#my mom thinks I should move the mirror back now that I have the dark headboard to anchor the space more

[whentherewerebicycles]

this is a horribly lit photo and virtually everything else is going to change (bedspread, art, getting rid of that black lamp). but is the dark headboard better or worse than the beige one below:

[covenofagatha]

But you're my stepmom! (Part 7)

Word count: 2100

Warnings: smut, oral, fingering, mommy kink

Taglist:@stayevildarling@i-just-cannot@hazey-g@buttercandy16@320viada@evilangels-stuff@rmaximoff@morganismspam23@aboutcustardcreams@sasheemo@rigglemethat@walkethisway@mommywandas@r-3-becca@harknessshi @ihaveawifebutwerenotmarriedyet @polaris-likethestar @ahintofchaos

A/N: hope this was worth the wait ;)

Sleep alright? is the text you get from Agatha the next morning while you’re getting ready for school. Heat runs through you at the very thought of her and you know she’s completely ruined you for anyone else. Memories of last night, of her kissing you, marking you, claiming you, flash through your head as wetness begins to pool in-between your legs. 

You think Agatha might be the death of you. 

Not really, thanks to you. You had spent the night tossing and turning, begging for the fire in your stomach to die down so you could get at least some rest. But it didn’t. You had been so sensitive that even the slightest brush of fabric against your clit when you moved while trying to sleep was enough to make you moan. And then when you had finally drifted off, she was there too, doing everything that you wanted and more. But you had been a good girl for her and somehow resisted the urge to touch yourself. 

She sends back a winky face emoji and I’m always happy to keep you up all night. Damn her and her innuendos that make your face flush. 

You pull the collar of your shirt over, admiring the dark red bruise she sucked into your neck last night in the mirror. A thrill spikes your heart rate and you get an idea. 

You raise your phone and position it so you can snap a picture highlighting the hickey and the taunt veins in your neck. Before you can think too hard about it, you send it with the caption: Think anyone will notice this? 

I hope they do, sweetheart. They should know who you belong to. 

Fuck, that’s hot. Can I come over today? You need her more than air at this point. You are so consumed with the thought of her and you’re not sure anything can put that flame out. 

You have school and no more skipping. 

What about after?

You’re so desperate for me, aren’t you, baby girl? If you’re a good girl today, I’ll think about it. 

You chew on your bottom lip, arousal coursing through your veins. It’s far too early to be this turned on. I’ll be so good for you mommy. 

Agatha begins to type but then the three dots disappear. You curse and hope you didn’t step over the line. 

Your mom calls your name from downstairs, startling you out of your thoughts. “You’re going to be late!” She calls up the stairs. You check the time, swear again, throw your computer into your bag, and run down the stairs. “What were you doing up there?” 

“Nothing, sorry,” you lie hastily. You can’t imagine the truth of dirty texting with your step-mother going over well. “I’ll see you later.” You grab an apple from the bowl on the table and scurry out of the house. 

It isn’t until you’re sliding into your seat in first period when you check your phone again and see a missed text. It’s a picture from Agatha and at first you can’t tell what it is. You click on it so it becomes full-screen and immediately slam your phone face-down on the desk so loud that everyone looks at you. 

“Sorry!” You squeak, picking your phone up and holding it up close to you. 

It’s a picture that Agatha took while laying in bed, the camera pointed away from her face toward her bent legs clad in sweatpants. And her arm is reaching down and under said sweatpants. You cannot get the picture of her touching herself out of your head now. 

Wish you were here to make mommy feel good is the accompanying text. You cannot be doing this at school. But how can you resist?

You almost gave me a heart attack. I’m in class. 

That’s not the only thing I can give you. You can practically hear her purring through the phone. 

What are you thinking about? You watch the bubble indicating her typing with bated breath. 

About how you should be paying attention in class. 

You roll your eyes but see that there’s no point in trying to argue. You guess it’s nice that she actually cares about how you’re doing in school but you don’t hear a single thing any of your teachers say for the rest of the day because you’re too busy thinking about Agatha. 

The second the last bell of the day rings, you call her. She picks up almost immediately. 

“To what do I owe this pleasure, sweetheart?” Her raspy voice sends shivers down your spine. 

“What are you doing right now?” 

“Hmm,” she says thoughtfully. “I just got out of the shower and I’m about to get dressed.” 

“Well, don’t,” you say, your initiative shocking both of you. “Is my dad home?” 

“Look at you, kitten, taking control.” She sounds amused. “He hasn’t been here all day and I’ve been so lonely. I had no one to help me out with a little problem I was having so I had to take matters into my own hand.”

Your breath catches. “Can I come over?” Your voice is low, gripped with desire. You’re fully ready to beg if she makes you. 

“Only if you’re going to make it worth my while.”

“I will,” you promise and it comes out needy. The thought of tasting her and feeling her hands wound tight in your hair has kept you close to the edge all day and now you can’t physically wait any longer. 

“I’ll see you soon then.” She hangs up and you all but sprint to your car. You can’t believe this is finally happening. 

You speed the entire way, throwing your car into park and racing up to the front door. It swings open before you even knock, Agatha clearly just as impatient. She’s wearing a robe that comes down mid-thigh, the neckline low. You can see that she’s not wearing anything underneath. 

The moment you step inside, she presses you against the door, her mouth capturing yours in a dominating kiss. Her lips move with raw hunger, tongue licking into your open mouth. 

“Fuck,” you moan into her, hands grappling with the tie holding her robe together. She breaks the kiss only for a second to take your shirt off and then she’s right back on you. She unclasps your bra and her hands cup your breasts, rolling your nipples with her fingers as you let out little gasps. You finally get her robe open and drag your hands over her smooth skin. 

“Upstairs,” she mutters against your mouth and pulls you up the staircase, pausing halfway to shove you against the wall and kiss you senseless like the thought of waiting is too unbearable. 

She leads you into her room – is it weird that you find it sexy that she’s going to fuck you in the bed she shares with your dad? – and pushes you down onto the bed. You watch in awe as Agatha shrugs off her robe, taking in her naked body. You saw hints of it in the darkness last night, but seeing it now, she is so much better than you ever could’ve dreamed. 

“You’re so hot,” you breathe. Her cheeks redden and she helps you take off your pants until you’re just in your underwear. 

“Did you behave last night?” She asks, stepping in-between your open legs and standing over you. Her hands rest on your thighs. 

“Yes, I didn’t touch myself. I wanted to so badly though.” 

“Good girl,” she says in a low voice and you clench around nothing. “Do you want to know what I was thinking about today?” 

You nod so hard it hurts. Her fingers start to ghost up and down your legs. You’re literally aching. 

“I was thinking about you spread out nicely for me, like you are right now. About how you would feel around my fingers, about the noises you would make as I tasted you. How pretty you’d sound while begging for mommy to fuck you.” There’s a glint in her eyes as she tells you this, enjoying the way you’re squirming below her.

You think you might be dripping onto the bed. 

“Would you like that, baby girl?” 

“Yes, mommy,” you whimper. 

“Have you learned your lesson from last night?” 

“I belong to you,” you repeat. She nods her approval, a hand moving to stroke you over your underwear. You mutter a curse under your breath. “Please.” 

“‘Please’ what, baby girl?” Agatha asks innocently. “Use your words for mommy.” 

“Anything,” you say, frustration leaking into your tone. “I just want to feel you.” 

“Why didn’t you just say so?” She leans down over you and licks a hot stripe up your stomach, your back arching off the bed in pleasure. She kneels on the floor in front of you and lifts your hips so she can peel your underwear off. You then watch with your mouth agape as she tugs them down your legs with only her teeth. 

You think you could get off on that sight alone. 

Agatha kisses her way back up your thighs, suckling on the inner flesh, leaving matching marks to the one she left on your neck yesterday. At this point, you’re shaking with need. 

“Mommy,” you whine, hands fisting in the sheets. 

And then her tongue is delving through your folds and you keen loudly. You’d be embarrassed if you weren’t so turned on right now. Her hands dig into your thighs, keeping them open as she circles her tongue around your clit. You’re practically in tears with how good it feels. 

She brings you to the edge and then backs off and then repeats that a few times. Your hips are moving on their own, seeking out the pleasure you need from her mouth. 

And then she stops entirely, pulling away. The bottom of her face is drenched. 

“No!” You cry, still grinding up on nothing now. 

“You poor baby. So needy,” she coos, standing up and moving so she’s straddling you. She reaches down in-between your bodies and slides a finger swiftly inside you. You moan loudly, your fingers scrambling to grab onto her. 

But she smirks and pins both your hands above your head with her free hand. “Maybe next time I’ll tie you up,” she muses and the threat makes your stomach twist hotly and she sees the expression on your face that tells her you’d be more than willing to do that. 

And then she starts to move the finger that’s inside you.

“Fuck, sweetheart, you’re so tight,” she grunts, picking up the pace of her thrusts. She squeezes another finger in you and curls them just right every time, hitting that special spot. 

“I’m close,” you choke out and she laughs. 

“I haven’t even been fucking you for five minutes,” Agatha mocks. “Is mommy making you feel good?” 

“So good, I love your fingers inside me,” you babble, getting closer to your peak. Her thumb reaches up to rub your clit in tune with her thrusts and you think this is the closest you’ll ever get to heaven. 

Your step-mom leans down and kisses you roughly, sliding her tongue in your mouth right as she gives you one hard thrust and that’s it for you. 

You cum with a loud gasp, her name the only thing you can say. She keeps fucking you until you have to physically beg her to stop because it’s too much. 

She sticks her wet fingers in your mouth and watches with rapt attention as you bob your head around them. 

“You’d look so pretty with my strap-on in your mouth,” she says wistfully, her other hand coming up to brush your hair out of your face. She smirks at the way you inhale, your cheeks tightening around her fingers. “Would you like that, sweetheart? Getting on your knees and sucking mommy’s cock?” You nod, eyes wide and looking up at her. “Of course you would.” 

She pulls out her fingers with a pop and smears your saliva all over your cheeks. 

“Can I taste you now?” You ask, enjoying the way Agatha’s eyes darken. 

“Can I sit on your face, baby?” 

You moan in approval and she’s climbing up your body when she suddenly freezes. You open your mouth to ask what’s wrong but she shushes you. Your brow furrows and you listen carefully. 

There’s the faint sound of the garage rumbling from downstairs and a look of panic has settled over Agatha’s face. 

Your dad is home. And you’re in bed with his wife. 

[sissylittlefeather]

Kinktober Day 16: Mirror Sex

Easy to Love

Warnings: 18+ Minors DNI, SMUT, body image issues

Word Count: ~1.6k

Kinktober Masterlist

“Honey, I've told you and told you. Yes, I still think you're sexy.” Elvis follows you around the house as you tidy and move things and generally just try to keep from letting him win. 

“I know you say you do, but I'm not sure when the last time you really looked at me was.”

“I look at you every day.” You huff and roll your eyes. 

“You know what I mean.” 

“Well, I would look at you naked every day if you'd let me!” He catches a baby toy that you throw in his direction and tosses it into the pile in the corner. Why you insist on tidying things up never ceases to amaze him. You have a maid to do that, but you weren't raised with that kind of luxury, so it's in your blood to clean things in your own house. 

“Honey, please. The baby is with your mom. It's just you and me here tonight. I would like to make love to my wife without the lights turned off and you fully dressed.” 

“Maybe you should've married someone else, then.”

“Oh stop it. I married you because I love you. And I'm gettin’ real tired of your whole song and dance about how I wouldn't want you if I saw you.” You look over at Elvis and he stands there with his hands on his hips. He looks better than he ever has in his life, having just started playing shows in Vegas again after all those years doing movies. And you'd be happy to make love to him, but you had a baby less than a year ago and it's proving more difficult than you expected to shed the baby weight and get back to who you were before. You were a tiny little thing, so small he could almost wrap his hands completely around your waist. And now you're not exactly big, but there's definitely extra soft parts where there weren't before. You turn and face him, as defiant as he is. 

“I just don't look the same and I don't think you'll like it. Just give me time to lose this weight and we can go back to how things were before.”

“Baby it's been almost a year. Almost a year of making love in the dark or under the covers. I want to fuck you like I used to.”

“Have ya seen you? You look great. Maybe you should just… find a fan…” He walks over to you and takes your chin between his thumb and forefinger. 

“Don't you dare suggest something like that. I'm tired of this, Satnin.” He bends over and picks you up over his shoulder. You protest, trying to get him to put you down, but he refuses. He carries you to your bedroom and flops you on the giant bed. 

“I'm just sayin'. I'm never gonna be what you want. And you have women everywhere. Just pick one of them and do whatever it is you're needing.”

“I need you! God you're a pain in the ass.” He rolls the heavy, full length mirror up beside the bed. 

“What's that for?”

“You'll see. Take your clothes off.”

“Elvis I-”

“Damnit for once in your life don't argue! Just do what you're told.” You pout and then start to pull your clothes off. If he won't believe you then you'll just have to show him. “Come here.” 

He takes his own clothes off, seating you in between his legs with your back against his front facing the mirror. 

“El, what are we-”

“Shhh. Look at yourself.” You turn your head to look away and he grabs your chin and forces you to peer into the glass. “Look at that sexy woman.”

“All I see are rolls and squishy parts.” You see him purse his lips over your shoulder. 

“Damn it, honey just stop!” He starts to run his hands over you and you wince in discomfort when he gets to the parts that you don't like. 

“Please stop touching my belly.” You whisper pleadingly. 

“What? This belly?” He puts his hands on your stomach. “The one that carried my baby so well? I'm supposed to not love this part of you?” 

You meet his eyes in the mirror and he's dead serious. Part of you thought he might be making fun of you, but he's obviously not. He sets his chin on your shoulder and runs his hands up to your breasts, squeezing gently. 

“And you can't tell me this part didn't improve.” He's not wrong. Your breasts did kind of come out of nowhere when you were pregnant. Still, they're not as perky as they used to be and you open your mouth to say something but he stops you. “No. You don't get to argue with me.” 

He slides his hands down your sides to your hips and grazes his fingertips over your stretch marks. You'd been so tiny that your hips widening to make room for the baby had caused your skin to split into these scars that you hate. You groan when he touches them and lean your head back to look at the ceiling. 

“Look in the mirror.” His tone is firm, and he's obviously tired of fighting you, but you're too ashamed. You shake your head and keep your eyes up as they fill with tears. “Damn it, y/n, I said look in the fuckin’ mirror!” 

When you look back down at his reflection, a fat teardrop rolls down your cheek. He softens immediately and wraps his arms around you affectionately pressing his cheek to yours. 

“Honey, please don't cry. I know it's hard for you to believe me, but I'm not just sayin’ this. You are beautiful. You see all the ways your body has changed as bad things, but I see them as evidence of my wife’s strength. You made a miracle for me, honey. I wanna worship you for it. Please let me.” 

His eyes are so sincere that it's impossible not to believe him. You turn your head and meet his lips with yours. After a short time you pull back and he just looks into your face for a while. Your heart is pounding as the tension builds between you. Finally, he can't stand it anymore and he dives in fully, his tongue slipping into your mouth to dance against yours. His hands run all over your body, touching and squeezing any part of you that pleases him and you don't protest. The heat in his kiss is too much to interrupt. Eventually, he spreads your thighs and his fingers make their way to your center. The tip of his middle finger gathers some of your arousal and finds your clit, slipping over and around it easily. You moan softly into his mouth and he smiles. 

“You wanna see how sexy you are? Look.” He nods towards the mirror and you turn and watch as he slides his finger up inside you, his thumb playing with your clit now. He adds a second finger and pumps them in and out for you to see. Your eyes are glued to his hand in the mirror as he works your pussy. “I want you to watch yourself cum. See what I see.” 

You nod and whimper as your orgasm begins to build in your hips. He pulls his fingers out and rubs them over your clit harder and faster. 

“Come on, baby. Cum for daddy.” He whispers, nibbling on your earlobe. 

“Mmm, fuck, Elvis…” You moan loudly, balancing right on the edge of your release. He pumps his fingers inside you again and then goes back to your clit. 

“You're so sexy, mama. Cum for me.” That's all it takes for you to fall headfirst into oblivion. You moan loudly and watch in the mirror as the waves of pleasure crash into you and you shudder and pulse. “You see now, how sexy you-”

But you interrupt him by pushing him down on the bed and climbing on top to straddle his hips facing the mirror. You watch with your eyes wide as you sink onto his cock. He laughs loudly and grabs your ass. 

“Yes, baby. There's my sexy girl.” You're entranced by watching yourself in the mirror as you fuck him, bouncing and rolling on his dick, moaning as you see him slide inside you over and over again. He holds your hips and whimpers. You haven't fucked him like this in a very long time. “I'm gonna cum fast, honey. Slow down.”

“No.”

“No?” He closes his eyes and bites his lip as he tries to hold on. 

“I like the way my tits bounce when I move this fast.” 

“Yeah me too. Damn, I've created a monster.” He whimpers and grasps at the sheets. “Honey, I have ta- OH GOD!” 

He holds your hips tightly as his cock throbs inside you and shoots you full of his release. Somehow, the mirror is angled just right for you to be able to see his face as he cums and it's the most beautiful thing you've ever seen. You forgot how powerful it makes you feel to bring him to the place that only you can. When his body relaxes, you climb off and turn around, crawling into his arms. He kisses your forehead. 

“Sorry I didn't last longer-”

“Not a problem. We'll do it again later.” He looks at you in his arms. 

“We will?”

“Mhmm. With the lights on and everything.” You kiss his lips softly. “Thank you for loving me so well.”

“You’re easy to love, honey.”

“Can we have the mirror again?” He laughs and nods his head. 

“You're a pain in the ass. But you're easy to love.”

*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*

Taglist:

@ccab @atleastpleasetelephone @deltafalax @msamarican @angschrof @lustnhim @jhoneybees @polksaladava @searchingforgravity @librababe99 @hooked-on-elvis @theelvisprincess @makethemorning @your-nanas-house @peaceloveelvis @mrspresley69

[dirtylittlefairytales]

Don't play with fire | - Part 2 - |

Autors Note: I recommend to read Part 1 first. This is going to be a rollercoaster, but I hope you like it. I liked writing it and I'm really happy I started writing again. Now I try writing smut too. If you like the song 'Unholy from Sam Smith' listening to it later on, made the scene better. At least I listened to it while I wrote the scene.

Also as before, english is not my first language, I hope I corrected most mistakes.

Summary: After having a panic attack and realizing that Cooper could be the Butcher., you tried living your life normally again, until you got a text from an unknown number. Should you go to the police? Half a year later everything is normal again, at least you think it is.

-> Writing in 'italic' is supposed to be the your thoughts

Warnings: Dark!Fic, Describing of a Panic attack, Age Gap! (Legal), Swearing! Praise! Alcohol consumption!, drugs!, bit of Smut, Angst!, Arguing

Rating: R

Word count: 7,4k

Tagging: @a-movie-that-youve-never-seen, @amethystblackkchaos, @hereforthehitsbaby, @waywardtigersandwich

That was your first panic attack you had in your life. You spend that day at the hospital, your mom picking you up in the evening. She didn’t pry for information, although she was very worried. When you got back to her house and sat in the living room over a hot tea, you told her everything– Though more like everything she could know.

You told her about the concert, how you weren’t feeling well because of the crowd of people. So you went home early, then your bike got stolen and your boss fired you after some nasty words. You said you didn’t know how you ended up at the hospital, you were just aimlessly walking and then woke up in the hospital. Remembering a lot of concerned voices around you but nothing more. 

Seeing that you were near tears again your mom started to hug you for several minutes. You let it all out. All those bottle up emotions of the day. You just didn’t know what to do with all these emotions. It was too much, like you weren’t in control anymore.

“You know sweety, you should move closer again. Ah no disagreeing! Think about it. You know my grandparents also had their apartment. Please consider it, I worry about you.” she said, squeezing your shoulders. “You could save so much money!”

“Okay mom. I promise I’ll think about it, but not today. Let me find a new job first.” you tried avoiding the situation. She nodded

“Well, come one you can sleep in your old room today. Tomorrow I'll drive you to the mechanic so you can get your car back.”

“Thanks mom.”, she kissed the top of your head and pushed you towards the stairs. Shaking your head, you went up towards your old room. You could barely say no to anything, when it came to your mom. However, moving back was the one thing you didn’t want. It was stupid. You wanted to live independent and not in your moms apartment, where she probably wouldn’t even allow you to pay rent.

Stepping inside your room, everything looked as you last remembered it. Your mom tried to make it look like your old room. The big double bed near the window, with the one teddy bear on it. A small wooden closet near the wall. You closed the curtains on the window and went to bed. 

On the bathroom mirror you could see a bruise starting to form on your shoulder, where Cooper had gripped it. Clearly you couldn’t wear something without sleeves the next few weeks. 

Before going to sleep you checked your phone. You nearly forgot about it. There was nothing. No new contact, no number saved anywhere, everything was the same. You remember it clearly, he told you he had saved his number, but nothing. You checked your phone completely. Looked through everything, photos, deleted messages, deleted contacts. Still nothing.

‘Had he just been toying with you? Playing into your anxiety?’ After checking your phone for a second time you gave up. Maybe you imagined it, maybe you should just call it a day. As soon as you put your phone down and your head hit your pillow you were out. The events of that day were finally catching up with you. 

Waking up the next day, you still felt exhausted but overall better. True to her word, your mom drove you to the mechanic, and reminded you to visit her once a week like you promised her on her last birthday. No more work excuses. 

You promised, she was getting older and you did want to spend more time with her. She turned 59 this year. You loved her, she always did her best. Recently your grandfather passed away, leaving everything to your mom. Your grandparents had an estranged relationship with your mom, but seeing as she was their only child… she inherited it all. Now your mom could live without worries. She had a house and had a spare apartment. Seeing as they did have a bit of money.

Over the next week you wrote more job applications and went to a couple of interviews. Until you finally found yourself a new job. The company and boss seemed nice and you even got to work from home 10 days a month. Big plus and the pay was decent. You stayed in your apartment most of the time after the concert, fearing you might run into Cooper somewhere. You were quite paranoid. Fearing what he would do to you. Were you going to be next, if he was the Butcher? 

With the new job, came new energy and you started to live again. Step by step you were going outside, to the office, meeting your friends or going out for drinks. Still sometimes, you looked around you. Feeling like someone was staring holes in your back.

The second panic attack came when on a day you were working from home. A few weeks had passed and overall it started like a totally normal day, just a few calls. Not much work to do that day and around lunch time you still wore your pajamas. When you went into the kitchen to cook, you suddenly got a text message from an unknown number. First you thought it was someone from work. Though, the number didn’t seem familiar, so maybe it was a customer? However, none had your private number. You opened the message and instantly knew who sent that text.

–You should watch the news. Unfortunately I must tell you that Spencer didn't seem to be very grateful. Sorry to disappoint you sweetheart. –

You dropped your phone, heart pounding in your chest. ‘Sweetheart– Was that Cooper? So he did have your number… Why should you watch the news?’ Slowly you crept down, picking up your phone from the floor and almost dropping it again. Your hands trembled so much. 

After releasing a shuddering breath, you put your phone in your pocket and stepped towards your living room. One step at time, fearing you might fall if you walked too fast. Holding on to your sofa for dear life, you reached for the remote. 

Turning on the TV, unsure of what you would find, you switched programs until you found the news channel. Your hands still trembling, you took deep breaths trying to calm yourself.

‘Maybe you should sit down?’ – Letting yourself fall onto the sofa you turned up the volume. You saw a lot of police in the background then view switched to the reporter, who started speaking

“Yesterday in the early hours, two hikers found something horrible on their daily hiking trail. We waited for further information from the police and we can now announce that the Butcher has found yet another victim. This marks the 13th victim of the Butcher.”

Your knuckles around the remote turned white from anticipation, your fingernails digging in your own palm. ‘Maybe you should stop with the acrylic nails’ You held your breath. They showed a photo of a young man on the screen. It wasn’t someone you knew.

“The victim seems to be a young man named Spencer–” Spencer.. That was the name he told you that day. You didn’t even listen to the rest of the news. Completely blending everything out, thoughts racing in your head. A sob escaped you, your whole body shook uncontrollably. Gasping for air, crying, you had your second panic attack. It felt even stronger then the first one, but maybe it was only because you were more aware now. 

A part of you felt like you killed Spencer. You had thought he was just playing with your fear. It was your fault. ‘What have you done… you were right all along. Your sixth sense didn’t leave you. Why haven't you gone to the police? Were you an accomplice now? Why haven’t you told somebody? You could have saved him…’ The answer was simple. You hadn’t been 100% sure. Hell until now you thought you imagined most of his weird behavior, were overthinking it, writing it off as anxiety.

Helplessly you wandered around towards your kitchen in the search for a bag. When you finally found one, you sank down against your cupboard. Taking deep breaths with the plastic bag to calm your breathing. After calming down and just sitting silently in your kitchen for 20 minutes, you got up and shut down the TV.

‘You couldn’t go to the police, could you? What if they held you responsible for it because you didn’t say anything until now. You didn’t even know his last name or where he lived.’ 

A dry and humorless laugh escaped you. Putting your face in your hand, trying to come to terms with reality. Finally you pushed your hair back and grabbed your phone.

Pondering if you should write back? Try to get information from him and go to the police? Could you get burned even more? Thinking for another minute you decided against it. Panic and anxiety controlled your actions. Your course of action was going in the complete opposite direction. Simply deleting the message. Deleting the evidence, deleting a small part of your guilt– ‘out of sight out of mind’

You didn’t continue work that day, called in sick, went to bed and just stared aimlessly at the ceiling. Thinking about everything. About the concert, about every small detail you remembered. All the strange things you thought he did, but in the end you thought it was just your imagination. 

This was so fucked up, why were you still alive and not locked up in some basement? Why were you still alive? He knew that you knew. By sending you that text, it almost seemed like he wanted you to know. It hardly made any sense to you. After hours and hours of thinking and getting a headache from it, you fell asleep rather exhausted.

Not even a day after you even changed your number, telling your friends and mom another lie. The excuse, you got too many spam calls on it, seemed to be good enough. You were that anxious that you were one step away from moving back into your mom's house. However you didn't want to exaggerate.

Everything you did, to feel secure didn’t help. The anxiety remained. Whenever you went outside you felt like a scared mouse, always looking around, getting in your car and inside the office building as quickly as possible. At first you looked for a black van, then you remembered that stupid little you had the great idea to reveal to him what the profiler said. Of course he was not driving that van anymore. Perhaps now he drove around in a girly pink car.

‘How could you have been so stupid?’, you wanted to bang your head against the table. You even judged Lady Raven for her naivety and here you were telling the Butcher what car to not drive. What to look out for. You helped him even further, by not going to the police. He must have been laughing at you in his head. What a fucking joke. He also must have realized what effect he had on you, using that for his advantage. That for one you found him attractive, on the other hand you were intimidated by him. You were glad you were still alive, but it also made you nervous.

A month later and nothing new from the Butcher and no strange occurrences you finally started to relax again. Cooper and all that happened was slowly being pushed to the back of your head. 

Furthermore, you moved out of your apartment. You felt spooked and unsafe in it. Living near your mom again gave you a small aspect of security back. Fortunately your workplace had a second office 20 min from your mom's apartment. You rented some transporter and with the help of your friends you moved your stuff into your new apartment within a day. Moving out helped your anxiety a lot.

Another month later, you started to go out with your friends again, didn’t look around every time you left your apartment and became more yourself. Feeling confident. You were slowly going after your hobbies again. Running outside, Swimming, visiting your favorite coffee shop or reading in the park on a good day. All without turning around every few seconds. 

Before you knew it about half a year had passed and it all was a mere memory. You hadn’t had another panic attack in months. Your job was great, you met your friends a lot, also visited your mom every week and you could even listen to music with noise canceling headphones again. It felt normal. Back to how it was before. There was no news from the Butcher. No new Butcher victims, just some mom in a horrible car crash, but aside from that there was just the usual news. 

It was around January, a Saturday, your birthday to be exact, where it began to get strange again. Even though it started out as every other birthday since you were 21. First brunch with your mum, having some good quality time in your favorite restaurant. After that, you went home again and around the evening your friends should arrive to go out. You should be around 10 people later. Normally you would just celebrate at home, but your best friend Simon wanted to party. Who were you to deny his wishes?

You had been Besties for ages, growing up with the same situation of a cheating parent, pushed you even closer together. It was only after high school where you went in different directions. Simon wanted to study, whereas you started working. There he met his better half Sebastian, they’ve been together ever since and when the three of you did something together they treated you like their child. Which you found hilarious. You loved them.

So a couple of friends were coming over and around midnight you would go dancing. When you arrived back at your apartment you noticed something strange. There was a small gift in front of your door. You looked around if you saw any of your neighbors before picking it up and unlocking your door. 

It didn’t seem to have a name anywhere. ’Strange. Maybe it was from that elderly woman on the first floor?’, you wondered. You put it on your kitchen counter, saving it for later. Seeing as you had only a couple of hours left to clean and dress up. Also you needed your makeup done before simon came, or he would go way overboard with his ideas. You already agreed to let him do your hair and change your outfit, if it was “too boring”. 

That was another reason he wanted you to go out. Maybe you would finally find prince charming and you could go on cute double dates.  In his opinion, your ‘no dating’ phase had been going on too long. Looking at yourself in the mirror you felt good. You decided to go with some short black pants, and a glittery black top with an open back. 

By the time the others arrived you totally forgot about the present still laying wrapped on the kitchen counter. Friend after friend arrived, all of them overly punctual. Except for two individuals, as always. You didn’t mind, it was only Lucas, a friend of Sebastian, with his girlfriend Mary. You didn’t particularly like her, Mary needed to be in the spotlight, sometimes you felt like she tried to replace you in your friend group. None of the others saw this most of the time though. She was ‘little miss perfect’. Well, except for Simon and Lizzy, they did see her other side sometimes.  

Putting on some music after everybody sat down in the living room, you went back to the kitchen to help Simon with the last drinks. As Simon was putting away the cake he brought on the kitchen counter he saw the small present laying around. “Who is this from?”

You walked towards him to see what he ment. “Oh, I actually don’t know. I think one of my neighbors left it for me.” shrugging you picked it up.

“Do you know what's inside?”, You shook your head, now you’ve done it. Simon loved a good mystery, something to solve, something thrilling.

“Well then, open it! I’ll get the rest of the drinks.”, he ushered you towards the living room where the others sat around your coffee table. Climbing over the back rest of your couch, you made yourself comfortable in the corner. Simon brought your drinks while you started to open the present. “What is it?”

“It’s…” you frowned. Pulling out a simple small teddy bear, with something silver on top. It was made out of plastic, nothing overly special. It was a Keychain.

“I think that’s something I could put on my keychain? Wait there's more…” There was something shiny at the bottom of the present. 

“A bracelet– Oh, it’s really pretty.” You held it towards the light, it sparkled brightly. It was a simple silver bracelet, with a little charm in the center. A cute colorful flower. 

“Aww how cute. But it seems like it was more for a child? Are you sure your neighbors know your age?” Lizzy laughed and poked you. She was what you would consider your girl bestfriend.

“Or maybe they know that you still have stuffed animals in your bed”,joked Simon and threw a pillow at him. “Hey, be careful, my drink!”, he exclaimed with a feigned outrage. You flipped him off. It wasn’t your fault that you could only go to sleep, while holding something in your arm.

“Don’t pout, come I’ll put the bracelet on. Then we get you a tiara and you’ll be a Disney princess.”Lizzy grabbed the bracelet of your hand and put it on you.

“And put the keychain thing to your keychain–”, Marcus said as they all laughed at your embarrassment. You gave them a look. 

“Really guys, do I have to?”, you whined. 

“Yes, give it to me, I’ll do it. You open the rest of our presents. I promise you’ll like them”, winked Simon and held out his hand. Reluctantly you gave him the key chain and started to open the other presents.

The other presents were way better. You got some games, wine and everybody plus your mom pitched in to buy you a new bike. They hid it in front of your door before. You had tears in your eyes as you thanked each of them. ‘You had the best friends’ 

After eating the cake there was nothing to stop you guys from going all out. Drinking games, Beer pong, dancing or just talking. Later on, Lucas and his girlfriend arrived around 10. At this point everybody was in a good mood and slightly drunk. On seeing the bike, Mary was offended that they hadn’t waited for them to give me my present. 

You were about to tell her that it was your birthday, when some of the others already apologized to her. Telling her they didn’t know when they would show up.Annoyed, you refilled your drink, and went back to the friends playing beer pong. You needed to get drunk more to be nice to her. She wasn’t even here for 5 minutes and everything had to resolve around her.

The party got louder and better, all having a good time. Half an hour before you wanted to leave Mary came to you while dancing, grabbing your arm. “Is that the bracelet you got from your neighbor? The others told me about it. It's so cute. Can I try it on? I always wanted something like this…”, Mary asked you with her stupid baby voice. She immediately tried grabbing it off your arm.

“Ehm, hey wait a second. Here, but I want back before we go.”, You didn’t want any drama today. She nodded her head, waved you off and reassured you that you would get it back in a second.

You did, in fact, not get it back within a second and when you were standing in the queue to the club, you realized that she still had it on. Now it was too late.

Inside the club your friends surprised you, they booked a small area to sit with a table in the middle. Some drinks and bottles, waiting for you in the middle. 

“Guys! You shouldn’t have!”, you exclaimed happily. 

“Only the best for you Birthday girl!” Simon cheered! Hugging you tightly. Celebrating your birthday never felt better. You did a few shots and then most of you went off dancing to the dancefloor for the next hour.

Coming back from the dance floor you sat back down exhausted. Every time you went out you asked yourself the same question. ‘Why did you even decide to wear heels today?’ All of you started to get new drinks and someone suggested to spice things up and play an old fashioned “Truth or Dare”. Without truth of course, because it was way too loud.

You loved these games, it was always fun to watch. Though you didn’t like doing dares yourself, always feeling a bit shy and easily embarrassed. Now with the alcohol you did feel more comfortable. Maybe you would be up to do a dare. As if reading your thoughts Simon yelled at you over the table “Y/N”. 

You looked at him with pleading eyes, your confidence dwindling. “Noo.. Please…”

“No! I’ve waited enough. I dare you to go out there and make out with a stranger!” he exclaimed, pointing to the dance floor. Some of your friends whistled at that. 

Not waiting for you to think about it Simon stood up. “Do you trust me? We go dancing and I promise I won’t let some creep near you. Only handsome guys?” He held out his hand. You thought about it. If not now, when would you ever do it? You needed to get over your own shadow. Quickly you emptied your glass. For the extra bit of confidence.

“Pinky promise?” you asked, feeling bold suddenly and holding out your pinky. He looked surprised and instantly linked your pinky with his. “Promisee.” happily he dragged you to the dance floor. 

“What's your age range? Still someone around your age?” Simon asked, wiggling his eyebrows. 

You rolled your eyes at his behavior. “I don’t know. He can be older… but not above 50!!” Simon pretended to be shocked at your revelation, holding his hand above his heart. 

“Older men! How scandalous!”, you jabbed his side. 

“Let's go before I change my mind.”, you threatened. As you made your way on the dance floor they started to play one of your favorite songs ‘Unholy’.

“As information, I’m going back as soon as I see you enjoy yourself. I’m not watching a full make out session from you.”, he shouted in your ear. Laughing, you nodded. Fair enough, you wouldn’t want to watch him make out with Sebastian either. Both of you started dancing to the music, stealing glances at the people around you. 

More like Simon was looking around, whereas you tried not to think about the dare too much. 

You felt the people dancing all around you. Swinging your hips and moving your arms around your body, you felt yourself getting lost in the music. 

Simon and you danced yourself further into the crowd. Someone bumped against your ass, touching it. Before you could even react somebody else pushed that person away. It was not Simon, seeing as he was still dancing right before you. He raised a brow gesturing behind you. Mouthing the simple word ‘Hot’.

While dancing you turned your head slightly to look behind. You couldn’t see much, all the flickering colorful lights made it hard to recognize anything. He was tall, broad shoulders and his hair seemed to be a bit longer. You continued dancing, Simon nodding at you. ‘Fuck it. Simon better not be wrong’ You trusted his judgment. In the rhythm of the music, you danced backwards until you found yourself practically grinding your ass on him. He didn't move away, dancing in sync with you.

One of his hands placed itself on your hip, pulling you even more against him. You felt a sudden rush of confidence, as you continued swaying your ass against him and felt something hardened in his pants. It felt huge. 

Using this confidence boost and as a confirmation you spun around, still dancing. ‘Could you do it?’ Looking up at his face, sadly, the flashing lights still barely illuminated his face. Looking closer you could make out a few facial features. He also had a slight beard. Even without knowing his exact looks, you felt a certain pull towards him. ‘I bet he is handsome’ You were not one to make the first move, but you were going to fulfill your dare. 

‘You could do it. You looked fucking hot  and you wouldn't see him ever again.’ Dancing against him, his slight erection pressing against you, you took the initiative, steadying yourself with one hand at his shirt. 'Why wouldn’t he take the first step? Why did the women need to take control in this situation?' Until now you were always the more experienced partner, so it was nothing new for you. Even though you would like some change. Him taking control, getting rough or just doing what he wants… Maybe you read too many dark romance books.

Slowly wandering with the other hand up his chest, resting it at his neck. Slightly you pulled his head towards you to push your lips onto him. His lips were rough. At first it was just you moving your mouth against his. You felt him putting away his drink on the high table next to you. 

As he still did not reciprocate the kiss and for a second you thought that you read the signs wrong. At least you fulfilled your dare. However as soon as you broke the kiss and stepped back, he roughly grabbed your face, pulling you back into him. Surprised by the sudden force of his grip, a small yelp escaped you, before he silenced it with a kiss. The action instantly sent a warm fuzzy feeling down to your core. 

Kissing you hard, your mouths moved in sync. His large hand on the side of your face kept your head in place. You winced slightly when he bit your lip, but he hardly seemed to notice. He tried to slip his tongue between your lips, but you denied it. 

Trying to gain control of the kiss and situation. You heard a low grumble from him, he seemed discontented with your attitude. You smirked against his lips, which seemed to annoy him further. Moving his hands down your body, he grabbed your ass, hard. The pain going straight into your core, making you moan into his mouth. He seized the opportunity to slip his tongue inside your mouth. 

This time you didn’t even try to get the upper hand, you liked that he was in control. Finally someone who was more dominant in these things. Giving you the time to explore this new, more submissive side. Letting go of your face he moved his hand down your body. Over your chest, stomach and finally resting at your hips, pulling you against him. Goosebumps traveled all over your body, where his hands touched you. Your brain felt dazed, this was the hottest makeout session you ever had. You didn’t care about his roughness or the biting, you rather liked it.

When he broke the kiss you were both panting heavily. Slowly, almost teasing, he traced his fingers up your spine before grabbing you by your hair and tilting your head upwards to look at him. Your mouth parted slightly, a small moan escaped your lips. It stung where he had his grip on your hair, but the slight pain turned you on even more. Sure you knew you liked reading about these kinds of things, but experiencing them made you feel even more aroused.  

For a split second, you thought you saw his panting expression change into a smirk. Before you could think twice, he kissed you again. Your mind instantly went blank, his kiss was like a drug. This kiss was slower, still rough but he set the tone. Moving his lips against yours, pushing his hand between your legs. You felt hot, everything felt way too hot to bear, never had you been kissed with such passion. You needed to be closer to him. You tried running your hands down his body. 

He removed his hands in an instant, grabbing yours and pushing them back to your sides. You let out a small whine. ‘What was going on with you? You never whined. You felt like a schoolgirl, making out for the first time’ Shaking his head disapprovingly, he turned away to grab his drink. Taking a sip, he held it near your lips, offering it to you. “It’s just water.”

You knew you shouldn’t drink from strangers, though you were way too drunk to think straight or even logically. ‘You wanted to keep making out and if that helped?’ Looking up at him you tilted your head forward against the glass and emptied the whole glass. You didn’t even realize how thirsty you were, and a glass of water seemed like a good option.

“Good girl.”, you heard his deep voice beside your ear. The loud music was making it hard to hear him clearly. The praise went straight to your core. He put his drink away and you began dancing to the music. More like grinding on each other. 

He still didn’t allow you to touch him much and you wanted nothing more than to travel your hands up and down on his body, or under his shirt. He leaned down, grabbing your hips to press you against him. Pressing his hard crotch against your lower stomach, making you inhale a sharp breath.  

“Can I get your number?” his deep voice mumbled against your ear. You pondered. It felt like he was growling. Slowly he began caressing your ear, gently kissing his way to your neck, making you close your eyes, leaning your head back to give him better access. Your legs were feeling weak. Running his thumb along your jawline, he sucked and bit in your neck, as he kissed his way back to your ear. 

“Please?” his voice was a low growl against your ear. Your eyes fluttered open again as you nodded, desire filled your body. You would do anything, if he kept going on like this. 

He kissed you softly this time and you bit his lip as he tried ending the kiss. You wanted to kiss him longer. You missed his warmth already, and also missed the dark look flashing up in his eyes. He pulled his phone out, tipping something before handing it to you. As you grabbed his phone, you felt yourself wobble to the side. Luckily he grabbed you in time and stadied you against his body. Now your back was pressed against his front.

You thought about grinding your butt against him, but as if sensing your thoughts he nudged you towards his phone. Looking at the screen, it was truly hard to concentrate for you. He kept sidetracking you by placing soft kisses on your neck.

Blinking rapidly you slowly made out the numbers. Your vision seemed a bit blurry, your eyes feeling so heavy. ‘You didn’t even drink that much’ After what felt like hours you successfully put in your number. As soon as you were done, he grabbed his phone back.

You were so drunk that you didn’t notice the contact already had a name. - Sweetheart - Turning back to him you nearly lost your balance, falling against his chest. His arm wrapped around your side, steadying you as he began walking you through the crowd of dancing people. You found it so difficult to keep your balance, you felt funny. You couldn’t seem to focus, everything stayed a bit blurred. You didn’t even know where he took you. Was he taking you home?

“Hey, sorry to bother you guys.”, he loudly said to someone over the music as he came to a stop. You leaned your face against his shoulder. You were really tired.

“You are her friends, right? I think someone put something in her drink, one minute she was fine and the next she could barely stand.” Your brows furrowed, ‘drugged? You were fine… when should that have happened? Didn’t those drugs work way quicker?’ Shocked gasps filled the air. 

“I thought I would bring her back to you, so you can get her home.” He had such a calming and sympathetic voice. ‘Why would he bring you back? You were having fun.’ You playfully bit him in his chest, making him tighten his grip on your hip. His lips pressed in a firm line.

“Yes, yes she is our friend. Oh fuck. Thank you so much man!” Four hands grabbed you off the stranger you were leaning onto. You pouted.

“No-o I don’t wa- want to”, your voice slurred, you sounded like a brat. Struggling against their grip, not wanting to leave his side, but they were stronger than you. Also your fight wasn't really that much of a fight as you thought, you could hardly stand straight. You didn’t even knew his name. His jaw clenched as he looked towards you and the two holding you, his eyes lingered on the arm of the girl.

“Yes yes, hopefully you got his number.”, said a high pitched female voice near your ear. It sounded like Mary. You looked around, it was Lucas and Mary who supported you. ‘Why those two?’

 “Why didn’t you tell me you liked older men?” Giggling, you shrugged your shoulders.

“He is so fine, maybe I should talk to him too.” Mary whispered in your ear. ‘What about her boyfriend?’

“Well, thanks again man, I’m Simon, her best friend. We’re taking her home asap, before something happens…” he began, as Lucas and Mary led you away. He gestured for them to stop, but they didn’t look back. Thus you couldn’t hear the rest of the conversation play out. It was a good thing. Drugged or not, your subconsciousness would have freaked out sooner or later.

“No problem Simon. It is what everybody would have done. Call me Cooper.”, he held his hand out for him to shake, which Simon gladly accepted.

“Nah, I don’t think so. Some sick fuck, may have taken advantage of her in a state like that. So thank you Cooper.. Shit, I just wanted her to have a good time on her birthday.”

“Don’t be too hard on yourself Simon. I was glad I could help. Wish her a happy birthday from me, I hope she feels better in the morning.” Simon nodded, turning around to talk with the others and Cooper soon vanished in the crowd. Slowly your friends started to follow the three of you back to the entrance of the club. 

“Hey, Y/N you stay here and wait. Lucas and I get the jackets. Just hold onto the handrail of the stairs or sit down. You can stand on your own for a bit, can’t you? ”she asked, concerned and something different in her voice. You gave her a thumbs up before holding onto the railing again. 

“We will hurry as best as we can, the others should be here soon.” She came closer, whispering in your ear. 

“Also you can stop your show now. Yes it’s your birthday, but do you need that much attention?”, with that she and lucas made her way to the coat check waiting line. 

You let your head fall back as you take deep breaths. ‘Show? What show?’ Deeply breathing in the fresh air that was coming from the entrance. Few people were walking past you either coming in or leaving the club. Still it was hard concentrating on anything, but you were doing okay.

Until you weren’t. All of a sudden you felt something against your back and in the next moment you lost your footing and along with the grip on the handrail and flew down the stairs. Instinctively your body tried not to hit the ground face first. For that you turned around to face the top of the stairs. ‘Was there a man?’ you thought. Blinking once whoever you thought you saw was gone, just panicked bystanders. Did you hear Simon?

Your side painfully crashed first into the stairs, then continuing falling further down the stairs. You tried your best to stop or push yourself up, but failed. Someone behind you grabbed your arm to stop you. The only thing it brought you was, that you landed on your foot, with your butt while also twisting it in a painful way. 

(A/N: You know, I thought about it, Leaving you hanging right here. However a)  I should not end all my chapters the same, you could get bored and b) I’m not evil.)

Pain shot up from your foot, as your tears began to form in your eyes. “Fuck, Y/N.” Simon and Sebastian seemed next to you in mere seconds. Carefully they lifted you off the ground and gently removed your foot from under you. It hurt like hell.

“Is she alright?”, one of the bouncers came towards you from the entrance, having heard the commotion. 

“Hey, can you move your foot?” Simon asked. You gave it a try, whining instantly. Crying even more you shook your head, your brain was way too foggy to come up with a smart ass reply. 

“Where were you?” yelled an otherwise rather quiet Simon. 

“Getting our jackets...” began Mary.

“She was drugged and you left her alone? Are you serious Mary?” Lizzy yelled too, her face enraged.

“How do we know she really was drugged? Maybe she just played it to get away from that man?” Mary suggested in an annoyed tone. 

“What the fuck? Did you look at her? Does she seem like a normal drunk to you? You have seen her drunk before, but never like this!”, came Lizzy's angry reply.

“Also from what I saw in the beginning, she sucked his fucking face off! Didn’t seem like she hated it.” Simon countered. 

“Why did you even leave her alone in the first place? None of this would have happened! Lucas you have no brain of your own anymore?”, Sebastian joined their yelling. The statement made Lucas' face turn the darkest shade of red. 

“Fucking pathetic. Lets get her to the emergency room, someone order an uber?”Simon turned around angrily, and he and Lizzy helped you up. Each of them supported you as you hobbled down towards the streets. The way from the Club to the ER was gone in a blur. You couldn’t remember most of it. One minute you were leaving the club and in the next you laid on a bed in the ER. ‘How did you get here?’

You looked around for your friends, but the room was empty besides Simon who was sitting next to your bed with a worried expression. Your head felt clearer, you cleared your throat.

“So what did the doctor say, Simon? What's the damage?”, better get it over with.

“Well.. bad news first. You have a bruised foot and a hyperextended ligament. As a consequence you have to wear a bandage and walk on crutches for the next month at least.”

You sighed. It seemed like he wasn’t even finished with the bad news yet.  

“You also got a few bruises on your arms, legs and back. Buut the Good news– they've given you something to counteract the effects of the drugs, but you'll probably still have to sleep it off, to fully feel better.”

“Better?” you laughed “I feel like I’ve been hit by a truck. Anything is better than this..”

“I know..” he said as he patted your head. “Listen, they want to keep you here overnight, but just call me in the morning and we will pick you up and drive you home, ok?”

Defeated, you nodded, he squeezed your hand and left soon after. Leaving you alone in the empty room. The rest of the night was uneventful. The nurses checking up on you from time to time, bringing you more water. Sadly they also woke you up at 6 to check your vitals again and give you painkillers. After one final talk with the doctor, getting instructions from him for the next weeks and your crutches, you were ready to go home. 

As promised Simon picked you up, he even cleaned your apartment from you and forbade you from helping. He was too kind. He even made Sebastian shop some groceries for you, which he brought over. So you didn’t need to stress about that for the next couple of days. About two hours later they left, telling you to call if you needed something. 

You never had a wild birthday like that before, but somehow trouble seemed to find you. It was just a small consolation that nothing had happened to you the last months.

Still exhausted, you laid back on the couch, still in your yesterday's outfit. Closing your eyes as you enjoyed the silence. The ping of your phone ringing loud through the quietness of your apartment. You grabbed your phone and held it above your face. It was from Simon, he left not even a minute ago. Did he forget something? You opened your Phone.

– I totally forgot to tell you something. I meant to wish you a happy birthday from the man from the club last night. He also wished for you to get well soon. –

A second message followed.

– You remember? The one you made out with? He said his name was Cooper. –

Cooper…You knew that name. There was only one person that came to your mind with that exact name. Alarm Bells were going off in your head, but whatever they gave you in the hospital was working. You weren’t shaking or panicking, you were rather calm, what confused you. 

That couldn’t be true, no. Surely you would have recognized him, even in the dim light of the club. It wasn’t that dark, was it? You rested your phone on your chest and began thinking about last night. Trying to remember, you realized that reconstructing the evening would be way harder than you thought. There were a lot of gaps in your memories and many were quite foggy. Perhaps it was because of the drugs mixed in your drink.

Sighing you closed your eyes, attempting to recollect what the stranger looked like. He was tall, had a small beard, you didn’t remember his eye or hair color, but his hair was a bit longer? You were unsure. You remembered his large hands on your body, holding your head in place while kissing you. He was strong for sure. 

‘Think straight!’ you warned yourself, already starting to feel hot again. Just thinking about it still turned you on. ‘If that was Cooper, the man from that concert. You were fucked.’ 

You tried to arrange your thoughts. Yes, you made out with him, a serial killer, and you liked it, you felt disgusted. ‘You didn’t know it was him. Why would he even be there? The possibility was close to zero’ Suddenly you remembered something. 

Didn’t you drink from his drink? Of course you were drunk before, but after that everything went downhill. Recalling how super drunk and tired you felt soon afterwards. It would all make sense.

Except… Why did he bring you back to your friends then? Perhaps it was a weird coincidence? 

Maybe you should ask Simon if his name was really Cooper. Maybe he misunderstood? That looked like a good option. Opening your phone, you started to answer Simon as a new message came in. 

It was from an unknown number. A simple: – Happy Birthday Sweetheart. –

It couldn’t be, you changed your number. Not many people called you that and you faintly remember Cooper calling you like that. Before you could wonder about it more, a second message from the same number appeared. What you read then made your heart freeze in fear, your pulse increased and hands started shaking, which made reading the message harder.

– You know, you were always nervous and so easily startled, like a cute little doe. Constantly on alert and looking around, to run away, at the slightest noise. Though if there were a little accident to happen. Where will you go now little doe, if you can’t even run? –

(A/N: nvm i am evil)

[penwieldingdreamer]

A Shot in the Dark ~ Prologue

Well, welcome to my latest obsession - FBI and OA Zidan. This is a crossover between FBI, FBI: Most Wanted & Blue Bloods. Let me know what you think and if you'd like to be tagged in any future chapters.

I do not own any of the characters of the FBI Franchise and Blue Bloods, they belong to their respective owners

Summary It's said, you'll always meet twice in life. But you never thought it be in a hostage situation with a gun pressed against your head.

Warnings: hostage situation, canon typical violence, coarse language, smut in later chapters

The human mind is really the scariest thing of all.

Life in general is scary, and yet you step out of your home each day and face it. You imagine how a situation might turn out if you just changed one thing in your day to day life. Sometimes it’s the sandwich they didn’t have at the bakery and sometimes it’s the choice you make on the job.

“Andrew, drop the gun and let my sister go!” Detective Danny Reagan called, his own weapon trained on the former NYPD officer, voice shaking as he looked at you, seeing his own fear mirrored in your eyes. “She’s got nothing to do with this. You want me. Let the kids and her go.”

Shaking his head, former police officer Andrew O'Sullivan pushed the muzzle of his gun harder against your temple. "They are all the leverage I need to get you to do what I want."

"O'Sullivan! This is Agent Scott and Agent Bell with the FBI. Surrender your weapons and let the hostages go. We will make sure that your demands are met, but you need to let the kids and Miss Reagan go."

You could feel the tears running down your cheeks, but you knew you had to be strong for the children. Their parents put you in charge and you, as their teacher, needed to make sure they'd get out safe. “Please Mister O’Sullivan, you got me, let the children go home. They don’t have anything to do with this.”

Your heart was hammering in your throat watching your brother desperately trying to get Andrew to drop the weapon, the ground feeling like it was going to be pulled from underneath you. And here you thought it was going to be a good day today.

Five hours earlier, 9:15 Bluestone Lane Tribeca Café

"So, heard anything from tall, dark and handsome? You looked cute together."  

“Erin!”

“Mom! You’re embarrassing her.”

The lawyer grinned into her coffee mug as the three of you sat together for breakfast. "What!? I saw pictures from way back when. It's been more than four years now, just thought maybe you'd have a run in with him again."

"Nope, haven't seen him since before he started training at Quantico and you would know that. I'm practically living with dad and pop again after those idiots living above me wouldn't have smoked weed and forgot to shut off the water."

Nicky only rolled her eyes at her mother trying to play matchmaker – as always. “You should leave Y/N alone. Danny would have a field day if she came home with him.”

“Thank you, Nicky, I knew why you were my favorite niece.” You took a bite from your chocolate croissant. Usually you’d be getting the breakfast sandwich the café was famous for but today they were all out.

“I’m your only niece, so that’s not a hard feat to do.”

“Yet.” You pointed a finger at the younger woman. ���And I don’t even know where he is. I’ll not be running after him and use dads resources to find him.”

“All I’m saying is that you should get laid, you can’t just stay a single workaholic forever." 

Sending your sister a disapproving look, you could see the disgust on your nieces face. She was old enough to be part of that conversation and already had one boyfriend, yet you knew she was absolutely embarrassed by her mother's choice of breakfast conversation.

"Mom! God! I'll be heading off to work or you'll start talking about dad and yourself." Nicky, so much like Erin grabbed her purse and to-go cup, leaned over to kiss her mother's cheek before she moved next to you. With her arm draped over your shoulder, she leaned in as if to whisper into your ear but still spoke at normal volume. "Don't let her bully you into looking him up. You do you, Auntie, but she's right, you need to get laid."

Slack jawed at her gall, you turned accusatory eyes on the lawyer. "That's definitely on you, Erin. You taught her to be like that."

"Well, she's definitely got that from me and she'd make a great lawyer like that."

Letting out a sigh, you leaned back in your chair.

Damn, they were right.

Quickly apologizing to God under your breath, you try to anchor yourself to your mug. It had been years since you had seen Omar. You had met him outside a bar in the Financial District, after a date had dumped her right before dessert, telling her she wasn’t worth his time.

“He’s a dick, he wasn’t going to know what to do with you anyway.”

You sat together at the bar and talked about random stuff – friends, hobbies, only things that wouldn’t compromise him as you later found out he was undercover for the DEA.

“You’re quiet, what are you thinking about?”

Blinking, you watched your sister with a small, wistful smile, something she had seen so often when you had gone out to have breakfast with Nicky and her every Saturday morning. “Nothing.” You shrugged your shoulders, but the secret smile that barely turned up the corners of your mouth was still there and the lawyer knew that one, she had seen it often enough.

Erin took a sip from her coffee, narrowing her eyes at you. “Don’t give me that shit, Y/N. It’s Tall, Dark and Handsome isn’t it?”

“Maybe.” You admitted quietly, looking down at your fingers, busy playing with the white napkin under your croissant.

“You should get Eddie to look for him, maybe he’s in town.”

Shaking your head vigorously. “No, I’ll not be looking for him. We would have seen each other, probably...maybe.”

“New York is huge, you think you’d just walk down Broadway and bam! There he is? Y/N, I can assure you, that’s not how it works.” She laughs, knowing all about it with her ex-husband Jack. “You want him, you need to look for him, he’s not just going to turn up if you snap your fingers.”

“Well, maybe I don’t want to look for him, maybe it wasn’t meant to be if I haven’t run into him by now. Or maybe he’s somewhere in D.C., happily married with 1.93 kids, living in the suburbs and chasing the bad guys.”

Chuckling, the lawyer shook her head at you. “You got it all figured out now, huh? Maybe he’s still single, thinking about that maybe with you. He was really nice when he came around for lunch that day.”

“Ugh, don’t remind me, Eddie wouldn’t shut up about him for a week straight.” Just then your phone chimed, letting you know that you needed to get ready to get to your Junior High class for their field trip to the museum. You would meet them together with their parents right in front of the museum. “Shit, I’m late! Sorry Erin, I got to head off.”

“We’re not done talking about him!” She called after you as you raced out of the cafe to the next Metro station.

An hour and a half later you remind your seventh grade students to be nice and listen closely to the lady showing you around the National History Museum. “There’s going to be a test on Monday next week, so you guys should take notes on all of this.”

A groan ripped through the hall and I knew they hated me for this. “But Miss Reagan, you said we could have fun today.” Jimmy calls from the back, a frown on his cute face. 

Giggling, you shook your head. They were still thinking it was just going to stay easier from there on out. “I did, but it doesn’t mean you guys can slack off on your school work. This is going to help you with your Science project.”

Groans, followed by sighs from your students were the end of that conversation. You and the group of thirteen-year-olds followed Mrs. Langdon as she talked about the museum, which exhibitions had already been part of the building and what was waiting for the boys and girls of Lower Manhattan Middle School. They were in the Early Adolescence stage and it was absolutely normal for them to act like that. With Nicky, Jack and Sean you had been exposed to that stage early on and you loved them for it.

You entered the Saurichian Hall of the museum, awed by the skeletons, the hairs on your arms starting to raise from the goosebumps at the imagination of having lived back in time, 66 millennia’s ago. But somehow, it wasn’t the only thing that gave you the shivers. At the entrance of the museum you had seen a guy, dressed like everyone else. But you had been around police your whole life and listened to your bothers to know that something was definitely wrong with him. His head was down but you saw his eyes darting about like he was searching for something – or someone.

Getting to the next section, you slightly turned your head away from your students excitingly listening to the tales of each dinosaur exhibited at the museum.

There he was again, the backpack slung low on his shoulders and it looked like he was sweating. Was he sick and needed help? If so, wouldn’t he have asked the people at the front desk or even stayed at home.

Danny had always told you to be vigilant about suspicious people roaming about and this guy fit the description. Should you text Danny or Jamie? They were probably busy with their cases and if he was just a creep you’d make a fool out of yourself and maybe your dad in extension.

Police Commissioner’s daughter accuses visitor at the National History Museum to be a creep and makes a laughing stock out of the Reagan family.

Now that would be the headline of the week.

Turning back to listen to Mrs. Langdon and your students with a sigh you missed him pulling out a gun from under his jacket, pointing it at your back before slightly lifting it up and pulling the trigger.

11:40, Joint Operations Center

“Alright guys, we've got a hostage situation at the National History Museum. Twenty-two students from LoMa Middle School and their teacher. This is high profile. Detective Reagan with the NYPD called it in about fifteen minutes ago.” ASAC Jubal Valentine’s voice rang out through the JOC. He motioned to Elise, one of the Analysts to put every information on the screens. “This is Y/N Reagan, she’s a teacher at the school and also the daughter of New York City Police Commissioner Frank Reagan.”

Your picture popped up on the screens, a happy smile on your face as you sat together with your father and your brother Jamie at a city function.

“You know, now that I’m done with my trainee-ship as teacher, we could make it official. Dad wants me to tag along at this function or other and I’d like to take you as my plus one.” You smiled at him, your arms slung around his neck as you lounged together on his bed.

Omar ran his fingers from your shoulder to your elbow and up again. He loved the feeling of your soft skin under his hands, slightly roughed from the army. “It would be nice, I’d love to finally show you off to my family as well. Erin has been nagging me like a hen to know who the guy is making me smile all day.” He smiled, nuzzling her neck and listening to her giggles as his nose and beard rubbed up and down against that point where her neck met her shoulder.

"I'd like that. I bet your sister isn't the only one nagging." He chuckled, burrowing closer and pushing his lower half against yours earning a soft groan from you.

Your fingers raked over his head, feeling the short cropped hair tickle the palm of your hands. “Pop and dad are already giving me those penetrative looks, you know the ones where they are acting like cops and trying to read a suspects thoughts.”

Closing his eyes, the former army ranger breathed in your scent. It was the one thing that grounded him on days his mind sent him back to Iraq. “From what you told me I’m more afraid of your brother, not your father and grandpa.”

Omar moved next to Maggie, a soft Shit leaving his lips as his eyes swept over the screens. It had been a few years since he’d last seen you, only a few days short of leaving for his training at Quantico. Seeing your face, tear track staining your cheeks with the suspect pressing his gun to your head.

The brunette watched her partner, the fingers of his left hand anxiously playing with his ring. A sign that he was nervous. A sign Maggie had learned in the beginning when they first were partnered up.

“You know her?”

He sighed, “We, ugh, we dated for a while before, before I went into training. I...broke it off, because I thought she’d be better off without me.”

“Gosh, OA.” Maggie murmured, scratching a fingernail along her eyebrow thoughtfully. She knew her partner had been in relationships before – he was Muslim, not a virginal saint, but she had never seen him this distraught or anxious. 

It was clear as day that you were still important to him and it took everything in him to not run out the door and drive off toward the museum.

"What do we have on the suspect?" Isobel questioned, coming to stand next to her 2nd in charge. 

"Suspect is 40 year old Andrew O'Sullivan, former police officer with the NYPD, 54th Precinct and bomb specialist with the Marines. Detective Daniel Reagan, Y/N’s older brother was part of the investigation against him.” Kelly Moran, an analyst at the JOC spoke up, tapping hastily on his keyboard and sending the pictures of their suspect to the bigger screens. “He took drugs from evidence and tried to sell it on the street. O’Sullivan needed it for his daughter, she has leukemia and he was going to take the money to pay for her treatments.”

The analyst pressed a key to show the picture of a little girl, maybe ten years old, grinning at the camera. “Lena O’Sullivan, she”

“His daughter died two days ago, that’s why he’s doing it. He wanted to save her from it and we took the money that would pay for her treatment. Andrew has been angry with me for a while and called me after Lena died.” A new voice sounded from behind them, strong and authoritative, yet they could all hear the pain laced into his words. “He has my sister and if you guys don’t get a move on, Andrew is going to kill them all.” Detective Daniel Reagan had made his way to the JOC, knowing he couldn’t make a move against O’Sullivan without the people of the FBI. You were his little sister and he’d be damned just sitting around at the precinct when he needed to get you to safety. More so when Erin would have his head for being the reason the former officer had you and your kids as hostages.

[darkdemeter]

𝐒𝐈𝐑𝐄𝐍, 𝐁𝐄 𝐁𝐎𝐔𝐍𝐃 𝐓𝐎 𝐌𝐄 𝐈𝐈𝐈

— BUCKY BARNES COLUMN (ONESHOT)

Dark Pirate! Bucky Barnes x Siren! Female Reader

—- gifs/images found on pinterest, credit to original posters -—

| A/N | DISCRETION |

Not going to lie, this part was really kicking my arse to the writer's block gutter. Roll post!

SMUT 18+ MINORS DNI — some profanity — oral (female) receiving — submissive reader — possessive/dark Bucky — usage of pet name "Siren"/"my little Siren" — mention of breeding (kink) — very minor fluff moment — depiction of violence — I think that's it?

| SUMMARY |

He is your captain. You should want for nothing more and yet you do. You play this game of allure, and you're sure he knows it, but still you must try; ignore what could have been. However, as his siren, you'll learn that your curiosity has consequences.

*4.3𝐤 ────────────────┘

| M-LIST | TAGLIST:

@identity2212 @sebastianstansqueen @openup-yourmind @kandis-mom @calwitch @cjand10 @ashdoctor @missmarvelophilic @mostlymarvelgirl @daddy-bucky @thegirlwholoveslivesfanfiction @armystay89 @oscarissac2099 @boobsbeesbongos

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The thin line of your slitted pupils blow outward, crafted into the circular shape humans find familiar. Hair now dry and groomed, you style it in a way you know Bucky can’t resist. Your goal to ensnare him purposefully, to conduct yourself properly as a siren, finally takes its mark. The task itself foreign and yet like you’ve done it before. The dark thrill of the hunt, the pleasurable anticipation to allow the song to lure in your prey, but it’s a song you cannot recall. It’s all a hefty risk that you fear outweighs the gain. Bucky is not one to be so easily fooled, always several steps ahead at every turn. 

   Your eyes take in the small details of your face, each curve, line and mark that define your features. You’d been resigned to taking shelter in your captain’s cabin until the festivities, the crew ordered to perform double time to meet their deadline, they too were also very eager to enjoy the night’s fun. 

  From your lap, the pure white feline purrs, eyes thinned as you delicately stroke her chin. Alpine meows, stealing your gaze from the nervous reflection and you feel the corners of your lips pull into a smile. 

  “Beautiful girl…,” you coo, voice barely above a whisper, “Who is a beautiful girl?”

  “Mrrow.” Alpine’s answer is louder this time, ears twitching at the sound of heavy, leather boots striking the wooden boards beneath his feet. 

  “Both my girls are beautiful.” He emerges from the near darkness behind you, candlelight stroking across his features, sharp and dangerously handsome. Blinking, you lower your head as you swallow, hand now faltering from Alpine. 

  Bucky’s flesh hand extends over your shoulder and with ease, lifts Alpine up from your lap, she meows lowly as he rests her over the massive territory of his chest, his tongue tuts soothingly, hand running up and down her back, the feline rubs her head against his stubbled jaw. How tender your captain could be always manages to astound you, these moments that allow him to show something soft lingering below the surface. His smile is infectious, leaving you burning in your core, both in nerves and desire. With his sights now set on you, he places Alpine aside, her sleek and elegant saunter moves out of the mirror’s perimeter, no doubt finding a small space to curl up into. 

  A dark and foreboding structure from behind, his lower half is pressed against your back, your lungs jump at the contact, lips parting with a startled gasp that now tremble slightly. Your eyes become wide, held captive by his lustful glare. The song plays quietly, tickling the back of your mind, its presence more ghostly than before, slowly succumbing to silence. Its tune haunts you with longing to be found before time escapes it. 

  His flesh hand runs over the column of your throat, able to feel every gulped breath and the quickened pulse of your heartbeat under his touch. 

  “I have something for you,” he says deeply, stirring you. “Been meaning to have my name on you for some time.” 

  Your brows form into a puzzled arch. From the leather strap of his belt, your captain’s metal fingers meet a cord of silver. The matching metal coin adorning the chain sways as he lifts it into view, and obediently, you sweep aside any lingering locks of hair and angle your chin. It’s cold against your skin, and in comparison to size, the coin nestles low between the valley of your breasts and down against the bottom of your sternum, covered barely by your robe that loosely sits around your shoulders. 

  “Fuck, you look so beautiful with my name ‘round your neck,” he groans, hand returning to caress your throat. His eyes admire the way your chest rises and falls, the engraved head of a snarling wolf reflecting in the soft candlelight. 

  You stare, eyes wide in your admirable study of the piece yourself, seeing how it… fits you, coldly and harshly and yet so rightly. “I do?” 

  “Aye,” he says with a grin. “And since I got a piece of you, may as well match.”

  Your fingers toy with the medallion, thumb rolling over the engraved markings on the side that kisses your skin. 

  J. A. M. E. S. 

 B. 

B. A. R. N. E. S

  Each letter is one taught and now known to you. One by one, you pronounce them internally, spelling the name of your beloved captain, a man whose name you’ve never once said aloud. Nor has he ever said yours. Does he even know yours?

  The tone of his growl betrays the cool of his demeanour, giving away the hunger of seeing you with your hair like it is, it has an unruly affect on him only he can understand. Could you do it now? Lure him in, satiate his carnal desires and take the necklace?

  Not likely. Not with his crew up and about with nothing to distract them enough, enabling you a given window to find Mina and have her appraise the necklace. Hell, you doubt you’d actually make it to the door before Bucky would have you back in his grasp. Those rare times he wouldn’t stir the moment you left the bed were saving graces.

   “You do things to me, my little Siren,” he purrs, lips leaving a trail of hot, wet kisses in their wake along the side of your neck and down over your exposed shoulders. With each laden caress to your skin, methodical and underlying in lust, he perverts your mind with needs only satiable by him, leaving you under the spell of no other choice. 

  Bound to him, you serve him. You need him. Nearing the curve of your jaw, your head turns until your lips ghost in the proximity of one another, every single breath mingling as if for the first time again. Enchanting. Hypnotic. It’s him who provokes with the first move, flecks of his stubbled jaw tickle your skin in the meeting of his hungering kiss, at first moving slowly as he draws you in. 

  And like many times before, you fall for him. You fall into his inescapable web. You moan quietly, softly just as the necklace’s fading song.

  “Like what?” Your voice dances with the invisible, soft ribbon of a whisper, a gentle request in rise to a challenge he has no capability to fail nor deny. 

  How aware you very much are of his sexual prowess. An undeniable magnetism. The pinkish contour of his mouth creases, moulded into a darkened smirk as his brighter eyes shine. Lit aflame as they only saw you. 

  Time has ways to fool. It can feel that the single hour of a day extends over the course of a thousand years before the sun’s slumber. But it can also move faster than you can blink. Your captain turns you to face him in the span of the latter and pushes you, now quivering legs knock the vanity against the wooden panels of the wall with a clunky thud, glass vials and exotic elixirs clatter together a dangerous symphony in warning to the haste of both your actions. 

  For in the tinted and crystallised fragments of each one of those bottles, you are just as guilty for their shaking by seduction. As per what a siren does. What a siren is.

  He moves with his tongue, mouth and teeth, gnawing and biting and reclaiming you, guided by the fever of his longing, hard against you do you feel his endowment pulse ragingly and your walls clamp tight around nothingness. Painful, it makes your voice shrink with softened, pathetic whimpers. Each one more needy than the last in tandem with the bloom of your core. 

  He groans behind a flurry of stringed curses, each one tying the noose of his sensual demise, his loss of demeanour with every moment he finds himself delving lower. From the base of your neck to the arching bridge of your collarbone, down further and over the mounds of your now exposed breasts that expand with quickened breath, your robe hides from him none that he has not seen before. Bare before him and following his lacing kisses that descend, your spine curls forward, arching under his command. 

  He channels his authority to dominate you until your will is naught but a broken form of submission, ready and eager to be used by him. By the time he reaches just above where you need him, he hikes you up until you're nestled atop the small, wooden slat of the vanity. Seated there on a makeshift throne. 

  “C-Captain,” you squeak, voice knotted and pleading. 

  He’s perched, a man dropped down to his knees in his reverie of aroused worship, he inhales the scent lingering between your thighs, folds slick and dripping into the wooden oak. He tuts his tongue teasingly. “Siren, Siren, my little Siren…”

  You feel the rasping growl of his drawled timbre right before his tongue lashes your folds, an attack so abrupt and astoundingly chilling to your core that lights you in shock, your legs jolt in surprise. Your left hand slides into the tousles of his brown locks, scrunched between your fingers to his roots, your other hand struggles to capture a hold of anything else. 

  “Captain Barnes…” 

  You moan under a gasping breath. Out of sheer desperation to ground yourself as your captain more than happily grounds himself in your cunt, your struggles end when you gain hold of the dangling pendant at your chest. Thumb toying with it, tracing the letters as if you were performing the act on your own sensitive pearl. 

  Each stroke is rewarded with a tune of euphoria, poured from the graces of your parted lips, akin to the pure waters of the falls nestled deep in the Caribbean jungles. He moves your legs to spread further for him and you obey, lost in the swelling passion of his heated tongue and breath spoiling you with the sweetened promise of release. 

  You don’t forget the way he teased you back at the tavern, the encouragement that raised roars and cheers from his crew, meanwhile his fingers were at play. However much you’d grown bashfully compliant with the idea your captain would take you whenever it suited him, be it in private confinement or in the view of those around him, you believe you’d have pathetically begged him in front of his crew to take you right there and then. 

  That is what the man between your legs did to you. Like stained blood to the watered cloth, he washed away all sense of reason. There was only him. Left behind were the stains to be recognised at a later time, to reflect what it was you put aside for your captain and his affections. 

  His stubble gently prickles and tickles your skin delightfully, a soothing massage to the intensity of his tongue now delving deep into the walls of your clenching cunt, mewling quietly for more. Your fingers, grasping both silver medallion and locks of hair, tug and tighten in your fight to keep your ever rising orgasm at bay. Not until he gives his command. 

  He makes a baritone sound that inflicts upon you a dangerous reverberation. Your spine is rattled by the onslaught to your core, your skin aflame and consumed wholly as your captain sucks on the sensitive bulb of your clit, teeth gentle yet primal with need; his declaration. 

  “C-Captain!” you all but sob quietly as the flat of his tongue presses firm to your clit, “Please! Let–let me cum…”

  Like the twisting of a rope, you fear the cord will snap any moment. He groans and buries himself furthermore between your thighs that threaten to constrict around him, muscles quivering with a painful, straining ache. But Bucky cares not for that, he wants you begging as a blabbering and moaning mess like every other time he has his way with you. 

  His tongue withdraws much to your verbal dismay. “My little Siren wants to cum?”

  “Y-yes! Yes!” The soft, slick-ridden form of his lips curl into a grin against your inner thigh. He lays a kiss to your pulsing clit, you gasp out of fear that he’d made you cum right there. 

  “Then answer me…” He growls and rises, his shoulders feel to cage you. His hands travel the natural bend of your legs until he grapples you towards him. Your hands fly forward to lay flat to his expanding chest, spanning over the dark printing of ink, your slickened cunt pitched right on the contour of his clothed, hardened cock. 

  “Who’s bastard will you carry in your belly?”

  The golden coin drops loudly, your walls clench hard around nothing and your chest holds the weight of burdened air. Captain James Barnes, the most infamously renowned pirate to ever sail these waters, desired to breed you. 

  The syllable of your response stutters on the tip of your tied tongue. 

  Over his eyes is the shroud of his growing and darkening impatience. He remains to hold you against him, grip sure in its resolution to keep you captive. 

  “Siren,” he growls, voice low and venomous with a rumble. 

  “I—” Words are stolen from you at the rapturing knock on the cabin’s door, stirring the attention of yourself and your captain. Through the wooden barrier, Roger’s voice is the grace that rescues you from answering Bucky.

  “All is done for the voyage, Captain.” Bucky’s wintery gaze slides away, glaring. “Shall we head off?”

  “Aye,” comes the swift succession of your captain. He looks to you again, fingers of flesh, bone and dominating power clutch you in his grasp by your hair.

  “When we return after, you’d better have the right answer on that tongue of yours.”

  You nod stiffly. Obediently. Only then does he release his hold. 

  Your hair unravels from its styled form, falling back into its natural state. But that pales in comparison now that you’re aware of your captain’s new obsession.   

  A crack of powder and a flaming spark ignites an eruption of cheers, silhouettes dance and gather around the bonfires lining the beach, acting as enlarged beacons in the night, from the old and famed forefathers of the code to the spry and fresh-faced lad who leapt off his officer’s ship in search of adventure. 

  Oh yes, you’d seen it happen. And only one young lad had lived to tell his tale. Innocently charming and boyish Peter recounts the details of his recently taken resume around the fire to the few elders of stranger crews who’d asked if he was too green to drink them under the table. 

  A young man who chose to make his fortune on the sea, a member of the royal navy if he was lucky, and only three months he’d been aboard before your captain descended upon the brig with a howling explosion and cloud of sabotage. 

  Callous and black hearted, the White Wolf had intended to leave no survivors; until you intervened on the boy’s behalf. Suffice to say, your captain was very well convinced that night. A few of the man huffed in laughter, one jabbing at Peter roughly and tossing the bottle into his hands, urging him to drink with a yellow and copper stained shout.

  Cliques of your crew were formed, either in familiar groups or with other estranged faces you can barely remember. Other than Mina, those unfamiliar faces remained as such, you didn’t take the time to interact with those not of your captain’s crew. The gathering is quite large - an unlawful ball - you often call these sorts of events. 

  Glancing around, you don’t find Mina anywhere close to the bonfire, and you turn your eyes to the terrain beyond the fire’s glow, at the sandy bank’s seam between light and darkness. Still, you don’t see her. 

  “Siren,” his voice beckons your wayward attention. Turning your head, he sees the unsure nature of your thoughts, able to read you like an open book. His flesh hand is held out, silent in his request, you step towards him and allow your smaller hand to meet his. His fingers are strong and sure as they curl around you and usher you inwards to him. 

  To his chest, he embraces you, hand in hand. Skin to skin and skin to metal. His forehead leans to press against yours and you’re absorbed by the magnetism of his charm, a siren beaten at her own game and by no less, your beloved captain. 

  He tilts the axis of his form and drives action to his left, taking you with him as he leads you, bodies swaying together to the instrumental play of strings and wind and song. 

  You come to forget yourself and your initial purpose to be so close to him. He moves back to twirl you before you’re returned to his closeness, a musical chord of a giggle erupts in the chamber of your chest, a feeling of giddiness fills you and makes your eyes seemingly brighten like stars. His grin infectiously rouses you in a sense that smothers all reason beyond that is not him; your love and adoration for him. 

  As you move with him, following his rhythm with a grin that forms from ear to ear, your bare foot bumps into the leather of his boot and you giggle again. “Drunk, Love?”

  “No!” you laugh from the heart and Bucky cannot contain his own amused enjoyment. Overtaken, he’s smitten by your eagerness to dance. 

  To be in his arms like this reminds you of your first dance with Bucky, on board The Avenger, after a particular raid. Spirits were high, roaringly so, and the crew were in a celebrating mood after such a feat. You’d not been on the ship for no more than two months and were still very much on the shy end in terms of engaging with the crew, Natasha being the only one you confided in.

  However, sitting on the sidelines with your back pressed to the wooden panelling of the ship served no pleasing sight for Captain Barnes from across the way, situated on a barrel with a bottle lazed in his lap. With a haughty and smug swig, he swaggered on over and stood before you proudly, a chest of inked muscle puffed out and extended his hand down to you. 

  “Come on,” he had cooed, much to your astounded horror. He’d spied you admiring the way the others danced about on the deck. Mesmerised by your morbid curiosity. 

  Man’s tongue still new to you, you of course fumbled over your excuses with muted mumbles and dialled expression that told of your reluctance. But he was adamant you accompanied him in the next dance. His hand took yours and hoisted you, up on your bare feet, he carried you on over the deck close to him.

  “It’s easy, Lass,” he chuckled as he looped your fingers with his own. “Like this. One, two, three… one, two, three…”

  Your eyes veered down to his feet to see whatever pattern he conducted and you followed suit. Or at least tried. Many times you hobbled and stumbled over his own feet. The water was all you’d known. 

  You would giggle and laugh, filled with an embarrassment that Bucky found charming, he accepted your apologies without so much as a desire to reprimand you. 

  It was rather exciting. Humans could be funny with how they danced and moved about, some able to glide so seamlessly; much like your captain. The grace of his strong physique unmatched prowess with the governing of his skill and technique. A sight one truly worthy to admire. Overall, your wonderment shone in your eyes brightly that night. And Bucky was struck by it. 

  Continuing, he guided you and you came to learn how he moved - how to move with him. Spinning you in a circle, tilting you back until a surge erupted in your stomach, and being in close proximity to him. Forehead heated from his exertions, he pressed it to yours as he swayed with you, chest to chest. His soft lips took a chance to ghost over yours. 

  A hand of metal ran down to hold your hip and fingers of warm flesh coasted your jawline, tilting your gaze just that bit higher to meet his eyes you’d regarded with a fearsome glare. But they smiled, the blue in them inviting, a connection that felt so right. 

  That was the night Captain Barnes made you his siren. 

  Alas, a cherished memory that is tainted within a moment. Eyes flickering over, you see a form loom in the shadows behind the rocky formation further down the beach. Mina. 

  It comes back to you. What it is you must do. The betrayal you have to enact to find the truth which Bucky guards from you. Tears brim in the line of your eyes and they glisten in the fire light at the thought that this may very well be your last dance with your beloved captain. Your captor, but no less, the one man you’ve come to believe possesses the power to mend and break your heart. 

  Capturing the expressive nature of your sorrow, Bucky looks to peer behind him. But before he has any possible chance to discover anything of your scheme, knowing that Mina’s tendencies oftentimes mean nothing but give cause of strife, your fingers catch the dark stubble of his chin. 

  “Kiss me.” It’s not common that you’re bravely forward in your demands. Yet from his throaty hum, you can safely assume he holds no qualms about it. 

  So long as he believes the portrayal of devotion you display, he is none the wiser. That is your hope as you submit yourself to him, allowing his tongue to run its dominating course and melting into the sweetened poison that beckons you to crave more. He pulls you impossibly closer to him. 

  It is your sole and waning hope as with one hand, you brace it to his muscular chest, whilst the other ghosts over the flesh of his hand and the gilded circlet of gold around it. 

  Almost. The chain slides quickly down the back of his hand and you flinch. A gasp jostles from the back of your throat in quiet alarm, which you act quickly, feigning a whimper he recalls as a plea for merciful breath. His mouth pulls away with a sigh, drinking in your essence like a drug he vies for without restraint. Your lips stretch into a bashful, toothy grin, one that Bucky endearingly smirks at. 

  Just in the motion Bucky intended to sweep you off your feet in lead to dance, a hand slaps the firm muscle of his broad shoulder. 

  “Fortune ahead, Cap’n!” hiccups Tony with a slight drunken slur, eyes hazed in his stupor. Bucky’s steely gaze falls from you to glare at his master of navigation’ hand, sneering like a disturbed wolf. 

  Your window. Fleeting as a sleek shadow, you cast your steps backwards until you near the further end of the gathering and away from prying eyes. Ducking into the darkness you chase after Mina who leads you along the beachside, the trickling cold of the water’s edge tickles your feet.

  “Here,” she directs swiftly and pulls you into the ankle deep water right in a small enclave of rocks. You hold up the prize in your hand in show and she nods, gaze firm in its admiration. 

  “In the water. Quickly, now.”

  You do as she instructs and with your hands cupped, you plunge the pearl into its mother waters, letting the small waves lap and roll it over your fingers. With a hasteful gesture, Mina urges you and you give it to her. She inspects it with an occasional glance over her shoulder and you do much the same. 

  “The voices… grow silent still,” you sigh, eyes cast with tears of defeat. But she lays a hand to your shoulder in comfort. 

  “The water is not enough, but there is another way, though one that shall ask for more risk.”

  Your eyes implore her to continue. You’ve come this far…

  “Blood is the only remedy to revive the song.” She watches you, eyes wide as you all but lay your palm flat to the caressing wind that sweeps up the sandy embankment, your other hand bearing your elongated claws.

  But she stops you. “A hex consumes the pearl, young one. Your blood alone won’t suffice. The blood of Captain Barnes is also required.”

“His blood?” you hiss. Your shoulders fall to a slump and your neck cranes forward, hair loosely falling over to hide your fearful dismay. Were you to resign to your fate, never to know the truth?

  The thought to draw his blood chills you just as much as the husky thrum of his voice behind you, summoning your fear and obedience to turn and look at him.

  In sync, both you and Mina turn swiftly to meet the gaze of your captain, eyes silently taunting your next move. Behind him, the barrier of scornful glares cut into you with the worth of a thousand daggers. 

  “What is your next move, Siren?”

  He stalks you into the water now. The ocean wraps around your waist, his form an apparition of terrorising beauty, waves thrusting into him as though to push him back towards shore. He scoffs at the defiance before him, arms held out in mockery that he contains no ill-mannered intent.

  “Come, Siren, you know me,” he purrs lowly.

  Mina pushes you behind her as the blinded allure in your eyes takes hold from his words, she utters under the harshness of her breath, “Go.”

  You move to turn and dive but Mina’s shriek stops you. Finding her trapped in your captain’s arms, her back pressed to him, his flesh hand brandishes a knife to her exposed throat, the shine of metal blinks carnivorously against the juncture between her neck and jawline; her face sprawled into a defeated wince. 

    His lips pull back into a menacing snarl. “The necklace or her life.”

Clenching the necklace in the basin of your palms, amidst your frantic, tearful gaze, you take a moment to study its worth.

[sirianasims]

I listened to Myra’s slow breathing. Her mom had taken us out to dinner at a fancy vegan restaurant to celebrate Myra’s birthday and then we’d watched a movie. It was tradition. It had been a nice day until we were in bed and Myra started another tirade against the popular kids in school.

I didn’t know what to say. She still didn’t know about the party last weekend, and I didn’t want to argue with her but I couldn’t quite bring myself to agree with her anymore. She ended up giving me the silent treatment until she fell asleep.

I quietly got up and went to the bathroom. It was dark, but Myra and I had been best friends since kindergarten when her parents moved to Copperdale so her dad could work with my dad. I knew their house like it was my own.

I washed my hands and looked at myself in the mirror. Was it really so bad to want more friends? To be a part of a group? Maybe I really was just a superficial person who wanted everyone to like me. I definitely wanted Oscar to like me. We hadn’t kissed since the party but we were messaging on Social Bunny every day, and yesterday we’d locked eyes across the hallway and I had to look away before Myra noticed.

The lights were still on downstairs. Myra’s mom never went to bed before her dad came home from the hospital. My own mom did the same.

I quietly walked down the stairs and Daria looked up from her laptop.

“Can’t sleep? Is Myra snoring again?”

“No, I’m just thinking a lot.”

“Want to talk about it?”

I told her about the Spooky Day party. Somehow it had always been much easier to talk to Myra’s parents than to my own.

I did leave out the part about Oscar though.

“So since then I’ve been posting a few pictures of other costumes I’ve made. And now some people are asking for tips and I thought it would be fun to maybe make a channel and stream the process or something. Or make tutorials and post them online.”

“That sounds like a great idea! I’ve always been impressed with the stuff you come up with.”

“But what if Myra sees it as me just trying to be popular?”

“And what exactly is wrong with being popular? She should be supporting you in whatever makes you happy. Myra has a lot of strong opinions, Griffin stubbornly insists she gets it from me. But don’t let her hold you back.”

“Myra says having people like you online is dumb because they’re not real friends anyway.”

“Sometimes I think my darling daughter forgets what I do.”

Daria gestured towards her computer.

“My podcast has a couple hundred thousand listeners. Are they all my friends? No. But some of them have actually become friends, because sharing what you love with a community that likes the same thing is a great way to meet people. You can even teach others and inspire them to share their own passions. I think you would do great, and I know you’re talented. But don’t take it from me, take if from those girls at school, because I’m probably too old and hopelessly uncool to listen to.”

I couldn’t help but smile. Daria was the coolest person I knew, second only to my grandpa Conrad. They didn’t care what people thought about them, but unlike Myra, they also didn’t spend hours talking about how little they supposedly cared.

Daria was telling me all about her podcasting gear when Myra’s father, Griffin, came home.

“Evening, my love. Oh, hey Julia, you’re up late.”

“Hey Griffin. You’re right, I should probably go to bed.”

“Alright, let us know if Myra’s snoring gets too bad, we still have spare earplugs.”

He winked at me.

“And remember, we love to see what you do, Julia. So you’re guaranteed at least two followers who are also real friends.”

She stood, but then leaned down and kissed my forehead, just like she used to do when Myra and I were little.

“Goodnight, kiddo. Don’t let anyone tell you how to live your life, OK? Not even my dear daughter. Always be yourself. And if you want more tips on getting a proper recording setup, just ask me.”

beginning / previous / next

[bisexualfemalemess]

BRIDGERTON SEASON 3 PART TWO SPOILERS

Episode 7: I’m only 20 seconds in and i already can not handle the drama 😭😭😭 He followed her because he was worried because the last time she left she was having a panic attack and fainted and now he finds out she’s his worst enemy :(( somebody take that pen away from shonda, there is no need for this much angst :(((

I’m actually gonna scream like i fully can’t handle this, it’s the equivalent to hearing your parents fighting when you’re little and covering your ears :(

As angsty as this scene is i have to commend Luke Netwon’s acting because that tear rolling down his face, colin’s just a sensitive baby boy and it shows. Also kudos to Nicola coughlan’s acting because i can just feel how distraught penelope is over the whole situation.

Not baby boy saying he will never forgive her and then just sulking in bed :( I‘m not sure i‘ll survive this episode.

The fake whistledown is so ooc i‘m glad Penelope shut that shit down fast.

PENELOISE!!!!! It is so important to me that Eloise said she feels stuck between the two of them because that still shows she still genuinely loved penelope and doesn’t just hold some lingering affection from how close they used to be. We’re so back.

THE REASSURANCE AND HEART TO HEART, PENELOPE HOLDING HER HAND. GUYS WE SURVIVED THE GREAT WAR IMMA JUMP OUT A WINDOW, POLIN NEXT!

Damn colin! What happened to hello? How are you? He’s just over her demanding answers from eloise, lmaoooo. Eloise, babe, i love you but were you not the one suggesting that pen just keeps her husband in the dark and drops the lw persona? Don’t back track now. Not them having a bitch-off about who was hurt the most by penelope like guys maybe you should focus your energy on trying to understand her instead of going at each other’s throats. But also Eloise defending pen to colin, they’re truly so back. SHE SAID SHE WANTS TO FORGIVE HER SHE LOVES HER SO BAD MY BESTIES ARE ACTUALLY COMING BACK 😭😭😭😭😭 i actually feel so bad for el, colin and penelope. Like they’re all valid with their feelings and i need them to officially make-up so bad.

That entrapment comment? Like i get that he’s lashing out because he’s upset after finding out that his best friend and love of his life is also his worst enemy but let’s not forget that he was the one chasing the carriage, begging on his knees for a chance, finger-banged her into near-orgasm, and made the first move in the mirror scene because the poor girl was a virgin who didn’t know shit about sex. ARGUMENT NULL AND VOID BABY BOY.

Poor pen :(((((( She loves him y’all. WHAT DO YOU MEAN “let us get through this wedding then we will decide what this marriage will be.”??? Like i hope he comes to terms with whistledown because it’s such an essential part of penelope, they can’t just sweep it under the rug. I love how the mom’s are so concerned about them but they don’t stop to think about maybe, i don’t know, asking them what’s going on? Like they won’t get an answer but at least they would’ve tried. Right now they’re either too wrapped up in the planning or lady danbury’s brother to even try and figure out what’s going on, like, of course you’re not gonna know the reason then. Colin stress-drinking being canon is like the worst thing that could ever happen to me. It’s literally the night before their wedding and shit’s not resolved yet, i’m gonna scream into a pillow.

Aww i hate that penelope’s so understanding about colin’s anger but like i also love that about her because she will admit her mistakes and admit that she’s wrong and that’s so hard to find in a character sometimes. I also love her friendship with Genevieve like she’s the only one that truly understands her.

Lmaoo not penelope stepping onto that platform thingy or step or whatever it was to be taller like baby you’re still just three apples tall. DAMN, Penelope really said, “i am not standing for this slander anymore” and threw his words back at him. Does this fight count as talking things out? Personally i would say yes but 🤷‍♀️

“you should’ve told me to my face.” Like??? Did she not…try? Did she not utter the words marina’s in love with another and you just brushed her off??? Like sir don’t throw that at her when you damn well know she tried to do everything she could’ve before resorting to her gossip column.

The acting is so insanely good oh my god like i get both of them here but i’m a little bit biased and slightly more on pen’s side, whistledown is a good thing, it protects the bridgertons and helps them.(sometimes without them even realizing it.)

I love how penelope just has to drop the l-word and colin pushes her up against a wall, making out with her in the middle of a street. Like are We sure LW is gonna be a problem, colin? At least he made sure she got into the carriage this time.

Not Violet calling in the big guns with Kanthony like they’re so sickeningly in love with each other what marital advice can they give colin??? Kate’s so pretty and her bump is so cute. “You think our marriage is perfect?” “Is it not?” Anthony’s not helping at all lmaooo. Poor woman is truly working overtime trying to get everyone out of their slump while pregnant first el, then gregory, now colin. Just let her rest??? And anthony’s little comments lmaoo he was not having any of it.

Kanthony reminiscing about their wedding??? And you expect me to say they’re not sickening??? SHUT UP NOT YELLOW BEING PLAYED FOR POLINS WEDDING IM ACTUALLY GONNA JUMP OF A BRIDGE THIS IS SO PERFECT. Can we take a moment to appreciate penelope’s wedding gown??? She looks so fucking ethereal oh my god. Like one thing about bridgerton, the women always look ethereal.

I know we haven’t resolved the LW issue yet but colin looks so genuinely in love and happy during the wedding scene. It’s sad to know that will probably not last :( Eloise And prudence both crying of happiness, so true. Aww penelope’s sister being nice to her, she’s so not used to it.

PEN AND ELOISE EYE CONTACT EYE CONTACT EYE CONTACT LIKE YOU GIRLS ARE ALREADY SO BACK.

Not Benedict fucking off from his own brother’s wedding for what??? The threesome or what??

Awww Anthony wants a birth in india 🥹🥹🥹🥹🥹 he’s such a looser for her. I love kanthony so much 🥺🥺🥺

Portia is actually so??? i don’t know, nurturing??? Like she truly shows she cares for pen.

Also POLIN DANCING TO YOU BELONG WITH ME I REPEAT POLIN DANCING TO YOU BELONG WITH ME. They’re the cutest oh my god. The way the entire room just disappeared and colin was this 🤏 close to throwing all sense out the window and folding, like he would’ve full on made out with her if the queen hadn’t entered. LMAOO NOT PENELOPE LEAVING WHEN THE QUEEN SAID BRIDGERTONS ONLY AND COLIN LITERALLY HAD TO PULL HER BACK???

I’m 100% certain penelope would’ve full on confessed she was whistledown if Francesca hadn’t stepped up with her kilmartin thing. She’s so cute. The queen clocked their tea and anthony seriously was like no you’re wrong.

THAT FUCK ASS WIG I HATE THAT FUCK ASS WIG FOR THE RESHOOTS, I THOUGHT I’D NEVER HAVE TO SEE IT AGAIN 🙄🙄🙄 On another note i love that pen is delivering with her speech here, like yes queen pop off my little feminist. The queen just had to ruin the wedding, did she?

AWW WAR IS SO TRULY OVER WE GOT A SCENE OF ELOISE COMFORTING AND HUGGING PENELOPE AS SHES CRYING INTO HER SHOULDER! PENELOISE BACK SO TRUE SO REAL

WOAH HAPPY PRIDE MONTH TO BENEDICT BRIDGERTON I GUESS. A WIN FOR THE GAYS, BI’S, WHATEVER YOU IDENTIFY AS. ELOISE NEXT!

[ennoshitas-princess]

That Flower in the Field

Chikara Ennoshita x fem! reader

Warning: some angst at first, moving on to more fluff later

Synopsis: You are a florist in a flower shop and Enno visits to get flowers for his mom and has turned into a regular

Word Count: 1,509

This is held post time skip and manga spoilers aren't included. I will include an OC that belongs to me.

The bell sang as the door opened by your favorite customer. He became a regular that by now you knew some things about him. Like, how his hairstyle is always neat, his dark sleepy eyes that you love to stare at, where he worked, that he had an interesting hobby in directing, how he played volleyball in high school.

You sat on your stool with the bouquet of colorful flora ready to hand to him, only to see him enter with a little boy holding his hand.

Your little heart shattered into quadrillion pieces. Of course he would have a beautiful wife and a child. He indeed is charming in his own way. He also had a good paying job. You felt so dumb for falling head over heels with this man.

“Hello Ennoshita-kun, here to pick up these flowers?” You smile sadly.

“Oh, yes. I need them for tonight. Today is a very special day and they are needed.” He smiled softly at you, cheeks dusting pink.

Your e/c eyes started to water. You found it hard to breathe and the back of your throat started to tighten up. Your blood started to boil in jealousy. Whoever the woman is, she must be very happy.

“I see.” You try to comprehend what just happened.

“Hey, you are the florist that my brother talks about. He says that-”

The little boy was interrupted by his brother's hand covering his lips.

“That is enough that came out of your little mouth. I am so sorry about him.” He bowed.

“It's fine.” You smile a little.

So, the little boy is Ennoshita-kun’s brother. You thought.

He picked up the sweet scented flowers from the counter gently.

“Oh, by the way. I wanted to invite you to a party. That’s if you are possibly free tonight?” He rubbed the back of his head.

Your face lit up at the invitation, but you hid how awful you felt if you showed up. His wife could end up saying. She might think you are a girl trying to hit on her husband. You wanted to decline.

“Sure, I would love to come!” You cheerfully open your mouth without a clue what you were saying.

“Great! I will come and get you from the flower shop at six.” He waved at you, holding his little brother's tiny hand.

The bell rang as you were in your train of thoughts. What should I wear?

Meanwhile, Ennoshita got bombed with a TON of questions from his tiny brother.

“Why didn't you ask her out?” His voice whispered.

“Huh?”

“You like her, don't you?” He looked up at Ennoshita’s dark eyes.

“No!” He blushed.

“She knows about mommy's birthday, right?”

“I hope so.” Was all that came out of Ennoshita’s lips.

○◐❀❀❀❀❀❀◑○

“Oooh, this is exciting! He finally asked you out.” The blonde girl shreaked.

“Emiko, he didn't ask me out. He only invited me to a party, nothing else. We are only friends.”

You rummaged in the bag your best friend brought you with clothes for the party.

You found a pretty breath of spring dress in there, plus a pair of tan colored flats to wear along with the light green dress.

“But, you like him.” She frowned.

“Well, he doesn't. He got a bouquet of flowers from my shop, and let's just say he said they were for a special occasion, which is today.” You look at her warm brown eyes.

“Come on, y/n. Let's be optimistic about the situation. I am pretty sure he doesn't have a wife.” She placed her soft hands on your shoulders.

“I wish I could.” You look down at the tiles of the flower shop.

○◐❀❀❀❀❀❀◑○

“Do I look good?” Ennoshita frantically asked as he looked at himself up and down in the mirror.

“Sweetheart, I am pretty sure you do look great! You have already asked me and your baby brother twenty hundred times.”

“I know, I know. I just want to look great tonight. I mean I want to impress her and she is quite a charm just with casual clothing on.” He kept staring at himself.

“Dear, I am sure you will impress her. You two seem pretty in love with each other.”

His mother sat down in a soft chair with a lace texture. The cushions are a delicate lavender color.

She was sitting up nice and straight, head held up high.

Her pearl necklace was a charm to all the men out there, but Ennoshita’s father was the chosen one since they were very young, before they entered high school.

“I hope she does love me back.” He looked down at the wooden floor.

○◐❀❀❀❀❀❀◑○

The nice cool breeze blew right through his neatly placed hair, but not messing it up. The setting sun kissed his skin delicately as he walked towards the little shop filled with the most gorgeous scented flowers ever.

He opened the little red door to be welcomed in by the little chime of the golden bell.

“L/n-san, I am here.” He walked in quietly.You rush out of the back to see him in a white cardigan. A light sage colored polo matching his eyes wonderfully. Khakis make him look simply charming. Oh, why did you fall for this married man?

“You look like a prince.”

You held your mouth agape, mesmerized by his way of charming people without even trying. Well, you were the only one in this world.

“Really? Thanks, I guess. Ready to go?” He reached for your hand.

“Yes, I am.” You move your hand quickly away from his.

You didn't want to let his wife know you were some side chick of his or something of the sort.

○◐❀❀❀❀❀❀◑○

The two of you made it to a nice outside reception. The place is decorated with floral decorations with all the colors of the spectrum. The trees swayed in the wind, making emerald leaves come falling to the green blanket on the ground.

“Oh, Ennoshita-kun, this place is lovely! I bet your wife is in love with this party as much as she is with you.” You clasped your hands together.

“Huh? L/n-san, I don't have a wife at all.” His face flushed a tiny hue.

“Wait, you don't have a wife?”

Your face scrunched up in confusion. He would always have a ring on his ring finger with some initials carved into it. He had pictures of a woman in his wallet. You didn't know what else to think.

“Then, who is in the pictures in-”

“Those are of my mom and dad when they were around our age.” He showed them to you.

“Then, what about the ring you-”

“This is my dad's ring and he gave it to me as a gift for my fifteenth birthday.” He took it off.

“But, the flowers must be for-”

“I don't have a girlfriend either. These flowers are for my mom because it's my mother's birthday.” He extended the flowers out.

Your face turned a bright magenta on the spot. You had no words left in your brain. This whole time your blood boiled over a woman that never existed.

“I have one question still on my mind.” You step closer to him.

“Oh, umm yeah. What is it?” He looked away from you.

“Why would you invite me to your mom's birthday party?” You twist your foot around on the green blanket beneath your feet.

“Well, you are a very close friend of mine, so I decided-”

“Oh dear, stop with the lying already. You are indeed in love with the beautiful lady that stands right in front of you. Just stop and confess to her.” Ennoshita's mother walked into the scene.

“Mom! I- well- I…. Umm…. I don't want to make your birthday party all about me.” He looked at her.

“Come on, Chikara! I have been waiting for this moment. Make it as another birthday present for me.” She fixed her son's hair.

Ennoshita gave her a look that he gave at his mother's request.

He knelt down on one knee and held your warm hands into his. Your cheeks flushed a rosy tint before he could say a word.

“L/n-san, since I entered the flower shop to pick up a bouquet for my mother, you were the most beautiful flower in that whole garden. Your eyes gleamed like twinkling diamonds in the night sky. Your hair perfectly framed your face as I kept looking at you, examining every little detail. What I am trying to say is…” He looked down, cheeks as a crimson rose. “Ln-san, will you go out with me?”

Everything in that moment stopped or turned completely white out of the picture. Only you and Ennoshita are in the spotlight and everyone is a side character just like in the movies you watched in high school.

“Oh, Ennoshita-kun. I- yes!”

You jumped into a tight hug, almost making him collapse on the grass.

This marked the last time you doubted his love towards you.

Hello guys!! Another Ennoshita x reader here bc I love him so much!!! Hope you enjoyed this one as much as the other Ennoshita x reader! Hope you are having/had/have a great day!!

If you loved this one check out this one below

↪↪↪↪Bakery treats

Love y'all

______________________________________________

All rights reserved copyright ©

ennoshitas-princess

Please DO NOT repost on any other platform!!

Reblogs are acceptable

[misseviehyde]

Mommy knows best

BOOM, BOOM, BOOM...

David sighed as he looked around his new home and listened to the racket coming next door from his daughters room. The little bitch was playing music incredibly loudly and refusing to come out and help him unpack. Chloe was acting like a total brat... again.

He supposed she was still angry about the divorce - but did she really have to take it out on him? It was her mother that had cheated on him and driven a wedge into their family. Laura had moved in with her new rich boyfriend and Chloe would clearly rather spend time at their luxurious house than at her Dad's new home.

He'd bought the apartment because it came fully furnished. Chloe's Mom had left him with almost nothing. It had all happened so fast.

Running his hands through his greying hair he unzipped his suitcase and walking over to the wardrobe pulled it open to begin putting his clothes away. He whistled as he worked, trying to ignore the thud of the bass coming through the wall.

Spoiled fucking brat... she needs to be brought under control.

David rubbed his eyes tiredly. It almost felt like he'd heard a voice coming from the corner of the room - but that was impossible. He was alone.

Maybe you're not as alone as you think simp.

This time David was sure he had heard a voice. He whirled round and peered into the corner. But there was nothing but an old fashioned full-length mirror in the corner of the room.

Elaborate silver scrollwork framed the mirror and it's silvery surface almost seemed to ripple as if it were alive. Intrigued he stalked closer and to his surprise saw a figure staring back at him.

Hello loser.

There was a woman in the mirror gazing back at him. A beautiful stylish woman. She was dressed all in black - in clingy tight fitting leather that left her smooth perfect legs on show and her beautiful figure clearly evident. Manicured nails and pedicured toes shone glossily back at him as she held him with a steady gaze. A sexy pony tail rose from her scalp - her hair black and her face bold with strong makeup and dark glittering eyes. Dollar sign earrings hung on either side of her head - this was a girl-boss and no mistake.

It was hard to tell how old she was - his age probably... but she was in a lot better shape than he was. She looked assertive, competent - the kind of woman who liked to hit the gym and work out. She looked like a man eating dominatrix... he could just imagine her sucking off some big alpha cock whilst making her cuckold husband watch.

He had always had a thing for women that treated him like trash. It was why he let his wife cheat on him for all those years - why he now allowed his daughter to push him around. Why he could do nothing but stare in admiration at the woman in the mirror.

Yes that's right. Women take advantage of you because you're a useless fucking cuck

The woman in the mirror laughed, her hands on her hips.

But even a useless cuck has his uses. I'm trapped in this mirror and I want out.

David knew that something evil was happening. He should cry out for help from his daughter, but the music next door was too loud and he couldn't seem to stop staring at the woman in the mirror.

Yesssss, that's it loser. Come closer. Come to Mommy.

The woman untied her belt and let her leather dress fall open. Underneath she was naked... her body perfectly toned and curvy in all the right places. A tattoo of a scorpion stood proud on her thigh - and David couldn't stop staring at her luscious breasts and shaven pussy.

Yes, isn't my body just the best? Come closer cuck. Get your dick out for me.

David was helpless to resist as he approached the mirror and unzipped his belt. His trousers fell to his knees and his cock sprang out.

Pump it for me...

David's hands stroked up and down his cock as the woman in the mirror began to touch and play with herself. She moaned, her pony tail swishing as she rolled her head and her eyes fluttered in delicious pleasure.

Sinking to her knees slowly, she grinned maliciously and opened her mouth invitingly.

David knew it was impossible - but the compulsion to slide his dick into her mouth was too strong. He pushed his cock up against the glass... and to his amazement with a wet glop it sank into and through the glass.

That's it cuck... give me your fucking cock.

David groaned as he felt the mirror woman's lips slide round his dick and he felt her begin to suck. She reached out and the glass bulged and parted as her hands came through and she slide them around his ass.

"Ohhhh fuck, ohhhh my God," groaned David as the woman's head began to bob up and down - her pony tail bouncing as she sucked and slurped his dick. He felt himself being pulled deeper into the mirror and the glass beginning to bulge and flow outwards as he thrust his hips into her face.

The woman's hands were on his back, she was sucking him so hard now... his dick had never felt so good... it felt like she was draining him of everything.

glug glug glug mmmmmmmhhhhh ahhhhhhhhh

With a wet pop the woman pulled her head off his cock and standing up pulled him deep into the mirror. He groaned as she flowed like water, her physical form starting to engulf him and flow over him.

A hand formed around his cock, pumping and stroking as she enveloped him and he felt himself being absorbed.

That's it... don't fight it.

David groaned as soft luxurious skin flowed over his own. Manicured nails sprang from his fingers and looking down he saw firm full breasts forming on his chest. He felt the woman's face flowing over his... her lips merging with his own as he groaned orgasmically and began to cum.

With every spurt - his dick shrank and as the last of the mirror surface wrapped around him and flowed over his body - his ass swelled up and a tight pussy formed over his crotch.

Trapped inside the woman - David felt her thoughts and memories beginning to smother his own. He felt his pony tail bouncing on his own head, as his new clothing formed around him and he reached down to tie up his leather dress. Licking his lips David tasted expensive lipstick and he ran his fingers over his skin, thrilling at the softness of his body and how good it felt.

Just let yourself sink into nothingness. Become me...

The mirror behind him was just an empty frame now - as empty and blank as David's thoughts as he felt it all slipping away. It felt so good to surrender to this new body. It felt so good to merge with the woman.

You're going to love being me. You're going to love being a woman.

With a groan David let go and allowed the woman to flow into every part of his soul.

It felt so good to surrender... to just become her.

There was no going back.

***********************

Vivian opened her eyes and stretched languidly. "Mmmmmh, that is SO much better."

Adjusting her dress, she picked up David's phone and took a selfie. "Yes, I really am perfect."

Her perfect lips curved into a wicked smile as she walked over to the door and out into the corridor. Pushing open the door to Chloe's room she smirked at the look of surprise in the other woman's eyes.

"What the... who the fuck are you?"

"Don't you remember me bitch? I'm your step-mother."

Vivian's eyes bored into Chloe's and the girl felt her will being drained. Her mouth dropped open stupidly as the evil bitch dominated her daughters will and rewrote her mind to accept this new situation.

"Don't try to resist Chloe. Your days of fun are over. From now on you will do anything I tell you."

"Y... yes Mommy," gasped Chloe.

"Good girl," purred Vivian.

"But what about Daddy?"

"Your Daddy was a fucking loser. He's me now and we won't be seeing him again. Now turn down this fucking music and do your homework. There are going to be some big changes around here."

Chloe obeyed without question. After all... Mommy knew best.

THE END

[somefanchick]

-Deuce’s Winter Break-

(This story is from Deuce's perspective during the events of book four. I only know information from the English server story and events so sorry if anything is terribly out of character. This fic is platonic and is cannon for my female Yuu-sona, but I do just call them Yuu in the story. Yuu uses she/her pronouns. Hope you enjoy! Ps. There is a little bit of cussing. Found the pictures in a post by @ naruryun, they are not mine.)

“We should trade Magicam IDs now that you've got a smartphone,” Ace pulled out his phone and began typing out Yuu’s account in the search bar, “Y'know, in case something comes up.”

I smiled as I pulled up the app on my own phone, “Oh, good idea. I'll share mine, too.”

Yuu’s ID was a play on the fact that the headmaster called her “Beast Master” after we got back from the dwarf’s mine. I could always tell she was secretly proud of that title. 

Ace finished adding her, “Feel free to hit me up if you get bored over winter break.”

She smirked, which was her form of a smile, “Thanks, I'll do that.”

“Man, you take everything I say so seriously Yuu,” Ace chuckled, “I was joking.”

I glared, “Then it was a lame one,” I then turned to smile at Yuu as I added her, “Anyway, feel free to reach out if you need anything at all,” I quickly tucked my phone in my pocket and grabbed my bag, “My mom's probably waiting on me, so I'd better go,” I began walking towards the Dark Mirror, “Happy holidays guys.”

I could hear Ace behind me, “Yeah, I'll do the same. See you next year!” I could hear him running to catch up with me, but I was already whispering the name of my street and stepping into the murky abyss.

It was hard to see my mom among the other kids meeting their families. Children cheering as their older siblings came home from their schools, parents hugging their grown babies and fussing over their bags of laundry, and the students basking in the attention that coming home brings. 

I looked through the crowd and found my mom. My grandmother always said I was the spitting image of her. She had straight, navy blue hair cut into a bob, blonde streaks weaving into a larger mass of hair.  Her eyes looked gray in the afternoon sun, but I knew they were really cyan. 

She caught my eye and lit up, “Deuce!”

I ran over to save her the trouble, “Hey Mom.”

“Let me get a look at you,” Mom gently grabbed my face and moved me around, “I can barely believe that’s my son.”

I pulled back and put my hand behind my neck, “I guess I’ve changed a bit since I left.”

She smiled, “You have no idea how proud I am of you.”

I flushed under her gaze, “Let’s head on home.”

She giggled, “As long as you tell me all about school.”

I gathered my bag under my arm, “Fine.”

Home was the same as it had been when I left. A small apartment with blankets piled on every chair and letters piled on the kitchen counter. I set my bag in my room and then moved to the kitchen, where Mom had begun fixing dinner.

“I’m making folded egg sandwiches,” Mom had her back turned to me, “Is that alright?”

“Yeah,” I sat down at the dining table, “So what do you want to know?”

“Everything,” Mom moved to the stove, “I haven’t heard anything from your teachers.”

“Well I’m doing okay in class, but that might just be because Trey, Riddle, and Yuu help me out.”

“Who are they?”

“Well, Trey and Riddle are in Heartslabyul with me. Trey’s the vice-housewarden and he’s like the dorm mother hen. He’s done most of the tutoring, but Riddle helps him sometimes. Riddle’s the housewarden and he’s ridiculously strict.”

“Oh really?” Mom started grating cheese, “And who’s this Yuu person?”

“Yuu is one of my-” I tried to think of the right word. Our group never calls ourselves ‘friends’, but that seems to be the only word to describe how we are. Yuu calls us “Dumbass Beasts”, but I don’t want to tell my Mom that.

“She’s one of my best friends.”

I could hear Mom’s eyebrow raise, “‘She’? Isn’t Night Raven an All Boys school?”

“That surprised me too, but Yuu’s an exception to a lot of rules,” My phone vibrated with a message, I spoke as I went to pull it up, “She doesn’t have magic, she’s only half a student, and she isn’t even from this world.”

Mom grabbed the bread from the breadbox, “I’m going to need you to explain all of that.”

“I wish I could.”

The message was from Yuu; Cater has been tagging me in his old photos for the past two hours. How did he even know I got a Magicam account? I couldn’t help but laugh. 

Mom scooped the folded eggs onto the bread, “At least explain the ‘half a student’ comment.”

“Well,” I sat my phone back on the table, “Since Yuu doesn’t have magic she and this monster named Grim share a single enrollment. But Yuu’s in charge of him since she’s the Ramshackle dorm prefect.”

“Ah,” Mom set the plate down in front of me, “Is that all your friends?”

“Nah, I’m friends with Ace too,” I got up to get something to drink, “He’s one of my roommates.”

“Ace Trappola?” Mom began making her own egg sandwich, “I think his father works at your grandfather’s company.”

I poured a glass of orange juice and made my way back to the table, “The four of us have done a lot in one semester.”

“Like what?”

“Well Ace and I challenged Riddle for his title.”

“What?”

“Yeah,” I took a sip of my juice, “Ace got in trouble for eating Riddle’s tart and then it became a huge deal. Riddle ended up overbloting.”

I swear Mom’s eyes bulged out of her head, “Overblot!?”

“Yeah. Yuu led all of us into battle to keep the other student’s safe and to keep Riddle from destroying himself. But that was only the first overblot.”

“The first?”

“Yeah don’t worry about it,” I took a large bite of my sandwich, “Yuu always has it under control. Even if she’s just directing us. It’s amazing.”

Mom sat down next to me, “Do you have a picture of your friends?”

I picked up my phone, “Not unless you count pictures Cater took while we weren’t expecting it. And then posted on Magicam with a dozen hashtags.”

“Maybe you could ask Yuu and Grim for a picture? I’d love to see them.”

“Sure,” I opened up Yuu’s message, “It’s not like they have much else to do at school.”

“At school? Did they not go somewhere for winter break?”

“They didn’t have anywhere to go.”

Mom set down her food, “Invite them to come here in spring. I’d be happy to host them.”

I chuckled, “Alright,” I texted Yuu; Hey my mom wants to see a pic of you and Grim. Mind sending one?

It took a moment for Yuu to respond; Yeah sure. Just let me get the weasel.

I set my phone down, “She’s gonna send a picture of her and Grim.” 

“How sweet,” Mom took the moment to begin eating. 

Our conversation dissolved into specific stories and the basics of our lives apart. It was weird how I felt so at home, while only feeling like a guest in the apartment. My Mom gushed and worried in waves as I talked about the Spelldrive tournament and the final exams. It was sweet to see her so happy about my actions. About who I was. I had given her a son to be proud of.

I spent the next day with my mom, meeting with other family and shopping for the holidays. But that night my phone lit up with a message from Yuu; Trapped in Scarabia, I’ll explain later. 

I was up all night, waiting for my phone to buzz again, but the only notification I got was Ace messaging me to ask if I had heard anything else from Yuu.

Eight AM came around and I chugged two cups of coffee before heading out on a walk to keep my mind off of Yuu’s vague and semi-terrifying message. 

“Hey Deuce!” I froze in my tracks, turning to see my old ‘pal’ Hatter, his lackey Coney trailing behind. 

Hatter was the leader of the delinquents I hung out with in middle school. He called me his equal until I went straight. His appearance hadn’t changed; hair bleached a platinum blonde, green eyes that constantly had a crazed look as they dashed from victim to victim, a trailing black jacket with copper buttons, and of course his iconic evergreen tophat with the price tag sticking out the brim. 

Coney matched the jacket, but he had his own brand of insane to portray. His hair was bleached to a honey blonde and his brown rabbit ears stuck out of his head with copper piercings along every furry edge. His black eyes always seemed to be watching Hatter, as if he was waiting for the signal to attack. 

“How have you been, man?” Hatter wrapped his arm around my shoulder as if we had only been apart for a week or so, “Coney here was just saying how much he missed seeing you on that blastcycle of yours. Right Coney?”

Coney nodded like his life depended on it, “Yes! Yes!”

“Look guys,” I made an effort to move out of their reach, “I’m not-”

“Aw,” Coney stopped nodding, “Are you not fun anymore?”

“What?”

“Sounds like you hit the bullseye Coney,” Hatter began messing with his brim, a signal to change their approach, “I guess you were serious about that ‘going straight’ thing.”

“I am,” I felt my phone vibrate in my pocket, “And I have to go.”

“Go?” Hatter came closer, backing me into an alleyway, “But we just reunited!”

“I’m not like you guys anymore,” my hand gripped my phone in my pocket, praying that it would buzz again, “I have friends who need me right now.”

Coney’s hand drifted towards a bright blue dumpster, “You think you're better than us?”

“No way mate,” Hatter smirked and whipped his own magic pen out, “Tea Party!” My arms went flying up, my phone and other valuables making a mad dash for Hatter’s and Coney’s open hands. Hatter caught my phone and looked at the message, “This ‘Ace’ fella is.”

My heart sank, the message wasn’t from Yuu.

Coney looked over, “Oh what’s this? You and this ‘Ace’ are talking about a girl?”

“What did he say?”

Hatter smirked, “Oh? So this ‘going straight’ thing is for the eye of some lovely lady. I’m hurt.”

“No,” I marched forward and grabbed my wallet from Coney’s hand, “I’m becoming a better person for myself. I want to be an honor’s student and I’m doing a damn good job. Yuu is just a friend.”

“Sure,” Hatter rolled his eyes, “I’ll believe that,” he changed his voice to mock mine, “‘Look at me, giving up my freedom for some stupid dream of being an honor’s student.’ No way. You’re not built for that Deuce.”

My phone buzzed in his hand.

“I used to respect you Spade,” He put my phone in the ribbon of his tophat, taunting me, “Now look at you. You’re a fucking chump.”

My phone buzzed again. Something inside of me snapped like a dry twig. I could feel my body heat from the inside out, old mussels returning to their place. I didn’t reach for my pen. I just punched the bastard.

Hatter went flying back into the wall, clearly expecting to have to taunt me longer before I took action. Coney didn’t hesitate to pounce on me, knocking me to the ground under him. He fired off punch after punch, leaving the taste of blood on my lips. I kicked him off and into Hatter, aiming to get my phone back. I had to see if it was Yuu. 

It all turned into a blurr. A barrage of fists coming from all directions. All I focused on was Hatter’s stupid tophat.

I got the phone back and backed away. No one followed me.

All of the messages were from Ace.

Yuu hasn’t explained. What does her text even mean?

Should we go back and check on her?

I’m going. I don’t know what’s happening but it sounds like trouble. Meet me at the bus stop in town in two hours if you’re joining me.

I cleaned off in a park restroom before running home to pack a duffel bag. Mom was immediately understanding and packed me a few sandwiches for Ace and me. She smiled and reminded me that Yuu was welcome to come back with me, as well as telling me to text her when I was coming back. I nodded and gave her a hug before running out the door.

The two hours were up and I met with Ace at the bus stop.

Ace was pacing, waiting for the noon bus, “Who just messages that they’ve been kidnaped and then doesn’t respond for twelve hours!? Yuu’s going to be the death of us.”

“Calm down,” I hid my own anxieties, “This is Yuu we’re talking about. If anyone can handle being ‘trapped’, it’s her. Plus, Grim should be with her.”

“You say that like that’s a good thing.”

“Fair enough,” I kept going, “But despite the fact that it’s Grim, he can still fire off spells. Plus he’s pretty good with fire magic. Maybe we’ll arrive to see Scarabia in blue flames.”

“Again, you say that like that’s a good thing.”

“It’s the best thing I can think of.”

The PA system cracked to life, “Bus to Night Raven terminal is now boarding on platform three.”

“Come on,” I grabbed my bags and began walking, “Our friend needs us.”

[joviantwelve]

okay you said you had a pokémon fanregion in your head, and now i gotta hear all about that, is the thing

OH god actually it's really funny how much shit that was in it has come to pass in canon by now, because I originally conceptualized it circa gen 4. It's usually what I think about if I think of like pokemon fancharacters or whatever. here we fuckin go

It was based on the Holon region in the TCG which has pokemon with funny types. we have Tera types now... the idea was that it would be begin further expanding and adding its own League and whatnot. I put it as above Johto/Kanto so relatively gen 1&2 selection of mons. keeping it simple.

it was more about the Weird Type Shit, which the pokemon prof of the region was studying under an organization she was a part of (the evil team, which was not branded as "Team (x)" just like Aether Foundation lmao). anomalies to track down and whatnot. but they were also inducing it themselves and studying other detected anomalies in the region. or sometimes the experiments they did created new, unintended anomalies of their own

this was mostly to make Missingno canon. which is like the only thing that hasn't still come to pass yet (BUT IT SHOULD!!!!!!). my dearest darlingest Missingno, the entire reason I love glitches today, was effectively my box legendary. the backstory of the prof was much like Lusamine in that she saw this Fucking Weird Pokemon a long time ago due to her Experiments and it fucked her up and she became a weird bad anime mom afterward. SHE EVEN HAD A DEAD HUSBAND!!!!!!! I FUCKIN INVENTED LUSAMINE FIRST

oh I should mention the "protag" analogue of the region WAS the professor's child. SO!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! you had to fight your mom. who is the prof. who is also the evil team leader. and corrupted by some messed up videogame code. damn that sucks

later when we started getting more AI-feeling Rotom characters, I imagined a Rotom in a more robot/android body as one of the team underlings. he was the protag's buddy back home but now he has to fight you :( sorry i dont wanna do this but my programming is telling me to (throws a pokeball out halfheartedly)

(ASIDE: I remember in the first movie when they were like flabbergasted at Mewtwo technically qualifying as a pokemon trainer. that was kinda fucked up and weird, can we go back to that? tbh when I think about it, a lot of the vibe of my fanregion is based on how Weird early pokemon gens felt. they really dont make it like this anymore. Ape Inc became Creatures, I'm certain some EarthBound talent factored in)

I think I was also imagining weird-typed versions of the legendary birds for a trio, which is funny cuz we got Galarian versions of them now too....

Hooke was originally a Pokemon OC and was my first one actually, he ran a Dark-type gym because one didn't exist in canon yet. he was ex-Team Rocket and moved up north to turn a new leaf. thought it fit Dark's vibe as like the Schemer Type. I had to wait amazingly long for an actual Dark-type gym in canon which is kinda funny. it actually felt a little sad when we finally got one because it had been 11 years since I had made Hooke in protest of this

if you remember my OC Serafine (she doesnt have a TH SORRY), she was also an evil team exec.

she doesn't have a modern analogue but another one of the fancharacters was the rival-type one and she was Lt. Surge's spoiled neice

the Ghost-type gym leader I can describe as a Super Nerd with the constitution of the Hiker. can see ghosts but is a social outcast but more in a nerd sense than a goth sense. I liked him a lot but I haven't had anywhere to put him :(

the Psychic-type leader was extremely tsundere and her mind reading helped her out with all those tsundere insecurities (now she's just paranoid and preemptively reads people's minds)

the Fire- and Steel-type leaders were a duo battle of "smoke and mirrors" themed magicians. and also married

this is largely stream of consciousness I hope this post makes SENSE

[boldlyvoid]

Put On The Red Light | Part One

18+ Eddie Munson x Steve Harrington

Summary: When Eddie's long-lost cousin, Roxy, shows up on his doorstep, he must accept that his whole life is changing once again.

Warnings: angst, anxiety, jealous Eddie, sexuality crisis, insecure Eddie, parental issues, implied/referenced parental abuse/neglect, background Vickie/Robin, Will/Gareth, Wayne/Mr. Clarke

word count: 9.9k

masterlist

A few loud knocks on the front door rip him from his slumber, he turns to his alarm clock to see it's after 1 pm, Wayne should be home to get it… But the knocks keep coming, more frequent and needier than ever, forcing him out of bed. 

He tumbles down the hall with a groan and his eyes still closed, he rubs his face on the walk to the door and opens it with a sigh, “what?” 

He’s expecting it to be Dustin or Max, or Steve maybe… Not a beautiful woman. 

“Oh, um, hi,” she waves. “Does Wayne Munson live here by chance?” 

He shakes the sleep from his face and blinks at her a few times, registering that she was real, he nods. “Yeah, why?” 

“Is he here right now?” She stands on her tiptoes and looks past his shoulder and into the trailer. 

“No, he’s not… once again, why?” He steps back so she doesn’t bump into him while trying to get a look inside, and all she does is walk into the trailer through the gap between him and the door. “Hey! You can’t just walk into my house? Who are you?” 

“I’m apparently Wayne Munson’s daughter,” she explains, looking around the room at everything, “let me guess, you’re his other kid?” 

“Woah, woah, woah,” both his hands go up in defence, he is too tired for this shit. “What are you talking about? Wayne doesn’t have any kids?” 

She turns to him with her hand out, ready to shake his, “sorry, I’m Roxy… well, Roxanne but everyone calls me Roxy.”

“Hi… I’m Eddie… Edward,” he takes her hand delicately but she grips his tight. “Munson as well…”

“Nice to meet you,” she gives him a beautiful smile, it’s almost like looking in a mirror. 

They shared a lot of similar features, dark curly hair being one of them, which is funny seeing as Wayne is balding. She’s way too pretty to be Wayne’s kid. And if she is, that makes her Eddie’s cousin and now he thinks his cousin is pretty… he drops her hand and pulls away.

“My mom reportedly fucked a man named Wayne Munson back in ’66, she never saw him again and never knew where he lived to even track him down and tell him that she was having his kid. So I’ve tracked him down and now I’m here and I want to meet my dad.” 

He laughs at how crazy it is, but it sounds about right, “uh, well, I’m his nephew but he basically raised me so, I mean, I kinda feel like his son?” 

“So we’re cousins,” she beams a smile at him, “I’ve always wanted a cousin!” 

“Yeah, I suppose so…" he can’t believe it either. “But, uh, Waynes not here as you can see, and I don’t know where he is but you can stay and wait for him?” 

“Okay, cool,” she smiles again, turning back towards the wall full of mugs and hats and getting closer to it. She examines it carefully, “so, is it just you two here? He doesn’t have like a wife or anything?” 

“Nope, just us… I uh, I’m going to change,” he references down to his bare chest and ripped pyjama bottoms.

“Okay,” she doesn’t mind, she barely pays any attention to him, instead she’s looking through Wayne’s things on the walls. 

Back in his room he hops into his jeans like a maniac, throws on some deodorant and a new shirt, brushes his teeth and fixes his hair and then it really hits him. “She’s your fucking cousin dude, chill out.” 

He heads back into the main room full of shame, she’s moved on to the tv cabinet to look at all their tapes and movies, “I’m actually late for something, but uh, I guess feel free to stay here? There’s nothing worth stealing so, even if you’re lying I don’t think Wayne will care that I left you here.” 

That makes her laugh, “I’ll watch over the place, have fun, cuz!” She gives him a wave and a smile, one that looks a lot like Waynes. 

“Thanks…” he gives her a small wave back and all but runs to his van. 

He doesn’t care where he’s going, he just needs to drive. His mind was completely warped by the knowledge that he had a secret cousin and she was about to infiltrate his life. Wayne, his Wayne, had a daughter. She was Wayne’s blood and much more so than Eddie is, he’s just Waynes brothers kid. He can’t help but worry that having a daughter is going to change Wayne’s life and Eddie will be slowly replaced by the child of his own that he always wanted… 

Somehow he ends up parked at Family video, right beside Steve’s car, like his body knew what to do to make him feel better before his mind did. 

He heads inside quickly and makes his way right to Steve, “you’ll never fucking guess what just happened to me.” 

“What did you do?” Steve smirks, knowing by the ghostly look on Eddie’s face that it’s something embarrassing that he’s going to get to tease him about. 

“This pretty girl showed up at my trailer looking for Wayne and I was like half asleep and half naked and she just barged in and told me she’s my cousin?” 

“You have a hot cousin?” Steve exclaims, excited until he sees how Eddie’s not happy about it, “man, sucks to be you… is she still at your place?” 

“Hey,” Eddie points at him, “her being hot is not the point, dude, what if Wayne kicks me out so his real kid can come live with him? What if he likes her more than me? What if she moves to town and everyone likes her more than me?” 

“That’s a given, bud,” Steve teases him, placing a hand on his shoulder to pull him in for a much-needed hug. “I’m kidding, you’re going to be fine… as long as you don’t mind me hitting on your hot cousin.” 

“Can you shut up,” Eddie manages to smile as he hugs him back. Holding Steve with his chin on his shoulder, he felt a lot more relaxed than before. Steve always had this effect on him.  

“What's this about?” They hear Robin come barreling towards them from the back room. “I want in on a hug.” She all but tackles them as she joins in, “what’s going on?” 

“Eddie has a new hot cousin,” Steve teases, extending an arm around Robin to invite her in. 

“Seriously?” She looks up at Eddie from the middle of the hug. 

He nods, “apparently Wayne has a real kid.” 

“Oh shit,” she feels his pain, “does he know yet?” 

Eddie shakes his head and pulls away from the group hug, “she’s just in the trailer, I kinda ran when I realized she’s actually related to me and too pretty for me to talk to, anyway.” 

“So, she’s just in your trailer all alone?” Robin can’t help but laugh. “what’s Wayne going to do when he gets there?” 

—

Wayne walks into the trailer with his hands full of groceries, Eddie’s van is gone but there’s a figure pacing back and forth in front of the living room window, “hey, I thought you were— who the heck are you?” Wayne places all the bags on the counter and stares at the woman. 

“Hi,” she stands still and awkwardly waves at him. “I’m Roxanne, Roxanne Crutchstone, my mom is—

“Janine,” says with a gasp and freezes. His jaw dropped, and his heart beats double-time in his chest as he stares at the daughter of the woman he once loved. Albeit for one night, he felt a lot for her in those few hours they spent alone in the back of his chevy. And now he was seeing why. “You’re mine aren’t you?” 

She nods like her head is trapped on a spring, not knowing what else to say as her eyes bubble up with tears. “My mom didn’t know how to find you, she always told me about you, I always knew I had a dad who would probably want me and— and then I saw Eddie Munson on the news and I knew, I knew you’d be here. I knew you’d be my dad.”

He makes his way to her and wraps her up in his arms, he kisses the top of her curly head of hair and that’s when she starts to sob. She’s always wanted a dad. He holds her like a father, he smells like a dad would, and he’s kind and loving and completely hers from now on. 

“I’m so sorry I didn’t know about you sooner,” he whispers against her hair. “But you’re welcome here all the time… where are you living? How’d you get here? Are you safe?” He asks as he pulls back, instantly concerned and in full father mode. 

“I took the bus into town a few days ago, I’m living at the apartment complex down by the hospital, it’s above the general store and post office…” she explains. “I’m taking a year off before I go to college, I thought I’d come live here and try and get to know you a bit?” 

“So you’ve graduated high school?” He beams, knowing she must be the same age as the older two girls Eddie hangs around with.

She nods, “just last month.” 

“Damn, you’re a smartie aren’t cha?” He teases, “Eddie didn’t until— wait did you meet Eddie?” 

She nods again, “he was here, he let me in, but he said he was late for something and didn’t mind leaving me here alone, knowing that I’m yours.” 

“Okay, good. He’s technically my brother's kid but I raised him so he’s mine—

“Eddie said the same thing,” she smiles, a lot like Eddie. 

“He’s my boy. And it’s important for you two to get to know each other and get along, he’s very special to me… you might hear some shit about him from the folks in town but I promise you, he is nothing but kind and wonderful,” he can’t help but protect Eddie too. “He was accused of some awful things earlier this year and he’s still getting over it, but I can assure you, you’re safe with him and his friends.” 

“He seemed really sweet… he was half asleep but he was nice,” she agrees. “But uh, that’s kinda how I found you? I figured that the Eddie Munson on the news was probably related to the Wayne Munson my mom slept with… and she was worried about me coming out here cause he might actually be a murderer… but, what really happened? Cause he doesn’t seem like he has a vicious bone in his body.” 

“I wish I knew it all, honestly, but a girl died in our last trailer and he ran 'cause it was terrifying and so—

“So he looked really guilty,” she sympathizes. 

“Extremely guilty… but then more kids from the school died in strange places, there was a huge earthquake, the lab in town took the fall and he was let off the hook,” Wayne simplifies it down to just one sentence. 

“That’s unfortunate, but at least he still has some friends, you said?” 

“He didn’t graduate on time like you did, so most his friends are still high school age but he has some his own, like Steve… he’s probably going to hit on you, just beware,” Wayne teases. “That boy is a walking flirt. With absolutely everybody.”

“Noted,” she can’t help but smile. 

“Gosh, you look so much like your mom but there’s also so much of Eddie,” he gestures to her appearance. “The hair, your big brown eyes, your button nose…” Wayne boops his finger on her nose with a smile. “wow.” 

“Mom always said I got my nose from you,” she shares fondly. 

“She’s doing okay?” Wayne can’t help but wonder. 

“Oh yeah, she’s actually moving in with her boyfriend now that I’m out of the house,” she explains. “I grew up just outside of Chicago, we lived with my nanny and pops the whole time…”

“Right, I remember,” Wayne can recall all the way back to that night, he was visiting Chicago for a concert, and she was having a weekend out with friends, one thing led to another and now here she is. “So, Roxanne? Is that what you prefer to be called?” 

She shakes her head, “no, everyone calls me Roxy, I’m more of a Roxy.” 

“Yeah,” he takes a look at her with a sweet smile, “come sit,” he moves them over to the couch again and sits right beside her. “Tell me everything, I want to know who you are.” 

It feels like a lot of pressure, but he’s so calming and fatherly that she opens up quite easily. “Where should I start, dad?” 

“The beginning,” Wayne smiles, tearing up a bit at the name he always wanted to be called. It wasn’t often Eddie called him dad, that was saved for high emotional moments… this was easy and new and everything he wanted. 

—

When Eddie gets back to the trailer, Wayne and Roxy are still sitting on the couch, deep into a story about Wayne’s childhood that he’s heard a million times. 

“Eds! You’re home,” Wayne extends an arm out to him, drawing Eddie into the living room. “You met Roxy?” 

“I did,” he gives her a sweet smile. “I see you’re getting along real well…” it hurts only a little, the way they’re bonding isn’t helping his anxiety that Wayne isn’t going to love him anymore now that he has a real kid. 

Wayne just shakes his head, staring at her with amazement, Eddie’s seen that look before when he’s performed with his uncle in the audience. Wayne loved her already like a real good dad should, he took her in instantly and as much as it killed Eddie to see, he knew Roxy deserved this. Every kid deserved a good dad and Wayne was the best. 

“Yeah, she’s awesome… you two should hang out when I head to work?” 

“I’d love to,” Roxy’s full of smile, more than willing to get to know her new cousin. 

“Which I’ve gotta get ready for,” Wayne glances at his watch and stands as soon as he sees the time.  “Roxy’s moved to town, she’s living over in the apartments downtown—

“Above the stores?” Eddie asks, he’s well aware of those apartments. He lived in one with his mom before she died. Before he had to move in with Wayne. They’re cheap and gross and he may not remember much from back then, but he remembers he hates it there.

She nods, “yeah, they’ve been remodelled recently, they’re really nice.” 

“I’m sure,” he replies, it comes out a lot snarkier than he anticipated. “Uh, if you wanted to hang out, my friends and I have a little pizza party every Friday night, if you don’t mind meeting a few more new people tonight?” 

“Yeah, I’m down,” she sounds actually really excited. “Wayne was telling me all about your friends, you have so many?” 

He nods, “yeah, been through hell and back together, it’s kinda hard to lose ‘em now.” 

Wayne pats his shoulder as he passes him, heading to the bathroom to get ready for work. Now it’s just the two of them. 

She stands up with a smile and smooths out her shirt, “is this an okay outfit to wear?” 

He nods, “yeah, I’m not going to change either, so…” 

“Cool… we’re cool, right?” She asks, she can tell somethings off. 

Eddie just nods, pushing the jealousy aside, “yeah, I’m good, it’s just weird for me. Y’know?”

She nods, “yeah, no, I get it, I’m sorry for just barging into your life.”

He shrugs it off and walks to the phone, “it’s cool, really… I’m just going to call Steve and give them the heads up that you’re coming… is there a pizza topping you want?” 

She scurries over to him with excitement. She moves like he does, weird and unbalanced, she jumps to him instead of taking a last step and rocks back and forth on her feet, “what do you usually get?” 

“Uh,” he’s a bit taken aback by how comfortable she gets with him so quick. He physically steps back too, “we get 3 meat lovers for the boys, a Hawaiian for Argyle, Max and El and a vegetarian one for Robin and Nancy… but we can throw in whatever as long as Argyle gets the order in time…” 

“Ooo, okay, I’m good with some Hawaiian, actually,” she smiles, surprised that someone else in his group liked it too. “Your group sounds interesting…” 

“They are,” he agrees, picking up the phone and dialling the number of the video store. 

She leans against the table and smiles at him before she sits on top of it, kicking her feet, she’s content being there. 

He isn’t. 

It’s weird having a girl he doesn’t know too well in his trailer after everything that happened last time. It was different when Max, Robin and Nancy were in his trailer after Chrissy… they were in charge and saving the day. They knew what was going on. Now he’s bringing an outsider into their group and she will never know what really happened that week in March. But she feels like family… probably because she is. Something in the way she smiles feels like looking in a mirror but he likes her a little more than his own reflection— 

“Family Video Hawkins, Steve speaking.” Eddie hears in his ear, drawing him away from his thoughts. 

“Hey, Stevie… Roxy said she’d love to join us tonight and she’s another freak who likes pineapple so tell Argyle to throw in a second Hawaiian,” Eddie can’t help but smile, he too liked pineapple on pizza, occasionally. It must run in the family. 

“Ew, okay,” Steve says as if he hates it but he’s smiling too, Eddie can hear it. “I’ll go next door and tell him in a sec.” 

“Sounds good, okay, I’ll see you in a few hours,” Eddie says instead of goodbye. 

“You will,” Steve doesn’t say goodbye either but they both hang up. 

“So… Stevie, huh?” 

He nods, “yep.” 

“Tell me about him?” 

“He’s my friend… one of my best friends,” Eddie says with a completely serious face and then his jaw tightens and he rubs his molars together to stay calm and collected. Steve was special to him. He didn’t have to explain that to anyone if he didn’t want to. 

“Okay,” she puts her hands up in defeat and hops off the table, “what are some other names I should know besides Argyle and Stevie?” 

“Uh, well,” he runs his fingers through his hair and wonders where to start. “So my 3 closest buddies growing up are Gareth, Jeff and Kevin, they’re in my band…”

“Oh, you’re a musician too?” 

Great, he thinks to himself. What else is she taking from me? 

He nods, “yeah and then Steve's best friend is Robin she’s cool, not sure if she’s going to bring Vickie or not this time they have a bit of a tumultuous friendship so, watch out for that one.”

“Sounds juicy,” she teases. 

He just nods, “and then Nancy and Jonathan are always there 'cause we have it at Jonathan’s parent's place, Joyce and Hop, he’s the chief of police, they have a new house here with a big basement we can use.” 

“That’s cute!” 

“yeah and Jon's brother Will has a gaggle of friends too, they’re 15, very rambunctious and too many hold on,” he counts on his fingers, “Will, Dustin, Lucas, Erika, Max, Mike, El and… yeah no, that’s it. There’s 7 of them.” 

“Holy shit?” She can’t believe it. “And you guys are cool having kids around?” 

He shrugs, “they’ve been through some shit, they’re not really as immature as you’d expect a bunch of 15-year-olds to be.” 

“Well, I’m excited to meet them,” she beams a smile at him. “Thank you for inviting me, it means a lot to me… I know it must be really strange to just have a cousin all of a sudden when it’s just been you and Wayne for so long, but I think it’ll be nice for us to get to know each other too.” 

He nods, “yeah, its no problem, really.”

“Don't let it become a problem,” she whispers, keeping her voice down so it doesn’t get to Wayne. “If you have any issue with me at all, ever, just let me know. Please? You’re special to my dad and I want to have a good relationship with you too.” 

He lets his walls down then, he sighs and nods, “okay… yeah, I’m a bit worried that I’ll lose him now that you’re here but I can see you’re pretty cool and normal so—

“You absolutely don’t have to worry,” Roxy assures him. “I’m not taking him from you, I just want to experience what it’s like to have a dad.” 

“And who the hell am I to get in the way of that?” Eddie manages to laugh. 

She opens her arms and looks at him cautiously as she moves in closer, “are you a hugger?” 

“Yeah,” he smiles, opening his arms in return and taking her in for a quick hug. She’s about as tall as he is, she rests her chin on his shoulder and holds him tight. 

“I always wanted a brother, too…” she says as she pulls back. 

“A sister sounds nice,” he teases. “Just don’t move in and don’t touch my things and we’ll be fine.” 

“Deal.” 

—

“You know, I’m actually really excited to meet her,” Steve admits to Robin as they’re locking up. He lets her outside first and pulls the door closed to lock it. 

“Why? ‘Cause she’s the only girl in Hawkins who doesn’t know you’re a total loser?” Robin teases, waiting at his passenger door for him to unlock it.

“They don’t think that. Only you do and I don’t really think your opinion matches the vast majority of women in this town...” he fights back, rushing to his car to get it because it’s fucking cold out and it only makes him meaner when he’s cold.

He hops in and reaches over to her door to unlock it and push it open from the inside. She hops in and throws her bag in the back. “Mm, well, I like to think I know women better than you do,” she reminds him.

“Whatever,” he grumbles, starting his beamer with a sigh. “But no, it’s not cause she’s new, it’s cause she’s probably a lot like Eddie… and you know, I always thought if Eddie was a girl then I’d date her… or if I was a girl then it would work better cause he wouldn't have to change.” 

She stares at him like he’s a complete idiot, “what?”

“You know, if you were a boy there’s a girl you’d want to marry?”

“Steve, I don’t have to be a boy to like girls, you know that?” She says it slowly so that he understands her. “You don’t have to like girls just cause you’re a boy…” 

“I know, but I like girls?” He reminds her, “very much I might add…” 

“I wish you wouldn’t,” she really doesn’t want to hear about all the things he’s gotten to do with pretty girls that she still hasn’t. It’s not fair. “But what I’m saying is, you could like boys at the same time. That’s very much allowed.” 

“I don’t think I do,” he purses his lips and shakes his head, making it convincing that he’s thought about it before and he has thought about it. A lot.

He does like men. Just one man in particular piques his interest right now. But he shouldn’t, Harringtons aren’t gay. So he says he doesn’t. Cause he can’t.

“Okay,” she drops it, “whatever you say.”

“Do you think I’m gay?” He looks at her with so much panic, just idling in the parking lot, he’s not moving until he gets an answer. And one that he likes. 

She shakes her head, “no. I think you have a crush on Eddie…”

Steve can’t say that she’s wrong so he doesn’t say anything at all. He accepts her answer and nods, “interesting.” 

He puts his car in reverse, places his hand behind Robin's headrest and looks behind them, peeling out of the parking lot as quickly as possible. He’s quick to leave downtown, Robin is quiet the whole time, just smirking away cause she knows she’s right and she knows it’s silent in the car right now because Steve is thinking about how she’s right. 

“So what if I did?” Steve asks, almost whispering he’s so scared of the words that leave his mouth. “What if I did have a crush on Eddie?” 

“Ask him out? It’s really a no-brainer, here, Steve.” 

He looks at her and then back to the road a few times, mouth agape and then his voice picks right back up. In that octave, he only uses when he’s stressed out, “really? Thats it? You’re not going to do a deep dive into my brain and find out why I’m crushing on a dude of all fucking people?” 

“Sounds like you’re asking yourself enough questions for the both of us inside that big head of yours,” she teases. 

He shakes his head with a sigh. “If I tell you the truth are you going to make fun of me?” 

“Probably,” she’s honest. 

He sighs again, more exaggerated this time. “When we were walking through the upside down, going to Nancy’s, Eddie gave me this speech about how Nancy ran after me so fast so she must be in love with me but… but what he didn’t know is that I also wanted to run the first time. I almost didn’t go back to help Nancy with the Demogorgon but I did because I loved her and—and he came back in for me when he didn’t have to. You two already came down, I would’ve been fine with you guys. He didn’t need to come down but he did.” 

Robin just smiles, “do you want him to love you?” 

Steve shrugs, “I don’t know… but I remember staring at him and feeling like I wanted to kiss him and then the earthquake happened and you started screaming for Nancy.” 

“Yeah it was action-packed down there,” she remembers all too well. “And you know, I think he wanted to kiss you too, especially when he was hot wiring the RV, you know, when he called you ‘big boy’?” 

He sucks in a deep breath and nods, “yeah… I remember.” 

“So you should kiss him,” Robin suggests again. 

“No,” Steve panics a bit. “No. What if I’m just getting confused again like when I thought I was in love with you? I can’t kiss him and ruin everything?” 

“I’m sure you won’t… Eddie isn’t straight, there’s no way,” Robin waves her hands out and then smacks then over her knees. “No way.” 

“But we don’t know that, do we?” 

Robin stares at him. “Really? Really?”

“What?” 

“I said the same thing about Vickie and you kept yelling boobies at me!” 

“I was right, wasn’t I?” Steve combats, not realizing that it proves her point. 

“Which means I’m right, right now! Eddie likes you back!” Robin shouts, “come on, man, you have to know that by now! I literally walked out to find you guys hugging in the middle of the store today? You have sleepovers and share secrets, he’s just as close to you as I am and he actually wants to kiss you, so kiss him!” 

“I can’t!” Steve shouts back. “I can’t ruin this and I ruin everything when I date people. I’m not dating him. Look at us! You never dated me and now you’re my best friend in the whole world, I dated Nancy and she felt trapped and lost and sad for a year and I never noticed until it was too late.” 

“It wasn’t your fault, you know that,” Robin reminds him. “She was balls deep in her trauma, it was almost a year since her friend died while she was busy sleeping with you and never heard her screaming for help. Thats a hard thing to grapple with but she did love you. You did help her through it, she told me how much it meant to her that you’d go over and cuddle with her all night when she was missing barb and how you went to Barb's parents house for dinner all year when you didn’t need to. You helped her dad around the house and even went to Mrs. Hollands' house for tea on your own… you were a good boyfriend it just wasn’t meant to be and that’s okay.” 

“But what if the same is for Eddie? What if it’s just a huge crush and not meant to be and everything changes?” Steve worries. “I love the way things are. If he knew I was crushing on him then everything would change and I don’t want anything to change again.” 

“News flash, dingus, but Eddie’s long lost cousin showing up out of nowhere is going to change things,” Robin points out. 

He groans as he pulls into her driveway, “I know… can we just drop it? Okay?” He places the car in park and takes his keys out of the ignition. “I’m not ready for things to change a lot again.” 

“Okay,” Robin drops it and heads out of the car. “But if Roxy’s anything like Eddie, I’m guessing she’s going to want a date with me before you.” 

“Doubt it,” Steve laughs, following her inside. 

—

Eddie brings Roxy to the Byer's place a few minutes before the party normally starts. Joyce loves her right away, she fluffs her hair and says “oh, how I’d kill for locks like this.” 

Only for Hopper to reply, “you did back in 64.”

She sighs and pats Roxy’s shoulder, “enjoy being young.” 

She laughs, “I will now that I might make friends… I never really had any back in Chicago.”

“My boys are really sweet, I’m sure you’ll get along with them real well,” Joyce assures her. “If you like video games and George Lucas movies then you’ll fit right in.” 

“I do,” she brightens right up. “I thought they sounded interesting just from their pizza orders, now I know I’m surrounded by other dorks, this is the best  day ever.” 

She makes Hop laugh from his recliner in the living room, “and we’ve got sports going in here if you get tired of it at any point.” 

“Only Steve and Lucas ever take him up on that,” Joyce teases. “He’s dying for more sports fans.” 

“I mean, I was on the girls curling team in Chicago…” 

“Curling?” Eddie repeats, “like the one where you play shuffleboard on ice?” 

She nods, “yeah and I was really good at it. My team was the regional champion.” She wanders into the living room after that and sits on the couch beside Hopper, “what teams do you like?” 

Eddie listens in for a second but then he heads more into the kitchen, Argyle is already home with the pizzas, he’s just making a salad to go with it all. Jonathan was on pickup duty, using Argyle's van so they all had a place to sit. El was at Mike's, Will’s down the hall in his room… the house is pretty quiet right now. It wouldn’t be for long. 

He stands at the counter beside argyle, “hey…” 

“Hey,” argyle gives him a smile. “What’s got you so glum, my dude?” 

He shrugs, “it’s been a weird day.” 

“Meeting your long-lost twin’ll do that,” Argyle teases. “Seriously, are you sure Wayne isn’t your dad too? You’re like identical.” 

Eddie manages to laugh, “yeah, I don’t think so unless Wayne’s taking it to the grave, I’m pretty sure his asshole brother is my father… but yeah, I see it too.” 

“I’d love to meet my own doppelgänger,” Argyle says with excitement. “It would be cool to see someone, specifically a girl someone, who looked just like me and now you’ve got that! It’s sick.” 

“If you think so,” Eddie huffs, resting his chin in his hand and leaning against the counter. “She’s a prettier, shinier version of me… everyone's gonna end up loving her more and I’m going to be alone again.” 

Argyle puts the salad tongs down and places his hand on Eddie’s shoulder instead, “it won’t be like that, man, I promise. You’re very special. What would we do without your songs and your jokes and the way you make everyone smile? Sure, she’s nice to look at but you’re you and that’s why we love you.” 

He gives argyle a side hug, “thanks, man, really. That’s very kind of you to say.” 

“Meant every word,” Argyle smiles. 

Just then the front door opens again and Steve’s familiar, “heey!!” Rings through the house. Both Eddie and Argyle head out to see him and Robin, entering the main room of the house and they see Steve’s jaw drop as he looks at Roxy for the first time. He goes right into Casanova mode, runs his fingers through his hair before he extends his hand to her and smiles, “hi, I’m Steve…” 

“Roxy,” she shakes his hand firmly and smiles back. “Nice to meet you… and you,” she turns to Robin and freezes, the same look that was on Steve’s face is now on Roxy’s as she looks at Robin. “Hi?” 

Robin smiles back, “so you’re the lookalike I’ve heard so much about.” 

“What?” Roxy doesn’t understand. 

“You and Eddie, you’re like twins,” She laughs, “although you are much prettier….” 

Roxy blushes and laughs, she tucks her hair behind her ear and stutters on her words, “th-thanks… thank you.”

“No problem,” Robin gives her one last smile and then keeps walking inside. “Is dinner ready? I’m starving!”

“Sure is! follow me,” Argyle leads her back into the kitchen and Roxy follows quickly behind her. 

Leaving Steve to walk up to Eddie and wrap his arm around him, “you okay?” 

Eddie nods, “yep. Just peachy.” 

They grab their plates and load them up with pizza and dipping sauces and salad, they have beers and sodas and chips for later when they’re hungry again. It’s the same every week, Joyce and Argyle will do anything to make sure the party is happy and fed and has a good time… they’re the best moms the party could ask for. 

In the basement, there are 4 mismatched couches and an array of other seats. Beanbags, a hanging chair thats secured to one of the log beams in the ceiling and a single plastic lawn chair… getting enough seats for everyone was hard. And now there’s 1 more person in their group.

Robin and Roxy take a seat next to each other, already getting to know each other, it makes Eddie relax a bit as he sits beside Steve. There’s a ruckus above them, meaning the kids have arrived with Jonathan and Nancy, and the party was about to really start. 

Steve can’t stop looking at Eddie, “are you sure you’re okay?” 

He just nods, “yeah… I just want to eat and say hi to everyone and then go home.” 

“Oh,” Steve's face drops. “Are you still feeling anxious? Do you want a hug?” 

He looks over to Roxy and Robin, talking just loud enough to be heard by one another and fully absorbed in another world together. Eddie puts his plate down on the coffee table and Steve copies him, opening his arms and letting Eddie in for a quick hug, “you can always talk to me.” 

Eddie pulls back a bit too quickly, looking over to Roxy again who didn’t see anything. She was already asking about Steve earlier, she already knew Steve was important to Eddie just by the tone of his voice… Steve’s so, so important to him. He just stares at Steve and it all comes tumbling out, “she lives in the apartments I grew up in… she’s living where my mom died, Steve.” 

“Oh,” Steve knows the stories. All of them. They’ve spent many a night awake in Eddie’s trailer, staring up at the ceiling with their shoulders pressed together… sharing a blanket and holding hands while they shared every secret they had. Well, all but one. 

“Do you want me to drive her home for you? I can tell her to only call me for rides and shit, you don’t need to go through that—” 

“You don’t have to,” Eddie panics more thinking about Roxy and Steve spending a bunch of alone time together too. “Really, don’t. I can do it.” 

“But if it's going to bring back your memories then you don’t have to, I’m okay bringing her home, Robin won’t mind… clearly,” he references over to them. “I haven’t seen her flirt like that before?” 

“She took a page from your book,” Eddie teases, bumping Steve’s shoulder with his own. 

“Yeah, and she knew I wanted to ask her out too…” 

“What?” Eddie’s heart breaks right then and there. 

“If it’s okay? I just… I thought maybe it would be nice cause she’s new and she doesn’t know me and—

“She has no preconceived notions about you,” Eddie finishes his sentence. “No, I get it. It’s fine.” 

It’s not. It’s really fucking not. Because here Eddie was loving every single part of Steve, every story and mistake, every fear and dream and freckle and hair on his stupid fucking head. But, of course, Steve wants something different. He wants to butter her up and embellish the truth about himself and go back to being King Steve… The lover boy of the land, he could have his pick but he still wants something shiny and new and he definitely doesn’t want Eddie back. 

He stands up then, “I uh, I forgot some napkins, I’ll be back.” 

“Okay…” 

Steve watches him leave, taking the steps 2 at a time until he’s back upstairs. He turns down the hallway and heads towards the bedrooms and the bathrooms where he bumps right into Will. He’s already crying, his face is red from trying to hold it in until he gets to the bathroom but he can't. He chokes on a sob as he pushes past Will and into the bathroom.

“Hey, hey, Eddie, what’s wrong?” Will follows him right into the bathroom, shutting the door behind them. “What’s wrong? Is it a memory? A flashback? What is it?” 

Eddie just wraps him up in a hug and cries, “it’s Steve…” 

“Oh,” Will settles and holds him gently, running his hand over eddies back. “I know…” 

Will knows better than anyone in the house, hell better than anyone in the whole town, what it’s like to be in love with your sisters boyfriend. Its the exact reason why Eddie let Will follow him and why he’s able to tell him the truth. “He wants to ask out Roxy.”

“Who?” Will asks, not caught up on everything cause he’s been in his room all day. 

Eddie sighs and pulls back, wiping the tears off his cheeks and taking another deep breath. He leans against the sink, “my uncle has a daughter and she showed up today. Her name is Roxy and she’s pretty and a girl and of course Steve wants to date her.” 

“Boys are so stupid,” Will just shakes his head. “I was rooting for Steve, too… I thought he’d figure out that he’s in love with you but he’s still being so stupid about it.” 

“He’s worse than Mike,” Eddie manages to tease him, bringing a smile back to his own face. 

Will just nods along, “I literally confessed all my feelings to him… well, I was pretending that it was what El thought about him and the idiot didn’t see through me at all. He just nodded along and was like ‘oh yeah? Huh, I guess she does always need me’ like no idiot! I do!”

“I ran through a swarm of killer bats for him… I would’ve died so he could make it back to Dustin and he still wants my cousin more than me,” Eddie shares. “I thought we were building something here, I thought he was going to figure it out that what we have is more than just friends… friends don’t sleep in the same bed and share hugs and I know for a fact he kissed my shoulder one night. I didn’t dream that. So why the fuck is he going after my cousin?” 

“Does she look like you?” 

Eddie nods, “like exactly the same just with tits.” 

Will looks at him with a tilt of his head, “oh, Steve’s so dumb… he’s definitely in love with you and thinking this is his chance to be normal if he can just date the girl version of you.”

“You think?” 

Will nods, “absolutely… I remember when Steve was dating Nancy she looked so much like Tommy H. they had the same curly hair and freckles but Nancy is a girl, she’s the safe option and then he fell in love with her.” 

“How do you know that?” Eddie’s shocked, for a kid 4 years younger than Harrington, he sure knew the drama. 

“Jonathan had no friends before Nancy and Argyle so he would tell me everything and we gossiped a lot… he would hear crazy shit while smoking the weed you sold him under the bleachers and then he’d come home and tell me. Like, this one time, Carole was saying that Tommy wanted a threesome with Billy, but before he wanted one with Steve but Steve was never interested and it always made Tommy really angry and then a few weeks later they broke up and she said ‘I wouldn’t be surprised if he asks Wheeler and the perv for a threesome next.’ So…” 

“Holy shit,” Eddie’s jaw drops and he chuckles slightly, “they weren’t kidding when they called you Will the Wise.” 

He shakes his head with a smile, “they weren’t… I get it from my mom.” 

“That you do,” Eddie smiles, knowing from Steve that Joyce and Nancy’s knowledge, in the beginning, is the reason they won in the end. “It’s just hard waiting for him to get his head out of his ass… even the thing with your brother was so homosexually charged.” 

“What happened with my brother?” 

“Did Jonathan leave out the part where he kicked the shit out of Steve so bad he had a concussion?” 

“I knew he threw a punch…” Will says, thinking back on it. He was only 13 when he went missing, of course, Jonathan held back on some stuff from that week.

“Oh, no, he kicked his ass,” Eddie smiles but feels bad about it. “Tommy painted Nancy the slut Wheeler on the theatre's matinee and they got in a verbal fight in the alleyway and Jonathan took the first swing and he finished it before the cops rolled in and took Jonathan away.” 

“Oh…” 

“It was a rough week, Steve egged him on, he deserved it,” Eddie can’t help but side with Jonathan after knowing the whole truth. Including what Steve called Will; it’s something he’s also not going to tell Will about. Everyone wanted to spare Will the hurt of knowing the names he’s been called behind his back. 

“Huh,” Will thinks about it a little harder. “Sounds like Steve uses violence to get close to men… didn’t you pin him to a wall and hold a bottle to his throat? Or did Dustin exaggerate that?” 

Eddie nods, “oh, yeah, I did that…” he presses his lips together awkwardly, it was a very intense, very hot, moment between them. He thinks about it often. 

“Maybe you need to have a fight,” Will suggests. “Not, like, physical, but get your feelings out, raise your voice, get in his face and wait for him to kiss you.” 

Eddie laughs again, “okay, alright… that’s not a bad idea?” 

“He just needs a push.” 

“What about Mike? You’re not actively trying to push him and El apart, are you?” 

He shakes his head, “no, no, I’d never do that to her. I love her, she’s my sister… I’m actually trying to get over Mike. I’ll just be single until I meet another gay person my age and then I’ll see where it goes.” 

“I know someone,” Eddie proposes. “You know him too… if you’re okay with me telling him about you, maybe he’d want to ask you out?” 

“Really?” Will lights right up. “And they’re 16?” 

“He’s 17…” Eddie says, not wanting to give away that it’s Gareth. He hasn’t told any of the new Hellfire members, only the band knows. 

“Yeah, no, I’d love that,” Will brightens right up. “That would be great.” 

“I’ll work on that for you,” he pats Will on the shoulder, “now come on, it’s gonna be weird if they see us leaving together.” 

“Here,” Will opens the cupboard behind the sink and grabs a bandaid, “I was just showing you where these are.” 

“Smart… and thanks, sorry for breaking down on you, it’s been a weird fuckin day,” Eddie sighs and heads for the door. “I never normally cry.”  

“No problem, it’s our secret,” Will really doesn’t mind, he follows Eddie out into the hall and then back into the kitchen unseen. 

Eddie pats his shoulder one more time before slipping past him and heading back downstairs to his dinner. His spot beside Steve is still empty, the kids are meeting Roxy and asking her all about how she found Eddie and Wayne after so many years. 

“Well, his name being in the news for murder was a big help… I always knew my dad’s name but I had no idea how to track down all the Wayne Munsons who went to some random festival in the mid-60s,” Roxy shares. “But Wayne told me it wasn’t Eddie at all, it was actually the lab here in town and a bunch of kids died? What the heck happened?” 

They all look at each other and shrug, playing it off that they had no idea. Dustin says they have no clue what the details are, “we’re just glad he got off the hook 'cause we would’ve been charged with harbouring a wanted criminal if not…” 

“And what a great job you did at that,” Eddie teases. “At least in jail I’d get clean clothes and 3 meals a day…” 

“We can find something to send you to jail if thats where you want to be,” Steve teases him, reaching out for his hand to tug him back down to the sofa. “Your pizza is getting cold…”  

“You wanna warm it up for me, hot stuff?” Eddie whispers, getting in his space and making Steve blush. 

He pushes Eddie back, “shut up.” 

“Make me…” 

Steve picks up Eddie’s slice of pizza and brings it to his mouth, all but shoving the slice in there, forcing him to take a bite. “there.” 

Eddie takes a big bite and Steve pulls the rest of the slice away, putting it back on the plate. Eddie watches him intently, he’s so madly in love it makes his stomach turn and flutter up to his throat. He was to look away or he’ll choke on the bite, he places his hand on his chest after, it took a lot to do that without coughing to death in front of him, and Steve noticed too. 

He placed his hand on Eddie’s back and patted him a few times like a newborn baby, “you good?”

“Yeah, yeah, I’m fine,” he waves it off, slightly embarrassed. 

Steve keeps his hand on Eddie’s back and gently runs his hand up toward his shoulder, he gives him a good squeeze and pulls him into a side hug. Eddie tilts his head toward him and Steve does the same, the bump noggins and smile before turning back to everyone else. 

—

The kids usually sleep over in Will’s basement after their pizza parties, sometimes Eddie brings Max home but tonight she’s staying with El. Robin and Roxy are having a blast talking to each other and now Steve has slid into the spot beside her on the couch with his arm around the back of the couch, basically around her. 

“I’m going to head out,” Eddie announces, pointing towards the door. “Rox did you want to drive home with Steve? He goes past your apartment anyway.” 

“Yeah, I don’t mind,” Steve throws in for good measure, “it would be nice to talk to you, I haven’t been able to get a word in edge wise with Robin here.” 

“I would love that,” Roxy gives Steve a smile. “Uh, I’ll see you tomorrow though? Wayne invited me for dinner cause he has the night off.” 

“Right,” Eddie clearly had no idea. Steve could see it in his face. “Have a good night… see you guys.” 

Everyone cheers goodbye and he gets a few waves before he heads towards the stairs and starts his journey home. Alone. For the first Friday night in a long time.

“I think I’m going to go with him,” Robin announces, “it was lovely to meet you but I don’t want him to leave without me…”

“Oh, okay, bye Robin!” Roxy waves her off and then it’s just her and Steve and a bunch of children. “I guess we shouldn’t stay too much longer, that would be weird…” 

“We can go whenever you like?” Steve leaves it completely up to her. 

“Let’s go,” she stands up and reaches out a hand to help him to his feet as well. 

Steve takes it with a smile, she was just as chivalrous as Eddie… he says goodbye to the kids, Dustin pats his shoulder during their goodbye hug and whispers in his ear, “good luck, she’s cool.” 

“Thanks,” he mumbles back, “call me tomorrow if you need a ride home.” 

“Will do,” Dustin says, giving Steve and Roxy a smile and a wave. “Drive safe.” 

“it was so nice to meet you guys,” Roxy says one last time, “thank you for letting me come.” 

“Anytime,” a few of the boys say. “Come back next week,” Dustin adds. 

Lucas agrees too, “Yeah, and Max said she loved having another girl at the party now. She wanted me to say bye if she wasn’t down here when you leave, so, Bye from Max…” 

“Tell her in the morning I loved meeting her too,” Roxy gives them all a smile and one last wave, “see ya!” 

They wave her off and she follows Steve up the stairs, they put their shoes back on by the door and Steve hands her the leather jacket on the hook, expecting it to be hers. “Thanks,” she smiles. “Am I that obvious?” 

“You’re just a lot like Eddie,” he admits. 

“Which is crazy, honestly, no one at my high school was like me and now I come here and we’re like twins?” She says with a laugh, feeling a bit too loud as she looks over into the living room where Joyce and Hop are cuddling on the couch. “Oh, sorry… thank you for having me tonight, you guys have a lovely family.” 

“Oh, anytime sweetheart,” Joyce gives her a sweet smile. 

“You be careful on the road,” Hopper points to Steve, “the news is saying there’s a fog rolling in tonight so no dilly-dallying.” 

“Sure thing, dad,” Steve rolls his eyes as he opens the front door. “See you later.” 

“Bye guys,” Joyce calls back to them as they leave. 

Steve leads her outside towards his car and unlocks her passenger door, opening it for her. “Why thank you, kind sir,” she pats Steve on the shoulder and then gets into the seat. Steve closes the door behind her and rushes over to the driver's side.

“So, Eddie said you’re in the apartments above the shops?” Steve double-checks as he starts the engine. 

She nods, “yeah, it’s not much but I wanted a place close to my dad, even if he didn’t want me I still wanted to live here and get to know him.” 

“Wayne would never not want you,” Steve assures, “believe me, from what I know about Eddie’s childhood, Wayne is meant to be a dad and take care of people, he loves everyone in Eddie’s life just as much, too.” 

She smiles, “yeah, he talked very highly of Eddie… I’m still waiting for him to warm up to me.” 

“He’s kinda stuck in the mindset that the love people give him is conditional, he’s afraid Wayne will leave him for you,” Steve spills the beans. “Don’t tell him I told you, but, just keep in mind that Wayne has been his whole world for the last like 9 years of his life and he’s been through so much this year that he needs that one aspect of his life to stay the same… he can’t lose Wayne.” 

“I don’t plan on taking him,” she reiterates. “I really don’t, I just want to talk to him and celebrate a birthday with him and give him a fathers day present and hear that he’s proud of me… I want to feel like I’m part of a family that loves me for me.” 

“I get that,” Steve really gets it, actually. He lets everything go quiet while he backs out of the Byers driveway and heads towards downtown. “I uh… I’ve always known both my parents but I didn’t feel like I had a family before when it was just me and them.” 

“Don’t get me wrong, I love my mom and my grandparents but… they don’t get me,” she has to explain for good measure. “They weren’t abusive or anything it just wasn’t fun being there for the last 18 years.” 

“Well, you’re here now and there’s lots of love in our little friend group to go around, so,” Steve gives her a smile. “Speaking of… if you ever wanted to hang out just like, me and you, without the rest of them, that would be nice… don’t you think?” 

“Yeah,” she lights right up too. “I’m having dinner with Wayne tomorrow but I’m free the next night?” 

“Sounds good,” Steve can’t stop the smile on his face. “I uh, I work till 5 but I can get you at 6?” 

“That works for me,” she smiles right back. “You’ll have to pick the spot, I don’t know what’s around here.” 

“There isn’t much, but Benny’s diner reopened last month so if you like diner food…” 

“I have been dying for a good old diner burger,” she assures him. “This’ll be fun, I’ve never had good friends like this.” 

“It’s life-changing, believe me.” 

—

“and then he asked to ask her out?!” Eddie freaks out more towards the end of his story, parked in front of Robin's house while she listens to his ramble. 

Robin just sighs and leans back against the seat. “I never told you he was smart.” 

“This is killing me, Rob,” he turns to her with tears in his eyes. “She gets to call Wayne her dad, she gets to date Steve, everyone loved her as soon as she walked into the room… it took me years to get this and she got it all in 10 fucking seconds?” 

“I don’t know how to comfort you,” Robin admits. “On one hand I know this is just your anxiety about things changing again but on the other hand… I like her so I’m part of the problem.” 

“I don’t want people to not like her,” Eddie says with a sigh, he rubs his face quickly and groans from deep inside himself. “I’m overreacting, I know that, but it hurts. It physically fucking hurts that I have to share her with MY people. Wayne and Steve are my people.” 

“Okay, watch yourself,” she gets jealous then. “But Steve does love you, I know that, but he loves me too and he loves Dustin and he loves Max and Lucas and Erika… I’m not sure how he is with Mike honestly, it’s a toss-up, but he loves everyone. He has the room to love people. He’s been waiting to love people like this his whole life.” 

“I know…” 

“Do you?” Robin questions, staring him down. “Steve loves you so much he let me and Nancy kill vecna alone so he could stay with you two. And thank fucking god he did because I wouldn’t be able to deal with him if he lost you that day, you were being an idiot thinking you could take on those bats alone.” 

“He stayed for Dustin…?” 

Robin shakes her head, “No. He knows that Dustin knows how to follow orders and make it out fine. He stayed for you.”

A tear tumbles down his cheek and he’s quick to wipe it away with the back of his hand. “I just wanted to win.” 

“And we did,” robin reaches out and takes his hand in hers. “We won, Vecna died, the gates are closed and Hop came back to clear your good name. That’s the biggest win we could’ve ever expected…” 

“Is it really a win if it brought her here?” Eddie asks, feeling a bit terrible for how much he regrets opening the door for her. 

Robin nods, a smirk growing on her face, “what if she’s more like you than you thought?” 

“Hm?” His brows go up. “No way…” 

“You’re gay, Wayne has that thing with Mr. Clarke that no one wants to talk about… but I see it. I know there’s something fruity going on there, she’s gotta be like us,” Robin rants. 

“What thing with Mr. Clarke?” 

“Has Steve not told you?” Robin gawks, jaw dropped, “no… really?” 

“Clearly, I have no idea what you’re talking about?” 

“Mr. Clarke comes in and gets a movie every Saturday morning and Wayne drops the same VHS tape off Sunday before he goes to work… he brings it right to the desk too like I didn’t check it out to Scott the day before?” She explains. “Like, really…? it’s so clear they’re having dates on Wayne’s only day off.” 

“I’m learning way too much today,” Eddie rubs his eyes, shaking his head. “Holy fuck? Why didn’t he tell me?” 

“Dustin said their cots were side by side in the gym after the earthquake, he found them talking when you got arrested,” Robin keeps explaining, hoping she’s making it somewhat better the more he knows. “I think it’s either a trauma bond friendship or they’re dating. It’s been 3 months.” 

“I’m normally with Steve on Saturdays,” he whispers, realizing why he hasn’t noticed this… it’s cause he’s not home as often as he used to be. “Oh my god, I’m such an ass… here I am scared that I’m going to lose him when I’ve barely talked to him in the last 3 months?” 

“So maybe Roxy showing up is a good thing, maybe she’s meant to bring everyone together?” She suggests, eyes full of hope. And maybe she’s right… Robin typically is. 

“Okay,” he gives in. “I’ll give her a chance.”

General Taglist 

@ncsls0515 @stevesmunsons @reidsbookclub @sweetyyhippyy @manuosorioh @mrs-dr-reid @k-k0129 @squishyturtle @katsukis1wife @babybisexual @marsmunson86

Steddie

@nosaladallowed-ao3  @wifeyreid @girl-with-an-orange-cat @sunshinemunchkin @luna-munson83 @manda-panda-monium @steve-thehair-mamabear 

@knightoftheieves @swimmingbirdrunningrock @throwbackthrowaway @sofadofax @currently-steddiebrainrot 

[undreaming-fanfiction]

With This Ring (12)

Chapter 11 here, Ao3 here

Nancy Wheeler was staring at her reflection in the mirror. She hated what she was seeing.

She was pale from the lack of sleep and worry, no matter how much her mother tried with the makeup. Her eyes looked smaller, drowned by the dark circles. Her hair was tamed to the point that it was almost unrecognizable, her prized curls were straightened and pulled into a neat wedding bun. And most of all, she’d always hated wearing white. 

Months ago, she hoped that the dress would stay in the closet forever, unlike her (if she decided to be naively optimistic about her future). Yesterday, she thought the worst thing that could happen was being forced to marry one of her best friends. And today…

She scowled as she recalled their plans, now shattered. They had almost made it. Even if she had married Steve, they could have gotten divorced afterwards. Or maybe not - not as long as they’d stayed in Hawkins. But the world was wide. They could have moved. Robin could have come with them. They could have kept up the facade until they had room to breathe. 

But that wasn’t what she wanted. 

Did she regret not marrying Steve for the sake of convenience, as another ruse, another mask? She’d had too many hours to think about it, after Robin was dragged out of the room and Nancy’s fate was decided without her. She considered all the options, all the steps she took, and…no. She wouldn’t have changed anything. Because Steve wasn’t just her ex, he was her friend. He was someone who kept swallowing down his own pain and shielded her from everyone’s judgment so she could be herself for a few brief moments. It would have been so unfair to him. Nancy couldn’t do that. 

And now he was missing. Her mind was supplying the worst scenarios possible - Steve got assaulted and left somewhere. Steve got injured and he’s waiting for help. Steve fell into the quarry and drowned. Nancy was aware she had a pessimistic mindset, but after Barb, she would never take someone’s living, breathing presence for granted. And apart from that one moment of desperation, deep down she knew one thing - Steve would have never abandoned her and Robin. 

She went to her father and pleaded to let her look for him. She was even ready to make a false promise to go ahead with the wedding the next day, only to reject Steve at the altar to give him his freedom back. But instead of taking her concerns seriously, Ted Wheeler just told her to wait. She’d waited. And then, worried sick about Steve, she made a mistake that would cost her everything. 

Or maybe not. 

Nancy Wheeler always paid her debts and fixed her messes. Her future, her freedom, it meant nothing if she abandoned the ones she loved. Refusing the marriage would end up with her being held at home until she changed her mind. All while Steve was losing precious time.

She turned away from the mirror and adjusted her veil one last time. “I’m ready.” 

Karen Wheeler stood in the doorway, barely containing her misery. She had to wear waterproof mascara so the angry tears wouldn’t win. “I’m so sorry, Nancy,” she whispered. “I hoped this would be a good day for you. Maybe one day, when…you know. When it could happen.” 

“I know, mom. And thank you for trying.” Nancy wrapped her hands around her mother’s waist, pulling her into a hug. 

Karen held her close, careful not to smudge her lipstick on the white dress. “I should have tried harder. How could I let it get this far? Let me to talk to dad, give him an ultimatum, something-”

“Don’t. Mike and Holly…they should be kept out of this. They don’t deserve to have their home ruined because of me.” She pulled back and wiped away the wetness on her mother’s cheek. “It’s not over, mom. It’s just a setback. I can’t say I have a plan, but…I think that if I have to go down, I’d like to do it fighting.” 

Karen smiled at her with pride that Nancy didn’t feel she deserved. “That’s my girl. And if you need a distraction, maybe to set someone on fire…I still have that lighter.” They laughed together, a brief moment of levity before what felt like the end of Nancy’s life. “I’ll follow your lead. You’re so brave.”

Nancy returned the smile and walked out of the door, determined to see it through. 

She would wear the white wedding dress she hated. 

She would walk down the aisle, give her father what he wanted…for now. 

And then she’d break free and find Steve. Maybe talk to Chief Hopper about being forced into a marriage. He seemed like a reasonable man. And if everything else failed, she could always run away and find her mom and siblings when they were older. 

Mike was arguing with their father downstairs, almost shouting. “I object!” 

Ted Wheeler decided to, as was his usual approach, disregard any part of reality he found inconvenient. Like his son. “Mike, you can only say that during the ceremony. And if you know what’s good for you and your sister, you won’t even think the word.” 

“But she was supposed to marry Steve!” Mike sounded incredulous. In Nancy’s mind, he was still so young. He was supposed to be playing Dungeons and Dragons, meet with his friends and ride bikes all over Hawkins, maybe get his first girlfriend. He should not be losing his mind over Nancy’s doomed wedding. “Don’t get me wrong, I don’t like Steve, but sometimes he’s at least a bit cool! And he likes Nancy. Jason never even spoke to her. How can that be good?” 

Ted’s bored gaze found his daughter frozen on the stairs, listening. He turned to her and gestured to move closer. “Would you like to comment on that, Nancy?” 

She shook her head. When she finally reached Mike, she squeezed his shoulder. “It’s okay, Mike. It’s all going to end well.” 

It took only seconds for the doorbell to ring. For the neighbors to gather, to congratulate her, accompany her to the church. 

“Here comes the bride,” she whispered and left her childhood home.

Chapter 13 here

[littlefroginthegarden]

Sold to Heartsteel 1/24

its a liiiittle bit late but whatever... im trying to write an advents calendar fic, theres some buffer but ill write during the month so im also open to input if you have any good ideas :)

hope you enjoy!

Tags: semi-ironic adaptation of 'sold to one direction' trope so yeah theres obv selling involved, angst, fluff, friendship, romance, maybe smut, mlm, transmasc character, some transphobia but mostly just parents being shit but nothing explicit or slurs or stuff, yeah i think thats about it, ill update this if anything changes xoxo

Part 1

Hi, my name is Hwei and I’m a misunderstood artist. Well, that’s not exactly true. My Parents hate my art and they think it’s just a waste of time. But under the name DemonBrush I’m known all around the world, my art account just recently hit two million followers. Which didn’t help me at all in my real life. I’ve been 18 now for a few months but my parents still act like I’m 16. I haven’t finished school yet and I can’t move out because my anxiety has made working impossible so far. My parents don’t allow me to get therapy or meds and I’m on their insurance so there’s nothing I can do. I sigh and try to think about something else but looking out my small window into the dark December morning isn’t helping. I go and pull the curtains, turn on my fairy lights and sit at my small desk that is crammed between the bed and the heavy wooden dresser. 

My reflection stares at me in the mirror, dark shadows under my amethyst eyes, a sign that I slept terribly, once again. The nightmares wouldn’t leave me alone. I sigh and start doing my makeup, nothing bright, just some smudged dark eyeshadow and black eyeliner on my waterline. My mom was probably gonna complain again but I don’t care. Last week she told me “People might think you’re gay!” Yeah, sure mom. I mean, why do you think I have all these Heartsteel posters hanging in my room? Because I love their one song so much? But when she says "gay" she means "lesbian". She would have an aneurysm if I tried to explain to her that I’m trans. And then she would probably throw me out. As if she could read my thoughts, I hear her shouting from downstairs “Come down immediately, Hwa! I can hear that you’re up.”

Ugh.

I throw on a black oversized hoodie that matches my skinny jeans (also black) and put my dark juniper green hair in a messy bun before I run downstairs as quick as I can. Better not make mom wait, she’s awful enough as is.

When I enter the kitchen, I almost bump into a large man in a suit that is standing next to my mom.

“Oh fuck, sorry!” I quickly say, getting a death stare from my mom but for once she doesn’t even berate me for swearing. She just looks between me and this dude, who was wearing dark sunglasses (in December!) for some fucking reason.

“Who is this?” I ask after a few moments of awkward silence.

“My name is Mr. Mundo, nice to meet you, Hwa.” His voice fits his impressive stature perfectly.

My mother steps forward and puts her hand on my shoulder, looking at me more seriously than I have ever seen her. “You know that we haven’t had the easiest time since dad lost his job. And since you refuse to work and pay your share, we had no other choice.”

“What do you mean? What choice?” I ask, slowly starting to panic.

“You’ll go with Mr. Mundo, he has a job for you where you’ll work for six months. You’ll get a room and food and the money goes to pay back all the debt you owe us.”

“Debt? What do I owe you?”

“Darling, you've been living and eating here for free for 18 years!”

“This is insane!” I yell at her. “You’re selling me? You are a monster!”

“Selling? It’s just temporary honey, and it’s a decent job, don’t make it sound worse than it is!”

“You can’t do that, I’m an adult, you can’t force me!” At this point I’m full on panicking. This can’t be happening, it should just be another nightmare. But I know it’s real. My nightmares are way different.

“You are right and nobody is forcing you. But think about this, it would give you the perfect opportunity to get some good job experiences while at the same time helping out your family! Also –” she adds “if you don’t take this offer then you’ll have to pack your bags, we can’t pay for you any longer.”

“If you stayed off the booze you could.” I press through my teeth, anger winning over panic.

She just ignores it and tells me “Please Honey, think about it. If you go with Mr. Mundo at least you’ll have a roof and food. We just want what’s best for you! You’ll thank us in a few years, mark my words.” With this she turns around and leaves me alone in the kitchen with this absolute hunk of a man.

“Go pack your stuff, we leave in an hour.” He hands me a big suitcase before sinking down onto the washed-out red leather couch in the living room, turning the TV on, unfazed by all of this as if it was his daily job. Which it probably was.

Still in shock, I go back to my room and just stare at the mirror for a solid minute. I still haven’t processed what just happened but I start throwing my most important stuff into the suitcase. I have a lot of clothes but most of them are from my parents and I hate wearing them. So it’s not too difficult to fit all my favorite pieces into the suitcase, some skinny jeans, flowy tops and hoodies and of course accessories, I can’t leave my choker collection here. Then I go to my bed and from under the mattress I pull my binder. I put it under all the other things so it won’t be visible if my mom checks my suitcase. She would freak out. I gather the rest of the stuff, making sure I have my laptop, makeup and favorite books, and check the time. I still have 15 minutes left but at this point, the quicker I’m gone the better. I grab the heavy suitcase and try to carry it down the stairs. Two steps in I nearly slip and the suitcase crashes onto the step with a loud Thud. Before I’m even up I can hear heavy steps on the stairs.

Mr. Mundo grabs the suitcase without saying a word and carries it down. I awkwardly follow him, hoping my mom is distracted and hasn’t noticed the commotion. For once I seem to be lucky, she’s nowhere to be seen. At the door, Mr. Mundo turns around and asks me “Are you sure that you have everything? You won’t be able to come back here anytime soon.”

“Yeah I’m not planning on doing that anyways. Can we go?” I ask impatiently.

He doesn’t answer and just opens the door and walks down the driveway towards the black car with darkened windows that is waiting at the end of it. He puts my suitcase in the back of it with ease and opens the door in the back, gesturing for me to get in. I hesitate for a second, but when I can hear the front door of the house open again, I quickly get in before I can hear whatever my mother wants to tell me. He slams the door behind me and gets into the driver’s seat, which I can’t even see from back here because there’s a divider between the front and the back of the car. Like in a limousine. Or a cop car. It feels more like the latter, like I’m a prisoner.

The car rumbles to life and even though the windows are heavily tinted, I can see the shadows of trees racing past us. Where are we going?

[numinousmysteries]

Devil's Advocate

What if the Jersey Devil didn’t die? Or, the Mulder/Jersey Devil fic no one asked for. With MSR undertones because I’m not a monster. (This started as a joke in this post and then wouldn’t leave my brain.) 

Note: This story contains mentions of non-consensual sex.

[on Ao3] @today-in-fic

Scully glances through the rearview mirror at the detained suspect in the backseat. The woman’s nakedness is concealed by the emergency blanket from the trunk of their car. A pair of handcuffs around her wrists is the only thing stopping her from attacking them. They’ve rolled down the car’s two front windows, but her fetid odor still permeates the air.

The park ranger managed to take her down with two powerful tranquilizer darts as she retreated into the woods. While Scully cuffed her and checked her pulse, Mulder convinced Detective Thompson that the woman belonged in federal custody and that they’d be taking her back to DC.

The tranquilizer wore off after a few miles on the road and they’ve been listening to her growl and struggle against the seatbelt. Mulder called the woman beautiful earlier and now, as she observes her in the mirror, Scully feels inclined to agree. Even with the thick layer of dirt covering her face, Scully can see she has elegant, almost regal features: high cheekbones, plush lips, and strong eyebrows, perfectly shaped without ever having made the acquaintance of a tweezer.

“Dr. Diamond should be back before us, should we take her straight to him?” she asks Mulder, her voice low even though she doubts the woman in the backseat can understand language. “I think he’d want a chance to examine her.”

Mulder nods slowly but hesitates. “Maybe she’d like to get cleaned up first. I can take her to my apartment to shower.”

“Your apartment?” Scully gawks at him. “That would be incredibly dangerous. She already tried to rip a chunk out of you.”

“You can help me, Scully,” he says as casually as if he’s asking her to fill out an expense report.

“I have a tub at my place. That might be easier.” This is partnership, she thinks. I bail you out of jail. I bathe your captive neanderthal.

“Perfect,” Mulder replies, crunching a sunflower seed between his teeth.

***

That’s how the two of them end up on their knees, their clothing soaked through with splashed water, wrestling the Jersey Devil into submission in Scully’s clawfoot bathtub. She’s injected the woman with enough pentobarbital to kill a man three times her size, but it’s only weakened her enough to let them get her into the tub without any fatal wounds.

As the dirt washes off her skin—and collects in a grimy, black film at the bottom of the tub that Scully knows will take a while to scrub out later—she can see the woman’s skin is a rich, tawny color. She’s lean, all sinewy muscle without any extraneous fat. Thick, dark hair cascades midway down her back, and also covers her legs, arms, and pubic area. There’s a primitive, untamed grace to her. Her long limbs move like a dancer’s, even as they kick and swipe at Mulder and Scully.

“Easy now,” Mulder says as he positions her head under the faucet to wash her hair. Scully watches as he tenderly shields her eyes from the water with one hand while running the other through her matted mane.

Even though she’s clearly never taken a bath in her life, and must be completely overwhelmed by the sudden exposure to modern plumbing, the woman softens under Mulder’s touch. Her shoulder blades ease down her back and the muscles of her face relax. Scully’s about to warn him to be gentle with her hair, to avoid pulling at any of the knots, but she can see he’s already slowly working through them without tugging at her scalp.

“I used to have to detangle Sam’s hair after a day at the beach,” he explains, noticing her consternation. “My mom was too rough so she’d never let her do it. But I just plopped her down in front of the TV and took my time. Hers was thick, like this.”

Scully watches in silence as he weaves his fingers through her strands. The Jersey Devil’s fists are clenched as she cautiously surveys her surroundings for threats, but she appears calm otherwise. She even bows her head slightly, giving Mulder better access to the lengths of her hair.

“I think that’s as good as we’re gonna get,” he says finally. “Do you have anything she could wear?”

“She’s much taller than me and her shoulders look a lot broader,” she replies. “But I’ll see what I can find. Are you okay alone in here with her for a moment?”

Mulder nods, pulling at the chain to drain the tub. The sudden movement of the water jerks the woman to alertness, but Mulder calms her down as he helps her to her feet.

When Scully returns with an old nightgown that she thinks originally belonged to Melissa, the Jersey Devil is standing nude in the center of her bathroom and Mulder is toweling her dry. She notices a soft rippling of skin beneath the woman’s navel—diastasis recti—and wonders how her children will survive without her in the woods.

“This should do,” she says, holding up the flannel nightgown for Mulder’s and, she supposes, the woman’s approval.

She helps Mulder pull the nightgown over the woman’s head and thread her arms through the sleeves. The fabric strains across her chest and back, and the hem falls just above her knees, but it’ll work for now. The woman grabs at the foreign material against her torso, more in curiosity than anger.

“Her hair is still wet,” Mulder says, lifting the weight of it off her back to keep the nightgown dry. “I doubt she’ll let us blow dry it.”

“Here,” Scully says, reaching for an elastic tie next to her sink. She twists the woman’s long hair into a low bun at the base of her neck, securing it with the tie. “At least this’ll keep her clothing dry.”

Scully steps back and takes a long look at the woman. With her face clean, and her features visible now that her hair is pulled back, she looks even more beautiful than before. Stunning, actually. Scully looks over at Mulder who’s staring at her, mesmerized.

He slowly takes her by the shoulders, turning her around so she can see herself in the mirror about the sink.

“Look,” he says, pointing in the glass. “That’s you.”

The Jersey Devil takes in her visage with a confused stare. She brings a fingertip to the reflection of her forehead and seems surprised that she touches glass and not flesh. She touches her cheek and watches as her mirror image does the same. Without losing eye contact with her reflection, she reaches out to run her fingertips over the image of Mulder’s face next to hers in the glass. Then she repeats the same gesture on his skin.

“That’s me,” he says quietly. “Mulder.”

The intimacy of the scene brings a blush to Scully’s face. She feels as if she’s watching something she shouldn’t be witness to.

The Jersey Devil’s hand is still on Mulder’s face when a growl erupts from her stomach.

“She must be hungry,” Scully says. “Let me see if I have anything she can eat.”

Stepping out of the bathroom, she lets out a deep exhale and feels the tension loosening in her neck and shoulders. She hadn’t been aware how rigidly she’d been standing until after she walks away. Opening the door to the fridge, she nearly gasps as the cold air hits her skin, still flushed from the hot steam of the bathroom. In the fridge, she finds a package of raw boneless, skinless chicken breasts. These were supposed to last her for a week’s worth of dinner, but the Jersey Devil’s hunger seems more pressing.

She peels off the clear plastic wrapping and places the package on her kitchen table.

“Bring her in here,” she calls out to Mulder. He emerges shortly after, leading the Jersey Devil slowly to the kitchen.

Her nostrils flare when she catches a whiff of the meat. Leaning over the table, she takes a chicken breast in each hand and shoves them into her mouth.

“Can she eat this raw?” Mulder asks.

“She’s been eating raw human flesh,” Scully shrugs. “From an evolutionary standpoint, her teeth are clearly sharper than ours, and she likely has stronger stomach acid for better digestion. Besides, she’s probably been exposed to far more germs and parasites in the wild than we’d ever encounter in commercial meat.”

The Jersey Devil quickly devours all four chicken breasts. She brings the styrofoam packaging, still wet with juice from the meat to her mouth but Mulder pulls her hand away. She growls and lunges to bite his wrist but he’s able to pull back quickly enough to dodge her.

“I think we’re going to need a lot more meat,” he says. “I can pick some up on the way back to my place.”

“What?” Scully snaps, startling the Jersey Devil. “You can’t be seriously thinking about taking her back to your apartment. This woman belongs in some sort of facility. We should take her to Dr. Diamond.”

“Come on, Scully,” he says quietly. “It’s 8 p.m. on a Friday night. Let’s wait until Monday to bother him again.”

She gives him a confused frown. Since when has Mulder cared about not bothering anyone when it comes to the paranormal? Right after their first case, he called her nearly at midnight. He’s called even later since then on more than one occasion and she’s had to convince him the FBI forensics lab wouldn’t appreciate him demanding an analysis of purported ectoplasm at 3 a.m.

“You don’t have a bed, Mulder,” she says, exasperated. “Where is she going to sleep?”

“She can take the couch. I’m sure it’s a lot more comfortable than wherever she typically spends the night. And I can sleep on the floor. I’ll be fine.”

Scully sighs. “I have an air mattress you can borrow.”

***

After helping Mulder secure the Jersey Devil in the backseat of his car and load the air mattress (along with a few more syringes full of sedatives just in case) in the trunk, Scully doesn’t see him until Monday. She calls to check in a few times over the weekend and each time he promises her he’s fine, and that his guest is behaving.

She worries when he isn’t at the office when she arrives on Monday morning. He’s usually there before her, preparing a slideshow or digging through old files. She’s about to call him at home when he staggers in, cradling his right forearm with his left hand.

“Mulder, are you alright? What happened?” she asks, standing to meet him and reaching for his arm.

“It was an accident,” he says.

She helps him out of his suit jacket. There’s blood seeping through the white of his dress shirt just above the wrist. She guides him to his desk chair and unbuttons the cuffs on his sleeve. He winces as she rolls the sleeve over his wound. She removes a layer of blood-soaked gauze pad that he seems to have tried to hold in place with Scotch tape. Underneath, she sees what looks like two rows of teeth marks cut deeply into his skin. Upper and lower incisors.

“She bit you?”

“It was an accident,” he repeats.

“Mulder, this is bad. You need stitches. Antibiotics, probably, and a tetanus shot. Maybe even rabies postexposure prophylaxis.”

“You can do it, right?” he asks. “I can’t exactly waltz into an ER with human teeth marks on my arm.”

“Let me get my kit,” she says. This is partnership, she supposes. I don’t turn you into the authorities when you harbor a prehistoric beast woman. I dress your wounds when she attacks you.

“Besides,” Mulder calls out to her as she assembles her medical supplies from the other side of the office. “She doesn’t have rabies.” He sounds offended that she would suggest such a thing. “She liked her bath, remember?”

Scully rolls her eyes as she returns to him and elevates his arm on the surface of the desk. He winces as she cleans the wound with antiseptic solution.

“I don’t have anything too strong to help with the pain, but this is better than nothing” she says, injecting a local numbing agent into his forearm. “Just give it a second to kick in.”

“How did this happen?” she asks.

“It was—”

“An accident, I know,” she cuts him off. “But what were you doing when she bit you?”

“We were, um, on the air mattress together. It was a…” he trails off, brow furrowed as he searches for the right word. “A moment of passion.”

“Oh no, Mulder,” she sighs. “Please do not tell me you had sex with her.”

“She instigated it,” he says, defensively. “I was sleeping and I thought it was a dream…a very pleasant dream, mind you, but then I woke up and there she was. On top of me. When I tried to maneuver her off, she bit me. So I just kind of…went with it.”

“And I’m assuming you didn’t use protection?” she manages to ask through the shock.

“She didn’t give me much of a chance. Think she’s on the pill?”

Scully shakes her head. “I don’t need to tell you how irresponsible, dangerous, and downright stupid that was.”

She takes this moment to jab a gloved finger into the bite mark, a little more firmly than she might have otherwise. He doesn’t flinch. “Numb?” she asks.

“Mmmhmm,” he nods. “She lost her mate. I guess she thinks I’m her new one. Honestly, I know how strange this is going to sound, but I think we have a connection. A real one.”

The blood drains from Scully’s face. She isn’t sure if she should arrest Mulder or have him committed to a psychiatric hospital. She certainly isn’t going to congratulate him on this new relationship (not that she would ever call it that), which seems to be what he expects as he gives her a dumb grin.

“You can’t be serious,” she says after regaining her composure, keeping her eyes on the sutures she’s threading through his flesh and not his face. “Mulder, she raped you.”

“It wasn’t like that,” he angrily objects. “I’ll admit I was surprised but once I got my bearings, I can assure you I was a very willing participant. It was incredible. Totally animalistic. No self-consciousness, no self-awareness, nothing performative. I’ve never experienced anything like it.”

In the short time that they’ve been partnered, Mulder has had his memory wiped at a top secret military base and convinced her to believe in a 100-year-old liver eating monster. He told her his sister was abducted by aliens and insisted that they’d lost nine minutes. And yet this is the first time he’s rendered her completely speechless. She avoids his eyes as she finishes stitching up his arm and dabs away the remaining blood with a cotton ball.

“Come over for dinner sometime,” he says, as he rolls his sleeve back down. “You’ll see, she’s changed a lot. She’s more…evolved, if you will. I haven’t had to use any of the sedatives. Bring someone. It could be a double date.”

“Mulder, are you insane?” she hisses. “I’m not bringing anyone to meet your beast woman.”

He smiles and taps at her hip with the back of his index finger. “Do I detect a hint of jealousy, Agent Scully?”

“I’ll come,” she says, ignoring his last comment. “By myself. And only to make sure she doesn’t kill you.”

***

She puts off coming over for dinner until later in the week when Mulder finally wears her down. Standing outside his door, she feels nervous but isn’t sure why. She and Mulder have eaten meals together before, although usually at greasy roadside diners and never at one of their apartments. They haven’t spent much time together off the clock. If it weren’t for the presence of the Jersey Devil, she might think this was a date. Well, she reminds herself, it is a date, just not hers. She’s the third wheel in Mulder’s romantic evening with a neanderthal.

“Hey Scully, come on in,” he says, opening the door and taking her coat. “I ordered us a pizza, but she started without us. I hope you don’t mind.”

Scully peers into the kitchen and sees the Jersey Devil gnawing on what looks like a raw T-bone steak. Her hands are stained red with the myoglobin-tinged moisture dripping off the meat. On the table in front of her is a tray of more raw, red meat, piled high.

“I suppose that’s for the best,” Scully says.

“Come sit,” Mulder says, pulling out a chair for her. Before he can sit down himself, the buzzer at the front door rings. “Perfect timing,” he says.

When he leaves to get the pizza, Scully watches the other woman at the table. Mulder has managed to keep her clean and even changed her clothes. Instead of the nightgown she was wearing the last time Scully saw her, she’s dressed in an oversized gray t-shirt and a pair of men’s nylon basketball shorts that sag at the waist. Mulder’s clothes, she realizes.

Mulder returns, sets the pizza box on the table and fetches plates for them. “Help yourself,” he says.

“How’s she doing?” Scully asks. “How have you been?”

“We’re good. We’re figuring it out,” he responds between bites. “Now that she knows I’m not a threat, she’s much less violent. We spend a lot of time together. It’s nice to have a relationship that’s free of all preconceived societal expectations.”

Scully arches her eyebrow.

“Aren’t you the one who implied I should get a life?” He challenges.

“I guess I meant something more conventional, but I shouldn’t be surprised with you. Seriously though, Mulder, how do you see this working long term? Do you plan on introducing her to your parents?”

Mulder laughs. “I actually don’t think she’d be the most objectionable girl I’ve ever brought home.”

He reaches over and gently rubs the Jersey Devil’s back. She looks over at him but doesn’t move to attack. With his hand still resting on her back, she returns her focus to the food in front of her.

“See?” He asks proudly. “She likes me.”

“You bring her food and have sex with her,” Scully says skeptically. “Is that all it takes?”

“I’ve got good meat,” he says, and Scully nearly chokes on her pizza.

“Jeez, Scully, the steak. I’m talking about the steak. Get your mind out of the gutter,” Mulder smirks. “But really, if you think about it, it’s essentially your typical heterosexual dating ritual without any of the window dressing.”

“I think you’re grossly oversimplifying things,” she says. “What about communication? Companionship? The art of conversation? You’re an intelligent, verbose guy, Mulder. I’m having trouble picturing you in a relationship where there isn’t any intellectual discourse.”

“No verbal volleying, debating, or constantly being second-guessed? I get enough of that at work.”

Scully’s about to protest but he winks at her and any offense she felt melts away. She feels heat rising within her and she has to remind herself he’s her colleague and that his girlfriend, who has the capacity to physically rip her apart, is sitting in between them.

“I’m assuming you still don’t have any intention of taking her to Dr. Diamond,” Scully says, trying to change the subject. “Studying her could have major anthropological implications.”

“She’s not a science experiment,” he says. “That’s not the life she deserves.”

“And this is?” Scully asks. Next to her, the Jersey Devil picks pieces of meat out from under her long fingernails.

“I think she’s happy here,” Mulder says. “We’re both happy.” She isn’t sure if he’s trying to convince her or himself.

After dinner, Mulder gently cleans the Jersey Devil’s hands and face with a dampened washcloth. She seems to like the attention, or at least doesn’t resist. Once he’s done, she brings a finger to the corner of his lips, wipes away a spot of pizza grease, and then takes it into her own mouth. It’s somewhere between a sexual gesture and a primate grooming ritual.

Mulder asks Scully if she wants to stay and watch a movie with them, but she politely declines. He gets up to walk her to the door and Scully can feel the Jersey Devil’s eyes on them, as if she’s ready to fight for her mate.

On the drive home, Scully thinks there’s no way this can possibly last.

***

Somehow, though, it does last. For a while, anyway. Mulder jokes about having to pick up a second job to support her carnivorous diet, but he doesn’t show up to work with bite marks again. He spends less time at the office now that he has someone to come home to. Sometimes Scully catches him calling his apartment from the phone on his desk and leaving long-winded messages on his answering machine. “She likes to listen,” he tells her.

He leaves the Jersey Devil in his apartment with a fridge full of raw meat while they investigate a poltergeist in Philadelphia. When they return, she miraculously hasn’t torn his place to shreds.

It’s soon after the Eurisko case that Scully finds Mulder mopey and despondent in the basement office one morning. He’s working on paperwork and barely looks up when she arrives.

“Everything alright?” she asks and only gets a shrug in return.

“I’m sorry about Jerry,” she says. Caught up in solving the killings at Eurisko, she realizes he's barely had any time to mourn his former partner.

“It’s not that,” he replies, still glancing downward. “It’s…her.”

“Her, as in your…girlfriend?” Scully asks, the word like acid on her tongue.

Mulder nods. “She misses her children. I don’t think it’s been fair of me to keep her from them.”

“She told you that?”

“We have our way of communicating,” he says.

“Dating someone with kids can be challenging,” she says as if he’s in a relationship with a divorced working mom and not a nonverbal neanderthal.

“I think it’s time for her to go back to the forest,” he concedes.

***

They drive back to Atlantic City mostly in silence, the same trip they made weeks earlier but in reverse. The Jersey Devil is in the backseat again, free of restraints this time. She’s wearing a dress Scully hasn’t seen before: a short-sleeve, A-line dress made of soft cotton with thin pastel stripes. Mulder must have bought it for her. It's a good choice, she thinks, loose and comfortable without any buttons or zippers to fumble with. She’s surprised how normal the woman looks. Her hair is in a braid down her back which she can only assume is Mulder’s doing. Another thing he must remember from having a sister.

When they near the edge of the woods, the woman eagerly grabs at the child-locked door handle before Mulder even stops the car.

“She knows where we are,” he whispers to Scully. She nods in response.

They both get out of the car. Mulder walks around to open her door and unbuckle her seatbelt. She tentatively steps out of the car and towards the woods. Then she turns around and brings her hand to Mulder’s cheek. It’s like the first day in Scully’s apartment, when the Jersey Devil watched her and Mulder’s reflection in the mirror, only now they’re face to face. He leans in and kisses her.

Scully knows she should look away, but she can’t. When they pull away, they both have tears in their eyes. They nod at each other, and then she turns around and scampers away. Mulder comes to stand next to Scully and they watch until she disappears into the trees.

“Come on,” she says, taking him by the arm and leading him back to the car. “Let’s get you something to eat.”

He turns to her and smiles weakly through the tears. “Thanks, Scully,” he says. “Thanks for understanding.”

She doesn’t know if she’ll ever fully understand what this woman meant to Mulder, or what he possibly could have meant to her. But this, Scully knows for sure now, is partnership. I help you say goodbye. I bear your pain.