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viviennevermillion · 2 years ago

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Spending a snowy day with them

contains: character x gn!reader, does a relationship with dottore and several of his clones count as poly?

characters included: alhaitham, cyno, dottore, kaveh, pantalone

warnings: non-sexual nudity in cyno's part (taking a bath together)

Alhaitham:

You had asked your partner for a shared vacation for quite some time now. Alhaitham wasn't really the type for big romantic gestures or trips and he was the kind of man who liked his job enough to decide he just didn't need a vacation, or at least one that would require him to leave Sumeru City.

But since he was due for another research paper, he decided to expand his reach beyond Sumeru and study some ancient runes on the border between Fontaine and Snezhnaya. Part of it was specifically to get you that vacation you wanted because he's soft for you.

What he didn't expect (or WANT for that matter) was for his roommate to tag along. Kaveh wanted some inspiration for his newest architecture project and was also too broke to function on his own without Alhaitham there, so he just came with you on the trip.

Alhaitham hated when Kaveh spent time with you. Not because he was jealous but because you two were absolutely insufferable together.

On this fine day "insufferable" included Alhaitham trying to find some ruins and being hit with a snowball on the shoulder by you. He turns to you with a deadpan expression and speaks calmly. "Y/n, I love you but I'm trying to read the-"

He can't finish his sentence when another snowball hits him directly in the face, this time thrown by Kaveh who didn't have as much mercy as you. "You know, I could leave you in a cave in the mountains and no one would ever find your body", Alhaitham gave a dry reply to his roommate with his typical slightly arrogant attitude.

Kaveh didn't listen and neither did you, having the time of your life throwing snowballs after Alhaitham as revenge for all the times he had teased the two of you. What you didn't expect was for Alhaitham to put up a fight and throw back. Or rather, you didn't expect him to win against two people only by himself.

This is how the three of you ended up in a cave around a campfire, soaked from the snow, with you tightly snuggled against Alhaithams warm body and Kaveh left to suffer by himself.

"You see, this is your own fault. I told you to stop throwing snow at me like a child the first time you did it but you didn't want to listen", Alhaitham calmly stated but you could see the hint of a smile on his face because he was definitely enjoying how you were clinging to him desperately to get rid of the cold.

He had three blankets wrapped around you to make sure you wouldn't get sick and he kissed your forehead gently. "Do we have a blanket left for me?", Kaveh gave Alhaitham an annoyed look. "No." "You're such an asshole."

Alhaitham even grills you a couple of marshmallows or sausages over the fire, chuckling to himself when Kaveh accidentally drops his into the fire and reaches for a new one.

Alhaitham holds your hands to warm them and nuzzles your cheek. "I didn't go overboard with the snow right? If so, I apologize", his voice sounds softer now and his lips form a smile when he realizes you had already fallen asleep leaning against his body. He was still eager to continue his research trip, but he supposed he could let you take a quick nap, given how cute you looked. Yeah he's weak for you but Kaveh better not tease him about it.

Cyno:

It wasn't often that Cyno's duties as the General Mahamatra led him outside of Sumeru, but once in a while he crossed the borders to pursue a criminal personally who had thought they could flee from his judgement by leaving the country.

This was one of these instances. Since you were worried about him and he had no idea how long it would take for him to catch that dangerous criminal, he decided to book a hotel room in Snezhnaya for the two of you. During the day he would go to investigate the case he was tasked with in the mountains and he'd be back in the evenings to spend some time with you.

The first day you spent there the two of you went to a small market in the village you were staying in. Fairy lights were hung from cabin to cabin and the kids were ice-skating on a nearby lake. "How do you like the landscape?", Cyno asked you. "It's beautiful. Matches your hair", you smiled at him and ran your fingers through his soft white hair. You could see he was getting a little flustered, just as he always did when you gave him affection in public. He didn't mind, though, as long as it wasn't in front of people he needed to take him seriously.

You two shared some hot food at the market together, which really warmed you up in the cold.

There was a stand where you could make your own gingerbread man and you insisted to try it out. Cyno looked over your shoulder and hesitated. "So...uh... who's this guy?", he asked. You let out a whine. "I was trying to make your favorite character from the Genius Invokation TCG novel but well.... he's been through a lot", you pouted. Cyno laughed. "It's the thought that counts", he chuckled and gave you a kiss on the cheek. You didn't know how he did it but even though it was cold as hell, Cyno's lips were as warm as ever.

You turned your head to him and kissed his lips gently. He kissed back lovingly before you continued to wander the market.

There were stands that sold food, hot drinks, crafts and clothes. You eventually got Cyno a nice dark blue scarf and wrapped it around him. "I don't want you to get too cold when you're in the mountains hunting down bad guys", you smiled at him and cupped his face, marveling at how cute he looked with the scarf wrapped around him. You gave his lips another peck. Cyno gave you a warm smile. "Thank you, love. I appreciate that a lot", he spoke softly and hugged you.

You had to admit you were a little worried about him whenever he went out each day to investigate the crime he came here for. But you were all the more relieved when he returned to you safe and sound in the evening.

He opened the door of your hotel room basically covered in snow. "Wow", you commented, "you look like you were caught in a blizzard and fused your mind with a Froststurm Lawachurl." "Thank you", Cyno replied dryly and wiped some snow off his shoulder to smear it straight over your warm face. "You really didn't have to", you chuckled. He chuckled too and pulled you close. "Don't mind me, I'm just snow happy to see you!" You rolled your eyes at the pun and rested your head against his shoulder, shaking it in disappointment. "I'm gonna bury you outside in the snow."

To warm himself up and relax with you after this long day, Cyno would sometimes prepare a warm bath for the two of you. He'd hold you tightly against him in the hot water and give you as much affection as you want. He thinks you deserve as much after waiting for him all day. He kisses you gently and lets you wash his hair, almost falling asleep in your arms at the feeling of your fingers massaging his scalp. "I'm really enjoying my time with you here", you whisper quietly and lean your head against his as you hold him. "It was love at frost site", Cyno mumbles and you splash water in his face. "You're impossible...", you sigh. "You love me that way though", he said civilly. "That I do", you gently kiss his forehead.

After your bath Cyno puts on the scarf you got him again because he finds it so comfortable and makes some tea for the two of you as you spend the rest of the evening playing Genius Invokation TCG together.

Dottore:

There's plenty of snow in Snezhnaya so with Dottore every day is a snow day. On this particular one, he was doing some experiments with ruin machines outside that weren't safe enough to do inside and he let you watch from the balcony that overlooked the Zapolyarny Palace courtyard.

When you had complained that you wanted to spend some time with him, he sat one of his clones on your lap and told you this one would keep you company. So you were watching your significant other work in the courtyard on a huge machine together with some of his segments while one of them was sitting on your lap, very much enjoying the feeling of your arms wrapped around his waist and the occasional kiss on his cheek.

You never really got lonely because whenever you missed Dottore there would always be a clone craving your attention. It got a little overwhelming sometimes but if you loved one of them you loved all of them. Nights never really were cold either, given that you could have several clones snuggling you and keeping you warm, even if the original Dottore was working late. Not all of them loved you but it was enough for them to sometimes fight over who would get to hold you, pushing each other aside.

The segment who was sitting on your lap explained the whole project to you while the others were working, so you could properly understand what you were watching as well. His voice was soft and gentle and you could hear how much he appreciated being able to have some alone time with you. After all, when Prime Dottore had freetime, he wanted to be alone with you. He was the one you spent the most time with as well.

Occasionally Prime Dottore would send one of his segments up to bring you some snacks or a hot chocolate. You gave the segment a kiss on the lips as a thank you and as soon as he had left, the one who was tasked with keeping you company pressed his lips onto yours as well, kissing you lovingly. They got a little jealous of each other sometimes...

When the project was done, the two of you went downstairs into the courtyard to check out the final product.

You made the mistake of throwing a snowball at one of the segments and five of them turned their heads towards you simultaneously and started picking up snow. There was no way for you to win as you were tackled to the ground and one clone would straight up lay down on top of you to snuggle.

"Alright, that's enough for today, you can get off my lover now", you heard Dottore's voice and looked up to the see the original. He reached his hand out to you and helped you up, greeting you with a kiss on the lips.

He held your hand and led you past the pouting segments to explain the machine he made to you. He wrapped his arms around you from behind as he gave you an informative presentation about the project.

After all the tools were cleaned up, he would take you to your shared room and spend the rest of the day with you. You sat on the couch in front of the fireplace in Prime Dottore's arms as he would read his research reports to you. Only if you wanted to of course.

He'd let you fall asleep in his arms and snuggle you for the rest of the night.

Kaveh:

Same scenario as with Alhaitham. Alhaithams research trip to Snezhnaya for his Haravatat paper was overshadowed by the fact that he had to bring his broke roommate along and that Kaveh had invited you after telling you that Alhaitham had said that he was absolutely fine with this. He didn't even ask Alhaitham.

So on the first day of the trip you and Kaveh were standing there with your luggage and Alhaitham was like "Hello people I didn't invite."

Unlike Alhaitham, Kaveh can't handle the cold at all. He's like "I'm going to go outside to look at the pretty Snezhnayan buildings!" and comes back after 10 minutes clinging to you for the rest of the day. "I can't do this", he whines dramatically as he's clinging onto you like he's holding onto dear life, "it's too cold..."

You laugh and hold him gently, kissing his lips repeatedly. "Your warm embrace comforts me", Kaveh buried his face in your chest and refuses to get up for at least 2 hours. Alhaitham walks past you on his way to make lunch. "Is he being dramatic again?" You nod but look down at Kaveh with an affectionate smile. Alhaitham just shakes his head wondering how you're putting up with him.

If you do coax him outside he's also clinging to you the entire time.

But most of the time Kaveh will rather choose to stay inside on your trip. He only goes outside to show off the winter clothes he bought because he thinks he looks very cute and he can't wear these in Sumeru. "You're always beautiful, my dear", you chuckle and rest your forehead against his.

He gently holds you in his arms while sitting in front of the fireplace and starts singing to you softly. "Five hundred, twenty five thousand, six hundred minutes, five hundred, twenty five thousand moments so dear-" "Kaveh." Alhaitham shoots him a warning glare. "What did we say about the singing?"

Cue Kaveh complaining about how Alhaitham doesn't have the necessary amount of heart it takes to appreciate beautiful songs.

Since Kaveh isn't really a fan of the snow, you decide to stay inside baking cookies with him. He watches you as you prepare the dough and sits on the kitchen counter, occasionally reaching for you when you're close enough, wrapping his arms and legs around you and holding you for a while. "Kaveh, we'll never get done like this", you sigh. "Get off the kitchen counter." You hear Alhaithams stern voice from the doorframe before the scribe turns around to go to the living room of the cabin he rented. "GeT oFF tHe kItCHeN cOUnTEr", Kaveh repeated and rolled his eyes but all it took for him was for Alhaitham to turn around once more and just glare at him. So Kaveh begrudgingly got off the kitchen counter. This made you laugh and Kaveh crossed his arms, holding his head up high and pouting because you laughed about him. But how can he stay mad at you if you pull him into your arms and keep peppering his face with kisses. "Aw come on, don't be peeved....I love you", you kiss his cheek repeatedly and Kaveh melts into your touch.

"Shouldn't you be helping y/n or something?", the scribe asked his roommate. "I'm more the creative type. I'll design the cookies", Kaveh explained. You look at Alhaitham: "He just doesn't want to stick his fingers into the dough."

But Kaveh actually does a really good job at designing those cookies and he even makes a whole gingerbread castle with a tower and everything. He calls it an architectural masterpiece and brags about it to Alhaitham. "I bet you couldn't make something like this." "I don't even want to."

Kaveh and you later cuddle and enjoy the food you made together, although Kaveh insists you don't touch his gingerbread castle.

Pantalone:

Pantalone is used to the snow, giving that he's living in Snezhnaya but on some days the cold reminds him of the days in his youth when he would be wandering the streets in just a shirt and some trousers searching for coins to buy himself a lunch. You were the only one who knew about his past which he considered shameful and it warmed his heart how much you loved him.

He took a day off, something that was a fairly rare occurrence, given how busy he usually was, to spend it with you. He always made time for you after work but today he wanted to dedicate a whole day to you, given that it was your anniversary.

He had bought you five gifts again that were more expensive than anything you had (that he didn't buy for you) and was insisting you only deserved the best for all the love you give him. "But I can't give you anything back for these gifts...", you mumbled and he cupped your cheeks. "My dearest, your affection is all I want. With my wealth it's no wonder I have all of these expensive things but your love is something I'm grateful to have every single day", he gave you a charming smile and a forehead kiss. You chuckled. Pantalone was indeed a sucker for your affection. You remembered the day before when he was being held by you, tearing up whilst being overwhelmed from the kisses you gave him and the love he felt for you. He was greedy too. "More kisses...", he had mumbled. "We've been kissing for half an hour already, love", you chuckled.

Today, Pantalone had decided to have a nice anniversary date with you. You walked the streets of the Snezhnayan capital to a luxurious restaurant he had picked out for the two of you. You stopped him several times to kiss him because he looked just too cute with his cheeks red from the cold and the snow being caught in his hair.

You enjoy a nice candelit dinner with him as he had booked out the whole restaurant just for the two of you.

After that he told you he wanted to show you his favorite place in the city. You had only moved in with him fairly recently and you hadn't explored that much of the capital yet, so he was more than happy to show you around.

He led you to a busy park as it was getting dark. "Here we are", he exclaimed gesturing towards a fountain that was surrounded by several people. The fountain played music and the sprinklers were moving to the rhythm of the songs as the water was lit up in the most vibrant of colors. "It's beautiful", you marveled at it and Pantalone wrapped his arms around you from behind as you watched the light show.

A slow song came on and Pantalone asked you to dance. He held you close as you swayed to the music and Pantalone looked into your eyes with a loving expression.

"I always used to come here as a child when times were tough", Pantalone explained quietly, "it always made me feel better." "It's a beautiful place", you smiled and squeezed his hand.

"I'll get one of these built for my property so we can look at it everyday and you can request any song you want to", he told you and kissed your cheek, treating you like you were the most precious treasure he had. You were.

"Evil rich people", you shook your head and Pantalone let out a genuine laugh. You thought his laugh was one of the most beautiful things you had ever heard and it always brought a loving smile onto your face. "Of course we can always come back here whenever you want as well", he told you and nuzzled your cheek, "anything for the love of my life."

You kissed his lips and smiled into the kiss. He was always so cheesy. You rested your head on his chest and he held you close as you continued to watch the fountain under the starry night sky as the snow was falling gently onto the park.

#alhaitham x reader #cyno x reader #kaveh x reader #dottore x reader #pantalone x reader #il dottore x reader #dottore #pantalone #cyno #kaveh #alhaitham #al haitham x reader #al haitham #genshin x reader #genshin impact headcanons #genshin impact

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cts-ryu-writing-desk · 6 months ago

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One Night Under the Stars

Here is a little birthing story I had been working on recently. I wanted something a little bit more focused than what I was working on previously. I do hope you guys enjoy it.

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Thomas Harper always loved camping and the outdoors. After several months of slaving away in front of his computer screen at work, he finally took the time off. He was planning a few days out in the woods sleeping under the stars, fishing, and enjoying being away from the city. It was just what Thomas wanted. In the early morning, Thomas loaded his truck with what he needed: camping gear, fishing rods, and a small cooler filled with a few days' worth of food.

Thomas was looking forward to this trip for months. He would have gone a little sooner but with Thomas being heavily pregnant, he had other things taking priority. But now with time on his side, and nearing the end of his third trimester he wanted one last trip to the outdoors before he popped.

Thomas' friends voiced their concerns about him going. Numerous times he reassured them he had everything under control. "I don't feel like I'm gonna pop any time soon. I'll be fine,"

He was ready to leave, adjusting the rear-view mirror, and glanced down at his round pregnant belly pressing lightly against the steering wheel. Thomas let out a deep sigh. He drove down the winding roads through the hills and into the dense forests out of town. Thomas eventually came up to the entrance of Eagle Lake State Park. He had visited the park a few times before, there were no large predators in the area - a few deer at best.

Thomas checked in at the ranger station. After Thomas drove to his chosen campsite near the edge of a large, serene lake, he parked his truck, and carefully unloaded his gear. The first thing he needed was to set up his tent. He worked at getting the poles placed and the tent put up. As he hammered the last tent peg into the ground, he took a deep breath of the fresh, pine-scented air and smiled. He felt a sense of peace wash over him, a stark contrast to the hustle and bustle of his everyday life. With the tent up, he pulled out the cot from the back of his truck and set it in. He laid out a sleeping bag, a few pillows, and his maternity body pillow to ensure he would be comfortable at night. He was a little winded, huffing and rubbing on his big pregnant belly. "You're lucky I like you, or I wouldn't deal with this,"

The campsite was perfect: secluded enough to feel like he was alone in the wilderness but close enough to the river to catch fish. He didn't have any cell reception ensuring no one would be calling him to break up his quiet. He was perfectly isolated. Thomas sat at the edge of his truck taking a deep breath of the soak in the forest around him. He could smell the fresh scent of pine and earth, a hint of the river nearby being carried on the gentle breeze wafting through his small camp.

Thomas felt his baby kicking around his belly button, as if in approval of their surroundings. Thomas let out a small laugh as he traced his fingers over his belly. "You like that little man?" He asked

His baby kicked back. Thomas pushed down gently on the same spot. Thomas told his unborn baby boy to stop being so rough. There was a kick again where his finger just was. Thomas couldn't help but chuckle. "Well, don't you just think you're adorable?" He spoke to his baby bump.

Scooting off the gate of his truck he pulled out the folding chair and the grate. He went around for stones to make a fire pit and then placed the grate on top. His grill was set up. His camp was set up. Carefully letting himself plop down into his chair. Thomas took a moment to relax.

Thomas rested his hands on the top of his baby bump. He felt his little one fluttering underneath his hands. He closed his eyes taking in the fresh air. A gentle breeze wafting through the trees. A deep sigh, and a gentle pat. “Come one little man,”

Thomas finally decided to grab his fishing gear: his fishing pole, a small tackle box, a net, and a folding chair. It was a nice little walk from his camp down to the lake. He came to a serene calm lake, the water was a nice deep blue. It was so nice, like something off of a postcard. The sun was almost directly overhead, it had to be close to midday. He found a nice spot with a little shade and set up his folding chair.

At the edge of the water he cast his line, took a deep breath, and relaxed, he let his hand rest on top of his pregnant belly. When he felt a nibble he quickly tried to reel in. Sometimes he got lucky. It had already been several hours. Thomas lost himself in the rhythmic motions of casting and reeling. He caught enough fish for a modest dinner for him and his baby. He cleaned, prepped, and cooked the fish once he got back to his camp. The warmth of the fire felt nice. He tried to endure the little discomforts, he was used to ignoring the small pain as it crept up from time to time.

With his belly full and the fire crackling, he settled in his chair tent as the night crept over. Once it was dark he stripped down in the tent sleeping in a jock and a t-shirt and climbed into his sleeping bag. Eyes closed, one hand against his baby bump as he cuddled up to his body pillow, laying on his side.

He tossed and turned, unable to get comfortable. The pain was getting to be too much to ignore. As much as he tried to ignore it it was getting to be impossible. Thomas groaned, gripping his body pillow tightly. The pain wasn’t going away from the pressure building in his lower waist. He felt the pressure pushing down on his waist. He thought he needed to go to the bathroom. He lay there in a fierce sweat. Thomas finally opened his eyes to the dark tent. He struggled to roll over getting onto his back. He left something wet against his leg.

Thomas quickly reached around for the lantern. Getting the lantern on, he opened up his sleeping bag. There was a huge wet spot, what bit of the fluid he had against him he noticed it was clear. “Huh?”

Thomas felt the pressure in his lower back along with the urge to push. “Shit! Now, seriously?!” Thomas groaned

He could feel the baby opening him up. Thomas threw his head back wailing in pain. “FUCK!”

Thomas’ breathing was shallow. Every time he felt the need to push he felt incredible pain. He was getting lightheaded. He could feel the tip of his fingers digging into his palm. He screamed as he tried to push again. The baby hadn’t come to his prostate yet.

“What do I do? I What-” Thomas was trying to breath

Everything hurts. He wanted to cry. Thomas lay there. His legs were spread far apart. The urge to push was overwhelming but he couldn’t tolerate the pain of delivery. Thomas tried to push. With a little force, the baby moved a little, stretching him open until he couldn’t tolerate the pain again. The baby was slowly descending through his birth canal. He could feel the baby’s head was right against his prostate.

Thomas was light-headed. He unclenched his fist and placed his hand on his pregnant belly. He tried to get a deep breath feeling the relief wash over him. He could feel it again. He wanted to push. He felt his thigh; bending his knee and lifting it close to his chest. He held his leg open holding it at the back of his knee. One leg up. He tried to lift the other. A little more work but he managed to get into the same position. Thomas held his legs up nice and wide. He tried to breathe nice and deep. He needed to be ready for it.

The urge to push. He tensed up, his arms weak but holding his legs open. He felt the baby slide right onto his prostate. Thomas’ body shook, his balls quivering. It was an intense and sudden pain. His cock shot up, nice and hard, against his jock strap. Thomas kept pushing, feeling the baby grind against it. His eyes crossed, his cock flared. He screamed, ending his pushing.

Thomas wouldn’t let go of his legs. His voice was shaking, “Fuck… fuck… fuck…” He groaned on the verge of tears.

Again, he took short shallow breaths. He needed to catch his breath quickly. He tried to slow his breathing down to take deep breaths. He breathed in, filling up his lungs, before he tried to push again. He grunted and strained himself while trying to push. As he reached the end of this attempt he let out a strong wail - echoing through the night.

He could feel the baby’s head trying to push out. Again he tried to breathe deeply, grunting as he pushed and pushed. The head was opening up his ass, finally crowning. Thomas was exhausted, he felt like the tent was spinning. The night was fading.

Again, he needed to push again. His attempt was weak. But still, he tried desperately. Thomas felt the baby creeping out slowly. Finally, he felt a sense of relief as the head popped out. A gasp of relief, but it wasn't over yet. He had to continue, the shoulders were next. Struggling to push he could feel them pressing against his opening. The more he pushed the more he could feel them nearly breaking free.

Thomas kept at it. He was almost there. Keep going. He tried to plead to himself internally. He felt a shoulder then another dislodge themselves. Grunting and wailing in the early hours as the sun rose. He wondered if he was close, how long this baby was, but as he strained himself, going red in the face trying to push out his baby he felt it. Thomas finally felt the baby finish sliding out of him.

Silence filled the tent. “Aren't they supposed to cry'' he wondered

He felt a little foot move. Then a wiggle, his heart once still fluttered. His baby finally started to cry. Carefully he let one leg down and then the other. Thomas kept his legs nice and wide so he wouldn't squish his newborn. It was a struggle but he managed to pull himself up there he was a newborn baby boy. The newborn writhed in the bile of his own birth. Without thinking Thomas quickly reached for a new shirt and started weakly wiping away the bile from his baby. “It's okay. It's okay Daddy's here,” he said softly

Carefully he scooped up the baby remembering his parenting classes and being very careful with his head. He held this son close. Thomas was nearly in tears.

During the ordeal of his birth, a couple out for a sunrise walk heard his scream. They ventured into the thick of the woods away from the trail he drove in on and coming by his camp. Thomas didn't hear them approaching through the brush.

“Hello? Is anyone there?” A man said softly

“No herald you have to say it louder,” she said smacking his arm

“It's probably nothing, you know how it is. You come out to the woods, you get to be rougher than you would at home.” He said to her

“That's disgusting. What if someone is hurt?”

“In their own came, come on Julia, be realistic here,” Harold said to her as Julia approached the camp

“Hello?” she called out

Julia could faintly hear the sound of the baby through the rustling. Finally, catching Thomas’ attention. “Hello?”

“Hello!? Are you hurt!?” she called out From the tent

“Can you call the ranger station? I need to go to the hospital,” Thomas said

“Yes! Yes of course! Harold!” Julia shouted

“Wait! My walkie is here.”

Julia came back over and she found the door unzipped. She was ready To see a man hurt in some way. Instead, she saw a half-naked Thomas sitting upright cradling a baby swaddled in his tee shirt. “Oh my god!” Julia remarked

A ranger hurried over, it wasn’t long before a paramedic arrived. As he was being swept up and driven to the hospital, there was one question on everyone's mind “Why go camping when you're having a baby?”

Thomas’ reply to this each time was “he wasn't supposed to be here yet. I was supposed to be induced in a few days. When I came back.”

Being wheeled into the nearest hospital Thomas was separated from his newborn. He was drifting in and out during the moments of silence. He was woken up by nurses and doctors coming in to check on him. “Are you okay?”

“Just tired,” he’d reply

They would talk to him but he wouldn’t pay much mind. His eyelids were heavy. Thomas wasn’t able to keep his eyes open for long. When he next shot up, his baby boy was being brought in. He thought it had been hours. In reality, it had not yet been a half hour. They had done a better job cleaning him off. Getting him a onesie, and a little blue cap. “Is he?” Thomas asked weakly

“He’s just sleeping. The doctor didn’t see any issues. Or complications. You gave birth to a healthy baby boy,”

Thomas sighed in relief and closed his eyes again. “Good,” he mumbled

Thomas finally got to sleep.

When he had finally had enough rest Thomas spoke with his doctor.

“Well you’re lucky there are no serious injuries,” his doctor said

The doctor continued to talk to Thomas about the various complications that could have arisen. He simply replied “But they didn’t and he arrived just fine,”

This delivery came as a surprise. For Thomas, he believed those early contractions were just general discomfort. “Nothing I couldn’t handle before.”

“Well, consider yourself lucky this time.” his doctor said

“Luck’s got nothing to do with it,” Thomas replied looking at his baby.

Thomas named his son Hunter, born just shy of ten pounds, twenty-one point six inches. The doctor could not find any complications and the boy was healthy. After a couple of days under observation, Thomas could head home. Needing to cut his camping trip short, Thomas called in some favors from his friends to get his gear and his truck back. It was tough getting used to Hunter’s erratic schedule and it took him a lot longer to get into the groove of things with him. Before long he was going back to work, Hunter close by in a baby seat stroller or sleeping in a carrier backpack next to him. Things were getting back to a sense of normality. Thomas was finally getting the hang of being a single parent. On one Sunday afternoon while Hunter was down for his nap a friend of Thomas’ came by asking if he would ever go camping again.

“Yeah, when he’s old enough,”

“Oh that’s good,” his friend replied

“And that’s not even the best part,” Thomas said

“And what is that?” His friend asked

“I’m not pregnant this time,” Thomas replied

He and his friend started to chuckle a little. Thomas was true to his work. It wasn’t until Hunter was already two years old that Thomas took him camping. They didn’t go out to the woods but instead set up the tent in their backyard. The two had sat under the stars by the fire pit. Thomas rocking a fussy Hunter. Hunter didn’t want to sleep but his eyes were so heavy the little one struggled to keep open. Thomas stayed up long enough to witness the fire die out. Thomas carried his son to bed. “Maybe in a few more years I’ll try again,” he mumbled to himself as he carried his sleeping son into the house and settled him into his bed.

#mpreg #mpreg story #male pregnancy #pregnant kink #birth #pregnant #pregnancy #preg #birth kink #birth story

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not-freyja · 5 months ago

Note

For the prompts, maybe differences in flora (and their toxicity) between eras

This one was fun! (also if you have an ao3 I can't remember what it is, so let me know what it is so I can gift this to you)

Ficlet on ao3 or right below:

“Oh, mushrooms!” Wild bounces excitedly and then starts pulling them all into his Slate, happy to finally start restocking on some essential supplies. Like things for soup stock. They go through a lot of soup, his brothers and him, just by dint of it being an easy thing for him to make (relatively speaking) in relation to the number of mouths to feed.

And mushrooms are a Goddess-send when it comes to making soup taste like something that isn’t just water. And any kind of food lying around in Rulie’s time period is always a pleasant surprise.

All together a win-win. It’s a good day.

Wild does know to check with the others before adding any random food item into his edible inventory. He knows this very very well. He also knows that Hyrule’s era is particularly prone to non-consumable plant life.

But his Slate happily stores them in with the rest of his Stamella Shrooms, and that is that. Fantastic.

He forgets about the whole thing, and forgets it quickly. The idea of taking the time to remember every single instance of foraging is laughable, really. With the amount of it that Wild does? He would have no room left in his head for anything else, after all.

But it’s about six days later, maybe. And he’s handing out the mushroom skewers he made for lunch, because they are having a long day of walking. (Something about needing to get all the way over to a specific farm for some problem or another that Wild wasn’t really paying attention to.)

So they stop just long enough to get a fire going, for Wild to roast a few light morsels while they all rest their feet, and store a bunch for later, It’s efficient, and it is kind of tiring in it’s own right, but it is what they have to do at this moment in time.

As things are handed out, Hyrule, as usual, takes less than a second to go from food-in-hand to food-in-mouth. It’s impressive, frankly, but the novelty is starting to wear off.

What is novel, here, now, is the way that Rulie goes pale and spits the bite of grilled mushroom out. Before anyone else can do anything else, he is slapping Wind’s own lunch out of his hands.

“Rulie, what the fuck?” Wind scoffs, glaring sadly down at his lunch.

“No one eat anything!” Hyrule says, going around in a haphazard circle and just.. Slapping food to the ground. No one fights him, they are all just a little to stunned, a bit too caught off guard by the whole thing. “It’s poison.”

All eyes turn to Wild, shocked, confused, but not accusatory. They know each other一trust each other一far too much by now to think that he would ever do something like this on purpose.

“Where did you get these?” Hyrule hisses, finally coming around to Wild himself and yanking the skewer out of his hand. He holds it up, points to the green bits of grilled fungus, and waits.

That is a great question. Wild isn’t really sure where he got them. He gets food from all over the place all of the time, and it’s not like his Slate tracks which specific item is which when it collates together multiple of the same item.

That would just be ridiculous.

“Wild, these are poison,” his brother tells him. “I told you to ask me before you foraged anything in my era.”

Oh. Oh no.

Wild goes wide-eyed, the implications catching up with him. He needs to explain this. “Well, in my era, they are not poisonous. So… I didn’t think it needed to be checked.”

“Oh no.” Legend gets with the program. “Wild, how much?”

“I don’t want to talk about it.”

“No, we are talking about it,” the Vet says. “Wild, how much of our food stores are theoretically compromised because of time shenanigans?”

Wild looks down at his Slate, flicks through the inventory. There are things that he knows are good. Like wheat, and rice, and eggs, and honey… right? But all the pre-cooked meals, and the mushrooms and the berries and the一

Oh they are so fucking fucked.

#freyja writes fic #prompt fill #lu fic #ficlet #lu wild #lu hyrule #lu wind #lu legend

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stranger-rants · 2 years ago

Note

Imagine a Mungrove AU where Billy and Eddie hooked up once at a Metallica concert and forgot about each other until Billy ends up moving to Hawkins and they recognize each other at school.

Eddie can’t help but fantasize about the hot blond standing next to him. The exposed skin on their chest glistens with sweat, and their tight jeans sit dangerously low around their waist hugging their generous ass. Eddie thinks that they’re probably not wearing anything underneath, and just thinking about that makes him tight in the pants.

His friends told him there’d probably be a lot of pretty babes willing to hook up with him at the concert - not that he went for that reason or anything. Never did he imagine, though, that he’d be hooking up with a guy. The hot blond more or less asks if he’s interested, and Eddie doesn’t know why but he says yes. He hadn’t exactly done this kind of thing before with a guy.

They get into the back of Eddie’s van. Eddie had planned on sleeping in it after the concert, so he already had pillows and blankets laid out. Eddie fumbles with his belt buckle for a few minutes before the guy lays him down and gets on top. He smoothly removes Eddie’s belt while they make out. The guy must be able to tell he’s nervous because he winks at him and says he’ll take care of everything.

Eddie’s had his dick sucked before, but nothing like this. It was always awkward and gross, and it kind of made him feel bad - but this? It feels like he’s died and gone to heaven. The guy is good. He brings Eddie right to the edge but then he stops, eliciting a frustrated whine from Eddie. The frustration doesn’t last long when the guy asks if he can ride his dick and Eddie nods furiously.

The guy is as tight as his jeans, rocking on top of him. Finding some confidence, Eddie grips his waist and humps back into him catching the guy by surprise. He moans so prettily it ignites a fire in Eddie who flips him over and fucks him hard. They come soon after that with Eddie collapsing on top of the blond whose body is still shuddering from the aftershocks of orgasm.

“Damn, didn’t know you had it in you,” the blond says, catching his breath.

“Shit,” Eddie flops down on his back next to him, smiling. He laughs at himself. “I didn’t know either.”

They pass out soon after that. When Eddie wakes in the morning, the blond is gone. He sighs. Probably never going to see him again, which is probably for the best. If his friends find out he slept with a guy… he’s not sure how they would take it. He’d like to think they’re open minded, but as soon as he gets back home they notice something’s different about Eddie.

“You got laid, didn’t you?”

They grill him to the point of confession, and Eddie’s gushes about how hot they were with their pretty blond hair and pierced ear and how they had the lips of an angel and how good it felt to fuck them. He’s not quite brave enough to admit he fucked a guy, and that he was better than anyone he’s ever had which isn’t saying a lot with his limited experiences with hookups but it would be hard to uh… top.

A part of him mourns the loss, but he’s got more important things to focus on like passing English so he can finally graduate. When the hot blond with the pierced ear walks into his English class introduced to everyone as Billy, a transfer student from California, it’s all over for Eddie who turns beet red and tries to look away while his friends give him raised eyebrows and knowing grins.

#mungrove #asks #my writing #idk is this something #enjoy

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liverpool-enjoyer · 2 years ago

Text

footballers reacting to a younger player calling them dad (long as hell version)

anon requested it n so it shall be!! ngl for some a the teams i simply googled "youngest player on INSERTTEAMHERE." ive never written formal fic for football so i apologize for this being iffy n also for the SHITTON of innacuracies theres bound to be. oh n also that everyone talks like a twenty year old american college student

leo:

"Thanks, dad," Warren said nonchalantly as Leo helped him up off the ground. He had stumbled a little and fell during the last part of training.

Leo only narrowed his eyes a little in response. Dad?

Poor Warren clasped a hand over his mouth, seemingly mortified. "I'm so sorry," he said, chuckling even though he didn't look like he found anything funny. "I guess I just- And then- Yeah I'll, uh, get going now." He scampered away not once looking back.

Leo got to thinking as me made his way back to the locker room. He's used to being called that; he has children of his own. But he's never considered a teammate of his as his own child. Sure, he was helpful, a mentor maybe, but fatherly wasn't how he would describe his behavior with his younger teammates.

There was only one thing to do, obviously. Ask a younger teammate.

When he got to the locker room he approached Neymar, who didn't notice him at first.

"Ney."

His friend's face brightened upon noticing Leo was there. "Yeah, what's up?" he asked, before taking a swig of water.

"Do you see me as a father figure?"

In response, Leo was met with Neymar choking and coughing. "NO, GOD NO-" he stopped to cough again and catch his breath. "WHAT GAVE YOU THAT IDEA?"

"Nothing, jeez, calm down."

---

ney:

"Woah, not like that, you could hurt yourself," Neymar told Bitshiabu. He was doing an new training excercise incorrectly, and the last thing PSG needed was a good player pulling or straining something.

Neymar took a minute to show him how to do it properly. "Thanks, dad," the seventeen year old said sarcastically. Despite the snark, he appreciated the help.

Neymar just laughed in response, but for the rest of traning the thought kept bouncing around in the back of his head. 'Dad? I was acting like a dad? Some of them see me as old enough to be their father?'

Well, he was a father, but that was different. His teammates were much older than Davi.

Oh, gosh, was he getting old?

Later in training, when he saw Leo, he grabbed the poor man by the shoulders without so much as a hello. "Leo. Do you think I'm getting old?"

In classic Leo fashion, he looked like he'd rather be anywhere than here, interacting with someone. "Well, technically we all are... You're older now than you were yesterday, so I guess you are get-"

Neymar let out an exasperated sigh, unhappy with that answer.

His next victim was Sergio, who's phone conversation he interrupted to ask him the question of the day.

"Do you think I'm getting old?"

"You interrupted my conversation with Lukita to ask me if-"

"JUST ANSWER."

"SURE, I GUESS. I DON'T CARE."

Damn. Neymar was gonna have to get hammered tonight. To prove he still has it in him.

---

milly:

"What about you, Milly? Any fun weekend plans?" Andy asked. Some of the team were talking about the plans they had for the free weekend they had coming up.

"You bet; I have a date with my new book and chamomile tea."

This earned him a few eye rolls, most noticably from Trent. "Aw, that's so boring! Robbo and I are hitting this new club Saturday night, aren't we, mate?" he reached across the kitchen island to fist bump his friend. "Surely you've got something more fun in mind."

"I might fire up the grill if the weather allows..." Milly started. "Oh, and I should probably get my car checked out; it's been making this weird noise."

"Yeah yeah, we get it, dad, you're boring."

Milly didn't hesitate. "I am nowhere near old enough to be your dad," he said with his typical snark.

"You do act like it though..." the previously quiet Alisson chimed in, peering at his friends from over his coffee mug.

"And you're no spring chicken either," Milly remarked, which shut the goalkeeper up. "Will you lot ever get bored of the 'James is old' joke?"

"Aw, don't be like that, mate," Andy said with a hearty laugh, putting an arm around Milly's neck and ruffling his hair. "You know it's just because we love you!"

Milly sighed. Yeah, he did know, he supposed.

---

kdb:

"I mean," Alvarez said between passes. "You're practically his dad."

Kevin rolled his eyes for what was probably the third time during that conversation.

"Ah, shove it, you know I'm not that old."

"It's not about age," his younger teammate responds, accepting the ball Kevin passed to him. "You're always like... I dunno, dadish."

Kevin just gave Alvarez an absolutely bewildered look. "...Are you actually saying these words?"

"I'm serious, mate! You're always, y'know, taking him out for ice cream after training, making sure he gets home safe, whatever that means-"

Kevin brought up a hand to rub his temple. "Oh my gosh, I don't see him as my kid. Can't I just be nice?"

"No."

"Shove off," Kevin said playfully.

An amused grin crossed Alvarez's face. "Speak of the devil."

Kevin turned to see Erling walking up to the pair.

"Hey guys!" Erling said with a polite wave, and Alvarez waved back.

"You need anything?" Kevin asked.

"Yeah, actually," he said, rubbing the back of his neck. "Do you think you can give me a ride home after training? Jack drove me but he had to leave early."

"Of course, no problem," he replied without hesitation, and clapped a hand on Erling's shoulder for seemingly no reason.

Erling nodded happily in response. "Thank you, dad!" he said with a bright smile, before walking away as if what he said was completely normal.

It was taking everything Alvarez had in him to not start rolling on the ground with laughter. "What was that about not being his dad?"

"Shaddup."

---

luka:

It was actually Luka who started it.

Everyone entered the locker room very happy, fresh off a 44th minute goal from Rodrygo that had earned them the lead. The young player received hugs and claps on the back from pretty much every player. The attention was well deserved; the goal was a beauty, after all.

One of the last players to congratulate him was Luka. "Good job, hijo!" he said, hugging his teammate. "You were brilliant out there!"

"Gracias, papa," Rodrygo said, casual, even though he had never called him that before. "But it wouldn't have happened if you hadn't set me up for it!"

"Aw, aren't you the sweetest," said Luka, smiling proudly as he ruffled up Rodrygo's short hair beyond repair.

Rodrygo reached up in a futile attempt to fix his hair, and even though it wasn't said out loud, he got the feeling that he could call Luka that anytime he wanted.

---

luis:

Training had long since ended, and everyone was in the locker room, gathering their belongings and talking amongst themselves.

Luis and Kauan had been making small talk, with Luis telling his youngest teammate about some of his exploits and giving him some pointers.

"Y'know," Kauan eventually said. "You kinda remind me of my dad!"

Luis immediately burst into laughter, but it was out of genuine joy rather than condescension.

"Oh yeah?" he asked, not bothering to wait for an answer. "I'm not that old, kiddo. Now would your dad do THIS?"

Before his teammate could respond, Luis had taken Kauan into a light, non-painful chokehold n given him the strongest noogie he could muster, sending Kauan into a fit of giggling.

When Luis had mercy on the kid and let him go, Kauan needed a minute to catch his breath and compose himself.

Kuan gave Luis a sly grin. "Y'know, my dad does that to me all the time!"

"Damnit."

---

lewa:

It wasn't Gavi's day. Or his week, and it wasn't shaping out to be his month, for that matter.

He didn't know what was wrong; he just wasn't playing like his normal self these past few games. But the crushing blow was this game in particular, when he was subbed off in the first half due to his performance.

The atmosphere in the locker room after the game was still positive, however, as they had won. But Gavi wasn't participating in the celebrating and joking. He had changed and was just sitting by his locker, just... thinking. He hated sulking like this. He felt like he was being dramatic. Maybe he should go.

He didn't notice someone had approached him until he heard his voice.

"Gavi?" Robert asked, voice laced with concern. "What're you doing here all by yourself?"

The younger player just shrugged, blinking away tears that definitely weren't forming.

"May I?" Robert asked, gesturing to the spot next to Gavi on the bench.

Gavi just muttered a quiet "yeah," and Robert sat closely next to him.

Robert took a good look at Gavi, and for a moment he was reminded of his girls.

"You don't seem to be too happy with yourself," the man said.

"Can you blame me?" Gavi asked, trying not to sound sarcastic.

"Well, I understand. But I don't think you should be so hard on yourself," he put an arm around the young player. "You're talented, Gavi, and you're only going to get better from here. You just had a few rough weeks; it's not permanent. And I'm saying that because I really believe it." He smiled warmly at the young man.

Gavi would be lying if he said he didn't feel just a little bit better. He found himself resting his head on the other's shoulder.

"Thank you, dad. I mean- shit, I-"

Robert just chuckled in response. "It's ok, really, I'm honored," he said, holding the other just a little tighter.

---

sergio:

"Hey, dad? Do you-" Vini shut his mouth quickly after he realized what he had just said.

Sergio was on him before the young player could even apologize. "I'm sorry?" he asked, feeling kind enough to at least give the young player a chance to explain himself.

"I don't know, I guess I just got my wires crossed, or something-"

"I thought so. Just don't let it happen again," Sergio said, sounding less angry and more just... irritated. And with that, he left.

Much later in the day, Sergio found himself at Luka's place eating dinner with his teammate, as was pretty much tradition after training.

"Y'know," the team captain said between bites of what Luka made him. "Those kids of ours are really improving. I mean, they were always talented but, y'know..."

Luka just smiled and kept his thoughts to himself. He knew if he made mention of Sergio referring to the young players as their kids, he'd deny it faster than you could say Madrid.

---

pep:

"Don't overwork yourself, Cole, I don't want you getting hurt," Pep said to the young player. It was Cole's first training back after recovering from an injury, so he was prone to hurting himself again.

"Sure thing, dad," Cole said sarcastically.

Pep simply blinked at the young man. He had been managing a long time and had been called many things by all his players over the years. But this was definitely a first for "dad."

After a few seconds of silence, Cole could tell that his attempt at a joke was not well received. He simply stared at the man staring back at him, waiting for whatever stupid prize awaited, and kind of hoping he would just die right now.

"Laps."

Cole's eyebrows furrowed in confusion. "Hm?"

"Laps."

"Uh... don't you think that's too exerting? You just said I should take it e-"

"Laps!"

And without another word, Cole took off running. It wasn't until three laps in that he realized he never asked how many of these things he should do.

Shit.

---

klopp:

"We've won our last five matches," Darwin said.

"And it's raining outside, so traning will be, uh... Not as good," chimed in Harvey.

"And we promise to train extra hard tomorrow! Don't we, lads?" Cody asked, turning to his teammates, who nodded furiously in response.

"I still don't know if you can afford to miss it; training every day is important," Jurgen told the boys. There was a new movie out that the boys wanted to forego traning to go and see. Rather than sending one person to him to be The Negotiator, the boys thought it was better to approach him with their request all at once.

"But papaaaaaa!!" damn near all of the teammates chimed at once.

Jurgen clenched his expensive-ass teeth. These boys always knew how to get to him. He loved being reminded that they loved him and saw them as a father, as someone to be trusted and depended upon. He couldn't even remember when they started calling him that.

He loud out a long, overly-dramatic sigh.

"Fine."

In return, he received a chorus of cheers. An onlooker would think these boys just watched their teammate win them a penalty shootout.

In no time at all he was swarmed with hugs and "thank you, papa"s from too many of the boys to count.

The boys all stopped at the door when they saw their gaffer wasn't following them.

"Aren't you coming?" Alisson asked, eyes kind and welcoming.

"Do you want me to?" questioned Jurgen, looking at his boys' faces for signs of approval. Most of them just rolled their eyes at the suggestion that they didn't want him to join them.

Alisson approached him, took him by the arm, and dragged him to the door himself, Jurgen laughing while following him.

"Of course we do, papa."

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bcdrawsandwrites · 1 year ago

Text

I'm going to make an attempt at participating in @ailesswhumptober! I don't know if I'll be able to write something every day, but we'll see how this goes. These fics will be un-beta'd and hopefully short.

Day 1: Drugging / sick / poisoned

Characters: Razputin Aquato, Augustus Aquato, Morceau Oleander (with other characters showing up briefly)

Warnings: Emeto

Summary: The camp is finally safe, but Raz didn't get through Meat Circus entirely unscathed.

---~~~---

The day after Thorney Towers exploded was a weird one for everyone.

Raz woke up in the middle of the day along with all the other campers. At first he wasn't sure the past few days had happened at all, and half-expected to hear his mom demanding to know why he wasn't up for early-morning stretches. But hearing the hushed voices of the campers around him and opening his eyes to find himself in a cabin, not a caravan, was enough to make him realize that, no, it was all real. Or... most of it was real. He still wasn't sure about the whole stopping-the-world-takeover thing, but his headache left him wondering. He stepped outside and jumped back in surprise when his father rushed up to him to make sure he was all right. Well, that confirmed that, too.

It was a strange way to start the day, especially when he was pulled aside by Sasha and Milla, who questioned him about everything that had happened in Coach Oleander's mind. Raz was still slightly out of it when he explained, and he hoped he did a good job. After everything that had happened, he felt kinda bad for the Coach.

The next few hours involved his dad and Sheegor trying unsuccessfully to keep Chef Ford in the kitchen long enough to make everyone something to eat, while the counselors disappeared and the campers raided the candy from the camp store. While Raz wasn't too thrilled about the latter, he couldn't turn Lili down when she offered him a psi-pop. Eventually Sasha and Milla returned with Oleander in tow, and made it clear to the campers that he wasn't going to be stealing brains anymore.

Raz was sitting with the Coach on the back deck of the main lodge, having a quiet conversation, when the door behind them opened. "Hi!" Sheegor said, popping her head out from behind the door. "Um... we finally got Mr. Cruller to start on lunch!"

"Oh, finally!" Raz exclaimed, hopping up from his seat. "I'm starving!"

"Me too," the Coach said, wincing as he rose, "but uh, I'm gonna grab something from my rations."

"Okay! Suit yourself!" Sheegor said, and ducked back into the lodge.

Raz followed her, finding the lodge was already full of campers sitting at the tables, excited to eat something other than candy. Grinning, he ran over to the camp store, where Chef Cruller was parked in front of the grill. "Hey, Ford!" he exclaimed. "Wha'cha cook..."

The smell hit him, and he stumbled to a halt.

"The burgers ain't done yet!" came Chef Cruller's voice, as though from a distance away. "The grill ain't even fired up yet!"

Raz wasn't looking at Ford. Rather, images of floors and walls and platforms made entirely of raw meat haunted the edges of his vision as he stared blankly ahead. Everything reeked, the smell of freshly-butchered flesh and dripping blood assaulting his nose. Slowly his gaze turned toward Cruller's side, to a plate where a number of raw hamburger patties sat, ready to be placed on the grill. The meat was ground, which immediately yanked his mind to visions of live bunnies dropping into meat grinders, and coming out...

His stomach flipped, and he covered his mouth, scrambling out the front door of the lodge. He made it to the edge of the deck and leaned over it just in time to discover just how acidic a psi-pop tastes the second time around.

Gripping the railing for dear life, Raz fought to catch his breath around the acrid taste in his mouth. His whole body was shaking, and he realized with a groan that everyone saw him freak out. His head clunked down against the railing, but hopefully no one would draw attention to--

"Razputin! Are you all right?!" Augustus cried, bursting out of the lodge and rushing up to him.

Raz stumbled back up to the wall and sank into a seated position, wiping his mouth. "Dad..." he croaked, his face flushing. On one hand, it was nice to have another reminder that his dad really did care about him, but on the other hand, he could hear the not-so-hushed whispers coming from inside the lodge.

Augustus crouched down next to him, placing a hand on his back. "You look so pale," he murmured, brow creasing in concern, before he gave Raz a gentle pat on the back. "You need some food in you. Come on, Chef Cruller will be done preparing lunch soon--"

"No!" Raz blurted, scooting further back against the wall as the memory of the smell and sight of blood and meat flared in his mind again. "I-I can't--the raw--the meat!"

Staring down at Raz in surprise, Augustus scratched his head. "Meat?" he repeated, only for something to click. He put a hand to his chin, glancing off to the side. "That's right--that mental world you were trapped in... You were there for quite some time!"

Wincing, Raz looked away from his dad, and was mortified to see a few kids poking their heads out from the door. He immediately recognized the mass of hair belonging to Bobby Zilch, who snickered before opening his mouth to say something. Before he could do so, a pink light enveloped him and the others, and gently tugged them back inside.

"Well, this is a predicament... We need to get you something to eat!"

Raz wrapped his arms around himself and drew his legs in closer. "It's okay. I-I'm... not hungry right now."

"What's that, soldier?!"

Groaning, Raz clunked his head down against his knees as Oleander burst out of the lodge, carrying something under his arm. "Not now..."

"C'mon, on your feet!" the Coach snapped, waving for Raz to stand up.

"What are you doing?" Augustus demanded, shooting a glare at Oleander. "He's not well!"

"Yeah, you don't need two eyes to see that," Oleander replied, his good eye taking a quick glance at Augustus before turning back to Raz. "C'mon, up!"

"Okay, okay..." Raz shakily rose to his feet, his arms still wrapped around his body, and cast a quick glance at the door. "Just... keep your voice down, please?"

The Coach followed his gaze, and the few campers that had huddled by the door again scrambled away. "Ah. Right." Clearing his throat, he stepped away from the door and around the side of the lodge. "This way, soldier. Forward march!"

After exchanging glances, Raz and his dad followed the Coach around to the back porch, where Oleander was setting out a few items--two brown plastic packets, a large metal water bottle, and a couple paper plates. The Coach reached into his pocket and pulled out a pocket knife, which he used to cut open the packets, and pulled a number of other smaller packets out of those. Raz found himself watching in interest, his hands slowly dropping to the side.

"A good soldier isn't gonna fight on an empty stomach," Oleander said, getting to work opening the smaller packets. One contained a candy bar, another contained utensils, and another Oleander didnot empty, but rather poured water into and re-sealed. "We gotta get some fuel in that tank."

Raz wilted. "That's the problem. I know I gotta eat something other than candy, but..." He shuddered. "Those burgers... they just made me think--"

"Yeah, well, you ain't alone."

Lifting his head, Raz noticed that Oleander was frowning down at the food he was preparing. Remembering what the Coach said about getting something else earlier, as well as some of the things in that mental world, something clicked in Raz's mind. "Oh! You... you don't eat meat, do you?"

"Bit hard to eat something you can have a conversation with," the Coach grunted.

"You can speak to animals?" Augustus asked, crossing his arms.

"I can, too!" Raz replied, and his dad cocked a brow at him with an amused smile. "I mean... only a little. I can understand mice! And squirrels, sometimes. But... I've never had trouble eating meat until now."

"You didn't see that part of my mind until now." The Coach lifted his helmet to scratch beneath it. "Sorry, kid. Didn't mean for that part of me to rub off on you." He turned back to the packets of food and resumed unpacking them. "But don't worry, you got options."

The food he ultimately dumped out of the bag turned out to be some mushy-looking pasta with vegetables. It wasn't particularly appetizing-looking, but... it didn't have meat in it.

After mixing in the sauce, Oleander handed a plate to Raz while he took another plate for himself. "Eat up!"

Hesitantly Raz took a bite, and his face lit up. While it wasn't particularly amazing, it actually... didn't taste bad, and all at once his appetite came back. Soon he found himself shoveling the food into his mouth, while Oleander joined in with his own meal.

Meanwhile, Augustus leaned back, his shoulders sagging in relief. "Thank goodness! You had me worried for a moment there." He brushed a hand against his beard. "I suppose I'll have to talk with your mother about making some vegetarian foods for a while."

"Mmmhmmm!" Raz hummed around a mouthful of food, only to freeze, swallowing. "Oh man, Mom's gonna kill me, isn't she?"

"I'm sure she'll be relieved to see you again," Augustus said with a chuckle.

"I hope so." Raz wiped his mouth on his glove and looked down at his plate. Now that he actually had some food in his stomach, he felt a lot less awful. It felt weird to think that the person who'd helped him had been the same one who, hours ago, had been trying to steal his brain. He looked up at Oleander and gave a smile. "Thanks for the food, Coach!"

Oleander grinned. "Anytime, soldier!"

#razputin aquato #augustus aquato #morceau oleander #psychonauts #ailesswhumptober2023 #my writing #fanfic #tw emeto #also yes I'm still working on my bad things happen bingo challenge!#I'm about halfway done with the next fic

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queeniecook · 1 year ago

Text

June 8

Naya Grant has a rare day off, so she decides to take her family to one of the local beaches. Granted, they literally live on the water but it’s more private. This is public, more chance for Apollo to hang out with his fellow merfolk and perhaps a chance for AJ to hang out with some other kids. Sometimes she worries about him not having enough interaction with other kids his age. They’ve started giving Lily three days off a week so AJ can experience daycare with other children. Not being able to have another baby still hurts Naya at times, though her and Apollo haven’t stopped trying.

AJ is a happy little duckling in the water, just like the duck he insists chewing on after he splashes it in the water a few times.

Hours of fun later and some grilled out hamburgers, thanks to Lily, AJ is busy building a sand castle – Lily has pulled her employers aside. She knows it’s time to tell Mr. and Mrs. Grant about her true nature and who she’s related to. Thankfully, Caleb, his wife and Lilith had left it up to her to tell them. They may fire her, she knows this. She will miss AJ if that’s the case. She’s grown very fond of the little boy.

Lily has tried to figure out how to tell them since her visit from Lilith but still isn’t sure what to say. She knows they’re no stranger to the supernatural. Apollo’s family has merfolk spanning back generations and his brother-in-law is a vampire, who also happens to be her cousin.

Naya and Apollo for their part of worried Lily is going to quit, she does an awesome job taking care of AJ and makes amazing food. They’ve felt spoiled.

“I’m sure you’ve noticed the scars on my chest.”Lily starts, she rarely wears anything that reveals them. They both nod, curiously. “I’m a werewolf. I got those in a fight years ago.”

Apollo slow blinks while Naya just stares at Lily. They’re both processing the words out of her mouth. “That’s why AJ kept saying Wily every time I’d show him a picture of a wolf on his flashcards…” Apollo comments, mostly to himself. The pieces were coming together.

“And why he calls you woof woof.” Naya supplies, slowly catching up to her husband’s train of thought.

AJ had toddled in on Lily in her werewolf form one day and figured it out, even at his young age. “He’s a smart boy.”

Both of AJ’s parents nod in unison with smiles on their faces. Lily takes a breath, they seemed to be handling it okay but she wasn’t done.

“Just like merfolk, werewolves age more slowly…but even slower than your kind, Apollo. I was actually born in the 1800’s.” Lily pauses, letting that sink into their minds for a few moments.

“Wow! So you got to see the rise of all the greats in the fashion industry!” Naya exclaims. Fashion is her job after all.

Lily wasn’t expecting that comment but nods. “And some of their falls too.”

“Wait….that means you’ve been around as long as Caleb and Lilith..” Apollo comments, thinking out loud. He squints at the older female next to him.

The werewolf nods her head. “I’m their cousin. Their mother was my Aunt.”

There’s complete silence outside of the waves splashing to shore against the sand beside them.

Apollo slowly smiles “This really is a small world. You gotta meet my sister! She’s about ready to pop but you should meet her. Family is extremely important to merfolk and it looks like you’re part of it.”

“Does Vera know about all of this?” Naya questions, glancing over at her son who is still happily building a sand castle, oblivious to all the adult stuff going on around him.

“I’m sure Caleb told her, those two rarely keep things from each other. Caleb was here not too long ago so you two have seen each other, right?” Apollo asks Lily, who nods at him.

“I’ll set a meeting up.”

#the grant legacy #ts4 legacy #generation 2 #generation 3 #naya grant #aj grant #apollo grant #lily zhu #thesims4 #sims 4 #sims4 #ts4 #ts4 story #sims4 story #sims4 storytelling #simsstories #sulani #apollo and naya #now is not the time for talk of fashion naya xD

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thgfanfictionlibrary · 9 hours ago

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E Rated Fics Masterlist (47)

Part 1 -Part 38/ Part 39 / Part 40 / Part 41 / Part 42 / Part 43 / Part 44 / Part 45 / Part 46 /

Created: May 27th, 2024

Last Checked:-----

All's Fair-katnissdoesnotfollowback (ao3) Summary: They say that all's fair in love and war, but Katniss isn't in a war yet. She's in college. And college is stressful enough when you don't have to worry about impressing your cadet corps or pulling off a flawless prank. But Katniss is determined to succeed, willing to go to great lengths to get what she wants. A Simple Plan-JLaLa (ao3) Summary: Peeta had a plan. He didn’t realize that simple plans often go awry. The sequel to “A Simple Favor”. Blazing Free-LemonLuvGirl (ao3) Summary: Catching Fire reimagined. Canon Divergent. Katniss Everdeen & her co-victor Peeta Mellark have spent every waking moment since they won the 74th Hunger Games trying to appease President Snow and keep their loved ones safe from the Capitol's wrath. They have played their parts to perfection as star-crossed lovers, and mentors. But when Snow puts a new inconceivably sadistic demand on Peeta and Katniss, they have to decide whether they will continue to used as pieces in the game, or whether to change the rules all together. (Mature themes, mentions of depression, allusions to non-consentual sex, underage drinking and drug use, violence, cursing, Everlark smut, some Everthorne drama, minor character death, etc.) Christmas For 3-LemonLuvGirl (ao3) Summary: Katniss Everdeen is looking at spending her first Christmas as a 32 year old divorcee alone and miserable. She doesn't want to feel like a total failure at Christmas time, but will she get more than she bargained for in the form of two handsome identical twin brothers? Christmas TV-Lbug84 (ao3) Summary: When two people meet online, how can they hope to separate what's real from the fantasy? Both burned and scarred in their pasts, Katniss and Peeta develop an unconventional relationship in this modern day everlark AU Cold Embers-lieselmemingers (ao3) Summary: Katniss and Peeta discover that their post-war medication has numbed their desire for intimacy. Coxa-JennaGill (ao3) Summary: Peeta’s subconscious is trying to tell him something, twenty years after the Games ended. Everlark. In Panem continuation to Mockingjay. Delicious-LemonLuvGirl (ao3) Summary: Peeta is a professional chef that Katniss hires to teach her how to cook. Even though Katniss is terrible at cooking Peeta refuses to give up on her. When things begin to heat up between them in the kitchen they both realize they want to be more than just friends. There's only one problem, Peeta's got a girlfriend half a world away, and he never told Katniss. Started as a tumblr ask for a smut drabble featuring: "Please don't stop." & "Yeah, you like that?" G.O.A.T. (Greatest of All Time)-JHsgf82 (ao3) Summary: Katniss Everdeen is a waitress at the G.O.A.T. Sports Bar and Grille, and she's also a huge football fan. Her team: The Panem U Mutts. Her favorite player: Peeta Mellark. Katniss always wears Peeta Mellark's jersey at work, and even to bed. How will he react to seeing her in it? And how will she react to meeting him? Golden Cages-LemonLuvGirl (ao3) Summary: Mockingjay reimagined. (Sequel to Burning Bright & Blazing Free.) There's a rebellion stirring, President Snow is out for blood, and everyone wants our heroes to choose sides. Katniss and a number of other victors are captives in the Captiol while Peeta & co. work to free them from District 13. Tough decisions lie ahead.

#e #masterlist #everlark #everlark fanfiction #thg #thg fanfiction #e masterlist

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sibillascribbles08 · 1 year ago

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Nother Jasonnie prompt, can't tag cause they were on anon but this is 139! I gotta be honest this took so long partially cause I could NOT decide what they would be betting on and then I was struck with the best idea ever.

“Donnie what did you do to the kitchen?” Jason shouted the moment he got home. A lengthy day at the office. He hoped on the way home that he could just come in, curl up on the sofa with his daughter, and catch his breath for a bit.

Instead he finds… whatever this is. It’s definitely some new invention except the entire contraption is built around half the kitchen. Ropes, pulleys, mechanical arms equipped with brushes and towels, all of it hovering around the sink.

Donnie—his husband, love of his life, the stupidest genius to ever exist—must be putting the final touches on the device in question. Holly sat on his shoulders, smiling.

“What, you don’t like it?” Donnie straightened up and twirled the screwdriver in his hand. “I thought it was about time we finally rid ourselves of the worst chore in the house.”

“Boo dishes!” Holly giggled.

Jason crossed his arms. “Considering I’m the only one who does them around here, I fail to see the point of this.”

“So you don’t have to do them either.” Donnie threw open his arms before he began to point at the parts of the contraption. “The flip of a switch and this will pluck all those gross dishes out of the sink, rinse them, and then deposit them into the dishwasher.”

“Gross dishes.” Holly nodded.

Jason’s gaze trailed over the mechanics of this whole thing. Donnie truly made ingenious devices on a regular basis, but this one was definitely made on a whim. But why? What did—

Jason finally noted the actual dishes in the sink, the top of which was a very cheese crusted pan.

He sighed. “Holly want grilled cheese again?”

“Grill cheese!” The two year old chanted, kicking her legs.

“Yes, and as usual it got everywhere and got stuck.” Donnie crossed his arms.

Jason rolled his eyes. “Wow, maybe that wouldn’t happen if you used less cheese, like I said, and stopped ruining the seasoning on my cast iron pan.”

Donnie cringed. “How can you cook in it when it’s so greasy?”

“That is the point! You’re so lucky I don’t tattle on you to Mikey who would probably launch you into the sun for pulling things like that.” Jason groaned and ran his hands down his face. “I’m too tired for this. I just got done with work. I need to sit down.”

The smile returned to his husband’s face. “Yes, yes, go sit. I’m going to fire this up while you relax.” He reached up to lift Holly off his shoulders and held her out.

The little softshell beamed at Jase, sticking her little hands out and reaching for him. He’d never been able to resist it and pulled her into her arms. Not in a huggy mood however, it seemed. She quickly climbed up his chest and onto his shoulders this time, resuming her sitting position. Her hands ruffled his hair before she nuzzled her nose into it.

Jason sighed, tolerating it and the inevitable amount of spit that he’d end up having to brush out later. “Fine, I’ll go sit down. But I’m betting this is going to end in a disaster.”

“Scoff, ye of little faith.”

“So sure of yourself, huh?”

“Naturally.” Donnie put a hand on his chest. “In fact, I’ll meet your bet. I bet it’ll run at least well enough that it becomes a permanent part of the apartment.”

“Uh, huh. And if I win, you do dishes for a week.”

His husband gave a horrified gasp. He grit his teeth as he glanced at the crusted cheese, but then narrowed his eyes as he turned back to Jase. “Fine. And if I win, you’re on bath duty for the week.”

Holly gasped and gripped Jase’s hair so hard that it hurt. “Bath?”

“Ow, no.” Jason spoke through his teeth and reached up to get his daughter to let go. “Not right now. Maybe later.”

She blew a raspberry but settled down.

“Come on, let’s let Dad make a fool of himself on his own.” He turned to head into the living room. “Do you want to watch something on TV?”

“This is going to work.” Donnie called after him.

Jason ignored it. He plopped onto the sofa and turned the TV on. Holly less climbed off his shoulders and more rolled down onto his lap.

He didn’t even remotely enjoy most of the kids shows on these days, but thankfully Holly was also strangely fascinated with nature documentaries. Probably due to her being Donnie’s daughter, if Jason had to guess. Then again his father would sometimes tell funny stories about him standing two inches from the TV whenever factory lines were on the screen.

At any rate, he opened the first animal one he could find. Life cycles of island parrots, sure. It worked its magic well enough. He leaned back against the sofa and Holly curled up on his chest, eyes glued to the screen.

Jason gently ran a hand over her shell. “How was your day?”

“Mmm,” she just hummed at first, still watching the screen. “Fun.”

“Yeah? Watched Dad build something crazy in the kitchen.”

“Grill cheese.”

Jason laughed. “Yeah, guess that would make it a good day.” He was about to ask if she got a nap, but that question was answered as she curled up even tighter. Her eyes struggled to stay open. She never lasted long with him around, mainly because he was so much warmer than her.

Sadly he didn’t get the chance to listen to her usual squeaky snores. Something snapped in the kitchen, followed by a loud whirring noise, a clang, and then the shattering of ceramics.

Jason jumped off the sofa, keeping an arm around his daughter to hold her steady. Not steady enough to keep her still, however. The motion woke her right back up and she whined and rubbed her eyes. At least she didn’t burst into tears.

He rushed into the kitchen and tried not to scream. Half of the contraption was tangled up inside itself, metal limbs straining against their bonds. Three broken plates on the floor, along with a huge puddle of water. And was the pan in the ceiling? Oh it was. It absolutely was.

And Donnie stood there, eyes wide and still crouched down like he had to dodge something and was too afraid to get back up. He glanced at the mess, the device, and then at Jase.

Jason shifted his grip on Holly so he could hold her with one arm and placed a hand on his hip. “Didn’t work, huh?”

His husband avoided his gaze. “Well… perhaps I need to adjust—”

“Didn’t work.”

“I just need to try—”

“You lost, Donnie, admit it.”

“Ugh.” He straightened up, fists clenched at his sides. “Fine. Fine. This set up was too rushed. Next time—”

“No. Stop. No next time.” Jason sighed. “I can do the dishes, Donnie, it’s fine.”

“But it could be easier.”

“Easier than cleaning up the aftermath?” He pointed at the floor and then the ceiling.

“W-well—”

“That’s your job, by the way, along with dishes for the next week. As per our agreement.” He turned around on his heel to head to the living room once more.

“Ugh, fine! Fine. I’ll do the dumb dishes for a week. You think that’s such a big deal?”

“It will be when Holly leaves the crusts off her sandwiches again and I leave them to soak.” Jason smiled at his daughter who only blinked at him. Obviously not taking in the conversation.

Donnie let out a horrified screech. “Jase! You wouldn’t dare!”

“After the five times you’ve left it in there for me to deal with? Yeah, I would dare.” Jason sat on the sofa once more. “Now clean the kitchen.”

“So cruel!”

“You knew that long before you married me.” He curled up against the cushions and once more Holly lay down on his chest, already trying to doze off again. “And then you went and did that anyway, and now it’s way too late for you to back out.”

“I know we’re bickering, but there’s no way I’d back out of this.” Donnie shouted back as the clink of broken plates came from the kitchen.

Jason smiled, relaxing further into the sofa. Yeah, he knew that. He wouldn’t back out of it either.

Even when his genius husband got stupid ideas like this.

#rottmnt #scribbly fics #jasonnie #dishes are Donnie's absolute most hated chore #Jason gets it and usually just does them #Donnie does most of the laundry in turn #tho he's very bad about washing certain things he wears a lot #this is the most married I've ever written them and that says a lot #one more and then I'm caught up

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sm-writes-chaos · 1 year ago

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Hello, and happy Blorbo blusday!! I'm well *checks clock* 1h late gasp! As an excuse I can only say that today I have been packing and I forgot it was Thursday. (As usual I am @writeblr-of-my-own) ANYWAYS. For today's question, I'd like to know about food preference and cooking skills of your blorbo(es)! What can they cook, what they like to eat, whether they are good in the kitchen, or better away from it and close to a fire extinguisher!

Hello! It seems I am late as well! About four hours till blorbo blursday ends for me.

Anyways, food!

First up, Twuecud: (this is gonna be long)

Gage is an absolutely horrible cook. He can barely cook oatmeal without burning it somehow. This incorrect quote fits him:

Nicole: Ew. What kind of tea is this? Gage: I boiled gatorade.

I think hes a sandwich guy as for food preference.

Tylee loves anything if you put sprinkles on it, 'cause it "looks prettier." When they went camping she only brought jellybeans and goldfish for food. She is not trusted in the kitchen. She will get distracted while cooking and set off the fire alarm.

Alison loves chips. A true connoisseur, she will tell you anything you need to know about them. Although when it comes to cooking it starts well, but ends up burnt every time. (Probably because of her curse, did I ever mention that?)

Nicole is loyal to Popsi, the sponsored drink in her favorite show. She refuses to follow a recipe when baking. It ends up with a lot of flour on the floor, and lumpy cakes. She can decorate them well though, with swirly bows and perfect cursive. She bakes cakes just to decorate them, throwing them out afterwards. Unless she forgets and an unlucky person comes along to take a bite, ending up with a mouthful of salt and under cooked batter.

Jee likes to help Nicole decorate sometimes, as he's majoring in graphic design, (is that a real major?) He is very lazy when it comes to food, ordering pizza and eating ramen when he can. He put's peanut butter on foods that shouldn't ever have peanut butter, and his friends often catch him doing it and try to get him to stop.

Vishal is not aware of what cooking is. He was fed specially made food from professional cooks,('cause rich), and he probably hasn't ever set foot in a kitchen. Once he discovers them though, I bet he'll love burritos.

Mikal is the only competent chef. He is the only one with enough patience to watch a boiling pot. But of course he tries to make machines to do things for him. He likes cooking a lot more when it's for friends and not just for himself. He likes to impress them. As for eating food, he loves all things bread. And he's Jewish so he doesn't eat pork.

Now 1950 Again:

Daniel can cook surprisingly well if he actually tries, not so good at making a plate look good though. He loves brownies, especially the ones his mom makes.

Dr.Marv cannot cook to save his life. He eats whatever's lying around, whether that be a stale taco shell, or leftover takeout. Food was something his wife always made, and just thinking about a homemade meal makes him sad. (woah didn't realize how much trauma dr marv must have holy crap)

And finally, How Hope Made Her a Hero:

Norah does not have many food options as of now, just what she can manage to buy from what little money she can earn because her father certainty isn't helping. Which mostly consists of bread and jam that Miss. Marmel gives her for free. She could probably cook well considering a little fact that comes in later ;) I think she'd love fish a lot.

Rufus is good at the hunting and killing part, but cooking not so well. He possesses the determination and patience to cook, but is clueless for the steps to take. Norah will leave him to watch any meat cooking while she goes and does something else, and Rufus is eager to help.

Alphair uses magic of course to cook all his meals. If he doesn't understand a meal though, like a really complicated recipe, the magic will get confused and make a disaster. If you told him to make a grilled cheese sandwich without magic I think he would cry.

Whoo that's about all! Thank you for the ask I loved talking about this!

#ask #blorbo blursday #writeblr #writing #how hope made her a hero #hhmhh #1950 again #twuecud

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dearclem · 2 years ago

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* ( ! ) 𝒍𝒖𝒙 𝒊𝒏 𝒕𝒆𝒏𝒆𝒃𝒓𝒊𝒔

when: april 1st, roughly 11:47PM. where: towards the back of rhee's bar & grill. what: solo for this plot drop. warnings: ocd, broken bones, blood, mentions of death. mentioned: sry i'm not tagging none yall. clem adores too many of u dweebs 😔

the second game goes into overtime and clem hides a yawn. her social battery is running on fumes by this point in the evening, but the time she’s spent with friends warms her face as she weaves through the crowd towards the back of the bar to relieve herself, much to her own dismay. she doesn't like public restrooms; not knowing how well they were cleaned or who may have used them was enough to make her skin crawl, but a night filled with bottomless water and that singular virgin mojito won’t allow her to last until she makes it home.

she’s meticulous in the way she washes her hands, following a routine she’s had since childhood: rinse. put soap inside right palm. dampen soap. lather on entire surface of hands, then wrists, going up to mid-forearm. rinse. flick fingers into the sink thirteen times. repeat entire process three times before drying hands. finish routine by wiping sink and counter with a fresh paper towel until area is dry. by following the routine, it ensures she doesn't get in trouble and nothing bad will happen to someone she cares about. it doesn't make sense, of course, but obsessive thoughts and compulsions rarely do.

she hears the crowd pick up in volume, indicating the games have finally come to an end for the evening just as she's carefully tossing the paper towel into the garbage and she decides it best to give kage a heads up about her plans. retrieving the mobile from her back pocket, the raven happens to notice the time and her lips curl into a smile as she makes a mental note to give deshaun the right to say i told you so, before firing off a text message:

( clem 📲 favorite ): everything’s finally over! i’m going to stay behind for a bit to help clean up and i promised kennedy i’d wait for her so she can give me something, but i’ll let you know when i’m on my way home 🖤

she’s in the process of putting her phone away when she exits back into the hallway, but the stairs leading to the basement catch her eye, stopping her in her tracks just past the edge of the wall. staring down the darkened descent serves as inspiration, kicking her imagination into overdrive and lights her up like a christmas tree. ❝ oh, why haven't i used this before! just imagine all the horrors i can hide in a dark, damp, creepy basement! ❞ the exclamation is spoken softly, lost in the murmur of the patrons still reeling from their own alcohol-infused excitement, before she senses someone approaching. believing it to be someone who needed to use the restroom like herself, she moves to grant them more room within the hallway, offering them a politely spoken, ❝ oh, excuse me. sorry, ❞ for taking up space. clem is so focused on committing her ideas to memory so she doesn't forget them before they can be written down that she can't bring herself to shift her attention despite her feet beginning to carry her back to the floor.

she’s only able to take a couple steps of her own when she realises she can hear the other's footsteps reverberating throughout the hallway---an oddity, given the lively atmosphere of the place---and, wait, why do they sound quicker than usual? her movements cease as clem's head whips forward so she can find out why.. except she's given no time to react before she's shoulder checked by the stranger.

they’re much stronger; solid and broad, especially in comparison to herself, and there's enough force that it knocks her off balance, but she hadn’t realised just how close she’d gotten to the edge of the initial step in her attempt to give them more room to pass until her foot slips off the edge, ankle rolling, and suddenly she’s free falling.

instinct wastes no time kicking in and she tries to catch herself, but the impact of her weight landing on the outstretched arm when it comes in contact with one of the steps immediately renders it useless and it caves. her world is spinning now, causing her to lose all sense of direction, but even knowing the best way to protect herself, learned through the research she’s stumbled across throughout her career as a writer, it does nothing to help her. using one's arms to protect their head and curling into a ball to roll down is nowhere near as easy as people make it seem and just as clem starts to think she's found a never ending staircase, she finally lands with a resounding thud, paired with a groan as her head ricochets off the basement floor.

the irony of the situation and the way it played out similarly to that of one she’d considered for her protagonist would be enough to elicit a chuckle had she not been in so much pain. her entire body aches: arms, legs, ribs, back, neck, head, and she could’ve sworn she heard things crack on her descent, though she can’t pinpoint exactly where and clem chokes back a sob. she doesn’t risk moving, both in fear of potentially hurting herself further and.. what if they're still around, looking down at me, watching?

her vision swims as dizziness overtakes her. her consciousness is beginning to slip, and it worries her, so she does the only thing she can think of to keep herself awake until help ( hopefully ) arrives: she begins to think of those important to her.

aranya, kage, deshaun, monty, jacob, lany, dilara, sadiye, vera, emira, selin, julia, hyejin, lunara, paisley, yasmin, kahlan, kyle, dae-eun, mariana, crawford, her agent, her listeners, malachi---maybe more, but it's getting harder for her to remember names. it surprises her, though, the amount she does remember. for someone who has always felt so alone in the world, she doesn’t have enough fingers to count all of those she cares about most, regardless of where their relationship may stand now, but she can't help wondering why she didn't try to make more happy memories with them? why wasn’t she nicer or more involved? why wasn't she more willing to forgive and seek her own forgiveness? most importantly, when's the last time she told them i love you? even after the loss of vivian and amoni, and almost losing jacob, why did she continue to take it all for granted?

it's getting harder to keep her eyes open and she can feel her stomach churning, though it's hard to tell if that's due to the level of pain she's in or the possible concussion. blood trickles from the laceration on her forehead into her eye and it burns, but her body is battered and bruised, making it impossible for her to wipe it away and she wonders if this is how she's going to die; alone, scared, and hurt by a combination of her own stupidity and the cruelty of another------and when her world goes black, she swears she hears her mother's voice:

it's not your time yet, so go continue making me proud, clem. you have people waiting for you.

#꒰ 🎙️ ꒱ self para ╱ 𝒄𝒍𝒆𝒎 𝒅𝒖𝒑𝒐𝒏𝒕 ◞#ocd tw #blood tw #death mention tw #i wish this was better but that'd require me being both willing to reread the shit i've written #and being a different person entirely and well :/// aint neither ever gonna happen so :/// dont @ me

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sryryfm · 2 years ago

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Clouded in Dragon Smoke

Pairing: None

Warnings: Major Character Death, Stabbing, Angst

Summary: Kantera airs some truths that perhaps were best left forgotten.

Words: 1.2k

AO3

Russell never meant to make the medicine shop in the back alley his hideout after succumbing to one of his urges, but somehow he ended up finding his way there anyway. There was something soothing about the various scents of herbs and the calm way the owner spoke to him.

The medicine shop had just been ready to close. Russell had known that, but Kantera had told him before that his loitering didn’t bother him.

It was one of those nights and despite the late hour; Kantera had long since learned it pointless to ask about Russell’s family and instead merely led the way for him to sit at the table while he finished closing shop. Even with the cloying scent of the shop’s herbs the scent of smoke from the fire he’d started permeated the air. The box of matches sat heavy in his back pocket, but the smells around him helped calm his left over adrenaline.

The shop blurred around him as he waited, but no sense of guilt ever came. Instead, Russell simply felt nothing.

Mere minutes or maybe even hours could have passed, but it didn’t matter to Russell. Kantera returned to the table with a kettle of tea and poured him a cup, and it was only out of numb habit that Russell took it. As to what it tasted like, he couldn’t tell.

While Kantera was familiar with Russell, his presence becoming another aspect of his shop, he wasn’t quite sure what drew the other here. At first, he thought he’d been a runaway as the bruises and winces he tried to hide could tell many kinds of stories. That theory had been debunked when Russell thanked him for the tea and sweets before explaining he needed to head home before his parents got angry.

The sentence stood out namely because it gave one potential for the bruises, and it was one in particular Kantera didn’t like.

There was an urge to ask more about it, but his patience convinced him to simply wait until Russell himself wanted to explain. It was better to send the boy off with ointment for his injuries and a telling smile that would hopefully put the other at ease about returning. The same sort of patience flooded in now as there was no telling what exactly was bothering Russell, but he’d seen him like this before.

They fell into an easy pattern where Kantera would provide what he could until Russell decided to either say something or take off. If he didn’t speak soon, the medicine shop owner simply planned to detail another story from his childhood in Japan. Those seemed to always be enough to distract him from whatever issue was plaguing him.

It was surprising that this time Russell chose to speak on his own though.

“Have you ever killed something before?” He asked, voice soft, but blunt and to the point. The question takes Kantera by surprise and admittedly there are aspects to it that make him queasy to dwell on based on what it could mean for Russell—yet, he also can’t stop the thoughts about his grandfather flooding in.

“Why, yes I have,” he carefully goes around what he knows Russell is actually asking to see if he’ll clarify on his own, “it was quite common in the village back home to catch fish for grilling and the like. I believe one of my aunts also had a poultry farm, but I’m afraid I can’t quite remember.”

Russell’s lips pursed, but he simply took another sip of tea. A few moments later, he piped up once more.

“I meant… have you ever killed another human being?” Russell asked again, voice dropping to a whisper, but still empty of any sort of hesitancy.

Kantera paused himself mid sip when the question came, but also because he could tell that somehow Russell may have already known the answer and that was what drove him to ask it in the first place. Would being honest grant the boy solace? Or did he just want to feel less alone? Either way, Kantera took the question and used it if only to let his own guilt air.

“I’m afraid I have.”

There’s a beat of silence after he admitted it that Kantera worried meant he had read Russell and the situation completely wrong. Another spike of guilt entered him upon hearing his answer.

“Me too.”

They drink their tea and Kantera isn’t sure if that’s the end of the conversation. Like before he gave Russell a few more minutes, but when he gave no more details, he took it upon himself to give more information in the hopes it’d serve some kind of use or reassurance. He didn’t know enough to be sure what Russell felt about his deeds, but Kantera knew what it felt like to kill someone and knew that even if it wasn’t immediate, the guilt would come and it would be merciless.

Even now, he can’t help but feel the shiver of his grandfather’s portrait despite it being two rooms adjacent this one.

“My grandfather was very ill towards the end of his life. We did all we could to ease the pain and the… particular issues brain deterioration left him with, but there are some things even medicine cannot cure or fix.”

“It reached a point where he didn’t even want to take any medication so we began disguising it in the manjuu he so loved.”

Kantera told himself he paused to take a sip of tea and see how Russell was doing, but really he knew it was for himself. All the words that came out of his mouth since the beginning had been for himself only under the guise of it being helpful to Russell in one way or another. It wasn’t necessarily accurate to say that was the only reason he was telling him this. He did want to help the boy feel better, but his guilty conscious couldn’t exactly ignore the fact that he’d always wanted to tell someone the truth about what he’d done too.

“I thought… rather, it reached a point where he seemed to be suffering more than enjoying life like this. The idea of putting poison in the manjuu instead of his usual medicine seemed… poetic. Doesn’t that sound like a more pleasant way to go compared to some other methods?” Kantera held an empty smile as he extended the conversation over to Russell. A thinly veiled attempt to bring the other into the conversation so he too could air his dirty laundry.

“It does,” Russell offered as he thought back on all the ways he’d killed people thus far. None of them in comparison sound that nice. He can’t be sure what it feels like to be burnt alive, but he hadn’t stayed long enough to hear their screams either.

“I do hope this doesn’t change the way you view me. Sometimes, I regret my actions if only because it’s haunted me all this time, but other times… I wonder if he’s at peace now.”

Russell wasn’t sure what to say because he couldn’t really relate to such things. He lived a life solely motivated by envy with no room for things like regret or guilt. The dead were dead and even if he was the one who killed them, there’s nothing he can do about that or his current position in life.

No matter what he does or who he kills, nothing changes.

Weeks later, after many of his deeds had been shared to Kantera with that ever patient smile; Russell continued to feel nothing as he forced the kitchen knife through Kantera’s chest.

#sryr writes #series: end roll #kantera #ryuuzen #russell seager #end roll

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carolmunson · 9 months ago

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let's go girls:

“We’re going over to Steve’s tonight,” Robin practically hums around a mouthful of fruit loops, completely unaware of you already stewing about the boy whose name just rolled off her tongue this early in the morning.

my favorite unaware queen. yes, make plans at my shitty ex bfs house who i hate. thank you so much.

“That’s cool with me.” You muster up enough effort to twist your lips up into a smile that feels more like a grimace. The smashed rainbow Robin reveals in her mouth when she laughs tells you it is. “Do me a favor, and never go into acting.” Swallowing loudly, she drops her spoon back into her bowl with a clank. “I do appreciate you trying to pretend like you’re okay with it, though, and in all seriousness, we haven’t gone this long without seeing each other in like, forever. He says you're keeping me hostage.”

my favorite codependent idiot duo, truly my own true pairing. i will always love them.

“Eddie’s off tonight, so we’re having a little reunion barbecue, and Steve’s gonna grill.”

eddie's off? more like i'm getting eddie off.

”Why stop at just the four of us, let’s invite Vickie, make it a real party.” The name of your best friend’s ex leaves your mouth before you can stop it, instant regret making a heavy home in your chest that feels like it might cave in when her mood shifts with glassy eyes and it’s completely your fault. “I take back what I said, I need you to start acting again.” Jumping off the counter, you set your mug down so you can grab her arm before she can take those few steps out of the kitchen. “Hey! Look, I’m sorry, I’ll stop.” She doesn’t put up much of a fight, even though you deserve it, the blue in her eyes turn to ice when she looks at you.

the way i just wanted to fight reader. who am i, steve?! don't bring up vickie! my princess is fragile!

The honey colored tips of his chestnut hair curl at the ends, sticking out of the sides of his backwards baseball hat. A well worn black cotton shirt with the sleeves cut out has the arms that you’d dreamt about on full display. The summer sun somehow dotting even more freckles across his shoulder blades that flex everytime he spins his car keys around his finger. The dark cherry red basketball shorts he wears hit the bottoms of his hairy thighs, the red mesh even more vibrant against his tan skin, just like the white leather of the Nike Cortez’s that cover his feet.

OH FUCK OFF LEIGHANNE.

”You don’t have to help, you know?” His voice comes out just loud enough for you to hear over the running water, the small smacking sound of the fridge closing behind it, “If you’re that uncomfortable, I can do it.”

i wanna kiss him so bad, actually :(

”I know baby, I know,” he coos in a soothing voice, and in your panic you almost don’t catch the old nickname that slips off his tongue with ease. Long fingers wrap around your wrist, pulling you closer to him, “Let me see, stay still.”

i just choked

Steve laughs again, just like the one you heard on your way out and the sound burrows in your heart, making it swell, giddiness roiling deep in your gut. You ignore Robin’s obnoxious toothy grin next to you, doubling down even more when she starts to wiggle her eyebrows. The two beer cans at her feet tell you everything you need to know.

i am concerned about robin's drinking.

“Jesus, easy tiger,” Eddie snorts, finishing off the last of his beer before crushing the tin can in his hand, tossing it on his empty plate, “The trash isn’t going anywhere.”

i need him biblically.

“This isn’t awkward at all,” Eddie grumbles, taking another sip of his beer to help the uncomfortable tension that threatens to settle over the circle.

i will break the tension, with a hand job.

Steve nods with a tight lipped smile taking one last glance in your direction before sitting up in his chair with an idea that makes his cheeks push up and his eyes sparkle against the light of the fire. “Alright, never have I ever pretended to not only have a driver's license but also own a car that actually belongs to my best friend so I can hook up with a girl in the backseat.” A quiet sigh escapes your lungs, shoulders relaxing just a little when Robin groans loudly at the attack that’s clearly focused on her. Oblivious to the fact that you’re hanging on by a thread next to her, you stare fixed on the way the flames lick up into the night.

ugh i love them. i love their friendship. they are truly my faves.

”You think or you know?” Cocking a brow with a shit eating grin that tells him you aren’t going to fold easy, the backs of your thighs hit the edge of his desk. He sucks at his teeth, rolling his shoulders with the kind of laugh that makes the dull ache between your legs turn into a throb. “I know. Trust me.” He smirks, gaze lingering where the soft dough of your thighs meet before finding your eyes again, “Guess what else I know?” It's hard for you to catch your breath when he looks at you like this and you wonder if he notices the quick heaves of your chest or the way your eyes glaze over from being this close to him.

can't wait to FUCK HIM! excited to HAVE SEX!

I guess it’s never really over

mechanic!steve harrington x fem!reader exes to lovers

chapter two -

I might kill my ex, not the best idea

Eddie warned Robin that a game of never have I ever was a bad idea, and you should know better than to go snooping where you don’t belong.

warnings: 18+ drinking, smoking (hey it’s a summer time barbecue in the midwest), you thought there was a lot tension the last chapter? baby, you haven’t seen nothing yet. jealousy, spicy things are revealed about all of them during a drinking game.

wc: 9.5k

series masterlist | series playlist

June -

It’s been one week.

One entire week without even so much of a glimpse of that permanently messy head of hair, and god, you hated how much it bothered you. Ears perking up every time you’d catch the cadence of his voice through the receiver of Robin’s cordless phone the few times he called her to check in. Like an unwanted guest who wasn’t taking the hint, his broad shoulders and full pink lips that somehow always look like they need to be kissed haunt your unsuspecting dreams at night.

You hate it, you hate him, and you try not to spiral about why it feels like the opposite.

“What?” You snap, tearing your eyes from the slow pour of the coffee maker in front of you, grouchy and wound up from a dream about his big hands pulling your legs apart so perfect white teeth could nip at the inside of your thighs.

“Steve, you know that guy you told me you’d try and be nice to. The one who’s fixing your car?” Sarcasm drips from her tone as she scoops up another bite, “We’re going to his house.”

Of course.

“Do me a favor, and never go into acting.” Swallowing loudly, she drops her spoon back into her bowl with a clank. “I do appreciate you trying to pretend like you’re okay with it, though, and in all seriousness, we haven’t gone this long without seeing each other in like, forever. He says you're keeping me hostage.”

“I’m keeping you hostage?!” You scoff with a roll of your eyes, turning your back to finally pour yourself the cup of coffee you’ve waited so patiently for. “He’s the best friend stealer.”

“I’m not going to lie, I think I like you two fighting over me,” she laughs, looking a little too smug for your liking as she brings her empty bowl to the sink, Garfield slippers scuffling across the tile, too lazy to pick up her feet from the floor.

“Yeah, 'cause you’re sick.” A real smile curls up into your cup, inhaling the rich scent into your nose. “What are your plans to torture me with his presence this time?”

Robin narrows her stare at you in a silent warning, pulling herself up to sit on the counter, orange cat covered feet dangling freely as you meet her gaze with softened eyes in a silent apology.

“Eddie’s off tonight, so we’re having a little reunion barbecue, and Steve’s gonna grill.”

Choking on your coffee, you sputter your sip back into your mug, turning her freckled face sour.

“Since when does Steve know how to cook, let alone grill?”

Wiping your mouth with the back of your hand, you know you’re skating on thin ice, but all the built up tension that tightens your muscles, and buzzes incessantly at your fingertips makes everything feel impossible to control.

“He’s not seventeen anymore - “

“Really? He had me fooled shoving his tongue down some pretty blonde’s throat at Rick’s the other night.”

“That’s - come on, you know that's not fair. He didn’t even know -”

”Why stop at just the four of us, let’s invite Vickie, make it a real party.”

The name of your best friend’s ex leaves your mouth before you can stop it, instant regret making a heavy home in your chest that feels like it might cave in when her mood shifts with glassy eyes and it’s completely your fault.

“I take back what I said, I need you to start acting again.”

Jumping off the counter, you set your mug down so you can grab her arm before she can take those few steps out of the kitchen.

“Hey! Look, I’m sorry, I’ll stop.”

She doesn’t put up much of a fight, even though you deserve it, the blue in her eyes turn to ice when she looks at you.

“I’m sorry.”

She holds your stare until she can tell you actually mean it, melting glaciers with a heavy sigh.

“It’s fine, I get it.”

Her words come out soft, just like the lines that smooth on her face.

“I know this is weird and like totally against friend code or whatever, but I think that just goes to show how much he must mean to me or even a testament to how much he’s changed if I’m even asking you to just try and do this. Just try, that’s all.”

“No, you’re right,” you fluster, doing your best to reassure her in a shaky voice, “I just slept badly and had a really weird dream. It just threw me off a little. I’m being so awful and I’m sorry.”

Flashes of the way his hands gripped your hips and the dirty things he whispered in your ear has your palms start to sweat, making you loosen your grip on her arm before she can notice.

Robin searches your face for the reassurance that she needs before a small smile finally tugs at the corners of her lips.“This is why you’re my best friend.” She pulls you into a tight hug, wrapping her arms around your neck.

“Only if you tell him that.”

Snaking your arms around her waist, you let out a shaky laugh, silently preparing to see the man who hasn’t left the crevices of your mind since you stepped foot back in Hawkins.

———

It feels like you’re back in high school the way you can’t stop looking at yourself in the mirror, the nerves still feel the same.

Your gaze wanders up and down your reflection, turning from side to side, overly critical eyes take in your curves that are on display a little more than normal and you wonder if Robin will notice. Tugging your bottom lip between your teeth, better yet you wonder if Robin will notice and have something to say about it.

“You’re certainly spending a lot of time on an outfit.” Your best friend whistles low as she leans against the open bedroom door confirming your fears with a cross of her arms.

“Just trying to remember what I brought is all.” You don’t engage with the amusement that hides in her tone, smoothing down the short black skirt that flares over the tops of your thighs, before adjusting the straps on your matching tank top.

“Riiiight,” she snorts, earning the kind of glare that has her raising her hands in defense before a shit-eating grin cracks wide across her face. “I’m going to need you to hurry up, though. Do I need to remind you that we’re walking?”

“I’m done!” You huff, sock covered feet digging into her cream carpet as you make your way toward her, “I just need to put on my shoes.”

“You’ve got twenty secon-” she agonizes before three hard knocks on her front door cut her off. Her cheshire smile falters as she turns confused.

“You’re lucky you didn’t get to finish that sentence,” you warn in a harsh whisper, grabbing your Converse that had been haphazardly kicked off earlier in the corner.

Robin puts a ringed finger to her lips, like the possibility of a kidnapper being on the other side is extremely probable, and it’s her turn to glare when you roll your eyes at her dramatics. Following her out to the living room, you plop down on the couch, watching her slowly creep to the front door. Both her hands find the blue painted wood pushing up on the toes of her Reeboks to look out the peephole.

“Steve?!”

The name makes your stomach flip, a shaky breath pushing its way through watermelon flavored lips because you thought you had more time than this. Keeping a poker face, you take your time tying your laces as she swings the door open. Head down, your eyes keep their focus on how the dirty white strings move between your fingers.

You’re not ready to look at him. Not yet.

“After taking you to school at 7am every day after I graduated, you really thought I was going to let you walk?” The smile in his voice is evident, a fond memory you’re not a part of but you can still feel the warmth inside it by the way he speaks.

“Thank god,” she starts, the insinuation of the words that are going to follow making your eyes snap up, narrowed and shooting daggers at your best friend, catching Steve’s attention in the process.

“We were going to be late.”

“Oh yeah?” He asks, his gaze claiming yours and holding it against your will, the beginnings of a smirk playing on his full lips and suddenly it’s so much warmer in her living room than it was two seconds ago. “Why’s that?”

He somehow looks even better than the last time you saw him, a bad habit you’re quickly learning that he has. The honey colored tips of his chestnut hair curl at the ends, sticking out of the sides of his backwards baseball hat. A well worn black cotton shirt with the sleeves cut out has the arms that you’d dreamt about on full display. The summer sun somehow dotting even more freckles across his shoulder blades that flex everytime he spins his car keys around his finger. The dark cherry red basketball shorts he wears hit the bottoms of his hairy thighs, the red mesh even more vibrant against his tan skin, just like the white leather of the Nike Cortez’s that cover his feet.

“She’s just being dramatic,” you grumble, finally tearing your eyes from the dark moss that covers the chocolate inside his, doing your best to ignore the heat of them wandering the bare skin of your legs as you finish tying your shoes.

“You changed your outfit like sixty times!”

This is the moment that you decide you’re going to kill Robin in her sleep tonight.

“Well, I’m ready so you both can stop being annoying now.” Standing, you tug down the bottom of your skirt that suddenly feels even shorter with his full attention on you like this.

“Wait, why am I annoying? I just got here.” Steve argues when your words finally sink in, snapping him out of his daze, catching the keys in his palm.

“You’re always annoying, Harrington,” you sigh, hoping your deflections are working, but the small smile that never leaves his lips tells you it’s not.

“Shotgun!” Robin calls out like it’s something you would have argued over. Your shoulder brushes with his as you push your way out the door, sending sparks to the tips of your fingers and making your hair stand on end. Steve and the summer heat warm your skin.

“It’s all yours,” you concede with ease, ignoring the butterfly wings that wreak havoc in your rib cage when the spice of his cologne makes its way into your nose.

It was going to be a night.

Steve keeps the windows rolled down, the muggy air making your bare thighs stick together and to the hot leather of his backseat. It drowns out the music as he speeds down the back roads, making the conversation between him and Robin upfront almost inaudible.

You don’t worry about what they might be saying, not even when they both start gesturing wildly with their hands. Taking advantage of the time left alone, you put all of your focus into preparing yourself for the next few hours, doing your best to push the lingering thoughts of your dream deep down to a place that no one can find. A task that proves to be much harder while avoiding his gaze that dares you to meet it in the rear view mirror the entire way.

The memories you have of the back of his car don’t help either.

Pulling into Forest Hills trailer park, you’re surprised at the facelift they finally gave it after all these years. Lush green grass grows where the yellow and brown shrub used to be, and a wooden gazebo that looks like it’s missing a finishing coat stands tall, replacing the picnic table where you and the metal head used to smoke. Even the gravel that paves the road looks new and gray, not the dirt brown mud that it used to be.

It’s still a struggle to wrap your head around the fact that Steve ‘The Hair’ Harrington, the former king of Hawkin’s and Eddie ‘The Freak’ Munson not only work together, but live together too. You would have laughed in anyone’s face if they told you this five years ago.

The BMW’s tires crunch loudly against the rocks as Steve pulls into the driveway of a hunter green trailer. It sits in the back of the park, almost touching the edge of the woods behind it. A faded white line running along the length that matches the metal railing of their front entrance and the overhang that covers it. The paint peels from parts of the metal in the heat, revealing spots of the gray hidden underneath. A worn in deep maroon couch sits on the porch just like the dirty brown one at Wayne’s trailer, and you already know Eddie spends his mornings there. You internally groan when you catch yourself wondering if Steve does too.

“Home sweet home,” he hums, cutting the engine off and pulling you out of your thoughts.

You dare to meet his eyes for the first time since you left the apartment when Robin jumps out of the front seat, and you immediately regret it. He smiles wide, finally catching your attention, those perfect white teeth baring themselves at you as he pulls off his hat to run a hand through his sweaty bed head. The long strand he’s always at battle with falls through the opening in the back when he puts it on again, because, of course it does.

“Good to see you finally slumming it with the rest of us, King Steve,” you snort, pulling on the handle to let yourself out, ending any chance of conversation.

If it wasn’t for your Eddie barreling out of the front door to greet you and Robin with a big dimpled grin and a freshly rolled joint, you would’ve thought a little harder about the way Steve winced at the nickname.

The Munson/Harrington Bachelor pad anomaly isn’t exactly what you expected it to be, but even then you weren’t entirely sure what that was. It’s cozy just like how Wayne’s used to be but where there’s hand me downs that have been through the short line of Munson men’s hands, there’s an equal amount of obviously perfectly well kept new. Like the shiny big TV in the center of their living room, and the well-loved lazy boy in front of it, that still had cigarette burns from its previous owner, next to the rich tan leather couch right by it.

It smells like it has just been cleaned, a sanitizing lilac still lingering in the air, trying its best to cover the smell of all grease stained clothing in their hampers and the smoke from joints like the one Eddie’s about to put out in an ashtray full of ones just like it.

He sits at the head of the table with a lopsided grin that pushes up the apples of his cheeks and reveals the deep dimples in the center of them. Droopy lids frame his bloodshot eyes that meet your own. Orange and pinks paint the darkening sky through the sliding glass door behind him.

“I still can’t believe you’re actually here,” Eddie chuckles with a fond glint in big brown eyes leaning back in his chair that squeaks under the redistribution of his weight.

“Back by popular demand,” you smirk, pointing at Robin, who sits just on the other side of the table, glassy eyed with an unwavering smile.

You try to ignore how the empty chair next to her bothers you, or they way your eyes keep looking toward the kitchen through the small opening of their little island, giving you the perfect view of Steve prepping dinner. His thick eyebrows are furrowed as he digs through spice racks and drawers, front teeth digging into the plushness of his bottom lip deep in thought.

“I think this calls for a fire,” Eddie announces loudly, bringing you back to the conversation with a slap of his palms on the wood of the table and the kind of smirk that tells you that you’ve been caught.

“We told Janice next door weekends only after last time,” Steve’s voice startles you, making his presence known, leaning against the wall with crossed arms.

“It’s Thursday. Practically the weekend. Besides it’s a special occasion, look who’s here Stevie boy.” Something in Eddie’s tone makes Steve’s eyes narrow in a silent threat that only makes the metal heads' lips twist up into something more devilish.

“You have to put it out before bed then, I’m not dealing with it like last time.” Steve accepts defeat quicker than anticipated, “And if she calls or comes over to complain at all, that's all on you too.”

”Deal,” Eddie agrees with five fingers across his heart, the silver of his rings catching in the low light of their trailer.“I think she’s got a crush on me anyway.”

“She’s married,” Steve dead pans with a deep sigh, taking his hat off to run another hand through his hair and you hate the way it has your thighs meeting under the table. “Who’s helping me with dinner then?”

He knows better than to look at you, so his gaze falls onto his roommate and best friend.

”Don’t look at me!” Robin argues, raising her right hand to show off the faded scar on her palm. “Last time I tried to help, I had to get stitches, remember?”

”The fire’s a full time job I’m afraid,” Eddie shrugs, standing up. Not missing a beat, they both look at each other like they're in on some secret that you and Steve aren’t apart of before their eyes land on you.

”You know I’m not a good cook,” you whine, refusing to meet the heat of Steve’s stare that burns against the side of your face.

”I’m sure Steve’s more than willing to help teach you, princess.” Eddie grins, and it makes you want to slap the dimples clean off his face.

“It’s fine, I’ll be fine, I can do it by myself,” Steve interjects with a sigh before you have a chance to respond with something that he knows will just egg the metal head on and get his ego even more bruised.

He’s not expecting the way your eyes snap to his, or the way they narrow with something fiery deep inside them.

”We’re grown adults, Steve. I think I can handle helping you cut some vegetables or whatever it is you need me to do.” Standing up with a shove of your chair, he doesn’t even attempt to argue about how that’s the exact opposite of what you just said.

”There we go! Problem solved.” Eddie’s grin is mischievous, and so is the wink he throws at his roommate before opening the sliding glass door, ushering Robin out and leaving you both alone.

The tension inside the kitchen hangs thicker in the air than the humidity outside weighing down your shoulders, making the words stick in the back of your throat as you try to navigate the close proximity to Steve. Neither one of you is sure of what to say first, and the sound of Eddie and Robin laughing outside filling the silence between you somehow makes it worse.

The weed twists the knots in your stomach tighter, and the cedar that always seems to linger whenever he’s around turns suffocating without an escape. You lean against the sink across from him while he digs through the icebox in the fridge. Shoulder blades moving with the motions of his wrist, plastic crinkling loudly every time he moves a bag out of the way. Muttering to himself, you watch goosebumps rise on his tan skin from the cool air, muscles twitching from the shock.

This was a mistake.

Biting the inside of your cheek, you tear your eyes away in hopes it will stop the dull ache between your legs from getting worse when you’re brought back to the way those same arms caged you in while his hips pushed you deeper into the mattress in your dreams last night. Looking out the small window at the beginning flames of the bonfire, a shaky breath pushes past your glossed lips, and you wipe your palms on your skirt before turning around to wash your hands.

Cutting the water, you shake your hands in the sink before tearing off a paper towel from the roll next to you. Working up enough courage to finally turn around to look at him, you finish drying your hands with a softer expression.

”No, I can help.”

He holds your stare, silently giving you another out while his fingers make quick work of unwrapping a head of lettuce, an onion, and a few peppers from their plastic confines. No matter how much you want to look away, you don’t, standing firm in your choice despite everything inside of you screaming to run away, and it’s enough for him to nod his head. The slight twitch of his lips while he rolls the bags in his hands doesn’t go unnoticed.

“I just need you to cut the onion into thin slices for the burgers, and same with the jalapeños.” He instructs, turning his back to you to throw away the wrappings.

The sudden movement has the deep cut sleeves of his shirt fluttering open, giving you a glimpse of the thick patch of hair on his chest, and how it tapers off and down past his belly button. Your thighs find each other again, and you look up to the ceiling silently, trying to regain all the strength you thought you’d just found.

“And the lettuce - uhh, are you okay?” Steve’s confusion makes all the blood in your body rush to the apples of your cheeks as you try to hide your internal struggle with a smile.

“Yeah, we’re good. Never been better. Wouldn’t want to be anywhere else,” you ramble, brushing past him to the station he’s set up for you.

“…Right,” he starts with a pause before choosing to leave it alone, “I just need you to kind of rip the lettuce up, you can cut it if you want but I think bigger pieces would be better.”

You aren’t expecting his voice to come from right behind you, so close that you can feel the heat of his breath against the back of your neck. Your own goosebumps rise, dotting across exposed skin and you hope he doesn’t notice but the way he lingers in your space for a little longer despite the nod of your head makes you think otherwise. The spice of his cologne grows faint along with his footsteps against the tile floor, finding a home on the other side of the kitchen, busying himself with what he had started before.

Eddie turns on the radio, easing some of the tension from your muscles, and relaxing your shoulders as you get a good grip on the handle of the knife.

You could do this, easy.

You really start to believe it too when you cut all the jalapeños, even humming along to an old Judas Priest song that you and Eddie used to blast in his van after school. Peeling the onion, you pretend that you don’t see the reflection of Steve staring at you from the glass of the microwave as you sway your hips and bop your head to the beat.

“So, New York huh?” He finally breaks, and your eyes flutter to the reflection to see him putting away all the spices he’d pulled out while you were smoking. “You likin’ it?”

Your movements freeze for a second, and your tongue feels heavy in your mouth with all the things you’ve dreamed of saying to him. Years of coming up with all the ways you’d tell him how much better you were without him. A recurring fantasy of a ten year reunion where you’d show up with your famous screenwriter husband you’d met on the Subway, turning your nose at him and whatever Hawkin’s girl he’d managed to knock up. But instead, the universe has you here five years too early, and Steve isn’t the same guy you’d left even if you don’t quite trust it yet.

Picking up the knife again, you roll your shoulders with a quiet breath before cutting into the onion once more as you search for the words to answer.

“Yeah, I like it. It’s big and it can be a little scary sometimes but I can be myself there,” it comes out a little quieter than intended but you still twist your hips to meet his gaze from across the kitchen where he stands with crossed arms giving you his full attention. “No one really cares what you do.”

“Who are you trying to be out there?” He asks like he has no idea what small talk is, the greens in his eyes shimmering against the last bit of sunlight that shines on his face.

“Someone stronger than who I was in high school,” you whisper, turning back around to focus on the task at hand and not your ex trying to dig into the depths of your soul while you cut onions.

“You were always the strongest person I knew,” he counters, and you can practically hear the shrug that you know follows his words.

”You certainly liked to test it.”

It comes out before you can bite your tongue, your knife slicing right into the center of the onion and hitting the cutting board roughly, adding dramatic effect.

”Ouch,” he hums with a small laugh, silverware clanking against the metal of the sink behind you as he finishes cleaning up his mess, “I guess I deserved that one.”

“Steve.” You stop cutting, dropping the knife to look at him, unintentionally swiping your eye in the process, “I’m sorry I shouldn’t have said that. I promised Rob- oh fuck!”

The burning in your right eye becomes unbearable, the tears spilling freely down your cheek blurring your vision with a harsh sting.

”Oh, oh no. Did you touch your eye?!” Steve sounds panicked, sneakers scuffling against the tile as he hurries to grab a washcloth from the drawer.

“It was an accident!” You whine, closing your eyes as tight as you can, willing the burning tears to stop, the sound of water running from the sink filling your ears, “God it hurts so bad, Steve.”

The coolness of the rag provides instant relief when he presses it gently to your eye. Taking a deep breath, you feel the warmth of his palm rub up and down your arm soothing your irritated nerves more. The sting doesn’t fully go away, but it subsides enough for the tears to slow down as he applies a little more pressure before removing it to wet it again. Blinking past the burning, you finally realize just how close you are to him now.

Chests practically touching, you can see the beginnings of stubble lining his jaw despite being able to tell that he shaved today. The vampire bites on his neck that used to be your favorite to kiss taunt you for what feels like the millionth time this week. With cedar and musk filling your lungs, it feels impossible to breathe.

He cuts off the water, turning towards you again, and you aren’t prepared for the depth in his eyes meeting yours from this distance. They’re soft when they look at you, the chestnut inside them warming gold as you stare back at him a little dazed. Calloused fingertips stop their path up your arm to gently grab your chin, tilting your face up to his so he can get a better look at the damage. He’s sweet with the way moves your head around, the pad of his thumb smoothing the skin under your irritated eye.

”I think you’ll be okay, I don’t see any seeds or anything trapped inside,” he whispers, thumb never stopping its movements while his gaze flicks down to your lips that pout on their own, something electric charging in the air.

The sliding glass door opens behind him before you can answer, Robin and Eddie making their presence known in a loud burst of energy. Snatching the wet rag from his hand, you’re quick to put distance between you. Placing the cool cloth against your face, you make your way out of the kitchen before anyone can ask you anything about what happened. Muttering a “thanks Steve '' on your way to assess just how ruined your makeup is in the bathroom.

Your heart pounds in your ears feeling the ghost of his touch everywhere, chest tightening because your body won’t stop screaming for more.

You stay in the bathroom long enough for the burning to subside, mumbling words that resemble some kind of pep talk while scrubbing your hands. Fingers that still shake with nerves fix your smudged mascara, listening for the moment their voices go quiet behind the sliding glass door before you decide to finally venture out. The sound of Steve’s laugh catches in your ears, as you make your way through the empty trailer, the corners of your lips curling on their own as you tug on the handle that separates you from them. The humidity is quick to turn your skin sticky despite the sun disappearing behind the trees.

”There she is! I heard Harrington tried to blind you,” Eddie chuckles from his place crouched in front of the fire. A half smoked cigarette dangling lazily from the side of his mouth as he ‘stokes’ the flames, the crackling wood competing with the buzz of the cicadas that surround you.

”Riddle me this, Steve, why is it that whenever someone ’helps’ you cook, they end up in the hospital or worse, almost BLIND!”

From her spot sitting on one of the many faded red plastic lawn chairs they have circled around the pit, Robin doesn’t hesitate to turn it into a dog pile with dramatics that could rival an Oscar winning actress.

Steve rolls his eyes, the warm light from the smaller flame of the grill glowing underneath him, highlighting his sharp features. His gaze meets yours, ignoring his friends, and you swear even from here, you can see the green inside each eye shine. You know there’s a million questions he wants to ask but there’s only one that comes out, and it’s soft just like the way he touched you inside.

”Are you okay?”

It’s hard for you to look anywhere but his face, remembering just how pretty it was up close. Your eyes trace the straight line of his nose, and the curve of his full bottom lip before finally meeting his eyes. The small smile that tugs at the corner of his mouth reminds you that you haven’t answered him yet but he doesn’t say anything. He lets Robin’s low whistle do all the talking.

”Uhh, yeah, I’m good. Crisis averted,” you mumble, snapping out of it, cheeks warming up enough to compete with the fire pit you stumble around, landing in the seat next to your best friend. “No jalapenos on mine, I think I’ve had enough for today.”

Without a cloud in an almost completely dark sky, you start to see the twinkling of the stars you’ll always miss begin to appear. They battle for your attention against the fireflies that flicker through the tall grass and into the woods. Lighter fluid stings your nose when Steve squirts more onto the burning coals, switching from hot dogs to burgers like he’s been grilling for a family of four his whole life.

A couple of beers calm your nerves that threaten to give you away, watching Steve in his element like this, the holes cut in his shirt showing off every flex of his muscles as he flips the patties. Cheese melting over the burger meat, just like your body that sinks further into the lawn chair that sticks to the backs of your thighs. He throws you a knowing look, making you clear your throat. Straightening your posture, you try to join in Robin and Eddie’s conversation like you hadn’t just been caught. Taking another long swig of the bitter semi cold liquid, you hope it’s enough to get you through dinner.

It’s not.

Steve takes the seat across from you when he’s finished cooking, manspreading with his paper plate in his lap. You fight the urge to look at the tan line of his inner thighs that are revealed by his loose fitting shorts, laughing a little too loud at Eddie’s jokes, desperate to keep your struggle hidden. Even going as far as acting interested when Robin starts talking about her reasons why she likes to buy certain things from the three different grocery stores in town.

It’s when a dribble of ketchup lands on top of Steve's hand after a large bite that you lose your cool. Right between his thumb and index finger, he hums with cheeks full of food before those full lips of his wrap around the spilled sauce, cleaning it with a flick of his tongue.

”I’m gonna throw my plate away, is anyone else done?” You squeak, standing up abruptly, your chair nearly falling backwards in the process.

“Jesus, easy tiger,” Eddie snorts, finishing off the last of his beer before crushing the tin can in his hand, tossing it on his empty plate, “The trash isn’t going anywhere.”

“Just trying to be a good house guest is all,” you lie, making Eddie quirk an eyebrow, the dimples in his cheeks coming out to play again.

”Uh huh.” He smirks before handing you his plate that Robin quickly piles hers on top of. “Sure.”

”That’s very sweet of you,” Steve chimes in, with a lopsided grin on his face that makes you want to punch the air and get out of here.

“She’s pure class Harrington, get it right,” Robin comes for the save with a knowing wink that only makes the heat growing in your cheeks worse.

“Yeah, yeah, yeah,” you mumble quickly turning on your heel, feeling all their eyes on you as you make your way to the back door of the trailer.

”Hurry back. We're gonna play Never Have I Ever,” your best friend calls out over her shoulder making you wish you could just stay inside when the sliding glass door closes behind you.

Embers spark and pop from the fire before they disappear into the night sky, the full moon’s white glow stopping just along the dark edges of the trees that surround the backyard. The four of you sit around the pit with fresh beers in hand. The buzz of the alcohol turning Steve’s gaze heavy as he stares at you from across the flickering flames. Tucking your bottom lip between your teeth you look everywhere but his direction, and hope he doesn’t see the way your thighs press under the heat of it.

“Are you sure this is a good idea Robin?” Eddie whispers, big brown eyes glancing between the both of you, and your bouncing knee.

”It’s fine, they’ll be fine. Right guys?” She waves the metal head off, nudging you with her elbow, completely unphased.

”Of course we’ll be fine, why wouldn’t we be fine?” You snap, tugging the bottom of your skirt down, all the built up tension turning into aggression. Steve smiles into his next gulp.

“Whoa, whoa. I was just asking, but you do seem a little tense.” She raises her hands in surrender, both her eyebrows disappearing behind her shaggy bangs while Eddie distracts himself by poking the fire.

“Relax, it’s just a game,” Steve sighs, settling deeper in his chair, the warm amber in the flames bouncing off the mischievous gold in his eyes that keep their hold on you. “Besides, we’re friends now, right?”

Your gaze narrows, the grip on your beer tightening enough to hear the pop of the metal.“Yep,” you manage to get out, shooting Eddie a glare when he snorts.

“If you guys say so,” he starts, ignoring your scowl while getting cut off by Robin who’s practically vibrating in her seat now.

”Let’s have fun already. I’ll start.” Robin shushes him before acting like she’s deep in thought, turning to face you with the kind of grin on her face that tells you she’s up to no good, “Never have I ever…let some Wall Street douchebag go down on me in the backseat of his Rolls Royce.”

“That’s weirdly specific- oh wait! Damn! Princess!” Eddie whoops when you take a swig with a roll of your eyes, flipping Robin the bird.

“Gotta try everything once, right?” You shrug, holding his gaze with a smirk, not even trying to hide that you’re taking great pleasure in the way Steve’s jaw clenches at the new found information of your life outside of here. “He had a nice mouth when he wasn’t using it for talking.”

Steve takes a deep breath through his nose, the mossy greens in his eyes turning dark as you lean back in your chair smugly.

“She’s a wild one, I’ll tell ya,” Robin giggles fondly, passing the baton to you with a proud smile.

Maybe it was the beer or the incessant way Steve’s presence drove you to the brink of insanity by rageful lust. Or even just the way he sat across from you with his legs spread wide like he ruled the world, whatever it was, that's what’s to blame for the question that rolls off your tongue.

“Never have I ever taken someone’s virginity.”

Robin’s jaw drops, guffawing with a harsh slap on your leg, mouthing a ‘you said you’d be nice’ but the buzz of the alcohol keeps a lopsided grin on her face. Eddie drinks, nervously watching the staring contest going on between you and Steve. Like a dog and its owner trying to establish dominance, both of you refuse to be the one who looks away first. Taking two gulps for good measure, he smacks his lips loudly when he’s done, wiping the foam off his upper lip with the back of his wrist. Raising his eyebrows at you in a silent challenge.

“This isn’t awkward at all,” Eddie grumbles, taking another sip of his beer to help the uncomfortable tension that threatens to settle over the circle.

”Who’s next? Who's next?” Robin urges with a flick on your knee, forcing you to fold and give her your attention with a blink of your eyes and it feels like the first time in hours that you finally look at someone other than Steve.

Your teeth clench, grinding at the thought that even after all this time he’s still got this kind of hold on you, and it has you riding the thin line between wanting to give him a black eye or have him take you for a spin in his beemer for old times sake.

“Eddie,” raising your can in his direction, he meets you in the middle with a cheers that doesn’t quite touch before slinking back in his chair with an exhausted huff.

“Hmmm, what do I want to reveal about myself?” He hums deep in thought, metal rings clinking against tin in a familiar tune as he taps his fingers around his beer can, “Never have I ever… been in a threesome, despite being titled ‘freak’ of Hawkins.”

“Really?” Robin seems genuinely shocked, making you giggle.

“Yeah, I know. It’s crazy to me too.” Eddie shrugs, with a knowing grin that doesn’t quite sit right in your gut.

That’s when you see it. Steve taking a drink.

”WHAT?!” Your best friend squeals practically jumping from her seat, clearly something that's not common knowledge being revealed.

Jealousy is an ugly monster, and it finds a home deep inside your chest tonight, turning you green with it. Your half empty beer can crunches the more your fingers dig into the tin, eyes narrowing when he just responds to Robin with a coy smirk and a shrug bringing his attention back to you.

”Gotta try everything once right?” Steve mocks, full pink lips curling up at the corners as he takes another sip.

Your heart sinks with your stomach, the muscles in your face doing the same before you have a chance to stop it. Visions of red nails and pink lips that don’t belong to you dance through your head, and the smug smirk he probably wore while his big hands gripped their hips taking turns making them moan his name. The sound of your can completely collapsing in a loud crunch gets everyone’s attention, and you ignore the softened expression on Steve’s face trying to capture your gaze again. Eddie clears his throat, throwing you a life line before opening a new can of beer with a suggestion you’ve never been more grateful for.

”Alright Steve, your turn.”

A quiet sigh escapes your lungs, shoulders relaxing just a little when Robin groans loudly at the attack that’s clearly focused on her. Oblivious to the fact that you’re hanging on by a thread next to her, you stare fixed on the way the flames lick up into the night.

“Look, she was a college senior, okay? I was only a sophomore and she was way cooler than me. Judge me all you want, but it worked didn’t it?” She argues, lifting her beer to the sky before taking a sip proudly. “No regrets!”

Her smile is contagious, easing some of the tension when you and Eddie giggle meeting each other's eyes from across her honey blond waves. You can feel Steve’s stare burning a hole in the side of your head, the heat of it in direct competition with the fire that thrives off the light breeze that rustles through the trees.

“Aright, alright, never have I ever faked getting off.” She wiggles her eyebrows with a toothy grin, looking at Eddie specifically who gives her a dead stare in response, clearly something told to her in confidence.

Biting your lip, you really weren’t going to add more fuel to the fire but when you finally meet Steve’s eyes that have been begging for your attention this whole time, you can’t help but douse the flames with the whole can of gasoline. Another flash of different shades of lipstick staining the freckles you loved to kiss so much sending another wave of rage down to your core.

”I can think of a few times.” You snort loudly, holding his gaze and pointedly stealing everyone else's attention before polishing off the last of your crumpled can.

Steve’s jaw clenches hard enough that you swear you can hear his teeth crunch together. Nostrils flaring with a gaze so dark it threatens to swallow you whole, all traces of honey and warmth gone, leaving you chilled to the bone.

”I think we’re done with this game Robin,” he grunts, standing up with a kick of his chair and for once his eyes don’t search for yours as he stomps across the yard towards the yellow light of the trailer.

“Seriously!” Your best friend groans, slinking back in her chair with a hand running down her face, “Maybe this was a bad idea.”

”Yeah, genius! I told you, but nooo, you didn’t want to listen to me.” Eddie scoffs into his beer can, using his free hand to poke at the fire.

”Can you go, like, talk to him or something?” Robin turns to you with an almost pleading look that gets more prominent the more your face turns sour.

“Me?! I have to go talk to him? Seriously? He’s the one who stormed off,” you argue, crossing your arms.

”Yeah, well you clearly hurt his feelings.” She points at his pacing figure through the kitchen window and it takes everything inside of you not to tell her that he hurt yours first.

The two of you stare each other down, the wills of stubbornness at battle until her eyes go soft, big and glassy.

“Please,” she begs, pulling out the big guns, and jutting out her bottom lip.

You hold her gaze for a few more seconds before surrendering with a roll of your eyes, huffing loudly when you uncross your arms to stand up, making her face light back up.

”I hate you. More than anything.”

Eddie cackles loudly at your lie, digging in his front pocket for a smushed pack of cigarettes.

“We all know you don’t mean that,” she hums with a content smile, leaning over to snatch the freshly lit tobacco from the metalhead’s mouth, waving at you as you start to follow Steve’s path up to the trailer. “Please don’t kill him!”

Closing the sliding glass door behind you, a shiver runs up your spine when the coolness of the air conditioning hits your sticky skin. The sound of running water catches in your ears from the kitchen along with the murmur of his voice under its rush.You can’t quite make out what he’s saying to himself, even when you reach the doorway.

Hunched over the sink, his shoulder blades flex with every harsh scrub of the pan. His hat rests on the counter, and you can’t help but notice the wild way his hair sits on the top of his head from wearing it all day, sun kissed tips curling from the humidity. Clearing your throat just loud enough to alert him of your presence, you watch the way his whole body goes rigid. It only lasts for a moment before he recovers, shutting off the water with a lazy slap of his hand. Turning around he grabs the dish towel next to him to dry off, meeting your gaze with a little more color in his eyes, flecks of gold trying to shimmer in a raging storm.

Having his full attention on you, alone like this, is enough for your tongue to go numb. The back of your throat turns into sandpaper, making it impossible for words to find their way out. A big hand runs through his hair, fingers getting caught on a knot at the end that he works out with ease, a gentle sigh deflating his defensive chest just a little before he speaks.

“Hey.”

Anger still boils under all of the attraction, along with the jealousy you aren’t willing to acknowledge.You aren’t ready. You can’t do this yet.

“I gotta go to the bathroom,” you excuse yourself, turning on your heel and leaving just as quickly as you arrived.

You ignore the way he calls after you, seeking solace in the place that's become your hiding spot for the night. Fingers wrap around the handle to the familiar room, you stop in your tracks when a warm patch of light leaking out from a crack in a door that wasn’t opened before catches your attention.

You can smell the cedar from here.

Glancing over your shoulder to see if he followed you, it changes the course of your direction when you discover that he didn’t. Taking a few steps across the hallway, you’re careful not to let the hinges creak when you push his bedroom door open a little more. Your senses quickly become overwhelmed with everything that makes Steve, Steve. You throw another cautious look down the hallway before crossing the invisible line. Closing the door like how you found it, you let your curiosity get the best of you.

It’s cleaner than you thought it’d be now that he doesn’t live inside the Harrington’s massive house anymore. His bed is bigger, the twin sized mattress that you used to squeeze into traded in for a queen. The navy blue comforter that looks soft to the touch is laid out messy on white sheets, a digital clock with glaring red numbers that read 10:30 pm on the nightstand next to it.

The carpet under your feet is a heather gray, and you can tell that it’s scratchy even with your shoes on. Patrick Swayze watches your every move from the Roadhouse poster hanging on his wall, the floor creaking as you make your way toward the small work desk in the corner. Your eyes linger on the impressive way all his dirty clothes manage to be in his hamper before they find the framed pictures spread over his desk.

There’s one of him with the middle school boy you knew as Dustin Henderson perched on his back, only he looks much older than you remembered. The curls still give him away despite the braces free smile. Both of them grin hard enough for their eyes to crinkle in the corners like they had finally stopped laughing long enough for someone to snap this picture.

You fight back the way your cheeks threaten to push up, not surprised to find one of him and Robin at what looks like Lover’s Lake, both of them striking the same pose with inflatable tubes around their waists wearing matching bucket hats and sunglasses.

The guy in these photos doesn’t seem anything like the one you remember and it’s hard for you to wrap your head around it. They look the same.

”I don’t think this is the bathroom, do you?” Steve’s voice makes you jump, heart stopping in your chest for a split second before you meet his questioning stare with a guilty face of your own.

His arms are crossed over his chest as leans against the door frame, unintentionally pulling the collar of his shirt down giving you a glimpse of the patch of hair and the gold chain underneath. The softness in his eyes from the kitchen is gone as he stares you down, it’s replaced with something you can’t quite put your finger on but the intensity of it raking over your body has your thighs meeting for what feels like the millionth time tonight. His full pink lips twist into a sarcastic smirk as he pushes off the wood, taking the next few steps into his room.

”Did you really mean what you said out there?” He questions, dark eyes sparkling the more you squirm under the heat of them.

”Mean what? I said a lot of things out there. We all did.” Narrowing your gaze, you try to take back some semblance of control, squaring up your shoulders at him but the dark chuckle you get in response tells you it’s a futile attempt.

“I didn’t say anything about you specifically though, did I?” Steve counters, stopping just a few feet away from you, tongue poking at the side of his cheek, “No, I don’t think I did.”

He hums, uncrossing his arms to mimic your stance in a silent challenge, eyebrows raised waiting on your response.

”I didn’t say anything about you specifically either.” Jutting out your chin in defiance, it's your turn to cross your arms now. Maturity at its finest.

He doesn’t answer you, instead he holds your eyes with his own and it takes everything inside of you not to look away. Your tongue swipes against your bottom lip as he starts to take a few steps closer, broad shoulders making the room feel small when the toes of his sneakers meet yours.

“I don’t think you ever faked anything with me.” He looks down his nose at you, smelling like summer nights and everything you’ve tried to forget.

”You think or you know?” Cocking a brow with a shit eating grin that tells him you aren’t going to fold easy, the backs of your thighs hit the edge of his desk.

He sucks at his teeth, rolling his shoulders with the kind of laugh that makes the dull ache between your legs turn into a throb.

“I know. Trust me.” He smirks, gaze lingering where the soft dough of your thighs meet before finding your eyes again, “Guess what else I know?”

It's hard for you to catch your breath when he looks at you like this and you wonder if he notices the quick heaves of your chest or the way your eyes glaze over from being this close to him.

”W-what?” Your stutter gives you away, but at least you tried to fight one last time before he went in for the kill.

The whites of his teeth show in the kind of smile that tells you he was hoping you’d ask just that. Leaning in, his palms land on his desk finding purchase on either side of your hips, caging you in. He’s close enough for the tip of his nose to brush against yours, close enough to smell the wheat from his beer on the warm breath that fans against your lips.

“You wouldn’t still look at me the way you do, if I hadn’t made you feel good honey. And you know what else?”

His voice goes deep as he whispers, nose nudging at your cheek before his lips hover right by your ear making you shiver, goosebumps making their second appearance of the day. Your hands find the edge of his desk, chest brushing against his in a deep breath feeling the slightest touch of his lips against the soft spot right behind it.

“I know I can make you cum harder with my tongue than some Wall Street asshole, who doesn’t even know what to do under the hood of that fancy car he spent so much money on.” His grip on the desk tightens at the thought, wood groaning under the stress of it and it has your thighs spreading for him on their own.

“Steve -”

His fingers grab your chin like at the shop with just a firm enough hold for you to pull away if you want to but you can’t bring yourself to do it when his eyes threaten to swallow you whole. You wonder if it's just a mirror reflection of your own as he takes some of the new space you’ve given him, so close now that you can feel the heat of his body where yours screams for him most. His brows furrow when your noses brush and he swears he can taste the watermelon of your lip gloss, and then he knows he can when he feels your fingers curl into his shirt tugging him closer.

“I think,” he breathes into your mouth, hesitating just enough to soak it in a second longer before pulling away with an almost pained expression that he quickly tries to cover up, “I think it’s time for me to take you and Robin home.”

He steps back and out of your space, a nervous hand running through his hair like he did something he wasn’t supposed to do. His eyes meet yours again and there's something apologetic that swirls in the deep forest that watches you tug your skirt down straightening up.

”I’ll uh, I’ll give you a minute while I go wrangle Robin.”

He takes one last look at you like he really needs to be sure of something before finally walking out and leaving you alone to wonder how the night ended with you here. Skirt rucked up, trying to catch your breath in Steve Harrington’s room.

———-

🌻 beta’d by @superblysubpar

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ghostwriter-of-silly-things · 1 year ago

Text

I'm Not Delusional, Promise

Word Count: 3,224

Warnings: none i can think of? if i've missed something let me know

I was rather tired of dealing with people by the time the campfire started, even after the solitary meal. Which wasn't that lonely given the screaming children and just... everyone being there. It was safe to say I was ready to go to bed and maybe even sleep, although my dreams of late had been getting decidedly worse, so probably not if I was being honest with myself. That and the fact that I had pretty much not slept since coming to camp, despite the occasional cat nap after training.

I was sitting alone on the amphitheatre steps, the other campers staying away from me. Look, the the thing with Connor was his own fault. Don't sneak up on people -- that should be, like, a rule. Even the rest of the Hermes cabin who I was rooming with were keeping their distance. To be honest it wasn't too bad -- winter was a quiet time for Camp Half-Blood, but it still felt like too much. I was so used to being... not alone, but certainly left to fend for myself, enough that the people I was around weren't too bothersome. This was too real. I mouthed silently the words to the sing-along, my body on autopilot. It ended with rowdy applause, which jolted me back to reality, and Chiron trotted up to address the campers.

"Very nice! And a special welcome to our new arrivals. I am Chiron, camp activities director, and I'm happy you have all arrived here alive and with most of your limbs attached. In a moment, I promise we'll get to the s'mores, but first -"

"What about capture the flag?" somebody yelled. Grumbling broke out from the Area cabin, who were cranky, presumably that they couldn't stab people. I caught Clarisse's eye and gave her an apologetic look. She responded with a roll of her eyes directed at the Hephaestus cabin.

"Yes," Chiron said. "I know the Area cabin is anxious to return to the woods for our regular games."

"And kill people!" one of them shouted.

"However," Chiron interjected. "until the dragon is brought under control, that won't be possible. Cabin Nine, anything to report on that?"

He turned to where the oil-splattered and frankly char-grilled Hephaestus kids sat. Leo winked at Piper and shot her a finger gun, then saw me watching and wiggled his eyebrows before turning to the girl next to him. Nyssa spoke, and her voice was filled with uncertainty and uncomfortableness. "We're working on it."

"How, Nyssa?" Someone demanded.

"Really hard," She said.

The air was immediately filled with sounds of whining and complaining, and the fire sputtered chaotically. This was a good start. Chiron eventually stopped waiting for the campers to quiet down and stamped his hoof on the fire pit stones, and the campers fell silent.

"We will have to be patient. In the meantime, we have more pressing matters to discuss."

"Percy?" Oh for the love of the gods. Over half the campers turned and stared at me accusingly, like I'd personally caused his disappearance. I had been the only new arrival save Leo and co. and that seemed to warrant suspicions.

"What?" I snapped at the kids staring at me. "Why do you think I know anything?"

Chiron sighed, catching the rest of the group's attention, then gestured to Annabeth.

"I didn't find Percy," she announced. Her voice seemed to catch at the back of her throat as she said it. I gulped down the feeling of sympathy that bubbled up inside me. "He wasn't at the Grand Canyon like I thought. But we're not giving up. We've got teams everywhere. Grover, Tyson, Nico, the Hunters of Artemis - everyone's out looking. We will find him. Chiron's talking about something different. A new quest."

"It's the Great Prophecy, isn't it?" I internally groaned, and made a silent prayer to any gods that were listening that I wouldn't be part of any quest for a long while, at least until he adjusted. Unfortunately for me, it nerve usually worked out like that.

Everyone turned to Drew, who, as it turned out, had made the comment.

"Drew?" Annabeth said. "What do you mean?"

"Well, come on." She made it seem like it should be obvious to everyone what she was on about. Because if you didn't know, you were definitely stupid. "Olympus is closed. Percy's disappeared. Hera sends you a vision and you come back with three new demigods in one day. I mean, something weird is going on. The Great Prophecy has started, right?"

I saw Piper whisper something to Rachel, the resident Oracle, before everyone looked at her in waiting.

"Well?" Drew called. "You're the Oracle. Has it started or not?"

Rachel looked more like an Oracle in the firelight. Less crazy art lady, and more serious. She stepped forward calmly despite the situation and said: "Yes. The Great Prophecy has begun." You have got to be screwing with me. I couldn't have just a moment of peace, could I?

The other camper had a less subtle reaction. Yelling and shouting broke out, and I was pretty sure I saw a punch or two thrown. I shrank against my seat discretely and covered my ears, to block out as much noise as I could, and closed my eyes. It didn't go unnoticed by Rachel, though, who looked at me with concern.

It finally subsided, and I breathed heavily for a few seconds. Noise was not my thing.

"For those of you who have not heard it," Rachel began. "the Great Prophecy was my first prediction. It arrived in August. It goes like this:

'Eight half-bloods shall answer the call.

To storm and fire the world must fall-'"

Jason stood up suddenly, as if struck by lightning. Even Rachel seemed off-guard. "J-Jason? What's -"

"'Ut cum spiritu postrema sacramentum dejuremus," he said, half crazed with a wild look in his eyes. "Et hosted ornaments addent ad ianuam necem.'"

Well that's... not normal. I knew Latin, but it was clear that most of the campers had no clue what words Jason had just spat out.

"You just... finished the prophecy," Rachel stammered. " -An oath to keep with a final breath / And foes bear arms to the Doors of Death. How did you -"

"I know those lines." He put his hands to his temples, as if trying to remember something vitally important. "I don't know how, but I know that prophecy."

"In Latin, no less. Handsome and smart." Oh do shut up. Drew's outburst was followed by obedient tittering from her cabin. The campfire still managed to look nauseous, despite it being, well, just a campfire.

Jason sat down, and Annabeth gave him a pat on the shoulder. Rachel looked shaken, while Chiron stood grim and silent. I thought of my prophecy, how I'd been told I'd be important to something big. I clearly wasn't getting out of this.

"Well," Rachel said shakily. "So, yeah, that's the Great Prophecy. We hoped it might not happen for years, but I fear it's starting now. I can't give you proof. It's just a feeling. And, like Drew said, some weird stuff is happening. The eight demigods, whoever they are, have not been gathered yet. I get the feeling some are here tonight. Some are not here." She scanned the crowd, her eyes landing on some of the campers and few seconds longer than the others.

"I'm here! Oh... were you calling roll?" Clovis, from Hypnos cabin, had half-woken, bleary and disoriented.

"Go back to sleep, Clovis," someone yelled.

"Anyway," the Oracle continued. "we don't know what the Great Prophecy means. We don't know what challenges the demigods with face, but since the first Great Prophecy predicted the Titan War, we can guess the second Great Prophecy we predict something at least that bad."

"Or worse." Chiron murmured. Everyone overheard the comment. The campfire turned purple and the mood visibly darkened around it.

"What we do know, is that the first phase had begun. A major problem has arisen, and we need a quest to solve it. Hera, the queen of the gods, has been taken." Now that was shocking.

It took a while to get the attention back.

She explained about the incident at the Grand Canyon, the storm spirits' warning that this was only the beginning, and a great mistress that would destroy everyone. Then, Piper passing out in Hera's cabin and Jason's vision.

"Jason, um... Do you remember your last name?"

He shook his head self-consciously.

"We'll just call you Jason then. It's clear Hera herself has issued you a quest." She paused.

"I agree." He nodded tersely.

"You must save Hera to prevent a great evil, some sort of king from rising. For reasons we don't yet understand, it must happen on the winter solstice, only four days from now."

"That's the council day of the gods," Annabeth said. "If the gods don't already know Hera's gone, they will definitely notice her absence by then. They'll break out in fighting, accusing each other of taking her. That's what they usually do."

"The winter solstice is also the time of greatest darkness," Chiron spoke up with this happy news. "The gods gather that day, as mortals always have, because where is strength in numbers. The solstice is a day when evil magic is strong. Ancient magic, older than the gods. It is a day when things... stir."

He managed to make stirring sound like first-degree murder. Happy thoughts.

"Okay," Annabeth glared at him. "Thank you, Captain Sunshine. Whatever's going on, I agree with Rachel. Jason has been chosen to lead this quest, so -"

Someone yelled out from the stone seats. "Why hasn't he been claimed? If he's so important -"

"He has been claimed. Long ago. Jason, give them a demonstration." Chiron announced this gravely, looking Jason right in the eyes, which was unsettling at the best of times.

He stepped forward nervously, and glanced over at Piper, who mimicked flipping a coin. Jason took a virtually nondescript one out of his right pocket, and when he caught it, it was a long golden lance.

"Wasn't that... I thought you had a sword." Annabeth murmured shakily.

"Um, it came up tails I think. Same coin, long-range weapon form."

"Dude, I want one!" Someone shouted.

"Better than Clarisse's electric spear Lamer." Four people had to physically hold back Clarisse from laming him.

Jason murmured something to himself, then raised his javelin. Lightning burst from the tip of his weapon and struck the campfire with, well, a shit-ton of force. I flinched in shock and my ears rang loudly.

"Um, sorry."

"A little overkill, perhaps, but you've made your point. And I believe we know who your father is." Chiron grimaced.

"Jupiter... I mean Zeus. Lord of the Sky."

"Hold it! How can he be he son of Zeus? The Big Three... their pact to not have mortal kids... how could we not have known about him sooner?' Annabeth was confused, and it was clear she didn't like it. Chiron didn't answer.

"The important thing," Rachel interrupted, "is that Jason's here now. He has a quest to fulfill, which means he will need his own prophecy."

She swooned rather dramatically, and was caught by two Apollo campers. She was set down on a stool, her eyes and the smoke that poured from her mouth glowing emerald.

"Child of lightning, beware the earth,

The giants' revenge the eight shall birth.

The forge and dove shall break the cage,

And death unleash through Hera's rage."

Bloom of the lost, lover of old,

Aid of past penance and record unfold."

She collapsed after issuing her prophecy, but was, again, caught.

"Is that normal?" Piper piped up. "I mean... does she spew green smoke a lot?"

"Gods you're dense!" Drew sneered. "She just issued a prophecy - Jason's prophecy to save Hera! Why don't you just -"

"Drew. Piper asked a fair question. Something about that prophecy definitely isn't normal. If breaking Hera's cage unleashes her rage and cause a bunch of death... why would we free her? It might be a trap, or - or maybe Hera will turn on her rescuers. She's never been kind to heroes." Annabeth's contempt for Hera was ever clear.

"I don't have much choice. Hera took my memory. I need it back. Besides, we can't just not help the queen of the heavens if she's in trouble."

Nyssa stood. "Maybe. But you should listen to Annabeth. Hera can be vengeful. She threw her own son - our dad - down a mountain just because he was ugly."

"Real ugly." She sure is making a meal out of this.

"Shut up!" Anyway, we've also got to think - why beware the earth? And what's the giants' revenge? What are we dealing with that's powerful enough to kidnap the queen of the heavens?"

Annabeth and Chiron had a silent, angry conversation.

"It's Jason's quest." She announced, "so it's Jason's choice. Obviously, he's the child of lightning. According to tradition he may choose any two companions."

Chiron shook his head slowly. "On this quest, i think, he needs three."

"What?"

"Just... trust my judgement, Annabeth."

Silence followed for a second. "Well, you obviously, Annabeth. You've got the most experience." Someone called from the stands.

She responded simply. "No. Hera deceived me every time I tried to help her, and I leave tomorrow to find Percy."

"It's connected." Piper blurted out. "You know that's true, don't you? This whole business, your boyfriend's disappearance - it's all connected."

"How? If you're so smart, how?" Drew demanded.

"You may be right, Piper. If this is connected, I'll find out from the other end - by searching for Percy. As I said, I'm not about to rush off to rescue Hera, even if her disappearance sets the rest of the Olympians fighting again. But there's another reason I can't go. The prophecy says otherwise."

"It says who I pick." Jason agreed. "The forge and dove shall break the cage. The forge is the symbol of Vul- Hephaestus."

"If you have to beware the earth, you should avoid travelling overland. You'll need air transport." Nyssa said dejectedly. "The flying chariot's broken, and the pegasi, we're using them to search for Percy. But maybe Hephaestus cabin can help figure out something else to help. With Jake incapacitated, I'm senior camper. I can volunteer for the quest."

Leo stood. "It's me." Some mumbling waved around camp like a Mexican wave. "No, it's me. I know it is. I've got an idea for the transportation problem. Let me try. I can fix this!"

Jason studied him for a moment. "We started this ride together, Leo. Seems only right you come along. You find us a ride, you're in."

"Yes!"

"It'll be dangerous. Hardship, monsters, terrible suffering. Possibly none of you will come back alive." Nyssa said gravely.

"Oh... I mean... Oh, cool! Suffering? I love suffering! Let's do this!"

Annabeth nodded. "Jason, third quest member. The dove -"

"Oh, absolutely!" Oh my gods, does she ever shut up? "The dove is Aphrodite. Everybody knows that. I am totally yours."

"No." In-fighting now. Why won't this ever end?

"Oh, please, Dumpster girl. Back off."

"I had the vision of Hera; not you. I have to do this."

"Anyone can have a vision. You were just at the right place at the right time. Look, fighting is all fine, I suppose. And people who build things... Well, I suppose someone has to get their hands dirty. But you need charm on your side. I can be very persuasive. I could help a lot."

"Well... given the wording of the prophecy -"

"No! I'm supposed to go."

"Get over it! What can Piper do?" She looked smug as Piper offered nothing in response. "Well. I guess that settles it."

A collective gaps echoed. Well damn. Dumpster girl has turned into a beautiful princess. Yayy. Yikers, this is messy.

"What?" Piper demanded. She looked, saw the dress, and yelped. "Oh, god. What's happened?" She sounded genuinely distressed at that point.

"Beautiful." Jason suddenly said. "Piper, you... you're a knockout."

Drew's face was contorted in horror. "No! Not possible!"

"This isn't me! I - don't understand."

Chiron knelt. "Hail, Piper McLean. Child of Aphrodite, lady of doves, goddess of love."

No one quite knew what to do in the moments that followed. Annabeth managed to break the tension.

"There's a fourth person, according to Chiron. So, I guess, the third line? Bloom of the lost? That's... not helpful." She spoke heavily and with uncertainty, not very Annabeth-like.

Jason was silent. He looked around trying to find someone who might fit that description, scrutinizing us.

A wave of sudden dread crashed over me like a tsunami -- a general anticipation of future happenings spiked with uneasiness, a gut instinct I'd learned to listen to. Something was definitely going to go wrong. Maybe for me.

....

Probably for me.

The next thing I knew, assorted greenery had sprouted up around me like a movie, and I was vaguely aware of a golden sort of light shining down. I was not aware I was a Disney princess, but the more you know, I guess.

I cursed under my breath. Of course, I'd never been officially claimed by my mother -- Demeter, in case the plants hadn't been enough of a giveaway -- but I suppose now would be the time to do so. Right before a quest that I was clearly not in well enough shape for. For Christ's sake, Bloom of the lost? Thanks, mum. What sort of stupid cryptic nonsense do I have to be involved with this time? The lover of old bit was also very much unappreciated, a reminder I would happily do without.

I sighed, squeezing my eyes shut in hopes it would all go away. It didn't, obviously, so I stood up, staring straight at Chiron. "It's me, isn't it." My voice shook embarrassingly and I wished I was anywhere else. The obvious nature of my recently highlighted accent was not doing much to help matters.

"I'm afraid it rather seems so -- you had a vision earlier, didn't you," he said gravely. There were a few murmurs, but the old centaur knew a lot of things, and those things would be more than damning evidence of my potential involvement in this quest should they ever come to light, and the camp held a general respect for him that most did their best to uphold throughout the generations. He was the final decisions man, and for him, that sentence was pretty final.

"I think you should come." Jason addressed me directly.

I looked up and sighed. "It's not like I really have a choice, is it?"

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