#rachel draws herself

[rachelordwayart]

FINAL FINISHED COVER REVEAL (unless I decide to tweak it after I see the test print) of But Is It "Art"?, my new 32-page illustration collection! I'm so glad I took a chance and tried digitally painting that inset, that's exactly the look I wanted and I didn't think I'd be able to pull it off.

This book (and THREE others!) can be preordered at my Ko-Fi shop, where you can get 25% off your cart with coupon code YESPLEASE or by following this link—sale ends THIS SUNDAY, 3/31!

[joulex]

Some of my random pjo headcanons

-piper is a graphic liner girly, you cant convince me otherwise. She will try some creative designs and experiment with colors. If you want to have a perfect liquid eyeliner, shes the one to go to. However, she cannot do eyeshadow.

-jason gifted piper a necklace with a bolt and piper gifted jason a bracelet with a heart. They did this while they were dating so that no matter what happenned to them, they will know that what they have was real and not made up. After jasons death piper refuses to take the necklace off and always wears it in his memory.(this is cheessy as fuck but i did it in my drawing and now this is my thought process)

-if an aphrodite kid is charmspeaking, their eyes will turn sighlty pink, or like have a subtle glint in their eyes.

-thalia also does make up, but very very out there, heavy eyeliner, black eyeshadow, the opposite of subtle. She also is the go to person to give you piercings. She did most of the one she has herself

-percy is the type of guy to have a disposable camera and just take photos of everything(annabeth) and make a photo album

-rachel makes jewelery, mostly rings and charm bracelets

-frank has a very active letterboxd account. He loves wes anderson and his four favorite movies are grand hotel budapest, how to train your dragon, knives out and spiderman into the spiderverse.

-in adition to this he goes on and on about movies and the cinematography and hazel loves to hear him rant about it.

-hazel is the best at finding the perfect seats to a concert. Shes the one fighting for her life in the front lines to get the best seats and somehow she always does.

-grover is an excellent cook. Whatever you want, he can make it. Also, he bakes something for everyone of percys birthdays, trying different things each year.

Thats all for now

[neferaskingdom]

♡ It's Always Been You | CS55

Pairing: Carlos Sainz x Reader

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Summary: After a painful breakup, Y/N receives an unexpected drunk phone call from Carlos following the Mexican Grand Prix, igniting a whirlwind of emotions as he grapples with his feelings for her.

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check out my other works: Masterlist

Y/N sat curled up on her couch, the lights of the Mexican Grand Prix flickering across the screen. The roar of engines echoed in her living room, mingling with her racing thoughts. It was torturous yet exhilarating—watching Carlos race was like watching her heart dance on a tightrope. She had tried to turn away from the screen, to distance herself from the man who once filled her life with laughter and love, but she couldn’t.

“Come on, Carlos!” she shouted at the TV, hands gripping the edges of the couch as she leaned forward. Every time he swerved past another competitor, adrenaline surged through her veins, both pride and heartache battling within her. She couldn’t help but cheer for him, her heart swelling at the sight of him in that red Ferrari. But just as quickly as that pride built, it crumbled at the sight of Rachel, his new girlfriend, who flashed her bright smile at the camera, waving like she belonged there beside him.

Y/N’s stomach twisted painfully. It felt like a punch to the gut. How could he have moved on so easily? It was as if the relationship they’d shared had never existed at all. The memories of laughter, stolen kisses, and lazy Sunday mornings flooded her mind, leaving her gasping for air.

“Why am I doing this to myself?” she muttered, blinking back the tears that threatened to spill. It was like she was torturing herself, choosing to witness his success while knowing she was no longer a part of it. She had promised herself she wouldn’t watch, but the draw of his presence on the track was impossible to resist.

As the race progressed, her heart leaped when Carlos took the lead. “Yes! That’s my boy!” she exclaimed, but then the camera panned to Rachel again, who hugged him tightly after he crossed the finish line. Y/N’s heart shattered at that moment, watching him with her was like a physical blow. She let out a choked sob, pressing her hand to her mouth. “I shouldn’t be watching this, why do I keep doing this to myself?” she whispered, the weight of her emotions crashing down on her.

The voices of the commentators faded into background noise, just as the memories of her life before had. It felt like ages since she’d found comfort in those moments, the excitement of races shared with Carlos, his laughter mingling with the roar of engines.

But that was a lifetime ago—before the breakup that had shattered everything.

Carlos had told her he needed to focus on his career, that the demands of racing were too much to handle alongside a relationship. They had fought that night, voices raised, tears shed, but in the end, he had made his choice. She remembered the way his eyes had looked, resolute yet filled with regret as he walked out the door, leaving her standing there, heartbroken and lost.

In the weeks that followed, Y/N had found herself spiraling. She tried to move on, to fill the void he left behind, but nothing seemed to work. The world around her felt muted, the colors faded. She buried herself in work, diving into projects that usually excited her, but her heart wasn’t in it. Every time her phone buzzed with updates from social media, she found herself torturing herself further by clicking on Carlos’s posts.

His face smiled back at her in photographs, celebrating podiums with his new girlfriend, Rachel, who looked radiant and perfect beside him. They were at glamorous events, her arm draped over his shoulder. Each picture was a reminder of what she had lost, of the love that had once seemed unbreakable.

Y/N spent hours scrolling, heart racing with jealousy and pain, every interaction between Carlos and Rachel a fresh wound. How could he move on so quickly? She felt betrayed and heartbroken, trapped in a cycle of longing and sorrow. She couldn’t understand how he could go from loving her to appearing so happy with someone else, and every time she saw him smiling, it felt like a slap in the face.

Sometimes, they’d cross paths at mutual friends' gatherings, and each awkward interaction was like walking on glass. Carlos would greet her with that same charming smile, and for a fleeting moment, it would feel like nothing had changed, only for the reality to crash back down when she saw Rachel’s hand on his arm, the easy affection they shared.

Y/N’s friends tried to cheer her up, encouraging her to go out and meet new people, but all she could think about was Carlos. She could still hear the echoes of his laughter, the way he would wrap his arms around her, pulling her close when the world felt overwhelming. She missed him deeply, but the hurt ran too deep to just reach out.

She went to bed after finishing an entire bottle of wine all by herself. She was curled up in her blanket trying not to cry again when her phone buzzed to life. The contact name lit up the screen: Carlos. Her heart raced—fear, excitement, and a flicker of hope all rolled into one. She hesitated for a moment, remembering the last time they had spoken, the hurt that had echoed in his voice, and the way he had chosen his career over them. But she couldn’t resist; she answered, her breath hitching as she pressed the phone to her ear.

“Y/N! Oh my god, I can’t believe it’s you!” His voice was loud and slurred, a mixture of laughter and something heavier beneath the surface. She could hear loud music blasting in the background.

“Carlos?” she asked, concern washing over her. “Are you drunk?”

“Maybe a little too much,” he chuckled, but it was clear he didn’t care. “I just won, you know! Like, first place! In Mexico! This is insane!”

She couldn’t help but smile at his enthusiasm, but the happiness quickly faded as she remembered Rachel. “That’s great, Carlos. I’m happy for you.”

“Did you watch me? You should be here! I wanted to celebrate with you, mi amor!” He slurred the term of endearment making her heart ache.

“I… I saw it on TV,” she replied, trying to keep her voice steady. “But you have Rachel to celebrate with.”

“Ugh, don’t even get me started on her!” he groaned, the sound punctuated by a loud cheer from the crowd around him. “She’s just a PR stunt. I don’t care about her, Y/N! You know that!”

The admission made her heart race, but doubt crept in. “Then why are you with her?”

“Because I thought I could move on,” he admitted, his voice dropping lower, laced with regret. “But every time I see her, all I think about is you. You’re the one I want to celebrate with, the only one I ever wanted.”

Y/N’s heart twisted painfully, caught between hope and heartache. “You broke up with me, Carlos. You said it was for your career, that you needed to focus on racing.”

“I thought I could do it, but I was wrong!” he insisted, the desperation rising in his tone. “You’re everything to me, Y/N! I miss you so much it hurts! I can’t get you out of my mind!”

Tears welled up in her eyes as she fought against the emotions threatening to spill over. “You can’t just call me and say all this after everything. You don’t get to tell me you miss me when you’re with someone else!”

“Please, just listen!” he pleaded, his voice thick with emotion. “I’m a mess without you. I thought this would help, but it’s only made it worse. I wish you were here, celebrating with me. You’re the only one who gets me!”

“Carlos…” she began, her heart racing at the implications of his words, but she struggled to find her voice. “You’re drunk, and I can’t trust what you’re saying right now. You need to be honest with yourself first.”

“I’m telling you the truth!” he exclaimed, a mix of anger and desperation spilling into his tone. “You think I want to share this moment with her? No! I want to share it with you! Every trophy, every victory, it all means nothing without you by my side!”

His words stirred something deep within her, a longing that felt like a wound reopening. “But you chose your career over me, Carlos! You said it was for your future, and now you’re telling me you want me back?”

“Because I thought I could handle it, but I can’t!” he confessed, voice breaking. “I want to fight for us! I never wanted to lose you. You were my everything, Y/N! I can’t live without you!”

A sob escaped her lips, her heart heavy with the weight of his confession. “You broke my heart, Carlos. I don’t know if I can survive you breaking it again. I love you, it's ruining my life!”

“I’m sorry, I’m so sorry!” he cried, the words tumbling out in a rush. “I didn’t know what I was doing. I thought I could handle it, but I’m lost without you! You’re the only one I’ve ever loved, the only one I will ever love!”

The sincerity in his voice shattered her defenses, leaving her vulnerable and aching for the connection they once shared. “You have Rachel, though. You need to make a choice. I can’t be your second option.”

“She’s nothing compared to you!” he exclaimed, desperation lacing his words. “I promise, once this triple header is over, I’ll end things with her. I’ll make it right! I’ll come back for you, I swear!”

His words felt like a lifeline thrown into the storm of her heart, but uncertainty still loomed like a shadow. “What if this is just the alcohol talking? What if you wake up tomorrow and forget all this?”

“I won’t forget!” he insisted fiercely. “I want you to be the person I see first thing in the morning and last thing at night, I want to go back to cuddling on the couch with you and making you pancakes in the morning. I want to fight for you, for us! I can’t imagine my life without you, Y/N. You’re my heart, mi vida.”

The tenderness in his voice made her heart swell and ache at the same time. “You don’t know how much it hurts to hear you say that after everything,” she whispered, the tears spilling down her cheeks.

“I know it’s complicated, but please don’t give up on me,” he said softly. “I need you to hold on, just a little longer. I’ll come back for you, and I’ll make things right. You’re my home, Y/N, and I’ll do whatever it takes to prove it.”

As the call ended, Y/N sat in the silence of her apartment, heart racing with conflicting emotions. The conversation had been a whirlwind of pain, and uncertainty, leaving her breathless. She didn’t know what the future held, but for the first time in a long time, she felt a flicker of hope.

Maybe, just maybe, they could find their way back to each other. She wrapped her arms around herself, imagining Carlos holding her close, the warmth of his embrace filling the empty spaces in her heart. As the night wore on, she clung to the possibility of being held in his arms again, even as the shadows of doubt lingered. In the depths of her heart, she knew one thing: she loved him fiercely, and despite the pain, she would wait for him to come back, hoping they could mend the pieces of their shattered love.

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[genericpuff]

What do you think about Reachel's new redraw?

I feel like the characters look good but the background is too gray compared to the original one 😕

It's pretty rough, ngl. Not even necessarily because of the art itself, but because it's not a panel she should have ever redrawn to begin with.

The whole point of that scene was to showcase Persephone bringing life into the Underworld, a place where only death existed, but in this redraw it completely lacks that messaging, resulting in a scene of Persephone and Hades simply hugging each other in the dark with very dead-looking foliage surrounding them.

On a structural level, the composition has gone from vertical to horizontal, giving us way too much empty space around them which, again, is failed by the background being so dull and lifeless; Persephone's somehow become even smaller; and worst of all (though I'm sure some people will think I'm overreacting) her hair isn't tucked up in Hades' arms anymore, it's just sort of falling perfectly over his shoulder as one solid goop of pink, strangely changing shape as if it's resting on something but there's clearly nothing there.

That said, my opinions should be taken with grains of salt because I also have a lot of personal beef with a redraw like this - that original panel was my phone background for like, 2 years, and the episode it came from is still one of my favorites of all time in spite of all the criticisms I now have of the series, with art that originally inspired me to want to learn how to draw like Rachel.

There's been a lot of evidence over the past year or so to suggest that Rachel has "fallen out of touch" with her own work and these redraws that she's been making lately feel like tangible proof of that. The context in which she created those original panels no longer exists so to try and redraw them fundamentally misses the point of why they were so iconic to begin with.

I can understand that feeling of falling out of touch with your own work, to the point of not even seeing the appeal of it yourself anymore, but that's all the more reason to keep moving forward, not back. The fact that she's still just muddling around with LO stuff despite announcing two more projects and seemingly not making any progress with either the TV show or Rachel Smythe Presents... it really does seem like she's stuck in limbo. The deadlines and contractual obligations aren't there to motivate her anymore, and while that may now have freed her from the burden of creating LO in such a cramped and unhealthy space - now being able to create it simply for herself - I think the years of working on it have definitely taken its toll on her ability to create the way she used to and so we're seeing those growing pains now.

The real bummer about it is that it's being celebrated as "growth" but it's about as much growth as the illustrated environment above - dead and bleak.

[moxidi-fanarts-and-sketches]

say hi intrepid halfbloods!!! i think yall saw this coming ever since i hyperfixated on fantasy high,,,,

To get a little deeper, in this au the gods' personalities are a mix of gods from pjo and the parents, gods and mentors from fh, the bad kids meet on their first day of camp (they arrived simultaneously at the same time and attracted a huge wave of monsters to camp) aguefort is kronos who was punished to be the counsellor in a mortal body, dionysus-style, and the bad kids were sent on a quest to find out who keeps letting monsters inside camp.

The stories of each bad kid under the cut!! Also please zoom in the quality is awful

Fabian is poseidon's darling boy. he doesn't have many bemigod children, so he makes sure to spend time with each, but fabian is still his favourite. under poseidon's protection, he could live in a mortal world for quite a while, but eventually the monsters sensed him and he had to transfer to camp.

Kristen's mother was a dedicated follower of Apollo, and he was fascinated by her passion and fell in love with her. Kristen knew she was a demigod since she was a little kid and was excited to be sent to camp. but after meeting Apollo, she realised he's "kind of a frat boy" (which is surprisingly accurate for pjo apollo) and after doing some soul-searching, became a follower of Hecate.

Gorgug is a son of Ares, and his mom, Roz, is a daughter of Hephaestus. Wilma is her fellow daughter of Hephaestus and she and Digby adopted Gorgug. He had to escape to the camp right after a monster attack, so he didn't get a chance to ask his parents who was his godly dad. He spends his entire first quest asking every mythical being if they're his dad, and gets claimed by Ares by the end of it. But he doesn't like it in the Ares cabin because they say he has to be raging and destructive, so after a while he transfers to the Hephaestus cabin.

Adaine's oracle abilities hit her in the middle of an exam and leave her with a panic attack. But when Goldenhoard (idk what will his deal be in this au) asks her to come to camp, she leaves gladly - she doesn't like it much at home. Like Rachel, she draws her prophecies on paper.

Riz didn't have a nice time at the Hermes cabin - everyone made fun of him because of his height - so when he heard there was a quest coming up, he agreed. He quickly became close friends with the bad kids on their journey and became more confident, he even got to chat with Hermes. Also he's one of the only halfbloods who uses a gun as his weapon.

Fig always knew her mom is a dryad living in a mortal world, but didn't even suspect her dad was a ruler of the underworld. She quickly leaned into the aesthetic tho. While trying to get to the camp, she got severely injured, so Gilear, her mortal dad, had to help her. He was allowed at camp as an exception and since he didn't have a job, they let him do some work at camp. Fig herself lives in the Hades cabin, but she tries out some other things too - she spent time at the Ares cabin to support Gorgug and frequently visits the Apollo kids to compose rock music.

[h7jfangirl]

WONDERLAND KING!JEKYLL DRAWINGS!!!!

HE LOOKS SO FRUTY

For his outfit I wanted to him to have actual king's cloths so I used a reference and also kinda fuse the clothing with Jekyll's, so he looks WONDERFUL

Henry didn't came to Wonderland with that outfit, of course he came with his usual one. His king outfit was a gift from Wonderland, he just behaves so well in here! He is TRULY not only one of them! BUT THE ONE! why wouldn't be the man that in sanity splited his soul in two be NOT worth it for the title of KING OF MADNESS!?

He was a leader before, but now he will finally be the GREATEST OF ALL! Now in his new castle at London, once known as "The Society for Arcane Sciencies", the fun will never end!

"Where... where did he get that outfit?" Even Hyde has his opinions about it.

He mostly wears blue with some yellow, however the red hints are meant to represent that this is still Henry, SO maybe.... And just maybe... It's not too late for him...

Even under Wonderland's influcence, Henry dosen't see the need to change Laynon at all, for him, Robert it's just perfect as he is and wants to keep him like that, Laynon on the other hand... He loves Henry but he has his limits

I can imagine their dynamic would be like Henry keeping Robert inside the castle and oftenly comes to him, acting very flirtous towards Laynon. He treats Robert more like his favorite pet/toy who carries wherever he goes through the castle, a something to adore rather than a someone

While for Laynon everything it's... terrifying. He tries his best to follow this madness without 'losing his head' [In the two meanings...] In hopes he finds a way to snap Jekyll out of it. The world he once knew it's nothing but a memory buried deep down under this big childsh-madhouse, nothing makes sense to him anymore! He is always getting lost in the palace for how often the rooms and physics seems to change whatever they want, and is always guessing which answer the king and the other citizens would like to hear so he won't DIE, or whatever your majesty decide to do with him. The citizens dont see him as their other ruler, not even a equal, so they constanly play pranks and bad jokes on him, and if Robert gets upset then they will always tell to him that they would stop only but if only he truly joins with his king in 'holy madness'

He is an outcast in this 'new society'. For them, everything he does is wrong and inappropriate, and he absolutely hates that. The most normal conversations he ever has are with Henry but Laynon can't not longer let his guard down anymore, especially if Henry is not in the room, because when he is not around everything gets... unsettling. Robert feels watched by the surroundings, the sky, the floor, the walls, the lights, even by the air itself, and have hear voices every time he could swear that he was alone

It's like the whole world it's mocking him...

(So yeah, he is constantly dealing with bullshit, it hasn't been easy for him)

And Hyde didn't have it easier neither

At first, Hyde was EXCITED to have his own body, and Wonderland seems like a great place with plenty of opportunities! But Hyde being Hyde mess up his own way and started to have bad luck around the place, always getting in trouble and gaining enemies where he went through. Hyde need to pay for his crimes against Wonderland's citenzs!

And yes, he got capture by the Queen of Hearts for messing her garden of roses, however she is not the punishment. Hyde showed himself unworthy, so instead the role will be lead by his better and more manipulable side

Hyde wanted to be part of Wonderland but he realized that it's not that fun as he thought, but when he found the way out and left, he accidentally brought the madness with him. He doesn't feel guilty about it (or at least won't admit it) despite everyone who blames him, even Rachel. But now he is a proud member of some revolutionary team to stop this madness, that it's being led by Alice herself, the only one known who survived Wonderland, and it seems that he has an important part to play on this so Hyde is pretty happy about it, ESPECIALLY knowing that he is not the only one plotting angaist Jekyll anymore and now for actual value reasons, it's funnier than being a wonder

Jekyll, does not want Hyde at all

Hyde is a burden for him and Wonderland itself, Edward himself is one of them, he is already mad and his body does belong to Wonderland, but for some reason he is also immune to its power. Not matter what, Jekyll and Hyde are still connected, it was thanks to Hyde that they managed to escape the land, and also without knowing, leading the madness with him. Jekyll always knows where Hyde is, even if they are miles away from each other. However he doesn't see him as a threat, he just enjoys how Hyde is struggling without nothing but himself, and how his team is plotting against him in vain... If he desired he could just snap his fingers and all of them would be turned into wonders without a second thought, but he just kept them around because of Hyde

But the king enjoys the suffering of others, because he has the memories of suffering too

He does remember who he used to be, right before he even gave a step into Wonderland, his perspective has changed completely now.

What once he thought it was terrifying, it turned out to be the easiest thing in the world, and now he sees it now...

But, even as the king the voices are still annoying.

[cuppa-noodle]

“What am I without them?”

Drawing of a scene from their first adventure, Rachel and Octavian have a heart to heart.

If you want to read the scene ->

(Keep in mind that I’m an amateur writer.)

Rachel waited a short moment before sitting down herself, carefully reaching a hand out towards his hand. Octavian flinched when she made contact but didn’t pull away, looking up with angry, teary eyes.

“I haven’t been having visions.” Rachel stated, voice calm but cracking slightly at the end.

“...What?” Octavian looked at her, confusion evident.

“Ever since we came back, I…” Rachel faltered, shuffling until she was sitting next to Octavian by the wall. “...I haven’t had a single vision, or prophecy, or anything.”

“Why did you lie?” His voice was much softer now, a quiet understanding between them.

“Because-, I didn’t want you guys to think I’m weak.” Rachel held the pendant in her hand. “ Without the oracle I’m just mortal, and what’s so good about that.”

“You’re still clear sighted…” Octavian said after a short pause. “Not even many demigods are that.”

[ewingstan]

Going into Ward, one of the things that interested me is that pretty much everyone who read it, no matter what the felt about it as a whole, seemed to like what it did with Tattletale and incorporate it into their understanding of the character. To a certain extent this makes sense, outside of Amy people's problems with Worm usually aren't that characterization had been changed. But few other aspects of Ward have been talked about with so much relative positivity, or influenced so much retroactive analysis of Worm.

After reading her interlude, I'm starting to understand why.

From the bat we're given blunt and effective portrayals of how alone Lisa feels. Half of her descriptions of other characters focused on how they reminded her of people she's lost. The Heartbroken are primarily described by the ways they do and don't resemble Alec. Aiden by how he does and doesn't resemble Taylor. Imp and Rachel get mentioned but don't get to make an appearance at all, furthering the effect—reminders of her closest connections are everywhere, but the connections themselves are nowhere. She's left with the "expanded Undersiders," and is painfully aware of how they either dislike her or will never form a close connection with her.

There's a lot more emphasis here on how her power is a separate entity than there was in Lisa's Worm interlude. She's snarking at it, talking about it as something that interjects, drawing a clear divide in her head between what it figures out and what she figures out. Is that her knowledge of its nature developing, or simply a new way of looking at how it always worked?

The framing in the passage above seems to suggest that its encouraging her to distance herself from others, pushing her to interact but specifically feeding her information that will prevent close connections. Questions of agency and identity aside, I do like this as an aspect of powers-as-coping-mechanisms: she was triggered by failing to save someone she was close to, not recognizing the signs that he was unwell. Her power helps her see the signs she couldn't before, but it also seems to try to prevent those close connections from forming so she can't be hurt the same way. Not that its successful. Can't stop betting on losing dogs and all.

What she calls people internally is interesting. I figured she had been calling Sveta "Garotte" earlier to needle her, but she continues to call her that in her own thoughts, as does her power. Valkyrie gets to be "Valkyrie," and Vicky isn't called a cape name at all. There's a few ways to interpret this; I'm tempted to say that Lisa sees Victoria as a relic of pre-Gold Morning days, and sees Sveta largely in that context. Though I also feel like there's some refusal to see her or Rain as people who are separate from what they've done in the past. A lot of the comments I've read while reading the last few chapters are people debating whether she should've gone "white-hat," and I get the sense that she sees something dishonest in that. Leaving behind the things you've done isn't something she can do—even Lisa Wilbourn can't leave behind the failures of Sarah Livsey.

That might be something to think about in the context of Victoria claiming Tattletale is awful because she represents "giving up on something better." Its kind of baffling in that context; many people have pointed out that cutting the number of overdoses in half was way better than anything the heroes ever did, but Victoria resents that TT saw merely halving it as acceptable. She prefers methods that highlight a certain attitude towards a problem over methods that are effective at dealing with a problem. Having zero tolerance for overdoses and being able to do fuck-all about it becomes preferable to halving it, because not giving up on an ideal world is better than actually making the world better. As little regard as I have for Victoria's position, it seems that the text is giving it some credence by positioning Lisa not just as pursuing the methods that will make an actual difference, but also as rejecting the idea of "something better." Sveta can't be more than Garotte, overdose rates can be halved but not lowered further. Its weirdly reifying of Victoria's position, making Lisa a foil to it rather than a reflection of an entirely unrelated worldview.

There's a few team leaders in the parahumans-verse who get characterized as encouraging and benefiting from chaos within their ranks. Jack Slash had a self-image of himself as a master manipulator who knew just how to keep the Nine at each others throats to keep them in line, though of course his power was pulling heavy duty there. Trickster exulted in sowing chaos, but while he could use it to his advantage when working alone it explicitly got in the way of the Travellers as a whole during their operations. Lisa incorporates aspects of both; she seems to be cultivating a "this chaos is all part of my design" air for Faultline and Victoria while actually always being on the cusp of losing control of her own team. It seems less like something she's doing deliberately and more like something she has to deal with, even if she later frames it as part of preparing Aiden or something similar.

Man, her relationship with Aiden. First explicit mention of Taylor we've had since the beginning and its for a blunt confirmation that she sees herself as failing Taylor in the same way she failed Rex, and is terrified of doing with Aiden. It feels both like she's holding him at arms length and that she's desperate for a close connection with him.

[alpacaroni-and-cheese]

Leah, Fatin and Choice.

Not to wax lyrical about a TV show that was cancelled over two years ago, but The Wilds is pretty good, actually.

All 8 of the main characters (yes, eight, the boys don't count) are some of the most complex, layered and interesting characters I've ever seen. Each of them, on a surface level, seem to be one-dimensional.

Shelby, for example, is the goody-two shoes Christian flawless pageant queen. But she isn't, not really. She's a closeted, anxious mess, who is about one or two mental breakdowns away from shaving her head at any given time. She cares far too deeply, leaving her heart exposed and vulnerable.

Or take Rachel; on the outside, she's hard on everyone, angry and resentful, and bound for diving for America in the next Olympics. But in reality, she's burnt out. She might be hard on everyone around her, but she's hardest on herself. She suffers from bulimia, brought on by a few ill-advised words from her diving coach, and isn't even on the team anymore. She is angry, and she is resentful, but I think she has good reason to be. So when she does release that anger, it's an inspiration for us all.

You can do this kind of analysis with all of the characters, but the two I want to focus on in particular are Leah and Fatin.

Leah, the boring, ordinary, average girl from the Bay, who thinks too much and leaps before she looks.

That doesn't even scratch the surface of who Leah is.

She's whip-smart, and not in the "knows the first 20 digits of pi" Hollywood style of smart. She notices things and tucks them away in her brain until she has a moment to herself where she can ruminate, drawing connections where maybe there aren't any, and draw conclusions based partly on evidence and partly on a near-infallible trust for her gut.

She analyses. Not in the (BBC) Sherlock kind of way where she just magics up the answer out of thin air, but in her own way. She sees something is out of place, and digs around in the rocks and dirt, bloodying her fingers and knees until she can figure out what's wrong.

She gets taken advantage of by a man far older than her, and lies about her age so he'd sleep with her. She's hopelessly, helplessly tied to this pathetic man, every aspect of her life tethered to him. So when he finds out the truth and removes every part of her from his life, she is left drowning in his wake. She clings to the book he wrote and the sick annotations he left for her like it's a lifeline, when it's actually pulling her further beneath the waves.

Leah broods, she ruminates and she analyses, until something gives way.

She runs headlong into walls until either they break, or she does.

Next, let's talk about Fatin.

Promiscuous, princess-y Fatin, who's never done a day's hard work in her life.

In 1x05, Fatin runs away from the group. In 1x04, she was (metaphorically and a little bit physically, albeit accidentally) mauled by Leah. Her soft underbelly exposed and prodded. The others have all made judgements on her character, and in their eyes she has come up short. So, she chooses to remove herself from the equation, and runs away, like a thief in the night.

She finds a waterfall, practically saving all of them from dying slowly of thirst. And Leah, who pushed her, shoved her, rejected her last episode, spearheads the campaign to find her, after a little encouragement and wake-up call from Dot.

Fatin is not used to forgiveness. We see her mother let things go, but her mistakes are not forgiven, and most certainly not forgotten. Her hurt is minimised and dismissed by her mother, so she turns to her father for support. He is her best friend and confidant. He always has her side.

But then she discovers the photos. Her father has been cheating with lots of women over a long period of time. He has been lying to and betraying their family for years. She lashes out and chooses to send his nudes to everyone in his contact list, not thinking it through properly. When this is inevitably drawn back to her, her father turns on her, and her mother just sits and watches.

She isn't familiar with forgiveness, so when Leah offers it to her the first time she chooses to willingly accept it, offering it back in turn.

Leah makes the choice to burn Jeff's book, severing the tether holding her beneath the water. She's free, and can breathe.

Fatin becomes her confidant, listening to Leah's theories about the island and offering reasonable explanations for what's going on, and it works for a while.

But Leah becomes obsessed with the island. She's convinced something is wrong, and works herself to the bone to discover the truth, at the expense of her own safety and sanity.

Fatin reaches out to her, tries to wade through the darkness clouding Leah's thoughts and pull her back into the light.

But she fails.

When Leah runs into the ocean, desperate to find a way out, Fatin can do nothing but watch. Rachel overcomes her fear of the water and drags Leah back to the beach. Dot wants to sedate her, just to be safe, but Fatin refuses. Leah's had enough choices taken away from her, so she lets Leah choose.

Fatin, who knows how damaging it is to have your autonomy stolen, gives Leah this choice. Fatin, who knows Leah had many decisions made for her in the past, lets her decide for herself. She lets Leah make the choice to live.

[dragons-hoard-of-fandoms]

(Murder Drones Episode 8 spoilers!)

Space. The final frontier.

Poor robo-roaches always getting tossed around and killed.

They just left Braiden and Rebecca's corpses there??

Honestly the Teacher is such a mood, I can't believe I never realized it before.

Solvedcalculus reference???

Nori you can't say that this is a Christian Minecraft server.

It's amazing how they're able to make her still convey emotions when she's only got one eye.

YES HE SAVED HER BUT ALSO WOW THAT WAS FAST

Well she did tell you to "Die Mad" about it, so...

Kiss. Kiss! KISS! KISS!! KISS!!! KISS!!!! KISS!!!!!

New cute date idea: Skydiving from space and burning up in the atmosphere together <3

THEY ARE DATING THEY ARE CANONICALLY DATING!!!!!!!!!!

Why no kiss tho :(

Dang it, that was Thad's only good pipe.

V IS ALIVE AND SHE RODE IN ON A SENTINEL I THOUGHT WE WERE JUST JOKING ABOUT THAT

AND IT HAS A LITTLE COWBOY HAT

SHE WAS LIZZY'S SECRET FRIEND AND SHE DID THAT ONE MEME

No!! Bad dingo!!! We do not eat our friends!!!

IT'S DOING THE WALL-E FIRE EXTINGUISHER THING

So did J know the whole time or was she kept in the dark at first and only recently found out? Not entirely clear on that.

You really think it's not gonna dispose of you once all the universe is dead?

V SAID BITE ME

I was fully expecting her to chuck N into the core for a second there. But TBH I don't think continuing to destroy the planet is gonna fix it.

THEY'RE SO CRINGE IN A COOL WAY I LOVE THESE STUPID DORKS

THE CAPTIONS SAY SOLVER CONFIRMED THAT IS NOT CYN

"Okey."

STOP STOP STOP STOP STOP STOP STOP STOP

Y'know J thinks pretty highly of herself for someone who's literally never killed a single person on-screen in the entire time that this show has existed.

Huh, I guess those theories about Uzi not having a core icon were wrong.

You get a panic attack! You get a panic attack! EVERYBODY GETS A PANIC ATTACK!

Wait which part of this is the trap?

FREAKIN EXCUSE YOU DID YOU NOT HEAR WHAT I JUST TOLD NORI THIS IS A CHRISTIAN MINECRAFT SERVER THERE WILL BE NO SWEARING

Uzi is not beating the bisexual allegations.

SHE IS CANONICALLY CRINGE AND FREE

Nori I don't think most people call their daughters "babe."

"...'Kay."

Playing Nightcore during a final battle is the most anime thing ever.

And the J abuse continues.

*teleports behind you* Nothin personnel, kid.

Okay bye J, thanks for literally nothing.

SECRET HANDSHAKE N YOU'RE SUCH A DORK

o7

THEY'RE SO STUPID I LOVE THEM

YOU STOPPED TIME???

SHE LITERALLY ATE A BLACK HOLE???

😦

Thad is confirmed the coolest dude on Copper 9.

Sorry y'all, Khori divorce real.

Man Teacher don't wanna deal with none of this, same TBH.

Everybody gangsta til the cowboy robot dinosaurs start driving buses

THEY LOVE EACH OTHER SO MUCH!!!!!

Nah you're not damaged you're just autistic and edgy.

Polyclue shippers low-key getting fed tho.

HE'S BEING SUPPORTIVE AND TEACHER STILL DON'T WANNA DEAL WITH THIS

HE CALLED HER HIS GIRLFRIEND!!!!!!!!!!

My heart goes out to all the Doll fans, y'all got done dirty. 😔

He's learning how to draw anime!!! His art is getting so good!!!

He finally got to play rummy with the WDF!

They're gonna passionately make love on that bed later.

Wow what did Rachel ever do to you. Also who's Rachel.

THE NUZI-VIZZY DOUBLE DATE FEATURING DINGO AS THE FIFTH WHEEL

THAT'S THE REAL CYN YOU CAN'T CONVINCE ME THAT ISN'T THE REAL CYN FINALLY FREE OF THE SOLVER AND LIVING IN UZI'S TAIL UNTIL THEY CAN MAKE A NEW BODY FOR HER

IN YOUR FACE EVERYBODY WHO SAID LIAM DOESN'T LIKE HAPPY ENDINGS!!!!

[rustboxstarr]

🏖Grown Ups🏖 part 1

Summary: You've been pulling away from Eddie recently its not until summer vacation that you finally find your way back to him.

Pairings: Dad!Eddie Munson x PlusSize!Mom!Reader

Warnings: Holy hell prepare yourself -> worrying about R potentially cheating, angst, talk of sex, slightly derogatory talk of sex, Gareth is a womanizer (Sorryyyyy needed someone to be!), alcohol consumption, thoughts of sex, thoughts tiddie fucking, kissing, Eddie being kinda desperate and horny for sex but trying to be respectful, nudity, R has tattoos, nipple and belly button piercing, body insecurity (Don’t worry Eddies just being a weirdo, she loves herself otherwise!), smoking, Steve being an insightful mama hen and apparently knows how women function (Steves a sweetheart, we want all men to be like Steve), light confrontation, looming anxiety, drunken accidental grinding, groping, R being to drunk to remember ALMOST having sex , threats of violence, tiddie sucking, hickeys, oral f receiving, fingering, squirting, interruptions, talk of oral m receiving, Smut P in V, no cut offs or dividers, sorry forgot to put them in. I tried to stay away Y/N I rly did but I think it slipped in once or twice (Sorry not sorry 😈)

Wordcount: Short and sweet only 22.2k........ (Yeah this fic quite literally ripped the idea in my head and sprinted away with it like it was wanted for murder (Get it? HAHAHAHA (Explaining my jokes, I love myself))

A/N: So I was watching Grown Ups (2010) the other day and thought it was so funny when all the guys talk about how little they have sex with their wives, but then it spiraled and got slightly angsty but personally I love this! Character list and ages under the cut :)

Love yas!

Part 2

Drawings I made for the fic for some visuals 😊

Grown Ups masterlist

Check out my other works!

Max (35), Lukas (35) - twins Eric (6) and Billy (6)

El (35), Mike (35) - no kids

Dustin (35), Suzie (35) - Willow (11 months)

Eddie (41), You (40) - Ophelia (10) and Roxette (7)

Gareth (37) - single, no kids

Luke -unnamed freak (39), Simone (38) - Tom (5) and Oliver (3) - not that it matters but Simone is african american so the kids are mixed incase it might be nice to visualise 

Jeff (37), Tracy (45) - Ariana (16) (Tracy's daughter)

Will (35), Winter (33) - no kids

Steve (40), Nancy (39) - Mercy (11), Lousie (9), Rachel (7), Marcus(5), Bianca (3) and Dustin (2)

Jonathan (39), Charlotte (41) - Emma (6), Charlie (4) and Lilly (2)

Robin(39), Vickie(39) - no kids

Argyle (40), Eden (38) - no kids

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

Summer 1998, the sun was shining bright against the pastel blues of the sky, temperatures rising all over the country, it was the best time of the year, 10 year old Ophelia and 7 year old Roxette were off school for the summer holidays, you had your 6 weeks off and Eddie took leave from work, cashing his holidays in broken up during the 9 weeks of summer to be with you and his kids. Mid june and the Munson family had gotten the chance to rest for the first 5 days before the roadtrip to Dustin’s late granny’s lakehouse in Muskegon, the five hour road trip delayed with multiple food stops, toilet breaks, a few car boot sales which signs had caught you eye, one mall trip to stave off Roxy’s crying when she realised she forgot to pack her bathing suit and a few leg stretchers to keep both the kids from going crazy in the backseat. 

Ophelia had grown up to become a relatively quiet kid, calm, never too temperous and always content with following around with the grown ups plan, god knows how, neither you nor Eddie were ever people to be considered calm and peaceful. In your youth running around being chased by Hopper after breaking into abandoned places, caught drunk encouraging Eddie to piss on the large bronze statue situated in front of the mayor's office, shoplifting, vandalism, disturbing the peace, there had even been one time where Hopper had knocked on Wayne’s trailer door, two embarrassed soon to be adults stood behind him, wrapped up in blankets with not a single other article of clothing on for modesty after giving you both a ‘ride home’ as you liked to joke. 

The straight defiance of US laws simmered down after Ophelia came along but partying, loud obnoxious jokes, crazy schemes and dramatic displays of affection were still something very normal for the two of you. Well normal up until the last six months or so where it had simmered down. The both of you were still cuddly and giggly and chummy with each other, but lately it seemed you both had drifted apart, admittedly you more than him.

Roxette however seemed to have taken to both of you, couldn't sit still, always loud, always on the move, yup she was the embodiment of both yours and Eddie’s personalities, the same reason as to why the five hour road trip pushed 9 hours. Roxy could barely handle the 20 minute drive to school…

Up at 8 am packing the kids into the car with plenty of books, comics, cd’s and toys you set out. Eddie at the wheel of your 95 Mitsubishi Mirage while you cozied under a blanket next to him, head lolling on your shoulders threatening to tip you over until you adjusted yourself to sit up against the window as you let that comforting dull, cloudy feeling overtake you and drift you off to sleep. In the back Roxette was fast asleep while Ophelia bobbed her head in tune to Tupak Shakur’s latest album R U Still Down? playing in the round silvery cd player Eddie kept in the glove compartment, staring out at the trees whizzing past the window. 

The clock was nearing 5 pm when the car pulled off the bumpy road -with Eddie in the passenger seat- over the gravel parking lot to what Dustin had called The Henderson Castle. A quaint surprisingly large cabin in dark mahogany wood panelling, green chipping edging and beams matching the green steps to the bright blue double doors. Lake Michigan painted the horizon behind the garden, a small private beach next to a short dock attached to a boathouse and a sailboat tied to the wood panels, a rack of 5 canoes resting on the old water stained wood. Wooden beach chairs and plastic loungers framed in by the litter of trees and behind a picnic table and worn down monkey bars. 

Eddie took to emptying the boot of duffle bags and food bags while you urged Ophi and Roxy out of the back. Cars of different prince rages surrounded them as things were retrieved out of the vehicle, “Well well well look who decided to show up!” Dusting grinned from the front door, carrying a little girl on his hip who tucked her head into his shoulder in shyness. 

Matching grins were shone at the 35 year old as he descended the steps to greet you “What's up man!” Eddie patted him on the back in a one armed hug before he went around to give you a proper hug. “Hi! I’m Roxette” your daughter said excitedly, Dustin bent down to talk to her “I know, we've met before” his voice was sweet and mischievous as he stuck out his hand for Roxette to shake. 

You were all hustled into the house where a large group of people were scattered around the kitchen, dining table to your left and living room to your right behind the kitchen, all hollering in delight as your family of four stepped over the threshold. Hugs were exchanged as well as ‘took you long enough’s and ‘did you learn to read the clock in your three years of senior year’s, soon enough a wide spread of food, carefully put out by Dustin's wife Suzie had been devoured and catch ups had been exchanged. 

Dustin had taken the duty of showing everyone to their rooms, Jonathan’s three kids, Emma, Charlie and Lily, Luke’s Carl and Tom, Steve and Nancy's six nuggets Mercy, Lousie, Rachel, Marcus, Bianca and Dustin, Max and Lucas’s twin boys Eric and Billy, as well as Ophelia and Roxette were all given the privilege of sharing the well lit and cozy basement. 17 kids with the exception of Willow who had her own little bed with Dustin and Suzie and Ariana, Jeff’s 16 year old step daughter who got her own room, were all over the moon, excited about causing as much ruckus as they could. Parents and couples alike all directed upstairs to the second and third floor for their own bedrooms in the impressive lakehouse. 

The time on Eddie’s watch showed 11:32 as he took it off and placed it on his temporary nightstand for the next week when you crawled under the patchwork cover and got yourself comfortable on your side. Teeth brushed, clothes changed, good nights said and bags unzipped it was time to turn in for the night. Something about being on the go for 8 and a half hours and then making conversation in a room full of 39 other people was extremely exhausting and it caught up to you as your head nestled into the plush worn cotton pillow. 

You heard Eddie yawn loudly behind you as he no doubt flung his balled up fists out in the air, stretching like a cat by the side of the bed. He rustled behind you until you felt the cover lift and a warm body dip into the mattress, humming as he scooted over to wrap his arms around you and hold your back to his chest. You bathed in his embrace, happy and content cuddling up with your husband until, you felt him move again to press his hips against your. A soft grunt escaped your lips as Eddie pushed his hard on to nestle between your ass cheeks, on display from the back of your threadbare t-shirt riding up. 

“Mm Eddie I’m really tired” you groaned quietly, nestling further into his arms wrapped around you. You heard him sigh and had your eyes been open you would have undoubtedly rolled them at his reaction “We’ve been on the go since 8 am, I’m really not in the mood” you further explained “I know baby” Eddies breathed slightly disappointed, in the back of his mind he had hoped that the change of scenery might get you exited, possibly put a stop to the dry spell you had seemed to be going through. “Lets just go to sleep yeah?” he whispered, fingers crossed that his disappointment and slight annoyance at his idea being wrong couldn't be detected in his voice. You hummed in agreement as Eddie slackened behind you and fell asleep. 

The morning had been hectic, starting off already at 7 am when both girls rushed in to find their clothes, awakening you as they spoke loudly “Girls you know this” Eddie sighed as he tiredly sat up on his side of the bed, pulling his warm grasp away from you “Knock on the door, don't just barge in” he was slightly exasperated as he told them off “But were on vacation!” Roxette whined as she paused in rifling through one of the bags “Yeah well the rule still applies”. Even though it might be mostly your fault it was still funny that he was dictating a rule set in place so they wouldn't walk in on you having sex when you actually hadn’t even had sex in god knows how long. 

The reason why you were mostly at fault for the fact was that yes you were the first to cool down with initiating it but you didn't accept Eddie’s advances even when he tried. But recently you just hadn’t been in the mood, work had been hectic and you barely had time for each other, to top it all off lately you’d just felt a dip in your confidence. The fact that you were now in your 40s just seemed to catch up with your busy brain, you didn't look the way you did when you and Eddie first got together, or even the way you did just a few years ago. You'd always been on the bigger side of scales but that never bothered you, in fact your looks weren’t even the problem, objectively. It was the way you felt inside, old, tired, unnatractive, it had caused you to pull back from him, curl in on yourself and throw yourself into being a mom and a good boss. 

Eddie had to keep reminding himself that there wasn't a chance in the realm of possibility that the reason you were staying late at work had anything to do with anything other than work. Something he found himself telling his brain a lot whenever your nearest colleague Greg resurfaced in his mind. Greg was a sweet lovely man who worked just below you, but it was hard to remind himself of that as he thought about the many hours you spend at work alone with him. Even though he was a good kind soul he was undoubtedly attractive, even though he knew you were loyal to your husband and he to his wife and even though he knew he was more your type than Greg was it was still a constant bicker in his brain. 

–

The rest of the morning was even worse, such a drastic change from lounging around the house or almost falling asleep on a blanket in the yard as you attempted to read. Kids were everywhere, everyone was talking, moving around and trying to get to the food served for breakfast, it was stressful to say the least. You were used to large crowds, parties, concerts and other events but now it was just too much, and it seemed to show as Eddie wrapped his arms around your shoulders behind you, planting a kiss to your temple as you talked to Tracy, Jeff’s wife. You appreciated the gesture, even though you hadn’t been all too close to him recently and it was clearly beginning to frustrate him he was still there for you, something that made your heart squeeze. 

Finally around noon the pace had slowed, some kids were occupied with games and crafts inside while your own played with Luke's, Steve and Nancy's kids in the water. Splashing around happily as Nancy floated around nearby while you took the chance to get to know Luke's wife Simone and Jeff’s Tracy better. Eddie, Steve, Gareth, Jeff and Luke all lounged around on the chairs pushed into the sand just as it turned to grass behind them. 

“So Gare, still sad and single?” Jeff chuckled as he sipped a matching cool beer to the rest “Hah! Sad? I’d take being single any day over commitment and fuckin’ kids” he scoffed, legs spread wide as he tanned under the sun in baggy ombre trunks. “Hey having kids aint that bad” Steve grinned “Oh sure, I bet it's a riot being woken up at 5 am by 6 little assholes every morning” he chuckled. 

The sun was high up in the sky, water glittering under the shine as it splashed around by the kids shrieking and laughing. “Ugh, had to remind mine to knock on the fucking door this morning, both of them just waltzed in like they owned the place” Eddie supplied as he looked over at you. Stood by the waters edge laughing at a story Simone was telling, his eyes scanned down your frame quickly, lavender purple full briefs that came up to your waist, just below that glittering jem butterfly hanging from your belly button, a ruching detail at the front and a matching purple halter top to match. He had to look away before he began oggling at your round curves at the way the haltertop bikini pushed your tits up to each other, fuck he would have loved to kiss all the way down your throat and over your chest. 

“Ooh ‘fraid the kids are gonna walk in and be scarred for life by your pasty white ass?” Gareth laughed at his joke as his eyes flicked over to you too. “Pffft” Eddie deprecatingly shooed “Nah man, that hasn't been a risk for like ages” he took a large gulp of the cold beer in his hands “Now that I think about it, hasn't been a risk since like before christmas” 

“That's what marriage does to ya, too high on the feeling of new love and sparkly lights of wedding planning till they dim and she sees your ugly face at the altar” Gareth sat up to inspect Eddie slightly, Eddie laughed along with the others “Man shut up” he managed through a smile.”She's not pregnant is she?” Luke piped up as everyone was now looking over at the subject in question. 

From the corner of your eye you noticed the attention and turned slowly with a soft confused frown, Steve and Luke smiled at you as Jeff quickly averted his gaze, Eddie giving you a forced smile before he slapped Gareth's hand down which was waving at you, fingers wiggling as a seductive smiled painted his features. Your frown deepened as you awkwardly waved back and turned back to the other moms. 

Eddie's face switched from annoyed to questioning as he turned from Gareth to Luke “What?” his brows pinched as wrinkles formed on his forehead. “Well when Simone is pregnant she gets kinda distant, doesn’t wanna do anything” he further explained. “Nah man she’s not pregnant, she's got an implant” 

“Eh, dont beat yourself up about it, me and Nancy barely have any time for ourselves let alone fucking” Steve waved him off. “Yeah well she's had six kids, probably sick of your junk by now” Jeff chuckled, an eye roll from Steve in return. 

“I dunno, she's just busy, got alot on with work and the kids” he pushed his sunglasses further up his face as the sun resurfaced out of a cloud. He did not want to mention Greg and listen to Gareth's lude comments or let any of the others feed him delusions. You were not cheating. “Who knows, maybe she's sick of your junk too. Tell ya what, send her my way I’ll get her walking out a happy woman” Gareth smirked wickedly. “If you don't shut your mouth I’m gonna come over there and beat the shit out of you” he leaned forward with his elbows on his knees to look over at Gareth who put his hands up in surrender. 

“Apart from Steve am I the only one not getting some action” before Gareth had a chance to open his mouth Eddie pointed at him “and you shut up” he sneered. “I mean Ariana’s like 16 so she's never really home, so we do.. get the house to ourselves quite a bit..” Jeff answered sheepishly “Great” Eddie turned to Luke “Mine are fuckin’ 3 and 5 but I mean we have some time sometimes” Luke shrugged “How often is sometimes?” Luke cleared his throat and dropped his voice to an awkward tone “Like.. two… three times.. a week” he looked out at the water. 

“Jesus christ, so it's not like a normal thing?” he slumped back in his chair, looking back at you, smiling widely as you now stood splashing water at Roxette, not on the beach anymore. “Have you talked to her?” Jeff asked “I mean no not really, but she's made it obvious she doesn’t wanna do anything, so I've just kinda backed off” he looked back at his friend. “But you've tried like starting something?” “Yeah, less and less now but yeah” 

“You tried getting her drunk?” Gareth chuckled but fell dead silent as Eddie began to lean forward about to get up and smack him “Chill chill!” he held his hands out in front of him, awaiting the attack. “I just meant loosen her up a little, get her relaxed maybe put her mind off things” 

“You're a dick” Eddie flipped him off “He does kind of have a point, maybe she’ll relax a bit” Luke cleared his throat “We could I dunno all sit ‘round the fire after all the kids have gone to bed. Then she might not have to worry about that ya know?” 

“I mean I guess, but isn't that like a complete asshole move, get her drunk just so I can get her into bed?” he made a slight look of disgust at the thought “Not drunk, just a little I guess tipsy?” 

The conversation continued for a while before the topic changed to Jeff's new job, all sat in the sun basking in the light, soaking it up and talking about nonsense. Ophelia and Roxy came out of the water and Eddie watched as you dried them off lovingly and led them up to the house. He was nursing his fourth beer, head starting to go a little fuzzy as Simone too sent Tom and Oliver up to the house, Nancy was left throwing Bianca around in the water as the other three laughed and all shouted me! me! Me!’s, Dustin the two year old splashing happily by the waters edge. Simone and Tracy made their way up the sand to sit with the guys. 

Tracy told Jeff she was going to check on Ariana as Simone plopped herself down in Luke’s lap happily giving him a kiss following up with a giggle when she pulled back “Jesus how many beers have you drank”. She sat mostly quiet as they all continued, now about some recent U.S news, jumping in to add to the conversation as she draped her arm around Luke's shoulders. 

Eddie had his back to the house as he opened his fifth beer and leaning back even more into the chair, he didn't see as you came back out of the house walking down towards them. Only laying eyes on you as you rounded his chair at the end of the row of them facing the water, barely registering you before you stood before him. As the others continued talking he looked up at you expectantly, waiting for you to say something, assuming you had come to ask something of him. His heart skipped a beat as you inched closer to him, his fingertips grazing your thigh. “Can I sit?” you ask with a sweet smile, his cloudy brain was too gone with the cool fizzing beer to register that you had spoken as he broke out in a grin witnessing your happy face, it warmed him to see you, you being happy made him happy. He suddenly realised you had talked to him and shook his head attempting to look up at you more serious, you giggled softly at him as he straightened his face up, but hearing those sweet little noises of content made that dopey grin fall right back into place “I said, can I sit?” your voice was so sweet it made his whole brain stop. 

“Oh, yeah” he chuckled as he sat up properly, hands itching to touch you. His dopey grin became even dopier, even wider as you turned and bent down to place yourself in his lap, legs coming to curl up and feet slot between his thigh and the space under the armrest. When you settled Eddie’s hand holding his beer settled over your thighs and his other came around your waist, wrapping around you and pulling you towards him to lean against his chest. He almost died as he saw your smile widen at the action and nestle into him, and then even wider as he placed a kiss to your shoulder. He was on cloud nine at the fact that you were sitting in his lap, smiling away. You haven't sat in his lap for a long looong time and the fact that you did it so easily made his heart squeeze and his head spin. 

“Oh Simone you never got to tell me about your trip!” you exclaimed as the conversation quieted down “Oh right! So-” she began to recount her crazy trip to Japan she had taken a few weeks ago for work as Eddie took another sip of his beer, light shock painting his features as you took the bottle from him and took your own gulp while you listened intently. The sun was almost right behind Simone and you began to squint as you tried making eye contact with her, you turned to look down at Eddie for only a second before you realised he had his sunglasses on. Casually you reached up a hand to pull them off him and place them on your nose, Eddie chuckled at the action which made you giggle slightly as you continued listening. 

With no glasses on now, everything was a lot brighter, he settled into the new position and calmed down from his excitement and finally got a chance to register what you were wearing. A floral short white skirt he had seen before, he remembered well, because last time you had worn it was last year dropping the kids off at Steve’s for a sleepover. Oh he remembered it very well, last time your worn it you'd snuggled up to him on a blanket in the far end of the garden, hidden by trees and bushes, only to be seen from the house and gotten a little bit frisky, teasing turned to tickling which turned to Eddie lying on top of you pounding into you at a furious pace with your panties pushed to the side. 

The memories flooded back to him and he realised that if he just moved his hand on your waist down a little bit, and then a little bit more he would find the hem of it and could slip his hands under the fabric to rest his broad palm on the fat of your ass, give you a little squeeze. Before he had time to consider it his eyes cast a glance at your top. Fuck. That brown crochet halter top that he had seen you curled up on the couch making as you watched tv in late January. From his position he could see right over you, tits pushed together by the way the triangles tied behind your neck, could see that one little freckle he always liked to give a kiss, could see that little scar almost hidden on the right. Fuck he wanted to grab them, and kiss them, and suck on your nipples to draw that one little whine at first contact, no he wanted to watch them bounce up and down in you bra as you rode him, no! He wanted to watch them bounce up and down as he sat back on his calves thrusting into you so aggressively that your tits would bounce up and slap you in the face and make you roar out laughing, NO! he wanted to hover over your ribs as you looked up at him with that twinkle in your eyes as you held your tits together, mushing around his cock slipping back and forth in the lube he kept in his nightstand. FUCK. 

He had to look away, something, something that could find his attention, yes the tag on the bottle you were holding, yeah he was gonna read that. Now is not the time to get hard you asshole, she’s only just sat in your lap, for the first time in ages! on your dick… like right on it… no, fuck, you piece of shit, she’s gonna feel if you get hard and she’s not gonna be happy about it. Well she is smiling, she seems really happy.. Yeah so don’t ruin it fucker, remember last night? Yeah exactly. He was fighting with himself as he pretended to read the beer bottle, eyes following as it moved from its place on the arm rest with your hands loosely wrapped around it, followed it up to your lips as he saw you laugh and press your lips to the rim. 

Oh shit those lips he wanted to kiss so badly, wait maybe he could? That's ok right? Kissing? We still kiss? It's not like we don't kiss? Fuck it, if he wanted to kiss his wife, he was going to kiss his wife. 

As you brought the bottle back down to the armrest Eddie moved on instinct, his body working faster than his brain, his hand slunk out from under your arms and up to cup your cheek, causing you to turn to him in question, eyebrows raised awaiting him to say something. He didn't say anything, he only began to pull his hand back, slowly bringing you with him. He closed his eyes, it felt like forever, forever forever forever, until suddenly soft lips on his. Everything was in slow motion as if the world stopped around him as moisturised soft plump lips met his own, barely a craze, just a touch and then more, closer, lips pressing slowly to each other and then at its destination, pressed against your lips in a kiss that made him explode inside. Suddenly your lips drew back and so did you. 

It was just a peck, a simple peck, but it made his heart stop, as well as time, the world and just about everything else around him. A sigh escaped his chest in content as he opened his eyes to see you smile down at him, his own smile quickly matching yours before you drew back and looked back to Simone. His brain was swimming around in a pool in his head, everything was a daze as he watched you lick your lips and grin slightly, turning to him again to whisper “Taste like beer” that cute nose in a scrunch as you spoke to him. 

The daze halted as he chuckled “You too” which earned a smile from you and moved his hand back to splay across your thighs. Finally he turned to the rest of the group and lay notice to Steve a knowing wide grin directed at you, Simone in full ramble as Luke looked up at her in awe, Jeff listening in, and Gareth with an evil smirk on his lips, staring right at him. Eddie's smile faded and was replaced with a sneer directed towards his friend. Gareth's eyes flicked to you and back to Eddie as he mouthed an ooh which made Eddie's loose grip on you tighten immediately and pull you even closer to him, this time not easing up on his hold but insistent on holding you close, as if shielding you from Gareth. 

Lunch came along not soon after, thankfully not as hectic as breakfast as Dustin and Suzie had grilled a bunch of hotdogs of various diets and put them all on one table along with bread, ketchup, mustard and dried onions. Everyone free to get drinks out of the various coolers around the kitchen. 

The rest of the day was very similar to the morning, everyone hustled outside once the temperatures dropped a few degrees. Both you and Eddie had kept an eye on the girls as you mingled with all the parents and friends around the beach until eventually you walked up to Eddie placing your hand gently by his elbow to tell him you were going to go further up and lie down on a blanket and read in the grass. Eddie had taken the role of watching over the kids as they swam in the lake, at first only watching from the waters edge as he spoke to Dustin and Mike until he ran out on the jetty and cannonballed right next to Roxette, hitting the bottom immediately and landing right on his ass bouncing up to be splashed back in the face by Ophelia. She screamed in laughter as he picked her up and threw her away from him. 

When he came up again water dripping down his skin he rejoined Steve and Lucas, as Lucas turned to tell Max something Steve nudged him and cocked his head behind him to the grass “Your wifes asleep” he chuckled as he motioned for Eddie to see you on your stomach, face resting in your crossed arms and book falling from your loosened grasp on it. “Go, I’ll look after the kids” he grinned as Eddie turned back to him. “You sure? I don't wanna-” “Yes I’m sure, just go spend some quality time with your girl” he grinned “Doubt it’ll be much quality time seeing as shes passed out but yeah ok, thanks dude” Eddie patted him on the back as he trudged through the sand, grabbing his towel on the way and patting himself dry. 

Yup you were fast asleep he noticed as he got to the blanket and heard your soft snores, he bent down and picked your book up, dog earring the page, closing it and tossing it down into the grass. He groaned softly as he crouched down, falling flat onto his back next to you. Propping his head up on one hand while the other lay limp against his stomach he stared up at the sky through his now retrieved sunglasses. His gaze broke to turn and look towards you as he heard you stir in your sleep, you twisted your hips to pull the leg facing him up in a bend, knee nudging his hip. You seemed to relax for a few seconds before you grunted and turned to fully lay on your side, hands coming to press together and hold your head up only slightly. 

Once again you relaxed and Eddie watched you amused with a smile on his face until suddenly an annoyed groan left you and the hand not forced against the ground slipped out from under your head shooting out in search of something. You blindly slapped lightly at the blanket before moving and slapping again, and again until your pinky came in contact with his skin, you hand lifted and slapped lightly against Eddie's chest, he had to fight the snort that threatened to fall from his throat as he watched you. 

Finally your hand seemed to find the right place on his chest but surprisingly enough you didn't relax again, instead still hazy with sleep and with your eyes closed you moved on the blanket towards him, forcing your hips forward until you were flush against him. A heavy head thudded to his chest forced an oof to spill from his lips and a thick thigh moved and dropped heavily to drape across him. 

You nestled up against him and finally you seemed to relax. 

Eddie was beaming, the hand previously on his stomach searching for his towel to prop it up under his head and letting him wrap his arms around you to hold you to him. Soft breathing matched up to an even rise and fall of both your chests as Eddie soaked you up. The happiness he was feeling didn't last though, soon enough he too had fallen asleep under the hot sun and your skin against his. 

Both of you awoke with groans as something landed on you, a very wet, very excited Roxette. “Why are you sleeping it's swim time!” she squealed as she rolled off Eddie and sat up. You groaned in pain as you too sat up “Cuz mom and dad are tired Roxy, so please don't jump on us” you told her as you stretched, Eddie doing the same from the ground. “But mom I wanna go play!” she stood up jumping up and down “Ok ok I’m coming hang on” Eddie was about to say something when you stood up and were whisked away by his daughter. 

Dinner was tapas, everybody had brought a dish or some sort of food from the store ready to eat from the get go and was set up this time by someone other than Dustin and Suzie. You talked happily to Robin, Nancy, Will and his boyfriend Winter as you all set out plates, cutlery and food for tiny hands to grab excitedly. You ate in conversation with most of the hellfire club as you sat next to Eddie on a worn leather couch, pressing up to him and letting him give you the occasional kiss to your temple or lips, smiling the whole time. Eventually your plate was finished off and Eddie felt you slump against him after putting your plate on the table. His hand wrapped around your shoulders to rest your head on his for a while until eventually you leaned up and told him you were going to lay down for a bit. 

You left with a squeeze to your hand and a sympathetic smile from your husband. You were planning on just having a lie down or maybe a quick nap but suddenly your clothes were to hot and too tight and too stifling so you quickly changed out of them and threw on the same ragged t-shirt from last night, falling onto the bed, not getting too comfortable because you didn't really want to fall asleep. The universe didn't seem to hear you though and soon you were fast asleep on top of the bed. 

That's how Eddie found you after putting the kids to bed an hour later, knowing they wouldn't sleep with all the excitement of the other kids around but getting them to brush their teeth and change into their pyjamas. They had asked Eddie where you were and why you weren't saying goodnight so Eddie had to explain “Moms not feeling very well so she's resting but she’ll probably come say night night later”. When you told him you were going to your room it seemed like you just needed some quiet but that was clearly not the case when he found you like a log atop the covers. 

He sighed, you needed your rest, the past year of work was clearly catching up to you but yet again he couldn't help the slight disappointment when he found you, he'd gotten hopeful and excited from the day, you'd been a lot more touchy than you ever had been the past few months, cuddling up to him, stealing kisses and it seemed that whenever you were near him you had a need to have some sort of contact, whether it be pressed up against him or his arm around you or even just your hand on his arm or thigh but he had to accept that you were too tired and needed to sleep. 

Carefully he pulled the covers from under you and placed them back on you as you adjusted in your sleep to lie on your side. Just like yesterday he got in next to you and wrapped his arms around you as the big spoon. Falling asleep to the scent of your hair which his nose was nuzzled against. 

This morning the girls actually knocked, waking Eddie from his light slumber to hum a yes at them to come in. Slowly you roused and sat up in bed to listen to your two excited girls tell you all about the cup phones they all made yesterday after dinner and how they had them crisscrossed around the room to talk to each other as Eddie rounded the bed, giving a kiss to your forehead before leaving the room to take a shower. 

You were more relaxed at breakfast now that you knew what was coming and you even enjoyed it, sat at the dining table in conversation with Argyle and his girlfriend Eden, Winter and Jonathan's wife Charlotte who got the group's attention by balancing her cereal bowl on her 8 months pregnant belly which you found out would be her and Jonathan's fourth. 

Across the room Eddie sat in an armchair next to Steve and Gareth “So you and your girl seemed to be very close yesterday” Steve leaned over and dropped his voice, “Yeah pay off? She put out?” Gareth grinned “That threat of me beating you ass is still on the table” Eddie stared at Gareth who only chuckled “But to answer your question, no she was asleep by the time I got to our room” Eddie shrugged, even if Gareth could be an assshole when it came to women he didnt want it to show that he was disappointed, it would only egg him on. 

“Maybe we could do that bonfire thing tonight?” Steve suggested lightly “Besides I wouldn't mind some fun with Nance, she gets so exited when shes drunk its fuckin hilarious” he grinned and looked over towards how wife “Last time she was jumping around imitating a bunny she saw on kids tv” the other two laughed at the picture. 

“Sure, we’ll go into town get some drinks, I think Dustin said he only had beer” Eddie shrugged happily. 

Today was not the different from yesterday, things to do inside and people down at the beach splashing away. “Hey” Eddie bent down to talk to you as you sat on the couch playing shoots and ladders with a few of the kids after lunch “so were all having a bonfire night once the kids have gone to bed” Eddie smiled wide at your happy smile “so me and some of the guys are heading into town to pick some stuff up” you nodded and gave him a kiss before he headed off with Will and Dustin. 

Dinner passed and you were pleasantly surprised that tiredness hadn’t overcome you. All the parents tucked their kids into bed and made a clear point that if anything were to happen they were just outside and to come get them if they needed to. 

Eddie called your name with a yo you in here? as he knocked on the bathroom door nearest your bedroom, instead of answering him you unlocked the door and peeped out an intense stare directed his way “Sorry you can't come in without a warrant” you broke out into a grin as you went to shut the door, Eddies hand grasping onto the wood and forcing it open in a fit of giggles as you tried to fight him. Finally he stumbled in, almost knocking you over and catching you in his arms. 

He locked the door behind him as he looked down at you “Mmm you smell nice” he hummed as his eyes took in your bare face, damp to match you hair, you giggled “Just had a shower” you explained as you slid out of his hold to pick your clothes off the floor. Eddie was slightly miffed as you brushed past him in just your towel and unlocked the door but he followed nonetheless. 

Walking behind you as you tread carefully over the floorboards, hips swaying from side to side as you walked, Eddie leaned back to get a full view of you, hair wet and dripping water over your shoulders, thighs peeking out from under the towel, only long enough to cover your ass, eyes rolling to the back of his head as the towel pulled up slightly to reveal a peak of the bottom. Within an instant his hands circled your waist and picked you up, leaning back on his feet to pull you up off the floor. You squealed at him to let you down as you giggled, only dropping you back down to land softly when he thought he might fall over backwards from bending to steep. 

“What was that?” you whispered as you began walking again, Eddie awkwardly tumbling along with his arms still around you “You just looked so liftable” he whispered back biting your cheek mischievously. You snorted an ok and opened the door to your bedroom. 

Today you had been in a good mood, it seemed the long night sleep and absence of pressure to be productive had taken to you and you were still on a high from it. So pleased that you didn't even let your mind work up into a frenzy as Eddie let you go and flopped onto the bed. 

You didn't think anything of it as you dropped the towel to change, the fact that Eddie hadn’t seen you naked since before christmas didn't even cross your mind. 

Stood with your back to him you rooted through your bag to find a comfortable pair of sweats and a hoodie, preparing for the cold outside now that the sun had gone beyond the horizon. Eddie sat up straight in an instant. Eyes bulging wide and trained on you as the towel dropped to the floor when you found your clothes. He swallowed thick as you moved to another bag to look for underwear. 

Holy shit. You were naked, like fully naked, no towel, no nothing covering you. Fuck he hadn’t seen this sight in over six months and here you were bathed in the moonlight and dim lighting of the old ceiling lamp, gold cast over your body, spotlighting the smooth skin, and rolls of your back, the stretch marks and cellulite of your thighs, the dimples in your back, every little colour and inked tattoo that showed in your skin. All out for him to see, all for him. 

You turned with your clothes clutched to your chest to see a pin straight Eddie with wide awestruck eyes, mouth open in shock. “What?” you chuckled confused as you walked over to the foot of the bed, dropping your clothes onto the fabric. Eddie's brain stopped working as your front was revealed to him, soft breasts sloping down in a natural drop, a sliver of metal and nipples almost out of sight, round and calling to him like two beams of light in the night, your soft stomach spilling down, a patch of hair covering your puffy mound, framed by your soft doughy thighs. Fuck he just wanted to grip and suck and lick and kiss everything he saw right now, matter of fact he wanted to get down on his hands and knees and worship the ground you walked on as well as whatever higher entity out there that had created you. 

You started to grow slightly uncomfortable under his gaze, suddenly feeling extremely exposed, an urge to cover yourself growing strong. In a rush you reached for your underwear to pull the black brazilian cut lace panties over your ass and hips. You looked over at Eddie again to see his mouth open and close as he blinked, awfully resembling a fish, it only encouraged you to get dressed faster, clasping the black bra and spinning it around to pull the straps up your arms. Once again you looked at Eddie, whose expression still had not changed, you threw the t-shirt over your head and jumped into your sweats, pulling the hoodie over yourself as you looked back. “Umm” Eddie started but trailed off “I'm going to the bathroom” you blurted out and within seconds you had practically ran out of the door. 

Eddie stayed still, blinking and trying to wrap his head around what he had just seen. Finally he snapped out of it and shook his head, falling over on his side with a loud groan, pulling at the sheet to cover his face. What is wrong with you?! Your wife is naked for the first time in fucking forever and you just sit there?! He groaned even louder as he smushed his face into the comforter. 

Finally you came to the realisation that you had just been naked in front of Eddie for the first time in a really long time, you rushed back into the bathroom and sat down on the toilet with your face in your hands. Well clearly you weren't just ugly on the inside now, you were ugly on the outside too. Why else would he just sit there and stare at you like you'd grown a second head? UGH what were you going to do?! You had finally loosened up, you were happy within yourself for the first time in ages and felt comfortable around Eddie again, you clearly should have had more control over yourself. He no longer found you attractive, Jesus Christ why were you kidding yourself?

A knock on the door broke you out of your spiral as you weakly asked a yes, the person outside of the door cleared their throat. It was Eddie. Oh, no, no no no no no. “Um, uh you wanna go down? Uh Mike just said the fire is lit” his voice sounded strained, uncomfortable. He was uncomfortable because he’d seen you naked and didnt like it, and now you had nowhere to hide AAAARGHHHH. “Yeah sure” your voice was broken as you spoke. 

Slowly slowly you stand, slowly slowly you step towards the door, and slowly slowly you turn the nob. Eyes pinned to the floor as you walk out of the door, you see Eddie's feet as you walk past them and walk down the hall, you hear him follow behind you. This is the worst feeling, so much worse than coming home late from work hungry, or being in too big of a crowd, or too tight clothes on a hot sweaty day, this unease is so much worse. 

Time ticks by slowly as you feel like you're walking to your execution, feet dragging across the floor shameful as Eddie walks behind you. Anxiety, heartbreak, stress, unease, insecurity all bubble up in your chest, threatening to bubble up to the surface through hot tears if you let yourself. You feel it in your chest, plummeting down to your stomach and spreading all through your body like slim black vines as if a disease, darkening everything inside you. Until a touch, a slight intentional braze of fingers that send sparks, gold touching at your hip and overpowering some of the black. Gold vines take over throughout your hip as you feel a soft hand grasp onto it, guiding you down the stairs. 

Another spark of gold bleeding out into your vines on the other as Eddie holds softly onto your hips as your feet hit the ground floor. Gold vines that threaten to overpower the black and meet in the middle just below your belly button. Your breath hitches and speeds up in anxiety. 

One hand leaves your hip and the gold dies off as quickly as it came, as the first on your right hip slips to hold the small of your back, the gold follows, bleeding from its starting point and stretching as you bend down to slip into your sneakers. The hand never wavers as Eddie leans down to slip his own shoes on, the heat from it causing the gold to continue without the order of touch, spreading slowly through your back, creeping up your spine in a shiver. 

He opens the door to near 20 people scattered around a brazen fire, reds and oranges contrasting the deep dark blues of the sky and the shade its cast around them all. You step cautiously down the now dark green stairs, feet hitting the gravel before they hit grass as you veer off to the side away from the parking lot. “Hey” Eddie whispered beside you as you walk, coming to a stop as you turn to look up at him. Eyes glassy and scared at what his words might do to you. Just as he opens his mouth “Hey!” Robin runs over and pulls you off by the arm so she can show you something. 

Eddie stands frozen, What just happened? he was about to apologise to you for being so weird. His feet drive him forward however and before he can think it over he’s by the mass of people, eyes zoning in on the table of drinks set up he makes a beeline for it. Pouring a shot of tequila he downs it, and then a second, before he can get ahead of himself he picks up a beer can, popping the tab he scans the crowd. His eyes find Steve not far away and quickly he's marching over “I need to talk to you” he says with a grip on the man's arm almost pulling him away from the scene. 

A few metres away from the nearest cluster of figures he stops “Dude what's up?” Steve chuckles, confused “I just saw her naked” is all Eddie can say, Steve's confusion just deepens on his face “For the first time in over like six months” he widens his eyes willing Steve to understand. “Oh, oooh how’d it go?” Steve grins. “Fucking terrible!” Eddie shouts exasperated, quickly straightening up with eyes wide turning to see if someone heard. Everyones too fixated on their own conversation as he looks over at the people around the campfire but he finds you at the drinks table with Robin and Nancy cheering you on as you seem to be taking three shots in a row. 

He turns back to Steve “How was it terrible?” Stevs confused again as he stares up at the taller man “Because Steve, she took her towel off and I just sat there” Steves face shows once again that he doesn’t understand “I just sat there, gawking at her like I’d never seen tits before, like some fuckin’ teenager” he grits. “Oh. Wait so walk me through it” he took a swig of his own can, some fruity cider. “Ok. So she was in the room, well actually, no, here” Steve frowns at Eddie's backtracking “So she was in the bathroom so I knocked on it and she stuck her head out grinning saying I needed a restraining order” Steve smirked but chose not to make a comment “And so she liked tried to close the door and I tried to open it and get in. Ah before you say anything it was just like flirty fun, nothing weird” Steve nodded “And she was all giggly, then we left the bathroom and I like picked her up and she was all giggly then too” “Ok ok” Steve nodded along “Then when we got to the room I just sat on the bed and she just like dropped the towel while she was looking for her clothes, then she turned and I think she said something I can't remember, but then she started like pulling all her clothes on, said she was going to the bathroom and ran off” he finished his recounting of the recent events with a few large gulps of his beer, almost downing half of it. 

“Sounds like you freaked her out dude. Did you like explain why you were being so weird?” Steve tipped his head back to finish the rest of his cider. “Well I was gonna but then Robin just came up and ran off with her” both of them looked over to see you now stood with Robin, Nancy, Max and El a large glass of wine in your hand. 

“Just go up and talk to her now, explain” Eddie screwed his face up at the thought of pulling you away to awkwardly explain why he just sat there “Listen, Nancy gets insecure about her body sometimes maybe she is too” Steve shrugged as they looked back to each other “She's like never ever insecure though, and I don't even think its hiding, she likes her body ya know” the rest of Eddies beer was slung down his throat. “Yeah but you might have made her insecure dude” “Ugh don't say that!” Eddie groaned, his beer was gone he needed something to fiddle with, to distract him, patting his pockets he found his packet of cigarettes, ones he usually kept out of view so the kids wouldn't see him smoking. He flicked his zippo and took a long breath once the cigarette was lit. 

“I’m serious dude, it's not just the first time you've seen her naked it's the first time she's been naked in front of you, might be kinda scary” 

“Since when do you know all about women?”

“Wel-” 

“Don't start” Eddie held his finger up to silence him. 

“Just go talk to her ok?” 

“Fine, but I’m gonna finish this up first, think you can go get me a beer? Don't really wanna look like im ignoring her” 

“Sure” Steve walked off as Eddie turned his back to the fire to crane his neck back in frustration, looking up at the sky. 

“Steve used to be like that with me” Nancy giggled in the huddle as Steve walked up to grab a beer and another cider. “I used to be like what?” he grinned as he leaned over the table “Butt out dingus” Robin stuck her tongue out “Nothing babe” Nancy hid a grin behind her solo cup as she looked away. Steve narrowed his eyes in suspicion at his wife “It's just girltalk” you smiled at him which made Steve's face break out into an expression you couldn't read. 

“Alright well” Steve spun on his heel and  power walked back to Eddie “You better talk to her now, I’m pretty sure I overheard the girls talking about it” Steve rushed as he forced the cold can into Eddie's hands. “Oh for fucks sake” he groaned as he took the beer and began walking over to the table. He saw as Robin awkwardly hushed the group as she laid eyes on him which made his nerves bubble up, yeah they were definitely talking about it. 

“Drink all that beer that fast?” Robin chuckled as Eddie neared “Mmhmn no” Eddie held his unopened can up for show as he arrived behind you “Can I talk to you?” he bend down as he dropped his voice lower, breath fanning over your ear as he spoke. “Ok” you whispered back meekly. He had no idea about girl code, and had absolutely no clue what the looks all the others were giving you meant as you set your plastic wine glass on the table and turned to walk away from them. 

You walked silently side by side as he nonverbally steered you towards the cars, the three shots and half glass of wine causing for a pleasant buzz, dampening some of the anxiety you felt “Um you want a beer?” he asked quietly as he held out the can towards you when you came to a stop by your own car “No thanks” you mumbled as Eddie seemed to cage you in at the hood of the car. You frowned surprised when he flung the can behind him to softly roll into the grass, he needed his hands free for this and he hadn't had a chance to drink it before he came over. 

“So what you wanna talk about?” you fiddled with the string of the cuffs of your worn out hoodie which was actually Eddies as you leaned back to prop yourself slightly on the hood of the car. “Um I just wanted to uh tell you I'm sorry for just like sitting there super awkward before” he looked down at you as you stared into his stomach unwilling to meet his gaze. “If I’m being honest I was just like shocked, we haven't really uh done.. that, in like a long time and it was just sudden” he saw you physically curl in on yourself which made him freak out “No no not like bad sudden, good sudden” you finally met his gaze, looking up at him confused “Fuck, I just mean like I’ve missed you and my brain just like short circuited” he tried to get you to understand. 

A breath he didnt know he had been holding finally escaped his lips as he saw a small smile tug on your lips “I dont wanna make you like uncomfortable, but when I saw you I was just like, holy fuck, she’s naked and I think this is the best thing I’ve ever seen” the grin that spread on his face was a relieved one as you snorted a laugh “Im serious, like baby” his hands came to rest on your shoulder “You are so fuckin’ sexy and just every part of you is like some greek goddess has sculpted you or something. I’m totally ok with us not being intimate, even though I do miss you I just want you to feel safe and comfortable, and for you to be happy but I really do miss you. Obviously I miss you like as a person, you're my wife, and the mother of my children and I love you so much, but like above that fuuuuuck I miss being with you” he groaned as he thought about how long it had been. 

Something swelled within you at his words, you wanted to laugh at his phrasing of being sculpted by a greek goddess but the meaning behind the words were just too flustering and sincere. And following up with that stupid wording he knew made you weak in the knees, mother of my children, yeah you liked that. You were the mother of his children, his wife. 

“I’m sorry” you whispered as Eddies hands travelled down to rub up and down your arms “It’s just been a lot recently, in my head and work and all and I pushed you away I’m sorry” Eddie manoeuvred his knee to push yours apart so he could stand between them and be closer to you “Don’t say sorry, you have nothing to be sorry for. We’ve both just been shit at telling each other things” as he towered over you you craned your neck back to see him properly, a grin spread across your face as you said in a whiny voice “Communication is key”. 

Eddie laughed and brought his arms to wrap around your shoulders, pressing your face into his chest as he hugged you, kissing the top of your head as your own arms wrapped around his waist. You both lingered for a while as you hugged each other tight until Eddies arms loosed and he pulled back to look down at you again “While I do want to know what's been going through your pretty little head lately, why don't we go enjoy the fire and talk more when we get back?” you nodded with a smile. Eddie turned to walk back with you but spun around as you called his name. “One more thing” “Mm?” you grasped onto the fabric of his sweatshirt and pulled him down towards you. 

Lips meeting his in a desperate hungry kiss you wrapped your arms around Eddie's neck as his hands went to your hips, holding you softly to keep himself upright. He thought you were just going in for a long kiss when you broke off but soon enough your lips were back on him again as your fingers snaked through his locks. Another kiss and a tug at his hair had him groaning into your mouth as his hands squeezed tighter at your hips. A few more kisses and he felt your tongue poke softly at his lips telling him to open them. He pulled you flush against him as tongues swiped at each other, his hands moving from your hips past your back to grab angrily at you ass, pulling you up to stand and pushing your hips against his, forcing his hard cock against your mound, groaning at the contact and pressing even harder against you. 

You pulled away from his lips and quickly out of his grasp “Ok now I’m happy” you laced your fingers with his as he stood dumbstruck, you began walking pulling him along with you “What??” his voice was slightly loud as he stumbled along after you “What? I said one more thing, that was my thing” you turned to grin at him wickedly “Oh you little-” he let go of you to run after you and lift you up off your feet as you squealed. The second he let you down you ran off with Eddie hot on your tail, tackling you almost immediately and turning you in his hold to face him so he could attack your hips with wiggling fingers, laughing as you shrieked from the tickling. 

He ceased his attack on your sides as you stepped closer to the group, wrapping his arms around you once again and stepping up behind you to join the group around the drinks table. Steve gave him a knowing smirk as you bent over still attached to Eddie to retrieve a beer for him from the cooler on the ground and your wine, you giggled as he shoved the hand hold the ice cool beer under your hoodie to press against your warm stomach, fighting to move his hands away from you. “OOH smores! Come on!” Robin beckoned the group to sit in the half circle of logs around the fire, all squeezing together to fit as Robin planted herself on the ground to fish marshmallows out of ita bag. 

“May I interest you in a shot of everclear mi ladies?” Gareth grinned as he stumbled over to you, Eddie, Nancy and Steve on one of the longs “Nah nah” Eddie waved the hand not wrapped around you in dismissal, “We got kids you dummy, gotta get up in the morning” Steve rolled his eyes at him. “More for me!” Gareth swiped all four each one after the other “I am NOT on duty to take care of this one!” Eddie held a hand up in the air as Gareth finished his last one. “Whaaaat? You don't wanna be my daddy?!” Gareth whined as he toppled over onto Eddie, Eddie’s hand coming to push him off, pressing hard against his stomach while everyone else laughed. 

“Go sit down you drunk” Eddie motioned for Gareth to sit down next to Steve. “Oh hey Rob’s can you get me a vodka coke?” You smiled as the woman in question pushed herself off the ground, she gave you a thumbs up as Eddie leaned in “Vodka? How much have you drank already?” His breath fanned once again against you ear as he spoke to you in a low murmur “Eh its fine, I’m not planning on getting drunk” you waved him off “Mhm” Eddie hummed sarcastically as you grinned up at him. 

“Jesus Robin how much did you put in here” your face scrunched up as you took a sip, you didn't particularly mind the taste of alcohol but you hadn't expected it to taste so incredibly strong “Like 80% vodka 20% coke” she grinned a dopey mischievous grin as she found her seat again “Chug it ya wont taste it” her grin widened even more “Come on chug chug chug!” she clapped her hands together as a few of the girls chimed in “You don't have to” Eddie searched your face with serious eyes “No no it's fine” your grin matched Robins as you looked up at him before swallowing the whole of the contents in the red solo cup. You cheered along excitedly as you crushed it and threw it down onto the ground. 

Eddie felt you sway slightly as you sat up straight, well it seemed like the getting tipsy had gone a little too well, no doubt by the end of the evening you would be hammered and pass out again on the bed. It's fine he told himself, we’ll just do something.. another day.  “Yo lets go get the chairs it's getting kinda cramped over here” Dustin walked over with Lucas and Mike on his tail “Oh sure. You gonna be ok?” he bent down to ask you as you stared up at the sky in a daze. “Huh? Oh yeah yeah” yup you were definitely drunk as you tried to focus your eyes on his face, he had a slight suspicion Robin hadnt put one single brand of vodka in your cup before handing it to you. “Nance could you..” he trailed off as he motioned to you, asking her to keep an eye on you, she nodded happily as he stood up, hands hovering around you to make sure you didn't fall over. 

When he saw you could sit by yourself he grabbed into his sweatshirt by the collar and pulled it over his head, the fire was getting too warm for him, dropping it down next to you to occupy his place he got up and followed the others down to the edge of the beach.

“Oh!” you squealed as you planted a hand on his hoodie to feel the square cardboard box, digging through his pocket in mass concentration you managed to free the cigarettes and flipped open the top to see his zippo and a few cigarettes. Pulling the zippo and a cigarette out you turned to face Nancy, Tracy and Simone again as you lit the cigarette. Happily taking the next red solocup handed your way by Tracy. Taking a long breath and giggling as the nicotine swam up to your head, mind feeling floaty as you swayed from side to side, even more so as you sipped what seemed to be more vodka coke, this time not as strong. 

“Aw man who let you-” Eddie cut himself off as returned a few minutes later, plucking the zippo and carton out of your hands after placing a chair down in the half circle of logs. You cackled as you watched him shove the packet out of view, this time into his jeans “Baby you know how you get when you smoke drunk” he grabbed into your free hand helping you stand up as you sucked down your second cigarette, almost empty solo cup left behind on the log. He led you back to the chairs to see one empty chair left “Really dude?” Gareth grinned as he spread out into the chair next to the empty one, revelling in Eddie's annoyance “Fine” Eddie breathed “Wait here” he told you as he turned to get his sweatshirt. 

Gareth mumbled something to you as you swayed, trying not to fall over “What?” you almost shouted as you leaned forward, placing your hands on the armrest of Gareth's chair and dropping your head down to hear him. He said something again but your mind was too  fuzzy to understand as you brought the cigarette back up to your lips. “Gareth stop flirting with my wife” you heard Eddie grit behind you as his hands slithered around your hips to bring you down with him as he sat down in the chair. “Whoo!” you squealed as you fell into Eddie's lap, flinging your hands into the air as if you were on an amusement park ride. 

When you’d brought them back down you took another drag of the cigarette, closing your eyes as you exhaled, falling backwards onto Eddie's shoulder as your head began to spin back and back with the kick. 

Eddie chuckled as he plucked the tobacco from your fingers and began talking to Will and Winter, he knew this was going to happen, everytime you drank and smoked your head began to spin, same with weed and smoking, if he wasn't careful enough you would fall flat on your ass with the dizziness. Suddenly you shot up, leaning forward “Oh Ophi loves that magazine!” you must have picked up on Winter talking about some fashion magazine Eddie hadn't heard of before. Soon you were in a deep conversation about the fashion industry and how hiphop had had an effect on it but within seconds Eddie zoned out. 

You kept swaying back and forth, body vibrating with laughter as you flung yourself from side to side varying between leaning over to listen intently as catching up with your brain to form words. You were clearly quite out of it, wrapped up in your conversation and thinking nothing of it but Eddie did. The first few times you moved he didn't pay it any mind, but soon you were almost squirming above him, no longer just swaying but moving your ass, soon enough you were situated right on his crotch. 

Eddie tried to pay attention to what Will was telling him, he really did but you just kept moving around, pressing even harder against him as you relaxed and dropped your weight down. The friction was just too much. Can she feel this? Does she even know she's moving so much? No she can’t feel I’m hard she’s too drunk. Fuck please don’t realize, shit. He wrapped his arms tighter around you, subtly trying to press you up against him more. What are you doing there’s people around! Fuuuuuck, you moved a little just as he pulled you flush to his chest and now he was situated right between your cheeks, pressure coming from all sides. He snapped his head when he heard you hum, could you actually feel him? Were you doing this on purpose? 

Suddenly you turned your head and before he even had a chance to think about it your lips were on his in a hard kiss. As you broke apart he pulled away to frantically look around, Will and Winter were no longer next to you, he noticed them at the drinks table, now talking to Suzie, everyone else were in conversation all in their own worlds, drinking or making smores. Gareth had passed out next to him, Steve listened with a grin as Nancy talked excitedly, Jonathan and Charlotte were whispering to each other, matching smiles as their noses pressed to each others. 

He found your eyes again, looking down at him with a drunken smile, eyes darting down to his lips with your pupils blown wide as glossed over, he gulped. That was a sight he hadn't seen in a long time, the want, need, in your eyes as you looked at him. You leant down again, capturing him in a sloppy kiss, he groaned into your mouth as you wriggled in his lap, turning to face him better. Hands coming up to wrap your arms around his shoulder as you sat twisted to face him. Lips smacking against each other desperately, hands planting firmly on your hips and squeezing, trying to twist you, and pull your chest to his. 

Finally you broke apart with a heavy breath, Eddie's closed eyes opened slowly to admire your face with a smile. Before he had the chance though, you were sliding off him and getting to your feet with a grin, Eddie groaned and toppled over, hands coming to his crotch as his forehead almost nudged his knee. It had been a natural reaction, to cover his boner, now that he had he realised hiding it just made his problem all the more noticeable. He gave Steve the finger as he cackled at him just as you skipped off saying something about getting a drink. 

Clearing his throat he had no other option but to follow his drunken wife, he reached for his sweatshirt that had been hung on the armrest and pulled it over him, making an effort to pull it down low in the front. Reluctantly he pulled himself out of the chair, his slow steps turning into large strides as he saw what you were doing. Within a second he was next to you pulling the bottle of everclear out of your hands “Hey!” you whined as you set your solo cup down. “Babe this is 95% alcohol, and I am not having you throw up all over me tonight” he set the bottle down and gathered you in a hug.

“Mean, you dont wanna take care of me? I see how it is” you joked as you made a show of untangling yourself from him, only making Eddie hold onto you tighter. “Of course I wanna take care of you” I’ll show you how fucking good I can take care of you “But I’d rather have you not throw up if I can” you made a mocking whine which caused a chuckle bubble up from Eddies chest. 

“Let's get you some juice or something yeah?” he grinned down at you as you nodded “Jesus christ all these drinks and not a single thing alcohol free” he frowned as he inspected the table, all the mixers now gone. “There's some cartons inside” Dustin chipped in “Thanks dude”.

So Eddie was turning you in his arms to hold at your hips as he led you steadily up to the house, laughing as you stumbled and almost tripped over your own feet, slowly he led you up the steps and through the door. “Okay” he breathed as he walked you to the kitchen island, wrapping his arms around your waist and lifting you up to sit on the wood “Oh my god!” you squealed as he lifted you “I forgot you could do that! Do it again!” you squealed. Eddie shushed you quietly “I will if you keep your voice down a little, the kids are asleep downstairs” he pecked your lips as he turned to open the fridge “Oh riiiight” you leaned towards his back with an exaggerated whisper. 

Just as Eddie turned he saw you about to fall over the edge, shooting a hand out to catch your arm, placing the juice on the table and coming around to hold onto both your arms and coax you upright. “Ok my little fall risk whose like a newborn baby that can't support its head” you snorted loudly as Eddie grabbed the juicebox next to you and poked the straw through the seal. Legs pressing up against the table to stand between your thighs, keeping you sitting up “Here, drink this” he held out the juicebox to you, which you took and drank all within one breath, slurping noises within the carton as you finished it. 

Wiping your mouth you looked back up to him with a wide grin, collapsing into his chest and mushing your cheek to the green fabric. Eddie chuckled as his hands came to circle your back “I think it's time for you to go to bed yeah?” he whispered as you pushed yourself closer to him humming in agreement “But you have to carry me” Eddie laughed. He hadn’t carried you for a while, but he’d like to think he was still strong enough, lean muscles hidden under all his clothes from hard work at the auto shop. The only thing was that you were very drunk and he was afraid he’d drop you. “Ok” he whispered, marvelling in your giggle as he bent his knees and wrapped his arms around your thighs, throwing you over his shoulder. 

“What? You told me to carry you” he drummed on your ass as he began walking past the dining table earning a drunken laugh from you. 

Somehow he managed to make it up the stairs and down the hall, throwing you playfully onto the bed, just as he was about to pull away from you to stand up two hands fisted at his sweatshirt, pulling him onto the bed sloppily as your lips connected to his. As you continued kissing him he moved, never disconnecting his lips from yours as he lay himself between your thighs. 

His brain stopped as he heard your soft moan against him as he pushed himself flush against your clothed cunt. He needed to hear that sound again. He thrusted his hips hard against yours to hear your moan again this time slightly louder, quick to muffle it by kissing you harder. One of his hands on your hips travelled quickly under your hoodie to first at your breast over your bra. FUUUUUCKKK he hadn’t gotten to feel your tits in so long and now that he did it felt like fucking heaven. 

Grabbing onto you desperately as he set a pace of thrusting his hard cock against you, sloppily swiping his tongue against yours. Soft groans and moans from both of you muffled by each other as you made out. Eddie couldn't begin to explain how good this felt, kissing you, touching you, it was too much for him. His pace quickened against you as you pulled at his hair, other hand pulling at the hem of his sweatshirt. Getting the hint he sat up on his calves to rip his shirts off, cock throbbing with eagerness as your hands travelled lightly over his happy trail, past his stomach and up his chest, hand grabbing at his neck pulling him back to you. 

His lips connected to yours again as he cupped your face and let your hand trail up his side and grip at his shoulder. He pulled away to breathe, staring down at your face, eyes blown wide and filled with lust, kiss bitten lips, hips squirming for friction against him. You were drunk, he knew he shouldn't be doing this when you were drunk but he couldn't help himself, he hadn't felt you in ages and now that he’d gotten a taste he couldn't stop himself. 

Sitting up again he pulled at your hoodie, urging you to sit up so he could pull it off you, nimble fingers eagerly unclipping your bra before pushing you back against the bed. Breath cut short as his nose pushed against your cheek and his lips connected to yours. His hips gave a particularly hard thrust as his hand went back to squeezing at your now naked breast, barbell piercing pinched between his fingers as his other hand propped him up, causing you to moan against him as the zipper of his jeans caught against your clit, igniting a fire within your core you hadn't felt for a while. 

Your moan egged him on to thrust even harder as his lips relentlessly kissed yours. He heard a knock at the door but chose to ignore it, he had you here, in your bed for the week, topless, kissing him, moaning for him, wanting him, there was nothing he would do to stop this moment. The knock came again and he pulled away yelling an angry “WHAT?!” into the room. Aggravated and annoyed that there was something outside of this room, the world that had stopped around him, that needed him more than you did right now, more than he needed you. 

It showed on his face, the annoyance which dropped immediately as well as his heart as he heard the low scared whisper “Daddy?” his forehead dropped to yours as he closed his eyes, breathing out a sigh “Yeah?” he called without moving from his comfortable position against you. “Um.. I peed” the voice whispered shamefully, Roxette on the other side of the door, no doubt clutching her teddy bear close to her as she called for her dad. 

Eddie sighed against you as you let out a low giggle, the whole situation was kind of funny. Eddie straining against his jeans and boxers, frustrated and only thinking of you naked below him and his daughter interrupting to tell him she peed herself. 

“Coming!” he moved slightly above you, staring down in to your eyes as he whispered “Don't go anywhere I’ll be right back” a hard kiss to your lips as he scrambled off you, making no effort to cover his bare chest as he walked to the door, opening it and slipping out you heard Roxy on the other side of the door ask curiously “Where’s mom?” “Uh she’s sleeping”. Boner gone, and everything else that surrounded you, gone for the moment as he took his daughter into the bathroom, placing her in the shower as he ran to retrieve a fresh change of clothes and bedding in your room, groaning as he saw you now on the bed in only a pair of panties. Rushing as fast as he could to change the sheets, his daughter and then soak them all off and hang them up outside to dry. 

The five minutes he thought it would take stretched to a near half hour as he was caught up having to explain to multiple people why he was hanging bedding up and then staying with Roxette as she begged him to stay till she drifted off. 

Finally he made it back to your room, taking a heavy breath in preparation before opening the door, heart dropping as he found you naked atop the covers, on your side, and fast asleep. 

He loved his daughters but could they be more of a cockblock?! He went through the same motions as yesterday, tucking you in and shuffling in next to you to wrap his arms around you. He had to remind himself that there were five days left of this trip, plenty of opportunities to get you alone.

You woke up confused, head throbbing and.. naked? Why were you naked? You frowned as you tried to remember last night: Getting dressed and feeling insecure, shots, talking to Eddie about it, more drinking, something in the kitchen and oh right you and Eddie made out shirtless but you couldn't remember anything else. “Hey Eddie” you nudged the man behind you who groaned “Eds” your shook him slightly “What?” he grumbled behind you “Did we have sex last night?” you turned in his arms to face him as he opened his eyes “We were about to but Roxette peed herself” he murmured, there was a hint of annoyance and frustration in his voice as he recounted last nights events before nuzzling into your shoulder and pulling you tighter against him. “Oh” you breathed as you hand found his back, “Total cockblock” he mumbled against your skin drawing a snort from your throat.

So you were about to have sex with Eddie last night, for the first time in over six months. You found as you thought about it that you weren’t totally against that idea, it felt strange thinking about it, for so long you’d set up walls to block him out and now you felt like you didn't want them there anymore. They were in your way. 

A knock at the door pulled you out of your thoughts “Just a minute baby!” you called as you scrambled to get away from Eddie, turning to look down at the floor, Eddie's Metallica t-shirt that lay inside his sweatshirt was the closest, you hastily pulled it to you, throwing it over your head as you sat up against the headboard. “Yeah come in!” you called to the door as you felt Eddie's hand fall limp on your thigh. 

Ophelia and Roxette shuffled through the door, Ophelia going straight for her clothes and Roxette climbed onto the bed, laying her head in your lap and onto Eddie's hand. “Dad moooove” she shoved at his hand as he grunted in his sleep, flicking his hand in an attempt to move her head away “Daaad” she whined as she pushed at his hand, his hand slid down to hold your knee instead. 

“I heard you had a little accident, you ok baby?” you stroked her hair as she settled back in your lap “Mm peed myself” she pouted “But no one saw so I think its ok” she told you. “And your dad cleaned you up you ungrateful” Eddie mumbled the rest of his sentence into the pillow as he rolled onto his stomach. “Oh, yeah dad helped” 

Soon enough everyone was dressed and downstairs, “So!” Dustin clapped his hands together, gaining the attention of the room “Today is waterpark day!” he referred to the plan he had already set in place. Kids excitedly shovelling food into their mouths after the walkthrough of the day before running to their parents rooms to get dressed and ready. 

Roxy was very excited about her new swimsuit, a blue flowery two piece with a blouse resembling top, but huffed when Eddie told her to come over so he could put sunscreen on her before they went out because she’d want to jump in the water as soon as they got to the waterpark. 

Bags were packed, cars were started and everyone changed as 10 cars and two minivans rolled out onto the road. Setting up camp in a cluster of beach chairs under parasols plans were made. All the kids were very excited, making it quite difficult to get them all gathered and keep them from running off. “Mom I don’t wanna wear the floaters!” Roxette whined as you blew the arm puffs up for her. “Baby you have to” popping the cap closed you started with the other “But Ophelia doesn’t have hers!” She stomped on the ground “Yeah but Ophelia's older she knows how to swim” you explained as you coaxed her over to stand between you knees “I can swim too! No! I don’t wanna!” She ripped her arm away from you as you held it “Baby look a bunch of the other ones are wearing them” you pointed over at the other parents putting arm puffs on their own kids, Eddie stood nearby lathering sunscreen on your eldest. “Fine!” She whined as she let you pull one up her forearm “Be good and you’ll get an ice cream later” you grinned as her face broke out into a toothy smile “Ok!” She happily accepted her fate and let you put the other arm puff on her. 

Argyle and Eden excitedly signed up for chaperoning the kids as well as Robin and a cautious Vickie, Lukas, Mike, Dustin and Suzie joining in as they set off with the kids for a waterslide, Steve and Eddie telling them they would catch up with them. 

You, Nancy, Simone, Tracy, her daughter Ariana, El, Max and Charlotte all huddled together on the beach chairs, lounging as you looked over the waterpark. Will and Winter walked off to get some fancy waterpark drinks that caught their eye as Eddie, Steve, Luke, Gareth and Jeff looked over the map of the waterpark. 

“Oh what a beautiful day!” Nancy smiled brightly as she sat down with baby Dustin in her lap, Simone undid her beach wrap and sat down in a cheeky black bathing suit with straps lining up to her hips, halter top neckline with an open back. “Oh it is hot!” she commented as a few of the other girls cheered at her. “We really doing bathing suits?” Charlotte asked cautiously “Oh come on girls we don't know these people who cares?” Simone smiled brightly as she took her sunglasses off and dropped them onto her wrap on the ground, “Yeah you're right who cares? I've been working on this six pack all spring!” Charlotte pulled her cover up off, thrusting her pregnant belly for show under her punch pink pregnancy dress bathing suit “Yeah baby got front!” she laughed as the girls cheered her on, “Come on Y/N its your turn to strip!” she grinned as she sat back down “Oh no I don't know” you shyed away. 

The swimsuit you were wearing today was not one you were extremely comfortable in, it had been a gift from your friend and you brought it with you just in case, but your bikini had been haphazardly shoved into a ball in your room out of sight and out of mind and therefore not washed deeming it unwearable as it began to smell. This one was a blood red one piece instead, the hem was high on your hips and practically a thong at the back, low cut in the back and round cups pushing your tits together above an upside down triangle showcasing some skin and the undersides of your boobs. “Oh come on! Like Simone said no one cares!” Nancy grinned as she clapped, the others joining in and clapping along. “Oh ok!” they cheered as you stood up and made a show of dropping your towel and filing it onto your chair, even going as far as a little spin. 

Not far away Gareth whistled, causing the group of guys bent over the map to look up, Eddie with his back to you asked “What?” following Gareth's eyes, turning around to see you throwing your towel away and spinning around. He swallowed. Have I seen that before? I don't think so, is it new? his eyes scanned your body, cheeky thong tucked between your ass cheeks, tits pushed together round. “You sure you still set on this marriage thing? Cuz if not I’ll happily take her off your hands. Get her on her knees for me.” Eddie turned back around to see Gareth grinning. 

“Alright that's enough” Eddie lunged “No!” Gareth screeched as he ducked and took off towards you all, scuttling between plastic lounge chairs to stand behind yours which you now occupied. Eddie stopped by your feet as Gareth hopped from side to side “What’s going on?” you asked confused, other girls chiming in as Eddie matched Gareth's movements “If you say one more word I will personally see to it that you're six feet under by the end of the day” Eddie gritted through his teeth. “Eddie!” you shouted, shocked at his words. 

Gareth suddenly became bold “Nah you're too much of a softy” he grinned as he stilled and leaned over the back of your chair, making a show of peeping down you to look at your tits “HEY! Stop looking at my wife!” he shouted, making you turn in confusion to look up at Gareth who quickly disappeared out of view as he ran again. Eddie followed him shouting “You wanna see how much of a softy I am?!” and just like that both of them were out of sight. 

You turned back to the rest “What was that?” they all shrugged telling you how they had no clue, you sighed and stood up walking over to Steve. “Can you tell me what's going on?” you crossed your arms, sweet Steve looking you directly into the eye as he awkwardly murmured “Uh Gareth said some things that upset Eddie so” he shrugged “What did he say?” you frowned “Uh you don't wanna know” Steve brought a hand up to rub at his stubble. Rolling your eyes you walked off in search of Eddie, who was now running through a children's pool. 

“Eddie!” you shouted sternly causing him to stop in his tracks and turn to you “Come here” you stated frustrated. Eddie turned to Gareth who also stood frozen, back to you, to Gareth and finally back to you. He sighed and trudged towards you. 

“What the hell is going on?” you crossed your arms again, watching as Gareth faking nonchalance walked off behind him. “Gareth uh was just annoying me” he brought a hand up to scratch at the back of his neck “So you chase him?” you inquired “Well yeah” Eddie turned to give Gareth an angry glare as he neared the group again. He set his gaze back onto you, your facial expression telling him that that wasn't an answer and urging him to explain “Ugh, he, he just kept saying some things, and I told him to stop and he still didn't” he set his hands onto your hips as he looked down on you. 

“What stuff?” you asked exasperated, Eddie opened his mouth “And don’t tell me I don’t want to know” you held a finger up to him, his mouth closed again, you could see his brain working to think of something to say “Just, well some things about your body” your face softened into scared hurt, Eddie understood instantly that you though Gareth had been making fun of you, your size, but he didnt know how to explain “Fuck sake, he kept saying how he was gonna” he closed his eyes annoyed “Fuck you and shit” he breathed. 

The snort that left your throat caused him to open them again “Baby, just because he says that doesn't mean it's gonna happen” you placed a soft hand on his cheek. Immediately his mind brought up Greg, stupid fucking Greg who had him doubting himself. -doesn’t mean it's gonna happen, doesn’t mean it's gonna happen, doesn’t mean it's gonna happen. He softened against your touch, nothing was going to happen, not with Greg, not with Gareth, not with anybody. “I know” he sighed, more of an admittance to himself  “I just don't like him talking to you about that” he continued as he stepped closer to you, leaning further into your touch “Yeah well he's a pig, but it's just harmless stupid jokes baby” you leant up on your toes to give him a kiss. 

“I’m only for you remember” you held your hand up to him, wiggling your fingers up to show off your engagement ring and wedding band.

Eddie hummed, why was he ever worried? You were his, you were married to him, had his babies, you’d been with him since you were 16 and him 17 for god's sake. Maybe it was the time spent together that had him worrying you had gotten bored of him, but no, it was the time together that only made the two of you stronger. You’d always been attached at the hip, stuck to each other like glue since his first senior year. Yeah you had your rough patches but you always found your way back to each other in the end.

Taking your hand and placing a kiss to the back of it before kissing your lips. “Now come on, you can buy me a gelato cuz it's too damn hot out here” you grinned as you took his hand. “Mm know something that's hotter” he snapped the elastic at your hip against your skin as he captured your lips in a kiss again.

Rejoining the group you stood with Eddie behind you, whose hands wrapped around your waist as his chin dropped to your shoulder. “Gareth, you're disgusting” you sneered “Anybody want ice cream?” you grinned to the rest, Eddie snorted behind you as the rest laughed. Soon enough you were back in your lounge chair leaning onto Eddie's chest as you sat between his thighs, happily eating your gelato while talking to Tracy, Ariana and Max. 

You had so much fun going on slides with Eddie and the kids, throwing Roxette around in the water, your two girls fighting to get the other off each parents shoulders, slurping on ice cream, chatting with everyone and it wasn't as hard as you'd all though getting each kid into their respective car and away from the fun, all exhausted from the day and ready to go home.  Dinner had been munching on whatever snacks there were around the house as kids were put to bed by nightfall.

“Damn forgot to brush my teeth” Eddie sighed as he walked into the bedroom with a towel low on his hips, tattoos on display under the same gold light Eddie had seen you in. “Ok well I’m dying for a shower so you're gonna have to do that while I’m in there” you told him as you brushed past him in a throw over beach dress, bathing suit still on. You didn't see Eddie grin behind your back as you clutched your toiletry bag on your way down the hall, quickly snapping up his things before following you.

“Oh I don't mind” he breathed as he caught up to you, you turned, rolling your eyes at him playfully as you pushed open the door, locking it after letting Eddie through, “Think I can join you?” he grinned down at you as the hand not clutching his toothbrush and toothpaste came to rest on your hip “Pretty sure you just showered baby” you smiled as you pulled away from him, pulling your dress over your head as Eddie flung his things into the sink. “Mm can’t be too clean sweetheart” he smirked as he crowded you from behind. “I’ll let you join me if you just think about this first” you turned around “You really wanna have sex for the first time in a shower in a home that's not even ours?” you began pulling the straps of your bathing suit down. 

Eddie looked off into the distance thinking it over “No you're right” he sighed “Wait wait wait, you're saying we're gonna have sex?” His eyes found you eagerly as you stripped of your bathing suit and stepped into the shower, looking back with a cheeky smirk. Eddie groaned and fell back against the sink as you turned the water off. Fuck… YES! It was happening! It was really fucking happening! 

You pulled the shower curtain closed, putting you out of view as Eddie turned and began brushing his teeth. He sat down on the toilet lid waiting for you to finish and it felt like the time droned on forever, even though it was just 10 minutes. His head perked up excitedly as you stepped out, reaching for your folded towel on the counter and wrapping yourself up in it. “Ugh fuck you’re so sexy” Eddie breathed against your ear as he wrapped around you from behind, you giggled as you picked up your stuff and unlocked the door. Walking slowly down the hall Eddie pressed his painfully hard cock against you, the evidence of the daydreaming he had been doing while you were in the shower. 

“Can't wait to get my hands on you” he whispered as you made your way down the hall. Eddie wasted absolutely no time as you got to your room, pulling the towel off you and letting it drop to the floor. Eyes roaming the various ink splatters littered over your body, shining oh so beautifully in the dim light of the room, soaking in every inch of your undeniably perfect body. “Funny I’m usually the loud one but I have a sneaking suspicion you might beat me to it this time” you grinned as you let his towel fall to the floor. “Oh do you now?” his hands went down to grab a handful of your ass “Mhm you're gonna have to be quiet” you whispered as he captured your lips in a kiss.

Blindly he led you backwards till the backs of your knees hit the mattress, falling onto it, instinctively spreading your legs to make room for Eddie. “Fuck” he made an audible groan as his hard cock came in contact with you slick wet folds, pressing into you. “Ugh fuck I’m not gonna last long baby” he breathed as he broke apart from you “Would be surprised if you did” you panted as Eddies lips began kissing down your jaw and throat, lingering on occasion to suck harsh bruises into your skin, more than on occasion, he seemed to be doing it with every kiss.

You let out a breathless moan as his lips wrapped around your pebbled nipple, sucking lightly as his hand came up to give similar attention to the other. Two metal balls cold on his muscle as he licked at your pierced nips. He didn’t hover there long though, he continued his descent kissing down your body till he slid to his knees on the floor, hands wrapping strong around your hips to pull you to the edge as he kissed your things. 

“Ughhhh fuck I’ve missed this” he groaned as he spread your folds “Missed sex or missed staring at my pussy?” You grinned down at him as you sat up on your elbows, he looked up at you mischievously “Both” and without warning he dove in, licking a broad strip from your hole up to your clit. Your head fell back as a moan ripped through you, you know Eddie had taken to pleasuring himself but above not doing anything with Eddie you weren’t doing anything alone, the feeling of Eddie's warm tongue rolling through you a second time was almost overwhelming. 

A third long lick before he focused on your clit, shorter even licks right in the nub had you gripping the sheets. His lips wrapped around you, sucking hard as his tongue flicked up and down, your hand came to snake between his damp curls and tug harshly causing Eddie to groan as he went faster. 

“Shit baby, we- we gotta be quiet” you forced out a strained whisper between pants as the vice grip on Eddie's roots tightened, all Eddie did was hum in response as one of the hands snaked around the backs of your thighs holding you to him lifted. The hand that had previously been gripping onto the bed sheets for purchase whipped away to hold a tight fist against your lips, biting down hard on your knuckles as you felt a long thick finger slip easily into you. 

“Mm fuck” you whined against it as he pushed a second in, pumping in and out furiously as his tongue flicked at an angry pace. Just as you were about to open your mouth to say something a harsh knock sounded at the door. Startling both you and Eddie as he pulled his mouth off you, head dropping down to rest his head on your mound “You gotta be fucking kidding me” he gritted through his teeth. 

You took a deep sigh as you slackened your grip on his hair, other hand coming down to the sheets to half push yourself up. “Hang on baby, mommy’ll be right there” you called strained to the door as Eddie knocked his head on your mound, the hair tickling his forehead, fingers still deep inside you. “Uh it’s just me, Steve” a deep voice sounded from the other side. 

“Oh” you fell back down on the bed, “Uh yeah?” you managed to even out your voice as you spoke, “No no don’t come in!” You shouted as you saw the doorknob turn, hand held out in the direction of the door as if to stop him. You sighed as it flung back into place “Uh I was just looking for Eddie” he tried keeping his voice down as he called through the door “What do you want?” Eddie hollered as he raised his head, irritation dripping from his voice “I was just gonna talk to you about uh my car, we talked about it earlier” 

“Yeah yeah I’ll take a look at it tomorrow” he set his chin pushing down onto the sparse hair on your mound again as he looked over to the door Aalright great I was just-“ “Steve I’ll be knuckle deep in your car tomorrow right know I’m knuckle deep in something else” he called, the offended gasp you let out as you scolded him “Edward!” with a light slap to the back of his head only had him grinning up at you smug. “Haha alright dude see ya tomorrow” Steve laughed on the other side as he heard the smack “Ok BYE Steve!” Eddie almost shouted. 

You both listened intently as you heard heavy footsteps lead away from the door “Eddie rea- ooooh shit” you broke off as Eddie set his lips back onto you, pumping his fingers in and out of you equally as fast if not faster than he had before, resuming his tackle on your clit as if nothing had happened. 

With each pump he worked faster and faster until his hand was working at an angry pace to get you to the edge, your hand pulled harder at his hair as you writhed beneath him turning to sink your teeth into the comforter. You whined as you felt that familiar feeling boil in your core, only egging Eddie on as he sucked harder. 

“Fuck I’m-I’m c-close” you whined as your hips inched away from him, Eddies fingers sinking into your skin in a bruising grip and forcing you back to him “Shit shit shit!” was all the warning as a spray of warm liquid hit him in the face, causing him to reel back. Watching in awe as you drenched his neck, chest and hand into a furious squirt. 

Within seconds it slowed to a stop as well as Eddie's fingers as he watched you panting heavily in front of him. Eyes bulging he watched as the hand that had previously ripped away from his hair to grip the sheets and fall slack next to you as you sunk into the mattress panting heavily. “Holy fuck” he breathed as he himself panted, getting to his feet and looming over you, hand falling out to keep him raised off you as his other held your shoulder gently, smoothing over your skin as he went to cup your cheek, capturing your lips in a desperate kiss, pausing your panting to kiss him back. 

The skin previously dried from his shower now soaking pressing against you as he fell onto you, both hands coming up to hold you in place as he pulled you to him, head lifting from the bed to meet him. The long kiss broke apart and you fell back onto the bed, breathing slowing as you gathered yourself. 

“Scootch up baby” Eddie whispered as he pushed himself off you “Hm?” You hummed as you opened your eyes, hands pushing into the patterned throw as you pushed yourself off the foot of the bed and up to land against the pillows. Eddie crawled up the bed, hand pushing softly to part your knees and make room for him. 

Finally your daze melted away as you looked up to find Eddie on his calves, hand wrapped around his throbbing cock as he stared down at you in awe, slowly pumping himself, each stroke revealing his angry red tip dribbling a hefty amount of precum. 

You chuckled breathlessly “Don’t want me to return the favour?” Eddie shook his head furiously as he toppled over to rest on top of you “Uh uh” he breathed and without warning lined himself up with you thrusting himself into the hilt. He let out a loud groan while you gasped in surprise. “Aaahahahuuuuh fuck” he complained breathlessly as the hand on his cock slithered up to grab at your hip. 

“Shiiit feel so good baby” his breath fanned against your ear as he buried his face in your shoulder, setting a slow pace of his hips, lips attaching back to your neck. The low whine of your throat only made Eddie speed his hips up “Baby, s-s’too big” Eddie laughed as you whined “Mm been a while?” he pulls his face out of the crook of your neck to grin down at you. As you roll your eyes Eddie plants both of his hands just below your armpits, leaning down to kiss you as he places one hard thrust into your hips, the head of his cock hitting that spot inside you he liked to call the danger zone for some stupid reason, actually the reason being that it either caused you incredibly pleasure, or incredible pain depending on what position you were in. This particular position was the former, and it showed as you moaned loudly against him. 

Braking off the kiss he moved a hand to plaster over your mouth as he thrusted another hard thrust, somehow managing to hit even deeper inside you, his head nuzzling back into the crook of your neck to leave bruises all along the expanse of your throat. Muffling the second loud moan as your eyes rolled to the back of your skull, mouth dropping in pure pleasure. Eddie hummed in agreement as he thrusted again “Mhm yeah thats the spot, fuck” he was now setting a slow pace of hard thrusts, each time inching deeper inside you as your hands pulled angrily at the roots of his locks. 

Your left hand moved from the grip near his neck to circle around his arm, fingers pressing harshly into the skin of his shoulder, nails digging in to leave small crescent moons into the inked slightly tanned skin. The same tattoo which had Eddie moaning in something other than pleasure as he first lay down on his back after a five hour appointment, complaining that he had to lay on his stomach till it healed. 

Now as you touched the ink Eddie only groaned as your nails scratched at his shoulder blades, hard thrust transitioning to quick smacks of his hips against yours, skin slapping against skin. That would have been the only sound apart from moans that would have been heard if it weren't for “Eddie the bed” you panted as the old wood and springs began squeaking with each of Eddie's movements. “You know how many beds I had to listen to rattling last night?” he pulled away from his attack on your reddening neck to stare down at you, panting between each word “Yeah it's our turn” he dove back in to suck hard at your collarbone. 

His hips were now at a furious pace, how he hadn't cum already he had absolutely no clue but somehow he had managed to hold off. That was until he felt your walls squeeze tightly around him, the burning in his belly he’d been ignoring became reality all too quickly. Hips working faster as he pulled off your collar to look back at you, hand still collapsed over your mouth, neck craned back into the pillow to match your eyes practically looking at the back wall. “Fuck ba- shit” he broke off in a groan as you squeezed harder around him “S-Sweetheart, n-not gonna last loOoong!” he tried to whisper but failed miserably as your ankles locked behind him pressing him further into you. 

Bed squeaking, skin slapping, throats groaning and moaning in blinding pleasure echoed all around the room as Eddie's movement stopped, bottoming out inside you in a loud groan as hot spurts of cum painted your walls. 

For minutes both of you just lay panting, a jumble of limbs as both of you tried to catch your breath. It was nice, lying tangled up with Eddie, naked and sweaty, totally counteracting your shower but it was nice, until it got too hot. You pushed Eddie off you, a reluctant grunt sounding from the back of his throat as he pulled out “Where you going?” he whispered as he felt a dip in the bed next to him while he lay eyes closed on his back. “Gonna open a window it's boiling in here” you stepped cautiously over the floorboards as you opened the old window, sighing as cool night air hit your skin. You looked back to see Eddie fucked out and spent with his eyes still closed on the bed and awkwardly picked up one of the towels discarded on the floor and whipped yourself off. 

Eddie peeked his eyes open as he saw you walk over to the duffle bags, dropping both towels on the bench “You-you getting dressed?” there was a hint of nervousness to his voice as he sat up, as if the prospect of you putting clothes on was like you closing yourself off again. “Relax I’m just putting on some underwear” you chuckled as you fished out a pair of forest green brazilians and pulled them over your legs. 

Eddie fell back against the bed again, laughing as he felt a pair of clean boxers hit his face. Pulling them on he hopped back onto the bed with a wide grin, beaming at you like a child receiving a bag of candy or their favourite toy. “What's got you so happy?” you chuckle as you nestle up to him, pushing his hands away as he was about to wrap them around you, turning to lay on your side and rest your head on his chest instead of his face buried  in your shoulder. 

“Oh you know my stock shares went up” his joke earned a laugh as he held your waist and trailed his fingers up and down your arm. The giggle you let out had his smile cracking wider and his arms holding you to him tighter. “Yup I stiiill got it” he smirked as you slapped his chest lightly. 

For once it seemed neither of you were woken by any distractions, Eddie roused slowly face mushed against your hair as he pulled back to see that during the night the both of you must have moved and he was now back to spooning you just like every other night. As the numb feeling of sleep tingled away he squeezed his fingers to find his hand cupping your breast. He chuckled as he heard the low whine from your throat, the sound jogging his memory. 

Oh fuck, hed gotten to touch you, fuck you, even made you squirt! That wasn't even something normal when you were having sex on a regular basis. Memories of being inside you, a tangle of legs, you pulling at his hair, sucking at your neck, all swam to the forefront of his mind. Leaning over he found himself stunned by the amount of deep purple and brown hickies that littered your skin, he couldn't even count them on his fingers Jesus Christ. Dark marks going all the way from just below your jaw all the way down to an inch or so away from your nipples, when did he even have time to do all that?

He was torn from his thoughts as you stirred, turning in his grasp to lay on your back, eyes slowly opening to see Eddie hovering above you, dopey grin painting his face. Your hands went up to the hem of the comforter when you frowned, lifting it up you peeked at what was hidden, frown dissipating to realisation as you whispered an “Oh right” which had Eddie snorting and dropping his forehead on to yours. 

“Mm morning handsome” you hummed as his lips pulled away from a deep passionate kiss “Morning beautiful” he croaked, head pulling back in shock “Beautiful” he croaked again, voice strained, he cleared his throat “Beautiful, there we go” he laughed as you giggled, those sweet noises once again having his heart doing flips in his chest. 

“So beach day again or you wanna do something else? Dustin mentioned a hike” Eddie rolled off you to lie on his back as you propped yourself up on an elbow next to you “Hmm well I am torn, can either watch you hopp around in that sad little excuse for a bathing suit you wore yesterday or stare at you ass in those bike shorts, it really is a tough decision” he grinned down at you, snorting you told him “Well my regular bikini is all dry now so don't worry you don't have to watch me hopp around in that other one” Eddie shrugged “Probably for the best, not easy hiding a boner in swim trunks, trust me” he widened his eyes. 

Ophelia and Roxette strolled in not much later to find Eddie getting dressed as you had wandered off to the bathroom. 

“Why are you wearing a hoodie? It's like 90° outside” Lucas threw his hands out as he plopped down next to you on the couch, everyone eating an assortment of fruit, cereal and toast. Eddie snorted from the other side of the table which had both of you turning towards him, Lucas with a confused frown and you with a warning glare “I’m just cold” you explained weakly “How on earth are you cold?” Mike sat down on the arm of the chair El was occupying. “Uh I just am?” “Oh come on, just take it off” Mike shrugged. 

“I-I’d rather not” you tried taking a bite of your toast to signal the end of the conversation, “Yeah she's gotta hide those massive hickies” Gareth sauntered over to hang of the back of Eddie's armchair taking an animalistic bit of a baconstrip “Not doing a good job by the way” you pulled the hood up further around your neck as the people around the living room area all turned to you. “Whats a hickey?” Jonathan's son Charlie piped up “Oh it's like a-” “Gareth” you turned to him to glare at him too who held his hands up in defeat “It's just a bruise sweetie, like when you fall and hurt yourself” Charlotte waddled over to pat her son on the head, everyone on the couch scooching up to make room for the pregnant lady. 

“Eh no one cares babes just take your hoodie off, you must be boiling” Charlotte smiled happily as she waved you off next to you, sighing you set your plate down and pulled the hoodie over your head, “Jesus christ!” the room erupted in laughter as near 20 hickeys in a steady flow down to the hem of your tanktop was revealed. You forced a straight tight lipped smile and gestured your hands out. Gareth slapped Eddie on his shoulder as he laughed “Didn’t know you had it in ya big guy” chuckling he stood up straight behind him “Mm thanks” Eddie grumbled as he finished the rest of his cereal. 

“Seriously what did you guys do yesterday?” Mike laughed, “Didn't you hear them?” Gareth imitated a high pitched version of a bed squeaking as you curled in on yourself. Roxette hurried over and climbed into you lap as she laughed “What is uncle Gareth doing?” the supposed uncle in question was in the midst of thrusting his hips back and forth, thankfully not making any lude imitations of moans “He's just being silly” you explained as you wrapped your arms around her. “Oh god” you sighed amused as Charlie and Lucas's son Billy copied Gareth's movements “Would you please refrain from teaching my kid that stuff? He’s four” Charlotte complained as she grabbed her son by the arm and yanked him to her “Yeah dude stop, no one wants to see that shit” Lucas chimed in. 

Soon enough almost everyone was outside gathered by the beach, save from Charlotte who went inside to rest, Jonathan following her and trusting Dustin to keep an eye on his kids. Blankets and towels were spread out in the sand and grass as the same group from the first day lounged on the chairs now back in their place from bonfire night. Kids splashed in the water as well as adults, some lying tanning in the sun or forcing sunscreen onto stroppy children. 

Roxette and Ophelia ran up jumping excitedly as you pulled your shorts down to tan, begging you to come jump off the jetty with them. After some faux complaining and getting a rise out of Roxy you agreed, laughing as they ran off in front of you. Walking past Eddie caught his attention immediately, the rim of the beer bottle he was holding falling away from his lips as it seemed that the world stopped around him and watching you move in slow motion. Teeth showing in a happy laugh, fingers wrapped around the hem on each side of your bikini bottoms, securing them to your hips, thick thighs rubbing against each other with each step, tits in a soft bounce from your movements. Faded ink tattoos mixed with fresher ones glittering in the sunlight as it sat high up in the sky. The quick one second of a flash of a smile towards him was the equivalent of an hour as you turned and continued walking. 

The laughter and chatter died around him as if he was submerged under water simply listening to the sounds of the ocean. In the back of his mind he thought he may have cooled down with his rapid heart beat and tensing in his thighs whenever he was around you in anything close to the line of modesty after you’d finally had sex, but no. If anything his heart was beating even faster than it had before in his life, not even the muffling of his chest could hide the beats from sounding out around him, much less hide the feeling of his swim shorts tightening around him. 

Sitting up straight from his wide legged slackened position he stared in awe at the plush thickness of your thighs, to your concealed mound up to the soft rolls of your tummy, slight jiggle of the fat around your arms and bounce of your tits, and Oh. My. God. As he zoned in on the particular area which consumed his mind most of the time he saw those faint outlines of hearts, pressing against the lavender fabric, had it not been for the sun beating down on you he most definitely would have seen the shape of your hardened nipples framed so perfectly by those little diamond encrusted silver hearts. 

Since this morning you had switched your nipple piercings, at some point, without his knowledge, and he knew you knew those little hearts were his absolute favourite of all the body modifications you had. She’s put those on for me. The hearts disappeared out of his view as you veered off to the small wooden dock, the globes of your ass swaying from side to side with every step you took, following your girls down as they desperately jumped up and down in waiting for you. 

Just as quick as the moment came, it was gone, as he watched you disappear under the surface of the water, cannonballing in with a large splash, Roxette eagerly on your tail, copying you and cannonballing in only a few inches away from your face. You laughed as you splashed her back, clapping as Ophelia too resurfaced. 

“Yo you listening to me?” Gareth slapped Eddie's arm in an attempt to regain his attention, not having noticed you walking by, he turned away from the small dots of your heads floating in the distance. “Hm? Oh right Zander yeah what about him?” Gareth repeated his comment about how their boss at the auto shop had slipped up with a recent purchase that was vital in the repair of a snazzy Rolls Royce he had been working on. 

Eddie's attention drifted way off from the conversation again as he saw you swim up to the ladder and pull yourself up. Water dripping off your body as you shoved your hair out of your face. Time slowed again as you dipped your fingers into the hem of your bottoms, pulling at the fabric to lay back properly over your ass from the water forcing them up to nestle between your cheeks as you jumped into the lake. The action wasn’t graceful, in fact it was far from it, but from the edge of the beach where Eddie sat currently having an out of world experience it was the sexiest, hottest thing he had ever witnessed you doing. Even though he couldn't see it he just knew the skin of your ass would jiggle as the elastic snapped back against it. 

“Seriously dude!” This time Gareth shoved him, almost spilling the beer in the bottle over his lap, most definitely making the little situation with the raging boner straining against the mesh a lot worse had it gone further than sloshing around the neck.

Somehow he managed to regain focus and partake in a conversation which mostly consisted of slagging his boss off, coupled with a few swares which had several moms turning their heads in a glare. And somehow he managed to calm down and let his mind focus on other things as his cock slowly softened beneath the black and blue fabric. 

“So Edward Munson” Steve grinned as he walked over the sand and slapped his friend on the shoulder “Don't let Nancy hear your wife calling you that, she'll start walking around calling me Stephen” he grimaced as Eddie turned from Gareth chuckling at his comment. “Seems something you did was successful” he walked over and sank down into the chair Gareth previously occupied, walking off to answer Jeff calling him over. 

“Seems so” Eddie raised his bottle in a mock cheer as Steve uncapped his own “Seriously dude you gotta tell me how the fuck you manage to hold out that long” he leaned in, deepening his voice so no one could overhear. “What hold out for six months? a hellofalot of polaroids and dirty magazines and taking alleged showers” Eddie’s smirk matched Steves as he chuckled, Steve let out a loud obnoxious snort “No, bro, you're like 40 years old-” “41” Eddie grimaced as he cut him off “Right well 41, I’ve never in my life heard a bed make so much noise, you were going at it for like 30 minutes with constant eek eek eek” it was Eddies turn to snort now as Steve copied Gareth's form of imitating the bed squeaking.

“Do 50 hour weeks at an auto repair shop and maybe you'll catch up to me” Steve laughed as he spread his legs and sunk further into the wood. Ophelia ran up dripping cold water all over him as she hung off the armrest of his chair “What's up rugrat?” Eddie ruffled her already tousled and drenched hair “Dad wanna come play princess with me, Mercy, Louise and Emma? Roxette doesn't want to, says it's for girls. Even though she is one which I don't understand” Ophelia mumbled the last sentence as a low rumble left Eddies chest in the form of a deep chuckle “Not right now sweetheart, daddys talking to Steve right now but maybe later” he offered an apologetic smile towards his daughter. Even though he loved her, he wasn't quite fond of having her smear her moms makeup on his face as he wore a blanket for a dress, he was banished from wearing your dresses since he almost flashed Roxette while jumping on the couch. 

“Okeeey” Ophelia grumbled and ran off to join Steve and Jonathans daughters who were already pulling at Charlottes arms. His gaze turned from his eldest to find you stepping off the jetty and making your way through the sand towards him. It was almost uncharacteristic how quickly he switched from trying not to upset his daughter to hungrily watch you in motion. Sure he drifted off and lost focus sometimes, ok a lot, but this wasn't something normal for him, he didn't even hear as Steve barked out a laugh beside him at the change in demeanour, before he even got a chance to let his eyes drift up and down your body you were stood in front of him, lips moving as you talked but not a single word registering to him. 

He straightened his back and fought with himself as he desperately tried not to let his eyes roam your body and instead look into your eyes giving you his full attention “Huh sorry what?” Steve barked another laugh beside him, you giggled “I just said hi” you reached over behind him to grab your towel on the back of his chair, “Oh hi” Eddie breathed as your tits hovered two inches away from his nose, suddenly all the air had left the sphere around earth and he had to sputter to find his breath.

A pressing matter swam to the front of his mind and ripped him out of his trance “Where's Rocky?” he whipped his head around to look behind you and scan the beach “She’s inside, Arianas showing her the wonders of The Notorious B.I.G” you ran the towel over your head, squeezing the water out of your hair “Great first Tupac now B.I.G, you know I really had hope for her, she was listening to Mötley Crue and everything” the brown bottle raised to his lips as he took a sip of the now luke warm beer, he scrunched his face up in disgust and propped the drink into the sand. 

“Hah relax babe, she still obsessed with Mötley Crue, not that I’m very happy about it, the day she starts fangirling over them is the day I divorce you” Eddie scrunched his face up again, soft lines forming on his nose as his brows furrowed “Im kidding!” you held your hands up. With your towel in your hand and arms out by your sides Eddie was fighting for dear life to keep eye contact with you, if only he had his sunglasses on. 

“Oh yo the car” Steve cut into the admittedly mundane but to Eddie, it was a heart squeezing conversation with his wife “Oh right!” Eddie made to stand up as you moved out of the way, eagerly you took his place as the seat next to you vacated with Steve standing to join him. 

It was your turn to oggle now. 

For the first time since December, watching Eddie pull at the neck of his threadbare t-shirt was exhilarating. Unbeknownst to you you were falling into the exact same trance Eddie had been, where the world fell silent and time stopped. Your eyes widened as you saw the sun bleached fabric float over his skin, inch by inch revealing that faint happy trail and that toned v-line pointed down like an arrow towards the price you were now dying to win over. Toned abs revealed themselves slowly next to a set of sleek inked hips, twigs and vines littered with roses winding down the v-line, roses matching the ones that sat under your right breast, peeking out from under your bra. A demon head and a spider showed on his left peck, hovering above a large majestic dragon protecting its four ribbed eggs, each symbolising a different person he admired and loved deeply, a constant reminder that he never wanted to lose them. Ophelia, Roxette, Wayne and you. 

Tattoo sleeves windled from his shoulders down to his wrists, puppet masters, bats, more dragons, daggers, dice and so much more all woven perfectly together resting under the surface of the soon to be golden brown skin. Formerly pale now tanning shining under the brightness of the sky, reflection of the water sparkling at his sides.

It was your turn to not register a word as Eddie spoke “We’re just gonna go have a look at Steve’s car, I’ll be back in a bit” you felt your neck twist as you followed the collections of tattoos on chiselled muscles past you where a hand dropped his shirt onto the arm of the chair and back behind you, leaning in your chair and twisting uncomfortably to follow the wide spread wings connecting to a female form, organs on show and hands displayed to its side, a tribute to his musical hero and favourite album In Utero by Nirvana. 

You felt like a teenager caught staring at her crush as you whipped around to look back at the beach when both Steve and Eddie turned to look back at you. 

“Dude she was totally checking you out?” Steve slapped him on his chest as they tread through the grass “What? Who?” Eddie turned to see you quickly pull back in your chair “Who do you think idiot?”.

Part 2!

[rachelordwayart]

The other night I had a dream about going out to breakfast with The Blues Brothers. I decided to make that dream come true

[negans-lucille-tblr]

Look What You Made Me Do | Step Dad!Negan | Dark Oneshot

Summary: Negan’s there to welcome home his step-daughter after her first date, but he doesn’t like what she chose to wear, and decides to show her what the consequences of dressing like a slut might be. 

Rating: 18+ (Dark smut)

Pairing(s): Step Dad!Negan x Step Daughter!Rachel

WARNINGS: non con, forced sex, step-incest, dirty talking, p in v, daddy kink, forced blowjob, slapping, victim blaming, forced loss of virginity, mentions of blood, crying during sex, pain

WC: ± 2K A/Ns: This was commissioned by the lovely @ruewritesstuff, and it almost made me feral. So enjoy &lt;3

Negan Masterlist || Want your own commission? Find out more here!

Negan’s fingers bounce on the arm of the couch as he watches the time, the second hand on the clock ticking around, the minute hand drawing closer and closer to the twelve. The house is practically silent, not that he’d hear his wife from where he’s sitting, anyway. Their house is fairly large, and there are about four doors closed between them right now. He’d encouraged her to go to bed after her fifth yawn sitting beside him, and he knew it would be a matter of minutes before she was knocked out on the Xanax she needs to take to help her sleep. He’d insisted he could wait up until her daughter returned home from her date, but now he’s growing impatient. 

He hadn’t been there, still stuck in work when whatever college boy showed up to take his eighteen year old step-daughter on a date. What business has some college boy got with her, anyway? Negan’s fairly sure she’s a virgin, and she’s not had a boyfriend that he’s been aware of in the two years he’s been in her life. But then Negan scoffs to himself. Of course a college boy would be interested in a naive, virgin senior. Even Negan finds himself interested. But that’s different, because he’s older and wiser, and he can protect her from all the boys that wanna fuck her and leave her heart broken. The thought of someone taking her innocence away and not even having the common decency to call her back makes his skin crawl. Though, if Negan’s truly honest with himself, maybe that’s just the jealousy talking. What he wouldn’t give to be the one to take her innocence, and he’ll be fucked off if some frat boy beats him to it. 

He hasn’t gotten his dick wet in months. His wife hasn’t shown an interest since she half assed giving him a handjob on his birthday, and the longer he goes only thinking about sinking his cock into someone as tight and warm as his little girl, the more desperate he is for relief. He would go out and find some random slut to fuck, but he wants to save himself for her, just like she’s been saving herself for him; she just doesn’t know it yet. 

Negan’s attention is once again drawn to the clock, and he notices that it’s eleven PM on the dot, and as if on cue, he hears the rumble of a car engine and rises to his feet to see a guy opening his passenger door, and Rachel climbing out of it. She looks good in the mini skirt and shirt she decided to wear, her red hair tied up as Negan imagines wrapping it around his fist as she chokes on his cock, and he grunts when the guy takes her hand and walks her up the garden path to the front door. Negan stalks to the door and opens it just before they can kiss, and he’s secretly elated with his timing, and far less impressed with theirs. 

“You’re late,” he grunts out, and Rachel blushes, clearing her throat. 

“I’m sorry,” she mumbles. 

“It’s my fault, sir, I didn’t realize the time, we were star gazing.” 

Negan’s nose crinkles at the very idea of Rachel and this boy laying on some shitty picnic blanket looking up at some fucking stars like they’re in some rom com, bet the pervert even tried to get his hand up her skirt. Maybe he even succeeded, and just the thought has Negan slamming the door in the boy’s face the second Rachel crosses the threshold. 

“I’m not even five minutes late,” Rachel argues, narrowing her blue eyes at him. 

“I don’t fucking care, late is late,” he growls, noticing her lipstick is far more faded than it probably should be, and he wonders if she wore it off by kissing that low-life, or maybe even worse; sucking his cock. “What the fuck are you even wearing? You look like a whore.” 

Rachel looks down her body and tugs on the hem of her skirt, only blushing more violently, and she swallows thickly. 

“Mom said I look nice,” she mumbles, looking around as if to seek out her mother. 

“Well your Mom doesn’t fucking care if you get fucking raped in the back of some college boy’s shitty Sedan then, does she?” 

“Callum wasn’t like that,” Rachel insists, stubbornly. “He didn’t even kiss me.” 

“Yeah fucking right,” Negan scoffs. “Look at the fuckin’ state of you,” he growls, reaching out to smear her lipstick some more. “Bet you sucked his cock the whole fucking ride home.” 

“What?” Rachel blinks, shaking her head as horror washes over her face at the very accusation. “No, nothing like that happened, I’m still a virgin.” 

“Mhm,” Negan nods, pretending to believe her, the idea that she might not be only making him angrier. “Of course you fucking are. You think you can fuckin’ lie to me?” 

“I’m not lying, Negan, I swear,” she whimpers, tears filling her eyes. “This was only our first date… my first date,” she explains. 

“Well if you didn’t fuck him you were still fuckin’ asking for it,” Negan accuses. “Weren’t you?” He prompts, making her shake her head. “Of course you were, look at you,” he goads, reaching forward, playing with the slightly open neckline of her shirt. “Your tits are fucking hanging out, and your skirt is so fucking short, I can nearly see your panties, if you’re even wearing any.” 

He can’t help himself from lifting her skirt to find out for sure, and sure enough he can see simple white cotton panties, and she whimpers, pressing her thighs together. Instantly, his cock begins to harden, and he resists the very real urge to tear the cotton from her body and bend her over the couch, fucking into her so hard she’ll feel him for days. Maybe he should do that, maybe then she’ll think twice about letting some random boy take her out. 

“Do you even fucking know what you’re doing?” he asks. “Do you fucking know all those thoughts you put into men’s heads when you dress like this?” Rachel weakly shakes her head, and Negan’s cock only throbs harder. He reaches for her hand and instantly presses it against his crotch. “This. This is what you fucking do to us. Do you think I want to be this fucking hard for my own step-daughter?” Rachel’s tears now stream down her cheeks as she shakes her head and her hand trembles beneath his. “No, of course I fucking don’t, but you don’t fucking care about that, do you? You just want to wear your slutty little clothes, and it’s gonna get you into real fucking trouble one day, sweetheart. Maybe I should teach you a lesson. On your fucking knees.” 

Rachel is now crying aloud as she slowly lowers herself to her knees, and Negan wastes no time freeing his aching cock from his jeans, reaching down to once again take her hand and force her to wrap it around his cock. He works her hand up and down his shaft to show her what to do, but quickly realizes she won’t do it unaided, so he keeps his hand wrapped around hers. 

“I’m sorry, Daddy, I’m sorry,” she begins to sob, and Negan grunts at the feeling of her skin on his, and the sound of ‘Daddy’ on her lips like that’s going to save her. But the name only turns him on more. 

“You fuckin’ will be,” he promises, “Open that mouth.” She whines, squeezing her eyes shut, and Negan instantly reaches forward and tugs her hair hard, slapping her across the face, making her cry out in pain. “I said open that fucking mouth.” 

With a shaky jaw, Rachel complies, and he wastes no time pushing his cock into her mouth, fucking into the back of her throat, making her gag and splutter around him, spit already indignantly dribbling down her chin and front as it mixes with her tears. 

���Look what you made me do,” he snarls, gasping for breath with each punch at the back of her throat. Fuck, this feels better than he could’ve imagined. “This is all your fault and you fuckin’ know it.” 

Rachel continues to cry, but the sound of it only seems to stir Negan on more, his cock throbbing between her lips, and when he pulls back completely she gasps and splutters for air, dry heaving. 

“Time to find out if you were fucking lying,” Negan tells her, yanking her to her feet by her arm, shoving her over to the couch as she stumbles. He spins her around and forces her to bend over the arm of the couch, throwing her skirt over her ass, seeing that the white cotton panties are actually a thong, and her round, bare ass is right there for him. 

“Rachel,” he tuts, disappointment dripping off of his tongue. “Who the fuck do you think you are wearing panties like this, hm? You think you’re a big fucking girl, don’t you?” 

Rachel doesn’t reply, she just continues to cry, and Negan eagerly pulls the material to one side, exposing her pink, unused pussy, all tight and closed up, yet to be ruined or spoiled by anyone. He’s going to be the first, and if he gets his way, the last, too.

“Have you ever touched yourself?” he asks, looking at the back of her head for any sign of a reply. She doesn’t reply, which gives him his answer. “Have you fucked yourself with toys before? I bet a fucking whore like you has toys.” She shakes her head ‘no’ this time. “Fingers?” Another shake of her head tells Negan everything he needs to know. “Poor baby girl, you have no fucking idea what you’ve gotten yourself into.” 

Negan spits on his fingers and roughly pushes them between her folds, forcing them inside her as she screams, and he rushes to cover her mouth with his free hand. Not that her mother will hear her through all those walls and Xanax. Such a shame. He forcibly fucks into her cunt with his fingers, scissoring them in a bid to open her up just enough to take his cock, but he’s doubtful he’s going to fit without a lot of force. He’s still willing to try, though. He spits onto his cock, once again spitting on his fingers too, spreading the wet around her slightly opened hole. 

“No, no no no,” Rachel starts to panic, reaching back to push him away, but Negan’s strong enough to have her trapped there, and even when she tries to stand back up, he only has to push down on her back to get her to double over once again. “Please don’t, please, I’m a virgin, Daddy, please,” she begs. 

“Imagine this was Callum, hm?” he reminds her, teasing the tip of his cock against her tight opening, wondering if he’s going to manage to get inside. He pushes forward, making her scream once again, his hand once more silencing her. “It could’ve been. Could’ve fucking raped you on his backseat. Dropped you home with his cum dripping down your fucking legs and never called you again. You would’ve been just some dumb fucking whore he got to fuck,” he snarls, getting inch by inch inside her slowly. Blood smears over his length and he smirks at the sight, happy to have taken his little girl’s virginity. “You’re fuckin’ lucky it’s me, sweetheart,” he tells her. “You’re fucking lucky it’s someone who loves you.” 

Want me to write your idea? Find out more here!

[thiniceofeternalyouth]

MISLEADIN' ME SERIES: CHAPTER NINETEEN

A WEDDING UNDER PURPLE SKY

⊳ Gojo Satoru x f!reader

series masterlist

Genre: angst, fluff, sci-fi, cosmology.

Words count: ~13k

⊲ previous

[March 27, 2023, 3:03pm; Tokyo, Tokyo Prefecture, K Wedding Salon]

When Danielle had first relied on her independence, it had led to tragedy and a couple of broken hearts. Now a string of questions and problems demanded that she make immediate decisions, and though none of them posed a death threat, panic was setting in. Dany couldn't even decide on the date of her own wedding, so much so that she was losing it at the thought of having to stand on the pedestal of responsibility for her actions.

Seating, menu planning, venue design - she hadn't lost her mind just because you were there for her. The girl tried hard not to show it, and certainly not to convey her anxiety to her fiancé - the emotions chained inside were boiling and churning, pushing Dany closer and closer to the precipice of despair. Panic clouded her own desires - she couldn't understand or even mentally visualize the white dress she'd dreamed of. And had she dreamed of it at all?

Danielle stood in front of the mirror, unsure of herself, nervously clutching the folds of the snow-white skirt. "Well, spin," Rachel mumbled tiredly, twirling her finger in the air. She sat sprawled in the chair, crossing his legs - the coffee on the low table in front of her had long since gone cold.

Danielle's lips tightened anxiously as she slowly turned around, showing you the dress in all its glory. The way she sank into the skirt and the way the corset squeezed her breasts made you and your sister look at each other. You shook your heads embarrassed, almost invisibly, realizing that the dress made the girl look twice as big. "By the way, that shit right there," Rachel, looking through her fingers, nodded at the wide tulle lantern sleeves. "Was in vogue in the nineteenth century."

Even the tight corset on Danielle's chest couldn't suppress the sob that fell from her lips. When she started to shudder, you thought for a moment that the lacing on her back was going to burst, but you didn't even have time to get out of your chair - the girl grabbed hem of the dress and ran out of the fitting room, almost falling. "Since when do ya know about fashion?" you mumbled sarcastically. "Did ya really have to say that?" you sighed, standing up.

"Why?" asked Rachel, arched her eyebrows. "The dress really is awful."

You waved your sister away and walked out of the fitting room into the hall. You saw Dany right away, and she didn't even seem to be trying to hide - the bride was sitting on a coffee table, crying with her hands over her face, and only the consultant was standing next to her, stroking her back and saying something. As you approached them, you quietly snapped your fingers, drawing attention - as soon as the consultant looked at you, you nodded over your shoulder, signaling that Danielle should be left alone. The girl immediately pulled away from the bride and hurried away, the only sounds in the hall were bitter sobs and the clatter of heels on the floor..

Danielle, barely keeping her balance, hovered over the teeming unknown abyss - you realized this as you carefully stepped closer to her. "Come up here," you commanded softly, putting your arm around her shoulders. Danielle immediately gave in - she unhooked her hands from her face and stood up from the table. Her cheeks were full of a sad blush that mingled with black smeared mascara. You, leading her over to the mirror and placing her across from it, went behind her back and began unlacing her corset. "It's not about the dress, is it?" you asked unobtrusively, releasing the girl from the stranglehold.

Danielle shook her head weakly and sniffed her nose - every time you pulled the laces, the girl twitched. "Aren't ya disappointed in me?" she asked weakly but unexpectedly. Looking at herself in the mirror, her heart cut and stabbed at the dreams and expectations left behind - this was not how Danielle saw herself. Why was she wearing white and not black? Why was it a dress and not a uniform with belts and a respirator? Weren't you angry that all the years spent training her had just gone to waste? What would her father say if he saw her like that? Danielle almost cried again, remembering how she'd dreamed of avenging him - was it the white veil that had made her back down?

"What do ya see?" you inquired. Danielle, looking at you in the mirror, saw you nod at her reflection.

"Misery," the word flew from her lips unintentionally. It was not enough to get rid of the corset - the girl was choked by the hands of grief of unfulfilled hopes. "I wanted to be a voidrunner, and now I'm gonna be just a wife," Dany grimaced in despair, almost spitting out the last words.

"Should we tell Megumi ya changed your mind then?" you shrugged, trying to provoke the girl and get the real truth out of her that was pulling her down.

"No!" she raged, tearing off the unwanted dress - now, standing in the middle of the snow-white fabric in just her underwear, Danielle felt vulnerable.

Taking her by the shoulders, you rested your chin on her fragile shoulder - the girl tried to shield herself from you, hugging herself and covering her breasts. "What are you hiding there?" you laughed softly. "Who do ya think bathed ya while your parents were out on missions?" the girl only became more embarrassed and lowered her gaze to the floor, but you stubbornly took her by the chin and lifted her head so she could continue to look at herself in the mirror. "And I see a beautiful girl, alive and real," you said, tucking her golden curl behind her ear, exposing her face.

The corners of her lips twitched faintly at the thought of Megumi - Danielle ran her fingers over the watch on her hand, gently looking at it. She wondered if Fushiguro was experiencing it the same way she was. Did he envision her in her dress, walking down the aisle? Would he cry when she threw back the white veil and spoke the innermost words of consent? "I just... I didn't see myself like this," she whispered shyly, shifting from foot to foot. "And I think the others wanted to see me different too," her quiet words sounded like a confession. 

"It doesn't matter what others wanted from ya," you said, putting your arm around her waist. "Ya can be strong, independent, ya can be a hunter, ya can be a loving wife to a loving husband - none of that defines your accomplishments, and ya don't have to think about others. Don't care about their praise or their disappointment. The most important thing is to live a life in which ya happy, and whatever makes ya happy is already right by default. Within the law, of course," you added, frowning, and Dany chuckled - she knew that was a rule you sometimes didn't follow. "Let's have coffee now and try on another dress," you encouraged her.

The consultant, like a guardian angel, was immediately at your side and handed Danielle's silk robe - she embarrassedly slipped it over her bare shoulders and stepped aside, tightening the belt. When the consultant saw the crumpled dress on the floor, her look became not at all angelic. "I'll pay for it," you grinned carelessly, shrugging guiltily.

[May 23, 2023, 5:31pm; Hopetown]

A true hunter should have a weapon under their belt at all times. You stood in the blue dress, feeling naked and vulnerable, and though your dagger was always on guard, you could feel the anxiety steaming inside, its red embers smoldering and scattering, making you taste the ash in your mouth.

Absolutely everyone in the city was agitated and disheveled - some were worried about their appearance, some had forgotten which seat and at which table they were assigned, and some had lost their favorite cufflinks. All the disgruntled, happy and worried cries rang out, making you squint - every voice seemed like a bell ringing. You glared at the bride's bouquet, but the puzzle didn't fit in your head. Everything seemed out of place - even the butterfly pins, which wings broke when you pinned your hair behind your ears, proved it. "Don't ya think the roses are a little out of place here?" you asked absently, carefully placing the bouquet on the table.

"Ya nuts?" slurred Rachel, a hairbrush clenched in her teeth as her hands worked on Danielle's head. You looked again at the bouquet, which consisted only of white roses.

You sighed excitedly, flicking back the strands of hair falling over your face irritably. "What about our dresses?" you worried, spreading your hands. When Rachel raised an eyebrow defiantly, you quieted down a little, but still continued to press on. "We're bridesmaids, shouldn't it be the same color and style?"

"Then wear the red one," Rachel barked, letting you know to get away from her tight dress - she'd spent at least a month looking for it, pestered and harassed the consultants at every store she'd visited, all just to get a dress that looked like the ones she used to wear on dates. "Look, maybe ya're against this wedding altogether?" she asked grudgingly, styling Dany's hair into a high, voluminous bun.

Danielle gave a worried, almost battered look. The girl sat obediently, almost ready to turn the lonely page of life, and the dress that hugged her body looked marvelous - no tulle, only pure snow-white satin that flowed freely to her feet, and only the corset shouted quietly, showing its lace and attracting attention. Her bare shoulders looked as fragile as porcelain, but Dany tried to keep her head high, so as not to show her own weakness and insecurity - the thin neck was kissed by the tiny pearls of a modest necklace, giving the girl courage. "No, not at all," you said with a gasp, trying to dispel Danielle's unspoken concerns - she looked so beautiful that you didn't want to tarnish her image with a single tear.

Once again, a small hurricane swept past you. "Mike!" Rachel yelled, trying to calm her son, who was running around the room with Tris, inadvertently grabbing everything in his path. The son looked angrily at his mother, pouted his lips, but obediently sat down on the floor. Tris, realizing that no one else was catching up to her, began to sway and twirl from side to side - you couldn't get angry or lecture her on behavior, for they were just kids with an endless supply of energy who were deliberately locked in a room with boring adults. "Maybe I should put the front strands in a bun too...?" mumbled Rachel uncertainly, trying on Dany's hair.

"Ya sure corset fits me well?" asked Dany embarrassedly, fussily pulling up her bust.

"No, I don't think so," you answered honestly to your sister, admiring Danielle. As you came closer, you squatted down in front of her and gently fixed a curl that had fallen into her face. "Ya look amazing," you admitted in a surprisingly shaky voice.

"Don't," the girl shook her head desperately, realizing the point and the stupidity of her question. "If ya say another word, I'll cry. And I can't cry right now. I will ruin my makeup," she squeaked in a broken voice, rubbing the folds of her dress. With a forceful sniffle, Danielle ordered the tears to retreat.

"Hey, that's mine!" resentfully exclaimed Mike behind your backs, and once again there was mayhem.

Tris was running around the room with a small rose in her hand - she had just snatched it from Mike's chest pocket. You didn't even have time to stop the kids - the little girl, laughing at the top of her voice, was running circles around the room, jumping up on the bed, then jumping on the floor, sometimes glancing at her pursuer. At one point she didn't see what was in front of her and crashed right into the desk - Tris fell, clutching her forehead, and brushes, lipsticks, shadows, and, worst of all, blush, which spread its pink dust over the snow-white hemline, fell too.

"Freeze!" ordered Rachel quickly, but not to the children, but to Danielle - putting her index finger in front of Dany's face, Rachel glared at her. The bride froze in utter shock with her mouth open, but didn't utter a word. "Nothing terrible has happened, just breathe," your sister said calmly. "Now get up carefully and let's go to the bathroom."

"Why ya crying?" you asked Tris tiredly, taking a seat next to her.

"It hurts!" she sobbed, rubbing her forehead vigorously and demonstratively and peering at you surreptitiously - would it occur to you that you should have blown on it? 

Tris was snatched right out from under your nose before you could make a sound. "Get her over here," Rachel commanded, scooping the whimpering girl into her arms. "Ya too," she turned sternly to her son. "Ya'll go to Frank's now, I can't stand it any longer. Dany, follow me!"

Danielle, picking up the hem of her dress and stepping over the mess on the floor, scampered after Rach and the children, and as soon as you were alone, the glowing embers burst into flames, and instead of ashes you felt nothing but scalding tongues of flame.

The fourth core was the last thing you destroyed - after that, you spent almost a year running around the void like clueless fools. You didn't see another settlement, not a single person alive or dead as if someone had deliberately changed the configuration, or worse, with invisible hands and inaudible orders, directed you to the wrong places.

You thoughtfully played with the broken wings of the blue butterflies on the table with your finger. The moment of truth was inevitably approaching, and though you thought you were ready for it, your fingers were trembling. You looked at everyone in the town as an enemy on the morning of the wedding day. Breathing heavily, you brushed the hairpins away from you, nervously ran your hands through your hair and picked up the silver hip chain.

The slit of the dress made it easy for you - you put up your leg on the table, and the hem of the skirt slid down over your skin, revealing everything from hip to ankle. You felt like you were sweating even from such basic and simple movements - you had only wrapped the chain around your thigh, and it felt like you were suffocating. You struggled to find the lock in the links and pulled frantically, trying to bend the hook, but it wouldn't budge. You were on the verge of hysterics for things were not going according to plan.

When the hook failed again, you raked the chain in your hand and threw it on the table with force - it rattled pitifully, quietly, and you clutched your head. It was the only sound you'd heard since everyone else had left the room. The creature inside was silent, so quiet that it added another grain of suspicion to the sloshing bowl of worry. Was it gloating? Did it deliberately give no clues? It didn't even whine about being hungry. You had lived side by side with it all your life, sharing not only your body but also your soul, and yet you still knew neither its loyalty nor its treachery.

There was a soft knock, and you were almost ready to lash out at whoever was about to enter, but the remnants of your sanity chained your feet to the floor. The door clicked open, letting you know that the guest hadn't even waited for permission to enter. Taking a deep, shaky breath, you were confronted with a fascinated look - Gojo froze in the doorway, unable to take his eyes off you. "You...," he whispered admiringly, stepping forward and closing the door behind him. "You look like..."

You squirmed in embarrassment and looked away. "Well, you know," laughed the sorcerer, standing behind you and putting his arm around your shoulders. "If I were a bee and you were a flower, I'd pollinate only you."

There was no trace of gentle shyness left - your jaw dropped open in shock, and you frowned your eyebrows in disbelief, hiding your face in your hand in shame. Only the shame wasn't yours. "Never again," you mumbled through a suppressed laugh. "Never again in your life even think about complimenting me."

Gojo laughed softly, hugging you tighter - you were naive to think he'd said that for laughs. If you'd only seen yourself, if you'd known he felt your anxiety as his own, you'd understand why he'd acted like a clown. "No, really," he murmured softly, pulling back a little and looking at you in the mirror. "You look like..."  

Was there such a word in any language at all? Or had the sorcerer, enveloped and enslaved by your countenance, forgotten his own? Your blue fit-and-flare dress was simple and almost closed, with only the loose sleeves woven of translucent fabric condescendingly allowing your scars to see the sunlight. Even the neckline was maddening to Gojo - it wasn't deep at all, but it exposed your collarbones. Only your deep trust, freely given to him, stopped him from ripping your dress off as he glanced down at the exposed top of your breasts, which rose slowly as if begging to be released, and he buried his nose in your neck. He understood why you'd allowed yourself such a neckline - your neck was covered with a satin blue ribbon that covered dozens of scars, and what upset him about the divine image was your mask. You didn't even take it off, you just changed the color to blue.  

"How do I look?" you ask quietly, exhausted with anticipation.

"Like the love of all my lives," grinned Gojo smugly, hiding his shyness behind his impudence.

You laughed for the second time, and he was ready to grab that laugh and put it in his chest pocket, to keep him warm day and night for the rest of your days, but he still felt the anxiety that hugged you instead. "Mochi," he turned to you affectionately, gently rubbing his cheek against the top of your head. "Is something wrong?"

"I don't know," you admitted honestly, shrugging uncertainly. "It's just... It's just that I've been composing the image in my head for a long time," you began to ramble, panting. "And then the hairpins broke, and now the damn chain won't fasten, and the whole look went to hell-"

"Okay, stop," he stopped you gently. "Let's go in order. Where are the hairpins?" you nodded sullenly at the broken butterflies on the table. Gojo, taking the hairpins and digging through the desk drawer, sat down in the chair Danielle had been sitting in earlier. It was so strange to watch a man who did everything carelessly and did it successfully, focused on anything. You peeked over his shoulder, watching as he carefully and meticulously applied glue to the broken edges, sticking out the tip of his tongue. Letting the butterflies dry, the sorcerer took the blue shadow and, after carefully painting over the joints, rose from his chair - grinning embarrassedly and tucking your strands behind your ears, he put it on you. It was such a simple gesture, but why did his eyes suddenly stung? "What do we have next on the list?"

"A hip chain."

The sorcerer's face immediately darkened, for when you spoke of the chain earlier, you did not mention its functionality. "Uh, okay," he gulped. "Sit on the bed for now."

Gojo didn't even have anything to grab onto, no time to stretch because the jewelry was on the table - it was shining brightly, catching his eye. He glanced over his shoulder at you - you were already sitting on the bed, the cheeky cut mocking him, exposing your perfect, scarred leg. Shifting his gaze to his hands, he realized with horror that his fingers were subtly trembling. Exhaling, he snapped back to his senses - the sorcerer wasn't about to back down, leaving you alone with even something minor.

He grabbed the chain confidently and walked to the bed, then slowly knelt down in front of you. You felt strange - he never once raised his unusual, frowning gaze to you. He took your leg and placed it carefully on his shoulder, the chain jingling with joy as he unraveled it and wrapped it around your thigh. Gojo grinned wistfully, his hands were shaking, and he was a poor assistant at the moment. He exhaled noisily, hotly, when the hook finally came together, but his insides went cold when he realized you were in no hurry to remove your leg, and Gojo looked at you hesitantly, almost timidly.

You saw no lust on his face. Passion and lust cloud the human gaze, stupefy the mind, but the Gojo's eyes were clear, shiny - a flickering blue flame that begged you not to extinguish it. With the knowledge that he would smolder in hell for this, Gojo turned his head slightly, pressed your knee closer, and kissed it. 

"Toru," his name scorched on your trembling exhale, snapping all his stamina. With a pitiful whimper on his lips, Gojo continued to leave wet kisses on the inside of your thigh, paying special attention to the scars - he nibbled them gently, carefully running his hot tongue over each imperfection, trying to make you forget about them. The grip of his hand on your waist grew more insistent, but no matter how tightly he held you, it never became violent - it was as if he were silently begging you not to push him away. You grasped his shoulder, lost in the sensations of hot kisses and cold silver chain, but you couldn't find the strength to pull away.   

Gently but brazenly moving on, straight to your hearts and innermost places, tearing his way between kisses and silent moans, Gojo felt like he was about to suffocate, but even death seemed a more lenient punishment than pulling away and leaving you. You could feel his disheveled white hair tickling your skin as he gently rubbed his cheek and nose against your skin in brief moments of respite, letting your heated souls cool, but only to begin caressing you again. He was close, so close that you were scared - you didn't know which side to expect a blow from, or when you would finally be hurt. "Toru!" you exclaimed anxiously, grabbing him by the shoulders.

Confused, Gojo pulled away from you abruptly. He realized he could have ended up sprawled on the wall, but instead the sorcerer met you, worried and helpless - you wrapped your arms around yourself, trying to cover yourself, and it was all his doing - he was the one who conjured and molded your frightened image. "I'm sorry, I'm- I'm not ready for this, I'm not-" you sputtered in a worried apology, lowering your eyes. "I can't-"

Gojo, biting his lip painfully, cupped your hot cheeks. "Don't," he pleaded, shaking his head. "It's all my fault. I'm the one who didn't hold back," he said through his teeth, angry with himself. "I'm sorry. God, baby, I'm so sorry," pulling you against him, the sorcerer felt your body quivering in small shivers, and oh gods, how scared he was to look at your face. He wasn't ready to see your tears. Gojo couldn't hear them, couldn't feel his shirt getting wet, but you were clutching at him like your life depended on it. 

He wanted to be your support, but he broke as soon as he knelt before you. His heart became lifeless as soon as Gojo thought of you running away again, taking your trust and vulnerability with you. Your feelings, like a house of cards caught in the onslaught of a greedy wind, threatened to fly away, to evaporate - now he could feel the fear that the consequences of his greed had brought. "I can't believe it," the sorcerer grinned bitterly, pulling away from you slightly. The fact that you still hadn't raised your gaze to him was a punishment to him. "I almost broke it myself just now," persistence reluctantly gave way to tenderness - Gojo, once again cupping your cheeks, showered your face with sad, slow kisses. You neither confirmed nor denied what he said, and your silence fell heavy on his shoulders. "Please tell me I didn't break it," he pleaded, making a desperate attempt at seeking your reassurance - Gojo, ignoring the fact that your mask separated you, covered your lips with his. You, almost feeling their warmth, gave a short, pitiful whimper, squeezing your eyes shut. "Please, say it."    

You shook your head weakly. "Really?" smiled Gojo, holding back tears. He sat before you, trying to seek your forgiveness, and you couldn't understand why and from where was the remorse in his eyes? What was astonishing to your ignorant soul was that he didn't take advantage of your stupor, you didn't feel dirty or used, you didn't feel like gutting your own brains and ripping out your own heart. "I'll never do anything you don't want me to," he promised you in a hot whisper, his hand buried in your hair.

"Okay," you replied embarrassedly, biting your lip naively. You were learning to accept the close, warm embrace as pure touch - Gojo was ready to glue himself to you, to assure you that he would never hurt you. 

The open door took away the intimacy of the moment - you both flinched, and Gojo pulled you closer to him, harder, protecting you. "Ya halfwits out of your minds?" gasped Rachel, seeing you in the intimate pose. "The ceremony is about to start and you have a speech to give!" she barked. "Get out of here now!"

"What speech?" you mumbled worriedly, looking at your sister dumbfounded.

"Ya'll be making the first toast to the newlyweds," your sister, indignant at your obliviousness, rolled her eyes.

"But no one told me anything!"

"Well... I just told ya," Rach shrugged indifferently and left the room, giving you one last angry look.

The river was extremely calm – it wasn't worried about the delight of the guests, nor the exciting expectation of the betrothed. You had been clearing the shore for months, making it smooth and hospitable, and you could only hope that the waters would be favorable and would not wash it away. The forces of nature took pity on you and your labors - the holding site remained touched only by your hands.

Dozens of round tables were set up on the stone-paved shore - the guests slowly flocked to the venue, taking their seats. Some were whispering about the bride, some were quietly lamenting the fact that there was still no alcohol on the tables, and some were rubbing their stomachs in anticipation, but absolutely everyone was avoiding the path reserved for the bride - her path, framed by thousands of scarlet rose petals, led straight to the white archway under which the Holy Father and the groom were already standing. Megumi clenched and unclenched his fists as he lowered his head and raised it to gaze up at the heavens, and it was obvious that he was having a hard time standing still and waiting.  

Despite Dany's protests and objections, you had to sacrifice the opportunity to see the altar up close - you sat at the side end table so that you could see everyone else. Decorated awnings to protect you from the sun or rain had to be abandoned in the name of the plan, too. Only Rachel, Issu, Megumi, Frank, and Gojo knew about the whole clandestine operation, and everyone kept their mouths shut, no one daring to even glance up to indicate that they were involved in anything. You glanced restlessly at the empty seat to your right, where Rachel was supposed to be sitting. You knew that she and Frank were finishing bottling the orchid wine right now, but you still felt uneasy. 

"I beg your pardon," the man addressed you, placing his hand on your shoulder and smiling self-consciously. You didn't even see Gojo look him over from head to toe and unobtrusively slip man's hand off your arm. "Anything stronger than champagne tonight?" he asked, slurring. 

"We're having a wedding, not a corporate party," you replied, smiling cordially back. "Now take your seat," the contrast in your voice made the man straighten up, even though you weren't paying attention to him at all.

You, crossing your legs, fussily adjusted your skirt, smoothing out the folds and shaking off invisible dust, and, not being able to closely examine each and every guest, you closed your eyes, remembering the previously captured picture, mentally walking among the tables, and in your head was rushing one question - which of them?

When you squeezed the fabric again, Gojo took your hand and brought it to his lips, kissing the back of your palm. "What is it?" the sorcerer asked delicately, gazing into your eyes. 

"I feel uneasy," you admitted honestly.

"It's okay, Mochi," he assured you softly, continuing to cover your palm with kisses. "Even if there are ten of them, we can handle it," you nodded weakly, squeezing his hand, trying to express some of the gratitude you felt now.

You sighed as a notification played on your phone.

[05:51pm] Frank: We're done with the wine. 

[05:59pm] Frank: It's time.

You looked again at the empty seat on the right - if Frank was already with Danielle, where was your sister? Turning around, you met the eyes of the musicians who were already at the ready - a soft wave of your hand made you feel as if you were the one walking down the aisle. A moment later, the violin played its song, beginning the countdown to the imminent joining of two hearts.

The musicians' melody attracted hundreds of waiting eyes, and no one noticed how the bride came out from the corner of the nearest house to be at the beginning of her journey, where two little kids - Tris and Mike - were waiting for her. The children were jumping up and down with joy, eager to see the girl off, even though they barely understood the significance of what was happening. Danielle, holding the proud Frank under her arm, could not take her eyes off the floor - the clatter of her heels became louder and clearer, and no one could ignore the bride when she stepped on the path of scarlet roses.

Megumi, unable to withstand the onslaught of emotion, pressed his hands into his face and turned away - the dazed Father was confused at first, but immediately pulled a handkerchief from his pocket. "My son, you must realize that you are missing a moment that will never come again," he addressed Fushiguro gently, placing a hand on his shoulder. Megumi pulled his hands away from his face in fright - the Holy Father smiled softly when he saw the boy's red eyes flooded with tears. Megumi embarrassedly accepted the handkerchief from the elderly hands, and turned around, swallowing.

The boy, realizing that he had almost missed it, pressed his hand to his mouth, holding back the insolent and insistent crying. His girl, in a beautiful white dress, was already in tears before she even reached the altar. The children were running ahead, and while Mike was somewhat aware of what was happening and scattering petals right in front of Dany, for Tris it was just a game - Megumi grinned wetly, sobbing as the little girl threw petals at someone's face.

Danielle was almost in his arms as Frank glared menacingly at Megumi, silently ordering him to take care of her for the rest of his life. Of course, the gray-haired man was jealous, but all he had to do was lift his chin, adjust his tie, and stand beside the couple. 

Megumi and Danielle couldn't look away from each other. They were aware that they were not observing the norms of propriety - the couple were supposed to stand across from each other and look into each other's eyes - but now, even as the priest spoke, they stood with their arms around each other, their shoulders shaking in unison.

Perhaps you should have listened to Danielle and sat closer to them - you couldn't hear the speech or the sobs from here. You could only see the Holy Father's lips moving, Fushiguro stroking his bride's cheeks as she nodded frantically, desperately pressing her forehead against his. She no longer cared about the makeup and the long-washed blush on the hem of her dress, she didn't care about the people staring at them, there was only peace around them, existed in each other's eyes.

Gojo was looking at them, fiddling with the watch on his hand - just when he thought you might see it, he pulled his hand away, even though it felt like a magnet pulling it back. The blue in his eyes had somehow turned white, so luminous that it was almost unbearable to keep his eyelids open. "They grow up so fast...," the sorcerer muttered without a trace of silliness in his voice. You, pursing your lips and nodding, clinked your glass with his empty one on the table and drank the champagne in a gulp. "Don't push it," he reprimanded you, taking your glass and the bottle that stood in close proximity from you. "You still have a speech to give." 

"Don't remind me," you whimpered, leaning back in your chair.

The violin melody faded away, replaced by a different, loud and explosive one as Axel and Ryan jumped up from their seats and applauded first, making everyone pick up their tune, while the husband and wife stood under the altar and kissed self-consciously and tenderly, ignoring everyone else.

The waiters were pouring champagne and serving food, and Issu and his younger brother were among the proven faces - you wouldn't trust anyone else to pour wine into people's glasses. Megumi was a groom, Gojo looked more like a guest of honor than an attendant, and everyone knew you, Rachel, and Frank by sight. Only Issu, always inconspicuous and quiet, fit the role.

You watched with a soft smile as Megumi took his wife by the hand and led her to the table at the head of the others, where there were only two seats. A small and cheeky little girl was tangled under their feet, and you could tell from her outstretched arms that she was begging to be held. "I'll be right back," you said quietly, intent on picking up the interfering Tris.

As you got closer, you heard Little Miss Drama squealing indignantly about sparkles. "I want it like it's town day!" she whined, rubbing Megumi's sleeve. Without waiting for the right moment, you scooped her up into your arms - she fidgeted, pouting her lips.

"Axel!" you shouted to be heard. Axel looked up from his plate and stared at you with his mouth full. "Give me a hand!" you gave some indication of what you needed to do by clapping your hands together. The boy nodded understandingly, wiped his face with the handkerchief, and stood up from his chair - you had been under the weight of Camila's hard stare the whole time. She was ready to tear you apart at the mere mention of her son, and all you could think about was that after the wedding she wouldn't let the boys out of town. At least not over her dead body.

The boy, clapping his hands, released a thousand sparks, and they soared high upward, but the sunset sky was willful and haughty, not allowing them to shine in full force. Only the eastern skies, soft, benevolent, and covered with twilight, helped the sparks fulfill their purpose. Tris, with her head back, no longer muttered or whimpered, but watched mesmerized as the lights floated in the waters of the sky.

"You could have asked me," Megumi reproached you sullenly.

"Don't pout," you smiled sincerely. "Ya're having a wedding today," you reminded, shifting your gaze to Danielle - her cheeks, neck and shoulders were especially ruddy against the white dress. "Congratulations, guys!" you giggled softly, making the newlyweds smile stupidly and embarrassedly.

"Thank ya," Danielle whispered, fussily fixing her curls.

Gojo watched you, the way you chattered with Dany, the way you glanced playfully at Megumi, and the way you held Tris in your arms, who wriggled and bounced, trying to catch a single light without realizing it was far away. Your dress was softly moving, the wind was ruffling your hair, and the butterflies seemed to come to life - it seemed to the sorcerer that their wings were fluttering smoothly. He didn't flinch even when Frank plopped into the chair to his left - so mesmerized was Gojo. "Don't ya dare, son," Frank ordered sternly, seeing Gojo stroking the watch on his wrist in impatience. "It's the kid's day today, so don't ya dare turn all the attention on yourself."  

"If I ever did...," he muttered, lost in his reverie and not realizing what the conversation was about.

Frank hummed thoughtfully under his breath. "Ya're gonna rip the strap on your watch like that," he pointed out, raising an eyebrow, and Gojo pulled his hands under the table. His broad shoulders slumped, and Frank patted the sorcerer on the back with a sigh. Though he no longer pestered the watch the man had given him earlier, his gaze didn't change. Frank knew how Gojo felt because he had once looked at his wife as well, and would only continue to look if she were here.  

Feeling the tears come to his eyes, Frank filled his glass with champagne and took a large sip. His sun would never wake up and rise again, and he grinned wistfully, feeling warm inside at the thought of a once stranger finding his sunshine. "You alright?" asked Gojo, but only cringed squeamishly when he saw the elderly wet eyes. "Gosh... Are all old men so sentimental?" he quietly resented, trying to re-layer the once elusive smugness and nonchalance that you had unceremoniously snapped off. 

"By the time ya're my age, ya'll find out," Frank muttered, waving him off and filling his glass again - as soon as he wanted to fill the sorcerer's glass, Gojo instantly covered it with his palm.

"It's strange, actually," Gojo marveled quietly, his chin resting on his hand as he watched you lure one of the sparks with your hand as it lowered gently, shining brighter and brighter. The memory of your skin still burned on his lips, and in his heart was your gaze, always on him, whether you were angry or in love with him. You never said the word out loud, never even stuttered or wandered around sending Gojo hints or riddles. "I always wanted to die in battle at the hands of a man or creature that superior to me in strength, and back then, in the battle with Sukuna, I really thought it was my last day," he smiled stupidly, trying to suppress a chuckle as the light tried to escape from you back into the sky, but you stubbornly pulled it back - it levitated over your palm, displeased at being studied by childish eyes. "I was even glad because I didn't wanna die of old age or disease. I considered those deaths unworthy of me," just like everything and everyone else. Only an unscrupulous person could poke a sorcerer's nose in his own smugness. You did it without realizing it yourself, turned his world upside down, and there was nothing left for him to do but take the feeling hidden from everyone, even himself, from his pockets. "It's only recently that I've realized that I... I don't wanna die at all."  

"Why the change of mind?" asked Frank slyly, looking at Gojo understandingly.

The Gojo's breath caught when you turned suddenly to him - you were still holding the hovering spark in your palm, and you laughed warmly, realizing that you'd been watching all this time. Letting the flame go free, you waved to him gently, and Gojo, smoldering with embarrassment and melting at the sight of you, waved back shyly. "It was more change of a heart."   

The sorcerer faltered as you headed back to the table - he kicked Frank to keep his mouth shut, and got a fatherly slap for it. Why didn't he think about how much it would hurt to bare weaknesses that, left defenseless, were suddenly exposed to the looming blades of fear? As you sat down next to him, Tris crawled over Gojo and plopped herself onto the softer - you snorted quietly, crossing your arms over your chest as Tris made herself comfortable on Frank's legs.

"Oh, we should hide it...," Frank said politely, setting the champagne bottle aside, but, already tipsy, he didn't notice the glass on the way - it toppled over, staining the white tablecloth, the man's pants, and, disastrously, the girl's dress. "Don't panic," Frank ordered - Tris didn't even have time to squeak. "We'll have a quick change of clothes. We'll be back in time for the first toast," he looked meaningfully at Gojo, and he nodded and put his arm around you as if trying to shield you from any harm. 

As soon as Frank stood up, you saw a graceful figure float up to the newlyweds' table. "What?" you hissed, gazing Nathaniel with harsh look. "What's he doing here?" you remembered that you'd told Frank to lock him out of the town - so how did he get in here, and why? Your nerves were already frayed, and you'd been suspicious of everyone since this morning - the arrogant, unconcerned look of a superior who'd shown up at a wedding made your blood boil. 

"I'm the one who gave him access," Frank told you back. "And he's the one who covered for you."

"Did I ask for that?" you protested.

"Quiet, girl!" the man bellowed, but it was harder to sermonize you now - Frank could see the way Gojo's hand tensed, and the look he gave the gray-haired man as soon as he snapped at you. Tris, sensing the quarrel with her childish heart, whimpered quietly. "I'm sorry," he coughed awkwardly. "He's really been a big help, so ya should thank him. I'll lock town back up for him right away after the wedding, if it makes ya feel better," nodding, Frank carried the little girl to the house on the hill. 

You didn't even realize how hard you were clenching your teeth as you glared at the golden hair. Inside, you felt like you'd been played for a fool before you could do anything about it. You tried your best to shrug it off as anxiety - though it had some basis in fact, you were tired of doubting, your mind melting under the strain. "Mochi," Gojo whispered softly in your ear, pulling you out of your daze and throwing you into a shiver. "How about we dance?" he suggested slyly, rising from his seat. How do you get used to him reading you like an open book? How do you get over the fact that he could feel your emotions, even completely unable to see your face? 

"I don't...," you stammered embarrassedly, scratching the back of your head. "I don't know how to dance. Not at all."

You were late and there was no strength in your excuses - he was already standing before you, ready to pick you up and dispel your fear, protecting your vulnerability. "Does it matter?" Gojo grinned softly, holding out a warm hand to you.

Avoiding responsibility in the blazing sun, you lay on the roof ledge of a one-story bar with one leg overhanging and your eyes closed. You didn't want to go home because there was a chance that Frank would put a mountain of chores on your shoulders. You just wanted to rest after the raid. You'd rather sink into a puddle of sweat than spend an evening in the garden.

No matter how shameless you were, you still frowned every time you thought of Kyle - he'd taken all of his father's wrath on himself and was probably working for the three of you right now. The laziness was louder and more persuasive anyway, and the fatigue echoed it every now and then, leaving the shame to squeak quietly in the far corner of your tired mind.

You put your hands behind your head and made yourself comfortable, even though you knew that sleep would never catch up with you, neither here, under the evil sun, nor in a comfortable bed. You didn't care about the people passing by - there weren't many of them anyway, for in this heat they were all hiding in the cool shadows of their homes. "Hello," you glanced down, leisurely opening one eye.

"Hey, Nael," you chirped sleepily, propping yourself up on your elbows. "What up?"

"Why don't you come down first?" he asked sternly.

"Ya the one who came to me," you grinned playfully, squinting against the sun. "So ya the one who came up," Nathaniel stepped from foot to foot, and you couldn't help but wonder - he'd been practicing long and hard for the past few months, had he still not mastered relocating? He was fidgeting around the bar, and barely did you see the quiet desperation in his eyes, you decided to spare the man. "There's a ladder in the back," you chuckled, pointing a thumb behind your back.

You thought you heard a quiet snort and a disgruntled muttering - maybe it was just the mockery of the heat. It took Nathaniel longer to shake himself off than it did to get up on the roof - he was still squirming as he moved closer to you, smoothing his shirt sleeves with a squeamish look. Realizing you weren't going to get up, the man wrinkled his nose and sat down on the ledge next to you. " Filthy weather," he muttered, feeling the sweat running down his body.  

"Ya didn't come to talk about the weather," you sighed frustratedly. "Well, tell me about it. How's the promotion going?"

Even his primness couldn't hide his resentment; despite his proudly straight back, his eyes told everything about him. "I won't lie. Sometimes I just think they enjoy picking on me. Christian loading me up with pointless work and endless trainings, taking me for an errand boy, but as soon as I dare mention promotion, he tells me that the staff is full and there are no changes to the council," he went on in a rank tirade without raising his voice, though Nathaniel's graceful but sharp gesticulation gave him away. "Why can't he just raise the number of people on the council from five to six?"

"That's the way it's been since the founding of the hunters as an organization," you shrugged nonchalantly. "At least according to the stories."

"Then I especially don't see the point of all this," Nathaniel grinned, and you looked away. Someone like him wouldn't show so much emotion for free. "None of them are going to die anytime soon, so why do they have to press at me like this?"

"Because ya'd make a good successor," you grimaced at your own words, for the uncertainty seeping through them blurred any truthfulness. There was an undercurrent of ambiguity in you - you couldn't believe that such a man had come just to complain.

"Can you help me?" blurted out, but immediately stopped when he heard the desperation in his voice, and lifted his chin.

"What do ya want from me?" you asked tiredly. The more a man got more honest, the more exhausted it got.

"I have some information," the man said quietly, carefully, intertwining his fingers. "I know that Edgar...," Nathaniel hesitated, choosing tactful words. "That he has a… connection with the dioreact."

"And?"

"Follow him," his words sounded almost like an order. "Follow him, see it for yourself, memorize it, and take Edgar to trial."

You sat up fully and gave the man a rounded stare, but not from shock. From interest. "What?" you laughed at the top of your voice, grabbing your chest. "Ya've got a knack for it. I respect that."

"I wasn't kidding-"

"Then why don't ya take him yourself?" Nathaniel's insides went cold when he heard your tone-not even the wind was so fickle. You'd been laughing only a second ago, but your smile had been replaced by indifference - so piercing, so burning that it seemed stiff. It all but proved that the black eyes he'd once seen in the void were no illusion.

"Because I'm scared," he admitted on an exhale. "I've never been there, and you... It's your job. Besides, I'm not sure I can beat Edgar."

"Then why did ya decide you were worthy to take his place?"

"I can be of use to you," the man stated firmly. "Don't you need your own person among those who constantly want to get rid of you?"

"That's odd," you drawled. "Why didn't ya just tell Christian and the others about it?"

"I did!" burst out the man. "Do you think anyone ever believed me?"

You were not interested in the moral side of the matter. You worshipped only two lords - gluttony and greed - and unfortunately, Nathaniel could not satiate either of them. "And what will ya pay with?" you grinned ironically. "Ya have nothing."

As Nathaniel sat there, accepting his defeat, you wondered how close you could let him get. How soon will a friend turn out to be an enemy? And wasn't he an enemy initially? "Ya know, there's something," you said, wary of betrayal. Nathaniel looked at you cautiously, and then at the dagger you clutched in your hand. "In return for my promise, I'll take yours."

The man stared at you, stunned, his arrogance gone. Dark, glittering, carnivorous eyes stared back at him, and you slowly held out the dagger to him. "Don't... Don't you just need mental consent?" he whispered fearfully, afraid to take hold of your part that obeyed only you.

"No-no-no," you reassured him with contrived gentleness, tilting your head to the side and shoving the dagger into his hands. "I don't do that sort of thing," you chuckled, straightening your head sharply and moving closer to the man. "I need a clear answer," you held out your bare wrist to him. "Yes means yes, no means no."

Swallowing, Nael grasped the hilt with a trembling hand. He would not have a better opportunity - if he refused, he risked being an unwanted soul, once pulled from the void. Ambition took its course - if the ladder did not want to be climbed, he would build his own, climbing it he would be able to see everything crystal clear, and, what was even better, to look down on everyone. He drew a line across your wrist with the edge of the dagger, but instead of blood, he saw only a faint glow, which was immediately extinguished. Nathaniel drew a second line over the first, leaving his promise on you forever.

The time was inevitably approaching evening, and the sparks in the sky were burning brighter and brighter. All the guests, well-fed and happy, were sitting at their tables, talking excitedly and impatiently, waiting for the first toast to the newlyweds. You, looking at everyone, couldn't even open your mouth. Frank and Tris still hadn't returned - you couldn't know, but maybe the man had decided it would be safer for the little girl, or maybe she was cranky and was picking out a suitable dress from the dozens of previously bought ones. Once again looking at the empty seat on the right, you couldn't stand it - taking the phone in your hands, you dialed your sister.

The call wasn't answered right away - the beeps, deliberately stretching out, made you drum your fingers on the table. "What do ya want?" asked Rachel grudgingly. She was breathing heavily, clearly out of breath and trying to hide it.

"Where the hell are ya?" you whispered anxiously, covering your face lightly with your hand and hiding your gaze from everyone. 

"Ya stupid?" hissed Rachel. "Who do ya think supposed to bottle the wine from the barrels?" you swallowed nervously when you saw the waiters - some of them carrying out wooden boxes, others swapping guests' dirty glasses for clean ones. You instantly hung up the phone with a trembling finger. She's just up to her old tricks. Getting drunk again, or worse, running straight from the wedding into the grip of another lustful suitor. You'd probably called her in the middle of action - you shook your head, wiping the sweat from your forehead as you tried to brush away the images.

As the waiter approached you to pour the wine into your glasses, you looked up to see Issu standing in front of you, one hand holding the bottom of the bottle and the other behind his back. He nodded briefly to you as a sign of readiness, you nodded back and looked at Megumi – the boy seemed to have been waiting for this, and repeated your gesture.

"Baby," Gojo called softly, squeezing your naked thigh, trying to comfort you, to soothe you. "Everyone's waiting," you looked at the faces of the guests with a hazy look, all of them blended into a single, rotten blur that stared right back at you. Your own flesh felt like it had been gnawed off, your blue dress became red – feeling almost throwing up, you tried to stand up, but you were stopped by the sorcerer's hand. He squeezed your shoulder gently and stood up. "I apologize," he smiled kindly at his guests, raising his wine-filled glass. "It's just that when Y/N is around me, she gets speechless," Gojo looked around with piercing blue eyes at the people in jackets and dresses, whose gazes were fixed on him, but the sorcerer was only interested in ones, dark blue and occasionally frowning. "Well, Megumi, now I'm really starting to get jealous," someone coughed embarrassedly, and some looked at each other perplexed, but the sorcerer didn't care about those people's misunderstandings. "And seriously...It's strange to see you like this," he sighed. A sullen expression loomed on Megumi's stone face. "Really, it is strange. But that doesn't mean it's a bad thing at all," he grinned vaguely, stroking the walls of the cool glass with his thumb. Facing Sukuna, Gojo couldn't even think of seeing Fushiguro eating breakfast at the table one day. Embarrassment at his own thoughts and his own useless power caused him to stifle his gaze for a moment. "Dany, you got the scowliest, the grumpiest," Gojo wanted to laugh, a blush of embarrassment and anger appearing on the Megumi's cheeks. "The most obnoxious... and the bravest brat in the world. But I know you're better and smarter than me," Gojo didn't need to look at you directly. It was enough for him to catch a glimpse of the blue sheen of your dress - it reminded him that you had a hand in raising the girl. "And you will never leave Megumi, especially when he needs you the most. If I was never sure of that before," Gojo stammered, for the persistent and unshakeable conviction of the short-term and fleeting nature of the sorcerer's life had begun to sway, wobbling and breaking his inner foundations - it became so hard to speak that the words almost trembled. "What I can say for sure now is that you will live long, and if you are lucky, you will live happily," Gojo he flushed a little, realizing that now everyone could reproach him with his own words about power and loneliness as interconnected things. "I see what you've become, and wanna think that I have some credit for it, but now I wanna take back what I once foolishly said to you. I hope that when you become stronger than me, you will leave at least a corner in your life for your teacher. It can be small and modest, I'm not picky. Megumi, Daniel. I know you're tired of accepting congratulations, but I want to congratulate you on the fact that even our cursed fate allowed you to find each other," Gojo wouldn't be Gojo if he didn't take the opportunity to look around slyly and without noticing Frank, he cheered. "Also, I'll be the godfather!"      

You didn't even hear the cheers of applause - you sat there, glaring at the table and, without realizing it, gnawing your thumb. "And now, friends, I'd like to raise the first toast," the sorcerer said cheerfully, raising his glass higher - all the guests unknowingly repeated after him. You didn't catch a word of what Gojo was saying - only his blurred movements told you the beginning of the end. Your heart was tearing all premonitions with its pounding, making you gnaw harder and harder into your own flesh. "To the union of the two hunters!" 

There was a second's silence after everyone repeated the last phrase in unison. You saw Gojo put down his glass without taking a drink. There was a clatter of cutlery on the left. On the right, you heard the clinking of broken crystal. You didn't even feel a hand on your shoulder; slowly you looked up through the painful haze and saw everyone, almost everyone, clutching at their throats. 

You didn't feel your finger bleeding. You didn't feel the nail plate gnawed through to the meat. The swords in your body twisted, making you forget about the external pain. The creatures coughed and grabbed at the white tablecloths, and silverware flew to the floor along with the unfinished dinner. With a ragged sigh, you leisurely turned your head to the right, where Rosalie was sitting. It was like she was waiting for you to pay attention to her. The woman saw your cold, doomed look, and she shook her glass of untouched wine happily, winking at you with dark eyes.

Defeat had no taste. Pain had no color. Regret didn't know how to burn, scorching your soul. Everything you had ever known had disowned you, and you felt no hands, no legs, no presence in the world.

You were shaken lightly by the shoulder, and you found the strength to turn your head slowly and look Gojo dead in the eye. "Run," you whispered softly before the ground shook. 

A purple flash burned away all grief. For a moment you thought you were dead, but the heat of the ground your body was pressed against protested as fluttering purple flames slid across your skin. Unconscious, you tried to get up, but your body was pinned down by something heavy, preventing you from breathing. As soon as you made any attempt to move, there was a ringing in your ears. You felt multiple feet pressing you harder into the ash and dirt, but you couldn't find the strength to resist. Screams in the distance, like lost souls begging for deliverance or mercy - you smiled, thinking that they might have just been voices in your head. You didn't even struggle when someone's hands closed around your neck - you just collapsed, unable to move a finger.

Suddenly, the grip was gone - you wheezed, shuddering. Your sluggish body was released from the pile of beams and picked up, bringing you to your feet. "Baby," Gojo whispered anxiously, fussily brushing strands of hair away from your face - the butterflies had long since broken off and died. It was like he'd dug you up straight from the grave - the sorcerer sobbed painfully at the sight of your pale face and the extinguished gaze that stared at one point. "It's okay. It's gonna be okay, we just need to get out of here." 

Your airways were clogged with fumes, and you couldn't see anything in front of you, dead bodies falling at your feet, but Gojo had his arm around your waist and was trying to look around. His strength really did lie in his loneliness at times, as he grimaced and realized with panic that he couldn't snap his fingers and change the foreign purple color to his own. Only immaculate blue eyes helped him find others in the smoke - the sorcerer dragged you towards the stream of cursed energy. "Megumi!" he shouted, seeing the boy fidgeting around, trying to look for anyone, but Danielle was nowhere near him. "Where's Dany?" 

"I relocated her home," he shouted back, coughing. "Where are the others?"

Gojo looked around frantically, squinting his watery eyes, the smoke cutting them like a knife. He darted down the trail, holding you up, and Megumi ran after him - meeting Yuji and Yuta, he raked them both by the scruff of the neck without a word. "Look for the others. Megumi, can you move a few people?"  

You couldn't hear the screams, but the faint, sweet smell of fried flesh hit your nose. Someone grabbed your arm with such force that it almost broke your wrist, and you saw the severed head of a man with black eyes at your feet. The beautiful face was contorted with anger - Gojo was panting in spite of the poisonous smoke. But none of them were killing demons. They were just giving them an excuse to take possession of more human bodies. "Tris... Frank...," you mumbled sluggishly, looking up at the house on the hill that was blazing purple fire - your once home was burning before your eyes. You slipped out of Gojo's grip on your wobbly legs and waddled over to the other side, holding the hem of your burnt dress.  

"Take everyone out," Gojo said, squeezing Megumi's shoulder and looking into his eyes. "I'll be right back," the boy nodded briefly and, grabbing his friends under his arms, disappeared from sight momentarily. But only to return again.

You saw golden hair developing on the horizon, and you sped up, ignoring Gojo's grip on your arm, and approached the figure. It wasn't a mirage at all. "Nathaniel?" you wondered in relief, grabbing the man's shoulder. When you turned him around, he was staring blankly at the floor, a bloody hole in his throat. The sorcerer, clinging to ypu more tightly, dragged you towards the house - you only saw the higher-up fall to his knees and then to the ground. Gojo had better not have dragged you forward so soon, for this time it was you who had to kneel.  

A familiar, lifeless face stared back at you from under the beams. "Axel?" you asked weakly, still hoping for an answer. Wrenching your arm free, you ran over to a pile of smoldering wood, and with your bare hands began digging up the body - you sobbed harder and harder, unable to feel the burns. "Ryan?" you whimpered, getting to the truth. Your two students were in the arms of your foe - Camila was lying straight on top of the breathless boys, never protecting them.

"Mochi, please, let's go," Gojo pleaded in a broken voice as you tried to rouse any of them. You desperately stroked their dead, burned faces, barely touching them for fear of waking them, and all he could do was cover your eyes with his palm. "It's okay," the sorcerer realized you needed time, but he couldn't give it to you. Clenching his teeth, Gojo wrapped his arms around your shuddering body at the waist and pulled you off the ground, dragging you back up the hill despite your silent protests. "We need to go..."   

You lost your senses and just went wherever you were led. You didn't even wonder if Gojo was the enemy; you didn't care if you were being torn apart. Had you been bringing demons into the town all this time? Was it all your doing? Was the hell that unfolded on the town's land only because you had once opened a way into someone else's? 

All of them were laughing, laughing so loudly that their sudden crying made you clutch your head - the machinations of common sense, which was gradually going mad, made you see the smiling faces of those who had been eating, drinking and dancing an hour before. They stood motionless, neither asking you for anything, nor reaching out to grasp your hand, all of them instantly turned to ashes that snowed on your head.

The heat on your skin grew brighter and clearer as you climbed the hill and stood near the burning house. The wood crackled, burning - you stared blankly as a beam fell to the ground. You flinched as the hem of your dress was tugged hesitantly. "Mike?" you exhaled convulsively, seeing his eyes full of incomprehension and horror. The boy's suit was torn and burnt, and his face and red hair were all sooty, but Mike himself seemed to be unharmed. "Mike," you exhaled, scooping the boy up in your arms and burrowing into his neck.

"Take him home, okay?" asked Gojo softly. "I'll go get Frank and Tris," you nodded, not taking your eyes off the boy. You frantically stroked his back, your hands feeling his warmth and a lively shiver.

"Relocate."

You sat a dazed Mike down on the dining room table - the kitchen and living room were already rushing with Doc and Shoko, trying to see everyone as quickly as possible. You kissed the redhead's top relentlessly, clutching your hands to the small shoulders. It was your sister's job to do that. But she wasn't here.

With a sob, you pulled away from Mike and glanced around at everyone present. Perhaps Megumi was right when he said that Gojo had been very lucky - luck was on his side right now. All of his students were here - terrified, dirty, with burns on their faces and limbs, but they were all breathing. And of yours, only Danielle was left.

"How's Megumi?" she asked on the verge of breaking down, running up to you - her beautiful white dress was stained with blood and soot.

"He's fine," you said, wiping your nose. "He'll be back soon," you nodded, not looking the girl in the eyes. "And so am I... I'll be back soon too."

"Relocate."

You were back in front of the charred door you hadn't dared enter a few minutes ago. You stood there, clutching and unclutching the folds of your skirt. If only they'd survived, they'd be long gone from that house - so there was no point in going in. A quiet cry escaped your lips - you hadn't seen them in the cliff house with everyone else.

Like a drowned woman, you paced the bottom of the lake, heavy stones tied to your feet. The light left on the surface of the water did not penetrate and warm you in the depths of clammy, nightmarish fear - you could barely move your feet, tangling in the mud and sinking in the sand. The cold water pushed you from side to side, filling your lungs - you could not even cough, for you were already dead.

Gojo was roused from his stupor by the sound of the charred door opening and your slow footsteps behind him. "What's in there?" you whispered quietly in a voice that foreshadowed that you already knew everything. "Satoru, what's in there... What's in there?" you rambled on the verge of breaking down, and his heart skipped a beat as you sped up - the sorcerer turned around abruptly and grabbed you, and before you could see the bitterness and sorrow in his eyes, he clutched your head to his chest and turned around again, letting you never come face to face with it - your back and his eyes witnessing the bloody tragedy. "What is it?" you whimpered, hitting his chest weakly with your fist.  

Gojo was frantically stroking your hair, resting his chin on the top of your head, tears in his eyes. Frank, sitting listlessly on the floor with his back against the wall, was still cradling the small body against you "Nothing," he lied, shaking his head frantically. The man's lowered glassy gaze from under half-closed eyelids was no longer friendly or stern. Tiny drops of blood fell from the corner of his lips, sizzling and vaporizing as they made contact with the hot floor. Two hearts, large and small, were pierced by a single blade - it protruded from their lifeless bodies. Realizing they had been killed before the toast had even been spoken, Gojo, choking on your sobs, backed away. "There's no one here," a quivering grin contorted his lips, and he shook his head, looking at Frank and Tris one last time. "There's no one here," the sorcerer repeated, closing the doors of the house on the hill behind you forever. 

Gojo led you back slowly, trying not to think about the people you'd left behind, dead or alive - he needed to get to Megumi. You weaved obediently beside him, and he was only more alarmed when he didn't see any black lines or dark eyes - you'd rather be mad than so empty. But as soon as you were at the foot of the hill, you pulled your arm out.   

Your wobbly gait was gone, and you stepped firmly forward, clearing a path. Offset after offset - dead bodies, burned wood, stones, roofs flew sideways, and the farther you moved, the more your actions became frantic, disorderly. The dead, burning town was no longer resisting - there was nothing else here but purple tongues of flame. No howls, no screams, no restless running. Only the cinders continued to walk in this silence. "Megumi?" the sorcerer asked puzzled, seeing a black hair, but not a shred of cursed energy emanated from that person. Someone was digging in the dirt, trying to get either a dead or half-dead person.  

"Issu," you said coldly, coming up from behind. He gave you a glimpse and continued raking the path. "Take your brother and get out of here."

"What about the rest of the people?" protested the boy, unable to tear his hands away from the unfamiliar face he had almost reached.

"Issu, come to your senses!" you barked, grabbing him by the scruff of the neck and setting him on his feet. "There are no more people here," you muttered mournfully, giving the boy time to realize what was happening. Issu, lowering his gaze to the floor, shrugged his shoulders in confusion. He felt the same way you did. All these people, all these familiar faces you brought out, were no longer human. Or had never been human at all. The boy nodded briefly and headed toward one of the surviving houses - you could just see him picking up his little brother, who had jumped out of the window, in his arms.

"We all need to get out of here," wheezed a voice behind you. Gojo turned around and faced Fushiguro. He was dragging the unconscious Nobara on his back, crouching under her weight. 

What an abomination a stopped heart could be - it stopped pumping blood, and you, standing in the midst of human ashes, felt the merciless cold. You kept looking in the direction where the road of life had once been - no one would ever set foot on it again, desires were buried with their persons. "Mochi?" Gojo turned to you uncertainly, ready to lead you away. From here, you could not see the rock from which the deepest dreams of the people who had once lost them in the cold wasteland soared once a year. You nodded briefly, realizing that the dead Hopetown would never say goodbye to you - you couldn't even see the ghost of the paper plane. 

[May 23, 2023, 11:31pm; hunters' hq]

You immediately disappeared behind the bathroom doors of your workroom without going upstairs. You were ashamed to look them in the eye, and you were afraid that you would never see some of the judgmental eyes. Having never seen Frank and Tris dead, they were still alive for you in the back of your mind, and you forcefully held yourself in place so as not to return to Hopetown. You ripped off your dress with a jerk, determined to bury it - it rattled and ripped, and you whimpered and began shoving it zealously into the bucket. You pressed and tamped down the unruly fabric that tried to climb back out, its burnt folds bringing you back to the events of the dead town.

You kicked the bucket to the side, and with a loud thud, the bucket flew off the wall and collapsed, the dress slipping out of it, sprawling on the floor. With a jerk, you opened the dresser and pulled out the first one you could find. Pulling on a gray T-shirt and pants, you walked over to the sink and opened the faucet to full power, your hands shaking as you saw the black lines appearing.

There was a quiet, insistent knock at the door. "Mochi?" called out Gojo quietly. "May I come in?"

"No!" you bellowed, snapping out. Clenching your hands into fists to the point of pain and panting superficially, you looked cowardly at the door. "I'm sorry," you exhaled. "I really... I really need to be alone. For a couple minutes. Gimme a couple minutes."

"How can I leave you like this?" grinned the sorcerer wistfully, jerking the knob weakly without hope. His forehead was against the door, and he was thinking about what might have happened to you all alone - you never stuttered or mentioned anything like that, you seemed to love life with all your actions and words, but now there was only your broken shadow in front of him.

"Ya'd better tell me, is there somewhere we can crash?" you asked muffled, changing the subject. "We can't stay in this house."

Gojo frowned and thought of the never-restored Tokyo college, but something else, something similar, came to mind. "Kyoto college will do?" 

"Yeah," you answered without thinking. "Ya should... Ya tell the others for now and help them pack. And I'll be out in a bit. Really."

You heard him scrape hesitantly at the door, and then a couple of quiet taps on it before the sorcerer backed away. His hesitant footsteps sounded through the pouring water - Gojo stepped from foot to foot, and though he stepped farther back, he never turned his back. "If you're not out in ten minutes, I'll break down the door," he warned you before leaving the workroom. 

Barely stopped feeling his presence, you looked at yourself in the mirror. "What are ya looking at, bitch?" you sobbed, staring into the dark eyes. "Why didn't ya... Why didn't ya warn me?" you ran your hands restlessly through your black strands, desperately hoping to wash away the black color from them, but it remained stubborn and unyielding. You dipped your hands under the stream of water and began to frantically wash the soot and blood off them. "Or you can only yell when ya hungry?" you hissed, grabbing the edges of the sink as it cracked and you could only watch as the water ran away from you. Your whole body shuddered, though you felt no pain, and you slammed your fist into your own reflection, and it shattered into large shards. "Ya're no use to me," you whimpered, washing your bloody hands. Bending down and taking water in your palms, you leaned them against your face and wiped it – you didn't want to know if you were really crying.

It was time to keep your promise - you wiped your face with a towel and left the workroom for the kitchen. When you entered the corridor, you heard the hurried, frantic running on the second floor - almost no one was talking to each other, and if they did, they were very quiet. In the midst of this deafening confusion stood out a gentle lullaby that your sister was humming. When you entered the kitchen, you saw her sitting at the dining table, cradling her half-sleeping son. You walked carefully around the table and sat down across from Rachel. She didn't even look at you, just kept rocking Mike, humming softly to herself.

"Where have ya been?" you asked blankly. You watched absently as your sister, chuckling merrily, rose from her seat and walked over to the couch to lay your son down. She continued to stand behind you, and you felt neither threatened nor dead, only doomed.

"Have you ever wondered how we let this happen?" she asked sympathetically, walking past you. "Maybe we shouldn't have encroached on their territory, much less destroyed it," Rachel, stopping in the hallway, turned around - you didn't dare look up. You didn't want to see the green eyes or the red hair again, for it was all a deception. While he laughed your sister's ringing laugh, you were dying. "But now you know how we felt, liebe," Rei cooed, disappearing into the darkness of the hallway. 

next ⊳

[genericpuff]

i find it funny that one of rachel’s drawings of herself in the afterword that just went up is just fully persephone. is that something she does a lot?

Alright so I've been making it a general rule for myself to like, not harp on Rachel in any way outside of LO as much because frankly the horse is dead now and there's not much left to say outside of what can be analyzed in hindsight. I think despite everything I have to say about her and her work, she still deserves to get away from this nonsense and I don't wanna spend eternity hovering over her shoulder.

But the afterword was posted within the LO series and is clearly meant for readers of LO in the functioning of being an afterword so let's just call it fair game LOL

I will say, on the whole, it does feel very honest and sentimental and I can respect Rachel for taking the time to write out and illustrate her afterword in a way that was personal to both her and her fans. I can understand why she went at it from the angle that she did and I'm not gonna fault her for that.

But there's also something that feels deeply... disingenuous about her approach right from the starting gun. I will say, before I continue, that I'm well aware I am biased towards Rachel as a creator, and I fully acknowledge that I could very well be reading too much into things. This is just my opinion, take it with mountains of salt.

I can get looking back on your own childhood, your past self, whatever, and going "see! it all got better!" because sure! For a lot of creators like Rachel, it must be wild to look back on where they came from and there's a lot of sentimentality on expressing that through an afterword like this where she reflects on where she came from. Though she STILL didn't acknowledge her other comics outside of LO, I can understand if she wants to leave those skeletons in the closet.

But I feel like her drawing herself as a child who's being given an Eisner by her adult self and all that just feels like some gross attempt to disarm any criticism of her because "don't make fun of me, I'm just a sad lonely baby girl!"

She's not a child. Child Rachel didn't grossly misappropriate Greek myth into their own self-indulged vanity project. Child Rachel didn't claim herself a folklorist of a culture's works only to bastardize them completely. Child Rachel didn't create a hostile environment within her fanbase by bullying anyone who she perceived as a threat, sneaking into critical spaces to try and cause trouble, and writing her own clapbacks into her comic. Child Rachel didn't claim to be challenging misogyny and purity culture only to reinforce misogyny and purity culture through her own self-insert baby-virgin-gets-rescued-by-rich-tycoon power fantasy that regularly glorified abuse towards women and the lower class.

30-almost-40-year-old Rachel did though.

At best it comes across as really cringe sentimentality from a Greek-weeb (heh, greeboo) and goes to show how much Rachel inserted herself into Greek myth without ever absorbing its messages or cultural contexts, it was all about her and her feelings as a sad New Zealand girl with dyslexia who thought Persephone's story was about another sad girl being rescued from her "horrible childhood".

At worst it's an active attempt to play on people's heartstrings by drawing herself as a child who people will naturally not want to criticize. I don't want to assume she's doing it intentionally, I really don't want to leave her afterword on a bad foot, as I can definitely understand as both a creator and a person who struggled with learning disabilities in their own childhood how and why she wants to pay homage to her past and where she came from... but let's just say, as someone who's also gotten way too "lost in the sauce" concerning personal self-reflective projects, I think there's a lot to say about how this confirms that Rachel made LO entirely for herself, about herself, without any actual intention to respect the original myths, because she never truly separated them from herself when she was a child. And, in my humble opinion as someone who has Been There with the self-insert OC's and self-reflective angsty plotlines, I can fully attest to the fact that that's not fucking healthy. Even with personal projects, you NEED to learn to get your head out of the sauce, you NEED to learn to objectively separate yourself from the narrative so the story doesn't fall apart under your own hubris and ego, you NEED to learn to draw a line if you want to have any sort of identity as a human being outside of what you make for people. And that's with just normal original stories, this was a story based on Greek myth which doesn't belong to her.

And this goes for a lot of the things she's said and done in the past, so much of her own "sources" even are tethered to things that she read / watched in her childhood and only vaguely remembers, as if she never mentally left her childhood at all, which just... if the point was to highlight her past and the traumas she went through and how they contributed to her present, an Eisner isn't going to validate those experiences. And drawing attention to her past through the lens of her childhood self absolutely 100% does not absolve her of the negative effect her work has had on the modern Greek myth zeitgeist nor the things she's said and done as a 38 year old woman who should absolutely know better.

The community she entered and took from will forever remain changed by her influence and taking, in many ways not for the better. She has the privilege of walking away and never having to think about it again, with all the awards and accolades that were bought for her, the bravado that she built around being a "folklorist" with zero credentials, and the platform she was given over many other creators struggling to even be heard.

That "place" she claims to have now was built entirely on inserting herself into another culture's works and doing nothing but taking, taking, taking, while offering nothing in return but vanity and lip service. That "place" was paid for and brought to you by Webtoons.

[thatawkwardmoth]

In honor of it being my birthday (I'm 20 now bitches, made it), I give you people celebrating Scott's birthday. Because he is a fellow Virgo, I know it in my soul.

Jean: bakes him a cake and makes him dinner. The one meal he likes and eats all the time. Her soup. It's a simple recipe and she stopped making it as much so Scott could expand his palate a little more. It doesn't but she makes it for him on his birthday. She gets him a gag gift and an actual gift. The gag gift is usually something like a card that says a really bad dad joke just so his face drops as he reads it. She's thoughtful with her gift and doesn't pry into his mind for it. She knows her husband.

Emma: Buys him a small cupcake and has him blow it out early in the morning. It's a private moment between them. Scott doesn't like that much attention on him, especially on his birthday so she keeps it between the two of them. She spends a ridiculous amount of money on model plane sets, knowing he enjoys making them in the rare instances of free time he gets and adds a little more spending money on the budget for the Blackbird so her nerdy boyfriend can have his fun upgrading it.

Rachel: as a child in her home timeline, she'd wake him up early, screeching about it being his birthday and getting him a present with mommy. She'd count herself lucky a few times that Scott's optic beams don't harm people with his genetics with how roughly she shook him. Nowadays, she leaves a card and a gift on his desk. The first few years, it was basic stuff with no thought behind it, thinking Scott wouldn't want personal gifts from her, just ties and supplies. Then it turned to science fiction memorabilia that the two shared a love for. She doesn't outright tell him happy birthday, just leaves the stuff on his desk.

Nathan: as a baby and a child, same as Rachel. Jean would dump him on the bed to distract Scott and head off. The two just spent the day together. His gifts were usually drawings and small crafts made with some students' help. More presently, it's usually alcohol or favors traded. Showing up for family dinner with Hope so Scott can have his whole family there.

Madelyne: Wakes up early to put on the right music, spends time just dancing with him. He enjoys the quiet moments before the rush of birthday well wishes. She makes a lopsided treat for him and new books he's been wanting to read but won't buy himself. She has to, he deserves this day to mean something.

Alex: Usually annoys him first, making fun of his age. Buys him a card and a round of drinks. Scott likes to feel useful but Alex takes the lead on their hangout days. They sightsee, go to aircraft shows and museums. He gets Scott a few more puzzles, teases him, enjoys seeing his uptight brother smiling and relaxing for once. He's happy to celebrate with his brother after years of not being able to. He's glad to have another year with his older brother.

Corsair: completely forgot, came back three months later with a lame cheap space book that isn't correct at all and is from an Earth thrift store.

Charles: Ignored it. Just didn't say anything.

Ororo: Forcibly made him give up leadership for the day. Of everything. She's in charge and she demands he spends the day relaxing. She gets him a tea, something he prefers over coffee, and locks him out of the danger room.

Logan: Gets him drunk at their usual bar, let's him rant drunkenly about whatever. Is careful to not start fights with him that day. Challenges him to a race on their motorcycles just to have Scott take a ride with him.

Warren: Expensive gifts but from the heart. His assistant didn't buy the gift for him. Warren spent two months finding out all the details and information he needed to gift Scott with all the proof that he'd donated a large sum of money to mutant charities and an even larger amount to an orphanage for mutant children. He gets Scott other gifts but this one means a lot to Scott in a way another book or trinket doesn't.

The team/mansion/island: Doesn't throw a party for him. He's antisocial and hates them. But all day he gets quiet well wishes and cards. He gets small favors and free drinks. They're all careful to not make a big deal out of it but to show him that they care.