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mermaidgirl30 · 7 months ago

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✨Dancing With Fire Part 6: Coming Home✨

Series Masterlist

A/N: Sorry this has taken so long to get updated, but it’s finally here! I love this story so much, and it’s one of my favorites I have ever written. Let me know what you think 🩵

Chapter Summary: You go back home to Florida for the weekend to take a break from the chaos of the ballet company and to make a decision that might take everything you’ve worked so hard to get.

Pairing: Joel x fem! reader

Word Count: 6.5k

Chapter Tags: Flirting, angst, fluff, reader goes back home to Florida for the weekend, tough decisions, protective Joel, sweet Joel, no use Y/N, Joel comforts reader

Dividers by @saradika-graphics

The week went by slowly as rain drenched the crowded streets of New York. You didn’t stay a minute at your apartment all week, you only stayed with Joel at his place. Where it was safe, where it felt right, where it felt like home.

Home. You were going home today. Back to Florida where you belonged. You missed the white sandy beaches, missed your parents, missed your own bed. But you’d be there in a few hours. Home was right around the corner.

As Joel drove you to the airport, you couldn’t help but stare at his beautiful features as you watched him flex his hand around the leather steering wheel. You watched as his soft brown eyes flicked back and forth between you and the damp road up ahead, watched as he took his hand and ran it in slow circles over your thigh, watched as he slowly brought your hand up to his plush lips as he gently kissed the back of your knuckles as warmth coated your insides with nothing but love. You could stay like this forever, watching him drive while you were in the passenger seat just being in his presence. That was enough to keep you smiling.

You were pulled from your deep thoughts as Joel stopped the truck in front of the large airport, parking under an awning as he turned the engine off. He pulled the key from the ignition and turned to you slowly, giving you a soft smile as he grazed your thigh one more time.

“You ready?” he asked as he looked at you with deep brown eyes. You nodded your head up and down and gave him a gentle smile. “Let’s go then, pretty girl.”

He threw his seatbelt off and grabbed your pink rolling suitcase from the backseat as you climbed out of the truck and slammed the door shut, hurrying through the sliding doors before you got caught in the pouring rain.

Joel followed you through as he rolled your suitcase in and set it down next to you. “You got your boarding pass and your ID?” he asked as he watched you get them out of the pockets of your jeans, slipping them back in as he nodded an okay. “What about your iPhone charger? You got that?”

You laughed as you pointed to your suitcase. “It’s right in there. Wanna ask me if I got anything else?”

“Nah, think you’re golden,” he said as he flashed you a dazzling smile. He was always so beautiful when he smiled. It always made the crow’s feet pull at the corners of his bright eyes and made his dimples display which you loved.

You stayed standing there a minute, scuffing your sneakers against the polished floors as you listened to overhead announcements about outgoing flights. Joel ran his hand through his tousled curls and took a step forward, his toes meeting yours.

“You ready?” he asked as you looked up into his calm brown eyes.

“Not really,” you said as you shook your head back and forth. The truth was, flights made you nervous, and you also weren’t ready to leave him. Even if it was just for two days.

“How come? Flights make you nervous?”

“Yeah, but that’s not all. I’m also… I’m also gonna miss you,” you said quietly as you furrowed your brows together, looking at the floor as if you could see your own reflection through the shine of the tiles.

“Oh, sweetheart.” He brushed a strand of hair behind your ear and grazed his calloused fingers down your jawline, filling you with warmth the longer he did it. “You’ll be jus’ fine, darlin’. It’s jus’ two days,” he said encouragingly as he continued to gaze at you with big brown eyes, eyes you wanted to drown in.

“Two days is an awfully long time without you…” you sighed, eyes glistening as you felt a tear trying to escape the back of your eye. You wouldn’t let it.

It was only two days. What the fuck was wrong with you? Two days. But lately you’d been spending all your time with Joel, so even days apart seemed like weeks to you now.

“Yeah, I guess you’re right,” he huffed as he dragged his thumb along your lower lip, tracing the edge as he concentrated on your pink lips, like he was studying every inch of them to burn into his memory. “I’m gonna miss ya too, sunshine.”

With that, he pulled you into a tight hug as he threw his arms around you and you crashed against his broad chest, arms going around his back as you breathed in his fresh soap smell and of course his coffee scent.

“You be sure to text me as soon as you land, okay?” he said as he pulled back and entwined his fingers around yours as you squeezed his large hands.

“I will, I promise,” you nodded.

“Good. Jus’ try to relax a little this weekend, okay? Clear your mind. Have fun with your mother and get some sun,” he said as he trailed his thumb against the back of your hand in soothing circles, making your nerves lessen the more he did it.

“I will, Joel. Promise.”

He nodded and cupped your chin as he lifted your face to his and pressed a gentle kiss to your lips, making your heart soar out the window. When he released his lips from yours, he glanced back into your eyes, studying you as he took in your dreamy stare.

“I wish I could take you with me. You don’t think you can fit in my suitcase, do you?” you teased as he squeezed your hand and chuckled lightly.

“I don’t think so, baby. Looks like you gotta go without me.”

“Yeah, guess so…” you said back quietly, eyes gazing down at the white tiles as sadness started to fill the pit of your stomach. Joel must’ve noticed because he looked like he was trying to reassure you.

“Hey, you’re gonna be jus’ fine. The flight is gonna be smooth, and you’re gonna have the best time bein’ back home. So don’t you dare give me those sad eyes, I won’t allow it,” he replied as he lifted your chin to meet his deep eyes.

“Oh, you won’t allow it? Is that right?” you laughed, challenging him to the question.

“That’s right, sweetheart.”

“So, what are you gonna do about it then?” you smirked, eyebrow raising as a small smile pulled at his lips.

“Gonna have to do this.” He cupped the back of your head and sank his lips down to yours as he caressed and gently nipped at your bottom lip, getting lost in the weight of his kiss.

You broke apart from him when you heard the overhead intercom say that Tampa was boarding in thirty minutes, meaning your time with Joel was up.

You looked up sadly as he gave you a crooked smile. “Guess you better go then. Gotta go catch your flight,” he said slowly as you nodded your head back.

“Yeah, I guess I should.”

He stepped up and pressed a gentle kiss to your forehead as he slid his hands down your arms, his fingers curling around yours. “Well, guess I should let you go on. Don’t wanna miss your flight.”

“No, don’t want that,” you answered back hesitantly.

He grazed his knuckles against your jawline and took a step back as all the warmth left your body the further he stepped away from you. You felt hot tears lick the edges of your eyes, but you held them in. Be strong, be strong.

“Have a safe flight, sweetheart. I’ll see you later.”

You watched him take four steps closer to the sliding doors, and you felt your heart beat unsteadily against your chest. You didn’t want him to go, but he needed to. He needed to let you get to your flight.

Without thinking, you called out his name before he could take another step toward the door. “Joel?”

He turned back toward you slowly as he knitted his eyebrows together, his honey eyes finding yours. “Yeah?” he asked, waiting for some sort of question. You had none though, you just wanted to be in his arms.

You dropped the suitcase handle and ran to him, immediately throwing your arms around his back as you knocked into his broad chest, feeling his strong arms slowly circle around you as he breathed you in deeply.

“Haven’t even made it to the door yet, and you already miss me that much?” he chuckled as he placed another kiss to the top of your head gently.

“Mhm,” you hummed, not willing to let him go just yet.

“C’mon, sunshine. You’re gonna miss your flight. You’ll be fine,” he reassured you as you unhooked your arms from him and took one hesitant step back.

“Yeah, yeah. I’m going,” you laughed as you sighed once more, taking a good look at Joel as you memorized every golden brown fleck in his eyes and mapped out every single line on his face.

“Alright then, go on,” he instructed as he squeezed your hand once more and gently released, dropping his fingers from yours slowly.

“Bye, Joel,” you whispered as you turned, sighing at the aching feeling that was pulling hard in your gut.

Before you took another step, Joel reached out and grabbed your wrist, pulling you back again as he circled your hips and planted his lips firmly over yours. The kiss was passionate, desperate, a wildfire that was burning out of control, but you loved it. You loved him. It was smothering any doubts and anxiety that were flooding your crowded mind, always, every time his lips were slotting against yours.

When he finally released his lips from yours, he rested his forehead against yours, pressing his lips gently to your crown as he gave you one last kiss. “I love you, pretty girl,” he whispered, sending tingles down your spine as the words sounded like music to your ears. God, you loved him so much.

“I love you too, Joel. So much,” you breathed, pressing your forehead into his for just a few more seconds, letting all your worries fade away with his gentle touch. He grabbed your hand and brushed his lips across your knuckles, saying goodbye one last time before you had to leave.

“Alright, sweetheart. I’ll see you in two days. Remember, text me as soon as you land,” he yelled as he started heading for the door. You waved goodbye and promised to text him as soon as you got into Tampa.

You started heading for your gate and turned back around once more, taking one more good look at him. He turned around and smiled gently, pushing his curls away from his forehead as he turned to disappear through the sliding doors. You sighed as you lost sight of him and decided you needed to go.

As soon as you were through the gates, handing your ticket to the attendant and taking your window seat on board, you let your mind wander back to Joel. Maybe that would help calm your racing thoughts and nervous palpitations.

You took out your phone and slid your thumb across the unlock bar and pulled up your photo album. You clicked on the last picture and smiled as you took in you and Joel at the beach. Joel’s smile and indented dimple flashed across the screen while his strong arms were braced around your hips as he hugged you tightly to his chest. You couldn’t help but smile as you looked at the picture, remembering the best beach date you’d ever had in your life. And it was all because of Joel, your sweet boyfriend, the man that had saved you from your own self. The man that reached his arm down through the raging hurricane when you were drowning and pulled you back to dry land. He was your savior, the one you were meant to find all along.

Once the plane started to take off, you relaxed into the back of the leather seat and closed your eyes. The pilot’s voice echoed around the plane, but you couldn’t hear him. All you could hear and see was Joel’s bravado voice and his sweet smile. Everything was peaceful, safe, still as you took off and faded into a deep sleep.

When you stepped out of the Tampa airport, the Florida humidity hit you with a welcome home hot breeze. The shiny sweat from the muggy air stuck to your forehead, and you knew you were home. You let the blazing sun shine down on you as you tipped your head back and welcomed the warmth on your New York pale skin. You could use the sunshine after being in the cold and stuck inside a theater all day.

The familiar silver SUV came to a complete stop in front of the Southwest Airlines sign and that small tug in your gut seemed to alert you that this was it. You were truly home. Your mom scrambled out of the car with her floral tank top and favorite Jean capris she always wore when she was lounging at home. The sight seemed to blanket you in comfort as she walked behind the car and up to the cement block where you were.

Her face lightened up as she smiled brightly and sighed out in relief. “Honey?”

“Mom!” You ran over and wrapped your arms around her back as you felt warmth consume your body. All the pent up frustration, sadness, anxiety, tiredness, and emotions flooded you all at once, and tears started spilling out of your eyes as she embraced your body.

“Mom, I missed you so much,” you cried into her shoulder, shedding all the tears on her floral tank top as she ran a hand gently down the back of your hair.

“Oh, sweetie. I missed you more. My poor baby,” she said as she wiped the free falling tears from your face. “Come on now. Let’s get you home. I’ve got some dinner ready for us. Let’s just get you settled, okay?”

You nodded as she grabbed your luggage and hauled it into the backseat. You took your place in the passenger seat as you shifted into the leather and buckled the seatbelt over your shoulder. When she was situated in the driver’s seat, you watched her start the car up as the engine rumbled to life, and then she was pulling out on the busy streets of Tampa.

“So, how was the flight?” she asked as she got over into the left hand lane.

“It was fine. I mostly slept, so it was a smooth flight.”

“Good, that’s good. I’m glad you made it safe, sweetie.”

“Me too.”

The rest of the ride was quiet as you focused on the passing palm trees that towered in the sky and on the blue, clear skies that filled the open air. Your mind started to go still as you saw the lapping ocean waves in the distance. Warm, gentle waves crashing against the shoreline as you got closer to home.

The silhouette of the shimmering water brought you back to Joel. To your first real date with him, when he held you in his strong arms on the warm sand, the way he kissed you like no one else did in your entire life, the way he made you feel everything so deeply, the way he said he loved you the other night. Suddenly you remembered you needed to text Joel.

You pulled the iPhone quickly out of your pocket and pulled up his name as it shone brightly on the lit up screen, and then you typed out the message.

You: Made it safely. Almost back to my house now.

Joel texted back a couple minutes later.

Joel: Glad you made it safely, sunshine. The flight was alright I assume?

You: It was pretty smooth. I fell asleep for most of it. You know what helped me?

Joel: What?

You: Thinking of you :)

Joel: Ahh stop. Sweetheart, you’re gonna make me blush.

You: Did I succeed, handsome? ;)

Joel: You sure did, sunshine. What am I gonna do with you?

You: I bet you’ll think of something.

Joel: Alright, alright. Just calm down or I’m gonna have to fly down there myself.

You: I dare you ;)

Joel: Haha alright you little flirt. Go enjoy the sun and sand for me. I’ll see you in two days.

You: Miss you.

Joel: I miss ya more, sweetheart. Just two days. Then I can see my girl again. Alright now, go on. I’ll talk to you before bed.

You sent him one last text with a pink heart and shoved the phone back in the pocket of your jeans with a stupid grin plastered all over your face. Joel Miller was going to be the death of you.

“And just who were you texting? Hmm?” your mom asked with a raised eyebrow as she looked over at you from the front seat.

“Oh, it was no one,” you smiled as you looked out the window to your warm, muggy beach paradise.

“Mhm, sure,” she laughed as she turned the car down a small block that would take you back home. You’d eventually tell her about Joel, but right now you wanted to keep him your little secret. If only just for a few more minutes.

When you pulled into the long driveway, the house was as still as it was the moment you left for New York. Large, cascading glass windows covered the sides of the white house. Whimsical wind chimes that you placed on the front porch floated effortlessly in the soft breeze of Florida. It’s like you never even left.

As you walked into the house, it was all the same layout. Tan leather couches splayed across the living room with the dark blue seashell rug covering the hardwood floors, the white drapes softly blowing through the open windows as salty ocean scents covered the entire house, the open kitchen with marble counters and high ceilings that you always loved sat untouched. The light blue walls with family pictures sprawled across horizontally hung bright in the sun as the widescreen tv hummed softly with low noises from the Discovery channel. This was home. You were home, finally.

“It’s just how I remembered it,” you sighed as the feeling of peace washed over you. For the moment, that’s all you felt. No anxious thoughts, no panic attacks, just the warm feeling of being home. Away from racing thoughts that filled your head with turbulence and loud noises. All that was gone for the moment.

“Nothing’s changed much since you left for New York. Same with your room. It’s just as you left it,” your mom smiled at you as you passed her up with your rolling suitcase. “I’ll let you get settled, and dinner will be ready whenever you are.”

You made your way to your room, the last door to the right of the long, lit up hallway. The one right next to the huge glass window that overlooked the ocean which was basically just a couple blocks from your house.

As you turned into your open room, you took in everything as it was before. A large glass window that was covered with light purple drapes, a queen sized bed with the same fluffy white blanket sitting draped across the pressed sheets. The fairy lights hung neatly around the edges of the walls, your little bathroom still had the same seashell mat and tropical fish stickers sprawled across the mirror, your walk-in closet still had the piles of neatly hung summer dresses that you had left for keepsakes back home. It was all how you left it, and somehow that filled a hollow hole inside you that you had been missing.

Home. It was so good to be home.

Dinner was quiet except for the small talk about things you’d missed in Florida like your dad, the neighbors across the street, the new boat your parents had bought. It made you miss home even more, but now your home was in New York, at the dance company, in that tiny, blue apartment you so desperately loved to escape from.

And then it was silent, only the scraping of metal forks against glass dishes and mouthfuls of meatballs and spaghetti. It was all good until your mom spoke those awful words you’d been trying to get around for as long as possible.

She set her glass of sparkling water down and stared at you with concerned eyes. “So, sweetie. About New York. You’ve been having a pretty rough time, haven’t you?”

You sighed and dropped your fork against the fine china as the clinking metal made you jump. “Yeah, mom. It’s been rough for some time now.”

“Why didn’t you tell me you were having a hard time?”

“Because I didn’t want to worry you. I had it under control,” you lied. You definitely did not have it under control. In fact, the whole theater was on fire at this point.

“Oh, sweetie. I always worry about you, especially in a big state like New York.”

You picked up the metal fork again and twirled it around some noodles caked in red sauce. You completely lost your appetite, but you needed to find something to distract your racing thoughts.

“Well, talk to me, honey. Start from the beginning. Tell me everything that happened,” she insisted as she stared at you with wide eyes.

You nodded and looked up sheepishly as you started from the beginning. You told her about how hard Carlotta was on you, how Pierre basically threatened you day after day, how bitchy Cecilia and her little friends were, how absolutely overworked and overwhelmed you’d been for months. And it just got worse as time went on. Nothing but a ball of stress until he showed up and saved you. Joel. Your knight in shining armor. Your everything.

“Oh, hun. I’m so sorry you’ve been going through all that,” your mom emphasized as she reached out and put a hand over yours. “And you tried talking to Carlotta? Are there higher ups you can go to? Gosh, I need to go up there and talk to her myself and-”

“Mom. It’s okay. We - I mean I’ve got it under control, as much as I can. I’m dealing with it.” You stabbed a piece of seasoned broccoli as you looked hard at your plate, hoping you could somehow get out of talking about anymore of this mess.

“Isn’t your first big show next weekend?” she asked softly as her brows knit together in concern.

“Mhm,” you huffed as you set your fork down and leaned back into the wooden chair.

“What are you going to do, sweetie? Are you really going to go through with it? After everything you’ve already been through?” she asked sadly as her eyes bore into yours.

“I… I don’t know, mom. If I don’t, my chances of ever dancing again for a big company are over. I’ve worked my entire life for this. I don’t want to just throw that away and…”

She placed a hand softly on your wrist as you looked up with tears licking the corners of your eyes. “Honey. I know this is a tough decision, but you can’t keep dragging yourself through the mud. There’s only so much you can take until it eats you alive. I don’t want you to do this if you’re just torturing yourself.”

You bit your tongue and felt the tinge of blood run down the back of your throat, feeling your insides lock up as you nodded your head and held back tears. “I know. I just… need to think.”

“Sweetie…” She put her hand gently over yours and turned you to where you were facing her. “I know you’ve worked your whole life for this. I know you love dancing, and I know how good you are at it. I want to see you up on that New York stage more than anyone else, but not at the cost of my daughter.”

You took in the weight of her words, eyes bright with held back tears as you nodded in her direction. She placed a hand gently on the side of your face and started again. “You know, you could always move back to Florida. I’m sure there’s…”

“No!” Her eyes went wide as your sharp yell echoed across the open kitchen. Your heart sped up at the thought of leaving New York. You couldn’t leave. Not without Joel.

“No? Sweetie, why the urgency?”

“I…” You tried to hold back, but it was no use. You’d have to tell her about Joel at some point, so why not now? “I… I met someone.”

She sat up straighter in her kitchen chair with her eyes wide, mouth parted open as a small smile crept up to her pink lips. “Met someone? Tell me everything! What’s his name, what’s he like?” she asked excitedly as she nearly bounced right out of her chair with her plate of spaghetti surely to follow after her.

You leaned against the sleek table and propped one elbow up as you leaned your chin against your flexed knuckle. “His name’s Joel. He’s tall, has these big, beautiful brown doe eyes you can just get lost in. He’s so sweet and charming and protective and handsome. And he’s… he’s, well… perfect.”

Your mom watched you carefully, watching the way your eyes glowed when you talked about him, watching the way your body seemed to melt into itself as you said his name again, repeating it like a dreamy song you could get lost in.

“Ahh. I know that look, sweetie. You’re in love, aren’t you?” she teased as she grabbed your hand and squeezed firmly, smiling her pearly whites to you as her feet shifted up and down.

“How do you know?” you asked as you raised your eyebrows in question.

“Hun, I’ve been there before. I know what falling in love feels like, and it’s that face right there that you’re making. And that smile, that warm smile. And the way you talk about him? My goodness. I’ve never seen that look on you before. You’re positively glowing.”

You giggled out as you could feel your face turn bright pink. “Yeah, mom. I do love him, a lot.”

“Well, I’m so happy for you, sweetie. He better treat you good. And I want to meet this man, next time I’m in New York. Is that understood?” she laughed as she pulled you in for a quick hug.

“Okay, mom. Of course you can meet him.”

“Perfect.” She pushed back and kept her hands in yours for just a second longer. “I’m so glad you came home, sweetie.”

“Me too, mom. Me too.” You finished off dinner and talked to your mom more about Joel, telling her how he was older and had a daughter, which she took well.

After a few hours of catching up, you got ready for bed and practically threw yourself into the warm, silky sheets. You could barely keep your eyes open, but you needed to text Joel goodnight. You slid the phone from your mahogany nightstand and typed his name out as you started making a cute little goodnight text for Joel.

You: Hope you’re enjoying your night, handsome.

It didn’t take long for your phone to vibrate against your silk sheets as you brought it back up to your face.

Joel: Not as much as I’d be enjoying it if you were here, gorgeous.

You giggled out as you sent another text.

You: Think so?

Joel: I know so.

You brought the fluffy blanket up to your chin and bit your bottom lip as you thought of dreamy brown eyes and thick arms.

You: Well, I’ll be home in no time. Just a couple days, right?

Joel: Home. You mean with me?

Your breath hitched at the question. Was he asking if home was with him? You tapped your fingers against the side of the iPhone and sent a response.

You: I mean…

Joel: Use your words, sweetheart. Did you mean with me? In my house?

In his house… you really wanted that. You felt that. Like he was home, like maybe his home was also now yours. It practically was but…

You: Joel, you… you feel like home. You are home.

You watched the bubbles slowly go back and forth against the bottom of the screen as you waited and waited and waited, until finally you got a response back.

Joel: Sweetheart, there’s nothing more I want than to have you in my arms, in my house. You feel like home, too.

You threw your head back against the fluffy pillow and smiled brightly, your lips hurting from how massive your smile was. You could feel your toes curl and your cheeks burn as you read his message over and over and over again. It’d never get old, you’d print the text out and carve it into your heart so it’d always be with you. Home. He was home.

You said your goodnights to each other and then rolled over to look out your window, hearing the faint noise of rolling waves and the sea breeze tapping against the glass. You closed your eyes and gently got pulled under the waves as sleep took you fast, but you dreamed of deep brown eyes and broad shoulders that night. And that itself made you sleep that much better.

You ended up sleeping in till 10:00 am, welcomed with the warmth of the glowing sunshine against your window pane as you awoke to the smell of fresh bacon and eggs. You quickly slipped out of bed and found your pink fuzzy slippers as you exited your room.

When you entered into the open kitchen, the humid breeze blew in from the open glass windows as your mom used the spatula to mix up the scrambled eggs. “Good morning, sweetie! How’d you sleep?”

“Actually, great. It was really nice to sleep in my actual bed again.” You grabbed a piece of crispy bacon and popped a piece into your mouth as you let the savory flavor slide down your throat.

“I’m so glad to hear it. So, what’s your plans for the day? I was thinking maybe we could go grab lunch and go shopping.” You watched her flip her flowing hair over her shoulder as she smiled your way.

“Yeah, I’d like that. But I think this morning I’m just gonna go take a walk on the beach. Clear my head a little,” you murmured through a piece of crispy bacon.

She came around the slab of the marble countertop and rested a hand on your shoulder as she brought you in for a big hug. “I think that’s a great idea. Nothing better to clear your head than a walk on the beach.”

After she went back to finishing breakfast, the two of you talked more about New York, about the ballet, about your choices. None of it was fun, but you guessed it was good to get it off your chest. Now you just had to make that hard decision. The one you didn’t want to make.

When breakfast was over and after you helped clean the dishes, you got ready for the day and threw on a pair of denim shorts and a pink tank top and decided to head down to the beach. It was only a five minute walk, not far at all. When you stepped outside, you smelled the salt water blow through your hair, felt the humid air you were so used to living with in Florida, and the sunshine bathed your pale skin in some much needed Vitamin D your body had been begging for.

As soon as your bare feet hit the soft sand, you felt as if you were home. This was your favorite thing. The white sand, the smell of saltwater, the sounds of crashing waves, the sights of soaring seagulls and pelicans. This is what you had been missing, the ocean, Florida, home.

You found a smooth pile of soft sand and plopped down as you dug your heels into the warm, white surface. You closed your eyes and breathed in deep, trying not to dwell on the fact that you were so close to show time, the final stretch for the next few months. Could you do it? Could you bear the fact that you’d have to dance next to Pierre and Cecilia, while taking strict orders from Carlotta? Was it worth it? Worth your sanity?

You covered your feet under the warm grains of sand, wishing you could slowly sink and become the grainy flecks of sand, wishing you didn’t have to worry about the theater, about your overbearing peers, about anything related to dancing. You just wanted to float off into the distance, let the lapping waves carry you away to a place where you didn’t have to think at all, where you could just exist and be yourself, whoever that may be now. You kind of got lost in the chaos of it all, in the darkness and in your own drowning mind. You just wished all the screaming voices in your head would just stop, that every scrap of doubt would disappear, leave you alone for just a minute, a second, really. But that was too much to ask. The only person that could take all the panic and chaos away was Joel. Your guiding light, your lover…

You took the next few minutes trying to unthread the jumbled thoughts in the mess of your head, trying to figure out just what you wanted, what you were willing to do. You loved dancing, you truly did, but there was that nagging voice in your head, the one that said it was too much, too mind bending, too fucked. And maybe you didn’t want to continue on, maybe you’d just give up on all your hopes and dreams because they weren’t yours anymore. At least not in that theater with those people. Maybe you just needed to…

Suddenly, your phone started buzzing in the pocket of your denim jeans and when you went to retrieve it, it was Joel’s name that lit up across the phone screen. You eagerly answered and held the phone up to your ear as you took a deep breath and kept your voice steady. “Hey, handsome,” you answered as a small smile curled against the gloss of your lips.

“Hi, sweetheart. How’s Florida treatin’ ya?” His voice was warm, calm, deep as you took in his Southern drawl, wishing you could feel it blowing down the back of your neck right at this very second.

“It’s good. Currently just sitting at the beach, basking up the sun,” you smiled as you heard him chuckle.

“Better than the New York beaches, hmm?” he asked as you could practically see his brows furrow up with that smug smirk you so loved to kiss.

“Mmm nothing beats the white sandy beaches here. Except maybe you,” you giggled as you heard that warm breath blow through the end of the line. God, you wished he could hold you right now.

“Is that so, sunshine?” he chuckled through the phone.

“Yes,” you smiled as you drew a little heart with your index finger through the soft white sand.

“Such a sweet girl,” he drawled as you brought your knees to your chest and smiled dreamily as you stared out into the blue sea.

“So, I might’ve mentioned you to my mom last night at dinner,” you said nervously as you awaited his answer.

“Oh, is that right?”

“Mhm. You know, she wants to meet you.”

“Well, how ‘bout that? Think we’ll jus’ have to see that through then.”

“Yeah?” you asked with a hitch of your breath.

“Yeah, we’ll make it happen.”

“Okay,” you smiled as the sun warmed your skin.

He took a minute before he said anything else, and you knew it was coming. The question you came here to decide, if you wanted to continue on or not. You felt your stomach drop as if you were anchored down to the ocean floor, chained in darkness with no way to escape. You felt it then. The nerves pulling through you, that impending doom feeling you’d felt so often at the ballet company. It was here. You had to decide what you wanted.

“Did you decide yet? What you wanna do?” His voice was careful as he spoke the words, like he was walking on broken glass.

You sunk your feet further into the warm sand, your eyes staring out on the blue horizon as you brought your knees further into your chest. This was it. The final decision. You knew what you had to do. You knew. You were just too afraid to say it out loud because that’d make it real.

“I… I…”

“It’s finished.”

“What?” Your breath hitched as you gasped out. What was finished?

“The video. It got sent to Carlotta.”

Your eyes went wide as his words. He did it? He really did it? “What do you mean you sent it?”

He took a breath and spoke. “I went to the theater this morning and talked with one of the security guys. He was able to pull up the footage of Pierre well… slapping you and pushing you down.” You winced at the reminder of that awful day, but gulped down any tears that might’ve spilled and let him continue.

“He has a list of phone numbers and was able to get Carlotta’s. So he was able to send her the video. It’s done, sunshine. That’s proof enough. I don’t think he’s gonna be able to stay in the ballet. Come Monday, if she saw it, he may very well be kicked out of the show.”

You gasped out as you looked out toward the shiny blue ocean, releasing all the terror and anxieties of before. Joel did it. Joel really was your knight in shining armor. “Joel…”

“I had to do somethin’. I couldn’t just stand and watch you suffer anymore. I had to do this, baby. No one is gonna mess with my girl as long as I’m around. Nobody.”

“I… Joel, thank you. I don’t know what to say, I’m speechless. I…”

“It’s okay, baby girl. You don’t gotta say anythin’. Jus’ know I’m always watchin’ out for you. Always, my love.”

Always. My love.

“So, what’s it gonna be, sunshine?”

You furrowed your eyebrows and looked hard out on the horizon, mustering up any and all courage you could. You let out a long sigh before you said anything else. So what were you going to do? You didn’t know. You didn’t know.

“I… don’t know.”

Tags: @burntheedges @jasminedragoon @littlevenicebitch69 @joelalorian @tuquoquebrute @akah565 @dugiioh @amyispxnk @blueseastorm @pedrostories @keylimebeag @msjarvis

#joel miller #joel miller x female reader #joel miller fluff #joel miller fic #joel miller the last of us #no outbreak!joel miller #no outbreak au #joel miller fanfiction #soft joel miller #joel miller au #dancing with fire #ballet au #joel miller angst #joel miller comfort #joel miller pedro pascal

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mssonepiece · 10 months ago

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🩷High School Sweetheart🩷

🩷Chapter 2🩷

You'd Rather Not

Megumi x fem!Reader; Modern AU, no curses, cursed spirits or possession of cursed techniques; Reader and other characters are in college. Sorry about the typos in the texts messages.

3k+ Words

Previous//Next Chapter

~Checking iPhone after end of episode~

Nobara’s words brighten you up, something you truly needed at the end of this stressful day. You've been having a battle with yourself all day about whether you should text Megumi or not. Not even to confess but just to talk to him for a while about anything that comes to mind. Something has felt like it's been missing since the minute you woke up this morning.

Feeling like you should text Megumi before going to bed is ever-present, but confessing your feelings to him was not something you wanted to do at the moment. You miss your friend and lately things have been... weird to say the least. Talking to him over text everyday was something regular between the two of you and for the past few weeks, it seems like you have been avoiding each other. You're not sure what his excuse for not texting you is, maybe you've been so awkward that even he can feel it. But you’ve felt too put off by your own emotions and feelings towards him that avoiding him all together seems best.

Your head rolls back in annoyance followed by a sigh coming from the back of your throat. Unplugging your phone from the charger you keep in your kitchen, you take slow steps through the living to your bedroom. Turning off the tv and lights on your way there.

Your bedroom is dark but it comforts the sleepiness that is in control of your body. Placing your phone on the bedside table, you flop down on the mattress and pull your soft weighted comforter over yourself. The warmth lulls you to sleep within minutes of laying your head against the plush pillows.

Waking up the first thoughts in your head are the chats you had between your friends last night. You basically told all of them that you would tell Megumi how you feel, and finally put an end to this on-going crush. However, that did not happen yet another night. Tossing in bed to get comfortable again is futile, frustration shoots your body up-right and you grab your phone. Like instinct you open Instagram and scroll through the recommended page absentmindedly.

The burning feeling of tired limbs from standing in place for too long has you circling your body around to your sofa chair in the corner of the bedroom, and plopping yourself down in a comfortable position.

Almost three hours later you catch a glimpse of the time in the corner of your phone screen, it's 1:47pm already. Feeling like you've wasted the whole day you decide it's a good time to drag your body out of your warm spot on the chair to the cold hardwood floor. Your arms bend and stretch backwards as far as your joints will let them, needing to untighten your body after resting for so long. Hunger quickly took over your mind while you again stood in place in the middle of your bedroom, deciding what to do.

Dragging your feet across the floor boards to your dresser finally, you put your phone face down on top of it to look through and find a decent outfit to wear around the house. You don't have anything planned for today and your schedule is free. So there's no need to wear anything special or really to change at all, settling for a pair of loose jeans and shirt just in case anything comes up though. Putting on a pair of socks too before picking up your phone again and lounging on your living room couch. There's no new notifications since you've been scrolling through Instagram, so you opt for putting your phone down on the coffee table and finding something to do in your apartment. You look around the room for anything fun, eyes falling to the TV remote almost immediately. Reaching out for it and putting on a show that you aren't too interested in for now as background noise, then walking into the kitchen which needed some tidying up. You walk to the sink and crouch to open the cabinet, pulling out a spray bottle and grabbing a roll of paper towels once you're back up.

You have been trying to work on setting a schedule for yourself daily but so far it hasn't been as easy as you thought it would be. Everyday unfolds so differently so it's honestly hard for you to be planning out what to do with yourself every week. Cleaning is something you have to do living by yourself but it's not so bad since you are the only one making a mess, and it's never too bad in other rooms than your bedroom. You do your best taking plates, bowls, and cups out of your room when you are done so most of the mess ends up being clothes you run through trying to find an outfit you actually agree with. After wiping down the counters and sweeping the floor, you feel it's time to finally have some breakfast at 3:00pm. A bowl of Reese's cereal seems to do the job as the TV show you put on previously is starting to get interesting.

You're almost done with your bowl of cereal when you hear a knock at your front door, making your head snap in that direction. Wondering if you forgot something important that you had to do today but nothing comes to mind. Placing the bowl on the coffee table and jumping off the couch you walk up to the door and look through the peep-hole. Megumi stands there in the hallway looking down at the carpeted hallways -Even through the distorted glass he looks handsome- You turn the nob and hold the door open once you realize it's just him that was knocking on your door.

"Oh, Hey Megumi." You say kindly as he stands there in your doorway.

"Hey Y/n." He's faintly returning the smile that you're giving him.

"Whada ya doing here?" Your head tilts to the side watching him stay in place in the apartments hallway. His hands are clasped together in front of him and his hair is as messy as always.

"I was just bored and we haven't hung out in a while. I thought I could stop by for a bit, is that okay? Can I come in?" He unclasped his hands to gesture inside your apartment.

"Yeah of course, you can come in." Moving out of the way for Megumi, the height difference catches your eye as he passes your smaller frame. Butterflies flow in your stomach. A nervous laugh slips through your lips. How could you be around him when you act like this? "I was just watching The Regular Show but we can go out or do something else if you're not tryna stay here." You suggest while walking together to your couch. He takes a seat on the cushion next to where you were sitting a minute prior. You don't know this yourself but Megumi had taken note of your favorite spot to sit on your couch once you first moved in, along with many other things.

"No it's okay. I've been out way too much this week, I just want to relax. We can watch this. I put you on this show you know." He laughs, eyes already fixated on the tv screen.

"Cool. Do you want anything to eat while we watch?" You ask before you go to sit down next to him. He shakes his head and pats his hand on your usual spot, you oblige and plop down where you had been sitting before he showed up. Getting comfortable against his side without getting too close, you feel heat rise to your cheeks as his arm slightly rubs against your own. Your eyes drop to his hands, you wish that you could wrap your hand around his own and cuddle into his side but that's not something that friends do, is it? It wouldn't be normal for two friends to cuddle on the couch while watching a show they always watched together, right? You'd rather not mess up years of friendship when it is so fragile. You subconsciously inch your hand closer to his, unable to take your eyes away from tracing every detail of his hand. Megumi has always kept himself fit since you were all kids. He's had a routine at the gym ever since he's been eligible to go, going 1-2 times a week and it shows in his muscular body(He also has very good genetics...). You wish he would touch you with them, just a simple touch across the thigh or cheek would surely make your heart stop. Being friends with him so long has of course led to situations where you've had to hold his hand, and sit close to him before but there was nothing behind it. If there was then the feeling would be.. different. His skin against your own is distracting and lately you haven't been able to subside the thought of liking him so much. You mentally face palm at your thoughts. Having a crush on someone you're so close to is not as ideal as you thought it would be.

Megumi's boyish laugh at the show pulled your attention from your thoughts on his large hands to his gorgeous face. His green eyes darted from the tv screen to your own, the blush on your face creeping back. You smile and quickly look toward the tv screen to make it seem like you weren't just staring at him, but watch him through your peripherals to see how long he would look at you. Maybe if you could tell if he liked you or not then you would feel more comfortable expressing your feelings to him. His gaze returns to the TV shortly, shorter than you would have liked. Your eyes search for his, then his hands again. If he does like you then he's very good at keeping it secret. It's nothing new for him to keep to himself though. You would say that he is the most reserved friend you have, maybe the most reserved person you know at all. For him it's more about privacy than wanting to be a closed off asshole. Nobara seems to think the latter but you know how he is, it's easy when you can't ever keep your eyes off of him.

Megumi shifts his body to rest almost completely on his right side, the side closest to you, allowing your body to fall comfortably against his chest and pulling another nervous laugh from your own chest. Unsure whether to move or not, you plant your hand on his chest to help you sit up again. But his gaze down into your eyes freezes you in place.

"Where you going?" He asks with his hand placed on your waist to try and keep you where you were against him.

"Just slipped. Sorry." You laugh to ease the one-sided tension, he chuckles at you.

"It's okay." He reassures. You nod, relaxing into the couch with his arm around your waist. His hand quickly slides across your hip then back up. Butterflies stir up again when they shouldn't. You shouldn't see this as anything more than just relaxing with your good friend in your living room. You would do this together all the time when you were in elementary school and with other friends, so why is it that every time you hang out with Megumi now it feels so.. different?

A smile brightens your face when you look at him again, he returns it with a little less enthusiasm but it's still cute. "So you really liked this show I guess, it’s been on every time I come over."

"Really?" Thinking back now he's probably right. This made you both laugh, something you felt like you hadn't done together in ages.

"Yeah," He answers through a laugh. "It's a good show, I don't blame you. But I thought you only watched it when you came over to my dorm."

"Oh, well I've had nothing good to watch so I thought I'd try to catch up with you. It really is a good show." Megumi nods, keeping his eyes connected to yours while you speak.

"For real. You almost did too, damn. You might actually get all the funny jokes I tell all the time."

"Haha. You're so funny." You joke and playfully roll your eyes. Megumi scoffs and puts his attention back on the TV, making you laugh to yourself a little.

"I am." He whispers, then forms a small pout with his lips. You roll your eyes at his faux display of sadness, laughing when he slightly turns his chest away from yours to further his point. The hand resting on your waist pulling you in closer to him in his efforts.

"Yeah you are. But Yuji's funnier.." Another joke to jab at him pulls yet another wanted reaction from him. He snaps his head back towards you, holding eye contact with his jaw ajar. You can't help but laugh at the shock shown on Megumi's face. "I'm just kidding." You shout quickly but he's faster than you.

"WHAT?" His yell makes you laugh. "You think that singular brain cell is funnier than me?!" His comment and the concern on his face pulls more boisterous laughter from you.

“Oh my god,” You struggle out, trying to calm down and catch your breath. Megumi is fighting a smile with all his might.

“It’s not that funny y/n” He tries to defend himself. Your laughter continues to fill his ears, making it impossible for him to not smile and eventually laugh with you. You can tell he's annoyed with giving in by the way his head rolls to the side when he finally does smile. You think it’s cute how he is trying to seem hard and not laugh at your joke. But you know that he found it just as funny, and you know that he knows you don’t think Yuji is funnier. Yuji is a funny guy but his humor is a bit more… ‘kiddie’ most of the time, or has something to do with a movie none of our friend group has ever heard of.

Megumi has been one of your closest friends out of the whole group, you two grew up together so you have hundreds of inside jokes and embarrassing memories. Everything seems to be funnier when you are experiencing it with Megumi even though he’s always kinda grim.

When your guy's laughter finally dies down, you’re both focused on the show again for a while. Your mind starts to drift when you realize you’ve seen this episode before, you actually watched it at Megumi’s. The thought causes you to glance in his direction. He’s still as focused as before on the TV. You start to wonder how long he’ll stay over. Maybe he’ll spend the night if it’s late enough, but it’s still quite early. If you could find something that could distract you both until the late hours of the night then he would surely choose to sleepover than walk back to his small dorm room. Your apartment is much more spacious and relaxing.

The whole reason you decided to move to an off-campus apartment just down the road and not a dorm room, was because you didn’t want to possibly share a room with a stranger or have no space. You knew that after college you wouldn’t be moving into your family home, so you needed enough room for all your belongings. You were able to find a one-bedroom one-bath that was perfect for you fairly quickly and knew you had to have it before your term started. Your parents helped with moving the large furniture like your bed and desk, then Megumi, Kirara, Kinji, and Inumaki helped you with moving the rest from your old apartment to the new one. They all like to visit often just to get away from the dorm life for a little bit. You love having them over, especially Megumi. However Kirara comes over the most because, as they say- I’ve been in college too long -and you always allow it because they are graduating soon, it’s their third year, meaning there’s just one more year of attending college together. After that then you’ll have to wait until you graduate to hang out as much as you do now.

You can’t help but feel grateful that you and Megumi are around the same age and attend the same year. If he were any older than you would have one less year of meeting him between classes to go out around town. You’re lucky with how things are, it gives you plenty of time to hang out with Megumi which is what you usually do. Ever since your crush towards him decided to grow 1000x larger overnight two weeks ago, the two of you have been going on walks a lot less. It’s not like you didn’t like him before, you just didn’t feel the crush as deeply as you do now. You thought that if you kept your crush to yourself and pretended it didn’t exist then eventually it would go away. But it just seemed to get worse. You’re not sure if he thinks there’s something up or not since he hasn’t said anything about you declining to go out somewhere everytime and choosing to go back to your apartment instead, but you know how observant he is.

Then again you know how reserved he is and he is not the type to push one of his friends to hang out with him. You still have a lot to learn about him.

He shifts to the left, causing a gust of wind to chill your parallel side. “Sorry, my arms falling asleep.” Megumi explains to get you off his arm. You sit up quickly, feeling a bit awkward for resting against him so long that his arm fell asleep.

“Sorry.” A nervous smile and blush fills your face. Luckily your living room has grown dim due to the setting sun and lack of lights. Megumi makes eye contact, not helping the blush at all and tells you it's no worry, returning a smile. He put his arm down by his side so you sit back against the couch. Your body seems to move by itself, arms overlapping and thighs touching. Megumi doesn’t seem to mind while he has his full attention on the show that’s been playing for the past few hours. You however can't seem to think of anything else.

Not long after his body tenses as he tries to grab his phone from his back pocket without sitting up. The movement is enough to grab your attention from the show, anticipating what he might say or do. You know that he’s probably going to say he has to go home now. Your body seems to slump on the couch looking for the warmth you felt a few minutes ago. Moments like this make your crush all the more of a burden. Asking him to spend the night would sound.. weird? He clears his throat like he’s about to talk, you look up to him. “It’s kinda late hm?” You try to smile at his words.

“Yeah.” You say through a fake laugh. He nods, you’re unsure whether he looks upset or not about having to leave. “Are you gonna head home now?”

“Yeah, but I wanna come over again soon.” Megumi finally sits up and puts his phone back in his pocket. You watch as he turns to stretch his arms and back, a pout shows on your face for a millisecond before he turns back around. You smile at him as he rests his head on his fist supported by his thigh. “Or maybe we could go somewhere?” He asks himself. “ Do you think it’s too cold for you to go out for a little while in this weather?” Holding eye contact with you, the words are hard to find. Your mind first races to ‘This is a date! He’s asking me on a date!’ but you know better. Megumi is not asking you on a date. He is asking you to hang out as friends like usual.

“Um.. I should be fine if I dress warm. What day though?” Looking away as the words leave your mouth and returning when you finish your sentence. His lips jut out slightly as he thinks, eyes wandering the room.

“Tuesday?” His eyes falling back on yours.

“Sure.” Your body shoots up right with mute excitement. That’s just two days away. “How cold is it gonna be? I’ll check the weather app.” Pulling out your phone and opening the app you see that it won’t be freezing but it will still be chilly. “It won’t be too bad, 37°(F).”

“Cool. I’ll come by after class. I know your last class gets out at 2, right?”

“Yeah” You nod, staring at teeth showing through his smile.

“Okay. Mine’s at 2:45 so I can come here and pick you up.” He almost sounds unsure about planning the day for you, but you wouldn’t mind if Megumi planned everyday for you for the rest of your life. You nod again, confirming his plan. “Good. Well..” He starts as he uses both hands to get off your couch. You follow shortly behind him, the two of you standing in silence. Megumi lets out a long breath that he’s been holding it in.

“I’ll walk you out.” Trying to break the awkwardness you put your hand out gesturing to your front door.

“Alright. Thanks.” He laughs to himself as you start walking. You open it slowly, as if it would cause him to stay longer. He smiles once more before he’s saying his goodbye and turning down the hall. You’re not even sure if he saw you about to say goodbye too. The door closes in closer to your face than you thought you were standing, but you’re unable to move. Lost in a loop of thought. He kinda left in a hurry.

To Be Continued… Masterlist

Let me know if you want to be on the tag list!

Tag List~ @m00nglad3-mp3 @we-loveebony

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smoooothoperator · 1 year ago

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Save Your Tears

Mick Schumacher x opera singer! OC (Ophelia Becker)

Strangers to friends to lovers, love at first sight, long plane flight, personal drama, opera references

a/n: I'M BACK BITCHES!!!!! This month has been full of work and it's finally coming to an end! I'm so happy to make a character that definitely has my own job and it makes me so excited to show you guys how this world can be.

⚠️This story is based on the movie Love at First Sight. If you watched that movie, please understand that this is fictional and that I won't make the same story.⚠️

If you want to be on the taglist, send me a message!

Four minutes.

Four minutes can make the difference between being lucky and being unfortunate. A song can last four minutes. An advertisement pause on the TV can last four minutes. The time to cook instant noodles can be four minutes.

But being late for a plane for four minutes seems like a nightmare. Watching how the gates close in front of your eyes while you stand there breathless after running all the way to the gate feels humiliating.

Maybe it is a canon event, just how Spiderman could explain it. Maybe being late to the plane means something. Maybe she shouldn't go, maybe it's her punishment.

"Excuse me, miss" the flight attendant smiled at her. "There's a flight that goes to Zurich in four hours. There is a seat available, but it's on business"

"Oh, okay yeah. I'll buy it" she said without thinking twice.

Maybe the flight attendant offering her the next flight was part of the canon event. But… she doesn't want to go. She needs some excuse to leave and miss the plane.

He was early. He knows his plane leaves in four hours, but the four walls of the hotel room he was staying in made him feel claustrophobic.

His leg can't stop bouncing, ignoring the gazes of everyone around him. Maybe they recognized him or maybe they are annoyed because of the way he makes the chairs vibrate with his anxious movement.

He needs something to happen to make him miss the flight. He needs a perfect excuse to not get in that plane.

Maybe if he calls his friend telling him that he lost the suit… no, that would be a stupid excuse, he could buy another one once he arrives. Maybe he can tell him that he's sick…

"Oh, excuse me"

He turned his head around, frowning. That voice made him get out of his thoughts.

"Hi, yeah. Do you casually have a charger for an iPhone? I just forgot mine and the ones of those stores there.are so expensive and I already wasted a lot of money buying a business seat…"

Her voice was soft, it made the anxious clouds around his mind disappear for a moment.

A hundred flights. Tons of people.

But only them were important for each other.

01: Lose It All

02: Talk To Me

03: Stuck With U

04: Thinking Out Loud

05: Falling

taglist

@racinggirl @elisysd @lorarri @musingsbyshreya

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rpfisfine · 3 months ago

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had a physical fight with my mom and then with my dad too and I couldn’t stand to be at home so I got dressed and left which I don’t normally do but I forgot to take my stupid special charger thing for my iphone and i don’t have any money to last me through the day and I can’t pay with my stupid phone either for some reason so now im just wandering the streets aimlessly & I have no idea where to go and i just want to cry

#at least I have enough cigarettes #mp

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csprslvt · 1 year ago

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you and i, and her pt. 8

Chapter seven

Summary: Reader and Abby talk. Feeling very conflicted about what side to take so the burn is still slow, Ellie is falling deeper in love with the idea of who reader is. And reader hates herself for it. Lots of thinking ensues.

Warnings:The D slur, homophobia, angst, self hate, manipulative/lying behavior,unhealthy coping skills,mentions of dissociation,sexual jokes implied,love triangle,betrayal,angsty thoughts,written on an iphone bc my laptop died and I can’t find the charger so probably badly written,Ellie is down so bad someone tell her to stand up‼️‼️‼️

You probably shouldn't have told Abby about Ellie, if you were a better friend you might have kept her secret. But at the same time it was so conflicting. Abby’s sweet words had made you fold immediately.

“So wait, you've been hanging around someone plotting to kill me?”

“Abby I came with her to find you first, to tell you.”

“So what exactly am I supposed to do with that information? Not go home and let everyone back at the WLF base die?”

“I don't know but I don't want you there it's not safe”

Abby scoffed

“I can take her.”

“I don't want you to hurt her either.”

A myriad of emotions crossed Abby's face.

“So you're on her side too? Youre with someone who is trying to kill me?”

“No Abby I'm not.”

“Then why are you protecting her?”

“Are you- are you fucking jealous?”

“Why are you protecting her?”

“Fuck Abby you have no right to accuse me of anything right now, nor have the right to be possessive over me considering you were just having sex with Owen, and would’ve continued doing so had I not showed up.”

“Its the principal of what your doing that is fucking with my head right now y/n.”

“Fucking with your head? You know what actually blows my mind, the fact that you were so willing to jump into bed with someone without even looking for me. The fact that I'm supposed to be the love of your life and you didn't look for me. That is so fucked up. So yea I am fucking protecting her because she is my friend and shes been good to me and Im a goddamn human who doesnt want either of you to be in pain.”

Abby watched you intently, soaking in your words.

“I said I was sorry about Owen.”

“Yes you did, but have I even forgiven you? I have no idea. Both of you frustrate me so fucking much.”

“Owen and I?”

“No, you and Ellie. I love you Abby, I have never loved anyone else but sometimes loving you hurts me. And I'm confused because I initially came out here to jump back into your arms and run away with you but now I don't know If that's what I want considering someone else’s hands were on you and you let it be that way. What happened to us?”

“If we had never separated this wouldn't have happened”

“Well I'm sorry I got kidnapped. That was totally in my control” You seethed.

“y/n I am sorry.I can't tell you how badly I need you back in my life again. Things haven't been the same. I'm not the same, the entire WLF base can see it… come home. I need you”

“I just need some time to figure out what the fuck I want to do”

Abby stood up

“Well I'm not waiting for all my friends to die. I'm going home.”

“Abby please I can't let her kill you.”

“Have more faith in me.”

“It's hard to believe anything when it comes to you anymore”

Abby made a pained expression, that was a little painful to hear but it was fair.

You looked outside, and the light was coming in. Ellie would be awake soon.

“I've gotta go before she sees that I'm gone.”

Standing up you stepped close to Abby, hugging her. Her arms wrapped around you, lifting you off her feet, your face borrowed in her neck.

“Just, don't die okay?” Though now all you did with Abby was argue, she was still someone you cared deeply for.

“I won't ,stay safe y/n '' Abby mumbled into your shoulder.

The love was still so strong. It just felt strained.

That night or rather that morning when you had gotten back to Ellie, you’d snuggled up against her side again. And like second nature she pulled you into her, brushing her lips against your forehead and if she had been a little closer, it would have seemed like a kiss.

This was wrong, it was all so so wrong. But being close to Ellie felt good. It felt uncomplicated, simple, safe.

Ellie, once again woke up first. Her heart slowed to a gentle rhythm when she discovered you fast asleep in her arms.

“Beautiful”

Beautiful, she thought when she looked at you. Memorizing every pathway of your skin, looking softly at you as if she could never look away. It was a different admiration she had ever felt. Not with Riley, not with Cat, not with Dina. You were so you. Each of her past lovers had a thing about them that she was drawn to but you, she couldn't put a finger on it. All she knew is that she craved more. More days waking up with you in her arms, more of your laughs, smiles, more hidden glances she snuck when you were busy brushing shimmer or staring off into the treeline, mindlessly rubbing the gold locket that fell gracefully onto your pretty collarbones.

She wondered what was in that locket of yours, a past lover? A sibling or family member? Perhaps a pet? She highly doubted that possibility. You werent really an animal person unless it was shimmer.

Eventually you stirred awake.

“G’mornin Els” you drawled, a voice as smooth and soft as honey. It was music to her ears. She loved how vulnerable you sounded, fresh in the morning, only visible to her.

“Morning y/n” The look she was giving you was a little too overwhelming to be making eye contact with so you lowered your gaze.

“Sorry I'm all up in your space again. I couldn't-”

“No, I like it”

You blinked.

Ellie once again made it awkward.

“Dude you gotta stop flirting with me”

you spoke trying to break up the tension. (Was it uncomfortable or sexual tension? That you'll never tell)

Ellie’s face changed into that of a tomato.

“ I wasn't!”

You sat up next to her stretching her eyes immediately went to the bare skin that showed as your shirt rode up. She couldn't help it.

Before you could catch her eye though, she looked away, deciding that suddenly the sky was very interesting, looking intently at it.

“Sure, you definitely were!” You giggled.

Finally the pair of you were back on the road.

Once again, you were chest to back, wrapped around her waist and to Ellie, nothing ever felt so right.

She was so happy you followed her on her journey. You were so kind, so selfless for supporting her like this. She hoped that once this was all over she would be happy again. Happy with you. Her best friend. When she and Dina had broken up she never thought she would meet someone as amazing as you but you stumbling into those words was such a little miracle.

Ellie was perfectly content with the feeling of you holding onto her, she savored every touch. Never had she once had a platonic relationship with another girl that felt so deep and powerful. It flooded her heart with warmth. She only hoped that you reciprocated her feelings.

“Y/n?”

“Hm?”

“Thanks”

“For what?”

“For coming all this way for me. You have no idea how much it means to me.”

You paused, guilt crawling into your soul. laying thoughts of self hatred inside of you, like an infection.

Like a parasite.

If only she knew you had came here to betray her.

“Of course Ellie.”

“I really appreciate everything you’ve done for me.”

“Oh god Ellie stop. I’m a horrible person” you’d heard yourself think. But you didn’t say that. She would never allow you to think that. Ellie was a good person.

“Of course Ellie.”

Lying, lying, lying. You were a bad person, cruel, selfish. Saying sweet words to disguise the truth. Maybe you did deserve to be with someone like Abby. Maybe you deserved to be forgotten about.Not looked for, abandoned. Ellie didn’t deserve that. She was a perfect friend. Maybe you should just leave tonight and stay with Abby, like a coward unable to tell Ellie what was actually going on. Why you were really there; to save your ex-girlfriend, whose locket you still wore close to your heart. Were you even broken up? Were you available? Could you entertain Ellie’s obvious advances? No, it’s probably a bad idea. But you already sucked as a person, you might as well just go all the way into complete douche-baggary.

“Ellie when this is all over we need to have a girls night.”

“Girls night?”

“Yea like we eat a bunch of shit food, say horrible things about people we don’t like and do face masks!”

Ellie turned and smiled at you.

“I’d really like that”

The journey went on, and you came across infected, yet to see raiders or hunters. Ellie was stealthy. She taught you how to come up behind them and how to sneak amongst the masses. They never seemed to really really go for her, they were so busy chasing you. That was a little weird, how they acted like she was one of them. Maybe she really was that smooth. But you doubted it. It was Ellie Williams. She wasn’t smooth about anything. Especially not when it mattered. At least not other than murdering infected.

She seemed to enjoy this position she placed herself in, she liked teaching you things, sharing information, seeing you watch her, having your eyes on her. She wanted more of it. Every drop of attention you gave her she ate it up.It probably wasn’t normal to want someone so badly. Especially her best friend but she didn’t care. Not as long as you looked at her.

Call her desperate or depraved or whatever but she couldn’t get enough. If only you knew how deep her admiration ran, maybe you would be scared away but she doubted it. You were just as crazy as she was, after all if you weren’t you wouldn’t have been such good friends. Clicking so fast as if you were always meant to meet.

You, on the other hand, felt more sick than ever. Good thing you were such an experienced liar otherwise Ellie would’ve caught on.

It was a feeling of pure disgust by your own actions. By telling Abby about Ellie you were basically associating with the person Ellie hated the most, and rightfully so. But they were both frustrating. Abby killing Joel as revenge and Ellie killing Abby as a result. It was a big, unhealthy cycle that likely wouldn’t offer Ellie any happiness. After all she couldn’t bring anyone back to life by sacrificing another.She wouldn’t heal from this.

What would you do, when the time comes to choose between them? Abby was really pissing you off but that didn’t mean the love you had would just go away. She has seen every bad part of you and loved you regardless. You were sure Ellie would feel nothing but hate when/if she found out you met up with Abby, nevermind loved Abby.

So you came to the conclusion to utilize a common coping skill in your every day life. You would dissociate, disconnect from the stress and allow yourself to be loved by Ellie. Enjoy the moments with her before she would ultimately leave you. Or until you ultimately left her. The thought left a sick feeling inside of your abdomen. She would never forgive you. So you might as well take advantage of right now before everything went to compete and utter shit.

Notes: feedback is greatly appreciated! Pls lmk if the story should be team Abby or team Ellie. thanks for reading xoxoxo!

#abby anderson #abby x reader #ellie tlou2 #angst #ellie x reader #gaming #eventual smut #fem reader #the last of us 2 #ellie williams

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steven1123x · 3 months ago

Text

Behind The Scenes -Chapter 31: New Life and Career

🎬🎥 🎬🎥 🎬🎥 🎬🎥 🎬🎥 🎬🎥 🎬🎥 🎬

November 3, 2013

Steven and the rest of the Crystal Gems were going into costume, Steven got a trailer, as same as everyone else. The makeup artists in Steven's trailer were making Steven like the character he portrays, The artists fit him with a fat suit, and They cut a hole for his gem.

Greg and Rose were both sitting on the couch as the men continued doing their work on Steven. His wardrobe consisted of his star t-shirt — but it was not bright red, it was a light pink. Cuffed jeans and salmon pink flip-flops.

Steven put the shirt on, which fit him just right, he put his jeans and flip-flops on. Greg takes a picture and Steven rubs his eyes. "Dad!"

"We're so proud of you, Steven!" Rose said, kneeing to his level and putting her hands on his shoulders. Steven smiled and blushed in embarrassment.

Someone knocked on the trailer's door. "Steven!" The muffled voice of Pearl was heard. "Where starting in ten minutes!" she said. Steven smiles. He saw that his iPhone was in the charger, and he had a text from Clarence, Jeff, and Sumo telling him good luck with filming.

Steven smiled, he was so glad that he had such supportive friends on his side, and parents also.

Steven ran out and saw Pearl in her costume, she hadn't changed at all, just her clothes.

She wore an aqua-blue tunic with a small yellow star on the center of her chest and a lighter satin sash ribbon around her upper waist. Her leggings were amber-colored. She also wore pink socks, and her slip-on ballet flats were colored a slightly lighter blue.

"I like your outfit, Pearl," he said, flashing a smile.

"Thank you, Steven." Pearl smiles. "It does look good on me, doesn't it?"

"It does!" Steven put a thumbs up.

They both went to the soundstage where they were filming the first scene. Steven was amazed. He looked at the set as he was starry-eyed. It was no different than the Regular Show set that he'd been on a few weeks ago.

Sadie and Lars were studying their lines. Lars was sitting on the counter and Sadie was standing to the side, with her script open. The overhead lights shined brightly down onto the set.

Steven walks in further, Amethyst is at the snack table. Steven walked over to her. "Hey, dude."She said, looking. She was shocked as she saw Steven.

"Woah, bro! your different now, heavy makeup can do that, dude," she said. Steven chuckled and smiled. Steven looked at her.

Amethyst wore a mauve, oversized, off-shoulder tank top with a black bra underneath. She also wore black leggings with star-shaped cutouts on the knees, with a tear above the left star, and small, pointed, white boots.

"So… What do you think, man?"

"It looks good on you."

"Thanks, Steven!" Steven looks at Garnet, she is talking to Greg and Rose.

She was wearing a black and crimson bodysuit, with cubic shoulder pads (the right one being brink pink, the left one being crimson), and a pale pink star with a brink pink outline on her chest. Steven looks at her longer. He had noticed that her eyes were covered in a large sunshade, he guessed that it would be from the future.

"Garnet," Steven said, she looked at him and picked the boy up.

"Steven!" she said excitedly. He laughed happily as she held him in the air.

"Lion King!" Steven laughs.

"Alright!" Garnet said, smiling. Then lifts him higher.

"Nants ingonyama bagithi baba

Sithi uhm ingonyama

Nants ingonyama bagithi baba

Sithi uhhmm ingonyama

Ingonyama

Siyo Nqoba

Ingonyama!"

Steven and Garnet both laugh at that. The boy smiles as his friend sets him down.

"We're starting in a few minutes guys!" Rebecca said, walking into the set. Steven nodded and went over to another part of the set.

"Quiet on set!" Rebecca said, sitting on her director's chair. She grabs an extra script so she could follow along with the episode.

"And… Action." The director said.

"Steven Universe Gem Glow, Scene one, take one."The clapper leader announced as he clapped the clapperboard.

In the vibrant and quirky Beach City, the morning sun bathed everything in a warm glow, and the air was filled with the tantalizing scent of freshly baked goods. But for Steven Universe, today was not a day for celebration.

He bolted into the Big Donut, his eyes wide with disbelief as he approached the ice cream freezer. "NOOOOOOOOOOOOO!" he cried, his voice echoing through the shop. The sight before him was devastating: an empty freezer where Cookie Cats once resided. His heart sank. "This can't be happening! This has to be a dream! Lars! Lars! Please tell me I'm dreaming!"

Lars, busy restocking shelves, shook off Steven's frantic grasp. "Get off me, man! I'm stocking here!"

Sadie, the shop's cashier, looked at Steven apologetically. "I'm sorry, Steven. I guess they stopped making them."

"Stopped making them?!" Steven exclaimed, his voice rising in horror. "Why in the world would they stop making Cookie Cats?! They're only the most scrumptious and delicious ice cream sandwich ever made! Don't they have laws for this?!"

Lars shrugged, kneeling to restock another cabinet. "Tough bits, man. Nobody buys them anymore. I guess they couldn't compete with 'Lion Lickers.'"

Steven groaned, marching over to the offending freezer of "Lion Lickers."

"Not 'Lion Lickers'! Nobody likes them! They don't even look like lions! Kids these days—I'll tell ya what!"

Lars chuckled, mocking him. "Well, if you miss your wimpy ice cream so much, why don't you make some with your 'magic belly button'?" He laughed as he walked away.

"That's not how it works, Lars!… Right?" Steven pondered, revealing a gem at his navel and jiggling his belly. "Oh, sweet Cookie Cats, with your crunchy cookie outside and your icy creamy insides... You were too good for this world." He drew a sad cookie cat on the freezer with his finger and gave it a gentle kiss.

Sadie raised an eyebrow. "Uh... Steven?"

He didn't respond, lost in his sorrowful embrace with the freezer.

"Do you want to take the freezer with you?" she asked, glancing at Lars, who leaned in with a confused expression. Steven nodded vigorously.

"And, cut! That was great, let's prepare for the next scene," she said, as they changed location. Rebecca sat at her director's chair again, in front of a beach house and a large temple that took them a year to build out of real stone.

"Steven Univers Gem Glow, Scene two, take one."The clapper leader announced as he clapped the clapperboard. There were cameras inside the beach house too so, they could keep the show rolling when Rebecca was outside of the house. She could see what was happening through a little screen.

With the empty Cookie Cat freezer hoisted on his back, he hummed the nostalgic "Cookie Cat" jingle as he made his way home.

Once inside the Beach House, Steven burst through the door, excitement bubbling up inside him. "Hey, guys, you won't believe this!" But before he could finish, a Centipeetle lunged at him, roaring ferociously. Steven screamed, but then, in a flash, Amethyst appeared, yanking the creature away with her whip.

"'Sup, Steven?" she grinned, tossing the Centipeetle aside.

In the corner, Pearl was busy lifting another Centipeetle off the Warp Pad, while Garnet dealt with one in the kitchen.

"Awesome! What are these things?" Steven asked, still catching his breath.

Pearl groaned, her expression tense. "Ugh! Sorry, Steven. We'll get these Centipeetles out of your room. We think they were trying to get into the temple."

"Aw. You don't have to get rid of them. They're really cool," he replied, eyes twinkling with curiosity.

Just then, the Centipeetle Pearl was holding spat acid onto the floor, dissolving it into a gaping hole. Steven and Pearl recoiled in disgust.

Amethyst, unfazed, poofed another Centipeetle away. "Um, you guys? These things don't have gems."

"That means there must be a mother somewhere nearby," Garnet stated, her voice steady as she expertly knocked a sneaky Centipeetle away.

Pearl nodded. "We should probably find it before anyone gets hurt."

"I can come, right? Can I?! Can I?!" Steven's eyes sparkled with eagerness.

"Steven, until you learn to control the powers in your gem, we'll take care of protecting humanity, okay?" Pearl replied, snapping the neck of the Centipeetle she was holding with a swift motion.

"Aw, man," Steven sighed, noticing a Centipeetle raiding his fridge. "Hey! Get out of there! Go on! Shoo! Shoo! Aw! They got into everything! Not cool!"

The chaos unfolded around him, but amidst the urgency, Steven's thoughts drifted back to Cookie Cats. With a wild imagination and a little determination, he knew that somehow, he would find a way to bring his beloved ice cream sandwiches back to life — after he helped his friends with the Centipeetle crisis, of course.

For in Beach City, adventure was never far away, and sometimes, it was the simplest things that held the greatest magic.

Once upon a time in Beach City, the Crystal Gems were busy in their home, a vibrant place brimming with energy and magic. One day, Garnet, ever the protector, decided it was time for a little surprise for Steven. With a swift punch, she poofed away an old, dusty box in the corner. When the dust settled, Steven's eyes widened in disbelief.

"No way! I-it can't be! Wha-where did you get these?!" he exclaimed as he rushed to the fridge, which was inexplicably full of his favorite treat—Cookie Cats!

Pearl, with a smirk, closed the fridge door behind him. "Well, we heard that, too, and since they're your favorite..."

"We went out and stole a bunch!" Amethyst interrupted, her mischievous grin revealing her playful nature.

Pearl shot Amethyst a disapproving look. "I went back and paid for them," she huffed, maintaining her dignity.

Garnet, arms crossed, declared confidently, "The whole thing was my idea." Her gauntlets retracted back to her gems, showcasing her readiness for whatever came next.

"Not really," Amethyst chimed in, throwing a playful glare at Garnet.

"All that matters is that Steven is happy," Pearl reminded them, her heart warming at the sight of Steven's excitement.

As if on cue, Steven burst into the catchy jingle of his beloved treat.

"Oohhh

He's a frozen treat with an all-new taste

'Cause he came to this planet from outer space

A refugee of an interstellar war

But now he's at your local grocery store

Cookie Cat!

He's a pet for your tummy

Cookie Cat!

He's super duper yummy

Cookie Cat!

He left his family behind

Cookie Caaaaat!"

He then speaks "Now available at Gurgens off Route 109!"

The Gems exchanged amused glances, chuckling as Steven continued his ode to Cookie Cat, his enthusiasm infectious. They applauded and laughed, basking in the joy of the moment.

"I can't believe you did this! I'm gonna save these forever!... right after I eat this one," he said, eagerly tearing open a wrapper. "Hello, old friend," he grinned, sinking his teeth into the cookie, bliss washing over his face. But as he savored the first bite, something unexpected happened — his gem began to glow with an intensity he had never seen before.

And this was the first time I'm getting my powers, finally!Steven thought to himself

"Uh, Steven..." Amethyst said, her voice tinged with concern.

"What?!" he exclaimed, lifting his shirt to reveal the glowing gem. Panic surged within him. "My gem!"

"Quick, try and summon your weapon!" Amethyst urged, her usual sarcasm replaced by urgency.

"I don't know how!" Steven cried, his voice rising in panic. "Aaaah, it's fading! How do I make it come back?!"

"Calm down, Steven. Breathe, don't force it," Pearl instructed, her voice steady and soothing.

"Yeah, and try not to poop yourself either," Amethyst added with a cheeky grin, trying to lighten the mood.

"Please, don't," Garnet interjected, her tone serious.

As Steven's gem's glow faded, a collective sigh escaped the group. "Ah, I was really close that time!" he said, frustration mingling with determination. "Can one of you just explain how to summon a weapon?"

The Gems exchanged looks, their hearts full of affection for their young friend. They knew that together, they would find a way to help him harness his powers, and in the meantime, there were plenty of Cookie Cats waiting to be enjoyed.

Rebecca thought that they were going to do this in post. So GarnetAmeythest and Pearl don't have to travel back and forth through sets.

"Oh, I'll go first!" she declared, her eyes sparkling with enthusiasm. She gestured elegantly toward the falling petals, which danced whimsically in the air. "Pay attention to these petals, Steven. Their dance may seem improvised, but it's calculated in real-time based on the physical properties of this planet. With hard work and dedication, you can master the magical properties of your gem and perform your own dance!"

With a swift motion, Pearl summoned her spear from her gem, demonstrating a flawless, graceful movement that left Steven in awe. His eyes widened as he watched the petals swirl and twirl around him, each flutter an invitation to join in the beauty of the moment.

"And Cut. That was great Pearl. Let's go back to the original location!" Rebecca said. They walked to the Big Doughnut set and set up there again.

"And… Action!" Rebecca said.

"Steven Univers Gem Glow, Scene three, take one."The clapper leader announced as he clapped the clapperboard.

Later, at the familiar hangout spot known as the Big Donut, Steven felt inspired. He tossed a handful of petals into the air, watching them float. "Wuh!" he exclaimed, his excitement palpable.

Amethyst, lounging nearby, smirked. "Did Pearl tell you the petal thing?" she asked, half-laughing.

"Yeah, I need to practice really hard so I can dance like a tree... I think," Steven replied, scratching his head in confusion.

"Listen, Steven," Amethyst said, rolling her eyes. "All that practice stuff is no fun. Whenever I need to summon my weapon, it just happens." With a flick of her wrist, she summoned her whip and effortlessly broke a nearby garbage container in two. "See? Didn't try at all!"

Just then, Lars burst outside, dropping a trash bag in exasperation. "Aaah! Again?!"

Perplexed but determined, Steven pondered his next steps. "So I'm supposed to work really hard and not try at all at the same time?" he asked, seeking clarity.

"And, action!"

"Yes," Garnet replied, her expression stoic yet reassuring.

Steven stood in silence, contemplating the paradox. Garnet continued, "Or... you could link your mind with the energy of all existing matter, channeling the collective power of the universe through your gem." With a flourish, she summoned her gauntlets, demonstrating her strength and focus.

"Steven Univers Gem Glow, Scene four, take one."The clapper leader announced as he clapped the clapperboard.

In the cozy kitchen of the Beach House, Steven felt a spark of inspiration. "I think my best bet is to recreate what happened the last time my gem glowed," he said, motioning for the Gems to join him. "So... Garnet and Amethyst were here, Pearl was next to the fridge... Hmm. Amethyst, I think your arms were crossed?"

"Okay, Your Majesty," Amethyst teased, crossing her arms with a grin.

"And Pearl, your foot was like this." Steven tilted one of her feet slightly, trying to mimic the moment.

"I don't think it works this way, Steven," Pearl said, her voice laced with gentle concern.

"And Garnet, uh..." He squished and moved her face upward, then turned to the fridge and retrieved a half-eaten Cookie Cat. "Oh, wait! I sang the song first!" he exclaimed, bursting into an off-key rap about the delicious frozen treat.

But as he rapped, nothing happened.

"Awww, it was funnier last time," he sighed, lifting his shirt to see his gem, disappointment washing over him. "Maybe I'm not a real Crystal Gem."

Pearl knelt beside him, her eyes warm and reassuring. "Don't be silly, Steven. Of course, you are."

"And you're fun to have around, even if your gem is useless," Amethyst chimed in, only to be met with a glare from Pearl. "I mean... you're one of us, Steven. We're not the Crystal Gems without you!"

Garnet nodded in agreement, her presence a steady anchor in the storm of emotions.

"Yeah, even if I don't have powers, I've still got... Cookie Cat!" Steven declared, taking a triumphant bite. Just then, his gem began to glow, and to everyone's astonishment, a shield materialized in front of him.

"Steven, it's a shield!" Pearl exclaimed, her amazement evident.

"... Whoa, what?! I get a shield?! Oh... YEAH!" Steven shouted, bursting with excitement.

Steven was trying to break character and tell his mother and father that he had gotten his powers, maybe when they were done, he could surprise Clarence, Jeff, and Sumo. Then Mordecai and Rigby.

Steven then went back into character.

In his exuberance, he accidentally launched the shield, which ricocheted around the room with a life of its own, crashing into Steven's TV with a loud smash. Amethyst burst out laughing, while Pearl groaned in disappointment, her dreams of graceful petal dances momentarily dashed.

But amidst the chaos, laughter filled the air, binding the Crystal Gems and Steven together in a moment of joyous camaraderie. And in that moment, he realized that perhaps the true dance wasn't just about mastering powers but about the connections they shared, laughter echoing like petals in the wind.

It was a calm, sunny day at the Crystal Temple. Steven was lounging on the couch, enjoying his favorite treat, a Cookie Cat ice cream sandwich. As he took a big bite, a familiar pink shield materialized in his hand. Steven grinned, his mouth still full of ice cream. "Huh? Cookie Cat! I summon my weapon by eating ice cream!" he exclaimed, amazed at how his powers seemed to be linked to his favorite snack.

Pearl, who had been tidying up nearby, noticed the discarded ice cream wrapper on the floor and picked it up. "What's in these things?" she asked, examining the packaging with curiosity.

Before anyone could answer, the entire house began to rumble. The walls shook, and the windows rattled violently. Outside, through the vibrating glass, the shadows of enormous creatures loomed. Steven's shield suddenly vanished, leaving a noticeable dent in the TV.

"What was that?" Steven asked, his voice quivering with a mix of fear and excitement.

Without a moment's hesitation, the Crystal Gems burst out of the house to investigate. The sun was still shining, but a sense of impending danger hung thick in the air. Crawling up the side of the Crystal Temple was the biggest Centipeetle any of them had ever seen.

"It's the Mother!" Garnet shouted, her voice strong and unwavering as she leapt into action, aiming straight for the monstrous creature.

Pearl turned to Steven, her eyes wide with concern. "Stay in the house, Steven!" she ordered, her tone leaving no room for arguments

But Steven was never one to back down. "No way! I'm coming, too!" he declared, running back inside the house. He grabbed as many Cookie Cats as he could carry, along with the entire Cookie Cat freezer, and raced back outside. He knew he had to help the Gems somehow.

"And, cut. take five guys!" Rebecca said. Steven was giddy with excitement as he Ran up to his mother.

"Mom! I got a shield!" the boy hugged her and smiled. Rose and Greg both smile, Rose puts a hand in his hair and Greg kisses his forehead.

"We love you so much, Schtu-ball!" Greg ruffles his son's hair. Rose hugged him, putting him close to her gem, He could hear the hum of it and feel the warmth.

"I am so proud of you, honey! your starting to get your gem powers." Rose said, trying not to tear up in front of Garnet, Amethyst, and Pearl. Rebecca smiles and watches the three of them.

"And…Action!"

"Steven Univers Gem Glow, Scene five, take one."The clapper leader announced as he claps the clapperboard.

On the beach below, the battle was already in full swing. Garnet, Pearl, and Amethyst had taken up defensive positions, dodging the Centipeetle Mother's vicious attacks. The beast unleashed a torrent of acidic spit, which the Gems barely managed to avoid. They took cover behind a broken hand statue from the temple, but the acid was quickly eating away at the stone.

"We could really use Steven's shield right about now!" Amethyst shouted, her voice strained as she watched the statue begin to dissolve under the relentless assault.

Suddenly, Steven appeared on the beach, clutching a pebble in one hand and the Cookie Cat freezer in the other. With all the courage he could muster, he threw the pebble at the Centipeetle Mother. "Hey!" he yelled, his voice cracking slightly. He slammed the freezer into the ground. "Leave them alone!"

The Crystal Gems gasped in unison. "Steven, no!" they cried, horrified by the sight of him standing in the open, unprotected.

But Steven wasn't about to back down. He took a deep breath, his heart pounding in his chest. "Cookie Cat Crystal combo powers, activate!" he shouted, stuffing a Cookie Cat into his mouth and lifting his shirt, hoping his shield would reappear.

For a moment, there was nothing. The Centipeetle Mother stared at Steven with a menacing grin, seemingly amused by his futile attempt.

"Uh-oh," Steven muttered, realizing that his plan hadn't worked. "Aaaah!" He quickly retreated, dragging the freezer along with him as he dashed for cover, joining the Gems behind the rapidly melting statue.

The battle was far from over, and the Gems knew they had to act fast if they were going to stop the Centipeetle Mother. Steven watched as Garnet, Pearl, and Amethyst prepared for another round, their determination evident despite the overwhelming odds.

With the Cookie Cats in hand, Steven knew he had to find a way to unlock his powers again. The safety of his friends and the fate of the Crystal Temple depended on it. As the Centipeetle Mother loomed ever closer, Steven steeled himself for whatever came next, determined to protect the ones he loved, no matter the cost.

In the heart of a dense, mystical forest, a battle was raging. The air crackled with tension as the Crystal Gems fought desperately to defend their youngest member, Steven, from the terrifying Centipeetle Mother.

"Steven, we need to save you!" Pearl shouted, her voice cutting through the chaos as she narrowly dodged the centipede-like monster's snapping tail pincers.

"Can we save ourselves first?!" Amethyst quipped, her voice tinged with the usual humor, though the worry was evident in her eyes.

Steven, standing a short distance away, clutched his stomach in distress. Tears welled up in his eyes as he shoveled Cookie Cats, his favorite ice cream sandwich, into his mouth. The magic within him needed to be awakened, and he believed these frozen treats might be the key. But as his stomach rumbled ominously, he felt nothing—no surge of power, no miraculous transformation.

"Goodbye, my friends," Steven whispered, his voice trembling with emotion. He took another bite of a Cookie Cat, but nothing happened. Desperation took hold. "Why isn't it working?" he cried, just as a spray of acid narrowly missed him, splattering against a nearby rock.

"Steven!" Garnet's voice boomed as she intercepted the Centipeetle Mother's attack, her gauntleted fists grabbing hold of the creature's pincers. With a mighty heave, she redirected the monster's focus away from Steven.

In that moment of reprieve, Steven's gaze fell upon the scene before him—a smoking, ruined Cookie Cat freezer, destroyed in the midst of battle. His heart sank in horror.

"No… Oh, no, no, no, no, no!" Steven's voice broke as he began to softly sing, "Cookie Cat, he's a pet for your tummy. Cookie Cat, he's super duper yummy…" With a sudden burst of determination, he seized the wrecked freezer, his grip tightening. "Cookie Cat, he left his family behind! COOKIE CAAAT!"

With all his strength, Steven hurled the freezer at the Centipeetle Mother. The metal box collided with the creature's back, unleashing a burst of electricity.

In the heart of Beach City, a moment hung in the air, charged with anticipation. Steven stood at the ready, his eyes gleaming with determination, though he felt a twinge of uncertainty. "Now available... nowhere," he declared, a hint of playful irony escaping his lips.

"YES!" Amethyst cheered, her excitement electrifying the atmosphere.

Rebecca watched as the scene played out. She leans back in her chair.

Garnet, ever the steadfast leader, rallied her team. "Gems, weapons!" With that command, the three Gems summoned their weapons in unison, each one a dazzling display of their unique abilities. They burst forth from behind the hand statue, a bold and united front against the looming threat.

"Let's do it," Garnet said, her voice steady and resolute. The trio charged forward, their hearts pounding as they launched a coordinated attack on the monstrous Centipeetle Mother. Together, they unleashed a torrent of strength and skill, and with one final, fierce blow, they vanquished the beast for good. As it crumbled, a shimmering gem fell from its form, and Garnet swiftly bubbled it away, ensuring it would be safe.

Steven took a moment to catch his breath, his mind drifting to memories of simpler times. "Farewell, sweet Cookie Cats," he murmured, gently burying a crumpled wrapper in the ground as if laying to rest an old friend. "I'll always remember the time we spent together." His stomach rumbled, breaking the solemnity of the moment. "Shh... Hush now," he whispered to his belly, trying to silence the betraying sound.

Amethyst eyed him with a smirk. "Are you crying?"

"Only a little!" Steven replied defensively, wiping at his eyes but unable to hide his smile.

"Well, I guess your powers don't come from ice cream," she teased, a playful glint in her eyes.

Pearl chimed in, her tone soothing. "Of course, they don't come from ice cream. Don't worry, Steven, I'm sure someday you'll figure out how to activate your gem."

"Yes, in your own Steven-y way," Garnet added, her tone encouraging.

"I'm okay, guys. I just—" Steven's stomach growled again, louder this time. "Ugh, I think I ate too many Cookie Cats."

Laughter erupted among the Gems, filling the air with warmth and camaraderie. Steven joined in, his laughter tinged with a hint of anxiousness.

But then, as the laughter echoed, Steven bent over, the inevitable culmination of his Cookie Cat indulgence taking hold.

"And… Cut! That's a wrap. excellent work everyone!" Rebecca said, rising from the director's chair. Steven still felt a little bit sick.

"I need to lie down…" he said, taking a seat on the sand. Greg walks to him and then picks him up.

"I'll carry you to your trailer." he smiled Steven wrapped his arms around his father and he took him.

Rose was proud of him — She had two in one, She saw his acting career lift off, and he had gotten his powers. She wiped a tear from her eye, then Pearl walked up.

"Filming was so much fun!" Pearl said looking at her friend. Rose smiles at her.

Garnet and Amethyst walk up to the two women standing and staring at the temple.

🎬🎥 🎬🎥 🎬🎥 🎬🎥 🎬🎥 🎬🎥 🎬🎥 🎬

A\N: They JUST started filming, and I am SO HAPPY for them! This is a day before so, they are going to work on the next episode the day after. I can't wait to write more of this! it was so much fun to make!

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