#second chance at love

[hawkinsbnbg]

Eddie Munson wasn’t one who knew when to quit.

Eddie Munson was a lot of things, but he wasn’t one who knew when to quit.

He sold drugs when it was frowned upon because he wanted to help his uncle pay the bills. He did drugs because why the hell not?

He loved music that was too loud, he played games that were considered satanic, he wore his queerness as a badge of honor in the town that hated him.

He headed to hell, sacrificed himself for the kid he loved and people he barely knew, and survived the odds.

He graduated high school by tooth and nail, pursued his dream when everyone deemed he was a lost cause. He worked harder when being pushed down. He succeeded.

He made it big, achieved his dream, got fame and wealth at his disposal. He was notorious for the long list of flings left in every city he visited. He despised the snobs, bigots, and paparazzi.

He—

He tried to quit mooning over the beautiful man who had saved his life alongside the whole world. Who was the object of his desire and obsession. His dream and muse, his pain and yearning.

Who was the bane of his existence, the opium to the addict in his core. Dangerous and yet, lovely, irresistible.

Even so, he could never bring himself to ignore the monthly phone calls with Steve, listening to the warm voice that made his heart ache and flutter, checking in to make sure his boy was still safe in the town that he had left behind to go spread his wings.

Yes, his.

The moment Steve kissed him—shaky, tender, sweet—their souls had intertwined, bounded together for evermore.

Eddie couldn’t bring himself to deny it, that he had lost his heart to Steve Harrington since the first time he caught a glimpse of those pretty eyes and soft lips, wishing he could kiss them one day.

And then he did.

Back when their feelings were still new, fresh, tentative. They had done everything any young lovers would do upon having made it through an almost-apocalypse together.

They dove headfirst into each other. Touching, crying, kissing, laughing, and making love. They consumed, they devoured, they ignited.

And they crashed.

Eddie couldn’t stand being the town’s prime murder suspect even after the charge had been dropped.

Steve couldn’t bear leaving the only place he had grown up in, the place he had fought for with his life. He had people, friends who needed him there, who would miss him a terrible amount if he decided to leave.

But Eddie didn’t have such problems. His uncle didn’t rely on him the same way the kids did to Steve. His friends had left long before the ‘earthquake’ took place.

A label had sought him out after seeing his performance at The Hideout, offered him a good deal if he signed with them, and for the first time since his life had been turned upside down, Eddie saw hope.

He had talked with Steve about it. About leaving for a better future. About them making a life together somewhere outside the cursed town they had been unfortunately put in.

But it was a wistful thinking. Because sometimes, love was never enough. And sometimes, Eddie wasn’t the only scared one.

They parted. Tearful but surprisingly civil. They hadn’t been through so much just to lose each other over a mutual breakup.

Because Eddie still loved Steve.

And Steve still loved Eddie.

Simple as that.

"Don’t be hung up on me, Munson," Steve whispered to him, hugging him so tight that his healed ribs might crack again. Eddie didn’t think he would mind if it meant he could stay in this moment forever.

"I should be the one telling you that, Stevie," Eddie sniffled, hugging the boy he loved just as fiercely.

He suddenly didn’t want to leave anymore. Maybe he could apply for a position at the plant, asked Wayne for a recommendation. Or he could make do with the mine at the edge of the town, he heard they were hiring just the other day ago.

"Good luck, Eds," Steve pressed a kiss on his ear. "Don’t do drugs, don’t get in trouble, don’t be–"

"–stupid."

Steve laughed, tilting his head back and offering his pale throat for Eddie’s greedy eyes. The urge to lick, to bite, to leave a mark was strong, but Eddie just tightened his hold around Steve further, because the privilege wasn't his anymore.

"I was going for ‘cute’," Steve looked back at him, arms coming up to wrap around his neck, nails scratching the back of his nape teasingly, eyes light and twinkling with mirth. Eddie wanted to kiss him. "But I guess ‘stupid’ suits you just fine."

"Stop flirting," Eddie chided him half-heartedly, unable to resist it anymore and leaned in to peck the end of his nose.

Steve blushed, pretty and precious, before releasing him and finally stepping back. Too close and too far at the same time.

For a moment, they just stared at each other, and Eddie was thankful that their friends were considerate enough to give them some semblances of privacy after having said their goodbye.

Before Eddie could do something stupid like falling to his knees and begging Steve to go with him, the final boarding called for his flight.

"So this is it," he shrugged on his duffle and gave Steve a lopsided smile.

"Have a safe flight, Eddie," Steve squeezed his shoulder before stepping aside so the others could do the same.

As Eddie turned on his heels, he could feel Steve’s gaze trailing after him until he disappeared behind the gate.

"He kept asking me when would you come to Indianapolis, which was unfair because how could I possibly know that? And the dipshit just rolled his eyes at me with Aren’t you supposed to be his best friend or something? Then I had to set it straight with him that us being on the phone once a month doesn’t mean I’d know every deepest darkest secret about you."

Eddie felt his chest and stomach warm with fondness when Steve didn’t deny that they were best friends, didn’t insist that the position was for Robin only. Because Steve was cool like that. Because why on earth would he refuse to have two best friends who would go to hell with him?

Eddie bet if he looked at the mirror right now, he would see himself smiling like a lovesick idiot.

There was something so endearing about Steve whining to him about their kids and friends every time they talked.

It was as if they had been doing this their whole life. Talking about mundane things, asking about each other's days, chatting about everything and anything.

It would be awfully domestic if they lived together.

Eddie could imagine it, see it clearly in his mind.

Steve sharing the spaces with him, waking up in the same bed as him, standing in the kitchen wearing the Kiss the Cook apron, swaying to the songs from the radio, giggling cutely when Eddie smothered him with kisses, smiling warmly as they did the chores together, getting huffy and bitchy when they bantered, and humming softly to some random tunes Eddie just came up with.

Perhaps, they would all become his new reality if he took that first step.

Eddie Munson wasn’t one who knew when to quit, after all.

And for Steve, he would take a million steps to make them work this time.

"Are you sure, Stevie?" He asked.

"Sure what?"

"That you haven’t already known every deepest, darkest secret of mine."

He heard Steve take a deep inhale. Eddie smiled fondly. His smart boy, always knew him so well.

"Eddie..."

"I’m an adult now, sweetheart," he chuckled. "Gotta be the one addressing the elephant in the room when my boy is too stubborn to look at it."

"Don’t be silly," Steve said weakly, a bit breathless. Good to know Eddie still had that effect on him even after all those years.

"I can’t, Stevie," Eddie lowered his voice, like he was telling a secret. "Been silly for you since high school. Don’t think I can stop it now."

"I told you to move on."

"And I didn’t promise anything," Eddie bit back a laugh, knowing how frustrated Steve must be right now. "I tried. Haven’t you seen all of that?"

There was a reason Eddie did everything in his capacity to appear on the headlines most of the time. He wanted Steve to see him, to watch him, to be there for every little step he took, to be in his life as much as possible.

"... I have," Steve sighed, sounding more tired than dejected.

"So you know how hard it had been for me to find someone who could measure up to you," Eddie twirled a strand of his hair absently. "They always failed at the ‘having perfect hair’ part."

"Bet they didn’t know what Farrah Fawcett is, huh?"

"They just looked at me blankly when I told them to take better care of their hair," Eddie grinned at the lovely sound of Steve’s giggle.

"So," Eddie cleared his throat slightly and braved on when Steve quieted down. "My band’s final destination is Indianapolis. It’s a two-night stop. After that, I’ll take my well-deserved break in Hawkins for a few months, visit my uncle and our friends, and see if you’re gonna take me back."

"Eddie," Steve said pointedly. "We both agreed that it’s better for us to stay friends. And I don’t– I can’t watch you leave again. I’m not made for it."

"Baby," Eddie said softly, his heart breaking at the sound of Steve’s sharp inhale, like it was too much, like the word hadn’t been on the tip of his tongue every time they spoke. "Everything’s different now. Our kids are all in colleges, our friends have their jobs and families, and I think it’s time you allow yourself to live your life, Stevie."

"What are you trying to say here, Eddie?" Steve asked shakily.

"That I need you," Eddie poured out his heart. "I craved for you, missed you so much that it hurts me physically. All of my songs are about you and just for you. I’m obsessed with you, bewitched by you, my love. You’ve been in my mind for years now and I don’t think it’ll stop any time soon."

"C’mon, angel," he went on as Steve let out a small gasp. "I did everything you told me to. No drugs, no fights, no troubles. Haven't I been good enough?"

"Except you’re still hung up on me," Steve laughed softly, warmly.

"Yeah, I’m still an addict, after all," Eddie chuckled. "It’s impossible to quit loving you, baby boy."

"Me, too," Steve said after a while. "I'm still hung up on you, Eddie," his voice cracked as he admitted quietly, "still in love with you."

"Christ, we make quite a pair, huh?" Eddie chuckled, running a hand down his face.

"Tell me about it," Steve let out an amused huff.

In the next several minutes, they discussed what they would do when Eddie got back. And in return, Eddie promised to send everyone at home tickets and backstage passes so they could go see him once the show was over.

"I listened to them all, you know," Steve said amidst their conversation.

Eddie paused, feeling his heart somersault and pressing a hand on his chest to calm it down.

"I’m glad," he said, crooning, "'cause they’re my love letters for you, darlin'."

"Gosh, you’re such a sap."

He could hear the smile in Steve’s voice.

"Your sap," Eddie grinned so much that his cheeks hurt. "Only yours, baby boy."

"Guess you’re right," Steve giggled. "Can’t wait to see you again. My sappy poet."

It had been years since they last saw each other. At least on Eddie’s part, because he knew Steve had seen him plenty on the TV and in those magazines.

Eddie was relieved that they had been too stubborn to let themselves grow apart and still kept in touch to this day.

For being long-distance friends, they didn’t have a lot to catch up with except their pent-up feelings for each other.

Eddie looked at the framed candid photo of Steve on his nightstand.

In the shot, Steve was wearing his signature blue polo and snug jeans. Around his neck was a silver chain that carried Eddie’s guitar pick, tucked safely beneath his shirt.

He was watching the kids fooling around in the pool. Cold beer in his hands as he turned to Robin, whispering about anything he found funny like a cute gossip schoolboy.

Eddie’s boy.

Golden skin kissed by the sun. Hazel eyes sparkled with joy, like gemstones that tasted of warm caramel. Rosy cheeks, pouty lips, freckled nose. All perfect and divine under the bright daylight.

The photo had cost Eddie an arm and a leg when he asked to buy it from Jonathan.

It was worth every penny.

"Soon, angel," Eddie said softly. "I’ll be there before you know it."

Two days later, Eddie stood on Steve’s front porch with his luggage and rang the bell.

When Steve opened the door and saw him, a warm smile graced those pretty features.

"Hey."

There were no questions about why Eddie had returned earlier than planned. Because Steve knew Eddie was never good at the waiting game. And he had waited long enough for both of their sake.

"Hey yourself," Eddie smiled back, taking a couple of steps forward to erase the little distance between them.

As Steve tilted his chin up slightly to look at him, Eddie leaned down to peck the corner of that lovely mouth, resting his hands on the soft waist.

"I’m home, baby."

Naturally, Steve hooked his arms around Eddie’s neck and pressed their lips together—firm, tender, sweet.

Just like their first kiss.

"Welcome home, Eds."

[artsninspo]

VERY MERRY MARTINI🍸 - RIO X READER

「 ✦ full library & archive ✦ 」

: ̗̀➛ rio's library - good girl nbc

𐙚 based on this request | ♡ a flash forward of this

summary: Returning home for Christmas dredges up old wounds and unexpected sparks. Between family chaos and a chance encounter with her first love, Rio, she’s swept into a whirlwind of bittersweet memories and heated confessions. Can they rewrite their story, or will their past keep them apart? A cocktail of love, nostalgia, and second chances awaits.

tropes: second chance romance, small town nostalgia, reformed bad boy & unresolved emotional conflict - angst, fluff and a sprinkle of steam

pairing: Rio (Good Girls) X Reader

word-count: ~ 2K

You pluck a peppermint from the dish at the bar, untwisting the wrapper and pluck the candy into your mouth as nostalgia hits you. Sucking on the candy you remember a time where your granny’s crystal dishes were full of them and Christmas meant family and holiday cheer instead of restaurants and swanky parties. Your parents divorce has shattered all the warm and fuzzy feelings and in spite of being back in town for the first time in almost a decade everything feels different - but not in a good way. Being a child of divorce to two prideful parents is a full time job.

“What can I get for you?” a young bartender smiles.

“A … merry martini” you respond with a smile checking the menu.

“Coming right up” he winks flirting for his tip. You shift in your seat looking at all the other rejects who like you have nowhere better to be. The drink is slid in front of you and you open your purse.

“You're too pretty to pay” he winks, making you smile.

“Merry christmas” you say, raising a glass to him and taking a sip to take the edge off. Your holidays are stacked with activities and outings. Both of your parents want to show off their girl - like you’re some prized fucking heifer. They’ve tried their best at normalcy so there's no room for honest discussion on how much the chaos hurts. Your father went from married man, to divorcee where you and boxing were the light of his life. But you had been replaced with a new wife and a son who could be his prodigy. Then there was your mother who’d left the marriage committed to becoming her own light. Now she shines so bright it's blinding. Her and her husband are so perfect it’s hard to share space with them. Not to mention the competition between both parents had you in a constant tug of war.

“Another one please” you smile shamelessly placing a twenty in the tip jar.  The bartender nods without judgement making another one. This time you wince at the strength of the first sip. “Perfect” you wink and he smiles tending to the other patrons.

“Davis”  a man introduces himself to your left. Your mind tells you he's a predator. When you’d been looking your best he had not approached but after two drinks in under five minutes he's grown a pair.

“Not interested” you respond dismissively.

“Why not, you dont think I'm handsome?” he asks but you'd bet your last dollar he was married. You glance at his left hand and bingo, there's a faint indentation. The vulture in front of you thinks he’s gonna get some easy ass.

“I could be piss drunk and never give you the time of day or night - get lost” you tell him not in the mood to be used and discarded or sold a dream.

“Is that so?” he asks a glutton for punishment.

“Mhm” you respond, draining cocktail number two and he smiles handsome enough under the right circumstances.

“Maybe I was just being kind to the trainwreck at the bar. Spreading holiday kindness to the less fortunate” he jabs.

“No wonder your wife doesnt fuck you, I wouldnt either. How does putting me down make you feel, mister kind man?” you ask patronizing him some more. His chest rises and his body goes rigid.

“Careful Davis, this one’s pretty but will lay your ass out” a voice says, giving you goosebumps. “Her pops owns the three boxing gyms in the city. That means after she’s done with you - if she tells pops at least one of the guys will catch you outside” he continues and Davis looks between you and the man with resentment before standing and finding somewhere else to be in the bar. You feel your heart race and try to get yourself together before you turn around.

There he is, in all his glory somehow more attractive now than he’d been all those years ago. Your eyes catch a tattoo on his neck and he slides you your third drink but that's way too dangerous now with him in your midst.

“You were never afraid” you mutter and he smiles.

“Ahh, I lack good sense remember. Your pops only had one gym at the time” he shrugs using the line you used in your break-up. He’d done you dirty, broke your heart and then thumbed your nose in it. He was a part of the reason you never came back home.

“Right” you nod and he looks at the drink with an amused expression. It hadn't been all bad. He could still vividly remember all the nights he spent looking up at his ceiling because the morning couldn't come soon enough. He couldn't wait to see you, feel you, kiss you, sneak you into his house while his granny was working. Nobody topped the feeling you gave him till this day. The two of you had been inseparable and he never cared what people said - he was in love with you and wearing it for everyone to see. It was why your rejection hurt so bad and Nick’s betrayal cut so deep. You never listened, never stopped to hear him out while hurling insults through tears. He couldn't get a word in and then you never spoke to him again - not even when he tried being civil at your graduation.

“How long are you back for?” Rio asks testing your energy towards him.

“None of your business” you respond, making him smile.

“So it’s like that?” he asks.

“It’s like that” you respond.

“So what? Are we gonna be beefing forever?” he asks.

“Why are you behind the bar? You aren’t nice enough to be a bartender.” you comment sipping slow.

“You know me well. I'm the owner,” he says.

“Makes sense,” you nod, looking him over again. The prime location and atmosphere, along with the internet reviews was a signifier of success. “Graduated from illegal to legal impairment” you swallow.

“Look, enjoy your drinks, if you need a cab have my boy call you one” he snaps in bad humour before walking away. He didnt take shit from anyone these days and that would never change. The edge is back on so you scroll looking for another bar and when you find one you head to the bathroom to sober up. Finished from relieving yourself you re-apply your lipstick and fix your hair in the mirror when Rio enters locking the door of the swanky bathroom behind him.

“What's all this?” you ask genuinely confused.

“In case I never see you again I didn’t sell drugs on the job that summer. I stopped like you asked and it fucked Nicks business up because I was the money maker. He asked me to come back and I said no because I was all in on us and the naive shit we had planned. Nick being the spiteful bitch he is, set me up, he knew you’d dump me and you did. You wouldn't hear me out and I couldn't say shit to the cops or my granny would have had two of us inside at once. Couldn't write it in the letters you didn't read either cause they read it and you wouldn't be near me.” Rio says and you look into his eyes. One thing remains true - you still can't tell when he’s lying. Your brain wants to say something smug and spiteful but your heart wants to accept it as truth and move on.

“I was alone and I needed someone to be angry at - it couldn't be my parents so I made it you. Don't sweat it” you shrug, opting for something in the middle.

“Your pops misses you like crazy” he surprises you.

“How do you know that?” you ask.

“We have dinner together once a month, he signed on as my mentor as a part of my probation. Even gave me a loan for this place” Rio says, telling you things you’ve never known.

“He always liked you,” you nod.

“Yeah we’ll I only really meet with him to hear updates about you, every fucking time I hold my breath hoping that I dont hear youre married or engaged because in my head youre still mine” Rio declares speaking directly to your heart. It was the Rio you knew and not the one that got in a relationship with one of your classmates when he was free from his stint in juvie. Although you knew it was just to hurt you, it still did.

“I’m gonna go” you whisper walking forward but he doesn't move around the barred door. He’d been your safe place through the most turbulent times and you’d not returned the favor. Tears well and you wipe them away feeling the effects of the alcohol. Rio catches your arm as you reach for the lock, his eyes lowering as he looks down at you. A thumb swipes away the tears.

“I’m sorry” he whispers, maintaining eye contact. You're seventeen again and find your face scrunching up embarrassingly. Rio continues wiping the tears away feeling emotional himself as he takes you into his arms cradling you into a hug. There was so much that was different, your perfume, your shampoo, how your body felt in his arms, the heels instead of sneakers. The bathroom bar instead of sneaking into the one at your fathers gym. His love for you was unrivalled. The tears slow to a halt after a few minutes and Rio’s hands slide lower down into your lower back. When you look back at him his eyes are encouraging. It's a relief that he finds no satisfaction in your moment of weakness.

“Fix your make up, stay pretty” he says kissing your temple in a gesture so casual it could only be out of love. You don't question him getting your items from your purse again and doing a quick touch up. When you're finished Rio examines the armour you’ve crafted to protect yourself from your own vulnerabilities and gives a nod of approval. Your heart swells with love for him. He takes your chin leaning in for a kiss. It had been too long since your lips had known his. Too long since his tongue claimed yours while being body to body. Since his hands grabbed handfuls of ass and trailed up against the skin of your torso. 

Loud knocks on the door ends the steamy moment.

“I need to PISS” someone slurs on the other side of the door. You smile, stepping back and ridding the smudged lipstick from Rio’s lips. He does the same for you, unlocking the door and moving aside. The drunk patron rushes into a stall paying neither of you any mind.

“Let me take you home,” Rio offers.

“I don't want to go home” you respond.

“You’re going home, I’m not touching you again until you're sober. I need you to feel and remember my shit, you don't get to pretend to forget after I’ve been waiting this long” he says holding your hand. You can't help but smile at his mean ass. He drags you to his office where he gets his keys and to the black truck waiting in the barking lot. He gets your door like old times adjusting the seat to your comfort. His heart races the entire trip to your hotel and he stays in the car knowing he doesn't have the will power to refuse you twice. He watches you turn around and he rolls down his windows so you can see him instead of the tints. Smiling makes you feel optimistic for the first time this entire trip. Hand to lips you blow him a kiss. He smiles, unable to maintain his hard exterior.

“Fuck me” he laughs knowing hes down bad for you. 

Heading to the hotel you hum along to the Christmas music playing in the lobby, sucking on another peppermint you smile at the nostalgia of your and Rio’s good times. Excited to be back home and for the promise of a very merry Christmas.

authors note: thank you for reading, i'm working my way through the holiday requests so yes this will be a one of one, since I'm pretty sure we all knows what happens next. it rhymes with next without the t 😉

Writing for this amazing community is such a joy, and your support helps me keep creating.

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tags: @meadows5 @wnbweasley @becauseimher @ariiaeltheedonn @woahthatshitfat @miniaturehideoutmentality @kokobells @ffenthusiastt @sowhatariyana @1xtral1983 @theegoddessofmelanin @fictionalreads @roxytheimmortal

[hairmetal666]

cw// cancer mentioned, no character death

Eddie's moving to Chicago with his boyfriend and their best friend.

Eddie's moving to Chicago and it feels like everything is finally coming together.

Eddie's moving to Chicago, Steve Harrington is his boyfriend, and his life is starting.

Eddie's moving to Chicago, but then Wayne gets sick.

He tells Steve that he can't leave, not yet, needs to take care of his uncle.

And Steve, his Steve, perfect Steve, says with no hesitation, "I'll stay. Eddie, I'll stay with you. We'll go in six months. Together, that's the plan."

But Eddie can't let Steve do that; Steve who is everything bright and good and right in the world. Steve needs to get out, even if Eddie can't.

He insists Steve go, insists so hard that Steve can only agree, though Eddie can tell it's killing him.

Before they leave, Steve and Eddie cling to each other.

"Six months, baby. Just six months and then I'll be with you."

"I'll stay, Eds. Let me stay for you?"

"Not in a million years. What's six months in a lifetime together?"

"You mean that?" Steve whispers, the words tickling against Eddie's neck.

"Of course, sweetheart. Never meant anything more in my life."

They cling harder, crying against each other, despite it being goodbye for now and not forever.

They haven't said "I love you" yet, and the words hang on his tongue as the embrace ends, but he can't say it now; not when six months of time and 200-plus miles will separate them.

Except Wayne isn't better in six months. He's not worse, but the cancer's still there, he's still sick. And Eddie can't leave.

Eddie figured something like this would happen. Knew in the back of his mind that Steve and Robin and Chicago were never anything but a pipe dream.

When he calls Steve, he thinks he's ready.

"Okay, so Hopper's letting us borrow his truck, but he needs to know our timeline. You think next Saturday--"

"Steve." He says. His stomach clenches.

"What's wrong?" Because Steve knows, like he always does.

"Wayne's not better."

Steve is silent for a beat. "Okay...that's okay. I'll come back. Right now. Tonight. We'll do this tog--"

"You know I can't let you do that."

"Eddie--"

"No, Steve, don't. Okay? Let's just. It's time, you know?"

"It's not. Eddie, it isn't. Don't do this. Please, please," Steve cries.

"It's for the best. I know you can't see it now, but it is. You need to live your life, Stevie. Get that degree. Be someone."

"Eddie," Steve sobs. "Please. You have to know that I lo--"

"Don't," Eddie snarls. Doesn't mean to but can't hear those words, the three that will break him in two. "This is for the best, Steve. A clean break, yeah?"

"No." And Eddie hears Steve shuffling on the other end, like he's getting up. "I'm not letting you do this. I'm coming back, and we're doing this together. A lifetime, remember?"

Eddie's crying now, can't help it. "Please, don't. Steve, just--it's over, okay? I'm sorry. I'm so sorry. I can't do this anymore."

He hangs up the phone before Steve can argue, cries himself to sleep.

5 Years Later

Eddie never gets over Steve Harrington. His golden boy, the brave, perfect, kind, bratty man who has his whole heart.

Wayne is okay. Will never not have cancer, but he's doing good. And Eddie runs a record store in the town over. Visits some bars in Indy when he feels a certain kind of lonely. He's settled, finally, is the thing. He's settled and happy enough, so of course, that's when it happens.

He's at the grocery store, stopped in produce. There's a little girl, maybe 3 or 4--bright pink shirt, chestnut hair, little overalls--sitting in a cart by the tomatoes.

The sight of her sparks something in Eddie's chest, but he doesn't understand what or why, and then she's pointing at him, smiling and wiggling. "Daddy!" She shrieks.

That's when Steve Harrington swoops around the corner, reaching for the girl, his daughter, and Eddie takes a step away, ready to run from this.

The girls says, "That's the boy in all your pictures." She giggles and points at Eddie more. Steve blushes, and Eddie's assaulted by so many things all at once he thinks he may pass out.

"Stevie," he hears himself saying.

Steve freezes, looks at Eddie, so much knowing in those hazel eyes it makes him a little sick. But it still surprises him when Steve pulls him into a hug. Being in those arms again, It's like everything keeping him together falls apart. He sinks into the hold, breathes in deep, feels like home.

It shouldn't, though. Steve's got a kid. Probably a wife. Can't have his ex-boyfriend falling apart in his arms in the grocery store. Eddie disengages, steps back a little. Steve blinks, eyelashes fluttering, and Eddie is still so in love with him it hurts.

"I should--I should go," he mumbles, gripping at the back of his neck like it's a lifeline. The little girl giggles more, bouncing in her seat, and he's overcome with fondness. Can't help but give her an exaggerated bow as he goes.

He makes himself walk to the end of the aisle, but once he's left Steve behind, he runs.

That night, when a knock comes at his door, nothing prepares him for a sheepish Steve Harrington standing on the other side.

"Sorry to drop by unannounced," Steve says, manners still impeccable. "Wayne gave me your address. I'm glad--I'm glad he's doing okay, Eddie."

Eddie's too astonished to respond, nods for a few seconds before, "Th-thanks. Uhh, you wanna come in?"

Steve does and then they're in Eddie's little living room together and what the fuck is he supposed to do?

"Where's the kid?" he asks. He gestures Steve to the couch.

Steve smiles, a soft thing that's a knife to Eddie's heart. "Oh, I left her with Robin. They'll be fine for a few hours. Her name's Ellie, by the way. Ellie Jane Harrington."

"She knows who I am?" Eddie asks.

"Course. I told her about everyone. Showed her pictures. I hoped she could meet you one day."

"Yeah?" Eddie can't stand the thing that unfurls in his chest, blooming with love, so much care it aches in his teeth. "I swear next time I won't run away."

Steve laughs, hazel eyes fond in a way that Eddie can't look at for too long. "You didn't run away, Eds. It was a weird--reunion."

Eddie chuckles, pulls hair over his face. "A little bit. Not every day you run into your ex and his daughter scoping out tomatoes."

"I was hoping to give you a call, ask you out to dinner, or something. Not my kid recognizing you at Bradley's Big Buy."

"You wanna take me out to dinner, Stevie?" He asks before he can think better of it. Steve blushes red, and god Eddie missed him.

"Thought it might be nice, yeah. Get to know each other again."

It's Eddie turn to blush. "Why are you here?" He asks, good of a segue as any.

"Here, like, in your apartment, or here in Hawkins?"

"Both."

"I'm--uh--the new counselor at Hawkins High. Might coach the basketball team."

"But--Chicago," is all Eddie can say.

Steve laughs. "It was fun for a while, but--I don't know, man, it got hard with a kid. Joyce told me about the job opening and I decided to try."

"And Ellie's mom?" Eddie doesn't want to ask, can't stand not knowing.

Steve's eyes fall. "Ah," his hands squeeze into fists. "She's not in the picture. Never really was. After--" he takes a deep breath. "After we broke up, I sort of. Lost myself for awhile. Slept around. One night, I got this call saying that a baby had been surrendered at a fire station, my name listed as the father."

"Oh, sweetheart. I bet you didn't hesitate."

Steve stares at his hands, smiles. "Not for a second. I cried when I saw her, Eds. Just fucking sobbed. She was so beautiful. Then I had to figure out how to raise a kid and finish school."

"But you did it." Eddie can't hide that he's crying anymore.

Steve nods, is crying too.

"I'm really proud of you, sweetheart," Eddie whispers.

They look at each other, tear stained and sad but somehow so happy, and Steve leans forward, presses his mouth to Eddie's. He freezes, shocked to stillness, overwhelmed with the thing he never thought he'd have again.

Steve pulls back, face red and eyes wide. "I'm so sorry. I got it in my head--" he stands, fumbling for his keys. "I should have never--you told me we were done and I know you meant it. But I saw you in the grocery store and I thought, you know, I'm never getting over him. I'm so stup--"

"Steve, wait" Eddie snaps out of it all at once, hurrying to where the man he's never stopped loving is shoving his feet inexpertly into his shoes.

"Don't leave," he says, almost whispering. "Please don't leave. Steve, I'm so, so sorry for how I ended things. I was so young and stupid, and--I didn't want you to lose your dreams for me."

Steve turns then, tears trickling down his cheeks. "You were my dream, Eds. You still are. I should have come back, made you let me stay. But I thought--maybe your feelings had changed. That you didn't--that you weren't--"

Eddie can't help it, pulls Steve into his arms. "I was. I am. You're all I've ever wanted." He presses his face to Steve's hair, breathes in deep. "I loved you then. I love you now. I've loved you every day in between."

"I love you," Steve sobs. "I love you so much."

They kiss, lips slotting together like they never stopped. It's salty with tears, but it's perfect. It's them.

Their mouths part, but they stay in each other's orbit; need the proximity after years apart.

"I have a kid now, Eddie," Steve says into the silence between them.

"Yeah," Eddie nods. "She's beautiful. Looks like her dad."

Steve smiles, flushes again. "She needs stability in her life, you know? She's my priority. Always will be. And if I--if this--"

Eddie knows. Understands his boy just as well now as he did back then. "We'll take it as slow as you need, baby. I want to be there for both of you. When you're ready. And until then, I'll be wherever you need me."

More tears escape Steve's eyes, but Eddie brushes them away. "We have a lifetime to figure it out."

[hannahbarberra162]

Struck Twice By Lightning

On Ao3 All Chapters

You married Shanks when you were both younger and in love. But life happened, you broke up, and you haven't been with him in years. You need him to divorce you to get your business started. He strikes a deal with you - but will you want to keep it? Or would you rather keep him?

AKA- second chance romance with Shanks.

I'm trying not to use Y/N, just "you," we'll see how it goes. Should be fluffy, maybe a touch on angst later on. No Uta, haven't seen the movie yet.

18+ MDNI

Struck Twice By Lightning

When you heard that a Yonko ship was docked at the main island, you rolled your eyes. Others on the island were happy, concerned, worried, excited, a myriad of emotions. Not you. You had a feeling about who the Yonko was. And you needed something that only he could give you. 

You lived a quiet life on a small island archipelago. The main island was where the majority of commerce and tourism were, but you lived on a small, lush, green nearby island that you loved. It was easy to travel between the islands - you didn’t even need a log pose. You’d been living there for a while, making money with your trade. You were satisfied with your life, and wanted to keep it that way. 

You did need to find a certain someone, so the fact that he had docked near your island was fortuitous. It saved you the time it would take to track him down. You decided just to get this over and done with, so you grabbed what you needed, and went to the small wharf. There would be plenty of boats and ferries going between the islands, you’d just catch the next one. Sure enough, you were able to pay for fare and be on your way in less than an hour. 

Landing at the main island, it didn’t take long to figure out where the pirates were. It was like the entire island had erupted into a party. There was music coming from every restaurant, every bar was open and full, and there was dancing in the street. It would have been nice, but you weren’t in the mood. You headed towards the biggest, loudest part of the party you could find, and sure enough, there were the Red Hair Pirates. You saw some familiar faces, some new ones, but not the one that you needed.

Finally, you saw a circle of people sitting around, talking and laughing. They were drinking heavily, telling tall tales trying to entertain the local women. You walked up to the circle and looked for your target. In walking towards everyone, you passed by an old friend. You reached out and patted him on the shoulder.

“Hi, Benn.”

“Hi, nice to see you,” Benn replied with a smile. Ever unflappable, he didn’t seem surprised you were there. 

“He’s here, right?”

“Just over there.”

“Thanks Benn. Happy you’re ok.”

“Likewise.”

With that you trudged over to your mark. You stood in front of him and said simply

“Shanks.”

Shanks, who had been laughing a moment before, looked as though he’d seen a ghost. After a moment, his face broke into a huge smile and he said “Buttercup, is it really you? Or have I been hallucinating again?”

“Don’t call me that. I need you to do something for me.”

“Come here! It’s been forever! Come sit by me and tell me everything that’s been going on.”

“No, Shanks. It’s not gonna be like that. I just need to talk to you.”

“So sit here and talk to me! We haven’t seen each other in so long, I wanna talk to you too…” Shanks continued to try to get you to sit next to him. Eventually, you did, just so you could tell him what you needed to. Shanks could be incredibly persistent when he wanted something, a trait you had not forgotten. 

A newer recruit, who hadn’t recognized you, asked “who is that? His ex-girlfriend or something?”

Benn sighed, took a drag of his cigarette, and replied “no, that’s his wife.”

[joshsindigostreak]

Running Through the Garden

Chapter One

“Rosemary: Remembrance, your presence revives me.” - Language of flowers.

Werewolf!Danny x Werewolf!OC

Authors Note: Hey y’all!!! Hope y’all enjoy this first full chapter of Danny’s story! I’m having a blast writing him 🥰

Word Count: 3k

Warnings: Brief SMUT, 18+, m!masturbation.

The drive back to Sam’s house was a quiet blur for Danny. He replayed the memory by the lake over and over again, trying to figure out where exactly Ivy had run off to, even if it was futile effort knowing her. If Ivy Phillips didn’t want to be found she simply wasn’t, which was why he hadn’t seen her in the years since they graduated. Ever since the morning she left there had been no trace of her. No social media, no LinkedIn profile, nothing; she never showed up in any tagged photos of their mutual friends either. He only knew that she was alright because their parents had mutual friends and there had been light chatter between the parents about their kids. She didn’t want anything to do with him and made it abundantly clear. 

But he could never figure out why she distanced herself. Things between them had been great, and Danny saw a future with her that he had never seen with anyone else, but those plans had been halted since that fateful morning when he woke up alone to a cold bed. 

Sam had tried to get his attention a few times but eventually let his friend have some time to himself. He never took it personally when Danny was quiet the morning after a Full Moon, as he knew that he was probably exhausted and just needed a proper shower and a nap. Over the years Danny had essentially taken over one of the downstairs guest rooms. To make it less obvious as to why he was sleeping at their house, Sam would come up with various half truths to convince his parents that Danny was just a little codependent on him and loved being with their family. When they were teens, Sam snuck Danny into the house some mornings, terrified his parents would catch on and see his disheveled friend and figure out he was a Wolf. 

When they got back to the Kiszka Manor, the monthly routine continued with Danny making a bee line for his usual room. It was the only guest room with its own en-suite, which allowed the young Wolf to have even more time to lose himself in his thoughts. 

The scalding hot spray felt heavenly in his sore body. He watched the excess dirt run off his body and down the drain as he scrubbed at his hair and scalp. Mid-lather those giant green eyes flashed in his mind again, and he almost groaned at the memory. He was convinced he’d never see them again. Another memory of her familiar scent flooded his brain and his hands stopped what they were doing in his hair.  His eyes fluttered shut as he got lost in it.

  Ivy was Spring personified. She always reminded him of how the earth would smell after an early morning rain, when flowers would just start to open up as the Sun peaked out from behind the clouds. Memories of waking up with his face buried in her fiery hair trickled in, when his first thoughts of the day would be about her and he’d pull her even closer. 

Danny tilted his head back under the shower head to rinse out his shampoo. It had been a long time since he had thought about her. He decided years ago that dwelling too much on memories of her ruined his entire week and he couldn’t keep putting himself through it. But after last night he couldn’t help it. He had seen her for the first time since the last month before he graduated, and it almost felt like a dream. 

His skin prickled and he realized that the adrenaline from the Full Moon was still coursing through him. He tried distracting himself with his conditioner routine, but it was no use. Leaning against the shower wall, Danny wrapped his left hand around his aching cock. He didn’t even try to muffle the groan that escaped his full lips. He missed her so fucking much. There had been others before and after her, but no one felt as good wrapped around him as she did. Memories of being tangled together in his dorm, waking up together in the forest around Lake Champlain after a Full Moon, being locked in a bathroom together at a party and lifting her onto the sink while she sucked bruises on his neck and undid his belt, the taste of her core filling his mouth and him wanting to drown in it, the way she would shake underneath him when she came, the way he would shake above her with his forearms bracketing her head and his fingers tangled in her hair. His brain couldn’t focus on just one image before flipping to another one. 

His hand worked his swollen cock even faster, squeezing the head every few strokes while his bottom lip sank beneath his teeth. His right hand was braced on the shower wall, and his head tilted to the side to rest on his arm as he got closer and closer. He missed her so fucking bad. He missed how they’d always end up at the apartment she shared with her roommates after a Full Moon and they’d wash the grime and outdoors off each other in a shower that was barely big enough for two people. 

A wave of emotion mingled with the pleasure flooding his system. Those green eyes, always looking at him, looking through him, the only Wolf to never treat him like the future Alpha he was. He was just Danny to her, and he loved that. There was never any pressure between the two of them. They were just two college students trying to figure out how to be adults. He never had to worry about Duty with her. She was never intimidated by his mere presence like other Wolves around campus, or back home. 

Danny’s mind finally settled on an image, a memory, of them facing each other on the soft forest floor, the sun barely peeking through the trees. He felt her hand on his face before he fully opened his eyes, and when they fluttered open those green eyes that he loved so much were warmly staring at him. Her thumb gently brushed over the dried blood near his mouth, and he noticed she had a matching stain on her face as well. That was who they were, at their most vulnerable, bare to each other in more ways than one, all alone except for a few birds in the trees above them. 

His length thickened in his hand, and with a few last pumps and a low groan he found his release. He kept his eyes screwed shut as he worked himself through his high, trying as hard as he could to make it last while focusing on the sleepy smile on her face. As he slowly came down and his hand slowed, he shuddered as the last shockwave of his orgasm pulsed through him. His eyes fluttered open and he saw his release dripping down the tiled wall, and the reality of the last few minutes hit him. 

He had just jerked off over his ex in his best friend's guest shower. 

Danny was grateful for Sam being a human and being unable to hear what he had been up to from wherever he was in the house. 

The Wolf sighed and used the shower head to rinse his mess down the drain, and finished his shower in silence. 

~!~

Later, after sleeping most of the morning, he finally got properly dressed and grabbed two bananas out of the kitchen before going to the one place he knew Sam would be: the basement. 

Sam's “office” was in the far corner of the underground level, hidden behind his own stacks of books and artifacts. In the years that the house existed, this particular corner still wasn’t as renovated as the rest of it, but Sam did his best to make it homey and definitively his. A few posters had made it down to this level from, including a standard Redwings poster that he snagged from a book fair in third grade, and one of those artsy “anatomy of a bass guitar” prints with certain parts crossed out and corrected with a black sharpie, and an old Lakewood University print bought right before they graduated. 

But as Danny made it past the final stack that hid his best friend from view, he was greeted with one of the few normal and comforting images in his life: Sam hunched over his hand-me-down desk scribbling into a black journal before popping the pen he was using between his teeth to quickly type something on his laptop. 

The Wolf  lightly rapped his knuckles on the wall to his left and Sam looked up at him with wide eyes and his pen still in his mouth. 

“Did you sleep enough?”

Danny looked at him incredulously as he took a seat in the chair that sat directly in front of Sam’s desk. 

“Yeah, why?”

Sam gave him a knowing look, “because you look like shit.” 

Danny rolled his eyes, “I’m fine. It was just a more intense Full Moon than I anticipated.”

Sam knew his best friend was lying, “sure it was.” 

“I’m serious.” 

“…and I’m the governor of Oregon, Daniel.” 

Danny dropped one of the  bananas on the desk as Sam sat back and folded his hands on his lap. He kept the other in his hand and began peeling it without another word. 

Sam ignored his intended snack, “but seriously what’s up?” 

Danny knew he couldn’t keep anything from him, “I saw her last night.”

Sam stared back at him blankly, “…who?”

“Ivy.” 

At the sound of her name, Sam's face hardened and he made his chair squeak by him adjusting how he sat.  He wasn’t the biggest fan of the She-Wolf, as she had utterly broken his best friend's heart and essentially abandoned him years ago. She hasn’t been around to see Sam pick up the pieces and help Danny move on.

“‘You sure it was her?”

Danny gave him a flat look as he chewed his banana, “red fur, green eyes, and a scent that has haunted me since junior year. I would always know if it was her.”

Sam sat there silently, wondering what the hell she was doing in Michigan in the first place. From what he could recall she was from Texarkana, and had seemingly gone back there when she disappeared right before graduation. At least that’s what the Instagram chatter implied. She had a mild twangy accent that Danny went stupid over. 

“What would she be doing up here, in this town especially?” He verbalized his thoughts anyway.

 

Danny shrugged, “no idea but she was definitely out there last night.” The Wolf put gis resting bitch face to good use so Sam wouldn’t pick up on the glimmering hope that was producing butterflies in his gut.

“She was probably just passing through,” Sam offered. 

“Wolves don’t just pass through anywhere, and you know that,” Danny replied in a flat tone. 

He was right, unfortunately. While Wolves weren’t nearly as territorial as they had been not even a century ago, pack territories still remained internally governed and guarded. The section of the forest that Danny Ran around was put in place by his father as a potential future location to expand the territory when Danny took his place as Alpha. It was adjacent to the territory the family already occupied, so there was little fuss with Danny using it as his own for the time being. However the longer and longer he went without taking responsibility for his Pack, the more worrisome his parents and other Pack members became. But in order to do that, Danny needed to complete a Mating Bond with someone, and the young wolf had been extremely picky ever since he had returned home from college. 

Danny seemingly had the same thought run through his head, and his eyebrows raised, “if she’s here…then she had to have had permission by a neighboring Pack to Run in their territory…and that patch of forest does butt up right against the Reynolds’ territory.” 

Now it was Sam’s turn to raise his eyebrows, “the chances of her joining neighboring Pack are so-”

“Slim, I know, but that couldn’t have been a coincidence.”The logical side of Sam’s brain threatened to interject, but he kept his mouth shut. The Wolf continued, “I could text Jason…he’d know if there were any new Pack members.” Jason Reynolds being the nephew of the Reynolds Alpha, of course. He was a few years older than Danny, but had always maintained a quiet friendship with him as their fathers were allies. 

  “Danny.”

The gentle giant had stood up, turning to leave, “what?” 

Concern riddled Sam’s features, “just…don’t get your hopes up, ok?”

Danny truly appreciated where Sam was coming from, but he was too anxious about the possibility of Ivy being this close to him. 

He looked down at the abandoned fruit on the desk, “eat your damn banana, Sam.” 

Sam’s eyes followed him as his best friend disappeared in the stacks and left the basement. A sigh left his lips as he rubbed his own exhausted eyes. Being best friends with a Werewolf was not for the weak. 

~!~

However, across town there was a red headed She-Wolf curled up in her bed, not wanting to face the reality of the previous night. She had seen him for the first time in years, and her own heart and body betrayed her by how it responded by merely being in his presence. She had tried her best to not let him know that her body was thrumming with adrenaline not because of the Full Moon, but because of Danny himself. Years had gone by and she still felt the rush and magnetic pull to him like she had that very first day of junior year. His Wolf form was still so gorgeous and dignified, with his thick black fur and dark hazel eyes. Trotting around that pond like he owned the place, following her in a reverence that no other Wolf had shown her. But at the sound of her brother’s howl, she bolted, just like she always did. 

She could have stayed. 

She wanted to stay. 

She should have stayed. 

But she didn’t. She let the panic and apprehension govern her actions and she took off into the trees without looking back. With each step her paws took she felt her heart crack even more. Running from him felt so unnatural and just plain wrong, but it was how it was to be. Running to him at this point in their lives led to an unknown she wasn’t ready to face. If he chose her like he had promised years ago, would they themselves change along with it? She knew how her mother had changed for her father, and she always resented the mere idea of being a “Luna,” as the older Wolves referred to her future role. The title made her face crinkle as she thought of the word. She hated it. She never understood the reason behind it, no matter how many other Wolves tried to explain to her that it was the highest term of endearment in their species one could call their Mate. It felt old fashioned and suffocating to her. As soon as her parents had Bonded, her mother’s life and ambitions were abandoned to give her father children, Ivy’s older brother Derek being born within a year of said Bonding. Her mother was rarely referred to by her own name afterwards, even by the other Wolves in the pack.

 No longer Alyssa Burke, now Phillips; just Luna, or Mom. 

Ivy refused to let that happen to her. 

But on the other hand, Danny was Danny. 

The one Wolf who had held her so gently as if he was afraid she’d break at any moment, the only Wolf to hold her in such a way. The first time his eyes locked with hers all of the breath had left her lungs and she had nearly dropped her books in front of the entire quad. She wasn’t even supposed to be going in that direction on campus, but something deep down told her to walk towards the little grove of trees at the edge of the quad, where a lot of students would hang out on the stone benches that sat under the leaves. That's where he was., quietly conversing with a skinny male with long brown hair.  But it was a sudden gust of wind that made him snap his attention to her. The breeze had rushed past her, sending her fiery hair over her face, and by the time she got it behind her ears she could feel his stare. 

He sat there, stock still on that bench, completely ignoring his friend while he looked at her. Ivy herself halted in her tracks, nearly tripping over a slightly raised brick. To them, at that moment, they were the only people on that quad. The tiny voice got louder in her head, “go, go go,” it called so loud her ears started ringing. Her own feet acted before she could make a decision, and she shoved past an obvious human that was in her way. 

Ivy rolled over and shook her head, trying to rid herself of the memory that plagued her mind. She screwed her eyes shut, trying to get her body to finally sleep. It took several minutes but at last she felt herself drifting off, the last thing she felt was a few tears sliding down onto her pillow, staining the fabric under her cheek. 

To be continued…

Tag List:  @dannyandthekiszkas , @readyforthegarden , @sinners-go-to-drink-the-wine , @wideminded-dreamer , @runwayblues , @wildbluesorbit , @llightmyllovee , @rhythm-of-space , @sacredthefran , @writingcold , @alwaysonthemend , @wetkleenex-gvf , @josh-iamyour-mama , @lightsofthe-living-gvf , @kakejiszkas , @sacredthethreadgvf , @losfacedevil , @jakekiszkasbuttsweat , @shutupdevvie , @hearts-hunger , @gretavanfleetposts , @ascendingtostardust , @mackalah , @andromeda-raine-gvf , @jake-kiszkas-smirk , @gracev0609 , @sacredjake , @earthlysorrows , @gvfpal , @myownparadise96 , @itsafullmoon , @gvfmelbourne , @twistedmelodies , @that-witchy-pan , @gold-mines-melting , @texas-bbq-pringles , @jakekiszkapunchmeintheface , @sadiechar, @char289 , @stardustvanfleet , @sunfl0wer-power , @holdingup-fallingsky , @bladenotblaze , @gretavanlace , @lipstickitty , @jjwasneverhere , @josiee-gvf , @peaceloveunitygvf , @exokpopfreak, @gretavanhockey , @gretavanazula

[hbyrde36]

It's never too late for a second chance

written for the @steddiemicrofic prompt

🍰Cake🍰 wc: 311 | rated: G

“Dinguuus. You in here? It’s time to cut the cake. What are you…” Robin trailed off when she spotted him huddled on the floor of the men’s bathroom

Steve looked up at her, eyes swollen and rimmed in red.

“I can’t do it.”

She gave him a sympathetic smile. “You already did it, babe.”

He mumbled incoherently.

“What?”

“I didn’t sign it, Rob!”

Steve sighed, rubbing hard at his eyes and relishing the pain it caused. He deserved it after all. He’d gone through with this farce.

“What does that mean?” She asked.

“It means, I signed my name fucking Mickey Mouse on that marriage certificate. It means, it’s invalid. It means, I need you to help me get the hell out of here.”

When the coast was clear Robin escorted him through the kitchen and out the back door of the event hall. 

He glanced around looking for his car, but it was nowhere to be found. Robin had also suspiciously disappeared once he was outside. 

A throat cleared nearby and Steve froze. 

“A little birdie told me you needed a getaway driver.”

It was a voice he never thought he’d hear again outside of his dreams. Not after he’d fucked things up in such a spectacular fashion. 

Steve turned, and gasped at the sight.

Eddie looked good.

The simple black suit he wore was tailored to fit, hugging his body in all the right places. He was standing far too close, and Steve’s mouth went dry.

“You were there, weren’t you? At the church. Why didn’t you object?”

“I wasn’t sure if you wanted me to, sweetheart.”

“It’s always been you, Ed. I’m so sorry that I made you feel like it wasn’t”

“Well then,” Eddie began, leaning in to press a soft kiss to the corner of Steve’s mouth. “What’dya say we get out of here, big boy?”

[ravennaortiz]

hi lovely! congrats on 500!

could i get a brownie with Juice and ‘Second Chance Love’ trope?

Hello Love! Thank you so much!

Second chance love trope with Juice?!?! I love it! Please enjoy this little story and feel free to come back for more!

Juices heart was about to beat out of his chest and his mouth felt like it was filled with cotton as he waited for your answer. He swallowed hard as you cocked your head to the side, eyes narrowed as you studied him. He couldn’t blame you for not jumping at the chance to get on his bike. The last time you had been on it, he broke up with you effectively breaking both of your hearts. He looked away from you and out to the thinning crowd of the bar.

He still loves you. Kids an idiot but deserves a second chance. Tigs words ran through your mind from earlier as you observed Juice. The minute you had seen the Reaper hours ago your stomach had flipped and your heart ached. Seeing the familiar face of the man you had loved and shared two years with had you wishing the earth would open up. You had hoped to get your date to leave before anyone saw you but as luck would have it Tig Trager had clocked you. While your date booked it out after realizing you had a history with SAMCRO, that meant you were stuck at a bar out of town. You had pretty much set yourself up for a long walk home when Juice had stepped into view and offered you a ride.

“Not like you can dump me again and no red lights to leave me at” you stated with a shrug as you grabbed your jacket and purse and moved to the door. You caught Juice flinch at your words and an apology was almost out of your mouth before you bit your tongue. He deserved to feel guilt for what he did.

Juice followed behind you. Close enough to deter anyone but far enough back to give you breathing room. He had to fight back the urge to place a palm on your hip or lower back to guide you through the crowd. You had already made it clear you were still hurt, no need to push you further with an unwelcome touch. Juice sighed at that thought. Never had he ever thought a time would come when you wouldn’t welcome his touch or he would have to think about it.

He had seen a future with you. Forever. In fact it’s why he had Chibs and Tig help him pick out a ring and plan out a proposal. In fact he had the ring on him that day he blew up both of your lives. Originally you were on your way for a surprise proposal at the beach but he had panicked after a rough meeting with Jax. He was worried about all the shit the club had coming at them and how loved ones were becoming increasingly in danger. His solution? To dump you at a red light. He told you to get off the bike and left you with tears pouring down your face.

“What?” you looked back at Juice as he chuckled as you dug around in his saddle bag for his spare helmet.

“Just….nothing” replied Juice as he rubbed he back of his neck. He had so much he wanted to say but nothing felt right. Stepping around you he got on the bike and started it as he waited for you to get behind him. Turning to you after a couple minutes he saw uncertainty in your eyes, fingers going back to the clasp as if to remove the helmet. “You okay?” he asked softly.

“I’m not going to suck your dick and you don’t get to come in the house. I hope that’s clear Ortiz. ” you stated firmly. Hardened eyes on his.

“Its just a ride. I promise that is all”. Juice wanted to say more but anxiety kept him from it.

You nodded before swinging your left leg over the bike and coming to a rest behind him. Arms wrapped snugly around his waist. You gave him a pat on his abs like old times to let him know you were ready. Juice couldn’t help the small smile that took over his face at the familiar move.

The ride to your house was quick. You were almost sad when he pulled onto your street. By the time he pulled into your driveway your resolve was waning. By the time he was parked, tears were starting to slip as the hurt started all over.

I thought you loved me. Juices head snapped up from the ground as your words fell and your voice cracked as you slipped off his bike. You were moving quickly to your door and his fingers brushed your bag as you passed. Quickly kicking his kick stand out he bolted after you. He couldn’t let this moment pass.

“I do love you” he stated firmly as he caught up to you spinning you around and pushing you up into the door. Stupid he thought to himself as your eyes widened at the sudden moves. “I never stopped loving you. I didn’t mean to hurt you. “he stated as he stepped back some, hands moving from your arms to your sides.

“Why?” you inquired as tears continued to run down your face making your makeup run.

“I was worried about all the heat on the club. That you were in danger and I was just trying to make sure you were safe. I know it was stupid and I will never forgive myself for breaking up with you. You will always be the one that got away. I’ll never be in another relationship. Hell I can’t even stomach the idea of sex with anyone but you” he added laughing at the end as he shook his head looking down at his boots. He had tried to drown his heartache in more ways than one over the last eight months. None of them had worked.

“I had a ring…..a whole plan……that day…..that’s where I was taking you. Instead I took a left and…left you” he continued as he let out a long breath. Eyes still glued to the ground. He couldn’t dare meet your eyes. The urge to tuck tail and run was high but he knew he needed to get this out.

“Maybe you could come in for just a bit” you whispered as you moved a hand to his cheek. The relive that shown in his eyes as he finally looked up at you confirmed you were making the right choice. Once he had nodded you turned digging around for your keys.

“I still have a key” murmured Juice as he put his in and opened the door as you were still digging. “Code still the same?”

You couldn’t help the laugh that bubbled out of you as you stepped in. “Yeah. Only guy I knew that knew how to work the system dumped me” you deadpanned as he grinned before putting the code in.

“I’m going to change. I suspect you know where the kitchen still is?” you inquired as you moved to your bedroom.

A few minutes later you found Juice staring at the picture frames in the living room.

“I couldn’t take them down” you explained as you glanced over all the photos of you and him, you and the guys. Juice nodded as he turned his phone to you. Your photo was still his lock screen. “I still have your photo in my pocket too” he stated as he patted his leather.

“Maybe we can just pretend the last eight months never happened” you offered quietly as the two of you looked anywhere but at each other.

“I would love nothing more than a second chance at loving you” stated Juice before he carefully pulled you to him and kissed you.

Request from my 500 follower event

[sjsmith56]

Summary - Part 2 of 2 part story. Bucky leaves the Tower after finding out his former girlfriend is dying and she had his child. She and Steve track him to a biker bar. After a heart to heart talk he agrees to stay with her to the end.

Length - 5.64K

Characters - Bucky Barnes, named female character, Steve Rogers, Bruce Banner, Helen Cho, Wanda Maximoff, named female bartender

Warnings - anger, angst, cancer, Bucky dealing with being accused of cheating, Bucky realizing he messed up, swearing, medical drama.

Author notes - First part takes place in a biker bar that isn’t quite what it seems. Second part takes place five months later at the compound where Bucky’s girlfriend undergoes an experimental treatment with the serum. There is a twist ending. It is what it is.

<<Part 1

〰️〰️〰️〰️

Part 2

When Bucky roared out of the parking garage at Stark Tower he didn’t know where he was going or what he was going to do. All he knew was that he had to get out of there before he began destroying something. As he weaved his motorcycle in and out of traffic on the expressway out of New York City, all he could think about was the last four years that had been taken from him. Four years without the woman he loved and a son he had never seen. If he wasn’t so angry, he would have pulled over and wept instead. After some time driving aimlessly, he saw it, a small motel with a roadside bar, on a side road next to the expressway. Turning off at the next exit he doubled back towards the place where a line of motorcycles sat outside the bar. Pulling into the parking lot he stopped a short distance away from the other vehicles and turned it off, sitting there for a moment before entering the bar with his bag.

As soon as he strode in all conversations ceased. It was dark inside and it took a moment before his eyes adjusted then he shook his head at his own preconceptions. The people inside, drinking and playing pool, weren’t exactly what he was expecting, as the hair colour leaned towards grey and white.

“What can I get you?” asked the bartender, a woman with a ready smile.

“A beer and a bourbon,” said Bucky, sitting on the stool in front of her, dropping his bag to the floor, then looking to either side of where he sat. “Older crowd.”

“Yeah, they’re the Silver Wolves Motorcycle Club,” she answered as she poured him a bourbon then started filling a beer glass from the tap. “All of them have been riding for charity for about 40 years give or take. My dad was a founding member.”

Bucky downed the bourbon then took a drink of the beer. “So, they just come around and hang out?”

“Pretty much,” she replied, then she stuck her hand out. “Nancy Martin. I own the motel and the bar.”

Bucky took his right glove off and shook her hand. “Bucky Barnes.”

If she recognized his name, she didn’t say but she did smile and looked at the other riders. “They go on toy runs, and give rides to the kids getting cancer treatment, that sort of thing. They’re all retired from all types of jobs and walks of life but they all love riding their motorcycles. What brings you in today, Bucky?”

“I was looking for a fight,” he admitted, “but I guess now I need a sympathetic ear.”

“Yeah,” she nodded. “That happens when people see the bikes out front. What do you want to talk about?”

“The woman who left me four years ago showed up today to say I was a father and that she was dying,” he said, taking another drink of his beer. “At the time I didn’t know why she left me but apparently she thought I cheated on her.”

“Did you?” asked Nancy.

“Nope.”

“Awkward.”

“Yup.” She poured him another bourbon and he downed it. “I didn’t handle it very well. I took off, drove until I saw the motorcycles and figured I could punch through my anger. Now I don’t even get that.”

“I have just the song for that,” she said, then looked over to one of the riders. “Hey Bobby, put the Rolling Stones on the jukebox. You Can’t Always Get What You Want.”

As Mick Jagger’s voice began to fill up the dim interior Bucky kept drinking his beer. Nancy served some more drinks then came back and appraised the dark-haired man.

“Why would she think you cheated on her?” she asked. “I mean, you told her you loved her right?”

He hesitated. “Sort of. Maybe not in words. We were together constantly, and the sex was amazing. I thought she knew that she was it for me.” He sighed and took another drink of his beer. “Maybe I should have said and done more things to show her. Like propose.”

“Why didn’t you?”

He chewed on his lower lip for several moments. “She was too good for me. I had issues and a past that I wasn’t proud of. Kept waiting for her to say she was moving on.”

“This woman you supposedly cheated with … did you flirt with her?”

Bucky scowled. “I didn’t even like her. She was always coming on to me but I never saw her that way.”

“Did you look for your girlfriend after she left you?”

“Jesus, you ask a lot of questions,” he sputtered. Then slowly, he nodded his head. “She was very good at covering her tracks and that just confirmed what I felt all along, that I wasn’t good enough.”

“You were wrong.”

Bucky whirled around to see Lane and Steve standing at the end of the bar. Some super soldier he was that he didn’t even hear them come in. Nancy smiled and poured out two more beers, placing them on the empty spots on either side of Bucky. Sitting beside him Steve and Lane sipped their beer.

“Sharon confessed to setting you up,” said Steve. “Tony has kicked her out of the Avengers, permanently.”

“Yeah, well …,” muttered Bucky, lifting his beer to his mouth. “Not sure I’m coming back.”

“That would be a mistake,” said Lane. “Danny knows his dad is an Avenger. He wants to be just like you.”

Bucky put his beer glass down. “He knows who I am?”

“Yeah, I haven’t kept that a secret from him,” she replied. “It wasn’t my intention to stay away that long. I was waiting for you to find me. You were the Winter Soldier, finding me should have been a piece of cake. Guess I put you off your game.”

“Then why didn’t you come back?” His voice was full of anguish. “Why didn’t you contact me?”

“Because all this time I thought you were with Sharon,” cried Lane. She turned to him with glistening eyes. “You weren’t the only one who thought you weren’t good enough. All we had between us was sex, or so I thought. We didn’t exactly talk a lot except on missions.”

The Rolling Stones song had ended several minutes before, and Nancy went over to the jukebox, looking over the selection for a moment before picking out a few more songs. The first one was an Eagles tune, The Heart of the Matter. When she returned to the bar Steve looked at her with questioning eyes. She shrugged her shoulders in reply then jerked her head over towards the end of the bar in the universal language of “let them talk.”

“I’m going to give you two some privacy,” said Steve, picking his drink up and following Nancy to the end of the bar.

It was as if the couple didn’t even hear him as they kept their eyes only on each other without saying anything verbally. Bucky ran his hand through his hair then looked at Lane as if searching for the right words to begin this long overdue conversation.

“What’s he like?”

“Danny?” She smiled with fondness. “He’s amazing. Sweet, curious, adventurous. He has your eyes and hair.”

“Is he enhanced?”

She nodded. “He eats more than I do, can hear people talking in whispers, runs faster than a teenager. He’s so strong, likes to lift up the couch for me when I vacuum.”

“Who’s looking after him while you’re here?”

“I have a nanny,” said Lane. “Her name’s Carol and she’s become my best friend. She’s offered to adopt him, but I want her to have her own life, not one that’s been forced on her.”

Swallowing noticeably, Bucky nodded, becoming mute for several long moments. “Your cancer, you’ve tried everything?”

“Yeah, although Bruce is willing to try one more thing,” she replied. “It’s a long shot. He’s going to try to replicate the serum out of Steve’s blood. I might not have enough time left for him to be successful.”

Bucky swallowed hard, as he clamped his jaw shut, trying to tamp down the emotions that were trying to erupt from within.

“We really messed things up, didn’t we? I’m so sorry I stopped trying to find you.”

“I should have trusted you, but I couldn’t believe that you really loved me,” said Lane. “You were so handsome, and I’d see you flirting with all the women. I imagined that once you found someone more interesting that would be it for me.”

“It was always you,” answered Bucky, his voice breaking. “You made me feel things I never expected to feel again. Making love to you was like a religious experience.”

Lane touched his right hand and he enclosed her hand in his, looking at her tear filled eyes. “Stay with me until the end,” she whispered. “Be with me. Help me.”

Pulling her into his arms Bucky kissed her fiercely, as they both began to cry. At that moment the Beatles song We Can Work It Out began playing and Bucky stopped crying then smirked, as he looked at where Nancy was at the end of the bar.

“Were you a therapist in a previous life?” he asked. “These songs … I mean, really?”

She smiled. “Nope, just a bartender. You’re not the first person to have a heart to heart talk with a loved one in here. After a while I kinda get an idea of what they need to resolve things. You have resolved your issues, right? You’re getting back together and you’re going to accept the mantle of fatherhood?”

“Yeah, I am on both counts,” he said, holding Lane’s hands and gazing at her. “I’ll even retire from the Avengers just to be with you.”

“No, don’t do that,” smiled Lane. “I’ll come back to the Tower. Tony offered me a place to stay while …. He’s sorry for doubting you. Sharon had almost everyone fooled, except you, Steve, and Peter. On the way here Steve said you didn’t trust her at all.”

“I didn’t,” he said. “She was always leaning in too close, flipping her hair at me, touching my arm … it put me off. I never thought she would stoop even lower by planting her underwear in the bed. No wonder you left without a word. You must have thought I was the worst type of man to cheat on you while you went to be with your mother.”

“I should have talked to you about it,” answered Lane, “but I just lost it and wanted to get out of there before you returned. Wanda guessed and tried to talk me out of it, but I wouldn’t listen. Promise me that we don’t do anything stupid like that again.”

“I promise,” he replied, then he stood up and drained the rest of his glass, before looking over at Steve. “You didn’t happen to bring a truck, did you?”

“The big SUV,” replied Steve. “There’s room in the back for your motorcycle.”

Putting money on the counter for the drinks and picking his bag off the floor, Bucky smiled at Nancy. “Thanks for the drinks, the music, and the sympathetic ear.”

“You’re welcome,” she answered, “and if the Avengers ever want to join any of the runs the Silver Wolves do for charity, you’re more than welcome. The more the merrier and maybe having you guys involved will increase participation.”

To the sounds of Let’s Stay Together by Al Green, the three of them raised their hands in farewell, and headed out to the SUV, parked next to the motorcycle. The two super soldiers had it loaded inside the SUV within minutes and Bucky took his leathers off so he would be more comfortable in the vehicle. When they got back inside the city Lane asked Friday to direct Steve to a certain address.

“Where are we going?” he asked.

“My place,” said Lane, looking back at Bucky, sitting in the back seat. “Someone has to meet his father for the first time. I’d rather do it in a quiet environment.”

Nodding his head in agreement, Bucky sat back and began to prepare to meet his son. No matter what, he was going to make it work. He owed that to Lane and Danny, owed them for four years of separation. In the time Lane had left, Bucky planned to make their life all about her and their son.

〰️〰️〰️〰️〰️〰️

Five months later

“Are you sure you want Bucky here when we start the treatment?” asked Bruce. “I honestly don’t know what your reaction will be to it. We’ve tested it against your blood samples and Shuri ran the virtual simulations but until we actually start to infuse you with the serum ….”

Tiredly, Lane smiled at the gentle doctor. He, along with Dr. Cho and Shuri, had done so much to try to get a working serum ready for her. Even though she was weak she grasped his hand with all the strength she could muster in her left hand, the wedding band loose on her ring finger, her thin and wispy hair barely grown back.

“He’ll be okay,” she said, in her almost whispery voice. “I know he doesn’t like hospitals and doctors, but he trusts you three and if it gets to be too much, he’ll deal with it.”

“Alright, I’ll call him up,” said Bruce.

Down in the lounge Bucky sat with Danny on his lap, watching a Disney movie with the others. Although he found it hard to concentrate on the movie, as he waited for the announcement, he was glad to be there with everyone. In the months since he and Lane reconciled they had been through so much; being with her as her cancer got worse, getting married, then officially adopting Danny as his son. Although he was listed as the father on his birth certificate, Tony’s lawyer said the adoption would remove any doubt about him being the boy’s legal guardian. Combined with treatments to keep Lane comfortable as the cancer wreaked havoc with her body while Bruce and the others worked non-stop on a serum for her, it had been a whirlwind time for the couple. Without everyone’s support he wasn’t sure he could have handled it as well as he did.

“Sergeant Barnes?” said Friday. “They’re ready to begin the infusion. Mrs. Barnes would like you to be there.”

“Thank you, I’ll be right up,” he said, then looked at his son. “I’m going up to be with Momma now. You stay with Uncle Steve, okay?”

Smiling, Danny changed laps, plopping himself down on Steve’s legs and getting a quick cuddle in response. Bucky stood up and gently mussed Danny’s hair before walking to the elevator. There were several murmured “good luck” wishes and he smiled slightly at everyone before stepping through the opening doors. When the doors opened on the medical floor, he was greeted outside the medical lab door by a nurse, who directed him to wash his hands, put on the gown, gloves, and mask before smiling at him to go on in. Nodding his thanks he entered the isolated treatment room, and sat on the chair beside Lane, grasping her hand in his. Bruce and Dr. Cho, also gowned up, had the infusion all set up. It’s bright blue colour seemed to look the same as what Bucky remembered his serum looked like. Steve had seen it on the internal camera system, as only Bucky was allowed to visit, and had said the same.

“Now, we expect that just like your serum and Steve’s, that it will have a burning sensation as it flows through Lane’s veins,” stated Bruce. “We don’t want to interfere with the process so there won’t be any pain relief. I’m sorry in advance if it hurts. By Shuri’s extrapolations the healing effects of the serum should be evident within half an hour but in reality it could be faster or it could take longer. We just don’t know for sure.”

“Bruce,” whispered Lane. “Just do it. Please.”

Nodding self-consciously he started the infusion pump and both doctors watched the readouts on the virtual imaging system that watched the infusion entering Lane’s circulatory system. Within a minute it was obvious she was in discomfort as her breathing became laboured. Her heart rate increased, as did her blood pressure and respiration rate. She squeezed Bucky’s hand and began to gasp as the pain became harder to take.

“It’s okay, you can yell,” said Bucky. “I did. So did Steve. Do what you have to.”

Giving in to the burning sensation that filled her body Lane began to whimper, which built into cries, then screams. She was already restrained but her body pulled against the padded straps that held her down. Bucky tried not to show any fear, but he buried his forehead onto her hand that he was holding, trying to will his body to take some of the pain she was feeling.

Dr. Cho looked at the monitor. “She’s approaching the red line for heart rate and BP,” she said to Bruce, trying to keep her voice calm.

“Infusion is at 65%,” he replied. “Lane, hang in there for just another minute.”

The alarms on the monitoring equipment were all going off as Lane’s heart rate approached 200 beats per minute and her blood pressure reached a dangerous level. Bruce watched the virtual imaging system as her entire circulatory system changed colour while the serum was infused throughout. When the readout indicated that she had received 100% of the serum he shut the pump off and watched the readouts of her vital processes. Unconscious, her body started sweating profusely and Dr. Cho grabbed some heated blankets out of the warmer, layering them over Lane, to prevent her from going into shock. Bucky looked anxiously at his wife, kissing her hand and stroking it.

As her heart rate stabilized so did her blood pressure and Bruce leaned over to check her eye response. When he shone his penlight into her eyes there was a response from her pupils, but she was still unconscious.

“Lane?” he said, loudly, as he touched her cheek. “Can you hear me?”

There was no response and he looked at the readouts of her brain activity, not entirely happy with what he saw. Then Dr. Cho touched his arm, pointing to the virtual display. The blue colour of her circulatory system had spread to her entire body, including her internal organs.

“That wasn’t supposed to happen,” he said.

“What is it?” asked Bucky. “Is something wrong?”

“I don’t know,” replied Bruce. “The serum seems to be spreading into her muscle and organ tissue. Everything is blue.”

Pulling back the heated blanket from one of her legs all three of them gasped to see Lane’s leg increase in musculature, almost as if it was replacing what she had lost in the last few months. Uncovering her completely they were surprised to see it replicated on all of her limbs then Bucky let go of her left hand and they noticed her wedding ring was no longer loose.

“Does this mean it’s working?” asked Bucky.

“I think it’s making her into a super soldier,” said Bruce. “All of the blood testing and virtual simulations just showed the serum destroying the cancer but it seems to be fixing her body in the process. Both you and Steve experienced the same thing, just not as fast in your case.”

“It is made from Steve’s blood,” said Dr. Cho. “Could explain the rapid response.”

All three of them were looking up at the readouts and the virtual images, seeing the blue colour stay in her system. Her readings approached normal, at least normal by Bucky and Steve’s standards, including a body temperature that was two degrees higher than a normal human. Although Lane was still unconscious her breathing eased, and her body relaxed.

“I think we can undo the restraints,” said Bruce. “We should take a blood sample.”

As Bucky undid the restraints, Dr. Cho fastened a tourniquet around Lane’s left arm, and Bruce began listening to her heart and breath sounds with his stethoscope. After successfully taking a vial of blood from Lane’s arm Helen withdrew the needle and called Bruce to see the insertion site heal as they watched it. Both doctors smiled at each other, amazed that it actually worked. Taking a small amount of the blood in a syringe the vial was sent to the lab for the full work up. The small amount they took was smeared on a slide and both doctors inserted it under the microscope, looking at the sample before transferring the image to a split screen, comparing it to a sample taken before the infusion.

“It’s definitely changed,” said Dr. Cho. She looked up at the elapsed time. “It took only 22 minutes.”

They looked back at Bucky and Lane. He was holding her hand to his lips and murmuring to her. After several more minutes he looked up Bruce.

“Why isn’t she waking up?” he asked. “Her body has healed, right?”

“It looks like it, but we won’t know for sure until the blood work comes back, and we do another full body scan.” Bruce pulled Dr. Cho to the hallway so Bucky wouldn’t hear them. “We should do a brain scan, just to rule out a stroke. Her blood pressure was very high.”

Nodding in agreement they both went in and reset the imaging to do a detailed scan of her brain. While it was being done Bruce asked Bucky to stay in the hallway so his vibranium arm wouldn’t interfere with the process. It was a lie, but he didn’t want Bucky there if the scan showed brain damage. As the imaging confirmed there was no brain injury, he allowed the super soldier back. The blood work results also came back showing no trace of any cancer. Elapsed time since the beginning of the infusion was at 54 minutes.

“Bucky, talk to her,” said Bruce. “Maybe she’s in there and isn’t sure how to get back to you.”

“Can I get in bed with her?” he asked, receiving the okay.

Removing his shoes, mask and gown, Bucky laid beside her, putting his arm around her and cradling her close to his body. Gently, he kissed her on the forehead.

“It’s been almost an hour since they started giving you the serum,” he said softly. “We watched as your muscles came back and your breathing got better. Bruce said all the tests show you’re cured but you’re still unconscious, lost in there maybe. I never really told you that I loved you when we were together before. It wasn’t because I didn’t, it was because I was afraid to open myself up to you, afraid you would see I wasn’t good enough for you. You gave me so much, your friendship first, your love next, a son … still can’t believe I’m a father and that he likes me. Most of all you gave me what I needed, a place to call home. I’m sorry I didn’t tell you that from the beginning. We wouldn’t have lost out on four years together. So, I’m telling you now. I need you Lane, my heart yearns for you, my eyes need to see you every morning, my body needs your soft warmth to make love to, every part of me is addicted to you. I’m a better man with you, a lost man without you. Please come back to me.”

His tears streamed down his cheeks as he pressed his lips onto her forehead, asking her over and over to come back. As Bruce and Dr. Cho kept monitoring her readouts, they both began to wonder if they had failed. Everything indicated she should be awake, as her body was functioning as it should, but it was like nothing was there, the spark that was Lane was gone. Bucky slowly realized that she wasn’t going to wake up and began to weep for his wife. Clutching her to his chest, he whispered about what he loved the most about her. Then he kissed her gently on the lips and prepared to get off the bed, sadly accepting that she was lost to him.

“Bucky,” she whispered, so softly that even he almost missed it. “Don’t go.”

“Lane?” He stopped moving and studied her face. “Baby, are you there?”

Her head moved slightly, and she opened her mouth. “Stay.”

Bruce came over and leaned over the couple. “Lane, can you open your eyes?”

His voice was desperate as he repeated his request. Then her eyes fluttered open, and she saw Bucky, bringing a beautiful smile to her face.

“There you are,” she said quietly. “I found you.”

Gathering her into his arms Bucky wept tears of joy at the return of his wife and mother of his son. When he kissed her on the lips her hands grasped his arms, holding on as if she was afraid of drowning. It took several requests from Bruce before Bucky let go of Lane long enough for her to be examined. As far as they could tell the cancer was completely gone and she had been transformed into a super soldier. She still seemed to be a little fuzzy but Bruce attributed that to her brain adjusting to the serum after fighting the cancer for so long.

Advising Friday to pass on the good news resulted in everyone coming up to see the couple, starting with Steve and Danny. Squirming out of Steve’s arms when he got off the elevator Danny came running into the room and threw himself on the bed, to Lane’s laughter. She looked at her son as if she had never seen him before, lovingly caressing his hair and kissing him.

“Uncle Steve says you’re strong now,” the boy said breathlessly. “Does that mean you can jump up high?”

“I don’t know,” replied Lane. “I haven’t got out bed yet. It might be a while before I feel brave enough to try. If it’s true it means you won’t be able to run away from me anymore, as I’ll be able to catch you, and tickle you until you let me kiss you.”

“Aw,” he grinned. “Momma, what about your hair?”

Lane looked at Bruce. “Well, based on how fast Steve and Bucky’s hair grows after being cut I would say you’ll probably start regrowing it in a couple of days. According to the bed monitoring system you also gained 25 lbs in muscle. I’m guessing you’ll start feeling hungry very soon.”

“It seems like forever since I last ate,” she replied. “Everything looks wonderful. All of you ….”

She began to get emotional and both Bucky and Danny hugged her. Wanda watched carefully from the end of the bed, making eye contact with Lane, who smiled and nodded at her, then hesitated when Wanda didn’t smile back.

“Well, right now you need to rest up,” said Dr. Cho then she turned to everyone else. “I want Lane in here for the night for observation. You can have a big party welcoming her back tomorrow. This is a momentous occasion.”

Everyone else left, except for Bucky and Danny, who stayed until the little boy began asking for food. Kissing Lane tenderly, Bucky picked up his son, allowing him to kiss his mother, then he took the boy down for dinner, some play time and bed. Some food was brought to Lane and she savoured every bite, telling anyone within earshot that the food was incredible. As it got dark, she asked for her bed to be pushed close to the window so she could look outside, wanting to see the moon come up in the night sky. Everything felt new again and Lane wanted to feel it all. 🌕

Several hours later Wanda entered the medical lab, nodding at the nurse who was on duty.

“I’m just here to see Lane,” she said softly.

“Go ahead, she’s awake,” replied the nurse who had just checked on her, finding her looking out the window again.

Entering the room, Wanda pulled a chair up as Lane watched her from the bed. The young witch frowned as she tried to word the question she wanted to ask, but Lane put her hand on Wanda’s arm.

“I’m not here to hurt him,” she said. “Lane died during the procedure when she suffered a stroke and had already accepted that. The serum fixed it immediately but she was already leaving when it fixed her body.”

“How did you end up in her body?” asked Wanda. “How do you have her memories?”

“Everything is different there,” said the young woman. “I wasn’t ready to cross over as I never had a great love, never knew what it was like to be with someone who worshipped her as much he did. It felt like I spent an eternity in the between place, waiting for a chance to experience the life that had been denied to me.” She wiped at the tears that came from her eyes. “She always wanted to make things right with Bucky before she moved on as she didn’t expect to survive it. She was so tired of it all and just wanted to be released from it. Lane gave it all to me, his love for her, her love for him and Danny. I love them, as much as she did.”

“But you’re not her,” said Wanda. “You don’t think he’ll realize that?”

“Even now, my original memories are fading so that only hers will be left and I’m great with that,” said the person who was becoming Lane. “My previous life wasn’t good. It was filled with sadness, violence, and pain. I never got what I wanted or needed to feel loved and cared for. Now, I have a chance for that but you’re the only one who knows the truth, the only one who can rip us apart.”

She let Wanda enter her mind and see what her life had been like before she died, before she encountered Lane in the between place that exists after life but before a person’s essence moves on. Her life had been full of abuse and violence that ultimately killed her. Yet even for all that she suffered the person who was in Lane’s body always had hope, for someone beautiful in mind and spirit to become her life partner. She had cast away the negative energy that surrounded her previous life and allowed herself to be filled with the calming energies of love, patience, and kindness.

“Alright,” smiled Wanda. “Both Bucky and Danny accept that you’re Lane. If you truthfully become her then it’s not on me to say otherwise. Promise that you won’t hurt them or leave them.”

“They’re exactly what I need to be happy,” said the other woman. “To love and to be loved is what I always wanted but never had a chance at until now.” The young witch stood up, satisfied that this new incarnation of Lane would keep her promise. “Wanda? Pietro wanted you to know that he still misses you. He said whenever you catch a flicker of light in the corner of your eye, that it’s him. He’ll wait for you, in the between place.”

“Was … was Vision there?” asked Wanda, her eyes glistening.

“No, I’m sorry, there was no one there by that name,” said Lane. “By the sound of your voice you must have loved him very much.”

“I did,” smiled Wanda, sadly. “Thank you for telling me about my brother.”

“You’re welcome,” said Lane. Then she looked out at the moon again. “It’s just as beautiful as I remember it.” 🌅

In the morning, Lane was released and walked out of the medical lab with Bucky’s arm wrapped around her waist and holding Danny’s hand in hers. Before they went to their quarters they stopped in the common area where a large paper banner was hung with the messily painted words Welcome Home Momma! There were handprints from everyone on the paper, welcoming Lane back from her brush with death. After being presented with a large cake Lane thanked everyone for supporting her and Bucky through the last 5 months. As the others went to cut it into pieces for everyone Wanda sat next to Lane and took her hand.

“I’m glad we had that talk last night,” she said quietly. “It’s obvious that you love Bucky and Danny.

“What talk?” asked Lane, puzzled. “You came to see me? I don’t remember that. I do remember that it was a beautiful full moon.”

Wanda turned her head slightly, almost as if she was listening to something faint. Then she smiled.

“I must have dreamt it,” she said. “It seemed so real. How does it feel to be a super soldier?”

“Strange,” replied Lane. “I can hear things out in the hallway but it sounds like it’s right beside me. They gave me a double serving of breakfast and I was still hungry after. Once I’m used to my strength Bucky and Steve are going to train me so I can go on missions. I can’t wait.”

Wanda’s answer was interrupted by Bucky bringing cake to Lane. As Wanda excused herself she stood a short distance away and observed the former cancer patient, realizing that whatever entity had assumed Lane’s identity was now fully integrated with the other woman’s memories. She was truly Lane Barnes now, beloved wife, doting mother, and soon-to-be super soldier for the Avengers. Everything she would ever want or need was here, friends, family, and a higher purpose with the Avengers. Maybe this was the way it was always supposed to be.

Please like, comment or reblog if you liked this.

Short Fiction Masterlist

Tumblr Masterlist

[fakescenariosonly]

He’s become my best friend the way the others did: bit by bit, sand passing through an hourglass so slowly, it’s impossible to pin down the moment it happens. When suddenly more of my heart belongs to him than doesn’t, and I know I’ll never get a single grain back.

He’s a golden boy. I’m a girl whose life has been drawn in shades of gray.

I try not to love him.

I really try.

- Happy Place, Emily Henry

[whatisreggieshortfor]

Reprise

Hamish x MC

For @rebelrayne 😀

Partially inspired by this post

[chaostudee]

movies, rafe cameron

pairing : female reader x rafe cameron summary : "cus baby this ain't like the movies". warnings : angst? pining? miscommunucation? words : 3.1k a/n ; i haven't posted in like a year and ik this is so shit but ye idk.

it was never as simple as just loving. you wished it could've been but with rafe nothing was certain. at the start that was what you liked about him but when he failed to show up time after time you began to question. question whether he deserved you.

a week later you found him in bed with one of your best friends. that hurt like hell but truthfully you weren't that shocked. you knew he was hiding something. you just chose not to acknowlege it. maybe that was a mistake.

the look on rafe's face was something that you were never forget. it was mixed with hurt and guilt. in that moment you had wondered had he ever loved you? had you ever loved him?

at times you were certain of that answer but how can you love someone who put through you through that much hurt?

rafe wasnt a good boyfriend. he was always late, sloppy. he ignored you when he was with his friends. he would brush off your touch. hell he sometimes could barely look at you.

okay maybe you hadn't been a saint throughout the relationship but you made more of an effort than him anyway.

now 1 year later you watch as his arms holds firmly around her waist. he smiles as she talks. he kisses her head. he whispers in her ear.

you can't help but scoff at the display. so much for hating pda. sarah rejoins you and sighs when she spots who your view is focused on.

"her name is victoria" sarah says as she takes a sip of her beer before continuing "they've been going out for about 6 months....".

you blow out air and slowly nod. it wasn't like you didn't expect this but six months?!?! like damn who hurt him?.

"you got to talk to him".

you scoff at sarah.

"what would i even say?". you fold your arms across your chest. you knew damn well that there was plenty you had to say to him.

"everything you need to say" she pauses "he hasn't been the same since you guys you know...-".

"don't give me that bullshit sarah". picking up your drink from the nearby dresser you take a sip.

"if he really cared he would've....he would've been there but he wasn't, and i am so sick qnd tired of you being on his side. i did nithing wrong."

sarah begins to speak but you don't wait to hear. you grab your beer and walk off. you need to get out of here. anywhere but here. as you manoeuvre your way through the crowd you miss your footing placement but before you meet with the ground a pair of arms hold you up.

"hey". you recognized that voice all too well. you pull away from his grasp and look upwards to see an awkward smile on his face.

"hey" you reply, as you fidget awkwardly with the sleeve of your dress. you hadn't seen or spoken to him in over a year and although there was plenty you wanted to say nothing came to mind.

he looked mostly the same except that he had grown out his hair a bit. that had been your suggestion. an ache in your stomach creeps in when you remember.

"you grew out your hair" you state.

he chuckles and lowers his head down before meeting your eyes. "yeah, yeah i did...."

he pauses for a moment and then his gaze hardens. he stuffs his hands in his jean pockets. "i'm sorry y/n, i-".

you stop him before he can continue. "im sorry too but we were done a long time ago, i've moved and you have clearly moved on aswell". you gesture towards victoria who waves a hand at rafe. rafe looks back at you. like really looks at you.

the same look that he gave you that faithful night. a look of hurt and guilt. and like that night you wanted nothing more than to strangle him but deep down you knew you could never really be fully mad at him.

:::

it had been a week since your awkward encounter with rafe and the conversation still lingered in the back of your mind.

every so often you couldn't help but admit that he looked just as handsome as ever.

"i know that look" sarah says as she rests her chin on her hand on the bed. you two had made up quickly as you usually did. fights were short lived with you two.

"what do you mean?" you ask as you throw another dress on the bed. the camerons were holding some fancy ass party tonight and sarah had given you the task of picking out your outfits.

"you know damn well, i know that you haven't stopped thinking about him since the party".

you chuckle and begin to fathom an excuse but sarah raises her eyebrows so instead you just nod and shake your head.

you turn away from her and begin flipping through the rack of ball gowns.

"you know he broke up with victoria"

this causes you to stop your fingers abrubtly.

"what?"

sarah smirks. "ye i know and i mean he wasn't even upset...."

"really...?" you ask and you can't even smother the smirk on your face. "why.....?".

sarah laughs. "i didn't think you were that stupid y/n".

your heart races at her words. could you really be the reason why rafe broke it off with victoria.

:::

you had chosen to wear an emerald green dress from sarah's wardrobe along with matching heels.

you nervously checked your watch as you waited for your parents at the front of the house. your father helped your mother out of the car and behind them came your brother and his girlfriend.

you were beyond nervous at this point. you began to fix your hair once again as your heart raced at the thought of seeing him.

your brother pressed the doorbell and beside you, you felt a comforting hand on your shoulder. your mother understood and you smiled at her in gratitude.

the door opened swiftly after the bell rang out. ward cameron welcomed everyone with a smile and an embrace. you were last to be welcomed and after standing there awakwardly ward smiled and pulled you in for a hug.

after ward closed the door behind you and you watched as your mother was catching up with rose. you spotted sarah beside wheezie but you were looking for somebody familiar.

"rafe" called ward. the sound of his name made you anxious. moments later he walked in. once you saw him you swear your breath caught in your throat.

he wore a navy suit, no tie and his hair was all messy. god he had never looked better. he began to walk over but his footsteps slowed when he saw you.

of course he knew you were coming tonight but he hadn't expected you to be this beautiful. your dress was hugging your curves in just the right places and your hair was pulled back, which you rarely had it, so rafe could see your features. and god those dimples would be the death of him.

"so um....ill leave you two to talk" says ward as he walks off to join his wife in discussion with your parents.

"you look-"

"i like-"

you both laugh as you interrupt eachothers sentences. his smile brought butterflies to your stomach. you had missed that smile.

"you first" you prompt.

he nods and looks you up and down. you can't help but blush. you missed when he looked at you like that. you missed a lot about him.

"you look incredible" he says truthfully. you smile at him. "you don't look too bad yourself cameron".

he smiles. you smile. he looks at you. you look back.

"do you want to talk outside?". the words come out of your mouth before you register what you are saying.

he looks surprised but then nods.

:::

your legs dangle in the water at the edge of the pool. rafe hands you a beer as he sits down beside you.

"i dont even know why i asked you to come out here" you chuckle before taking a swig of your beer.

"yes you do".

you turn to look at him. "yes you do" he repeats.

his eyes falter down to your lips then back up to your eyeline. if it wasn't for your inner conscience you would've kissed him.

instead you stood up quickly and shook your head at him.

"no no no no" you mumble, shaking your head as you speak.

rafe stands up and raises his hand as he nears you.

"no rafe you can't do that".

"do what?"

you scoff. "act like you can just kiss me and everything will be okay, it doesn't work like that".

"hell you cheated on me with my bestfriend and what now you want me back?".

there was silence then but the voices from inside the house. rafe was looking shamefully at his feet.

he couldn't even own up to his actions.

"fuck this". you pick up your heels and make a run for it. part of you was hoping he would chase you or call out your name but he didn't. he had wanted to but what would he even say?

there was no apology big enough for what he had done to you. perhaps you were better off without him.

:::

alone with a glass of wine was not how you had expected the evening to end. well you were with sarah earlier but she had disappeared a few minutes ago.

you hear someone call your name so you turn around. your heart sinks when you realize it is not him but your mother beckoning you to leave.

setting down your glass you take a look around just incase but no one. you sigh and head over to your mother and take her arm. she rubs your arm soothingly as you make your way over to the car.

as you open the door of the car you hear a shout.

"y/n wait!".

you hesitate before getting into the vehicle. there he was his hair disheleved and a distraught look on his face.

part of you wanted to get into the car and drive off but you know all too well what you were going to do.

"what do you want?" you ask bluntly. you decided you couldn't give him the satisfaction that you wanted him.

"you y/n". "i want you". he says as he moves closer so that there are but inches between you.

"you shoudl"ve thought about that before cheating on me" you reply shoving him back.

he grunts softly and runs a hand through his hair."fuck i know it was wrong i know i know. you dont know how sorry i am for doing it. im going to regret it for the rest of my life if it means i cant have you."

"please y/n. please." he looks down at you his eyes kept firmly on your lips. you licked your lips but refused to close the gap between you.

"fuck y/n what else can i do?". he places his hands on your waist, you glare at him but don't say anything. he slowly sinks to his knees, his head resting at your feet.

"god your so beautiful, i dont know how i can live knowing that you'll never be mine again please-"

you pull him up practically yanking him up from the ground. "if you say please one more time i swear to god ill fucking kill you".

he smirks at you. "what?" you say angrily.

"that was hot".

your cheeks go red and this time you don't even hesitate or think. you pull him closer placing your hand on his cheek. his lips meet yours and everything else melts away. its like your first kiss all over again. the spark is still there and the butterflies you had the night.

you can hear someone cheering who can only be your mother. you can't help but smile through the kiss.

nothing was decided yet but it didn't matter. at this moment in time rafe cameron was yours and only yours. his lips were on yours. his heart was yours.

and that was all that counted.

[melaniem54]

Review: Jonathon, After All: Princes Take New York Book 1 by K. Sterling

Rating:  4.25🌈 From K Sterling’s forward: “All the books in this series are meant to be modern adaptations of classic fairy tales with the primary focus on the king of all tropes: Prince Charming. He’s the king for me, at least. And if there is one thing that is consistent with Charming, it’s insta love. He believes in love at first sight and he is often blindly noble. Occasionally, to his and…

[latenightswaudiobooks]

Current Read

10/28/2024

Current Book: Ghosted by J.M. Darhower

Reading or Listening: Listening

Where I’m at: Chapter 23 6 hours and 3 minutes

What it's about: A troubled young actor and a single assistant manager at a grocery store. You'd think they never would have anything in common. You'd be wrong the thing they have in common is a daughter. A daughter that the actor can't see because of his "trouble". He's cleaning up his act and hoping to make emends to his daughter and the woman he loves.

How invested am I: Very I can't go a day without listening

Trigger warnings? Yes

‼️ Beyond Here Contains Spoilers

Favorite Part so Far: When Jonathan got the picture from Maddie, but the hug after the duck scene was a close second.

Thoughts so Far: I love it! It may be my chronic need to fix everyone but, I love Jonathan and how hard he seems to be trying and I'm begging Kennedy to give him a chance. Maddie is the cutest and has my heart she is adorable and so witty. I love their childhood love story and just got to the part where they are running off together. The way Kennedy's mom supports them makes my heart swell. It's such a sweet story and and so far there has been a few great spice scenes so far as well! Overall my current rating it a 7/10 but that can change with over half the book left!

Favorite Character: Kennedy's Mom has to be I'm so sad she died and we don't get present POV with her. She is so understanding and want's her daughter to have her own experiences while making sure she stay's safe.

Least Favorite Character: Fucking Drew fucking Hastings fuck that guy. As Maddie is right when she says since he can't call Kennedy pretty he shouldn't get to see her. How he treats Jonathan, how he treats Kennedy, how he acts in general he's the absolute worst. I mean he didn;t let Kennedy talk about anything ontheir date it was only about him. Then he wanted to drive around drunk with her and felt entitled to fuck her. Yeah he's just a no for me.

What do I hope will happen next: I hope they get to be a family, but I'm sure it will get fucked up and I will be devastated and I am not prepared at all.

[hannahbarberra162]

Struck Twice By Lightning, Chapter 13

18+ MDNI on Ao3

Link to all chapters

TW: jealousy

A few days later and you were laying on the bed in the early evening, resting after a huge supper. You felt like a snake, basking in the sun after a large meal. And like a snake, you didn’t think you’d want to eat again for another month. Damn Lucky and his fantastic chicken pot pie. Laying there, you heard the ringing of your den den mushi.

Puru puru puru puru puru puru

You looked at the Buggy snail and your mouth twisted. You still hadn’t called him back after all his missed calls. You didn’t want to worry him but you hadn’t wanted to hear how he was right, how you screwed up, and how you shouldn’t have gone with Shanks in the first place. The worst part of it all was, he was right. But he didn’t deserve to be left hanging for so long. You rolled off the bed and grabbed the snail, bringing it to sit on the bed with you.

“Hi.” 

“About time, babe. I was getting worried. I was gonna leave for the Grand Line if I didn’t hear back from you soon.” You felt guilty, Buggy really was a good friend.

“I’m sorry, I didn’t mean to upset you. I was just kinda…going through it.” Buggy hummed through the snail.

“Yeah, I’d imagine so. Everyone and their Captain saw the article. That's all anyone is talking about.” You cringed. You had some small naive hope that everyone would forget about it after the next big story broke. “You looked great, though. At least they got a good picture of you.” 

“Yeah, I mean but did you see Shanks? That asshole has never taken a bad picture.”

“Fuck him, did you at least stab him? I have no doubt that it’s his fault somehow.” You laughed, something Buggy could always get you to do. It was Shank’s fault, but you didn’t want to poison Buggy against Shanks even more.

“Unfortunately, I didn’t. Thought about it though.”

“Do you want me to come get you?” You knew Buggy’s offer was sincere. But you’d thought about that too - the only place that you’d really be safe would be with an Emperor. Buggy was strong, but not if someone like Linlin or Kaido wanted to get you. They’d send wave after wave of powerful fighters, Emperors had a shared quality of being goal oriented when they wanted something or someone.

“No, but thanks. I’m gonna ride on the Dead Horse with Stanks. I think it’ll be OK, at least for a while. If I need you, I’ll make my way out to the East Blue.”

“Like hell you will, if you need me, I’ll come out there. We can stab that idiot together, as a bonding activity.”

“Hi Buggy!” The man himself had appeared, entering the cabin through the doorway. He walked over and sat next to you on the bed, leaning back on you as if you were a sitting pillow.

“Fuck off,” Buggy replied angrily. This was the first time they’d directly interacted since you’d been on board. 

“Aw, c’mon Bugs, I haven’t talked to you in forever.” Shanks was pouting. He had a lot of love for Buggy, but it wasn’t always reciprocated. You understood why, but it still made you a little sad.

“Fuck off,” Buggy repeated. “Why do you have to fuck things up for everyone you’re involved with? It’s like the Mierdas touch, everything you touch turns to shit.” Shanks laughed.

“That’s a good one, never heard it before. But it's not true! How was I supposed to know -”

“- that your actions have consequences? Gee, Shanks, I don’t know, it’s a lesson most of us have learned by our thirties. Anyway, fuck you. Doll, listen, say the word and I’ll set sail. Kisses.” 

“Love ya, Bug.” You hung up the snail. Shanks was looking at you with an amused expression. “What?” 

“Why did you call it the ‘Dead Horse? ‘Stanks’ I get, no questions asked. Buggy’s been calling me that since we were 12.”

“Oh, ‘cus the presence of your ship is like beating a dead horse. We get it - you’re Shanks and the Red Haired Pirates . No need for all the fuss.” You waved your hand at him dismissively.

“It’s not my fault we’re greeted with fanfare everywhere! I didn’t ask for it, people like me!” Shanks scoffed.

“ Some people like you, sure,” you said, rolling your eyes with a smirk.

“And some people like being tickled,” Shanks replied. Your smirk dropped but as soon as the words came out of his mouth, he’d grabbed your foot with his hand and yanked your leg into the air. 

“Ha! Whatcha gonna do now? No other hand to tickle with!” You were weakly trying to kick him.

“This.” Shanks licked the sole of your foot, causing you to shriek. 

“Shanks!! That’s absolutely disgusting! Don’t do thaaaaa-” but you couldn’t finish your sentence as he licked it again and you were laughing. 

“You’re right, that’s too hard with one hand. How about here?” He pinned your legs under his and started tickling the inside of your thighs. You were laughing hard.

“Stanks! Stop!” You weren’t serious, you knew he’d stop if you changed your tone.

“Stanks, is it? You really want to play hard ball, huh?” He pinned your arm under a knee and tickled your side up to your armpit. You were laughing so much tears were coming out of your eyes.

“O-k ok ok I surrender! I won’t call you Stanks!” He moved off you, freeing your arm while your giggles subsided. “Fake surrender!” You launched yourself over him and started tickling him back. You knew Shanks was letting you hold him down, but it was still fun. The two of you were goofing off for a while, ending with you leaning down over him, breathing heavily, with his one large hand pinned by both of yours.

“So, what do I get for defeating the Emperor?” 

“You can keep me as a prize of war,” Shanks rasped, wrapping his legs around your waist. You moved your face closer to his. 

“Mmm, not sure about that. What makes you worth keeping?”

“This,” he said as he leaned forward and kissed you on the lips. You pressed forward, lying down on top of him, releasing his hand. You ran your nails down his chest, feeling the muscle twitch under your fingertips. You’d been having a lot of soft moments with Shanks recently. You still fell into bouts of sadness and loss, but there was no other solution you could see. You were sailing back to your island and you’d be there before you knew it. Life would continue in some kind of way, but right now you were enjoying time with your…husband.

You kissed him along his prominent collar bones, leading to the hollow of his neck. You spent some time there, flicking your tongue on the sensitive areas. Shanks was moaning, gripping your ass and thrusting up slowly, turned on by your actions. You whipped off your shirt and bra, throwing them onto the floor. You leaned forward so your breasts dangled in front of his mouth. He quickly captured one nipple in his mouth, sucking and biting. He released it only to put the other in. You had undone his belt and were shimmying his pants down his legs. You didn’t want to wait any longer, you could feel you were already wet. 

You didn’t even remove your own clothes, just moved your skirt aside. You sat up a bit, taking your breasts away from Shank’s eager mouth. You hooked your panties to the side and sank down onto Shank’s eager cock. As you lowered yourself, you groaned. This is exactly what you needed. The stretch always felt good, but this time you wished you could make it last. You started bouncing on Shanks, pulling your hips down harder with every stroke.

“Come on, Love. I’m here for you,” Shanks was talking to you sweetly as you used him to get to your peak. You suddenly felt tears pricking the corners of your eyes but you didn’t know why. You shifted yourself to lay down next to him, hoping Shanks would take up the mantle and fuck you while spooning. You wanted to continue but were feeling too raw to have Shanks watch you. Shanks looked down at your face but didn’t say anything. He pulled out and fixed your panties, covering you up once more. He pulled your back flush to his front, gently kissing your face, while your tears threatened to spill.

“Where’d you go? Come back to me,” Shanks said softly. That made the dam break and you started crying.

“I’m s-sorry Shanks. I don’t know what’s w-wrong with me,” you cried, covering your face with your hands.

“Nothing’s wrong with you. Take whatever you need, I’ll always wait for you.” That just made you cry harder. Shanks comforted you until your tears ended, letting you cry into his chest. 

“S-sorry,” you eventually said. You felt bad about starting something you couldn’t finish and ending it with a huge crying session. Shanks turned your face to his and kissed you. 

“Don’t be. I love you.” You blinked. That was the first time he’d said it directly. Maybe you weren’t the only one guarding your heart this second time around. He joked and teased and beat around the bush but rarely expressed his emotions so frankly.

“I love you too.” You put your forehead against his. “Guess you’re stuck with me now.”

“Wouldn’t want it any other way,” he replied. 

~~~

It didn’t take too long to get to your island since you’d only been with Shanks for a few weeks at that point. The closer you got, the more anxious you became. You were nervous to see what remained in and of your house. You were on edge as the Red Force docked near your island and you were chewing your nails to shreds as the dingy brought you to the wharf. Unfortunately, the article had brought notoriety to the island and to you, so locals were waiting to catch a glimpse of you and Shanks together.

“Leave,” was all he said. He was serious, intimidating, and had his hand resting on Gryphon's hilt. The villagers, all of whom you knew, quickly dispersed to their houses. 

“You didn’t have to do that, they’re just townsfolk.” You felt awkward that the people who sold you milk were being threatened by one of the most powerful pirates in the world.

“Did you want one of them taking another picture of you and I together to sell to Morgan?” You pursed your lips. You were hoping the story would die down, Shanks had a point. You walked hand in hand towards your little house. From the outside, it didn't look too bad. Your garden was a little trampled, but someone had been watering it.

You pushed open the now unlocked door, braced for the worst. Shanks trailed in behind you, inspecting various trinkets you’d gathered over the years. You were surprised to see most of your belongings still in their places. You went from room to room, looking for your favorite possessions - a knife from Buggy, an empty bottle from the first sake you’d sold, old pictures of friends, and they were all where you expected them to be. You went into your office and found someone had rifled through all your documents, but you had been expecting that. You yelled to Shanks through the open door of your office.

“Shanks, you’re not going to believe this, almost everything is still here! And unbroken, too. I was so sure this place would have been looted, but no -” Out of the corner of your eye, you saw a shock of blond hair.

“You’re welcome yoi,” said a familiar voice.

~~~

You skipped up to your old friend and gave him a hug around his middle. “Marco! What are you doing here?”

“Buggy called in a favor and asked me to watch over your house yoi. Prevent looting, stealing, that kind of thing. He said you’d be by soon and I was in the area anyway.” God, you loved Buggy. You really needed to send him a gift after all he'd done for you. 

“Honeydew, I can’t believe you kept this old shell from that beach -” Shanks was walking back to you, holding a shell in his hand. He stopped short when he saw Marco. Internally, you groaned. 

“Shanks, Marco’s the reason the house wasn’t looted. He’s been staying here.” Shanks smiled but it didn’t reach his eyes.

“Thanks, Marco. Owe ya one.” 

“That’s so kind of you, Marco, I really appreciate it.” You beamed at The Phoenix, who popped a tomato in his mouth. “Was it you who watered the plants?”

“Yeah, I couldn’t leave them parched. You have a great little house yoi. It’s so cozy and comfortable, I relaxed more than I have in years. You have great taste in interior design yoi.”

“Yeah, she does, doesn’t she?” Shanks had come to stand next to you and hooked his arm around your middle. You wanted to roll your eyes - you’d already told Shanks you hadn’t slept with Marco, he didn’t need to be jealous. 

“Thank you, I spent a lot of time over the years getting everything just right. Listen, I’d like to invite you to dinner, it’s the very least I can do,” you said. You were incredibly grateful, he’d saved you a lot of heartache. 

“-That WE can do,” Shanks interrupted with a laugh. You’d meant the invitation to include Shanks, but hadn’t specified. 

“Thank you, that sounds great. But it really was no problem yoi. Always ready to help a friend in need,” he said, smiling. He leaned against your office bookcase, holding a tomato from your garden in his other hand.

“Here, would you like it? They’ve been coming in, they’re good yoi.” Marco underhand tossed the fruit to you. Shanks let go of your waist and caught it. 

“Thanks, bud.” Shanks was trying to speak casually but was failing. He looked like he wanted to throw you over his shoulder and haul you off to the nearest cave. The twinkle in Marco’s eyes told you he was enjoying riling up Shanks. This time you did roll your eyes. This would not end well for someone, probably you. 

“Quit it,” you whispered angrily, turning to Shanks. Marco pretended not to hear. You turned back to Marco. “Please, feel free to stay here as long as you’d like. I’ll get dinner later today, I still need to get my house in order. It will be our pleasure.” You dragged Shanks out the back door of the house by his empty sleeve.

“What are you doing?!” you whisper yelled at him.

“What am I doing? What are you doing?” he wasn’t yelling, but Shanks wasn’t happy. “ You’re the one trying to go on a date with Marco.” You tutted at him.

“You’re being ridiculous, and you know it. Marco was helping as a friend after Buggy called him. You heard all that, right? Behave or I’ll uninvite you to dinner.” You would too, you didn’t have a lot of patience for Shanks’s jealousy. Shanks huffed.

“Fine, we’ll have the rooster over for dinner. But I’m gonna call you my wife the entire time .” If your eyes rolled any harder, they’d be out of your head.

~~~

You hadn’t specified that you’d be the one cooking dinner for a reason. You weren’t the best cook on the Grand Line, to say the least. You bribed Lucky to make the dinner for the three of you with a large bottle of sake. He obliged and made a fantastic orange duck dish with jasmine rice. Of course, you brought out a nice bottle of wine and some sake, unsure which Marco would prefer. You were setting the table while Shanks sat in your overstuffed armchair.

“This thing’s great, we should bring it back to the ship.” You hummed in response.

“I know it’s great, that’s why I bought it. I’m not sure what I’m going to do with the house and most of my belongings. It’s not like I can bring it all with me.” Shanks was messing around and finally found the lever for the footrest. He pulled it and launched himself backwards, enjoying the full recline.

“Oh yeah, this is definitely coming with us. Now, if I had this chair when you first came on board I wouldn’t have had to sleep in the bed.”

“Shanks, be serious for a minute. What should I do with the house? I can’t be here at any regular intervals. I guess I’ll have to sell it.” The thought made you sad - you really loved this house. 

“Sell it? Why?” Shanks asked.

“Well, it’s not like I’ll be here to stop anyone from taking things, and I don’t want to ask Marco -” Shanks cut you off with a wave of his hand.

“No one’s gonna take anything from here. I’m gonna spread the word that this is my vacation house. No one will touch it. And maybe we really can vacation here, this place is great.” 

“Do you think that will work?” You gnawed at your fingernail, while setting the final silverware down.

“Sure, I’m not an Emperor for nothing. Keep your house, keep your stuff, take whatever you want with you. But we’re bringing this chair.”

~~~

The dinner was lovely, except for two things. The first was Shanks and the second was Marco. Shanks was in a pissy mood, trying to cover it up but not quite succeeding. Marco kept making little comments to annoy Shanks and they hit their mark every time. 

“Thank you again for watching over my house, Marco,” you said, pouring him a cup of sake. Shanks had sat right next to you and kept trailing his fingers up your thigh during the meal. Which was incredibly obvious because he had to stop eating to do it, due to having only one hand. You slapped it away as discreetly as you could.

“My pleasure yoi. I always enjoy coming here.” Marco gave a little half smile as he sipped his drink. Shanks stiffened incrementally. “This is excellent, is this aged?”

“Yeah, this is an older batch. It’s pretty good, I was thinking of entering it in a competition.” Maybe you could enter neutral territory by talking about work.

“My wife is so modest, it’s better than ‘pretty good.” Shanks kissed your cheek. He had kept his word and was referring to you only as his wife. 

“Mh. Speaking of which, were you thinking of gifting Whitebeard another bottle for his birthday? I can bring you that tokkuri if you want to use it again.” You rubbed one temple. These two idiots were going to be the death of you.

“I didn’t know you made sake for Whitebeard. How…thoughtful of you.” Shanks said through his teeth. 

“Just once, and no, I don’t think I can. I’ll be sailing with Shanks now, and the ship isn’t a great place for brewing.” Maybe you could move to Laughtale and live happily ever after by yourself.

“So you are still married? Last you said, you wanted to get divorced yoi.” Marco said it like he was talking about the weather but you swore Shanks’s haki was starting to build. Maybe you’d kill Marco before you moved to Laughtale. Or Shanks, whichever made your life easier.

“We’re still married,” Shanks gritted out, taking your hand in his. “My wife couldn’t get rid of me so easily.” He kissed the back of your hand. Marco smiled calmly. 

“It’s rare to see you like this, Shanks,” Marco said with a raised brow and knowing smile. Shanks was already moving his hand towards you under the table. 

“Like what?” You said as you swatted Shanks’s hand for the millionth time off your inner thigh.

“Jealous. I only ever see you relaxed or serious, with nothing in between yoi. Your wife is the only person I’ve ever seen inspire such feelings in you. It’s endearing.” Shanks barked a genuine laugh.

“Only person I ever met who was worth being jealous over.”

~~~

The rest of the dinner went slightly better but not by much. You were doing the dishes while Marco insisted on clearing the table. Shanks had gone back to reclining in the chair, still drinking.

“Leave them, I’ll do it.” You felt bad your guest was helping. 

“I don’t mind yoi,” Marco replied. “Have you decided what you’re going to do with your house?” You nodded.

“Shanks is going to spread a rumor that it’s his vacation home to keep it safe. I think that’ll work. You can come here when you want though, it’s not like we’re going to be here all that often.” In your house inspection, you’d found that Marco had fixed a number of small projects you always meant to get to. That alone had earned him a permanent visit invitation. 

“Thank you, I just might. Nice to get away from my siblings now and again.” You hummed in response, still working on the dishes. “By the way, yoi. It seems like things are patched up between you two. But if you ever need to go somewhere else, you can come aboard the Moby yoi.” You paused for a moment. You hadn’t considered the possibility of staying with Whitebeard. He was another Yonko, you'd be safe. Before you could answer Shanks was by your side, leaning against you casually. But nothing about his demeanor was relaxed. Laughtale was looking like a better and better plan.

“You invited my wife to come with you?” Shanks was speaking in a clipped tone. Marco was unphased, still carrying plates. You looped your arm around Shanks, to attempt to calm him down.

“Shanks, stop. Marco, send my thanks to Whitebeard, but I’m staying with Shanks.”

“You’ve gotta be needed back on your ship, you’re the doctor after all,” said Shanks coolly. Marco laughed.

“You’re right, and I’ll be leaving soon. It’s nice to see you both again, yoi. Thank you for the dinner.” Marco deposited the remaining dishes in the sink. You said your goodbyes and you walked him to the door, giving him a final hug goodbye. He partially transformed and flew off into the night. You sighed, it was always so beautiful to watch him in his Zoan form.

“Show off,” Shanks grumbled. You walked back to the living room and plopped down on your couch. Shanks laid down next to you with his head on your lap.

“You’ve been such a brat all night! Marco was just being helpful.” You weren’t mad at Shanks but you’d wished he could contain his jealousy better.

“Inviting my wife onto another Yonko’s ship isn’t helpful, ” he replied. “Besides, Marco was provoking me!” Shanks’s mood was already on the mend with Marco gone.

“Mmm. And the all powerful Emperor just had to take the bait, right?” You jiggled your legs, making his head bounce slightly.

“I can make your thighs shake more than that,” Shanks said, turning his head towards your body.

“Show me, husband .” Shanks grinned. You hadn’t called him that yet. Hopefully the last of his jealousy would dissipate. And if not, well, jealousy sex was always fun. 

[rwwinton]

War made them enemies. Could they ever be anything more?

The war has not been kind to Elijah Fulton, Major in the Continental army. After nearly losing his leg during the Battle of Monmouth, he returned to his home in Pennsylvania only to discover his herd of livestock severely diminished and his ability to continue his trade in textiles nearly impossible. He can only be thankful that his horse, Hercules, wasn't killed. As he works to rebuild his life in the ever-present shadow of war, he learns he is to help keep an eye on a group of prisoners captured at Yorktown and brought to town for an unspecified amount of time. Among those soldiers is an officer who is to be given a place in Elijah's home until the prisoners leave.

All Colonel Benjamin Edmonds wants to do is return to England with his steadfast horse, Achilles, and what remains of his regiment. Between the battles, disease, and desertion, his force has dwindled and so has his tolerance of war. He can think of little that appeals to him less than living in the home of an American officer while his men are confined to a poorly-built prison in the middle of town. Yet, he soon learns Major Fulton isn't a spiteful man who despises Benjamin simply for being his enemy. In fact, he seems to be a good man, and a gentleman.

Bound together by their desire to see the prisoners treated properly, they both begin to see each other for who they truly are. But with the war ending and Benjamin certain to be returning home before too long, do they dare look for comfort and affection in each other?

BOOK SPECIFIC CONTENT WARNINGS: prisoners of war, disabilities from wounds received in battle, death in battle, PTSD, past death of a spouse, past death of a lover, past death in childbirth, references to death of a newborn, mentions of slavery, references to non-monogamy

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[anewdaywilldawn]

If you liked Given, I recommend you this…

I was watching this jdrama the other day, called Jack o’ Frost (pretty niche but you can find it on Viki)

‼️Given - Jack o’ Frost spoilers ahead ‼️

The plots are different ofc, but at some point of the drama it started giving me Given vibes and I didn’t quite get why…

But then this scene came:

It was painfully familiar…

Then I remembered this scene from the Given ova:

• Again, different reasons, different outcomes, but still, MISUNDERSTANDINGS & MISCOMMUNICATION. Uenoyama and Fumiya not talking openly about what upsets them, Mafuyu and Ritsu not picking up on subtle hints/not understanding unless explicitly told…

Didn’t think I’d cry so hard ever again after Given but here we are Ig-

• Also, MEMORIES is another theme they have in common. Mafuyu never really letting go of/forgetting about Yuki and Uenoyama having to deal with Mafuyu’s past; Ritsu losing all his memories about Fumiya and Fumiya, who cherishes those memories so much, watching Ritsu not recognizing him and still staying by his side, hoping he would remember one day.

• Lastly, the SECOND CHANCE/STARTING ANEW, whether it is Mafuyu finding love again in Uenoyama after Yuki or Ritsu and Fumiya “resetting” their relationship, trying to avoid their past mistakes and falling in love all over again.

I didn’t have high expectations on this drama at first tbh, it seemed to have just a bunch of tropes and I wanted sth just to pass the time, but by the time it ended I realized it already got a special place in my heart T-T

Bonus coz they’re too precious:

Here they used “itterasshai” and “ittekimasu” which are used when you leave home or with ppl you consider family and that’s why Fumiya is giggling so much I can’t 🥹🥹