reached the point where, to quote my sweet old Granny—there ain’t nothin’ fuckin’ like it for me nerves. ’Course, she favoured hard liquor.” He offers one of two bottles he’s gotten out to Robin. “Want one?”

“I’ll stick to the cardboard cereal.” Her scowl lessens, though she remains deadly serious. “Look, promise me you won’t give too much to Steve.”

“Why?”

“What kinda pea-brain question is that? Despite the super-commando act, he’s still struggling, it’s totally obvious. Getting trashed is not gonna help.”

“Yeah, but… he’s improving, right?” Her slight wince betrays that, once again, they’re thinking the same thing. Perhaps Steve’s getting stronger, because he’s getting closer again to Lover’s Lake, Hawkins, Vecna, the Hive-Mind, and yet… “You know our little worst-case scenario, Rob? I’m still not buying it.”

The wind rustles the nearby trees. In sync, Robin’s hunched shoulders soften a little. “Me neither. Hand on heart, if Steve had a link to that evil shit, any at all, I’d sense it by now. Although… Was it just me who thought it was weird when the choppers came over, and then it suddenly clouded up?”

“Yeeeeaah, that really was just you. I was too busy eating dirt and shitting myself.” Now he thinks about it, mind, it was darn convenient.

She shrugs. “I guess I’m super-paranoid that way. I literally spent my Middle School years spotting aliens everywhere.”

“You’re kidding?”

“Then I realised they weren’t aliens. It was the Fae all along.”

“You sure it wasn’t dragons?”

“Now you’re being ridiculous.” Her laugh sounds as manic as his latest crazy smile. On the other hand:

“Maybe Steve really is getting better naturally,” he ventures, “and the set-backs are because he’s been overdoing it. I mean, yeah, we keep an eye out for anything cuckoo, watch for connections, make sure he takes rests, but… Time heals, huh?”

“Not always.” She purses her lips, veering straight back into scary mode. “Steve doesn’t like people to know, but since his second major concussion, he’s not supposed to drink. Of course, he does sometimes, but—”

“Message received. I’ll just have the one—for medicinal purposes, ’kay?” 

“Please yourself. Then wake Steve long enough to put our own bedding on those disgusting bunks. I don’t wanna be bitten to death by bed bugs.”

Robin stomps off toward the camp generator. Eddie is executing the important business of prying the top off his beer, when Steve appears, leaning in the cabin doorway. “Why did you both let me… Hey, is that beer?”

The top pops off with a treacherous fizz. “Uh, no?”

“You’re a useless liar.” Steve closes in. His messy, sleep-mussed hair renders him totally edible. 

“You got me.” Eddie darts his tongue nervously across his lips. “This indeed is the amber nectar of the Gods. You want some?” 

There’s a skewed logic behind Eddie’s offer. If he told Steve he couldn’t drink, like he was his mom or something, Steve would probably get mad. He opts to play a good cop, bad cop routine with Robin, who… 

Eddie glances toward the generator.

She’s not there. If bad cop isn’t gonna show, then he needs a Plan B.

“I guess I’ll have one.” Steve stretches to take the bottle. 

“Just gonna test it. Been here a while.” 

Eddie takes a glug, splutters it out across dusty ground. “Oh man, it’s worse than cat-piss.” He’s only slightly exaggerating. “There’s a reason those lumberjacks left this garbage behind.”

Steve yawns into the back of his hand. “Gonna be honest. I’m not supposed to drink anyhow. Long story.” Ooookay. That went easier than predicted. “Got any water left?”

“Yeah. By my pack.” Eddie hurries into the bunkhouse, and Steve follows. It’s the last bottle, so he hopes Robin’s busy locating fresh supplies. Though that proves the least of his worries.

Half a minute later, he’s sitting on the edge of a bunk, thigh-to-thigh with Steve. They pass the bottle of water and a bottle of beer between them.

And being this close to Steve, now Steve seems so much better? Exchanging chitchat about how long they can hideout here, and if any of them have the skills to hunt a deer or something?

It sends tingles up and down Eddie’s spine.

The way Steve looks at him underlines exactly why Steve was angry last night, when Eddie “assumed” he was straight. Eddie suddenly can’t look Steve in the eye. Trouble is, he then can’t stop staring at Steve’s mouth—those shapely, slightly chapped lips, moist and glistening with water and bad beer.

Then Steve blindsides him with: “Do you honestly think you died, Eddie? Before I did the CPR?”

“I dunno, Harrington.” Eddie squirms on his butt, all kinds of defences flying up. “It was like a dream. Apart from that, it wasn't a dream. It was a place, and Dustin was there, and Robin was there, and you were there, too.”

“Wow. Seriously?”

Eddie cackles out a mocking laugh. “I’m misquoting ‘The Wizard of Oz,’ dude.”

“Oh.” Eddie glances sidelong. Steve appears… oddly crestfallen. “It’s just… You know, I said when I get hurt, I feel like I come back different each time. I mean, I don't know if it's true or not, but... I never knew you before... and I know you now and... and…” Steve fluffs his hair. “Jesus, I’m blabbering.”

“Nah,” says Eddie. “You sound like you’re getting somewhere.” 

Compared to the meltdown my brain is having.

“Okay, well, here it is. I like you, Eddie. I really like you.” 

Eddie half wants to flee for the hills. He fixes on a beetle scuttling across the dirty floorboards. “Dude, you sure you’re not in love with Wheeler?”

“I… I… No!”  Steve doesn’t sound angry, only bewildered. “Yeah, I believed that once, and maybe I was. I guess she fitted in so many dreams I’ve had of my future, and I owe her a lot. But now I’m with you, and…” Their eyes finally meet. Steve’s earnest warmth sends a brutal shockwave through Eddie. “I know this seems fickle, but…” His gentle laugh is too much. “Who knows? Perhaps it’s because Nance has never been dead. Or, near dead. You know, we’ve gotten that in common, right?”

“Riiiiight,” Eddie says, stupidly, then, “Screw it, I like you too, Stevie. I really like you.” 

They fling their arms around each other, and tumble into the kiss.

For Eddie, the sensations are like no make-out session before, such is the hunger that zings between them. Eddie’s so blown away, that the brush of Steve’s lips seems to kindle an actual crackling, electric friction..  Damn, the boy can kiss! 

Eddie’s gotten a semi already, fingers threading up through Steve’s hair, toying at the nape of his neck. Steve does amazing twisty things with his tongue. Gnng! You wanna kill me again, Baby? Even the scrape of Steve’s shallow stubble totally unhinges him.

They work the kiss with their whole bodies, striving to get beyond close, as if they could slide beneath each other’s skin. Eddie can’t help wondering—can they get each other off, before Robin gets back?

Then something changes.

He senses Steve gasp, then moan into Eddie's mouth with something other than dumb teen passion. His arms, clinging around Eddie, falter and slip away.

“Stevie?”

Too late. Steve crumples against Eddie, totally senseless. 

“Steve?” squeaks Eddie, struggling to stop Steve slipping to the floorboards. “Robin! ROBIN!”

Part 8

tags: @estrellami-1 @kal-ology (thank you, thank you, thank you!) If anybody else would like to be tagged on this fic or any of my writing, please let me know :) Reblogs, comments and likes also very much appreciated :) Thank you for reading so far :)

(also part of my steve whump fic series on AO3)

[thekinkyleopard]

Move-in Day

A Sven and Elex Canon Snz Fic

⚠️Content Warning⚠️

Snz Fet, Smut, Slight Domestic Bullying, Bj

Author’s Notes: I wanted to write something before October of the new boys 🥹 @aller-geez did the art and owns Sven!

Description: The boys are finally moving in together which is going to come with quite a few challenges. Such as boundaries. Something Elex struggles greatly with as he realizes his boyfriend can no longer hide his secret.

“Yo, 7! Where the fuck am I putting these boxes at? And why, or more so, HOW DO YOU HAVE SO MUCH SHIT?!” Elex exploded over the mountain of packed objects he carried through the threshold of their new rented home.

“Just set them in the living room, Lex…I gotta arrange this bathroom real quick…” the cat sounded distant, lost in his current task of getting their home looking like a home. “Also, you’re lucky I have all this shit or else we’d be sitting on lawn chairs watching some bunk ass TV you found on the side of the street,”

“Hey! I’m resourceful, and it’s handy, don’t act like it’s an inconvenience now,” rolling his two toned eyes. The grumpier of the two finally walked through the abode and set the large boxes down with a THUD. “Okay, so there’s this shitload in here and still 48 more shitloads in the truck..how the fuck do you expect to fit all this stuff? Where the fuck were you keeping it all??” The green haired mongrel looked about the small space of their two bedroom one and a half bath home.

“I had a storage unit, and decided to collect home decor the second I started getting a paycheck,” Sven now came walking out of the bathroom, fiddling his hands with some sort of plastic between them. “I figured I was going to need stuff if I was to inherit the family business…til Drae got adopted,” rolling his orange slitted eyes as he now stood in front of his grouchy boyfriend. “You’re welcome,” he stuck his tongue out at the other who swiftly grabbed it in between his index and thumb, giving the organ a light kiss before releasing it. “Hey!” Sven lapped his tongue and tried to remove the taste of Elex’s salty fingers.

“Yeah, yeah, you’re not the one fuckin’ luggin’ it all in here!” Snickering at his own cheeky behavior, and the other’s narrowed eye response.

“Go grab the rest of the shit tons you cretin,” snorting a bit through his nose, truthfully in hopes the man would skitter away faster because truthfully he could feel, deep within his sinuses, it was coming. He forgot to take his allergy meds, in all actuality, he packed them. That’s why he was unpacking the bathroom first. Yet, it seemed, he did not pack them according to his memory so he thought. Which means his allergy medication was floating somewhere in the several boxes he had recently packed. He sighed deeply.

“Why are you so antsy today? Like there’s a fire under your ass, chill,” Els looked the cat up and down almost worried he may explode into flames.

“Can you please just go get the other fucking boxes?!” Sven finally cracked, it was any minute before he started up, and he wasn’t ready. He wasn’t ready for Elex to see him actually sneeze without it somehow being stuffed behind something or completely swallowed back.

“Alright! Fuck! Someone’s on their Fuckin’ period,” the badger scoffed before taking his apparently needed exit, grumbling the whole way as he did so. He was alone. Sven looked around and quickly fell into disarray. He outwardly sighed and allowed himself to feel like he was full of rocks. Body visibly slumped from his perfect posture. The second he did, there it was, having been waiting in the dark depths of his allergetic sinuses. His nose began to twitch, and as he scrunched it back and forth…a sneeze came shooting out.

“H-!! H’Tshhkt!” He shook his head back and forth, puffs of spray hitting the air as he almost looked like he was fighting off a ghost. Hands flailing. “Ktch! N’GSH!” He groaned swiping at his nose with the sleeve of his white button up. “Stupid…N’GT! Allergies…H’tshh!!” He continued as he scrambled around the home full of boxes for anything he could use. “Bathroom!” He quickly shouted running back towards the area, snagging a string of toilet paper off the roll he’d set up. “Thank god…” he mumbled before blowing his nose, roughly, violently, with real purpose. He wanted not a single drop left when he was finished. He rubbed at his nose so adamantly there was a gentle clicking sound emitting from the area. Unbeknownst to him, Elex had re-entered the home, with another armful of boxes, muttering about heavy useless garbage, why not get stuff at the dollar tree. Sven’s head snapped to the bathroom door and he quickly shut it with panic. Locking the knob.

Elex sat the boxes down and at the same moment, heard the bathroom door click, as it were being secured. “Sven?” He called out curiously, his head tilted to the right as he walked towards the bathroom now. “…Sven??” Starting to feel a bit worried his voice picking up to that of slight panic. His boyfriend wasn’t the silent type, and he knew the badger was nosey, so typically calling for him would have triggered some sort of response in update. Yet there was nothing. Elex furrowed his brows and stepped forward to jiggle the knob.

From the other side Sven sat up against the wall, fighting for his life. ‘Fuuuuuck why are you so nosey Elex ?!’ He screamed internally as his body worked against him. “I’m uh…” he called out trying to speak without interruption. “I’m..Nn..trying to shit…do you..KT! … mind?!”coming up with something he seemingly found less embarrassing than sneezing…..shitting? He panicked. Wiping desperately at his nose in hopes it would keep it settled.

“Uh…k my fuckin’ bad,” Lex held up his hands defensively and smoothly turned from the door to give his partner some privacy. He plopped himself down onto..well…one of the sturdier boxes, and started scrolling through his media news feed. Every so often snorting a chuckle through his nostrils. He could be shoveling in more boxes, but why would he do that right now?

Sven gasped for air as he finally realized Elex was no longer standing by the doorway. He grabbed a handful of toilet paper and formed a perfect little nest, because he was surely going to need it. He huffed, hitched and his watering orange eyes rolled into the back of his head before he blew his mess into the handful of paper. “Hh’gsch!! K’GNSH!” Though his sneezes were relatively quiet, not too much to be bothered by the average listener, Elex just barely heard the whispering end of it. He looked up from his phone. The man was a walking question mark symbol as he slowly got up from where he sat and quietly crept closer to the door. “H’tshhkt!! Hppt’CH!” Sven tried muffling them into the now dampening piece of mulched tree, but unfortunately for him, the sound traveled quite fluently in this new home.

Elex was standing at the door, ear pressed tightly against it with one palm flattened beside him to keep him steady, his darkened patchy skin, illuminated a bright pink. Sven was sneezing? Openly? Without him?! Clearly the cat was trying to hide it…but why? What was he so ashamed of? Frankly…his little sounds were quite delightful. He bit his lip before listening in for more.

“Fuck…Nkch! Ngt’ch!! KTCH! Pleeeease…” he tried to reason with the universe to allow him just a smidge of freedom from this darkened, evil curse. This was supposed to be a blissful day. He was supposed to enjoy this new found independence and be able to enjoy his new life with his boyfriend. Not held up in the bathroom sneezing his brains out of his ears. “Hh’gsch!! Hptt’CHHH!”

Elex couldn’t stand it anymore by this point, so he pulled his head back and gently knocked again. “Sven? Come on puss, why you still in there?”

“Go away Lex! I can’t let you…H’GNXT! see me like this…” stifling into his hand, long abandoning the soiled tissue. He couldn’t allow Elex to see him this way, he couldn’t! It was humiliating! The opposite of manly! He couldn’t do it.

“Babe…seriously just open the door,” The badger began to grow impatient. “You either open it, or I knock it the fuck down, pick your poison cause this hiding secrets shit isn’t going to fly with me,” now feeling a bit more grudgeful. Why was the man acting like this? Reserved and hidden? He was usually so passionate and proud! An open book almost, but this was starting to concern the green haired male.

“No! You’re going to laugh at me…” a muffled, insecure voice was heard through the thin wood of the bathroom door. It almost made the Badger soften, almost. That wasn’t like him though.

“Barker, I’ll take ‘Things That’ll Never Fuckin Happen’ for 800 please…Puss, open the damn door,” trying to reason with the other by sprinkling in some light humor, his knuckles still tapping against the wooden material. Eventually, the green haired male heard the click of the lock and the door came slowly creeping open. “Puss?” He called open from his position, before sneaking his head in first.

He saw Sven a mess on the ground, sniveling and sniffing as he rubbed his reddened nostrils, clearly having been fighting a battle in here, surrounded by discarded tissues. “Don’t look at me..” he whimpered with his head hanging low, the loose strands of his aqua hair hiding the disdain behind those glossy orange orbs.

“Oh Puss…” he chuckled shaking his head back and forth, taking a seat next to the smaller. “You sick?” He asked curiously, placing a flat hand on the other’s back and rubbing him lovingly.

“No…I can’t find my Allergy medication…” Sven sighed pitifully, shaking his head slowly back and forth, hugging his knees as he tried his best to starve off what was surely inevitably coming back for more.

“You have allergies too?” Els turned his head, cocking his pierced green brow with curiosity. Surely, he knew the other had some allergens but, so severe? No wonder he never noticed if he was always on meds or stifling….

“Yeah…myself…I’m allergic to MYSELF! K’TCHH!” His face fully vermillion now as he sneezed into the crook of his elbow, trying to avoid a mess across the two of them. Ashamed and embarrassed by his very existence.

“Oh babe…” Elex clicked his tongue and ran his once back rubbing hand, now through the strands of soft colored hair. “What can I do?”

“Not perceive me..SNNDDFF…Nkch!” The quick sniffle to clear his sinuses only made it infinitely worse as he twisted his nose in large circles across his face, then scrunching it with vicious fervor. “Ktch! K’GNSH!”

“Well, that ship has long fuckin’ sailed my face exploding lover, but I can at the very least offer you a distraction,” now bringing both his hands up to massage each of Sven’s shoulders, causing the Cheshire to relax a bit under the touch, his tension slowly melting under Elex’s hands.

“What do you…K’GTCH! Have in mind?” Forcing it out into the palms of his hands as he tried to stay intrigued and engaged within the conversation with Lex, who in turn couldn’t wipe the brightened blushing red hue off his own cheeks.

“Oh you know…” trailing his hand down the front of his boyfriend’s chest, he stopped at his audibly clinky belt, fiddling with the mechanics as he leaned closer into Sven’s soft, orange cat ear. “Suck you senseless?” Starting to work the main belt pieces loose, as it clanked open swiftly with expertise.

“Ng…I might..h’…might quite..nkcht! Enjoy that…actually…sndf,” struggling to make it through his sentence as he grabbed another load off the toilet paper roll, finding it almost needing replacement yet again. Jesus.

Elex licking his lips and swiftly began chewing on his lower lip ring. “I honestly don’t know why you were hiding those sounds from me Sevvy~ I reeeeaaallly enjoy them…” already working his partner’s belt loose from his pants as he slid it out completely and tossed it to the side of the bathroom. “I find it actually…”

“KTCH!” Sven couldn’t hold back another, snapping his hand back up to his face to cover himself, he blushed brightly, his crying eyes now looking over to make contact with Elex’s hungry glare. Whom was bringing his hand back to his mouth.

“Mmm, fairly selfish, that you would hide such an arousing fact about yourself….” Spitting into his palm with a lustful force that made the cat swallow harshly.

“A-Arousing? What are y-you even talking about…Hh’GSCH!” Humbled again, his body shook with the force against the side of Elex’s body, that now hovered him.

“I think you know…Stud,” diving his newly dampened hand into the hem of Sven’s boxers, and taking hold of the other’s hard cock now, Els continued to chew his piercing.

“N-Nuh…uh! Aah~” the aqua haired man tried to argue but it was no use as his pleasure receptors began to buzz and vibrate within his entire body, feeling his boyfriend’s slick hot hand now working his awakening length.

“You’re so shy?? For what reason my strong, handsome, pussy cat? It’s just me…” Lex’s hand twisted expertly, knowing all the right spots to make his normally in charge boyfriend, purr. Els squeezing with lustful power as his digits worked to please him.

“Y-You’re so Lu-lucky I can…t…Hnn..K’gnsh!!” Falling back against the wall, his hair fell beside him, sticking to his slowly dampening temples as his sneezes continued to make him jolt and spray. His nose relentlessly leaked despite how many times he swiped and rubbed at it with the dryer sides of his handful of paper.

“Can’t wait? Toss me around and stick it up my ass? Treat me like the slut I deserve to be?” Snickering lightly into the other’s ear before nipping it playfully, his thumb dipping and teasing at Sven’s aching head.

“Elex…” he moaned loosely, sniffling with soft reserve as his eyes shut tightly. “…Jesus do something with that dirty fucking mouth besides talk shit hm? Sndfff,” snorting back a sneeze, some congestion and a whole lot of vulnerability, Sven took a fistful of Elex’s hair now and dragged him to the space between his legs. “If you’re gonna…hptt’ch!” Using his free hand to brush the leaking fluids from his face. “Be about sucking my dick, then be about it…you foul mouthed whore,” his wet orange gaze now snapped open and narrowed down at the taller of the two, who blinked several times with his multi colored gaze before a devious smirk slid across his lips.

“My pleasure, boss,” settling comfortably between Sven’s thighs, the Badger slowly pulled the cat from behind a wall of boxer and forced open pants. Face to face with it, the green haired man shivered in anticipation, sticking his split pierced tongue out he wrapped it delicately around the head, slipping each side up and down, opposite of each other. This caused the cat to gasp loudly, his grip on the forest locks only tightening.

“Shiiiit…” the warm metal balls rubbing and teasing the ridges of his head was almost enough of a distraction to keep his allergies at bay, but almost doesn’t pay the bills. “K’tchh! Ngt’chh!” Using his free hand like a tissue, though it was already pretty used up and clammy by now, it was all he had. The toilet paper was inconveniently out of reach now. The sounds and scene of his feline boyfriend blowing out, only fueled the naughty badger even more as he spoke once.

“Don’t stop doing that…” Elex now swallowed Sven’s length in one swoop after his plea, slipping the large cock furthest down his throat he could. Taking his right hand he began to fish it inside his own jeans, needing to release at the sight of this. A special occasion, a new secret unlocked. Everyday he learned more and more about the elusive cat and it only drove him further in love with the asshole. His tongue, caressed and hugged around the cat’s length in a whole new way no other without a surgery like his could. It was almost one Sven’s most favorite things about the slightly younger, beside his overall personality. He liked his boys a little, spicy. Sven would loosen his grip upon the other’s hair only to tighten it back up the second his cock would hit the back of his throat.

“H’h…aah~ nn..El…H’tshhkt!! Nkch! Ngsh!” The older of the two cried out gently, his small explosive light sneezes dusting and decorating the space now between them. Cascading down onto Elex’s face causing the badger to moan around the other’s thick length. “I’m-..so…H’NgXt! Nnch! Hah…close…” fighting to at least finish the thought while his eyes rolled into the back of his head. Elex sucking purely on his tip before pushing down again. The taller’s head continued to bob gracefully, each side of his tongue working over time to massage and press at every individual dip and vein. His hand pumping quickly at his own leaking, needy member.

As each second passed, with Elex’s mouth on his cock, and the new found freedom that the other was less than a bully about this exposed secret, his groin tightened. “Elex…” he groaned his lover’s name, pushing his head with each downward suck, he couldn’t take it anymore. The badger was simply too fucking good at pleasing him. His back straightened against the wall and he threw his head up with existential pleasure. Sven came, hard inside the other’s working mouth. His hips stuttered and he forcibly shoved Lex’s throat down almost drowning the other in his explosive seed.

No matter the difference. Els swallowed every drop as his own shaking fist began to stagger and suffer. Trying to keep pace but finding himself lost in ecstasy and before long his efforts were just enough to send him over the edge, filling his boxers with cum. “Fucking shit….” He hissed plopping Sven’s cock from his mouth as a thin white line of fluid dribbling down his chin now. Sven chuckled, watching his mate in the throes of an intense orgasm, he reached over with his thumb and swiped the line of cum from the other’s face. He held his hand there for a moment , caressing the other’s discolored cheek, while Elex tried to catch his breath.

“Sndfff…Thanks…” he huffed, out of breath between the allergy attack and his lover’s mouth.

“For the blowjob? No problem,” chuckling playfully as El now too sat back, but against the lower cabinet of their sink.

“No…for not making fun of me,” he shrugged. “I know it’s one of your favorite past times but…this time it meant a lot that you didn’t,” Sven smiled over at the badger who met him with a cocky grin and a roll of his duo colored eyes.

“Hey I might be an asshole, but I can read a room…plus…you’ve grown on me through the years…I can’t make you wanna kill yourself ALL THE TIME…” chuckling loosely before reaching over and lightly gripping the other’s chin lovingly before letting go.

“Touché…” the cat responded with a carefree smirk and a quick reach to grip, and hold onto Elex’s hand.

“I love ya, Puss, stop keeping secrets, alright?” The badger said softly, his thumb rubbing over the top of Sven’s embracing hand.

“Yeah, alright. I love ya too, kid,” his orange eyes sparkled with slight mischief but overall love for the bratty male.

“Don’t fuckin call me that,” his green and brown eyes shifted to a narrow glare, sizing the other up now and ripping his hand away from Sven’s loving grasp.

“I’ve told you several times to stop calling me puss,” the Cheshire shrugged almost unphased by this sudden mood swing the other was having, since he was always having one.

“Puss is cute! You’re a cat! Kid is fuckin’ weird…makes me feel less manly, stop it,” pouting now, folding his arms across his chest he certainly fit the description more than ever now. It was more or less not helping his case.

“Whatever you say, kid,” shifting slightly the badger jerked forward and slugged the cat in his arm, hard, no holding back, he did not care and there would surely be a bruise the next day. “Ow! You god damn animal!” His voice said stern but his facial expression said bring it, always ready for some rowdy action.

“Yeah well, maybe it’ll teach you to listen! Dick for brains!” Sticking his tongue out with defiance, Elex continued to uphold his protests, folding his arms back up over his chest.

“Zip it, you neanderthal, and get up…help me find my damn meds…Sndfff…” Sven snuffled loudly again and finally began to lift himself off the bathroom floor, extending a hand out to his partner, offering help but was met with a very stubborn badger.

“Maybe I don’t want to…I’ll have you sneezing all over this house for my personal enjoyment,” turning his head swiftly away to avoid looking at his boyfriend, still pouting, crossed up and avoidant.

“There really is something mentally wrong with you,” bringing his hand back in, Sven now also crossed his arms over his chest and slowly shook his head at the very bratty man on the floor in front of him.

“Yes, but you knew this, and still chose to go out with me, so what’s that say about you? Huh Einstein?” Sharply turning his head back to deliver his final argument it actually made the cat shrug his shoulders and nod his head in agreement.

“You make a sincerely valid point, now please help me unpack all this shit…” again, the cat unfolded his arms and reached a hand out to offer, one more time, his mate a lift back up to solid footing.

“That’s better, a please never hurt no one,” finally, Elex took the offering of the cat’s hand, and connected their palms in a hitch. The shorter of the two promptly pulling himself up on to his feet again. Elex subconsciously began to wipe down his pants and wash his hands.

“I fear I may have made a mistake moving in with you….” Looking the other up and down, he sincerely was starting to question whether or not he made a good choice. He did after all move in with an unhinged criminal that he often stood toe to toe with many times through out their childhood together. This surely, was going to be a rollercoaster ride.

The End

Author’s Notes: What better way to break in the new couple than some smutty snz action. I hope you all enjoyed the new OCs and their sexy, slightly abusive and toxic dynamic. 🫠🫠🫠 I’m sorry y’all we needed something with a bit more umpf. Elex is so BabyGirl 🤭🤭 he just won’t ever admit it 🤪

[atsadi-shenanigans]

What Shall We Become 33 - Maggie Grace

Your shoulder’s dislocated. Gotta be, the way it grinds. The drow hit hard. Didn’t matter you was already on the ground. They snatched you up and threw you back down and wrenched things until something popped and they bound you up like a suckling pig but thrice as beaten. Pain shrieks through your shoulder, across your chest and up your neck every time you move. Every time you breathe.

They strip everything from you but the clothes on your back.

Even your motherfucking soul jar.

You almost protest that. But your teeth stay ground together as they give it a cursory look, pass it around, and turn it over to the bitch queen in charge of this shitshow. She was the one that mind-whammied you.

She hums and says something. Gives it to a slightly smaller woman (all of them shorter than you but them fuckers is toned).

Fuck. Fuck fuck fuck.

You can’t feel your hands after a couple a minutes. Complaining would make things worse (they can always get worse, which is why you don’t never give nobody nothing if you can help it).

Worst thing that happens if they open it is you die and become a ringwraith. You suppose you can haunt their asses until the end of time.

But the smaller woman slides around a pack she’s carrying and tucks it in there. They stash some of your potions, and throw your clothes (and the panties Astarion made for you) off to the side.

They do pause when they get to—

You try to bury your face against the ground when they pull out that dildo. A few of them snicker. You glance up in time to find Bitch Queen giving it an appraising look, and then nodding to Packmule, who slips it in.

You hope she uses it without boiling it and gets fucking Faerun herpes.

Then they free up your feet enough you can stumble after them, a rope around your neck. This is going to be bad.

They laugh when you fall. Slap the back of your head when you stumble or don’t immediately get up (still gagging). Your knees burn, and blood sticks the knees of your trousers to your skin after a while.

Everything fades into a miserable haze. You let it.

But the world comes back when they shove you down and your shoulder wrenches and you can’t help the scream. They don’t hit you, this time. Too busy setting down bags in a ring around y’all, laying out bedrolls and tucking into dried rations. No fire.

Then a fucking brick shithouse of a drow guy comes outta a nearby cave, followed by a skinny dude leading a giant fucking lizard. With a mcfucking saddle on it.

You fumble for your connection to the others when those two look at you. Your body is stuck here, but your mind…you could maybe get that away enough.

But the instinct to hide runs too deep. Got made part of you like a tree growing over a road sign, until its so buried in the trunk it can’t be removed without killing that tree.

You fall on old, old instincts. The first ones, that you unpacked and set out with your therapists so you could wrap them up and store them safely away again. The drow take that box in your mind, give it a shake, and dump it all over the floor. And all them times you felt the first twinge of pride doing something like saying “no” or going to the bank. It all vanishes.

You lie meek and mild and quiet in the dirt. If you stay still enough, be good enough, the bad things might not notice you. Might not hurt you. And you’d rather chew off your own tongue before you let any of the others ever see you like this.

But the bad things do notice you. Because this ain’t the farmstead. There ain’t no other sea of faces you to try to duck behind. These came after you, specifically. Once they get all cozied up, they come over.

Bitch Queen leads them. Strides over to loom with two women flanking her. She’s changed outta her armor and into some skimpy leather vest. Her hair is bone-white and pulled into a tight bun on top of her head. She says something, but fuck if you can even begin to parse it out (god, your wrists throb, fuck, people get gangrene from that don’t they).

When you stare at her, her eyelids lower. Then the two other women come around to grab your bound arms. The shock of pain slaps the sense outta you. You try to jerk away. Which earns you a kick to the ribs that leaves you dry heaving. They don’t even let you curl over yourself. Just wrench your head back in a fistful of your hair.

You gaze up at Bitch Queen and purple fire engulfs her hand. It reminds you of the dagger Astarion gave you (gone, now). Every bone tries to flinch away, but they got you tight, and Bitch Queen touches her fingers to your forehead.

It’s worse than the dead drow. Not in terms of pain, but in how completely enveloping it is. That Kentucky fried fuckface was a spear stabbing into your mind. This one is a hundred surgical scalpels. Your senses fall off. Go slack and numb. Thoughts race: Grandpa’s ani, choking in the river, Pizzaface flailing around on the ground. Rebecca Whittle presses your face into the dirt as Teresa May and Abigail Jenkins yank on your hair and scissors snip. Back to the river and cold water surging up your nose, past your lips to rush over your teeth you’re gonna drown, good god she’s gonna fucking see—

All your memories, all at once. Shame and horror, delight and awe, the warm comfort of a mint mocha as you stare out through a rain speckled windshield, cold watermelon on a scorching bright day, your bare toes speared by the sharp, dead grass browned around you. All of them and all of you as she sinks her spectral fingers right through your brain.

But it ain’t just gray pudding in there. Nestled within them brainmeats is something else. Soft and gelatinous, save for a tiny, round mouth ringed in teeth. That worm senses the disturbance and it writhes in agitation. Bitch Queen brushes it, pauses, reaches back to grab it.

Mistake.

The brainworm realizes somebody else is in here and it’s a territorial sonuvabitch. A pissed off chihuahua. All but screeches as it blasts out with a psychic wave that shreds the spectral fingers and somebody shouts—

You slump. Your arms ache, the dislocated one grinds horrifically and the air hitches in your lungs. You pant over your knees, take a long moment for your brain to reboot enough to take in data from your eyes and ears.

Did that little fucknugget of a space worm just EMP y’all’s brains?

Drow-speak weaves overhead, fast and tight, the edges of the words clipped. A hand fists in your hair again and jerks you back.

Bitch Queen’s face reminds you of the side of a glacier after it’s calved off a rotten chunk, all shiny and cold and razor fucking sharp. She switches languages, goes immediately to Common. But you can only blink at her even as you catch some familiar syllables.

Then she pulls a knife.

Astarion had summoned that dead drow back to his body after stabbing him, his eyes glowing green, hand misted in eerie light. That kind of magic fucking exists here.

“Talk!” you say in Common. “Talk water! I drink!”

You try to look over to where Packmule set down Bitch Queen’s bag. Hope to fuck she can follow your mashed up grammar.

You can just make out her eyes narrow in the dim glow of the mushrooms around y’all. Then she snaps orders. Dirt crunches and Skinny scuttles over to that pack. Carefully reaches inside and withdraws the potions they took from you.

Bitch Queen says something as Skinny holds them up. You jerk your chin as best you can (scalp bursting into flames of pain). Skinny comes over and holds out the dirt potion.

“Yes,” you say.

He uncorks it. The women holding you do not let go. Which means—

He upends it into your mouth. You try to swallow, but it’s too much and you cough, sputter, hork some of it out your nose. But he don’t stop and they don’t let go and you can only gasp and choke until your mouth is clear again.

You want to go home. You want your bed and your new, nice sheets. Your couch against the wall of the living room with sunlight spilling golden across the fake wood floors. Jesus, you’d settle for your lost tent back in that druid grove, surrounded by trees and half of your group arguing and Astarion sitting nearby, watching you.

You want Uncle Randy. You want Grandpa.

But you don’t get none of that. Just pain and burning and a bunch of fuckers staring down at you.

Then Bitch Queen says, “Speak, slave.”

“I will,” you say. “I’ll tell you whatever you want.”

Cause you got no skin in this game. Don’t care about crystal shenanifucks. Don’t got no shits about whatever adamantium thing they’re after.

“Yes, you will,” Bitch Queen says. And then her eyes and her hands glow purple.

She don’t move, but something of her wraps around your head. Slithers through your hair without actually touching it. It ain’t actually physical. But it does sink into your skull.

It’s like a thousand paper cuts dipped in lemon juice. But in your brain. In your mind.

You choke. Thrash. Pull yourself out of the strong hands on you and the agony in your shoulder squeezes your stomach like a tub of toothpaste.

Don’t matter. Your body is a different thing. A twitching, frothing sack of meat.

It happens over and over again. Slow caresses that at first feel almost soothing, until the stinging pain seeps in.

It stops as abruptly as it starts. You hang open-mouthed and drooling. Panting like a sick pig.

“Why can I not retrieve the coordinates you stole?” Bitch Queen says.

Your tongue is too thick to move. Teeth fit together all wrong. Jaw cracks as you slur, “Accident. Don’t know—”

Claws. Your vision goes gray and speckled. Somebody’s beating the shit outta a goat or something. It wails something terrible.

Then hands release you and you’re kinda aware of falling, limbs twitching and straining against your bindings.

Everything in the world shrinks to the back of your eye sockets and that horrible pain. You try to pull away. Bury yourself. Go somewhere, anywhere. Burt it just keeps going. Doesn’t stop. Ain’t never gonna stop. Gonna shred your mind apart like string cheese—

It vanishes. You’re on your side sucking in dirt. Joints ache. Mouth is full of iron. Oh, that’s blood. You crunched through your tongue.

“Why can I not retrieve the coordinates you stole?”

You want to answer. Need to answer. But your thoughts are soup.

“P-parasite,” you mange. Lips are wet with the taste of metal. “Squid. Illithid. Got b-brainworm. T-tadpole.”

A hushed murmur. Your eyes don’t work right, no more. She’s scrambled you.

“Why have you not changed?”

“D-don’t…”

A mental claw touches you.

“Someone! In d-dreams. Says she, she blocks.”

“Undo it.”

You try to swallow. Your throat hurts. You can only answer one way. And that’s why torture is bullshit. Why it don’t work. Because you only got one truth. You’re happy to share that truth, but she ain’t gonna accept it. And you’re gonna pay for that.

“I can’t,” you say, eyes prickling as you squeeze them shut. “I really…really can’t.”

You know it ain’t gonna help. Ain’t gonna stop. Still, you beg. You got nothing else. Can’t do nothing else.

You just want to go home. You want this all to stop. All of it. Every, single part of this shit ass mess.

But it don’t, because the world is horrible and you got lucky the once. But you ain’t never gotten that lucky ever again. There was only one Sasha in the world. Ain’t nobody every gonna save you.

The claws sink in.

[bunnie-tells-stories]

Perhaps you’d be interested in another snippet of my fan fiction? (Please I need motivation to keep writing it 😭)

Chapter 3 - Dinner at the Agreste’s

Tonight forces me to get a bit more unpacking done, as I unpack my clothing bag looking for the nice formal dress I had packed. Pulling out a black and white dress, I’d have to get more than just this dress if dinner’s at Adrien’s was going to become a regular thing.

I examine myself in the full length mirror. My dress was black and fell just above my knees, it looked like it had a sweetheart neckline. The true neckline was a white collared blouse sewn into the dress to make it look as though it was layered.

My dark curls were tied back in a half up high pony and a bow. Underneath my dress I wore black tights and white thigh high knitted socks, and knee high black boots with little kitten heels.

“You look very nice Violette,” Blanca says as she floats around me watching as I drag my mascara across my thick long dark lashes.

“Thank you Blanca,” I smile at her through the mirror before replacing my mascara for lipgloss. When I’m done with the gloss I slip it into my bag for later use. It is dinner after all.

I run my fingers through some of my loose strands of hair, trying to make my hair look fall just right. Before spraying a few spritzes of my favorite perfume on my hair and clothes. Before leaving my room I made sure to take a few pictures standing in my mirror, I had to post about this on my blog. But that’s going to wait until after dinner so I actually have something to talk about.

I take a few steps across the large room. Being greeted by my brother opening his door down the hall when I peaked my head out. When he walked out of his room he’s wearing a simple cardigan and khakis but his shirt is tucked into his pants so I can see he’s wearing his swim trunks underneath.

“You’re gonna ditch me?!” I yell at him from down the hall, quickly ducking my head back into my room to grab my leopard stuffed animal off my dresser and launching it down the hall at him.

“Sorry Vi, you’re gonna have to run interference for me,” He says untucking his cardigan from his swim trunks and they disappear. “Swim tryouts this week, I gotta practice.”

“Boo!” I stick out my arm pointing my thumb down and shaking it at him as I cup my mouth with my other hand.

“And for that ser Leo has just become a prisoner of war,” He scoops up my leopard and chucks it in his room before closing the door. Effectively locking ser Leo in there. “Alright come on the sooner we get there the sooner I can bail.”

I roll my eyes and follow my brother down the stairs, hesitating as I walk past his door.

“Don’t even think of it. Prisoner. Of. War.” He yells at me from the bottom of the stairs and gives me the ‘I’m watching you’ hand gesture.

I take my brother’s arm in mine as we meet at the bottom of the stairs.

“I’m so glad you guys are staying with us this year!” My grandmother says placing a hand over her heart “It’s so nice having a bit of liveliness in the house again…” She pinches Vincent’s cheek

She hugs us before we leave to go across the street for dinner with Adrien and his father. We’ve been to plenty of dinners, with plenty of our parent’s bosses but this time I’m feeling a bit nervous. Our parents won’t be here tonight, they’ll be over call which means for most of it since Vincent is bailing…I’m going to be alone with Adrien Agreste.

[comphetkoncass]

truly wasted my entire weekend doing titans towers builds. but it was my time to waste and i wasnt rly able to leave the house much anyways so. its chill. and ngl the build looks fucking stellar. i was finally able to use the hidden object and move objects cheats as a console user again (it refused to work for MONTHS) and i finally can do the shit ive been wanting to do for forever. once it's done ill upload it and no one will download it bc it uses like. every pack. and thats ok <3

and yes i made TWO titans towers. one for all the housing. and one for all the stuff they gotta do. housing tower has a room for donna, kory, raven, and a guest room on a girl's floor, and then a floor for dick, wally, vic, and gar, and two rooms on another floor for roy and garth. wahoo! donna's is a little bit 70s groovy, lots of wood paneling and photagraphy. she shares a bathroom with raven, who has, predictably, a dark gothic sorceror vibe. across the hall from them is kory, who's room is as brightly colored as possible with a ton of plants and bright pictures. most of the guys are downstairs. dick's needs a little something, but i made sure to add lots of unmarked boxes because this guy never unpacks, but what he does have is a lot of sleek red and black and white equipment. and a picture of an elephant. few momentos, mostly corkboards and tech and maps. he shares a bathroom with wally, who's room looks like a pretty normal college jock. he has a treadmill and posters and is the only one with a mini fridge and microwave in his room. across the hall are vic and gar. they both have a mini gamer setup. vic has a lot of tech but a few sports momentos as well. gar... lots of animal print, and some gamer setup stuff. it's also a mess. upstairs above the girls, we have garth, who's space is very beach themed. under the sea lookin room. every picture of the sea i could find. and a bathtub. he has a bed too but i think he sleeps in the bath mostly. and he shares a bathroom with roy who has a very sleek playboy looking room, mostly brick and black accents and a dart board. and on the other half of their floor we have a community meeting space to talk shop, and then on the top floor we have as faithful a recreation of the 03 show's main tower floor :)

im 90% done with the rooms (vic's needs a bit more love and gar's needs....... something........... to make it look less ugly) and i'm maybe 70% done with the other tower.

the other tower, the top (fourth) floor will be a massive gym, on the third floor there's a pool and locker rooms (done) second floor there's storage (done) and a big meeting space (done), and on the first floor there's a medical space (done and it looks awesome) and across the hall is a big science area. haven't started on the gym yet but the medical space and science area are mostly done (science area is pretty simple since it's just a matter of giving them space to build skills).

anyways these are going to probably cost at least a million simoleons maybe more plus will have an insane electricity cost, but thats ok, dick and roy can afford it

[asknarashikari]

AU!Ren: How's the selling of my PinUp calendar?

Me: Let's just... it is packing quite the punch. Especially in the western and SEA markets.

AU!Ren: Ah, I see what you did there.

Me: I mean there are some nudes on there.

AU!Kento: Also thank you for the exclusive calendar of us three.

AU!Touma: We look so great in the exclusive. But...

AU!Kento: We especially love our family holiday theme calendars. So wholesome.

Me: No problem. Also, the money is going straight to your guy's accounts. And taking a majority of the profits.

AU!Ren: So... Godfather... I wonder if you can send some to the other universe. The good ones.

Me: Sure thing...

Later.

Me: What do you guys think?

Touma: They look so happy in these holiday calendars... And... Your Ren needs to wear a condom. He got too many kids. But then there's you... *looks at me* Especially you.

Me: *shrugs*

Emu: Yeah... They may have 10 kids but you... You are something else.

Me: Enjoy their wholesome calendars. *leaves immediately*

Haruto: Hey! I just went there and found these lewd pinup calendars!

Everyone: *comes to look closer*

Touma: *skims through the calendar* *screams* That's huge! *more screaming* *faints*

Kento: *looks at the other one* So much innuendo.

Tsukasa: Why does that version of Ren have a king-size?

SaberCast: *looks to Ren*

Ren: I... I'm loss for words... for my other self...

Me: I'll be taking those back, Wizard! *snatches back from Haruto* Plus you didn't even pay for them! *leaves once again*

Haruto: Hey!

...I don't know where to begin with this, there's quite a lot to unpack here lmao

But yeah, gotta agree with Touma here, those AU guys need some protection... and family planning in general...

[echthr0s]

I'm gonna be for real... that Buscadero giga-modpack is a hassle. I have learned that zip files do NOT enjoy being huge. I had to clear off double the space (so, around 100GB) on my drive to get it unpacked properly. Something in it is broken or corrupted and didn't unpack correctly, so I had to get creative (get a fresh install of Mod Organizer 2 and then merge it with the one from the modpack) to get it to actually launch instead of yelling at me that like 3 .dlls were missing. I'm not exactly sure how it's all constructed -- the instructions included with the pack were not as clear as I'd have liked, and I think I'm pretty savvy when it comes to this stuff. Miraculously, I got it to launch, it plays fine so far (well. the framerate is pure ass when I'm not in a building but I guess that was to be expected LOL) but I don't have the little raider helmet in the lower left of the main menu screen which the mod compiler states is an indicator of a successful load, so something is still not working. I just have no idea what, and no idea how to figure out what, which is the real problem.

Also, there are two mods included in here that have dependencies that aren't accounted for (I just unchecked them in MO2, I didn't want to deal with trying to download more mods into this and inevitably breaking the whole thing), and I got several error messages ingame related to other mods that are missing... gods know what... or are seemingly out-of-date. I also can't seem to access the mod options menu, which I don't love. I might double-check load order and try to do some updates, just as a simple troubleshoot, but... frankly, I think the takeaway is that these huge mod compilations are most convenient to the individual that did the compiling (because they know exactly what they did, how everything fits together, and how to accurately troubleshoot errors as a result -- and this is information that is difficult to properly convey to others). Don't get it twisted -- after all that, I'm gonna play it as long as it works. Gotta get my effort's worth, you know -- gotta see if it's actually worth said effort.

[penelopecruzcoded]

i think i manifested my last relationship into my life. in my early 20's, for whatever reason, i had this feeling like i would get into a relationship when i was 27, one that would be serious and intense, one that would have those domestic, movie moments in it that i'd always craved and wanted (the escalator flashes back and forward in my mind like a pendulum until i don't know where it belongs anymore). and then that's exactly what happened. it's almost eerie. really fucking eerie when i think about it, but i try not to think about it too much.

i just wish i had any kind of notion or feeling now, for my future love life, but i don't. i got nada, a question mark, tv static, nothing. it makes me a little sad, because it's been...oh, 3 years i suppose. but it's felt like so much longer. just a long period of longing and absence and nothing. but maybe the reason it's a question mark is because it means i have to carry on working on myself, improving, hustling, running, jumping, ducking and fighting those obstacles to get to Me, to find Me.

i feel, in a way, more lost than i have ever been, because for so many years i felt so sure of my identity, it was one big solid impenetrable mass, like colossal hunk of amber, like jade. floating immovably in the ether. and now that i am coming to learn that so many facets of my personality and my life have been built on lies, false assumptions, wrong turns, and just straight incorrectness, that hunk of stone has fractured into pieces. i no longer know who i am. but i guess that's okay, because that's part of the journey, right? gotta get bad before it gets good. if you are going through hell, keep going. and so on and so forth.

these past two months have been more traumatic than the last 3 years combined, and maybe not in small part due to having to fight the very real and external forces causing stress in my life and doing the dual work of unpacking past trauma at the same time. i opened that pandora's box and it can't be closed anymore, can't be packed in. the only way out is through. maybe i need to completely lose my identity to find my new one, or to find the one that's been inside me all along.

i read about the quest for the holy grail last night and so many people the world over, from jesus' disciples to the nazis had looked for it. maybe i too, am looking for my holy grail. this on top of everything else. complete and total transformation. i know that's what is needed, for me to overcome all these obstacles and come out on the other side. i am asking of a great lot from the universe, but i know deep down it's not something that it can't grant me. i'm not asking for the ability to fly. just to turn me into that very thing which i was always destined to be. and i can carry myself the rest of the way. i know where i am going, even if i don't know where i am going. i see her, i see HER, the her i was always meant to be. she's the most wonderful creature on earth and i am in love with her. i give her more love than anybody ever has, but others give her love too and she is able to accept it, because she is no longer trapped in a web of trauma, she is healed, and she is good. she is so good. i love her. after all, everybody in this universe too is a reflection of you.

[loveforpreserumsteve]

Love Grows (demon!Bucky and pre-serum!Steve omegaverse au)

4

STEVE WAS BUSY AND HAPPY. Still unpacking and organizing, making Uncle Arnie's apartment feel more like his and Hodge's. Trying to make it feel more like home.

Hanging new, blackout curtains; putting energy efficient bulbs in the beautiful Victorian glass lamps in the living room; hung pots and pans on the kitchen wall. Once done vacuuming Uncle Arnie's Persian rug, he wheeled it over to the closet at the end of the hall, and paused. Seeing that the shelves were leaning vertically against each other on the floor, his brows furrowed. What the hell? Figuring that Uncle Arnie probably had his reasons – whatever they might be – Steve shrugged and fit them across the wood cleats on the side walls.

While Steve was busy, Hodge was too. Hodge worked each morning with his acting coach and then auditioned for plays and commercials in the afternoon. Steve did his best to assure and encourage his spouse with his dream.

At breakfast, Hodge was touchy, reading a review of a play that he hadn't gotten cast in. "He doesn't even know how to pronounce library, but he still got the part."

Kissing the top of his head, Steve offered, "They were intimidated by you."

"Right," Hodge rolled his eyes, taking a drink of his coffee. Seeing the time, he stood, "Shit. I gotta go."

"Have a good day," Steve smiled, standing on his tiptoes to kiss him goodbye. Hoping, desperately, that the beta would finally get the role he wanted. Knowing that no one deserved it more than Hodge.

"You too."

Left alone, Steve got back to work. With everything unpacked, he gathered the dirty clothes that seemed to litter around the hamper but his husband rarely got in the basket. Maybe he should take a page out of Sarah Rogers' handbook and get a basketball hoop hamper to go on the back of the door like she had when Steve was growing up. He tried not to be too annoyed. Hodge was in a rough patch, and Steve was a lot of things but never not supportive.

Carrying the basket to the basement, Steve remembered Abraham's misgivings and suddenly felt uneasy. It wasn't the first time he had been to the laundry room, but it was the first time he had gone without Hodge.

Had the elevator always creaked like that? Were those tremors on the ride down normal? What about distance? Had the basement always been so far?

The basement – like most basements – was an eerie place of whitewashed brick passageways and dim corridors. Footsteps echoed and whispered, unseen doors thudded closed, and the storage areas created suspicious shadows.

It was here where Steve remembered the pack of feral pups that were found feasting on a baby's corpse. How did the feral pups get in? Who did they belong to? Who found them? Whose baby was it? Was it a sibling? Had any of them been caught? Had any of them been punished? He thought about getting his phone out and googling it, but that would've made it real and even more dreadful than it already was. Partial ignorance, Steve decided, was partial bliss.

With the coin-operated machine going, Steve sat in one of the chairs, reading one of the plays that Hodge was wanting to audition for. It wasn't the best play, but it also wasn't the worst. Steve thought that the beta had a real shot. He knew that very soon he'd get something good. Something that people talked about and took notice in the broad blond for.

As Steve sat there reading, waiting to switch the clean clothes to the dryer, a blonde girl joined him. Glancing over at her, Steve did a double take. With a start, he realized that she was Irma Kruhl. Never in a million years did Steve imagine that he'd bump into an award winning actress such as Irma Kruhl. He'd seen just about everything she's been in. Keeping up on the new episodes of Femme Force, longing for another season of Daughters of Liberty, and impatiently awaiting her newest project Kubekult.

However, as far as Steve knew from the tabloids, Irma Kruhl didn't live at Stark Tower. Sure, she could've been visiting someone else and helping out with chores, but that seemed a little silly to Steve. A closer look told Steve that he had been mistaken. This woman's nose was too long and slim. The resemblance, however, was a remarkable one. And then Steve found the woman looking at him with an embarrassed, questioning smile.

"I'm sorry," Steve apologized. "I thought you were Irma Kruhl. I'm sorry."

She blushed, but her smile was eased, more relaxed, "You don't have to apologize. I get it all the time."

"I can only imagine," Steve glanced down at the manuscript, feeling silly for misidentifying her.

Wiping her hand on her shorts, she stepped forward, holding it out, "I'm Sharon."

Smiling, he shook her hand, "I'm Steve. My husband and I just moved in."

"Yeah? How do you like it?" Sharon took a seat in the chair beside Steve's. "I'm only visiting, but I love it."

"We love it! We're only sub-letting right now, but – between the two of us – I hope that Uncle Arnie decides to extend his traveling."

Sharon giggled at that, then paused. "Wait. Uncle Arnie as in Arnold Hodge?"

"Yeah, he's my husband's uncle."

"I'm staying with my uncle and aunt. The Sousas. They're in 12A, right behind you. I think it used to be one big apartment way back when. Or at least that's what Uncle Daniel said."

"I would've had no idea." Steve tried to imagine how much larger his new home could've been, and decided that it was right just the way it was. After all, they could fit their old apartment in the kitchen alone. And really, how much space could two people need?

"Uncle Daniel is a bit of a historian when it comes to this place. He even knew Howard Stark."

"Oh, wow!"

As Steve switched over his washed clothes to the dryer, Sharon asked, "Do you know who you look like?"

"No, who?"

"Nathan Hale. Y'know, from Operation Rebirth."

Steve laughed, "It's funny you say that because my husband used to date him."

"Get out of here!" Sharon's eyes bulged the same way that Steve's had when he saw the pictures of Hodge with the actor. "Is he an actor? Your husband?"

Steve nodded.

"What's his name?"

"Gilmore Hodge," Steve answered, returning to his seat. "He was in 107th and Queen's Vengeance and he's done some commercials and had a recurring role on the soap opera Man Out of Time."

"Oh wow! I love that show! Y'know, I bet I've seen him!"

"I don't doubt it," Steve bragged, "He's a very good actor and is a real looker too!"

CRASH!

Glass crashed somewhere in the basement. Could it be the feral pups? Would they devour him and Sharon the way they had the baby? Or was it Silvan Jules coming to exact his revenge?

Shuddering, Steve looked uneasily toward the laundry room's doorway. "I hate this basement."

"Me too," Sharon agreed. "I'm glad you're here, I don't know what I'd do if I was down here by myself and heard that."

Nodding, Steve tried to assuage both of their fears, "It was probably just a loose lightbulb or something."

"Yeah. That's probably it."

"But maybe from now on we can come down together?"

"Definitely!" Pulling a silver necklace from beneath the collar of her t-shirt, she revealed a little filigree ball a little less than an inch in diameter. "I even have a good luck charm to keep us safe."

"That's beautiful."

"Isn't it? Aunt Peggy gave it to me. It's three hundred years old. And this stuff that's in it, she grows it herself. It's good luck or something. I guess we'll see."

"I guess so," Steve smiled.

Getting a whiff of something unpleasant, Steve's nose scrunched up. He hoped that it wasn't Sharon because his reaction would be so unbelievably rude. But she chuckled and held the charm out further so Steve could see the translucent-bluish spongy substance that pressed out against the silver openwork. He got another, stronger whiff of the bitter scent and drew back.

"I'm not fond of it either," Sharon laughed. "But I hope it works!"

"Let's hope!"

My mom is going through some health issues, all good vibes are appreciated!

[tasteleeknow]

thinking about taking it slow w chan in terms of being intimate, but one day ur making out (or something similar) n he just loses it n cums in his pants & is a lil embarrassed n cute ab it SIGHHH

also love ur works!! if it’s not too much could i be ☁️ anon? tysm & have a beautiful day/night, you deserve it!!

thank you so much ❤︎ of course you can, hope this makes your day/night a little nicer! enjoy!

pairing: chan x fem!reader genre: smut, fluff. content: 18+ minors dni. warnings below cut. word count: 1k

afab!reader. grinding. profanity.

“Come swimming with me,” you whine, arms wrapped around your boyfriend's neck. You move your head as he tries to look over your shoulder at his computer monitor, blocking his view. You’d only moved in with him a week ago, very much ready to take the next step in your relationship. Or at least, a step. Whether you were doing the steps in the right order was a matter of personal opinion. 

When he’d confessed his feelings for you he’d given you a whole speech about how serious he was; how he was determined to do this right. He took you on dates, bought you small gifts, pressed gentle kisses to your forehead. It was only because your lease was up and your roommate was moving overseas that he agreed you should move in. It made sense, he’d said. 

“I’ve gotta finish this, baby,” he says in response to your begging, lips curved into a small smile. “Maybe tomorrow?”

You readjust yourself in his lap, pressing your chest firmly against him. “But it’s so hot today... please?” You press a brief, soft kiss to his lips.

“I—I shouldn’t.” 

“But you want to?” 

His eyes drop to your lips. “Yeah, baby. I want to.” 

“I won’t tell,” you whisper. 

“This is due at midnight,” he says, distracted—eyes still fixed on your lips. 

“Alright,” you sigh, climbing off his lap. “I’ll just go alone today.” You press a kiss to the top of his head. “Good luck with your work.” 

You turn to look back at him just before you leave the room. He’s sitting back in his chair, hands gripping the arm rests. You smile, a fun idea popping into your head. 

You dig through one of your moving boxes, searching through the clothes you didn’t use often enough to have bothered unpacking yet. “Yes!” You pull out a red one piece you hadn’t used since last summer, before you met Chan. 

You rush to the bathroom to squeeze it on, satisfied with the way it pushes your breasts up your chest—cleavage tastefully peeking out the top. You grab a towel and your keys, sneaking out to find your boyfriend engrossed back in his work. You drop your belongings onto the kitchen counter, alerting him to your presence. He doesn’t turn from his screen, merely raising his voice enough to call across the apartment to you. “Enjoy your swim!”

You wander over to him, tapping him on the shoulder. He looks up, then down—eyes trailing down your body, halting for a noticeable moment at your chest. His eyes snap back to yours, looking guilty. 

“Is that new?” he asks. 

“This?” you tug at the elastic red fabric. “No, I just couldn’t find my other one. Must be packed up still.” You feel a twinge of guilt at lying to him, the first time you’d done so. You’d tell him later, after you’d had your fun. 

His eyes drop to your chest again, so quickly you almost miss it. “Can I have a hug before I go?” you ask sweetly. He pulls his headphones from around his neck, dropping them on his desk so he can stand. You place your hand on his shoulder, stopping him. “Don’t get up.” 

You throw one leg over his lap so you can lower yourself onto him again. He looks like you’ve just trapped him in a cage of lions. You can’t help huffing out a small laugh at his expression. You press yourself against him, arms around his neck. When you press a soft kiss to his cheek his arms slowly wrap around you in return. “Do you think you’ll finish in time?” 

“Mm, think so.” 

“Do you have time to kiss me?” 

“Always.” 

You press your lips to his, gentle at first, then—when he makes no effort to pull away—you slip your tongue into his mouth. He hums, arms wrapping tighter around you. You’d had a few close calls, a few moments where your more intense make out sessions had nearly slipped into something more. He’d always pull away, gently reminding you how he wanted to do it right—to show you he wanted you for real, not just for sex. 

He was sweet. You loved him for it. But god you wanted him, especially since you’d been sharing a bed with him for the past week. He wouldn’t put it off much longer, there was no way either of you could last. He moans into your mouth when you roll your hips against him. Usually this was when he’d pull away, brows pulled together in concentration. Not this time. His hips lift up a little to grind up into you, the chair squeaking with his movements. 

He pulls away from your mouth and his hand moves under your ass, each of his hands grasping a handful of you and kneading firmly. You’re a little taken aback. The last week must have gotten under his skin more than you’d realised. You pull away from his lips, leaning back to attempt to get a clear look at his face. He follows you, leaning forward to chase your lips. 

“Channie,” you whisper, hands tangling in his hair to hold him back. His eyes meet yours, a little glazed over. You roll your hips hard, grinding down against his now very obviously hard cock. He groans, hand grasping at your waist to pull you down against him. “Fuck,” he groans. Then his mouth drops open and you’re in awe, taking in his blissed out expression. His hips stutter against you, then his face drops to your shoulder—his hot breath warming your skin. You take in what just happened, a warmth soaking into you where your cunt presses against his cock. 

You pull his head up, fingers still tangled in his hair. “Did you just…?” you take in his expression, his cheeks are bright red. 

“I—I’m—I’m sor—” 

You press your lips to his, cutting off his embarrassed stuttering. He drags it out, pulling you closer each time you try to pull your lips away. When he finally pulls back he hooks his finger into your neckline—pulling the fabric away from your skin enough to get an eyeful of your breasts. “Don’t wanna wait anymore,” he mutters. 

please reblog and share your thoughts. caption, tags, replies, or ask box, i read it all. feedback is what motivates me to write more!

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