#let me rotate these kids alright

[stevie-petey]

episode seven: the bite

“Yeah, we ended up trapped in their secret base underneath Hawkins.” Dustin further explains, to which everyone’s eyes widen at.  “It was fun. Spent my birthday in mortal danger.” At the same time the kids all wish you a belated birthday, which you salute them for. “Thanks, guys. I’m just happy I wasn’t gravely injured this time.” “And that Steve finally kissed you.” Dustin unhelpfully adds before Steve is covering his mouth to shut him up. His face reddens, embarrassed and nervous. Jonathan is standing too close to him for comfort right now.

Summary: steve and robin are your nightmare blunt rotation, you manage to escape a russian lair: mario cart style, you learn that therapy sessions are fun in public bathrooms, steve places your brother on the russian fbi most wanted list, el probably just killed a bunch of people (deserved), and reunions with jonathan are always special when one of you is gravely injured

Rating: general, cursing

Warnings: fem!reader, use of y/n, mentions of blood, graphic depictions of blood and gore, cursing

Words: 10.1k

Before you swing in: HI IM ALIVE !!! my laptop isnt ,,,, but im trying to ignore that. sincerely apologize for the wait. my laptop shits down randomly every ten minutes and my new one is backordered so ive been fighting demons to write this. i also had a hard time with the bathroom scene with robin. i wanted to get that scene just right. it took a lot of rewriting, but i think im happy with how it ended up <3 pls enjoy this child of mine. she cost me blood, sweat, and tears lmao

-

“Boop!” Steve’s finger pokes your nose and he lets out a delirious giggle. “I booped you!”

At first it was adorable, endearing even, when he booped your nose. However, he’s done this five times now in the last minute alone. That, and you���ve been trying to give Dustin directions back to the elevator while dodging Steve’s surprisingly aggressive nose boops. All while the threat of armed Russians running after the cart looms over you. “Turn left here–would you stop it?”

“Wanna boop that pretty little nose,” Steve’s glossy eyes struggle to find yours, his motor skills delayed and concerning. His left eye has all but swollen shut and you’re still not sure if his unusual behavior is due to head trauma or something else. “C’mere, angel.”

He tries to boop you again, and before you can dodge the attack, Robin’s hand grabs his finger and she lets out a pathetic scoff. “You’re hogging the boops, dingus!”

“Nuh uh!”

“Yeah huh!”

Steve’s arm reaches over you and he bats at Robin. They start to hit one another, though their movements are slow and weak. They giggle as they fight, and you’re stuck in the middle of it. You try to push them off of you, but the two teens are too busy pinching each other and cackling to pay you any attention. It’s miserable. 

Erica, from the passenger seat of the cart, turns and winces at your predicament. “What is wrong with them?”

“I don’t know!” Dustin keeps his eyes in front of him as he drives, though he’s equally as confused and unnerved. Secretly, he’s glad he’s the one driving. Otherwise he’d be in the middle of a Steve and Robin giggle sandwich like you are.

“Whose hand is that?” You twist around. There’s a foreign body part that’s currently resting on your ass. Steve snickers and Robin puffs out her cheeks and giggles, neither one of them confessing. You’re about to start kicking shins when the cart comes to a screeching halt. The force of it throws you and the two teens back with a painful thud. “Christ!”

“You guys alright back there?” 

Somehow you wind up with Steve’s elbow in your ribcage and Robin’s head smacking into yours. Hissing in pain, you throw the two off of you and glare at your brother. You seriously fear the day he gets his license. “I want to die.”

Dustin turns back around in his seat and gulps. Steve’s and Robin’s own groans of pain can be heard from behind him. “They’re fine.”

Sneakers squeak against the tile floor and the doors to the back of the cart fly open. You’re greeted with Erica and Dustin, eyes wide as they take in the scene before them. You’re squished underneath the teens. You try shoving them off of you again, but they’re dead weight on you. 

“Wanna kiss again, Y/N? I really liked it,” Steve smacks his lips as his head rests against your stomach. “Wanted to do that for so long.”

Your cheeks burn at his words and your stomach flutters. You haven’t forgotten about the kiss earlier. God, you haven’t. It leaves you breathless every time you remember how it felt to have him so close, to smell him and taste him. A part of you wants to ask how long he’s thought about kissing you, but you know that the back of a cart while fleeing from Russians isn’t the most appropriate setting. 

Robin squirms next to you, her head also somehow on your stomach, pinning you down. “Can I get a kiss too?”

“If either one of you kisses me right now, my knives will be the last things you see.” The two teens make despaired noises, which you groan at. Meanwhile, Dustin and Erica continue to stand at the end of the cart, unmoving. You clench your teeth. “A little help here?” 

Dustin mumbles a sheepish apology and yanks Steve’s arm while Erica yanks at Robin, freeing you. As soon as you’re able to, you jump out of the cart and start clapping your hands to speed everyone along. “We gotta go!”

“We’re trying, Y/N!” Erica groans, struggling to get Robin up from the ground. 

You start to help, though you nearly fall when Dustin throws Steve against you. A complaint lingers on your lips, but when you see that your brother is now at the elevator doors with a keycard in his hand, you swallow it down.

Steve, however, is full of complaints. “This sucks.”

You blow hair out of your face and don’t bother responding to him. Instead, you watch anxiously as your brother swipes the key card he must’ve stolen earlier. When the scanner’s light flashes green and opens the elevator door, you exhale with relief. At least something has gone right today. 

After practically throwing Steve and Robin into the elevator with Erica’s help, Dustin hits a button and closes the door. As soon as it shuts, the room starts to move. You brace yourself, now familiar with how fast the damn thing can go.

The elevator ascends at a nauseating speed and there’s a crash behind you. Turning around, you find Robin holding a dolly in place as Steve gets on. He holds his hands out and starts to cheer as his friend snickers. They look like goddamn toddlers at daycare.

“Hey, no!” You feel like a parent, yanking at Steve’s arm to get him down from the dangerous position. The elevator is moving too fast to be messing around on. “This isn’t playtime–”

“He looks like he’s surfing, Y/N!” Robin squeals with excitement, rolling the dolly to the left.

Steve’s body twists and he steadies himself with a laugh. “I’m surfing!”

“Stop fucking surfing!”

You fight with the teens. Steve refuses to get down and Robin keeps rolling the dolly away from you. As you yell at them, Dustin and Erica exchange concerned looks. You overhear the girl mention how they seem drunk, and you’re about to tell her that she might be right, when Robin pulls the dolly from underneath Steve and sends him crashing into the ground. 

“Wipeout!”

You’re checking Steve for injuries as soon as he lands. Dustin kneels next to you and feels his forehead and winces. “He’s burning up.” 

Not liking the sound of that, you check Steve’s pupils. The room’s lighting is dim, but it’s obvious that his brown eyes are almost entirely taken over by the blacks of his pupils. “Holy shit, they’re scarily dilated.” 

“Ow. Thought you liked my eyes,” Steve swats at your hands sadly. He whines, trying to get you to let go of him. “Said you liked brown.”

“I do like brown, but I also like when you don’t act like a three year old.” You soothe him before turning to Dustin. “Any idea what it could mean?”

“Maybe he’s drugged?” Erica suggests.

You frown. “Could explain why he keeps trying to–” Steve reaches up and boops Dustin’s nose. He giggles and your brother looks annoyed. Sighing, you finish what you had been trying to say. “Boop people. Why he keeps trying to boop people.”

“Your turn, angel!”

Dustin intercepts Steve’s finger, which you’re grateful for. He gently smacks the teen’s face to get his attention. “Steve, are you drugged?”

“How many times, dad?” His voice drips with sarcasm and he rolls his eyes. “I don’t do drugs. It’s only marijuana.”

“Since when do you smoke?” 

“Y/N, focus.” Dustin dodges another incoming boop and swats Steve’s hand away. “This isn’t funny, okay? We need to know what they did to you.”

“C’mon, honey.” Your fingers run through Steve’s hair. Parts of it have dried blood. Something more than a beating happened to him and Robin, you just don’t know what. If they’re really drugged, you have no way of knowing if they’ll be okay, and a part of you is terrified. “Work with us, please. What did they give you?”

“Are you gonna die on us?” Dustin asks, concerned as well.

“I’ll tell you!” Robin shouts from the corner she’s slouched in, eager to please you. She twirls her hair around her finger and gives you an unsettling smile. “We all die, my strange little child friend. It’s just a matter of how… and when.”

Neither you nor Dustin say anything for a few moments. Both of you blink, trying to process what exactly the teen has just said. Afraid to look away from her in case she tries to possess you or something, you slowly nod. “Okay, thank you for sharing, Robin.”

She flashes you a thumbs up and proudly smiles. “Happy to help!” 

“They’re gonna be looking for us up there,” your brother redirects the attention back to the fact that you’re all still very much in danger. He starts to interrogate Steve, trying to come up with a plan. “So I need you to tell me where you parked your car.”

“Oh, can we make a pit stop at the food court?” Steve’s eyes glaze over and you know you’ve lost him again. 

Robin leans forward and starts playing with your hair. “I would kill for a hot dog on a stick!”

You snap your fingers at the two of them. They’re impossible to level with, you’re not even sure why you’re still trying. “Guys, we need to focus.”

“No! No hot dog on a stick,” Steve suddenly lifts himself up and glares at Robin. “The guy at the counter said that Y/N she has pretty eyes. He’s an asshole.”

“You mean Dave? When the hell did he say that?”

Steve scoffs at you. “Last week. Ruined my whole day.”

“Fine! We’ll get you and Robin something else to eat.” Dustin says, which Robin cheers at, though he ignores her. “But only if you tell me where your car is parked.”

Suddenly Steve’s hazy eyes fill with remorse. “Uh-oh.”

“Uh-oh? I don’t like uh-oh, can we not uh-oh?” Dustin nudges you with his shoulder to shut you up and let Steve explain. You mumble an apology. “Okay, why the uh-oh?”

“They took the keys.” Steve shoves his hands into his pockets and reveals that there’s nothing in them. “The Russians, they took the keys. Like forever ago.” For some reason this is hilarious to Robin, who starts to laugh hysterically in the corner. He joins her, amused by the whole thing. “That’s a bummer, right?”

You drop your head in your hands as Dustin sighs. With no keys and no way out of the mall, you’re not sure what else you can do. The only other option would be the bus that takes commuters home, but it comes every few hours and you have no idea what time it even is right now. 

Which means you’d be left with having to hide a very drugged up Steve and Robin in a giant mall swarming with Russian undercover guards for an unforeseen amount of time.

Not ideal. 

“We’re doomed.” You sigh into your hands.

Dustin nods beside you. “Yeah. We’re doomed.”

– 

When the five of you finally reach the mall, you guide everyone through the back hallway and fling the doors open. Fresh air hits your face and you take a moment to inhale. It’s only then that you notice that it’s dark outside. The air is warm, crickets chirp faintly from far away. What day is it? How long could you have possibly been down in the lair? 

As you have a minor breakdown trying to get your bearings, Steve and Robin walk behind you. Their mouths are wide open as they greet the fresh air with glee. “Oh my God, that tastes so good! Steve, can you taste the air?”

They stick their tongues out and marvel at the world around them. “I taste it!”

You watch them with your arms crossed. If you had any suspicion before that they were drugged, seeing them try to eat the air only confirms it. 

“Shit!” Dustin screams out of nowhere and grabs your hand. He tugs at you to start running. You look up and see two Russians men now running straight towards you. 

“Come on!” You grab Erica’s hand and shove her in front of you to run alongside your brother. Then you grab Steve and Robin by their shoulders and all but throw them against the mall’s door. “Go!”

“Why are we running?” Steve mopes, tired from all the physical activity he’s been forced to endure these last few minutes. 

You don’t bother answering him and instead shove him inside the second Dustin gets the mall’s doors opened. Everyone runs, though you’re not sure if anyone has an actual plan. The guard’s footsteps can be heard behind you, and all you know is that you guys need to hide until you can figure something else out. 

“Any chance you guys know any hiding spots?” You shout behind you to the kids, nearly tripping over your feet as you do so.

“No, this mall is one giant public swamp.” Dustin responds, huffing. 

Steve stumbles next to you, still obviously drugged up, yet giggling as always. “It feels like we’re running from movie villains!” 

Turning a corner, what Steve has said floats through your mind. Running from movie villains… What are the odds the Russians know about American movie theaters? They’re dark and usually crowded with people for night showings. It could be the only safe place to hide. 

“Dustin, start heading towards the theater!” Erica and your brother start asking you questions, but you don’t have time to explain. “Just trust me.”

Somehow you all make it to the theater’s doors without being detected. Poking your head through, you make sure there isn’t anyone nearby. When you’re sure it’s safe, you open the door wider and motion for everyone to follow. “Let’s go.”

Dustin guides, dragging Robin behind him while Erica follows. You stay with Steve and start walking once the others have gone ahead. 

“Awesome, movie date!” Steve exclaims with a dopey smile. He’s about to say something else when his eyes find something. Completely forgetting that you’re holding his hand, he runs towards a nearby trash can. He pulls out a bag of popcorn that had been on top of the trash pile and quickly starts shoving the food into his mouth. 

“If you ever wanna kiss me again, stop eating trash popcorn.” You snatch the bag out of his hands with a disgusted face. “I cannot believe I have to tell you that.”

“But I’m hungry.” Steve pouts, staring down at his now empty hands with despair. 

You ignore his pathetic pouting and follow Dustin, who has now flung open the curtains to the theater’s seats. He scopes the area and starts heading right. When he stops at two open seats, he points his finger at Steve and Robin. “You two, sit.”

“But these seats are too close!” Robin complains, and Steve voices his own qualms about the seating arrangements. 

However, you have other things to worry about. Shoving the teens into their seats, you wipe away crumbs on the ground with your shoe. “I’ll sit on the floor next to them. No way I’m leaving them alone when they’re high off their asses.”

Dustin looks at you, skeptical. He doesn’t want to leave you alone with them, afraid they’ll somehow get you into trouble. “You sure?”

“Positive. I’ll take care of them.” you squeeze his arm. While you understand his concern, you can’t bring yourself to abandon Steve and Robin again. Not when Steve’s face still bleeds slightly and Robin’s cheek swells with a bruise. They got hurt because of you; the least you can do is stay with them now. “Find other seats, we’ll be fine here. Just… be careful, alright?”

A man behind you shushes you rudely, reminding you where you are. If the kids don’t leave now, they run the risk of drawing more attention. You push your brother back up the aisle of seats, and he seems to understand what you’re doing. “Fine, but whatever you guys do: Don’t. Go. Anywhere.” 

“Fine, dad.” Steve glares at the kid, which you sigh at. It’s going to be a long night. 

Dustin leaves after you’ve saluted him, and Erica follows. Once they’re gone, you do your best to keep Steve and Robin quiet. As you shush them, you look up and see Dustin standing near the exit. You tilt your head, hoping he sees your questioning, and thankfully he does. He holds his radio up and mimes making a phone call. 

He’s calling for help.

You nod at Dustin, indicating that you understand, and he leaves. After you’ve checked to make sure Erica is still in her own seat at the other end of the row, you turn back towards Steve and Robin; they’re enamored with the movie playing. They whisper to themselves, not understanding what’s happening, but at least they’re quiet and out of danger. Slowly, you start to relax. 

All you have to do is stay in this movie theater until Dustin can contact the party for help. Should be simple enough. Except you make the fatal mistake of absentmindedly mentioning that you’re thirsty. “God, I need water right now.”

“Water.” Robin exhales as if it’s a prayer. Her entire face twists into longing and she hits Steve’s shoulder. “Water. Now.”

“On it!” He nods earnestly and suddenly the two of them are scrambling out of their seats. You snap your fingers at them, hiss whispered threats, but they don’t listen. They climb over you as if you’re an inconvenient bug on the ground. 

Before you can even stand up, they’re already halfway up the aisle of seats. You barely have time to get up before they’ve left the theater itself. “I’m so over them being drugged.” You huff, running after them. There isn’t time to tell Erica where you’re going, too afraid you’ll lose them if you don’t hurry. 

Those fuckers better save you some water.

– 

Steve makes you hold the button on the water fountain because he “can’t do it himself”.

“Is my help really necessary?” You complain, arms crossed as you watch Steve messily gulp water down. His neck is bent at an awkward angle and for a brief moment you truly question whether or not you find him attractive. Water drips down his chin and his gulps are obscenely loud. 

“Yes,” Steve responds in between slurps. The cold water washes over him and he’s never felt closer to God than in this moment. “That’s amazing.”

Robin stands next to you, patiently waiting her turn. “So like, I wasn’t totally focused in there or anything, but I’m pretty sure that mom was trying to bang her son.”

“In the movie?” You hadn’t been paying much attention in the theater. Your view from the ground was shitty and you were too busy making sure the idiots didn’t somehow kill themselves. However, despite your lack of attention, you doubt that’s what the movie’s premise had been about. 

“Wait, the hot chick was Alex P. Keaton’s mom?” Your hip knocks against Steve’s, causing him to choke on the water he’d been drinking. Coughing, he clutches at his chest. “I could’ve died, Y/N!”

“Sorry,” you smile sympathetically at him, feigning pity. He lost the privilege of calling other women hot after getting you locked in a Russian elevator for twelve hours. “My hip slipped.”

“Aren’t you two going to question how the guy was able to go back in time?” Robin is still focused on the whole son being in love with his mom plotline. 

Steve inhales even more water. “Then why is it called Back to the Future?”

Robin begins explaining the complexities of the movie, but you tune her out. While you appreciate that she’s trying to make conversation, you’re uneasy about being out in the open like this. There’s no one around, but you can never be too careful. It’s only when she shoves Steve away from the water fountain that you focus again. 

“Wait, I was supposed to go after him–” Your protesting falls on deaf ears as Robin steals your turn for water. Reluctantly, you step away. She can hold her own damn water fountain button. 

You notice that Steve has wandered off a few feet away. He still stumbles as he walks, though his footsteps aren’t as unsteady as they were earlier. He stops in the middle of the walkway and you join him. 

“Wow,” he breathes out, looking up. He’s mesmerized by what he’s seeing. Curious, you look up as well, though you only see the skylights above. It’s night, no natural light flows through the panels. Yet Steve stands transfixed next to you. “The stars.”

“The stars?” You’re not sure what he means. You can’t see the stars from where you stand. Then again, you suppose he could be seeing things, given that he’s heavily drugged up. 

“The stars are pretty like you, angel.” Steve says, eyes still on the sky, yet his hand somehow finds yours. He intertwines your fingers together and is able to pull you closer, albeit weakly. “You’ve always been so beautiful… scared me when we were younger.”

Your breath catches and you look at him. He’s looking up, seemingly unaware of the effect his words have on you. An overwhelming warmth fills your chest. You want to say something, tell him you love him and that his beauty last July had terrified you. 

But you don’t say anything. Steve is still high, he wouldn’t remember what you’ve said, and you want your confessions to sit within his chest the way his sit in yours. Instead, you find yourself admiring him. You study the length of his neck. The mole that rests just below his jaw and the others that litter his pretty face. His nose, the dip of his chin. The hair tucked behind his ears. His eyes.  

Steve Harrington is beautiful. Scars and all. 

Then he starts to gag and quickly the moment is ruined. 

“Oh, God.” You quickly grab his shoulders and frantically look for the nearest bathroom. In your haste, Robin reacts to Steve’s sudden sickness by gagging as well, and you’re very afraid of what’s about to unfold. “Okay, bathroom time! For the love of God, we need to find a bathroom.”

They’re useless as you twist and turn them around as you search for a bathroom. When you see a nearby sign, you drag them behind you and pray that they make it the next fifteen feet. As soon as you barrel through the bathroom door, Steve and Robin run out from behind you and just barely make it to the toilets before spilling their guts. 

You stand near the doorway, cringing. It’s not a pretty sight. 

They puke, spit out the excess, and flush the toilet to clear it before the next round of vomiting begins. Then they do it all over again. It goes on like this for a while, and all you can do is linger in the doorway and offer halfhearted comfort from across the room. You’ve never really gotten over your slight fear of vomit, if you’re being honest. 

Eventually Steve and Robin seem to throw everything up. When they’ve flushed the last of their sickness down, you hesitantly walk towards them and stand in between the stalls. “We feeling any better?”

“The room stopped spinning for me.” Robin says, her feet propped against the stall’s wall. You have no idea how she’s laying down the bathroom’s ground so casually. “Steve, is it still spinning for you?”

He looks up for a moment, testing what will happen. When he feels perfectly fine, he exhales with relief. “Holy shit. No.”

“You probably flushed the drugs out of your system when you puked.” You observe, leaning against the stall’s divider. “What were you guys on?”

“Allegedly a truth serum.” Robin says from the floor. “Ask me something, test if it’s really all gone.” Then, because she’s trying to get you to laugh, she lowers her voice and impersonates one of the Russians. “Interrogate me.”

Though you smile at her, your stomach twists. Not only were they beaten for information, they were also injected with a goddamn truth serum. Treated like lab rats. And you left them behind, all alone; you’ll never forgive yourself for that. 

But they’re here with you now, you remind yourself. They came out the other side. So you’ll do whatever you can to make it up to them and show them that you’re here for them. Even if that means asking bizarre questions to make sure they’re no longer being controlled by truth serums. “When was the last time you peed your pants?”

“Today.”

Steve looks at you to make sure you’ve also just heard Robin’s response. “What?”

You shrug. “I can’t really judge. I peed my bed a few years ago. Watched a scary movie with Dustin and had a nightmare. Wasn’t my proudest moment.”

“What?” Steve can’t believe what he’s hearing.

“See!” Robin lifts her head up from the ground to look at you. “I was also scared. When the Russian doctor pulled out a bone saw, it was only a little bit, but holy shit.”

She starts to laugh and you join her, despite the image of the bone saw you saw burning your mind. You had seen it in the room when you were saving them. It had terrified you. Yet Robin laughs about it now, so you allow yourself to as well. 

Steve shakes his head at you both. “Yeah, it’s definitely still in her system.”

“And it’s not in yours, Harrington?”

His eyes shine when he looks at you. He’s coming back to himself, you can feel it. The knowing smirk is back. “Clean as a whistle, Henderson.”

Robin clears her throat, now uncomfortable. “Aright, my turn. I want to ask him a question.” When Steve gives her the okay, she takes a deep breath. She looks at you, a resigned look on her face. Something seems to have struck her, something that terrifies her. Her laughter is gone. “Have you… ever been in love?”

Steve doesn’t expect the question. He looks startled by it and tilts his head up at you. Your eyes meet, and you nod, giving him the permission he doesn’t truly need. You talked about it once, last year. The two of you in your room late one night, whispering confessions about love and the pain it brought. It was never a secret. 

“Yep. Nancy Wheeler. First semester, senior year.” Steve mimes a gunshot to his heart, trying to lessen the unease. He will never really feel comfortable talking about that time of his life. 

“Oh, my God.” Robin rolls her eyes. “She’s such a priss.”

You walk over to her stall and nudge her leg with your shoe. “Hey, she’s my friend, ya know.” Ignoring how dirty the bathroom floor inevitably is, you sit next to Robin. “She’s not a priss.”

“At least, not really.” Steve adds, nostalgia in his voice. 

Robin seems to hear it, too. She sits up, eyes not meeting yours. “Are you still in love with Nancy?”

Without meaning to, you hold your breath. You know Steve no longer loves her, but it’s July and somehow he still isn’t yours. There’s still trust between you, but your body tenses and your heart stutters. 

And yet Steve doesn’t hesitate. It’s immediate. He doesn’t even have to think about it. He’s known since April, though his body has known since he offered you his hand the day you almost hit his car with your bike. “No.”

“Why not?” Robin doesn’t know why she’s pushing this. You’re next to her, your thigh presses against hers. She knows that Steve is in love with you. He confessed it to her when she was teasing him about it just a few days ago. She devoted an entire whiteboard to tallying all the times he failed to ask you out. 

Steve is yours, and you’re his, but Robin can’t help but pick at scabs and expose old wounds. 

There’s a few moments of silence. Steve takes his time responding. He can almost feel your hand ghosting over his, even though you’re separated by a stall. “I think it’s because I found someone who’s a little bit better for me.”

You’re quiet. Robin is as well. 

“You know, it’s crazy.” Maybe it’s the truth serum still coursing through Steve’s veins or maybe it’s because he’s almost died a million times tonight. All he knows is that he’s tired of running. You deserve to know how he feels about you. “Ever since Dustin got home, he’s been badgering me about asking this girl out. That I need to ‘find my Suzie’. A girl he met at camp who somehow became his girlfriend, who I’m not even sure is actually real.”

He’s rambling. He knows he is, but you and Robin remain silent and patiently wait for him to keep going. Steve inhales, holds the breath for a few seconds, and exhales. All summer he’s been agonizing over this very moment. He’s spent countless sleepless nights terrified that he’d somehow ruin it. In the end, his own cowardice only hurt you; he still remembers the way your body shook in his arms while he held you as you cried last night. Steve remembers the fear on your face when you realized you couldn’t save him. That the Russians were going to take him away from you. 

It was then, seeing the terror in your eyes and hearing the desperation in your voice, that Steve Harrington finally realized you would give all of yourself to him; that is what love is. 

To love someone is to know that they deserve your love. 

And for some reason you love Steve. You see something in him that deserves your love. He’s no longer terrified that his love isn’t enough for you. He realizes now that it’s enough. His love is enough because it is his. 

You deserve love, and Steve is more than happy to give all of his to you. 

“The point is,” Steve runs a hand through his hair. He can feel you listening, waiting. “This girl, you know, the one that I love, it’s somebody that I didn’t even talk to in school… and I don’t even know why.”

A small laugh cuts through the barrier between you and Steve. The two of you spent years together in school, and not once did he ever talk to you. There was one time, early sophomore year, when he collided with you in the hallway while running to the bathroom to meet Nancy. He had apologized to you, but he continued running and hadn’t looked back.

It was two years ago, but you had only been kids, then.

Hearing your laugh emboldens Steve. He clears his throat, lifts his head. He wishes you were in the stall with him. “I think… I think I was scared. I had always watched her from afar. I mean, here was this girl who would offer help to anyone who needed it. Didn’t matter who they were, she’d help them. I just, I didn’t understand. I couldn’t understand why someone would go out of their way to help others without expecting anything in return.”

“I mean, there I was, worrying about being prom king while this girl was tutoring kids for free in the school library.” Steve scoffs at himself. He will never forgive himself for wasting all those years with you. He could’ve been your friend sooner had he not been such an asshole. “It’s stupid. I mean, Dustin’s right, it’s all just a bunch of bullshit anyways. Because when I think about it, I should’ve been friends with this girl the whole time.”

You rest your head against the wall, buzzed with warmth. “You should’ve,” you find yourself saying softly. Though you know yourself. Steve came into your life when you needed him the most, at the right time, for the right reasons. The timing had never been right before. “But I’m sure the girl is glad you ended up how you did.”

“Me, too.” Warm honey laces Steve’s voice. He can almost feel your body on his. He can see the lines and strings above him, materializing into something more solid with every word he says. “Still should’ve happened sooner, though. I mean, this girl we’re talking about is incredible. She makes me laugh more than anyone I’ve ever met. She’s witty, she always knows what to say and she’s so goddamn smart. I don’t think she knows this, but she has this way with people…”

His voice trails off. It’s what he loves the most about you. The effect you have on everyone you meet. The impact you make within a person’s life simply by smiling at them. “She has a way of making someone into a better person without even realizing it, just by being a part of their life. She… she made me a better person. Taught me to be softer, more vulnerable.”

Steve hadn’t known gentleness until he met you. 

To your left, Robin starts to close in on herself with every word he Steve says. She slouches down, drops her head into her knees almost as if in despair.

“She saw this good in me that no one else had before. For some reason, instead of using it against me like others have, she believed that I could be someone different. That I could change… It didn’t matter how long it would take me, she would wait. And I’m so goddamn lucky to be in love with someone as selfless as her.”

Guilt eats away at Robin. She’s harbored a resentment towards Steve all summer, even though she tried to swallow the feeling down. The love between you and Steve had always been obvious from the first day she met you. She watched the two of you dance around each other every day, basking in the sickly sweet young love you shared with one another. 

It’s not that Robin resented your relationship with Steve. No, she was happy for you, truly. The bitter taste in her mouth whenever she watched you gently stroke his cheek with your fingertips was remorse intermingling with resentment because she will never be able to do that. She will never be able to love someone so openly. To have someone hold her hand and call her tender names. 

You’re a beautiful girl with a boy who could adore you freely. Robin can only ever watch you from the shadows, scared to be caught.

You notice Robin’s shift in demeanor and press your body closer to hers. You’ve never seen her look so small before, so unsure of herself, and it worries you. “Hey, is everything okay?”

She shakes her head, too afraid that if she talks she’ll start to cry. The kindness that you offer her stings. She doesn’t deserve it. Not when she believes you outshine the sun. Before she can make up some excuse, Steve knocks on the stall. “Robin? Y/N? Did someone just OD over there?”

“No,” Robin’s breath is shaky, which worries you even more. “We’re still alive.”

You try to meet her eye, but she won’t look up at you. You’re not sure what’s happened, but she’s closed herself off from you; you feel like an intruder. Placing an arm on her shoulder, you’re about to offer her some more water when Steve’s body slides into the stall.

He settles himself across from you, shy with his movements. Your heart lurches when you see him, too. He confessed his love for you only moments prior, and you want nothing more than to wrap your arms around him and call him yours, but Robin looks pale. She’s scared. You just don’t know why.

“The floor’s disgusting,” she says to Steve, hoping to get the attention off of her. 

“Yeah, well, I already got a bunch of blood and puke on my shirt, so…” He looks down, cringes slightly. You remain silent, and Robin’s eyes are still downcast. Seeing this, Steve tries to lighten the mood and asks Robin a teasing question. “So, what do you think?”

“About?”

“This girl,” he turns to you, then. He looks at you with such fondness and knows that both you and Robin know he had been talking about you the entire time. He’s trying to get you to laugh, bring a smile back to your faces.

Robin tries to play along, swallowing down the remaining bitterness. You’re sitting next to her, your hand is still on her arm. “She sounds awesome.” 

“She is awesome.” Steve winks at you, hoping it’ll get you to blush the pretty pink he loves so much. When it works, he smiles. “And what about the guy?”

“I think he’s as sweet as honey in July.” You say, giving into Steve’s charm. It’s worked on you ever since the day you crashed into that ditch, even if back then you refused to admit it.

“Yeah? Well, I think he’s on drugs, and that he’s not thinking straight. That he doesn’t realize how lucky he is.” Robin interjects. She doesn’t look at you, her eyes remain on Steve. You raise your eyebrows at what she’s said. You hadn’t expected such a pessimistic response from her.

Off put by her sudden dejection, Steve becomes defensive. He doesn’t understand what Robin is doing. She was the one who kept encouraging Steve to ask you out all summer. “Really? ‘Cause I think he’s thinking a lot more clearly than usual. He knows what luck is.”

“Does he? What if there’s this other girl, one he hasn’t seen yet. I mean, really seen.” Robin swallows. Her fingers twist together nervously. “What if he one day sees her and realizes just how unlucky she is. I don’t think the guy would ever want to be her friend after that.”

“No, that’s not true. No way is that true.” Steve shifts closer to the two of you now, confused as to why Robin is saying all of this. Of course she’s his friend. “I mean, apart from the girl he’s in love with, this other girl is the guy’s only friend.”

“Listen to me, Steve.” Robin still doesn’t look at you, but you listen silently and allow her the space she seems to need. “It’s shocked me to my core, but I like you. I really like you, but I’m not lucky like you are. I think… I think you should use that luck. Go for the girl.”

Steve tilts his head, not quite following. “What does luck have to do with any of it?”

Robin sighs and you sit next to her, quiet. She seems to be trying to figure out what she wants to say, and somehow you think you know what she means by luck. It’s always fascinated you, luck and love. Two sides of the same coin. But it never occurred to you that there could be an undercurrent that cuts through the luck. A double meaning behind it. 

“Do you remember what I said about Click’s class? About me being jealous and, like, obsessed?”

“Yeah,”

Robin closes her eyes and sighs. When she opens them, there’s a resolved look in them.  “It… It isn’t because I had a crush on you. It’s because she wouldn’t stop staring at you.”

At first, you’re confused. You had missed their conversation about Mrs. Click’s class. They must’ve had it when they were being held captive, but the phrasing of what Robin has just said feels heavier than it should. Her words land on you with a force you hadn’t seen coming. 

If Robin had for some reason talked about being obsessed with Steve in a class they once shared, but not because she had a crush on him, but because a girl wouldn’t stop staring at him… 

“Mrs. Click?”

Even though you’ve done well remaining silent this entire time, you can’t help but snort at Steve’s response. He’s trying, you know he is. Robin must know this too, because she laughs softly at him as well. “No, Steve.”  Her smile dims, however. “That would’ve made things easier for me, though.”

Easier. Luckier. 

And then it all clicks. 

Robin’s insistence on always pleasing you. The subtle touches. The way her eyes would darken sometimes when you looked at Steve. How, only an hour ago, she had asked you for a kiss when she was still under the influence of the truth serum. 

You draw your hand towards hers and slowly thread your fingers together. Robin’s head spins, she finally allows herself to look at you. She finds your eyes staring into hers. They’re kind, understanding. You’re looking right through her in this very moment, and Robin Buckley has never been more afraid. 

“How long have you known?” You ask her, voice gentle.

Robin’s voice shakes. “Since Tammy Thompson…” She has to look away from you. She can’t do this with you looking at her. “She was in Mrs. Click’s class with me and Steve. I–I wanted her to look at me, but.. She couldn’t pull her eyes away from him and his stupid hair.”

She pauses, tries to compose herself, and you squeeze her hand three times. Once to tell her that you’re there, another to give her the reassurance to go on, and the final time to communicate that you understand. There isn’t a reason to be scared. Somehow, Robin knows what the gesture means. Breathing in, she looks at Steve and continues. 

“And I didn’t understand, because you would get bagel crumbs all over the floor and you asked dumb questions and you were a douchebag. And–and you didn’t even like her and I–” Her voice breaks. “I would go home… and just scream into my pillow.”

Steve looks between the two of you. It’s obvious he’s the only one not aware of the underlying layers. “But Tammy Thompson’s a girl.”

“Steve,” Robin breathes out, pleading. She doesn’t want to say it out loud. She can’t say it out loud. He needs to understand what she’s trying to say. Why she’s been giving him hell all summer. Why she feels guilty when she looks at you.

“Yeah?” But he doesn’t understand.

Robin can’t say anything. She looks at him, can feel the tears in her eyes; she’s begging now. Steve’s eyes find yours, silently begging you as well to explain this to him. He doesn’t understand what he’s doing wrong. He doesn’t want to be doing something that could hurt Robin like this. 

Your shoes squeak against the tile floors as you draw your knees into your chest. You’re not sure what else you can do. Robin has laid everything out for Steve. Your hand still holds hers and you try to quell the fear within you that maybe he’s being intentionally naive. Maybe he doesn’t want to believe it. 

“Oh.” 

It’s one word, one exhale of breath from a mouth that once used to say cruel things. Steve’s face softens, his jaw unclenches and his shoulders relax. He surprises you, showing nothing but empathy. He’s kind, he’s always been kind.

“Holy shit,” Steve doesn’t want to mess this up, but he’s never been good with words. 

Robin laughs. “Yeah, holy shit.”

He sighs and leans against the stall wall. It’s quiet between the three of you. No one really knows what to say now. Steve is still processing, Robin’s heartbeat still hasn’t quite settled, and you’re trying to figure out how to tell her that you understand more than she may know. She’s braver than you, trusted you with this secret, and it’s only fair that you offer her a part of yourself as well. 

Plus, it’s a wonderful ice breaker. 

“You have terrible taste in women, Robin.” You nudge her with your shoulder, teasing. “I mean, I’ve heard Tammy Thompson during choir rehearsal. You can totally do better.”

“She wants to be a singer, she has dreams!” Robin defends the girl, the change in conversation bizarre but welcomed. 

Steve, sensing that you’re trying to lessen the tension, gratefully plays along. “So what she has dreams? She can’t even carry a tune. But, more importantly, what do you know about taste in women, Y/N?”

“I see things,” you jut your head out, defiant. “Probably would’ve fallen in love with Nancy Wheeler had I known her instead of Jonathan.”

Their reactions are expected.

“You would’ve loved Nancy?” Steve exclaims at the same time as Robin guffaws, “You loved Byers?” 

You laugh. It’s a full, whole body laugh. One you haven’t felt in so long. “Yes,” you wheeze out, the look on their faces killing you. Steve looks unnerved while Robin looks disgusted. “At least Jonathan doesn’t sound like a muppet when he sings.”

“Tammy does not!” Robin is laughing alongside you now. It’s been a long time since she’s laughed this hard, too.

Steve rolls his eyes, his own smile overtaking his face. “She sounds like a muppet giving birth, Robin.”

“That’s what she reminds me of!” You snap your fingers and point at him. “You’re right!”

Robin clutches her stomach as she laughs. She leans into your side as you lean into her. Steve starts doing a terrible impersonation of Tammy’s awful singing, which only gets the two of you to laugh even harder. Steve gets you to sing along. He grabs the hand that isn’t holding Robin’s and swings it around as the two of you sing. Robin joins, laughing more than singing. It’s lovely. Absolutely lovely. 

And this is how Dustin finds the three of you.

He slams the bathroom door open, Erica right behind him, and stands in front of you.

“Okay,” he glares at you specifically. “What the hell, Y/N?”

You giggle at his disappointed dad stance. “I told you I’d take care of them.”

Dustin isn’t amused, which only makes your giggles turn to laughter again. The other two teens aren’t far behind you, descending into yet another fit of laughter. Hunched together, the three of you giggle breathlessly as your brother and Erica watch in disbelief. 

But you ignore their questioning stares.

With both Steve and Robin holding your hands, laughter warming your belly, you feel like a kid again.

– 

 The bus becomes your only option.

“I managed to contact the party.” Dustin had informed you after your laughter died down.

Relief washed over you. “Thank God–”

“But then my walkie died.”

“Yeah,” you had sighed and dropped your head down in defeat. “Yeah, of course it did. Why wouldn’t it die when we need it?”

Which leads you to now: peering out the bathroom door with Steve breathing down your neck and Dustin in front of you, checking to make sure it’s safe. A crowd of people flood the once empty hallway. The movie must’ve just finished. Everyone is talking excitedly, having no idea that five teenagers are currently hiding in the bathroom from Russians. 

You envy them. 

“When I say ‘blend’, we go. Okay?” Dustin asks the group, eyes still on the mass of people exiting the theater. 

“Because Steve dripping blood definitely will blend in.” You retort. It’ll be hard not to draw attention to yourselves with the way his face still oozes. It’s a long walk down to the bus station and you’re getting worried now. The mall closes in ten minutes, soon there won’t be any crowds to hide behind. 

Dustin doesn’t bother justifying your remark. Instead he studies the flow of traffic before giving his signal. “Blend.”

The five of you swiftly exit the bathroom and align your pace with everyone around you. Dustin guides in front with Erica while you stay back with Steve and Robin. Your eyes move constantly, scanning every face you pass. Thankfully, the people close to you seem innocent enough.

Erica looks around, impressed. “Well, shit. That worked.”

“Of course it worked.” Dustin is smug, which makes you wince. He’s always had a bad habit of jinxing things. You really wish he had gotten more of your mom’s humility and less of your dad’s ego. “Now we just have to get on the bus with the rest of these plebes, and home sweet home, here we come.”

You shove your brother. “Can we not taunt our inevitable bad luck?”

“We’re in the clear now, Y/N. Trust me, in just twenty minutes we’ll be back home, where our dear mother awaits with her frantic arms wide open–”

“Uh, Dustin?” Steve eyes him nervously. Already you dread whatever he’s about to say. You guys only lasted thirty seconds without any bad luck. It’s a new record, honestly.

“What?”

“Yeah, we might not wanna go to your house.”

“Why?”

“Well,” Steve winces with regret. He knows he’s about to piss both Hendersons off. “I might’ve told them your full name.”

Dustin turns to look at him, bewildered. “What is wrong with you?”

“Dude, I was drugged.” Steve argues, which. Yeah. That’s fair.

Not liking that he apparently sold your brother out to Russians, yet understanding that Steve hadn’t been the most clear headed when it happened, you grab his hand. There’s more important matters to deal with, like whether or not he sold you out as well. “Did you tell them my full name?”

“No, I kept you safe.” He says, with an air of obviousness that you smirk at. 

“Aw, thanks honey.” You kiss his cheek, not caring that Dustin is fuming in front of you. 

“Oh, so you can resist for your girlfriend but not for her brother?” Dustin struggles to keep his voice low. He has never wanted to shove Steve down a flight of stairs more. “You were supposed to tough it out. Like a man!”

You flick the kid’s hat. “Hey, he was very manly defending my honor.”

“I hate you both–”

Robin suddenly freezes, her eyes catching on something. “Guys…”

Everyone stops, alarmed by the tone in her voice, before you see them. There, standing right in front of the exit of the mall, are the two Russian men from the alley. They’re stopping people, checking their faces, looking for you. 

“Abort.” Dustin says, before one of the men makes direct eye contact with him. His face pales and you already have one hand on his shoulder, pulling at him to run. “Abort!”

Steve grabs Erica’s hand and motions for you and Dustin to run ahead as Robin guides. She pushes through the crowd of people and towards the escalators. However, when you get there, they’re roped off and blocked by plexiglass. 

You kick at the glass, frustrated. The Russians are close now. Robin, quick as ever, steps past you and places herself in the middle of the two escalators. You’re confused at first, but then you realize there’s just enough space for your bodies to fit through. Sitting down, Robin is able to use the gap as a makeshift slide.

“Let’s go,” Steve places Erica to slide down next, then Dustin. When it’s your turn, he nods at you. “Ready?”

“I’m so tired of running from these shitheads.” You say before launching yourself down the escalators. 

Robin waits for everyone at the bottom. When you’re all there, she waves for you to follow as you run again. None of you have any idea where to even hide now that the mall has emptied. There’s no one to hide behind, no corner to run into. And the goddamn Russians are fast, never trailing more than fifty feet behind you. 

Somehow you end up in the food court. It isn’t much, but there’s at least vendor’s stalls and restaurant counters nearby. Panting, you point towards the nearest counter. “There! Everyone jump over!”

No one argues, doing as they’re told. You make it there first and help Erica over while Steve and Robin help Dustin. Kneeling down, you motion for everyone to sit with a finger to your lips. The men have to be nearby, you can practically feel their presence close. Facing your friends, you grip your knives and strain your ears for any sounds. 

It’s tense. Dustin pants, he’s scared and overwhelmed and you wish you could offer him better protection. Steve glances at you, silently asking you what the next move is, and you shake your head helplessly. You’re cornered, there’s no way out of this one. 

The sound of boots falling against the mall’s ground approaches. It grows louder and louder at a maddeningly slow pace. Your knuckles are white from how tightly they grip around the hilt of your switchblade. With one flick of your wrist, you know you could at least disarm one of the men long enough to cause a distraction. You’d never kill anyone, but you know from experience that a cut to the shoulder is sufficient enough. 

You’re pulled away from your thoughts when a car alarm suddenly goes off. Its loud noise echoes within the empty mall. Everyone jumps at the unexpected sound, shuffling closer together. Deciding it’s worth the risk, you poke your head up to see what the hell is going on. 

The guards are standing around a red convertible. It shakes, vibrates almost, and they look at one another in confusion. The car continues to shriek its alarm, and while the men stand in fear, you smile. There’s static in the air.

Looking up you see El, with an arm outstretched, on the second floor. Her face is strained, her fingers clench in mid air. The look on her face is terrifying, and you’ve never been happier to see blood drip down from her nose. She twists her arm and sends the car flying into the men. You duck as it crushes them, rolls over the tables and chairs in the center, before spiraling into the counter next to you. “Shit!”

The alarm stops ringing. Everything falls silent. Slowly, you and everyone else stand up to inspect the damage. A tire rim rolls past, the Russians guards are sprawled on the ground, unmoving. There’s smoke from where the car has landed, and you let out a low whistle. “Nice one, El.”

“El?” Dustin turns around, wondering if he’s heard you right.

“She’s up there,” you point to where she had been standing, but when you see Jonathan now standing next to her with Nancy, your heart stops. “Jonathan.”

You’re the first to start running, and when he sees that it’s you, Jonathan wastes no time running either. He’s down the escalator in seconds. Your whole body buzzes as you run, adrenaline and longing coursing through you. The moment he’s close enough, you practically leap into his arms.

“Bug,” he holds onto you tightly. He buries his face in your hair and you breathe him in. It’s a familiar scent, a familiar warmth. You had been so focused on escaping the Russian base that you hadn’t even considered that he and everyone else in the party could’ve been involved. “Are you okay?”

“I’m okay,” you tighten your arms around him, but when he makes a pained noise, you immediately pull away. It’s then that you notice the swelling in his head. The dried blood. Pressing your fingers softly to his face, you fill with concern. “What happened, are you hurt?”

Jonathan tries to shrug it off. He doesn’t care about what he’s been through. All he wants to focus on is that you’re okay, for once not covered in blood and bruises like he is. Wherever you’ve been these last few days, at least he knows you weren’t in any pain. “I’m fine, I’ll tell you everything later–”

“You flung that thing like a Hot Wheel!” Dustin exclaims to El, now joining you and Jonathan as the others gather around. 

You don’t leave Jonathan’s side as everyone starts talking at once. Lucas asks why Erica is involved, to which you wince at. “I tried stopping them.”

“It’s their fault.” Erica points at Steve and Robin, clearing your name in the process, which you appreciate her for. 

Steve stands next to you now and puts his hands on his hips. He doesn’t even try to deny that he’s the reason a ten year old girl ended up locked inside an underground Russian facility. “Yeah, true. Totally true. It’s absolutely our fault.” 

Robin asks what happened to the car and Dustin and Steve explain El to her. They quickly catch her up to speed about the girl’s power, and you feel bad for the teen. It’s a lot of information to take in at once. Erica joins, having remembered her conversation with Dustin from earlier in the vents when he had explained the Upside Down to her. 

Meanwhile, Nancy is focused on Robin. “I’m sorry, who are you?”

“That’s Robin. She’s a friend.” You step between them. When Nancy sees that it’s you, she quickly looks away. She fidgets with her fingers, overwhelmed with shame and regret. She hasn’t forgotten the cruelty she showed you a few days ago. You haven’t forgotten either, but you’ve never been one to hold anger towards others. Extending a kind smile, you nod at her. “Hey, Nance.”

Nancy looks up, surprised, but smiles at you as well and it’s enough. Maybe one day you’ll sort through the tension that never seems to leave you and the girl alone. Untangle the lines and threads that haunt both of you. For now, there are other things to worry about. 

Steve has started explaining the Russians now, and quickly it becomes clear that you’ve all been dealing with vastly different situations. 

“Russians, what Russians?” Jonathan asks you with alarm. 

“See those guys laying over there?” Everyone looks at where you’re pointing, the men still knocked out on the ground. “Russians. We enjoyed twenty-four wonderful hours with them.”

“Yeah, we ended up trapped in their secret base underneath Hawkins.” Dustin further explains, to which everyone’s eyes widen at. 

“It was fun. Spent my birthday in mortal danger.” At the same time the kids all wish you a belated birthday, which you salute them for. “Thanks, guys. I’m just happy I wasn’t gravely injured this time.”

“And that Steve finally kissed you.” Dustin unhelpfully adds before Steve is covering his mouth to shut him up. His face reddens, embarrassed and nervous. Jonathan is standing too close to him for comfort right now.

Nancy looks uncomfortable with this new information, Mike makes a disgusted sound, Max high fives you, Lucas cheers, Will gasps and looks nervously towards his brother, and Jonathan chokes on his own spit. It’s truly a very wide array of reactions, all of which are expected to certain extents. 

That doesn’t stop you from hitting the back of Dustin’s head, though. “Can we focus on the Russians infiltrating Hawkins?” Dustin hits your shoulder in retaliation, but he knows you’re right. He turns to Mike, upset that he hadn’t come sooner. “Didn’t you get our code red?”

“Yeah, but I couldn’t understand half of what you were saying.”

The kids all start to argue and Steve joins in, making a remark about how he’s always bugging Dustin to watch for a low battery. More arguing follows. Lucas and the others demand to hear more about the Russians. As you try your best to explain everything, you notice from the corner of your eye El walking away from the group.

Her shoulders are drawn into her body, her breathing seems to be labored. You nudge Jonathan, pulling his attention away from the kids arguing, and point towards El. “What happened to her tonight?”

Jonathan is about to explain what they’ve been dealing with, but when El collapses onto the ground, you leave his side in a heartbeat to join her. Kneeling beside her, you’re cold with panic. She’s covered in sweat, her face is flushed. “El? Sweetheart, what’s happening?”

Mike and Jonathan are beside you now. Mike is in his own fit of panic, nearly ramming into you in his hurry to get to the girl. He turns her over onto her back, his face twisted with worry and fear. “El! What’s wrong?”

The rest of the group stands around El now, staring down at her. She manages to open her eyes, but you can tell that it pains her to do so. “My leg.” She rasps out, voice thick with tears. 

“Her leg, okay.” Jonathan takes action, swiftly unraveling a bandage on her leg. You hadn’t noticed it before. There’s a deep wound underneath the gauze, its blood has soaked through it. Nancy helps Jonathan with the bandage, and when they finally get it off, you almost throw up at the sight. 

The flesh is raised, angry and swollen. There’s a giant gash in El’s leg, deep and to the bone. The veins in her legs are dark and begin to constrict when something starts to move inside the wound; something is crawling inside her leg. It’s a nauseating sight.

Mike starts to freak out even more. He doesn’t understand what’s happening. He’s scared for the girl, his eyes fill with panic. Instinctively you pull him into your arms, tightening your hold as he fights against it. 

That’s when El begins to scream.

-

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[gallaghersgal]

would it be possible to request carmy and elementary school teacher!reader like the plot could literally be anything I just love the thought of him bringing food for the class and being surrounded by a bunch of little kids who want to ask him questions and play with him and he’s all shy at first and loves watching reader with the kids…i’m feeling so soft rn 😭

hi my lovely anon!! im so sorry for letting this rot, i hope you're still hanging around to read it!!

field day is one of the best days of the year for a kindergartener. they run as much as their little bodies allow them, play games all school day, and have their bellies full of a delicious lunch. this year, that lunch is provided by none other than your boyfriend's restaurant, catering mini beef sandwiches for the kids.

you step behind the table to kiss carmen on the cheek when your class gets to the lunch station. he smiles and his arm wraps around your waist, muttering to you, "y're so good with those kids, 's drivin' me crazy."

you blush at his implications and smile when he leans in to pepper your cheek with a few quick kisses. a squeal interrupts the moment, the sound from one of your students who points at the scene with a grin. she shouts your name before asking, "is that your boyfriend!?!" her friends giggle, some of them remarking on how boys have cooties, and the little girl continues to stare at you excitedly.

"since you all have such curious minds," you start, the whole class's attention focused on you now, "this is my boyfriend, mr. carmy."

carmen smiles, giving your students a wave. they all giggle excitedly, greeting him with a staggered chorus of hi mr. carmy!

"alright, alright," you say with a smile. "we only have two field rotations to eat. so come to me for some hand sanitizer, then get your sandwich from mr. carmy."

the kids file through the line one at a time, choosing which sandwich they want, and what flavor chips will accompany it. one boy asks carmen, "do you make all the beef sandwiches?"

your boyfriend chuckles, shaking his head. "no, i don't make all the sandwiches bud. usually i'm makin' other sh- stuff." his cheeks heat up a little at his near slip, but the boy just nods, seemingly satisfied with the answer, and carmen asks him "now, what d'ya want, kid?"

[thebearer]

Friends with benefits lip saying they’re not exclusive and that he’s not her bf so don’t go getting any ideas but then getting upset when reader takes him up on that and starts seeing other people

"The fuck are you doin'?" Lip growled, one hand curled around your arm, the other pulling you away from the intoxicated frat boy who's hand had slowly started to make it's way up your dress.

"What?" You grumbled, words slurring together a little. The frat party had been Lip's idea, of course, texting you about Mikayla or Hannah who had invited him... who he was also trying to have sex with.

You and Lip were friends. Casual hookups when there was nothing else, but friends. Truly. That's all.

Or so you both told yourselves.

Lip and you had a rule- there was no rules. Do whoever and whatever, and Lip had happily embarked on that rule before with Amanda and Helene and all the others you didn't care to know about.

You had your roster too, more cautious about it, but still a regular rotation. It worked for a while, you and Lip's casual hookups- I mean who could blame you? He could eat pussy like a champ. But recently, things had started to get... difficult between the two of you. A shift that could only be blamed on the rise in your shared hookups- and feelings.

"Hey, man, we're just-"

"-Fuck off, alright? She's drunk you piece of shit." Lip shoved the guy, harder than he should have, the frat boy's cup spilling on the girl behind him when he stumbled.

"Lip, I-I'm not even drunk. What are you- Hey, where are we going?" You frowned, feet stumbling as he drug you through the crowds of people towards the door.

Lip's jaw flexed, eyes in a narrowed hard glare. He didn't even look at whatever her name was sorority girl who whined at him when he stormed out of the house with you. You pretended to be annoyed when she glared at you, the look of pure jealousy on her face- it made your heart skip knowing she thinks you two are together. That Lip chose you.

"What is your problem?" You huffed, nearly twisting your ankle on the pavement with how fast he was walking. "Lip, can you let go of me? Christ." You huffed, yanking your arm free.

"What is your problem?" You repeated, glaring at him under the streetlight. The campus was mostly empty, a few stragglers drunkenly stumbling home.

Lip scoffed, a hand running over his mouth. "You-You were just gonna let that guy- that guy fuckin' touch you like that? In front of everyone?"

You scoffed, rolling your eyes. "Are you kidding me? I know you're not talking, you were practically fucking blondie in the kitchen!" You threw your hand out in exasperation.

Lip shook his head, pacing a few steps ahead before circling back. "I-I don't get it. You're letting that dumb fuck touch you? I didn't even think you liked guys like that."

"Who says I liked him?" You scoffed. "I just wanted to have sex with him."

"Yeah, well, you didn't have to have it with him." Lip knew his argument was weak, hoping you wouldn't notice. The quip in your brow told him you did. "That guy is fuckin' stupid."

"Ok? And your Chi Kappa Delta whatever girl is so much smarter?" You sneered. You didn't know her, shouldn't have been so harsh. You couldn't help the way you bristled at the thought of her. Her hands in his hair, kissing him all sloppy in the kitchen- and he let her.

Of course he did. He should have, you told yourself. You two are just friends.

"I'm not fucking people because they're smart. He's a good fuck, and I was horny." You shrugged, biting back the small grin when Lip's spine straightened.

"You've fucked him before?" He scoffed.

"Yeah?" You snipped. "A few times. He's on the roster. The one that I've told you about that can-"

"-I don't..." Lip snapped, shaking his head, taking a deep cleansing breath. "If you were horny, you coulda just told me. Would've handled that."

"You seemed busy." You scoffed, rolling your eyes. You hoped Lip didn't hear the flare of jealousy in your tone. "And besides, it's not your turn. I have a system."

"Yeah? He's better than me?" Lip growled, taking a menacing step that closed in the space between you two.

You swallowed hard, your eyes on his, knees wobbling with excitement. "I didn't say... Why do you even care?" You scoffed, stepping back, throwing your arms out.

Lip faltered for a moment, cheeks tinging in heat. His heart pounded in his chest, ringing in his ears. "I-I don't." He said curtly, and you tried to convince yourself it was the alcohol that made your stomach turn the way it did. "I just... don't want you gettin' a-a std or somethin'. Looks like he's got s dirty dick."

"Right." You mumble, wrapping your arms around yourself. There was a pause, a silence that was far too deafening for both of you. "'m gonna go home." You mutter, glancing up at Lip. "I, uh, I got a nine am tomorrow anyways."

"Yeah, I-I'll walk you." Lip offered, stepping beside you, heading to your on campus apartment. You'd managed to swing that, somehow, and Lip frequented it often. Because the dorms were so noisy, of course.

"'s alright. You don't have to." You shrugged. "I got it."

"No, I... it's not a big deal, alright? Left my key there anyways." Lip nodded. It was a lie, his key was in his pocket, but you didn't need to know that. "Besides... you still horny?" He looked at you, smirking at how you blushed.

"Maybe a little. Either horny or tired, I can't decide yet." You hummed simply, eyes batting up at him.

"Yeah? I can help you with that." Lip grinned, hand snaking down your back to your ass, squeezing lightly.

Lip fucked you to sleep, legs thrown over his shoulders, thankful you didn't have roommates at the way you cried out. Because what else are friends for?

[fanaticsnail]

Okay, so I've been slowly working on 'The True Bride' retelling but lately I've been feeling run down and low. Babysitting 3 - THREE! - Duracell batteries (aka kids) leaves me very little brainpower or energy and the days I'm off... I just want to do nothing but rest and be a couch potato. I thought I'd send this little request this way, you know, legal channels and all that.

Could you do something fluffy and sweet (smut can also be added if you'd like!) with either Shanks or Sanji? I'd throw in Law but these two currently are taking all the brain space.

The way I cannot wait for your contribution to the Storyteller Au! It's gonna be so much fun! I feel you on the Duracell babies, my two have been off like a rocket from about 5am (as per the norm). Shanks was not cooperating, so Sanji gets some love this morning. May a little bit of suggestive, sweet domestic fluff ease the burden for you, love.

By Feel

Masterlist Here

Word Count: 1,300+

Synopsis: You challenge Sanji to demonstrate his impressive knife skills for you by chopping up vegetables while blindfolded. He becomes flustered by the amount of attention you give to him.

Themes: Sanji x gn!reader, established relationship, domestic fluff, flirting, knife skills, kissing, blindfolded Sanji, flustered Sanji, suggestive ending.

As soon as the shroud covered Sanji’s eyes, all other senses were heightened. His nose pricked up with the fragrance of sweetness and spices, his tongue tasted the steam in the air wafting from the pan, his ears heard the rough pops and crackles rising in the pan from the contents being of an elevated temperature.

Most of all, his hands were hypersensitive to every soft ridge and divot in the chopping board in front of him, and his connection to his blade felt more sturdy and intentional in each motion. 

“Show me then, Chef,” you tease him, the playful tone in your voice propelling him to prove himself to you. He smirked and impressively twirled the blade in his hands before dropping it in the board. The knife stuck out and wobbled slightly beneath the light as Sanji sought out the carrots and his favored peeler with his fingers.

“Oh, I’ll show you alright,” he picked up one of the carrots in his hands and his peeler, “You watching closely?” Even without the blindfold, you could absolutely see the wink he shot your way beneath the material. 

Leaning forward on the bench, but still lingering far enough out of his way to continue, you witnessed him take the peeler with his dominant hand and wave it backwards and forwards along the length of the carrot. Each moment the blade end of the peeler almost reached his palm, he instinctively knew when to draw it away. Rotating the carrot within his fingers, he continued to drag it back and forward until he felt the flesh of the carrot glisten its dewy juices in his hand.

“Still watching?” he teased at you, his fingers hastily collecting all of the lengthy offcuts of the bitter skin and sliding it into the scrap bin beside the sink. You rolled your eyes before giving him a soft, “Uh huh,” in response. He smiled, shaking his head and collected his blade from beside him: still in the place where he left it.

“Alright then,” he scoffed, his light chuckle found in his tone, “Doubting me?” You shook your head at him, more to scold than to doubt him. 

“No doubts, Chef,” you slowly walk behind him, Sanji’s ears picking up and hearing the soft taps of your shoes on the wooden surface behind him. “Never doubted you to begin with.” As you slowly approach behind him, your hands reach out to collect his hips in your hands. He hissed a soft breath through his teeth and threw his head back as your hands caressed his skin. 

“You gonna let me show you what I can do?” he gasped, his breathing heavy as your hands teased at the waistband of his pants, “Or are you going to distract me on purpose?” You hum a soft chuckle through your lips before placing a soft kiss on his spine. He moaned at the softest touch, the deep rasp in his throat coming out with his breath hitching. 

“I won’t distract you. I just wanted to take a closer look,” you admit, looking down his arms from your position over his shoulder. He gulped his nerves, instinctively leaning his head away from your face in the hopes for more brushes of your lips on his skin. You laugh tight-lipped through your nose at him before tapping his hips to draw his attention back to the task. 

“Okay,” he uttered snarkily, twirling the blade and seeking out the carrot once more. Lining it up with the tip, he exhaled a huff of breath before immediately rocking his arm back and forward, slicing the carrot first into a long, rectangular shape. The ‘shinkt,’ sound of the blade colliding with crisp flesh at a hastened pace had you arch your brow, still watching intently as he expertly placed hasty ridges into the carrot. 

Turning the orange object, he began slicing the vegetable at a different angle. The diagonal cuts never tapped the board, holding it a whisker’s length away from the base of the carrot. As soon as he reached the tip once more, he turned in your arms with the rectangular carrot in his hands. Your hands never left his hips, holding him steady as he gave you a cocky smirk. 

“Watching closely?” he whispered to you. You hum in confirmation at him as you look at the orange figure in your hands. Drawing apart his hands, the length of the carrot extended into a lace pattern. The carrot was still intact, but the knife skills demonstrated by the blonde created a webbed net from the vegetable as he held his arms out to the side. 

His grin only broadened when he heard your gasp, your hands gripping his waist tighter in awe caused a rosy blush to rise in his cheeks. With the blindfold still fixed over his eyes, he lowered his hands with the vegetable reforming into a rectangle. 

“Something you wanna say to me?” his brow arched up under the shroud of the mask. You lean up on the tips of your toes and brush your nose with his. He gasps at you, fluttering his eyelashes beneath the woven material. 

“You are the best chef in the world, and can even craft mastery blindfolded,” you dull your tone, mocking his voice with a smile on your lips. He scoffs at you, moving his head away from yours and purses his lips up in a light pout. You giggle, reaching up to cup his cheek and turn his head back to face you. 

“You don’t have to make petulant bets to prove anything to me. I already think you’re amazing, Sanji,” you press your lips to his unoccupied cheek, your sweetness igniting a swell of heat pooling in his face and almost burning your lips with the intensity. Giggling against his cheek, you pulled away to witness him freeze in place with his lips parted. 

No matter how long the two of you had been together, it never ceased to make you smile with the amount of fluster you could bring to your partner. A simple touch, a soft caress, a gentle compliment all had that soft hue rise to his face, and you couldn't get enough of it.

“Th-Thank you,” he stuttered, his Adam's apple bobbing as he swallowed back his nerves. You decide to press him further, enjoying his light fluster. 

“C’mon, pretty boy,” you praise up at him, hovering your lips over his and tasting the warmth of his sweet air, “Show me what else you can do just by feel, hm?” He immediately whimpered, placing the carrot down behind him as he hastily reached for you and surged his lips forwards to engulf your own in them. 

His kiss was raw, intense and desperate. Lips mouthing and swirling against your own, hungry to consume all you had to offer him in the kitchen space of the Going Merry. The shroud over his eyes had him feel everything: the taste of your lips, the scent of your perfume, the sound of your soft moan, and the feel of your eager reciprocation. He simply couldn't get enough.

Reaching up, he carded his fingers over the back of your scalp and cradled your neck to deepen the intensity. Each press of his lips, swirl of his tongue, and whimper you collected from his mouth within yours had you smile and balance his expression. The flicker of his tongue brushing against yours had the softest taste of metal lingering from his frenulum piercing. The balled circlet brushed against you as he performed his sensual isolation, consuming you entirely.

Pulling away and panting briefly, he finally removed the blindfold to take you in. His eyes were glazed and glassy, lips bruised and swollen, and cheeks dusted with the frosting of a bright pink. Gently caressing your cheek with his palm and fingertips,he leaned forward to press his forehead against yours. 

“Satisfied?” he chirped breathily at you. You chuckled back up at him, nuzzling against his forehead before pulling away to gaze into his eyes. 

“Hardly,” you smiled, “But there’s a remedy for that. Your quarters or mine?” He replaced his forehead with his lips, pressing a soft kiss to your skin while muttering his suggestion. 

“Yours.” 

“Perfect,” you quipped at him, reaching down and taking him by the hand, “Bring the blindfold, but finish what you're cooking in the pan first before it burns.”

"Yes, boss," he uttered snarkily, quickly turning to finish off searing the vegetables and placing it in a pot to simmer low and slow with a variety of meat. His anticipation only grew when he heard every slow and deliberate step taken towards the door.

Hastily completing his duty, he rushed to your side and eagerly followed you like a needy pup towards your quarters, where he showed you exactly what he could do by feel alone.

Tag list: @mfreedomstuff @daydreamer-in-training @since-im-already-here @gingernut1314 @writingmysanity @sordidmusings @i-am-vita @indydonuts @feral-artistry @the-light-of-star @empirenowmp3 @racfoam @sunflowersatori @carrotsunshine @skullfacedlady

[ericshoney]

Spelling Bee ~ Brothers!Sturniolo Triplets

Summary: You join your brothers for another spelling bee video

Warnings: probably swearing, nicknames, spellings

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

"What's up everyone welcome back to our channel!" Nick shouted as the camera started rolling.

"As you can tell by the title of this video, we are doing yet another spelling bee, but this time, our little sister Y/n is joining us." Chris said.

"What's up, I'm going to beat these three cause I'm still in school!" You exclaimed.

"Just cause your still in school doesn't mean your better at spelling, kid, your still learning." Matt responded.

You stuck your tongue out at him as you stood next to Chris. Nick laughed at your reaction.

"And that's our sixteen year old sister everyone." He said.

"If your so confident you go first!" Chris shouted.

"Maybe I will!" You replied.

"Youngest to oldest." Matt said.

"Alright, Y/n, your first word is, sweatshirt." Nick said.

"Easy. s-w-e-a-t-s-h-i-r-t." you said, spelling the word with ease.

"Correct!" Nick cheered.

You laughed as Nick put his face close to the camera.

"Rotate as we update you on the scores." He said.

Chris went next, Matt picking the word for him. You stood back watching him.

"Chris your word is furniture." Matt said.

"Furniture? Okay, f-u-r.....f-u-r-n-t-u-r-e?" He asked.

"Not quite." Matt answered before repeating the correct spelling.

"Rotate as we update you on the score." Nick said.

You all continued spelling words, some being really long or really silly. You lost count after a bit, but knew you had at least three correct, alongside Nick.

"Final word kid. You ready?" Chris asked you.

"Yeah." You answered confidently.

"Your final word is....brother." He said.

"Let me use it in a sentence." He continued before you could start spelling.

"I know what it means, Chris!" You shouted, making them laugh.

"I am your favourite brother." He said the word in a sentence.

"Don't start that shit, kid." Matt said, as Nick slapped his shoulder.

"I don't have a favourite brother. B-r-o-t-h-e-r." You said, also spelling the word out.

"Correct." Nick said.

"Now we'll update the scores and put them somewhere on the screen. But how did you feel joining us for this video, sweetheart?" Nick continued.

"It was fun, maybe I'll be back again, but not another spelling bee." You answered.

"True, I'm done with these now, I feel so dumb." Chris said.

"Your not dumb, your really smart Chris!" You said, boosting his confidence.

"Thanks kid." He said, ruffling your hair.

You smiled as they finished the video, turning off the camera as Nick quickly looked over the footage to see who actually won. You cheered once you won by a point.

"Fuck yeah, told you!" You shouted, sticking your tongue out at Matt again.

He laughed shaking his head, ruffling your hair much like Chris just did. You smiled happily having some more time with your brothers.

[arctrooper69]

As Iron Sharpens Iron

"As iron sharpens iron, so one person sharpens another." Proverbs 27:17

Beta-read by @dragonrider9905

Chapter 11:

Previous // Next

Warnings: Angst. Canon violence

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

Three days had passed since the argument with Hunter that sent you storming from the Marauder with anger blazing hot in your veins. Two days since you’d left the planet, intent on putting all your focus towards the job Cid had given you.

One day had turned your anger into a suffocating heaviness of guilt and grief. Now it was something else - it felt strange and unnatural - or maybe it was just nothingness. Whatever it was, you wished the anger would come back. Anger was tangible, it gave you something to hold onto. Anger had a conviction - a purpose. Whatever it was that you felt now, slipped numbly through your fingers, floating aimlessly and as silent as the vortex of hyperspace you currently traveled through.

They didn’t come for me.

---

You had waited around Cid’s for a full rotation - unsure what for.

Did you really think they’d come looking for you?

Did they even want to?

“Give it up, kid.” Cid advised as you’d found yourself glancing over at the door for the thousandth time, “Dark and Broody ain’t coming after ya.”

You looked at her sharply. How did she know?

Cid shrugged, “Don’t look at me like that, Hotshot. I’m not stupid, you know. I’ve seen the way you look at him.” She smirked, “It’s the same way he looks at you.”

You raised an eyebrow. “Oh yeah? Then tell me why he hasn’t come.”

Cid threw down her washrag, looking annoyed. “You’re the idiot who ran away. He’s smart enough not to bother a woman who’s mad at him.” She scoffed, “Or he’s stupid enough not to go after the woman he obviously cares about.”

That’s when the anger came back, flashing brightly like the flame of a candle exposed to the air just before it fizzled out again. “You’re wrong. He’s not here because he doesn’t care. None of them do.” Disappointment settled like a boot on your chest.

Cid let out a bored sigh. “Then quit moping around and do something! I’ve got plenty of jobs around here and no one to do them. Might as well get paid if you’re just going to be miserable anyway.”

You looked at her quizzically then groaned. “Alright… where do you need me to go?”

---

The ship shuttered as it dropped out of hyperspace, pulling you back to the present as you came into orbit around the moon Cid’s coordinates had directed you to. You chuckled bitterly.

Well joke’s on them. I don’t need them either.

---

“Omega, come on! We need to make a supply run in town,” Hunter called down the ramp as he slung his pack over his shoulder. He frowned as she made no move to get up, though he was certain she’d heard him. He set his pack down and walked over to her. She sat on the ramp, resting her arms and chin on her knees, as she looked blankly out at the empty road.

“Omega..” he sat down beside her.

“It’s been three days, Hunter. Where is she?” Her muffled voice broke his heart. She’d been crying and he had no words to comfort her.

There had only been two times in his life that Hunter found himself with no idea what to do.

The empty numbness that dug its relentless claws through his skull screamed at him in an overwhelming self-hatred after their first real mission failure which left Wrecker clinging to life.

Failure. Coward. Pathetic.

It was the same feeling now that spread through his bones. I should’ve run after her. Now it’s too late. Mission failure once again.

The gut-wrenching flood of emotion that came with being a parent and falling in love was more unyielding than any enemy he’d faced before. It’s the one thing they didn’t train us for. At least when an enemy combatant refused to cooperate, there were many ways to get what you wanted out of them. Hunter didn’t know how to react when it was his own thoughts that refused to comply.

“I don’t know, Omega.”

“She’s coming back though, right?” She looked up at him but he couldn’t bring himself to look her in the eyes.

He spun his vibroblade anxiously. “I hope so.”

“Wrecker went out looking for her, you know.”

Hunter straightened in surprise, turning to look at her. “He did what?”

Omega wiped her eyes on her sleeve and sat up. “Yeah. He left this morning. He said he was gonna find her and make everything better again.”

As if on cue, Wrecker came barreling down the road, skidding to a stop just shy of the ramp panting and out of breath. Hunter stood up as Omega dashed to his side.

“What is it, Wrecker? Did you find her!? Is she okay?!” Her eyes were wide and Hunter was glad to see some of the hopeful spark return. He just hoped that whatever news Wrecker brought wouldn’t snuff it out again.

Wrecker collapsed onto the ramp. “Phew… I’m never running like that again!”

“Well?” prompted Hunter, still nervously twiring the blade through his fingers.

“Huh? Oh yeah! I found out from some scumbag that Cid sent her on a mission. Said it was real dangerous.”

“What.” Hunter tensed. Suddenly that pitiful feeling of futility was gone, replaced by something he was all too familiar with. He slid the vibroblade back into its sheath with a deadly click, mouth set in a fierce line of determination.

“Did he say anything else?” Omega asked.

Wrecker laughed. “Yeah. When I hung him upside down from the roof, he cried.” He turned towards Hunter and his smile faded into a growl. “Hunter, he said it was a suicide mission. He said nobody gets outta there alive. That’s why I ran all the way here.”

Omega gasped, “Hunter we have to go after her! She might not know it’s a trap!”

Hunter had already strapped on his pack and secured his blaster.

“Tech, Echo! Start the ship.” He called out. “I’m gonna go have a little chat with Cid.”

Loosened by the adrenaline as he ran, a sudden moment of clarity fell upon him. He’d been thinking about this all wrong.

You were not a mission in which to succeed or fail. You were a part of him - the missing link in his short mess of a life - and he would do everything it took to get you back.

The door to Cid’s Parlour opened with a slam. Cid nearly dropped the glass she was cleaning as she looked up to see Hunter striding over to her, fire in his eyes. The only two patrons in the room fled, feeling the mood of the room sour almost immediately. Cid set the cup down in obvious annoyance. “Hey! You can’t just storm on in here, scaring away my customers like that! I’ve got bills to pay here.”

He didn’t seem to hear her as he pointed a sharp finger in her direction.

“Where is she?”

Cid smirked, deciding to play coy. This could get interesting, she thought as she dried her hands, making sure to look as unbothered as she possibly could.

“Where is who? You gotta be more specific.”

Hunter narrowed his eyes, “You know exactly who I’m talking about.”

She tapped a finger on her chin, pretending to think. “Hmm… I really don’t think I do.”

Hunter sighed, exasperated. “I don’t have time to play your games, Cid. Tell me where you sent her.”

Cid sighed, suddenly bored of whatever ruse she’d cooked up to mess with him. “Fine.”

Hunter clenched his teeth. “I need to know, Cid. Now.”

“Cool your jets, Dark and Broody.” Cid rolled her eyes. “Your girlfriend’s fine. She asked me for a job and I gave ‘er one.”

Hunter’s face darkened. “Where. Is. She.” His white knuckled fist slammed down on the counter. “I promise you I won’t be so nice if I have to ask you again.”

Cid raised her hands in a mocked surrender. “Look, I promised her that I wouldn’t tell any of you lot where she went. She obviously doesn’t want to talk to you.”

Hunter's hands shot across the bar, vibroblade suddenly poised in a violent threat at her throat. His voice was dangerously low. “She could be in real danger. Tell me where you sent her. Now.”

Cid gulped, backing into the wall, knocking a bottle onto the ground where it shattered. She glared then raised her hands in surrender. “Alright, alright fine! Put the knife down and I’ll tell you!”

Hunter lowered the knife. Cid nervously rubbed her throat. “Geez… I can see why she likes you so much. I sent her to a small moon in the Sullest system. Doesn’t even have a name. Hardly anybody goes there at all.”

Hunter glared daggers.

“Relax, Dark and Broody. She’s not in any danger. It’s just a simple snatch and grab. The mines over there are full of stuff worth a ton to the right people.”

Hunter narrowed his eyes. “Just give me the coordinates.”

Cid sighed, “Already done. Get outta here, lover boy.”

Hunter rolled his eyes as he turned to leave.

“Hey!” Cid’s voice called after him. “You owe me for that bottle. Corellian Whiskey is hard to come by these days!”

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

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[the-froschamethyst4]

“Daddy flirted with another women”

𖤐Pairing: Daddy! Soap x Mommy! Reader

𖤐Pronouns: She/Her

𖤐Warnings: fluff, wholesome, slight flirting, children, language, married couple, some hints of smut

Soap gets the chance to bring his son into work with him. Soap’s son has been very curious what Soap does for work and is finally able to join in

Soap is doing his job when a girl comes in asking to get her car looked at but she kept flirting with Soap even if his son was by him and could hear everything

Once home Soap’s son had to let his mommy know what had happened at work with his dad

——————

———————

9:30AM

"RYKER COME ON, BOY!" Soap yelled from the bottom of the stairs waking his son up. Ryker jumped from his bed and rushed to get ready.

Today for Soap was bring your kid to work day, not really, he asked his boss if he could bring Ryker in today, so he could see what Soap does and he was alright with it.

As Soap was at the bottom of the stairs, he walked to the kitchen seeing his wife place a plate on the table and looked at the highchair holding his 7-month baby girl Kiara.

He smiled and kissed his daughters head getting a loud giggle out of her.

"Good morning, my baby," he mumbles, he then walks to Y/n and tapped her butt making her jump and look over her shoulder smiling at her husband.

"Good morning," he said, kissing her lips and earning a soft smile from her.

"Morning," she says before going back to washing dishes. Ryker came downstairs and sat in his usual chair and looked at his parents.

"Mama, do I look pro-professional?" Ryker asked, Y/n stopped and looked at her 5-year-old son.

"Nah, not yet, boy. You'll get grease on ya and you'll definitely look professional later," Soap chuckled.

Ryker giggled and started to eat his breakfast, Soap walked back to his wife and helped with the dishes before having to leave.

"Mama, I'm done," Ryker said as he gave his mom, his plate. She smiled at her son and kissed her forehead.

"Thank you, baby," she said as turned to the sink to wash it.

"Alright, bud, let's get going."

"Okay," Ryker smiled and grabbed his shoes and tablet to entertain himself whenever he could.

"Alright, missy...let's get you all cleaned up and head to daycare," Y/n said, picking her daughter up and taking her to the bathroom to clean her up.

---------

Soap had pulled up into the parking lot of the Mechanics, he got Ryker out of his car seat, and he held Soap's hand. Soap opened the door to the shop, and everyone immediately looked excited to see Ryker for the first time.

"Awww~ is this Ryker?" The older lady that sat behind the desk asked.

"Yep," Soap picked up Ryker placing him on his hip. "Say 'hi' to Ms.Shelly."

Ryker shyly said 'hi' to her and she gave him a soft smile and waved back at him.

"Everyone is in the back, Soap."

"Thanks, Ms.Shelly," Soap said as Soap pushed the door open with his back and looked at his son in his arms.

"Now you'll meet everyone," Soap said, kissing his temple.

"Okay, daddy," Soap set Ryker on the ground and he followed his dad deeper into the shop.

"Everyone, this is Ryker," Soap said. He came around his dad and shyly waved at everyone.

The guys were excited to see Ryker, some got down to his level and asked him questions. Ryker giggled at all the attention he was getting. A loud bang of a door slammed shut and everyone looked at the balcony to see their boss looking down at them.

"Alright everyone come on we have a job to do," he yells, and everyone rolled their eyes, and the boss came down to talk to Soap. Ryker holds his dads pant leg and looks at his boss.

He was a little scary.

"Alright Soap, I have someone coming in soon for an oil change, rotate tires, and to check engine."

"Sure..." Soap looked down at Ryker and got down to his level. "You wanna help me, kiddo?"

"Yes, papa."

"Good come on," Soap walked to his station and wiped his tools and Ryker sat on one of Soap's bar stools and looked down at his tablet as they waited for the person to arrive.

Which wasn't long. The car pulled in, but it was crooked and as the girl was turning it off, she accidently hocked the horn making everyone jump and Ryker cover his ears.

"Jesus," Soap mumbled.

"Hi, are you Soap?" She was just a ditzy blonde, flaring her keys around, flipping her hair off the left side of her neck to her right side of her neck and chewing gum loudly in her mouth.

"Yep," Soap tried not to act annoyed. Ryker put his tablet down and jumped down off the stool and stood next to Soap.

"Good ummm~ I need oil...my tires rotated and to check my engine," she said, chewing on her gum.

"Okay, we'll get started, come on," he said to Ryker. Soap put the car up on a jack to get under it. He was on his back and got under the car, Ryker laid on his stomach and looked under the car to see what his dad was doing.

"Do you think he'll get done in 5 minutes?"

"What?" Soap sat up but bumped his head on the pipe. "Ow shit," he mumbles.

"5 minutes? I have to get to a restaurant for lunch, do you think 5 minutes?"

"No, definitely not, it'll be more than 5 minutes," Soap grunted as he took the bolt off the oil tank and Ryker pushed the oil drip-pan under the spill.

"What? No, come on, I need to get going in 5 minutes."

"That'll never happen, that's almost impossible, especially if you need an oil change, tires rotated and to check your engine. That is almost...an hour maybe, maybe longer, depends on the problem." Soap said as he came out from underneath the car and wiped his hands with a rag and put it over his shoulder.

"But come on, I need to go."

"Then you should have done it later and another day, 5 minutes is not going to happen."

"What if..." she got close to Soap and placed her fingers on his chest. "You come with me, and we can have a couple of drinks? hmm?" She got close to his face. She bit her bottom lip and batted her eyes at him.

Soap didn't budge, his arms were crossed over his chest and even Ryker copied his movement.

"I'm married and in case you didn't notice, I have my son with me, and I rather not leave him here just to go hang out with someone who can't handle timing," Soap said as he got on his back and got back under the car to see if the oil was completely out.

"Gosh, then what am I going to tell, my friends?"

"I don't know, maybe you can't go or reschedule?" Soap said. He then put the bolt back in and grabbed some oil pouring it into her oil tank and made sure there were no air bubbles in it as well. He even gave her a new oil filter as well.

"What tires do you want?" Soap asked her.

"What? I don't know just tires, I don't care," she said as she looked down at her phone, probably either texting her friends and telling her daddy that the mechanic was being 'mean'.

"Fine," since she didn't know and wasn't going to give him a straight answer, he gave her goodyear tires.

He put the car on a car lift (it looks like a forklift progs). he took off all the lug nuts and gave them to Ryker to hold onto but the more he got he started to put them in his shirt to carry them, getting grease and break dust on his white shirt and it even covered his hands.

Soap swaps out the old tires putting the new ones by, and one by one Ryker handed him the lug nuts back. Soap looked at Ryker's hands and smiled at him.

"See now you look professional," Soap said and Ryker had a smile on his face.

"Yay, I'm professional," he smiles back at Soap.

"Now, you wanna check the engine with me?" Ryker nodded as Soap lowered the car and Soap popped the hood open and Ryker moved the stool and looked down in the engine with Soap.

The girl just kept staring at Soap and how Soap's muscles would flex every now and then. She bit her lip and moved to Soap's left and touched his muscle making him jump a little bit.

"Sorry, but do you work out?"

"I mean...I work here. I have to carry tires, I'm on my knees a lot, and I carry heavy tools."

"On your knees you say?" She smiles.

"Sometimes," Soap said, adjusting the nuts on the engine.

"Umm~ I don't see a ring on your finger? Are you not married?"

Soap shut the hood leaning against it and Soap had a necklace on, it was his golden wedding ring dangling on a silver chain.

"I am married, I just don't wear it on my finger when I'm working because the grease can ruin it, so I wear it around my neck, to be proud."

"I mean that makes sense, but..." she got closer to him again. Ryker peaked around to see what she's doing. "If anything happens, I can give you, my number."

"Not happening," Soap walked away and stopped the timer and looked at the price.

"Total is £600.00 ($763.62 in USD)." He said leaning against his station waiting for her to pay.

"Fine," she scoffed and gave him her card to pay. Soap took it and put it in the machine. Ryker got off the stool and grabbed his tablet.

"There," he said as she yanked her card back along with her keys and took off out of the garage.

"Papa?"

"Yes, bud?"

"Do you get...hit on a lot?"

"Not usually." He said, standing next to Ryker. Soap pulled at Ryker's dirty shirt. "Professional." He chuckles.

Ryker just smiles at him.

--------

4:35PM

Ryker sat on the stool looking at his tablet as Soap worked on a rich man's BMW. Soap knew he was going to get a fat tip from this guy. Soap came out from under the car with grease on his face and wiped his greasing hands.

"Alright sure. £400.00."

"Alright and here's 170 for you and 50 for you," the man gave Ryker £50.

"What do you say, bud?"

"Thank you," Ryker smiles. The man left and Soap looked at his son.

"Ryker, we have a vending machine in the lobby if you wanna go get a snack," Soap said.

"Okay," he smiles. He got off the stool and went up front. He saw the vending machine and saw Ms.Shelly helping a customer. He ended up getting Oeros. He looked at Ms.Shelly helping and went back to the back and saw everyone working hard.

"Okay, Ryker in a few minutes we'll leave, okay?"

"Okay," he said. He got back on his stool and waited for either another customer or waited to leave. Soap was doing reports on the cars he had done and what he had to do to them. Soap then looked at the big clock on the wall.

"Alright, Ryker, come on." Soap closed his side of the garage, shutting the garage door and cleaning his tools.

---------

Y/n had Kiara in her arms as they were on the couch enjoying the peace and quiet but that was soon ruined by Soap opening the door and announcing they were home.

Y/n placed Kiara on her playmat and picked up her son and kissed his temple.

"How was it, baby boy?"

"Amazing! Mama!"

"I'm glad," she kept kissing his cheek. She placed him back down on the ground and walked over to her husband, hugging him, she didn't care if he smelled. His hands immediately wrapped around her waist.

"Love, I smell."

"So? I'm used to it," she smiles at him.

---------

Ryker was in the tub and Y/n helped him clean up. She washed his face getting the grease off his face and Ryker played in the bubbles in the tub and then remembered what happened this morning.

"Mama."

"Yes, baby?"

"This morning, papa and I got a customer that needed an oil change, tires rotated, and engine checked out. She had lunch plans with friends and wanted everything done in 5 minutes. And dad said it wasn't possible, so she started to flirt with him."

"Flirt with him? Did dad flirt back?"

"No, he said he was married, but she was like 'let me give you my number if anything happens' but daddy didn't take it."

"Good, he better not," Y/n said as Ryker pulled the drain from the tub and Y/n dried him off with a white fluffy towel.

--------

9:20PM

Y/n got her kids down in bed and was now heading to her bedroom to sleep with her husband. She walks in the door to see her husband reading a book and he looked up at her leaning against the door frame.

"Guess what Ryker told me, not too long ago?"

"What?" He placed his book down on his nightstand and looked at his wife, who was...distracting him with just wearing one of his shirts and some short shorts.

"That some girl came in today and she was flirting with you." She shut the door and crawled on the bed to Soap.

"Oh yeah, she was kind of weird, she would act like a bimbo, then flirt with me, then tried to give me her number, then asked if I was married." Soap sat up against the headboard of their bed and Y/n crawled on top of him.

Y/n sat on his lap and wrapped her arms around his neck, and she kissed his lips. He moaned into the kiss and placed his hands on her hips.

She pulled away and Soap groaned when her lips left his. "Love~" he whines.

She shook her head and got off his lap and got on her side of the bed.

"Love~ I didn't flirt with her," he whines, he rolls over to Y/n and rests his chin on her shoulder. "I didn't do anything, I come home and have sex with you~ I didn't do anything."

"Soap-"

"Don't Soap me. I LOVE YOU, not that girl, she was the one doing it," he groaned.

"Soap, I get it..." she pushes his face away from hers, but he just attacked her with kisses.

Soap got on top of Y/n and started to make out with her. She moaned into the kiss and his hand slide down her shorts, but she moaned and pushed his hand away.

"Not now, Soap. I'm tired."

"I know, okay...tomorrow?"

"Maybe. Good night," she kissed him and rolled on her side and Soap rolled back onto his side of the bed.

"Fine, night, love."

"Good night..." she responded back.

[godsandvillains-if]

Funny ask

How would the ro's react if a high ranking official insults them and the mc just walked up to the official and knocked them out.

And when asked why the mc said " they were mean and that's bad and we punch bad people right?".

I love how totally clueless the MC is in this asks!! 🤣🤣

Archon — "Efficient and clean, but you are still rotating your hips too much when you swing." Archon's tone is clipped, but their ice blue eyes are soft when their arm grabs the MC by the hip.

Stardom — "Ha! The bastard deserved it. See, this is what you get when you mess with the big dogs. Thank you, handsome / beautiful." Stardom would dip the MC and give them a searing kiss.

Ace — "That's one way to take care of that problem. Still, we are going to have a talk when we get home, kid." Ace would still reward the MC with an affectionate pet on the head.

Paladin — "You defended me…" Paladin will be more speechless than troubled over the situation. Never before has someone done something like that for them.

Mars — "Well done, Darling. How about we finish the job, huh?" Mars wouldn't let the poor guy live much longer after that.

Wildcat — "Bebê! My brave knight in shining armor, thank you for protecting my virtue." Wildcat would basically swoon in the MC's arms.

Zodiac — "Habibi / Habibti, please. Next time, use your words instead of your fists, alright?" They would still give the MC a peck on the cheek as thanks for defending them.

Thank you for the question!! 🥰

[sweetiesicheng]

the8 - after school

word count : 552

-

you hurry across the street as the crosswalk sign begins to signal that it'll change soon and make it to where your nephew goes to school. as you rush to the front gates, you see a few parents and relatives picking up their kids.

when you make it to the gates, you find a few students waiting in the front school yard just behind the gates. you look around for a bit before finding your nephew.

"n/n!" you call out to him.

he turns around and starts running towards you. "auntie y/n!" he says in excitement. he makes it to you and gives you a big hug. "i haven't seen you in forever!" he claims to you.

you smile and crouch down a bit, "well, you get to hang out with auntie today," you say to him.

"yay!" he cheers, "this is awesome!"

"tell you what, we can go out somewhere before we go to auntie's house, okay?" you say to him, "you just have to promise me that you'll do your homework when we get to my house."

n/n nods, "i promise." both of you hold out your pinky fingers and link them together. "don't break it!" he says to you.

you laugh, "you're the one who can't break it. i don't have homework."

"excuse me?" you look up when you hear someone speak to you. "l/n y/n?" the person speaks in confusion.

it doesn't take long for you to remember him, "xu minghao?" you question. "wait, are you a teacher?" you ask him and stand up straight.

he smiles at you, "yea, i am," he answers. "wow, it's nice to see you again," he adds.

"mr. xu, do you know my auntie?" n/n asks, clearly curious.

minghao looks at him and nods, "we went to school together," he answers, "a long time ago."

"we went to school together when me and your mom moved here," you say to n/n.

"wow," your nephew says in amazement, making you and minghao laugh.

you look at minghao, "are you his teacher?" you ask him.

he nods, "i'm his home room teacher. they just started rotating teachers this year. i hear he's a very good student from all of the other teachers."

"auntie, i'm one of the smartest!" n/n says to you.

"is that so? i'm sure it's because of mr. xu and your other teachers," you say to him and pat his head.

"and because of mommy! she's smart too!" n/n says with a giant smile. "don't tell dad i said that," he adds in a loud whisper and you nod.

"got it," you reply to him with a thumbs up. you look at minghao again, "i should take him home," you say.

"oh, yea. maybe i'll see you again," minghao says to you.

"my number is still the same if you want to meet up," you say to him, earning a smile from him.

"alright. thanks," he says. "bye n/n. have a good day with your auntie," he says to your nephew.

"bye mr. xu!" n/n says and tugs your hand. "auntie y/n, let's get ice cream!"

you laugh and start walking with him, "okay, but don't rat me out to your mom again. she'll get so mad."

"yes ma'am!"

[aclowntiny]

I was re-reading your works and then the 'how Ateez would confess to you inspired me!'

I was thinking: how would Ateez tell the other members you're dating!

You- you were rereading my works TIME TO CRY 🥹😭🥰 that means the world!!! Ok but in all related topics I have definite thoughts on this LET’S GOOOOOO

How Ateez Tell the Other Members You’re Dating

Hongjoong

It’s the biggest deal for him honestly because he’s the captain and all. It’s all well within his rights and Hongjoong feels strongly about you otherwise he wouldn’t be pursuing this, but still he has a duty to serve as an example for everyone.

He sits down with you first, looking so serious as he resides across from you in his wheeled office chair. You can’t help the sympathetic fall of your face as his deep brown eyes bore into you. But when he twists in his seat, cushion rotating beneath him, and asks how you’d feel about telling the guys, your expression turns to a smile. The excitement you wear is infectious and soon your hands are joined as if to transfer warm strength and energy while you plan the moment.

The next week, all of Ateez was gathered by their captain, who you agreed to lead the conversation as the group’s leading figure, but you stayed firmly by his side. He couldn’t have done it without you.

“I just wanted to tell you guys that as we’ve gotten to know each other,” Hongjoong began, leaning one hand on the edge of the table in the room as the other brushed yours at his side, “(y/n) and I, well, we’re more than friends.”

The other seven men all burst into choruses of excitement, teasing, and far more I knew its than you two had anticipated, your heart flipping at the thought of your chemistry being so obvious.

While Wooyoung and San made jokes to Hongjoong, Jongho and Yeosang stayed by you with soft smiles.

“Hongjoong needs someone like you. I’m glad you’re here to make him happy,” Ateez’s maknae tells you, and all you can do is rest a hand on his shoulder and smile, your other one finally falling into your boyfriend’s in front of everybody.

“Why were you so professional about it?” You heard Wooyoung laughing, totally interrupting the sweet moment. "And what did you mean by more than just friends, are you best friends?"

Ah, Ateez. How you loved your boyfriend’s crazy family.

Seonghwa

“Hey, you and (y/n) should date!” A comment from Mingi is all it takes for the walls of secrecy to begin to fall.

“Uh,” Seonghwa plays dumb, “why?”

“Because,” Mingi begins rambling, eyes wide and shiny like something out of an anime, “you guys always play legos together and (y/n) actually listens to all your ASMRs and-”

At this, Ateez’s eldest holds up a hand. “We don’t play legos, we build them. And besides, I’ve built them with San too. Should I date San?” At the mere ridiculous thought, an honest, not even nervous laugh escapes him. San is great and all, but ew.

“Noooo,” Mingi insists, “it’s different with you and (y/n). The way you look at each other and the way you laugh is so cute! I bet you anything if you had feelings they’d be returned! Just confess! Date!-”. Mingi inhales, probably about to add ‘kiss!’ or something, when Seonghwa cuts him off again, chuckling and shaking his head. This is how it is with kids, huh?

“Alright,” he nods, “fine. You’re right. I’ll confess and we’ll date. Guess you could tell how much I like (y/n), didn’t you?” Seonghwa adds with a chuckle. Stars in his eyes, Mingi nods, commenting something about Hongjoong suspecting too, and Seonghwa heads back to the other room out of the hall to where you were.

“Hey, (y/n)?” Seonghwa’s heart melts immediately at the way your head cocks like a little puppy when you hear his voice.

“Yes?” You reply.

“I really like you. We should date.”

“Oh, yeah?” You giggle at what you take as a joke, wrapping your arms around his shoulders. “Well,” you kiss his cheek, “I accept.”

“Did it work? I saw you guys kiss! It worked, huh?” The tall rapper called from down the hall.

“Oh,” you giggle again, “I didn’t know someone was watching.”

“Yeah, Mingi seems to think we’re perfect for each other.”

Still holding Seonghwa’s side with one hand, you cup the other around your mouth to call back, “Well, I agree, Mingi! That’s why we’re already dating!”

“WHAT?!?!” Mingi yells and San’s head pops out of a doorway shouting the same thing.

Yeah, cat’s definitely out of the bag now.

Yunho

There was no one else he'd rather do this with. Yunho had chosen you to be his partner for a new dance routine he wanted to practice, a close couples' performance that has him smiling cheekily just watching it. Even if it's not seen on a large stage, it's a development in his skills as well as something he hopes you'll enjoy together.

You were in the practice room going over a section of the routine when Seonghwa walks through the door. Yunho doesn't seem to notice or mind, still gliding over the shining wood floor with you, hand brushing your skin as he turned you, pulling you closer to him. When you turned out of the stance, that's when he seemed to finally notice his eldest hyung, who gaped a bit at the two of you.

"Oh, sorry, you weren't filming, right?"

"N-no," Yunho stammered from behind you. You could feel his heart beating fast against you from nerves and exertion.

"Oh, ok. What made you choose this routine?" He asked, cocking a brow and smiling faintly, eyes fixed on your boyfriend.

"Well, we were going to, er, perform it for everyone?"

"What a way to reveal that," Seonghwa teased.

"Wait, reveal what?" You stepped forward away from Yunho, spell broken as you played dumb.

"Don't worry," Seonghwa winked, crossing the practice room to pluck up the water bottle he'd left behind, "I'll act surprised when I see it. I love the dramatic flair! Keep that spin in your routine for sure."

"Thank you," Yunho told him earnestly, clapping him on the shoulder, "and we definitely will."

"But don't be so sexy, we'll all cringe! Our poor (y/n)!"

Yunho and you just exchanged smiles at the way he was more protective over you than him.

Yeosang

You're sitting at Yeosang’s side, knee brushing his just slightly. Reaching over, you steal a fluffy handful of popcorn out of his bowl, which he just glances down at, brow furrowing in confusion. Giggling, you pop one piece into your mouth and hold out another for him, which he accepts.

Ateez is over for a movie night with you, your boyfriend seated firmly at your side, conveniently providing a supply of snacks only you'll be allowed to filch from. Don't we all love partner privilege? You sure do, especially when it provides justified, unadulterated Yeosang cuddle time.

Speaking of which, his arm winds around your waist, his head leaning on your shoulder. Drinking in the warmth, you almost lose yourself in it all, the feeling of the blanket on your lap and his cheek against yours. But then...

"Uh, Yeosang?" You whisper beneath the sway of film orchestra and dialogue.

"Yes?" His breath fans your neck as he speaks before he sits up slightly against you, guarding the popcorn from spilling as he kisses your cheek once, twice.

"Hongjoong is staring at us."

"So what?" He hums dreamily.

"So, I think he's going to have some questions for us."

Sure enough, after the movie's climax, Ateez's captain approaches your couch, arms folding at his middle. "Uh, hey, I'm sorry if this is intrusive, but is there something you haven't told us?"

"Nice going," you tease Yeosang, elbowing his side.

"What," he asks innocently, "I was just enjoying the movie!"

"Oh, yeah? Well, I wish I had a 'movie' to enjoy, too!" San teases him too, pulling him into a bro hug.

"Yay, new Ateez member!" Mingi exclaims, hugging you from the other side.

"Don't break his heart," Wooyoung adds.

"Why, because I already broke yours stealing Yeosang?"

"Exactly," Wooyoung fake-cries.

When you glance back at your boyfriend, he's looking at you, the way Ateez are like brothers to you too, fondly. You two really are just extensions of each other.

San

You guys don’t really get a chance to sit down with everyone and formally discuss them due to a certain turn of events…

All of Ateez are visiting your place just to have one chill day in their lives- your words, not theirs. The rest of the guys don’t know you and San are dating; it’s pretty new, and though San told you they keep joking about his crush on you, he never gave it up without you.

You feel a hand rest upon your arm; turning, you know it’s San. “(y/n), how would you feel about telling everyone while we’re gathered today? I’d really like everyone to know so I can show you off and give you my love around everyone special to me!”

Your heart melts at his words. “Of course we can,” you nod, “I would love that. I love you.” And as you gaze into those warm brown eyes, your chest swells with fondness, with shared sweet, floaty emotions that have San leaning forward into a kiss.

Not that you’re in a rush to pull away, but you push back to separate your lips first, a jolt of shock having struck your head. “Wait, San, did you forget where we-”

“Oh. My. God!” As if on cue, Wooyoung, Yeosang, and Jongho shuffled back into the room, wide-eyed in Yeosang’s case, gaping-mouthed in Wooyoung’s, and smirking in amusement in Jongho’s. “When did this happen?”

“Uh,” you stuttered, glancing at San for help and breaking back into a smile when he took your hand warmly, “surprise?”

Mingi

“What if they don’t want you dating someone?”

“Then I don’t care,” Mingi replies immediately, eyes hard with determination, “and besides, we don’t have a ban and I know they like you. They won’t mind. They’re like my family, remember?”

You nod, but still a nervous chuckle escapes you. “Well, yeah, I’m nervous about talking to them too.”

“Well don’t be. It would be impossible for them not to love you.” Pulling you a little closer with the hand he had resting on your shoulder, Mingi presses a kiss to your forehead.

Mingi’s big heart never fails to cheer yours back up. Resting your head on his shoulder, you nod again faintly. “Your confidence means a lot. Let’s go.”

“Let’s go,” he repeats, allowing you to trail behind him as you meet up with the rest of the guys.

They all smile and wave when they see you, two of them even making their way to you. As you chat with Seonghwa and Yunho, you realize that the guys have been treating you like one of them for a while now, and your resolve grows.

“Hey guys,” Mingi calls out, and you shuffle subconsciously closer to his side, “there’s something I’ve been meaning to tell you. I’m the luckiest man in the world!”

“Uh, glad you feel that way?” Yeosang shrugs. “What’s brought this on?”

“(y/n) and I are a couple!” He replies dreamily, wrapping his arms around you.

The guys immediately cheer, Hongjoong regarding him with wide eyes and clapping his shoulder, Jongho shaking your hand like you guys had been bros forever.

“Wow, you weren’t kidding,” Yeosang teased, “how’d you manage to pull someone like (y/n)?”

Mingi just giggled at that before whispering to you, “See? I told you they love you. Just not as much as I do.”

Wooyoung

We all know this man is going to be conspicuous, we just do. It’s not so much something Wooyoung schemes how to break to the others, but wonders how he can brag about it properly.

It starts with a squabble, trivial words of argument bouncing between close friends in their home. “Well, Jongho can hit the highest notes!”

“What does that have to do with who’s the best dancer?” Yunho asked.

“Nothing, I just thought we should appreciate everyone instead of being stupid about people’s talents.”

“But who do you think is the best?” Mingi shot the question over, turning on his couch cushion to face you. “I can do the best body rolls!”

“But Yunho does more choreography,” Hongjoong pointed out.

“Well,” surely at the lack of attention, Wooyoung suddenly stood up, pulling you with him, “you know what I can do? This!” With no other warning, Wooyoung took you in his arms, dipping you and drawing you forth into his lips, one hand firm against the small of your back.

“Wooyoung, I-” You started, suddenly lost for words as he grinned down at you, then back to the room of your flabbergasted friends. “Shouldn’t we have told them first?”

“I just did. I win, everyone! (y/n)’s mine!” Joining your hands, he hoisted them up like an Olympic medalist.

Jongho

Frankly, he doesn’t want to make a big production out of telling them, and you don’t relish the idea of an awkward conversational spotlight either. Thus, together you decide to just proceed as normal until they figure it out.

You’re a friend to all eight members, so you go out with Jongho and his seven bros one day shortly after you two became a couple. You guys are actually in the amusement park when Jongho and you just shrug and take each other’s hand, wondering if the others will even notice as your fingers interlace. They do, but they’re so dense they sort of start muttering to each other like “That’s new isn’t it?”.

Well, whatever for them, you two shrug and smile laughingly to each other as Jongho lets go of your hand, placing a gift shop headband on you and asking your permission for a photo, which you grant him. You and Jongho remain in front of the group with your joined hands raising whatever they did- who cared? You can't help the mischievous laughter that keeps escaping you as you wind through colorful displays together, off in your own world even as the other guys invite you onto rides with them, even wanting to sit next to you or Jongho.

He buys you a bracelet at one point, slipping it around your wrist with a soft smile. Yeosang raises an eyebrow, but also smiles and asks his younger bro if he can have a bracelet, too, prompting some three-way banter.

The biggest ‘tell’ you and Jongho leave is when you finally reach the crest of the highest roller coaster hill and, grinning, lean in for a kiss before you drop, the two members behind you screaming even louder at the sight. No one even has time to recover from the vertigo before Wooyoung and Yunho are scrambling to the others, shouting and stammering up a whole mess about their maknae and you.

[kaciidubs]

Hoodie Season | Hyung Line

❣ Summary: What it would be like stealing and wearing their hoodie ❣ ❣ Warnings: None - just fluff and implied relationships. ❣ ❣ Gender Neutral! Reader [No use of Y/N]❣ ❣ Additional Tags: Reader is referred to as baby, sweetheart, thief [lovingly], Chan is referred to as Chris ❣ Maknae Line ❣ Stray Kids Masterlist ❣ General Masterlist ❣ AO3 ❣

Chris

Would it still be considered ‘taking his hoodie’ if he actively encouraged you to wear them? 

It’s probably his favorite thing in the world - seeing you relaxing on the couch in his studio while wrapped up in one of his hoodies, doing your own thing while he worked on one of his many tracks.

“You doing okay over there, baby?” He called over his shoulder, sliding his headphones around his neck before turning in his chair, “Hungry or anything?”

You looked over at him with a soft smile and he couldn’t help but give a dimpled smile back, admiring the way his hoodie nearly swamped you in fabric.

“I’m fine - could probably go for a bite later on, though.”

“20 minutes and I’m all yours - my treat.” He offered with a grin, hiding a chuckle when you sat up at his prospect.

“Sounds perfect, but don’t rush yourself, alright?”

He loved it even more whenever you’d send him a random selfie during the day; sometimes making a silly face or using a cute filter, and the collar of his gray Maniac hoodie would show up in the edge of the photo - or even covering your head, and partially your face due to how oversized he ordered it.

Sometimes, when their schedule had them going out for a few days or so, he’d make sure to leave behind your favorite hoodie of his with a note; ‘In case you miss me too much’.

Chris would absolutely end up getting matching hoodies for the both of you, even going so far as spraying yours with his cologne to make it feel more like his.

All in all, Chris absolutely loved the idea of you “stealing” his hoodies, even if he was the one giving them to you.

Minho

Though Minho wasn’t the type to have a closet overflowing with hoodies like a few of his members - Chris, Seungmin, and Jeongin, namely - he did have four or five that he kept in his rotation. So, when that rotation shortened by one, he knew who the culprit was immediately.

“Hi, you!” Your charming voice filled the speaker of his phone, and he wasted no time in getting to the point of his call.

“I didn’t know I was dating a thief.”

A confused hum came through the phone, before he heard the tell-tale sound of a hidden giggle, “I don’t know what you’re talking about.”

He scoffed, amused at the failed smugness you attempted in your tone, “Oh, really? So you know nothing about a green Mahagrid hoodie that was hanging in my closet the last time you came over?”

“Nope, not a clue, I don’t even know what a hoodie is!”

This time he couldn’t help but laugh, “You can’t trick me! I know you took it from my closet - what do you even need it for anyways? Didn’t you end up buying one in a different color?!”

“Yes - but it’s not the same! Yours is so much softer, Min, can you blame me?”

“Actually, I can, since it’s stolen property.”

“Then sue me!”

“I will!” He smiled at the sound of your laughs on the other end, only to look up and see a few of the other members trickling into the dance studio, “We’ll continue this later, thief.”

“I’ll make sure my lawyer’s present - have fun at practice, honey.”

Hanging up, he let the remnants of the silly conversation settle over him before he felt his phone vibrate, lighting up with a text message from you. Opening the text chat, he was met with a picture of you in said stolen hoodie, a mischievous grin on your lips with a text underneath; “Thief: 1, Boyfriend: 0”.

He wouldn’t admit it out loud, but his heart skipped a beat seeing you in clothing he’d worn himself - you looked so natural in it, somehow more comfortable than when you wore your own.

Sure, he’d make a whole scene of it whenever you’d manage to swap out his rotation again, but deep down he felt a sense of pride about it - he even added a few more into his selection just to see them disappear from his closet after a month or so.

You were a hoodie thief, but you were his hoodie thief, and he wouldn’t have it any other way.

Changbin

Changbin was the perfect subject for stealing hoodies - the sizes were always perfect for being hugged in fabric with hoodie-paws from the oversized sleeves, not to mention the fact that he left them everywhere, so who could blame you from picking them up and adding them to your own collection at home?

“Sweetheart? Have you seen my hoodie?” He called from your room, the sound of him shuffling through his duffle bag echoing down the short hall.

“The one you came over in? It’s on the couch, Binnie!”

“No, no, there was one I had a week ago, I thought I left it in the recording studio but none of the staff saw it so I figured it’d be back at the dorm!” His voice grew louder as he entered the living room, bed head fluffy and black t-shirt slightly ruffled, “But then I couldn’t find it when I got home, so I just wanted to know if you saw it anywhere.”

“I don’t know, Bin, you have so many it’s kind of hard to keep track of.” You walked into the living room from the kitchen, attention focused on sending a text, “What color is it, maybe I-”

“Hey!”

You jumped, looking up at him with furrowed eyebrows, tilting your head when he merely stared back at you with an incredulous grin.

“You’re wearing it! I thought you didn’t know where it was- when’d you get it from the studio?!” He rushed toward you, eyes bright with an even brighter smile on his face as he took you in; the green Supreme hoodie that was already big on him had practically doubled in size on you in the cutest way possible. “You’re so adorable in it! God, how’d you manage to get even cuter? What am I going to do with you?”

You could barely get a word in when he took you into his arms, rocking side to side and smothering your cheeks in a flurry of kisses.

“B-Bin! I didn’t know, I swear!” You managed to wiggle your face away from his onslaught of kissing and incoherent cooing, “Chris noticed you left it and gave it to me the last time I visited the building with Felix - I meant to give it to you but then I wore it one time and it just… stuck with me!”

Changbin held you at arms length, studying the way his hoodie came to your thighs, the way the sleeves were bunched excessively around your wrists - he swore if you put the hood over your head, you’d turn into a green Supreme hoodie monster.

“I’ll give it back if you want to wear-”

“No! Keep it, it looks good on you - I’ll just wear the other one and when I want it back, I’ll trade with you.”

Of course he’d hold true to his word; whenever you had a hoodie of his that he wanted to wear, he’d trade you for one you wanted to wear, and vice versa - anything to see you wrapped up in his clothes.

Hyunjin

If Minho was jokingly dramatic about his hoodies being stolen, Hyunjin was overly dramatic - almost to the point where it was like the world was ending and he’d never see his dear hoodies ever again.

Of course, he loved seeing you attempt to recreate his outfits with his hoodies as the staple piece, but that didn’t mean he was going to pass up the chance at giving you little hassle for raiding his closet.

“Hyun, it’s only for one day, I promise I’ll give it back to you!”

“But why do you have to take that one?! Why can’t you take the gray one, it goes better with your shoes!”

You rolled your eyes at his stylistic reasoning, clutching the black SKZ hoodie in your hands. “Because I want to wear this one, whether it goes with my shoes or not!”

“But what if I wanted to wear that one? Huh? What about me?” He pouted at you from his position on his bed, tilting his head to add to the pitiful curl of his lips.

“If you wanted to wear this one, you’d be wearing it instead of your balenciaga one, now wouldn’t you?” Raising an eyebrow at him, a bashful smile easily broke through his dramatic facade as he tugged at the black sleeves making you laugh. “What am I going to do with you, my drama prince?”

“Keep taking my hoodies until I’m left with nothing but a worn out t-shirt?” He grinned, running a hand through his unstyled blond hair.

“Darling, you have more clothes than me, I think you’ll survive missing this one hoodie.” Sliding the article over your head, you took a second to go over the fit in his mirror with a satisfied hum. Maybe it didn’t go with your shoes, but it was warm and smelled like him, and that was all that mattered.

“Miss it?! Nuh uh, you said it was only for today you thief!”

Safe to say, after a bit more teasing - and giving him kisses as “payment” for wearing his clothes - you both ended up going out in his hoodies, but one of them might not have ended up back where it belonged.

❣ Honestly, this was very much inspired by me listening to Hoodie Season on repeat recently, but can you blame me? As always, feedback is appreciated! Whether it be a simple like, reblog, or keyboard smash and the most essay-like comment, feel free to share your thoughts. ❣

[honey-on-your-tongue]

"Letting me put my fingers in your pussy while you take my cock, girl. Tomorrow, same time, alright?”

PLEASE I need to read this

😩😩😩😩😩😩 I'm so sorry it took so long babyyyy!!! But it's finally here 🤭🤭

If you haven't read part one, you can find it here!

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You stare at Jake as he approaches, your eyes wide and nervous, eager and lustful. You’re right on time, waiting like the good little girl you are. Jake can smell your arousal miles off.

He reaches you with a smirk on his face. “Hi, baby,” he greets.

You’re sitting on the ground, all ready, your pussy throbbing and soaking at the mere memory of his promise from yesterday.

Letting me put my fingers in you while you take my cock, girl. 

“Hi,” you say back, voice shy.

Jake sits in front of you, patting his lap, and you crawl to him, straddling his hips. He grabs onto your hips, fingers kneading into your flesh. “Eager, are we?” he teases, making you blush and fold your ears back. Jake chuckles. “You’re so fuckin’ pretty, such a good girl, baby.” He kisses the corner of your mouth. “My good girl, huh?”

“Yours,” you agree, grinding your hips onto Jake’s, feeling his cock twitching and hardening beneath you. “‘m all yours, Jake.”

He grins, kissing your jaw and moving lower, to your neck. Your slick is dripping through your loincloth now, smearing onto Jake’s, and he can feel it. He can smell it.

He snakes one of his hands down to your pussy, sliding it under your loincloth and finding your slick folds. He caresses them slowly and then slides a finger between them. You jerk as he prods at your entrance, softly sighing.

“You want me inside, kid?” he asks.

You nod eagerly. “Please,” you whine. “Please put your cock in me, Jake.”

He laughs softly. “If people could hear the way you talk to me,” he says, whistling lowly. “Goddamn, hm? What would they say?” He nibbles on the skin of your throat. “What would your dad say?”

You shudder.

He smirks. He loves how you squirm when he reminds you how wrong this is, loves how it only riles you up even more. “What did you tell your parents you were doin’?” he asks, curious. “Why did you say you were going out?”

“Just to ride my ikran around,” you reply breathlessly.

Jake chuckles. “Oh, you’ll be riding, alright.” He pushes his loincloth aside, his cock springing to attention. You’re quick to remove your own loincloth, your eyes begging him wordlessly.

Jake helps you sink down onto his cock. You moan, pussy dripping, eyes fluttering shut. You hold onto his shoulders, steadying yourself, your nails digging into his skin.

“Fuck, look at you,” he groans, his eyes trained on your cunt as it drips onto his thighs. “So easy f’r me, hm?”

You nod. “Jake, please,” you gasp.

He chuckles, leaning his face towards yours, kissing your jaw, moving his lips to your ears to say, “You remember what I told you yesterday? Remember what I said I’d do?”

You nod, eager, eyes snapping open and just about shining. “What if I can’t take it?” you question, nervous.

He smiles gently. “You’ll do fine, kid. Trust me, alright?”

“Okay,” you agree, shy.

Jake maneuvers your hips, rotating them so that his cock stretches out your pussy, allowing him to press against your g-spot. You whine softly, cunt pulsing around him.

You can feel your cunt softly stretching open, your slick lubing his cock, allowing him to slip in and out with ease as he begins pulling your hips up before bringing them back down.

Jake can feel the way you relax around him, how you loosen up, your cunt molding to his cock. He slides his hands lower, from your hips to your ass, and then one of his hands moves to your pussy. His fingers tease your entrance, all stretched out from his cock, and your gaze meets his, hesitant.

“Easy,” he coos when you clench around him, uneasy. “‘s okay, baby,” he promises, licking your neck. “We don’t have to do this if you don’t want to.”

“I want to,” you promise. “I just…what ‘f it hurts?”

“You tell me if it hurts, kid. And I’ll immediately stop,” he assures you.

Your big doe eyes watch him, full of lust and trust. “Alright,” you agree.

Jake kisses your jaw, biting across your skin before pressing a kiss to your lips. “Relax f’r me, baby,” he whispers. “Take a deep breath and relax, okay?”

You breathe softly, inhaling deeply and then exhaling gently.

“That’s it,” Jake encourages, his fingers prodding at your entrance as he feels you loosen around him. “Another deep breath, girl.”

You do as asked, closing your eyes, relaxing, trusting Jake in what he does. You know he’d never hurt you, never do anything that would harm or incommode you. You’d place your life in his hands if you had to, without a second thought.

“Good girl,” Jake praises, kissing the tip of your nose. “Look at me, baby. Lemme see those pretty eyes of yours.” You open your eyes, finding his amber gaze, and he smiles. “You’re so fuckin’ precious, angel. Such a good baby,” he tells you. “Another deep breath, alright?”

You nod, inhaling, filling your lungs with a deep breath, and Jake kisses you# his lips warm against yours. Then, he slides his tongue into your mouth, licking you all over.

Without warning, he slips his middle and ring fingers into your cunt, and as you gasp, surprised, he bites your lower lip.

You squeal, tears brimming the corner of your eyes not because it hurts, but because you’re so fucking full. 

“Jake!” you whine, pussy fluttering around his cock and his fingers as they press against your g-spot.

“Goddamn,” Jake groans, his voice rough, his ears folded back from the pleasure.

“‘s so much,” you mewl, a few tears falling from your eyes and rolling down your flushed cheeks. “‘m so full.”

He chuckles. “It’s so dirty, hm? You’re such a slut f’r me. So fuckin’ needy for my cock, and even that’s not enough, you needed my fingers in you too.”

You nod. “Yes,” you gasp. “I need all ‘f you,” you reply.

Something inside of Jake feels excited, eager, almost terrified from how intense the sensation is. “What d’you mean, angel?”

“Fuck me,” you beg. “Fuck me, use me, Jake. Please.”

He groans. “Fuck, I love it when you beg,” he says and starts thrusting into you. You mewl, eyes rolling into the back of your head.

Jake’s cock is wide and long, but combined with his fingers in you, you feel like he’ll split you in half. You cry out, tears spilling from your eyes, your own spit dripping out of your swollen lips.

Jake lowers his head to your chest, kissing your breasts, sucking on your hardened nipples. You can’t do much but whine his name, your pussy tight around him, your ass slapping against his thighs.

“Jake!” you mewl, feeling the pleasure curl within your womb, sending sparks across your skin.

Your body is trembling. You’re seeing stars behind your eyelids, your face wet with your tears, your cunt raw and throbbing as Jake fucks into you. His fingers are playing with that spongy spot in you that has you jerking. Every brush of his fingers sends more bliss to your womb until you feel like you might faint from the pleasure.

“‘m close,” you warn, biting your lower lip. You can feel your orgasm growing, spreading through your body, making your skin feel alight with ecstasy.

But as your pleasure reaches the edge, you can tell it’s different, somehow more intense, and you feel something low in your stomach reach out, making your body grow taut. And suddenly you’re over the edge, your orgasm crashing over you, and a gush of your slick squirts out of you. You gasp at the sensation as you squirt all over Jake’s lower stomach, soaking his groin and making him groan.

“Goddamn,” he gasps, his cock twitching inside you. And then he’s spilling into you, his cum filling your pussy, coating his cock and his fingers alike. “Fuck, that’s my girl.”

You’re gasping, a few tears still falling from your eyes as Jake pulls his fingers out of you. You watch, enthralled, as he licks his digits clean. Then, he helps you off his cock and lies you on the ground. He pushes your tangled hair off your face and asks, “How’re you feeling, kid?”

You smile softly. “‘m good,” you tell him, half-asleep, exhausted from the pleasure, downright fucked dumb. You take a deep breath and say, “I wanna be yours, Jake. Your…,” you hesitate and reword your phrase to say, “yours.”

Jake kisses your shoulder. “Mine in what way, sweetheart?”

Your eyes are closing, your mind drifting away as sleep threatens to wash over you. “Your mate,” you whisper. “I want to be your mate.”

Jake is shocked by your words. He can’t reply. He remains silent, frozen in place, just watching you. After a moment, your breathing grows heavy and even, and he realizes you’ve fallen asleep.

Jake sits on the ground beside you, wondering what he’s going to do with you now. You poor, naive little thing. Was he truly stupid enough to make you fall for him?

A little voice in his head scoffs at him and says, stupid enough to fall for her in return, skxawng.

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@kamcrazy123 @yagirlheree @sweetllamaparadise @neytirishottie

-----

Blog masterlist

[thebeast-dennis-etcetera]

Calls Abroad

A tired sigh left your lips as you looked at the living room before you. Lego pieces scattered the floor, farm animals and action figures lodged between all the couch cushions, and dishes from dinner were still on the coffee table, half eaten Mac and cheese all dried up on the plates.

After putting the kids to bed, showering, and sewing your son’s favorite stuffed bear’s nose back on after the dog ripped it off, it was nearing midnight and you still had the house to clean. Or at least the living room since it looked like a bomb went off in it. The rest you could put off till the morning.

Grabbing the Lego box, you began throwing all the legos and miscellaneous toys in it as your cellphone chimed. Pulling it from your pocket, you saw a text message from your husband.

Jethro ⛵️❤️: Call?

You smiled, knowing he only texted you because he knew how late it was and didn’t want to wake you with a loud phone call. Doing the math in your head, you calculated it to be around 6 in the morning for him, most likely already fully awake and drinking his second coffee.

You: Of course. I’ll call you on the computer. 😘

Forgetting the task you were doing, you took a seat on the couch while opening up your laptop and started a video call. A few seconds of waiting for a connection and his face appeared on screen. He was sitting at a table, dressed in his NCIS uniform, coffee in hand. He looked just as tired as you felt and a pang of longing hit you. He had been gone for only two days but you already missed him holding you at night and helping you with the kids.

“Hey hun,” he greeted with a soft smile that you returned. “Why aren’t you in bed already?”

Instead of giving an answer, you took the laptop and spun it around so he could see what you were dealing with, hearing him sigh a little.

“I’m sorry I’m not there to help. Hopefully we’ll be closing this case in the next day or so and I’ll be back before the end of the week.”

You just nodded, not really having much to say about it since the argument it caused days before he left. You knew it was unfair to be upset when his job needed him to travel but sometimes you felt like you barely saw him when he was in the States, let alone half way across the world.

“I miss you,” he stated. “And the kids. I wanted to say hi.”

“Jethro. It’s almost 1 in the morning here. I’m not waking them up.”

A look of disappointment crossed his face and it made you feel guilty. You know he just missed his babies.

“Here. I’ll bring you to see them but I’m not waking them. It took 2 guessing games and 3 bedtime stories to put them down,” you explained, lifting his spirits.

You made your way up the stairs and down the hall to their room, where the door was already cracked open. The sound of their white noise machine played softly as their rotating underwater themed lamp illuminated the room just enough so Jethro could see them. You saw him smile as you went over and caressed each one’s head, both of them so deep in sleep, they didn’t even stir at the touch.

He didn’t say anything until you exited the room and went back downstairs, out of ear shot.

“I can’t wait to be back home with you guys. I’m sure Frank is keeping my side of the bed warm for me while I’m away,” he insinuated, your dog picking his head up from the couch at the sound of his name.

“He is. And he even hogs all the blankets like you do, it’s almost like you’re right there with me.”

You both laughed before a yawn forced its way out of you, as you rubbed your eyes tiredly.

“Alright hun, I’ll let you go. I’m gonna have McGee send you some photos we’ve taken since I don’t know how to do any of that. But I miss you and I love you.”

You blew him a kiss before replying, “I love you more Jethro. Goodnight. Stay safe.”

You both ended the call, bringing you back to your clean up. It didn’t take you as long as you thought it would have, getting everything squared away and you were in bed with Frank by your side in less than an hour. You cuddled Jethro’s pillow, inhaling his scent as it lulled you to sleep quickly.

[paintyoureyeswithavividmind]

close to home | chapter twenty nine

close to home | chapter twenty nine

plot: the reader and Daryl keep watch overnight

series masterlist

Pairing: Eventual Daryl Dixon x f!reader Word Count: 1,604 Warnings: violence, blood, typical twd A/N: thank you for reading!!!

Getting out of Georgia was easy, but the trip started getting slower as you had to keep stopping to move cars out of the way or recline the seats and hide from a passing herd. It was nearing evening, and you were only a quarter of the way into the trip. 

Rick must’ve pulled over because the van did, and then so did Daryl. You were sitting up front with him now. You were driving a few hours ago before Daryl took over. 

“I’ll go see what he wants,” You said, getting out of the car. You jogged over to where Rick stood by the van, talking with Abraham. “What’s going on?”

“It’s going to be dark soon. I don’t like the idea of driving around in the dark. I think we should get off the highway, stretch our legs. But we’re not familiar with the area. I think it’s a good idea to sleep in the cars tonight.” Rick said. 

“There enough room in the van for you guys?” You asked the redhead. 

“Yeah, half of them slept the whole way anyway,” Abraham said. “I like the plan. Let’s get a move on, don’t need our asses hanging out in the breeze.”

You chuckled as you walked back to the SUV, looking for walkers on the highway before climbing into the car. “Rick wants to stop for the night off the highway. He wants us to hold up in the cars tonight. He doesn’t know the area and would rather us all be safe and tucked away. How sweet.” You joked.

Rick led the line off the highway and into an underpass, where a decent amount of wrecked cars were just sitting there. Daryl drove the SUV into one of the wrecks, so it didn’t stand out. You grabbed your belongings as everyone unloaded from the car. 

“Wait, Daryl,” You said as he started to get out of the car. Everyone else had left already. “Don’t go hunting tonight.”

“What?”

You looked at where most of the group was, all talking and stretching their legs. “It’s just, we don’t know where we are, really. And if something happens, we have to leave, and you’re not here…” You trailed off. 

“We need the food,” Daryl said, looking at you in confusion. 

You closed your eyes momentarily and tried to push away your anxiety. “Please, Daryl. For me. Please.”

Slowly he nodded, and you thanked him with a nod before you both joined the group. Carl was getting reacquainted with Tora, who wanted nothing more than to be put down so she could go about her business. 

“Alright, guys,” Rick said, and everyone stopped talking. “We’re in unfamiliar territory. We can’t afford anyone getting split from the group. I know it’s gonna be uncomfortable, but I’d like to ask you all to sleep in the cars tonight. If something happens, I wanna be able to hit the road. I want each car to have a watch rotation going. We’ll park ‘em right next to each other so we can see. Work out the rotation amongst your cars. But for now, let’s stretch our legs, eat some food and enjoy the fresh air before we go to sleep.”

The group moved to the grassy area beside the underpass to set up a fire and get dinner going. You, Sasha, and Tyreese got to work while Carol and Michonne did a quick loop around the area to make sure it was decently safe. 

You kept an eye on Daryl to make sure he wasn’t going to sneak off. But he kept his word and stuck by Rick, talking in hushed voices about whatever it is they talk about. 

After eating, you and Carl played with Tora for a while to make sure she was getting her energy out. When the sun was nearly set, and Rick started nagging everyone to get in the cars, Carl begged you to let him take Tora for the night. You were hesitant, but you knew how much the kid loved the cat, and you couldn’t say no to him. So you made sure he understood that he didn’t let her out until the sun rose, to which he readily agreed. 

Once in the car for the night, you all discussed how you wanted to do watch rotations. You all decided to do it in pairs of two since you thought it was safer. Glenn and Maggie would take the first watch, then you and Daryl, and then Carol and Noah. You managed to score the back seat and got it to recline decently, so Carol and Noah could do the same. 

Too soon, Maggie was waking the two of you up for your watch. You yawned as you fixed the seat and shook your head awake. It was pitch black outside, which kind of gave you the creeps. Being under the underpass didn’t help. But this provided cover, and it would be safer in the event of something happening. 

Looking out your window, you could barely see Rick and Abraham’s cars. You knew they were there, but it still crept you out. 

You and Daryl were on watch for about four hours, and it felt like it would stretch on for eternity. The car was a bit warm but had cooled down considerably, and it was so dark you could barely make out Glenn and Maggie in the front. 

“This is really creepy,” You whispered to Daryl, pressing your face against the back window and making out a few shapes. 

“Ya fine,” He replied, his voice just as low as yours. 

You sighed through your nose and pulled your legs up. You weren’t sure how much time had passed; you were pretty confident that the clock on the dashboard wasn’t correct. It must’ve been about an hour or so of silence. You kept yourself amused by having fake arguments with Abraham, imagining everything you wished you’d said to him back when you were on the road to D.C.

Your eyes started to close just as you felt something thud against the car. You jumped slightly and scootched closer to Daryl, who was looking out the window.

“You see anything?” You whispered.

“Just a walker by itself,” Daryl whispered. “Wait, hold on…”

Your fingers twitched with anxiety, and you moved closer, so your knee bumped against his. “What is it?”

He didn’t respond, and you grew impatient, so you quietly moved so you were kneeling on the seat, and you leaned over his lap to look out the window too. It took your eyes a few seconds to adjust to the darkness outside the car, and you could spot two figures walking toward the cars. You couldn’t tell who or what they were, but when you heard a silencer go off and the sound of the walker dropping, you knew they were alive. 

You weren’t sure why you were feeling so scared. You hadn’t been scared like this since the beginning, but something about the group being split up into three cars and unable to see anything had your hands shaking. The past week had been hell, and you just wanted a break. Your anxiety was starting to get the better of you. 

“Daryl,” You whispered so low you weren’t even sure he heard you. 

“‘S okay, (Y/N),” He said just as quietly. 

You thanked God the back windows of the SUV were so tinted, and it was too dark to see anything through the front windows anyway. Still, your hands shook as you watched the two figures get closer and closer to the car. 

“Come on, we’re almost there,” One of them said. It was a man.

“I told you we should have found someplace to hold up for the night,” The other said; it was a man. 

“We’re almost at the safe house. Just another mile or so,”

“We should just hold up in one of these cars or something,”

Your breath hitched, and you tried to steady it. You felt a hand on your back, and you glanced at Daryl, who was focused on looking out the window. 

“Nah, I wanna get these meds back to Lily. The fever’s been kicking her ass. Come on, man, we’re fine.”

You watched as they started walking away, and when their figures fully disappeared you sighed with relief. You weren’t sure who from the other cars heard the two guys, but you knew they had to. You wondered if they were as worried as you. 

You sat back and let out another shaky breath. Your stomach was anxious, and you shivered a bit. But Daryl’s hand was still placed squarely on your back, and the heat from it made you warm up. 

“You okay?” He asked. 

You glanced over at him and realized how close you two were. His face was only a few inches from yours. You couldn’t distinguish his features well in the dark, but he was there. It was probably the closest you’d ever been to his face, and your heart started beating quickly. Your mouth was dry, and you felt your fingers twitch. 

“Yeah, sorry,” You finally whispered and moved back. His hand dropped from your back as you sat down. You took a deep breath and let it out slowly. Then you grabbed your water bottle and took a small sip. 

“There a lot of us,” Daryl reminded you, “You’re safe.”

You tried your best to believe his words. 

[dandylovesturtles]

@theplacewhereidumpmyinterests I can't talk about most of them because they're part of an AU verse I want to keep secret until I have the first fic that's part of it written, and idk when that will be (by summer?? HOPEFULLY??), but I guess I can talk about the other one because idk if/when I will write a fic for him (I'd like to but like I am only human)

"more AUs Dandy?" LISTEN all I do is sit around and think about "what if"s, okay?

ok so this started as me being like, hm, we see Lou Jitsu with a rotating door of women, so many he doesn't seem to remember all their names, so it's not totally out there to think he might have gotten one of them pregnant, right?

and thus Marcus (middle name Kyle) was born! literally!

so the story for this is, Lou Jitsu had a fling with a woman in the early 90s, pre-Big Mama. they were both in agreement that the whole thing was casual and it didn't last very long, but oopsie-daisy about six weeks after their last night together she finds out she's pregnant.

she debates what to do for a bit, because, as established, Lou Jitsu is kinda a fuckboi and she doesn't really want a relationship with him. But once she decides she's definitely keeping the baby she feels like she can't just not tell him, right? so she tries!

...unfortunately he's dating Big Mama by that point and she interferes to make sure that Lou Jitsu never meets with the woman and never finds out, because she knows this would get in the way of her plans.

she takes never hearing back from LJ as a sign he just isn't interested in the kid and resolves to single-motherhood. which she is the best at, btw.

she's still considering trying to introduce Marcus to his dad at some point, but unfortunately her kid isn't even 5 before Lou Jitsu suddenly goes missing, with his teary fiancée telling a sob story to the cops. assuming, same as everyone else, that he's dead, she lets the whole thing go, though she does tell Marcus who his dad is once he's old enough to understand everything.

Marcus goes through periods of being obsessed with Lou Jitsu, watching all his movies and consuming every piece of media about him that he can find, and periods where he can't stand to even hear the name. it's up and down. from his perspective, LJ abandoned him and his mom, but he's also dead, so it's not like he can have closure on this ever, right? so it's just a thing he has to deal with on his own.

but he's fine! he's alright. he gets through high school, then college, then accepted into vet school just fine.

then... his mom gets sick and dies.

yeah, that's a hard blow.

but he's alright! he has a few buddies from college he still sees now and then, and he's started his zoo vet residency at the Bronx Zoo (with a particularly special interest in reptiles), so lots of new people to meet that way! he's doing great! he's not lonely at all!

(a few months ago, he was suddenly woken up by a surge of something, like dozens of voices were crying out to him for help, tugging him toward something, saying his family needs him...

yeah, no idea what that was about. he doesn't have any family anymore.)

then the sky opens up and aliens come out.

Marcus is at work, because of course aliens would attack at the beginning of his shift. he spends the day ushering survivors into safe zones within the zoo, using his medical knowledge to handle first aid, and just trying to stay sane as the whole world turns upside down.

and then just as suddenly as it all started... it stops.

in the aftermath, everyone around him is just trying to get home, desperately calling their loved ones and praying for the best. Marcus starts trying to figure out how he's going to get home, because the trains definitely aren't running, and as he looks as his phone for a spark of inspiration, he realizes... no one has tried to call him. his coworkers' phones have been going off all day, whenever they can get signal, as loved ones try to reach them, but... he doesn't have anyone trying to reach him. and as he sits there he realizes he doesn't know who he should be calling, either.

so. that's pretty depressing.

and as he's sitting there, thinking about his life and what led him here, in a now empty vet clinic outside the bronx zoo... he hears a noise. and then, voices.

ah great. looters.

at first, Marcus tries to call 911 - but obviously the call center is swamped. so he decides to take care of the problem himself, going to see who's there and get rid of them...

wait, who is he kidding? he's definitely not paid enough to confront potentially armed looters! he's going to get out of here.

but just as he starts to leave, he hears the voices again - coming from one of the surgery rooms this time. and they're talking about IVs... scalpels... anesthesia...

suddenly he realizes that these aren't looters - they're here to try and treat somebody.

and like hell is he going to let some idiot kill someone trying to do DIY surgery.

so he turns back around and bursts into the room... on two humans, a rat that counts as giant even for New York, and four very big, very injured turtles.

one of whom immediately points a gun in his face. to be fair, that's what he thought would happen.

"Donnie!" yells the biggest one, and, oh, they can talk. huh.

"Relax, it's just a tranquilizer!"

"Donatello!" that's the rat. there's a sound like a whip cracking and the one with the gun makes a startled noise and drops it.

now the rat is in front of him. he's looking up at Marcus imploringly. "Do you work here?" he asks.

"Y-yeah. I'm a vet."

the rat bows very politely. "my sons are seriously hurt, and I don't have the supplies to help them at home. I understand it is a lot to ask, but... we must use your supplies. please, if you could just look the other way."

Marcus looks around at the turtles, especially the one on the table, the one worst off. he looks mangled. he won't live long if he isn't properly treated.

a rat, two humans who look like teenagers, and the turtles. who the rat called "sons". now that he's noticing, they're all pretty short, other than the big one. are they also teenagers?

"...Are any of you doctors?" he asks. the littlest one starts to raise a hand, but the girl grabs it and forces it back down.

everyone else has left by now. he's the only doctor here.

alright. guess he's doing this.

"...okay, everyone make some room. let me get sterilized, and I'll see what we're working with here."

and that's how the son Lou Jitsu didn't know he had becomes primary care doctor to his teenage mutant ninja half-brothers. ^^

(and then a bunch of other stuff happens)

[defire]

Back to the Dregs Part 3

Part 1 Next:

Overall story Cw because I forgot to add this earlier: beatings, kidnapping, captivity, gang violence, explicit rape, nonconsensual nudity, forced to watch, memories of child abuse, flogging (after a fashion)

Cw (for this part): beating, kidnapping, reference to broken bones

Listening to the rumble of the truck's wheels under the floor where his face pressed, Michael felt like he was drowning in panic and flashback.

This isn't who I am.

I'm not six years old with a mom that hates me. I'm not twelve with a backpack full of drugs.

I'm a man. I have a job. I have a guy on my side, and coworker that… well, I like him.

Michael wasn't that helpless kid anymore, no matter how trapped, angry, panicked…

He squeezed his eyes shut as if he could block out the feelings and focused on rotation of the wheels under his head.

The singing of a highway meant they were now probably going around sixty. If he could find a marker for time, maybe he could figure out how many miles out from Cleveland they'd gone based on miles-per-hour, and then he could make a few guesses about what area they were in when they arrived.

His wrists and arms hurt, stressed and sore, with the hard plastic ziptie digging into his bare skin and the circulation slow and pulsing.

He groaned and got to his knees, lungs aching with the deeper breaths.

"Stay down." Someone warned.

His old instincts told him to obey, stay quiet, hunker down, and hope for mercy.

Fuck that.

Michael wasn't that kid anymore. Anything but that; anything to get away from that old identity that he hated.

Even as he pictured being crushed and beat down under six people, hands tied behind his back, bones breaking, he was getting to his feet.

He staggered a step back as he rose, and an invisible hand swiped in front of his face in the blackness. His back thumped against the wall, and his fingers were too numb to sense the metal that chilled his forearms.

The second swipe got him by the shoulder, and a punch immediately followed up, sending him back down with a wail of pain, this time falling onto a pile of tires halfway to the floor.

"Turn on a light, will you Gabe?" Jordie's voice came out of the darkness.

Gabe didn't answer, but there was a click and the truck, which was now rumbling away from Michael's house, was lit up by one of those stick-on LED lights, which was stuck to the ceiling.

The light showed Gabe and three others in the back, and two much scarier thugs in the front. One was the first guy with the gun. The one on Michael's right, Jordie, he was pretty sure, was wrapping his knuckles with medical tape.

"Thanks." Jordie said to Gabe without even glancing back. He was glaring at Michael as he wrapped the white tape around his knuckles, not even looking down to check his technique. If he kept that roll of tape in his pocket for occasions like this, Michael was not surprised that he had a lot of practice.

"You bust my lip," Jordie said. "I bust your jaw."

Michael's eyes widened.

"Fuck, wait, I was only defending myself--"

"Now wait, Jordie," The first man put a hand on his arm. "We need him."

"Then let's record me breaking his jaw." Jordie shrugged, reaching for Michael, who recoiled back reflexively, only to hit the wall with his back.

He had to fight back. Being known as a fighter could make people decide that you weren't the trouble of fucking with. Besides, it was much better for his mental health than just taking it.

The man's hand closed around his jaw, middle finger jabbing into his cheek, pressing into his molars.

"We need him to be able to talk, Jordie."

Jordie's eyes sparkled with rage.

"I'm not taking whatever you dish out." Michael pushed the words out through his teeth.

Gabe, back in the other side of the truck, chuckled.

"Took it pretty well back there."

"Fuck you."

Michael attempted to get to his feet again, but Jordie struck his head against the metal side of the truck.

"Alright, fine," Jordie said, not letting go. "I won't break his jaw."

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