#she gonna have to deal with it LIKE SHE ALWAYS DOES. lmao

[ravendruid]

Good morning critters. No one asked but I'm drinking EXTRA coffee today because there's abso-fucking-lutely no way I'm falling asleep during the episode tonight (and probably after, let's be honest).

THAT'S IT. WE'RE GOING TO ZEPHRAH. THAT'S THE ONLY THING IN ME BRAIN TONIGHT.

Are we going to meet the triplets? ARE WE GOING TO SEE NELL? ORYM'S MOM?

FCG trying therapy on Keyleth? Please?

More Imodna?

WHAT THE FUCK IS UP WITH ASHTON'S WEAPON NOW?

But, as always, first and foremost in me brain: VAXLETH? KEYLETH? BOTH.

[unproduciblesmackdown]

more info, via a couple of reviews:

"Is this the best, most exhilarating, most close-to-perpetual dancing ever to grace the Goodspeed Opera House stage?

It certainly could be.

The new stage adaptation of “Summer Stock” at the East Haddam theater has plenty to recommend it in terms of the canny script and the hummable songs. But it’s the dancing that leaves the biggest impression.

The show is jam-packed with choreography from Donna Feore, who also directs, that is thrillingly executed by the cast.

We’re talking: Gravity-defying kicks. Head-spinning turns. Male dancers lifting and tossing and catching the female ones. It runs the gamut from Cossack-dance athleticism to soft shoe grace, tap precision to Lindy hop energy.

How the cast manages to sing after executing these (literally) breathtaking numbers, I have no idea.

And how do they make it through two performances on some days? Amazing.

Also amazing: the fact that they do all this on Goodspeed’s small stage without making the space feel cramped.

So, yes, the dancing is phenomenal. But there’s more to the show than that.

This stage version of “Summer Stock” — which is enjoying its world premiere at Goodspeed — is inspired by the 1950 MGM movie starring Judy Garland and Gene Kelly. Writer Cheri Steinkellner, though, has reimagined the piece in many ways, making it better, stronger and propelled by a more modern sensibility. (Steinkellner’s writing credits range from “Cheers” to the Broadway adaptation of “Sister Act.”)

The foundational story, though, remains the same: A no-nonsense young woman named Jane is trying to save her family farm. Her actress sister (named Gloria in the version at Goodspeed) brings her compatriots to the farm to rehearse a show. Jane first spars with and then starts falling for Gloria’s beau Joe, the production’s director.

Steinkellner has also changed up the score, to great effect. While some tunes from the movie remain, she has pulled others that are in the public domain (such as “Accentuate the Positive,” “Paper Moon” and “It Had to Be You”), and she has woven them perfectly into various plot points and important emotional moments.

As director, Feore makes sure the whole enterprise has a dynamic spirit. It’s a story and a production that brims with optimism and cheerfulness.

Leading the cast is Corbin Bleu, who became famous with his work in “High School Musical” and has gone on to star in several Broadway shows, as Joe. Bleu is a true, and truly talented, triple-threat. He has a warm, welcoming presence as an actor; he also brings an authority to Joe so you believe he’s someone the actors respect and will follow. Bleu’s singing is strong and lustrous, and his dancing — particularly his tremendous tap ability — is … wow.

Arguably the biggest scene-stealer here is Veanne Cox, as the wealthy, snooty owner of huge property surrounding Jane’s. The way she trills dialogue can turn anything into a punchline. She can wave her arms about as her character repeats “l’amour” and generate audience laughs. When her character falls for the egoistic actor Montgomery Leach (played by J. Anthony Crane with Barrymore flair), Cox burbles with girlish romantic giddiness.

Danielle Wade does her own take on the Judy Garland role. She gives Jane a swagger and a tough façade that reveals a more human self during the course of the story. Wade’s most important feature is her voice, which is potent whether she’s finessing a ballad or powering through a big number. While she can’t compete with Garland’s renowned version of “Get Happy” (who could?), Wade does a good job in the number — choreographed and costumed in an homage to the original — that serves as the culmination of the production.

Arianna Rosario gets to play an interesting arc at Gloria. At first, Gloria seems to be a blithe, self-centered actress, but she later shows that she is quite the problem-solving producer. Rosario makes the transformation believable, as if Gloria is finally letting her real self come through.

The scenic design by Wilson Chin suggests the various elements of a Connecticut River Valley farm in the 1950s while still allowing room for the cast to burst into all of those big dance numbers. And the costume design by Tina McCartney provides a fun and functional take on country clothing of the era.

I will say that the second act could be tightened up (we don’t need to see so many beats of the rehearsal process), but, in total, this “Summer Stock” is sensational." [source]

(hooray for most directly explaining gloria's overall arc)

and the next review:

"A throwback to the golden age of Broadway and movie musicals, "Summer Stock" is a timeless, inspiring song-and-dance tale of good deeds, fairy tale showbiz, classic romance and backstage intrigue played out to such dazzling effect, you want to freeze frame it, take it home with you and watch it over and over again for pure fun and a let's-put-a-smile-on-your-face endorsement. This is Goodspeed Musicals at its best - old-fashioned musical entertainment designed to deliver by the bucket's load, stir the senses, rhythmically intoxicate you and dance up a continual storm of good cheer that's guaranteed to leave you breathless.

Animated. Airborne. Magical. Sweet-natured. Fresh-faced. Dance happy. It's all here, wrapped up in shiny gold ribbons and signature colors that complement and complete the picture with a technicolor flourish, a big bang and an internal logic that flows with appropriate style, stamina, full command and intent.

Adapted to the stage by Cheri Steinkellner, "Summer Stock" replays that popular let's- put-on-a-show conceit where everything rests of the big opening night, the box-office intake, the big kiss between the leading man and the leading lady and how a complete unknown saves the day right before the final fadeout. Here, struggling Connecticut farmer Jane Falbury decides to let her actress sister Abigail and her actor friends from New York use the family barn as a rehearsal space for their brand-new Broadway bound musical in exchange for doing the daily farm chores to raise enough money to keep the business from going completely under. One slight problem. During rehearsals, Jane finds herself falling for the show's handsome director, Joe Ross, who, happens to be engaged to the show's leading lady - her sister Abigail.

Staging "Summer Stock," director Donna Feore ("Chicago," "Billy Elliot," "A Chorus Line"), who doubles as choreographer, creates a loveable, intoxicating show that reels you in, grabs hold of you until the final curtain and lets you fall in love with every little detail, surprise, plot twist, joke, visual gag, one-liner and tilt of her jolly agenda while she articulates every element of this musical story with thrust, warmth, spin and splendid articulation. Directorially, she pulls it off spectacularly. No wrong moves here as "Summer Stock" catches fire with a spark, a gusto, a shine and a 1950s mentality infused with plenty of imagination, originality, style and flair.  More importantly, the production never loses sight of its origins, its functional plotting and its love of musicals of yesteryear despite well-intentioned doses of kitsch, takeaway humor, giddy backchat and story arcs right out of the MGM library of backlot moviemaking.  Feore, free spirit that she is, fuels the musical with a sharpened wit and sentiment that works especially well as does her decision to let "Summer Stock" remain rooted in the period from whence it came in terms of staging, development, expression and interaction. 

Moving from screen to stage," "Summer Stock" retains only four songs from the 1950 MGM musical. The addition of several new songs to the original version of the score turns the two-act musical into more of a showstopping event and adds clarity, luster and vintage spin to its already proven material, its let's launch into another song and dance routine blueprint and its firm grasp on characterization, story evolution and its happily ever after conclusion. At Goodspeed, there are 28 important, recognizable, smartly placed musical numbers. They are:  "Get Happy," "Happy Days Are Here Again/I Want to Be Happy," "Accentuate the Positive," "I'm Always Chasing Rainbows," "Always," "Always (reprise)," "It's Only a Paper Moon," "The Best Things in Life Are Free," "Dig for Your Dinner," "Me and My Shadow," "Howdy Neighbor, Happy Harvest," "Red Hot Mama," " 'Til We Meet Again," "You Wonderful You," "June Night," "Some of These Days," "Joe's Dance," "I'm Always Chasing Rainbows (reprise)," "It All Depends on You," "Always (reprise)," "Everybody Step," "Lucky Day," "How Ya Gonna Keep 'Em Down on the Farm," "Hinky-Dinky Parlez Vouz," "It Had to Be You," "Get Happy (reprise)" and "You Wonderful You (Finale)."

Musical director Adam Souza ("42nd Street," "Cabaret," "Next to Normal," "A Grand Night for Singing," "Because of Winn Dixie," "Rags") grabs hold of the "Summer Stock" score and allows it to breathe, gesticulate, excite, envelop and rhapsodize with the golden age sentimentality of MGM movie musicals and the timeless, larger-than-life spirit of old Broadway. Here, every song matters. Every song is important. Every song travels down memory lane. Every song is tuned to the max with sweet, centered, warm-heartedness. Every song fulfills its intended purpose. All of this is complemented by the strong, flavorful sound of Souza's orchestral team, all of whom share his tremendous sense of theatricality, musical interlude, impassioned communication and delight of the actual musical itself.  They are: David Uhl (bass), Sal Ranniello (percussion), Liz Baker Smith (reed 1), Andrew Studenski (reed II), Travis Higgins III (trumpet) and Matthew Russo (trombone). As with other Goodspeed musicals, Souza doubles as conductor and keyboardist. As "Summer Stock" zings and pops, pretty music every song unfolds with a contagious orchestral musical glow, matched by the splendid musicality of the entire cast who address the catchy, homespun music and lyrics with perfect harmony, rhythm, phrasing and nostalgic commitment. These elements heighten the on-stage mode of the production, its progression from Act I to Act II, its send offs, its pastiche and its electrifying, barn-raising influence and thwack.

As with any big stage musical, choreography is key to a production's success, its fluidity of form, its artistic expression and its accompanying dance routines. Here, Feore, as choreographer, gives "Summer Stock" a highly personal touch of invigoration and speedy excitement that is tipped and generated with wonderfully elongated inspiration, stamina and determination. This is star quality choreography that peaks, shines and tilts with clever build ups, catchy dance steps and bold, concentrated rhythms, moves and beats that joyfully celebrate 1950's musicals in all their technicolor glory.   As storyteller and dance interpreter, she brings great dimension and scope to the piece using techniques, styles, descriptions and an enriched canvas of thoughts and ideas that make their mark most engagingly. Everything that happens on the Goodspeed Musicals stage has been beautifully blocked, rehearsed and staged with such thrust and individuality, no two dance numbers are alike. In fact, once "Summer Stock" catches fire, there's no stopping it.  Creating a freshly minted fusion of moods, tableaus, lifts, twirls and swirls, Feore pays homage to the actual vintage look and mindset of the musical, its dance-friendly art form and its free-flowing feel of excitement and exhilaration. Hands pop. Arms move heavenward. Dancers smile and glisten as they passionately ignite into joyful visions of sweetness, passion, frenzy and syncopation. Everyone is lost in the moment illustrating the traditions, the conscience and the power of musical theatre, giving and getting the most out of Feore's phenomenal, ovation-worthy choreography. Trained, drilled and confident, they each get a chance to shine - and shine they do - all making strong impressions that will live long in memory.

Making his Goodspeed Musicals debut, Corbin Bleu, as Joe Ross, a character originated by Gene Kelly in the 1950 film version, creates a "Wow!" song-and-dance-man factor chock full of charm, personality, self-confidence and full-beam, champagne delightness that astounds, cajoles and sparkles with leading man gait and luxury like no other. No matter what he does, he's a proverbial triple-threat (i.e., a player who excels at acting, singing and dancing) who makes everything that happens on stage feel fresh, spontaneous, real, raw and very much in the moment. It's in his eyes. It's in his moves. It's in his expressions. Exhibiting a sweet, contagious rapport that extends far beyond the footlights, it's the performance of the year and one that Bleu exudes with a Gene Kelly/Fred Astaire aura of showbiz savvy, knockabout whimsy, graceful athleticism and sterling encapsulation. "Joe's Dance," a solo dance number in Act II performed by Bleu only furthers that notion.

In the role of Jane Falbury, a role made famous by Judy Garland in the original "Summer Stock" MGM musical, Danielle Wade lights up the Goodspeed Musicals stage with a breezy, intuitive musical comedy performance of real warmth and spirit that is a constant joy to watch. Veanne Cox, cast in the role of the wickedly devious Connecticut farming magnate Margaret Wingate, is jaw-dropping brilliant, using humor, music, dance and melodrama in divinely daft and glorious ways that prompt applause and laughter whenever she's in the limelight. It's a scene-stealing performance so seamlessly entrenched in glee and fiery abandon, Cox, would be the ideal choice to play narcissistic Broadway diva Dee Dee Allen in the 2024 summer presentation of "The Prom" at Playhouse in Park in West Hartford. I'll personally deliver the contract. Other memorable performances are delivered by Arianna Rosario (Gloria Falbury), Stephen Lee Anderson (Henry "Pop" Falbury), Gilbert L. Bailey II (Phil Filmore), Will Roland (Orville Wingate) and J. Anthony Crane (Montgomery Leach). A musical escape brimming with delightful songs, engaging performances and full-beam dance numbers, "Summer Stock" is not only a bubbly tonic for theatergoers of all ages, but one that kicks nostalgia into high gear with uncomplicated bliss, fizz and vintage sparkle. It sings. It dances. It pops. It dazzles. Like "42nd Street" which played Goodspeed Musicals last season, it overflows with Kelly/Astaire lightness, punch and precision, sunny vibes and well-played exactitude. The energy displayed here is fast and furious with first-night exhilaration and thrill paired especially well with Corbin Bleu's charming star turn, Danielle Wade's joyous "Get Happy" abandon and Veanne Cox's well-prepped, icy cool villain. This is musical theatre of the highest order - infectious, irresistible, glorious. Its leave-your-troubles-at-the-door/Let's-put-on-a-show mentality accelerates with sparkle and cherry pie goodness. And boy, do we need it now!" [source]

(the reference to jane's sister abigail uses the film's names: abigail becomes gloria in this production, which is the name of abigail's actor in the film, which also mirrors how the role of herb is now phil, also the name of herb's actor in the film)

(also shoutout to providing A Full, Chronological List Of Songs. noting that according to another interview, intermission would be between "you wonderful you" and "june night")

[yeyinde]

I’m begging for your opinions on regency era nasty Simon😭😭

i promised myself this wasn't going to become an anthology but here i am. anthologising.

he's from the absolute bottom of the social circle. his dad was the town drunk, and Simon made a lot of enemies. Price's shady dealings put him and Simon together. i want him to have gone to jail—possibly for murder—and it really shaped who he was as a person. made worse, naturally, when his whole family is killed as soon as he gets out. Simon is blamed, but there's no evidence. rumours start about how a rival gang tried to bury him alive when he was in jail, but he dug his way out. they say he died. he's a monster. a pariah.

he's probably a butcher by day but takes care of Price's dirty work by night. helps run the racket. is an enforcer. just a mean, broken man. spent his formative years in jail surrounded by horrible men.

and you!!! ahhh, Mrs Price's NOSY niece. she goes missing and you come down, sniffing around because this isn't right. why would your aunt run off when she's been raised properly? this isn't like her. it all seems so suspicious. and Price's accusations have tarnished your family's reputation - saying that she ran away with a lowly barkeep in the middle of the night. a decades-long affair, stole money from him. all sorts of nasty business that ruin your family. so, you come to stick your nose into things and ask the questions no one else will.

Price doesn't want you anywhere near his almost wife/servant girl, so he sics the biggest, meanest dog he has on you. only. instead of killing you, Simon takes a disgusting interest in the prim socialite who somehow manages to talk down to him even as he towers over you. it breeds an obsession. unravels all these awful thoughts he's had about the upper class. and his boss giving him the go-ahead to ruin this pretty little bird that always seemed so untouchable? well. sure.

he's keenly aware of how your circle works, and uses that tongue advantage. mocks you when you snap at him to keep his filthy hands off of you, and tells you that you should have stayed in your ivory cage, little bird. gets a sick, twisted pleasure dragging you down the social ladder just by lying his dirty fingers on you. from gold cuffs to a pair of rusting, iron shackles. he loves ruining you. gets off when you call him all sorts of nasty names, trying to act all prim and haughty still, even with his cum drying on your face.

you call him a monster and he pinches your face between his thumb and forefinger, cruelly asking you if he's a monster, then what does that make you? the little fool carrying his monstrous brood. who in your little circle is gonna want you now? knowing that a beast like him put his hands all over you and his babe inside of you? probs whistles to himself as he gets to work on "disappearing" your aunt for good while your whole world crashes down around you lmao

Price is miffed that you're not just as missing as your aunt, but. whatever. Simon's content. you're taken care of. and he gets to pretend to be a good man with his pretty little servant girl tucked into his side. everyone wins.

[vampiresbloodx]

Arcane Imagine;

pairings; Vi/reader

Imagine you and Vi moving in together for the first time.

warnings; fluff, established relationship, love sick!vi, more fluff & comfort, arcane au, implied smut reference, teasing, s*xual jokes

a/n; I recently moved <33 so I wanted to write a lil something for vi I can now get back to writing and making silly lil posts because moving is exhausting as fuck lmao

You and Vi have been thinking about moving in together for the longest time, Vi first thought about it when she laid eyes on you when she saw you at the bar

You were with your friends, hanging out, drinks in hand, laughing along with them, she couldn't stop staring at you, how gorgeous you looked that night, how effortlessly beautiful you are to her

She really was a moth that was drawn to the flame

Because randomly, after meeting you, talking to you for a few hours in some bathroom, she was already attached to you, she didn't say it out loud then, it took her ages to actually tell you she has feelings for you

When she did though, it was the best decision she's made, and the one that didn't go to shit

Vi is always by your side, clinging to you, like a lost puppy, it's adorable, you think, as you do the same to her

But when it's just you two, she really let's down her walls and is just completely herself

When there's others around, she puts on that tough act, your very own scary dog privilege

No one can touch you or talk to you in a wrong way, and if someone upsets you, makes you uncomfortable, well they're in for a beating

Vi does not mind getting her knuckles bloody for you

When you brought up the idea of living together in an apartment, even if it wasn't that big and the rent was high, Vi immediately jumped on board

You found it really fucking cute, watching her ramble excitedly about how you two should decorate your room, apartment, she says how you can have your plants in different places, a nice coffee table, a tv, games, you just really liked listening to her talk

Now when you two did the apartment hunting, that was long and slightly boring, having to meet up with strangers to potentially set a deal on your new home, yes, you were both still very excited, and finally, after trying to find the right one, you both found your home

You got what you could afford, and after signing the lease and getting the keys, you were able to officially move in

The moving was stressful, getting everything together, making sure nothing was lost or broken, Vi kept on worrying about her CDs and DVD collection, same with her other collections she has that she didn't want to lose, stuff that she's kept from her childhood, rare items she's found that people have thrown away for some reason and it's actually worth a lot, Vi likes those stuff, she likes finding good things

You like to add to the collections to, when you find things that remind you of Vi

Vi wouldn't show much of her "nerdy" side to anyone else but you had that special spot

There definitely would be Vi making sex jokes, how the new couch would be perfect to try new positions on, or how the bed might not last that long, for that you slapped her playfully on the shoulder, and she laughed hard

She loved teasing you

And will not stop

Vi never really knew she was ever gonna experience this, just that domestic life filled with good moments that will play a huge part in your life for years, and here she was with you, she did not want to let go

Vi was excited about turning this place into a home that shows the both of you, so when they invited people over they would know immediately

She was crazy for you, in the best way possible and you wouldn't have it anyway else

[dippindaz]

Munson's Little Sister - Part 5 (Billy x Reader)

Munson's Little Sister Masterlist Here :)

Please let me know if I should do another part of this story or not, I am unsure of whether to leave it here or continue. Thank you! I hope you all enjoy part 5! (Also, there is some odd paragraph spacing a couple times in this part, I apologize, I tried to fix it but couldn't.)

8.7k words

Warnings: Sibling conflict (There is a resolution), Asshole Billy in the beginning then softie Billy, reader crying, glimpses of Steddie cause I wanted to lmao, Billy flirts with another girl, mentions of punching and bruises, (I think that's it)

The rest of class drags by in a blur. You’re staring at the board, but none of the words make sense. The teacher’s voice fades in and out, just background noise to the storm raging inside your head.

You replay the moment over and over—The Camaro door slamming shut. The tires peeling away. The way your stomach had dropped, cold and hollow, like you’d been sucker-punched.

It wasn’t just the act of him leaving—it was how he did it. No hesitation. No second glance. Like you weren’t even there.

Like you didn’t matter.

You dig your nails into your palm beneath your desk, trying to push the feeling away. It’s fine, you tell yourself. He’s just being Billy. He does this kind of shit.

But it doesn’t feel fine. It feels awful.

And maybe worst of all… you’re not even mad. Not really. You should be furious, pissed beyond belief, but all you feel is small.

Like maybe you’re the stupid one for thinking whatever was between you was anything at all.

The bell rings, snapping you out of your thoughts. You blink, realizing you’ve barely taken any notes, and sigh as you gather your things. You don’t want to think about Billy right now, don’t want to deal with whatever this is.

So, you do what you always do. You push it down, shake it off, and head into the hallway like none of it even matters.

Even though it does.

It does so much it makes your chest ache.

And then you hear them.

Eddie’s voice, rough and frustrated, followed by Steve’s lower, calmer tone.

You stop in your tracks, barely a few steps out of your classroom, and glance toward the corner where their voices drift from. You know you shouldn’t, but with Eddie has been acting… suddenly, you can’t help but listen.

You head closer to the sound of their voices. They’re down the hall, in an emptier part of the school. The noise of the bustling hallways fades, your focus zeroing in on them.

“Come on, man. You’re being ridiculous.” Steve’s voice carries first, exasperated but firm. “You’re really just gonna avoid her forever?”

There’s a rustling sound, maybe Eddie shifting his weight, but he doesn’t answer right away. When he does, his voice is tense, defensive. “I don’t want to be around her if she’s gonna be around him.”

Your stomach twists, and you press yourself closer to the wall, heart pounding.

Steve sighs. “Jesus, Eddie. You don’t have to like him, but you’re really gonna throw away your sister over this? You two have never let anything come between you before.”

“She’s the one making that choice, not me.” Eddie huffs, his frustration bubbling over. “I’m not gonna sit around and watch her get sucked into his bullshit.”

“You don’t even know if it’s bullshit.” Steve argues, voice lowering slightly, as if trying to be reasonable. “Maybe she sees something in him that you don’t. And maybe you should trust her judgment for once.”

Eddie scoffs. “Trust her judgment? Really?” His voice is bitter, but there’s something underneath it—something uncertain. “Billy Hargrove doesn’t do relationships, Steve. He destroys people. And I’m not gonna stand by and watch him do that to her.”

Steve must shake his head, because his voice comes softer, like he’s trying to push past Eddie’s walls. “I get it, man. You don’t like this. But she’s your sister. And whether you like it or not, she still wants you around. You shutting her out isn’t protecting her—it’s just hurting her.”

There’s silence. A long, heavy pause. You don’t breathe.

Eddie mutters something under his breath, too low for you to hear, but Steve picks up on it. “Then tell her that.” His tone is insistent but not unkind. “Tell her how you feel. Just talk to her, Eddie.”

You swallow hard, your hands gripping the strap of your bag. You hadn’t realized how much you wanted to hear him say something—anything—that wasn’t anger.

But then Eddie exhales sharply. “I can’t. Not while she’s still got him in the picture.”

Steve curses under his breath, his patience clearly thinning. “Yeah? And what if she doesn’t change her mind? What if she still wants you in her life anyway? You just gonna let her go?”

There’s no answer.

And that hurts.

Your chest tightens, and before they can notice you standing there, you step away, turning down the hall and disappearing into the crowd, tears beginning to burn your eyes. You need to get out of here. Away from all of it.

You duck into the nearest bathroom, the sound of your shoes echoing on the tile floor as you make your way to the last stall at the far end. The harsh fluorescent lights flicker above, and you barely hear the door open behind you. It doesn’t matter. You lock the stall door and slide down the cold metal wall, resting your head against your knees.

It’s too much.

The tears never come, but the tightness in your chest won’t ease up. The pit in your stomach is too big, too heavy. Your breathing quickens, shallow and unsteady. You clamp your hands over your eyes, but the darkness behind your lids does nothing to block the images from your mind—the look on Billy’s face when he drove away from you, the conversation with Eddie. The words that made you feel smaller than you ever had.

You’re overreacting.

You tell yourself that over and over again, even though you’re not sure you believe it. It’s stupid. It shouldn’t matter so much. But it does.

Finally, after what feels like an eternity, you take a slow, shaky breath and stand. You open the stall door, staring at your reflection in the cracked mirror above the sinks. Your eyes are red-rimmed, face blotchy, but there’s no time to fix it. You can’t stay in here forever. You have to face the rest of the day, even if it feels impossible right now.

You splash cold water on your face, willing yourself to pull it together, but when you straighten up, you feel the sting of the burn in your throat again, threatening to turn into something worse.

Sighing, you step away from the mirror, glancing down at your watch. The bell’s going to ring soon, and you have no idea how you’re going to get through the rest of the day. But you know you can’t stay in the bathroom forever.

You push open the door, and the cool air from the outside hits you like a shock to the system. You walk quickly, weaving through the crowded halls, ignoring the glances of students as you slip out the back door and into the schoolyard. You’re not sure where you’re going, but you need a break, away from the chaos of everyone’s expectations, away from the constant pressure.

The school grounds are quieter here. The air feels a little fresher, a little easier to breathe. You walk toward the back of the bleachers, slipping through a side gate, and let yourself lean against the cold metal. You close your eyes, taking in the moment of peace, but it’s not enough to quiet the storm in your head.

There’s no escaping it.

——————————————————————————————————

Eddie rounds the corner of the bleachers, already fishing a joint from his jacket pocket when he freezes.

You're sitting there, knees drawn to your chest, staring out at the empty field. The sight knocks the breath out of him for a second. He hadn’t meant to run into you—not yet. He figured he’d keep ignoring you a little longer, that he’d let you figure out for yourself how messed up this whole thing with Billy was. But now, here you are, right in front of him, looking damn near broken.

Eddie exhales sharply through his nose, rubbing a hand over his face. Then, with a resigned sigh, he shoves the joint back into his pocket and steps forward. “Guess we’re doing this now, huh?”

You tense at the sound of his voice, shoulders curling inward as you glance up at him. There’s a flicker of something in your eyes—hurt, anger, relief? Maybe all three. You swallow hard, your voice rough. “Guess so.”

Eddie rocks back on his heels, tilting his head as he studies you. “You look like hell.”

A dry laugh escapes you, humorless. “Yeah, well. Feels about right.”

He doesn’t sit next to you immediately. Instead, he crosses his arms, watching you closely. “You been crying?”

“No.” The answer comes too fast, too defensive, and Eddie just lifts a brow because, really? You sigh, shaking your head. “Not really.”

Eddie clicks his tongue, gaze softening despite himself. He had every intention of keeping up the tough act, of laying into you for choosing Billy over, well, anyone else. But it’s hard to be mad when you look like this—like the weight of the world is pressing down on you. And suddenly, he doesn’t want to fight anymore.

With another sigh, Eddie finally lowers himself onto the bleacher beside you, stretching his legs out in front of him. There’s a beat of silence before he mutters, “Look, I don’t get it. I don’t get what you see in him. But… if this is what you’re doing, I can’t stop you.”

Your head snaps to him, eyes wide. “You mean that?”

He shrugs, glancing away. “Doesn’t mean I like it. Doesn’t mean I think it’s a good idea. But if I keep avoiding you, that means he wins, right? And I’d rather suffer through seeing you with him than… not see you at all.”

Your throat tightens, emotions swirling thick and fast. “Eddie—”

He cuts you off with a wave of his hand. “Don’t make a big deal out of it. I’m still gonna complain about him every chance I get.”

That actually pulls a small smile from you, something warm flickering in your chest. You know he’s not happy about it, that he’s only doing this because he doesn’t want to lose you. And part of you feels guilty—because if he knew about the way Billy had been acting, he’d be furious. He’d tell you he was right, and you’re not ready for that. Not yet.

So you don’t tell him. You just lean into his shoulder, and after a second, he sighs dramatically but lets you stay there.

“You owe me for this, you know,” he grumbles, but there’s no real bite to it.

You sniff, smiling against his sleeve. “Yeah, yeah.”

And for now, it’s enough.

The rest of the day drags on, but the awkward tension between you and Eddie starts to melt a bit. Eddie’s attitude softens, and for the first time in a while, you don’t feel the weight of his anger pressing down on you.

When the final bell rings, you head out to the parking lot, Eddie’s van parked right where he promised. He’s already there, leaning against the driver’s side door, looking like he’s been waiting forever. You both say little on the ride back home, but it’s comfortable. The silence doesn’t feel as heavy anymore. It’s just the two of you, like things used to be.

When you pull into the trailer park, the first thing you notice is Uncle Wayne’s truck in the driveway. His tall figure is visible in the window of the trailer as he walks around, humming some tune to himself. For a moment, everything feels normal again. Like nothing’s changed.

You slide out of the van and step up onto the porch, Eddie right behind you. Uncle Wayne greets you with a smile, asking how school went, and the three of you sit down for a simple dinner. It’s nice to have this—this little bubble of peace. No Billy, no drama, just your family.

The three of you sit around the small table, talking about the day, laughing about little things. It feels good, like nothing’s really changed. The warmth of the food in your stomach matches the comfort of having your family together again.

Then phone rings, cutting through the soft hum of the evening. Wayne pauses mid-bite, his fork halfway to his mouth, then looks over at the receiver on the wall by the door.

“Hold on,” he says, wiping his hands on a napkin before getting up and moving toward the phone. “I’ll grab it.”

You and Eddie exchange a look—neither of you expecting a. Wayne picks up the receiver, gruffly mumbling his usual, “Hello?”

The conversation on the other end is muffled, but Wayne’s face shifts slightly, a subtle flicker of recognition in his eyes. He glances at you, then Eddie, before giving a short grunt.

“Eddie’s here, hold on,” Wayne says before handing the phone over to Eddie.

You notice Eddie’s hesitant expression as he takes it, but there’s no mistaking the slight tilt to his lips—like he’s trying not to smile.

“Yeah?” Eddie says, taking the phone, his voice quiet, casual.

You try to focus on your food, but your mind lingers on the sound of the voice on the other end of the line. It’s Steve, you can tell even from the way Eddie's expression softens, his usual guarded demeanor slipping just a little.

You steal a glance at Eddie as he speaks, and there's something in the way he holds the phone, the small shift in his posture as he leans against the counter, that makes you think he’s more than just casual about this. Eddie’s always been distant with most people, hard to read, but when he talks to Steve, there’s something different.

“Yeah, just got done with dinner… Nah, everything’s fine. Yeah, we’re good.” Eddie’s voice drops a little lower as he listens.

Your mind drifts, wondering if it’s just your imagination, but there’s a little edge to Eddie’s words—something you’ve heard before. Steve’s probably talking to Eddie about something personal, and Eddie’s quiet, his softness, is telling in a way.

You look over at Wayne, who’s busy with his own plate, and you feel your chest tighten.

For a moment, you can’t help but wonder if there’s something more going on between Eddie and Steve. There’s always been this unspoken tension between them—something that’s never quite been addressed but always hovering in the background. Eddie’s tone softens again, a rare shift you don’t see often.

“Alright, man, I’ll talk to you tomorrow,” Eddie says, hanging up the phone.

Eddie comes back to the table and sits down, picking up his fork as if nothing happened, but you can still sense the quiet space between the two of them. The phone call was brief, but the weight of it hangs in the air.

Wayne picks up on the subtle change too, but he doesn’t press, letting it slide as he goes back to his food.

“Who was that?” you ask casually, though your voice comes out a little quieter than you intended.

“Steve,” Eddie answers, glancing at you but saying nothing more.

You nod, biting back a little smile.

——————————————————————————————————

The morning air is crisp, the sky still carrying the soft hues of dawn as you and Eddie pull into the school parking lot. The drive had been surprisingly normal—maybe even nice. No tension, no forced silence, just easy conversation and Eddie tapping along to the music playing through the van’s old speakers. It felt… comfortable, like things were finally settling between you.

As you step out of the van, Eddie slings his bag over his shoulder, glancing at you with a smirk. “Try not to get into any trouble today, yeah?

You roll your eyes, nudging him with your elbow. “Shouldn’t I be telling you that?”

Eddie huffs out a laugh, shaking his head as he heads off toward his usual morning routine. You adjust your bag and head toward the school, the usual morning chaos unfolding around you. Students linger in the parking lot, chatting in small groups, while others rush inside, desperate to finish last-minute homework before the first bell.

The halls are already buzzing with noise when you step inside, weaving through the familiar faces until you reach your locker. As you spin the dial on the lock, a voice—low and smooth—cuts through the noise behind you.

“Miss me, princess?”

You freeze, your stomach flipping despite yourself. You know that voice.

Turning your head, you see Billy leaning casually against the lockers beside yours, watching you with that smirk that always makes it hard to think straight.

And just like that, the irritation you’d buried from yesterday flares up again. You shut your locker a little harder than necessary. “You mean after you drove off without a word?”

Billy doesn’t look the least bit guilty. In fact, his smirk deepens, his eyes dragging over your face like he’s enjoying every second of your frustration.

“C’mon, don’t be like that,” he says, his voice dropping just enough to make your pulse pick up.

You cross your arms, trying to hold onto your anger. “Then how should I be, Billy? You saw me walking toward you, and you just—” You huff, shaking your head. “You’re a real piece of work, you know that?”

Billy exhales a quiet chuckle, stepping closer, just enough for his cologne and cigarette smoke to wrap around you. “Didn’t think you were the type to get all worked up over a little thing like that.” His fingers brush against your arm, featherlight, sending a shiver down your spine.

You hate that he knows exactly what he’s doing. That he always knows how to make your anger feel like it’s slipping through your fingers like sand. The way he pulls you back in like it’s nothing.

You glare at him, but your voice isn’t as sharp when you say, “You don’t get to play mind games with me, Billy.”

Billy tilts his head, eyes dark with something unreadable. “Who says I’m playin’?” His eyes flick over your face, and for a moment, there’s something almost… easy about him. No teasing smirk, no sharp edge to his voice.

“So, what? You gonna stay mad at me all day?” he asks, his tone lighter now.

You huff, rolling your eyes. “I don’t know, Billy. Depends on if you’re gonna act like an ass again.”

Billy chuckles, shaking his head. “You wound me, sweetheart.”

Despite yourself, the corner of your mouth twitches, just the smallest hint of a smile threatening to break through. This is the Billy you don’t mind so much. The one that, when he isn’t being a complete jerk, is actually kind of… nice to be around.

You sigh, running a hand through your hair. “It’s been a long couple of days, okay? Eddie was avoiding me, and I thought he wasn’t ever gonna come around again.” The words spill out before you can stop them, frustration laced into your tone.

Billy’s smirk falters, a brief flicker of something dark crossing his expression. His posture shifts, shoulders stiffening just slightly. “Yeah?” he mutters, voice quieter.

You nod, not noticing the way his grip tightens against the locker beside him. “Yeah. I mean, it sucked, you know? We’ve never fought like that before, and I—”

��You spend too much time worrying about that freak,” Billy cuts in, his voice suddenly sharp.

The shift in his mood is like a slap to the face.

Your eyebrows pull together. “Billy—”

“Nah,” he interrupts, pushing off the lockers and stepping into your space, his usual smirk replaced with something colder. “You think Munson’s really worth all that stress? He’s just pissed ‘cause you’re not attached to his hip anymore.”

You stare at him, a familiar frustration bubbling in your chest. “That’s not true,” you snap. “And you don’t get to talk about him like that.”

Billy scoffs, his jaw tightening. “Whatever you say, sweetheart.” His tone is dismissive, his eyes already flicking elsewhere like he’s bored of the conversation. Like you’re boring him.

And just like that, the moment is gone.

Billy steps back, flashing a hollow smirk before turning on his heel. “See you around,” he throws over his shoulder, walking off without another word.

You’re left standing there, fists clenched, heart pounding. You don’t know why you’re surprised. This is the Billy everyone else always knew, the one who didn’t care about anything or anyone but himself. And yet, you fell right into his trap. You really believed that maybe… maybe he wasn’t what everyone said. But lately you weren’t so sure.

Still, it stings.

The rest of the morning drags. You try to focus, but Billy’s words from earlier keep circling in your head, an endless loop of irritation and hurt. By the time lunch rolls around, you’re still carrying that frustration, but you’re determined to push it down, to move on.

That is, until you see him.

He’s near the vending machines by the gym, tucked into a quieter hallway where fewer students linger. He’s leaning against the wall, all easy confidence, that signature smirk in place. But it’s not for you.

It’s for her.

A girl from the cheer squad, twirling a strand of hair around her finger as she laughs at whatever Billy just said. You catch the tail end of it as you pass.

“You free this weekend, babe?” His voice is smooth, dripping with charm. “Could show you a real good time.”

Your stomach drops and way she giggles, the way she tilts her chin, the way he looks at her—it’s enough to snap the last thread of patience you have left.

“Are you fucking serious?” The words are out before you can stop them, sharp and loud enough that a few heads nearby turn your way.

Billy’s smirk falters, his eyes shooting to you. For a second—a short, fleeting second—he looks as though his heart is going to drop out of his ass.

“Oh, don’t stop on my account,” you bite out, stepping closer. “Go ahead, Billy. Tell her all about how you’re so interested in her. How you’re such a great guy.” Your voice drips with sarcasm, but underneath, there’s real hurt, real anger.

The girl shifts awkwardly, looking between you and Billy.

Billy’s jaw tightens. “What’s your problem?”

“My problem?” You laugh, a bitter sound. “You act like I don’t exist, start treating me like crap out of nowhere, and now—what? You’re just gonna move on to the next girl, like none of it ever happened? Like I’m nothing?”

Billy exhales sharply through his nose, pushing off the wall. “I don’t owe you anything.”

The words hit harder than you want to admit.

Your jaw clenches, fingers curling into fists at your sides. “Right,” you say, voice quieter now but no less sharp. “You don’t owe me anything… but I expected more from you.”

Again, something flickers in his expression, only for a brief moment. But then it’s gone, replaced by that same infuriating mask of indifference.

And it hurts. It hurts so bad you think your heart might explode.

You turn on your heel and push through the tiny crowd that formed, tears blurring your vision. You don’t know where you’re going in the moment, your feet move on instinct. You keep walking until the noise of the hallway fades, until you’re somewhere quieter—near the side doors, where barely anyone lingers this time of day.

Your hands tremble as you press them against your temples, breathing hard. Why does it hurt so much? You knew Billy was reckless, you knew he played games, but it still hurts.

You squeeze your eyes shut, willing the lump in your throat to disappear, but it won’t just go away. It’s only when the first sob claws it way up your throat that you push through the doors, but you don’t get much farther than that. You slide down the brick wall, your arms wrapping around yourself and tears spilling from your eyes.

You felt stupid. You felt so stupid.

You should’ve known better.

You did know better.

It hurt so badly. You never knew anything could hurt this much. And it hurts worse than anything. Wrose than the random aches and pains that Wayne said you were way too young for, worse than the time you sprained your ankle, you were sure it hurt worse than anything else in this world.

And all you want?

All you want is him. Holding you, kissing your forehead, telling you it was alright. For him to have some explanation that made it all better.

You cried until you physically couldn’t. Until your head pounded against your skull and your eyes were sore.

When you heard the doors nearby push open, you didn’t dare look. At best, it was Billy, and at worst… at worst, it was also Billy.

Footsteps shuffle against the pavement. You keep your head down, pressing your forehead to your arms. If it’s Billy, you don’t want to see him. You don’t want to hear whatever excuse he’s cooked up. And if it’s someone else, you don’t want to see the pity in their eyes.

But then, the person sighs.

“You good?”

Eddie.

For a moment your quiet. It’s obvious you’re not, but do you really want to tell him what happened with Billy? To admit how he was right all along?

No.

“Fantastic.” You mutter.

“Saw what happened.”

Your stomach twists. “Come to rub it in?” You ask, your voice bitter.

Eddie sighs again, and then sinks down beside you. He doesn’t touch you, doesn’t force you to talk. He just sits there, legs stretched out, staring ahead like you’re both just casually skipping class.

You glance at him, cautious. “Then why are you here?”

He shrugs. “Figured you didn’t wanna be alone.”

The words settle something deep inside you. Because for all the fights, for all the tension lately—He’s still here. He’s still your brother.

You exhale, long and shaky, letting some of the anger ebb away. “I hate him,” you mutter, voice raw.

Eddie hums. He doesn’t believe you. You don’t believe you.

You sniffle, willing your eyes with your sleeve. You finally look at Eddie, and immediately it catches your eyes. The hand resting on his knee, his knuckles are bright red, the middles already turning a deep blue.

Your eyebrows furrow. “What the hell happened to your hand?”

Eddie looked down at his hand, his fingers flexing before they relaxed. “I… had some scores to settle.”

“Eddie…” Your eyes widen as you meet his own deep brown ones.

“What? He and it coming.” He shrugs.

You don’t respond right away. You feel special that Eddie defended you the only way he probably knew how. You feel like Billy probably deserves it. At the same time, you don’t want to think of him in pain. Curse your stupid brain.

“How’d he react?”

Eddie looks down at his hand once more. “Didn’t do anything, really. He just kinda let me.”

You blink, taken aback. “He just let you?”

Eddie nods, flexing his fingers again. “Didn’t fight back, didn’t say a damn thing. Just took it.”

That unsettles you in a way you don’t expect. You thought Billy would’ve swung back, would’ve done something. But he didn’t.

Your mind races with possibilities—maybe he thought he deserved it. Maybe he didn’t care. Maybe this was his way of punishing himself.

Eddie watches you carefully. “If you’re about to start feeling bad for him, I swear to god—”

“I’m not,” you lie.

Eddie scoffs, shaking his head. “Right.”

You let out a heavy sigh, pressing the heels of your palms into your eyes. “I don’t know what I feel,” you admit. “I’m just—tired.”

Eddie leans his head back against the wall. “Yeah. I get that.”

And he does. Because for all your differences, for all the things you’ve fought about lately, Eddie’s still Eddie. He still gets you.

You glance at his bruised hand again, guilt gnawing at your chest. “You didn’t have to do that, you know.”

Eddie snorts. “Yeah, I did.”

You huff, shaking your head, but you don’t argue. Because, really, you kind of love him for it.

For a while, you both just sit there. The school buzzes in the distance, but out here, it’s quiet. Safe.

Then Eddie nudges your arm. “Wanna get out of here?”

You look at him, and for the first time all day, a small smile tugs at your lips. “Yeah. Let’s go.”

Eddie grins, pushing himself up and offering you a hand. You take it, and as he helps you up, it feels like something—something fragile and important—has mended between you.

——————————————————————————————————

The bell above the door jingles as you and Eddie step inside the diner, the smell of sizzling burgers and fresh coffee wrapping around you like a familiar embrace. The place is half-empty, the lull between lunch and dinner keeping most people away. You slide into a booth by the window, and Eddie flops down across from you, drumming his fingers against the sticky tabletop.

“You know,” he says, picking up the menu even though you both already know what you’re getting, “I think today calls for celebratory milkshakes.”

You arch a brow. “Celebrating what, exactly?”

Eddie shrugs. “The fact that you finally saw the light. That Hargrove is a grade-A jackass and not worth wasting your time on.”

Your stomach churns, but before you can even think of a response, Eddie is already calling for the waitress. He orders for both of you like he always does, rattling off a double order of fries and two milkshakes. It’s easier to let him keep talking, to let him distract you.

The waitress leaves, and Eddie stretches, cracking his knuckles. “So. Do we think old man Jenkins over there is an ex-bank robber or a former jazz musician?” He nods toward a man at the counter, white hair slicked back, fingers tapping lightly against his coffee cup as if keeping time to a song only he can hear.

You smirk. “Definitely jazz musician. But, like, he got kicked out of the band for being too wild. Went solo. Burned out after one hit single.”

Eddie gasps, clutching his chest. “Ouch. One-hit wonder? That’s cold.”

You roll your eyes, but a laugh slips out, and it feels good. For a little while, you let yourself sink into the rhythm of normalcy, of easy conversation, of Eddie’s ridiculous theories and the warmth of the diner.

Then, without warning, something yanks you right back under.

A laugh. Low and rough. It’s not Billy’s, but for half a second, it tricks your brain into thinking it is. Your head snaps up before you can stop yourself, your heart leaping into your throat. But it’s just some guy in the next booth over, laughing at something his friend said.

You exhale, but the weight in your chest lingers.

Billy was never here with you, but you still think of him. You still see him in places your sure he’s never been.

You look down at your hands, fingers twisting together in your lap. You still feel the ghost of his touch on your skin, the way he traced patterns on your arm, the weight of his arm slung around your shoulders, the warmth of his breath against your ear. The way he could make you melt with just a few words.

“Hey.”

Eddie’s voice pulls you out of it. You blink, realizing he’s watching you carefully, his teasing demeanor dimmed just a little.

“You still with me?” he asks, tapping a finger against the table.

You force a smile. “Yeah. Just thinking.”

He hums, studying you for a moment longer. Then the food arrives, and he lets it go, shifting back into his usual, easygoing self. But you know he noticed.

And you know he’s not going to let it slide forever.

The rest of your time at the diner passes in a blur of greasy food and easy conversation. You let Eddie’s chatter fill the space in your head, let yourself get lost in the back-and-forth, in the ridiculous conspiracy theories about the cook running an underground fight club, in the delicious food, and the comfort of knowing that Eddie is still here.

But even as you laugh, even as you dip fries into your shake just to watch Eddie make a disgusted face, there’s a weight in your chest that won’t quite go away.

By the time you’re pulling up to the trailer, the sky is a deep indigo, the last traces of daylight clinging stubbornly to the horizon. Eddie kills the engine, and for a moment, neither of you move. The familiar hum of the crickets outside fills the silence.

“Well,” Eddie finally says, stretching his arms over his head before slumping against the driver’s seat, “today sucked slightly less than usual.”

You snort, unbuckling your seatbelt. “High praise.”

Eddie grins, but there’s something softer in his eyes when he looks at you. “You okay?”

You hesitate, fingers gripping the door handle. “I will be,” you say, and for now, that’s enough.

Inside, the trailer is dimly lit, the hum of the TV barely audible from Wayne’s bedroom. The old man must have already turned in for the night, his shift waiting for him in the early hours of the morning.

Eddie kicks off his shoes by the door, making a beeline for his room with a yawn. “If you hear me playing guitar at an ungodly hour, no you don’t,” he calls over his shoulder.

You shake your head, offering a half-hearted “Goodnight, dumbass,” before slipping into your own room.

The quiet presses in as you sit on the edge of your bed, kicking off your shoes and rubbing your tired face. The day is over, but the emotions still linger—anger, hurt, confusion. And beneath all of it, something softer, something warmer. Something you don’t want to name.

You sigh, flopping back against the mattress. You don’t want to think about Billy.

But you already are.

At this point you feel as though you always are.

——————————————————————————————————

You toss for what must be the hundredth time, the sheets twisted around your legs like they’re trying to trap you in your own restlessness. The ceiling above you is dull, unmoving, but your mind spins like it’s running laps. You can't stop replaying the day, every word, every look, every ache that settled in your chest and hasn't gone away.

You’d had fun with Eddie. Real fun. The kind that makes you feel like things are maybe—just maybe—going to be okay. But even with all the laughter and greasy diner food, Billy’s face kept flashing in your mind. Not just the way he looked earlier, but how he used to look at you—like you were something he couldn’t get enough of. Like you were wanted.

Now? You weren’t sure you ever were wanted.

You sigh and press the heels of your hands into your eyes, trying to force the thoughts away. You’re exhausted—physically, emotionally—but sleep refuses to come. It dances just out of reach, mocking you.

Eventually, your body begins to settle, the weight of the day dragging you toward sleep. Your eyelids flutter shut.

And then—

Tap. Tap. Tap.

You jolt upright, heart leaping into your throat. You blink in the darkness, the sound coming again—sharp and urgent against your window.

You don’t move right away. Your breath catches.

Another knock. Then a low voice, barely loud enough to hear through the glass.

“C’mon, princess. Please.”

Your chest tightens. You should tell him to go to hell. You should pull the covers over your head and let him stew out there in the dark.

But you don’t.

You push the blankets off and climb out of bed, your feet barely making a sound against the floor. As you reach the window, you pull the curtain back—

And there he is.

Billy, standing just outside, hands shoved in his pockets, a faint bruise forming across his jaw, one bright blue one along his cheek, and even darker shadows under his eyes. He looks like hell.

He also looks at you like he’s desperate.

Like you’re the only thing in the world that might save him from himself.

You fumble with the window lock, heart pounding, and slide it open just enough to lean out. The night air is cool against your skin, but it’s nothing compared to the chill running down your spine.

“What the hell are you doing here?” you hiss, your voice sharp and low. “Are you insane?”

Billy’s mouth twitches—almost a smile, but not quite. “Relax,” he says casually, like he’s not standing outside your window at god-knows-what hour, with a bruise coloring his jaw and dark eyes that look like they haven’t closed in days. “Just wanted to see you.”

You gape at him. “You just wanted to see me?” Your voice cracks with disbelief. “Billy, you can’t just show up in the middle of the night like some—some creep!”

He leans against the wall under your window, like this is something he does all the time. Like your heart isn’t jackhammering in your chest. “You weren’t answering me,” he mutters, eyes flicking up to meet yours. “Thought maybe you’d talk to me now.”

You bite the inside of your cheek, arms folded across the window frame. He’s so frustrating. So stupidly gorgeous even with those bruises—and he knows what he’s doing. But you’re not going to fall for the soft voice and midnight visit.

“Talk about what?” you ask flatly. “The part where you acted like I didn’t exist? Or the part where you asked some other girl out right in front of me?”

Billy exhales, jaw tightening just slightly before he forces another shrug. “Yeah. That.”

You blink. “That’s all you’ve got?”

“No,” he mutters, looking away. His fingers twitch in his pockets like he doesn’t know what to do with them. “But I didn’t think you’d listen if I showed up with a speech or some shit.”

He looks back up at you, and for the first time tonight, the mask cracks—just a little.

“I messed up.”

You stare at him for a long beat, letting his words hang in the air like fog.

“Bad,” he says, quieter this time.

You narrow your eyes, the sting still fresh, your heart still bruised. “No shit,” you mutter, crossing your arms tighter over your chest.

Billy actually winces a little—just barely—but you catch it. His ego never takes hits easily.

He glances around, then back up at you. “Can I come in?”

You scoff. “Are you serious? If Eddie catches you in here, he’ll lose it. And he’s already got a pretty good aim, as I’m sure you remember.”

Billy huffs a breath that’s almost a laugh, touching the bruised side of his jaw. “Yeah, no kidding.”

You lean further out the window, watching him. You don’t want to give him the satisfaction. You don’t want to give yourself the satisfaction. But still… he’s here. And that has to mean something, right?

“Come outside,” he says, softer now, like he’s trying not to scare you off. “We can just… talk.”

You hesitate, fingers tightening on the window frame. Everything in you screams not to. Not to give in. Not to let him get to you again.

But you sigh, and roll your eyes, already pulling the window open wider.

“Fine,” you mutter. “Just for a minute.”

You grab your hoodie, slip on some shoes as quietly as possible and tiptoe through the trailer. Once you’re out the door, you find him leaning against the side of the house, arms crossed, looking up at the night sky like none of this is unusual.

“You’ve got five minutes,” you say, standing a few feet away, arms folded.

Billy doesn’t say anything right away. He just looks at you, like he’s trying to memorize the shape of your face in the dark. The porch light barely reaches where he’s standing, casting long shadows across the bruise on his cheek.

“Thought maybe you’d slam the window shut,” he finally mutters, tone low.

“I considered it,” you admit flatly.

He gives a little nod, like he deserved that. And really? He did.

“I didn’t mean to hurt you.” You snort, shifting your weight. “Could’ve fooled me.” Billy sighs again. He looks… tired. Not just physically. It's something in his posture, the way he holds himself like the weight of the world’s been clawing at his shoulders all day.

“Look, will you just—,” He pauses, running a hand through his hair. “Will you come with me?” He asks as he gestures to the Camaro parked along road.

You cross your arms, staying firmly rooted where you are. “You think showing up in the middle of the night, all bruised and vague, is gonna make me hop in your car like nothing happened?”

Billy’s jaw ticks. “No. I figured you’d give me hell first.”

“Well, congrats. You were right.”

The silence stretches. His eyes stay on you, unreadable. The porch light flickers slightly, casting his face in sharp lines and shadows. There’s something about the way he looks at you, like he’s bracing for impact.

“Just get in the car,” he says again, quieter this time.

You hesitate. Everything about this screams bad idea. It feels like giving in. Like inviting more hurt.

But god, a part of you still wants to go. Still wants answers. Still wants him, even when it shouldn’t.

“I don’t trust you right now,” you admit, voice barely more than a whisper.

“I know.”

You glance at the Camaro, something about it looks oh too inviting. Your stomach churns. “If you’re dragging me off to dump me in a ditch somewhere, I’m not going quietly.”

That earns the smallest smirk from him—just a flicker, barely there. “Noted.”

With a reluctant sigh, you step off the porch and walk toward the car. “This better not be another mind game, Hargrove.”

Billy’s hand ghosts over the passenger door handle, opening it for you. “Wouldn’t waste my gas on a game.”

You roll your eyes, but you slide into the seat anyway.

And as the door shuts beside you, sealing you in with the familiar scent of leather and smoke and something inherently Billy, a sharp wave of anxiety cuts through you. You're not sure where you're going, or why he suddenly wants to talk now—but whatever it is, you're in it.

Billy pulls into the road without another word, the night swallowing the Camaro whole.

The ride is quiet. Not the comfortable kind, but not suffocating either. Just… quiet. The only sounds are the low rumble of the Camaro and the occasional hum of the tires against the road. You don’t ask where he’s taking you, and Billy doesn’t offer it up. You stare out the window, arms crossed, jaw tight, letting the darkness blur past. It's not until the Camaro slows and turns off the main road that you realize—he’s taking you to the quarry.

The quarry.

The place where he first kissed you.

Your breath catches, but you force yourself to keep your expression neutral, like it doesn’t mean anything. Like it’s just another place. Like your heart isn’t pounding in your chest.

Billy pulls into the clearing and kills the engine. For a beat, he doesn’t move, just sits there with his hands still gripping the steering wheel like he’s working up the nerve to do something. Then, without a word, he turns to you.

You meet his eyes, and something about the way he’s looking at you—intense, unreadable, a little desperate—makes your throat tighten. He leans in slowly, testing the waters, his hand brushing lightly over yours. When you don’t immediately pull away, he goes for it. He leans in further and presses his lips to yours in a kiss that’s soft but full of purpose, like he thinks maybe this can fix everything.

For a second, your body betrays you. You kiss him back. You want to kiss him back. But then the hurt, the confusion, the whiplash of the last few days all come rushing back. You push him away with a hand to his chest, breaking the kiss.

“Are you serious right now?” you snap, eyes narrowed. “You think you can just kiss me and that’ll make it all okay?”

Billy pulls back, face shifting like you just slapped him. “I—”

“You can’t keep doing this, Billy. Hot and cold. Wanting me, then pushing me away. Making me feel like I matter one second and like I’m nothing the next.”

His jaw clenches. He doesn’t respond right away. He just exhales, long and slow through his nose, then opens the door and steps out of the car.

You stare after him, unsure. But after a second, he glances back, nodding toward the quarry’s edge. A silent ask.

You sigh, but open your door and follow him. The gravel crunches under your feet, and the night air is cool on your skin as you both walk to the overlook in silence. You stand side by side, the moonlight catching on the water below, everything still except the wind rustling through the trees.

Neither of you speak for a few minutes.

You cross your arms, feeling the weight of the silence settle between you.

There’s not sound out here but nature. Winds rustling the leaves, frog croaks, and the chatter of small mammals. Any other day it would be peaceful, cathartic even, after all the chaos you’ve wound up in. But today, with the way Billy’s acting, it was more eerie than anything.

Nothing like the first night you came here with him.

You peeked at him. His shoulders were tense, eyes focused on the horizon, and a bit of red on his cheek that you hadn’t noticed before. Light and splotchy, as if it was fading. You look down at the water, how it laps at the shore.

“Why were you so… different that night?” Your voice was softer than you intended.

Billy doesn’t answer or move right away. For a moment you think he might just ignore you.

Billy shifts slightly, exhaling through his nose. His jaw tightens, like he’s weighing whether or not to even entertain your question.

Then, finally, he says, “Dunno.” His voice is lower than before, rougher. “Guess I wasn’t thinking.”

You frown, tilting your head. “About what?”

His lips press together, and for a moment, he looks like he regrets saying anything at all. Like he’s about to brush you off, throw up that cocky smirk and turn this into something else entirely. But then, something shifts.

Billy sighs, running a hand over his face before looking at you properly. The usual glint in his eyes is gone, replaced with something more raw—something you can’t quite place.

“About… everything.” He shakes his head slightly, glancing away. “Didn’t have to think about what was waiting for me at home. Didn’t have to think about my old man.” His voice tightens, like the words leave a bitter taste in his mouth. “Didn’t have to think about who I was supposed to be or what everyone expected.” He exhales, dragging his fingers through his hair. “That night, it was just… easy.”

You don’t say anything at first. You don’t think you’ve ever heard him talk like this before. No bravado, no teasing lilt, no sharp edge meant to cut or push you away. Just honesty.

It makes your chest feel tight.

“So, what changed?” you ask softly.

Billy huffs out a breath, looking down at the ground. “Everything.”

You wait, giving him the space to continue, and after a moment, he does.

“Figured it was a mistake.” His voice is quieter now, and the way he says it makes your stomach twist. “Figured you’d come to your senses, realize what kind of person I am... I didn’t wanna be the reason you had family issues.” He shakes his head. “So, I made it easier for you.”

You swallow, staring at him. “Easier?”

Billy lets out a humorless laugh. “By being an asshole.” He finally meets your eyes again, and there’s something guarded but… sincere in his expression. “If you hated me, then it wouldn’t matter, right?”

You don’t know what to say to that.

Because there’s not a single part of you that hates him. Though there is a part of you that wishes you did.

And maybe, just maybe, that’s what he’s afraid of.

You take a breath, glancing back out at the water. “Maybe it’s not that simple,” you murmur.

Billy watches you for a long moment, then sighs, nodding slightly. “Yeah,” he says. “Maybe not.”

For once, he doesn’t try to twist your words. Doesn’t try to deflect or turn this into something else.

And somehow, that feels more dangerous than anything else he’s ever done.

Billy sighs and sits down. He looks up at you and grabs your hand, gently pulling it in a silent request for you sit, and you do. The moment you’re settles he leans over, wrapping an arm around your shoulders and pulling you into him before resting his head on yours.

You don’t pull away.

You tell yourself it’s just because you’re tired. That your body’s aching from too many emotions and too little sleep. That you’re letting him hold you because it’s easier than fighting right now. But deep down, you know that’s not the truth.

You let him hold you because some part of you still wants him to.

His touch is gentle, quieter than the way he usually exists in the world. His thumb traces slow circles over your shoulder, and his chest rises and falls against your side. The cool night air curls around the two of you, and for a moment, it’s almost peaceful.

Almost.

“I’m sorry,” he says finally, his voice quiet and low. He shifts slightly, enough to tilt his head and look at you. “I mean it. I fucked up.”

You don’t say anything right away. Your throat is tight. Because it’d be so easy to accept this. To pretend everything’s okay and melt right back into him.

But you can’t.

“You can’t just say sorry,” you murmur, voice strained but steady. “Not if you’re just gonna do it again.”

Billy flinches like the words actually sting. He doesn’t look away though, doesn’t argue.

You shift back just enough to see him fully. “I can’t keep doing this, Billy. One day you’re kissing me, the next you’re pretending like I don’t matter. Then you show up at my window like none of it happened.” You shake your head, emotion creeping up your throat. “I’m not doing this half-in, half-out thing anymore.”

He’s quiet. Too quiet.

You go on, needing to say it now that it’s started. “If I forgive you… if this is going to be anything… I need more than this. I need you to want more than this. Because I do. I don’t want something casual, and I don’t want to feel like I’m waiting around to see if you’re gonna change your mind.”

Billy swallows hard. His eyes stay on yours, his jaw tense, like he’s holding something back.

“I know I’m messed up,” he says finally, voice rough. “And I know I’ve treated you like shit. But…” He breathes in, like the words hurt. “You make me want to be better. I just—don’t know how to do this. Not the way you deserve.”

You stare at him for a long beat. Then you nod slowly. “Then figure it out. Because I’m not going to keep getting pulled into something that’s only going to break me.”

His expression softens — not completely, not into something easy — but it shifts. It’s the look of someone who knows he’s got a long way to go.

But maybe, just maybe, he wants to try.

“Okay,” he says quietly. “I’ll figure it out.”

And… he sounds like he means it.

Billy’s fingers thread through yours slowly, like he’s afraid you’ll pull away. But you don’t.

The two of you sit like that, the wind brushing through the trees, the moonlight catching on the water below. No more words. Just silence. And the fragile beginning of something that might finally be real.

Taglist: @DeeSparticus @unknownroooose @kielelezo @dprweganggang03 @perpetualyscarred @al33naaa @rowynbriarsalix @tomurasneverusedlipstick @strangerthing93 @lemonysweetheart @fanofgunsnroses @raynewalley1 @universallyneckhoagieshark @romaevelizz @cassiecasluciluce @snegyysnapped @thelastemzy @pennywiselake @morganlolitta @universallyneckhoagieshark @avengersz-biotch

[ivystmblr]

“I'll wait. I'll always wait.”

#Pairing? Teru Minamoto x FEM!Reader

#Sypnosis. Your boyfriend finds out you've been keeping a secret from him, how does he react?

#Tags. The overused trope of three (in this case, two) of the boy's fangirls bullying his girlfriend lmao, Akane Aoi and Aoi Akane is here‼️

—This post was requested by anon. Thank you for requesting! 💕 I don't think this is exactly how you wanted Teru to find out, so I apologize for that! 😅

When you had confessed to Teru you thought you would be rejected too, just like the girls who had poured their hearts out when they wrote their love letters for him.

You expected to have your heart broken as you prepared for the words that would shatter your heart as if it was just a fragile plate.

Getting rejected by the handsome prince isn't the worst that you expect; it was the sheer embarrassment that you'd have to deal with as you walk down the halls of the school.

You could only wonder what had happened to the girls that had gotten rejected by him, were they able to quickly move on?

Unfortunately, unlike them, you surely aren't someone who is able to handle rejection lightly, especially if it's from him.

But— Thank the heavens! The result was much more fruitful than you thought it would be. Pushing the negative thoughts of what people would think aside, Teru accepted your confession.

The both of you had agreed to keep the relationship on the low because Teru had many fangirls— and you know what would possibly happen if they found out.

Teru is worried about what would happen to you. Some girls are driven by love to the point they take it too far if they heard news about their crush having a significant other.

That's what led to this — apparently, a certain someone found out about your relationship between Teru and spread the news to the girls, particularly the ones who were known to be obsessed over him.

“Are you seriously Minamoto-senpai's girlfriend?” Kyoko doubted, right after hitting you multiple times earlier along with her best friend Mayu.

“Oh gosh, he must've been out of his mind!” Mayu snorted. No, their parents must've been out of their minds for giving them names that contradicted their personalities. Though, you suppose it wasn't their parents fault their daughters grew up to be bitches a pain in the neck.

“Minamoto-senpai is too good for you, y'know? He's like a prince charming and you..” Right after finishing her sentence, Mayu grimaced: showing a face of disgust. “Don't let the rumours get into your head..”

Well, that's true.. No. You weren't going to be gullible with all the stanky comments Mayu and Kyoko were throwing at you. But it still does bring some tears into your eyes — not enough for them to roll down your face though.

Oh come on, Teru had just comforted you over your insecurities 2 days ago and just plain words from two girls were already melting down the wall of confidence that Teru built up.

“Augh, come on.. is the crybaby gonna cry again? This is just a routine now” Kyoko sneered, annoyed at the routine she herself made. If she thought bullying you was such a chore then why doesn't she just stop? She might as well just be sadistic.

Crybaby. That was the nickname they gave you when they started this mess; ever since they noticed that you were awfully close with Teru. Way before you and him started dating.

You stood up. Well, at least tried to. The bruises Kyoko and Mayu left on your legs didn't really do you any good. Mayu had already beat you into pushing you against the wall before you could stand up.

Just as the two girls were gonna start berrating you again, a cough was heard from behind. The two turned around to see the one and only Akane Aoi. The two froze in fright, wondering what she was going to do.

Her petite figure walked up to the three of you, her indigo hair tied up into two circle sections behind her head as usual. Aoi stared at you with an expression Kyoko and Mayu couldn't read.

Kyoko and Mayu's next move proved that they were idiots. “Akane-san! The princess of the school! Wanna join us over here?” Kyoko suggested, earning a confused look from the indigo-haired girl.

“This little minx sitting on the dirty floor over here is supposedly dating the one and only Teru Minamoto. Could you believe how absurd that rumour is!? Especially since you and Minamoto-kun dated before..” Mayu babbled. Where did she get that information from? As far as you knew, Teru and Aoi never felt any romantic feelings towards each other. Akane would fume at the thought of that.

“What are you talking about?” Aoi looked like she was gonna burst at any moment, well, at least she looked like she was in your perspective. Because of Kyoko and Mayu not being one of Aoi's close friends, the two bullies in front of you wouldn't be able to relate with you being able to read Aoi and her expressions.

“I heard—” “Whatever you're gonna babble next, just shut up. This bathroom is already reeking because of the stank you and Kyoko are emitting. It'd stink more if you open your mouth again.” Aoi shut Mayu up, already fed up with the two girls in front of her.

“It's best you leave (name)-chan alone, unless you want this audio tape sent to the supreme student council office, where Minamoto-senpai would hear it.”

Hearing Teru's name and seeing Aoi shoving a videotape into their faces — repeating everything they said to you, the two girls quickly dashed out of the area.

It was just you and Aoi now. You stared at her as if she hung up the stars, bowing and thanking her profusely again and again for saving you from them. Aoi only crouched down and helped you to stand up. She then put your arm around her shoulder, guiding you as you two walk together towards the nurse's office.

The nurse's office wasn't far. Lucky day for you. It wasn't like you were dreading the time you were walking with Aoi anyway, while you were walking earlier, she had wiped off your tears and helped bring back a smile on your face. She joked about how the two girls didn't have any room to talk to you even — they literally are in the lowest ranks in the class when it comes to intelligence, while you and Aoi are in the top 10.

The nurse was generous (she always is) to have you excused to any of last the classes you had, and with Aoi's help, the teacher agreed to just sign you as ‘excused’.

When it was time to go home, the bruises on your legs have already healed a lot more than you expected. You thanked the nurse and grabbed your back (that Aoi dropped off earlier) so that you can head back home.

Unexpectedly, Aoi was there just as you opened the door of the nurse's office to leave. She said that she'd walk with you on the way home, as the both of your houses were close to each other.

“Where's Nene-chan?” You asked her.

“Hmm.. I don't know either. She's been spending a lot of time in the bathroom lately, do you think my story about Hanako-san took a toll on her?” Aoi responded. The thought of a ghost in the girl's bathroom sent chills down your spine — At least Hanako-san is a girl though, well, rumoured to be.

“AO-CHAN~!!” Ah, you knew that voice. Turning around in sync with Aoi, Akane walked up to you guys with a smile on his face. Though you felt like you were third wheeling..

A conversation started with Akane and Aoi as the three of you were walking. Akane invited himself to walk the both of you home (by both he definitely just meant Aoi, you didn't really care though).

Aoi didn't see a way to escape from this, the three of your houses were close and there wasn't an excuse she could make up except for “We're gonna have a girl's night. Only girls are allowed” and Akane would just unknowingly counter her by saying “I'm only walking with you until you arrive at your house, it'll be fine!”

The walk back home ended with Akane trying to have a long conversation with Aoi, only for it to be a short conversation. He'd try over and over again while you are just there; observing the two of them. Sometimes you'd often see Aoi's eyes light up more than they usually do, so you didn't bother to include yourself into their conversations.

Though, you really did want to ask what Aoi was going to be doing tomorrow. Tomorrow's Saturday after all, meaning no school to stress about.

*Audio file sent* ...What the hell?

Teru didn't know what to say or feel at the moment. He was just cooking for his siblings earlier right now and they are eating joyfully like a happy family. (Cue Kou excusing himself to go to the bathroom to barf)

A single audio file ruined his evening — even worse that what happened in the audio file had something to do with his girlfriend.

He messaged you, not to ask if the audio was real, he already had enough evidence. But to ask you if you were okay. You replied once he greeted you, but left him on read as soon as he typed the message: ‘Akane and Akane-san informed me about what happened to you today. Can we talk about it? Please?’ He spammed you with messages. He was worried.

After a while, his messages were left on sent. ‘..I'll be visiting you tomorrow.’ That was his last messaged before Teru had turned off his phone. As he looked up, expecting to see Kou and Tiara, he realized he was sthe only one sitting in the dinner table. Where did they go?

You were nervous. It was the crack of dawn and you checked to see Teru's messages again, only to be left frightened because of the news that he'll be visiting you.

No. It wasn't like your parents had any issues with your boyfriend or anything, they loved him. What you were nervous about was the inevitable conversation that is going to happen today.

You weren't very much of a productive person during the weekdays, so you opted to take a bath later instead of right now in the early morning. Not like Teru would mind anyway.

It wasn't long before 7:47 AM, exactly the time Teru arrived at the doorstep of your home. Your mom, though surprised that your boyfriend unexpectedly visited so early, welcomed him warmly.

Before your mom could lead him to the living room so he could sit down while she goes to your room to call for you, he already saw you taking a sneak peak of him from the stairs. Immediately, as if in a emergency, Teru excused himself and hurriedly walked upstairs to your room almost tripping halfway.

“..Young love~” You mother sighed in happiness for her daughter.

“I don't know, it kind of looks like they're gonna break up.” Your father broke your mom from her dream of you getting married to Teru.

“Don't say that!” She hissed at him, grabbing her slipper—

“Please let me in sweetheart,” Teru begged in a soft tone, not wanting to overwhelm you with everything that was happening.

You cracked the door open slightly. You saw him smile reassuringly. You then opened it enough for Teru to walk in, as Teru is finally inside he waited for you to close your door. He knew you liked it best when conversations between you and him were in private.

“You could've just called.. you didn't have to come here.” You told him, only to be countered by his next words.

“I knew you wouldn't reply anyway when you hear my voice from the phone.” Teru responded, only to get a playful hit from you.

“So..” The room was silent as you locked your door for privacy, fearing that one of you're parents would possibly walk in.

“How long has this bullying been going on for?” Teru asked as he walked closer to you, holding your hand in his and rubbing his thumb across your knuckles.

“..Way before you and I started dating.” You answered truthfully, it was better to speed up this conversation than to slower it down and tell lies.

At that, Teru froze. “Why didn't you tell me?” Almost immediately, Teru used his other hand (the one not holding yours) to wipe away the tears that were starting to brim in your eyes.

Teru knew you like he knew his own mind. He knew that you were getting overwhelmed and we're crying because of it. He could almost predict every move that you were gonna do.

Teru smiled at you softly, then gently held the back of your head. Sobs that came out of your mouth turned muffled as he gently pushed your face into his t-shirt. You wrapped your arms around him, feeling a sense of comfort.

“If you don't want to talk about it now, then that's okay. There's no use dwelling on the past.” Teru muttered as he kissed the top of your head. “I'll deal with those girls at school. You won't have anything to worry about.”

Teru continues to comfort you through your muffled sobs, you hear a series of “shh” and words of encouragement throughout the whole ordeal.

Teru tilted your head up to meat his eyes and wiped away any tears still on your face. Also, he used his shirt to wipe of your snot too — much to your embarrassment.

After that he peppered your face with kisses, resulting into the two of you cuddling in your bed the rest of the morning. But your mom called the two of you down stairs when she noticed you haven't eaten breakfast yet.

The rest of the day ended with Teru hanging out with you and your family. Teru invited you to go on a date tomorrow — his treat ofcourse (nothing changed, he was always the one who pays). Tiara decided to come along that day, not that you minded.

Sunday passed, and the walk to school with Aoi was peaceful if you just ignore Akane in the background. The bruises have healed, thanks to your mom and Teru. Dad was the one stressing over the many things he had to buy from the store and pharmacy.

“You look better now. Guessing the talk between you and Minamoto-senpai went well?” Aoi asked as the two of you were at the school gate. Akane got called by the other student council's to hurry up because of an urgent early meeting.

“It went very well.” I answered, giving her a thankful smile. “Thanks again, for protecting me that day..”

“No need.” The two of you walked towards the classroom. “Oh! Nene-chan is finally here!” Aoi chimed, delighted to see her friend. Her absence in classes made her seem like she went missing.

You followed Aoi as she went to converse with Nene. You also gave out some opinions and thoughts about the topic the three of you were conversing about, but only like once or six times since you really didn't know a lot about supernaturals.

The teacher finally arrived, students immediately went to go sit down on their seats. Akane was still busy with the student council meeting you suppose. But what was weird is Kyoko and Mayu not being there chattering, judging everyone in their field of view as if they had any room to talk.

[fatuismooches]

Saw a fic from an author who make a harbingers x reader testing lip stick thingy and uhh suddenly have a thought of fragile!reader when one time they're spending time with a segment, had an ABSOLUTELY GENIOUS IDEA,(Reader's words) which is to wear a lipstick and bombard the segment with kisses whenever the segment do something for them. Safe to say that segment was left a little speechless(I imagine it was Alpha who is left speechless and red face bombarded with lipstick stain LMAO) And after that, reader start to do it to every other segments, and that caused a teeny tiny competition between the segments of who gets the most kisses. But at the end of the day, it's of course gonna be prime who got the most kisses (ugh, that man..😣 i love how you write him)

Have a nice day

(x) Although you didn't wear lipstick that much, when Columbina gifted you a pretty shade out of nowhere, you just had to try it out (obviously you had not seen the devious smile on her face). It was too lovely not to show off to the others too! You'd surely distract them from their work when your lips looked this appealing!

Alpha was the first on your list - he was always the sweetest to tease. Needless to say, the first kiss sealed the deal instantly. He acted grumpy at first and didn't meet your eye until he felt residue on his cheek, and upon rubbing the color off of him and realizing what it was, it was already too late. Your arms were in a death lock around him and he was left woozy after you were finished with him. Poor guy. He is also trying to figure out whether to continue working like this with the lovely reminder of your kisses or risk being seen like this.

Beta is more than happy to receive your kisses. He didn't even notice at first because as soon as you came to visit him, he immediately let go and started telling you his latest grief. But when he does notice, he gets up real close and personal and even smudges it a bit - he's just very interested. You also probably stained his white coat a bit from the kissing session. That's okay though! But please also leave a little kiss on one of his robots. It will motivate him whenever he's working.

Omega already knows what's about to happen when you waltz in, lips sheening with an unusual color. This hasn't been the first time you've come in showing off something new, after all. He's very teasing, letting you kiss against his hand before you get tired enough to pull him by his harness for a real kiss. When he finds out you've already shown the others though, he will get a bit peeved though. Next time, come to him first, okay?

Zandy didn't want to be left out of the party either, so you put a kissy stain on one of his drawings that he hung up in his room (along with all his other works of art).

Prime is pleasantly surprised and amused by the gloss on your lips. Did you miss him that much to doll yourself up like this? He'll let you give him kisses - just out of sight of what others can see. Which means, sometimes Dottore takes off his shirt and sees the residue from the lipstick you left and he smiles. Of course, no one will dare to comment if a kissy stain peaks out from the collar of his shirt. You will have to ask Bina for some more products at this point...

(Said lipstick was actually a Fontainian product that was quickly recalled after it was discovered the effects caused hypnosis when it came into contact with another's skin. However, it was ineffective on the segments and Dottore as they are already under your spell. Columbina was just curious about if it'd work. She is a lil instigator.)

[thistlerock]

The Bad Kids Are all multilingual because hey dnd characters always are. Fun to think about. Update from later Fabian kinda hijacked this post at the end my bad. All I can think about is the character ™️

Fabian and Adaine speak a different dialect of Elvish than Fig but like it's still the same language. I'm not sure what Kristen and Riz would have learned — maybe Kristen the wood-elven dialect and Riz the high one? Cause people who would have maybe influenced church camp vs what Riz might have gotten in some elective at school or learned by himself via dictionary like the nerd he is. But maybe not that relevant, I don't think it makes too much of difference.

Gorgug writes most of his notes in Gnomish. And while all of the Bad Kids kind of do it because, well, multilingual moment, I think Gorgug does the thing the most where you're talking and you're like what the fuck is this word in English. Uhm. Uhm. Scheibenwischer. And he speaks the one language that none of his friends speak so they're all just idk man you're on your own. Also personal hc Gorgug starts learning Orc (Orcish?? Dnd languages so straight forward and yet so confusing to me.) after meeting his bio parents. Riz also knows Orc and I'm gonna assume Ragh would so um green bonding time. Also also personal hc Goblin and Orc are similar in the way German and Dutch are (I can only go off of languages I know so this is gonna be my only example. Lmao.) because yeah.

Anyway Fabian is I think the one who mixes them up the most on purpose. You know how teenagers in non English speaking countries will inject random English into every sentence because internet. And it's just a thing now. Fabian does this over in Kei Lumenera with the other elves and common (common being English just for clarification). He's fluent in elvish it just doesn't feel right man. BUT. SPEAKING OF HIM BEING FLUENT IN ELVISH. His accent in it is very distinctively Solesian and you can only hear a little bit of Fallinel in certain words. Which isn't that big of a deal but it's notable. Because Hallariel doesn't sound like that and she's the one who taught him. Let me word. Eugh.

She was obviously very. Negligent. But I think that up until Fabian was like, idk, three or four? He did spend a lot of time with her. Like she wasn't taking care of him or doing anything with him but he'd be in the room with her as long as he wasn't being "bothersome" (normal kid "annoying". crying, loud, needs help with everything. etc.) because then Cathilda had to come and get him. But she would talk to herself a lot and/or rant about things little baby Fabian really had no chance at understanding lol, and it's not like she wanted him to respond. But this would be in elvish because it's her native tongue, and because kids are sponges he learned elvish. They didn't raise him multilingual on purpose it just happens. Side note i think she talked to him in the womb a lot I do. There is something to me about her focusing a lot on this child until he was born / until he started becoming a proper person. (It was so easy to love him when he was just a part of her and wasn't a separate entity that she needs to actively try to pay attention to what who said that that's. Crazy.)

So yeah Fabian is fluent as a kid, but then as he gets older he really doesn't have an opportunity to converse in Elvish for years, so he. Forgets a little bit? And he'll still read stuff in the language but he doesn't speak it with anyone until the Bad Kids start to use it for secrecy reasons (which I actually think is really funny and inefficient because I'd assume this is one of the more common second languages in solace. But I digress.) And at that point he's conversational but gods he's rusty, but between Gorgug not understanding it all, Kristen's being super broken, and Riz clearly only knowing it through reading/writing and having trouble with pronunciation because this isn't a language he's used to speaking it's not that noticeable? Idk. Adaine probably clocked it but didn't think much of it.

It comes back to him pretty quickly, (and by Sophmore year he has no trouble in Fallinel + probably started speaking more elvish at home again now that his mother is kind of talking to him and Gilear is there) it's just that now his accent shifted. (And it's still the language he feels the least "at home in" or comfortable speaking. It's common -> halfling -> elvish for him. I think.) (Yes I know that his wiki says he also knows tornado. I think he understands it but can't speak it. I don't think he can make the required sounds I'll be real.)

[libraryofgage]

Harlequin Prince (3)

Part of: Steve Deserves Good Parents, Actually

Debbie and Fester Addams One | Two | Three | Four | Five | Six Rick and Evelyn O'Connell One | Two | Three Harley Quinn One | Two | Three (you're here!) 10th Doctor and Rose One | Two Scooby Gang (there are plans for this one lmao, so plz be patient with me orz) Jedidiah and Octavius (from Night at the Museum) One | Two Queen Clarisse Renaldi One | Two | Three Leverage Crew One

So that Suicide Squad Isekai anime huh (it's great, I love it actually)

Anyway, I'll be playing fast and loose with Batman canon so all the batkids can be around at the same time have fun with that cuz I did (also forgive me if anyone is a little too OOC; i'm here for a good time not a long time), and the little flashback bit will continue in the next parts as Steve meets more batkids ^_^

As always, if you see any typos, no you didn't UwU

----

Harley drops him off at Wayne Manor just after ten in the morning. She tugs a window open, carries him inside, kisses him on the forehead, and promises to pick him up in a week before climbing back out. Steve watches her until she's past the gate, clutching a Green Lantern plush his mother insisted he carry around because it'll annoy his Uncle Bruce.

Steve glances down at the plush, wishing his mother didn't have to go off on a mission when she'd just gotten out of Arkham two months ago. His wishes won't actually change anything, though, so he might as well make the best of his week with Uncle Bruce.

He turns on his heel, taking in the plain bedroom that will probably become his for the next few days. He holds the Green Lantern plush close and marches to the door, stepping out into the hall and choosing a random direction to walk in.

According to his mother, Wayne Manor can have anywhere between two and ten people staying in it at one time. She told him that Dick would be the most welcoming, if not the most confused, the girls would be the most fun, and Damien would be the most guarded, likely to consider him a threat for his entire stay.

It's just his luck that the first person he runs into is Damien. The other boy drops from the ceiling, blade of his sword glinting in the light as it comes to a stop just against Steve's neck. Steve freezes, glancing down at the sharp edge as Damien says, "Think very carefully before answering. Who are you, and what are you doing in my home?"

Steve looks away from the sword, tilting his head slightly as he shrugs. "I'm Steve. I'm staying here for a week," he says.

Damien's eyes narrow, and he takes a step closer, adjusting his arms so the katana doesn't move. "Says who? Does Father know you're here? Are you a spy sent by my mother?"

"Says my mom. Maybe. No," Steve replies.

A few more seconds pass before Damien hums. "Who's your mother?"

"Harley."

"Quinn?"

"Is there another?"

Slowly, Damien lowers the sword. "I suppose Quinn is somewhat reformed. How old are you?" he asks.

"Almost six."

"So, you're five," Damien says, nodding once. He sheathes his sword, apparently deciding Steve is no threat to him. "That makes me older than you, so you have to do what I say. Consider me your big brother for the week."

"Are you gonna make me hurt myself?"

"No."

"Mom said you wouldn't like me."

"Father said I should try being more trusting and welcoming. You are small and untrained, like a puppy. I could dismember you before you hurt me, which makes you ideal for practicing," Damien explains. He's quiet for a few seconds before getting a slight smirk. "Besides, it will greatly annoy my brothers if you obviously prefer me over them."

"I'm great at pretending as long as we can do fun stuff, too."

"Then we have a deal. You will act like I'm your favorite, and I will make sure you have fun."

Steve considers this, decides Damien is well on his way to actually being Steve's favorite, and steps closer. "Mom said Alfred makes the best cookies. Can we have some?"

"Yes," Damien says, "If you're hungry, then it's my responsibility to feed you as your big brother."

He offers his hand, seeming unsure when Steve takes it, like he isn't used to this kind of contact. Still, he doesn't pull away; he just hesitantly squeezes Steve's hand before leading him down the hall.

----

Not two days ago, Steve was telling himself he'd never set foot in Hawkins High School. Now, after getting the run down on the Upside Down (and holy shit did this place suddenly get a thousand times more interesting), Steve decides he'll just have to brave the brick walls to get Eddie out.

He leans forward on his motorcycle, arms resting on the handlebars as he looks up at the building. There's an American flag waving in the wind, faded paint on the outside, and security so lax it'd be suspicious in Gotham. Steve briefly considers leaving his helmet on, but he settles for placing it on the seat once he's off the motorcycle.

Walking into the school is easy. He doesn't even get stopped by the receptionist at the front desk. She just waves him in without looking up from her book. So, yeah, getting in is easy; figuring out where Eddie is might be a little harder.

He wanders the halls and stops the first student he sees, a girl with short brown hair carrying an unwieldy instrument case in her arms. Steve places his hands on the case and gently pushes down, flashing a grin when he can finally see her face. "Uh, can I help you?" she asks, her tone implying she very much does not want to help him.

"Yeah, I'm looking for someone," Steve says.

Her nose wrinkles slightly in disgust. "Listen, dingus, if this is some kind of pick-up line dare, save it," she says, rolling her eyes. She takes a step back and Steve follows.

"Nope, definitely not," he says, "You're not my type, sorry."

"Excuse me?"

"Well, unless you're not a girl...," he says, voice trailing off and eyebrow raising as he watches her understand his meaning.

She blinks, her shoulders rising some. She glances around, confirms the hallway is still empty, and relaxes. "Word of advice," she says, "don't just say that shit where anyone can hear. People aren't exactly nice about it around here."

Steve flashes a reassuring smile. "Don't worry, I can take care of myself, but thanks. Anyway, still looking for someone."

"Oh, right, uh, what's their name?"

"Eddie Munson. Know him?"

She blinks again, her eyebrows shooting up in slight disbelief. "Yeah, I know him. Whatcha need him for? He doesn't usually sell until after school."

Oh. Steve hums softly, filing away that tidbit of information for later. "Not here to buy. I'm here to take him somewhere fun," he says.

A few seconds pass in which the girl looks at Steve, drops her gaze to the instrument case between them, and then glances around the empty hall. "Well, shit, man, I wanna go somewhere fun, too."

Steve considers her for a moment, trying to figure out the logistics of fitting her and Eddie on his bike. Well, he can just have her sit on the handlebars or something. "Okay, but the instrument won't fit," he tells her.

The grin he gets in return tells him that won't be a problem. "Name's Robin, by the way."

This has to be fate, right?

"Steve. Nice to meetcha, Robin."

Robin's grin gets even wider, and Steve knows they'll be great friends.

---

"Eddie usually sits in a corner," Robin says, standing at the edge of the cafeteria with Steve. It's teeming with life, and Steve hears snippets of conversations that blur into one dull roar that settles over the space. It reminds him of bars in Gotham even more than the actual bars he's visited here in Hawkins.

He can't see into the corners from here, but that doesn't bother him. "Wait here," he says, flashing a grin at Robin before walking to a mostly empty table. He climbs onto it, reaches into one of his jacket's inner pockets, and pulls out an air horn.

Steve waits long enough to see Robin cover her ears before raising the horn in the air and pressing down. It blares through the room, drowning out conversations and forcing people at the surrounding tables to cover their ears. A few more seconds pass before Steve lets up on the horn, grinning widely at the sea of eyes turned towards him.

"I'm looking for Eddie Munson," he says, twirling the air horn in the palm of his hand.

Instead of a verbal answer, he watches as the eyes turn from him to a corner across the room. A few people even duck close to their tables to clear Steve's line of sight, allowing him to see a confused Eddie sitting with his friends.

Steve grins, pockets the air horn, and starts making his way across the cafeteria. He walks on tables, jumps between them, and narrowly avoids stepping on more than one tray along the way. By the time he reaches Eddie's table, most of the students have gone back to their lunches and conversations.

"How's it going, Eds?" Steve asks, crouching in front of Eddie with a grin. He glances at the other boys by him, notes the identical Hellfire Club shirts, and nods in acknowledgement.

"Better now," Eddie says, his startled blink telling Steve he definitely didn't mean to say that out loud.

Steve somehow grins wider. "Wanna make like a banana and split? I've got somewhere fun in mind," he says, popping up from his crouch before hopping off the table and into the narrow space between Eddie's chair and his friend's.

"Dude, really?" one of his friends asks. "We have a session today."

Eddie looks torn at that realization, halfway standing and stuck like that. "That we do, Gare-bear," he says, defeat bringing his shoulders down.

"In that case, consider this a kidnapping," Steve tells them, grabbing Eddie's hand and pulling him up. He wraps his arm around Eddie's shoulders, winks at his friends, and promises, "I'll have him home before six, though."

Eddie's friends exchange glances, and Steve graciously pretends not to notice the puppy dog eyes Eddie aims at them. After a few seconds, one of them stands up, towering over Steve and outweighing him by a good bit. He clears his throat, glances at the other two, and tries to sound intimidating as he says, "Make it five thirty, and no funny business."

Steve nods and offers a mocking two-finger salute. "Yes, sir," he replies, flashing a grin before taking Eddie's bag from his seat and dragging him to where Robin is waiting.

"So, where are you kidnapping me to?" Eddie asks, managing to stick close to Steve despite having to weave through chairs and tables.

"Nothing special, really. Just an abandoned laboratory in the middle of the woods that has a gateway to another dimension filled with faceless monsters. Oh, and Robin's coming, too. Don't worry, though, I won't let you get hurt. "

He glances over to meet Eddie's wide eyes, something warm curling behind his ribs when Eddie finally smiles and whispers under his breath, "Fucking metal."

-----

Tag List (definitely still room, so let me know if you'd like to be tagged!):

@nectandra, @y4r3luv, @just-a-tiny-void, @dotdot-wierdlife

@midwestharpy, @twilitdragoneye, @disrespectedgoatman

@lawrencebshoggoth,

And now, a meme:

[fiona-my-love]

Headcanons for what Valentino, Angel Dust, Asmodeus, and Fizzarolli are like on dates? - Platypus anon

YESYESYESYESYESSSS

How Valentino, Angel Dust, Asmodeus, and Fizzarolli are on dates

Angel Dust

- He’s gonna SPOIL YOU.

- There’s two different kinds of dates he’ll take you on—it’ll either be a big drag show that he takes you to, or just a chill bar or movie date.

- You guys are getting dolled up. Case and point.

- Super affectionate. He’s yours and you’re his, he doesn’t give a fuck!!

- As long as he has you by his side, he’s not letting anyone boss you two around.

- Cherri isn’t a third wheel exactly, but she’s a killer wingman! It’s always a good time when the three of you get together. She knows your boundaries, and you know hers.

- You two definitely run the town on date nights. Whatever trouble you two get into is just apart of the fun.

- Shopping sprees together!!

Valentino

- Another one that’ll spoil you!!!

- Anything you want, you get. No questions asked.

- Expect the vibe to be off the entire time lmao

- Sugar Daddy. That’s it, that’s the headcanon

- He’ll probably try to talk you into a really sketchy deal half way through. Don’t push your luck.

- BUT, if it makes it any better, he does sometimes show genuine interest in what you’re saying! He knows how to turn his charm on.

- He’s a bit distant- like, when you want something he just does it. No additional comments.

- The more you ask for, the more you’re gonna have to do to pay him back, so make the most of it lmfao

Asmodeus

- I’m stating to see a pattern. I think all of these guys are the type to spoil,,

- Sugar Daddy BUT. Complete opposite of Valentino.

- Instead of just getting people to wait on your hand and foot while he stares creepily, he’s gonna be absolutely PAMPERING you!

- He loves to see you happy, no matter the cost!

- Definitely taking you shopping, no questions asked.

- He’s by no means an obsessive perfectionist, but he does want everything to be perfect for you.

- And, it will be whatever you consider to be a perfect date. From movie nights at home to expensive dinners, he wants you to know how much he cares.

- After everything is said and done, you two go home and cuddle. Not only is he super warm and cozy, but he’ll make you a lovely breakfast in the morning!!

Fizzarolli

- Oh boy, you two are gonna get into some trouble!

- Make sure to dress nice if you’re going out! The paparazzi will be on your ass.

- You two are for sure blowing Mammon’s money on some random shit.

- Definitely taking his quievies (I think that’s what they’re called?? The fucked up chihuahuas) with you two on occasion!!

- Anywhere you want to go, you two are going. Perks of being famous.

- He would totally wink at you during big performances. He can’t take his eyes off you, and everyone knows it.

- You’re going rollerskating, along with other activities like that.

- He spends forever getting ready, but he always looks amazing, so can you blame him?

[babydollslibrary]

LAVENDER HAZE — TREVOR ZEGRAS

trevor zegras x fem!reader

published: February 6th, 2023

summary: in which y/n has been dealing with hate from Trevor’s fans and journalists constantly speculating when they’ll get married.

specific lyrics: “i been under scrutiny. you handle it beautifully. all this shit is new to me.” and “all they keep asking me is if i’m gonna be your bride. the only kinda girl they see is a one night or a wife.”

not my gif

“y/n, when are you and Trevor gonna get married?” a reporter asks as i walk through the hallways of Honda Center, away from the Ducks dressing room and up towards the seating. i send a stiff smile their way and continue walking, effectively ignoring their question.

i’ve been dating Trevor since we were sixteen. five years together and you’d think i would be used to this by now, but it’s harder than one would think.

of course Trevor and i have talked about marriage, when you’ve been together this long, it’s inevitable that you’ve talked about it. but we’ve mutually decided to wait until it feels right for us. we’re only twenty-one after all. but it seems that it’s the only question i get asked nowadays.

sure, when i ran into reporters in the past, they may have asked me this question a couple times, but usually they just asked me what it was like to be high school sweethearts with an nhl player or what kind of things Trevor does at home to get ready for a game. but now it’s always ‘when are you guys getting married?’ and ‘y/n has Trevor proposed yet?’.

having been dating Trevor since his USNTDP days, it’s definitely different dealing with him now having real fans and him being approached at restaurants for pictures. i don’t mind it, but it can get to be a bit much when with his fame comes hate towards me. girls telling me i’m not good enough for him or that they could treat him better and whatnot. every photo i post on instagram has at least twenty comments saying such things.

**

i’m sat on the couch waiting for Trevor to get home from his game. i left right after it ended, Trevor texting me that he had to do interviews and that Jamie would drop him off at home.

—

@y/n11 just posted

Liked by @jackhughes and 14,628 others

@y/n11: the secret is out, i’m actually just @trevorzegras personal photographer 📸

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@user1: y/n using her boyfriend for clout again lol

@user2: alexa play treat you better by shawn mendes

@jackhughes: i’m stealing Louie next time i visit

@y/n11: good luck, Trevor might actually disown you as a friend if you try

@jackhughes:@y/n11 sounds like a win-win situation to me

@user3: how has it taken me months to realize she changed the number in her username to match Trevor’s jersey number? didn’t she used to be y/n46?

@user4: yeah, and before that she was y/n9 to match his usa number. they’re so cute 😭 i wonder if she’ll change her username to y/nzegras when they get married

@trevorzegras: and you’re the cutest photographer there ever was

@y/n11: i wanna smooch your face 💋💋

@_alexturcotte: whipped

@trevorzegras: @_alexturcotte i don’t see you with a girlfriend so which one of us is really winning here?

@user5: oh look, another post of Trevor. anyone wanna take a guess on what her next post will be? hint: it probably won’t her ugly ass

@_quinnhughes: miss you! come visit soon!

@trevorzegras: aww miss you too Huggy!

@_quinnhughes:@trevorzegras did it look like i tagged you? you can stay in Anaheim

@y/n11: miss you too Hugs! i’ll come with Trev on their next game there and root for you! 🧸

@user6: lmao she’s rooting for another guy? slut. bet she’s bounced around to all Trevor’s old teammates + Quinn

—

i scroll through the comments on my recent instagram post, seeing all the girls insulting me or saying i use Trevor for fame. am i not allowed to post my boyfriend anymore just because he’s in the NHL?

i didn’t realize i had tears welling in my eyes until one drops onto my screen. wiping it off, i hear the front door open and shut, Trevor arriving home. i listen to the mundane sounds of him slipping his shoes off and dropping his keys into the dish by the door before i hear his footsteps coming towards the living room. i hastily wipe away my tears and sniffle before he can see that i’ve been crying.

“hey, baby.” i say, my voice not quite recovered from my throat being closed up while i was crying, but Trevor doesn’t seem to notice. he takes the seat next to me on the couch, wrapping his arm around my shoulders and pulling me in so my head lays on his chest.

“hi, love. did you see that goal i made for you?” he asks and i chuckle.

“i did. you did amazing, babe. i’m so proud of you.” i tell him, wrapping my arm around his waist and squeezing him tighter to me. he drops a kiss to the top of my head and i can feel the smile on his lips.

“lemme see that pretty face.” he whispers, nudging my chin up with his hand. but when i look up at him, his smile drops. “hey, what happened? why were you crying?”

he rubs at my cheek with his thumb, tracing my puffy under eye with the tip of it. i shake my head slightly.

“it’s nothing, Trev.” he shakes his head and scowls.

“it’s not nothing if it made my girl cry. now tell me.” he says.

“it was just the comments on my instagram post. there were these girls—” i cut myself off, not knowing if i want to tell him what they said.

“hey, what? ‘there were these girls’ what?” he asks softly.

“these girls were commenting that i was using you for clout, and that i was ugly. and another one said that i’ve probably gotten with you and all your friends.” i whisper. his face contorts in disbelief before dropping into an angry frown.

“don’t listen to them.” he tells me. i open my mouth to rebut but he speaks again. “i’m serious, y/n. don’t pay them any attention. i know you’re not using me. i mean, you put up with my annoying, class clown ass in high school. if that doesn’t speak wonders then i don’t know what does.”

i giggle and land a light smack against his chest.

“i happen to have liked your annoying, class clown ass.” i tease.

“and i still wonder why.” he shrugs. “as for the other comments, you’re gorgeous, princess. you’re so beautiful. i still can’t believe i get to wake up every morning and see that pretty face. i can’t understand for the life of me, why you stay with me when you’re so out of my league. but i’m so grateful that you do, because i can’t imagine where i’d be and what my life would be like without you.”

i smile at his sweet words and lean up to kiss his lips.

“i love you.” i mumble against them.

“i love you too, babygirl.” he presses one more quick peck to my lips before pulling away “also, i know you’ve never been with any of my friends. i mean, c’mon, why would you want them when you can have this?”

he sweeps a hand down his body and i bark out a laugh. he smiles down at me, running his hand through my hair before he stops it at the back of my neck, pulling me in for another, deeper, kiss.

“you know, i’ve been thinking.” he tells me when he pulls back.

“oh that’s never good.” i say.

“ha ha ha.” he narrows his eyes at me, slipping the hand from the back of my neck in order to use it to shove my forehead, making me fall back onto the cushion of the couch behind me. “i was thinking, maybe next year?”

“maybe next year what?” i ask, face contorting in confusion.

“maybe next year we should get married.” he says. i pop back up into a sitting position quickly, nearly hitting my head against his. he chuckles and tucks a lock of hair behind my ear.

“Trevor Zegras did you just propose to me?” i ask, my tone incredulous. “on our couch?!”

“yeah, i guess i did.” he says. “what do you say? you wanna be my wife?”

“i could hit you right now.” i tell him.

“so, it that a no?” he asks, an eyebrow raised in questioning. i shuffle onto his lap, straddling him and grabbing his face in my hands.

“there is nothing in this world that i want more than to be your wife.” i whisper, leaning my forehead against his.

“oh thank god.” he sighs. he sticks his hand in his pocket, shuffling around in it before pulling his hand back out in a fist. he opens his fist to reveal a ring box. “because i’ve had this ring since we were eighteen.”

tears sting my eyes, my heart leaping in my chest as i pull my head back from his. he opens the box, showing off a beautiful white gold ring with a pear cut diamond and a twisted halo design.

“since we were eighteen?” i ask. “but that’s the year that we were fighting all the time.”

“yeah, and you stayed. despite all the stupid arguments, you still made sure we never went to bed angry at each other, and you stuck by my side.” he takes the ring out of the box, slipping it onto my finger before pressing a kiss to my knuckles.

“i love you so much.” i whisper before capturing his lips with mine. he pulls back a second later to mumble out his own ‘i love you’ before he resumes kissing me.

but then a thought pops into my head and i pull away, furrowing my brows at him.

“why did you have the ring in your pocket right now?” i ask him.

“well i had this whole plan that i was gonna bring you out on the ice before warm ups and ask you there but, when it came down to it, it didn’t feel right. i wanted the right moment. and now felt right.”

—

@y/n11 just posted

Liked by @colecaufield and 43,793 others

@y/n11: forever with you sounds pretty great @trevorzegras

comments on this post have been limited.

@trevorzegras: i’m pretty damn lucky that i’ll get to call you my wife 🤍

@jackhughes: finally! i was beginning to think he would never use that damn ring! congrats guys

@y/n11: you knew about the ring?!

@jackhughes:@y/n11 who do you think helped him pick it out?

@colecaufield: congrats you guys! can’t wait to be the best man

@jackhughes: think again bud, i’m gonna be the best man

@_alexturcotte:@jackhughes i think we all know that I’M gonna be the best man because Trevor likes me best

@y/n11:@jackhughes @_alexturcotte thank you cole! and i hate to be the bearer of bad news but the best man will definitely be Louie … gotta go 🏃‍♀️

@_quinnhughes: congratulations! so happy for you two!

@y/n11: thank you Huggy! get ready to go suit shopping because i can’t imagine anyone else being my man of honor

@lhughes_06: damn, Z beat me to it. i was gonna ask you this summer at the lake house! happy for you though 🥲😪

@y/n11: aww sorry Moosey! keep an eye out just in case forever doesn’t work out

@griffinzegras: can’t wait for you to officially be my sister!

@y/n11: aww you’ve been my baby brother for 5 years but now it’ll be legally true! can’t wait to boss you around!

@griffinzegras:@y/n11 i take it back @trevorzegras any way that you wanna take her back to the pound?

@trevorzegras:@griffinzegras nah, i like this one. i’mma keep her

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[lovelytsunoda]

hounds of love // yuki tsunoda

summary: yuki is in love…aka, the yuki soft launch <3

pairing: yuki tsunoda x normal girl! reader

yukitsunoda just added to his story!

yukitsunoda just posted to his story!

yukitsunoda just posted!

liked by yourusername, pierregasly, liamlawson30 and others

yukitsunoda we did the monster mash

see all comments

user yuki stop wth the soft launching we wanna see her!!

user I bet she’s so fucking pretty-

danielricciardo so what kind of monster mash were you doing?? did it involve a bed or a jukebox (or both)?

-> user LMAO DANNY U KNOW UR COMMENTS R PUBLIC RIGHT?

-> user oh he defo knows, hes just trying to work yuki up

->user what do you know that we don’t!!

liamlawson30 so can you tell her to bring some of those cinnamon rolls next time she’s in the paddock? they were to die for and genuinely I hope you guys never break up simply because I don’t think I could live without her baking

-> yukitsunoda I will tell her that! I also hope we don’t break up (she still has so many recipes to teach me)

user yuki and liam going on about mystery girls baking skills is SENDING ME

-> user oh you know they eat well in that house

yukitsunoda just updated his story!

yukitsunoda just posted!

liked by yourusername, alphataurif1, liamlawson30 and others

yukitsunoda always ❤️

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user NOT HIM LINKING IT BACK TO THE SONG HE FIRST HSED TO SOFT LAUNCH IM GONNA CRY

yourusername I love you baby 💕

pierregasly welp i guess the cats out of the bag now

-> yukitsunoda if I had never left you alone in the same room as my phone nobody would know what she looks like and this wouldn’t have happened straightaway

-> user lmao not Pierre spoiling the soft launch

liamlawson30 so can you send me the cinnamon roll recipe?

-> yourusername no you’ll ruin it. but I will gladly bring a Tupperware container to the next race

-> alphataurif1 but what if admin wants the recipe? 🥺

-> user damn how good are these cinnamon rolls?

-> danielricciardo better than sex. by a LONG SHOT

user what kind of sorcery did he use to pull her?

-> yukitsunoda i was like the stray cat following her home and eventually she took pity on me

-> yourusername LMAO no we met through a mutual friend, someone who does martial arts with my sister is embedded in the racing world

danielricciardo aw you guys are too cute! and don’t worry yourusername, i promise I’ll take care of him next season ❤️

TAGS

@magnummagnussen @libraryofloveletters @clemswrld @httpiastri @twinkodium @lorarri @thatsdemko @scuderiamh @oconso @cartierre @silversainz @thatsdemko

[raconteur-wanpi]

One Piece 1142

Review time!

Starting with the cover story again, Yamato seems to OHKO Who's Who. Lol. Lmao, even. Well, he might get back up later, but I hope he stays down. It's funnier if, after all that set-up, One Hit is all it took.

Anyway, after a "big snake" is seen attacking the school, we get a better look at the teachers! I really like all of their designs, I'll always welcome another ensemble group of wacky characters. Seems the school is named after its principal. Funnily enough his name can be translated as "Fangs" or "Tusks"!

Also I think I saw a translation where Ange is specifically labeled as a teacher of the "official language", a.k.a "Koyogo", the language Oda said the World Government forced everyone in the world to learn as a Lingua Franca. Interesting!

The kids claim the giant snake is "Jörmungandr", so interestingly we have a lot of Norse Mythology references again. Kiba and Saul take good care of it easily, it's fun to see some powerhouses do their silly big shounen action finishing moves.

For some reason my instincts tell me a giant serpent getting hit by a big hammer is some sort of foreshadowing. No idea why, just a gut feeling. Hammers seem to be important this arc.

While these mysterious monsters attack, the children also seem to be falling asleep and start sleepwalking Pied Piper style. They seem to be following Gunko's arrow!

It is however still a mystery whether the power that put them to sleep, and the power the summoned the monsters (we'll talk about that later, don't you worry) are the same or not.

It is soon revealed that these monsters are a manifestation of the children's greatest fears and/or nightmares! That's an incredible power. This is one of those powers that can be utilized very well for character studies, and as I've already said, I can't wait to see the Strawhats nightmares/fears manifested hehehehe. Also I love how Nika is one of these Nightmares, that's very fun. Also yes, you can see that kid's mom in the bottom left.

Not to get my hopes up again, but I am hoping that having a "fear" based power for one of our antagonists, is gonna be a good chance for Usopp Thematic Relevance. He's the guy that grapples with fear every day. Is he going to be the one who will struggle with this power the most? Or the exact opposite, precisely because he's the only Strawhat used to dealing with fear on a daily basis? Who knows, trying not to jinx it with my optimism..... C'mon Oda... Usopp arc... please.....

Anyway, I guess the Nightmare Theming is why I wonder if the kids falling asleep and the Monsters showing up is the result of the same power of not: it could be a situation where they're separate: one power puts the kids to sleep/hypnotizes them, and another power manifests their fears.

But if this is the doing of one Gods Knight only, then this could be a power of Nightmares; making it one and the same. The children are put to sleep, and their nightmares manifest in reality while they do that, like fuel.

Thing is, after we see that, Killingham is given a "good job" and he himself immediately falls asleep, which seems to be his ongoing gag so far. Which begs the question, if this is all his doing (outside of the arrow), then.... is that his devil fruit? Does he really have the Kirin fruit? Can Kirin on One Piece do that? Or does he have like, the Nightmare Fruit or something, and the Kirin thing is like.... something else? Does Imu's powers come into this? No clue whatsoever. We're gonna have to wait.

Also do note Summers sitting in his armchair. Very funny. It came with him so he might as well use it.

And interestingly enough, when asked what she fears the most, Gunko answers: Nika.

Cannot wait to see how this whole deal unfolds.

Now moving to Loki! God he is huge, Hajrudin barely reaches his knees.

I am very very interested in his "if you care about keeping Elbaph safe" line. He is most likely making a threat; if you want to keep it same from me.

But could it be a double entendre. Perhaps he means that he has information that could save Elbaph from the World Government, a sort of "we don't have time, free me so we can stop them".

Maybe it's the former, maybe it's the latter, maybe it's both. It's probably the former, though.

Aaaand here it is. He strikes his Ragnir hammer on the bark of the tree, lightning comes down, and it lights on fire. This panel goes hard. The lighting and the line of action... mwah.

I've already seen debate on what this means for Loki's powers. I've seen people say this confirms the hammer has the devil fruit and not him. Others claim it's a testament to his power, and that it is HIS devil fruit, and that's he's strong enough to use a weakened version of it, even with one Sea Stone shackle. And I've seen people say there's no devil fruit displayed here yet, simply the power and friction of the hammer is able to light the fire like a flint.

Honestly, I have no clue which one is the correct answer! But I am oh so excited to find out.

Very interesting chapter, the arc is finally kicking in and chaos is unfolding!

[fountainpenguin]

Riddle watches New Wish - Post #21

Best of Wish

This is way more intense of a Rock-Paper-Scissors competition than I expected. I love how the stakes in this show are kid-themed, but still flashy enough to be engaging.

For some reason, even though I know Dev's surname is Dimmadome, it's still funny to hear a kid be announced like that. For years, that's been an "old man name" burned into my mind.

Are they allowed to do that?? Does apple beat worm?

He's just a little guy! You wouldn't beat a little guy at Rock, Paper, Scissors, c'mon!!

Time of his life.

Dev: I cheated! And you're supposed to be SAD now! That's the whole point!!

Dev is having a very hard time dealing with his emotions. I am definitely enjoying him screaming about how he cheated to win and that means Hazel should be miserable now. You can just TELL the words he's throwing out reflect how he feels and he's super confused as to why she congratulated him on his win.

-> Gives me similar vibes to Foop in "Blue Angel" screaming about how it wasn't fair that Chloe kept forgiving him despite his best efforts to tear her apart, although I think the emotions are being played better in this set-up.

-> With Foop, even though he also has a messed-up past (37 years of solitary confinement from the day he was born according to my frozen timestream notes), he was born with murderous rage, and his culture definitely leans in the direction of encouraging that.

With Dev, you know he's lashing out with things that would hurt him specifically and that he's having a really rough go of things. I like that.

If I'm feeling like Dev reminds me of Foop, that kind of implies Dev and Peri are supposed to me a good match that balance each other out. I like that.

That checks out- Peri has doting parents and wants LESS attention, and Dev can't keep his dad's focus and wants MORE attention. Peri's the one who keeps trying to rein Dev in and Dev is always trying to get Peri to go further.

Agency knew what they were doing when they assigned this pair, huh?

/war flashbacks to Foop being distraught that his parents left him alone for spring break back in the day.

THERE HE IS!!

Irep implying he didn't have a choice in his name change? I wonder what the reasoning was, since he even says it's "Harder to pronounce" than Foop? Curious...

As much as he hated his name when he was born (Season 7), he was very attached to it by "Love Triangle" (Season 8), correcting Goldie every time she got it wrong until he finally snapped and screamed at her about how "It's not that difficult!"

Goldie got Fairy names right, AND every character in the school play right, but never bothered to learn her one Anti-Fairy classmate's name despite all the time they spent rehearsing for the play and him making it very clear he wanted her to say it right. Big yikes.

He's very proud of his name in later episodes (announcing himself often) and has his business cards. I mean... Sure, he's allowed to change it- It just surprises me that he's heavily implying it was against his will since his attachment to his name was such a big part of his character in my memory.

He's developed an entirely new identity, lmao. Who are you?

Potentially setting up a plot about how he's mad he has to copy Peri, but I feel like there would've been easier ways to do that?

I assume the logic here is that it needs to be clear to Hazel and/or viewers that they're opposites (We got the info here, but he'll probably appear in future episodes where it needs to be clear to prevent confusion for people just tuning in), but if that's the goal...

W... why would he not just change his name to Anti-Peri?

Plot twist of the century: They bring back Anti-Cosmo and Anti-Wanda, but their names are Osmoc and Adnaw now and we all suffer for it.

/record scratch

Hey, um. Why did they give Irep body language that was pretty much exclusive to Foop's alternate personality??

You're really gonna play me like this??

Straight out of the GATE!?

Okay, I just rewound to his first appearance of this episode and I do see the Foop-exclusive body language in Irep too, but... ???

Just really caught me off guard to see two poses I've burned into my memory as "alt personality things" back to back in like, 10 seconds, but okay. I don't care if this is a tangent; the actual episode can wait. It's important to me...

All right, the context:

So, OG Foop does fists when he's frustrated / scheming / cackling / nervous (usually above his head or down by his sides).

His alter does upturned fists when he's praising / cheerful. That's always been one of their switch cues, from the alter's debut in "Playdate of Doom" (Season 7) up through the last implied switch in "Return of the L.O.S.E.R.S." (Season 10).

Even the very first onscreen switch in Season 7 ("Playdate") depicts the alter holding his fists like that, before the double eye highlights were introduced in "Spellementary School"-

-and he does the fists several times throughout his first episode.

Other body language habits include big, flat hands lifted towards the mouth, plus clasped hands. In other words, the alter is more "dainty" and "gushy" compared to Foop- I've always imagined him "doing everything over-the-top and unironically."

Don't confuse that with him being the nicest person, though. He's very funny; I like in the OG series when he's totally down to butt heads with Poof and coos "Does Mr. Popular want to fight~?"

Like. Logically, I know that is just a weird coincidence. There's no way the storyboard folks studied that, and there's no way they're planning to bring the alter back, because if they were, I'm sure he would've been blatant in this episode.

Foop's not using his high-pitched voice here and we can't use his eye highlights as a faithful signal since that's on-model for this show, but...

I mean... He's talking about Da Rules when he does the upturned fists. That does fit the "grumpy / scheming" energy which is correct for Foop (although he usually pumps his fists above his head or clenches them down by his sides instead of upturning them like this), but... ???

Wow, that is not a pose I'm used to seeing on Foop instead of his alter. I've written this little guy in 'fic a bunch of times; I know his body language pretty well and it was a switch cue for 3 seasons??

I'm okay. It's fine.

Also, here's a video showcasing their switches. Volume warning:

I just found out I missed one switch in "Terrible Twosome" when Poof gives him chocolate (even before his Terrific Twos kicked in), and I was always unclear on the full diner scene in "When L.O.S.E.R.S. Attack" (though I don't remember why; maybe because the voice is deep despite the highlights and I'm only rethinking it 6 years later), but... Them.

-> I do count "Terrible Twosome" as essentially the alter because the eye highlights, voice change, music change, and clenched fists all match the standard, but I'd accept arguments to the contrary since it's confirmed all Anti-Fairies have some version of Terrific Twos, and this is the only one we have for reference.

I was today years old watching this old compilation when I realized the music consistently zigzags between super cheery and dark when they switch, even outside "Terrible Twosome," which was where I remembered it. No... It's been there since "Playdate of Doom." Huh.

Okay, so... This is actually really interesting. When they switch, the music does too, but their music doesn't overlap. It's a very clear, jarring switch. There's often, though not always, a pause before this switch (such as their very rapid back-and-forth in "Playdate of Doom"). I've learned something new. Huh.

... Wait a sec.

They wouldn't...

...

Hey, uh ???

why does the tense music in "Best of Luck" cut off immediately before Irep temples his hands, drop to silence, and then switch the thumping part of the music to the cheery part underneath it and put the thumping part underneath the cheery bit instead?

I already used my one video for this post, but I can post the audio. It's subjective; I'm sure it's not supposed to indicate anything, so just bear with me...

- Okay, so we have this dark "BUM-bum, BUM-bum, BUM-bum" pattern. That goes for 12 seconds into this clip before fading out. - Note that you can hear, like... a scale underneath, like a swish, 4 or 5 seconds in. Right as 12 seconds turns to 13, there's a "sparkle noise". - And then we drop. And silence. So, that's the exact moment before Irep temples his hands.

- NOW the cheery scale in the music is louder and the thumps are very faded in the background, but definitely still there. - So, the stings are no longer "always switching, but never overlapping" the way they were in the OG series, apparently.

- Irep clasps his hands and says a couple more words, then drops his hands on "quitting." - RIGHT THEN, his music switches back to loud tension.

What the fliiiippp... what the fliiiiiippp?

?? I said I could see Foop-exclusive body language in him too earlier in this episode. Are they together again? Is that why they're sharing the music sting!?

SURELY that is not intentional. That HAS to be coincidence. I cannot imagine a world where that is on purpose. I'm losing my mind.

I... I don't really know where to go from here. I gotta lie down.

Bonus notes about the fists I moved down here due to length:

Okay, upon review, there are several ambiguous moments in the OG series where Foop himself makes potentially joyful fists instead of scheming fists, such as:

- When trying to fool Jorgen into thinking he's rehabilitated in "Playdate of Doom" (and Jorgen clocks him as lying) - When he's trying to sweet-talk Poof in "Two and a Half Babies" (and Poof also clocks him as lying) - Both times he's brownnosing up to Crocker in "School of Crock" (and Crocker clocks him for it) AND when he's sweet-talking the principal to trick him into activating his door trap. He also makes the fists when he's mimicking Poof in his first scene, so... he pretty much does it anytime he's "not being Foop," lol. -> In that case, it's funny he makes those fists when telling Poof in the closing scene that he's "sorry for trying to annihilate him." That said, he DOES switch a few seconds later while gushing over how Sammy Sweetsparkle is "kind of a bad boy." -> Clasped hands (also a thing his alter does a lot) is ALSO something Foop does when he's blatantly lying (The last of the Snow Wanda scene in "Fairly Odd Fairy Tales" is a good example, but I saw other episodes too). - Continuing with ambiguity talk, he does the joyful fists both times he enters the pet shop in "Man's Worst Friend," (a scene where he seems to switch multiple times, so it's clearly a place that affects him, but he doesn't have eye highlights when he first enters the building) - When the Anti-Fairy Council names him a scary godparent in "Fairy Godcouple" and he grins and says "Bring it on!" (though I can see that as scheming about what he can do with this power) - At the end of "Fairly Odd Fairy Tales" when he's trying to coax Timmy into eating his food and Wanda hands him a treat, interrupting his scheme (and he leaves his fists in the air while expressing interest in the treat) - The first time he meets Vicky during "When L.O.S.E.R.S. Attack" (when she joins the team's plan to get Timmy, so... arguably scheming, though the alt personality is known for crushes - and had eye highlights when asking Crocker if the mystery person he wanted to bring in was single - so I'd accept that as an answer).

Yes, I did drop everything to rewatch every Foop episode for this. hey man how's it going.

[cryptidtumbleweed]

hunter has such eczema swag you're so right!! :O even if you don't draw it i'd love to hear some of your headcanons on the subject!

Heehehehe sure!

He has generally sensitive skin, for example while in the Human realm, some detergents had scents and chemicals that would make his skin itchy and dry. He insists it's fine but Camila switches brands anyway

Soap dries his hands up about instantly

His eczema would be different in the Boiling Isles and Human realm. My personal headcanon for the Isles climate is that it's a lot warmer, and it doesn't really snow apart from the high points like the Knee. It's not so bad that he has bad reactions often but during warmer seasons it's worse. The Human realm is the opposite; winter and snow make his hands dry up and crack fast, and so do rainy seasons since he can actually go out in the rain

He spent the entirety of For the Future and Watching and Dreaming with dry, cracked hands. Getting soaked in cold water in October, stressed out of your mind? Not good for eczema

He tends to rub his hands when he's alone. He's been taught to ignore it while around other people but sometimes, as an anxious reaction, he'll sractch and rub his hands (for those not in the know, scratching temporarily releases serotonin)

Adding to the previous one, once he met Flapjack, Flapjack started to notice this anxious behavior and would distract him by demanding pets. After Flapjack's death it got a lot worse and at its worst was a reminder of his grief

Before leaving the castle, he was so used to his hands drying up that he didn't really pay attention to it. They were hidden under the gloves anyway so no one would point it out. So the first time his hands got so dry they bled he was a little confused as to why Camila was worried ("Oh, this just happens sometimes, it's no big deal")

Willow always carries a tiny bottle of relief cream with her because she knows Hunter's never gonna remember to do that himself

He ends up developing a routine for taking care of his hands once the whole "save the Boiling Isles" thing settles down. I think he'd have some routine during the Thanks to Them timeskip too but it's not as consistent.

He has more than once rubbed his hands so badly that the skin peels off a bit (this is just a direct projection on my part lmao. Do not recommend doing that)

Every time he does dishes or uses cleaning chemicals, he has to be reminded to wear gloves. Every. Single. Time.

Abomination goo irritates his hands

So does the Belos goop. After being possessed, his hands were super dry and itchy

His hand did NOT feel nice to hold in this:

His skin was chapped and blistering a little. Like... sorry to ruin a super cute moment but that hand would not have felt nice to hold-

Willow, with the help of Viney, made Hunter a hand relief cream from the Boiling Isles plants. It's stronger than the human realm stuff and smells vaguely like peaches.

---

I feel like the main reasons I haven't drawn this headcanon is 1) I can't draw hands and 2) I don't really know how to express this stuff in a drawing? Maybe in a comic where the characters specifically point out the dry skin but idk. I might write about it once I get a good enough idea and motivation

Thank you for the ask, I got really excited when I saw it! <3

(Tune in next time for "Hunter projecting their chronic problems on comfort characters: Migraines, feat. Amity Blight"...?)

[ssa-atlas-alvez]

Save a Horse (16+) Cowboy!Reader

Sort of a part two of this

A/N: I could have sworn I had an ask about saving a horse but I couldn't find it anywhere. If I can find it, I'll let whoever requested it know it's been posted but yeah. Hope this is okay, it's a bit late and I am very tired. Also this wasn't the fic I was going to originally post but I remembered it was basically written lmao. Slightly scared about posting this but we move and groove

Description: The team are all at a bar and cowboy just can't resist JJ ;)

Warnings: Hints towards nsfw, I've put 16+ to be safe but it's nothing drastic

Taglist: @xweirdo101x @xdark-acadamiax @ara-a-bird @heidss @chubbyboyinflannel @pendragon-writes @migwayne @bigolgay @technikerin23 @supercriminalbean @honestlycasualarcade @caffeine-mess @1s3v3n1 @oddmiles @kevyeen @stealing-kneecaps @criminalskies @woodandwaxwings @wizardmon3 @aphroditeslovr @ducks118 @azeal-peal @13thdoctor-run @introvertpan84 @goth-boi-atlas @iliketozoneout @chaosofmanyfandoms @logicalhorror @luvfornick @prmsn-17 @pinxeajin

After just finishing a case, you all decided to celebrate. With a bar and casino right across the road, it felt like fate. None of you were drunk, barely one drink in when JJ reaches for your hat and you're quick to dodge it.

"Ma'am, I feel inclined to let you know if you take a cowboys hat, you have to ride the cowboy," 

JJ raises an eyebrow, "Oh yeah?" She asks. 

"Yes Ma'am, I don't make the rules,"

She looks around, making sure none of the team are paying attention, before she reaches across and plucks the hat from your head, placing it on her head. Your jaw drops. 

"What was that rule again?" Your brain short-circuits because holy fuck that was hot. “You okay there cowboy?”

“I-” The sentence dies in your throat. “Can I marry you?” You whisper.

JJ pulls away as she looks up at you, “Seriously?” 

Shit. Seriously yes or seriously no get the fuck away from me? Unsure, you simply nod. She smiles, grabbing your shirt and pulling you forwards, crashing her lips against yours. “That a yes?”

“Sorry, of course it’s a yes,” She grins. 

“Ma’am I have one more question,” She looks up at you with a smile, “Can we go get married now? I just really wanna follow that first rule,” 

She thinks for a moment before nodding, “Okay, but we do this properly after. I want a white wedding as well.”

“Deal,” You agree immediately, “I’ll get Garcia and Morgan, you get Reid and Prentiss? I’ll get Hotch and Rossi too,” When JJ nods you spring into action, you clock Morgan and Garcia quickly, Hotch and Rossi in a corner, talking like civilised men, not far from the pair. You make your way over to them quickly, fully prepared to shove anyone out of the way. 

“Yeah, y’all need to follow us,” You said, grabbing Morgan’s arm with one hand, Penelope’s with the other. 

“What? Why?”

“No time to explain,” You say, making eye contact with Hotch and Rossi in the corner you call over to them, “Hotch! Rossi! Follow me! No time to explain, less talkin’ more walkin’!”

You lead them from the bar (and dance floor) through the pool table and the gambling, straight to the typical casino chapel. 

“Er, what exactly are we doing here?” Hotch asked, turning to you.

“This reminds me of my third wedding.” Rossi comments.

“JJ n I are gettin’ married,” You stated. Garcia gives a loud squeal, hugging you both. 

“Finally! Go! Go! Go!” She shoos you over the receptionist. 

Reid, always the voice of reason turns to the pair of you: “I thought JJ said you weren’t going to elope?”

“She took my hat,” You said, like that explained everything. 

“What exactly does that mean?”

“If you take a cowboy’s hat you gotta ride the cowboy,” JJ said.

You blush heavily looking at JJ in disbelief that she actually told them, as the team turns to look at you, “Wait, you’re doing this to get laid?” Emily asks.

“Hey, hey, that’s not the only reason. It’s just… another reason,” You said, “I knew I was gonna marry her long before when I told you her name was Darla,”

Twenty minutes of you pacing and Morgan looking like he wanted to murder you, you’re in the ‘chapel’. And you want to hit times two speed on the officiant, feeling like he’s talking two words a minute. 

“Yeah, Imma level with you here,” You say, leaning closer to the officiant, “Imma need you to talk a lil faster,” JJ laughs loudly at the desperation in your tone. 

The officiant gives you a strange look for a split second before its gone. Afterall, it wasn’t his job to judge. Eventually, you made it to the vowels.

“I don’t know if I can think straight enough for vowels,” You say honestly, ignoring Emily and Morgan snort in the background, “I love you so fuckin’ much and I wanna spend the rest of my life with you. I’m keeping this short, I’ll make a better one at the other wedding,”

JJ smiles, rolling her eyes slightly, “I love you too.”

“I now pronounce you husband and wife. You may now kiss the bride.”

“Oh thank god,” You mumble, you look at her with a smile, with your hands on her cheeks, you begin to close the gap between your lips - wanting to savour this moment. JJ’s hand snakes up to the back of your head and she closes the small gap between you. 

You wasted no time, turning to the team, “Thank y’all for comin’, but we needta get goin’.”

“Cowboy’s gonna get laid!” Morgan cheers, Penelope, Emily and Spencer quickly join in. The pair of you blush.

You don’t say anything, just lightly take JJ’s hand and the pair of you make your way back to your hotel room - which was conveniently just across the road (man, you loved Vegas). You barely greet the receptionist, the pair of you practically running to the elevator. You unlocked the door, letting JJ in before shutting and locking it behind her. Your shoes and jacket come off first before you turn to her. 

“Now, tell me, cowboy, what was that other rule we have to follow tonight?”

“Man, I love you so much.”

[fade to black ;)]