#no one wanted to play with me as a little kid / so i've been scheming like a criminal ever since

[alma-artts]

I just realized how much I relate to mastermind by taylor swift help.

[folklorianhaze]

no one understands mastermind the way I do. Taylor wrote it for me specifically

[stedesbonnets]

i really have no idea what taylor put in mastermind to make it so good. is it crack? the production, the lyrics, the vocals, THE BRIDGE damn it miss swift you have done it again

[cocoabeloved]

could write an lengthy essay about why dan humphrey is SO SO mastermind-coded but i'm too lazy

[sadbeautifutragic]

No one wanted to play with me as a little kid So I've been scheming like a criminal ever since To make them love me and make it seem effortless ↳ Eras Tour Series Part 6/?

[tayloralisonswift]

i can change everything about me to fit in..... no amount of friends at 25 will fill the empty seats at the lunch tables of your past...... no one wanted to play with me as a little kid so i've been scheming like a criminal ever since..... how can i ever try to be better? nobody ever lets me in......

[sourcherryandsprinkles]

Office smut where reader is Rafe's assistant and they both work at cameron developpement

I've never been a fan of these assistant/boss dynamics, but it fits for Rafe so I gave it a try...and it ended up being 2.5k

Warnings: 18+, fingering, unprotected p + v,

my taglists are here + you can send requests here at any time

—

Never in your life did you imagine yourself pursuing a career in real estate, but when an opportunity to work as a personal assistant at Cameron Development practically fell into your lap, you hadn’t been able to decline. 

It was a sunny day on the golf course with your father, enjoying some quality father-daughter time before the end of summer. As you both played a round, you came across one of his golf buddies — Ward Cameron. You vaguely remembered the man, having played with his kids a few times when you were little. Sarah was the one you remembered the most, she had blond hair and always talked about turtles.

Small talk flowed between your father and Mr. Cameron as they caught up on each other's lives. Then, your college studies came into the conversation. You had graduated college this spring, but hadn’t found any jobs in your field yet. Fortunately for you, Mr. Cameron informed you that there were a few jobs available at Cameron Developpement. 

You weren’t interested in real estate, but working for a well reputed company could do no wrong to your curriculum vitae. So you accepted the offer, not knowing that you would be working for his son, Rafe, as his personal assistant. 

You knocked on the door at the end of the hallway, announcing your presence. ‘’You wanted to see me, Mr. Cameron?’’ 

He looked up from the stack of documents neatly placed before him on his desk and your breath caught in your throat. Fuck me. It was a good thing you had put on lipgloss and a nice pair of heels instead of loafers because Rafe Cameron was a fine man. He looked right out of a smutty romance novel with his crisp button up and a navy blue suit jacket that brought out the color of his eyes. 

‘’Yes,’’ he replied, flashing you a polite and effortlessly charming smile. ‘’First, I wanted to meet my new assistant before I hand off the work I'd rather not deal with. My father was insistent about getting me a personal assistant, but I'm actually glad he hired you.’’ His eyes followed down your body in the most subtle way, taking note of how well your skirt was hugging your hips and anticipating the even better view when he’ll watch you go.  

‘’I’m glad I took the job too. Hopefully I won’t disappoint you,’’ you responded, a faint smile tugging at the corners of your lips, trying to hide everything you were feeling right now.

‘’I’m sure you won’t,’’ Rafe assured, his voice carrying a trace of amusement. ‘’Secondly, I was reviewing some paperwork, and it has come to my attention that Mr. Gilbert has not remitted his payment for the condo he recently bought. Can you give him a call and ask for payment? If he refuses to forward us the money before 4pm, we’ll cancel the sale agreement and find another prospective buyer.’’

You nodded in acknowledgment. 

Calling Mr. Gilbert. That should be easy for your first task. 

‘’Anything else?’’ 

Rafe shook his head. ‘’Not for the moment. You may leave.’’ 

‘’Well, Mr. Cameron.’’ 

His eyes lingered for a second, a hint of something more as he watched you turn to leave, a sly smirk playing on his lips.

Over the span of a few weeks, professional exchanges gradually morphed into something outside of your assigned tasks. You were still bringing him coffee whenever he asked and answering emails, but specks of flirting now laced your conversation and soon evolved with lingering glances to your chest while going over some work related paperwork. 

Once in a while, he would call you into his office and scheme excuses just to look at you. 

It wasn’t until that argument with his father that he — finally — made a move on you. 

You came to work early that day and, on your way to your office, you had heard Mr. Cameron shout at his son for a mistake he had made concerning the company and how it was going to make a big dent in their finances to fix it. To respect their privacy and not wanting them to think you were eavesdropping, you quickly went to your workspace and started your work. 

When Rafe came out of his father’s office, he saw you sitting at your desk. His chest was heaving with the intensity of the encounter, a storm brewing in his expression. You heard his office door close and, a few seconds later, an email popped on your screen.

My office. Now.

You thought he needed something, but when you stepped in, Rafe was waiting by the door and crashed his mouth on yours, giving in to the desires he’s been pushing aside since you walked in his office on your first day. 

A small gasp left your lips, not expecting to be kissed by your boss on a Thursday morning. A cloud of confusion fogged your brain and you broke the kiss, trying to fight the invisible string pulling you to him. 

Rafe's gaze lowered down yours, a complex blend of frustration and longing evident in his eyes.

The reason why he had never made a move on you before stemmed from a promise to his father, who had made him promise to not fool around with the personnel if he wanted to be part of Cameron Developpement. It hadn't been too difficult until now, the employees being mostly women in their thirties and up. Then, you came around and Rafe had to use a lot of self-control to not charm his way into your panties. To further complicate the situation, you were responsive to his advances and flirting. 

However, after a heated exchange with his father, Rafe was in the mood to piss him off, so to hell with his stupid rules.

‘’Can I trust you that this stays between us?’’ His hands roamed across your sides, down your body, feeling what he had been staring at these past weeks.  

‘’I never kiss and tell.’’ 

Rafe's thumb brushed the corner of your mouth, removing a smudge of lipstick. ‘’Good girl.’’

The way he said it went straight to your core, waking an ache between your legs. How could a voice have such a strong effect? 

Your eyes traveled to the clock on the wall. Agnes, one of the secretaries, should arrive in twenty minutes. You knew her routine because her desk was right by the hallway leading to Rafe’s office. You also knew that she visited him every morning after checking her emails.

Your thoughts were interrupted when Rafe’s mouth found its way back on yours, his tongue slipping between your lips and he pulled you closer to him, pressing his body against yours as his other hand traveled down your legs, to the hem of your tight skirt. He caressed and grabbed one of your ass cheeks, groaning at the feeling. 

Wasting no time getting undressed, Rafe hiked your skirt up, eliciting a small gasp as cool air hit your skin. ‘’Can you be quiet for me?’’ he asked, pressing against you and letting you feel the length of his hard cock against your thigh. ‘’The walls are thin and Agnes is gonna get here soon. We don’t want her to hear us, do we?’’ 

You shook your head. ‘’Are you gonna fuck me, Mr. Cameron?’’ 

Aside from one mishap, you and Rafe successfully kept your secret business from the other employees. If the whispers of your unprofessional doings in his office were to get to his father, you would both be in a lot of trouble. 

 ‘’I have Anthony Gilbert from the construction company on the first line. He has some questions about the new condos,’’ you informed Rafe after he returned from an afternoon meeting, his tie slightly loosened.  

A sigh left his mouth as he leaned back in his chair, visibly tired. ‘’Transfer him to my secretary.’’  

You shifted on your heels, sensing Rafe didn’t want to speak to this man. ‘’He asked to speak to you specifically.’’ 

‘’Well, we can’t always get what we want,’’ he pressed. ‘’Agnes will take care of it,’’ Rafe repeated, his tone final. 

You nodded. ‘’Yes, Mr. Cameron.’’ 

‘’Now, would you please close the door? There’s a document I would like to go over with you.’’ 

A document. You held a snicker and shut the door as requested. 

Once you turned the lock, Rafe patted his lap and you walked around his desk. He watched you with hungry eyes, impatient to get his hands all over you. Get his cock inside you. 

‘’Looking good today, babydoll. Is this new?’’ he asked, running his thumb over the neckline of your wrap dress as you seated yourself on his lap, careful to not rub the sole of your heels on his pants and leave a mark. 

You hummed in response, leaning forward to expose more of your chest. ‘’Do you like it?’’

Rafe let his hand glide down, following the cut of the dress, until he reached the tie to undo it. He pulled until the knot came off, revealing your bra — a soft pink lace number that did not much other than looking pretty. A shudder left your lips as his hand cupped your breast through your bra, his thumb brushing over where he knew your nipple was. 

‘’Very.’’ 

You carded your fingers as he mouthed at your chest and neck, careful to leave no marks behind. A sigh left your lips, wishing he would pull your bra down and just take suck on your nipple, but Rafe had other plans. While his mouth was working, one hand slipped between your thighs, seeking out your warmth, his hand pressed itself against your soaked panties.

He grinned against your skin. ‘’Would you look at that,’’ Rafe murmured, teasing you over the fabric and sending jolts of pleasure to your core. ‘’Were you thinking of me while I was at my meeting?’’ he questioned his fingers pushing your panties to the side, fingers delving into your slick, a low moan fell from your lips. ‘’Get on the desk.’’ 

You wordlessly climb up onto his cold desk, ignoring the papers that got scattered, leaning back with your hands to spread your legs for him. Rafe pulled your panties down your legs and discarded them in one of the drawers — a little keepsake. 

He dipped two fingers between your soaked folds, causing you to moan slowly. ‘’You look so pretty spread out for me like this,’’ he muttered between you, his cock twitching in his pants and straining against the fabric. ‘’Ready for me to take.’’ His thumb grazed over your clit and a gasp fell from your lips, your hands instinctively grabbing the edge of the desk to brace yourself.

‘’I’m always ready for you,’’ you said, speaking the embarrassing truth. ‘’I’ve never wanted a cock as bad as I want yours.’’

Your words had the desired effect, making Rafe groan. ‘’Shit, babydoll. Where did you get that filthy mouth?’’ 

Rafe reached down and rubbed himself over his pants before deftly unbuckling his belt and unzipping his trousers. He stood from his seat, the bulge in his boxers making your mouth water and your pussy clench. 

You used to feel guilty for fooling around on your work hours. It felt wrong and dishonest to your boss, but all guilt would go out the window the moment Rafe’s big cock entered you. Fuck work ethics and policies. 

The rest of his clothes came off and he stood between your parted legs, one of his large hands grabbing your thigh while his other was holding his hard length at your entrance. His blue eyes gazed up at you with a mischievous glint as he rubbed his tip against your folds, making you whine with anticipation. 

His teasing turned on him as you reached for his cock and wrapped your hand around its length, drawing a moan from him. ‘’Little minx.’’

You grinned, continuing your motions. Teasing could go both ways. 

‘’Ahh,’’ you gasped as he pressed in, a slow delicious burn that sent a shiver down your spine as he pushed his way through your tight walls. 

Rafe leaned down his forehead, pressing down onto yours and breathing you in as he rolled his hips into you. A moan spilled from your throat at the sensation, a little too loud, and he was quick to clamp his hand over your mouth to muffle any sounds, the floor still full at this hour. 

To add to the noises, the desk was creaking every time Rafe was dragging his cock in and out of you. Although the angle was great, the desk might not be the quietest — unfortunately. 

 ‘’You like that babydoll, you like when I fuck you like this?’’ 

You nodded, your mouth still covered. 

Fuck, just like that, you wanted to scream, your back arching when he hit the right spot over and over at a toe curling pace. God, this was the best sex of your life. Some men just knows what they're doing.

The shrill of the phone echoed in the office, but you both ignored it — Agnes will answer. It was probably the man who wanted to speak to Rafe calling again. 

Sorry Mr. Gilbert, Mr. Cameron is very busy fucking the life out of his personal assistant.

Your body writhed against Rafe, your hands leaving the desk to pull at his hair and grab at his arm while your heels dug into his ass. He grunted, your walls clenching around him. A few more hard thrusts and his thumb sweeping over your clit had your thighs trembling as the waves of pleasure washed over you.

Rafe continued to push into you, dragging out your orgasm as his took over, pulling out quickly and cumming on your stomach, trying to not get any drop on your dress.  

You didn’t have time to get dressed or catch your breath that a knock came on the door. Momentarily forgetting you had locked it, you jumped, thinking you were going to get caught. 

‘’What is it?’’ Rafe called out, trying not to sound too out of breath. 

‘’I have Mr. Gilbert on the phone on line three. He’s asking to speak to you,’’ Agnes’s sweet voice said through the door. ‘’A pressing matter, he said.’’ 

‘’I’m unable to take the call at the moment. I’m busy going over a document for a client I’m seeing tomorrow morning. Could you please take the call for me?’’ he asked, rubbing his hands over your thighs, wishing his secretary would leave so he can get on his knees and get his mouth between your legs.

Agnes nodded although he couldn’t see her. ‘’I understand, Mr. Cameron. I'll inform him right away.’’ 

Rafe waited to hear clicks of her heels down the hallway to sink to his knees and get back to business. He did tell Agnes that he was working on a document, no one would question how long you were locked in his office for.

—

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[asthxte]

sirius “no one wanted to play with me as a little kid, so I've been scheming like a criminal ever since, to make them love me and make it seem effortless” black

[bowiebrokenbystardust]

Regulus "no one wanted to play with me as a little kid" Black

And

Sirius "so I've been scheming like a criminal ever since" Black

[keyotos]

hey!! can i request hsr men (specifically dan heng but anyone else works too) hcs for how they are with children???

little ankle biters (endearingly)

summary ⎯ hsr men spend time with kids!!

includes ⎯ dan heng, gepard, and jing yuan

tana's words ⎯ kids r so fun. i never understood the whole "i want to kick children" thing bc obviously you aren't a fun and happy person u miserable depressed freak. anyway i hope u enjoy!!

also pls forgive me if i take a little long w/ requests. i've been soo busy w/ my personal life so i'm really trying i promise

dan heng

⎯ he's awkward at first, but as he spends more time with them, he becomes less awkward and more relaxed.

⎯ so sarcastic around children. but since they're children, they don't understand it and think he's being serious. it's so amusing when you hear them all gasp at his sentences.

⎯ this all started when you dragged dan heng along to play with the kids in boulder town. at first, he wanted to refuse because he thought it would have been awkward (it was), but after some begging from your side dan heng eventually gave in.

⎯at first, dan heng was just there. the kids mostly gravitated towards you and he had no reason to get in the way with that. he was happy to admire you play around with them; besides, he was able to help you win at hide n' seek without cheating.

⎯ noticing his behavior, you didn't want to see him missing out any longer. so you, after seeing him distance himself from the kids, had an idea. you asked dan heng if you could borrow his spear. you then used to carefully poke yourself in the stomach in front of the kids, then you fell dramatically on the ground.

dan heng, confused by your actions, watched you roll around on the ground. the children were laughing, asking if you were okay or not. you continued rolling around, clutching your stomach, until you called out for dan heng, "dan heng! the brave hero! help me!!" you called out.

dan heng's eyes widened. you were acting like you were in pain when you were perfectly fine. and the children were convinced. when they all looked up at him with pleading eyes, dan heng knew he had no choice. he grabbed you by the arm to try to pull you up, but you didn't budge.

he pulled harder, yet there was still no movement from you. for a second, dan heng thought you were actually hurt before you opened your eyes and gave him a wink. you were met with a sigh of disbelief from dan heng. since he didn't say anything, you took this as an opportunity for phase two, "i need you to carry me," you whispered.

dan heng's face recoiled, "why?"

"please," you held on tighter to his hand, interlocking your fingers together. you squeezed his hand to convince him even further. dan heng knew he was screwed when he lifted you up from the ground and held you in his arms: if you were a drug, he would constantly be addicted to you.

"oh!" you exaggerated, making your voice extra loud, "i am saved! the hero of boulder town saved me!!" dan heng was trying to duck his head away from you, saving himself from further embarrassment. it didn't work, however, as he heard one of the kids say, "me next!! me next!!"

and so he spent the next hour taking kids in his arms, spinning them around, and trying to refrain from making too many sarcastic comments. for once, it seemed as though he toned down his seriousness for the kids. they were overjoyed, and they begged you guys to stay for more hours. sadly, the two of you had to refuse.

"you had fun, didn't you," you smirked while walking hand-in-hand through bouldertown.

"perhaps. did you have fun with your little scheme?" he turned his head around to look at you.

"i did," you smiled and wrapped your arm around his. "i hope to do this again some day."

yeah, dan heng hoped as well. he ended the day off with you by his side and with more positive thoughts about the children of boulder town than before.

gepard

⎯ as the captain of the silvermane guards, he had many many kids who looked up to him. even the kids in the underworld (who had never seen him before) were completely enthralled by him. he had numerous little girls wanted to marry him, as well as numerous little boys who wanted to be him.

⎯ that being said, he has very little experience with children. since he's always so busy, he never really has time to get to know belobog. yes, he does go patrolling, but that is much different than exploring all the nooks and crannies of the city, learning its customs, its culture, its people.

⎯ you've noticed this over the past few years. so you decided to change that. one day, a day where gepard finally got a day off, you took him to go sightseeing throughout the city. gepard claims he's already seen the entirety of belobog, but you think differently.

⎯ so, you've decided to drag him out of his office as a way to interact with the people he's protecting. especially the kids.

"me and captain gepard are getting married one day," you hear a little girl whisper, "he's so nice to me. he saved me and my mom once," she gossiped.

gepard looked thoroughly surprised at the girl's theory. he was about to say something before another kid butt in, "captain gepard is too busy to get married to you," he snided, "he'll be the captain and i'll be his vice-captain!"

the girl scoffed, "vice-captain isn't a thing, idiot."

you laughed at the kids' encounter with each other. they were absolutely adorable; childhood innocence in times like these is a true example of one of the worlds' wonders. "aren't they cute," you bumped gepard's shoulder, "this is what you've been missing out on."

"i had forgotten how kids behaved," gepard says in shock. "it's been a while since i was a kid."

you smirked, suddenly having an idea, "well, you can always relive it!" you shoved gepard into the circle of children.

suddenly, the girl who had been so pompous before turned away from gepard, trying to hide her flushed expression. the boy who was boasting about becoming a "vice captain" had eyes that shined brighter than the stars themselves.

"captain gepard!!" the children exclaimed. he'd never been out and about in the city before; they immediately knew this was a rare occasion. they surrounded him quickly, jumping and clapping. gepard towered over all the children, a sight that you found endearing.

"captain gepard! i want to be your vice captain soon!!" the insistent boy yelled. "and stephanie wants to marry you," he snitched.

"jacob!" the girl shoved, "that was supposed to be a secret," she scolded. jacob simply shrugged in response. trying his best not to get in between the sibling quarrell (gepard has already lived through too many of those), he turned his head around, mouthing for help.

you smiled, shook your head, and walked towards him, "okay guys, chill out. do you guys want to ask him anything?" you wrapped your arms around gepard's shoulders. it was an act of reassurance, whilst still letting the kids have fun.

"yeah," stephanie answered, "do they let stupid people," she eyed jacob, "into the silvermane guards?"

"hey!" jacob elbowed stephanie, "you're just mad because his real partner is right next to him," he gestured towards you.

your eyes widened synchronically, both of you turning towards each other. "i⎯ we're not," you blush, suddenly getting hot. the thought of marriage has crossed your mind before, but hearing these children speculate was just embarrassing.

while you try to stutter out a response, gepard silently takes your hand in his, rubbing his thumb over the top of your hand with a smile adorning his lips. you were right, this was fun.

jing yuan

⎯ actually amazing with kids. he is the perfect mix of fun and caring. literal father vibes.

⎯ kids in the xianzhou adore him. they look up to him, much like they do with gepard, but jing yuan is less awkward. however, since he's so busy, he doesn't have much time to go down and play with them.

⎯ i guess he kinda missed out on his childhood?? it wasn't unhappy bc he ended up doing something he liked, but he never had the "normal" childhood experience. but he understands children to a certain extent, like their excitement over things (ex. yanqing with swords).

⎯ type to share stories. not rlly the type to play w/ them bc he has a whole ass POLEARM. that would be very dangerous and very bad.

finally, there was a day where jing yuan had a ounce of free time to spare with you. of course, you two had your nights, early mornings, and (occasionally) evenings, but you two never had more than an hour together (not counting sleep).

so, what other way to celebrate than to finally explore what you two have missed out on? you two haven't been down in star-skiff haven in what seems like years. with your busy schedules and many prominent tasks, it was hard to make free time to leave the house a lot.

you two have been sightseeing the entire day; viewing all the star-skiffs that passed by, trying all the food, even going around various markets. but none of those amused you much as the children playing in the center of star-skiff haven did.

they were running around, jumping, and betting on star-skiffs. they all had their own individual cliques, it seemed; they were all hanging out separately.

"do you remember what it was like, being in a clique?" you turned to jing yuan who was observing the children.

"i spent most of my life training, so no," he took a sip from a drink he bought. noticing your interest in his drink, he held it out towards you, which prompted you to take a sip. you let out a sigh of delight.

"thanks," you leaned onto him, "i remember being in one of these childhood cliques. i was the freaking leader of all the children," you bragged.

"oh really?" jing yuan raised an eyebrow, "why don't you go over there and show them who's the boss?" his lips raised in a smug smile.

"i'm getting too old," you waved him off, to which jing yuan shook his head in disagreement, "you could get out there though, general."

"told you not to call me general," he pointed a finger in your face. you responded by trying to bite it off. sadly, it didn't work, as jing yuan's reflexes prove once again why he remains the general. "what would i do out there?"

"you could tell them stories," you rocked back and forth on your heels, "did you ever play with kids your age?"

"sometimes, before i started training to be apart of the cloud knights, though. but i can't really remember my life back then," he looked to the carefree kids, eyes filled with admiration.

"you could spend some time with them now," your voice raised a little bit, "you have time," you told in a soft voice.

"i suppose i do," jing yuan grinned at you.

jing yuan was popular with the children, to say the least. it seems that you would've had a rival back then; if jing yuan didn't join the cloud knights, of course. nonetheless, it was an endearing sight to see jing yuan converse with the children who were gathered by him.

he treated them so well, similar to how he would treat yanqing. he told them stories, exaggerating them to just the right amount. and every time one of them would smile, laugh, or gasp, he'd always turn towards you, giving you a smile of your own.

for someone who spent most of their childhood whisked away, jing yuan was practically a child himself.

jing yuan's probably ooc but lets IGNORE THAT and focus on how i managed to finish 2 requests in one day!!!! 2 more here we come!!!!!!!!

[fearsomeandwretched]

I love mastermind so much I know it gets hated on for having minion soundtrack production or whatever but if you didn't cry when you heard "no one wanted to play with me as a little kid so I've been scheming like a criminal ever since... to make them love me and make it seem effortless" you just don't get it and I'm sorry for you

[taylor-swift-bracket]

Battle of the Bridges!

Mastermind

No one wanted to play with me as a little kid

So I've been scheming like a criminal ever since

To make them love me and make it seem effortless

This is the first time I've felt the need to confess

And I swear

I'm only cryptic and Machiavellian

'Cause I care

The Great War

It turned into something bigger

Somewhere in the haze, got a sense I'd been betrayed

Your finger on my hairpin triggers

Soldier down on that icy ground

Looked up at me with honor and truth

Broken and blue, so I called off the troops

That was the night I nearly lost you

I really thought I'd lost you

🌁Please reblog!🌁

[flusteredmoonn]

featuring regulus black

now playing; regulus black's album... — in which flusteredmoonn compiles all of the works featuring regulus black, by era.

"...no one wanted to play with me as a little kid..."

speak now tracklist.🔮

speak now, r.b. "and the organ starts to play a song that sounds like a death march," in which his parents see to it that their familial name is continued on.

never grow up, s.b. r.b. "don't you ever grow up, just stay this little," in which he mourns his relationship with his brother, and then grieves his brother's death.

better than revenge, r.b. "now go stand in the corner and think about what you did," in which she is under the impression that he is just like his brother. she's mistaken.

haunted, r.b. "c'mon, c'mon, don't leave me like this," in which he doesn't have the heart to tell her of his imminent departure.

superman, r.b. "he has his mothers eyes, his fathers ambition," in which is proud of him that he is the one chosen, succumbing to his parents expectations.

castles crumbling, r.b. "once, i was the great hope for a dynasty," in which the truth of his brother's loyalties are revealed and now he is viewed as the sole heir. somewhat sequel to speak now

"...so i've been scheming like a criminal ever since..."

[chaifootsteps]

have you heard of Taylor swift song Mastermind. while I don't like her, that song is actually good for putting in your oc's playlist lol. but it kinda reminds me a bit of stolas if you read the lyrics.

ironic isn't Stolas is compared with Taylor swift

Once upon a time, the planets and the fates And all the stars aligned You and I ended up in the same room At the same time

...

No one wanted to play with me as a little kid So I've been scheming like a criminal ever since To make them love me and make it seem effortless This this the first time I've felt the need to confess And I swear I'm only cryptic and Machiavellian 'cause I care

Oof, yeah, that's Stolas right there. God, I miss when Stolas was allowed to be the villain.

[kirikiss]

Condition of Love - Part Two

ミ☆ Ah, young love :)

ミ☆ Pro Hero! Iida x Reader

ミ☆ Iida and Y/N must renew their hero licenses, but the only way to pass their final test is to follow the unpredictable demands of a group of eager children. As the kids conspire to play matchmaker, the heroes are forced to navigate an unexpected challenge that could determine their futures. ミ☆ pt. 2, no warnings, reader uses she/her. fluff ;D, not fully proofread

click here for pt 1 :)

Iida, who had little experience interacting with children, found himself reverting to his usual stiff, hand-chopping demeanor. “Hello, kids! I am Pro Hero Ingenium, and this is Pro Hero Harmonic. We’ve been assigned to observe you today.”

“Yeah, yeah, we know that! Let us see your quirks in action!” a boy blurted out, his impatience evident. One thing about kids is that they always know what they want.

In an effort to win them over, y/n complied.

Harmonic’s Quirk was simple yet powerful: she could switch places with any person or object within her field of vision whenever she clapped. Spotting a toy block decorated with a bright ‘A,’ she decided to start her demonstration. Harmonic began clapping rhythmically, each clap accompanied by a playful switch with items around the room. She even swapped places with a few of the children, who erupted in laughter as they were momentarily transported to different spots.

The children were thoroughly entertained, their laughter growing with each unexpected change in their surroundings. The anticipation of who would be next kept them on edge and added to the fun. They started clapping along with her.

After a series of lively claps and switches, Harmonic turned to Iida and clapped once more, switching places with him so that he could start his part of the show-and-tell.

Iida’s quirk wasn't as flashy as hers. “It wouldn’t be safe if I used my quirk in here,” he explained with a calm, reassuring tone. The children let out a collective sigh of disappointment but quickly found a new source of entertainment. As Iida and Harmonic captivated a group of kids with thrilling stories of their battles against notorious villains, two mischievous children quietly slipped away to the corner where building blocks with letters were scattered.

With giggles and whispered plans, they carefully arranged the blocks to spell out “Date Me?” In hope one of the pro heroes would stumble upon it and think the other had written it. Once their little prank was set, the two children exchanged satisfied grins and hurried back to the group, eager to hear more of the heroes' tales while secretly anticipating the moment their scheme would be discovered.

As more chaos erupted in the classroom, one boy mischievously snatched Iida’s helmet and started sprinting around the room, laughing maniacally, Iida chased after him. Meanwhile, a boy and girl decided to take advantage of the distraction for their own mischief.

The boy, eyes darting around the room, spotted a neat line of juice boxes that the serious man in the suit had set out for them. Grinning, he grabbed one and took a triumphant sip. Then, his gaze fell on a stack of sticky notes poking out from a cabinet. An idea sparked in his mind. He snagged a note and a pen, quickly scrawling a message with a mischievous smirk.

"Dear Ingenium, I think you're super handsome. Wanna go out with me? Love, Harmonic"

The handwriting was a mess, with some letters large and others tiny, lines zigzagging across the note. Still, he was pleased with it. Glancing at the juice box in his hand, he casually pressed the sticky note onto it before setting it back with the others, acting as if nothing happened.

The girl, not one to be left out, grabbed the pen from him, tapping it against her chin as she thought. A scene from a TV show she had watched the night before came to mind, but instead of taking it lightly, she decided to go for a more sincere tone. With careful, deliberate strokes, she penned her message.

"Dear Harmonic, I've thought about this for some time now, and I want to be honest. My feelings for you have grown beyond friendship. I would be honored if you’d join me for dinner this Saturday so we can talk about what might be next for us. Yours truly, Ingenium."

Her handwriting was neat and precise, reflecting the seriousness of her words. She gently smoothed the sticky note onto another juice box, making sure it was perfectly placed before stepping back, her expression thoughtful.

The two exchanged a knowing glance, both proud of their work but for different reasons. 

As the kids discreetly slipped back into the rowdy group, they watched with eager anticipation. Iida and Y/N stood slightly apart from the others, whispering quietly to each other.

“So, what’s next?” Y/N asked softly, her voice warm and smooth as she leaned close to Iida’s ear.

He turned his head toward her, his voice low as he replied, “I’m not entirely sure. Should we read them a book? Let me see if there’s one around here.”

“I’ll help you look,” Y/N offered with a smile.

They both stood up, unaware of the curious eyes following their every move. The children could barely contain their excitement, waiting for the two heroes to stumble upon the little innuendos they had scattered around the room.

Y/N was the first to notice the building blocks, neatly arranged on a low table. As she leaned down to inspect them, she realized they spelled out a message. “Date me?” she whispered under her breath, her brow furrowing in confusion as she read the words aloud.

“What did you say?” Iida asked, catching the words and turning to her with a surprised expression.

“Oh, nothing!” Y/N quickly replied, straightening up and brushing it off with a light laugh. “Just something the kids must’ve put together. Ah, young love, right?”

Iida shrugged, appearing unbothered by the mishap, and turned back to continue his search for a book. As he moved toward a shelf, something bright yellow caught his eye. He paused, reaching out to pluck the sticky note from the juice box. Unfortunately, the boy who set this up had left the juice box open, causing a splash of juice to land on Iida’s suit.

“Dear Ingenium, I think you're super handsome. Wanna go out with me? Love, Harmonic.”

Iida stared at the note, his face a mix of confusion and amusement. “Hmmm,” he muttered to himself. “This isn’t exactly Y/N’s style.”

It seems at the same time, y/n discovered her thoughtful note as well. She curiously picked up the juice box, reading the note in her head.

 “Dear Harmonic, I've thought about this for some time now, and I want to be honest. My feelings for you have grown beyond friendship. I would be honored if you’d join me for dinner this Saturday so we can talk about what might be next for us. Yours truly, Ingenium."

She chuckled in amusement. Clearly, this wasn’t Iida’s doing. Turning to him, they exchanged the notes with each other, both shaking their heads in disbelief.

“Kids really have wild imaginations,” Y/N said with a laugh.

While Y/N found the situation hilarious, Iida was a bit more serious. He turned to the children, his expression a mix of exasperation and bemusement.

“Alright, kids,” he began with a half-smile, “whatever this prank is, it’s not exactly my idea of funny. But I suppose you’ve got some creativity.”

One kid chuckled, clearly relishing the moment as he began to speak. “Listen, you two,” he started with a bratty tone, “we’re the ones who decide whether you pass this or not. The only way we’ll tell the big scary man you did well is if you agree to go out on a date with each other.”

Iida and Y/N’s mouths dropped in shock.

“What? That’s ridiculous!” Iida exclaimed, though his frustration was tinged with disbelief. “Hero work is serious business—there’s no need to mix it with personal life. How did you kids come up with this idea? TV shows these days are getting absurd!”

Before he could go on, Y/N interrupted with a surprising calm. “I say we have a deal,” she said, a determined look on her face.

Iida turned to her, a slight flush rising on his cheeks. “Wait, what?” he stammered.

Y/N leaned in and whispered, “This is the only way to get our hero licenses back. Do you really want to wait another two weeks?”

Iida thought it over for a moment, the reality of the situation sinking in. “I suppose you’re right,” he finally admitted with a resigned sigh.

Turning back to the children, Iida tried to maintain a semblance of authority. “Alright, children,” he said, “if we agree to this, will you promise to put in a good word for us?”

“Promise!” the kids shouted in unison, their excitement barely contained.

Iida and Y/N exchanged glances, a mix of resignation and amusement in their eyes. The deal was struck, and the heroes prepared to navigate their unexpected date as part of their unconventional path to passing the test. 

》* 。 • ˚ ˚ ˛ ˚ ˛ • 。* 。° 。* 。 • ˚《》* 。 • ˚ ˚ ˛ ˚ ˛ • 。* 。° 。* 。 • ˚《》* 。

taglist: @sofiascripts @yumejoshihimejoshi

[spiderrrling]

Seventeen - JD! Eddie x Veronica! Reader

you guys aren't going to believe who it is....me with writing

this is part of my unfinished vip that is theatre kid! Eddie x theatre kid! reader where they play JD and Veronica from Heathers

note: this is unedited in rough writing stages, its not even proofread but I wanted to post it!!

"you know, for this to work you're gonna have to get close to me at some point"

"You- you're right," the admission left your lips with a breath of air which seemed to deflate you more than it probably should have.

"So what's the problem here?" Eddie leant against your wall, seemingly trying to put as much distance between the two of you as he could, which admittedly wasn't much. "And don't tell me there isn't one."

He was right, of course. He'd picked up on it all and if you were being honest you weren't shocked.

Sitting across from him in a booth in the diner, or in the passenger seat of his car. The nerves and excitement still churned in your stomach but it wasn't the same as the heavy panic that seemed to set in whenever he was close, too close.

"Its just that-" the words did not want to come, your teeth digging into your bottom lip as you looked away from him, staring directly at your door, "I've never been...kissed?" 

You realized how pathetic you must have sounded, the words sounding more like a question rather than an admission of complete lack of experience.

Only daring to look back at him when you heard him breathe out a soft laugh. His doe brown eyes soft as they met yours, his fingers playing with the rings on his hand nervously, it was calming not being the only nervous one for once.

"And this is not how you expected it to go?" There he went again, reading you like an open playbook.

"Yeah,"

"With me?" The look in his eyes said so much more than his words ever could, with *me* he'd said. Eddie Munson, town freak.

"With anyone," you refuted his point, and it wasn't a complete lie.

"Well, we can't have that now can we?" The mischief sparked up his eyes and tugged at the corner of his lips, scrunching his nose ever so slightly. "So.... we need a plan."

Eddie turned around, his eyes scanning across your bookshelf, fingers trailing the dustry shelves as his eyes wildly flew from title to tile blindly searching for something, he knew what he was looking for but he had no idea what it might look like.

"What- what exactly are you doing?" Words seemed to be getting stuck in your throat, this was new territory, unchoreographed scenes where you had no idea what would come next.

"Looking for inspiration..." Eddie seemed almost lost in his own plans and schemes as his words trailed off. "Romance novels, a script, something... a diary," he turned back around to face you, the mischievous grin bigger than before, eyebrows raised.

"A diary?" 

"What you're not a hopeless romantic who rambles about being kissed by the perfect guy?" 

"What no- no!" You could not believe this was the conversation you were having, hands covering your face and you weren't sure if it was due to the utter disbelief or the embarrassment.

"No you're not a hopeless romantic or no don't write about it in your diary?"

"Who's to even say I have a diary?" 

"So that's yes to both, where is it?" He looked almost like a little kid, nearly giddy with what you could only describe as devious plans. It took all your might to keep your eyes on Eddie and to not look at your bedside table

"Eddie, you're not reading my diary,"

"So you admit it, you have fantasized about it,"

"Ok fantazised is a very strong word,"

"If you won't let me read, will you at least tell me?" He sat down across from you on the bed, his legs crossed, picking up one of your pillows into his lap, and you couldn't help but think just how out of place he looked, but he seemed so at home. There seemed to be something almost genuine in his eyes, yet you were terrified to trust him completely. "I promise I won't laugh, I have no reason to." 

Almost on instinct he held out his pinkie to you, his smile vanished for just a minute to really show you he meant business.

"C'mon, it's just me, I'm nothing dangerous." You swore he grinned like the devil when he said that, and maybe that's why you took his pinkie in your own.

You let yourself fall onto your back, eyes sliding shut, once again not being able to look at him.

"I don't think I ever actually imagined it...more than like wanting it to be special, with someone I like..." teeth dug into your bottom lip, guarding your words carefully before you continued, "and it would be natural, not forced, like I'd be laughing from something they said and they'd just lean over and kiss me, and that's all it would be." 

He didn't say anything, but you felt the mattress dip next to you from his weight, laying shoulder to shoulder with you and you realize it's the closest the two of you ever have been to each other, and the alarm bells in your mind weren't going off, the panic wasn't building. It was nice.

"You didn't laugh," you open one eye and glance over at him just to find his eyes closed.

"I promised, didn't I?" Something about that made your thoughts stand still, go into a quiet, comfortable lull, it made breathing just a little bit easier.

"So... Do you like me?" Now that question caught you off guard and you found yourself instinctively move away from him just a little bit. "Nono stay, it's nice having you not tense up whenever I get close, and no- not like *that*, as a friend, a person if you will."

"You're not half bad, I suppose," it felt good to smile because of him, there was something really easy about it.

"You suppose?!" The fake hurt dripping from his voice is infatuation and you cannot help but laugh, you feel his hand leave yours and you see him grabbing one of the teddy bears off your bed, "she supposes!" he exlaims while looking the bear right in the eyes.

Eddie uses his fingers to manipulate the bear to life, moving the bear to look at you next.

"Yeah, I guess."

"And now she guesses!"

"Well, if I am not so half bad then?" He turned on the mattress, laying to face you, but you were still struggling to gather the courage to actually look him in the eye.

"Then what?" You folded your hands over your stomach, linking your fingers together, trying your best to stay composed because deep down you knew what was coming next.

"You know what I am asking," his voice was soft, calm, not at all what you had expected.

"Here? Now?" The realization of what he might mean dawned on you, and as if almost on cue, the same pit of anxiety started growing in your stomach, making your mouth dry and making your limbs go numb.

"No- no, let me take you out," he laid back down on the bed, prying your fingers appart and grabbing your hand, it was as if he had figured out how to make you comforable, "as friends, don't go thinking anything else, and I'll make it special."

"Special, only as friends," you repeated quietly, your eyes drifting back to the light fixture bolted to your ceiling, taking deep, slow breaths. "When? Because with rehersals and school, you know I have a very busy schedule-"

"Thursday, we're supposed to run lines anyway so I know you're free," you didn't have to look at him to know he was smiling, you could hear it in his voice. "And before you say anything, you will still live if we skip one afternoon of running lines to kiss me."

"You're sure?" 

"About the kiss or the lines?"

"Both." It was your turn to make him laugh, a genuine laugh from a genuine joke, not laughing at your lack of experience, an actual laugh. A deep chuckle from his chest. It felt good.

"Mmmh, I'll do my best but no promises,"

"Can I ask you something?"

"I'm an open book," you didn't doubt what he said, as long as you had the courage to ask you fully believed Eddie would tell you the truth.

"How many people have you kissed?" You put your finger on what exactly had changed between you, but there was now a lightnes hanging in the space you were sharing with Eddie. It was easier to breathe, as long as you kept your eyes fixated on the ceiling.

"Me? Why'd you wanna know?" That stupid coy smile was back on his lips, the exact kind that seemed to get under your skin a little too easily.

"I suppose I just need to know if theres like a mountain of people I need to compete with here,"

And he laughed, that same laugh that made everything in the air between you feel lighter, an atmosphere where it became easier to breathe.

"Me? A mountain?" You can still hear the laugh in his voice as he speaks, "you are aware of well, this?" he quickly gestures to all of himself, the harsh denim, leather and metal combination that makes up so much of his wardrobe.

And you can't help but feel just a little bit stupid, you weren't blindly unaware as to his social standing in the general town of Hawkins, but it was still Eddie. Someone who had an air of efortlessness around him, and he wasn't bad looking, just maybe not what you would class as the typical highschool look.

But you had also heard the swirling rumors, the resident outcast didn't only come with rumors of satanism and devil worship.

And all of it weren't rumors, you had seen it with your own eyes, the looks between him and Natalie last year, their failed attempts of hiding quick kisses backstage between calls. So there had been at least one. You knew that.

Had he been laying on her bed last year? Fingers laced and sharing secrets just as you were now. Had he given her her first kiss?

"Ok yeah fair enough Mr president of the Hellfire Club," you laugh and do your best to elbow him in the ribcage, "but you still have, right?"

"Yeah, of course I have-," he pauses for a moment, his hand immediately coming up to cover his eyes when he realized what he had said, "not- not of course like *that* more like yes I have, you know what I mean? Right?"

There was something ever so slightly satisfying about seeing Eddie Munson be the flustered one out of the two of you for once. With his hand pulled over his eyes and you swore you could see just the slightest amount of pink in his cheeks.

"I know," you quickly squeeze his other and which you are still holding in yours.

"But for your reference, I prefer master of the Hellfire Club, not president," you know he is joking, but you cant help but wonder if he does actually mean it deep down. You don't know much about the Hellfire Club, other than the alledged rumors they're responsible for all the weird things going on in Hawkins.

And a part of you is intrigued, it's near impossible to miss the props they use for their game when you're backstage, the big, black, wooden throne Eddie stored along with a handpainted banner of their logo had made you stop and look on more than one occation.

"Whatever you say, master of Hellfire Club." And thats all you say for a minute, for the first time you didn't feel the need to fill the empty space between you with lines or questions, the silence was comfort enough for once.

"Do you find it weird I haven't?" For the first time you do more than sneak a quick glance at him, turning your head on the mattress you can see his profile, the mess of his dark tangle of curls laying right next to you. "Kissed anyone, that is," you add quickly.

"Weird? No, I know you're weird but not because of that," you feel his elbow nudge you in the side, and you can't help but laugh, "I was more surprised."

"Surprised?" Did that mean he had thought about you?

"Yeah, just didn't expect you to not have been kissed," he stopped for a second, carefully trying to detangle the web of questions it seems he wants to ask, "didn't James ask you to homecoming or whatever?"

"Oh- no, I mean he did, ask me that is, but I didn't go with him," you stumble over your words as they hapazardly leave your lips, suddenly wanting nothing more than to sink into your bed and never resurface.

He's quiet, just for a moment, what you have realized is that rarely anything ever truly quiet when it comes to Eddie, "Sooo, why didn't you go?"

"Can I be honest with you?"

"Wouldn't want anything else,"

"I kinda didn't want to?"

"Once again, you surprise me," and there he went again, carefully difusing the immediate anxiety that built in your stomach.

"But you still want to go with me? Tomorrow?"

"Yeah- yeah of course," you do your best to sound sure of yourself, of your own words, but there is still the unexplicable anxiety festering in your stomach with every passing second. Where part of you wishes he would just kiss you, right here, right now.

Getting it over with would be better than another restless night of wonder filled anxiety.

Maybe you could be friends with Eddie Munson, laughing in a booth between the sharing of scripted lines, laying on your bed sharing innocent secrets you havent told anyone else, listening to his newest music concotion he's created on a mixed tape in his car.

Yeah, that shouldn't be too hard.

----

Two days had passed, two entire days had come and gone. And your sheets still smelled like Eddie Munson.

The dark scents still hung onto the soft sheets, to your bear, your pillow. Every breath you take was as if he was stil laying beside you as you swapped secrets.

It had become another reminder of just how entangled he was becoming in your life. It was astonishing how quickly someone could establish themselves in your life.

Which is why the slight pang in your chest at the thought of his scent slowly dwindling was making more sense with every passing moment. Not that you were fully ready to admit that to yourself just yet.

"You're gonna skip rehersals,"

"But-"

"Consider it a type of rehersal then if you will," he was quick to dispute your protests, and he was right. This was a step you had to cross, "You're gonna go home, do whatever you want to do, get dressed up, do your makeup, anything,"

"And then, I am going to pick you up,"

"Do I get to know where you're taking me?"

"No, that is a surprise,"

You probably shouldn't be surprised to see Eddie standing beneath your window with a handfull of pebbles guarded carefully in his hand, along with his normal michevious smile.

"What are you doing!" You whisper shout down at him, why you're not really sure, but it felt like the appropriate thing to do.

"I'm here to pick you up!" He said it like it was the most normal thing in the whole world, but there was something different about him, you could tell even at a distance, but exactly what you werent sure of yet, "isn't this what they do in all of the movies?"

You wanted to dipute it, throw some snarky comment back at him and hope in exhange he would laugh, but you couldn't. He was doing this for you.

"Just know, I'm not climbing out the window I am going out the front door,"

"It's your night princess," He said just before attempting a small bow, earning laughs from both of you.

The butterflies were back, but they didn't gnaw at your stomach like the nerves did, they were unsetteling in their own terrifying way.

"My lady," Eddie opened the passenger door for you, just as one would a carriage and gestured for you to get in, "your evening awaits."

You didn't say anything, you struggled with telling if it was the nerves or fi it was the excitement making your head spin ever so slightly.

Only climbing into the passenger seat of Eddie's old dinged up van.

"You know...technically since you haven't told me where we are going this could be considered kidnapping,"

"Technically," Eddie held up a finger, but he didn't look at you, not even a quick glance, his eyes were glued to the road in front, "you got in the car willingly."

"And you're still not planning on telling me where you are taking me?"

"Do you not understand the concept of a surprise?" his tone was never mean, never condecending, always the same level of playfull and easiness to his voice.

You only rolled your eyes at him, with every turn of the car you tried to detangle the clues as to where he actually was taking you.

There wasn't much to the town of Hawkins, and it did not matter how long you lived there, somehow there was always a new spot, a new something to be discovered.

When he finally stopped the car it felt as if you had been there for years, but it couldn't have been more than a couple minutes tops.

For once the silence sitting between you felt comfortable, normal. Not the same way it used to feel suffocating.

"Here?"

"No, not just yet, but I'm gonna need you to close your eyes,"

"Close my eyes?" 

"Yes ma'am,"

"Why?"

"You're still not understanding the concept of surprises I see,"

You roll your eyes at him and do as he says, even bringing your hands up to cover your eyes. "Happy?" you ask, turning as if to look at him, and his reasounding laughter leaves you with a smile on your lips.

"Very."

You feel the car start to move again, trust. This all had to be some weird trust exersice for the two of you that he had deviced.

Your sense of distance was well... distorted, to say the least. Any semblance of ideas where he might take you was completely gone, because now you could be just about anywhere. If there even was an anywhere in Hawkins, there was barely a somewhere.

"Okok, wait here," Eddie said as the car finally stopped and you heard him open the driver door. The door next to you swung open, and you knew he was right there next to you. "Give me your hand, but don't open your eyes!"

Giving up at resisting you fumble around blindly untill you find Eddies hand and he holds it firmly in his own as he helps you out of the car.

"Ok, right here," he moves to stand behind you, your hand still in his, and you open your eyes. "Ta-da."

You take a second adjusting to the harsh light, blinking a couple of times before you can begin to orient yourself. A lake?

"Do you like it?" 

"It's a lake,"

"Yes, but do you like it?"

"Eddie, it's a lake, I don't particularly have strong feelings about a lake,"

"Nonono, not any lake, lovers lake," he's moved to stand in front of you and you have to hold back from laughing. Obvious, you probably should have guessed. "I've brought marshmallows, thought we'd make a fire."

He doesn't let you say anything before he starts working on his grand plan, only gestures for you to sit down.

The unforgiving summer temperatures in Indiana had slowly lulled into a cooler fall, but there were still traces of the last summer everywhere. There was still those hints of the sweet summer air left only just starting to be undercut by the sharp chill air of fall.

With the stars hanging low in the sky reflected in the lake. Lover lake. Of all places.

It might have been a bit obvious, but there was something satisfying about a cliche.

"Sooo, how do you know about this place?" you sit down in the back of the van, letting your legs dangle over the edge of the bed.

"My uncle, he used to take me here during the summer, taught me all the manly things," you have to hold back laughter as you look at him, hunched over, with his toungue sticking out of the corner of his mouth, "fishing, firing a gun, and luckily for you, how to start a fire."

"Well thank you Mr. Munson," 

He never mentioned his parents, only ever his uncle. There wasn't really much you knew about Eddie Munson besides the surface level tuff and circulating gossip and rumors.

He lived in the trailer park of Curley, with his uncle, who worked the night shift somewhere. You knew that he broke his last romantic stage partners heart once the show was over. 

He was a tennor with a good vocal range and had been in just about every theatre production Hawkins High had to offer.

Oh, and that there was always a low level chance he was part of a devil worshiping cult.

Exactly the kind of person you would want to be alone in the woods with, late at night, when no one knew where you were.

Deep down you knew that he wasn't a devil worshiper, but that also wasn't what made you the most anxious.

Glancing over at him it was easy to forget all the things people said about Eddie Munson, when he was here next to you without the constant noise from the people of Hawkins.

Here you could trace the soft lines of his face with the quick stolen glances you allowed yourself, watching the long shadows grow on his face with passing time.

"So why did you pick this place?" Your legs dangled over the edge of the van, sitting on the threadbare blanket Eddie kept in the back, your eyes wandering over the water, trying your best not to look at him as he worked.

"I thought you would like it, it's quiet but there's always something going on," Eddie sat down next to you, and you had to actively keep reminding yourself to not reach for his hand the way he had reached for yours the other day, "it kinda reminds me of you in that way."

Suddenly, you were happy with the dimming light and the soft orange glow from the fire as you hoped it would camoflague at least some of the blush that grew on your face.

"I do- like it," 

"Good, and-" Eddie reached for something behind him, rummaging through his bag to find what he was looking for, "this, is for you."

He held out a small package in front of you, wrapped with what had to be left over holiday paper, with probably more tape than paper in the end.

"Don't judge my wrapping skills, as you well know my talents lie elsewhere." He said as you carefully picked the package out of his hands, looking at him with raised eyebrows.

"It's a mixtape-" you said, turning it over in your hands, there was no writing on it like there normally was, just a blank casette.

"No, it's our mixtape," Eddie snatched the tape from out of your hands before quickly jumping out of the back of the van so he could place it in the stereo. "I made it for you."

"You made me a mixtape?" You couldn't tell in your own voice if it was surprise or disbelief, you had seen the box of his tapes in the van but you never expected him to make you one. Wondering what exactly Eddie Munson would put on a first kiss mixtape.

But once again, you find yourself surprised at the workings of his mind. Slow, carefully crafted music started pouring from the static speakers.

"My lady," Eddie stood in front of you, repeating the nickname from earlier and holding out his hand for you to take. "You do dance, right?"

You reach for the hand he offered you, letting him help you to your feet and suddenly you find yourself closer to Eddie than you had expected.

One of his arms wrapped around your waist, the other still holding your hand tightly in his. Carefully, you place your free hand ovr his shoulder, resisting the temptation to play with his curls.

"Happy now?" You ask as you smile up at him, being mindful of where you were placing your feet on the rough and uneven ground.

"Well, you didn't flinch this time," you move slowly together as Eddie coreographs your movements, swaying you side to side in time with the music. "So I'll take that as a win."

You had danced with Eddie before, but never like this. Always awkward steps as you both learned choreography to a number a comfortable distance apart.

Never wrapped in his arms slowly swaying to static music from an old car radio.

"Do you dance much Eddie?" You laugh as he stumbles over a root sticking out of the ground.

"Normally no- but for pretty girls who need their first kiss, I make exeptions."

"You're ridiculous," 

"And you're beautiful."

You knew he was just saying it, part of the whole pantomime to make the whole ordeal special for you.

But that didn't mean you were completely blind to the charm of his empty words.

"See look at you, you're a natural," Eddie said as he guided you to twirl, careful to never let go of your hand.

You take turns stealing glances at one another, anticipating when he is not looking so you can steal the next one, carefully studying every milieter of his face with a million hurried looks.

Something about him looked so at peace, his dark brown eyes looking almost black in the dimming light, the same careful carefree smile on his lips.

His fingers splayed against your lower back locking you into his every movement, the small comforts of it all.

Eddie was just a friend, but he looked so pretty, with those long dark eyelashes resting against his cheek as he closed his eyes.

You feel the need to look around, despite knowing no one is watching you, it feels like breaking the rules when you stand up on your tip toes and quickly press your lips against his.

It's not even a second, and yet your heart is racing so fast you can feel it through your entire body, eyes sliding shut as you quickly realize you do not dare look at him.

"That's not a real kiss," there seems to be almost a twinge of disbelief in his voice, and you can feel his hot breath against your face as he speaks, but you don't dare open your eyes, "doesn't count."

You feel his hand slide into your hair, cupping the side of your face and pulling you towards him, closing the small space between you.

The arm around your waist tightens, bringing your body closer to his and he stops swaying with the music. And just like that he is kissing you, properly, this time.

You have no idea what to do, letting him take the lead as you carefully lean into him just that little bit more.

His lips moving against yours, carefully, as if he's worried if he goes too fast you'll fall apart right in front of his eyes, and maybe he isn't wrong.

It was the kind of kiss that made you long for the promise of more.

When his lips leave yours it feels as if an eternity had passed, and only one thought hangs stranded in your mind. Friends.

You're just friends with Eddie Munson. He was just doing you a favor, a strange, maybe slightly fucked up favor, something that also served his interests.

And thats what stops you from leaning into him again, despite the soft look in his dark brown eyes when he finally opens them, despite the giggly feeling that was making your head spin, despite really wanting to.

The last rays of the evening sun cast long shadows across his face, and for the first time Eddie wasn't the picture everyone made him to be, he finally looked like Eddie.

You had no idea what to say, where to even begin, but it seemed Eddie took the smile on your face as confirmation enough. His own smile was infatuating, it seemed genuine.

His hand was still tangled in your hair, and his touch seemed to linger on you, carefully holding you together in one piece within the embrace of his arms.

"Not too bad right?"

"I suppose since you had a mountain of girls to practice on," you laugh as you place your head against his chest, hearing each beat of his heart.

"Once again with the supposing," he gives your hand a quick squeeze, both of you seeming to find peace in your old inside jokes.

"Thank you," you look up at him through your eyelashes, giving him what you hope is a reassuring smile.

"Nothing to thank me for," and as he speaks the reality of the situation hits you again, the uncomfortable reality that you're both playing a part for a role.

There is nothing to thank him for, because this also serves his own self interest. You do your best to push away the pang of pain that hits you right in the chest.

Ignoring the screaming thoughts of distrust that seemed to race through your mind faster than you knew how to tame them.

Because there was still that part of you that wanted to believe Eddie and everything he said. That he was doing this because he genuinely cared for you. Not because he had a role to fulfill, and you stood in the way of making that happen.

Did he take Natalie down here? Make her a mixtape of slow songs they danced to? Was what they had real? While what you had with Eddie was nothing but pretend from all sides?

Mostly, pretend. That is.

"Now- one more surprise," Eddie's words pull you out of your spiral before he carefully untangled his body from yours, dropping your hand, hand leaving your waist, and quickly you realized just how cold the night had grown.

"One more?" You could only see his back as he pulled out something else from his bag, "you really had this planned out," you say to no one in particular, the words hanging empty in the space between the two of you.

"Ta-daa," he finally says as he turns around, presenting you with his copy of the script, and you can't help but laugh. Of course.

"I- I didn't bring my script," you blurt out, which is true. You're resisting again,and you would like to claim you didn't know why, but you knew the more time you spent with Eddie the more difficult it was becoming to distinguish blurred lines.

"You and I both know that you don't need it," Eddie pats the space next to him as he sits down in the back of the van, leaned against the back of the drivers seat, "we'll just share mine."

You sit down next to him, trying to keep at least some space between him and yourself, but before you can fully process what is happening he has snaked an arm around your waist and you've ended up right next to him.

Eddie holds up the script in front of you, using both hands to try and keep it stable, the orange glow of the small camp fire doing it's best to illuminate the pages between you.

You couldn't be less focused, he is so close, he is everywhere. His arms around you once again, but so differently to just a few minutes ago.

Your eyes scan the script in front of you, slowly trying to untangle the notes he has left hapazardly in the margins with messy handwriting. You also spot more than one small drawing along the sides, covering up the first few words of text.

Yeah, it was definetively Eddie Munsons script you were looking at.

Reciting lines with him could quickly become a game, you'd imagine little people watching you as you bounced the ball back and fourth between you. That same rythmn you had found before returned, Chemistry X PERSON had called it.

You just chucked it up to Eddie being a really good scene partner. Which wasn't wrong.

You don't know for how long you sit there bouncing lines back and fourth between you, you've come to find that time spent with Eddie is rarely linear in the way you would normally expect it to be.

But you don't remember falling asleep, you remember mumbled words mentioning going home, and you don't remember when you wiggled even closer to him.

But you do remember waking up, still with Eddies arms wrapped around you, with the first rays of the morning sun peeking up over the horizon, and the final embers of the fire 

And you barely remember the car ride home, struggling to keep your eyes open, Eddie in the drivers seat with his eyes fixated on the road.

And you remember what he said as he dropped you off.

"Hey," he says, making you turn around before shutting the car door, "you've kissed, and also slept with me, all in one night."

"I think you might be a bad influence," you say to him before laughing, it's all so ridiculous.

"I wouldn't want to be anything else," he winks before you hurridly close the door.

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