#i drew this on a day a few summers ago when it was very hot and i felt like this

[thiswillcostyourheart]

cool off

[lupinqs]

FOCUS ━━ paige bueckers x reader

☆ ━ summary: practice gets a little steamy…

☆ ━ word count: 3.1K

☆ ━ warnings: smut (p eating, fingering, kinda public sex but ig not really)

☆ ━ links: my masterlist

☆ ━ author’s note: okay so this is SUCHHH a scrap, i have not proofread it either, it’s just not great, i’m not very happy with it but i wanted to post something so here it is i hope you all like it more than i do LOL

YOU’RE in Maryland, visiting Paige’s family. You and her got here a little under a week ago following the first round of Geno’s summer sessions. It’s been a lazy few days so far, full of long mornings spent in bed, video games on the couch with Drew, and afternoons tanning in the summer sun. It’s been nice; a solid break that the both of you need before what Paige has dubbed her “world tour” of the summer. You’re tagging along for parts of it—though not all of it—and it’s safe to say you’re not excited for the amount of plane rides and jet lag you’re about to face.

However, you and Paige both decided that a week of sitting on your asses might do more harm than good, so you’ve gathered yourselves at the local high school gym, getting some hoops in.

A few buddies of Paige’s, as well as Drew, tagged along in the beginning, but as the hours grew longer, they began to fizzle out. Drew is the last to leave, heading to his actual basketball practice with his own team.

And then it’s just you and Paige.

The two of you could leave now; you’ve certainly been here practicing long enough. However, you can see the itch of a smirk in Paige’s face and you know what she’s going to say before the words even leave her mouth.

“1v1?” she asks, a playful challenge in her eyes.

You smirk, taking the challenge as you always seem to do. “Not too scared you’ll lose again?”

Paige rolls her eyes at the reminder of the two of you’s last one-on-one game. She waves a hand, saying dejectedly, “You cheated.”

“Nope, you’re just a sore loser.”

Paige just shakes her head, grinning. “I’m not a sore loser because I didn’t lose.”

You decide that you’re not entertaining this. You’re well aware that she will continue bickering with you about it until you give in, admitting that she’s right and you’re not. It’s always this way; she will literally go on for hours if you let her. But, nonetheless, you both know the truth—which is, you definitely beat her in that game.

And, when you begin the game, the way the first few minutes are going makes you believe you may win this one, too. You’re up a good few points—Paige has been slacking on defense and you’ve been picking up the pace on offense. When you get another bucket on her, you grin widely, calling to your girlfriend, “Gee, you a little rusty, P Boogers?” You add the nickname KK’s created, knowing how much it annoys her.

However, Paige doesn’t bother responding, instead abruptly ripping her white long-sleeve over her head and tossing it across the gym on the other side of the court. Your grin falters at that, eyes soaking up Paige’s body. Jesus. Already, you can feel your heart start to race (and it’s not from the basketball game). Paige is wearing a Nike black sports bra, and, with her shirt now shed, the silver chains are on full display along her chest. Her basketball shorts are also rolled down, so that her whole torso is practically exposed, abs included. You feel your mouth salivate at the sight of Paige’s skin glistens with sweat, the way her abs flex, the way her arms look (you seem to grow fonder and fonder of them every day, especially since Paige has been in the weight room more often).

A small smirk paints Paige’s face as she takes in your surprised expression. She just raises her eyebrows, saying with a shit-eating grin, “What? It’s hot in here.”

You roll your eyes at Paige’s obviousness, opting to resume the game rather than respond to her. She’s back on offense, you on defense. You defend as you always would, hands raised, feet tracking your opponent’s, eyes flitting between the ball in Paige’s hand and Paige’s face. However, as your eyes trail between the two, they can’t help but track Paige’s abs, the sweat shining on her porcelain skin, the way her chains go with her every movement. You swallow thickly, doing your absolute best to concentrate on the game instead of your extremely sexy girlfriend.

“Focus, sweetheart,” Paige teases, dribbling the ball slowly. The nickname makes your heart stutter. “You’re gonna lose if you keep staring.”

And then she powers forward, scoring a layup with no hesitation. She grins and cocks her head at your bad defense, tsking as she asks, “Where’d that focus of yours go, hmm?”

Your cheeks flush at her words, and you grab the basketball, doing your best to lock in. “Nowhere, I am focused,” you argue, trying to get past the blonde’s defense.

“Oh, sure,” Paige murmurs in your ear, now with her front pressed flush against your back as you dribble, attempting to find a hole. She catches the way your face turns, looking to get through, but instead your eyes once again catch the chains that have begun to stick to her skin due to the sweat. Her smirk only grows, and she adds slowly, mockingly, “You are focused. Just… not on the game, yeah?”

“Shut up,” you grunt against her, trying to get a shot in. She doesn’t let you, blocking it. You groan a little as her hands snake around the ball, effectively stealing it from you.

“I will once you tell me what you’re so focused on that has you distracted from the game. You were just doing so well, beating me for once,” she says, egging you on.

You scoff, snapping, “You know damn well what I’m focused on.”

“I wanna hear you say it, baby,” she taunts, blue eyes squinting with mischief.

You hold her gaze for a long second. You could give her what she wants, say that the only thing you’re really able to focus on right now is just how fucking sexy she looks and how much you’d love to rip her clothes off right here, right now and fuck her. But, of course, you don’t. You’re just as stubborn as Paige is, so you simply utter, “No.”

A look of annoyance—that satisfies you very much—flits across her face. She shrugs, saying, “Fine then.”

You continue the game, but things seem to only be looking worse for you. No matter how much you try to fight it, try to focus on the basketball and the basketball only, it’s like your eyes have a mind of their own, and they seem to stay locked on Paige’s body. And, of course, Paige takes every opportunity she can to flaunt it, knowing full well the effect it has on you. Her smirk never fades, especially as she gets closer and closer to winning.

However, it seems like Paige has finally had enough with the teasing. She drives to the basket, right past you (you let her; you’re done with this game), making a final layup. She then turns to you, catching sight of the way you stand there watching her, having not bothered to defend that final play. “Game over,” Paige announces. You can’t help but notice how her voice is lower, more huskier than usual. It means you’re probably going to get what you want.

You step closer, eyes darkening with pure want. You’ve given up pretending that you don’t. “You’re such a tease, Bueckers.”

Paige raises an eyebrow, her smirk turning into a full-blown grin. “Oh, yeah?” She steps closer, her body almost brushing against yours. “Maybe you just needa learn to focus better.”

The air between you is charged, and before you can even respond, Paige has you pushed against the wall of the gym, her chest pressed against yours, her face so close her nose nearly touches your own. The sound of the both of your breathing fills the space, heavy and expectant.

Paige’s eyes lock onto yours, and—without an ounce of hesitation—she leans in, her lips capturing yours in a heated kiss. It’s almost instinctual at this point, the way your respond to it. Your hands find their way to Paige’s back, pulling her closer as the blonde’s tongue traces your lips slowly, seeking entry. You willingly part them, allowing Paige to explore your mouth passionately. She’s going fast, and if you weren’t so used to it, it might’ve been hard for you to keep up. Nevertheless, you do, albeit with a couple teeth clashes.

Paige’s hands slide from their spot on your hips up to cup your face, angling your head to deepen the kiss. Your own fingers trail from her back, tracing her sweaty skin, until they thread through Paige’s hair, effectively ruining the once slicked back bun (not that either of you care much).

Paige breaks away from your mouth, trailing a series of hot, open-mouthed kisses along your jawline. You can’t help but tilt your head back, granting the blonde better access to your neck. You can hear your heartbeat pounding in your ears and the shallow pants escaping your mouth as Paige’s lips find the sensitive spot just below your ear.

And then you feel her teeth biting. It’s not enough to truly hurt, but it’s enough to elicit a whimper from you—a sound that Paige loves. She does it again, gets the same reaction, and then soothes the area with a flick of her tongue. Paige’s kisses trail down the expanse of your neck, surely leaving marks that you know you’ll have to cover up tomorrow. But you don’t have it in yourself to care much about that because each press of Paige’s lips, each gentle scrape of her teeth, each soothing lap of her tongue, sends shivers down your spine and heat through your core.

Your hands tighten in Paige’s hair as she reaches the hollow of your throat, sucking hard. You feel your hips involuntarily arch toward Paige, seeking more contact. The blonde smirks against your neck, pleased with your reaction. She moves lower, kissing along the line of your collarbone, hands sliding under your tank top to caress the soft skin of your stomach.

You feel your breath hitch as Paige grows more insistent, tongue darting out to taste the salty tang of sweat that permeates your skin. Her hands travel upward beneath your shirt, fingers brushing the underside of your breasts. Your eyes flutter open at that, remembering where you are.

“Paige, we really shouldn’t,” you say, but your voice shakes and your hands find their way to the blonde’s abs, tracing the defines muscles and betraying your words. “Anyone could walk in,” you add, attempting to keep yourself composed.

Paige’s lips capture yours in a fierce kiss, silencing your protests. Her hands are cupping your breasts through your sports bra now, and she manages to reassure you between kisses, “No one’s gonna walk in.”

And, just like that, your resolve seems to crumble. That always happens with Paige—it’s so easy with her, and, though, sometimes it does frustrate you, you usually don’t regret it. “Fuck, P,” you gasp, fingers digging into your girlfriend’s skin.

She grins against your lips, and her right hand slowly but surely trails its way from your chest to the waistband of your shorts. It slips beneath them and you feel yourself growing hotter—and wetter—with each passing second.

Paige’s fingers slowly begin to tease your clit, rubbing in slow, deliberate circles that make your knees go weak. It’s in stark contrast to her kisses, so fast-paced you can hardly breathe. Eventually, you manage to break the kiss, gasping raggedly, voice a mix of desperation and need, “Quit teasing.”

Paige’s smirk only seems to widen, and her pupils—which are blown so much that her blue eyes look nearly black—are full of lust. “Am I teasing?” she asks, fingers sliding through your slick folds.

You feel your heartbeat stutter and your core pulsing with utter need. “You know you are,” you mutter, glaring. She presses her thumb harder against your clit, though it’s not in the way you need it (and she knows it). “Quit it.”

“As you wish,” she murmurs, lips ghosting along your earlobe. Without hesitation, she dips two fingers into you, the sudden intrusion causing you to gasp loudly, arching against Paige’s touch.

“Shit,” you breathe out, hands gripping Paige’s sides for support. Your head leans back against the gym wall, and Paige resumes the kissing on your neck, marking it up even more. Her fingers continue inside you with a steady rhythm, each thrust drawing out sharp gasps from your lips.

“So wet for me, baby,” Paige says against your skin, biting your shoulder lightly as she curls her fingers. You outright moan at that, and she asks, “How long you been dripping like this, waitin’ for me?”

“All day,” you admit between whimpers, practically shaking against Paige. Her fingers go deeper, fucking up into you harder. “Paige, please,” you beg, eyes squeezing shut.

Paige’s lips curve into a knowing smile. “Please what, baby?” she teases, fingers hitting that spot inside you that makes your legs feel like jelly.

“Fuck, your mouth,” you manage to gasp out between moans, body heating up with each passing second. “Please, P, I want your mouth.”

You watch as Paige’s eyes darken with hunger at your words, and you feel your heartbeat begin to quicken. “Whatever you want,” the blonde murmurs, voice filled with promise. She pulls her fingers out of you, savoring the way you practically whimper at the loss. Then, with deliberate slowness, she sinks to her knees before you, her hands sliding your shorts down with her.

Paige glances up at you, blue eyes full of a mischief and a smirk that you’ve had a habit of kissing off her face. You can’t help but think about just how fucking good Paige looks like this, cheeks rosy, lips kiss-swollen, sweat shining along every expanse of skin that’s exposed—which is a lot. Your eyes wander from her face to her chest and shoulders to her abs and back. And when your eyes meet hers again, the look in them… Jesus fuck. The sight is genuinely almost enough to make you come right then and there.

And you know that Paige knows the effect she has on you. You can tell in the way her smirk sits on her face, the way her eyebrows raise slightly, the way she leans in, pressing a gentle kiss to your inner thigh—so close yet so far from where you really need her.

But she doesn’t tease for long, because when she finally reaches your core, she wastes no time, her tongue flicking out to taste you.

She starts with long, slow licks, gradually building the tension in you. Each stroke of her tongue makes you feel like you’re on Cloud 9 and about to have a stroke all at once. Your fingers tighten in her hair, hips arching toward Paige’s mouth, seeking more contact.

Paige understands—truthfully, she’s so familiar with your body at this point, that you can’t remember the last time she didn’t understand what you wanted—and she dips her tongue into your entrance. Her fingers trail from their grip on your hip to your clit, rubbing in firm, quickening circles. The dual sensation makes you cry out, your nails digging into the skin of your palm, your other hand tightening in Paige’s hair, pulling slightly. She lets out a satisfied hum against you at that, and the vibrations send a new wave of pleasure through you.

Paige knows exactly what you like, and she certainly uses that to her advantage. She curls her tongue inside you, seeking out that one spot that makes you see stars. The noises coming from your mouth begin to grow louder, your hips grinding against Paige’s face, still desperate for more.

“Fuck, Paige— God,” you moan, voice breaking. “I need… I need more.”

Surprisingly, Paige doesn’t make a comment about how needy you are, instead opting to do as you say. She pulls her tongue out, replacing it with two fingers, thrusting them deep inside your cunt. At the same time, she focuses her mouth back on your clit, sucking and licking so fervently you fear she might make you faint from her head game.

Paige can feel your legs trembling, the strain of standing becoming too much. Without breaking her rhythm, she throws one of your legs over her shoulder, giving herself more leverage, her tongue and fingers continuing their relentlessness. You can feel the pressure building within you, threatening to snap.

“God, you taste s’good,” Paige murmurs against your wet pussy. You catch the way your arousal is coating her chin and the sight of it—along with a deeper curl of her fingers—makes you moan loudly. “So sweet. ’Could do this all fuckin’ day, if you let me. ’Would make you come a million times over, baby.”

You cry out again, both at her words and the pace of her fingers curling and thrusting, the wetness of her mouth on you. Your body tenses, every muscle coiled tight as you hover on the brink of release. Paige senses how close you are and doubles down, adding a third finger and sucking hard on your clit.

That’s all it takes. Your orgasm hits you like a tidal wave, your entire body shuddering with the force of it. You moan out Paige’s name, your fingers gripping her hair so tightly that it has to hurt (though Paige doesn’t mind). She helps you ride out your high, her fingers and tongue working together to prolong your pleasure.

Finally, when your body goes limp and your breathing begins to slow, Paige pulls back, planting soft, soothing kisses along your inner thighs. She looks up at you, her lips glistening with your arousal, a satisfied grin on her face.

“So fuckin’ perfect,” Paige says, eyes trailing all along your body.

You can only nod, still too breathless to form a coherent response. Your heart swells as Paige stands, pulling you in for a kiss. Her tongue slips in your mouth, letting you taste yourself. You moan against her lips, your hands wrapping around her neck, pulling her closer. You stay like that for a moment—you savoring Paige, Paige savoring you—before finally breaking apart, both of you breathless and smiling.

“I love you,” Paige murmurs, planting a short peck on your lips. Then your nose. Then your forehead. “We should probably put your clothes back on, though, before someone does walk in on us.”

[punkette1026]

I Run to You

Summary:

After a fight with Pedro, you two go your separate ways for the holidays. However after receiving a phone call that Pedro got hurt, you rush to him in the hopes that you can salvage your relationship and nurse him back to health.

Pairing: Pedro Pascal x Reader (no use of Y/N)

Rating: T

Word Count: 9155

Pedro Pascal Masterlist

Author's Notes: Thank you all for your support. This one was a little scary to write because I have never written a Pedro non character fic. Please be kind and let me know what you think!

****italics means flashbacks

This was not how you expected your Christmas Eve to go. You were supposed to be in the kitchen helping your mother bake her famous Christmas cookies. Instead, here you were on a plane rushing to see your boyfriend of three years, Pedro. You felt a surge of guilt in your chest as you realized that you should have never agreed to spend the holidays apart after having one of the biggest fights in your life.

You had spent the last few days at your parents’ house moping around debating whether or not to call him and apologize first. Then you got a call from Pedro’s sister Lux, letting you know that they had to take him to the hospital. When you heard those words, it felt like your whole world stopped. The fight that you had with him no longer mattered. All of that went out the window and you knew that you had to get to him as soon as you could. However, getting a flight out to Chile on a holiday weekend was going to be nearly impossible. Thankfully, after numerous calls and by a Christmas miracle, your dad got you on the first flight out to Santiago.

As you sat there looking out the plane window, you couldn’t help but think back to the fight that you and Pedro had. Now it seemed so senseless, but back then, it became intense quickly. Sure, you had small fights before, but nothing like this. You both said some things that you regret and neither one had yet to apologize or even check in on each other.

You remembered that it all started over a picture you saw on X. You had already gotten cozy under the covers while Pedro got ready for bed in the bathroom. After scrolling through tik Tok for a while, you switched over to X and that’s when you saw it. It was a picture of your boyfriend walking out of a restaurant. The caption read, “New Couple Alert! Pedro Pascal and former costar seen getting cozy at prominent LA restaurant Friday night. The pair was spotted having drinks and left in smiles as Pedro walked the actress to her car. Could this be the start of a new power couple?”

Normally these types of rumors didn’t bother you. You could care less, because you had seen for fair share of them, and you knew that every single one of them was a stretch. You also knew that was something that you were going to have to get used to if you were going to date a celebrity. However, to you, Pedro wasn’t a celebrity. He never acted like it and was very down to earth. If fact, that was what drew you to him when you first met.

You remembered like it was yesterday when he stepped out of his house and saw you outside of your own home struggling to change the tire on your car. For whatever reason, you just couldn’t seem to get the last nut off of the rim.

To be honest, Pedro had noticed you way before that, but he had been chickening out. He first took notice of you when you moved into the neighborhood over a week ago. He was hesitant even then to come over and introduce himself. He was instantly taken back by your beauty as soon as he laid eyes on you for the first time. You looked absolutely stunning in that black polka dot dress. Your smooth legs glistened in the hot summer sun. Much to his luck, it looked like you were moving into the single story alone. He did spot two other people helping you, but it looked like they were your parents. Little did he know, but that was the first time that you saw him too.

After that the only interaction that you two had was a quick wave here and there when one of you left. Neither one of you had mustered up the courage to go over and introduce yourselves to each other. Pedro almost chickened out that day as well, but after giving himself a pep talk, he decided that it was finally time to go over and say hi.

Quickly doing his best to look presentable and that meant in his favorite Lakers shirt and a pair of gray shorts, Pedro casually walked out of his house like he was going to go check his mail. Then when he was hidden by a couple of cars, he crossed the street and began walking up your side of the street making a B line straight to you. You didn’t even see him come up from behind.

“Hi there neighbor!” he called out to you. “I was just walking by and noticed you struggling there. Do you need any help?”

“Oh my, you scared me,” you chuckled. “Yes, if you wouldn’t mind. I have been struggling to get this damn nut off. I think it’s stuck, or I did something wrong.”

“I’m sure it’s fine. You just need a little more muscle. May I?” he asked holding out his hand.

You nodded appreciating the help and handed him the tire iron, “Of course, knock yourself out.”

Like nothing, as soon as Pedro tried to turn the tire iron, the nut came loose with ease. “See there, easy as pie!” He smiled up at you with his dimple on full display.

You almost melted right there and then. It took all that you had to not lose your shit. “Hey that’s not fair. I’ve be trying to get that off for the past fifteen minutes!”

“What can I say, you just needed little more muscle,” he teased again before helping you swap out the flat tire for the spare. “There you go, all done.”

“Thank you so much! You are such a life saver. I was so sure that I was going to have to call a tow company. I’m...” you introduced yourself.

He hesitated for a second with shaking your hand. He didn’t want to get you dirty, but when he saw your hands were equally covered in grime, he graciously shook it, “Hello, it’s very nice to meet you. I’m Pedro, I live across the street.”

You let out a cute giggle that melted his heart, “Yes, I know exactly who you are Mr. Pascal. I... may have seen a movie or two of yours. Also Mrs. Walker next door seems to be very smitten for you too. She came over with some cookies and told me all about the famous movie star that lives in the neighborhood.” Mrs. Walker was their 85-year-old widow that took care of the neighborhood.

Pedro’s face grew red with embarrassment, “umm...yeah, she may or may not have a crush on me. Listen umm...I was going to grab a coffee or something. You-you wouldn’t want to join me, would you? I-I mean if you are not busy or anything. If you are then no big deal maybe next time. I can-I can just go by myself.”

You thought the way he nervously rambled on was adorable. You had never met a celebrity before, and he was completely different from what you thought it would be like. From your very brief experience with him, Pedro was just a normal guy, older, but normal guy. You weren’t going to lie to yourself when you thought that he was pretty attractive too. That dimpled smile of his, the soft brown curls, and those broad shoulders of his, ugh all of him got your blood going. Not to mention that he towered over you. That was one of your turn ons. You could almost imagine yourself wrapped in his embrace.

“Um...yeah, I think I can do that. I was going to go get groceries, but I think that can wait till tomorrow. Besides, it’s not every day that Oberyn Martel asks you to get a cup of coffee. Did you know that Mrs. Walker has a few photos of you up on her wall in that ugly mustard robe?”

“Okay first off, that robe is freaking amazing, super comfortable. Next, I did not need to know that. Do you know how awkward it’s going to be now when she brings me over one of her famous apple pies? I’m not going to be able to look at her in the eyes now,” he groaned causing you to giggle again. “Well, I’m glad that you find that funny. You know if I was a smart guy, I would revoke my coffee offer to you.”

“Awe did the little celebrity get all embarrassed,” you said like you were talking to a baby. “Well, I’m sorry Pedro, I apologize. If I buy you a cup of coffee, will that make you feel better.”

Pedro playfully pouted his lips with a frown, “It might, but I wouldn’t be a gentleman if I didn’t buy you the first cup. So about I buy us coffee time, then next time, you can buy that round.”

Your heart about nearly skipped a beat at the thought of possibly getting to hang out with him at a later point in time. You felt like a giddy schoolgirl who’s crush finally gave you the time of day. But at the same time, you knew that you had to play it cool, “Next time huh? Who said anything about a next time Mr. Pascal.”

“Yeah, yeah, I know you are right and stop calling me Mr. Pascal. That’s my father,” he pouted again. “But umm…, do you think I can come in for a second and wash my hands. It beats having to go all the way home.”

You couldn’t help but roll your eyes at his dramatics. “Oh yes because it’s such a long walk. Well follow me then Mr. Pascal” you winked at him before leading him up the driveway. “And I do apologize for all the boxes everywhere. Nursing school has been taking up the majority of my time and it’s been a little hard finding the energy to unpack.”

You didn’t realize it, but as he followed you, Pedro couldn’t help but stare at your ass. He didn’t mean to stare like a dirty old man, but he couldn’t help it. It would end up being one of his favorite things about you.

As you both made your way inside your house, you weren’t lying. Boxes littered the kitchen and living room. Thankfully Pedro didn’t seem to mind though as he made his way through the maze behind you. Taking turns at the sink, both of you scrubbed the grime off of your hands the best that you could.

However just as Pedro went to dry his hands, his large frame accidentally knocked over an open box that was full of VHS and DVDs. “Shit, I’m so sorry,” he apologized as he quickly bent down and started to pick them up.

“It’s okay Pedro no worries. It was bound to happen sooner or later. I’m surprised that I haven’t done that myself already,” you really hoped that he didn’t feel bad. It was just an accident.

“You umm...you sure do have a lot of movies. You a bit of a movie buff?” He was amazed at the vast selection that you had. A lot of them were some of his favorites and some that he hadn’t seen in a while. Then a certain VHS tape caught his eye, “No way, you have this on VHS still? You don’t look old enough to know what a VHS is.”

“Ha ha very funny Pedro. I may be 24, but I sure do know what a VHS tape is. That’s all my grandmother watched when I was little. Gosh, I didn’t think that I still had that one. I used to watch that at least twice a week in high school. See I umm... I was bullied a lot in school and my parents were too busy at the time dealing with their own shit. After school in order to just get away from everything, I would put this movie on or any movie really and get lost for hours,” you couldn’t help but get teary eyed at the thought of how lonely those times were. Then you suddenly got embarrassed already crying in front of him, “I’m sorry Pedro, I didn’t mean to unload on you like that.”

“Hey it’s okay really, I don’t mind. I want to know more about you,” he then sympathetically reached out and took your hand into his. “Movies also hold a special place in my heart. Seeing the different actors portray different characters, emotions, and storylines, all that appealed to me and is part of what made me want to become an actor.” He then got an idea and really hoped that she didn’t mind if they switched things up, “So umm..., would you be opposed if we instead of going to get coffee, we put this baby on, if you have a VCR that is, and I can help you unpack. Seems like you could use the help more.”

“You know what that sounds like a wonderful idea. I still have my grandmother’s VCR and it’s still like brand new. And if you don’t mind, what if I order some pizza for some energy? I have a six pack of beer in the fridge as well if you drink. Otherwise, I have some water and juice.”

“Beer is perfectly fine by me and as for the pizza, since I’m the one who offered coffee and came up with the new plan, please let me buy it. It’s the least I can do. Think of it as a welcome to the neighborhood pizza.”

You nodded your head as you were too embarrassed to speak. You had never met someone so generous as Pedro. You could see the both of you becoming really good friends. It was like you instantly connected and were already comfortable with each other. “Alright fine, but remember Pedro, I get the next time. Now come on, everything is already set up in the living room.”

Once the movie was playing and the pizza was ordered. Both you and Pedro got to work unpacking the living room. You had made a lot of progress getting through a couple of boxes while making small talk. However as soon as the pizza came and you sat on the couch to eat, that’s where the packing stopped. Between the movie and swapping stories with Pedro, all of it consumed all your attention.

Before you knew it, it was well past midnight. After helping you clean up and taking some boxes out to the dumpster for you, Pedro bid you a good night. However, before he left, he promised to come over and help you finish the rest, so he gave you his number and told you to text him when it was convenient for you. Much to his surprise, you texted him the next day asking him if he wanted to come over for some breakfast. Before you even had time to crack an egg, he was at your doorstep with two cups of coffee in his hand.

From that point on, you and Pedro had become inseparable. You spent every moment that you could together. Whether it be at your house or his, you two became super close. Both of you knew you had feelings for each other but neither one of you was brave enough to admit it out loud. Then after a month apart since Pedro had to go out of town for work, he showed up at your door with a bouquet of flowers. There on your door step, he admitted his true feelings for you. How he felt so strongly for you and missed you every day that he was gone. That he couldn’t go another day without you being his. Before he could even finish expressing himself to you, you jumped into his arms and placed a deep kiss to his lips. You had never loved someone as much as you loved Pedro. It felt like you met your soulmate, and you weren’t going to let him go.

The last three years had gone by in a blink of an eye for you as it did move faster than any other relationship that you had been in, especially in the early stages. By the time your one month anniversary came, you two were already sleeping together and saying I love you to each other. Heck by the time your six month anniversary came, you were practically living with him. From the outside, your friends and family thought you two were crazy for how fast you were moving, but you two didn’t care. You were so in love that it just felt right to you.

That got you thinking though, maybe that’s why this fight had turned out to be so bad. In the entire time of your relationship, you hardly argued. If you did, then within a few minutes after it ended, you both would come running back to each other apologizing profusely. You couldn’t stand being mad at each other, so now what’s changed?  Were you getting fed up with each other? At one point you thought that you had the entire world, but now, you felt so unsure. It felt like everything was now up in the air. You hoped that this surprise trip to your injured boyfriend would be enough to salvage your relationship.

As the plane landed and the passengers began to deplane, you grabbed the only bag that you brought with you and followed the hoard of people. You then as quickly as you could headed straight for the exit where your ride was waiting for you. Thankfully it didn’t take long to find her. It was Pedro’s sister Lux, the one that called you about his accident.

“Over here!” she called out to you. As soon as you got close enough to her, she ran straight into your arms, “Oh, it’s so good to see you! I’ve missed you! Thank you for coming so quickly. My brother is going to be so happy to see you. He had been a grump since he got here.”

“I really hope so Lux and it’s so good to see you too. How is he?”

“He’s hurting but thankfully it’s just his shoulder and nothing too serious. They released him from the hospital a few hours ago. He is at my father’s house sleeping,” she updated you as you walked to her car.

“So, what exactly happened? All you said was that he fell.”

Lux just shook her head in disbelief, “I still can’t believe it myself. We were talking in the kitchen and then the next thing we knew, we heard a big boom and Pedro was at the bottom of the stairs. He couldn’t tell us what happened, and he couldn’t move his arm.”

“And the doctor’s what did they say?” You really hoped that his injury wasn’t going to be too bad.

Being a nurse, you had seen your fair share of shoulder injuries and had seen the range that they could vary. What you were really concerned with those was Pedro’s mental health. You knew that he would be beating himself up as this injury may affect his professional work. He had a busy schedule in the upcoming year with award shows and production on varies projects starting. You were so happy to see him finally get the recognition that he deserved. You just wished that you could be there to celebrate with him.

“Well, they think he may need to have surgery,” she sighed. “He may want a second opinion though. He damn near almost choked the doctor when he heard them say that. I know seeing you is really going to brighten his day. I was really shocked when he showed up alone. I thought you were going to split the holidays again.”

For the first two years of your relationship, you and Pedro compromised and decided to spend Christmas with one family and then New Years, with the other. This year, it was Pedro’s family to host Christmas. “Umm...yeah well, I don’t know if Pedro told you or not, but we decided that it would be best if we took some time apart away from each other. We umm...we had a pretty bad fight.”

You trusted Lux in telling her what was going on. Over the years, you two had gotten super closer to each other. You had been an only child, so she was closest thing to a sister that you had. In fact, you had grown close to all his family.

“I didn’t know you two had a fight. All he said was that this year, something came up and you weren’t able to come this year. That’s so strange though. You two never fight. In fact, I have never seen either of you even raise your voice at each other. What was the fight about?”

Tears began to fill your eyes as you recalled that night....

Pedro finally finished up in the bathroom and came to join you in bed. However, as he got under the covers and tried to pull you over to him, he was surprised to have you pull away from him. “Hey what was that for? What’s going on mi vida.”

You said nothing. You just rolled over to your side facing away with tears starting to fill your eyes. “Mi vida, what’s going on? You know that you can tell me anything.”

“You...you lied to me,” you said quietly that he could barely hear you.

“I... I’m sorry what?”

“I said that you lied to me Pedro!” you shouted and got out of bed. “You...are a liar Pedro Pascal and that is something that I thought I would never say.”

Pedro’s eyes grew wide. He had never seen an outburst like this from you before, “Whoa, what the actual fuck! What the hell are you talking about?”

He got out of bed and tried to get to you, but you didn’t let him “No, you just stay back,” you yelled. “I know about Friday night Pedro. Were you stupid enough to think that I wouldn’t find out? The paparazzi follow you everywhere for crying out loud. I saw the pictures of you!”

Pedro just huffed and shook his head, “Really, this is what it’s about. So, what, I went out Friday to have some drinks with old friends. What’s the big deal?”

“What’s the big deal? The deal is Pedro Pascal, that you lied to me about it! When I was leaving for work, you told me that you had no plans that night. Now I find that you did go out and that you were hugging up on some chick!”

“You...you’ve got to be kidding me,” he groaned. “Please don’t tell me what I think you are inferring. Please tell me you don’t think that I’m cheating on you.”

“Well, what the hell am I supposed to think Pedro? Did you plan this? Did you plan on hiding this from me?” tears stung your eyes as you threw the phone at him.

Pedro managed to dodge the phone as it hit the wall behind him, “Jesus what the hell! I didn’t lie to you okay. I had every intension of staying home, but then one of my old costars called saying that they were having a get together. I figured that since you were working yet again, I would go. I also am not cheating on you. I fucking love you okay. Yes, I know there were rumors about me and her back in the day, but nothing ever happened. We were surrounded by our friends the entire time. We were never alone together!”

“Oh, so now this is my fault, because I had to work. Well, I’m sorry that the hospital is short staffed Pedro. Besides, weren’t you the one encouraging me to work overtime?”

“Yes, and that was when I was working!” Pedro shouted at you. “I told you that you should work some more when I am not home, so you wouldn’t have to think about us being apart like you usually do. I don’t get why after I have been gone for months filming, you all of a sudden want to work more hours now. I’ve hardly seen you in the past two weeks.”

You couldn’t believe how selfish Pedro was acting right now. “Are you serious Pedro? So, you mean to tell me that when you leave to go work in another country, I have no choice but to be here all alone in this big empty house, but when you come home, I am not allowed to work. I have to be here with you, so you don’t feel the same way that I do when you leave. So, you do not get bored. I know things were easier when I was in nursing school because I was able to be home and work on homework and stuff, but now that I’m that working, I can’t just drop it all as soon as you walk in the door. I work in an environment where people’s lives are at stake.”

“I know that and I’m not asking you to give it all up. I know how hard you work and how much you love your job. All I’m asking is just to have some uninterrupted time with you. No work, no commitment, nothing. Next year is going to be super busy and I want us to spend as much time as we can with each other,” he sighed.

“And if I do manage to stop working overtime Pedro, what are we going to do then? Stay home?” you asked. “Stay cramped up in this house, door dashing date meals. Ever since this whole “Internet Daddy” thing started, we don’t even go out anymore. You don’t let us go out together anymore.”

That was true. In the beginning of your relationship, you were able to sneak in dinner dates, coffee trips, and the occasional vacation without being noticed by the public. But now that Pedro’s popularity blew up, cameras constantly caught his every move. It was a miracle with social media being what it was, that no one had a clue that he was dating. He made sure that you always took the proper precautions if you needed to go out.

 “Yes, you are right, and I still stand by that decision. There is no way in hell am I putting you in the public eye. No, I will not do that to you. They will tear you apart. I have a lot on my plate already and I do not need to be constantly worrying about you. No, things are much simpler and safer if people don’t know about you,” he tried to convince you.

“But at what cost Pedro? You can’t keep us locked up in this house forever. It’s not healthy. Someone at some point is going to find out and then what? We deny that we know each other? Deny that we love each other? No, I refuse to do that. There are tons of actresses and actors that keep their wives and families out of the public eye yet can maintain a normal life. They aren’t afraid to go out and get seen. Why can’t we be like them? If you are worried that I can’t handle it, then I swear to you that I can. I can handle it Pedro,” you pleaded your case. You didn’t understand where this sudden fear of his was coming from. It wasn’t like him at all.

“Oh, like you handled seeing that picture?” he snapped back. “You really handle that like a champ.

You growled at the nerve of him trying to turn this around on you, “No, no Pedro, you do not get to do that. You do not get to use that on me. I don’t care that you went out. You can do as you please. What I am mad about is that I had to find out on the internet what my boyfriend has been up to. I would have never know that you went out if the pictures didn’t get released Pedro. I’m hurt that you didn’t even bring it up the next morning. I even asked how your night went and you said that it was fine. You always, even on set, tell me when you are going out. So why not this time? Was it because she was there? You two looked pretty cozy as you walked out of the restaurant with your arm around her waist!” you gave him a look that could kill.

“It was nothing! And I did not go there because she was going to be there. The reason why didn’t tell you was because I didn’t think that it was a big deal. I got the text at the last minute. I stayed for maybe an hour, two hours tops and that’s it. I came right back home and spent the rest of the night upstairs reading scripts and emails. The only reason why I walked her out and to her car, was because she was telling us about a stalker that she had. I just wanted to make sure that she got to her car safely. You know that I would have done that with anyone,” he just couldn’t understand how you couldn’t see that. Nothing else happened after that and it would never. Pedro loved you with all his heart and would never disrespect you or your relationship like that.

“The...the stalker thing, are...are you afraid that might happen to us? With me?” you asked shuddering at the thought of some stranger being completely obsessed with you.

Pedro’s face fell as the same thought came into his mind, “Yes in a way. People are crazy Y/N. you can never know what can happen. I’d rather keep you here safe, away from all of the craziness. Now can we please just forget about all this and go to bed. I don’t like fighting with you.” he tried to take a step closer to you and for a second, you let him.

However as soon as he got close enough to try to reach out for your hand and pulled you to him, you placed your hand on his chest to prevent you from being pulled closer, “I...I... I’m sorry Pedro, but I can’t. I just...I can’t get over how you are acting like this isn’t a big deal. I feel betrayed right now Pedro. I...I don’t think I can sweep this under the rug like that. I’m sorry.” You then walked over to the bed and grabbed your pillow and the quilt that was at the foot of the bed.

“Where...where do you think you are going?”

“I’m going to go sleep in the spare room Pedro. I...I just need time to think and calm down,” the pain and hurt that you were feeling was clear all over your face. You felt completely drained.

Pedro was right behind you hot on your heels as you made your way to the guest room, “So this is how we are going to start off the holidays. Everything up in the air now because of one picture that made you feel insecure....” As soon as that word left his lips, both of his hands flew to his mouth shutting himself up. He knew that he messed up. “Mi-mi vida, I’m sorry I didn’t mean...”

You didn’t care if you hit him with it, but you slammed the door right in his face. You couldn’t believe that he said that. You always thought of yourself as a strong woman, but for the first time, you felt so small, so little. Were you really being insecure? Were you really blowing this whole thing out of proportion, because of your sudden lack of self-esteem? You didn’t know, but you didn’t like what you feeling deep down inside you.

You both went to bed feeling angry and disappointed with how things played out. You both tossed and turned, plagued with nightmares and replaying the fight in your head. The next morning, you stayed locked away in the guest room. You were too scared and still annoyed with Pedro to face him. You only came out when you heard him leave. That gave you enough time to freshen up for the day, find your now cracked phone, and get something to eat. When you heard him come home, you rushed back to the guest bedroom and locked the door. You could hear him sigh on the other end of the door but couldn’t find it in your heart to open it.

“I stayed locked up in there for the rest of the day. When I finally did come out, we could hardly look at each other. I don’t know if it was anger, guilt or what, but we completely avoided each other. The next time we did speak, I told him a was going to my parents for Christmas and New Years and he said that was probably a good idea. We didn’t even see each other off the airport, we just left,” You sighed. “I... I don’t think we are going to make it Lux. Maybe we did rush into things like everyone said in the beginning. Maybe the honeymoon stage has finally come to an end, and we are as compatible as we thought.”

“No, no, do not say that. You two are meant for each other. I can see it in your eyes. Having one big fight doesn’t mean that it’s the end for you. Sometimes fights happen that you can’t avoid. Both of you had very valid points. Pedro should have been honest with you. I know for a fact that my big brother would never, ever, cheat on you. I just think he honestly didn’t see it as a big deal. I do agree that he should have mentioned something just in case you came home before he did or just to check in with you in case something happened, and you knew where he was. With that being said, he is an idiot for calling you insecure. I have half my mind to break his other shoulder. You are not insecure. You are entitled to your feelings, and he shouldn’t have invalidated them. You just have to look at things from his perspective. After the loss of well...you know, he has closed himself off in a way from every really truly loving someone. That was, until he met you. The past three years I have seen my brother grow so much. He truly, madly, deeply, loves you. I think part of him feels like if the stress of you two going public is too much for you, he may lose you in more ways than one. I don’t think he would survive that if that were to happen. I believe that you two can work this out. You just need to be completely honest with each other. We love you Y/N and we would really hate it if you and Pedro broke up. You just need to take things slow. I believe both of you will really grow from this.”

Thankfully at that point, you had pulled up to the Pascal family home. So as soon as the car was parked, you quickly undid your seatbelt and threw yourself into Lux’s arms, “Thank you Lux, for everything. I owe you more than you know. Your words mean so much. I promise you I will do my absolute best to work out things with Pedro. So much of what you said makes total sense. We both let things get out of control. We should have really listened to each other and saw where each other was coming from. I think we both invalidated each other. I hate to say it, but maybe him getting hurt is what may help us put everything into perspective and work things out.”

“See now that’s the spirit. You just gotta go into this positively and have an open mind. Now come on, let’s go see that boyfriend of yours,” Lux smiled brightly.

Walking into the Pascal Family home, it was still warm and welcoming like you remember. When Pedro first brought you there, you could remember how nervous and scared you felt, but as soon as his family welcomed you with open arms, you felt like you had been part of the family for years.

Following Lux to the kitchen, you smelled wonderful cooking on the stove. That’s when you saw Pedro’s father Jose come around the corner, “Oh sweetheart, you made it! So glad that you could make it. I wish it wasn’t under these circumstances, but I’m glad you are here.”

“Yes, I came quickly as soon as I could Mr. Pascal. There is no other place that I’d rather be. I am so thankful that Lux called me,” you said giving the older man a big hug.

“Well, I’m sure that son of mine will be very happy to see you. Lord knows that he could use the company. And please for the thousandth time, call me Jose,” he chuckled.

“You got it Jose. So how is he holding up?”

Jose frowned as he thought back at what happened, “He is okay for now. Poor guy gave us all a scare. I feel so horrible. He is upstairs sleeping now. Why don’t you go to him? It’s the first door on the right.”

Nerves suddenly overtook you as you nodded and headed towards the stares. You couldn’t help but have visions of Pedro lying at the bottom of them. Guilt then consumed you as you knew that you should have been here. Like he said, it was so dumb to pick a fight right before the holidays. You should have just calmly asked about the picture and the other stuff, well the other stuff should have waited.

Quietly opening the door, your heart broke as you saw the love of your life sound asleep. His poor arm being held closely to him by a sling. Walking over to the bed, you gently pulled the covers back, took off your shoes, and got in next to him. You carefully tucked yourself into the side of his good arm. His breathing was slow, and you could hear his heart beat under your ear as you rested your head on his chest.

Pedro must have sensed the pressure on his chest, because you felt him take a deep breath and let out a groan. Lifting your head, you saw those big brown eyes staring down at you. “Mi vida...is...is that you?” he said hoarsely.

“Yes baby, it’s me,” you smiled and cupped his bearded cheek. “Lux called me and said that you took a spill. I took the first flight that I could get out here. You had me so worried.”

“I told no one to call you. I knew flights were going to be hard to come by. I wanted to call you myself when I was feeling better,” he pouted.

That damn pouty look of his was so adorable. You couldn’t help but lean up and place a small kiss on his lips. “Don’t be mad baby. I’m happy that someone called. Now you have your own personal nurse to help get you back to help.”

His pout turned in to a big smile as he got an idea, “Oh yeah huh? Do you think Santa will bring a naughty nurses outfit?”

“If you play your cards right mister, I think I can make something happen,” you then captured his bottom lip between your teeth and gave it a little nibble.

“I love you too Pedro and thank you for apologizing. I need to apologize to you too,” you smiled through tear-soaked lashes. “And I’m sorry for not seeing your side or reason. I was filled with so much anger and feeling betrayed that I just had tunnel vision. My mind was only seeing things one way. I just that all I could see was how happy you too looked together and a big part of me wishes that it was me with you. I couldn’t help but feel like you are ashamed of being seen with me.  I wished so badly that I was the one that you were parading around happily and the one that was making you smile that way. I know you are trying to protect me, Pedro. And I know that you have this fear of something really bad happening to me. As much as I still think we can and will be okay if we do make our relationship public, we can handle it. We would have each other to lean on. However, if you want to keep things quiet and keep things the way that they are, I am willing to do that. I know how important my safety and well-being are to you Pedro. Hell, we have been doing a pretty good job staying quiet the last three years, so why change it.”

When you pulled back, Pedro ran his hand through your hair and sighed, “I...I... I’m sorry mi vida. I’m so sorry for everything. I apologize for not telling you about going out and I am so fucking sorry for calling you insecure. That was my anger talking, not the real me.” When you went to open your mouth, he gently placed a finger to your lips, “Please mi vida, just let me finish. I need to get all of this off my chest. I never meant for you to find out about the get together from the internet. I had every intention of telling you, but I forgot. Between packing, the holidays, and everything that I have to do next month, it really did slip my mind. I know I should have for peace of mind, should have sent a text letting you know what’s going on. I know that if I saw you in that position, I would have lost my shit too. I swear to you nothing else happened that night. Me and her didn’t even speak that much. She was completely on the opposite of the table. I only really talked to her when she told us about the stalker and as soon as I walked her to the car, I came straight home. I love you with all my heart. I would never cheat on you. I would never jeopardize our future like that. And you are not insecure. That was an asshole thing to say, and I will spend the rest of my days making it up to you. You are the strongest woman that I know. You are the backbone of our relationship and the reason I keep going every day.”

Pedro reached out with his good arm and wiped the tears from your puffy face, “As much as I appreciate you doing that for me, mi vida, I had a lot of time to think things over and I realized that you are completely right. I have been being selfish and unfair to you. I have been putting my job and fears ahead of you and that’s not right. You have never asked me for a thing and the first time that you asked me to do something for you, I completely shut you down. It’s not that I’m ashamed to be seen with you. Like I said, it’s all been my fears controlling my every move with you, especially now. It was my fears that kept me from almost introducing myself to you and now that I have you, it’s my fears that are making me extremely overprotective of you. I’m just really scared that my fans or the media will come after you before they even have a chance to know you. I don’t want to see you get hurt. You do not deserve that. I just can’t shake this feeling that all the stress and negativity will become too much for you and something will happen. I can’t let that happen and I refuse to let that happen. I would never forgive myself for that. I can’t lose you mi vida.”

Now it was your turn to be the strong one and comfort him. You held his hand tightly, while running your other through his soft curls, “Pedro Pascal, love of my life, my future baby daddy, thank you for being honest with me. That’s all I wanted. You don’t know how much I appreciate that. You don’t know how thankful that I am that I found someone like you. You are the greatest lover, friend, and protector that I have ever had. Not a day goes by where I don’t feel safe where it’s in your arms or by the sound of your voice when you are away. That’s why I am not afraid to be seen in public with you. I know that no matter what may happen, good or bad, you will be right there with me to help guide me. I honestly think that it won’t be that bad. Sure, it may be chaotic in the beginning but at the same time, it may not. Your fans love you Pedro and while they might be a little sad that you are seeing someone, I’m sure that they will be happy for you. Apart of me just keeps thinking of what happens if we do slip up and get seen together. Don’t you think that it would be best if we get ahead of this ourselves versus having someone else do it and spread lies. Do this on our own terms?”

“But…but…would you really be okay with this though? I really need you to think. You would be giving up your privacy. These days people are going to find everything about you that they can on the internet. Are you ready to see every move we make, documented by social media? I need to know that you aren’t going to run or shut down at the first sign of trouble. I need to know that how you reacted to the picture won’t happen again.” If you both agreed to this, he knew that this was going to be the ultimate test to your relationship.

“Pedro, I promise you on everything that I am not going to run. I have thought this through, and this is what I want. I really don’t care what people say. All that matters to me is your opinion and your opinion only Pedro. I will be the only one who knows the real you and you are the only one who will know the real me. I really want to take this next step with you Pedro. I want to be that proud girlfriend and hopefully wife who gets to brag about how amazingly talented their partner is. I want to be the first hug and kiss when you win an award. I want to show everyone how I’m the lucky one to have you in my life. If you still aren’t sure about this Pedro, then like I said, I’m happy to keep things the way that they are. But what do you say baby, will you take this leap of faith with me?”

Fighting back his own tears, Pedro nodded his head. Still to this day, even three years later you still found a way to floor him, and he knew that you would continue to. You were so fucking incredible, and he got to call you his. He was still in disbelief that you gave him a shot. The thing that he loved about you and should have trusted in the beginning was how even after a fight, you found a way to be levelheaded and work things out. He never felt lost when you were with him. And even though you called to him to help guide you through the crazy waters that is the celebrity life, it was you that helped guide him though every life.

Every day you brought out the best in him. You gave him the inspiration to be the best man that he could be. Everything that he did, he did for you. He did everything that he could to make you proud. He tried to be that someone that you could proudly show off as the love of your life. He couldn’t believe that he had the potential to be your husband and father of your kids. Two things he didn’t think were ever going to be possible till he met you. You were everything that he could ever want, and you were everything that he could ever need. You were the one that he would take this leap with.

“I Pedro Pascal, would love nothing more than mi vida. You are right, no matter what happens, we will be in this together. You are remarkable and I think it’s time the world gets to know the woman that has captured by heart. Just at any point, please if things get too much, you need to tell me. All you have to do is say the word and I will do my best to shut it down. Can you promise me that mi vida? I’ll promise to be more open and understanding with you, if you promise to be open with me. This is the only way that it will work.”

“Yes Pedro, I promise you. We will get through this baby. I know we can,” you then carefully wrapped your arm around his good side and buried yourself into that strong neck of his. “I love you, Pedro Pascal. I love you so much.”

“I love you too, mi vida, with all my heart. And I make another promise to you here, right now. I will marry you Y/N and we will have as many kids as you want. Just say the word and I will get down on my knees. You deserve the world and I want to give it to you,” he muttered into your hair before placing a kiss on your head.

You pulled back slightly enough to rest your head on his, “I do have the world, Pedro. I have everything that I want and need right here.” You then leaned forward and pressed your lips against his.

Both of you moaned as soon as your lips met. These past few days that you were apart were brutal. Going days without speaking, cuddling, or kissing, was something that you never wanted to experience again. It wasn’t like when he was on set, and you couldn’t see him. No, this was way worse and both of you hated it.

Pedro couldn’t help but bring his hand up and run it down your side till he reached your backside. Giving it a rough squeeze, causing you to moan into his opened mouth, he pulled you close and deepened the kiss. But as he slipped his tongue in, he moved just enough to send a shot of pain running through his body, causing him to cry out in pain.

“Shit baby, are you okay?” you gasped and pulled away quickly.

He groaned, gritting his teeth and hunching over. “Just…just give me a minute.”

Never leaving his side, you sat there next to him making sure that you rubbed his back and peppered kisses on his good shoulder until the pain started to subside. “Just breathe baby, just breathe it out. I’m here, I’m here,” you whispered to him, running your hand through his sweaty hair.

“Th…thank you mi vida. Forgot that I can’t really move like it want to,” he sighed. “The umm…the doctors said that I fractured my shoulder. I may need to have surgery. I am such an idiot.”

“Hey, look at me,” you said sternly and lifted his chin to look at you. “You are not an idiot. Accidents happen Pedro. Do you remember what happened?”

“I…I just fell. I must have tripped and lost my footing. Next thing I know I’m at the bottom of the stair and everyone is running to me. My dad and sister took me straight to the ER. I can’t believe that I scared the shit out of everyone.” He could still see the petrified look on everyone’s faces, including his nephews.

You shook your head disappointedly, but you had warned him countless times to slow down when it came to stairs especially at your own house. “Jesus Pedro, you are so lucky that you didn’t break your neck. Have you called your doctor back home? Lux said something about a second opinion.”

“No, I haven’t called anyone yet. I just want to sleep and do all of that tomorrow,” he sighed leaning back into his propped-up pillows.

Your heart broke at seeing how much pain he was in. For being such a big man, at that moment, he looked so small. If you had the ability to take his pain away, you would. Instead, you were going to help him anyway that you could and nurse him back to health. “You sleep then baby. I’ll go downstairs and start getting everything sorted out. Do you need me to get you anything?”

Pedro nodded and looked up at you with his big brown puppy dog eyes, “Stay with me, mi vida. I know that plane ride wasn’t the most comfortable thing. You look exhausted. Take a nap with me?”

“Of course, baby, you don’t even have to ask twice. Let me just get out of these jeans first,” you told him as you stood up to strip them off and your sweater.

“That’s so not fair, mi vida. You just can’t get naked in front of me like that while I’m laid up here,” he pouted.

Rolling your eyes as you got back into bed, you couldn’t help but softly slap his chest, “I’m not naked and if even if I were and you weren’t hurt, we wouldn’t be doing anything in your father’s house naughty boy. No sex for a while I’m afraid. Last thing we need is for you to get more hurt because you couldn’t keep it in your pants.”

“That’s a chance I am willing to take mi vida,” he laughed and wrapped his arm around you as you cuddled into him. “I love you and thank you for coming to take care of your old man.”

“No need to thank me baby. There is no other place that I would rather be. Let’s just promise not to fight anymore, okay. And absolutely no more falling downstairs.”

[novalpha]

𝘝𝘦𝘳𝘯𝘰𝘯 𝐹𝑖𝑐 𝑅𝑒𝑐𝑠

♡ Fluff || ୨୧ Angst || ★ Smut || ꗃ SMAU || ⌗ Series || ✿ Drabble || ♤ Mature (No smut) || ✹ Humor

❙❘❙❙❘❙❚❙❘ ⌕ Buy A Boyfriend ♡★⌗ -> @sluttywoozi Part 1 , Part 2 , Part 3 , Part 4

Summary: Being a professional boyfriend on SVTHub is great - all Vernon has to do is respond to a few texts, send out a couple selfies, do a stream every now and then, and he makes enough to cover tuition. Things get a little tricky when he finds himself wishing he actually was your boyfriend.

❙❘❙❙❘❙❚❙❘ ⌕ By hook or by cross ♡୨୧★ -> @kabira

summary — so you punched a guy, and now he wants you to teach him how to fight, because clearly, you know how to do it better. well, fine, you say. as long as he keeps his distance. (spoiler alert: he doesn’t.)

❙❘❙❙❘❙❚❙❘ ⌕ divorce child ♡★ -> @lovelyhan

summary: you like to think that your most recent breakup with vernon ended on relatively good terms. there’s only one issue left to sort out: who’s getting custody of the cat you got together?

❙❘❙❙❘❙❚❙❘ ⌕ Cold hands, Warm hearts ♡ -> @duhnova

synopsis: this holiday season, your daughter decided the best present she could give to you was a new boyfriend, which is why she and her best friend yujin have taken it upon themselves to play matchmaker. their candidate? yujin’s father.

❙❘❙❙❘❙❚❙❘ ⌕ Operation : Hot girl summer ♡✹★ -> @shuaflix

SUMMARY ▸ the summer you started putting more effort into your appearance also happens to be the summer where vernon chwe's piercing gaze leaves you feeling like you're floating high up in the clouds.

❙❘❙❙❘❙❚❙❘ ⌕ Not a virgin ♡✹★ -> @ncteez

Vernon, a friend of your friend spills his spicy sex life and accidentally reveals to an entire group of near-strangers (including you) that he’s had sex one and a half times and that it was sick.

or the one where despite vernon not being a virgin, he is somehow more of a virgin than an actual virgin. 

❙❘❙❙❘❙❚❙❘ ⌕ High and fucked ★ -> @rubyreduji

summary: hansol is nothing to you but your ex-boyfriend's roommate, but you still find yourself alone with him while you get high together

❙❘❙❙❘❙❚❙❘ ⌕ Risk it all ★ -> @sluttywoozi

Summary: Vernon's got a crush on his tutor, and everything gets harder when you start wearing thigh high socks. Everything.

❙❘❙❙❘❙❚❙❘ ⌕ The soulmate service ♡✹୨୧ -> @dkfile

the soulmate service has one purpose: to help those who drew the short end of the stick and ended up without a person to live their forever with. after the heart wrenching realization that the boy you’ve loved since you were thirteen isn’t the one meant for you, you put your love life in the hands of vernon chwe — which, now that you think about it, is probably a very bad idea.

❙❘❙❙❘❙❚❙❘ ⌕ Work husband ♡✹ -> @wondernus

synopsis: falling for the young and flirty high school history teacher is inevitable especially when he pays for your groceries and calls himself your work husband

❙❘❙❙❘❙❚❙❘ ⌕ Trillium ♡★ -> @beahae

Summary: Vernon is flying in to see his girlfriend. Oh shit, that’s… you. Being away from him for the past few months ago makes it hard for it to feel real, especially after two years of what you both convinced yourselves was a purely platonic friendship. Now that he’s here in the flesh, you are determined to make it feel real. And very non-platonic.

❙❘❙❙❘❙❚❙❘ ⌕ Say you love me (i love you) ♡✹ -> @viastro

synopsis: three heavy words. you’re so used to saying this to the one person that’s always been by your side, because you know that he’s your other half; platonically. these words have always held some sort of meaning whenever you say it to vernon, in hopes that maybe one day he’ll say it back to you.

❙❘❙❙❘❙❚❙❘ ⌕ Distraction ♡✹★ -> @minghaoyoudoin

summary: typically, when a person’s house smells like fire, you call the fire department. when your house smells like fire, you know it’s because Vernon is cooking.

[ More Vernon fic recs will be updated ]

Want more Seventeen fic recs? -> Click here

[sopiloveshobi]

Loved you from afar

Yoongi fluff that was in my head for a good few weeks. Inspired by my friend Taeyi. Shy Yoongi, non idol style. 4k words. No warnings. I hope it will make you feel warm and fluffy and head over heels for this Yoon. (didn't read it or spell checked sowwi)

‘I’m here!’ – you waived at the man walking down the mall along the shops towards you. He was holding two cups of coffee to go and a small bag which looked like the kind you would get from a pastry shop. He walked past few other people on the way and made his way to you. He was wearing a pair of shorts and long dark oversized t-shirt, high top converse with white socks sticking out. He smiled widely when he saw you waive. ‘The queue was crazy, I’m really sorry it took so long’ he muttered and handed you the drink. ‘It’s okay Yoongi, I told you it’s mental around this time of the day’ you smiled grateful he went to get lunch for the two of you. ‘Let me just let my boss know I’m going on a break’ you pointed at the inside of the clothing shop you were both standing in front and you disappeared inside for few moments, still holding your coffee. Yoongi nervously looked around, trying to find something to look at whilst waiting for you and he decided to just stare at his own shoes. You came back not long after, poked your head around the corner to see your friend just staring down. It wasn’t anything new to you, as he tends to be a little bit awkward in public. ‘All sorted, ready?’ you surprised him and he glanced at you, smiled and nodded.

Right outside of the mall on the left hand side was small park-ish area. Few swings for kids and benches for the parents. But it was all empty because it looked like everyone disappeared for lunch. The both of you moved towards the area, picked the cleanest bench and sat on it. It was getting colder as the autumn was approaching soon. The sun was still quite high, it just wasn’t giving the same warmth as two weeks ago. You have taken a sip of your drink and closed your eyes, listening to the silence surrounding the two of you.

‘Taehyung wanted to go to the movies later today’ Yoongi muttered kind of towards you but kind of just into the universe.

‘Oh really? What are you going see?’ you got interested right away. You knew Yoongi for years now. It’s been at least 8, maybe coming to be 9 soon? You became friends at school, then you graduated and still were hanging out, both got few part time jobs in the past few years. You also managed to hold a serious adult office job for about three months before you decided to get a degree - part time, which you also decided to abandon few weeks in. It was too stressful and all you wanted to do was to draw. You were really good at it, so you opened a small business on the side selling your digital prints and art you drew on your tablet. But it wasn’t enough to keep you going, hence the part-time job at the mall.

Yoongi always wanted to make music and he was doing it on the side. He was definitely making enough now to not work part time but for some reason when he found out you will be working in the same mall as him (before he decided to quit) he changed his mind and decided to stay. You never really questioned his decisions. During your summer breaks you spent hours together locked in one of your rooms, him making music at the desk and you drawing on your tablet. The perfect combination. Both the artsy types, both quite shy and timid. Not all the time tough, there were multiple crazy stories you could tell your friends. One of the more memorable ones was when the two of you got really drunk after work and you sat in a shopping trolley which he was pushing, while riding his skateboard. Both laughing like two crazy teenagers until the security got rid of you. Yoongi was shy. Very shy. But he was also so warm. He would always cover your with a blanket when you fell asleep and he continued working on his stuff. He would always bring you hot soup when you were ill. Lunch at work was always a must. He really cared. He was also the type to never admit if he ever had feelings for you. If he did, he treasured your friendship more. He could always be around you and catch you when you fall, without ever risking and jeopardising your current relationship. He could love you from afar. Of course he spent nights thinking if your lips would be soft on his, or what would it be like to hold your hand for real, not just for a second when you were wrestling on the bed. What would it be like for you to fall asleep on his shoulder, when you actually intended to put your head there, not just by accident when he was near by and you were too tired to sit straight. His stomach flipped every time you mentioned a date with someone. He was terrified of someone else having you, at the same time he would never stop you. And he was always there when you were broken up with by another guy who didn’t know what he could have. He watched all the silly films with you and devoured half of the tub of ice cream you always liked. He was always the one to peel a tangerine for you, or an orange when they were around. Without asking if you fancy one, he would just do it and hand it over to you.

‘I’m not sure but he wanted me to bring you with. He said he invited the new girl he was seeing and he wanted it to be little bit less official than a date’ Yoongi answered, slightly worried you might get the wrong idea about the entire thing. But it wasn’t the first time you would go to the movies as his +1. Anytime one of his friends needed a double date you two were the go to. Even though you obviously weren’t dating. Obviously to you, not so obviously to Yoongi. Well it was obvious enough but it started getting to him the more he thought on how long you two have been hanging out for. Nearly 9 years. He was a loyal friend, he was a loyal friend to his other friends too it was just the way he was. He brushed through his long dark hair, overgrown from the summer. He looked at you, nervous as always even though he asked you the same question multiple times before.

‘So WE are going? I didn’t really want to go out tonight but..’ you started, desperately trying to get your pastry out of the paper bag that was laying between you and him on the bench.

‘If you don’t want to I will tell him you had other plans’ he quickly jumped to conclusion. He would never want you to do anything that you weren’t comfortable doing.

‘No, no it’s fine. We can go’ you smiled seeing him getting flustered. He held the bag steady for you and you finally managed to get your piece out of the bag. You grabbed the pastry and bit into it right away. Sweet cream and jam inside filled your mouth and you felt better. Less dizzy and shaky. You didn’t have anything else this morning and Yoongi knew it. Because when you asked for lunch you asked for coffee only and he brought food. He knew you too well and he was sure you didn’t have anything else that day.

‘Are you sure? I can go on my own..’ he asked looking at your pretty face devouring the pastry he picked for you. He admired every second of every time spent with you. Your eyes wondering around the sky, which he dreamed of staring for hours at the time.

‘Yes it’s fine, let’s do it. What film?’ you looked at him again, in between bites.

‘I didn’t really ask, let me text him’ he got a little bit nervous, of course he forgot to ask Taehyung about the film, at the end of the day he didn’t really care. He knew he would have a good time because it was with you. ‘Anyway, I will pick you up at 7? I will take my mums car’.

‘Sounds good! And don’t worry we haven’t seen any of the new films anyway, so whatever Tae picked will be fine’. He loved how unproblematic you were. How easy it was for you to just go with the flow. It was easy for you because you knew that it was always a good time with Yoongi. You knew nothing bad will ever happen to you around him. He would always protect you and take care of you. And you loved it about him so much, but you could never admit it. How could you ruin a friendship like this? He was older so in your head he was always treating you like a younger sister. The age gap wasn’t that big, you met at school at the end of the day.

You picked a really flowy dress, the evenings weren’t super cold. Short green platted dress with a cream cardigan because it was an evening and the dress was on thin straps so you were bound to get cold and you promised yourself you won’t get Yoongi to give up his hoodie yet another time for you. You put few bits in your bag: lip balm, pack of tissues, your wallet and your keys and you run out seeing Yoongi approaching in his mums car. You got in and he got immediately flashed with your scent. Sweet but light floral perfume that you have been using for as long as he remembers. Your hair half-up, with the rest flowing down your shoulders. He got stunned. He couldn’t say anything, there was no thoughts in his brain apart from just how beautiful you looked that night.

‘Yoongi? Hello?’ you waved your hands in front of his eyes and he finally shook his head and came back to his senses.

‘Pull yourself together’ he whispered to himself and you heard him say something but you couldn’t make up any of the words.

‘What? Are you okay?’ you asked, but then he looked back at you, smiled and nodded.

‘Ready? You look great’ he complimented. He always said it. No matter what were you wearing and it was true. He loved you in every outfit. No. He was miserable about you in every outfit. Including his hoodie and joggers when you both got soaked that one night running home from the shop. You were perfect to him in everything you wore. Oh how miserable he was about you. And recently it has been becoming more and more impossible to hide it. He would stutter when you would approach him without a notice or he would get stunned just like just did in the car.

‘Let’s go!’ you said enthusiastically and put your hand into a fist and made a really awkward ‘lets’ gesture. He didn’t say a word the entire time to the cinema. Not a word. The music was playing in the background, nothing too crazy, nothing too loud. He was always quiet but he was acting really strange this time. Almost too strange. And when you started thinking about it, he did become different recently. He was more distant, quieter. He wouldn’t come around as much after work anymore. Is he dating someone? That was your first thought but then you declined that idea since he invited you to go and pretend to be double dating with Tae tonight. Surely he would of invited his real date if he had one.

Anyways you made it to the car park behind the cinema, walked inside and stood there for a while trying to localise Taehyung. But he wasn’t anywhere to be seen. Not yet anyway.

‘Is he late? Are they late? I mean it’s nothing new for him, but isn’t the film about to start?’ you asked and looked at Yoongi as he was taking his phone out. You watched him text Tae for the 5th time in the span of 20 minutes as you were waiting for him. You turned around and looked at the popcorn machine and went towards it to get some for you and Yoongi. In that time Taehyung sent a message back to Yoongi ‘We are not coming. I will explain later’ is what the messaged said. You came back to him with a giant bucket of popcorn with a smile on your face excited to devour it during the film.

‘Well they are not coming apparently. Do you still want to go and see the film?’ Yoongi locked his phone and put it into his pocket. You looked at the popcorn in your hands and pouted at first because the idea to miss out on all of that crunchy deliciousness made you a little sad.

‘Do you?’ you asked quickly, still staring at the food.

‘Sure why not, we are already here and we got the tickets’ he nodded and took the bucket away from you. It was always like that with him around. You never had to carry anything, you never even have to ask. You never had to ask about the hoodie when you were shivering either. He just knew. He was a little bit excited for the idea of just the two of you in the cinema. All on your own. Last time you both went was few years ago and he was really nervous to just be alone in a dark room like that with you. Even though you spent hours overnight in each others houses. But the cinema was always a strange place that just gave him this one particular feeling. A feeling of a date.

You found the screening room and went inside. The ads have already started as you were waiting for Tae and his date for a while. Yoongi found your seats and lead you to it. There wasn’t a lot of people around anyway, not many people chose to come in on a weekday after all.

The film started uneventful, it was supposed to be a thriller but it doesn’t seem very thrilling at first anyway. You were slowly going through your bucket of popcorn when a huge yawn came out of you. You hid your face in your hands quickly with an apologetic look on your face, staring at Yoongi. He giggled as it made him laugh. The film wasn’t very good and he clearly could tell that you were getting bored too. But you both decided to give it another try and started paying attention again. The film did get better. The story moved at a faster pace and when a random guy popped out of a rubbish bin with a knife you jumped on your seat and your hand intuitively landed on Yoongis. He looked at your hand and froze for a second. You were now holding his hand. Well he was holding your hand. You two were holding hands. He gasped without you noticing but he didn’t pull away. He promised himself to distance himself from you. Give you space to breathe because even he could notice the way he was behaving around you recently. But today, the smell of you in his car, the green dress and the fact that Tae stood you two up made a potion of courage for him. He decided to just go with the flow. It wasn’t like him at all. But he kept wondering what would it be like to hold your hand, and how would your lips fit in his.

You noticed he was looking at your hands but you didn’t pull away either. You didn’t let him see that you saw him looking. What a huge game is being played here. Pretending to not see each other movements or delicate stares. You smirked to yourself and decided to pretend this is not a big deal. It’s just a hand, right? And then another strange thing happened in the film and you squeezed his hand. And all of a sudden he just let go of your hand and wrapped his arm around you. You froze. Yoongi? What the hell is this? He wasn’t looking at you, he just did this and went back to watching the film. But you couldn’t focus anymore, his fresh scent surrounded you. Just like every time you wore his hoodie. It felt so homey and fresh. His warm arm around you. You not moving an inch. You gulped. What is going on? You thought to yourself. He was never like this. He was never this brave, nor forward. But it felt so nice. You didn’t know what to do next. You were so conflicted already overthinking scenarios in your head. What if we won’t like each other like that for very long? What if he will get bored of me? What if…

He saw you having an internal conversation with yourself. He knew you too well and seen it too many times. He wasn’t sure what it was about but he could tell you stopped focusing on the film. Did I fuck up? He thought to himself but he didn’t move an inch. He looked at you again and he saw two round eyes staring right at him. There was nothing else around for him just the pair of your eyes looking at him. He exhaled loudly and looked away for a second. Brushed his hand through his overgrown long dark hair and looked back at you.

And there you were, still staring at him trying to read what was going on in his head. Trying to understand what was going on between the two of you just then and there.

‘Fuck it’ he said very loudly and leaned forward. Where did Yoongi found all of his courage to do all of this neither of you will ever know nor question. Because his nose was touching yours now, his eyes closed and his lips touching yours. And the both of you froze for a second. You didn’t back out but you didn’t kiss him back right away. You were trying to understand the motive behind his arm wrapped around you not beg for a kiss but he clearly read you wrong. Well wrong wasn’t the correct word. He understood you differently. And now his lips were at yours. Your stomach flipped and it felt like 10 thousand butterflies just hatched inside you and try to escape. You could tell he was nervous because his arm that was still wrapped around you was getting a little shaky and heavy. Without thinking too much anymore you started kissing him back and a slow and soft kiss turned into a slightly deeper one and he started grabbing you closer with the wrapped around you arm. You cupped his face with your hand and reciprocated every inch of his kiss. It felt like the both of you were floating above the seats now and nothing else really mattered anymore. The semi good film, the popcorn you had your eyes on for most of the duration of the film.

He finally had the guts to go for it. He didn’t know when was the next time will be, that it will be just the two of you in the cinema which for some reason he had really strong feelings about. It couldn’t be in the car. It also couldn’t be anywhere else. You kept making out until the film finished, without noticing and the lights turned on. Only then Yoongi realised that the film has finished and he let go of you and sat back in his seat. He didn’t say anything, he just smirked and then smiled with one of his gummy smiles to himself.

You got off your chair and looked at him for a second, really shy with flushed face. You were blushing, now that it wasn’t dark around the two of you. He followed, grabbed the rest of the popcorn bucket and took it with him to leave at the bin downstairs. Both of you silent, just moved towards the exit and then towards the exit of the building and straight to Yoongis mums car. No word, not a look not a sight was heard. The silence was deafening and it almost felt like either of you regretted what just happened. Yoongi couldn’t stop overthinking it. He was sure he fucked up. For once he had the guts to act the way he really felt and it all ruined your really long friendship. He just wanted to get you safe home and disappear for few days, give you time to breathe.

‘So…’ you finally opened your mouth as the both of you were standing in front of the car.

‘So..’ he answered looking away from you. Both of his hands in his pockets, playing with his shoe shyly. ‘Listen I know this wasn’t planned..’ he started again. He didn’t have a plan. Again. He didn’t know what he wanted to say. All he wanted to do is to lean you over the car and kiss you again and again. But you were still blushing and looking away from him just now.

‘It’s okay if you regret it’ you interrupted him right away. If? That sounded like you weren’t regretting it. He looked at you for the first time since you left the cinema. You were standing in front of him, pink nose from the wind outside, red cheeks and glary round eyes drilling into him.

‘I don’t..’ he braved it out of himself. He took a step towards you and you froze again. You turned your head to the side almost like asking a question and he took one of his hands out of the pockets of his hoodie and leaned forward towards you. ‘Come here’ he whispered and you took his hand. He pulled you closer and leaned you on the car door. Took few steps towards you, the tip of his nose touching yours. He bit his lip and then looked into your eyes. You gulped so loudly you could hear it. You closed your eyes before he closed his and he smirked and shook his head. Your insides flipped, the butterflies hatched in the second wave and started flustering inside you. You bit the inside of your mouth and patiently waited. But nothing happened. He was just there looking at you with your eyes closed. So you opened one of it and you saw him smiling. Gummy wide smile, eyes in half moons. Pure happiness and you have never seen him like this. ‘If I kiss you again, that will be it you know it?’ he finally managed to get few words out. ‘You will be mine and I won’t let you go’ he added before you had a chance to respond. And you nodded. That’s all you could do. Just nod. So he came closer and this time the both of you closed your eyes at the same time and his lips met yours again. It felt so right, it felt like this is what you have been waiting for, for years. Tears started rolling down your face as he kept kissing you more and more. And then he felt the tears and stopped.

‘Why.. why are you crying? Do you not want to?’ he got instantly worried and regretted being so confident in himself but you shook your head.

‘I didn’t know this was what I was waiting for, for all these years’ you answered and pulled him back to you. His head was spinning. You were his. He was holding you in his arms. He was kissing your lips. Finally. All the worries he always had stopped him from doing this went away. Maybe tomorrow he will think about it and worry about the future but for now. Now he had you and you were his.

‘I loved you from afar for years’ he didn’t think through what he was about to say. Today was the day he was just saying and doing everything he felt like was right. But you didn’t answer, just pulled him closer to you and hid your face in his arms. He hugged you so tight and wrapped his arms around you. And you felt safe. Like there was nothing else in the world that could hurt you. His pocket buzzed and he pulled out his phone to see a message from Taehyung.

'I hope you enjoyed ;)' . The both of you looked at the message and then saw Taehyung in a car parked opposite of you waving and showing his thumbs up.

[stxrr-strxckk]

Feeling Cold?

Flufftober day 1-Carmen Berzatto x fem! reader

Listen to: Pretty Boy; The Neighborhood

Warnings: None!

A/N:Decided to start off my flufftober with my very own name twin<3 Carmy always holds a special place in my heart!

Summer was finally over, and no one was happier about that than Carmen Berzatto. Sure, the warm weather was nice, but there was something about fall in Chicago that was practically addicting, and after living in New York for so long he was more than happy to welcome the nostalgia of the season. Even if it meant bundling up in sweaters, scarves, and more layers than he could count.

Carmy couldn't help but smile as the fall air welcomed him home, walking down the steps of his shitty apartment. He had a thick wool coat draped over his basic white t-shirt and jeans, which really was a godsend in the 30 degree weather. He still felt the sting of the wind on his hands and face, and decided a hot cup of coffee would do him some good.

He walked into a small cafe a few blocks from the restaurant, figuring it wouldn't add too much time to his commute. He ordered and took a seat, burying his face in his phone as he waited for his name to be called.

"Carmen?"

He looked up, assuming his coffee was ready. Instead, he saw you. You had on an apron with the cafe's logo on it, and held his coffee in your hands. His eyes widened. He didn't know you worked here. If he did, then he probably wouldn't've come here.

"Fuck, chef?" you recognized him. "I didn't realize you went here-" you said, dazed.

"Yeah, uh, I don't- actually." he sniffed, avoiding eye contact. "I just- I needed some coffee, figured I'd try this place out. I didn't know you uh," he gestured to your apron. "worked here."

"Yeah, no, I do." you replied, an awkward silence falling over you too. Carmy hated running into his coworkers outside of work, always had. He felt so... Naked when it happened. Like the version of him at work was gone, and he was this vulnerable creature with no defenses. This must have been awkward for you too, he noted.

"Hey, uh, my shifts almost over, and my phone died, so I don't know how to get to the restaurant for open. Could I, maybe walk with you?" You felt weird just asking that. This was your boss. The guy who hired you a few months ago, and barely talked to you except for team meetings or if he needed you to do something. But you were desperate. (Plus, you wanted to get to know the guy better. He was so mysterious, something about it drew you in.)

Carmy was surprised by how forward you were. "Yeah, sure, that's- that's fine." He cringed at his stutter. In other circumstances, he would've most certainly said no. Ordered you an uber, written down directions, but today was... Different. And plus, it was you. Not Richie, or Fak, or Marcus. He'd never admit it, but he had a bit of a soft spot for you. So naive, the bright eyed and bushy tailed girl who was so eager to get a job at the Beef. He didn't know why, it was a second rate joint now that Michael was dead.

"Really?" Your eyes brightened, and Carmy swore he felt his cheeks flush. "Perfect, my shift ends in 5. Can you hang on a minute while I get changed?" He nodded, sitting back down as you hurried through the last few minutes of your shift and ran to the back.

He got up when he finally saw you step out from behind the counter. "Ready to go?" he asked, making note of your outfit. Graphic tee and baggy jeans. No jacket.

"Um," you patted your pockets, making sure you had your keys and wallet. "yup! Let's go, I'm not gonna be late today." As you strode out the door, Carmy couldn't help but chuckle. He followed after a second, coat bundled up tight against the wind.

"So, uh," Carmy said, breaking the silence a few minutes into your walk. "how long you been working at that cafe?"

"Pretty much my whole life," you shrugged. "I know the owners, they gave me the job in high school. It helped me pay for culinary school. I kept if even after I graduated, the job market was pretty slow anyways."

"So what made you wanna work at the beef, then?"

"Well, I don't see myself making overpriced lattes my whole life." you laughed, kicking a pebble down the street. "I wanna work in a real kitchen. And I always liked the beef, me 'n my friends used to get sandwiches there after school sometimes. What 'bout you, Carm?"

"Oh, uh, well my brother- he, he owned the place. But, he died. Killed himself a few months ago. Left me the place in his will."

"Oh." you trailed off. That got dark fast. "I'm sorry that happened."

Shit. He just ruined the conversation. "Yeah, uh, thanks." he trailed off again, not knowing what to say next. You didn't either, and suddenly the cold became a lot more noticeable. You shivered, teeth chattering as you tried to warm yourself up by rubbing your arms.

"You cold?" Carmy asked.

"No, I'm fine." you tried to shrug him off, but it took a whole lot of willpower not to reply with something snarky.

"You sure? 'Cus you look like you're fuckin' freezing."

"No really, I'm okay!" This was embarrassing. You totally forgot your coat, but there's no way you'd ask for Carmy's. That felt like overstepping.

Carmy sighed. You were stubborn, a lot like him. Clearly, you were cold. Who wouldn't be in 30 degrees? Quickly, he unbuttoned his coat and shrugged it off.

"What are you-" You started, but stopped when he draped his coat over your body, the heat of the fabric instantly melting all the cold away.

"There. Now you'll stop with all that fuckin' chattering." Carmy laughed, and you felt your cheeks heat up.

"Thanks."

The rest of the walk was filled with lively conversation, and once you arrived at the beef you hated to admit you were disappointed. Carmen held the door for you, glad the kitchen had working heaters as he stepped inside.

"Yo, cuz! What took so damn long?" Richie poked his head around a corner.

"None of your damn business Richie." he replied, throwing his now empty coffee away.

"Hey, Carm! Why's new girl wearing your coat?" Fak yelled, and all eyes turned to you. You felt heat creeping into your cheeks, and it wasn't just because of how warm it was in there.

"And Fak's hear too. Great." Carmy groaned. "Hey, here's an idea! Why don't we all get to fucking work instead of asking stupid ass questions!" He clapped his hands twice, trying to hurry everyone up. "Chop chop people, we open in 15!"

Just like that, the kitchen was alive. Everyone doing their job, but you couldn't help but look up at Carmen every few minutes. And you swear you caught him looking back at you. You hoped he'd come into the cafe more often. Maybe these morning walks would become part of your new routine.

A/N: Day 1 done! This isn't proofread chat, my bad. Anyways, hope you enjoyed! Please like, reblog, comment, and request! XX, Starr!

Wordcount:1248

[parasolemn]

this is like basically the history of elysium right notes and og image below the cut lest I post an untrimmed essay once more

don't ask me what this is I found it on twitter the same day hot entropolic summer was announced so unfortunately it meant I had to do it. I also apologise for putting DE in the sacred and terrible air fanfest but it was necessary for the shitpost. Grins

ambrosius design from tereesz-machejek (ty to laughingpineapple for providing ^^)

jesper and tereesz designs from tubrasko (I love their designs so much :D but they didn't post them on tumblr. Frowns)

khan design from laughingpineapple (i think ? i had images in my brain for him but i cant remember how long they were there for)

ok so ermm. Smiles. I drew those first two panels and then was like. what do I even put in the last panel. so I didn't work on it until a few days ago i think when I saw Wander posted their designs for the PJOL boys in the DE discord and I was like. Wow ! We could make an image out of this! i love them so much their designs are SO catered towards me personally. also I wanted to draw that scene anyway so

it's VERY obvious this was rushed to get it out on time (and then I didn't even get it out on time LOL) but whatever. I drawed a funny. Smiles

i was gonna put this under a readmore under my ACTUAL hot entropolic summer post but. yeah. didn't get it done on time. lol

[rc-writes]

𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐚𝐫𝐭𝐢𝐬𝐭 𝐚𝐧𝐝 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐨𝐮𝐭𝐥𝐚𝐰

𝙢𝙖𝙨𝙩𝙚𝙧𝙡𝙞𝙨𝙩𝙨 | 𝙩𝙖𝙜𝙡𝙞𝙨𝙩 𝙛𝙤𝙧𝙢 || 𝙥𝙖𝙧𝙩 𝙩𝙬𝙤

pairings: jj maybank x reader

warnings: none that i’m aware of

a/n: this is a bit different then what a have been writing, but the idea popped into my head and i just had to write it down. this may or may not just be a writer insert tho lol. i feel like i’m allowed to do that at least once lol. but anyways, i hope you all like this!

Spring was a beautiful time of year on the island. Garden flowers and wildflowers alike all began to bloom painting the town in a rainbow of colors. And while it was very pretty, most people in the Outer Banks on weeks like this could not wait for summer to fully hit so they could go swimming without having to freeze. While the air was getting warmer the water seemed to stay at the same freezing temperature. The spring air made it too hot to wear a nice hoodie, but too cold to jump in a pool.

You on the other hand could not have been more grateful for the cool temperature.

Less than a month ago a local restaurant on the higher society part of the island put out an ad looking for artists willing to paint a mural on the side of their building. It was to be a paid deal and they would throw in a few free meals. Normally many more known artists would jump at the chance to have their art featured on such a well known establishment, but the very short timeframe of two weeks deterred many away. It normally takes a while to come up with an idea good enough for such a big project. And it takes just as long to actually paint said idea.

And while the strict time restraints deterred many away, the offer of money and free food brought you in. That was why you were currently halfway up a ladder, paintbrush in hand, after coming up with a design two hours ago. The design in question being a giant version of the restaurant’s menu with a little painting of each dish next to its name.

“I'm all for defacing public property and all that, but I gotta say that is a weird way of doing it.” A voice from below suddenly called out making you jump and nearly drop your brush.

“What?” You called out, currently trying to catch your breath from being spooked. When you looked down you were met with blonde hair and blue eyes. Now you might have been catching your breath for a different reason.

“Most people just use spray paint if they want to cover the side of some building.” Oh he thinks you’re vandalizing or something.

“Oh, no. I’m actually getting paid to do this.” You correct the guy.

The blonde’s eyes looked around on the wall and spotted very purposeful sketch marks. “Yeah, yeah that makes more sense.”

“I don't think most people would want to spend all day on a ladder painting an entire wall without getting paid.” You joked.

“Definitely not with all those details and stuff. Possibly without the ladder part many would without a second thought if they were just using spray paint. Not that I have much experience with that.” The way he said the last sentence made you think he did in fact have much experience with it. “Anyways, how long have you been at this?”

You pulled your phone out of your back pocket to see what the time was. “About two hours-ish.”

The blonde shook his head in disbelief. “You did all of this in two hours?”

You shrugged, “The building already has a flat color on it, so I only had to mark out where I want to paint and what I want to paint in thin lines of white. It’s a fairly easy design so it didn’t take much effort.”

The blonde looked at you like you were crazy. What do you mean it didn’t take much effort? You drew an entire outline of the place’s full menu in two hours! Never in a million years could he have understood how anyone had enough talent to do anything besides draw a few stick figures.

“I’m going to pretend you didn’t just say that, that looks easy.” You laughed at this. “But how long do you have to finish the whole thing?”

“Two weeks.” You sighed, nerves setting in when you remembered again just how quickly you have to do this.

“Only two weeks? To paint an entire wall? Man, rich people are just plain weird.” He then remembered that school was still in and you looked about his age. “Wait, don’t you have school or something?”

“Yep, but I moved a grade ahead so I only have to go half a day now.” You replied. “So I’ll spend half a day in school and the other half here working on this.”

So you were smart and talented, were you sure you were even human at this point?

“Can I help then? You know, to speed up the process?” He had absolutely no artistic ability but the offer just kinda slipped out.

You were taken back by the sudden offer. Why would anyone want to spend hours on end just painting the same wall if they’ve never had any interest in art. Which from how taken back the blonde was by the whole ordeal you assumed he didn’t know much about painting.

“Well,” You began after taking a moment to think. “Considering I'm getting paid to do this and kinda need all the money I can get, I'm going to have to decline the offer.” It was true, you did need the money.

“Oh I'll do it for free.” Normally those words were only reserved for doing something stupid shit like jumping off of something but now he found himself wanting to spend more time with you.

“You’d really want to help?” You questioned. “Have you ever even painted anything before?”

“Well no,” He admitted. “But really, how hard can it be? Since you already have the outlines it's just like coloring in a coloring book, right? Just stay within the lines.”

You laughed at the naivety but decided to give him a chance anyway. Worst case scenario you just have to go over what he did. And even if that had to happen you still potentially made a new friend.

Over the hour the two of you talked about any topic that came to mind. You found out each other’s names, that you both grew up in The Cut, you had dreams of making a living making art, JJ was more of a “living in the moment type of guy” so he didn’t have a big dream as of the moment, you both had the same mindset to go wherever there was free food offered, etc.

By the end of the hour JJ decided that the little area he was working on was as good as it was going to get and looked up to see what progress you had made. Any and all confidence in what he did went out the window once he saw what you were working on. You didn’t think what you had painted was much of anything but in his eyes, it was absolutely amazing.

“How the hell did you get yours to look like that!?”

“My entire life’s worth of practice.” You laughed.

“Yeah, that's just a little bit more time that I have.”

“Just a little?” You questioned.

“Wow, that obvious?”

“Well…” You noticed that the chicken he was supposed to be painting didn’t exactly look like a chicken. “Just a little.” The both of you burst into a fit of laughter at this.

“Well anyways I should probably get going.” JJ spoke up once the laughter between you two died down. “Sorry for wasting your paint on this… uh, abstract chicken.”

“Oh don't worry, it's not mine. The owner had all of this paint and more just sitting in the back room from when they thought they could paint this themselves. They said it's all free game for me to use and that they'll get more later if needed. Well actually that very last part depends entirely on how they like this.”

“Well If they see even half of what I can see I’m sure they'll love it.” The both of you held similar shy smiles at this. “Anyway, I'm glad I got to talk to you before you go all kook with your paintings in those fancy museums in the mainland. Remember who ‘helped’ you paint your first wall when you're rich and famous!” The last line was yelled out as JJ made his way down the street.

You only hoped for one of those things to be true. Having your art hung up where so many people could see was a dream, but you hoped to see JJ again long before that became a possibility.

[readyforthegarden]

Silver Springs - Part Two

Masterlist

Pairing: Sam Kiszka x Original Female Character

Synopsis: The year was 1976, the season was summer. The days were hot and the nights were hotter. Music was the best it had ever been, especially rock music. Sam Kiszka has been riding the high of being in one of the top bands on the scene, but when his bands tour is accompanied by another up-and-coming band, with a lead singer that gets on his very last nerve, will everything come crashing down or will they end up making music that changes the world?

Warnings: Smoking, drinking, drug use 18+ only, Minors DNI

A/N: Thank you to everyone for being so kind and interested in this fic!! I'm so happy to be writing for Sam and to be having such fun!! Now just a heads up, I am not trying to write original lyrics for this work it would take me years to write a single chapter, so we're gonna pretend that Fleetwood Mac doesn't exist in this universe because you're gonna see them a lot, okay? Okay lmao. I love you guys, enjoy!!

WC: 2610

🎶 🎶 🎶

Three yeas and one nay was all it took, and Harlow and the Blue Jean Babies were added to the billing of Greta Van Fleets summer of ’76 tour. Sam watched as their bus pulled into the parking lot of the first venue, looking like an aluminum can on wheels. It parked a few yards from where he leaned against his own, and he watched the door open and the band filter off. 

He watched the dark brown tip of a boot step down onto the pavement, followed by another one. His eyes traveled up tanned legs to cut off jean shorts, a plain white t-shirt tucked into them. Traveling up further, he met Harlow’s cheeky smile, an unlit cigarette hanging from her lips. Her eyes were hidden behind large aviator sunglasses. Instead of following the band to the venue, she looked over to Sam, beginning to walk over to him. When she was only a few feet from him, she paused, taking the cigarette from her mouth.

“Got a light?” Sam reached into the front pocket of his blue jeans, wrapping his fist around the cool brass zippo. His movement was smooth as he brought it up, flicking the lid back producing a flame with his thumb on the trigger so fast, Harlow’s eyes widened in shock when he held it closer to her face. Composing herself, she leaned in, letting the paper and tobacco catch, before leaning back again and taking a deep drag. “Thanks.”

“No one on your bus has a lighter?” Sam asked, hoping his slightly annoyed tone would cut her down a peg.

“They do.” she answered with a smile as she blew the smoke out the corner of her mouth. Sam stared at her, that same self-assured attitude she’d had a year ago was there in her smile, and all he wanted to do was wipe it right off of her face.

“I’m not interested, kid.” Sam sniffed indifferently, hoping another blow to her ego would do it.  “You’re not my type.”

“Who said I was interested in you?” Harlow tilted her head to the side, a raised eyebrow peeking from behind her shaggy bangs. “I just needed a light and the others were already far ahead of me.”

“Yeah, sure.” Sam rolled his eyes. “They were really running to get to the dressing room for that plate of room temperature salami.”

“Yeah, Billy is all about those cold cuts.” Harlow shrugged as she moved her arm out to her side, tapping ash off the end of her cigarette. “Don’t flatter yourself Samuel. I’m not one of your groupies.”

“Then why are you so persistent in bugging me, Brandy?” Harlow’s grin grew wider as she drew another breath from the cigarette. 

“So you do remember me.” she let out a soft laugh.

“It took a minute, but I do.” Sam admitted. “You changed a lot.”

“Well, I read this interview in one of my favorite music magazines about being yourself. So I decided to do that.” Harlow smirked. “It just so happens there was another me that needed exploring.”

“Well your songs improved a bit.” Sam stuck his tongue in his cheek, trying to make the compliment seem as pointed and fake as he wanted.

“You haven’t heard anything yet.” Harlow replied fast, grinning.

“We’ll see if I hear anything at all,” Sam cleared his throat, beginning to move from the shade of his bus’ shadow. “The green room is awfully far from the stage. Might sneak a pre-show nap on the bus.”

“Rockstar life is already catching up to you at, what? Twenty-four?” Harlow quirked an eyebrow, dropping her half-finished cigarette and stomping it out with the toe of her boot. “Enjoy that nap, Sam. You’re gonna need it.” with that, Harlow turned and walked towards the venue. Sam watched her, taking in the sway of her hips as she walking through the sun. Her light brown hair shone in the light, making it almost a blonde. Once again, it shook out behind her as she propelled herself away from him confidently. 

Sam didn’t want to admit that Harlow’s confidence shook him. He sat in the dressing room with his brothers, his legs crossed, foot shaking vigorously. His fingers grazed along his chin, the rough patch of hair that he’d grown out. As they skated through the hairs, he tugged on the ends as he stared distractedly at the beige walls that had yellowed with years of cigarette smoke. 

He could hear her, her voice floating through the walls as she warmed up her voice in another room, broken up by laughter as her bandmates filtered in and out of the room, talking excitedly about their first show on a big tour. 

“Are you okay?” Sam glanced up to see Danny standing near him, raising an eyebrow quizzically. “You seem a little keyed up in the wrong way.” Sam regarded his best friend, chewing on his bottom lip. He wanted to tell Danny what was bugging him, but…what was bugging him? Danny didn’t know the history between Sam and Harlow, and even if he did, it wasn’t one wrought with details. 

Sam quickly went over the imaginary conversation in his head, him telling Danny all of the small events leading up to this current agitated state, hearing the honest tone of the formers voice telling him to get over himself, that Harlow was just some chick and there wasn’t anything to be upset about.

“No, I’m just a little anxious about the show.” Sam shook his head, giving Danny what he hoped was a reassuring smile. “New tour, new songs…don’t know how the crowd will respond.”

“No matter how they do, it’s gonna be okay.” Danny grinned, resting a hand on Sam’s shoulder. “We know it’s our best work yet, and that’s what matters.”

“Thanks, Daniel.” Sam tapped Danny’s hand before standing up, shaking himself out a little bit and going over to the table with their rider goodies, making himself a drink. Walking out of the green room, he sipped it, the bite of tequila with his soda soothing his nerves somewhat. He walked over to the the wings of the stage, listening to the crowd that had filtered in rumble, the excited energy filtering through the thick curtain on that hid the stage hands setting up the Blue Jean Babies instruments.

As their flashlights whipped around, Sam caught movement from the other side of the stage. As his eyes adjusted, he saw Harlow pacing. She kept her jean shorts and boots, but traded in the t-shirt for a crocheted halter top, two ties holding it in place. One behind her neck, the other the middle of her back. The strings peeked through the long, black lace duster she wore, billowing out around her as she turned. Sam watched as her lips moved, her hands moving as if she were dancing along with the words. 

Harlow turned once more, she glanced up, eyes darting across the movement of the roadies and over to Sam. Even across the twenty odd feet of stage, he could see her eyes widen as she realized he had been watching. There were dark spots all across her nose and cheek that Sam couldn’t make out, but in an instant, she spun on her heel, briskly walking away from the wings, her duster floating out behind her as she disappeared into the dark.

“Hey, uh,” Sam nearly jumped out of his skin, turning to see Billy standing next time, his guitar already around his shoulder and in his hand. “You got any words of wisdom for performing to a sold-out arena? I think I’m about to shit my pants.”

“Yeah,” Sam chuckled, clapping a hand on Billy’s shoulder like he was about impart the wisdom of centuries of study. “Don’t shit your pants.” Billy laughed, shaking his head. 

“Thanks, I appreciate the wise words.”

“Any time, man.” Sam laughed again. “Break a leg.”

“Thanks!” Sam watched as one of the bands roadies went out to the stage, in front of the curtain, and a beam of light lit him up. The crowd began roaring as the Blue Jean Babies took their places on the stage, exchanging excited glances. It reminded Sam of how he and his own brothers looked when they played their first big venue. The nerves of playing to a crowd that large, no matter how many smaller shows added up doubled it, the giddiness of feeling like you’ve finally made it. 

While the roadie made the announcement, riling the crowd up, Sam glanced over to the opposite wing again, seeing Harlow standing there. A small, closed mouth smile tugged at her lips, almost serene as her eyes were closed, deep breaths raising her chest. The crowd roared even louder as the roadie screamed out the bands name, and the curtain dropped and the lights went up. The roadie dragged the mic stand back into place, the silk and chiffon scarves that had been tied to it fluttering in the wind, and Billy began playing the intro to their first song, their drummer, Paul playing out the beat. Sam’s eyes stayed on Harlow as her own opened, turning towards the crowd before grinning, taking one last deep breath and stepping out on stage. Shouts and screams were heard as she did, and she waved to the audience, taking her place at the microphone.

“Now here you again, you say you want your freedom. 

Well who I am I to keep you down? 

It’s only right that you should play the way you feel it, 

but listen carefully to the sound of your loneliness.” 

Harlow’s voice was enchanting, Sam finding himself nearly taking steps out on stage to get closer, to hear her more clearly. The crowd moved along with her, even for a slower song opening the show, it kept their attention, got them moving. As she performed, Sam caught light reflecting off her face, and realized that she’d adhered silver sequins to her face like freckles.

“Like a heartbeat, drives you mad

In the stillness of remembering what you had

And what you lost

And what you had

And what you lost”

The drums led into the chorus, and Sam had to admit he got a little chill when Harlow’s voice melded together with Billy’s on the harmonies.

“Oh, thunder only happens when it's raining

Players only love you when they're playing

Say, women, they will come and they will go

When the rain washes you clean, you'll know

You'll know”

“I think we made the right decision,” Sam glanced next to him, seeing Danny standing next to him again. “They hypnotize the crowd, and we melt their faces off.”

“Interesting choice of opening song, I’ll admit that.” Sam tried to brush off the compliment to the band. “Could’ve put the crowd to sleep.”

“No, I think she knows exactly what she’s doing.” Danny shook his head. “You shouldn’t be so down about them. They all seem really nice so far.”

“Yeah, they do.”

“Remember how annoying we were when we were first touring with bigger bands?” Danny nudged Sam gently in the ribs. “Give them some grace.”

“Who said I’m not?”

“No one, but I’ve been your best friend since forever. I can read you like a book.” Sam grimaced slightly but shrugged it off. “Play nice, Sammy.”

“I am always nice.” Sam defended himself with a pout. Danny shook his head, sighing. 

“Just, don’t fuck this up.” Danny looked from Sam to Harlow. “For any of us.” Sam rolled his eyes, leaving Danny in the wings to go back to the green room. The audacity of Danny to think Sam wanted anything to do with Harlow was enough to boil his blood. A feeling that stuck with him through his own performance, and up to the after party. Roadies, crew and performers mingled around the hotel bar. One last night in Los Angeles before they set out for the road.

Sam leaned against the bar, taking in the scene of bodies threading around one another, drinks clinking and laughs echoing. Sam’s eyes fell upon Josh, who was talking animatedly to someone that was blocked by other bodies. In one hand he held a joint, and Sam watching the trail of smoke follow it around as Josh gesticulated. Suddenly, he slowed, holding out the joint. Sam’s brow furrowed as his brother never relaxed from the outstretched position, and as bodies shifted, he could now see Harlow, sitting cross-legged on the table, leaning down and taking a drag as Josh watched her, his own eyes glassy.

“So, you wanna get out of here?” Sam glanced down, seeing a woman leaning against his shoulder. Her manicured hand was running up and down his arm and Sam rolled his eyes.

“Do I know you?” he asked boredly. The woman looked slightly off-guard, then smirked.

“No, but you want to.”

“I’m afraid I don’t.” Sam pulled away from her touch. “But maybe a roadie will. Tony’s been looking a little lonely lately, go say hi.” Sam pointed across the bar and gently pushed the woman in the opposite direction. Downing his beer, he set the empty bottle on the bar, deciding he’d had enough revelry for one night. 

Stepping into the elevator to go to his room, he hit the button, leaning against the back wall and closing his eyes.

“Wait! Hold the elevator!” Sam’s eyes popped open and he instinctually moved, putting his hand in the doors, holding them the best he could from closing. “Thank you.”

“My pleasu-oh, it’s you.”

“Hello to you too, Samuel.” Harlow rolled her eyes, going to press the third floor button.  “Don’t worry, I’m not here to bother you. I don’t know what your brother puts in his joints but I need to go lay down.”

“I’ve asked a few times, but he won’t give up his secrets.” Sam sighed. “I’ve learned not to partake too much with him.” Harlow rubbed her eyes, smudging the makeup she’d adorned, a few of the sequins falling off her cheeks. 

“I’ll know better for next time.” Harlow leaned back, tilting her head up to the large square fluorescent light. The two rode in silence, save for the soft, slow breaths they emitted. Sam glanced at her out of the corner of his eye, seeing her eyes closed again, that small, serene smile on her lips. Though this time it may be from the weed she smoked instead of the energy of a large crowd cheering for her. 

“Are you going to be okay?” Sam asked softly. Harlow opened her eyes slowly, turning and smiling at him as the elevator doors opened on the third floor.

“I’ll be just fine.” she murmured. “Goodnight, Sam. I’ll see you tomorrow.”

“Goodnight, Harlow.” Sam watched her step out of the elevator. “We’ll see.”

“We’ll see always means no.” Harlow laughed. 

“Does it?” Sam quirked an eyebrow.

“You never asked your mother for something and have her say that?” Harlow asked back. Sam nodded. “And did you ever get what you asked for?” Sam thought for a moment, realizing that the young woman was right.

“No, can’t say that I have.” Sam tried to keep himself from smirking.

“I’ll see you when I see you then.” Harlow held Sam’s gaze for a few moments before turning and going to find her room. As the doors closed Sam felt a small flutter in his gut at the exchange. Maybe Harlow wasn’t going to be so bad to deal with. Maybe he could get through this tour and even be her friend at the end of it. Just, maybe.

🎶 🎶 🎶

Taglist: @joshsindigostreak @ascendingtostardust @sammysprincess @sammykiszkamyass @belovedsamuel @sunfl0wer-power @indigo-starcatcher @sammyscherub @earthlysorrows @lvnterninthenight @allieisacrybaby @losfacedevil @xserenax-13 @sarakay-gvf @shutupdevvie @myownparadise96 @watchingovergvff @gretavanfleetposts @sacredthefran @josiee-gvf @joshkiszkatoothgap @madneedshelp @gardensgatedaisy @demonrat444 @writingcold @dannyandthekiszkas @lightmylove-gvf @tearsofbri @paleshadow-ofadragon @happy-harpy-stuff @like-a-woman-in-a-dream @starshine-wagner @objectsinspvce @josh-iamyour-mama @mountain-in-springtime @cal-a-bungaa @capturethechaos @jankandjonch @gvfpal

@allybjt @hippievanfleet @weightofbrokenbells @joshkiszkasbadussy @malany-gvf @ruby0antlers @samofthedawn @sacredjake @aim4thedoublee @diditallforyouu @gvfmarge @highladyofasgard @sammysvanfeet@gold-mines-melting @earthgrlsreasy @mountain-in-springtime @forcebond301 @stardust-and-shadows @llightmyllovee @gretavangroupie @comesofarsomehow @starcatcherkiszka @indigofallingsky @hellowgoodbye @madneedshelp

[mxrtified777]

y’know what. what scents do the ibvs boys wear.

RUBS HANDS TOGETHER

So when i originally picked out colognes for the ibvs boys, i just kind of went off whatever i knew at the time instead of actual fragrance profiles and categories, which led to them all only being somewhat well aligned and just. not well organized all in all, but the SECOND time i did it, i actually made a chart of the fragrance categories and sorted the ibvs boys by seasons (fragrances are seasonal for anyone who didnt know) so i could align the notes easier; so, in my opinion:

Isaac is an autumn and leans towards woody orientals and, to a lesser degree, floral oriental; Edward is a summer and leans towards aquatic and citrusy notes; Drew could be an autumn or a spring and leans towards woody and soft oriental notes; Nevin is an autumn or a winter and leans towards orientals and soft orientals, Chris is a spring or a winter and leans towards dry woods and aromatics (and probably gourmands tbh), and Barry is a spring who leans towards greens and citruses. good lord that was a lot but were not done yet because i have a few actual colognes picked out for some of them :)

Santal 33 for Isaac; simple and woody, a little spicy and a little floral; not super complex, but this fragrance is super iconic amongst fragrance lovers.

Black Phantom for Chris; I can't NOT give a gourmand cologne for Chris. That would be borderline criminal. The notes of alcohol and tobacco align quite nicely with his daddy issues if i do say so myself. (Also, Ky mentioned ages ago that Chris would be the coffee lover of the boys, and i just remembered that years later)

Kingdom of Dreams for Nevin; When i fucking tell you it took me 7 million years to find a good smoky cologne for Nevin. Jesus H Christ. Anyways. Warm, earthy, and smoky notes just give me an image of either a bonfire or a ritual in the deepest part of the woods gone horribly wrong. either way, it's fitting for him, and i love it.

Light Blue for Barry; One of. the hottest colognes I've ever had the pleasure of smelling. 100% a Hot Guy cologne, I, too, would trust my darkest secrets and personal information to a guy if he was wearing this. 10/10 I would wear it, but unfortunately, it's not a fragrance for me.

Acqua di Gio for Edward; A very, VERY popular cologne, truly iconic, he is the moment, i swear to god 90% of guys have owned this cologne at some point, but it is popular for a reason. I think it would he hilarious if Felix also wore this simply because it fits almost every category of guy.

and lastly, Dead Sexy for Drew; The fragrance notes on that image simply say "woody," so you would assume the vanilla and sweet notes would be dominant ones, but this 100% smells like moss on decaying trees in the most Drew way imaginable. I can not believe this wasn't tagged with aromatic because that is absolutely the best way to describe it. It smells like how the sun dries the moss on old trees after days of heavy rain, and it's one of my favorites.

Thank you for coming to my TedTalk, this has been Chris Combining His Hyperfixations Together Like Playdough.

[illogicalnordictales]

As promised, here’s the part 2 of the last post: y’know, the one about being a language major and how the “Drunk & Angry Swastika Language” was only halfway a joke. Yeah, that one.

I dunno man, I just work here.

So I’m a history nerd. Specifically military history. European military history.

And so things like the Great War, World War II, the Talvisota, things like that, interest me.

But not only that, I’ve got a dark sense of humor, and used to run an Instagram page based off military history memes.

And then it got banned.

And then I made a new one.

Anyway, so all of this made my high school life a concoction for rumors.

Started by this one girl. I don’t like her so we’re gonna use her real name: Brooklynne.

Anyway, she didn’t really like me. I didn’t like her. She was a jerk.

And also Jewish. (I promise, this has something to do with the story.)

So one day in my sophomore year in high school, I get into my Italian class, and I’m just keeping to myself, getting settled and ready for class to start. When I hear someone call my name.

So I glanced up, and I see Brooklynne and one of her friends standing a few feet away. And Brooklynne is looking nervous. And so once they got my attention, her friend asks me,

“Do you like Nazis?”

“…why?”

“Your laces.”

Now, mind you, she asked me this after I spend all year walking into class with a German military jacket (with the current flag, not the flag of the 3rd Reich, don’t worry), and made jokes about Communism. And she’s asking about my LACES? Bruh. Anyway, I wore these black combat boots to school (still do), but they had red laces on the (I don’t have them anymore, now it’s black on black). And for those who don’t know the shoelace code:

Red laces on black Doc Martens were code for “I am a Nazi” and/or “I support Nazis.”

I don’t have Docs. I don’t want docs. I’ll take my nice cheaper comfy combat booths over Docs any day, thank you.

But I’m also not a Nazi. So I replied to them with, “No, I just like the contrast in colors.”

And I thought that was the end of that.

It wasn’t. The next year, a rumor started floating around that I was a Nazi. I don’t know exactly who started it, but I’ve got a pretty good idea on who did.

It got to the point where even people who had never met me would go, “Oh Illogical? She’s a Nazi, right?”

One guy literally wouldn’t even associate with me because of it. It was crazy.

Thankfully, over the summer the rumor died out.

And then about 2 weeks ago, I get a text from my friend. Sending me a picture of the hood of his car, where someone had drawn a swastika on the hood. And he’s like, “What is this?”

And I’m like, “I didn’t do it. Plus, it’s not even the Nazi one. It’s the Hindu one. The Nazi one is on an angle, that one would need to be rotated 45° for it to be the Nazi one.”

Yeahhh, I betchu didn’t know there were TWO different types of swastikas.

Now you do.

Anyway, with that single piece of knowledge I cleared my name instantly, because very few people know that fact.

But then he was like, “So who did it?”

Like bruh I’unno, it wasn’t my turn to watch your car like a hawk and make sure no one drew a swastika on it.

And bro literally pulled the “You’re a language major” card.

And he was then like, “I thought you did it. Also, being a German major made it more likely you’d be a facist.”

HAH idiot. Nonono. Being a German major would mean I’m more careful about what I do to not give that vibe.

Like suuure, I like making jokes about the Holocaust. Suuure, I take in interest in European and German military history.

FACIST, SHE MUST BE A FACIST. SHE’S A FILTHY RIGHT WING SKINHEAD.

(Guys my ego is fragile and I’m not a Skinhead. Don’t send the liberals after me, I’m not one of them, they’ll draw and quarter me)

Like hah guys let’s be real here. If I was a facist, I wouldn’t be out loud and proud about it. That’s like going to Hot Topic at 10 P.M.

That’s how you die.

Anyway, little hint for later, if anyone ever accuses you of being a Nazi, there are many ways you can go about it:

1) Do literally nothing.

2) Say, “No I’m not.” (Extra points if you pull the “That’s the wrong swastika” card)

3) Stare them dead in the eye. Straighten your back, put your heels together, and raise your right arm about 45°. Then, yell, “HEIL HITLER!” (Extra points if you’re in college at a very liberal or left wing college.) Then, you go about life like nothing happened.

✨You’re welcome for this useless anecdote✨

Note: The last option is entirely satirical. Don’t attack me in the comments. If you do, you’re uninvited to my birthday party. If you do it, and you get shot, that’s not my fault, nor is it my problem.

[starlitangels]

Office Hours

A few days ago I asked for suggestions for Avior one-shots because I missed him and was going crazy. This one came from @zozo-01 1.9k words

—

Knock-knock-knock-knock-knock!

I scrunched my eyebrows and looked up from my computer. “C… come in?” I asked hesitantly. Who else would be here this late? A few months ago, the only coworker who stayed here so late was Lasko. But after that Inversion, he’d been promoted to the admin board and moved offices. He wasn’t in the general faculty-office building anymore. He’d moved to the administrative building’s top floor.

The door creaked open on its old hinges. “I thought you might be hungry,” a familiar voice said. I jolted, realizing it was Avior standing in the half-light.

“Avior!” I smiled tiredly.

He gave me a concerned look and lifted my insulated lunchbox. “Brought you some food.”

“Oh Avior—thank you,” I said.

He stepped into my office and sat in one of the discount armchairs across from my desk where students usually sat during office hours. “So… how are these term papers?”

I looked down at my computer keyboard. “I… don’t know how to answer that politely.”

“Then don’t bother. It’s just you and me here.”

I sucked in a breath and let my head fall onto my desk. “They’re so… they’re just so… some of them really aren’t trying at all. I have one student—one—who is putting forth an incredible amount of effort to do well in this class. None of the others seem to care.”

Avior sighed. “I know the feeling. To a different extent, of course. But I had a handful of students I stewarded who… didn’t care to learn anything more than the very basics.” He shrugged. “To their detriment, I suppose.”

I hummed agreement and sat up. “Yeah, I suppose so.”

“C’mon. Eat, my starlight,” Avior said, unzipping the lunchbox and pushing it across my desk at me. I drew it even closer and stuck my hand in, pulling out its contents.

“Oh you’re trying to spoil me, are you?” I teased. “A warm thermos of soup after a long, hard day? Someone knows how to do comfort food.”

He chuckled. “Maybe I just know you.”

“Maybe so.”

“Talk to me, my love,” he said as I unscrewed the cap of the thermos and pored some of the soup into it.

“About?”

“Something’s weighing on you. Talk to me.”

I sucked in a deep breath and blew on the soup to cool it off. “It’s just… been a really long day. Long week. Month. Semester. I’m glad it’s almost over.” I rubbed my eyes—then my temples.

Avior was giving me a sympathetic look when I peeled my eyes open. “How much longer is this semester?”

I glanced at the calendar on my computer. “Two weeks. Long enough for me to get these papers graded and review with my students for the final—and then I’m free for a while.”

“Not teaching any summer courses?”

I shook my head. “They don’t need me to this summer. For the first time in…” I grunted. “Years.”

“Really?”

“Again: I’ve been working here for years. I finally have enough seniority that some of the younger professors get to fill in summer courses that I normally would have been saddled with.”

“You’re also only a part-time professor. Isn’t the majority of your job research?”

I shrugged. “In theory. Not often in practice. D.A.M.N. is only marginally better than D.U.M.P. when it comes to the ratio of being overworked and underpaid. I do the work of two people for the wage of one. But I just… I don’t think I can ever leave this kind of space. I… you know me. I have to learn.”

That prompted Avior to break the concerned expression into a smile. “I know, my starlight. I don’t know what you’d do with yourself if you couldn’t keep learning.”

“I’d drive myself up the walls, for one thing,” I remarked. I knocked back the whole lid of the thermos. The soup was still warm but not blistering hot. It hit my tongue with the comforting taste of home. Sure hot soup was probably a little much for June in southern California’s weather but I was comforted by it nonetheless. I set the lid down on my desk to pour a little more soup into it to cool off again.

“Starlight, what can I do to help you?” Avior asked.

“Keep me company while I finish the next few papers? Then we can go home?”

“Okay. I can do that.”

I smiled softly at him and wiggled my mouse to brighten my computer screen. Avior settled back in the uncomfortable armchair, looking around my office. I went back to grading, trying to focus.

It wasn’t my fault that my demon lover was hot and it was distracting.

I barely finished the paper I’d been reading when he came in before I posted my comments and shut the computer down. “Let’s go home,” I said.

“Already?”

“Turns out I can’t focus when an exquisitely beautiful demon is waiting for me.”

He bit his lower lip as he smiled, almost looking sheepish, almost looking impish. “I mean, I can rift home if you—”

“No. I need to be done for the night anyway. I can finish the rest tomorrow.” I almost lunged across the desk to keep him from rifting. He chuckled and caught my hand, sweeping it up to his lips to press a kiss to it.

“Tempting as it is to simply move some things off your desk and get right to it here,” he began, “I think we’d both be more comfortable back home.”

“Mm… but we can table that first concept for a later date, yeah?” I teased.

“Oh definitely. Part of the fun of having a professor partner is getting heated after office hours. Or, at least, that’s what I’m told.” He tugged me to my feet. I knocked back the lid of the thermos again before screwing it back on. I’d eat more of it in the car.

“That’s a hypothesis we’ll have to test.” I put the thermos back in the lunchbox.

“Oh but for it to be a true experiment, it requires multiple tests, right?” Avior drew me close to him, sliding one hand around my waist to rest on my lower back. Dangerously low on my lower back. He leaned in close. The feeling of his magic zinging the skin inside my nose. Magic didn’t necessarily have a scent, but I always felt it in my nose as though smelling something spicy.

His lips pressed to mine. I kissed him back, letting him nibble at my lower lip and stick his tongue in my mouth.

“Repeatable… results?” he added. “To formulate a conclusion… Is that how it goes?”

I’m sure it was, but at the moment all thoughts had been effectively driven out of my head by everywhere he was touching me. I made a noise that more akin to a moan than a, “Uh-huh.”

Avior’s touch—and warmth—disappeared. He took a step back, almost all the way to the door in one stride. A tiny whine of protest left my throat.

Avior just laughed. “Home, starlight?” He indicated the door.

I nodded decisively. “Home.”

—

“So, based on the research, humans eventually came to the conclusion that our magical Cores exist in what we refer to as ‘phased duality.’ How many of you here know how to use Stealth magic to phase?” I asked.

A few half-hearted hands lifted into the air and I caught pursed lips and avoiding eye contact of people who did but didn’t want to admit it. I’d taught plenty long enough to recognize that look.

The door at the back opened. Up the ramp, I saw Avior slide into the room and lean against the wall, folding his arms and looking impassive after shooting me a wink. Very rarely on Terra did he wear his horns on display, and today was no exception. Though I could see how his magic wavered at his head to keep them hidden.

I nodded at my class, trying not to fidget in embarrassment. “Just like a sufficiently-powerful Stealth can pass through walls, simultaneously there and not there at the same time, our Cores are in our chests and not in our chests at the same time.” I took a deep breath, bracing just slightly for what was to come. “Any questions?”

All I was met with were blank stares. The crowd of students in the lecture hall didn’t even know what to ask. I looked around.

“Alright. Looks like everyone is confused. It’s a bizarre bit of anatomy to understand, I get that.” I sucked in a deep breath. “Alright. We’ll expound on it next time. Class dismissed.”

My students stood in a wave and filed out the doors at the back of the lecture hall.

“Professor?” A student approached me, tucking their textbook under their arm. The familiar aura of a Freelancer touched my senses. They were the one student who actually tried on their work. A kind soul who always had good questions. I suspected they were humanborn.

“Yes?” I smiled at them.

They fidgeted. “Do we know why humans can’t bridge with demons?”

My gaze immediately flicked to Avior, up at the back of the auditorium-style lecture hall, before turning back to my student. “Bridging requires Threads. It’s those Threads that weave the bridge. That synchronize the rhythm between the two Cores. Demons don’t have Threads. Our magic has to travel down them from the magical plane and into our Cores. Demons don’t have Cores. Their magic comes from within their own bodies. They don’t need Threads.” I took a deep breath. “Our kinds’ relationships to magic in general is too different to allow us to bridge between us.”

They nodded. “So it has nothing to do with the phased duality of our Cores and everything to do with the fact that demons don’t have Cores,” they said.

Over their shoulder, I saw Avior nod in approval.

“Precisely,” I replied.

My Freelancer student nodded. “Thank you, professor. Have a good afternoon.” They turned and rushed out of the lecture hall.

Once they were gone, Avior and I were alone in the room. I packed up my things into my shoulder bag and slung it on while Avior strolled down the ramp, hands in the pockets of his jeans. He leaned against the teacher’s table at the front of the lecture hall.

“Hi,” I greeted, finally getting the last of my things put away.

Avior smiled softly at me. “Hi,” he replied.

“What’re you doing here?”

He shrugged. “You’re almost done for the semester. Thought I’d drop by and watch you teach for a minute.”

“Why?”

His grin grew playful. “It’s sexy watching you work.”

I burst out laughing. “What, watching me teach?”

“Watching you own the room with your knowledge.” He leaned closer, nose nearly touching mine. “You certainly had… all of my attention, at least.”

“For a different reason than my students, I hope.”

Avior paused for a moment. “I dunno. A couple of your students definitely had energy a Concubus could snack on, watching you. I can’t say I blame them, but you’re mine.”

“Absolutely.”

Avior kissed me, deep and sensually, cupping my face to keep me close. “That was your last class of the day, right?” His whisper brushed across my lips and cheeks.

“Mmhmm,” I replied.

“Office hours?”

“I don’t do office hours on Tuesday.”

“So we get to go home?”

“We definitely can.”

“What are we waiting for, then?”

I smiled. “Let’s get outta here.”

[joannaliangart]

Earrings I made this summer! I'd been on the lookout for fun earrings to buy whenever I went to anywhere that'd be selling trinkets, but I'm very picky with my earrings... So I was like. Hey I should just make my own!!!

btw the fish ones are based on this incredible fish plushie I got from a thrift store made by a local artist in Steveston, as the tag it came with said. But the artist's name wasn't on it so I don't know who specifically made them... So the fish design isn't my original idea I just loveee this lil plush so much I had to turn him into earrings!!

They all turned out pretty fuckin good I love them so much GOD it took so long but it was so worth it I have SO much fun wearing these... There are polymer clay ones and shrink plastic ones; I used pencil crayons to colour the shrink plastic and put UV resin over them (which was so spooky lol I hate the idea of working with resin and I did my best to be safe working with it orz The resin finish does feel soooo nice tho I'm glad I did it) and then set them out in the hot summer sun for a day or two to cure.

wip photos:

Sketching out earring ideas (+some doodles of Candle Light in the corner lol):

polymer clay wip +linking the fruity one:

I have a bunch of chains and jump rings from old unwanted jewelry I took apart, which was perfect for adding additional details and beads etc. Earring hooks I got a few years ago from when I was making earrings to sell at the student art sale (+bonus you can see the lil fish plushie those earrings are based on haha)

I really love earrings with lil dangly trinkets, I want to feel like a bunch of keychains!! It's grounding and nice (sometimes its sensorily too much for me lol but I usually just vibe check in the morning to see if I'm feeling up to wearing one with a lot of jangly bits and that works fine. plus I can just take em off if needed whatevs)

For the shrink plastic I drew the designs digitally first n printed them out so I could trace them onto the plastic.

+bonus a v shitty video I took of the nasturtium shrink plastic one in the oven (its v fun to watch it curl. too bad the lil toaster oven window is so dirty lol)

[daydreaming-in-letters]

Atonement

01/07/2022

Pairing: Geralt of Rivia x fem!reader (3rd person)

Word Count: 2,393

Warnings: fingering, vaginal sex, fluff

Summary: Geralt finds his love in a hot spring after a sheer endless monster hunting season.

A/N: Water is my favourite element and somehow my mind seems to think it is the perfect match for my beloved Witcher. I wrote smut with Geralt in the water before, but I'm not even remotely sorry for doing it again.

Picture found on Pinterest

If you like my story, you are very welcome to like, comment or reblog. Please don’t copy, repost or share my work on other platforms.

A knowing smile curled both ends of his Cupid’s bow upwards as he broke through the line of fir trees. His senses had picked up her presence a good while ago, but now as a fresh gust of her scent invaded his nostrils, there could be no doubt she was really here.

Careful not to slip on the glazed rocks, he drew closer. With every step he took, he could feel the icy chill of the winter morning vanish, and soon clouds of pleasantly warm steam engulfed him, thawing his frozen bones and heart alike.

Despite the early hour, a few birds had picked up their song already, and their sweet melody mixed with the soft gurgling and murmuring of the stream that crawled along the foot of the mountain a good distance beneath the plateau that lay ahead of him. The stony path led him around a corner—the last one, he thought, before his eyes would finally find what they had been longing to see for more than half a year.

And what a sight she was, the ethereal beauty of the scene taking him completely by surprise. For a moment, he had to stop walking, afraid his feet might stumble like his heart did. Surrounded by the mist that rose from the surface of the natural pool, her face was veiled from his famished eyes. As was most of her body, enveloped by the white water that left him nothing to feed upon than the hint of two curves that sparked the memory of a breathtakingly soft globe nestled in his large palm.

A pleased hum left his chest in a cloud of hot air when his eyes found the necklace he had given her, the small stone that was attached to it dangling teasingly in the valley of her breasts. He had brought it home for her after a particularly successful monster hunting season, when there was still some extra coin to spare. The moment he had spotted it, he knew it would look stunning around her neck, the stone a perfect match with the colour of her vibrant eyes, and the way it glistened in the first light of day now proved him right once again.

It was almost impossible to tear his eyes away from it, but when he did, he was rewarded with the alluring line of her silky neck. The urge to press his lips against her pulse point and feel the rhythm of her steady heart begin to hitch and flutter as his hands would set out to explore her body was almost too much to bare, his cock already straining against its refinements.

And when his gaze met hers at last and noticed the same ravenous hunger in her sparkling orbs that threatened to consume him, had done for so many torturous days and nights, his hands began to work on their own accord. His eyes never left hers, afraid this might just be another dream, his fingers blindly freeing his body of his cloak, his shirt and trousers.

The stutter in her breath as he was finally bared to her watchful gaze made him chuckle and he enjoyed every second of his slow stride towards the edge of the pool, her eyes roaming his naked flesh in anticipation of the pleasure that was about to befall both of them.

He was beautiful, her witcher, just like she remembered him. Maybe with a few more scars here and there, but there were always new marks on his skin after a summer of fighting monsters and men alike. And as much as she hated the pain they had caused, she loved caressing them while he held her in his arms and his calming voice told her the tales of their origin.

Suddenly a twinkle flitted across his amber orbs that shone almost golden in the warm light of the sunrise and before she knew what was happening he dove into the milky water headfirst, his massive body making hardly any sound as it broke through the surface and vanished from view. Only seconds later, he was with her, calloused fingers reaching out to graze her touch-starved skin, gliding up her sides eagerly, before, with a gasp, his white hair and massive shoulders rose from the water and he pulled her against his chest.

There was no more time to waste, they had both waited long enough for this moment, and so her fingers dove into his wet locks and brought his lips to hers. She shivered upon the familiar taste, a moan forcing her lips apart to grant him access. And he gladly seized his chance, his tongue gliding along her lips to find hers in a tender dance. In a heartbeat, all the yearning and heartache washed away under his sure touch. He was home.

But still there was this sting she felt, making her pull away and coaxing a displeased grunt from his mouth. Puzzled eyes looked at her from underneath a pair of eyebrows that were knit together tightly.

“You’re late,” she sulked, her eyes darkening dangerously. And yet, her grim expression pulled a bemused grin onto his lips.

“Your scent was still fresh when I followed you here. You can only have arrived a few minutes ago yourself.”

Her palms pressed against his pecs to force her way out of his irritatingly bewitching embrace, but his arms only tightened their hold.

“You know that’s not what I meant,” she pressed out, her fists drumming weakly against his chest.

“I’m sorry, my love.” Even with one arm, he was strong enough to secure her body to his, his free hand cupping her head as his lips pressed a sweet kiss to her damp hair. “I had to take a minor detour.”

“Huh,” she huffed against his shoulder, “I came here every day for almost three weeks but you never showed and that’s all I get as an apology? Don’t you dare think I will forgive such neglect easily.”

A deep chuckle rolled through his chest and caused another shiver to crawl along her skin.

“I’d hoped you’d say that.” And when his lips pressed against her ear to whisper his next words, she couldn’t hold back the wild moan any longer that revealed her true need for him. “I’m fully prepared to work for your forgiveness.”

He manoeuvred her body through the water with ease, and next thing she knew, she found her back pressed against his firm chest, one arm slung around her middle to keep her locked in place. She squirmed under his tight grip, just a little as she was determined not to make it too easy for him, but when his free hand set out to reacquaint himself with every dip and every curve of her body, she slowly stopped her antics and gave in to his touch. He purred like a giant cat as his fingers took the liberty of exploring her body freely, the vibrations of his chest rolling against her back and seeping into her skin with the effect of a soothing balm.

“Geralt.” Her soft sigh was almost inaudible against the sloshing of the stream that echoed through the silence of the early morning, and yet his triumphant chuckle told her he had heard it.

“Am I forgiven already, my love?”

He was. He had been since the moment his familiar form had broken through the mist and she had seen that yearning for her in his glowing eyes. But where would be the fun in telling him that? And so she took his hand in hers and guided it along her stomach, all the way down until his fingers rested upon the last barrier that stood between her and her pleasure.

“Not yet.”

There was no hesitance in his movement as his fingers glided in between the warmth of her petals. Usually, he liked to tease her, taking his time to drive her to the edge of reason in a constant spiral of indulgence and denial as his fingers worked her with a surety he had perfected over the years, but not now. Now he was determined on reminding her why it had been worth waiting for him all summer, why no one else would ever do, why she was his.

It didn’t take much after months and months of missing his touch. A few slow circles, the right amount of pressure, and his quiet hums of desire close to her ear were enough to bring her close. He could feel it before she did, in the tensing of her body, the hitch in her breath and the beautiful sound of her racing heart. And still, she refused to give in.

“Let go, my love.” Gently his lips touched her cheek as he spoke, his grip tightening just a little. “Let go for me.”

Word for word, he broke the last resistance and she let the wave wash over her. And it almost consumed her. As if her body and mind had separated for a moment, she lost control over her physical form completely, shaking and trembling in his arm unashamedly in the knowledge that he would hold her, no matter what.

It was only when her breath began to even out and her pulse started to slow that he loosened his hold, just a tad, but enough to allow her to turn, her legs locking around his hips instantly. He could feel the heat of her sex upon his, testing his patience as it ignited a hunger he had been forced to fight back for more than half a year now. And as if that wasn’t challenge enough already, she pulled herself closer until her lips were mere inches away from his own and her honeyed breath caressed his lips as she spoke.

“Are you prepared to work a little more for my forgiveness?”

He thought he might lose his sanity when she let herself sink down on him as soon as she had finished her question. He had almost forgotten how velvety soft she felt around him, embracing him like no other and it took him everything to press out the words against the all-consuming sensation.

“If this is what it takes, I hope you’ll never forgive me.”

Unwavering fingers dug into supple globes, guiding her up and down the length of his shaft and through the haze of their long awaited union he could feel everything—her pebbled buds moving against his fur, the gentle flutter of her walls, increasing with every stroke, her blood, rushing through her veins at full speed, her breath, scorching hot on his lips, drifting through the small opening of his own to invade his lungs and fill every fibre of his body with her, only her.

“Y/N.”

Just one word, one name, yet it held so much emotion that her heart threatened to overflow from the joy it sparked. To finally hear it fall from his mouth after all the time she had just imagined him saying it, would have been reason enough to fill her with unadulterated bliss, but the emotion it held—the desire, the possessiveness, the love—almost drove her insane with happiness.

Not long before her senses picked up the telltale signs of his nearing peak. His member twitching and swelling inside of her, his mouth sinking into the crook of her neck, sucking and licking her pulse point, his fingers tightening their grip to secure her against him, and his grunts, those deep, desperate sounds of desire that rumbled through the peaceful morning air like a mighty roll of thunder.

“Come for me, Geralt. Make me yours.”

With a gasp his head resurfaced from her neck and a pair of pleading eyes found hers to seek her forgiveness. He would make it up to her later, with a few more hours of lovemaking. But now he needed to succumb to his craving, needed to claim her once again and truly become one with the woman that held his heart.

His lips crashed down on hers in a frenzied kiss as he buried himself as deep as he could, squeezing his devotion into her, marking her as his for the world to know. He loved her, more than words could ever tell, and just for this one moment in time, she was his, utterly and completely, his.

Loving fingers held his face in place, thumbs caressing his cheeks as he tried to hold on to the feeling of total unity a little longer. But as always, it escaped his grasp and he found himself gradually coming back to reality.

“I missed this,” he whispered against her lips. “I missed you.”

As soon as he had finished what had been supposed to be a declaration of true love, he could feel the distance between them grow.

“You always say that and yet you leave me every time with the first signs of spring.”

“This time it’s different.”

Vulnerable eyes closed as she eased away, turning her back on him. She didn’t understand, how could she. It wasn’t her fault that she didn’t know how much he had lost. He had seen so many leave, he didn’t want to lose her as well. The only constant in his life. The one who truly mattered. He could feel his heart grow heavy from the thought alone, threatening to drown him in the shallow water and so his hand reached out for her, finding her soft shoulder to turn her around.

“Please, come with me.”

She still refused to open her eyes, her head softly shaking from side to side.

“You know I would only slow you down. I’m not as skilled with the sword as you are.”

“As I said, it’s different now. And besides, you know that’s not true. You’re a great fighter.”

Finally her eyes opened to find his and the sheer love they held sparked a new hope inside his chest.

“I learned from the best.”

With both hands, he cupped her face, sealing her lips with his once again and she could feel the urgency in his kiss, the deep longing to have her by his side, always. And that was all she needed to leave her old life behind on that cold winter morning, to be his, wholly and completely, until her last breath.

***

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[imaginechb]

Love Letters

Synopsis: You and Connor have been seeing each other in secret, but what happens when that secret gets out?

"Connor stop," you said as the boy in question trailed kisses down your neck. "We're gonna get caught."

He stopped and sighed. "You're right," he agreed. He looked you in the eyes before kissing you again softly and backing up, allowing you to remove yourself from up against the tree.

It fell silent. Not a comfortable silence, but a painful silence. The two of you wanted nothing more than to be together, but you were a daughter of Aphrodite. When you were a daughter of Aphrodite at Camp Half Blood, it was almost a requirement, initiation if you will, to break a heart. Your mother was the goddess of love, and love could be cruel. You knew that, and you were fully prepared to live up to everyone's expectations. At least, until Connor.

You had been friends for as long as you could remember, both being year-round campers who had been there for years. You had never really seen each other in that light before, and then the two of you went on that quest to bring a couple of half-bloods back to camp. You had hidden yourselves in a janitor's closet, leading to rather close quarters. You caught your breath as you hid from the empousa chasing you, standing chest to chest in the darkness.

You looked at him. He was sweaty and covered in gold monster dust, but he was grinning like he was having the time of his life. It was like you were seeing him for the first time. Like, "this is the same dork I met six summers ago?" His crooked smile, his messy curls, the twinkle in his eye. All traits you had seen a million times before, but you had just noticed now.

He turned to look at you and your heart skipped a beat. You were a daughter of Aphrodite, you knew the look he was giving you was a look of adoration. The same look you were giving him. The two of you made eye contact before rushing to close the already short distance between you. You kissed each other so passionately it was like it had been years in the making.

That was four months ago now. Nobody knew about you and Connor, because if they did they would expect you to break his heart. That's what you were supposed to do. So you decided you wouldn't tell anyone and you continued to see each other in secret, the passion never dying. It was nice, and you were happy.

The two of you walked back out of the woods, making sure to leave in separate directions at different times. You couldn't be too careful. You went back to your cabin, where your siblings quizzed you on where you'd been. You had to be very careful what you told them. As they were also children of Aphrodite, they would be onto you in a heartbeat. Especially Drew.

If she had even the slightest notion that you and Connor had been seeing each other, she would charmspeak you into breaking his heart. You'd seen her do it before. Ever since your half-sister Silena died a few months ago, things in Cabin Ten had been... different.

"Hey, y/n! Where did you go?"

"Yeah we missed you at monster fighting class!"

You gulped before turning to face Lacy and Mitchell. "Oh hey guys! Uhh, I was just... at the camp store, talking to Cecil!"

They looked at you for a moment before seeming to buy it. You could have sighed in relief. You were so tired of this, having to hide your love for Connor and lie to everyone at camp. It was exhausting to say the least.

The rest of the day passed by rather uneventfully, and so did the next couple of days after that. Friday brought capture the flag, hot dogs, and the liveliest campfire you'd seen in a long time, with songs and stories told by your peers.

"Alright guys, I've got something I'd like to share with you all. It's rather interesting, I think."

Everyone went quiet and stared at Travis, waiting for him to continue. He pulled something out of his pocket and unfolded it. Then he cleared his throat and began reading.

"'Dear Connor, I wish we didn't have to sneak around like this, I just want the world to know you're mine.'"

Your eyes widened and you gasped. You knew those words. After all, you had written them yourself. But those words were not meant for Travis to read, nor for the rest of camp to hear. They were for Connor and Connor alone. Yet there Travis stood, reading your love letter out loud to the whole camp.

"'But I know that's not possible, I know the consequences. And if I'm honest, I look forward to our secret meetings. The possibility of getting caught makes it that much more exciting. yours always, y/n.' I don't know about you guys, but I had no idea those crazy kids were smooching!" Travis laughed, but no one else did.

Everyone was silent for a few moments before they all started whispering at once. That was it. They knew your secret. You looked at Connor with panicked eyes, and he gave you a nervous expression.

You stood up and the entire amphitheater fell silent again and stared at you. Connor stood and moved toward you, taking your hand in his before clearing his throat.

"So um," he started, using his free hand to scratch his neck. "I guess the cat's out of the bag. Y/n and I are dating. And uh, we didn't wanna tell you guys because she was supposed to break my heart or whatever, and she didn't want to let you guys down. So yeah."

Thank the gods Connor did all the talking because with everyone's eyes on you, under all that pressure, you don't think you could've gotten one word out. That is, until Drew Tanaka stood up.

"Well, y/n, I think you know what you have to do now. I mean, come on, it's tradition! Be a true daughter of Aphrodite. Break his heart. Right here, in front of the whole camp."

For a moment you almost let her charmspeak get to you, but then you looked at Connor's face. He was smiling at you sweetly, knowing what was about to happen and trying to tell you it was okay. His eyes were kind and encouraging, and you knew you couldn't hurt him. You had to break out of Drew's hold.

"No."

Drew looked shocked and appalled. No one had ever been able to resist her charmspeak before. She blinked and her pink eyeliner moved with her eyelids. "Wh-what?"

"You heard me. I'm not going to break his heart. I-I love connor. And I'm not about to let your stupid little initiation ruin what he and I have."

Drew looked infuriated but that didn't even phase you because the boy holding your hand spoke up.

"You... you love me?" He didn't sound upset. He sounded pleasantly surprised, giving you the courage to nod.

"Yeah. I do. I love you, Connor."

"I-I love you too, y/n," he said, giving you the biggest grin you'd ever seen.

The camp aww'd at the display, and Drew rolled her eyes and stormed off. You knew your relationship was safe. You also knew you'd be wearing the shoes of shame for the next week, but right now that didn't matter to you. All that mattered was Connor.

Rae

[yikesharringrove]

We’re Us

A little commishy for my bxtch @thinger-strang.

Read on Ao3

This shit is SOFT

-

“Dustin, we all saw that fireball hit you,” Will said accusatorily, gesturing to the red bean bag on the ground at Dustin’s feet.

“Okay, first of all, you’re supposed to call a pause of play before using my real name,” Dustin said, all in one breath. “And second of all, the fireball only hit my lute, therefore I sustained no physical damage.” Dustin gestured to the cereal box that was taped to a jump rope, slung over his shoulder like it was a prized instrument.

“No, it didn’t. We all saw it hit your shoulder. You’d lose that arm at least, and take probably, like, fifty damage points.” Lucas pretended to aim a bow and arrow at Dustin while he spoke.

Dustin was getting dangerously close to huffy territory.

“Fine. Whatever. I’ll take the stupid damage points. Can we resume play yet?”

Everyone nodded, and they fell right back into battle.

It wasn’t often they took the game off the DnD board, but the weather was perfect, summer beginning to make itself known a little earlier than usual, giving them April days that were clear and perfect and made for the best LARP sessions known to Indiana.

Will aimed a fireball at Max, and launched it right as she darted out of the way. It sailed past her, missing her left hand by less than an inch, and she laughed wildly, raising her pool noodle sword and aiming blow after blow at him.

The bean bag hit the fence and went spiraling awkwardly into the small alley between the house and the old wooden fence

It was Will’s last fireball, and he hurried to retrieve any he could reach, dodging as best as he could around Max’s wild sword-wielding.

She tended to wallop them as hard as she could, somehow knocking the wind out of them with her soft excuse for a sword.

Will scrambled to pick up his bean bag from the overgrown grass and curling weeds, catching his breath quickly in the alley where he couldn’t be seen.

And then a sound drew his attention away from the battle.

It was a soft sound. He wouldn’t have heard it if the rest of the party had been so quietly focused on battling one another less than twenty feet away.

But he did hear it, and his head whipped around to find the source of it.

Steve and Billy.

Against the house.

Kissing.

It was like time stood still.

Like Will had been hit by one of Mage El’s freezing bombs.

Steve had Billy pushed up against the side of the house, their bodies pressed flush together.

Steve was clearly propping up Billy with his body, Billy’s mobility cane, the one he had let them cover in stickers, was laying forgotten on the ground.

Billy’s arms were wrapped around Steve’s shoulders, his hands curled in the fabric of Steve’s t-shirt. Steve had his arms wrapped around Billy’s waist, half holding him close, half not letting him fall without his cane.

They were kissing like they were trying to devour one another, and Will realized that the sound he had heard was a moan.

It wasn’t like seeing Lucas and Max kiss, or Mike or El, or even Nancy and Jonathan.

Seeing Billy and Steve,

Will knew he shouldn’t be seeing them.

He knew this was wrong, and people said two boys kissing was foul and bad.

But this didn’t look anything but, well, loving.

The way Steve was making sure Billy didn’t fall while they kissed, the way sometimes they would pull back and smile, their faces never moving more than a few inches away from one another.

One of Billy’s rough hands left its place clawed in Steve’s t-shirt, reaching forward to brush one thumb clumsily down his cheek.

They pulled back from one another, smiling stupidly, still staring into each other’s eyes.

Billy brushed his thumb down Steve’s cheek again, and Steve moved like he was nuzzling into the touch, turning his head to the right, pressing a kiss to Billy’s rough, scarred palm.

It made Will feel like he was floating in space with nothing keeping him down.

Steve pressed a kiss to Billy’s cheek, then his nose, then his other cheek, and Billy’s cheeks flushed and he giggled, a sound that was so foreign to Billy Hargrove it almost made Will rub his eyes to make sure he was seeing the right person.

And Billy smiled, so calmly and easily.

It made his whole face change. He looked like a completely different person.

And Will realized, he’s never actually seen Billy smile like this.

The only times he’d come close, we tight tiny things that never reached his eyes and were dropped within a second or two.

This was a genuine smile, full of genuine happiness, and god -

They’re in love.

They’re two boys, and they’re standing right in front of Will and they’re in love.

They went back to kissing, moving their heads slowly side to side, their mouths opening and closing and Will was so aware of having never kissed anyone before.

“Will, seriously! I’ve been yelling for you-”

Mike stopped talking the second he rounded the house.

He was stalk still, his mouth hanging open like a dead fish at what he saw.

Will’s heart was thundering against his ribcage, and he tried to push Mike back towards the game, pleading quietly at him to move.

And then the rest of the group was joining them. Faces mirroring Mike’s dead fish expression as they stared, open-mouthed, at Steve and Billy.

Will had his back to them, but in the quiet, he could hear. He could hear the soft sounds and the moans, and even the giggles that made his face go hot and his stomach do a whole gymnastics routine inside of him.

Will was staring at each of his friends in turn, pleading with them to just turn right around, and continue on with play as nothing had ever interrupted their battle.

Like they haven’t just stumbled on a huge and dangerous secret.

He went as far as to push Lucas, gently shoving him backward saying go! Go! Under his breath.

The last thing he needed was for Steve and Billy to notice them here. To realize what they had seen. What they know.

And then-

“What the fuck?”

Billy and Steve broke apart, looking towards the entrance of the alley, and seeing all six of the party, staring at them.

Max had been the one to speak, and she was looking at Billy oddly, almost like she didn’t know who he was.

“Why didn’t you tell me?” She asked, her voice quavering slightly.

Billy looked like he wanted to ground to swallow him right up.

Steve scrambled for the forgotten cane, keeping one hand on Billy’s elbow as he crouched down.

The movement made Will’s stomach flop over.

It was practiced.

Once Billy was standing on his own with the cane, Steve approached the kids calmly, his hands raised up like they were all wild animals that might attack at any moment.

“Look, I know how this looks, and you guys can’t-”

“It looks like, you guys were making out .” Dustin’s tone was hollow, and he looked as struck dumb as the rest of them.

“I know, and I mean, yeah. We were, but you need to listen -”

“Steve.”

Steve whipped right around when he heard the murmur.

Billy was standing slumped over against the house, one scarred, shaking hand covering his face, the other clutched so tightly to his cane his knuckles were white.

“Bill, I’m here, okay? I’m not going anywhere. You’re okay.” Steve rushed to Billy’s side, holding onto his elbow again, brushing his fingers softly through Billy’s short hair, winding his fingers through the wild curls that were just long enough to form. “I’ll deal with this. It’s okay. They’re not going to tell.” Steve glared at the kids when he said that, as if daring them to argue.

Billy kinda, fell forward, leaning against Steve once again, his face going into Steve’s neck.

Steve didn’t react, still brushing his fingers through sandy blond curls.

“You all know what could happen to us if people found out?”

Nobody answered him.

Truth is, they did know.

They knew the stories about young men being beaten nearly to death. Being run out of town or put in the hospital over nothing but a rumor.

Being gay wasn’t something that was tolerated in Hawkins.

Hell, Will himself has been pushed around and called queer as long as he could remember.

Even by his own father.

“We won’t tell anyone.” Will felt like how Billy looked. Like he was shaking apart right in front of them. “I promise. We won’t. Not anyone.” He could barely get the words out. It was like his jaw had locked up with the rest of his bones.

He thinks it would kill him if anything happened to Billy and Steve over this. They needed to keep them safe.

He needed to keep them safe.

“Yeah. I promise,” El parroted. Steve beamed at them.

Will knew El had been very confused the first time she heard about Ryan Anderson, the high school sophomore that had been humiliated and beaten so badly his family had to leave town six years ago.

She didn’t understand how a boy that liked to kiss other boys was something that merited violence.

Hopper had surprised them all by saying that it didn’t, but some people felt like it did.

Who you kiss doesn’t matter as much as who you are. If you’re a good person, it’s all just extra fodder. But some people like to they’re better than anyone that’s different than they are.

El had called those people bad and that was the end of it.

“Billy, I won’t tell.” Max didn’t take her eyes off Billy while she spoke. “I swear. I’ll never tell anyone. Not even mom.”

Billy’s hand flexed on the handle of the cane, and his knees gave a wobble. Steve kept him upright, leaning over to murmur into his ear.

Will could just barely make out the words I’ve got you.

“I promise, too.” Dustin’s cereal box/lute was forgotten on the grass at his feet. “The party protects each other. It’s one of our laws.”

“Yeah, we stick together. This isn’t different.” Max gave Lucas a watery smile when he spoke up in turn.

Mike was quiet.

It was well-known how much he disliked both Steve and Billy.

All of the kids had some trouble trusting Billy after everything that had happened last summer. Billy didn’t seem to blame them. He kept to himself, even when he moved from his cold room in the military hospital into the Byers’ spare bedroom seven months ago, he was like a ghost moving through the house.

Only Steve could make him come out of his shell in those early days. Only Steve could make Billy join them for dinner and movie nights, take slow walks around the yard with his walker, and later with his cane. Only Steve could make Billy’s shoulders relax from their defensive position up around his ears, and now, it was finally dawning on everyone why.

The kids mostly left him alone, only Max and El bridging the gap and actually speaking to him. Max had been determined to see Billy through his recovery, glaring at him and watching like a ginger hawk while he did his physical therapy, practicing his grip and moving buttons from one bowl to another.

El would sometimes talk to Billy in a hushed voice. She would get him on his own and hush words like Papa and Mama and bad and Billy would have to retreat to his bedroom for slowly decreasing amounts of time.

Nobody but Joyce and Hopper knew what she saw in Billy’s head. They were just informed that he wouldn't be returning home after his two-month stint in the military hospital. Max hard clenched her jaw and nodded jerkily and nobody dared ask any further questions.

He and Will traded a lot of good mornings and tended to generally avoid eye contact when they came across one another in the house.

But none of them hated him, they were just a little weary.

Mike, on the other hand, had some unexplained vendetta against both Billy and Steve and Will found himself willing Mike to be kind in this moment. To not see this as some power over them, or something.

“Okay,” he said slowly. “Dustin’s right. We protect each other.”

Steve gave them a smile that was so dazzling and bright, it almost gave off its own light.

His eyes were shining and he gave a watery laugh.

“They really meant it when they said children are the future.”

“Who said?” El asked him.

“I don’t know, actually. Just people, I guess.” Steve shrugged, jostling Billy who was still nestled in his shoulder. “Look, seriously guys, thank you. I can’t even imagine how I would’ve felt if-nevermind.” He cut himself off quickly, shaking his head. “It just means a lot. To both of us.” Steve smiled at them one last time, this time much softer and thoughtful. “You’re good kids.”

Nobody said anything else. They didn’t know what to say to Steve.

“I came back here to get my fireballs. I, uh, I got ‘em.”

Everyone looked back at Will, and, almost like they were coming out of a trance, began picking their makeshift weapons back off the grass, and chattering idly as they went back to the yard in order to continue their battle.

Will lingered for a second, looking over his shoulder at Steve and Billy, who were still wound together.

They were talking softly, and Will was pleased to see Billy lift his head back up, still looking pale and nervous, but smiling at Steve.

He leaned back down and planted a kiss on Steve’s neck, right above the edge of his t-shirt.

Will felt his face go hot, and tugged himself away, going back to the game.

It wasn’t until well after dinner, when everyone else had gone home, that they spoke about it again.

Will. Will! Do you copy? Over.

The static rasping of Mike’s voice through the walkie-talkie was coming from under Will’s bed where he had stashed it.

He quickly turned down the volume dial on the side before answering.

“Yeah, Mike. I copy. Over.”

“We need to talk about today,” Mike said through the walkie. “I mean, did you have any idea? Over.”

“No. I didn’t,” Will said, truthfully. Finding out had made a lot of things clunk into place, but that doesn’t mean Will knew. “Over.”

“It’s just, neither of them seem the type. You know? Over.”

Something about that statement didn’t sit too right with Will.

Before he could respond another voice crackled through the channel.

“This is gold leader joining the conversation to let Mike know he’s being a dick. Over.”

Will laughed. Trust Dustin to listen in on the conversation and come forward to defend Steve.

“Lucas, do you copy, too? Over.” Will waited a moment after he asked.

“Yeah, I copy. I wanted to hear what you all were saying first. I don’t really know what to think about all this. Over.”

“I don’t think there’s much to think about. Steve seems happy. Billy too, I guess. Over,” said Dustin.

Will’s heart swelled with a pride he didn’t quite understand at Dustin’s words.

Outside in the hall, the phone rang.

Will heard his mom scramble to pick it up, calling softly down the hall for Billy, and the unmistakable thumping of Billy and his cane coming to take the call.

He heard his mom scrape a chair over for him and retreat to her room, giving him some privacy.

“It’s just scary, you know? Like, something really bad could happen to them if anyone else found out.” Will thought for a second. “You think anyone else knows? Over.”

“Robin. She was making comments to Steve a few days ago about his secret relationship and I kept asking him about it until he punched me in the arm. She knows. Over.”

“I’m just confused,” Mike sighed down the line. “Steve dated my sister for like, a year. And Billy is always disgusting and flirting with my mom. Or at least, he would do that. You know, before. Over.”

“Yeah, that’s just Billy being Billy,” Max chimed in.

“You have to say over when you’re finished. Over.”

“ Fine, dickheads. Over.”

“That makes sense, but Steve and Nancy doesn’t. Over.”

“Lucas, it doesn’t have to make sense. David Bowie says he likes guys and girls. Billy has, like, three different magazines where he says that. Over.”

“Max is right. We don’t have to understand any of this. They seem happy, and good together, and that doesn’t really concern us. Over.” Will was hoping he could speed through the rest of this conversation. He could hear Billy in the hall, shifting and murmuring something Will couldn’t make out but was dying to overhear.

He had a feeling he knew who was calling.

“But, now it does concern us. We know. And as we’ve previously established, the more people that know, the more danger they could be in. Over .” Dustin almost sounded as though he might cry.

“Then, we can’t talk about it. Not unless we know for a fact that we aren’t going to be overheard. And maybe we should give them codenames. Only call them something like Han and Leia when there’s a chance of someone listening in. Over.”

“I like Lucas’s codename idea, but I’d rather die than call them Han and Leia. Over.”

“Okay, Mike, it was the first thing that came into my head! What, you think you have a better idea? Over.”

“I don’t know. Harold and Maude? Over.”

“That’s stupid, Mike. Clearly, they’re Bert and Ernie. Over.”

Will snorted at Max’s suggestion. He heard Billy coughing wildly in the hall. He listened carefully to him until it died down and he knew it wasn’t a bad one.

“I think we’ve come to an agreement. If we need further discussion, codenames: Bert and Ernie. Okay, my mom wants me to spend time with her tonight. So this is gold leader, signing off. Over and out.”

“I’m going too. Over and out,” Mike said.

“Over and out,” said El, not surprising any of them that she was listening in. She did that a lot. Simply listen to her own walkie, and when asked why she didn’t say anything would shrug and go nothing to add. They only asked that she sign off so that they knew she got whatever information they had discussed.

Everyone followed with their own sign-offs, and Will twisted the top knob on his walkie, shutting it off.

There was a moment of silence out in the hall, and then three beats on Will’s door.

He found Billy on the other side, slumped in the chair under the phone, his cheeks going red.

“Can’t get up,” he grunted. “Can’t reach the hook.”

Will didn’t say anything, nodding quickly and avoiding eye contact as he took the phone, placing it carefully back on the hook.

Billy got stuck in chairs fairly often.

His core muscles had been slashed up worse than anything else, and sometimes he just needed a good pull up.

Will took hold of his wrist, leaning his body weight backward to yank Billy to standing.

Billy kept his weight heavily on his cane, patting Will once on the upper arm in thanks.

“You guys know Steve has one of your little walkie-talkies, right?”

“ What ?”

Will genuinely didn’t know that.

“Dustin gave him one. I don’t know when, but he’s got it.”

“So, uh, so he heard. Everything.”

“And relayed it all to me through an embarrassing amount of tears, by the sounds of it.”

But Will could see that Billy’s eyes were brighter than usual in the dark, and suddenly Will remembered that there had been a wet spot on Billy’s sleeve.

“Sorry.”

“It’s fine. I mean, well, you’re good kids. All of you.” Billy patted him on the shoulder again. “I was shitting myself out there when you found us. Thought for sure one a’ yous would go squealing.”

“Maybe we would’ve. Before.”

“Never thought I’d be grateful for nearly being turned inside-out.”

“And I never thought I’d be grateful for being found dead in the water, but here we are.”

“Yeah, shit’s pretty weird if you stop and think about it for a few minutes. Near-death experiences really put your sexuality in perspective.”

“Is that why you two started dating? Perspective?”

Billy huffed a breath, looking up towards the ceiling. He coughed twice, and Will could pretty much hear his lungs rattle and crackle.

“Yeah. ‘S why we started dating. Both of us kinda realized there’s no sense in feeling like shit about the things that can actually make you feel not like shit.”

“So, you’re in love? Both of you?”

Billy’s cheeks were flooded with color, the deep red spreading all the way back to the tips of his ears.

“I think so. We’re both a little too fucked in the head to say it, but,” he shrugged lamely, not bothering to finish his thought, and looking anywhere but at Will.

He gets it, though.

Fucked up parents make for fucked up kids.

Will considered himself the luckiest person on Earth, and any kinda parallel universe, that he had his mom to stop, and later heal, all the damage his dad had caused.

“Well, I’m glad that you have it. Both of you. I mean, we saw you guys. And after everything, it's good that you’re happy.” And Will meant it.

Even before last summer, he had never seen Billy look the way he did when he was kissing Steve. Look that calm, and relaxed, and that goddamn happy. It really meant something.

Especially to Will.

Because he had never thought of someone looking that happy when they kissed someone else.

He had never thought of a boy looking that happy when he kissed another boy.

Billy surveyed Will for a moment, still leaning heavily on his cane in the hallway.

Will had the suspicion that Billy could see right through him.

“He came to visit me a lot when I was in the hospital. Steve, I mean. I don’t know why he did. It’s not like we were friends or anything. But one of those days, when I was barely awake he started talking about everything that happened those couple days.” Billy shifted closer to the wall, bracing himself with one hand as he lowered himself back into the chair. “The Russians. I don’t know what he’s told you kids, but it wasn’t pretty.”

“He hasn’t said anything. I mean, we all saw how he looked after, so we figured maybe he got in a fight.”

Billy chewed on his bottom lip.

“Look, you gotta swear not to tell any of the others this, but, uh, it was a bit more than a fight.”

Billy was giving him a meaningful look and something churned around in Will’s stomach.

“Torture?”

Billy gave a tiny, shaky nod.

“He started talking about it. Said after that, he started thinkin’ about shit different. Said he thought he was gonna die down there and that nothing would change without him. It was heavy, and I was mostly feeling the same way, and I think that’s why he told me. Knew that I could get it. After that he kept visiting, and I noticed that I didn’t hurt as much when he was there. Or maybe I did, but having him there, squinting at the t.v. ‘cause he can’t see worth a’ shit, or making some stupid comment about a nurse on the floor just made it easier. He makes a lotta shit easier.”

“I think that’s what it should be like. I don’t think love should make things harder.” Will thought of his mom and dad, and how different she acted with Hopper.

Like she didn’t hurt as much when he was there.

“It was hard in the beginning. I mean, before we got together. I thought that he didn’t feel the same way, you know? That I was just being an idiot, feeling like that for my best friend. But then he told me. He’s always been a lot braver than people give him credit for. Anyway, he told me, and it should’ve been fucking terrifying. And I was scared of people finding out. Still am, but it’s like, even if we get run outta town, and everyone we care about turns against us, it’ll be fine because we’re not just me an’ him, we’re us .”

Billy blinked quickly, almost as if he was surprised by his own words.

They clanged around in Will’s head.

We’re not just me an’ him, we’re us.

“You don’t have to be scared, though. I mean, of people finding out. Of turning against you both. We won’t let that happen. Not about something like this.”

Billy gave him a weak smile.

“I guess it makes sense. I mean, you all took me in after killing half the town. Tracks that you wouldn’t throw me out for. Being gay.”

“There are worse things to be than gay.”

“Psycho killer not one of them?”

Will gave Billy as unimpressed of a stare as he could muster.

“That wasn’t you. You forget, I know what it was like to have him controlling me. I know what it’s like to not do anything to stop him, even when you are fighting with everything you’ve got. I nearly killed my mom. I even might have, if I’d been stronger. You fought against him, and in the end, you won. I never could’ve done that.”

Billy just stared at the wall slightly above Will’s left shoulder.

“I killed people, too. When he had me. Led a whole group of people right into a trap. And it still scares me what he did. But I know that it wasn’t me that did it. It wasn’t you that did any of that, Billy.”

“I tell myself that. Hell, Steve tells me that about every five minutes. Just hard to watch yourself doing that awful shit and not be able to tell your body to knock it off.”

Will didn’t know how to respond, so he didn’t.

Billy was right. It was a nightmare watching yourself hurt people around you, feeling like you were in the backseat, screaming at yourself to stop.

But Billy had done what Will couldn’t’ve.

Right at that last moment, he stood up to the thing controlling his every move.

Stood up to that horrific flesh monster, adn died rather than let it kill El.

El, who he didn’t even know.

And then Billy’s bedroom door down the hall opened slowly, and Steve poked his head into the hall, swearing under his breath when he saw someone in the hall with Billy and trying to duck out of sight, knocking the back of his head into the doorframe and swearing again.

Billy laughed, a low wheezy laugh that ended in a short coughing fit.

“Real fuckin’ subtle, Harrington,” he choked out.

The door opened once more and Steve stepped out into the hallway, trying to look casual.

“I didn’t realize it was you there, Will. How’s it goin’?”

Billy laughed again, and gestured for Steve to come and help him stand up.

Steve did so quickly, smiling warmly at Billy when he had righted him on his feet, and keeping hold of Billy’s arm.

“Why are you sneakin’ in my window like some kinda perv?”

“Because I wanted to talk. I have a lot of emotions today.” Steve turned to address Will. “You kids are gonna be the death of me. And I mean that in the nicest way I possibly can.”

“Yeah, well. You guys are family.” Will shrugged, feeling very awkward when both Steve and Billy. Looked as though their eyes were overbright. Will panicked, trying to think of an exit strategy before he saw either of them cry.

He had seen them both in too many intimate moments today.

“Um, I’m pretty tired, so I think I’m gonna go to bed. Let me know if you need, uh, help tomorrow. You know, heading of my mom or anything.”

Will turned on his heel and slipped back into his own bedroom.

“Alright, Bert. It’s been a long day and I’m gonna need some help getting into bed. My legs have gone totally stiff.”

“Oh, in no way am I Bert! I’m totally Ernie. You’re Bert. Think about it: you’re surly, and rude, and-”

“Gonna dump you if you don’t shut up and help me go to bed.”

“Spoken like a true Bert.”