#it was so cool i heard them before i saw them

[vivalas-vega]

like real people do / bucky barnes x reader

yay first bucky one shot !! this literally started as me wanting to write some quick and dirty one-bed trope nonsense... and then it got real lol. i just love him your honor, i got angsty and fluffy real fast. as always, please let me know what you think!!

like real people do / bucky barnes x reader

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summary: a brush with death on a mission leads to you and bucky confronting your feelings.

word count: 5.6k

warnings: canon level violence/scary situations, language, angst, minor suggestiveness (this takes place in some reality where bucky & reader work for fury lmao & a very minor reference to this happening after endgame but none of that really matters it was just the vibe that ended up happening)

The air felt hot and sticky around you, laced with danger and the edge of fear you were keeping at arm's length… but it was harder to do so as you went crashing down a full flight of stairs… assailant in tow and doing nothing to break your fall.

“Princess? Could use a little help out here,” you heard Bucky grunt in your ear and the familiar surge of worry filled your chest as you rolled to your feet, not wasting a second in launching an attack on the man in front of you.

“Little busy, Buck,” you managed to get out, dodging a hit before landing one of your own, but your thoughts weren’t here. Each step you took backwards was goading your attacker, but it was also leading you closer to Bucky. “How bad?” you followed up, a kick sharp to your ribs knocking the breath out of you but the feeling was secondary to everything else going on in your mind.

“Don’t worry about me,” he replied. The words eased your anxiety–marginally–and let you be more present in the fight at your feet, not the one down the hall.

Everything in your body ached, and you didn’t know if the blood sliding down your temple was from where you’d collided with every sharp edge of the staircase, or from one of the hits your opponent had managed to land.

If you had to wager, you’d probably say it was from both.

You tasted blood against your teeth, and you finally landed a combo that brought the man to his knees… but before you could finish the job he was back on his feet, grabbing you by the throat and pinning you to the wall. Your legs kicked several feet off the ground as he lifted you, the force cutting off your airflow.

He knocked your head against the concrete hard enough to make your ears ring, and you brought your fists down with everything you had against his elbows–trying to break them down, give you some kind of opening, but they were locked and rigid.

“Bucky!” you choked out, praying to a god you didn’t really believe in that he heard you. When the gloved hand tightened around the column of your throat you felt the lack of oxygen clouding your brain, vision darkening around the edges.

You fell to the floor suddenly, knees colliding painfully with the concrete as you sucked in a desperate breath. Your lungs burned as you coughed, trying to force the air down around the panic that had begun to settle deep in your bones.

A gunshot fell on your muffled ears, but you didn’t flinch. Somewhere in the back of your mind you instinctively knew it was Bucky, and you pressed your palms flat against the cool floor to try and ground yourself… but Bucky’s slid over them, gripping and trying to get you to focus on him.

“Hey,” he said softly, reaching out and tilting your chin up. As soon as you looked into those stormy blue eyes you felt some of the anxiety ease, and he made quick work looking you over. “Talk to me, are you okay?” His gaze was holding yours with a little too much weight and you swore he might have flinched when he saw the outline of the man’s hands already appearing around your neck… but maybe you’d been deprived of air for too long.

You nodded, trying to hide your wince as he helped you to your feet. “Never better,” you replied, taking a step back and trying to put some distance between you. “Did you get it?”

He gave you a slightly deadpan look, holding a flash drive between his thumb and index finger that you quickly snatched to zip safely into a pocket inside your suit.

“Then let’s get the hell out of here,” you sighed.

You slid Bucky’s spare helmet on your head with practiced ease and took your spot behind him on the bike… a routine done so many times neither of you even thought as your limbs moved.

He reached back and tapped twice against your calf, you tapped twice against his chest, and his bike roared into action.

You let yourself relax, just slightly, as you held onto Bucky and weaved through the busy streets of the foreign city. The cool night air felt like pure relief as it kissed your skin, and if you knew he wouldn’t yell at you, you’d have taken the helmet off to let it wash over you fully.

Your chin rested lightly on his shoulder, watching the way the streetlights blurred around you, as the weight of the night crashed heavy over your frame. His arm moved down to your leg, metal stretching down the length of it and gripping your calf, holding you firm as he took a tight turn, bike tilting closer to the pavement. He let it linger for a moment as it straightened out, knowing you were momentarily rattled by the mission even if you wouldn’t say it, and he gave you a soft squeeze that said more than he could in that moment.

You shifted, cheek pressing against his back, eyes fluttering closed and arms still tight around his torso. You thought to yourself that you loved these moments with Bucky maybe more than anything. Just you and him, the stretch of road, and the air whipping around you. You both were always outrunning danger, outrunning death, but on this bike it felt like it couldn’t catch you. Like nothing could… and Bucky was thinking the same thing.

He didn’t need to look back at you to know you’d shut your eyes, and his grip on the handlebars tightened. The feeling of you wrapped around him, placing your trust right in the palm of his hands did something to him that he didn’t want to think about too much. You shot through the night, barely a blur to stationary eyes, and you had relaxed into him and closed your eyes. The weight of that had clawed its way into Bucky’s chest, made a home somewhere under his ribs, and he hated how much he liked it.

You hopped off the bike with ease, looking up at the motel that would have been unappealing on its best day like it was a beacon of comfort and sanctuary, and he couldn’t help but chuckle softly at the way your heavy footsteps trudged all the way to the door.

You stood there for a moment, staring at it like it might open itself… and so did he.

“Aren’t you gonna open it?” you asked, brow furrowing.

“Was gonna ask you the same thing, princess.”

You just looked at each other for a moment, trying to process.

“I don’t have the key,” you said and his eyes widened.

“Well, I don’t have it either,” he replied and you pinched the bridge of your nose.

“I saw Fury give you the key.”

“Then you took it after we dropped our shit off.”

“Unbelievable,” you muttered. “World’s best assassin.” You patted along your suit, trying to feel for a key you knew you didn’t have. “Can’t keep track of a fucking motel key.”

“You talking about me or you?” He wasn’t able to keep the smirk off his face, despite his exhaustion.

“You know what?” you asked and he raised his eyebrows expectantly, but his expression dropped almost as fast as you did to your knees right in front of him.

“What the hell are you-” he stopped short, watching you pull a bobby pin from your hair to stick into the door handle.

“Oh,” he murmured, a sheepish hand landing on the back of his neck, and you huffed a soft laugh, turning back to give him an amused glance as you jimmied the door open. He was grateful you couldn’t see the heat in his cheeks under the cover of night, or the way he locked his gaze on the door rather than you beneath him.

You took his hand when he offered it, and pushed into the sparse room with a sigh. You were ready to sink into your post-mission routine when you caught a glimpse of the key resting on the dresser, just beside his things, and you turned to look at him triumphantly.

“Aha!” you said, pointing. “I knew I didn’t take it.”

“You can be so petulant sometimes,” he muttered. “At least you’re consistent. Like a common criminal.”

You scoffed. “And thank god for it.”

“You want first shower?” He was already pulling a change of clothes out and you shook your head, busying yourself with propping your tablet up beside him.

“Go ahead, gonna get this to Fury.”

His gaze on you lingered for a moment, but you didn’t notice, and he disappeared into the bathroom like it hadn’t happened.

Your fingers traced the spot where your opponent had grabbed you, wincing at how tender it felt. You waited for the intel to load, mind drifting to what could have happened if Bucky hadn’t made it in time.

You shook off the thought.

Bucky always got to you. 

It wasn’t just your easy dynamic, or deep-seated feelings you refused to acknowledge that kept you from asking Fury to reassign you… it was that he never left you behind.

There were moments where he could have, where you nor anyone else would have blamed him. When it was too dangerous to go back for you, when it would have compromised him as much as you were… he always showed up.

And you did the same for him.

Countless missions, countless brushes with death. You’d both die before leaving the other behind.

You walked out together, or you didn’t walk out at all.

The tablet dinged and you pulled out the flash drive, tucking into your bag and pulling out your pajamas just as Bucky opened the bathroom door.

He was towel drying his hair, white tee and low-slung grey sweats hugging him in a way you tried really hard not to focus on.

“Don’t get mad that there’s no hot water,” he said, almost sheepishly. “There wasn’t any when I got in.”

You huffed an unamused laugh, meeting his eye for just a moment. “Only the best for Fury’s top agents,” you joked before shutting the door behind you.

You didn’t linger under the icy stream, not wanting to spend any more time than you had to. Each movement tugged and pulled at your muscles in a way that made you fight a groan–you didn’t want to make a peep. Not with Bucky and his super soldier hearing on the other side of the door. It’d only make him worry, and all you wanted was sleep.

When you re-emerged he was already laying on his side of the bed, closest to the door like always, and you finally noticed the fact that there was in fact only one–and you breathed a light sigh of relief. You should have been annoyed, you had a suspicion Fury actually kept doing this to you both for his own amusement, but you didn’t care. Even with the firm boundary of six inches between you, you always slept better beside Bucky. You felt safe, and you were more rested after a long mission than you were on a normal night in the compound.

He watched you carefully as you tucked your suit into your bag and went through your usual routine of getting ready for bed. Each new bruise he spotted made him shift upright, concern darkening his expression, and he was quickly in motion when he saw the cut above your eyebrow he’d missed before.

“Jesus Christ,” he muttered and your eyebrow pinched at his sudden movement.

“What are you doing?” you asked, hovering in the center of the room, and you almost thought he looked mad for a second.

“Would you sit down?” he huffed, grabbing the med kit from his bag and you followed his orders despite your resigned sigh.

“It’s fine, Bucky.”

“No,” he said, voice firm as he moved in between your legs. “It’s really not.” He tilted your chin up to get a better look at it, disapproval settling deep in his features.

“It’s just a scratch.”

He gave you a deadpan look, running an alcohol swab across it. You hissed, hand shooting out to grab the hem of his shirt. You bunched it in your fist, fingers grazing the skin just above the waistband of his sweats and you felt him tense under your touch. You dropped your hand like he’d burned you, keeping your eyes on your own lap to avoid his gaze.

“Should have called for me sooner,” he muttered, carefully applying butterfly bandages like he was scared you’d shatter if he pressed too hard.

“Was a little preoccupied,” you replied and you could see just how unamused he was with you. “I had him,” you added. “Until he decided choking me out was a good plan.”

He was quiet as his hand settled on the side of your neck, thumb lightly tracing along the bruise that was growing angrier as it settled deep in your skin. You hated the warmth that flooded through you at the small contact, and the way his concerned eyes seemed to be burning right into your soul. 

“You could have died.”

“But I didn’t,” you whispered, voice barely audible through the silence. “You always show up.”

“Almost didn’t,” he muttered. “I was pinned. Thought I wouldn’t make it in time…” he trailed off, giving you another once over to make sure he didn’t miss anything. 

“He had you-” he hesitated, jaw tight. “By the throat, doll.” His voice was tight, stretching like it was about to break and your expression softened.

“I know.” You gave him your best reassuring look. “But I’m alright. Always am.”

He nodded once, unconvinced, and you sank back into the mattress as he put the kit away.

Something tense had settled over the room as you pulled the covers higher, but you didn’t know how to address it. Bucky always worried, you joked it was his inner old man coming out, but something in the way he’d held your gaze felt different. Something churned beneath the surface of his gaze, something you couldn’t name. You didn’t want to read into it–to let your mind wander into forbidden territory but the more the silence lingered the harder it was.

This wasn’t the first time you’d nearly died, wasn’t even the worst brush with it. You wanted to ask why this time had seemingly lodged itself under his skin but you couldn’t force the words past your lips.

The bed dipped under his weight as he slid in beside you, leaving a few inches of space like he always did but it didn’t matter. You could feel the warmth of him immediately, the pull to sink into it was almost gravitational but you resisted and leaned over to turn off the lamp.

You both laid silently, staring up at the shadows on the ceiling, waiting to see if the other would say something but neither of you seemed willing to break.

His vibranium hand twitched on his chest and he exhaled softly, the weight finally pressing down hard enough.

“I’m going to say something.”

Your head tilted slightly towards him, but you didn’t move your eyes from the ceiling.

“Okay.”

“I didn’t have to kill that guy.” He paused, considering his next words. “I wanted to, because he was trying to kill you.”

Your breath caught somewhere in your throat. You knew the relationship he had with taking a life. No matter how justified, it always stirred old feelings and you never wanted him to do that for you unless he had to. “Bucky-”

“That doesn’t bother me,” he cut you off. “Maybe it should, but it doesn’t. What bothers me is how indifferent you are to dying.”

You sighed softly. “I’m not indifferent to dying.”

“Could have fooled me.” The words were sharp, but there was no edge to them.

“I didn’t mean to scare you,” you said, voice quiet.

“You always scare me,” he exhaled. “Everything you do scares the hell out of me.”

You didn’t respond, couldn’t find any words to say as your heart started to thump unevenly in your chest.

“I try not to worry because I know you can handle yourself,” he continued. “But in those moments when you can’t…” he trailed off, not wanting to finish his sentence.

You finally turned to look at him, eyes settling on his profile and you felt something clench deep behind your ribs at the emotion he was trying to keep off his face. 

“You’re important to me,” he said after a few moments, and this caught you off guard. You knew that… at least in theory. He’d never said it so explicitly, but he never had to. He said it through actions, in his own way.

“I know,” you whispered.

“No, I don’t think you do, doll.” he replied, erring on a sigh. You rolled over onto your side to face him fully, delicately, like if you moved too fast you’d break the moment. “I tried not to care about you, thought it would be too hard. You almost remind me of Steve, if he had a mouth like yours and a habit of driving me crazy.”

You breathed a short laugh.

“I didn’t want to care because I knew if I did, it’d be too much when you left.”

“I haven’t gone anywhere, have I?” You hadn’t been able to find any words until now, but those ones flowed out easily.

“Not yet,” he said, turning his head towards you and you felt your breath catch when he finally met your eyes.

You hesitated, just long enough for the silence to stretch. “Not ever.”

“You can’t say things like that,” he muttered and your brows pinched together.

“Why not?”

“Because you can’t mean it.”

You fixed him with a firm look, something close to irritation tugging in your chest. “I do mean it.”

He looked back at the ceiling. “Maybe I don’t want you to.”

“What does that mean?”

“You’ve… changed since we started working together. You’re harsher, quicker to the trigger. I don’t want to rub off on you more than I already have.” You could see it clearly even if he was fighting to hide it–guilt. “You’re too good for me to be dragging you down, doll.”

You let out a sigh, not annoyed, just hurt. “You think you’re the big bad wolf corrupting little red riding hood?” 

“Well-”

“Fury paired you with me because my heart got in the way too much. I gave second chances to people that used them to try and kill me, and I almost fucked up missions looking for good in people that wasn’t there.”

He didn’t respond.

“I was a great agent before I met you, but I made bad calls because I thought I could give people the same second chance that was given to me. I found a balance… because of you. I’m alive because of you, Bucky.”

You could see the confusion flicker behind his eyes, like he knew he’d said something wrong but wasn’t sure what. “I didn’t mean to upset you.”

“Of course you didn’t.” You rolled back over and stared at the ceiling, feeling the crack of your heart as you did. “You just said you’re not good enough to be around. How is that not upsetting?”

“I’m not. And I don’t care if you think being my partner has helped you–all I can see is you becoming more like me and I can’t stand it.”

“Because being like you is such a bad thing?” Your eyes darted back to him again, but he wasn’t looking at you anymore. He was worrying his cheek between his teeth, gaze hard as he stared above him.

“Yes.”

That hit low and stayed there, stubborn and sore. You could feel something dancing on your tongue that you wanted to bury… so you did.

“You’re a fucking idiot,” you huffed, shuffling out from under the covers and standing.

He propped himself up on his elbows, shocked by your sudden movement, and watched as you grabbed a pair of pants from your bag.

“What the hell are you doing?”

“I don’t–” you stopped, searching for the answer yourself. “I don’t know.” He sighed when your shorts hit the floor, then quickly crossed the room, catching your wrist. Not rough, but firm–enough to make you pause.

“You’re not going anywhere.”

“What happened to knowing I could handle myself?” Your hands were shaking and Bucky was having a hard time figuring out what had made you snap like this, why you were refusing to look him in the eye.

“That’s not–fuck,” he muttered. “You’re not going anywhere because you’re angry and I can’t let you walk away like this. Can we just-” he stopped himself and ran a hand through his hair. “Can we just rewind? Go back and start this conversation over?”

“I don’t know how to pretend this conversation never happened.”

He looked lost, like he was searching for what he’d said wrong… and you weren’t stopping, so he grabbed the pants you were trying to step into and threw them somewhere behind you.

You stared at him, exasperation evident, the heat rising in your chest.

“Are you serious?”

“What the hell just happened?” He stared down at you but you wouldn’t look up. “One minute we’re having a conversation and the next you’re trying to storm out into a bad part of town in the middle of the night.”

You finally tilted your head up, and his face softened. Your eyes burned, throat tightening as you fought to keep your face blank, but he noticed… he always did. 

“Talk to me,” he pleaded, voice gentler than it had just been. “Please just tell me what I said wrong.”

“You know, I was actually proud of myself for the way I’ve learned from you?” you asked, not really expecting an answer. You turned around and bent over to pick up your pants, and Bucky’s eyes darted away, jaw tight.

“Then I find out you actually think less of me for-”

“I do not think less of you-”

“That’s not even why I’m mad!” you yelled, throwing your jeans back onto the floor with a frustrated huff after stumbling trying to pull them on.

“Why are you mad? Make me understand here, sweetheart, because I’m having a real hard time figuring out how to fix this.”

Hearing him say sweetheart in that low tone made you falter, and he caught it.

He took a step closer and hooked your chin to keep your eyes on him when you tried to look away. 

“Come on, sweetheart,” he said, voice dropping to nearly a whisper, trying to coax it out of you. “Please just talk to me.”

“Don’t,” you warned, pushing his arm away and taking a step back. “You don’t get to say you’re not good enough and then use the fact that I care to make me talk.”

“Is that really what this is about?”

“Of course it is!” you snapped. “I fucking love you, Bucky. And I am so tired of you acting like you’re unlovable. Like you don’t deserve something good.”

“I’m not,” he shot back, not even registering what you’d just said. “Not from you. Do you really think I could let myself��let you–get closer to me than you already are?”

“You don’t get to decide how I feel!” You were at the end of your rope, hands still shaking. “I love you, and you’re just going to have to figure out how to deal with that.”

The first time hadn’t sunk in, but the second made Bucky’s heart stop in his chest with a painful clench that nearly winded him. You loved him… but you weren’t done.

“I thought- fuck,” you shook your head, trying to organize your thoughts. “I have never expected you to feel the same way about me, but I can’t take you acting like I’m some delicate flower you’re bound to poison. I can’t listen to it and not tell you that I’m unbearably fucking in love with you.”

He didn’t say anything. He just stared at you with a look that you couldn’t read and you felt like you’d ripped your heart out and handed it to him just to watch him step on it.

The more the silence dragged, the more you itched to run… so you did.

You managed to tug your jeans up your legs as you said, “so to answer your question, yeah. I’m trying to storm out in the middle of the night because I can’t do whatever this is anymore. I’ll ask Fury to reassign me.”

You walked past him, each step laced with uncertainty and heartbreak, but you never made it to the door.

He caught your wrist and spun you around. You stumbled, colliding with his chest, hands braced on the firm muscle. You lifted your head to look up at him, eyes wide and scared of what he might say, but his mouth was on yours before you could even get a word out.

His lips were hungry, demanding and possessive as if he could etch his response into your skin… and then they were gone as soon as they’d appeared, leaving you reeling and breathless as he stepped back with a huff.

“Fuck, sweetheart,” he said, voice rough with conflict. “I can’t–I’m only going to hurt you. You deserve better. Better than me.”

You just blinked for a moment, one hand coming up to touch your lips like you were trying to convince yourself it was real.

“Are you being serious right now?” you asked, and his head snapped up.

“What?” 

“Do you need me to lay it all out? Is that it?”

“I don’t-”

“You never let me walk on the outside of the sidewalk. You’ve seen me kill people with my bare hands, but god forbid I walk too close to the street,” you started, letting out an unamused chuckle. “You keep an extra knife in your boot just for me, because you know I like to throw mine and then get mad when I don’t have it. Sometimes in the middle of the night you jolt awake, just to look at me. To make sure I’m still there. You think I don’t notice, but I do… it’s the only way I can sleep, and I sleep like shit at the compound because I don’t feel safe unless you’re near me.”

“Sweetheart-” he tried, but you just cut him off again, unable to stop now that you’d started.

“When I manage to make you laugh in the middle of a mission it actually feels like my heart is glowing and it’s disgusting,” you huffed, laughing despite yourself. You weren’t even making an effort to hide the tears that managed to slip down your cheeks. “I could listen to you laugh for the rest of my life and it still probably wouldn’t be enough. I’ve never cared about impressing anyone in the gym, but god–when you give me that infuriating little smirk of yours when I manage to catch you off guard, it makes me feel like I can do anything. You make me feel like I can do anything.”

You took a step forward and closed the distance. “You’re scared of hurting me. But I don’t think you realize–this, right now, is hurting me. You thinking you’re not good enough. That you’re not deserving of something good.”

His hands twitched at his sides, desperately wanting to reach out and grab you, but he held himself back.

“You deserve it more than anyone. And I’m not scared of you, Bucky. You’re not broken, not some ruined thing that needs fixed. I don’t even care if it’s not me, if you don’t want this or if you don’t feel the same, I just need you to stop acting like you don’t deserve it.”

“I’m sorry, sweetheart,” he sighed, small and broken, finally reaching out to grab your waist and pull you closer.

He brushed a strand of hair behind your ear, thumb brushing along your cheek as he looked down at you like you were something holy–sent to save and curse him all at once.

“I take the outside of the sidewalk, and bring an extra knife, and wake up just to check up on you because I love you.” he said, letting it hang for a moment as his hand on your waist tightened. “I love you so much, it scares the hell out of me… and I didn’t know how else to show you that. It didn’t feel fair to give it to you straight because this isn’t normal or easy, and I didn’t want to drag you into it.”

He took a deep breath. “You think I’m not damaged, but I am. I’ve got some serious shit I’m still working through, and I didn’t want to put you through that.”

“You’re putting me through it anyway,” you said. “Might as well let me hold your hand because I hate watching you do it alone.”

He just looked you over for a moment, searching for any trace of uncertainty in your eyes but all he found was an unwavering love that rattled him to his core.

He leaned down and kissed you–not fiery and desperate like the first time. Properly, slowly, like it should have been.

“Our lives were never meant to be normal and easy, Bucky,” you said when he pulled back, a hint of your usual mischief in your eyes that he loved so much. “I met you fighting weird alien robots that looked like bugs.”

He laughed, handing you that favorite sound of yours that made you flush, before giving you another slow, deep kiss.

“I wanna take you out,” he mumbled against your lips. “Something normal, like real people do.”

The ghost of a smirk tugged at your features. “You gonna ask me to go steady at the end of it, Sergeant Barnes?”

He fought a groan at hearing you pull out his long-forgotten rank. “Don’t call me that before date three–and I might.”

You laughed and wrapped your arms around his shoulders, nose brushing his.

“You think you’re making it to date three?” you teased and a slow, satisfied grin tugged at his lips.

“You did just scream at me over the fact that you’re in love with me,” he said, bringing his hands down to the top button of your jeans, slowly undoing it without breaking eye contact. “I think I can get a lot more out of you than three dates.”

Your breath hitched, but you didn’t deny it.

He caught the way your eyes tracked him as he sank onto the floor, tugging your jeans down your legs and holding your calves to help you step out of them. “Don’t look at me like that,” he said, mildly scolding.

His hands slid up to the backs of your thighs and you couldn’t help but thread your fingers through his hair when he gently kissed below the hem of your shirt, a soft breath escaping… but he was back at your lips before you could even blink.

“Come on, off to bed,” he ordered, and you huffed a small laugh of disbelief.

“You’re a tease, Sergeant.”

“Shouldn’t have told you I liked that,” he muttered, sliding in beside you. “Call me old-fashioned, but I want to do this right–earn the privilege to have you like that.”

Your cheeks flushed and you bit back a smile as you settled beneath the covers.

“You’re very old fashioned,” you teased and he gave you a deadpan look. “But I think it’s perfect.” You leaned over to press a kiss to his cheek, lingering for just a moment. “I’d wait as long as you wanted.”

You eyed the space between you. “Is the invisible boundary still in effect until date three?”

He chuckled and reached out, pulling you flush against him and you laid your head against his chest, listening to the steady thud of his heart as you wrapped an arm around his torso.

You lay like that for a few minutes, letting what had just happened wash over you as your eyes fluttered shut at the feeling of his arms holding you so securely, and the way he kept pressing kisses to the top of your head.

He reached down, gently tilting your chin towards him and your breath stalled when you caught those blue eyes you loved so much, holding yours just as intensely as they always did, but with something else in them now–completely unguarded.

“I need you to know I’ll never do anything to intentionally hurt you.”

You nodded, “I already knew that, Bucky.”

He leaned down to press his lips to yours, short and sweet before either of you let it turn into something heated.

“And I sleep better next to you, too,” he said, letting his thumb trail along your bottom lip. “Never have nightmares when you’re next to me.”

You smiled softly, cupping his cheek and tracing your thumb across his cheekbone. “I’ll be here if you ever do.”

He kissed you again, like he was trying to tell you something he didn’t have the words for, and you felt every one deep in your chest.

You chased his lips when he pulled away and he smirked against you, giving you one, then two, then three more quick kisses that made you giggle.

“Goodnight, sweetheart.”

“Goodnight, Sergeant.”

[manicmanuscription]

P.3. Hopefully Charming?

Part Three

Pairings: Mafia!Bat Boys / Clueless!Reader

Summary: Reader finally goes on her first date with the batboys!

Word Count: 1.7K+

Tags: first dates, flirting, skirting around heavy topics of convo, author lowkey hates this chapter and might rewrite it.

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── °ꨄ︎｡ /̵͇̿̿/’̿’̿ ̿ ̿̿ ̿̿ ̿̿ ｡ꨄ︎° ──

I looked at myself in the mirror with a small smile. I had the dress stuffed in the back of my closet for a while, it had been a good night for tips when I bought it and I'd had my eye on the gorgeous black piece in the window for awhile. I justified it pretty well but truth be told this was the first time I'd worn it since that night a few months ago. 

The sparkly black fabric hugged all my curves in all the perfect places, accentating just right in the areas of my body I sometimes felt insecure in. I had my hair curled and in a bun framing my face and I felt beautiful. I had kept the jewelry light but worn some of my favorites.

They hadn't told me where we would be going just yet, only to be ready by 7 and to look nice. My stomach flipped at the memory of who I was going out with- my bosses. plural. 

I shuddered in excitment, leaving my bedroom with my matching black heels in hand. A quick glance at my phone told me it was 6:54 and after slipping my shoes on and grabbing my purse I headed to lobby. 

My mind whirled the whole elevator ride down. I'd been working there for a almost a year and hadn't noticed any signs they found me interesting. I shouldn't be going out with my bosses, what would my coworkers say? what if this went horrible wrong and I was out of a job?

The elevator doors dinged open and there I saw Rhysand entering the lobby all my worries draining as my heart fluttered at the smile he gave me. Even though it was stupid as all hell. I couldn't help the shiver that ran down my spine whenever any three of them looked at me like that. 

I started walking towards him and once he was in earshot he spoke first. "I would've come up and retrieved you." 

"Well what kinda girl would I be to let you see my place before the first date even started?" 

"I don't think it says anything about you, but certainly about what kind of man I am for not even walking all the way to your front door." I just rolled my eyes and as soon as I reached him he pressed a kiss to my hand, those almost violet eyes roving over me appreciatively. "You look absolutely stunning darling." 

"You clean up pretty well yourself." 

He smiled, offering me his arm and I took it. "Thank you, I don't have to try all that hard."

I couldn't help but chuckle, the cool wind brushing against my neck as we stepped outside and making goosebumps run up my arm, certainly not because of his close proximity. "I revoke my earlier compliment then, seeing as your ego is certainly big enough without my help." 

He placed his free hand where his heart was, feigning hurt. "Ouch. And here I thought I was making progress." 

I didn't get a chance to respond as he opened the car door for me, making sure I was seated before closing it and heading to the driver's side. I couldn't appreciate the leather seats and nice interior when I noticed Cassian and Azriel weren't in the car. 

"Don't worry darling they were elected to set up the resturant while I get to be your personal chauffeur." 

I blushed slightly, embarassed he could read my disappointment so easily but quickly changed the topic. "So it's a resturant then?"

He didn't say anything just as I exepected, they'd been infuriating quiet the entire week. He just roared the engine to life and headed down the streets of Velaris. "I hope it's not Sevanda's I've heard that place sucks." 

Even though I was slightly joking I truly hoped he didn't take me to his own resturant I'd already spent enough time there as is, taking me on a date there seemed a bit egotistical.

He chuckled and I couldn't help but notice how good he looks behind the wheel of a fast car, his strong hands gripping the leather confidently as if he'd done this a thousand times or more. Leaning back in the seat to get comfortable. "I've heard the owner's are especially wicked."

"I've met them, they're not that bad."

"No?"

"Nah, except they totally hijacked my date, very rude to be butting in their employees personal lives." 

"You should go to the National Resturant Association. That's very unprofessional." 

I couldn't help the laugh that bubbled out of me. "Well it's a good thing I think they're cute."

"Don't let Cassian hear you say that. I don't think any of us will ever live it down." 

I turned to smile at him, only to realize his eyes were on mine before returning to the road. His hand quietly fell off the steering wheel and settled on my thigh just slightly above my thigh, his body tensed as if waiting for a rejection.

The touch sent electricty through my skin and I my heart started beating faster. In reality we didn't know each other all that well even if there had been..moments. 

I however didn't make a move to remove it, content to let this feeling last however long it would. Wishing he would move those hands further up.

── °ꨄ︎｡ /̵͇̿̿/’̿’̿ ̿ ̿̿ ̿̿ ̿̿ ｡ꨄ︎° ──

I couldn't help but gasp in awe when we arrived, Rhysand had his eyes covering mine during the elevator ride and after a few steps he finally removed them. It was a rooftop resturant, with dim lights and expensive seating. I could see the whole city for miles. "Where are we?" 

"Le cœur"

I whirled around to face him. "You're joking."

He cocked his head to the side. "No."

"It's friday night and this place is completely empty. Le cœur is always busy, my friend works here."

He just shrugged his shoulders. "I have friends here too."

"Are you trying to intimidate me with your money?" I joked. 

"We were trying to show off." A familiar voice said from behind me and I turned to face Cassian and Azriel. Grateful to see them. "Is it working?" Rhys asked, leading me to a the closest table with the best view. Velaris spread out below us the Sidra glinting in the setting sun.

"Write me a check then we'll see." 

Cassian laughed, claiming the spot right next to me while Azriel and Rhysand took the seats across. "I'm kidding obviously, this is so beautiful thank you so much." I added sincerely. Hoping they werent thinking I was trying to take advantage of them. 

Azriel brushed it off but Rhysand locked eyes with me for a few moments "You're welcome." A waiter appeared with a bottle of wine and a few glasses keeping his eyes glued to the floor. He silently slipped away after that and I didn't even get a chance to thank him. 

"Did you already order?" I asked when I realized there was no menus. "Trust me, Alice cooks what you will enjoy." Cassian said appreciatively patting his stomach. 

I laughed and Azriel silently poured me a glass of wine. "Do you usually go all out with the women you date?"

"Only the extremely beauitful ones." Cassian spoke, his eyes on me and I flushed under his attention.

"We also don't date together…wanted to make it special."

"Wait what?" I turned to face Azriel, Rhys leaned back in his seat his fingers drumming against his wine glass. "Your a unique case." 

"I…don't know what to say to that." I admitted, of course I preened under their attention, who wouldn't? and the fact that they all wanted me enough to share me was a sobering reality, even if it had my heart flipping inside out. 

"You don't have to say anything. It's just important that you know it." Rhys was obviously the smooth talker of the three and I was grateful for his charm easing the tension. I didn't realize how they felt and it made me.…giddy. 

"I don't know how to be on a date with three people." It's my first time being shared too. I silently said and Azriel nodded in quiet understanding yet the man to my side spoke first. "That's alright princess just let us take the lead."

Cassian's smile was infectious and I found myself relaxing with his light charm. "Well what do you like to do for fun?"

"Oh none of those icebreaker questions that's so awkward." I hid a mishevious smile behind my glass. "What do you suggest we talk about then love?" Azriel murmured, leaning forward in his chair to further capture my attention. 

"What's the dumbest thing you've all ever done?"

"Oof went straight for it huh?” Cassian chuckled.

"I'll show you mine if you show me yours."

"Alright alright. The dumbest thing I've ever done was sneak into Rhys's dad's whiskey cabinent. I was 16 and when he found out about it he was not happy. I ran laps at five am for a whole year rain or shine."

"Wait wait, I thought you were all brothers?" I asked, Cassian had said rhys dad, not ours. 

"Not biologically but we grew up just as close." Rhys said sharing a heavy look with the two other males, spinning a ring on his finger as if in thought. I decided not to push it ay further as it seemed there was a big story there for another time. "And you Azriel, what's the dumbest thing you've ever done?"

"Drive without a sealtbelt." He shrugged and I raised my eyebrows at him. "Driving without a seatbealt? Come on, that's such a lie."

The edges of his lips barely lifted but I noticed and it felt like a small victory from the stoic male. "I'll show you mine if you show me yours." He repeated my words from earlier and I crossed my arms over my chest. "That's how it's going to be?" 

He didn't say anything just waited for me to contiune and I huffed, taking a pause to think. "The dumbest thing I've ever done was…take seven shots of tequila the night before a big test at med school. They kinda kicked me out.”

"I didn't know you were in school." "Yep." I popped the p before taking a sip of my wine. "I was going to drop out sooner or later so it doesn't matter." I waved the conversation off, hoping to avoid talking about it further. 

Azriel nodded again. "The dumbest thing I've ever done is steal a car."

"You did what?!" I asked and just like that the night kicked off. 

── °ꨄ︎｡ /̵͇̿̿/’̿’̿ ̿ ̿̿ ̿̿ ̿̿ ｡ꨄ︎° ──

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Let me know if your thoughts on my writing & this series / where you want this to go! i always love hearing from you guys! Also let me know if you want to be added to the tag list! <3

taglist: @sstrohma @kissesfromnovalie @throwing-up-butterflies @hjgdhghoe @giovax @acourtofbatboydreams

[ochacoca]

Perhapsss... can u make some timeskip/msby!atsumu x figure!skater reader hcs hehehee

Like.. maybe they could have been schoolmates in highschool and reconnected later i dunno up to u:3

HOW FAST THE NIGHT CHANGES

msby!atsumu x figure skater!reader

IN WHICH you see your teenage crush at a charity event. the same one you'd never forget and never shared your last high school dance with.

now playing ♫ night changes by one direction

word count: 2,126 words

a/n: i giggled like a maniac when i saw this request. i love timeskip atsumu and i love figure skating (i've never tried it but i used to watch ice princess religiously when i was little) also i just saw it said headcannons and i wrote a whole fic 🥀 so sorry

There were probably hundreds of athletes at this venue right now. You and others were invited to a fundraiser gala for Local Youth Sports Programs. You didn't recognize most of the people here. Even though you are an athlete yourself, you never really spend time trying to watch other sports. But none of those people mattered to you when he caught your eye.

You could recognize that blond tuft of hair from a mile away.

Even though the lights at the charity were quite dim and everything else was a bit difficult to make out, there's no way you'd be able to miss Atsumu Miya. He carried himself the same way he did at Inarizaki. He did look a bit taller and his hair was finally toned, but his loud personality never changed.

You couldn't help but stare. Your champagne glass was tucked between your teeth and as you held your gaze on him, creepily might you add, all of those memories came rushing back and felt so fresh. You were so zoned into him, you didn't even notice said man walking up to you.

“Y/N?” He called out to you, his eyes glimmering with disbelief. “Is that you darlin'?”

You froze immediately. You hadn't heard his voice in forever. Eventually after high school, you two went separate ways. With him going pro in volleyball and you going pro in figure skating, you guys never had the time to talk. The occasional ‘Hi’s or ‘How's your day going?’ slowly yet eventually came to an end.

“It's been too long, ‘Tsumu.” You greeted as a fat grin sat on your face, tucking a strand of hair behind your ear as you tried to keep your cool. You could feel the heat all over your body. It started from your head all the way to your toes and you felt exactly seventeen-year-old self again. His voice was just as you remember it: Sweet and soft like honey.

He stepped closer to you as he tucked his hand in his pockets, rocking himself back and forth as he shifted his weight from the ball of his feet to his heel. “I've seen ya on TV all the time.”

You tilted your head and gave him a small smile, playing with the hem of your dress as you tried to calm your nerves. “I've seen you too. You're still just as good as before.”

He still had that same smugness. You knew it immediately as he teasingly squinted his eyes at you. “Just like you. Spinning like a little beyblade in the air.” Atsumu joked.

You rolled your eyes and couldn't help but let out a small laugh. “Stop.” You giggled as you lightly smacked his shoulder.

He laughed with you, then held his hands up in mock surrender. “Okay, sorry sorry.” He said. He nodded his head to the left, pointing in the direction of his table as a silent invitation for you to come sit with him.

You two caught up on everything that's happened in the past few years after graduating from high school, but then you ran out of what to say. There were so many questions you wanted to ask him, but you wanted him to ask them first.

An awkward silence filled the the atmosphere. The air felt heavy as your mind raced with hundreds if not thousands of what if's. Everyone in the background faded out, and the only thing you could hear was the thumping of your heartbeat and soft music.

“You know-”

“Have you-”

You both spoke at the same time and held eye contact with each other. Neither of you could hold in a laugh at the situation.

“You go first.” He offered.

“No, it's fine.” You said as you waved him off. “What were you going to say?”

Atsumu seemed hesitant at first, like he didn't want to say what he had in mind. You could tell by the way he repeatedly opened and closed his mouth before eventually blurting it out. “Do you remember what we said in 3rd year? During English?”

Of course you remembered. It was the only thing you were thinking about ever since he approached and a dark thought at night that keeps you from sleeping.

Atsumu was sprawled out over his desk as he groaned in your ear, complaining about something his brother did that annoyed him so bad he wanted to rip Osamu's hair out of his scalp. You were so used to his dramatics that you zoned him out as you continued to focus on your work.

He stared at you as you worked. You felt his eyes boring onto the side of your face until he grabbed your hand and snatched your pencil out of it. “Tsumu!” You gasped.

He planted his voice dangerously close to yours, your foreheads were practically touching, and you could feel each breath of his slightly graze your lips.

“Need'ya to promise something, okay?” He slurred, most likely from the nap he was taking 5 minutes before.

It took every bone in your body to fight the urge not to kiss him right then and there. “What?” You responded barely above a whisper.

His finger swung back in forth as he pointed between the two of you. “The last song at prom. Dance with me?” He suggested.

You rose an eyebrow as you looked at him with an incredulous look on your face. “Seriously?” You asked flatly.

“What?! We both don't have dates, might as well mingle together while the other couples do whoever knows what.”

“Okay, fine. I promise to dance with you at prom.”

He never showed up. You waited the entire song near the DJ stand, people-watching as couples danced together. You looked around as everyone had a look of love on their face while all you wanted to do was break down and cry. You left the venue as everyone started dispersing. The next day at school, neither you nor Atsumu brought it up again. ‘Maybe he changed his mind or found someone else to dance with.’ You thought to yourself

“Yeah.. yeah, I remember.” You said softly. Your hand immediately flew to your mouth to bite your nails, a bad habit you've picked up from the stress over the years.

There was a pause.

“Where were you?”

“Huh?” You blinked and slightly jerked back your head.

“I waited for ya.” He said. His eyebrows were furrowed and there was a slight pain written in his eyes.

You squinted your eyes in confusion and shook your head in response. “No, I waited for you.” You corrected.

“No. I waited by the punch just like we said!”

You looked at him sharply. “.. You told me to wait by the DJ stand.”

“No I didn't!– Did I?” Atsumu questioned. His face softened from hurt to realization as he looked into your eyes and could see that you were telling the truth.

You gave him a slow nod.

“Oh.” He murmured.

“Yeah..”

It went silent between the two of you again, yet this time it wasn't awkward. It was filled with regret and guilt. You couldn't believe how much time you two wasted off of the fact you couldn't communicate properly. You could only assume Atsumu was thinking the same thing.

“’M sorry darlin’..” He broke the silence. “I really thought ya just.. left me there.”

Your lips curled up. After all these years of you losing sleep over something so minimal, it was all just a misunderstanding. You were relieved, but also so annoyed that the two of you wasted so many years. “I thought you left me there.”

Atsumu tapped his fingers on the table rhythmically as a way to distract himself from the tense situation.

“I guess we both of us were kind of stupid.” He mumbled under his breath, still loud enough for you to hear.

Neither of you said anything after that. You were looking down at your lap and played with your fingers, and you felt his eyes on you. You looked up to see him anxiously biting the inside of his cheek, like he wanted to say something so bad, but he wanted to make sure you felt the same way too.

“Maybe, we can make up for it?” You suggested.

“How?”

“Y'know, I’m not a pro like you are. ‘M gonna eat shit if you put me on that rink.” Atsumu said as he tightly gripped the handrail inside the rink.

What better way was there to make up for your last dance besides going into the empty skating rink you conveniently had the key to. All of those late night practices were really worth it now.

You let out a laugh at the way his knuckles turned white so he wouldn’t slip. You skated over to him and softly held his free hand, tugging it towards you in a way of telling him to let go. “Don't worry. I'll hold your hands.” You turned away too quickly to notice the faint blush that was on his face.

As the two of them skated beside each other, Atsumu wobbled and doubled over more times than any of them could count as he tried to keep his balance.

“You look like a baby giraffe.” You wheezed and wrapped your arms around your stomach to ease the pain of how much you were laughing.

“Sorry, only one of us here has a Japan National Championship for gliding on frozen water.”

Atsumu seemingly got the hang of it after a while. Once you saw that you were able to leave him alone without him faceplanting on the ice, you grabbed your phone and set it on the side of the rink.

You skated back over to Atsumu, who was resting on the wall waiting for you to come back to him. Once you stood in front of him, he stretched out his hand in front of you. “Can I have this dance?” He teased.

You rolled your eyes at him playfully before taking his arms and wrapping them around waist as you rested yours loosely around his neck. “You're so corny.” You mumbled.

It wasn't perfect. You didn't expect it to be. Atsumu slipped a couple of times and you felt your hands getting more sweaty as you two stared into each other's eyes.

“Y'know… ahh, nevermind.” He started but quickly cut himself off, looking off to the side.

“No, what is it?” You said as you moved your head to be in his gaze again “Tell me.”

“It's just–” He spoke hesitantly and shakily exhaled. “I was kinda.. in love with ya in school.”

Your breath caught in your throat. You blinked rapidly as your eyebrows slowly rose until it practically reached your hairline.

“Really?” You asked him softly, taking the hand that rested around his neck and rubbing his shoulder gently.

“Yeah.. that's the main reason I asked ya to dance with me. Was gonna tell you how I felt, but obviously it didn't go according to plan.”

You let out a soft giggle and buried your face into his face. “Yeah.. not at all.”

The silence between you settled again as the music from your phone bounced off the walls.

“Did.. did youu..�� He started.

“Did I what?” You asked him teasingly. You knew what he was going to say. You could tell by the little pout that was on his lips. The same way he pouted while you guys were teenagers.

“Oh come on darlin’, stop teasing me. Ya know what I'm asking.”

You lifted your head from his chest and looked into his eyes, bringing up your hand to rest against his cheek.

“Well, why did you think I said yes?”

His eyes searched yours, widened and surprised. His hand traveled from your waist to meet the side of your face as well. Slowly and carefully, you two leaned in and your lips met one another.

The kiss wasn't messy nor rushed. It was soft and built off years of yearning for each other. It was filled with all the love you two failed to confess years before. The way his lips moved against yours and how is fingers trailed your cheek and your jaw made your knees go weak.

If your seventeen-year-old self were here right now, she wouldn't believe what was happening. But the you now could only smile against his lips and melt against his body, the same way he was melting against yours.

how the fuck did i write this so quickly

©OCHACOCA 2025 | please do not copy, translate, or repost my work onto other platforms!

[charliedawn]

The Staring Problem

Eddie x Fem!Reader

Synopsis: Eddie is pissed because he thinks you are staring at him and judging him like all the other students in Hawkins High. He doesn’t know that you have a natural staring problem and frequent spacing out episodes that you cannot control…An enemy to lovers story.

Un—fucking—believable.

Here you were again. Staring at him. Eddie was getting tired of those big googly eyes staring at him every time he had lunch with the kids…They were like two dark pits just staring straight into his soul. And quite frankly ? He would have been impressed by the power behind that unblinking ability of yours if it didn’t seem to be used against him every single time…He was used to the judgmental stares and the dark glares. But yours ? It was on another level. Nobody had succeeded in holding his gaze so long before, in case he would ‘curse’ them through his mind powers.

But then there was YOU. You. The damn girl he had been losing against in this recurring insane staring competition for the past few days.

Finally, he had had enough and spoke up.

“…Hey. You. You got a problem with me or something ?”

That was the first sentence Eddie Munson had ever uttered to your humble person. You were eating your lunch in peace, staring into space as per usual when he suddenly spoke to you. You blinked. You looked around to make sure he was indeed talking to you. He snorted.

“Yeah. You. I’ve been watching you for the past five minutes and you haven’t stopped staring at me all this damn time. What ? Got a problem with my face, Gazer ?”

Gazer ? You blinked again and chuckled awkwardly before you tried to defend yourself. “I…No. Not at all. I just…I wasn’t staring at you I swear. I was just—”

“Yeah ?” He interrupted you. “Well from where I’m standing. It kinda looked like you were. And I don’t like people staring at me. It ain’t cool.”

You wanted the ground to swallow you whole when everyone at your table was suddenly staring at you. You pulled your cap down over your face in shame and begged for a reprieve of this moment of sheer embarrassment. And as if you had been heard, a voice raised behind you.

“Munson. Cut it out.” One of the school monitors spoke up and Eddie huffed—but still complied. He sat back down with an angry thud and his arms crossed over his chest. Once the monitor was gone though, he glared at you.

“Don’t think this is over. I’m onto you, Poker Face. One more weird look from you and I’m breakin’ out the tinfoil helmet, got it ?”

You were speechless. You hadn’t meant to be staring at him. It was just that sometimes you had episodes of complete absence and you just started staring into space. It wasn’t your fault. You swear you hadn’t meant it. But before you could apologise, he was gone…You stood up as well and walked towards the exit. You REALLY didn’t want to run into him again.

…

The next time you saw Eddie, it was two days later—during a fire drill. You were standing on the grass near the edge of the baseball field, biting your nails and trying not to look like a lost idiot in a sea of yelling classmates. Your class was grouped loosely together, but you’d instinctively drifted off to the side, head down, eyes fixed on the trees past the fence. Until someone bumped your shoulder—deliberately. You blinked and turned. There he was. Eddie Munson. Same wild hair, same jean jacket, same permanent scowl. He stood with his hands shoved into his pockets, tilting his head like he was trying to figure you out.

“You doing it again.” He finally told you.

Your throat went dry. “Doing what ?”

He gestured to your eyes. “Staring. Spacing. Whatever the hell it is. Just…do it somewhere else, alright ?”

You opened your mouth. Closed it. Opened it again. Where else were you supposed to do that ? It’s not like the fire drill had been your idea. “I wasn’t looking at you.”

He scoffed and rolled his eyes. “Sure you weren’t, Poker Face.”

You frowned. What wouldn’t he just leave you alone ? You had apologised. Multiple times. “Why do you keep calling me that ?”

Eddie tilted his head again, then shrugged before taking a step forward. “Because you’ve got this…blank look. Like you’re just…trying to win at an invisible game of poker in your head.”

You took a small step back. “I just…sometimes I space out. It’s not personal. I swear. I wouldn’t be staring at you if I could help it. I really just space out and you happen to be in my line of vision often when that happens for some reason.”

He blinked. The hardness in his eyes flickered for a moment. “…You for real ?”

You nodded, pressing your lips together, embarrassed again. “Yeah. I’m sorry. I can’t help it. It just happens.”

“Huh.” He looked away, scratching the back of his neck. “Well. You should tell people that.”

“I tried to tell you,” you muttered and looked away.

He didn’t respond for a second, then replied with a slight wince, “…Yeah. Right. Sorry. Guess I kinda jumped the gun on that one.”

You looked—really looked—and for a split second, he looked…sheepish ? Before you could say anything else, the principal blew a whistle, yelling for everyone to get back inside.

Eddie gave you one last look and finally smiled. Then he playfully ruffled your hair and told you: “Still think Poker Face fits though. But I ain’t upset anymore and I accept your apology. We cool, Gazer.”

And then he walked off. You were stunned by the unexpected exchange and it took you a second to get back inside…only to have one of the monitors tell you something that you really didn’t expect…

That night:

You were already sitting when Eddie strolled in the detention room. He froze. He really didn’t expect you to be there. But he then dramatically dropped into the seat beside you with a groan that was louder than necessary. The teacher at the front—Mr. Keller, who clearly didn’t want to be there either—glared briefly, then returned to his newspaper.

Eddie leaned over, a smirk tugging at the corner of his mouth. “So…” he whispered conspiratorially. “Was it you ?”

You blinked at him. “Was what me ?”

“The fire,” he insisted, like it was obvious. “You started it ? I’ve heard of love burning bright, but damn, Gazer.”

Your face dropped. “What ?”

He chuckled, clearly pleased with himself. “I’m just saying, if this was all some Bonnie-and-Clyde way to get my attention, it worked. You even got us detention together. Real smooth.”

You narrowed your eyes. “Eddie. It was a toaster short-circuiting in the teacher’s lounge.”

“Oh, sure,” he said, nodding solemnly. “But was it a metaphorical toaster ? That’s the question.”

You groaned, dropping your head onto the desk. “You’re unbelievable.”

“Flattered.” He shot back with a smirk.

You turned your head just enough to glare at him sideways. “You do know why I’m actually here, right ?”

Eddie blinked at you. It was his time to be surprised. But it quickly turned into amusement. “…Because you’re a criminal mastermind ? No ? Enlighten me.”

You sat up, arms crossed. “Parker. In biology. Said I was ‘ogling’ you during class. Then he told the teacher I was your stalker.”

Eddie stared at you—dumbfounded. “Wait—what ?”

You rolled your eyes. “Yeah. Apparently, I’ve been ‘following your every move’ and ‘writing your name over and over in my diary.’ Which is funny, because I don’t even own a diary.”

He leaned back slowly in his chair, eyebrows raised. “Wow. So you’re my stalker and a pyromaniac. What a résumé.”

You let out a heavy sigh. “Eddie.”

He put his hands up. “Kidding. Jeez.” Then, after a beat, “Parker’s such a dick.”

You blinked. He actually agreed with you. That was unexpected. He almost seemed to be feeling sorry for you…

Eddie then sighed and tilted his head towards you. “Alright, Gazer. Poker Face. Whatever. For real—I didn’t think you were, y’know, actually stalking me. I just thought you were…weird.”

“Thanks,” you replied dryly.

“But not in a bad way,” he added quickly and looked down—playing with his rings. “Like…you’re weird the way I’m weird. Which is probably why I reacted like a cornered cat.”

You eyed him skeptically and Eddie drummed his fingers on the desk, suddenly fidgety. “Look, I’m not great at the whole…being nice thing. But maybe I shouldn’t have called you out like that in the cafeteria.”

You stared at him. “Is that an apology ?”

He winced. “It’s the Eddie Munson Special™ version of one.”

You cracked the tiniest smile despite yourself and he grinned—proud of himself for making you slip. “You’re smiling. See ? We’re bonding.”

You rolled your eyes and looked away. “I still don’t like you.”

He smirked and nodded. “Even better. All the best friendships start with mild hatred.”

You rolled your eyes again…Right. As if…

The next morning:

You’d barely stepped into the building when you heard the whispers.

“That’s her.”

“No way. Eddie Munson ?”

“I heard they did it in the chemistry closet.”

Your stomach dropped before you even made it to your locker. You could already feel it—the way people’s eyes clung to you, half disgust, half fascination. The cliques didn’t even try to lower their voices. You saw Parker leaning against a locker with his smug little smirk, whispering animatedly to a few wide-eyed girls.

And then you reached your locker.

Spray paint. Sloppy, red, and dripping.

Devil’s Whore.

You froze. Your mouth went dry. Someone behind you giggled. You didn’t even turn to look. For a second, it was like everything slowed down. Your ears rang. Your fingers curled into fists.

I didn’t even do anything.

I didn’t even touch him.

You wanted to scream. Instead, you just stood there—glued to the floor.

“Hey.”

You turned—Eddie. He’d just rounded the corner, binder under his arm, chewing the end of a pencil. His eyes landed on the locker and he immediately stopped chewing and straightened up.

“What the—” He stepped closer, his voice sharper. “Who the hell did this ?”

You said nothing. Couldn’t. You were still frozen in place. Eddie looked at you. Really looked. And his usual teasing, cocky expression faded fast. You shook your head just a little, lips pressed together. He turned towards the hallway, eyes scanning the nearby faces like a wolf catching scent.

“Who the fuck wrote this ?” he barked and slammed his hand against the tagged locker. “Huh ? Parker ? Was it you, you little rat-faced shit ?”

Parker laughed. “Man, don’t look at me. I just heard what everyone else did. Gazer over here’s been—”

Eddie was already moving. He was about to deliver a punch that would hopefully rearrange the idiot’s brain right. But you quickly grabbed his sleeve. “Don’t. Please.”

He looked back at you, jaw clenched so tight it ticked. “They don’t get to do this to you.”

“They already did.” Your voice cracked. You hated that it cracked. The hallway was starting to go quiet. Too many people watching. Too many grins. But you didn’t want Eddie to get into trouble. He already had more than enough on his plate.

He finally glared at the students watching and raised his middle finger at them. “Anyone else wanna say something ? Huh ? Step right up. Come on. I’ve been dying to use my evil powers on all of you assholes.”

Silence. Everybody eventually looked away.

The bell rang.

Later, in the hallway outside the front office, Eddie leaned against the wall as you sat beside him on the floor. A janitor had painted over your locker in rushed, messy brushstrokes.

“You know,” he spoke up, “if we had slept together, I guarantee you’d remember it.”

You shot him a look.

He smirked. “Too soon ?”

You huffed. “Way too soon.”

Silence…Then—

“…You’re strong,” he complimented you suddenly, the teasing gone. “Most people would be crying in a bathroom stall right about now.”

“I wanted to,” you admitted. “Still might.”

He nodded once, slow. “I guess I’ll wait outside the stall today, just in case.”

You smiled and he smiled back at you. He then nudged his foot against yours.

“Come on. Let’s go. I suddenly got the urge to go to class.”

You were surprised, but smiled nonetheless and nodded before standing up and he smiled back at you before following you.

A few days later…

You were halfway through stabbing a sad excuse for a salad when she approached.

Marcie Winters.

Cheerleader. Always smelled like strawberries and money. She sat down across from you like you were already friends.

“Hey,” she said, all faux-sweetness and sugar-coated venom. “You don’t mind if I sit here, right ?”

You blinked. “Uh…”

You were pretty sure she had never talked to you before…She didn’t even wait. Just plopped down with her friends and leaned across the table like she was about to share a secret.

“So,” she started, voice dropping to a whisper. “How big is he ?”

You stared at her with a confused expression. “W-What ?”

She smiled innocently. “Munson. You know. Big.”

Your stomach turned.

“I mean,” she continued, totally unbothered, “people say he’s crazy in bed, like wild. I just figured you’d know.” Her smile widened. “Unless the rumor was just fake and you didn’t actually—”

“Are you serious right now ?”

She blinked at your defensive tone, as if you were the one being unreasonable.

“I didn’t sleep with him,” you told her truthfully. “That was a lie. Someone made it up. And even if I did, why would I ever share such an intimate information with you ?”

Marcie pouted. “That’s a shame. I kinda liked the idea of him being as much a freak in the bed than in his everyday life.”

You stood up so fast your chair scraped loudly against the floor. But before you could say something that would land you in another detention, a familiar voice rang out behind you.

“Wow. Really classy, Marcie.”

You froze.

Eddie.

He’d shown up with a half-eaten bag of chips in one hand and a “do not test me” expression that was usually reserved for people who tried to touch his guitar without asking.

Marcie scoffed. “What ? I was just curious. Jeez.”

Eddie stepped between you and her, putting himself squarely in her line of sight. “You wanna know how big I am ? Why don’t you ask your boyfriend ? I hear he’s got a measuring tape and plenty of insecurities he’s trying to hide. Sooo…instead of asking the poor girl embarrassing questions, how about you take care of your own backyard for once, hmm ?”

The lunchroom snorted. Someone two tables over even clapped.

Marcie’s jaw dropped in shock before she scoffed. “You’re disgusting.”

“No,” he quickly answered, popping a chip into his mouth. “I’m selective. And you didn’t make the cut.”

She was silenced and stormed off with a huff. You were still standing there, wide-eyed.

Eddie turned to you and his gaze grew concerned. “You alright there, Gazer ?”

You blinked before sighing and huffing a bitter laugh. “Why are you always showing up right when things get really humiliating ?”

He grinned. “Maybe I’ve got a sixth sense for it. Or maybe,” he said, lowering his voice as he leaned just a little closer, “I don’t like when people talk shit about someone I like.”

Your heart skipped and your eyes widened significantly. “You like me ?”

He raised an eyebrow and smirked at the shock on your face. “I was kidding. Don’t flatter yourself, Poker Face. I just hate Marcie.”

He walked away, tossing the empty chip bag into the trash, but not before glancing back—just once—to make sure you were smiling.

You were.

A few days later…

You were nose-deep in a history book, fully zoned out when—

Tap.

You jolted so hard you knocked your pen across the table.

“Jesus—!”

Eddie was crouched behind your chair, grinning like the Cheshire Cat.

“Hi,” he said sweetly.

You slapped a hand to your chest. “Eddie. You can’t just do that—”

He didn’t move. Still crouched. Still smirking.

“I’ve been here for five minutes,” he informed you. “You didn’t even notice me creeping up. I could’ve been a serial killer.”

You snorted. “I wish you were. Then maybe I’d have peace.”

He gasped—mock hurt. “Gazer. Wounding me.”

You glared at him and turned back to your book, trying not to acknowledge the fact that your pulse was still hammering. But then—

Poke.

Your eyes went wide. His fingers had poked your ribs. Right under your arm. You stiffened.

“Oh ?” Eddie exclaimed, leaning closer, mischief radiating off him like heat. “Was that a reaction ?”

You gave him a warning glance. “Don’t.”

He wiggled his fingers again. “I’m looking for it. The tickle spot. I know it’s there.”

You tried to use the back of your chair as a shield against the assault. “I will kick you in the shin.”

“Promises, promises,” he sing-songed.

You glared at him and tried to focus back on your page, ignoring how close he was now, chin resting on the back of your chair. But he poked your side again and you yelped—actually yelped.

“There it is,” he grinned, triumphant. “Bullseye.”

You shoved your book closed and gave him a half-hearted glare, cheeks warm. “Don’t you have anywhere else to be ?”

“Probably,” he admitted with a grin. “But I like bothering you more.”

You huffed and stood up to walk out. You then sat cross-legged under the old tree near the edge of the field, unmoving. Your eyes were fixed somewhere off in the distance—nowhere, really—and then you just went into one of your weird spacing out episodes.

From the path, Eddie spotted you.

At first, he thought you were ignoring him. Then he realized that you weren’t.

He slowed as he approached.

“Hey…” he said softly, crouching in front of you. No reaction.

He waved a hand near your face. “Earth to Poker Face.”

Nothing.

He paused. This wasn’t the first time. He’d seen it happen before, but never quite this…deep. Instead of pushing, Eddie exhaled through his nose and lowered himself into the grass beside you. He sat close—but not touching—watching you out of the corner of his eye. You were still breathing slow. Calm. Peaceful, even. His gaze wandered. And then he saw it—your hand, resting lightly against your thigh, fingers relaxed. Something stirred in his chest. He looked around for any potential witnesses but no one seemed to be around at this hour.

Left. Right. No one watching.

His tongue poked out briefly as he wet his lips. He looked at your face again, searching for any flicker of awareness.

Still nothing.

So slowly—ever so slowly—he reached out. His hand hovered for a moment over yours like he was afraid you’d burn him. Then, inch by inch, he slipped his fingers between yours. His palm pressed against yours with the lightest pressure.

You didn’t pull away. He wasn’t sure that you were even aware that he had decided to hold your hand. So he stayed like that. Sitting beside you, hand in yours, heartbeat skipping like a stone across water.

A soft breeze rustled the leaves above.

He looked at you again—studying the curve of your eyelashes, the calm in your brow, the stillness that always made people whisper, what’s wrong with them ? But not him. He didn’t think anything was wrong with you. He thought you looked like someone who just…lived in a different kind of quiet. And maybe, for once, he wanted to know what that quiet felt like. So he stayed. Just sat there. No jokes. No jabs. Just some guy with his hand in yours, hoping maybe when you came back to the world, you wouldn’t let go.

A few moments later…

You blinked slowly and the haze lifted. Your fingers twitched and tightened slightly around a warmth you hadn’t expected. Turning your head just a little, you saw him—Eddie, eyes closed, head tilted back against the tree trunk, breathing steady and calm. He was asleep. His hand still held yours, fingers loosely intertwined. You hesitated for a moment, the instinct to pull away warring with something deeper. Then, instead of moving away, you shifted closer, letting your shoulder rest against his. The grass was cool beneath you, the sky above muted and gray, but in that instant, the quiet felt safe.

You closed your eyes.

The soft rise and fall of his breath was soothing to you. Minutes stretched and slipped by. And somewhere between the crunch of leaves and the distant chatter of classmates, you both drifted into a peaceful nap—side by side, hands still touching, shoulders leaning in.

…

The moon hung low and silver, casting long shadows across the empty field when you woke up. You stirred first, eyes fluttering open to the chill night air. Your heart jumped when you realized you were still pressed up against Eddie’s shoulder—and your hand was still in his. You jerked awake, coughing softly to cover your sudden fluster. Quickly, carefully, you slipped your hand out of his grasp, trying not to disturb him.

“Sorry,” you whispered, voice barely audible in the quiet.

Eddie stirred too, blinking slowly as he registered where he was and who was beside him. He smirked, eyes half-lidded in that trademark devil-may-care way.

“’S fine,” he mumbled, stretching one arm above his head like it was the most natural thing in the world. The two of you then stood up and started walking towards the school ground exit. The street was empty, quiet but for the wind rustling through the trees and your slow footsteps on the pavement. Eddie shoved his hands in his jacket pockets and glanced at you out of the corner of his eye.

“…You wear that cap a lot,” he noted casually and gestured to the one you were wearing. “Like, a lot a lot.”

You looked down quickly, fingers twitching with the urge to adjust the brim again.

“Yeah,” you acknowledged. “I know.”

He let the silence stretch, giving you the chance to fill it if you wanted to. You did.

“It’s not just because I like it. It’s sort of…a shield.”

Eddie raised a quizzical eyebrow at you. “A shield ?”

You nodded. “From people. From their eyes. I have a…habit. Sometimes I space out and stare. It makes people uncomfortable. Makes them think I’m doing it on purpose.”

Eddie tilted his head, quiet now.

You kicked a rock on the sidewalk. “So I wear the cap low. It gives me something to look at. Lets me hide a little. I know it’s weird.”

Eddie was quiet for a second longer, then replied with a shrug, “That’s not weird.”

You glanced at him and he looked away.

“I mean,” he shrugged again, “people stare at me all the time. But I guess it’s only cool when they do it.”

You smiled, surprised by his reassuring words.

He looked ahead again, a breeze lifting his curls. “So what, the cap’s like—your armor or something ?”

You nodded. “…Kind of, yeah.”

He smiled. “Well, I dig it. It’s got that mysterious ‘who is she under that brim ?’ vibe. Very mysterious and dramatic.”

You snorted despite yourself. “Thanks, Munson.”

He was quick to retort. “You’re welcome, Poker Face.”

And with that, the silence returned. You both kept walking, your cap tugged low and your secret out in the open. Eddie glanced down at his hand—still swinging loosely by his side—and suddenly stopped walking. You paused too, watching as he wiggled his fingers, the silver of his many rings catching in the streetlight.

“You know…” he began, quieter now, “these aren’t just for show.”

You tilted your head. “They’re not ?”

He held up his hand, turning it side to side, letting each ring glint like a tiny spotlight.

“Most people think it’s just part of the whole… metalhead, freak-show image. And I mean, yeah, sure—some of it is. Gotta look cool when you’re scaring preps and failing math.”

You let out a small chuckle. He smiled faintly, but didn’t drop his gaze from his fingers.

“But I started wearing them when I was like… twelve. Found one in a pawn shop. Cheap as hell. Felt heavy. Solid. Like I had control over something.” He glanced at you now, his face more serious as he continued. “It was stupid, but I used to think if I had rings on my fingers, no one would notice they were shaking.”

Your breath caught and your eyes widened slightly. He gave a nonchalant shrug. “Still do it. If my hands are bare, I feel…I don’t know. Off. It’s stupid really.”

You were quiet for a beat, then replied softly, “That’s not stupid.”

He looked at you again. You hesitated, then tugged your cap a little higher—just enough for your eyes to meet his. Eddie held your gaze for a moment longer than necessary. You didn’t look away this time. His lips quirked up into something real.

“Well then,” he said softly. “Guess we’ve both got our special armor.”

You hesitated just a moment—then, without a word, your fingers reached out and intertwined with his. The weight of his rings pressed softly against your skin. Eddie’s eyes flicked down to your hands, then back up to your face, surprised but not pulling away.

“If…you ever feel like your hand is shaking…you can just…hold my hand.” You suggested and for a long moment, neither of you said anything. Then, Eddie’s usual smirk softened into a small, genuine smile.

“Thanks, Poker Face. I think I’ll take you up on that generous offer.”

You chuckled. “Actually, the name’s Y/N.”

He gave you a dumbfounded look. “Yeah, I know. But I prefer Poker Face or the Gazer.”

You narrowed your eyes at him. “…Wow. Thanks a lot, Munson.”

But you then both burst out laughing as you kept walking hand in hand.

The next morning:

You were walking towards the front steps of Hawkins High with a bounce in your step. The memory of yesterday still lingered—your hand in Eddie’s, the quiet promise you’d made. For once, school didn’t feel so unbearable.

Then you saw them.

Eddie leaning against the side of the school, talking to Marcie Winters—her laugh shrill and fake, her manicured fingers grazing his sleeve. He handed her something small—probably another drug deal—and for a moment, it was normal.

Until she looked up and spotted you.

Smirk.

Without hesitation, she grabbed him by the collar and kissed him. You froze. You knew she had probably done that to make you jealous. However, your stomach didn’t twist with jealousy. It twisted with rage. You stormed forward, every step harder than the last. Eddie pulled back, clearly startled, but before anyone could speak, you ripped your cap off and slapped Marcie across the face with it.

Whack.

Gasps echoed from nearby students.

“YOU NEVER KISS ANYONE WITHOUT PERMISSION, BITCH !” you shouted, fury lighting up your face.

Marcie stumbled back, stunned, hand flying to her cheek.

“AND YOU GOT A FUCKING BOYFRIEND !” you continued, voice cracking from the emotion bubbling out of you after years of staying quiet. “LEAVE EDDIE ALONE !”

Silence. Eddie stood frozen, eyes wide, half in shock and half in awe.

Marcie sputtered, “Wha—are you crazy ?!”

You didn’t even give her the dignity of a reply. You turned your back on her, shoved your cap back on, and looked to Eddie. Eddie blinked. Then grinned.

“…Holy shit.”

He then looked down at Marcie on the ground, then back at you, then at the students around with this look of ‘have you seen that shit ?’.

You barely registered Eddie grabbing your hand. One second you were standing your ground in front of a gasping crowd, and the next, you were running away from the scene. He tugged you through the hallway, laughing breathlessly as you ran past lockers and students to finally slip into a dark, musty janitor’s closet. The door shut with a quiet click. You stood in the darkness, the scent of mop water and dust in the air, your chest heaving from the sprint—and from what you’d just done.

“Oh my God, oh my God,” you whispered, pulling your cap low again. “I didn’t mean to—I just saw her, and then she kissed you, and she has a boyfriend, and I just—shit, Eddie, I shouldn’t have—”

Your voice was rising, a full-blown panic ramble—Until he grabbed your face and kissed you.

Full stop. No warning. No build-up.

Your breath caught in your chest and your pupils started dancing around in their eye sockets as you tried to make sense of what was happening. Your heart exploded in your chest and your hands flailed up and down in the air like a headless chicken.

When he finally pulled back, he was grinning like you’d just lit the world on fire.

“That,” he breathed, eyes gleaming, “was the sexiest, most badass thing I’ve ever seen in my life.”

You blinked, stunned into silence.

Eddie leaned in again, forehead resting against yours, breath warm. “You really just smacked Marcie Winters with your damn cap, Poker Face ?”

You stammered and tried to justify yourself. “…It-It was the only weapon I had.”

He barked a laugh, squeezing your hand tightly. “You’re fucking insane. And I mean that in the best way possible.”

Your cheeks burned, but you didn’t look away. Not this time. “…You’re not mad ?”

He scoffed. “Mad ? I’m in love.”

Your lips were still tingling from the kiss. His words—I’m in love—echoed in your head like a dropped match in a room full of fireworks. You blinked. And then—

Gone.

The janitor’s closet faded. His voice, the heat of the moment, the nearness of him—it all softened into static as your mind slipped.

Eyes open, but not seeing.

Still. Silent.

You were staring into nothingness again.

Eddie tilted his head. “Hey…?”

No response.

“…Shit,” he murmured under his breath, the playful spark in his eyes softening instantly. “You’re doing the thing again.”

He didn’t try to shake you. Instead, he sighed and crouched a little lower, gently resting one hand on your shoulder and the other on your hand—the one still warm from his grip.

“It’s okay,” he said softly, “I got you.”

He glanced at your face. You looked calm. Peaceful, even. Like you were off somewhere far away where none of this mess existed. After a beat, he slowly moved to sit on the floor beside you, shoulder brushing yours again—just like that day in the grass.

“I’ll wait,” he whispered. And he did.

Suddenly, your lashes fluttered. The mop bucket and dim fluorescent light above came back into focus. The weight of the air shifted. You blinked, head turning slowly, and saw Eddie sitting next to you on the floor—elbow resting on his bent knee, eyes watching you carefully.

“…How long was I out ?” you asked, your voice still distant, like you’d just woken from a dream.

“Just a couple minutes,” he replied with a smile. “Not too bad.”

You looked down at your lap. Embarrassment started creeping in again. “Sorry.”

“Don’t,” he cut in, his voice firmer this time.

You looked up at him with wide eyes when he cut you off and he smiled. He shrugged, fiddling with one of his rings absentmindedly. “I mean…I get it now. You weren’t ignoring me. Or zoning out ‘cause I’m boring.” He smirked a little, but it faded quickly. “You’re just built different, huh ?”

A pause.

Then he asked. “Is it scary ? When it happens ?”

You hesitated. Then nodded. “Sometimes.”

Eddie leaned his head back against the wall, looking up at the ceiling like he was thinking hard about something.

Then, “Well…for what it’s worth ? You don’t look weird when it happens. You just look like you’re somewhere important. Like your brain’s off doing spy shit and forgot to bring the rest of you.”

You laughed, startled and warm. “Spy shit ?”

He nodded. “Yeah. You probably know all the secrets of the universe and just can’t tell me ‘cause I’d freak out.”

He nudged your shoulder gently. “Anyway, I’ve decided I’m gonna be your handler now. Like, your official lookout. You space out, I keep you safe. No questions asked.”

You tilted your head. “And what do I do for you ?”

Eddie grinned. “You hold my hand when it shakes. We’ve already got a deal, remember ?”

You smiled—small, shy, and utterly real. “…Okay.” Then you let out a small chuckle, rubbing the back of your neck nervously. “We should…probably get back to class though.”

Eddie groaned dramatically, tilting his head back against the wall like you’d just told him finals were moved to today. “Ugh, why ? We just committed a public slap. Shouldn’t we be fugitives by now ?”

You stood slowly, brushing dust off your pants. “You can go full fugitive if you want. I still have homework due.”

“God,” he sighed, getting to his feet and stretching his arms overhead, “you’re such a nerd.”

You shot him a dry look beneath your cap. “And you kiss nerds. So what does that make you ?”

He paused. Then grinned, stepping a little closer, his nose brushing yours. “A nerd lover, apparently.”

You blinked—then smacked him lightly in the chest with the back of your hand. “Let’s go, Romeo.”

As you reached for the doorknob, Eddie gently caught your wrist. “Hey…seriously.”

You turned back before he continued.

“Thanks for what you did. With Marcie. No one’s…ever done something like that for me before.”

You felt your throat tighten—but managed a quiet, honest: “Anytime.”

And with that, you slipped out into the hallway. Whispers were already crackling through it like static—students leaning in close to each other, nudging shoulders, darting glances. You didn’t need to hear the words to know what they were about.

You were walking beside Eddie Munson. And he was holding your hand.

You felt it then—that rising heat under your skin, the old instinct to shrink, to disappear, to pull the cap lower and pretend none of it was real. So you looked down. Your hand in his. His fingers tangled with yours.

Slowly, gently, you opened your hand—leaving it there for him, but giving him the choice.

If he wanted to let go, he could.

For a second, nothing happened.

And then—

His fingers tightened.

He didn’t let go. Instead, he laced your fingers together more firmly and lifted your joined hands a little—almost like a dare to the hallway around you. You looked up at him. He was already looking at you.

“Poker Face,” he whispered under his breath, leaning in just enough so only you could hear, “I’d rather be holding your hand than pretending I’m not.”

The whispers got louder.

But suddenly, they didn’t matter.

Not when his thumb brushed the back of your hand like it was second nature. Not when you realized he hadn’t even looked at them. Not once.

Just you.

Always just you…

You smiled and dared to stare into his eyes.

He smiled as his eyes met yours. “Welcome back to Earth, Y/N.”

[sweetshuga]

「 𝑾𝒉𝒆𝒏 𝑻𝒉𝒆 𝑩𝒊𝒓𝒅𝒔 𝑮𝒐 𝑸𝒖𝒊𝒆𝒕 ✰ 𝑴.𝑺 」

˖ ݁𖥔 ݁˖ 𝟔𝒕𝒉 𝒔𝒆𝒏𝒔𝒆.ᐟ𝒎𝒂𝒕𝒕 𝒙 𝒈𝒉𝒐𝒔𝒕.ᐟ𝒓𝒆𝒂𝒅𝒆𝒓 ˖ ݁𖥔 ݁˖

𝑪𝒐𝒏𝒕𝒆𝒏𝒕𝒔: mentions of death ⭒ one-sided pining ⭒ fluff (kinda?) + more.

𝑾𝒐𝒓𝒅 𝑪𝒐𝒖𝒏𝒕: 𝟎.𝟖 𝒌

𝑨𝒖𝒕𝒉𝒐𝒓’𝒔 𝑵𝒐𝒕𝒆: A series that I don’t know if I’ll update regularly...

𝑲𝒆𝒆𝒑 𝑰𝒏 𝑴𝒊𝒏𝒅: English is not my first language!

𝑺𝒚𝒏𝒐𝒑𝒔𝒊𝒔: A ghost falls in love with a human who happens to have an exceptional 6th sense.

You don’t remember when or how you died. The only thing you remember is wandering around aimlessly before you saw him.

You heard his brothers call him Matt.

Matt.

Your legs seemed to have a mind of their own and before you knew it, you had followed the brunette boy home.

You knew it was wrong, but it’s not like he can see you… right?

Matt glanced back briefly, his heart thumping in his chest when he saw that you were still there.

His mind raced with questions.

Why were you following him? Did you find out he could see you? Is that why you were following him?

He didn’t want to tell Chris or Nick about the girl – or ghost – that had followed them home, not wanting to scare them since you seemed harmless.

Matt’s shoulders were tense as he walked towards his bedroom, but you shrugged it off, not thinking too much about the way he seemed to be hurrying to get to his room.

You followed him into his room, getting in before he closed the door.

'Fuuck...' Matt groaned internally. He wasn’t quick enough to close the door before you got in.

Defeated, Matt walked over to his bed and plopped down on it, immediately opening his phone and scrolling through it to distract himself from the fact that you were watching him from the doorway.

You sighed deeply and sat down on his bed beside him, finding it unfair that only after your death you found someone so close to your type.

You simply admired him for about an hour when all of a sudden, Matt’s head turned towards you, staring directly at your face.

Your breath hitched at the sudden eye contact, your shoulders tensing. But then your shoulders sagged in relief, remembering that he couldn’t see you.

“Can you... stop looking at me?” He suddenly spoke, catching you completely off guard.

Can he see you?

He hadn’t planned to acknowledge you or talk to you due to the risk of you getting attached to him, but he couldn’t just sit there and pretend like he isn’t being ogled at by a literal ghost.

You looked around to see if he was talking to someone else but there wasn’t anyone. Confused, you pointed at your chest – silently asking if he was talking to you – and he nodded, confirming that he was indeed talking to you.

“Yeah, you. I’m talking to you. Who else would I be talking to?”

Matt sat up, turning his body towards you.

“But... I’m-” “I know you’re a ghost.” You blinked at him, utterly flabbergasted.

“You... You know?” You mumbled out a question that sounded more like a panicked statement.

“Yeah, I know.” Matt sighed. “Look, I don’t know why you decided to follow me, but can you at least stop looking at me like you wanna devour me?”

His words had your face heating up.

Fuck, did it really look like you were eyeing him in that way?

“Sorry, I just… it’s just… I dunno- wait, so, if you can see me... Does that mean you can see ghosts in general? Or is it just me?” Your stammered rambling had his brain taking a minute to process it.

“I had an accident when I was a kid and ever since then I began to see ghosts, spirits and whatnot.”

Your eyes sparkled with curiosity and you leaned in close to him as you spoke. “So you’ve been able to see ghosts since you were a kid? That’s so cool.”

“Cool? Pfft-” Matt began to titter, before composing himself and clearing his throat. “Yeah, I guess it is if you think optimistically... But it’s honestly more of a pain in the ass for me.”

There was a small silence until Matt suddenly blurted out.

“...So how’d you die anyway?”

He immediately shut himself up, knowing he might’ve stepped on a landmine.

“It’s fine if you don’t wanna tell me. I mean, people die all the time-” He cut himself off again, cursing internally at how insensitive he sounded.

You smiled slightly, finding the way he was panicking cute.

“It’s fine,” you reassured, “I honestly don’t remember how I died… All I remember is just wandering around after finding out that I was a ghost, and then I saw you and... I dunno... I just followed you.”

Matt nodded slowly, letting the information sink in. “So you’re saying you don’t remember anything? Like, your name, age, family and so on?”

He watched you nod, his expression turning slightly grim. “I see… Well, since neither of us know your name—I’ll just give you a temporary name until you remember it.”

He thought for a second before smiling at you, his eyes crinkling at the corners.

“How about Moon?”

You felt your heart skip a beat at his smile even though you technically don’t have a physical, working heart anymore.

“Yeah… That works.” You said, trying to play it cool and hide how much you liked it.

“Okay. Moon it is.” He grinned, showing his perfect set of teeth. “So, Moon, you wanna watch a movie with me? I was planning to watch a few—wouldn’t mind if you joined me.”

His question was so casual, yet it showed that he was alright with sharing his personal space with you even though you were a ghost.

God, you would do anything to be alive again.

“Yeah, I love movies.” Your reply had him smiling softly, already picking out which movie to watch.

End of chapter one.

© 𝒔𝒘𝒆𝒆𝒕𝒔𝒉𝒖𝒈𝒂

[katnipp]

hello hello!! i have a request 🫩🫩 could u nake a fic about popularcheerleader yoonchae with lowkey nerd/geek reader, both of them get assigned on a oroject and yoonchae is very curious abour reader cause shed never really heard of her(theyve had many classes together) but readers disant and makes sure not to talk alot cause shes not trying to get bullied by yoonchaes friends, time goed by and they both notice that they arent as bad as they thought anf they both like eschother anf then boom they r together

according to the rubric, we’re in love— jeong yoonchae

genre: FLUFFFF

synopsis: she kept her head down. yoonchae never looked her way—until they were forced to work together. now she’s the only one yoonchae sees

—

yoonchae had never really noticed y/n before.

okay, that wasn’t entirely true. y/n sat three rows in front of her in chemistry, and two seats to the left in english. she was always there, quiet and scribbling notes with her head down, half-hidden behind oversized hoodies and thick-rimmed glasses. but she’d never heard her voice. not once. not until now.

“uh… we’re partners?” y/n asked, voice so quiet it almost got lost in the shuffle of students moving around them.

yoonchae blinked, caught off guard. “yeah. looks like it.”

y/n nodded, clutching a notebook to her chest like some kind of shield. “okay. um… cool.”

and just like that, she turned and walked back to her seat without another word.

yoonchae stared after her, a little confused, a little intrigued.

huh.

⸻

yoonchae wasn’t clueless. she knew how people saw her: cheer captain, effortlessly social, always surrounded by friends who talked more about lip gloss than books. she was used to being liked—or at least noticed—in every room she walked into.

but y/n didn’t look at her like that.

y/n barely looked at her at all.

and that? for some reason, yoonchae couldn’t stop thinking about it.

⸻

the next day, she slid into the chair beside y/n at the library and tapped her pen against the table.

“so,” she said casually, “you like star wars?”

y/n blinked up at her. “…what?”

yoonchae pointed at the small, worn patch on y/n’s backpack. “that’s the jedi symbol, right?”

y/n hesitated. “…you know what the jedi symbol looks like?”

yoonchae grinned. “my brother’s obsessed. i know more than i want to.”

y/n looked down at her notebook again. “oh. cool.”

silence settled over the table, a little awkward. but not uncomfortable. not completely.

⸻

yoonchae could tell y/n didn’t trust her. not really. she caught the way y/n’s eyes flicked toward her friends when they passed by. the way she tensed when loud laughter filled the halls. like she was waiting to be the punchline.

but she wasn’t going to be. not with yoonchae.

and besides—y/n was kind of… interesting. she was smart, for one thing. really smart. and even though she barely spoke during class, whenever she did say something, it was quick and sharp and kind of funny.

and she always smelled like spearmint gum and vanilla shampoo. which—yoonchae had no idea why she noticed that, but she did.

⸻

project meetings slowly turned into something else. first library sessions. then sitting together at lunch—far from yoonchae’s usual table, tucked into the back corner of the cafeteria like a secret. just the two of them.

they didn’t talk about the project much anymore.

instead, they talked about movies, space, comics, and why yoonchae’s favorite k-drama had a totally unrealistic ending. y/n would argue, soft but firm, and yoonchae would pretend to be offended just to get her to roll her eyes.

she liked that.

she liked her.

⸻

“you’re not what i expected,” y/n said one afternoon, half-buried in her hoodie, eyes flicking to yoonchae’s and then back to her fries.

yoonchae tilted her head. “what’d you expect?”

“someone mean,” y/n said after a pause. “someone who’d call me weird behind my back.”

yoonchae’s smile faltered. “do you think i would?”

“not anymore.”

“i’m sorry,” yoonchae said gently. “if my friends ever said anything—”

“it’s okay,” y/n said quickly. “they don’t know me.”

yoonchae reached across the table and nudged her pinky against y/n’s. “well… i do.”

⸻

she brought y/n a slushie at the game that friday. didn’t even ask, just handed it over with a grin and plopped down beside her on the bleachers.

y/n was typing something on her laptop. she accepted the drink with a quiet “thanks” and a smile that made yoonchae’s chest feel weirdly warm.

they watched the game in silence, knees barely touching. yoonchae kept sneaking glances, trying not to grin every time y/n’s brows furrowed at her screen.

“hey,” she said finally, leaning in just a little. “you’re kinda cute when you smile.”

y/n almost dropped her slushie. “wh-what?”

“you heard me,” yoonchae said, biting her lip, clearly amused. “i am flirting.”

y/n’s face went red.

yoonchae thought it was the best thing she’d ever seen.

⸻

the project was finished a week early. but they kept meeting up anyway. library after school. quick chats between classes. texts that started as reminders and turned into late-night convos about favorite books, stupid hypotheticals, and why yoonchae’s cat definitely hated her.

one day, yoonchae caught y/n by her locker. her hair was a little messy. her hands fidgety. but her eyes were steady.

“so,” she said, “we’re not working together anymore. but maybe we still could? i mean… hang out. just us. not for school.”

y/n blinked. “like a date?”

“yeah,” yoonchae said, voice softer now. “like a date.”

y/n hesitated, then smiled. “okay.”

and just like that, the cheerleader and the nerd

—

the girl who had everything and the girl who hid in corners—

fell into something real.

and this time, yoonchae really noticed her.

because how could she not?

—

a/n: SORRY IF ITS SHORTER THAN USUAL☹️

[returnofeternity]

hope finals have been going well for you!! they're lowk kicking my ass and i might have to retake them 😭💔 but anyways— nothing but thoughts about adult van 🥲

thinking about being a college student who goes into town during their breaks, trying to find something to do or just eat somewhere for lunch. maybe you bump into van at a café or at her work just out of curiosity, resulting in a spark of a genuine bond that you start coming to her regularly. she gives you sm movie recs and probably great advice whenever you're doubting yourself because of school getting hard that you start crushing on her so bad 😭

⋆🍓

i just finished all of them yesterday!!! i passed all of them 😁 hope u do well on urssss :)

you have a long gap between classes and decide to take the bus/or ur car if you drive (im license-less sorry) to your favorite cafe that always give you freebies. maybe you pass by van when you first walk in! you have to do a double-take because 1. this is the most beautiful woman you've ever seen here, and 2. she calls you babe after you held the door open for her. you're blushing and smiling as you make your way to the cashier, and they know. they mention that her name is van and she's a regular here, almost as regular as you.

you would have never expected that the random video store you happened to stumble upon a few minutes later was run by her.

she's in the back sorting things when you walk in, the little bell ringing to signal that a customer is in, and she yells that she'll be right with you. you walk around in awe, looking at all the awesome vintage items, poking around through old magazines she has and laughing at how there's old porn in here.

"we have vintage tapes too." the raspy voice from behind makes you jump, and you blush bright red at getting caught. your eyes widen when you turn around and see the older woman from the cafe. the one who called you babe. "uh," an awkward sound comes out of your throat. you place the magazine back down and turn around, not ready to face her. "you're from the cafe." she looks you up and down. "did you follow me here?" the woman laughs at your shocked face and scoots past you to rearrange some CDs, grumbling about 'some teenagers.' you scratch your neck and turn around to look at her again. "i just thought the store looked cool. i didn't know you worked here."

you ask her about what she recommends, and you two get lost in a talk about movies, CDs, mp3 players (she has a hard time believing you're even old enough to have had one -__-), and what you like to do for fun. you're genuinely there for hours, just following her while she puts things away and shows you what she has. you end up leaving with like 5 VHS tapes along with the VCR machine she rented out to you. and she expects you to be back to report on all the movies.

at first, she's honestly just a safe space for you :( thinking this older butch lesbian who kind of takes you under her wing, showing you all sorts of queer cinema that you've never even heard of before, always giving you advice and talking to you about things you wanna learn. van who, once you two start to get closer, takes you out to lesbian bars and introduces you to all her older butch and femme friends!!!!

she;s so amazing. you tell her that you're crushing on this girl and she just immediately goes into ways on how to ask her out and when you say EXACTLY what she told you to say, she just says "good job! she'll for sure say yes." like girl 😑😑 she tries to play cool and act like she knew, but she's dying inside.

van who drops you off and picks you up from classes in her truck 😍😍 always kisses you and tells you good luck in your classes, always asks you how your day was and if ur hungry cos she'll take you out to eat :)

always thinkin of movie dates in her room. popping in a VHS and cuddling on the couch, telling her about how you were on ebay and saw this shrek crt tv for sale and that she should totallllyyy get it. and you know van palmer don't mess around about ebay bidding.

ALSO. do yall think this is her skateboard......gulp. butch skateboarder van......

sorry for this added angst but now i just cant stop thinking about being van's favorite regular and hearing about her passing away 😭😭😭😭😭😭😭😭😭😭😭

[callme-holly]

Hey!!

I saw the one request and thought it was a good idea

The gang x reader who’s on broadway? Like they go to one of her shows and they meet after the show? Modern headcannons def

Thanks!

𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐠𝐚𝐧𝐠 𝐱 𝐛𝐫𝐨𝐚𝐝𝐰𝐚𝐲!𝐫𝐞𝐚𝐝𝐞𝐫

a/n: as someone in theatre this is so perfect i cant even. thank you so much for the request !!

Darry curtis: 

Darry is so incredibly proud of you and makes sure that you know it. If he’s going to watch you perform, he’ll dress up nice, simply because he sees the occasion as something special. It’s clear to everyone that he’s buzzing with excitement and nerves

He’ll watch with laser focus, his eyes solely on you, analysing every little thing you do, brimming with awe. During the interval, he’ll turn to whoever’s next to him and go, “she’s amazing, huh? I get to hear that voice every damn day.” 

He might get a little emotional during bows, marvelling at the number of people who give you a standing ovation. He’s clapping and cheering the loudest, though, and you’ll catch sight of him grinning widely. 

When you come out, he’s waiting with flowers and wrapping you in the tightest hug, whispering about how good you were.

Sodapop Curtis: 

He is so incredibly excited to see you perform and is buzzing in his seat the moment he sits down. His legs bounce, his hands tap against his knees and he’s humming the songs along like he’s heard them thousands of times (he has). 

He’ll whisper “that’s my girl” at the end of all your solos, not for people to hear, but unreply because he’s so incredibly proud of you.

He buys you the biggest bouquet of flowers and presents them to you at the end like you’re a celebrity, claiming how you almost made him cry whenever you were on stage. 

Ponyboy Curtis:

Pony adores the fact that you’re in shows and makes sure he knows the whole plot before   going to watch it, wanting to make sure he can grasp what’s happening whilst paying attention to you. 

He doesn't dress over the top, keeping it casual but still smart enough to show he’s excited to be seeing you and that the occasion is an important one. 

He’s leaning forward in his seat to see you anytime you’re on stage, smiling to himself through each of your lines. He loves seeing you in the playbill and while people might catch him smiling, he never brags about you being his, even though it's clear to everyone.

Johnny Cade:

Johnny feels a little out of place in the crowd at first, but once he’s found his seat and it hits him that he’s seeing you perform, all his anxiety disappears and is instead replaced with pure excitement. 

You’re the only one he’s watching on stage, even in big group numbers. He’s fixated on you, smiling the whole time and clapping so loud for you that it startles a few people. 

He’ll get shy afterwards, going up to you and giving you a hug, telling you how proud he is of you whilst others praise you for your performance. He’s just glad he can call you his. 

Dallas Winston:

Dally tries to act unimpressed at first and like he doesn’t care. Musicals aren’t his thing at all, and he couldn’t think of anything worse than sitting in a crowd of annoying people and listening to jazzy numbers. But he does it for you. 

When the lights go down and he sees you on stage, he’s speechless. Because everyone is watching his partner, marvelling at the person who is his, and yet he’s the one you’re going home with. 

He’ll leave during the interval for a smoke and surprisingly comes back for the second act, purely just to stare at you in your costume while you dance. 

Afterwards, he tries to play it cool, but anyone can tell he’s proud of you and he might brag to a few people. 

Steve Randle:

Steve gets so invested in the plot and your character immediately becomes the centre of his focus. It's rare he’ll sit and watch something for so long, but if you’re in it? He’s fixated. 

During all your songs, he grins like an idiot, fist pumping the air time you hit a big note and not caring when he receives weird looks. He’s heard you belting enough in the shower and now he gets to see what all the rehearsals were for. 

Afterwards, he’ll throw his arms around you and pull you into the biggest kiss, brimming with awe and pride. 

“You’re telling’ me I’m dating’ a broadway star?” 

Two-Bit Mathews:

Two surprisingly really likes musicals and will bring a hoard of snacks, treating it like he’s going to the oscars. He gets the seat right where you can see him if you were to search the crowd, so you can see just how amazed he is of you. 

He laughs far too loud and probably sheds a tear during the sad parts. He cheers and claps loud enough for you to hear and enough for you to almost break character. 

Afterwards, during the bows, he’ll loudly announce that you’re his star, not caring who cares. He wants everyone to know who stole the show and who you’re going home with after. 

tag list. @mrsdillonx , @goingdelux18 , @princesshailierawr , @r0seb100d let me know if you want to be added <3

[mingisprincxss]

At the same time- San X Seonghwa X reader

Summary: San and Seonghwa come over to visit after their little photoshoot and things quickly get heated

Warnings: MDNI!! Smut, threesome, creampies(pls wrap it), rough San, gentle Seonghwa

I HAD TO MAKE SOMETHING AFTER I SAW THESE PICTURES FORGIVE ME🥵

You were going insane.

Both San and Seonghwa were texting you back to back of what they were up to. They were in suits for a photoshoot for whatever, you didn't care you spent all this time fantasizing the two of them passing you back and forth and letting their juices mix inside of you. You jumped when you heard a knock at the door causing your heart to race

When you opened the door, there stood the two men smirking at you devilishly as they pushed their way into your place.

They both wasted no time putting their hands all over you, Seonghwa first to make out with you as San places his hands on your hips to grind his dick against your ass Seonghwa then turns you to San as he grabs your face to make out with you next as Seonghwa snaked his hand under your shirt to rub you through your panties the three of you quickly went to your room you took your shirt off to reveal you in lingerie earning a groan from the both of them.

"Fuck" Seonghwa breathed roaming his hands all over you

"A nice little surprise for us?" San kissed down your neck causing you to moan he then pushed you on the bed as both men crawled over to you. San kissed his way down your stomach as Seonghwa kissed you again while he took your bra off causing a small gasp from you from the cool air hitting your nipples as he massaged your tits San's head was already between your legs and your underwear coming off revealing your wet slick on your underwear.

"Dirty girl is so wet for us and we haven't done anything to her physically yet." San smirked showing Seonghwa your wet underwear before tossing it on the floor spreading your legs more and putting his head back in between your legs licking and sucking on your clit causing you to jolt a bit from the sensation. "S-Sannie" you moaned Seonghwa was palming himself through his pants as you started to tremble from Sans work in between your legs. Before you knew it Seonghwa pulled down his pants and boxers in one swift motion revealing his angry twitching cock and took off his button up revealing his slender figure that you always fantasize about even envied since he had such a slutty waist. San now flipped you on your hands and knees so you could have more access to sucking Seonghwa off while he was still going to town eating you out.

You licked Seonghwa's tip as you trembled about to cum on sans face until he pulled away causing you to whine as San spanked you earning a yelp "Be a good little dirty slut and suck his dick." He commanded you nod obediently turning back to the slender man stroking himself as you licked his tip again and taking him into your mouth San took his clothes off now and got behind you as he pushed himself inside of you he hissed going further as you moaned sending vibrations through Seonghwa's dick causing him to tilt his head back and moan with the both of you. As San bottomed out inside of you, the two men started thrusting into you. San gripping your hips as Seonghwa grabbed your hair gently thrusting in and out your mouth causing you to be a drooling teary mess under them. You were practically choking on Seonghwa's dick with how rough San was slamming into you.

Seonghwa was trembling now getting close to cumming in your mouth as San stopped thrusting into you to let Seonghwa get his fix first as he came little bits dripped from your mouth as you swallowed him whole and when he pulled out and you tried to breathe San quickly started snapping his hips into you causing you to scream "poor little thing, are we overworking your body right now?" Seonghwa's cooed as you struggle to say anything with your mouth open moaning as San was getting close his speed and thrusts become sloppy as he spanked you again "Cum all over my dick right now" he said leaning over you going even faster than before more primal now you clench around him as Seonghwa praised you for doing a good job and you came undone on San's dick as he soon followed dumping his load inside of you panting.

As he pulled out you wanted to collapse exhausted but Seonghwa soon got behind you and stroked himself hard again looking at Sans juices dripping out of your wet pussy and he easily slipped inside of you causing a gasp "Don't worry, I wont be rough yet until you catch your breath a bit" Seonghwa said slowly rolling his hips into you pushing Sans cum further into you.

"Youre such a good little breeding pet for us." San purred laying under you running his fingers through your hair kissing you softly earning a moan from you as Seonghwa started to pick up his pace causing you to whimper from overstimulation now. Seonghwa's hands gripped your hips firmly as he kept his gentle but rough pace. It soon became sloppy as he was moaning louder and San was rubbing your swollen clit as you came on Seonghwa's dick now your body felt completely numb from all of this but you still felt Seonghwa's dick twitch in you as he came inside you mixing his and San's cum together in you. You fell flat on top of San as Seonghwa went to grab something to clean you all up. "You did so good darling" he purred as he kissed your head Seonghwa returned with waters and a towel to clean the three of you off as you were getting tired the two men cuddled you as you fell asleep

[dearstvckyx]

Promise you that'll make a baby with you , Make a momma of you - Gavi

After the shocking news of an unexpected pregnancy at just 19, you and Gavi are forced to grow up fast. Now, months later, the baby decides to come early — right in the middle of one of Barça’s biggest matches. With Pedri as your panic-stricken birthing partner, Gavi racing from the stadium, and emotions at an all-time high, the journey into parenthood begins in the most chaotic, heartwarming way possible. Featuring godfather Pedri in full crybaby mode, a stadium’s worth of love, and Gavi being Gavi: emotional, extra, and absolutely in love. - The Neighbourhood , Jealou$y

Pablo Gavi x Reader (ft Pedri, Gavis Family, Barça Players)

Warnings: Language (in both English & Spanish) , Descriptions of childbirth/labor (nothing overly graphic) , Emotional themes , Lots of crying , Pedri nearly passing out from stress (I had to add this) , PROBABLY BADLY WRITTEN SPANISH IM STILL LEARNING

The Neighbourhood Lyrics Masterlist - ⌂

Camp Nou – VIP Box

You gripped the edge of your seat, trying to breathe through the tightness spreading across your stomach. At first, you thought it was just nerves. Then warmth rushed down your legs.

You blinked. “Pedri…”

He was on his phone, half-watching the game. “Hmm?”

“Pedri.”

He looked over—and saw the panic in your eyes before he noticed the puddle beneath your chair.

“Oh, mierda.” He jumped up, already fumbling for his phone. “Vale, no entres en pánico…”

“Estoy teniendo el bebé, Pedri! AHORA MISMO!”

“It’s okay, it’s okay, breathe. I got you,” he said, kneeling next to you. “You’re good. You’ll be fine.”

You grabbed his hoodie and screamed as another contraction hit.

“Ay DIOS, me está MATANDO!”

“Tú puedes, vale? Vamos. We’re going. I’m calling the car—” he rambled, speaking rapid-fire as he motioned for security.

“¿Dónde está Pablo? ¿Por qué no está aquí?”

Pedri helped you into the wheelchair. “He’s still playing. But don’t worry — I texted him. He’s gonna come. I swear.”

⸻

At the Hospital – 20 minutes later

You were already in a gown, gripping the bedrails like they were lifelines. Pedri sat by your head, holding a cool cloth to your forehead with shaking hands.

“¿Puedes verme? Mira mis ojos, vale? Solo respira conmigo,” he said.

You gasped, “Dios mío, esto duele más de lo que pensé!”

“I know, I know, I’m so sorry,” he said, visibly panicked. “Estás siendo tan valiente, joder… nunca había visto algo así.”

“I CAN’T DO THIS—”

“Yes, you can. Yes, you are. Look at you! You’re doing it right now!”

⸻

Back at Camp Nou

Gavi was still in the game, unaware, until his phone buzzed on the bench.

A message from Pedri:

Your girl is in labor. We’re at the hospital.

Coach glanced at the message, then at Gavi. “Vamos,” he muttered, waving him over.

Gavi jogged toward him, confused. “¿Qué pasa?”

The coach smiled knowingly. “Buena suerte… y felicidades, papá.”

Gavi froze, realization hitting like a freight train. He sprinted off the pitch, waving off the crowd’s confusion.

Shower. Clothes. Bag. Phone. Car.

⸻

Labor room

Back in the labor room, pedri is still doing his best to calm down his best friend, and himself.

Then the door slammed open.

“MI AMOR!” Gavi’s voice cracked as he ran in, bag still slung over his shoulder. He looked wild — flushed from the sprint, hair damp from a quick shower.

Pedri stood and stumbled back. “Oh thank God. I’m OUT. I’m so out.” He threw his hands up and bolted out the door like a soldier who’d seen too much.

Gavi raced to your side. “Estoy aquí, mi amor . Estoy aquí. Perdóname por no estar antes.”

You burst into a fresh round of tears as he kissed your temple and took your hand. “I was so scared.”

“I know, I know. But I’m here now. We’ve got this, okay?”

You squeezed his hand like it was your last anchor.

⸻

Delivery Room – Hours Later

Your screams filled the air, but you barely heard them. All you felt was the pressure, the burn, the need to finish this. Gavi never left your side, whispering to you constantly.

“Eres increíble, juro por Dios… Nunca te había amado tanto,” he murmured.

Tears streamed down your face as you bore down one last time—

And then the cry filled the room.

You gasped. “Is that—?”

Gavi looked at the nurse in awe. “¿Está bien? ¿Está bien él?”

“Si,si.” the nurse smiled, gently laying your newborn son onto your chest.

You let out a sob, holding your baby for the first time. “He’s so… tiny.”

Gavi sat beside you, tears streaming. “Nuestro hijo… míralo.”

⸻

Recovery Room – Later

The door creaked open slowly. “¿Puedo entrar?” Pedri whispered, peeking his head in.

You smiled, exhausted but glowing. “Si, godfather.”

He froze. “What?”

You glanced at Gavi. “We talked about it. We want you to be his padrino.”

Pedri blinked, then walked in like a zombie and looked down at the baby in your arms. He reached out, gently took him, and sat in the chair nearby.

Then he started crying.

“¿Qué te pasa, Ri?” you laughed weakly.

“No sé… es que… he’s beautiful. I just—” His voice cracked. “You guys are like family.”

⸻

A couple hours later

The room you were set in was now full of Barça Teammates, Coaches, and Gavi’s Family

Soon, the whole room was buzzing. Teammates poured in. Coaches shook Gavi’s hand. Someone brought cupcakes. Pedri’s family showed up and hugged you like their own daughter.

Then the door opened again—and in walked Gavi’s mom.

The room went quiet.

You tensed immediately, holding your son a little tighter. Gavi noticed and placed a hand protectively on your back.

But then his mom crossed the room, eyes on you—not the baby—and gently sat beside you.

Without saying a word, she leaned in and wrapped her arms around you.

“Lo hiciste muy bien,” she whispered, brushing hair from your forehead.

Your lip trembled. You melted into her shoulder and cried again, this time from relief.

⸻

Later that night

The room had cleared out. Gavi sat beside you, his arm around your shoulder as you held your baby in your arms. His fingers brushed over the tiny ones poking out of the blanket.

“Somos tan jóvenes… pero mira lo que hicimos,” he whispered.

You turned to him with tired, misty eyes. “Lo hicimos juntos.”

He leaned down, kissed your forehead, then smirked—classic Gavi mischief lighting up his eyes.

“Te lo dije, ¿no? Que iba a hacerte mamá.”

You turned slowly, face blank. “Did you seriously just say that?”

He grinned. “Prometí, y lo cumplí.”

You swatted his arm. “Idiota.”

“Mm, pero sexy.”

You groaned and looked down at your baby. “You’re gonna grow up with a dad who thinks he’s funny. I’m so sorry.”

Gavi just laughed, resting his head on your shoulder as you both stared at the tiny life you made together.

“Todo por ti,” he whispered.

Note: this was part 2 of this fic - part 1

[shimmerandink]

You’re mine, if you want to be

Jinx x Reader

Angst/comfort

Tags: Jinx x reader, angst, reader comforts Jinx, Jinx is having a difficult time, sfw

Zaun never truly slept. The constant hum of engines, distant clattering of hammers, and faint groans of the city settling into its usual chaos kept it awake, kept it alive. Yet, for all its constant noise, there were those rare moments when it felt like the city itself had stumbled, taking a breath and holding it.

And it was in that brief silence that you found yourself, half dozing in your workshop above the Last Drop, hands hovering over a half finished project, a soldering iron cool beside you. You had half-expected her to drop by earlier, throwing chaos into the calm as she often did, but nothing. The evening dragged on without a whisper from her.

That wasn’t normal. Not for Jinx.

You stiffened when you heard the first soft creak of the floorboards below. A subtle disturbance, one you recognized immediately. Your heart skipped, and you barely registered the moment you stood from the desk, making your way to the door. But when you opened it, you weren’t prepared for what you saw.

There she was, standing just beyond the threshold, her figure framed by the dim light from the hallway. Rainwater clung to her clothes like a second skin, glimmering in the faint light like oil slicks. Her usually wild, chaotic energy was gone. Her breath came in ragged gasps, too shallow, too tight.

Jinx’s eyes met yours, wide but unfocused. The madness in them was gone. She was empty, her usual manic spark dimmed to something raw, something fragile. She barely registered the door opening, her hands trembling as they hovered over the guns strapped to her hips, as if she might reach for them instinctively but didn’t quite know why.

“Jinx?” you whispered, voice barely breaking the silence.

She blinked at you slowly, as though trying to make sense of your face. The moment seemed endless. Then, just as quickly, she collapsed. Not dramatically, but slowly, her knees buckled, her body folding into itself as if gravity had suddenly lost its fight with her. She slid down the wall with a soft thud, sitting on the cold floor, her arms wrapped around her knees as if trying to hold herself together.

“I didn’t mean to,” she whispered, the words barely above a breath, but heavy with the weight of something you hadn’t seen before, guilt.

You were already kneeling in front of her, your heart hammering in your chest. But you didn’t reach for her yet. She was unpredictable, unstable in ways only she could be, and you knew the distance mattered. The space between your touch and her was a fragile thing.

“Didn’t mean to what?” you asked, voice soft, trying to coax her to let you in.

Her lips trembled as she shook her head, not answering immediately. Her chest rose and fell in sharp, uneven breaths. She seemed so small in that moment. Smaller than she’d ever let herself appear. Even her usual bravado seemed to have vanished, leaving a broken girl in her place.

“He screamed.” Her voice cracked slightly. “I thought it was a trap. A trick. I—he begged me, I thought it was just another game, but—then—”

She stopped, her breath hitching as her eyes glazed over, the pain of the memory hitting her again. There was a pause before she whispered the last part, her voice almost too quiet to hear.

“And then he stopped moving, and I… I didn’t mean to, I didn’t want to—”

She squeezed her eyes shut as if trying to block out the memory. Her hand reached up, rubbing at her face, but all it did was smear the tears she’d been trying to hide. There was no venom in her words. No rage. Just a fragile tremor, a vulnerability that made her seem human in a way you’d never seen before.

You sat beside her, slowly closing the space between you, heart aching. You’d never seen her like this. She was always fire, always explosion, always the one causing chaos, but right now? She was a dying ember, fragile in the palm of your hands.

You couldn’t help it. You reached out carefully, hand brushing her shoulder. She flinched at first, just a slight jerk, before she collapsed into your touch. Her trembling body seemed to fold into yours like a puzzle piece, and without thinking, you pulled her closer, wrapping your arms around her.

At first, she stiffened, her usual instinct, to resist, before something in her softened, her breath evening out as she buried her face against your chest. Her hands were cold, trembling, like she didn’t know how to handle the closeness. But you didn’t let go. You held her close, just gently enough to remind her she didn’t have to be alone in this.

“You’re not alone, Jinx,” you whispered, your hand moving to the back of her head, gently brushing through the wild, tangled braids. “You’re not a monster. You’re not what they say.”

She sniffed, her breath catching again, and for a moment, you thought she might pull away, but instead, she sank deeper into your embrace.

“Then what am I?” Her voice was barely audible, but there was desperation in it. A question she had been asking herself for too long.

You swallowed hard, the weight of her vulnerability pressing down on you. She had never let anyone this close. Not like this. Not when the walls were down. And in that moment, the truth was clear:

“You’re mine,” you said quietly, your heart pounding in your chest. “If you want to be.”

Her body stilled against yours. She didn’t pull away. Instead, her shoulders shook with a ragged breath, and when you looked down at her, her eyes were wet, the pain still raw. But there was something else there too. Something softer. Something that needed to be held.

“You’re mine,” you repeated, this time more firmly. “I’ll always be here. I won’t let you fall.”

Jinx’s breath hitched, her lips parting slightly, but she didn’t respond with words. Instead, she pressed her forehead to your chest, her arms tightening around you as if to hold on for dear life.

For the first time in as long as you could remember, she wasn’t running.

She was just… breathing.

And for you, that was enough.

[kinardnatural]

I try to look ahead, sometimes I look back instead part 2

PART 1

PART 3

READ ON AO3

He lasted for about thirty minutes before he decided to leave the group. 

It had been going fine at first. Buck had even asked Cole some question and learned that he was working as a high-rise window cleaner. He also learned that he and Tommy had met through a mutual friend years ago and had reconnected, and before he got into details on how that had happened, Buck had asked him more about his job. 

“Isn't it scary? Getting up there, knowing that you can fall any moment?”

“Probably not as scary as firefighting. Or flying through a hurricane.” 

Buck threw Tommy a quick glance and ducked his head. “He, uh… told you about that, huh?” 

“More like prompted it out of him. I saw his medal-” 

The medal Buck knew was hanging inside Tommy's bedroom. He started to feel nauseous. 

“-and had to ask about it. That must have been something.” 

“Yeah. It… was an unforgettable experience,” Buck agreed. “That's when I first met Tommy, actually,” he felt the need to add. 

“Really? I thought you all worked at the same station?” 

“That was before Buckaroo’s time,” Chimney mentioned. 

“Evan was actually my replacement at the 118,” Tommy chimed in. “And it took us seven years to meet.” 

“Evan? I thought your name was Buck.” 

“Yeah, most people call me Buck.” He felt his face flush and took a huge gulp from his beer in hope to conceal it before anyone took notice. 

They continued to chat, and as much as Buck wanted to hate on Cole, he quickly found that he couldn't. He was nice. Very easy to engage in conversations with and indulged in every topic with great interest. 

Tommy had found a great guy, and it was killing him. 

He had finally had enough and called it a night. He said his goodbyes, uttered them a lot more coldly to Chim than the others, and left.

—

“I'm really sorry, Buck.”

“I heard you the first few times, Chim.” There was only so many times Buck could ignore his pleading brother-in-law their following shift. “It still doesn't change anything.” 

“I know you have every right to be mad at me–” 

Buck scoffed.

“I may not have thought the whole thing through–”

“You deliberately withheld vital information, Chim,” Hen interjected with a glance up at the pair from her phone. “How did you think this was gonna go?”

“Look, I thought… I wasn't lying about Tommy asking about you. He does that a lot. I figured that if I can get you two together for a gathering that it might ignite some old sparks.”

“You wanted to turn me into a homewrecker in the process? That makes it so much better, Chim.” 

“No! No, God no! That wasn't-”

“I don't care what you thought or what your intentions were. You knew I wasn’t over him and you knew he would bring his shiny new boyfriend. H-how would you have felt, if I did the same to you, with Maddie? How great would you feel?” 

A pause. 

“Not very great.” 

Buck scoffed again and shook his head.

“Now, I'm gonna be mad at you for a while, so let me be that. Just… no more meddling. Please.” 

“No more meddling! Crossing my heart.” 

If only Buck could believe that.

—

“He seemed nice.” 

Tommy looked up from his breakfast burrito and glanced at Cole, who seemed very interested in picking on his croissant. It was their typical brunch date, them sitting outside a cafeteria enjoying the lovely weather. 

“The barista?”

“No, silly. Buck.” 

He damn near choke on his burrito. 

“Uh-huh,” he managed, all too casually.

“He is so into you.” The tone was teasing and Tommy shifted on his seat. 

“What makes you say that?” 

“The way he looked at you? The way he blushed when you called him Even.” 

“Evan,” Tommy corrected. 

“Evan. Why do you call him that?”

“It's his name.” He swallowed. “I call Chimney by his name too.” 

Cole seemed to accept the answer. “Cool.” He leaned back and Tommy relaxed, thinking the conversation was over for a moment when silence hit. Unfortunately, that was not the case. 

“So have you thought about it?”

“Thought about what?” 

“Buck. And you. Hooking up?”

“Cole.” 

“What? I'm curious. He's hot. Like. Really hot. I wouldn't mind being squeezed in between the two of yo–”

“All right, Cole.” That was an image Tommy definitely didn't want imprinted inside his head. The thought of someone else touching Evan was more unwelcoming than not. 

“I'm just saying. It would be hot.”

Tommy raised an eyebrow at him. 

“Am I not hot enough for you?” He smirked, switching gears. 

That seemed to do the trick. 

– 

[foxiefunland]

Silver Springs (18+ MDNI) || Dark Butcher x Bright Fairy

Warnings: All of my fics have extremely DARK themes. Read at your own risk. Always 18+ MDNI.

Tags: For you @dumpy-little-nobody 💖, @butchersboobs , @rustanddusted , @scrmqwn , @bobabilbil , @bimboyaoi

What a long fucking day. Another dead end in what wasn’t the first sewer they trudged through that mission, no one had showered in two days, and to top it all off, you were slamming your little feet against Billy Butcher’s chest because he forgot to pack your granola snacks, and you’d burned through all your sugar packets earlier that morning. So, yeah, you were a bit pissed, but even with all your strength and rage you didn’t pack more of a punch than an acorn falling from a tree.

Your glow had dimmed, was just a soft fizzling hint of light. Your wings nearly gave out right, stuttering before you shook your head in determination, hands on your little hips, giving him the most pissed-off expression you could muster. Didn’t do much for your boyfriend, who just rolled his eyes to the sky and opened up his jacket to allow you to fly into his inside pocket.

“Right. Quit yer flappin. In ya go.”

You stayed barely hovering in the air, wings flapping, giving your best glare. “Say please.”

“Oh for fuc- yer royal fuckin’ highness, will you please get in me jacket?”

That was better. You finally let yourself settle into the warmth of his inside jacket pocket. Smooth interior fabric that stayed just cool enough on hot days, but was enough to keep you warm when you needed it, you could lean against his strong chest and feel and hear his heartbeat like a song, and it enveloped you in his smell: cheap soap, cigarettes, him.

Your voice may have been muffled from the jacket, but you were still heard loud and clear. “Mmm! Toasty!”

He starts the short walk to a shitty 23-hour diner a few blocks away, fresh cigarette already between his lips, your New York accent yelling at him from inside your warm happy place. Even at this late hour, the streets are alive with cars revving and speeding, more than enough businesses open late for the convenience of individuals exactly like them. “And I want a pancake stack this time!”

Butcher took a great inhale on his cigarette, letting the smoke trail out slow as he nodded to no one in particular. “Yeah, yeah. Fairy princess wants her flapjacks.” He tossed the rest of his smoke away as he neared the doors to the diner, giving you a quick peek in his pocket. “Did alrigh’ today. Even with the bitchin’.”

“Great!” You squeaked up at him. “Now walk faster, jackass! They do close for one hour every night.”

\\\

Butcher sits down in a quiet corner, like always. Best way to keep an eye on the door, see who’s around him, and be prepared before anyone reaches him. You’ve picked up on a few things, having to learn all about this awful world since you entered it. More often than not, Butcher wanted you to stay put, out of sight, but you were never having that. Your eyes peeked over the pocket, scanning the diner just like he was.

All stealth was tossed aside the second you saw the waitress, however, leaping out of his pocket to excitedly shout your order up at her, but Butcher’s overbearing voice ordered for you both instead. “Pancakes, double. And fruit or somethin’.”

Your wings fluttered indignantly, the little bit of rest you had giving you just enough energy to glow, catching the waitresses’ attention. She eyed you wearily. “Make that three stacks, please.” You give Butcher a look. “I’m still metabolizin’ those drinks from last night-“

Flashback to last night, at the flat you lived in with Butcher. You were pouring a single shot of a bright green drink, a bottle you kept from your homeland. “This is fae-distilled absinthe. I chug, you sip.”

Butcher scoffed. “Sip?!”

And after one shot quickly kicked back that you requested he take slow, Butcher was holding you in the palm of his giant hand, crooning “Take My Breath Away” as he nuzzled your belly with the adorable tip of his nose. You were only slightly less wrecked, practically liquid glitter in his hold, giggling away with each brush against you.

“You were sweet,” You continued recounting the evening, eyes shining up at him. “Told me I was the ‘one bright thing left in this shite world’.”

Butcher was all too thankful the waitress decided to plop your plates down at that very moment, nearly crushing you with Butcher’s double stack of pancakes. He took a huge forkful into his mouth, using it as a reason to mutter a half-assed response. “I was off my tits.”

“Still, though,” You take a pretty impressive size bite for such a little thing, wings glowing brighter and fluttering happily at the gooey goodness. You almost lose your train of thought you’re so relieved to be eating and consuming sugar again. Volume getting louder, accent getting thicker. Yeah, you were on your way back. “You’re lucky I had to escape the Grove. Otherwise I woulda never ended up here. You ever think of that?”

Butcher nodded, still avoiding eye contact. “Kinda hard not to when yer squattin’ in my jacket.”

You smile, dabbing the sticky syrup of your lips with a tiny corner of his napkin. Your eyes drift over to his plate, which includes a side of hash browns. “Gimme some of your hash browns.”

He snorts, immediately pulling his plate closer, arm wrapped around the edge like a wall. He knew you all too well. “Over my dead body.”

Your wings fluttered once more, dangerously this time, as you crouched and let your little claws out with a tiny metallic shwink! “Let’s go big guy.”

[hellobitchlet]

Actually, here's some more thoughts now that I've gotten to sit and think about the overall quest:

- the entire framing of The Plan that the quest was focused on, and ppl like Albedo, Venti, and Jean perfectly executing it, was clearly the Hoyo tactic of 'trying to sound smarter than they actually are'. But uhhhh..... this was an extremely stupid plan. How many innocent civilians died in the MONTHS that the knights waited??? And how many died during the attack that obviously would not have been as big if you had taken action sooner???

- another stupid side effect of Genshin hyper-focusing on The Plan is that they spent SO much time on it that they didn't have time for much else. We could have dedicated all that time spent on the useless 'investigation' to Durin instead. But no! We spent like an hour on the 'investigation', and like half an hour after that info dumping! You're told over and over again that Durin is a big bad threat, but then your just fighting normal mobs (most of which you can literally choose not to fight), and everyone reacts unnaturally calmly to the situation. No one acts like Durin's a threat, so everything falls flat.

- for as cute as Alice was in this quest, the shoehorning in Hexenzirkel lore when Rhinedottir was the only one who was relevant to the plot also contributed to this. The only witch we needed to hear from- if any- was Rhinedottir herself. Alice and Barbeloth don't have anything to do with this, let alone the random chess board that we've NEVER heard of before! Why would you make the big boss of the Durin Threat quest anything OTHER than Durin??

-imagine for a second; Durin may not be able to move his corpse around (presumably), but what about his blood? Imagine a massive dragon the size of Dvalin, that is entirely made of bloody mist and crystals. That would've been SUCH a cool boss! Imagine what mechanics you could do with sheer cold, and using Durin's blood-body to stay warm, or needing to stay near him to prevent yourself from freezing.

- actually, if Hoyo wasn't so lazy, this chess themed boss would've been a pretty cool unique boss for the Imaginarium Theatre. Imagine if Genshin's endgame content wasn't so dam lazy. You know why the Elysian Realm is so popular in hi3? Because it comes with BOTH endgame content AND an actual story! That is what we need here! Some sort of Imaginarium Theatre questline would've been a great place to utilize Albedo, Mona, and Klee in permanent content- and a much better place to have Dodoco Alice and Barbeloth. Why couldn't we have done that?

- I don't think I emphasized enough how ooc Diluc is from his original appearances. For as shitty as the writers treat Kaeya, at least dumbing him down didn't include throwing away his /base personality/. Diluc, though? He actively expresses his hatred towards ppl constantly, and has actively DONE stuff against the knights on screen. So he has to be changed COMPLETELY if we want to avoid conflict. Now, he's a good civil servant who actively helps the knights and goes to them when he sees illegal things happen!! Which is. The exact opposite personality.

- and for Kaeya, while his surface level personality hasn't changed as much (bc he's not a born hater like Diluc), he still greatly suffers from the same problems. However, their relationship turning out fine despite everything has been happening for years, and Kaeya's personal stuff wasn't brought up in this quest. So, not as much to say about Kaeya for once. Which is probably a good thing.

- speaking of being ooc, I never would've thought that JEAN of all people would handle this matter in such a... dare I say Kaeya or Diluc like way? Last I checked, she would never allow civilians to be killed while knowing who the culprit is. Literally- the time we saw her go against the 'normal' way a knight would handle things in the aq was bc she knew they needed to act quickly for the safety of the people!

-even talking to Albedo and Venti was annoying! I have NEVER felt that way about Venti before. EVER. And that is really bad!! Like, REALLY really bad!! Venti has always been one of the most fun and interesting characters to interact with in the whole game- if even he is being sanded down and beginning to feel the same as everyone else... we're doomed. I'm serious.

All in all, the biggest takeaway I have from this quest is that it should never have existed. I cannot find a single good thing to say about it. Half of the characters involved act ooc at best and are ruined beyond repair at worst. It would have honestly been better if Albedo, Subject 2, and Durin's plotline from Shadows Amidst Snowstorms had been forgotten about completely. At least then, it wouldn't have been destroyed.

Thoughts on paralogism:

- starting off the 'expecting everyone to know event lore' quest strong with having you show up in the middle of the Windblume Festival.

- god, Genshin is SO bad at subtly. You go straight to Katherine and she TELLS you that somethings off and the game FORCES you to watch npc's act Not Normal for a good 5 minutes to set the tone as Something Is Off.

- what is the point of the storytelling mode? Is it really just to add Windblune decorations to Mondstadt and make a court room? It's not like Mondstadt's aq didn't temporarily change the city's appearance already without it. And the Wibdblume festival is largely irrelevant to the plot anyways.

- "A trial? But, this is Mondstadt, not Fontaine..." Paimon what are you talking about?? Other nations have legal systems too, obviously???

- the first trial was just talking. There isn't even the stupid court minigame they had you do in Fontaine or a thinking minigame because Traveler wasn't participating in it! Thankfully, though, it wasn't that long by Genshin standards.

- ...Amber knows that there are two Albedo's. Eula knows that there are two Albedo's. Bennett knows that there are two Albedo's. Two of those people are with the Knights of Favonius. We SAW that Eula was a part of the investigation team working on this case before the trial even started! The didn't-play-the-event bandaid recap even acknowledges this! Even when making a trial 10 minutes long instead of an hour, and the investigation was seemingly finished BEFORE the trial (fuck you for being so bad at your job Neuvillette), the mystery is still appsurdly obtuse if you think about it for more than a second.

- (I know that Eula was taking part in the plan, but you were still supposed to think that an actual investigation was going on. The whole purpose of the investigation stuff was still pointless with how obvious it was that Albedo wouldn't be the killer)

- the writers will forget that they had Rosaria say something as suspicious as "Time is like the wind- it waits for no one" about Venti, with all the connections between time and wind. Rosaria is one of those 4 stars who just... randomly says stuff that makes her sound suspicious/important all the time and nothing comes of it. This isn't important to this quest- the sus line just reminded me of it.

- I'm not sure how I feel about Dahlia. He's an unnecessary addition to the cast, and the concept of his role being to 'communicate Barbados's will to the people' doesn't fit in with Mondstadt's story. What happened to Venti letting his people choose their own path unless something goes horribly wrong? He doesn't tell his people what to do- if he wants something done he does it himself. I want to be happy that new Mondstadt characters feel more important than most other new characters from older nations, but there is so much more you could've done than... basically ripping the concept of Venti's friendship with Rosaria and Barbara away from them.

- also I liked Dahlia's original design more. The only reason I was ever interested in him was because the original metal design on his chest looked similar to an Abyss enemy, and despite everything, I had the tiniest of hopes that it was actually intentional. I don't know why I ever thought that.

- there's finally an upstairs in the kof headquarters!! Rejoice!!

- HOW DID IT TAKE SO LONG FOR TRAVELER TO EVEN REMEMBER THAT THERE WAS A SECOND ALBEDO- "oh, I almost forgot!" HOW DO YOU FORGET THAT?????????????

- it also sucks that the return of Albedo's plotline- and arrival to permanent content- is Traveler casually walking into a situation that has been happening for years off screen. The fact that most of the quest is boring exposition of what Traveler missed is expected but disappointing.

- Albedo KILLED Subject 2 off screen. Are you fucking kidding me. I and many others have been interested in him for YEARS. He was one of the main focuses of Shadows Amidst Snowstorms, one of the best written quests Genshin has ever made, and one of the VERY FEW plotlines that actually had a chance to START going somewhere. And you. Killed. Him. Off. Screen. I am so pissed off. Fuck you.

- the sudden explain-a-thon of "actually, nothing went wrong and everything is under control and here's what's actually happening" did not help my investment in this stupid quest. This quest is 80% explaining what's going on 20% pseudo substance.

- still annoyed at the treatment of hilichurls. Nothing else to be said here that hasn't been said before.

- the Ragbros.... Genshin has been dumbing down and retconning their relationship conflict and personal conflicts since Diluc's skin event in Inazuma AT LEAST, to avoid actually writing their conflict. How do people still think that there's a conflict to be resolved.

- and of course, we had to throw in some hints of "Diluc doesn't mind the knights now, let's not acknowledge how he acted towards them in the beginning" as well. Give me ONE reason why he would've stopped using any excuse to insult them off screen, in the time between his story quest and paralogism.

- I feel like they mostly just put Kaeya in the marketing for 5.6 and made him Albedo's 'lawyer' bc ppl expect him to be a part of important Mondstadt stuff, and Kaebedo is Albedo and Kaeya's most popular ship. He didn't appear nearly as much as Albedo, Venti, and Jean outside of the trial.

- a team of just Amber and Mika was. Not fun. I had to use an attack boost food and I was fighting two normal hilichurls.

- it occurs to me that this is Mika's first appearance in permanent content. Mika himself is a plot point you were supposed to know about from events lol.

- the tripartite conference confuses me severely. When tf did Venti wake up in present times if he was around while Varka was still here? It's really hard to talk about the timeline of events in Genshin, but it feels like Venti wakes up whenever there's a disaster in Mondstadt that his people are struggling with, which made it seem like he woke up bc of Dvalin to me. But surely Varka didn't go on his expedition in the middle of that, right...? Surely the events of the manga (where he had already left) didn't take place at the same time as the situation with Dvalin that was never mentioned...?

- and again, this sudden angle of "Barbados doing stuff for Mondstadt as Babados in modern times" is very specifically NOT how Mondstadt works??? They're the nation that ISN'T led by their god in any capacity. That was a big thing.

- that is how you're choosing to introduce Varka? Over a bomb shaped phone? It was actually kind of funny that he casually mentions "I'm surrounded on both sides with a group on my tail looking to turn me into mince meat" and the writers chose to focus on him having a stash of alcohol. He sounds like a fun character. Please please please let me like him Genshin...

- I groaned out loud when Toy 'Durin' showed up. I'm sorry, but Simulanka sucked and I don't want some random new character who is not Durin but is named after him and was tacked onto Scara solely because he's popular. Just give me real Durin as himself, not a new character. I mean, the writers clearly didn't care about Toy Durin either, since they immedietaly shoved them into the stupid amalgamation of Durin and Subject 2 as well.

- they really made a Dodoco version of Alice to avoid showing us what she looked like. In this case, it's actually more funny than anything else, especially since no one (Paimon) is being all over-the-top surprised about it. I wonder if showing up in odd forms is just a normal Alice thing? If so, I like it.

- aside from the part where they're trying to drag the kof into it for no reason, I do like that they're doing something with Venti's relationship to the Hexenzirkel. It's nice to see Venti and Alice interacting on screen, and casually acting like friends. I was certainly more interested in that between Venti and Alice + Varka than I was in a new character.

- wait, this is the first time we're hearing Alice in a permanent quest too, isn't it? It's almost amazing how incomprehensible this quest is going to be to new players joining after all of this stuff. Like- they made a 'recap' of Shadows Amidst Snowstorms, but didn't realize that you ALSO need to know 2023 Windblume, Weinleslfest, and Simulanka AT LEAST to truly understand the quest. The writer in the Nod Krai video wasn't lying when he said that they couldn't keep track of what ppl do and don't know.

- Alice saying to Albedo "I find you facinating" is also so cute to me. That's how I think about my favorite characters too!

- I also like the concept of killing Durin again and reviving him as a human to prevent Mondstadt's destruction. I just hate Genshin killing off Subject 2 (possibly bc they could actually make proper ch vs ch conflict, now that I think about it), and then fusing Durin with him and the stupid fake Durin. Like, that's just making a new character. You made a new character out of the remains of older characters. If you liked any of the characters used in this process- fuck you! You don't get to have them! How the fuck did the writers even come up that and how did they think that was a good idea????????

- this weird not-Durin is like 50% boring Toy Durin, 40% unrelated matter, 10% the Durin this actually SHOULD be, 0% Subject 2.

- even with my anger at the treatment of Subject 2, I would have pulled for a human Durin SO hard if only it was the Durin I actually cared about. This Toy Durin, I... I never want to see Toy Durin become playable, ESPECIALLY if it comes with us acting like he IS Durin.

- imagine what they could've done with Subject 2 and humanoid Durin as separate characters that were still themselves! Imagine Durin having to get used to his new body and face everything he and his corpse did to Mondstadt unknowingly! Imagine him meeting Venti and Dvalin! Imagine Subject 2 actually getting to fuck shit up!

- Dodoco Barbeloth looks cool too, but a Barbeloth intro without Mona :/?

- I thought Albedo saw all of Rhine's creations as his siblings? I swear I remember him saying that. I didn't hallucinate that, did I? What would be the point of retconning that? I mean, he immedietaly started calling Durin his brother again at the end of the quest!

- wait, why did Albedo make human Durin in the city?????? Why was it so flashy and big??????? Why wasn't he anywhere near Toy Durin or the materials he was using the entire time???????? How did a song and some fireworks prevent people from noticing that something was going on???????? Why did he do it in the city?????????

- of course the answer of the important mystery "what did Rhine mean when she told Albedo to "find the truth of this world"" was that she was just telling him to get a life. Of course. We wouldn't want a playable character to be involved in something actually interesting. Of course.

- that was the most random and boring way to reveal that Rhinedottir ATE THE SHADE OF LIFE they could have possibly made.

[bmpmp3]

just found out there was a cover of tori no uta sung by tomoriru (as a character she voiced for something).... hell yeas.....

[satari-raine]

II might be - is?! - going on Drumeo on the 19th, it feels like my birthday came early.