#guh. can anybody hear me

[gilliontidestriderchampionoftheu]

this song and whatever the fuck is going on with chip and the abyss

[brooklynbear32]

Chapter 5: Dinner

Pairing: Chris Evans/Reader

Rating: Explicit

Read in full on AO3 or see the tumblr masterlist

It takes quite a while for you and Chris to make it out of his trailer. After making out leisurely for some time, you eventually pull away, going to the bathroom like you always do out of a phobia of bladder infections.

You stare at yourself in the small mirror. You look fairly debauched. You've got a small hickey blooming on your neck near your left ear and your lips are swollen. Uh, the lips on your mouth, that is. You can't see your labia but it does feel tender, too.

God. You'd really done it. You had sex with Chris Evans. You almost high five yourself in the mirror. Damn, girl! Well done!

And the stuff he'd said to you. Guh. Hearing him describe all the things he wanted to do to you wound you up almost as much as the way he touched you.

But did he mean it? It's almost too good to be possible, that you could get to have sex with Chris Evans, not just once, but enough times to do those things he talked about. That he'd even want to do all of that with you. To you.

The more you think about it, the more you think you'd better try to not get your hopes up. He probably just got caught up in it, and when you open the door, he'll make some kind of self-deprecating joke and let you down easy. You'll be able to work together better now that you’ve cleared the air, and you're pretty sure he won't tell anybody or try to embarrass you. He's too good of a guy for that. In no time at all, you'll see pictures of him online with yet another gorgeous actress on his arm. Just like it should be.

Best to look at the bright side: you've got a lifetime's supply of material to think about when getting off now. Maybe someday you'll find a guy and get to teach him how to tilt your hips up just like how Chris did, driving you wild. Yup. This was a good experience and you don't need it to continue to be able to feel good about it.

You take a deep breath, trying really hard to convince yourself of that. Okay. Time to go back out there. You don't want him to think you're having some kind of crisis or something.

You step out of the bathroom. Chris is sitting on the edge of the bed. He's changed out of his costume and into his own clothes, but he still looks fairly sex-rumpled. He smiles at you fondly, not leering at your naked body, but appreciating the sight of you, like viewing a painting or a sunset. You decide to enjoy it while it lasts.

"I was thinking…" He says, running his hand through his messy hair. It doesn't do much to tidy it.

"Always a bad idea." You interrupt, teasing him without giving it a second thought.

"Har har," He replies dryly, but he's still smiling at you sweetly. "I was thinking I owe you dinner. It's a little bit backwards, but what do you say?"

"Really?" You ask, a little surprised. "You don't have to feel obligated. I'm a big girl. This was fun but I'll be okay if you don't want to make it into a big deal."

You start getting dressed, wanting an excuse to look away from his face, in case he takes the out that you've offered him.

"I thought we had more questions for each other." Chris replied, his tone flirtatious again.

You look up at him as you pull your panties on. He's giving you the filthy smile from earlier, but is there something underneath? Could it be disappointment?

"Sure." You answer cautiously, "It's just - sometimes people get talking during sex, you know? They say things that are super hot in the moment, but maybe they don't actually mean it all once things cool off."

He's frowning now. You're putting your bra back on, looking for your tank top, trying not to read into his expression.

"I get it." You continue, trying to mean it. "You can just kiss me on the cheek, tell me you had a great time, and ask me if I want you to call an Uber."

"Is that what you want?" Chris asks, his eyebrows furrowed.

You blink. "An Uber?"

"No. Or, uh, I guess, yes. I mean - do you want me to send you home, or do you want to go to dinner?"

You blink again. "I don't want you to feel you have -"

"What do you want, Sunshine?" Chris interrupts you. He stands up and walks over to you. Fuck, he's so tall. He places one big hand on your hip and looks you in the eye. "I'm not offering because I feel obligated. I want to take you to dinner but I have no idea what you want."

Oh. Oh, fuck. You were so intent on playing it cool that you took it too far and now he thinks you're not interested. 

"I want to!" You say quickly. "Yes, please. I'd like that very much. I just didn't–"

"Uh-huh." Chris interrupts again. "I heard. You didn't want me to feel obligated. How about you let me worry about what I want, and you focus on what you want? Can we just be honest with each other like that?"

He's so sincere, so kind. You can't believe you thought he'd just toss you out, "pump and dump" you, as the saying goes.

"Yeah, we can do that. Sorry about everything." He wants honesty. You can do that. "This has been incredible and I guess I was just trying to prepare myself for being pushed away, but all it did was push you away instead. I won't do that again."

Chris leans down - God, he towers over you - and kisses you gently on your sore lips. Your mouth, that is.

"Look, we just had some great sex. Really great sex." Chris waggles his eyebrows suggestively at you. "And now I'm hungry. Let's go get something to eat and we'll see if we have fun together when we aren't having amazing sex. Okay?"

"Sounds good." You say, smiling at him and stretching up on your toes to kiss him again. "Where should we go for dinner?"

"Hmm, I'm not sure." Chris answers. "I don’t think I know of any restaurants that serve our craft services’ chocolate mousse."

You laugh, touched that he remembers how much you love that dessert.

"I don't think I need mousse for dinner," you tease him. "I've had plenty of decadence today already."

He laughs, and gets that mischievous smile on his face again. "Yeah? You all maxed out on pleasure for one day?" He rubs the bare skin of your stomach with his thumb.

"I didn't say that…" You flirt back, "But I do need to eat something before round two, so you better let me finish getting dressed."

Chris huffs a dramatic sigh, but moves his hand away, and gestures as if to say, "Go ahead."

After a bit more discussion, Chris decides to take you to a small restaurant he's been to before. He tells you about the pesto gnocchi he's had there and your stomach grumbles in anticipation. 

When you get to the restaurant, the hostess greets the two of you, and takes you to a table tucked into a corner, out of view of most of the restaurant. You and Chris chit chat about the menu and he tells you the story of how he learned way too late in life that rosé wine doesn’t actually include roses as an ingredient.

“Is it really such a ridiculous assumption?” He asks, as you laugh at him. He’s laughing at himself, too, though. “I thought it was like rose water - but wine! I’m a beer guy! I think I really would have unscathed if that awful senator hadn’t asked what “notes” I could detect. I didn’t know if rosé is stored in barrels or whatever so I couldn’t just say some bullshit like I could “feel” the oakiness, the way I normally would - so I said that the roses must have been exceptionally vibrant.”

You’re laughing so hard you’ve started wheezing, but you take pity on him by telling him about the time when you, straight out of college, had confused two bald guys with glasses that came by your work - for six months before someone corrected you.

You laugh your way through some shared bruschetta, and then you order the promised gnocchi. You both dig in when your dinners arrive, the conversation hitting its first lull since you sat down. As you come up for air, Chris insists you try his carnitas tacos, and you joke that you’re going to eat both the rest of his meal and your own.

“Well, you sure did work up an appetite earlier.” Chris teases you.

You blush, and not from the spice of the tacos. 

“You know, “ you say, stabbing a gnocchi with your fork, “I feel almost like I drew the short straw with our… activities earlier.”

“You do, huh?” Chris asks, clearly picking up on your teasing tone. “You weren’t exactly complaining through your two orgasms.”

You laugh. “Sure, but I didn’t actually get a single piece of your clothes off you. You didn’t even take your shoes off, for fuck’s sake! I got to sleep with Chris Evans and I didn’t even get to  touch his abs or see a single one of his tattoos? It’s just sad really.”

“Well, I’m sure that a private tour of the Evans tattoo collection could be arranged later.” Chris says, and he tugs slightly at the neckline of his shirt, giving you just a glimpse of his collarbone quote.

“Oh, I’ve seen that one. Big deal.” You flirt back, pretending the familiar sight doesn’t still get to you. “You’ve shown it off so many times I doubt there’s anyone who hasn’t seen it. I bet that half of America can recite that Tolle quote because of you.”

“Well, which ones have you been wanting to get a look at?” Chris asks, and - yup, you can tell that this is turning him on. Good.

“The ones on your stomach,” you answer, with no hesitation. “Your video where you backflip into your pool - do you have any idea what that did to me? Seeing all that ink but not clearly enough to know what your new pieces were? How fucking ripped you are, even when you’re not filming something that requires it? How effortlessly you move your body, even doing something like a backflip?”

“Check, please.” Chris jokes, reaching a hand in the air as if to flag down a server. “You trying to rush us out of this lovely restaurant, Sunshine? You don’t want to stay and enjoy my company some more, linger over dessert and coffee?”

You catch his eye, pick up the last piece of gnocchi in your bowl, and put it delicately into your mouth. You hold his gaze as you chew, swallow. 

“I’m done my dinner.” You say, with an easy shrug. “I do want to enjoy your company more, and I definitely want to linger over something…” 

“Fine by me, “ Chris says, shoving the rest of his last taco in his mouth. It’s not especially attractive, but it sure is endearing. 

He flags a waiter down, for real this time, and then drives you back to his hotel. 

Taglist: @whiskeytangofoxtrot555

[maguro13-2]

New Beginning ~ Ink Demon Apocalypse Prologue (2/5) ~

Tamaki : Hello. Anybody here? Where the heck is everybody? Boy...Looks I made wrong turn about what's going on with no around. Hmm...What's this? It's Ink, but why on earth would Shinra do this? If someone that became a little wondrous to figure it out what happened? Then I gotta make it to the point. Oh well , let's see what the mirror has something to do about it.

*Heartbeat Echo*

Tamaki : Gah!

*Heartbeat echo*

Tamaki : Guh!

Tamaki : What's happening to me!?

*runs to the mirror*

Tamaki : Oh God!

(the mirror shows Tamaki is infected with the Ink Demon's blood)

Tamaki : No! Not like this! I can't be like this! How can I be so stupid! Where is that thing!? Where is it!? I don't wanna be like this! I can't end up like this! (grabs gun) I'm sorry, guys. I didn't want to turn out like this. This is all your fault, Ohkubo! You hear me? (Puts gun on her head) This...IS ALL YOUR FAUUUULT!!!

*GUNSHOT*

Tamaki : (wakes up dream, covers in sweat) Aaah! *panting* (wipes sweat off) It was only a dream.

*walks to the mirror to show reflection*

Tamaki : (sighs) Thank god. If I would've turned something different like this, I would've shot myself in the head just to make a big sacrifice. Nonetheless, the it's cool that I have wisdom over myself, so after that heartless we finally got rid of, I wonder if we able to Nevada back to original glory, i mean it's original old self again? Can't believe that I'm finally coming back to Japan after I been around in the state of Maryland years ago. I'm just gonna need five more minutes.

*phone vibrating*

Tamaki : Huh? Eh? What's this? (grabs phone) Who's calling me? A phone call? Doesn't seem right. (answers her phone) Hello?

??? : (via phone) Tamaki, thank goodness you're awake.

Tamaki : Who is this? I'm calling some person that isn't Jenny? I graduated from christian school in Emmitsburg. What do you want?

??? : I just wanted you to come outside and wait for a surprise.

Tamaki : How can I really trust you?

??? : You would be the very first of my perfect solution. Would you rather changed the subject or will you even face certain amount of death?

Tamaki : Hold up, who is this? Hello?

??? : Please, just give me what you wanted and I'll reward you something.

Tamaki : Fine...I'm coming. I'm going outside now.

*door opening*

Tamaki : Alright. Where are ya?

(crickets and cicadas chirping)

Tamaki : Hey, where are you? I know where you at. You can't hide from me now. Alright, very funny! I'm not dumb to fall for on your tricks and that's final. Don't believe me? I see that you're the silent type, you son of a goat. Where. the hell. are you!?

??? : I'm right here!

Tamaki : !? (turns and sees somehting behind) Holy...

(cuts to Tamaki running and panting)

Tamaki : Oh God! Oh Man! What the hell is that thing! Mary! Mary help! Mary! Oh great! This is what it feels like to live in a horror movie where the main girl runs from a horror villain that knows about horror stuff!

??? : You can run, but you can't hide, but you'll never have to cry even if you tried!

Tamaki : No! No! No! Gotta get back to safety! Police! Police! Help! (trips over a branch) Woah!

*THUD!*

Tamaki : (Groans) Stupid branch! (continues running) *panting* Almost there! I need to escape! There it is! The Shrine!

Mary : Tamaki! Help me!

Tamaki : Mary!

Mary : Tamaki!

Tamaki : Don't worry, Mary! I'm coming!

*DOOR BANGING*

Tamaki : Mary!

Mary : Tamaki! It's bad!

Tamaki : Where is sister?

Mary : She's with him!

Tamaki's Adoptive Mother : Tamaki! Stay back! This demon is serious wants you badly!

Ink Demon : Come on, you b*tch! Give me the girl's blood!

Sister : I won't let you take Mary's blood, you demonic bastard!

Mary : Sister!

Ink Demon : If you won't tell me about giving the girl's blood, I needed it to my form in order to regain my powers!

Sister : Tamaki! Get Mary to a safe place!

Tamaki : Okay!

Ink Demon : I don't think so! (uses finger gun) Bang!

Tamaki : ! (gets shot in the chest by Ink) Hey, what the heck did you do that for!

Ink Demon : Amen!

Tamaki : You bastard!

Mary : Tamaki! Tamaki!

Ink Demon : Now then. Time to finish you off!

Paintra : Hold it right there, Inky!

Ink Demon : You're not getting away something that easily!

Paintra : Heh! Go ahead and try me!

Tamaki : I...I have been saved, but who is that witch...is she really my savior? (passes out)

Paintra : Hey...Cat girl. Hey, Wake up! Hey, wake up!

Tamaki : (wakes up) Mary! Sister! Huh? What's going on have I been knocked down?

Paintra : You were out cold or probably perhaps. That you were in a coma for two years.

Tamaki : A coma? While being age progression on my 8th birthday, this is what I've become a kid into a 17-year old body? I used to be a kid during age progression, but apparently, I lost all concentration when I realize that I had any effects from the Time Eater's powers. Did I ever think that having age-progression of a 17-year old being who knows about monsters, demons, aliens, and stuff?

Paintra : Well, our researchers did manage to have an X-Ray on your body and your skeleton. Get a load of this.

(shows an X-Ray of Tamaki's body)

Tamaki : Wait a sec, so what's this about? Is this the part where go from being 8 years old to 17 years old. I had this body a long time during my travels in the western hemishphere. What did I remember before I was abandoned in Maryland at age 4? Ah, yes. I remember coming down to that civil war town Gettysburg, to see some interesting facts about the biggest role that Pennsylvania had to offer. It's a lot of history and yet it's like I can see nature meeting the battlefield. However, when I was alone and had no sisters. I just realize that I saw the spirit of Abraham Lincoln who is rehearsing his famous speech the Gettysburg Address.

Paintra : A spirit, you mean you were seeing a Phantom, an apparition, or a Ghost perhaps.

Tamaki : Yeah, it was the famous speech that I ever heard in the country. But after his famous speech, my parents decided that I would be abandoned because those civil war soldiers weren't who they are. They became something like they came from the darkness.

*flashback to her POV*

Young Tamaki : Mommy! Daddy!

Sister : Stay back! It's too dangerous! You'll go near them!

Tamaki's Mother : Please, look after Tamaki! That's an order I promise!

Neoshadow : Get ready boys! Time for this woman to be obsoleted! Get to feasting!

Young Tamaki : MAMAAAAA!!!

*flashes back to the present*

Tamaki : "Please, look after me". Those were my mother's last words. So now that I finally understand what this means, do you think that all religion in the Ohkuboverse is a massive ploy? Think about it.

Paintra : Judging by the looks of it, I'm not sure if we're getting details on whether all religion in the Ohkuboverse ploy. I'd say that it could Demon Vibe, that cosmic horror always gets it's bloody hands this galaxy, it orchestrated the whole religion in the Ohkuboverse thing for many years. The cause of spontaneous human combustion was basically the usage of Firaga, a fire spell used by the powers of Black Magic in the Final Fantasy Logic system. Pyrokinesis was the ability invented by true creator, the King of horror himself Stephen King.

Tamaki : Hold up, Stephen King invented Pyrokinesis, so that means the Adolla Burst is nothing more than nothingness that this Master Xehanort guy predicted, he's one helluva old bastard when it comes to the powers of darkness. Anyways, where am I, exactly? I finally get the nutrious meal that you offer me, pancakes and maple syrup? I don't drink Maple syrup, do I?

Paintra : You're probably in the city of Vancouver.

Tamaki : Vancouver? You mean this city is Vancouver?

Paintra : Nah, that's the old Vancouver in the Evergreen State of Washington 60 years before Canadians created the new Vancouver in the Canadian province of British Columbia.

Tamaki : New Vancouver?

[Wakle's Portrait - Michiru Yamane]

Tamaki : (looks out the window to see the city of Vancouver) My God, this is British Columbia, I did make it after all. But me in a two year coma? I never got to see anyone in Maryland again, in fact I might not get to see anyone in person, guess I'm all alone to do this myself now. (pauses for a moment) This. is. AWESOME!!! My dream coming to British Columbia finally came true! Now let's get started!

Paintra : Hmm? But you need something to be in gear. How about I'll give you the clothes from something before.

Tamaki : What type of clothes are you going to give me? Wait, (looks down on herself) Have I been naked the entire time in my birthday suit? I would like some clothes to put on.

Paintra : Coming right up! I'll use powerful magic art with my brush! (holds out her brush) Here goes nothing! Presto-Chango! (goes into a fight cloud)

Tamaki : Hey, what are you doing? No! Stop! That tickles!

Paintra : Ta-da! Now that you're in gear.

Tamaki : Ehh...is this...(closes of Tamaki in her iconic Fire Soldier Suit) This is from 1000 years, are you sure it's not this about being a hero? Hey! What's with this bikini and I why do dress like that? Ehh? I can't believe this, these costumes made me a little worried that I was gonna reveal something to wear. Although this could be quite fitting.

Paintra : This looks perfect on ya? No wait. How about this?

*splating*

Paintra : There we go! Your very own firefighter jumpsuit

(Tamaki is shown in an orange jumpsuit)

Paintra : Now that's perfect on ya!

Tamaki : An orange jumpsuit? This looks really satisfying.

Paintra : You're transport will be there outside for you.

Tamaki : Transport.

(cuts to show Wheelie Scoter)

Tamaki : It's a scooter? All you gave me is a scooter?

Paintra : Not just a any scooter, Wheelie Scooter. It's a machine from one of those racing games Nintendo forgot, it's from 12 years ago. It could give you any travel destinations.

Tamaki : Oh...Uh, that's cool. Travel anywhere with this machine will to a cool destination. You sure it's not campitable with any kind of transport, right back at ya. Well, so much to do, so much for fun.

Paintra : The destination to the Haida Naturist Grounds is north from the city in the Haida area near the Canada and Alaska Border.

Tamaki : Should I get there on time? I wonder if there are people that must be awaited in that village where the Training grounds is located at. You sure, you doun't want to come along with me?

Paintra : Nonetheless, but I got important duties back in Japan to await you. JK, of course I can come along with you.

[Three Days Almost Make it to the Deadline - Yutaka Minobe]

(Engine revving)

Tamaki : Now then, time for me to head to that village! Haida Naturist Training Grounds, here I come!

(drives off)

Tamaki : Yahoo!

Paintra : This is a brand new start for you, Tamaki...

Tamaki : Kotatsu...It's Tamaki Kotatsu. I've come a long way to see this day. A new era, a new place, and a new me.

Paintra : Sounds like you got that little idea of yours in your head. You will meet the ones who are awaiting for your arrival.

Tamaki : If I could get to the North Coast by there, I wonder wonder will how I am able to get across the village. I know, I can travel there from road to sea, car to boat. I'll go on from dryland, to Sea, and heading to North Coast, which is the Haiga Gwaii Nation territory.

Paintra : That's great news to hear.

Tamaki : Let's pick up the pace!

"New Beginnings will show them what the New Era can do."

[letstalkaboutfandomsbaby]

still fixated on the idea of toji being mean to a cute chubby reader; being all handsy with them, always grabbing— and there’s SO much to grab, their thighs, their ass, their chest, their belly, even their soft arms, he loves it— or pinching just to hear them squeak (so sensitive!!); can’t get enough of how they look when he’s got them all frustrated, so wet he can feel it as they grind into his thigh; loves to hear them whine as he finally sinks into them, and fuck, that’s the one time this asshole stops running his filthy fucking mouth because they’re so /goddamn/ tight. Anyway, I also feel like a whore today ffff DGHJJ

Ykw shame on you for making me simp for Toji, he's CRUSTY and LAZY and GAHHH!!!

Anyways sksksk

CW: chubby reader, gn reader, smut, "fat" used in a nonderogatory way

God damn it fuck shit mother fucking GUH

Alright fine I'll be horny for Toji 🙄

God no but it's such a yummy concept i hate it 😩

Toji bullying you? Teasing you? Making you so flustered that you stutter and squirm and struggle to focus on the task at hand?

He's such a meanie ong the worst man you've ever met

He's pinching your cheeks, tugging your hair, flipping up your skirt, cornering you wherever you are and pushing his hips into you, his big fat cock pressing into your plump tummy

And he does it all with a stupid shit eating grin on his face bc he's so satisfied seeing how embarrassed you get around him

Mans towers over you (don't matter if you're taller than him, in my world he's taller than you 😤), making you feel so small despite how big your body is

He treats you like you weigh nothing, often pulling you along somewhere and picking you up and tossing you over his shoulder so he can smack your ass and hear you squeal in surprise

He's just so strong it's insane like how does he do it??

Mmm but imagine he bullies you at first just for fun bc he's bored or whateva

Just a silly schoolyard bully but with bulging muscles and an adult sksksk

He's mean just to be mean, calling you a chubby doll, squeezing your cheeks in one big hand and laughing about how squishy you are

Makes him wonder if the rest of you is just as squishy as your cute chubby cheeks

So maybe he starts jerking off to the thought of you, watching porn of fat cuties getting railed so he can imagine your body jiggling with each thrust (lowkey he's mad how little there is for big buff guys x chubby babes, like how can he visualize fucking you if it's a skinny white guy fucking instead? It just ain't accurate sksksk)

He's even meaner once he realizes that he's attracted to you, grabbing every inch of you that he has access to, marveling at how soft and squishy your body is

Bricked up the first time he squeezes your upper arms sksksk just the biggest boner he's ever had good lord he feels like a fuckin teenager with you

He's ready to risk it all just to slip his cock into you and watch you squirm and whine from how big he is

It doesn't matter if you run or hide or fight back: he's gonna keep chasin after ya and make your life a living hell until he gets to pound your fat ass into the bed 💕

And once he finally gets his hands on you the way he's been dreaming about?? OHOHOOOO, good luck trying to move on with your life like he is never letting you go sksksks

You're his partner now, this isn't up for discussion, ain't no way in hell he's lettin anybody else have a pretty lil thing like you, he is ADDICTED

He manhandles you so often it's crazy like wtf sksksk, just tossing you around to whatever position he wants before fucking your brains out

He's got so much stamina too it's a nightmare 😩

He could cum five times and he'll be back up and ready for round 6 after some water and a bathroom break sksksk

God but all the bruises? All the places he's smacked and grabbed, not thinking about his strength? It's awful 😔

You can barely sit down without wincing bc of the big ass bruise he gave you last night from slapping you too hard 🤧

Honestly good luck babe sksksk you're gonna need it, he's a fuckin monster to chubby babes

[theclockworkmonk]

Out of the Mouths of Babes — Ch 6

AO3 | FFN

Previous chapter on Tumblr

Written for Hinny Ficfest 2021

Prompt: ��Uncle Ron said something about Harry knocking Ginny up, but I don’t know what he means,” Teddy said.

Special thanks to @deadwoodpecker for beta reading this chapter

********

It was Molly’s turn to catch Arthur as he swayed on his feet and nearly fainted into her lap.

Hermione’s trembling hands were clapped firmly over her mouth, her eyes bulging to the size of saucers and darting around the room, unsure of who to start questioning, lecturing, or comforting first.

Ron was standing comfortably looking very pleased with himself, taking his turn to give Hermione his best “I told you so” look.

Fleur was silently beaming.

George’s face was turning red and his lips were pressed together so tightly they were turning white, he was trying so hard to keep his flippant comments to himself.

Percy had an intense, focused look on his face like he was trying to solve a maths problem or get a joke.

Bill and Charlie were glaring at Harry with a renewed quiet venom that was more intimidating than the unrestrained threats of a few minutes earlier.

But Harry wasn’t even close to caring, because his brain was too busy with listing to him all of the reasons why he was a terrible person and how he had ruined Ginny’s life and how he had no business being responsible for a tiny helpless human. With the deathly silence of the kitchen, he could perfectly hear his pulse pounding in his ears.

Ginny was still just staring at the blue potion with a completely blank expression. Finally, she was the one who broke the silence.

“...Huh.”

That sound was like a dam breaking, and the entire family erupted into a new flood of noise, all shouting over each other.

“Okay, okay, nobody panic!” Hermione shrieked, flapping her hands and clearly panicking, “We can handle this, I’ll help Ginny make a plan! I’ll start a baby binder!”

Molly darted across the kitchen and tackled her still-stunned daughter into a crushing hug.

“Remember Ginny dear, this is a good thing and we’re all happy for you, even though I’m so sorry I failed you as a mother,” she cried.

“By that she means you both are always accepted by this family and we’ll help any way we can,” said Arthur seriously.

“Yes, feel free to floo over if you ever start feeling sick, dear,” wept Molly, clasping onto Ginny’s hands for dear life, “and I know you starve yourself for your team, but you need to eat whatever you have a craving for as soon as you crave it, even if those trainers don’t like it. I’ll be happy to cook it for you. In fact, I’ll just start coming over every day to make sure you have everything.”

Behind her, Fleur was silently fist-pumping in victory at the new target for Molly Weasley’s doting.

“Not that anybody cares,” said Ron pointedly, staring up at the ceiling with his arms crossed, “But I’m still waiting for my apology.”

That was enough to shake Ginny out of her trance and she actually chuckled. “Ronald, it’s going to take a lot more than the immediate vindication of the wanker things you say for that to happen.”

Bill and Charlie’s faces had turned a shade of purple that reminded Harry entirely too much of Uncle Vernon.

“The rising star junior Auror can’t handle rudimentary contraception magic?” Charlie growled through clenched teeth.

Harry gulped loudly enough to be heard over the cacophony. “No! This potion batch is just a dud, we’re always safe!”

Ginny gasped and grabbed Harry by the sleeve. She pulled him close and whispered, as if there were a chance everyone wouldn’t hear. “Wait, Harry, you did remember to do the Charm...erm….that time, right?” She glanced sideways at Ron and Hermione. “That time...you know...at that thing? That thing three weeks ago?”

Harry’s insides felt like they had been frozen. Apparently the look on his face betrayed him, because Ginny looked to be going through the same revelation as him.

“I….I thought you had,” he mumbled weakly.

Ginny winced and closed her eyes. “Noooooooo,” she moaned, “Harry, we established this, the one who initiates it needs to do the Charm!”

“Exactly!” said Harry, “You were the one who grabbed me and dragged me to the bathroom!”

“Only because you hadn’t taken your hand off my thigh the entire bloody dinner!” said Ginny frantically, “What was I supposed to do, just keep eating cake?”

“Wait!” said Ron loudly, and Harry and Ginny froze like trapped rabbits.

Ron glared back and forth between the two of them, the gears in his head working. “Dinner? Cake? Three weeks?”

“Oh, you have got to be kidding me!” Hermione seethed dangerously. “Seriously? At our engagement party!?”

Harry shrank away from her like a child caught in the sweets jar. “Er….would you believe that we got caught up in the romance of the moment? You know, because you two are so in love, it’s inspiring?”

“Exactly!” said Ginny, “Really, you should take this as a compliment.”

Ron had his hands over his ears and his eyes clenched shut. “Welp. I can never use that bathroom again. We have to move flats. Better yet, let’s just burn down the building.”

“So what is the Harpies’ maternity plan?” Percy asked studiously, as if this were simply a bureaucratic issue, “how soon do you plan on going on leave? Assuming, of course, you...you know….intend to go through with it”

Tense silence fell, as the misunderstanding that caused all this chaos was suddenly relevant again. Every face was looking toward Harry and Ginny with baited breath.

Ginny swallowed and cleared her throat.

“That,” she said forcefully, crossing her arms, “is none of your business. None of this is any of your business. So if you’ll excuse us, the only people whose opinions matter right now will discuss this alone.”

Without waiting for a retort, Ginny grabbed Harry by the hand and led him up the stairs. After they entered Ginny’s old bedroom and Harry closed the door behind him, she paced back and forth several times before turning to face him.

“Did you put a ward on the door?” she asked.

“And several more on our way up the stairs,” answered Harry. “We should have a while before an Extendable Ear sneaks in here.”

“Good. Very good. Cool. Coolcoolcoolcoolcool.”

An uncomfortable silence fell over them, both hesitant to look the other in the eye. Harry wanted to hug her and start reassuring her, but he also didn’t want this conversation to start, because he wasn’t sure if he was strong enough to hear what he suspected Ginny would say.

Even though he was completely panicking and sure he would find a way to spectacularly mess up raising a child, there was no doubt in his mind about at least trying his best at it. But he knew how dedicated Ginny was to her career, and how difficult this could be for her. He was sure what she was going to say, but he wasn’t sure he could withstand hearing it.

Ginny was chewing her lip, but finally broke the silence. “Look, Harry….this is a lot to take in. Neither of us planned on this happening so soon, obviously. I understand if you want to focus on your job—”

“What?” Harry couldn’t help but laugh. “You’re a professional athlete who has another human growing inside you, and it’s my job we need to worry about?”

Ginny shrugged. “Well, I could keep playing for the next few months. The team healers put a ward around your abdomen for bludgers. I would have to take a break eventually, but I’m on contract now, so I’m secured in my roster spot while on maternity leave, and they always give players a chance to earn their starting spot back.”

“Oh,” said Harry, surprised. “Well that’s….that’s good. I thought it would be more cutthroat.”

“Well, the Harpies’ whole brand is having the very best female players in Britain,” said Ginny proudly, “and having a reputation for the best maternity plan in the league makes them pretty attractive to all their prospects. It’s hard to build a core team if you permanently lose a player every time someone gets pregnant.

“So…” she said assertively, looking him in the eye. “I feel like...we can do this. I want to keep this baby. But ultimately I feel like it’s both of our decisions. I’ll understand no matter how you feel. So….what are you thinking?”

Harry felt like he was in a tug of war, between exploding from happiness or imploding from terrifying nerves. Dementors, dragons, Death Eaters, nothing was as scary as this, but he also didn’t have to think about his answer, even for a second.

His hand drifted into his pocket and he toyed with what was inside. This wasn’t how he imagined doing this, but she asked him what he was thinking, and this night had already flipped all their plans upside-down, what was a bit more?

Harry focused on Ginny’s brown eyes, still earnestly waiting for his answer, and he found the courage he always found there.

“Here’s what I’m thinking,” he said bracingly.

He dropped down to one knee.

Ginny made a high-pitched squeak and her eyes widened in shock. Harry smiled at himself, pleased that he could still catch her completely off-guard.

“I wasn’t planning on doing this soon. I was afraid you would think I was being pushy. Was going to wait a few years. Or maybe a few months. Okay, I was probably close to cracking already. And in the meantime, it still felt good to have this on me, as a good luck charm I suppose.”

He reached into his pocket and pulled out the small black box he had bought weeks earlier.

“Harry….” Ginny whispered, her eyes welling with tears.

“Ginny,” Harry answered. He opened the box to reveal the ring. “Will you mar—guh!”

He was cut off by a crazed redhead tackling him to the ground, grabbing his face and kissing him hard enough to knock the wind out of him. Harry’s head was spinning, but he reluctantly pushed her back.

“Gin — Gin!” he grunted between kisses. Finally, Ginny pulled back, frowning at him.

“There’s kind of a part you forgot?” Harry said pointedly, raising his eyebrows.

Ginny looked lost for a moment, then rolled her eyes. “Oh, yeah. Yes. Obviously yes, you idiot.”

She kissed him again, and he lost track of time. Eventually, his back started to get sore on the wood floor, and he pushed himself up and pulled them both to their feet.

“We can finish our own celebration later,” said Harry, smiling so wide his face was sore, “but we should probably put your family’s worries to rest. And I can’t wait to show the world your hand with this on it.” He slid the ring onto her finger, and Ginny bounced on her feet like she was eleven years old again, practicing signing the name “Ginny Potter” in a diary.

Then, her smile slipped and she groaned loudly. “Ugh, this will make my mum even more of a nightmare now. I thought she was bad in the lead-up to Bill’s wedding, she’ll be even worse since she has to be the mother to both of us.”

“Well, Bill’s wedding was nice, wasn’t it?” said Harry diplomatically.

“I mean, I guess,” Ginny shrugged, “but not nearly nice enough to be worth all the hassle. The months of my mother stressing over everything and making sure I know my part. And I was just a bridesmaid! Being the center of attention of a hundred people while wearing a cumbersome dress might be Fleur’s dream, but it sounds like the worst day of my life.”

She wrapped her arms around Harry’s waist and pulled him close. “I just care if I’m the center of your attention.”

Harry smiled even wider. “Well don’t worry, you could be wearing a burlap sack and I still won’t be able to take my eyes off you.”

“So you don’t mind backing me up when Mum breaks out the bridal magazines?” Ginny asked pleadingly. “I was never one of those girls that fantasize about an extravagant wedding; in fact, the smaller the better. We’ve never really talked about it, but I know you, so I assume you would be okay with that?”

Harry laughed loudly. “Are you kidding? Yes, absolutely. You know I’m not exactly a social butterfly. As far as I’m concerned, we could jusy floo over to the Ministry and take care of it right now.”

They both erupted into a fresh round of laughter, holding each other and clutching their sides at how funny and ridiculous the idea was.

Then, their eyes met, and their laughter faltered, growing more and more quiet until tense silence descended on the room. Their smiles dropped, and their suddenly serious eyes held a wordless conversation.

Finally, both their mouths crept back up into wide smiles, this time being full of mischief.

[walpurga-nacht-academy]

Part 15

[Walpurga Nacht Academy]

[Djinn’s Lamp]

Djinn/Rosa: WHAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAT?!!!!

Vita: ~

Djinn: A-A-A-A-A-

Rosa: HUSBAND?!

Diana: Mm.

Blanche: … That man.

Cass: Mi-Mi-Mister… Shroud… um…

Rosa: Shroud?! You mean from Night Raven?! That Prefect of Igni-Igni-Igni-

Marcia: Ignihyde! Geez, you can’t even remember that much… And why do you sound so surprised to hear about this in the first place?!

Rosa: Why?! Wouldn’t the better question be why you don’t seem surprised at all?!

Marcia: Ha? It’s ancient news. Why would I be surprised?

Rosa: HUH?! YOU MEAN- ALL OF YOU?!

Blanche: It’s well known, Rosalia.

Diana: Mm.

Cass: Mi-Mi-Miss Dies me-mentioned him at our la-la-last meeting too. Do you re-re-remember, um?

Rosa: !!! TH-THAT!! O-OF COURSE I REMEMBER!! HAHAHA! I WAS TOTALLY PAYING ATTENTION AND ALL THAT!

Blanche: ………..

Rosa: I-In any case, isn’t senpai having a husband bad news for us?!

Marcia: … I wonder.

Djinn: A husband… [mumble]...

Vita: Indeed~ My heart is already sworn to another~

Djinn: Heart… [mumble]... sworn… [mumble]...

Vita: You certainly are the type to come to conclusions slowly~

Djinn: A husband…………………………………………………………………….

………………………………………………………………………………………..

IT DOES NOT MATTER!

Rosa: HUH?!

Marcia: I KNEW IT! THAT DEVIANT!

Djinn: No, no, the more I think about it, the more it makes sense! A beauty like you must have caught the eye of many disgusting and cruel men. It’s only natural! Romance novels often have a beautiful heroine trapped by a deranged man waiting to be rescued! Yes, yes, this is simply just such an example!

Rosa: This… This guy…

Marcia: Must be nice living in your own fantasy land like that~

Djinn: THEN I KNOW WHAT I MUST DO!

VIXEN, SIMPLY GIVE ME A NAME AND I SHALL DO AWAY WITH THAT DETESTABLE MAN FOREVER!

Vita: Oh, would you be so kind~?

Djinn: OF COURSE! ANYTHING FOR MY BRIDE!

Vita: Wonderful~ Then take this detestable djinn away from me~

Djinn: A-Ahahahaha, my-my dear, the only djinn around here is me…

Vita: Indeed~

Djinn: ……………………………….. AHAHAHAHA, WHAT A FUNNY JOKE!

How wonderful that our sense of humour matches~

Vita: Oh, but it really was no jest at all~

Do you believe that I would even look twice at a man like you when I already am bound to my love?

Djinn: A man like- What’s that supposed to mean?! Are you dissatisfied with any of my qualities?!

Vita: Dissatisfaction, hm~ That is such a light word. Perhaps disgusted might be more appropriate?

Djinn: DISGUSTED?!

Vita: Oh, would you then prefer ‘repulsed’ instead?

Djinn: GUH!

Vita: Repelled?

Djinn: AH!

Vita: Utterly and entirely nauseated?

Djinn: UGH!

Rosa: SHE’S RUTHLESS! COMPLETELY RUTHLESS!

Marcia: If this keeps on maybe he’ll keel over and finally die!

Diana: Hm. Vita is the sort of woman who never forgives a slight.

Vita: Well of course~ Anybody who would dare speak such unkindness and slander against my beloved Agatha deserves nothing more than to become mulch for the plants~

Agatha: …………………………………………………… Big… Sis…

Vita: I am truly sorry for letting you experience something like that, my dear. But I can assure you this man is nothing but a fool and scum so you shall not entertain even a minute of the rabble that he spews forth.

Agatha: …………………………………………… Ehehe……

Vita: Oh my~ Your smile is so charming that I feel completely refreshed~

Rosa: I-Is that so…

Marcia: I only felt shivers running down my spine… But telling this to senpai now of all times…

Blanche: It would clearly be a bad choice.

Marcia: I know that! You don’t have to remind me!

Djinn: ……………………………………………………. Nng…

Marcia: Huh? What’s with his face?

Djinn: ………………………………… Nng…. ugh….

Rosa: !!! A-Am I the only one who’s got a bad feeling about this?

Djinn: …………………………………. Ngg……… ugh….. AAAAAAAAAAAAHHHHHHHH!!!

Vita: Hm~?

Djinn: YOU…………………. YOU…………………..

Vita: Yes~?

Djinn: IT MAKES NO SENSE!!

Vita: Oh?

Djinn: ‘A man like you’, ‘my love’, ‘a husband’.... I DON’T GET IT!! HOW CAN YOU REJECT ME LIKE THIS?! AND FOR A MERE MORTAL TOO?!

Vita: I would certainly watch my tongue if I were you~ You had already stirred my ire when you have spoken so crassly to my beloved Agatha, and now you dare speak ill of my love? I shall not be merciful any longer if you continue to misbehave like this~

Djinn: THAT’S IT!! THAT’S WHAT I WANT!!

That confident expression, that devotion to your loved one, that hourglass figure - YOU’RE ABSOLUTELY THE TYPE I WANT! NO DOUBT ABOUT IT!

Yes! I truly think we are destined to be together, vixen! So then… So then… WHY DO YOU STILL REJECT ME?!

Vita: Why? Hm. Let me ask you a question then-

What do you presume my name is?

Djinn: ………………………… Huh?

Vita: If you are to be my beloved then surely you must know~

Djinn: ……………………………………….

O-Of course! Something so simple… Of course, I would know something like that!

Vita: Then?

Djinn: Uh…………………………………………. I-I clearly said I know already so why do I have to say it out loud?! Do you not trust me?

Vita: No~

Djinn: SO DIRECT!! Bu-But that’s exactly what I like about you… THAT HONESTY OF YOURS! IT’S REALLY, REALLY ATTRACTIVE!

With a woman like you by my side, I’m sure I could achieve anything!! So then-

Vita: Well then~ That is indeed quite adorable~ Then let me offer you some more of this dear honesty that you seem to crave~

If you wish to capture another’s heart, then you must offer something of value to them. Love is formed on this foundation of lending and borrowing and if one has nothing to offer, then he shall receive none~

Djinn: ……………………… Lending and borrowing……………… Hmph, I see………..

You are a really material woman, aren’t you? But no problem! FOR I CAN OFFER YOU ALL! SO THEN!

In exchange for marrying me, I shall give you - WEALTH THAT WILL LAST YOUR ENTIRE LIFE!

What do you say?

Vita: I shall pass~

Marcia: THAT’S SUCH A GOOD OFFER THOUGH!!

Rosa: Hey! Scummy Marcia! Pipe down!

Djinn: Yo-You will pass?! On wealth?!

Ugh, fine… I understand… Then, how about - ALL THE KNOWLEDGE IN THE WORLD!!

Vita: I shall pass~

Djinn: A-AGAIN?!

Then, uh… I know - BECOMING RULER OF THIS WORLD!

Vita: Pass~

Djinn: A TOUCH THAT TURNS EVERYTHING INTO GOLD!

Vita: Oh, how dull~

Djinn: A MILLION DJINN SERVANTS?!

Vita: I shall decline~

Djinn: ETERNAL LIFE?

Vita: Oh, that sounds repulsive.

Djinn: ETERNAL YOUTH?!

Vita: Just as dreadful.

Djinn: THEN- THEN- THEN………………………………………………

………………………………………………… AAAAAAAH! I DON’T UNDERSTAND THIS AT ALL!!

Vita: So it seems~

Djinn: Wealth, power, youth… None of these things satisfy you… It’s like I’m wasting my breath. I just don’t understand… What is it that would convince you?! Just what can I offer you so you may become my bride?!

Vita: My, you certainly are a slow one~ But, since I am so merciful, I shall kindly inform you of my request~

You see, my dear, there is simply nothing that you could offer me to convince me to become your wife. ‘Tis quite a lost cause. And I am eternally loyal to my love~

Djinn: …………………………………. THIS!! THIS!! IT’S UNACCEPTABLE!

Vita: Do not throw a tantrum now. ‘Tis unsightly. And I assumed you would be overjoyed with my response, so I do not understand your vexation at all.

Djinn: …………………. Overjoyed?! Why should I be overjoyed?!

Vita: Hm~ Could it be that you did not realize it yet?

Djinn: Realize what?!

Vita: That you do not truly wish to find any bride at all.

Djinn: !!!

Wha… What are you talking about?! Do you think this was all a game or something?! How dare you doubt my intentions like that?!

Vita: How? It was obvious from the very start~

Djinn: !!!

Rosa: HUH?! I-Is senpai right?! Is that true?!

Djinn: ……………………………………

Marcia: HAAAAAAAAAAAA!! Hey, you dumb djinn, say something!! You better not be telling us senpai is right!!

Djinn: ……………………………………

Vita: Fufu~ You have suddenly become so bashful~ How adorable. However, no matter how hard you attempt to hide it, your true intentions were obvious from the start, even when you yourself were not aware of it.

‘Tis as I told you, my little hare - love cannot be understood by those who cannot be able to compromise.

Blanche: ………………………………

Vita: My~ Your troubled expression is simply adorable~ But you cannot deny that I am in the right, can you?

From the moment we were spirited here, this djinn has done nothing but force us to prove ourselves to him. We were given demands to which we had to comply, then swiftly punished when we could not follow through. When we spoke our mind we were rebuffed, were we not?

Marcia: ….. That’s….

Vita: And even your attempts at appealing to him have fallen through. Looks, personality - none of it mattered in the end.

Rosa: That’s… That’s true. He really kept complaining about everything.

Diana: Mm.

Vita: Of course~ Love that which seeks only demands, is no love at all. No foundation can be built upon such treacherous ground, for if one is to eternally compromise, then all one does is wait for the sinking sands to swallow them whole.

Djinn: !!!

Vita: Oh, do you find my words displeasing?

Then let me ask you this - just who do you are to make such ridiculous demands of us when you yourself have nothing to offer but petulance and stubbornness? You speak of love as if it were just an ideal, and seem to forget that any such concept is fraught with imperfections and flaws.

If ‘tis an ideal that you seek, then I advise you to stop looking, for you shall never find it at all.

Until you can learn that then you have no business proposing to the likes of me.

Djinn: ………………………………………………………………………………………….

Marcia: ……………………….

Rosa: ……………………………..

Djinn: ………………………………………………………………………………………..

Marcia: He-Hey, is… He just froze, uh… What….

Djinn: ………………………………………………………………………………….

[rumble]

Rosa: Huh? Hey, did you hear that? Just what-

[BOOM, CRASH]

Rosa: HUH?! THE GROUND IS SHAKING?!

Blanche: That- It’s the same wind as before!

[BOOM, CRASH]

Marcia: THE HO-HOURGLASSES!!

Cass: UM!! WE-WE’RE SHA-SHAKING TOO!! UM!!

[BOOM, CRASH]

Marcia: WE’RE GONNA CRASH AND DIE!! DAMN IT!! THIS IS ALL SENPAI’S FAULT!!

[BOOM, CRASH]

Blanche: Wa-Wait! That light!!

[BOOM, CRASH]

Rosa/Marcia: AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH-

back | next

[mitchmarnier]

the real world

pairing: eddie kaspbrak/richie tozier [reddie] word count: 4,484 chapter count: 3 of 18 summary: after a sudden and unexplained disappearance, richie tozier returns to derry with a secret that no one person could ever hope to hold onto

read on ao3.

moodboard by the lovely @thundercatseddie. | beta by @thundercatseddie

a lil work in progress playlist

the real world taglist: @thundercatseddie, @willelbyers, @proton-disaster-blaster,  @summerxle, @richietoaster, @beautifullillis, @ichigokazuki, @protectthebyers, @lifesucksheres20bucks, @are-you-reddie-for-it, @reddiegaspbrak, @princesass-theresa, @appojoos, @cheekaspbrak, @roobarrtrashmouth, @reddiesmagic, @moonlighttozier,  @flamingcheetoess, @are-you-reddie-cos-im-not, @reddie-wise​ (let me know if you want added!)

perma taglist: @jwilliambyers, @eddiecare, @eddiekabsprak, @thundercatseddie, @appojoos, @wonderfuleds, @s-s-georgie, @chaotickaspbrak, @eddiefuckinkaspbrak, @purplepoisonedgem, @edstozler, @emgays, @anellope, @thorn-harvester-ven, @wheezyeds, @vipertooth, @tozierking, @itfandomprompts (also let me know if you want added!)

Richie wasn’t at school today. Eddie knew he shouldn’t be letting it bother him, that it didn’t mean anything. Richie could be sick, God knows he wouldn’t be getting enough sleep and that was a huge push to a person getting ill. It was just... the last time Richie hadn’t suddenly shown up to school, he’d been gone.

“Hey.” Beverly came up and place a hand on his shoulder, squeezing. “Why so quiet, Eddie?”

Eddie didn’t answer her immediately, fidgeting with the pencil in his hands. Beverly’s hand was a heavy weight on his shoulder as he weighed over what he was feeling. “I guess I’m worried about Richie. I know you hate him now or whatever.”

“I don’t hate him.” Beverly cut across Eddie, but her voice wasn’t sharp or angry. It was quiet, almost understanding. “I could never hate him. I just can’t forgive him without some sort of explanation. He can’t just treat people badly and expect everybody to just jump at the chance to hang around with him again. Not that he’s hanging around.”

Eddie frowned. The last couple days had all been like this, his friends making some sort of comment about Richie - or even to Richie- and Eddie not being able to defend his best friend without exposing his secret. Eddie wanted nothing more than for the Losers to know about Richie’s baby, for them to know the truth but it wasn’t Eddie’s place to say anything. So, Eddie kept lying, and he kept feeling guilty about it.

“I’m sorry,” Beverly said again. “I’m really not trying to slam on him. Logically, I know there’s a reason he’s being this way. I’m pissed he won’t talk to me about it, but I’ve been trying not to say anything to you. I don’t want to put you in the middle of anything because I know you love him.”

Eddie cleared his throat awkwardly and shook his head. “He’s just not in school today. And I’m worried. That’s all.”

Beverly smiled. “Well, we can go over to his house after school and check on him if you want! I’ll go with you and we-”

Images of little Riley popped into Eddie’s mind, followed quickly by images of Richie’s horrified and betrayed face if he saw that Eddie had brought Beverly there, and Eddie found himself giving an answer before the thoughts had even cleared his mind. “No, that’s okay! We don’t need to do that. That’s fine.”

Beverly gave him a suspicious look and Eddie gave a small laugh. “You said yourself he’s being weird. If he’s not here tomorrow, we can check on him. Yeah?”

“Yeah...” Beverly nodded and turned around in her seat, facing forward back to the lesson. She gave a slight huff, dropping her pen to paper, and Eddie felt a little bit sick.

After class let out, Eddie hastily told Beverly he was going to the bathroom before lunch and took off. Curling up in the stall and giving himself a moment to breathe, Eddie wondered if he should just spend his lunch here instead of going into the caf. He quickly dismissed the idea, realizing he didn’t have any lunch. If Eddie didn’t eat lunch, if he didn’t eat regularly, then he got bitchy. It wasn’t good for a person to skip meals, it was very unhealthy.

So Eddie picked himself back up and wandered out of the bathroom. When he caught sight of his friends standing in front of the cafeteria doors, his stomach tensed up. His hands dropped down to grab at the fanny pack that no longer rested there, and he pulled on his belt.

“He probably knows something.” Ben said softly. He was standing next to Beverly, who had her arms crossed, looking concerned. Stan was standing, arms crossed in the same fashion, while looking annoyed. Mike was openly eating his sandwich while standing up. Bill has his back to him.

“Oh, he doesn’t know shuh-shit.” Bill said. “He knows just as much as the rest of us, he’s just buh-buh-biased.”

“You don’t know that.” Beverly said. “If Richie was going to tell anybody something, it would probably be Eddie. You know how they are. How they’ve always been... those two.”

Stan rolled his eyes and leaned over to whisper something in Mike’s ear. When Mike gave him a small nod, Stan turned away and walked into the cafeteria alone. Eddie swallowed down his nerves and hurt and wondered if there was any chance he could get past the rest of the Losers and talk to Stan. Stan seemed to be on Richie’s side, Eddie’s side. If only he could talk to Stanley alone.

“Truh-trust me.” Bill seemed to be holding his hands out in front of him. “If Eddie nuh-nuh-knew shit, he’d have tuh-told us. He’s just defending Ruh-Richie because he’s got some buh-big guh-guh-gay cr-”

“Do you got something to say to me, Billy?” Eddie stepped out towards his friends, enjoying the way they all startled. Ben’s face immediately turned a bright, horrifying red while Mike gave Eddie an almost sympathetic look.

Bill turned around, an already resigned look on his face. He stuffed his hands into his pockets and tilted his head to the side, gave Eddie a deep frown. “Eddie...” He sighed. “I’m suh-suh-sorry but...”

“You’re not sorry. You’ve been a fucking asshole since the second Richie got back.” Eddie snapped, finally understanding the term seeing red. “You’ve been pissed. That’s fine, I get that. I was pissed too! But you didn’t give him a chance, not even for a second. How could he have gone to you with anything when you made it so clear that you weren’t interested?”

“I didn’t do that, Eddie.” Bill said firmly. Eddie rolled his eyes and gave Bill what was almost a growl. “I didn’t. He im-im-immediately got back and started luh-lying to us and skipping out u-u-u-on us! This isn’t my fuh-fuh-fault!!”

“Your fault?” Rage flashed through Eddie, white hot with harsh burn. It was like his insides were about to boil. “You don’t know fucking shit! You don’t know what you’re fucking talking about!”

“That’s because he d-d-d-d-didn’t FUCK.” Bill turned away, face red with anger. He clenched his hands at his side as they shook.

“We don’t know what’s going on because he didn’t tell us anything.” Ben finished for him quietly. Bill looked over at Ben, mouth fixed in a thin line as though unsure if he wanted to thank him or snap at him.

Eddie looked to Mike, trying to plead with his eyes for help. Mike would stand with Eddie. Mike was always so understanding, so caring. He was hands down one of Eddie’s favourite people in the world. Mike would understand what Eddie was feeling.

But Mike was avoiding Eddie’s gaze, and Eddie’s stomach dropped when he realized he was on his own.

“I...” Eddie let out a soft groan as he pressed the palms of his hands against his eyes. “I hate this. If you guys are going to cut out Richie, then we can’t be friends, either.”

“We’re not cutting Richie out!” Ben said roughly, arms crossed over his chest. “He’s doing the cutting. We’re just not chasing after him.”

Eddie let out several harsh breaths while his hands shook at his sides. He felt a little light headed, and he swayed slightly on the spot. He could hear a dim ringing in the back of his head, something like a baby crying...

“Eddie... do you need your inhaler?” Beverly’s voice came to him. Soft, helpful but it just made Eddie shake harder.

“NO!” Eddie cried.  “I don’t need my fucking inhaler! You know I don’t fucking need it! Fuck you!”

“Eddie, you-you-y-y-y-” Bill stuttered over his words, face bright red. “You need to c-c-calm down.”

Eddie shoved at Bill with a deep glare. “I don’t need to calm down. I need to get out of here. I need to go home, I need-”

“You need to go to Richie?” Bill challenged. 

Eddie’s stomach churned painfully, and he turned away with a deep frown. He turned on his heels and ran from the school. He didn’t stop to even take a breath as he ran through the streets and up the front steps of his house. 

He heaved roughly, nearly falling forward onto his knees as he barrelled into the front entrance of his house. Breathing roughly and shoving hair out of his eyes, Eddie took a simple moment to catch his breath and rubbed angrily at the tears that were welling up inside his eyes.

“Eddie? What are you doing home?” Frank Kaspbrak came out of the kitchen, dish towel in his hands, and a deep frown on his face. “You should be in school, son.”

Eddie let out half a sob and turned away from his father. He walked through the living room and dove over the back of the couch as he groaned. He pressed his arm over his eyes and groaned louder until he felt the couch dip down beside him. 

“Want to tell me what happened?” Frank asked. There was a question there. An opening. If Eddie said no, Frank would let it go. He would make Eddie one of his comforting hot chocolates with whipped cream and they’d talk about something else. Or watch a movie. Anything else. 

“Richie had a baby.” Eddie grumbled.

His father was quiet for so long that Eddie lowered his arm away from his eyes and squinted at him. Frank looked at Eddie with a bit of a shell shocked look, but was still smiling encouragingly. “Waiting for more information.”

“I don’t know much, I guess.” Eddie sat up and pulled his legs up to his chest. He wrapped his arms around them, rested his chin on his knees. “That’s where he went this summer, to be with the mom. She didn’t want the baby, but Richie did. So he’s keeping it. He brought it back with him.”

“It?” Frank asked with a soft smile. “Eddie…”

“She.” Eddie chuckled as his lip pushed up in a small, half smile. “Her name is Riley. She’s… so small, Dad. She’s tiny. It’s crazy… this little tiny thing.”

“Yeah, I know that feeling.” Frank shifted over and wrapped an arm around Eddie’s shoulder. “I don’t think Richie having a baby would be enough to make you run home from school though, son. What else is going on?”

Eddie sighed. “Richie is keeping it a secret. He hasn’t told any of the other Losers but they can tell something is wrong and they’re all so mad at him. And I know, so it's hard for me to hear them talking about Richie like that. When they don’t know, you know. It’s not fair.” 

Eddie resisted the urge to hide his face in his knees. “If they all stop being friends with Richie, I might lose them all. Like, Stan seems to be on Richie’s side, and Mike would probably go anywhere Stan goes. Oh my god, it’s going to be me, Richie, Stan and Mike versus Bill, Bev and Ben! Dad! What do I do?”

Frank blinked and watched in silence as his son spiraled. “Son…”

“Maybe I can just stop being friends with Richie like Bill wants.” Eddie said. “It’ll be easier. Better for everybody. Except Richie. But I could do it. It doesn’t make sense to choose one friend over five, right? That’s my most logical choice.”

Frank sighed and pulled Eddie into a full hug. “Edward James Kaspbrak, I have known you for a long time. Most of that time has included Richie Tozier by your side. I know how terrible those months when Richie was gone were for you, son. You were so sad. I’d do anything to never have to see you like that again.”

Eddie tried to smile, but he broke into a sob instead. He pressed harder against his father’s chest. “I don’t know what to do. I don’t know. I want everything to go back. I don’t want us to be fighting! We shouldn’t be fighting, and keeping secrets or…”

“Having babies?” Frank asked gently as he rubbed Eddie’s back. 

Eddie mumbled nonsense into his father’s chest and felt him laugh. “I don’t know why he kept her. The mom wanted to put her up for adoption. He could have just done that, I don’t understand… he had an out.”

Frank pulled back and gave his son a sad smile. “I think there’s maybe a little bit more to it than you think, son. Nothing is ever as black and white as it seems.”

“I don’t know what to do.” Eddie repeated with a huff. 

“What you’re going to do, Edward my son,” Frank said. “Is help me make dinner, and then you’re going to go to your room for the rest of the night because you’re so grounded for skipping school.”

Eddie’s mouth dropped open. “You tricked me! Playing the supportive dad card just to whack me with a grounding! That’s illegal game play!” 

Frank chuckled and shook his head. “I’m still the supportive dad, and you’re still the son who ditched out of school in the middle of the day. Just consider yourself lucky that your mom isn’t home.”

Eddie cringed. Sixteen years of life, and he still wasn’t entirely sure how his father had fallen in love with his mother. Not since he was a child had he seen anything that could have been considered truly loving between the two of them, and he wasn’t sure they’d ever been compatible. He’d never brought up his concerns to his parents, fear of opening the floodgates, but he sometimes (shamefully) thought to himself that his father deserved better than his mother. 

That night, Eddie texted Stan for the homework in their afternoon classes and curled up at his desk. He’d only managed to answer the first question of his history fill-out before he realized that the red sweater he’d tossed on when getting comfortable belonged to Richie. It had been left behind at one of the last sleepovers before Richie had disappeared, and Eddie had secretly worn it while Richie was gone. Only once in a while, not often. Just when he’d really wanted to feel close to his missing best friend.

Eddie had put it on without even thinking about it, but now it brought back the memories of what Eddie’s issue had been this morning in the first place. Richie hadn’t been at school, and it suddenly settled back in Eddie’s stomach like a rock. His hands got clammy and he suddenly felt much too hot in his sweater. He sat at his sit, leg bouncing, until he pushed away and grabbed his skateboard from under his bed.

Grounding be damned, Eddie needed to make sure that Richie and the baby were okay.

Eddie wasn’t sure he’d ever ridden down to the Tozier’s house so quickly in his life. As much as his skateboard had been a rebellion of Eddie’s, he never rode it too quickly and was always cautious. Tonight, though, he barely even paid attention to his actions as he made his way down the darkened streets.

The lights were out in the house, and panic rose up in Eddie’s throat. No lights… empty house? Empty house? Eddie tossed his skateboard into one of the bigger bushes as he made his way around Richie’s house and towards Richie’s bedroom window. He let out a harsh exhale when he noticed the small light peering out from between the curtains. 

Without giving it any sort of logical thought, Eddie moved towards the brick house and began to climb. He cursed under his breath as he nearly fell several times, annoyed that Richie had a second story window and he couldn’t just heave himself into it like Richie could with Eddie’s own bedroom window. Eddie knocked lightly on the glass, out of breath and surely red in the face. 

Richie flung the window open and nearly knocked Eddie free from his grip on the siding. Richie let out a shout, grabbed Eddie by the collar of his sweater and pulled him into the room. Eddie and Richie both ended up on the floor of Richie’s bedroom. Eddie let out a cough and rubbed at his collar bone. “Are you trying to kill me?”

“Kill you?” Richie whispered incredulously. He sat up and helped Eddie to his feet. “You climbing up into my window like some sort of fuckboy. I was just trying to keep you from falling to your death.”

“YOU’RE the one who almost knocked me to my death, opening the window like your bedroom was on fire!” Eddie shrieked, but Richie quickly slapped a hand over Eddie’s mouth with wide eyes.

“ShhHHH!” Richie hissed and gave Eddie a threatening glare. “Riley is sleeping!”

Eddie opened his mouth then quickly clapped it shut. For a moment, he’d forgotten all about Richie’s baby. The whole reason Eddie had been agonizing all day. He glanced over to the edge of Richie’s bed where a long basket looking… thing. He could slightly see the sleeping baby inside it, and he frowned.

“Why did you put her in a basket?” Eddie asked softly. “Don’t you have a crib for her?”

Richie laughed. “It’s a bassinet, Eddie. Riley’s still too little to really sleep in the crib, for the first few months babies sleep in ‘baskets’”. Richie put air quotations over the word basket and Eddie flushed angrily.

“Oh, don’t act like you knew that before!” Eddie swatted at Richie’s chest, and Richie let out a quiet laugh. 

The two of them stood quietly in Richie’s bedroom for a moment, before Richie’s eyes dropped to look at Eddie and frown. “Is that my sweater?”

“You weren’t at school today.” Eddie fiddled with the bottom hem of the sweater and stared at the ground. 

Richie sighed and ran his fingers through his rough curls. “Yeah, Riley was really fussy last night so I slept like shit. My mom is away for the rest of the week so my dad is way more chill and let me stay home and catch up on the sleep I missed.” Richie broke into a grin. “Awe, Eds baby, did you miss me?” 

“Shut up, Trashmouth!” Eddie swatted Richie on the chest. “Last time you didn’t come to school, you were… gone.”

“Oh.” Richie paused, then frowned. He stepped forward and wrapped Eddie into a surprisingly light hug. “I’m sorry, I didn’t think-”

“No, it’s okay, I…” Eddie cleared his throat as he tried not to get lost in the smell of the Tozier’s laundry detergent. “I over thought. And I fought with the Losers today.”

Richie stepped back from Eddie’s space, a deep frown settled on his face. “What… because I wasn’t at school?”

“No.” Eddie said unconvincingly. Richie raised his eyebrows and Eddie sighed. “Not exactly, okay? Like maybe it started that way, I guess, but we didn’t fight because of you. We fought because of us. It’s not your fault. You weren’t even there.”

Richie dropped down onto his bed and stared down at his hands. “They’re really mad at me, huh?”

Eddie shrugged. “Yeah, they are. But that’s… that’s their problem. It’s not like… they need to get over it.”

Richie shook his head. “No, they… This isn’t some game or some stupid little fight. This is my whole life now, it’s what I have. All I have, my everything. You guys don’t have to bother with this, it’s not your life.”

Eddie glanced at the small, sleeping figure in the little basket and wrinkled his nose. “Maybe it’s not our problem, but you’re our trashmouth. And I’m sure they’d stick by you if they knew-”

Richie was already shaking his head before Eddie could finish speaking. “You know I can’t.”

Eddie cleared his throat. “I know you think that you can’t, but Richie, honestly-”

“I don’t want to talk about it again, Eddie.” Richie said. “I know it’s not ideal and that it won’t work forever, but I- I’m not ready and I don’t think… I can’t lose them.”

“You’re already losing them.” Eddie almost whispered but Richie’s face contorted with pain as he heard it anyway. Eddie clutched his hands together. “I’m sorry, I… No matter what happens you’ll always have me. I’m not going anywhere.”

Richie gave Eddie a watery smile that made his heart race. 

Eddie took a short shuddering breath. He just wanted everything to be normal. “Go somewhere with me.”

Richie blinked at him. “Eddie, I can’t leave. Riley’s sleeping, and she doesn’t sleep through the night! She could wake up at any time and if I’m not here, and she’s crying-”

“Okay, okay, relax.” Eddie spotted the little white baby monitor and grabbed it. “Just come outside with me. How far does this thing reach?”

“I’m not sure.” Richie said as he stood up slowly. “I’ve never taken it any further than the kitchen before.”

Eddie grinned. “Let’s find out.”

Richie had the baby monitor hooked into his belt loop as he and Eddie climbed down from Richie’s bedroom window. They walked slowly across Richie’s front lawn and out to the street. Richie walked backwards slowly, eyes on Eddie, until he made it halfway across the neighbours front lawn.

“It’s fuzzing out here.” 

Eddie nodded as Richie walked back towards him. “Cool, let’s just… let’s just hang out here for awhile. If that’s alright?”

Richie shrugged one shoulder. “Sure, Eds. Whatever you want.”

Eddie rushed back over to the bush where he’d dumped his board and carried it back. Richie stared at it a little gap mouthed with wide eyes. “Edward Kaspbrak, is that a skateboard? Without a helmet? Does your mother know?”

“You know there’s no goddamn way in hell she does.” Eddie replied with an eye roll. “You think I’d be allowed out of the house if she had any idea that I owned this?”

“Well…” Richie chuckled. “I’m sort of assuming that you don’t have permission to get out of the house right now, so.”

“Smart ass.” Eddie said. “So cocky, bet you couldn’t even stand on a skateboard.”

“What? Like it’s hard?” Richie challenged with a wiggle of his eyebrows. He stepped towards Eddie. “Hand the board over. Let me show you how a real bad boy does it.

“Oh, yeah. You’re sooo bad.” Eddie rolled his eyes as he pushed the board towards Richie’s outstretched foot. “I bet you have cartoon animals on your boxers right now.”

“HEY!” Richie pointed at Eddie, one foot resting on the board. “First of all, I’m a teenage dad- that implies underage sex, Eddie. Total rebel material.” Eddie rolled his eyes. “And for your information, they’re Spongebob. So, you’re wrong.”

“Only by a minor technicality!” Eddie argued as Richie pulled up his shirt to show him the yellow boxers he had on. “But fine, if you’re such a hot shot bad boy- show me what you got, Tozier.”

Richie wobbled the moment he stepped onto the board with both feet, a small surprised noise coming from the back of his throat. Eddie smirked and crossed his arms with a tap of his foot. “Rich. are you serious? You can’t even ride a bike, what makes you think that you can just hop on a skateboard and be fine?”

“This isn’t the same thing!” Richie said, perched stock still on the board so as not tot move it in the slightest. 

“No, it’s not. It’s harder.” Eddie replied. “And more dangerous. Get off before you hurt yourself.”

“Oh, I’ll get off, alright?” Richie winked, still not moving. 

Eddie rolled his eyes. “How does that even make sense, asshole? What the hell, why do you think that. No, you know what, I don’t know what that baby up there is or where you got it because there’s no way in hell anybody ever had sex with you and you can quote me on that. I’d stake my life on it.”

“Eddie, take a breath!” Richie laughed as he swayed on the board. The wheels rolled slightly backwards and the panic flashed over Richie’s face quickly. He thrusted his hands out and Eddie caught them without a thought. Richie’s hands shook in his as they both waited for the board to still. 

Richie let out a low breath. “My parents were right, skateboards are the gateway to motorcycles.” 

Eddie’s eyes blew wide and a grin came over his face. “Do you think my mom would notice if I got a motorcycle? Can’t really hide that under my bed…”

“Anything is possible…” Richie said almost with a wheeze. His hands were shaking againstEddie’s. Eddie pulled on Richie’s hands, pulling both him and the skateboard closer to himself. Richie let out a small squeak and squeezed the absolute life out of Eddie’s hands.

“Ow, Richie.” Eddie whined and tried to pull his hand back but Richie continued to hold him tight. 

“You should totally get a motorcycle, Eds. And a tattoo. Maybe a piercing.” Richie babbled, slightly swinging their hands. “And I’d ride on the back of your motorcycle, just like Big Bill’s bike, only way hotter.”

“You have issues.” Eddie said with a red face. He yanked his hands away from Richie’s and pushed the skateboard with his foot. Richie and the skateboard rolled quickly, Richie letting out an angry and betrayed shout. He stumbled as the board rolled and fell onto his side and onto the lawn. He groaned dramatically.

“You big baby.” Eddie walked over and helped Richie to his feet. “You landed on the grass, that didn’t hurt at all. And you know it.”

“It hurt my feelings.” Richie said lowly and Eddie cocked his brow. Richie opened his mouth, eyes lowered, but before he could get any words out, the sound of a baby gurgling came over the monitor on Richie’s hip.

“Shit.” Richie said as he looked down at it. “I gotta go, Eds.”

“She’s not crying yet,” Eddie said, unsure of why he felt so desperate for Richie to stay outside with him. “Don’t you have time?”

Richie looked at him like he was crazy.

“Okay, okay.” Eddie shook his head. He kicked at the ground and grabbed his board. “I’ll see you tomorrow then, I guess.”

“Well, you don’t have to go.” Richie said quietly. “You can come back up with me. She probably just needs a bottle. We can watch a movie or something.”

Eddie’s stomach twisted awkwardly at the thought. “No, that’s okay. I should get home before my mom or dad notice I’m gone. I’m technically grounded.”

“Grounded?” Richie smirked. “You really a rebel now, Eds. Good for you.”

Eddie smiled at the ground and got onto his board. He forced himself not to turn around as he rode down the street, but he couldn’t help but wonder if Richie watched him leave or not.

[inevitably-johnlocked]

Comfortably Numb - Pink Floyd

[Intro][Verse 1: Roger Waters]Hello? (hello) (hello)Is there anybody in there?Just nod if you can hear meIs there anyone at home?Come on (come on), nowI hear you’re feeling downWell I can ease your painAnd get you on your feet againRelaxI need some information firstJust the basic factsCan you show me where it hurts?[Chorus 1: David Gilmour]There is no pain, you are recedingA distant ship, smoke on the horizonYou are only coming through in wavesYour lips move, but I can’t hear what you’re sayingWhen I was a child, I had a feverMy hands felt just like two balloonsNow I’ve got that feeling once againI can’t explain, you would not understandThis is not how I amI have become comfortably numb[Guitar Solo][Bridge: David Gilmour]I have become comfortably numb[Verse 2: Waters]Okay (okay) (okay)Just a little pin prick [ding]There’ll be no more “AHHHHHHHHHHHHH!”But you may feel a little sickCan you stand up?I do believe it’s working, goodThat’ll keep you going through the showCome on, it’s time to go[Chorus 2: Gilmour]There is no pain, you are recedingA distant ship, smoke on the horizonYou are only coming through in wavesYour lips move, but I can’t hear what you’re sayingWhen I was a child, I caught a fleeting glimpseOut of the corner of my eyeI turned to look, but it was goneI cannot put my finger on it nowThe child is grownThe dream is goneI have become comfortably numb[Guitar Solo]

(Lyrics from Genius.com)

NONNY!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

LEGIT ONE OF MY FAVE SONGS EVER. AHHHHH. Another Hiatus song, or even TLD, for Sherlock I think. Fighting his demons and giving in to the addiction without his John. GUH I made myself cry. I forgot how many feels this song gives me, thank you so much for the nostalgia trip. One of the greatest songs ever, I think… well, this one and all three parts of Another Brick in the Wall, LOL. Thank you Nonny!

[ririban]

One Month

I wrote an original story for a college assignment (I'm a physics major though. This is for a foundation course. Just saying.) and posted it here as it felt kinda sad to just delete it…

~*~*~

I wonder how many days it’s been now… Has it been a week yet? Perhaps more? How much longer do I need to continue with this? Well, as long as I can get out of this god forsaken country, anything will do, I guess… Besides, this is not so bad… Kinda lonely I suppose… And a little boring…

When was the last time I spoke to someone? I’ve never really been a social butterfly in the first place I guess… Ah! That girl on the street leading to the market! That was the last time I spoke to someone! Oh, but I did speak to some of the scientists when I signed up for this thing! But I do wonder what happened to that little girl… I gave her a piece of bread but what about after that? Did she get any food after that? Will she still be alive when I get out of here? If she continues living in this country, I doubt that will be possible… I wanna get out of here soon.

It’s so easy to lose track of things when I’m like this… Oh yeah! The researcher responsible for me said that I should constantly remind myself of my circumstances so as to not lose grasp of reality. Ah… so let’s see… The country I belong to went into war with one of the neighbouring countries and lost. This led to the neighbouring country invading us and turning us into another of their colonies. Honestly, what was the government even thinking? Going into war with a major military power like that! Sheesh! We all already knew that we’re gonna lose. Making them our allies would have been much better! And since part of the war was fought using chemicals, the soil was damaged thanks to which the agricultural sector took a major hit and is now practically dead. And people are just left to starve. A result of this is frequent thievery and fights and sometimes even murder. The water pipelines were also damaged leading to lack of clean water, so people started drinking stagnated water which gave rise to epidemics. Medicines are too expensive. These days it’s not really a surprise to find corpses rotting away on the roadsides. And the new government set up by our colonisers have no interest in dealing with all this.

Then the government informed us of a new research project they were funding. They needed volunteers to be test subjects. They said that those who do end up going through with the experiment would be allowed to leave the country and even be provided money to start their life in a new country. Considering how difficult it is to even move from one part of the country to another, let alone relocating to a different country, I sure as hell wasn’t about to let this opportunity pass me by. And even though I was among the more financially privileged, the rising food prices were leading to a hole in my pocket. I don’t even have a family or anyone I care about here, so I didn’t see the point of continuing to put up with this hell. This was the perfect opportunity, so I took it.

Living without any senses sure is hard… One month huh? If I stay without any senses for a month will I really develop a sixth sense? Ah well, I guess the whole point of this experiment is that they don’t know what will happen. That’s why this is an experiment, isn’t it?

No sight, no sound, no smell, no taste, no touch… I wonder, is this what dying feels like? Since this experiment started I’ve kinda felt like I have been floating around in space. I mean, there’s no way I can even tell where I am or what’s going on around me… I’m pretty much disconnected from the world… To me, everything seems to have come to a standstill but even when I’m in this state, time keeps on flowing… The Earth still keeps on moving around the sun… Day turns to night, night turns to day… The world is unconcerned with my existence…

If I were to die now, would I feel any pain? My nerve ends have been blocked so I’ll likely not feel anything… What does living even mean? Just having your heart continue to pump blood to your organs… Is that what living is? Or is it the things you experience that makes you alive… If it’s the latter, can I still be considered to be among the living? Or am I already dead?

Even when I’m like this, I still sleep, I still dream. I dream of the walks I took in the forest surrounding my hometown. This was long ago… long before the war started… It was a beautiful place, very pleasing to the eyes… There was a stream there… The water was cool… I used to enjoy feeling the water run over my bare feet… The flowers in the nearby field always smelled so nice… And the sounds of the birds chirping were always so sweet… So was the sound of my mother’s voice as she called me to come and eat… The food she made was so delicious… So warm and so fresh…

Oh, but… did that really happen? Or was a dream all it was? Did I even have a life before this? Or did I just imagine it? Just dream it up? Fabricated memories… Fabricated feelings… A fabricated life…

What?! What was that?! A sound?! And why is it suddenly so bright?!

“Careful there. It’s going to take you a while to get adjusted.”

Guh! So loud! It’s giving me a headache!

“Ah!”

Did that sound come from my mouth? From my throat? Is this what my voice sounds like?

Goddammit! Stop shining that stupid light in my eyes it hurts!

“There, there. It’s okay. You’ll get used to it soon.”

“Shut up! Shut up! Shut up!”

Ah! My own voice makes my head hurt!

“Don’t touch me!”

My shoulder hurts! That guy gripped it too hard!

“Stop! Stop it! Don’t be too rough with him! He still needs to learn how to adjust to his senses!”

Thank god! My eyesight seems a bit clearer now! Is the man screaming the scientist who was studying me? It seems that he is.

“This man showed amazing results!”

Who’s that guy? I don’t think I’ve seen him before… Seems to be another one of the scientists though…

“Ouch!”

I get that you wanted to get the headgear off of me, but can’t you be gentle! It hurts!

“I just said to not be rough with him!”

That guy is screaming again! Damn! This makes my head hurt really bad!

“This headgear is used to measure the subject’s brainwaves and the data is then transmitted to our computers.”

There’s another person I haven’t seen before… Looks to be one of the government big-shots…He hasn’t said much, has he? Only listening to the explanations he’s being provided. Ah he seems to be saying something!

“… Continue studying him.”

What did he say before that? By “him” does he mean me? But why? I should be allowed to leave now, right? The digital newspaper I saw earlier said that the date today is 31 October, 2087. It’s been a month, hasn’t it? I should be free now!

“But of course! We have every intention to continue studying him! His brain waves have shown incredible activity! We believe that he may have actually developed a sixth sense!”

A sixth sense? Me? Is that why I won’t be allowed to leave? Why? I’ve done my part damnit!

What sense do I have, I wonder… Mind reading? Nah, I doubt that. I can’t tell what these guys are thinking after all. The ability to transmit my thoughts to others? Well, even if I do have that, I wouldn’t know about it myself…

Or could I?

Oi! If anybody’s hearing this right now, I could really use some help! Somebody? Anybody?

Maybe they can’t get to me in time? Or maybe they just don’t care? I’m just grasping at straws here anyway.

“H-Hey! He has a gun!”

“Which of you fools just left your gun lying around?! What kind of careless security guards are you?! Fools!”

If there’s anybody who can hear me, I wonder do you only here my conscious thoughts or can you hear my subconscious desires as well? If you can’t, let me give you a narration.

I found a gun lying on one of the tables and took it. This was while those guys were discussing how to further study me.

At present, this gun is pointed at them. More specifically, at the government official. The security guards naturally have their guns trained on me. I’ll probably be shot down the moment I pull the trigger. And I have no experience with guns not to mention the fact that for a month I wasn’t even aware of my body and its movements. I’ll probably miss anyway.

I’m currently bending my elbow and twisting my wrist, experimenting with the motion of my joints. The muzzle of the gun is no longer pointing at that man. Everyone is visibly relaxing. Now their faces are once again showing expressions of horror. Why? Because the muzzle is now pointing at my head.

I don’t want to go through that again. That half dead state. That hopelessness and darkness. That fear of not even knowing whether you’re alive. I can’t go through that! I can’t continue to be a guinea pig!

So, if I can’t escape, I must die. But I want to die by my own agents. I don’t want to be killed by anybody else. My hands are the only ones that will be stained with my blood.

I’m tightening my grip on the trigger.

Ah! That was too loud!

[lazymilkshakecolor]

The bridge

 this was originally a request by this person @ sorimashi2 

Summary: Sarada is behaving strangely because of what she has learned of the true relationship between the village and her clan, Naruto confronts her about it.

''Seventh.''

''Sarada.''

Both of them glared menacingly at each other, the atmosphere was tense, as if they were going to start a fight at any second, all it took was one wrong move.

One would expect a fifteen-year-old to cower in front of the seventh hokage's glare, but Sarada was no ordinary fifteen year old, she's the heir to a clan that used to be the mightiest, and she's the daughter of two of the strongest and bravest  ninja alive, so of course she won't cower.

''Your move,'' Sarada said, a challenging edge to her voice.

Naruto's brows furrowed in concentration, thinking about what to do, after a few seconds he decided.

Sarada smirked and moved her piece.

''Check mate.'' She said cheerfully.

''Guh, this game is stupid dattebayo!''

Sarada giggled at the hokage's distaste of chess, if you ask her, she'd say that chess is a very entertaining game.

Naruto smiled at the girl's cheerfulness, a cheerfulness he missed these couple of weeks.

The girl has been acting strange lately, he wouldn't have thought much about it, she's a teenager after all, but she started acting edgy, well edgier than normal, she's fighting with everybody that cares about her, her parents, Boruto and him, and she's distracted all the time, he didn't want to talk to her as the hokage but he had too since her distraction affected village business.

Her team failed a mission because of her distraction, Boruto and Mitsuki denied it was because of her, but Sarada admitted her fault, but she wouldn't admit why she was distracted, which prompted him to pressure her, something that he hated, but was forced to do.

And that's why he was glad she came in his office today, he wanted to apologize to her about pressuring her like that.

''Seventh I—''

''Why don't you call me uncle anymore?'' he interrupted

''Emm, cause you're the hokage.''

''Never mind that, you can call me uncle when we're alone.

Sarada nodded.

''Good.'' He said as he remembered the event of a couple of days prior.

''Sarada tell me what happened right now.''

The girl stayed quiet, gaze lowering to the floor.

''I order you to tell me.''

He knew it was wrong to do that, but he had too, he can't have her on the battlefield if she's easily distracted.

''I want to go.'' She said, jaw quivering and fists clenching as she headed towards the door of his office.

''Open that door and I'll label you as a traitor for purposefully failing a mission.''

He went too far, he knew that, and he was about to take it back but she spoke.

''Please, let me go…'' She begged in a shaky voice.

''Please, …Uncle…''

Uncle, she hadn't called him that since she was eight, it was then that Naruto realized that she needed to talk with her uncle Naruto, not the hokage Naruto, that's why he lets her go.

She gets out and he can hear his son's voice outside, he knew he was waiting for her outside, of course he would, Boruto most likely knew what's going on, but Naruto also knew that the boy would rather be labeled as a traitor rather than betray his friend.

''And I want to apologize for pressuring you the last time you were here.''

''Se-Uncle, it's okay It's my fault I should have just told you and I just…'' The girl trailed off.

''Sasa-chan,'' Sarada's head jerked up at the nostalgic nickname, ''you remember those talks we used to have when you were a kid, when you'd make me pinkie swear not to tell  anybody what you tell me?''

Naruto held out his pinkie, '' You're talking to your uncle Naruto now, not the hokage, so say whatever you want.''

Sarada remembered a time when Naruto wasn’t hokage, he was just funny uncle Naruto.

She locked her pinkie with his for a second before pulling away.

''So? If you don't want to talk now, you can come to me whenever you want, I don't care if the other four kages are here, if you need me I'll be there, okay?''

Sarada was shocked, but this was so uncle Naruto, and she was happy cause these past few months, she forgot that he’ll always have her back, someone who won’t judge her, someone who will understand her struggle and the thought of letting it all out to someone who will understand brought her to tears.

''Uncle…'' she mumbled, tears filling her eyes,  and her whole body was shaking, it was obvious that something was eating her up, and has been for a while.

And then he saw another Sarada in front of him, not the fearless ninja that made it apparent that she'll become a legend, but the eight year old girl that used to cry to him about her father being away and then he remembered twelve-year-old Sarada, who took a reckless journey to find out more about her father, and a thought occurs to Naruto, it's that if he stayed close to her when she was young then that wouldn't have happened, she would've just asked him, not go on a journey and risk her life, so he decided to always be there for the girl.

Sarada decided to tell him what’s been plaguing her for this past couple of weeks, cause she couldn’t take it anymore, every single day, she feels herself slip even more into something so dark she’s not sure she can get out of.

''The rogue that distracted me said that,'' She started confessing as Naruto moved from his hokage chair to sit beside her, '' The Uchiha bring trouble and that the village is going to get rid of us soon.''

''Is that the first time someone told you that?'' He asked since he knew Sarada would have thought he was trying to distract her and wouldn't have paid him mind if she hadn't heard something like that before.

Sarada's lips quivered as if contemplating if she should tell him or not.

''Sarada?''

''A couple of weeks ago I entered your office to get a scroll, one of the elders was here, she said she was waiting for you and she asked me who was I to enter your office without you being there, I told her I was your apprentice and then she scoffed and told me that I'm never going to be hokage cause I'm an Uchiha and that I'm going to mess up sooner and later.''

''What elder?!'' he already knew, but he wanted to make sure before he taught that traitor a lesson.

''Takuma I think is her name.'' the girl answered, as her fist clenched in anger, she could feel it gnawing at her heart, telling her to make that elder pay for what she did, but she didn’t.

At least not yet, that thought that echoed at the back of her mind made Sarada visibly tremble

Takuma is one of Danzo's subordinates and he never trusted her, and he was right not to trust her.

''And I did some research and I found out that the third ordered uncle Itachi to kill my clan and the Uchiha were oppressed and my clan was murdered and and and….''

Naruto waited, judging by his experience, it's the thing that comes out last that's really troubling the person.

Her whole body trembled, and tears streamed down her face as she raised her hands to her eyes as a searing pain came across them suddenly.

''My village, the village I love, the village I want to protect is the reason I don't have paternal grandparents, the reason I don't have an uncle, they're the reason papa was in so much pain.''

''Sarada.'' He said gently, he never expected the cause of her behavior to be so serious, he thought she probably found out something about her father's past, but not about the clan, info about the clan is highly classified, even anbu captains don't know about what really happened, he wondered for a moment how she could find info on them, but he decided to ask her later.

''The village I would've given my life to protect is the reason I have no clan…''

A feeling she could only describe as hatred came over her as a searing pain flashed behind her eyes.

Her use of the past tense worried him, and the presence of a fourth tomoe in her sharingan didn’t' help.

''No, no, no Sarada listen,'' He said as he raised her head gently so their eyes would meet.

''The Uchiha massacre was not the village's fault, it was Konoha's higher ups fault, not the village, if the villagers knew back then that they were planning on killing the Uchiha's then they wouldn't have let them.''

He tried to stay calm and not go and strangle Takuma for starting this whole mess, but it was easy to stay at the sight of a fourth tomoe in her sharingan.

There is no way I'm going to let her lose her path.

''The village of today changed, it's not what it was thirty years ago, this village, the one Kakashi sensei and I made stands on justice, and I will never sacrifice anybody for peace, Sarada, the people responsible for the Uchiha massacre are all dead now, and I promise you I will punish the people who still believe in danzo's beliefs.''

The first one being Takuma, but not just for the treachery of Konoha's beliefs, but because she was planning on indirectly making Sarada lose her path, lose her will of fire and replace it with something much more darker and sinister.

''The third was wrong with what he agreed your uncle do, but he did it for the village, for peace…''

''But he murdered innocents! They were planning a coup because of them! The third betrayed them first!'' Sarada screamed.

My family, my clan died for them and they are proud of what they have done, they don’t deserve to live...

''Yes, and the third was wrong, and a lot of people paid dearly for his mistake, but that's something that will never happen again, you know why?''

''Why?''

She was terrified of the thoughts that are filling her head, but they wouldn’t stop, and she was considering surrendering to them.

''Cause you are the heir of the Uchiha, Sarada, and I think, no I know that you will rebuild your clan with the will of fire burning in your soul, and that you will pass it down to next generations of the Uchiha clan, cause you are one of the few Uchiha in history who have had the will of fire burning in their hearts instead of the curse of hatred, and I trust you in not surrendering into its clutches cause you are one of the bravest ninja's I have encountered.’’

The will of fire, of course, love is what made this village what it is today, hatred and distrust from both sides are what led to the Uchiha’s demise, this urge to kill and destroy is going to end only in heartbreak.

''Uncle…'' the girl muttered, as she wiped her tears away and turned her sharingan off, which signaled to Naruto that he eased her worries.

''And hey maybe you're going to be the next hokage too, that would shut  people like Takuma up.'' He said.

A determined look came over Sarada's face, and fire burned in her eyes as she stood up, now no trace of tears in her eyes, body still shaking, but not from sadness and fear, but from excitement.

I’m not going to let this hatred I’m feeling overcome my love for my village, for my family, I will prove people like Takuma wrong, I have the will of fire and I will do everything in power to protect what it represents, which is that love is the key to peace.

She brought her right fist in front of her face and clenched it.

''I swear, I'm going to become hokage and prove that the will of fire burns in the souls of the Uchiha, and that it will always burn brightly shanaroo!''

Naruto smiled, partly because of the familiar battle cry, but mostly because of the determination he sees in her eyes.

She might become hokage someday.

Naruto took a step forward and patted Sarada's head, a gesture Sarada appreciated as she smiled up at him.

A bridge needs supports before it can stand on its own, and Naruto's glad that he's a support of that bridge.

This girl is the bridge that will tie the Uchiha clan to the will of fire, and it appears it's going to be an indestructible bridge.

[percontaion-points]

Let’s Play “Moments: Millionaire Makeover” Part 2

Niall's house, I'm guessing two/three years ago. Our mystery man is named Niall. (And guh. I thought that I'd gotten away from that name with the end of that wretched Wicked Lovely series...)

A lot of people in the comments were complaining about how “ugly” that he is. But it's like... IDK. Maybe it's because I'm almost 30 and I have different priorities, but I like a man who looks like he has better things to do/think about than to spend 60+ minutes making himself look good. I like him.

Anyway, Niall was apparently friends with Hebe's brother, Michael. And following Michael's death, I think that Niall found solace at the bottom of liquor bottles. After drinking a little (a lot) at a bar together, they go back to Niall's house. Hebe inwardly thinks that she's always had a bit of a crush on him, but always limited herself about him because he was her brother's BFF.

He starts kissing her, and feeling her up and stuff. She wants to stop, but there's also that part in her that actually enjoys this. He begs for her to stay with him that night, and keeps touching her.

But this is when Hebe in the present cuts off that line of thought... BECAUSE VIP. But the next morning, he's basically all like “GTFO of my house! Last night was fun, but I need to get back to work. Bye.” Ouch. Little wonder that she's closed herself off emotionally... I think anybody would after that.

Back in the present, Hebe is dredging up all of those unpleasant memories, apparently having a dissociative episode without Morgan noticing, because she's too busy crowing over her having won Niall for Hebe. Morgan eventually gets up to go pay, but realizes that Hebe isn't following her, and motions for her to join. Hebe acts like she's suddenly sick, which I guess a weird PTSD episode is a kind of sick. However, Morgan doesn't seem to understand that something is legit wrong with Hebe, and demands that Hebe be with her to go “meet” Niall. Morgan demands that Hebe hold her hand while they go over there, but that's when Hebe puts her foot down.

Hebe spends some time trying to adjust her dress, but she feels like it's suddenly both too tight and yet “like a potato sack”. She goes to the bathroom and reapplies her make-up, but she admits that she still feels like shit. Probably because Niall is a piece of shit who should be made to atone for his sins against her. She wonders if she can actually go out there and say hello to him, and not want to murder him. While she's making up her mind either way, Morgan storms in, angry that Hebe left. And I'm quickly losing what little respect I started out with for Morgan, because like... dude. You're being kind of a shitty friend right now.

Hebe is filled with anxiety as Morgan leads her from the bathroom and over to where Niall is. All Hebe says is that she'll tell Morgan about why this was an awful idea later. When they get over there, Niall greets Hebe by name, which takes Morgan by surprise, but then she's pleased. She tries to leave “to let them get acquainted”, but like... they already know each other, so why bother? Hebe turns to Morgan, and says that $20k is $20k too much for some asshole who uses and discards you. Niall tries to say that it was three years ago, but Hebe's like “It doesn't feel like it. And judging by the look of you, not much has changed for you, either.” He keeps trying to defend himself, but Hebe just keeps on talking. Cause let me say something: never let a girl stew in her anger for such a long time, because when it comes out... watch out.

He eventually tries to say that there was a reason, but Hebe doesn't really want to fucking hear anything from him right now. She needed and trusted him after Michael died, and then he wasn't there. And right now, she's done with his specific level of whatever he's doing, and doesn't want to do it all over again simply because Morgan bullied her into this. She briefly thanks Morgan for the date that she won't go on with Niall, before implying about burning Niall with hot wax and saying that not even Hell is good enough for him.

And then the stupid game wants me to spend diamonds to find out why Niall left her. Which... nope. Don't care. Either it'll come up later in the game, or it doesn't and it won't matter.

[mitchmarnier]

when tomorrow comes

rating: mature

pairing: eddie kaspbrak/richie tozier

summary: Richie pushed himself up on his elbows and smirked. “You know, Eddie my love, we suddenly have great potential right here. Don’t you remember what it was like? Back in Derry… all the sneaking around, the thrill of getting caught all the time? What an adrenaline rush!”

“What a constant risk of anxiety attack you mean,” Eddie corrected, but he was grinning too. “But yeah, it was pretty exciting. What’s your point?”

“What if… and really hear me out here, Eds… we just let them think we were broken up?”

chapter count: 5/7

“This feels very unnecessary,” Richie complained as he tugged at the collar of the shirt Stan had forced him into. Richie wasn’t usually the type to look a gift horse in the mouth, and Stanley Uris had never once offered to lead Richie his clothing, but he was beginning to understand why that was. Despite being very near in the same height and size, Richie was going to uncomfortable in these clothes all night.

“It’s completely necessary,” Stan said firmly. “You agreed to go out on this date, if not only because Eddie went on one. It’s time start moving on.”

Richie shrugged half-heartedly, not going point out that it was for Eddie’s benefit that he was going on this date, not Stan’s. Patty made a noise- maybe a half aborted laugh- and both men turn towards her. She was laid across Stan’s bed, Xbox controller in her hands, wearing nothing but her underwear and one of Richie’s more tame button ups. Hair tied up into a messy bun, she lowered her phone and rolled her eyes. “You’re wasting your time, baby.” She told Stan with a smirk.

“What’s the supposed to mean?” He asked, looking between Patty and Richie with narrowed eyes. Richie matched Stan’s narrowed eyed look, and Patty simply grinned and rolled off the bed. Walking over, she came to press a hand against Richie’s shoulder despite the shoulder in question being a solid three inches above her head. She looked up at Richie and batted her lashes.

“I’m just saying, Tozier… you aren’t fooling everybody.” She said, squeezing his arm and giving him the same fond yet exasperated smile she had the day Richie had declared he could drink an entire bottle of barbeque sauce in under a minute.  “Not even you are that good an actor.”

Richie hummed, reaching down to pinch Patty’s nose. “Stop thinking, Blum.”

“You know I can’t.”

Stan tossed his hands up into the air and made a frustrated noise. “I hate when you two just talk like there were was a longer conversation before this! What the hell are you talking about?”

Patty laughed, stepping away from Richie to wrap her arms around Stan’s middle.  “Baby, if you don’t know, I can’t tell you.” Stan, still looking confused, pressed a kiss to the top of Patty’s head.

“I guess it doesn’t matter,” Stan said, rubbing circles into Patty’s back. “You already agreed,  and I don’t think you’re physically capable of standing somebody up.”

Richie made an uncomfortable noise in the back of his throat. “I would consider it with this guy. He’s like, level ten creepy.”

“Then why agree to go out with him?” Patty asked, frowning. Stan glanced away, suddenly extremely interested in the water stain on the ceiling. “If you think he’s creepy?”

“Well!” Richie laughed humourlessly. “It might have had something to do with Stan and Bev each standing over one of his shoulders mouthing “DO IT” at me frantically. That was a push factor.”

Patty whacked Stan lightly in the chest, rolling her eyes and laughing. “Stanley, we agreed that we weren’t going to pressure him! Let him get there on his own.”

Stan held his hands up in defense. “It’s Beverly’s fault! She’s a terrible influence! We can blame Bev and only Bev.”

Richie and Patty exchanged dry looks, looking at one another for as long as they could before falling into giggles. Stan grumbled under his breath and stepped away, grabbing Patty’s discarded controller and dropped onto the bed. “Ah, shit, you’re right through, Stanny,” Richie clapped once and reached for his discarded phone to shove into his pocket. “I’d never stand somebody up on purpose, though that’s just a guess since this is my first first date ever.”

Patty made a sympathetic noise, but Richie had already as good as lost the interest of his friends. Patty had crawled onto the bed and was pressed up against Richie’s room mate. Richie smiled slightly to himself, more than glad to see the uptight guy that probably his best friend letting somebody in. Goodness knows how long it had taken for Stan to finally accept the role in his life that Richie demanded, and there had been a long struggle for Patty to get in Stan’s heart too. They were tighter than any couple Richie had ever seen, aside from himself and Eddie, it made him feel warm and fuzzy inside to see them together. Even if he had to pretend to find them disgusting.

“WELL!” Richie said loudly, grabbing onto the door handle and swinging downwards. “I’m going now. On my date. With Creepy McCreep Fuck. This may be the last time you ever see me alive. Is there anything you want to say me? Maybe declare your undying love?”

Without looking up from game, Stan responded dryly. “Don’t swing on the handle like that. You’ll break it.”

Richie sighed in mock annoyance and left.

xx

William Campbell just oozed the creep factor, he have Richie the heebie-jeebies from across the restaurant. He walked over and pulled out the seat, dropping down and making sure not to let their knees bump underneath the table. He fiddled with his phone as he greeted his date shyly.

to angel baby boy <3: about to start my date from hell. remind me to put laxatives in bev’s coffee tomorrow morning

from angel baby boy <3: lmao i love you have fun in hell

“It’s rude to use your phone at the table,” William’s grating voice broke through Richie’s love-for-Eddie bubble and Richie pursed his lips in annoyance. After being pulled out the party on Friday, taking a wicked ride over Mike Hanlon’s shoulder, William had came to greet him. Richie hadn’t found him charming then, and wasn’t sure how Beverly or Stan could have thought for a second that he would want to go on a date with him. The way he’d spoken to Richie about his over-the-top display at Eddie’s “flirting”, it made Richie’s stomach tense. He made it seem like that Richie had been in the right to behave that way, even believing that Richie and Eddie were completely broken up. It was far from the type of person Richie would ever want to pursue a relationship with.

Richie forced a smile and turned off his phone, slipping it into the front pocket of his jeans. “Sorry,” he said using his Sonia Kaspbrak voice- the one for buttering up his future step-mother, notably different from the one he uses simply to piss her off if Eddie was in the mood for chaos. “Just… my ex, you know? Still trying to sort everything out.”

William nodded. “Yeah, yeah. Know ‘bout that. Had me a boyfriend back in high school, bad break up there. I get that sometimes there’s a lotta bullshit to go through even after its over.”

Charmingly understanding but yet… only one thing stood out to Richie. “Have you.. have you not had a boyfriend since high school?” If William was the same age as Richie- and he looked a little bit older, even- then that was at least three years ago.

William looked up at him, eyes flashing. “I guess I just haven’t found anybody who stuck until now.”

Richie swallowed roughly and gulped down a large mouthful of his water.

xx

Eddie smacked his phone against his bare thigh, unable to keep his leg from jittering. He could see Bill glaring at him from the corner of his eye, but he couldn’t control himself. Richie had never in the years they’d been together, not responded to an I love you text. Not once.

“What’s your pruh-problem?” Bill said, tossing his Xbox controller into the air and catching it. “You’re making me loose to Stanley. Stanley! Is this because of Ruh-Richie’s date?”

Eddie rang his fingers through his hair. “No.” Eddie snapped, before seeing Bill’s glare then letting out a sigh. “I guess…. I… I don’t care that he’s on a date.” He was going to be as truthful as possible here, give away as much as he can without exposing it all. At this point, he was almost afraid he and Richie would never be able to tell the truth. The longer they kept this charade up, the harder it would be to explain. The worse it would look. “It’s just… it’s who he’s going with.”

“Who’s he going with?” Bill asked, voice dull with discare and eyes already back on the screen.

Eddie scowled as the words left a disgusting taste on his tongue. “William Campbell.”

“Will-William?” Bill coughed roughly, stumbling with the Xbox controller until he gave up the struggle and tossed it onto the bed. “You’re suh-suh-sure it’s William Campbell? You’re puh-positive?”

“What? Yes, why?” Eddie sat up straight on the bed, heart bounding in his chest. “Bill. What’s going on? What do you know?”

Bill was already pulling on socks and seemed to be angry typing on his phone. He ignored Eddie’s exhilarated breaths and fidgeting figure behind him. “BILL!”

“Look,” Bill finally turned around, face seemingly pale and eyes wide. “It’s not really any of your bus-bus-business is it, Euh-euh-Eddie?”

Eddie’s mouth dropped open and for a moment, all he could do was stare at his room mate before his heart leapt about twenty four times in his chest. “FUCK YOU IT’S NONE OF MY BUSINESS! THIS IS RICHIE!! TELL ME WHAT’S GOING ON!”

Bill made a loud, frustrated noise. “You sort of guh-guh-gave up that ruh-right when you duh-dumped him for no guh-good ruh-reason, didn’t yuh-you?”

Eddie lashed forward, shoving Bill down onto his own bed. “You really think I would do that? You fucking think…” Eddie swallowed, tears burning against his eyes. He rubbed at them angrily. “If Richie is in trouble, you… you need to tell me. Because this… it’s my fault.”

Bill’s face softened and he sighed. “I was pledging to the suh-suh-same fruh-frat as William in fuh-first year…”

xx

William’s hand was pressing against Richie’s lower back, making Richie’s stomach twist up unpleasantly. It wasn’t like being held by Eddie, Eddie’s arm around him or Eddie’s hand in his. He, of course, knew that some fake date with a frat boy would never compare to the love of his life. He didn’t expect it to feel this… wrong.

They came to stop in front of William’s car. His heart clenched up and his tongue felt heavy in his mouth as he said; “Well, this was nice, I’ll… I’ll call you.”

William’s hand grabbed his arm as Richie went to walk away. Richie’s heart was giving off full heart alert signals up to his brain now and he felt weak in his knees. “That’s not how I usually end dates, Rich.” William said, voice oozing and dripping with dirt. William stepped up to him, moving their positions so that Richie was up against the car door with William up in his space. “I usually insist that they come back home with me. I assure that both parties always leave happy.”

“No.” Richie wheezed out, chest tightening. He needed to go, he needed to get to Eddie. He’d never texted Eddie back. “No, I- I- I have a boyfriend.”

That, it seemed, was the wrong thing to say. William’s face darkened, hand coming up from Richie’s wrist to press against his throat. There was no pressure which Richie was being choked, but the fear choked him up all the same. “So, you’re just a little tease then? Some common whore?”

“No, I…” Richie coughed, wondering if his scrawny arms could really fight this asshole off. “I just want to go home. Please?”

“You’re not going anywhere until you learn not to be a little cock slut bastard.” Richie barely got a chance to register the words before a fist was coming at his face.