#i watched the movies recently for the first time

[mixsethaddams]

For the Love Confessions prompt as part of @stmarchmm Stranger Things March Mating Madness

Steve was never anyone's first choice, was the thing.

Throughout his whole life he was always the after thought, the second phone call. Even his name, Steve, wasn't his parents' favourite. They had to go with their back up name after a neighbour gave birth three days before his mom and used the name Marley before she got a chance to.

Once he started dating, it was more of the same. Omegas would get him to ask them out, make him pay for meal and the movie, and then once they were done doing whatever they got up to in the back seat of his car, they'd gush about how they had the confidence after all of that to go after the alpha that they really wanted.

He was used to it now, he supposed, being used as practice. He didn't mind much once he made his peace with it. It was nice to get out of the house and go some place that wasn't work a few times a week. And he got to listen to rumours about the other alphas of Hawkins while he was at it, which admittedly he loved.

It didn't make sense to him when Eddie Munson shuffled into Family Video one sunny Saturday afternoon and asked about his plans for the night. 'Great,' Eddie had said when Steve said he had none. 'Well, not great, but uh, maybe we can do something?'

Steve ran through the rolodex of local gossip he'd picked up recently. He hadn't heard anything about an alpha having their eye on Eddie, or vice versa. And given the depth of some of the stuff the omegas around here knew about, it would be hard to hide any sniff of a crush on the town Freak.

It didn't make sense when Eddie insisted on going dutch for their bill in the diner, and paying for his own movie ticket. In fact, at the end of the night when Steve was used to going on auto-pilot and feeling someone up on their front doorstep, he was totally baffled when Eddie blushed and asked if they could do it again next week.

'You… want to see me again?' he asked, feeling a crease between his eyebrows. 'Why?'

Eddie snorted. 'Way to tell me you didn't have a good time, Harrington,'

'I did!' Steve saiad quickly. 'I just, I guess I'm not used to second dates,'

Eddie smiled and lightly punched Steve's shoulder. 'Pick me up next Saturday, same time,'.

Steve watched him climb the steps into his trailer, half expecting him to turn around and say Gotcha! I actually have a date with someone else!

But the door clicked close with a finally parting glance and grin from Eddie and Steve, of course, drove straight to Robin's house.

'It doesn't add up,' Steve said through her window. She was on curfew, and he had to climb across windowsills from the garage to get to her room. 'Everybody knows I'm the practice alpha, what does he want from me?'

'Sounds like he wants a second date,' said Robin, focused on trimming her own bangs.

'But why though?' Steve mused. 'He didn't even want me to kiss him, it was weird'

'Did you try?'

'Yeah, leaned in and everything,' Steve sighed. 'But he moved so I got his cheek,'

'Romantic,' said Robin. 'Maybe he likes you,'

'No omegas like me, Rob,' Steve said flatly. 'I'm not that guy,'

So it just didn't make sense that they were six weeks down the line now and Eddie was still asking Steve to pick him up for dinner and a movie every Saturday. They met for lunch at least once a week. They sat next to each other when everyone hung out. They held hands. Eddie even let Steve kiss him after their third date. Steve liked the kissing.

Steve liked everything, if he was honest. He liked the consistency of the same person calling him at the end of every day to say goodnight, he liked being a part of 'Steve and Eddie'. He liked Eddie. In fact, he really liked Eddie. Maybe even more than that. The idea that Eddie would eventually be through with Steve, practice run over, made his heart hurt.

They were napping together on a summer evening. They were in their boxers on top of the sheets, Eddie's heat was coming up so he was feeling the warmth in the air more than usual. Steve couldn't sleep even though they'd spent the whole day swimming at the quarry. He should be exhausted. But he couldn't tear his eyes away from Eddie's face.

They had yet to cross the line of sleeping together, so it was the first time Steve saw Eddie at rest like this. Eddie looked beautiful in the spot orange light that filtered through the thin curtains. The slope of his nose, the gentle pout of his lips, Steve's drank in the sight of him like water. Even the small swell of his chest, swollen because of an upcoming heat, was perfectly placed and proportioned.

It was the time of day where the birds were singing their last songs and the neighbours had already finished their noisy returns from work. The only sound Steve could hear was the slow breathing of the omega laid out before him, blankets piled around them in a makeshift its-too-damn-hot nest. He didn't even want to breath himself for fear of disturbing him.

'Stop staring at me I look gross,' Eddie mumbled, turning his head into the pillow.

'No you don't,' Steve protested, hoping he didn't look like a serial killer watching someone sleep.

'Mmm, heat next week, my skin looks like shit, pimple, see?' Eddie tapped on his jaw to a small red bump.

Steve hadn't even noticed it, or if he did he didn't care.

'That's not gross,' he said softly.

'Whatever you say,' Eddie yawned, stretching before shuffling himself closer to Steve, burying his face in Steve's chest. 'You'll be the one stuck staring at it until it's over,'

'I, what?' Steve asked. 'What do you mean?'

'My heat,' Eddie mumbled. 'You'll have a front row seat to all my gross zits,'

Steve felt his heartrate pick up. Eddie wanted him to be part of his heat? That was kind of a commitment, maybe he didn't know? Steve would tell him, and Eddie would laugh and say oh man, my mistake, you're right!

'That's, uh, that's kind of a lot,' he said, preparing himself to laugh along with the obvious mistake.

Eddie pulled back quickly, wide awake now. 'You don't want to be there?' He looked hurt.

'No! I mean, yes!' Steve stuttered. 'But, you know what that means, right? It's kind of a couple thing, and, we're, I dunno,'

Eddie sat up and flung his legs over the edge of the bed, reaching down to grab his socks from the floor.

'Me neither, apparently,' Eddie said quickly. 'And here I thought—'

Steve grabbed one of Eddie's wrists. 'You thought what?'

'I thought maybe were fucking were a couple, Steve,' Eddie hissed, trying to bat his arms away.

'You like me?' Steve asked.

'You're kidding me?' Eddie shot back, staring at him in disbelief. 'How could you not know that I liked you? We make out like six times a day!'

'No one likes me,' Steve said quietly. 'No one ever picks me,'

Eddie softened, dropping the sock that was in his hands and scooting back onto the bed. 'Do you remember our second date?'

Of course Steve remembered, how could he forget? He was so surprised that Eddie actually opened the door of the trailer when he knocked that he couldn't speak for thirty minutes. He nodded.

'How about our third?' Eddie asked. That was the date they kissed on. It was the first kiss in years that Steve had really wanted. It felt like it lasted for hours, and he was disappointed that it couldn't last forever.

'And our fourth, fifth, sixth…' Eddie said, retaking his place in Steve's arms. 'All of them?'

Steve nodded again. He could tell Eddie every detail of every single date or hangout they'd had if he asked.

'I don't ever want another first date again,' said Eddie. 'Or third, or fourth, or fifth, or sixth,' He added with a laugh. 'I only want to be with you. I just didn't know I needed to spell it out for you,'

And Steve all of a sudden felt incredibly stupid. Because of god damn course they were a couple. Right up to the awkward meet-the-family weeknight dinners that they'd both sat through and giggled about in the car afterwards.

'Sorry,' he said. 'I just didn't think you wanted that with me, no one ever does,'

'Do you want it with me?' Eddie asked earnestly.

Steve kissed him softly in response. 'That's all I want,'

'Good,' Eddie said, rubbing his face in Steve's chest hair. 'Can I go back to sleep now that you're done scaring me to death?'

Steve smiled against the top of Eddies head, rubbing his back lightly.

Steve listened as Eddie's breathing evened out again. The birds had returned to their trees by now.

He still didn't sleep. His mind was racing. Thoughts of a future were bouncing around his head like never before, with Eddie right in the middle of all of them.

Steve breathed in Eddie's lavender and cold milk smell as deep as he could. His heat might not wait a full week before coming, if the intensity of his scent lately was anything to go by.

'I love you,' Steve breathed against his hair. He smiled to himself his eyes sliding closed. It felt so right to say it out loud, finally being able to name the feeling that was built up behind his rib cage.He revelled in the secrecy of speaking to someone lost to sleep, not having to worry about being caught showing his cards too early.

'I love you too,' Eddie whispered back.

[7-deadly-cats]

killing me softly (part seven)

genre: she fell first, he fell harder; fluff with hints of angst; drama; no explicit smut

kms masterlist | <- part six | part eight (soon) ->

pairing: rafe cameron x fem!introverted!kook!reader

cw: swearing, suggestive language, overthinking, SUPER awkward confrontation

synopsys: it's the last year of high school and you were paired up with rafe cameron for a 2 week long project in art class. this wouldn't be a problem if you weren't awkward as hell and well ... if there weren't your big fat crush on him. could this be the beginning of a friendship or maybe even more? one thing was certain: rafe cameron was intense, impulsive, and complex in ways that weren't always for the better, and your mind? that shit was even more tangled. but you hadn't spent all these years crushing on him from a distance just to let this chance slip through your fingers ... right?

summary of recent events: you left kelce’s house feeling uneasy after rafe’s weird invitation, overthinking what he actually wanted from you. back home, you spiraled even more, debating whether he was setting up a hookup or if you were just reading too much into it. eventually, you texted him to test the waters, but his dry response—and then complete silence—only made you feel worse. meanwhile, rafe complained about you to kelce and topper, confused by your shift in energy, but deep down, he was more frustrated and thrown off by you than he wanted to admit.

word count: 3.9k+

a/n: a huge thank you for the big support on the last one, always makes me smile so hard <3 feeling kinda drained atm bc of personal stuff, so i had a harder time writing this one but i hope you guys still enjoy !

Your entire heart—no, your fucking soul—plummeted through your body and straight into the depths of Earth the moment your eyes landed on the message.

Your phone had been off all afternoon, and ever since you got back from Kelce’s, you’d spent the rest of the day in bed, watching crappy Netflix movies and scrolling through TikTok.

Anything to distract yourself from the fact that Rafe had left you on read after your embarrassing attempt to schedule a third project session. Oh, right—before that, he had already been responding half-heartedly. And even before that, he’d been acting weird ever since you turned down his invitation for tomorrow.

It had stressed you out so much that you’d overloaded all your senses just to cope. Eventually, your mom called you down for dinner. You hadn’t been hungry but you dragged yourself downstairs anyway.

And when you came back upstairs—there it was.

You had turned your phone back on, settled onto your windowsill, ready to tell Cara all about your humiliation… but the first thing you saw was his message.

You couldn’t even describe the feeling. It was like someone had smashed your elbow with a hammer, sending every nerve in your body into a full-on meltdown. Because holy shit, this was the last thing you’d expected.

Not only had it taken him almost two hours to reply, but you also had no idea what to make of it. Your mind was blank and swirling with a thousand thoughts at the same time.

It was obvious that things had been tense when you'd last seen each other, but for him to bring it up so directly… THAT WAS CRAZY OMG.

Then again, was he even talking about the weird vibes between you two? And if not, what was he referring to? More importantly—how the hell were you supposed to respond?

A mess of emotions swirled inside you. You were still hurt, still kind of pissed that he had taken so long to reply. But at the same time, you had no idea what was going on in his head, and you didn’t want to judge him too quickly. Maybe he was struggling with this just as much as you were.

HAHAHAHAHA. As if.

You glanced at the clock. Almost 7 PM. You could text him back, theoretically. But did you even want to? Better question—did he even deserve a reply?

Ugh, no. You needed to shut that kind of toxic thinking down real fast. Maybe this was just another one of his weird little attempts to get a reaction out of you.

Should you call Cara and ask for advice?

No—you kind of wanted to handle this on your own. You bit the inside of your cheek and started typing.

Okay. That was good. Neutral, polite—just a normal question, right?

Ugh. There was nothing normal about this situation. Just thinking about it was stressing you out again. He’d probably take another two hours to reply. Or maybe he wouldn’t reply at all, and then you’d have to see him at school tomorrow, and it would be so fucking awkward.

At least you didn’t have any classes with him on Wednesdays, so you could avoid him if necessary. Thursday would be trickier, though—art class.

You leaned your head back against the wall, closing your eyes in exhaustion. The evening sun warmed your face, and for a brief moment, you felt yourself relax.

And then your phone buzzed in your lap, yanking you right back into reality.

Okay. No matter what he says—I can handle this.

I CAN’T HANDLE THIS.

Oh my God—did he figure out that I was lying?

Sure, saying you had to help Cara clean out her closet was an excuse—just a way to turn down his invitation without sounding like a total asshole—but it wasn’t that unbelievable… was it?

Your face burned as adrenaline shot through your veins.

What the hell were you supposed to do now? Admit that you’d turned him down because you were lowkey terrified of ending up in his bed?

HAHAHAHA. NOT A FUCKING CHANCE.

Okay, okay—then maybe… this.

"READ." AGAIN?

The thought that he was also sitting somewhere, staring at his phone, waiting for your reply sent a weird, uneasy feeling through you.

Did your rejection actually bother him more than you'd thought? Or was this just about his ego—like he couldn’t handle being turned down and now wanted to come out of this as the "winner" or some bullshit?

OH GOD, HE’S TYPING.

Your eyes widened. So, he had figured you out.

Shit.

OKAY, OKAY. Stay calm. Denying it was the only thing you could do right now—because no way in hell were you EVER going to admit that you lied just because you’d spiraled so hard in your head, convincing yourself that his invite was just a sneaky way to get in your pants.

That would definitely get you labeled as a full-on crazy bitch in his book.

So your only move now? Try to gaslight him just a tiny bit.

That made you pause.

Fuck.

You were right back where you'd started in this absolute shitshow of a situation. And the worst part? Rafe wasn’t even wrong. You were dancing around the truth—but what the hell else were you supposed to do?

Okay, focus. Back to the chat.

Shit. You had no clue how to respond.

Because seriously, why the fuck did he care so much about working on this project at his place? You could just as easily do it at school as you did the first day.

Oh god. Were your suspicions right? Did he actually have deeper intentions in mind, or was this just about proving a point?

Damn it, you were already taking way too long to reply—

Bzrrt.

Yep. Rafe was thinking the same.

Alright, fuck it. Just type something.

With furrowed brows and a racing heart, you let your phone sink onto the windowsill beside you. You didn't expect another reply from him.

You pulled your knees to your chest and stared outside. Even the colors of the sunset looked off today as if they couldn’t quite decide what picture to paint the sky.

A huge mess of indescribable feelings swirled in your chest and your head? HOLY FUCKING SHIT, no one would want to be in there right now.

You had no idea how things had started off so well yesterday, only to spiral into this weird, tense situation in less than 48 hours.

Of course, all of this could’ve been avoided if you had just accepted his damn invitation without overthinking it. But no—you were cursed to overanalyze every little thing.

Not that it mattered anymore, because apparently, he’d already figured out your reasoning anyway. And fuck, that was beyond awkward and embarrassing. Rafe Cameron actually thought you believed he was trying to sleep with you.

You rested your head on your knees and closed your eyes.

Maybe I should just fake being sick tomorrow. Or better yet, for the entire two weeks until I don’t have to deal with him anymore.

Yeah, no—that was completely ridiculous. At some point, you’d have to face him again. He was your project partner, even if he’d basically just told you to handle it all on your own.

He was probably just talking shit anyway. If his graduation really depended on his art grade, then he needed this project. And if not? Well, screw it—you’d handle it on your own.

With a sigh, you pushed yourself off the windowsill. Sleeping was probably the only real way to escape your thoughts right now.

And tomorrow? You’d deal with that when the time came. But something told you it wouldn’t be any easier than the past two days.

-----------------------------------------------

Oh, and you'd been so right.

Because guess who was in the same English class as you?

Kelce fucking Statter.

Fuck, you hadn’t even thought about the fact that you’d have to see him and Topper again as well. Wow, so crazy, considering you all went to the same school and everything…

And the fact that the three of them had probably talked about you after you'd left yesterday? Yeah, hadn’t crossed your mind either. You’d been way too busy spiraling over the whole Rafe invitation disaster.

Okay, chill, it’s fine. Just walk straight ahead, sit down, act normal. Perfect. Class was about to start anyway and—

"Yo, Y/N."

Your eyes squeezed shut for half a second, clenching your jaw. Fuck. You hadn’t even put your bag down yet.

Quickly, you forced a polite smile and turned. “Oh, hey.”

Kelce’s signature smug grin was already in place. “You could’ve stayed a little longer yesterday, you know.”

Um... Was that supposed to be some weird attempt at flirting?

Whatever. Just keep smiling. “Oh, yeah, thanks. But like I'd said, I didn’t wanna interrupt you guys more than necessary. It was your hangout after all.”

Kelce folded his arms over his chest, one brow quirking up teasingly. “Rafe kick you out?”

Your brows knitted together. “What? No.”

“He was pissed after you'd left,” Kelce said, grin stretching wider. “Still is, by the way.”

…

You weren’t sure what was worse—Kelce bringing this up, or the fact that Rafe had definitely been bitching about you to his friends.

You wanted to ask what exactly he’d said but that would be way too weird. Luckily, you didn’t have to say anything because at that moment, Mrs. Andrade walked in and told Kelce to get to his seat.

You sank into your own seat as well, wondering if some kind of weird parallel universe had cracked open during art class on Monday, splitting your soul into a different reality—because seriously, what the fuck had even happened since then?

Didn’t matter. The only thing that mattered was avoiding Rafe today. That was the mission, and so far, you were doing a damn good job.

You’d made sure to get dropped off earlier than usual, completely avoided the parking lot, killed a few minutes hiding out in the bathroom, and then came straight here.

So far, so easy.

English was smooth sailing, too. Next up was Math, and since it was in the same classroom, you wouldn’t even have to move. Plus, you’d be rid of Kelce.

Lunch, though, would be tricky. You knew Rafe had afternoon classes on Wednesdays, which meant he’d probably be sticking around.

Whatever. Maybe you could grab lunch with Cara somewhere down the street. That way, you could also fill her in on everything that had happened since yesterday because you’d been way too drained to call her last night after your horrible texting session with Rafe.

You pulled out your phone to text her.

Ugh, okay, maybe you could ask Molly or one of your other friends but most of them usually stayed in the dining hall.

Okokok. One thing at a time.

The rest of English dragged on forever. Mrs. Andrade went over the required reading for the year and stressed how important this final year was for everyone.

And by the time Math rolled around, your brain had completely checked out.

After two hours of numbers, formulas, and all that other crap no one understood, the liberating sound of the bell finally rang.

For you, though, it felt more like a damn death knell.

You packed up your stuff and left the classroom, tension gripping your every move. The hall was crowded with students which was good. That was really good. Now, if you could just get out of the building, cross the courtyard, head down the street—you’d be safe.

Clutching the strap of your bag, you kept your head down and maneuvered through the sea of people. As soon as you slipped outside into the courtyard, you picked up your pace, feet hitting the paved path with purpose.

ALMOST THERE.

...

...

Are you fucking kidding me?

Up ahead, sitting on a bench under a tree, was a way-too-familiar back.

FUCK.

And right across from him? Topper.

What the hell? Shouldn't they be in the dining hall right now? Whatever. Just keep walking. Make a wide circle around them, and it'll be fine.

Actually, nothing was fine. Out of the corner of your eye, you saw Topper nod in your direction—And of course, that meant Rafe turned and saw you.

HOW CAN SOMEONE HAVE THIS MUCH BAD LUCK?

You kept walking as naturally as possible but there was no escaping it. Rafe was already on his feet, making his way toward you.

Okay. Just act like you didn’t see him.

"Y/L/N!"

FUCKING HELL.

No way out now. You had no choice but to stop. Every nerve in your body was on edge as you turned around.

Rafe came to a halt in front of you, irritation and amusement flickering across his face. "And you call me immature? Are you seriously running away from me?"

You shook your head. "What? No. I was on my way to get lunch."

He tilted his head slightly, gaze shifting to the empty space beside you. "With the same friend you’re helping clean out her closet today?"

His smug tone made your skin crawl.

Your brows furrowed but the heat rising to your cheeks was out of your control. "No, alone." Then, before he could say anything else, you added, "Do you need something or...?"

Rafe shrugged unfazed. "I don’t know. The way you're acting, maybe you should figure out what you need first."

Wow.

You knew Rafe Cameron could be an asshole but experiencing it firsthand like this? Yeah. Wow.

"I don’t get what you want from me," you said, hating how small your voice sounded.

Rafe shook his head, spreading his fingers in exasperation. "Shit, nothing. That’s the whole point. I just wanted to finish this damn project with you but you keep coming up with cheap excuses—helping your friend, not wanting to waste your free time." He let out a sharp, irritated laugh. "Seriously, what the fuck is that?" He gestured toward his temples. "Do you think I’m an idiot?"

A horrible feeling twisted in your chest. Shit. You KNEW he was RIGHT. You wanted to tell him that—that you were a total idiot, that he had every reason to feel played—but you couldn’t.

You just stood there, gripping the strap of your bag so tightly your knuckles had turned white. The only thing you managed to get out was, "No."

"No, what?"

"You’re not an idiot." Your voice wavered slightly. Shit, you hated confrontation. And arguing with someone like Rafe...He didn’t even need to yell. He just had this presence, this intensity, that made you feel so damn small. "But I don’t understand what you want me to say right now."

Rafe let out an annoyed scoff. “I wanna know what your problem with me is. And for fuck’s sake, don’t tell me there isn’t one. Otherwise, you wouldn’t be going out of your goddamn way to avoid working on this project at my place.”

You hated how direct he always was. It was like he could reach right into your brain, pull out your thoughts, and throw them in your face. Somehow, that was both terrifying and extremely irritating.

Alright, you were done with this shit. “Why do we have to go to your place so badly?”

Rafe pulled a face, his lips twisting into a confused smile as he gestured vaguely in the air. “Shit, we can go to yours, I don’t give a fuck. I'm definitely not hanging around in school longer than necessary.”

...

You didn’t mind taking him to your place as much as you minded going to his but still—FUCK, THIS FELT SO INTIMATE. Bringing a guy home? HELLO???? He’d see your room, meet your parents—at that point, you might as well walk him down the aisle.

"You know, I can tell you don’t like this either." His voice yanked you out of your thoughts. "You don’t say much but your face does all the talking."

Heat crawled up your neck. "What? No—I mean, I…" WHERE THE HELL DID MY WORDS GO? "That's just my face."

Rafe scoffed in amusement, the tension in the air easing just a little. “Yeah, nah, cut the crap. I prefer your weird nervous smile.”

WHATWHATWHATWHAT. That was absolutely not a compliment, and yet, your heart started racing, your cheeks burning up.

“So, what’s it gonna be? Your place or mine?” Rafe asked, his gaze drilling into you. Then, with a smirk dripping in mockery, he added, “Or are you actually scared I’ll try to get in your pants?”

OH. MY. GOD.

You shook your head so fast you probably looked like a deranged tomato. “What? Oh my god, no. I—of course not.”

“Shit, you so are.” Rafe let out an amused snort, running a hand over his mouth like he was trying to hold back laughter. “Thought I didn’t give off ‘fuckboy vibes’—or whatever it was you'd said.”

HOLY SHIT. How embarrassing could this possibly get? Answer: yes.

“I...I meant that”, you stammered, absolutely mortified. “I'm serious.”

Rafe chuckled. “Yeah, yeah, I can see that.”

You let out a breathy, “Oh my god,” and fought the urge to dig a hole in the ground, throw yourself in, and bury yourself under a thousand tons of cement.

“Shit, you do know if I wanted to get you into bed, I’d do it at a party, not like a pathetic loser through a school project.” His voice was laced with irritated amusement but there was something else there too—something you couldn’t quite place.

Whatever it was, it weirdly helped ease your original worries.

But your blush and the overwhelming humiliation crawling under your skin? Yeah, absolutely not soothed.

You were too overwhelmed, too frozen in place to even form words. Just the fact that this topic had been brought up had completely short-circuited your brain. And the way he was looking at you, all smug with that cocky-ass grin—UGH, it was so fucking humiliating.

Oh, he was milking this for all it was worth like he was having the time of his life watching you squirm. “So that’s why you kept making those weird excuses.”

That finally snapped your brain back into gear. “No! That’s—why do you keep thinking I’m lying?”

Wow. Fantastic, Y/N. Just keep digging that grave.

Rafe raised his brows, clearly feeling like the upper hand in this conversation. “Really? Your whole face is on fire, and you’re still denying it?”

WHAT. WHY WOULD HE MENTION YOUR BLUSH OMG?!

Okay, you had to get out of this. This was officially the worst moment of your life. Yeah, you'd thought that a lot of times in the past few days but this? HOLY FUCKING SHIT, YOU'VE NEVER FELT SO SELF-CONSCIOUS.

So you were left with no other choice but to do the only thing that could put an end to this topic once and for all—because if you didn’t, he was never gonna drop it and you seriously couldn't bear any more of THIS.

You locked eyes with him and never felt so vulnerable.

“Okay! Okay, I—I admit it. I thought it was ... strange that you offered me to come over that late when no one would be home. That— I don’t know, I just…” Oh god, why did he have to look at you like that? “I totally overthought it and freaked out, and then I said that thing with Cara and—I know it’s completely stupid.” You shook your head, annoyed with yourself, and crossed your arms in embarrassment. “I just can’t help it. Overthinking, I mean. It’s a huge problem of mine, and when it comes to this kind of thing… I—I mean, not that it is a thing ... um", you chuckled nervously, "... what I'm trying to say is, I don’t know, I just panicked. It’s not about you or me thinking you’re some fuckboy or player or whatever. It’s just—my brain is just… I don’t know, I just spiraled for no reason and I know it sounds extremely weird, I mean it is weird and I completely understand why you're pissed.”

...

There. It was all out.

And you felt miserable. Having said something like that so openly, IN SCHOOL, AND TO YOUR CRUSH, too?

FUCK, you could feel your whole nerves being ON FIRE. Because now you looked like a liar AND a crazy bitch.

You could hear your own heartbeat in your ears, feel it pulsing in your face. You felt sick. You just wanted to crawl into bed and never come out again.

And Rafe? You had never seen him look so—genuinely surprised (?). Like he actually had no clue what to think or how to react.

Shit. It must be really bad if Rafe Cameron was speechless.

A crease formed between his brows, and before he could roast you into the next century, you tried to salvage what little dignity you had left. “Please don't think I'm crazy—”

“Shit, you really need to get laid.”

You blinked, completely taken aback. “What?”

“Someone needs to fuck the overthinking right out of you,” he said, waving a hand in your direction. “And not just once.”

Caught completely off guard by his reaction, all you could manage was a terrible nervous chuckle because WHAT THE FUCK.

Rafe let out a short laugh. “You spend way too much time up here.” He tapped a finger against his temple. “You gotta get all that shit out somehow.”

You furrowed your brows, equal parts confused and mortified. The whole conversation from earlier? Instantly forgotten. “That—” you laughed, somewhere between horrified and incredulous. “I don't... It’s not that simple.”

“Oh yeah? Have you tried?” His look told you he already knew the answer.

And that made your face BURN.

“The break’s almost over”, you blurted out with an awkward smile. “And I haven’t even eaten yet.”

Great safe.

Rafe raised his brows slightly as if debating whether to push you further or finally put you out of your misery. “Alright,” he said at last. “Just to be sure—you do know where I live, right?”

In a split second, the heat in your face evaporated, replaced by sheer, stunned disbelief. “What?” was all you could manage.

“For when you come over later,” he replied as if it were the most obvious thing in the world, a mocking smile tugging at his lips. “Or do you actually want me to pretend you’re really going to your friend’s place after you've just admitted it was bullshit?”

SERIOUSLY. He was a master at making things excruciatingly uncomfortable.

You furrowed your brows but before you could say anything, he cut in: “And just to be clear, this is not a sex date.” He smiled boyishly. “Unless you do feel like shutting off your brain for once.”

JESUS HOLY FUCKING CHRIST. You were officially done for.

You knew he was just messing with you, maybe even trying to lighten the mood or calm your nerves in his weird way, BUT THAT WAS ENOUGH OMG.

Before your system could completely crash and burn, you mustered the last bit of dignity you had left. “Enjoy your lunch,” you said, voice only slightly shaky, before turning around to go dig your own grave.

“Six, at my place” he called after you. “No need for condoms.”

THIS GUY. You seriously had no words or thoughts left.

This whole conversation had left you completely drained. Jumping out of a plane or climbing Mount Everest would have been less adrenaline-consuming than whatever THIS had been.

And despite how utterly flustered, embarrassed, humiliated, exposed, and mortified this conversation had left you… you couldn’t stop the small smile that dared to creep onto your lips.

Because somehow, despite his horribly accurate and straightforward observation of you, Rafe Cameron had in fact managed to ease your worries. That, even though your brain had been buzzing in your head just moments ago, completely shattered and restless.

And whether that had been his intention or not, in some strange way, it made you feel seen—in the best and worst way possible.

-----------------------------------------------

kms masterlist | <- part six | part eight (soon) ->

-----------------------------------------------

Taglist (open):

@ursogorgeous13 @my-name-is-baby @moneybaby07 @jjasmiineee @sttaejoon-blog @vogueprincess @princesspeaxhh @wtfisastiles @wefelldowntherabbithole13 @rafes4 @kathryn-maraudersversion @wuluhwuhmaster @torturedtypewritersdept @sfotiegiuls @vvmaybank @ltristessedureratoujours @mia-iltc @gabrielaperez11 @stoned-writer @lunaleah @akobx @cokewithcameron @b00klvrs @rafesdrew @mattyskies @yktayy9669 @beabafreakbee @c1gsafterwhat @drewstarkeyswife-7 @wtfdudesblog @akobx

[sl-vega]

SWEET N' SOUR ! - a scaramouche celebrity smau

-> TEASER 002

additional notes:

fun fact; I actually had never listened to skin until writing this smau

i was fairly caught up in the sabrina + olivia drama, but I never knew sabrina released music about it until recently ;w;

thank you to that one anon who asked if skin would be referenced! this chapter was gonna be a lot shorter than that but then they reminded me that skin SHOULD be a relevant part of this teaser so yeah, thanks for that anon!

fontinalia (formally known as FONTINALIA Records) is the record label that y/n was signed to before they dropped them when the hate started

in this au they're basically the equivalent of broadway records, (a record label irl that specializes in stage musical cast recordings-which is why lyney and furina are also signed to them)

but they also double as a record label for things like pop! which is why y/n used to be under them

beidou is your manager! that's why you and kazuha are like siblings :3

as per usual, taglist is open, and PLEASE lmk if I can use your username as a fan!

˚୨୧⋆｡ synopsis:  the bright lights of fame and fortune aren’t for everyone, and you’re starting to think you’re part of that majority. You just can’t seem to catch a break! Every movie you’re in goes straight to DVD, every album you drop just barely gets any streams. From child star to sub par popstar, it seems clear that the world has some kind of vendetta against you and you love to blame it on a certain rising musical sensation; Scaramouche. Thanks to your godforsaken luck you happened to go out with the wrong guy at the wrong time because he just so happened to be Scaramouche’s ex, next thing you know you wake up to truck loads of death threats, your record label dropping you, AND a whole album labelling you as the ‘other woman’! After what seemed like a never ending onslaught of straight bullying and harassment, you had long since retreated from the limelight, the only thing left from your music career being ever so occasional covers on YouTube that only your few close friends watched religiously. However, after writing a heartfelt original piece and uploading it from your humble bedroom, it goes viral! A single song has thrusted you head first into stardom once more, and face to face with the person you ruined it for you.

<- prev ll masterlist ll next ->

🍬 (open) taglist: @shrii-kk @freyao7 @analiee6 @thetwinkims @bellflower1257 @blvdmrcnry @bloukoup @yuan1819 @yourstrulymauki @fungaltoehehe @enrions @atlatcaheart @mywillt0live @myeomiz @adornavia @automaticpatroltragedy @scaraenthusiast1 @sesamemin @syunifu @blueberrybxba @fishii28 @a-sorrowful-tune @emvss @jiminscarmex @mwaiu @lloversss @d4y-dr3am3r @usagiarchive

[spiritsglade]

Hello! I'm a big fan of your works. Your Jason is one of the best I've read! You get him. I'm very grateful to have read your fics. Please keep on writing him🙏

Now what kind of Jason fics do you enjoy? Plus if you haven't read Lysical's works already do so now!

hi hi!! thank you so much :] have a lot of things in the works so i will definitely be writing him for a while yet!

lysical's username is vaguely familiar, i've probably read a couple of their fics before but i don't remember specifics. i'll be sure to check them out properly when i have the time.

i've been sitting on this question for quite a while because i'm not entirely sure how to answer it--what fics i enjoy for jason really changes quite a bit depending on arbitrary things like my mood in the moment, lol. ended up just tossing together a rec list of some ongoing fics that i've been enjoying.

Triple Red by caffeinatedbasil - a wc crossover jayroy series. jason adopts lian after roy disappears on a diplomatic mission to space. the sequel's currently being written. the sheer relief of it really gets to me when i'm sad i'll just reread the entirety of burning red's first chapter and hope it'll fix me.

Someday I'm Gonna Be Somebody People Want by @ahoyimlosingmymind - a metahuman forces bruce, dick, tim, and damian to watch what pretty much amounts to a slideshow of jason's trauma, starting from early childhood. it's been fascinating seeing how they react and also devastating. little jason :( he's so small

Temporary Angels by @hopetimistic - case fic, jason whump, jaykyle, lots going on in this one! the original villains are really fun. it's actually just updated recently, haven't had a chance to read that chapter yet but i'm excited :]

door, opening by @cowboysorceror - dick & jason focused and also the most detailed case fic i've ever read. obsessed. these relationships make me so upset (in a good way) my head is in my hands.

Stable Relationships by @glitter-stained - horse movie no capes jayroy au. idk i just love all the character dynamics and the worldbuilding and the imagery is so good too.

For Some Desperate Glory by @chasingfigments - under the hood au where instead of taking over the drug trade jason kidnaps bruce. love the level of detail in this one too!! and we're still relatively early in the setup but i am truly obsessed with everything happening here.

Acid by @quenchiestcactusjuice99 - jason gets shoved into the marvel universe and into the hands of hydra. good fic fun dynamics i appreciate how competent he is and his yearning for his family hits me in the face every time.

i'll be gone in the dark by @havenesc - jason rancher au where he runs from gotham!! we're only one chapter in but it's a big one + his paranoia is so so sad but also extremely funny

Therapy with Doctor Todd by Wisetypewriter - jason gets a degree in psychiatry and forces the batfam to go to therapy. it's really funny but at the same time that 'crack treated seriously' tag was not lying.

[cwritesforfun]

Rafe Cameron x Fem!Reader: Bodyguard AU

You're a successful lead singer of a pop x alternative band. Recently, there was a need to strengthen security. Rafe is your assigned bodyguard.

Y/N = Your First Name L/N = Your Last Name

*I do not own any of the Outer Banks characters. The plot is completely different here!

let me know if you want a part two because I want to write one lol

Masterlist

Y/N's POV

You've been on tour for six weeks with Rafe by your side. He had successfully intercepted everything thrown at you on stage, from bras to condoms. He had managed to keep fans close but not too close. Your food was tested for poison, and he even would take a bite first to make sure it was all okay. He always had your back.

You were finally in New York City with a night off from performing. You were planning to sleep in, go to the hotel spa, and just relax. Your body and mind were tired.

You exit your room and see Rafe standing there. You exclaim, "Morning, Mr. Cameron." He smiles and replies, "Morning Miss L/N`." You reply, "You can just call me Y/N today. It's my day off." He smiles and follows you to the elevator.

You walk up to the spa, and the receptionist asks, "Hello, welcome to the Right Mind Spa. How may I help you both?" You answer, "Yes, hi, I'm Y/N L/N, and I'm checking in for my facial." The receptionist replies, "Great, we have you all checked in. You may wait in the lobby, and we'll call you back when it's time." You nod, take a seat, and open your book.

You glance up at Rafe, who is watching everyone intensely. He really takes his job seriously. I mean, it was a day off for you. But I guess bad things can happen anytime. God, I should knock on wood to not jinx myself. But also, Rafe is really hot.

The esthetician is named Ruby, and she leads you back to a room. You walk in first, and Ruby says, "Whoa, not so fast, big guy. You'll have to wait out here." You say, "It's okay, Rafe. Just wait outside. If anything's wrong, just knock first then open the door." He nods and places his back next to the door.

Ruby shuts the door and says, "Your boyfriend or guard or whatever is very serious." You reply, "Yeah, he really is. Sorry about that." She replies, "I have you down for just a classic facial, is that right?" You nod and reply, "Yes, ma'am."

The facial goes off without a hitch. You're glad.

The rest of your day off involves you convincing Rafe to eat with you at lunch in your room, then you let him leave because he seems stressed not watching the door. You watch movies and call friends the rest of the day.

Another two weeks of tour pass and you get closer to Rafe. You try to get him to open up since you two spend so much time together. He even lets out a smile once or twice. It's nice to see. He has a pretty smile.

Something is off on your day off, but no one will tell you what. Rafe just commands that you stay in your hotel room all day with him inside and another guard stationed outside. You try pushing him to ask why, but he tells you that it's better for you to not know yet. But it's your life and it makes you frustrated.

The next day, you notice amped up security, and you try not to panic. You try to ask your band what is happening, and they don't know either.

You get ready for your concert like nothing is wrong and try to de-stress with your hype music.

The concert begins, and you yell into the microphone, "HELLO, LOS ANGELES! How are we doing tonight?" Everyone screams, and you scan the audience. You see so many happy faces and a few off-putting ones. Huh.

You shake it off and continue your concert.

Rafe's POV

Y/N is off tonight. She occasionally goes off-key, and she never is. I know how much tonight means to her and her band, everyone who is everyone is in Los Angeles here tonight.

I race backstage, where I know Y/N is changing. I find her and see her pacing before her entrance. I place my hands on her arms. She flinches slightly but relaxes when she realizes it's me, then says, "What's going on?" I ask, "I could ask you the same thing. You're off-key. What's wrong?" She answers, "Just some fans looking off in the audience. Just look stage left, please. But be discreet." I nod and say, "Take a deep breath. I'll make sure you're safe." She nods, takes a deep breath, and then heads on stage.

I alert my team, and they start searching around stage left. Meanwhile, I stand right in front of the stage looking as well.

It all happens so quickly.

One minute, I'm looking at people. The next I hear blood-curdling screams in the audience. I immediately hop on stage and run towards Y/N. My hand has only just grabbed her side when I hear her say, "Rafe. Catch me." I looked down and saw blood pouring out of her chest. I sweep her off her feet as she starts to fall, and I run with her down the emergency entrance.

I yell, "Call 911 and get help here now!" I hope someone heard me.

I rip my jacket off, then my shirt, before holding it down on her side. Y/N looks at me through her heavy eyelids and says, "Thanks, Rafe." I say, "Come on, Y/N. Stay with me, okay? You'll be okay." She replies, "I just feel really sleepy, Rafe." I hear an ambulance from far away and say, "Stay with me, just for a bit longer. Help is on the way. Um did I ever tell you about my favorite song of yours?" She replies, "I thought you had never heard my music before you took the job. You lied." I reply, "Yeah, sorry for that. I um... I love your band and your music. I've been a fan since your first album, Hollow Heart. I even went to a concert on the Hollow Heart tour. I saw you in Ohio, and you were phenomenal. You have always had the best stage presence. I'm so proud of you." I see her faintly smile as I look up to see the ambulance pulling up. Paramedics hop out of the ambulance and immediately take care of Y/N. I get in the ambulance with them and hold her hand. Her heart sputters a little. I want her to live. I need her to live.

We arrive at a hospital where they take her immediately to surgery. A nurse tells me where the bathroom is and hands me an extra white shirt to throw on since I'm covered in blood. I go rinse my hands and slide it on.

I wait and pace in the waiting room.

I called the rest of the security and made sure everything was controlled. I also made sure everyone else, from her fans to her band, was okay. I called Y/N's mom and told her what happened, too.

A nurse calls me over to tell me that Y/N is out from surgery and okay. If the bullet had hit her any lower, she would have died upon impact. Thank goodness.

I sit by Y/N's bedside, holding her hand as she sleeps. I lay my head down on the bed next to our hands and nap.

When I wake up, I see Y/N's mom reading a book in the chair on the other side of the room. I let go of Y/N's hand and say, "Miss L/N, I'm so glad you're here. You should take my seat. She probably will need her mom when she wakes up." Miss L/N replies, "Thank you, honey. I can watch her if you want to go home and shower. I appreciate you for doing such a great job at keeping her safe. She would be dead if it weren't for you." I reply, "But I failed her. She got hit." She takes my hands gently and says, "Sweetheart, those men… those awful men had their sights set on her. There was no way to prevent it—no one could have seen it coming. Please don’t blame yourself. She’s alive, she’s safe, and that’s because of you. You made sure she could keep making music and bringing light to the world. Thank you." I reply, "I see why Y/N loves you. And I see where she gets her light." She pulls me into a hug and says, "Thank you, darling. Now go clean up. Give me your number, and I'll call you about any changes." I nod.

I leave the hospital in a taxi and take it to the hotel. I clean off then meet up with the rest of security.

3 Days Later... Y/N's POV

You woke up the day after Rafe left. Your mom told you how he had stayed with you the whole time and how he blamed himself.

You also learned from the police about the gang who shot you. They told you that 2 of your other band members sustained minor injuries, and some fans died while some were injured. You felt horrible.

You're driven to your home in Los Angeles. You're told by your mom that your band postponed the rest of the tour.

When you arrive home, you notice different security members. You ask, "Where's Mr. Cameron? I thought he was my assigned guard." One of the guards says, "He asked to be reassigned." You reply, "Call him up and tell him that he needs to quit in person." The guard nods.

You head inside with help from your mom, and you lay on your bed. You take a nap, and you notice it's dark when you wake up. You slowly get up, go the bathroom, then head downstairs because you're hungry. You walk slowly and see Rafe talking to your mom in the living room. He's here. He really showed up. You exclaim, "Rafe?" He quickly turns to you, rushes to your side, and says, "What are you doing up? You need to be resting. You'll pop your stitches." You answer, "I was hungry." Your mom says, "I'll make us some dinner. Rafe, be a dear and help her back to her bed. It's the first door on the right upstairs." Rafe turns to you and says, "I'm going to pick you up, okay?" You nod, and he slips his arms around you. He picks you up like you weigh nothing and seems to treat you like a delicate flower.

Rafe places you on the bed, and you say, "Rafe, please sit. We need to talk." He moves to sit on the chair by your desk, and you quickly say, "Can you sit at the edge of my bed? It's hard to turn my head and look at you over there." He moves back to the bed and sits on the edge as if ready to run when he tells you that he quits. You notice him cross his arms and glance at you before you say, "You're hovering weirdly." He shrugs and says, "I'm not getting too close. I’m just making sure you’re okay." You smile softly and say, "I’m okay." He shakes his head and replies, "No. You’re not. And that’s on me." You say, "Rafe—" He interrupts you with a sharp exhale and says, "I failed you, Y/N. That guy hit you. You got hurt. That’s not supposed to happen." You reply, "It wasn’t your fault—" He interrupts, "It was my job to stop it." You reply, "And you did. You got to me in seconds." He clinches his jaw and says, "Seconds are too long when it comes to you."

A silence stretches between us. Rafe looks away, his fists tightening at his sides. I watch him carefully.

You exclaim, "You’re thinking about quitting on me and getting reassigned, aren't you?" Rafe quietly answers, "I already made up my mind." You softly reply, "No." He sighs and says, "Y/N—" You reply, "No. I won’t let you." He frustratedly says, "You think this is easy for me? Watching you risk yourself every time you step outside? Knowing I might not be enough to keep you safe?" You reply, "You are enough." He shakes his head and says, "I can’t—" You reply, "You can’t leave me."

Rafe finally looks at you. There’s something raw in his eyes, something he’s been holding back for too long. You wonder what it is.

Rafe says in a low voice, "You don’t get it, do you? It’s not just about the job anymore. It hasn’t been for a long time." Your breath catches, and you mutter, "...Rafe." He replies in a soft but firm tone, "If something happened to you, Y/N… I wouldn’t survive it."

You crawl slowly over the bed, closing the space between you two. Your fingers graze his hand, tentative but deliberate.

You say, "Then stay. Not because it’s your job. Because it’s me." Rafe exhales sharply, like he's been holding his breath for years. His resolve wavers—just for her. Rafe hoarsely lets out, "You’re making this impossible." You smile softly and say, "Good. Because I don’t want to do this without you."

Your eyes lock, the unspoken words lingering in the air between them. And for the first time, Rafe thinks—maybe he’s exactly where he’s meant to be.

.

.

.

let me know if you want a part two because I want to write one lol

Masterlist

[w-sims]

So, I did a thing... I had a bit of birthday money and a completionist nature.

I may have lost my credibility buying the Game Pack (after holding out for so many years!) but I got it on a great deal (the combined magic of a sale and small bit of... Nordic wizardry). I recently started watching the Star Wars movies (for the first time ever) and went to the Galaxy's Edge lands in both Orlando and California last year. So, yeah. I caved.

[morebird]

The Shape

[theoldkyokodied]

Stuilly doodle dump (1/2)

(decided to split up this art dump after all, if you saw the first post i made... no you didn't)

[femboy-central]

grabs your hip to get your attention. as men do to each other

[makesyouevil]

kisses him on the head

[aestheticcrab]

we got lego cherik before gta6

[phantasymistart]

some first attempts at drawing lotr characters

[some-bi-mess]

Jigsaw: You have a mental illness? A mental illness that isn't your fault? Oh! Oh! Trap for you! Trap for you for one thousand years!!!!

[silvadour]

[twicearoundthebend]

Okay so this makes perfect sense in my head but idk if anyone else thinks like this-

In the books, it’s Legolas x Gimli all the way. They’re in love and their round the world trip is clearly their honeymoon. It’s the classic enemies to lovers, rivalry to teamwork (while still making it a competition), Romeo and Juliet but gay and happy.

But! In the movies I very much understand the Legolas x Aragorn vibes. Like- their banter? Top tier. How quick Legolas is to defend Aragorn? That’s his husband. The poster child of best friends to lovers relationships.

Also- the two ships have very different vibes, but I appreciate both. Legolas/Gimli is all about the slow burn, watching their relationship develop from rivalry into companionship, and what that means in relation to their cultures. But Legolas/Aragorn start out close already, and that bond really raises the stakes in dramatic moments

[xxplastic-cubexx]

so like do you think they made the plastic wheelchair ALONGSIDE the plastic prison as a Just In Case situation, only after they realized charles was going to be a frequent visitor, or both as in because they knew charles was going to be the only person visiting him during planning they decided to make him a chair ahead of time