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sweptawayghost · 2 months ago

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Light My Fire Pt.2

JOEL MILLER X READER

DUEL POV

Word count 6.9K

Chapter warning: male masturbation, mentions of alcohol, age gap, mention of guns, slow burn, pov,flirting, friends to lovers, mentions of choking, angst, fluff, no use of Y/N, The R word gets used but nothing like that happens.

Chapter summary: Let the delicate dance begin. As winter fast approaches Jackson we try to head out on one more supply run before the weather gets too bad.

We wake up with our toxic ex in our bed… again.

This will be a slow burn

Anything written in italic indicates someone talking to themselves.

///

YOU

I always loved fall. I loved the colours of the leaves and the sounds they made when crushed. I loved lighting fires and being curled up underneath blankets. Books seemed to be more interesting in the fall. The summer sun would feel like a slap to the face compared to how it would softly kiss your skin in the fall, even on the hotter days. Sometimes it felt like saying goodbye to someone you didn't want to leave. Soon the snow would start up and the real challengers would begin.

I open my eyes to the non-stop thumping in my temples. I look over at my window, the curtain softly bloating with the breeze coming in from the open window. Glancing over at my clock reading ‘4:56 am’

I throw my feet off the edge of the mattress and gaze out of the window, the moon looks so beautiful, it casts my room in a ghostly grey, making outside look so ominous and gloomy.

Leaving the warmth of my bed in favour of a hot shower. Along with the insistent thumping of my front door is the soft rhythmic snore of the man that lay in my bed. Fuck, I almost forgot he was here.

Dean Hickman.

I cast a look back at him, he looked so peaceful laying there, the glow of the moon on his face, half of his naked body hanging out of the blanket on my bed, his hair sticking out every which way. I'll admit, I had been spellbound by his charm on more than one occasion. Last Night may have been one of those times. All it takes is one look into his hazel eyes and one sly knowing smile, a few suggestive words and before you know it you're falling into bed with him. Not to mention he was tall and tanned and could crush you with the muscles in his arms and god knows he had plenty to work with in bed… He just wasn't that good.

The passion was there, the moves were there and he was great looking but he was just always way more concerned about getting himself over the line. Call it for what it is. He's a selfish lover who doesn't give head, doesn't know how to find a G spot, doesn't understand how to work your clit even after you've shown him on more than one occasion and really doesn't care if you come or not.

Jackson didn't have the largest pool of men to play with so when a good-looking man like Dean comes into your life it's kind of hard to say no. There was a time when I called him mine. He was sweet and thoughtful and he knew all the right things to say, but then he started stumbling in late, whisky leavy on his breath and the smell of another woman hung from him.

I remember the night he hit me. He was drunk out of his mind and the next morning he didn't even remember it. That was the final straw for me. If it hadn't been for that I would have put up with his cheating, his drinking, his screaming and shouting.

When I told him it was over he threw himself at my feet, telling me he's sorry, that he loves me, that he wants me to have his babies, and it'll never happen again. It didn't take him long to fall into bed with one of his neighbours though.

I told myself I wouldn't fall back into his clutches… but some nights are long, some nights are cold, some nights you just need to fuck. At least he could be of some use.

I slip out of the room leaving his sleeping form sprawled out on the bed. I can still feel the mess he made between my legs and my body feels heavy with a layer of dried sweat.

I let the warm water from the shower run over my body as if the water would wash away the feeling of shame lingering on my skin. I should start kicking him out during the night. If people see him leaving here in the morning I may as well just scream “I GOT LAID LAST NIGHT” in the middle of town.

I didn't want to think about it today. I needed a clear head, a clean canvas, today I was important to the community.

Today I had patrol.

Today I had patrol with a new partner.

Joel Miller

Of course, I knew who he was, everyone did. Entering Jackson was like entering a small town where everyone knows everyone, everyone knows new faces, everyone likes to gossip, everyone knows who's sick, who's working where, everyone knows when you burp, fart or cough.

He only lives a few doors down from me and I've walked past his house almost every morning since he's been here. Maybe don't tell him you know where he lives, might seem creepy.

I know I can be hard to get along with, I'm not the easiest to talk to right away, I know I can be dismissive and blunt. It might be easy for people to forget about what's outside of these walls, but I won't. I can't. I don't like the folk who like to think everything is sunshine and flowers just because they don't have to leave the comfort and safety of jackson. The comfort and safety that I helped build and I continue to provide.

///

“Hey” I slap Dean's shoulder where it pokes out from the blanket “You gotta go I'm heading out”

He snapped his head up quickly in my direction, irritation flashed on his face for a moment. He inhales deeply through his nose and rubs his eye with the tips of his fingers “What time is it?” he asks, his voice coming out deep and crackling as he rolls over.

“Time for you to get the fuck out” I whirl around my room picking up his clothes from the foot of the bed before throwing them at him and finding my own. I pull my favourite knitted sweater over my head. The one that I've patched up more times than I can remember because I refuse to let it die.

“You don't have to be such a bitch you know” Dean spits out at me as he pulls his Jeans up his legs.

Fuck here we go

“Dean, as much as I enjoy your ‘morning after dramatics’ I really don't have the time for it this morning” He does this every time. The thing with Dean is he can be so sweet and charismatic, he’ll charm your pants off and take you right to the edge. But as soon as the sun starts to rise the next morning he's the worst person you've met and the biggest asshole you’ll meet. It's like the magic spell wears off. Just when you think he's a prince he turns back into a frog.

I leave him in the bedroom, muttering about how much of a bitch I am or how I'm not worth the hassle or something, I don't really listen, in a few days' time, he’ll come crawling back. He always does. And I always let him. I'm not sure why I let myself fall into his clutches time and time again. Maybe I'm just looking for a warm body to lay next to. Maybe I just want someone to kiss me and make me feel wanted. Maybe I'm just lonely.

I watch him emerge from my room, leaning against the kitchen counter with a cup of coffee in my hands. He reaches for his coat that's been abandoned on the back of the couch before reaching for his boots near the front door. He only casts me one sideways look with an ugly scowl on his usually handsome face. What does he want me to do? Cry? Say I'm sorry? He does this every fucking time.

He reaches for my front door, ripping it open before trying the fly wire door that constantly sticks to the door jam. He pushes on it once, twice, three times, really putting his weight into it before he gives up and just kicks it almost clean off its hinges.

“Fix this fucking door!” he shouts at me from across the room pointing a finger in my direction before he starts down my porch steps and into the street.

I cross the distance from the kitchen to the front door “Asshole!” I shout at him before he turns around and flips me off. I return the gesture.

I look down, assessing the damage to the door. The bottom hinges blown apart with the metal all twisted. The handle that once sat on the inside now lays just inside the doorway being ripped off completely. Now I have one more thing to fix around here.

I pull on my boots and my pack, throwing in the sandwiches I made yesterday as well as some jerked meat and an old beaten-up metal drink bottle.

I stepped out the door, closing it behind me and leaving the wire door where it now sits.

I start towards the stables. Knowing that patrol will take my mind off this morning's dramatics. It's a chance for me to escape, out there I have one job. I don't have to think about all the things that need to be done around here. All the things I should be doing right now and all the things that I should have started weeks ago.

I really need to split and store some more wood before I run out of time.

I should go back to that woodshed before it snows.

I should pick up one of my knitting projects.

I should really start thinking about cleaning my gutters as well. I really don't wanna do that shit, can I just trade with someone to do it?

Now I can add ‘fix wire door’ to the never-ending list.

The walk to the armoury isn't far and I really didn't mind it especially when the days started getting colder. As I approached the warm smiley face of Clay was waiting for me on the other side of the desk.

“I heard you were taking out the new Miller brother today,” Clay said as she leaned over the desk in my direction, her lips turned up in a big bright smile.

She was part of the small handful of people I actually liked to talk to. Her hair sat just below her ear, a few dark strands hovering around her face, it was just that bit too short to tie up, during the summer months she would ask me to french braid it to keep it out of her face while she worked. Here's an idea Clay, don't cut it so short next time. Her dark eyes looked so glossy and bright in the morning light. God, you're a sucker for anyone with brown eyes, aren't you.

For a moment I considered telling her about what happened with Dean this morning but thought better of it. Clay runs hot. When she cares she cares a lot. I consider her a friend, maybe even my best friend, Even after we slept together.

We both blamed the alcohol for that one. I don't regret it even for a second. I think if we had met at a different time, in a different place, maybe not at the end of the world we might have worked out. I think we were meant to love each other but not be IN love with each other. There's a difference.

“Yeah, Tommy thinks it’ll be good for him to get out, apparently he’s chomping at the bit” I signed out one rifle in my name and the other I marked ‘J.M’

Ha! It’d be funny if his middle name was Aaron or Arnold then his initials would spell JAM.

“Well, good luck with him. I heard he's an asshole” she said while walking somewhere towards the back of the armoury, before reemerging with two rifles.

“But god is he handsome, even for an old guy” She slides the rifles across the desk in my direction. She has this far-off look in her eye, like she's remembering his face.

“As long as he doesn't get me killed I couldn't give a fuck how much of an asshole he is” I chose to ignore the handsome part.

“Speaking of assholes…” Clay trails off. I offer her a scowled expression as I let my imagination predict the direction this conversation is headed.

“I saw Dean leaving your place this morning”

Shit

At least I don't have to feel bad about lying to her.

///

I headed for the stables after receiving an in-depth lecture from Clay about the dangers of falling into bed with Dean. She should give that talk to every eighteen-year-old in Jackson.

My mind didn't stay on The topic of Dean for long. I had so many other things to think about. Bigger things. Things that actually mattered. As I saddled up the horses my mind was swimming with the never-ending to-do list in my head. In a lot of ways, patrol felt like an escape from my responsibilities.

I wondered how many more chances I would be able to get out before the weather got too bad. I wondered when the snow would start. I wondered how the food supply was looking for the winter. I wondered what day it was. Like what the date was and not just a guess we made that everyone agreed on. I should speak to Tommy about doing more supply runs before it gets too dangerous.

Yep, I'd rather be outside the gates, risking my ass than stay here and chop wood or check my roof for leaks.

I made my way to Jackson gates, the leather from the reins felt like butter in my hand, like they had been oiled recently. The weight of the rifles on my back felt more like a hug than deadweight and the soft morning light felt like a kiss.

That's the first time I really looked at Joel Miller.

I had seen him, and I could recognise his face and pick him out of a crowd but today felt like the first time I really looked at him.

His eyes looked tired.

I saw the lines in his face especially the ones between his brows

The way his jaw ticked when he clenched his teeth

The scar across his nose.

The scratches and dents in the skin of his hands from years of fighting. And winning.

He looked like a man who was forced to become what he is.

a man who was made for so much more than what he is

A man who needed to be hugged, to be held, to be loved. To be seen as more than just the monster the world has turned him into.

///

I spent all night thinking about him. He had this haunted look. Every time I looked into his eyes I felt like I could drown in them. Like I was going to be taken under.

I noticed the way he would constantly twitch his right hand, like he was gripping something that wasn't there and I noticed small sparse patches in his facial hair, I noticed the broken shoelace that had been tied back together on his left shoe and I noticed the broken watch he wore on his left wrist.

I didn't know it at the time but tomorrow would change the way I saw him. Tomorrow I would see a spark in his eyes. Tomorrow I would notice the bulge of his arms against his shirt. Tomorrow I would notice how adorable he looked when he smiled. Tomorrow I would offer him that bottle of Seth's home-brewed bourbon that I was saving for a special occasion. Tomorrow I would study the angels of his face and commit them to memory. Tomorrow I would give him his pistol back, the one that Tommy stole from him when he arrived here.

I didn't know it at the time but in a week he would be splitting wood for me in the backyard and fixing shit around my house. He would ask about the front door and I'll lie to him. In a week I'd be offering to mend his favourite pair of socks and offering to show Ellie because everyone should know how to sow.

In two weeks I would be inviting him on more of my unofficial patrols. I would be going over for dinners and meeting him before sun up for coffee before we were expected on patrol. In two weeks He would be rolling off my couch in the morning after one night of heavy drinking. He could have walked home but I liked that he stayed. Ellie would be coming over after school. I think she liked having someone to talk to, someone who wouldn't judge her, someone who treated her as an adult and not just another fifteen-year-old.

I just didn't know it yet.

______________________

Joel

///

I woke to find myself in a pool of sweat… again.

Where I used to wake up from nightmares, I now wake up from dreams of you.

I don't think you realised what you did to me. Every little touch, the brush of your fingertips against my arm, the way you grabbed a fistful of my hair that was beginning to grow out of control and would start falling into my face “You need a haircut miller” you had told me. I believe your touch was innocent but it lit a fire in my gut.

I liked the way you pulled me, you pushed me, you ran your fingers through my hair, you traced bruises and scars that you saw. I liked it when you touched me. I liked when you smiled at me and I liked when you scowled at me. You would yell at me, you would cry to me, you would laugh at my stupid jokes and you would leave my home with an article of clothing that needed a hole patched up or to take the hem up on something for Ellie. Some of my things never came back to me but I didn't mind.

Some nights I wouldn't go back to sleep and instead lay staring at the ceiling watching the light shift as morning broke through the night. Some nights I would think about you, what were you doing?

Were you thinking about me?

Do you know I think about you?

What do you sound like when you touch yourself?

That was most nights lately.

Now, I know I said it would only be one time but I couldn't help myself. I tried not to think about you, really I tried. I just couldn't help it. The way you smile at me, the way you smell, your laugh. Some nights I found myself rutting against the bed for relief, eyes sealed shut and whimpering for you, wishing you were here underneath me. Talking me through it. Telling me how good I'm making you feel. I wanted to see your eyes roll back as I worked you through your orgasm, mouth agape, moaning into my ear. I know you would sound so pretty for me.

God get a grip of yourself, Miller.

If I had to be honest with myself, It was scary how badly I wanted you. My body felt like it was engulfed in flames when I came thinking about you.

My body stuttered as I held a death grip on the bathroom sink or the sheets beneath me. I imagined you smiling at me. Looking so fucking proud of yourself for how crazy you made me. How desperate and needy you made me. How you would let me finish inside of you because I was so good to you and I deserved it.

The lonely, empty feeling would catch up to me pretty quickly after. Some nights it was easy to lull myself back to sleep, other nights I wasn't as lucky.

I would replay conversations we had. Like the time we were stumbling home from the Bison one night, you grabbed hold of my arm as we walked through the streets. I didn't know if it was just because you were drunk or maybe your hands were cold but I liked it regardless.

You had told me how the silence of the streets was sometimes deafening. How sometimes it felt worse than being outside the walls. I couldn't have agreed more.

I told you about how I found it hard to sleep and about how guilty I felt to be here and to be alive.

I trusted you but I'm sure the abundance of bourbon in my system had a lot to do with the confession.

If I hadn't just met you I would tell you everything. I would tell you about Sarah, I'd tell you the truth about Ellie. I would tell you about the ache in my chest when I wake up and I'd tell you how much it’s eased since I’ve met you. I'd tell you about how much I like you being around. You'd probably think I’m insane if you knew how much I think about you.

She trusts you, Joel. Don't fuck this up by letting your dick do your thinking for you.

She's your friend, she trusts you and you're laying in bed thinking about how good it would be to creampie her. You’re fucked up.

///

There had been many nights since the two of us first drank together. I think we both needed it as badly as the other. Each time we got a little more comfortable with each other. Maybe we got a little too close, maybe eyes lingered a little too long and maybe the interlocking of fingers felt like more than just a friendly exchange.

Sometimes I felt bad for it, sometimes I felt like I was dumping all my shit onto your plate that had just as much shit as mine. Sometimes I thought I should be demanding Ellie to stay home so we could spend time together, but teenagers are teenagers. At least I didn't have to worry about her going too far and no matter where she was there would be a gun nearby.

But tonight I didn't feel guilty. After the week I had endured I think I earned a night of drinking and while I sat looking at you next to me on the couch I felt myself relax, my head was swimming with the alcohol in my system and the heat from the fireplace making me feel like I was going to melt into the couch. I loved nights like this.

The last time I sat here with you I told you about the pit in my stomach and the hole in my heart. I told you about the nightmares I have almost every night when I close my eyes and the suffocating feelings that follow me when I wake up. I may have been drunk when I told you but I remember it clear as day. I could feel you searching for my eyes, but I couldn't look at you. I felt so weak. I closed my eyes trying to hide the evident emotion. I heard the shuffled movements as you closed the gap between us.

I felt your hand on the back of my neck, the tips of your fingers cold despite the heat from the fire. You pulled me into the crook of your neck, resting my head on your shoulder and wrapping your arm around my middle.

And for the first time in a long time, I let someone see the soft parts of me. The broken parts. I let my body relax in your embrace, I let my shoulder drop and I unclenched my teeth before wrapping my arms around your middle, letting my fingers interlock behind your back.

You smelt divine. I felt the warmth coming off your body and the feeling of your hand in my hair was intoxicating and when you said “You’re okay, baby” You whispered into my hair I wanted to rip your clothes off and ruin you.

Baby

Did you mean to say it?

Baby

Or Did you call everyone that?

Baby

When I woke up the next morning you were still holding me, my head resting against your stomach, my chest pressed between your legs with both hands pressed into your back and one of your hands resting on my shoulder with the other one tangled in my hair.

The fire was no more than dying embers in the hearth, I would have noticed the chill in the air more if it weren't for the blanket that was draped over my body and the heat coming off your body.

I ignored the ache in my back and the cramping in my hip that I was slumped over on as I looked over your sleeping form. You looked almost angelic in the soft morning glow that was flooding through your windows, the soft swell of your breasts pushing on the fabric of your shirt. My shirt. One that you stole from me. Your hair falls so lazily over one of the couch cushions, the slow rise and fall of your chest. If I were a worse man, the things I would do to you right now.

“Joel, are you listening?”

The sound of your voice breaks me from the memory, my attention snaps back to where you sit across from me on the couch. At this point, I consider this couch more of a home than the house I live in. I find myself here more often than not and on multiple occasions Ellie has also felt it was home. It felt like an old friend welcoming you home after you've been gone for a while.

“I just missed the last part” I leaned over to pour myself another drink from the bottle that sat on the small nightstand on “my side of the couch”. Your words, not mine. I hear a huff escape your lips as you extend your own glass out to me, signalling for a refill.

It was so cute when you faked irritation.

“If you weren't so handsome I would slap the shit out of you” You pulled the glass back and threw back a swig before continuing, “I said…” I tried to concentrate on the next part but I let my eyes wash over your form. You were wearing that massive sweater again, the one that swallowed you up. A thick pair of woollen socks hugged your feet but your legs were out on full display in a pair of sleep shorts. My sleep shorts. Another thing you stole from me with the promise of “repairing it” never to be seen again. Oh wait shit she's talking to me. Stop staring at her legs.

“We’d be out for three nights. We aren't expecting snow for another week but if it starts early and we’re still out there we turn back immediately, yeah?” You're Not asking, you're telling. “There's a string of supply sheds that haven't been checked on in a while. Tommy wants us to check them out before the weather turns on us”

You could ask me to crawl across broken glass with hot coals on my back just to lick mud off your feet and I'd do it.

“Yeah it's not a problem” that's probably the better answer.

///

One thing I really liked about you was the fact that you didn't get small talk. You would ask me questions about my life before the outbreak, which made me feel really old, given you were only a child at the time.

You would ask me what colour my first bike was or how old I was when I shaved for the first time. Tonight You asked me about my first serious girlfriend.

It was the first night of our non-official patrol and possibly the last one until springtime.

And while we had anticipated snow we didn't expect it to be raining sideways. Normally a fire is a surefire way to get into trouble but tonight we needed it, we were both soaked to the bone after spending the last hour looking for a somewhat secure structure to sleep for the night.

The rain coming down so hard it muffled any noise the pair of you made and the wind picked up the smoke from the fire and carried it away into the night.

"Hmm, I think her name was Stacy?" I said it more like a question than an answer

“Or was it Lacie?”

I clicked my fingers before shooting my answer at you “No! It was Macie”

I looked at your face from across the dancing flames. You looked tired. Your hair was drenched and the whipping of the wind left your cheeks red and blotchy.

“Do you think you loved her? At the time” you asked from across the fire. You were laid down on your side with your head propped up on your arm.

I can count on one hand how many girls I actually loved in my life and Lacie. no, wait… Macie. Definitely wasn't one of them.

“No” I dropped my gaze and looked into the fire. The colour of late autumn leaves. “I was young and love wasn't really the first thing on my mind” I didn't mind that it sounded cruel, I didn't need to lie to you.

I told you about the movies we would go see and the music we would listen to “Most of the stuff she liked was crap but I told her I liked it” I was a horny teenager what do you expect. I Would describe the creek we would go swimming in that summer and how we would ride our bikes around town before I saved enough money for a car.

"What kind of car did you drive?" I found it cute that you asked. As if it held any importance.

"It was a red pickup truck, a hunk of shit really but it was mine" I felt like a doddering old man telling you stories about my past glory days. You would look at me and your eyes would sparkle like I was telling you the most interesting story in the world, mouth slightly open, hanging off my every word. I would tell you anything you wanted to hear as long as you would keep looking at me like that.

“ I wish I was lucky enough to have a car” you said, turning over onto your stomach bringing your elbows up to support the weight of your head.

You meant it sincerely but I remember that car very well. It has ripped-up fabric seats, no plastic covering on the dashboard, wires hung from under the steering wheel, no air conditioning and only the driver's side window went down and the fuel gauge didn't always tick so there was more than one occasion that I would be stranded on the side of the road with an empty tank. “It wasn't a prize by any means but it was special to me” You looked at me from across the fire, studying my expression. The smile that was lacing your lips now falls as the look of mischief overtakes your eyes. “Did you fuck her in the back?” and suddenly the space we share is too small, you're too close and the fire is too hot.

You asked me so blankly as if you were just asking me how my day was.

I felt the flush creep up my neck and cheeks, the grin that spread over your face said ‘I'm trying to make you uncomfortable’. This was a look I've become all too familiar with. It was one you would flash me after one too many drinks, when the conversation would sway into dangerous places or when hands would linger a little too long.

I didn't get to see it much when we were sober.

I fucking hated when you looked at me like that.

I let my own lazy grin form on my lips while I looked at you, a shrug was the only reply I could offer.

“Wow, you're such a romantic Miller” Your face pulled up in a big grin that stretched across your face. The one I loved to see you wear.

I blamed the heat of the fire when you pointed out the blush that still resided on my cheeks and neck. I blamed the day's hike for the numbness in my knees but I blamed you for the swelling of my cock. It's the way she looks at me, I can't help that.

We agreed that I would watch at night and we would switch in the morning. I loved watching at night, I loved the sounds of the night and I loved that every other feeling in my body felt heightened and alert. I loved how night’s felt as if it would go on forever. But most of all, I loved looking down at your sleeping body that was now curled at my side, I loved the way the firelight bounced off your skin and I loved the sweet little moans and groans you would let out in your sleep. Like you were having the best dream of your life.

“Goodnight, Joel” you whispered out to me before you drifted off. I knew once sleep had taken you under you would reach out for me, looking for some kind of contact whether it was me holding your hand or stroking your hair behind your ear. Some nights it was your arms wrapped around my upper thigh telling me to you.

I could tell you hated sleeping alone.

///

“Wake up”

The smell of coffee was the first thing to hit me the next morning. The second thing I noticed was the absence of your warm body curled up on the ground next to me. The third thing I noticed was the ache of my swollen cock as it pressed into the zip on my jeans.

I Dreamt about you last night.

I sat up, my lower body in the sleeping bag we packed and decided to share to save on space, seeing how only one of us would be sleeping at a time anyway.

I stretched my neck feeling it pop as I moved it from left to right. I'm way too old to be sleeping on the ground.

I looked over at you sitting at the foot of the sleeping bag, a knee propped up with your notebook leaning against it as you scribbled in it. A sight I have seen a million times now. You didn't go anywhere without that thing and I could give up my left testicle to read all your deepest darkest secrets.

The worn dark leather held the pages together, there were newspaper clippings, stamps and postcards, elastic bands, paper clips, worn and ripped paper with rushed messy writing on them all jammed into the papers. I'd even seen you pick flowers and leaves that you thought were beautiful and press them into the pages. You also kept a hand pull of photographs that you had found. None of them were of your family or even of people you knew. You told me as long as you had the photographs these peoples memories would live on.

I'd love to see all the notes you kept, all the things you never told me. I'd love to see what made you tick, to rip open your head and dig around in it. That journal would have to do though. You had confided in me about the mistakes you had made and some of the things you did to get here. You had told me about your love life, not that you had to say a lot. I could always tell when you had spent the night with Dean… mainly because I could see your front door from my front door.

it never seemed like it was enough. I needed more.

You'd spoken briefly about your family, your early years in Jackson and your old patrol partner. Oh yeah, your old patrol partner.

You had only brought him up once before which was what intrigued me the most. I should just ask Tommy, that bastard can't lie for shit.

The soft slap of pages closing broke my string of thought.

“Good morning”

______

YOU

I loved doing Morning watches. I loved the sound of the birds as they woke, i loved watching the sun come up and i loved the crisp air that invaded my lungs. I loved watching Joel sleep, it's almost comical the way his broad shoulders and long legs dont fit into the sleeping bag. I loved brewing fresh coffee and stoking the fire as he lay there, he looked so peaceful.

I took a sip of coffee from a beat up metal cup before looking down the admire my latest journal entry;

Dear diary, today was the best day ever!

Just kidding its still the end of the fucking world and and i could have been beaten an raped in my sleep lastnight if it wasnt for the man laying two feet away from me. Funny to think about how adorable he looks right now compared to the animal that everyone claims he is. Not that i want to test him or anything.

This is morning two of what’s supposed to be a four day journey. The wind feels like it's grating my skin and the rain hasn't let up. I think we left at the worst possible time.

There's a fire tower about two miles away from where we are now, we are meant to be checking out as well as a few other stations before the snow but shit happens i guess. I think i'll let Joel sleep for a bit longer, i can tell he needs it. When he wakes up I'm gonna tell him we are heading home. If I told him why we were really out here I bet he would think I was an idiot for making him come out here. And if he found out tommy knew the reason he would be double pissed. Maybe I'll tell him when we get home.

I had a dream about him last night. And it's not the first one I've had but it was the most vivid one. Feels weird to write it down but whatever, if anyone reads this I'll just kill them.

In my dream we were having sex in the back of his truck, the one he told me about lastnight. But it wasn't just like normal boring sex that I'd have with Dean, it was raw and rough and animalistic, he was biting me and slapping my face and sucking on my tongue before spitting in my mouth. I woke up so fucking horny i almost ripped my clothes off and begged him to fuck me.

Anyway. Tommy had asked me to try and set him up on a date with a few of the women in Jackson, which I'm not overly thrilled about. I would let him do unspeakable things to me.

Joel moans alot in his sleep. I wonder if he's dreaming about me the way I've been dreaming about him… or if he's having a horrific nightmare that I need to wake him up from.

I sit for a moment studying Joel's face as I sketch it out next to the latest entry. I wish i had a camera.

///

It had been a few days since we returned. We made it to the fire tower regardless of the rain and the wind that threatened to sweep me off my feet.

I remember how fucking cold i was. How my toes felt like they were going to fall off, my socks soaked to the bone, my nose was red where I had continuously crushed it with the back of my glove to collect the snot that was leaking from it. Very sexy. I stepped into the spray of the shower letting the hot water thaw my flesh giving me full body pins and needles.

I Let Tommy know that the other supply shakes will just have to wait now. At least we know they’re there if we are in an absolute crisis.

I should tell Joel what's in the shed’s. I'm not sure if he’ll laugh or be angry at me. I don't want him to be angry.

Right now I just felt bad enough about dragging him out there with me. I'll leave it for the moment, let him rest and recover and get something warm in his stomach.

I felt a flush of heat rise in my gut as I thought about Joel and that dream I had. I let my hand slide between my legs as I massaged the aching bundle of nerves that had been calling my name. “Good girl” I could imagine the words sliding off his tongue with that silky southern drawl. This won't take long.

After my shower I got into my cosiest clothes. One of Joel's flannels that had gone missing when I stole it so I could fix it and a pair of sweatpants as well as my thickest pair of socks.

As I made my way into the kitchen, contemplating what to eat to soothe the growl in my stomach, there was a knock at my door.

Throwing all my weight into pulling the door open, I stumbled back a little before looking up at the figure that filled my doorway. None other than Dean Hickman with a shit eating grin on his face and a knowing look in his eye.

“Hey Beautiful”

He's not Joel but I can use my imagination.

///

If you'd like to be tagged just let me know :)

@oscarissac2099

@alien-consummation

#idiots in love #joel miller fanfiction #joel miller smut #joel miller x reader #joel miller x you #joel the last of us #pedro pascal fanfiction #smut #soft joel miller #joel miller

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defodisturbed · 8 months ago

Text

Diet Culture - Poly!Recoms x PlusSize!reader

(A/N: inspired by the song Diet Culture by Brye! i love the song and can relate to it as a mid/plus-size person. i wrote this for my friend (you know who you are) and thought she would like it! i've always felt insecure and i'm sure many of you have as well. i hope this can bring you some joy or comfort even in the slightest. enjoy!)

And I know their worst fear is to look like me

And that fact makes me want to kill somebody.

To be a plus-sized person in the modern age has never been an easy feat. At least in the 16-18th century they thought it was very beautiful and desirable to have a body like mine. But now, as resources run dry and there's no space for everyone due to overpopulation, everyone hates fat people more than ever before. The body positivity movement was popular and utilized in the 21st century, but thats far, far behind us now. I feel crippling anxiety and shame every day for having to do the simplest things. Riding the train, feeling tired, and hell, even eating. My last thought before dying was that maybe in the next life I could be thinner.

Here I am now, staring at myself in the mirror. My skin is blue, I have stripes, and Lord, what a fatass I feel like. Why couldn't Parker or whoever's in charge of Project Phoenix just let me live in peace for once? My teammates are standing behind me as I examine my new teeth, tail, and my new skin. How big of a hospital gown did they have to make for me? I should apologize for this. I should apologize for having been brought back. Nobody wants a fat girl on their team. Nobody likes a fat girl. Nobody cares about fat girls. My thoughts run rampant through my head as I start to zone out.

"Hey, Y/N, you good? I know it's a little weird at first..." Lyle asks. I snap out of it and start to walk towards the door. I ask for someone to take me to my room, and so they escort me to my new place. It's very nice. They give me a lot of clothes and tell me to get comfortable because I'll be here awhile.

I get changed and explore my room. It's well lit, and when the lights are off, you can barely see anything. That's good for sleep. The bed is soft and it is comfortable.

When I get settled, the first number I call is my best friend. I tell her about how I just got resurrected and she asks how I feel.

"Fucking horrible. My body is still as fat if not fatter than it was before, my hair is messy, my skin is blue now, I have a weird tail and sharp teeth, and I just want to die again. I would like to die over and over again until they bring me back in at least a smaller body."

My friend tries to comfort me but her advice just doesn't do the trick this time. I tell her I gotta unpack and get situated. We say goodbye and I hang up.

Fuck, why did they have to do this to me?

---

I hear a knock at the door. I roll my eyes, making a game out of guessing who wants to talk to me now. I open the door, seeing my old friend, Alicia Zdinarsk. I invite her in and she offers to help me unpack. I accept her offer, and as we unpack, she tells me how weird it was for her to wake up blue as well. I wanted to shout IT'S NOT THE BLUE! IT'S NOT THE TAIL, NOT THE TEETH, NOTHING LIKE THAT! but I held back. I can't argue without crying anyway.

"Hey, you okay? You kind of zoned out in the wakeup room." Z says. I reply, "Yeah, it's just I really wish they revived me in a smaller body. I don't know how they expect a fat girl to-"

"No. You're not gonna call yourself fat as an insult. You're so awesome, and I cannot imagine being here again without you. Sure, people on Earth might've hated fat people, but we're not on Earth anymore. And last time I checked, we all love you just as you are. You don't need to change anything about you. We love you more than you could ever imagine, okay?" Z said. I was stunned. "Okay." I replied. I was always amazed by their collective love for me, but I never thought it was as deep as this. Nobody has ever told me they love me in the way Z just did, let alone a whole team of soldiers.

"Hello?? Y/N, Z??? You in there??? Mansk is making cocktails for us and I want us all to be there when we get drunk and grind-y tonight!" Lyle yelled through the door, banging on it as he did so. "Lyle, we're gonna head over in a second! For right now, keep it in your pants!" Z yelled back. I chuckled as we finished the last box of stuff. I could hear Lyle make a noise of disappointment outside, not wanting to wait any longer. I rolled my eyes and looked into Z's deeply, before pulling her in for a little kiss. She returned it, and we hugged until Lyle came banging on the door again.

"Can we at least watch a movie in the meantime??"

MWAH hope yall enjoyed!! @dyingofcookies thought you would like this :3 💋💋

#zdinarsk #avatar zdog #recom zdog #avatar x reader #z dog x y/n #z dog #zdinarsk x reader #zdog x reader #atwow fluff #recom squad

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lemoncrushh · 5 months ago

Text

Too Far From Texas | Chapter Three

STORY PAGE

Word Count: 5557

I always said if only I could be a morning person, my life would be so much easier. I just never understood those people who could pop out of bed the moment they woke up, all ready and eager to start the day. I felt like there was an elephant sitting on my head for at least ten minutes before I even opened my eyes. Then I needed coffee pronto or someone was getting their head pecked off if they dared to speak to me.

Friday mornings were the worst because I had to get Emery to school early for Spirit Squad. So much for TGIF. This particular Friday was also one where my ex-husband had the girls. We had a strange custody arrangement that was decided in our divorce decree. Very complicated, but after two years, we’d gotten the hang of it.

“Mommy,” Emery piped up when we were stopped at a light. “Is this your favorite song?”

“Hmm?” I sounded.

We were listening to Harry’s CD, the new one that he’d sent. I’d had it in my car since Tuesday when I’d taken Emery to gymnastics and hadn’t bothered to take it out. The truth was, I was enamored with it. I loved every track on it. It had been on repeat for three days now, and I’d come to know most of the lyrics. The particular song that was playing was certainly one of my favorites on the album, a piano ballad.

“Yeah, I like this one a lot,” I grinned at her.

“I thought so,” she sat back, proud of herself for guessing correctly.

“Which one’s your favorite?” I asked her.

She shrugged. “I don’t know yet. I like all of ‘em.”

“Good answer,” I nodded.

I turned onto the next street, singing softly along to Harry’s voice. I liked his voice. A lot. More than I probably should. And it wasn’t just his singing voice. I still got chills when I thought of how he said my name.

I’d be lying if I said I hadn’t thought about him since that night. It had only been a few days since he’d left Houston. And I kept reminding myself that I’d probably never see him again. But his face was stamped in my brain. Especially the look on it when he’d stood in my daughter’s doorway while she had a seizure. And his kind voice when he’d handed me a towel afterwards. He’d shown concern but also had a calmness about him which put me at ease. More than anything, though, I remembered how soft his lips felt against mine.

“Reagan!” Emery shouted out the window that I hadn’t even realized she’d rolled down, making me blink and push on the break a little too hard as I pulled up to the curb in front of her school.

“Have a good day, sweetheart,” I yawned, leaning over to give her a quick kiss.

“Bye, Mommy.” Emery grabbed her backpack and hurried out of the car to meet up with her friend.

As I drove away, letting Harry’s voice enrapture me once again, my phone buzzed in the console between the seats. I frowned when I realized it was a text from Tod.

I won’t be able to come get the girls until 7.

I scoffed, turning out of the parking lot. I waited until I was closer to work at a red light to respond.

Why?

I have a make up lesson at 6.

I rolled my eyes as I continued driving. When I got to work and parked, I angrily texted him back.

You’re supposed to be here at 6. That was the agreement.

I know that but it was the only time I could schedule the lesson.

Part of me wanted to just call him instead of text, but I hated talking to him. At least in text, I could say what I wanted without hearing his condescending tone.

You know your kids are supposed to come first. You need to schedule your lessons around your time with them.

It’s one lesson Stacey. I’m not giving up the whole weekend. I’ll leave the house at 7 and be at your place by 7:20.

I gritted my teeth and sighed.

Fine.

Turning off my phone and pulling the key out of the ignition, I threw my bag over my shoulder and headed into work. I didn’t realize I had a sour look on my face until Rachel, our receptionist, eyed me funny and asked if I was okay.

“I’m fine, thanks,” I gave her a tight smile as I walked past her and down the hall.

“It’ll be okay,” she called after me. “It’s Friday!”

I groaned when I reached my office and dropped my bag on the floor next to my chair. I hated him. Even after two years of being divorced from Tod, I still despised everything about him. No, one more hour wasn’t a huge deal. It was the principle. Just like when we were married, he always got to do whatever he wanted to do. Whatever he said was gospel and everybody else had to go along with it. Even in an argument or debate, he’d been so convincing with his point of view that I would finally give in, resolved that he was right, and I was wrong. Other than one time that was still vivid in my mind when he got angry and slammed a kitchen drawer shut, breaking it off the hinges and frightening me so much I was afraid he would hit me, he never apologized for anything.

After turning on my computer, I made my way down the hall to the break room to grab some more coffee since the cup I’d had that morning hadn’t done the trick. Lorelei had already beat me there and she was stirring her cup with one of those little red straws.

“Morning,” I mumbled.

“It is indeed,” she said, tossing her straw in the trash can. “But I noticed you didn’t throw in good at the beginning.”

I made a sound under my breath as I reached for my favorite mug in the cupboard.

“Something happen?” Lorelei inquired. “Jaz didn’t have another seizure, did she?”

“No,” I replied, pouring my coffee. “Just the usual. I’m tired and men with three letter names piss me off.”

Lorelei chuckled. “Good thing Harry Styles doesn’t fall into that category.”

I raised a brow, slightly shocked by the mention of his name. “What made you think of him?”

She shrugged. “Maybe it’s because you haven’t said a thing about him since Tuesday when I asked how the date went, and you were very vague. Or maybe it’s because you still have the flowers, he sent you on your desk after four days.”

“They’re pretty,” I commented. “And they smell good.”

“They’re wilting.”

I narrowed my eyes at her. “How long do you keep flowers?”

“Three days, tops.”

I shook my head and walked around her to the fridge. “Seems like a waste.”

“They are a waste,” Lorelei remarked. “The entire floral industry is a waste of money. That’s why I always tell a man not to buy them for me for special occasions. Give me perfume or jewelry. If I have a man around the time of special occasions, that is…”

“I’m sorry, did you have a point?” I shot at her, opening a container of Yoplait.

“Have you heard from him?” she finally asked.

“Who?” I popped a spoonful of yogurt in my mouth.

“Harry!”

I shook my head. “No. And I don’t expect to.”

“Why not?”

Just then Terrance and Josh walked into the break room. Lorelei and I both greeted them with a “good morning”. As they were pouring their coffee, I could tell Lorelei was antsy to get back to the conversation. I gestured toward the doorway with my head and she followed me to my office.

“What exactly happened after I left?” she asked as soon as I was behind my desk.

“Nothing,” I replied, sitting in my chair. “We ate pizza and drank wine and talked.”

“Oh. Well that’s sweet. Did he kiss you goodnight?”

I smirked and rolled my eyes. “Yes.”

“Aha!”

“What is aha? We kissed. It doesn’t mean anything.”

“Did he tell you he’d call?” Lorelei asked.

“Not really. He just texted me later and said he had a good time.”

“See? That’s promising!”

I scoffed, pushing my chair closer to my desk. “You’ve written too much fluffy romance.”

“Um...excuse me?” she raised a brow. “With whom did I just write this fluffy romance?”

I pursed my lips, resting my elbows on either side of my keyboard.

“Can we end this conversation, please?”

“Fine,” Lorelei threw up her hands. “But I’m willing to bet he’s gonna call you.”

“How much?” I asked when she reached the door.

“How much what?”

“How much are you willing to bet?”

Lorelei allowed the idea to roll around in her brain for a moment before a wide grin spread across her face.

“Alright,” she quipped, tossing her blonde locks off her shoulder, “If he doesn’t call you by Monday, I’ll take you to that sushi place you like.”

I chuckled. Lorelei hated raw fish. “And if he does?”

“You have to take me to Tamale Juan’s.”

I furrowed my brows in confusion. “That’s not really an even bet. I like Mexican food.”

“Yeah, but I get to order anything I want. And they have those big, tall $10 margaritas.”

I rolled my eyes. “Fine.”

The girls and I were in the middle of dinner when the doorbell rang.

“Daddy’s here!” exclaimed Emery, rising from her chair.

Normally, I would have scolded her for getting up before we were finished, but knowing it was Tod, I let her answer the door so I wouldn’t have to. I heard her welcome him in as he asked her how her week had been.

“Emery,” I called her. “Come finish your food.”

Tod scoffed as he stepped closer to the dining table. “Stacey, why are they eating now? I was gonna take them to Cheddar’s.”

“So, you didn’t tell me that,” I glared at him.

“I shouldn’t have to. It’s my night with them. You never feed them before I get here.”

I dropped my fork on my plate. “That was when you would get here at 6. It’s nearly 7:30 now. If they waited to go out for dinner, they’d be starving.”

“Stacey-” Tod began.

“Aw, I wanna go to Cheddar’s!” Emery whined. “They have the fishies!”

“Emery, sit down!” I demanded.

She pouted and sat in her chair on her leg, resting her chin on her fist. Jasmine made a face and flapped her hands, showing she was uncomfortable with the loud voices.

“I can’t believe you,” Tod shook his head.

I gave him a go to hell look. “We’ll be done in a few minutes.”

Tod turned toward the living room and sat on the sofa with a sigh. I poked Emery in the shoulder and pointed at her plate to get her to finish her dinner. When it was clear she was going to just pick at it to spite me, I told her she was excused and to gather her toys she wanted to take to her dad’s.

After bringing our dishes to the sink, I grabbed the overnight bag that I’d already packed with the girls’ clothes, handing it to Tod. He took it from me with pursed lips, throwing it over his shoulder.

“I wish I coulda gone to Cheddar’s,” Emery pouted again, her bag of toys in one hand, her iPad in the other.

“Maybe your daddy can take you tomorrow,” I said, not bothering to look at Tod.

Just then, my ringtone startled me. For a moment, I forgot where I’d even put my phone until I followed the sound to the kitchen counter. My jaw dropped and my eyes widened when I picked it up and saw Harry’s name displayed. Not wanting it to go to voicemail, I quickly answered it.

“Hello?”

“Stacey?” I immediately melted when his low, raspy voice said my name. I felt my cheeks go pink as a stupid, tiny giggle escaped my throat.

“Hi there,” I muttered softly, trying not to sound too eager.

“Hi. How are you?”

“I’m...I’m okay.” I looked up to see Tod standing near the door, a look of impatience on his face and his body language revealing the same. “Um...could you hold on for a minute?”

“Sure,” said Harry.

“It’s just...my kids are about to leave for the weekend, and I need to say my goodbyes,” I explained.

“Oh, I can let you go-”

“No, it’s okay,” I interrupted. “I’ll be right back.”

I set the phone down and hurried back to the living room, giving Jasmine a big hug.

“Have a good weekend, sweet girl. I’ll see you Sunday night,” I told her. Then I did the same with Emery who held on a little tighter, something that was part of her nature, but I still believed was due to the divorce as well.

Once Tod declared he’d bring them back at 6 on Sunday, I shut the door behind him and rushed back to the phone.

“Hey, sorry about that.”

“No worries,” Harry said. “How are your kids?”

“They’re fine, thanks.”

“Good. Everything alright with Jasmine?”

I smiled that he remembered her name, and also at his concern. “Yeah, she’s doing great.”

“Glad to hear it.”

“What about you?” I inquired. “How’s your week been?”

I felt a little odd making small talk, asking someone who no doubt had ten times a more exciting life than I did.

“Really busy,” he replied with a quick chuckle. “I’m in Dallas now. Just finished my last interview. Then tomorrow I’m leaving for St. Louis.”

“Oh, I’ve always wanted to go to St. Louis,” I commented. “I bet the weather is so much nicer than Texas.”

“It’s nice, yeah,” said Harry. “Although I probably won’t have much of a chance to enjoy it. I’ll be inside mostly.”

“Oh.” A sudden giggle rose from my throat.

“What?” Harry sounded, leaving off the T again.

“Listen to us, talking about the weather,” I snickered.

“You don’t wanna talk about the weather?”

“Harry, you’ve seen me at my lowest. I think we’re beyond the chit chat, don’t you?” I ran a hand through my hair as I crossed the living room and sat on the sofa.

“I guess you’re right,” he said with a smile in his voice. “Have you had a chance to listen to the album yet?”

“Oh, yes, the girls love it!” I exclaimed. “I pop in one copy in the evenings when we’re getting ready for bed. Jasmine has a smile on her face the whole time. And Emery dances around until I make her get in the shower. Then the other copy is in my car. Emery and I were just listening to it this morning on the way to school. I think she knows all the words already.”

“That’s great,” Harry remarked. “But what do you think of it, Stacey?”

“Me?”

“Yes, you,” he said, his voice low. “I wanna know your opinion.”

I sucked in my lips, exhaling out of my nose. “Um...sorry. I guess I’m still in mom mode.”

“That’s understandable.”

“I really love it,” I declared.

“Yeah?”

“Mmm hmm,” I nodded, even though he couldn’t see me. “Every song is great. I enjoyed all of your stuff with One Direction, but this…”

My words trailed off as I brought my foot up on the couch and hugged my knee. I heard Harry chuckle.

“Keep going.”

“This is special, Harry. I know we just met, but I feel like I know you a little better just from the music. It feels personal, like you’re giving your fans a glimpse of the real you. Musically, the songs are very eclectic, but I feel like there’s an underlying theme.”

Harry was silent for a moment while I waited for his response. I swallowed hard, hoping I hadn’t said anything out of line or stupid. Finally, I heard him sigh.

“That means a lot to me, Stacey,” he said.

“It does?”

“More than you’ll ever know.”

Side stepping his remark, I started blubbering. “Sometimes I go on and on about music because I feel like I know a lot. But sometimes it might sound like bullshit. I probably don’t know as much as I claim to, and I use big words to sound smart. So, forgive me if I-”

“Stacey,” Harry interrupted.

“What?”

“I asked for your opinion. And I appreciate it.”

“Okay,” I muttered.

“And you didn’t sound stupid. It was lovely. So thank you.”

I grinned. “You’re welcome.”

Harry made a cute, contended sound before continuing. “So what are your plans for this evening?”

“Uh…” I looked around the empty apartment. “You know, the usual. Dinner with Oprah. Then some red-carpet thing. Some Angelina Jolie movie I think. But I think I might skip out early for drinks with Leonardo DiCaprio.”

Harry’s laugh rang in my ears.

“I know I shouldn’t,” I continued, happy he thought my joke was funny, “but he’s been bugging me and won’t take no for an answer.”

“How many times have you turned him down?” Harry asked, playing along.

“At least half a dozen,” I replied. “But you know, I’m so hard to resist.”

“Can’t argue with you there,” said Harry.

I giggled, biting my bottom lip. I knew it was just a response to my sarcasm, but it still made me light up like a Christmas tree.

“Okay, so I’m not doing anything,” I admitted. “The only plans I had involved wine and something on the DVR.”

“Well, I don’t wanna bother you.”

“Please,” I rolled my eyes. “Nothing about you bothers me.”

Harry made that little sound again, which was almost undetectable, but I made a mental note of it.

“That’s a nice thing to say.”

I shrugged. “It’s true. I’m actually…”

“You’re actually what?”

“I’m um...actually kinda surprised you called. I wasn’t expecting you to.”

“Why not?” he inquired.

“I don’t know…” I pulled on a thread in the hole of my jeans. “I just knew you were busy. And I’m just some random woman you bumped into at Starbucks.”

“I don’t think you’re some random woman, Stacey.”

“You don’t?” Good god, was I blushing again?

“Nope. I think you’re pretty incredible, actually. And you have amazing lips.”

“Oh my god,” I blurted out, quickly covering my mouth with my fingers. I wanted to kick myself for my immature reaction.

“What?” chuckled Harry. “Please tell me I’m not the only one who keeps thinking about that kiss.”

“You do?” I managed to ask in a breathy voice.

“Mmm,” Harry sounded his confirmation.

“Well, that’s a relief,” I said. “‘Cause I’ve been thinking about it too. I was hoping it wasn’t just the wine.”

Harry let out a deep, sexy laugh then. Not even a laugh really...more like...oh, who knows, but it was sexy, and I literally had to adjust my position on the sofa.

“Ah, Stacey,” I heard him sigh.

“Yes?” I asked, dragging out the word in a teasing tone.

“I um…” he paused. “I really hope I get to see you again.”

It was my turn to make that contended sound. This boy definitely had some major effect on me. Maybe that was just it. He was a boy. Okay, he might have been older than just a boy, technically he was a man. But I hadn’t talked to a guy on the phone like this since I’d met Tod. I felt young and giddy and...happy.

“I guess we’ll just have to make that happen,” I replied.

“Good,” remarked Harry. “I’m already looking forward to it.”

“What about you?” I asked him. “It’s early on a Friday evening. Why aren’t you out on the town?”

“Because I’m exhausted,” he chuckled. “I’ve been awake since 4AM and doing promo all day.”

“Oh,” I said a little shyly. “But you still wanted to talk to me?”

“Yeah, I figured if I couldn’t kiss those lips again, I could at least listen to the voice that comes from them.”

I burst out laughing. “Stop.”

“Did I go too far?” Harry snickered.

“Just a smidgen,” I giggled.

“Smidgen,” Harry mocked. “That’s a cute word, I’m gonna use that.”

“Are you making fun of me?” I quipped.

“Not at all, love. You just seemed a little stiff and nervous, so I wanted to lighten the mood.”

“I do?”

“Just a smidgen.”

“Harry…”

He laughed louder, and I soon followed. I could tell my face had to be beet red, and I was grateful he couldn’t see.

“Told ya I was gonna use it,” he teased.

“Touche.” I cleared my throat. “Sorry I was being dull.”

“No, no, Stacey, that’s not what I meant, love,” said Harry. “I just remember sitting next to you on your sofa talking and drinking wine. And then that memorable kiss goodnight. But tonight, you seemed nervous to talk to me. I don’t want you to be.”

I exhaled slowly, running a hand through my hair.

“Sorry,” I said again. “I guess I’m not used to this.”

“Used to what? Talking?”

I scoffed and shook my head, biting my lip. “No. Just...ugh, nothing. I like you. I don’t know what I’m doing.”

“I like you, too,” Harry declared. “And that’s all we need to know.”

“Okay,” I voiced softly.

“So...I was thinking about our conversation the other night,” Harry commented.

“You were?”

“Yeah. I was thinking about how you said it was your dream to be a singer. What stopped you?”

I took a deep breath and let it out slowly. Grabbing a nearby pillow, I laid it in my lap.

“Life happened,” I muttered. “I moved in with Tod...that’s my ex-husband...after only a month of dating. Less than a year later I got pregnant with Jasmine. Everything moved pretty fast.”

“You never thought about trying for it again?”

“To be a singer?” I half laughed. “No. It seems silly now.”

“Why?”

“Because...I’m forty. My chance has been long passed. Plus, I don’t really think I’m as good as I used to think I was.”

“Why would you say that?” asked Harry.

“Well...it’s like with Tod. He’s a musician. He would tell me I’m good, but he never really encouraged me. He would just say stuff like I needed to do it on my own, it wasn’t his job. Which I get...but it also made me feel a little less confident. He was in a band for years and never, not once, asked me to get up on stage and sing with them. So over time I started thinking that maybe I’m not that good, and he’s ashamed of me.”

“Stacey…”

“Ugh!” I groaned, tossing the pillow aside. “Sorry, I shouldn’t have brought that up. It’s depressing me, even now.”

“I’m sorry, Stacey,” Harry said softly.

“I know it’s not his fault. If I’d had the courage, I could have tried. I just would have liked a little push is all.”

“I understand,” he conveyed. “Who’s your favorite singer?”

I sighed. “I have lots of favorites, but my idol is Stevie Nicks.”

“I love her. She’s amazing.”

I felt my mouth stretch into a huge smile. I always got so happy to hear someone else say they loved Stevie.

“I’ve been a fan of hers for a long time,” I admitted.

“Have you ever seen her live?” Harry inquired.

“Many times. Several times solo, and a couple times with Fleetwood Mac. But it’s been a while. I haven’t been to a concert since...well, since my divorce. I miss going. Nothing like a live show.”

“I’d love to hear you sing,” Harry stated out of the blue.

I laughed nervously. “Seriously?”

“Sure, let’s hear it. Sing some Stevie.”

“Oh, no!” I shook my head. “No way.”

“Why not?” he asked with a chuckle.

“For one thing, I’m not prepared.”

“Who says you have to be prepared?” Harry quipped.

“I do,” I replied.

“Alright then,” he said. “How about next time?”

“Next time?” I literally felt my heart flutter in my chest.

“Yeah, next time we talk. Sing for me.”

“Harry…”

“Stacey…” he mimicked in the same tone. It made me giggle.

“Fine. It’s a deal.”

“Good.”

I heard Harry clear his throat, followed by a rustling sound. Not quite wanting the conversation to end, but also feeling a little awkward by the pause, I stood up and headed back to the kitchen.

“So, I’m reading your book again,” Harry confessed when I put him on speaker and I poured myself a glass of wine.

“What?” I exclaimed. “You are not!”

“Well, maybe not reading. I’m skipping around to some of my favorite parts.”

“Why?” I grabbed my wine and some cheese and made my way back to the living room.

“Because I like it. It’s good.”

“Thanks.”

“Plus the first time I read it I thought Gavin was kind of a wanker. But reading some of it again, I can see how he might have come off that way, but it’s not entirely his fault.”

“It’s Melissa’s fault?”

“Not her fault he’s a wanker, no,” Harry chuckled. “But some of his reactions and phrases were harsh I think because she started off as very abrasive.”

“She had to be,” I remarked. “She was in a big city she’d never been to before, looking for her brother. She finally thought she’d tracked him down, only to find some jerk was living in his apartment. In a way, even though she’d never met her brother, she was already protective of him and his belongings.”

“Melissa turned the corner to find Gavin standing at the end of the hall, only the dim lamp on his desk in his room shedding light on him, casting a shadow on the hardwood floor,” Harry read. “‘Holy shit, you scared me!’” exclaimed Melissa, her heart beating in her chest as she covered it with her hand. “‘Sorry,’” Gavin muttered sarcastically. Melissa knew he wasn’t. Not the least bit. Since she’d been staying in that tiny apartment with Gavin, he’d been nothing short of unbearable to be around. So what if he’d been subletting her brother’s apartment? It wasn’t like he owned the place. He just liked to act like he did.”

I shook my head. “I can’t believe you’re quoting my book to me.”

“I told you, I like it,” declared Harry. “That part right there...the first time I read it I agreed with Melissa. Gavin was being unbearable. But…”

“Oh great, I love a good but!” I chortled.

Harry laughed. “As I was reading it again, I got to thinking, no it doesn’t matter that it was her brother’s apartment. Gavin lived there. He didn’t know the bloke he was subletting it from had a sister and she’d be showing up one day to claim it. He had every right to be vigilant.”

“You’re probably right,” I said.

“I’m sorry,” Harry apologized. “I don’t mean to tell you how the book shoulda been written.”

“No, you’re not!” I shook my head, biting into a piece of cheese. “Like I said, I think readers can take their own interpretations. I’m honestly just flattered that you even read it, let alone have an opinion.”

“Okay, good.” I heard the sound of the hardback book shutting and I found myself wondering if he was sitting on a hotel bed with my book in his hand. “So that book signing where we met. Will you be doing more of those?”

“Actually, yeah,” I replied. “Lorelei thought it would be a good idea to have a book tour. We’re going to San Antonio in a few days. Then maybe Austin and Dallas. If things go well, we might venture outside of Texas.”

“That’s great,” Harry commented. “I’m happy for you, love.”

“Thank you.”

“Maybe if we happen to be in the same city again, we can meet?”

I let out a half ha. “I doubt we will be, but sure.”

“You never know…”

I smiled at Harry’s optimism. I didn’t come across too many people like him. It was refreshing.

“You’re a ‘the glass is half full’ kind of person, aren’t you?”

“I am. And there’s a reason for that,” he said.

“What would that be?”

“It takes less energy.”

“That’s it?” I inquired. “I was expecting some deep philosophical answer.”

“Life is actually pretty simple, Stacey,” he remarked. “You’ve heard the saying that a frown uses more muscles that a smile. Or that it’s easier to be kind.”

“Yeah,” I agreed.

“It’s true. Karma and all that. If you just try to keep a positive attitude and stay humble, it’s much easier than being pessimistic. That shit’s emotionally draining and exhausting. And can actually make you physically sick.”

“You’re absolutely right,” I nodded. “I found that out the hard way.”

“How so?”

“Um…” I hesitated. “Long story. I doubt you want to hear about the life of Stacey Barnett in one night, and to be honest I’m not ready to be emotionally drained from rehashing it right now.”

“Fair enough,” said Harry. “You can tell me when you’re ready.”

Taking a sip of my wine, I pondered the wonder that was Harry Styles.

“You’re not real, are you?”

“Sorry?” Harry chuckled.

“You’re just-” I stopped myself before I said something that would embarrass myself. “Never mind.”

“I said I like you, Stacey. I wasn’t lying. And one day...maybe not the next time we talk...but one night we’ll have a nice long conversation and you’ll tell me all there is to know about you.”

“That sounds so...raw and exposed,” I muttered. “I don’t like being that vulnerable.”

“I think I’ve already seen you vulnerable, sweetheart. You said so yourself. I’ve seen you at your lowest.”

“True,” I hung my head.

Harry was quiet for a moment until he said, “I’m sorry. Did I hit a nerve?”

“No, it’s…” I sighed. “It’s okay. I just don’t really like talking about it.”

“I understand. But it’s part of your life. A massive part. That’s your daughter.”

“Yeah,” I swallowed. “I hate it. More for her than me. She’s such a sweet girl, she doesn’t deserve-”

“Hey,” Harry interrupted when he could tell I was getting choked up. “It’s okay, we don’t have to talk about it.”

“Thanks.” I wiped away a tear from my cheek.

“We can change the subject. But you’re right. She doesn’t.”

Harry and I continued to talk, the conversation easy. I enjoyed talking to him. He made me laugh a couple of times, and it made me wish he was sitting next to me on the sofa instead of in Dallas in a hotel room doing God knows what while he talked to me. I shook my head to rid it of the thoughts. I would not allow myself to imagine him lying shirtless in bed. By the time I finished my second glass of wine, I realized it was nearly eleven. We’d talked for over three hours. Harry yawned and it must have been contagious because I did as well.

“I should let you go now, Stacey,” he said softly.

“Okay. Well, thank you, Harry. For making this evening less lonely.”

“Lonely? Why are you lonely, love?”

I realized at that moment that every time he called me that, I wanted to kiss him. Gosh darn it. I let out a sigh.

“I just get a little lonely after my kids are gone,” I explained. “So thanks for keeping me company. I feel a lot better.”

“You’re welcome. I enjoy talking to you. Do you think I could call you from St. Louis?”

“I hope you do,” I grinned.

“Good.”

“Oh, and Harry?”

“Yes?”

“I think you’re pretty incredible too.”

Harry released another one of those deep, sexy chuckles again and I melted all over.

“Thank you. Goodnight, beautiful. Sleep well.”

When I hung up, I practically danced to the kitchen, setting my empty wine glass in the sink. Then I skipped to the bathroom where I saw the goofy grin on my face in the mirror. I quickly shook my head with a groan.

“Get a grip, Stacey,” I told myself. “You look like a teenager.”

I washed my face and brushed my teeth before getting into my pajamas. After turning out the lights and double checking that I was locked up, I climbed into bed with only the bedside lamp on. I must have stared at the ceiling for a good twenty minutes, replaying some of our conversation in my head, like it was part of a novel I’d written.

I knew what I was doing. I was letting this guy invade my mind as though he was a character in a book. Boy meets girl, girl is lonely, doesn’t know how to feel about boy so she acts like it’s nothing, boy breaks down girl’s walls and makes her feel special and worthy and they live happily ever after.

But Harry Styles was not a character in a romance novel. And I was not a girl. He was real and he was famous. And I was me. Just me.

A/N: Just a reminder that I wrote all of this before HS1 was even out. So, no TPWK or singing with Stevie yet. It kinda gives me chills now as I reread it.

MASTERLIST | KO-FI | FEEDBACK

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res-on8 · 8 months ago

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Let me tell you about the Original Boop War

In light of Tumblr's boop button and subsequent World War Boop, I would like to inform you all of the physical boop war I had 6-7 years ago.

I met a really good friend of mine in the theatre we were tech/crew for in college, and we literally forged our friendship through the so-called Boop War. I was a 3rd year/junior and he was a 1st year/freshman. He was always a weird, funny, and interesting guy, but in his second semester, I decided one day to give him a friendly boop on the nose as he was just standing there.

He replies, "Oh, my favorite part of boops is getting someone back when they least expect it!"

"Haha, I've never heard of that!" I said. And so began the Boop War.

*Story below the cut*

We would do almost anything we could to get in a boop on one another. Everyone else in the shop would occasionally ask us who was winning, and for the first two semesters, we only kept track of who was up or down, not the actual numbers exchanged.

There were a few rules, such as: must touch the tip of the nose, and the boop war only took place during work (meant we could hang out doing normal things without paranoia), also no booping when on ladders, using saws, or doing other activities that could cause harm when dodging a boop. You had to say "boop" when administering a boop, otherwise it wouldn't count. We went so far as to include half-boops when someone like very barely touched a nose, or if someone didn't announce it.

Anyway, we kept track of wins by semester. I won the first, my friend the second, and then I got the third. The third and final semester, we did actually keep track of exchanged boops (21 to 20).

However, even if I won the Boop War, he got in the single best boop. "Hey, [Res], what's the element on the periodic table labeled 'A-h?'"

My thoughts were slow. I was a physics major, not a chem major. "Uhhh....I don't think there--?"

"THE ELEMENT OF SURPRISE!!!!! BOOP!!!!!!!" he shouts before running away.

I was stunned for a few moments before cracking up along with everyone else who witnessed.

This is all to say that while I love this virtual boop button on Tumblr, the one true Boop War in my heart is from January 2017 to April 2018. Tumblr only just getting to our level.

(And, yes, I did tell that friend about this feature. He was as charmed by it as me, and we both agreed how much we missed the Boop War.)

((This is also the same friend whose birthday is two days after mine, so we celebrate OUR birthday on the day in between. We call at least once every year on that day to catch up and reminisce.))

(((He is still in my phone contacts as Boople Snoot, has been for years)))

*((((Edit to add the cut because I wanna pin this and I don't want it crazy long lol))))*

#boop #the boop war #World War Boop #tumblr #april fools #I can't imagine anyone else cares about this as much as me #but this was one of my favorite college memories #and it's relevant today so you know what? I do what I want #and what i want is to type up this super long post about the Boop War

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marblemoonstones · 1 year ago

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🩵 catharsis ~ chapter one

main masterlist

series masterlist

pairing: bts ot7 x reader

genre: collegestudentreader!au

warnings: angst, verbal abuse (shouting/yelling), slight gaslighting??, slight physical abuse (reader gets slapped, doesn’t go into details), f reader, reader has glasses

summary: after a chance encounter with a handsome stranger, you find yourself living with him and his six boyfriends. all of whom are the most kindhearted men you’ve ever met. who will fall first? you or them?

word count: ~1.7k

……………………………………………………………………………………………………………

The weather is perfect; rain. But not the beautiful, slight drizzle with a calming atmosphere.

No, it’s a torrid rainfall. The skies are dark, winds blustery, and there is a harsh downpour.

The weather matches the tension in the air as I storm out of my ex boyfriend’s apartment complex, a suitcase in one hand and my phone in the other.

The problems started about two months ago. I had been dating my now ex for only two months after meeting him on a blind date set up by a friend. After the date went well, me and him exchanged numbers. This led to us talking and then setting up another date. After seeing him for a month, I officially became his girlfriend on Valentine’s Day.

Then from February to June it was perfect. He would take me on romantic dates; restaurant dinners, sunset watching on the beach, a picnic, etc. This was the time I felt truly happy, enjoying every moment together.

It was in mid-May that I moved in with him into his apartment. Now, we could be even closer together and make even more memories. Slow dancing in the kitchen, cooking together, and binge-watching tv dates.

July fifth was the start of the trouble. We were cooking dinner together when I accidentally dropped a plate. It was really no big deal, as we had so many other plates, but he started shouting at me, calling me clumsy and stupid. Afterwords he apologized, and I forgave him.

Then a week later I forgot that we had a date together. I had been with my friends for the afternoon, hanging out and catching up. When I finally decided to look at your phone, I saw that I had thirty-four new messages from my boyfriend and then remembered I had a dinner date. A hasty goodbye to my friends and a quick drive over and I found my angry boyfriend. I was an hour late. The drive home was silent and once we got inside the yelling start again. He called me forgetful and stupid, saying he took time out of his day to see me, but apparently I couldn’t do the same for him. This time hurt more than the last, as I rarely got to see these friends.

There were countless other incidents where he got mad for no reason and yelled at me. Whether calling me lazy or messy, he always used the word stupid.

Who knew a simple word could impact and affect my life so much?

The violence was always verbal, but there were a couple times he slapped me. The sting made my eyes water, and I soon became paranoid; afraid that if I made him angry he would physically hurt me. As much as I tried to control it, he still noticed and was annoyed with me.

The last straw was when he accused me of cheating on him. I had been hanging out with my friend Minyoo, who was a close high school friend of mine. I hadn’t seen him in forever, and we talked and caught up all afternoon. After a warm hug goodbye, we exchanged numbers and promised to keep in touch,

But when I got home, there was my boyfriend, with another unhappy look on his face. I sighed, knowing I did something wrong again.

“What’s wrong?” I ask, already internally bracing myself for the yelling.

“You know what’s wrong! Cheating on me with your so-called ‘friend’?! How could you?! I have been loyal to you, and this is how you repay me?!”

“You know that I would never, ever cheat on you,” I start, but stop when he slams his fists on the coffee table. I don’t continue as I grow fearful of his anger.

“Never cheat? Hah! You’re such a good liar y/n. Always dishonest with me! And you wonder why I get mad! It’s because of you! You make me mad! Why are you so stupid?!”

At that word, I snap, going into the bedroom.

“Hey! Where are you going? I’m not done speaking yet!” I hear him shout from the living room.

After looking in the closet, I find my suitcase and start packing the essentials. By now, he had found me and found out what I was doing.

“Y/n, what are you doing?! Are you seriously thinking about leaving?”

I don’t respond, focusing on stuffing everything I can into my suitcase. After zipping it closed, I grab my phone and roll the suitcase into the living room.

“Y/n!” He grabs my wrist, “ Don’t be so stupid as to leave me! You will regret it!”

I try to rip my wrist from his grasp, and finally succeed.

“Stop it!” I hiss, “Let me go or I will yell for the neighbors.”

The threat seemed to work, my now ex-boyfriend letting me leave the apartment.

As I wander the rainy streets, I let my brain catch up with my actions.

Did I really just break up with my boyfriend?

Will he come after me?

Is it truly my fault?

The last question lingers in my mind.

As I approach a bus stop, I sit down underneath the covered area. Now soaked to the bone, I wonder what my next step should be.

I can’t call my family, as they’re living in the U. S. My friends don’t have any place for me to stay, and I know I don’t have enough money in my suitcase for a hotel room.

I truly have no option left.

The tears come again, and I sit alone on that bench until I hear a voice.

“Excuse me miss, are you alright?”

I look up through my tear-stained glasses to make out a slightly blurred face. A really handsome slightly blurred face.

“Oh,” sniffle, “I’ll be fine in a bit thank you,” sniffle, “Just a mental breakdown you know?” I say, trying to assure the handsome stranger. But it doesn’t seem to work.

“Really? Excuse me if I’m over stepping, but it seems like more than a ‘mental breakdown’ to me,” handsome man says, “You have a suitcase with you. Do you need a place to stay?”

I’m not sure what to say. I need a place desperately, but I don’t trust this man for obvious reasons. First, I literally don’t know anything about him, second, he could be a creep or a serial killer, and third, I literally don’t know anything about him!

Handsome man sees my hesitation and says, “I know, I’m a random stranger. But let me introduce myself. My name is Kim Seokjin, I’m twenty-six years old, and I’m an actor. I live with my six boyfriends, but we have an extra guest room you could stay in. I promise we’re not weird or creepy! But you might be weirded out by my perfect face!” He then winks at me and I laugh through my tears.

“Well, now that you know more about me, will you accept the offer? My boyfriend Yoongi is coming to pick me up, so if you want to you can come today. This rain is no joke!” He says, eagerly waiting my answer.

I quickly consider my choices. Seokjin said that he lives with six other boyfriends, which is a decent amount of people. But he has a guest room. But he could be lying and be creepy. But his eyes are so genuinely excited, so maybe he’s just kind. And I’m out of other options, and there is still about a month until I go back to college and can live in a dorm.

I surprise myself by saying “Yes, I’ll come live with you Seokjin. I’m sorry I’m such a mess, otherwise I wouldn’t accept this offer. But I promise it will only be for a month! I go back to college in a month and then I can live in a dorm so I won’t bother you and your boyfriends and-“

“Calm down. My boyfriends are very nice and don’t care how long you stay! If you could tell me your name though, that would be much appreciated,” Seokjin says with yet another wink.

I blush, I didn’t tell him my name yet!

“Oh, uh, right, my name’s y/n,” I mumble.

“Oh, y/n! Very lovely, just like yourself,” Seokjin says, smiling at me.

I blush even more, but then a car pulls up.

“Ah! This is Yoongi’s car,” Seokjin says, pulling me and my suitcase up to the passenger side of the car, the now light drizzles of rain falling onto our heads.

The window rolls down, and there is yet another handsome man. Of course someone as handsome as Seokjin would have an equally attractive boyfriend.

“Ah, Yoongi! This here is y/n, and she needs a place to stay because…” Seokjin pauses, looking at me, and I realize I never told him the reason why.

“Oh! Um, well, I just broke up with my boyfriend and we were living in his apartment, so…” I trail off, now embarrassed.

‘Yoongi’ just raises his eyebrows and tells Seokjin, “Of course she can come stay with us, but have you told the others yet?”

Seokjin is now the one looking embarrassed.

“I was going to just-“

“Bring her home and not tell the others? You know we have to discuss important things with everyone before making a decision,” Yoongi interrupts, annoyance flashing in his eyes.

Great, now I’m just a problem yet again.

“It’s no big deal, I can just find a hotel or somewhere else to stay,” I start, but get interrupted by Yoongi.

“No, it’s ok. I know Jin-hyung wouldn’t just invite anyone over. I guess it’ll be a surprise to everyone at home,” Yoongi says pointedly at Seokjin.

“Yah! I couldn’t just let her be! She was crying and I knew you guys would be kind enough to let her stay with us!” Jin protests, making Yoongi roll his eyes.

“Whatever Jin-hyung. Just put y/n’s suitcase in the trunk and get in. Y/n, I promise it’s no big deal. We all know the feeling of needing a place to stay, trust me.” Yoongi then gestures for me to get in the backseat.

I open the door and climb in as Seokjin puts my suitcase in the back. After he climbs in the passenger seat, we’re off to their house.

What did I just do?

a/n: kind of a short prologue but i had to have some backstory! hope you enjoyed reading :)

#bts ot7 x reader #bts #ot7 bts #college!au #bts college au #bts ot7 #marblemoonstones

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amelia-sturniolo3 · 3 months ago

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Miserable

My past week has been terrible. Everything went to straight shit after the party last weekend.

One week I've been lying in my bed

One week of laying in my bed, thinking about him.

Him....him is Chris

One week ago i was the happiest i thought i could have ever be. But that's the key word

Thought

But its 4 months exactly that my life completely changed, its like happiness turned its back on me to make my favorite person in life make me want to end it all.

Chris was my favorite person ever. He was so many things to me, he had my whole heart in his hands, but it's like he really did have my heart in his hands and squeezed his hands shut at full force. Chris was my best friend, my boyfriend, the person i thought i would spend the rest of my life with....but i guess not.

3 months ago me and chris got invited to a party, i loved going to party's. So there we were walking into the party, as we walked in the influencers house, i was met with a heavy wiff of weed and alcohol. He met with some friends and I left his side for a while to hang out with mine.

"Chris, I'm going to look for some friends but I'll see you in a bit." I slightly shouted over the music being blasted.

"Okay, please be careful." And with that you walked away to search for your friends.

That brings us to about an hour and a half later, you were almost drunk but not enough to be unaware of anything. You were only saying some weird things from the alcohol you have been drinking.

You have left your friends in search for chris. You walk to the kitchen. Nope. Living room. No. Then to where he was with his friends before, the couch sitting on the outside porch.

You look your eyes around for a bit but you don't see him but you see one of his friends from before.

"Hey, have you seen chris?" You ask with a worried expression on your face.

"Umm yea, he is right there." He says pointing at the 2 people you saw making out on the couch when you first walked out.

You looked over and saw the back if a fluffy brown haired man who looks like chris with a girl you have never seen before. You start to look closer and realize that is chris.

You drop the red solo cup filled with beer in your hand, when it hits the floor chris and the girl stop kissing.

Chris pov (2 minutes before you walked outside)

I am extremely drunk right now. I thought to myself

I felt a tap on my shoulder. I turn around and see a really pretty girl.

"Hey your really cute" she said really straight forward

"Um thanks you too" I said to her

In the span of twenty seconds we were already making out.

During me and this random girls make out i heard a smack of plastic hitting the ground. We stop and i open my eyes to see something that made my heart stop.

Y/n pov

When my cup hit the ground chris looked up and saw me. I didnt even realize i had tears streaming down my face.

Chris' face looked like he just seen a ghost when he was me.

I couldn't stand to be there for any longer. See him with another girl.

So, I ran.

I ran as fast as i could. While running out of the house I heard chris trailing behind me calling out my name.

I made it to the sidewalk outside the house before i felt a familiar hand grasp ahold of me. i dont turn around because I already know who it is.

"Y/n, please just listen" I heard chris pleading for me to listen

"No chris. Stop. You listen. You completely just humiliated me infront of every person in there. I thought you loved me..." I say but whispering at the last part.

I just wanted to go home. Laying my bed. Under the covers. And cry. Cry until i couldn't anymore.

"No no no no i do love you i love you with my whole heart. I dont know what i was thinking in there kissing that other girl-" Chris got cut off by me pushing him away from me.

"Chris I don't wanna here your excuses! We are done!" And that leads us to now. Laying in my bed, miserable.

should i make a part 2? -A (:

#chris sturniolo #sturniolo triplets #sturniolo fanfic #matt sturniolo #nick sturniolo #angst #breakup #heartbreak #you broke my heart #feelings #christopher sturniolo #chris x reader #chris sturiolo fanfic #chris sturniolo x reader #chris sturniolo x you

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girldragongizzard · 3 months ago

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Chapter 7: Mine

I just want to find some kind of stability.

Second to being a dragon, it’s been my top priority since I became an adult. Possibly longer, if I admit some things about my childhood.

But now I’m wondering again if I can even consider myself an adult anymore. I feel like I’m going through a second adolescence with all this learning I’m doing getting used to a new body. And as I don’t know what the lifespan of dragons can be, I don’t know what constitutes maturity for a dragon. Am I going to live only another five to ten years, or is it going to be centuries, or what?

But if I’m going to spend every day of my life stressed out that another dragon is going to enter my turf, I’m not sure I want even a year of it. And if humanity is ultimately going to object to our presence, it’ll be even worse.

It’s so bizarre, though.

I’ve always known I wasn’t human. I’ve known I was a dragon since I was nine. And, if you’d ever asked me if I was treated as human before, I would have said, “no.” I was never treated the same as anyone else, and rarely considered for anything. I was so isolated because of it, too. And I’d joke that it was because people could tell I was really a dragon.

And I know there are other people who’ve experienced that who aren’t necessarily dragons. I almost found myself identifying as autistic after reading some #actuallyautistic blogs, but I could never really make it fully click for me.

But, here, on my fifth day of being out as a dragon, the fifth day post metamorphosis, I’m being treated more like a fellow human being by the people I know than I have ever been.

It’s as if now that everything about me fits right, they can make sense of me and relax in my presence. And some of them want to be friends.

And now that I have that, I want more of it, and I don’t want to lose it.

But, then Kim gets really big eyes and asks in haunted tones, “What if another dragon tries to walk into the shop while you’re here?”

I hang my head.

I really don’t want to answer that question. But I’m also pretty sure she��s already come to the correct conclusion, and that’s why she’s asking it in the first place. If my apartment gets destroyed in a surprise challenge from another dragon, and I can’t help myself to shout at another dragon who’s flying across the damn bay, a mile or so away, what is going to happen if another dragon walks into the cafe while I’m here?

I say, “I drink outside.” And then I start to stand up and move around the table to head to the door, leaving Rhoda’s phone and my drink on the table.

If someone wants to bring the dregs of my drink out for me, I won’t complain, but I was mostly done with it. I think I mostly want water right now, and I can get that from my apartment sink.

“Hold up,” Kimberly says, then asks, “Are we really worried about that?”

I glance at her over my shoulder with my left eye, and then tilt my head toward the door, before proceeding to it.

I hook my left claw around the handle, and then push the thumb latch down with my nose, and pull it open.

“Meg!” Rhoda calls after me.

I want to tell them all it’s OK, but I already tried to do that a couple different ways. One with a different set of words and one with gestures. I’m determined, not glum. I’m going to do the right thing for them, and I’ll guard this place in plain sight.

That way, if another dragon challenges me, I can make them take it to the street or even further away from people.

And I’m happy with that decision, I just probably don’t look like it.

I hear Rhoda say, “You all got a really big bowl for water?”

Ah, why is she always thinking of me like that? Especially after transfixing her with the two police officers last night.

I really need to think of a way to repay her.

I don’t know how I could.

There are three round black metal grate tables outside the shop along the south set of windows. They each have two chairs on either side of them. So, I go to the nearest one and grab one of the chairs with my mouth and drag it over to the next table, taking the time to position it nicely for whoever decides to sit there. Then I go back to the spot where the chair was and settle down on my haunches.

And then I notice that it’s Chapman standing on the corner of the street, watching me do this!

I was expecting hir much later today! Sie works, and sie should be at work.

But, when we make eye contact sie rushes over to my table and pauses at the chair, gesturing at it and raising hir eyebrows.

Their presence and mannerisms excite me so much!

I’m a Tumblr user. I know what a monster fucker is. I sort of used to think I was one, though it never really made sense to identify with the term when I also knew that I was a monster. My jury is still out on Chapman, though. We haven’t talked about it, and I know sie’s an autistic with a strong special interest. Sie’s in love with the idea of dragons, and I know how that feels. Though, my own interest was fueled by the euphoria of self recognition.

But the emotions and the thought prompt me to visualize having sex with hir, and I find myself repulsed.

OK. So, either I’m not sexually attracted to humans or I’m not sexually attracted to Chapman, and what I’m feeling is the limerence of a new friendship with someone really cool. Or.

Maybe it’s just not mating season.

I decide to ignore that last thought and just gesture at the chair with my nose and then look at Chapman again.

Sie sits and leans forward, “I was hoping you would be here. I brought something for you!”

Then sie rummages in hir purse, which is cylindrical and decorated to look like a hot rod wheel, complete with chrome hubcap. Today, sie’s wearing a faux tuxedo print T-shirt and a hot pink floofy skirt with fishnets and Doc Martens. Sie dresses like sie’s in hir early twenties, if sie were straight and cis, but I learned yesterday that sie’s in hir mid 40s. And sie has a decent job at one of the last local print shops, working prepress.

“Here!” sie exclaims, and pulls out a ratty oblong booklet that’s bound with a single O-ring rivet in the corner.

It says “Coated Pantone Color Matching Chart” on it, and it’s pretty thick.

Chapman lays it on the table and spreads it out as widely as possible, focusing on the first third of the booklet.

“I want to know if you can see the same colors you used to!” sie grins. “We know you can see more, because you can see thermals. That’s infrared, and I don’t have access to anything scientific for testing for that, only, like, a space heater or something. But, this should give us a good idea of what your human visual range is like.” Sie taps the spread of swatches and says, “If any two of the colors look the same to you, it means you’ve lost some range! Oh. Unless you were colorblind before. Huh.”

I briefly turn my head to the side to indicate I don’t think I was colorblind, and assume sie understands that. Then I give the swatches a good long look.

And at first I think I haven’t lost any colors at all. Almost all of the swatches I currently see are very different from each other.

But I do notice that two of them toward the center of the book are more close to each other than I think they should be. They’re greens. I tap them with my claw.

“Really,” Chapman says, and then spreads the center third of the booklet out for me.

It almost all green. And almost all the same color of green. I wish I could describe this to Chapman, but all I can do is gesture with my claw across the whole spectrum.

“Those are all the same?” sie asks.

I tilt my head up.

“Where’s your tablet,” sie asks.

I look up in the direction of my apartment, which is a view that is occluded by the presence of a big red painted iron awning. Still, Chapman had to have seen the destruction and caution signs from across the street while approaching the building.

“Oh, shit,” sie says.

I bob my head once.

“OK, now how about this third?” sie asks, and spreads out the rest of the booklet.

There’s more green there than I expect, and those greens are very similar, but the rest are very easily discernible. So, I point at the greens.

“Fascinating!” Chapman leans in and looks closely. “I wish I could see what you’re seeing! So, are these colors really easy for your to tell apart?” Sie gestures at the sets of blues and glowing indigos near the end of the book.

I tilt my head up sharply and add a cat smile.

“Oh! Oh,” sie scoots hir chair in a bit in excitement and then flaps hir hands, grinning. “Have you looked at any flowers lately?”

I tilt my head sideways.

“Ultraviolet,” sie says. “Flowers have a whole bunch of markings that are only visible in the ultraviolet range, and a lot of insects and some birds, I think, can see them. I think you’re missing your green cones, and I’m wondering if you’ve got both infrared and ultraviolet to compensate. Or, you’re missing your greens because you have those. I’m not sure I’m getting the biology right, but you know what I mean.”

I, myself, know just enough about biology that I’m aware that humans don’t have green receptors in their eyes, either. But I can’t tell Chapman that. But I also totally get what sie is saying. Maybe the cones in my eyes are spread out on a wider spectrum of color, at the expense of losing some detail in the middle range.

I look around to see if there are any flowers anywhere.

And I remember there’s a flower box right in front of the shop’s sign, behind Chapman and out of my site. So I hold up a claw and then get up and amble over there to take a good look at them.

I never really paid attention to flowers before, so I don’t really know what any given flower is supposed to look like to human eyes. I’m not familiar with them. But I’m pretty sure I’ve never seen any of them glow indigo in broad daylight before. These ones have stripes and patches that do.

Now that I think about it, I look around at the rest of the world.

There are actually quite a few things that have this sheen to them. Details here and there. A person walks by in bicycle shorts that are solid ultraviolet to my eyes, almost white with the color. And it isn’t like the world is suddenly all like this now.

This is what I’ve been seeing for the past four and a half days, but I just wasn’t paying it any mind.

It’s so weird! Why didn’t I notice this right away?

Chapman watches my head twitch this way and that as I look at different things in wonder.

“The whole world look different now?” sie asks. “You didn’t notice this before?”

I look at them then bob my head three times. It feels so good to do that, I bob it a couple more times.

“Really,” sie says. Sie seems to think about that for a moment, and then gets a delighted look on hir face. “It’s like the Colorblind Painter in An Anthropologist on Mars! By Oliver Sacks! This guy suddenly went completely colorblind and didn’t notice! He ran a red light because of it. But he was a painter, and he had to relearn how to paint, too. What happened was that part of his brain stopped working the way it used to, and even though his eyes kept picking up the same wavelengths they always did, his brain stopped interpreting them as color. But he didn’t notice at first! That’s the thing. It took him talking to Oliver Sacks about it to come to the realization that everything was in grayscale now. I think the same kind of thing is happening to you.”

I tilt my head and then bob it again.

I feel like that makes so much sense, and fits into just about everything else I’m experiencing. I’m also wondering if it explains something about why most people are reacting the way they are to us dragons.

Which. OK, with the head bobbing thing. I know that people see it as like nodding, though it looks pretty different. But, to me it’s a stim. It feels like a reflex for some other purpose. But I know how humans see it. So, occasionally I’m starting to use it to mean “yes”, but I’m also using it to feel better when I’m nervous or startled. And I’ve done it a lot more than I’m making note of, too.

People are generally reacting very positively to me, but I think there is some miscommunication going on all the same.

I’m doing my best, and so far it seems to be working out OK.

Anyway, that’s just another example of how different my neurology is now. But also, when I think about it, it was kind of different before, too. Like, there were layers. Everything I’m doing now as a dragon just feels so natural, and I remember doing some of it when I was younger and not yet transformed. But, I didn’t see in dragon colors just a week ago. Not that I know of. I did have phantom limbs of my wings and tail, but I didn’t have those limbs nor the nerves going to them. And I did have at least some human reflexes and instincts. Or, at least, five decades of learned behavior to imitate them.

I huff, which I guess is my kind of sigh now, and start ambling back toward the table.

Which is when Rhoda finally comes out carrying a new drink for herself and juggling her cane and the door. Kimberly is right behind her with a huge metal bowl full of water.

“Oh, hey, Chapman!” Kimberly says.

“Hi,” Chapman says.

“May I join you two?” Rhoda asks.

In answer, I go to the chair I already moved, and move it back to our table, placing it on the side facing the window, back to the street, between Chapman and where I’ll sit. Then I reposition myself to my spot.

As Rhoda sits down, Kimberly delivers my water, and puts it on the table.

“I’m sorry I took so long,” Rhoda says. “I wanted to get a new drink and talk to the Kims about something.”

Kimberly puts a hand on my right wing-shoulder, which is the closest thing to a human-like shoulder I have, and says, “You’re our dragon. We’ve got your back, OK? When you need to move, we’ll get a party together to help you.”

I have to say, I’m bewildered by this. I was not expecting anyone to say anything like that to me.

Rhoda adds, “I’m going to go up to the campus library and see if there are any geological maps of the area. Maybe we can find a good cave or something for you, if you want that.”

Oh, I feel like that’s a big assumption on her part. I appreciate the sentiment, but… I don’t remember saying I wanted a cave, myself, even though the thought did occur to me. And, now that I’m thinking about it.

Now that I’m thinking about it, I really don’t want to move.

This coffee shop is mine.

And so is the building it’s in. It’s my mountain. And downtown is my hunting ground.

And my apartment is my cave.

And with Kimberly basically declaring fealty to me, I can’t leave.

I look around at everyone and even glance into the cafe at the other customers.

These are my humans.

#writeblr #original fiction #dragon #serial fiction #transformation #transgender

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thetargaryenbride · 2 years ago

Text

Nail To The Coffin - S3 - Chapter 3

Warnings: none

Pairing: Steve Harrington x f!Byers!Reader

Word Count: 6469

A.N: Hello, dearest readers. This chapter is a bit different than the rest because there is no Y/N. Instead, we'll be focusing on Eddie and the others going on a goose chase. From this chapter on, Eddie plays a big role and you'll see him much more. I hope that's compensation for his absence in the season 2 plotline haha Also, I've tweaked the canon a bit regarding Eddie's knowledge and you'll find out what I mean soon enough. As always, please do make me know if I’ve written certain characters OOC and if you think there is something that can be corrected within the story. Thank you for reading. Hope you like it! 🖤 🥀

Masterlist || Chapter 2 || Chapter 4

Early Next Morning

“Harrington!” yelled Eddie as he pushed his way through the group of kids to get to the counter, eliciting all kinds of looks and reactions.

“Hey! There’s a line, you stinky jerk!” snapped Erika and he whirled to send her a nasty look before focusing back on Robin who was looking weirdly at him.

“Where’s Harrington?” he asked urgently and she shrugged.

“Somewhere in the mall,” she answered. “Why are you looking for-“

Before she could finish the sentence, Eddie was already sprinting away, leaving her and the group of kids confused as they looked after his retreating form.

He darted from one place to another, checking every store, every restroom, the escalators, and the benches, but he couldn’t find Steve anywhere, and his nerves were pulled as tight as guitar strings on the verge of snapping.

And then they did snap.

“Steve Harrington!” he cupped his hands around his mouth and shouted at the top of his lungs, making people around him cease what they were doing and look at him oddly. He heaved as he lifted a hand apologetically.

“Jesus, what is wrong with you?” sounded Steve’s voice from behind him and he turned to see the boy he had been desperately searching for since stepping into the mall come from behind a big potted plant.

The people had resumed whatever they were doing prior to Eddie’s unhinged episode and he had to make his way through the crowd, with everyone throwing him looks to which he could only respond with a tight awkward smile, as he bypassed them while marching over to Steve.

“We need to talk,” grit out the boy as he grabbed Steve by the arm and began dragging him away.

“Hey, wait for me!” called Dustin as he followed them and Eddie turned to look at him and then back at Steve.

“Who was this kid again?”

“Uh, don’t you remember? It’s Henderson. He’s a friend of mine and Y/N’s,” reminded him Steve as if it was the most obvious thing in the world and Eddie let out an ‘aha’ as his mind went back to before Christmas when you had hosted that gathering and he had gotten to meet your friends.

Fortunately or unfortunately, Eddie hadn’t gotten the chance to hang out with the middle-schoolers after that because he had been busy with his own things but he did remember Dustin and how they had talked about Dungeons and Dragons. He thought that maybe he could recruit him into Hellfire Club once the kid gets to high school.

“Yes! So whatever you have to say to him, you’re saying it to me too,” added the boy and Eddie had to physically slap his cheeks to get off this train of thought and get back on the main topic at hand which elicited weird looks from Dustin and Steve.

“Alright. Alright, fine,” he let out a sharp exhale, nodding in agreement.

“Is it-is it something important? Is it about Y/N?” asked Steve quietly and Eddie hummed.

“Mmhm.”

Steve gulped before wriggling himself out of Eddie’s grasp and taking the lead. “Then follow me back to Scoops Ahoy. We can talk there.”

The trio walked briskly towards the ice cream parlor and ignored the questioning looks Robin threw them as they walked past her and into the staff room at the back.

“What is it? What’s wrong with Y/N?” stammered out Steve nervously and Eddie rubbed his face.

“I think she, uh,” cleared his throat the boy as he looked between Dustin and Steve a couple of times, evidently contemplating on whether he should speak his mind or not. “I think she went to…my drug dealer’s house,” he stuttered, “and stole all of his stash,” he blurted out and Steve and Dustin’s eyes widened in shock.

“What?”

“D-drugs!” stammered Dustin as he looked at Eddie in disbelief. “Holy-“

“He called me yesterday evening and told me someone broke into his house. They didn’t steal any money. Just the drugs,” explained Eddie. “Mind you, there are some people who know about him but none of them have disappeared mysteriously a-and Y/N hasn’t shown up since the other night, right?”

“Yeah, but that’s weird,” said Steve as he put his hands on his hips and Eddie lifted a quizzical brow. “I went to her house yesterday morning and yes, she was still gone and I was mad worried but Mrs. Byers said that apparently she got a call from a friend the night before and went to help them. It was an emergency, she said. So how could she be the one to have broken into your dealer’s house and stolen his stash?”

“I don’t know, Steve, maybe that was just an excuse,” offered Eddie and Steve glared at him.

“Okay, hold on for a moment there Munson, are you kidding me right now? Do you seriously believe that Y/N, our Y/N, is someone who would break into a person’s house and steal from them? Much less drugs!?” Steve exclaimed scandalously.

“I’m just trying to see things from all sides, alright!?” snapped the boy as he lifted his hands in surrender and the other sighed in exasperation. Dustin looked between the teens, still in utter bewilderment, as he tried to process the whole situation – particularly the drug part. “And you didn’t think to go check again after work yesterday, Steve?” asked Eddie with an accusatory tone and Steve looked at him in distress.

“First of all, Mrs. Byers promised to call me if Y/N came back home so I decided to come back to work. Second of all,” he gesticulated with one hand. “She didn’t call me for the rest of the day and of course, I got worried and went to the Byers after work! But Y/N was still not there. I spoke to Mrs. Byers, to Jonathan, to Will. We’re all concerned, ok? We decided to go look for her if she doesn’t appear today. Why-why are you blaming this on me!?” bit out the boy as he pointed to himself. “Where were you yesterday evening, huh? Why didn’t you come tell me about this immediately after you got the call?”

“Because I was this close to becoming dead meat!” barked out Eddie. “I had to go to Rick and convince him I had nothing to do with the stolen drugs. Do you’ve any idea how long it took me to deal with this jackass?”

“Alright, you two, calm down! Jesus!” exclaimed Dustin while he extended his arms towards the two older boys as if he was trying to placate two aggressive animals. “I have a plan,” he said and the two looked down at him. “Why don’t you, and I mean Eddie,” he turned to look and point at the boy in question, “go to the Byers and check if Y/N hasn’t returned by any chance? Did it occur to you that maybe you’re just overreacting and jumping to stupid conclusions and maybe she just had to do something important and simply forgot to call you? Shit like that happens, okay?” he shrugged and gesticulated, scrunching up his face, as if stating the most obvious thing. “Calm the f down! Go look for her and call us here,” suggested the boy and Steve whirled to fully face him.

“No way! I’m not staying here. I’m going with him!”

“Steve, you have to help us with the Russians! You can’t just bail!” he yelled in disbelief and Eddie’s eyebrows shot to his hairline.

“Russians?”

“Dude, Y/N is my girlfriend!” snapped Steve. “I’m not gonna stay here while he goes out there to look for her!”

“Hold on, care to tell me what Russians are you guys talking about?” asked Eddie in utter confusion and Dustin let out a sigh.

“We intercepted a secret, coded Russian communication, and now we’re trying to crack said code because we believe they are right here and are planning to do who knows what that will definitely, potentially harm everyone in Hawkins, and who knows, maybe in the whole damn country! So maybe, just maybe, you can go out there, find Y/N, bring her in here, so we can all go stop the evil commies!“ Dustin hit one hand against the other aggressively as he shouted the last words and the two teens could only look at him, frozen on their spots with Steve shaking his head lightly, face distorting into one of displeasure at the way Dustin had revealed everything.

Eddie was the first who snapped out of the stupor as he turned to face Steve. “Care to tell me just what the hell-“

“It’s all true, dude. Yeah, I know it’s hard to believe but, here we are,” exhaled heavily the boy as he threw his arm in the air before dropping it down in defeat.

“Okay, this is officially the strangest summer I’ve ever had in my life,” Eddie’s hand went down his face, rubbing his chin as he took a minute to think everything through and let it all sink in and process in his brain.

“Tell me about it,” muttered Steve as he looked at the tiled floor, hands on hips.

The three spent some time dwelling in silence and thinking before Eddie grabbed Steve by the arm and pulled him forward. “Come with me,” he said, now a bit more calmly, and began dragging the boy a bit further away from Dustin. “Look, stay with the kid, ok? You know better than anyone what’s going on here and… you’re good with that kinda hero stuff. I’ll just…I’ll just freak out and run away, okay? I’m not good at all that,” admitted the boy ashamedly and Steve looked at him with sympathy. “Besides, he doesn’t know me that well and… now he knows I deal with drugs. He’s not gonna trust me. But you two seem close. You can’t leave him all alone.”

“But Y/N-“

“I’ll go to the Byers. I’ll go check if she’s there and I’ll call you, ok?” he placed a hand on Steve’s shoulder and squeezed. “Maybe Dustin is right and we’re just overreacting and jumping to conclusions. Let’s not panic… Trust me.”

The boy didn’t look convinced at all, his eyes darting between Eddie’s and the wall before he finally nodded.

“Alright…I trust you.”

As much as it pained him and as much as he wanted to bolt out of the mall and go look for you, Eddie and Dustin had a point. So he chose to put his trust in the boy.

But he silently made a promise that if you were indeed missing, he’d abandon everything he was doing to help you because you mattered to him more than any country or person in the world did.

A bit after Eddie leaves

“Hey, kid,” called out Robin and Dustin turned to look at her, taking a few steps closer. “What’s wrong with dingus over there?” she asked as she nodded in Steve’s direction who was sitting at one of the tables, leg bouncing nervously, fingers drumming against the wooden surface while the binoculars were abandoned on the table, away from him.

“He’s just worried about Y/N.”

“Why? Did something happen to her?” she furrowed her brows in concern and Dustin shrugged.

“We honestly have no idea. She stood Steve up the other night and hasn’t appeared since. I mean it’s been a day and a half so I get why he and Eddie are freaking out.”

“Jesus, you guys really think you’re the center of the world, don’t you?” she rolled her eyes and Steve looked at her over his shoulder, scrunching up his face in a “seriously?” manner and she lifted a brow at that. “You do realize that the world does not revolve around men, as much as you want it to, right? She may have wanted to spend some alone time, do some self-care, away from everyone.”

“No, I understand if she wants to do that but she’d tell her close people first,” said Steve as he stood up and approached the two. “After everything that her family went through with Will vanishing and the attacks, she always tells her mom if she’d be going somewhere for a longer period of time. Otherwise, there’s chaos, I’m telling you,” sighed the boy as he put a hand on his hip while the other ran through his hair, and Robin folded her lips, not knowing what to say to this.

“You know what, I’m going after Eddie,” Steve said suddenly before heading for the staff backroom to change out of his uniform and Robin and Dustin shared an incredulous look before following the boy.

“You can’t just abandon us like that!” exclaimed Dustin and Robin crossed her arms.

“You’re the one who started this whole investigation. You can’t back out and leave all the work to us two,” she reprimanded him and he furrowed his eyebrows.

“Well I’m sorry to break it to you but if you haven’t understood yet, Y/N is most probably missing and I’m not sitting here while Munson is out there looking for her alone. I don’t care about the Russians or whatever plans they may have! Okay!? All I care about right now is that my girlfriend is somewhere out there, missing, and I’m sitting here playing spy when I should be looking for her! Do you understand?” he yelled which silenced the two and sent them into a stupor as they stared at the boy who was breathing heavily, eyes filled with mad panic, face twisted in a sorrowful expression as stress oozed off him in waves.

They have never seen him in such a distressed state. He lifted a hand, tightening his lips, before dropping it back down in defeat as he looked at the two in utter despair and shame. Shame because he should have gone to look for you much earlier. “I should have gone out there immediately after-“

The ringing of a phone cut him off mid-sentence and Steve darted towards it like a lightning bolt, yanking the device and putting it to his ear.

“Eddie, what did you-”

“Steve?”

“…Y/N?”

Eddie was pissed and worried beyond belief.

He had gone to your house but not only did he not find you, he did not find anyone. It was empty and your whole family was nowhere to be found. He had gone to a phone booth immediately after and had called Scoops Ahoy but nobody had picked up.

“Damn it!” he slammed the phone shut as he ran his hands through his hair and let out a sharp sigh of frustration before rushing back into his van and driving away.

He checked every friend’s house he could think of.

He went to Tina’s, to Lorelei’s, to Margot’s, he visited each cheerleader’s house in search of you, and he even went to check the homes of his own friends – Gareth and Jeff – but there was no sign of you. It’s like you got swallowed by quicksand.

He grumbled under his breath as he parked at the last house he could think of – the Hargroves.

Now, he wasn’t sure if he could call you and Billy the best of friends. But he had seen you hang out at school and at the diner you worked at, and he had seen the way you put effort into communicating with the boy. He had seen you hang out with Billy’s sister on many occasions so the siblings were the last idea of connection to you he could think of.

His eyebrows furrowed in confusion, however, when he saw two girls walking to the front door, one of which he recognized as Billy’s sister. He quickly got out of the van and yelled at them to wait up, making them stop in their tracks and turn to see who was calling them. He ran to them and greeted them awkwardly.

“Uh, hey there. My name’s-“

“Eddie?” Max’s face lit up with recognition. “You are… one of Y/N’s best friends,” she snapped her fingers and the other girl let out a prolonged, quiet ‘Oh’.

“Yes, that’s right! And you are…Max,” he pointed and she nodded, making him look at the other girl. “And you?”

“Uhm, El. My name’s El,” she smiled.

“Nice to meet you! Um, I have a question that’s probably gonna sound like, super weird, but,” he drawled. “Have you seen Y/N, by any chance?”

“Y/N? I haven’t seen her since the other day when we went to see Dustin,” said Max with furrowed eyebrows as she and Eleven shared a look of confusion.

“Why are you looking for her?”

“Because no one has seen her since the other day. Not me, not Steve, not even her family,” he finally revealed and the two girls frowned in concern, eyes widening.

“You don’t think he-“ gasped Max quietly as she snapped to look at El, her heartbeat increasing rapidly.

“But what if he did,” the girls talked hushed amongst themselves and Eddie tightened his lips before snapping his fingers.

“Hey! Care to share with the class?” he asked as he crossed his arms.

“Hold on!” exclaimed Eleven before taking Max by the hand and dragging her away, leaving the boy to sink in confusion, patience wearing thin as he began pacing in front of the entrance of the house, untangling one arm and propping it on top of the other so his fingers could take a strand of hair and play with it nervously as anxiety gnawed on him.

“What do we do?” asked Max quietly and El gulped. “Should we tell him to leave? That we know nothing?”

“Maybe we should tell him about Billy.”

“Tell him what exactly? That we somehow suspect Billy might have done something to this girl and Y/N?” whisper-shouted the redhead.

“This is not a coincidence, Max. Maybe Billy really did hurt this girl and Y/N. Maybe Eddie can help. We need help,” stated Eleven worriedly and Max sighed, rubbing her forehead in frustration and worry.

“Well, I… guess we can…trust him. He’s one of Y/N’s best friends. And he’s older so…maybe he can be of use,” she admitted after a minute of contemplating and El nodded.

“Yes.”

“But what do we say? How do we explain our suspicions? We can’t tell him we found out because of your powers,” scowled Max.

“We’ll just say,” drawled El. “That Billy was acting weird, then he disappeared, and then the girls went missing right after, so we suspect him.”

“Ok…ok, sounds like a plan,” nodded Max in agreement but deep inside she felt a horrible, unsettling feeling suffocate her. Her gut twisted and cramped as if someone continuously delivered punches to it.

It didn’t sit well with her that she and Eleven were suspecting Billy of something so horrible. He was a jerk, yes, but he wasn’t a kidnapper and a murderer.

On the contrary, he was beginning to change and it was visible. If she had to be honest, she really appreciated his efforts and she was beginning to fill with hope for the future – that maybe he could really become a better person and that the two of them could build a good brother-sister relationship.

She didn‘t want to believe in what El had seen last night. She refused to believe that Billy has reverted into something so low and horrible. She really wanted to convince herself that it was just some misunderstanding. But even she had to admit that there was something off to the whole story because Billy did sort of disappear. She hadn’t seen him at all in the past two days. Then Eleven had seen him standing above a wailing girl, and just now they found out that you had disappeared out of the blue two days ago.

It was too strange to be just a coincidence.

So at least for now, she decided to believe in Eleven and choose to put her brother as the main suspect even if it pained her to do so.

“We need to tell you something,” let out Eleven unsurely, interrupting Eddie’s pacing and getting his full attention.

“So, the great council did decide to fill me in,” he joked a bit, hoping to diffuse the tension and the two girls shared a look before leading him inside the house and telling him about their suspicions.

“Look, Mayfield, if your brother really ends up having something to do with the disappearance of Y/N and this other girl, I’m gonna enjoy watching Harrington beat his ass, ok? I might even join and lend him a hand,” commented Eddie offhandedly as Max opened the door of Billy’s room.

“Yeah, and I won’t stop you,” she muttered as she and the others entered the room and looked around. “Why do I get the feeling we’re gonna find all kinds of wrong in here?”

“Well, at least he has good taste in music,” Eddie let out a breathy chuckle as his eyes shot to the stereo which was playing metal, nodding impressed.

“Ugh! Gag me with a spoon!” exclaimed Max in disgust after opening a drawer filled with adult magazines and Eddie strolled to look over her shoulder, eyebrows shooting to his hairline as a smirk grew on his face. It faltered when Max’s disgusted, unimpressed look shifted onto him and he cleared his throat, moving away awkwardly.

Everyone moved to the bathroom then, taking notice of all the packs of ice in the bathtub after El had pulled the curtain.

“Max?”

“Ice. It’s just ice,” she said as she grabbed and lifted one of the floating, empty packages. “Probably for his muscles or something. He works out like a maniac.”

“Does he get hurt often?” inquired Eddie which drew the girls’ attention and they looked around to see him pointing at the cabinet under the sink which had blood smeared on it.

Eddie didn’t hesitate to yank open the cabinet and rummage through it, taking out the bin and slamming it on the counter, aggressively pulling out a couple of scrunched-up papers, a bloodied lifeguard whistle, and a fanny bag.

Eleven and Max’s blood ran cold.

Eddie left the objects on the counter and returned to Billy’s room, breathing heavily through his nose as he tried to contain his anger and growing worry while opening all kinds of drawers, cabinets, and doors to look for any other evidence. While he was rummaging through one of the bedside cabinets, he noticed a pair of jeans thrown haphazardly on the bed, with something in them that was shining on the light. He lifted the piece of clothing and inspected it, at first thinking the glint he saw was just the metal buttons and zipper but then he noticed that something was dangling from the pocket.

“What’s this?” he asked and Max furrowed her brows.

“His jeans?”

“No…this?” he clarified when he pulled out the glinting object and dangled it in front of the girls, their eyes widening. “Look familiar?” he asked but the question was rhetorical, leaving the girls to simmer in speechless silence and disbelief.

Because it was your necklace.

“I’m gonna kill him!” snapped Eddie as he threw the jeans away and bolted towards the door, clutching the necklace tightly in his fist as hot rage built up inside him.

“No! Wait! Eddie, wait!” yelled Max as she blocked his way and put her hands against his chest in an attempt at stopping him from going further. “Let’s be rational! We can’t jump to conclusions!”

“Rational? Conclusions!? What are you, blind? What more evidence do you need?” he bit out as he grabbed her by the arm. “I’m going to find the son of a bitch and I’m gonna bust his face.”

“Eddie!”

And suddenly, he couldn’t move. He tried his best to pull all his muscles and take a step but it felt like an invisible power was keeping him in place. He was barely able to shift his head, eyes widening when they landed on Eleven who was looking at him with panic in her eyes and a bleeding nose.

“What the hell?”

Eddie had fallen into a state of complete and utter shock when the girls had to begrudgingly tell him all about Eleven’s powers, Hawkins Lab, The Upside Down, and everything that had happened during the last two years.

“You’ve got to be kidding me,” is what he had said after they had finished the whole story but then Eleven had used her powers to lift a can of coke in the air and crush it, causing some of the liquid to sprinkle onto Eddie. He sputtered as he wiped it off his face and looked on with wide eyes. “Alright, maybe I’m just high,” he had lifted his hands in defeat, eyes wide and brain going haywire, but then he had remembered that he hadn’t taken any drugs in the past twenty-four hours or so.

All in all, it had been quite the experience learning all this.

He thought he was going crazy at first or that the girls were just pulling a massive prank on him but at one point, things began making too much sense.

Your mysterious injuries every year for example.

Will’s vanishing.

You telling him “Once Will comes back home, we’ll spend more time together” right after you had buried ‘him’.

He had begun putting two and two together and their story had become more and more plausible by the second.

“Understand? We can’t go running like headless chicken and jump everyone we suspect. We have to be careful about this,” said Max and he nodded.

“Y-yeah.”

And now the trio found themselves at Hawkins’ pool. It was pouring rain outside and the sound of thunder rumbled throughout the darkening, cloudy sky. Max and Eleven pulled down the hoods of their raincoats while Eddie used his leather jacket to cover his head. He shook the clothing off the water droplets and tied it around his hips before his hands flew to muss up his hair to get rid of the moisture and then straighten it out.

“Excuse me.”

“No one in the water until thirty minutes after the last strike,” said one of the lifeguards casually as he chewed on his gum and browsed through a magazine, not even sparing them a look. “And don’t try and argue with me. You wanna get electrocuted, go climb a tree.”

“Yeah, we don’t care. We’re not here to swim,” sassed Max. “Or get electrocuted.”

“We found this,” added Eleven as she pulled out the lifeguard first aid kit fanny bag which finally made the guy look up.

“Does that belong to anybody here?”

“Oh, yeah. That’s Heather’s. I’ll get it back to her.”

“We could give it back to her.”

“You could, ‘cept she’s not here. Bailed on me today,” drawled the boy and the trio shared a look. “What is this? You guys want a reward or something?”

“No. We’re just being good Samaritans,” smiled Max tightly and the girl lifeguard shot her a look that made her scrunch up her face while Eddie curled up his lip.

The two’s attention shifted onto Eleven, however, when they noticed she wasn’t standing by their side anymore, and they followed her to the staff board where pictures of all lifeguards were hung on.

“Heather…Do you think you could find her and Y/N?” asked Max and Eddie’s eyes widened.

“She can do that too!?” he asked excitedly and Max hummed. “That’s soo cool! You’re like, a real-life Jean Gray!”

“So you’re saying she needs some kinda static sound to get her into this state?” asked Eddie after he and Max had turned on all the showers in the dressing room and she nodded. “Ok, then why not just go outside? I mean it’s raining and all.”

“Because she needs to focus properly and there are cars and people passing by outside, causing extra noise.”

“So-“

“Please, be quiet,” sighed sharply Eleven, and Eddie made a zipper motion with his hand over his mouth and plopped on the ground, crossing his legs and propping his elbows on his thighs, using his palms to rest his chin on.

She tied a cloth around her eyes and concentrated, easily falling into a meditative state and sooner rather than later she found herself in the familiar Void, looking for clues about the missing girl.

“What do you see?” asked Max after some time passed.

“A door… a red door.”

There was silence for a while as the two watched Eleven intently, perking up when her breathing began increasing.

“What is it?” asked Max tensely.

“She disappeared! She-she…was pulled underwater,” whined the girl and Max put a hand on her shoulder.

“It’s ok. We’re here. You’re ok… Try to focus on Y/N now,” encouraged her the redhead and Eleven tried to calm herself, taking a few deep breaths, before painting your image in her head.

And then you appeared in front of her.

You were sitting on the ground, rocking back and forth, creamy dress stained with dirt, hair a bit damp and messy.

She gulped as she took a few steps forward and circled you, coming to stand in front of you and get a better look. Her eyes widened when she saw how pale you were and how bloodshot your eyes were, holding heavy bags and dark circles. Your hand trembled a bit as you scratched the crook of your arm. She heard shuffling and whimpering and watched you turn your head to look at the source, lifting a finger to your mouth.

El furrowed her eyebrows in confusion before crouching next to you and reaching out for you, touching your shoulder.

Suddenly, your head snapped to look at her and she almost fell back in shock.

“El?” you breathed out and she gulped, eyes widening in stupor. “El!” you shouted as you crawled towards her but just like Heather, something pulled you under the watery surface and she could only watch you scream as you got dragged further and further down while pointlessly trying to grab your hand and pull you out.

“Y/N!” she yelled as she tried to reach for you but you were long gone and she let out a sharp gasp when she exited the Void and harshly pulled the blindfold down, making Max and Eddie stand on edge.

“What happened? El! What did you see?”

She could only pant as she tried regaining her bearings and fight back the welling of tears.

“I-I saw Y/N on the floor,” she stuttered out after she calmed a bit a minute later. “She…didn’t look well…She was…dirty and shaking and scared.”

“Where was she?” asked Eddie urgently and she shook her head.

“I don’t know…I couldn’t see…But there were some other voices I could hear. And…it looked like she was telling the people to keep quiet,” gulped the girl unsettled and Max and Eddie shared a look.

It felt like this left them with more questions than answers.

By the time they left the pool, it was already dark as evening had descended upon them.

Eddie had tried dialing Scoops Ahoy one more time but once again nobody picked up and he was going to pull out his hair from the way stress was escalating.

They had absolutely no idea where to begin looking for you so they decided to go to the place El had seen, hoping to find clues there before informing anyone else of their discoveries.

“Is this it?” asked Max as they looked through the windows of Eddie’s van and El nodded.

“Yes…It’s the same number I saw.”

“C’mon, c’mon!” ushered them Eddie as he got out of the vehicle and held his leather jacket above his head, the trio quickly running to the porch of the house.

The door was locked so Eleven had to use her powers and unlock it from the inside, letting it creak open and allowing them to enter. They slowly walked down the hallway, eyes widening when they saw multiple portraits of Heather and who they supposed were her parents.

“This is her house…It’s Heather’s house.”

They had expected to find an empty, dark house but instead were greeted by the sound of light music, laughter, chatter, and the shocking scene of no other than Billy himself, sitting at the table alongside Heather’s parents.

“Isn’t that cute, huh?” they heard the boy laugh and they approached a bit more, drawing the attention of the occupants. “Max?” Billy’s grin faltered a bit when he saw her and the others and they looked awkwardly at each of the adults.

“We didn’t mean to…barge in,” she tried to explain. “We tried to knock but… maybe you didn’t hear us over the storm.”

“I’m sorry, who is this dripping all over my living room right now?” asked Tom agitated and Billy finished chewing his bite before letting out a charming chuckle.

“I’m sorry. Janet, Tom, this is my sister, Maxine,” he introduced her before standing up and nearing the girl. “What on Earth are you doing here? Is something wrong?” he asked and maybe for the first time ever he sounded genuine, making Max blink and look in confusion.

“We just wanted to make sure everything was ok.”

“Ok? Why wouldn’t it be ok?” asked the boy with furrowed eyebrows and Eddie snorted.

“C’mon, man, don’t play around. Where are they?” he bit out and Billy glared at him.

“I’m sorry? Where is who?”

“Well, they’re a little burnt, I’m sorry,” came in Heather’s voice and everyone snapped to look at her in shock. She appeared to be perfectly normal as she entered the room, happily carrying a tray of cookies. She halted in her words and steps once she saw the trio.

“Heather! This is my sister, Maxine,” he introduced once again as he pointed at the girl before tucking his hands in front of him. “And, I’m sorry but I didn’t quite catch your name,” he turned to the other girl as he spoke but there was something biting in his tone that one could catch onto only if they listened close enough.

“El,” she responded flatly.

“El,” he repeated, eyes not leaving hers until Eddie stood in front of her, gaining his attention. “And you were…the Munson boy…Care to tell me just what are you doing with these two? They don’t look like the typical people you surround yourself with,” he asked with a tight smile and Eddie returned the hostile energy.

“I don’t know, man, maybe I happened to stumble upon your sister and El who were dead worried about our mutual best friend going M.I.A,” he said tersely. “And Max just happened to find her necklace in your room,” he whispered the last part and Billy’s expression fell.

“You went through my stuff?” he asked quietly as he looked at Max and she paled, eyes darting between Eddie and Billy. She was put in a tight spot and she wanted to gut Eddie for throwing her under the bus like that but she understood why he said what he said because it would’ve been even worse if Billy learned that all three of them had snooped through his stuff.

“I just wanted to turn off the music because you had forgotten the stereo on and it was distracting,” she stammered out a plausible reason. “I just saw it on the floor and we were wondering if you had seen her because we haven’t in the past days and we got worried.”

“Yes, I did see her,” Billy’s smile melted back into a charming one instead of a menacing one as he looked at each of the trio. “We met two days ago to discuss something. I can’t tell you much other than she’s planning a big surprise for everyone. She had to skip to Indianapolis to get some stuff and yes, she did drop her necklace and I picked it up,” he explained way too easily and crafted, making Eddie narrow his eyes unbelievingly.

“Oh…I see,” muttered Max as she sent him an awkward smile.

“And why didn’t she tell any of us that she was leaving town for a while?” snorted Eddie and Billy’s charming smile faltered, eyes hardening.

“I don’t know,” he accentuated every word as he stared unblinkingly at Eddie. “I don’t believe that I’m the person you should be asking this. Why don’t you ask her once she comes back?”

“Yeah…yeah, we’ll do that,” interrupted Max after picking on the rising tension and grabbed Eddie’s wrist warningly. “We’re sorry to bother you,” she apologized as she tried to take a step backward but Eleven moved from behind her and Eddie and came to stand between them, looking at Heather.

“But, I thought I saw-“

“-your manager. At the pool,” Max was quick to fill in the sentence with a smile. “He said you guys didn’t come in to work today so we got worried about you too,” she wormed her way through the situation and Billy hummed.

“Heather wasn’t feeling so hot today, so we thought we’d take the day off to nurse her back to health,” explained the boy with a tight grin. “But you’re feeling just fine right now, aren’t you Heather?” he asked as he turned to look at her and she nodded enthusiastically.

“I’m feeling so much better! Do you guys want a cookie? They’re fresh out of the oven,” she smiled as she offered them a treat and they all shook their heads simultaneously.

“Nope! No, thanks,” exclaimed Eddie as he waved and threw his hands in the air. “We, should keep our figures in check! Hah,” he let out a laugh as his lips twitched into a fake grin as he pointed at his body and put a hand over his stomach before he waved at the family and whirled around, walking briskly out of the house. He had seen too many horror movies and he was accepting no cookies from strangers ever in his life.

The girls apologized once again before bidding the others goodbye and following Eddie out of the house and into the van.

“I don’t know about you but I’m not very convinced,” grunted Eddie as he struggled to put on his belt and turn on the vehicle.

“I don’t know…it seemed plausible to me,” muttered Max as she stared out the window at the house.

“But then what was it that El saw? Y/N? The people with her? And did you see Hargrove’s expression and the way he spoke?” growled Eddie.

“He’s always like that. He has an asshole voice and intimidating expressions,” tried to explain Max.

Everything seemed to fit and everything Billy had said seemed very reasonable.

But somehow Eddie wasn’t fully convinced.

#stranger things x reader #stranger things #stranger things fanfiction #stranger things reader insert #steve x reader #steve harrington x reader #steve harrington fanfic #eddie munson x reader #eddie x reader #eddie munson fanfic #billy hargove x reader #hopper x reader #will byers x reader #jonathan byers x reader #reader insert #reader

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themultifandomgal · 1 year ago

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Tyler Hoechlin- Our Love

Comic Con 2011 Panel Interview

July 2011

After doing press interviews I stand nervously next to Tyler waiting to be introduced for our comic con panel. Not only am I nervous for my first ever interview/panel, we also are a fairly new TV show so there may not be many people here. We only have a few episodes left for season 1 to air now

"You ok?" Tyler asks giving me a little smile wrapping one arm around my waist and giving me a hug

"Just nervous"

"You'll be fine. Your sat next to me so if you are asked something and your unsure just give me a nudge"

"Thanks"

"I'd like to get started and introduce the moderator for the panel Deborah Birnbaum the editor in-chief for TV Guid Magazine" Justin Levy announces through the microphone. Deborah walks on the stage to the microphone. She then starts introducing us all

"Creator and executive producer Jeff Davis, director and co executive producer Russell Mulcahy, my favourite shirtless wonder Tyler Hoechlin, the girl with the comebacks YN YLN..." I sit next to Tyler while Deborah calls out everyone else's names "you guys bought Teen Wolf to comic con last year how is it different this year?"

"Well last year no one knew us" Posey says into his mic he's sharing with Crystal

"I feel like last time people were mad we were remaking the movie" Tyler says "and now it's like Teen Wolf!"

"YN this is your first comic con, you didn't come last year so how are you finding it?" Deborah asks me. I lean over to Tyler who moves the mic a little closer to me

"Errm it's crazy. These guys have been so excited while I've been a nervous wreck not knowing what to expect, but everyone has just been so lovely and it's been great to meet everyone who's supporting the show"

"Love you!" someone in the crowd shouts

"We love you" Posey shouts back

"It's just on huge love fest" Holland chuckles

"Ok let's go down the line. Favourite episode, favourite scene"

"It's upcoming. I can't say my favourite scene yet but err I think episode 10 is my favourite” Jeff says

“Errm I think show just accelerates and episodes 11 will send tingles up your spine”

“My favourite episode so far was episode 3, the fight scene with me and Tyler, I do also like episode 9” Tyler says

“YN?”

“Ooo I did like that episode, mainly the err no fit scene that just cracked me up, but my favourite so far hasn’t aired yet so I can’t say to much, but it’s episode 12. It’s just jam packed in that episode it’s a rollercoaster” the others start to tell there favourite episodes and scenes, while I mainly listen but every time Tyler moves next to me I can feel his body touching mine in some way, wether that’s his arm touching mine or his thigh touching mine which keeps distracting me.

Jeff talks a bit about the knowledge of werewolves. Deborah asks some more questions that the others answer then it’s back to me

“YN what’s going on between Stella and Derek?”

“Errr” I laugh trying to think of an answer where it doesn’t give anything away “you know, Derek and Stella are best friends, they’ve been through a lot and will carry on to do so”

“We can see the tension between the pair, so will we be getting any Derella kiss scenes? The fans want to know if Derek and Stella will date” I look at Tyler to answer this question

“I guess you’ll have to watch more episodes to find out”

“You know it’s so hard to not give away spoilers because we all know what’s coming up. We know how the season ends and it’s so hard to sit here and answer the questions without giving anything away” I say laughing

“We want the spoilers” Deborah says

“I don’t want to loose my job” I reply looking at Jeff and Russel

“Ok but surely you can talk about off set. What’s that like for you guys?”

“We’re like a huge family” Colten says “we all genuinely like each other and hang out”

“Normally we are over at YN’s place. Especially for watch parties” Dylan looks over at me

“Me, YN and Crystal take turns in buying coffee in the morning for each other. Like Colten said we really are just a big family” since we can hold hands or act in a relationship Tyler subtly places his pinkie over mine behind our name cards.

“Alright Mr Hoechlin, Miss YLN, are your characters bad guys? We see Derek doing some not so great things and Estella just goes along with it”

“Kinda” Tyler replies but looks at me I shrug smiling at him

“Do they want to protect Scott or have they got their own agenda”

“Erm Derek is definitely trying to protect Scott but does have his own motivation”

“For me I don’t see them as the quote on quote enemy’s or anything. Derek wants something and Stella being his friend wants to help. Both have their reasons for why they do what they do but I do think they both want to help Scott”

“Derek doesn’t seem to like Stiles very much, yet Stella and Stiles get on so well”

“I think part of the reason that Derek doesn’t like Stiles is because he and Stella are so alike with the witty banter, I think Derek just has enough of them sometimes” I laugh “and I think Stiles isn’t a fan of Derek for the same reason”

“So it’s Stella’s fault?”

“Kinda I guess”

“Ok I have 1 more Derek and Stella question. Derek seems to have a past with Alison’s aunt Kate and Stella probably hates Kate the most out of everyone. What can you tell us about that?” I look at Tyler and give him a nudge to tell him to answer the question because I’m scared I might spoil it

“Errm I can tell you that you’ll learn about all of that in the next couple of episodes”

We finish up the panel and go for food before heading to more interviews that we have to do. I sit down on the couch with Tyler, both of us eating our food

“So when are you guys going to tell the public?” Holland asks sitting opposite

“Why?”

“Well your not very subtle in the way you look at each other”

“Or the sneaky touches” Colten joins Holland

“Are we really that obvious?” I ask earning a nod from both Holland and Colten

“I guess we will have to tell them eventually but right now I think we’re fine in our little bubble” Tyler says placing an arm over my shoulders

“Well you may want to look on Twitter. Fans are speculating and shipping you guys” Holland holds out her phone, Tyler just shrugs his shoulders

“Let them. Creates some buzz for the show” I roll my eyes taking Hollands phone

“Ok they aren’t that bad. Maybe we just need to be more careful”

#teen wolf cast #teen wolf imagine #teen wolf comic con #teen wolf packs #teen wolf #teen wolf actress #tyler hoechlin x reader #tyler hoechlin imagine #tyler hoechlin

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walkingintheheartbreaksatellite · 2 years ago

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Flicker Chapter 4- Bend The Rules

THIS CHAPTER CONTAINS SMUT. PROCEED WITH CAUTION.

February 1st, 2023 3:00pm

After a long day, especially since I started at 3:30am to do a session with Joshua, since they had a 72 hour stretch at the hospital they're interning at, I'm finally on my way home.

My drive home is short and uneventful, though I am ever so impatient at every red light I hit. After about the 4th red light, I'm hit with a bit of luck and I make it home in about 5 minutes and score a spot in the garage since I'm the first one home.

I park my car and get out, grabbing my backpack and my water bottle before closing the door and locking my car. I enter the house through the garage door and walk through the hallway and into the living room, finding Zach on the couch.

His eyes tear away from the tv and find me, causing him to raise a brow.

"What are you doing home so early?"

I scoff and I shake my head before turning my heel to walk into the kitchen, only for Zach to follow me. I stand at the sink, rinsing out my water bottle before I dry my hands and my eyes meet Zach's stern expression. I sigh and shake my head.

"Give it up Zach. I'm almost 21, I pay rent and I can come and go as I please. I don't have to tell you what I'm doing."

His eyes widen and his mouth drops.

"W-well yeah I know that, but Jenny mentioned that you were going out.. And I guess I just got a little hurt that you told her and not me.. I thought I was your best friend..."

I groan and walk away from the sink, slowly approaching Zach, who has his arms crossed with an unmistakable frown on his face. I pull him into a side hug and he leans his head on mine.

"You know, I would tell you but you hate when I talk about Niall. And that's who I'm gonna be with."

Zach groans in annoyance and lifts his head before he lightly pushes me away and I scoff.

"You know, you're being a real dick. That's exactly why I didn't tell you. You can't fucking stand that I'm seeing someone and you're not!"

His face reddens in anger and he shouts.

"That's not it! I couldn't give two fucks! But he is nine years older than you, Emily! Nine! And not only that, but he's a celebrity! You know, I've sat down and actually googled all the women he dated! You're not enough for him! Sooner or later, he's gonna cheat on you! I'm just trying to protect you!"

I gasp, absolutely struck by the words that just left his mouth. Tears threaten to spill from my eyes and I turn my back to him.

"You know Zach... You're not my mom and you're not my dad. And right now? I don't even know if you're my friend.."

With that, I quietly make my way up the stairs to my room and open my door, retreating inside, despite hearing Zach shouting my name. I shut the door and lay my back against it, tears slowly falling down my cheeks.

I sniffle and wipe the tears off my cheeks before I walk over to my closet.

He said cute and comfy, that could be anything.

I pull out a Green sleeveless top with matching pants and my White Nike platforms.

I quickly change and tie up my hair before doing a small bit of make up and then quickly pack a bag. I only pack general stuff that I would use; night dress, cute outfit for the next day, extra undergarments and my toiletries and chargers.

I zip up my duffel bag and just as I pick it up, my phone starts to ring. I look down at the name and I smile. Niall.

'Cause nobody knows you baby the way I do And nobody loves you baby the way I do It's been so long, it's been so long Maybe you-

"How is it you always seem to call when I need to hear your voice the most?"

He laughs through the phone.

"Well I suppose it's a good thing I'm in yer drive, now isn't it?"

I giggle and smile.

"I'll be right out."

He says okay and I hang up. I grab my purse off my bed and sling it on my shoulder before making my way to my bedroom door and opening it. I quietly leave my room, closing the door behind me. I make my way down the stairs and just as I reach the front door, I find Zach yet again.

He sees me and opens his mouth and I hold my hand up.

"No. We'll talk when I come home. But until then, I don't want to hear a word from you. Unless someone has died, you will leave me the fuck alone. Are we clear?"

He rolls his eyes but he nods. I take that as an opportunity to leave and I quickly open the door and close it behind me, locking it. I walk down the pavement and see Niall's Range sitting in the otherwise empty driveway.

The driver door opens and out steps Niall. Before I can think, I drop my bags and run into his open arms. I try my best to hold back my tears as he wraps his arms around my waist and lifts me off the ground, ever so slightly.

I bury my head in his chest and sniffle and he starts to rub my back with one hand. I pull away a little and look up at him. He sets me down and wipes my tears away with his now free hand.

"I know yer not cryin like this 'cause ya missed me. What's up, what's got ya upset, Petal?"

I sniffle and shake my head.

"It's stupid. Just got into a dumb fight with Zach, guess I'm just super emotional today."

"It's not dumb, Em. Yer obviously upset about it. Ya wanna talk about it? Ya don't have t' hold it in with me, ya know that, right?"

I smile lightly and sniffle as I nod.

"I know, Ni. It was just dumb and I'm just being moody today. I promise, there's nothing to worry about. I'm feeling much better now that you're here."

He smiles and leans in, pressing a kiss to my forehead. I giggle and hug him again. He wraps his arms around my waist and pulls me in close.

"I missed ya. I mean I know it's only been a few days but I've been really lookin forward t' seeing ya again."

I blush and lean in, placing a soft kiss on his lips. I move to pull away and he pulls me back, kissing me deeply. I sigh into the kiss and I feel him smile before he lets up a little, pecking my lips a few more times before pulling away completely, leaving me a blushing mess.

We laugh and he lets go of my waist and instead takes one of my hands in his and laces our fingers together. We walk over to my bags that I had dropped and Niall bends down, grabbing my duffle bag while I grab my backpack and sling it on my shoulder.

He opens the back of his Rover and we put my bags in alongside his. He closes the back and we get in and get buckled. He starts the car and I turn to him.

"So do I get to know where we're going?"

He laughs as he begins to pull out of the driveway.

"Now why would I do that? Yer reaction is gonna be priceless when we get there. And I like teasin' ya."

I fold my arms and pout a little.

"That's mean, Niall."

He laughs again, shaking his head with his eyes remaining on the road.

"You'll live. Just trust me, Em. It'll be worth it when we get there. But I promise, yer gonna like it. Ya trust me, don't ya?"

The car comes to a stop as we hit a red light and Niall turns to me slightly. I sigh and smile before I nod. He smiles and the light turns green and we begin to move again.

After about an hour and a half of Niall driving as we talk, he reaches into the center console and hands me something. A tie. I raise an eyebrow and he chuckles.

"Just put it on, Petal. I'll even do it for ya."

I nod, a little hesitant. He smiles and unfolds the tie before he raises it to my eyes and then ties it around my head and I'm left without sight. I bite my lip, still hesitant. All I can hear is the clicking of the seatbelt and the door opening and closing before the passenger door opens and I'm exposed to the chilly February air.

I hear another click of the seatbelt as Niall reaches over me, unbuckling my seatbelt before he pulls it off of me. I clutch my purse in one hand and I feel Niall take the other.

"Alright pretty girl, I'm gonna get ya out now, 'kay? Just hold on t' me.."

I nod, biting my lip a little harder. I turn in my seat so I'm facing Niall and he wraps an arm around my waist before he slowly pulls me out of the car and sets me down. He moves me away from the door and closes it before the car beeps, signaling it being locked.

I feel Niall take my hand again and he laces his fingers through mine and he begins to slowly guide me.

"Ya doin' okay, Em? Yer shakin a little..."

I feel him step and he pulls me up on what I believe to be sidewalk and I slowly nod.

"Y-yeah... Just feel a little off since, you know, I can't see?"

He chuckles and squeezes my hand as he continues to guide me. After about a good minute, we come to a stop and Niall takes my other hand in his.

"Well guess what? Ya did it. Ya ready t' see where we are?"

I nod rapidly and Niall laughs. I hear him take a few steps and suddenly I feel his breath on my neck. He unties the tie and lowers it before he folds it back up and tucks it into his pocket. I look up in front of my and I gasp, my eyes widening.

In front of me in a very large set of letters that are lit, spelling out 'Happy Birthday Harry'. I turn to face Niall, my mouth still gaping.

"Are we really-"

He nods with a wide smile on his face, and I close my mouth, though it widens.

"At Harry's birthday show? Yes, yes we are."

I throw myself at him and he catches me as he laughs. My arms wrap around his neck and his hands rest at my waist.

"I totally forgot about it! Niall, this is amazing, really."

He smiles and gives me a small kiss.

"Ya glad I left it as a surprise, then?"

I giggle and nod before leaning in to peck his lips and he smiles. He then taps my waist with a few fingers and I pull away to see him smiling.

"How about we head inside, Em?"

I smile and nod. He lets me go, though a hand is still holding mine. He leads us through the grounds to a back entrance and he knocks on the door.

It opens a minute later to reveal a tall man.

Niall's POV I knock on the door, just as I had discussed with Jeff. It opens about a minute later to reveal Jeff, who smiles when he sees me.

"There you are! I was starting to get worried! And this is your-"

I blush and interrupt him.

"My friend, yeah. Jeff, this is Emily. And sorry we're late. Got a little stuck in traffic."

"Glad to put a face to a name. Nice to meet you, Emily! I'm Jeff Azoff."

She smiles and they shake hands. He smiles and pushes the door open all the way. He then pulls out something from his back pocket: 2 backstage passes. He then hands them to me with a smile.

We all walk in and Emily and I begin to follow Jeff.

"H was so excited when he found out you were coming. He tried waiting to say hello but he had to get ready."

I nod and I feel Emily jog to my side and grab my hand, lacing her fingers through mine. I smile at her and she returns it, her ocean blue eyes twinkling as she does so. We follow Jeff for another minute or so until we come to a stop.

He turns to face use and smiles.

"There's a table over there with snacks and drinks. I have to go get something but I'll be right back."

We nod and he walks off. I take one of the backstage passes and place it around Emily's neck before I put on my own. Her phone starts to go off and instead of looking at it, she pulls it out and turns off the ringer and hits ignore on what appears to be a phone call. She tucks it back into her purse and her hand takes mine again.

Jeff comes back holding a basket and he sets it down at a small, nearby table.

"H wanted to gift you guys some stuff. When I mentioned you were coming, he wanted to make sure you both had something as a welcome gift. Enjoy, and let me know if you guys need anything! I'll be around."

We nod and he walks off, leaving us alone. I open my mouth to say something but before I can, I hear a mic come on and see Harry's opener on stage. We decide to get something to eat so we head over to the snack table.

Emily takes a plate and starts to pick up food and put it on the plate.

"So how was work? I don't think I asked ya, yet."

She gives me a wide smile and her eyes sparkle.

"Oh my god it was amazing! You know those two projects I was hoping to get?"

I smile and nod.

"That directing role and the role for that sequel?"

She nods as she finishes putting food on her plate. I quickly make myself one and we make our way to the small table with our basket on it and we sit down.

"Well... they gave me Banana Fish! So I get to start on that! And I got a role for that sequel-"

My eyes widen and I can't help but smile.

"Emily! That's amazing! I'm so-"

She snorts and shakes her head.

"You're so cute! But you didn't let me finish!"

I cover my mouth with my hand and she giggles.

"I got a lead role! One of the very few!"

I remove my hand from my mouth and stand up. I move over to where she's sitting and she looks up at me. I put my hands on her waist and lift her up into my arms, hugging her tight as she laughs.

"I'm so fuckin' proud of you, Petal! I knew you'd get it"

She laughs and wraps her arms around my neck, hugging me back. I give her another tight squeeze before I set her down, though my arms stay around her waist and hers around my neck.

I lean down and press my lips to hers. She sighs and smiles into the kiss and I pull her closer. We pull away after a minute or so, leaving her a blushing mess. I smile and squeeze her again and she giggles.

"If this is how you're gonna react every time I have good news, then I could definitely get used to it!"

We laugh and suddenly I hear her stomach growl, which causes her to blush.

"Have ya eaten at all, today?"

She just shrugs.

"A little? I've had a couple cups of coffee and a granola bar from a vending machine..."

I frown, saddened from what I just heard.

"That's it? Em, why didn't ya eat?"

She only shrugs again and looks away from me.

"I was just busy. I went to bed late and I had to wake up really early. I ended up oversleeping and didn't really have time for much."

I frown more and bite my lip, but she looks back up at me.

"But I promise, I'm fine! I'll eat what I got just now and it'll hold me off until we get something later! Okay?"

I sigh and nod, causing her to smile.

"Sit down and eat, Petal. I'm gonna look through what Harold gave us."

She nods and I let her go, allowing her to sit down and she digs into her plate. I remain standing as I begin to dig through the fairly large basket.

She finishes her plate and stands up but I catch her before she can, lightly pushing her back into the chair.

"Niall-"

I shake my head and crouch onto my knees a little to meet her height. I lay my hand on top of hers and look into her eyes.

"Petal, we both know that wasn't enough. It's gonna be a long while until we can get something more filling, how about you have my plate too? I ate breakfast and lunch so I'm-"

Before I can finish, my stomach growls and she laughs.

"Fine. But how about we share it? Or are you going to deny what we both just heard?"

I laugh and shake my head, giving in. I stand up and sit in my own chair, opposite to her. We eat and chat until we clean the plate.

"Oh, did ya want t' see what Harry left fer ya?"

Her eyes widen.

"F-for me?"

I nod with a smile and stand up.

"Yeah. He said he was excited t' meet ya."

She blushes.

"How do you know that?"

I blush and look down at the note that was in the basket.

Niall, thanks for coming! Can't wait to see you! And can't wait to meet your girl! ;) Hope you both enjoy! -H x

"He just... wrote a note. Nothing bad..."

She smirks and walks over to me and tries to peak over my shoulder but I quickly tuck the note into my pocket.

"Just a note, I'm sure."

She laughs and I shake my head.

"If ya don't stop bein mean t' me, I'm gonna sell yer stuff online."

She snorts and shakes her head. I smile and shuffle through the basket, pulling out what was meant for her: a Soup Crewneck, a few keychains and a makeup bag. I hold them out to her and her eyes widen a little and she hesitantly takes everything from me, making me laugh.

"This was from Harry? I'll definitely have to thank him if we see him."

I smile and nod.

"Our crewnecks match as well as our keychains, but you got the makeup bag and I got a water bottle."

She smiles and nods. She puts her things back in the basket and holds her arms out to me, quietly asking for a hug. I smile and pull her into my arms, holding her close. I feel her sigh in my arms and I start to rub her back.

"Ya sure yer okay, Em? I know ya said ya were but-"

Before I can finish, I hear the opening to a song and the screaming of fans starts. I turn my head to see the band on the stage before turning my attention back to Emily.

"We should head over there, sound good?"

She nods with a smile. I let go of her waist and take her hand in mine, lacing our fingers together. We walk closer to the barrier, closer to the stage and we stand next to Jeff.

My hand leaves Emily's and instead, I wrap my arm around her waist before resting it on her hip and she leans into me with a smile. Jeff turns to us with a smile.

"So is this your first concert Emily?"

She smiles and shakes her head.

"Not my first, but it is my first time seeing Harry! I tried a couple times during his residencies but I work a lot and couldn't get away."

He nods.

"And what do you do?"

She bites her lip before answering.

"Um I'm a voice actor. I direct too, but it's all mostly anime, though I have worked on other projects outside of Funimation and Crunchyroll."

I smile and squeeze her side and kiss the side of her head.

"She does voices fer video games too! And she's gotten t' work with a lot of famous people! Mark Hamill, Patrick Stump and even Steve Carell."

Jeff's eyes widen and Emily laughs.

"Okay I told you about Patrick, but how did you did you know about the other two? My mother doesn't even know that!"

We all laugh and I shrug. And then her face pales.

"You didn't watch the Killing Joke, did you? Or the Rise of Gru?"

I bite my lip but I nod.

"I watched the Killing Joke... that was interesting. I did not watch the Rise of Gru, but ya did mention that you and Kellen were extras in that."

I can feel the goosebumps on her arm.

"The Killing Joke... now that was dark. Five Nights at Freddy's doesn't give me the creeps like that did... Eugh!"

We all laugh and turn our attention to the stage, to see Harry coming up from the platform. The show starts and from the corner of my eye, I can see Em mouthing the lyrics to every song he's sang so far, which makes me smile.

Looking at this girl at my side... I can't stand to be away from her. Every second I spend with her just feels so full of light and happiness. She finds joy in the simpler things in life and she works hard, doing what she loves. I love being around her... and I need her to know that...

The next song starts and I take the opportunity to pull at her waist and pull her in front of me, wrapping my arms around her. She looks up at me a little and smiles as we begin to sway to the song. She's nodding her head a bit to the song and I bite my lip.

"I'd walk through fire for you, just let me adore you!"

Fuck it.

I lean my head down a little to her ear and whisper to her.

"Will you be mine to adore, Emily?"

I feel her body stiffen and I let her go. She turns around and I see tears threatening to spill.

"A-are you asking me what I think you're asking?"

I bite my lip and nod.

"Will ya? Be my girlfriend?"

Her face softens and tears begin to spill down her cheeks.

"Yes, of course I will. I'd love to be your girlfriend."

I smile and she wraps her arms around my neck while I wrap mine around her waist. I lean down and meet her lips in a kiss. She sighs into the kiss and I pull her closer. Our lips move in sync until we finally pull away, out of breath.

I rest my forehead against hers, a smile never leaving my face. I hug her one last time before lifting my head. She turns back around, though she places her hands on top of mine, which now rest on her stomach.

We dance, laugh and sing along for the rest of the show until Jeff taps on my shoulder and leads us to a room way backstage. He opens the door, allowing Emily and I to walk in while he remains in the doorway, his hand on the knob.

"You guys can hang out here. H and the band will be here in just a few minutes."

We nod and I pull her over to one of the couches and take a seat, with Em taking the open spot next to me. I lay my hand, palm side up, on her knee. She smiles and places her hand on top of mine before she laces her fingers through mine. I turn to her and peck her cheek, causing her cheeks to tint and her smile to grow.

"Did ya have fun, Em?"

She opens her mouth and begins to speak but pauses when the door begins to open. In walks Harry, followed by a few members of his band. I let go of Emily's hand and stand up, and she follows my lead, standing up as well.

Harry smiles when he sees me and he walks over to me with his arms open and I meet him in a hug.

"Nialler!"

"Harry!"

We hug and pat each others backs until we pull away and his attention turns to Em, who's looking down at the ground, her hands behind her back and biting her lip.

Awe, my girl. She must be really nervous.

I walk over to her and wrap an arm around her waist before I peck her cheek in an attempt to ease her nerves. She looks up at me and purses her lips but gives me a small smile before nodding. I smile and guide her over to where Harry is standing, my hand on the small of her back.

"Harry, this is Emily, my girlfriend. Em, well of course ya know who he is."

Emily's POV

"Harry, this is Emily, my girlfriend. Em, well of course ya know who he is."

I really shouldn't be this nervous but my heart won't stop pounding. Harry Styles is standing in front of me. And he knows my name. What has my life come to?! Calm yourself! He's Niall's friend for goodness sake! If you can be normal around Niall, YOUR BOYFRIEND, then you can be normal around Harry.

I take a deep breath before holding my hand out to Harry.

"It's so nice to finally meet you! Niall has told me so much about you! Oh, and Happy Birthday!"

He flashes a smile at me and instead of shaking my hand, he pulls me into a hug. I gasp a little out of surprise but I quickly return his hug. We hug for a minute until I finally pull away, Harry still smiling.

"Thank you! And it's so great t' finally meet you! Niall hasn't stopped talking about you since y' both met! Although he won't tell me how..."

I blush and laugh a little as Niall throws his head back in laughter before he wraps an arm around my waist and pulls me close to him.

"Now that's because it's funnier t' say in person! She was actually-"

I blush and lightly elbow him in the side. He looks down at me and I stick my lip out in a pout.

"Niall! Don't you dare! It's embarrassing! Seriously?"

He nods as he flashes me a pearly smile. Harry motions over to the large couch that was behind us and we all take a seat as the rest of Harry's band comes in and takes an open seat wherever.

Niall opens his mouth to unfortunately continue on with his story when I hear a gasp and our attention turns to Sarah, Harry's drummer.

"Oh my god! You're.. you're Emily Hoffman!"

Oh my god. Sarah Jones knows who I am?! What?!

I blush and nod and she smiles, grinning from ear to ear!

"I love watching your work! Your vocal range is amazing!"

I blush even more and send her a small smile.

"Thank you! That's so sweet of you to say! I'm really honored that you know who I am!"

I see Mitch laugh and shake his head.

"Are you kidding me? She watches every one of your streams and scarily enough, could probably answer personal questions about you."

We all laugh and Niall raises a brow, making me shrug.

"I mean I'm pretty much an open book. Between panels, streams, and conventions in general, things just kind of come out. And I don't like to shut up, hence why voice acting is probably the best job for me!"

We all laugh again and Sarah leans a little in her seat.

"Honestly though, I didn't know you were a fan of H for the longest time! Not until Ian posted that TikTok!"

I raise an eyebrow.

"Ian? What did he post?"

Her eyes light up and she quickly pulls out her phone and pulls up a video. We all look at her phone to the video playing and my heart drops. The video playing is of my reaction to Harry's House, more specifically, Matilda, the day of the album release.

At that time, I was at a convention with Ian, Monica, Mike, Chris Sabat and Luci. We were all in the green room when I got a notification of the album release, as I had not really been on my phone much that day.

That was also back when I was getting a lot of hate. Many got angry and began to start accounts dedicated to hating me, all because I was constantly smiling. While I share a lot with fans and friends, my smile is sincere and I'm not being fake. But the hate... it really hit hard. They were relentless and eventually it grew hard to ignore.

In the video, you can hear Matilda playing and I let out a loud sob as Luci held me, comforting me as a mother would. My sobs only get louder and all I want to do is hide.

"I... didn't know he posted that. God I need to get after him for that. That's so embarrassing!"

I try to laugh it off and Sarah smiles, shaking her head.

"It was sweet. He posted a little message with it."

She taps her phone a few times before she turns it back around, showing me the screen.

@iansinclairvo Not many know this, but this girl is a warrior. She has feelings like anyone else and while she may smile and mean it, she cries and she has felt pain like any other human. Please show her some kindness. We all love her very much, and we hope you will love her as much as we do!

I tear up and my lip begins to quiver. Niall wraps his arm around my shoulders and he begins to rub my shoulder before he kisses the side of my head.

"I-I didn't realize he was recording... Or that he even posted that."

The room is quiet for a second before Harry speaks up.

"What happened? If y' don't mind me asking?"

I take a deep breath before I proceed.

"Um... at that time? I was getting a lot of hate on social media... People said I was faking everything and they would always say 'what's she got to be happy about' or 'no one is ever that happy unless they did something'. I thought it was dumb. Until they started getting worse."

I take a shaky breath in before I begin again.

"I was happy. I never faked that. I've been through a lot, and that's probably why hearing Matilda made me cry so much... But that's the one thing I won't really talk about in public. But that pain doesn't define me, and I haven't let it, despite everything. And some people just don't like to see others happy."

I hear sniffles and look up to see tears in Sarah's eyes. I stand up and walk over to her before I pull her into a hug. She sniffles and returns my hug and I sigh.

"Please don't cry Sarah, really. It's not worth it. They were just looking to hurt someone's feelings and they picked the one that looked like a weak little girl. I've moved past that and I don't let them upset me anymore."

She pulls away and shakes her head.

"Ts not okay! You're so young! And you've never done anything! I've followed your career for years and you've always been one of my favorite voice actors... You're so kind to everyone you meet and you make each person feel like they're the center of the universe! Everyone loves you! So I just don't-"

Mitch lays a hand on her shoulder and she looks up, still sniffling. I smile and place a hand on top of hers.

"You know why I do that? I don't want anyone to feel left out. No one should feel like that. Every single person I meet becomes important to me. Whether they become a constant in my life or not. I promise, you don't have to be upset. That's long since passed, and now we're here! Each day brings so many new possibilities, there's no need to dwell on the past. So don't waste your tears on those dummies."

She sniffles and nods and I smile. I pay her hand and then make my way back to where I was sitting, resuming my nonchalant cuddle with Niall. He smiles when he sees me sit down and he holds me close. It's quiet for a minute before Harry speaks up.

"So that's why y' were crying during Matilda. Jeffery mentioned he saw y' tear up and I was curious. But we're very glad t' have you here, Emily."

I smile at him and he smiles back. Niall squeezes my hip before he chimes in.

"Now who wants t' hear how we met?"

Everyone laughs and I try and hide my face in his chest.

"Alright so-"

————————————————————————

No one can stop laughing and my face is probably as red as a tomato.

Harry finally stops laughing enough to ask a question.

"So wait... You didn't realize who Niall was until the next day? How?!"

I shrug and blush, laughing lightly.

"I was pretty buzzed and I guess my brain wasn't working right. Which is pretty funny since the last song I had played on my phone had been one of Niall's and I had literally just seen his face. But my brain only said: Look! A hot guy! Try not to embarrass yourself! Which obviously, that didn't work."

Everyone laughs and Sarah shakes her head.

"I still can't get over the fact that you have Zach's ringtone set as a One Direction song and it happened to play in front of Niall!"

I shrug and laugh.

"Well, that was definitely something. I've honestly had that set forever though. It annoys him so I strive to do it more. And in my defense, he seems to hate Temporary Fix the most, no idea why, it's an amazing song-"

Niall tips a pretend hat on his head and we all laugh.

"But it's almost like I had to set it. He's tried to change it multiple times and I always change it back."

Everyone laughs again.

"What's my ringtone, Petal? Just curious."

I blush and bite my lip.

"Um... Well your text tone is Love At First Sight by the Brobecks. And you're ringtone? It's um... It's Fireproof."

I blush and everyone laughs.

"Hey! Sue me! It's a good song! What about you then, mister? What did you set mine as?"

I raise one of my brows with a wicked smile and everyone laughs. Niall kisses my cheek and pulls out his phone. He pulls open my contact and I blush.

Ringtone: Silver Springs

Text tone: If You Ever Did Believe

Damn it, I hate how well he knows me. I love those songs.

I blush more and lay my head on his shoulder as he laughs.

We all hang out and chat until some staff brings in trays of delicious food followed by a few cakes. Niall kisses my cheek and places a hand on my knee before he stands up.

"I'm gonna go make ya a plate, Petal. Harold, mind keeping my girl company? But don't steal her, she's mine."

He just said that with the straightest face, it's so hard not to laugh.

Harry and I both burst out laughing but he nods. Niall playfully rolls his eyes and shakes his head before he walks over to one of the tables. I turn to Harry and we chat while Niall is getting me a plate.

————————————————————————

"Oh come on, y' have to pick one!"

I laugh as I shake my head.

"Honest to god Harry, I can't! I could probably give you my top 10 or 15 but I can't just give you one!"

He laughs and shakes his head as Niall walks up to us, two plates in his hands as he takes his seat back on the other side of me, handing me a plate and a fork.

"What's goin' on?"

I giggle and shake my head.

"Harry is trying to make me pick a favorite of his songs."

Niall snickers and shakes his head as he begins to spoon up some pasta on his fork.

"Hate to break it to ya mate, but she won't even pick her favorite of mine. She won't pick from yers either."

I scoff and shake my head, before turning my attention to the plate in my lap. I stab some pasta onto my fork and take a bite, chewing and swallowing before I decide to reply.

"I can't pick from either of you! Or anything from One Direction! It's too hard! The only one that I actually pick a favorite from is Louis..."

Both of their mouths drop and I can't help but snort and shake my head. Niall then shakes his head before staring into my eyes.

"Please Petal? At least top 5!"

I groan and remove my plate from my lap, reaching over to the nearby empty table and placing it there. I sigh into the couch and let out a huff.

"Fine! Top 5! But that's it!"

They both smile and cheer and Niall kisses my cheek.

"Alright. So, for you Ni, I think my top 5 would probably be Dear Patience, Paper Houses, This Town, Too Much To Ask and Flicker. But damn it you guys are really making this hard for me."

The laugh and I turn my attention to Harry.

"Okay, since you guys have insisted. Choosing a favorite of yours Harry is actually going to hurt me..."

Did I think this was gonna be this hard? No. But it physically pains me to choose.

"Hm... Top 5 Harry songs... Adore You, Matilda, Canyon Moon, Kiwi and Little Freak. Now leave me be. You're making my brain hurt."

Both men laugh as I reach back over to the table, grabbing my plate before leaning back against the couch and resuming to eat. We all eat, talk and drink until we finally decide to call it a night.

Niall and I, followed by Harry, Jeff, Mitch and Sarah slowly make our way out of the arena and make our hike to Niall's Range. Niall's holding tightly onto my hand as we walk with Harry walking on my other side and everyone else trailing behind us.

When we get close enough, I see a few cars still in the parking lot and there is a group of people crowded around the car closest to Niall's car. As we get closer, I can faintly see a familiar face.

That's not... Is it?

I stop for a minute, Niall raising his brow at me as I pull my phone out of my back pocket. I pull open a contact and hit call, listening as it begins to ring.

"Em, what-"

I hold my finger up to Niall, silently asking for a minute as I hold the phone between my cheek my shoulder and I hear a voice come through.

"Hey-"

"Emily Marie, where are you right now?"

"What? I just got out of a concert, why?"

"Turn your head towards the arena. Don't question it, just do it."

I hear her scoff on the other end but the head in front of me turns and I can't help but smile.

"Bitch! Is that your hoe ass I see with all those people."

I chuckle.

"Get your ass over here and find out."

I hang up the phone and the figure, now clear that it's Emily, begins to run towards us, the group she was with following behind. I let go of Nialls hand and hold my arms open as Emily hits me like a bullet train and I can't help but laugh.

We hug for a minute before pulling away and then I finally remembered. Niall. I turn to him and the others with a blush and then I see other people approaching: David, Emily's husband, Clifford, and one of my best friends, Brandon.

"Oh um Niall, guys, these are a few of my coworkers. This is Emily and her husband David, Cliff and Brandon."

All of a sudden I hear a gasp come from Brandon.

"So what? You don't tell me that you're seeing someone, let alone that it's Niall Horan? What gives Em?! I thought you loved me!"

Niall throws his head back in a laugh and I blush as I walk into his arms before he wraps his arms around me in a hug.

"I told Tatum... But if I had told you, you would've blabbed to everyone. And I didn't tell anyone his full name, the only ones that knew were Jen, Aleks and Zach."

Brandon dramatically gasps again and places a hand over his chest.

"You told my husband?! Oh come on!"

We all laugh and Niall squeezes me in his arms before he kisses my head.

"How could I not, Brandon? Not only are you a blabber mouth, but you're like One Direction coo coo! Worse than Megan or even me!"

He scoffs and folds his arms.

"Am not-"

I slightly turn to him with a flat expression.

"Brandon. You dragged me to see Don't Worry Darling with you six times. Six. All because Michael wouldn't go with you."

Harry's eyes widen and Brandon blushes.

"I mean... It was a good movie!...Fuck Em, I hate you so much right now."

I snort and shake my head. Niall lets me go with a smile and I walk over to Brandon, giving him a side hug and patting his back.

"Whatever you say, Brandy. Whatever you say."

He pouts and I laugh at his reaction. I give Cliff, Emily and David and Brandon one more hug before waving them goodbye. They all head to their cars in separate directions and Niall and I head to the Range.

Harry gives Niall a hug and I turn and see Sarah, who has a big smile on her face. I return her smile and I give her a hug.

"Mitch and I will have t' come see you at a con when we can get away from Mr. Busy."

I laugh and shake my head.

"Yeah, just let me know! I'm constantly updating my socials about any appearances and they're always on my site! Message me if you're going and we'll get coffee or something!"

She nods with a smile and we hug before she and Mitch walk off and Harry approaches me with a smile. He holds his arm open for a hug and I smile. I walk into his arms and he pulls me in a tight hug, making me laugh as I return his hug.

"Thank you so much for comin' , Emily. It really was great t' meet you."

"Me too, Harry. It really was a great show and you are even nicer then I ever thought. Oh! And happy birthday again!"

He laughs, thanking me as he squeezes me tight before I pull away. I wave goodbye and get in Niall's car. I sigh in the seat before reaching for my seatbelt and clicking it on.

Niall gets in, a smile plastered on his face. He leans over, placing a finger under my chin before he pulls me into a kiss. I smile, leaning into the kiss. As always, his kiss leaves me breathless as he pulls away, leaving a smile in place of my lips.

I giggle and shake my head, before resting my elbow on the center console with my hand resting on my cheek.

"Hmm what was that for?"

He flashes me a smile before he turns his attention to starting the car and looking in his rear view mirror as begins to reverse the car.

"Nothin'. Can't I kiss my girlfriend?"

I guffaw and fold my arms.

"That was totally more than just 'wanting to kiss your girlfriend' Niall. That wasn't just a peck."

I see his smile widen from the corner of my eye and we laugh as he drives. After about 10 minutes, we reach our hotel. Niall parks the car and we get out, grabbing our bags before heading inside the fancy hotel.

We check in with the concierge, and as soon as Niall is handed the key, he takes my hand and drags me to the closest elevator as we laugh. The elevator pauses a few times before we get off and Niall then leads me to a door. He unlocks it and walks in, holding the door open for me.

I giggle, shaking my head as I follow him into the luxurious room.

We put our bags against the dresser and we back into the bed, collapsing onto the bed. I close my eyes and let out a content sigh, only opening them when I feel someone hovering over me. Niall is laying on his side, resting his cheek in his palm as he looks at me with a wide smile.

"You look like you've got some evil thoughts stirring up in that brain of yours, what is it?"

He chuckles and shakes his head, leaning in a little closer.

"How tired are ya, right now?"

I purse my lips before shrugging a little.

"Why? Did you have something else planned for tonight? It's kind of late..."

He smirks and leans in, this time, placing a small kiss to my lips before wrapping his free arm around my waist, pulling me up onto my side to face him.

"Let's go swimming. I'm in the mood for a late night swim."

My eyes widen and my mouth drops a little.

"Niall- it's almost midnight! And- and I don't have a swimsuit-"

He pecks my lips again and squeezes my waist before pulling away.

"It's fine. C' mon, please?"

He puffs out his bottom lip and gives me his puppy dogs eyes, making me sigh.

"So what, you want me to go swimming in my panties?"

He smirks and nods. I groan and throw my head back. I bite my lip, thinking for a moment before giving in and sighing.

"F-fine!"

He grins and squeezes my hip before pecking my lips.

"Thank you, Petal. I promise, it'll be fun!"

I blush and nod before rolling on to my back and sitting up. Niall raises a brow and I giggle as I stand up, walking to the bathroom. I walk in and close the door behind me. I hear feet shuffling and approach the door as I begin to pull off my shirt before kicking off my shoes.

"Petal, what are ya doin'?"

I blush as I shout to the door as I push down and step out of my pants.

"Um.. Undressing? What did you think I would be doing?"

He chuckles and I hear him lean against the door. I grab a spare robe off the hook on the door and open the door a crack, thrusting my arm through the crack.

"Here. Strip down and put this on. I'll be out in just a minute."

He chuckles and takes the robe from my hand and I bring my hand back in before closing the door. I put on my own robe and tie it to my waist. I then bend down, picking up my clothing and my shoes before turning around and opening the door.

I walk out and sneak over to my bag before kneeling down and opening it. I pull out my sandals and stuff my clothes in, and just as I stand up, a pair of arms wraps around my waist, causing my soul to leave my body as I jump in surprise. Niall laughs as his arms tighten around me and I blush.

He kisses my cheek then nuzzles his chin into my collarbone.

"Are ya ready, Em?"

I bite my lip and nod my head. He squeezes my waist and lets out a sigh as he lets me go, instead grabbing my hand. He grabs the keycard off the dresser and then we head for the door, closing it quietly behind us.

We head down the hall quietly to the elevator as we try our best to hold back our giggles. We manage to make it to the pool without being noticed, despite our giggling. We walk inside the indoor pool area, closing the door quietly.

Niall lets go of my hand, walks over to a nearby shelf and grabs a few towels before walking over to a nearby lounge chair. He takes off his robe and lays it on the chair before he turns to me. I walk over to his with a blush present on my cheeks, biting my lip.

"Ya gonna get in with me?"

I nod, not looking at him.

"Y-you get in first though."

He chuckles and nods. He slips off his sandals, walks to the edge of the pool and sits down before he slides himself right in. He then turns to me and beckons me with his hand.

"C'mon, Petal! The waters fine! I promise!"

I sigh and nod.

"But close your eyes! Don't open them until I say!"

He chuckles and nods, shutting his eyes. I take a deep breath before slipping off my flip flops and I untie the robe, starting to remove it before coming to a stop. I shout to Niall, though my back is facing him.

"You're not peeking right?"

I hear his laugh echo.

"I promise! Now hurry up!"

I bite my lip, removing my robe and setting it down on the lounge chair before turning around to face the pool. Niall's eyes remain closed as I make my way to the steps and quickly step in, wincing at the cold. I wade my way over to Niall, submerging myself in the pool before I finally reach him.

"Okay, you can open your eyes now."

Niall opens his eyes and smiles before he wraps his arms around my waist. He lifts me up a little so I wrap my legs around his waist, a blush present on my cheeks.

"Yer so cute Em, I swear."

I giggle and scoop a little water in my hand, playfully splashing him. We start laugh and splash each other more until his lips find their way on mine. My lips move in sync against his, and I get so lost in him that I don't notice wrapping my arms around his neck.

He pulls me in closer as he kisses me, one hand still holding on to me as the other begins to roam my body. He grasps my breast,slightly pinching my nipple underneath the thin fabric. I gasp and moan into the kiss, causing him to pinch a little harder.

His hand makes its way down my body as he bites my lip and slips his tongue in my mouth. I pant and his fingers start to play with the hem of my panties, his fingers caressing my bare skin underneath. Just as he starts to pull them down, we hear a commotion, causing the both of us to jump.

Niall puts me down and we look up to see the same concierge from before, his face bright red.

"Mr. Horan! Finally! Please vacate the pool! It closed at 10 o'clock! It is currently one thirty!"

We both blush and nod. He hums and stomps off as we start to get out. With our faces bright red, we grab our towels and slip on our robes and shoes, heading back to our hotel room. As soon as we're in the safety of our room, we both burst out laughing.

"I think we should probably shower. We need to wash the chlorine off our bodies and our um... underwear."

He nods and nods his head towards the bathroom.

"Together? It'd probably be faster so we can both get t' bed."

"But Niall-"

He smiles and kisses my cheek.

"I know Petal. We can stay in our underwear. That should be enough. Just like a swimsuit, right?"

I blush and nod, biting my lip.

"Great. Let's get some clean clothes t' lay out fer when we're done. I'll change in the room though, s' ya can change in the bathroom."

I let out a sigh of relief and nod, moving towards my bag. I pull out a clean pair of underwear and my nightdress before standing back up, holding onto my clothes.Niall enters the bathroom and I enter behind him, closing the door behind the both of us.

Niall takes off his robe, hanging it up before he turns and pushes open the door to the large shower. He enters it, turning it on and adjusting the temperature as I remove my robe, hanging it up and placing my clean clothes on the nearby bench.

Niall gets it to a good temperature and then holds his hand out to me, so I take it, stepping into the steamy shower. He closes the door and pulls me close.

"Water okay, Em? Not too hot or too cold?"

I shake my head with a smile.

"It's perfect. It feels great."

I walk under the shower head and I start to rinse myself off when I'm stopping by Niall wrapping his arms around my waist from behind. He holds me tight against his chest and my cheeks flush.

"Niall-"

He turns me around so I'm facing him and my hands rest on his naked chest. I bite my lip but I look him in the eyes to see a serious expression on his face.

"I want t' make ya feel good, Petal. I would've in the pool but obviously we were-"

Feel good? Like earlier? That was- that was hot. He means more though, right? He must. But I'm a virgin... I don't know if I told him...

I can't take it anymore and I burst out my thoughts.

"Niall, I'm a virgin..."

He smiles and pecks my lips.

"Thank ya fer tellin' me, Petal. I had assumed so but it means everything that ya felt you could tell me. Do you want me t' make ya feel good?"

I can only blush and bite my lip, but I nod.

I do want that... But I'm terrified... Am I really ready for that? What-

"Em-. Petal! Emily-"

I'm cut from my thoughts by the sound of Niall's voice.

"Huh?"

He sighs with a relieved smile.

"Em, if this is freakin' ya out we can wait-"

"N-no! I want to! I'm just- I'm scared..."

He squeezes my waist with a smile.

"That's okay, Petal. We'll go slow, I promise. Nothing too big tonight. Tell me what ya want me t' do okay? It's all up to you."

He pecks my cheek and I blush.

"I liked what you were doing in the pool... Were you- Were you going to touch me d-down there?"

He smiles and nods.

"You want me to Em? It's what you want. I just want t' make my girl feel good."

I blush and bite my lip before looking into his eyes.

"What... What would you do?"

He smiles and pulls me into a hot kiss. I melt into his touch as he pulls me into him, though his hands find the hem of my panties for the second time today. He pulls away from the kiss, leaving me a panting mess.

"Can these come off, Petal? Or do you want them t' stay on?"

I blush, biting my lip as I think.

"Would you still... Would I still feel good if they stayed on?"

He smiles and nods.

"Whatever yer comfortable with, Em. That's all that matters. Do ya trust me, Petal?"

I nod and he smiles. His hand begins to creep down and his fingers begin to lightly mingle over my folds. He removes his other hand from my ass and instead placed it on the small of my back to hold me upright.

He starts to lightly press on me and I can't help but let out a small squeak, causing him to laugh.

"N-Niall... please. Do- something!"

He chuckles and shakes his head and that's when I start to feel it. He finger begins to poke at my hole. I grip his arm and he kisses my cheek in response.

"Shhh, it's okay Em. Just relax. 'M right here, you're gonna feel so good, Petal."

He begins to insert his finger and I bit my lip. Once he's in all the way, he begins to pull it in and out, making my toes curl.

"Niall- More! I-it's good!"

He kisses my lips softly and begins to tease my hole with a second finger. He then slowly pushes both of them in and stops, letting me adjust to the new sensation. He kisses my shoulder and traces kisses up to my neck and ge starts to suck and nibble at my sensitive skin.

I gasp and tense up, overstimulated with all the new sensations. Niall curls his fingers inside of me, making a 'come hither' motion with them. He then starts to slowly thrust his fingers in and out of my cunt, progressively speeding up as I moan and lean into his touch.

"Yer doin' so good fer me, Em. Just relax, I'm gonna take care o' ya."

I do as he says, leaning into him completely with my head on his shoulder as he continues to thrust his fingers inside my sensitive cunt. My stomach is filled with butterflies and at that moment, I feel as if I'm going to burst.

"N-Niall! I t-think I'm-!"

He thrusts his fingers even faster as he presses on my cunt with his thumb, pushing me to the edge.

"Niall!"

I moan, throwing my head back into his shoulder, my toes curling as I pant.

"That's it, Em. Let go fer me. 'M right here, Petal."

He sucks on my neck as I come undone, leaving me a panting, shaking mess before him. Niall removes his hand from my panties, quickly rinsing his hand off under the now cold water from the shower before he turns me around so I face him.

He pecks my lips with a smile and we stand under the shower head in comfortable silence. I lay my head back on his shoulder and Niall moves his hand to my hair, carefully removing my pony tail so I can rinse my hair.

We finish rinsing off, albeit quickly as the water was ice cold, and Niall turns the shower off.

He kisses my forehead before he opens the shower door, grabbing 2 nearby towels. He wraps one around his waist before he wraps one around my shoulders and I grabs the edges of the towel, pulling it close and tight. He steps out, grabbing the bath mat and laying it down before he turns to me.

"Ya feelin' okay, Em? I know that was a lot on ya..."

I nod my head and smile. I wrap my towel around my body properly and fasten it, holding it together before stepping closer to Niall. He smiles as I wrap my arms around his neck and he leans down, meeting my lips in a kiss.

"I'm perfect. Though my legs are still shaking a little. That was... definitely amazing."

He chuckles and squeezes my waist before letting me go and I pull my arms away. He walks out of the bathroom, closing the door behind him so he can change. I quickly remove my towel and change into my fresh change of clothes, setting aside my wet underwear to put in a bag later. I blow dry my hair and brush my teeth and that's when I notice my neck. I am completely covered in hickeys.

"Niall Horan, I am going to get you! My neck is not a buffet!"

He lets out a loud laugh through the door and I roll my eyes.

"Are you decent? I'm about done in here."

I hear him chuckle and shout a faint 'yes' through the door. I put my wet clothes in a plastic bag, leaving an extra for Niall on the counter, before opening the door and coming into the room. Niall is laying on the large bed, his back against the headboard. He turns his head to face me and shoots me a smile. I drop my clothes by my bag before getting on the bed, curling up next to him. He wraps his arms around my shoulders and pulls me into him, leaning down and pecking the top of my head.

"Bathroom is all yours, I left a plastic bag on the counter for you for your wet clothes so you don't get everything else in your bag wet."

We squeezes my shoulder before he lets go and sits up, moving off of the bed and walking around the bed to the bathroom.

"My girl! So considerate! I didn't even think to do that!"

I giggle and shake my head before pulling the covers back and getting under them. Niall finishes brushing teeth and takes the bag off the counter before turning off the light and coming back in to the bedroom. He puts his wet clothes in the bag and then comes back over to the bed, pulling back the covers before getting in.

We lay down and Niall turns out the light. I turn my back to the wall and Niall wraps his arms around me waist, pulling me into his arms. He kisses my shoulder and squeezes my waist as I hum in his embrace.

"Night, Petal. Sweet dreams."

I smile and cuddle into his embrace.

"Sweet dreams, Niall."

I close my eyes, falling asleep to the soft sounds of Niall's snores.

————————————————————————

I wake up the next morning and I stretch a little, only to find something hard poking against my backside.

What in the hell?

I try to turn around when Niall tightens his arms around my waist. I sigh, reluctantly deciding to wake him up.I turn my head towards him to make sure he can hear me and I see his eyes begin to squint as he wakes up. He opens his eyes and smiles as he sees me.

He loosens his grip around my waist, so I turn to face him with my hands resting on his bare chest. He pulls me into a steamy kiss and I can't help but moan. He tightens his grip around my waist, pulling me closer, and that's when I feel it again.

I push against his chest and he pulls away with a pout.

"Hey! You normally love my-"

I shake my head and pull away from him more.

"I do but there's something poking me-"

His face pales and he looks down, biting his lip. I furrow my brows in confusion but look down as well and that's when I see it.

Oh. That's... what that was. Wow.

There is a small tent forming in his shorts and I can't help but blush as well. We both look back up but Niall doesn't look at me.

"Um.. I'll just get up and uh- take care of this..."

He sits up to get out of bed and before I can think, I grab his hand and pull him back down. We're both blushing madly but nonetheless, I wrap my arms around his neck and he finally looks me in the eyes.

"Hold on. You're fine, Niall. Let's just talk about this. I mean I know I'm inexperienced with the touching and all that but I understand. And we should be able to talk about this. Do you want to tell me what made you hard?"

I blush more as the words leave my mouth but I look right into his eyes. He bites his lip though but he nods.

"I had uh- a dream. And... You were there.. We were back in the pool... And i dunno, one thing let to another and I just..."

I shoot him a small reassuring smile.

"It made you hard."

He blushes more and nods. He wraps his arms around my waist and sits up, pulling me up with him.

"I know we've never talked about it and I really didn't mean for last night to go that far-"

I quickly lean in and peck his lips, interrupting him.

"Last night was amazing. I wanted that. With you. And I want to repay you for last night."

His mouth gapes and he shakes his head.

"Emily, no. I don't wanna rush ya and-"

"Niall, please. I want to do this. I mean, you'll have to talk me through it a little bit so I don't hurt you, but I really want to do this. And it was bound to happen at some point! At least I hoped so-"

He cuts me off by pulling me into a kiss.

"Have I ever told ya how amazing I think ya are?"

I giggle and shrug.

"You can remind me how much after we're done."

Before he can respond, I scoot back out of his lap and onto the bed. I'm on me knees and Niall scoots up to the headboard, placing a pillow behind his back so he's comfortable.

I bite my lip, a little nervous, but I push myself, reminding myself to go slow. I start by taking my hand and gently palming the growing bulge in his shorts. Niall starts breathing a little heaving but I look up and see him biting his lip, so I continue.

I rub on his bulge a little bit when a hand stops me.

"Petal... Please. I-it's startin' to hurt. Need ya t-to do more."

I nod and grab the waist band of his shorts and his boxers, pulling them down all the way. I hand them to Niall, a blush visible on my face as he throws them somewhere in the room. Niall motions me over with his hand, so i scooch up closer to him. He takes my hand in his and guides me over to his pulsing cock.

"W-wow Ni.. Y-you're so big."

He chuckles and blushes.

"Well thank ya, Petal. That's a good thing, I hope."

I blush and nod.

"Okay Em, how much do ya know?"

I give him a shrug.

"Um I guess a little. Moving my hand up and down and playing with the tip, guys like that from what I've heard."

He nods with a smile.

"I want ya to spit on yer hand fer me, 'kay? It'll feel better that way. Then you can start."

I nod, doing as he says and taking my hand, placing it onto his cock. Niall hisses instantly and I look at him in panic. He sees my panic and his expression softens.

"I'm okay, Em. Just a bit sensitive, it'll get better. Just keep goin'."

I nod reluctantly and I start to move my hand up and down slowly. I gradually start to speed up, even rubbing his tip a little with my thumb. Niall quietly pants but he gasps when i suddenly stop.

"Em-"

I look him straight in the eyes, a serious expression plastered on my face.

"I-I want to do more.."

His eyes widen and his cheeks tint.

"Y-you mean-"

"You made me feel so good and I want to make sure you feel just as good."

He gives me a soft smile and he nods.

"Alright then. I want ya t' spit on my cock now. Can ya do that, baby?"

I blush furiously but I nod. I lean down and spit right onto his cock. I look back up at him and he nods reassuringly.

"Go ahead, Petal. Start slow, don't push yerself."

I start by slowly licking his tip. Niall lets out a breathy moan and he places his hand on top of my head.

"T-that's good, Petal. Now slowly, take m' cock into yer mouth. Just a bit, 'kay? Then, ya can slowly take more. But remember to breathe, Em."

I nod and take his tip all the way in my mouth. I start to suck and his breath hitches. I take that as a sign and i take him further in my mouth. I start to move up and down and he grabs my ponytail as he groans.

"F-fuck Em, just like that baby, yer doin' so good."

I take more of his cock down my throat, deciding to push myself by taking his all the way in my mouth. The second his cock hits the back of my throat, I start to gag a bit but i push through. Niall pulls me up though, and when i turn to look at him, I see worry in his eyes. I shake my head, push back down all the way and I start to suck again.

"Fuck, Petal! Yer doin' amazing! Just like that! 'M close!

He grips my ponytail again as I move up and down on his cock, speeding up as he continues to groan.

"Fuck! I-I'm g-gonna come, Petal! Ya g-gotta tell me where ya want me t' come."

Fuck I want to taste him so bad.

I speed up even more, sucking harder as Niall groans.

"Em, i-if ya don't stop I-I'm gonna!"

I turn slightly, staring into his eyes and I give him a small nod as i continue to suck on his cock. He throws his head back and grips my ponytail harder as I continue to suck on his cock. A second later, Niall groans and throws his head back as he comes, shooting his hot cum down my throat. I suck on his cock a few more times before pulling off of him and sitting up.

Before I can do anything else, Niall grabs my hand and pulls me into a hot kiss, wrapping his arms around my waist. I sigh into his kiss as our lips move in sync, albeit a bit messy. We pull away for air and I have to try and catch my breath as Niall lets out a breathy laugh. I rest my forehead against his as he holds me tight.

"You are.. the most incredible woman I have ever met."

I snort and pinch his side, making him laugh.

"I bet you say that to every girl that sucks your dick."

He laughs again, shaking his head.

"Would ya stop? I'm tryin' to be sincere! Besides, you were my first in a long while. But it was even better knowing it was you, Em."

I blush and open my mouth to say something when I'm interrupted by Niall's phone ringing.

'And if you don't love me now (You don't love me now)

You will never love me again

I can still hear you sayin'

You would never break the chain'

Niall groans and reaches over to the nightstand and grabs his phone. His eyes widen and he looks a little panicked as he answers.

"Shit Harry, 'm so sorry! Didn't see the time!"

I hear muffles through the phone and Niall scoffs.

"Get yer damn mind outta the gutter, Harold! We'll be there in a bit!"

I roll off of Niall, causing him to put as I get off the bed and head over to my bag, pulling out some clean clothes as Niall talks on the phone.

"Shut up, I'm goin! See you in a bit!"

He hangs up and sighs, throwing his head up against the headboard. I leave my clean clothes on the edge of the bed before sauntering over to Niall. He smirks and hold his arms out to me. I sit on his now covered lap and he takes me in his arms.

"I guess i forgot t' mention. Harry said he wanted t' go golfing today. Would that be okay with ya?"

I smile and nod.

"Yeah, that sounds fun! You'll have to teach me though. The last time i played golf, it was mini golf like eons ago and I wouldn't really count that."

He smirks and nods.

"I'd love to teach ya. It'll show everyone around us that yer mine."

I giggle and shake my head.

"I don't think you'll have to worry about that, Niall. I could care less about anyone else."

He smiles and pecks my lips, making me smile. He pats my thigh and squeezes it.

"C'mon pretty girl, lets get dressed. Can't let mister impatient wait anymore."

I giggle and nod. I get up, grabbing my clothes and I quickly get changed in the bathroom. I finish and come back out to see Niall fully dressed and he turns to look at me.

He whistles and I blush. He walks over to me and pulls me into a hot kiss. I grab at his shirt and he pulls away, making me pout.

"Damn, I don't know if I want t' leave now. I gotta share ya and I can't have ya all to myself."

I giggle and peck his lips.

"You're telling me! You look hot as hell! How am I supposed to keep other girls away from you?"

Niall laughs and shakes his head. He pecks my lips but that quickly turns into another hot kiss. His hands begin to linger down my body until he finds my ass and he hesitantly grips it. I gasp and he takes the opportunity

He begins to pull the hem of my dress up as his phone goes off again. He pulls away from my lips, groaning in frustration.

"Goddamn it! Why did I tell him yes?"

I giggle and pat his chest.

"Let's pack up and get out of here so he stops calling."

He chuckles and nods. We quickly pack up the rest of our stuff and check out of the hotel. We load everything up in his car before getting in, and Niall quickly starts the car, pulling out of the hotel parking lot.

He drives us to this lavish country club, holding my hand the whole time as he drives. He finds the closest spot and parks before he throws his head back on the seat, sighing. He turns to look at me and I squeeze his hand.

"You okay, Ni? You look a little bugged."

He nods and squeezes my hand.

" 'M fine, Petal. Let's just go before he calls."

I smile and nod, and I lean in, pecking his lips. He smiles and squeezes my hand one more time before he pulls away.

We get out and Niall opens the trunk, pulling out a set of golf clubs. I widen my eyes in surprise and he shrugs before letting out a small chuckle.

"What? 'M always prepared to golf. Now lets go get ya yer own set! We can rent some inside. I'd let ya use mine but I'm left handed and yer not..."

I chuckle and shake my head.

"No worries."

He smiles and slings his golf bag on his shoulder, taking my hand in the other and we walk inside to the main building. We check in and Niall rents a set of clubs for me, slinging it on his shoulder along with his own, despite any arguments I had. We head outside to the restaurant outside of the course and that's when we spot Harry.

We walk over to his table and he looks up from his phone, smiling when he spots us.

"Finally! There you are! I was worried I was gonna turn 30 before y' got here!"

We all laugh and Niall rolls his eyes as we sit down at the table.

"Sorry, Harold! We got distracted! I didn't see what time it was!"

Harry laughs and I blush, mentally sliding down my seat in embarrassment.

Yeah, sorry that was me...

" I dunno about you both, but 'm starving!"

Niall and I nod in agreement and we open our menus. Our waiter comes over and brings over coffee, taking our orders before walking off. Niall and Harry start talking as I poor cream and sugar in my coffee, taking a sit of the now semi- bitter beverage. Niall takes a hold of my knee from under the table, surprising me and causing me to jump a little in my seat.

Niall and Harry laugh, causing my face to turn beat red.

"You good there, babe?"

"Y-yeah I'm fine. What's up? I guess I zoned out a little."

Niall smiles and squeezes my knee.

"We were just talkin'. Since ya never played real golf before, we wanted t' know if ya wanted t' start at the driving range or if ya wanted to go on the course right away. But if ya did want t' start on the course, I'd help ya until ya got used to it."

I bite my lip and think for a minute.

"I mean I get the general point of it, so I guess the golf course is fine. And I feel better knowing you'll be there."

He smiles and takes my hand from under the table and laces his finger through mine, squeezing my hand. Our server comes back over, handing out our plates before walking away again. Niall lets my hand go and we all dig in to our breakfast. After I take a few bites of my pancakes, I feel Niall's hand on my knee again, but this time, his hand begins to trace up to my thigh. I look up at him and my face is beet red.

"Niall-!"

He laughs, moving his hand up more.

"What? I just want a bite of yer pancakes, Petal!"

"Nuh uh! You have your own! The last time I gave you a bite of something, you took a big bite and ate most of it!"

"C'mon, Em! Yours has chocolate chips in it! Just one bite! You can decide how much!"

He pouts, though his hand traces even further up my thigh until he reaches the very wet spot on my panties. I bite my lip and close my legs, trying to silently tell him to stop as I fork up a bit of pankcake and hold my fork up to his mouth.

He smiles and takes a bite, humming at the taste. His hand remains at my panties and he begins to rub on the wet spot with one finger. I bite back a moan and I lower my hand down, lightly smacking his hand, giving him a stern look. He chuckles and slowly pulls his hand away.

Harry sits there for a minute and he begins to laugh. Niall and I both raise an eyebrow at him and he shakes his head, his laugh dying down.

"Sorry, 's just been a while since I've seen Niall this happy and relaxed."

Niall smiles and pats Harry's back.

"I am mate, I really am. Happiest I've been in a while."

Harry smiles and pats Niall's back in return. We all finish our breakfast and decide to head on to the course. Harry excuses himself to go get a golf cart and the second he's gone, Niall's places his hand on my ass.

"Niall, will you quit it! You're making me-ugh! Just stop! Harry will literally be back in a minute!"

He leans down to my ear, biting it before whispering to me.

"Fine, later then. But yer drivin' me crazy, Petal. And we keep getting interrupted."

He moves away from me a little, a pout forming on his face as he does. I sigh and turn to him, wrapping my arms around his neck. Having gotten his attention, he wraps his arms around my waist and looks in to my eyes.

"I promise I will make it up to you later, okay? Just behave and no more grabbing until we're done. Then and only then, can you have at me."

He smirks and leans down.

"Could we... try somethin' new?"

I blush and nod, crossing my legs.

"We can talk more about this later but.. as long as it's not going all the way yet, we can try something new."

He nods and smiles, leaning in before pecking my lips.

"Course, Petal. We'll only do what you're comfortable with, ya know that. But I think yer gonna like what I've got in mind."

I blush and nod. He hugs me, squeezing me tight but pulls away when Harry honks the horn of the golf cart. We grab our golf bags and get in the cart with Niall sitting next to Harry and myself in the back. Harry drives us to the first hole and I can't help but stare in awe.

I've never actually been on a golf course when its green, only when the grass was pretty much dead, back home around the wintertime when they did the balloon glows. It's so... beautiful.

Harry tees off first and then Niall, then its my turn. Niall pulls a club from my bag and beckons me over. I slip on my glove and take the club from him. He then gets behind me, wrapping his arms around me and placing his hands on top of mine.

"Alright, Petal. Ya wanna get into yer proper stance like this, nice and comfy. When ya go t' swing, relax yer shoulders and let it flow through ya. Eyes on yer target, Petal."

I nod and I take a deep breath. With Niall still holding on to me, I line up my club with the ball, practicing my swing a few times before swinging all the way and the ball flies through the air.

Niall adjusts his hold one he and squeezes me tight before kissing my cheek.

"Well done, Petal! That was a beautiful swing!"

I blush and hug him back. He lets me go and takes my club from me while Harry comes over and gives me a high five.

"That was an amazing swing! Y' sure you've never played before?"

I giggle and nod.

"Only mini golf, when i was a mere fetus. I definitely would not count that."

He laughs and shakes his head.

We end up playing until sundown. Niall takes my clubs into the office, leaving Harry and I to chat for a few minutes. He stands next to me, his arms crossed but a smile is on his face.

"Y' know, I really don't think I've ever seen him this happy. It's nice t' see. I don't get to see him as often as I used to, so it's comforting t' know he's got someone that really cares about him."

I smile and nod.

"I really do care about him. Being with him... I don't know how to describe it honestly. I haven't been in many relationships and I know I'm still young but I can't stop smiling around him."

Harry smiles and nods, and so I keep going.

"Sue me if this is too cheesy, but with Niall? i don't think I've ever felt so safe... and so loved. Like I'd consider myself a bit of an introvert and I'd rather sleep than hang out with friends. I'm not the biggest fan of crowds either. But with Niall? I crave being around him, and I'd do anything for him, whether he asked me to or not... I've never felt like this before.Call me stupid... or even naive... but I think I'm really falling for him."

Harry smiles and unfolds his arms.

"That's comforting t' hear. I think you make a nice couple. I see him light up around you, and I've never seen him do that before. With anyone. So thank you f' makin' him so happy."

I give him a smile and just as I'm about to say something, Niall comes out from the rental area and he takes my hand.

"What were you two talkin' about just now?"

Harry and I smirk and I just shrug at Niall.

"Just about how weird we think you are. Nothing new, babe."

He smirks and starts to tickle my side, making me snort and struggle in his hold. He lets me go, chuckling and he grabs my hand again, swinging his bag on his opposite shoulder. We all head back to the parking lot, talking as we walk.

"Oh, hey I forgot Ni. We're having a Grammys watch party on Sunday. It starts at 3. Aleks said you're welcome to come if you want to."

Harry laughs a little and Niall smiles.

"I'd love to, Em. I'll definitely be there."

I smile and Harry playfully scoffs.

"What, I'm not invited too?"

I snort and shake my head.

"No, the Grammys is pretty much Aleks' reason to throw a party in honor of Lizzo. And you're nominated and performing so... I don't think you can be in two places at once. But if things were different, you'd definitely be invited."

We all chuckle and he nods. We exchange hugs and Harry gets into his car and with one last wave, he drives away. Niall puts his golf bag in the back and we get in. I buckle my seat belt and when I sit back up, Niall grabs my chin and pulls me into a hot kiss.

"Niall-"

"Need you, baby. I need ya so bad, it hurts. I dunno if I can wait anymore."

He whines, pulling at my dress and I can't help but frown.

"Okay. I'll make it better. But you have to get on the freeway first. Get on the freeway, turn on cruise control and I'll pull you out. But your eyes need to stay on the road. We don't want to get caught. Think you can do that?"

He groans and nods.

He starts the car and pulls out of the country club and gets onto the street. He gets onto the freeway and the second he's able to he turns on his cruise control. With one hand remaining on the wheel, he looks at me with a painful, pleading expression on his face. I reach over, unzipping his shorts before slowly pulling his cock out of his boxers. He hisses at the exposure but bites his lip, trying to keep his eyes on the road.

"Fuck. Petal, please."

I spit on my hand and I slowly start to play with his tip. He throws his back, his eyes closing as he groans.

"Niall, eyes on the road or I stop."

"Petal, yer teasin' me! 'Ts not nice..I need more!"

I smirk, continuing my slow work on his cock.

"You wanna talk about what's not nice? You teased me at breakfast in front of Harry. Touching me. I'm sensitive, I almost came right then and there. I know you think I'm innocent, maybe I am, but I can be mean too. When I want to."

I decide to ease up on my teasing, and I'm finally moving my hand up and down his cock in a steady rhythm. Niall groans, though he's finally listening as his eyes remain on the road.

"F-fuck, Em! Baby! I-Im gonna come!"

"Shh I know, Ni. I got you baby, hold on."

I unbuckle my seat belt before carefully leaning my head down, taking his cock into my mouth. All it takes is a few sucks and hes groaning, gripping my hair as he shoots ropes of his hot come in to my mouth. I swallow everything, moaning at the taste and the vibration making Niall moan. I pull off of him and put my seat belt back on, leaving him a panting mess.

"Fuck, babe. I... was not expecting that from you... But I hope to god it happens again."

I giggle as I reach over, tucking his cock back into his boxers before zipping his shorts up.

"Honestly, I'm a little surprised myself. But your right.. it was hot... I'm.."

He smirks, reaching a hand over and resting it in between my legs.

"My dirty girl. Yer place? I've got an extra change of clothes in m' bag."

I blush, pushing his hand and setting it right against the very wet spot of my panties.

"Y-yeah. I don't have to go in tomorrow either, w-we just have to be quiet."

He nods, his eyes remaining on the road, though his hand starts applying pressure to my clit. He gets off the freeway, continuing his movements as he pulls up to my house and parks behind Jenny's car on the street. I let out a moan, throwing my head back against the seat.

"Shh I know, baby, I know. Let's get ya inside. I promised ya we'd try somethin' new, didn't I?"

I nod, biting my lip as I try to hold back another moan. Niall removes his hand, unbuckling his seat belt before grabbing his keys and getting out. I unbuckle myself, slowly getting out as Niall grabs his bag from the back. He locks the car and I pull my keys out as we approach the front door. I unlock it, quietly stepping in with Niall following behind me. I close the door, locking it before taking Niall's hand as I start to lead him to my room, only stopping to turn around when I hear a voice.

"Zach is gonna kill you when he finds out you brought your boyfriend over, Em."

The voice belonged to Aleks, who's sitting at the kitchen island.

"Yeah, well, last time I checked, Jenny and I are paying rent and you guys pay for groceries and utilities. He can kiss my ass."

He chuckles as I walk away, leading Niall upstairs to my room. We walk into my room and Niall closing the door.

"I'm sorry it's a bit cluttered. No one really comes in here but me and I'm not exactly home much. I can take the light down if you-"

He drops his bag and pulls me into his arms, his lips quickly covering mine.

"It's perfect, Em. It was you written all over it."

I blush and he kisses my cheek.

"Y-You said you wanted to try something new? And it would make me feel really good..."

He nods and gestures to my bed.

"Lay down f' me, love. On yer back."

He lets me go and I nod. I slip off my shoes and lay on my bed, my head laying on my pillows. Niall slips off his shoes and socks before he gets on my bed on his hands and knees, towering above me.

"Alright, pretty girl. Ya know how you made me feel good touching and sucking on m' cock?"

I nod, my cheeks darkening.

"A-are you gonna do the same to me? S-suck on m-my um... my clit?"

He smiles and nods.

"Only if yer okay with it, Petal. Will you let me?"

I nod, squirming under his sultry gaze. He smiles and he starts to pull my dress up to my waist.

"Can I take the rest off, Petal?"

"J-just my dress right? Not my bra?"

He smiles and nods as I let out a sigh of relief before nodding myself.

He sits up a little and pulls the rest of my dress off, throwing it to a random corner in my room. He lifts me up slightly and pulls me all the way up, laying me slightly up against the headboard. He traces his hands down my body, stopping when he gets to the waistband of my panties. He looks at me one more time and I nod to him.

He pulls my panties down all the way, tossing them behind him somewhere. He scoots down and lifts my legs up onto his shoulders.

"My poor baby. Have ya been this wet all day, Petal?"

I nod and bite my lip.

"Since this morning. Before we left the hotel..."

He smiles and lowers his head down more, and his tongue meets my clit. breath hitches and I let out a moan at this new feeling.

"N-Niall!"

He begins to lick at my clit before submerging his entire mouth on to me. I writhe in pleasure and he pushes my legs off his shoulders, pushing my thighs into the bed. He beings to suck on my clit, though his tongue continues to move up and down against my sensitive folds.

"Fuck! Niall! God, please don't stop!"

"Sshh, Petal. Gotta keep quiet, remember? Be good fer me, baby."

He suckles on my clit and pushes his nose onto my folds, putting pressure on me.

"OH FUCK NI-"

He reaches up and slaps a hand on my mouth as he continues to suck on my clit.

"Petal, ya gotta keep it down. C'mon baby, you can do it. I'm gonna remove my hand now, 'kay?"

I nod and he pulls his hand away and resumes his attack on my clit.

"Baby, I-I'm close! I feel like I'm gonna b-burst!"

His hand finds my clit and before I can think, he enters a finger inside me as he continues to lap up my wetness.

"It's okay, Petal. Come fer me, I got ya."

I curl my toes and throw my head back, biting my lip before letting out a quiet moan.

"F-fuck... Niall... Shit..."

I come undone, and I melt at the sound of Niall sucking at my clit, moaning at the taste. He slurps up the last bit and pulls away, pulling me back down so my bead is back on the pillows. He gets up and grabs a tissue, cleaning me up before throwing away the tissue. All the while, I'm panting as if I just ran a marathon.

Niall crawls up to me and lays down next to me before taking my waist in his arms.

"How ya feelin', Em?"

I giggle, cuddling up to him.

"Pretty damn good. Do you think you could grab me a t-shirt and a new pair of panties though? Panties are middle drawer and the shirts are up in my closet."

He nods and kisses the top of my head before getting up. He pulls out a large t-shirt from my closet and gets a pair of panties from my dresser before he comes back over to the bed. He lays the clothes down in front of and he strips down to his boxers, tossing his clothes in my laundry hamper. I slip on my clean panties as well as my shirt, before reaching under my shirt, pulling off my bra and throwing it in my hamper across the room.

I throw my covers back and Niall turns out the light before getting into bed with me. He pulls me against his chest, his arms wrapped around my waist as we cuddle up close to one another. He pecks my cheek and rests his head on my shoulder before whispering in my ear.

"G'night, Petal. Sweet dreams."

"Night Niall."

I open my mouth, so close to saying 'I love you', but I hold back, cuddling into him as I drift off to sleep.

WC 16,009

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