#gray granite counter top
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wednesdaydreams · 2 years ago
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Enclosed - Kitchen Inspiration for a large contemporary l-shaped light wood floor enclosed kitchen remodel with an undermount sink, shaker cabinets, white cabinets, granite countertops, yellow backsplash, mosaic tile backsplash, stainless steel appliances and an island
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Traditional Kitchen Inspiration for a large timeless u-shaped light wood floor kitchen pantry remodel with a farmhouse sink, raised-panel cabinets, beige cabinets, granite countertops, beige backsplash, stone tile backsplash, stainless steel appliances and an island
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aftmartwork · 1 year ago
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Kitchen Great Room in St Louis Open concept kitchen - mid-sized transitional l-shaped dark wood floor and brown floor open concept kitchen idea with a farmhouse sink, shaker cabinets, white cabinets, granite countertops, gray backsplash, stainless steel appliances and an island
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curlyrps · 2 years ago
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Kitchen (Denver)
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mappingbarcelonapublicart · 2 years ago
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3/4 Bath - Contemporary Bathroom
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puppixel · 2 years ago
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Mudroom Front Door in Orange County
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shagtective · 2 years ago
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Kitchen Enclosed (DC Metro)
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rogersx · 2 years ago
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Kitchen - Enclosed
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prettylittlebigliars · 2 years ago
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Transitional Bathroom (Atlanta)
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hometoursandotherstuff · 6 months ago
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Little fairy tale castle built in 1976 in Lafayette, PA was the height of style in the 70s, but it's very dated, now. IMO, the 70s were a pretty tacky period in decor. They're asking $1.16M for the 4bd, 5ba home. What do you think?
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I prefer gryphons to the common lion statues.
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The entrance hall is grand and has elements of English Tudor style, as well as castle. I like the way the lamps simulate torches and the ceiling with the medieval chandelier is amazing. Plus, the sweeping stairs and tile floors look good. I would want to repaint it, but it would take $ to brighten this up.
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Love the iron gate to the sitting room. The home has the elements of a large castle and it's beautifully done.
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The sitting room is elegant with 2 steps down to the sunken space.
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Beautiful fireplace and windows, all on a smaller scale. Love the wood ceiling and chandelier, too.
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Very large dining room. Nice chandelier, but no wainscoting or fireplace, plain ceiling.
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This is where we get into the 70s style. The colors were orange, green and yellowish gold. So, the kitchen has the original dark cabinetry, there's the orange hood w/a royal crest over the cook top and cool orange sinks. The brown & orange tile floor ties it in.
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They changed out the counters b/c they're granite. You can see the stained glass cabinet doors and decorative panels on the fridge. I think I would put one of those Knight statues in here with a tray, so he looks like a butler or something campy like that. d
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Large casual dining area is nice. It has a whole wall fireplace. I actually like this space better than the formal dining room. Note the little dragons on the medieval chandelier.
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Very dated and original wallpaper and lighting. You can either embrace this home, and just brighten it up a little, or renovate it.
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Check out the original avocado toilet and sink.
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Now up on the 2nd level, we have a rec room with window seats, on one side. By the looks of the overhead fixture, there was a pool table in here.
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On this side of the rail, step down to the sunken bar area, the epitome of 70s entertaining. You've got a stone fireplace area for guests to gather, and a wet bar with the decorative panels and popular plaid wallpaper. Plus, note that there's also a stepdown to the sunken bar.
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This is the door to the primary chamber.
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They emptied it, but it's royal purple and spacious. There's also a small fireplace and closets with mirrors. I tried to get tinted mirror strips off my wall when I had the house- they were on the sides of a stone fireplace and would not budge. I finally covered them w/simulated stained glass.
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Across a small purple hallway is the primary bath.
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Variety of fixtures- funky black tub, orange sink, black toilet and bidet. It looks like everything has its own room, too.
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Now, this suite has a purple theme.
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Check out the 3 pc. bath. I'm colorblind when it comes to distinguishing gray and orchid. Is the sink purple?
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Very large attic for lots of storage.
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There's a beautiful free-form pool outside.
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The grounds are very pretty.
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.79 acre lot, beautifully landscaped.
https://www.zillow.com/homedetails/4127-Presidential-Dr-Lafayette-Hill-PA-19444/10072422_zpid/
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leossmoonn · 1 year ago
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Hope you’re having a good day! Can I request a blurb of Abby seeing your place for the first time?
yes!!! I hope you’re having a good day as well :D
————
“are we almost done yet?” abby groans as she climbs up what she hopes to be the last flight of stairs.
“one more, honey,” you say. you grab her hand and try to help her as her little legs feel like jello. you turn to mike who is trailing behind you two. “i’m sorry. i didn’t know the elevator would be broken.”
he shakes his head, smiling a little while panting. you can see some beads of sweet form on his upper lip. “i love cardio. in fact, this is right on par with what i do at the gym.”
you giggle as you know he does not have a gym membership and he’s stopped running outside since it’s become so cold. even if he did keep up with exercise, stairs are a different type of workout.
“we are here!” you exclaim at the top of the step. abby jumps up for joy, suddenly re-energized with the excitement of seeing your apartment. you open the door leading to the hallway and the pair follow you halfway down the hall. you type in your apartment’s pin number and open the door, going in and setting your purse down and slipping your shoes off.
abby runs in, skipping through the room.
“abby! behave. we are guests,” mike says. “oh, it’s okay. there’s not anything she can harm,” you say.
there’s a little meow that comes from your bedroom. your head turns and you spot your cat. “except for cornelius, maybe.” you walk over and pick him up, walking him over to abby first. she gasps, her big brown eyes seeming to fill up her whole face. she tentatively puts out her hand, letting your car sniff her. cornelius ducks his head under her hand, rubbing his cheek along her palm.
“he’s so soft!” abby gushes. “he seems to like you,” you grin.
she turns to mike with the biggest pout you think you’ve ever seen from abby. “can we get a cat?”
mike chuckles softly and shakes his head. “i don’t think we can afford one, abs. i’m sorry.”
she frowns and turns to you, scratching cornelius behind the ears. “can i live with you?”
“maybe someday soon, hm?” you take a peek at mike who’s obviously daydreaming about a building a home with you.
“yeah, maybe someday,” he smiles softly. he starts looking around your apartment, taking in everything.
it’s a cute little place that you have. the first thing you see when you come in are two walls, one with a few doors along the side. the first door leads to your bedroom and the second leads to the bathroom. the third one is a small room that contains the washer, dryer, and litter box.
further into the hallway is the living room and kitchen which are connected. the cabinets in your kitchen are all white with marble granite covering the countertops. the kitchen table you have is a little bar with three chairs all lined up seemingly perfectly. you have a few plants on top of each cabinet with a little cactus on the bar counter near the wall it’s connected to. you have family pictures all over your fridge, as well as some with mike and abby.
your living is by far your biggest room. you have a gray couch with a wood coffee table and another wooden table by the far corner of the couch. there’s a plant right in the middle of the coffee table as well with a picture of you and mike. the tv is sitting on top of a dresser that’s filled with all of cornelius’ food and toys and other necessities. there’s a window by the tv and couch, letting a great amount of light in. the wall behind your couch is a navy blue along with your rug.
by the window is a cat tree and a basket of cat toys. there are a few shelves on the wall that are ascending. on them are pictures of your cat, family, and little souvenirs you’ve managed to pick up while traveling.
mike’s been here before, but he’s always amazed at how homely it feels. it doesn’t have that stuffy feeling to it like his house does. it’s not depressing and disappointing to walk into. it’s lively even with just the three of you here standing in silence. it feels exactly like how you make him feel: calm and happy.
“i like your plants,” abby says, inspecting the calathea on your coffee table. “we should get some, mike.”
“it’s a small investment,” you say. “they will probably die in my care,” mike snorts.
“i’ll help,” you offer. he shrugs, “we’ll see.”
“are you guys hungry?” you ask, walking into your kitchen. “not really,” abby answers.
“mike?” you turn to him. “a little, but i can wait until i get home,” mike says.
“nonsense. you guys plan to stay here for a little, right? unless you want to walk down seven flights again.”
“no, please!” abby groans. “that’s what i thought,” you chuckle. “you good with eating some chinese takeout? i have leftovers that will go bad soon.”
“anything you have is fine. thank you,” mike says. “awesome,” you hold your fist up like you won a game. “oh, abs! i wasn’t sure if you wanted to watch anything while you were here, but i bought you some coloring utensils and coloring books as well.” you start to warm up the food in the microwave and go to your bedroom, coming out with a couple of boxes full of coloring supplies and a few books.
“oh, you didn’t have to,” mike sighs. “i wanted to,” you say. he watches with a smile as you sit on the ground with abby and look through the books with her. his heart warms as he knows you love abby like she’s your own blood and flesh.
you and mike are sitting on the couch while abby is laying on her stomach in front of the tv, paying most of her attention to her new coloring book. you managed to convince her to eat an egg roll, which she surprisingly liked, and some fortune cookies.
mike takes your plates once your done eating and begins to wash them. you follow him, wrapping your arms around him and kissing his shoulder.
“you didn’t have to,” you say. “you fed us and let us hang out at your place. plus, you got abby some new stuff. It’s the least i could do,” mike says.
you peck his cheek. “you guys are always welcome here. even if I don’t formally invite you, you guys can just show up if you know i’m home.”
“don’t let abby know that. before you know it, she’ll be packing a suitcase and sleeping here.”
“well, there is an apartment upstairs with two bedrooms.”
mike gently sets down the plate in the drying rack. “you don’t have to move just because my little sister wants to live with you.”
“what if i want you guys to live with me?”
his heart skips and his body stiffens under your. “really?” he mumbles. you hum and nod. “whenever you’re ready, just say the word. i love you, mike. and abby. you two are my family away from home.”
mike smiles and turns to place a kiss on your lips. he cups your face, leaning into the warmth of your body. you both hear a thud continued by a small meow. mike feels something furry against his neck and shuffles away, a little startled, only to find out it’s cornelius.
“if we move in, you might have to get rid of him,” mike says.
you gasp with a smile and slap mike’s chest. “that would be like getting rid of abby.”
“yeah, but abby is a human and can talk and feed herself. and use the bathroom without me having to clean it up.”
cornelius meows once again, batting mike’s shoulder. he then lays down on the counter, showing his belly and pushing his head into mike’s arm. you can’t help but awe.
“i think he likes you.”
mike brings a hand up and scratches the side of his face. cornelius starts to purr loudly, rubbing his head further into mike’s hand.
“he’s not so bad,” mike says. “see? you’ll get along perfectly fine,” you smile.
you and mike go back to watching tv for another hour or so before mike tells abby it’s time to go home. abby whines and begs to stay, but you assure her that you’ll see her bright and early tomorrow.
“i love you.” mike hugs you, holding you close and tight like it’s the last time he’ll ever see you. you close your eyes as you relax into him, feeling yourself melt against his body. “i love you, too, baby. drive home safe, okay? text me when you get home.”
mike nods, grabbing abby’s hand after you kiss her head goodbye.
“are you sure we can’t get a cat?” abby asks. “i’m sure,” mike says.
“what about a dog?”
“no.”
“a bunny?”
“no.”
“hamster?”
“abby, no.”
“what about a chicken?”
“where would we even get one of those?”
“i want a fox! josie has one in her backyard that visits sometimes.”
mike looks down at abby with a you’re crazy face. she giggles and starts to him to herself. mike sighs, knowing he’s going to have to deal with abby’s questions about pets for the rest of the week. but honestly, he wouldn’t have it any other way.
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obitez · 2 months ago
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Bean
Can also be read on AO3
The night before Chimney’s bachelor party, Buck had been running himself ragged. He had been running himself ragged all day really, but that night it started piling up on him. 
“How about you come over to my place?” Tommy asked as they were speaking to each other over the phone. “You can show me those cooking skills you were talking about?” 
“Really? Your place?” Buck asked. “It’s only been like a week and-” 
“Evan, it wasn’t even 24 hours after the coffee meetup [he still refused to call that a date] that we were having sex in your loft,” Tommy stopped him to say. “You invited me to your sister’s wedding. I think you seeing my place is a little overdue.” 
“Oh, well…” Buck trailed off, thinking. “Yeah, that sounds great then!” he smiled into the phone. Send me your address, I’ll grab some food at the grocery store and come right over! You don’t mind pasta right? I’d usually make a nice marinated chicken dish but this is kinda short notice and-”
“Sounds good,” Tommy said. “You get whatever you think will make a nice meal.”
An hour later, Buck pulled his Jeep into a driveway leading up to a single story bungalow right next to a gray pickup truck he had become very familiar with in the last month. He parked the Jeep and grabbed two grocery bags from the back seat as he walked up the short walkway to Tommy’s front door. 
As soon as he pressed the doorbell, Buck could hear the sound of a dog barking coming from somewhere inside the house. That was weird, he thought. Tommy hadn’t mentioned any dog in the time Buck had known him. Then, in the small window that lined the right side of the door, the face of a little dog appeared. 
The dog barked again, and - oh, it seemed Tommy did have a dog. Why had Tommy never mentioned a dog? 
Seconds later the door opened, and before Tommy could say anything the little dog tried to maneuver itself around Tommy’s legs and run up to Buck. 
“Oh Bean,” Tommy said as his eyes grew wide and he quickly leant down to scoop the dog into his arms before the dog tried to claw up Buck’s legs. Tommy made the action look so easy, so effortless… how? 
“You-” Buck blinked, his eyes focusing on the dog in Tommy’s arms. A dachshund, if he knew his breeds right, often called wiener or sausage dogs. This one was small, and could fit right into Tommy’s forearm. It, no he, had solid dark brown fur with a light brown snout and feet. The dog was cute. “You have a dog?” 
 “Yeah,” Tommy said, hitching the dog higher up in his arms. “His name is Bean. Bean, how about you say hi to Evan.” Bean only blinked his eyes up at him before turning his head around to look up at Tommy’s face. 
“You never mentioned him before,” Buck said, reaching a hand up for Bean to sniff him. Bean didn’t. 
“Really, I haven’t?” Tommy asked. When Buck shook his head no, Tommy thought back on it. “I guess I have been talking about him less often. Lucy and the others kept nagging me a couple months ago saying that it was impossible for me to not talk about him. So I tried to talk about him a little less and-” 
“You should talk about him more!” Buck said as he moved his hand to the top of Bean’s head, scratching his head fur. “How can you not talk about this little guy?” 
Bean leaned into Buck’s touch, blissed out. “Ph, he likes head scratches, doesn’t he?” 
“Yeah, he does,” Tommy said, a gentle smile on his lips. Buck could get used to seeing that smile on Tommy’s face. It looked good on him, really good. 
“So do you want to come in now?” Tommy asked, taking a step backwards. 
“Oh yeah,” Buck said as he held the bags of food up. “Got everything we need right here.”
“Well then let me show you my kitchen. 
🐕 🐕 🐕 🐕 🐕
Buck spread out the ingredients along the kitchen counter. The very nice kitchen counter. And oh boy did Tommy have a nice kitchen. Granite countertops, a six burner stove, even the sink had one of those fancy bendable faucets. It was fantastic, everything Buck wished he could have in his loft. 
As soon as Buck had opened the package of cheese, he could feel eyes on him. It wasn’t Tommy’s gaze, Buck knew what Tommy’s gaze felt like. Tommy was over in the living room though, looking for something. 
Buck’s eyes trailed down to the floor, and right around the corner of the counter that indicated the entrance to the kitchen, only seven inches above the floor were two eyes. 
Two large begging eyes. 
Two large begging eyes belonging to a very cute dachshund who certainly knew how to use them to his advantage. 
Buck turned back to the bag of cheese and grabbed a fingerful. He then squatted on the ground and held his arm out to the dog. “If you’re quiet,” he whispered. “You can have some. Don’t tell Tommy though, I don’t know if you’re supposed to eat this.” 
Bean slowly walked up to the outstretched cheese and gave it a quick sniff, before his small teeth came out and grabbed it from Buck's hand. Buck smiled as he watched the dog eat the small chunk of cheese, how could Tommy have kept this little dude a secret? 
“Found it!” Tommy then yelled out, coming back from the living room as Buck stood up and turned to the oven. 
“What were you looking for in there anyway?” Buck asked. 
Tommy came up behind Buck and wrapped his arms around his torso. “You’ll see later,” he said as he smiled into Buck’s neck. 
As Tommy leant over Buck’s shoulder, looking down at what he was cooking on the stove, they both heard a whining come from the floor below them. Buck looked down, only a step away from both of them stood Bean, staring up at them with his begging and pleading eyes. 
“What is it?” Tommy asked the dog. “Are you hungry?” 
The dog stomped one of his little paws, or he tried to, Buck assumed, it wasn’t that effective when his paw was only a fraction the size of Buck’s hand. 
Tommy chuckled. “I’ll feed you when our dinner is ready.”
Bean obviously hadn’t been satisfied with that answer as he gave another stomp and a small bark. 
Even though Buck wasn’t looking at Tommy, he could feel Tommy roll his eyes at his dog. “Fine,” Tommy sighed as he grabbed a bit of the cheese in one of the bowls on the counter. “I’ll give you some cheese now if you can leave us alone for ten minutes.” 
Buck blinked as he watched Tommy give Bean a piece of cheese. Oh, oh…
That dog had played Buck… oh he was smart. 
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steveslevis · 1 year ago
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delicate - chapter two
is it chill that you're in my head?
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pairing: steve harrington x reader
chapter contents: not a lot happening in this one, just the two of them being awkward
wc: 3.6k
a/n: hope you guys enjoy!!! sorry it took so long, hopefully ch3 won't take me as long
Everything that comes after your so-called interview at Ralph’s happens in what seems like a matter of seconds. Before you know it, you’re standing on Fifth avenue with Eddie the next day, your two large suitcases, one duffle bag and backpack being the only things you needed to tow across the city. 
Eddie had been the opposite of excited for you, in all honesty. He told you damn near a thousand times over a span of 24 hours that you should just move in with him and Alexander, and that you should try to negotiate with him about still working for him until you can save for your own place. Much to his dismay, you ignored your best friend’s concerns, shaking your head with confidence every time he tried to ask if you would stay. You had a good feeling about this, the voice in the back of your head telling you to go for it, that it would be a good growth opportunity, that you would never heal by spending your time rotting on Eddie’s couch. 
So that’s how you ended up here, walking into one of the most expensive luxury housing buildings in the entire city with your weary best friend in tow. The two of you had made the mile and a half long trek across the city instead of using one of the Harrington family’s chauffeurs – you had insisted to Steve that it wasn’t necessary for the little amount of belongings that you had. 
“Holy shit,” you hear Eddie mumble behind you while you push open the heavy glass door and walk into the lobby. 
The lobby is grand, with white marble floors, sleek black walls, gold accents, and arguably the biggest crystal chandelier you’ve ever seen hanging from the ceiling in the middle of the room. There’s two gray leather couches sitting in front of a modern fireplace on one side, while a black granite front desk is on the other, with a young, blonde woman standing behind it. 
“Hi there!” The woman calls to you from behind the desk, bearing the fakest smile you’ve ever seen as she eyes you and Eddie up and down, likely judging how out of place the two of you look in such a luxurious area, “can I help you two?”
“Yeah, we’re looking for the Harrington residence,” you say while approaching the desk with an equally fake smile plastered on your face, “are we in the right place?”
The woman, whose name is Carolyn according to her nametag, immediately turns off the fake niceties once you say who you’re looking for. The fake smile falters for a moment and you see her furrow her brow while looking you over once again. She looks down to the desk in front of her for a moment, reaching for an envelope that’s off to the side.
“You must be the new nanny,” she says, and you almost swear you hear a hint of jealousy in her voice as she speaks.
“Yes, that’s me.” you say with a small chuckle to yourself, raising your brow at her when she nearly frowns at your response. 
Her lips fall into a thin line at that, her hand coming up from behind the counter to shove the envelope onto the granite in front of you. 
“Here’s the access card and key to the apartment,” she says to you as you grab the envelope, inside is a glimmering golden card and a silver key that’s attached to a small tag with your name on it, “you have to scan the card in the elevator to get to the top floor, then use the key to open the door. Don’t lose them, or you’ll have to pay for them.” 
She turns back to the computer in front of her without a word as you nod. You turn to Eddie once she does, exchanging a confused look before making your way towards the elevator on the other end of the lobby. You scan the key card and the elevator’s doors automatically close as the circular button with a large “P” at the top of the pad lighting up as it begins its ascent. 
“Jesus, the fucking penthouse?” Eddie scoffs under his breath in disbelief, shifting your duffle bag on his shoulder.
It only takes a minute for the elevator to reach the top floor, the door of the elevator sliding open to reveal a short hallway with only one door at the end. The two of you step out and make your way over to the large front door, you look over to Eddie once you stand in front of it. The look on your face is filled with nervousness and excitement, but mainly nervousness.
“Should I knock?” you question, staring down at your key.
“You have a key for a reason, don’t you?” he quips, raising an eyebrow at you. 
You shoot him a quick glare and sigh, flipping the key in your fingers a few times as you try to compose yourself. Eventually you reach for the door, sliding the key into the lock to open it. The door swings open and you’re met with arguably the nicest apartment – penthouse, rather – that you’ve stepped foot in while living in the city. 
It’s much more cozy and less grandiose than you had expected, a stark contrast from the marble lined, golden and glittering lobby you had just entered from. You step into the living room when you first walk in, a large olive green couch and two matching chairs face a fireplace on the far wall, a comically large TV hanging above it. Everything is clean and definitely luxurious, but also feels lived-in, much more welcoming and warm than the rest of the complex. 
The kitchen is to the left through a wide archway, but you don't have time to explore, as your thoughts are interrupted by Steve bounding into view from the kitchen. There’s a welcoming smile on his face as he steps into the living room, wiping his hands with a kitchen towel before tossing it over his shoulder to free his hands. He’s wearing a pair of slacks and a navy button down. His hair is a little more disheveled than it was last time the two of you met, but still looked perfectly put together somehow. You could tell that he had recently gotten done with work for the day, partially from the fact that he had two buttons undone on his shirt, and partially from the air of remnant stress that he was carrying. 
“Welcome! Please, come on in.” Steve says with a smile as he watches Eddie close the door behind him. “Thank you for coming on such short notice, again. I really appreciate you starting so soon.”
“It’s no problem, I’m glad to help.” you say, shifting the backpack on your shoulders.
Steve extends a hand to Eddie to introduce himself, and Eddie gives him a reserved introduction in return, still hesitant about everything as he scans the penthouse. 
Steve looks between you and Eddie once more, eyeing the four bags between the two of you before asking, “Is this everything you had to bring up, or is there still more downstairs?”
“Yeah, this is it, actually.” you laugh, knowing the amount of belongings you had was quite underwhelming, “that’s why I said we could just make the hike with the bags instead of taking one of your cars.”
“Oh, it would’ve been no problem either way.” he says while shaking his head, reaching for the suitcase that was by your side, “C’mon, I’ll show you to your room.”
Steve guides the two of you to a room off to the right on the first floor, explaining that the people who owned the penthouse before him had used it as a place for their in-laws to stay. He opened the door to the room, letting you and Eddie walk in before him. The bedroom was much nicer than you had expected in all honesty, with a queen-sized bed in the middle adorned in obviously expensive cream-colored linens, a sitting area equipped with a stocked bookshelf (perks of being employed by the CEO of a famous publishing company), and a desk for you to work on school during your time off. There was an en-suite bathroom as well, which looked larger than the entire living room of your previous shared apartment. 
“Wow, this is–this is so amazing.” you gasp, looking over to Steve gratefully. “I wasn’t expecting anything this nice, to be honest.”
“Gotta make sure you’re comfortable so you stick around,” he says with a wink, which instantly sends your stomach into a fit of butterflies. “Go ahead and get settled in, I’m gonna go check on Amelia and the food.”
Before you could thank him, Steve was through the door and back in the nearby kitchen. You could tell why he needed your help, his mind worked at a thousand miles a minute, like he always had something that he needed to be doing.
“You still sure about all this?” Eddie implores, breaking you from your thoughts.
You look over to your best friend to see a face contorted with genuine concern and hesitancy, unsure of if he should leave you here alone or if he should tote you out over his shoulder regardless of your wishes.
“I am one hundred percent sure, Eds.” you assure him with a soft smile, pulling him into a hug. 
Eddie wraps his arms around your shoulders with a sigh, finally giving up his fight on your decisions. He knew you were too stubborn to listen to him and deep down he could tell that Steve meant well, but he was just so unsure. 
“I just want you to be safe.” he says finally, resting his chin atop your head.
“And I will be,” you state confidently, pulling back to look up at him. “This place might be, like, one of the safest places to live in the city. And besides, anywhere is safer than where I was.”
“You mean on my couch?” Eddie says, feigning an insulted look as he speaks. He knew you were talking about living with Luke, but he also knew you didn’t want to talk about him. 
“I appreciate everything you do for me, Eds, but your couch is the second to last place I would like to sleep tonight.” you say with a teasing smile, watching as he rolls his eyes playfully.
“Alright, alright, but don’t come crying to me when sexy Mr. CEO Harrington turns out to be crazy like I said,” he replies, and you shoot him a glare. “What? There’s gotta be something wrong with him, he’s too hot and too perfect on paper to be normal.”
“I think you gotta stop obsessing over my ‘hot’ boss before you get me fired before my first day has even started,” you laugh, shoving his shoulder after using air quotes when saying hot – you didn’t think Steve was hot at all, right?
“Okay, fine I’ll stop tormenting you.” he chuckles, “as long as you promise not to fall in love with him or some shit like that.” 
You immediately laugh out loud at the thought, shaking your head immediately. “That’s not gonna happen, Eds. He’s my employer and I’m only here to take care of his daughter. Besides, I’ll probably barely see him since he’ll be working all the time.” 
Eddie gives you an incredulous look before pulling you in for another quick hug.
“Please, just call me if there’s anything you need and I can be here to get you, okay?” he says and you nod. 
The two of you walk out of the bedroom shortly after, saying your goodbyes at the door with one last hug (that Eddie almost doesn’t let go in) before you make your way to the kitchen, where you know Steve is. 
Unsurprisingly, the kitchen is just as nice as the rest of the penthouse that you’ve seen, but is currently in a bit of a state of disarray. Steve is standing next to the stove, and he’s serving what looks to be a pasta dish onto plates on the counter. Amelia is sitting at the long, dark dining table on the other side of the room. She’s zeroed in on two dolls in front of her, mumbling a conversation between the two of them to herself. 
“Food’s done, sweetheart.” Steve called out to his daughter, grabbing a pink plate from the pile, presumably for her. “Why don’t you put your dolls up on the counter while we eat so they don’t get dirty, okay?”
The little girl nods, grabbing her things from the table to put them up, clearly excited for the dinner her dad had prepared, “want butter on my bread, please Daddy.” she requests, a smile on her face when she spots the pink plate atop the counter.
“I’ll get you some once I sit down, love.” he replies, smoothing down his daughter’s hair when she comes to stand next to him.
There was something so sweet and so domestic about the situation unfolding in front of you, a father and daughter busy in their own little worlds, but not too busy to share a kind interaction. 
“Just in time, I was just gonna come see if you guys were hungry.” Steve says, peering over his shoulder to meet your eyes when you take another step into the room. 
“Oh, sure!” you reply, “it’s just me though. I’m sorry to disappoint, but Eddie left just a second ago.”
Steve laughs in response, shaking his head at your words. He quickly serves up some penne alla vodka, extending the plate and some silverware to you once he does. You follow him to the table as he carries his and Amelia’s plates, setting one in front of his excited daughter, who almost immediately digs in. 
“Well, I’m sad your boyfriend couldn’t stay for dinner, but it was very kind of him to help you move over on such short notice and be so understanding of the situation.” Steve says once you both settle at the table. 
You had just taken your first bite of food when Steve started to speak, and the suggestion of Eddie being your boyfriend nearly makes you choke on the pasta. A small laugh escapes your lips as you play off your near-death experience with a cough, shaking your head at the thought. 
“Are you alright?” Steve questions, setting his own fork down as he watches you carefully, making sure you’re not actually choking. 
“Yes! S–sorry, I’m fine!” you stammer quickly, shaking your head, “I just–Sorry, I thought that was funny. Eddie isn’t my boyfriend.” you reply with a nervous smile. 
“Oh?” Steve retorts, raising an eyebrow at you.
“He’s just my best friend, I–I was actually sleeping on him and his boyfriend’s couch for a few days so he just wanted to make sure where I was going to be living was safer than that.” you say, cheeks flushing red at the admission of couch surfing less than 24 hours prior to ending up in this penthouse, of all places. 
“Sleeping on his couch?” he implores, “I thought you said you lived in a small studio in Yorkville?”
“I did, with my ex. That is where I was but we–well, we had a nasty breakup a few weeks back so that’s how I ended up on Eddie’s couch. It all happened so fast that I keep forgetting I don’t live there anymore –” you blurt out, stopping yourself when you realize how much you’re sharing with this man you barely know. “I’m sorry, I shouldn’t be telling you all this, you’re my boss for God’s sake, I am so sorry, Steve.”
“Hey, no, no, you’re fine!” he replies quickly, shooting you a reassuring smile. “I’m, uh, I’m sorry you had to deal with that.”
You give him a small, sad smile in return, choosing to focus your gaze on the food in front of you so you don’t embarrass yourself any more than you already have. 
“I know it probably doesn’t mean a lot coming from me since I don’t know what happened, but I’m sure that you didn’t deserve to be the one left on your best friend’s couch without a place to live.” Steve was rambling now, “and I’m sorry for assuming that Eddie was your boyfriend, I just didn’t think it was possible for someone like you to be single.”
There was an awkward beat of silence after Steve finished his nervous ramble, leaving you with a million thoughts that you couldn’t process in the moment, all being ones that made your stomach flutter. You didn’t really have time to process any of it though, as your thoughts were interrupted by Amelia tugging on her dad’s sleeve.
“Where my butter bread?” she questions, giving her dad a very stern look, clearly impatient from not getting her bread with the meal. 
Steve opens his mouth to retort, but you’re up from the table and grabbing the plate with baguette slices and a pad of butter Steve had forgotten on the counter next to the pot of pasta. You give the little girl a smile, swiping some butter on one of the slices before reaching across the table to hand it to her. She grabs the bread and hastily takes a large bite, giggling to herself in satisfaction. 
“What do you say?” Steve says to her, giving her a knowing look.
“Tank you,” she says to you, mouth full of bread as she grins over at you. 
The once awkward moment quickly resolved after Amelia’s interruption, and dinner went by smoothly after that. You discussed what you would need to do to help Amelia throughout the day and night, and what days Steve would be around to help out. He let you know that you wouldn’t have to cook dinner, as he insisted on sitting down with her almost every evening for the meal and making it on his own. After dinner, you insisted on helping Steve clean up, but he insisted against it, that he would finish up. Instead, you opted to get Amelia ready for bed, getting her showered and cleaned up before reading her one of the dozens of children’s books that she had littered around her bedroom. 
It was around 9 by the time you finished getting her to bed, leaving her room with the bedroom door cracked slightly. Both her and Steve’s bedrooms were upstairs, along with Steve’s office that he used to work from home on occasion. You passed the office, noticing a small light flooding from the doorway as you did. Before you could walk down the stairs, you heard a voice from inside the office call for you. 
Steve was sitting in the dimly lit room, at the large oak desk that sat in the middle of the room. He looked up from his computer when you came in, there was a tired look on his face that changed when he locked eyes with you. Thin rimmed glasses sat on his face that you hadn’t seen before, and he was freshly showered, his hair still drying and the collar of his gray t-shirt was slightly damp. He looked exhausted, but still managed to look extremely attractive and that made you want to crawl into his lap and – no, stop it. Your mind was wandering, it had been too long of a day already. 
“She went down okay?” he questioned, breaking you from your trance. 
“Yeah, she was fine. She made me read Goodnight Moon twice before she fell asleep, she said I read it wrong the first time around.” you say with a laugh. 
“That sounds about right,” he chuckles in reply, shaking his head. There’s a beat of contemplative silence, then Steve looks back up at you, “also, before you head to bed. I just wanted to apologize for earlier, I–I didn’t mean to make you uncomfortable by asking too many questions or anything, I’m sorry if I did.”
“Don’t apologize, you’re fine. I’ve been asked worse things, don’t worry about it.” you say with an assuring smile, earning one back from him in return that makes your heart skip a beat. “Goodnight, Steve.”
Steve says goodnight in reply and you turn on your heels to walk back downstairs. Exhaustion hits you all at once when you make it to the bedroom that you now call your own, throwing yourself onto the bed with a sigh. 
It’s in that moment that you’re thankful for changing and getting ready for the night before you made your way up to put Amelia to bed, because now you can just cuddle into your new bed with no worries. Well, that is until your mind starts to wander.
All day you had brushed off the thoughts you’d had about Steve, the remarks Eddie had made about Steve, and the remarks Steve had made to you at dinner about being surprised that you were single. There was no reason for you to be overthinking it all, you told yourself. There was no reason for your stomach to flutter at the thought of Steve, your new employer, winking at you jokingly. There was no reason for your mind to wander when you saw him with wet hair and glasses, but you couldn’t help yourself.
What did it all mean? You shouldn’t even be thinking about anyone right now, you just went through a disgusting breakup with an even more disgusting man, you should be thinking about nobody but yourself.
You weren’t sure what any of it meant, and were truthfully terrified to find the real answer.
But that was for another time, as sleep overtook you not long after you set an alarm, mind still running as you drifted into slumber.
taglist: @siriuslysmoking @blackholegladiator @cultish-corner @cris-wants-a-word @nervousmumbling @angelbabyivy @ohheyitsrowan @sweetdazequeen @royalestrellas @20orca00 @taeteddybear @different-spokes @paleidiot @frostandflamesfanfic @tulips2715 @rainbowfruity14 @shinytinywhispers @corrodedcoffincumslut @definitionwanderlust @starsinsidemyeyes @mikeschmidtgf @haruari @shallowparadise @micheledawn1975 @rexorangecouny @hollandweather @redbarn1995
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samkiszkasfacialhair · 6 months ago
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Lay Me Down
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Lay Me Down
Pairing: Sam Kiszka and Reader
Summary: You give a hurting Sam some love and attention.
Warnings: Mention of pain medicine
Word Count: 1.5k
Sam was hunched over his piano in the dining room, deeply concentrating on what he was doing. From the kitchen you could see him as you loaded the dishwasher. He’d play a few notes, write something down in a notebook, add to it, and then record it on his phone. After a few hours, it seemed like he had a whole song completed.
“Done!” he said as he stretched his hands up with his phone in his hand, and groaned. 
As he stretched, he arched his back slightly and you watched his purple t-shirt lift up, giving you a view of his lower back and the band of his underwear sticking out from the waistband of his gray and white striped pants. 
He met you in the kitchen and instantly pulled a beer out of the refrigerator. 
“The album… is officially… done,” he said, sighing as he took a swig and rested his forearms on the counter, letting his head fall down between them with his hair fanning out onto his arms and the granite countertop. 
“Well, the keyboard parts are done,” he corrected himself with a chuckle, his voice muffled. 
He pressed his arms down on the countertop and contracted and arched his shoulder blades slowly, stretching out his back from the fixed position he had been in for the past few hours. 
Groans and sighs escaped his mouth as he relieved some of the tension and stiffness.
With his head still down, he reached up with one hand and began massaging the spot between his shoulder and his neck. He dug his fingers into his skin in an attempt to loosen up his stiff muscles. 
This happened often to Sam. He would hunch himself over his instruments time after time, only realizing the side effects of his poor posture once it was too late. Thus resulting in many unsuccessful self massages, heating pads, and shoulder and back stretching that didn’t really do anything, causing him to be sore the next day regardless. 
You walked over to the other side of the island, placed your hand on his back, and rubbed up and down on him gently, leaning down with your forearms on the counter just as he was. 
“Take a hot shower,” you whispered, giving his hair covered temple a little kiss, “and come to bed, hm?”
He nodded, inhaled deeply, and lifted his head up to look at you with a soft smile and tired eyes. 
That soft smile turned into a bigger one once he felt you hand smack his butt gently, urging him to get moving. 
The once calm house bubbled with joy and laughter as two of you giggled down the hallway with Sam chasing after you as you headed toward the bathroom. Before you knew it, you were pinned between the vanity sink and Sam’s body with his mouth on yours and your hands in his hair. 
“Okay,” you laughed in between kisses as the countertop of the vanity poked into your spine, causing you pain, “Okay, you won!”
Sam pulled away, breaking the kiss with a very satisfied smile on his face, and turned around to start up the shower. 
Once Sam had stepped into the shower, you grabbed a few things from the vanity cabinets and headed to the bedroom.
On his nightstand you set down a hand towel, body oil, and a bottle of painkillers. 
A freshly showered Sam entered the bedroom in nothing but a pair of boxers, reaching behind his head, still rubbing his shoulder, causing the skin there to become a shade of pink. 
As he approached the bed, his eyes narrowed at the sight of the products on the top of his nightstand before turning to you in the doorway to the closet. 
“What’s this for, huh?” he asked you with his fingertips just grazing the top of the bottle of oil.
“Lay down, Sammy,” you said sweetly as you approached the bed in just a tiny matching pajama set, one which even though it was casual, it was still sexy and Sam loved it.
Sam did as you said, laying down on his back like he did every night he was home, assuming you’d cuddle up next to him until you both fell asleep.
But tonight was different. You had bigger plans for Sam tonight. 
“Lay on your stomach, Love,” you said as you grabbed the bottle of oil and lifted your legs to get onto the bed. 
Sam rolled over, pushing the sheets and blankets away from him to give you space as you joined him.
You crawled on top of him, straddled him, and sat down on his butt, to which he let out a soft laugh in response. 
His eyes were closed but one opened to peek at what you were doing behind him. His eyebrow raised with curiosity as he watched you open the oil and pour a decent amount into your hands, letting the excess drip onto his bare back. 
The second your hands made contact with his skin, his eyes closed once more. 
At first, you were gentle, getting him to relax and just rubbing the oil around from the waistband of his boxer briefs all the way up to his neck and shoulders, feeling every breath he took as you lightly smoothed your hands all over his back.
After a bit of warming him up, you began the job you intended to do. 
Pressing both of your thumbs into the dimples on either side of his base of his spine, you began. With pressure, you slide your thumbs up his back until you reached his shoulder blades. 
“That feels nice,” he said in a tired voice, almost slurring his words. 
“Shh, just relax, Baby,” you whispered as you repeated the action a few times before continuing with his lower back for a bit.
You kneaded the palms of your hands into the meat of his back near his hips, pushing and pulling at his skin and muscles, releasing some of the built up tension and earning a few more soft moans from him. Once you got a good motion, you worked your way up his back again until you reached the place he needed you the most. 
Grabbing the chunk of skin between his shoulders and his neck- you felt it. 
Every long rehearsal.
Every late writing session.
Every show from this past tour and probably the tour before that. 
You gave him a good squeeze, kneading his tight muscles with all the strength you had and instantly his once relaxed face tensed up and he hissed through his teeth.
“Hurts?” you asked, loosening the grip you had on him and gently rubbing your hands on his skin to soothe him.
“Yeah,” he breathed out, “but it’s a good hurt,” he assured you. 
A small “Kay,” was all you replied with before continuing again.
You pushed your thumb deep into him while digging the rest of your fingers into the other muscles as more audible moans escaped Sam’s lips. 
As you applied more pressure, Sam’s eyes shut tight and his mouth opened.
A loud “Ah,” left him when you pressed your thumb into a previously untouched spot, which seemed to be the spot to hit. 
“Mhm, right there, get in there,” he groaned, almost pleading with you to keep going.
You giggled just a bit from his desperation and continued, leaning down to give his shoulders just a couple light kisses. 
As you continued, you could literally feel the tension in his muscles being massaged away, so you could only imagine the relief Sam was feeling. 
After some time, Sam’s groans turned back into hums, assuring you that most of the built up tension that was causing pain had left his body.
But what really proved it was the tiny closed mouth smile that appeared on Sam’s face as your hand movements became gentler and softer until they came to a complete stop.
Once all the oil was wiped up and a couple pain pills were working their way through Sam’s system, you crawled back into bed with him again, only this time, you cuddled yourself up next to him and he instantly pulled you close with his chin resting on the top of your head.
His skin was soft from the oil as you rubbed his back gently with your fingertips.
“Thank you,” Sam whispered lazily, “I’ll repay the favor for you.”
“Will you play me that song tomorrow?” you asked quietly.
“‘Course. And anything else you want,” Sam replied, placing a gentle kiss on the top of your head.
As you rubbed his back, he rubbed yours, lulling you to sleep until his breathing became deeper and his hand stilled.
“This is all I want,” you whispered as you cuddled yourself closer to an already peacefully sleeping Sam.
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those70scomics · 3 months ago
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Fictober Day 3: "I know you better"
That '70s Show Fanfiction
Fez had finished tempering chocolate in his industrial kitchen at home. He was trying out a recipe he created for Halloween candy. Rhonda designed packaging, and he hoped the manufacturer would deliver it in time.
The molds he'd designed himself months ago. He poured chocolate into them and slid the tray into his refrigerator. The pumpkin- and gost-shaped candies needed twenty minutes to set. It should go well, but his insides were melting with anxiety.
He wiped his sweaty hands on his apron, and Rhonda shouted, "Cocoa Puff!" Rhonda behind him. He stumbled from the refrigerator to her arms. "I'm sorry," she said and positioned him upright. 'I forget that you disappear into a different world when you're working."
"Yes. I did not expect you back for a half-hour."
"It's already past two. I'm starving!" She grasped the refrigerator handle, but he shouted at her to stop. "What's wrong?"
He grabbed frozen pork chops from the freezer. "Wrong? Nothing is wrong."
"I know you better -- and your voice is two octaves higher than usual."
He put the foil-wrapped pork chops into a pot, placed the pot in the sink, filled the pot with hot water, and weighed down the pork chops with a ceramic canister. "They will be defrosted before your hunger devours you."
She cupped his chin and pecked his lips. "Thanks. Now what's devouring you?"
Ah, his mashed potato was so perceptive. He wouldn't know what to do without her, and that was the problem. Her parents had discovered oil on their Mississippi dirt farm, taking them out poverty to the rich life. They were the real Beverly Hillbillies, except they had remained in Mississippi.
"I'm worried my candies will not be good enough for Miss Kitty's Halloween party."
Rhonda laugh-snorted. "It's only October third. You've been working on this candy for a month and have another month to perfect them. So what's actually bothering you?"
Fez glanced around the industrial kitchen. Their house in Kenosha was bigger than he believed he would ever live in. "What am I offering you?"
"Fez -- " she gestured to the sink -- "you're making me lunch."
"Ai, that is not enough! You're getting a PhD in kinesiology ... did I pronounce that correctly?" She nodded, and Fez continued. "Your career will help people. Becoming a chocolatier will make me happy. I hurt you to make me happy, too, but you forgave the unforgivable."
He ripped off his apron and tossed it to the floor. His life was a sham.
Rhonda picked up his apron. "Hey, that was over a decade ago, and you were under a bad influence."
"Do not use Casey Kelso to excuse my behavior. I am a horrible, horrible man."
"What's bringing all this up now? I don't get it. We're happy. Having a career that makes you happy will help other people. Remember Willy Wonka -- the movie version." She held his apron to her chest and sighed. "Gene Wilder is so sexy in it."
"Yes, he is. I suppose ... well ... " Fez ran his palm over the cold granite counter top. "Halloween is our favorite holiday -- and the anniversary of when we reconciled. This year, it feels more important than ever."
Rhonda slipped the apron over his head and embraced him. "Mr. and Mrs. Forman basically said it is. They've recruited all of us for her party. Even Kelso, Brooke, and Betsy, and they live in Chicago! We're only in Kenosha."
"And Jackie and Hyde live in Milwaukee. Perhaps the pressure is bringing up feelings I have not completely dealt with."
"We're gonna turn thirty next year. We have a lot of plans. I can't be your shrink. I can only tell you that I love you and want us to stay together past when you've gone bald and I've gotten arthritis."
She tried to kiss him, but Fez gasped and stepped backward. "I am not going bald! My father still has his hair."
"Gray, then." She attempted to kiss him again, and he let her. "I've got contacts at my university. I'll get the number of some shrinks for you ... if you're willing to try therapy."
"I'm willing to try anything as long as it means I can enjoy everything we have together."
She clasped his shoulders tightly. He winced, and her grip loosened. She had become better at assessing her own strength but not perfectly, and maybe that was the answer. Unlike chocolate, tempering his guilt did not have to be a perfect process. It could not be by its very nature. He was human, not candy.
Although he wouldn't mind being candy if Rhonda were the one who ate him.
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hottpinkpenguin · 2 years ago
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Joel Miller X Fem!Reader - Last of Us - Part 6
A/N: read part 1 ! read part 2 ! read part 3 ! read part 4! read part 5! Taglist: @midgetpottermills @casssiopeia @flyingmushroomss @amethystwonders11 @hiphopdancer101universe @kiszkawagnerwhore @littleshadow17 @rh1nestonecowg1rl @alm0501 @ch4rcuterie @lodeddiperrodrick @amandalove1355 @laurathefahrradsattel @moshpot24x @middleof-thenight @kettlechips3 @happymakercollectorsworld @alainabooks143 @mikariell95 @superbreadsoul @twd-rocks-blog @livmadsen11 @sage-bun @emmy626 @somenerdyuser @vitavenio
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Warnings: dark themes; substance abuse; post-apocalyptic dystopia; death of reader's minor child; probably a lot of non-canon details since I've never played the game; not proofread; spoilers if you haven't seen the show/played the game Word Count: 1824 Abbreviations: QZ = quarantine zone; FDRA "Fedra" = Federal Disaster Response Agency
----
Joel brought the radio closer to him, studying the frayed wires and noting the burnt out coil at the top. His brows furrowed in confusion as he tilted the radio to get a clearer angle in the morning sun. After trying to fall back to sleep for hours, Joel had finally succumbed to the sunshine and risen from the bed he shared with Tessa an hour or two after sunrise. It was the earliest morning he’d seen in weeks, and it reminded him of why he so often slept in. The sun was too bright, too warm and carefree to match the shades of gray he lived in. 
With a heavy sigh, Joel took another healthy swig of coffee mixed with whiskey. He felt the heat of the liquid and the burn of alcohol all the way down his throat. He put his mug back down on the workbench in the old mechanics shop below where he and Tessa slept.
“Where the fuck have you been all morning?”
Tessa entered the shop in a swarm of anger, the door to the street outside slamming open and slamming shut again behind her. She’d left shortly after he’d awoken, presumably to organize whatever smuggling run she had planned for later that night.  
“Right here, where I always am,” he drawled back. The whiskey in his morning coffee took just enough of an edge off his anger to keep him from taking Tessa’s bait.
“Yeah, well, I could’ve really used your help. Shit’s going fucking sideways around here and all you’re doing is holed up, drinking yourself til you’re pickled and playing around with a fucking radio!”
Joel shot Tessa a dark look, but didn’t move from his seat in front of the workbench. 
“Aren’t you going to say something? Anything?!”
He shrugged, swapping out the screwdriver for a pair of needle-nosed pliers and keeping his face a mask of indifference.
“What do you want me to say?”
In truth, Joel didn’t care what Tessa wanted him to say. Between the terrible sleep he’d gotten last night and the hangover that he was now layering with a new buzz, he wasn’t sure he could name anything that he did care about at that moment.
“Fuck, Joel. You can be a real asshole sometimes, you know that?”
Tessa’s anger was beginning to deflate, bitterness taking its place. 
“Look around you, Tessa. It’s the end of the goddamn world. What do you want me to do, make you breakfast in bed and fuck you on our granite kitchen counter while the kids are at soccer?” 
Tessa didn’t reply. He could feel her eyes boring holes in the side of his head. A very distant part of Joel knew he should hate himself for taking out his own misery on someone else. But mostly, he didn’t care. He felt hollow like an empty well, and even drinking didn’t hit the bottom anymore. 
A few moments of hateful silence stretched between them, the only sound was the soft metallic clink of Joel’s pliers at work on the radio’s wires.
“That explosion last night? That was Marlene and her crew. They got held up in a showdown with a horde of infected and blew up a propane truck.” 
Joel couldn’t imagine why Tessa imagined he’d care. Marlene and the Fireflies were always taking unimaginable risks “for the cause”. Joel knew Marlene the way anyone who lived on the fringes of QZ society knew her. He didn’t care for the woman, although he had to admire her grit. The Fireflies were a losing cause if ever he’d seen one, but she’d kept their ill-fated rebellion limping along for years longer than he’d ever thought possible. She probably could have been someone worth a damn before the outbreak. 
Tessa’s eyes were still glued to him, analyzing him the way a torturer would watch a prisoner during an interrogation. Joel tried to see the connection between what she’d just told him and whatever reaction she was watching for. 
He turned to her, dropping the radio and his pliers in irritation.
“What am I supposed to say to that?” he challenged, his tone flat. He couldn’t even feign interest; he only wanted her to leave. The quiet and his broken radio were better companions.
A glimmer of triumph sparked in Tessa’s eyes. She smirked softly.
“Apparently your old bed warmer was with them.”
Maybe it was the whiskey, maybe it was the lack of sleep, but he didn’t register her meaning for a few breaths. That self-satisfied glint in Tessa’s eyes didn’t dim.
“Y/N. She was out with Marlene last night. Didn’t make it back, so I heard.”
The bottom of Joel’s stomach fell out as his understanding clicked into place. He felt his fingers dig into the skin of his palms as he struggled to maintain a semblance of composure under Tessa’s gloating gaze. 
“K.”
It was all Joel could manage. His grip on himself was slipping fast. 
“Choke on that, asshole.” 
Tessa left, the door slamming on her way out. Joel barely heard her walk away, his addled thoughts coalescing on one and only one thing.
Marlene. 
He had to find her. If you had been out there… if you were still out there, or worse… Joel would pull Boston apart brick by brick with his bare fucking hands if he had to. It’d be easier - and faster - if he knew where to start. If something had happened to you, god forbid…
He stumbled up from the workbench, careening out into the street, his body moving faster than he could stitch his thoughts together. He had a pretty good idea where to find Marlene, and he hoped for her sake that she could tell him where you were. He didn’t trust himself to hear anything other than news of your safety. 
*****
Marlene slumped sideways against the concrete wall of the old subway tunnel they called the T in Boston. Bending over, she emptied her guts into the trickling water running down the center of the tunnel. At this point, she was throwing up blanks, just sour-tasting stomach acid. She wasn’t sure if it was the adrenaline from last night’s narrow escape or if there was something more serious going on. She didn’t have time to stop and wonder.
Wiping her mouth with the back of her hand, she willed herself forward, hugging the wall. She’d been walking - a generous term for the limping shuffle she’d been forced to do by a broken ankle - for what had to be close to eight hours at this point. Her body was weak from dehydration, shock, and hunger. But she hadn’t stopped, knowing that was a death sentence. And finally, mercifully, she saw it. An old maintenance ladder hanging down into the empty space in the tunnel. Right above that ladder was the old MBTA garage. Firefly territory. She’d made it home. 
Ignoring the pain ripping up her leg from her swollen ankle, she shuffled forward, arms outstretched greedily for the ladder. She fell against it, the steel rattling and echoing in the cement tunnel that the Fireflies used to sneak in and out of the QZ. 
She gasped a few breaths, wondering if she was simply imagining that the air tasted a little fresher here than the rest of the dank tunnel. Looking up, she calculated at least eighteen feet of ladder before it disappeared into darkness just above the ceiling of the T tunnel. Up there was the garage. The Fireflies. Salvation. 
As close as she was, Marlene knew her ankle wouldn’t handle the climb, not alone. She was worried that she’d pass out halfway up and fall off. There wouldn’t be any soft landing for her. No, the only option for her was to hope and pray that someone would hear her down here. She couldn’t go back - the entry was blocked by what remained of the horde - and she couldn’t go forward. She’d memorized the old T maps of Boston: she knew this tube dead-ended a half mile farther up, with no exits. This was it. It was now or never. 
“Hey! HEY! Is anybody up there? HELP!” Mustering what little remained of her strength, she rattled on the ladder, projecting her parched voice into the darkness above. 
“DOWN HERE! SOMEBODY!” 
Marlene wasn’t sure how long she yelled for. Her voice was almost gone before she saw a fluorescent light flick on at the top of the ladder. Weak with relief, she felt tears stream down her cheeks. 
“Thank God! Please, you’ve gotta help me. I can’t climb.”
Before she could finish, Marlene saw a dark shape blot out the light from above. It took her a second to realize it was someone climbing down to her. Looking up from underneath, all she could make out were the soles of boots - men’s boots, she thought - and a sturdy pack on the person’s back. The kind of gear you wore when you went out into the open city. 
Marlene took a few halting steps back from the ladder to give the man enough space to climb down. He did, skipping the last few rungs and landing hard on his feet. He was agile, strong. Marlene couldn’t place his silhouette in her mind, couldn’t think of a face that matched the thick, salt-and-pepper hair. 
“Where is she, Marlene?” 
His voice was dark and familiar. 
Joel Miller turned to face her, his expression hard like black granite. It had been almost a year since she’d last seen him at a buy she’d arranged with Tessa. He’d changed, something darker in the back of his eyes. It almost frightened her.
“Where is she,” he repeated, snapping Marlene out of her own thoughts.
“Who?” she replied. 
“Y/N.”
Marlene didn’t know how Joel Miller knew you. She thought better of asking him. 
“I don’t know, Joel. We got split up. It was… it was fucking chaos last night.” 
Joel’s jaw tightened, his fingers squeezing the barrel of the rifle he had slung across his chest.
“Last place you saw her.” 
Marlene heard voices above her. Someone called out her name in recognition. She longed to call back, but something in Joel’s eyes seemed to catch her words in her throat.
“You’ll never make it.”
“Like hell I won’t.”
“Joel, it’s a fucking horde, the biggest I’ve ever seen. You’ll never get through, it’s a suicide mission.” 
“Marlene, I won’t fucking ask again.”
His patience was wearing thin. Marlene didn’t miss the subtle way he angled the muzzle of his gun in her direction. 
“Take this tunnel three blocks south. You’ll come to a five-way tunnel crossing. Take the southeast branch and walk another six blocks. You’ll see a ventilation shaft. Right past it, there’s an emergency access door. Take that exit. It’ll spit you out eight blocks north of where I lost her.” 
Without a word, Joel Miller turned on his heels and walked off into the dark.
read part 7 here **let me know if you want to be tagged in future chapters! ty to everyone showing this series so much love! <;33
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