#okay that was rather long. I hope it's fun and worth the read!

[whomeidontknowthem]

Eyes on me – an interactive whump story. Part 5.

Previous part. Masterpost.

Content: institutionalized slavery, imprisonment, dehumanizing language, it/its for an inhuman whumpee, pet whump, whipping, blood, physical abuse, withholding of food, training, torture, intimate whumper, carewhumper, mentioned pet death, tell me if i missed something

Lord Teelo didn’t strike. 

He lowered his arm, eyes never straying from holding the creature’s terrified gaze. The room reeked of blood, now streaming down the lord’s fingers in a warm waterfall. He worked hard on pushing his fury back, taking it under control as many times before. He was in control. He would show it, careful and persistent and levelheaded. He would make sure it remembered the lesson forever. The crop was not meant for punishments, it was too short, too soft – he hadn’t meant to punish it. He was going to be a kind and gracious owner. It had left him no choice!

He opened the door, finding the redheaded guard still in the corridor.

“Get a proper whip,” he ordered. “More chains – gods damned handcuffs, whichever idiot thought of leaving it like this?! And a knife, scissors – or whatever, something to file its atrocious claws.”

The guard stared at him, not in the face – at his arm. Lord Teelo felt it – the consistent drip-drip-drip of his blood. He didn’t feel the ache yet. Nothing but the quiet, cold fury he couldn’t wait to unleash at the world. Haltingly, the guard started, “Should I bring someone to take a look at–”

“I have told you what you should do,” his voice came out as a hiss.

“Yes, my lord,” the guard saluted and hesitated only a moment before running down the corridor. 

Lord Teelo closed the door with a loud crash. He paced inside, steps echoing around the room, as the pain slowly started to radiate out. He hated it. Oh how he wished he could slice the thing’s skin just this moment, not waiting for anything and anyone. He picked up the crop once more, stoped before the creature – it cowered to the very corner between the wall and its cage, never letting its eyes away from him. Oh, now it was looking. It dared to look! 

“You think yourself smart?” the lord hissed. “Think you did something good for yourself? Oh, no, you’re gonna regret this. You’re gonna regret this so much.”

The pain seeped into his consciousness with every heartbeat, radiant and nauseatingly familiar. He held a handkerchief to the cuts until it filled with deep red. He threw it away – it landed in a wet disgusting lump on the table, by the bowl of wet disgusting meat. Oh how the lord had tried to be a nice host, how he had tried to accommodate this, this– 

“Damned, ungrateful, hateful beast!” Lord Teelo roared. The glass of the bowl nearly slipped from his bloodied fingers when he grabbed it, and then shattered to thousands pieces to the side of the creature’s head. Its dinner fell onto the floor, useless. Oh, it wouldn’t get any, it would have to work, to beg for any crumb from then on – it would regret, regret it so much!..

The door slid open soundlessly after a short knock, letting in the heavy footsteps and the clanging of metal. The lord turned on his heels, facing the guard. “And why in the world have you not brought a damned healer!” he hissed. “Can’t you see I’m bleeding out!”

The guard blinked. “But you have–” 

“YOU DARE ARGUE WITH ME?!” 

He was struggling to breathe, chest heaving with effort. The blood was still warm down his arm, still bright on the broken glass and light wood of his floors. How could the idiot not understand!

There were chains in the guard’s arms and a leathery length of the whip. Lord Teelo snatched it and demanded, “Chain it up!” The guard hesitated, opened his mouth. “NOW!” 

He did. The lord watched as he came to the beast, careful with his steps, cautious of it. It squeezed itself deeper into the corner. Lord Teelo could see it shaking. He was delighted to see it shaking. The guard reached out, the first cuff prepared, and Lord Teelo watched from a step away as it lifted its hands up, close to its chest. Its teeth were bared, pupils wide and eyes wider. It tried saying something, but what came out was only a mess of sounds with no meaning. 

The guard squeezed its arm even as it tried to avoid it. It whined and fought back, tried getting out of the grasp, tried pushing him away, tried and fought and struggled as he cursed under his nose. Its claws went through the skin of his palm ripping out a sharp hiss. It managed to raise its hind leg as the cuff clicked around its wrist, its claws scratching against the metal in an effort that only delayed the inevitable. 

Lord Teelo had little patience left. He stepped forward, connecting his heel with the middle of the creature’s tail. It yelped, flinched backwards – its head connected with the wall, and before it could regroup the second handcuff was in place. After that, restraining its legs was only a matter of time.

“Turn it around,” the lord ordered. Chains clang as it fought in an ever increasing panic. “To the wall, yes… yes, just like that.” The locks rattled, forced closed. The guard let the key fall onto the ground, forcing the creature to kneel. It hid its tail between its legs, whining as its head was pressed into the wall. “Is the chain short enough? Will it be able to move?”

“I don’t think so, my lord,” the guard answered. 

Lord Teelo played with the whip, trying it out. “Good. Go fetch the healer– wait. I need – something sharp, something – to secure on its tail. See how it hides it? I need something it can’t hide from.”

The guard looked puzzled. He eased his hold in a test, and the creature threw its whole weight backwards, fighting the chains. They held. Kneeling, with its tail hidden and only back visible, it looked strikingly like a human. “Perhaps clothespins, my lord?” It wasn’t what he had in mind. What he wanted – it wasn’t that. Not this easy, tame solution.

“It would work,” he drew out. He would go to the smith when he had time. He had an idea, oh, that would be a genius idea. “Just this once."

He flexed his left arm and rubbed his right. It hurt as all deaths, but it had stopped bleeding. He failed to crack the whip the first time but managed it the second, inches from the creature’s back. The guard bowed, taking it as a sign to leave. 

The creature mumbled and mumbled more, sounds a meaningless mush falling from its tongue. If Lord Teelo was generous, he could see it as an apology; he would not even entertain the possibility of giving in to it, of course. 

The second crack was right by its ear. It flinched and curled up further but couldn't hide.

It wailed when the whip connected with its back – so loud, so quickly, taken by surprise. Lord Teelo bared his teeth in a smile and struck again, violent purple already flowering on the gray of its skin, and struck again without waiting – three, four, six, twelve hits in a row, as it flinched and writhed and cried out.

He paused afterwards, and saw as it tensed, first, its whole body shaking with the effort of breathing, hiccupping in what sounded almost like sobs. He waited, watching how it trembled more and more. He let it marinate in the anticipation, the fear coiling and coiling with no release, the stinging of its sore back growing as its patience ran thin. 

When it raised its head, just barely, as if to look, the whip snapped through the air again. 

It screamed out. He didn’t give it time to recover. 

The lord hit it with no pattern, pausing and continuing at his leisure, until his arm grew heavy with pain and the creature nearly silent. Lord Teelo could only hear its labored breathing, air forced out of its body with every strike. Its back bloomed with purple that gave way to red when the skin opened, the new lines covering the rainbow pattern in an unstructured, repulsive mess.

Oh, he nearly pitied it, trembling pathetically in the corner. Then he rubbed his arm and the sharp pain was enough to remember why he didn’t. 

He struck for the last time, lazily, with his left, and then a few more for a good measure. When a polite knock announced the guard’s return, he felt pleasantly tired, like after a good work out. He called out for the man to enter. 

The guard did and the healer, an old woman the lord knew for most of his life, followed in. She looked the room over with stony, unreadable expression, and Lord Teelo met her gaze with a nice enough smile. “You’ve got your toy,” she stated and that was all the attention the creature got from her. 

She made a quick enough work of the wounds: cleaned and bandaged them up after applying that miraculous numbing cream the lord appreciated since early childhood. The creature would appreciate it even more, he thought, glancing at the pathetic thing. It had shifted at some point, stretching its legs just a bit but keeping its head hidden. Its body shook violently, trembling so much it in itself looked tiring. 

“Should I look it over?” the healer suggested, all business. 

The lord huffed, “What would the point of a punishment be then?” 

The woman looked him over with that annoying, unreadable gaze. “Call me whenever you change your mind,” she bowed and left when he dismissed her. 

Lord Teelo tried the clothespins with interest, forcing the spring to coil and then letting it go softly around his finger, just a tad, until it started hurting. “Good enough,” he concluded finally and got up. 

The creature flinched when his boots stopped by its form but didn’t try anything. “Poor thing,” he drew out and crouched, ran his fingers along its back lightly, brushing fingertips over the painful ridges of future bruises. Its breaths hitched, but it didn’t make a sound. “And all you needed was to not act like a brainless brat to avoid all this. You have no one but yourself to blame, silly thing,” he told it. It didn’t answer, shivering under his touch but not attempting anything stupid. 

“But maybe you can learn,” he hummed and moved his hand down to where its tail started. It tensed even further, if it was possible at all. “Let’s just make sure the lesson sticks, huh?” It curled up even further as he tagged on its tail, releasing from under the creature’s body. He flickered it back and forth and rubbed between his fingers and was satisfied when it sobbed and shuddered but remained motionless otherwise. 

“Like this, yes,” he muttered. With the softest touch of his second hand, he stoked its head. “But look at me now. Eyes on me,” It didn’t understand. He caught a fistful of its fur and tagged. “Eyes on me.”

Too drained to resist, it lifted its head as he guided it. “Eyes on me,” he demanded again, and it either guessed or truly learned – its gaze settled on him, focusing to the best of its ability – and, oh, what a pathetic mess it looked, eyes bloodshot and wet in ways he’d thought only a human's could be, dark lines from where it pressed into the floorboards marking its cheeks. There was something red around its mouth – did it bite itself, the poor thing? 

Lord Teelo clicked his tongue, smiled softly and released its fur. It settled back instantly, curling up again. Its tail remained in his hands. 

He picked up the first pin. 

It must have assumed at first that he was just playing like he had been, – at least, it didn’t seem to tense up too much, nor expect the sharp pain when he released the spring around its tail. It shuddered, head whipping up, staring at him once again. He smiled. Picked up the second clothespin. 

It tried to get its tail free – oh, it tried as much as it could without hurting him, but he tightened the grasp and played with the pins as it couldn’t help a new whimper, and hushed it and urged it to sit still. “That’s for you to remember the lesson better,” he told it pleasantly. It must have cried, body shaking again, and tried to kick just once, the movement stopped halfway through by a short chain. 

Lord Teelo wondered how many pins would be good for it – should he go with the whole set the guard had brought? He settled on five, at the end, a nice even number not even halfway through what he had. He was feeling rather merciful and forgiving, and it sounded just so pathetic. 

He called the guard in to urge it into the cage when it was done. It didn’t even try fighting, following the man's tagging and pushing until it was inside, drawing its limbs close and curling up to fully fit. Nearly immediately, its fingers itched towards the pins, human-like thumbs ready to work on the problem. Lord Teelo snapped his fingers to get its attention.

“No,” he said, words dripping with finality. He reached through the bars and tagged its tail outside. “The clothespins stay here for the night,” he told it. It probably didn’t understand – there was so little thought in its eyes. He let go of it hoped for its sake it understood what he meant. He didn’t want to have to punish it so soon for their lack of common language. 

When he went to sleep, the shaky breaths and the rare clanging when it tried to settle more comfortable sounded like a lullaby to his ears.

In the morning, his arm stung mercilessly and unendingly, and no melodies of birds and gentle sunrays could make his mood better. He turned lazily, letting his eyes fall onto the cage. The creature was curled inside of it, eyes shut tight and ears flickering restlessly. Its tail fluttered too, freed at some point from the pins, one of its hands curling around it protectively. 

Lord Teelo felt stuck between endearment and irritation. He moved and the cuts on his arm ached, and irritation won. 

“Hey… you,” he called and realized he hadn’t come up with a name. He should think about it as some point, he decided grimly, and banished the thought of the last pet he’d named, back in childhood. That was a just a cat, a stupid spoilt creature with too much attitude. The lord remembered the way it looked, painted red and unmoving, after crossing one too many lines. 

The creature didn’t move at his call, either. He picked up an extinguished candle from his bedside table and threw it towards the cage. “Hey!” 

There was no reaction. With an undignified groan, he forced himself on his feet and towards the cage. He rattled the key across the bars, the way that always seemed to get the creature’s attention.

It didn’t react. It was outright ignoring him! 

Had it learned nothing?!

He reached through the bars and tagged on its tail, finally getting some response in return – it flinched weakly and grimaced. Slowly, its eyes fluttered open, but didn’t settle on the lord. They looked as if through him, unfocused and dizzy, and a pang of worry cut through the just rage when they closed back and its chest heaved, struggling for breath. 

Something was wrong.

He reached through the bars and towards its forehead, forgetting for a second it wasn’t a human. The skin under his fingers was blasting hot and sickly wet. It moved closer to his fingers, all but nuzzling against him. 

Something was terribly, terribly wrong.

Updates every 7-10 days (depending on how much time I have and how obvious the poll result is) (unless something goes wrong and it takes me too weeks to get myself to write something. I'm so very sorry about the delay!)

@isikedmyself878, @fraugustends, @otterfrost, @fuchstastisch, @3-2-whump,

@the-lone-youth, @will-o-the-wips, @catnykit, @granny-aaravos, @mj-or-say10

Tell me to be tagged in the new parts!

[userttpd]

Hi! Can you recommend me your favourite spuffy fics? Any genre is welcome I desperately need the void after finishing bingewatching Buffy 😭. Thank u xx

hi! thank you so much for giving me an excuse to share my favorite spuffy works! if you read any of these, please come back and lets talk about it! okay here's the list:

these are all completed on ao3, most of them contain smut, most are oneshots, no deaths/cheating/nothing too dark, some toxic typical s6 stuff but they all have happy endings or hopeful open endings cause i cant stand them being sad!

do you wanna break bread with me?

this is fun, dawn comes out as bi to spike which spirals into everyone realizing they are queer, its pretty touching and domestic.

High Stakes

sexy fun poker smut, no plot, just vibes

Service the Girl

s6 smut but with complicated feelings

(Unintended) You Could Be

there's something about spuffy and roadtrips that hits so right plus parenting dawn, s5 set

i could've been your girl (we've all been here before)

post s7 buffy running into drusilla, starting a relationship and then spike joins them (i might be the only person ever into this pairing)

What Remains

again spuffy roadtrip, sad one cause s5 but they lost the battle and everything, but still have each other

honey and milk are under thy tongue

smut but with complicated s6 feelings plus spike reading poetry

nothing safe is worth the drive (follow you home)

i highly recommend EVERYTHING by this author, my favorite spuffy writer ever. this one is a s5 roadtrip escaping glory and its domestic, funny, sad, sexy and hopeful, felt like watching an episode (i seriously love this one but plz check them all out)

i will follow you into the dark

this one is by the same author but it deserves its own mention. its heartbreaking but healing at the same time, just the most beautiful spuffy work ever

Let's Get Lost

OH THIS ONE, s2 buffy runs away but runs into spike who has a little problem. its so so in character, captured so well both characters and their dynamic where they are all each other have and absolutely hate that

The Choice

s6 dynamic, spike starts seeing a buffy that loves him, its a choice whether he'd rather have that or the real buffy, its pretty sad but u know, they always find each other

Centering

spuffy roadtrip! s5 set, he comforts her through mourning and feeling helpless

What it is to Burn

post everything, long distance relationship that buffy can't stand anymore

What She Deserves

another roadtrip fic, i know so surprising. buffy heals by herself, runs into a spike that felt like she did in 6, she's the one helping him now with an actual healthier dynamic where they both heal

[eliibang]

➵ 𝐁𝐄𝐒𝐓 𝐅𝐑𝐈𝐄𝐍𝐃’𝐒 𝐁𝐑𝐎𝐓𝐇𝐄𝐑

SUMMARY. you’ve been friends with hannah since forever, meaning that you would spend some time at her house and her at yours. your parents weren’t home so you decided to have a sleepover at the bang’s house but you got sick and couldn’t go with them to a family party. you decide to chill out and ended up in chan’s room, falling asleep as you were remembering some memories. but he came home unexpectedly…

PAIRING. fem!reader x bang chan. (i’m sorry i just love him sm)

LENGHT. 5 180 words, 26 950 characters. read til the end, it’s worth

WARNINGS. minor dni, 18+ only — smut, detailed smut, heated making out, fingering, jerking off, positions, unprotected sex stay safe out there, praises, strangulation (light and safe, be careful if you do it !!)

TAGS. @eunwhore , @sunboki , @spookysins , comment or dm if you want to be in my tag list !

you’ve been friends with hannah from as far as you can remember. she has always been part of your life, which means that chris was, too. you always encouraged them to live their dreams and that clearly helped chris to where he is now. i mean, that’s what he is saying.

you were spending the week at hannah’s house, you were like a daughter to them and since your parents were abroad and you didn’t wanted to go with them, you stayed at her house. on saturday evening, they decided to go to a family’s party but you felt sick since the previous day.

“are you okay by staying by yourself, y/n ?” her mother asked, worried. “i am, don’t mind me. i just need some sleep, i’ll get better tomorrow for our thing.” you answered, smiling a little bit. “do you want me to stay with you ?” hannah questioned you, but you shook your head. “negative, it’s your cousins, you should go. i’ll be okay, you don’t have to worry that much.” she hugged you furtively. “okay, but call me if you need something sweetheart.” her mother said before planting a kiss on your forehead, something she always did since you were a child.

usually, when you felt sick during your time at hannah’s house, you would’ve go back home but, to be honest, you didn’t felt like it. you knew that they would come back late, but it was enough for you to feel safe in this house, rather than in yours. you laid down on the couch, trying to sleep a little, but you couldn’t so you decided to go back in hannah’s room, the one you were sleeping in during your little vacations.

you decided to take her computer to watch a movie but it had low batterie, so you went to chan’s room, hoping there will be a charger left in there. you entered his room, it was closed and cold. you went straight to his desk, not wanting to invade his privacy for too long but some pictures on the wall made you stay and stare at them. it was pictures of him when he was a child, alone, with his siblings and with his family. some pictures of berry, who, by the way, stayed on the couch after you left. and there was that one picture of the three you : hannah, chris and you.

it was during high school, chris was about to debut and spent all his time in south korea while you were here, kinda sad because he always promised he would be your date prom and prom was soon but he had to work hard. you knew it wasn’t his fault if he couldn’t come back home, he was working so hard to be able to reach his dream and he was close to it. but you couldn’t help yourself wishing he was here, with you.

you did some shopping with hannah and lucas, he was young and always sighting when he saw you two almost running towards things he thought was stupid. “it’s a girl thing.” you always said, and he was frowning. when you found THE dress, you were sure he would regret not being here. not in a mean way ofc.

you waited for him all night, not having much fun, hoping he would come at any moment. entering one of these doors by surprise, in a beautiful black suit and his curly blond hair. but he didn’t. or maybe he did, actually. he called you. yep, he did. it was at the end of the night, you were sitting on a chair next to the round table you were assigned to.

“hi y/n.” “hi chan” you said sadly but with a smile. since few weeks ago, you started to tease him by calling him by his stage name. it was kinda funny to you, because he would forever be chris to you, but chan to the others. in fact, he is still the same person inside, he hasn’t changed at all.

“i’m sorry i can’t be here.” “i know, it’s okay.” you heard loud noises in the background, frowning your eyebrows. “it’s just the kids.” he said when he saw the face you made. the kids, it was the name he gave to his members because he was the leader. you couldn’t help but smile at this thought, being so proud of him and what he achieved.

“how is the night going ?” he still asked carefully. “it’s not that bad. music is great and hannah is having fun.” “and you ?” you nod, lying. i wish you were here, you wanted to tell him but didn’t. “how’s the practice going ?” you asked in return. “it’s not that bad. he smiled. music is great and the kids are having fun.” you laughed, wanting so bad to hit his arm. “well, maybe they are not having fun but it’s still not that bad.”

hannah saw you from afar, sitting all alone, smiling at your phone. she decided to come up at you, checking up. “what’s up girl ?” she say next to you, tilting her head near you to watch your phone. “hey, brother !” she said with a huge smile on your face and you couldn’t help but smile too, seeing her happy just made you happy.

“wait, why are you calling her and not me ? it’s my prom night too !” she started to fight with her brother, who was trying hard to find arguments, while you were laughing at them, like you never laughed before. “okay girls, i got to go but i’ll call you later, bye !” and he hanged up, just like that. the call was fast and you couldn’t even show him your dress. you took pictures with hannah before the prom night started, but you wanted him to see it live. or kind of.

you were wearing that red dress you saw at the shop when you went with hannah and lucas, and she was wearing a light purple dress, she clearly looked like a princess. you envied her for a moment, but to be honest, some boys watched you too. let’s admit it, you looked gorgeous.

later that night, when you got home with hannah, you felt exhausted. you didn’t dance that much but your ankles were hurting due the fact that you’re not used of wearing heels. you only wear them occasionally, like today. which means two times a year : for your birthday and christmas. she’s so me lmao

so you went straight up to hannah’s room because it was where all your stuffs was. your parents were working late, as always, so you and hannah planned to get dressed together. in fact, you went first in the bathroom, in front of her bedroom, to check yourself on the mirror, taking off the ribbon in your hair, causing them to lay on your back. you brushed your hair and was about to took off the makeup when you remembered that you put it on hannah’s room after messing up your eyeliner. twice.

you opened the door, and he was there. no, i’m joking. you looked after the makeup remover, not finding it. “hannah !” you shouted her name, but she didn’t answer. you heard the television downstairs, she was probably watching something with her parents and her little brother and that’s why she didn’t hear you. you shouted her name again but, again, no response.

you were really tired and all you wanted was to go to bed and take off these stupid heels that was hurting your feets. so you did took them off, keeping them in your right hand while you were walking down the stairs. finally, hannah appeared in front of you when you were at the end of the stairs. “hannah, i called you twice.” “sorry, i didn’t heard.” “what were you doing ?” you raised an eyebrow, curious about what she could’ve done for her to not hear you.

“nothing !” she said fast, smiling widely. you looked at her, knowing she was lying to you. “okay.” she murmured. “my parents were preparing something in the backyard for you. they put lights every where, they probably want you to take photos and remember this day.” “you told them, don’t you ?” she nodded. “i admit it, i really wanted you to have fun, i’m sorry that chris wasn’t here but… you could’ve had fun with me instead…”

she said that with a low voice, a bit of sadness was perceptible. you opened your eyes wide as you realized : you left your best friend aside just because her brother made a promise he couldn’t keep. “oh my god, i’m so sorry hannah, i didn’t mean to hurt you !” you said while hugging her. “it’s just that promises are important to me, you know ? he is like a brother to me too and he always took care of me i-” she left out a giggle, taking your face in her hands. “i know y/n, i am not trying to blame you for anything. i had fun, i just wish you had fun too.”

you nodded quickly. “okay, let’s have some fun !” you say on the stairway, putting back your heels on. “let’s go outside, put on some music and take amazing pictures !” she smiled and clapped. “yayyy !! go first, i need to go to the bathroom for a minute. parents are outside.”

she puts a kiss on your cheek before getting away from you a little so you could go to the backyard. you walked through the outside windows, calling her mother’s name. and that’s when you saw him. this time it’s real. he was standing there, in the middle of the backyards, hundred lights attached to the few trees, looking so good in his black suit and red ribbon. “hi y/n” he said, showing his dimples as he was smiling at you. “chan…” you whispered before running straight into his arms.

“how come you’re here ?” “i told you i’d be here for prom.” “but… you were… you were in south korea and… you called me earlier…” you tried to think straight, but it was just useless. you were just a mess around him. of course, you always said he was like a big brother to you and, at first, it was true. until you started to realize your true feelings for him. but you were only hannah’s friend to him.

that night, you guys danced a slow in the middle of the backyard before the kids joined you to mess a little. it became one of the greatest time of your life, their mother took a lot of pictures, including this one you were looking at before falling asleep on his bed, holding it against your heart. you woke up at the sound of something falling on the ground.

“sorry y/n, i didn’t meant to wake you up.” you shook your head, sitting on the bed. “no, it’s okay. i’m sure you didn’t mean it, chris.” you were dozing off but suddenly, you opened your eyes wide. “chris ?!” you said louder, like you were just realizing who was standing in front of you. you got out off the bed to hug him, almost falling in the way. “what are you doing here ?” you looked at the timer on his desk. “and this late ?”

“i was supposed to surprise my family by coming earlier for the party, but my flight got delayed.” “oh, that’s too bad. but they will be happy to see you when they’ll come home.” you said, smiling and not letting him go off your arms, but he didn’t mind at all. “i don’t know when they’re going to come back home tho.” you pout. it was already 8pm, you’ve been napping for two hours already and you were looking a little bit messy. you started to put your hand in your hair, as if you were brushing them, the picture still in the other hand.

chris took your hand, looking at the picture, he smiled. “i like this one.” on the picture, you were standing next to each other, you in the middle of chris and hannah. you were smiling big looking straight at the camera while hannah was doing one of her fancy pose, chris looking fondly at both of you. it’s a really good picture. “yeah, i like too.”

“and you ?” he asked abruptly. “what about me ?” “are you happy to see me ?” “of course chris, always.” “not in a brotherly way, y/n. you know what i mean” you gulped, is he aware of your feelings ? why would he asks you that if not ? “of course i’m happy to see you, i told you.” “y/n” he said in a whisper, approaching his head to yours so he could put his forehead on yours.

“don’t do this to me.” he closed his eyes, you weren’t table to look at him, closing your eyes too, biting your lower lip. “doing what, chris ?” he breathed heavily, as if talking was taking all his strength and energy. “doing this, acting like you don’t know what i’m talking about.” “chris…” it was your time to whisper, your words barely audible. he finally got his head away from yours, looking directly into your eyes as you opened yours to look at him. “you don’t know what you’re doing to me y/n, i had a really hard moment trying my best to hide my feelings for you but… i can’t anymore.”

“why so ?” you asked. “why can’t you pretend anymore, what changed between us for you to realize it was time to tell me ?” you were really curious, was it a bad thing for your relationship to have changed ? because, if that thing has changed, maybe many mores have changed too. he took your hands and lead you to his bed where you both sit, face to face.

“everytime i was coming back home, i was seeing you so pretty, growing up, without me. you were looking more and more like a woman and… it was killing me to think that maybe someone else would have you because i wasn’t here. i was really hoping that you were waiting for me at some point. i know that, at the beginning, i was only seeing you as hannah’s best friend and then like a little sister. he paused. well, not really, i should say just her friends whom i had to take care of. you were never like a sister to me, to be honest.” honesty hurts, fuck.

you were looking down at yours hands, taking yours away from his, but he took it back. “y/n, i’m not saying this to hurt you.” “but that’s what you’re doing.” “y/n, i’m saying that i love you. from as far as i can remember, i always had a thing for you, and that’s why you could never be a little sister me, but…” he paused again, licking his lips before locking his gaze into your eyes. “when i entered the room and i saw you here, sleeping so peacefully on MY bed, holding this precious picture onto your chest… my heart skipped a few beats and i knew i couldn’t handle this anymore. y/n, i need you in my life, but not in a brotherly way. i want you, i want all of you.”

you blinked as you were assimilating what he was saying. he wanted you, like you want him. and it lasted for years. your eyes were locked into each other’s, feeling like the time has stopped. he finally leans, approaching his face to yours while his hand went up to rest on your neck, near your chin. his eyes were asking for permission and you closed yours to give it to him.

his lips finally crashed on yours for a sweet kiss, while his thumb was caressing your cheek and you were holding hard on his shirt. you’ve waited this moment to come for years, you truly never thought it would come, even tho you dreamed about it. talking about that, this moment was way better than you ever imagined, and it was about to get interesting.

the kiss intensified, his tongue finding a way to dance with yours, his hands getting down on your hips while yours made their way up to his neck and his hair, grabbing them as you were getting on your knees. it was way more heated than you thought it could be, for a first kiss.

you both finally broke the kiss, breathing hardly as you were looking at each other with desire. your lips were swollen and you couldn’t help yourself but bitting your lower lip, as if it wasn’t even real, while he was licking his, ready for the next round of heated kisses. you’re the first to lean this time, already missing this feeling.

this time, he took the control, laying you on the bed as he climbed over you, not breaking the kiss even once; his hands caressing your hips. you parted your legs so he could be more comfortable between them, but it wasn’t. at least, he wasn’t comfortable. especially in his pants.

he left your lips to place kisses on your neck, bitting it at some parts. “chris…” you murmurs as your hand gripped a strand of his hair a little bit to hard that he groaned. he got back at your lips, his hands finding their way to grab yours in his, putting them above your head. instinctively, your wrapped your legs around his waist, causing him to be the closest possible of you, especially down the belt.

this movement caused him to groan in your mouth, stopping the kiss as he rests his forehead on yours, eyes closed once again. “you okay ?” you asked, a shaky voice. you could barely talk because of all these feelings inside of your body, but you were worry for him. “yeah.” he just said, gulping. he finally opened his eyes to look at you, stars in his eyes.

“it’s just that we are really… close, right now and hum…” he took a look at the bottom of his stomach and your lips formed a o. “i’m sorry i didn’t meant to.” you said shyly but he smirked, looking back at you. stars disappeared to let the place to a dark storm. “but i like it, do you like it too ?” you nodded, to stunned to speak at the sudden changed of atmosphere.

his eyes found their brightness back as he left your hand to replace your hair behind your ear before caressing the exact same spot. “we don’t have to do anything, okay ? just kissing you is alright to me.” you found him just so sweet but, if you had to be honest, you didn’t want him to be only sweet. “what if it’s not alright to me ?”

he smiled lightly. “i don’t want you to feel obligated to do anything, baby.” your heart skipped a bit at the sound of this nickname. when your were younger, he always called you baby because you were just clumsy like a baby but, this time, it doesn’t have the same meaning. “i don’t.” “i just want you to be sure of what you’re doing. i don’t need this now, i can wait until you’re ready.” “i’ve been ready for years now.” the words skipped your mouth, your opened your eyes wide, looking away instantly, embarrassed about what you just said. oh god, he was making you things.

“i’m sorry. you said. i don’t want you to do something you don’t want either, consent is really important and… i don’t know why i said that but, i want you to know that i love you chris and i, too, will wait for you.” you swear he could’ve cry just now but you could feel in his pants that it has the opposite effect on him. he find it so sexy, the way you paid attention to his feelings. IT’S A NORMAL THING OK

without a warning, his lips crashed on yours one more time, giving you no time to breath at all. his tongue dancing with yours, fighting for the one who would have the control, until he backed up to take off his shirt. no time wasted, you couldn’t even admire the view that he got back at yours lips before reversing you so you’d end up above him.

you backed up, sitting on his thighs before taking off your hoodie. sickness and cold was just a memory now, you were only wearing a bra under your hoodie. it was his hoodie actually but you stole it way too long ago for him to remember. he sat too, watching you with admiration before kissing your lips softly, then going to your neck, his hands finding their way to your back, asking permission to take off your bra.

you nodded shyly, closing your eyes. your body was something you weren’t confident with, and you didn’t wanted to see any glimpse of deception or disgust on his face. but he just looked at you with love in his eyes, not believing himself that you were offering yourself to him, the one he loved since for ever. he carressed your back, planting kisses in your neck before going down to your boobs.

your hand were on his hair, grabbing them as he started to kiss your boobs, licking your nipples slowly, caressing the one he didn’t have in his mouth. you let a sigh going out of your mouth before biting your lips to not make too much noises. he kept his movement, giving the same pleasure to both your red nipples. but the thing is that he gave more attention to your right boob and the cause was your piercing. sorry, i have both nipples pierced, i had to include it.

oh when he saw you in that red lace bra, he had to look twice. your nipples were already hard and he could see the tip of the piercing through it, but he thought he saw it wrong, until he took off your underwear. it made him getting harder in his pants and, having a hard dick in jeans is not really the most comfortable thing, you know.

as much as he was sucking your boobs, you started to move your hips in rhythm, feeling the bump that his dick made under his pants, and it really started to make you wet. “chris…” you whispered, needy. of course, he was aware of the way he was making you feel and he didn’t meant to play with it, but just to give you the more pleasure possible.

it was your first time together, after all, and he wanted this moment to be special and filled with pleasure and love. you took his head in your hands, forcing him to let go your chest to kiss you deeply for a while. while you were catching breath to keep going, he looked at you one last time with stars in his eyes. “you sure baby girl ?” you smiled. “i never was more sure in my life.”

his gaze darkened as he grabbed your waist to put you back in your previous position, sittings down between your legs to help you taking off your short and underwear. he unbuckled his belt and took off his pants and underpants before coming back between your legs.

outside, the sky was getting dark, only a ray of sunlight to light up the room as the sun was going down. you took few seconds to finally admire the one you always loved before kissing him softly, your hand finding them way to his cock as his were caressing your pussy. soon enough, room was filled with the sound of wet kisses and moans as you were preparing each other for what was going to follow.

“you still sure, baby ?” you nodded. “and you ?” he smiled. “i am.” he kissed you softly, guiding his cock to your entrance, caressing your it with the tip of his cock to tease you a little. he finally entered, little by little so you could adjust to him. it hurts a little but it was okay, until he was fully into you. it felt horrible but the worst was that he wasn’t moving. “it’s okay chris, i’m fine.” “sure ?” “mh mh” he planted a kiss on your neck before starting to move inside you. slowly and not fully at first, planting a million of kisses on your neck and your shoulder.

your left hand was on his back, grabbing his shoulder from behind while your right hand was on his hair, gripping tighter as much as he was thrusting into you. fastly, the pain faded away to leave the place to pleasure, and you let yourself go, moaning and whispering his name. he found the perfect pace, hitting the right spot in the perfect angle. “oh god chris more” you could barely talk, but when you did, it was only to ask him for more.

the feeling of him, inside you, was unique. you felt complete, as if your place was destined to be in chan’s arms, making love. he groaned your name as he started to get a little bit faster, changing his position so he’ll be able to see you fully and watch himself getting inside of you so beautifully and easily. you were clearly made for him.

“you’re so good for me, baby.” he managed to say and at first, it made you feel shy but it made something grow in your stomach. you loved being praised. “so right for me baby girl, god i love you so much” he kissed you messily, you knew you both wouldn’t last long, too excited of this moment.

“you want me to turn around ?” you asked as he approached his face to your neck to kiss it, his eyes widen but he kept his pace. “why so, baby girl ?” “i don’t know, i thought it would be nice to try the doggy style.” you said and it felt like he was shocked a bit. “you want that, baby girl ?” you nodded and he thrust a little bit harder inside of you before taking his dick out of you to turn you around by grabbing you by your waist.

you were now boobs on the matresss and face on the pillow, he leads your waist to him, in the perfect doggy style position and just looking at the view of your ass, he was trying hard not to destroy you or cum right away. he caressed your ass with one hand, leading his cock to your pussy once again with the other. “i’m going in, love.” you don’t know if you melt because of the nickname or the sweetness of his voice and the fact that he warned you, but you swear you could have ask him to do whatever he wants with you.

he started to thrust slowly, the position was new for both you and he didn’t wanted to hurt you of course. but, he clearly saw that this position was giving you waaay more pleasure than the previous one, he was hitting the right spot with every inch of his dick, it was just heavenly. his hands, whom were on your hips, made their way to your shoulder. in this angle, he started to thrust harder, the sound of your ass hitting his thighs filled the room, between both your moans and the whispers of your names.

“oh my god y/n, you’re just so good for me.” he said in a groan, feeling that he was close to cum soon. you moan loudly, clearly aroused by the praise he just said. you leaned on your elbow, your hand reaching his to put it in the front of your neck, forcing him to lean a bit more on your back. “oh baby.” he said in a deep tone that made you gulped. he didn’t move his hand an inch, didn’t even try to get his grip tighter or anything that could hurt you.

his thrusts started to get faster again, and deeper. you felt something in the bottom of your stomach, clearly forgetting to breathe as you felt your legs shaking. behind you, chris was looking at your ass, or should i say : at his dick disappearing inside your pussy, before he throw his head, closing his eyes as he felt the orgasm coming.

he placed his hands back on your hips, too afraid to hurt you as he was fucking you harder, deeper and faster. “baby girl, i’m coming.” he said hardly. “yes chris, please” you said loudly, exhausting as you felt your orgasm hitting you suddenlly, at the same time as his. he started to thrust slower, just a few more times to prolong your orgasm and his before he stopped completely.

he leaned on you, kissing your back with million kisses before he got out of you, laying on the bed next to you, grabbing you to get closer to him, your head on his chest. “you okay baby ?” you nodded, still trying to catch your breath. “did i hurt you ?” “no chan, you didn’t. you looked up at him. it was amazing, really. it was perfect.” he smiled at you. “yes, it was.” you smiled back before kissing him softly.

“i think i might change the sheets before they come back home.” you laughed a bit. “you should, yes. i’m going to wash myself.” he kissed your forehead while you went to the bathroom yes, naked. he took off the sheets and joined you for a quick shower. he started to wash your body, then his. you were about to say something when you heard noises from downstairs. you both looked at each other, they came back home earlier than expected.

“fuck.” he cursed before showering himself really fast. he grabbed a towel and wrapped himself in it, quickly going back to his room. you heard noises on the stairs, then chan’s mother calling you. “y/n ? you’re here ?” you answered. “yes, i’m taking a shower.” “do you feel better honey ?” she was already near the bathroom door, no need to talk loudly anymore. you got out of the shower quickly, wrapping yourself in a towel and your hair in another one before opening the door to your best friend’s mother. “i do, thank you. i’m sorry i couldn’t come.” “it’s okay sweetheart. was everything alright tonight ?”

you smirked, thinking about the few hours ago. “well, yes.” hannah joined you both while lucas and his father were downstairs. “you look better.” hannah said. “SURPRISE !” chris shouted, going out of his room in sweatpants and hoodie, his wet hair hidden under a black cap. they both screamed before hugging him. lucas and his father joined the family reunion while you were getting dressed in hannah’s room. “fuck, my clothes.”

© eliiroha 2023. 𝐀𝐋𝐋 𝐑𝐈𝐆𝐇𝐓𝐒 𝐑𝐄𝐒𝐄𝐑𝐕𝐄𝐃

congrats, you made it til the end !! i admit it, it was kinda long, i’m sorry about that. i didn’t thought it would be that long but i kept writing and writing and writing, and it ended up being 5k words !! to be honest, i don’t think i ever wrote a one shot THIS long, it’s really a lot, but i’m kinda proud of it so i hope you will like it ! also, i’d like to add that im not native english and not fluent so there must be a lot of repetitions in my sentences, i know it’s can gets annoying and im sorry about that. i’ll try to do better in the future. anyways, you read a lot of things already so i’ll stop here !! ♡

[lafrexniere]

Adam Fantilli - Roll Jackets Baby

You were seated at the draft waiting for it to start. You were sitting with your boyfriend’s family with him at your side, talking to him and his brother when you felt your phone buzz in your purse. It was your brother calling to Facetime,

“Oh boy, what does he want?” your boyfriend Adam teased. You rolled your eyes and picked up. 

“Hey Rut,” you said.

“Hey sis, hey Luca, Adam,” he said.

“Rutger.” Adam answered sternly. 

"Lookin sharp fellas," he smirked.

“What’s up bro?” you asked, he knew you were here so why would he call you.

“Just wanted to remind you that you aren’t going to Anaheim with Adam and you are stuck at Mich with me and Luca,” he flashed an annoying smile that you wanted to slap off his face.

“I’m not a little girl anymore you can’t boss me around,” you sassed him. 

“Mom and Dad said I have to look out for you while I can so, you are stuck at Mich,” he snapped back. 

“Can I say something,” Adam asked. 

“Go ahead babe,” you smiled causing Rutger to gag through the phone. 

“I really don’t think I’m going there, I don’t care if I’m not second, I just think I’m going to Columbus,” your boyfriend shrugged. 

“Is Columbus okay Dad?” you groaned to your brother on the phone.

“Shut up Y/N, I’m not trying to sound like a parent, as your older brother-” you cut him off. 

“Older by two minutes,” you rolled your eyes. 

“Still older, anyways I have to look after you,” he smiled, “and Adam it’s not you it’s her, have fun in Anaheim buddy.” With that last part, you hung up on him and put your phone back in your purse, you felt it buzz again but you ignored it.

“He’s so annoying sometimes,” you laughed. Adam’s face was serious though, he sat there looking straight ahead not even cracking a smile at what you said. You turned to look at Luca who was as confused as you are.

“Adam?” Luca said, no response. 

“Adam? What’s wrong?” you said resting your hand on his. His fingers locked with yours as he looked over at you. 

“I don’t want to go to Anaheim, I don’t want to leave you, I don’t think we can do that long of a distance, at least I’m only a 4-hour drive away rather than a 4-hour flight,” he said as he broke eye contact with you. 

“Adam you don’t seriously think I’m gonna listen to my brother,” you said.

“You won’t, but you should, you have to finish school, look babe this will be a new experience for both of us, but whatever happens I will always try my best to be there for you and make time for you and you know that I love you,” he said looking back up and taking your other hand. 

“But-”

“No buts, whether Anaheim or Columbus I will make time for you, it will be hard on us, but worth it in the end,” he kissed your cheek and let go of your hands facing back forward as the draft was starting. You looked back at your phone to see several messages from Rutger.

Sis, I’m sorry

Sis pick up

Fine don’t pick up whatever hope he ends up in Anaheim

I didn’t mean that, I mean I did

Fine ignore me stay mad

Draft is about to start…

You read through the stream of messages laughing at your brother. You smiled leaving your phone out in your lap so you could see more of Rutger’s commentary. You patiently waited as the first pick was announced, no surprise that it was Connor. Anaheim was on the clock and you were getting nervous, you felt your phone buzz in your lap and looked down. 

Why are they taking so long it’s obvious who they should pick. You were getting even more nervous, then you saw the pick was in. You and Adam looked at each other squeezing hands tightly, you looked over at Luca who had a little bounce in his leg.

“We are proud to select from the SHL Leo Carlsson,” with that announcement you let out the biggest sigh of relief, you and the Fantilli boys exchanged smiles. You put your phone back in your purse not wanting to deal with Rutger’s response, knowing him he was definitely upset, but you would rub it in his face when you got home. Quickly the third pick was put in place by Columbus. All three of you had smiles on your face as the team approached the stage. 

“The Columbus Blue Jackets are proud to select from University of Michigan, Adam Fantilli.” As the applause began you stood up with tears starting to form in your eyes, you were so proud of your boy. You held Adam tightly,

“I love you so much,” you whispered in his ear as he was letting go,

“I love you too,” he said as he made his way to his brother, he continued to his parents then went and approached the stage. You couldn’t pull yourself together, Luca rubbed your back as you wiped the tears from your face and the running mascara. Once that was over with you looked at your phone and saw more messages waiting from your brother. 

C’mon pick Smith pick Smith

DAMN IT

Stop crying you got what you wanted, yeah you’re crying on TV 🫥

Whatever congrats Adam, you still aren’t going to Columbus

They had one job

You showed Luca the messages causing him to chuckle, the two of you tried to come up with a clever response, but you couldn’t wait to rub it in your brother’s face. 

I WIN YOU LOSE RUTTY!

ROLL JACKETS BABY!

He hated that nickname you made for him, you knew he would be mad, but he wasn’t he was smiling at his phone from wherever he was watching knowing that his “little sister” was the happiest she had ever been. 

The rest of the day was boring until you got to see Adam again. You made your way with the Fantillis to where he was waiting for you. He hugged his parents once again, then Luca, and lastly you. Adam scooped you up and spun you around, as you cheered.

“You knew it, Adam, you really did,”

“Just a gut feeling,” he said putting you down but keeping his arm around your waist still keeping you close. The two of you sat down in the box you were in, while everyone else was busy talking.

“You sure I can’t come to Columbus with you?”

“One day Y/N,” he smiled as he pressed a kiss to your lips,

“One day,” you said taking a breath of air before your lips found his again.

_______________________________

I'm so happy he's on the jackets

[blueberrypancakesworld]

I'm gonna miss this place

Charlie Walker x fem!reader

warning : kissing, fluff, implied obsession, murder nothing graphic, blood, minor describtion of how pretty Charlie looks during sex, no use of Y/n

Summary : The final act of the finale is done and Charlie and his girlfriend have a brief moment of victory until something like nostalgia sets in.....The solution: kisses and affection.

Info : So again one cute thing for our sweet boy I wanted to write something fluffy again and needed a prompt and saw one and went yup new story...so as always hope you like it and have fun reading :)

masterlist

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

,,I'm going to miss this place," she heard his voice and looked up from the picture that showed her and Charlie and the movie club on a trip to the latest Stab movie.

Briefly it was like a feeling of regret, regret that they hadn't all done something together again before…but there was something stronger than this club.

The club alone didn't keep anyone here in town, no one wanted to just stay here, it had been her and Charlie since they had longed for each other.

He had seen her little knife pendant on her key ring, had approached her and she had heard from Kirby and her friends that Charlie was supposed to be a little pervert.

Whereby ,,supposed to" was in the eye of the beholder as she turned her gaze to her friend Charlie she saw nothing of this pervert. She saw a deeply fixated, misunderstood poor cute young man who loved her more than anything.

With whom she had been through everything, his build-up phase, that she taught him that he was worth something, that he showed her that it was okay to let go, to trust someone, to show that he was capable of love and that she could and was allowed to accept it.

The prom, or rather the pre-party that took place in one of the few clubs in town, helped him as he adjusted to the new.

His hands held on to her and she honored him with a kiss on the tip of his nose as always. He came out of himself and the two of them danced across the floor together, ignoring the others and staying together.

His blue eyes, in which she had been lost since the first time they had seen each other, finally met. ,,What is it?" asked the blue-eyed one when he saw his beloved girlfriend looking at him, studying him and seemingly lost in thought.

He slid the hammer he still held in his hand to the ground and hit the soft yet wet carpet with a dull thud. It no longer mattered how they would leave this place, they had reached their grand finale, they had created an epic together and it had become fucking epic.

With a gentle smile, he reached for her hand and took the Ghostface mask she was still holding, even though the "finale" had been minutes ago. ,,What's wrong, love? Are you going to miss this place?" he asked, holding the mask up to his face, his voice slightly consumed so that it was Ghostface speaking.

Before he carefully moved his other hand to her cheek and wiped away a splatter of blood, apparently looking at it slightly before taking the mask aside and wiping away the blood that stained his finger.

He smirked as he saw her avoid his gaze, she didn't mind the blood, the injuries and all the carnage but it seemed…intimate. ,,A little blood never hurts, besides, we have everything we wanted now," he added and snuggled up to her, a joyful expression in his eyes and she involuntarily thought of a golden retriver again. Cute, fluffy and loving its owner more than anything.

She wrapped her arms around him and felt his warmth, the heat that was still on them both where the black fabric of the costume that had made her unmistakably Ghostface had been before.

His lips smirked as she played lightly with a strand of his brown hair, ,,That's right, we have everything…and we leave everything behind for us, just a little nostalgic," she replied, and pulled him into a brief but heartfelt kiss full of gratitude.

Gratitude that he was there even in this moment between death and life. Charlie had opened her eyes not only to movies but also to the fact that there was only one way.

A path they had to take together, he as her sweet weapon and she as the innocent victim. Because if they were ever caught, how could two traumatized young adults do something like this, it was bullying and the others were not.

Either way they weren't going to get caught and one look at the dead Kirby soaking the carpet wet and red with her blood and there would be no witnesses. ,,You bitch had to die," he said dismissively, the pain she had caused him over the last few years was finally gone and the bullying and words were finally over.

She nodded knowing he was right she was glad it was over…and despite everything she would miss her little home, her stupid little home. It was normal to feel nostalgic…but she had him, had her sweet loving and needy Charlie and that was all she needed and all he needed. Together they would manage everything and once again she was grateful to him for holding her, for being there for her.

Detaching himself from her, he took the tape they had used to record the finale, ,,The little movie of our love," she winked, knowing that besides the murders, there would be one or two other things on it, but this would be a nice surprise for the police once it ended up on the internet.

This time her gesture was the one that made him blush and grin, his first time was intimate, on camera, covered in the blood of the victims and god damn his eyes were beautiful, his blue eyes tinged with a glimmer of lust, the sounds eternally preserved by the recording. She took his hand and squeezed it lightly, watching as he made the same gesture back and they fell into another kiss.

His hand gently placed itself on her side and hers tangled in his hair, pulling it lightly and an amused giggle escaped him…a move that always drew him. ,,So sensitive," she mumbled to him as she watched him nod in agreement and return a ,,Just for you, my heart" before they kissed again.

A kiss that meant the beginning of freedom as soon as they got into his car and drove away, leaving the city behind, they would have everything together forever.

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

@icarus-star , @roryculkinsgf , @angelsanarchy , @ria-coolgirl

[massivedrickhead]

“You haven’t been yourself” from the angst prompt list if you haven’t gotten it yet :)

Surprise! Bet you thought I'd given up on this prompt request (I had too) but I finally managed to pull something together.

I haven't really felt motivated to write at all for basically the whole year, and that really bums me out. So I'm trying my best to get back to some abandoned WIPs in the hopes that i'll get me out of this funk.

Apologies for the legth of time it has taken for me to get this out, I really hope it was worth the wait.

-

“You haven’t been yourself.”

Prompt taken from here

Read on AO3

-

“Are you even listening to me?”

Beca blinked and looked up from her phone. “Sorry,” she said. “What were you saying?”

“I was just asking if you’re okay,” Chloe said, frowning at the bags under Beca’s eyes. “You’ve been a bit quiet lately.”

“I’m fine,” Beca said, one hand rubbing at her tired eyes as she turned her attention back to her phone. “I’m always quiet.”

“Not like this,” Chloe said. Not with me, she wanted to add. “You just don’t really seem like yourself.”

Beca shrugged. “I’m fine,” she repeated, though she didn’t sound any more convincing a second time. “Work’s been busy.”

“Okay,” Chloe said, knowing she wasn’t going to get any more out of her. “I’m gonna go shower. Stacie text and asked us to meet her for drinks, are you coming?”

Beca shook her head. “I’ve got a lot of work to get done,” she said, frowning at her phone as she tried to clear the seemingly never-ending list of emails. 

Chloe resisted the urge to pull the phone out of her hand, and instead turned and headed to the bathroom, swallowing down her frustration as she all but slammed the door behind her. 

Beca didn’t even register the noise. 

Her list of unread emails was growing longer by the second, each one seeming more important than the last. 

She was in the same spot when Chloe emerged from the bathroom twenty minutes later, and she still hadn’t moved another thirty minutes after that, when a fully dressed Chloe was heading out the door.

“We’ll be in Albertini’s if you change your mind,” Chloe said.

“Uh huh,” Beca replied. “Have fun.”

The front door closed and Beca’s eyes remained fixed on her phone screen. 

She tried to read an email from her boss, but she couldn’t focus enough to take in the words. She read it top to bottom three times without taking in a single word of it.

She was too distracted by a throbbing headache that felt like it was pushing against the backs of her eyes. She was hungry too, and her back hurt from the hunched-over position that she’d spent most of the day in.

Her phone began pinging with messages from Stacie, no doubt chastising her for not coming to the bar, and five more emails had hit her inbox by the time she’d closed out the one she hadn’t been able to read from her boss. 

It felt like everyone wanted something from her lately. 

She felt pulled in too many directions.

Stretched too thin. 

Chloe said she hadn’t seemed like herself, and she was right. Beca wasn’t herself. She couldn’t remember the last time she had been. 

She blinked rapidly, trying to clear the itchy tiredness from her eyes, and pulled her attention back to the email.

Chloe arrived back at their apartment several hours later, a little buzzed but not drunk, and it surprised her to find Beca in the same position as when she left, as if time had been paused when she’d shut the apartment door.

Beca had looked up at the sound of the door opening, but her attention returned to her phone almost immediately. She’d made some progress on her emails, but not nearly enough to justify the length of time she’d spent on them.

“Have you really not moved the whole time I was gone?” Chloe asked, pouring herself a glass of water.

“I guess not,” Beca replied. “I didn’t even realise it had been that long.”

“Seriously, what is going on with you?”

It’s the tone of Chloe’s voice rather than the question that made Beca’s shoulders finally slump. Chloe sounded worried, and Beca hated that she was the cause.

“I… I don’t know,” Beca said. 

Chloe left the kitchen and joined Beca on the sofa. 

“I don’t know what’s wrong with me.”

“But something is wrong?” Chloe asked.

“Something feels wrong,” she said. “But I don’t know what. I don’t know why.”

Chloe let out a sigh and put her hand on top of Beca’s. “Okay,” she said. “How can I help?”

Beca opened her mouth but closed it again when no answer came. She shook her head and laughed. “I don’t know.”

“Have you eaten?”

Beca shook her head again.

“We can start there,” Chloe said. “I’m starving. Put that phone down and come help me make some ramen or something.”

Beca gave another quiet laugh but did as she was told. Chloe didn’t need her help making ramen, but Beca needed something to break this cycle she was stuck in. Something to focus on so she didn’t remain trapped in that indecision of what to do next.

“How’s Stacie?” Beca asked, following Chloe into the kitchen. 

“She’s good,” Chloe said. “She kept trying to set me up with guys at the bar.”

“Oh?”

“Uh huh,” Chloe said, smirking at the tone shift in Beca’s voice. “She doesn’t know I’m spoken for.”

“You didn’t think to tell her?”

“We said we’d do that together,” Chloe replied. “But you keep bailing on drinks.”

“I’m sorry,” Beca said, taking hold of Chloe’s hand and pulling her closer. “I promise I’ll come next week.”

“You’d better,” Chloe said. “Because if I have to politely turn down one more guy named Chad, I might lose it.”

[runningfrom2am]

all i think about is karma

summary: you and rafe take on a mainland bush party where he knows no one, and you know too many people for his liking.

this can be read as a stand-alone but it's technically a part four to getaway car, big reputation, and this is why we can’t have nice things.

pairing: rafe x fem!reader

wc: 2.1k

tags/warnings: jealous!rafe, highschool au, (some) nondescript nudity, cursing, mean kook!reader, underage drinking, (i think that’s it??)

a/n: hey y’all!! sorry i haven’t posted anything in a little while, i’ve been busy but now im back home and on my usual schedule so there shouldn’t be any serious interruptions for a little while. i missed y’all and i hope you like this! this is what won my getaway car poll quite some time ago so im so happy to finally get it out!

"No, Y/N/N, I'll be fine. I don't want to dampen your week, you'll have so much fun!" Bella insists, adjusting where her phone is laying in her lap while she lays in bed, surrounded by tissues and snack wrappers. She came down with the flu at the worst possible time: right before you were meant to go on your spring break trip.

"It won't be the same without you! I should just stay home, I can come over and we can have a movie marathon or something. That'll be just as fun." You reply, watching her through the facetime camera while you sit at your vanity.

"No. Absolutely not. You're going- and you'll get to hangout with Rafe! It's worth it for me to get all the juicy details after." Bella giggles, sniffling and quickly wiping her nose.

You roll your eyes, rubbing your forehead. "Okay, yeah, but nothings gonna happen- you know I swore that off."

"Yeah, whatever. The two of you, alone, drunk and sharing a tent? Whatever you say." Your friend teases you. "It's actually worth it for me to stay home so you can come back with tea."

"Okay, fine," You agree, not admitting that the idea is very tempting. "But I'm not sleeping with him again."

"No! Of course not." Bella laughs, shaking her head. "But if you did, at least be safe this time. We don't need a repeat of what happened last time-"

"Okay! Okay! Bye, Bella I'll call you later!" You quickly cut her off, hanging up the phone.

Several long hours after texting Rafe the update that Bella wasn't going to make it, you found yourself in his truck on the mainland, driving into what seems to be the middle of nowhere for a bush party you caught word of from some friends you met playing soccer on a local team. You were excited to see them, and meet some new people, but you're honestly so glad Rafe still wanted to go. You'd rather not go alone if you didn't have to.

Judging by the large space in front of you full of various groups of kids your age putting tents together or starting fires around makeshift campsites at the edge of the water, you assume you're in the right place and get to work setting up your own tent off near the edge of the lake.

It wasn't long before the sun started to set over the abandoned gravel pit, and you just finish up when you crack open your first drink from the cooler. "So like... are we actually going to talk to anyone or just hide over here and be weird all night?" Rafe asks as you bring the can to your lips.

You roll your eyes a little and nod. "Well, duh. My friends are coming. I don't know what your plans are." Rafe looks around at that, seeing if there's anyone he might be able to talk to, but he was counting on hanging out with you.

"Wow, you're ditching me?" He asks, reaching into the cooler as well and grabbing a beer. "Cold."

You go to reply with a matching, somewhat snarky attitude the two of you almost always share when you recognize the purple jeep that's pulling in. "That's them! Good luck making friends!" You call back, jogging over to where they parked.

Rafe flips you off as you turn your full attention to your friends, sighing a little to himself as he lays eyes on a group of local boys who look enough like his friends that he's comfortable talking to them.

By the time that the area is lit only by the orange glow coming from the several cooking fires and the large bonfire everyone is centered around, you're already stumbling over your feet with a half-drank bottle of some liquor you didn't bring, and you're not even sure where you got it.

Rafe has been trying to keep an eye on you from a distance, but now he's lost you. He's drunk himself, so he's not overly concerned, but he would just at least like to know where you were. He looks around frantically, trying to keep his cool as the boys around him are laughing about something he didn't care to pay attention to. His eyes land on some figures out in the lake, and he squints to see if he can make out the shape of your hair in the dark. He takes a few steps away to get a closer look, hearing you laughing and shouting over the music coming from an on shore speaker. He walks down to the shore with a smug look on his face, polishing off his beer when he looks down and notices piles of clothes on the shore. Are you naked?

"Hey, Y/N!" Rafe shouts, waving to you in an attempt to grab your attention.

"Rafe!" You shout back, smile never fading as you push your wet hair out of your face. With the liquor warming you, the water feels amazing and so soft on your skin. "Come out here! Come join us!"

Rafe sighs as he finds your stuff, relieved to find only your shirt, shorts, and bra. At least you weren't fully naked in front of all these strangers. He strips of everything but his boxers and grabs your bra, wading out into the cool lake water to you and your friends as they cheer and laugh.

"Rafe! Where have you been?" You giggle, throwing your arms over his shoulders once he gets close enough for you to reach.

"I've been around- apparently I should have been babysitting you ladies." He chuckles, trying to hide any frustration in his tone as he avoids looking at your friends who are just as well clothed as you are. "Put this on, at least." He adds, pulling away from you and handing you the article of clothing, crossing his arms to watch you put it on despite his better judgement.

"Hey! Girls! Come on in, we're going to play chandelier!" One of the guys Rafe had the pleasure of talking to for the last couple hours shouts, and quickly everyone makes their way in to shore.

"Y/N, hey, we don't want you to get sick. Come warm up." Rafe turns his head as he gets his shirt back on, watching as one of the other guys, Jesse, is quickly wrapping you in a small blanket and guiding you up to the bonfire with a hand on your lower back. He scowls at the two of you behind your back, following as he urges you up the small hill and towards the large fire pit ahead.

You walk side by side with the boy, until you can feel the warmth of the flames on your skin where you stop and stand to dry off both your skin and what little clothing you have on. You don't know you're shivering until Jesse is tugging on the blanket around your shoulders. "Here, let me help you warm up.." He chuckles, wrapping his arms around you from behind and draping the blanket over both of you.

"Oh, thanks, Jesse." You say, teeth chattering from the soft breeze. You lean back into him, swaying from the alcohol still in your system and he steadies you.

"Anytime, sweetheart." He mumbles, pressing his lips to the back of your head.

You are well aware of his hands wandering, fiddling with the waistband of your underwear as you have your arms crossed tightly over your chest. You pull your bottom lip between your teeth as you gaze across the fire and your eyes land on Rafe, who's staring at you intently.

You smile and wave at him, but he just rolls his eyes in response and looks away. Is he upset with you for ditching him? In hindsight it wasn't very nice, even if that is the kind of relationship you normally have. If it was you you'd be upset- he didn't know anyone, and he was left to fend for himself, granted; he was clearly fine.

"Hey, Ashley?" You find yourself calling over to your other friend, but she doesn't hear you as your eyes well up with tears. Why do you feel so bad right now? Does Rafe being upset with you really bother you that much? You've hardly felt like this before.

"Ashley?" You ask again, but she hardly glances at you as she's got another boy draped over her shoulder- one who is definitely not the girls boyfriend.

"You okay?" Jesse asks, leaning his head over your shoulder to get a better look at you.

"Uhm, yeah, I just have to go to the bathroom and I was hoping she would come with me." You explain, watching Rafe again as he buries himself in conversation with the two girls standing next to him.

"I'll take you." Jesse offers. "Come on, I won't watch. Swear." He says, already guiding you away and tossing the blanket back to his friend.

You glance back at Rafe over your shoulder as Jesse walks you off into the dark. Just as you look forward again to try and watch your step, Jesse's hand is smacking your butt playfully, making you jump. You laugh it off and give him a shove, but he's grabbing your hand and pulling you in the direction of his truck.

The swing of Jesse's arm to where his hand hit your exposed skin drew Rafe's attention again fully, and he furrows his brow as he watches you stumble away. You were sharing a tent with him and you were really about to hook up with that mainland loser? He quickly downs the rest of his beer and storms after you, fists clenched at his sides after discarding the bottle on a nearby pong table.

"Hey!" Rafe shouts, making the two of you turn just as Jesse backs you up against the side of his truck and starts kissing down your neck. You're confused, but not one to turn down an opportunity like this- especially when you never have to see him again. As soon as Jesse turns his head, though, it's snapped back again with the contact of Rafe's fist into his nose.

He groans and quickly brings his hands up to his face, tipping his head back as blood pours from between his fingers. You gasp, reaching out for him but hesitating, not sure what to do.

"You think you can hook up with any girl who accepts a blanket from you when she's cold? She came here with me." Rafe spits, and you feel your features pull into an expression of anger as you quickly step towards him and shove him back. "What?"

"Come on." You mutter, grabbing his arm and pulling him away from the now bleeding boy. "What the fuck was that about?" You ask, storming back to where your shared tent was in the corner. "Do you think you have some stupid claim over me just because you drove me here?"

Rafe rolls his eyes, stopping with you next to the tent as you drop his arm and turn to face him. "He was taking advantage of you!"

You scoff, shaking your head and crossing your arms. "No, Rafe. He wasn't. Did you ever consider that maybe I wanted that?"

"Whatever, Y/N- don't act like you weren't eyeing me up for the whole drive here."

"Oh. My. God." You find yourself laughing suddenly, realizing what this is about. "You were jealous."

"What? No I wasn't." Rafe replies defensively.

You smile at him cockily, tilting your head and waiting for him to spiral on it.

"I wasn't! I tried to help. That's what I get, I guess!" Rafe throws his hands up.

"And here I was thinking you were mad at me for ditching you. Turns out you were just horny." You smirk, knowing you were just pushing his buttons this time for fun.

"Oh, fuck off, Y/N, you're just trying to piss me off now for fun."

"You're not denying it." You shrug, looking back over to the fire for a moment, seeing Jesse sitting there with paper towel pressed to his nose and a few girls surrounding him.

"You're making it difficult not to be when you’re walking around like that.” He replies, smirking as he looks you up and down.

“Don’t be gross, Rafe.” You smile, dropping your arms from they were crossed over your chest.

He takes a step closer at that, delicately placing his hands on your hips. “You love it, Y/N/N, you know you do.”

taglist: @bookishbabyyy @madelynie , @whore-4-drewstarkey , @slut4drudy , @winterrrnight , @totalswag , @sadfury @fullfledgedemo @rafemotherfuckingcameron , @urfaveluvr , @chenslucy , @hxnnah-397 , @s-we-e-t-t-ea , @tahliac11 , @ragingsammie , @ietss, @dee127

[am-i-the-asshole-official]

Am I an asshole for making fun of someone’s name and interests but then apologizing? I (16M) recently became friends with some people in my lunch hour. They are Z (17NB), M (18NB) and K (17M). M is dating A (18FTM), who i have met twice and had maybe two brief convos with, and he seemed sweet at the time. However, A is friends with the whole group, so they all know him and talk about him. We have joked in the past about the fact that A has the same nickname as one of my other friends. For the sake of fake names, lets say the nickname is Alex. I refer to my friend as Alex and Z,M, and K all call their friend Alex too. However, one day i called my friend by his full name- again, fake name, but lets say- Alexander. M makes fun of my friends name, saying its a bad name. In retaliation I jokingly say ‘your partners name is worse!’. A’s full name is a different spelling of a rather nice name, for this lets say its Alexyus (like Alexis). I mention that i like the name alexis, just say “but who spells it with a y!”. I also add, “plus theyre literally a dsmp and homestuck fan!”. OKAY BEAR WITH ME! i will fully accept and admit that thus far i have been an asshole. It wasnt okay for M to make fun of my friends name, but it also wasnt okay for me to make fun of their partner.

Anyways- no one seemed too upset by it in the moment, but later when i got home i received messages from M, K, and A. M’s had some odd sort of long copy pasta which basically said i hope you suffer, but it felt like a joke to me so just responded withh “i aint reading all that”. K’s message was wild tho- he said “i was just hoping you would kill yourself, overdose, hang yourself, or even just cut ur wrists. what is wrong with you, you fing freak!”. which is… wow! After i read the message i saw him edit it to add a “/jay” (meaning joking) at the end, but the original message had no indication of it being a joke. However, i accepted it as a joke because…. Why would he tell me to kill myself lol…. Anyways, A’s message was polite and formal, asking to talk about something i said earlier at lunch (A isnt in our lunch, he wasnt there when i made the comment about his name, but i assume M or K told him). I respond equally politely and we had a good conversation about it, i realized that it wasnt at all my place to make thats jokes or poke fun at A in that way, and i apologized. A said it was all good and honestly i was impressed with their forgiveness and maturity. I hoped A and i could become potential friends in the future, even. I was still peeved that K literally told me to commit suicide, but whatever yknow. The next few days at lunch were awkward but my other friend, Z, and me mostly just didnt talk to M and K. At some point my other friend, who i told about this, mentioned to K kinda offhandedly like “yo it was kinda fucked up u told (me) to kill himself..” and K informed us that he actually didnt send the message, it was A on his phone. M corroborated this story and then we left, but i was honestly so shocked.

Now i dislike and feel uncomfortable around M, K and A (although not Z, who agreed that what the rest of them did was not okay), because to me it feels like they all were okay and agreement of the message. But ultimately i’m really conflicted- it was definitely wrong of me to make fun of A (even if it was not meant to be serious, i dont know A well enough to joke like that), but i feel like telling me to kms is unjustified. Maybe it all is stupid drama tho, and i should just let it go?

*** i forgot to add- if its worth noting, since A is trans, he chose his own name, and mentioned that was one of the reasons he was specifically upset. Should i have not made fun of his name because i know he chose it himself? (Idk if it matters but my friend alexander is also trans and chose his name too. Also i love him and his name to death so maybe thats why i was specifically defensive of it.) but anyways:

Am i the asshole? Are we all assholes?

What are these acronyms?

[kit-walk3r]

Hey so can you write a fluff with Kyle, post death?

Like you guys are at the coven house n everything and the two of you share a bedroom, not the same bed. But anyway, Kyle was having trouble pronouncing words and you got him like a tablet so he could like play educational games or something. Or you play music for him and try and teach him the lyrics of like a Lana del ray song or your favorite song if you'd like! :)

Okay I love this! Unfortunately I don’t really know any Lana Del Ray songs so instead I used the song he sings in the tattoo parlour, I hope that’s okay :)

Rosanna (Kyle Spencer x fem!reader)

You find a new way of teaching Kyle and have fun along the way.

Warnings: none

You were sitting on your bed, reading, when you heard a loud thud and looked up to see Kyle drop his tablet on the floor in frustration. He was trying out a new learning program, and obviously it wasn’t going well. Sighing, you placed your book down and walked over to Kyle’s bed where he sat with his head hung in shame.

“Kyle, what’s wrong?” You asked, bending down to pick up the discarded tablet before taking a seat next to him on the bed.

“C-can’t do it,” Kyle stuttered. He didn’t look up at you. “Stupid.”

“You’re not stupid,” you reassured him, placing the tablet on the nightstand before shifting so you were fully facing him. He still refused to look up at you, so you placed your fingers under his chin and gently lifted his head so that he met your gaze. “I promise you, you’re not.”

Kyle just huffed in defeat.

The digital learning games had been working great so far and had really helped Kyle come along with his speaking from where he was just a few months ago. However, the past couple of weeks they hadn’t been as useful and you noticed how Kyle was growing more and more frustrated.

It was sad. Kyle had been doing so well. He’d reached the point where he was able to form basic sentences and knew what to say if he wanted or needed something, but now he was just sort of stuck. He wasn’t taking in any more information. Perhaps the tablet had lost its use.

You thought for a moment. Kyle needed a new method of learning and, as much as you wanted to, you just didn’t have the time to stay and teach him yourself full time. He needed something fun, something that might stimulate his mind perhaps more creatively, instead of just leaving him to look at a screen for long hours of the day. But what?

You looked around the room for any sort of ideas. Books weren’t helpful, Kyle’s reading ability was still very limited. Maybe the television? Kyle enjoyed watching movies, maybe you could find some fun learning videos to help, or some children’s tv shows that helped educate them. He might enjoy those.

Then your gaze landed on a pair of headphones sitting on your own nightstand. Of course!

Music.

You knew that Kyle had been a big music fan before he died. Maybe music wouldn’t just help him learn words, it could help him remember things. It was worth a shot. Pulling out your phone, you quickly found one of Kyle’s social media profiles and flicked through to see if you could find any examples of music he liked to listen to.

You came across a video he was tagged in. It looked like a very drunk Kyle doing karaoke at some party, singing along badly to the song Rosanna by Toto. You rolled your eyes, of course that would be Kyle’s choice of music. You continued to watch the video for a couple of moments, and felt a pang of sadness when you saw how happy and carefree Kyle looked. You checked the date. The video was posted just three days before the crash.

Kyle grunted next to you and you turned to see that he was also watching the video with rather sad eyes. You wondered if he realised that it was him in the video singing. You quickly closed the video.

“I’ve got an idea,” you smiled. Quickly grabbing your headphones, you plugged them into your phone and extended one of the earbuds to Kyle. He looked at it blankly, not knowing what to do with it so you put it in his ear for him before doing the same for you. You found the song Kyle had been singing in that video, Rosanna, and pressed play.

Kyle flinched at the sudden loud sound of the intro to the song and you repressed a giggle at his surprised reaction. You watched him intently, looking for any sign of recognition, but Kyle’s face just stayed sort of blank. Maybe this wouldn’t work, after all.

However, just a few moments before you were ready to accept defeat Kyle closed his eyes and slowly began to hum the tune. Your own eyes widened at his obvious recognition and you couldn’t withhold the grin from your face as Kyle’s hums got louder and louder. He began to sway along to the song too, and you laughed at how much he was enjoying the music. He started mumbling too, and you realised that he was attempting to sing along. There were a few words he was able to say, but the majority was unidentifiable mumbles.

Overjoyed with how well this seemed to be working, you began to sing along too. You didn’t know much of the words, so your own attempt sounded rather similar to Kyle’s. But it was fun, something that had so desperately been missing from Kyle’s life since his resurrection.

In this moment he didn’t look like a boy who could barely speak or read or write. He didn’t look like a boy who had faced death and been stitched back together mismatched. A boy who had no control over his life anymore. He just looked like a boy, singing along to music with a girl.

•———•

It’s a bit shorter than usual but I hope this was okay! I love writing Kyle 🥰 Thank you for the request!

Remember, requests are open!

[writingbyshiloh]

I Love as Madly as I Hate

CW: JW universe (blood, reader kills and gets stabbed), ANGST!, Reader wears a dress, verbal fighting, dead marrage, Vincent being a dick and no beta (and Grammarly gave up halfway through), One sentence in French which means “leave us alone”, implied smut

AN: I hope this is angst, I don't really read angst myself. I overthought the tense this is in so much that words don't make sense anymore. FUN FACT! The title is from Les Fleurs du Mal which I want to have made an appearance in the other Marquis fic but I thought the title was fitting.

The bounty amount is in the sweet spot. High enough that it’s worth the effort, but not too high that half the world would also be trying to bag them with you. The only problem was with who set the bounty. That would be your ex, of six months. Well technically he's still considered your husband, and you were still legally married.  

That was your fault, bringing up the idea of a divorce, and waiting for him to sign. Wanting to get one last dig in while still married, you act surprised, reminding him he can’t get a second marriage, second changes are for men who failed the first time, remember? He took the papers from your hand, never for you to see again. Sometimes you think he burned them. 

The hit was for a mob member - Lukas Matthews, young and new to the underworld, not sure how things worked. He stole from one of his bosses, an acquaintance of Vincent. The younger mob man was distracted by all things flashy, expensive, and pretty. 

You didn’t have any trouble donning a sparkly dress, paying admittance to some dive club to stalk the man. As long as you push down the feeling that you were really just doing this to get a glimpse of Vincent, it was okay. Great even. Maybe if you were a normal person you could just call him. 

You watch the target for a while, sipping on soda from the bar so you could blend in. The man was still with his friends, and you figured it would be easier to take him when he was alone, probably outside, away from the other members of his group or innocent partygoers. 

—. 

Lukas ultimately lost, but he fought nasty. Maybe you were still rusty. The rest of your night now consisted of trying to patch up yourself or trying to find a black market doctor to fix you, depending on how bad your shoulder gets.

You were littered with scrapes, small cuts and sore muscles, but your shoulder got the worst of the battle. Lukas managed to cut quite deep with a broken beer bottle. Once it heals it will be a reminder of all the things you do to try and convince yourself that you’re over your husband. 

Pain flared every time you moved your shoulder, the wound being an inch or two below your collarbone left you trying to keep half your body still. You settle on taking Lukas’s hand, with the mob tattoo. You and Vincent know members of that mob would rather die than cut off their symbol. 

With the body shoved against a trash can, you place a few garbage bags to cover the mess. The hardest part of the evening was still to come. With your good hand, you fish out your phone from your bag. 

—

You assume he is attending some ballet dance or performance. You felt a bitter twist of jealousy. Was he there with someone? Has he moved on that fast? You think mind racing. When you texted the Accountants that you completed the bounty, you received a call from Chidi. 

“I hear you collected the bounty. Do you have proof of death?” he questioned. 

“I do. I have the hand with the tattoos, but the body’s here I can get something else” you rambled down the line, suddenly much more nervous than before. 

“Please hold.” 

The line was quiet, you watched people come and go from the club, secluded from the side street you were in. Backtracking into the club, hand in your bag you returned your coat check ticket. At least the jacket will cover up the bleeding, you can get the bounty and go home. 

“Hello?” Chidis's voice returned. 

“Yeah, I'm here.” 

“Tell me your address, the Marquis de Gramont will be sending a car.” 

—

The Marquis de Gramont looked amazing. He tried to always look his best in his suits, complete with an incredibly complicated knot, chains, and his signature pin. You still have your pin, hidden in a shoe box in your closet. Tonight was no exception to his looks. 

His suit was reflecting the lights in his mansion. You knew from the glitter, this was a suit he would were at a cultural outing. Bitter jealousy bites at your insides. Was he there with someone? Did he move on that fast? Is it a mistress? You think. The jealousy dies when you still see his wedding ring on his left hand. Your wedding ring feels heavier on your right. 

You both look at each other, his gaze lingering on your exposed legs, no doubt covered in blood. You felt exposed standing in the center of the large room. 

Vincent was the one to break the silence first “Did I buy you that dress?”

“No. I’ve had it for a while” 

He nods, stepping closer. 

“Proof?” 

You frown thinking he was asking about the dress, before remembering the severed hand. 

“It's here. Tattoos and all.” you struggle to get the appendage out of your bag without moving your bad shoulder. At least you had the sense to wrap the hand in a plastic bag. 

“Come to my office. We can talk in there” 

You do not want to “talk in his office”. The last time, you went to “talk in his office” about a bounty it ended up with you naked on his desk, the cold chain from his suit vest and his ring pressed against you. 

“I should go. You can just wire me the money or something” You reject. 

You can tell you surprised him before his face shifts back to a more neutral expression. 

“I have a nasty scratch so…” you trail off, hoping he leaves the issue. 

His gaze almost softens. The separation was less than a year ago, you guess that he still cares for you. He still keeps tabs on you, your neighbour works for him you’re almost certain of it. 

“Where?”

You gesture with your chin to your shoulder. 

The pressure from his stare makes you break down and shrug off your jacket, the inside sticky with blood. 

Already he is in front of you, pressing a cloth against your wound. 

“You need to see the doctor, mon amour.” 

You hate yourself for leaning into his touch, but at least he has good contacts for an underground doctor. It won’t be that hard to get in and out right?

—

The doctor arrived fast, not wanting to piss off the Marquis. You knew him from your early days of dating, long before your marriage, when Vincent insisted you quit. You wonder if the doctor remembers you. If he does, he doesn’t show it. 

You just didn’t think Vincent was going to join you. He watches the doctor tend to your shoulder first, sewing neat rows of stitches to hold your flesh in place. You stare at your jacket on a spare chair, no doubt forever stained in blood. The good doctor already gave a warning about closing your eyes, so you keep your gaze on the jacket, your nails on your good hand leaving imprints on the chair arm from the tension between you and Vincent. 

The doctor moves on to more minor wounds, mostly cleaning them, and patching them up if needed. Ignoring your soft hiss when the cleaner he is using hurts more than you expected.

Vincent is watching the doctor, scowling when you flinch in pain. 

The instant the doctor pushed the tray with his tools and bloody tissues away, Vincent speaks for the first time since the three of you sat down.

“Laissez-nous seuls” 

The doctor protests, wanting to give you instructions on caring for his work, making sure you don’t rip anything open. 

Vincent glares at the doctor, who places down some gause for you to take home and leaves without another word, closing the door behind him. 

The Marquis drops to his knees for a better look at your injury. One hand cups the back of your shoulder blade to keep you still, as he inspects you. You’re sure you smell disgusting, the smell of the bar soaked into your dress and your hair. The doctor cleaned up most of the blood, but Vincent never really cared about literally getting his hands bloody if the time was right. He would just wipe them on a cloth and toss it aside for one of his housekeepers to pick up. 

You turn your whole face away, as much as your shoulder will let you, sure he can feel how hot your face is across the distance. The feel of his eyes is heavy, and almost magnetic, pulling you to look at him. His other hand is on the armrest of your chair. 

“Don’t,” you said softly, trying to preserve any of the dignity that you had left. 

“Don’t what, mon amour” he whispered, still looking at your shoulder. 

“This.” You were mostly saying this to yourself, knowing that you only had seconds to get out of his personal space before you give in. You’re tired and hurt and he's right there, acting how he did when you first fell in love with him. 

You tilt your head back almost automatically to give him more access to your throat. He moved slowly, pressing kisses against your jaw like it would be the last time, before working his way to your mouth and kissing you properly. 

—

It’s like a bomb waiting to go off, not only having sex with him but also having to navigate yourself out of his bed without one of you making a gripe at the other. 

Well, not technically his bed. This was yours, in a guest room you made your own while being married, now empty. You moved your stuff out during the separation. Sometimes you regret not taking the bedclothes with you, but now you’re thankful you can feel them, cool and soft against your skin. 

You had no choice but to stay lying on your back, trying to keep your injury still. He was next to you in the same fashion. 

“You are still wearing your ring.” He speaks quietly. As if to prove his point, he toys with your wedding band. 

“I helped design it, of course, I’m going to show it off,” you reply not being able to look him in the eye. 

He kissed the back of your hand.  

“I believe I designed it, you just suggested the stones.” 

Hand flexed to fully show off the stones, you had to agree. 

The stones were suggested by you, on a date to le Musée de Minéralogie. It was just the two of you, and you had been taken with the rubies. Vincent walked alongside you, filling you in on information you might not have known. It was an off-handed comment from you, how red is a colour for both blood and love, very fitting in your line of work. 

“You have good taste,” he says while you think had instead. 

His hand skimmed your bare side, nimble fingers finding a small bump that was not there before your flight with Lukas. 

You flinched at the dull pain, not surprised if he “accidentally” poked it. 

“You should let me take care of you, mon amour.” 

That was it. The same words that started and ended your marriage. Being taken care of by Vincent made you feel like a doll, sitting on a shelf, never allowed to do anything. 

“Vincent,” You spoke with caution, the pain slowly seeping back into your body.

He held your chin gently, commanding your gaze to look at him. You softened looking at him. 

“It is true. Do you think I like seeing you like this?” he asks. 

“I don’t know what you like” you retort, steeling yourself for the argument to come. 

“I like you.” 

“Oh, you do? Is that why you made me quit bounty work?” you snap. 

“I asked you to stop because you're not very good at it and I did not want a dead fiancé.” 

Ouch. 

“If you were a better fighter, you would take higher bounties.” 

You don’t look at him as you leave the bed. You know he's sneering at you. 

But you’re not going to shrink away even though you’re naked. You know you have to get dressed in front of him but you can put on a brave face.

 “Thanks for this lovely reminder of why our marriage failed.” You spit out. You know the failed comment will piss him off. 

You leave without a second look, cheap shoes squeaking against the floor. 

—

You felt the lock slide open under the key, your apartment slightly cold and quiet. You still smelled like his cologne, only now the smell reminds you of the recent bitter memories. You discard your bag as you make your way to your bed in your apartment. Away from Vincent. 

As you take off your dress for the second time you feel your phone buzz. 

[Unknown number: Wire Transfer Sent. Deposit for Lukas is confirmed.]

Seeing him mixed with the rush of adrenaline after the fighting was too much, especially with the separation so fresh. Maybe he was right. Maybe you should go after higher bounties, especially not those set by him. 

Taglist: @heartrot666, @soraya-daydreams

[packsvlog]

Can I pretty please have a matchmake!

I think of myself as very sweet, or at least I try to be. I'm super energetic but once my social battery runs out I need a (long) break. I love to write/read and im a huge nerd when it comes to silly things like videogames and dragons! I have a lot of love for the world and try to see the good in everyone/everything. Also if it adds to anything I have a very cutesy-pinky clothing selection.

Thank youuu sm!!

hello! sorry i took soo long, hope you like it, and you seem like such a enchanting person 🤍 ps: sorry for only one pairing, i’ll be doing this from time to time unless i get confused on pairings — i have other works to post and the matchmakings are for fun, hope u guys understand.

✶ 𝐩𝐚𝐢𝐫𝐢𝐧𝐠: itadori yuji

Showing up on the hangout spot to met your friend, Nobara, you caught lots of attention with your pretty pink dress and heels. no other eyes mattered more than the ones of Itadori Yuji, her friend from high school who decided to tag along on the mall.

Yuji had no expectations of you, that doesn’t mean that when you jumped on top of Nobara and started to talk happily, he didn’t feel like that day was becoming the most beautiful of the year — what’s the sound of birds in the morning or waves in the afternoon compared to your voice, Yuji wonders and comes with one answer: insignificant.

It takes you to finish your yapping to notice him, and much like he does, you also fall terribly easily. Unfortunately for Nobara, third wheeling was the only spot she could have in that moment.

So, you did went and made your shopping of makeup and clothes with her, but Yuji was the one taking most of your attention. Your friend tried really hard to be annoyed by it, but let’s be real, this encounter was most likely her idea, she did her own matchmaking of the two of you.

Your social battery started to get low after a few hours, a small pout forming on your lips, Nobara poked at you, but you only sighed, taking Yuji’s attention.

He didn’t want you to go, and with your desperate eyes at him, he knew you didn’t want him to go as well.

“Let’s go watch a movie.” He says, and that’s where Nobara draws the line of what she accept and doesn’t.

“Yeah! No.” You and him stare at her confused. “I mean, sure, you both go! Y/n has been wanting to see this movie with dragons for some time now, but I’m tired.”

In the dark room of the theater, after saying goodbye and a small thanks to Nobara, you are seated by Yuji’s side. Sharing popcorn and a cup of soda with two straws, you had thought you would be quiet, recharging to get back your animation to talk by the end of the movie.

Surprisingly, soon as a dragon appeared, you started to ramble in whispers about cool facts, and Yuji stared at you intensely, so focused that he would’ve prefer to be seeing you in the big screen rather than that movie. But scratch that, having you soo close is much worth.

That’s the first time you kissed, and can you really blame him? Both of your faces so close, an empty and cold dark room, and you looked so adorable with your dress and his jacket on top. No, you really can’t. You wouldn’t dare complain, instead you relented to his kisses, and many other dates, and many other kisses.

You do have from time to time those low battery moments, and thanks to Yuji, your now charming boyfriend, you have your own personal charger, working with small pecks and questions to make you yap about whatever you like. As always, Itadori keeps himself busy admiring you.

──── ✎ ° ⋆ FUN FACTS.

◛ ₊· Yuji loves your love for the world, you are basically sharing the same ideals, and therefore, anyone in yours and his presence gets granted a sight of gentleness and happiness. You both bring the good out of anywhere you go.

◛ ₊· Sometimes, Yuji’s charging its not enough, and that’s totally okay. He lets you keep in your own mind while he goes play games in your computer, his silence is enough to make you take your time. Whenever you feel like it, you crawl into his lap and starts to play with him as well, he lets you do whatever you want while kissing your head.

[nametakensff]

Steve and Eddie- 💦🤬⛈

Thank you for the prompt, anon! ❤️ Here's just over 6k of these dumb guys being in love

E/ddie is in a grumpy mood and hoping that his date with S/teve will cheer him up - but a sudden rainstorm and bout of insecurity might get in the way of that

(I kind of based this after this fic and before all my others where they've been together for a while - I still need to write a fic about them getting together in this sort of AU I've gradually created - but you don't need to read anything else though, it's ultimately just snz porn 😅)

~~~~~~

Content: M/M, Established (but relatively new) relationship, both S/teve and E/ddie have the fetish, E/ddie gets off to his own sneezing, pollen allergies, a LOT of mess (not too graphic but just in case!), blow jobs, cumming in pants, little bit of humiliation, just guys being dudes

CW: Just in case, characters feeling insecure about the fetish momentarily

NSFW, minors dni etc etc etc

“Heh-ENGXtchh!! NGXtchhh!! IGXT’chieww!! Ehdt’TCHIEWW!! FUCK, man…”

Eddie swiped under his nose for what felt like the fiftieth time since the start of this latest Corroded Coffin jam session. Gareth had closed the garage door for him in an attempt to fend off the offending pollen, but the damage had already been done – long before he’d even arrived, if he was being honest. These fucking allergies.

He pointedly ignored the somewhat wary round of blessings his bandmates offered. He was embarrassed as hell, normally able to stifle his hay fever into submission quite successfully if need be. He didn’t care so much about Gareth seeing him this way, not when he’d seen much, much worse over the years – but he didn’t feel like having a full-on allergy attack in front of anyone who wasn’t Steve right now, and even that was debatable. He cleared his throat and stood tall.

“Okay, second chorus, from the top!”

His voice broke slightly mid-sentence and he almost ground his teeth in frustration. This was a bad fucking allergy day. Normally he would have called band practice off with some half-assed excuse to avoid the aggravation. He should have learned about trying to suppress his sneezing for too long, especially after the recent humiliating debacle where he had what could only be described as a semi-nuclear allergic reaction at Steve’s house, in front of all his new friends. That everyone had been super cool about it, and that the discovery of his and Steve’s mutual fetish from that night had urged him to pursue the younger man, was irrelevant. He liked attention, craved it, but only if it was the kind that he cultivated willingly for himself.

Luckily, the sheer grumpiness he was experiencing today was somewhat working to curtail the inconvenient physiological response he was prone to after a consistent bout of sneezing. His cock was cowering away from him, not unlike the rest of Corroded Coffin, for which he was entirely grateful. Being in a bad mood still sucked - he took no pleasure in this moodiness. Tyranny was only fun if he was in complete control of his own emotions.

Gareth counted them in and they started up again. For about twenty minutes Eddie was able to forget his allergies and play for all he was worth. He’d been working on his vocals, trying his best to project from his diaphragm rather than screaming his throat sore, and he was thrilled to find that it was actually making a difference. He didn’t have that long to appreciate it, however, spinning away from his friends mid-song with a sudden wrenching gasp, falling into a fit of violent sneezes.

“IGT’TCHiewww!! Ehh’NGXTT’Chieww!! DZZ’Shieww!! HAGT’TCHieww!!”

They tickled so much his eyes swam with tears. They were also, to his chagrin, particularly high-pitched and desperate sounding. His cock twitched minutely for a moment in his pants and he blushed, hiding in his hair as much as he was able whilst his body spasmed under the assault. This was no good, no good at all. He reared back for the definitive sneeze of the fit, massive inhale stretching his chest to capacity.

“HEHH-ENGXTCHH’tsiewww!!!”

Holy fuck, that had been big. Not only that, it had been messy. He clapped a hand to his face to conceal the productive results, blush burning his cheeks. Still angled away from his bandmates, he fumbled for his bandana, cursing when he came up empty. Just his fucking luck. He sniffled reflexively, cringing at the thick crackling sound of it.

“Gross, dude…”

He span round immediately, anger and humiliation pulsing through him in waves.

“Why don’t you fuck off, Tim!” He spat, trying his best to look intimidating behind the hand clamped to his face.

“Oookay, guys, let’s take five, yeah?” Jeff sighed, placing his guitar neatly up against an amp before making his way into Gareth’s house. He slapped Tim on the shoulder, urging him to follow. Tim gave Eddie one last pointed glare before taking the hint and skulking off through the garage door. Eddie watched him leave, snuffling into his hand.

Gareth, who had silently watched the whole thing unfold from behind his drum kit, made his way over to a stack of shelves in the corner, retrieving a half empty box of tissues. He would never tell Eddie that he’d left it there specifically for him and that nobody had used it before or since the last time he’d been suffering with nasal difficulties at his house. He walked back over to his friend, punching him gently on the arm and pushing the box of tissues into his free hand.

“If I say ‘god bless you’, will you bite my head off?”

Eddie grumbled something that Gareth didn’t quite catch before turning around, balancing the box on his guitar and yanking a bundle of tissues out as best he could with one hand. The drummer gave him some privacy, mindlessly tinkering with the cymbals of his kit and trying his best not to wince at the incredibly thick nose blows that pierced the otherwise companionable silence.

The older man finished clearing out his sinuses as best he could and groaned. He hated losing his temper like that. Tim was right, of course – this was objectively gross, even if he would subjectively love to see Steve in the same state he was currently in. He leaned against the wall with his eyes closed, willing himself to lighten up.

“Bad allergy day?”

Eddie cracked open an eye and peered at Gareth, who was smiling with faux innocence back at him.

“Whadt tipped you off, Nandcy Drew?” He sniped, cringing only slightly at the additional Ds his swollen sinuses sprinkled into the sentence.

Gareth put his hands up in wordless surrender, smiling softly and deciding to leave it. Eddie was aware he was being handled like a recalcitrant beast with a thorn in its paw, and if it had been anyone other than the drummer he would have lashed out in response to the overcautious mollycoddling. But it was Gareth, so he merely closed his eyes again and listened as the drummer fucked around with various drum fills. He muffled another fit of itchy sneezes into a tissue, acknowledging the blessing from his friend with a nod.

“You seeing Steve today?” He heard Gareth ask after a beat.

“…Yeah. Unfortunately. I mean – because I’m – y’know.” Eddie gestured at his face.

“It’s no big deal, dude. He doesn’t seem like the type to care.”

Eddie knew that was an understatement. Steve fucking loved seeing him like this, and normally the metalhead would welcome the undivided attention and subsequent orgasms. But they were still so new, the pair of them – neither had been with a guy before (not that Eddie had really had much more experience with girls than a few drunken hand jobs at the senior parties he used to crash), and they were trying to take things slow. They hadn’t even formally named their relationship out loud, though it was obvious to the both of them this was far more than a mutual crush.

It wasn’t so much that Eddie wished they didn’t have this – shared interest, in sneezing. It was that he was painfully aware of how distracting he was being when he hung out with Steve. Sometimes he wanted to carry out a full conversation without sneezing himself breathless and leaving the younger man with a raging boner, driving himself wild in the process. Not that he could blame him – he’d just about lost his mind the first time Steve had sneezed against his neck, coming into the younger man’s hand in an embarrassingly short amount of time.

This allergy season had been so much worse than any other he could remember, and wondered if it had something to do with his stint in the upside down. It would be just his luck if all those nasty spores and particles had exacerbated his already impressive reactions to pollen. Even if it had been the catalyst to hooking up with Steve, even if he combusted with pleasure every time it earned him a blessing from the object of his desire, it was getting old, fast.

“Yeah, I know. But Tim is right, man – I’m gross. Sick of it.”

“Kid’s, like, not all there. I love the guy but he’s more than a little direct. You can’t take it to heart, man.”

Eddie nodded. He knew he was right. Tim was a socially awkward weirdo, the reason why they had all basically become friends in the first place. He was blunt, that was just the fact of the matter.

“Thanks, Gare. I just don’t want to fuck this up.”

“You won’t. I’ve seen the way Harrington looks at you – now that’s fucking gross. You googly eyed bastards eye-fucking each other, constantly. Yeah, don’t worry, he’s going nowhere.”

Eddie hurled a balled-up wad of tissues at him, laughing as he managed to hit the younger man square in the forehead and earning himself a disgusted shriek in response. He loved this stupid kid – he always seemed to know just what to say to cheer him up. He resolved to keep his temper for the rest of their jam sesh, nervously counting down the time to his date with Steve.

~~~~

He had to admit his low mood had at least been temporarily assuaged by the sight of Steve opening his door, a radiant smile on his face and visibly excited to see Eddie standing there. He drove the two of them out into a particularly scenic clearing he’d found in the woods – nobody else went out there anymore – and nervously laid out a ratty old picnic blanket and the food he brought with him. He felt pretty unoriginal, maybe kind of predictable, but Steve seemed thrilled all the same. Eddie’s cheeks hurt from smiling more in the past couple of months getting to know the younger man than he could remember ever before in his life. Maybe Gareth was right – they were googly eyed bastards. But no one else was around to see, so Eddie happily let Steve lay him down on the blanketed ground and suck a pattern of hickeys onto the column of his neck.

So far, his allergies were giving him minimal trouble. In the couple of hours after he’d woken up at noon (band practice was only at 1pm, so sue him), he’d been at his worst and taken a second round of allergy medication – probably just under the amount it would take him to get loopy off of the stuff. It had worked though, to a certain extent. He was still having little semi-regular fits of four or five, much to Steve’s appreciation, but it was just enough that he didn’t feel like a total mess.

He moaned as Steve sucked particularly hard at the junction of his neck and shoulder, vaguely aware of a creeping tickle lurking just beneath the surface. He sniffled and gripped harder at the fabric stretched over Steve’s muscular back, pressing his hips up against the thigh the younger man had lodged firmly between his legs. He continued to lean into the pleasure until the tickle proved too much –  it felt even stronger than before, buzzing insistently and with malicious intent. Fuck, yeah, he was definitely going to –

“S-Steve, mm’gonna-!! HDDZ’tschh!! Higxtt!! Heh’ENGXTCH’ieww! ‘Tssieww!!”

He rocked upwards with the force of them, attempting to suppress them as much as he was able. He aimed them over Steve’s shoulder, delicate clouds of spray misting the thin fabric of his t-shirt. His cock throbbed against the younger man’s thigh as his own legs reflexively squeezed around it, forcing a gasp out of him. Steve tensed before moaning against him, redoubling his efforts and sucking even harder.

“Bless you, Eds. You’re so allergic.”

Eddie felt his face pinken. It was everything he’d been fantasising about months – being with Steve, Steve getting off on him, getting off to his sneezes – but somehow, in this moment, he felt more insecure than he had since his gnarly allergic meltdown months prior. It was so stupid – that whole thing had more than proven to him that Steve didn’t find him disgusting, that he could actually be perceived as attractive even at his absolute worst. He should be fine. Why wasn’t he fine?

The confusion and discomfort brought back his sour mood in an instant, and he gently pushed at Steve. To his credit, the younger man immediately backed off, helping Eddie sit up, a broad hand supporting his back.

“What’s wrong, dude? I didn’t – I didn’t hurt you, did I?”

“No, no, you’re good. It’s just-“

“Allergies bothering you?”

Eddie looked at Steve, saw the genuine concern on his face, but also the way his eyes lit up over the mention of his allergies. His stomach flipped. God, what was wrong with him?

“It’s – it’s not that. I mean, yes, but it’s – it’s-“

He groaned in frustration, gripping his head in hands and leaning forward so that his long tresses fell over his face. Steve sat back, giving him a moment to collect his thoughts. Eddie could practically feel the anxious energy radiating off of him in waves. He had to fix this. He couldn’t let Steve think he was the problem. But god, was he? He opened his mouth to speak, not knowing quite what would come out but willing to give it a try.

“I feel like – and this is gonna sound so strange – but like – maybe you like my – my sneezing, more than you like me? And don’t get me wrong, I get it, man, I’m into the same shit – fuck, you know that. I just – can’t be sure, when I’m having these – reactions, that you’re, you know, with me because you actually like – well, me. Umm…”

He trailed off, letting the meaning of his well-intentioned rambling sink in. It sounded ridiculous, and he cringed waiting for Steve’s reprobation. Instead, he felt Steve gently tilting his head towards his own, forcing him to look into his eyes. He looked painfully sad. Eddie opened and closed his mouth, his vocal tenacity leaving him as quickly as it had come.

“Do I really make you feel that way?” Steve asked in a small voice.

He looked so crestfallen that Eddie had the distinct realisation that this must be what it felt like to kick a puppy.

“Steve, I’m sorry – just ignore what I said, man, it’s cool.”

He watched as the younger man shook his head.

“No. I can’t ignore it. Oh, man,”

Eddie watched him run a hand through his perfect hair, a distinctly anxious gesture.

“I’m not good at this, dude. I’m not good at making people happy. I’m always fucking up but I’m never sure why, and then it blindsides me.”

Eddie shook his head. He opened his mouth, wanting to reassure Steve that he made him happier than anyone he’d ever met before, but paused when the younger man raised a hand softly, signalling to let him finish.

“I try my best to do what I think I should be doing, but no matter what, I’m always waaay off the mark. I know how to hook up with people, but actually getting them to stay is something I just seem to be incapable of.”

He looked at Eddie and smiled. It looked so weary that his heart skipped a beat.

“If I came across, like, overly enthusiastic about the f-fetish stuff,” He faltered slightly, starting to blush. “I’m so sorry. I’ve never been in this position before, and I thought since you liked it too, I didn’t need to hold back. What I mean to say is – I’m good with sex, that’s what I know best. But clearly I’ve done a terrible job of making you realise how much I like you. Because I do like you, man – haven’t felt this way since anyone but Nance, and even then – this is just – it’s a lot.”

Eddie nodded, watching him intently. Steve ran his hand through his hair again.

“Anyway, I just wanted to let you know I’m sorry. For making you feel like I was using you just for sex or to scratch some perverted itch. I’m not very smart. I mean, everyone knows that.”

“Steve.”

“And I’m not sure how to make you see that I’m pretty much crazy about you. I thought maybe if I just – showed you in the way I know best-“

“Steve.”

Eddie reached out for him and pulled him into a fierce hug. Steve practically melted in his arms, the emotional spiral Eddie had sensed building up blessedly abating under his touch.

“I like you too. A stupid amount. And I don’t think I did a very good job of letting you know, either.”

He pulled back to look Steve in the eyes.

“I mean, what gives, man? It sounded like you thought I wanted to stop seeing you, or something.”

When Steve gave an awkward shrug, Eddie’s jaw dropped open.

“Harrington, you cannot be serious. Tell me you didn’t genuinely think I wanted to end things with you over that pathetic little monologue of mine?”

“Like I said, man. I’m dumb.”

“Ughh, Steve, you need to stop with this low self-esteem shit, honey,” The pet name slipped out before he could help it, but it didn’t seem to bother the younger man, who snuggled even closer to him.

“How about this? I stop ragging on myself when you actually let yourself believe that I want to be with you for more than a gratuitous lay, alright?” Steve said, jabbing him in the chest with an outstretched finger.

“Ooh, big word.”

“Fuck off!”

Steve wrestled him to the ground, pinning Eddie onto his back whilst the metalhead laughed with raucous abandon. Steve silenced him with a kiss.

“I’m serious, Munson. Wanna be with you. And I’ll back off with the – the sneezing stuff, if you want.”

Eddie smirked up at him.

“Jesus, you’re cute when you’re flustered. And god no, please don’t stop! You’ve convinced me. You like me, I like you, grass is green. We’re both not very good at this. I think we should kiss over it.”

Steve smiled down at him and leaned in to resume their making out when Eddie felt the familiar plip of a droplet of moisture bursting against his cheek. He thought Steve might have actually drooled on him for a split second, when there was another small splash against his forehead. And another. And another.

He craned his neck back to peer up at the sky. Clear and serenely blue only minutes earlier, it was now brimming with chubby, grey rainclouds.

“Oh, you have got to be kidding me!”

And with that, the heavens opened up.

~~~~

Eddie was pissed. No, that was an understatement – he was livid. He hadn’t had the foresight to expect rain – a summer storm, a typical occurrence in Hawkins, and yet. He’d been so set on taking Steve on a traditional, normal date that he had effectively mentally eliminated any alternative outcomes to their outing other than a romantic little picnic in the afternoon sun, followed by cuddling and sex. Maybe escalating beyond the hand jobs they’d been trading, if they were feeling a little braver.

“God DAMMIT-!” He cursed as the rain seemed to pound down even harder. Luckily, they’d been able to locate a sheltered area on the edge of the clearing and duck into it before it really started to pour, escaping with minimal dampness. And it was warm, so at least they wouldn’t freeze. However, they’d abandoned the blanket and food in their single-minded urgency, realising only after they’d scurried well out of sight from them. His irritation at this mindless fuck up was only further stoked by the physical discomfort he was currently enduring. The way his wet bangs clung to his forehead felt disgusting; his sneakers were damp and his jeans clung to ankles. Alone, these sensations and gripes were inconsequential – but combined, they were a lethal mood killer.

He felt Steve reach out and squeeze his shoulder in consolation. When Eddie didn’t respond, staring moodily down at his own knees as he sat hugging them to his chest, Steve reached out and pulled him into a clumsy side-hug. The older man grunted, not thrilled about feeling even more wet fabric pressed up against his own sopping clothes, but enjoying the physical closeness nonetheless.

“You’re such a grump. A cute little grump.”

Steve murmured in his ear, sending shivers down his spine. Eddie knew he could feel the responsive trembling, lips curling into a smile against the shell of his ear.

“Come on, Eds. Compared to what we’ve both been through? This is nothing.”

Eddie sighed, finding that although his bitterness persisted, Steve’s presence was a welcoming distraction.

“Somehow, Stevie, that doesn’t really make me feel any better.”

“Want me to sing you a song? I do a really good Phil Collins.”

The metalhead snorted and butted Steve’s cheek gently with his own.

“You do not. I was present for that Karaoke fiasco, Harrington. Leave it to the professionals.” He jabbed at his own chest with a thumb.

“Whatever, man. You liiiked it.” Steve sing-songed against his jawline.

Eddie meant to respond, but was stopped dead in his tracks by the familiar but daunting sensation of an intensely allergic tickle beginning to culminate. He moaned, reaching up with a fist and roughly mashing his nose around, hoping to bully the urge into submission, but no cigar. He could hear the damp squishing noise his sinuses made, worrying his nostrils pink with the effort. He had forgotten temporarily that if anything seemed to aggravate his allergies even more, it was rain.

He glanced at Steve, already feeling his eyelids fluttering in preparation for the release.

“Hh-Hh!! Steve, really gonnnnaa-hah..!! Hh, Start sneezing in a minute, fuck….”

He took in the hungry expression on Steve’s face, the way his Adam’s apple bobbed as he swallowed. He managed a little smirk at the way Steve’s eyes flitted about his face, taking in his flaring nostrils one moment, his furrowed brow the next. He sniffled, more to watch how Steve would react, but then realising he was a lot stuffier than he had originally thought.

“Ugh, I’m probably gonna….make a hh-HH!! Hahh mess….”

He heard the soft sound the younger man made in the back of his throat, felt the way the arm slung around his shoulders pulled him incrementally closer.

“That’s ok, Eds. I don’t mind.”

“Mmm, I’m sure you don’t, big boy…Hh!!”

Steve blushed and shot him a bashful little smile. It was probably one of the cutest things Eddie had ever seen, and he suddenly felt just as shy as Steve looked.

“Can I…keep holding you? While you sneeze? Is that ok?”

Eddie pressed a pair of fingers under his flaring nostrils, temporarily abating the building tickle just enough to respond.

“M-more than okaayyy-HH!! Wanted that f-for-! Months, now!! Ohhh, Steve, Mm’gonna-!! Need’ta-!!”

“I’ve got you, baby.”

Eddie’s head swam at the sudden pet name, feeling as if he’d hurtled over the peak of the world’s tallest roller coaster. For a moment, the butterflies and giddiness threatened to overwhelm the need to sneeze, but as always, the tickle in his nose reigned supreme. He sucked in one final choppy breath before he was sent sprawling forward, helpless as the pollen teased him breathless.

“Hh-HHDT!! DZZSSHH’IEWW!! H’ENGXT’TCHIEEWW!! IGSSCH!! GXXT’Shieww!!”

He felt Steve pulling him closer, turning him effortlessly towards him so that he was halfway into his lap and sneezing towards his chest. Each sneeze felt as if they only exacerbated the tickle, leaving him gasping, tears starting to spill down his cheeks.

“HIGG’Shiewww!! EhhHDT’Tchieww!! IGXXT’tsieww!! HHhohh my godddDXXSH’Ieww!! Hahh!”

Everywhere Steve touched him, he burned in exquisite agony. His nostrils flared in and out as the tickle toyed with him, breath hitching dramatically. He knew he was making a scene; knowing that Steve was hanging on to his every gasp and sigh made the experience all the more pleasurable. His cock throbbed in his jeans.

“EHH’GXXTT’SHIieww!! HGSHHH!! GSHHH’ieww!! EHH’NGXTTtchhh!!”

His nose was running down to his top lip now, dangerously close to overflowing. He reached up with a shaky hand, intending to cover, but felt Steve grasp him by the wrist and gently lower it again. By this point, the younger man had shifted him to sit completely in his lap, and as Eddie hitched towards another round of impossibly tickly sneezes, Steve gently pressed his head down to lean against his shoulder. Eddie gripped frantically at the cotton of Steve’s shirt, grounding himself, before sneezing violently down and across the younger man’s chest. He could hear Steve mumbling reassuringly to him throughout.

“Holy shit, Munson, Bless you – Bless you! So tickly…It’s okay, I’ve got you. You sound so good, Eds. So hot. Fuckkk….Bless you, bless you!”

Eddie’s face was burning, both with the effort of the overwhelming reaction to the pollen and the intoxicating pleasure his own sneezes sent pulsing through his body. He would rather someone else sneeze, but damn if his own didn’t get him going when they rendered him a helpless mess like this. His cock twitched with every expulsion, the releases that burst out of him sending pleasant shivers rippling from the base of his skull to the tips of his fingers and toes. Steve’s breathless encouragement only intensified the experience for him.

“hh-HH-HDDT-!! HIGGG’TSHHIEWW!! TSSHIEWW!! EHHSHHH’IEWww!! ENGGXTCHHH!!!”

He felt mess burst from his flared nostrils with that last body-crunching sneeze, sending twin tendrils hanging over his lips. He felt Steve wipe most of it away with his bare fingers, and the kinkiness of the gesture made his hips buck. And still he sneezed.

“GGGSSHH’IIEWW!! Hh, HEH!! Heh’EGXTT’SHieww!! HNGXTCHH!! GXXXTT’Shiewww!!”

Finally, it felt like the tickle was cresting into a definitive, final explosion. He moaned, not sure if he could handle something of the magnitude the building sensation promised, but all the same he was gasping, head jogging against Steve’s shoulder, back expanding within Steve’s embrace. He hitched once, twice, three times before the sneeze held him on the edge in a silent grimace – and then he was lurching forward, almost sending the pair of them sprawling backwards onto the forest floor with the force of it.

“HEEEIHHHH’DZZZTSHHIEWWW!!! Hahhh-!”

He panted, nuzzling his nose against Steve’s shoulder and wrapping his arms round his waist. Dizzy and exhausted, he slumped against the solid weight of the younger man, luxuriating in the aftermath of that all-encompassing fit. He was painfully hard now. He felt Steve stroking his hair and rubbing his back with broad, open-palmed strokes. He opened his bleary eyes for the first time since his fit had begun, previously unable to do so under the persistent assault.

“Jesus Christ…”

He muttered under his breath, taking in the extent of the damage he’d caused. Steve’s baby blue shirt was almost transparent where it clung to his chest, saturated with the result of Eddie’s impressive allergies as it was. There was further mess dripping slowly downwards, gluing the shirt to his abdomen as it sunk into the fabric. He tentatively looked up at Steve, not quite knowing if he had crossed over the delicate line of sexy to disgusting. One quick glance at the former jock’s ruined expression was all it took to reassure him that he was still very much securely in the sexy camp. He smiled coyly.

“Told you I’d make a mess.” He sniffled for emphasis and rubbed his runny nose against Steve’s shoulder until it sported twin damp patches.

Steve kissed into his hair, and Eddie noticed that he was panting too.

“That was – amazing. Holy shit. I mean – wow!!”

Eddie laughed fondly at how winded the other man sounded, more than a little pleased with himself. It felt so good to sneeze as hard as his body desired, and to know that he was turning King Steve on by being a sloppy, allergic mess was more than a little erotic. He felt like he’d come with just a few brisk jerks of his cock.

“Mm’glad you liked it.” He giggled shyly, a little loopy in the aftermath of it all.

Steve lifted his head up gently by the chin, scanning his face with eyes full of emotion.

“Are you okay?? Fuck, that was so intense. Your allergies, man….”

Eddie nodded.

“Yeah, I’m okay. I mean, you heard me – before, at your place. It can get a little – ridiculous, if I’m not on top of medication. Or when I’m outside in the elements. Or when it rains – god, especially when it rains!”

Steve laughed.               

“Yeah, man, I see that now.” He reached down to touch the slick fabric of his shirt. Eddie didn’t miss the way his breath caught as his fingers slipped over it.

Emboldened, he wiped his nose roughly along the back of his hand and a little further up his arm, grateful to be wearing a sleeveless shirt, before gripping Steve by the collar and pulling his head close.

“Want me to get you off, Harrington? Want me to make you come all over the forest floor?” He murmured against Steve’s lips.

Eddie was expecting a moan of some kind, but not the half-strangled groan that Steve emitted, reaching up to cover his burning face with a broad, tan hand. Confused, the metalhead reached down to grip Steve’s erection – finding a distinctly soft cock and a huge wet patch spread across the mouth-wateringly tight Levi’s that the younger man favoured. He gaped, eyes round in surprise, and stared at Steve in a look of silent amazement. Steve peered at him through the protective cage of his fingers and moaned again.

“I – it’s because – you were so-! And I-!”

As Steve flailed and spluttered, a grin spread wider and wider across Eddie’s face. Holy shit. He had made Steve motherfucking Harrington come in has pants, untouched. He had done that. Holy shit.

“Stevie, did you jizz in your pants for little old me?” He drawled, delighting in the deepening blush that spread all the way to the tips of the younger man’s ears. He leaned forward and gently bit one, feeling the heat of the blood radiating from the delicate skin.

“…Yes. I did. I swear, I’m not-! This hasn’t happened before. You’re just…so hot,” Steve admitted, leaning into the tiny kisses that Eddie pressed along the bridge of his nose and the apples of his cheeks.

“So sensitive, Stevie. I like that.”

He kissed Steve firmly on the mouth, both of them moaning at the sensation of Eddie’s slick nostrils and cupid’s bow pressing up against Steve’s own nose. The older man gasped at the sudden grip of Steve’s palm cupping him through his jeans, thrusting into it instinctively. He was about several pumps away from coming into his pants himself when Steve released his hold. Eddie whined, his hips chasing the receding hand in vain. He looked up at the younger man impatiently.

“Can I suck you off?”

Eddie’s mouth dropped open. He hadn’t been expecting that. But the answer was an absolute, resounding yes.

“Please,” he whined against Steve’s mouth, feeling the younger man smile before starting to push him back onto the soft grass and up against the roots of a tree. It wasn’t the most comfortable position in the world, but the desire he felt for Steve eclipsed the minor discomfort. He watched as Steve eagerly unzipped his jeans and pulled out his cock, pumping it softly but firmly enough that Eddie’s head knocked back against the tree trunk with a gentle thunk. Steve paused for a moment.

“I should, uh, say – neither of us have been with guys before, so – this is my first time giving head. Sucking cock, I mean. I’m sorry if I’m not all that good after talking such a big game about sex before.”

Eddie let him finish, nodding his head.

“Well, Steve, rest assured that no matter what you do to me, you and your mouth have the unprecedented honour of taking my oral virginity. So go wild, honey.”

Steve blinked at him.

“Really?! You’ve never gotten a blow job before, not even once?”

Eddie rolled his eyes.

“Now I know it may come as a total shocker to the likes of you, pretty boy, but being the leader of the Hellfire Club and resident freak didn’t exactly leave me swimming in pussy. You’re my first almost everything, basically – or the only person that ever mattered.”

Steve started to jerk him off again.

“Aww, Eds…”

“Don’t patronise me, Harrington, I swear to god.”

“Sorry. Let me make it up to you.”

And with that, Steve took his cock into his mouth and sucked hard. Eddie groaned, reaching forward to grip gently at Steve’s hair but stopping just short, hands hovering in question. Steve peered up at him before guiding his hands to rest on his scalp.

“Just don’t pull hard, okay?”

“ohhh-kayy-ee!!” Eddie whimpered as Steve began to suck and lick him in a punishing rhythm, using one hand to jerk the rest of his cock he couldn’t fit in his mouth. The older man’s eyes rolled back into his head, once again thunking gently against the tree. Steve was a god damn natural. It felt just as good to have a mouth round his cock as he had imagined, moreso, even.

He panted, expression twisted in ecstasy, and looked down the length of his body to watch Steve work. They locked eyes, Eddie unable to look away as Steve’s head bobbed rhythmically, looking prettier than anyone had any right to as their cheek bulged with cock. He wouldn’t last – it was so good, too good, and he was already so on edge.

“God, Stevie, think you're gonna make me come already…! Oh god, oh fuck-!!”

Steve moaned, the vibrations travelling down Eddie’s cock and wrenching a keening wail from him. His eyes scrunched shut, mind replaying the intense sensations of his sneezing fit, the way Steve had held him, the way Steve had actually come in his pants over Eddie spraying him with snot – these pleasurable thoughts combined with a particularly strong suck against the head of his cock pushed him over the edge, coming with a wordless groan. The pleasure was intense, his strongest orgasm in a while, leaving his toes curling in his sneakers. When it finally subsided, he could only moan stupidly, fingers flexing in Steve’s hair.

He felt Steve pulling off of him, and watched as he spat a mouthful of cum onto the ground beside them. Eddie grinned goofily at him, endorphins overloading his system and making this sight far funnier than it should otherwise be.

“You’ll let me snot all over your chest, but you won’t swallow my cum?”

Steve shot him an overly dramatic look of disgust.

“You need to work on your diet.”

Eddie kicked at him feebly. Steve gently tucked him back into his pants and zipped them up.

“So…was I any good?” He grinned in a way that showed he knew just how well he’d done.

“You know you were, asshole. Are you sure that’s the first cock you sucked?”

“Well….I managed to reach the tip of my own with my tongue, one time.” Steve said nonchalantly, pulling Eddie upwards into a sitting position.

“Ha! Better than I managed. Almost threw my back out, and for what?” They both laughed at that.

“Hey, rain’s stopped!” Steve blurted out so suddenly Eddie nearly jumped.

“Shit, finally!”

Eddie made his way to his feet, shaking slightly as his legs were still a little wobbly in the aftermath of his first blow job ever. Steve stood up beside him and slapped him on the back in that distinctive fashion that all jocks and former jocks would continue to do for the rest of their lives.

“Let’s go find the stuff and then we can head to m-my place…Hh!!”

Eddie’s ears perked up immediately. He spun round and watched in delight as Steve barrelled forward with a sudden harsh triple, aimed haphazardly into an upraised elbow.

“HARRESSSHHIEWW!! AESSSHHHUU!! HHRRRSHHH’UU!! Ugh, god…’scuse me.” He sniffled and gently swiped under his nose with a crooked finger.

Even though he was still practically reeling in the aftermath of the orgasm he’d had not minutes earlier, Eddie’s spent cock gave an appreciative little twitch at the spraying sound of those powerful sneezes.

“Bless you, Stevie. Your timing is a little off, but I’ll take it.”

Steve laughed and nudged him gently with his shoulder, looking even more pleased with himself.

“The damp’s getting to me a little. Come home with me? It’s warm and we can…clean up.” He gestured towards his ruined t-shirt.

“Yeah. I’d like that. And Steve?” Eddie said as they made their way towards the clearing.

“Mmhm?”

“I think I want you to come in my mouth next.”

Steve yanked him forward by the wrist, breaking out into a half-run and slipping haphazardly on the wet grass, and Eddie laughed until tears pricked at the corner of his eyes.

~~~~~~

(Idk why I always write Steve cumming in his pants lmao.....he just looks like he would to me😤)

[oldbutchdaniel]

this is such a fucking stupid question but. do you have any advice for developing a good understanding of characters? like i wish i could put those guys into situations but it's like there's a mental block and my mind goes blank as if they're Unfathomable Real People Who I Cannot Possibly Hope To Ever Understand.

no not a stupid question! actually a really good question. it's such a good question in fact that i don't have a simple answer so i'm going to. word vomit onto the page and hope something sticks. i ramble like crazy so have a read more :)

precursor: i have to note that i feel like armand and daniel are the two characters i've like. Understood. more than any other characters in my life. i think that's because i relate to them both in very distinct but separate ways (we'll discuss that later) but i think it's also because. part of anne rice's writing and the show's adaptation is so determined to break these characters down to their fundamental parts. that's kind of the thesis statement of the books, even, that when you live forever you're no longer a "product of your time" but rather just you, yourself, and you kind of have to spend the rest of your eternal life figuring out who that is. so that to me gives both a flexibility and a set of basic building blocks for each character that you can play with.

that being said, here are a couple of ways i maybe go about building understanding:

option 1: the projectorrrrr (this is me most of the time)

if you like looking at your character and going "ha ha i do that" then that's awesome. do that! figure out what parts you relate to and think, okay, if the vampire armand was me, how would he react to my coworker saying this. alternatively, if i was the vampire armand, would would i do if i'd just broken a 500 year vow to myself?

this is where, like, critical thinking comes into play of course, because you are not the vampire armand and the vampire armand is not you. but 1) you're allowed to play around in the sandbox and have fun without constantly going "He Would Not Fucking Say That" because uhhh. this is fandom and we are doing this for fun and 2) once you to get to the point where you're kindly going "He Would Not Fucking Say That" you can then be like oh! well what would he say? because the contrasts are often as fun to explore as the comparisons

option 2: that's my friend

i also think you genuinely can view characters as Real People — but you can hope to understand them!!! or at least you can understand Your view of them, which doesn't have to perfectly match mine or anyone else's view.

this is going to sound crazy and part of the reason why i feel like i don't have a good answer to your question, but genuinely my best writing happens when i uhhh. hear them speaking. in my mind. this is literally a developed skill because like 4-5 years ago i was terrible at writing dialogue and it frustrated me + i never had good ideas for fics because i just wanted to write meta posts. so i was like. i'm going to get good at writing dialogue if it kills me. imagine you're talking to them or they're talking to someone else. look up writing prompt sentences (like on roleplay blogs if nothing else) and think about how they'd respond. i'm at the point where i'll decide on a situation and will sit in silence for a minute, imagine them like dolls in my head, and go "SPEAK!" and wait to hear what they'll say.

my final tip is to please please remember if nothing else that this is supposed to be fun and that at the end of the day it is just playing with dolls online with your friends. you're allowed to be wrong. in fact you probably will be. but that's okay! you can start small and be wrong and as long as you're having fun and enjoying putting your characters in scenarios it's all worth it

[lowkeyed1]

Willow Month 2023: Day 2 - Favorite Relationship My favorite relationship is Graydon Hastur and Thraxus Boorman. In my fic I'm reinterpreting it as a romantic relationship, but I also enjoy a strictly canon reading of the camaraderie they develop over the course of the journey.

Initially, Boorman is sarcastic with Graydon, derides him and scoffs at him, rolling his eyes. Notable line: Graydon: Boorman, don’t let anything happen to my queen! Boorman: Okay, I'd rather die a thousand deaths than fail YOU. 

By the time they reach the Wildwood they've started to bond, Graydon is willing to consider that Boorman might have advice worth listening to. By the time they reach the mines, Graydon's fully like oh yeah my dad told me to kill you but don't worry about it. They have a fun repartee. As a more wordly, experienced adventurer, Boorman likes to give advice and tease. As a younger, more inexperienced and sheltered royal, Graydon definitely needs some seasoning.

By the time they're on the Shattered Sea, they're getting to be good friends, spending a lot of time chatting. They're even close enough to have a yelling argument about releasing Kenneth, but then have an existential convo not long after, and for Boorman to try and stop him from jumping off the edge of the sea.

By the time they're outside the city, they've made up to the point of Boorman floating a possible make-out sesh.

I'm really hoping we can get more seasons of this show and see how this friendship develops :)

[beaker1636]

Masquerade - Vinny Smut

AN: Requested by my wonderful mutual @thesazzb !! I am actually really excited about this one and feel like it came out great, I hope you enjoy!

“Okay, that’s it.  You are going to the party with me, and we are going to get drunk and get you laid.  You need to stop moping about your breakup. It's been almost a month, get over here and let me make you hot,” Your best friend Paige grabs your arm, practically dragging you out of your bed.

“I don’t want to, we were together for almost 2 years, let me be sad,” you whine, trying to pull your arm away from her.

“Nope, we are done moping and whining.  Sit down, let me do your hair so we can make you smoking. Get you any guy that you want at the bar,” she says, shoving you down in your desk chair while she runs to get her curling iron. 

You give up on fighting her, once she has her mind made up there is no stopping her.  

She comes back and quickly gets to work on curling your hair, knowing that you always feel more confident when it is curled rather than straight, and she wants you to feel like you are the most attractive woman in the room when she is done.  Your ex has torn you down for too long, made you insecure about your looks for too long and she is going to change that, hoping that getting you laid will help pull you out of your funk.

She starts with your makeup next, highlighting your eyes which in her opinion are absolutely beautiful and don’t need much work to make them pop.  You have a natural beauty that can’t be faked, that is why she will forever hate Austin for destroying your self worth, you don’t realize what you have, and you should.

After shoving you in a dress that shows off way more leg and cleavage than you have shown in years she moves you in front of the full length mirror that is in the living room so you can see her work, you gasping as you almost can’t recognize yourself.  She actually made you look, dare you say it, hot.

“Okay, let's go.  Oh wait, here, it's a masquerade so you need a mask,” she says handing you one off the table, before leading you out towards the uber that she must have called already to drop you off.  She had already thought of everything.

“You had this all planned didn’t you, hence why you had an extra mask there and this dress,” you asked her, glancing across the car at where she sat.

“Yes, you need it.  And look, we are here, lets go get you a drink,” she says, leading you towards a keg and pouring you a drink before handing you the cup, getting one of her own.

A couple drinks later and you are honestly having a lot of fun, you and Paige dancing together while others in the crowd do the same, not caring if you looked like idiots because everyone is starting to the way they have been drinking tonight.

“I am getting another drink, be right back,” she says, stumbling away from you, leaving you now feeling out of place being by herself. 

After a couple minutes you have accepted that she isn’t returning any time soon and are about to leave the dance floor but someone stops in front of you, bringing your attention to this man who is smiling down at you.

“Your friend seems to have left you, want to dance?” He asks you, a smile on his face when you look at him. You swallow slightly as you take in the handsome man in front of you.  His dark eyes scan your face to read your reaction as you shamelessly check him out, his curls standing out to you because of the red in the front, what you assume is his natural brown in the back.  You don’t know why that is standing out so much to you but it is.

“You’re not from around here are you,” you shamelessly ask. “I mean- you have an american accent is all,” you glance away, feeling your blush spread across your face.

“No, I am passing through for work.  Some of my um- coworkers found out about the party and we all decided to crash it, something to do on a night off,” he admits, rubbing the back of his neck sheepishly.

Truthfully, Vinny is being vague but he doesn’t want anyone to recognize him.  Sometimes it can be hard to get out and have a fun night without people recognizing him, and he just wants a normal night for once. Partying, drinking and maybe having a hookup if things work out that way.

“Well, you wanted to dance, so let’s dance,” you say, being more forward than usual with the alcohol taking over your system at this point, your normal reservations leaving you.

You grab his hand and drag him out on the dance floor where both of you dance, talk and laugh, losing yourselves in each other as your bodies touch, finding that both of you are having a great time.  At one point his lips find yours, and you lean into the kiss, it gets heated between the two of you quickly before you pull away.

“Normally I don’t do this, but do you maybe want to go back to my place?” you ask him, feeling shy but wanting more from this man that you barely know.

“Fuck, yes,” he responds, letting you take his hand as you drag him out of the front door of the party, quickly getting an uber and messaging Paige that you are leaving, her sending you back a wink face and telling you that she has condoms in her room, knowing exactly why you are leaving as she has been watching you and the man you have no learned is named Vinny from across the room, glad that you are enjoying yourself.

The second you and Vinny arrive at your apartment and you are inside the door his lips are on yours, turning you around and pushing your body against the door as his hands rest on your hips, his tongue finding yours.

“Fuck,” he groans as you grind your hips into his, feeling his erection through his jeans against your clothed core. “Where’s your room? I need you.”

He pulls away from you long enough for you to show him your room, both of you take your masks off, no longer giving a shit about concealing your faces from one another as you step inside your bedroom.  

His lips find yours again, you grabbing ahold of his shirt to keep him close to you.  You haven’t gotten laid in quite awhile, but even then your ex couldn’t ever actually get you off.  You fucking needed this mans touch, needed to enjoy yourself.  You find yourself grabbing the hem of his shirt, yanking the material over his head roughly, running your hands across his skin and then leaning back in to kiss again.

His hands start to trail up your legs, slowly moving under the hem of your dress, slipping the material up your thighs, it bunching at your hips as he practically shoves you onto your back on the bed.

You ignore the thoughts in your head that are telling you to stop, choosing instead to focus on the hand that is currently getting dangerously close to the heat that is building between your thighs. Not even caring about the consequences of your actions as you find yourself growing dangerously wet.

Your kiss deepens, his tongue finding yours as your nails slowly drag across his chest, one of his hands bunching in the curls at the back of your head to keep you close as the other moves to your back, tugging it open as the cool air meets your skin.  You lean up just long enough for him to pull it over your head, leaving you in only your panties.

His hands move so that they can cup your breasts,  you flushing under his gaze as he admires your chest.  He couldn’t wait to touch you, feel you tremble against him.  His fingers now run against your ribs lightly, smiling to himself when you squirm against his touch.

You wrap your arms around his neck, feeling his hands settle on your hips as you shuffle, your hips moving against his, allowing you to feel his clothed erection against yourself.

Pulling you tight against him, a small grown escapes our lips as you continue to move yourself against him, feeling needy and wishing he would just give you what you want from him.

His lips pull away from yours, slowly nibbling his way down to your neck and collarbone, before settling on your breasts, biting and sucking along your skin in a way that is driving you crazy, making you buck your hips against his, the heat between the two of you becoming harder and harder to ignore.

“Vin,” you whine, reaching between the two of you and closing your hand the best you can around his clothed erection, you move your lips to just under his ear, nibbling at the skin there as you try to undo the button of his jeans and zipper, wanting him naked with you.

He allows you to remove them, along with his boxers, shifting his hips in a way so that his now free erection brushes against you through your panties making you both groan at the contact, your fingers squeezing him as he shuffles his jeans the rest of the way off.

His lips find yours, you grow more desperate and whimpering as his fingers move along your thighs, pressing against your wet core through your panties, making him smirk at you.  Moving your panties aside he runs his fingers through your folds, causing you to whimper again at how sensitive you are beneath him when he finds your clit. 

You press your hips into into his hand eagerly, urging him to do something, him finally slipping a finger inside of you, a second quickly finding it when he realizes you are wet enough to take it.

His teeth lightly sink into the flesh by your collarbone as he starts pumping his fingers inside of you roughly, you closing your eyes from the pleasure he is currently bringing you.

“God dammit, Vin, I need you inside of me,” you all but beg at this point, close and wanting the release that he can give you right now.  

He moves to grab his jeans, fumbling through his wallet for the condom he knows is inside of it before quickly sliding it on, moving to rub himself against your folds, groaning when you needily raise your hips, making him brush against you.

“Fuck,” he groans as he grabs your hips, flipping you over so that you are on top of him before you take charge and sink yourself down on top of him, rocking your hips against his.  You pull his lips to yours again, needy, as he pulls your hips down so that you meet him tightly, both of you moaning as your body stretches to accommodate him, taking all of him at once now.  

You roll your hips against his, Vin inhaling sharply underneath you at the feeling. 

Your hands press into his shoulders, forcing him to lay against the bed as you take charge over your movements.  Enjoying the control you currently have over him, and clearly he doesn't mind, his fingers dig into your hips as he holds you in place.

They eventually wander, grabbing your ass, your thighs, they just move over your skin leaving red scratches along your back as they wander.  

Both of you gasp when he thrusts up into you, you whine as he hits the spot inside of you that makes you see stars, within a few more thrusts you are shaking against his skin, starting to feel your orgasm grow.  When you feel his hands dig into the flesh of your ass you finally give in, clenching around him as it hits you.

You pant as you lean down as you come down from your high, your fast pressed against his shoulder as he hips still ram into yours, you clenching around him making him cum deeply.

Both of you lay there, breathing hard and unmoving as you come back down for a few moments, taking the time to recover that you need.  Both of you thinking in your head that the other was easily the best lay that you have had, and now both of you are completely spent.  

He shifts, rolling over so he is on top of you before he slips out of you, gazing down at your sleepy face. You yawn, stretching your hands over your head before he moves. 

Slipping the condom off he ties it before throwing it in your trash bin and slowly moving to slip his clothing back on, you watching him closely.  Part of you not wanting him to leave as you had a great night with him, but knowing that he had to.  You throw your head back on the pillow when he leaves your apartment, absolutely spent but decide you better check on Paige quick.

You notice you already have a text from her telling you that she got home safe, and that she somehow has gotten tickets to a rock show tomorrow and is begging you to go, apparently their name is Motionless In White, and from what she says they are really good.  

Well, looks like you have plans for tomorrow night as well now, you think before you finally allow yourself to fall asleep.

[being-of-rain]

Time to write down my initial thoughts on Space Babies and The Devil's Chord! I'm currently busy staying with my girlfriend in America, so I've only watched the episodes once. And there's a lot of episode to talk about! I guess this is the most TV Doctor Who to come out on a single day, both by episode count and I assume by runtime. (I sure hope it doesn't get overtaken any time soon. Weekly episode schedule my beloved, whole-series-at-once events my despised.)

I've said before that I've used the word 'fun' too often as a way to sum-up new episodes, but it looks like that's going to be harder and harder to avoid. This season so far has a very wacky zany silly cartoonish style (especially apparent in the lead duo's energy together) and I think that's the season's greatest strength. My opinion on both of these first two episodes are similar: they're just okay, with the pros and the cons kinda balancing each other out, but the cartoony style makes them much more enjoyable to watch.

Under the cut I'll go into more details. Probably more complaining than not, because nitpicking is always easier to spend time on, but here's your regular reminder that these are opinions and anyone reading is encouraged to disagree.

And if you thought my ramblings about new episodes were long before, this time there's two at once!

--

Grossout stuff like bodily functions never really appealed to me, and neither does talking babies, so Space Babies had those things against it. But it also had things that I loved; on top of the infectious energy of the leads, there were some fun sci-fi concepts, playing with storybook narrative, and the design of the Bogeyman. And the Doctor saying that "nobody grows up wrong" was alone worth the episode. I adore that sentiment and it fits so well into Doctor Who with its constant cast of scary aliens, artificially altered or created beings, and characters with generally convoluted backstories. It's just a shame the episode faltered at its climax when applying that idea to the Bogeyman, because the sympathising and acceptance of it felt very rushed.

It's fun when new companions get an introduction scene or two where the show tries to teach as many of the important rules and backstory as possible. And Butterfly Ruby certainly was a hilarious addition to that. But as much as the show is allowed to mess around with time travel rules, it can still feel contrived when it says things like 'taking Ruby to meet her mum is too dangerous.' I can't think of a reason why they couldn't just park a bit further down Ruby Road and talk to her after she seemingly doesn't have any more effect on Ruby or the Doctor's lives. I'll talk more about the ongoing story arc stuff in a bit, but right now I still haven't strongly connected with Ruby. This is very much a personal thing, but she still feels kinda Generic Companion to me.

Oh, and I think every time the Doctor talks about how the Time Lords are gone and he's the Last One, I'm going to groan and roll my eyes. Honestly I think the best thing to do with that is just show that a lot of Time Lord society survived (very easy, since there's no reason at all that most of them couldn't have just run away from whatever the Master did to the Capitol) and then just move on. I'd love to explore post-War Time Lord society more, but at this point I'd rather just leave them alone and be done with retreading old ground that the show is not going to actually do anything with other than the odd angsty line.

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The Devil's Chord had a lot of fantastic moments and elements, but that made it more frustrating to me when it didn't put the effort into fitting everything just a little better. It reminds me of my thoughts on The Giggle; I love love love whimsy and emotionally-driven stories, and stories don't have to be a slave to logic all the time, but moments of silliness or entire plots that revolve around whimsy are so much more satisfying if they have a narrative logic behind them. I think a prime example is the song at the end of The Devil's Chord: even if it's not particularly good (most songs that are just repeating one line for 90% of its runtime aren't going to interest me), it's whimsical and joyous and makes me want to see Tardis teams sing and dance more often. But it doesn't have an in-story reason to happen, it doesn't quite fit the episode's tone, and (as much fun as fans have been having fitting it into the season arc) the episode doesn't even really have a twist at the end. If any of those things weren't true, the song would've had so much more impact than it did, and I find it annoying that the episode couldn't shuffle things just a bit to make it work.

Somewhat similarly, the Maestro themself was spectacularly entertaining, but also felt rather shallow and full of missed opportunities. I was already a bit over RTD writing flamboyant and random queer-coded villains after he reinvented the Toymaker the same way he reinvented the Master (although a drag queen certainly adds a welcome layer to that) but it was sad that Maestro had the same surface-level connection to music as RTD's Toymaker had to games. Yeah they climb out of pianos and use sheet-music-themed whips and dress in a conductor's outfit, but that sounds more like a Batman villain than a Concept Made Flesh. Sure they can magically-somehow stop the world making music, but their motivation for it is... kill everyone in the universe? I really hope RTD can write better Old Gods than his last two if he plans to make them recurring villains. (By the way I assume that the world losing the ability to make music for two decades was magically unwritten at the end, but then again I assumed the same thing about the Flux destroying the universe and that was only half undone.)

Also, I know not every historical episode has to be a 2005-10 style celebrity historical (even though that might be one of my favourite ways of doing it), but if they didn't want to do that then it felt a bit out of place to have two of the Beatles turn up at the very end, with no idea what was going on, and save the day. (And the other two Beatles vanished completely. ...I know the other two were a bit less famous, but after learning that RTD ships the Supernatural brothers, I really wouldn't be surprised to learn he ships McCartney and Lennon.)

Anyway, some other fun or great moments that I wish were in a slightly more coherent episode are: Ruby playing her lovesick lesbian song, the Doctor and Ruby doing their piano battle together, the sonic silence scene, and the destroyed London scene which Maestro abruptly turned into a black background. Oh, and the Doctor saying "I thought that was non-diagetic" was hilarious, I think fans are going to get a lot of mileage out of the idea that the Doctor can hear the background music in older episodes.

Other random things about the episode: it did make me think of Scherzo's fairytale about the king who banished music from his realm. As a batfamily fan, the music teacher at the start being named Timothy Drake for no reason is confusing and funny. It's a niche pet peeve but I think its silly when fiction ties itself to when it's coming out for no reason or in contradiction to its own continuity, so Ruby saying her present day is mid-2024 baffled and irritated me. Since the last episode she's either been travelling with the Doctor for several months, staying at home for several months, or has decided to skip several months ahead, none of which seem very likely.

One last thing I'll say about The Devil's Chord is that the zany cartoonish energy, the visiting of recent history, and the magical menace all remind me of Legends of Tomorrow. It's one of my comfort shows that puts a lot of plot importance and stress on whimsy, jokes, and feel-good moments, but actually does tie them into the narrative. Compared to the last half dozen episodes of Doctor Who, Legends is more of an outright comedy, but its more satisfying and the emotional beats hit harder. If its trying for a more similar tone, I hope Doctor Who can reach the same highs as Legends (which, to be fair, took a few seasons to figure things out).

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Finally I'll talk about the story arc! Or story arcs, because there's a lot going on. And looking back at his first time on the show, I realise RTD is a big fan of arcs that are basically just repeating things in the background that don't have any impact until the last few episodes. Personally I prefer arcs with a bit more relevance and development, but unfortunately that's probably harder to do on Doctor Who with less episodes.

That said, I was very surprised that Ruby's arc is one of the most interesting things to me in these episodes. The Doctor's memory of her mother changing and then breaking through into the real world is cool as hell, and then Ruby having something about her that trips up a god is really compelling 👀 Is that girl a cosmic horror??

On the other hand, another mention of 'the One Who Waits' is really boring lol. Just another ominous name that everyone can look concerned about without any substance. But I have seen fans connect it to the billboard for Chris Waites and the Carollers, which is hilarious. And speaking of, the mention of Susan was really cool, and so in-depth that it has me wondering if she'll actually come back, which I don't think New Who has made me do seriously before. Then again, it's so on the nose that surely it must be a red herring...

I can't wait to find out what it all means. And I can't wait for the next episode!