#i’ve never done traditional before | Explore Tumblr posts and blogs

jjkbambi · 28 days ago

Text

boy next door luigi mangione x reader (18+)

summary!!! (((smut)))) your roommate luigi wants to help you get over your breakup.

warnings: long fic so we’re starting off with fluff, smutty and rough, blowjob, head pushing and hair-pulling and choking on it bc y/n is #real, p in this v fr, Tie, jealous-ish?, (is in the kitchen public?), he’s very talkative, daddy and his good girl <333

^^ unedited and im a procrastinator

you still haven’t gotten luigi the secret santa gift. with the end of december closing in, all the other $25-and-under gifts sit neatly wrapped beside the tabletop tree. by friendsmas standards, you’re embarrassingly late.

but it was hard!!! he spent most of his time tucked away in his room, the door always cracked just enough to remind you he wasn’t entirely gone. you’d catch glimpses of him hunched over his desk, surrounded by books and papers scrawled with notes you couldn’t begin to understand. he never started conversations, only speaking up to correct you or drop some fact that left you feeling both impressed and annoyed.

it was so desperate you tried the campus bookstore, staring helplessly at the rows of penn merch to no avail. he already seemed to own everything—hoodies, mugs, even a pennant on his door. a gift card felt impersonal, but anything else felt like a gamble.

“good morning,” you hum, stepping into his room. luigi’s snaps his head up, standing shirtless by his closet, scrambling to pull on a sweater. for someone who barely left the house, the sight of his six-pack catches you completely off guard.

“what do you want?” he asks, voice gruff.

you lean against his wall. “do you prefer american or chinese food?”

he huffs out a laugh before leaning onto his blackwood desk. “what, are you taking me out on a date?”

“no, no, no, your secret santa asked me to ask you.” you lie. “they also asked if you wear a size medium or large.”

“don’t worry, i can’t make it to movie night,” he says casually. your lips immediately drop into a frown. it was the annual tradition in the house—a night where all five roommates came together to watch a terrible holiday movie and exchange department store gifts. he couldn’t miss it. “i’ve got a mandatory frat event,” he adds with a shrug. “apparently, it’s not optional this time. i’m surprised your boyfriend didn’t tell you about it.”

you feel yourself dull at the mention of him. “we’re on a break.”

luigi raises an eyebrow. “a break, huh? didn’t see that one coming.” his tone is neutral, but there’s a flicker of something underneath. “what made it happen?”

you shrug, avoiding the conversation.

luigi’s expression softens, his gaze shifting to something a little more concerned. he takes a small step closer, his voice quieter now. “you okay?”

“yeah,” you weren’t, and it was overtly obvious. luigi stands over you, his tall frame leaning closer, his warmth wrapping around you like a quiet embrace. “i thought i heard you say you were done with all that fraternity nonsense,” you say, remembering the times he complained to your roommates about the tumultuous nights and endless responsibilities waiting for him at the phi kappa psi house. it’s strange to picture your boyfriend in that world now.

“you’re nosy,” he says.

“you specifically told my boyfriend it was a huge waste of money.”

“ex-boyfriend.”

“we’re on a break!” you emphasize, eyes narrowing. “plus, it sounds like you’re just trying to get out of secret santa.”

luigi leans in slightly, his voice lowering, teasing. “and it sounds like you’re getting me a gift card.”

you can’t help but laugh, the tension between you both shifting into something lighter, something that felt just a little too comfortable. “alright fine,” you say, accepting defeat. “secret’s out. what is it you want?”

he pauses, studying you for a moment, the faintest smirk curling at his lips. “what do i want?” he murmurs, his voice low, as if weighing the question. hesteps a bit closer, just enough to make the space between you feel charged. “i don’t know, what are you willing to give me?”

you flush under his gaze, unsure of what to make of this moment. you have a boyfriend—yet you’re ninety percent sure luigi is flirting with you, and about a hundred percent sure you’re liking it.

the warmth in your chest is both unsettling and familiar, a confusing mix of guilt and something else you can’t quite place. you try to shake it off, but the way he looks at you lingers in your thoughts, pulling at you in ways you didn’t expect.

he seems entertained by your befuddlement, his eyes lingering on yours in a way that makes you second-guess yourself. he looks away, breaking the moment with a soft chuckle, then turns to leave.

“i’ll see you,” he says, but it’s not casual. it’s something else, something that makes you wonder if he’s looking forward to seeing you again as much as you are him.

you bring yourself back to reality, forcing your mind to settle. you can’t flirt with him. it would upset the house dynamic, intrude on your peaceful living space—you cannot let that happen. you shouldn’t. you were on a break from your boyfriend, a small pause in something that still felt important. and soon enough, you’d be back together, just like you always were.

as much as his presence lingers in your thoughts, you remind yourself of the needed boundaries, the reasons why things can’t get blurred.

still, as you continue baking cookies, dodging glitter explosions, and downing soju bottles, his absence nags at you, a quiet reminder that you’re trying not to want something that might never be.

“you’re still awake.” luigi’s voice cuts through the quiet kitchen, startling you so much that you nearly drop the piece of ribbon you’re holding. you whirl around, clutching your chest, only to find him much closer than you’d expected—close enough that you have to tilt your head up to meet his gaze.

“sorry, didn’t mean to scare you.” he says as you try to shake off the way your pulse seems to have kicked off into overdrive. “you’re not tired?”

“not yet.” you shake your head. “the party didn’t exhaust you?”

“it did.” he says, exhaling. “figured i’d check if i’m eating american or chinese tomorrow before i hit the hay.”

you pretend like you’re offended. “i’d never get you something so thoughtless.”

you grab a gray glittery gift bag and toss it his way. his teasing falters for a second, a flicker of surprise crossing his face. “a tie?”

“yeah, you’re always dressed fancy, going fancy places…” you say, brushing the glitter off your hands, suddenly feeling self-conscious. was it the wrong choice? did fancypants mcgee only wear silk imported from asia? “you don’t like it?”

“no,” he says quickly, the corners of his mouth lifting into a faint smile. “it’s sweet.”

you glance at him, unsure what to say, and his smirk softens into something else, something warmer. he steps closer, the space between you narrowing just enough to make your breath catch.

“guess i’ll have to step up my game,” he says, his voice low, almost thoughtful. “didn’t realize you were paying attention.”

you blink, caught off guard, scrambling to come up with something, but before you can, he leans back, breaking the tension with a chuckle. “looks like you could use some help.”

“you don’t have to.”

“i want to,” he replies, tossing the ribbon into the trash before grabbing the broom from the corner. “besides, i can’t have you using this tie to guilt-trip me later.”

“it’s weird having you be so nice to me,” you blurt out the words before you can realize the reprussions. his dark brown eyes glance up at you, eyebrows pinched together.

the regret is immediate. “i just mean we’ve never really talked before.”

luigi looks at you, his expression shifting slightly. “was that my choice or yours?”

you blink, caught off guard. you’d always assumed it was mutual. “well, that’s not really the point,” you say, trying to brush it off. “we’re friends now, right?”

his dark eyes shift away from yours for a moment, but only to return with even more intensity, holding you in place, freezing you in the moment. your heart stutters in your chest. “i was never interested in being your friend.”

“oh.” the word feels hollow as it leaves your mouth, and you instantly feel your face go pale. you scramble for something to say, anything to make the moment feel less heavy, but the silence hangs between you, thick and unrelenting.

“that’s not what i meant—“

“it’s fine of course, you don’t have to—”

“no.”

he shakes his head and runs up to you, closing the moment of confusion with an abrupt force—his mouth is on yours, tongue slipping past your lips and sliding into you.

whether it was the warmth of the kiss, his big hands groping your body, or the fact that this was just all so irredeemably wrong—you didn’t know—but the rush you got from being with him left you dizzy and dazed and desperate.

luigi laughs into your kiss. “you’re so fuckin’ eager.”

you should be reasonable. you shouldn’t be doing this, this is a mistake. “sorry, i—”

“no, don’t be sorry,” he says, smiling into another sloppy kiss. it felt so tender, so loving, when he takes you into your arms. reason flies out the window. “i want you, too.”

“luigi,” you whimper into his lips, not recognizing the desperation in your voice.

“i’ll give it to you baby, don’t worry,” he hums.

your fingers rush to unbutton your top, half-way done before luigi realizes what you’re doing and he grabs you. “keep your clothes on. i don’t need you naked to make you cum.”

he’s so strong and forward and unlike anything you’ve ever had before. in one swift motion, he turns you over, pressed against the kitchen counter as he slides his warm hand down your silk shorts and cradles your tit with the other.

“you put these on for me, didn’t you?” he tugs your lace panties, pressing them against your hot cunt. your back arches at the sensation and you feel his cock hard underneath his jeans.

“luigi.” you whimper, barely breathing.

“admit it,” he says, in between licking and kissing and biting the nape of your neck, sure to leave marks. “you wore these for me, didn’t you? wanted me to take your mind off that fuckin’ asshole, hm? wanted me to take care of you?”

you swell underneath him, shaking. he grinds his straining cock against your plump ass as he works your pussy, groaning into your neck.

“oh, baby, is that too much for you already?” luigi’s breath is hot against your neck, hands busy rubbing your clit and pinching your delicate nipple.

you felt like you couldn’t breathe. the expression on luigi’s face is smug. “you haven’t even had my cock yet, look at you.”

he brings his wet fingers up to your lips, then shoves them into your mouth without permission. you can’t help but shudder underneath his wicked touch. “yeah.” he laughs. “squirm like that, slut.”

“lu,” you pant. “i want it.”

“no, not yet,” he says, rubbing his hard big cock against your clothed ass. “see how hard i am for you? see how worked up you got me?”

“yes,” you whimper, fingers still in your mouth.

“get on your knees,” luigi grunts. “show me how much you need it.”

you needed it more than anything. dropping down to your knees, you notice a spot on his jeans wet with precum. he’s straining for you. you try to get as much of your mouth on him as you can as soon as his bottoms are off, desperate to show him how good you are.

“you’re so pretty like this,” luigi murmurs as you try to fill your mouth with his entirety. seeing that you’re struggling, he puts his hand on the back of your head and guides you down onto it. “such a good girl.”

he rocks hip forward deep into your warmth, using your face. “choke on it.” he orders. and you do. your eyes tear up at the feeling of his length touching the back of your throat. “god, you’re so fuckin’ filthy.”

before you can breathe, luigi pulls himself out of your mouth and barks out another order, “put your hands up against the wall.”

you do as you’re told. your core aches like it misses his touch. pulling your shorts down, he groans at the sight of your wetness, driving his big cock inside of you.

“slipped in so easy with your spit all over me,” he whispers in your ear. god, he’s driving you fucking crazy. the pleasure is almost overwhelming as he leans down, forces your chin back to bring your lips together, a sloppy, loving kiss.

“i knew you were gonna be like this,” he purrs into you, sucking and biting.

“like what?”

“like a fuckin’ slut.” luigi grumbles. he grabs something off the counter, and you don’t know what’s happening until you feel the silk material fasten around your wrists. the tie.

“luigi.” you gasp.

“i’ve been waiting to get my fuckin’ hands on you.”

you shiver at the confession. “really?”

he groans as he watches your ass ripple against his hips—at how easy and soft and weak you were at his mercy. he melts at the sight of you, using your binded wrists to buck deeper into you. you moan and whimper and scream on the force—he’s so harsh, so mean, so good—you’ve never even dreamt of a pleasure like this.

“listen to you.” he buries himself so deep inside you that you could feel his balls pressed against your ass. “you’re fuckin’ loud when you’re getting treated right, aren’t you?”

“please, daddy,” you whine, completely out of your mind.

luigi groans, pushing your head into the kitchen counter. “god, i didn’t think you were gonna call me that,” he rumbles, rocking his cock hard into your frothing core, rubbing against your clit and sending sparks of pleasure swirling through your body.

he pulls your hair back again, causing you to shriek. “didn’t call him that, did you?” he says it like a statement, leaving no room for correction. “god, i used to jerk myself off listening to you moan. wondering if you were riding him or bent over your fuckin’ mattress.“

“luigi.” you cry.

“always knew i could treat you better,” he growls. “always wanted to bend you over in front of everyone and make you beg for it.”

“i would’ve let you,” you mewl out, helpless.

“yeah?”

“you’re s’good.”

his thrusts come faster, more frantic. “better than him?”

“yes!”

you’re so close and so needy. your mind glows white as he fucks into you. squirming underneath him, the friction of your frantic movements growing hotter as the both of you chase your high. “good girl,” he praises, kissing all over your neck and back. “cream all over daddy’s cock, baby.”

“luigi,” you moan as your orgasm gushes beneath him, shivering as you feel his cock quiver, his load shooting deep into your cunt. he grunts with his final thrust, whimpering your name.

he kisses your shoulder as he pulls out of you. “so good,” he pants, just as helpless and shaken as you were. he unties the present you’d given him and pulls you in for another kiss.

“luigi,” you sigh against his lips.

“pretty girl,” he whispers back, running his hot wet kisses across your lips, your cheeks, your neck. “let me take you out tomorrow, yeah? a proper date. i’ll wear my tie ‘nd everything.”

you laugh—a mix of disbelief and something else—something lighter. before you can say anything, he’s leaning in again, kissing you softly, like it’s the most natural thing in the world.

“it was a good gift, right?” you hum.

“yeah,” he agrees, the corner of his lips curling into a smirk. “versatile.”

MASTERLIST send requests and leave feedback :3

#used to write 1d fanfic #was a different tumblr #luigi mangione x reader #luigi mangione x y/n #free luigi #free luigi mangione #luigi fanart #luigi mangione #luigi mangione smut #luigi mangione fanclub #uhc shooter #luigi mangione fic #real person fiction

1K notes · View notes

bunnis-monsters · 4 months ago

Text

Baby bees’ first Halloween

Male!Bee Hybrids x Fem!Reader

Bunni’s Monstertober Event

Oct 10th

Oct9

Oct11

summary: when your baby bees want to experience the Halloween traditions of the human world, you do everything in your power to make the night special for them.

warning: mostly fluff, short sex scene at the end, breeding, oviposition, more than two p in one v

Although honey and sweet things were things all bee hybrids were experts on, not a single one of them was aware of the Halloween holiday.

That was, until one of your baby bees looked up from your lap at the movie you were watching. In it, the characters were talking about Halloween as they walked home from school.

The baby bee’s eyes lit up, and he held onto your shirt with his tiny fists as he watched the movie with you. His siblings were already fast asleep in cuddle piles all along the bed and floor, so he took the opportunity to get some extra cuddle time with his precious mama!

The next day, you woke up to your sons buzzing around, their clumsy bodies pumping into walls and each other as they babbled and squealed with delight.

“Really?”

“A special day where you get candy?”

“A-and you get to dress up!”

“Mama!”

Their attention turned to you the second they noticed you were awake. You were tackled by your sons, the sound of buzzing, purring, and multiple voices trying to speak at once filled the room.

“Mama, hungry!”

“I wanna trick or treat!”

“Mama, mama!”

You laughed, holding them close to you. “Shh, shh… one at a time.”

As you began to feed your little ones, they told you their plans.

“We’re gonna trick or treat!”

You blinked, patting the back of one of your little ones after he was done feeding. “Truck or treating? And where do you plan on doing that, boys? You know little ones aren’t allowed to leave the hive.”

Whines and huffs could be heard as they all poured and stomped their little feet. “I wanna eat candy!”

“Costumes sound fun!”

“Mama, please!”

So like any other mother would, you decided that you’d need to plan something for your little ones to do for Halloween.

The week leading up to that special day was busy. Decorations were being put up, lights hung, and candy delivered. Before long the entire hive was buzzing with excitement for the special day!

“My queen, we’ve prepared the costumes.”

You glance at one of the worker bees as he brought in a rack of custom made costumes for your little ones. So far, you had only birthed 3 batches of baby bees, so you currently only had 15 of your own children in the hive.

“Good. Have the children try them on and make sure they’re to their liking.”

You sighed softly, sitting next to the bed of one of the young bees that had recently been taken into the hive. He was just a baby, but so sickly and small. It hurt your heart to know other hives didn’t care as much as you did.

“Mama…”

His little voice made your heart clench in your chest. You weren’t his mother, but you reached out and held his tiny hand regardless. “Yes, sweetheart?”

“I wanna… dress up too…”

So another costume was ordered, the little one requested to dress up as a flower.

When the time finally came for Halloween, you were awoken by a swarm of your little ones all jumping onto your bed and squealing with delight.

“Mama!”

“Halloween, it’s Halloween!”

“Candy!”

You groaned a bit, sitting up and rubbing your tired eyes. “I told you, my little love bugs, we can’t trick or treat until later tonight.”

They were restless through the day, but thankfully you anticipated this and had a small fall fest planned. They all played with hay, bobbed for apples, and got their faces painted by the talented artists of the hive.

“I’ve never seen a baby bee so happy before, my queen,” one of your attendants purred into your ear, nibbling on your neck. “You are certainly the most attentive, amazing-“

When his hand dipped between your thighs, you gave his arm a playful smack. “Tsk, tsk… it’s their night, you aren’t getting any until all my little ones are asleep.”

You attendants all pouted, determined to cling and whine to you about how needy they were. For the most part you didn’t mind, but they were such jealous things!

Settling down with your little ones, you let them nap as you chatted with the worker bees. It wa stole for them to get in place for trick or treating.

When your little ones began to wake, you helped the sleepy baby bees get their costumes on before walking with them through the hive.

Every work station had been converted into a mini house, and the baby bees squealed with delight as they ran and flew to knock on the doors and receive their special treats.

You giggled, watching them bump into each other and toddle around, eating candy and buzzing well into the night.

After going to every house, they were exhausted, toddling after you as you got them all back to bed.

“Was Halloween fun?” you asked in a soft voice, tucking them in.

“Yeah…”

“Mmm… mama…”

“Fun…”

Once they were all asleep, you were guided out of the nursery and to your bedroom. YOURE attendants were pouting, a line of bee hybrids waiting outside for their reward.

“We all worked very hard…” one of them murmured while kissing your fat thighs and tummy. Your panties were already gone, your bee hybrid lovers much too eager to keep them on for long.

Being stuffed with one cock then two, feeling your belly stretch and expand as egg after egg was pushed inside of your womb.

You had promised them all some loving in return for working so hard for your little ones, and they were all so desperate for a turn that they were jumping your leg and pushing more than one cock into your fat cunt.

It was a long night full of cum, love making, and lots of eggs. But by the end of it, they were all satisfied and purring as they curled up with you in a cuddle pile.

Babies and adults were similar in that way. Just like the babies loved to spend time with their mother, the adults yearned to be in the presence of their queen.

————————

NSFW TAGLIST: @sunset-214 @strawberrypoundtown @avalordream @icommitwarcrimes @bazpire @im-eating-rn @anglingforlevels @kinshenewa @pasteldaze @unforgettablewhvre @yoongiigolden @peachesdabunny @murder-hobo @leiselotte @misswonderfrojustice @dij-ology @i8kaeya @lollboogurl @h3110-dar1in9 @keikokashi @aliceattheart @mssmil3y @spicyspicyliving @namjoons-t1ddies @izarosf1833 @healanette @lem-hhn @spufflepuff @honey-crypt @karljra @zyettemoon1800 @exodiam @vexillum-moeru @imperfectlyperfectprincess1 @binnieonabike @enchantedsylveon @mysticranger575 @readeryn68 @danielle143 @kittenlover614 @filthybunny420 @annavittoria-mm @makimamybelovedwife @blubearxy @omglovelylaila @toocollectionchaos-universe-blog @fruk-you-usuk-fans @wil10wthetree @hammerhead96-blog @slightlyusedfloormat

2K notes · View notes

art · 9 months ago

Text

Creator Spotlight: @mimimar

Hi! I’m Michelle (Mimimar), an illustrator born and raised in Venezuela, currently based in Italy. I enjoy making colorful illustrations that reflect the things I love: fairy tales, fantasy, tenderness and queer (especially sapphic) stories. Occasionally, I also make paper dolls, comics and animatics. I have a lot of interest in book illustration and I’m currently developing my own stories that I hope to share as an author-illustrator someday!

Check out our interview with Michelle below!

Did you originally have a background in art? If not, how did you start?

I always enjoyed drawing when I was a kid, but it only became a hobby that I did almost every day when I was around 11. At first I only used traditional mediums, but I decided to make a serious effort to learn how to draw digitally when I was 15, and once I got the hang of it I never stopped!

I didn’t go to art school so all of my learning was done through studying the tutorials and resources that other artists generously share on the internet and lots of practice / trial and error.

How do you want to evolve as a creator?

I want to do many things but what I want to do the most right now is work on books! I want to make art for other authors’ stories and also my own stories as an author-illustrator. I want to grow as a storyteller and create art and stories that will really resonate with people emotionally. I’m always striving to improve my skills as well.

I also really love dolls, so working on doll box art or as a doll designer is something I would love to do someday. I actually have been designing paper dolls on my Patreon for the past few months, it’s been a fun project that is still ongoing right now!

What is one habit you find yourself doing a lot as an artist?

Probably using a lot of purple! It’s my favorite color so I find myself using it a lot. If I can find a way to sneak a little bit of purple into an illustration or a character design then I will.

Congratulations on finishing your Ivy Comic! Did the outcome turn out like how you expected or were there some unexpected bumps along the way?

Thank you! It’s a project that I worked on very slowly in between other art because I wanted to really take my time with every spread and make each of them a fully detailed illustration. I thumbnailed the full comic before starting but I kept changing the sketch for the final spread until the very end! Overall I’m really proud of the end result. I sprinkled a lot of hidden details in every page that I hope some of the readers will notice. For example: the meanings of the flowers in each page represent what the characters are feeling in that moment, and the colors of their wardrobe become gradually lighter as the story progresses to represent their emotions, as well as the changing of seasons.

We’ve noticed that you have created some amazing cover art for TGCF. Is there another series you would like to do something similar with?

That was another passion project that took some time to complete. Initially, I didn’t intend for them to be specifically covers, it was just a series of illustrations based on the 5 books/main arcs of TGCF. But since they were well-received and I had people telling me they wish they could use them as covers for their books, I decided to rework them into dust jackets for the english translation of TGCF!

I haven’t thought of any other specific series but I love doing cover art so maybe I’ll do something similar again in the future!

What’s your favorite part of your style? Why?

I’ve heard from other people that there’s a delicate quality to my art, this is something that I like a lot! I like pretty things, fairytales and vibrant colors. I think all of these things probably reflect in the art I make as well.

If there is one thing you want your audience to remember about your work, what would it be?

I hope that they remember how it made them feel. Feelings and colors are the two things I give priority to in my work. Most of the time I like depicting tenderness, softness and emotional intimacy. If that could reach the viewer and stay with them it would make me very happy.

I make a lot of art with queer (mainly sapphic) themes because they’re the kind of stories I personally like and want to see more of, so whenever people tell me that my art has helped them in their journey to discover and accept themselves, or that they see themselves and their partner in my art, it is always extremely meaningful to me. When art that I made to give myself comfort can provide comfort for others, no matter how small, it reminds me once again that despite any hardships art is genuinely worth pursuing.

Who on Tumblr inspires you and why?

So many artists! To name a few: I love @sakizo’s amazing eye for fashion and detail, @paneeps’ gorgeous style and striking colors, the sweetness of @bevsi’s art, @vickisigh’s pretty colors and concepts, @idledee’s warm and heartfelt art, @littlestpersimmon’s dreamy wonderful art, and @loish has been an inspiration for as long as I can remember.

Thank you so much for stopping by and sharing, Michelle! Be sure to check out their Tumblr blog over at @mimimar.

#creator spotlight #artists on tumblr #tgcf #ivy comic #mimimar

2K notes · View notes

soleilapproves · 2 months ago

Text

You suspect that Simon might have a crush on you (much to your happiness). So you decide to harmlessly manipulate him into admitting it by asking him to set you up with one of his friends.

Note: fem!reader

main masterlist

—

r/advice

u/throwaway123:

How do I (F) subtly find out if my friend (M33) likes me?

Replies:

u/sudsysoap: there’s no need to be subtle. ask him to sleep with you lmao [+50, -10]

u/pricetag: agree with u/sudsysoap, men will sleep with anything as long as it has a hole [+30, -20]

u/log1cal: ask him to set you up with his friends. I did that and now we have 2 kids and a third one on the way. That prank will work wonders [+100, -7]

You had a feeling that Simon liked you. It felt obvious. He would walk by the street on the sidewalk to protect you, brought you deadbolts for your mangy apartment that you only live in for the cheap rent, would buy you groceries when you were too tired to leave your bed, and of course, would be very patient with you when you’d be feeling irritated.

Okay, maybe, he just treated you like how a best friend should but that still wouldn’t explain why he’d come to your apartment, in your crime ridden neighborhood and cuddle with you right after deployment. Not even bothering to shower before laying himself down on you like a starfish.

“I just want to feel warm.” Was his answer whenever you’d ask him why he did so.

You never complained though. Instead, you relished the feeling of his heavy and exhausted body against yours. Enjoying the almost territorial hold he had on you. Like most friendships, it was a symbiotic relationship.

You both never kept much from each other. Obviously there were many aspects of his job that you couldn’t ask about and you respected that.

However, you both had hidden feelings and neither of you wanted to put your cards on the table out of the fear of rejection.

You watched as the man scarfed down his Sunday breakfast- a sort of inside tradition where you’d both go to a cafe near your apartment and scarf down food. It always happened on the first Sunday after his return from deployment.

The words from that one Reddit comment lingered in your mind.

He felt your eyes on him from your end of the booth and placed his fork down, still in his grasp. “Somethin’ on my face?” His gruff voice asked.

“No, I’m just wondering if they even fed you at all.”

He let out a sarcastic ‘ha’ and went back to eating. You were getting antsy to the point where you began to pick at your hash brown with your fork, the crisp golden patty crumbling with every poke.

You wanted to try the trick so bad.

But what if he doesn’t like you like that? What if he does end up setting you up with a man you aren’t interested in because you decided to be sly for a moment?

Fuck it. At least this would be the least explicit way.

“I’m so tired of being single.” You huffed as you leaned back into the leather cushioned booth. Simon did not give any sort of reaction. Instead he directed his attention to his coffee as he mixed it with some zero calorie sweetener.

“All the guys in this city are so weird. I’ve done everything to get a boyfriend.” You continued. Simon sipped his beverage and looked through the menu again (probably for a second helping of sausages).

Still no reaction. Sometimes you wondered how you even became friends with him.

“Wait, I know.”

His demeanor changed as his blue eyes flit to your figure. “You should set me up with one of your military friends.” You said as you smiled like a scientist who had just made a great discovery in his field.

Simon beckoned you over with his hand. Confused, you slid towards his end of the booth. “What?”

He lightly knocked on the top of your head like it was a door. “Thank God,” he muttered out.

“What was that for?” You replaced his hand with yours on your head, checking to see if he was trying to remove any lint.

“Tryin’ to check if your skull was hollow.”

“Fuck you, Simon. All I did was ask for a favor.”

The man folded his arms, biceps begging to be let out of the confinement of his sleeves. Your heart couldn’t help but beat a little faster at the sight.

“Is it because I’m not pretty?”

“Where’d that even come from? I-“

“So you agree that I’m not pretty.” You said before huffing and turning away from him.

“Oh my- fuck, just listen to me.”

You open your mouth to say more but you decide to give your friend a break.

He cleared his throat and turned your shoulders towards him. Your skin burned when his calloused palms situated themselves on you. “First of all, you’re not ugly. You’re basically out of their league.” You never understood why he couldn’t just compliment you like a normal person.

“Second, you deserve someone who will actually give you all their time. Something my military friends can’t do. You’re not going to be a priority.”

You felt like shrinking in your seat. His reasoning was ambiguous. You couldn’t tell if he was denying your request because he didn’t want your heart broken or because he actually liked you.

“Oh, okay.” You looked away from him in embarrassment. So much for miracles.

“Besides,”

He then went on to replace the deconstructed hash brown on your plate with his non battered one.

“You might find someone if you look hard enough.”

Your head perked up. Could he possibly be hinting at something?

“What do you mean?”

“Go out with me.” He didn’t beat around the bush this time. Went straight to the point.

“Very funny, Simon.”

“I’m not good at making jokes. I like you.”

Oh.

OH.

You made a mental note to thank that one Reddit comment later. Trying your best not to smile, you let out a deep a breath before speaking. “Truth be told, I like you too. I don’t just let any man barge into my house and lay with me.”

“You’d better not.” Simon said as he pulled you into his side and then pushed your head close to his with his hand behind your neck.

“Been waitin’ for you to admit that,” he said before leaving a deep kiss on your mouth.

877 notes · View notes

lilbabypanda-blog2 · 8 days ago

Text

Phainon x (fem)reader

Phainon is crushing and Y/N is oblivious 🤭

Part1 PART2

The golden streets of Okhema City were alive with motion, as market vendors called out to shoppers, children darted through the crowd with sweets in hand, and musicians played cheerful tunes in the background. Amid all this, Phainon walked a few paces ahead of the group, his hands clasped behind his back, every movement calculated to look calm and composed. Internally, though, he was anything but.

“This way,” Phainon said, turning briefly to glance at Y/N. “The central market is one of Okhema’s highlights—lots of unique crafts and imports from other planets. It’s… worth a visit.”

He cleared his throat, which was already dry from nerves. Y/N wasn’t paying attention to how stiffly he moved or how his voice wavered slightly. She was too busy marveling at the intricate architecture surrounding them. Towering buildings of white stone glimmered faintly, their edges lined with gold filigree that caught the sunlight just right. Her eyes sparkled as she took it all in.

“This place is incredible!” she said, twirling to take in the sights. “You live here, Phainon? You’re so lucky.”

Phainon flushed under her bright gaze. “It’s, uh… it’s nice, I suppose.”

“Nice?” she repeated, incredulous. “It’s gorgeous! Look at that fountain!” She pointed at a marble structure adorned with carved phoenixes. Golden water trickled from their beaks, glowing faintly in the light. “Is it glowing? It’s glowing! Is it supposed to do that?”

“It represents unity,” Phainon explained, his voice quieter now. “It’s a… local tradition.”

Tribbie, walking beside Y/N, leaned toward Mydei and whispered loudly enough for everyone to hear, “You can practically hear the crush in his voice.”

Mydei rolled his eyes. “He’s trying too hard. It’s embarrassing.”

“Give him a break!” Tribbie grinned. “He’s doing great!”

“By what standards?” Mydei deadpanned.

Phainon coughed awkwardly, pretending not to hear them. His white-gloved hand brushed against his coat, nervously adjusting the fabric as he tried to think of something to say that wouldn’t make him look like a complete fool. But before he could, Y/N gasped again and rushed ahead.

“Look! That vendor’s selling jewelry! I’ve never seen designs like that before,” she said, practically dragging Trailblazer along with her. The two crowded around a stall displaying shimmering necklaces and intricately designed earrings, their energy overwhelming the vendor.

Phainon followed hesitantly, trying not to let his nerves get the better of him. “Be careful,” he said, his voice soft. “Some of these pieces are delicate—”

“You’re just saying that because you’re worried she’ll trip into the stall,” Mydei muttered from behind him.

“Or knock over a stack of something,” Dan Heng added dryly.

Tribbie, meanwhile, clasped her hands together dramatically. “But wouldn’t it be so romantic if Phainon caught her in his arms? You know, like in those old love stories?”

“I’ll bet ten credits he’d faint first,” Mydei retorted.

Phainon stopped walking and turned to glare at them, his face flushed. “Could you—please—stop that?” he hissed. “It’s not—”

“Not what?” Tribbie blinked innocently. “We’re just supporting you, Phainon. That’s what friends do.”

Before Phainon could respond, a loud shout cut through the cheerful hum of the market. “Thieves!” a merchant cried, waving his arms frantically. “My stock is gone—again!”

The group turned toward the commotion as a small crowd gathered. The merchant, a balding man with a deep frown, gestured wildly at an empty display case where shiny trinkets once sat. “It’s those creatures! They’ve been sneaking into the market at night, stealing everything shiny! No one’s done anything about it!”

“Creatures?” Y/N’s eyes widened with curiosity. “What kind of creatures?”

The merchant shook his head. “Small, ghost-like things. Glowing eyes. They come from the outskirts, I think, but I don’t know how to stop them. They’ve hit half the vendors on this street!”

Y/N turned to the group, her excitement unmistakable. “We should help!”

Trailblazer grinned. “Absolutely.”

Phainon opened his mouth to protest but quickly shut it when Y/N beamed at him. “You’re here to keep us safe, right, Phainon?” she asked.

He froze, his heart doing an unsteady flip. “I… well, yes, but—”

“Then it’s settled!” Y/N said, already turning back to the merchant. “We’ll get your stuff back in no time.”

Tribbie leaned toward Phainon again, whispering loudly, “You’re doing great! She’s counting on you.”

Phainon sighed, adjusting his coat again to hide his embarrassment. “This is a bad idea,” he muttered.

Mydei clapped him on the shoulder. “No kidding. But at least it’ll be entertaining.”

Dan Heng shook his head as the group began heading toward the outskirts. “Why do I feel like this is going to end badly?”

“Because it always does,” Mydei replied.

Phainon, trailing slightly behind Y/N, couldn’t help but think the same—but then Y/N glanced back at him, smiling brightly, and all his worries melted away. For now.

Phainon’s boots crunched softly on the overgrown trail as he followed the faint shimmer of the residue. The group has split up to cover more ground leaving phainon and Y/N alone,

He can still picture Tribbies giggling as she declared phainon and Y/N should team up. He kept his usual cheerful expression, his white hair catching the faint golden glow from the city behind them. The trees arched overhead, their twisted branches forming patterns that danced in the mist.

“This is such a weird place,”

Y/N commented, walking just behind him. “It feels… old. But cool. Like something out of a storybook.”

“It’s definitely unique,” Phainon replied, glancing back at her with a warm smile. “Okhema’s outskirts have a lot of history. Ancient battles, forgotten shrines, you name it. Some people find it eerie, but I think it’s—”

“Amazing?” Y/N finished for him, her voice brimming with excitement.

“Y-yeah,” he said, a bit flustered but recovering quickly. “Exactly!”

Y/N grinned. “I like how you look at things, Phainon. You always seem so… optimistic.”

“Oh, it’s nothing!” He waved a hand dramatically, his voice taking on a slightly theatrical tone. “Life’s too short to not find the good in things, you know? Even creepy glowing trails.”

That earned him a laugh from Y/N, which made him grin even wider.

As they walked, Phainon occasionally crouched to inspect the shimmering residue, his golden and blue coat flaring out dramatically behind him. Y/N watched with curiosity as he ran his fingers over the faint scratches on the stones.

“You’re really good at this tracking thing,” she said, leaning over his shoulder to get a better look.

His heart jumped into his throat. “I—I mean, it’s just something I’ve done a lot!” he stammered, his cheeks tinged with pink as he straightened too quickly, almost tripping over his own feet. “Years of practice, you know. Nothing special.”

Y/N tilted her head, oblivious to his awkwardness. “It is special. You’ve got a knack for this stuff, Phainon. I don’t think we’d even know where to start without you.”

Phainon blinked, his cheeks turning an even darker shade of pink. “R-really? You think so?”

“Of course,” she said brightly. “You’re basically leading the whole investigation. It’s impressive!”

Phainon looked away, scratching the back of his neck as he tried to suppress a goofy grin. “I mean, well, someone has to do it… but thank you!”

Before Y/N could say more, a sudden rustling sound came from the trees to their left. Phainon froze, his smile vanishing as he instinctively stepped in front of Y/N, his hand hovering near the hilt of his sword.

“What was that?” Y/N whispered, her voice a mix of curiosity and caution.

“Stay behind me,” Phainon said, his usual playful tone replaced by a rare edge of seriousness. “It could be one of the creatures.”

They waited, the rustling growing louder. Then, with a burst of motion, something small and fast darted out of the underbrush.

“Ah!” Y/N jumped back, but Phainon had already drawn his sword in one smooth motion, the blade gleaming faintly in the dim light.

“Wait,” Y/N said, squinting. “Is that… a bird?”

Sure enough, a small, scruffy bird hopped into view, its feathers ruffled and its beady eyes glaring at them like they’d just interrupted its meal. It flapped its wings once in irritation before waddling off into the bushes again.

Phainon stood there, sword still raised, staring at the spot where the bird had disappeared. Slowly, he lowered his weapon and let out a sheepish laugh. “Uh… false alarm.”

Y/N burst out laughing, clutching her sides. “Phainon, that bird looked like it was ready to fight you!”

“Well, it caught me off guard!” he defended, laughing along with her. “It could’ve been something dangerous!”

“Sure,” she teased. “A very dangerous… tiny bird.”

Phainon sighed dramatically, sheathing his sword. “Mock me if you must. But remember, I’m here to protect you from all creatures—big or small.”

“You’re doing an excellent job,” she said between giggles.

Her words, though playful, still made Phainon’s cheeks heat up again. “T-thanks,” he muttered, rubbing the back of his neck.

They continued down the trail, the shimmering residue becoming more noticeable as they approached a clearing. The mist thinned, revealing a cluster of ancient stone pillars, each one etched with faintly glowing runes.

“Whoa,” Y/N breathed, stepping closer to one of the pillars. “These look ancient. Do you think they have something to do with the creatures?”

“Possibly,” Phainon said, his voice quieter now as he examined the runes. “The outskirts are full of strange things like this. I don’t know much about their history, but these markings… they’re similar to ones I’ve seen before near Titan ruins.”

“Titan ruins?” Y/N looked at him, impressed. “things are getting more interesting, I'm glad I have you here"

Phainon blushed again, suddenly feeling like his coat was too warm. “It’s… uh, nothing, really. Just part of the job.”

“You’re way too humble,” she said, shaking her head. “Give yourself some credit, Phainon.”

Before he could respond, another sound broke through the air—this time a low, guttural growl. Both of them froze, their eyes darting toward the source of the noise.

“Well,” Phainon said, his cheerful tone faltering slightly, “I don’t think that’s a bird.”

Y/N grinned, drawing her weapon. “Finally! Some action!”

“Action?” Phainon echoed nervously, his hand moving to his sword again. “What kind of action are we talking about here?"

The low growl turned into a rumble, and the ground beneath their feet trembled. Emerging from the shadows of the ancient stone pillars were creatures that looked like they were chiseled straight from the earth itself. Their bodies were made of jagged stone, glowing cracks spreading across their limbs like molten veins. Their heads were featureless save for the hollow, blazing orange orbs that seemed to serve as eyes.

“Okay, now that’s definitely not a bird,” Phainon muttered, unsheathing his sword in one swift motion.

“Phainon,” Y/N said with a grin, her own blade already drawn and gleaming. “You’ve fought these things before, right?”

“Uh… sure!” he said, his usual confidence slightly wavering as the creatures lumbered closer. “They’re slow, but don’t let them corner you. Aim for the cracks—they’re weak points!”

“Got it,” she replied, shifting into a ready stance.

Before Phainon could say anything else, one of the creatures lunged forward with surprising speed, its rocky fist slamming into the ground where Y/N had been standing a split second earlier. She darted to the side with the grace of a dancer, her blade flashing as she struck at the glowing crack along the creature’s arm.

The impact sent a spray of sparks flying, and the creature roared in pain, stumbling back. Y/N didn’t let up. She pivoted on her heel, slicing upward in a clean arc that severed part of the monster’s arm.

Phainon blinked, momentarily frozen as he watched her. “W-wow…” he mumbled, then quickly shook himself out of it when another creature charged at him.

“Focus, Phainon!” Y/N called, sidestepping another attack with ease.

“Right! Focus! I’m totally focused!” he yelled, leaping into action.

Phainon parried a heavy blow from his opponent, his sword ringing loudly as it clashed with the stone creature’s fist. He danced backward, grinning as he feinted to the left before delivering a precise strike to its glowing chest. The creature groaned and crumbled into a pile of rubble.

“Not bad!” Y/N called over her shoulder, slashing through another monster with an impressive flurry of strikes.

“Not bad?” Phainon repeated, his golden-retriever energy kicking into overdrive as he sliced through a smaller creature trying to flank him. “I’ll have you know, I’m amazing at this!”

As if to prove his point, he spun dramatically, striking the creature’s chest in one fluid motion. The monster staggered and collapsed, but in his enthusiasm, Phainon misjudged the swing and nearly tripped over its remains.

Y/N laughed, glancing back at him. “Careful, ‘Amazing.’ Don’t let your feet betray you.”

Phainon straightened, cheeks burning. “That was just… strategy! I wanted it to think I was vulnerable.”

“Sure you did.”

Another creature roared and lunged toward Y/N, its massive fists slamming down in an attempt to crush her. She jumped back, then forward, using the momentum to propel herself up onto the creature’s arm. In one fluid motion, she ran up its shoulder, her sword gleaming as she drove it down into the crack in its neck.

The monster let out a guttural sound before crumbling beneath her, its glowing eyes dimming. Y/N landed lightly on her feet, flicking her sword to the side to shake off the dust.

Phainon gaped. “Okay, that… that was amazing.”

Y/N turned to him, brushing a strand of hair out of her face. “Thanks,” she said with a casual smile, as if she hadn’t just dismantled a walking pile of stone like it was nothing. “Your turn.”

Before Phainon could respond, the largest of the creatures emerged from the shadows, its molten veins pulsing with an ominous glow. It was twice the size of the others, its fists like boulders and its eyes blazing with fury.

Phainon gulped. “Alright. Big guy. No problem.”

Y/N smirked. “Want me to handle it?”

“No, no!” he said quickly, stepping forward and twirling his sword. “I’ve got this! Watch and learn!”

The creature roared, charging at him like an avalanche. Phainon dodged to the side at the last second, slashing at the cracks along its side. Sparks flew, but the beast didn’t falter. It swung its massive arm, forcing Phainon to duck and roll out of the way.

“You’re doing great!” Y/N called, clearly enjoying herself.

“I’m trying not to die!” Phainon shouted back, though his grin was still plastered on his face.

He darted around the creature, his movements quick and agile. With a sharp leap, he managed to climb onto its back, his sword glowing faintly as he struck at the cracks near its neck. The creature howled, thrashing violently to shake him off.

“Hang on, Phainon!” Y/N called, readying herself to step in if needed.

“I’ve got it!” he yelled, though his grip on the creature’s jagged surface was less than reassuring. With one final strike, his blade sank deep into the glowing crack, and the monster let out a deafening roar before collapsing to the ground.

Phainon rolled off just in time, landing in an ungraceful heap. He quickly scrambled to his feet, brushing the dirt off his coat as if nothing had happened.

“See?” he said, turning to Y/N with a triumphant smile. “Told you I had it.”

Y/N laughed, walking over to him. “I’ll admit it—you were pretty impressive.”

Phainon’s grin faltered for half a second as her words sank in, and the familiar warmth crept up his neck. “I… uh… really? You think so?”

“Of course,” she said with a bright smile. “You took down the big guy all on your own. Not bad at all.”

He scratched the back of his neck, looking anywhere but at her. “Oh, it was nothing, really. Just, you know… part of the job.”

“Sure,” she said, patting him on the shoulder. “You’re too humble, Phainon. Own it.”

He opened his mouth to respond but was interrupted by Tribbie’s voice echoing through the mist.

“Guys? Did you leave anything for us, or are we just cleaning up rubble over here?”

Y/N and Phainon exchanged a glance before bursting into laughter.

“Let’s regroup,” Y/N said, sheathing her sword.

Phainon nodded, his smile softening as he followed her back toward the others, his heart still pounding—but not from the fight.

The group reconvened in a small clearing not far from the crumbled remains of the stone creatures. The mist had thinned, and the faint hum of energy from the ancient pillars seemed to fade, leaving a tense silence in its wake.

Tribbie had already set up a makeshift picnic on a large, flat stone, her red hair glowing faintly under the filtered sunlight. Her blue eyes sparkled with excitement as she waved the others over.

“Perfect timing! I brought snacks!” Tribbie chirped, pulling out a variety of treats from her impossibly small bag. “You know what makes monster fighting better? Food!”

Dan Heng stood nearby, arms crossed and expression unreadable as always, but he glanced toward the food with mild interest. Trailblazer, however, was already sitting down, grabbing one of Tribbie’s sandwiches.

“Oh, come on,” Tribbie pouted, slapping Trailblazer’s hand away. “Wait until everyone’s seated, you greedy gremlin!”

Y/N chuckled as she and Phainon approached. “Looks like we’re just in time.”

Phainon, as usual, was all smiles. “Tribbie, you’re a lifesaver! I don’t suppose you have anything sweet in there?”

“Of course I do,” she replied with a grin. “But only if you tell me how many monsters you crushed today.”

“Crushed?” Phainon placed a hand on his chest, feigning offense. “Tribbie, I don’t crush monsters—I defeat them with style and precision.”

“Oh, excuse me, ‘Mr. Style and Precision.’ Sit down before I take it all back.”

Everyone chuckled as they settled in, the tension from the fight dissipating in the warmth of camaraderie. Y/N sat beside Phainon, who was still grinning from Tribbie’s teasing.

As the group began eating, Y/N noticed something out of the corner of her eye. Phainon was trying—and failing—to hide a wince as he reached for a piece of bread.

“Phainon,” Y/N said, her tone shifting from playful to concerned. “What’s wrong?”

“Wrong? Nothing’s wrong!” he said quickly, straightening up like a guilty child caught sneaking cookies. “Why would you think anything’s wrong?”

Y/N didn’t buy it for a second. Her eyes dropped to his arm, where a faint tear in his sleeve revealed a nasty scrape along his forearm. The edges of the wound were smeared with dust and a faint trace of glowing residue.

“Phainon,” she said again, this time more firmly. “You’re hurt.”

“It’s nothing!” he insisted, waving her off. “Barely a scratch. You should’ve seen the other guy!”

Y/N gave him a pointed look, crossing her arms. “That’s not a scratch, and you know it. Let me see.”

“It’s really not that ba—”

“Phainon.” Her voice left no room for argument.

He hesitated, his golden-retriever energy momentarily dampened by the sheer force of her determination. With a sheepish smile, he extended his arm. “Fine, fine. But I’m telling you, I’ve had worse.”

Y/N ignored his protests, pulling a small first-aid kit from her bag. She crouched beside him, carefully examining the wound. “You’re lucky it’s not deeper. This residue looks like it might irritate the skin. Hold still.”

Phainon sat stiffly as Y/N cleaned the wound with surprising gentleness. Her focus was entirely on her work, her touch steady and sure.

“You don’t have to fuss over me, you know,” he said, trying to sound nonchalant.

“I’m not fussing,” she replied without looking up. “I’m making sure you don’t get an infection. There’s a difference.”

He laughed nervously, trying not to notice how close she was. Her hair brushed against his shoulder as she leaned in to wrap a bandage around his arm.

“There,” she said after a moment, tying the bandage securely. “All done."

Phainon looked down at his arm, then back at her. “Thanks, Y/N. Really.”

She smiled at him, and before he could say more, she reached up and ruffled his hair.

“You did so good out there,” she said warmly. “I mean it. You were amazing.”

Phainon froze, his mouth opening and closing like a fish out of water. The words “you did so good” echoed in his head like a mantra, and the way she said it—so genuine, so casual—completely disarmed him.

“I—uh—well—” he stammered, his face rapidly turning as red as Tribbie’s hair.

Tribbie, who had been watching the whole scene out of the corner of her eye, nudged Trailblazer with a knowing grin. “Look at him. Poor guy doesn’t know what hit him.”

Trailblazer smirked but stayed quiet, munching on a piece of bread. Dan Heng sighed, his expression as neutral as ever, but there was a faint twitch at the corner of his mouth.

Oblivious to the growing amusement of their companions, Y/N stood up and stretched. “Alright, everyone ready to get moving? I think we’re on the right track!”

Phainon, still sitting there with his hair slightly mussed and his face glowing, finally managed a weak nod. “Y-yeah. Let’s go.”

As the group packed up and prepared to continue their journey, Tribbie leaned over to Phainon with a sly grin. “Don’t worry,” she whispered. “I think you’re doing great, Mr. Style and Precision.”

Phainon groaned, covering his face with his hand. “I’m never going to live this down, am I?”

“Nope,” she said cheerfully, skipping ahead to join Y/N.

And despite his embarrassment, Phainon couldn’t stop smiling.

_______________________________________

A.N . First, I didn't plan on making a part 2 because I didn't expect people to actually like it that much, but I'm happy you guys enjoy it l, I'll try to make this little love story interesting ♡

#phainon x you #phainon x reader #phainon #phainon hsr #phainon honkai star rail #honkai star rail #hsr x reader #honkai x reader #hsr art #hsr smut #hsr x y/n #x y/n #x you #hsr x you #honkai star rail x you #amphoreus #x reader

498 notes · View notes

strawbeerossi · 1 year ago

Text

Baby Fever

Pairing: Wife!Reader x Husband!Spencer

Description: After seeing Henry and Spencer interact after the little boy wears an adorable Halloween costume, you know what you want from your husband more than anything else

Content/Warnings: Mentions of pregnancy and wanting to be pregnant, kissing, unprotective sex, penetrative sex, creampie, some cute banter.

Word Count: 2K

Kinktober Day Ten: Breeding

Navigation || Kinktober Masterlist || AO3

It was currently Halloween, the team getting back from the case just a few short hours ago. You and Spencer had plans to go get something for dinner and then make your way home for a night filled with spooky movies and a bowl filled with candy that neither of you needed. Everyone was currently wrapping up what little bit that needed to be done when JJ was coming back into the bullpen, a wide smile on her face. “Attention everybody. As I’m sure most of you were aware, Henry was a little nervous about going trick or treating this year.” She’d clasped her hands together with a smile as the team was looking between each other in curiosity. “But he’s decided to go anyway.” She’d finished, David smiling. “Great. What changed his mind?”

“The BAU did. I told him that he should go out on Halloween and try to figure out which monsters are real and which ones are not.” She mused. “So he wants to be a profiler.” Derek smiled, hands in his pockets while JJ put her hand up. “Ah. He wants to be his favorite profiler.” She corrected while everyone was glancing at the open door of the bullpen when Penelope was bringing in a mini Spencer.

Henry’s costume idea was precious, you had to admit it. The whole idea of him being a profiler would be fun for him, however being a little Spencer?! You never thought you needed to see it this badly until you did. “Woah! Yeah! Oh wow, You look great, Henry!” Spencer was shooting up from his spot with a wide smile from excitement, the way his eyes had a little sparkle in them was enough to make you start to wonder.

Sure, you’d talked about children with your husband before, the both of you wanting a sweet little family in a sweet little suburb. However you never really put too much thought into it before now. Seeing Spencer excitedly kneel down to clip his nametag to Henry’s shirt and watching him get teary eyed in his admiration for his god son, this was all you needed to know that you were for sure ready for the next step.

After seeing the little boy off, the team was wrapping up their activities before everyone was making their way out of the building, leaving you and Spencer to go pick up something for dinner then you two decided on going home. Upon making it, you were in the kitchen of your shared apartment while putting the takeout meals on plates, Spencer trying to find some sort of Halloween movie to put on for your little tradition of festivities to begin.

“Hey, Spencer.” You break the silence while carrying the plates to place them on the coffee table perched in front of the couch with other numerous treats. “I was thinking.. We wanted to wait a couple years for kids and.. We have been married for three years, child free.” You brought it up the only way you know how. “I guess what I’m saying is, I think we should start trying! I mean, you and Henry were so sweet today and it really got me thinking about more. What we don’t have yet.”

Spencer had turned his attention towards you, a soft smile on his face as he let you initiate conversation. However as soon as you were mentioning kids, it was like his eyes lit up, body shooting up straighter. “You really wanna start trying? I’ve been wanting to since the day we got married but I know we agreed to wait.” He laughed a bit while offering a wide smile. “I’d love to have a baby with you, honey. More than anything else.”

His excitement filled you with relief, a smile matching his as you were letting your arms wrap around his shoulders. “Let's do it then! I mean, we are both financially stable and we are secure together. Let's bring a little Reid into the world.” You gushed. You were both cut off by the sound of Spencer’s stomach rumbling though, making the both of you giggle. “Maybe after dinner.” He teased, pressing a few soft kisses against your lips.

You didn’t think you’ve ever gone through dinner so quickly in your life, the both of you doing good to clean up your dishes before Spencer was already attacking you in his embrace in the kitchen, the both of you sharing kisses while standing in place. “Bed please.” You murmured while smiling as he obliged, grabbing your hand with a smile as he quickly led you off to your shared bedroom.

There was without a missed beat, Spencer was easily lifting you in his arms before pressing his lips against yours, one that radiated pure love and care, his hands resting under your thighs as you were carried to the king size bed. Once on your back, you were bringing your hands to cup his cheeks while you were both lying in bed, tangled in one another’s embrace. “I love you so much.” His words were like sweet honey.

“I love you so much.” The both of you parted briefly, Spencer moving to rest his hands on your hips, fingertips slipping slowly up your blouse as he was gently pushing it up your frame. His lips were pressing the sweetest of kisses against your warm skin, the both of you working together as you tugged the garment over your head.

His onslaught of pressing kisses against your skin trailing to your chest, his hands reaching behind you to remove your bra with the utmost care. His tongue was licking over your hardened nipple, a soft breath falling from your lips as you let your hands tangle in his hair.

Spencer liked to take his time with you, hardly ever having days where he needed to get it over and done with. He preferred to savor the moment, to enjoy the intimacy that came with the act. As his lips were wrapping around the nub, he was taking his time to suck and flick his tongue, satisfied with the noises leaving your lips. After moving to switch breasts, his free hand was sliding down your stomach. You could feel all the heat rush between your legs as you knew exactly what was coming next. His hand had slipped past your pants and the waistband of your panties, hand cupping your wet pussy as he slowly lifted his head from your chest. “My pretty girl.” He whispered, your hands gently pulling him down to connect your lips while his hand was cupping your clothed cunt, feeling the heat of your arousal.

He loved having this effect on you, the way that he could satisfy you and get you revved up by the smallest of touches. His eidetic memory worked out really well in that case, he memorized every curve and dip of your body, every touch that made you crave him more.

His fingertip was teasing your slit, spreading around the slick before finding your clit. You knew that he wanted to take his time and play the long game but if you were honest, you were so desperate.

“Please, Spencer..” You breathed while watching as he offered a soft smile. “You really wanna skip the foreplay?” He’d asked. He would be lying if he said he wasn’t bummed, wanting nothing more than to taste you, to drink up every ounce of sweetness that you had to offer him.

“As much as I love when you take your time and cherish me, I just need you now.” If you were honest, you were just excited for the aspect to feel that familiar closeness. Spencer didn’t argue in the slightest, hand gently moving from your panties before he was sitting up slightly to tug your pants and underwear down in one swift movement, a smile on his face as he was stripping you bare for him. No matter how many times he’s seen you, it was like he’d never seen you before. His cheeks were red as he brought his hands to gently rub your hips.

After a few moments of his eyes taking in the beauty in front of him, he was moving to stand so he could get himself undressed, getting himself naked while clumsily nearly falling on the bed when it came to his pants and boxers. It was silly, like you two were teenagers who finally had an opening to fool around without someone there to stop you both.

His hands were gently taking a hold of your hips, tugging you down to the edge of the bed as he offered a smile. You both had been safe enough before, always having some sort of contraception at the ready. After your body had a bad reaction to the birth control you were on, he’d offered to wear condoms, not wanting to opt for a vasectomy due to his want for children. They could be reversed but he didn’t want to get one just to reverse it later.

“Ready?”

“Let’s make a baby.”

Those words sent blood straight to Spencer’s cock. The idea of you being pregnant with your shared child, a symbol of your love and affection for each other, was a lot to take in. It was like his animalistic urges had started to break through the cracks. Licking the palm of his hand, the male was pumping his throbbing shaft to prepare himself before positioning himself at your leaking hole.

Leaning down to press his lips to yours, it wasn’t long until his cock was disappearing inside of your soaked cunt, the both of you moaning against one another’s lips. Your hands came up to hold tight to his shoulders, pulling from the kiss slowly as you let your head fall back against the bed below you.

Spencer’s hips rocked slowly at first, relishing in your little gasps and whines from the painfully slow pace. “You look so beautiful, always take me so well.” He breathed, hands rubbing your hips, just wanting to touch you more than he already was. The idea of your stomach swollen with his baby was just too much to bear, making his hips snap a little rougher against yours, which managed to catch you by surprise but you gripped his upper arms with a loud moan, head tilting back as the tip of his cock was hitting the spongey button deep inside of you.

“You’re gonna look so sexy with my child inside of you. Gonna show the whole world that you are mine, that you are devoted to me.” The words were enough to elicit a moan besides his thrusts. As you could feel the familiar knot tightening in your stomach, you were gently tugging your husband down to have your chests pressed flush against one anothers. Now you weren’t usually the type to dirty talk but judging by how Spencer seemed to be turned on so much more when it comes to thinking of you being pregnant.

“Fuck, fill me with your cum.” You panted, the words making his cock twitch inside of you as he was letting out an animalistic groan. “Want me to fill you up? Gonna get my pretty girl pregnant.” His tone was huskier now, a sign he was definitely just as close as you were.

Your pussy was convulsing around his thick cock, your head falling back as your mouth was agape. “I’m gonna cum.” You blubbered out, a whine leaving your lips as you could feel his thumb making contact with your throbbing, desperate clit. “Cum for me, baby. Want you to make a mess.” He breathed, giving a few more thrusts before both of you had managed to hit your peaks, the ropes of cum decorating your inner walls while Spencer’s body was collapsing on top of you. It wasn’t enough to crush you, one arm holding him up.

“I’m just gonna.. Stay here for a minute..” He panted while you laughed breathlessly, your fingers gently threading through his hair as you closed your eyes.

“You know, it’s actually very rare to become pregnant from the first time having sex.” He began as he was pushing himself up slightly, his hair stuck to his sticky forehead. “I know.. You know, I feel like you’re gonna have to fuck me again.” You breathed, giggling at his reaction.

“We should’ve tried for a baby sooner.”

4K notes · View notes

mrsfancyferrari · 2 months ago

Text

This Christmas

Summary: LN4 + “There’s no way I’m letting you spend Christmas alone.”

Song: Last Christmas by Wham!

Author’s note: Just Lando being the best boyfriend to his girl. Well done to Lando and McLaren for getting the constructor championships! Please like, reblog and share this! 🫶

Word count: 5.8k

MASTERLIST - F1

Lando wrapped an arm around you, pulling you closer as the credits rolled on the movie you had been watching. The couch was warm, the atmosphere cozy, and even the remnants of the loud celebration from earlier felt distant.

It had been an incredible season for Lando and his team. They were the constructors' champions now, a victory that had led to a night of wild celebrations with friends and colleagues.

And here he was, still buzzing with excitement, while you tried to suppress a yawn.

“So, what should we do over Christmas?” Lando asked, breaking the silence. His voice was laced with anticipation, as if he had been savoring the question throughout the night.

You shifted slightly, your throat still sore from cheering too much, and murmured, “I thought I should stay over at my apartment and study for my exams.”

It was a practical thought, one conditioned by years of solitary holiday experiences. A part of you felt guilty even thinking of the studying when there was so much joy around.

“Studying? On Christmas?” Lando’s brows furrowed, and his expression turned into a dramatic pout. “So we’re staying over at yours then?”

You blinked in confusion, your heart skipping a beat at the thought. “Aren’t we having Christmas separately?”

Memories of past boyfriends flooded your mind, each one marked by their own traditions and expectations that rarely included you.

“God, I hate your exes so much,” Lando muttered, his tone shifting from playful to serious in a heartbeat. “You’ve never had a good boyfriend, have you?”

You turned to him, meeting his gaze. His eyes were sincere, a vibrant green that seemed to pull you in.

“I’ve never spent a holiday like that with anyone before,” you admitted quietly, biting your lip. “They always had their own family commitments.”

Lando shook his head, clearly frustrated. “That’s not how it’s supposed to be. Christmas is about spending time with people you care about. It’s about making memories together.”

You couldn’t help but laugh lightly, shaking your head. “And what about your family? Don’t you want to spend it with them?”

He waved his hand dismissively. “I’ll see them on Christmas Eve. But Christmas Day? It should be with you. I want you with me. We can have breakfast together, open gifts, maybe even start our own traditions if you want.”

He nudged closer, his brow furrowed in genuine concern. “You deserve that kind of love and happiness.”

His words warmed you, sparking something inside you that had been buried for so long. “You really mean that?” you asked, searching his eyes for any hint of doubt.

“Absolutely,” he replied, his voice steady and unwavering. “I want to make you feel everything your exes never made you feel. You deserve to feel cherished and loved, especially during the holidays.”

You couldn’t help but smile at his sincerity. “Okay, let’s do it,” you said softly. “It sounds perfect.”

As the realization settled in, a jolt of excitement coursed through you. This would be your first holiday together, the first time you could allow yourself to build a beautiful memory rather than keeping your emotional barriers up.

“Awesome! What do you want to do? Should we decorate? I know I’m not the best when it comes to that kind of thing, but I can try,” He grinned broadly, his enthusiasm infectious.

You playfully rolled your eyes, imagining Lando with glittery decorations and a lopsided Christmas tree. “Only if you promise to keep it from turning into a competition,” you laughed, knowing his competitive spirit all too well.

“I can’t promise that,” he replied with mock seriousness. “But how about this? We can make it a team effort. I can provide the muscle, and you can provide the creativity. We’ll create a beautiful Christmas masterpiece together.”

“Okay, deal,” you agreed, captivated by the spark in his eyes. “And maybe we can even bake some cookies or something?”

“Baking? You mean I get to eat too? Count me in! But, full disclosure, I might need your guidance in the baking department,” Lando chuckled. “Last time I made cookies, they turned into rock-hard, unidentifiable shapes.”

You laughed, picturing Lando in an apron, mixing flour and sugar, and it filled you with warmth. “We’ll have to do some research then. It’s not Christmas without cookies.”

“Great! This is going to be the best holiday ever!” He exclaimed, squeezing you tighter.

Resting your head against his shoulder, you felt the warmth of his body, the rhythm of his heartbeat matching your own.

There was a sense of safety in his embrace, something you had longed for but never quite attained in your past relationships.

“Lando?” you said softly, your voice barely above a whisper.

“Yeah?”

“Thank you for wanting to include me,” you replied, your heart full. “You really do make me feel special.”

He leaned down, brushing his lips against your forehead, his breath warm against your skin.

“That’s all I want for you, always. You deserve to feel special; I’ll show you how great it can be.”

In that moment, you both silently agreed: This Christmas would be different. It would be filled with joy, laughter, and the kind of love that made holidays unforgettable.

And as Lando pulled you closer and promised to make memories with you, you knew in your heart there was nowhere else you’d rather be. . . . .

The gentle rays of sunlight filtered through the sheer curtains, casting a soft golden hue across the cozy bedroom. You stirred beneath the plush duvet, feeling the warmth radiating from your partner beside you.

A lingering smell of something sweet and buttery wafted through the air, pulling you from the realm of dreams.

You blinked a few times, taking in the sight of Lando, still half-asleep, propped up with a tray on his lap. He smiled widely as he noticed you waking up, his green eyes sparkling with excitement.

“Good morning, sleepyhead,” he said, trying to suppress a yawn but failing miserably. “I hope you’re ready for the best Christmas breakfast ever!”

You rubbed your eyes to clear the sleep, instantly caught up in the delicious array of treats laid out on the tray—fluffy pancakes drizzled with maple syrup, crispy bacon, perfectly scrambled eggs, and a couple of steaming cups of cocoa topped with whipped cream.

It felt like a scene from a holiday movie.

“This… this is amazing,” you said, genuinely touched. “You didn’t have to do all of this!”

A teasing smile crept across his face. “Oh, but I wanted to. It’s Christmas, after all! Plus, you deserve it. You work so hard.”

As you propped yourself up on your elbows, he leaned over and pressed a soft kiss to your lips. You felt warmth surge through your body at the contact, and suddenly, the holiday spirit felt even more alive.

“I can’t believe you’re actually mine,” you muttered against his lips, still a little dazed by the sudden sweetness of it all. The very thought still felt surreal sometimes.

He chuckled, pulling back slightly, amusement dancing in his features. “As much as I love you, please let me kiss you in peace. I’ve worked hard for this breakfast, and I don’t want to risk it getting cold over kiss-tastic moments.”

You pouted playfully and attempted to frown, but it was impossible with Lando’s infectious grin in front of you. “Fine, but only because you made me breakfast.” You settled back against the pillows, eyeing him.

“Let’s dig in, shall we?” He lifted the syrup with a flourish, the motion exaggerated as if presenting a trophy. “The pancakes are the star of the show today, after all.”

You laughed, anticipation bubbling in your chest as he handed you a fork. “Feast your eyes, babe! And your stomach!”

As the two of you savored the delicious meal together, exchanging bites and laughter, the room was filled with a sense of comfort that felt right at home.

Lando would occasionally steal little tastes from your plate, and the playful banter arose naturally—making silly sound effects when he took a huge bite or pretending to be too full for dessert after just one pancake.

“I’m saving room for the pie later!” he said dramatically, clutching his stomach.

You rolled your eyes but couldn’t help but smile. “Are you actually planning to eat pie after this?”

“Of course! Christmas is all about indulging, isn’t it?” He leaned closer, his eyes mischievous. “Besides, I have to make sure I can out-eat you. It’s a matter of pride, you know?”

“Pride? Since when has food turned into a competition?” you replied, laughing.

“Ever since I met you,” he shot back, leaning in for another quick kiss before you could protest. “You bring out the competitive spirit in me!”

The banter continued endlessly as you finished your breakfast together, the moments effortlessly turning into cherished memories. After breakfast, he proposed the plan of opening gifts.

“I can’t wait for you to see what I got you!” Lando said excitedly, his childlike enthusiasm palpable.

“Oh, really? You’re that confident in your choice?” You teased, arching an eyebrow playfully. “You didn’t just get me socks or something, did you?”

“Hey now, socks can be super thoughtful, but no. I went all out. You’ll love it,” he said, his eyes twinkling with a secret.

“Okay, Mr. Mysterious. Let’s see then!” You hopped out of bed, excitement mixing with a hint of curiosity.

Lando jumped up too, leading you to the small pile of gifts artfully arranged under the twinkling Christmas tree, adorned with ornaments that sparkled like stars in the early morning light.

After a whirlwind of tearing through wrapping paper, playful giggles filling the room with joy, you finally held the gift in your hands—the one that made your heart race a little faster.

You unraveled it carefully to reveal a delicate silver necklace. It glimmered in the light, a tiny star shaped charm dangling gracefully from it.

“It’s beautiful,” you gasped, turning to him with wide eyes. “Lando, this is perfect!”

“I remember you saying how much you loved stargazing,” he grinned, standing behind you as you clasped it around your neck. “So I figured, why not wear a little piece of the night sky with you everywhere you go?”

Tears brimmed in your eyes at the thoughtfulness of his gift. “You’re seriously the best boyfriend,” you said, your voice trembling slightly as you turned to face him.

“And you make me the happiest guy ever,” he replied softly, wrapping his arms around you. “Now, about that pie…”

“Not until you give me a kiss!” you laughed, finally slipping back into the moment's warmth and charm.

You tugged him closer, pulling him in for a series of sloppy, heated kisses. You couldn’t help but tug a bit too hard on his shirt, the thrill of the moment sending jolts of energy between you.

“Okay, we have to stop, we can’t be kissing the whole time,” you said breathlessly, pulling back slowly to catch your breath.

“...nooooooo!” Lando exclaimed, chasing your lips. His eyes sparkled with mischief, and his laughter echoed in the night air.

You giggled, enjoying the playful energy that surrounded you both. “Lando,” you began, a teasing glint in your eye, “we can’t just keep making out. What about the pie?”

He raised an eyebrow, the corners of his mouth lifting into a boyish grin. “The pie will wait. What’s more important? Dessert or a moment with you?”

Your cheeks flushed, and you felt a wave of shyness wash over you. “You know it’s not just about the pie...” you said softly, looking down at the ground.

But the warmth in your chest told you how truly valued you felt in that moment.

He took a step closer, his gaze locked onto yours. “I know, but moments like these? With you? They’re rare. And I want to savor every second,” he said, his voice filled with sincerity.

You smiled, feeling your heart swell even more. “Okay, maybe just one more kiss… and then we can eat the pie,” you relented, your voice laced with laughter.

“Only one?” he asked, feigning disappointment. “What kind of boyfriend do you think I am?”

You couldn’t help but chuckle at his playful demeanor. “The type that can wait fifteen minutes for pie,” you teased, leaning in for another kiss.

His lips were warm and inviting, and you melted against him before reluctantly pulling away.

“Alright, you win. Let’s have some pie,” Lando said, finally stepping back towards the kitchen.

As he reached for the pie wrapped in a cloth, you couldn’t help but appreciate how warm, intimate, and genuine the morning felt.

After cutting a generous slice and serving it on two plates, Lando nudged you playfully. “A taste of sweetness to go along with the sweetness of the moment. What do you think, my lady?”

You laughed, taking a bite. “Perfect! But you know, this still doesn’t compare to the sweetness I get from you.”

With a grin, Lando took a bite of his own slice. “Too mushy?” he chuckled, wiping a bit of whipped cream from his lip.

“Never,” you said with a soft smile, and before you knew it, you were both in a playful food fight—laughter ringing through the night as you tried to dab each other with creamy spoons.

Lando leaned closer, lowering his voice dramatically. “Well, get ready for a full day of mushiness. This is going to be the best Christmas.”

“Besides… you’ve already made this Christmas special just by being here with me,” he said, his tone unexpectedly sincere. “I wanted to create memories that we can look back on and laugh about for years.”

Your heart fluttered at his words. “You know, you’re really good at this mushiness,” you said, pretending to contemplate. “Are you sure you’re not hiding a secret poet inside of you?”

“Only if you promise to be my muse," he shot back, puffing out his chest theatrically.

The crisp winter air whipped through the city, curling flakes of snow into delicate spirals as they drifted lazily from the sky.

Lando had suggested a day out in the snow, a break from the mundane, and while he had every confidence in the warmth of layering up, you were still determined to make a splash and resolve the winter blues.

In the mirror, you surveyed the finished look; a long, teal woolen dress that hugged your figure gracefully and flowed just above your knees.

It had a deep V neckline, trimmed in a subtle silver, but what made it really stand out was the shimmering overlay—it sparkled just enough in the light, suggesting a hint of magic.

The back had a modest plunge, which you hoped would garner Lando’s approval while still keeping the winter chill at bay. You had paired it with thick, knitted tights, soft leather knee-high boots and the necklace Lando had just got me, intertwining style with practicality.

As for layers beneath? A snug thermal top kept you warm, unseen beneath the gorgeous fabric.

You stepped out of the bedroom, feeling like a princess bound for an ice kingdom. “Are you ready?” Lando called from the living room, his tone bright with anticipation.

You paused, taking a moment to admire his grin before approaching him. His casual outfit, a thick navy overshirt paired with dark jeans, looked effortlessly stylish.

But as you turned to present your dress, you noticed his expression change.

He fell silent, eyes wide as he surveyed your ensemble. “Wow,” he finally managed, his breath catching in his throat. “You look… stunning.”

“Do you like it?” You twirled playfully, causing the silvery accents of your dress to shimmer in the soft light.

Lando’s cheeks flushed a light pink as he tried to muster a composed response. “It’s beautiful. Really. But…” his brow furrowed slightly as he took in the lack of snug winter wear. “Are you going to be warm enough?”

You smirked, feigning indignation. “I have layers, you know. Underneath. And these tights are pretty thick. Plus, it’s all about the confidence, right?”

He chuckled, a warm sound that filled the room. “Confidence is great, but you’ll lose that confidence pretty fast if you end up freezing out there. I refuse to let you turn into a popsicle.”

“Lando,” you laughed, shaking your head. “I promise I am layered up. It’s a winter wonderland, not the Arctic. I’ll be okay!”

Yet there was something in his eyes, a protective flicker that made you warm in a different way. He stepped closer, brushing a lock of hair behind your ear.

“Please promise you’ll be careful. I’m literally all about the thrill of winter, but I’d hate to see you uncomfortable.”

You sighed, your gaze softening. “Alright, I promise I’ll stay warm,” you said, your voice teasing. “But only if you promise to enjoy this day with me without fussing over my dress!”

Lando rolled his eyes, his shoulders relaxing. “Deal. But I’m still going to make sure you stay warm.” He extended his hand toward you, a silent invitation filled with assurance.

Taking it, you felt an electric pulse of warmth flow through you, igniting excitement for the adventures ahead. “So, what is the plan for our day in the snow, Commander?” you inquired playfully.

“I'll keep it a secret for now,” he declared, a mischievous glint in his eyes.

“Okay, only if you promise to have food ready,” you chimed in, raising an eyebrow challengingly.

As you headed outside, laughter bubbling between you, the winter air wrapped around you like a cozy, albeit brisk, embrace. The world was a tapestry of white, and every step was punctuated by the delightful crunch of snow beneath your boots.

The air was crisp, filled with the soft scent of pine and cinnamon wafting from nearby holiday markets. You and Lando strolled down the bustling street, twinkling lights above illuminating your path in a kaleidoscope of colors.

The excitement was palpable, but you were still in the dark about where exactly he was leading you.

“Seriously, Lando, where are we going?” you asked, glancing up at him with a mix of curiosity and playful suspicion. His signature grin widened, revealing a hint of mischief in his eyes.

“Patience, my dear!” he replied dramatically, throwing an arm over your shoulder as he pulled you closer. “Good things come to those who wait.”

You rolled your eyes but couldn’t suppress a smile. Lando had a talent for making even the simplest outings feel like an adventure.

“Are we going to see some kind of massive display of lights?” you guessed, your eyes sparkling at the thought. “Or are you just dragging me to some random holiday market?”

“Not just any holiday market,” he corrected, feigning seriousness. “This is the holiday lights tour of the season.”

“Oh, really?” you said, raising an eyebrow. “And how did you know I’d like that?”

“Let’s just say I have my sources,” he winked, pulling you into a crosswalk as the light turned green.

As much as you wanted to prod him for more details, the mystery was building a sense of anticipation that was hard to resist.

After a few more blocks of chatting and light-hearted teasing, Lando led you toward a charming park you had never seen before. Towering trees draped in white lights sparkled like stars, and colorful displays lined the pathways.

The sight was breathtaking; every glimmering ornament, twinkling string, and spirited figure crafted a wonderland of joy.

“Wow,” you breathed, taking it all in. “This is incredible! How did you find this place?”

“I have my ways," he repeated with a laugh, leading you deeper into the enchanting landscape. “But I know you appreciate the beauty of the season, and I wanted to share this with you.”

You shot him a grateful look, your heart warming. “Thank you, Lando. This is really amazing. The lights are so beautiful.”

As you meandered through the park, laughter and joy enveloped the atmosphere.

Children ran around, marveling at the displays, while couples strolled hand in hand, immersed in romance. The soft sounds of holiday music floated through the air, weaving together the spirit of the season.

“Look,” you pointed excitedly. “They have a giant snow globe! Can we go inside?”

Lando chuckled, his eyes twinkling. “If that’s what you want, then of course!” He took your hand in his, guiding you toward the globe adorned with shimmering snowflakes.

Inside the massive globe was a scene of animated holiday cheer, complete with faux snow falling gently from above and cheerful carolers. You both stepped inside, and for a moment, time felt suspended.

“This is ridiculous,” you laughed, playfully swatting some of the fake snow away from your face. “But also kind of magical.”

“Just like this evening,” he said, glancing at you, moments of quietude settling into the laughter. “You bring the magic, you know.”

You felt your cheeks warm as you met his gaze. “Stop it, you’re making me blush.”

“Good!” He grinned, relishing the moment. “Watch your step, it’s slippery in here.”

Just then, Lando pretended to slip, theatrically flailing his arms before catching himself, and you couldn’t help but break into hysterical laughter.

Once you exited the snow globe, you strolled back onto the path, your fingers still linked. The sparkles from the lights danced around you, and there was an indescribable warmth in your heart.

“Lando,” you said after a moment, “I really appreciate you planning this. It’s exactly what I needed.”

“Glad you’re enjoying it. Honestly, I wasn’t sure how you’d feel about it,” he confessed. “I just wanted to create some holiday magic for us, you know?”

“Yeah, I do,” you whispered, your heart swelling with affection.

As you walked, you found yourself lost in thought, the atmosphere so serene you almost wished you could pause time. The lights twinkled brighter above, like stars in a perfectly clear sky.

“I heard they have hot cocoa near the entrance,” Lando mentioned, breaking your reverie. “How about warming up with some?”

“That sounds perfect,” you replied enthusiastically. After all that magic, a cozy drink felt like the ideal way to cap off the evening.

The two of you shared laughter and hot cocoa, the warmth of the drinks a comforting companion to the aesthetic beauty surrounding you.

As you sipped and recounted funny stories from the past, the world around you faded, leaving just the two of you amidst the holiday splendor.

“What do you wish for this holiday season?” Lando asked suddenly, his eyes casting a thoughtful glance toward a nearby light display.

You considered it for a moment, glancing at him. “Honestly? I wish for moments like these to never end.”

He turned to you, a soft smile gracing his lips. “Me too."

And as the night wore on, surrounded by the magic of the lights and the warmth of shared laughter, you couldn’t help but feel that perhaps this holiday season held even more possibilities than you had ventured to imagine.

As the evening sun dipped below the horizon, painting the sky in hues of lavender and deep orange, you and Lando returned home from a day of holiday festivities.

The air was rich with the sweet scent of pine from the Christmas tree you had picked together earlier that day. Lando opened the door to your apartment, letting you walk in first.

“Ladies first,” he said with a playful bow, a grin spreading across his face.

“Chivalry isn’t dead!” you laughed, glancing back at him with a smirk.

He followed you inside, shutting the door behind him. The warmth of the room enveloped you, contrasting sharply with the chill outside.

You sighed contentedly, taking in the decorations, the twinkling lights casting a soft glow throughout the living room, and the faint sound of carols playing in the background.

“Alright, movie time!” you declared, rushing to the couch. The soft throw blankets piled up beckoned you to snuggle in.

Lando plopped down beside you, the couch suddenly feeling smaller. He wrapped an arm around your shoulders, pulling you closer to him, his warmth radiating against your side.

“What’s our movie choice tonight?” he asked, scrolling through the streaming service with a look of concentration.

“How about one of the classics? Maybe ‘It’s a Wonderful Life’?” you suggested, settling into his embrace.

Lando nodded, a smile creeping onto his face. “Perfect choice. It never gets old, right?”

You grinned back, tucking your head against his chest. “Exactly. You can always count on a good old Christmas movie to set the mood.”

As the opening credits rolled, Lando absentmindedly began drawing circles and patterns on your back, his fingers tracing a gentle rhythm.

It felt soothing, calming your racing thoughts from the day's excitement. You closed your eyes and let out a small sigh of contentment.

“Do you ever think about how different our lives would be if we didn’t meet?” you mused softly, breaking the comfortable silence.

Lando paused in his drawing, his voice thoughtful. “Sometimes. I can’t imagine it, to be honest. You’re like my favorite Christmas gift,” he teased lightly, earning a playful elbow to his ribs.

“You’re ridiculous,” you chuckled, nudging him playfully. But you could see the sincerity in his eyes. “But really, I’m so grateful for you. You make everything better.”

He smiled softly, leaning down to press a kiss to your forehead. “I feel the same way. You’ve brought so much joy into my life.”

The movie played on, but your focus shifted more toward Lando, feeling the warmth of his body protectively enveloping you. It was as if the world outside faded away, leaving just the two of you wrapped in this cozy cocoon.

After a few moments, you whispered, “You know, you hold me like you’re trying to shield me from the world.”

He chuckled, squeezing you a little tighter. “Isn’t that my job? To keep you safe and sound?” His voice was teasing, yet there was a sincerity beneath the playful facade.

“Okay, but are you planning to fight off any villains if they come bursting in here?” you joked, tilting your head to look up at him.

“Ab-so-lutely. I’ll grab the nearest snow globe and defend us,” he said, a mock-serious expression on his face. “That’ll show them!”

You laughed, imagining the scene. “Oh no, whatever will I do without my brave knight?”

“Don’t worry, Princess. I’ve got you,” he declared dramatically, his serious tone breaking into a laughter.

With the movie’s plot winding through timeless moments and familiar faces, you found yourself lost in the feeling of Lando’s fingers tracing gentle patterns across your back, each stroke lulling you into a serene state of mind.

As the film reached its climax, his embrace felt like an anchor in a world of chaos, as though nothing could ever shake you both from this moment.

The room was dimly lit, save for the soft glow of the fairy lights wrapped around the bedpost. You nestled comfortably on Lando's lap, the rhythmic rise and fall of his chest acting as a lullaby.

Just as you were drifting into sleep, you felt a gentle hand brush through your hair.

"Right, it's time for my last surprise," Lando said, his voice playful but urgent.

You stirred slightly, opening your eyes to meet his cheeky grin. "What is it?" you asked, the drowsiness still thick in your voice.

"Just follow me," he replied, standing up slowly to let you slip off his lap. Your heart raced with curiosity as he took your hand, guiding you upstairs.

The two of you ascended the staircase, Lando's excitement palpable. You could feel a peculiar thrill in the air, something almost electric. When you reached the balcony, he turned to face you, a mischievous smile dancing on his lips.

"Okay, close your eyes," he instructed softly.

You complied, trying to suppress your giddiness. Lando covered your eyes with his warm hands, then whispered, "Okay, 3... 2... 1... look!"

With a light laugh, you opened your eyes, and your breath caught in your throat at the sight before you. The moon hung majestically in the sky, brightening the velvety darkness. The stars twinkled like a million tiny diamonds scattered across an ebony canvas, and everything felt almost surreal.

“Lando…” you murmured, your hand instinctively reaching to touch the star necklace he had given you, one that had been a symbol of many cherished moments you both had shared.

“I had to wait for the exact time that it would look like this,” he said excitedly, stepping closer. “The moon is at its peak, and the sky is clear. It’s perfect!”

You gazed at him, a mix of awe and love swelling in your heart. “This is incredible. How did you know?”

“I’ve been watching the weather and the moon phases all week,” he confessed, grinning sheepishly. “I wanted tonight to be special—just for us.”

You wrapped your arms around his neck and pulled him down to you, planting a tender kiss on his lips. “I love you so much,” you whispered against his mouth, filled with a warmth that radiated from deep within.

Lando held you tighter, the melody of the night wrapping around you like a soft blanket. “I love you too. More than you know,” he breathed, resting his forehead against yours.

The two of you stood in a comfortable silence, mesmerized by the night sky.

Occasionally, you would point out a particularly bright star, and Lando would respond with a playful commentary about its imaginary backstory—as if each one had its own history worth telling.

“Look at that one!” you exclaimed, pointing to a star that seemed to shimmer more brightly than the others. “What do you think its story is?”

Lando squinted up at it, deep in thought. “That star is called Stella,” he began, adopting a theatrical tone. “She was once a lonely star shining in the void of space, but one day she caught the eye of a comet—and now, they race around the galaxy together, leaving trails of stardust behind.”

You couldn’t help but giggle at his impromptu storytelling. “And what about us?” you asked, leaning into him as the cool breeze brushed against your skin.

He looked down at you, his eyes sparkling with mischief. “Well, I suppose we’re like two stars in the same galaxy, always pulled towards each other, destined to shine together.”

You smiled, heart swelling with happiness. “I like that. It’s poetic.”

“I’m glad you think so. I just wanted to create a moment that we could cherish forever, something that would remind us of how special our time together is,” Lando said, his voice softening.

As you gazed back up at the night sky, you imagined the two of you, forever intertwined in the cosmos, like the very stars above you. The calmness of the moment enveloped you, and you felt an overwhelming sense of gratitude wash over you.

“Thank you for this, Lando,” you said, your voice barely above a whisper. “You always know how to make me feel loved.”

“I’d do anything for you,” he replied earnestly, his fingers intertwining with yours. “Every day with you is a new adventure, and I can’t imagine a better way to spend my life.”

The two of you leaned back against the railing of the balcony, watching as the stars twinkled and danced across the night sky. You found yourself lost in thoughts of the future, of all the moments yet to come, under the same moonlight.

“Promise me something?” you suddenly asked, your voice taking on a more serious tone.

“Anything,” Lando answered, turning to face you fully.

“No matter where life takes us, or what challenges we face, let’s always find our way back to nights like this. Together.”

His smile was warm and reassuring. “I promise. We’ll always find our way back to each other, no matter what. Always.”

“Merry Christmas, Lando,” you whispered, the words slipping through your lips like a long-held secret finally shared.

“Merry Christmas,” he replied, and in that moment, you knew that the world could change, and perhaps it would, but whatever came, you’d made a promise together under the stars.

With that vow hanging in the air between you, you both returned your gaze toward the sky.

As the night deepened, the stars continued to blink high above, bright and steady, just like the love that blossomed between you. . . .

658 notes · View notes

stevie-petey · 1 month ago

Text

episode nine: the piggyback

“It’s always been you,” Steve whispers, lips pressed above your brow. “The six kids. The family I’ve always wanted. Traveling the countryside. My dream, it’s always had you in it.” You laugh, breathless and in love. “I know, honey.” Sickly sweet warmth cascades through you. Your lips find Steve’s, you kiss the smile off his face. He lets you. “I’ve always known it was going to be the two of us.”

Summary: operation save hawkins is a go. youre eagle one, steve is currently doing that, eddie is youd be lying if you said you havent thought about it, nancy is it happened once in a dream, robin is if you had to pick a girl, and dustin is eagle two. what could possibly go wrong ? spoiler alert: everything. literally everything goes wrong. might as well break a few promises while youre at it. for the plot. but at least its over, right? .... right?

Rating: general, some swearing, violence

Warnings: fem!reader, use of y/n, cursing, weapons, blood, death and gore, injuries, lowkey suicidal thoughts

Words: 8.5k (we broke tradition where the last chapter is the longest but tbh this is probs for the best)

Before you swing in: oh my god this is the end. i am. very very emotional rn. this story is my baby and i dont know what im going to do now that its done. i cant even write an in between chapter because we still dont have season 5 content :((( im gonna miss writing this story, and i will absolutely go crazy waiting for season 5 so i can write again. these next few months will be ROUGH but !!!! thank you guys so so so much for reading. all your comments/reblogs/kudos/likes have meant the world to me. im truly the luckiest girl ever :') for now, and for the final time... enjoy !

–

It’s pitch black outside. All around you is darkness. The sun is long gone, its golden warmth no longer present, retreating into the treeline as if afraid of what the night will bring.

You’re afraid, too.

Everyone stands around Nancy. The group is quiet as you await whatever she has to say. When she turns to face you, her voice is leveled, calm, but her hands shake.

She’s afraid, too.

“Okay,” Nancy exhales deeply. “I wanna run through it one more time.” She looks at Robin, prompting her to recite everything back. “Phase one?”

“We meet Erica at the playground.” Robin responds. “She’ll signal Max and Lucas when we’re ready.”

“Phase two.”

You step forward. “Max and I will bait Vecna. When he goes after one of us, he’ll go into his trance. If he chooses Max, we’ll go onto phase three together.”

“And…” Nancy swallows, looking away. “And if he chooses you?”

It’s Steve who steps forward this time. He stands tall, brave, but his voice shakes. “Then I’ll stay with her, walkman ready, while you and Robin go on your own.”

You grab his hand, squeezing it. He squeezes back.

“Speaking of phase three.” Dustin clears his throat, weary eyes never leaving you. “Me and Eddie wil draw the bats away.”

“Carefully,” you look pointedly at your brother. “Right?”

He rolls his eyes at you while Nancy continues speaking. “Okay, phase four.”

“We head into Vecna’s newly bat-free lair and…” Robin holds up a molotov cocktail. The liquid sloshes around. The scent of gasoline still stings your nose from when you helped her pour it into the bottles earlier. “Flambe.”

“Nobody moves onto the next phase until we’ve all copied. Nobody deviates from the plan, no matter what.” Nancy reiterates, looking around the RV. Her eyes linger on you, cautious, almost doubtful. She trusts you. She knows she trusts you. But she also knows your heart and the lengths you’ll go to save others.

Nancy has always admired your selflessness, but she’s also always seen it as your greatest strength and weakness. A coin, two sides. Now, tonight, she has to hope that you’ll follow the plan. Even if it means leaving Max behind if she’s the one Vecna chooses.

Your eyes harden when you realize what Nancy is thinking. Without saying anything, you nod at her. The jut of your chin tells her that you’ll be fine. That she needs to trust you.

Eddie’s trailer is only a few yards away, but the walk to it feels like decades. Steve guides and Nancy is close behind him. You stay back, walking beside Dustin. Your shoulders brush. His presence grounds you, reassures you that you will make it through the night.

Dustin, sensing your fear, reaches for your hand. He extends his warmth to you, silently promising you that he will always be here. There isn’t anything left to say.

Steve opens Eddie’s door, turning the lights on and tossing his backpack to the ground. He eyes the rope that connects the trailer to the Upside Down, getting ready for the part of the plan that you honestly really hate.

“Be careful, please.” You urge him, uncomfortable that he has to be the first one to return to the hell that is the Upside Down. It makes sense, he’s the only one able to climb the rope up, but still. You’ve had shit luck these last few days.

“I’m always careful, angel.” Steve winks at you, rolling his sleeves up. “Here goes nothing.”

He climbs up quickly, years of being an athlete being put to use. Everyone watches anxiously. However, when Steve crosses through the gate and lands with a cheesy flip, you and Robin share a disgusted look.

“What, does he want us to applaud?” She scoffs.

You shake your head. “Somethings I think he has an imaginary audience in his head.”

“Do you think they ever boo him?” “Not like we do.”

Nancy covers her mouth, muffling her laugh, and Robin snorts. You smile at the two of them, momentarily forgetting what’s to come.

“Alright,” Steve shouts up, tossing down Eddie’s old mattress. “Let’s go.”

You take a deep breath, steadying your nerves. Wiping your hands on your jeans, you place them on the rope and prepare for the inevitable torture that this will be. You’re pretty sure you’re bleeding again.

“A little help?” You ask the others, motioning towards your injured leg and shoulder. “Sorta out of commission.”

Eddie grips your waist while Robin and Nancy gently hike your legs up. Together the three of them are able to carry you almost all the way up. Breathing through your nose, you grit your teeth and climb the rest of the way, wincing every few seconds. The pain is unbearable.

You really hope you don’t sound as pathetic as you look.

When you land on the mattress, small, black dots litter your vision. “I think I’m gonna throw up.”

Steve is already bending down, helping you up with ease. “And ruin Munson’s tidy home?”

Woozy from pain, you bat Steve away and wait for the others to join. Nancy comes next, then Robin, then Eddie and Dustin. Weapons get tossed down. Bodies land on the mattress with finalizing thuds.

Outside, it’s just as cold as you remember it. Eddie and Dustin stay in front of the trailer. This is as far as they’re going. They aren’t leaving.

Roughly you pull at your brother. His body lands against yours, but the kiss your press to his forehead is gentle. You haven’t done this since he was a kid. Dustin flings his arms around you, nearly knocking all the air from your lungs. He squeezes you tight, as terrified as you are, and you feel tears in your eyes.

“We’ll come home,” your whisper is hoarse, rough and desperate. You bury your face in his mess of curls and kiss his head again. “The house won’t be empty.”

Dustin sniffles, too weak to hide his tears. “I love you.”

“I love you, too.” Your throat burns. How can you possibly leave him?

Vision blurry with tears, Eddie manages to catch your attention as you cling onto your brother. The teen nods, lifting his pinky in the air to wave it at you, reminding you of his promise to you. He’ll protect Dustin. He swore it.

Reluctantly, you pull away from Dustin and wipe your face. “Please don’t die. Who knows what Mews’ ghost would do to you?” Dustin laughs wetly, wiping his own face as well. The thought of your childhood cat haunting his grave is enough to lessen the sting of letting you go.

“If things here start to go south, I mean, at all, you abort.” Steve breaks the remorseful silence. He doesn’t want anyone getting hurt. He doesn’t want you losing anyone else. “Draw the attention of the bats, keep ‘em busy for a minute or two. We’ll take care of Vecna. Don’t try to be a hero or anything.”

His tone is harsh, but you know Steve means well. You also don’t want Dustin and Eddie anywhere near danger. As long as they stick to the plan, they’ll be fine. They have the quickest escape route and the most amount of protection.

“What Steve is trying to say is that you two better climb back through the gate the moment anything bad happens.” You look at the two boys. They stare at you, grim faced. “I mean it, okay? Go through the gate, don’t try anything else.”

“We’re the decoys, we get it.” Dustin rolls his eyes. “Don’t worry. You and Steve can be the heroes.”

“Look at us,” Eddie nudges your brother’s shoulder. “We’re not heroes.”

Your stomach twists. You hate how Dustin views his and Eddie’s position. They aren’t just decoys, they’re heroes in your eyes. They’re facing an army of bats all on their own, but you don’t dare say this out loud, afraid to encourage them.

“Just…” your mouth is dry. “Just be safe, alright?”

“We will.” Eddie swallows. Then he pauses, his gaze darkens slightly. Looking back at you, he breathes out, “And make him pay.”

You and Steve look at each other. So much of Eddie’s life has been ruined by Vecna. Even if you all make it out of here alive, killing Vecna, there’s no guarantee that Hawkins will accept him back into the town. You understand the anger that resides within Eddie. The desire to kill the very thing that has destroyed everything he loves.

You bite your lip. You’ve never made a promise you haven’t been able to keep. But this time you’re facing something bigger than anything you could’ve ever imagined. All this time you’ve tried convincing yourself that you’ll win. That everything will work out.

But you remember last summer.

The mall. The fire and the deaths. Hopper. Billy. The power Vecna seems to hold, his claws that have sunk into you and Max. His threat to Nancy. The danger that Hawkins is in, up above where your mother sleeps peacefully. Unaware of what you’re sacrificing for her.

This is more than anything you’ve ever dealt with before. But a promise built on an unsteady foundation is all you can give Eddie.

“Well will,” you echo his earlier promise.

Eddie smiles at you. The one you’ve grown to like, even find charming. Slanted and mischievous. The glint in his eyes never dimmed, even after everything. Through it all, he remained kind.

This is how you’ll always remember him.

–

The further you walk away from Eddie and Dustin, the harder you have to force yourself to keep going. Your body is heavy, the weight slowing you down, pleading with you to go back. None of this feels right.

Steve’s hand on the small of your back is the only thing keeping your heart from collapsing. Robin’s smile helps, too.

“You’d think this place gets less creepy the second time around.” She says, stepping over a root. “But I’m still pretty damn creeped out.”

“It isn’t the most pleasant place.” You agree.

Robin steps over another root, looking back at you as she does so. “At least I’m here to protect you, Y/N. Pretty brave, don’t you think?” “Hey,” Steve warns. “Watch it.”

You knock your shoulder against his and smile apologetically at Robin. “Like always, I think you’re the bravest.”

She smiles proudly, throwing her fist in the air in excitement. However, after stepping over a root for what feels like the tenth time, her heart starts to pound. Looking around, all the trees suddenly look the same. Have you been here before?

“Not to alarm anyone, but I swear we’ve seen this tree before.”

“That’s impossible.” Nancy dimisses.

You agree. “We’re in the woods. All we’re going to see are trees.”

Robin tries to calm herself down, but ultimately fails. There are so many components to the plan, so many ways it can go wrong. “I mean, that would suck, right? Veca destroys the world because we got lost in the woods.”

“We aren’t lost–” You try to reason with her, but Robin is already running away in a panic. You scream at her, terrified of losing her. “Robin!”

“I’ll be back!”

You start to stumble after her. “Why does everyone want to separate?” You huff out, nearly tripping. “There’s safety in numbers! Come back!”

Nancy, seeing your fear for your friend and horrible coordination skills, steps in front of you. “I’ll go after her. You stay here with Steve.”

And then she’s gone, disappearing into the mass of branches alongside Robin.

“They’ll be fine,” Steve reassures you, grabbing your hand. “They’re tough, even if Robin may lose her mind sometimes when she’s distressed.”

“I think we’re all slowly losing our minds.” You laugh, bitter.

Steve tightens his hand around yours. The two of you walk in silence for a while. The thunder above you serves as a reminder of where you are. The darkness is a threat. But you’re here, together. That’s all that Steve cares about in the end.

“Did you really mean what you said? Back at the cemetery?” He asks, clearing his throat in unease. The question has been on his mind ever since he heard your pleas for Vecna to take you instead of Max.

He thinks of how adamant you’ve been to protect her. How you’re only here with him right now because Max wouldn’t let you blindly walk towards your death.

The question strikes deep guilt within you, yet an exhaustion follows. You’re ashamed of how desperately you pleaded to die. Steve and Dustin had to hear you beg for your death. Lucas, too.

You’re ashamed. Yet you wouldn’t take it back.

“I did.” You finally say. “I wanted him to take me.”

Steve already knew you’d say this. He’d been expecting anger to follow, to be furious with you for sacrificing yourself knowing he’d be left to pick up the pieces.

But seeing the way you set your jaw and stare ahead, seeing the resolve that masks your face, the acceptance of your decisions, Steve can’t bring himself to be angry. Not at you.

This is who you are.

“I won’t let anything happen to you.” Steve promises you again. He will always promise this to you. Over and over again, he will die saying these words to you. “I-I can’t lose you. I refuse to lose you.”

Your eyes remain downcast.

“I know that this is how you love,” he grabs your jacket, begging you to look at him. “I know that I can’t let you lose the ones you love. Dustin, Max, Robin, Lucas, or El or Mike or Nancy. Hell, even Jonathan. I won’t let you lose them, but I won’t lose you, either.”

He understands, then. The selflessness within you and its selfish ways. Yet he doesn’t shy away or hiss at its venom. Steve opens his hands and allows the selfishness to stay there, warming it with his skin.

You kiss him. Surprising both him and you, yet you melt together. Steve circles his arms around your waist, pulls you flush against him, and in the cynicism that surrounds you, there is still love.

“Thank you,” you breathe against his lips. He’s wonderful. He loves you wholly, without any faults. Your kindness and its destructive ways; he accepts it all. “Thank you for understanding.”

And this, you believe, is the most selfless act a person can do. Steve’s understanding of why you need to do this, to sacrifice your life for Max’s, even if it means he risks losing you.

“I should be the one thanking you,” Steve kisses you again, softer this time. Slower.

You pull back, confused. “Why?” He pulls you in again. “I mean, I don’t know if you know this, but I was a pretty huge asshole back then.” You laugh softly, and Steve knows he’s exactly where he’s meant to be. “You saw this good in me that I didn’t know existed. Right off the bat you saw through me, expecting more from me than anyone else ever did. I wouldn’t be who I am now without you. ”

“Steve…”

“And I’m sorry for thinking you didn’t see a future with me.” He continues, unable to stop now. This is everything he’s wanted to tell you ever since you allowed him into your life. “I know it’s stupid now, apologizing for our fight a week ago after the hell we’ve been through since then, but…”

He can’t believe he almost let something as small as a misalignment of where you’ll be a year from now jeopardize what you have. There is a string that attaches Steve to you, it brought you to him and tied your heart to his.

“I meant what I said, Y/N.” Steve’s forehead presses against yours. “I’d wait forever if it means I can have forever with you.”

His eyes shine down at you, brown and warm. The honey you fell in love with when he pretended not to know your name, all to get you to laugh.

“When your head went under the water, that night at Lover’s Lake, I thought you were dead.” Your voice shakes, remembering the fear that choked you. “For those thirty seconds, I thought you were dead, and it almost killed me.”

It was then that you realized how truly you can’t lose Steve. You’ve always known this, but to have his soul ripped from yours so suddenly, so permanently, there are no words to express the agony that poisoned you.

Losing him would be the one thing you’d never recover from.

“I don’t ever want to live through those thirty seconds again,” you’re crying. Steve is, too. He wipes a tear that falls, strokes your cheek, and you can’t bear the thought of a world without his touch. “I want forever with you, too. We’ll figure it out, but I’m not losing you. You have to be in my life, in whatever capacity. Whether you’re in a small, cramped apartment with me in New York or in Hawkins, waiting for me to come home.”

Your breath hitches. To think that a childish argument almost separated him from you.

“As long as we come home to one another, it doesn’t matter.”

Steve is quiet after you’ve said all this, and for a moment you’re scared you’ve said too much. Revealed too much of yourself, convinced him he’s gotten it all wrong, but then he cradles your face. His hands are soft, tender, the weight of them familiar against your skin.

He kisses your forehead, and you exhale the last of your uncertainty. All that is left within your lungs is love.

“It’s always been you,” Steve whispers, lips pressed above your brow. “The six kids. The family I’ve always wanted. Traveling the countryside. My dream, it’s always had you in it.”

You laugh, breathless and in love. “I know, honey.” Sickly sweet warmth cascades through you. Your lips find Steve’s, you kiss the smile off his face. He lets you. “I’ve always known it was going to be the two of us.”

Steve smiles, wide and bashful, and you know that this is where you’re meant to be, too.

“Hey, guys!” Robin breaks through the treeline, running back with Nancy right behind her. “Awesome news!”

“We aren’t lost.” Nancy cuts to the chase. “We think the Creel house is up ahead.”

“Well, what are we waiting for?” You step out of Steve’s arms, though your hand remains intertwined with his. “Let’s go face imminent doom.”

Nancy huffs out a laugh and Robin winces, though Steve squeezes your hand and is the first one to start walking. Together, the five of you descend deeper into the woods.

Unsurprisingly, the Creel house is even more terrifying in the Upside Down. Bats surround it, their screeches stinging your ears. Lightning flashes a deep, blood red and the thunder that follows causes your heart to drop.

You stand at the crest of the hill. There’s a light below you, its glow pure in the abandoned park where it resides. The same park that you told Erica to hide in as she waited for Max and Lucas to take their place. The light flashes.

It’s time for phase two.

–

“Max is moving into phase two: distracting Vecna. Y/N, get ready.” Erica’s voice carries into the Upside Down.

Nancy, Robin, and Steve all turn to you. Grief and longing taint their faces. Your walkman hangs from Steve’s hand. He grips it tightly. Tension coats the air, nearly suffocating you; you can’t run anymore.

No one says anything as you carefully lower yourself to the ground. It’s cold beneath you. Hard, unforgiving. You cross your legs, ignoring the deep ache of your wounds as you do so. You close your eyes. The storm is coming.

“Take the bait, you son of a bitch.” You hear Nancy whisper.

You or Max.

Take me, you silently beg. Take. Me.

Silence settles over the group. Everyone waits with bated breath. No one knows who Vecna will choose.

Steve stands nervously behind you, his hand on your walkman at all times.

Just take me. Kill me instead of her. If you’ve watched me for so long, then just get it over with. Don’t make this easy, don’t be such a fucking coward.

The words echo in your head. Taunting Vecna, hoping their malice will be what saves Max. That he’ll choose you in the end, give you what you want. You’ll do whatever, say whatever you need, if it means Max will come home.

Something pricks your skin. An uncomfortable, electric sensation coats your entire body.

Vecna.

For a moment you think he’s listened. You can feel his presence, the weight of him shadows in your mind. He’s here, he’s spared you mercy after prolonged cruelty. He’s chosen you and Max will survive. Her blue eyes will remain bright, her body alive.

Then it all comes crashing down.

“He chose Max. I repeat, he chose Max.” Erica says, voice cutting through the delusions you allowed yourself to get lost in.

Your ears are ringing. Somewhere in your body there is still oxygen that has not escaped you, but you cannot find it. He chose her.

Robin radios Dustin and Eddie, you think she’s instructing them to move onto phase three, but her words are jumbled in your mind and you can’t hear anything besides the screaming in your head.

He chose her.

“Y/N,” someone roughly grabs your shoulder. “Y/N, look at me.”

Nancy. She’s in front of you, kneeled down. She grabs your arms, her grip vicious. Her mouth moves. She’s saying something, the way her chest heaves makes you think she’s yelling.

Is she yelling at you?

“Y/N!” The ringing doesn’t subside, but you manage to look at Nancy. “We need to go!”

She’s right. You need to leave. There isn’t time to remember how to breathe. You know this. Somewhere in the distance there’s music. Guitar rifts through the wind, Eddie’s melody enrages the bats that swarm the Creel house. They’re gone in seconds, flying towards the sound, and you need to stick to the plan.

Your head moves shakily, managing a small nod, and Nancy yanks you up with Steve’s help. She looks at Robin, and suddenly her and Steve grab your arms and force you to walk alongside Nancy. They aren’t aggressive as they do so, nor are they cruel. But you can’t afford to shut down. Not now.

Max won’t survive if you do. There’s no time to hesitate. No turning back.

You hope she finds the light.

Lightning flashes all around you, illuminating the Creel house as you stand before it. Steve opens the door first. The vines that cover the ground writhe at the disturbance. He shines his flashlight, his heart drops when he realizes just how infested the house is.

“Shit,” he breathes out. The floor is virtually impossible to walk across. “That’s not good.”

Then, because he has no other option, Steve starts jumping to any safe spot he can land on. He looks ridiculous as he does so, but for once you aren’t focused on that. Instead, you stare down at your injured leg and wince.

“Great,” your thigh is currently more blood than flesh. Jumping on it is quite literally the last thing you should be doing. “This is gonna hurt.”

“At least you have good balance?” Robin offers, though she doesn’t believe what she’s saying either.

Nancy grabs your hand, then Robin’s. She looks at the two of you and smiles, trying her best to look reassuring. “It’s okay. You guys got this.”

The first jump hurts, setting the remaining nerves in your upper thigh on fire, but you can’t afford to scream or collapse. You have to remind yourself that the vines are interconnected. One wrong step, one miscalculated fall, and they’ll wrap viciously around you.

It’s a slow, tedious process trying to get to the attic. The stairs are the hardest part. The vines twist with every step, slithering across the walls. Steve does his best to help you, offering you his hand for support, but you both hold your breath every time your foot slips.

When you make it to the attic door, everyone readies their weapons. In one hand are your knives, in the other a molotov cocktail. Steve spins you around, digging into the backpack for an ax while Nancy grabs her gun.

Your foot lifts, about to step forward, before the ground beneath you shakes violently. The entire house trembles, and Steve barely has enough time to catch everyone as all of you struggle not to fall.

“Are you fucking kidding me?” You sneer, holding desperately onto Steve. This is all some sick, cruel joke. A poorly timed rupture in your rapture.

But then the house stills. Everything is quiet. You, Nancy, Steve, and Robin stare at one another, panting. Nobody moves. There’s a clarity in the air, a false sense of security.

That’s when the first vine latches onto Robin.

It folds around her ankle before tearing her away from you. She screams, so do you, and her body is thrown against the wall as more vines encase her limbs. They move fast, snake like, and everything unravels after that.

“Steve! Y/N!” She screeches, terrified. “Nancy!”

You’re at her side in a second, stabbing at the vines. Your knuckles are white as you grip your knives, your biceps strain. You aren’t letting them take Robin from you. “Hold on!”

Your teeth grit together in exertion, sawing as fast as you can. Steve and Nancy are on the other side, throwing their axes as hard furiously into the vines. But nothing works, they’re too thick, and you don’t realize that one of the vines has wrapped around your arm until it’s too late.

“Y/N!” Steve screams when your body gets lifted into the air. You try to fight it, to pry your arm away, but your legs give out and soon a second vine wraps around your other arm. Then a third, a fourth and a fifth.

In seconds you’re pressed against the wall.

“Steve!” Screams are ripped from your throat, you try to call out, to beg for your life, but the more you move, the tighter the vines constrict.

Steve calls after you, ramming into the wall as he tries to cut you loose. “I got you! I–”

The ax he’s holding gets yanked back by a vine. He’s launched into the air, body landing harshly next to yours several feet up the wall. He screams again, but his voice dies when a vine cuts off his breathing and chokes him.

Another vine coils around your throat and suddenly you can’t breathe. Your airway constricts. Sobbing, you try to reach out to Steve. You’re inches apart, his fingers are so close to yours that you can feel their warmth, but you can’t reach him

All you want to do is hold him.

Nancy falls to the ground, the last victim. She gets thrown to the opposite wall, it all happens so fast that she doesn’t even have time to scream.

Your vision blurs. You close your eyes.

This is how you’ll die.

Far away from your home. No one will find your body down here. Dustin will come looking for you and he’ll face the same fate. He will die trying to find you. Vecna will destroy everything you’ve ever loved.

Your lungs burn, fighting for breath that they cannot get. Blood rushes to your head. You take your last breath. The sound of it echoes in your ears.

Everything goes black.

Your mother will be worried about you.

I’m sorry.

–

There’s a body beneath yours.

It groans, gasping for air, but your vision is dark and you can’t see anything. Pain erupts in your wrist. You try to move it, but the sting makes you nauseous.

There’s coughing all around you, but you’re too weak to suck the air back in. Everyone cowers for breath. The vines rescind, unwrapping themselves from your skin. There’s a body beneath you, and a gentle hand cups your cheek, you know it’s Steve.

“Breathe, angel.” His voice cracks, wounded. It hurts to speak, but he needs you to breathe. “Y/N, you have to breathe.”

Everything is numb. Your lungs are empty; you can’t remember how to fill them. Steve coaxes your lips open, blows air in your face, does whatever he can think of to get you to breathe, before finally, miraculously, you inhale sharply and begin coughing.

“Are you alright?” Steve asks you softly, rubbing your back as you cough. “It’s okay. Take your time.”

Your throat is raw. It takes everything within you to speak, but you want to. You need to. There’s only one thing you want to say. “We have to make him pay.”

The anger is back, and Steve’s jaw sets. Vecna has hurt you. He’s hurt everyone you love. He’s chosen Max for his final death and your fury threatens to devour the sanity you have left. You’re tired of his shitty mind games.

It’s like what you promised Eddie: you have to make Vecna pay for what he’s done to you all.

“I don’t believe in a higher power,” Robin rasps, breaking you from your thoughts. “Or divine intervention. But that was a miracle.”

Nancy cocks her gun, already walking towards the attic door. “Then we better not waste it.”

“Phase four.” Steve says, steadying himself against you.

“Flambe.” Robin finishes.

You flick your knives out. “Let’s finish this.”

–

Vecna’s body hangs in the attic, thick, gruesome vines attach him to every crevice. He’s unmoving, eyes closed, and seeing his body up close makes you want to gag. He’s a terrible, vile creature.

But Dustin had been right: Vecna is in the same trance-like state that El goes into when she uses her powers.

Without being told to, Robin sets down her bag. All the molotov cocktails are inside. Everyone grabs one, silent. Almost as if you’re all too afraid to break the spell he’s under. You only get one shot at this.

Steve has the lighter. You hold the first cocktail up, and he looks at you, eyes shining. He asks you if you’re ready, if this is what you really want, and you nod. At your signal, Steve throws the cocktail into the air.

The bottle shatters against Vecna’s body. The flames engulf him, the impact of the blast so powerful that it knocks you and everyone else back. There’s an awful scream as Vecna’s vines begin to snap from the sudden heat.

Your screams mix with his, throwing another cocktail with every ounce of strength you have left in you. You’re bruised and bloodied and exhausted, but you think of Max. You think of Billy and Hopper. Eddie and how his life will never be the same again. You think of Chrissy, Patrick and Fred. All the innocent lives that have been lost for a cause that you despise.

This is for them. For Hawkins. For your home.

The last of the vines die withering away, and Vecna’s body falls to the ground. He stands, body on fire, and stalks towards you. His eyes are only on you.

Robin lights the final cocktail and the force of it sends Vecna stumbling back. It’s enough to break through his chest, and he’s weak. Weaker than you’ve ever seen him.

“Shoot him, Nancy!” You cry, ready for this all to end.

And she does.

The first blast pierces Vecna’s skin. The second, third, and fourth diminish him to ruined pieces. With every shot, Nancy steps forward, drawing him out, and you’re right behind her. Vecna releases a deep, furious roar. The sound of it sinks into your bones, but you no longer fear him.

He isn’t worth your fear.

Nancy raises her gun again. She deals the final blow, sending Vecna through the old, rotted wood of the house into the dark night. He falls, screaming, before everything is quiet.

The roar of the fire that surrounds you is the only sound. You all stand in the attic, numb. None of it feels real. All that’s left of Vecna is a hole in the house, his body far below, sprawled on the concrete outside.

“Did we…?” You’re afraid to jinx it, to somehow bring him back. But this has to be it. There isn’t any other way for this to end.

Nancy doesn’t say anything. Instead, she turns around, running back down the stairs. No one has to ask why she does this; you all know. There has to be a body. There must be tangible proof that you’ve won.

Everyone runs outside.

Vecna’s body is gone.

The only indication that he’d been there is an outline of flames that molt the grass below it. But there is no body.

“No,” you run down the steps, kicking through the grass as you look around. You’re frantic, sprawling on the ground as if you’ll find him buried beneath the ash. “No, where is he?”

You killed him. He was on fire. Nancy put more than five bullets in him. He fell from the attic, a height that alone should’ve killed him. Where the fuck is he? You did everything right. Followed every step of the goddamn plan.

“This doesn’t make any sense.” Something is wrong, you just don’t know what. Steve and the others join you. They’re quiet, fearing what you’re refusing to even consider. Four deaths. That had been all Vecna needed. But you killed him. “None of this makes sense, unless… Unless he–”

No.

A bell chimes.

The sound sends you to the ground. Your knees give out, collapsing under the weight of it all. “No!” Your scream is loud, guttural. Tearing from your chest as it tears out your vocal chords. There’s blood in your mouth and you want it to choke you.

It’s Max.

He got her. He killed her.

All of a sudden there are arms around you. Someone carries you back up the stairs, back into the house that has taken everything from you. Steve holds you to his chest as he, Nancy, and Robin stare at the grandfather clock before them.

It’s alive.

“Four chimes,” Nancy’s voice can barely be heard above your crying. “Max…”

The realization settles upon all of you. You’re in hysterics, no one can calm you down. You’re crying so hard that you can’t breathe, but you don’t want to breathe anymore.

Grief pours from you in cruel, bitter waves. All you do is cry, barely even registering the earthquake that follows your devastating loss.

Steve has to set down your crying figure in order to stabilize Robin and Nancy. You curl into yourself on the ground, making yourself as small as possible. There is too much. It’s all too much. Your head digs into the floor beneath you, cutting you, and your tears mix with the blood.

Over and over again the clock chimes. Like laughter. His laughter.

He won.

Steve holds onto the stairs as the earthquake worsens. He has to crawl over to you; you’re rocking back and forth on the ground, your cries heard even above the cracking of the earth. His hand wraps around your weeping body and he won’t let you go. Steve tries to shield you from fallen debris, the world is falling apart, but you don’t move.

You don’t care anymore.

It’s always your fault in the end. You lose everyone eventually; you get them killed. You can never save them. You will never be able to save them.

She’s gone.

Max is gone.

–

The days pass. You’ll come to remember them in fragments.

Returning to Eddie’s trailer and finding Dustin crying over his dead body. Prying him away, your tears mixing with your brother’s when you have to tell him that something has happened to Max.

Finding Hawkins in flames. Seeing the deep gashes in the town you grew up in. Stumbling to the Creel house, racing side by side with the ambulances for everyone within the once quiet town, and collapsing again when you find no one there.

Going home. Your mother’s arms breaking you.

Steve. How he never left your side throughout it all. Holding Dustin’s hand, unable to stop crying.

Visiting Max in the hospital the day after. The stench of sterilizer and surgical tools. Seeing her lifeless body still alive. The countless other bodies in the building that died due to your failure.

When the news broadcasters announce Hawkins to be cursed. The burden that you can’t tell them that they’re right. The guilt seeing your baby brother’s limp. Another scar he will carry with him forever.

All the hurt in the town. The pain.

The collapse of your home; they’re calling it an earthquake.

It all comes to you in flashes.

Hawkins high school gets converted into a donation center for everyone dishoused. Visiting it is your idea. You can’t bear the thought of spending any more time inside your home knowing there are hundreds of others who no longer have a place to call home.

“Anything else?” You place your old comics into one of the boxes you’re donating.

Dustin shakes his head. “That’s the last of it.”

He hasn’t left your side in days. He still keeps your walkman on him, though neither of you know if it’s important anymore. Dustin is afraid that you’ll never put the headphones on again, even if it could save your life.

You tape the boxes up, carefully writing down their contents on one of the flaps. Your fingers are scabbed. Your wrist is stiff, locking up if you move it too suddenly.

Books.

Bedding.

Clothing.

Anything you can offer, you’d give it all to Hawkins if you could.

Steve picks you up. He helps you put the boxes in the back of his car, gentle with you as always. “You guys ready?”

You nod weakly, and Steve kisses your forehead, careful of the cuts that litter it. He helps you into the car. Turns on your favorite songs. Tries to distract you from the wreckage that encases Hawkins as he drives; you keep your head down. You can’t look at any of it.

Nancy is waiting in her driveway with Robin, a pile of their own boxes at their feet. They greet you kindly, warmly, with an air of fear that you’ll break, and you’re too tired to pretend.

“I found some more of your old stuff in the attic,” Mrs. Wheeler walks out of the garage, smiling despite the circumstances. “I think it’s lovely you’re doing this, Y/N.”

“We all just want to help,” you politely respond, staying near Steve’s side.

Nancy picks up one of the stuffed animals in the box and pouts, seeing her old favorite toy. You’re about to tease her, try to laugh, when a pizza delivery van speeds down the block.

“Someone order a pizza?” Mrs. Wheeler asks.

“Not that I recall.” You mumble, confused as your eyes follow the car. Every business in Hawkins is shut down right now. It doesn’t make sense for there to be a pizza delivery.

It parks in front of the Wheeler’s, and when you see who steps out, you drop the box you’re holding and run towards them.

Will and El throw themselves around you, hugging you tightly. Dustin joins, and holding them again, having them here with you, makes everything okay for a moment. Your kids are okay, they’re safe.

“Are you okay?” El asks you, pulling away slightly. Her eyebrows knit in concern when she notices the cuts on your face and how red your eyes are. “Did he get you?”

Somehow you aren’t surprised that she knows about Vecna.

“I’m okay, sweetie.” Her hair is buzzed. Already you miss the long strands she once had. You don’t know what she’s been through this last week, but you hope, more than anything, that she hasn’t lost her kindness. “I-I’m okay.”

Your voice catches at the end, and immediately El understands that something else happened.

“We were worried about you,” Will doesn’t let you go. “When El told us what was happening, Jonathan almost lost his mind.”

Jonathan.

Hearing his name makes you remember everything. Instinctively your eyes find him. They always do. Jonathan has Nancy in his arms, but when he senses your eyes on him, he looks up at you. He will always be able to find you. Your heart stops, looking into his once familiar brown eyes.

Jonathan rushes towards you, as he always does, and his arms around you feel like home.

“Bug,” he breathes against your neck, holding onto you tighter than he ever has before.

You melt when the nickname drips from Jonathan’s lips. It’s been so long since someone has called you that. It’s been even longer since you’ve held Jonathan like this.

“God, what happened to you?” His eyes roam your body, catching on your bandaged shoulder and thigh. The cuts on your cheek. You try to ease his concern, grabbing his hands, but Jonathan starts to ramble. “We-we tried to get back to Hawkins as soon as we could. The second El told me you were in danger I–”

He inhales shakily, presses his face deeper into your neck. “All I could do to stay sane was think of your voice. Of our last phone call.”

You bury your face into Jonathan’s messy hair. You’re crying, but for what, you don’t know. His scent is bittersweet. His arms are reminiscent of what was once. You’ve missed him, but nothing will ever be the same again.

“I need to see her.” El’s raised voice causes you to let go of Jonathan. She’s standing in front of Dustin, arms crossed, and you know he’s told her the truth. “Take me to Max.”

“What’s wrong with Max?” Mike slings an arm over your shoulders, putting all his body weight against you in greeting. “Miss me, Henderson?”

You move his arm down, forcing him into a hug. You want to remember these next few seconds. The remnants of his childhood before it comes crashing down on him. “I did, Wheeler.”

Mike hugs you back, but when he sees the distress on El’s face, he lets you go and walks towards her. “What? What’s going on?”

Dustin is the one who breaks the news. Shamefully, you know it should’ve been you, but you haven’t been able to say Max’s name in days. There’s too much guilt, remorse, resentment that it hadn’t been you.

It’s a mess of tears and panic when Dustin tells them. Will covers his mouth, holding back tears, while El storms inside the pizza delivery van as Mike demands that Jonathan take him and everyone else to see Max. They don’t believe any of it. El told them that she saved Max.

“Are you coming, Y/N?” Jonathan holds his keys up. Everyone else, including Nancy, are already inside. A boy your age, you think his name is Argyle, waves at you from the passenger seat.

So much has changed. Unable to form the right words, you shake your head at Jonathan. Yet even after months apart, he understands your unspoken words. You can’t see Max again. Not yet. It’s too soon, too much for you to bear.

Seeing her limp body once was enough.

“We’ll be back,” Jonathan hugs you one last time, pressing a kiss to your hairline as he lets you go. “I promise.”

Steve steps forward then, wrapping an arm around your waist as he stands next to you. The two teens lock eyes, Steve gives Jonathan a cool, steely look. He remembers what you’ve told him. He remembers Jonathan’s words to you before everything collapsed.

Sensing his anger, you squeeze Steve’s arm. Not here, you beg him. Not now.

Exhaling slowly, Steve offers you his hand. You take it, allowing him to walk you back to his car as the others leave.

–

The donation center is packed. There are so many people inside, sitting on makeshift cots and pinning missing posters of their loved ones to a bulletin board. Nurses tend to the injured. Mothers cradle their children. The sight makes you ache. All these people, displaced by what they believe to be an earthquake.

You set the boxes down at the main dropoff table, and though the kind employee praises you for how organized the boxes are, you can’t help feeling that you should be doing more.

In the hundreds of injured and grieving people you’ve seen, you’ve only noticed a handful of workers.

“Is there any way we can help?” You ask the woman, looking around with a frown.

“Truly anything.” Robin says. “We just… we want to help.”

The woman seems surprised, and you wonder how rare it is for kindness to still be in a town that has known nothing but turmoil these last few years.

You and Steve get placed sorting clothing while Robin is assigned to the food station. Dustin passes out cups of water for everyone. It isn’t much, but the work is meaningful and it eases the tension in your chest.

“So…” Steve folds a t-shirt. “Can I ask about Jonathan yet?”

Picking up tattered jeans, you place them in the trash pile. “Might as well.”

“How do we feel about his sudden arrival? I mean, the giant pizza statue on the van was a little dramatic for me.”

He’s trying to keep the conversation light, which you appreciate him for, but you also know that Steve is doing this because he’s worried about you. And, you know, he’s unnerved seeing Jonathan. There’s still a lot left unsaid between you.

“It’s… a lot.” You admit, struggling to find the right words to convey how you feel. “I’m relieved he’s okay, and I really am happy to see him again, but I… I understand, you know. If you’re upset.”

Steve scrunches his face. “I’m not upset, just… I don’t know. Annoyed with the guy.”

“So you’re upset.”

“Okay, no–”

“Is that Vickie with Robin?” You unintentionally cut Steve off, too surprised by the fact that mere feet away from you is Robin and Vickie making sandwiches together. And they’re laughing. “Are they talking together?”

Steve whips his head around, disbelieving, but lets out a low whistle when he sees Robin making easy conversation with Vickie. “Well I’ll be damned. Who knew our girl had it in her?”

The Jonathan talk lays forgotten as you and Steve admire your friend. You share a secret smile, remembering your own first awkward, bantering conversations together. There is so much pain in this town, and yet you watch as love still blossoms within it.

Across the room, you see Dustin talking to an older man. They’re deep in discussion and you notice your brother’s shaking shoulders. He’s crying. The older man is, too. You narrow your eyes, unsure if you should approach, but when Dustin hands the man Eddie’s old guitar pick, you realize who it is.

“I’ll be back.” You kiss Steve’s cheek, excusing yourself.

He tries to ask where you’re going, but you’re already gone. Your brother needs you right now.

Walking over, you stand to the side and allow Dustin and Eddie’s uncle some privacy. While there are so many things you want to say to the man, like how kind his nephew had been, how brilliant his mind was and how you’ll never forget the smile that never left his face, this is for Dustin and Dustin only.

Eddie was his dearest friend. There is no greater loss than that.

Whatever Mr. Munson tells Dustin will be good for him; it will be the closure you can’t give him yourself.

An arm wraps around you. You lean into the touch, knowing who it is without even having to look. You rest your head on Steve’s shoulder, exhausted, but content with the warmth he offers you. The two of you keep an eye on Dustin, ready to catch him in case he falls.

Eventually Mr. Munson leaves, and you take his place next to Dustin. The second you sit down, the boy cries into your shoulder. Tears soak your shirt and your brother’s frail body shakes. “I-I had to tell him that Eddie died a hero.”

“I know,” your head falls against his.

“They’ll never know what he did for this town.” Sobs wrack Dustin’s body. “It isn’t-it isn’t fair.”

You rub his back, brush his hair out of his face. “None of it is fair, Dust.”

He cries even harder and you try to shield him from the world with your body. You try to block out the grief, the bitterness that follows death. How empty it can leave you. An emptiness that can swallow a person whole.

You won’t let it happen to Dustin.

“We’re gonna get through this together, alright? You and me, just like it’s always been. I promise–” Your words catch in your throat, tears forming in your own eyes. There’s so much you want to promise your brother, to swear that will come true, but you’re just as hurt and lost as he is.

“I promise,” you make the words come out. “That everything will be okay. We’ll-we’ll be together, heal and do whatever we can to make everything okay. I-I’ll never leave you, you hear me? I won’t leave you again.”

Though Dustin still cries, his breathing slows.

“Together. We’ll face this together.” As you talk, you notice a crowd of people swarming by the windows. They’re looking at something, staring and gasping. Your voice grows weak, anxious that something bad is about to happen. “It’ll… it’ll all work out.”

Dustin notices the crowd, too. He looks to you for answers, but you’re silent. You don’t know what’s happening. There’s a murmur in the crowd, hushed, urgent. It sets your skin on edge. Even more people get up now, some are even running outside, and every nerve in your body is screaming at you to run.

Suddenly the room darkens, as if a giant cloud has covered the sky. Your stomach twists, and you get up, following after the crowd. Bodies shove each other, people blindly walk through the haze of whispers and uncertainty.

When you step outside, all you see is ash.

The ash falls like snowflakes, beautiful and pure. There’s a softness to it, something delicate in the ruin it leaves. Dustin knocks against you, staring up into the sky with the same dread that you feel. The crowd is murmuring with glee, whispering excitedly about what they believe to be snow; but they’re wrong.

You’ve always won in the end.

You’ve come to believe this to be a fact. You once told Steve that you believed you used up all your luck. Saving Will, closing the gate over and over again. The penance was the deaths from this summer for the greedy way you abused luck.

Steve had reminded you that there was still good leftover in the bad. That there will always be softness in the destruction, a reason for hope. That you will always find a way out, that luck and love were two sides of the same coin.

You’ve always won in the end.

Yet, lost in the swarm of people, you watch as the sky begins to fall and Hawkins descends into the Upside Down.

You no longer believe it.

[END OF SEASON FOUR]

⌑ series masterlist

⌑ if youd like to buy me a coffee ☕︎

⌑ thank you for reading ! feel free to like, comment, reblog, or send in an ask so we can chat <3

#steve harrington x henderson!reader #steve harrington x reader #steve harrington x you #stranger things #steve harrington fanfic #stranger things rewrite #slowburn #angst #bdyr #m's writing #im gonna cry #im gonna miss bug so so so so much shes my BABY #guys this is so sad

456 notes · View notes