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babygirlwritessmut · 3 months ago

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♡︎ part9. last time you wore that dress, it caused us some problems

・❥・pairing: vi (arcane) x fem!reader

・❥・ summary: Vi introduced you to her friends, you`ve spend a great evening and now you want to fulfill that promise you made.

・❥・ genre: smut + grumpy x sunshine

・❥・ word count: 3.4k

✎ warnings: 18+, SMUT, dom!vi, rough sex, fingering, strap-on, swearing, alcohol.

MINORS DNI!

RIDE ON ME masterlist

“cupcake?” - Vi called out to you while you were in the shower. “can you come to the kitchen when you're done?”

“give me a few minutes, please,” - you shouted back.

this morning, you woke up feeling a bit anxious. between work, studies, and your relationship, you barely had any time left for rest or for yourself. you couldn't even remember the last time you just lazed on the couch in silence or cooked in the kitchen. plus, today was exam day. you'd been studying all weekend, even your friends came over to study with you. passing the exams meant one thing - holidays. the very thought of it made you breathe a sigh of relief. that's why getting a high grade meant so much to you.

dressed in your robe and slippers, you made your way to the kitchen where Vi was making breakfast for the two of you, for which you were incredibly grateful, as you’d probably forget to eat without her. watching your girlfriend as she cooked, you smiled warmly. "I’m so lucky," - you thought.

“oh, cupcake! good morning, how are you feeling about the exam?” - Vi asked while the food sizzled deliciously in the pan.

“I'm alright, I think. I’m nervous, of course, but I can't fit any more information into my brain. whatever happens, happens today,” - you said, feeling overwhelmed by all the material you'd studied over the past few days.

“no matter what, I’m proud of you. you're so smart and hardworking, you've come such a long way this semester, and I have no doubt in you,” - Vi's words brought you comfort. it was nice to hear such encouragement from someone so important to you.

you hugged her from behind and murmured, - “you know you're the best in the world, right?” - burying your nose in her hair. Vi chuckled softly.

you stood there like that for a few minutes, not wanting to let go, but you had to leave in 20 minutes, and you were still in your robe. so, after kissing your girlfriend's amazing pink hair, you went to get ready. you put on your usual university outfit, tied your hair up in a bun, and came back out of the room.

while you were having breakfast with Vi, she mentioned that an old friend of hers was coming to town to celebrate their birthday, so she planned to go out.

“that sounds great, I’m glad you’ll be seeing your friends,” - you said as you finished your meal and started clearing your dishes.

“I was thinking, maybe you'd like to come with me? I'd love to introduce you to my friends,” - Vi said, taking your hand. “unless, of course, you’re planning to celebrate the end of the semester with your own friends.”

"meeting her friends is a big step, and if they are coming from another city just to see the group on their birthday, they must be really close," - you thought.

“of course,” - you said, squeezing her hand tighter. “honestly, we haven’t planned anything with my classmates. we're so exhausted that no one even mentioned celebrating.”

“maybe that’s a good thing, because that means you'll be all mine tonight,” - she said, kissing your forehead and helping you clean up. after that, you said goodbye to Vi and left the apartment.

two hours later, the university was buzzing with chatter. after a long wait for the results, you were finally gathered in the auditorium and congratulated on completing the semester. the dean's speech was short but meaningful, he announced that he was proud of his students because everyone had passed. you and your classmates exchanged satisfied glances. the results would arrive in a week via email, but the most important thing was that you passed. you were so proud of yourself.

at the entrance of the university, you and your friends were enthusiastically discussing plans for the holidays, but the main thing you all agreed on was that you needed to celebrate. since everyone was tired and overwhelmed from the day, you decided to meet up tomorrow. your conversation was interrupted by your phone ringing - it was Vi calling. your face must have changed because all your friends started laughing, saying, - “ooooh, look who’s in love!”

“shut up,” - you laughed in response.

"hey, Vi," - you said calmly into the phone.

"cupcake, I can't take it anymore, tell me," - she said, sounding anxious on the other end.

"I passed!!!"

"yes! I'm not even surprised, I never expected anything less. I'm so proud of you."

"thanks, Vi, I..." - you stopped yourself. "thank you for your support. I'll be home soon, bye," - you said, hanging up and taking a deep breath.

“trouble in paradise?” - one of your friends asked.

“no, it's just... I don't know how to...” - you started mumbling to yourself while your friends watched you in confusion. “how to tell her that I love her?” - their faces lit up with smiles as they hugged you tightly.

back at home, you started getting ready. Vi showed you the gift she’d picked out, and after approving it, you went to your room to get dressed.

“absolutely not,” - Vi said firmly.

“what? why?" - you asked, surprised.

“last time you wore that dress, it caused us some problems, I’d like to remind you,” - Vi said, glancing at the dress and clearly recalling what happened between the two of you last time.

“I’d say it worked to our advantage. just look where we are now,” - you laughed.

Vi rolled her eyes. “okay, sorry, I have no right to tell you what to wear. honestly, I’m just a little nervous.”

“nervous?” - you asked, not understanding what she meant.

“yeah, it’s silly, but... you're stunning, and I know that in that outfit, everyone’s going to be looking at you,” - she said, lowering her eyes.

you walked over to Vi and hugged her. “you don’t need to worry about that, I only need you,” - you said.

she hugged you tighter. “sorry.”

you just smiled. “thank you for sharing that with me.” you kissed Vi on the lips.

“just promise no more jokes about dancing without panties. I can’t handle that again,” - you laughed, covering your face with your hands as you leaned against the kitchen counter.

“I promise, from now on, only you get to take them off,” - you said, biting your lip and giving Vi a playful look.

“cupcake, don't do that, we'll be late,” - Vi said as she closed the distance between you, running her hands through your hair.

you sat up on the kitchen counter behind you and spread your legs. “what exactly should I not do?” - you asked teasingly.

Vi looked at you, then moved as close as she could. she ran her hands up your legs to the spot that the dress barely covered. in response, you wrapped your legs around her and leaned back slightly.

“is it just me, or does this dress have a strange effect on you?” - Vi said, slowly taking in the sight of your body. “maybe I should take it off you so you'll behave,” - she teased.

“try me,” - you said playfully, running your fingers over her lips, slightly parting them. Vi licked your finger, causing you to let out a soft moan. she pulled you closer by the waist and almost kissed you but suddenly said, - “I don’t want to ruin your makeup.”

she lowered herself to the level of your underwear, and the sight of her there made you even more excited, every part of your body begging for her touch. she brought your hips closer to her face and gently ran her tongue over your panties.

“Vi...” - you said as you tangled your hand in her hair, but she moved it away and stood back up, smiling at you.

“why did you stop?” - you asked, slightly frustrated.

“I was just checking to see if you had any underwear on. we can go now,” - Vi said, laughing and teasing you.

“I hate you,” - you said, jumping off the counter and heading for the door.

“I think it’s the opposite,” - Vi said, her eyes never leaving you as you walked away.

at the club, you finally met her friends. for some reason, they were just as you had imagined them: all different, yet somehow the same. Vi introduced you to them, and it seemed like she took extra pride in mentioning that you were her girlfriend. each of them gave you a warm smile and introduced themselves in return. finally, you and Vi greeted the birthday person, and everyone handed over their gifts. they were genuinely happy, thanked everyone for coming, and even welcomed you as the newest member of their crew. it felt good to be seen as more than just Vi's plus-one.

a few cocktails later, you were all on the dance floor. the music was great, your girlfriend was by your side, and you felt truly happy. her appearance was irresistibly attractive to you, and you were using all the willpower you had not to drag her to the bathroom with you. Vi probably understood this too, as her light touches on your body and gentle kisses on your neck kept your excitement simmering.

when you both returned to the table, you ordered one last round of cocktails. "good, because I'm already having too much fun," - you thought to yourself.

Vi’s hand rested on your leg under the table, and as the conversation went on, you felt it start to move higher up the inside of your thigh. your legs instinctively began to close, but Vi's hand didn't let that happen. just as her fingers got close to your panties, the birthday person suddenly said, - “thank you all for coming.” Vi quickly withdrew her hand, and you shot her an angry look, to which she barely managed to hold back a laugh and winked at you.

the way home was... tipsy. it seemed like Vi had good self-control, but you were in a good mood and feeling very turned on. this was the second time tonight that Vi had teased you, so you decided that once you got home, you would come up with a way to get back at her.

when you entered the apartment, you bent over in front of her to take off your shoes in a way that was anything but subtle. Vi's gaze fixed on your butt.

“can you help me with the zipper?” - you asked, your tone innocent. at first, Vi didn't even realize you were talking to her, but she slowly unzipped the back of your dress, her eyes trailing down your bare back, stopping when she saw your red lingerie peeking out.

you felt Vi's fingers tracing down your spine. “you think I don't know what you're doing?” - she asked, her voice low. you leaned forward slightly, steadying yourself with a hand on the wall, and she let out a small growl.

“and what about you? those touches under the table?” - you teased, feeling her hands on your hips, pulling you back against her. she lifted your dress, caressing your thighs, her gaze devouring the sight of you in that lingerie.

“I've never seen you in this position before. you never cease to amaze me, cupcake,” - she murmured as she slid her hand between your legs, into your panties. “so wet already, is this all for me?”

you could only moan in response as she began to massage your clit, your back arching more and more in front of her.

“Vi, please, take me,” - you begged, desperation in your voice.

“I thought you liked it when I teased you,” - she said with a smirk.

“I do, but... I can't take it anymore, I need you. please,” - you whispered, your desire almost overwhelming.

in one quick move, Vi turned you around and pinned you against the wall. “I think I've seen this scene before. i guess one hand was on your hip, and the other...”. she lightly wrapped her hand around your neck, and you let out a moan. “good to know you still enjoy this,” - she added with a grin.

“so much,” - you said, tilting your head back as you wrapped one leg around her, which she held tightly, pressing herself even closer to you. “do you think you can finish what you didn't that night?” - you whispered.

Vi's grip on your neck tightened slightly as she caressed your leg. “tell me exactly how you want it, cupcake,” - she said in that low, intoxicating voice.

“you're really going to make me say it out loud?” - you gave her a pleading look.

“yes, I love hearing you talk about what you want,” - Vi replied with a mischievous smile.

“fine, I want you to take me rougher, I want to scream your name, and I want...” - you bit your lip, - “I want to fulfill that promise I made.”

suddenly, Vi's hold on you grew stronger, and she bit down on your neck, making you cry out in pleasure.

“my girl loves it when I use my force, huh?”

releasing her hold slightly, she lifted you by your hips and kissed you passionately as you wrapped your legs around her. Vi carried you to the bedroom and threw you onto the bed. you barely noticed when your dress ended up in the far corner of the room. discarding her own clothes, Vi leaned down to you and said, - “get on your knees, cupcake.”

the moment Vi's words reached your ears, your stomach tightened even more. obediently, you did as she told you. without warning, Vi pulled your panties to the side and sucked on your clit. you moaned so loudly that your head started to spin. you could feel her tongue and lips devouring you hungrily, and you moaned even louder when you felt her tongue slip inside you.

pulling away from you for a moment, she said, - “cupcake, you need to be quieter. we don't want everyone to hear how dirty you are, do we?” - you nodded in response. “good, but if you're too loud, I'll have to do something about it,” - her voice sent shivers through your entire body, making it harder to stay on your knees.

Vi's tongue licked your wetness again, and she quickly thrust two fingers inside you, making you bite down on your hand to stop from screaming.

“that's it, good girl,” - her words were melting your entire being.

Vi's fingers started pumping harder into you. “you like it when I fuck you with my fingers, don’t you?” - you moaned and nodded in response.

“in order to fulfill that promise of yours, I need to get you ready. how does that feel?” - Vi said as she stretched you from the inside with her fingers, making you collapse onto your elbows.

“oh God, yes, I love it, Vi,” - you moaned louder. the obscene sounds coming from between your legs were shameless, but you loved how she made you lose control. her fingers began to move faster again, and you cried out.

“yes, Vi, please, I'm ready,” - you begged for more.

“you, cupcake, are such a dirty little thing, you know that?” - she withdrew her fingers and gave you another lick, making you throw your head back in pleasure.

behind you, you heard Vi open a box and take out her strap-on. as she put it on, she came up and pressed the tip against your entrance. your hips bucked in response, begging her to fill you.

“I want you to tap twice on the bed if it gets too much, okay, cupcake?”

lost in pleasure, you blurted out something that made Vi growl, - “afraid you won't be able to handle it?”

“that was a very, very bad idea,” - she said, and with those words, she thrust into you. your scream echoed through the room, as the sensation of being stretched and filled overwhelmed you, making your vision go dark from the intensity.

“I thought I told you to be quiet,” - Vi said, and suddenly your butt stung from a sharp slap, making you cry out. “there you go again. now I'll have to take measures, won't I?” - you nodded in response.

Vi's hand grabbed your hair and pulled you back up onto your hands, drawing a hoarse moan from your lips. she clamped her hand over your mouth and whispered in your ear, “ready to take the other half?” "THE OTHER HALF?!"

with one swift motion, Vi buried the rest of the strap-on deep inside you, making your ears ring and your eyes fill with tears.

“you said something about me not handling it - what about you?” - Vi's eyes flicked to your hand, checking if you'd tapped out, but you hadn't.

“good girl,” - she praised, squeezing your thigh tighter and starting to drive you onto her strap-on. your mind couldn't keep up with the intensity, you were breathless, but it felt so good. your whole body responded to every thrust, and the wet sounds coming from you were so filthy that you couldn't believe it was happening. after a few strokes, you began to match her rhythm, and Vi's smile grew even wider. her movements became faster and harder, slamming into your body so forcefully that your knees gave out beneath you. if she hadn't been holding you in her firm grip, you'd have collapsed by now. you kept moaning into her hand, clutching the sheets with your fist, but you didn't tap out. you loved it. you wanted more.

after a moment, you felt Vi pull the strap-on out of you and release her hold, causing you to collapse onto the bed, moaning.

“lie on your back. I want to see your pretty face,” - she ordered. you did as she said, spreading your legs like an obedient girl. Vi's smile grew wide at your compliance. “just look at her. tears on her cheeks, barely holding on, but still begging for more.”

Vi lifted your legs and draped them over her shoulders, thrusting back inside you in one smooth motion, making you scream.

“no, no, no. how many times do I have to tell you?” - she dropped your legs and covered you with her body, driving the strap-on even deeper, making your eyes roll back in pleasure. once again, she covered your mouth with her hand and began thrusting into you with force, holding onto the bed for leverage. each thrust felt like a wave of intense bliss, tears streaming down your face, yet you kept moving your hips, pushing yourself harder onto her. when Vi's pace quickened, you felt the overwhelming sensation that you were about to come. catching your eyes, she understood immediately, and when she pressed her finger against your clit, you started to whimper from the pleasure. your back arched, and stars danced in your vision as your body shook with the force of your orgasm.

slowly, Vi removed her hand from your mouth, still staying inside you. “if only you could see yourself right now, cupcake.” after a few seconds of looking into your eyes, she pulled out the strap-on, leaving you feeling empty inside. tossing it aside, Vi leaned down to you and gently wiped away the tears from your cheek. you were still catching your breath, your head still buzzing slightly.

you spent a few minutes in her arms, and when you finally managed to speak, you whispered, - “I've never felt this kind of pleasure with anyone but you.” Vi kissed you tenderly, - “the feeling is mutual, cupcake.”

#vi arcane #vi #vi arcane smut #vi fanfic #vi smut #vi arcane x reader #vi arcane x reader smut #vi from arcane #vi x reader #ride on me

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kimmie2me · 2 months ago

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Lasagna Drama

⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀𓂅⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀Pro Hero!Bakugou x AFAB!Pro Hero!Brat!Reader

.....

You’ve been beat up enough times to know when you’ve hit your limit, but today? You feel like you’ve crossed some invisible threshold. Every single bruise, every single cut feels like it's been painted with the loudest, most obnoxious color of exhaustion. Villains really do have the worst timing—especially when you're just one bad decision away from completely losing your shit.

There’s something about fighting solo, about handling every explosive attack and every screaming villain on your own that drains you. But being the hero that you are, you keep pushing through, doing the job. The second you finish cleaning up the mess, though, the press—fucking press—are there, asking their stupid fucking questions like always.

They’re practically vultures, swarming around like they’re starving for something to tear into, but you can’t bring yourself to care. Every question is like they’re poking at an open wound.

Questions..questions..blah, blah blahh.

"So, are we invited to you and Dynamight's wedding?" the reporter asks, voice overly enthusiastic.

What.

You tilt your head slowly towards them at the speed of a snail, your exhausted eyes narrowing with so much venom it could melt through steel. A bleeding cut on your forehead sends a reminder of how badly you want to snap, but you hold back, fighting for just one last ounce of control. "Can you come to the wedding? CAN YOU. COME. TO THE WEDDING?" Your voice is slow and deliberate, every word dragging with the weight of your exhaustion and irritation. "NO THE FUCK YOU CAN’T! AND WHO SAID I’M GETTING MARRIED, HUH??"

You’re practically spitting, the anger bubbling up as you point a shaky finger at the reporter—though it's less for dramatic flair and more because you're trying not to pass out from your head throbbing. The crowd watches, stunned by your bluntness. The blood dripping down your face is probably the cherry on top of this glorious shitshow.

"MATTER OF FACT, GET THE HELL OUTTA MY FACE!"

Another reporter, some idiot you didn't try to locate in this sea of absolute buffoons trying to ask about your condition, gets a response that’s just as brutal. "AND WHOEVER ASKED IF I'M OKAY��" You gesture to the bruises, the cuts, the swelling on your face. The swelling in your brain too, probably. "ARE YOU FUCKING BLIND? ‘CAUSE YOU MUST BE TO ASK ME THAT SHIT QUESTION."

The PR team, their faces pale, looks like they’ve seen hell itself. They try to rush in and intervene, but it's too late. They’ve all seen this before—this version of you, who doesn’t take shit from anyone, even when she’s on the brink of collapse.

But this moment? It’s a whole new level.

A disaster.

A train wreck.

And it’s all caught on camera.

.....

Hours later, you walk into the apartment, expecting to finally see Bakugou at work on the lasagna, or at least close to being done. Because, god, you're hungry. You've been requesting (read: begging) him all week and it took a while, but you finally got him to say yes. Even if it was very reluctant.

Instead, you’re met with the sight of him lounging on the couch, his arms behind his head like he’s been living the life while you were off doing actual work. And today was his day off! He had all day to make it!

You freeze in the doorway, your eyes narrowing. “What the hell is this?” you snap, voice dripping with annoyance.

He doesn’t even look at you, just casually glancing at the TV where your earlier press meltdown is playing on loop. You’re there, in full glory, flipping the camera off and shouting at the reporters like you’re about to spontaneously combust from frustration. The volume’s up, and you can hear yourself getting progressively louder, each sentence punctuated by Bakugou’s quiet laughter.

"Did you seriously not even start yet?” you seethe, already feeling the heat of frustration building. "Where's the lasagna?"

“Yeaahh about that," he drawls "Yer not gettin’ that lasagna,” he says, his tone flat but with the faintest hint of amusement.

The weight of his words hits you like a ton of bricks, and you nearly stumble, caught off guard. “Wait—what? No,no, no. You said—..! But why!?”

His smirk deepens, and though he doesn’t laugh, there’s a glint in his eyes. “You go shoutin’ yer mouth off on national TV, actin’ like a brat, and you think I’m gonna reward that with lasagna? No way, Cupcake. Gotta teach you some self-control.”

Your heart plummets. The devastation is real, and you’re .3 seconds from a meltdown. "But—'Suki! They kept asking me stupid questions! Plus, I'm bleeding and hurt and in pain!” You point at your bruises, your puppy-dog eyes in full force, desperate to sway him. “You’re just gonna hold my lasagna hostage?”

He raises an eyebrow, his mouth flattening into a look that’s somehow both deadpan and amused. “Yup. Sucks, don’t it?” His tone is full of mock sympathy, but he can barely keep himself from chuckling when he catches the absolute betrayal written across your face.

Every ounce of bratty energy in you rallies to make your case, to somehow earn back the lasagna you’ve waited for. And you swear, from the way his shoulders shake, that he’s one second from cracking up, even if he’ll never admit it.

You start with the tried-and-true techniques, laying it on thick with a pout that would break any heart softer than Bakugou’s. He’s still ignoring you, now scrolling through comments about your press conference antics on his phone, his lip twitching as he takes in the spectacle you’d made of yourself.

“Kaaaaatttsukiiiii,” you draw out his name in a long, syrupy whine, leaning against the couch in a way that has you looking small and weary. “Look at me—don’t you feel even a little sorry for me?”

One look at you, with your bruised cheek and dark circles, and he does soften for a second, but only a second. His mouth tilts into something of a smirk, his eyes glinting with deadpan amusement. “Nah,” he says, shaking his head. “You dug this hole yourself, Cupcake. Gotta learn somehow, right?”

“Learn?” you gasp, clutching your heart dramatically. “I saved a whole block of people! And all I wanted was some lasagna.”

He only raises an eyebrow, nodding at the TV where a rerun of the press conference plays. “Maybe if ya kept that pretty mouth shut, you’d be eating it by now.”

You press your lips together and shoot him a glare.

Fine. Time to step up your game.

You drag yourself into the living room and flop onto the couch, sighing loudly enough for him to hear. Then, even louder, you moan, “Can’t believe I’m starving in my own home.”

Still nothing. He doesn’t even look up from his phone. What a meanie. So, you ramp up the theatrics, muttering all kinds of melodramatic things under your breath, but every attempt only earns you a muttered, “Yer not starvin’, drama queen. Eat some leftovers or somethin'.”

With a scoff, you sink back onto the couch, dramatically placing your hand over your face as if you might pass out any second. “Fine, then! I guess this is how it ends... Left to waste away, bruised and abandoned. And hungry.”

Bakugou snorts, completely unmoved. “You’re such a pain,” he mutters, shaking his head. But he’s only encouraged by the little grin he’s barely hiding, scrolling through the comments online with a wicked kind of enjoyment.

You’re about to give up—but not just yet. So, you put on your best big, teary eyes and head over to his side of the couch, tugging on the sleeve of his shirt. “'Suki, please,” you say in a soft, pitiful voice. “Do you really want me to suffer after the day I’ve had?”

Without even looking down at you, he flicks your hand off, murmuring, “Don’t pull that pitiful act on me. Told ya, I’m not makin’ you shit.”

A few agonizing minutes pass, with him still ignoring your efforts as he scrolls on his phone like what he's watching is just the best thing in the world. Finally, with all your usual tactics exhausted, you pull out your last resort—the one card guaranteed to make him surrender his holdout. You hated (not really) to pull out the trump card when things didn't go in your favor, but hey. Desperate times call for desperate measures.

Behold: The Mitsuki card.

A smirk plays on your lips as you grab your phone and sneak into the bedroom. Bakugou doesn’t even notice you’re gone, too busy scrolling through comments, probably snickering at people analyzing every part of your outburst.

You dial the number, and Mitsuki picks up on the second ring, her voice bright and full of concern. “Hey, sweetheart! You alright? I saw that press video today—those reporters looked like they’d been scolded by the damn principal!”

You sigh dramatically, just enough to paint the picture. “Oh, I’m fine… just a little sore, really. Sorry you had to see that. I took some hits, had a rough day. And now…” You add a slight quiver to your voice, “… now I’m barely getting by, Mitsuki ma'am. Katsuki refuses to feed me after everything I went through today. Said I don’t deserve it. He promised me too. It's okay though..I'll just have some leftovers. I wanted to just talk to someone who's on my side.”

There’s a deadly silence on the other end of the line, and you can practically feel Mitsuki’s rage building. “Wait, wait. He refuses to feed you?!” Her voice spikes with indignation. “That little brat. You tell him if he doesn’t get his act together, I’m coming over there right now! And of course, I'm on your side! Hell, I would've done exactly the same!”

“Thank you and, believe me, I’ve tried.” You sigh, putting every ounce of your frustration into it. “All I wanted was some lasagna, but he’s acting like I committed some crime.”

“Well, he won’t be actin’ smug when I’m done with him.” Mitsuki’s tone is so sharp, you almost feel bad for him. Almost. “You just hang tight, sweetheart. I’ll take care of it.”

You thank her sweetly, ending the call and walking back to the living room with a triumphant smile, watching as Bakugou continues to chuckle at his phone. He raises an eyebrow as you sit down, looking suspicious. “What’re you so happy about?”

“Oh, nothing,” you reply, a little too casually.

He gives you a long, side-eyed glance before turning back to his phone, mumbling something under his breath. He’s still grinning like a smug cat as he reads through more comments, clearly reveling in the mayhem you’ve caused. The seconds tick by, and you’re waiting, barely containing the anticipation.

Then—buzz buzz buzz. His phone starts ringing. His dumb grin drops at it, sees “Ma🤦🏼‍♂️” flashing on the screen, and he mutters something unintelligible. He lets it ring a few times, thinking she’ll give up, but Bakugou Mitsuki is nothing if not persistent.

Ring… ring… ring.

Finally, with a huff of exasperation, he answers. “What, old hag?”

“What?! That’s how you answer your mother? Especially after starvin’ that poor girl who’s had a rough day?” Mitsuki’s voice is so loud, you’re sure even the neighbors can hear it. Bakugou pulls the phone back from his ear, wincing, and you’re fighting every instinct not to burst out laughing.

“Ma, she’s fine—”

“Fine?! Fine, is she?!” Mitsuki snaps. “I saw that press video on the news! The girl’s out there practically bleedin’ her guts out, and you won’t even give her a plate of lasagna? You selfish little punk!”

Bakugou groans, rubbing a hand over his face. “Ma, she doesn’t need—”

“Listen here, Katsuki. You’re gonna give that girl a big ol’ plate of lasagna, and you’re gonna get her some damn ice cream to go with it, too, or so help me, I’ll come over there and make it for her myself!”

He tries to stammer a response, but she’s already launched into another tirade, laying it on thick about the importance of compassion, especially to those who put their lives on the line for others. By the end, his face is a mix of annoyance and exhaustion.

Finally, she hangs up, and Bakugou stands there, completely defeated. “You just had to go and pull in the old hag, huh?”

You give him the sweetest, most innocent smile you can muster. “All I wanted was dinner, 'Suki.”

With a begrudging sigh and glare, he stomps over to the fridge, grabs the ice cream, and scoops a heaping bowl.

Bakugou thuds the bowl of ice cream down in front of you. “Here,” he says, and his tone drips with irritation. “Happy now?”

You flash him a saccharine smile, knowing he’s gritting his teeth behind that scowl. “Getting there,” you say, taking a huge spoonful of ice cream. You savor it slowly, letting him watch as you relish every bite. "This will help me stay alive while I wait on that lasagna you’re finally making.”

Rolling his eyes, he mutters something about “goddamn brats” and stomps back to the counter to get started on the lasagna from scratch. He’s measuring ingredients with an irritated efficiency, muttering curses as he moves between the stove and the counter, clearly making a point to be loud with every spoon clang and pan scrape. You can’t help but smirk, lounging at the table with your ice cream while he seethes his way through the prep.

“Y’know, you could just admit you’re glad to make me dinner,” you tease, trailing a finger around the rim of your ice cream bowl.

“Shut up,” he growls, not even looking at you. “Only doin’ this ‘cause you’re about two seconds from callin’ my mom back.”

You laugh, knowing you’ve won. He knows it, too, and you can tell by the way his jaw tightens. But he’s still at it, chopping, stirring, and layering with perfect precision. He even throws in extra herbs like he’s really trying to impress you—or maybe it’s just his stubborn pride refusing to serve you anything less than perfect, even if he’s fuming the whole time.

When the lasagna finally slides into the oven, he gives you a long, exasperated look, as if you’re personally responsible for the next forty minutes he’ll spend waiting for it to cook. Because you were. Meanwhile, you’re content, scraping the last of the ice cream and smiling as sweetly as possible.

“Looks like you’re the real MVP tonight, 'Suki,” you say with a grin, earning a deadpan glare as he slouches in the couch besides you, crossing his arms.

“Yeah, yeah. Don’t get used to it,” he mutters, but he’s got a reluctant smirk, that little glint in his eyes betraying him.

As you savor the victory lasagna, taking big, dramatic bites and humming with exaggerated satisfaction, Bakugou watches you with a mixture of grumpy defeat and faint amusement. You’re absolutely eating it up—literally and figuratively—relishing how the whole thing turned out exactly the way you wanted. You even add a contented sigh, just to drive the point home.

“Happy now?” he mumbles, feigning irritation as he leans back in the couch.

“Completely,” you reply, all too pleased. “Though... later I might need a few cuddles to really recover from today.”

He gives you a look that could curdle milk. “Okay, now you’re pushin’ it.”

But you just grin, because you know damn well you’ll probably get your way. After all, you got ice cream, lasagna, and a little victory over Bakugou and his mom tonight. Cuddles? That’s just a matter of time.

All in a day’s work.

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writingoddess1125 · 1 year ago

Note

Hi, I was wondering if I could request Buggy taking care of reader while they’re sick? Thank you! I’m currently rereading your “find out they have a kid” and I can’t wait for pt3!

Can do! I hope you like this and also thanks for the support! ❤️

Not all Treasure is Silver and Gold

BuggyxGNReader FLUFF

When you woke up that morning, you felt awful... you felt achy and fatigued before the day had even started. However today was a big day, there was a treasure the crew had found a large chunk of Captian John's treasure which would lead to the biggest treasure from the deceased pirate. You were critical for this mission and needed to be on your best. You knew this treasure was important for your partner Buggy- He hadn't even been in bed these last few nights in order to plan for this event.

So some tiredness wouldn't stop you- Forcing yourself up you dressed and went out to the main deck-

You saw your crew practically vibrating in excitement, you saw the island close by that would hold the treasure that your crew was looking for- leaning against the railing you closed your eyes trying to wave away the pain that riddled your body, lightheaded and exhausted.

After a few moments hard footsteps sounded behind you making you turn to see Buggy, dresses in his flashiest best and talking to several crew mates. A wide smile on his lips as he was just as excited as everyone else at this- however you saw his eyes scanning around most likely looking for you.

Once he spotted you his eyes narrowed, your nerves picking up as you knew he could sense something was wrong. Quickly looking away you stare back at the target at hand, feeling Buggy walk right behind you.

"(Y/N)? Are you okay?.. you look a little off" Buggy asked calmly, but you can still feel his narrowed gaze on you. Shrugging quickly you wave it off-

"I'm fine I'm fine-" You try to say but some coughs rattled your lungs, Buggy turned you around quickly as he stares at your face. Him spinning made you feel nauseous and your head starting to thump- not even noticing Buggy was speaking at first.

You stared at Buggy confused as his words seemed to become mumbled like your head was underwater. He stepped closer to you and peeled one of his gloves off with his teeth as he went to press it to your forehead, but before he could you felt the world spin and darkness consume you. Only the feeling of rough hands grabbing you was the last you felt before falling into a deep sleep.

When you woke up you groaned, feeling cold?- opening an eye you see you were in Buggy's room laying in his bed. In thin pajamas and a single blanket over you- Buggy was seated next to you pouring some things into different cups, he was dressed in much simpler clothes not in his flashy attire. You shiver and reach for the heavy blankets at the foot of the bed but Buggy gently grabbed your hand to stop from doing so.

"Don't want you to overheat- Your fever is already really high" Buggy said calmly, adding another thin blanket to help you feel a bit warmer and comforble but not enough to have you overheat. He gently began to give you water, making sure you drank a full cup before he gave you anything else. Downing the water which felt like gold to your sore throat you, and Buggy had to help pace you. Once done he added another pillow behind you you leaned back on happily.

"How long have I've been out?" You grumbled, sinking more into the bed with a tired sigh.

"Few hours" Buggy said calmly, Grabbing a thermometer and holding it to your lips carefully as you did as he commanded. Waiting for the temp to read, which took a few moments showing you had a hell of a high fever.

"You are very sick.. probably a form of flu" He grumbled, careful as he put away the thermometer to be cleaned later. Taking the near by teapot that was on a heater he added in the several premeasured ingredients and stirred them in the white teapot with a spoon. It made you think of a parent making soup for their sick child.

"Man of many talents I see" You try to jest but a series of weezing coughs rattled your lungs. He tried to smile but winced at the hard coughs.

"I suppose, But I learned a lot of skills and sorta became a jack of all trades- But a master of non" He admitted, pouring whatever was in the teapot into a large cup.

"Hot toddy" He said calmly, helping you sit up so you could take the teacup, Raising a brow at it as it smelt heavenly. Drinking it down quickly as your eyebrows raised.

"Is that whiskey?" Buggy nodded pouring you another cup.

"Yep, Whiskey, tea, honey and lemon. Helps with a cough, sore throat and will knock your little ass out so you can sleep" He smiled at you, earning a chuckle from you as you drank another cup. He gave you another drink of water to make sure you were well hydrated before taking your tea cup and laying you back down.

You laid there as you felt Buggy tuck you in on all sides with the blankets, making sure you were good and packed in so you couldn't move and hurt yourself. He grabbed the damp rag and gingerly placed it on your forehead.

"I'm sorry... I blew the mission for today.." You whisper softly, closing your eyes at the feeling of the cool rag on your forehead. Buggy smoothed your sticky hair, his free hand finding yours under the blanket and rubbing circles on the back of your hand.

"(Y/N) it will be there when you're better... besides you are more valuable to me then any Silver and Gold that exist" He said sincerely as he looked at you with only love. You smiled at his sweet words.

"Even Diamons and devil fruits?" You croak out, earning a chuckle from Buggy as he nodded.

"Even diamonds, Rubies and every devil fruit that exist.. Now get some sleep okay?" He said softly. You nodded and drifted off into a dreamless sleep, swearing you heard soft humming of a lullaby as you drifted into rest.

#x reader #one peice x reader #one piece #one peice live action #buggy the clown x reader #buggy one piece #buggy x reader #op buggy #captain buggy #buggy the clown

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fairyrcts · 4 months ago

Text

ivy , c.s. • track 2

by fairyrcts contents - intended lowercase , 3rd person , cursing , slight male masturbation

an - short cuz pink + white finna eat and i got more blurbs comin out

taglist - @pvssychicken , @gothiccvnt6996 , @emely9274 (header by @issysh3ll )

chris had felt bad after leaving the girls' apartment that night. it had been serenity's first time getting high and he wanted to help with the morning after cause he knew how much that'd suck. but, like most everyone in that city, he had places to be.

i'll check in with her later he thought

that morning, he'd gotten up, feeling terrible. it was routine at this point.

brushing off his aching head, he did his daily duties. got dressed, brushed his teeth, etc.

he'd plan to go see his friend nathan and meet him for lunch, which wasn't until 1. it was currently 10, so he had plently of time.

since having nothing to due, he made the decision to go visit serenity and check up with her.

meanwhile, she was stressing out completely.

she had slept in by an hour and was 25 minutes late to her lecture today, not to mention how absolutely gross she felt.

she was rushing to get her black stockings on, almost tripping with each movement.

"crap, crap, crap."

she'd already put on her pastel purple sweater, skirt and tied her hair up in a bun. all she needed to do was slip her boots on, grab her bag and go.

which, she did. she'd made it all the way down the stairs and out of her apartment. she thought the rest of the day would be smooth sailing, but god had other plans.

when opening the glass door to exit her apartment complex, serenity aggressively bumped into a familiar face.

she let out a small 'ow!'

chris backed up, stumbling a bit.

"jeez, do that to everyone?" his words made himself chuckle. but serenity wasn't having it.

"only to everyone standing in my way. i've got places to be, sorry." she let his comment go and began speed walking.

"hey, wait up! came to check on ya and you're runnin" he sighed before jogging to catch up to the curly-haired girl who was currently pissed at him.

"wait up, says the clueless brunette who's literally the reason i'm late!" even with her words being angry, chris was still focused on her angelic voice.

"how's that my fault?" he was now beside her as the two sped-walked at the same speed.

it was quite an eyesore to passersby. this swanlike girl, with put together clothes and dainty gold jewelry dripping off her and a taller, basic-looking white guy who's wearing baggy jeans and a sleeveless shirt that said 'pirate girl' on the front.

they definitely stuck out like a sore thumb to anyone who didn't know them.

serenity's facial expressions became blithe as she began explaining. "you got me high! i shouldn't have done that."

"okay, 1, you asked. and 2, didn't it feel good though?"

chris's words made her eyes crinkle as she thought.

yeah, it did. like a weight was lifted and a feeling of relief washed over her. but she wasn't to give him the satisfaction.

"not the point, chris. is chris short for christopher?" she remarked, now at the campus.

"uh, yeah, why?"

"now i can say your full name when i'm mad at you. i've got a lecture i'm about to miss the rest of, thanks for checking in or whatnot. if you wanna check in and not annoy me next time, ask izzy to gove you my number." serenity rushed her words as she walked up more, chris stopping to not go campus property.

she turned her dour face to look at him once more. to say chris was mesmerized was probably the perfect word.

he shot her a lopsided grin and walked away.

chris just replayed the sounds of her melodic voice as he walked back to his car. he'd rather losten to that than any music on any radio station.

-- --

after the rather exhausting day at school was over, serenity made it back to her apartment and noticed izzy hadn't been there. she leaned against the kitchen counter and opened her texts to see around 4 from a random number.

unknown

hey just wanted to say sorry for earlier

unknown

izzy gave me ur number btw

unknown

this is chris

unknown

but u prob put that tg already

she laughed to herself at the stupidity of his thought process. she saved his contact number and put it under 'chris !'

she debated wether or not to text back, but decided on it after a moment of thinking.

she simply responded to his messages with a voice message.

on the other end, chris was going insane.

he'd saw that he had a voice message and absolutely went crazy. when he played hit, he just became engulfed in what she was saying. it was small simple words, but with her butter like voice, it was more than that.

his opposite hand instinctly moved to the tent in his pants. chris slightly palmed himself through the blew jeans he wore. he imagined it was her rubbing down on his erection.

he thought how'd she react if she knew. probably not the greatest.. so out of respect, he stopped, mentally cursing himself for caring.

he sent a voice message back, jokingly talking about the effect she has on him with her voice.

the pair just sent voice memo's back and forth all afternoon, just talking about everything they could really think of.

chris responded to one of serenity's with "man, i should come over right now. i could bring over sum more weed or whatever. or nothing at all."

which definitely got her thinking. she enjoyed their conversation so far, and the result of her getting high last night wasn't that bad. what's the worse that could happen?

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romanestuffsposts · 1 year ago

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hii !!!

could you maybe do reader feeling super self conscious about her little space so she tries to stay big and she ends up breaking all the little rules (swearing, not listening, etc.) and when papa and daddy start to punish her, she just breaks and slips into little space

if not, that's okay !!

i love your writing either way <3

Hi there love! 💜

Thank you so much! I'm so glad you love it! I'm sorry you had to wait so long, i hope you like how I write your request ❤️

Enjoy <3

****

Warnings : angst, bratty little reader, angry daddies, soft punishment, comfort, cuddles, kisses, pet names, curses, little reader swears, fluff

Pairings : Daddies!Stucky ; Daddy!Bucky x Papa!Steve x Little!Reader

Summary : It's hard sometimes to do things but that doesn't mean you be mean either

****

"Fuck!"

This caused your Daddy to stop walking toward the laundry room. Just as he walked past your door, he heard the most horrific word he could hear leaving your mouth.

He turns his head toward the door and sees you throwing the bag of dolls on the ground. He frowns and tries to stay calm, he puts the laundry on the ground and softly knock on your door "can I know why you said what I heard you say, little miss ?" he asks crossing his arms against his chest

You're too mad at yourself to even thinking about what he said or even about what you just said. "Notin' jus hard to put 'way" you mumble not even looking at him. You walk around your toys and watch how this could possibly make it easier

Your Papa asked you to clean your playroom before dinner because there were a lot of mess since you played all day long yesterday with your friend and you were too tired to clean afterward.

Your Daddies weren't strict about that, they know that if there were a mess you would've eventually clean it but they always reminded you, just in case. If they see you're too tired or too sick to clean it, then they let you rest until you're able to do it. They know that playing can be exhausting, especially when you play your little heart out like you usually do.

But it's not because they let you deal with that schredule yourself that it doesn't have to be done! They always have an eye behind to see if it's correctly did and always praises you when it is.

"Do you need help cleaning your playroom ?" he decides to not yells or punish you for swearing. He knows you probably didn't even noticed you did because you didn't apologise and you always do. You're probably tired or super hungry and lose all your patience because of that

You groan in defeat but shake your head. It's the only thing you have to do, it's the only thing you're fully responsable of, you can do it. It's just harder today than another day but you will make it!

"Why don't you keep going after eating, baby ? You'll have more strengh to do it and with that, you could have a break from your cleaning" he proposes and watches you turning toward him, a pretty little pout on your face

"come one" he nods his head toward himself and gives you his hand "let's go eat the delicious meal Papa cooked for us"

Later that night, you finally finished cleaning your playroom and are excited to go downstairs and watch your cartoons with your Daddies. That's what motivated you at cleaning your room.

You happily run down the stairs and are ready to hear a warning from your Papa to not run in the stairs because he doesn't want to see you hurting yourself by falling. When you enter the living room, you make your way to the couch and wiggle your body in between your Daddies.

They keep their attention on their documentary but your Papa wraps his arms around your shoulder and your Daddy rests his hand on your thighs.

You look around for the remote and when you finally spot it, in the hand of your Papa, you fall across his laps and try to grab it. Only this sudden movement of you cause your Papa to look down at you and move a little in surprise. His hand goes further away from you and you groan "Papaaa"

"What are you doing sweetness ?" he asks stroking your back, you still have your upper body laying on his laps

"Wanna wach catoons" you whine and try to grab the remote a second time but this time your Papa moves his hand in purpose "We're already watching something, princess. We watched your cartoons all week, we would like to have one evening where we watch something Daddy and Papa want" he explains with a gentle voice

Your face fell and you sat back, you cross your arms against your chest and stare deadly at the screen.

It sucks what they're watching. You don't like the big and weird voice who explains what you see in the tv and you don't like that it's not cartoons.

Your Daddies let you pouting, they focus back on the tv and know you will eventually calm down and soon cuddles their sides.

But... Not exactly. When your Papa tries to wrap his arm around your shoulder again to pull you closer to him, you throw his arm away and stare at him with fire in your eyes.

His own eyes narrow down at you "be careful. I'm not gonna be patient all night, you understand ? Drop that attitude right now. You're not a spoiling baby, it's not what we taught you. So I advise you to stop it right now" he warns

Your Daddy looks down at you and warns you with his eyes too.

You watch them turning their attention back toward the movie and you suddenly feel bad. All you wanted was to spend an evening with them after a hard day, you don't really care about what you're watching while doing so right now. You just need to feel their arms around you, nothing more.

You turn your gaze slowly toward your Papa and see his frown on his face as he watches tv. You upset him.. Of course you did.

You lean against your Papa and hold his arm as you look up at him with needy eyes "papaa" you whisper "wanna cuddles"

He shakes his arm away from your grip but doesn't look down at you when he talks "you should've thought about that before. I'm not in the mood to cuddle, tonight" he coldly says

Your face fell even more and a hurt look run across your features. You sat back on the couch and look down at your laps as you try to keep your tears and your trembling lip for yourself.

Your Papa is upset with you right now but maybe your Daddy not ?

You turn toward him and do the same movement that you just did with your Papa "Daddy" you whisper " 'm missed you" you whimper quietly, hoping he would comfort you

But he doesn't answer you, he keeps looking at the tv, a frown on his face too. After some seconds, he pulls his arm away from your hold without sparing you a glare.

Now the feeling of hurt for being ignored by your Daddies, the persons who are supposed to keep your feelings safe and not destroy them are unbearable to keep.

You sit back on the couch and mumble a little 'assholes' under your breath.

That was it. Your Daddies heard you, the both of them and this time, they can't ignore that. Your Papa jumps off of the couch making you flinch and grabs your arm. He yanks you away from the couch causing you to let out a cry

He starts to drag you upstairs and you look behind you, hoping to find help with your Daddy but only find him glaring back at you when you turn toward him.

Seeing the mean glare he shoot you and feeling the way your Papa is angry at you cause you to let out all the tears you had kept today. You cry all the way upstairs.

Once you're in your bedroom, your Papa turns around and puts you in the corner "do you think you're a big girl ? That's it, isn't it ? You're big and respinsable so you can used that kind of words, right ? I don't even think you know what does that really mean!" he shouts

You tremble in the corner as you sobs uncontrolably. You're too scared to look behind you, you just stare at your feet.

"If you want to be a big girl then we'll treat you like one" his harsh and serious voice hit you in the back "big girls don't need a bedtime story before going to bed right Bucky ?"

"definitly not" he says, his arms crossed against his chest as he stare at your back

More tears left your eyes and you close them as your sobs are fighting your chest and throat to get out. It's almost hard to breath because of them.

"And doesn't big girls sleep in their own bed ? In their own room instead of sneaking into her Daddies's ?" he asks looking at Bucky

"They sure do" he nods

"and i'm sure big girls are really tired from their hard and long day at work so they go to bed earlier" Steve says staring back at you

"so let's recap. No bedtimes stories for two weeks, you sleep in your own room and go to bed earlier for two weeks. You don't watch tv because of the curse you said earlier in your playroom. If I hear a cry about it in those two weeks, we double the sentence. You understand me ?" he harshly says making you flinch

You slide down until your sitting on the ground, your body shake with the sobs and you're body is curled around himself "not fair!" you yell "Just wanted cuddles! Waited for it all day! you didn't wanted to give me one" you sob not caring anymore about what you say "I had a hard day and waited for you to cudd' me, needed you" you shake from your sob, your eyes are cover in tears and you can't seems to be able to take your breath back

"I sowwy I was bad" you cry "didn't mean to. Don' know wha 'm doin' anymo" you close your eyes and hide your face in your knees "jus wanted daddies wis me" you whisper rocking yourself "jus wanted paise fo cweanin' 'm room betause was so hard" you cry harder now

Your Daddy looks at your Papa, a now different look on his face, a concern one. Steve mirrors his expression but stay frozed on his spot.

Bucky comes sit behind you and wraps his huge arms around your trembling body. He leans you against his chest and rocks you "calm down, baby. You're okay" he whispers in his ears "you did such a good job today at cleaning your room! I'm sorry we didn't show it better to you" he kisses your ear "but that doesn't mean you had any rights of saying what you said" his sweet and calm voice help at calming you down.

He strokes your head as he keeps shushing you and rocking you "we all have our wrongs in this situation but even if Daddies didn't understood what you wanted from them, it doesn't mean you can say those ugly things, okay ?"

You nod "I sowwy Daddy" you sob "didn mean to be bad"

"it happens, babygirl. But what matter is that you apologise" he looks down at you and tilts your head so you would look up at him "thank you for having apologise" he kisses your nose

"now go apologise to your Papa and we'll talk about the punishment after" he pushes his forehead against yours before helping you turning around. You look at your Papa and have a fear feeling when you look up at him, he's so tall and so intimidating.

Steve understands and kneels down on the ground, you slide yourself to him and snuggle against his chest, you wrap your arms around his waist and hold him tightly "sowwy Papa" you cry "didn wanted to hurt you. I sowwy, very sowwy" you sniff

You melt further into him when he wraps his arms around you and hold you closer to him "thank you, princess" he kisses the top of your head "you understand why we acted like this ?" he want you to understand why they act this way toward a little word who probably didn't meant what it really meant to you. He doesn't want you to stay confuse about it

"said bad word" you say looking up at him. He nods "yes you did, sweetie" he sighs and looks at Bucky.

After they shared a look they both undertsand, your Daddy walked toward you and lifts you in his arms. He walks toward your bed and sits on his so his back is against the wall. He sits you in between his legs and lifts your shirt to exposed your bare belly. He starts stroking it in a way that calms you "since we have something we need to apologise for too, how about we change a little the punishment" your Daddy proposes as Steve sits on the edge of the bed, his hand caressing your leg

"you go to bed earlier for two week and no tv for a week. Those are the punishment for the bad words. We removed the rest of the punishment because a part of your reaction is understandable. Do you understand ?" he asks, peering down at you.

You look down at your fingers and nod "we're sorry we ignored you earlier" your Papa says causing you to look up at him "we know how much it hurts you to be ignored and we still did. We're really sorry Baby" He kisses your forehead

"since there no tv for a week and it start right now, how about we read a bounches of stories before bed time ?" your Daddy asks, a smile on his face

You look up at him and he sighs in relief when he sees your not so sad face anymore. You nod and your Papa climbs in bed and rests you in between them as your Daddy grabs the first book

You snuggle closer to them and close your eyes, enjoying the comfort of their arms around you and their hands wondering around your body, giving you massages and sweet strokes

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ephemeral--dreams · 2 years ago

Text

Working late - DoA

☆ ☾ ☆ ──────────────────

Sigma

It was late in the evening when he left the casino floor to return to his office. What he'd like was to simply pass out in bed, but there was still work to be done. As always. It was tiring, but it was part of what came with maintaining the casino - his home - so he didn't usually mind.

Sigma entered, only to pause when he found you curled up asleep on the sofa. Ironic that he'd put it there for when he needed to take power naps, yet it found more use from you now. That was the one thing that troubled him. He was so busy that he couldn't spend as much time with you as he wanted to… You had carved out a space for yourself regardless, quietly keeping him company while he did paperwork, or making sure he'd eaten, or watching over the casino when he was absent for DoA matters. But that didn't erase the guilt when he saw you laying there, when you could've both been comfortably in bed together instead…

You were really much too forgiving. Sigma was surprised you hadn't left him by now.

Still, he didn't want to wake you up. You probably needed the sleep… He settled for draping a blanket over you before moving to his desk, silent as he worked into the night.

☆

………Only to awaken hours later to your eyes meeting his. When had he passed out? Ah, he shouldn't have done that, he had so much to do…

"Hey. Why don't we move to the bedroom?"

"No, no, I'm not done-"

"You're not going to do good work when you're too tired. A nap would benefit you, wouldn't it?"

Sigma… Cannot argue with that, can he?

Nikolai

Nikolai had more work to do than one would expect. There were nights where he didn't come home at all, times where he was gone for days on end. It was simply the way things were. Even if it was a shame that he had to spend so much time away from his beloved...

Today, he had told you he'd be home at a reasonable time. That... Was not what came to be. The target he'd been sent to take out had caused him quite a lot of trouble. A surprise he'd usually welcome, if he hadn't had evening plans! And then he'd had to go report to Dos-kun... That said, Nikolai finds himself arriving to a quiet apartment, well after dark.

Yet the lights were not off. He peeked around the corner and - ah, there you were. Would it be mean to startle you out of the book you're reading? Perhaps. But that certainly wouldn't stop him. He loved nothing more than to cause a little trouble, after all.

"Boo!"

You dropped the book, blinking up at him tiredly as he leaned over you. "Oh, you're home."

"Indeed. I hardly expected you to still be awake at this hour, however."

"Well, you said you'd be home tonight, so I thought I should be around to greet you…"

"That's sweet, but entirely unnecessary!" So he says, but the twinkle in his eyes is telling enough of the fact that he's pleased. "Now that I'm here, we should get you to bed, no?"

You look him up and down, pointedly.

"You're still covered in blood. How about we get you cleaned up first?"

So he was. And you didn't even seem disturbed! Then again, it wasn't the first time he'd shown up like this... "Sure, sure~ But only if you come too, angel."

Fyodor

As unwell as he was, sometimes, Fyodor rarely gave in to his body's demands for rest. There was no one else who could manage the complex plans that must be carried out. Most of his subordinates were absolutely useless without his direct orders, and heaven knows Nikolai will go wild if no one reined him in. There was always more to do. There were not enough hours in the day for him to bring his plans to fruition.

It's admittedly exhausting. But for the end goal, it's worth it.

So he told himself on another late night, staring at a too-bright screen in a too-dark room.

And then there was you.

Work often dragged him from you for long periods of time. The fact that he managed to keep you despite this was truly lucky. Not that he had any doubt of the fact that you were too infatuated to ever leave him.

Today, you had insisted that it had been too long since you had spent time together, so he'd made the compromise of allowing you to stay in his office with him while he worked. You were, of course, told not to be a disturbance. You'd been quiet enough sitting next to him for the first few hours, so it wasn't an issue.

Not until around 1am, when he felt a weight against his shoulder. So you'd fallen asleep. When had you dragged your chair near enough to lean on him this way? No matter.

…Fyodor couldn't quite bring himself to shake you awake, for whatever reason. You looked far too peaceful. He sighed. He was becoming far too soft, if he couldn't even disturb you.

You had best appreciate that you have someone as dangerous and distant as him wrapped around your finger. You sleep on unaware as he goes back to typing.

#decay of angels #nikolai gogol x reader #sigma x reader #fyodor dostoevsky x reader #bungo stray dogs x reader #bsd x reader #story unfolding

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sunflowerseedsandscience · 9 months ago

Text

Various Storms and Saints- Chapter One

Previous Chapters: Prologue

Maybe it was because he'd never had any relatives or close friends have kids, but for Mulder, the hospital had never been a place he associated with joy.

His earliest hospital memory had been when Samantha had broken her collarbone, and since his mother had decided the incident had been his fault-- hadn't she told him a hundred times that the rope swing was too worn out to play on, so what had he been thinking?--most of what he remembered from that particular hospital trip had been his mother's cold anger. He'd been taken to the hospital two years later when Sam had disappeared, when first responders worried he might be in shock, and that visit had been no better.

All of Mulder's adult hospital experience up until this point had been similarly awful. Visiting injured witnesses or colleagues, meeting family members in the waiting room to deliver bad news, suffering through injuries of his own... and now, most recently, the interminable vigil by Scully's bedside, watching and waiting while the cord tethering her to life slowly frayed to nothing.

But now? As Mulder strode down the hospital hallway towards from Scully's room, where she sat waiting for him, alive, awake, and returned to him beyond all probability, there was nowhere else he'd rather have been. Even the drab green linoleum was beautiful to him as he raced along it towards her room. Her mother and sister had been with her earlier, and under their close watch he hadn't been able to be as free and open with her as he would have liked. Maybe today his luck would be better and she'd be on her own.

But then again, maybe not.

"Hi, Mulder!" Melissa greeted him enthusiastically before Scully had even had a chance to open her eyes. She leapt up from her seat by the bed and embraced him, catching him off guard. Over her shoulder Scully looked on with an amused expression, clearly enjoying his discomfiture. As soon as Melissa released him he approached the bed, and after a brief hesitation, he bent and kissed Scully's cheek. Her face flushed red as he straightened up, and he could feel Melissa's eyes on him as he took a seat by the bed.

"How are you feeling?" he asked.

"Tired," Scully said, chuckling ruefully. "You'd think I'd have more energy when I've done nothing but lie in bed all this time, but...." She sighed and shook her head. "I'm still exhausted."

"You have to give yourself time to heal," said Melissa sagely. "Your body knows what it's doing. You have to trust it."

"Thank you, Melissa. As a medical doctor, I am, of course, entirely unfamiliar with the workings of the human body." Mulder laughed, his chest flushing with warmth. This was the Scully he knew, the Scully he'd missed: the dry wit, the impatience with anyone trying to tell her something she already knew better than they did.

"Doctors really do make the worst patients," Melissa intoned, and Scully scowled at her.

"It's one thing to know something clinically," Scully said. "It's another thing when you're the one stuck in bed, waiting to have enough energy to be on your feet for more than fifteen minutes at a time."

"Well, be a good patient and do what your doctors tell you," said Mulder. "The quicker you heal, the quicker you can come back... and Skinner really doesn't like me investigating cases on my own. He's probably not gonna get a full night's sleep until you're out there keeping me in check again."

Scully frowned. "Mulder," she said, "what are you talking about? The FBI has me doing autopsies. I can't exactly watch your back from the morgue." And suddenly it hit Mulder: she had no idea about any of what had happened while she'd been missing. As far as she was concerned, the X-Files were still closed, he was still on wiretap duty, and she was still expected to teach pathology at Quantico once she'd recovered enough to return to work. He grinned, about to tell her... and then stopped.

Scully's involvement with him had been exactly what had put her in danger in the first place. She never would have been abducted if she had stayed safe in the morgue. They'd taken her because she had refused to stop helping him... and because he had refused to stop asking her. If he offered her the chance to come back on the X-Files as his partner--and he had zero doubts she would take it, if he did offer--what else could happen to her down the line?

"What?" Scully frowned at him, concerned. His hesitation must have shown on his face. "Mulder, what is it?"

If he didn't ask Scully to come back to the X-Files with him, she would find out about it, one way or another. And she would be furious. He could lay out his concerns, he could try to dissuade her, but consequences be damned, it had to be her choice.

"Skinner re-opened the X-Files after you were taken," Mulder said, and the pure joy on Scully's face somehow made his heart both swell and sink at the same time. "But listen, Scully, you need to think long and hard about it before you come back to work with me."

"No, I don't." Mulder glanced at Melissa, sitting in the corner and watching the exchange with great interest, and wished he'd waited until he and Scully were alone.

"Yes, Scully, you do. They went after you because we kept working together."

"You have no way of knowing-"

"Yeah, I do. None of this would have happened if I'd left you alone." He glanced at Melissa again. "You should at least take the time to discuss it with your family. You don't need to decide right now."

"There's no need, Mulder," insisted Scully. "It's my decision. I want to work with you on the X-Files again." She set her jaw and glared at him, daring him to keep trying to talk her out of it. At a loss, Mulder looked at Melissa, who held up her hands.

"Don't ask me to intervene," she said, smiling. "You should know Dana well enough by now to know that once she decides to do something, there's no talking her out of it."

Mulder smiled reluctantly. "Yeah," he said. "I do."

------------------

Scully kept trying to hide her yawns behind her hands so Mulder wouldn't see how tired she was, but by the fourth time, it was clear she didn't need to bother. Melissa and Mulder were so deeply engrossed in conversation that she might as well not have been in the room at all. Mulder was regaling Melissa with stories of the cases they'd investigated together back before the X-Files had been closed, and Melissa, predictably, was fascinated.

"So the murdered officer's consciousness was possessing the little girl?" Melissa asked.

"Not quite possessing, not the way you're thinking. It was more of... a reimbodiment. It ended suddenly the moment Officer Morris's unfinished business with his killers had concluded."

"Wow," breathed Melissa, sitting back in her chair. "You never told me about any of this, Dana." She and Mulder looked towards the bed just as Scully unsuccessfully concealed another yawn. Mulder stood, smiling sheepishly.

"I think that's my cue to head out and let you rest," he said. He approached the bed and took Scully's hand, giving it a squeeze. "I'll come by after work tomorrow, okay? Give Skinner a call whenever you're ready and we'll get the paperwork started to get you reassigned." And with a nod and a smile to Melissa, Mulder was gone.

The moment the door had closed, Melissa sprang up from her chair and came to sit on the bed. "Wow, Dana," she gushed. "He's not just cute. He's gorgeous."

"Is he?" Scully closed her eyes and leaned back against her pillow. "I hadn't noticed." A blatant lie, of course, but right at that moment, all Scully wanted to do was sleep.

"You're really not interested in him like that?" Melissa asked, a peculiar, almost hopeful expression on her face. "Not at all?"

"He's my work partner, Melissa. And my friend."

"Then...." Melissa bit her lip. "You wouldn't mind if I asked him out, would you?"

A weight seemed to drop into Scully's stomach.

Yes. She did mind. She minded very much, in fact. But how could she possibly admit that to Melissa when she'd been trying so hard to claim that she didn't feel that way about him? She swallowed hard. She could claim that it might compromise her professionally, if Mulder and Melissa dated and it didn't work out. But....

"No, of course I don't mind," was what she heard herself saying instead.

Melissa beamed. "I'm gonna go see if I can catch him before he leaves," she said, and leaping up off the bed, she rushed out of the room.

-------------------

Mulder's hand was on the door to exit the hospital when a voice behind him called his name.

"Mulder, hang on!" He turned to see Melissa Scully hurrying out of the elevators and rushing across the lobby towards him. He crossed to meet her, immediately concerned.

"What's going on? Is your sister okay?"

"She's fine," Melissa assured him with a wave of her hand. "She's probably going to be asleep before I even get back up there. I just had something I wanted to ask you before you left." For some reason, her cheeks flushed red. "I was wondering... if maybe you might like to get coffee with me sometime?"

Whatever Mulder had been expecting, this was definitely not it. For a moment he wondered if he'd understood her correctly, but really, why else would the question make her blush unless she meant it the way he thought she meant it? Still, best to be sure. He'd misread more than a few signals in his time.

"You mean like a date?"

"I don't really like to put labels on things, but... sure, a date, if you want to call it that. I asked Dana if she minded my asking you and she was fine with it, so don't worry about that."

A confused mix of emotions settled in the pit of Mulder's stomach. Scully had told Melissa that it was fine. What did that mean? Was it "fine" as in, "I'm fine, Mulder," when she clearly wasn't fine? Or was it "fine" as in it truly didn't bother her? The thought that Scully wouldn't care at all if he went out with her sister was somehow troubling.

But Melissa was standing there, waiting for an answer. Did he want to have coffee with her? She was an undeniably beautiful woman who seemed genuinely interested in the things he had to say. He'd asked women on dates with far less to go on than that.

Really, why the hell not? It was just coffee.

"I'd like that," he said. "Let me get your number."

Melissa beamed.

#my fic #x-files fanfic #Various Storms and Saints

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assaily · 9 months ago

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Hi, it's been a while. I'm here to feed the fandom with some fic snippets. I've been having some of the worst creative block of my life this last year but I've made it another rotation around the sun today so I thought I would share what I have been working on.

Working title: Something Delicate Something (still working on it obvs) Colloquial title: Buffalo Wild Wings Main themes: Vulnerability and accepting help

This is from the silly little wing-fic I occasionally tease about. Wings are a rare genetic mutation that only occurs in a small percentage of the population, so Klaus is the only other one besides Five who has wings. People aren't born with wings, but grow them during adolescence. Five is about to grow his but he's the only one that knows that, but his siblings may or not suspect something. When he grew them in the apocalypse, they emerged with one weak, broken, and useless (because he was starving and alone). They were a burden on him his whole life, a point of weakness. The Commission removes them when they picked him up, a cultural taboo that Five is convinced was a necessary procedure. He's afraid to tell his brothers about his wings, afraid to share that vulnerability with them.

Takes place about a year and half to two years after they save the world and return to a timeline much like their original. Five has a large mental break before this part of the story that spurs his brothers into taking better care of him. Five doesn't know how to feel about being taken care of like that.

Klaus did think he was an angel, going so far as to exclaim it loudly for the whole house to hear when he offered the half-cream-half-coffee. He was nearly done molting now, most of his flight feathers coming back in at once, but he was sleeping for periods of twelve hours or more.

Klaus complained about how exhausted he was and how badly the poor things itched. Five patiently brushed oils into the new feathers and carefully picked the loose ones coming out. Klaus had the misfortune of both having large wings and having a molt that happened in one big collapse. It meant a mess.

So while his brother sat in the nest of blankets, pillows, and feathers in his room sipping his cream, Five acquired a broom and started the great clean-up task. Approximately twenty-eight minutes after Five woke him up, Klaus started his stereo, playing something with a gentle piano at a medium volume so it filtered out into the hallways for Five.

It’s easy to work to, and Five lost himself into a rhythm of sweeping and piling the dark tawny feathers together. The sun was peeking in through the windows when Klaus came out to take his empty cup downstairs for a refill. He came back up fifteen minutes later with two mugs and Diego with a much larger broom in company.

“Back up has arrived,” Klaus said cheerily, trading Five the refilled mug for his broom. “Go sit down or something, me n’ Diego can finish this.”

Five only relinquished the broom because Klaus wordlessly threatened to keep the coffee hostage until he did. “I can finish,” he groused, taking a sip and getting instantly distracted. Klaus had been getting very good with a french press lately, and Five was coming to appreciate it. Based on the twinkle in his brother’s eyes as he watched Five drink his coffee, Klaus knew just how good at it he was getting.

“Go, shoo, we got this. You’ve done enough.”

Five turned his attention to Diego, standing silently by watching the two of them interact like an onlooker at the zoo. “How’d you get roped up into this?”

Diego shrugged, failing to smother a smirk. “Klaus was telling me what a good doting brother you’ve been lately, and we both decided you needed to take a break.”

Five squinted at him, suspicion stirred by the smirk. “Taking care of this idiot,” he jabbed a thumb at Klaus. “Is probably the least stressful thing I’ve ever done in my life.”

“Aww, thanks,” Klaus said sincerely from where he’d started tidying up Five’s already made piles.

“Still,” Diego said, something false about his casually friendly smile, but Five still wasn’t good enough with faces to identify the issue. He sidled up to him, switching the broom from one hand to the other. “It’s so nice of you to help.”

Klaus glanced back at them and straightened with a jolt, Diego’s name forming around his lips. Five sensed more than saw Diego’s palm coming to slap him on the back, and abruptly he understood what the ploy was.

Five would have preferred to save his coffee, but the rage that bubbled up from the pit of his stomach chose vengeance instead. The mug likely broke, spilling really good coffee all across the hallway, but the only one who got to see it was Klaus. Diego ended up being dropped from the second story into an open dumpster two blocks over– it was the closest open dumpster Five knew about, and would force him to walk back covered in trash. Five himself landed on a fire escape just long enough to make sure he hadn’t accidentally hurt Diego, before popping back to his room.

It was silly to be so mad about it, about practically nothing at all, but his hands still shook as he tore into his wardrobe for clean clothes and a towel. A hot bath would help him feel better, the steam would ease the headache drilling into the back of his skull and down his spine. Then he would take a nap, and if anyone had an ounce of self-preservation, he would remain undisturbed.

Of course, none of his brothers had self-preservation, or brain cells. Except maybe Viktor, but he and his lonely brain cell were woefully absent. Klaus was waiting for him in his room when he returned from his bath. He was glad he had the foresight to put a shirt on, but he’d really had hope for that nap.

“What do you want?”

“What, you’re up in my grill for a week and now you want nothing to do with me?”

“I wasn’t ‘up in your grill’. If you didn’t want me to help, you could have told me to go away. In fact you did, so I filled my schedule, I have shit to do, get out.”

“Okay, grumpy, jeez,” Klaus put his hands up, jumping up off the bed when Five came at him, threatening to use his damp towel as a weapon. “Is your back okay?”

“It’s fine,” he snapped.

“Really, cause Diego was gone for like half an hour, and he came back smelling like a dumpster, so I’m just wondering if he hurt you or something because that was really dramatic–”

“Get. Out.” He punctuated his point by snapping the towel loudly.

“Okayeeee!” Klaus yelped, leaping toward the door with an obscene cackle born of hysterical fear. Complete lack of self-preservation. If Five ever made that much noise while in danger, he would have been dead a hundred times over.

Five slammed the door shut behind him, closing his eyes and listening to his brother hover outside for about forty seconds before leaving. When Klaus finally shuffled away, Five let go the breath he was holding, scrubbing at his face.

He hadn’t slept much last night, or most nights. Less so lately with his back beginning to hurt so much. If Diego had touched him, the gig might have been up, he wasn’t sure he would have been able to hide his reaction. The uncontrollable rage was just a side effect of all the hormones his body was releasing, but he was also usually an asshole, so he didn’t think his siblings would notice the difference.

“Dramatic,” he echoed to himself. Sending Diego two blocks over and into a dumpster was a little dramatic, but the other option was the pond in the park a mile and half west of the academy. It seemed like an unnecessarily large expenditure of power to send him all that way, so Diego got the shorter, dryer walk. So really, Five wasn’t as dramatic as he could have been.

And if Klaus really saw that as just an innocent pat on the back, he was lying to himself and to Five. Diego was checking for lumps, or at least a reaction if he hit him hard enough. The lumps weren’t in yet but his back was already showing signs of the blood bruising, and was getting tender to all hell.

He’d done this all before, he knew what to expect, and this time would be a hell of a lot easier because of it. He didn’t need them losing their goddamn minds and crawling down his throat because Mom wasn’t here anymore and couldn’t take care of him like she would have Klaus. Five didn’t need to burden them with it either. He survived the first time, and he would again.

He made sure his door was locked before he went back to his bed and collapsed onto his stomach. He was still warm from his bath, and the last few days had been long and sleepless. He dozed off quickly, but didn’t sleep for long, carved awake as the infant growths under his skin pushed and shifted at his shoulder blades from beneath.

Diego was in the kitchen again when Five went down for food hours later. Luther was there too, but his gaze didn’t zero in on Five the second he appeared like Diego’s did.

“Oh look it’s the asshole who dropped me in a dumpster for offering to help.”

“Why are you still here? Don’t you have a job or something?”

“It’s my day off. Not that you would know, freeloader.”

“Child labor laws, idiot. I couldn’t get a job even if I wanted to.” Besides, he’d been pawning off some of the antiques their father had laying around so he wasn’t relying on his siblings’ wallets for luxury purchases. He mostly sold stuff out of the attic so he was sure none of them had noticed anything missing yet.

“Okay, look I just want to eat dinner in peace, please,” Luther interrupted. “Five, there’s a container for you in the fridge, I didn’t know when you’d be down for it so I stuck it in there, but it should still be hot.”

Five’s stomach growled at him at the prospect of food, smoothly digressing off the brewing spat with Diego. He turned to dig in the fridge, finding a plastic container with his name on it in Luther’s neat handwriting. If it wasn’t labeled, Klaus would eat it. He was surprisingly respectful of labeled containers, however, so Luther had gotten very anal about making sure everything of Five’s was labeled. It forced him to eat it or give it away, which then alerted one of them to the fact that he hadn’t eaten it.

A convenient monitoring system for his brothers, a pain in the ass for Five. Though, and he would never admit it, sometimes he would pop down to the kitchen whenever everyone managed to be out of the house but him, and root through his labeled containers like a raccoon with his favorite garbage.

Five pried the lid off his container, broccoli beef with white rice. Fried foods grossed him out more than he would have liked to admit, but the only one that actually cared was Klaus, who thought it was sacrilege, but then helped himself to all of Five’s portions of the fried take-out Luther always brought home. Luther cottoned on quick and made sure to order him the white rice.

While he worked for the Commission, Five had to be careful what he ate because his stomach couldn’t handle much after so many decades living off expired canned food and whatever he could grow. That was less of a problem now, he could even drink straight milk and oil if he wanted and his young, stout little body would digest it without so much as an ounce of indigestion. No, it was the fact that Five had gone so long without salt and basic spices, that even the beef gravy mixed with the plain rice was still intensely salty to him. Oily fried foods had a taste to them that Five struggled to stomach, instincts still telling him it would make him sick.

Besides, Five could afford the luxury of being picky these days, so he would be.

“Fork,” Luther said, even as Five started throwing pieces of broccoli into his mouth with his fingers.

Diego snorted, shaking his head before tucking back into his noodle dish. He didn’t seem inclined to keep fighting, so Five sat down at the table opposite both of them after he got himself a fork from the drawer.

Luther waited until they were all at least halfway through their meals before he started with a casual, “So, Five, it’s been ten days since you’ve last left the house.”

Five glared at him over his dinner. So much for eating peacefully.

“You know what that means,” Diego chimed in, looking a bit too smug at Five’s instant discomfort.

“I have library books that need to be returned anyway,” he said with a heavy sigh.

“I was actually hoping we could go somewhere besides the library.”

Five frowned down at his rice, pushing it around with his fork. His stomach had instantly gone up in knots, and he wished Luther hadn’t done this over dinner. It was hard enough to eat as it was. “What do you have in mind?”

“Well, it’s been over a year since you’ve been to the doctor–”

“I would need an appointment, wouldn’t I? Don’t have one as far as I know.”

Luther puffed his cheeks out and inclined his head forward and to the side like he was ashamed of something. “I didn’t want to alarm you and have you spend the whole week overthinking it.”

A numbing buzz started in the tips of his fingers and began crawling through his palms and up his arms. “You made one,” he said faintly, feeling the blood drain from his face.

Diego grimaced, eyes darting between him and Luther. “It’s alright Five, we’ll both go with you. Klaus, too if you want.”

He swallowed thickly, the room around him narrowing down to pinprick sounds and details. The buzzing of the lamps, the tick and churn of the dishwasher, the faucet that no one had gotten around to tightening up, drip drip dripping into the sink below. His brothers, just across the table from him and miles and miles away, each breath they took like thunder in his ears.

“No one has to go, just tell me where it is.”

“I have to go. I’m your legal guardian, remember?” Luther said softly.

“I’m not going.”

“Five–”

“I’m not going.” And he refused to listen to whatever reasoning they had. He wasn’t dealing with it, not right now. He sent them both one final glare each before he blinked back upstairs.

He knew he would only have a few minutes before someone was at his door, Luther rarely backed down that easily when it came to getting Five out of the house, and there was no doubt in Five’s mind that Diego had been there as backup. He stepped toward the window and reappeared on the fire escape, then again on the roof.

He wasn’t thinking about his blinks, following line of sight so he didn’t have to do so much calculation, landing his final jump in the greenhouse on the roof. The setting sun shone through the opaque walls and cast his world in a gentle peachy orange. The smell of soil and dust was familiar and warm, and allowed him to take the deep breath his lungs desperately needed.

“The fucking doctor,” he spat. “They want me to go to the doctor? Now of all fucking times!” He rolled his shoulders without thinking, flaring pain from between his shoulder blades and down his spine. There was no way, the doctor would see the bruising, would no doubt want to examine his back–

He wrapped his arms around himself, pulling his clothes tight over his spine. “No,” he told the universe, the green house, his brothers downstairs that couldn’t hear him, and the theoretical doctor he’d never met. “Absolutly not, you’re not going to touch me, not without losing some fingers; go fuck yourselves. You can go fuck yourselves!”

He hid in the greenhouse until well after dark. When he finally went back to his room, his door was left wide open from where Luther had no doubt come barging in looking for him. His room otherwise dark and empty, or so he thought. He closed his door before he heard the rustle of feathers on his bed, scowling into the darkness

“I didn’t yell at you earlier about it, but you’re gonna get feathers on my bed.”

The lamp at his bedside popped on, Klaus stretched out across the mattress like a cat. “I heard you didn’t want to go to the doctor.”

Five scowled all the harder. “Don’t need it, you can’t make me, I’m not going.”

“Why not?”

“I’m not going to have a stranger poking and prodding me and asking me if Luther has given me the sex talk yet.”

Klaus let out a surprised wheeze of a laugh. “No, alright, that’s fair. You didn’t object this badly last time, was it really that bad?”

It really hadn’t been. The doctors who thought he was an actual thirteen year old treated him with a hell of a lot more respect than any doctor he had had the misfortune of dealing with when he worked for the Commission. “Yes,” he answered anyway.

Klaus raised an eyebrow, seeing right through him. “No, tell me what’s really going on, Five.”

#tua #tua fic #the draft falls apart after this #i think i got all the notes to myself but i may have missed one or two #eventually i'll get around to finishing this one #the umbrella academy #fanfic #fanfiction #tua fanfic #five hargreeves #number five #wing fic

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hussyknee · 5 months ago

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Posted to Reddit midnight last night at 1am:

3am: Facebook post on local help page.

(amount in LKR. I am very poor and unemployed and live with my mother, who is Satan.)

OIC = Officer In Charge

Bindu = Family doggo. Usually a gentle lad who's all bark, but an entire brigade of strange burly men in gear chasing him (as he felt) all the way to his safe spot was too much.

Passa pattha = backside

Mau didn't come when I fed the kits their breakfast before I crashed, and was still nowhere to be seen when I woke up at 1pm in time for their lunch. Had to hobble around the street calling his name for ten minutes before he came barrelling from god knows where, muddy and filthy. Had to wash and scrub him thoroughly. He's always 80% nerves and hyperactivity, but he's really dialed up today so I ended up getting scratched all over.

I discovered I may have been unfair to him. He's absolutely an overdramatic ninny, but I noticed his nails were quite long. He has six scratch baskets and escapes outside more than the other two but all that's done is give him needle claws apparently. He probably couldn't get as good a purchase on the slippery roof sheets as his brother and sister. My poor baby. They're all completely fine though.

I am not. I feel like my arms and legs are about to fall off. I wish they would. My knees are throbbing like they're arthritic again.

Heading off questions:

Why didn't you call the fire brigade in the first place? Because I've been confined by disability and abused by various people my entire adult life and the only people who have ever helped me with my rescues have been kind strangers. Also the emergency helplines in this country are useless. I once called 119 because I thought I was having a heart attack and was told this was the police line and had to call the ambulance one separately. They then called two hours later asking if I still needed the police. The fire brigade was the most positive interaction I've yet had with a state service, and even they usually only respond to pet rescues when it looks like the animal's life is in danger.

How are you poor when you have a three storey house with a maid and driver? My mother has a three storey house with a maid and driver, on account of having made good money for 45 years. We're poor because she saved none of it for retirement. This is South Asia, middle class poverty is when you don't know if you can pay the electric before it's cut off but still have a maid there's always someone poorer than you who needs to eat. It's all very Little Women. The three storey house is a white elephant financial hole that isn't a South Asian thing but a "my mother is a deranged spendthrift" thing. I live in a gothic novel.

Why don't you keep your cats inside? Because we live in a house that's half verandahs and balconies in the tropics and we can't keep it shut on all sides without killing everyone inside it. And, like I said, nobody will lift a finger to help and trying to make any modifications makes my mother scream like a demon from the depths of Gehenna. Of the four other adults in this house, the only one I could get to help me with Mau was the old driver.

How did you get up to look over the wall before the driver brought the ladder up? I got on a chair and climbed onto a ledge off the side, rising on my tip toes and clinging to the wall for dear life. While trying to wrangle a broom on a line and calling and coaxing. For hours. I have balance issues and can barely change a light bulb without help. Was too exhausted to be scared around hour three.

You're being kind of mean to Mau. You'd be terrified too. Yes, but I am not a cat. A cat being scared of heights feels a bit like letting your species down on an existential level. Also I never so much as wanted to yell at the little fucker, sang him lullabies until the firemen arrived, and spent a total of eight hours on my feet until they got him down. I'm still not mad at any of them even when I rue the day some liar told me cats were easier than dogs.

Anyway, all's well in Mau-land.

For now.

#Méka Mau Moo #cat mom problems #life update #cattos #kitties #kittehs #adventures of the terror trio #knee of huss

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moonchildreads · 1 year ago

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small town

Chapter 22 - Let's Dance

IN THIS CHAPTER: Matching outfits, a parking lot talk, and Hellfire does Prom [10.5k]

WARNINGS: underaged drinking (no one gets drunk), mentions of teenage delinquency, Eddie being an unreliable source of info about Hawkins' recent oddities, shitty former friends and partner

A/N: so. this chapter was supposed to come out last week but i got food poisoning, which turned into me taking a day off work because i felt like shit and when i returned, it got insanely hectic to the point where i did three extra hours today. life is lifing, friends! in order to keep myself sane (i cried at work again today, it's not looking good folks) i'm gonna throw away the update schedule and post whenever i feel like it. i'm still gonna aim at one chapter per week though! i just won't make promises on dates anymore because nothing is working out irl at the moment. anyways, enjoy the chapter and i'll see you when i see you (soon, i promise)!

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Put on your red shoes And dance the blues

Friday, June 6th - 1986

On Thursday afternoon, Eddie Munson made the mistake of not telling Dottie Burke - his girlfriend that wasn’t actually his girlfriend because he hadn’t asked her out yet - why he couldn’t drive his friends to Donny’s family restaurant for dinner before prom. They’d been lounging on her bedroom’s window seat, radio playing at a low volume while they lazily kissed and cuddled, taking full advantage of the fact that her Dad hadn’t arrived from work yet when Eddie mentioned having to run an errand with Wayne on Friday after school. He said he was probably going to arrive late to the gathering, so they should make plans without him and he’d meet them at the restaurant whenever he was done. The metalhead noticed how Dottie freezed in his arms, lifting herself up from her comfortable position on his chest and put a little distance between them, but since she didn’t inquire further, he simply left a few hours later without ever explaining himself, leaving her to sink into a spiral of self-doubt and very familiar anxiety that left her equal parts jittery and exhausted.

That night after dinner, Dottie called her Auntie Rachel to ease the pang of rising panic, desperately seeking reassurance from the older woman who was always plenty eager to provide a pep talk to her favorite niece whenever she needed one. Everything will be fine, Rachel had said while nursing a glass of red wine all the way in her apartment in New York, her kids already tucked into bed and a newly acquired romance book waiting for her on her bedside table. Stop worrying about it, bug. Senior prom will be the best prom of your life. But as much as she tried to help, Auntie Rachel hadn’t been made aware yet of the change in her niece’s relationship with the older boy, so her advice rang hollow in Dottie’s ears, and the teen had ended up having a pitiful and unsatisfactory sleep before what was supposed to be the most exciting day of her senior year up until that moment.

Still, Eddie had behaved completely normal on Friday at school towards her and their friends, which had eased her nerves slightly. He didn’t make any comments about being anything less than happy to attend his first and hopefully last senior prom, and once he’d dropped Gareth off at his house, he’d lingered in Dottie’s driveway for ten long minutes. Eddie let himself enjoy the feeling of her mouth against his while a gentle drizzle hit his van windows before she finally headed into her house and he sped away towards his mysterious errand. Her best guess that the reason he had never really explained himself was because he was off to do something that was private to his uncle, and she hoped it wasn’t anything health related; Wayne wasn’t exactly old, but he also wasn’t young, and she didn’t like the idea of him having to go through any kind of medical emergency or invasive treatment. And so Friday evening found Dottie at her desk putting the finishing touches on her makeup look, and Eddie on the other side of Hawkins pleading to the stars above his head that his not-yet-girlfriend would understand his weird need for secrecy by the time the night had ended. Hopefully.

“How are you feeling, honey?” James asked, leaning against Dottie’s door frame as she took the last rollers out of her hair and sprayed her curls into place.

“Excited? Honestly a little bit terrified,” she confided in him. “I keep thinking that I’m gonna look around at some point and everyone will have gone home without me.”

“I really don’t think the guys would do that to you, but if they do or you want to leave at any point and for any reason, you can call me, okay? Don’t come home alone.”

“No, I know,” she smiled at him, but it looked more like a nervous grimace than anything else. “I promise I’ll call, I put coins in my purse just in case.”

“Great,” he came to stand behind her, putting his hands on her shoulders reassuringly. “But don’t go in there expecting the worst either. Everything’s gonna be great, honey, you’ll see. Just have a little faith.”

“I really hope you’re right this time, Dad.”

For the next few seconds, each of them were lost in their own painful memories from barely a year ago; James vividly remembered sitting down on their old couch with a can of beer in his hand and a rented movie in the VCR before a younger Dottie barrelled through their front door, shoes dangling from her fingers and black mascara streaking down her cheeks, running towards her bedroom where she locked herself into for 12 straight hours. In turn, all Dottie could think about was how she’d never gotten to see the inside of the gymnasium that was supposed to have been transformed into a fairy wonderland. Her Dad squeezed her shoulders with a comforting touch, dislodging the dark thoughts from her mind before dread overtook her and left her paralyzed once more. She picked up her Mom’s wedding earrings from her little jewelry box and quickly put them on, completing her outfit. Dainty gold pieces secured in place at her earlobes, she rose from her chair and twirled once to show off her full look, fluffy dress glinting as she moved.

During their weekend visit to Hawkins, Aunt Mary Elizabeth had put her sewing skills to good use and shortened the floor-length gown until it reached Dottie’s calves, the golden metallic heels they’d gotten at that heaven-sent Indy thrift store perfectly on display on her feet. She felt like a movie star, ready to walk down the red carpet with a handsome date and be adored by her fans, camera flashes blinding her as she glided effortlessly through a crowded room like she’d always belonged there. Except there were no fans, no paparazzi, and no handsome date either, just her Dad helping her into the front seat of their car so they could pick up the first of her friends for what was surely going to be a night to remember.

Their first stop of the night was at Gareth’s house. James hadn’t even put the car into park before the poor boy was jogging down his front lawn, trying to escape his mother who had been obsessively taking pictures of him in his rented black tux and bright red bowtie in various places around their home. Much to Gareth’s dismay, James insisted on saying hello to his parents before they left, so while he chatted amicably with dad Gavriel, Lydia made her son and his best friend pose in front of her bushes as a backdrop to fulfill the role of nosy journalist in Dottie’s movie star dreams. As much as they complained, the two teens hugged each other and smiled for photos until their eyes were wet from the flash going off and it was finally time to wrap up the shoot and head to their next stop.

The scenario repeated itself at Jeff’s house. His mom, Tricia, prompted Dottie to stand between him and Gareth in the middle of the living room, her son’s white suit jacket with black lapels contrasting nicely with his friend’s black jacket and white button up. As the two boys crowded their friend and planted big wet kisses on both of her rosy colored cheeks while the flashes kept going off, their vision for the night started to become clear: Dottie’s red dress, Gareth’s red bowtie and Jeff’s red Chuck Taylors and cummerbund were difficult to not notice, their club colors proudly and prominently on display leaving no doubts as to whom they belonged with. There might not have been a fancy date à la Rob Lowe or Ally Sheedy to walk hand in hand with into the packed Hawkins High gym, but the Hellfire Class of ‘86 didn’t need any of that to face their prom night - they just needed each other. Tricia promised James she’d get copies of all the photos printed for him and so the teens packed once again into the car and drove away to their final destination.

Donny’s family restaurant wasn’t as fancy as Enzo’s, but in their opinion, it was definitely way more charming. With its big sign spelling Giulia’s in cursive and a homely feel that could be experienced since before they had even walked in, big flower boxes decorated the outside and stereotypical checkered tablecloths were visible from the huge front windows. Donny had been waiting for them at one of the booths near the counter, flowers on every table and tea candles setting the mood for all the couples and groups of friends stopping by to have some authentic Italian pizza or pasta before dancing the night away in their heavily decorated school gymnasium.

“Hey, Don! Looking sharp!” James exclaimed from the driver seat when he pulled up to the restaurant as Donny rushed to keep the front door open for his friends.

“Thanks, Mr. Burke!” he beamed, blue eyes twinkling under the streetlights. “You wanna stay over for pizza?”

“No, thank you, you kids have fun, okay?” he turned to his daughter who lingered in the co-pilot seat. “Take care, honey. I love you.”

“Thanks, Dad. I love you too,” Dottie said, giving him a big hug.

James was so thankful she’d never gone through an I’m ashamed of showing my parent affection in public phase. He watched how Jeff hurried to catch the door when Donny left his post to greet Dottie, spinning her around once and making her laugh, her anxiety visibly melting as the boys made her feel more cared for and loved than she’d ever thought a friend could make her feel in her life. They all waved James goodbye as he drove away, his eyes glossy at the knowledge that his baby was rapidly growing and would inevitably stop needing him, but also incredibly proud of not only her but Donny, Jeff, and Gareth for being such good people to one another. It almost made him wish they’d moved back to his hometown earlier if it meant he’d see his daughter smile as bright as she did every day now.

“Hey, welcome!” Donny’s dad Angelo shouted from the door to the kitchen, his white apron stained with red sauce and his balding head covered with a stripy black and white bandana. “Thought you had gotten lost on your way over! Everyone likes margherita, right?”

“That the one with anchovies we had last time?” Gareth asked as they seated themselves into the booth, ignoring the looks they were getting from the other guests as they talked loudly over their heads.

“That’s the romana,” Donny said, going through the big beverage fridge at the back of the counter where his older sister Isabella was fiddling with the register. “Margherita is sauce, cheese and basil.”

“Oooooh, I love basil,” Dottie said, caging Jeff between herself and Gareth.

“We’re good with margherita, papà!” Donny placed glass soda bottles for everyone on the table and plopped himself down besides Dottie. “You look really pretty, by the way.”

“Thank you! You clean up nice too,” she smiled at him, and he chuckled shyly, not used to all the attention.

“Angelo, why didn’t you say the kids were here already?” Bianca, Donny’s mom, said coming out from the kitchen carrying pasta dishes for another table.

“They just arrived, cuore mio,” Angelo said, kissing the side of her head as he walked past him before he returned to the kitchen and busied himself with more cooking.

“Let me see you, boys, you’re looking handsome!” Bianca beamed at Gareth and Jeff, the two rowdy teens she’d known since before they could tie their own shoes. “And this is Dorothy, right?”

“Just Dottie is fine, mamma,” Donny corrected his Mom.

“Isn’t she a doll! Donatello said you’re interested in joining us for the summer, is that right?”

“Yes, ma’am, I’d love to work for you,” Dottie said, ignoring how her friends were snickering at the mention of Donny’s full first name.

“Do you have any experience?”

“Not as a waitress, but I was a babysitter back in New York since I was 13. I took a Red Cross course and everything. And I have CPR and First Aid certification if that helps.”

“We’ll talk more after graduation, but job’s yours if you want it,” Bianca said with a kind smile before hurrying over to attend to a customer.

“That was the quickest job interview I’ve ever seen in my life,” Jeff laughed.

“If we’re all gonna have money in our pockets, summer’s gonna be fucking awesome,” said Gareth, and everyone couldn’t help but agree with him.

By the time only pizza crust and empty cups of tiramisù remained on the table, everyone was feeling ready for some good old teenage fun on a sweaty dance floor. At some point during the dinner, Donny’s older sister Isabella had brought out a camera and taken a couple of snapshots of the group, wanting to preserve the memory of her little brother going to his first ever high school dance. Donny was acting like a peacock in his maroon suit with a matching black button up and tie; he’d even gelled his curls back, his stud earring glinting in the candlelight whenever he turned his head. As their classmates started leaving but their group remained behind, Dottie began to worry once again. Where in the world was Eddie, and why hadn’t he shown up yet? When she excused herself to the bathroom to reapply her bright red lipstick in an attempt to hide her nervous breathing, the boys huddled up in the booth, voices dropping to a low mumble, heads close together above the table.

“Where the fuck is he?” Gareth hissed.

“He said he was gonna be late, but this is too much,” Jeff said.

“You think he chickened out?”

“No way,” Donny said, confidently. “He was really excited about the surprise, he wouldn’t flake on us like that.”

“Well, he better show up or I’m beating his ass,” Gareth said. “Dot doesn’t deserve to go through another sucky prom.”

“Fuck, I didn’t even think about her,” Jeff’s eyes went wide. “She’s gonna be devastated if he doesn’t come.”

“He’ll come,” Donny nodded. “He’s not gonna stand her up. Like, if anyone knows how much this means to her, it’s probably Ed. They tell each other everything.”

“Okay, I’m ready to roll,” Dottie said, making their heads snap up at her voice. “Everything alright?”

“Yeah! You wanna get going now or do we wait for a bit longer?” Gareth asked.

“I… I dunno, guys. I don’t think Eddie’s coming,” she said, resigned. Jeff and Donny looked at each other.

“I’m gonna call him,” Donny decided. “You guys wait here.”

He shouldn’t have called, because when he returned to the table and said no one had picked up, the way Dottie’s face fell was enough to make them all feel incredibly guilty about something that wasn’t even their fault. They watched her school her features, masking the disappointment behind a friendly smile while she gathered her purse and slid out of the booth like nothing was bothering her. They said their goodbyes to the Vitale family, nonna Giulia coming out from the back to see her only grandson off (and pinch all their cheeks), and finally headed towards Donny’s car with a false sense of cheeriness but the best intentions at heart. The boys weren’t gonna let anything ruin the night for their friend, insisting on opening doors for Dottie and taking turns to offer her their arms to hold onto. Donny was unlocking his car’s doors when a very familiar brown van pulled up behind him, Eddie spilling out hurriedly without turning it off first.

“Jesus Christ, fuck, I’m so sorry,” he breathed out, jogging to catch up with his friends.

“You jackass, where the hell were you?” Jeff scolded him, but his words lost all edge when he pulled the long haired boy into a side hug.

“I’ll tell you later, but fuck man, I really thought I wasn’t gonna make it,” Eddie laughed, turning to hug Gareth.

“Is Wayne okay?” Dottie asked.

“Yeah, he’s fine, don’t worry about him,” he turned around and felt his soul leave his body when his eyes rested upon her. “I, uh- wow.”

“What’s wrong?” she said, looking down at her dress with a frown.

“Nothing! You- you look really nice,” he couldn’t hide his smile even if he tried, and he didn’t want to.

“Oh. Thank you, you look nice too,” she smiled back.

“Let’s take a picture before we leave now that we’re all here,” Donny said, waving through the window at Isabella, who immediately understood the assignment.

“We should take the camera with us,” Gareth proposed, and Jeff nodded in agreement.

Isabella had a few stern words towards Eddie for being late, but when she made them pose on the street, the light spilling out from the inside of the restaurant illuminating their happy faces, she couldn’t stop a fond expression from gracing her features. Donny hadn’t had an easy time throughout his school years, but it was this group of kids in front of her that had made everything better for him. She remembered the summer barbeques in the backyard with a younger Jeff, that one time Gareth lost a tooth munching too harshly on a cannoli, and that first day Donny brought Eddie over. She had asked her boyfriend (now husband) to help her keep an eye on the older boy throughout his visit, worried about what a junior could possibly want with her little brother. They’d talked about Lord of the Rings and played checkers for hours, and she’d heard Eddie warning a freshman Donny about certain teachers and how to avoid getting on their bad side, which softened her attitude towards the lanky teen considerably.

Truthfully, Isabella wasn’t one to judge quickly, but she had been worried about Dottie when Donny first began dropping her name in conversations at family gatherings. Girls had never been particularly nice to her brother while growing up, and as the eldest Vitale sister, she could be a little overprotective when it came to her siblings, especially towards her only brother. But here Dottie was, huddled up between Gareth and Donny, head resting lightly on her brother’s shoulder to be captured in a picture forever and looking happy about it, and Isabella knew this new addition to the group had been good for everyone. They were all wearing matching formal outfits, for Christ’s sake! After Isabella returned inside and everyone started heading towards Donny’s car again, Eddie grabbed Dottie’s wrist and stopped her from following their friends.

“Hey,” he said, tilting his head to the side. “Ride with me?”

“I, uh…,” she turned to look at the rest of the guys who were waiting for her a few steps ahead.

“I kinda wanted to talk to you about something important.”

“O-okay,” she said, heart sinking into her stomach. “I’m gonna ride with Eddie, guys.”

“Everything okay?” Jeff asked, lifting an eyebrow.

“Yeah, I’ll tell you later,” Eddie said. “Meet us in the parking lot?”

He guided Dottie towards his van with a hand on the small of her back, holding her little gold purse for her as she climbed inside and clicked her seatbelt on, their friends slowly driving away without waiting for them to catch up. Once she was seated and her skirt was out of danger from getting caught in the door, Eddie closed it, jogged to the driver’s side and jumped inside, turning on the van and heading towards Hawkins High School. They stayed quiet for a whole block and when Dottie moved to turn on the radio to fill the awkward silence, he caught her hand in the air and brought it to his lips for a quick peck, the loving gesture helping her relax into her seat.

“I’m sorry I was late,” he said. “I had to do something important and it took me longer than I thought it would.”

His hair was still a little bit damp from his hurried shower, and he was wearing a black button up shirt with the sleeves barely rolled up, his good black jeans without holes in them with the chains on the side, and black boots. Chrissy’s birthday gift was the only pop of color in his all black ensemble, the red tie carefully ironed and knotted at the base of his throat.

“You look really handsome,” Dottie muttered with an airy tone, interlacing their fingers.

“And you look stunning,” he smiled softly, glancing at her before he turned his eyes back to the road. “Kinda took my breath away when I saw you.”

“Was worried you weren’t gonna show up,” she admitted.

“And leave my girl hanging? I’d never,” Eddie said, his thumb rubbing the back of her hand. My girl. She could get used to that. “I should have just told you what I was up to, but I didn’t want to ruin the surprise.”

“Surprise?”

“Check the glove box,” he said, pointing to it with his chin.

Dottie retrieved her hand from his grasp and opened it as instructed, pulling out two envelopes from the inside: one was white and looked like it contained a letter or a folded piece of paper, the other one was big and brown. She looked at him warily with a million questions in her eyes; he grinned mischievously in return.

“Open the small one first,” Eddie said.

Curiously, she opened the white letter and unfolded the single sheet of paper, finding in her hands a copy of Eddie’s school transcript. At the bottom, written in what she recognized as Ms. Kelly’s handwriting after seeing it for almost six months straight during their check-ins, were Eddie’s final grades for his third senior year. Not quite believing what she was seeing, she read them again and again, the information in front of her eyes staring back at her impassively.

“Stop the van,” she said, her gaze still stuck to the paper.

“What?”

“Fucking pull over, Ed!” she clicked her seatbelt off and threw the papers towards the dashboard, barely waiting until he’d hit the brakes before throwing herself onto him and planting a kiss on his lips.

“Wait, wait-” he laughed loudly, pulling her out of her seat and into his lap, her poofy dress covering his legs.

“I’m so- fucking- proud of you-” Dottie said, kissing him over and over, not caring if her lipstick was transferring onto his skin.

“Yeah? You are?” Eddie asked, giddy. “I had a meeting with Ms. Kelly today,” he began explaining, and she stopped kissing him to hear his story, her hands dropping to his shoulders where she played with his hair as he melted under her touch. “Dropped you off and booked it back to school. Last two times she called me to her office a week before graduation, she told me I wasn’t making it so I kinda shit my pants there for a minute but I knew I did good this time, I could feel it.”

“You did, babe, you did so good,” she grinned at him with hearts in her eyes.

“We did it,” he pressed a noisy kiss to her cheek, making her giggle. “We’re graduating together.”

“Hell yeah we are!” she moved to kiss him again but he dodged her, leaning to the side to get the other envelope from his dashboard.

“Hold on, that was only half of the surprise,” Eddie said, offering the papers back to her. “Open this one next.”

“Is this gonna say you got a full ride to come to Michigan with me or what?” she joked, pulling out the documents. “Oh, a job application! You mentioned this the other day-”

“Turn to the second page.”

“Holy shit! You got it?”

“I got it!”

In her hands, was a copy of his filled out job application and an informal looking contract, but a contract nonetheless. It was missing Eddie’s signature at the bottom, but that was merely a formality: she was looking at Thatcher Tires’ newest employee, with his starting date stamped as Monday, June 16th, the day after graduation weekend. It was only a part-time apprentice position, but it came with the promise of being promoted to assistant and eventually to full-time if he did well, and it was so much more than anyone else had been willing to give to Eddie before. Dottie looked at him with wet eyes and so much love inside her she didn’t know what to do except scoop him into her arms and squeeze him tightly against her chest like she never wanted to let go, lest he thought she wasn’t as equally over the moon about the news as he was.

“I’m just… fuck, Ed, this is huge,” she pressed her nose to his neck and he wrapped his arms around her, breathing in deeply.

“I know. It feels huge,” he chuckled. “Never thought I’d graduate and get a real job, y’know. Wayne cried when I told him.”

“That’s so sweet.”

“Yeah,” he sniffed. “I decided I’m not gonna deal anymore either. I’m just selling what I have left now and then I’m done with that shit. Forever. I… I wanna be good for you, darling. I wanna be the kinda man you deserve.”

“Ed, you don’t have to change who you are for me,” she lifted her head from his shoulder and looked at him, her hands coming to hold the sides of his face tenderly. “I fell in love with you like this, I’m not gonna change my mind all of a sudden. I’m so sorry if I made you feel like you had to be anything different than who you are, I-”

“No, no, that’s not it,” he said quickly, hands settling on her waist. “I’m just… You deserve a good man, Dot, and I wanna be that. I wanna be a good man. I- I just didn’t think I could be good before, y’know? Everyone’s always talking about how I’m so fuckin’ stupid, and how I’d never do shit with my life, and I guess at some point I started believing they were right, and- I dunno. I don’t wanna be useless and I don’t wanna end up in jail with my asshole Dad like everyone in this shit town thinks I will. And- and when I met you and you were all like you’re really smart, Eddie, you’re just lazy, you were right, darling, you were so fuckin’ right. You always are,” he was looking at her with so much intensity she had to close her eyes and lean forward, their foreheads resting against each other’s. “I wanna look at myself in a mirror and see what you see. I wanna be good.”

“You are,” she whispered, pressing a kiss to his nose. “You are so good, Eddie. You are the best thing in this whole town and I love you so much.”

“Say that again, please.”

“I love you.”

“One more time?”

“I love you, Edward Munson,” Dottie kissed him sweetly. “I love you.”

“Shit,” he grinned. “You really love me.”

“Of course I do.”

“I love you too, baby. So, so much.”

They stayed like that for a few seconds, Dottie sitting on his lap, her thighs bracketing his, his thumbs rubbing circles on her sides and her hands cupping the sides of his jaw, noses pressed together. They didn’t kiss, because it didn’t seem enough to express what they were feeling right at that moment. It almost felt childish to do so, like kissing was something they usually did for fun and the real intimacy came from just existing in the same space, breathing the same air, feeling each other’s warmth under their hands and just how alive the other felt when skin was pressed against skin. A truck full of rowdy classmates that were clearly somewhat inebriated sped down the street, the loud music coming from their speakers breaking their fairytale bubble and bringing them back to real life. With a shy smile, Dottie collected all the documents strewn around them before moving back to her seat and clicking her seatbelt back on while Eddie tried to wipe her lipstick from his face with a tissue he’d stolen from her purse and water from an old plastic bottle. Once she’d reapplied her makeup and he was sufficiently clean so as not to raise suspicions, Eddie pulled back into the road towards the school, holding Dottie’s hand in his for just a few more minutes.

“You know what I realized the other day?” he said, stopping at a red light. “I didn’t used to be scared of jail when Chief Hopper was still around.”

“Really? Why not?”

“Because Hopper didn’t give two shits about me selling. He busted me a couple of times, gave me a talking to and dropped me off back home. I think he knew I was just doing it ‘cause we needed the money, I wasn’t gonna become a career criminal or some shit like that. He was cool.”

“And the new chief isn’t?”

“Powell’s useless,” Eddie scoffed. “He’s still trying to convince everyone he has what it takes to be like Hopper and no one believes he’s got it. And Callahan is a fucking moron. You know those handcuffs I’ve got in my bedroom?”

“I’m guessing you didn’t get those in a magician’s kit,” Dottie joked.

“They’re Callahan’s,” he grinned. “He caught me buying when I was like 15, put the cuffs on me and everything. Took me to the station and when Hopper saw me at his desk, he turned around and called him a drama queen, told him he was “wasting police resources” over nothing. It was awesome. I swiped the cuffs before Hopper took me home. Wayne wasn’t too happy about it though, he grounded me for like a month but I thought it was worth it.”

“So you stole a police officer’s cuffs? And just… hung them in your bedroom like they were a dreamcatcher?”

“Yeah, pretty much. At first I kept them ‘cause I thought they made me look badass,” he turned into another street, their final stop looming closer and closer. “Now I look at them and kinda get chills. I think Wayne would die if he saw me in those but for real this time. Like, I think he’d actually have a heart attack or something. Can’t do that to my old man, he doesn’t deserve that.”

“And Hopper didn’t know you took them?”

“He absolutely did, he just didn’t care,” Eddie laughed. “As far as cops go, Hopper was pretty cool. He actually gave a shit about us when it really mattered. I mean, yeah, he could still be an asshole when he wanted to, all cops are, but he was pretty chill most of the time. Kept to himself a lot. It kinda pissed me off how everyone started pretending like he was their best friend after he died.”

“Nancy told me he saved people in the Starcourt Mall fire.”

“Yeah. A true American hero: Vietnam war vet, died heroically saving children from a fire during the Fourth of July… doesn’t get more patriotic than that.”

“You said Dustin and Mike were there, right?”

“Yeah. And Erica.”

“What?”

“They were all in the cinema, I think. Dunno much about it, the kids never talk about what happened. Just know they were there ‘cause they mentioned it on the news. Nancy was there too, she didn’t tell you?”

“Oh,” Dottie said, like something had clicked in her head. “Well, that makes more sense now.”

“What do you mean?”

“I thought it was weird that Nancy’s boyfriend’s mom just, like, adopted the Chief’s daughter after he passed away, but it makes sense. They must have been friends.”

“What are you talking about?” It was Eddie’s turn to be surprised.

“Nancy’s dating a guy named Jonathan-”

“Yes, Jonathan Byers. I know him. Fellow weirdo,” he raised an eyebrow pointedly.

“Well, his mom adopted Hopper’s daughter before they moved to California last year. She’s dating Mike, he told us about her, remember?” Dottie explained. “So she must have been in there with Mike and their friends if Nancy and Jonathan were there too.”

“Hopper didn’t have a daughter. I mean, he did have one but she died when she was a kid,” Eddie said.

“Nancy said he didn’t know he had a daughter until recently, maybe her Mom passed away or something and she left her with him. She was here all summer with Mike and Dustin, she’s really pretty!”

“Yeah? How do you know?”

“They showed me a picture! She’s taller than I expected, has brown hair, brown eyes. Looks a little bit like an elf actually, she has, like, sharp cheekbones?” Dottie pointed to her own round cheeks that looked nothing like the girl’s face on a Polaroid currently stuck to the inside of Dustin’s locker.

“Well, damn,” he chuckled. “Look at Wheeler go, totally thought he was lying about that one. Hey, uh, did Nancy tell you anything about the Byers?”

“About Jonathan, mostly. I know he has a brother that’s friends with Mike and Dustin too.”

“Will.”

“I think so, can’t remember his name. I know Mike’s girlfriend is named Jane though.”

“So she didn’t tell you about all the weird shit that happened a few years ago, huh?” Eddie eyed her curiously as he pulled into the school’s street, the building waiting for them just a few blocks further.

“Define weird shit for me, please.”

“This town is fucking cursed, babe. That Will kid went missing in the woods and then the feds found a random body in the quarry and thought it was him. Everyone thought Mrs. Byers was insane because she kept saying that the body wasn’t Will, but she was right - Hopper found him alive a few days later. It was a huge mess, like, they had held a funeral and everything and now the kid is back like nothing happened?” Eddie shook his head in disbelief. “I thought maybe Nancy would have told you because around that same time, everyone thought this girl named Barb that was best friends with her had run away but actually she died from getting exposed to some weird chemicals from that lab in the middle of the woods where Will went missing and there was a whole conspiracy to cover it up. And also y’know, the fire thing last year.”

“Those are like a lot of strange as fuck things to have happened in such a short span of time,” Dottie frowned.

“I know, right? And Mike and Dustin are always in the middle of it somehow. Must suck.”

“Poor kids,” she said, sadly. “It’s probably hard for them to deal with all that and have to pretend everything’s normal.”

“People get crazy good at hiding things they’ve been through, especially when they were fucked up,” he shrugged.

Eddie finally pulled into the school’s parking lot, quickly locating Donny’s car and their friends standing around waiting for them. He honked the horn twice to call their attention and they waved at him to hurry up. Dottie looked at the boys through the windshield and thought about what Eddie had just said. He was right and she knew this because she’d gotten pretty good at pretending things were okay when they weren’t, not looking for pity or compassion because she’d simply assumed others would judge her for it. Being around Eddie had helped her open up, but there were some secrets that were buried too deep to unearth so casually, particularly when they filled her with shame. But maybe it was about time she stopped doing that. Maybe she owed it not only to her friends, but to herself, to stop feeling sorry for something that had been out of her control and such a special night seemed like the perfect moment to tell them the things that had been eating her from the inside out for a year now. But for now, Eddie was offering her his hand to help her get out of his van, and her friends were grinning at her like the cat that got the cream, so the truth would have to wait until later. There was a prom to attend first, and she was determined to enjoy this one to the fullest.

Gareth Coleman had never been known to be particularly patient about anything throughout his goddamn life. He was always eager to spill the beans, and he always wanted to spill them now, so the fact that he’d managed to keep this specific secret for almost a week had been impressive. Him, Jeff, and Donny had discussed Eddie’s weird behavior while on their way to the school, and they were all equally curious as to what was taking him and Dottie so long to arrive. Donny had already smoked a cig and Jeff had checked the bag in the backseat thrice by the time those two finally rejoined the group, looking a little bit suspicious and plenty cozy with one another. The boys didn’t have too much time to ponder on why though, because immediately upon arrival Eddie revealed that the reason he’d been late for dinner and why he’d stolen Dottie away for a private chat, was that he’d seen Ms. Kelly after school and had gotten confirmation that he’d finally be graduating high school with his friends. Hellfire Class of ‘86, baby, he’d said, pulling his friends into a huddle as they cheered and hollered at what was probably the most anticipated piece of news they’d gotten in a long time. However, Gareth was still impatient as ever, so he quickly peeled away from the group hug and dove into Donny’s car to retrieve their final surprise of the night and keep emotions running high.

“Since we’re all here and in a good fuckin’ mood,” he began saying, making everyone turn to him. “We have something for you, Dot.”

“For me? What did I do?”

“Well, it wouldn’t really be prom if you didn’t have one of these, so… here you go,” he pulled a white box from inside the bag and extended it to her; she accepted it curiously before peering inside.

“Wow, this is…,” she said, taken aback. “You guys! You didn’t have to buy anything for me!”

“Yes, we did,” Jeff said, moving forward to help her get her surprise out of the box.

In his hands, he held a very special corsage they’d all pitched in to buy for her since she didn’t have a formal date to the event to get it for her. The flowers were bright red, with the ribbon in black and gold; he slid it over her fingers until it sat prettily on her left wrist, her eyes filling with heartfelt tears at their thoughtful gesture. She didn’t have time to thank them, however, because soon enough Gareth was pulling smaller boxes from the bag and giving one to each of his friends.

“Could you help us with these?” Donny smiled, opening his box for her to see what he was holding.

Each of them had gotten themselves a boutonniere, two different styles but all in matching colors. Jeff and Eddie had chosen red flowers with black and gold ribbon much like her corsage, but Gareth and Donny had white flowers with red and gold ribbon. Between wet laughs, she pinned all decorations to their chests, wondering how she’d gotten so lucky to have these four men in her life who were all so eager to make every moment count when it mattered the most. Dottie tucked herself between Eddie and Jeff, and Donny turned his sister’s borrowed camera towards the group, blindly taking a picture and hoping he hadn’t accidentally cut any heads out of it. After checking on each other for the final time, the five teens turned towards the gymnasium doors and headed inside to get the party started.

The Hellfire Class of ‘86’s big entrance had been something to behold. No one had really been expecting the freaks to show up, much less dressed to the nines and arm in arm with that one girl that had moved to Hawkins a few months ago right in the middle of the school year, but there they were, and they demanded to be seen. Their matching outfits made them stand out in a sea of bold colors, pastels, and satin fabrics, but the fact that they moved like a cohesive unit anywhere they went was weirdly fascinating. First, they headed to get their picture taken and the photographer had been happy to capture what looked to be a healthy group of friends instead of awkward looking couples that would probably not make it anywhere further than a few months beyond graduation. Then, they lingered at a corner of the refreshments table when Chrissy Cunningham excitedly greeted them and chatted with them for a few long minutes, gushing over Dottie’s vintage dress who in turn couldn’t stop telling the blonde how beautiful she looked in her baby pink gown.

It was silly, really, how the most non-conformist friend group in Hawkins High had found some sort of genuine amusement in participating in what was probably the most stereotypical event in the life of any high school student, but they’d long ago stopped trying to explain themselves to others. Prom to them was a celebration of their friendship, a culmination of four shitty years (or six, in Eddie’s case), and the hope of a better future that felt as equally glorious as every moment spent together. They sipped on cheap vodka from a hip flask Gareth had smuggled in, they pestered the DJ to play Black Sabbath, Metallica, or even some Mötley Crüe to no avail, and they danced in a circle until their feet hurt. Dottie excused herself for a bit to dance with Chrissy to a Queen song, and then she’d stolen Nancy away from her friends for a few minutes, but she stayed pretty close to her boys all night, and in turn, they never left her alone. She’d been twirling around the dance floor with Jeff while Gareth escaped to the bathroom for a couple of minutes when Donny came to stand next to Eddie, who was watching her from the side with the most lovesick expression on his face known to man.

“Might wanna be less obvious with the staring there,” Donny nudged him goodnaturedly. “People are gonna notice you’re drooling.”

“Don’t really care if anyone sees me,” Eddie admitted. “Now that we’re all getting out of here I’m gonna ask her to be my girlfriend, so I don’t give a shit about what this lame ass school thinks about me anymore.”

“Damn, good luck, man,” he looked at him, impressed. “I mean, she’s totally gonna say yes but still, good luck.”

“Thanks, Don. You’re a good friend, you know that, right?”

“Been told once or twice but it’s always good to hear.”

“I should tell you more often,” Eddie smiled. “We’re all best friends, but… I dunno. I feel like you always got me the most.”

“Always thought you got me the most, actually,” Donny said, smiling back at him.

“Hey, Eddie!” Chrissy called, hurrying towards him all giggly and secretive. “We're up next!”

“Shit, already?”

“What’s going on?” Donny asked, looking at the blonde.

“I'm his Best Man," she said, like that explained everything before grabbing Eddie's hand and pulling him towards the dance floor.

Without having to squint too much, the gymnasium didn't look like the sweaty room the majority of the school's populace hated with a passion anymore. Chrissy and her fellow Prom Committee members had worked really hard to turn it into a different place, from the red carpet and fairy lights at the entrance to the golden streamers obscuring the bleachers to the sides, all the way to the myriad of rented mirror balls hanging from the ceiling; everything came together to create a portal to a world where Hawkins’ senior class could pretend like they were movie stars for a night. The theme was perfectly captured in the décor, and Eddie found it very fitting that the Hellfire Club's colors matched it so well - it made everything that much more special and movielike than they had intended when they agreed to display their club’s allegiance so blatantly.

Chrissy maneuvered them past several people towards where Jeff and Dottie danced to Falco’s Rock Me Amadeus, immediately joining in and not caring that classmates around them were looking at her like she'd grown two heads. She had worked her ass off so everyone could have a wonderful night and if she wanted to dance with the freaks, she felt like had rightfully earned her prize. After all, Eddie had said she was a freak too once and she took it to heart, considering it might as well have been the biggest compliment she had ever received in her 18 years on planet Earth. Jeff was still wary of Chrissy, not having had a full conversation with her in all four years of high school but he knew Eddie thought of her as a friend, and Dottie seemed to like her as well so he followed their lead and danced along with her, making both girls spin at the same time in tune with the song.

"Are you having fun?" Chrissy asked Dottie, holding onto her hands.

"So much fun! I voted for you, by the way."

"You did?! Oh my god, thank you!" the blonde beamed at her. "I'm so nervous, I hope I get it!"

"Are you kidding me? We all voted for you, you're totally gonna win," Dottie said with honesty, because there was no other way the night could end without Chrissy Cunningham winning Prom Queen.

"Don't jinx it!" she laughed, as the final notes of Rock Me Amadeus played out.

"Alright, alright, Hawkins High! Is everyone having fun?" the DJ asked over the music; everyone cheered in response. "Let's slow it down a little bit, shall we? This one's for the lovers in the room, but remember to leave space for Jesus in the middle, okay? Don’t want any teachers getting upset."

Dottie laughed at the DJ’s silly joke while the next song began, head whipping around to find Eddie who was already turned towards her and, dare she say, looking mighty sheepish. Oh, darling, please believe me, crooned Paul McCartney as the dancefloor became a little bit less crowded and couples began partnering up to share a sweet moment with one another. Eddie offered his hand to her and Dottie looked at their friends before taking it, but there was no need - Chrissy was fulfilling her Best Man duty to perfection, already swaying away from them with her hands on Jeff's shoulders. He looked mighty confused as to why a pretty cheerleader was slow dancing with him instead of going to find her jock boyfriend, but he was enjoying the small talk about what colleges they'd attend after graduation and Chrissy seemed to be having fun too so beggars couldn't really be choosers. Dottie let herself be pulled closer to Eddie and he held her in a way that didn't look entirely platonic, but they both silently agreed that they’d deal with whatever teasing they could get in the future. Right now, being in her not-yet-boyfriend’s arms while The Beatles played in the background was probably one of the happiest moments of Dottie’s life and she was going to enjoy it as much as she could without overthinking it.

"Got any other surprises up your sleeve I should prepare myself for?" Dottie asked, eyes shining under the disco balls.

"This was the last one for tonight, I promise," he said, fighting the urge to cradle her head into his chest; Mrs. O'Donnell was standing to a side looking for students who didn't leave space for Jesus and he didn’t want to risk it. "How are you feeling, princess?"

"Like this is the best prom I could have asked for."

"Yeah? Is it how you dreamed it would be?"

"It’s so much better. I'm lucky enough to be dancing with the prettiest boy in the room, what more could I ask for?" she smiled.

"Don't know, I'm dancing with the most beautiful girl in the room so I'm feeling pretty lucky too," he smiled back at her, his dimples on display.

“God we’re corny. How did you get the DJ to play our song?”

“I thought our song was Hot Patootie.”

“We have multiple. Answer the question, Munson, Donny and I asked him to play some Bruce Springsteen earlier and he said no.”

“I have friends in high places,” Eddie said cryptically, but undermined the mystery by looking at Chrissy who was laughing at something Jeff had said.

“You totally told her about us, didn’t you?” Dottie asked, but her grin told him she wasn’t mad about it.

“She’s gonna be my Best Man, I had to,” he shrugged, making her snort and shake her head.

“Already thinking about the wedding and he hasn’t even asked me out yet. You’re getting awfully cocky,” she raised an eyebrow, and he had the decency to look shy about it.

“I’m working on it, darling. Just give me time to make it special.”

Eddie pushed a strand of her hair behind her ear as they danced, not realizing that both Donny and Gareth were watching the pair like hawks, smirking at how obvious their affection was in a sea of couples that ranged from uncomfortable to loving. They, however, looked downright sickening, like they had been plucked from a cheesy coming of age movie where the two leads finally came to terms with the fact that all they’d ever wanted had been right in front of them all along.

“He’s totally head over heels for her, isn’t he,” Gareth said, crossing his arms across his chest.

“Absolutely,” Donny said, taking a sip of his spiked fruit punch. “But she’s not far behind either.”

“Yeah,” the wild curly haired boy turned to look at his friend. “Wanna bet on how long it’ll take for them to get together?”

“I say twenty for graduation day.”

Nearing the end of prom night, their feet hurt from standing for so long and they were all starving for some salty junk food. Chrissy had, of course, ended up winning Prom Queen; Hellfire had cheered for her extra loud which hadn’t made the basketball team very happy but they couldn’t retaliate when there were so many teachers around. Besides, Andy’s eye was still very much purple and no one wanted to be sporting a face injury in their graduation photos. Jason Carver had won Prom King too, but much to his dismay, rumor had it that he’d barely beaten the football team’s captain for the title. Nonetheless, the newly crowned couple was dancing in the middle of the gym surrounded by other partnered up classmates when Eddie proposed what was probably the best plan of the night: leaving early and going to get fries and milkshakes at a cheap diner.

Dottie went in the car with Donny and Gareth this time, trying to avoid alerting their friends to her and Eddie’s blossoming relationship anymore than they’d already had, and the teens spent the entire ride gossiping about things they’d noticed had happened during the event, like how this girl from the swimming team had very publicly broken up with her boyfriend in front of everyone or how their History teacher had been dancing with the pretty Science teacher every freshman (namely, Dustin Henderson) had a crush on. When they arrived at the diner, Eddie opened the doors of his van and they sat in the parking lot to eat their fries and share various flavors of milkshakes, debating on which one was better. The boys were rowdy as they always were, Gareth fighting hard for peanut butter versus Jeff’s chocolate and Donny’s orange creamsicle, when Eddie went to grab more fries from the basket he was sharing with Dottie and noticed she was staring at her corsage, a blank expression on her face.

“Hey,” he said softly, trying not to startle her by rubbing the back of her hand with his pinky finger. “You okay? Wanna go home?”

“No, I’m okay. Just thinking.”

“Wanna tell me? I’m a good listener.”

“I know you are,” Dottie afforded him half a smile. “I… there was something I wanted to tell you but don’t wanna bring the mood down.”

“Uh-oh,” he pouted dramatically. “Am I in trouble already?”

“Shut up,” she shoved him lightly. “No, it’s just… it’s about New York and- I don’t know, we’re having such a fun time. Feels like I’m gonna fuck it up. It’s fine, I can tell you guys some other time.”

“Tell us what?” Jeff asked, making her notice that all the boys were quietly looking at her.

“You don’t have to tell us anything if you don’t want to,” Gareth hurried to say. “-but we’re always down to hear you if you wanna, like, get something off your chest or whatever.”

“Yeah! You’re not fucking anything up, we’re just talking,” Donny said.

Dottie looked around at her friends who were waiting to follow her lead whatever that may be and knew that if she was ever going to say anything, then this was it. This was the moment where she let them all in, where she let them see just how truly damaged she was, and they’d have to decide whether this baggage was something they wanted to help her with or if it was too much for them to handle. Eddie’s ringed hand sneaked behind her, caressing her spine back and forth on top of her dress for support. She took a deep breath and set the basket of fries to the side.

“I, uh- you know how I said my junior prom sucked and that’s why I kinda didn’t wanna come tonight before we made plans?” she began, and they all nodded. “So, there’s actually a pretty big reason for that.”

“You said you didn’t have a date for junior prom and you felt bad so you didn’t go. That’s why I said we should all go together,” Gareth said, making the other teens turn to him in surprise. He clearly knew more about it than they all did and he hadn’t said anything.

“I lied. I did go and I did have a date. I had a boyfriend actually,” she said grimly.

“Oh.”

“How long did you date that guy?” Donny asked, sparing a glance at Eddie who was staring at her nervous hands playing with her Mom’s engagement and wedding rings, spinning them around her left middle finger.

“Around six months. His name was Tyler, we went to school together. He was… nice, I guess? I really liked him,” she muttered. “And like, not to overshare but he was my first real kiss, you know? My first everything. And he made me feel special for a while.”

“What happened?” Jeff asked, frowning and shifting closer, his hand coming to rest on her ankle.

“We went to prom together. Flynn, his older brother, took us and the whole ride was so awkward because he kept trying to talk to Tyler and he would just stare ahead, like he was angry or something. He wouldn’t even look at me.”

“Flynn or Tyler wouldn’t look?”

“Tyler. Actually, Flynn was pretty awesome, best older brother ever. He was pre-med, just… a really cool guy. Kinda miss him, he was fun to be around. He had wild stories about college, but not like drunk wild, just general weird things that happened around campus,” Dottie smiled, remembering the nice older guy that gave her advice on how to apply to colleges.

“He sounds nice,” Donny said.

“He was! Honestly, I think the best part about dating Tyler was that I could hang out with Flynn a lot.”

“So… what happened at prom?” Donny prompted her to continue.

“Um, Flynn dropped us off and Tyler said he wanted to talk before we went in. I thought he was nervous, y’know? I mean, I was nervous too. But he basically said he didn’t wanna date me anymore because he was gonna go to this science whatever camp during summer, and we were gonna be so far away and he just couldn’t deal with long distance so it was over.”

“What?” Eddie’s eyebrows raised on his forehead until they were hidden completely by his bangs. He was prepared to wait for her all four years of college and this fucking guy couldn’t handle being two months apart? “That’s such bullshit!”

“That’s what I said!” she exclaimed, getting angry again at the memory. “But then he said that he didn’t like me anymore because I didn’t put in any effort, and that other girls got pretty for their boyfriends and- and that hurt because he knew that I hadn’t been able to get a dress I liked for prom, so a friend’s sister let me borrow an old one from her.”

“What a fucking douchebag,” Gareth said, scoffing. “You always look pretty, what was his deal?”

“Wish I didn’t know, but, um, that one hurt way more when I found out,” she said, tears starting to form along her waterline. “Because I obviously went home after that, right? He didn’t want me there, and I didn’t want to be there either, so I got on the first bus I saw and that was it. I didn’t show up for the final week of school, and then I went to see my grandparents and stayed away from everyone all summer.”

“What about your friends?” Jeff asked.

“My Dad returned the dress for me and I called Tracey to say thank you, and that was it. She didn’t ask about what happened and no one else called.”

“You mean that no one cared you went missing for months?” Eddie’s face dropped.

“That’s kinda how summers were like for me in New York anyway,” she admitted, and he moved his hand from her back to her hip to bring her closer to him and into a side hug. “I was sure that everyone knew and that’s why no one called. Like, what would they even say? It would have been so awkward. But then school started again and I found out what happened during the holidays and everything made sense.”

“Why? What happened?” Gareth frowned. “What did they do while you were gone?”

“Tyler went to his dumb summer camp two weeks after school ended and got together with my friend Jeannie,” Dottie said, fat drops finally falling from her eyes. “God, why am I still crying about it? I don’t even care about them anymore, I’m pathetic.”

“Fuck that! You’re not pathetic, they are!” Jeff exclaimed, gripping her ankle tighter to get to look up from her hands. “What a bitch, how could she do that to you?”

“Okay, I’m gonna kill both of them,” Gareth deadpanned. “We should totally kill both of them, right, guys?”

“Hey, come on, don’t cry,” Donny said, shifting closer until he was on Dottie’s other side, squishing her between himself and Eddie. “Do you want us to kill them? Because you know we would. I’ll bring the shovel, Eddie has the van, we can make it happen. Just say the word and we’ll be there.”

“I know you would,” she managed to chuckle through the tears. “It’s fine, I just… I never really told anyone this other than my Dad. The only reason my family knows is because he had to explain to everyone why I was locking myself in my room to cry all the time and wouldn’t leave home. I worried everyone a lot those days.”

“You were keeping this one really close to the chest, huh?” Eddie said, things clicking into place for him. Her sudden desperation when he mentioned Chrissy’s name mid freakout, her willingness to hide her own heartbreak if it meant they’d still be friends, the way she kept to herself all those months before she joined them. “Can I ask… did someone tell them anything? Did your other friends know?”

“They all knew. Tracey and Benji said they were sorry but that was kinda it. And all of them sat during lunch with Jeannie, who kept bringing Tyler over to our table and literally fucking sitting on him every day so I had no friends for six months except for Mrs. Randall.”

“Who’s Mrs. Randall?” Eddie asked, vaguely aware that he’d seen that very same name signed at the front of her well-loved Anne of Green Gables copy.

“The school’s librarian. I had lunch with her every day and she helped me write the essay I sent to UMich. She’s awesome, honestly. Dunno what I would have done without her.”

“I’m so sorry you went through all that,” Jeff said. “You didn’t deserve it, and I’m glad you aren’t friends with those assholes anymore.”

“Yeah! You have us now!” Gareth smiled, throwing himself over Eddie’s legs to join in on the hugging party. “We played D&D together which means we’re bonded for life. Can’t get rid of us anymore.”

“He’s right, princess,” Eddie added, hand coming up to brush her tears away. “It’s in the Player’s Handbook. You signed a blood contract.”

“I love you,” she said, looking at him earnestly before turning to her other boys. “I love all of you. And I’m sorry I didn’t tell you anything before, it was just so embarrassing to admit and I didn’t want you to know I’m the biggest loser on Earth and decide you didn’t want to be friends anymore.”

“You’re not a loser,” Donny said. “And those people weren’t your real friends, they were shitheads. That’s not on you, Dot. And we love you too, or else we wouldn’t be wearing suits right now.”

“Everything you guys did today… thank you. I’m gonna remember this forever, you have no idea how much it means to me.”

“We know,” Gareth said, looking at all his friends. “That’s why we did it.”

In the back of Eddie’s van, with the doors open to the empty parking lot waiting to be filled with teens looking for a snack, Dottie shed yet another layer of fear and anxiety. The air smelled vaguely of weed and fries, their forgotten milkshakes sweating rings onto the hard floor, but no one made a move to get themselves out of the puppy pile they had sunk into, five sets of legs and arms tangled with one another and the calm understanding that physical comfort was something they all needed at that moment. They had all been outcasts, freaks, easily disposable and replaceable throughout their lives, but here, in this van, they were invaluable and unique. Here the Hellfire Class of ‘86 was home, and there was nothing in the world that could convince them otherwise. Here they belonged, and birds of a feather flock together after all.

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