#mike is also here but im not tagging her arm

[beastblogging]

more unposted doodles, season 5 edition! feat the couriers first death, and some design musings for harmer

[lighthouseas]

stranger things would've been funny as a mockumentary. like imagine will just bitchily looking into the camera as he watches mike and el being disgustingly "in love" at the airport or whatever. cut to him doing his interview. "im gay, okay? is it obvious now? and yes, as a gay person, i do find it sickening when my best friend kisses my foster sister." he lowers his voice to a whisper and looks behind him, where mike and el are still talking out of earshot. "id even go as far as to call it homophobic, but using that word here would probably be dangerous for me. so let's just say it's gross."

cut to mike doing his interview "yeah so uh...hugging will was weird, i guess." he scratches the back of his head and sighs. "and kissing el also felt weird. but like, that's fine. being on an airplane makes your brain do weird shit, you know? like with the food tasting different? that's gotta be it." he seems satisfied with this conclusion and smiles. "el's lips felt weird and chapped and cold and gross because i was on an airplane, and will, uh, his arms felt- different, because, uh, ummm- there's gotta be some scientific explanation for that, right? why are you guys looking at me like that?"

the camera cuts to el looking at her flowers that say "from mike" and then at the camera. cut to el's interview. she's holding mike's flowers and looks completely over it. "i am constantly on the verge of crying. mike does not need to know that, though." she forces a smile at the camera and twirls her hair.

cut to argyle, hugging mike and looking straight at the camera as he does. his interview. "listen, im like, totally zonked out right now, but man, that little wheeler kid was acting mad weird, man. little bro needs some weed. and new threads, i tag checked him when i hugged him."

cut to jonathan, staring at the camera with wide eyes. jonathan's interview. "oh, mike? yeah, i think i need to kill that guy."

[bradshawed]

OKAY OKAY YOU DONT HAVE TO LISTEN TO THIS AT ALL BUT YOU SHOULD WRITE LIKE A STEVE ONESHOT THING WHERE HES DATING (Y/N OR OC IM NOT PICKY) BUT HES STILL PINING FOR NANCY AND LIKE STILL IN LOVE WITH HER SO HIS S/O BREAKS UP WITH HIM BC SHES TIRED OF BEING LIKE "A BACKUP OPTION" AND ALWAYS SECOND CHOICE TO NANCY AND ITS LIKE SUPER ANGSTY AND BASICALLY IT TAKES BEING WITHOUT THEM FOR STEVE TO REALIZE HOW MUCH HE LOVED THEM AND THEN THERES LIKE A LOVE CONFESSION. (THAT WAS A CRAZY RUN-ON SENTENCE OMG)

YOU CAN IGNORE THIS IF YOU DONT LIKE THE IDEA THO <3

Second Best — Steve Harrington

summary — nancy wheeler, the one who got away. she’d always be his first love and you’d always be second best so what was the point of pretending he could love you even just a little?

warning/tags — fem!reader, she/her pronouns, angst, steve being dumb, swearing, bits of stancy, arguing, fluff, the gang scheming

note — thank you so much for requesting! I absolutely adore this idea and loved writing it so so much, I hope I did it justice even if I did slightly go off the prompt. you’re an incredible writer, one of my favourites on wp, and I can’t wait to read your works on here too. I love you tons! thank you again and I hope you like it <3 also, credits to soph for steve’s middle name, ilysm!

word count — 2.5k words

This was the third time in the space of a couple of minutes that you’ve caught Steve staring at Nancy from where he sat on the couch, to say you were sick of it would be an understatement.

It had been movie night with the whole group which had truthfully been long overdue and very much needed but surprisingly difficult to plan with everyone’s hectic schedules. But here you all were, finally relaxing for the first time in months in Steve’s spacious living room among a bundle of cushions, in what should’ve resembled a fort built by the boys. The second movie of the night was playing on the projector that Robin and Max had set up and an abundance of snacks and sugary drinks had been brought beforehand to account for everyone’s tastebuds. With the way things were going, however, it seemed like staying over at Steve’s after the night was over was simply out of the question.

Dustin sent you a sad look from his position on the floor smothered by multiple duvets. It would have been funny if it hadn’t been for the situation. The room seemed to cool another ten degrees when Steve unwrapped his arm from around your shoulders mid-scene, shifting away from you slightly. You were both oceans apart and yet he didn’t even seem to notice the space between you. And this wasn’t the first time it had happened either.

The credits rolled in and Nancy offered to grab more snacks while the kids decided on the next movie. Steve practically jumped at the chance to follow her to the kitchen, or maybe you were just overreacting like usual. It didn’t matter anyway, the fact was that he was with her, not you and the way he looked at her told you everything that had been left unsaid.

You quietly got up from your place on the couch, surrounded by colourful blankets and softly padded around the room, picking up your car keys from where you’d left them and moving to the hallway to put on your coat and shoes. El moved to stop you but Eddie gently placed a hand on her shoulder, letting you go with a sad nod. You couldn’t stay, they knew that, but still, some part of you wishes they would’ve asked. You might have not been there from the beginning but they loved you all the same, if not even more and vice versa. You were the missing piece in their family and for them, you’d do anything even if it meant watching Steve pin for his ex girlfriend.

You’d almost made it to your car before Steve appeared at the door, the expression on his face a mix of everything and seemingly nothing you were looking for all at once. “Where are you going, the movie’s about to start. Mike’s picked out some cheesy horror movie which I know you love to watch and Nance has opened up the last pack of those giggles cookies you love with the weird faces on them-” You hated horror movies, regardless of if they were cheesy and predictable or not, and those giggle cookies with fudge and vanilla cream in them- god you hate them too. You’d eat fudge by itself but for some reason when it’s added to something else it just doesn’t taste right to you.

“Steve.. I’m not feeling great, I’m gonna head home a little early.” You knew he didn’t believe you. You never could lie to him, and his judging eyes told you enough. Not to mention you called him Steve, you never call him Steve, but he didn’t notice.

“You seemed fine a while ago to me. What’s wrong, maybe you can lay down in the spare room?” There he goes treating you like you’re one of the kids and not his girlfriend but that’s not what irks you the most, it’s the fact that mentions the spare room. Not his room, the spare. “Nance can give you one of her green teas, they’re magical I swear, you’ll feel better in an instant. Actually, let me ask her now.” He walked away towards the door, completely disregarding anything you’d said, acting for a moment that he was even paying attention to you tonight bringing up Nancy again and suddenly, you’re done.

“No!” Steve pauses mid stride, hand on the half opened door, slowly turning around shocked by the volume and the panic in your voice, “I’m done Steve, I’m done. I can’t do this anymore.”

“Wh-what?!”

“You’re in love with Nancy.”

“I’m what-?!”

“Ha, see you can’t even deny it.”

“Because there’s nothing to deny!” His voice raises even further. He’s never raised his voice at you. He knows how much you hate it and it reminds him of his father so he never did; guess there was a first time for everything.

“Don’t. You don’t love me, you never have. You don’t even know my favourite movie genre or my favourite snack-”

“Yes I do, I just told you!”

“Those are Nancy’s fucking favourites! See you’re pinning after her with those love sick eyes of yours and you don’t even know it.”

“What so not knowing your favourite movie genre or snack is a crime now?! So I’m expected to know everything about my girlfriend?” This elicits a rather loud scoff from you causing Steve to clench his fists in frustration and anger. “We’ve been dating for almost a year so yes, I do expect you to at least know those two things.”

Steve starts again but you cut him off fearing that if you don’t get it out now then you’ll go back to apologising to him the next day and burying it even deeper within you. “It’s her, it’s always been her. I don’t know why I even bothered but I thought you were over her, I truly did. But every time she walks into a room your eyes brighten and they don’t leave her for a single fucking second. You bring her up into every single conversation as if her ghost wasn’t already haunting our relationship and I feel like I’m always being compared to her in everything that I do. Stevie I love you, I truly do but I’m sick of feeling like I’m second place.”

Silence. He doesn’t say anything for what feels like forever. You wished he’d say something, anything, do something to prove you wrong, to tell you it was all in your head or that he’d change, that things would get better. A flash of emotion appears on his face before he puts back on his ‘King Steve’ mask. He never used that with you.

“Okay.” That’s all he says before turning back towards the door and leaving you standing out there in the cold.

That was months ago and here you were with the gang calling you from a pay phone on a Sunday. It seemed like your plans of crying your eyes out to another sappy romance movie that reminded you of your relationship with Steve had been ruined. “Heyyy Y/Nnnn”, came a sheepish voice from the other end of the phone call.

You knew they could feel your eye roll from there, “What do you guys need?”

“What, can’t we call our favourite adult and tell her that we miss her?!”

“Ignoring the fact that this is the first time you’ve called me in months, no Dustin, you can’t call without wanting something first. And favourite?! Ha, nice one. What do you want?”

“Can you please pick us up from the skatepark?” At least he had the common sense to give the phone to Max when the gang wanted something, they all knew she was your soft spot. Then for the millionth time that day, like every other day, your mind went straight to Steve. Where was he? Shouldn’t he be picking up the kids? Why would he just leave them there? They could’ve called anyone else, so why you? And then as if she knew the thoughts running through your head she added, “we didn’t want to bother Eddie and Steve was meant to pick us at two but we got bored and felt bad for asking him to pick us up earlier when he was already in a bad mood this morning and-”

“It’s okay sweetheart, hang tight and I’ll be there in ten. Don’t go anywhere and stick together okay?”

“Yes mum.” And Dustin was back.

He hung up the phone and you went to get changed as quick as you could, sliding along the wooden floor in your socks. If Steve was here now, he’d be laughing his beautiful laugh, teasing you before acting out the scene from ‘Risky Business’, maybe even twirling you around the living room. Shaking your head to prevent more tears from falling, you grabbed your coat and car keys and made your way out the door.

There was a catch. Of course there had to be a catch. Why didn’t you think about this before?!You’d successfully picked up the kids and they’d all piled into your car with their gear when Dustin remembered he’d left something important at Steve’s and needed to pick it up. So here you were driving to your ex boyfriend’s house cursing wildly in your head. It would be fine. You were only going to stay in the car. You wouldn’t even have to see him… right?

Wrong. Fate, aka the kids, had different plans.

Pulling into the driveway, the first thing you noticed was the fairy lights stung around the house. It was still light out, Christmas and New Years were over, Valentine’s Day was even further away, so why were there fairy lights? Why were there sunflowers lining the driveway? Had you stumbled upon Steve’s love confession to Nancy. Oh god. You hoped not.

Here you were, standing on Steve’s porch, knocking on his door instead of Dustin and you hadn’t the slightest clue of how you got there except you figured you’d been roped into some wild scheme that wasn’t going to end well. Fuck me.

Steve Willow Harrington opened the door in all his beautiful glory holding a bouquet of sunflowers, a pack of care bear waffles and ‘The Breakfast Club’. Who the hell allowed him to look so good?!

“Hi.”

No, this was absolutely not happening. He would not turn your heart into mush with one syllable. You started to turn around to leave but his reflexes were faster and he grabbed your hand, the skin heating up under his touch and your heart kickstarted into motion at the electricity that danced along his fingers onto yours. “Please. Don’t go.”

You froze in place. Head and heart conflicted but once you saw the expression on the kids’ faces you understood. He gently pulled you towards him, albeit with a little caution, turning your body but still you refused to look at him. “These are for you.” You accepted them, focusing on the sunshine petals instead of his face until your felt his fingers gently gripping your chin, tilting your head upwards so you were looking into his eyes. Steve’s eyes shone with the telltale sign of tears and regret and something else that you’d only seen when he looked at her. It was love. No. It couldn’t be. You took a step back needing the distance to gather your thoughts. He didn’t get to do this to you, he didn’t get to hurt you all over again.

“I’m sorry. I-” you shook your head, your own tears glistening your eyes making them shine in the fairy lights. “I had a whole speech planned out funnily enough but I see you again for one second and you’ve got speechless. God I- I drove over to your house in the middle of the night to apologise after that day and I chickened out every single time until they all knocked some sense into me.” He nodded behind you towards where the kids were anxiously watching the scene unfolding before them.

“I thought I heard your car but every time I’d look out the window there was no one there so I stopped looking.”

Steve sighed sadly, “You deserve better- you deserved better. I shouldn’t have done what I did. I shouldn’t have taken you for granted. I shouldn’t have made you feel like you were second place, not to Nancy and not to anyone. I should have showed you I cared, that you mattered, that I did know you loved binge watching those sappy romance movies and pointing out bits that reminded you of us and that your favourite snack were those ridiculously overpriced care bear waffles with the rainbow specks of berries because you’d had them since you were a child and refused to give them up. But I didn’t do any of the things I should have. I fucked up and I don’t deserve you. And the worst thing is, I don’t even have a reason why I did them. I think some part of me was terrified of the uncertainty, of the unknown, of how it felt to have someone I was scared to lose. So I buried how I felt about you and turned to something familiar, to something that I could hold onto even if I didn’t actually care about them. It took losing you to realise just how wrong I was and how badly I’d treated you. And I know it doesn’t justify any of what I did to you but I want you to know that I’m sorry and if I could do it all over again, I would do it differently. I would fight for you instead of leaving you there and I would show you exactly how I feel about you.”

You were both crying now, “and how do you feel about me?” The air stilled in anticipation, your fingers twisting around the fabric of your sleeve in a nervous dance.

“I love you.”

That admission of love, and the fact that he said it so easily like it was a fact that everyone should know, knocked the air out of your lungs. You felt breathless after his speech.

“I won’t deny that you hurt me and maybe I do deserve better but I know you can give it to me just as I hope I can give it to you. It won’t be easy and it will take time and a lot of work to get to- to us but if you’re willing to put in the work…” Steve nodded his head enthusiastically, tears slipping down his cheeks for he’d feared the worst, “then I am too.” Then came his megawatt smile, eyes crinkling at the edges from pure happiness. He pulled you into a hug, wrapping his arms around your shoulders delicately so as to not damage the flowers, while yours wrapped around his waist. The kids were dancing by your car, pumping their fists into the air but neither of you payed any attention to them.

“And for the record, I love you too Stevie.”

[certifiedlovergirlsstuff]

The Mall Rats

pairing: steve harrington x female byers!reader

WC: 7.2K

warnings: cursing, light fighting, arguing, and (amateur) smut at the end

summary: The Russians are invading!

A/N: ALL PARTS UNDER THE TAG - The Byers Harrington Story-

im only gonna do one episode this season and probably for season4 instead of mixing two like i did for 1&2. 

@alecmores​❤️

series masterlist / steve harrington

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“Have a nice day.”

You watched the couple leave the store with cones in their hands and slid up to the counter to face the pouting Robin.

“What’s wrong with you today? Is it your period?” You whispered the second question, not wanting anyone to overhear.

She just scoffed, “no bozo.” And before any other comment could leave her mouth, a new customer walked up to the counter.

“(Y/n)!” Dustin’s high-pitched voice greeted you.

You immediately rounded the counter and pulled him into a tight hug, swinging your bodies side to side, “Dustin! I’ve missed you so much!”

You pulled away from the embrace, hands resting on Dustin’s shoulders to look him over. He’s only been gone a few months, but he already looks older. His tight curls squished under a new yellow cap with the words Camp Know Where ‘85 with a chunky computer in the middle, the only indication that he went out of town for most of the summer.

Dustin looked away from you and flashed a gap-toothed smile at Robin’s bored expression, “hi.” His voice was high-pitched and cheery, as usual.

“Hi,” was her monotone response.

“I’m Dustin.” “I’m Robin.” You watched their quick introductions.

“Pleasure to meet you. Uh, is- is he here?”

“Is who here?” Robin questioned the boy, but you already knew who he was talking about.

And just before you could answer Dustin’s question, the parlor doors swung at lightspeed, with Steve’s shining happiness making his presence known.

“Henderson!” Steve threw his arms above his head, giving you just a glimpse of his waist. And then when he got more excited at seeing Dustin’s face, he jumped over to him, hands waving above his head and putting his stomach on full display for the store, it made you flush a bit.

With your arms crossed over your chest and hip digging into the cool counter, both you and Robin watched Steve and Dustin do an intricate handshake, one that you haven’t had the pleasure of seeing before this moment.

“You got the job!” Dustin pointed out, something Steve must have mentioned to him.

“I got the job! And all thanks to this gorgeous gal,” Steve walked behind Dustin to then walk behind you and throw his arms over your shoulders and pull you into his chest. “Probably wouldn’t have gotten it, if it wasn’t for her.”

You flicked the back of your hand into his shoulder and threw a scowl his way, “Steve, you showed up when we were filming the mall commercial. Also our actual boss knew that a guy would bring in girls.”

“Yeah, well,” he shrugged his shoulders, “still wouldn’t have gotten the job if it wasn’t for you.”

“So, you’re saying you’re a stalker and obsessed with me?”

“Yes.” His immediate response.

You ignore the “ews” coming from Robin and Dustin as you turn your head to give a kiss to Steve’s jawline, just as obsessed with him.

With a lull in the conversation, Robin spoke up, “how many children are the both of you friends with?”

“Hm, well, there are the boys. Will, obviously, Lucas, Mike, and Dustin, so that’s four. Then we have Max and El, so that is six. Adding you and Eddie, that’ll be eight for me. Nine sometimes because of Steve.” You answered back with sincerity and sarcasm.

A pinch to your arm jolted you away from the counter and you promptly turned to Steve, who was acting like it was a gremlin that touched you rather than the obvious. You just huffed at his game.

“Dustin, why don’t you go sit down and I’ll bring you some ice cream. On the house as your welcome back.” A flashing smile brightened the teen's face at your words.

“Awesome! Thanks (Y/n), you’re the best. Can I get a banana split?”

“Aye aye captain,” a mock salute before you rounded the counter.

Robin hurried to the backroom when you told her to take her fifteen leaving only you and Steve on the floor. You hummed quietly to yourself as you started to build Dustin’s treat and only stopped when noticed Steve standing beside you, right hand resting on the counter with his left hand resting on his hip. You gave him your attention with a slight rise of your brow, a slight question of, “yes?”

“Nothing, just admiring.” He tilted his head and licked his lips before flashing a smile knowing he got your heart racing.

You bit your bottom lip to suppress the giant smile wishing to form and just rolled your eyes before going back to your task, “don’t you want to catch up with your friend?”

“You mean our friend?”

“Yes, our friend, but pretty sure that’s your best friend. You even have a special handshake.”

Steve stepped closer, your elbow brushing his uniform top, and dropped his head to be closer in height, “are you jealous? Of a thirteen-year-old?”

“No.” Your answer was sure and quick as you worked to add the toppings.

You heard the chuckling and without looking at his stupid (pretty) face, you knew he had either a shit-eating grin or one of the annoying smirks that made you want to slap him (you would never though). His arms slid and wrapped tight along your abdomen, a firm and comforting squeeze causing your back to be firmly pressed along Steve’s chest.

“No displays of PDA at work, Harrington. You know the company policy and Buckley’s rules.” You gave two quick taps to his forearm.

He didn’t give any type of response, but as quick as a breeze, he left a kiss on the side of your head before removing his arms and leaving you behind the counter, heading over to Dustin’s booth. You stood frozen for a moment, fully and slowly letting your body and mind catch up to what just happened in those few seconds, and when it did register, your face felt hot.

Once the sundae was crafted you grabbed a spoon and headed over to the corner booth and as you walked closer you could hear bits and pieces of Steve and Dustin’s conversation.

“Hotter than Phoebe Cates? No.” “Mm-hmm.”

“Who’s hotter than Phoebe Cates? Gotta be someone special, she’s a babe.” You placed the treat in front of Dustin and slid beside Steve.

“Oh, just my girlfriend,” Dustin smugly replied as he dug in.

Your eyes widened and you turned your head towards Steve, he just gave a tight-lipped smile.

“Brilliant, too. And she doesn’t even care that my real pearls are still coming in. She says kissing is better without teeth.”

You opened your mouth to say something but closed it when nothing came to mind. Again you just glanced at Steve and saw he held a similar expression at this new information regarding Dustin and his new relationship.

“Well, I’m- I’m proud of you, Dustin. That’s ro- that’s kinda romantic. Right, (Y/n)?” His voice stuttered for your help. “Yeah, yeah. You’re really growing up, Dustin. Gonna be a real chick magnet when you’re older, just know it.” ‘Tone it down a little idiot’

Dustin grinned at both your praises and continued with his food, “so, do you really just get to eat as much of this as you want?”

“Yeah. I mean, sure. It’s not really a good idea for me, though. I gotta keep in shape for the ladies.”

“Oh, and where are these ladies you talk about? I would love to meet them.” You faced Steve head-on with your fist digging into your cheek as your elbow sat on the table.

You saw how Steve’s ears burned red at the tips and how his mouth was opening and closing, only stuttering sounds leaving the void. Dustin was just grinning as he dug his spoon for another scoop of ice cream.

“He’s struck out a few times when you weren’t here,” Robin voiced from a few booths away.

“Oh really?” “She’s cool.”

“Ignore her. She’s not.” Steve responded to both of your statements, “so, where are the other knuckleheads?” His attention was back on Dustin.

The question caused Dustin’s mood to drop a bit, “they ditched me yesterday.” He shoved the plastic spoon into a banana.

Both you and Steve gasped, “no,” Steve replied in disbelief. “My first day back. Can you believe that shit?” “But Will was so excited to see you again, told us himself that morning.” Now you were upset on Dustin’s behalf and upset with Will.

“They’re gonna regret it, though, big time, when they don’t get to share in my glory.” His light was back. “Glory?” Steve looked at you for a second then back to Dustin, “what glory?”

Dustin licked his lips of leftover ice cream, looked around at the pretty empty dining room, and scooted a bit closer to Steve. You and Steve both leaned in closer as well, wanting to know what this glory Dustin was talking about was.

“So, last night we were trying to get in contact with Suzie…”

Steve made a phone gesture and Dustin nodded. “Cute name,” you blurted out. Dustin hummed in agreement.

“And, uh…” he leaned his elbow on the counter and covered his mouth with a hand. He took another glance around the store, customers in seats or booths talking while Robin was at the counter taking orders. Then it seemed that Dustin said something, but it was too low for you to hear a word. Even Steve looked confused, and he was sitting beside Dustin.

“What?” Steve after a moment of processing the nonexistent words.

Dustin clicks his tongue and swipes at his nose, “uh…” he inhaled deeply and once again covered his mouth making his words unintelligible.

“Dude we can’t-“ “Just speak louder.” You and Steve spoke at normal volumes. It seemed to piss Dustin off as he banged his fist on the table and shouted.

“I intercepted a secret Russian communication!”

You sat up straight as all noise died off and heads turned your way. Nervous laughs spilled from your mouth and you threw your hands up, “sorry, my- my friend has bad humor. Please, as you were… please.” You gritted the last word through clenched teeth.

Luckily everyone turned away, a few still eyeing your table, Robin included with her brows raised. You pushed hair away from your face and looked at the boys.

“Dustin, what the hell are you talking about?” “Yeah. What- what does that mean?” The tween rolled his eyes, “it means, Steve, (Y/n), we could be heroes. True American heroes.”

“Huh.” “Mm-hmm?” “No.”

Their eyes turned to you as you shook your head with a scowl. Your nails tapped the counter the longer you thought about Dustin’s words.

“What? You don’t want to be a hero?” Dustin questioned.

Still, you shook your head no. “We’ve done enough ‘heroism’ in the last two years. I’m not getting involved in anything more.” You were putting your foot down.

“Woah, okay, let’s just- what’s the catch?” Steve threw an arm atop the booth behind you.

“No catch, I just need your help.” “With what?”

Dustin grabbed something from his backpack, a book. “Translation,” and when you looked closer it was a Russian-English English-Russian dictionary.

“Do either of you even understand Russian? Cause I don’t. And Steve you barely passed Spanish, which again, isn’t Russian.” Telling the boys the one problem standing in their way. Steve opened his mouth like he was ready to defend himself but closed it and cocked his head in surrender. 

“We’ll manage.” Dustin said with an air of confidence.

You just shrugged and left the booth needing to help Robin with the growing crowd.

-

You sat in the food court with your headphones covering your ears as a cassette played music while your eyes focused on your book in hand. Occasionally you would take sips from your soda and scan the crowded dining area.

You tried to distract yourself from earlier with Dustin and Steve. Dustin instantly thinks about being heroes, American heroes, that is, trying to take down Russians. You saw how Steve’s eyes lit up at the idea, of getting some fame and glory. Probably thinking this would show his dad something or just get him off his back, you weren’t sure.

You wanted no part, not even a finger involved in this little idea that’s festering in their brains. The past two years have already been enough, you don’t need to be doing something for the limelight. Even though Russians are a lot better than interdimensional monsters trying to rip you apart. You would like to just put all that behind you and move forward with your relatively good life.

With your eyes so focused on an invisible point, you didn’t notice the person standing before or even waving their hands in front of your eyes until you were given a light push to the shoulder. You blinked a few times and then when you saw the culprit, they blew wide. You thought it was Steve or Robin just annoying and telling you to head back, but instead, someone you completely forgot about stood before you.

You slipped the orange foam coverings off your ears, “Tessa.” You sounded breathless in your ears.

The girl who stole your first kiss stood tall in the loud mall. Her hair lightened and was full of volume and bounce, a shine to her lids and lips while her lashes were curled in black. She wore tiny gold hoops, a few gold necklaces stacked together, and some rings littering her hands. She wore a flowery summer dress that was designed with flowers in white and orange, it stood bold against her dark skin.

She looked as beautiful as ever.

“Hi, (Y/n),” her smile curled around your name, “how have you been? It’s… it’s been a while.” She held her arms behind her with her shoulders pulled back.

‘did it suddenly get hotter?’ ‘were you sweating?’

“Uh… I’m- I’ve been o- okay. Didn’t think you- I thought you didn’t want to be around me?” You leaned forward a bit, trying to keep that line as private as you could in a crowded and loud shopping mall.

Her head dropped and she rolled her lips, you couldn’t help to follow the motion. You looked away and at your lap, it was like she had a magnetic pull on you. You didn’t like it.

“Yeah… kinda shitty of me to just… leave you in the dust. I’m sorry,” you looked up at the apology, “I- I didn’t want my parents to find out… and with the way you acted at school the following day- I knew to keep my distance. For both our sake’s.” She sat down in the empty chair at your table. She put a hand on the table and stretched towards you.

“I was wondering… if there’s any way we could… be friends again? I do miss you, and Will. He was like a second brother to me.” She gave a comforting smile, her eyes shining from the light.

With hesitation, you jerkily move a hand from your lap and set it over hers. It’s been so long since you shared the same bubble.

“I would- I would like to be friends again. But I think… I think it needs to be done slowly. I can’t just- just cannonball back into it. And, I think we should think about it a little, to see if we do.”

She nodded with understanding, she always understood without many words. She patted your hand with her free one before standing up and walking away, a smile threw over her shoulder and she disappeared into the moving crowd.

‘what the hell just happened?’

You didn’t do much reading after that. You just slipped the headphones back on and reset the cassette. You checked your watch and rolled your eyes as you saw you only had five minutes left of your break so you gathered your things and headed back to your ice cream parlor.

Distracted by the beat and lyrics of your music, you, once again, don’t hear the snickers of girls trailing behind you or hear the rapid clicking of heels. When you’re just a foot from the store, a sudden push to your back made you trip over yourself and hit the square linoleum floor.

Your book smacked the floor, your walkman and headphones crashed with a terrible sound, and thankfully, your empty soda cup didn’t spill anything. Your elbows and knees hurt a bit.

The laughs behind you made a scowl paint your face. You pushed yourself off the floor and turned at the commotion and felt yourself freeze up at the main person, but pushed through it.

“What the fuck is your problem, Carol?” You stepped close to her.

She stepped back and bumped into her followers. Her red hair was curled and styled as usual with shorts and a tight shirt as her outfit. Her eyes raked your work uniform and she laughed even harder, hands holding her stomach from pain.

“Oh,” she sighed, “you are so entertaining to watch. That whole thing with Tessa… what would Steve think?” Your shoulders get tense.

“I don’t know what you’re talking about.” A stiff reply. She continues her snarky giggles. “Oh really? You looked just about ready to ki-“

You shoved her shoulder, hard, making her lackeys hold her for support. You felt the eyes on you but kept yours trained forward.

“How about you mind your fucking business, Carol. Steve and I do, and you’re not a single thought in our heads. Could’ve give a shit what you and Tommy are doing, but from what I’m seeing, you’re still a bunch of jackasses who are pathetic losers that enjoy other's misery.” You hissed the words close to her face before turning away.

You were the bigger person. You weren’t looking for a fight, you just wanted to put her in her place and walk away as she floated away from your thoughts once again. But it was never that easy with mean girls who are looking for a fight.

As your eyes caught the storefront, you saw Steve standing near the entrance with a worried expression. One hand on his hip while the other gripped the doorway, a cleaning rag slung over a shoulder. And then he started moving forward, quickly and you didn’t know why until you felt her claws yank your shoulder and a burning touch spread over your cheek.

Carol just smacked you.

You stood stunned for a second before you leaped towards her and grabbed a fist full of hair and started pulling as she cried like a baby. It didn’t last long, Steve wrapped his arms around your waist, and her friends, with great effort, pried you off her. Steve turned you away from the fight and walked you away as you screamed profanities at her. He went back for your fallen items when you were settled in the back room.

And that’s where you stayed for the next four hours of your shift. 

-

“Do you… wanna talk about earlier?” “Nope.” “Okay.”

The constant ringing of the desk bell pulled Robin away and you heaved a sigh with closed eyes, a thank you to the heavens. Your head gave a small thump on the table in the back room, arms limp at your sides.

Dustin was originally in the back room when Steve dragged you through the double doors, the boy's eyes blown open at your seething energy. Then Robin came through the doors and shooed the two out, Steve tried to talk back but Robin shoved him away and told him to man the counter for a few minutes.

Now you were alone and cooled down, knowing you’ll need to tell Steve about earlier, especially Tessa. You hated that you instantly succumbed to her presence, it’s like you unintentionally cheated on Steve. You love Steve too much to withhold those thoughts and feelings that needed to be said.

You heard the swoosh of the doors and footsteps coming your way, two sets. Then you heard the scraping of a chair being pulled out and stuff being set on the table, guessed it was Dustin and the other person was Steve. And even with your head still down, you had a feeling they were communicating through looks and silent gestures.

“(Y/n)? Baby?” Steve’s low voice was right next to you, “are you okay?” His hand rubbed along your spine.

You didn’t want to look into his eyes, cause the second you do it will either be two things; Steve instantly knowing what’s swimming in your thoughts or you crack and start spilling everything. And you don’t want to have that conversation at work.

By the grace of some angels, Robin called for you up front and you shot up from your chair, the legs screeching against the tile. You push through the doors and stand beside Robin, hands on your hips and a sigh out your mouth; you had to withhold the eye roll.

“Hello, Erica. How may we serve you today?” You plastered on a fake sunny smile and your even faker sweet voice.

Erica Sinclair was in the colorful parlor practically every day since summer started. Always comes in with her group of friends and asks for a sample of every flavor. At first, you allowed it cause she was Lucas’s sister, but just after a week, you were over it.

“I would like to try the peppermint stick, but one of your workers won’t allow it.” Her steely eyes set on Robin who had a bored expression on her face.

“Erica, I’m sure you’ve tried peppermint stick plenty of times to know how it tastes. It’s peppermint.” Your customer voice slipping up.

“Yes I have, but I would like to try it again. Are you refusing me service?” Her hands sat on her hips as she cocked her head. You closed your eyes, having to stop another eye-rolling.

“Robin, why don’t you head to the break room.” And she didn’t have to be told twice. Your attention is fully on the head-strong girl.

“Erica, I was very lenient with you at the beginning. But you can’t come here every day and abuse our sample policy, you’re technically robbing us.” You leaned against the counter.

Erica stood her ground, not making a move and you weren’t either. You weren’t in the mood today. When you saw people entering the store and getting in line, your customer service voice perked high. “If you’re not planning on buying any ice cream today, may you please move out of the way so I can attend to the paying customers behind you?”

She stayed in place and you were worried you would have to give in and get a stupid sample of peppermint stick for her. But she rolled her eyes and walked away, you held your chin high at the small win today.

As you helped the last customer in line, you turned around to head through the doors and you could hear the boys and Robin talking. And just as you entered you heard the end of a sentence she was saying, something amazing as Steve and Dustin wooed in awe.

“That was pig Latin, dingus.” And Steve smacked Dustin with his banana peel, “Idiot.” “But I can speak Spanish and French and Italian, and I’ve been in band for twelve years. My ears are little geniuses, trust me.”

Steve looked up your way, arms crossed over your chest as you leaned against the door frame. Your brows were raised, giving him a silent ‘what are you gonna do?’, he eyed Robin with a cautious look as he held the tape recorder.

“Come on, it’s your turn to sling ice cream, my turn to translate. I don’t even want credit. I’m just bored.” She leaned in with her hand held out.

The bell wouldn’t stop dining, but you couldn’t move. You just stared as Steve debated in his head, eyes closed with a pout on his lips as he tilted his head side to side, before sighing and swapping the recorder for the scooper in Robin’s hand. With an eye roll, you pushed through the doors and back to the counter to help with the restless customers. Steve joined a minute later and posted behind the cash register as you scooped the desserts.

You hated this stupid situation. How you were having a good summer and then when Dustin returns, saying he has a Russian message, Steve jumps into the action. And now Robin’s being lumped into the mess, you wanted to kick something. Why can’t these types of things leave you alone, why is there always something happening in Hawkins?

You slipped away from the counter and started to bus tables. Spray bottle and towel keep your hands busy as you let your mind go blank, or at least you think your mind goes blank when in reality you’re scrubbing hard at an invisible spot with a scowl painting your face. 

“Everything okay?” Steve’s sneakers entered your eye line. You didn’t bother looking up, “peachy,” you gritted out.

“(Y/n), come on. Look, it's not that big of a deal. It’s just translating.” He huffed and it just made you angrier. You scrubbed harder at the clean table, “I don’t care if it’s just translating, Harrington. I don’t want Robin roped into you and Henderson’s stupid, heroic crap or whatever. Even just something as simple as listening to that tape could have horrible effects and I don’t even want to think about the-”

Steve pulled you into a hug with a hand holding the back of your skull, keeping your face close to his shoulder. He whispered reassurances about how everything was gonna be fine and that the upside down is gone. You wanted to believe his words, but you couldn’t. You pulled away from Steve, dropping the cleaning supplies beside you.

“Uh… can- can I go on a break? I- I think I need some air.” Eyes focused on your dirty sneakers.

Steve’s hands rubbed along your arms before slipping to hold your hands, “yeah. Yeah, I can cover up front.”

You slipped from his touch and rushed out of the loud and crowded mall.

-

After sitting at the entrance for ten minutes, you cooled down enough to head back inside and plow through the rest of your shift. As you shuffled through the crowds of people, there was a strong slam to your chest and it knocked the air from your lungs. A hand came to your chest as you were preparing to tell the person to watch it, but instead, you saw three dipshit kids.

“What the hell are you three doing here?” Daggers pointed at their shocked faces, “You know, Dustin’s at the store right now. Even told me how you guys left him yesterday, he’s been gone for three months.” Fist on your hips.

“Woah, okay, it’s not like that.” Mike spoke up first, “We helped set up his radio tower so we could hear from his ‘girlfriend’.” quotes around the word. “Plus, Mike and El left right away. Max and I, along with Will stayed into the night.” Lucas added.

“Hey! Screw you, man!” “It’s true!”

“Okay!” You held your hands out to stop the arguing boys, “look I don’t care about that. Why don’t you go apologize to your friend while you’re here for… whatever reason. Actually, what is your reason for being here?”

“It’s the mall, why do we need a reason?” Will asked. You watched the three boys, “Cause you’re all up to something. I can tell, and it’s nothing good. Plus where’s Max?” You knew Hopper didn’t allow El to visit the mall, which you thought wasn’t fair, but didn’t comment.

Lucas shrugged his shoulders, “we’re on a break, so she hasn’t called.”

“You mean, you’ve called, but she hasn’t picked up.” Will retorted. Lucas gave him a quick punch to his bicep.

‘stupid boys’

“Whatever. Just stop by the store and talk to Dustin and you all better be home before dark, especially you Will.” You ignored the eye-roll from Mike and gave a quick kiss to Will’s hair as you continued your walk to the store.

Steve was behind the counter serving a couple of girls as you walked over to him. He turned his body towards you, head tilted with a tiny smile. “Feeling better?” “Eh.” He chuckled.

“Oh! Guess who I ran into a few minutes ago.” “Hmm… Daisy Jones?” You shoved his shoulder, “No. Thing one, thing two, and Will. Pretty sure they almost rowed me down when they were running away from something.”

His brows furrowed, “huh.” “What?” He pointed a finger lazily, “Max and El were in here earlier. And then giggled when I asked if El should even be here before they ran out.” You squint your eyes, “huh.”

“(Y/n)!” Robin called your name through the open divider, her elbows on the counter. “We have one sentence translated, The week is long.” She said in a poor Russian accent.

“Oh… great.” You weakly gave thumbs-ups, a strained smile.

-

“The week is long, the silver cat feeds, when blue meets yellow in the west.”

The four of you gathered your belongings and Steve pulled the metal gate down to lock the store, “I mean, it just… it just can’t be right.” “It’s right,” Robin reassured.

“Honestly, I think it’s great news.” “How is this great news?” Steve scoffed, “I mean, so much for being American heroes. It’s total nonsense.” 

“It’s not nonsense. It’s too specific. It’s obviously a code.” Dustin argued.

“Great. Feels like I’m in a James Bond movie now. Dealing with Russian codes and shit. Something bad in the plot is gonna happen and we’ll all be in deep shit.” Hands flared in the air at your dramatics. Robin and Dustin just shook their heads at your antics while Steve grabbed your hand closest to him.

“Yeah, it could be a code or Buckley’s translation skills are just crap.” “No, they’re not, Harrington. It’s correct and obviously, they’ll use codes over radios. They aren’t gonna blatantly say, Fire the warhead at noon. So them saying The silver cat feeds- why would anyone talk like that unless they’re trying to mask the true meaning of their message?” 

“Exactly.”

“And why would anyone mask the true meaning of their message unless the message was somehow sensitive?”

“Exactly.”

You stayed quiet and zoned out as Robin and Dustin talked back and forth, also missing the mocking face Steve was pulling at their words. It’s been a long day, you don’t even want to think about Russians invading Hawkins.

“I can’t do evil Russians. I just want one normal year.” You muttered. Only Steve heard you as Dustin and Robin conversed and continued walking.

With your brain on auto-pilot, you didn’t notice Steve’s abrupt stop until there was a sharp yank to your arm making you stumble. Your sneakers squeaked against the tile as you looked at your boyfriend as he dropped your hand to begin patting his pockets as he stared at a horse ride. He pulled his pockets inside out and loose change spilled to the floor, but he just shook his head.

“Steve?” You stepped closer, “what’s-”  “Steve, what are you doing?” Robin called to him

“Uh, it’s a quarter. I need- Does anyone have a quarter?” He looked at you and you just shook your head no. He called for Robin and Dustin again and they joined the two of you.

“Sure you’re tall enough for that ride?” Robin jokes. “Quarter!” Steve voiced again and Robin threw in one. He spun as he caught it out of the air. Then he placed the coin in the slot and the golden horse started its gallop as its cheery music followed.

“You need help getting up, little Stevie?” A gentle shove to Robin’s arm was your silent ‘stop it’ and Dustin chuckled at her teasing. Steve just shushed everyone as he was focused heavily on the melody.

“Would you two just shut up and listen?”

They quieted down and continued to listen. You looked between the three of them, Dustin’s face changing as the music played longer. Your brows were creased in confusion.

“I don’t-” “The music!” and Dustin stripped his backpack and pulled the recorder out. He played the tape just as the ride ended.

“I don’t understand.” Robin finished your earlier thought. “It’s the exact same song on the recording,” Dustin answered. “Maybe they have horses like this in Russia,” Robin supplied.

“But it’s called the ‘Indiana Flyer’. I don’t- That wouldn’t make sense.” You inputted. Steve shook his head, “This code, it… didn’t come from Russia. It came from here.” His eyes are on the three of you.

A wave of uneasiness crashed over you.

You scrubbed your hands over your face then carded your fingers through your messy hair, “god dammit.”

-

The car was silent. Just Steve driving the both of you to your house, radio so low it wasn’t even playing music. An elbow propped against the window with your fist digging into your cheek as you stared at the fast-moving trees. Your lips were sealed shut since leaving the mall and saying a meek goodbye to Robin and Dustin.

“Baby?” Steve spoke quietly, a hand on your thigh, “what’s going on in that pretty head of yours?” His thumb rubbing your knee.

You kept quiet, thoughts in space with glazed-over eyes. Russians were in Hawkins. Evil Russians were doing something in Hawkins and now it was basically up to your little group to figure out a code. Why the fuck were you suddenly given the Spider-Man treatment? With great powers must also come great responsibility, the responsibility to fight demons and find hidden Russians.

“Why didn’t Dustin go to Hopper?” Your first words after half an hour. You didn’t turn your head, but you felt Steve’s eyes looking your way and the quick squeeze he gave to your skin.

“Well, you know Dustin. Always ambitious, and he wants to be a hero.” “But this is something that the government should be handling. This isn’t something we can just stick our noses in for fun. It’s Russia for fucks sake-” “We’ve handled Demogorgans, I think we can handle decoding a Russian code.”

The maroon BMW pulled into your driveway, headlights shining bright on your dark house. Jonathan and Joyce’s car was parked so everyone was home and asleep right now. Steve cut the ignition and you instantly grabbed your things and left the car.

“(Y/n)!” Steve shouted before you heard his door slam shut and his fast steps against the gravel. You walked through the front door and headed straight to your room, already knowing Steve is just a few steps behind. You threw your things on the floor, kicked your shoes off and grabbed a pillow from your bed, and turned around just as Steve walked in and closed your door. You started to smack him repeatedly with the pillow in hand.

“Wha- (Y/n)...” “You’re being a dick right now, Steve.” A huff and you stopped hitting him. “Okay, what’s going on? You’ve been off all day.” Steve stepped closer. You dropped your pillow and curled your fingers into claws.

You gripped the hair at your scalp, “everything, Steve! This whole day has been a fucking mess and I feel like no one is listening to me! I- I don’t want to deal with shit like this anymore! I can barely sleep at night, Steve. Nightmares sink into my brain if I were to close my eyes for more than a few minutes. And- And with today… how Dustin mentioned being American heroes- oh I knew you took his simple bait into helping him.”

An empty chuckle fell from your lips as you turned your back to Steve, “and then fucking Tessa Anderson walks up to me in the food court and… and my heart skipped a beat. And I hated myself during our conversation cause I just thought about how beautiful she looked and I stuttered on my words, I- I even said I would be willing to be friends with her again, but I don’t even know if she was part of the whole Carol incident.”

Small tears dropped from your eyes and rolled down your cheeks and off your chin, you turned back to a motionless Steve and his wide eyes.

“Steve… I- I,” you took a step towards him with your hands clasped in front of your face, “please, please know that I love you so much. It was just old feelings, I- I- I’m a fucking idiot and- and I understand if this ends our relationship-”

Your words were cut off by the force of Steve’s lips, his hands holding your face. You unravel your twinged hands and fisted them into the cotton of the scoops uniform that the both of you were still wearing. Your bodies were so close that your feet stumbled as you leaned back to contact as Steve leaned in further.

Steve pulled away first, his hands still holding your cheeks. You chased after him, scared that it was a final kiss, but he gave two quick pecks before moving out of reach. Your eyes blinked a few times before fully focusing on Steve who held such a gentle gaze.

“I love you so fucking much,” he all but sighed out, “and I’ve been a blind idiot all day.” Your eyes squinted and pursed your lips.

“Wha-“ “I wasn’t paying attention closely to how you were feeling or acting. I just brushed it off like it was nothing, that’s shitty of me. At least with the Russian stuff, I mean. The Tessa stuff… I’m glad you told me, I- I mean I knew you would tell me. Cause you mauling at Carol had a reason behind it- other than her slapping you.”

With closed eyes and a sigh, “Steve… I feel like I’m being a shitty girlfriend.” “How so?” Fingertips ghosting over your earlobe.

You licked your lips, “well, firstly, Tessa. I wasn’t gonna leave you for her, never in a million years. But just- the way she made me feel is how you make me feel and you not being the cause made me feel sick.”

Steve nodded at your words, “wanna know something?” You slipped your hands from his shirt to the band of his shorts and you looked into his eyes.

“Last year… when we started to get closer, and Nancy was drifting away from me… you started to make me feel things. My heart would race and my stomach would form knots, and it was because of you. Nancy used to cause that feeling and when it changed to you… I was worried. But then they stopped completely at the sight or even thought of her one night and soon-“ Steve leaned close, “do I consume your thoughts? Every waking moment? Every dream you have at night? Cause you do.”

His voice dropped in octaves, a shiver sprinted over your spine and you released a shaky sigh, “you do. Your smile would flash in quiet moments and sometimes I hear an echo of your laugh. Ninety-nine percent of the time, you fill my thoughts even if I’m with you. And at night, if I’m alone-“ you moved a hand to hold Steve’s neck as you pushed his face towards your shoulder so your lips would brush the shell of his ear, “I imagine your hands touching me. Your palms slide over my arms and stomach, fingers squeezing my thighs or boobs as you trail wet kisses any place you can reach. And when my heart is racing and my bare chest is panting with want, I set my index finger to my collarbone pretending it’s your tongue. And with a teasing pace, I’ll slowly trail it between my lonely breast, passing my belly button, and stop just before-“

Suddenly you were lifted into the air, the world turned upside down. There was a swift smack to your ass and then you bounced against the springs of your bed with Steve hovering over you. He pulled his scoops shirt off in that attractive way boys do, and then his shoes followed before setting a knee on the bed. His fingers tugged at your top so you leaned forward to permit him.

His fingers sunk into your hair as your lips melted together, bodies moving automatically. You bent an arm behind your back and easily unclipped your bra and slipped the straps from your shoulder and flung it away. You let your fingers tangle in Steve’s messy locks as he trailed his lips toward your neck, making you lean it to the side for more access. Your eyes were squeezed shut and your lips were parted as light pants sang into the quiet night. Your grip tightened on Steve’s hair as you gave small tugs, his groans vibrating on your body.

Your nails scratched his scalp as he dipped his head lower, sucking purple bruises along your collarbone followed by the wet trail of his tongue to the valley of your chest. You laid on the bed as Steve moved his hands, his left going to your right boob and his forearm keeping him propped up.

His mouth latched onto your left breast, tongue wetting your nipple until it was hard and you were arching your back. His thumb swiped over your other nipple and it made you sigh from pleasure.

“Steve…” you moaned quietly.

He gave a kiss to the perked nipple before latching to your lips again. Your knees bent on the side of his hips, trying to push him closer.

Steve pulled just a hair away from your open mouth, “I’m gonna show you just how much I love you.”

He kissed your lips, then your neck which followed to your two breasts that he took more attention towards. His left hand slid further down your waist and stopped at your shorts. His mouth set simple, quick pecks over your stomach that was moving with your fast pants.

One more kiss to the skin above your waistband and he set his eyes on you. Propped on your elbows with your head thrown back before jerking at his stopped motions. His brows rose and he did a quick tug on your shorts, you quickly nodded your head. In one pull he took your uniform shorts and underwear off, leaving only your white socks. You pulled your knees closer to your body before Steve crawled over and set his hands on your calves, pulling your legs down a bit and then pushing your thighs open.

“Steve…” Your fingers curled into your sheets as Steve’s pretty brown eyes just stared at you. His chest was bare and displaying his dark mess of hair along with his thick thighs straining against the seam of his shorts.

He laid on his stomach and pressed kisses to the inside of your right knee, his supple lips dragging further up your thigh. The air of his breathing ghosted over where you needed him most.

“Steve-“ A more desperate whine.

“Don’t worry, baby. Just gonna lull you into sweet dreams.” And he gave a lick of his tongue.

...

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[istherewifiinhell]

im being an asshole here and these are gonna be shittly annonated more than described... for the sake of my fucking health lol. (mental and RSI lol) pls go look at my wifi reads mirage tag for better and more worth while comics blogging (lot of those are labours of love u know)

okay now to commence with the comic that hurt my brain. lets see. 5 issues? oh and only one i even kinda liked. uh oh

lemme do my due first.

ST vs TF No. 1: written john barber, mike johnson, art philip murphy

colours priscilla tramontano letters christa miesner edits chase marotz and david mariotte pub greg goldstien

No. 2: colours by leonardo ito and josh burcham No. 3: art by jack lawrence. colours by burcham No. 4&5: art by murphy

(its a name and shame as much as its giving credit >_>)

what i want from my tf st crossover comic:

like. 1. mccoy aphorism (also... may i?) 2. brilliant. perfect. spock saying illogical and optimus prime in the same sentence. no notes.

. 1. mccoy called her MAAM. ghbfdjhg. see. im saying. if u gonna do a sexist thing. at least put an old southern man it using his manners <3 only time i really enjoyed a woman being on screen im afraid. 2. they turned the enterprise into a big robot. yaaaaay.

kirk says. prime directive. oppie says. PRIME's directive. hearty chucky. great.

a note here u can see that this is a g1 and tas crossover. i have no familarity with tas actually (is that shocking i wonder. 70s cartoons i know less of, in fact) so like idk maybe theres some stuff i dont like cause its actually a reference or smth. lol. THE INCLUSION OF. tf stuff thats clearly not aligned with actual g1 cartoon visually or thematically tho.... i have my doubts. sucks </3

(see that those first four were by lawarence, which i like. and the next two by murphy, which i dont tho those arent particularly bad showings)

the things i did not really want but knew i was gonna get anyway 'dammit im a doctor not an x' 'more than meets the eye' <- TOO MANY TIMES. talk about blowing ur load. and not even in a fun way.

but there were things ill always like too see. like speaking of blowing ur load.

.1. megop menacing each other. gayass. 2. megs unloading a fusion blast into prime. rearrange his GUTS!!!!

.1. megs looming and threatening. oppie on the ground. you wanted to do WHAT on cybertron? 2. they are grappling each other. hehe hold hands.

and screamer:

megs riding inside screamers cockpit in gun mode. hey thats two the phallic things for the price of one.

yes girl go do ur crazy shit i know how it goes lol.

screamer is refering to the klingons in both cases. 2. hey like. why u phrase it like that (microagression)(gay as hell)

.1. lawrence screamer. my tiny wife (so small. drawn so good. i cant explain it) 2. lawrence megs. hes handsome :) (whats with the moment of victory line tho)

MOM! you never take MY side. thats a lot of judgement for not having a face soundwave

screamer menacing the klingons. hes crushed many high councils and fuck the government.

WAIT. BASED STARSCREAM. SAY THAT SHIT. also thats just a classic g1 screamer face ill give u that murphy. thats him throwing megs out the air lock type shit.

now why exactly this comic thought i would care more about like. tos klingons (sure one of the enemy factions but not particularly. like... ICONIC?) than the decepticons. like.... idk obviously the decepticons cant win but why can the klingons get a win over them u know? like idk... tos klingons are whatever. g1 cons. thats. those are my guys?????

but hey at least they put megatron in bondage

like. oh for me? thigh restrains.... why u shouldnt have..... i am barking at this image even if i think his arms are wrong? cant quite place it. cursed my dick etc.

OKAY. now heres some concern points. women.

woman decepticon (who looks weird btw) grabbing kirk and shes 'not his type'. BAD.

and yes instead of the fair superior make some of the seekers girls method. THATS AIRARCNID for some fucking reason. and she still has that stupid fucking steath helicopter alt instead of. oh idk ANYTHING that would look normal next to g1 vehicles. even windblade looks better in alt mode. where the FUCK IS SKYWARP (girl version <3)

screamer calling her airachnid (also this comp reference straight from the g1 s1 intro)

utube screenshot. same pose, different character positions

TC, screamer and soundwave posing up. the the lady con crammed behind them. me when i definitely remembered to block the woman into my pencils (this is the artist i like. CHRIST) (also cause im definitely working from a thumbnailed layout and not just comping in all these crisp jpegs like... however)<- more the other guy

sulu 'flying' wind blade. she tells him to back off. the amount of things i dont like about this image...... do i even need to say em? WHO LET IT HAPPENED

acree grabs ravage. (kitty) to protect mech version of mress (cat alien). why the fuck does robot mress look cooler than arcee thats sad (though that arm...... )

also now that i think about... i dont think i ever saw arcees alt... this is g1... she literally has one whats ur fucking problem. comic from 2018. shes had one since 1986. no one is asking u to prove the transformation scheme WORKS.

THE JAZZ ISSUE.

group posing of autobots. acree looks bad next to earth alt mode bots as always. wind blade looks bad just ingeneral as always. ratchet and bees faces look.... not great. jazz looks fine but hes yelling about not wanting to see humans.

so like..... theres this thing...... ive seen this guys comics wiki page and theirs a lot of jokes about him shooting humans. why does jazz hate humans? (like. i know. at least one comic i guess? multiple? unsure. went has far as. HE HAD TO SHOOT A COP. to save someones life. which. which. sure. thats. a commentary. probably. what is GOING ON in there) anway. i think including whatever stupid fucking baggage u gave him into. THE SILLY HAHA 70s and 80s CARTOON CROSSOVER. IS DUMB. hey jazz is really agressive and hates humans now. NO ONE SEES THE PROBLEM THERE? IS I THIS THING ON?

and then they still had him do some nominally g1 jazz like dialogue (i cannot speak to the authenticity of his use of jive slang uh... ever? but at least in the cartoon it was being said by scatman crothers?) anyway. really weird. bad tonally. jazz is my fucking friend he LIKES humans. thats the whole fucking.... THING. what the hell.

also combining it with even having to just. SEE windblade. eh yeah well. you know.

FINALLY. the art. i actually dont want to spend too long just specifically belabouring the bad art. i mean 1. cause i dont want to screenshot a bunch of bad art. two cause yeah its kinda mean. 3. im not actually sure i can explain it in a way that wont make me sound crazy. i hate when i start getting the really niche tf opinions like this.

but like. yeah the comp isnt very good. like artistically and also literally whatever way they were getting all the characters into the same scenes. not great like. perspective or sense of place which.... kinda need that one. in this specific case.... weird errors that stood out too. some awkward paneling too....

but mainly yeah i found the way murphy drew the g1s like... really off putting. as soon as i got to no. 3 i was literally just so relieved i scrolled the whole thing without reading it first just to. look. and then that was the only one </3

just something like no no this way of drawing the blocks ISNT GOOD. kibble looks wrong. etc. and then also. g1 characters just. dont move in certain ways okay. in the arms and stuff... i know it when i see it. (smh at myself) whatever.

in essence and most important i guess. it didnt often charm me. for shame.

but may i present

optical illusion acid storm. damn i guess they really must be a non binary icon cause i cant fucking figure out what angle thats supposes to be. (<- unclear what i mean by that)(actually i think this is nifty more that bad like. it genuinely is tricking my eyes)

worst fucking splash page ive seen in my life

the decepticons coming in to kick starscreams ass. all just kinda pasted together without much scale, composition, values. etc. note rumbles (purple guy, bottom right) missing head (like yeah hes mid transform but.... it looks dumb. what was gained drawing him this way) and trypticon (that big robot dinosaur you may notice just kinda. in the background layer) lines being way larger. as if it was just. select transformed to be big enough for this. it actually haunted me cause it looked so much like default art or smth. not that i could find tho. BUT HEY! skywarp. (top left corner)

like idk boss it looks like ass. if i saw this printed out and slid into some kids binder id be like. oh wow bud thats awesome! you like the decepticons? me too! did you edit this other your self? thats cool!!!

in conclusion

girl boss cover (screen cuts to black but u can hear me muffled but loud and agonized "nurse chaple wasnt even IN-)

okay im gonna need to be a hater in peace here

[djarintreble]

Omg omg can I please request a dad Eddie fic! The boys are doing their hellfire campaign and baby Arwen is happily babbling in Eddie’s lap wearing a little hellfire onesie!😭🙌🏻

YES YES YES! i’ve been sitting on this idea for a bit so i’m so glad you requested this! i hope this gives it justice!

dad! eddie munson x fem! reader

tags: a dnd campaign written by someone who’s never played before im sorry, established relationship, husband!eddie, wife! reader, the boys (and girl) are back, hellfire club unite, arwen is my spirit animal i love her, absolute fluff, amateur writing, erica is my girl, totally not canon, eddie deserves the world but this is all i can give him

word count: 1.5k

“And now, we must welcome, officially, our newest member of the hellfire club… Princess Arwen of the Munson family!”

Despite being quite familiar with the baby and the fact that she’s been apart of almost every campaign since she was born, the club members cheered for your daughter. Eddie stood from his makeshift throne to raise Ari in the air as she babbled in response to the attention she was getting. She loved her hellfire family. They were practically her god uncles and aunt.

Jeff and Gareth were your best friends in high school along with Eddie. Dustin, Mike and Lucas made you feel like a mother since you were 16; you going through hell and back with them when they were merely babies. Erica was your favorite as you babysat her for years and eventually helped encourage her love for DnD. She was growing to be a beautiful young lady and you felt as if you practically raised her yourself. All together, you created a small chosen family.

They spoiled her in many ways including tonight’s gift of her very own hellfire club onesie. Since all members made their own and she wasn’t capable of make-shifting one herself, Dustin and Erica worked together to make a small onesie with the name “Munson” on the back with the number 88, the year she was born.

Even though it’s been three years since you and Eddie graduated, he still made effort to keep the hellfire club alive. While Dustin, and now Erica as she was a freshman, kept the legendary club alive at Hawkins High, Eddie hosted monthly campaigns at your house outside of school. Before you even had Arwen, these kids felt like your own After spring of ‘86 you and Eddie swore to keep those kids close to you so meeting outside of school was very important to Eddie. Even Gareth and Jeff would show up, when they’re adult schedules allowed it. Saturday nights, you would clear out the dining room and decorate it with all the props and tools the party would need to continue their story. While Eddie planned and hosted, you made food and made sure Arwen wasn’t getting in the way.

Tonight however, this wasn’t the case.

Dustin waited until everyone was at the table to present the surprise they all pitched in for. The onesie was merely a ‘thank you’ gift for all the work Eddie put into keeping the club alive while also providing for your family.

Eddie pulled out the small piece of clothing with the familiar logo and became undone. With a “Henderson, you little shit, I love you man, hold on-“He dramatically fell to the floor before climbing back up and running into the kitchen to find you. Without warning or reasoning, he grabbed Arwen from your hands and ran straight to her room to change her into the garment.

-

That’s how you now found Arwen raised above the table cooing as your big chosen family cheered her on. You looked over at Eddie who had the biggest smile on his face. After pulling her back into his arms, he gestured toward you.

“And one more thing before we get started tonight, gentlemen- and lady. A round of applause for the queen of this fine establishment. If it wasn’t for her, we wouldn’t get to do this, I wouldn’t be here, and neither would our princess.” He held a hand out for you to which you gladly took and gave your own bow to the party as they cheered again. “Look at what they made her.” he said in a smaller voice, turning Arwen around in his arms to face you. His eyes were big and that proud look on his face seemed to be glued in place. Arwen wiggled around in his arms as he kissed her and placed her back in your arms.

“Oh guys, this is such a sweet gift! Eddie will never let her wear anything else now, thank you.” You acknowledged the group that sat at the table before looking at the little girl in your arms. “You look so pretty, Ari. Your dad’s little hellfire huh?”

“My little hellfire?” Eddie’s eyebrows raised at the new name for your daughter. As if he didn’t already have a puppy face, his eyes widened with a slight pout to his lips. He was happy. Completely. Utterly. 100% endeared at the scene in front of him. He couldn’t believe he deserved such a moment like this. His wife and daughter, two things he felt unworthy of, supporting his love for the hellfire club and his group of friends family.

-

You never played DnD yourself but you loved to be a spectator to his campaigns and it seemed tonight, Eddie wanted you right next to him. The night began with Arwen in your lap but now it was an hour in and she found residence in your husband’s arms.

You watched behind Eddie’s screen, allowing you to notice key parts of tonight’s story before the other members. A smirk rose to your face as you realized that Eddie chose a more difficult path to challenge the experienced group of travelers.

What you didn’t know was that Eddie not only created one of his most challenging campaigns yet, but that he was going to challenge their ethics by an almost unfair factor.

“As you peered through the once empty castle, you heard the cries of a young girl. How? you wondered. It seems your decision to raid the castle in hunt for the dragon might contradict with yet another choice to be made. The cries belonged to the beautiful princess Arwen of Endrya.”He announced, standing Arwen up on his lap. She cooed at the mention of her name.

“COME ON, EDDIE” Dustin exclaimed, the rest of the party reacting with sighs and rolling their eyes.

“Don’t make us choose between the dragon and your daughter!”

“Eddieee” you sung. He simply shrugged and looked over at you with a smile on your face.

“Is she injured? What is she doing there?” Erica asked, over the dramatics of the group.

“You’re not sure, but as soon as you hear the cries of the princess, you hear the familiar growl of the dragon you were set to hunt down from the opposite way. What do you want to do, go find the princess or- NO Ari-“

Arwen, standing from Eddie’s lap, has recently found out that her legs were a great way to explore. She kicked up onto the table, knocking over some of the props in front of Eddie. Before she could knock over his screen that would reveal notes to the party, he pulled her to sit in her lap.

“That wasn’t your cue, princess” he whispered. Arwen simply babbled happily to her dad, enjoying that she was apart of something. You watched, holding back a laugh.

“Making us choose between fighting and your daughter. Sick move, Munson” Jeff spoke up.

“I say we go check on the princess-“

“No we need to defeat the dragon.”

“She could be hurt!”

“Or she could get hurt if we don’t go slay the dragon”

“What if she could help us?”

“Why is she even in this abandoned castle anyways?”

“I don’t know, it’s Eddie’s daughter and his campaign.”

Eddie let the group chat among themselves as he leaned over to whisper in your ear.

“I just wanted to get a reaction out of them, she’s a distraction to the final boss.” you giggled as he told you the secret.

He sat back up in his seat and looked down at his daughter who entertained herself by playing with the two character pieces and extra dice in front of her.

She has yet to speak her first word but she was determined to contribute to any conversation she could, she babbled along with the group’s indecisiveness. Adding her own input to the matter. Eddie chuckled.

“It seems Princess Arwen can hear you bicker among each other over what to do.” He pitched in before letting them continue between themselves. He picked up Arwen’s little hands and drummed them along the table, causing her to giggle and throw her head back against his chest. He looked down at her, his hair falling in her face. “What’s so funny, girly?”

“Why can’t she just walk over to us then and help us slay the dragon” Lucas asked.

“Where’s the fun in that? and besides-“ Eddie gestures to your daughter, “she can’t walk. she’s a baby.”

“We know tha- Damn it, Eds”

“Hey watch your language, kid.”

“You just said shit earlier!”

“There’s a baby present!”

“YOUR baby-“

“it’s MY house”

“Enough,” Erica spoke over your husband and Dustin before you had a chance to intervene. “I guess I’ll go check on the princess and you guys go find the dragon. Simple as that now let’s go I leave in half an hour.” The group mustered a bunch of ‘yes ma’am’ and ‘right, right’ and got back into the game.

“I’m going to refill the bowls, you got her?” You asked, a hand touching Eddie’s shoulder as you headed to the kitchen.

“Of course! Thank you.” He responded and directed his attention back to his daughter and the campaign in front of him.

Eddie has gone away from his strict schedules and rules when it came to the club. Knowing that he himself have had to cancel a few nights. He liked the more informal feel to the club as it felt more personal. He loved hosting it in his own house. Back when he lived with wayne, he felt the place was too small to host. So now, along with the help of his wife, he could have proper campaigns with the people he loved.

Now, it was even more special as he introduced his daughter to a special part of him. His heart melted at the realization that she was wearing a onesie with a design he created when he was a kid desperate for love and a sense of belonging. That design became the face of his club meant for lost sheep, who in return made him feel more wanted, needed even. Now, here he was, that group coming to his home where he lived with not only you, his wife, but his beautiful baby daughter. She wore the design on her small onesie and she was loved more than she could ever imagine.

Eddie never imagined this is where he would be in life. That hellfire club shirt being something that once resembled a call for attention, now being a symbol for love, a home, a family.

He was content. He was loved and it showed.

taglist: @geekmom3 @ruinedbythehobbit @dark-academia-slut @aesthetic-lyss @wintermunsonreads

[adezahnae]

While We’re on a Little Trip (Part 6)

A/N: IM LATE AS FUCK WITH THIS CHAPTER BUT HERE IT IS!! DON’T KILL ME😭😭

Warnings: Smut, flashback, angst, mentions of drugs, prostitution, heartbreaking, murder, etc....

Tagged People: @ahgasearmyfan @whoreforshuaaa @avada-kedavra-bitch-187 @janedukiesworld @staynctzen127 @keeach @nanascupid @winwiniee @stormxiii05 @winkoes

Your POV

I laid there, silently crying as I replayed the event in my head. I kept feeling the slap to my cheek each time he ran his hand over my hair. I flinched away from him when I felt a small tug on my hair. “I’m sorry...” He mumbled. I sniffed and nodded my head letting him know that it was okay.

He breathed out and pulled me closer to him. I felt stiff in his arms now. The fact that he put his hands on me in such a harsh way it ruined me. I could still smell the stench of the weed he was smoking. There was so many questions running. Too many, so I want some fucking answers. “Who is she?” I asked. “Y/n-“ “I want to know, who the fuck is Alexa!?” I yelled sitting up crying.

He sat up with me and pulled me towards him. “FUCKING TELL ME! IM SICK OF YOU AVOIDING THIS!!” I yelled. He sighed in defeat. “Okay..come here.” He said. I looked at him and turned in his direction. “Alexa is, your sister....” He said. I felt my breathing stop.“What?! N-No...That’s not true...you got her pregnant with a child?! I have no sister!” I denied. “Alexa was before Mia and you.” He said.

“...H-How did you meet her?” I asked. “Okay...it was five years ago..I was at a club with my workers.” He said.

Flashback...

Jaehyun’s POV

I got out of my car and walked up to the club with my men behind me and few of my workers. The bodyguard instantly let me through with my men and smiled. “Good evening, Mr. Jung sir..” He said. I nodded in his direction and continued to walked. I got in and I smiled, watching everyone dance on one another and drink.

I walked to the VIP section and sat there, watching everyone from a distance. One of my customers came up to me. “Jae! Man...I need another hit..” He said. “What?” I asked, lighting a cigarette. “I need some more!” He said. I cocked my eyebrows and leaned forward. “I gave you two packs three days ago.” I said. He shook his head nervously laughing. “N-No you didn’t!” He said. I blew out the smoke leaning back in my chair.

“Yes I did. Where’s my money for those two packs?” I asked. He sighed. “Look, I will get your money tomorrow! I promise!” He said. I jolted up from my seat and grabbed his shirt. All of my men pulled out their guns, pointing to him. “You said yesterday. Look you junky fuck, I don’t play about my goddamn money. I want my shit now. Now where is it?” I growled. He shook in my grip, not responding. I furrowed my eyebrows and pushed him in the face.

“ANSWER ME WHEN IM TALKING DAMN IT!” I yelled. “I don’t...have the money...” He admitted. I let his shirt go and let out a chuckle. I kicked his stomach and stomped his head. He yelled out in pain as I continued to beat him. “Now you know what that means right?” I asked.

He shook his head, coughing. “Mike, take him out back. I don’t need a mess on my outfit.” I said sitting down in my chair again. The guy gasped and shook his head. I took a puff of my cigarette and watched them carry his outside the club.

I turned back around and seen a beautiful girl. I watched her as she smiled and swayed her hips to the music. I seen her look over at me with a seductive eye. I smirked and motioned her to come to me. She did so, strutting over to me. She made it to the VIP and she sat down beside me.

“Hello there, pretty..” I said. She giggled and replied. “Hey there, sexy..” I smirked. “Why don’t you come and sit down with me, hm?” I asked. She did so and scooted towards me. I gave her a glass and poured champagne in it. “Thank you.” She said sipping from it. I took a glass for myself and leaned back, putting my hand over the the back of the chair where she sat.

“Are you alone?” I asked, referring to a man. “Yeah, friends forced me out. I’m happy that came though. I met an attractive guy like you.” She said. I chuckled and drunk from my glass. “How nice of you to say..” I replied. “What’s your name?” She asked.

“Jae. And yours is?” I asked. She smiled. “Alexa.” She said. I took her hand and gave her a kiss. “Nice to meet you miss Alexa.” I said. She blushed. “You look adorable like that, I wish I could see you do it all the time.” I said, brushing my thumb over her cheek. I took the bottle of champagne. “You want another glass or do you wanna go?” I asked.

She kicked off her heels and leaned closer to me. “I think, I’m gonna want another glass. You’re too attractive to pass up.” She said holding her glass out. I poured her a glass and sat the bottle down. “I have to say, I like the way you demand power from others and how you get your respect. It’s sexy..” Alexa said.

I chuckled and took my glass, sipping the wine from it. “I have my ways, beautiful. You like bad men like me?” I joked. “I heard bad men give you a feeling you’ve never felt before..” Alexa said. “Hm,” I sat my glass down and brushed her hair behind her ear. “You wanna test that rumor, Princess?” I asked. She bit her lip as she looked at me.

- -

“Ohh fuck Jae...” Alexa moaned in my ear. I groaned and lifted her leg up, putting it over my shoulder. “Shit, you’re so wet..” I mumble. She moaned and wrapped her other leg around my waist. I smirked and lifted her from the bed, taking her to the wall of my bedroom and slammed her against it, ramming into her again.

Her hands went to my back and scratched down it, making me bit my lip. “Fuck, baby.” I whispered. She threw her head back against the wall, groaning. “Fuck yeahhh!! Oh my god, I’m gonna cum.” She moaned. I angled my hips to get a better angle.

She gasped and gripped on me hard. “Right there! Ahh shit! Yess!!” She exclaimed. Found her spot. As she clenched around me, I felt myself coming close as well. I placed my hands against the wall, ramming harder and harder into her. “Are you gonna cum, huh slut? You gonna squirt on this dick again?” I asked her with a smirk. She nodded her head.

I tsked. “I can’t fucking hear that. Say it..” I said. She groaned out. “DADDY IM CUMMING! AHHH MY GODDD!!!” She cried. I grunted as I came in the condom as well as she squirted. I brought her back to my bed and I pulled out quickly and rubbed my hand over her clit, making her squirt more. She cried out as she made a mess on my rug. I smirked and kissed her. “Good fucking girl..” I praised.

Her body calmed down and she weakly smiled. “That’s...oh my god..” She said. I smirked and lifted her up to her feet and helped her to my bathroom. I turned the shower on for her and let her get in. “Aren’t you gonna join me?” She asked. I got in the shower with her. “I guess I will..” I said.

- -

We were both in bed, sleeping. I felt her hand reach over me and go to my wallet, beside me. I furrowed my eyebrows and grabbed her hand. I heard her gasp and I opened my eyes. “You’re a hooker?” I asked her straight forward. “No...” she mumbled. I turned to her. “Then why are you going in my wallet?” I asked.

“I need the money...” She said. I cocked my eyebrow. “For..?” She bit on her lip in nervousness and rushed out my bed. I grabbed her by the arm to stop her from leaving. “No. Tell me why do you need it and maybe I’ll give it to you.” I said. A tear rolled down her face. “My boss will kill me..” She said.

“Who is your boss?” I asked sitting her down and sitting beside her. “I can’t say..” She said. “Yes you can, tell me..” I said, placing my hand on her cheek to calm her. “His name is King. He claims to be the King of all gangs. He runs me as a prostitute to take money from gang leaders. He’s also I guess my pimp or whatever he calls himself when talking to me. He told me if I didn’t get his money in two hours, I’m gonna be dead.” She explained.

I chuckled and got up from my seat beside her. I went to my closet and pulled out my sweatpants and a hoodie of mine. I threw it to her. “Put that on.” I said going to the closet. I pulled out one of my suits and began to dress. “Where are we going?” She asked from the room. I came back, buttoning up my shirt. “We’re going to your boss.” I said. “You look...good..” She said. I smirked.

“Thank you very much.” I said pulling on my jacket, finishing the suit. “HAECHAN!” I called making her jump. “Calm down.” I said. He came in the door. “Yes sir?” He asked wiping his face, trying to remove the red lipstick on his lips. I furrowed my eyebrows and looked him up and down. “Are you making out with a girl?” I asked. He nervously darted his eyes from me.

“Sorry sir..” He nervously laughed. I sighed and pinched my eyes, sighing. “Johnny!” I called. “Yes sir?” He asked. “Go and get the car ready. I have to make a trip.” I said. He nodded and walked away. “Come on.” I said to her. She followed behind me. “What are you going to do to him?” She asked. “Just gonna talk...” I said.

We made it in the car and I turned to Taeil. “Find King...who?” I asked Alexa. “King Chu.” She said. “Yes. Find his location.” I said. He typed in the name of the hacking computer. We waited for the process and it finally popped up. “He’s in a warehouse near the Seoul Hotel.” Taeil said. I patted his back. “Thank you. Keep him tracked for me.” I said. “Yes sir.” He replied.

“Jungwoo, go ahead and drive.” I said sitting back in my seat. “Yes sir.” He said starting the car.

- -

We made it to the location. “Slowly pull up.” I said. He did so and stopped the car. I breathed out. “Johnny, Taeyong, Mark, Yuta with me. You three keep a look out for any of his men who approaches the warehouse. Take them down when you see them.” I ordered and opened the door. “Yes sir.” They said. I made my way to Alexa’s side and helped her out the car.

I walked to the door and everyone kicked the door open. Johnny and Yuta rushed over to King and grabbed him, putting him on his knees in front of me. Mark and Taeyong pointed their guns at him. “Who the fuck are you?! Hey-“ I nodded for Johnny to hit him in his head with a gun to shut him up. “Don’t even try to call anyone. They will all be dead in seconds. I have ten men in cars each, surrounding your warehouse and three by the door. And trust me, all they need is snap of a finger to blow this shit up with you in it.” I said.

He glanced at Alexa. “Why do you have her? She’s useless..” he scoffed. I landed a punch to his face, making his mouth bleed. “Belittle her again I will fucking kill you.” I growled. He laughed. “You fell in love with her after a few hours and now you’re here, beating me up like you own the damn world? Huh! How pathetic. I don’t fucking know you.” He spat. “Well how about we greet each other then. What’s you’re name?” I asked, knowing the answer. “It’s King. And how about yours you wanna be fancy thug?” He scoffed. I smirked. “It’s Jae..” I said.

His head snapped in my direction. “Fuck...” He whispered. “Surprise, surprise...” I said. “Look....I’ll give you all you want! I-I didn’t mean to disrespect you in anyway!! I just...didn’t know it was actually you standing in front of me. I-I worship you!” He ranted in fear. “To hell with all of that bullshit. You try and claim that you are the boss of all gangs, huh?” I asked. “Sir, please...” He said. I gripped his hair.

“At this rate, you’re one of my bitches.” I growled. “Sir...I mean no disrespect to you...Do you want Alexa? I-I’ll give her to you! She’s free! Take her!” He said. I grabbed Yuta’s gun from his waist and slapped him with it. “Does it look like I’m here for me to take her!?” I yelled. He whimpered in pain. “I’m sorry! I’m sorry, just let me go! I’ll give everything I own to you!” He cried. “I already own everything you have, including you! As I said, you are one of my bitches.” I spat.

“How about I run you like you run Alexa huh?” I asked. “Sir..what is your point in this?” He asked. I hit him again with the gun, making him cry out in pain more. “THE FUCKING POINT IS, WHY ARE TREATING HER LIKE A DAMN PROSTITUTE!?” I yelled. “It’s how I also get money! I’m sorry I’ll never do it again! I’ll never take your name again and I will treat her right! Just one more chance sir!!” He begged and cried. “No..One thing about me is that I don’t give second chances to fakes like you. I should fucking kill you.” I said.

He panicked. “Sir! Please! I-I’ll do anything!!” He said. “Fuck that. Tie him up.” I said, taking off my jacket. Yuta and Johnny lifted him to his feet and took the rope they had. They tied his hands up and dragged him to a pole, hanging the loose end there so he could hang. I walked over to him and took his gun and knife. I took the knife and stabbed it in his side. He screamed out in pain. “Sir please!! Stop this!” He cried. “Beg for it, bitch.” I growled.

“Sir..please! I admit my mistakes and I will never do it again!!” He cried. I took the knife and cut his face. “I don’t think that was convincing enough. I said, beg for it Bitch..” I growled grabbing his chin, forcing him to look at me. “I’m sorry sir...please! Please let me go! Sir, I’ll obey your orders only! No one else’s and not even my own! I won’t tell people how you look or anything, just pleaseeee let me go!!” He cried out. I slit his chest, legs, arms, and face again.

“I don’t think I’m pleased bitch. Do something to make me happy.” I said standing back. “I can’t...My lord, My Boss, My Master. I won’t do anything like this again!!” He said. “Master is a very intriguing name to call me...hm. Say it again.” I smirked. “Master! My Master!” He yelled. “Now who’s bitch are you?” I asked. “I’m my Master’s bitch!” He cried.

I smirked. “Good, now you have one more thing to do for me.” I said setting the knife down. “Yes?” He asked. “Take your beating like a good bitch. Boys, beat him.” I said walking away. They all rushed over and began to beat him with everything they had. I sat in his chair and watched. I looked over to Alexa watching in fear. “Come here.” I said calmly. She walked over to me hesitantly. I pulled her into a hug. “Its alright. Really.” I said. She looked in my eyes and nodded. I smiled and turned to the guys.

“Stop.” They all pulled away from his aching body. “Alexa, do you want to say anything to him?” I asked. “No...kill him..I hate him..” She mumbled against my shirt. “Okay..Mark. Taeyong. Shoot.” I said. King began to panic and cried and scream. “No! No please! I’m sorry!” He cried. Taeyong and Mark cocked their guns back and shoot him 27 times.

They left his body hanging, dripping of blood. I grabbed my jacket and put it on. “Let’s go.” I said. Everyone followed out after me and I took Alexa by the hand. “No one is gonna hurt you anymore. You’re all safe.” I said. “But..I have no where to go! My mom kicked me out the house!” She cried. “You will live with me. We’ll take care of you. That’s honesty.” I said. She fell to her knees and hugged my legs. “Thank you! I need this!” She cried. “Of course...” I said. There was something about this girl that I love...I don’t know what it is...

Your POV

“You mean to tell me...that you are a..a gang lord?” I asked hurt. He sighed. “Yes..but that’s all behind me now..” He said moving towards me. I avoided his touch. “No...I need some time..this is...” I said getting off the bed. “Y/n..don’t leave me. I really need you..you’re the one person who changed my life for the best. I can’t live without you. You just can’t leave me. There’s not a second in my life that I don’t hope and wish that my past will come up to you and my daughter. I hate my old life. My dreams, every night...is that I get murdered or you get killed by some random thug off the street who hated me, and my daughter gets shot in her head. please...Y/n I’m at my breaking point right now..I can’t do this alone. I think I might go crazy if you leave me. D-Don’t leave me..”

He began to cry and I hesitantly went to him. I pulled him in my arms and hugged him. “It’s okay..it’s alright..I promise..” I said. He grabbed onto my body as if it was the last time he would hold me again. “Y/n, I mean it..if you leave, I will snap. I won’t be myself anymore..I feel myself breaking. The old me is trying to force its way out..” He said. I froze. Those words sent chills though my body. I felt..scared of him..he laid us down on the bed and he tugged my hair behind my ear. “Don’t leave..” He warned. I shook my head. “I won’t.” I mumbled. He kissed my lips and pulled my body close to him.

I felt his breathing even out as he fell back asleep. I still had so many questions, but one lingered the most. “What will happen if I actually left?” My body was already afraid, my mental state was ruined and I feared nothing but him. My heart was yelling for me to stay but..my mind and body said different. I just needed some time alone. I slipped out of his grip and went to the bathroom.

I looked up in the mirror to see the black eye he gave me. I seen the red bruises he left on my body and I could still see the grip marks on my neck along with hickies. I shed a tear as the moments replayed again. “BITCH!” Slap. I flinched at the memory and made my mind up of what I needed to do.

I walked back out the bathroom and grabbed my robe. I took a duffle bag and packed everything I needed in there. I threw it over my shoulder and peeked over at him to see him sound asleep. My heart ached and cried as I looked at him. Am I really about to leave the man I care for and love? I have to...

I quietly walked out of the room and to Lia’s, packing all her outfits and toys and cup. I took her bag and picked her up carefully. She mumbled in her sleep. “Mommy..” She said. “Shh...You and mommy are going somewhere..” I said. “Where are we going? Where’s Daddy?” She asked as I walked out of her bedroom with her blanket.

“Shh, daddy can’t go right now. He’s sleeping. Just go back to sleep.” I said. She hummed and fell asleep. I made it to the door and gripped the door knob. I looked back to the bedroom he was in and I closed my eyes. I breathed out and opened the door, leaving him behind...

[ectoentity]

Last Stop

For Ectober Month 2021, Day 2: Scream vs Laugh

Fandom: Danny Phantom

Rating: T

Characters: Tucker Foley, Sam Manson, Danny Fenton, various OCs

Tags: Creepy laughter, a spooky corpse ghost, horror

Tucker just wants his ride home to be quick and peaceful after a long day at school. He doesn't want to deal with creepy, spontaneous laughter.

Also on AO3 here.

(Thanks to whitechoco for beta-ing!)

Tucker Foley was having a bad day. He’d bombed every question a teacher asked him, even in his computer science class. That wasn’t entirely his fault. Danny had asked him something over text, and that had made him miss the question. Then there had been a ghost attacking the school gym, which wouldn’t have been a big deal except that he was in it at the time. Everyone got to watch as he got pummeled by a variety of sporting equipment gone mad. It wasn’t even because he’d been doing anything! Tucker just happened to be closest to the equipment closet at the time. More awful, dumb luck.

His internal monologue was interrupted by a buzzing PDA.

HER GOTHNESS: you there yet

Tucker banged his head against the bus’s bar. 

YOU: 30 mins dude 

YOU: im but a poor man n the bus is slow

HER GOTHNESS: for a poor man you use a lot of characters

HER GOTHNESS: lmk when you’re on

Tucker rolled his eyes and clicked over to his notes icon, where he was drafting a new code. This one was for a program that would help them identify ghosts by ectosignature. Hopefully. The whole concept of identifying an individual ectosignature by any means that a computer could understand was kind of up in the air right now. As far as he knew, even the Fentons hadn’t figured it out yet. But they weren’t genius computer science prodigies. 

Part of the way through it, Tucker noticed someone closer to the front of the bus was laughing. That wasn’t really a big deal. It happened. People started laughing on the bus. Maybe he was reading a book, or got a funny text. He went back to his typing for a few minutes.

Then more people started laughing.

Tucker kept staring at his email and notes. This was weird, but maybe it was a coincidence? Coincidences were things that happened. They had been vanishingly rare since the whole ghost portal thing, but they had to happen sometimes. Right?

Half the bus was laughing. Tucker looked up and saw people grinning. There was Mike, the mechanic who lived a few doors down from his family, and Mrs. Richards, the old lady who always had the best Halloween candy, and a few other people he recognized. They were laughing, but their eyes were wide, flickering back and forth. Mike caught Tucker’s eyes. Behind the manic grin, he looked terrified.

It had to be a ghost, right? Every time weird stuff happened in Amity Park, it was ghosts. 

YOU: hey dude any laughing ghosts on ur radar

YOU: ???

LIVING DEAD BOY: not really? something weird?

YOU: YEAH KINDA

Something grabbed Tucker’s shoulder. Tucker jumped. It was Mike. 

“H-Hey, Mike, what’s up?”

Michael didn’t stop laughing. He gripped Tucker’s jacket and laughed with wide, pleading eyes.

“Dude, knock it off,” Tucker said. “Why are you laughing?”

Mike didn’t stop. Instead he pointed away, towards the middle of the bus. That was where the laughing started. 

Tucker felt a deep chill go down his spine. Danny dealt with ghosts. He did computer stuff and made stupid jokes. This wasn’t his job. Right?

Laughter surrounded him.

Tucker shuddered. It wasn’t right. Nothing about this was right. He stepped to the side and walked towards the middle of the bus.

It was colder the closer he got. Like a fridge. Worse than a fridge; like an ice cooler in the depths of winter. Tucker understood some basic thermodynamics. There wasn’t anything that generated coldness. Cold was just the lack of heat. Things became colder when energy left them. 

Science didn’t stop the cold from reaching into him like a long arm with many frigid fingers. 

“Okay, I’m here,” Tucker stated as soon as he was in the center of the bus. He couldn’t help his voice cracking just a bit. “Will you stop making them laugh?”

The cold stopped for a moment. Instead of sapping him, it felt like a weird blanket. Like he was engulfed in water but still able to breathe. Ghost stuff was freaky and didn’t make any sense.

Please. 

Tucker turned and found himself eye-to-eye with a corpse. It was dessicated; practically mummified. It had no eyes, nose, or lips. Long, wiry hair hung from its scalp. He screamed and shut his eyes. Why couldn’t he have gotten a cool ghost like Ember? His first solo gig and it had to be the Cryptkeeper. When he opened his eyes again, the corpse ghost had moved back a couple of feet. 

They were still surrounded by people who were laughing so hard that they were gasping for air. Mike had fallen over. Mrs. Richards was crying. The bus driver seemed to have collapsed into the aisle.

Amelia Whittaker. 

Outside, the scenery was completely wrong. They had long since gone past Tucker’s stop. It was much darker than it had been just a few minutes ago.

“What do you want?” Tucker asked. 

The ‘stop requested’ light dinged on. The panel at the front of the bus said that the next stop was Cherry Street Cemetery. Of course it was.

“Okay,” Tucker said, looking at the corpse. “Okay, I’ll go to the cemetery and look for Amelia Whittaker. I promise. Will you please let these people go now?”

The corpse stared sightlessly ahead. The bus came to a slow, gentle stop and the sliding door opened of its own accord.

There wasn’t really anything else he could do. Tucker stepped off the bus.

The laughter stopped. The cold went away. The people still on the bus started to pick each other up. Tucker breathed a sigh of relief. His job wasn’t over, but at least they were going to be okay. He took out his PDA. He had missed a few calls and more than a dozen texts.

YOU: meet me in the cherry st cemetery

LIVING DEAD BOY: yeah will do u ok?? 

He turned away from the bus and walked into the cemetery. It was quiet. Not eerily quiet, though. There were cars going up and down the street behind him, and the street to his right. If he listened hard enough, he could hear frogs and crickets starting their evening chorus. 

Tucker walked down the aisles of headstones. It was relaxing, in a weird way. There was no organization. The names and dates were all wildly different from one plot to the next. Some had flowers, others didn’t. A few had toys on them, little statues, pretty rocks or other trinkets. The stones themselves were vastly different from one to another. Some were simple rectangles with a name and set of dates. Others were elaborately carved, with pictures of the deceased safely behind bronze-lidded frames. Tucker had never really paid attention to how different a simple headstone could be. As he went up and down and up and down the rows, the names and dates all seemed to blend together.

Until he found Amelia.

There was a heaviness to the grave even before he reached it. The air felt thicker here, the sky a little darker. He read the name and sat down to the right of the grave. This was one of the simplest headstones he’d seen. It didn’t even have her birth and death dates. It was just a stone slab with a name.

“Hey, Amelia,” he whispered. “I still don’t know what that was about, but I found you.”

After a few minutes passed, Danny appeared before him in ghost form. He looked more see-through than normal. 

“You okay, man?” Tucker asked.

“It’s been a long day,” Danny said instead of answering directly.

“I’d agree, but I think I lost an hour. Haunted bus rides, huh?”

Danny frowned and looked somewhere in the distance. The cemetery was empty aside from them. At least, it was to Tucker. Maybe Danny could see things that he couldn’t. This whole thing was weird, even by their standards. Tucker’s usual coping mechanism was of no use here.

“On the bus, everyone started laughing,” he said softly. “They couldn’t stop. Why did she do that?”

Danny stared at the grave with eyes that seemed utterly empty aside from the burning green embers of his irises. “It’s what she wanted,” he said. His voice was even more hollow, more echoed, than normal. “She wanted to make people happy.”

Right, ghost logic. Tucker shivered. His PDA buzzed again, reminding him that he was very late for dinner.

“I have to go home soon.”

Danny curled his ghostly tail around Tucker. Rather than making him feel safer, it just gave him a chill. “Don’t worry, Tuck. I’ll drop you off, then come back to talk to her.”

“Thanks, man.”

Tucker wished he could do more. The empty headstone looked so lonely. “I’ll bring her some flowers.” 

For a moment they were both quiet, paying respects to someone they had never known.

“She’s glad you listened,” Danny said. 

[mamabearcatfanfics]

Battle Couple

I've had this little idea for a while, and then decided I could bend it slightly to fit this year's @inukag-week's first battle couple prompt. Because not all battles we face have to be huge ones against a deadly foe. Sometimes the battles can simply be standing up for what's right.

Inuyasha dragged the beanie down tighter over his head, stomping towards the exit of the store. He hated this. This is why he bought things online and had them delivered. Because then he could avoid interactions like he’d just had with that racist arsehole. He glanced down at the text from Sesshoumaru again, wondering if there was some other way he could get this gift for Rin. It was the first time his half-brother had thrown a birthday party for his adopted daughter, and no doubt it would be a big deal.

Rin has expressed an interest in this item. Her birthday party is on Saturday at 10am. Do not be late.

And of course the toy Rin had asked for was sold out everywhere online. The tiny dolls with light up dresses and a matching crystal necklace were apparently ‘the’ toy at the moment. She specifically wanted the purple one, the ‘hope’ doll, because it was her favourite colour, and she already had the other dolls in the set. This was the last one she needed. And he hadn’t been able to find it anywhere. He was failing as an Uncle. The last store he’d been to, he’d practically seen a pair of mothers come to blows arguing over the last CrystalShines doll on the shelf.

He was close to the exit of the store when an intriguing scent wafted past his nose. It was another store employee, dressed in the dark polo shirt and black jeans, with one of those ear walkie talkies they all seemed to wear. She was giggling, talking to someone using the button on her mike, her other arm full of a variety of women’s clothing that she was putting back on the racks. Her arms were a blur as she began sorting them into different sizes, working quickly to make each rack neat and tidy.

He watched as she flitted about the store, talking to a customer, smiling and waving at a baby in a pram, folding jumpers and t-shirts. His eyes were drawn to her dark ponytail; the way it swung as she moved was almost hypnotic. Her glossy hair was black, but had a blue sheen to it under the harsh fluorescent lighting, and he had a sudden urge to reach out and touch it, stroke down the length of the swinging tail to see if it was as soft and silken as it looked.

Without even realising it, he followed her, almost bumping into her as she suddenly spun around to go in a different direction.

“Oh! Good evening sir, can I help you with anything?”

There was a pleasant smile on her face, and she was looking at him expectantly. His voice didn’t seem to want to work now he was actually standing close to her, so he turned around his phone, showing her the picture of the doll.

“This is what you’re looking for?”

“Yeah”, he said softly, his eyes focused on hers as she glanced up at him again. He’d never seen anyone with grey eyes before. It seemed they were lit from within like starlight, and now that he was closer to her, she smelt even better. He cleared his throat, trying to get a hold of himself. “My niece wants one of these for her birthday, and I’m having trouble finding one.”

“Okay”, she said, reaching for the button on her headset to talk to the other employees on the shop floor. “Let me just talk to my colleague in the toy department, and I’ll see if we’ve got that item in stock.”

❤

Kagome watched as the man in front of her visibly deflated.

“Don’worry about it then. Already talked to ‘im.”

And then she got it. Ryan was working the toy department tonight. Ryan the racist bigot who didn’t like interacting with any customers who weren’t white, male, good ol’ boys, exactly like him. Usually he worked out the back in the store room, unpacking shipments, but due to the flu going around and the shortage of staff, the evening shift manager had put him on the floor tonight. And he’d no doubt said something innaproppriate to this gorgeous man in front of her, who obviously had some sort of youkai heritage.

She’d had her own run-ins with Ryan. He’d said many cruel things to her over the past six months, since he’d found out what happened a few years ago, cruel enough to make her run to the safety of the women’s toilets to shed a few silent tears in private. He never bullied her in a place where others could overhear, he always cornered her in dark places where there was no one else around. He frightened her. Jak knew she was uncomfortable around him, and did his best to make sure they were never rostered on at the same time, so it had been a while since she’d had to deal with him.

She took in the golden eyes, fangs and the beanie yanked down hard over his long silver hair, but it was the resigned bitter look on his face that caught at her heart. She knew that feeling. Internally Kagome fumed, but outwardly she hoisted her brightest smile onto her face, wanting to make it up to him. She could fix this!

“Wait. I don’t know the toy department that well, but I’m sure I could help. Just give me a moment to put these things down.”

He followed her to a wheeled rack in the aisle where she hung all the clothing in her arms back up, and then turned to him, smiling brightly again.

“Let’s go to the toy department and see if we can’t find this doll for your niece. When’s her birthday?”

“Tomorrow.”

“Oh dear, that doesn’t give you much time to find one!”

“I’ve been lookin’ all week. Online stores have sold out.”

“Well, hopefully we’ll have one in stock. Let’s see, the doll aisle is around here somewhere.”

They walked together down the aisle, both scanning the shelves for the tiny dolls.

“They should be around here”, said Kagome, her finger running along the price labelling on the edge of the shelf, her eyes lighting up as she found the right tag, but sighing in disappointment as she found the shelf empty.

“Yeah”, sighed Inuyasha. “I asked the guy around here if he could find out if there were any more out the back or somethin’ and he, ah…”

“Don’t worry”, said Kagome, a determined look on her face, “I will personally go take a look in the store room for you. Just wait here for me sir.”

“Inuyasha.”

“Huh?”

He coughed a little, his head turning to the side to avoid her direct gaze. “My name, it’s Inuyasha.”

“Oh. Right. Just wait here for me Inuyasha, and I’ll be right back.”

“Thanks Kagome.”

She blinked in confusion as he said her name, wondering how he’d known it, then realised he had read her name tag.

For some reason him saying her name out loud made her stomach swoop, like she was on a roller coaster, even though her feet were firmly planted on the ground. As he gave her a shy smile, she felt her cheeks begin to heat, and she whirled around, making a beeline for the storage room, talking into the mike on her headset as she left.

“Hey Jak, it’s Kagome – just going out to the store room for a moment for a customer. I’ll get right back on those returns as soon as I’m done, okay?”

“Oooh, tell me it’s the hottie with the white hair that I pointed out to you!”

“Jak!”

“Oh it is! Take your time honey!”

“You’re incorrigible, you know that?”

“And you love me for it. Make sure you get his name and number before he goes!”

“Jak!”

“For the customer form darlin’, what else did you think I meant?”

She could hear him still sniggering as she released the talk button on her mike, and she shook her head, grinning despite herself. He was her in-line manager and they got on really well, but rarely got to spend time together, as he was usually rostered on during the day, and her in the evenings so her day was free for lectures and study.

Kagome squeezed her way into the storeroom, scanning the aisles of stock yet to be placed out on the shelves. And then she saw it, the edge of a box with a picture of a tiny doll up on the highest shelf.

Dragging over the step ladder, she placed it under the shelf and climbed up, her petite size meaning she had to stand on the very top to have any chance of reaching the box. She just managed to reach the doll with the tips of her fingers, and nudged it. It tipped forward and fell, and with a gasp she managed to catch it with her outstretched hand, teetering on the top of the ladder, her other arm windmilling frantically to keep her balance.

She took a few deep breaths, trying to calm her frantically beating heart after her almost fall, the box containing the doll clutched tightly against her. But she’d found one for him, a purple one, just like he’d wanted. She had no idea why that made her feel so incredibly happy, but it did.

Grinning widely as she emerged from the storeroom, she began walking directly to the toy department. She could see Inuyasha there, waiting for her. But she could also see Ryan, his arms crossed as he spoke to him, a sneer on his face. She quickened her pace. Previous experience had taught her that expression couldn’t mean anything good.

❤

Inuyasha stood his ground, hands clenched in tight fists by his sides. He had every right to be here – he was a customer, he hadn’t caused any commotion or damage. Kagome had asked him to wait here. But apparently that wasn’t good enough for this guy.

“I told you already, we’ve got none of what your looking for. Nothing for you. Are you deaf, or just stupid?” The volume of his voice wasn’t loud enough to draw anyone’s attention to them, but definitely loud enough to get on Inuyasha’s nerves.

Inuyasha closed his eyes and took a deep breath, his hands shaking slightly as he held back. He would not punch out this idiot – this was a department store, not a battle ground. Even though he deserved it because he was a racist bigoted shit.

“I already told you to leave youkai! Do I have to call security?”

Inuyasha breathed out slowly, trying to keep any trace of anger out of his voice, even though he wanted to let rip. He’d found out the hard way that security tended to not ask questions, just see his youkai traits and assume the worst.

“And I already told you, another employee was taking a look out the back for me. She told me to wait here for her.”

“Yeah, like I’d believe anything one of you would have to say. You’re all the same. What are hidin’ under that hat huh? Some kinda weird freakish thing I’d bet. ”

“Inuyasha!”

Inuyasha turned, his eyes lighting up as Kagome appeared. But she wasn’t wearing the wide smile she had when she left. She was stomping towards them, a box tucked tightly under her arm, the scowl on her face impressive. Thankfully that scowl was not directed at him.

He could smell the nervousness pouring off of her, but you never would have thought it looking at the way she faced off with her work colleague, stepping in front of him like she wanted to shield him from this man's ire with her much smaller body.

“Ryan, I’m handling this customer. And I’ve already found what he needed, so there’s no reason for you to be here. I think you’ve probably said enough.”

There was the barest trace of a tremble in her voice, and Inuyasha moved in closer behind her, wanting her to feel like he was there to support her. He wasn’t exactly sure what was going on, but he didn’t like it.

Ryan rolled his eyes and then sneered at her, his voice low and vicious.

“Ha. Shoulda known it would be you Kagome. Such a helpful little kiss ass. Why don’t you turn that cute little tush of yours around and head back to the ladies department where you belong, unless you’re still that desperate for some demon tail.”

“What?”

Ryan grinned at the shocked expression on Kagome’s face, posturing like he’d somehow scored a point. “Bit ironic really, you working in the ladies department when you’re anything but. A human ain't good enough for Kagome, huh? Wasn’t it bad enough that the last guy you had got fired, now you’re after customers too? You really are a-“

“Don’t. Say. Another. Word.”

Both Kagome and Ryan flinched at the snarled words behind them.

“Kagome, call your manager”, said Inuyasha gruffly. “I wanna report this guy.”

“It’s my word against yours demon, and little Kagome’s not gonna say anything, are you Kagome, because you’re fuckin’ pathetic. There’s nothin’ you can report me for”, snorted Ryan.

“Oh, I don’t know. I’d probably pick being a racist arsehole, for starters”, said another voice cheerfully. "Then maybe we could add workplace harassment."

A tall man in a tailored suit stepped into view, his dark hair slicked back into a short ponytail. He was holding his phone up, obviously still recording the whole thing.

“Here I was, minding my own business in the Lego aisle while I looked for the perfect birthday gift for my little girls, and what should I hear? An employee bad mouthing a customer, when the customer had been nothing but polite and civil. Don’t worry about proof, I’m happy to be a witness. I was recording the whole thing. From the very first racist slur that left your lips.”

Kagome’s eyes were wide as she glanced from the ponytailed man back to Ryan, and Inuyasha could hear her heart beating frantically. He nodded at her approvingly as she took a deep breath, her hand steady on the button on her headset.

“Jak, it’s Kagome”, she said, her voice a little breathless, but firm. “Can you-“

Ryan lunged towards her.

“Don’t you dare, you fuckin’ bitch!”

Inuyasha ducked out from behind Kagome, his fist grabbing the back of Ryan’s shirt and lifting him into the air, Ryan’s legs kicking frantically as he tried to escape. Before Kagome could move out of the way, his steel capped boot caught her on the chin. She dropped like a stone, crumpling to the floor in a heap.

“Fuck, Kagome!”

Inuyasha swung Ryan out of the way and dropped him none too gently, all his focus on the small woman laying prone on the slightly grubby linoleum floor, still out for the count. He could hear a scuffle behind him as the man in the suit and a few other observers struggled to keep Ryan contained, but he no longer cared about him. He knelt down close to her, gently stroking the glossy dark hair back from her face.

“Kagome, can you hear me?”

Inuyasha shook Kagome’s shoulder gently, trying to rouse her, and her eyes fluttered open.

“Inuyasha?” she said groggily, her arm tightening around the box, a wobbly smile on her face. “I got your doll.”

❤

It took a while to sort everything out. An ambulance was called, and the police. The police took statements from Inuyasha, Kagome and the man in the suit, Miroku. Ryan was fired on the spot, and Jak was positively gleeful, despite the mountain of paperwork he’d have to fill out before he went home that evening. When the paramedic suggested that Kagome should go to the hospital to be checked for possible concussion, Inuyasha had immediately said he’d like to go with her, if that was alright with Kagome, and after a few polite remarks about it not being necessary, she’d gratefully accepted. Jak had positively pushed them into the ambulance together, waving them off with a bright smile. It was the most exciting evening shift he’d had in years.

❤

“You don’t have to stay you know. I’ll be fine, I’ll just get an Uber home.”

Inuyasha rolled his eyes, leaning back against the wall, his arm resting on the edge of Kagome's hospital bed.

“For the tenth time woman, I don’t mind. I want to be here when the doctor examines you to make sure you’re okay. And then I wanna make sure you get home safe.” He sighed as he looked at the dark purpling bruise on Kagome’s chin. “I’m just sorry I didn’t throw that fucker down to the end of the aisle when I had the chance.”

“But it’s so late! It’s almost 2am, and you have the party to go to tomorrow. Today I mean.”

“Eh, that’s hours away. She won’t mind if I’m a little late, Rin’s a nice kid. And now I have the perfect present, thanks to you.”

Kagome was quiet for a while. The silence grew to feel uncomfortable, because Inuyasha could sense how tense Kagome suddenly was.

“Inuyasha… I want to explain. About what Ryan said to me.”

“Hmm?” He could smell nervousness again, billowing around her like a cloud, and he didn’t like it. “Doesn’t matter, none of my business.”

“But I want to”, she said, her voice taking on a stubborn edge.

“Fine, I’ll listen. But nothin’ you can say will change my good opinion of you. You stepped up for me back there Kagome, and that don’t happen for me much. I will always remember that.”

Kagome reached out her hand to lightly grasp the clawed one sitting next to her on the bed, and squeezed it.

“Thank you.”

He squeezed back.

“You’re welcome.”

“Anyway”, she sighed. “About what Ryan said. I started working at that department store when I was still in high school, as a weekend job. And there was this training manager, a kitsune. He’d come around every so often, and all the girls thought he was really good looking. He had a little green sports car; a lot of the other girls thought was really important. They all were flirting with him, and then he asked me out. I was so surprised. I mean, me! I’m nothing special! He was so stylish, and so charming. I really thought…” Kagome laughed but it had no humour in it, and Inuyasha squeezed her hand again. She shrugged, her shoulders coming up around her ears as her face turned away from him.

“I was so stupid! It turned out I was right about being nothing special, because he was going out with a couple of girls at every store that he visited.” She flinched a little at Inuyasha’s low growl of disapproval. “There were around ten of us. And because a couple of us were under aged, he was charged. Lost his job. Ryan found out about it a few months ago and thought-“

“Don’t say it”, said Inuyasha gruffly, squeezing her hand again. “Don’t matter what he thought. It’s in the past. And the Kagome I saw tonight was amazing.”

“No I wasn’t!” Kagome shook her head, then winced as her head throbbed, realising that was a bad idea. “I was so scared Inuyasha! I’ve never been able to stand up to him before. But I couldn’t stand the thought of him being mean to you!”

“Then you’re even braver than I thought.” Inuyasha entwined his fingers with hers, and cleared his throat. “Kagome, I know you don’t know me. But I think I’d like to get to know you. Could I call you? Maybe we could go out for coffee or somethin’? I mean you don’t gotta answer, and if you don’t wanna, I totally understand, I mean-“

“Yes.” Kagome giggled at the wide toothy grin on Inuyasha’s face. “Give me your phone and I’ll put my number in.”

“Wait. Maybe you should see what all’a me looks like before you say yes.”

Inuyasha tugged off his beanie, revealing the pointed white dog ears on top of his head. “If you wanna change your mind, I-“

“They’re so cute!” squeaked Kagome. “Please give me your phone!”

❤

Kagome woke up the next morning very late, so late that it was no longer morning at all.

It had been 3am by the time Inuyasha had dropped her home with a bag of painkillers and the Doctor’s instructions for treating her mild concussion. He’d helped her into bed, placed her medicine and a glass of water next to the bed for her, kissed her softly on the cheek and whispered goodnight, closing the door behind him.

She rubbed her cheek gently at the memory of that small kiss, a smile on her face. She still had a headache, so she took two of the tablets, then reached for her phone on the bedside table where it had been charging.

There were two messages.

The birthday girl loves her present! Attached was a picture of a smiling Inuyasha kneeling with his arm around a little girl in a checked orange party dress and sparkly sandals, her dark hair up in pig tails. A wide excited grin split her face, revealing the gap of a missing front tooth. The doll was clutched tightly in her hand, and she was wearing the necklace that came with it.

I told Rin how brave you were, and she wanted you to have some birthday cake. Can I bring some over when you wake up? 🍰

Kagome smiled almost as wide as Rin, despite her headache.

I’d love you to ❤

[yurtletheturtlehenderson]

Badass || Bill Denbrough x Reader

Day 2 of Fictober

Pairing: Bill Denbrough x [gn] Reader

Requested: how about you do a bill x reader where the reader is a badass but still in the losers club???? just came up with it!!! btw love ya work and love ya!!!!

A//n: Aw thank you so much! That’s so sweet of you. Love you too darling, hope you like it 💛💛💛 and thanks for being so patient like the rest y'all 😘 [also i am in no way a badass so I’m sorry, I tried lol] edit: OKAY IM ACTUALLY SO PROUD OF THIS, HOLY CRAP?? And again, i finished and pressed saved draft 30 SECONDS before midnight, so fight me this counts lol i just had to set up the title and tags and stuff on my computer before posting. anyways, thanks for waiting for this request, i hope you enjoy this, like i said, im actually surprised at how proud of this one i am!

Fictober Prompt: “that’s the easy part”

Warnings: Blood

“ROCK WAR~!”

The next thing you knew, rocks were soaring across the stream straight for your head. Luckily for your skull, your reflexes were faster than you remembered and you managed to duck before a giant stone could knock you out.

And yet you still heard a thump?

You peek out from behind your arms, looking behind you to see Richie laying flat on his ass, his glasses askew. You winced before you caught sight of a giant rock near his foot and quickly made a grab for it.

Your glare stretches across the stream, settling on the leader of the bigoted pack. You kissed the rock as you met his eye, a devilish smirk stretching across your face as you wound up. Bowers was scrambling for ammo but you had already released. The rock found its target with a satisfying ‘thunk’ leaving Bowers on his ass clutching his bleeding nose. He pulls his hand away, gaping at the overwhelming amount of blood that had already painted his hand before locking eyes with you.

“KISS MY ASS, HENRY!” You hollered with a triumphant smile. “YOU TWISTED FUCK!”

“What the fuck?” Belch and Victor began scrambling back, looking around desperately for rocks of their own.

The Losers spared wide eyed glances your direction as they unleashed a storm of rocks on the now deeply unsettled Bowers gang. Bill was the only one who hesitated, his wide blue eyes frozen on you when you turned to give him a smirk. You had been looking for ammo and it seemed he had the perfect one. You cocked a brow, your devilish smirk still dominating your face as you gestured to the stone in his hand.

“You gonna use that, Billy Boy?”

You threw a few quick glances across the barrens making sure your weren’t gonna get hit. Luckily morale seemed to be growing scarce over there.

Unfortunately, it wasn’t completely gone.

“Ow,” Bill hissed, right hand clutching his left shoulder. “F-f-uck.”

Your head whipped around on your shoulders again to see Victor Criss’s upper lip twitching into a satisfied smile as he looked at Bill. You returned your attention to your boyfriend and the rock he held out for you.

“Let me,” you seethed.

You snatched the rock up, stomping forward with a wild glare in your eyes that was enough to intimidate the bleach blonde. Victor was already on his heels and running, but you weren’t letting him get away that easy. You threw with all your might and watched with pride as it soared through the air and hit him directly on the spine that was poking through his back. He cried out in pain as he fell to the ground, his chin meeting the very rock bed that fueled the fight.

“EAT SHIT,” You spit. “YOU LACKEY ASS FUCK!”

~~~~

“Turn it off!” Beverly cried. “TURN IT OFF!”

The projector in Bill’s garage had quickly turned into It’s stage as It put on a horrific display for you and the rest of your friends. What was just once pictures of Derry, suddenly turned into pictures of Bill’s family - you missed Georgie terribly, having grown so close with him the year before he died when you and Bill first got together. And now you were all staring death in the eyes as It manipulated the very air in the room around you. Every click of the projector put you on edge, the stroking effect and of course the child eating clown tormenting you all.

It was hard to process your own thoughts as they were quickly drowning in everyone’s screams and your own fears. You clutched Bill tightly to your side, your arms linked and your fingers stitched together. Everything was moving so incredibly fast it was near impossible to process until you realized you weren’t holding Bill’s hand anymore.

“Y-Y/n!” He cried, tugging at the back of your shirt before it slips from his grip. “Y/N!”

Mike had already unplugged the projector, that much you knew. But you were fucking desperate. You lunged for the projector, gripping it tightly as you held it high above your head. With a guttural scream, you threw it as hard as you possibly could into the cement floor. It broke instantly into several unidentifiable pieces, the room now completely dark and eerily silent.

Heaving, you finally look up to meet your friends faces. Each of them were gaping at you, an expression they seemed to always be wearing around you.

“Well,” you say finally. “I think it’s safe to say we found It.”

~~~~

“How hard is it,” you seethed, your voice growing in volume. “to NOT wander off? In a FUCKING HAUNTED HOUSE?!”

You took all your anger and fear out on the door Richie was being held in. Your elbows were practically glued to the surface while your fists and forearms repeatedly pounded on the door. First Eddie, now Richie. You swear, these idiots had to me smarter than this.

“Richie!” Bill joined your side, pounding on the door that had closed all on its own.

“RICHARD!” You pounded on the door again, your anger turning to pure fear that was now stinging your throat and eyes as tears began to well. “This is not fucking funny, open the goddamn door asshole!”

Your hand wraps around the doorknob again, and you shake the handle, jostling it around in hopes something will cave. When the door flew open, you didn’t know whether to chalk it up to luck, skill, or it was all still part of It’s torment but you didn’t care. Richie was alive, and tumbled into your and Bill’s grip.

“Richie!” You hugged the boy tightly, then pulled away with your signature glare. “WHAT THE FUCK WERE YOU THINKING!?”

“N-n-no t-time,” Bill says, looking between you and Richie with determination in his eyes. “L-let’s get outta here.”

A muted thump answered before you could. You, Richie and Bill all looked to the source of the noise to see the moth-eaten mattress from earlier was now shifting by itself. It looked as if it was filled with jumping beans. A melon sized lump grew in the center before the fabric split to reveal the disheveled and muddied up head of your friend.

He smiles at your twisted expressions. “Wanna play loogie?”

Your reflexes are faster than your thought process and you run forward. Just as a strange black goo starts to spill from fake Eddie’s mouth, your leg was swinging through the air. Your left foot connected with the left side of his jaw, narrowly missing the sizzling black ink and Eddie’s head popped off his body as you put it across the room.

It sails through the air, his greasy hair catching several cobwebs as it spins. Specks of the goo go flying landing on the walls and ceiling before the small head collides with a disturbing ‘thunk’.

“What the fuck?!”

“Holy shit,”

Eddie’s head lands in the far corner of the room where it rolls back and forth on his right ear before settling. He was groaning as if all the spinning had made him dizzy. The ooze of black goo came out even faster as if he were ralphing, and it was now pooling across the floor and inching towards their feed.

“Oh, that’s fucking GROSS!” Richie looks quickly to you. “And now you made him angry!”

“At least I did something!”

“Guys,” Bill pleads. “C-come on,”

The pool of black tar is spreading fast and you and Richie don’t have to think twice to listen to Bill. You all turn on your heel, only to find three doors instead of one.

Very Scary, Scary, and Not Scary At All.

Not Scary At All was the winner, Bill and Richie quickly decide. And despite your protest that it was all clearly a trick and the doors were misnomers, they opened the Not Scary At All.

“Where’s My Shoe?”

The light was turned on to reveal the severed body of Betty Ripsom and you had promptly decided you had had more than enough.

“WHERE THE FUCK WERE HER LEGS?!” Richie cried.

“I’ve got a guess but I’m not sticking around to find out.” You growled.

You cast a glance behind you to see the tar had eaten up most of the floor, giving you little room to do what you wanted. Luckily, you didn’t need much. You took a few steps back and looked at the door in the center, your eyes settling deep into the crimson letters spelling “scary.” You were certainly glad you realized when you did that unlike the door that held Richie hostage, this one could easily be broken down from where you stood.

You sighed. “I have to do everything.”

~~~~

“WELCOME TO THE LOSERS CLUB, ASSHOLE!”

Richie’s bat swung through the air and knocked the clown back. Pennywise quickly recovered and lunged for the nearest target with a disgusting growl. You quickly scrambled for a weapon as Mike stepped up to bat. He threw the fence iron rod at the monster but it was stopped midair when It’s jaw unhinged and out came several charred arms holding it in place. More and more reached out from inside It’s throat and made a grab at Mike who was fighting back the force of all the arms.

You never happier to have been too slow to save your friend when you saw Stanley pick up one of several spare iron rods off the ground. With a brave determination, he launched forward with a fierce battle cry as his torch came down on the branch of arms that now recoiled, saving Mike. It stumbled back, the charred arms slinking back into its mouth and disappearing and Pennywise stumbles again when Richie kicks It forward and away from him. Unfortunately that brought It right to Stanley.

“Stan, watch out!” Bill cries from your side.

But it’s too late, It’s head had already changed to the same horribly contorted lady that had you had already found attacking your friend. Only this time it was still wearing It’s clown suit, and it was racing straight for Stan.

“Stan!” You cried, already running forward after him only to stop second later.

Yet again Stanley roared, striking the clown across the face with the most furious look you had ever seen on him. Despite the horrifying circumstances, you were quite proud. You quickly fell back into line, ready to fight with the others and you smiled yet again when Mike followed up Stan’s strike with a devastating blow of his own.

The small moment of victory was soon cut short - a pattern you were currently getting used to - when a pair of red tentacles-turned-crab-claws pulled Mike to the ground.

“Mike!” Eddie shrieked.

Mike was able to barrel roll to safety as as It advanced on him. The end of each gigantic claw striking the earth and narrowly missing him and you and your friends quickly followed not knowing what to do. You couldn’t watch it anymore, and you hated yourself for what you were about to do but you knew you would simply never forgive yourself if you lost Mike, or any of your friends.

For what Bill wished was the first time of the summer, he felt you leave his side as you charged headlong into danger. Another guttural scream left you as you hurled yourself onto It’s back, your iron spike in front of It’s neck, both hands on either side of the rod and you pulled as hard as you could.

Pennywise’s disturbing, maniacal laughter grew even scarier, something you didn’t think was possible as he began to suffocate. You let yourself drop back down to the ground, your grip still tight on your weapon as you used your position to pull It down to the ground. It was still laughing through chocked breathes but it had done what you hoped, and stopped, Mike had gotten to safety with the Losers.

And for one glorious moment you felt indestructible. Until you saw it shift before you’re very eyes and your eyes widened, as did the eyes of your friends and Bill. It’s complete figure changed, starting with It’s head. You and the Losers no longer saw a painted lady, a mummy, a horrible memory, an abusive father, or even a late little brother. But they saw you, their friend Y/n, cowering and crying under the iron rod that pinned you to the ground by the neck.

“Please,” It whimpered, bottom lip quivering horribly. “Please don’t. I don’t wanna die.”

The real you was staring at the sight of yourself, the real fake you that you always tried so hard to push down. You knew it was Pennywise, but it was enough to make you choke completely. You were always so confident, and you were good at sticking up for yourself and the rest of the Losers. At least that’s all they ever saw, that’s all you ever let them see. Deep down you were terrified, and much more than that you were terrified that your own fear would get in the way of protecting your loved ones.

Like now.

“Y/n?” Bill’s soft voice called out to you, breaking you from your spell.

You look down at your blubbering face, tears streaking down your cheeks as you begged yourself for mercy. Several pleas leaving your lips when finally you pulled the rod back. Your eyelids flicker open, gazing back up at you and watch your every move cowering.

“Y/n?” Ben asks.

You don’t answer, you just straighten, your demon double cowering beneath you and it only angers you more to know none of this is It’s own fear. It was yours. It was mocking you.

Which was pretty stupid, considering you still had the spike.

You bare your teeth as you summon your strength, throwing the end of the spike into the ground, going right through your throat.

~~~~

You watched with head on Bill’s shoulder as another drop of blood from your palm fell onto the grass. You were trying to think about anything but the pain, and with everything you had faced this summer, you certainly had the pick of the litter.

“It feels different now,” you say, voice quiet. “And not just cause It’s gone, ya know?”

You even hate to let yourself believe that, but for the sake of your sanity and the chance of every getting another night’s sleep you’d have to believe it. And knowing Bill as long as you did, you know he felt it too.

You pick your head up off his shoulder and look to his gaze break away from the hills in the distance to meet your eyes. For a moment he doesn’t say anything, and you know for sure he’s thinking it too. Beverly was leaving for Portland, Stan said he heard whispers from his parents that they might be moving and that was all on top of the heavy weight of your guys’ trauma that had already begun to drain everyone.

“A-a-at least we-we’ve got each o-other,”

You smiled, nudging his shoulder with your own.

“Big sap,” you chuckled.

He smiled a little, enjoying the small moment between the two of you. But it disappears when his mind returns to image that had been replaying in his mind nonstop since Neibolt. The image of your cowering form that bothered you so much. He had never seen you - the real you, that was being confronted, that is - so distraught. He gulps, gathering his strength.

“W-what made you s-see that?” He asks.

You don’t answer for a long moment, and Bill fears he’s upset you. Or confused you, but he doubts that is the case. Finally, you look up at him, and lick your lips nervously.

“I’m scared Bill,” you croaked, heart pounding wildly at the admission. “I’m always worrying about you, I’m always worrying about Richie, Mike, Eddie, Stanley, Bev, and Ben. I’m always worried something is going to happen. I’m always scared something’s gonna happen to the ones I love, and I get scared that I’m not gonna be enough to protect them.”

You take a deep breath, swallowing all the air you lost in your unintentional rant. Somewhere during your confession, your gaze broke away from Bill’s gaze and now here you were afraid to even look him in the eye.

There’s another silence that Bill finally ends after a small thoughtful moment.

“It’s okay to be scared, Y/n,” he says, pulling your eyes to him. “I-I-It’s part of being h-human.”

You bite the inside of your cheek, trying your best to banish the image of your cowardly form from your mind. Suddenly the sting of your cut didn’t hurt so bad.

You looked back into Bill’s soft eyes, and shrugged.

“I know, but it doesn’t make me feel too great either.”

He nudged you again with a charming smile.

“Well, y-you’re still a badass. Y-You’re always s-standing up for us,”

You chuckled weakly, sending him a smirk.

“That’s the easy part,” you say. “It’s looking out for myself that’s harder.”

“T-t-tell ya what?” You raise a brow at his sudden demeanor. “I’ll be t-the b-b-badass lookin out for you,”

You laughed, leaning in and giving him a lingering kiss that turned his cheeks absolutely scarlet.

You smiled when you saw this. “Thanks Billy Boy. Appreciate it. But I’d still like to work on myself a bit, ya know?”

He smiles again, this time triumphantly. “Deal.”

[hanzajesthanza]

I've been laughing way too long at how you perfectly Mike Wazowski'ed Angouleme in that screenshot 😂😂 (due to me as well. Gotta get that height difference! P.S. I do want to just also say here that I'm so grateful to have book fans sticking together in this trying time, and thanks for everything you do!)

AAAAHAHAHAHA im actually laughing out loud i didn’t even realize my screen ratio did that to her until you pointed it out 😂😂😂 ah, angoulême going to the company, pointing at the screenshot on her phone, “we’re the first post in the witcher tag!” everyone else notices she was cut off, saying “oh” and giving sympathetic smiles, but she doesn’t mind and is just overjoyed “i’ve never been top post before…” … punches dandelion on the arm a friendly way, to which he goes “ow…” and looks aside at milva like “why did you teach her that…”

and i love the the height difference amongst friends you gave the hansa… everyone’s height is how i headcanon them, so i’m biased… angoulême is just a short queen. short countess? 🥲 it’s funny to imagine this short skinny girl strutting around the company like she owns it now, riding around on draakul who she stole from regis and calling them all uncles and auntie much to their annoyance

i imagine that when geralt couldn’t stop himself from seeing similarities between her and ciri, and saved her from prefect artevelde, once she was brought out of the cell led by guards and given to his custody, geralt kind of, out of reflex, looked her up and down like “where’s the rest of her?” since ciri is tall and slim… even at 14, when she last saw geralt, she was an inch taller than angoulême is currently at 19 😭

i also imagine in a scenario where regis and angoulême have to hide (idk they are exploring or eavesdropping), regis ✨simply vanishes into thin air✨ in his otherworldly manner … and angoulême just crouches down a little, mundanely and unhurriedly arching her shoulders

and yes of COURSE!!! i’m so glad i made the decision to make a sideblog for twn (and cdpr 😏 sometimes) hate, so i can have this space as my main blog and post about the books in a twn-free space. i hope - and i’m that that, because it seems the case - people can use this blog to connect with book content in these difficult times. i think it’s important to be able to remember that shitty “imitative works” (i won’t call it an adaptation or inspired work) come and go, but even as terrible as they might get, the books still exist and always have more to offer, details to glean, ways to interpret — and what’s more, is that the witcher books community is so talented and passionate, we have more talent in our collective pinky finger than the entire writing team of twn has in their bodies combined. and i think at some level, the books do attract a crowd of people who want to engage in material that has a deeper meaning and care about the messages & themes from the media they surround themselves with. who care about the family, the trauma, the war… the healing… all of the things which make it meaningful… and on this note, same to you my friend, because your book art has given me life and hope 🥺❤️

[freddiesaysalright]

The Most Dramatic Season Ever - Week 4

Summary:  It’s your time now! You are ABC’s new Bachelorette and this is your journey! All these men (including our fav BoRhap boys and then some) are competing for your heart! Will you find love? Will you get engaged at the end? Or will you end up heartbroken? Find out, on the most dramatic season ever!

Word Count: 9.5k 

Tag List: @psychosupernatural​, @someone-get-a-medic​, @bensrhapsody​, @deakyclicks​, @crazylittlethingcalledobsession​, @minigranger​, @crazyweirdocalledfriday​, @the-moving-finger-writes​, @assembledherethevolunteers​, @rose-writes-prose​, @queenlover05​, @moon-stars-soul​, @danadeacon​, @deacyblues​, @thesundrop​, @cupidben​, @lostlittlenerd​, @delilahmay39​, @timmvrphy​, @queenmylovely​, @loveandbeloved29​, @free-pool-trash​, @fairestkillerqueenofall​, @local-troubled-writer​, @babyalienfairy​, @littlecarowrites​, @allthethingsicant​, @im-an-adult-ish​, @mirkwoodshewolf​, @squishy-gay-astronaut​, @sherlollydramoine​, @butlegendsneverdie​, @dogmom2014​ If you’d like to be added, let me know!

A/N: Alright, we are halfway through the season! The drama continues this week on The Bachelorette! 

Warning(s): None

Night 1  Week 1  Week 2  Week 3

Week 4 here we go!!!

London was beautiful. You had never been before, so you were eager to explore somewhere new. Plus, you knew several of the guys would be familiar with it. This was an opportunity to see their world. And that was exactly what you planned to do.

The men settled into their hotel suite. It was a large, airy place, with a wide balcony overlooking the city. Then men all gathered on the balcony to take in the view.

“I’ve never seen Big Ben before,” said Mike. “Except in pictures.”

“What are you talking about?” Joe teased. “He’s right here.”

He pointed to Ben, who laughed. “That’s a much bigger Ben than I am.”

Joe then wrapped his arms around Ben in a bear hug. “Well, we’ve got the best Ben.”

“That, we do,” agreed Gwilym, who reached out and pinched Ben’s cheek. 

Ben laughed more and flushed. Then all the guys gathered in a group hug. 

Of course, Luke was not with them. He was inside, journaling by himself. After everything that happened, he avoided the other men, and they avoided him right back. So, he missed out on the bond that had formed between the rest of them. Despite all competing for the same woman, they had become solid friends.

When there was a knock on the door for the date card, Mike went to go get it. Everyone watched the hallway anxiously. Then, they all heard him release a delighted cry. They exchanged confused looks. Mike returned without a date card, but with something much better. You.

They all cheered when they saw you and engulfed you in a warm group hug. Then they all settled back onto the couches so you could catch your breath.

“Welcome to London, guys,” you said, scanning their faces. “I’m really, really happy with the group that’s still here, and I hope that we can just continue this crazy journey all together.”

“How are you enjoying it?” Taron asked.

“Well, I haven’t gotten to see much, but so far, I love London,” you said. “In fact, I came here today for someone to explore it with me.”

They all watched you, hoping you would say their own names.

“Gwilym,” you said, finding his eyes. “Would you like to go on a date with me?”

“I’d be honored,” he replied, getting to his feet.

You smiled and followed suit, holding out your hand to him. You could see the disappointment on some of the other men’s faces, but you were relieved that they also seemed genuinely happy for Gwilym. Maybe you really could leave all the drama behind. 

You and Gwilym waved goodbye and headed out the door. You went out on the streets of London hand in hand.

“I’m gonna let you take the lead here,” you told him. “You live here, right?”

“I do,” he chuckled. “I’m not originally from London, but I live here now.”

“Well, show me around, stud!” you urged.

He laughed again and you were off. Gwilym walked you around almost everywhere that was nearby. He was knowledgeable about the history of everything too. That was one of the most attractive things about Gwilym to you. He was so well-read and intelligent. But it never came off as condescending. He was still incredibly kind and humble as well.

You stopped inside a pub to eat and grab a drink after all the walking. You ordered fish and chips because that’s what you’d always heard in the movies. Gwilym laughed beside you and kissed you on the cheek.

You each had a beer as you waited for the food.

“So,” you said as you sipped. “How are you since we last talked?”

“Very well,” he answered. “I’m excited to be getting to know you better and see where we go from here.”

“I’m excited too,” you said. “Every time I think about our connection, I always feel hopeful.”

“Hopeful?” he questioned.

“Yeah,” you said. “Since you told me your story, I feel like you’re the most hopeful person in the world. What you went through was...unbelievably sad. And yet, you’re still here, looking for love, pursuing it wholeheartedly. It makes me hopeful too.”

He smiled sadly at the glass in front of him.

“I’m flattered by your admiration,” he said. “Losing her - especially the way I did - was the most difficult thing I’ve ever been through. We actually moved to London together from our little town, so coming here with you really is like a fresh start. It’s making me feel like I’m re-discovering it.”

“Is that a good feeling or a bad one?” you asked.

“It’s bittersweet,” he said. “I feel like sometimes, I still miss her so much, and it still hurts like an open wound. And other times I feel like I’m fine.”

“That’s sort of how grief works,” you told him. “Moving on from something like that isn’t a linear projection until you’re over it. You have setbacks. You’re still allowed to be sad and confused sometimes.”

 “You’re right,” he agreed. “I guess what I’m trying to say is...despite all of what happened and all the hurt, you have made me hopeful. What I’m feeling for you is something so good that I fully believe that love can happen for me again.”

A smile spread slowly across your face as he spoke. You leaned over and kissed him sweetly, conveying your absolute adoration of that sentiment. Gwilym was so deserving of love, and you wanted to show him that.

Your food came, and you split the plate between you. It tasted amazing, and as you ate the fries, an idea came to you.

“How good is your eye-mouth coordination?” you asked.

He blinked. “My what?”

You giggled. “Like, if I toss you some fries, can you catch them in your mouth?”

“Depends on how well you throw them,” he retorted. “The real question should be how good is your aim?”

“Oh?” you returned, raising a challenging eyebrow.

“Yes,” he said. “And since we are in the UK, they’re chips. Not fries.”

You snatched one off the plate and tossed it at him, hitting him square in the nose.

“Looks like my aim is pretty good there, chief,” you teased.

You threw another, and this time he caught it in his mouth, chewed, and swallowed.

“Okay, we make a pretty good team,” he said through a laugh.

You threw a few more to him, and he caught most. However, when he threw them to you, your catching abilities were abysmal. You blamed it on Gwilym’s arm, and he let you. 

It felt really good to sit and laugh with him. You felt like many of your conversations with Gwil were so serious. So to be lighthearted and goof around with him showed you another side of him. A side you were glad existed.

After lunch, you continued to walk around a bit. Then Gwilym stopped at an intersection, tugging your hand to stop you from crossing the street. You shot him a quizzical look.

“Gwil?”

“If we turn right here,” he said. “We can get to my flat in five minutes. I’m not presuming anything by asking this, but would you like to come over and see it?”

You looked down so he wouldn’t see the deep blush creeping up in your cheeks. On any other date, this would have implied sex, but you two were on camera, being followed by a whole crew. You weren’t embarrassed by that. You were embarrassed that you were disappointed they were there. You were really attracted to Gwilym, and would not have turned down that invitation outside of this. 

Actually, you weren’t going to turn it down either way.

“Yeah, let’s go,” you said, looking back up at him.

“Great,” he replied with a grin.

God, he was handsome.

Gwilym’s place was humble and cozy. He opened the door and allowed you inside, and you felt like he had just done the same with his heart. Everything about this place screamed “Gwilym Lee.” You walked through the front and into the sitting room, which had aged leather furniture and warm lamplight. The kitchen was smaller than what you were used to in the US, with a vintage look. It was also strictly practical. 

Gwilym also had books everywhere. There was a half shelf in the sitting room beside the fireplace. A corner of the kitchen counter was dedicated to recipe books. They were also randomly on whatever surfaces he had set them down on while reading. You pictured him walking around, nose to the pages, glasses on, focused.

He had few decorations, but there were plenty of pictures. Some of his family and friends. But the majority appeared to be of him with his students. Gwilym was a literature professor, and he was clearly dedicated to his work.

“Would you like to see upstairs?” he offered. “There’s something really special up there I’d like to show you.”

“Please,” you said.

You followed him up the wooden staircase to the second floor. There were only a few rooms up here. Gwilym’s bedroom, a guest bedroom, a hallway bathroom, and one more door at the end of the hall. That was where he led you.

He opened the door, and you gasped at the side. Across each wall, floor to ceiling - bookshelves. Fully stocked, too. There were thick, leather bound reference books. Paperback novels. Limited edition classics. Everything you could imagine for a personal collection.

“This is my library,” he said, looking between the shelves and your face.

You wondered if you looked stupid with your mouth hanging open. Gwilym’s eyes shone as he gazed at you. How beautiful you were to him in this moment was beyond words.

“Gwil, this is incredible!” you cried. “Your very own library!”

He smiled. “Take a look around, see what you like!”

You went to the first shelf to your right and extracted a worn-looking book. The spine was damaged so you couldn’t read the title until you opened it.

“Anna Karenina,” you read.

“Ah, that’s quite a special one,” he said. “Very close to my heart. It’s my grandmother’s copy. If you look at the publication date, you’ll see why it’s so special.”

Your eyes scanned the page until you found it.

“1890?!” you gasped.

“Yeah,” he chuckled. “She inherited it from her great-aunt. Because I collect so many books, she left it to me.”

“That’s amazing,” you said.

“Have you ever read it?” he asked.

“I have,” you said. “It’s a tragic story, but one of my favorite classics. This is a real treasure.”

“It is,” he agreed as you returned it to the shelf.

“You’re free to keep looking, if you like,” he offered.

You did. You perused the shelves and spotted another favorite.

“Oh, Summer of Katya!” you said. “I loved this book!”

“Another tragedy,” he said. 

“Yeah, but what a wild ride,” you replied. “That plot twist had me shook for days.”

“Me as well,” he said. “A great story.”

“So, how many of these books have you actually read?” you wondered as you set Summer of Katya back.

“All of them.”

Your mouth fell open again.

“All of them?”

“All of them,” he laughed. 

“That would take me the rest of my life!” you cried looking around again.

Gwilym watched you as you walked along the shelves, and you stopped to talk about a few more things. A small smile claimed his lips. You stopped talking and met his gaze.

“What?” you wondered. “What’s on your mind?”

“Nothing,” he said with a shrug. “It’s just...you sort of seem to belong here in my home.”

You beamed. “I like feeling like I belong to the things you love, Gwilym.”

He held out his hand, which you took. With it, he pulled you into his arms and kissed the top of your head. You sort of felt like you belonged there too. Maybe you could. And maybe spend much of your life in this room, picking out what to read next before crawling into bed beside your husband. That would be a rather heavenly way to live.

For the evening portion of your date, you and Gwil met at a bar right on the River Thames. Like usual, it was reserved for just the two of you to enjoy your date. You sat down together and you smiled at him before making a small toast.

After you each had a bit of your drinks, you took his hand.

“I really had a great time with you today,” you said. “I feel like, so balanced with you. We can be serious, we can laugh together, and we can have intellectual discussions too. I feel like I can be every part of myself around you.”

“I’m relieved,” he told you. “And I feel the same. I haven’t struggled in opening up to you, and that's really nice.”

“Can I admit something to you?” you asked.

“In the spirit of such honesty, I’d be surprised if you didn’t,” he teased.

You chuckled and glanced down at your lap before looking back at him.

“When you first told me you’re a professor, I was really intimidated by you,” you said.

“Intimidated by me?” he questioned.

“I was nervous that you were going to think that I’m dumb,” you said.

He pursed his mouth in confusion. “W...why would I think that?”

“Because I feel like…” you trailed off. “I dunno, I’m not the most well-read person in the world, and I enjoy things that in the academic world might seem frivolous or silly. I try to keep up with current events, but I get distracted, and I think that all of that put together I -”

“Hold on,” he cut across you. “Y/N, none of that amounts to intelligence. You don’t have to read every book in my library or know every detail of Brexit to convince me that you’re smart. You are smart. A lot smarter than me in many ways.”

“Thank you,” you said, blushing.

“Can I ask you something?” he wondered.

“Of course.”

“Who told you that you’re dumb?”

You blinked, unsure how to answer him.

“Hardly anybody thinks they’re dumb on their own,” he went on. “Which leads me to believe that somebody, somewhere convinced you of it.”

You blinked again, this time to get rid of the tears welling up in your eyes.

“I...I, uh, had an ex who said that to me a lot,” you answered at last. “Anytime I disagreed with him or tried to address something he’d done to upset me, he told me I was being stupid, or that I didn’t understand anything. So, I kind of just became convinced that I wasn’t very smart.”

“Let me tell you what I see,” he said. “In all my conversations with you, I’ve found you to be not only extremely clever, but also funny, kind, and giving. In fact, my admiration has grown so much that I can finally say…” he trailed off.

You had been forming a smile as he spoke, but when he hesitated, it faltered.

“Say what?” you pressed.

“Y/N, I’m falling in love with you,” he said. “It seems unbelievable that it should happen so fast. But you are exactly the kind of girl I’d like to be with for the rest of my life.”

You smiled so wide, you thought your face might crack. Then you leaned over and took his face in your hands to kiss him. 

“Gwilym, I’m so happy to hear you say that,” you told him when you parted. “I feel like we’re really progressing. And I don’t want to stop.” You reached across the table and picked up the rose that was waiting there. “So, Gwilym. Will you accept this rose?”

“You know I will,” he replied, kissing you again.

Gwilym was very much a gentleman when he kissed you. It was slightly reserved, but with enough passion for you to feel how much he wanted to do more. Each move was thoughtful and considerate, just like him.

Gwilym: I really am falling for Y/N. I hate that she’s been with such terrible men in the past. She deserves so much more. I’d like to give her that.

You pinned the rose to his jacket and then you grinned at each other.

“You ready to go?” you asked.

“Go where?” he wondered.

“One of the most iconic places in London,” you said.

You offered your hand. He took it and followed you out. You walked together down the street until you reached it. The London Eye.

“Oh, God,” he sighed. “We’re really doing this?”

“Yes!” you insisted.

You had a whole pod reserved for the two of you. You were excited as you went up, but the higher you got, you also grew nervous. You clutched Gwilym’s hand.

“Oh, don’t tell me you’re frightened,” he teased. “You went bungee jumping in the mountains!”

“I was scared of that too!” you returned. 

“Come here, cariad,” he said gently, pulling you into his arms once again.

You leaned on him and looked out over the city. The sight was breathtaking. All the lights from the buildings looked like stars. The way they reflected off the river was stunning. You felt like you were looking down from outer space or something.

“This view is beautiful,” you said.

“I like mine better,” he replied.

You faced him and saw that his his eyes were fixed on you instead of London. 

“Smooth,” you giggled.

“Kiss me,” he breathed.

You did. This kiss was different. It was deeper, more intentional, more open than your kisses before. Gwilym was fully giving himself to you and this process. To accent your joy perfectly, a fireworks show began over the river. You hardly noticed their colors or the sounds. Everything was just you and Gwilym.

Back at the house, the men were waiting for a date card. A few guys were bemoaning not being with you right now, but were holding out hope for a one on one. When there was a knock at the door, Richard went to fetch it. He returned with a card.

“It’s a group date,” he said. “Joe, Rami, Allen, Taron, Richard, Mike, and Kenny. Are you ready to meet Her Majesty? Ayyyy-yo! Y/N.”

“Ay-yo?” questioned Allen.

“What, like Freddie Mercury?” suggested Rami.

“What would Freddie Mercury have to do with a date, though?” Taron wondered.

“We’ll figure that out tomorrow,” said Mike. “With all of us on this date, that means…”

“Me and Luke are left,” Ben said with a heavy sigh. “It’s gonna be a two on one.”

A two on one meant a lot of risk because at least one of the people on it would be sent home on the date. It made Ben nervous because even though Luke’s behavior was atrocious, you kept him around, so there had to be a real connection there. Also, he was still angry at Luke for starting that stupid drama in the first place.

“I’m not worried,” Luke said. “Y/N and I have overcome a lot and I think that makes for a strong foundation.”

Ben rolled his eyes. “Whatever, man. Just don’t tell her any more sh*t you’ve made up about me.”

“I didn’t make anything up,” Luke returned. “I heard what I heard.”

“You didn’t hear anything because I. Never. Said. It.” Ben shot back.

“Neither did I,” Joe added. “But let’s leave this in the past, okay? All any of us can do is focus on our own relationships with her.”

Luke and Ben glowered at each other a moment longer before looking away.

The next day, everyone but Gwilym, Ben, and Luke, got on a bus and headed out from the hotel. Mike, Kenny, and Joe had never been to London before, so they were in awe of the city as they made their way to the unknown destination.

Taron: I feel terrible for Ben and what he’s going to face tomorrow, but I’m also really glad Luke isn’t here to ruin the group date again. Those of us here are actually decent blokes, so I think it’ll be a fun day.

“Is that Wembley Stadium?” Joe wondered, pointing in the direction the bus was heading.

“It is,” said Richard.

The group exchanged apprehensive looks as they were dropped off at the legendary arena and escorted into it.

Inside, on the field, was a stage setup. You stood center stage, smiling at the men. You were wearing all white - a white v-neck tank top, and white pants with a red and yellow racing stripe up the sides, belted at the waist. You also donned a yellow, military style leather jacket. 

“Hello, gentlemen!” you greeted as they climbed up the stairs to join you. “Welcome to Wembley Stadium! How many of y’all have been here before?”

Taron, Richard, Allen, and Rami raised their hands. Joe, Mike, and Kenny did not. They were also the ones still looking around, while the others stayed focused on you.

“Well, surely you all know about the legendary concert that took place here in 1985, Live Aid,” you said, and they nodded. “And I’m sure you know which act stole the show.”

“Queen,” said Rami.

“Yep!” you confirmed. “So we’re gonna have some fun today. You’re all going to be dressed like Freddie Mercury and give me your best Live Aid performance.”

Their eyes widened as they looked at you, and you bit back a laugh.

“Don’t worry, you’ll be lip-syncing,” you assured them. “There also won’t be an audience. The person who does the best job gets to talk to me first at the cocktail party tonight.”

“Will you be the judge?” Taron asked.

“Actually, I won’t, I’m just enjoying the show,” you said. “The judges are some very special people who are quite familiar with Freddie.”

“Oh my God…” Rami said under his breath.

You smirked. “Guys, please welcome Queen and Adam Lambert!”

The guys clapped as Brian May, Roger Taylor, and Adam Lambert emerged onto the stage. They first hugged you and then turned to face the men.

Richard: I can’t believe this...it’s f***ing Queen! We’re on a date with Queen! I mean - we’re on a date with Y/N - but Queen is there! I’m blown away right now!

“Hullo, guys,” said Brian with a gentle wave. “We just wanted to let you all know - don’t be nervous. This is meant to be something fun to show Y/N you can come out of your shell a bit.”

“Yes, have fun,” Roger agreed. “Don’t be afraid to make an arse out of yourself. Freddie certainly wasn’t.”

Everyone chuckled.

“So, you guys have fifteen minutes to change and decide on one song from the Live Aid set you want to do,” Adam explained. “You can watch the clip of your choice as much as you want in that fifteen minutes.”

“The costumes are backstage,” you said. “You guys ready?”

They nodded at you. 

“Okay, fifteen minutes starts now!”

While the guys got changed and prepared, you and the band went around and checked up on them. You went over to Mike first, who was watching the video of Live Aid and scrubbing through it quickly.

“How’s it going?” you asked.

“Okay,” he replied. “I don’t really know any Queen songs, so I’m listening for something that sounds familiar.”

“You know We Will Rock You?” you wondered.

“I know those words of it,” he laughed.

You giggled. “Well, I’d go for that one, then. It’s second to last.”

“Thank you,” he sighed.

You looked over and saw Rami chatting with Brian. Richard was talking to Roger, and Allen and Kenny were talking to Adam. Everyone was in the iconic white tank top and light wash jeans. They also had the studded armband and mustache. You went over to Taron next.

“How’re you feeling?” you asked. 

“I know what song I’ll do,” he told you. “Bohemian Rhapsody. That way I can sit behind a piano for most of it.”

“Nice,” you chuckled. “You play, right?”

“I do,” he said. “Although, as you learned on our Disney date, I’m much more of an Elton John man than Queen. Don’t get me wrong, I adore them, but Elton is more my style.”

“I’d love to hear you play some Elton for me sometime,” you said. “But honestly, now is the time to get out of your comfort zone and show me your edge, Taron.”

“I’ll do anything for you, love,” he replied with a grin.

Then you headed over to Rami.

“Hey, sweetie,” you said as he pulled you into a hug.

When you parted, you had to take a moment. Rami really looked like Freddie for a split second. With the mustache and the clothes...he had even styled his hair. He was getting really into this.

“Woah, you look great!” you said.

“Thanks,” he returned. “I’m really excited for this.”

“I know you’re an actor, so you’re not too worried,” you joked. “Which song did you pick?”

“Radio GaGa,” he told you. 

“Good choice,” you praised.

You chatted with Rami for another moment before moving on to Richard.

“Just be grateful we picked Live Aid and not one of our shows from the seventies,” Roger was saying as you approached. “You’d all be in leotards.”

“I dunno, I think I could make it work,” Richard returned with a chuckle.

“I definitely think you could make it work,” you agreed. “How’s it going over here?”

“Pretty good,” Richard said. “I know what I’m going to do.”

“Awesome!” you said. “You a big Queen fan?”

“Massive Queen fan,” he told you. “This is kind of a dream for me.”

“I think you’ve found your man, Y/N,” Roger teased. “This one’s clearly got the best taste.”

You laughed.

The fifteen minutes went by more quickly than you anticipated, but most of the guys seemed ready. There were a few nerves you could feel, but they weren’t too bad. Kenny was up first.

Kenny did “We Are the Champions” and he was pretty good. He clearly knew the words, but he was also nervous and shy. You found that surprising since he was a pro wrestler and part of his act was to put on a bit of a show. You cut him some slack, though. This was out of his element.

Taron was second, and he was better. His performance did come out more like Elton than like Freddie, but he was really feeling the music. You could tell he had wanted to play and sing himself, so he was holding back a little bit.

Mike was third. He did “We Will Rock You” and had a lot of energy, but it was more his own than like Freddie. You didn’t mind, since you liked Mike’s style, but it didn’t bode well for him as far as the competition went. 

Allen was fourth, and he did “Hammer to Fall.” So far, he came the closest to looking like Freddie up on stage. He was upbeat and had obviously studied the movements. The only problem was that it came off a little too rehearsed.

Richard went next. He had the same idea as Taron to do “Bohemian Rhapsody” so he wouldn’t have to move around so much. He was even more reserved than Taron. Evidently, he was not much of a performer at all, despite how much he loved the music.

Joe was sixth. He did “Crazy Little Thing Called Love.” It was similar in idea to Taron and Richard, because he got to use an instrument. Joe could actually play guitar, so he mimed it well. Like Mike, he was more Joe than Freddie. Joe wasn’t a shy person at all, so he was still  entertaining.

Finally, it was Rami. From the first notes of “Radio GaGa,” you could tell there was something different about Rami’s performance. Every move, every step, every turn was intentional, but looked effortlessly Freddie. It took you off guard. Rami looked the most like Freddie, and with this performance, you were convinced he had a spiritual connection to the man. You looked over at Brian and Roger. Brian had tears in his eyes. Roger was closing his mouth just as you looked. They saw it too. Adam placed a comforting hand on each of their shoulders.

When Rami finished, the whole arena was deathly silent. All eyes were fixed on Rami, who stood breathless on stage, but looking proud. He also looked like...not Rami. That last note rang out, and for a moment, it was as if Freddie himself stood there.

Finally, Roger cleared his throat. 

“Well done,” he choked out. “We’ll just need a...a moment to uh, discuss.”

The band walked out of earshot for a moment and you approached Rami.

“I think you shook them up,” you said. “You certainly shook me up.”

He shot you a worried glance.

“In a good way,” you assured him. “Believe me, you were incredible.”

The band returned and appeared to have recovered from their shock.

“Everybody did a fine job,” Brian began. “Just remember to not be so shy. Show Y/N that you can open up and be yourself.”

“This really brought me back,” Roger added. “But one person in particular really captured Freddie’s spirit today.”

“And that person is Rami,” Adam announced. 

You let out a cheer and clapped for Rami, and the rest of the men joined you. You hugged him around the neck as you congratulated him.

“Thanks, Y/N,” he said bashfully.

“Congratulations, Rami,” Brian said. “Enjoy your time with Y/N first tonight, and remember to use it wisely.”

Everyone thanked the band for their part, and got autographs before they left. Then it was time for the evening portion of the date. It was still at Wembley, in a private box, which overlooked the field. The stage set up had been removed already, so it was returned to its sport ready look. It was still lit up in the darkness by the stadium lights.

You met the men in the box and gave a toast. Then, you took Rami by the hand and led him out. Also reserved for you was the next box over, so you could have private conversations. You and Rami went in there and sat down to chat.

“You were seriously amazing today,” you told him. “That was like, Oscar worthy.”

He chuckled. “I dunno about all that, but I definitely had fun. Freddie Mercury is pretty special to me.”

“Why’s that?” you wondered.

“Well, we sort have a lot in common,” he said. “We’re both kinda awkward brown boys from immigrant families, but with a lot of dreams.”

“I can see that,” you said. “You feel that strongly about acting?”

“I do,” he said. “I take it very seriously. I believe in myself, and I hope that someday I can be big enough to win an Oscar. I wanna be like Freddie, where kids who look like me can start believing that they can succeed too.”

You loved that idea and what it represented. The only thing for you was that actors were away a lot, and you wanted to raise a family. With a partner.

“How does that dream fall in with your desire to have a family?” you asked.

“Lots of actors have families,” he said. “I’m already settled in LA, where most of the jobs are, and that’s where I’d want to raise my family. And I’d work with my partner to make sure my schedule didn’t interfere with important things. I know it won’t be easy, but I am family oriented, and I know I can do both. But the last thing I wanna do is settle.”

“Settle?” you questioned.

“I mean, I don’t want to take some safe, nine-to-five job just because I want to get married and have a family,” he said. “I want to pursue my dreams so that my kids will have someone they can really be proud of. Someone who didn’t give up on his passion.”

You smiled. “I like that. You’re a very driven person, Rami, I hadn’t noticed that about you before.”

“Well, I’m glad you’re learning now,” he said. “I am driven and focused and there’s a lot I want out of life.”

You both paused to sip your drinks.

“What about you?” he said. “What are you passionate about?”

“I’m most passionate about family,” you said. “I didn’t really have those connections as a kid. My family isn’t very close. I want that unit, that strength that comes with being together.”

“That’s a beautiful sentiment,” he said. “Is there anything else?”

“Like what?” you wondered.

“Like hobbies,” he said. “Y/N, don’t you have interests besides that?”

“I read a lot,” you told him. “And I like fashion and beauty, but those are just normal girl things.”

“Are you kidding?” he returned. “There’s a lot there to go with. Do you ever design your own stuff?”

You blushed. “I...well, I do sort of have this dream of starting my own clothing label.”

“That’s awesome!” he said excitedly. “Tell me more!”

“Well, I’d want to use all recycled materials so we’re not being wasteful,” you said. “That way it’s like thrifting, but you’ll still get the latest styles. Everything would just be re-designed and…” you trailed off. “Sorry. It’s kind of a silly idea.”

“Not at all!” he insisted. “I think it’s a great idea. Environmentally friendly and everything. That’s amazing, Y/N. Don’t doubt yourself.”

“You certainly help me believe in it,” you replied, all embarrassment fading away at his enthusiasm. 

“I want to help you believe in yourself,” he said. “It’s important to me.”

“It is?”

“Yes, Y/N,” he said. “I want to be there for you. I’m falling in love with you and I want to help you see yourself through my eyes.”

Your heart skipped a beat. You grinned. 

“You’re falling in love with me?”

“More and more every day,” he assured you.

With that, he kissed you. Rami’s kisses were always deeply passionate and romantic. It made you feel like you two were on the cover of a romance novel or something. You felt like you were in your own romance novel because you were falling for Rami too. He was just so special.

Rami: I really am falling in love with Y/N. I can just see a wonderful future with her as my wife. She’s everything you could ever want.

After Rami, Joe wanted to see you. Your time with Joe went as well as it usually did. You laughed together a lot and discussed the date. He reassured you that he was falling for you. You were tempted to say it back, but hesitated. You felt strongly for Joe, but there was still more to explore there.

Allen pulled you after Joe. You were still holding back with Allen, and you felt that he was too. He had told you more of his story on your one on one, but since then, you hadn’t had a serious conversation. You didn’t feel uncomfortable around him or anything, but there was something more you wanted. Like he was only giving himself partially to this. You wanted him to give everything.

Richard came next. Similar to Allen, he held back from you. He had divulged even less information about himself. Less than any of the other men there. Richard was fun and easygoing, but you wanted him to dig deeper. He just wasn’t going there. You needed to find out why.

Taron followed after Richard. Taron was not afraid of giving his heart to you, and you could feel it ever since that one on one. Every time you spoke to him, the relationship moved forward, in the right direction. You always looked forward to your time with him, and today was no different.

There was a piano in the private box, and Taron made good on his promise to play for you. He began with “Your Song” by Elton John, one of your favorites. His voice was swoon-worthy, and you loved listening. Each time he sang, you pictured him in your house together, singing your kids to sleep or just serenading you before bed. He felt like home to you.

“Life really is wonderful with you in the world, Y/N,” he said as he finished. “It’s becoming pretty difficult to imagine my life without you in it.”

“That’s sweet,” you said. “I’d have a hard time without you, too.”

“Really, Y/N,” he said. “I’m falling in love with you. Hard.”

You met his gaze, heart racing with joy.

“I’m so happy you told me,” you whispered. “You’re amazing, Taron.”

He kissed you. Short and sweet because neither of you could stop smiling.

Mike and Kenny also made things difficult on you because they both told you they were falling in love as well. You felt like all of them deserved roses tonight, but you knew who you wanted the rose to go to. As you all gathered back in the original box, you picked it up off the table.

“Thank you all for an incredible day,” you said. “We got a bit of a rock concert and I got to see you all just have a good time. But I wanna give this rose to someone who really proved himself today. Who showed me something new and moved our relationship forward.”

You found Rami’s eyes.

“Rami, will you accept this rose?”

“I will,” he assured you, getting to his feet.

You pinned it to his jacket as he kissed your cheek. Then, you bid them all goodnight. You were still riding the high of the day when you remembered that the following day, you had your two on one with Ben and Luke.

The date card arrived for Ben and Luke while the rest of the men were at the cocktail party with you. Gwilym retrieved it and read it out loud.

“Ben and Luke,” he said. “I want us to grow. Love, Y/N.”

“Let’s just get this over with,” Ben groaned.

“What, eager to go home?” Luke taunted.

Ben rolled his eyes and went to his room for the night.

The next day, Ben and Luke each placed their luggage by the door. Whoever went home, the producers would come and take their luggage to the airport. The two men were driven by car to meet you in a lovely garden and park. Everything was blooming so it was the perfect time of year for a date like this. You just wished you weren’t dreading it so much. One of them was going home, but you felt like you needed time with both of them. Hopefully today would be enough.

“Hi, guys,” you greeted, trying to sound chipper as they hugged you one by one. “So today, we’re having a picnic in the park. It’s really beautiful here, so let’s have a good day, yeah?”

“O’course,” Ben agreed.

“Definitely,” Luke added.

“Okay, let’s go.”

You led them over the set up that was reserved for you. It was a small table with three chairs around it. You sat first - in between them - and then poured everyone a glass of champagne. The champagne was more for you, really. The tension in the air could be cut with a knife, and you needed to feel at ease. These two had such animosity between them.

“So, Luke, you wanna go talk?” you asked.

“Sure, yeah,” he agreed.

You walked around a hedge to another small table. You took a swig of your drink and then looked at him.

“So, I know you’re not over everything that happened in Asheville, and neither am I,” you said.

“No, I’m over it,” he protested. “Really, I’m not mad at you anymore. I wanna move on.”

“I wanna move on too,” you said. “But I feel like we have to talk about this because this is a disagreement on something fundamental, and I don’t think you understand that.”

“What do you mean?” he asked.

“Like, you were angry at me for taking off my clothes in front of Joe,” you said. “Because of your beliefs, you felt like it was disrespectful. I don’t know any other way to tell you that I don’t share those beliefs and you can’t force them on me.”

“I don’t want to force them on you,” he said. “But I think that you should be more aware of our feelings in this and behave - y’know - properly.”

That familiar anger stirred in the pit of your stomach.

“Okay, Luke, I behaved just fine -”

“Really?” he scoffed. “Getting naked in front of a guy on your first date with him is fine behavior?”

You could have screamed.

“Oh my God,” you sighed. “Let’s get one thing straight, okay? I can do whatever the hell I want. This is my journey, it’s my body, and whatever I decide to do with it is up to me and not subject to your approval.”

“Y/N, I’m just trying to help you,” he said gently. “I prayed about it, and I feel like my purpose here is to save you.”

“To save me?” you questioned.

“You’re being led astray by these other men,” he said. “But together, we can -”

“Okay, Luke, stop,” you said. “We’re not getting into theological arguments today. Clearly, it doesn’t matter to you that I don’t want to hear it. The other thing we need to address is why you lied about Joe and Ben.”

“I didn’t lie,” he insisted. “I know what I heard.”

“But none of the other guys heard it,” you reminded him. “And if they said it out loud, they said it to someone with ears, so they must have heard it. Just be honest and tell me why you did it.”

“I know I heard that conversation, Y/N,” he said firmly. “I’m not a liar.”

“So literally every other guy in that house is?” you challenged. 

“Y/N, please,” he begged. “I love you. I want this more than anything. And look at what we’ve overcome.”

“Luke, we haven’t overcome anything!” you cried. “We’re still working this out because you’re not being honest with me!”

“I’m telling you my truth!” he returned. 

A beat passed in uncomfortable silence.

“Do you believe me when I say that I love you?” he asked.

You held his gaze. Then you took a deep breath.

“No,” you said heavily.

He looked away, unable to form words.

Ben: I’m kind of nervous about today. She’s kept him around long enough for me to think there must really be something there that I’m not seeing. I just hope my connection with her is stronger.

You and Luke returned to where Ben was still waiting. Nothing else had been said. You grabbed Ben’s hand and led him away next, desperate for some relief. Luke made you feel like every step of this process was such a battle. Ben excited you, and you hoped he still did.

“How are you?” he asked.

“Okay,” you said. “I’m sorry to put you through this, I know it’s not easy.”

“No worries, love,” he said. “You’re worth all of this. Every part of this journey.”

You smiled, and you felt warmth returning to your body. You realized within seconds of talking to Ben that Luke made you feel cold and closed off. Ben made you feel warm and open. That was the feeling you were looking for.

“How are you?” you asked him.

“I’m perfect, now I’m with you,” he replied. “I’m not going to lie, watching the other guys going out with you throughout the week isn’t easy, but I’m here for the long haul. I’m ready to stick it out if it means you and me at the end.”

You leaned into his chest and hummed happily. He wrapped his arms around you. Then he pressed his lips to the top of your head. You felt cared for and respected.

“I can’t tell you how relieved I was that you believed me last week,” he said. “Knowing that you trust me, and you’re willing to hear from everyone, it makes me fall for you all the more. You’re fair and kind and patient. I dunno how you put up with the lot of us.”

You giggled and then looked up at him.

“Well, you’re all so handsome, it’s hard to stay mad at you,” you teased.

“I see,” he joked back. “You’re just in it for the eye candy.”

“Haven’t you heard?” you asked sarcastically. “I’m actually looking for a trophy husband.”

He chuckled. “It’s almost hard for me to joke about, since I actually like almost everyone.”

You smiled. “Really?”

“You’ve got a fantastic group here,” he said. “As heartbroken as I’d be if it’s not me and you, I know you’d be in good hands.”

“That’s so sweet, Ben,” you said. 

You felt such a soft affection for him in this moment. That comment made one thing abundantly clear to you: Ben wanted only what was best for you, whatever made you happiest, even if it wasn’t him. You wondered how he’d never been in love before, when he gave it so freely and selflessly. Your value to him did not hinge on your behavior with the other men.

You chatted with Ben a while longer, just trying to forget about what Luke had said. Plus, you liked Ben a lot and enjoyed talking to him. It was quickly becoming more than liking him, which scared you a little, but you knew he would be there to catch you once you fell. You were still teetering on the edge.

Your decision was made when you returned to where Luke waited. There was no need to give him any more chances. You didn’t trust him anymore, and you had such different beliefs, it never would work out. You sat down and picked up the rose.

“I’m gonna be perfectly honest and say that this was not a very difficult decision for me today,” you said. “So far, this has been the easiest decision I’ve made.”

You looked at Ben and decided to get right to it.

“Ben, will you accept this rose?”

You heard Luke suck in a soft breath as you and Ben stood up. You pinned the rose on him and hugged him tight. Then you looked at Luke.

“Can I walk you out?” you asked.

“Yeah, okay,” he said, still dazed.

“I’ll be right back,” you told Ben.

You and Luke walked together toward the car that was waiting to take him to the airport. Ben heaved a relieved sigh and sat back down with a wide grin on his face.

Back at the house, Joe was closest to the door when he heard it open. The producer was there to take the luggage.

“Guys!” Joe yelled. “It’s happening!”

The rest of the men rushed to the door to find out who it was. They watched with bated breath as the producer’s hand stretched out and grabbed Luke’s luggage. They all roared with delight and began jumping and hugging each other as the door closed again. Luke was leaving at last!

“Hold on, let me get champagne!” Gwilym cried, jogging to the kitchen.

They all followed him, still laughing and congratulating each other. Gwilym handed out the glasses and Joe stood on the counter to make a toast.

“To Ben,” he said. “For getting that f***er out of here at last.”

“To Ben!” the others echoed before taking a drink.

“And to Y/N,” Rami said. “For making the right choice.”

“Y/N!” they cried, and they all downed their drinks.

Back on the date, you walked Luke to the black van waiting for him. You stood outside the door to let him say something. 

“I just…” he trailed off. “I don’t understand.”

“I’m sorry, Luke,” you said. “We’re just too different. We have different beliefs, different values. And we couldn’t move past those things.”

“But I love you,” he said.

You shook your head. “I don’t think you do. I think you love the woman that you want me to be. The version of me that you created who does take part in your faith and share that with you. But that’s not who I am.”

“I…” he lost words again.

“I really am sorry,” you said. “I hope you find that person.”

“Thanks,” he said dully.

You opened the door for him. He slid into the seat. You closed the door and watched the car pull away. You were certain you had done the right thing. Luke was so wrong for you in so many ways. But you meant what you said. You were sure that girl was out there somewhere for him. But he was not for you.

You hurried back to Ben and leapt into his arms when you saw him. You kissed him as you wrapped your legs around his waist.

“It’s just you and me tonight, baby!” you cried. 

“Thank God!” he returned.

That night, you and Ben went to a fine restaurant and had a wonderful dinner. It was similar to your one on one, where the conversation flowed. You talked about serious things and lighthearted things. Neither of you brought up Luke again. Ben looked as if a huge weight had been lifted from his shoulders.

After dinner, you walked around nearby and saw a street performer playing the cello. The melody was soaring and beautiful. Ben spun you into his arms and began to sway with you. You wrapped your arms around his neck and stood with him, heart full. He opened his eyes to meet yours.

“Y/N, I’m falling in love with you,” he said simply.

You saw how much he meant it in those beautiful green eyes of his. Tears welled up in yours. You were no longer teetering. You slipped right off the edge.

“I’m falling in love with you too,” you returned, without thinking.

You were not supposed to say “love” to anyone but the person you got engaged to, but you didn’t feel bad about breaking the rules for Ben. He had shown you today how much you meant to him. And he meant that much to you too. If you weren’t with him at the end of this, you wished only for him to have a happy and fulfilling life. You genuinely hoped he was at the end of this though because you weren’t ready to let him go. You weren’t sure you ever would be.

The following day, you once again decided to cancel the cocktail party. You knew where your heart was, and you didn’t want to drag out the whole night when your mind was made up. So when you arrived at the hotel, you were ready.

The hotel had a lovely ballroom on the first floor where you were having the rose ceremony. You walked in and forced a smile. This was going to be a pretty tough one. Two men would be leaving that you really liked.

“Sorry again for the cocktail party,” you said. “But I really am just trying to follow my heart.”

You waited a beat before picking up the first rose. There were only four.

“Joe,” you called.

He walked forward proudly.

“Joe, will you accept this rose?”

“I will.”

He returned to the group. You picked up the next rose.

“Taron,” you said.

He beamed at you and jogged up.

“Taron, will you accept this rose?” you asked with a smile, since his was contagious. 

“Of course.”

You pinned it on him and he walked back over. You saw Richard take a deep breath.

“Richard,” you said.

He exhaled before walking over.

“Richard, will you accept this rose?”

“Always.”

As Richard returned to the group, Chris Harrison walked out.

“Y/N, gentlemen,” he said. “This is the final rose tonight. When you’re ready, Y/N.”

You picked up the rose. You found the man you wanted to give it to.

“Allen,” you said.

You saw the relief wash over him as he approached you.

“Allen, will you accept this rose?”

“I certainly will,” he assured you.

He walked back over to the group. Mike and Kenny looked dejected, and you understood why. It was never easy.

“Kenny, Mike, I’m sorry,” Chris said. “Take a moment, say your goodbyes.”

They took a while to say goodbye to the guys, which did sort of make you feel good. You liked that the remaining men were friends.

Kenny came up to you first.

“I’m sorry,” you said, suddenly choking on the words. You weren’t sure when the tears started. “You deserve so much -”

“Don’t, Y/N,” he said gently. “It was a pleasure getting to know you.”

You nodded and he pulled you into a hug. 

“You’re gonna be amazing,” he whispered to you.

With that, he left and headed to the car waiting for him. Mike came up next. You actually sobbed. Mike was such a wonderful man, and you hated that you weren’t there with him.

“I’m so sorry,” you sniffled.

“It’s okay,” he assured you with a smile. “You’re beautiful and strong, okay? I know you’ll find your happiness.”

“You will too,” you replied softly.

He reached over to wipe away a tear with his thumb.

“Good luck, Y/N.”

He too, departed.

The remaining men moved forward to engulf you in a group hug. While you were sure of the decisions you had made, you hated to hurt people, and both Kenny and Mike had told you they were falling for you. But you couldn’t get there with them, and it was terrible. They were great guys. You just knew they weren’t right for you.

“So,” you said, fanning your face a bit. “Next, we’re going to -”

“Y/N!” someone bellowed from the lobby of the hotel.

Your brow furrowed. 

“Is that…” you trailed off, eyes going wide with horror.

Then he appeared in the doorway of the ballroom.

“Luke!” you cried. “What are you doing here?!”

“I’m not giving up on us,” he said, marching toward you.

His body language looked dangerous. Joe was closest to you and you reached for him. He immediately caught on and wrapped his arms around you, placing himself between you and Luke.

The other men stood in front of the two of you, not allowing Luke any closer.

“She sent you home, Luke,” said Richard darkly. “You can’t be here.”

“I just wanna talk, Y/N,” Luke said, ignoring Richard and trying to look around him. “Y/N, please! I just wanna work this out!”

“Well, I don’t!” you returned. “Just go!”

“I know there’s something here!” he insisted. “There’s gotta be! Don’t give up!”

You peered at him around Joe’s arm.

“No, there isn’t!” you shouted. “You’re scaring me, Luke. Just leave.”

He moved forward, but Ben placed a hand on his chest.

“Not a step closer,” Ben warned.

“Just stay out of this,” Luke spat. 

“She asked you to leave, Luke,” Allen said. “So go.”

“No, I’m not giving up,” Luke said. 

“Oh, my God,” you whispered into Joe’s chest. “Oh, my God.”

Joe lowered his lips to your ear. “Don’t worry. We’re not gonna let him anywhere near you.”

“This is just crazy,” you went on. “He’s acting crazy.”

“Y/N, please!” Luke continued to plead.

Chris Harrison at last approached, accompanied by security guards. Chris went directly to you.

“What do you wanna do, Y/N?” he asked. “Do you wanna talk to him?”

“No!” you insisted. “I want him to leave!”

“Okay,” Chris said. He turned to Luke. “Luke, it’s time to go.”

The security guards stepped toward him, but he stepped away.

“Wait!” he pressed. “Wait, Y/N - just - please. Look me in the eyes and tell me you don’t want me here. That’s the only way I’ll believe it.”

You met his gaze with a scowl.

“I don’t want you here,” you said venomously. “Get out.”

He sighed, shoulders sagging. Then, he straightened up, turned on his heel, and stormed out. You hoped that was the last you ever saw of him.

“You alright?” Joe asked.

You nodded. “Yeah, I’m good.” You looked at Chris. “He did actually leave, right?”

He nodded. “We made sure of it.”

You took a deep breath.

“You wanna tell them where we’re going next?” he asked.

You let yourself smile, even though you were still a bit shaken.

“Yeah,” you said. You addressed the men. “Guys, we’re going to Killarney, Ireland!”

Allen whooped and pumped a fist in the air. You laughed. You knew he’d be excited to be back home in Ireland. But the rest of the guys seemed excited too. You gazed at them in awe. It was hard to believe that you had already narrowed it down to seven guys. Seven incredible guys. You couldn’t ask for more.

That night, as you packed in your hotel room, you heard a knock at the door. For a moment, you feared Luke had come to speak to you again, but you told production you didn’t want him near you. Still, you peeked through the peephole before answering. The man behind it took your breath away. You thought your eyes were playing tricks on you. It couldn’t be! Could it?

You opened the door apprehensively.

“Jamie?”

To be continued…

[calpalirwin]

Drunk In Love

Summary: Part of the “I wish you would write a fic where” requests in which Ash asks why the reader is cautious hanging out with his friends. And it's cause of how much the reader has to explain they don't drink but people never respect their answer. So Ash tries going sober for x amount of time in solidarity and realizes just how much alcohol was prevalent in his life. And the reader is worried they're accidentally manipulating him but Ash can't thank them enough for not drinking and for the social experiment they inspired.

A/N: Always be respectful of people’s choices regarding drinking (and most other life choices as well). Also sorry this sucked lol. The easing myself back into writing for fun is proving to be difficult.

Content: Pressures of drinking

Word Count: 1.4k

And away, and away we go!

__

“Hey, love, you ready to go?” I asked, bounding down the stairs. I paused in my tracks, frowning as I looked over at her, still lounging comfortably on the couch.

“I was just going to stay in. But have fun, and send everyone my love!” She flashed me a bright smile before turning her attention back to her show.

I sighed as I walked over to her and hopped over the back of the couch to land next to her. “Well if you’re not going, neither am I,” I decided.

“Ash…” she told me, hitting pause on the remote. “You should go if you want to. See Mike’s new place. Hang out with everybody.”

“I want to go with you,” I told her honestly.

“And I want to stay in.”

“Why?”

“Why what?”

“Why do you never want to go out with me? Are you afraid of the press?”

“No,” she shook her head. “Your life doesn’t scare me, Ashton.

“Then what is it?” I pressed, raking my hands through my hair to stem my growing irritation. In our three months of dating she had never once gone out with me. It was starting to make me wonder why she even bothered to come over at all if she was just going to sit on my couch while I went out with friends. “Is it the guys? Did they say something wrong? Do you not like them? Do you not like me?”

“What? No! Ash, of course I like you! And your friends are great!”

“Then how come you never want to come out with us?” I asked, my voice small. Fuck, I hated feeling vulnerable. I hated that I questioned everything constantly. I hated that I felt I needed to question everything all the time. Why would she only go out with me when it was just the two of us? Why did it bother me that she didn’t want to join in on nights out with my friends? Was it really a bad thing that she was encouraging me to go out without her? Was it really a bad thing that she preferred to spend time with me alone?

“It’s not that I don’t want to go out with you guys, Ash. It’s that…”

“What?” I practically begged. “Talk to me, love. Please. I’m going crazy over here.”

“I don’t drink, Ash.”

“So?” I was confused as to what not drinking had to do with choosing to not go out. 

“So,” she sighed. “People give me a hard time for it. They say I haven’t found a drink I like yet. They call me uptight, and say how I need to loosen up, or that I need to stop being a little bitch.”

“Who says that?” I asked, my jaw clenching.

She waved her hand dismissively. “People, Ash. Just in general. Look, I’ve been dealing with it for four years. I don’t feel like I need to justify why I don’t drink. So I just prefer not to put myself in situations where I know there will be drinking. That way I don’t have to deal with the judgement.”

“Baby, I-” I faltered. I didn’t know what to say. Did we really live in a world where people judged you more for not drinking than for drinking? Did she judge me for drinking? “Can I ask why you don’t drink?”

She nodded and offered me a small smile. “It’s a personal choice I made after I’ve seen what drinking can do to people.”

“If I promise not to drink, will you come with us?”

Her hand squeezed around my fingers. “That’s not it at all, Ash. I’m not bothered by other people drinking. I respect their choice. I’m bothered when they don’t respect mine.”

“What if I promise not to let that happen?”

She laughed. “What are you gonna do, tough guy? Beat people up for me?”

I puffed out my chest and flexed the muscles in my arms. “If I have to,” I grinned.

She laughed again and placed a soft kiss to my lips. “Alright. Give me a couple minutes to change.”

~~~

“Hey! You guys made it!” Calum greeted, clapping me on the shoulder and giving her a hug. “C’mon, let’s get you guys a drink before Luke drinks all the tequila.”

“Uh…” I stuttered, rubbing at the back of my neck. Damn, not even thirty seconds into the night…

“Luke can have it,” she laughed. “I’ll just stick with water.”

Calum’s eyebrows quirked up. “Drew the designated driver straw?”

“Something like that,” she laughed more.

We moved to follow Calum to Michael’s kitchen where people were crowded around, making their own drinks or making small talk. “Are you sure you’re okay?” I whispered low in her ear.

“Yeah, I’m fine. Cal just gave me my out.”

“I’m sorry,” I apologized anyway.

“Hey! You’re here!” Michael cheered, his green eyes already glossy. “Better hurry before Luke drinks all the tequila.”

“But when I taste tequila!” Luke sang loudly from where he leaned against a counter, a bottle of tequila held tenderly to his chest.

“Nobody wants your nasty ass tequila, mate,” I teased Luke before turning to Michael. “We’ll just stick to water.”

“Playing designated driver?” Michael hiccuped as he produced the water while Luke cried to his bottle that I didn’t mean what I had said.

I nodded, taking the waters from my friend and passing her one of them.

Michael raised an eyebrow the same way Calum had only moments ago. “Well if you change your mind, you guys are welcome to stay. Plenty of rooms.”

“Thanks Mike,” I clapped a hand on his shoulder.

~~~

“I’m so sorry,” I apologized for what felt like the millionth time as we lounged together in Michael's backyard.

“Ash, it’s fine,” she responded in kind. “I’m glad I’m here. Mike’s new place is awesome.”

“But-” I protested.

“Shh,” she shushed me. “Trust me, I’ve dealt with worse.”

I wanted to keep protesting that she shouldn’t have to deal with any assumptions, but I ultimately decided against it.

~~~

“Hey love, you ready?” I asked. It had been about seven months since Michael’s housewarming party. In that time, she had continued to deflect on nights out, and I had stopped drinking myself. I figured since today was just a hang out at Luke’s this time, she would be willing to go with me.

I grinned when I found her at the door, car keys in hand. “Been waiting on you,” she teased before tossing the keys through the air towards me.

I snatched them and grinned wider. God damn, I loved this woman.

~~~

“Hey! Glad you guys made it!” Luke greeted.

“You act like I don’t know where you live,” I laughed.

“Whatever,” Luke laughed with me. “Guys want something to drink?”

“Water’s fine,” I told him.

“Still on that sober streak?”

I shrugged. “I wouldn’t call it a streak.”

Luke nodded. “Right. Not a streak. Lifestyle choice.”

I made to follow Luke deeper into the house to the kitchen but her hand wrapped around my arm, holding me back. “You’re sober?” she hissed.

“Yeah.”

“For how long?”

“Since Mike’s party.”

She did the math in her head. “Since I told you I don’t drink, you mean?”

“Yeah… why are you mad?”

“I’m not mad, Ash. I’m proud of you. But… I mention all the shit I deal with for not drinking, and you decide to become sober the same night? That’s…”

“Eye-opening?” I suggested when she faltered.

“Manipulative! Ash… I didn’t tell you because I’m bothered by your drinking. I told you that other people drinking doesn’t bother me. It’s when they expect me to because they do that bothers me.”

“Love, you’re not manipulating me.”

“Oh, so it’s a coincidence then?!”

I pulled us off to the side as her voice began to climb higher. “Would you stop? I’m a grown ass man. I can stop drinking if I want to.”

“I’m just saying that the timing seems sketchy to me, Ash. If you want to stop drinking, I’m all for it. I’ll support you with anything, you know that. But I want you to do it for you. Not me.”

“I am doing it for me! Look, I didn’t realize how often I get asked if I want to have a drink until you pointed it out. I always thought I was careful about my drinking, but I didn’t realize it controlled my life the way it does. And yes, it took you pointing it out for me to notice, but stopping it was my choice. You didn’t make me do anything.”

“Ash… I-”

“I know. You don’t want to manipulate someone into not drinking the same way you don’t want people to manipulate you into drinking. But, love, that’s not what’s happening here.”

“You promise?”

“I promise.”

__

Tag List

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[bleufrost]

Crawl Home to Her || A Ben Hanscom Series

Chapter Four: Not a Stranger

a/n: aaand we're back! let's see if I can get y'all back into this like im getting myself back into writing it (:

thank you all for being patient with me, if youre still here reading I love you so much.

masterlist

summary

rating: m for graphic depictions of violence, gore, and adult themes

The few feet between Ali and Ben feel like miles as her feet push her forward. Ali was refusing to bother with words, knowing exactly who this man was and how desperately she had waited for him all these years. His arms part instinctively, holding her to his chest as if it were the safest place in the universe and he was determined to protect her. Although years were spent apart, the feeling of being strangers was lost on both Ali and Ben; instead being replaced by the knowledge that they had not only grown up together, but had also been a saving grace for each other. 

Ali’s breathing becomes unsteady as she feels Ben’s hand slide up to her neck. She isn’t afraid of him by any means, but the realization that somewhere in her life she forgot about him makes her uneasy; guilty in more ways than one. Tears spring to her eyes and a panic she has not felt since childhood comes upon her suddenly, causing Ben to pull back and look her over quickly in search of the cause of her distress. 

“Hey, what’s wrong? I know I look different, but I swear I’m not a stranger.” Ben laughs nervously, trying to lighten the mood while also allowing her a moment to breathe. His hands never leave her, part of him unwilling in the event that she might slip away from him once more. 

“I tried so hard for so long to remember you, but I never could. Ben, I forgot about you and I know that sounds awful but I swear I never meant to. You were always there, right at the edge of my mind, but I could never reach you. I’m so sorry.” Her voice shakes as she speaks and Ben has the overpowering need to hold her again and reassure her that everything was perfectly okay. So, that’s exactly what he does.

His thumbs brush across her cheeks, wiping away the tears that slipped past her eyes. “It’s not your fault, Ali. I’m sure Mike will explain everything, but from what I heard you aren’t the only one who’s had some missing pieces from their memory. It’s okay, we can catch up and everything will feel like we never spent a second apart.” Her breathing is still heavy, but a small smile finds its way upon her lips. He reciprocates and there is nothing he wants more than to kiss her in that moment, but he knows that he can't. She just admitted that she had forgotten everything for the longest time, throwing something like that on her now when she was just starting to get her life back was unfair and selfish. He had waited years, a little longer would be no problem at all.

“You ready to go in?” His voice was calm and patient, letting her know that she was allowed to take as much time as she needs. She was ready now though, something deep within her telling her that she could do anything now that the piece she was missing had been found. The pair begin to walk closer to the entrance, taking comfort in the close proximity of their bodies. 

Standing right in front of the door was someone that they both had missed severely; even if Ali just now was remembering that she did. Ben reaches down, giving a reassuring squeeze to her hand and smiling toward the girl that had been his first official crush. “Is there a password or something?” Ali laughs beside him, Ben really was proving himself to be the master of throwing back phrases at people. It just further solidified what Ali already knew: they all meant something extraordinary to each other. 

Recognition does not dawn on Beverly Marsh’s face as quickly as it did Ali’s. She turns and stares for a moment. “I’m sorry?” The wrapper crinkles in Ali’s hand as she tears it off and slowly pops the candy into her mouth. Beverly watches her and slowly, her face begins to change with a sense of recollection. 

“New Kid?” His voice is hopeful as he says the nickname aloud for the first time in forever. The redhead’s eyes scan over Ali and Ben a little longer as the gears work in her head. “Ali? Ben?” Ali smiles excitedly and Ben lets out a relieved puff of air. While she nods her head, smile still beaming back at Beverly, Ben lifts his arm gently in an attempt to welcome Beverly into a hug. Bev comes forward, wrapping her arms around the both of them quickly and laughing. 

“Oh my god!” The three stand there for a while, hugging in a way that feels familiar to each of them. Ali never enjoyed being touched by other people, she shied away from hugs and general contact because it always felt so wrong to her. This though, felt right. She felt comfortable for the first time in as far back as her still-hazy memory could go. 

“it's been so long.” When Ben says this, it sounds less like a sad regret and more like a happy reassurance. It had been so long, but the wait was over at last. 

"You guys look great!" Seperating, the trio find the source of the voice in the form of who could only be Richie Tozier. He looks down at himself and scoffs. “What the fuck happened to me?” 

Once more, Ali finds herself closing the distance between herself and her old friend. Images flash before her eyes, showing her of a time when her and Richie would get into arguments, sometimes heated, that would always end in rolling eyes and smiles. He had kept her on her toes as a kid, but sometimes things like that only prove to strengthen the bond you have with someone. 

Part of Ali was expecting to see someone else walk up with Richie; she doesn’t know why but the distinct recollection of his lovestruck face brings itself to the forefront of her mind and she is almost disappointed to find him alone. 

“Hey Trashmouth!” They all laugh while Ali and Richie hug. The nickname definitely came easy to remember. “Are you fucking serious? I escape this shit for years just to come back and immediately get fucking ridiculed. That’s unreal, Ugly Duckling.” Ali pulls back from the hug and stares at him with shock on her face. Now that was a name she hadn’t heard in forever. 

Ben almost intervenes, afraid that maybe Ali won’t receive the banter as such. It takes a moment, but the shock slowly slides into amusement. She shoves his shoulder and hugs him again; she really had missed them all.

The rest of them greet each other with warm smiles, Beverly and Ben also fall victim to Richie’s incessant need to say whatever’s on his mind, and soon it is time to go in. 

With shaky hands, Ali follows the group to the entrance of the brightly lit restaurant. She falls behind a bit, trying to hide behind the rest of them as Richie continues to lighten the mood with his voice. It takes only a second for Ben to turn and notice how quiet she has gotten, and in that same second he halts his walking, waits for her to catch up, and falls into step alongside her. 

Their shoulders bump as they walk and Ali finds the feeling of warmth radiating from his open palm to be immensely more inviting than the illuminated building. His knuckles graze hers gently, as though he is calling her toward him in a way. She takes the invitation as soon as he is willing to give it, slowly sliding her hand into his larger one.

Ben doesn’t look down when he feels her soft hand find his own. He simply takes it and wraps his fingers in hers, driving away the cold of her palm with the comforting heat of his body. The nervous trembling doesn’t stop, but it does subside and that is more than Ben could ever ask for. 

Finally looking down, Ben catches the twinkling lights reflecting in Ali’s eyes. Smiling felt so foreign to him until today, and he feels his eyes come alight for what very well may be the thousandth time since arriving. Her own mouth curves up into the smallest of smiles as she notices him staring, and Ben can’t help but think it is the most beautiful sight he has ever seen.

Tags (ive been gone a while so i understand if youd like to be taken off, just message me): @stanley-barbs​ @bvrningdesires​ @floralpiper​ @thesmittenkitkat​ @daisysinadarkmedow​ @auggusst​ @isabellathedreamer​ @makbubblefandom​ @1988-fiend​ @alexther11​ @goldenmoonbeam​

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a/n: as always, i greatly appreciate every read, like, reblog, and comment so much! feedback is always happily welcome and i hope you guys liked this chapter.

this is a side blog so i cant respond to comments (although i love to read them!!) but if yall ever wanna talk just shoot me an ask or message me! I love talking to yall <3

coming up...this meeting of the losers club has officially begun.

[daddystevee]

Crashing Down

(eventual steve harrington x hopper!reader)

hola mi amigos, im back. i fell off the face of the earth and im sorry!! Life’s been crazy af. thanks for all the support and i hope you guys enjoy this chapter. i kinda feel like it sucks but ya know idk. feel free to let me know in the comments also lmk if you ever wanna be tagged love you guysXx

catch up here

Warnings: none really?? Cursing?

Part 8/9

Word count: 2k

Summary: Sometimes things just don’t go as planned and your world just come crashing down, but it’s a good thing that you have people in your life to be there to catch you when you fall.

><

You watched your sister walked into your room so she could try and track down your ex boyfriend, Ms. Drisccol, the Holloway’s and Bruce. The seven of you sat quietly and patiently, waiting for any sort of news.

Nancy was on the phone calling around asking for updates and trying to get a lead, Jonathan was drinking coffee and marking off phone numbers. You carried on a conversation with Will about his new campaign for D&D.

After a while Mike began to get angsty because she ‘shouldn't be in there for that long and that it’s not good for her’. Mike and Max’s conversation slowly turned into an unnecessary argument.

“Can you guys settle an argument for us?” Max asks walking up to you, “Who do you think should decide El’s limits? Mike, or Eleven?” As the two kept arguing you decided to put your two words in and are easily ignored.

While listening to the arguing teens, you hop up from your seat and walk over to the fridge to pull out something easy to snack on like a string cheese stick and some strawberries. But as you go to shut the door Mike says something crazy,

“...so can we please just come up with a new plan because I love her and I can’t lose her again.”

You shut the door and  turn your head towards him with wide eyes, “Say what now?”

And almost as if on cue El comes walking out the door saying that she found Billy. With Nancy finally off of the phone you take the opportunity to try to call Steve. You called his house and then called ‘Scoops!’, and got no answer.

In the back of your mind you couldn’t help but hope that he was ignoring you and not somehow mixed up in all of this mess, but little did you know that he was being beat senseless in a secret Russian base underground.

><

After letting Eleven cool down from her last session it was time to get back into it. You turned on the television to an empty channel then took your place on the couch next in between Max and Will and watched her put her blindfold on as she went into the void.

This was honestly the last thing you wanted to be doing on the 4th of July, you thought you’d be at the police station begging your dad for some money to go get some cheap fireworks to shoot off into the night for the kids. Maybe even snooping around in your dad's liquor cabinet, to get some goods for you older kids. Yet here you were sitting in silence.

That silence was soon interrupted by Eleven breathing heavily and is obviously in some sort of distress.

“El, are you okay? Are you okay?” Mike finally asks

You don't realize that you're holding your breath until you hear her respond.

“I’m okay” you hear her say weakly

“What’s going on?” you ask

“On a beach.” you all listen as Eleven continues describing a memory of Billy and his mom on a beach in California. 

You watch closely as her calm breaths begin to pick up slightly,

“I think I found it, the source.”

“Where El, where are you?” Max pipes up and asks

“Brimborn Steelworks.” 

Jonathan runs over to the phone book and looks up the address, it's close by. You told El that she needed to come out of the void so you guys can go. But that’s not what was about to go down.

El put her hands up to her face as if she was going to take the blindfold off of her face, but as soon as she put them up she put them back down. Something was wrong.

“Mike? Y/N?”

Her breath started to pick up once again and that made you start to freak out. You walked back over behind her on the couch and grabbed her shoulders to let her know that you were there but it didn't seem to make a difference.

“No!” she shouted, “Get away!”

She then ripped her blindfold off of her face and screamed making everyone jump. You moved your hands away from her shoulders as she cried and turned to Mike as he reassured her that everything was okay and that she was okay, at least in that moment.

><

As you guys regrouped, you got El some water and pulled a granola bar out of the cabinet, to make sure she ate something to regain some energy, then sat down on the couch next to her. You listened to Mike and Lucas talk about the Mind Flayer and listen to what El has to say about what happened to her, but it’s hard for you to focus. There are so many things in your head that need to be processed, but the main thing you think about is Steve and his safety. The two of you had been through so much and you don’t know what you would do if something happened to him.  One thing El says finally catches your attention,

“He also said, he was gonna kill all of you.” 

“What? Who?” you ask with your thoughts still stuck on Steve.

“Billy?” Max says but in a ‘are you seriously not paying attention right now’ tone

“Oh. Yeah, well, that’s nice.”

You hear a screeching sound off in the distance, and you see that Nancy hears it too because she gets up and walks towards the window. You hear it again before Nancy asks if anyone else hears it. 

“It’s just the fireworks” Jonathan says after a few moments of silence

“Billy,” Nancy says, turning around “When he told you this, it was here, in this room?”

Everyone turns to look at El for an answer hoping that she would say no, but that wasn’t the case.

“He knows we’re here.” Will says.

Jonathan leads you all out of the house and you get a glimpse of something far scarier than a Demogorgan. The next thing you know you’re suddenly preparing for a war that you weren’t expecting to fight in this very moment. You lead Nancy out to your dad’s gun shed behind the cabin to get the essentials. The two of you walk back in the house to see almost all of the windows boarded up or blocked off and all except one door blocked. 

Nancy picks up one of the guns you got from the shed and points it at the front door as you all gather in the center of the living room, looking around at every sort of entrance. The next minutes went by in a flash. The Mind Flayer attacked, Nancy shot at it a bunch, until she ran out of ammo and El fought it almost single-handedly. Suddenly the thing grabbed hold of Eleven’s ankle and almost took her away, as it intended to. Luckily Lucas grabbed the ax and took its tentacle, arm thing off and it dropped El.

You saw that the part of the Mind Flayer was still attached to her leg so you took it upon yourself to rip it off causing El to scream out in pain. She took it like a champ and stood up to finish off the creature by splitting it in half. Upon doing so she fell back into Max’s arms, but while you had the chance you wrapped your arm around your sister and helped her run out to the car.

><

While you guys were in the convenience store you got in touch with Dustin on the walkie-talkie and there was a code red situation, most likely meaning that him and Steve had somehow gotten into this mess. Once you guys had gotten Eleven all cleaned up you piled back into the car and headed to the mall where Dustin said that they were from what you could understand. 

><

You entered in through the upper level entrance with the help of Lucas’ slingshot, sending a rock to break through one of the doors. You quietly moved around the upper level with no sight of anyone, you then heard someone speaking Russian from the lower level. Walking away from the main group you walk towards the rail that would overlook onto the bottom floor to see where the talking was coming from. You see a bunch of guys walking around and it seemed like they were looking really hard for something. Will notices that you aren’t with the group anymore and they suddenly join you next to the railing. 

All of the guards are now focused on one specific area and you can’t help but get this really bad gut feeling. El notices the worry on your face and grabs hold of your hand. You look at her and a look of relief washes over your face. 

“I think they might be over there” you whisper to El while pointing at one of The Great Cookie

Eleven nods in acknowledgement, then takes a step forward. She sticks out her arm and focuses on the car next to the guards. The car alarm goes off and that causes all of the guards to turn their attention away from whoever was behind the counter and to the car. They look up to see what’s causing the car to move, but before anyone could do anything El sends the car flying towards them killing them all instantly. 

You see not one, but four heads pop up from behind the counter. You’re relieved when you see that one of those four people is Steve. 

“Thank fucking God.” you say to yourself but it doesn't go unnoticed. Max nudges you with her elbow cocking an eyebrow at you with her signature smirk. You just roll your eyes and look back down over the ledge. 

You see everyone start to head for the non-moving escalators so you follow in pursuit. Once you make it to the bottom of the ‘stairs’ you run directly to Steve and cling onto him like it’s the last time you’d ever see him. He hugs you back with just as much force before you pull away,

“Steve, what happened to your eye?” you ask holding onto his face checking out his face for other injuries.

“You know, evil Russians and what not.” 

“The Russians?! Like secret code Russians? Shit”

“Secret code?” you hear Max ask

The next couple of minutes consist of everyone catching up on what's been going on. Learning that Steve, Robin, Erica and Dustin had been stuck down in a Russian underground base for the last 2 days all while you dealt with Billy and the flayed. No wonder he hadn’t been answering the phone. 

You all converse back and forth until El collapses to the ground, when asked what was wrong she says that it’s her leg that hurts. Jonathan pulls off the bandages from earlier and reveals her bloody shin, along with something moving inside it. You almost vomit at the sight and have to turn away, Steve reaches out and puts a hand on your shoulder and rubs slightly.

As they were trying to get whatever was in her leg out, El was screaming out in excruciating pain, you couldn’t bear to see her in so much pain.Tears started forming in your eyes, when Steve noticed he held out his arm to you and you bury your face into his chest so you don't have to watch. 

Jonathan did as much as he could until it was unbearable for her and she said that she could do it herself. As she was screaming, you turned around to face Eleven after the glass wall from the store behind you shattered all over the floor. You watch as she removes the piece of the Mind Flayer from her leg and sends it flying across the floor. As it tries crawling away a foot comes down and squishes it. You all look up to see who the foot belongs too, and an exhausted smile creeps onto your face, it's none other than your dad, Jim Hopper.

Taglist:

@ughhhitsfan​ @eleventhdoctorsangel​ @chloe-skywalker​

[haro-whumps]

Box Boy Plurality: 02

Second whumpee won the poll. Be warned, this chapter’s a longer one

CW: Dehumanization, slavery, creepy + intimate whumper, brainwashing, manipulation, illegal business practices

Tag List: @thatsthewhump​ @whump-it​ @ashintheairlikesnow​ @fairybean101​ @finder-of-rings​ @comfortforthepain​ @shameless-whumper​ @that-one-thespian​ @burtlederp​ @castielamigos-whump-side-blog​ @raigash​ @im-not-rare-im-rarr @spiffythespook​ @whumps-the-word​ @frnkieroismydaddy​ @whumpity--whump--whump​ @michelleswhumpyreblogs​ @jo-castle​ @newandfiguringitout​ @lumpofwhump​ @infested-with-blood​

Masterlist

Ren looked up from their work computer, eyebrow arched. It wasn’t time for Yanni to come in and complain about the broken clasp on her phone charm, which Ren would ever-so-generously offer to replace for her. She wasn’t due to notice it until her midafternoon coffee break, since she wasn’t overly invested in checking the thing during work hours. 

It wasn’t Yanni, unsurprisingly, but it also wasn’t anyone Ren could say they recognized. Oh, sure, they’d seen the man’s face around before, but they’d never spoken with him, and they weren’t even sure what department he worked in.

“Mx. Pavlish, is it?” he said with a friendly, though nervous smile. He was an okay actor, though. They could only discern his nerves due to their practice at it.

“Hello,” Ren said, carefully, pleasantly neutral. “I’m afraid I can’t recall us ever meeting.”

“Ah, we haven’t spoken,” he said, taking the somewhat-cramped office chair they kept available for visitors and dragging it over to their desk. “My name is Mike.” 

He offered his hand for shaking, and Ren inwardly cringed at the feeling of his sweaty palm against their own. They took a squirt of hand sanitizer immediately after, and Mike chuckled with a self-conscious little rub to the back of his neck.

“So, Mike, what brings you here?”

“I work in security,” Mike said, and Ren felt every nerve in their body become immediately alert. “I know, uh, about your little ploy.”

Blackmail, then. He was here to blackmail them. They very, very carefully sized him up. 

“And what ploy, exactly, is that?”

“You unplug the ethernet cords to Jasmine’s and Cassandra’s computers just so you can be the one to fix them,” Mike stated, and Ren’s eyebrows shot up.

“You’ve been sitting on this for a while,” Ren mentioned, “I haven’t done that in going on three months now.”

“Wait have you been doing something else?”

“Is that relevant to this conversation?”

Mike chuckled again. “I guess not. But hey, listen, I get it. We all want to impress pretty ladies, right?” He gave Ren one of those nudge-nudge wink-wink kind of smiles, and Ren tilted their head consideringly. Maybe not blackmail? His tone and mood weren’t exactly right for it, but Ren couldn’t rule anything out. “Look, my cousin’s friends with Jasmine, I could have her set you two up on a ‘blind’ date, if you want.” Mike even made the little airquotes around the word. Precious.

“And why would you do that?”

“Because I’ve kinda got a favor I’d like to ask you?”

Hm. Wishy-washy. The threat of tattling on Ren for the sabotage hung, but distantly, left on a backburner that Ren could be aware of but neither would necessarily acknowledge, while Mike offered a perceived reward instead. Ren lifted their finger to their lips, pressing it horizontally along the line.

“I’m listening,” they stated evenly, curious.

“So, I saw you on the news. And your box boy has been, ha, everywhere. And you’re kinda like, the model citizen of whumpee-ownership, yeah?”

Ren blinked slowly, and said, “I might be.”

“God, ha, kinda cagey aren’t you?”

“I prefer to know what I’m dealing with. Continue.”

“Right, so,” Mike shifted in his seat, hands moving from the armrests to scratch at the side of his nose and then back on the armrests, “the law states that pets cannot be held legally accountable for crimes they committed under past owners. The idea is that the new owners will discipline them better, yada yada, behavioral psychology babble, you get the drift. Anyway. I am in possession of a particularly… let’s say, criminal box boy. Defiant and loudmouthed and it turns out he’s been getting into trouble while I wasn’t looking. Ha, pretty embarrassing for a security guard, huh?”

Yeah, no way in hell this guy hadn’t been using his pet to do the things he was too chicken-shit to do himself. It was a smart move, though, Ren would give him that.

“So basically, I need to do some... let’s call it whumpee-laundering. Change hands before the cops get the dna work back. He’s a good lad, y’know, don’t want anything bad to happen to him, much less for him to get locked up. So, howsabout you, oh model pet owner, take him for, what, a week? Two weeks? Just long enough for things to simmer down. I’ll take him right back off your hands as soon as this whole mess blows over, and I will definitely get you a date with Jasmine. Yeah?”

Ren stared at him contemplatively. Definitely not blackmail, this guy was in a bad way, and didn’t want the cops to have custody of a defiant whumpee that would talk the moment it was taken in. He needed Ren to say yes to this deal. But contemplative silence on a man already squirming in his seat worked wonders to sweeten the deal.

“And hey, I mean, he’ll be legally yours, right? So, like, whatever you wanna do to him while he’s at your place, you can do it. I mean, as long as you don’t kill or sell him, I do want him back. But like, if you wanna, fuck, I dunno, chop off his arm or some shit? Be my guest. As long as I get him back alive I don’t care, no restrictions, right? It’ll be fun, he’s got a pottymouth but if you gag him he’s not a bad looker, all things considered.”

Ren hummed, tapping a finger up and down against the back of their own palm, hands clasped loosely in front of their chin, elbows on their desk.

“Say, Mike?”

“Yeah?” he answered eagerly, body jumping lightly in the chair, sitting up straighter.

“I appreciate the offer to set me up with Jasmine, but I actually have no interest in dating her. You’re right; it is the simple act of showing off that I like the best.” Mike visibly began to panic, and Ren took a small mercy on him. “But there is something you have that I would be deeply appreciative of receiving.”

“Oh, yeah?”

“I want full access to company surveillance cameras and audio recorders, on my devices, and no record of my permissions.”

“Oh.” Mike blinked, and then grinned. “Oh! Oh, yeah, of course, easy as pie, I can so do that for you. So you’ll take him? Tonight, ideally?”

“When I meet him, I will assess him,” Ren stated. “If I perceive that he is any threat to my own box boy, the deal’s off.”

“Oh, oh no, I’m sorry, I gave the wrong impression!” Mike said with a much more relaxed laugh. “He’s got a defiant mouth but he won’t act up. His bark is way worse than his bite, don’t worry, he isn’t a fighter.”

“I’ll see that for myself, but very well. Bring all of his paperwork with you,” Ren said as they wrote down their number on a notepad. “Text me. I’ll send you my address. Meet there at 5:30, and no earlier. Bring any disciplinary tools you own along with him.”

“Not gonna use your own?” Mike asked with a glance at Ren’s hand sanitizer. 

“Don’t own any. I have the blindfold and sensory deprivation hood that came along with my pet’s box, but I haven’t used the blindfold since unboxing him and I’ve only touched the hood to put it away somewhere in the basement.” Actually, where had they put that thing? “My pet is too well behaved for such things.”

Mike whistled. “Nice. You get an expensive model?”

“Well, he wasn’t cheap. But he was exactly what I wanted.”

“Ooo, custom?”

“In training. His appearance was already precisely suited to my desires.”

Mike laughed and extended his hand again, before seeming to think better of it and he shot Ren a two finger salute. “I’ll see you tonight then.”

Ren nodded in return with a pleased little. “See you tonight.” Ren thought of one last thing. “Oh, and Mike?”

“Yeah?”

“Have you told him that you only plan on selling him temporarily?”

“Ah, no, just recently came up.”

“Don’t tell him this isn’t a permanent arrangement. He’ll be easier to mold, that way.”

“You’re the boss,” Mike said with double pistols, and left their office.

The moment the door closed behind him, they pulled out a notebook and began jotting down a list of pros and cons. Their agreement had been deeply tentative, not that they’d let Mike know that. They would thoroughly scrutinize the concept, and then rigorously test the box boy himself once he was brought over.

The idea of having someone to yank around, though. To punish, perhaps with some of the tools Host had listed in their disciplinary video… Ren swallowed, their mouth watering. Skin that they could pinch and cut and bruise, not deeply, nothing permanent, nothing too mean. Someone they could sink their claws into and throw away in a week or two, leaving their home unblemished and perfect, just Soren and them. Just a quick little fix. Just a nice little treat.

The potential cons outnumbered the pros, but the potential pros were of a much higher quality.

They drove home quickly that night, bidding Yanni a very short goodbye, citing business that needed attending, and they weren’t even lying.

“I bet you just wanna get home and cuddle your boy,” she teased them, sticking her tongue out.

“And I bet you’re going to do the same to your babe,” Ren teased in return, wiggling their eyebrows at her. Yanni giggled and admitted to being guilty as charged, and didn’t whine or cling any longer. See? Convincing her to get her own pet had been such a wise decision. So useful. 

“Soren!” they called the moment they walked in the door.

“Exalted!” Soren called back, and they noted the sound of a hair dryer cutting off. “You’re home earlier than usual!” Soren said as he rushed down the stairs. His hair was still a little damp, they noted, as they pulled him into a hug.

“I am. I have a big evening ahead,” Ren stated, handing him their lunch bag and prying off their jacket. 

“What’s on the agenda, Exalted?” Soren asked, hanging up their jacket for them and following them into the kitchen.

“Tonight, depending on how introductions go, we will be adding a new box boy to the house.” Ren snorted, pulling down a glass and opening the fridge, digging around for their ginger ale. “Well, a used box boy. I’m taking him off a coworker’s hands.” They “casually” glanced over their shoulder to see Soren’s reaction, and he was white as a sheet.

“E-Exalted? I, I don’t…”

“Soren, baby?” they asked sweetly, pretending not to understand.

“If-If I haven’t,” Soren stuttered shakily, eyes wide and vacant, staring somewhere far past the kitchen tile, “If I’m not, pl-pleasing you, if this, is,” he raised a shaking hand to his hair, a front lock, one of the beautiful portions he might have turned into bangs, “is about, what I almost did, I’m sorry, I can do better, I can be better, please, I don’t--I can’t--please, Exalted, I just need to know, just tell me and I’ll do it, I want to, I, I need to, please, just tell me, tell me anything I’ll do anything Exalted please, please, I can be good, I want to be good! I want to, I want to be good, I want to, Exalted, I want to be good for you just tell me please I’ll do anything, I’ll do anything!”

Ren sipped idly at their ginger ale, not bothering to mask their face with concern or pity when he clearly couldn’t see them anyway. God, he sounded so pretty like this. Tears budding up in his eyes, his hands shaking so visibly, his body trembling in a more subtle, yet equally delicious way. It was all so perfect to watch, to listen to as he broke down. They knocked back the rest of their drink and set the glass down on the counter.

“Soren, angel,” they crooned, face twisted up artfully and voice sweet as honey. They gently pried Soren’s hand from his hair and placed it on his collar, which made him gasp, eyes blinking rapidly, immediately grounding him. They caressed his face, then tilted it up. Petting at the lock of hair he’d just been tugging at, they smiled pityingly. “My sweet little bird, no no. You haven’t done anything wrong, pet. I’ve forgiven you for hurting me so badly, it’s in the past my darling angel, weeks in the past. My precious, sweet Soren, shush now, shush. Nothing bad is happening to you. This will be a good thing! Just because I’ll have a new plaything doesn’t mean I’ll neglect you, Soren, sweetheart. And you’ll have someone lower than you on the pecking order! Won’t that be nice?”

“I--I--”

“Shhhh, Soren, shhhhh, shush now. It’s okay, it’s alllllll alright. You’re my favorite, darling, you’ll always be my favorite plaything, don’t worry.”

“Th-thank you, thank you Exalted, thank you.”

“There, there’s a good boy. So well mannered, saying exactly what you’re meant to.” Ren hugged him tightly, too tight, but only just a little. “Don’t forget, my pet. You will belong to me forever. You will kneel at my feet only, you will eat only when I am the one to give you food, you will never set foot outside this house without me and you will never belong to anyone else. You’re mine, mine alone, and mine forever, Soren.”

“Yes,” Soren said, sounding grateful and relieved, just like he was meant to. “Yes, Exalted, thank you, thank you so much.”

Ren grabbed a fistful of hair and kissed him, and he kissed back eagerly. 

“Soren, tell me you love me,” they ordered sweetly, and Soren beamed. 

“I love you, Exalted! I love you, Ren!” He leaned against them and they let him. “I won’t ever love anyone as much as I love you, Ren.”

“I know you won’t, my angel, you’re so good.”

And that was when the doorbell rang.

“Right on time,” Ren mentioned with a glance at the kitchen clock. “Come along, pet, let’s go interview our new potential plaything.”

“Yes, Exalted.”

Mike looked no less awkward standing up than he did sitting down, Ren thought, as they opened the door. He held himself like an adolescent trying out for theater who had no idea how to act and was in possession of limbs too long for his body. Behind him and to the side, a box boy carried his box on his back, looking very much like he was about to be crucified or somesuch.

“Come in,” Ren welcomed, “Take off your shoes.” Not that it mattered. The boy was filthy and bloody. Every room he set foot in would need to be thoroughly cleaned. Honestly, Mike couldn’t have even given him a bath before bringing him over? He really was in a rush.

“Set the box down; let me get a look at you,” Ren ordered. They observed the box boy, a young man with short (ugh) brown hair, too short to even grab efficiently. Nothing to yank him around by, and no time to grow it out. Whatever, they'd just have him wear a leash or somesuch. Brown eyes, tan skin, ambiguous ethnicity. Somewhat muscled, but half-starved and visibly exhausted, so he moved with a weakness. He let the box thunk down on the carpet, and when he raised his eye he met Ren's boldly. 

“Position two,” they said with a snap of their fingers, and they heard a pair of knees hit the floor before they saw the new boy kneel. They turned with surprise and saw Soren kneeling, which prompted them to laugh. 

“Oh no, no, Soren, angel, sweetheart, no. Both of you, position one. Soren, now, listen--haha! You just stand there and look pretty okay?” They pet his hair, admiring the way he flushed with embarrassment over his mixup. “You just stay put right here and watch. I'm interviewing the new boy and testing his behavior, alright? You stay put.” They kissed him and turned back to the boy. He was, at the very least, standing in position one, his chin tilted up just a little too high for submission but that was something that could be beaten into him. “Position six,” they ordered, and he held out his wrists with a silent glower. But, ah, to listen to his breathing, was that fear they could detect?

He was bruised and bloody and tired, in all ways just in a horrible state of disrepair. He would require so much fixing, and honestly that thrilled Ren. They took his barcoded wrist and read off the numbers tattooed underneath it. 843-902. 

“02, huh?” Ren mused aloud. “I think that’ll make a fine nickname for you.”

“Oh, his name is--” Mike started, but Ren cut him off. 

“Irrelevant.”

02’s nostrils flared. “If I'm going to buy him, and I think I will, then the creature he was before coming into my service is entirely irrelevant.”

“Oh, good, you'll take him then?” Mike asked, sounding nervous and relieved. Ren delighted in how much control they had over him, at that moment. 

“I'm not done deciding yet.”

Mike’s flash of nervous panic was so delicious, really. As was 02’s confliction. He didn’t know if he wanted to stay with Mike or be taken by Ren, aww, how cute.

“State your type,” Ren ordered, and 02 snarled. Honest to god snarled. Ren had to swallow, salivating at the thought of how much fun it would be to break that.

“Fff-” 02 choked on his own word, conditioning clearly warring with whatever it was that he was trying to do, and Ren arched an eyebrow. “Fuck you.”

They saw Mike twitch agitatedly in their peripheral, but didn’t pay him any mind.

“Position five.”

02 dropped like a rock, his forehead actually hitting the floor, and Ren chuckled. His Processors had done well with him, whoever they’d been, but not quite well enough. The image was all too clear now. Mike had bought himself a box boy, discounted for his bad mouth, and used his excellent behavioral obedience in order to commit whatever crimes he’d forced the boy into, while tolerating his naughty little words as nothing more than a background nuisance. Or, given the bruising, knocking him around for the disobedience, but never bothering with legitimate training.

“State your type,” Ren repeated, their tone taking a special quality that meant firm disappointment. Soren eeped behind them, and they got to watch 02’s chest seize.

“Combination, Ren.”

“Oh no, darling,” Ren said with a laugh, “You don’t get to call me by name.” They nudged his temple with the side of their foot and stated, “Position two.” Once within range, Ren gripped his chin and forced him to look at them. “You will refer to me exclusively as Exalted, or, if you feel I am in a particularly good mood with you, you may call me Honored One. My name is not to come out of that filthy little mouth of yours. Not until we’ve cleaned it thoroughly. Understand?”

They released his chin but he continued to hold their gaze. “Yes,” he stated, “Honored One.”

“Aww, Mike,” Ren cooed, turning to him. “He thinks he’s cute,” they intoned, sounding very much charmed, like a child had just fallen over while dancing. 

“I know he’s got a big mouth but he really does obey,” Mike assured.

“I can see that,” they said airily. “Come join me in my office, we’ll discuss price and the paperwork. 02, take your box down into the basement and stow it in the back corner of the laundry room, on top of the other one there. Take Position two in the center of the room when you are done, and wait. Soren, heel pet.”

They led Mike and Soren away from the foyer, not checking if 02 was obeying and not needing to. He might hesitate or linger, but Ren knew with full confidence that by the time they were done signing the papers and lightly harassing Mike for the evening, 02 would be exactly where they’d told him to be. 

“Actually,” they said at the door of their office, turning with raised index fingers. “Soren, baby, why don’t you go ahead and get started on dinner for us, mm?” Ren kissed him and patted his cheek sharply, twice. He nodded, worrying his lip, but scampered off to do as he’d been told.

“He’s beautiful,” Mike commented, before Soren was entirely out of earshot. “Even prettier in real life than in the ads, and I mean, wow,” he said with a chuckle, “you know?”

“I do know,” Ren said, gesturing for Mike to take a seat as they closed and locked the door. They pulled up their surveillance cameras on their computer, turned away from Mike, and got their scanner ready to make copies and digital files of the documents. “Did you bring the tools I requested?”

“Sure did,” Mike said, patting his backpack. “Retractable cane, whip, two different gags and a muzzle, which, heh, he hates so much, let me tell you. Handcuffs, too, those too.”

“And the documentation,” Ren prompted, watching him pull them out of the bag.

“You are, heh, quite the presence, you know that Ren?” Mike said as he pulled out a manilla envelope, a cheap blue folder, and some--GOD--loose leaf papers. The fucking audacity, really. The messiness, the lack of professionalism. He couldn’t have haphazardly shoved them into the cheap folder? He really had to go around carrying official legal documents loose leaf? Their BLAW405: Filing and Organizational Systems professor would’ve made a five minute ordeal of tearing this poor, poor fool a new one. Ren tried to make themself pity Mike’s incompetence, because it was just about the only thing preventing them from feeling an unseemly amount of rage.

“Like really, I’m a security guy, you know? I’m kind of hired because not a lot of people intimidate me but you’ve just got this, uh, aura, I guess? Just sorta the way you talk and hold yourself and--oh, yeah, you just, yeah go ahead,” he cut himself off as they took the papers from him and skimmed over them, sorting them into some semblance of a reasonable order to be holding these files in, and read over them quickly but carefully one by one. They were familiar with most of this--they did, after all, possess a box boy of their own--but it never hurt to be thorough.

“I have a certain way with people, it’s true,” Ren commented idly as they shifted through the papers. “Sign here. You’re quite fortunate I am in possession of a notary’s stamp and can forge an impressive signature, you know that Mike?” Ren asked, pulling the stolen (well, illegally purchased. Their mama was a persuasive woman in her own right, and there was little on the black market she could not or would not acquire for her child, at their asking) stamp from one of their locked drawers.

“Oh, fuck, we gotta get a notary for this?”

“Some countries do not require it, and I hear the American legislation on transfer of ownership even varies from state to state, but our homeland is a little more meticulous in these matters. But like I said,” they took the signed paper from Mike and aligned the stamp carefully, before bringing it down with a satisfying thunk, “you’re in luck.”

“You are,” Mike said, chuckling nervously, kind of breathy and rather high, “really something, huh Ren?” They loved his discomfort.

“Mm,” they hummed, pleased, preening a bit, but hey, they deserved to. “Sign here.”

Four signatures later, Ren tapped the stack of papers against their desk, bringing them all nice and neatly in line, and then set them into their copier. “Now, the access files I requested?” Ren prompted, extending their hand. He unzipped an interior pocket in his windbreaker and produced a thumbdrive. “Perfect. You’ll have 02 back as soon as you’re ready for him.” Their copier whirred to a halt and they took the stack of copies from the tray, then slid all of them into the manilla folder, rather than breaking them up like a moron. They held it out for Mike and flashed him a darling smile. “It’s been a pleasure doing business with you.”

“Yeah,” he said, sounding a little dazed, taking the folder like it might get up and start moving. “You, you too. Ha, wow, you are efficient.”

“It’s why I have the job I have, and why I lead the life I live.” Ren stood and ushered Mike out of their office, then out of their home. “See you next time.”

“Yeah, thanks again!” he called, and they waved with a bright smile.

“Exalted?” Soren said behind them once they shut the front door, “Dinner will be ready in 40 minutes.”

“Perfect, Soren. I’m going to go greet our new addition, you may come if you want to.”

“Yes, Exalted, I would like that,” he said, wringing his hands anxiously. They placed their palm on top of that worried movement, and Soren stilled instantly.

“Shhh, pet. Remember, you’ll always be my favorite, alright?”

Soren nodded rapidly, but did not appear soothed. Hmm. “A-are you,” Soren hesitated, searching for the words. “Are you going to punish 02 for his defiance, Exalted?”

“I am,” Ren admitted easily. Soren twitched, distress increasing. “Oh, sweetheart, you’re worried for him?”

Soren nodded. “You’ve always been so good to me, Exalted, I don’t want, um, I don’t--I…” Soren pulled on a lock of his own hair, and they shushed him again, caressing his cheek.

“He’ll only get what he deserves, my precious angel. I can treat you well because you’re a very good boy for me, Soren. I’ve rarely had to punish you; you only occasionally fuck up. But my coworker clearly hasn’t given 02 the structure or discipline he needs in order to make him good, so I’m going to have to fix him. And fixing him will require punishing him. Don’t worry, though, pet, I won’t be cruel. The punishment will fit the crime; he won’t get anything done to him that he doesn’t deserve. I promise. He’ll deserve everything that happens to him, baby, sweetheart, I promise, I promise, absolutely all of it.”

Soren nodded again, gripping his collar and relaxing, a little. It was so nice to see him keyed up and anxious. It was so nice to make Mike squirm and sweat. It was so nice, knowing that their own personal chew toy was kneeling painfully on the concrete floor of their laundry room, just waiting for them to go down and bloom a few more bruises across his skin. Perfect, perfect, all of this, perfect. Exactly what Ren deserved.

“Yes, Exalted.”

“Come along, pet,” Ren beckoned, and Soren followed them down the stairs.

02 greeted their arrival by spitting on the floor at Ren’s feet.

“Oh, disgusting little bug, aren’t you?” Ren asked mildly, stepping over the splotch. They gripped his chin again and he glared up at them. “Tell me, 02, which do you consider to be worse? Death, or refurbishment?”

02’s eyes went wide, suddenly struck with fear. Ren of course would do neither, this was a temporary arrangement, after all. But 02 didn’t know that.

“...Exalted?” 02 asked in a voice that was very very very small.

“Answer the question. Which is worse?”

02’s chest began raising visibly, rapidly. Hard to miss, with how thin he was. “D--”

“And don’t even think about lying to me, slave.”

02’s breath caught, a delightful little gagging noise escaping him. “Refurbishment, Exalted.”

“Hm. Then allow me to make something very clear to you, 02. Soren outranks you in every capacity. You will not eat until he has eaten, you will not sleep unless he has first gone to bed, you will not so much as speak if he has something to say. And if you decide that that makes you jealous, or angry, or if you just decide you don’t like my precious boy for some miscellaneous reason, allow me to make it entirely understood that if you harm so much as a single strand of hair on his head, I will personally instruct the Processors to make sure you beg for death before they put you up for resale.” They released his chin with a small flick of their fingers into the soft underside, and were gratified by the little jerk, and the way his eyes stayed on them. “Do you comprehend?”

“You--you’re warning me to keep my hands off your pet?” he asked, fearful and yet still incredulous.

“Of course,” they said, placing a hand on the front of his close-cropped hair and slowly stroking his skull, cradling his head. “Soren is my precious little bird. And you?” Ren moved their thumb sweetly, back and forth, against his prickly hair. “You’re nothing more than some worthless mutt.”

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