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dragonmama76 · 1 year ago

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Beginnings Part 2

read Part One, and Interlude first. Part 3 is done!.

Eddie was the opposite of calm. He was terrified well beyond rational thought and he had one intention. Survive. By any means necessary. When he jumped out of the boat and pressed the edge of the broken bottle against his attacker’s throat nothing could have stopped him. Except. “Steve, this is Steve!” Steve. Steve who he had wronged. Steve who he had bullied. Steve with the perfect life that maybe wasn’t so perfect. And he stopped.

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Eddie’s cup runneth over. His public display of dominance had been more than enough to establish a reputation that he was not to be fucked with. He didn’t even need to torment Steve to keep the memory alive, but Eddie continued his menacing glances and subtle jabs nonetheless. Because he could. Because it was fun. It was that feeling you get when you’re five years old and you’ve just completed some kick ass move like jumping off the swing at it’s zenith and you shout to your parents, “Look at me! Look at me!” His own parents had never looked. They had never been there to begin with. But now. Now everyone was looking at what he had done and it felt so fucking good. He couldn’t be too obvious since the basketball team had rallied around Steve, keeping him out of bounds most of the time, but he still found sly little opportunities to flash his knife or murmur a not so subtle threat when Steve came near. It was enough to keep his high feeling fresh.

By the time the school year was over, even local drug dealer Rick Lipton had heard of him. When Eddie decided that manual labor didn’t fit his new image, he proposed they begin a business relationship and Rick was quick to agree. He knew that Eddie could handle himself if there was trouble and having a dealer embedded in the high school made sense. Eddie spent the next two years dealing at school and weekend parties and while he wasn’t exactly accepted, no one messed with him and he only rarely had to display his feral nature to the jocks that ran the school. In the meantime, he convinced the theater teacher to sponsor an after school club for his gang of nerds. Mr. Hughes didn’t know what Dungeons & Dragons was, exactly, but it felt dramatic and he was happy to oblige. If only Eddie put as much energy into his academic responsibilities as he had done with his social life he would have been out of High School in a quick minute. But he was too busy enjoying the life he created for himself to consider the consequences.

Senior year, Steve pulled up to the school in his BMW feeling pretty great for the first time in his high school career. He had an amazing girlfriend, basketball was starting soon, and best of all there would be no more run-ins with Munson. It wasn’t that he was scared of him, exactly. After that day in the cafeteria Freshman year Munson had backed off for the most part. Sure he still glared at him and whispered threats and flashed his stupid knife, but for the most part Steve was able to avoid him and pretend he didn’t exist. It helped that they never had any classes together. And while the freak had managed to be at every house party Steve attended, he preferred alcohol over drugs anyway so they had zero interaction. And beyond that, Steve now knew there were much scarier things in the world than a high school kid with a knife. No, he wasn’t afraid, it was just…a lot. Munson was obviously still a live wire waiting to strike and Steve had to be vigilant. He had put up walls and created a persona of his own to balance out the bully that still dogged him and it took a lot of effort to mask his more vulnerable, sensitive side. Most of his energy went to creating the character of King Steve that everyone now expected and that he hated.. He had done things he regretted, that shit show with Jonathan Byers for example, and he had willingly lost friends in the process, good riddance to Tommy H. and Carol, but he was trying to scale back the arrogant jock attitude and be more himself, especially with Nancy.

His guard was so low that when he sauntered into his first class ready to take on the world Steve was completely blindsided when the freak, himself, pushed past him to grab a seat in the back. Steve could feel the pinpricks of tears forming. He couldn’t do this. Not again. Not when he thought he was finally free. He bolted from the room and straight into the bathroom before anyone could really register he was gone. Shit. Shit shit shit. He was pretty sure someone up there hated him these days. He had fought an other-worldly creature no problem, but it was still Eddie Munson who had the power to make him run. This year was officially going to suck.

Eddie watched Steve run from the classroom and grinned. He still had it, baby. Maybe his second senior year would actually be fun.

Steve’s senior year was anything but fun. Steve graduated. His parents didn’t come. His ex-girlfriend didn’t come. A bunch of middle school kids came and cheered for him and that was nice, but also kind of embarrassing. This was apparently his life now. The brightspot? Eddie Munson’s name wasn’t called. Not that Steve was listening for it. Eddie Munson could go to hell as far as he was concerned. But he couldn’t help but feel a little relieved not to have to share this day with him.

Eddie watched from under the bleachers as Steve Harrington received his diploma along with the rest of his class. Whatever. Fuck him and his perfect hair and his perfect life.

Eddie was definitely pissed to be doing Senior year for the third time, but there were still moments of joy like when he gathered new freshman sheepies. His original group of freshmen had finally graduated without him, but he still had Jeff, Frank, and Gareth and now he was ready to induct a new crew. They were a little wary, and if he didn’t know better he’d say they looked kind of shellshocked, sort of like some of Uncle Wayne’s friends who had been to ‘Nam. With Eddie’s outlandish personality and dramatic welcome they opened up eventually. He liked the curly hair kid, Dustin, the best. God that kid never shut up, though which, depending on the topic, could be annoying.

Right now Eddie was extra annoyed because the topic he wouldn’t shut up about was Steve Fucking Harrington. Was that guy going to haunt him for the rest of his life?

“Eddie, you’d like Steve if you knew him. I asked him and he was kind of weird about it, but he says he didn’t really get to know you in high school and I think that’s a shame because he was bullied really badly and I bet you could have helped him and protected him.”

“What are you talking about, kid? King Steve was never bullied a day in his life.” Eddie scoffed.

“No, he was.” Lucas nodded sagely. “He said that the only reason it didn’t totally destroy him was that he had the basketball team on his side. That’s one of the reasons I’m doing basketball. You got to have people on your side. That’s what Steve says.”

“Steve says,” Eddie mimicked, “Jocks can’t be bullied, they ARE the bullies.”

“That’s not true. I’m not a bully.” Lucas muttered.

“Yeah, well you’re more nerd than jock.”

“Steve’s a nerd too.” Dustin insisted, “He just doesn’t show it, but he watches Star Wars with me all the time and he has a huge collection of Spiderman comics stashed in his bedroom. Even Robin calls him a dingus. Do you know Robin? I think they should date but she says they are platonic with a capital P. I think that’s crap with a capital C. They’ll get their shit together eventually.”

“I….don’t know if I know Robin?” Eddie’s head is starting to spin. “So who bullied King Steve?”

“He won’t say, but it started freshman year. He gave us a big talk before school started about being safe and staying in a group. I guess the kid, like, followed him around and would push him and stuff. And one time he even pulled a knife on him. That’s crazy right? He said he was afraid to go to school for all of freshman year. It’s awful because Steve had, well he wouldn’t want me to say, but he doesn’t have great parents so home sucked and school sucked. I wish you guys had been friends. And then maybe he could have been in Hellfire or something. He’s great with a bat and I bet his character…”

Eddie couldn’t listen anymore. His brain was on overload. Had he really done all that to Steve? Actually caused him pain?

Well. Fuck.

“Roooobin,” Steve whined, “Are you even listening to me?” They were behind the counter at Family Video rewinding tapes while they waited for even one customer to come in to relieve their boredom.

“I AM listening, Steve,” she reasoned, “But I think you’re letting your jockish prejudices get in the way of rational thought. Hellfire is just a group of nerds who role play and I know Eddie can look all scary and intimidating, but he’s totally not a bad guy. We were in band together last year and he’s honestly just a big goofball. Yeah, he’s loud and okay, a drug dealer, but I know for sure that he doesn’t sell to underclassmen so you don’t have to worry about that. The kids are fine with him.”

“You don’t know him like I do.” Steve glowered, “And…well, I’m afraid that if he knows the kids are associated with me that he’ll, like, take it out on them.”

“Why? What did you do to him?” Robin glared and Steve knew she thought there was some bullshit King Steve incident in their past and all of a sudden it was too much. He couldn’t bring himself to tell her how weak he had been, but also this was ROBIN and he couldn’t stand the idea that she thought of him that way.

“NOTHING!” he burst out, “I did NOTHING to him EVER.” And suddenly he couldn’t breathe. Tears pooled in his eyes and it felt like something was going to burst out of his chest, like that gross Sigourney Weaver film Robin had made him watch. He sank to his knees and pressed his hands to his eyes.

“Okay. You’re okay, Steve.” Robin hunched over him. She placed a firm hand on his chest, “I've got you. Breathe with me. In and out. You’re safe. I’m here and you’re safe.”

Steve managed some gasping breaths and could feel his heart rate coming down. Right. This was Robin, his soulmate, he could tell her and she would understand. “It started the first day of freshman year…”

Eddie didn’t end Hellfire early, even though he felt nauseous and increasingly distracted. He owed it to the group as their DM to see it through so he pushed his feelings aside and let the kids get through a tough battle before calling it a night. “Okay, that’s it for now. You don’t have to go home, but you can’t stay here. Y'all got rides lined up?”

“Yeah, we’re getting picked up,” muttered Mike, “He’s probably already out there waiting.” “Alright then, chariots may wait no longer. Scram!” Eddie hurried everyone out the door and quickly cleaned up the papers and books sprawled on the table. As he made his way out he could hear the kids chattering away about the most recent developments in the campaign and as he burst through the gym door he heard a sharp whistle. “Can we please let’s go before your parents kill me for missing your curfew? I’ve been out here forever waiting for you guys to be done.” Eddie knew that voice. He looked up straight into the eyes of Steve Harrington. He was dressed in his regular polo and jeans, hair perfect as always, leaning confidently on the hood of his BMW, but as Eddie caught his eye he saw the boy flinch and round his shoulders. Christ Almighty. What had Eddie done?

Eddie didn’t even remember driving home. He was at school in his van and then he was fully dressed in his bed. Over and over his mind replayed the events of the last four years. He wasn’t a stranger to reminiscing about his days as the Freak who humbled the King, but this time he tried to remember that Steve was a flesh and blood person, a kid, really, like Dustin or Mike or Lucas. A kid with real feelings and problems who, maybe, didn’t deserve to get picked on for entertainment. And wasn’t that the thing. Eddie had never stopped to consider that what he was doing might have been just as bad, or even worse, than what had been done to him. Maybe Harrington had deserved it? By his junior year he certainly seemed like a real asshole. But also, Eddie never really remembered seeing Steve initiate any of the prickish behaviors his sports ball friends liked to engage in. Now that he thought about it, he remembered a few times where Steve hung back and helped pick up dropped books and papers or check that a kid was okay after having been tripped in the hall. Eddie groaned. This wasn’t the first time he’d messed up in his life, but it felt like the most important.

Eddie didn’t get out of bed for three days. His uncle tried to coax him out with favorite meals and rented movies, but Eddie couldn’t face him. Uncle Wayne still thought Eddie was a good person and that was decidedly untrue. On day three he decided that he needed a new plan. He wasn’t even sure of the ultimate goal but he knew that step one would be making sure that Steve was okay.

“Robin,” Steve hissed. “He’s out there again.” Steve was staring out the front window of Family Video trying to look like he wasn’t staring out the window at the man casually leaning on a telephone pole across the street. He knew it sounded crazy, but he was pretty sure that Eddie Munson was stalking him. It was nothing he could prove because it was always in public but increasingly when he was out and about he would feel eyes on him and when he turned to look, Eddie would be there. Yeah, alright, he was always doing something totally normal like buying groceries or having a smoke. And sure, Eddie never approached him or glared at him the way he did when they were in school which, honestly felt weird. And even weirder, a couple of times when Eddie noticed Steve noticing Eddie, he had smiled abashedly and fluttered his fingers in a little wave. If Steve had to define it, he would have to say that Eddie was 'reverse bullying' him. Was that even a thing? Maybe he was just fattening him up with his pretty smiles and doe eyes like a lamb being fed before he was slaughtered. It was disconcerting to say the least.

Robin gave Steve a sympathetic shrug. She had been appropriately outraged when he had given her the details of his run-ins with Eddie but it was still hard for her to see him as anything other than the loud funny guy from band. “Just ignore him. He lives in this town just like us so you’re bound to see him now and again. And, so far at least, he’s been good to the kids. Maybe try to let it go? And speaking of band, did I tell you what Vickie did yesterday?....” Steve turned away from the window to concentrate on Robin’s latest installment of the life of her crush. Let it go. Okay. He could try.

Eddie watched as Steve turned away. He had learned a lot from watching him these past months. Steve was kind to cashiers, patient when he was rung up incorrectly, and flirty in a dorky kind of way that never paid off. He was always carting Eddie’s Hellfire kids places like the arcade or the diner or the mall two towns over and it seemed like he did it out of the goodness of his heart. He was a hard worker, staying late at work to clean thoroughly and lock up. He was a good friend to Buckley, dancing with her and running around when the store was empty. Eddie could see why Dustin thought they were more than just friends. From the outside, Steve seemed to be just fine, but Eddie watched and he saw more. When he thought no one was paying attention, Steve looked sad. He flinched at loud noises. And at night he went home to an empty house where, Eddie knew, he had to be lonely. Eddie wasn’t so naive as to think all Steve’s problems stemmed from a stupid kid in high school who wouldn't leave him alone, but Eddie felt responsible for adding to his pain. He felt lost, except for one thing. Every so often he would catch a glimpse of Steve with Robin or Dustin and his face would light up with the most painfully beautiful smile. It was like looking into the face of the sun after a long rain and Eddie couldn’t catch his breath gazing at him. “I see you Steve Harrington and I will do whatever it takes to keep you smiling. I goddamn swear it."

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More to come. Tell me what you think!!

Taglist: @goodolefashionedloverboi @background-noise-headache @phirex22 @swimmingbirdrunningrock @lilpomelito @thaliaisalesbian @liesatemyocean @seilahtitania32 @nightmareglitter @writtenbyancientskeletonhats @dammitjim02 @newagemyth @slaalgumacoisayay @batxsignalsx @beawritingbooks @vacantwatchers @hallucinatedjosten @i-less-than-threee-you @bookworm0690 @dino-nuggets-posts @a-gae-af-racoon @my-chemical-sexuality-crisis @whalesharksart @uses-of-anger @epiclazershark @anaibis @kakashimeansplan @that-agender-from-pluto @novelnovella @jackiemonroe5512 @emly03 @shoujo-goddess @zaphodkilledthespeedforce @what-is-life-but-an-empty-void @riverofrainbows @pottenloved247 @strangersteddierthings @a-little-unsteddie

#steddie #eddie munson #steve harrington #the party #ongoing #angst #no happy ending yet #but it's coming...i think

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joelalorian · 1 year ago

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Tides of Desire - Chapter One: A Prelude to the Open Sea

Pairing: Yacht Captain!Joel Miller x f!reader

Summary: TLOU no outbreak AU. Joel Miller is a luxury yacht captain running charters in the Caribbean. You join the crew as a deckhand and unexpectedly complicate Joel's peaceful existence. Basically the TLOU bunch on a Below Deck yacht.

Series warnings: 18+ MDNI, adventure, alcohol, injuries, fluff, angst, smut. Reader is a badass. Additional warnings will be posted with each chapter as needed. No use of y/n.

Chapter One: A Prelude to the Open Sea

It was his favorite time of year, yacht season. Austin, Texas would always be home, but there was just something about the sea that called to Joel Miller like a siren, the salty air a balm to his weary soul. It warmed his heart that Sarah took to the sea just as well, tagging along from a young age as he captained charter boats in the Gulf of Mexico or Caribbean Sea for a few months between November and April each year. His brother, too, fell in love with the sea, joining Joel in the charter industry upon his discharge from the Army. While Joel spent years working his way up to Captain, Tommy fell into the safety side of yachting, thriving as a deck hand and eventually falling into the role of Bosun. Tommy preferred the hands-on, leadership with some manual labor style of the role and had no inclination to move up for a while.

Sarah would be joining them for her third season as an official crew member, serving on the interior staff once again, her first time as the Chief Stewardess. Having grown up in the field, she knew the ins and outs of the yachts her dad captained and could likely hold nearly any crew position. Yet, Sarah always preferred the interior staff roles. She loved designing elegant table settings and the creative aspects of event planning, even if the grind of cleaning up after obscenely rich charter guests had its less than stellar moments.

“Ya all packed up, baby girl?” Joel asked as he passed Sarah’s bedroom, hefting his luggage down the stairs. “We gotta head out soon. Tommy’s coming to get us any minute now.”

“I’ll be right there!” Sarah called back, zipping up her carry-on bag. She always overpacked. Never knowing just how the season would go adventure or weather-wise, Sarah wanted to be prepared for anything. Hence, she was checking two large suitcases and taking a carry-on and large purse on the plane with her.

“For fuck’s sake, kiddo. Are ya moving out or somethin’?” Joel griped as he heaved one of the suitcases and the carry-on down the stairs. “We can do laundry on the boat, ya know.”

Tommy’s arrival cut off any sassy response Sarah might have made, and Joel made sure the house was secure before they took off for the airport. His buddy next door would keep an eye on the house and mow the lawn when needed, as he’d done for years now.

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The sun dipped low on the horizon, casting hues of orange and pink across the tranquil waters of the Caribbean. An elegant yacht, a vessel of luxury and escape, sat at the marina awaiting the rest of its crew to board.

Joel stood tall on the bridge, the epitome of a seasoned captain with a stoic demeanor and skin tinted by the southern sun. On the deck, his long-time first mate, Frank, called out friendly greetings along with orders to the crew already at work. Down below, Bill, the yacht's engineer, inspected the engines with a meticulous eye, grumbling to himself about the slightest imperfections of the otherwise pristine ship.

Sarah stood portside with clipboard in hand, greeting each crew member as they arrived and directing them to their bunks. There were a few familiar faces from over the years, many crew members returning to spend another season with the Millers, yet her interior team was entirely new.

Once everyone arrived and settled into what would be their spaces for the next few months, the team leaders called meetings with their crew – Sarah and the interior team settling in the sky lounge while Tommy met with the deck crew in the tender storage space. Once they introduced everyone and went over the important aspects of their respective roles on the yacht, the two teams reconvened in the main salon for the crew meeting with the captain.

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From the moment you spotted the super yacht in the marina, you were in awe. The sleek 100-foot powerhouse towered over the other boats in the mooring, looking more than ready to take on the Caribbean Seas. This was your third season as a deck hand, having changed careers after burning out quickly in the corporate world. Though it might have been a complete waste of your undergrad and graduate degrees, you switched gears to yachting as a means of self-preservation. The hard work of life on the seas reminded you of pleasant summers spent with your grandpa sailing the English Channel and Mediterranean. He taught you everything you knew about boats and the water. You never lost those skills or that love for the sea when you left England for university in America, having been a fierce competitor on your school’s sailing team.

Now, you found yourself joining a new crew on a super yacht for the third year in a row and you could not be more excited. You heard great things about Captain Joel from your prior captains and knew that he treated his crew like family. He commanded respect by taking care to treat the crew with the respect they deserved. You also heard he was gorgeous, but you couldn’t focus on that. You were here to work and didn’t want to get distracted.

Your eyes widened as you walked up the passerelle and met a tall young woman with a mane of springy dark curls. “Hi, I’m Sarah, the Chief Stew!” she greeted, brown eyes shining as brightly as her smile.

Her exuberance was contagious, and you flashed a broad smile in return. “Hi, Sarah,” you replied, giving your name in return, and watched with a keen eye as she checked you off on the clipboard in her hand. “I’m one of the deck hands.”

“I see that.” Sarah met your eyes again. “My Uncle Tommy is the Bosun. He’s awesome, you’ll love him.” Her eyes assessed you further, apparently approving what she saw. “Some also say he’s quite handsome. Though, some say that about my dad, too. Personally, I don’t see it.”

“Cheeky girl!” you laughed, already knowing that you two would get along well. “I can already see you’re going to be a troublemaker.”

“You have no idea!” Sarah confirmed with a smirk. “Come on, I’ll show you to your bunk.”

Sarah gave you the penny tour on the way, pointing out the main areas that you would need to know and explaining a few things about the other crew who arrived so far. The yacht was beautiful and the enormity of it became even more obvious as you moved through the various levels and rooms.

“You’ll be rooming with Tess, the chef. She’s awesome. My dad has been friends with her my entire life. She always prefers the top bunk, so you have the bottom.” Sarah was a fount of information. “We’ll be calling crew meetings in about an hour, so get settled and explore.”

“Thanks, Sarah,” you replied before turning to sort through your things. Left to your own devices, you had your portion of the cabin setup just how you wanted in no time. Before you knew it, you found yourself wandering around the ship, orienting yourself and getting familiar with each area.

Turning a corner on your way to the main deck, you ran smack into a body resembling a solid wall. “Oy! I’m terribly sorry!” you rushed to simultaneously apologize and regain your balance. Your eyes inched upwards along the broad chest in front of you, roving over a scruffy beard, and finally settled on a pair of startlingly deep brown eyes that stared at you in equal wonder.

“Pardon me, darlin’.” The voice emanating from that sinful mouth was deep and rich, causing the hair on the back of your neck to raise with goosebumps. Reaching out a large hand to make sure you were steady, he continued, “You must be one of my new crew members. ‘M the Captain, but you can always call me Joel.”

Good lord, people were not lying when they told you Captain Joel was hot. He was the most gorgeous man you’d ever set eyes on. Broad and tall, he struck an imposing figure, but his dark eyes were kind, wide like a puppy’s. The contours of his face were pleasing to the eye. It took you a few moments to realize you were staring wide-eyed without responding, and quickly cleared your throat.

Giving him your name, you added, “I’m one of the deck crew.”

Joel nodded. “My brother is the Bosun. Have you met him yet?”

“Not yet. I’ve only met Sarah… and now you,” you replied. Was he aware that his warm hand was still on your arm? The heat of it searing into your skin in a tantalizing way, threatening to send you to distraction. “I’m sure I’ll meet everyone soon enough.”

“Are you British?” Joel asked suddenly, his tanned cheeks flushing. His free hand raised to the back of his head, ruffling the dark curls there. “Sorry, I just noticed the hint of an accent.”

“I am, though I’ve been in the States for quite a while now and have lost most of the accent I used to have. You could say I’ve become Americanized,” you joked, earning a deep chuckle from Joel.

It seemed that neither of you were interested in getting back to what you were originally doing, the conversation flowing as you shared some of your yachting experience and Joel told you about the rest of his crew and how he liked to operate as a Captain. You decided you could listen to him talk forever – he was enthralling, voice deep and flowing like a rocky stream. All too soon, though, a call came over the radio on Joel’s hip, letting you both know that it was time for the deck crew meeting.

“Guess that’s my cue,” you said, trying not to feel sad that the conversation had to end. Before you could turn to reorient yourself, Joel spoke. “I’m heading in that direction; I’ll show you the way.”

It was a quick, quiet walk to the main deck which allowed you to focus your mind. Joel left you with a soft touch at the small of your back and the hint of a smile before you turned your attention to the other members of the deck crew.

You could see the family resemblance as Tommy introduced himself as Bosun. Damn, the brothers were far more attractive than they had any right to be - the Miller family had a serious gene pool! As if able to read your thoughts, the young woman next you chuckled and teased under her breath, “And another one bites the dust.”

Confused, you glanced at her, keeping half your attention on Tommy’s speech. “What?” you whispered back.

“All the women fall for them.” Her chin jutted toward Tommy, her eyes shifting to the bridge where Joel was stationed. “I hoped you wouldn’t be so predictable.”

Oh, this girl was cheeky! You tried to remember her name from Tommy’s introductions… Kellie? Nellie? No, it was Ellie. This Ellie was… something. “It’s not my fault they’re bloody fucking hot, yeah?”

The pair of you cracked up, drawing Tommy’s ire. “Am I interrupting something more important, ladies?”

Your face warmed as you shook your head, mortified to be called out so early on in the first day of the job. Meanwhile, Ellie merely smirked at the man. “Please, continue with your enthralling speech, Tommy. We’re just dying to hear the rest of it.”

Tommy scowled, the exuberance of his speech now shaken.

At once, you knew the pair of you would get along well. Ellie was so… spunky. And it wasn’t often you got to work with another woman on the deck crew.

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“Hey Dad,” Sarah chimed, stepping onto the bridge to see Joel going over a tide chart for the coming days.

“Hi baby girl,” he replied, slipping the black plastic framed glasses from his nose and popped them in his shirt pocket. “How’s the crew looking this season?”

Sitting with a sigh at the small table in the corner, Sarah stretched her long legs. “It’s looking real good this year. With Uncle Tommy, Tess, Bill, Frank, and Ellie back as always, the new folks should fit right in. I love that we have two women on deck crew.”

Joel nodded. “Tommy said they might be trouble though. He was grumbling about Ellie sassin’ him during his big welcome speech.” The father and daughter shared a good laugh knowing how seriously Tommy took his role as a leader and how hard he worked to perfect that speech over the years. “How about your stews? Ya gotta good team?”

Sarah’s eyes lit up as she nodded excitedly. “For sure! They are going to be great. Sammy has a ton of energy and is focused on hospitality, so he’ll make a great First Stew. It’ll be fun having a guy on the team, too. Talia is friendly but quiet and really organized. She’s already showing signs of taking Emmy under her wing, so she’s a perfect fit for Second Stew. And Emmy is the sweetest thing. She’s like a sponge and is really creative.”

His heart warmed seeing his daughter taking a leadership role at such a young age and already getting to know her team and how to organize them on the first day. Joel was so proud of her it made his heart hurt. “Sounds like you got it all under control. Guess it’s time for the big crew meeting. Call everyone to the main salon, please.”

Making the call over the radio for everyone to meet in the main salon, the pair of them hefted a couple of boxes of uniforms for the crew along with them. They were the first to arrive and Sarah spent the time segregating the uniforms for each crew member, laying them out on the center table for everyone to grab. Joel stood at the head of the room as the crew filtered in and took a seat on the elegant leather sectional. Once everyone was settled, he called the room to order.

“Welcome to Radiance, y’all,” Joel started before giving some facts about the yacht, his experience, and officially welcoming everyone aboard. “As we’re all adults here, I expect appropriate behavior at all times. I only have a few rules. No drinking while on charter. No fraternizing with the guests. Finally, do not embarrass me or this yacht with poor behavior. Got it?”

His darks eyes moved around the room, landing on you for a few beats too long before shifting around again. He couldn’t look at you without being distracted. That was not good.

The meeting shifted to a fun game run by Sarah to get to know each other. Once they were finished, everyone grabbed their new uniforms – a few sets of daily wear, dress whites, and black dinner wear each. They all received rash guards with the boat’s name, Radiance, on it as well, for beach excursions.

“The rest of today is a free day – I suggest you use it to get to know the boat and each other. The real work begins tomorrow as we get the yacht ready for our first charter on Tuesday.” Joel bid them farewell, heading back to the bridge with Frank. Bill also disappeared back down to the engine room, not one for socializing, especially with such a young, rambunctious crowd. Tess and Tommy stuck around, interested in getting to know the new crew members.

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After a tour of the yacht guided by Sarah and Tommy, everyone ended up in the main salon again. “Anyone up for cocktails and the hot tub?” Tommy asked the group with a cheesy smile.

“Hell yeah,” Ellie responded, already running off back to her cabin to change, leaving a trail of chuckles in her wake.

You were definitely down for an adult beverage and a dip in the hot tub. It would be nice to relax your muscles before the manual labor began tomorrow. Tess and the other girls followed you down to the crew cabins. You all gabbed and changed before heading back up to the flybridge and the bar Sarah knowingly stocked earlier.

You slipped into the hot tub with an ice-cold beer in one hand, unaware of Tommy’s heated gaze taking in the sight of you in your bathing suit as he stood nearby with his own beer in hand. You opted for something simple and modest, yet it showed off enough skin to draw the male eye.

Soon, you were joined by Tess who settled near you with a rocks glass full of amber liquid in it. “Hey,” she said, pushing a stray lock of hair behind her ear. “You certainly have the Miller brothers’ attention.” Her voice was low, directed to your ears only as she gazed at you with knowing eyes.

Not knowing how to respond, your face heated for the third time since you boarded the yacht. You searched the other woman’s eyes, trying to suss out her angle. You knew from Sarah that Tess was a close friend of the Millers and had worked with Joel and Tommy for a long time. Did she have a thing for one, or both, of them and see you as unwanted competition? Whatever the deal was, you did not want to be causing drama your first day of the season!

“I’m—” a splash cut you off as Sarah hopped into the hot tub, seating herself on Tess’s other side, effectively cutting off whatever you were going to say. Good thing, too, as you had no idea what was about to come out of your mouth.

“Woah! Sorry ‘bout that,” Sarah laughed as the water continued to slosh around from her near cannonball entrance. “Are we talking about anything good?”

Tess glanced at you with a shrug. “Just getting to know one another.” Her eyes stayed on you as she took a long pull from her tumbler.

“Cool, cool. So, tell me about yourself, England,” Sarah directed at you.

Quirking a brow at the unoriginal nickname, you replied, “That the best you can do?”

The younger woman beamed at you, the sparkle in her dark eyes bringing another pair of fine eyes to mind. “For now. I’ll do better once I know more about you.”

The next half hour flew by as the three of you shared stories about yourselves. You already knew you liked Sarah from the moment you met her, but even Tess was starting to grow on you. She was sharp and resourceful with a wicked sense of humor. She was a handful of years older than you and lived quite the adventurous life.

Before long, Tommy and the other deckhand, Connor, joined the three of you in the hot tub while the other three interior staff – Sammy, Talia, and Emmy – sat along the edge not wanting to get too wet. The drinks were flowing and quite a few had been spilled into the bubbling water. No doubt there would be quite the mess to clean up tomorrow along with the rest of the deck crew duties.

You fell into conversation with Tommy, learning about his time in the military and how he followed his brother into the charter yacht industry. He asked questions about growing up in England, the time you spent sailing with your grandfather, and your competitive sailing days. He was borderline flirting, and you could tell he was reigning himself in. You learned early on that it was best not to have yacht relationships, but sometimes it was difficult to avoid when you spent 24/7 with someone in a confined space for a few months.

“I love your accent. You sound so much smarter than us Texans,” Tommy said. Americans always loved your accent, though it lost most of its edge by now.

“It’s all an illusion,” you joked. He started leaning closer to you the more alcohol he imbibed, and you could feel Tess’s heavy gaze watching the two of you. Deciding it was time to call it a night, you told the group goodnight despite their protests. Grabbing a towel, you wrapped it around you and dripped your way down to the crew mess for a snack before climbing into your bunk.

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

The following morning, you woke up before your alarm, hearing Tess gently snoring in the bunk above you. Wondering what time she came in last night; you dressed in your daily uniform as quietly as possible and freshened up in the bathroom. Closing the cabin door with a gentle click, you grabbed a yogurt for breakfast and made your way up to the tender storage to start your day.

It was only seven o’clock and it appeared most everyone else was still asleep, meeting no one on your journey. You took the opportunity to stroll around the deck, the salt air naturally waking you up. You stopped at the bow to gaze out at the turquoise sea. The water was flat, and a calm breeze ruffled your hair.

“G’morning,” a deep voice sounded behind you, the smell of coffee wafting through the air. Joel appeared at your side, his eyes raking over you in a pleasing way before shifting to the horizon.

“Good day, Captain,” you greeted in return, a warm smile spreading your lips. He smelled really good – freshly showered with a cologne that accentuated his natural musk. It made your mouth start to water.

Jesus, you should have gotten laid before coming onto this boat.

“Ya want some coffee?” Joel raised the mug in his hand. “I have a fresh pot going. Figured y’all would need it after last night.”

A girlish giggle escaped you before you could stop it. “I don’t drink the stuff, prefer tea, if anything. I called it a night early, but I have no doubt everyone else will need the caffeine boost.”

“Not the typical party animal yachtie then?” The view forgotten, you both turned toward each other to continue the conversation, hips leant against the railing.

“Not by half,” you laughed. “I did enough of that in my university days. Not that I don’t enjoy socializing and having a good time though. I just like to make my hangovers worth it.”

That earned a hearty chuckle from Joel. “That’s one way of putting things into perspective. And I agree, the hangover has to be worth it.”

The two of you fell into comfortable conversation, sharing tidbits about yourselves until more of the deck crew started to emerge for the day. You locked away all the things Joel shared, wanting to build the story of him in your mind.

“This was quite pleasant. We should do it again sometime, Cap’n.” Your gazes held intensely for a few beats before Joel hummed in agreement. Then, movement over your shoulder caught his attention.

“Looks like Tommy’s gatherin’ the troops. Ya better get moving, sweetheart.” Between the term of endearment and the crooked smile, you could have turned into a puddle at the handsome Captain’s feet. Instead, you flashed him your most charming smile and dashed off to join your team for a grueling day of hard work.

And grueling it was as Tommy had you all scrub and hose down every inch of the exterior, check all the equipment, and reorganize the tender storage before doing it all over again to make sure it met his exacting measures. All the while, your mind stayed occupied with thoughts of Captain Joel. Even when you slipped into your bunk, physically wiped out and barely able to call out a ‘good night’ to an equally exhausted Tess, your subconscious allowed Joel to infiltrate your dreams.

#joel miller x reader #joel miller x you #joel miller x female reader #the last of us #yacht captain!joel miller

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yiiyiiwrites · 10 months ago

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JJ Maybank - Older sister - Headcanon

Herds JJ and his friends away from fights.

Nags her brother to do his homework on time and knows that JJ drags it out just to annoy her.

Stupid dares when they're home alone and have a run of the house.

Would both eat cereal for every meal of the day.

Has a soft spot for Pope and loves listening to all the obscure facts he spurts out. Asks him loads of questions, genuinely interested in what he has to say.

Early morning surf sessions after not seeing each other for a few days.

Text check ins...mostly so she can see he's not done anything too reckless.

Hates when she pulls rank and say she's older. "But I'm taller," he says crossing his arms, which normally earns him a shove.

Doesn't lie to her, knows she can tell if he is...so doesn't even bother.

Biggest JJ protector, acts as peacekeeper between him and their dad. Comes unstuck later on though when she gets the rest of Lukes wrath when JJ isn't there.

Codewords between her and JJ so they don't run into Luke... "We''ve got 1180 in progress."

Dropped out of school to make sure there was food and bills were paid.

Drives a beat up old car that JJ even jokes he doesn't want passed down to him.

Learns how to do different hair styles from Kie and has a friendship bracelet from her.

Calls JJ every time her car brakes down.

JJ teasing her for everything and anything he can.

John B always taking her side whenever JJ isn't thinking things through properly.

Hangs out with pogues every now and then but doesn't want to get in the way of his friendships.

Has an on and off relationship with a guy who lets her stay at his whenever she needs somewhere to crash.

Works on a fishing boat during the summer holidays so could be gone for a couple of weeks, but it's good money so she just does it.

Reminds JJ to be careful instead of good.

Nickname is Missy.

✨ I've just started this blog for my fan fiction writing and writing prompts :) - Yiiyii

#jj maybank #jj maybank headcanon #jj obx #maybank!sister #obx headcanon #jj maybank sister #jj maybank fanfiction #jj maybank x reader #outer banks #obx fanfiction #jj maybank x sister #jj maybank x sister reader #outer banks fic #outer banks fanfiction #jj maybank x sister!reader

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vampirevatican · 1 year ago

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Performance

pairing - hobie brown x black gn! reader

genre/tags - 1.6k words, fluff smut, teasing, edging, porn w/plot, aerialist reader (pole and hoop)

notes - personally, i love shenanigans. i love the will they won't they, slow burn, anime walk-ins, misunderstandings that are more funny then frustrating. the target audience is me, did my damnedest to make it gender neutral tho, and i hope y'all enjoy.

summary - you and hobie have been together for awhile now. sharing in each other's company, chilling on his house boat, him visiting your apartment, movie nights and show binges, washdays, platonic to romantic cuddles. though something you never stopped doing was trying to catch him off guard.

You didn't expect for him to visit today and you weren't about to drop by his houseboat either. It was the weekend, on weekends you lounged around your home not intent on going anywhere unless you absolutely had to. Binging shows and being sprawled out on the couch was part of this weekend ritual. Comfy clothes, small bags of chips, drinks, a few cups, and a bowl were strewn about the coffee table. It's only Friday but to soak in the rest and fun of three days it was always better to get a head start. Sitting up from your comfy position you muttered, “Guess I better do something.” Lazing around for too long wasn't in your best interest. Usually, you'd fall asleep or have to remind yourself that doing nothing isn't bad.

Making your way to a room you set as a workout space but also a sort of gaming room. It was big enough that it could fit a whole desktop setup on one side, a pole in the corner, and a place to set up an aerial hoop. It was kind of a play place for yourself, another area to unwind but in a more active way. You started to stretch first as you turned on your favorite playlist to wind down too. Feeling your body become looser, easier to bend and do more, you hopped up onto the hoop. Holding onto the sides of the hoop you let your body bend over the bottom of bottom of it, using your leg to spin you slowly around. After a moment of just spinning, adjusting your body to the rigid circle, you sat up to try out routines to some of the songs on your playlist.

Being in the zone, and the music being loud, you didn't notice‘your boy’ walking through the front door. As you spun, did flips, legs spread to closed, from the top of the hoop to the bottom in a cropped tank and underwear. He didn't call your name, hearing the music he had a feeling you wouldn't hear him, but that's when his spidey senses kicked in. Rushing to the room you were in he stopped seeing you drop from the hoop and just hang on to it. Your eyes were closed, a smile on your face, and looking at peace. Hobie just leaned against the wall watching you. Landing on the floor you were about to head to your pole but upon opening your eyes you spot him.

"You like what you see?" and he just nods, walking into the room to sit down in your gaming chair. He's been in here before and even asked what the hoop and pole were for. Hobie definitely knew about the pole, he wanted to hear it come from your mouth, but you shut him down with an ‘exercise.’ being a bit distracted that day with your computer. Getting beside him, slightly bending over, you turn down the music and set up another song. "Looked absolutely stunnin' up there, how long you've been a' it fo'?" He leaned back a bit in the chair, deep brown eyes focused on you. "To get that good? Some years. Before you came in? A couple of hours at most." You smirked looking down at him, "What, you tryna get up there?" He shrugged, which was a sign for you to possibly teach him someday but noticing the way his pants seemed a bit tighter in one spot, it wouldn't be today.

Crossing your arms over your chest, you two were locked in a staring contest for a moment. That is until his eyes started trailing your body. Tracing your brown skin, your twists with added hair were pulled up into a bun and the parting was still fresh, though the baby hairs had sweated out a bit. "You just gonna stare at your peng black ting or are ya gonna say somethin'?" You mimicked his slang as your smirk turned into a smile and he mirrored it, letting out a low chuckle, "Low it, peng ain' enough to describe you righ' now love." He looked so relaxed in your chair, manspreading, hands on his stomach, eyeing you so intensely. Walking to the pole you told him to hit play on the music you had set up.

"What, you're gonna put on a show for me?" He said and was met with your eyes looking back at him with the same intensity, hand on your hip, "You don't wanna see some ass?" He was quick to listen to your request after that, swiveling from the computer and immediately to you. Watching you just made the bulge in his pants become more noticeable and the ache to do something about it stronger. The simple sensuality of the chorus and the picked-up moves and tricks when the song hit its verses. Sure he was horny as hell, but also enraptured by the skill. As the song slowed down you were wrapped around the pole, spinning slowly. The glow of the led lights around the room reflected on your brown skin in the same way it did his and his piercings. Etheral. That was the word that came to mind as he watched your little show.

"C'mere." He paused the music without looking and went to pull you closer, shooting a web at your wrist and you stumbled forward giggling. You sat on his lap and rolled your hips to which he tossed his head back and let out a low grown and a laugh of his own. Placing his hands on your hips and swooping in to kiss and lick at your neck. Wrapping your arms around his neck as he picked you up. Legs clinging to his thin waist, folding over each other. Your lips lock in a heated makeout session and before you know it he's looming over you on the bed.

His mouth trailing from you neck to your chest as he left kisses and marks on his way down his hand was in your underwear. Teasing at you as your low whimpers and whines told him just how much you wanted him. Hobie stopped, lifting your legs to be on his shoulders, "Get louder for me, you know you wan' to" Looking down at him, squinting as he shot you that all to confident smirk before eating you out, and now it was your turn to follow commands. Your small whimpers turning into moans and crys of his name. Hobie was always skilled getting you to be more vocal.

Hobie's mouth and fingers prepping you, pleasuring you to unbelievable heights, everytime without fail. Right before you reached your climax he stopped all together earning a frustrated whine and pouting from you. "Hol' on, can't let your hair being up go to was'e can we?" He helped you to sit up before getting off of you to take off his jeans; belts and chains falling to the floor. You couldn't help almost pouncing on him as you pulled down his boxers to reveal his dick. Taking a moment to just stroke at it, kiss and lick at the tip; hearing his own whines and pleas for more, you obliged.

Taking him in to your mouth and throat as much as you could before you started to gag slightly. Hobie always put your gag reflexes to the test, but you neverminded it. Everytime you gave him a blowjob his praise made you want to do more, hear him more and he always made sure to keep you at a pace that had you comfortable to drooling. Draping your arms around his waist as his hand guided your head back and forth on his shaft, he could feel himself getting closer and that's when you pulled away with one gentle lick to his tip.

Pulling him back on top of you by the hem of his shirt you whispered to him, "Enough teasing," Hobie slid off your underwear as you moved to help him and finished your sentence, "unless you want to be left high and dry tonight?" He shook his head, "Not my intentions a' all babe." Kissing and biting at your neck once more as he slowly slid in. There wouldn't be more teasing, but he always had to get some kind of comeback in if he could.

Feeling him bottom out inside of you, the two of you let out a groan of euphoria before your legs went around his waist again. His pace slow, his hands running up your sides and rubbing circles into your hips; to fast, those huge palms gripping your hips as praise and groans fell from his lips and to your ear. Hobie's face was nestled in the crook of your neck, your legs shifted from his hips to his shoulders, as he plowed into you. Going as deep as he could, "Fuck, got a... vice grip.." he muttered, barely being able to utter his usual flirtatious teasings. He was close; egging him on didn't do any better because you were just as fucked out and desperate to cum as he was. "Yea, then... cum for me baby.. let it all out.~" The ‘out’ became a scream of your oncoming orgasm as you felt him reach down between you two to help you along quicker. Releasing at the same time he helped you ride the wave of your orgasm by gradually slowing his pace before pulling out and swiping his fingers at your entrance to get a taste, you stared at each other again. Watching him lick his fingers clean, "After you've gotten ya rest, we can pick up again." He said then kissed your forehead before getting a towel to clean you up.

#hobie brown smut #hobie x black!reader #hobie x gn reader

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danceswithsporks · 9 months ago

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Awake- Part 1

Crosshair X Innkeeper!reader

** Not Canon to Season 3 **

Part 3 of the Complete Series

Story summary: Crosshair has seen both sides of the board when it comes to finding his place in a changing galaxy. Now that he knows the truth and is a free man, will he be able to adjust? Or will he need the guiding light of an innkeeper?

Authors notes: Well here we are! Part 3 of the Complete Series! Excited and nervous to get into Crosshairs story during all of this! So sorry for the long wait between Calm and Awake, but I truly hope this was worth the wait and you all enjoy the story!!

Awake, you loved being awake this early. The sun was just barely cresting above the horizon and coating the sea in a soft orange hue. The moon yos were still asleep as was the rest of the island. Your fingernails tapped against the ceramic of your mug filled with warm delicious caf as you watched fishermen leave their homes and make their way down the island to their boats. Your inn was currently empty, the Empire’s new rules and regulations making traveling more difficult for everyone. Once the sun came up you’d get a few islanders coming in for a meal but other than that it was just you in your big seven-room inn.

One of those rooms was your private apartment, set up to have everything you’d need without having to go out into your inn. The other six rooms were basic and held the essentials. A bed, a desk and chair, a dresser and a lamp. You also had a dining room with four different tables, a common area that housed a warm fireplace, a kitchen in which you did all your group cooking, and the patio that you were currently standing on. Usually, you'd take your morning caf in your apartment but with no one around you’d decided to take the opportunity to just enjoy your inn to the fullest.

You watched as one of the clones who’d taken up residence at the top of the island walked by you. Wrecker, that was his name. The fishermen loved having him around to help with the ships and the day's catch. Your friend, Stitches, simply loved him. Even if she wouldn’t admit it yet. Two others arrived with him, his brothers Tech and Hunter. Your other dear friend, Chai, had feelings for Tech. You envied both women, finally finding the ones that warmed their hearts. Tech had saved Chai’s life a few months prior when a tsunami had hit your island and in turn, a bond had been formed. From what she told you about the clone, he had some kind of feelings for her as well. Both of them couldn’t see it yet, but you could. As for Stitches and Wrecker, well some kind of interaction had happened between the two of them on the same night of the tsunami making the two of them develop feelings for one another. For both parties, it seemed things had only escalated since then.

The leader of the group of clones, Hunter, nodded to you as he walked by your patio and down the path toward the docks. You didn’t know too much about him, only that he kept to himself for the most part. From what Stitches told you, he cared only for the safety of his brothers and their sister Omega. Omega, an odd little girl with a heart of pure gold. She’d joined Stitches on one of her visits to your inn a few weeks ago. She’d been intensely interested in the ins and outs of an inn and how it all worked as well as the customers you’d had. Mainly if any bounty hunters had stayed with you. The truth was that you didn’t know if you’d had any bounty hunters as customers. You tended to avoid delving too deep into your customers' personal lives unless they became regular. Which was very far and few between.

Stitches had mentioned to you that two other members of their group weren’t around, Crosshair and Echo. Both had left on their own and while Omega talked your ear off about Echo when she’d visited, she hadn’t mentioned Crosshair at all. You wondered what had happened there. The first foghorn of the morning rang out across the island as the first of the ships left the docks and the thoughts of the clone brothers and sister quickly left your mind. Soon your regulars from the island would be stopping in for breakfast, it was time to get to work.

-*-

“CT- 9904 it is time to awaken.” Emerie stared into the cell of the clone who’d stunned her over a week ago. His mood had decreased exponentially after his escape attempt. No doubt a result of the neurotoxin Hemlock used.

Crosshair reluctantly opened his eyes and stared at the bright light in his cell. “What now?” He was tired of these constant tests.

“Your message has been decoded. Doctor Hemlock has questions for you.” She tapped at her datapad a few times before nodding to the two guards with her. “Bring him to interrogation room eight.”

A long sigh left Crosshair as he sat up and extended his wrists for the restraints that would be coming. “What, rooms one through seven are too busy?”

Emerie ignored the snarky comment and turned to step out of the way of the guards. Crosshair reluctantly walked by her with his hands in front of him. The walk to the interrogation room was silent save for the sound of droids moving by them and the cries of the clones who’d lost their minds. Emerie found she held no sympathy for the clones in these cells. They were traitors to the Empire and thus would be treated as such. If only they’d submit to the reprogramming that was offered to them, their lives would become so much easier.

The door to the room opened with a hiss making the medical droid within turn towards them. It hovered with a tray of supplies momentarily before placing them down and moving to the side of the room. “On the table. Strap him down.” Her eyes never moved from her datapad as she spoke.

“Do whatever you want. I have nothing to share with you.” He wouldn’t crack, he wouldn’t waiver. He’d tell them nothing even if it meant his death. Crosshair had made a lot of mistakes in the last year. Choosing not to completely rat his siblings out was not one of them. If the Empire knew even a fraction of what he knew when it came to clone force ninety-nine and how they worked then they’d have been found a lot sooner. But Crosshair was nothing if not loyal to his brothers at the end of the day. Sure. He’d hunted them down in the beginning to get the girl back but his eyes had been opened after Kamino. He only regretted that it took his mission with Mayday to fully see how worthless he was to the Empire.

Mayday, the clone who didn’t deserve to die. Crosshair found himself thinking about him a lot these days. How he could have protected the man and saved him? How they could have survived that avalanche better and found help somewhere else. So many variables that he thought about constantly. The sound of the restraints on the table drew his attention as he was secured to the cold metal. Emerie moved next to him and stared for a moment. “What?”

She didn’t care for this clone, he was a traitor, not her brother. A traitor. “Give us the information he requires and make this easier for yourself, CT-9904.” Make it easier on them both. “Where is the clone named Omega?”

“I don’t know.” Hissed Crosshair while eyeing the large needle on the tray nearby. No doubt the same mixture from the last time he was here. Knowing Hemlock though, it was more potent.

Glasses were adjusted as Emerie suppressed a sigh before continuing. “Ct-9904, you sent an encrypted message containing the phrase ‘Plan eighty-eight’. What does that mean?”

Crosshair hissed as the needle punctured his neck and the solution was injected into him. The chemical burned in his veins. “You figure it out.” He wouldn’t give them up. No matter how much this hurts.

“How do you know how to contact them?” She tapped at her datapad and the restraints around his wrist began to hum as electricity prepared to course through them. “How do you contact the clone unit known as Clone Force ninety-nine?”

The sting of the electricity around his wrists made Crosshair tense. He could survive this. This was nothing compared to the sting of betrayal if he gave up his brothers. “I. Don’t. Know.”

This would be a long interrogation at this rate. Emerie sighed. “Think for yourself, CT-9904. You can stop all of this right now if you give me the information I want. To show she was serious, she reached to the table and held up a small vial. “I have the antidote to the neurotoxin racing through your veins.” She tapped her datapad and lowered the electricity power. “Take a moment to think, Crosshair.”

His eyes shifted to stare at her as she used his name. It was the first time he’d heard it in months aside from hearing himself say it or in his dreams. It had to be a trick. What was her angle? She moved the vial of antidote side to side for him to see, the liquid within moving in unison and drawing him in. Relief was right there, all he had to do was answer a question.

-*-

“Crosshair, please.” Gentle hands cupped his face as pure eyes stared into his. “Open up to me? Let me know the real you.”

“You couldn’t begin to understand what I’ve been through.” Crosshair tried to pull away from the hands but found himself stopped.

“ Let me try, sniper. Let me be the one to listen to you and know you. Let me love you.” She cooed sweetly to him while stepping forward and pressing her body against his. “Let me be yours, Cross.”

“Cross. CROSSHAIR”

Crosshair groggily opened his eyes and looked towards the sound of someone saying his name. His name? Looking at the door to his cell, he saw blonde locs and young brown eyes staring at him. No. Why was she here? “Kid?” He sat up quickly and moved to the door.

“Crosshair. You’re ok!” She looked over her shoulder quickly before looking back to the clone. “I don’t have a lot of time. I’m just glad to see you’re ok.”

“What are you doing here?” Were they here to rescue him?

“Hemlock found us and threatened the others. I gave myself up to protect them.” She didn’t look at him as she spoke, instead opting to stare at her feet.

Now that she mentioned it, he could see the prisoner's uniform on her. “What!” He hissed loudly. Hemlock had found them? Had threatened Tech, Hunter, Wrecker, and Echo? A fury burned inside the sniper at her words. He’d strangle Hemlock the moment he could. But wait. “How are you here?”

“Hemlock is letting Nala Se use me as an assistant like before.” She reached into her pocket and pulled out a ration bar. Carefully she slid it through the slot designed for food on the door to the clone. “I heard they don’t feed you guys enough. Take mine.” She didn’t like the taste of rations anyway.

Crosshair carefully took the ration stick and placed it on the floor next to him. “You can’t come back here Omega. Ya need to think about yourself.” If they found her here talking to him.

“Omega.” A familiar voice cut through the space. “You should not be down here.”

Crosshair glared at Emerie as she walked down the hall to them both. “Leave her alone. She was just leaving.”

“It is not wise for you to be down here. We must go before you are discovered.” Emerie placed her hand on the shoulder of Omega. She ignored Crosshair.

“Wait. I need to tell him something.” Omega felt herself turned away from Crosshair and prepared to walk. She needed him to hear this from her and not someone else.

Emerie looked down the hall for any sign of guards or Hemlock. “I will relay the message to you later. We must go.”

“Go, Kid.” Why was Emerie being so protective over her? He thought back to the interrogation room two weeks prior. She was kind to him then as well. What was going on?

Omega looked over her shoulder towards Crosshair and nodded. She trusted Emerie to tell Crosshair about Tech. Maybe she’d get lucky and run into him in the clinic and she could tell him then. It just needed to be her. She wiggled out of Emerie’s touch and ran to the cell door, her fingers gripping the metal. “I’ll be back.”

Crosshair shook his head while Emerie watched them. He didn’t trust her. “Don’t come back.” He didn’t intend for the words to be so harsh but she needed to not come back here. She needed to focus on herself. Pulling his hands away from the door, he stood and walked to the bed.

“Come, Omega. We must be going.” Emerie gestured for Omega to start walking and the girl finally obliged. She wondered what was so important for the child to tell CT-9904. Whatever it was she’d pass the information along. If only to help the girl trust her more. Out of all the people who deserved to be here, the child was not one of them.

Nodding solemnly, Omega pulled away from the door and walked away from Crosshair. She wouldn’t listen to him, she’d come back and see him as often as she could.

-*-

It would be nearly two weeks before Crosshair saw Omega again. Two long weeks of uncertainty and upset. It hadn’t been Emerie who’d told him about Tech. He hadn’t seen the woman in days. No, it had been Hemlock. The asshole had told him while getting ready to torture him again.

“I’ve heard your sister has been to see you. A good reunion?” Hemlock stepped around the table that Crosshair was strapped to. The doctor had taken a liking to testing his latest creations on the clone in hopes of breaking him finally.

Crosshair twitched on the table but continued his refusal to answer. “Where. Is. Omega?” He hadn’t seen her in four days since she’d first come to see him. In all honesty, he’d expected she wouldn’t have given up so easily when it came to seeing him. The fact it had been so long had surprised him.

”Omega is on restricted privileges right now. Far too many attempts to visit you and other clones.” Sighing, he walked around the table while tapping his fingers on the metal. “Nonetheless, she will acclimate to our ways here and be given back her privileges in time. That the ways of the Empire are here to help you. Not restrict you.” He stopped next to Crosshair's head and leaned down. “While there’s still hope for CT-9901 and CT-9903 to understand this I’m afraid CT-9902 will not be able to.” Crosshair's eyes shifted to him, catching the man’s attention. “Ah, you didn’t know? Omega failed to tell you?” Hemlock pulled away from Crosshair while clicking his tongue against his teeth a few times. “Tsk tsk tsk. She should have told her brother that his twin was dead.”

No. Tech couldn’t be dead. The batch was indestructible. They’d survived Kamino being destroyed with them inside of it. Surely Tech could have survived whatever Hemlock had done. His eyes stared daggers into Hemlock's skin. He didn’t believe him.

Hemlock chuckled deeply as he stepped over to the syringe waiting on the medical tray. “You don’t believe me? A shame. I have no reason to lie to you.” Holding the needle up, he tapped it a few times to remove the air bubbles before returning to Crosshair. “Help me find clone force ninety-nine and I’ll allow you to see Omega.” He watched as Crosshair turned his head away from him and stared at the ceiling. “All I am trying to do is show them the benefits of working for the Empire rather than against it. With your help, you, your brothers, and your sister could earn the life you want. Instead of them being on the run.” The syringe was held up for the restricted clone to see. “So I’ll ask again, CT-9904. Where is Clone Force ninety-nine currently hiding?”

Letting them go so easily after taking Omega had been a mistake. He needed them and their desirable mutations when it came to his dark trooper program. But he was desperate for the young clone to be returned to get Nala Se to work. The Kaminoan had refused to do any work until the girl had been retrieved thus putting them behind schedule to an almost concerning point. It wasn’t until he returned and looked at the latest numbers in the program did he realize the abilities of Clone Force Ninety-Nine would be useful to him. He had CT-9904 and though he hadn’t turned yet, he would at some point. They all cracked eventually. When he did then Hemlock would be able to use his superior sniper skills to train his dark troopers. “Help me to help you.”

Crosshair could still remember the pain from that night. Hemlock's concoctions were becoming more potent. He shifted in his bed while wincing at the pain in his arm. The day prior another clone had tried to free the others and pull off a prison break. Crosshair had been foolish enough to try and join in an attempt to find Omega. The clone who’d led the prison break had been killed on sight and the rest of them punished. His punishment? His dominant arm was broken.

The guard who’d broken his arm had spoken to him briefly while returning him to his cell. “Even if you did escape you’d be useless as a sniper now. Is there a reason for you to escape?” Those words had cut deep for the sniper.

His arm had been placed in a sling to slowly heal as opposed to him being placed in a bacta chamber. A feeling that Crosshair found painfully uncomfortable, a constant reminder of what happened when you tried to flee the mountain. No one left Tantis. Not alive at least.

“Crosshair!”

Omega’s voice surprised Crosshair and he visibly jumped. “Omega. What are you doing here?” How did she get out of her cell?

“Nala Se let me out. Something is about to happen, I don’t have much time but be prepared.” Omega looked over her shoulder before looking back to Crosshair. Her eyes caught sight of the sling and she frowned. So he had been punished during the last prison break as well.

“What are you talking about? No one would be foolish enough to try and break out after the last attempt.” It had just happened, no one would be dumb enough to try again. He didn’t bother moving from the bed this time, instead opting to lie down and simply listen to the girl.

“Nala Se got a message out. Plan thirty-seven.” A noise behind her drew her attention for a moment. It wouldn’t be Emerie this time. Not after the clone had raised concerns about the amount of testing going on with Omega. Nor after Emerie tried to help Omega escape a week ago. Omega hadn’t seen Emerie since then and Hemlock told her she wouldn’t. Hemlock had Emerie disposed of after it was clear the woman was no longer under his control. It seemed he wouldn’t keep anything from the girl. “I can’t stay long.”

Plan thirty-seven. Coordinated attacks from both inside and outside with trust in the information. The only problem was that they didn’t know when it would happen. “This place is nearly impenetrable. Don’t be a fool and believe they’re coming, Omega.”

She looked back at the defeated clone and shook her head quickly. “They’re coming. We just need to be ready.” The noise echoed through the halls once more and she moved away from the door. “I need to go. Be. Ready.”

Before Crosshair could say anything back, she was gone. Crosshair let out a long sigh as he closed his eyes. The poor girl was about to have her heart broken. There was no way that the batch would be able to survive an assault on Tantis.

It would be foolish to dream as such.

Taglist:

@rndmpeep @sarahskywalker-amadala @queenariesofnarnia @idoubleswearimawriter @bambambunny @ravenclawbitch426 @jupitersaturnapollo @mzjakao @heylosers06 @dangraccoon @impala1967666 @andrakass2 @ducks118 @motte-the-goblin @rintheemolion @merkitty49 @jediknightjana @onyxtides @moon-wrecked @mssbridgerton @griffedeloup

#clone wars fic #the bad batch fic #tbb crosshair x reader #tbb crosshair x you #tbb crosshair #crosshairs bad batch #the bad batch crosshair #Spotify

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a-babe-without-a-name · 5 months ago

Text

Sister Lovers, Water Brothers

Chapter Six: The Dive

Masterlist

Steve wasn’t happy with the way Munson was treating one of his kids. So unhappy in fact, that he forces himself into their club leader’s van to see what he’s getting up to with Chrissy Cunningham, and maybe it’s a good thing he’s so paranoid because it might just save her life.

Or, the one where Chrissy doesn’t die in the Munson trailer, and, despite the world-ending, the king(former) and queen(current) of Hawkins High cannot take their eyes off Eddie Munson

Read on AO3 (content warnings in notes on A03)

Chief Powell knew that just because this was the third body he’d seen, it wasn’t going to be any easier to look at. Andy had been the one who called, panicked and crying as he ranted about Chrissy Cunningham and freaks and broken bones. Eventually, they had gotten a location out of him and were on the scene in under 10. Powell and his officers found Andy sitting on the front step of local drug supplier Rick Lipton’s house. Powell cursed himself for not thinking to look there, leave it to him to be outsmarted by a fucking high schooler at a time like this. Andy had a rag soaked in blood wrapped around his hand, he noted to have Callahan inquire about that when other matters were figured out.

Andy was still shaking when Powell leaned down to him, “Where is he?”

Wordlessly Andy stood and walked quickly around the side of the house. They found Jason sitting on the ground, facing the slope down to Lover’s Lake, holding Patrick McKinney’s body. Powell choked back bile as he approached, he could hear Jason breathing heavily as he cradled his dead friend in his lap, staring out over the lake. He didn’t need to be close to tell that Patrick’s body was identical to Anne Carver’s and Fred Benson’s. The gaping eyes and broken limbs were enough to draw Powell to the conclusion that they had been killed by the same person. Thing. Whatever it was.

Both Patrick and Jason were soaked, they must have been out in the lake when it happened. Powell’s head was swarming with what questions to ask. He knew this was going to fall back on Eddie Munson and, knowing he shouldn’t have any conclusions at this point, it was getting less and less believable that he was the one doing this.

Powell had been having run-ins with Munson for years, but rarely were they because of violence. Some mild vandalism, the occasional light drug charge, and a few schoolyard fist fights that, in the end, Eddie never started. Powell wouldn’t go as far as to say he was a good kid, but he had a hard time believing he was as violent a killer as the current events made him out to be.

But right now wasn’t the time to believe anything, there was more to deal with. He waved the coroner over as he crouched next to Jason, trying to gently explain what needed to happen. It was going to be another long night, the sooner he got started questioning Jason, the sooner Jason could go home.

Chrissy was nearly halfway around the lake when she had to stop. The adrenaline began to wear out and her muscles began to burn, she could barely catch her breath in the cold air. She was far enough away that she hoped walking to the tree-lined shore would be fine. She needed to find Eddie. They had agreed to meet on the other side of the lake, but that was when Eddie had a boat and Chrissy didn’t have a mouthful of someone else's blood gagging her.

The moon was high, lighting up the entire lake for Chrissy to see as she carefully crunched along the small cliffs of the shore. She couldn’t see or hear Jason and Andy, and she was sure that Patrick was dead. But there was no sign of Eddie, not even the boat.

Chrissy couldn’t help the panic that rose in her chest as she searched for him. What if he couldn’t swim? She hadn’t asked, she just assumed but it wasn’t a given. Or what if he hit his head falling in? Or his clothes were too heavy and dragged him under? Chrissy was starting to hyperventilate at the idea of Eddie’s limp body sinking to the bottom of Lover’s Lake.

“Eddie?” She whispered as loud as she dared into the dark, not able to help herself, “Eddie are you there?”

She moved further down the shore, calling out for him again when the sound of loud splashing in the direction she had just been made her jump.

“Eddie?!” She kept herself from shouting, rushing to the noise as fast as she could without slipping and falling into the lake.

“Chrissy!” He called after her as she approached, “Oh, fuck, Chris are you okay?”

She threw herself into his arms before answering. He was soaking wet, but she didn’t care, she just held on to him. She felt his head drop to her neck as he held her back, shaking.

No. Shivering.

“Fuck,” Chrissy muttered, not moving, “Eddie, you’re soaked! You’re gonna fucking freeze to death.”

“Yeah,” Eddie said, teeth chattering, “It is a bit chilly, huh.”

Only he would make a joke right now. Before Chrissy could respond the sound of sirens cut through the night air, making them freeze. They were headed for Rick's house. For Patrick.

“We need to go,” Chrissy said, stepping away from him, she wasn’t sure where to, just not there.

“I think I know a place,” Eddie said, stepping up away from the lake towards the woods, he paused thinking for a moment, “We’re on the North side of the lake, right?”

“Rick’s house is on the East side right?” Chrissy asked, Eddie nodded as he looked around the woods, “Then yeah, we’re at the North end right now, or near it at least.”

“Okay, yeah, if we just had a little bit more Northwest we’ll reach Skull Rock,” Eddie said, “It’s not a house, but it’s at least sheltered.”

“Works for me,” Chrissy said, grabbing his hand and beginning to walk through the woods Northwest, she hated how cold his fingers felt. Before they got very far, Eddie spotted the boat he used to escape, rocking gently halfway beached on the shore.

“Hold on,” Eddie said, looking around before darting out into the small clearing of the shore and grabbing the rope tied to the bow, looping it tightly around a tree. He clumsily covered it with a tarp folded in the bottom of the boat, “Just in case we need it again,” he told her as he climbed back up the shore, taking her hand again and continuing towards skull rock.

They had been walking for a while, neither of them really leading, just heading in a direction and hoping they’d know when they were close enough. A twig snapping off to their left, made Chrissy freeze and Eddie duck down, pulling her with him. They held their breath as they looked through the trees, waiting for voices or flashlights. Nothing, and then another snap of a twig, and then a relieved sigh from both of them as they caught sight of the whitetail carefully stepping through the brush.

“Fuck,” Eddie shook his head, pinching the bridge of his nose, Chrissy could feel his heart beating in her palm. He looked up and over at her and paused, “Chrissy, are you hurt?”

He brought a quick but gentle hand to her face, tilting her chin up to look her over. She suddenly realized what she probably looked like.

“It’s not my blood.” She assured him, the confusion in his eyes clear, “It’s uh, yeah, it’s not mine. I’m totally, mostly, okay I promise.”

He held his hand there for a moment still before dropping it and standing, helping Chrissy up as well, “I’m making you explain when I’m less cold,” He shivered and continued walking, squeezing her hand.

Eventually, they made it to Skull Rock. The moon lit up the small clearing around it. Carefully they stepped into the open, worried about being so exposed. But when no other shoe dropped, they moved in closer, crouching down to take cover between the cluster of boulders. It wasn’t warmer, but being out of even the slight breeze helped enough. As they went to settle on the ground, Chrissy realized that while Eddie’s hair had dried, his clothes were still soaked.

“Wait, come here,” She stopped moving, backing out from under the rocks where she could stand, Eddie followed easily.

“What’s up?” He asked, worried something was wrong.

“Take your jacket off,” Chrissy slid her hands under the shoulders of his jacket, helping him slide the heavy wet leather off. She laid it over a boulder, hoping the cool air would dry it by morning. He watched her in confusion, not sure what she was doing, “Take your shirt off, too.”

She nodded to his black shirt, stuck to his skin. She began unzipping her cheer jacket. She had gotten it sophomore year, back when her feelings about her body were even worse than now, so it was several sizes too big for her and probably even Eddie.

“Hey, uh, Chris,” Eddie said, fidgeting nervously as he watched her unzip her Jacket, “It’s not that I don’t want to, but I don’t think this is the time or place.”

“What?” She stopped, her jacket bundled in her hand, raising her eyebrow at him.

“Uh, what?” Eddie said, shaking his head, trying to backpedal.

“Take off your wet shirt and wear my dry jacket,” Chrissy clarified, feeling heat rush to her cheeks, “You know, so you don’t freeze.”

“Yeah, no, yeah,” Eddie muttered, “I knew that, totally.”

Chrissy rolled her eyes, but the blush didn’t stop. Especially when Eddie did what she told and pulled his shirt off. Chrissy hated herself for staring at him as he struggled for a moment to get the wet fabric off. He stretched his torso up and she couldn’t help but look at the tattoos on his chest and one she couldn’t quite see on his ribs. She didn’t have time to take him all in, her eyes just reaching the top line of his hips when he was free of his shirt and she quickly glanced away, holding out her jacket to him and swallowing hard.

He stepped closer, but instead of taking it, he grabbed her hand pulling her closer, “Here,” He made her look up at him and, using the hem of his wet shirt to wipe the dried blood from around her chin.

She watched his eyes, focused on her mouth as he carefully wiped away the blood, trying not to be too rough. Even without looking, she was keenly aware of how shirtless he was right now. When he was satisfied, he dropped his hand, using the other to tilt her chin and look her over.

“There,” He smiled, meeting her eyes, “a little less Carrie-esque.”

“Thank you,” Chrissy wasn’t sure if the redness in her face was visible in the light, if it was he didn’t say anything, instead he took the jacket she was offering, easily sliding it over his shoulders and zipping it up. It was tight on his shoulders and biceps, but it fit enough.

“How do I look?” He stepped back, holding his arms out for her to examine.

“Drier.” Chrissy said, and then, “Sorry I can’t offer you my jeans, but I don’t think they’ll fit.”

“Oh, so you want me in your jeans, is what I’m hearing?” Eddie asked, raising an eyebrow and throwing her the dumbest smirk.

“Oh god,” Chrissy groaned, snatching the wet shirt from him, “Will you shut up.”

He laughed, chasing after her as she laid his shirt over the rocks next to his jacket, “I’m sorry! That one was just too easy. Thank you for the jacket, though.”

“Of course,” she went back to the spot between the rocks, crouching and climbing into the little shelter, “It would be embarrassing for you to die of hypothermia after all of this.”

“First the seat belt,” He started, sitting next to her on the ground, “And now this? I'm grateful to have you around to keep me from dying a lame death.”

“Anytime,” She laughed shortly, then yawned exhaustion starting to settle over her.

“Hey, come here.” Eddie, who was leaning against the wall of rock, unzipped his borrowed jacket.

“What are you doing?” Chrissy questioned, but still moved towards him.

“Get in,” He laughed, “You’re pretty and smart, but not immune to hypothermia.”

He held open the baggy sides of the jacket, offering his bare chest to her. Chrissy blushed, but he was right, she was just in a short sleeve right now, plus their body heat together would keep them warmer.

“You really didn’t have to call me smart and pretty,” She rolled her eyes, trying to hide her nerves with snarkiness. She climbed against him anyway, sticking her arms into the jacket and wrapping herself around his bare torso, resting her head against his shoulder.

“Hm, yeah,” He agreed, zipping up the bottom of the jacket around them, locking them together, “But I wanted to.”

Chrissy didn’t reply, she just shook her head and moved closer to him. She could feel both him and herself warming up already, sleep threatening to take her soon. Eddie shifted, wrapping his arms tighter around her and settling in against the rock.

A moment passed and then, “Chris, you still awake?”

“It’s been 30 seconds,” She scoffed, smiling against his skin, eyes closed.

“Are you okay?” He asked, sounding serious.

“What?” Chrissy was confused, they had just been over this that she wasn’t hurt.

“I mean, like,” He struggled to find the right words, “Emotionally? A lot just happened, and… and Jason is your boyfriend and the others were your friends. I just… I don’t know that I would be okay if I were in your position.”

“Hmm,” She thought for a moment, she had been blocking out most of her feelings about the situation, trying to survive the night first, “Probably not, honestly.”

She could feel Eddie press his cheek to the top of her head, when he didn’t respond she continued, “Andy has always been…sick. Just the worst of them, so I’m not surprised he tried to hurt me, but Patrick? He’d always been the nicest, obviously he had his problems, but he never really seemed like Andy or Jason.”

Eddie hummed, acknowledging that he was still listening but not wanting to interrupt.

“And, ex-boyfriend, by the way.” Chrissy felt relieved saying it for the first time, “He… he isn’t him anymore. I mean, like… I loved him a lot when we first got together, but I’ve changed a lot, and he… hasn’t, I guess. Or, well, he has, but he’s changing into his father, which is scary to think about.”

Eddie nodded, thinking about Jason’s dad, the whole town knew him. He was a pastor at the local church.

“He’s been so stifling lately,” She choked back tears, the sudden loss of her first love actually setting in, “I’ve been wanting to end things for a while, I guess. But, I don’t know, I guess I was scared to. He’s so public about me, us, I didn’t want to embarrass him, not right before graduation. I hoped things would end when we went away to school, but those plans changed, and then… then he started talking about getting married and all this other big crazy stuff,” Chrissy shuddered, Eddie held her tighter, “I just can’t do it anymore.”

Realizing she had spilled more than intended, she tried to apologize, “I’m sorry, Eddie, you don’t need to deal with all that right now.”

“Hey, no,” He assured her, running a hand over her arm through the jacket, “No, it’s okay, I asked. I want you to be able to talk about this, I’m sorry I didn’t ask sooner.”

“... thank you, Eddie.” She sniffed, awkwardly wiping away tears and then going back to wrapping her arm around him.

“Anytime, Sunshine,” He pressed a kiss against the top of her head, relaxing against her, “Anytime.”

Erica didn’t know whether to be pissed or anxious about her brother’s absence. At first she hadn’t cared, just covered for him, coolly. She had done so for the past year, knowing she’d get something out of it when he returned. This was longer than he had ever been gone without at least calling or swinging by the house. Now, with the two, three according to the news, high schoolers dead in the past couple of days, Erica couldn’t help the nagging feeling that her big brother could be in trouble.

Her parents were already on the couch watching the news when she came into the room, eager to catch the statement Chief Powell was giving.

“...as many of you know by now, the Roane County Line received a call a little after midnight,” The chief sounded professional, but still anxious as he read off his premade statement, the ever loyal Officer Callahan standing behind his shoulder, “reporting a homicide out here on the lake. Officer Callahan here and myself arrived first on the scene. We made our way to the shore of Lover’s Lake, about ten yards from that house you see behind me. It was there that we found the victim, an 18-year-old senior from Hawkins High, Patrick McKinney.”

Erica recognized the name, it was a teammate of Lucas’s. He was a senior, so friend felt like the wrong word, but Lucas had mentioned him at least once or twice around the dinner table.

Powell regrettably continued his statement, sounding uncomfortable as he began to describe the body, “his limbs…his body, it was uh, disfigured…”

Erica flinched, as much as she reveled in pretend gore and violence, the idea of someone around her brother’s age being mutilated made her sick.

“There was an eyewitness on the scene, who will remain anonymous. We have also identified a person of interest.” Powell held up a black and white photo, “Eddie Munson.”

Erica narrowed her eyes, leaning forward as Chief Powell encouraged anyone with information to come forward, the reporters all clamoring for more information.

There was no way that scrawny freak was the one doing this. Erica just couldn’t believe it. Lucas and Dustin had been involved in crazy shit the past few years and Erica knew about all of it. Eddie, however, had never fallen into that category. She wished she could talk to them- Lucas or Dustin or, hell, even Eddie. She hated this, she hated being 11, and she hated being treated like a kid.

“I know you’ve all got a lot of questions,” Powell continued, “And I’m going to answer as many of them as I can. Two o’clock Town Hall, where anyone from the Hawkins' community is welcome. But right now, I’ve got some work to do, and I appreciate your patience and understanding.”

The reporters began barking questions as Powell walked off towards the cruisers behind him, Officer Callahan following and flashing an awkward thumbs up. Erica’s mind raced with worried thoughts of her brother and friends as her parents began making plans to go to Town Hall already.

Nancy, picked them all up again in the morning, secluding Dustin and Steve to the back bench seats with all of Eddie’s groceries.

Robin was panicking, as usual, and Nancy was doing her best to cool her down. Steve didn’t know when Nancy decided she liked Robin, but in true Nancy fashion, the switch was noticeable. Not only did Rob get the front seat, but now instead of sighing and rolling her eyes Nancy was actually responding, and trying to help. Steve couldn’t say he was thrilled at the prospect, but he trusted Robin and knew she would never spill his feelings about Nancy and the breakup to anyone let alone the leading lady of Steve’s emotional turmoil herself. He also thought Nancy could use a friend.

In the past year she’d only had Johnathan, all the way in California, and school friends that she tended to treat more like co-workers. Everyone needed a Robin, he decided, but Nancy couldn’t have his.

As they rounded the corner, coming up on Rick’s house, Nancy cursed. Half standing in the back of the car didn't give Steve much of a view, but the news van and the amassing crowd could only mean one thing.

Everyone climbed out of the car. They couldn’t have Eddie, Steve told himself. It couldn’t end here, after all they’d done to keep Eddie and Chrissy safe. Before he could truly begin to panic, Dustin’s walkie clicked on,

“Dustin, can you hear me? Wheeler?”

Steve didn’t want to hit Dustin. He just wanted to snatch that stupid broken compass out of his hand and bash it against the nearest rock. If it was Skull Rock, that would just be a bonus, because Steve didn’t think they were ever going to make it there at this rate.

“You do realize that Skull Rock, it’s a super popular make-out spot?”

“Yeah, so?” Dustin bit back, not looking up from the compass.

“Yeah, well, it wasn’t popular until I made it popular,” Steve told him, sure, Martha Jones had shown him the spot freshman year, but he’d still been the one who made it known. “You’re heading in the wrong direction.” Sick of following the direction of a literal child, Steve broke off making a beeline for Skull Rock's actual location.

Dustin called after him, trying to throw them off again, but Steve wasn’t having it. The rest of the group brushed past Dustin to trail after Steve, Lucas threw an apologetic shrug back to his friend.

It was only a short walk to Skull Rock, once they were going the right way, and Steve announced their arrival,

“Bada bing, bada doom! There she is Henderson. In your face man, in your stupid cocky little face.”

“Doesn’t make sense,” Dustin kept arguing, unable to accept that Steve might be right for once.

“Yeah, yeah, even with it staring at you in the face, you can’t admit it,” Steve teased, “can’t admit that you’re wrong you little butthead.” He would have felt bad if the kid didn’t rightfully deserve an ego check, and if Eddie even gave him a chance. Jumping down off one of the rocks that made up the titular skull, Eddie announced,

“I concur, you Dustin Henderson are a…” He paused, and Chrissy appeared from behind him and Eddie helped her down. “total butthead.” he finished, with Chrissy’s hand still tucked into his.

“Jesus, we thought you were a goner,” Dustin let out a sigh of relief and forced Eddie into a hug. Chrissy stepped back, watching fondly as they reunited. Steve was also watching, and accepting that the horrible dread settling in his stomach was a beast of his own making. He’d been the one to invent Skull Rock, and now he had inadvertently pushed his first-ever gay crush to get with the most perfect girl to ever set foot in Hawkins.

Steve never thought he’d want to punch a child, try as Dustin might- but he really, really wanted to punch freshmen Steve.

“Yeah me too, man,” Eddie admitted as they pulled apart.

Steve and Eddie’s eyes met over the kid between them. Steve did his best to imitate the typical guy nod, but all he could think of were the hours he and Chrissy had spent alone, scared and cold. He could see them, clinging to each other for warmth, and comfort, and it was a make-out spot- Steve needed a nap, or maybe a strong drink, anything but the awkward nod that Eddie gave in turn.

Steve let the girls handle interrogating Eddie and Chrissy. He was too distracted to even attempt to help, but he got the gist. The thing with their lights, Venca in his attic, had been him killing Patrick. So they had a target, but no way to reach it.

“We just need to sneak into the upside down and drive a stake through his heart,” Max shrugged.

“A stake? Is he a vamp-” god, had he really zoned out for that long? “Is he a vampire?”

“It was a metaphor,” Max rolled her eyes.

“ I say we should chop his head off,” Lucas offered.

“Shouldn’t a gun work fine?” Chrissy asked, incredulously.

“All of the above,” Nancy, cut them off, “but we can’t do any of that until we find a way into the upside down.”

“We need El to get her powers back,” Max said

“Everything was, like, way easier,” Steve told Eddie and Chrissy, unable to meet either of their eyes, “there was this girl. She had superpowers.”

“Superpowers,” Eddie repeated distractedly, “yeah, you mentioned her.” He glanced down at Chrissy by her side, but she had actually been listening to Steve, trying to wrap her head around superpowers still.

“Hey, uh, Henderson’s not cursed is he?” Eddie asked, pointing his chin over to Dustin pacing back and forth, apart from the rest of the group.

“Cursed? No,” Steve shrugged off, “Mental? Absolutely.”

“Boom!” Dustin shouted, despite the fact, Eddie was a wanted man and they were only partially hidden in the woods. “Bada bada boom,” he continued with a whisper dramatically. Steve blamed Eddie for this sort of behavior, the theatrics were a bit over his head. Yet the way the kids took after Eddie was adorable.

“I was right.” That bitchiness was all Steve, unfortunately, and he was starting to hate how this sounded in his head. “Skull Rock was north,” Dustin continued, despite the very obvious fact that they were already at Skull Rock. Steve tried to explain as much, but the kid was on a roll. He started explaining something about electron magnets and fields, and Steve was lost. Then, despite Steve’s best attempts to get them somewhere safe or at least planned, Dustin wanted to head back into the woods, after some unknown gate.

“What say you, Eddie the Banished?” Henderson asked with a flourish.

Eddie stepped forward, out of the shadow of the rocks, and let Chrissy’s hand drop from his. He stared off at the sun coming through the trees, dramatic as always.

“I say you’re asking me to follow you into Mordor, which…” he focused on Dustin, “if I’m totally straight with you I think is a really bad idea, but, uh, the shire…” Eddie glanced behind him towards Chrissy, “the shire is burning, so to Mordor it is.”

And that seemed to be final.

With Eddie following, Dustin was off like a shot, and everyone else fell into line or feared being left behind.

“What is Mordor?” Steve asked aloud, though apparently the only one who was confused.

“Don’t worry about it,” Chrissy reassured with a warm smile and a hand on his arm as she passed him to keep up with the rest, “Let the nerds worry about that, we’re just here to look pretty.”

“Yeah you are,” Eddie smirked, as he rushed back to collect the water and walkie that he’d stolen that morning. Chrissy flushed, but Steve refused to and instead, turning his embarrassment into annoyance, said,

“Get your stuff dude, let's go.”

For a moment, Steve thought he was doing well, treating Eddie like anyone else, or one of the kids even, but then he ran to the front of the group, dragging a giggling Chrissy behind him by the hand, and Steve allowed himself one deep self-loathing sigh.

“You gotta be shitting me,” Steve sighed when they burst out of the tree line, steps away from stumbling into the lake.

“I thought these woods looked familiar,” Eddie said bitterly, lifting a tarp to reveal the boat he had borrowed from Rick.

“This is confounding,” Dustin exclaimed, and Steve wished he’d just talk normally sometimes. It turned out not to be that confounding, however, as Nancy was able to quickly piece together that Venca must be leaving behind gates when he attacked, and their trek through the woods was becoming a full-on voyage.

Unspeaking, Eddie and Steve moved together to get the boat situated in the water. Eddie fumbled it and muttered an embarrassed apology when it splashed Steve.

Robin got on first, ignoring the hand Steve held out to steady her, and instead used both of the boys' heads for balance. Nancy followed close behind her, snatching up the offered hand and claiming a seat towards the front of the boat, and Eddie crawled on behind her. Once stable, he turned back to help Chrissy on, with one hand holding her around the waist and the other grabbing her hand.

The kids and Steve were left on shore. He saw himself getting left behind, and quickly pushed the boat out, planting one foot in the water to do so, and practically threw himself on board.

“Hey!” Dustin whined when he realized he was being left behind.

“Sorry,” Steve shrugged, “not enough room.”

“Besides someone’s got to watch Max,” Nancy added on, shooting him a look like he was supposed to be supporting her.

“It’s my goddamn theory!” he complained.

“Listen to Nancy,” Robin warned, then claimed that Nancy was in charge. Steve was more worried about rowing than logistics, but he never really thought of Nancy being in charge. Sure she was one with the plans, but that didn’t mean any of them really knew what they were doing. That much was evident as they rowed out into the middle of the lake watching for the compass to give some sort of signal.

When it began to spin rapidly they slowed and radioed the kids back on shore.

Since it appeared that they’d found the gate, and no one else was going to do anything about it Steve took off his shoes, quickly followed by his socks.

“What are you doing?” Nancy asked, sounding worried.

“Somebody's gotta go down there to check this thing out,” He explained, “Unless one of you can top being a Hawkins High swim co-captain and a certified lifeguard for three years, then it’s gotta be me. No complaints alright?”

“Hey,” Eddie shrugged, “I am not complaining,” He dumped out the bag he kept tucked inside his jacket and wrapped it around one of their flashlights, “I do not want to go down there.”

Steve stood, rocking the boat as he moved, and when Eddie looked back up he was met with the expanse of Steve’s bareback. No sir, Eddie was not complaining even a little bit. Hawkins had not been wrong to pick Harrington as their heartthrob and he couldn’t help but try to save the image in his mind. He wanted to rub it in all those girls who’d gone out with Steve that Eddie had gotten a piece of something that was theirs, that he could enjoy Steve Harrington the same as all them.

For a moment, a burnt-out dream reared its hopeful little head, and Eddie remembered days where he’d thought of guys, men, taking him by the hand and pulling him along- not drunkenly, or hornily, but lovingly and joyfully.

He looked over at Chrissy, who was nervously watching the water and squeezed at her hand. She squeezed back, eyes locked on him.

It was okay, not every dream had to come true. Because here was Chrissy Cunningham, the sweetest person Eddie had ever met, who apparently had one hell of a bite attack, and she was looking at him.

Suddenly Eddie felt a bit guilty for checking Steve out. He had honestly assumed everyone was when Nancy started gawking, but Chrissy hadn’t even wanted a peek.

“Hey, Good luck,” Eddie said and looked up at Steve, which was a bad decision. Steve turned back to him, shoulder and chest on display as he reached for the flashlight, and Eddie couldn’t help but think of running his hands over that skin. Chrissy was right there, but then again Steve was straight, right, so looking could hurt. With the flashlight gone, Eddie needed something to do. He needed a smoke.

“Thanks,” Steve breathed and tossed his shirt back at Eddie, who caught it but set it aside to pull out a cigarette and lighter. When he tried to light it, however, Robin plucked it from his mouth and tossed it in the water with a short,

“Gross.”

Chrissy let out a disappointed, “awe.”

Steve took a few quick breaths, preparing himself, and just as he launched from the boat, Nancy called after him,

“Steve?” but it went unheard.

Dustin, Max, and Lucas anxiously waited and watched at the shore. It had been almost a whole minute since Steve disappeared below the surface of Lovers Lake.

“Come on, Steve,” Dustin watched through the binoculars, knowing he was running out of time. Steve’s record was barely two minutes, and that was in the shallow end of his pool, sitting stock still, not swimming to the very bottom of a lake, “C’mon…”

Dustin found himself counting down the seconds when the sound of radios and beams of flashlights began cutting through the dark wood.

“Shit,” Lucas hissed, grabbing Max’s arm, “Down! Down.”

The three of them dropped to the forest floor, hiding behind a fallen log. They watched as the people crept closer, shouting to each other about noise at the shoreline.

“Dustin! You are a goddamn Einstein!” Robin’s voice shouted through the walkie before Dustin could switch it off, “Steve found the gate-”

“Cops,” Max observed the whoop of a siren cutting above the chatter.

Dustin cursed, gritting his teeth.

“We can’t let ‘em find Eddie,” Lucas said, eyebrows furrowed as he tried to think of a plan.

Max was quicker, glancing around the woods before making a decision.

“Stay with me.” She said, hopping up from the cold ground, “Hey, officers!”

Dustin and Lucas hushed Max like the cops couldn’t possibly have heard her screaming up the hill at them.

“Over here!” She threw her bag over her shoulder, “I found the killer! This way!”

The boys groaned, cursing as they jumped up from the ground and followed Max as she darted away from the shore and into the woods.

Cold enveloped Steve, as bubbles rushed up around him.

It had been so long since he’d swam like this, in the cold even when his bones ached for sleep. It had been common practice when he was on the swim team when they met through the winter at the crack of dawn. Most swimming he did nowadays was when the kids ambushed his house in the summer, declaring pool days whenever they could. How could he deny them, when the pool his parents kept up went otherwise unused?

He dived deeper, feeling the pressure building in his ears, but with the light, he could see how close the bottom was. The lakebed was littered with old trash, a sunken boat, and picked-clean fish skeletons. Amongst the refuse, the gate made itself easily known as a bright red light emanating from it. Steve stared down and looked like a giant red eye glaring back up at him.

With a shaky hand, he reached out and brushed the veined membrane with his fingertips, causing something on the other side to reveal itself, flashing darkly against the light.

Startled by the revelation of another living thing down there, Steve pulled away and then pushed off the floor, dropping the flashlight in his rush. He reached the surface gasping for air and spitting out,

“I found it,” along with a mouth full of water.

“It’s down there?” Chrissy confirmed, unsure if she should be happy or weary.

“I found it, yeah,” Steve repeated, the cold getting to him as air blew through his wet hair, “I found it.”

“Dustin, you’re a goddamn Einstein,” Robin said into the walkie when something jerked at Steve's ankle.

The three kids sprinted as fast as they could through the brush, leading the police away from where they had left Eddie and the others. Dustin could hear them being shouted after, the voices getting closer and closer as he began to run out of stamina.

An unfortunately placed root sent Dustin flailing to the ground as his shoe caught on it, his flashlight clattering out of his hand. Lucas cursed, stopping immediately as he noticed his best friend fall, turning to go back.

Chief Powell was on Dustin in an instant. “Hey there,” He panted, grabbing Dustin by the shoulders. Dustin hung his head, knowing they were caught but grateful it was them instead of Eddie or Chrissy.

Steve hardly had time to breathe, let alone think, before something was dragging him back down into the lake and towards the evil red glow emanating there. In the panic, and the silence of the water Steve was able to focus in on something wet and strong wrapped around his ankle. The vines- he thought of the vines covering the wall of the cave the kids had dragged him into, and the way they’d tried to trap them. This one wasn’t holding him in place however, it was dragging him through the gate he’d found, and flipping him onto his back as he reached the other side.

Above him the sky was dark and stormy, flashing that same warning red as the gate, like blood boiling over. Steve managed to get back on his feet and take in his withered and waterless surroundings before a warbling screech echoed around him. Against the dark sky, he could hardly make out something flying above him, just hearing the beating of their wings as they circled in closer.

Desperate for some sort of protection, he grabbed one of the oars in the boat next to him, trapped in vines, just in time to swipe out when one of the bat-like creatures swooped down. Three of them descended, lashing out with their whip-like tails. For a moment, Steve managed to beat them off, keep them far enough away, until one caught him around the neck.

He went down, the bat lifting him just enough to rip away his balance and lay him out flat, knocking the breath out of him. The other bats continued to dive at him, their claws catching at his sides as he tried to work his fingers under the tail tightening around his neck.

It was fruitless. He couldn’t breathe.

The other bats landed on either side of him and sank in their dagger-like beaks shredding open his stomach. He could hear the loud wet sound of his own flesh being ripped open, and he knew there was no way this was not the end.

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queer-writers-poll · 4 months ago

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ARTHUR RIMBAUD (1854 - 1891): poet

Works: The Drunken Boat, Illuminations, Voyelles

_____

SOR JUANA INES DE LA CRUZ (1648 - 1695): poet, philosopher, composer

Works: Foolish Men, House of Desires

#round one #queer writers poll #arthur rimbaud #sor juana ines de la cruz #lgbtq #dark academia

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hometoursandotherstuff · 2 months ago

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Here's a very nice 1990 boat house in Seattle, WA. 2bd, 2ba, 950 sq ft, $1.7m.

I've never seen a boat house that didn't have nautical theme inside. This one looks like a modern duplex.

It's open, gets lots of natural light, and has a great view.

It's also open concept.

The kitchen's cute with brightly colored laminate cabinetry.

The sofa faces a wall of windows with a great view of the boats. There's a loft above, too. It's typically small, but not as tight as others I've seen.

The primary bedroom, up in the loft, has the same view out the wall of windows as the living room. It also has lots of built-in cabinetry.

Looking down from the primary bedroom.

Bedroom #2 has twin beds and lots of built-ins, also.

If you just need a guest room, the beds double as sofas.

The 2nd bedroom's smaller bath also houses the washer/dryer.

There's a nice deck on the water.

Small boat slip on the side of the house.

Parking area by the mailboxes.

This is the "street."

The house is at an angle on its landing b/c they usually really squeeze them in.

949.61 sq ft lot on Lake Union.

https://www.zillow.com/homedetails/933-N-Northlake-Way-SLIP-14-Seattle-WA-98103/58385774_zpid/?

#houseboats #boat houses #houses #house tours #home tour

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thekimonogallery · 2 years ago

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Surrounding the coast of Ine Bay, there are about 230 boat houses, called “Funaya” in Japanese. by Japanese photographer TAKU 🍥 @maybeeeeem

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smiley-mcdoggington · 1 month ago

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Do the twins still come visit Stan (Ford) in this AU or has he pretty much cut all ties to anybody else outside of gravity falls? And does weirdmageddon still happen? Also as much as I love the canon ending of them making up and sailing away together, how do you see it winding up in this AU? I mean I know stans kid would be grown up with her own life at this point but I can't really imagine him going off on an adventure with his brother after already missing so much of her life already.

Okay I'm gonna number these just so I can keep track:

1. Twins?

No, the twins don't exist in this au because of some very specific headcanons I have abt Shermie (where Shermie is that baby in ATOTS). Basically originally Stan faked his death and fully took Ford's identity 4 years after Ford got portaled because he was hesitant to do anything to change Ford's house at first. At the funeral he saw Shermie for the first time in years, and Shermie's trying to figure out what got Stanley kicked out because he's panicking because he's pregnant and also closeted transmasc. Stanley took him to Oregon with him and put Shermie through highschool there and raised his nephew for the first few years until Shermie was stable enough to move out. In this au that doesnt happen because Ford doesn't arrange a funeral for himself and doesn't reach out to his family at all. Filbrick finds out about Shermie and kicks him out, he loses the nephew that would become the twins' father, and eventually makes his own way kind of similar to canon Stanley but with fewer run ins with crime syndicates

2. Weirdmageddon?

Yes! Stan was reckless when he carved his own path back to his dimension because he was desperate to see his daughter and his brother again before he died in the dimensional wastelands. Bill hates him because he has scammed him before lmao. The rift is contained by Stan's effort more than Ford's for a few weeks though (paralleled to Ford physically overpowering Stan in ATOTS, Stan is smarter than Ford from all his time living the dimensional theory Ford can barely grasp without Bill there groping his brain and whispering in his ear. Ford hates this so much)

3. Ending?

They would both love the boat ending but Stan frankly wants to live with his daughter and get to know her, his daughter has decided it's too confusing trying to pick which twin is her actual dad so she says she just has two dads. He does go on some adventures with Ford but the both of them mostly stay with their daughter and sometimes bring her on their adventures too. It's not exactly like a nuclear family but it's close enough and it's nice. Stan is kind of sad he never got to reconnect with Carla though, even if he didn't love her as a wife she was his best friend while he was going through that shit with Ford and she was the mother of his child. But Carla died before he could get back.

#stancest #THANK YOU FOR THE ASK my first ask on this blog \o/

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ashton-ryder · 3 months ago

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moodboard & aesthetic game send a symbol and/or the description of one if you can't see it for the receiver to make a moodboard / aesthetic

@byenycfm asked: "🏠 HOUSE - my muse's family/hometown"

small town, weekend nature hikes, homely fall seasons, starry nights, camping trips, boats lazing down the river, locally made wine, cozy close knitted community, drive ins, milkshakes, hockey over frozen lakes, home grown family businesses, observatories, adventures into the forests, playing in the snow, stargazing all night, waiting for dad to make it back home.

Taylors Falls. MN. Taylors Falls is a little river town of less than 1,000 residents along the St. Croix River in Minnesota, not too far from the city but still quiet, and quaint. Ashton was born and raised here until he joined the military, he enjoyed and really come to appreciate the nature he was surrounded with, enchanted by the untainted night sky, clean cold air, and comforting warmth of family and community. Something he once took for granted, now living in a concrete jungle but he hopes one day to return home.

#omg i recently just decided where in minnesota this boi lived in ajksdhaksd #ty for the ask i'm in love with it ngl #but ash really is just a small town bean #;memes #;graphics #bnymeme #;moodboards #;answered #;more about #;aesthetics

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ladylooch · 1 year ago

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https://www.tumblr.com/ladylooch/731357105322393600/livs-not-used-to-being-the-centre-of-attention-so

Omg nonny is so right (which makes me sad for Liv a little bit but sometimes we gotta suffer for the plot sweetie!)

But Liv is also surrounded by all these men in her life who would do anything to protect her 😭 timo, lio, little bros, uncle Nico, EVEN CONNOR I’m sure takes an older brother position 😭😭😭 and luca’s just like, yeah I’ll put up with it all just for her???!! SWOON

B IM CRYIN

Ope. This got really long 😅

Liv gets a part time job as a waitress at a little pub in the center of town. She does’t need the money- her dad would get her anything she wants- but she really wants the experience. The town has had an influx of tourists and it’s fun to interact with so many different cultures. Of course the bar has a local crowd. Part of that crowd is David, who is a creepy dude that likes to slap asses of the waitress when he’s had one too many shots of vodka.

Liv has avoided run-ins with him, until one night when she’s particularly flustered and doesn’t swing wide enough to avoid his wandering hands. He brushes her ass and asks her if she wants to go home with him. Liv declines and he asks again. She says no firmer. He shrugs, saying, “you’ll give in to me one way or another.” Liv is thankful when Luca comes to pick her up from work that evening.

She ends up sharing the incident with her coworkers who share their own terrifying stories with him. One girl was cornered in the back alley with him and only escaped because a cook came out to throw garbage away. David is friends with the bar owner, who insists David is harmless and joking around.

It didn’t feel like joking to Liv.

Liv tells her mom over drinks a few nights later. Emma expresses concern and wants Liv to talk to Timo.

“Daddy will make everything worse.” Liv grumbles, grabbing a piece of gouda and popping it in her mouth. “He’s so… aggressive.”

“This is one of those times where we let your dad unleash.” Emma insists.

“Can we talk about something else?” Liv abruptly changes the subject. “Luca and I are going into the mountains next weekend.”

Emma allows her daughter to drop the subject, but she will be telling her husband.

“How is work, Livy?” Emma asks on Sunday at family dinner. They have a full house, Emma’s favorite, with the Meiers, Hischiers, Connor, and Luca. It was a warm day spent on the boat and in the water. Liv is pink and slightly sunburned, feeling exhausted and disappointed she has to work tomorrow.

“Fine.” She mumbles.

“Mama told me you were harassed at work.” Timo says. Liv whips her head at her mom who is glaring at her husband. “And we decided you’re quitting.”

“We?” Emma snaps, pinning her husband with her fiery gaze. “That is not-”

“No I’m not.” Liv cuts her mom off.

“I’m with your dad on this. You don’t need that job. I’ll take care of you.” Luca interjects.

“I’ll take care of my daughter.” Timo grumbles. Emma smacks his thigh, mortified at this entire situation. She told him discreet! She completely forget that nothing about Timo’s protectiveness is discreet.

“That’s sweet, Luca. But Livy, I don’t like what you told me. I told dad because I am concerned for your safety. The owner doesn’t seem to understand the threat to his staff. You aren’t walking to your car alone at night?”

“No, I walk her to her car.” Luca says.

“Every night?” Timo asks.

“I uh, set an alarm and meet her at the back door. Then we walk together to her car. I follow her home to make sure she gets there okay.” The table goes dead silent, all of them sneaking a glance at Timo who, for once, doesn’t have a scrunched nose while looking at Luca.

“I like that.” Timo finally says, “but Liv, I don’t like that townie at the bar harassing you or anyone else on the staff. I’m going to talk to the owner.”

“No.” Liv groans, putting her forehead on the table. “I shouldn’t of brought it up.”

“We’ll take care of it, dad.” Lio assures, munching casually on his third bratwurst. Connor nods his head in agreement.

Liv thinks the conversation has been dropped as the group collectively moves on, However, her next shift, she is mortified to see half the bar completely occupied. Timo, Nico, Lio, Connor, Luca, Logan AND Liam are all sitting on the barstools. Timo is right next to David. Liv tries to avoid looking at him but she has a feeling Timo already knows.

“You two are too young to be here.” She says to her younger brothers.

“They can stay. They’re with a parent.” The other bartender insists. She knows that rule, but she still doesn’t want them up here.

“Behave.” Liv points at Timo first, then walks further down to Luca. “Babe.” She whines slightly.

“We are here for a drink. That’s it.” Luca assures, reaching his hand out. Liv slides their palms together gripping his wrist with her fingers. “Can you come over tonight? I’ve missed you the last couple of nights.” Liv appreciates Connor as the buffer between him and the rest of the men in her family. Liv decided to stay at home the past two nights to ease some of the frustration building again with her dad towards Luca. But she’s missed the way it feels to fall asleep warm and snuggled together in his sheets.

“Sure.” She nods, then steps on a box to kiss him.

“Oh! You kiss all your customers like that?” David hollers down. All the men scowl in his direction like a domino reaction.

“Are you David?” Timo asks.

“You’re Timo Meier.”

“Yeah. And that’s my daughter you harassed the other night.” Timo stands. “Would love to chat more about that outside.” He points to the door. David holds his hands up when the other men stand in unison.

“Ohmygod.” Liv groans. Why isn’t her mom here?!

“I don’t want any trouble.” David stutters.

“Then you’re going to leave my daughter and every other woman in this bar alone.” David nods. “And if you don’t, I will personally give you free plastic surgery.” The bar quiets at Timo’s insinuation. Liv can only hear the whooshing of her heartbeat in her ears. David nods again. “Now I’m going to escort you around for your apologies and then you’re going to leave. Start with my daughter. And hang your head in shame like you should.”

David does his apologies while the owner watches on, embarrassed that his idol is making his friend do this, when it should have been his decision all along. The owner apologies to Liv and hopes she will continue to work there because she is a great employee. The Meier, Hischier, Wood, and Fiala boys all have a celebratory beer, then head out, back to their nights. Except for Luca and Timo.

The tension between them is tight and distracting as hell for Liv during the rest of her shift.

“Dad.” Liv says when Luca goes to the bathroom. “You can leave. Luca is bringing me home.”

“To his or yours?”

“Can you not do this anymore?” Liv sighs. “I don’t want to feel like I’m disappointing you by loving my boyfriend.” Timo’s eyebrows raise in surprise.

“Boyfriend? How will that work when he is in Minnesota and you’re back at Columbia?” Liv’s face clouds over, making Timo feel guilty for popping her bubble.

“You and mama did long distance.” Em and T might have fudged some of their relationship to their children….

“After awhile, baby.” Timo says. “Not at first.”

Luca comes back, halting any further conversation about what this is or could be or isn’t.

#Liv X Luca

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