#so yeah just having a fantastically wonderful gorgeous time

[reverecurrent]

lying in bed awake staring at my walls and ceiling… funny how if you’re wired to be a night person you could spend your whole life trying to reset to sleeping early and it like- works for a few weeks after trying for 3 whole months but then if you stay up too late one night you eventually find yourself unable to sleep at 5am

[miraclewoozi]

no i just. i just need a few weeks to recover from this.

Like A Melody | ljh x f!reader

Rating: M (18+) | WC: ~3.9k | Pairing: ljh x f!reader | genre: smut

Jihoon has fucked you in his studio before, but never like this.

Warnings: dom!jihoon, studio sex, biting, hair pulling, grinding, cumming in pants, multiple orgasms, oral f. rec., fingering,, recorded sex (just voices), male masturbation, praise kink, piv sex, creampie

Reader Notes: chubby, has breasts and a vagina, subby

Jihoon needs to take a break. 

He desperately needs to take a break, and he knows this, so why can’t he do it?

He’s been working on music for hours; his fingers are starting to cramp from plucking guitar strings and pressing down piano keys, his throat is sore from trying lyric after lyric, and his hair is a mess from his fingers running through it every other minute. His eyes are exhausted, the blue light lenses in his glasses only doing so much. Even his back hurts, which rarely happens now that he lifts so heavy. 

But he just can’t make himself quit, which is why he breathes a sigh of relief when he hears the knock. It’s soft, just like you, and he calls out a quiet, “Come in,” feeling the smile stretch his lips as soon as your sweet face peeks through the slowly opening door. 

“Are you busy?” You ask apprehensively, your eyes darting between his face and his computer. 

He can’t take a break for himself but he can for you, so he says, “Not at all, baby,” and pulls his glasses off, minimizing his music production software. Pushing away from his desk, he turns his chair to face you and holds his hand out, waiting for you to come closer and take it. He just holds your hand for a minute, staring up at you with tired eyes and letting them blink closed when you lean down and press your lips to his. 

Kissing you is as easy as loving you. It’s one of the few times in his life where he can shut his brain off and just feel, because every movement comes naturally to him. Dancing and singing do too, of course, but he has to count beats and remember words and keep every next move in mind. 

With you, Jihoon can just do what feels right. Like taking hold of your knee with his free hand and pulling until you give in and straddle him in his chair. He loves how plush and perfect you feel against him, all of his sharp edges rounded out by your curves, and he loves even more having your weight on him. 

He can take it, he can take you, and he likes to remind you at every opportunity. 

Sliding lower in the chair, he pulls your hips into his to let you feel his hardening dick, his hand flexing in yours when you grind down. He can feel how hot you are through your little pajama shorts, and if he knows you at all, you’re wet already. He works his fingers free of yours to slide them between your legs, pulling your shorts and panties to the side so he can feel you through his thin athletic pants. 

Your arousal soaks the fabric as soon as he thrusts up into you, making him let out a small laugh against your lips. You pout in response and mutter, “Shut up,” still working your hips against his. 

“Didn’t say anything, baby,” he teases, smirking up at you and squeezing your lush hips with both hands. You sink yours into his hair and pull, and suddenly, nothing is funny. His hips buck against yours as his cock twitches, precum leaking from the head adding to the wet patch on his lap. 

Your hips roll into his and he starts to throb, his dick pulsing in time with his heart. He can’t let you keep going or you’ll make him cum in his pants, or maybe… he could? 

Should he? 

It makes you feel good to make him feel good, and you always have a little pep in your step after he lets you make him cum first. He’s also desperate to get his mouth on you, and you’ll be more inclined to let him take care of you if he’s already taken care of. 

With his mind made up, he pulls you down onto his cock and grinds into you, exhaling a moan against your mouth when you tug on his hair again. You love it this length, you’ve told him, and he’s going to keep it like this for as long as he possibly can. Partially for you, mostly because he fucking adores having you brush it and play with it and braid it. 

He gets to be so close to you, and your fingers in his hair feel heavenly, even (especially) when you get a little rough. 

His scalp stings with the next pull and it sends a shiver down his spine, ending in a sharp buck of his hips. He stretches his thumbs out to pull your pussy apart so he can grind into your clit, hoping to take you over the edge with him. 

He’s getting close already, and you’re so wet, he can feel every inch of your cunt like there’s nothing separating him from you. Soon enough, there will be nothing, and he’ll be able to lick and suck and kiss you as much as he wants. 

You bite his lip and drag your nails over his scalp, and that’s it for him. 

His brain goes offline and his hips stutter against yours, a low groan leaving his open mouth as his dick twitches and jerks, streaks of cum splattering the inside of his pants. Your hips don’t stop moving until he stops them himself, his harsh grip dimpling your flesh. 

“Fuck,” Jihoon sighs, blinking his eyes open to find you beaming at him. 

He can only smile wryly at you in response, shaking his head and letting go of your hips to grab you by the waist. 

“Up you go,” he pushes, hefting you up to sit on his keyboard, discordant notes filling the studio until he leans forward and presses mute. 

“Are you su-”

“I’ve literally dreamed about this,” he tells you, for the first time. 

“You have?” You almost sound like you don’t believe him, and Jihoon simply can’t have that.

“Yes. I’ve dreamed about spreading you out on my desk just like this,” he shoulders his way between your legs. “And kissing up these thighs,” he presses his mouth to your soft skin, digging his teeth in only once, though he wants to leave you covered in bite marks. 

“And feeling them squeeze my head when I finally get you on my tongue,” he leans in and licks from your cunt to your clit, fighting a smile when your thighs snap closed just like he knew they would. 

He wants to talk to you more but he can’t pull himself away from your pussy, can’t make his mouth form words when he’s so busy using it on you. And honestly, his priority is keeping it on you, for as long as he possibly can. 

Between work and sleep, he doesn’t get to taste you nearly as often as he wants to, and now that he actually is between work and sleep, he plans on making the most of it. By shoving his tongue inside you over and over, by wrapping his lips around your clit and sucking until you cry, by groaning and humming into you both so you can feel the vibrations and to voice his obsession with your pussy. 

And Jihoon is obsessed with your pussy, make no mistake. If he didn’t love his job so much, he’d quit and spend all his time worshiping you, taking care of you, loving you. He honestly thinks he’d make a killer house husband, and someday, when he retires, he plans on becoming one. 

He can imagine it now, cleaning and working out and sleeping until you come home, then feeding you and fucking you till the sun sets, reading to you and massaging away any soreness before wrapping you up in his arms and falling to sleep together. He can still make music while you’re gone, but he won’t be jetting off or practicing for hours on end anymore. 

He’s not ready for that now, but for a distant dream, it’s pretty enticing. 

Even more enticing is the paradise between your thighs; the taste of you, the scent of you, the feel of you clouding his mind. He can barely breathe but that doesn’t matter, not when you’re moving with his tongue like this, grinding your hips onto his face as he sucks and sucks and sucks at your swollen little clit. 

He wishes he could record the sounds coming out of your mouth, wishes he could play them back to you, watch you squirm and feel you flush at the sheer debauchery of them. It occurs to him that he could, but he’d have to pull away from you enough to ask and he’s unable to do so at the moment. 

You’re just too hot and wet and perfect for him to stop for even a second, so he’ll save that idea for another time and focus on making you cum for him now. He can tell you’re getting close, by the way your thighs shudder against his ears, by the keen you let out when he sucks hard enough to hollow his cheeks, by the hand you sink into his hair to hold him to you, as if he’d ever want to leave. 

All it takes is a groan and a shake of his head and you’re cumming, your arousal leaking all over his chin and dripping down his throat to soak into the neckline of his t-shirt. He’ll take it off as soon as he gains the will to detach himself from you. 

It doesn’t come to him until his eyes travel up your body and catch on the way your tits heave in your sleep tank. He wants to see them, feel them, taste them, bury his face in them. 

Finally, he stands and rips off his shirt, leaning over you and waiting for you to raise your arms before tugging your top off and throwing it to the side. He takes a second to appreciate your bare breasts, the shape and weight of them intoxicating, and then shoves his face between them, licking over to one nipple and opening his mouth around it with a groan. 

He fucking loves your tits, and he shows you just how much with his lips and his teeth and his tongue, one thigh between yours to hold them open for his searching fingers. They find your clit with practiced ease and start to rub staccato circles, chasing you when your hips buck in sensitivity. 

He covers your other breast with his free hand, squeezing and brushing his thumb over your pebbled nipple as he sucks at its twin. You must have already showered, your skin tasting like your honey and cocoa butter lotion, and he can’t get enough, his head filling with clouds and images of you dripping wet and running your hands all over your body. 

He’s gotten you messy again, but he’s sure you knew what you were doing when you knocked on his studio door. This is almost always how you end up when you come to check on him, his hunger for you insatiable, incurable. 

How could he ever get enough of you when you’re this luscious, this sweet, this perfect? His mouth strays from your breast to your stomach, his lips tracing your rolls and stretch marks and cute little belly button before he sinks back down into his chair. He pushes your legs apart with a firm hand and replaces his fingers with his tongue, gliding it over you and sliding his fingers down to your entrance. 

He fills you with them slowly even as your cunt flutters and squeezes, wanting them deeper already. He’ll give you what you want, he always does, but first he’ll tease you a little bit. Not to be mean, or to punish you for something, but because he fucking loves to hear you beg. 

It always takes you a little push to lose your shyness, to find your voice, and this time, his push comes in the form of three fingers stretching your entrance open, sinking in only to the first knuckle. Your hips roll into his hand and his free one flies up to hold them still, his arm banding over your lap to hold you down so he can fill you at his pace. 

He goes much slower than he knows you would prefer, and he presses his smile into your clit when you finally break down. 

“Jihoon, please, I’ve been so good for you,” you whine, and he feels the heat spread from head to toe as he realizes it’s one of those nights. The kind where you need him to take control, to be rough with you, to reward you when you’ve earned it. 

And you have earned it, so he lets his fingers fill you, pushing them in all the way and murmuring into your clit, “You have been good, baby. I’ll give you what you need, promise.”

You just whimper, your head tilting back on your neck when he scissors his fingers apart and your walls clinging to them as he pulls them out to the tip. “Eyes on me, baby.”

He waits for you to return your gaze to his before pushing his fingers back inside of you and beginning to fuck you with them, his lips pursing around your clit and sucking with every thrust. Your pussy is so fucking hot and wet around his fingers, it makes him moan into you, just the thought of feeling you wrapped around his cock enough to reawaken it. 

It twitches in his damp boxers when a curl of his fingers beckons forth a rush of wetness and a sharp keen, one that echoes in his mind like a looped track.  

“Baby, can I record you?” 

He asks before he can stop himself, but now that it’s out in the air, he won’t take it back. He rests his cheek against your thigh as he waits, his heart pounding and his dick throbbing. 

“Um, sure?” You don’t sound certain, and Jihoon doesn’t want you to regret anything. He can always delete them, but he doesn’t want you to do something you’re not comfortable with. 

“You don’t have to say yes, Y/n. I just think it would be… really fucking hot. Having your voice on file, being able to listen to you whenever I want, using your sounds in songs that will never be heard by anyone but us.”

You squirm under his forearm and clench around his fingers, and he believes you when you say, “Do it, Jihoon. Record me.”

His lips stretch in a broad, genuine smile and he reaches for the computer mouse, opening his recording software and clicking the red button. 

He watches little waves form on the baseline, curls his fingers, grinds them into the rough patch inside of you, and arches an eyebrow. You gasp weakly, seemingly shy now that your noises are being picked up by something other than his ears. 

Jihoon can be patient though, knows that soon enough, he’ll make you forget all about it. 

You’re still being good, holding eye contact and keeping your thighs spread for him, so he rewards you with his mouth around your clit, a heavy suck startling a moan from your parted lips. He fights a smile, his lips pursing and pulling at the swollen bundle of nerves, and starts to hum, knowing you love the vibrations. 

He can’t see the software from here but the wave must spike because you let out a sharp cry, your nails scratching at the edge of his desk until he takes your hands and puts them on his head. Your fingers delve into his hair and you pull his face into your pussy, and he knows he’s got you. 

He didn’t really consider the mic picking up his own noises but he’s sure it is, his grunts and groans audible even with your thighs pressed to his ears. He can’t stop though, can’t hold them in when you taste so fucking good, when your cunt is searing hot and soaking wet under his mouth, when your nails are scratching at his scalp and sending zaps of electricity down his spine. 

They all end in his cock, and he feels it jerk against the waistband of his boxers. He’s tired of them, removes his arm from your hips to shove them and his pants down, groaning loudly when his cock pops out into the open air. It’s sticky with cum and hard enough to hurt, and he can’t resist taking hold of it with his free hand, squeezing hard at the base to ease some of the ache. 

His fingers thrust into you as he strokes his dick, the slick sounds loud in his studio, and you crane your neck, your eyes searching until they find his hand at work. 

“Fuck, Jihoon, I want you inside of me,” you whine breathlessly, trying to pull him off your cunt by the hair. That just makes him moan into you, makes his cock jump in his grasp, makes him fuck his fingers into you harder. 

“Cum for me first,” he demands, determined to get at least two orgasms on this file for mixing purposes. It seems he’s still a producer even when he’s trying to just be a boyfriend. 

You pout but listen well, your cries reaching a fever pitch as your pussy flutters around his fingers, arousal spilling out of you and dripping between the keys of his keyboard. He may have to buy a new one, but that’s a problem for future Jihoon, and a problem he would be lucky to have. 

“Perfect, baby, that was perfect,” he murmurs in a low tone, wanting your voice to be the focal point. 

“Will you fuck me now?” You pant, reaching down to smooth your fingers over the head of his cock, making him shiver and swallow a groan. 

“Yeah, baby, I’ll fuck you now,” he whispers, standing from the chair and pulling away from you to tug you off his desk. Your knees shake when you get your feet under you and he smirks, cupping your cheek and pressing a kiss to your lips before taking you by the hips and turning you around. 

He squeezes your shoulder and starts pushing you down, letting you bend over the rest of the way by yourself. You fold your arms under your head, resting your cheek on them so you can watch as he guides his dick to your cunt and sinks inside. 

You’re stretched out enough to take him easily, your walls forming to his cock and gripping it tightly. You’re such a perfect fucking fit for him, it’s like you were made for one another, like your bodies were designed to match. It blows his mind every single time he has the privilege of being inside of you. 

He’s reluctant to leave you and you’re reluctant to let him, but pulling out means he can thrust back in. He keeps one hand on your shoulder and drops the other to your hip, clutching at it like a lifeline as he starts to fuck you in earnest. 

His hips smack into your plush ass rhythmically, the sound causing sharp spikes on the waveform graph and acting as the perfect percussion to the moans and whimpers escaping you. The mic is right by your mouth and he knows they’re being picked up beautifully, butterflies gathering in his stomach just at the thought of getting to hear them through his headphones. 

“Sound so fuckin’ pretty, baby,” he grunts, angling his hips up to hit your g-spot and smirking when you yelp at the sensation. Your back arches, your stomach pressing into his keyboard and your hips pressing into his, and he just holds you tighter, fucks into you harder. 

Your pussy undulates around him as his hand slides from your shoulder to join the other at your hip, both of them gripping your ass and spreading you apart so he can watch his cock enter you again and again. It’s a sight he’ll never get tired of, a feeling he’ll never get used to, a gift he’ll never truly deserve. 

It’s what will send him over the edge, just as long as he makes you fall first. He already came before you once and he doesn’t plan on doing so again for a long time, but he needs to get you there soon or he won’t have a choice. 

One of his hands slips around your waist to dive between your legs, his fingers finding your sensitive clit and starting to strum it as he fills you over and over. You whimper and tremble against him, your cunt fluttering wildly around his aching cock and your hand flying down to grasp his wrist like you think he’ll pull away. 

He doesn’t intend to, honestly wouldn’t mind being attached to you like this for the rest of his life, knows already that he wants to spend it with you. 

His fingers get rougher on your clit and his hips move on autopilot as his brain empties, his balls aching to do the same. “Please cum, fuck. Baby, please fucking cum.”

Jihoon should have known he’d be the one begging you at the end of the night. 

Thankfully, you like to indulge him, your pussy locking him in place as you cum with a loud cry, followed by gasping sobs of his name when he doesn’t stop fucking you. He’s right there, he’s right fucking-

“Jihoon, cum inside me. Fill me up, I want it,” you whimper, pressing your ass into his hips and squeezing your inner muscles around his throbbing cock, and that’s the end for him. 

He drops down to cover your body with his as he breaks apart, his own moans and whimpers registering on the graph alongside yours and his cum flooding into you in pulses. His hand leaves your clit so he can wrap his arm around your waist in a hug, his cheek pressed to your back and his other hand finding yours. 

He tangles your fingers together and rises up, pulling you with him and sitting heavily in his chair. He’s still hard enough his cock doesn’t slip out, and he leans you to the side so he can cup your cheek and turn your face into his, pressing his lips to yours in an openmouthed kiss. 

“Love you, baby,” he whispers into your mouth, waiting for you to say it back before kissing his way to your neck and biting down gently, just enough to leave an indent of his teeth behind. 

“Will you come to bed with me?” You whisper in a small voice, and he returns his lips to yours, kissing you deeply and responding, “Of course, baby.” 

He reaches a hand out and stops the recording, saving the file to his private hard drive, ideas filling his head already. They can wait until the morning though, you asked him to go to bed with you and go to bed he will. 

Jihoon thinks this might be the most productive break he’s ever had. 

AN: this one's for all the jihoon stans who have been thirsting with me lately 💖

My Masterlist

My Chubby!Reader Masterlist

[wh0reforcoriolanussnow]

hiii, could you write something about Tom meeting his celebrity crush ( he also maybe said it in an interview) at the Museum Gala? She is a big actress ( maybe did house of the dragon or something). She thinks he is super hot and she has seen the new hunger games movie, so she kinda flirts with him because she knows she is his celebrity crush and he is a nervous wreck. Eventually they start going out and end up dating! Just something about another British Tom manifesting his life LMAO

could you also add some insta posts ? I love this kinda of au! I hope you like this idea

lots of 💋 t!

And They Meet || Tom Blyth x actress!reader

A/n: love love this request ty anon 😙

Warnings: none!

Wc: 1,232

Dividers by @pommecita

“Do you have a celebrity crush?” The question caught Tom by surprise as he chuckles, his fingertips tapping on his chin. “I do actually, uh Y/n Y/l/n.” He admits for the first time on camera.

“I watched House of the Dragon the moment it came out and I just fell in love with how she portrayed Alicent Hightower, truly one of the greatest actresses at such a young age,” He smiles like a mad man as he recalls the time he first saw her on screen.

The gorgeous green coloured dress you would wear looked heavenly, and of course, your impeccable acting drew his attention. He binge watched the first season over and over, a smile adorning his lips everytime you would bless his screen with your beauty.

“Have you met her Tom? She’s a lovely person in real life.” The brunette sighs, “Unfortunately I have not, soon hopefully, soon,” He crosses his fingers as he lets out a low chuckle before moving on.

~

You watch with a grin on your face the interview that mentioned you. After Tom revealed that you were infact, his celebrity crush, you couldn’t help but feel like a giddy high school girl.

The thought that the Tom Blyth took a fancy towards you was mind blowing, especially since you’ve watched him from afar and admired him for quite some time now. You remember you first saw him on Billy the Kid and thought he was exceptional, and quite attractive.

“You think he would be at the museum gala next month?” You lift your head to Ally, your manager as she thinks. “Most likely, why’s that?” She smirks at you as you roll your eyes jokingly. “Nothing, nothing, just wondering,” You put your hands up in defence.

“Okay you have 10 minutes left,” Ally looks at her watch. You were at The Kelly Clarkson Show about to be interviewed about the upcoming season of the House of the Dragon.

~

“Y/n, do you have a type? If so, I think your fans would like to know, don’t you?” Kelly winks to the crowd as they erupt into laughter, including yourself. “Physical wise? Most definitely tall, brunette, blue eyes, a nice smile-“ “That sounds a whole lot familiar to a guest I just had a couple days ago….” Kelly teases as your eyes widen.

“Really?” A nervous chuckle leaves your lips, “Yeah, a Mr Tom Blyth happens to fit that description. I also know he mentioned you as his celebrity crush just the other day,” You play with the ring on your finger as you look at Kelly as if it was new news to you.

“Did he really?” You couldn’t help the smile off your face, “I watched the movie the day it came out and I understand the girlies who were rooting for Coryo,” You fan yourself jokingly, “truly understand.” The crowd cheers as you laugh. “I mean, I’m willing to ignore the red flags because he’s just so incredibly good looking!” You were lowkey fangirling.

“I know right!” Kelly agrees, “Tom did such a fantastic job playing young Snow, he really charmed us all,” You grin.

~

“Do you think she’s going to be at the gala?” Tom lifts his head up, the interview of you at The Kelly Clarkson Show displayed on his phone. “She should be,” His manager says as he smiles to himself, his eyes redirecting to his phone as you continue to talk about House of The Dragon.

Truth be told, after her let the entire world know that your his celebrity crush, he had been basking in the many comments saying how good the two of you would look together. It boosted his ego for sure.

He was hoping he’d finally be able to see you tonight at the museum gala and feed fans content. The second Tom set foot the gala, his eyes wandered around, hoping to see a glimpse of you. "Are you looking for someone Tom?" An interviewer calls out as he chuckles whilst posing for the photographers. "Yes actually," He responds with a shy smile.

Then, he hears loud screaming coming from the entrance as everyone in the gala turns their head towards the noise. And in you walked. Tom was standing in the red carpet section along with other celebrities as you walk towards his way, waving at the cameras along the way.

You wore a beautiful black gown, your hair in curls as the cascade down your back. Tom didn't even realise but he was staring at you, his mouth slightly agape, entranced by your beauty.

Cameras take photos and videos of Tom's reaction to you, it was quite cute. A man who finally got to see his celebrity crush in front of his eyes. Little did he know, you were looking around, hoping to find him.

Your eyes look around the place before you spot Tom, a few metres away from you as your eyes lit up. Abandoning your spot where you were posing for the cameras, you picked up the fabrics of your dress with the help of your assistants and made your way over to him.

It took a few seconds for Tom to realise that you were walking towards his direction. "Tom!" You greet him, going in for a hug as if you had known each other for years. He was slightly taken back but nonetheless hugs you respectfully. "How are you, darling?" He says as you pull back.

The pet name making you blush as you grin at him. You always knew Tom's eyes were blue, but jesus, you didn't realise just exactly how blue they are from up close. "I'm great now that I've finally met you," You chuckle, your hand gripping his bicep as he bites his lip lightly, smiling at you.

"Your eyes are really blue," You blurt out as he laughs, "I get that a lot," "Y/n! Tom! Can we get a picture of the two of you please?" Paparazzi calls out as you and Tom make eye contact, not realising how close your faces were before quickly looking away shyly.

"May I?" He says to you, asking if he could put his hand on your waist. What a gentleman. "Of course," You grin at him as he snakes his arm around your waist, his hand resting on your hip as your arm wraps around his waist.

The two of you looked good, good together. Throughout the night, you and Tom couldn't get away from each other. He was always by your side, even when you were doing interviews, and vice versa. His hand would rest on the small of your back protectively as you two navigated your way around.

Even at the dinner, he was coincidentally seated beside you which made you happy. You even recorded a video for your Instagram story about it and tagged him. The two of you hit it off straight away, exchanging numbers and even planning to meet up in a couple of days.

Being each other's celebrity crush blossomed into even more. Tom asked you to be his girlfriend after a few weeks of seeing each other and fans were going crazy, saying how he manifested it. You and Tom as a couple received so much support from everyone, including those in the acting industry saying how much of a talented young couple you were.

[bengals-barnesbabe]

mrs. burrow blurb…

825 words for anyone wondering

◎ ｡ ﾟ ❁ ﾟ ｡ ◎ * You've been drooling at your phone for hours (10 minutes) just waiting for your stud of a husband to get home from practice.

All your social media has are pictures, videos and gifs of your man just owning his practice look- well his Bengals gear. But no one should look that damn good at work, unless they're getting paid to. And last time you checked he was getting paid to throw a ball and run away.

"Baby!"

You jolt up from the couch to the sound of Joe's voice coming in from the garage.

"Where are you gorgeous?"

"Living room!" You respond with a smile in your voice.

You see him before he sees you, of course considering he's 6 '4 and 220 lbs of fine ass man. He comes in decked out in his "lady killing" gray sweat shorts and a tie dye muscle shirt with his practice bag swung over his tan broad shoulders.

"Well don't you look comfy." He chuckles nodding at your current state of being wrapped in a blanket like a caterpillar in its cocoon.

You smile unwrapping yourself and standing to your much shorter stature, not that it's ever been a problem for him. "You look like you want every woman within 100 miles to start ovulating."

He snorts and rolls his eyes before pulling you into his arms for a strong yet soft, comforting hug.

"I missed you." He mumbles into your 3 day twist out.

"You smell heavenly, oh I missed you too." He pulls back a bit with a blush heating his cheeks.

You chuckle as he composes himself. "I don't know what's going on with you today, but I'm glad you're enjoying yourself."

Then dips his head to press his lips to yours. You hum sweetly into the kiss and rise to your tiptoes to reciprocate the gentle motions.

He pecks your lips once more before pulling back and smiling.

"I baked today." You beam.

His brows quirk up. "Oh yeah?" You nod and lead him to the kitchen. He sits at the counter as you place a cake plate in front of him, then lifts the translucent glass to reveal a sweet lemon Bundt cake.

"Wow."

You bite the bottom of your lip while cutting him a piece then handing it to him along with a fork.

"Thank you mamas." He says then takes a bite out of your homemade creation. You watch intently as he closes his eyes and throws his head back with a moan.

"Do you like it?"

"Oh yeah, fantastic. You did your thing baby." He responds, finishing the rest of his cake.

The joy you feel as the man you love cleans his plate is incomparable. Well you could compare it to the lust you feel when his body engulfs yours in any and every way.

Like when he walked in from an 8 hour practice looking like straight sex on legs. You'd never know how sexy a bleached buzz cut could be until he waltzed in that day.

There's nothing better than a man that just gets better with age.

"Babe?"

You shiver at the tone of his voice as he wakes you from your daydream. You lock eyes and let out a deep breath.

"Fuck, get me pregnant."

He steps down from the stool and smirks. "I think we already have that covered."

Still entranced in his beauty, you pout then feel a warmth around your midsection. You look down to see his hands rubbing on your bump, because you're 7 months pregnant. Which is why he said he was glad you were feeling better, because ever since your 3rd trimester started you've had more downs than anything.

"Babygirl must be having a quiet day if you somehow forgot about her." He jokes. You chuckle and place your hands on top of his.

"I didn't forget, I must've fallen asleep after baking. Then you walked in and I couldn't think of anything else." Then as if she was being summoned, your little girl starts to kick against his hands.

Joe kneels down and kisses your stomach. "I guess she was just trying to give her stunning mama a little break. Ain't that right Deya?"

"Deya?" You tilt your head amusingly.

"I've heard 'who dey' so much today, it's stuck in my head. I just wanted to try it out. What do you think?" He rose to his full height.

"Like Adeya Burrow? It's cute, we can put it on the list."

"Yeah?" He smiles. You nod.

"The list is getting pretty long though, we're gonna have to make a decision soon."

Your husband takes your hands in his and brings them up to kiss them. "We have time, but I think we have our two finalists."

˚ ༘♡ ⋆｡˚ ❀

Turns out you didn't have as much time as you thought. At exactly 35 weeks, your twin girls Adeya and Ariel Burrow, were born. A surprise but the most loved and adored surprise they'd ever had.

Main Masterlist

[moonstruckme]

hi mae !! im currently in love with eddie, so i was wondering if you could write an eddie x fem!reader drabble, where they're in a long distance relationship and are finally getting to see each other in person again after a while of being apart? if isnt something youre interested in, i understand :))

Hi gorgeous, thank you for requesting!!

cw: mention of weed (Eddie deals but they're not smoking)

Eddie Munson x fem!reader ♡ 708 words

Eddie likes to think of himself as erring on the wild side, but you know he sticks to his routines the same as a crotchety old man. And even though he’s graduated from high school, he still deals to a few of the kids he knew when he was there. You’re lucky; you step into the woods behind the school right as the buyer is leaving, a scraggly kid whose head bobs as he walks and who looks at you like you might go tattle to his parents. You’re too excited to take offense. 

Eddie’s still sitting at his picnic table, one leg hiked up on the bench like he’s thinking of climbing up, closing the clasps of the tin lunchbox he keeps his stash in. He doesn’t startle as you come up behind him, just turns with a half interested look in his eyes. 

A laugh bubbles out of you when they widen comically. 

“Hey,” you say, picking up your pace to cross the distance to him. 

“Holy fuck.” Eddie nearly trips getting out of his seat. He leaves the lunchbox behind. “Jesus, what the fuck?” 

“Glad to see you too,” you laugh, putting your arms around him. 

And you know from experience that Eddie’s a fantastic hugger, but this one is a bit of a scramble. He’s rushed, greedy, hands starting at your sides and then wriggling their way across your back until he’s got you where he wants you. Pulled tight against him with his arms banded across the high and low points of your back, face pressed into your shoulder, your feet still touching the ground but just barely. The whole production makes your chest hurt, a gratifying ache.

“What are you doing here?” It sounds almost like an accusation, muffled affectionately into the material of your shirt. 

You can’t stop giggling. Eddie’s hair tickles your nose. “Crazy thing,” you reply, “they actually let us have summers off.” 

Eddie’s funny in that he almost never asks the right questions. The last time you’d seen him had been during winter break, and when you’d gone back to school and been calling every night, he only asked about your life there. Always what you were doing and how much fun you were having, infinitely sweet in his support of your college experience even if he couldn’t share in it, and in his curiosity he’d somehow forgotten to wonder when you might be coming home again. 

“Okay, smartass.” He gives you a happy little squeeze. “How long do I get you for?” 

“Until August.” 

Eddie makes a delighted moaning sound that sets your giggles off all over again. 

“Yes.” His tone evokes the feeling of a fist-pump without the follow-through of the actual motion, but his hands slip from around you. He grabs your face and kisses you hard. “Fuck yeah!” 

You’re grinning massively as you meet him kiss for kiss, arms crawling up around his shoulders. 

“Best. Surprise. Ever.” He holds you still for a series of quick pecks, deviating from your lips to kiss your cheek, your nose. “Shit, is it, like, super unromantic if I start taking your clothes off?” 

“Kinda,” you say, though you don’t deny him when one of his hands slips down to paw at your ass. “We’re maybe fifty feet from a high school right now.” 

“Mhm, mhm, but hear me out.” Eddie’s words are interspersed with little suctioning sounds, his lips planting themselves eagerly upon any bit of you they can find. “Back when we went here, that would have been the hottest thing, you know? We can even go under the bleachers if you want.” 

You don’t open your eyes, but they’re rolling. “My ovaries are quaking.” 

Eddie groans low in his throat and squeezes your ass teasingly. “So stubborn.” 

“We can go back to your place,” you offer. 

“No, no.” He sighs, heavy and dramatic. “We’d have to drive, and I’m not ready to be across a console from you yet.” Eddie backs you up until your backside hits the picnic table, helping you up and positioning himself between your legs. His arms wrap around you again, half makeout and half hug. “Let’s stay here for a while. Wouldn’t be able to focus on the road anyway.” 

[dangermousie]

Middle (sort of) of 2024 list - cdrama edition.

Yeah I realize it's neither the end of the year, nor half a year, but what's the point of being predictable? It's also gonna make my end of year post easier. This is only going to cover cdramas that aired in 2024; if I watched it but it was made in a different year, it’s not on the list.

DRAMAS WATCHED

(In order of liking from least to most as opposed to pure quality; I am including if I’ve seen enough to make up my mind; yes I realize that’s inaccurate, but that’s my list)

42 My Divine Emissary - it's actually a pretty good drama year when the worst cdrama I've checked out this year is merely utterly shrill and brain dead but not horrifyingly offensive to good taste.

41 Fight for Love - they had wonderful actors and a great premise and utterly wasted it. There might someday be a good drama about a female general torn between a royal and an enemy general but this ain't it.

40 Peacock in Wonderland - I am a few decades too old for this brain dead fest but I am glad Zhou Jun Wei is not canceled at least.

39 Her Fantastic Adventures - honestly, this, MDE and Revenger are all the same type of subgenre - they aren't offensive they are just as empty as air. This also suffers from casting an utter dud as ML and a charisma boat as SML. Why?

38 Lady Revenger Returns from the Fire - the main thing I remember from this is that Miles Wei must have stolen the wig maker's parking spot. That wig is the one that should have gone into the fire.

37 Your Trap/Imprisoned Love - the plot of this mini made no sense but the softcore vibes of sanitized 1990s cinemax were on point!

36 Fox Matchmaker: The Red Moon Pact - it's so pretty, so full of gorgeous costumes and actors and I enjoyed the first few eps, but ultimately it was like watching colorful paint dry. It was so dull, I couldn't even hate watch it, and that is more damning than anything.

35 The Unexpected Marriage - cutesy dumb period romcom. Could be worse, not that this is much of a praise.

34 Love’s Rebellion - so twee, so precious, so full of cutesy awful CGI and actors who aren't bothering. I am not sure why Zhang Linghe and Jing Tian are in this mess that looks like rainbow vomited on a xianxia set.

33 My Wife's Double Life - her life may be double but her brain is only half.

32 Jade's Fateful Love - I lost some braincells trying this one, but (a) it's gorgeous and (b) no transmigration say you? Multiple transmigration in first ep alone! Good for you, makers!

31 Follow My Heart - how do you have Luo Yunxi, Song Yi and Cheng Lei and waste them so utterly? First few eps were nice and then it's like exercise in how much you can tolerate before you call it quits.

30 Sword and Fairy 4 - it's kinda a mess but I loved the actors and some of the plots and you can do worse.

29 Blossoms in Adversity - dumb as a set of particularly dumb bricks and ML I don't think could act if his life depended on it, but it was strangely addictive and I watched it often before better dramas. It's just a genuinely good time somehow!

28 Judge Dee - it's not you it's me in action. It's smart and gorgeous and well acted, I just don't do procedurals.

27 The Substitute Princess’ Love - it's like some of those trashy web novels I enjoy. It was clearly cut, its budget was equivalent to loose change found in the pockets of makes of Fox Spirit Matchmaker, but it was a surprisingly fun watch, though I enjoyed the first half better than the second. Also as a drama old, it was a fun blast from the past seeing Dylan Kuo (if you have never watched the old twdrama The Outsiders, what are you even doing with your life?)

26 Rise from the Ashes - a wacky as hell mini where reborn FL wreaks revenge with help of her fake uncle as they carry on as some sort of Borgia/Phillip II of Spain fame hybrid. If you don't need to use your brain, you could have a worse time.

25 The Legend of Heroes - it suffered from me seeing other versions of this tale before that I liked more and not loving how dark looking it is but that cast is A+ and Wang Hongyi was a revelation as Yang Kang.

24 Beauty Strategy - a mini of what a few years ago would have been a proper angsty drama of palace scheming enemies while lovers, powerless emperor etc etc. Honestly, I loved it.

23 Lovesickness - this year's gender-reversed Ancient Love Song, not as artistic or good but still a good time about a woman traveling back in time and falling for a powerful but doomed duke.

22 Fragments of Kylin - demon slayer falls for a demon; this one came out of nowhere and didn't have much of a budget but is surprisingly lovely.

21 Enslaved by Love - the only reason it's not the most fucked up drama on this list is because Shadow Sect, Palace Shadows and Burning Flames exist. The ML is toxic enough to be banned by the Geneva convention but FL does get some of her own back and also if you ever wanted to see blindness curing sex, boy do I have a drama for you!

20 Secrets of the Shadow Sect - head of sect lady and her very very subby bodyguard. What's not to love?

19 Palace Shadows: Between Two Princes - ML pretends to be his own twin, bdsm and sluttiness ensues. I cannot even explain how wild this drama is but the acting is on point and way way fun!

18 Dashing Youth - I had no expectations of this drama (either indifferent to or dislike everyone in the cast, wuxia and wuxia-adjacent is rarely my genre, the number of characters is huge) but I loved how under its bright colors, it eventually gets very dark (it's quite old school that way) and somehow I am invested in everyone in the huge cast. This being a prequel to The Blood of Youth makes us know the fates of many of the characters and this adds the air of tragic inevitability to it all.)

17 The Last Immortal - a surprisingly sweet and touching xianxia that works largely because Zhao Lusi and Wang Anyu are so so so so solid separately and together.

16 Burning Flames - the most gonzo drama on this list. I love it for committing to insanity as it should (if you pick insane source material, commit.) Humans taking on the worst Gods since Olympus, fur and chains, sentient crystal FL, ML who goes from Crown Prince to mine slave to rebel leader, bare chests and fur, demon elves, a villain that leaches color from the world - this drama has everything and I loved its unhinged glory.

15 Lost You Forever 2 - it would have been higher except it fell apart in the last third so badly I am still wondering how the makers could misunderstand their own characters and their own narratives so badly. The first season was a masterpiece. This is a hot mess.

14 The Princess Royal/The Grand Princess - I am in the minority of finding this drama very mid. The acting was fine (except for former eunuch dude), the writing was fine, but I never really got invested alas. I don't even know why. I think it's just not my type of narrative; there was no intensity.

13 Different Princess - a ridiculous amount of fun and ship about an author falling through to her own novel and falling for the villain.

12 Sword and Fairy 6 - I love this tale; the young OTP (a whale weapon and a clone of her trigger? More wholesome than you think) who are so ride or die for each other, the other amazing characters (sect leader who has to live as a man and her "twin" who is an ancient trapped spirit, a wolf demon, etc...) It's just genuinely good and proof that targeted to younger audience doesn't have to be bad.

11 In Blossom - sure, we all know JJY can't act, but the narrative was so fun and the visuals were so gorgeous and Liu Xueyi so gorgeous and magnetic in his first proper Male Lead role, it was all worth it. I liked the first half when they were still cautious of each other more than the second but this is just a good time!

10 Hard to Find - my second favorite mini on the list, this is an aesthetic feast. The doomed couple from enemy kingdoms, the vengeance, the twists - if ever a mini deserved to be a proper drama, this would be it. But alas, if it was they'd probably not let it.

9 The Double - unhinged web novel vibe done so perfectly in the inimitable Yu Zheng style. The leads were so good even the amazing villains didn't truly steal the show. Like with a lot of cdramas, it lost a lot of steam in second half for me, but still a great watch.

8 Fortune Writer - the best mini this year and better than most "proper" cdramas (Douban raters agree), this tale of villains in love fighting the narrative has a lot to say about writing cliches and writing conventions. I love how clever it is and how it actually made me care for the characters.

7 Tender Light - except for that ending, this was in the running for my favorite 2024 cdrama. The writers' lack of ability to commit and carry through pushed it lower but otherwise it's a genuine masterpiece. The acting, the chemistry, the looping narrative, what it has to say about abuse and complicity of society and blazing your own moral path is something else.

6 Derailment - who knew a little quasi scifi modern would be this high but this one is amazing. If you watch one modern this year, make it this one. Our FL is a rich girl a little in the future who somehow wakes up in a different timeline a few years back in the body of that universe's version of her (who is poor and has been missing) and her one connection is a young man who was in love with that universe's version of her. I don't want to say more so as not to spoil because the twists are twisty but this is EVERYTHING and also addresses transmigration, what it means to love, what is ethical etc etc. And that OTP!

5 Snowfall - a fever dream of a vampire narrative set in an alternate universe of the Republican era, it's gorgeous, passionate, hella queer and just like watching the most amazing fanfic come to life.

4 Heroes - a complete masterpiece about three men about to be on the scrapheap of history in the Qing Dynasty about to fall (a constable devoted to obsolete norms, who spent his whole life studying for the imperial exam which got canceled, the world's best swordsman in the era of guns, and a former imperial guard who emerges from prison into a different world) whose stories intersect as they search for treasure and the women and other people in their lives. This is smart, impeccably acted, filmed in a stunning way, bleak and funny at once and - I don't use the term masterpiece often but I will use it here.

3 The Legend of Shen Li - I am often indifferent to xianxia that suffers from too much CGI, hella immaturity and not enough stakes. Shen Li is everything. It's gorgeously filmed, it's adult, it gives the story time to breathe and centers it on characters and relationships. And the OTP is everything you can ever dream of - it reunites Zhao Liying and Lin Gengxin, totally healing those Princess Agents wounds - their chemistry is still utter fire but the narrative supports them every step of the way.

2 Eternal Brotherhood - if JoL2 did not come out this year, this would be my favorite cdrama of the year. It's clearly a passion project with a small budget but this complex and grim tale of three rather different sworn brothers in a world at war is gorgeous, smart, well acted, dark and inspiring at once. There are shots that take my breath away, the love stories are amazing, the pace is perfect, and ohhh our complex mainsssssss.

1 Joy of Life 2 - nothing can beat this masterpiece. The first season was perfect and somehow the second is even more perfect. It's smart, it's funny, it's heartbreaking, the cast is still impeccable and Zhang Ruoyun still gives a completely jawdropping performance as the focus of all the madness Fan Xian. If you watch only one cdrama this year, make it this one.

FAVORITE DRAMA

Joy of Life 2 - there is not one second I forwarded, not one unnecessary scene, not one weak link character. It's a smart, fierce masterpiece.

Eternal Brotherhood is a runner up - it came out of nowhere and owned my whole heart. It's the sole other cdrama this year where I did not ff a second.

WORST DRAMA

My Divine Emissary - honestly, this is a decent year because even this drama was just "forget it" not burning hate.

FAVORITE MALE CHARACTER

Fan Xian (Zhang Ruoyun), Joy of Life 2 - how could it ever be anyone but smart, irreverent, fierce, broken, idealistic, funny Fan Xian. The man who fights against the horrors of the universe, who remains human while being so larger than life. This character is everything.

Runner up: Zhou Luo (Zhang Xincheng), Tender Light - idealistic loner who refuses to compromise his principles even as it would be easier to, even as it destroys his life, ZXC has always been a solid actor but here he is beyond.

Alternatively, Zichuan Xiu (Yang Xuwen), Eternal Brotherhood - only way to describe Xiu is "trauma sunshine." He's funny, he's irrevocably fucked up, he is magnetic and intense and he fights for his hopeless ideals and he breaks and he keeps going.

or Xing Zhi (Lin Gengxin), the lonely ancient god discovering the pleasure of life for the first time in aeons.

FAVORITE FEMALE CHARACTER

Shen Li (Zhao Liying), The Legend of Shen Li - so fierce, so certain, so alive. She is a goddess but ZLY made her feel so real.

Runner up: Nan Ya (Tong Yao), Tender Light - an abuse victim who keeps trying to find a way out, she's strong and damaged and complex and honestly, one of the best performances this year.

Alternatively, Jiang Xiao Yuan (Liu Haocun), Derailment - she makes a character that in other hands would be boring or trite, someone I want to reach through to the screen and protect and love.

NEEDS TO BE MURDERED

99% of the denizens of the town in Tender Light - selfish every day denizens monstrous because of their very everydayness - they watch abuse and choose to blame the victim and gossip and enjoy the view. I hated them all.

FAVORITE SHIP

Shen Li x Xing Zhi, The Legend of Shen Li - the chemistry, the yearning, the slow inevitable collapse into admittance, the way he protects the world and she protects him, the way they dance around each other, her being the aggressor, his surrender to forbidden emotion, their utter mutual belief in each other's competence. They are everything to me.

Runner up: the OTP in Derailment. Those two went through some mind and soul breaking stuff and made it out.

FAVORITE SECONDARY OTP

Amusingly enough, Fu Xin Bo is the male actor in both - the crossdressing sect leader x wolf demon OTP in Sword and Fairy 6, and First Prince x Eldest Princess in Joy of Life 2. What can I say, man knows how to pick them. Those OTPs are both utterly adorable!

If we are talking about an OTP where it's not that it's not the main but it's not a ship-centric drama so they don't get much time, then we have either Fan Xian x Lin Wan'er from Joy of Life 2 - she is his peace and sanity

and Si Yilin x Ka Dan, Eternal Brotherhood - they are both such desperately good people in a mad world, tender with each other despite surrounding cruelty.

NOTP

The couple in Fox Spirit Matchmaker - such pretty people, and so bland and boring and pointless together. It was kinda amazing.

FAVORITE SCENE

God, so many good scenes this year so far - Fan Xian watching the death of the old censor and the aftermath, in JoL2; his confrontation with Wan'er after she finds out about the truth behind her brother's death, the scene where he poisons Second Prince, his scene with the registrar. Xiu giving up his future to protect the surrendered soldiers only to come back and find Di Lin executed them all in EB, the scene in Ning's bedroom when he tells her how he really feels because she can't hear, the very end of that season and Di Lin striding into the light, Ka Dan and SYL's night. The last scene of LYN and his girl in Heroes, the way Heroes always intercuts the golden past of the guard and princess and the dreary present (especially when we see her bicycle spin out of control back when and her husband lose it in the present and this time there is nobody to catch her), the big reveal in Derailment and the hairwashing scene, Mi Lan touching Vamp Daddy's face as their thing in Snowfall, and the cage stuff etc etc.

BIGGEST CRUSH

Shen Zhiheng (Gao Weiguang), Snowfall - Vamp Daddy made me hormonal in a way I haven't felt for a cdrama lead since the heady days of Darren Wang in The Wolf. Those outfits, that hair, that height, that restraint, that lack of restraint. THE CHAINS

BEST SCENE STEALER CHARACTER

Liu Duan Duan as Second Prince in Joy of Life 2 - what a performance! Unhinged, magnetic, pitiable, terrifying and always mesmerizing. The Second Prince is Fan Xian's foil and a worthy one. LDD is always a great actor, and with a role that actually gives him something to sink his teeth into - wow!

MVP OF THE YEAR

Liu Yuning (Heroes, Eternal Brotherhood) - there is only one actor who somehow managed to be a main character in two of my five top 2024 dramas. His ruthless, driven Di Lin in EB, who knows he's doomed as the ruler's executioner but has no other way forward, and the man out of time (best swordsman in a gun era) in Heroes are both unforgettable characters in amazing dramas.

ACTING SURPRISE

Ouyang Nana - Li Muge performs miracles. He made Yang Chaoye be good in Heroes (2022) and now Nana, who was always as wooden as a post, is a revelation as blind abused girl who becomes a vampire in Snowfall.

NEEDS A SEQUEL

Joy of Life 2 of course - I need to see the looming confrontation between Fan Xian and the emperor, though not sure how that will pass censorship.

NEEDS SCISSORS TAKEN TO IT

FF button has cured me of finding contenders for this category, but perhaps cutting out a lot of terrible acting and lack of stage presence of "not yet a eunuch" dude in The Princess Royal, would have improved it.

TOO MANY SCISSORS TAKEN TO IT

Lost You Forever 2 - there were other issues with it, but all the cuts couldn't have helped with coherency.

TROPE THAT NEEDS TO DIE

Same as last year - the emperor cannot be irredeemable. WTF, China, you are a communist country! Though they are nibbling at the edges this year.

FAVORITE TROPE WE’VE SEEN A LOT OF

Men (and women) knowingly fighting for a doomed cause because otherwise they'd cease to be who they are.

BIGGEST DISAPPOINTMENT

Lost Your Forever 2 - the first season was my favorite drama of 2023 but LYF2 just fell apart so so so badly, it was almost fascinating. It totally eviscerated the characters and the meanings of the story.

BIGGEST GOOD SURPRISE

Three out of the top 5 dramas on my list are not dramas that were on my radar at all before airing - Heroes, Eternal Brotherhood and Snowfall were not anything I anticipated, let alone I realized how much I'd love them. Same for Derailment and Tender Light. This has been a year of surprises.

2024 DRAMAS I HAVEN’T SEEN THAT I MOST WANT TO WATCH

I have honestly watched almost everything I wanted. Strange Tales of Tang Dynasty 2 will be the one I will list since I still need to finish s1.

BEST NON-2024 DRAMA I’VE WATCHED IN 2024

Strange Tales of Tang Dynasty - I, a procedural and mystery hater (especially when there is close to no romance) somehow fell like a ton of bricks for this gorgeous, smart, impeccably acted show.

MOST ANTICIPATED

This is always a bad idea and kinda a curse but I really really want The Story of Pearl Girl, with Zhao Lusi and Liu Yuning because I love them separately and together and the thought of them reuniting is a dream come true. Also Eternal Brotherhood 2 (it's filmed but they can't air it until a year from EB1), Love of Nirvana with Ren Jialun and Li Landi, and Snowy Night: Timeless Love with Li Qin and Zheng Shunxi.

[wileys-russo]

Could you do a blurb of leah Williamson x reader like in the tiktok you posted with the Nike tech. Like bf leah but like even more than before.

tech fleece II l.williamson

"baby?" you heard your girlfriend let herself in as you sung out you were in the kitchen hearing her footsteps make their way toward you.

"hello gorgeous." soft hands grabbed your face from behind, tilting your head back so the blonde could lean over you to place a few sweet kisses on your lips, the last one lingering for a few moments before she pulled away.

"missed you today sexy." her hand smacked your bum with a wink and a sloppy kiss to your cheek before she backed away. "charming as ever darling." you sighed with a shake of your head, dropping the wooden spoon and spinning around. "oh leah." you bit down on your lip at the sight of her.

"what?" she frowned as you covered your mouth with your hand to stifle a laugh. "the matching tech fleece...babe." you shook your head disapprovingly with a snicker as her scowl deepened.

"what about it!" she repeated, now crossing her arms over her chest. "lets just say if i do this, theres a beautiful twenty six year old woman who i adore." you took a step back and held up your hand, squinting your eyes and using it to cover her body.

"but if i do this...there's a grubby fifteen year old chav blasting grime on the tube and spitting on the ground for no reason." you moved your hand up to cover her face and show off her body instead. "oo or maybe a roadman?"

"a chav or a roadman she says!" leah scoffed in offence as you dropped your hand and grinned. "better than a bin man?" you teased returning to the stove. "i've told you before you can wear a tech fleece hoodie, jacket or joggers separately, but never all together leah, never all together." you remanded, the blonde mocking you under her breath.

"its comfy! you're so nasty to me, its a god given wonder i put up with you." leah huffed, running a hand through her hair and pulling herself up to sit on the counter.

"oh how do you do it leah? laundry always done, house clean and tidy, home cooked meals on the table, cracking banter and fantastic sex. what a horrid life you have to live, my selfless brave hero." you pouted mockingly toward the older girl.

"yes its a real burden i shoulder for the good of my country." leah sighed, patting her chest where normally some sort of football crest would be sat making you roll your eyes at her antics.

"that smells...healthy." leah frowned suspiciously at the stir fry you were making. "you can unclench this is for me, there's chicken and smileys in the oven for you child." you chuckled nodding your head as her face lit up.

"oi i am not a child! i'm actually older by elven and a half months thank you very much." leah scoffed realizing your subtle dig. "you have the culinary pallet of a toddler and now you're dressing like a troubled teenage boy. child!" you pointed the wooden spoon at her accusingly.

"right i'm not putting up with this abuse any longer. i'm going to wipe all this crap off my face, which you have still not complimented! and then i will return and you better have worked on this pissy attitude young lady." leah warned sternly, pointing right back at you as she hopped down from the counter.

"you look beautiful babe, as always." you smiled, moving to hug her tightly and softly kiss her slightly tinted pink lips from the makeup she had on, having spent nearly the entire day out with media committments.

"just change out of this horrid tracksuit while you're up there yeah?" you now smacked her bum with a wink, backing off as she shook her head and strode out of the kitchen toward your shared bedroom.

"nasty little woman." "i will throw your smileys in the bin williamson!" "obviously i meant gorgeous gorgeous woman whom i love and adore!" "you are on thin ice roadman."

~

"what the hell took you so long?" you chuckled as almost an hour later your girlfriend returned downstairs, having been up in your bedroom the entire time doing god knows what. but she had wiped her makeup off and tied her long blonde hair up into a disheveled bun which sat atop her head.

you'd already long finished cooking, having dished up your dinner and left leahs to stay warm in the oven, sat on the sofa eating.

"i was using the toilet." the blonde shrugged, smacking your forehead with her hand as she passed by you and made a beeline for the kitchen. "for forty minutes?" you laughed at her answer, well knowing she'd have just sat on the bed doom scrolling the tiktok feed she claimed not to care about.

"why are you suddenly so interested in my bowel movements you creep?" leah retorted , hissing as she reached for her plate in the oven, touching it for a second before quickly re-thinking her action. "ugh i didn't mean it like that, i don't need to know a bloody thing about your bowel movements thanks mate." you grimaced in disgust, tuning back into the television.

"don't mate me i'm your missus." your head was shoved to the side by her hand as leah collapsed onto the sofa beside you, and you barely had time to lift your bowl up before her feet swung into your lap. "missus? someone's been hanging round katie too much." you teased, both of you quite close with her irish team mate.

"you didn't even change!" you realised, poking accusingly at her tech fleece joggers making her roll her eyes again. "i'm comfy! stop bullying me." the blonde huffed, darting forward to snatch the remove from where it rested on your thigh.

"leah!" you huffed as she switched stations, groaning as of course she'd put on the football, arsenal due to play in their next premier league match.

"i was watching big brother." you tried to grab it back off of her but she raised her arm, taller than you and easily holding it out of your reach as her eyes never left the screen.

"and? you can watch it on catch up tomorrow babe. my boys are playing." leah shrugged, leaving the remote to rest on the top of the sofa as you sent her a withering glare. "i don't want to watch the football." you groaned in frustration, though really you knew you weren't going to win this. your girlfriend bled north london through and through and there wasn't a chance she would miss this game for anything.

"didn't ask, don't care." leah spoke with a mouthful of food making your lip curl in disgust as you smacked her ankles which rested in your lap. "asshole." you grumbled, shoving her feet off you and standing to wash up your empty bowl.

"get me some more?" leah held out her half finished plate, eyes still glued to the tv. "pardon?" you questioned, raising an eyebrow. "get me some more please baby girl." leah flashed you a smile and wiggled her plate as you grabbed it with a roll of your eyes.

"thank you sweets." your girlfriend patted your bum with her spare hand as you gave her back the plate, shooting her a glare as you sat down. "what? you love it." leah grinned, swinging her feet back into your lap.

"babe didn't you just buy new socks?" you frowned at the holes in the bottom of them. "yeah and i'll wear them once these aren't good enough." leah shrugged. "these aren't good enough they're riddled with holes! get rid of them." you chuckled, whining and shoving her away as she moved her feet to teasingly rest on your face.

"leah!" you groaned as she swung her body around and collapsed herself on top of you. "honestly you are such a teenage boy sometimes. lia was right!" you scoffed, struggling to move her off of you as she went limp.

"hey! you know i hate it when the two of you gang up on me." leah pouted, rolling off of you. "then stop giving us a reason to." you rolled your eyes, smacking away her hands which poked and prodded at your face. "relax the face baby, relax the face." the blonde cooed mockingly, stretching your skin with her thumbs.

"you're one to talk! you've already got wrinkles from all that scowling and frowning." you hit back, causing her to scoff in offence and let go of you. "no you can't leave!" you stood to retreat to the bedroom, leah lunging to grab the back of your hoodie.

"i told you i don't want to watch the football leah." you sighed as she adjusted her position, sitting where you had been and pulling your body in between her legs.

"you always sit with me when the boys play, its bad luck if you aren't here baby." leah frowned somewhat adorably, forever superstitious as you sighed again this time in defeat. "let me at least go and get my book." you bargained, her grip on you loosening allowing you to dart to the bedroom and back.

"comfy love?" leah mumbled against your neck, peppering the skin with gentle kisses as your back settled against her front, nodding and propping your book against your knees, leah kissing your cheek a few times before her attention returned to the game.

"again? you are fucking jokin me!" leah later yelled at the tv with a loud groan as arsenal conceded and you couldn't help but chuckle at her passion. "you do know they can't hear you through the telly right baby?" you teased, head tilting back to look up at her in amusement.

"if i'm loud enough they might come on boys!" leah yelled again, thumping her head back against the sofa in frustration. "oh i can't watch this anymore." leah sighed, slender fingers wrapping around your wrists and tugging your hands to cover her face.

"so we can go to bed then?" "absolutely not, they could be on the come back." "leah, my love its 3-1 and there's ten minutes left, face it baby they've lost."

[storiesofsvu]

Decadent Desires Ch 5

Emily Prentiss x reader warnings: language, alcohol, sexually charged conversation, smut, oral, sex toys/strap ons, nothing too crazy this time, some minor kink talk

Over the course of the next week you noticed that Emily was slipping into her sugar mommy role quite well. An extra ten dollars in your Venmo for coffee and a pastry one day, a few good morning texts, wishing for you to have a good day, take out delivered to your office on the day you mentioned forgetting to grab your lunch. The meals or snacks seemed to be the biggest ones, she knew you worked insane hours and were likely working into the evenings most of the time as well, checking that you were still at the office before she would have something sent over.

You were in your office late Wednesday afternoon, finally finishing up the extra workload when there was a brief knock on your door.

“Yeah?” You called out, glancing up from your laptop to find Heather entering the office with a potted bouquet in her hands.

“Jaydyn dropped this off to my office this morning, I just got around to reading the card.” Placing it down on a side table she swiped the card, “and considering I’m the instigator, these are not for me.” She extended it out to you and you flipped it around.

‘St Regis. 8pm, Friday.                                E.’

“You better not be planning to keep me late Friday.” You commented, tucking the card into your agenda.

“What’re we going to do with her?” Heather asked with a huff, dropping into one of the chairs across from your desk and your brow furrowed.

“Emily?”

“No, Jaydyn.” She glanced toward you, “she’s messed up four times this week alone. Can you take care of her?”

“I’m not HR Heather…” you warned, “do it yourself.”

“If I sort it before Monday, you’re going to have to take on the press conference with Sharp.” She countered and you rolled your eyes, tossing an eraser in her direction.

“I’ll draw up the termination paperwork but that’s as far as I go.”

“Thank you.” She smiled, “I would certainly hate all the deliveries you’ve gotten to go to waste.”

You let out a soft sigh, glancing up to the flowers, “about that… I’m sorry. I’ll tell her not at work from now on.”

“Oh by all means don’t let me stop you. Just make sure to lock your door if you’re fucking in your office.”

“Heather!” You groaned, feeling your cheeks burning.

“Oh please.” She smirked, “so… how was it?”

“What?” You looked up from your laptop, turning your attention to the other woman.

“Sweetheart, you know I have a standing reservation at The Conrad.”

“Ohhh… that explains the bondage straps under the bed.” You teased, “and here I was thinking that was a progressive new amenity.”

“How was the date?”

“It was fine, good.”

“Fine? Come on, I’m trying to help you out here. What’s the issue? She’s got money, she’s gorgeous, I enjoy her company, and I don’t know why but there’s an air about her that says she’s fantastic in the bedroom and lord knows you’re pent up enough you need to get laid.”

“Gee… I wonder why that might be.” You replied dryly and she laughed.

“All I’m saying is I saw two of my friends struggling with the same issue and figured I should put them in contact.”

“You really should think about financing a sugar matchmaker.” You noted, “and the date was good. She got called into work, I think she’s out in Nevada right now chasing down some psychopath.”

“Shame.” She replied with a breath, standing from her chair, “I was hoping for the dirty details.” She shot you a wink before turning to head to the door.

“Couldn’t if I wanted to, signed an NDA.” You lied, though you were quickly caught in it as she called over her shoulder.

“I know for a fact you didn’t, who do you think drew up her paperwork?”

“Fuck.” You muttered, letting out a huff of a laugh and shaking your head as the other woman left the room and you were finally able to return back to your work.

When Friday finally rolled around Heather was quick to kick you out of the office well before your usual finishing time, once again suggesting a few specific clothing options for you to wear that night. After showering you were flicking through your closet and realized she was right, pulling out a tighter plum cocktail dress to slip into. You poured a glass of wine while you redid your make up to help calm any last minute nerves and called an Uber shortly before eight o’clock.

The St Regis had a stunningly gorgeous lobby and even though the room was rather busy considering it was Friday, you spotted Emily fairly quickly. She was settled into one of the couches, very fitted dress pants and a stylish navy top, her hair loose around her shoulders. As you made your way over to her she glanced up, catching your eye as a smile crept onto her lips.

“You weren’t kidding about your punctuality.” She greeted, standing from the couch and you chuckled.

“Last I heard, it was incredibly rude to keep a gorgeous woman waiting.” You replied, stepping forward to kiss her cheek as she did the same to you. Her hand lingered on your side, sweeping across to your lower back as she fell in step beside you, nudging you in the direction of the restaurant.

“I’m glad I was on time then.” Emily half teased and you let out a small laugh.

“Even if I tried I couldn’t have been late, I’ve been thinking about this dinner all day.”

“You’re telling me.” She nearly groaned, “I’ve been surviving off shitty hotel room service and small town take out all week.”

“I’m going to assume that’s all very limited.”

“Egg bagels for breakfast, bologna sandwiches at the precinct and burgers every night. I am more than ready for a change.”

“It sounds like you definitely deserve the treat then.”

Emily’s hand slipped off your back as you approached the check in stand at Alhambra, giving the host a friendly greeting before they led you to your table. A cozy little corner of the restaurant, settled up against the window was the perfect place, just far enough away from the bulk of the crowd you wouldn’t have to worry about eavesdroppers. It didn’t take long to decide on a bottle of red to share and you settled in, exploring the menu while you caught up with each other after the long week.

There was a slight sense of eagerness mixed with a hint of nerves floating around the table, the desire to skip the meal entirely and head directly upstairs sitting in the back of your minds. That desire was nearly too strong and partially won when Emily suggested skipping straight to the entrée course and you were quick to agree that nothing on the appetizer menu was really jumping out to you. When your server came back to check on the table and pour out wine for the two of you, dinner was ordered, menus taken away and after a few sips of wine you could finally start to focus on each other.

“Thank you, for the flowers by the way.” You smiled softly over the rim of your glass, “they’re gorgeous.”

“I should have asked about sending them to your work.” She replied, an apology written across her face, “I didn’t realize until it was too late that I didn’t have your home address.”

“It’s fine.” You replied with a shrug and a grin, “besides, gives the office something to gossip about, right?”

“I guess that’s right.” She laughed softly, “I’m a little surprised I managed to not get called out for being on my phone so much this week.”

“You’re the boss,” you offered, “you’re probably on your phone all the time already. Nothing new for a team of profilers.”

“I guess. And I’m not complaining, there is something exciting about having a secret.”

“There most certainly is.” You replied, a near hungry look in your eye that made Emily’s pulse pick up, heat beginning to build through her body, “even more so when it’s a dirty secret.”

She cocked a brow in your direction, her voice lowering, “that so? Are you a dirty girl?”

“You’ll just have to wait and see, won’t you?” You replied with a smirk, taking another sip of wine, “I can assure you; I’ll be good no matter what.”

“I would hate to have to punish you.” She fired back and you felt a tingle shoot through your body.

“Hmm.. part of me thinks you’d rather enjoy that.”

She took the chance to turn your own words back on you, “you’ll just have to wait and see about that.”

“Good thing I’m patient then.”

While the sentiment was normally true, it certainly wasn’t tonight. Luckily, Emily’s patience was also wearing thinner by the moment, neither of you finishing your meals and very quickly turning down the chance to even see a dessert menu.

By the time you got into the elevator your heart was racing, sparks flying through your body at the feeling of Emily’s fingertips drawing patterns on your back as she stepped impossibly close to you. You could feel the heat from her body wafting onto yours and your breath caught in your throat. The doors slid open, letting the other couple out before they slid shut again, leaving you alone and you could feel her breath on the back of your neck before she spoke.

“You are going to be a good girl for me, right?”

“Mmhmm.” You nodded, gulping at the feeling of her fingers tracing higher on your back, now tickling at your bare skin.

“Good.” She murmured, her fingers squeezing softly at the back of your neck before they slid into your hair, her free hand grasping your hip as she turned you in her arms, swiftly backing you into the wall of the elevator and her lips captured yours in a kiss.

While she had been showing some signs of uncertainty when it came to navigating this particular type of situation, it was suddenly very clear that she knew exactly what she was doing when it came to the more intimate side of things. Only a second after her hands were on you, her lips gliding against yours and you were complete putty in her hands.

Your hands easily looped around her shoulders, pulling her tighter to you as your lips moved with grace against each other. Emily slotted a leg between yours, knee against the wall right as her tongue slid across your lips, urging them to part and you quickly obliged. Her tongue swept into your mouth and you couldn’t help but moan into the kiss, hips rocking toward her and she ground you down onto her thigh. You couldn’t help but let out a small whimper into the kiss, one that morphed into a needy whine as the elevator dinged and Emily suddenly stepped away from you, her hand grabbing yours to quickly lead you down the hallway.

“Thought you were patient.” She teased with a gleam in her eye and you only had enough time to let out a huff of a laugh before you were inside the suite. “Cause now you’re sounding like a needy girl.”

“Maybe if someone wasn’t such a tease.” You shot back and she chuckled darkly, stepping toward you, gently pinching your chin as she titled your face up towards her.

“For someone who wants to cut to the chase so badly, you certainly are overdressed.” Her fingers slipped into the straps of your dress, nudging them over your shoulders, “how about we get this off?”

Your hands reached behind your back, tugging the zipper down before pushing the dress down to your feet, stepping out of it along with your heels. You watched with hungry eyes as Emily’s fingers swiftly undid her blouse, dropping it behind her before she stepped back to you, her hands cascading across your skin.

“Such a pretty girl in pretty lace.” She husked, her fingers trailing over the waistband of your panties before surging upward and tracing the pattern of the lace covering the cups. Your breath caught in your throat when her fingers brushed over your nipples and her lips curved up into a grin, groping your chest and successfully pulling a moan from you. “Let me see these gorgeous tits.”

You reached behind you, unclasping your bra and letting it fall to the floor, heat prickling beneath your skin at the feeling of Emily’s gaze on you. Her hands returned to your body, caressing your exposed chest, fingers pinching gently at your nipples, eagerly watching your reactions. She stepped forward, lips meeting yours in a lazy kiss while your hands wrapped around her, un doing her bra so you could mimic her movements. She let out a soft moan into the kiss and your hands sunk south, groping at her ass, rolling her hips toward you as you slotted a leg between hers.

Emily barely pulled away from the kiss to scold you, “uh-uh princess. Or did you forget that tonight was about me fucking you into next week?”

“Fuck…” you muttered and she laughed softly, nudging you backwards toward the bed.

“Now get rid of those panties and lie back.”

While you dropped onto the bed, fingertips slipping into the waistband of your underwear to tug them down your legs, Emily took the time to rid herself of her pants and slid the hair tie off her wrist, loosely pulling her hair back before she crawled over you on the bed. She kissed you again, her tongue surging into your mouth as you let out a soft groan at the feel of her hands back playing with your tits. Your back arched off the bed when she pinched your nipples, harder than the first time.

“Oh god..” Your head dropped back into the pillows, eyes fluttering shut and she took advantage of your exposed neck.

Her lips trailed down it, pausing briefly to nip at your sensitive skin, wondering if she should mark you or not. Instead she licked across your collarbone before sucking a nipple into her mouth and you moaned, your fingers weaving into her hair the best they could. This time her teeth did scrape across your skin and you whimpered, heat tingling from where her mouth was on your body down all the way between your legs. It didn’t take long before Emily’s lips had traced their way down your body and her hands were on your thighs, spreading them wide to make room for herself. Her thumb swept through your folds, briefly pressing on your clit and you moaned, pussy fluttering around nothing.

“Such a pretty girl.” She cooed before shifting forward, repeating the motion but this time using her tongue and you couldn’t help but let out a gasp.

“Fuck!”

Her lips wrapped around your lower ones, tongue drawing patterns across your cunt as she began to eat you out. She eagerly accepted your hand tangled in her hair, urging her closer to your pussy, her tongue slipping in as far as she could, lapping at the juices that were starting to leak out. She groaned over your taste, grinding down against the mattress as her fingers dug into the skin of your thighs. The taste of you on her tongue and the way your thighs were already trembling under her touch was enough to drive her wild and she was certain she would never get over it. Knowing that you were this turned on already and that she had this effect on you had her pussy throbbing, dampening her panties as she continued to lick at your cunt. Her nose bumped against your clit and you whined, your hips rocking up towards her,

“More…” you begged and she smirked, her tongue lapping through your folds before it flicked at your clit and you whimpered.

“You like that?” She asked, her tongue flicking your clit again and you shuddered, nodding. “you want your pretty clit sucked?” She flattened her tongue, slowly dragging it across your swollen nub and you groaned, your fingers tightening in her hair.

“Yes! Please!”

“Such a good girl.” She praised, “I guess good girls do get rewarded.”

Her lips wrapped around your clit, sucking it into her mouth and you let out a very satisfied moan, eyes scrunching shut as her tongue traced patterns around it. Emily brought her hand up, two finger tips sliding up and down your folds, teasing you, coating them in your wetness before she slid them into your pussy.

“Fuck… Emily…” Your pussy fluttered around her fingers, pleasure surging through you as the fire prickled just under your skin.

She had an expertise at what she was doing, you could tell, and it never took long for her to follow her instincts, read your body language and reactions. It felt like she had barely started touching you and you were already panting, a shimmer of sweat glistening over your body as her fingers began to pump inside your cunt. She popped off your clit, blowing cool air on it and you shivered, your hand clawing at the bedspread as your pussy pulsed around her fingers. With her mouth back on you her fingers began to curl to find that extra sensitive spot within you and she found it faster than she expected. You could feel the smirk of her lips as you cried out.

“Oh god… yes!” You whined when her finger tips hit it again, “right there.”

Emily sucked harder on your clit as her fingers brushed your g-spot again, pressing harder and longer with each thrust of her hand. Feeling the way your thighs were squeezing around her, the way your hips jolted up off the bed with each pump of her fingers she knew you had to be close, your pussy clenching down around her as she picked up the speed. It didn’t take long at all before you were moaning loudly, pleasure shooting through your veins, bursting from your body and your juices were dribbling down her hand. Your body shook, a whine escaping your lips and she pulled away from you slightly, her fingers slowing as they fucked you through your orgasm.

Once you had mostly come back down to earth her fingers slipped from you and she sucked them clean before crawling up your body, kissing you breathless. Your hand wrapped around the back of her neck, pulling her closer to you as your tongue danced with hers, groaning over the taste of you in her mouth.

“Roll over.” She murmured, lips brushing against yours as she swatted at your hip.

You eagerly rolled to your stomach, the bed dipping as she slid off it and you watched her wander to a chair, digging through a small duffle until she pulled out the strap and a bottle of lube. Your eyes darkened as she stepped into it, adjusting the toy and you popped up to your hands and knees, presenting yourself to her.

She sauntered back over to the bed, climbing on behind you and her hands ghosted up your thighs, spreading your cheeks so she could get a look at your cunt, glistening in the low light of the room, smeared with your juices.

“Such a pretty pussy.” She praised, her hand gently slapping against it and you let out a breathy whine, your eyes fluttering shut as your rocked back towards the touch. “Oh?” She raised a brow, “you like that, hm? Like being spanked?” This time her hand swatted at your ass and you let out a low moan.

“Yes..”

“I’ll have to remember that.” She cracked open the bottle of lube, smearing it across the dildo, “but for now… do you want my cock?” She nudged the head of it against your pussy and you whined, “want me to stretch out this pretty pussy?”

“Please!” You cried out, hands grasping at the bedspread as you felt yourself pulse over nothing.

Emily chuckled softly, her hands coming to rest on your hips as her cock sunk inch by inch into your pussy and you let out a satisfied groan when her hips collided with yours, cock deep in your cunt. She pulled out until just the tip was left inside you and thrusted her hips sharply, pulling a throaty gasp from you. Pausing for a moment while she was buried deep she circled her hips and you let out a satisfied sigh, your body rocking back toward her and she knew she was in the clear, you had no issue being fucked that hard.

“Take me so well princess.” She murmured, a hand rubbing up your back before she thrust deeply back into you and you groaned again.

Emily then set a steady pace, her cock plunging into you with each thrust, your body rocking forward and following her movement back, eager for more. Each pump of her hips you could feel the ridges of the toy dragging through your walls, hitting every spot you needed them to, your pussy fluttering harder and harder around it. Emily’s lips curved up into a grin at the sight of her cock coated in more of your juices each time she pulled it out, that you had gone from moaning to only being able to whimper and whine as she fucked you harder. Her hand slid up your back, leaving goosebumps in its path before she tangled into your hair, tugging at the roots and you let out a gasp, your pussy clenching down around her cock.

“Fuck…” You managed out between moans, fire burning through your entire body as she fucked deeper into you.

The hand Emily had in your hair pulled harder, yanking you up flush to her and your breath struggled through your throat before coming out as a gasping moan, feeling her mouth in the crook of your neck again.  Her free hand wrapped around your body, easily finding your clit, beginning to rub at it in time with her thrusts.

“Such a good girl.” She husked into your ear, “such pretty sounds.” Her teeth nipped at your earlobe, “come for me princess, I know you’re close.”

Her fingers pressed harder on your clit, rubbing faster as she continued to fuck you, your bodies slick with sweat, the room filled with a cacophony of your moans, wetness and skin meeting skin. Emily’s cock hit a spot inside you and you cried out, your hand wrapping around her wrist in an attempt to ground yourself as she fucked you even harder, pulling you over the ledge for you to come tumbling down as your orgasm flooded over you. Your juices coated her cock, dripping down your thighs as your body trembled in her arms before she let you collapse down onto the mattress and she slowed her thrusts.

“Jesus Christ.” You whimpered, voice muffled by the sheets as your body shook, pleasure shooting all the way from the tips of your fingers down to your toes as a second wind waved over your body.

Behind you Emily chuckled darkly, slowing her thrusts until she was completely stilled, still inside you and she leant over your body, leaving a trail of soft kisses down your spine before she slipped out of you. You let out a small whine at the loss of feeling so full, the ache already setting in between your legs as she shifted off the bed to slip out of the strap, leaving it to be dealt with later.

“You okay?” She asked softly, her hand ghosting up your back as she crawled back onto the bed and you let out a happy hum.

“Absolutely perfect.” You shifted slightly, shoving the mussed up blankets so you could at least slip half beneath them as Emily settled on the bed, her arm winding around you, urging you to curl into her side.

Her hand continued to rub soothing patterns into your back as you finally managed to catch your breath, a dopey smile on your cheeks as you rested on her chest. She wordlessly reached out to the remote, turning on the television and flicking through the channels until something caught her interest and you let out a hum to convey your interest. It wasn’t much longer past that point that your stomach let out a low grumble and she laughed quietly.

“You sure you’re okay?”

“Maybe we shouldn’t have rushed through dinner so fast.” You laughed, shifting to prop yourself up on your elbow, “they have a room service menu?”

She leaned over, shuffling through the nightstand before returning with one, flipping it open and passing it to you, “pick whatever you want. I’ve got a bottle of wine in the fridge.”

It didn’t take long for you to call down to place an order in while Emily disappeared into the bathroom before grabbing the wine and some plastic cups, returning to the bed before you did the same. Fifteen minutes later you had an order of spinach dip, potstickers, and a very self indulgent plate of chicken strips for yourself spread out across the bed along with glasses of wine. You were mainly paying attention to the television, but the conversation was still peppered through as time went by, laughing over jokes and getting to know each other on a different level. Once the food was finished, Emily encouraged you to get cozy, that you were obviously welcome to stay the night and you took full advantage of that, stretching out in the luxury bed. She did mention it was likely she would have to take off before she wanted to the next morning, but she wouldn’t wake you, that she wanted you to stay as long as you wanted.

Both of you wanted to stay up later, but the six a.m. wake up that morning was catching up with you by the time midnight rolled around, yawns being passed back and fourth before you were snuggling into the pillows and Emily finally flicked off the tv.

The sound of your phone pinging woke you up in the morning, sun streaming across the warm bed and you let out a yawn, stretching out your deliciously sore body as you did so. Glancing around the suite you assumed Emily had left earlier and that thought was confirmed when you glanced to the bedside table, an envelope propped up against the lamp. You picked it up, finding her writing scrawled across the back of it.

‘Clear your schedule for next Saturday. I’ll text you more info later, but for now, take this and buy yourself something nice.’

Holding the envelope up to the window you could tell she had left you a credit card to do some shopping with and a happy smile broke out on your lips. When you picked up your phone you discovered that it was a Venmo notification that had woken you up, two hundred dollars sent from Emily.

Letting out a happy sigh you dropped back into the plush pillows, you certainly weren’t going to complain about spending your weekends like this from now on.

________________

@mickey-gomez @momlifebehard @daddy-heather-dunbar @maybe-a-humanbean @rustyzebra @leftoverenvy @kades95 @dextur @supercriminalbean @emilyprentisssluvr @lex13cm @zizzlekwum @emobabeyy @riveramorylunar @scorpsik @onmykneesformarvel @inlovewithemilyprentiss @regalmilfs4me @ara-a-bird @five-bi-five-mind @inlovewithmiddleagewomen @hotchs-bitch @ollysmulti @kmc1989 @irishavengersassemble @hopedoesntknow @venromanova @waitaminuteashh @noahrex @imlike-so-gaydude @wittygutsy @cx-emerald-cx cx @momily @nilaues @borinxnovak @soverign @v3nusxsky @blackbird-brewster @mccdreamys-writes @l4yne @obsessedwjill @supercorpstan97 @asolitaryrose3 @honeyycatt @trauma-factory @lisqueen @mrs-prentiss @whitewinewithice @d33pd3sires-blog

[leclercsluvs]

CL16/DR3 | Already Over | smau

part 8 | masterlist

an: i'm thinking this is only going to be like 1 more part. i have no clue what else to make happen tbh, dates/timestamps aren't important, pleas ignore them pairing: charles leclerc x fem!reader, daniel ricciardo x fem!reader

charles_leclerc

liked by pierregasly, maxverstappen1 and 3.189.461 others charles_leclerc wish we could go back in time ❤️ tagged: yourusername

danielricciardo watch it.

maxverstappen1 you're doing everything huh?

charles_leclerc ofc i am. i love her. yourbff fuck off. you had your chance and you fucked up big time. yourfriend not you doing all this AFTER she's moved on. stop fucking with her head dude. pierregasly don't listen to them mate, show her how much you love her! yoursister pierre shut the fuck up, or i will make sure you are not able to drive next weekend <3

tayslover it rubs me the wrong way that he's posting like this while she's in a relationship. also i really need her to be on top of her game when she tours with THE queen.

y/nsfclklore not you putting one above the other 🤨 swiftesversion because taytay is above everyone 💁‍♀️ softy/n/n nahhh they're literally friends??? why put them against each other

yourusername

liked by taylorswift, landonorris and 3.156.442 others yourusername had a fantastic time the first night of the eras tour! thank you to everyone who cheered loudly for me, i appreciate all the support 🥹 tagged: taylorswift

danielricciardo looked gorgeous, sad i couldn't be there tonight

yourbff girlll you're shining!! we'll meet you at the next stop!! ❤️

yourusername no way!! who's "we"?? 🤨 yourfriend don't worry it doesn't involve your stupid ex yourbff it does involve someone else tho 👀 maxverstappen1 i wonder who

y/nswrld can't wait to see you soon!

taylorswift you were amazing! glad i decided to bring you with me

yourusername thank you so much for the opportunity! <3

danielricciardo

liked by yourusername, maxverstappen1 and 4.009.877 others danielricciardo stay hydrated folks! tagged: yourusername

yourusername you really had to include that first pic? 😭

danielricciardo ofc, i gotta get the message out there yourusername blocked.

landonorris you went and didn't invite me? kinda rude

danielricciardo sorry there wasn't space on the plane 🤷 yourbff do you have a private plane? landonorris yeah, why? yourfriend then we'll invite you the next time!

yourusername

liked by charles_leclerc, yourbff & 4.132.806 others yourusername this has been an amazing time! thank you so much for all the love!

danielricciardo you were amazing! loved seeing you do what you love

yourusername so happy you were able to be there! ❤️ yourbff 🤮 danielricciardo you were the one to bring me? 🤨 yourbff doesn't mean you have to be this cute yourusername aww you called us cute

charles_leclerc you looked gorgeous!

nvrris.ae did she cover 'hopelessly devoted to you' every night? or just the nights daniel was there?

scfty/n every night! but she did seem to sing it with more passion and with a bigger smile on her face whenever her friends or daniel was in the crowd nvrris.ae that's really cute honestly

charles_leclerc

liked by carlossainz55, maxverstappen1 & 4.283.800 others charles_leclerc i was told to wait with making this statement until the whole situation had died down a little, but going to see yourusername live in sydney, i realized i'm done waiting. i love this woman with all my heart. i will do anything to win back your trust. i would stand in the rain for hours watching you do what you love, i would quit racing, i would go through fire and ice, and of course my pr manager is fired. i am truly and incredibly sorry for what i put you through, and i understand if you are never going to fully forgive me. i miss you, and i love you. and i hope you can find it in your heart to forgive me at some point. i know you're currently in a relationship, and i'm not asking you to drop that. i just want a second chance. i want a fresh start if you think that would be possible. i hope from the bottom of my heart, that we can start over. i already told you exactly what happened over text, and i talked with everyone in the team, they are more than willing to also tell the story from their perspective. tagged: yourusername

leclrcs this is honestly the cutest little statement ever

scuderia.sf get heeer

danielricciardo watch out.

charles_leclerc i understand the two of you are in a relationship, and i'm not going to fight you, i simply just want forgiveness. i'm not interested in breaking the two of you up

yoursister are you being fr right now??? she's over you. you didn't have to make a public statement or anything at all???

charles_leclerc as i stated, i'm not expecting her to forgive me right now, right this second. i'm expecting it's going to take time, and i'm gonna giver her all the time she needs. yoursister you better sleep with one eye open.

danielricciardo

liked by yourusername, yourbff & 3.458.124 others danielricciardo cool date idea: ask your girlfriend what she wants for dinner and then buy her favorite snacks too tagged: yourusername

yourusername best date to ever exist

yourbff wow what about that time i made you a homecooked meal? yourusername you almost burned down my house??? yourbff um i thought we agreed to not bring that up yourusername no you agreed with yourself to never bring that up, i never agreed.

landonorris and i wasn't invited because???

danielricciardo i didn't know we dated? yourusername care to explain yourself? landonorris yeah care to explain yourself? danielricciardo woah hold on how many people am i dating???

mayasheart aww this is such a cute idea! hold on i'm writing it down

-

part 9

tag list: @exotic-iris13 @callsignwidow @destinyg237 @lanadelray1989

[lastoneout]

Okay, honest question, who is Yotsuba?

OH HO HO ANON I AM ALL TOO HAPPY TO EXPLAIN :3

Yotsuba is a character from the greatest manga ever made, Yotsuba&!(or Yotsuba to! it translates weird, most fans just call it Yotsuba) which is a comedy slice-of-life manga about Yotsuba Koiwai, a five year old girl, and her very strange yet wholesome family and friends!

It's from the same mangaka who gave us Azumanga Daioh, though while that manga is told in a four-panel comic style and doesn't really have much of an overarching plot, Youtsuba is done in a traditional manga style and despite also being very episodic there is a bit of a throughline surrounding Youtsuba getting settled into the neighborhood she just moved to, growing up, and eventually, in the later chapters, getting ready to go to school for the first time. Also, there are storylines that take place over multiple chapters as well! Despite the fact that the manga has been releasing since 2003, the chapters are pretty sporadic and the comic has only really covered about one year of the character's lives, but it never really feels slow or aimless. It feels almost...timeless? I guess. It's really nice.

Anyway, the manga is legit one of the most wholesome, funny, heartwarming things I have ever read. Kiyohiko Azuma is a fucking MASTER of comedy(you may have seen screencaps from a Sailor Moon fan comic he made going around on tumblr in which Jupiter accidentally sends Venus shooting across a pool that made me laugh so hard I cried) and he balances it well with lots of slow moments with GORGEOUS artwork where you can really take in the scenery and all of it is seeped in a wonderful nostalgia for childhood that legit makes me super emotional.

I don't think the manga has ever really taken off in terms of popularity, at least not to the degree that it deserves imo, which is likely in part due to the creator being firm about it never getting an anime adaptation and the sporadic release schedule, but it's far from unknown. There's been an official(I think??) score released and plenty of figurines and merch. It's also birthed a lot of memes, and it def has the same issue as One Piece where if you read it and love it you will turn into a walking billboard and try to drag your friends and family in with you. It's just THAT good!

You may have seen art of or people cosplaying Danbo, a "robot" made of old cardboard boxes that Yotsuba adores (Totally a real robot btw, def doesn't have a middle schooler shoved inside there, that would be silly wdym /s)

And this pose from the back of one of the manga volumes featuring Yotsuba, her father, and their extremely tall friend Jumbo has been redrawn with other characters like 500000 billion times

And you've also probably seen this going around tumblr before (that's Fūka she's my favorite cringe fail daughter I would literally die for her).

Also, I would be doing a disservice if I didn't mention Yanda, who is a friend of Yotsuba's dad and also Yotsuba's nemesis. He's a loser who constantly gets dunked on by a toddler it's fucking hilarious.

But yeah it really is just like, a manga that feels like a hug, or a warm blanket or something, it's so comforting and funny and fantastic, I find myself re-reading it any time life gets to be too hard just bcs it's that good at distracting me and reminding me that live is worth living.

And also given that it's literally my favorite manga, I saved up a bunch of screencaps to use as reaction images after a read one time, and thus now it's my own little joke that if you send me anon hate I'm just gonna send you back a picture of this cutie

Bcs come on how can you be angry when you're looking at this???

Anyway here's some screencaps of the main supporting cast bcs I love all of them so much <3

YOU WILL READ YOTSUBA I AM NO LONGER ASKING

[curtis-corner]

Stand By Me (A Darry Curtis Fic) PART 2

Thank you so much for the fantastic response to part one!! Definitely helped me get motivated for this next part, which kicks off with a visit to the Curtis house.

Click Here to Read Part One

Part 2

You grip the steering wheel and let out a long sigh, glancing over at the foil covered casserole dish in the front seat. You had borrowed your dad’s car to bring it over to the Curtis house, but as you sat parked in front of it, you were overcome with nerves.

Johnny died, it was all over the papers about the hoodlum turned hero and your heart broke for the Greaser gang.

Dallas Winston died too. That wasn’t in the papers – just hushed, whispered gossip at the store. It broke your heart just as much.

It had only been a few days since the awful night, you hadn’t seen Darry at the store and something kept nagging you to do something, help somehow. Even if it was just feeding them for a night so they had one less thing to worry about.

“It’s a lasagna, not a landmine.” You mutter to yourself, and with that you find the courage to get out of the car and up the path.

When Darry answers the door, you nearly gasp at how exhausted he looks. His hair looked like he had run his hand through it a hundred times, the bags under his eyes were near purple and he was two days past a good shave. He says your name like a question and does a long blink, like he can’t quite believe it.

“I’m so sorry about your friends.” You slightly lift the casserole dish. Darry glances down at it then right back at you. “I brought you dinner. If you already have plans, you can stick it in the icebox, it’ll keep for a bit.” He’s still looking at you with a bit of a stunned expression and hasn’t said anything since your name. “Darry?”

“Yeah, uh, sure. I mean thank you.” He rubs the back of his neck and steps aside. “Come in.”

The house is as tidy as you might expect for boys, with worn furniture in the front room and a big fireplace that took over one of the walls. Behind the living room you see a small dining room that leads into a kitchen. You recognized the familiar sight of bills on the table and wondered if Darry sorted like you did: ‘pay now’, ‘pay next paycheck’, ‘pay a little bit and hope they forget you owe the rest’.

“Can I get you something?” Darry asks as you hand him the dish. “Glass of water, or maybe some coffee?”

“It’s alright,” you give him a small smile. “I borrowed my dad’s car, so I can’t be too long. I just wanted to see how you were doing. I heard some kids in the store say Ponyboy was sick.”

“He’ll be okay,” Darry glances at a closed door which you assume is where Ponyboy is while he sets the dish on the table. “Doctor is keeping him in bed for the week which is driving him crazy. But he needs to rest. We’ve got…we’ve got the hearing in a few days.”

I had read about that too: a hearing to see if Ponyboy would be charged in the Soc’s death, if he and Sodapop would be allowed to stay with Darry or be forced to move into a boys home.

“It’s obvious how much you love them. And how you’re tryin’ so hard to take care of them.”

“Yeah, taking care of them so good that Pony gets mixed up in a killing, and then I let him fight in a rumble.” Darry’s jaw tightens and he looks off to the side.

“Hey,” you take a step closer and, for the second time in a week, reach out to take his hand. “Anyone can see how much you love those boys. How hard you would fight for them to have a better life.” He turns back to face you and holds your hand tighter, bringing it a little closer to him.

“And what if it’s not enough?” He asks, so quietly you almost miss it. His eyes are a storm, full of pain and worry but you can see the smallest flicker of hope.

“Then you’ll fight like hell to get them back.”

You become far too aware of how close the two of you are standing, but you can’t bring yourself to step away. You look into his eyes, a gorgeous mix of pale blue and green. He is staring right back at you, but there’s something in his expression you can’t put your finger on. It’s almost like he is studying you, looking for an answer to a problem he can’t quite figure out.

The front door swings open and the moment is broken; you slightly step away and drop his hand.

Sodapop Curtis may have been younger than you in school, but the stories of his good looks and charms made it all the way up to your year. He’s stopped in the store a few times and you can’t recall a time when he wasn’t smiling. He looks tired now, nearly as tired as Darry, but the corners of his mouth pick up when he sees you.

“Gee Darry, I didn’t know we were having such pretty company over.” You let out a small laugh.

“Just came to drop by dinner. And I’ve got to be leaving anyway,” You turn to Darry. “It’s gonna be alright.”

“There you are seeing the good again,” he says, his eyes softening. You give him your best smile; the full one that your mom used to do when she was truly happy about something. You used to practice it in the mirror when you were little, hoping it made people feel happy.

“Just can’t seem to kick the habit. Bye Soda,” you say, letting yourself out the door. But before it could fully close you hear a faint “well I’ll be Darry, I don’t know if I’ve ever seen you blush before.”

And then you’re blushing too.

--

“Gonna be out late tonight.” Your dad says in his usual gruff voice. “Got a big game down at Buck’s. This could be it.”

“Okay.”

This could be it. How many times have you heard that before? When you were younger, he would fill your head with ideas about being on the verge of hitting the big one. You used to dream about living somewhere with a big green yard where you and your mom could plant beautiful flowers. Maybe you would have a dog, a big golden one like you saw a lady walking past the diner one day. Your car would shine, you could buy new shoes, your mom would laugh like she used to.

As you got older the dreams started to fade as you realized ‘we’re almost there’ really meant ‘we’re further and further away.’

“You get paid yet?”

“Payday is on Friday.”

“We won’t be payin’ bills forever.” He says, but even he is losing steam on promising you about a future where you live large. You nod and look back down at your plate.

You eat the rest of the meal in silence and you think about a house a few streets away and wonder if they are eating lasagna.

--

Sheila is working the front counter while you unpack a box of laundry detergent in the home cleaning section. Shelia is a few years older than you and not exactly friendly, but she works a few hours a week so you can take a break from the register and help the stockboy get everything in order. Mr. Murphy used to do all of the unpacking himself, but he’s on the wrong side of sixty to be doing heavy lifting anymore.

The bells over the door jingle as you stand on your tip toes to slide the final box of Tide powder into place. You hear a noise at the end of the aisle and turn to see Darry Curtis walking towards you. ‘

He’s dressed nicer than you’ve ever seen him dress, but the real reason you stop and stare is the fact that he is positively beaming. You are so mesmerized by the sight you almost forget why he could be looking so happy.  

“Cleared of any charges,” he takes another step closer to you. “And they are staying with me.” You let out a squeal and, in a burst of excitement, throw yourself into his arms.

His strong arms wrap around you, bringing you closer. Your face is pressed against him muscular chest and you can smell his aftershave, and you know you must have smelled it before since you stock it in the store, but for some reason it smells loads better on Darry.

“I’m so happy for you boys,” you make no move to let go, and he doesn’t either. Maybe you should be embarrassed at literally throwing yourself at him, but something about being in his arms feels so right.

A slight commotion causes you to lift your head from his chest. You see Sodapop and Ponyboy at the end of the aisle, Soda smiling as wide as can be and Pony looking like he’s trying to hide it.

“I thought I told you both to wait in the truck,” Darry sounds only slightly exasperated. He drops his arms, but doesn’t step away from you.

“But you forgot to bring her this,” Sodapop holds out the clean casserole dish and you step forward to take it.

“Oh thank you, you didn’t have to bring it back-“

“Course we did, returning a dish means you’ll get more one day. And we loved your lasagna. Even Pony ate it, and he’s been living off soup all week.” Soda ruffles his younger brother’s combed hair and Ponyboy half-heartedly shoves him off.

“It was really good.” Ponyboy nodded and you smiled at him. It was still funny to see him with blond hair. “Darry almost stabbed Steve with his fork when he went for the last bite.”

“Alright, thanks for bringing the dish, get back to the truck.” Darry gives them pointed looks and you stifle a laugh. They run off with loud goodbyes and tou must not do a good job at hiding your amusement, because he gives you the same look. “They tend to exaggerate.”

“Sure they do.” You both share a smile, and he clears his throat.

“You work late tonight, right? It’s one of your closing days?” You nod. “I was wondering if I could drive you home on your late days. I don’t like the thought of you walking alone.”

“Really?” You ask. “You would do that for me?”

“Of course I would.” He looks serious for a second, then his eyes get a mischievous twinkle. “Can’t have anything happen to my favorite lasagna baker.”

“Maybe next time I’ll make two.” You hear Sheila call for you from the front.

“So that’s a yes? I can pick you up at closing time?”

“Sure. If you’re sure you don’t mind.”

“I don’t mind.” Shelia calls you again and you try not to roll your eyes, but you think he can tell anyway because his small smile, the one that shows the dimple, is back.

He leaves and you glance at the three boys driving away in the truck as you walk up to help Sheila with the register.

“Those Curtis boys might be handsome, but they are trouble.” Sheila says, giving you a pointed look.

“I think you’re only half-right on that one.”

And even if she was fully right, you knew there was no way you could give them up now.

Notes: Next up is some conversations from these late night drives

[southerngothicchic]

It's Only You I'm Dreaming Of

Modern!Actor!Steve x Actress!Reader

18+

Handsome bastard.

You narrow your eyes as you watch him smile for all the waiting photographers before moving down the line to talk to the press.

He's so effortlessly charming it makes your blood boil. He drinks in all the adoration and praise, all with that same smirk plastered on his lips.

That same smirk you had to endure for months while on set with him, and after when he'd follow you back to your trailer, using his best lines to get you to let him inside. He eventually wore you down, as the second you let him in, he pounced on you. He kissed you with a ferocity you had never experienced before, which only made you want more.

He had a reputation, though, and you felt so naive letting him get close to you like this. You knew he was just using you for sex, like he presumably did with his other female costars, but you still gave into him anyway. You hated yourself for it, especially when you started to develop feelings for him. You tried to ignore them, by locking them away, and pretending they didn't exist.

That was somewhat easy, once production wrapped and you went back to L.A. while he went to New York. The distance helped and for the first time in months you were free of Steve Harrington. That was, until it was time for the film to be released and you would be forced to do press tours together. You dreaded seeing him again, afraid of relapsing into your former, weaker self. You told yourself it'd be different this time, you weren't going to fall into that trap again.

That proves impossible, as you practically melt when you see him again. You actually gasp when you see how gorgeous he looks. You quickly avert your eyes, the last thing you need is for him to catch you gawking at him. Despite your best efforts, he still sees you, as you both make your way down the red carpet.

After posing for several pictures, you step over for the first of many interviews. You are in the middle of answering their question of what it was like filming your first big feature, when you feel an arm slip around you and lips against your cheek.

"And here he is, the man himself," they say, their face lighting up at his presence. "What was it like working with this guy?" They then ask while you try to maintain a neutral expression.

"Oh, it was great," you smile. "Its every actors dream to get to work on a project like this and with a cast like this. I was truly fortunate to be apart of it."

"And Steve, what was it like working with her?"

"It was wonderful, she's a fantastic actress, seriously, one of the best I've had the privilege of working with," he says, looking at you, fondly.

"Early reviews are raving about your chemistry and I can see why," they continue. "You both seem so natural together."

Steve smiles at this while you try not to cringe.

You bullshit your way through the rest of the interview, before you and Steve are ushered into the theater. He stays by your side the whole time, much to your dismay.

"What was that back there?" You ask him as you take your seats.

"Just doing my job, making us look good," he answers.

"Yeah, but you didn't have to crash my interview..." you add, as the room darkens.

"I wanted to see you and I knew you wouldn't be able to ignore me, not in front of everyone and all those cameras," he smoothly says, leaning in close to your ear.

"You couldn't have just waited until after?"

"No, because I knew you'd keep avoiding me like you have been for months."

"I wasn't avoiding you, we were on different coasts-"

"Yeah, you were," he persists, trying to keep his voice down. "When I was in town for my buddy's birthday, I texted you and you blew me off."

"Can we not do this here?" You snap, turning your head to the side.

"We can talk after," he relents. "I missed you, y'know."

You scoff. "I'm sure you did."

He sighs, frustrated, before leaning back in his seat.

You sit there, fuming, your thoughts racing. You feel trapped as you look away from his towering image on screen, only to have the real thing sitting next to you. You notice, in your periphery, that he's practically pouting. Your body feels like it's on fire, pent up frustration is threatening to burn you from the inside out.

Surprising him, you lean over and whisper, "Want to get out of here?"

He nods, taking your hand and leading you up the aisle. He pulls you through the empty lobby then out onto the sidewalk. You can't help the exhilaration you feel as he continues to lead you across the street, to a newer, luxury hotel.

"You're not wasting any time," you laugh, as he leads you into the lavish lobby.

"I got a room here ahead of time, in case I didn't feel like going home after the after party," he explains, as you both stand in front of the elevators.

He presses the button, then turns to you.

"Oh..." you reply.

"This is a nice change of plans, though. I'd rather be with you, anyway," he adds, with a smile.

The elevator dings before its door slides open. He lets you walk in first, with him close behind. The numbered button lights up when he presses it, before the door closes. As the elevator ascends, he pins you against the wall.

"I really did miss you," he breathes, ghosting his lips over yours. "And despite your icy exterior, I know you missed me too."

"Steve..." you gasp.

"You look so good tonight, honey..." he says, his hands now squeezing your waist. "This sexy little dress...I bet you wore this hoping I'd notice, didn't you?"

You gaze at him, innocently.

"I know you did, fuck..." he sighs, as you finally wrap your arms around his neck. "I'm gonna make you mine tonight."

He then presses his lips to yours for a filthy kiss. It has you both moaning, realizing just how much you've missed the other. Your fingers scratch at the back of his neck, before curling in his hair.

The ding from the elevator snaps you both out of your lustfilled daze long enough for him to pull you into the hallway. You're each panting as he leads you to his room. He quickly takes out his phone and holds it over the small panel, above the doorknob, to unlock the door. Once it lights up green, he hastily opens it and drags you inside. He takes you straight to the bedroom, almost tripping several times, as he couldn't be bothered to turn on any lights.

He sits you on the bed, while he sheds his jacket. You take this opportunity to slip off your heels and lean back on your hands. There's faint light coming from the bedside lamp and now you can see that his shirt was partially see-through. You bite your lip, wondering if he wore that on purpose. He also takes off his shoes before kneeling on the bed, next to you. He reaches for you but you pull away to lay against the plush pillows. He then crawls over to you and hovers over you. His body engulfs yours as he lowers himself onto you. You wrap your arms around him again while he gazes down at you, hungrily.

"Always playing hard to get..." he chides.

You shrug, feigning innocence again.

"I know how much you love to tease me, honey..." he says, leaning in close, his voice low and sultry. "...it makes me ache for you even more."

He kisses you deeply, as you whimper against his lips. He grinds himself against you, emphasizing just what you do to him.

You hold him closer, as you make out, your earlier feelings now forgotten, because all that matters to you is him. You should be furious with yourself over how easily you gave into him again, but his lips feel so right on yours. You want more, though, your greedy thoughts taking over. You remember the delicious way he thrusted his hips, making you scream until you barely had any voice left.

Your hands move down his back until they're pulling at his shirt. Once it's untucked, you slide your hands under it and press them against his skin. He moans at the feeling of your fingertips gliding up his spine. Your nails claw at his back once, before he breaks the kiss.

"Get undressed, honey," he breathes, "I need to feel you."

You nod, before he leans up. You sit up and move to the edge of the bed.

"Can you unzip me?" You ask, glancing over your shoulder at him.

"Of course," he smiles, moving closer to you.

He pulls the zipper down, revealing your bare back. He sharply inhales at the sight. When you're fully unzipped, you stand and push your dress to the floor, leaving you in dainty, black panties. Steve's so mesmerized by you, that he can't help but stare. It actually makes you blush as you climb back onto the bed. He then quickly pulls his shirt over his head, ruffling his already perfectly messy hair. His fingers fumble with unbuttoning his pants at first, but he soon pulls them from his legs. You smile at his tiny, blue underwear as he joins you, on the bed.

He crawls on top of you and props his hands by your head, as he gazes at you.

"You're so fucking beautiful," he laments, lowering his body to yours. "After I left, I thought about you every night, looking up at me just like this...it's my favorite thing in the world."

He pauses to kiss you, lowly moaning into it.

"Do you believe me when I say I missed you, now?"

You nod.

"I need to hear you say it."

"I believe you," you say, reaching up to run your hand through his hair.

He smiles, leaning in to kiss you again.

"Now," he begins, leaning up, "until you admit that you missed me, too, I'm not going to touch you."

You look up at him, mouth slightly agape as you watch him move to sit beside your head, with his back resting against the pillows.

"Seriously?" You ask, sitting up and turning to face him.

He nods, as he palms himself through his underwear.

"You know what you need to do, honey...I want you to show me how much you missed me, too."

He's extra smug, leaning back, waiting for your next move. You narrow your eyes before crawling over to him. You kneel between his legs, then run your hands over his thighs. His eyes stay trained on you as you lean down, to press wet kisses to his inner thighs. You kiss your way up one then move to the other side, while he's quietly moaning above you. You glance up at him before pressing a kiss to his clothed length. He shudders at it as his hand immediately goes to cradle your face.

"God, you're so fucking gorgeous," he laments.

You continue kissing him through his underwear, until moving your lips upward, to kiss up his stomach, then his chest. You nuzzle your face in his chest hair while pressing intermittent kisses to his skin. Your nose brushes against the thick silver chain that rests below his collarbone. His hand is still gently holding your face as you place kisses up his neck. His smile is plastered on his lips as you kiss the moles on his cheek.

"Steve..." you breathe, into his skin. "I missed you, too."

He whimpers before pulling you into a kiss.

"Mmm, I knew it," he smiles, making you giggle. "Was that so hard to admit?"

"Kind of, yeah," you confess, pulling away. "I didn't want to get my hopes up only to have them crushed again."

"That's not gonna happen this time," he assures, as he caresses your cheek with his thumb. "I want to be with you."

"Like, exclusively?"

"Yes," he laughs. "I only want you, being away from you made me realize how important you are to me, and that...I love you."

Your eyes widen at his admission.

"You what?" You ask, before you can stop yourself.

"I love you," he says again, pulling you tightly to him, so your chests are pressed together. "Even if you don't feel the same, I had to tell you."

You feel an aching in your chest that you hadn't felt in months, that you felt the last time you were together. Tears sting your eyes as you try to pull out of his embrace.

"You're not going anywhere," he whispers, "I'm not letting you leave me again."

"I'm not the one who left," you finally say.

"It felt like it," he counters. "I asked you to come to New York with me, and you said no-"

"Because it was all too much, being with you was too overwhelming, I needed a break," you defend. "I needed a break from how I felt when I was with you, because...I was falling in love with you, and it terrified me."

His eyes light up at your confession.

"Really?"

You nod, averting your eyes. He cradles your face with both hands, getting you to look at him.

"So, you love me too?" He asks, gazing into your eyes.

"Yes," you breathe, before he pulls you into a passionate kiss.

You finally allow your body to melt into his, as you fully lose yourself in his kiss.

"You don't need to be afraid of loving me," he then breathes, into the kiss.

You pull him even closer, kissing him harder, which illicits another whimper from him. His hands grip your hips as he thrusts up against you.

"I've been waiting all my life for you, honey," he pants, before kissing his way to your neck.

"Steve..." you whine, unable to think of anything else, but him.

"Take these off," he then growls, as he drags his finger under the waistband of your panties.

You scramble to the side of the bed and peel them from your body. He raises his hips and quickly takes his underwear off, throwing them to the floor.

"Get back over here," he says, his voice dripping with lust.

You climb back onto his lap and slowly sink down onto him.

"That's it, honey, fuck..." he praises, his eyes already rolling back from how tight you were.

You moan his name when you feel him fully seated within you. You press your forehead to his as you acclimate to him.

"Feel good?" He asks, as your eyes meet.

You nod. "God, yes..."

Your hands then cradle his face, before kissing him deeply. His moans reverberate into your mouth as you begin moving your hips. His hands have a firm hold on your hips as he tries to guide your movements.

"Yeah, bounce on it, honey..." he pants, as he watches you.

Obnoxious moans leave your lips as you ride him. You missed this, how good he felt, how he was the only guy to ever fuck you this deep. Your thighs burn as you can't get enough of him.

He then leans forward and presses wet kisses to your breast. His tongue swirls around your nipple, before sucking it between his lips. Your back arches, pushing your chest into his face even more.

"I fuckin' missed your body so much, angel," he breathes, with his face buried between your breasts.

You shiver from the significance of his pet name. He only ever called you that during sex, and it always made your head spin.

You moan his name again when he sucks multiple lovebites across the tops of your breasts. Your hips then slow as you lean forward, resting your head on his shoulder.

"Need me to take over, angel?" He asks, against your ear.

"Please..." you breathe.

He smiles, tightening his hold on your hips as he begins harshly thrusting up into you. The sounds of skin against skin echoes in your ears, as you sink your teeth into his shoulder. He moans as he fucks you harder.

"Such a perfect pussy...I'd keep you in bed all the time, if you'd let me..." he says, as your lips find his neck.

You whine his name, unsure of how much longer you can take him fucking you at such a brutal pace.

"Look at me, honey," he then breathily commands.

You raise your head and meet his hooded gaze.

"I love you, so fucking much...I'm never gonna leave you again..." he continues, before pulling you into a sloppy kiss.

"I love you, too," you reply, before screaming his name as he finally sends you over the edge.

He keeps thrusting until he finds his own release, moaning your name as he fills you with every last drop of him.

His body stays still, with his arms wrapped around you, pressing your sweaty bodies together. He murmurs more 'I love you's' into your hair, as you're still struggling to catch your breath. After just holding each other for what feels like hours, he suggests that you both have a shower. You breathlessly agree and that leads to more sex, as he presses you against the shower wall and makes you scream for him again.

You each then settle into bed, with his arms wrapped tightly around you, once again. He kisses you so softly, making you feel like the most precious thing in the world, to him. Which is exactly what you are, and he plans to spend the rest of his life making you feel that way.

[qweenofurheart]

I have absolutely no idea how to compliment art stuff but I need you to know that your art is. GORGEOUS. Quite possibly one of the most like. I don’t think visceral is the right word but its pretty damn close. Most visceral reactions I’ve had to art maybe ever??? I am MESMERIZED (especially the way you draw Jason, and the no visible pupils head canon??? eye opening show stopping absolutely FANTASTIC oh my god. and the winghead oc you have??? i don’t know anything about him i dont even know if thats his actual name or a shorthand but i think he is SO COOL LOOKING) I just needed to let you know ahsbshbf

you don’t understand how happy this ask makes me like i literally read it multiple times you’re so kind :,) visceral is an interesting word! i usually try to prioritize movement and line in my drawings so maybe it has that ‘instinctual’ effect? also im so glad you are interested in my ocs !! yeah ‘winghead’ is not actually his name, but he refuses to tell anyone his real name. only himself and his family knows it.

here’s a drawing i did of winghead + his bff sunny’s dog named coffee. i was feeling sleepy when i started so i wanted to draw someone asleep

somehow i did this shading on my phone with pocket procreate and my finger … smudge tool actually works wonders

[patchworkgargoyle]

you are all my symmetry 💕

Happy birthday to the fantastic, hilarious, talented, and wonderful @steves-strapcollection 💖💖💖 It's been such a delight having you as my friend, I hope you enjoy this very fluffy and smutty celebration in your honour! You deserve all of it and more.

Many, many thanks to @scarcrossdlvrs and @sidekick-hero for your cheerleading and excellent beta skills!!

Pairing: Steddissy || Rating: E || CW: PWP, unsafe sex, Dom/sub undertones || Words: ~5.6k || Ao3

It started like most good ideas: as a joke.

Eddie groaned and let his head fall on the back of the couch, wincing when the worn down cushion did nothing to protect his skull. “I just don’t get it! It’s cuffing season. I wanna get cuffed!” His hands flailed in the air before landing on Chrissy’s thighs with a slap that made her jump.

“Ow,” she grumbled, and he gave her an apologetic look where she was tucked up against the arms of both the couch and Steve.

“I just can’t believe you’re both still single,” Steve said.

Eddie snorted. “Me? I believe it.” Though he’d said it quietly, both Steve and Chrissy smacked his arm.

“Don’t say that, Eddie. You’re a catch, that asshole wasn’t worth your time.” Chrissy took his hand in hers, her Christmas-themed manicure sparkling in contrast to his usual chipped black polish. Every time he looked at their hands together he was amazed at how small Chrissy’s were.

While what she said might’ve been true, it gets pretty fucking demoralizing when each and every person before him hadn’t been “worth his time” either. Eddie couldn’t seem to get past a second date, unless they were hitting him up for a booty call, and god, he was tired of that too. He was craving more. Something like this, but–

But not like this this. He told himself the answer didn’t lie in Chrissy’s soft hand in his and Steve’s thigh warm along his own. Or in the way Chrissy relaxed across both their laps while Steve stretched his arm across the back of the couch to touch Eddie’s shoulder. No matter what his stupid, traitorous little heart thought. Because they were friends.

“You’re a catch too, Chris,” Eddie said instead of what was actually on his mind. Her shy smile in reply made his heart skip.

“Exactly,” Steve said definitively, “you’re both great. Gorgeous, funny, smart. I don’t understand why neither of you are taken yet.”

Chrissy raised a teasing eyebrow at him. “Says the guy who’s also currently single.”

“Yeah, well.” His fingers fidgeted with a loose thread on their shared couch. Eddie remembered the day he and Steve hauled it home from the thrift store because Robin took the old one when she moved in with Vickie. Turns out, moving furniture in the middle of summer was hell, and not at all because seeing Steve’s hair fall into his face and stick to his sweaty forehead drove Eddie a bit insane. Not at all.

“I’m not looking right now, I think,” Steve finished.

Taking a hit from his joint, Eddie let his thoughts collect while the smoke sat in his lungs. On the exhale, he said through the smoke, “Maybe Chris and I should stop looking too. Don’t they say something about that?” The two confused expressions levelled at him made Eddie shrug. “I dunno, something about love happening when you’re not looking for it or least expect it or some shit.”

Steve’s lips pursed in a thoughtful–or possibly a more confused–frown as he nodded slowly. “Sure…”

“That’d be nice,” Chrissy sighed wistfully. Her head tilted, landing on Steve’s shoulder, and he squeezed her closer.

Eddie watched as two of his best friends and the most gorgeous people he knew curled up into each other. They looked so good together it was almost unfair, like the sun and the stars, and Eddie’s chest ached like a greedy black hole. He saw how they looked at each other sometimes. Glances taken when they thought no one was watching. Eddie watched, though, even when he didn’t want to, often didn’t realise when he did. Maybe now that they were both single they’d finally get together like he always thought they would. The thought left a sour swirling in Eddie’s gut that he mentally berated himself for.

He would be happy for them if they became a couple. Truly, he would. That churning jealousy could go fuck itself. In an effort to smoke it out, Eddie took another hit.

Fingers tapped on his shoulder, so Eddie passed the joint to Steve at his wordless demand. Chrissy nicked it from Steve’s fingers after he was done and wrapped her pretty lips around the filter. Quietly they sat in their collective haze of smoke and sluggish thoughts while sinking further into the couch. Until Steve took a deep breath, then giggled.

“I could help, y’know. With your dry spells.” He stared at Chrissy, then Eddie, then wiggled his brows twice with a dopey smirk.

Eddie barked a laugh while Chrissy giggled, but Eddie couldn’t deny that the idea was tempting. He didn’t have the mental fortitude to shove those not-exactly-friend-shaped feelings away like usual, blooming in his chest when he couldn’t bury it. Fuck. The images were… sexy, all the ones that he tried to ignore late at night with his fingers on or in himself. He coughed to hide the rising flush in his face.

“You’re funny, man,” Eddie said, rolling his eyes and hoping the butterflies died an inglorious death.

“Hey, I mean it. Come knock on my door if you guys get desperate enough.” Steve had a clearly fake salacious look on his face, sending them all into fits of laughter again until Chrissy started talking about their Christmas plans, the previous topic all but forgotten.

Or that’s what Eddie thought.

The next few weeks were, well, interesting. Eddie kept catching himself looking more often, watching Steve and Chrissy. Whether they went out in a rush to find last minute presents or try to scrounge up party decorations for the New Years bash they’d been strong-armed into hosting, Eddie couldn’t stop being drawn to his friends more than usual. Like that black hole in his chest had a gravitational pull. 

He bumped shoulders with Steve more, or whacked him with the back of his hand; really, Eddie found any excuse he could to just touch him more. Or make him laugh.

Eddie told a joke–a pun awful enough that it’d make even Dustin groan–and Steve laughed, a full on head-tilting-back, echoing guffaw that made Eddie’s insides light up like fireworks with delight. Time felt like it slowed down. He could see the snowflakes catching on Steve’s long lashes, the rosiness on his cheeks that was probably just from the chill in the air all while bundled up in a soft, navy blue scarf Eddie had given him a few years ago. It was devastating.

He flitted around Chrissy like a moth to a flame–or, more like a gentle bedside lamp. Darted in to sweep her up in a big hug and spin her around, or made funny faces that made her let out  those chime-like giggles of hers.

When they’d wandered through Millenium Park, Chrissy gasped at the giant glimmering tree that they set up every year, her awed “Wow” so precious he ached with the need to wrap her in his arms and bury his face in her neck. Eddie hated the holidays, but her wonder and joy at every single part of it made him want to be less of a Grinch. It didn’t hurt that she looked so beautiful with the lights sparkling in her blue eyes and her hair a little mussed from the wind.

God, Eddie wanted them so badly. It was like Steve’s words had turned Eddie’s guilty, furtive desires up to eleven.

And while he noticed all of that, he also saw that Steve and Chrissy were watching each other as well.

It makes sense. Steve has mentioned a few times how pretty he thinks Chrissy is, and she’d joked with Eddie about how hot Steve looks at the gym. They yell about their sports, and work out together while bitching about their least favourite professors, and rave about the same music; so, of course, they’d be a great couple. Eddie’s the odd one out, as is his niche.  Though the growing jealousy gnaws at his bones, he’s determined to face their inevitable getting-together with endless support and happiness. He’ll get over the dark, selfish parts of himself eventually.

What Eddie doesn’t notice, amongst all his observations, is that sights have been set on him, too.

The holidays came and went in a blur. Eddie visited Wayne over Christmas, a quiet affair with just the two of them. Like every year they gave each other weird novelty mugs–Eddie’s, a bat hanging upside down that says I’m Fruity; Wayne’s, a remix of Women Want Me, Fish Fear Me so ridiculous Wayne nearly dropped it while cackling–and a few other gifts. He practically lived in the soft, deep green sweater Wayne gave him, and that Steve and Chrissy gushed over when he sent a selfie to their group chat. The pics he got in return, of Steve beaming with Robin, and Chrissy equally happy with her grandparents’ ancient dog, made Eddie grin so wide Wayne shook his head with an all too knowing roll of his eyes.

Steve stayed with Vickie and Robin at the Buckley’s house, and Chrissy visited her grandparents down south, so they all got some distance. Breathing room. It wasn’t like Steve’s offer was serious. They were all high, and lonely during one of those times of year when anyone who’s single feels at least a twinge of yearning. Eddie, personally, blames the Hallmark shit that gets shovelled down their throats, even though Chrissy and Steve both glare at him when he rants about it.

He knew he was right, anyway.

By the time Eddie got home he figured he’d gotten over the feelings that had been winding their sticky tendrils throughout his rib cage. He dragged his luggage and weary feet up the narrow stairs of their third-floor walk up, looking forward to collapsing on his bed after a seemingly endless flight, and let himself in with a grateful sigh.

“Honey, I’m home!” he warbled. Soft laughter from the living room greeted him, and when he glanced over he saw Chrissy and Steve cuddled up on the couch.

“Which one of us is honey?” Steve asked with a wink that made Eddie’s face heat and his heart sink to his toes. So it happened. They were together. Cool. Shit. Great. He could improv when D&D went off plan, he could handle this.

“Whichever one of you is sweeter,” he replied, though even Eddie could tell his heart wasn’t in it.

“I think you’re both pretty sweet.”

Chrissy’s tone made Eddie pause. She said it slowly, syrupy, and just suggestively enough to make his face blush even more. Fumbling through getting his boots off, Eddie let out a reedy laugh. “Well shucks, Chris,” was all he could think to reply with.

“How was your flight?” Steve asked.

“Oh, y’know, nothing more luxurious than economy seats on a Delta flight. Really the pinnacle of air travel. I could write a song to the beat of the kid kicking my seat.” Eddie flung his keys into the bowl by the door and started for his room.

They both laughed with sympathetic smiles. “Sorry man.” Steve nodded at the TV, before looking back to Eddie. “Do you wanna watch a movie with us, celebrate being home?”

Chrissy nodded encouragingly. “Please, Eddie? We missed you.”

The way they looked at him made something ping in the back of Eddie’s mind, something that had him wanting to run. “Uhh, nah, I think I’m gonna hit the hay. Really tuckered out. Enjoy the movie though, don’t do anything I wouldn’t do!” He winced internally at his stupid choice of words and scurried off to his room without another glance at the couple. 

Shutting the door with a sigh, he leaned against it and wished he could let his head thunk on the wood. Maybe a few times, just to knock the irritating turmoil out of his brain. Lacking that option, he chose to unpack, giving his nervous energy something to do while he corralled his stupid pining. Through the slamming of his dresser drawers and the woosh of clothes slammed into his laundry basket, Eddie didn’t hear the discussion going on in the living room, nor the pair of footsteps approaching his door until a polite knock sounded.

He paused. Waited. Worried. Then, through the door:

“Eddie? Sorry, we just. Um. We wanna talk to you?”

While Eddie could be a stubborn bastard at times, he could never resist Chrissy when she sounded like that, concerned and hopeful. He could imagine her puppy dog eyes, pretty and pleading, after years of them being wielded against him for the last of whatever treat they’d been sharing. Swallowing, he walked over and opened the door.

Their relief was obvious. Steve’s shoulders lowered and Chrissy beamed. “Hey,” she said softly.

“What can I do for you fine folks?” he replied.

Steve looked at Chrissy for a moment, then back to Eddie when she nodded. This was it. Eddie braced himself for the news of a happy new couple, drew up the remains of his energy and prepared to shower them in excitement and encouragement while trying to desperately hold the leash of the snapping, ravenous maw of jealousy inside him.

“Do you remember my offer?”

Eddie frowned. Huh? Steve had texted him about getting take-out before Eddie got home, but he’d slammed back a sandwich before the flight. That couldn’t be–

Oh.

Sputtering, Eddie said, “Wait, y-you mean that offer?” They nodded, and Eddie could only blink.

“You don’t have to, of course. Chrissy and I talked yesterday, though, and–”

“And you’re including me?!”

Chrissy giggled. “Of course we are. Steve did proposition both of us. And…” She turned shy, fidgeting with her nails. She’d gotten them re-done for New Years in black and gold and, Eddie noticed with a flash of heat, the nails of her index and middle fingers were both left short. “We both want you to join us if you’re comfortable. We wanted to ease you into it I guess, but you just looked kinda…”

“Bummed out.”

She snorted and gave Steve’s chest a very light smack. “Steve.”

“What?” he complained.

Struggling a little, Eddie blurted out the first thing that came to mind. “I thought you’d already started fucking.”

They both blushed a little, while Steve rubbed the back of his neck. “No, we waited for you.”

Eddie mouthed the word waited. They waited for Eddie to get home so he and Chrissy could take Steve up on his offer and, and–fuck each other? Had he entered the horniest Twilight Zone ever? Had the plane crashed and he’d landed in a coma with his best wet dream playing? On a whim, Eddie pinched himself and hissed when it hurt. Steve took Eddie’s hand away from his arm with a roll of his eyes.

“You’re not dreaming.” He said it so evenly, confidently, that Eddie had no choice but to believe him. Then Steve wound their fingers together and started tracing his free hand up Eddie’s arm, leaving sparks in his wake. “We want this, with you. I haven’t stopped thinking about it since I offered, honestly.”

Chrissy took Eddie’s other hand, turned it over in her delicate grip and brushed her fingertips along the sensitive skin of his palm. His knees, surprisingly, didn’t buckle when she gazed at him through her lashes. His knees deserved a fucking trophy. “I haven’t either,” she said.

“Holy shit,” Eddie mumbled eloquently. How else was he expected to respond when his two absolutely fucking stunning friends just told him they wanted to have sex with him? Every bit of tiredness left his body at the thought. He felt like he might vibrate so hard he’d go into a quantum state and fall through the floor. 

When he took too long to respond, they started pulling their hands away, but Eddie stopped them with a fumbling grasp. “No, no wait. Holy shit. You’re serious.”

Steve’s hopeful smile turned leisurely sinful. Stepping closer, he replied in a low tone Eddie had heard snatches of through their shared, thin wall, “Dead serious, baby,” and Eddie shivered.

“We can talk more about it, if you want,” Chrissy said as she laid a demure hand on Eddie’s chest. “There’s no rush.”

He shook his head fast enough to send his curls flying. “God no. Fuck, I haven’t stopped thinking about it either. It’s been driving me up the wall. Like, you can’t just go and waggle your eyebrows at us like you did and say that shit and then do nothing about it for weeks and then expect me to wait–”

“Eddie. Shh.” Slowly, Chrissy’s hand slid up to Eddie’s neck, her fingers curling around the back of it while she stared at him with a desire he’d never seen directed at him before. His mouth snapped shut. “I don’t want to wait either. I want to kiss you.”

“Fuck yes,” he breathed, then ducked down to capture her lips in a heated kiss. Freeing the hand she held, Eddie wrapped it around her waist and pulled her close, earning a small sound of surprise. She tasted sweet, like lingering hot chocolate, the softness of her lips addicting.

She was so small compared to Eddie. If it weren’t for the steely command in her voice when she told him she wanted to kiss, he’d almost be tempted to wrap her up and worship her like the princess she deserved to be. The way she gripped his sweater and yanked him closer, though, told him he was in for a very different ride.

There was a slight tickle at the hem of Eddie’s sweater. Steve’s hand started to sneak under the soft wool, his blunt nails scratching softly along Eddie’s pale skin and making him shudder deliciously at the feeling. Steve was a solid presence beside them. Drawn to him, Eddie leaned a little of his weight against Steve’s body, delighted in the way Steve returned the gesture, holding Eddie up as he began to nuzzle Eddie’s hair.

“Missed you so much,” Steve rumbled as Chrissy broke away from Eddie with a soft moan. From that point on Eddie refused to give his doubts any more room. Even if this was the one and only chance he got, he’d take it now and leave the consequences for later, no matter how risky. Without hesitation, he turned and met Steve’s waiting lips and revelled in the hum he pulled from Steve’s chest. It wasn’t long at all before Eddie felt Steve’s tongue against the seam of his lips, and hungrily he parted them, letting their tongues slide together in a way that turned filthy so quickly.

Eddie wanted to float away on cloud nine and drag them both into his bed immediately. Given that only one of these things was even possible, the decision was easily made. Groaning, Eddie pulled back and said, “If I don’t get you both in bed right the fuck now, I’m throwing a tantrum.”

“Then move, you goof,” Chrissy said, shoving him, and Eddie grinned wolfishly as he guided them both further into the mess that was his bedroom.

Stepping right on his clothes without a care, Eddie, Steve, and Chrissy all pushed and pulled each other to Eddie’s bed. Laughter and kisses followed as they couldn’t keep their hands off one another. Chrissy tripped on a hidden shoe and ended up against Steve’s chest, and he swooped in to pepper messy kisses to her cheeks before licking into her mouth. And fuck, wasn’t that a sight.

Eddie needed them all to get naked, and he needed it now. He started tugging at their shirts to distract them, or grab their attention, anything to get this started. When they looked up, he wiggled his eyebrows like Steve had all those weeks ago and whipped off his shirt. “C’mon, let’s go!” he said at the sight of their slightly dazed expressions. 

From there it was a whirlwind of clothes flying. Belts flopped to the floor, zippers unzipped, and underwear was lost amongst the mess as it was flung away in their enthusiasm. Eddie flopped across his bed, panting after having Steve’s greedy hands all over him as soon as Eddie had shed his jeans. To either side, Chrissy and Steve descended, hands pawing and limbs tangling. Eddie was overwhelmed in the best, most exquisite way. Steve had a possessive arm around his waist while Chrissy’s thighs wrapped around one of Eddie’s. Steve delved down to Eddie’s mouth, devouring the whine that escaped his lips as Chrissy’s teeth grazed one of his nipples.

He tried to keep up, he really did. Eddie wedged his free thigh between Steve’s and ground it upwards, smirking when he heard Steve’s breath hitch and felt how wet and hot his cunt was against his leg.

“You’re so fucking hot,” Eddie groaned. “How the hell are you both here?”

“Someday we’re going to make you see yourself how we do,” Chrissy threatened.

Honestly, Eddie believed in this moment that they could convince him that the sky was purple. Having them in his arms, naked, kissing him, kissing each other, felt like a fucking miracle. He’d believe anything they told him right then.

After some moments of slowly, deliciously rocking together, starting to learn each other’s tells and buttons, biting gently at newly discovered freckles and supple swells of skin, Steve guided them to lie on the bed properly.

“What do you need tonight?” he asked them both.

“I, um,” Chrissy looked down at one of Eddie’s tattoos. She’d been tracing it with the tip of her finger and making Eddie shiver under her touch. “I’ve always fantasised about riding one of you.”

Both men’s breath hitched as the words registered.

“Do you want me to grab my strap?” Steve offered.

“Do you want to get up?” she asked, and he shook his head ruefully.

“Don’t wanna miss anything, honestly. But I’ve got an idea.”

Following Steve’s direction, Chrissy stood up while Eddie stretched out along the messed up sheets, taking a few deep breaths in the hopes of controlling himself. If he came before Chrissy and Steve did he’d never let himself live it down. But, fuck, it was hard when they were so fucking hot, climbing into position over him.

Steve let Chrissy go first with a gentlemanly hand gesture. Giggling, she swung up onto Eddie’s hips and hovered over his leaking cock. The mischievous grin that graced her lips was all the warning he got before she took him in hand and slid his head between her folds. Eddie whined at her teasing.

“Chris, please, wanna be inside you, please,” he babbled, his hips jolting when he felt his dick nearly slip into her alluring heat. “C’mon, c’mon.”

“He’s so pretty when he begs,” Steve mused. He tilted his head as he looked down at them, reaching out to trail his fingers down Eddie’s tense, twitching stomach.

“He is,” she agreed. “Maybe next time we could explore it more.”

Eddie inhaled sharply, his eyes flying open. “Next time?”

“Yeah, of course.” Chrissy stopped her teasing and sat down on Eddie’s thighs. “You–did you think this was a one-time thing?”

“Yeah. Yeah, I kinda did. I thought this was just, like, getting it out of our systems. Clearing the air.”

Steve tucked a strand of curls back behind Eddie’s ear, his expression closed off despite the tender touch. “Is that what you want?”

Anxiety made his heart clench, but he figured this was as good a time as any to admit to the bullshit that had been driving him insane, and not just in the weeks leading up to this.

“Fuck no. I want more. If, if you want that, too. I think it’d kill me if this was it for us. A-and not just sex.” Eddie propped himself up on his elbows, nervously chewing on his bottom lip. “I wanna go on dates. I want picnics in the park where people wonder what we’ve got, and fancy dinner dates, all that romantic shit because I’ve turned into a sap in my old age.”

Twin gleaming, relieved smiles shone down at him. Chrissy squeezed his hip, and Steve pulled Eddie in for the softest kiss any of them had shared that night. When he pulled away, Steve said, “You know I’m the king of romantic shit. I can’t wait to wine and dine you.” He took Chrissy’s hand in his. “Both of you. I’m gonna show you off, make people so jealous.”

Steve leaned over and kissed Chrissy softly too, and Eddie’s heart swelled at the sight. How he’d gotten so fucking lucky he’d never know. He already loved them both as friends, and the shift into something else was as earth-shattering as it was perfectly natural. Judging by the heartbreakingly tender expressions Chrissy and Steve wore when they parted and faced him, they seemed to feel the same way. Desire surged and burned like a bonfire in Eddie, for both of them. He needed them both. Now.

“Chrissy. Please,” he begged breathlessly. With a frantic nod, she sat up again, lined up Eddie’s cock, and sank down slowly with a delicious gasp. Eddie hissed, eyes screwed shut, as each rock of her hips brought him deeper into her heat.

“Open your eyes, Eddie,” Steve said, but Eddie shook his head. He couldn’t, if he watched her he might blow his load too early. But then Steve wove his fingers into Eddie’s sweat-damp hair and tugged, making Eddie buck up into Chrissy and whine. “Watch her. Like you have been for weeks. See how beautiful she is sitting on your cock.”

Swallowing, Eddie opened his eyes, and god, she was fucking perfect. Chrissy’s hair was wild, swept away from her flushed face. Lips parted, she moaned as she finally sank all the way down onto Eddie, clenching around his length as she adjusted to the size of him. Her breasts heaved as she breathed deep and Eddie craved touching them again, wanting to know if she’d squeeze his cock if he pinched and caressed her dusky pink nipples.

“See?” Steve asked. He sounded winded. “Beautiful.”

“Amazing,” Eddie panted.

For a moment Chrissy ducked her head, shy, but took a steadying breath before saying to Steve, “Now you, baby.” Steve climbed up over Eddie’s face, bracing himself on the headboard, and the fucking glorious view that greeted him made his dick twitch. “Oh, he’s excited,” Chrissy giggled.

“He better be,” Steve responded with a smug look down at Eddie.

“Of fucking course I am, I’m about to get ridden within an inch of my life! This is the best goddamn present I could ever ask for.”

“Good answer.”

Eddie watched hungrily as Steve’s cunt came closer. As soon as Eddie could reach, he dove in, dragging his tongue over Steve’s dick and moaning at the taste of his slick. He could feel the groan vibrate through Steve’s body as he licked between his folds, dipping into his hole before going back to his cock, latching on, and sucking.

“Oh fuck.” Steve gripped Eddie’s hair again. “It’s like you’re starved for it. Already pussy drunk, huh, good boy?”

Whimpering, high and desperate, he nodded against Steve’s cunt. He was fucking ravenous. If he could, he’d have his face buried between Steve or Chrissy’s legs for hours, until his lips were raw and his jaw was sore.

Chrissy began to move too, slowly at first, circling her hips in a way that made Eddie’s stomach clench and tremble. When she finally rose up, then down, he met her with a thrust that punched out a high, lovely whimper.

Not wanting to shift Steve, Eddie wrapped his arms around his thighs and held tight as Chrissy picked up her pace. Sheer, hedonistic pleasure surged through Eddie’s body, setting his nerves alight. The tight, slick feeling of fucking into Chrissy, while Steve ground down on Eddie’s clever tongue, the wet sounds of sex filling the room; Eddie wanted to bottle it all up, live in the moment forever, record it on video and watch back the first time he got to feel and taste and savour these two perfectly imperfect people he loved.

Fuck, he loved them. Was in love with them. That, though, was something he’d face later. He was busy right now.

Steve’s hips sped up, moaning as Eddie simply opened his mouth and let Steve ride his tongue, his cock rubbing Eddie’s nose. The hand in his hair tightened, held Eddie in place, and he had never been happier being used for someone else’s pleasure. Chrissy fucked him faster too. It was maddening. He could die here, happily.

The angle of Steve’s hips changed and Eddie opened his eyes to see Chrissy wrapping her arms around Steve’s chest, her fingers skimming his top surgery scars reverently.

They both admired the sight between Steve’s legs. Eddie wondered if what they saw was as mind-blowingly hot as what he saw as he watched one of Chrissy’s hands trail through Steve’s chest hair and downward, until she could get her knuckles around Steve’s dick.

“Look at him watching us,” she said, her voice thin and unsteady.

“He’s so happy being used, isn’t he?” Steve replied. Being talked about like he wasn’t there made the coil of bliss in Eddie’s stomach tighten. Steve also sounded shaky, and Eddie, determined to make it good, memorable, pointed and curled his tongue inside Steve’s cunt while he renewed his thrusts. The desperate sounds he wrung from them both boosted Eddie’s ego, and his efforts. He’d be good for them, make them both crave this again, so next time he could see just how condescending they could be while they railed him until his brains melted.

Chrissy’s moans grew quieter, choked off, her pace starting to falter. Thank fuck, she must be close. And judging by the way Steve was getting louder and louder, his groans and gasps and the desperate way he was bucking down on Eddie's face with more and more slick and spit smeared on Eddie's mouth, he must be too. Their sounds were fucking divine, pushing Eddie to the edge. He dug his nails into Steve’s thighs, hoping they’d leave marks. The hand that had been in Eddie’s hair flew to where Eddie was holding onto Steve possessively. Eddie grasped it back in a bruising grip, his heart soaring when Chrissy’s free hand joined them.

“Chrissy, oh god, mnh, Eddie!” Steve’s thighs started to shake and clench around Eddie’s ears. Tilting his chin, Eddie let Steve take and take and take until he shouted and shook apart on Eddie’s tongue, slick gushing and dripping down Eddie’s chin. Like a good boy, Eddie stayed put, kept his sore and aching tongue in its proper place so Steve could ride out the rest of his orgasm until he was truly satisfied.

When Steve moved away, Eddie drew in desperate gulps of air, taking one more worshipping lick that made Steve gasp thickly before, wobbly, he flopped onto the narrow space between the edge of the bed and his lovers.

Free to move fully now, Eddie’s hands flew down to Chrissy’s hips to hold her in place. She keened when Eddie pistoned into her, her nails pinpoints of delicious pain in his arms.

“E-Eddie, Steve,” she moaned, over and over and slurring together. “Fuck, oh, please, please!”

Steve reached between them and got his fingers on her clit, rubbing expert circles in time with Eddie’s thrusts. “Come for us, Chrissy, c’mon sweetheart.”

With a surprisingly quiet cry, Chrissy clenched around Eddie’s cock, her whole body shuddering as she came, her face falling into bliss when Eddie followed her right over the edge.

His orgasm ripped through him like lightning, so intense he barely heard his own needy whimper. Fuck, fuck.

He slumped into the mattress with a hollow groan, finding his hands once again clasped by Steve and Chrissy. All he could hear was their ragged breathing, until Chrissy shifted and he slipped out of her with a hiss. She hummed, then, a curious sound, and Eddie opened his eyes to see her dip her fingers into her pussy, drawing them out to see them coated in his come.

Steve leaned forward. Taking her hand gently, he closed his lips around her fingers and sucked them clean, moaning quietly at the taste.

“Holy shit,” Eddie said with wonder. Giving Eddie a sly side-eye, Steve pulled Chrissy in for an open mouthed kiss they both groaned into, and if it were possible for Eddie to get hard again right there and then, he would’ve.

But, regrettably, he was only human. All he could do was watch in awe as his lovers made out before they joined him in lying on the bed. Like vines their limbs twisted together again, unable to resist the need for contact that drove them close. Their bodies were cooling with sweat, but they cared little when there was so much warmth between them.

After a few minutes where they simply enjoyed existing in the same space, letting their mutual, sated exhaustion wash over them, Eddie finally broke the silence.

“I’m so glad we got high.”

The resulting cackling made Eddie grin. He loved making them laugh.

“Me too,” Steve said, nuzzling into the crook of Chrissy’s neck while he reached across her to hold Eddie’s hip.

Chrissy hummed. “Mm. Me three.”

Eddie and Steve groaned despite their begrudging smiles.

“I am glad, though,” Eddie continued. “I don’t know if I would’ve ever thought I could have you both. Still feels like a fucking dream.”

Steve’s hand traced along Eddie’s slender waist. “It’s real.” He repeated the words with tired wonder. “It’s real.”

Curled up together in the same bed for the first time, Eddie smiled and wrapped his arms around Chrissy and Steve, his stars and sun, orbited by the moon.

dividers by @/saradika and @/cafekitsune

[cardcaptorsakura96]

Finding Each Other-Chapter 5

Fandom: Superman, Batman, Shazam, and Wonder Woman

Characters: Bruce Wayne, Clark Kent, Lois Lane, Dick Grayson, Diana Prince, Billy Batson, Jason Todd, Tim Drake, Kara Zor El, Damian Wayne, Cassandra Cain, Alfred Pennyworth, Lex Luthor, Jonathan Kent, Connor Kent

Summary: Clark Kent always knew he wanted a family. He just always thought it would be traditional like his parents. Little did he know that destiny had something different in store for him.

Chapter 1, Chapter 2, Chapter 3, Chapter 4

Once Clark got to his apartment, he quickly put away his clothes, changed into gym shoes, grabbed his keys, and headed to his car. As he merged onto the road towards the airport, he got a phone call. He pressed the answer call button on his steering wheel. 

Clark said, “Hello.”

“Hey, Smallville. How is everything going?”

Clark smiled and said, “Everything is great, Lois. How are you doing? Did the electric blanket I got help?”

Lois chuckled and said, “My night went smoothly. I think the electric blanket may have been the best gift ever. Kept me warm, cozy, and pain-free all night.”

“That’s good. I’m glad that it helped.”

“Speaking of help, I really do appreciate covering the event for me last night. I hope that it wasn’t a wild goose chase for you.”

Clark chuckled and said, “Well, Wayne remains unseen, but that didn’t stop me from having a fantastic time at the museum though.”

Lois said coyly, “That is very high praise especially since this was supposed to be a work thing.  Did you finally find someone that meets your fancy?”

Clark smiled softly and said, “Maybe….”

Lois squealed and said, “I can’t believe this! You finally met someone. I was scared for a moment that you were going to let your past relationship with Lex derail you for a minute.”

Clark sighed, “Funny you should mention him. Lex was also there looking to start trouble.”

Lois sighed and said, “Of course, the bald imp would crawl out of his lair and cause chaos. What did he do this time?”

“Well, he tried to make me feel guilty about my job and that it was pathetic that I was covering the museum exhibit.”

Lois scoffed and said, “I hope you told that asshole he could stick it where the sun doesn’t shine.”

Clark chuckled nervously and said, “Well, I kind of told him that I was there with my fiancé and his kid and that I didn’t have time for him.”

Lois gasped and said, “You didn’t!”

Clark nodded and said, “Not one of my finer moments, but it did get him to shut up. I hate to admit this, but the look on his face made it worth it.”

Lois chuckled and said, “Look at you Clark being petty. I love it!”

Clark shook his head and said, “It still wasn’t right. I can only imagine what Ma would say.”

Lois cackled and said, “You’re Ma would have rubbed it in his face too. She hates Lex.”

Clark smirked and said, “Maybe so…”

Lois said, “Besides, it was a little fib. It is not like Lex caught you on it.”

Clark chuckled and said, “Actually, he did call me out on it.”

“How so?”

“After I left Lex standing there dumbfounded, I went off to watch the museum’s presentation. Once that was finished, I ended up meeting a guy named B and his son Dick. We walked around in each other’s company for a while talking about the Atlantis exhibit…”

Lois asked coyly, “Was B good looking though?”

Clark smirked and said, “Gorgeous, along with being very witty and good-natured.”

“Liking all the qualities. I take it that Lex saw what might have been brewing and tried to intervene.”

Clark chuckled and said, “No. Actually, Dick had gone to the bathroom. As he was coming back, he accidentally ran into Lex causing him to spill his drink all over himself. Lex got upset and was about to strike Dick until I intervene.”

Lois gasped and said, “I knew that Lex was terrible, but I didn’t think he would stoop that low.”

Clark shook his head and said, “Yeah, any hope that I had of him being a decent human being disappeared after that.”

“What happened after you stopped him?”

“Since, he saw me with Dick, he assumed that this was the fiancé’s kid I made up. He told me Dick or I needed to pay for his suit. When I told him he was being petty, he then went off saying that I would obviously choose a fiancé who was a cheapskate. At that point, B came in as dashing as ever and got Lex to back off by handing him his account’s business card. Whoever, the account was got Lex to shut up and just stare at us as we walked away.”

Lois said coyly, “So we have a guy that is smart, good-looking, and have allies that make Lex Luthor baffled. Your mystery man sounds amazing. I hope you didn’t let him out of your sight after that.”

Clark chuckled and said, “B and his son invited me to their house for dinner where we had sandwiches and chips.”

“Ohhhh. How did that go?”

Clark smiled and said, “It went very well. His adopted father lives with him and Dick. He is very charming and welcoming. Dick is very sweet and adorable. He is a huge Superman fan and has his own collection that he is building up.”

Lois cackled and said, “I would love to see the look on that kid’s face if he ever finds out you are the real deal.”

Clark chuckled and said, “I don’t think that Dick will be able to contain himself.”

Read the rest on AO3

[solalunar-eclipse]

Ball & Chain of My Own Making

Written as part of the Sonic the Hedgehog Big Bang 2024, hosted by @sthbigbang!

Summary: Set in the Sonic the Comic (Fleetway Publications) universe. Now that Robotnik's grasp on the planet has finally been removed, the world is beginning to recover. During this process, Sonic goes to meet up with his old friend, Porker Lewis, on the Floating Island. Unfortunately, they're long overdue for a conversation…and it's going to happen whether he wants it to or not.

Wonderful art (may contain spoilers!) by:

@eosomit (GORGEOUS ART BY EOSOMIT HERE) @pikafleetsyolo (FANTASTIC ART BY PIKAFLEETS HERE)

AO3 Link

Wooden scaffolding arched towards the bright blue sky, free of smog for the first time in years. The foundations of future homes spread out across the land of the Emerald Hill Zone, built atop the rubble and ashes of the original village, proving that soon, the people who once lived here would be back and better than ever before.

A sudden gust of wind rattled the scaffolds, making them shake but not crumble under its force—because after all, this was no ordinary wind. This was the controlled tailwind created by the high-octane racing of one Sonic the Hedgehog, Hero of Mobius, reaching speeds even faster than his namesake.

He skidded to a stop in the midst of the construction, admiring the view around him. It was good to finally see the world rebuilding now that Robotnik had fallen…this had been just a dream for far too long, so to have it become tangible reality, something he could reach out and touch, was downright awesome.

After a few moments, he spotted one of his closest friends, Miles “Tails” Prower—to him just Tails—helping to push a high-up beam into a slightly better position with the assistance of his namesake tails, which spun like the blades of a helicopter.

“Hey, pal, you got anything ya need taking care of ‘round here?” Sonic yelled up to him. “Because you know if you do, it’ll be done before you’re finished saying so!” he finished, winking up at the fox.

Tails flew down from his place atop the framework, landing neatly in front of Sonic. “I’m afraid that was actually the last piece of work I had on my list for now! I think I’m going to go help out Johnny with his staff—he says it’s been on the blink lately, and I thought it surely couldn’t be much harder than that time I helped you repair your plane!” He beckoned happily for Sonic to walk alongside him as the two headed back to their current base of operations, and the hedgehog did so without protest.

“Hmh.” Sonic replied eloquently, folding his arms and frowning slightly. “Amy and Tekno are still out too, yeah?”

“They are…” Tails looked up at his friend for a moment, before his eyes widened with an idea. “Hey, there has to be a couple of malfunctioning badniks left to take out somewhere, right?”

Sonic sighed. “Not for a hundred miles—and believe me, I’ve looked.”

The fox’s twin tails flicked nervously. “I mean, the only work we have going on right now is this whole relocation project…the thing is, I don’t think any other baddies are quite ready to crawl out of the shadows so soon after Robotnik vanished.” he explained.

Sonic abruptly snapped his fingers. “Hey, there’s an idea! I’m gonna take the Tornado up to the Floating Island, see how that end of the relocation’s shaking out up there! Seeya, gotta scram!”

And with that, he was gone, Tails’s call of “bye!” (accompanied by an understanding smile he didn’t see) just barely reaching him.

Within moments, Sonic was already in the cockpit of his trusty biplane, flipping switches with the muscle memory of someone who had piloted it a hundred times before. His eyes roamed over the controls, then shifted to the shining red paint that adorned it—

…oh no…what have I done?

The Hero of Mobius abruptly froze, his fingers trembling almost imperceptibly as he remembered an earlier version of this very plane, crumbling and burning before his eyes—the fire had burned all around him, smoke choking the air, but this time not from one of Robotnik’s factories, instead it—

Sonic shook his head, gritting his teeth and forcing his quills to relax. “Everything worked out just fine,” he muttered. “He’s gone now. Amy and Tekno said so.”

With a few sharp movements, the plane’s engine was running smoothly, and Sonic taxied it down the runway and took off with ease. He only needed a moment to remember the controls, and then his memory of flying between islands on his adventures took over at last. 

As he climbed in altitude, he banked the plane around so it was pointing straight towards the Floating Island. While Tails had added a map to the Tornado, making it easier than ever to navigate, Sonic didn’t need any of that. He might not have…one particular effect from the Chaos Emeralds any longer, but that didn’t mean their energy would ever stop being intertwined with his being in a way he neither could nor cared to explain. 

He glanced briefly over the side of the biplane, enjoying the sight of Emerald Hill’s in-progress town below, now resembling a child’s plaything more than the towering structures he’d seen Tails working on earlier. 

As Sonic flew further, he passed over rivers that were running cleaner than before (though their banks still bore remnants of sludge) and the half-destroyed ruins of several of Robotnik’s factories. He smirked with a grim sort of satisfaction as he spotted a particularly torn-up building, stamped with that grinning logo all mangled and broken, unable to churn out even one more ounce of material to support the now-toppled Empire.

Thankfully for his notoriously short patience, it didn’t take Sonic long at all to reach the Floating Island. Avoiding the populated Mushroom Hill Zone for the time being, he instead circled the plane around over a large grassy clearing just outside the Hidden Palace, coming in for an (in his opinion) impressively smooth landing.

Sonic hopped out of the biplane after cutting its motor, grinning broadly. Any second now…

“SONIC!” a voice bellowed from within, accompanied by the sound of heavy footfalls. “What on Mobius are you doing here?”

Knuckles the Echidna stepped out of the shadows of the Hidden Palace, his arms folded over his chest and his ever-present glower meeting Sonic’s expectations perfectly. “You’d better not have shown up just to cause trouble. The Emerald Hill folk are in the middle of packing up their entire lives, and I am already at my limit with all the chaos around here.”

Sonic swiped under his nose, his smirk growing wider. “You’ve gotta be having some real trouble guarding all those Chaos Emeralds then, huh? I can always take care of them if you’re not up to it!”

Knuckles’s jaw tightened. “Sonic, I swear—“

“Relax, knucklehead!” he interrupted, cutting Knuckles off before he could get truly enraged. (Unfortunately, the continued presence of his smug smile may not have particularly helped, but he was more than fine with that.) “You should know I’m not here to mess anything up! Just popped up here to check out how things are going on your end. I don’t expect them to be moving quite as fast as my folks, obviously, but I figured if anyone could help speed the process up a little, it’d be yours truly.”

The echidna appeared momentarily torn between the promise of getting complete peace and quiet on his island sooner, or getting marginally more peace and quiet right now by hurling Sonic bodily off the island. Eventually, he just fixed the hero with his most stern glare, before pointing wordlessly to the door of the Hidden Palace.

Sonic snickered, strolling casually into the building and enjoying the irate grumbling behind him. Knuckles was just too easy to rile up, and his reactions were always fantastic.

“Oh, Knuckles, did you find out who it wa—Sonic!”

The hedgehog in question nearly jumped in surprise, but managed to conceal it beneath a smooth pivot to face the speaker…only to smile broadly once he registered just who it was. 

Sitting at one of the consoles around the massive room was none other than Porker Lewis, his old friend and former fellow Freedom Fighter. Porker practically leapt out of his chair, dashing over to greet Sonic more properly. “It’s just wonderful to see you! How’s everything going?”

Sonic flashed his trademark grin, not-so-subtly preening in response to Porker’s unfiltered enthusiasm. “You know me, always chillin���. Howzabout yourself, Lewis? Enjoying that island life?” he added, winking.

Porker smiled wryly, shaking his head. “I’m liking it a lot more now that Robotnik’s gone. Getting to help repair the technology Knuckles’s ancestors left behind is important work, don’t get me wrong, but it’s not nearly as intense as trying to topple a dictatorship.”

The hero’s face didn’t move a millimeter, but somehow, his smile felt so much more strained. “Yeah. It’s…good that’cha can just work on that now instead of having to put up with badniks all day, every day.”

Porker’s own expression faltered briefly, before he brightened up again, albeit more mellow than before. “Well, I’m sure you didn’t just come here to stand around and talk! I’m supposed to be repairing some of the zoom tubes in the Hydrocity Zone today, but I can leave that for later if you want to have a look around Mushroom Hill together.”

“Psh, no way! It’s been ages since I got to give Hydrocity the old run-around, I’ve gotta see if I can beat my fastest time down there! You wouldn’t deprive your old buddy Sonic a chance to do that, wouldja?” The blue hedgehog bounced into a more dynamic stance, one fist held in front of himself and his other hand thrown back as though he were about to spindash right this very second.

“If you tear up this chamber, I will throw you into the ocean.” Knuckles huffed, making Sonic scoff and straighten back up to face the serious guardian. At that very moment, Sonic’s eyes caught on exactly what Knuckles was leaning against—specifically, one of the switchboards in front of the Emeralds’ storage column. 

“Forget it, Porker…you’ve already done more than your share.”

“Don’t mention her, buddy. Lately she’s been driving me up the wall!”

“Whaaaa—!”

(The rock Sonic had been leaning against crumbled beneath him without warning, and he was sent pitching backwards into the column of pure Chaos energy. It surged through him, bright and powerful…and…violent…)

“Whoa, hey, Sonic? Sonic? You with me?”

“Agh!” He jumped backwards, immediately dropping into a fighting stance…before seeing that it was just Knuckles in front of him, one gloved hand raised as though he’d just been waving it in Sonic’s field of view. “Geez, Knucklehead, warn a guy next time you decide to stick your hand in his face, huh?”

“…you didn’t even react after I said I was gonna…chuck you off the island and all that. I didn’t actually mean it, you know. You might be annoying, but I’m not just going to let you drown.” the echidna muttered, still watching Sonic warily, as though he were about to space out again at any minute.

And Sonic wasn’t having any of that.

“Tch, I was just daydreaming about new ways to spindash that smug look ‘a yours right off your face.” he retorted, folding his arms defiantly. “I don’t hafta dignify every smart-aleck thing you say with a comeback, do I?”

Knuckles rubbed his brow, letting out a long-suffering sigh. “Whatever. Porker, can you please take him anywhere that isn’t here? Mushroom Hill, Hydrocity, either way, just…ugh.”

Porker laughed sympathetically, walking up to stand next to Sonic, now with some papers in his arms and some tools on a belt. “I certainly can. So, Hydrocity, is it, then?” he asked the blue hero lightly.

“You know it!” Sonic gave him a thumbs up, before following his old friend to one of the doorways leading out of the Emerald Chamber. 

The two friends traveled down a short hallway, which led to a shaft so deep Sonic couldn’t even begin to see the bottom. Stairs spiraled around its outside, while a pole speared down the center, attached to the ceiling at one end and presumably the floor at the other.

Porker looked over at Sonic. “How about a race? You on the stairs, and me on the pole?” he asked. 

Sonic’s expression split into what had to be the biggest grin he’d worn yet. “You do realize you’re gonna lose embarrassingly, right?”

“Maybe, but that doesn’t mean I can’t at least try, does it?” Porker insisted, his hands in his pockets and the set of his shoulders easy. Internally, Sonic appreciated the sight of his friend relaxed and happy. It had been far too long since he’d last seen Porker like this, after all.

The Hero of Mobius dashed over to the top of the stairs, settling into a sprinter’s starting position. “You sure you’re ready for this, Sonic?” the engineer sked, smiling cheekily as he grabbed onto the pole with both gloved hands.

“Ha! I’ve been ready, Lewis, you oughta know that by now!”

“Alright then!” Porker announced, to the otherwise empty room. “Three! Two! One! Go!”

Immediately, the former Freedom Fighter pushed off the platform and began to slide down the pole—but that could never compare to the power of pure Sonic speed. The instant the sound “go” hit his ears, Sonic tore off down the stairs so fast that anyone watching wouldn’t have been able to make out his features, only seeing the blue blur that had earned him yet another of his many monikers.

Sonic couldn’t help but beam as the wind whistled through his quills and his sneakers pounded on the staircase, loving the thrill of adrenaline that came from riding the line between landing each step as quickly as possible and tumbling into an uncontrolled fall. His agility had to be perfect to pull this off…and of course, it was. He was Sonic the Hedgehog, after all.

Once he hit the bottom, he looked up, waiting for Porker to appear. Thankfully, he’d only just started tapping his foot by the time the engineer came into view.

“Took you long enough!” Sonic smirked up at him, his arms folded and one eyebrow raised.

Porker smiled back. “Well, pardon me for not wanting to free-fall out of control! Not all of us are invincible Heroes of Mobius—that’s your job, after all!”

Sonic hesitated briefly, something about the title resonating oddly in his chest. “Say, speaking of which…it was…a little heroic, kinda, to be the one to clap Robotnik in cuffs like that. How’d you manage it?”

“Oh! Well, it wasn’t much, really. I was just trying to help some of the Emerald Hill folk evacuate out of the Mushroom Hill Zone, when I saw Robotnik trying to escape that massive fight you and Knuckles had with Dr. Zachary! I managed to rally a few of the braver people, and together we got the drop on him and cuffed him before he knew what happened,” Porker explained, beginning to walk into the zone as he spoke. “We were only able to get him because he was so thrown off guard by actually losing his grip on power for once—it was an opportunity we wouldn’t have gotten again! I may have left the Freedom Fighters, but I wouldn’t have been able to sleep at night if I’d let him get away, you know?”

Sonic could feel his confusion showing on his face, but he wasn’t entirely sure how to stop it. “You…I guess, but…”

“Is everything alright?” Porker was frowning in concern, and that was enough to convince Sonic that this conversation wasn’t worth pursuing any longer. 

He laced his hands behind his head casually. “Yeah, sure! You know me, since when am I not?”

“…” When Sonic snuck a peek at his friend out of the corner of his eye, he saw that Porker still looked uneasy. 

Luckily for him, a Bugernaut suddenly swooped down at Porker, forcing him to duck out of the way. Within seconds, Sonic had curled into a ball, smashing the badnik and landing with ease. He quickly scanned the area for any more, spotting a few patrolling in a line farther ahead. While Robotnik was gone, his influence clearly still lingered, even up here on the Floating Island.

Briefly, he glanced back at his friend, who shot him a quick smile and a thumbs-up—which was all he needed to tear off in pursuit. It was a matter of a single jump to reach the nearest platform, and then only one more leap to bounce from badnik to badnik in a line, freeing the various little critters inside.

Sonic landed on an even higher platform, crouching by the edge to scan the ground below for Porker. He could jump down easily…but that would mean more awkward conversation. And when his alternative was scouting ahead and taking out any leftover badniks so Porker wouldn’t have to deal with them? It was hardly a choice at all.

He waved to get Porker’s attention, before jerking a thumb over his shoulder and holding up his fists like he was about to get into a cartoonish fight. The former Freedom Fighter gave him a friendly salute back, before turning back to his path towards the busted zoom tube. Sonic let out a breath that, had anyone else heard, he would have denied having been a sigh. Then, in a blink, he wasn’t there at all, only a blue streak of light marking the path he’d taken. 

Thankfully, he did turn out to have a genuine excuse to rush on ahead, as he found several more clusters of badniks after that initial line of Bugernauts. While Porker followed the lower paths, Sonic took every shortcut he could find in an effort to cover as much ground as possible. However, being thorough did mean he had to make some…unfortunate choices, as well. Hanging from a slow rope pulley above water wasn’t exactly his idea of fun, and neither was the promise of dropping into the water to clear out some aquatic badniks, but let nobody ever say that the Hero of Mobius and leader of the Freedom Fighters wasn’t committed to what he did.

With a gulp of air, Sonic opened his hands and let himself drop, curling into a ball and crashing directly into the water. Thankfully, this particular area seemed to have a fast current to it, meaning that he merely had to keep himself curled up and let the water turn him into a badnik-busting buzzsaw. 

Not really loving the lack of air down here, Sonic thought to himself impatiently, finally uncurling in search of an air bubble once he was reasonably sure the room was clear. Now where would…

There!

A small imperfection in the floor of the area had allowed a tiny crack to form in the material. At that exact point, the liquid could freely drip out—but more importantly, air could flow in. Happily, it didn’t take long at all for an air bubble to appear that was big enough for Sonic to use, and he inhaled the oxygen inside eagerly.

His energy restored, the hedgehog made his way over to a slightly narrower section of pipe, letting the current sweep him along once more. Annoyingly, the water turbines were still active, but it was a small price to pay for his otherwise quick progress, and he could easily avoid them with the help of the support struts used to help the pipe hold its shape. Besides, before long, he was spindashing up a ramp and out of the water, soaring high into the air before landing with perfect ease. 

After a bit of casual platform-hopping, Sonic spied Porker a little ways away, kneeling by a strange mechanism and seemingly inspecting it. This must’ve been the fix-it job he had to do, Sonic mused, before leaping down to join his friend alongside the ancient travel system. 

“So, how’s it going?” he asked, making poor Porker yelp and drop his screwdriver with a clatter, startled.

“Sonic!” he scolded, but his smile severely diminished any attempt at properly convincing the hedgehog to regret his actions. “You startled me!”

“I have eyes, I noticed,” Sonic quipped, shifting to lean casually against the wall. “You didn’t answer my question though, you really gonna leave a guy hanging like that? And here I thought we were friends.” he complained, wearing a faux-devastated expression.

Porker stared at him blankly for a moment, before recognition lit up his eyes. “Oh, yes, of course! It really is on you for making me forget, though.” Sonic scoffed lightly, but otherwise didn’t speak, leaving room for Porker to continue.

“It’s frankly quite a simple fix,” the engineer began. “While the tubes themselves are largely made of stone, the mechanical parts that create the vacuum necessary to enable this kind of rapid travel are much more delicate and therefore prone to failure. That’s why the tubes here aren’t working anymore—there must have been a malfunction in this area. Now all I need to do is open it up—” and just as he said this, he heaved a panel off the side of the structure in front of him, revealing an incomprehensible mess of pistons, cogs, and other unidentifiable bits and bobs. “—and figure out what's going on in here.”

“Huh. Why’d the echidnas decide to stick this thing all the way down here instead of up with everything else in the Emerald chamber? Somehow I don’t get the sense they were particularly in it for the sightseeing opportunity.” Sonic remarked, moving to lean against a different piece of the machine’s casing.

Porker’s laugh rang out from the metal walls of the structure, having already slid mostly inside to take a closer look. “Beats me! Knuckles and I are still having quite a time working on translating the ancient language used on most of the schematics for this place. We just got the blueprints for this all sorted out yesterday—it only became a major priority when the tubes stopped functioning. I haven’t even had a chance to dig through more of what we think are records, since most of our focus has been on the way the Floating Island works anyhow.”

Sonic smirked at the sound of Porker’s evident good mood. “Ol’ Knucklehead better have those blueprints all translated correctly, or else he’s gonna wind up going backwards instead of forwards next time he hops in one a’ these!”

“Oh goodness, I certainly hope it doesn’t come to that!” Porker still sounded amused, but also a little concerned. Not ideal. “At least they’d be working again, I suppose!”

“Well, pal, tell ya what. ‘Cause I’m such a kind and generous soul, I’ll give the tubes a spin once you’ve got them all set up! Just make sure to double-check your screws first—I’m not about to have Knuckles laughing at me if I get closely acquainted with the nearest rock, alright?”

“I’ll certainly do my best!” the engineer replied brightly. “Wait—oh, Sonic, I think I’ve found the problem!” he added, shifting around some more inside the machine.

“Forreal? Huh, I guess all that studying must’ve been worth it if you can find the problem that fast!” Sonic remarked, pushing off from the metal plating and strolling around to where Porker was.

“It’s a relatively simple issue too, thank goodness,” his friend continued, “there’s a hole in the main conduit for the pressurized air. In the long term, this pipe should really be replaced, but for now, I think a simple patch job will suffice.”

“What, and you just happen to have ‘pipe patcher’ on ya at all times?” Sonic asked, snickering slightly. “You go to dinner at someone’s house and think ‘oh no, better not leave my pipe patches at home’?”

Porker’s sigh echoed in the machine’s chamber. “It’s really not all that special, all I’m using is duct tape. So long as it makes a proper seal—which I’m being careful to do now—it should hold well enough for us to go back and get a proper replacement. And duct tape is an essential part of any engineer’s toolkit, especially when they’re going to do some engineering work. Which is exactly what we came down here to do.”

“We?” the hedgehog asked. “S’far as I can see, you’re the one doing all the fix-it jobs around here, I’m just tagging along to clear out badniks and have a good time. Wouldn’t wanna be inside that thingamajig anyway, you can barely even move in there!”

Porker made a movement that seemed to suggest a shrug. “It’s really not that bad,” he said, beginning to extricate himself from the mess of machinery. “I honestly find it quite comfortable—though I must admit there have been a couple of times when the sentries didn’t think to warn me politely before tapping me…I earned myself quite a few bruises before they learned not to do that.” Now fully outside, he shook his head with a slightly tired smile. “At least they apologized afterwards, I suppose.”

“Aw, man, I wish I’d been there! I would’ve paid good money to see that!” Sonic clapped a hand on his friend’s shoulder, grinning good-naturedly. “So, we gotta head back and grab that piece, yeah?”

Porker nodded in agreement. “Yes, we do, but first—”

But by the time the word “yes” had left his mouth, Sonic was already in the tube.

“Aw yeah!” he whooped to himself, rocketing upwards at a breathtaking speed. “This is the good stuff!”

Suddenly, however, he noticed that his speed was…beginning to slow down. He frowned. The zoom tubes normally didn’t do that at all, instead letting him blast out at full speed. This wasn’t a new problem Porker would have to fix, was it?

Sonic felt his quills begin to raise as he continued to decelerate, scraping uselessly against the near-frictionless surfaces of the inside of the tubes. The air grew weaker and weaker, struggling to push him up a vertical passage, and the Hero of Mobius felt a cold chill settle in his stomach. 

He curled up just a little tighter, trying to use the movement to regain even a fraction of forward momentum, and that was enough to get him through the bend onto a horizontal plane, but then—

—he stopped moving.

Entirely.

Sonic the Hedgehog, the fastest thing on Mobius, could no longer move.

~~~

Porker Lewis, on the other hand, was running as quickly as he possibly could.

He’d wanted to warn Sonic that he needed to check the air pressure first, make sure everything was at least moderately in working order before he let his friend give the zoom tubes a test run, but while Sonic’s thoughts moved much faster than his own, that didn’t necessarily mean he had a greater amount of caution. Now, Porker had no idea where Sonic was, nor whether he’d even made it out of the tubes at all.

Still, the engineer pushed himself to follow the path upwards, in spite of the increasing difficulty he met with as he climbed. More precarious platforms, more obstacles, and wider gaps had to be dealt with, slowing Porker down as he struggled to navigate, but he refused to let the tube out of his sight. He had to be coming to a bend or junction soon at this rate…

And then, he saw it. The tube made a right angle, running along the ceiling of the Hydrocity Zone, and within it, just visible through the glass paneling, was a ball of blue.

Quickly, Porker scanned the area. The panel was held in place by a frame, which could be easily removed with his screwdriver, but getting to the tube in the first place would be rather more difficult. Further examination revealed that there were small crevices and ledges on the wall adjacent to it that he could use to climb up, but staying in position without falling and injuring himself would be complicated, especially since he would essentially need to turn around while on the wall to properly remove the paneling. 

Still, it was the best he could do, given the situation. Removing the screwdriver from his tool belt and holding it in his mouth, Porker began to clamber up the side of the rock wall, moving as quickly as he could without putting himself in danger. He would be no use at all to Sonic with a broken leg, of course.

Speaking of him—“Sonic! I’m going to unscrew the paneling! You’ll be out shortly!” Porker shouted, forcing his voice as loud as it could possibly go.

If his friend replied, the engineer couldn't hear it. Nerves gripped his heart as he forced himself to climb faster, reaching the top soon after. Now came the difficult part; he braced himself with a hand against the pipe, before carefully shuffling his feet in a manner that would allow him to turn around and press his back against the rock wall.

The only thing keeping him from falling now was the strength of his arm as he pushed against the tube.

Carefully, Porker began to unscrew the frame bit by bit, wiggling the screws out of their housing one by one and letting them drop to the floor. After the third screw, his supporting arm began to tremble, but he refused to let it falter. Not when Sonic was counting on him.

The fourth screw dropped. At first, the frame refused to move, but a good whack with the screwdriver fixed that—followed by a sudden flinch from Porker as the glass panel dropped and shattered on the ground below.

“Good heavens, that’ll be quite the repair job…” he muttered to himself, before recalling exactly what the situation was at the moment.

“Sonic? Sonic, can you hear me?” he called, craning his neck in an effort to get a better look at the insides of the tube. He could see the ball of blue spines pretty well, actually, but something wasn’t quite right.

“…oh.” Porker murmured quietly.

Sonic was shaking.

He would have to get the hedgehog out all by himself, but how? He certainly couldn’t reach into the tube, not from this angle, and Sonic was clearly unable to move. The only thing he did seem capable of, as a matter of fact, was bristling his spines.

Wait. If Sonic had his spines raised, then that meant they could catch on something, yes? Porker began to hurriedly shrug off his jacket, only pausing to swap hands on the pipe once his screwdriver was back in his belt. Frowning in an effort to better gauge the distance, he swung the jacket back and forth once, twice, and then up into the tube—and thank goodness, at least one thing had gone right in this whole mess, when the cloth caught securely on Sonic’s spines.

Porker pulled as hard as he could, and for once the near-frictionless surface of the zoom tubes proved useful when his friend moved along with little resistance. Uncomfortably slowly, given the awkward angle, Sonic’s curled-up form slid further and further forward until finally, he slipped out of the opening.

What Porker had forgotten, however, was that Sonic had weight, and weight affected both balance and gravity.

What this meant, in practice, was that Porker very nearly wrenched his arm out of its socket fighting to keep them both from falling.

Even then, he didn’t succeed for very long, pitching forward and off the face of the wall soon afterwards. At the very least, his fall was more controlled, so that when he landed, he merely sprained his ankle instead of breaking it. (Happily, he was also able to avoid the shattered glass on the ground. Things would have gotten much more complicated if he hadn’t, and he was already about at his limit for complications.)

He ought to be thankful for small mercies, he supposed, because that at least meant the pain wasn’t so excruciating that he couldn’t check on his friend. 

“Sonic? Sonic, are you al—are you hurt?” he asked quickly, pulling himself along the ground towards the hero, who had uncurled and was now on his hands and knees, with his head hanging between his arms.

For a moment, Sonic didn’t respond at all, and Porker felt a pang shoot through him. Just a second later, though, the hedgehog sat up, raising an eyebrow at him cockily. “Am I hurt? You’re the one who can’t curl up into a ball here, I’m not the one you should be checking on.” 

“I wasn’t just talking about the fall. I meant before that, too.” Porker insisted, unwilling to let it go quite so easily.

“Tch, what, me getting stuck in the tube? Just don’t tell Knucklehead, he’ll never let me hear the end of it.”

Porker felt his stomach turn uncomfortably. He really, really didn’t want to push this, but the thought of Sonic pretending that nothing had happened sat even worse with him. Shakily, he inhaled once, then sighed, and felt his shoulders tense up as he prepared to speak again.

“Sonic.” Porker insisted. “I saw you shaking with my own two eyes. I can’t just let that go.”

“What, me? Shaking?” Sonic scoffed. “You of all people should know that the Hero of Mobius doesn’t shake, pal.”

The engineer frowned…and then abruptly his expression softened, as something that Sonic had just said caught his attention. “No, I get it. The Hero of Mobius doesn’t shake, you’re right. But, well, my old friend Sonic, from way back in Green Hill…he’s allowed to get scared in front of me, I think. Whether or not he thinks he should.”

“Uh, you sure you didn’t hit your head in that fall, Lewis?” Sonic asked, now the one to squint over at his friend in confusion. “In case you forgot, this speedy blue hedgehog—y’know, the one called Sonic—is the Hero of Mobius.” He jabbed a thumb at his chest for emphasis.

Porker took another deep breath subtly, trying his best to keep from getting exasperated. “That’s true. But being the Hero of Mobius is a job, and being Sonic just…is. You’re Sonic all the time, but you’re only the Hero of Mobius when you want to be. And you don’t have to be in front of me.”

“You sure about that one? ‘Cause last I checked, only one of us was up to being a hero.” Sonic shot back.

As soon as the words left his mouth, he froze, his eyes widening slightly and his teeth snapping together so hard they clicked in the suddenly heavy silence.

“Porker—we can—just forget that happened, ‘kay? Apparently my mouth moves as fast as the rest of me sometimes, heh.” 

Porker gave Sonic a surprisingly flat look, making the hedgehog’s poor attempt at humor fizzle out into nothingness. His grin twisted into a grimace, and his hands balled into fists on the floor as he avoided Porker’s eyes.

Well, at least now he’s hiding his emotions less, the former Freedom Fighter thought to himself, internally sighing.

“Sonic.” he said softly, and while his friend didn’t flinch, his fingers did tighten noticeably.

“I’m not upset. Or—well—I am, but not at you. I just don’t like that you feel you have to be a hero around me all the time. I know we were fighting Robotnik for so long, it’s kind of hard to be anything else…but before that, we were just friends, stumbling our way through life together.”

Porker sighed, allowing himself a bittersweet smile. “I’d like to go back to being that way, at least to some extent, now that the war is over.” He hesitated briefly, before continuing, “If you don’t want to though, for whatever reason, I’ll understand.”

Sonic laughed, but his eyes were too wide for it to seem genuine. “Hey, what? Of course we’re friends, there’s no way I’d wanna change that! Why on Mobius would you ever think I would?”

“It’s…difficult to explain.” Porker began, picking up a chunk of debris and worrying circles into it with his thumb. “Sometimes it feels like when you look at me, you’re seeing just another civilian to protect, instead of, well, me.”

“Well, that’s not it at all!” Sonic straightened up boldly. “It’s totally different—I’m just making sure you don’t have to deal with the difficult stuff anymore after we—after you, y’know, got stuck on, uh, Little Planet.”

“Sonic, just because I was too stressed out to continue fighting in a war doesn’t mean I’m too distraught to live my life, or to help my friends when they could use a hand!” the engineer explained. “Besides, living here on the Floating Island has done wonders for me, I’d say.”

Sonic had sported a strangely skeptical expression for the first part, but when he finally spoke up, it wasn’t in response to that at all. “Was it really good enough for you that you were able to handle Robotnik?” he asked, frowning genuinely.

Porker stared blankly at his friend for a few moments as several things suddenly slotted into place. “Is that what you meant when you asked me how I was able to cuff him earlier?”

Sonic’s sudden eagerness to look away and shift positions, combined with a short “Eh, it’s whatever. Never mind.” told him all he needed to know.

He bit back his first instinct, which was to get upset that Sonic essentially seemed to view him as an invalid, no longer capable of functioning in the face of difficult situations. Getting upset wouldn’t help here—he’d known Sonic long enough to be certain that if he got angry, Sonic’s temper would flare up to match. Instead, he struggled to work out how best to explain his current situation to his friend. 

Porker knew that Sonic had gone through a difficult process when he’d decided to leave the Freedom Fighters, and had taken some time to come around to the fact that not everybody had his level of fortitude and resilience when it came to coping with difficult situations. However, it seemed like Sonic had understood Porker’s choice to leave as a permanent “off” switch on his abilities, instead of the truth, which was that the scales of “desire for freedom” and “fear of lasting damage” had simply tipped in the other direction, without any weight being removed from the former.

Suddenly, he was jolted from his musings by the voice of the hedgehog in question. “Listen, how about we head back to Hidden Palace and grab whatever parts you need? That way you can show me around some more, yeah?”

Slowly but surely, Porker got to his feet, sighing tiredly and trying not to wince at a twinge from his ankle. “Hang on, I just wanted to explain one thing first. You mind if I talk your ear off for just a moment?” He shot Sonic a half-smile, and that seemed to do the trick.

“Sure thing, pal. Hit me.” he replied carefully, moving to lean against the wall.

“I may have assumed this was more obvious than it actually was, but…I was always scared. Even when you first asked me to join the Freedom Fighters, I was frightened as anything.” Porker began, cringing internally as Sonic tensed up once again. “But the thing was,” he hurried to add, “I believed in the better future you talked about more than I felt afraid. So I pushed myself to join because I wanted to help make a world where people like me didn’t have to be so scared all the time, and that was enough to keep me going.

“But then…when I was held on Little Planet for so long…” Porker trailed off, memories of wire biting into his arms and endless examinations flashing before his eyes briefly. He blinked rapidly and squeezed the rock in his hand tighter in an effort to dispel the images—only to look up into an expression on Sonic that was emptier than any he’d ever seen before.

The engineer sighed and shook his head, smiling ruefully. “After that, I was so worried about it happening again that I couldn’t contribute to the team like I wanted, and, well, you know the rest.” He paused for a moment, composing his next sentence in his head. “I think there was one thing I should’ve said to you back then, but didn’t, because I thought it was obvious.”

“Yeah?” Sonic’s voice was perfectly measured, perfectly even.

“I don’t blame you for what happened. I don’t even see how I could—I knew the risks, I knew Mobius had to be kept safe, and I made my choice. I mean, in the end, it all worked out too. If that was really what had to happen to start the chain of events that led to the Empire of Metallix being defeated, then I can’t even say I regret it.”

“Porker.” Sonic marched over, staring at him with narrowed eyes. “Now I know for a fact you hit your head in that fall. Either that or I need to get my ears checked, because I know I didn’t just hear you say you’re okay with the fact that we all left you there.”

“What else am I supposed to say?” he asked, genuinely. “We were in a difficult situation, not to mention a dangerous profession. Awkward choices and bad experiences were bound to happen eventually. All things considered, I escaped without any serious physical damage and got the space I needed to work on healing mentally. Things could have gone a whole lot worse—”

“But they also could’ve gone better!” Sonic barked. “We left you there! We all could’ve gone back with you, fought off the Metallix together!”

“And left the planet defenseless against Robotnik? That would’ve been terribly dangerous.” Porker forced himself to keep his posture open, hoping that having something else to focus on would help him feel less stunned that his friend was on the verge of yelling at him. “Besides, it’s equally possible that the Metallix would have overpowered us all, seeing as we’d be stuck there for a month, and then who would have saved us from them?”

“What, so are you telling me you’re fine with the way things turned out?” the hedgehog snapped.

“Yes and no,” Porker replied, hating how stiff his voice had become, but unable to search for any better words, “I certainly would have preferred to not be trapped on Little Planet for a month, but since I was, and we were able to destroy the empire that I was stuck with, I don’t really have anything left to be angry about. I may be upset that it happened to me, but I’ve decided that I don’t resent anyone for the way it happened.”

“Yeah? Well, good for you, but not all of us feel that way, y’know.” Sonic spat.

Porker hesitated for a moment. He had a feeling that he knew exactly what his friend meant, but he wanted to check something first.

“Are you upset with me for going back?”

“Wh—f—why would I be mad at you?” Sonic looked like he was about to explode, face twisted into a snarl. “It’s the Metallix’s fault, for being scummy enough to treat you like they did! It’s Robotnik’s fault, for making those machines in the first place, and for making a Mobius where there needed to be Freedom Fighters at all! And—and it’s on me for asking you to join the Freedom Fighters, because then this’d never have happened!”

The walls of Hydrocity Zone rang with the echo of Sonic’s outburst.

“…we’re done here.” the hedgehog muttered, turning away.

“N-n-no, we’re not.” Porker insisted, still gripping the rock, now so tightly that his hands shook. Sonic whipped around, his eyes hard, but Porker pushed onwards as quickly as he could. “S-Sonic, you couldn’t have possibly known this would happen. You may be a hero, but you’re not the Omni-Viewer—you can’t kn-know or do everything. And that’s fine!” he added, quickly, seeing Sonic’s quills begin to rise. “I don’t, I don’t expect you to, and anyone who does is being absurd, frankly. All you knew when you asked me to join was that Robotnik needed to be s-stopped, and that I was smart enough to help. And all you could—could do when I went back to Little Planet was make an impossible choice, and if you’re sorry that I got hurt, then I’m sorry I put you in a position to choose between me and everyone else.

“I don’t know if you really do r-regret asking me to join the Freedom Fighters—and if you do, I can try to understand why, but I have to inform you that I disagree whole-heartedly. You would n-not have survived fighting Robotnik on your own, you needed others by your side, and you were a big enough person to a-admit that in spite of the fact that I’m sure you would have preferred otherwise. If you regret asking me, then do you regret asking Johnny, or Tails? Do you regret bringing all of us into this? Because let me tell you, if I have to choose between a future where I am traumatized but alive, or a future where I never met the Metallix and you are gone, I would choose the former every time!”

Porker’s legs wobbled beneath him, and he lowered himself to the ground quickly, breathing hard and fast. “S-sorry, sorry for my harsh tone at the end there.” he apologized. “I didn’t m-mean to get so worked up.”

“…Porker.” Sonic said, no longer facing him, his voice strangely quiet in a way the engineer had never heard before. “You’re—right. About all of it. I’m glad you said yes when I asked you to join. Without you, we’d never have saved Kintobor, or gotten all the gadgets we needed to fight. It just, you know. Like you said. We were friends, but I was also the leader. That made your safety my responsibility. And you know me, I don’t like to, well. Lose. Heh.” He laughed humorlessly, even as his hands twitched and shifted with surprising intensity. “When you’re the Hero of Mobius, and you don’t save someone. Anyone. But especially a friend. It makes a guy wonder if he still gets to call himself a hero. If he still…has that friend. After he couldn’t keep him from getting permanently hurt. You know.”

“I think I do know.” Porker replied, almost instantly, needing to make sure Sonic knew that this opening up, no matter how stilted, was the right thing to do. “And I know that his friend has been with him for a while. His friend has seen him save people so many times, over and over again, even without a reward. So, quite frankly, if there was ever a time when he didn’t save someone, that friend would not doubt for a second that he didn’t wish things had gone differently. But,” he added, “this friend would also care about him a lot. And his friend would feel terrible if it seemed, for even a second, that a choice that the friend made was something he was using to make himself feel worse, whether he thought he deserved it or not. Because his friend is, well, his friend, right? So of course that friend wouldn’t want him to torture himself using the thought of what happened. 

“After all, he may be a hero—an incredible hero, even—but he can’t do everything, and like I said earlier, that's okay. That’s why the rest of us were there, to help him be able to do everything with our help. And sometimes that meant we were in danger, just like him. But that was okay, because there was no place we’d rather be than by his side, helping to make the world a better place.”

A single drop of water wet the stone by Sonic’s feet.

“There’s—” he croaked, before cutting himself off and abruptly clearing his throat. “There’s nobody I would rather have had with me.”

“I’m glad.” Porker smiled gently, and hoped it carried through in his voice.

“Ugh, first Super, now this—what is it with me and coming to visit you that makes bad things happen?” Sonic groaned, finally turning around once again (and the engineer elected not to notice how he was still working to compose himself).

“Well, in the very, very long run, that was a good thing too, considering that Super’s EMP blast was what enabled us to defeat Robotnik.” Porker said.

“Oh, so you’re not upset about that either?” Sonic asked, voice caught halfway between sarcastic and hesitant.

“Sonic!” the engineer huffed. “Super’s transformation process is completely involuntary! It may be frightening in the moment, but I would never, ever blame you for his actions!”

“…good to know.” Sonic said simply. “Speakin’ of which, I saw you two put up some better walls around the Emerald chamber, good to see we won’t have any more falling accidents.” He finally turned around, his arms folded and smirk back in place. “Don’t wanna find out what Super Porker is like or anything.”

“I hope seeing the Emerald chamber again wasn’t what bothered you earlier.” Porker’s brow furrowed in concern. “I didn’t even consider how it might be an unpleasant place to be…”

Sonic’s smirk lessened just a fraction. 

“You know, you’re always free to talk about it if you’d like.” Porker said, but when Sonic scoffed, he already knew it was a lost cause.

“Listen, I’ve had more than enough ‘talking about it’ for one visit.” Sonic rolled his eyes and did exaggerated air quotes, but…

…‘for one visit’ wasn’t ’for a lifetime’. Maybe it wasn’t such a lost cause after all.

Porker decided to take pity on his friend at last. “Would you like to head back to Hidden Palace now? You can bother Knuckles some more while I find the part I need to repair the zoom tubes.” 

“Finally!” Sonic exclaimed. “As much as I appreciate a good cave adventure every now and then, I’d rather be somewhere I can actually see the sun. Come on, let’s get moving.” He began to walk back towards the entrance, making Porker hesitate and frown over at him.

“…you’re not going to scout on ahead again?”

Sonic looked over at him, surprise registering for the briefest of seconds before he relaxed, his usual smirk returning—albeit somewhat crookedly. “Nah. If any badniks haven’t learned their lesson by now, we can handle ‘em.”

Porker could feel himself smiling wider than he had all day, enough so that Sonic seemed to notice. “Shut your trap, pixel-brain.” he grumbled, folding his arms. “Haven’t we had enough sappy nonsense already?”

“Fair enough,” Porker admitted. “So, how’s the rebuilding process going back in Emerald Hill?”

“The new town’s looking better every day!” Sonic’s grin returned in full force. “It’s gonna be much more defensible, but it’s also just way better quality and more sturdy than before.”

“That’s fantastic.” Porker said, suddenly feeling as though a weight he hadn’t even noticed had been lifted off his chest. “As much as the hillfolk have appreciated Knuckles’s hospitality, they seem eager to get home.”

“It’ll be good to have them back.” Sonic sighed. “Seeing the world start to live a post-Robotnik life sure is something, huh?”

“It really is. Sometimes I wondered if we’d be fighting for the rest of our lives,” Porker smiled ruefully. “But I’m so happy that isn’t the case.”

They walked together in silence for about half a minute, giving them both time to admire the water flowing through the caverns and the massive pillars helping to keep it all stable. The fact that the colors on the pillars hadn’t faded after all this time was fascinating to Porker, and he was beginning to think back on the papers Knuckles had gotten from that pirate fellow—

Sonic abruptly dragged his hands down his face and groaned. “Now you’ve gone and done it! Why’d you have to bring up Super in the first place, now I can’t stop thinking about him!”

“Technically, you brought him up.” Porker corrected him, before smiling sheepishly when Sonic shot him a glower (without any heat behind it, of course).

“Listen, it’s just—something about falling into the Emerald chamber made him way worse than usual. I don’t know all of it, but lemme tell ya…” He trailed off, staring into the middle distance.

“You don’t have to if you don’t want to.” Porker said softly, wishing he could give his friend a hand on his shoulder or a hug, but that wouldn’t help someone like Sonic. Instead, he jammed his hands in his pockets, kept walking, and waited.

“Ugh…waking up in the wreckage of our plane with the others nowhere in sight…fire everywhere…feeling myself laughing without knowing why…it’s good he’s gone, ‘cause I’m never about to see something like that again.” Sonic spat, forcing the tremor from his voice.

Porker felt his stomach turn. “Nobody told me about that! I can’t imagine how that must have felt, being amongst all that devastation without knowing what had happened!”

“They didn’t even tell me they were alive for days.” Sonic muttered, his shoulders hunched. “Super was still an issue, I know why they didn’t, but they left me thinkin’ I’d—! For days!” Suddenly, he kicked a rock with such speed and violence it shattered on impact.

Sonic clenched his fists, stopping in his tracks in an attempt to catch his breath. Porker shifted a little closer to him, worrying the fabric of his gloves with his fingers. “I’m sorry that happened. I’m guessing you haven’t mentioned this to any of them?”

“Why would I?” Sonic scoffed. “It worked, didn’t it? They fixed the problem.”

Porker opened his mouth—then hesitated—then sighed gently. “Well. I can see why they might have done that, but I don’t necessarily think it was the perfect solution. And if you ever want to talk about it more…I’m here. As your friend.”

“…you meant what you said earlier, right?”

“Hmm?” Porker blinked. “I said a lot of things earlier, I’m afraid you’ll have to remind me.”

“About…not blamin’ me for the stuff he does.” Sonic muttered, clearly embarrassed.

“Of course I did!” he insisted. “And I’ll say it as many times as you need! I don’t blame you. I don’t blame you. I don’t blame you. I don’t—” 

“Alright, alright, I get it!” Sonic snickered, shoving Porker lightly. “Save your breath for all these stairs, we gotta climb them to get back up to that knucklehead.”

“Oh, good heavens.” Porker sighed, eyeing up the spiral staircase warily.

Sonic rolled his eyes, his trademark smirk softening just a fraction. “Forget it, Porker, just grab on tight.”

Seconds later, they were back in the main room of the Hidden Palace.

The engineer pulled his wrist from Sonic’s grip, stumbling over to the nearest control panel and slumping into a seat. “I will never be used to that,” he wheezed, chuckling lightly.

“Sonic, you’d better not have broken my best engineer!” Knuckles barked, stomping over to the two of them.

“Isn’t he also your only engineer?” Sonic shot back.

“All the more reason not to drag him along when you decide to have a run around!” the echidna insisted.

“Knuckles?” Porker called, interrupting the two’s bickering. He had removed one of his shoes—but not his sock, obviously—and was bandaging up his sore ankle. Both of the others seemed concerned, but when he smiled reassuringly, they both trusted him enough to back off. “Oh yeah, just turned my ankle, nothing major. Anyhow, do you know where the replacement air conduits are? We found the break, but my temporary fix wasn’t much of a fix at all.”

“Drawer 14B.” he replied, already heading off in that direction. “I’ll get it for you if you keep this prickly tank of hot air out of my face some more. Take him to Mushroom Hill or something, have him play with the toddlers a bit to burn off that energy.”

Sonic huffed, tapping his foot rapidly. “Hot air?! You come back here and say that to my face! C’mon, Porker, let’s leave the guardian to his sulking.”

The engineer laughed under his breath as he joined his friend once again. “You two could have a whole comedy show with that kind of banter.” he said warmly.

“Yeah, yeah, whatever.” Sonic rolled his eyes. “Now who needs help packing up?”

Porker did indeed proceed to show Sonic all around the Mushroom Hill Zone, and the two helped out where their skills were needed as the citizens of Emerald Hill prepared to return to their long-evacuated home. (As a matter of fact, Sonic sped up the process by at least half a day, which went greatly appreciated amongst everyone present.)

Once they had finished with that, Sonic admitted that he should probably head back soon, to make sure that the rebuilding process was still going well and that his other friends didn’t need him for anything urgent. Porker walked him back to the plane, the two chatting about memories new and old along the way. And just before Sonic hopped into the cockpit, he placed a hand on Porker’s shoulder—the only differences from last time being that Sonic was the one to leave via plane instead…and that Porker put his hand over Sonic’s for just the briefest of moments.

As the Hero of Mobius took off, he looked back for a second to see his old friend waving him off with a smile on his face, and he couldn’t help but feel pleased to know that he was welcome back whenever he felt like it. To his surprise, however, there was one other thing he noticed—or rather, the absence of something.

This time, when he had settled into his plane and prepared for takeoff, the memories of Super hadn’t been there. Even now that he noticed it, even though he could still remember the fire, now, there was also…

“I don’t blame you.”

And wasn’t that just something else?