#need this injected my veins this summer

[anthonyhavers-left-foot]

English classes are so fun. I love writing stories. I love reading plays. I love reading poetry. I love getting attached to characters and authors. I love feeling like I am in the story or poem with them. I love expressing my emotions. I love weaving my life into the pages. I love pouring my entire being into a story, and I love it when others do the same

[thetyger]

oh i'm going to be listening to lipstick lover a LOT, huh

[gavisuntiedboot]

Friends with benefits! Pedri 🥰🥰

I just love avoiding sleep don't I? Here we go.

~~~

"I told you not to call me when I was busy."

"You wouldn't pick up at 1:30 in the morning if you didn't want to speak to me, angel."

You tried your best to suppress your smirk, opting to roll your eyes instead so that the Canarian could see your feigned annoyance.

"I'm curious - sue me. Now what do you want to I can hang up in your face and get back to studying? These kinematics aren't going to enter my brain just by staring at them."

"You know what I want."

This little "arrangement" with Pedri had been going on for the better part of a year now. It started off as a summer fling: you were heartbroken by a long-time boyfriend, and he was tired of Instagram models spreading his messages to every gossip site that would pay a Euro. So when he met you at the coffee shop where you worked, soft spoken and hands trembling as you punched in his order, he knew that you were going to be the most fun project yet. And boy was it a project. Between school and work, you barely had a second to breathe, and all the things he did to seduce other girls (dinner, clubbing, tickets to a match) seemed to have no place in your schedule. But Pedri is a patient boy, and after receiving variations of the "I'm so stressed and tired and home alone" text, he knew the only way he was going to get what he wanted was to go to you.

And come he did. Well, both of you did. The buildup and flirtation had led to some of the most mind blowing sex he had ever had. He never even thought about wanting to corrupt a sweet, innocent little thing until you. The tears on your lashes as you looked up at him, his soul sucked out of his body with you asking "did I do good?" was a combination he would like to inject directly into his veins. So that was the arrangement from thereon out. He had told you he didn't have the time or capacity for a committed relationship because of his job, but if you were down to keep doing this, then so was he. And honestly? The thought was appealing. You were swamped with responsibilities, with no time to breathe let alone try and go on dates and be a girlfriend. Why not just have mind-blowing sex semi-regularly?

Turns out, this fucker got a lot hornier a lot more often when injured. Since there were no games or early morning training sessions, Pedri had been calling you almost nightly during his injury, often coming over just for the company. It would be a lie if you said it was unwelcome, but you still had a life and tasks to complete.

"Pedri, I have-"

"The day off tomorrow. You told me that last week, so don't lie."

"Right. I have a reading day at school and I took off from work to study. I need to get like a 98 on this exam to get an A in the course."

"Maybe I wanted to call you and help you study."

His face lit up as he heard your laughter come through the line. He knew he had been clingier than usual lately, and a wiser person would have questioned why he wanted to spend all of his free recovery time with his sex buddy. Put Pedri wasn't wise. He was 21 years old with a cute girl who was DTF and he had her address saved into his phone.

"So I'll be there in...?" He let his voice trail off, and your sigh came through clearly.

"I need an hour at least to finish this chapter."

"Perfect. I'll shower and head to you."

~

You had not even closed your laptop yet when the doorbell rang, causing you to jump slightly at the loud sound at such a late hour. In your PJ shorts and tank top, you scurried to the door, ushering in your boy toy before the others in your building could see. Mrs. Rodriguez 3 doors down loved a good scandal, and you weren't going to be the one to cause it.

"Took you long enough." You said, pushing him towards the bed as soon as he kicked off his shoes.

"Eager now aren't we, angel? I haven't even said hello yet."

"There are better things for you to be doing with your mouth."

"Oh yeah? Like what?"

"I don't know, Pedri. This whole get together was your idea. You have to take charge."

What famous last words. Not even 15 minutes later, he had you digging into the wood of your headboard, hips moving with reckless abandon as you rode his face. Your pants and moans came as if it wasn't three in the morning, and he wrapped himself around your thighs to bring you closer, closer, closer whenever you dared to hover or lift your weight slightly. One you had finish, you dismounted and laid next to him, aftershocks wrecking through you. He smirked, propped up on one arm as he watched you struggle.

"Do you want to go back to studying?"

"Fuck you."

He rolled on top of you, smiling wide and leaning back so the dim light could reflect off the wetness on his hard cock.

"Oh no, baby. You'll never get a good grade like that. The grammatically correct way is, "I want to fuck you." And you can add a 'Please' at the end if you're feeling polite."

~

Pedri was concerned to get a call from you three days after your little session. You had blocked his number so that you could focus on your last exam, and he expected you to be gone for longer.

"Hello?"

"I got my exam grade back."

Your voice was mellow, and he mentally stilled himself, preparing to be yelled at first thing in the morning. He didn't want you to fail, of course. It's just something there were things personally more important to him than your grades.

"And?"

"I needed a 98% for an A." Your voice was still flat and gave nothing away.

"Right. And you got...?"

"I got a 98.5%." Pedri shot up from his mattress.

"So that means that we'll be fucking intensely during your next round of exams, right?"

~~~~~~~~~

Okay here you go! fun fact this is based on me irl when i slept over at a guy's place and then the next day got a 99 on my exam. Enjoy!!!!!!

[riordanness]

welcome to the percy jackson shrine !!

where you can find all things perseus jackson (because he’s my everything and all that yk)

please enjoy !! and if you’re also a book!percy jackson kinda gal, maybe give me a follow and drop a little something in my ask box (i need more perseus friends fr)

percy jackson x readers.

pick up lines.

fictional.

mi amor.

my tears ricochet.

crazier.

wildest dreams.

i wish you would.

bad blood.

false god.

seven.

sparks fly.

burning it down.

texts between me you and percy jackson.

part one.

part two.

part three.

part four.

part five.

part six.

part seven.

emercy things. (emma rebekah x percy jackson)

emercy ‘wonderland’ edit.

cruel summer moodboard.

emercy playlist link.

emercy wallpaper.

emercy playlist (aesthetic version).

emercy phone theme.

emercy wallpaper (again).

swooping, sloping, cursive letters (emercy au fic)

editing myself into the seven demigods.

emercy ‘act my age’ edit.

social media au part one

social media au part two

random percy jackson textposts.

talking about percy jackson

percy jackson is hot

inject percy into my veins

doing the knee thing

making percy ai art

‘i like you’ okay but…

percy uses coke cans as ice packs.

his name is attractive.

make a post without his name in it challenge.

born to be percy’s girlfriend.

things percy jackson would say to me if he was real.

masterlist.

things you definitely forgot about percy jackson.

part one.

percy jackson edits.

walker scobell - obsessed

ares fight - breakin’ dishes

tv show!percy jackson - baby by me

tv show - house of memories

tv show!percy jackson - the archer

perseus jackson - don’t blame me

tv show!percy jackson - like me

tv show!percy jackson - alibi

my instagram comments: a thread (percy jackson’s version).

one.

two.

three.

four.

five.

six.

seven.

eight.

nine.

ten.

eleven.

twelve.

thirteen.

fourteen.

fifteen.

perseus jackson moodboards.

perseus jackson.

son of the sea god.

persassy.

blue food.

walker scobell.

tv show!percy jackson.

percy jackson.

beach date with percy.

percy core.

aquarium date with percy.

[the-orion-inexpirience]

THE SUMMER EVENT IS SO CUTE GUYS I NEED IT INJECTED DIRECTLY INTO MY VEINS✨🦐🐙🦐✨

HAD TO DRAW TH RAMSHACKLES AND THEIR CUTE ASS MATCHING SHIRTS 🫠🫠🫠🫠🫠💥💥💥🎉🎉

[genericpuff]

Please tell me you've seen the new Hades ii designs Hestia amazing, Hera amazing. Eris and her clown colors. Amazing. Can totally somehow see her yeeting that apple of discord at Athena, Hera and Aphrodite and getting Paris involved and sparking the Trojan war.

I haven't touched the Early Access for Hades 2 yet!! I'm kinda thinking of waiting for the game to release in full so that I can experience it as blind as possible (granted I don't mind seeing the character designs because those are sick af and give me something to look forward to haha) and know for certain that I'm playing the game in its c8ompleted state !

I love how Hestia looks though, omg. I didn't expect any less of the Hades design team, she looks exactly like how the goddess of the hearth and flame should look <3 And I'm SO FUCKING GLAD they incorporated Hera's peacock symbolism into her design, I've been DYING for some good Hera rep 🥺 And Eris... that's some Harley Quinn fashion and I'm LIVING for it.

God I can't wait for this fucking game to finally release in full, I need to inject it into my veins like yesterday LOL maybe I'll get the early access if it takes as long for it to release as SuperGiant has implied (apparently the early access is expected to last until the end of 2024). I just have to weigh my options rn because I also have to pre-order FF XIV: Dawntrail still and that's definitely gonna take up a lot of my summer LOL

[jlheon]

PENGIE’S ROMANCE : UNTOLD REVIEW !!!!

this is me dancing to album of the year BTW.

moonstruck — IM CRAZY. OH MY HOD. GHIS IS MY DAMN SONH. im speechless its so good … PLEEK INJECT INTO MY VEINS 10/10

xo (only if you say yes) — OH MY GOD..??? hello. why did the music stop that scared me so bad. EVERYTHING IS COMING OUT OF THEIR HANDS??? chloe reveal pleek i wanna know if i want her too. THE WINGS?? peng just died BTW. JORTS !!! OMG!! ok wow super bop. WHY WAS IT SO SHORT THO !? T^T guys bring back 3 min songs i beg. 8/10 FOR NOW BECOZ NO BRIDGE N SHORT 😓

your eyes only — this is so glitter gel pen of them oh my gosh !!!! what i’m lit in love!!! WE CAN INDEED SUGAR TALK WUTTTT !!! this reminds me of twice formula of love era is this too niche?? 9/10 TEW SHORT.

hundred broken hearts — oh my god. i keep saying oh my god but OH MY GOD. THE VOCALS PLEEK SEDATE ME. i am holding my super not broken heart becuz jay said so. this is so yukika coded (dont ask why) this sounds like city pop i might be wrong tho?! 10/10 WOWOWOW

brought the heat back — IM JUMPINH AROUND N BOUNCINH OFF THE WALLS!!! OKAY FSOS !!!!!!!! wahooooooo YAS U R BRINGING THAT HEAT BACK!! JAY VOCALSSSSSS 9/10

paranormal — anna’s song!!! okay pinkpantheress ❤️ I LOVE THE BEAT HELLOOOOOOO? let me die rn! GUYS IM DANCING!!! 8.5/10 OH MY GOODNESS

royalty — this is summer happy time me at the beach (i hate the beach but id go for them) THIS IS SO HAPPY I AM SO HAPPY RN!!! this is so teenage girl montage coded!! 10 more seconds and it could have been 3 mins sobs 10/10

highway 1009 — this is me and imaginary bf song i thinks !! wow i need this at my wedding i think 🙁❤️ ME AND MY FAKE BOYFRIEND R DANCING TO THIS AS WE SPEAK 10/10 im so happy rn

xo ft jvke — THE ENGLISH LYRICS ATE WAHOOOO 10/10

highway 1009 (narr ver) — i couldnt find the track yet becoz only on cd BUT OYY PHILIPPINES!!! 😭😭❤️❤️ omg so many languages :3 this is awesome guys i hope your lang 10/10

ok guys now i need to sleep. THIS IS SO GLITTER GEL PEN GIRL GROUP CODED OKAY!!!!!!!!!!! ENHA BRINGING BACK REAL MUSIC ❤️ BRING BACK 3 MINUTE SONGS.

[oncamelliastreet]

rank your top 5 conan songs with an explanation why each song gets ranked where

STOP THIS IS SO HARD THEY ARE MY CHILDREN

okay, first is probably memories, mostly because if i could only listen to one conan song for the rest of my life i would probably say this one. i just love how anthemic it feels and i have so many people i’d love to forget about so i relate a lot, also he just sounds so good? like

second…the exit (spoiler: im a superache girlie). this one is second probably because of the emotional sentiment i have attatched to it? it’s my sisters favorite conan song, and she’s my best friend, and whenever we sing his songs in the car and it’s one of the songs where there’s two parts at once she ALWAYS does the long adlib parts because she thinks she can sing and i take the other part. it’s our thing :)

third is affluenza? something about it just scratches an itch, especially the first verse. and it’s just fun to sing, idk, i love it. third because i would never dare skip it and kid krow needs some rep

fourth is alley rose i think. i mean how could i not love it? it’s literally one of his best songs i can’t dishonor a founding father of music like that. the bridge? his vocals? the lyrics? the yearning? i understand you conan gray.

and then….fifth is probably yours…maybe. wait yeah it is, and you know why? the bridge. that’s the best fucking bridge on superache, i want that bridge injected into my veins and i want to get addicted (i already am). FIFTEEN DOZEN ROSES AND THEN THERES ROSES ON THE COVER? chills every time

honorable mention to people watching and the story and winner and lonely dancer and summer child though, he has so many amazing songs i can’t 😭 thanks for the ask!!

[beautification-tales]

Getting Fit

As the summer sun beat down mercilessly upon the concrete jungle of the gym, Julie, an overweight woman with short brown hair, pushed herself to her limits on the treadmill. She glanced around, her eyes landing on Mark, a chiseled bodybuilder who seemed to command attention everywhere he went. Julie couldn't help but feel a pang of jealousy as she watched him lift weights effortlessly, his muscles rippling beneath his sweat-drenched tank top. It had been a year since she had started coming to this gym, determined to get in shape and catch the attention of men like Mark.

Unfortunately, her efforts had been in vain. Every time she would glance at Mark he was either talking to a sexy fitness model or oblivious to her existence. However, she felt a bit of confidence today and thought of striking up a conversation with him.

"Hey Mark, love your muscles," she said as she walked up to him, her heart pounding in her chest.

He glanced over at her, a slight smile playing at the corners of his lips. "Thanks, I guess. You are?," he replied, his voice deeper than she expected.

"Oh, uh, Julie. I'm new here. Well, not new to working out, but new to this gym. I've been trying to get in shape and... well, you know," she said, motioning to his muscles. "I figured if anyone could give me some advice, it'd be you."

Mark smirked, looking her up and down slowly. "Oh yeah? Well, I've been working out for years now. It's not just about coming here and doing this. You need to eat right, sleep right, and dedicate yourself to it. You have to be willing to make sacrifices."

As he spoke, Julie felt a twinge of excitement course through her veins. She wanted to impress him, to prove that she could do it. "I've been working on my diet," she said, trying to sound confident. "I've lost a few pounds already, but I know there's more work to be done."

Just then, a sexy fitness model walked up behind Mark, her long, toned legs leading the way. She wrapped her arms around his waist and pulled him away, giggling flirtatiously. "Oh, I'm sorry, were you busy?" she purred, her voice dripping with seduction.

Julie felt a stab of jealousy as she watched them, but she forced a smile onto her face. "Oh, no, I was just leaving," she said, turning to walk away. As she left the gym, she couldn't help but feel defeated. She had been so close to talking to Mark, but once again, she had been pushed aside.

Later that day, she met up with her friend Rebecca, who was an EEW wrestler. Rebecca had been raving about a new steroid she had gotten her hands on, one that promised incredible results in just a few days. Julie was skeptical at first from Rebecca’s explanation as it seemed too good to be true. Rebecca used to be small and unassuming but now she was a rising star in one of the biggest professional wrestling promotions. If it had worked for Julie then it could definitely work for her.

For the next week, she followed the instructions to the letter, injecting herself with the experimental drug every morning and evening. As the days went by, she began to feel strange sensations coursing through her veins. Her muscles ached, but in a good way. She could feel them growing, becoming stronger and more defined with each passing hour.

By the end of the week, she returned to the gym, a confident woman. Her body had transformed; her once flabby arms and legs were now toned and muscular. Her stomach was flatter, and her breasts seemed perkier. She walked up to the mirror and admired her new physique, unable to believe the difference just one week could make.

As she was stretching, she caught Mark watching her from across the room. He couldn't take his eyes off her, and she could feel his gaze burning into her skin. Suddenly, she felt a surge of power course through her veins. She had done it. She had caught his attention. She began to rack some weight when she noticed Mark was walking toward her.

"You must be new here," he said, his voice deep and commanding. "I don't think I've seen you around before."

"Oh, uh, yeah," she replied, her heart racing. "I just started coming here a few weeks ago. I mean, I've been working out on my own, but I wanted to, you know, see if I could get some advice from someone who really knows what they're doing."

Mark smiled, his eyes taking in her toned body. "Well, it's good to see you've been working hard," he said, motioning to her muscles. "I'm Mark, by the way. I'm the gym's head trainer. If you ever need any help with your routine or just someone to spot you, feel free to ask."

Julie's heart skipped a beat as she listened to him. This was the opportunity she had been waiting for. "Oh, thank you, Mark. Can you spot me for a few reps?” Mark nodded as Julie began her squats.

As she lowered herself down, her large ass jutted out even more, pressing against the backs of her thighs. She could feel Mark's gaze burning into her flesh, and it only served to make her movements more sensual. With each rep, she could feel his desire growing more intense. She smiled as Mark got closer and she could feel his arousal.

Finally, she completed her set and stood up, breathing heavily. "Thanks, Mark," she said, grinning at him. "That was a killer workout."

Mark replied “Any time.” Julie walked a way feeling victorious knowing she would never be pushed aside again.

[wallaceandpestle]

💕Positivity prime time! Share five things you love about yourself, four things you're excited about, OR three people you care deeply about and why. Pass this along to someone whose posts make you smile💕

awww hi!!! thank you!!!!

4 things i’m excited for

- having ppl over for my birthday on friday including 2 long distance friends who I will be seeing for the first time since the summer !!!!!!

- really cute corduroy jacket i picked up at the flea and will get to wear when it gets cool

- season 2 of severance need it injected in my veins

- seeing dan and phil live which is a crazy childhood dream come true

[lavenderstobins]

what if robin got flayed

great news for you anon i started a thread about this on my twitter like a year ago. the bad news is I only wrote one part and then never got back to it. anyway, I will share it here!

—

one shift after scoops, robin decides to cut through the woods to get home. it'll shave ten minutes off her bike ride, and she's not afraid of the woods, no matter the whispers about the byers kid coming back changed.

robin cuts through the woods and everything changes.

steve doesn't know robin that well, but he notices when she comes in to work looking like... well, looking like shit, to be frank. she looks tired, wincing under the bright lights of the mall. he asks if she's feeling okay and she mumbles that she didn't sleep well.

he looks doubtful, and she snaps that he's here to scoop ice cream, not poke into her life. he drops it.

dustin comes home from summer camp, and honestly, his initial concern about robin is swept away in the chaos of everything. dustin thinks he's intercepted a russian code.

he tries to help dustin translate it, but his translation skills aren't that good. robin, to his surprise, is the one to translate it, and later the one to crack it, too. she grins at them both, pleased with herself, and he realises it's maybe the first time he's seen her smile.

they stake out in the rain, and when dustin tries to snatch the binoculars from his hand, a loud noise rings out. they dive down, out of sight, and steve grabs robin's hand, only to immediately jump at the icy touch of her skin.

robin flinches away from him. he doesn't comment.

from there, everything blurs into one: involving erica, finding the room, being trapped in an elevator, hiding and fighting and discovering the gate. the russians find them, and steve slams into the door, shouting for robin to help. she rushes over, and the weight eases.

dustin and erica escape, and robin seems to slump slightly, and the door bursts open. they're thrown to the ground, swarmed by soldiers with guns. he puts his hands up in surrender, and he has only a moment to notice robin's sweating before he's hauled away from her.

he's dragged to a room on his own, and interrogated for what feels like hours on end. he's been punched in the stomach at least five times, in the face twice, when another guard enters and says something in russian. they look at him, and then haul him up, dragging him out.

steve's brought into a new room, and from the other door two guards emerge, holding robin, her legs dragging across the floor. she's unconscious, drenched in sweat. he shouts at the guards, demanding to know what they've done, and he's kicked to the floor.

the soldiers haul him up, tying him and robin back to back, and he keeps shouting her name, begging for her to wake up. she's freezing cold from where he can feel her pressed into him, and he starts fearing that she's dead. he begs the soldiers to help her, but they just leave.

steve's not sure how long he's down there, screaming. his voice is hoarse, but he can't stop. he needs to get help. he needs to get them out of here.

after what feels like centuries, he hears robin croak out, "cut the yelling out, dingus", and he's overwhelmed with relief.

he asks if she's okay, and she mumbles that she hurts, but she's alright. they try and escape, but it fails, and they fall to the floor. robin admits she'd spent a year sitting behind him in school, and he hates himself. all this time and he'd never seen her.

she keeps talking, and he tells her he wishes he'd known her sooner. he doesn't say how much he aches for it. how he wishes he'd known her for years.

on the dirty bunker floor, steve realises they're both going to die. the thought should scare him, but... robin's here.

the russians come back, and the general laughs at them. there's some man with a syringe and liquid, and steve is frozen as they inject him, the pain searing through him.

hazily, he sees them approach robin, and he's dimly aware of odd black veins in robin's skin.

—

that's all i have in terms of things written! i had more plans for it but I was overrun with other ideas and forgot about it

[fullmetalscullyy]

Hello! I've been following your blog for a little while, and have been loving your content. Thank you so much for everything you've contributed to the Royai community <3

Random question, are you also an SNSD fan? Any favorite songs, or playlists to share, by any chance? :D Thank you!

omg hi!!!! welcome!! aw thank you, you're too kind!! <33 it's been a joy writing about my besties over the years 🥰 i'm glad others have enjoyed them too!

yes, i am!! i don't have a playlist just for them, only a general kpop playlist, which hasn't been updated in forever lol but i'm happy to share a handful of my fave snsd (including solo!) songs:

catch me if you can - my first intro to snsd (and kpop as a whole) back in the day! i was immediately hooked so it holds a special place in my heart :')

all night & holiday - if you asked me to pick a favourite from this era i literally could not these two come as a set and are not to be separated ((absolutely adore one last time and paper plane too tho they were on my "sleep" playlist for months <3))

oh! - probably one of my most listened to snsd song...

before forever 1 came along!

lil' touch - absolute slapper. a wee toe tapper 👌

i by taeyeon - inject this into my veins at this point it is Top Tier

voice & i found you by taeyeon - omggggggggg

BASICALLY TAEYEON'S WHOLE FIRST ALBUM WAAAAAH

gravity by taeyeon - special shout out to this one

sober by hyo - honestly?? what more could you need. absolute BOP. summer in a song

born again by tiffany - my fave by her 😭 love it to pieces

secret by seohyun & yuri - banger alert!!!!!!!!

into you & illusion by yuri - another set which are not to be separated. adore them with every fibre of my being

beautiful by jessica - like i, inject it into my veins tattoo it onto my brain i am and always will be obsessed with this song. another which was on my sleep playlist for so long bc such cosy vibes 🥹

thank you so much for the ask!!!! i haven't listened to snsd in a while so it was so nice to go back and go through these!! i had so much fun :D hope you enjoy your weekend! have a good one 🥰

[fandxmslxt69]

NO BC HEARTBREAK WEATHER SLAPS SO HARD even though I didn't listen all the way through until 2022 shhh

top 3 tracks rn/when you feel like it 👀

Goddd some of my best memories of spending a summer free after COVID was going on long drives to cabins and chalets in the middle of forests and the entire rides I was playing Heartbreak Weather (and similar albums) on repeat CONSTANTLY. Liek i'd sit on the docks by the river and i just

im feeling a bit nostalgic

OKAY TOP 3 AT THE MOMENT:

Heartbreak Weather. As basic as that sounds god that song SLAPS

Bend the Rules. GODDDDDD THAT SONG JUST. IT DOES SOMETHNG TO ME !!!

New Angel. UGHGHGHGHGH

my favourite part abt this album is that so many of the songs have similar vibes.like New Angel, Bend the Rules, Cross your Mind and Small Talk all share the same vibes and aesthetic, while like San Francisco, Heartbreak Weather and Everywhere are very similar.

AYWAY THAT WHOLE ALBUM NEEDS TO BE INJECTED INTO MY VEINS THANK YOU <3

TELL ME YOUR TOP 3 RGHT NOW >:(

[bug-the-chicken-nug]

watched the latest rwby episode and im gnawing at the bars of my cage wailing and screaming. i NEED more summer lore. inject that shit into my veins. everything else here is small potatoes in comparison to finally being able to get actual insight into Summer

although it is interesting to get confirmation that for Afterans, ascension is not necessarily a bad thing at all. at this point the best I can hope for with Ruby is that she sees what things were like for Summer or is able to speak with her and ultimately decides "Wrow! This Is Not Worth It!" and peaces outta there, because that would be like. The Least Bad direction left to take when you apply this all to non-Afterans.

anything else would essentially imply that Ruby was *correct* to drink the tea, and so were the motives she had for doing so in the first place.

[billy-hardgrove]

He’d been to the Harrington house a few times in the past, though never inside.

Beers shared around the pool, long conversations inside the Camaro when the Hawkins winters got too cold for Billy. Yet he always declined going inside. The mere thought of stepping over the threshold into Steve’s home made his gut wrench into an all too familiar nausea; that same sickness that had haunted him his whole life.

Steve always seemed disappointed, but he had never pressed the issue or asked why. Which, ironically, had made Billy more uncomfortable than if he had questioned him. It meant Steve had some level of understanding, some amount of knowledge as to why he was so scared of them spending time together under the same roof.

But once Billy was discharged from the hospital, he had nowhere else to go. His father was already gone, their old house had been sold, what was left of his belongings packed away in boxes and left with Susan. Sure, she had offered to take him in, but their relationship was still… tentative, and he was well aware she was going to struggle taking care of Max. He didn’t want to add to that burden.

So when Steve offered him a place to crash, he took it. Something temporary, he told himself, until he was back on his feet and able to take care of himself. Every bone felt brittle, every muscle still ached, and even his blood felt like it was itching inside his veins. He may have finally expelled the invader from his mind, but its presence still lingered in his body. Unnatural chills crawling up his flesh, and the Summer heat felt unnaturally uncomfortable for him still.

“So!” Steve clapped his hands together the moment they stepped into the hallway, dropping Billy’s bag off near the stairs, and turned to the blonde with a smile. “There are two guest rooms. One next to me, and one across the house next to my parents.” He jabbed over his shoulder with his thumb, up the stairs, Billy’s pale gaze following its direction. A room?

“No. I’ll take the couch.” He shuffled past him, hissing quietly under his teeth when their shoulders bumped; the motion having Steve turn with a deep sigh.

“Come on, man. You need a proper bed. Take the room across the house. Far enough away from me, right? And my parents won't be back until…” The brunette purses his lips and scratches at his chin, before shrugging his shoulders dramatically. “Whenever they feel like.”

Billy had briefly stopped his advance to listen to the other man, though his words weren’t enough to sway him, and he continued on through into the large lounge area. He was barely taking in his surroundings, that sickness was already building up in his gut, that early warning that he was doing something wrong. Something bad enough to earn his wrath.

He was gone. He didn’t care. So why was he still so… scared of him?

This place was huge. Rich. Another reason for the dirt poor blonde to feel so out of place; as if his mere presence was somehow bringing down the value of everything around him. The Camaro had been the only thing he owned that really cost that much. He’d saved, and saved, and worked his ass off to get it. And now it was likely in some junkyard, left to rot and rust, or stripped for parts. From the looks of it Steve’s dad could snap his fingers and have another two identical cars delivered to his home by tomorrow.

Well, he could, if he was here.

“Pretty sweet set up, Harrington. Big place like this, all to yourself.” He knew almost immediately, from the look on Steve’s face, that the other teen didn’t feel the same way. His arms tucked under themselves awkwardly, a quick clearing of his throat, eyes darting to the side as he obviously thought up how best to respond to that.

“Yeah. Uh— Oh! Kitchen is through here.” With a forced injection of pep he beckoned for Billy to follow him, and he did, begrudgingly. He had already eyed the large sofa he was going to claim as his own, and in all honesty all he wanted to do right now was collapse onto it and pass out. He hated how exhausted the drive from the hospital had left him. Barely any walking or physical exertion, and his body was already at its limit.

“It’s not super well stocked. I just… get in whatever I want. Only need to do a big grocery haul when I know mom and dad are coming home. So, if you want anything, just let me know and I can-”

“I’ll get my own stuff.” A silence fell between them after that interruption. A tension not too dissimilar to that night outside the Byer’s house. All those months ago. Only this time Billy couldn’t keep eye contact with Steve. Only this time Steve wasn’t standing in his way defiantly, he was offering a hand of assistance. And it felt near impossible to accept it.

He knew he was being ungrateful, but that awareness was surrounded by a wall of flame fuelled by rage, and anguish, and everything else he was keeping bottled up after what had happened to him. It was hard keeping the fire back, pulling it in deeper to himself so it wouldn’t lash out at others, searing his own flesh in the process.

Every spark of anger, no matter how brief, that he’d felt whilst in the hospital was like a knife through his heart. It was accompanied each time with a bang, and a flash, and a memory of the trunk of his car slamming shut. Each time a different face staring up at him. The face of the people who weren’t here any more. Because of him.

“No offence, man…” Their eyes met, and Billy was already prepared to be offended by whatever Steve was about to say. For someone with so much charisma, Harrington wasn’t always the best with his words. “You don’t have a penny to your name. And I’m not about to give you a damn allowance just so you can do your own grocery shopping. So just let me, yeah? Or you can come with me, when you’re able, I mean.” The sheepish smile was evident that the older of the two was expecting backlash to that, his feet instinctively digging into the tiled floor in preparation of a physical blow.

Billy’s hands clenched into fists, but he didn’t move from his spot. Even the tensing of his muscles hurt. He hated how weak he felt. Physically, emotionally.

“I’m not going to leech off you, Harrington.” He was speaking through clenched teeth, nostrils flaring with deep breaths as he still trying to hold back the flames. He can’t unleash them upon Steve. Not again. “If I was I’d have bit the bullet and just gone to stay with Susan and Max. This is just until I can get my ass a job and start earning cash. Alright?” There was a determination in his eyes that Steve didn’t want to question. They both knew it was wishful thinking. That Billy’s recovery process was going to be a long one.

“Billy-”

“No!” He finally took a step forwards, raising his voice to cut Steve off once and for all. “I am not some parasite. You hear me? I am not helpless. I’m getting a job. I’m getting my own money, and my own food, and the next bed I sleep in will be my own. You got that?!” He reached for the kitchen counter and grabbed at the corner, trying to make it seem as casual as possible to hide the slight stagger in his stance. But Steve noticed. And simply nodded.

“Sure, man. Whatever you need.” There was defeat in his voice, but a small smile on his face. “I’ll go get some pillows and blankets for it, at the least.” He turned and headed upstairs, leaving Billy to simmer for a moment. He had let some of that heat out. Not much. But enough to make Steve weary, and aware, that this was the same Billy Hargrove. Beaten and broken, but still that same wild, unpredictable animal.

He thought about going after him, though he didn’t even know what he’d say. He’d feel better if he was able to rile some sort of reaction out of Steve. If that anger was met head on, if it was matched. Steve had done it before, he knew he could, but he also knew it was a bad idea; that the other had done the right thing is stepping away and letting Billy cool off. Before he exploded and ended up hurting them both.

Heal up. Get a job. Get his own place. Survive.

How hard could it be?

But first? He needed to sleep. He needed the bruises over his body to fade, for the scars to finally heal. He needed the voices in his head to finally give him some peace.

Ao3 link: https://archiveofourown.org/works/47134606

[imhauntedbymyself]

Rewatching good omens season two is simply not enough. I need it to be injected into my veins. I need it to be the first thing i see in the morning and the last thing i see before sleep. I need all teachers talking about it when i come back to school after summer. I need mr Gaiman and his crew to get all the awards someone can give them. I need my friends to do cosplays with me and reenact every single scene and it still wouldnt be enough thats how much i love it