#the earth one still doesn’t have a name but I’ll figure it out

[rememberwren]

A Dichotomy of Thought || 5

Part One | Part Two | Part Three | Part Four | Part Five | Part Six | Further Parts

Johnny recovers slowly.

-

Fifteen minutes? Simon messages you. A flare going up in the darkness, an SOS signal even if you don’t know the accuracy of the analogy. But he doesn’t hear back from you that day.  Maybe what little luck he had left that wasn’t bad luck has run out. Maybe you realized that you had no real reason to be guilty, that Soap had stepped out in front of your car on purpose. You didn’t owe them anything. 

Simon wishes he could swallow that flare back up, eat it whole, let it burn him alive, but he can’t. Johnny needs him. 

Ever since the seizure, it’s been one bad pain day after another. The seizure itself was rough on his body, but so was how hard Soap fought afterwards, dealing himself damage that he didn’t even have the processing yet to tally up. 

Like clockwork he’s requiring those little green pills, choking them down on empty stomachs. Simon even has to break out what’s left of the sublingual morphine which they hadn’t used since Johnny first came home from inpatient rehabilitation. Only then will Johnny manage to fall into fitful sleeps wracked with nightmares and phantom pains from his missing arm. He cancels all therapy that week, hoping Johnny will return to his baseline soon. Hoping for the days he used to wish away. 

It’s hell on earth. Simon lays in bed beside him, ready to wake him from another nightmare, going on three days without sleep and he wishes that he had been the one in the helicopter instead. Wishes that it had killed him, since he can’t ever wish death on Johnny. Not ever. Not even when his boy begs for it. 

His phone buzzes, and it’s you: I’m free in twenty. Still need me?

Badly. Simon can’t remember the last time he showered. All he wants is fifteen minutes to scrub himself clean and feel human again. All he says though is: Yeah.

You appear just past twenty minutes later wearing a diner uniform. It’s cute: tight pants that hug your thighs and hips, a white button-down blouse tucked in, demarcation where your name tag used to rest.

Simon opens the door and ushers you in, somber-faced, like a pallbearer at a funeral. He goes to the bedroom door and glances in to make sure Johnny is out—there should be no waking him for the next two hours, but if there is one thing Simon has learned, it’s that God Laughs. 

“He asleep?” you whisper, lingering a healthy distance away. 

“Out like a light. I just need fifteen minutes in the shower.”

“I’ll watch him,” you whisper. Then you add: “I looked it up, by the way. What a seizure looks like. Just in case.”

Simon’s stomach drops between his knees. It takes him several heartbeats to realize that he isn’t nauseous out of any fear response, but out of sheer fucking gratitude. The feeling cuts through the fog in his mind like a knife through butter, and he feels like he sees you for the first time: your hair back away from your face, your healing bruises (and the new one on your chin), the embarrassed desperation in your eyes. You’ve latched on to Johnny too, he can tell, likely by some misguided guilt from almost hitting him with your car. But it’s there. He has a feeling that if Johnny were to take a dive off the balcony, he’d be taking you with him. 

You are completely unhinged. Borderline mad, even. Exactly what Johnny needs to keep him alive. 

“Fifteen minutes,” says Simon again before slipping into the bathroom, clean clothes tucked under his arm. When he resurfaces, only 11 minutes have passed. The military taught him everything he could need to know about thorough but expeditious showers. 

You are sitting at the dining table, having chosen the seat that gives you the best vantage point of Johnny’s sleeping figure in the next room through the doorway. Simon expected to find you on your phone, scrolling away, but it is nowhere in sight. You have sat perfectly still, watching Johnny. It would almost be eerie if he didn’t appreciate it so goddamn much. 

“We need to talk about this arrangement,” you say, clasping your hands together. You’re shaking. 

“You want out.” 

“What? No!” You both glance toward the bedroom, but Johnny snores on, in the throes of morphine-fueled dreams. When you speak again, it is quieter: “I don’t mind helping, but I can only check my phone at certain times of the day.”

This is the part where Simon asks why. But the question sticks to the back of his tongue like something unsavory. A more important question: can he afford to care why beyond what it means for him and for Johnny? The bottom line is that there will be long stretches of time where you’re unavailable. He can live with that. He’s been living with it, hasn’t he? 

“I’ll only ever need you when he’s asleep. If he knew I was letting you watch over him, he’d blow his top. I mean that literally.” Simon stands. “You want tea?”

“Tea?” You blink at him like the word does not compute. “Yes, please. Thank you, I mean.” 

“Just tea, don’t get worked up over it,” he mutters, going to put the kettle on. He needs a minute to fucking think. 

This goes against everything he was ever taught. The foundation of his personality is self-reliance, and it has been since he was a boy, since he learned that he couldn’t rely on adults for anything resembling stability. Asking for help feels like tossing up the white flag, like admitting he’s in too deep and he can’t take it anymore. It feels like failing Johnny. 

But there’s construction going on inside him. Those pillars of his personality are being torn down, and in their place something more important is being formed: a shrine to the only person who’s ever loved him that wasn’t his mother. If it’s good for Johnny, Simon must do it, even if it feels strange, even if it goes against all the strategies that have kept him alive in the past. 

When he brings tea back to the table, you try to drink it right away, scalding your tongue. 

“Slow,” Simon says. He didn’t even get the chance to offer you any milk or sugar. 

Face warm as the tea, you drink slower, tongue likely numb. The silence between you grows, adds up, and he catches you more than once looking toward the digital clock inlaid on the stove, like you are nervous and counting down the moments until you can escape. Like Simon frightens you. Fifteen minutes pass and more. You drain your cup. 

“I should go,” you say at length.

“Alright.”

“Thank you for the tea.” 

“Don’t thank me.”

You just nod and slip out of the apartment, quietly shutting the door behind you. Simon sits there for a long time after you’re gone, thinking over the arrangement. Thinking over you. 

You’re in trouble. He just can’t decide if he can afford to take on any more trouble right now. 

His tea has cooled by the time Johnny stirs in the other room, calling out for more pills. 

-

It does get easier. Tooth and nail they fight for every peaceful moment until they are able to string two of those moments together, and then two becomes three. Johnny is back to his old self—often angry, still pained, but with glimmers of the man Simon used to know shining beneath it all like diamonds under dirt. 

Therapy starts again, and so do Johnny’s tasks. 

The tasks aren’t therapy. They’re Johnny’s idea: each few days he picks a task that he used to be able to do before the accident and commits himself to relearning it. 

Today that tasks is unlocking the front door. He stands with his forehead against the oak, knowing Simon is somewhere on the other side, having heard him turn the deadbolt. 

The door has three locks. There is the handle which is the only one the apartment building originally supplied them with. There is the sliding lock, which Simon had installed on day two in the new apartment. It is only ever locked at night when both of them are home, and it is easy enough for Johnny to guide the wide end into the slot. Then there is the deadbolt, also installed by Simon, and easily the trickiest lock of all. Usually it requires the strength of two hands to unlock comfortably—but Soap’s down a hand and short on patience. 

“Jesus, get me in this apartment. Amen,” he mutters.

The key shakes in his hand as he guides it to the lock. It takes some fumbling, but he gets it after just a few moments. Then he must twist while pulling outward at the same time. It uses muscles in his arms that have grown weak with disuse. The key catches for a moment but then slides out of the lock uselessly. He pulled too hard; he did not twist hard enough. 

It’s a delicate balance, one he had perfected without even trying months ago when they moved in. Now it seems like a cruel and unusual punishment. If he can’t get this fucking door open, he’ll sleep out here, undeserving of his own bed. In his mind, the voice of encouragement does not sound so much like the calm soothing tones of Andy—his physical rehabilitation therapist—but instead the borderline abusive dialect of his superiors during his time in the military, the ones who had only ever cared about results and not much about the bodies getting those results. 

Footsteps come from the open elevator, and Johnny casts an irritated glance only to see that it is you. You are dressed for exercise, clingy clothes with running shoes and a baggy top thrown on over everything, drooping off of one of your shoulders. At the sight of you, Johnny remembers the lengths you went to to help him light his cigarette and his heart throbs with fondness, some of his anger evaporating like fog burnt off by the morning sun. 

“Afternoon, lass.” 

“Hi, Johnny,” you murmur, voice near a whisper as you cast a glance toward your own door. Maybe you are thinking about running from him. “Are you having trouble?” 

Johnny’s good mood dissipates. “No,” he lies. “Yes. I don’t fucking know.” 

“Can I help?”

“No,” he snaps. “I have to do this myself.”

“Where’s Simon?” 

“Inside.” 

“He’s locked you out?”

“Aye.” 

Your face changes. He knows you so little that it takes a moment for him to identify the expression for what it is: apoplectic rage. Your hands have clenched into fists at your sides, brows drawn low over your eyes as you glare a hole through the door. You reach out and take Johnny’s hand. He’s so fucking surprised that he drops the damn key. 

“Johnny,” you say. “You can tell me. Are you in trouble?”

“What sort o’ trouble?” 

“Simon. Is he good to you?” 

“Bastard eats my cereal and leaves the empty box behind, but aye, he’s good to me. Better than good. What’s all this about, hen? Simon locking me out? I only asked him to, that’s all—let’s me practice with the key, so I can open it on my own again,” says Johnny, stroking his thumb along your knuckles. 

You let go of him like you’ve been burned, face mortified. “Oh, God. I’m sorry Johnny. I misunderstood. Let me just—”

You bend down and retrieve the key, handing it to him. You can barely look him in the eye as you mumble a goodbye and rush past him into your own apartment, shutting the door solidly behind you. 

Johnny stares after you for a long moment, key held limply in his hand, mind far from the door. At last, he puts the key back into the lock. 

Twist, pull. 

[its-time-to-write]

I wrote this in light of the Euros last night. If you don’t know, England lost to Spain and it was absolutely brutal. So for context, this fic takes place post-match in Berlin. (I also knocked this out in forty minutes to distract myself from the fact that I have to rewrite the mafs fic from scratch😭😭)

enjoy.

twentysomethings

The creak in the hotel hall is the only warning you get before there’s a knock on the door. 

It doesn’t take a genius to figure out who’s on the other side, so it’s no surprise when you open the door to reveal Jamie Tartt.

“It’s late,” you comment when you see him. You tilt your head. “You alright?”

Jamie doesn’t say anything, just looks at you with the saddest eyes you’ve ever seen. You move aside to let him in and shut the door.

You move to sit on the bed, fiddling with the hem of your shirt. “Shit, sorry,” you say. “Didn’t want to change into pajamas when I got home.”

You pull the England kit over your head, leaving your undershirt on. You do your best to conceal the name on the back and toss it on the floor beside the bed.

You’ve known Jamie for years. He was friends with your cousins growing up, so you’d seen him on and off since childhood. You’d ended up dating for a few months, and your parents had been surprised it hadn’t happened sooner.

“He’s been in love with you for ages,” your mum had said.

You had laughed. 

Jamie had done a spectacular job working past your defenses. “I won’t leave you,” he promised. “I love you.”

And you believed him.

You’d sworn off dating after a particularly bad heartbreak, but Jamie was determined.

And who are you kidding, you loved him too. You would have done anything he asked. 

You did. You moved to be with him, figured out how to make your job work remotely, sacrificed just so you could be with him. But he was worth it.

The breakup was a shock, to say the least.

He never could give you a straight answer as to why, and before you knew it you were on a flight back home. 

The rumors started a few days later which was silly, because no one even knew you and Jamie were dating. Or that you knew each other. Or anything.

No, the rumors had nothing to do with you; they just linked his name to a gorgeous blonde model, saying he’d been seeing her for weeks.

That hurt worse than anything else. The evidence was mixed, not terribly reliable, but there was enough of it for you to consider it may contain truth.

He didn’t text, didn’t call. Didn’t try to convince you it was a lie, so you believed it.

Why else would you have ended?

You thought you knew him, thought he wouldn’t cheat. Breaking up and moving on is one thing, but sleeping with someone else while you were together… it was earth-shattering. 

Especially because he knew.

He knew how hard it was for you to trust. He knew what he was doing when he held your hand and kissed your temple.

You did know him, though. He hadn’t been cheating on you, it was just the stupid rumor mill, but you were still broken up so it didn’t fix anything. You still had no explanation.

All this time, and you can tell exactly what he’s thinking. You know exactly why he’s in your room so when you pat the spot on the mattress next to you, he doesn’t have to say anything before he’s on top of you.

He’s pent up, all anger and sadness, but he presses soft kisses along your neck and jaw in a stark contrast.

—

“We should shower,” Jamie says when you’re done. It’s the first thing he’s said that isn’t your name or false promises that he loves you.

“I’m tired,” you say. It’s true; your head’s spinning and if you close your eyes for longer than a minute, you’ll fall asleep.

Jamie makes a face, not quite a grin but certainly not the frown that’s been affixed to his face and says, “You run the shower and I’ll change the sheets, yeah?”

You groan and roll out of bed as Jamie rummages through the closet for extra sheets.

“You weren’t with mum and Simon,” he says in the shower later.

“No,” you say, swiping your thumb under his eye.

He’s silent, waiting for you to say more, but you don’t. You’d been in the stands with the general public, as you’d always preferred. Less likely to be noticed that way. 

He says, “You were wearing an England kit.”

You shrug. “Not a real one. Didn’t want to spend £89 on something I’d wear once. Not like anyone can tell.”

“Hm,” he says, turning off the water.

You shiver. “Do you want to talk about it?”

“Fuck no,” he says, wrapping first himself and then you in a towel. He looks at you questioningly and you half-nod, resigned to the fact that you’re going to let tonight run its course. 

Jamie picks you up, bridal style, and kisses you as he carries you back to the bed.

“We’re going to have to shower again,” you warn.

“No, you’re going to have to shower again,” he corrects as he kisses your hipbone.

You yawn, and he props himself up to look at you. “I’m sorry, am I boring you?” he teases.

You smile, “You’re the one who came to find me, my love.”

The words roll so easily off your tongue that you won’t realize exactly what you said until later. If Jamie catches it, he doesn’t say anything.

An alarm goes off early in the morning. It’s not yours, you’d set yours for 10:00am. Jamie reaches to turn it off then pulls you close. 

“Gonna sneak back?” you yawn. He buries his face in your neck in response.

“Jamie,” you sigh. “You have to go back.”

He still doesn’t say anything so you wiggle to get face-to-face with him. He’s centimeters away, and you indulge in a moment to study his face. This is the last time you’ll have him in your bed, so you’re allowed to enjoy it.

You ask, “You did well, you know that, right?” but he shrugs and tries to turn his face away.

“Jamie,” you say again, “you did well. I’m so proud of you. You played in the Euros for god’s sake. You were in the starting eleven for the finals! That’s amazing. You made it so far.”

“Not fucking far enough,” he mumbles, and you kick him.

“Don’t be an asshole to yourself. Enough people will do that for you.”

He shrugs again. “You coming back to England?” he asks in an effort to change the subject, and you let him.

Not that this topic will be much easier than England’s loss to Spain.

You shake your head. “Going to Ireland to see the family.”

“Then England?” he asks, but it’s with a false kind of hope. He already knows what’s coming.

“Jamie.” You taste the way his name sounds on your tongue for one of the last times. “I can’t keep doing this to myself. I’d go anywhere you asked, do anything for you. I’d let you hurt me over and over again, but- it’s just not healthy. You know I love you and I know you love me. But we love other things more. You’ll always choose football over me, and I’ll always choose my job over you. You broke up with me, if you recall, and you never fucking told me why.”

He whispers, “Will you forgive me?” and the way he toys with your hair makes you realize he already knows your answer.

“I was only mad at you that Monday,” you say. “I shouldn’t have called and I shouldn’t have yelled, but that was the only day I’ve ever been mad at you. I’ve already forgiven you.”

There isn’t much more to say after that. Instead of trying to fill the silence Jamie pulls you closer under the covers. You lay there for far too short a time before you say, “We need to get up.”

Unwillingly, Jamie lets you go. He’s still in bed watching you as you begin to change.

“That’s got to be a crime,” he groans as you clasp your bra. 

“Fuck off,” you grin. “You’ll see some again.”

You don’t say, you’ll see mine again, because he won’t. He wipes sleep from his eyes and sits up.

“I don’t want to leave,” he confesses, and you understand.

“This isn’t real life,” you tell him. “Besides, now you get a holiday. It’s going to be okay.”

Jamie sits for a moment longer, then gets up to put on last night’s clothes.

“Mum gave me your room number,” he says when he’s all dressed.

“I figured,” you respond. “She’s the one that invited me.”

Jamie nods. She’d told him the whole thing after the match and he’s glad he hadn’t known you were in the stands.

You say, “Well.”

Jamie says, “Well.”

He crosses the room to pull you into what is arguably the best kiss of your entire life.

“I love you,” he says between kisses. You push him gently toward the door, but he’s still kissing you.

“I love you,” he says again.

“Jamie,” you reply, but you mean the same thing.

He kisses once, twice, three times in the doorway before taking a last long look at your face.

He’s crying again, and it’s worse seeing it in person than it was seeing it at the match.

Something wet slides down your cheeks, and you realize you’re crying too.

“You have to let me go,” you choke out. “I’m so sorry. You have to.”

He nods, gripping your hand.

Jamie presses his forehead to yours one last time. “I love you,” he whispers.

You breathe, I love you too, then he’s gone.

[all-about-kyu]

Summary: You should be scared of this tentacle alien, but you’re too far gone in pleasure to care. Pairing: alien!Jongho x human fem!reader Genre: smut Tropes: supernatural (alien) au Rating: R 18+ Warnings: tentacles, nipple play, fingering, bulging kink, size kink, dirty talk, unprotected sex, alien cum, creampie Word Count: 2,532 Note: enjoy week two of Arousal August!! Thank you to @mejuii for beta/proofing this!!! <3

One minute you were peacefully lying in bed, half asleep, scrolling through random social media. Next, you’re in some sort of futuristic ship. You swear you’re dreaming. This has to be a dream. Though, it all feels so real. The way you can hear the mechanical whirring of something in the distance. The air is chilly, not unbearably, but just enough to have goosebumps on your skin. Taking it upon yourself, you start to wander down the painfully bright white hall in the direction you hear some sort of keys typing away. Your heart is beating out of your chest as your bare feet carry you down the hallway. The further you get down the long corridor, the more chilled the air around you becomes. You feel your nipple pebble up beneath your loose sleep shirt. As you reach the end of the hall, you see a humanoid figure sitting at a command center of sorts. 

“Oh, thank god there’s another life on this ship.” you whisper to yourself.

The humanoid creature whips his head around, and you see his bright pink hair and striking silver eyes. He’s stunning, to say the very least. He almost looks scared to see you behind him.

“H-how did you- oh my god did Wooyoung go and press another button again?” he whines.

Before you can get a single word out, he’s bolting through a doorway that closes tightly as soon as he’s through it. You didn’t think too hard about why he was so panicked. This is a dream, after all. You approach the command center and look out the wide window. The first thing you take notice of is how vivid all of the stars are. You can see each star’s individual color compared to what you can see from the ground. Then, you notice the Earth. Panic begins to rise in your chest again. It’s a dream; it’s just a dream. You pinch yourself to try to force yourself awake. It only hurts. Taking a few deep breaths, you plop yourself down on an oversized plush chair and hope that something will come along and peacefully transport you back to Earth. It’s terrifyingly silent in the large room. Not a single sound can be heard besides your own breathing. It’s still icy cold too. Whatever life form that man is, he has to come from somewhere cold if they keep it like this. Just as you’re about to get lost in thought, the door opens with a soft hiss noise and a much more muscular-built humanoid walks through. He seems more human than the one you had previously encountered. He has stark black hair and the most piercing blue eyes you’ve ever seen. 

“Who are you?” it’s not a question. It’s a command.

“Captain of this ship,” you quip sarcastically, “who do I look like?”

“I’m the captain here, little human. I’ll ask again; who are you?”

You quickly tell him your name and nothing more. He’s clearly studying you silently. You squirm under his gaze and hope he’s not planning to do something horrific to you. 

“Come with me.” he says stoically, already walking away, expecting you to follow.

“Aren’t you going to introduce yourself, at least? Or send me back home without another step in between? That pink-haired one said something about someone called Wooyoung pressing a button, and that’s why I’m here! Can’t you just-

The dark-haired alien spins around quickly, and you can see the anger swirling in his eyes. Before you can think, he has you pinned against the wall with a tentacle. You suddenly have nothing to say. A smirk grows on his lips before releasing you from his grip. The tentacle that had been holding you in your place returns to its place tucked beneath his pant leg. He doesn’t say a word. He continues walking down the corridor toward a rather lavish-looking door. The moment he approaches the door, it instantly opens but makes a strange noise as if to alert him that he’s not alone at the doorway. He says something in a foreign language, and the noise ceases. 

“Have a seat.” he gestures toward a cushion nearby what you’d assume to be a bed.

Cautiously you approach the plush seat and sit. All while you keep your eyes trained on the mysterious, blue-eyed alien. You watch as his gaze drops to your chest, then almost instantly is brought back to your face. He likely isn’t trying to be rude. He is just trying to figure you out. 

“I’m Jongho, by the way,” he tells you, sitting on the edge of his bed.

“Very human names you have around here.” you tease, leaning back on your palms.

“We adapt to whatever names are suitable for the species we’re around. Hence why you heard Seonghwa call the other alien, Wooyoung, earlier, those aren’t our names from our home planet, but it’s what’s easiest for you to comprehend.”

“Mmm,” you hum in acknowledgment, “and I can assume this is your room?”

“The captain’s chambers, yeah.”

You watch his gaze drop to your chest again and linger momentarily before trying to engage in normal conversation again. It almost seems like he’s trying to distract you from something. Maybe even distract you from your wish to go back home. You can tell that he’s distracted by something too.

“Our research says that only happens when you want to mate,” he says abruptly.

“W-what?” you’re thrown off by his comment, “What are you talking about?”

He doesn’t say anything. He walks right up to you and reaches his arm out toward you. You’re about to question him again and smack his hand away. That is until his outreached hand finds its target. Jongho tweaks your nipple between his thumb and forefinger, making you yelp out a moan. He smirks down at you as if he’s expecting your reaction.

“See,” he says almost flatly, “a noise you humans associate with mating.”

“My nipples are hard ‘cause it’s fucking freezing on this ship! You didn’t have to go and pinch it!”

“Is that not because you want to mate?” he muses teasingly, “I could show you how we do it here. You didn’t seem frightened by my tentacles.”

A part of you is being logical; you should immediately say no and tell him to send you home. The far more prominent part of your thoughts is screaming at you, saying this is a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity you must take. It takes you two seconds to debate it before you reach out to the alien. His eyes stay trained on you. You’re not entirely sure where the electric blue tentacle comes from, but you can barely see the bottom of his jacket lifting up due to it. The tendril wraps around your thigh.

“Show me how you do it up here.” You say in a sultry tone, “You seem like you need to destress a bit.”

Jongho doesn’t respond. Another one of his tentacles wraps around your other thigh and a third wraps around your waist. You’re lifted by the appendages as if you weigh nothing. Some golden speckles are swirling in Jongho’s eyes as he gets you pinned against one of his bedroom walls. He takes his hand and snakes it up your shirt to cup your bare breast below it. Your eyebrows furrow in desperation for him to move quicker. And as if he can read your mind, he forces your shirt over your head, leaving you in only your panties. They aren’t serving much purpose due to how soaked you are already. 

“Do you want me to hold you up here, or shall I lay you down on the bed?” he questions, his voice much more gravely than it was before.

“H-hold me up here,” you respond, already breathless.

“Very well, little human.” he chuckles airly, “just a forewarning,” he pauses to lower you against his hard, clothed member, “this isn’t like what you’re used to. We have ‘tentacles,’ as you call them, here too. You still fine with this?”

“Jongho,” you whine, attempting to grind yourself against him, “you have no fucking idea how fine I am with all of this.”

With that, he steals your lips in a heated kiss as his fingers pull your panties to the side. He smirks against your lips feeling how wet you already are. Your breath hitches as his fingers glide through your folds. You think you may go insane if he doesn’t rail you into another dimension right now. His fingers push into you slowly. He sets a rough pace when he sees that you’re comfortable with the intrusion. The wet sounds that are being created by how wet you are combined with his rough pace only serve to make you both needier.”

“Jongho,” you moan, “fuck me, please.”

His tentacles tighten around you as the words hit his ears, “Now? What if I wanted to play with you a bit more?” still keeping his fingers at a brutal pace.

“I’ll go insane if you don’t fuck me right now.” you sigh erotically.

Jongho chuckles and pulls his fingers from you. A string of arousal connects his fingers to your pussy for a few moments before breaking. The golden specks in his eyes seem to multiply and swirl more aggressively through the blue they typically are. His hands tease along the waist of his pants for a moment before shoving them down along with his boxers. Your eyes trail down his body, watching how his skin transitions from his beautiful tan skin into the same electric blue that his other tentacles are colored. Your eyes stay fixated on the tentacle fixated between his legs. It’s hard, just like a human cock would be, but something about the details of it makes you so much more desperate. More desperate than you’ve ever been for any human. It’s also massive compared to anything you’ve seen before. There are little bubbles along the entire shaft that you know will feel like heaven inside you, and the top tapers off into a gentle tip. His base is thicker than what many people would deem doable. You’re willing to take that challenge, though. Again, you feel the tentacles holding you up tighten. They press into your skin so much that your muscles slightly bulge around the constricted area. He presses his body against yours, grinding himself against you. His lips find purchase on your neck right against your pulse.

“You ready for me?” he asks, causing goosebumps to rise where his breath hits you.

“I’ve been ready,” you respond with a slight giggle.

Your giggle gets quickly cut off as he pushes into you in one fell swoop. He stays still for a few moments as you let a string of garbled noises out. It feels so good. You’re so incredibly full of him that you swear he’s in your stomach. He gives an experimental thrust, and you immediately shutter due to the pleasure you already feel. The tentacle wrapped around your waist shifts up toward your chest, the tip teasing at your nipple. Jongho takes the other between his fingers, causing you to squirm (to the best of your ability) in his hold. His free hand takes one of your wrists and guides your hand to lay over your stomach.

“You feel that? I’m so fucking deep inside you that I’m bulging from your belly. Told ya, we do things different up here, little human.”

“J-jongho, please!” you all but shout.

“What, little human? Already coming close to your peak?” he teases.

It’s pathetic, but you are. The texture on his cock combined with his sheer size has you seeing stars that weren’t in the sky just outside the spacecraft. Jongho thrusts into you like an animal, keeping his hand on top of yours against the bulge in your belly. He grunts out things in some sort of alien language, and you can tell that, though he’s teasing you for being close, he is too. His hand, previously occupied by your chest, moves into your hair before pulling your lips against his. The kiss steals all your breath away, and mere moments later, your orgasm overtakes your body. Your free arm flies around his shoulder, holding him as close as you can as you shudder and quiver in the grips of his tentacles.

“I’m gonna breed you full. Fuck.” he practically growls against your lips.

Within seconds you feel something flood your pussy. Jongho stays inside you, grunting something in that same alien language again. His tentacles loosen slightly but still hold you strong against the wall. He pulls your hand off your belly and lets you wrap it around his other shoulder. His arms wrap around your waist, and his tentacles fully let go of you and disappear back into his spine. Jongho is still fully inside you, but now he’s also holding you close against his body. He carries you over to the bed finally and lays you down. Slowly, he pulls out of you, and you see the jelly-like substance coating his member. It’s a pretty light green color. It almost glitters as you take in its appearance more. Jongho looks at you with a gentle kind of look. Though, it has some sort of bittersweet, almost questioning undertone to it.

“You humans can’t absorb semen of any kind, right?”

“No,” you chuckle breathlessly still, “whatever species you are, you have some pretty cum, though.”

“I better clean you up then…”

More words linger on his tongue, but he doesn’t voice them. He diligently cleans you up and checks with every second that you’re truly okay. It’s tender, intimate. Not many people have this level of care during aftercare, but he does, and you appreciate it to no end. After he finishes cleaning up, he climbs onto the bed with you and starts drawing random patterns on your collarbone with his fingertip.

“So, are you sure you want to go back home?”

“Hmm?” you hum, half asleep already.

“Are you sure you want to go back home? I know Wooyoung beaming you up here might not have been entirely an accident, but would you be opposed to staying here with me?”

You lift your head and look at him. Your eyes shine like stars as you look at him. Part of you knows that you should go home. You have a life there. But you also know deep down you weren’t happy there. You could find a new life here on this ship with him.

“You see, Wooyoung knew you were my type. He’s a little shithead sometimes, but he knows me well.” he shifts to hold you tighter against his body, “I confided in him recently. I told him how I wanted young of my own, but I’d never want to abandon the ship. Would you be willing to stay here with me? Mother my young?”

“Jongho-”

“You aren’t being pressured to. If you want to go home, just say the word, and I’ll have Seonghwa beam you right back to where you were.”

You kiss the tip of his nose, “I was going to say yes, dummy”

COPYRIGHT STARLITMARK 2023© ALL RIGHTS RESERVED — reposting/modifying any fic or piece of original writing posted on this blog is not allowed. Translations are not permitted. 

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Tag List: @sanjoongie @jaehunnyy @ericssmile @anyamaris @almondmilkeu @shinestarhwaa

[nicromancytarot]

A SONG FOR YOU

This is a general channelling based on a collective of people. Take what resonates and leave what doesn’t. If you don’t feel the pile resonates with you, don’t be scared to try another, if it still doesn’t feel right, that’s ok! Maybe our energies aren’t as connected and my content is not for you.

I do these strictly for fun and educational purposes.

PICK A PILE CHANNELLING

I write songs sometimes in my free time, and I asked my spirit guides to give you guys a song which could have something that you need to hear right now. Pick a card and enjoy some lyrics.

Pile 1 ———> Pile 2

Pile 3 ———> Pile 4

PILE 1

SWAN DIVE

VERSE 1

promise me one thing,

you’ll never let this go,

we’ll be a forever answer,

to the calls of the unknown

VERSE 2

nothing to tear us apart,

it’s the only thing i fear,

not having you anymore,

while i’m still stuck here

PRE-CHORUS

nothing can destroy us,

you’ll be by my side,

til the end of time

(til the end of time)

CHORUS

fuck death do us part,

i’m taking the swan dive,

i’m falling from the sky,

so you’ll always be mine,

fuck death do us part,

i’m taking the swan dive,

from the clouds into the ground,

i’ll be by your side

VERSE 3

no one can compare,

to the love i have for you,

no one can treat me better,

than the way you do

VERSE 4

when you jump i’ll jump too

i’ll always follow you,

to the deep depths of death,

there’s nothing i wouldn’t do

PRE-CHORUS

nothing can destroy us,

you’ll always be by my side,

til the end of time

(til the end of time)

CHORUS

fuck death do us part,

i’m taking the swan dive,

i’m falling from the sky,

so you’ll always be mine,

fuck death do us part,

i’m taking the swan dive,

from the clouds into the ground,

i’ll be by your side

LAST VERSE

my heart is tied to yours,

it beats when yours does,

we’ll be inseparable,

in the sky above

Swans mate for life, when their partner dies, the remaining swan flies high into the sky and falls to their death, performing their last swan dive. The narrator is serenading their partner, telling them that their love is to last beyond the grave.

PILE 2

DELUSIONAL WONDER

VERSE 1

sometimes i wish that i could live inside my mind,

so i could figure out what’s going on behind,

you greet me with a smile and open arms,

when i’m with you i feel safe from harm

VERSE 2

you lean in to give me a kiss on my cheek,

and pass me a bouquet of my favourite flowers,

oh how it’s so good for us to finally meet,

i pace around my room and think about you for hours

CHORUS

and you say...

come on, come closer,

let me hold you til the war is over,

and if i ever let you go,

just know that i’m your delusional wonder

BRIDGE

turn the page and dry your tears,

keep pretending that i am near,

and when we meet again tonight,

we can pick off where we ended last time

CHORUS

come on, come closer,

i’ll let you hold me til the war is over,

and if you ever let me go,

i’ll always know that you’re my delusional wonder

BRIDGE

visit me again in my dreams,

like you do everyday of each week,

and when i hold your head in my hands,

i’ll remember it’s a fantasy land

VERSE 3

when i wake up and see you’re not laying next to me,

a fear strikes deep deep inside my being,

you know there’s something wrong when you think something exists but it don’t (though)

VERSE 4

and even when i beckon upon your name,

the sound of silence always stays the same,

the earth is a desolate place when you’re not here and only in my dreams

CHORUS

and you say...

come on, come closer,

let me hold you til the war is over,

and if i ever let you go,

just know that i’m your delusional wonder

BRIDGE

turn the page and dry your tears,

keep pretending that i am near,

and when we meet again tonight,

we can pick up where we ended last time

CHORUS

come on, come closer,

let me hold you til the war is over,

and if i ever let you go,

just know that i’m your delusional wonder,

come on, come closer,

i’ll let you hold me til the war is over,

and if you ever let me go,

i’ll always know that you’re my delusional wonder

the narrator is daydreaming as an escape from reality, and falls in love with a character they have made up in her head just to realise that they are not real.

PILE 3

SILENCE CAUSES VIOLENCE

(This one was written purely for this.)

VERSE 1

i’m like a ballerina in a jewellery box,

when the music stops,

my heart drops,

i cant be alone with my own thoughts,

without thinking about ending it all

VERSE 2

what makes my mind so useless?

an apathetic version of what i say,

i often think that i’m going insane,

but it’s all in my brain,

yeah, it’s all in my brain?

CHORUS

i’m begging you, don’t let the quiet in,

cause i don’t know what is bound to happen,

the silence causes violence,

a rapture in my heart,

i won’t give in,

but the temptation is calling me

POST-CHORUS

they think Im crazy,

they think i’m out of my mind,

embodying the devil,

won’t hear me out this time,

they think that i am crazy,

some part of a losing game,

one they won’t play for me,

confiscated their tokens away

VERSE 3

i’ve got a taste for destruction,

pouring salt on my own wounds,

refusing to heal my past,

lifting the rug to sweep my dooms

CHORUS

i’m begging you, don’t let the quiet in,

cause I don’t know what is bound to happen,

the silence causes violence,

a rapture in my heart,

i won’t give in,

but the temptations still calling me

The narrators biggest fear is to be alone, to have to think about past experiences, so they overindulge in coping mechanisms, like constant partying.

PILE 4

SCARED OF THE DARK

VERSE 1

racing through emotions,

throwing daggers at my friends,

i promised i wouldn’t hurt myself,

putting means to an end,

i’m enclosed in my room,

painting sheets with all my tears,

tearing myself apart,

analysing all my fears

VERSE 2

i’ve got a target on my back,

but i’m the one with the gun,

inflicting harm on myself,

my mind won’t let me run,

i’m trying to let go,

but the storm cloud followed,

darting into alleyways,

i wanna be alone

CHORUS

i’m not scared of the dark,

but the monsters that live within,

i’m terrified of my reflection,

the mirror showcases all my sins,

the ghoul’s under my bed,

and he’s gripping on my legs,

pulling me under with him,

now the cycle repeats again

BRIDGE

i pulled myself out of this before,

pinched myself so hard, blood could be drawn,

pressed my lips to a glass of cherry wine,

drowned my fears in alcohol,

i do this all the time

VERSE 3

come with me into the night,

this time i won’t put up a fight,

i’ll let myself consume the darkness,

even though it don’t feel right,

let me fall onto my knees,

down by your gravestone i will plead,

let me live my life in comfort,

surrounded by the shadows in me

BRIDGE

i pulled myself out of this before,

pinched myself so hard, blood could be drawn,

pressed my lips to a glass of cherry wine,

drowned my fears in alcohol,

i do this all the time

CHORUS

i’m not scared of the dark,

but the monsters that live within,

i’m terrified of my reflection,

the mirror showcases all my sins,

the ghoul’s under my bed,

and he’s gripping on my legs,

pulling me under with him,

now the cycle repeats again

The narrator can feel themself falling back into that dark place, they try to fight it at first, before letting it consume them, becoming victim to their own sadness.

[creampuffqueen]

Cover Story

Yangvik Week day 1 - fake dating

Summary: At a party in the Earth Kingdom, Yangchen and Kavik are on a mission. When things don't go to plan, they have to think quick to keep their cover.

Word count: 4248

----

“Traveling alongside the Avatar - what an honor!” The older Earth Kingdom nobleman smiles over his glass of rice wine. Kavik forces a smile in return, swirling the liquid in his own glass to obscure just how little he’s drank. This must be the third time he’s heard the same sentence in the last fifteen minutes. 

“Certainly. I enjoy the work.” The rehearsed words fall easily off his tongue, their smooth and gilded façade right at home inside the splendor of the royal ballroom of Ba Sing Se. “I am grateful to be a trusted companion of Avatar Yangchen.”

He goes to take a tiny sip of his drink, hopeful to avoid as much small talk as possible, but finds the wine frozen solid in its glass. Speak of the darkness. 

A subtle motion with his hand is all it takes to unfreeze his drink, allowing him to actually take a sip - though with the delay he knows it now looks like he just drained the glass. Before the nobleman in front of him can comment, though, his eyes are drawn to something behind Kavik’s back. 

Avatar Yangchen steps into place beside Kavik with gentle, measured steps. In the disgusting display of wealth here in the palace, she’s a yellow-and-orange breath of fresh air, both literally and figuratively. Kavik and the others had to dress up to attend this party. Yangchen, being an Air Nomad with no possessions to her name, did not.   

The nobleman bows deeply before her. “Avatar Yangchen, it is a great honor to see you here in the Earth Kingdom.”

Yangchen bows to him in turn; a smaller motion, but no less lacking in respect. “Please, Lord Bozhou, the pleasure is all mine. I do hope you don’t mind, but I must steal my companion away for a moment. We have something to discuss with Lady Gyeshe.”

Lord Bozhou (how Yangchen can remember all these names, Kavik will never know) nods quickly in response. “Of course, Avatar, please. I will miss his invigorating tales, but you must take care of business.”

“Thank you, Lord Bozhou,” Yangchen replies, hooking one of Kavik’s arms with her own. She pivots on her heel and drags him away. To the average onlooker, her pace looks easy and relaxed, but Kavik can sense the tension in her grip and in the way she steps. 

“He’s not going to miss me,” Kavik mutters quietly, trying to ease her with a bit of humor, “I was positively boring to talk to. And so was he, for that matter. Thanks for the save.”

“I didn’t come and get you just to get your sorry butt out of a conversation,” Yangchen whispers, in that eerie way of hers where her mouth hardly moves. “I just got the signal from Jujinta. We need to move quickly, but act as natural as possible.”

Kavik assumed about as much. If it were up to her, she’d revel in his small-talking misery all night. But they aren’t at the royal palace just to brush elbows with nobility. They have a job to take care of.

“You remember the plan?” Yangchen asks from the corner of her mouth as she smiles and nods at a group of Earth Sages they pass. 

Kavik dips his head in acknowledgement at the delegation from Omashu on the other side of the ballroom. “I do. I’ll wait for three and a half minutes exactly, counting from when the door closes.”

Yangchen doesn’t respond verbally, only squeezing his elbow where their arms are linked. The motion pulls them closer than before. Kavik tries not to notice. 

But as they stop to chat with Lady Gyeshe for a few moments, completing their cover story, he can’t help but notice that Yangchen still stays close, letting their shoulders brush together where they stand. 

She’s done nothing different to her appearance tonight. Her robes are the same as always. Her prayer beads lay in the same spot against her chest. Her hair is in its usual braid, swinging low across her back. And yet, Kavik can’t keep his eyes off her. In this room full of beautiful things, she’s still the most captivating.

“Don’t you agree, Kavik?”

Kavik barely manages to hold back a noise of confusion - something he’s had to train hard to achieve. With only a blink to refocus his thoughts, he manages to pull on his fake smile and nod. “Yes, of course I do.”

Yangchen pats his hand softly, one eyebrow raising a fraction of an inch. Nothing gets past her; she clearly knows he wasn’t listening in the slightest. Still, she plays it off with ease, excusing them once again from the conversation and leading Kavik towards the door of the ballroom, arms still linked. 

“Focus, please,” She admonishes as they exit, “We won’t get another chance as good as this one. If I don’t get Feishan some answers he’s going to get antsy, and we both know how that will end.”

“Sorry, I got distracted. It won’t happen again.”

“Distracted by what?” Yangchen asks lightly as they make their way down the grandiose hallway, “You were only looking at me.”

Heat rises in Kavik’s cheeks. He doesn’t answer. 

Thankfully, they arrive at their destination before Yangchen gets a mind to press for a response. The palace of Ba Sing Se is fancy enough that they have designated rooms just for freshening up; one for men and one for women. Nobles have been using the rooms all evening, keeping their looks fresh for a whole night of royal partying. Now it’s Yangchen’s turn.

“I’ll only be a moment,” Yangchen promises aloud, for the benefit of the guard outside the door and the noblewomen already leaving. 

“Please hurry,” Kavik urges in a similar tone, “I want to hear the end of Lord Bozhou’s story.”

Yangchen gives an exaggerated roll of her eyes. “I’ll be as quick as I can. It won’t kill you to stand outside for a minute or two.”

She steps away, and Kavik feels the absence of her at his side like a gaping hole. He’s so focused on her form retreating through the door that he nearly forgets to start counting, and he clenches his fist in frustration at himself. Keep your head on straight, you fool.

It isn’t difficult to feign boredom as he waits. Time passes so much slower when you’re counting each second. When he gets to three minutes he leans against the wall with a heavy sigh and begins to tap his foot. At three minutes and thirty seconds exactly, he pushes off the wall and heads back the way they came, ignoring the judgemental glare of the nearby guard. He can already imagine the gossip that will come from this. Some companion! Abandoning the Avatar at a royal function?!

Instead of heading back into the main ballroom, Kavik passes the grand doorway and keeps heading straight. He passes a few more rooms before he hangs a left, keeping his expression neutral, showing any onlookers only what he wants them to see: a man who knows where he’s going. A man who’s supposed to be there. Confidence is half the battle in infiltration. Act like you’re meant to be there and nobody will question you. 

The amount of royalty, nobility, and generally important people gathered in the ballroom means that the majority of King Feishan’s guards are close to that area. However, the young Earth King is a paranoid man, keeping guards posted all throughout the palace, just in case. But as Kavik makes his way to the target room, he doesn’t encounter a single one. Jujinta’s part has gone off without a hitch. 

Counting doors carefully to ensure he’s in the right place, Kavik at last stops walking, drawing his hand across the thick wooden door that should belong to the office of Minister Xahu.

That is, if he’s correct. He really hopes he’s correct. 

The door is locked, of course. Not an issue, though. A small pouch at his hip, carefully concealed beneath his clothes, contains enough water for him to freeze two long, thin spikes of ice to use as lockpicks. Kavik unlocks the door easily and slips inside the office, returning the water to its container and shutting the door behind him.

Barely a minute later, two small taps sound through the wooden panel, announcing Yangchen’s presence before she lets herself in. She conjures a flame to her open palm, illuminating the small office room around them, casting their shadows on the wall. 

She doesn’t bother with a greeting. “We need to hurry. Juji can only keep the guards distracted for so long without raising a proper alarm. I’ll take the walls in case the minister used earthbending to conceal anything. You take the desk and the bookshelves. Don’t move anything unless you’re sure you can put it back exactly the way it was.”

“I’m not an amateur,” Kavik reminds her, making his way to the desk. 

Yangchen uses her free hand to start tracing along the walls, feeling with her earthbending for any hidden pockets or seals. “I know that. I mean, this ought to feel natural to you at this point. We basically met in a scenario exactly like this one.”

She punctuates her last sentence by winking at him over her shoulder. Kavik refuses to react, even as he feels his cheeks begin to redden. His fumbling hands very nearly knock over a small carved badgermole statue. 

Kavik makes his way along the ornate desk, feeling with one palm for disguised seals or latches and using his other hand to tap a rhythmic pattern on the wood, listening carefully for any area that sounds hollow where it shouldn’t be. 

Nothing. Kavik grits his teeth, keeping his frustration in check. He moves on to search inside the many drawers, taking care not to disturb the contents. 

“Any luck?” Yangchen asks softly. She’s finished her check of the walls and is now inspecting the floor. The slide of her shoes across the polished stone floor makes a quiet rasping noise that prickles the hair on the back of his neck.

“Nothing yet. But these drawers are pretty full of papers. He might have tried to hide the records in plain sight.”

“Doubtful.” Yangchen peers over Kavik’s shoulder, glancing over the masses of files stuffed inside the drawer he has opened. This close, he can feel the ghost of her breath at the crook of his neck, feel the tiny puff of air she releases with every measured exhale. She keeps speaking, but Kavik finds it hard to focus on her words.

“Minister Xahu is the linchpin of this entire thing. He has spirits know how many people expecting their due, and he’s managed to keep it concealed from the Earth King for this long. Those records would have to be detailed, every copper piece accounted for. And he wouldn’t risk another minister or one of the aids accidentally stumbling upon them. They have to be hidden somewhere in this room.”

Somehow, Kavik manages to find his wits in order to give a proper answer. “You’re probably right. Let’s keep looking.” Yangchen pulls away from his shoulder and it takes everything in him not to utterly deflate in disappointment. 

With the desk proving a failure, Kavik heads to the bookshelves while Yangchen makes another pass around the walls. He lets himself fall into his usual rhythm, one developed years ago during his time as an errand runner in Bin-Er. Move quick. Keep your eyes open. Leave no trace.

Though, his jobs in Bin-Er rarely had such high stakes.

Almost six months ago, King Feishan had contacted Yangchen to report a discrepancy in the amount of gold he was receiving from the shang cities. He’d demanded the Avatar’s presence to prove his claims, so Yangchen and Kavik begrudgingly made the journey to Ba Sing Se. The first of many, as it turned out.

Feishan had the two of them count every last piece of gold he received in his latest payment and compare it to the reports they’d sent alongside it. A non-insignificant portion was missing. The king was furious. 

Now, they’ve nearly cracked the conspiracy. One of the king’s own economic ministers, a man named Xahu, has been allowing the shangs to siphon off city funds for themselves - and making his own pocket significantly heavier in the process. He demands a portion from each shang, as payment for keeping their theft off the records.

However, in order to keep track of exactly how much money is going where, Minister Xahu is certain to have his own set of highly detailed records. It isn’t easy to fool both the Earth King and the Avatar, and if the mission goes as planned, the minister will soon be seeing why.

Unfortunately, in order to justice to be enacted, the mission has to be a success - and the minister must be none the wiser that record of his activity has gone missing. At least, not until he’s put to trial.

Kavik is beginning to lose hope. Yangchen is on her third sweep of the office walls, and the flame in her palm is beginning to stutter. Not with exhaustion, but with frustration. Kavik himself has had even less success. Nothing in the desk, nothing in the bookshelf. The minister keeps his office sparsely decorated. They’re running out of things to search.

Yangchen flicks her wrist and the flame in her palm pulses bright, letting Kavik see the thin line of her lips, the deep furrow of her brow as she decides what they should do next. The glow from the fire makes her gray eyes look like molten pools of silver. For a moment, Kavik nearly forgets where he is.

“The plant. We haven’t searched the plant yet.” Yangchen brushes past him, making a beeline towards the towering fern in the corner by the door. Kavik spins on his heel and follows her, ready to assist in whatever way she needs.

With a swift motion, Yangchen grabs the packed soil in the ceramic pot and lifts, heaving the chunk of earth into the air. Instantly Kavik can see they’ve found their spot. A deep indentation is molded into the bottom of the dirt, roots growing around a distinctly block-shaped empty space. Kavik reaches into the pot and pulls out a dirt-covered wooden box.

Yangchen replaces the plant and the pair get to work, silently in sync. Kavik forms his ice-picks once more to unlock the box, and it opens easily under his practiced touch. The minister clearly thought he hid his secrets well enough that he only needed one lock.

The inside of the box is packed full with papers, an informant’s wildest dream. Kavik takes the top half and Yangchen the bottom, and together they sift through the papers at a breakneck pace, taking only the papers with the most damning evidence. Large sums, locations, actual names. Xahu has tried to play the game, but the older minister clearly knows very little about properly guarding secrets. Even the most amateur broker in Bin-Er knows not to use anything or anyone’s true name unless absolutely necessary. Kavik feels a bit like punching the wall. This is the man that robbed the Earth King right under their noses?

In only a few minutes, they’ve skimmed through the whole stack of records. Yangchen takes their evidence and tucks it into her robes, hiding the bulk of paper beneath the very forgiving outline of her Air Nomad clothing. Kavik puts the rest of the paper back into the box and relocks it. Yangchen lifts the plant again to let him replace the box into its hiding spot, cleans up the spilled dirt, and -

“We got it!”

Her arms are around his shoulders before he even realizes it, flinging herself at him with a wide grin, trusting he’ll catch her. Kavik’s hands land at her waist, holding her close for the brief moment of her hug. A triumphant smile of his own tugs at the corner of his mouth, the euphoric feeling of a job well done warming his chest. 

Still smiling, Yangchen reaches up a hand to tousle his hair fondly, making Kavik scrunch his nose in mock annoyance, even as his grin remains firmly affixed to his face. “Hey, it took me forever to get my hair to look this nice!”

Yangchen just ruffles his hair again, rolling her eyes. “I like it better this way.” 

Any retort Kavik had planned dies on his lips, his tongue suddenly refusing to make words as heat blooms in his cheeks. He watches, almost in slow motion, as Yangchen’s gaze veers away from his face. His ears - she must be looking at his ears, they’re probably bright red now and -

A palm slaps over his mouth. “Quiet! There’s someone outside.”

Kavik could kick himself. We just wasted so much time!

Yangchen steps out of his arms, nearly flattening herself against the door as she presses her ear to it. Kavik follows suit, straining to listen through the thick wood.

Sure enough, muffled voices can be heard, growing louder as the people advance down the hallway.

“Ready to get back to the party?” The first voice Kavik doesn’t recognize, but the accent is Upper Ring; the person must be nobility or close to it. Heavy footfalls nearly obscure the reply of the second person, but Kavik focuses with everything he has and manages to catch the second half of it.

“ - a moment, I need to check something in my office while we’re down here. Don’t wait, I won’t be long.”

Kavik’s stomach falls what feels like the height of the Northern Air Temple. The voice is unmistakable; he’s sat through enough miserable meetings with the man.

Minister Xahu is coming to check his office. The office where he and Yangchen currently are, stealing records that will get him sent to prison if discovered. 

Yangchen turns to face him with a blank stare. She doesn’t have a plan for this. They assumed the minister would stay in the ballroom all night. He’d have no reason to travel this far into the palace, not with all the food, drink, and dancing he could want in one place. 

Evidently, they were wrong. There’s no time to waste.

Kavik grabs the heavy chair from the minister’s desk and braces it beneath the door handle. That should buy them a bit of time as the minister struggles to push open the door. “Yangchen, is there any way you can earthbend us out of here?”

“Not without destroying the palace’s structural integrity,” She hisses in reply, beginning to pace. “And the walls aren’t thick enough for me to seal us inside, either.”

The office is sparse. There’s nowhere to hide. What excuse could they possibly give that would hold up their cover? Kavik’s mouth goes dry at the footsteps outside grow closer.

“Hang on, I’ve got an idea.” Yangchen grabs Kavik by both hands and drags him over to the desk. “You’re not going to like it. But trust me on this.”

“I think we’re a bit past caring about how I feel about a plan; tell me what it is.”

“You need to kiss me.”

“What?!”

Did he drink too much back in the ballroom? Did that plant have some kind of hallucinogen in its leaves? Did Yangchen actually just ask him to kiss her -

The door handle rattles, startling both of them. Yangchen’s head whips back and forth between him and the door. “Come on, it’s the only kind of cover that will make any sense!”

“But - I - what?”

The door handle rattles again. The chair budges a fraction of an inch. They’re running out of time. 

“Oh for spirits’ sake, I’ll do it then.”

Yangchen grabs both sides of his face and crashes their mouths together into the best kiss Kavik has ever had. 

Her lips are soft and warm and plush, pliable as they press into his, one hand coming up to tangle into his hair. Kavik stops breathing for half a second before instinct takes over and he’s kissing her back, imagining, if only for a moment, that any of this is real. Yangchen tugs at his hair and Kavik chokes on a gasp. She pulls him closer; his senses are overwhelmed by her. The scent of lemon on her hair, the heat of her body through her robes. He’s never been close to her like this before. He pushes her against the desk as the door finally swings open. 

“What is the meaning of this?!”

Kavik is loathe to pull away, but he does anyway, wondering what they must look like from the minister’s perspective. Blushing faces, wandering hands, messy hair - every bit the young, overeager couple caught in the act. 

“Oh! M-Minister Xahu!” Yangchen stumbles over her words, face flushed bright red. “What are you doing here?”

Kavik can tell the exact moment the minister realizes who he’s just stumbled upon. His green eyes nearly bulge out of his head and his eyebrows almost disappear into his hairline - impressive, considering how far its receded. 

“Avatar Yangchen! My… apologies for the interruption.” The man’s jaw twitches, clearly unsure of how to proceed. A typical couple would be reprimanded and punished for trespassing in such a high level area. But this isn’t a typical couple. This is the Avatar and her companion.

Finally, the minister seems to have decided to treat Yangchen as the Avatar. He bows deeply before them, the couple still tangled together on his desk, and does his best to sound polite when he next speaks. 

“Well, Avatar, this happens to be my office.”

Yangchen gives a surprised little gasp, covering her mouth with her hand. It’s one of the fakest sounds Kavik has ever heard her make. “Oh, I’m so sorry! I didn’t think - I mean, I didn’t realize this office would be needed this evening. You see, I just needed a bit of time away from the party and I asked Master Kavik to accompany me -”

“I understand perfectly,” Minister Xahu interrupts through gritted teeth. Kavik wonders just how much gossip is going to come from this. How long before news of this reaches the shang cities?

“Well, we should leave you in peace, Minister,” Yangchen says, pushing out of Kavik’s embrace and making a beeline for the door. She smooths her robes out as she walks, a flustered young woman trying to appear respectable - and not at all the spymaster checking to ensure the documents are still secured in her pocket. She gestures for Kavik to follow and he does as quickly as possible, eager to escape the fiery glare of the minister. 

Yangchen bows to him in the doorway, peering up at him with imploring eyes. “I trust this… misunderstanding will not be mentioned to others here at the palace?”

“Certainly, Avatar; you have my word.” Kavik bites his lip to hold back a scoff of disbelief.

“Well, in that case, we must be going. Have a wonderful evening!” Yangchen grabs Kavik’s elbow and leads him away, a strange repetition of the way they walked to the office the first time. 

It’s only after they turn the corner that both benders relax, Yangchen letting out an audible sigh of relief. “Good. He bought it.”

“Yeah. Quick thinking.”

She knocks their shoulders together, a small smile curling at the edges of her lips. “You did well, too. Good job making it look so real.”

Kavik can’t meet her eyes. His heart is still pounding too hard. “It was whatever. No problem.”

Yangchen pats at her outer robe again, making sure she still has the papers. “Now we can bring these to King Feishan, as well as the other shangs. We can finally put an end to this nonsense.” 

She keeps talking, but Kavik isn’t listening, not anymore. His focus is honed in on her lips, on the curve of her smile, on the flick of her tongue as she forms her words. He kissed that smile a few minutes ago. He kissed her because she asked him to, and he wants to etch the memory of it into his brain. 

He doesn’t know if he’ll get to kiss her again. Yangchen is clearly unaffected by it; just another matter of business for her. Kavik wonders if it’s stupid of him to hope she’ll ask him to kiss her again, even just for a cover story. 

“Hey, are you alright?”

Kavik jolts at the question. “Hm?”

“You’re not listening. There’s something on your mind. What’s wrong?”

“Nothing’s wrong,” he promises, willing himself to believe it. If he believes it, she won’t be able to tell that he’s lying. “I’m just still in shock we pulled that off, even with the hitch in the plan. Things rarely go that smoothly for us.”

Yangchen snorts in agreement, and Kavik’s heart flutters at the sound. “You can say that again. Come on, we’ve been away from the ballroom for a while. I’m sure we’ve been missed.”

They still walk with arms linked, even though the rules of propriety don’t require it at this point. It’s like neither can bear to let go. They step over the threshold of the ballroom as one, back into the gilded room of beautiful lies. Yangchen leans over to murmur something into his ear.

“You know,” She breathes from the edge of her mouth, a whisper of a whisper, “You’re not a bad kisser, Kavik.”

[linahopeeeee]

Naked

ღ Pairing: Izuku Midoriya x reader

ღ Summary: Izuku returns home to find you sleeping naked

ღ Words: 1k

ღ Notes: again i say i truly suck at naming things and writing summaries... but anywhooo thanks for reading. feel free to leave a comment or reblog if you enjoyed it :)

masterlist

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Its early in the morning when Izuku tip toes his way through your shared apartment, trying to be as quiet as possible to avoid waking you up. He’s still upset about the fact that a villain somehow managed to slip through his fingers.

He pushes the door to your bedroom open slowly, wincing when he hears the familiar creaking sound, eyes instantly flicking over towards your sleeping figure before widening almost comically.

You’re naked

Like completely naked. Usually you’ll sleep in one of his shirts and a pair of panties. But nope, your entire body is completely bare.

He stands near the door, shocked, for a few moments before a loud moan brings him back down to earth, he watches as you unconsciously grind your hips down on his pillow , trying to get a little friction to your aching clit.

He has to bite his lip to stop the groan that wants to escape, he feels himself hardening in his hero costume, not bothering to change back into his normal clothes before leaving the agency because he wanted to hurry up and get home to you.

He walks over to the bed, eyes darkening as they rack over every inch of your bare body, taking in the way your chest rises in fall with each breath you take. The way the cool air in the room has your cute little nipples hard as a rock or maybe it’s the dream your having, and the way your thighs and his pillow glisten with slick.

“fuck” he groans quietly. He quickly discards his hero costume, before joining you in your bed. “baby” he whispers placing a kiss to your lips as he tries to wake you up. You stir a little bit but remain sleep.

He takes one of your nipples between his fingers, pinching and tugging at it as his mouth engulfs the other one, tongue swirling around the nub before nibbling on it.

“Zu?” you question sleepily, letting out a soft moan as he hums against you. “oh fuck” you whimper when his free hand makes its way to your heat, fingers collecting the slick that’s already gathered, and you’re so happy you chose to sleep naked.

“we’re you having a good dream?” he questions “it was a nice surprise to come home and find you naked, thought I was going to come in my pants when I seen your grinding this slutty little pussy down on my pillow.” He teases causing you to whine out in embarrassment.

He kisses his way from your chest down to your heat, leaving a couple of wet, open mouth kisses down your body. He pushes his face deep into your pussy, inhaling your scent with a growl.

“fuck you smell so good”

He places a soft kiss on your clit before licking up your slit, groaning at the sweet taste of your slick on his tongue.

“fuck zu” you cry out as he pushes through your entrance, tongue working its way through your tight walls as he drinks up all of the slick that pours out of you.

You’re reduced to a whimpering mess when his lips wrap around your clit, sucking harshly on the nub.

“gonna cum zu” you manage to force out right before your orgasm washes over you, your body twitches and convulses as your high rips through your body.

Izuku’s mouth doesn’t stop even after you come down from your high, he licks up all of your slick, feeling it dripping from his mouth down to his chin and he’s so high off of the sounds you make for him that he doesn’t care about the way your pushing his head away from your cunt, crying out about how its too much.

Because he knows it’s not.

You can give him another one before he splits you open on his cock.

You will give him another one.

“jus one more baby” his voice is muffled by your pussy and the vibrations having you moaning loudly. “just one more and I’ll give you what you really want”

He knows he’s got you when your hands loosen the grip on his hair, arms falling next to you as he turns his attention back to your entrance, he watches it clench down on nothing before forcing two of his fingers inside, thrusting them quickly.

His cock is twitching against his thigh, ready to explode just from eating you out.

He wastes no time finding that spot that’ll have your mouth open in silent screams, rubbing at it as he forces another orgasm out of you.

He pulls his fingers out of your walls, bringing them up to his mouth and licking them clean, moaning as the taste of you coats his tongue yet again.

God he could probably live off of the taste of you alone.

He allows you a couple of minutes to regain your senses, waiting for your breathing to return to normal before he’s lining himself up with your entrance.

He pushes himself in slowly, inch by inch until the last inch is swallowed by your tight walls, before pulling back out.

He slams his hips back into yours, starting off with a brutal pace from the get-go. He watches as your tits bounce with each snap of his hips.

“o-oh fuckk” you whine out as he fucks into you so good that it has your eyes rolling to the back of your head, the overstimulation from your two previous orgasms leaving you’re a crying, whimpering mess.

He’s so big that you can feel the bulge in your stomach each time his hips meet yours. Your hands reach up and grab the back of his head, fingers lacing through his messy curls as you pull his face towards yours for a messy kiss.

The kiss is frantic and messy, he forces his tongue inside your mouth, allowing you to taste the remnants of yourself on his tongue.

You can tell he’s about to cum with the way his thrusts are growing sloppy, dick twitching inside of you, and the thought of him filling you up with his seed is enough to push you over the edge.

His thumb finds your clit as he rubs fast circles on the sensitive nub, spilling himself deep inside of you.

His lips are still on yours, his hips still slowly rocking as he the last spurts of cum paint your walls white.

“you should sleep naked more often”

[pandorafairy]

Fire of Souls

Enemies to Lovers

Tsu'tey x reader (younger sister of Jake Sully)

Anything written in italics is spoken in Na'vi

“Keep up!” Jake snaps at me as he holds a large leaf back. “Neytiri hates having to wait.” I pass by the leaf and roll my eyes. 

“I saw that.” His tail flicks with annoyance. 

“You were supposed to,” I retort back with a smile. He shakes his head and keeps leading me towards Hometree. Jake has been selected by the Omatikaya to learn their ways. Which is what Tom and I had trained for, before he died. So now I’m on Pandora with Jake, the most overprotective and annoying older brother, ever. 

 As if reading my thoughts, he turns back and raises his eyebrows at me. “What?”

“Nothing.” I shrug innocently. “I just can’t believe they chose you.” 

“Yea well, join the club. I think Norm is the president of it.” He flicks his braid behind him and picks up his pace. I laugh before almost stumbling over a thick root. I’m still getting used to my avatar body and my large boots only make it harder. 

“You know, it’d be easier if you ditched the Earth clothes,” Jake says without turning around. I’m about to sass him when I snap my mouth shut. Jake worked hard to convince Neytiri to consider training me; I owe him one. 

We move quickly, Jake making his way easily through the terrain as I stagger behind him. Pandora’s forest glistens above me. Animal’s I’d only ever studied, jump from branch to branch, making foreign sounds. Flowers that glow and twirl, sprout from around my feet. I want to sit and take samples, Grace would love that. But Jake wouldn’t stop, not for that.

“And,” Jake begins, breaking the silence that had settled between us,“please be respectful. Respect is big to the Omatikaya.” 

Seriously? It’s like Jake forgets that I’m that one who actually trained to come to Pandora. I raise my hands up in a sarcastic surrender. “I’ll be so respectful. I learned from you, big bro.” 

Jake narrows his eyes. “Don’t be a smartass.” 

“Well, I am the smart one.”

Jake scoffs. A colorful prolemuris chitters innocently as it hangs from a nearby branch. I raise an eyebrow at my brother. He opens his mouth to say something when a blue figure falls elegantly through the trees. 

I recognize Neytiri instantly as she lands in a crouch, her eyes wide. I freeze, full of shock that she just jumped from so high. Jake smirks at the surprised look on my face. I suppress the urge to stick my tongue out at him. Neytiri slowly stands and takes a step towards me. Her eyes rake over my body, taking in my five fingers, long hair, and eyebrows. She takes another step closer and sniffs before grimacing slightly as if I smell. I pull my arms closer to my sides. 

“One smartass is enough,” she mumbles as she inspects my sky people clothes. She walks behind me and flicks my tail. 

I jump before turning to her. “Trust me, I am actually worth it.” 

Neytiri’s eyes shoot to my face, making eye contact with me for the first time. I smile at her, trying my best to seem friendly, which is not my strong suit. She tilts her head to the side. “You speak Na’vi?”

“Yes, I studied it before coming here.” 

“So you are not a warrior, like Jake?”

Jake tenses at the recognition of his name. “Hey, English please?”

Neytiri doesn’t react to his plea, her stony eyes remain on me. Jake looks at me, his ears laying irritatedly against his head.  

I could lie to Neytiri, tell her that I’ve never been a warrior and never had any training, that I am simply a scientist. But my insides twist at the thought. Something in the way Neytiri is studying me, I know if I lie, she’d see right through me. 

“I was a warrior,” I say, the words bitter in my mouth, “But now I’m a scientist.” 

The sudden silence is deafening, it’s like the forest is holding its breath, waiting for Neytiri’s response. She continues to stare, her thoughtful yellow eyes lingering on my chest, as if she sees my anxious breath. Then, she straightens herself and looks at Jake. “I will teach your sister and you.” 

His shoulders relax. “Thank you.” 

“Thank you,” I repeat. 

She raises her head. “Come.” 

~~~

Na’vi clothes are not clothes. They’re thongs and bras trapezing around as if they are clothes. I stare in a dusty mirror, my blue body with hardly any covering stares back. I groan.

Neytiri had walked me through some side entrance of Hometree, claiming that my sky people clothes would not be welcome here. We’d walked up an outerspiral of the tree. Small fires lit the way as we ran on the smooth bark until we came to a miniature alcove. She’d given me some loincloths before ordering me to change and leaving. 

Now, I try again to arrange the cloths over my parts. I yank at the string covering my butt. The material flaps uselessly before falling down again, covering nothing. What I’d do for some shorts…  

Neytiri rounds the corner as I have one finger up my ass trying to shove the material further over. 

“Argh!” She exclaims as she rushes over and swats my hand away. “What are you doing?”

“I don’t think these clothes fit.” 

Neytiri’s eyes go flat and she looks at me like I’m an idiot. “They fit.” 

I’m about to protest when she pushes me out of the alcove. I stumble slightly, before my bare feet find their balance on the downward spiral. Hometree is massive, the inner spirals are a confusing maze, one that intrigues me. The inner layout isn’t in any textbook. I would be more than ecstatic if I didn’t feel so naked. Neytiri walks in front of me. Her shoulders are loose but I can sense her peeking at me from the corner of her eye. 

“The clan is gathered for dinner. Jake is already there,” Neytiri explains as we reach the ground level of Hometree. The entire floor is covered with Omatikaya, warriors, healers, and families. Young children run past us, their tails flying behind them as they call after each other. The roar of conversation fills the space as people settle on the ground to eat.  

Neytiri keeps walking, accustomed to the beauty of her clan. I follow her, taking in every detail of my surroundings. The beaded headwear certain men wear, a game with marbles that children are playing, and the soft beat of drums. Clan members stare openly at me. Some of them are curious, their ears perked up; but most of them glare at me. 

“Demon,” a man hisses as I pass. I jolt at the fierceness of his voice. Neytiri grabs my shoulder and forces me forward before I have a chance to respond.

Jake sits criss crossed with his back against the far wall, a small distance away from any other clan members. His face brightens when he sees us. The closer we get, he begins to grin. Once we’re right in front of him, his head hits the back of the tree as he lets out a laugh. 

“Don’t say a single word,” I spit at him. He’s not gonna be able to help himself, he’s just going to have to make fun of—

“God, that’s worse than your bikini’s on Earth,” he manages to say between spurts of laughter. Neytiri looks cluelessly at us. 

“I will kill you,” I say calmly. 

Neytiri’s head cocks to the side as if that thought intrigued her. Jake stops laughing and puts his hands up in fake surrender. I roll my eyes and sit down beside him. 

“Wait for the clan to get their food, then you may have some,” Neytiri states before turning and working her way through the crowd. 

Jake and I don’t talk in her absence. Our relationship is used to silence. There was a time, when we both trained for the Marines, where we talked about deeper things. Then everything happened, and I had to leave, and Jake and I grew apart. I try not to think about that year. If I ignore it long enough, it’ll be like it never even happened. 

When I left the army, I joined Tom for avatar training and prepared to leave for Pandora. Seeing Jake in Tom’s avatar is like a knife being constantly twisted into my gut, digging deeper and deeper. I take a deep breath. I don’t want to think about Tom or life back on Earth; I came to Pandora to get away from it all. 

A large fire burns in the middle of the floor where Na’vi fill their plates. Laughter and conversation infuses the space, giving it a pleasant ambience. Growing up here, having a community like this, must be so nice. They don’t even know how good they have it. If only we humans could understand. Neytiri appears in the crowd and works her way over to us, three plates balancing in her hand. 

Jake’s eyebrows raise. “Think she brought us some?”

My stomach growls. I didn’t even know my avatar could do that. “I hope so.” 

Neytiri stops in front of us, an annoyed expression on her face. I’m starting to think that’s just how she always looks. “I brought your dinner. Best you stay further away from the clan.”

“Right,” Jake says as he reaches for the plate, “thank you.” 

I take my plate from her, “thanks.” 

Neytiri settles in across from us, her eyes lingering on her clan members. She’s probably wishing she could eat with them instead of us. I push the thought away and dig into my food. It’s some kind of meat, probably sturmbeest, and a selection of sweet fruit. I take a bite and instantly melt, flavors bursting on my tongue. “This is good.”

Neytiri ignores me and eats her own food. Jake nudges me with his shoulder, telling me he thinks it’s good too. I relax a little, suddenly grateful for him. 

“Neytiri,” he begins, “will we be hunting tomorrow?”

I chase a small piece of fruit around my plate, it sprays pink juice all over my fingers. 

“Yes,” Neytiri answers curtly. 

“You’ve brought another?” A foreign voice says. I snap my head up to find a Na’vi man standing before us. His muscular chest is covered in a beaded piece that crawls up his neck. He glares venomously at me, the hatred in his gaze sends chills down my spine. I narrow my eyes on him. I know who he is, I’ve seen his pictures in my textbooks. It’s Tsu’tey. 

Neytiri hisses. “Not now, Tsu’tey.” 

“They will never be one of us,” He says, his eyes boring into mine. He tilts his head slowly as he looks me over, he lingers on where my five fingers are stained with juice from the fruit. He chuckles and shakes his head incredulously. “Especially not the new one.” 

Heat rushes to my cheeks. I’m rarely embarrassed or offended by other people, but something about Tsu’tey sets me off. His words nestle under my skin. I open my mouth to snap at him when Jake places his hand on my forearm, as if he can feel the anger rising off of me.

‘Tsu’tey,” Jake mutters, “always a pleasure.”

Tsu’tey’s lip curls with distaste as he looks at Jake. His entire presence is dangerous and lethal, he doesn’t even need to speak. I rub the side of the loincloth. Neytiri rolls her eyes at him. “Go on.” 

“Don’t waste your time,” Tsu’tey whispers to Neytiri, just loud enough so I can hear, “that new one can’t even sit still in her clothing.” 

Neytiri giggles, making my blood boil. Tsu’tey looks smug as he leans back. My vision darkens. 

“I could sit still on your throat until you run out of breath,” I say with deadly calm. 

Neytiri gasps as shock registers on Tsu'tey’s face, his mouth dropping open. Clearly he didn’t think I spoke Na’vi. Pretentious asshole. Jake looks confused between us all. “What’s–”

“I could have your life for that,” Tsu’tey interrupts Jake, seethingly. His eyes look like they’ve been set on fire. They’re practically ablaze as he stares into me, his hands shaking furiously at his side. 

“Calm down, Tsu’tey,” Neytiri says before eyeing me cautiously, the ghost of a smile playing on her lips. “People are noticing…” 

Tsu’tey inhales sharply. Multiple clan members stare at us, alarm and curiosity coating their features. Tsu’tey steps back slowly, his eyes assessing the sudden attention were receiving. He sets his strong jaw, the movement highlights the high arch of his cheekbone. 

“I’ll be seeing you, alien,” he mutters through clenched teeth. I fight the urge to flick him off as he turns away. 

The clan members go back to their own conversations and my heart rate returns to normal. Jake blows out a breath of air. “What the hell was that?”

Tsu’tey’s blue backside glitters as he passes by the firelight. Multiple people greet him as he passes, he gives them each a tense and strained nod. He is a seriously stressed out guy…

“Your sister,” Neytiri begins, “she is interesting.” 

My eyebrows shoot up in surprise. Neytiri’s eyes are crinkled as she looks at me, like she’s seeing something in me that she hadn’t seen before. 

Jake laughs. “That’s one word for it.” 

I smack him playfully. Neytiri smiles at the gesture, now observing my brother and I. After a moment, she goes back to her food. Jake begins asking her about our training plans tomorrow.

Tsu’tey is now standing with a group of men on the other side of the fire, the light washes over his chiseled arms. They talk animatedly, smacking each other’s back and laughing. What are they talking about? I cock my head to the side, watching how Tsu’tey fixes his chest piece and listens to his friends. I wonder if he’s an asshole to them too or if that’s just reserved for special cases. 

He nods to one of his friends, his beaded hair flicks across his ears before he turns. His eyes lock with mine from across the fire. I flinch at the sudden contact. His eyes darken, making my stomach drop. I quickly look away and pretend to be a part of Jake and Neytiri’s conversation. I can feel the weight of his stare, it pierces me, like he’s tearing me apart with just his eyes. My breathing quickens and I try to focus on the conversation in front of me but I can’t process anything. Tsu’tey’s raging face keeps popping into my mind. 

After a few moments, I finally get myself under control. He’s just some asshole, I can’t be this bothered by some guy being rude. I risk glancing back to where he stood across the fire. He’s gone. I let out a relieved sigh, but something still curls in my stomach. That won’t be the last I see of Tsu’tey.

Part 2

Hi beautiful, thanks for reading!

I haven't seen anyone writing about Tsu'tey so hopefully someone wants to read this??? Idk, I just really love the idea of enemies to lovers and Jake being like bro what

I want to make this into multiple parts and make it a slow burn with tension and everything. Would anyone want that?

I'll still be doing other submissions as well <3

[m1ckeyb3rry]

── THE GLASS PRINCESS // ELEVEN

Series Synopsis: You wake up in a strange room with no memories, broken glass at your bedside, and a prince named Zuko as your only chance at figuring out who you really are.

Chapter Synopsis: Your evening with Lee is cut short by the arrival of a strange boy with hooked swords. Instead, you go to the fountain and reveal your greatest secret to the Blue Spirit.

Series Masterlist

Pairing: Zuko x Reader

Chapter Word Count: 5.0k

Content Warnings: complicated relationships (strangers to friends to lovers to enemies to strangers to lovers to enemies to lovers), amnesia, alternate universe, lots of secrets and lying and mystery

A/N: i hope you guys don’t think i’m insane for how often i’m updating

Something amazing had just happened to you, and there was no one you wanted to tell more than Kuei. Your brother, who you loved more than anything. You could envision his pride already, the way his face would glow when he saw it, the way he’d pick you up and spin you around and tell you how happy he was.

It was as you ran down the carpeted hallway towards his chambers that you heard hushed voices coming from the room where your brother’s council of advisors met. He was still young, of course, a child as you were, and so the daily goings-on of the kingdom were managed by these advisors, who were all specialists in their field and had advised your father before Kuei.

Always more interested than your brother in this type of affair, you rested your back against the wall by the door, holding your breath so that you did not alert the men to your presence. They were speaking quietly, but they had left the door ajar by mistake, and so it was not very difficult for you to listen in.

“That boy is no king,” the first said. “Do you think his father would let Long Feng walk over him like that?”

“He is still a child,” the second said. “We cannot expect much from him.”

“Even as a child, he has no interest in learning statecraft, nor the history of his kingdom. He’s far too busy playing with his sister and drawing pictures of bears in his lesson book to absorb anything of use. I fear his reign will lead to the end of the kingdom as we know it,” the first argued. At this, the second sighed.

“You’re right about that much, to be sure. He does not have the power to back up the few proclamations he makes. What kind of general obeys a king like that?” the second said.

You swallowed, for these were words you knew to be treasonous. They were speaking ill of your brother, of the King Kuei, and they ought to lose their stations for it. There was nothing you could do, though; even if Kuei would believe you, who else would? Who would discharge two premier advisors on the words of a little girl?

“If only he were born an Earthbender,” the first said. “Then he could be trained. Then there would be a way that he could eventually gain the respect of the rest of the council.”

“There hasn’t been an Earth King who could Earthbend in many decades now,” the second said. “At this point, I’d even take a queen, if she could just do that much.”

“What do you mean by that?” the first said. The second huffed.

“You know. That sister of his,” he said. “If she shows some promise…if she can lift even a pebble…then we will do what we must in order for the kingdom to have a strong ruler.”

“You’d kill the king in favor of a queen?” the first said.

“If she can Earthbend, then I’ll kill anyone for her to rule,” the second said bluntly. “It’s about time that the world was reminded of why Shan’s line is so feared.”

“You are more daring than I thought, old friend!” the first said. “Let’s vow to keep an eye on the young princess. The moment she gives us a hint that she can Earthbend, we will strike.”

“And if she doesn’t?” the second said.

“Then we’ve lost nothing but a few spare moments spent caring for our dear king’s heir,” the first said. “It’ll only make us look better in the eyes of the royals. We really cannot lose in this scenario.”

“You’re right,” the second said. 

You didn’t stay to hear the rest of it. Staring at your palms in horror, those very palms which might lead to your brother’s death, you ran back to your room as fast as you could, pressing your hands over your ears as you chanted the same thing to yourself under your breath, over and over like it was a mantra.

“I am not an Earthbender. I am not an Earthbender. I am not an Earthbender.”

“You know, I had a lot of fun with you,” you said, pulling on the end of Lee’s sleeve to get his attention. “Lee, I really am being serious. I enjoyed it.”

The two of you had spent the rest of the afternoon doing random things around Ba Sing Se. You had bought lunch for you both, and Lee had argued with the vendor until he agreed to give you the food for half-price, after which you had sat by the fountain and eaten together. It was surprisingly nice, even though neither of you had spoken much. Oddly, you didn’t mind silence with him. It was alright. It was nice, even.

“Yeah, whatever,” Lee said. “I guess you could say I had fun, too.”

“It wouldn’t kill you to admit that you like spending time with me,” you said.

“It might,” he said.

“Oh, save it. At the minimum, won’t you say that it was better than working the afternoon shift?” you said.

“That much is true,” he allowed. “But it’s back to work for me now. It’s just about time for the evening round to start.”

“For shame,” you said. “Let this not be the last time we do something like this together.”

“Okay,” he said gamely. You were actually taken aback, not expecting him to agree so readily. Lee was one of those particularly contrary people, the type to refuse on principle, even if he harbored no real misgivings, so for him to just say yes was out of character. You narrowed your eyes at him.

“Did you like your lunch that much?” you said.

“Huh?” he said.

“It’s just that I wasn’t expecting you to acquiesce so quickly. Normally, you would’ve pretended to deliberate over it for at least a minute or two,” you said.

“You told me a good story,” he said. “Do you blame me for wanting to hear more?”

“Ah, so I’m your new theology lecturer,” you said. “You should’ve said so from the start.”

“Not exactly,” he said, staring at his feet as he walked. “You’re something else.”

“Something else! And may I be privy to what that might be?” you said.

“No,” he said. “It’s for me to know, not you!”

By his tone alone, you could understand what that something else could represent, but you did not force him to explain further. He always gave you these considerations, never made you talk more than you offered, never demanded you elaborate, so you did the same for him, only humming a song your brother used to sing to you as you entered the tea house.

“This is where we must part, then,” you said when you and he reached the counter. Lee pulled his apron down from its hook and tied it back on miserably, already dimming, though you had not noticed until it was vanished that he had been close to happiness the entire time the two of you had been together.

“Lee, Y/N! You’re back!” Mushi said as he exited the kitchen. “How was it?”

You arched a brow at Lee, jerking your head towards Mushi, indicating that he had to respond in his own words. It was not just because it was polite; you wanted to hear it, too. What would he tell his uncle about the outing? What had he thought of it?

He finished tying the apron behind his back in a neat bow and rolled his sleeves up again, revealing his sinewy forearms. It was something you had always taken note of: he was far more well-built than you would’ve expected of an ordinary citizen. It was closer to the lithe musculature of the higher-ranked soldiers, but you had never come up with a satisfactory explanation for why he was like that.

“We had a good time,” he said shortly. “Am I serving or washing this time?”

“That is great to hear,” Mushi said. “I told you you would! And I think they want you serving tonight.”

He said something under his breath that you could not quite catch, but then he nodded, ducking beneath the counter to produce a tray. And though it meant that you would be late to the lighting of the fountain lamps, where you might meet the Blue Spirit, you found yourself lingering, trying to squeeze out every bit of time you could spend with Lee until you had to go for good.

You weren’t sure why you wanted to. It was a realization you were on the brink of arriving at, but you hadn’t quite reached yet. It just remained that that was how it was, that you preferred arguing with him to speaking fondly with anyone else, that you’d rather sit in silence with him than have an avid discussion with another person.

“Hey,” Lee said, pausing before you with the empty tray in his hands. “I’ll see you tomorrow, Y/N.”

“What a turn of events,” you said. “The very boy who tried to ban me from the shop is now inviting me back.”

“And the very girl who was once illiterate is now telling stories of her own,” he said with a wry half-grin. “Things change.”

The door slammed open, almost bursting off of its hinges, and you all but leapt out of your skin as a boy brandished a pair of hooked swords at you and Lee, a piece of grass sticking out of his mouth, incongruous with the rest of his regalia.

“That’s enough!” he shouted. “I’ve had enough of all of you! Since no one believes me, I’ll prove it myself!”

“What are you talking about?” one of the low-level militia members who frequented the shop said. “You have about ten seconds to drop those swords, boy.”

“That boy and the old man are Firebenders!” the boy shouted. “Judging by the girl’s closeness to them, she’s in on it, too! I bet she’s a Firebender as well!”

You thought it was ironic that he was accusing his own kingdom’s princess of being from another nation, but considering no one knew who you were, you could not share the humor you derived from the ridiculous declaration. Glancing at Lee, you saw that his mouth had set into a firm line.

“I have no idea what you’re talking about! You must be confused,” Mushi said.

“I saw you warming tea!” the boy said. Almost collectively, everyone in the shop rolled their eyes.

“Uh, yeah,” you said, speaking for the entire crowd when you did so. “He’s a tea-maker. They do tend to do that.”

“That’s not the point! How about this?” he said, jabbing his swords at the poor, defenseless Mushi, who backed away in concern. “I’ll just make you Firebend! If you do it in front of everyone, then there’s no way it can be denied any longer!”

As the boy rushed towards you, Mushi, and Lee, the militia man stood in your defense. Before he could do anything, though, Lee was taking the swords of the man’s back and pointing them at the boy.

“If it’s a show you want, then it’s a show you’ll get,” he said. You gasped as the two of them began to battle. Mushi took you by the arm, pulling you out of the way as Lee and the boy leapt atop the tables, slashing at one another with blows that were not meant to solely maim.

“What is happening?” you said as the clash made its way outside. “Since when can Lee use broadswords?”

“He’s a boy of many talents!” Mushi said as you followed the crowd outside. You hid behind him, peeping over his shoulder and clutching the back of his shirt when Lee sacrificed one of his swords so that the other boy would lose one of his.

“Will he be alright?” you said. You couldn’t understand the extent of your nerves, only that you were nervous. You didn’t want Lee to die, of course, but that was a natural reaction which any person might have. What was strange was that every time the boy’s hook whistled near Lee’s face, every time its wicked tip nearly caught on Lee’s arm, your heart leapt into your throat.

“He’s skilled, but this poor boy is confused. Someone, please help him!” Mushi said. “Oh, thank goodness.”

You weren’t sure why he was so relieved, but then you saw those familiar uniforms and squeaked before crouching behind Mushi. It was two Dai Li agents, come to take the other boy away — two Dai Li agents who, if they had turned their heads even a moment earlier, would’ve seen you and known that you had escaped the palace right under Long Feng’s nose.

“Are they gone?” you said as the crowd began to disperse. “Is everyone okay?”

“Yes, it’s all clear,” Mushi said. You looked around his legs, but he seemed to be telling the truth, so, straightening, you brushed yourself off.

“Thank Quynh,” you said with a shudder. “That was so frightening. Lee, are you fine?”

“It was nothing,” Lee said, wiping the sweat from his brow as he handed the militia man his swords back. His expression was still dark as he took off his apron and tossed it at his uncle. “I’m taking the rest of the day off, uncle.”

“Are you sure you’re okay?” you said, reaching out and placing your hand on his shoulder to stop him before he could stalk back into the tea shop. He whirled around, and you preemptively cringed back, already feeling sorry for asking, but it was too late.

“I said I’m fine!” he said. Upon noticing how you had already shrank away, though, his eyes widened. “Just…it’s fine. You should go, Y/N.”

“Right,” you said. “I’ll, um, see you around.”

He nodded, and then, before Mushi could convince you otherwise, before anyone could tell you to stop, you were running towards the fountain, the only place where you might find some solace, even if said solace had not come in so long.

Finding that familiar bench, you collapsed atop it, the stress of everything compounding until you were close to tears. What if Lee had really been injured? What if the Dai Li had not come in time and the boy had bested him? What if he ended up in the same state as some of the people you had seen in the Lower Ring? If he lost his arm or his leg, if another scar was sliced into his face, then what?

You had not been crying for very long when there were those same footsteps in front of you, the soft, light ones that you had all but memorized from how frequently you imagined them. Though you did not take your hands away from your face, you opened your fingers, peering through watery eyes at the figure squatting before you.

He tapped your wrists, and you let him pull your hands down, even though you were more than a little embarrassed to be found in such a state by the Blue Spirit, who always seemed so collected. Using your neckline to blot away your tears, you ignored your rational mind’s warning and threw your arms around his shoulders, resting your face against the crook of his neck.

“Things are so terrible, Blue Spirit,” you said, holding onto him as if he were an anchor. He was hesitant in reciprocating, but eventually, his own arms settled around your waist, keeping you in place if not pulling you closer. “My — my friend, have I told you about him? My friend, his name is Lee…I’d never say it to his face, but he’s someone I really admire. He’s so certain of himself and his opinions, and he’s not like Kuei or the servants at all — he’s really very witty, he can actually keep up with me and argue his own points when we speak instead of constantly bowing to my whims or dismissing them in turn! He’s my friend, my only friend, except you, but today he was attacked. Attacked! In my own city, he was attacked!”

The Blue Spirit patted you on the back. It was a little too rough to really be considered comforting, but you understand the intention and found that the effect was not lessened despite his ineptitude.

“I was so worried he might’ve been hurt,” you said. “What would have I done then? Who would I have if not him? You might not believe it, or maybe you might find it depressing, but I’ve really grown attached to him in the short time we’ve known one another. Besides you, he’s the only person who’s treated me normally, without reverence. I’m not her royal highness the princess when I’m with him. I’m just the frustrating Y/N who likes books and distracts him from his work.”

The Blue Spirit pulled away and shook his head at you. You laughed, though it was a thin, brittle sound.

“You don’t know the half of it,” you said. “It’s a wonder he gets anything done at all when I’m there. A testament to his character, maybe. Anyways, I think I’ve upset him.”

The Blue Spirit shook his head once more, but you could only stroke the cheek of his cool mask.

“Thank you for that, but I really have. It’s alright; I will apologize to him tomorrow. I was in the wrong for bothering him when he had been in such peril only seconds previously,” you said. “I’m sorry to you, as well, for burdening you with my troubles. It’s only that I hadn’t realized the truth of Ba Sing Se until now. I was told that the city was more dangerous than I expected before I came here, but until I experienced it myself, I didn’t quite appreciate what it entailed.”

The Blue Spirit nodded, using his gloved hand to swipe away the tear tracks which had dried on your face. You caught his hand and squeezed it.

“I want to show you something,” you said. “It’s a secret that I haven’t told anyone else in all my years of living, but since you’ve saved me twice already, I think that it’s alright if you know.”

He cocked his head as you trotted over to the fountain, fishing around in the water, pulling out one of the little glass lanterns that floated along the surface in the night, when the turtleducks had gone away to wherever they slept. Blowing out the candle, you smashed it against the ground, careful not to cut yourself on the twinkling shards.

“You see, the reason why I’ve been kept in the palace is because I’m a nonbender like my brother, like my father, like most of my family, in fact. It’s because I’m defenseless — or at least, because I’m thought to be,” you said. “But it’s not entirely like that. Er, the second thing is true, sadly. I am defenseless, or nearly so, but as for the rest of it…”

Gathering the pieces of glass in your palm, you concentrated on them, or, specifically, the tiny particles of earth which they were made of. It was not a feat of strength but of precision, and though you held no claim to the former, the latter was something you could proudly call yours.

Shielded by the Blue Spirit’s body on one side and the fountain on the other, the jagged edges of the glass smoothed and curled on your palm, melding together until they formed the shape you wanted them to: a sparkling lily, which you presented to the man.

“That’s the extent of it, I’m afraid,” you said as he held it up to the firelight. “Glass flowers and other such sculptures. I’m not particularly strong, you see, or if I am, then I’ve never been able to cultivate that strength. Bending exercises, repeated forms…I could not practice things like that for fear of what would become of Kuei if I did.”

He was obviously confused; you did not blame him. It was a confusing statement without the context behind it, so, staring at the rushing waters of the fountain, you began to explain.

“I was fairly young when I discovered that I could Earthbend,” you said. “I ran to tell my brother, but on the way there, I overheard a pair of his advisors saying that if I turned out to be an Earthbender, they’d kill my brother so I could take the throne. That was something I could not allow — he is my brother, you know. My only family. I could not let him die, too, so I swore off bending forever.

“I was not entirely successful. Bending is something that those of us who have it must perform frequently in order to be fulfilled, so my compromise was making things like that flower. Little artworks, which were innocuous enough that no one was ever suspicious as to their true origin. I didn’t have a traditional teacher, but Quynh — yes, the bear spirit, the patron of the Earth Kingdom, the great mother, that Quynh. I’m the princess, aren’t I? It only makes sense that she guided me. Anyways, she taught me that, if I could not train my power, then I had to refine my senses, so that I was sufficiently challenged without making my prowess obvious.

“At first, I only bent crystals, which are harder than pure earth but easier than glass to work with. Eventually, though, I grew bored of making small pieces of jewelry for Quynh, no matter how lovely she looked draped in diamonds and rubies. After that, I graduated to glass, and that’s what I do when I’m bored of reading and studying — I practice.

“I suppose you could call me the world’s only Glassbender,” you finished. “Not the first, but the only remaining, as Quynh was the only remaining bear. It’s not a very practical element, but it’s not like I’ll ever need to use it for anything but aesthetics, so for my own purposes, it’s suitable.”

The Blue Spirit admired the glass lily, and you laughed as he turned it over in his hands — a real laugh this time, not a despairing one. He was like a child, filled with such delight at the simple toy you had fashioned. For a while, he played with it, tracing each edge and crevice with his slender fingers, caressing each individual petal, and then finally, reluctantly, he offered it back to you.

“No, it’s a gift,” you said. “You can keep it. It’s not difficult for me to make more, and no matter how pretty it is, it’s really only glass. It’s not in rare supply by any means.”

He did not think twice, carefully tucking the flower away in the folds of his clothing. You smiled at him before raising your finger to your lips.

“It’s a secret, remember? No one can know I’m an Earthbender. No one can realize the truth, lest they depose Kuei and install me in his place,” you said.

The Blue Spirit offered you his hand, and for a moment you stared at it unsurely. It was a strange form of agreement, but then you understood — it was not his hand he was offering but his pinky finger. You interlocked your own with it, so that the deal was made, the secret sworn, and then you let go.

“Imagine how the civilians would laugh,” you said, sitting on the marble edge of the fountain and dipping your fingers in the water. “If they knew the truth. That name they call me is more apt than they realize, isn’t it? The Glass Princess. I really am one.”

He sat beside you, though he did not dip his own hand into the water. He only observed you, and though it might’ve been intense, uncomfortable, awkward, were it anyone else, it felt reasonable with him. Like that was what he was meant to be doing.

“Can I see your hand?” you said. He gave it to you readily, and you cradled it in yours, arranging it so that the palm was facing upwards, before pausing. “Is it alright if I take the glove off?”

You waited. For a moment, the night was utterly still as he thought about the request, and in that time, you came to notice things about the world which you had thus far been blind to.

The precise shade of his mask, which was a deep blue like sapphire-paint. It was something that you could never erase from your mind, the visage of your savior, the color which had stood between you and your death — but it was also the color that had unmasked the truth of your city to you. If it were not for the Blue Spirit, wouldn’t you still live in that same ignorance? You could not yet say you understood anything, but now you knew that there was something there which needed to be understood in the first place. Before, you were not even aware of that much.

The exact scent clinging to him, which was the delicate fragrance of the honey that some used as sweetener in place of sugar. It was not overwhelming nor heady; it was a soft, warm aroma, as gentle and inviting as candlelight.

The shushing rhythm of the fountain in the background, which was melodic in its sameness. It was another one of those sounds, the type that easily faded away when it was not on your mind but which was omnipotent when you paid attention. The steady flow of the water lulled you into another state — not sleep, because you could not sleep when you were so close to the Blue Spirit, but the opposite, a heightened awareness of both yourself and of him.

That was why time passed both agonizingly slowly and yet dizzyingly quickly, up until the moment that he nodded in agreement and whatever trance you had been in was broken.

Anticipation rushed through you as you took your free hand, the one not supporting his, and tugged on the end of the glove. It came off with a swift motion, and for the first time, there was the sensation of your skin touching his own.

“They say you can tell someone’s future by these marks,” you said, dancing your fingers along the creases of his palm. “It’s an ancient art. Very esoteric. I never learned much about it, but now, I wish I had.”

You wished you could read his future, untangle those winding ways into something comprehensible. The roadmap of the Blue Spirit’s life. You wished you could read it, could know if that destiny was one that included you in its course, but you did not say anything along those lines. You didn’t know what that desire meant yourself, and you didn’t want to frighten him, either, in case it sounded like something it was not.

Though his hands were surprisingly soft, there were calluses formed in the places where he gripped his swords. They were incredibly warm, too, though it was in a pacifying way, not with the sickly sense of fever. They were the hands of a warrior, but also the hands of vanity, and it relieved you to see that even the perfect, infallible Blue Spirit was prone to this fault.

“If only I were more like you,” you said. “Ba Sing Se is in such a state of disrepair, and I can do nothing but offer coins to those I come across, in the hopes that I might alleviate their personal struggles. That’s not hardly enough, though. For every one person I can help, tens of others do not get the same chance. Tens of others continue to suffer from a problem that I cannot identify. What princess does not even know why her subjects are in such pain? What princess can do so little about it?”

The love for your kingdom or the love for your brother? If you were the queen, would things be any different? Would Ba Sing Se be in a better position, or would it all be the same? Well, it was a moot point now. You were not an Earthbender in any way that mattered. The advisors had longed to instate you so that you could remind the world of the power of Shan’s line, but as it was, you would only make a mockery of your famed ancestor. The man who had established the entire Earth Kingdom, left with a great-to-the-nth-degree granddaughter who could only bend glass. That was his lineage. That was his legacy.

“My forefathers must be so ashamed of me,” you said. “What have I ever done with my life? What is there that I can still do? I am the Glass Princess, and that’s all I will be remembered as. King Kuei’s sister who would’ve watched Ba Sing Se fall if it meant she could keep her pretty jewels and fancy dresses.”

Taking another lantern, removing its candle, you twisted the glass into a miniature replica of the Earth Palace. It was meticulous and perfect; such was the training Quynh had given you, after all. Form over function. Accuracy over mass. Mental fortitude over physical fortification.

“That’s where I am,” you said, tapping the minuscule window. “All of the time, unless I am with you or in the tea shop. That’s the extent of my world.”

Two finger lengths long. That was your existence in summary. You put the Blue Spirit’s glove back on and gave him the model of the palace.

“In case you ever visit,” you said. “So you don’t get lost. Come see me if you do, won’t you?”

He didn’t offer you his pinky this time, but you figured that when he nodded his head in acceptance, he still meant it as a promise.

taglist (comment/send an ask/dm to be added): @rinisfruity14 @c4ttheart @blacky-rose @shizko @marsbars09 @happyplaidpersonfestival @catborglar @camilleverreault @nerdybouquetofkittens-blog @lovialy @heart4hees @stefnarda @ioonatv

[gyuriac]

PERDISTE !

content: What's done is done, and it needs to be left behind. So, after a gruesome breakup, why can't he get you off his mind? After many attempts to replace you, he's at a crossroads. He lost you, and that's got to hurt. cw: puke perchance? pairings: sae itoshi x gn!reader notes: my entry of the ORQUÍDEAS EVENT by @17020!! Thanks for letting me enter! (Been 4 months since i last wrote so apologies if it’s not that good)

“Are you not tired of yourself?”

Under the dim lights of his spacious apartment, SAE found himself loitering around the entrance of his abode. The silence was deafening, yet he didn't let it get to him. Why should he? He lived longer by himself than with you, he doesn’t need you.

He doesn’t need them he said but when a familiar ring tone blared from his phone, he darted across the room, hope bubbling in his chest.

Mayumi is calling…

When he read the Caller ID he clicked his tongue, letting it ring for a while before picking up.

“Sae! You picked up!” The way his name left her mouth left a bitter taste on his tongue—so disgustingly sweet, it sickens him.

Why is it her calling? Why can’t it be-

“Sae?”

She called for him once again and Sae was once reminded again that he was still in call

“What do you want?”

“Well,” she starts, shuffling could be heard from the other side of the phone. He figured she was doing something but honestly, he couldn’t care less.

“I was wondering if you can come to a party with me.” His eyebrows scrunched, clearly displeased by her offer. She knew that he was not one for parties, it was too chaotic for his liking.

“If it helps, Yukimiya will be there.” The red head raised his eyebrows in confusion, what does a lukewarm person have to do with him? Just as he was to dismiss the whole idea, she cuts him off.

“Rumors has it that they’ve been seen hanging out with him, but you didn’t hear it from me.” He pursed his lips.

“I’ll go.”

“Yay! I’ll send the deets to you right now!” Before he can take back his words, the line immediately went dead, leaving Sae alone with his thoughts.

In his anger, he slammed his phone on the table, his hand massaging his temples. Damn it! Just as he was about to convince himself he doesn’t need you or anyone in that matter, you come sneaking in once again. Damn it…

He hated parties. It’s too stuffy, doesn’t help when people get all over his face. Their stinky breath on full blast. Sae stared in disgust as someone puked meters away from him. He’s already regretting this already.

“You came!” A pair of arms suddenly wrapped around his neck, causing him to stagger. He grunted before he held onto her waist, supporting her weight.

The woman in his arms started to giggle and talk about her night. She was clearly under the influence of alcohol. Sae watched how she talked loudly, words not registering in his mind but the way she started to talk about something made him remember you. It fouled his whole mood.

She’s outgoing and loud. You’re quiet and down to earth.

She’s a completely different person yet all of her reminded him of you.

Your constant reassurance, your gentle touches, your love.

In the corner of his eyes, he swore he caught a glimpse of a person, one that he knew all too well. He breaks away from her arms, her complaints falling on deaf ears.

He runs through the crowd, desperate to see your loving gaze once again.

Just as he was about to call your name one last time, he withdrew.

Sae only watched as you threw yourself on someone, smiling brighter than when he was with you.

He wanted to laugh, scream even. How could he be so stupid? He pushed you away. He was the one who broke it off first.

Yes, he’s tired.

Tired of letting you get whisked away from him forever.

© gyuriac . i'm begging you to not put my works in any a.i thingy and please don't plagiarize. I don't own anything but my edits and writing.

[bots-and-cons]

TFP bots of your choice reacting to an earthborn bot. This would have some interesting implications given the fact they would likely, like humanity, be considered an 'offspring' or 'spawn' of Unicron or at least have a connection to him due to being earthborn. They also likely wouldn't have any idea of cybertron or cybertronian history and would be one of the youngest bots, probably younger than even bumble bee. All of this is wildly interesting conceptually to me.

This is an interesting idea, I’ll give you that. Idk if I executed this very well though, and I don’t remember all the details of the episodes I set this in. These ended up pretty damn long for HCs, but I don’t think you guys will mind. I’ll try to do a part 2 to this later, there’s probably gonna be more interactions with the bots in that one

•Unicron made you or you were born of him at least, you’re not really sure yourself

•You’re still young and you don’t know about anything the life outside unicron

•You were born in the earth’s core so you’ve always lived inside unicron 

•The dark energon doesn’t affect you like it does cybertronians, since it’s all you’ve ever had in your body, it’s just normal to you

•If you were to use normal energon though, that might have some adverse effects

•Those flying things that work as unicron’s defense system, are also protective of you, because they consider you to be a part of him

•But when they suddenly start acting strange and all heading in the same direction, you decide to follow them

•You always thought there wasn’t anyone like you, because you’d never seen anyone else and you had no idea a place like Cybertron even existed

•So when you see a group of five robots walking around on one of the bridges, with the flying creatures attacking them

•You keep an eye on them, following the group as they advance towards the core

•You’re very interested in where these fellow robots could’ve come from, there must be another place, a place with others like you

•So you followed them and when they got to the door of the core chamber the yellow one noticed you while he was looking around

•He didn’t shoot at you, but he alerted the others to your presence

•You were too curious about them to try to get away, because you wanted to go with them, you wanted to see what else was out there

•Maybe they would take you with them?

•Bee was obviously pretty spooked to see another cybertronian in a place where it was supposed to be impossible

•You didn’t seem to be affected by the dark energon either, even though you looked younger than him and smaller too

•You slowly came out from behind a pillar and approached the group

•They were all shocked to see you and when they noticed you had purple optics everyone but Megatron was on guard

•He doesn’t think you could possibly be a threat, you look small and weak

•You’re actually much stronger than the average cybertronian due to the dark energon, but you’ve never had a point of comparison so you wouldn’t know that

•Arcee was probably the most on guard, because she figured you were another unicron manifestation or something

•You want to ask them so many things, but the flying guard creatures don’t leave them alone, so you command them to do so, which they do even if hesitantly

•You’re not exactly into the idea that they’re going to hurt your creator, but you’re also very keen on getting to whatever else is out there

•Optimus approaches you first, asking if you’re okay

•You look at him a bit weirdly and tell him “Of course, why wouldn’t I be?”

•You talk in cybertronian instead of english, since that’s what unicron knew and what you know too

•They can all understand you of course, but you also speak sort of weirdly and in an old-ish way compared to how they would speak cybertronian

•You’re not going to be able to hold back the guards forever, you can already feel them resisting, trying to break free

•So the consensus amongst the autobots is something like “what in the name of primus is this?”

•Megatron doesn’t really care, he just wants to get the job done and get unicron back to stasis

•You don’t even know where to start with your questions, but the situation changes and unicron takes control of the guards and the fighting continues

•You eventually end up following the remaining autobots through a whirling hole in space, after the two bigger mechs disappear through the same kind of portal

•You’re in some other place now, surrounded by the robots that are all now pointing their blasters at you

•And there are some weird looking little creatures on a platform next to you

[miyaniacs]

Corrupted by Darkness

- Chapter 1 -

Intro ; Wattpad

A/N: Hey :) Yes I’m forcing myself to write again… and if I wouldn’t update it immediately I’ll never update - so yes maybe there’ll be some some adjustments / reuploads. Still I hope you enjoy it. The next chapter will be a bit more story heavy - Thank you for reading it! <3

“YIELDDD” the blond haired guy yells. Getting up with a smirk, you take his dagger and leave the mat.

“Well that was … personal?” Rhi looks at me.

“I don’t even remember his name?” I look at her confused.

“I’m not talking about Leon.” She smirks and looks across the room, towards a shirtless Xaden… and Eve.

How is it possible that she’s always glued to him?

And why aren’t you glued to him?

‘Ohh shut up.’

Maybe he takes her because he can’t have you?

‘I look nothing like her? And before - I’m not jealous. I’m just forced to spend time with him and she’s always there.’

Uhuuu

‘NOCTIS!’

“Hellooooo? Earth at Nea?” Ridoc waves his hand infront of your face.

“Sorry sorrrryyy”

“Class is over - and we’re finally free!”

“For the day.” Liam sighs as he walks over towards your group.

“Aren’t you the most energetic out of all of us?” Rhi raises her eyebrows.

“OMG LIAM!” Ridoc fake gasps, “who’s the lucky one?”

“That you should ask Nea.”

And now all their eyes are fixed on me. I really should have remembered that his room is right next to his.

“Non of your business.” I smirk at them and start to make your way out of gym.

“No no nooo not so fast.” Rhi hurries next to you, quickly followed by Ridoc on your other side.

“There’s nothing to say.”

Sure there isn’t

‘Could you please stay out of this?

Hey you were the one involving me in it last night.

‘I already apologized for it didn’t I?’

I am still traumatized

‘Not my fault that you don’t get laid.’

Excuse me?! Maybe I just know how to keep you out of it?

‘And now I know for sure that you don’t get laid.’

“Sorry guys but it’s a secret.”

“Ok but was it good?” Rhi asks.

“Sounded like it was.” Liam laughs from behind us.

“… could we not discuss this right now.” I beg and rub my temples.

“And what should we discuss then?” Ridoc smirks and looks at me.

Rolling my eyes I glare at him: “ Well how about we discuss our next history test?” I smile innocently, while he groans.

“Why don’t we discuss the whole Eve thematic again?” Liam asks and pushes between me and Ridoc.

“There is nothing more to discuss. Her family is friends with people my family isn’t really … found of.”

“And she’s a bitch that thinks she’s better than us just because she’s a fae - no offense Nea.” Rhi adds.

“Non taken.” I laugh.

“And that’s why she doesn’t like you?” Ridoc asks.

“Yup this and the fact I’m friends with someone she desperately wants to fuck.” I laugh.

“What? Why haven’t any of you told me that she wants to fuck me? I know she’s a bitch but I wouldn’t say no…” Liam fake gasps.

“No Liam we’re talking about someone who’s actually attractive and doesn’t just have a big ass ego.” Rhiannon laughs.

“Ouch. That hurts Rhi.” Liam puts his hand over his heart and pouts.

“Nawww Liam… you know I wouldn’t say no to you - If you weren’t one of my friends.” I laugh.

“Thanks it helps hearing this from the hottest Fae around.” He smiles and puts his arm around my shoulder.

“Well… I loved this conversation, but my bed calls me.” Wiggling out of his “hug” I stop in front of my room.

“If you need any company - just call me, the walls are thin.” He winks and opens the door to his own room.

“See you at dinner?” Rhi asks while she and Ridoc walk towards their own rooms.

“Yes see you there!”

Closing the door I immediately take off my clothes and put on the big shirt Azriel left me last night.

As soon as my head hits my bed my mind wanders off to the events of last night.

Closing my eyes the image of Azriels face appears. It was always different between us.

While Rhys quickly became a father figure for me, Cassian and Mor immediately adopted me as a little sister. But Azriel… I was 15 when Rhys brought me with him and introduced me to his family.

Azriel was always cold and closed off, he avoided talking to me if not necessary, always had someone else with us when he trained me. Things changed on my 19th birthday. Mor was throwing a party for me, inviting everyone including my boyfriend at that time - to make it short he cheated on me that night … in my room… my bed.

While running away from him and the party I ran into Azriel… when I told him what happened something snapped inside of him and let’s just say I woke up next to him that morning… and the morning after… and after … and -

I get it. Please stop thinking about it.

‘Then stay out of my head.’

‘Hey Noctis?’

Yes little shadow?

‘Do you think it’s more than just sex for him?’

Is it for you?

‘…no.. I mean… he’s a close friend, so obviously I care for him…’

And you’re sure that’s all?

‘Noctis. I’m here and he’s in Velaris. Even if I wanted it to be more, it wouldn’t work out.’

And why not? He’s already visiting you.

‘I - He- yes..’

But?

‘Nothing… I should sleep now.’

Sure little shadow.

Wake up. Nea. Wake up. NEA!

I wake up to a voice in my head that isn’t Noctis and feel a hand placed over my mouth and start to panic, searching for the weapon under my pillow. How did this person get inside of my room? Isn’t my magic working? And why didn’t Noctis wake me up?

“Nea. It’s me.”

That voice… I blink and let my eyes adjust to the darkness in my room.

“Rhys?!” I muffle.

“Oh sorry.” He moves his hand off my face.

“Why are you here?”

“You wanted a care package didn’t you?” He smiles and gestures to my desk, where a big as basket full of food and presents, is placed.

“Thank you. And now why are you really here.”

“… Your letter.”

How could he already got … Azriel tool it with him. I mentally roll my eyes.

“Get dressed.”

“And why should I? It’s 3am?”

“Because I want to see your blood manipulation. So get out of Azriels shirt and come with me to the flight field.”

“How…. How do you?”

“Nea please.” He rolls his eyes and chuckles, “We all know.”

I just stare at him.

All of them?

Yes they all know. Now get dressed. I’ll meet you there.

‘Why are you coming?’

Because I asked him to come.

‘Yes it was planned for me to come before I got your letter’

‘WHY ARE YOU BOTH IN MY HEAD?!’

‘Because you forgot to have your wall up.’ Rhys scowls.

‘But why are you two talking?’

You’re underestimating my powers

‘I thought you’re only allowed to talk to me…’

Do I look like I stick to any rules?

[chelseeebe]

you were never mine.

summary: a fwb situation with steve doesn’t work out the way you had wanted and you find the comfort of a certain metalhead was just the thing you needed. but when that comes crashing down, who do you turn to?

never really written fanfiction before so yolo

you roll over as a sigh leaves your swollen lips, turning your head to look at steve who was staring blankly at his ceiling.

‘we need to stop this.’

your eyebrows furrow on their own as you chuckle

‘you want to give up amazing, no-strings-attached sex? okay harrington.’ you smile up at him.

‘i think me and nance are giving it one last try.’

the smile leaves your lips immediately, you and steve had started this arrangement not long after nancy had broke his heart for what you thought was the last time.

‘wait what? are you joking with me?’ 

he finally turns to look at you

‘deadly serious.’ 

‘oh.’

you didn’t know why it stang or why you suddenly felt extremely unwelcome in his bed.

‘right, understandable, that’s fine...’ you trail off, sitting up and grabbing the dark t-shirt from the floor. 

‘look, y/n.. we both knew that this was never gonna be a serious thing, i hope you’re not upset with me.’ his eyes followed you across his room, watching as you changed into his t-shirt, a detail he didn’t feel necessary to point out at this very moment.

‘i’m not, trust me.’ you smile faintly at him. ‘since when was this happening?’ gesturing your arms to the empty room.

‘a coupla weeks ago, she ended things with jonathan last month and ever since we’ve been speaking.. sorta testing the waters.’ you hope to god that he doesn’t notice the pitying look you just flashed him. he’s been here before, nancy wheeler can’t make up her mind and steve is once again caught up in the crossfire.

‘oh, sweet. well.. i hope it all works out for you, i guess.’ shrugging as you grab your car keys and head for the door. steve jumps up, grabbing his boxers to cover his slightly still erect member. 

‘wait, i just.. i wanted to say that this has been a really great thing, and i just wanted to make sure that we were still gonna be friends, you know?’ 

being friends with steve harrington without the benefits seemed odd to you, you didn’t mix in school so why on earth would you be friends now that you weren’t hooking up?

‘of course we will silly, i’ll see you at tina’s on saturday!’ 

that’s how you and steve first came to this arrangement, a party on a random friday a few months back. nancy had just finished things with steve for the third time and he was looking for a quick release, a distraction from heartbreak. and there you were, with that oh so sexy smirk and your tiniest black dress. it was fate, as steve thought, he could forget about nancy while being able to screw you. 

steve nods and smiles at you.

‘i do actually have to leave now, i’ll see you soon, yeah?’ without giving him a chance to reply you slipped out of his room and out of his house. collapsing into your car.

‘what the fuck’ you exclaimed. not quite believing what had just happened in steve’s bedroom. you couldn’t decide if the feelings of jealousy were from nancy getting steve to herself or nancy getting steves dick to herself. 

TINA’S PARTY

you sat in the dark garden nursing your fifth? drink when a dark figure sat down across the garden table.

‘i know you!’ you declare , slightly louder than intended. ‘edward munson, you used to sell me weed in 10th grade!’

a laugh escapes his lips as he eyes you taking another sip of your now lukewarm drink, ‘oh yes... remind me of your name again.. why are you sat out here and not in there?’

you sigh. you yourself didn’t even know why you weren’t inside. you didn’t think you had feelings for steve, so why can’t you bear to sit there and watch nancy wheeler sitting on his lap, giggling into his ear?

‘i’m y/n and i like it out here thank you very much, tina has a lovely garden.’ 

‘was that a euphemism?’ 

a laugh erupts from your throat, almost causing you to choke on air. eddie grins to himself, he’d been watching you sat on your own, nursing drinks for at least an hour now and had decided enough was enough. 

‘it was not,’ you giggle ‘i can appreciate a good bush.’ 

eddie laughs, he didn’t expect you to be quite so witty. he leans forward in his chair, his big brown eyes are firmly on you.

‘no, but seriously, why aren’t you in there?’

‘i don’t know.. i don’t even like half of these people and the guy i did li-,’ you cut yourself off. you’d already said too much to this man, who was practically a stranger to you. 

he doesn’t push it, the look in your eyes tells him to leave well enough alone. though he could sense that something was wrong, so eddie did what eddie does best, drugs.

‘hey, i don’t suppose you ever moved on to anything harder than weed?’ he looks at you cautiously. 

‘i mean.. once or twice maybe... only at parties i swear.’ and only with steve. 

‘so i’m guessing you wouldn’t want to go to the bathroom and-’ he sniffs loudly, ‘with me, right?’ 

you blink, eddie munson himself was offering you drugs? it’s hardly an offer you could decline. besides, what else did you have to lose? you stand up, offering out your hand to eddie from across the table. 

‘let’s go.’

~~~~~~~~~~~~~

you and eddie had somehow made it back to the garden table, giggling and talking about the 10th grade and how you’d used to have to pay eddie to roll your joints for you because you were and still are useless at it, when a tall figure suddenly blocked the garden light. ‘hey, do you wanna move, we’re trying to...’ 

you stopped as you make out the mysterious figure was in fact steve harrington.

‘trying to what y/n? nancy said she saw you and him’ he glares over to eddie, ‘leaving the bathroom together.’ he knew that meant one of two things, you and eddie were fucking or you’d gone in there to do drugs.

‘steviee, loosen up a little, it’s just a bit of k.’ you shrug. eddie nods, ‘yeah it’s just a bit of k steve, let the girl have fun.’ this had positively rattled steve as he steps towards the glass table.

‘i think it’s time for you to go home, y/n. i’ll drive you let me just get nance-’ 

‘no need,’ eddie cuts him off, ‘i’ll drive her, no need to worry your pretty little head, harrington.’ steve finally loosens his glare on eddie and looks to you, you were already stood, arm in arm with eddie, waiting for him to escort you and your wobbly legs through the bustling party. he had no time to object before you were being lead away by the freak himself. 

as you walk away from steve, you can’t help but look back, just to find him already sending daggers into the back of eddie’s head. you couldn’t understand why he seemed so bothered, he was literally here with nancy for fucks sake.  ‘are we really going home?’ you look to eddie.

‘fuck no.’ eddie laughs as he guides you through tina’s house and out into his van.

you end up at lover’s lake, sat in the back of eddie’s van as you can hear the faint sound of rain on the one window in the back. illuminated purely by the moon and eddie’s inside light.

you’re sat next to him on the floor of his van as he sniffs another bump of ketamine off of his key. he offers the key to you but you shake your head. ‘i’m still feeling that other one.’ 

‘you mean the one from the party? jesus christ, i thought you were lying when you said once or twice.’ he turns to look at you, his curls framing his face. you’d never seen eddie in this light before, he looked, soft and.. pretty. your eyes can’t help but fall down to his lips, before quickly meeting his gaze again. 

‘well, i’m an angel, what can i say?’ he smiles and you notice how his eyes crinkle when he’s truly happy. and you wonder whether he can feel how fast your heart is beating under your shirt or how your eyes stayed just a teeny bit too long on his lips.

‘that you are, sweetheart, that you are.’ he’s looking at your lips now, and you swear to god if it wasn’t for the strange night you had had or the fact that your arrangement with steve was now null and void, you probably wouldn’t have done this. 

you crash your lips onto his, your eyes flutter closed as his hand finds your waist. tangling your fingers through the back of his hair you scoot closer, just wanting to be right on top of him. you were throbbing, it had been nearly an entire week since you and steve-

steve. 

you pull away as eddie audibly groans, his brown eyes bore into yours ‘why’d you stop, sweetheart? tonight was just getting started.’ you couldn’t answer him truthfully, steve harrington and your possible feelings for the boy had stopped you. 

‘are you sure you’re not too fucked up to wanna do this?’ you knew this was a weak argument, eddie hadn’t drank and you assumed that he consumed drugs at least semi-regularly to not feel the effects as harshly as you did. he pulls you to sit on his lap, his hand sliding up the back of your shirt. all of your inhibitions float right out of that window. you knew eddie played the guitar, so feeling his rough, calloused hands sliding up your back was no surprise, but feeling how gentle they were and the sensation of his cold metal rings really threw you off.

‘absolutely not. are you too fucked up to do this?’ you turn to look at him and shake your head, truth is, this whole experience had sobered you up, you were sat in eddie munson’s lap, in his van, all the while possibly being in love with steve harrington. before you can think about it too hard, eddie’s plump lips meet yours again, only this time it’s more desperate than before. this was going to happen, maybe it was a good thing? get over whatever it is you have for someone while getting under somebody else.

his hand finds its way to your bra strap, unclipping it and sliding it off in one fell swoop, his other hand is snaking up your thigh, thank fuck you’d chosen the jeans, or he’d see just how wet you were already. eddie breaks away from the kiss to leave a sloppy trail of kisses down your neck, your breathing hitches as you lean your head back. his eyes look up to just about catch yours rolling into the back of your hand. this reminded you of steve in the early days of your arrangement, passionate and totally fixated on pleasuring you.

stop it.

his ringed hand slides down your jeans and into the lacy pair of underwear you’d worn tonight, just in case. except you had never pictured the just in case being eddie munson, but here we are. 

‘fuck,’ he breathes into your neck, ‘that wet already? aren’t you a little surprise.’ you had turned to straddle him as he keeps his mouth in the crook of your neck, sucking and biting on your collarbone. a moan escapes your lips, much like your greeting to him only a few hours earlier, louder than expected as he starts slowly circling his thumb around your clit, his middle finger finding your entrance. he looks up to you again as you buck your hips in response to his fingers. 

‘oh, you’re such a good girl, tell me how much you like it,’ he adds his pointer finger and increases the speed in which his fingers were entering you. the feeling of his silver rings meeting your entrance was insane. you wrap your arms around his neck, throwing your head back in pleasure. this was a pleasant view for eddie, marking your neck with small purple hickies.

‘so, so much,’ you moan, you can feel the van start to slowly rock as he picks up the pace once more. ‘oh fuck, eddie..’ you breathe, ‘i’m gonna cum...’ his other hand starts palming your breast, his, thumb and forefinger playing with your already sensitive nipple.

you can feel eddie shift underneath you, the fact that this was turning him on so much, was turning you on more. eddie leans into your ear and whispers, ‘cum for me, sweetheart.’ 

and that was it, bucking your hips, your legs shook as eddie had made you completely unravel. his van was full of your moans, as he removed his hand from your jeans. before you could say a thing, you were being laid onto your back onto a blanket on his van floor.

how often does he do this to have a designated van-sex blanket you questioned yourself, until eddie appeared above you and suddenly it didn’t matter so much anymore.

‘i can’t wait anymore, tell me you want this and it’s all yours.’ you swallow and nod, barely getting your breath back from that orgasm, ‘say it.’

‘i want this eddie, please, fuck me,’ that was enough for him, your hips lifted as he removed your jeans, and then his. you pull on the hem of his shirt, as he throws it off somewhere in the depths of the van. your shirt is up and over your head before you can even blink. he doesn’t even wait to get your underwear off, simply pushing them to the side with his boxers pulled halfway down. 

he slowly slides into you as you moan into his ear, you were driving him crazy. those sweet brown puppy dog eyes from earlier now looked ravenous, as he leant down and found your lips again. his rhythm was picking up, as his thumb had started circling your sensitive clit once more, the van moving alongside you both.

‘fuck eddie,’ moaning breathlessly into his neck. he grabs your jaw to look up to him. eddie had never been so close so quickly.

‘yeah? i want to look into your eyes when you cum for me,’ his thrusts were becoming sloppy and his thumb had lost momentum but you knew that was because he was close, ‘cum for me baby,’ and you were gone. not only had he given you a mind blowing orgasm once, but twice.

his deep brown eyes staring into yours as you clenched around him, mouth agape as you rocked against him started eddie on his climax, ‘eddie, cum for me,’ you whispered and he did, groaning and kissing your soft lips as he came.

he moves from on top of you to next to you, on to the slightly grubby blanket. both of you desperately trying to catch your breaths.

‘this is not how i pictured my night going at all,’ you mumbled, eddie grinned and wrapped what was remaining of the blanket over you both, extending his arm behind your head. you took this as an invitation to lean your head on his chest, your hair getting into his mouth but he didn’t mind.

‘d’ya wanna stay here?’

‘what, like in the van?’

‘oh yes darling, there’ll be a kickass sunrise in a few hours and we have prime viewing position,’ as he motions to the van window.

‘okay, but i’m only staying because of the sunrise,’ you smiled at him.

and that is how you stayed, wrapped up in his sex-blanket, his arm around your shoulder although neither of you really slept, you were up all night speaking about life and the most meaningless shit. you and eddie had discovered that you were quite similar in a way you had never known, you both had shitty parents. you knew he lived in the forest hills trailer park, you just weren’t aware that he lived with his uncle after an unfortunate incident with his parents. you lived with your grandmother, not in a trailer on the opposite side of town, but nonetheless it was an unlikely bonding moment for the pair of you. 

you couldn’t help but think about how you, eddie and steve were all totally similar yet worlds apart. 

-

it had been a month since that night you and eddie had met at that party, and ever since you were truly inseparable. he wasn’t your boyfriend or even a friend with benefits, he was sorta now your best friend? you two had sex, and often but it wasn’t weird, and you didn’t feel like there needed to be a conversation with him about this arrangement. you’re sat lounging in his bed, some metal mixtape of his playing quietly in the background. 

‘d’ya wanna come on tour with me and the band?’ he looks at you with a glimmer in his eyes. you’d seen this look a handful of times before, always when he was about to suggest something absolutely crazy. 

‘what? where has this come from?’ smiling up at him from his bed. 

‘i dunno, i just.. this month has been insane and i don’t want to have to leave you for a month.’ he was being earnest, although he didn’t truly understand his feelings for you, he didn’t want to be separated from you for over a month. it felt unheard of to him considering that you two had barely spent one day apart since that saturday night just four weeks ago. 

you think for a second. could you really do this? travelling in a tiny van with eddie and his four other band mates didn’t sound too enticing to you. but then, could you really be without him for a month? he had, unknowingly, helped you to forget your strange feelings for steve, giving your mind something else to obsess over. you didn’t think you could be left in hawkins without him, the chance of you running into steve, or worse steve and nancy on your own was terrifying. besides that, there was nothing really keeping you in hawkins, your family was practically non-existent and you had a shitty part time job at bradley’s big buy, stacking shelves and occasionally running into the warehouse when you spotted that particular head of hair you were trying to avoid.  

‘fuck it, i’ll come.’ you bite your bottom lip, anxious over the unknown that you had just agreed to. eddie is ecstatic and springs over to you, he lifts you up from his bed as you instinctively wrapped your legs around his waist, your arms curving around his neck. he kisses you softly but with so much passion it made your stomach flutter. you can feel his smile through the kiss, he was excited for this, for whatever may possibly come from this. and so were you. 

- 

‘i’ll be okay, i promise.’ you nod to eddie as you step out of his van at the train station. 

you were four and a half weeks into his two month tour and had decided you were done. it was exhausting, constantly travelling, cramped up into a small bus with 4 sweaty dudes. you and eddie had discovered that the month of previous passion and excitement was never to be a permanent thing. you could tell he was getting bored, his eyes wondering from you on to the girl with the brightest red lipstick you had ever seen, or the quite clearly middle-aged mom with her boobs hanging out. it was a different girl every night. 

that didn’t mean that he had stopped caring about you though, and three nights ago when you told him that you were going to get the train back home to indiana, he was annoyed. ‘but why?’ 

‘i’m tired eddie, i’m not made for this life. i need an actual bed to sleep in, rather than this.’ as you look around at the bus. it was messy, you hadn’t had a proper shower in weeks and you felt as if you may actually be dying. drinking and doing drugs every night had started to take its toll, both on you and your ‘relationship’ with eddie. 

he looks at you over the top of his van, ‘i can drive you back tomorrow, you know you don’t have to get the train on your own.’ he sighs, he didn’t want you to go, yet he hadn’t protested too much. eddie knew that sooner or later things were going to fizzle out with you, and it appeared it was much sooner than he thought. 

‘eds,’ the nickname stung in your throat, ‘i will be fine. it’s like a two hour train journey and then i’m home, okay? i’ll see you in a few weeks when you’re back.’ but you weren’t sure that that was even true. he nods, there’s nothing else he can say, his summer of fun with you was over. and he was now free to bang whichever slutty groupie he wanted. 

you were both puzzled on why this was hurting so much. you both had wanted to leave the other yet, when it came to it, it was harder than you had ever imagined. 

‘i need to go,’ you mumble. eddie steps forward putting his hand on the back of your head, placing a sweet kiss to your forehead. 

‘please call the bar when you make it back. please.’ 

‘i will, i promise.’ as you break away from his grasp. walking onto the train and finding your seat. you sigh as you sit down, slipping on the headphones to your walkman. you daren’t look out of the window to see if eddie was still standing there. he was. hoping that you’d at least look up at him as the train chunters off. 

-

your smile creeps up to your eyes when you see your grandmother standing by her dusty old banger in hawkins train station parking lot. you had called her from the payphone just outside of the bar last night to tell her that you were coming back. she was the only one who knew.

‘my baby! you can’t leave me like this again! i worry about you far too much!’ she hugs you as you drop your bag and wrap your arms tightly around her back. 

‘i’m sorry, granny, i promise i’ll never do it again.’ she sighs into your shoulder. you didn’t exactly tell her where you were going and how long you would be gone for, she was half expecting you back that same night, hoping that you had just made some big imaginative plans that didn’t come to fruition. but when you hadn’t walked through the door, she was suddenly disappointed. 

‘you need a long old bath, my girl. when was the last time you showered?’

-

you had just finished in the shower, sitting down on your dusty desk chair when your landline rang, almost making you topple over. your grandma had gotten you your very own when you turned sixteen, almost as a way to show you that she trusted you.

‘hello?’ nobody knew you were back except your grandma so why on earth would anyone be calling? 

‘hey, y/n,’ that familiar voice rang into your ear. 

‘steve? how the hell did you kn-’ suddenly wondering if in your month away he had gained psychic powers.

‘i saw your grandma at the store this morning, and she mentioned that she was picking you up from the station and that she needed to get your favourite snacks before you were back.’ 

‘oh.’ god damn granny had given you away to the one person you were hoping to slip under the radar from. 

‘yeah... look, i don’t know and i don’t care what happened but, i heard some things and i just need to know if you were with eddie..?’ 

‘i was, i’m not now. whatever it was, didn’t work out.’ you gulp, this is the last person you had ever expected to be discussing your feelings about eddie munson to. especially when your feelings for him were still perplexing your mind. 

‘right...’ he trails off and your eyes close as you sigh. these past two months had been far too much for your brain to handle.

‘did you call for any particular reason or can i hang up now?’ you grumble, there was nothing you wanted more than to curl up into your bed and sleep for the foreseeable.

‘can you come over?’ steve asks and your eyes fling open. you hadn’t seen him in two months. you hadn’t touched him in two months. you wanted nothing more than to just feel him again. eddie was fun, but steve bought a sense of stability to your chaotic life.

‘oh yeah, will your girlfriend be there too or are we flying solo tonight?’ you quip back. 

‘me and nancy.. it’s done, for good this time.’ 

‘wait, what? i was gone for a month steve, what happened?’ 

‘please, y/n, can you just come over? it’s easier to explain when you’re actually here.’

you gulp, should you go over? absolutely not. but did you want to, of course you did. 

‘fine.’ you wanted to sound hesitant to steve over the phone but truly, you’d already known the answer as soon as he’d asked. ‘let me get dressed and i’ll be over.’ 

-

your knuckles wrap against the large wooden door. you could tell his house was otherwise empty, as it usually was. you’d met his parents once after a party, steve had brought you to his not expecting his parents to be back so soon. his mother seemed like a nice lady but his father was an asshole. even to you. he couldn’t even turn his head to greet you and instead snarkily retorted, ‘if you have the time to go out and party, you have the time to find a real job.’  prick, you’d thought to yourself. 

the door swings open and there he is, steve harrington. the man you had hoped to never see again, standing just a few inches away. he had on those jeans, the ones that you really liked. however you weren’t sure if this was on purpose or just a coincidence. 

‘hey, come in,’ as he widens the door for you. hesitating, you look back to your car knowing that if you step one foot into his house, there was no going back. 

as you enter, steve is stood almost awkwardly watching you slip your shoes off. usually there was no niceties when you entered his house as more often than not, you two were already making out, steve pushing you against his hallway wall. your heart quickens at the mere thought of it. 

‘my room?’ 

you nod, realistically if you were just going to be talking there was no reason for you to go upstairs to his room. but you knew this probably wasn’t going to just be a polite conversation between old friends. 

he leads the way upstairs and you can’t help but stare at those wonderful light blue jeans, the way they clung to him in all the right places really drove you insane. 

he sits down onto his bed, beckoning for you to do the same. 

‘i’m alright over here, thanks.’ as you stood awkwardly by his desk. you eye up the photo booth picture of him and nancy that had been stuck to his mirror, in particular the one of them kissing. you swallowed, christ this was going to hurt. 

‘y/n, i’m not even sure what i’m trying to tell you here, i just- when i’d heard that you’d gone away with that freak munson...,’ his eyes were trying to find yours. ‘i felt, fuck i think i was disappointed. not with you, or even him but myself.’ 

you look up to the ceiling, not wanting to make eye contact. you were unsure of what was going to come out of his mouth next. 

‘i ended things with you badly, and for a fucking stupid reason. i didn’t exactly want to stop seeing you, i just knew for the sake of me and nance, i couldn’t continue,’ your eyes finally lock with his beautiful brown eyes. they were a different shade of brown to eddie’s, but still had you captivated. 

‘if you had a chance to rekindle things with your first love, don’t you think you would have?’ all of a sudden, you realised why you were here. 

‘have you genuinely called me over to be your rebound for the second time?’ your heart sinks, the tiny glimmer of hope that you had of tonight being different to before, was gone. 

‘what? no! i called you over because i missed you and i needed to explain this whole situation to you.’ you’re glad you chose to stand at his desk, giving you a straight path out of his room. as you begin to walk to the door, steve stands up, grabbing your wrist.

‘can you please, please just listen to me y/n.’ and he pulls you in closer to his chest. your eyelids flutter down, the eye contact would have you melting into his lap without any warning. 

‘nancy and me, we were never meant to be together. and i know that now. i’m not blind to it anymore. she ended it with me the week after you disappeared, as far as i’m aware she’d currently in california with jonathan right now.’ 

oh. my. god. 

you turn your body to face his, his warm brown eyes are already looking down at you. you can feel your cheeks turning red, there was something about his stare that completely captivated you. 

‘steve, i’m sorry, i didn’t know... that must suck, seriously.’ you say it empathetically, you did feel sorry for him. nevertheless, you couldn’t stop yourself from wishing he’d just realised this sooner, that nancy had never came back, that this summer with eddie had never happened and fucked up the already over complicated feelings you had for the boy stood in front of you. 

‘it’s okay, seriously,’ the look on his face almost seems relieved, he was finally out from under nancy’s grip, ‘i really just wanted to tell you how i feel, i was confused, we were fucking yeah, but i was genuinely enjoying your company. i thought maybe, one day, it could be different.. we could i don’t know, be together, genuinely.’ your heart rises into your throat, this was all you had wanted to hear for months. and he knew it. your eyes had become glossy with tears. he’d known since the day he told you it had to end that you wanted this. 

‘steve...’ his lips crash into yours, the tears falling from your eyes on to your already hot cheeks. his hand still wrapped around your wrist pulls you into his chest, your arms snake around his neck as your fingers find his hair. you’d longed for this exact scenario all summer long, and now it was here, the twang of guilt in your stomach was undeniable. 

steve walks you backwards towards his bed, crashing down on top of you. he didn’t care about what had happened with eddie, all her cared about now was the fact that you were back on his bed, back where you should be. 

you pull away, looking up at him through your wet eyelashes. ‘steve, we shouldn’t..’ you couldn’t bring yourself to speak eddie’s name out loud. especially to steve. 

his thumb brushes over your cheek, ‘why not?’ he whispers, observing every inch of your face. 

‘it hasn’t been that long since you and nancy... and i’m not in the best position myself...’ the fingers of his other hand start tracing down your exposed sides, his knee slowly sliding up between your legs. you weren’t going to stop this. hell you didn’t think you could even if you wanted to. 

he starts planting small kisses along your jaw, and then down to your neck. you already knew you were a puddle down there. he maneuvers your body so you were no longer hanging over the edge. he was fully on top of you now, his hand had moved from your sides, down onto your thighs still leaving a trail of sloppy kisses down onto your chest. you’d worn a grey sweatshirt with just a bra underneath, which steve had now discovered. 

‘oh fuck,’ he breathed into your cheek, ‘something tells me you were expecting this tonight.’ you smile, because truth be told you were.

‘well you’re wearing your tight slutty jeans, i could say the same thing.’ your fingers were now lightly tugging on his hair, pushing him to go faster. you need him inside of you and quickly. 

‘i knew you liked these jeans,’ he starts grinding against your clothed clit, making it near impossible to deny the growing wetness in your panties. 

‘steve, please just fuck me,’ you begged, attempting to unbuckle his brown leather belt. trying to show him just how eager you were. 

‘damn, eddie has really corrupted you,’ his smile is evident against your neck, he gives you a hand, unbuckling his belt. that name makes you freeze, what were you doing? what was he doing right now? 

probably balls deep in some groupie he’d found at the bar. 

steve pulls your jeans and panties down together, your wetness the first thing his hand found. his fingers slide into you, making you audibly gasp. his thumb taps at your clit, while his fingers find the perfect rhythm. you move your hips against his fingers, getting increasingly frustrated that he hasn’t just ruined you yet. 

your moans echo around his room, his dick stood fully erect in his boxers. he didn’t need any foreplay, watching you underneath him was more than enough. 

‘yeah? you like that? you want me to fuck you? hmm?’ 

‘p-please,’ you could barely get it out between your moans. 

‘tell me, tell me what you want.’ he presses his forehead to yours, his fingers quickening their pace. 

‘i want y-you to fuck me, oh-fuck, p-please,’ you knew that you were already close, the sexual tension alone was enough to get you halfway there before he’d even touched you. 

you look down between you, as his pretty pink dick sprung out of his boxers against his stomach. his hand had left your clit and was instead now wrapped around his dick, stroking it before finding your entrance with the tip. your eyes were now back on his, as he thrusted into you swiftly. 

your mouth was wide open, you couldn’t even attempt to stifle your moans. 

‘i love watching you when i put it in,’ he’s thrusting harder now, faster as your eyes had screwed shut, wrapping your legs around his waist. this was exactly how you’d remembered it. steve did something to you that you’d rather not admit.

‘steve, i’m gonna cum,’ that sent him wild, his thrusts were deeper, hitting a spot that truly only he’d ever gotten to before. his thumb had gone back to your clit, the sensation was mind blowing. 

‘fuck! oh shit,’ you basically screamed it, steve’s poor, nice elderly neighbour could definitely hear him destroying you. you came, hard, around his dick. he could feel your walls clenching, surrounding his length. 

it was like crack to steve, to see you like this, to see you coming completely undone thanks to him. your legs shaking as he showed absolutely no signs of mercy. 

he was in your ear, moaning and groaning breathlessly. ‘i’ve been waiting to fuck this pussy again,’ the hand responsible for your orgasm had wrapped itself around your neck. 

‘cum for me, stevie,’ as you pressed your forehead to his. he groans as you can feel him as he came inside you. a final few thrusts before pulling out of you and kissing your lips intensely. 

you smile against the kiss, this had been a long time coming. 

but now you had your own nancy to yours and steve’s story. 

steve rolls over, next to you pulling his blanket up and over the pair of you. 

‘i missed you,’ as he grabs your hand, intertwining your fingers. you can’t bring yourself to look at him, choosing to look at you fingers curled around one another.

‘i missed you too,’ it wasn’t a lie. you had missed him, that’s what drove you into eddie’s arms in the first place. you finally gather the courage to look him in the eyes, ‘i need to know that you’re completely serious about this, about us.’

‘i am utterly, truly serious about this y/n, about you.’ something in the way he had said your name made you believe him. 

‘okay. good. i am too,’ you bite your lip, your mind falters to the curly headed metalhead you’d just spent two months with. 

and right on queue, steve utters, ‘what happened with you and eddie anyway?’ 

you swallow, unable to even explain what had really happened even to yourself. ‘we were.. are friends, i think, but not just like how we used to be friends..’ you cut yourself off.

‘you ran away with him y/n, i know it was probably a bit more than just friends. besides, why are you back here? his tour isn’t finished for at least another month,’ he squeezes your hand, unsure if he was pushing too much too quickly. this was extremely bewildering for the both of you. steve had barely just ended things completely with his first love and you had just experienced the wildest summer of your life with a whole bunch of interesting feelings thrown into the mix. 

‘it just fizzled out, it moved insanely fast and i was trying to figure out my feelings for you, while juggling these weird new feelings for eddie,’ he winces, not unnoticed by you, ‘don’t pretend you didn’t blow me off for nancy, i know there must still be feelings there,’ you think back to the photo booth picture pinned just a few metres from you.

‘yeah bu-’ he tries to defend himself.

‘no. steve. i’m not saying it’s a bad thing, i’m just trying to help you understand the whole eddie situation. it’s confusing for me too. it all ended just as fast as it had begun, i could tell he was getting bored of me. and i was just getting annoyed with him,’ steve listens to you ramble on about this other man, the realisation sinks in that this was likely what you had felt like for those few months, having to listen to him babble on about nancy and how he felt about her. it was shit. no wonder you had wanted to skip hawkins. 

‘-we were just never meant to become anything.’ you shrug, you think he’s hurt or just bored of listening to you speak about another man. ‘you know, i spent all summer dreaming about you.’

he smiles at you, a true, genuine smile before pecking your lips. 

he falls asleep holding you, mid-forehead kiss, you could feel his breath as his chest rose up and down. you were comfortable, the first time you could truthfully say that in three weeks. 

- time skip

you and steve had begun officially dating the morning after you had gone round his to ‘talk’. it was sweet and exactly how you’d imagined dating steve harrington would be. 

he took coffee to work for you, he made the effort to take you out on dates to all of your favourite places and the best thing of them all? you now weren’t just a hookup, he introduced you to his friends and showed you off to everyone, no matter what people were saying. 

one of steve’s friends had invited you both to his birthday party, you were originally apprehensive, remembering the last time you had both gone to a party. not only that, but you’d heard that nancy was back in town and jonathan had come to visit her on fall break and you’d figured that eddie was either back from tour or close to being. if he was, you could guarantee that he’d be selling at the party. 

‘we don’t have to stay long, just enough to say hi to everyone,’ he pleads with you, ‘plus, you can drive and then you’re in complete control over when we leave.’ now grinning as he watches you remove the curlers from your hair. 

‘orrr so you can get hammered and i’ll have to carry you back,’ you roll your eyes but can help the smile creeping across your face. 

‘or that, yeah,’ he winks at you. you can see him slide up behind you through the mirror, you feel his arms wrap around your waist, resting your hand on top of his. 

‘okay, fine.’ there was no convincing him not to go, so you finished with the rest of your makeup, his hand slowly creeping to rest on your boob. ‘do you want me to get ready and go or what, harrington?’ he leans his head round placing a kiss on your neck. 

‘mhm, but do we really have no time for the quickest of quickies?’ 

‘we’re actually already late,’ you look down at the watch sat on the wrist grabbing your breast. 

‘ahhh shit,’ he lets go with one last kiss of your neck. 

-

you could already see and hear that the party was booming, people spilling out onto the front garden, red solo cups firmly in their grasp.

you grab onto steve’s hand as he weaves through the crowd trying to spot the birthday boy. he spots something else instead. nancy and jonathan sat practically on top of eachother on the couch, whispering and laughing to themselves. his hand squeezes yours, suddenly deciding to change direction but you’d already spotted the pair. 

‘steve!’ you shout, ‘can we just get a drink? i’m sure you’ll find him at some point,’ he turns to look at you and nods and instead you take the lead, guiding him into the kitchen where a rather large bowl of disgusting looking punch sat. he grabs you both a beer as you hoist yourself up to sit on the counter, he takes position in between your legs.

his eyes are still scanning the room when you grab his collar and pull him into you. ‘he’s here! chill,’ as you kiss him. 

he smiles through the kiss, ‘i know baby, i just wanted to actually see him before he got too fucked up, but i think i might be too late.’ as a tall body comes barreling into the kitchen.

‘STEVE! you made it brother!’ giving steve a weird half-hug to the side of his body. ‘and y/n! hi! i’m glad you decided to come, welcome to the fun house!’ 

you giggle, comparing the scene to a circus was appropriate. 

and he walks off again before you could even reply. 

‘he seems nice, hammered but nice,’ steve turns his body towards yours once more.

‘he is, i told him you weren’t feeling up to it and i think he was genuinely disappointed,’ this makes you smile. you weren’t entirely sure if steve’s friends actually liked you. you were in completely different groups in school, there was no animosity you had just simply not mixed. 

as he takes a swig of beer, you catch a glimpse at an all too familiar denim vest. 

fuck. you freeze, you had tried to prepare yourself in case he was here but it was useless. 

steve notices and turns to look behind him, barely seeing eddie before he slips through the doorway, a small brunette traipsing behind him. you hoped he didn’t say anything, besides he had similarly froze when he saw nancy and jonathan.

he doesn’t press you, instead choosing to place a kiss to your hand. steve could tell you weren’t entirely comfortable here and he mouths to you, ‘do you wanna leave?’ you nod instantaneously. 

‘i’m just gonna run to the bathroom real quick and we’ll go,’ you say as you hop off of the counter. he flashes you a quick thumbs off as you head off to where you assumed the bathroom was. 

there were couples everywhere, but there was only one you were looking out for. 

you open the door to the bathroom, rushing inside before you could spot that damn blue vest or before it could spot you. 

‘hey! do you know how to fucking kn-’ 

your eyes finally meet his. the small brunette on her knees on the floor in front of him, his dick in the back of her throat while his silver adorned fingers grip into her hair. she’s clueless as to what is happening behind her. 

‘oh my god. shit. i am so so sorry.’ you manage to stammer as you reach for the door handle. you were out in the corridor as quick as you’d got into that bathroom.

you rush back to the kitchen. to steve. spotting him laughing with one of his friends. 

‘hey, woah.. what happened?’ you didn’t realise the panicked look that had taken over your face. 

‘can we just go, please?’ he shoots his buddy a look and grabs your hand, storming out of the party. past the drunk teens in the front garden again.

you barely even reach your car before steve is questioning you. 

‘y/n? what happened? did someone hurt you? you need to tell me if they did!’ 

‘no, no i promise, just get in and i’ll explain.’ he obliges, falling into your car as you hurriedly turn the ignition. 

what you didn’t know though was that eddie had pushed the small brunette off of his dick and barged through the party in an attempt to find you. 

‘so what was that all about?’ steve pressed. you sighed, unsure of how to tell him why you were so freaked out without coming across as jealous, because you weren’t. but you couldn’t exactly explain the feeling in your stomach.

‘it was eddie, he was in the bathroom with his dick in some girls mouth, i don’t care, i just.. haven’t seen him since i came back here and it was just weird.’ you glance at steve from the driver's seat, he grimaces.

‘oh, yeah i guess that must’ve been a bit weird..’ his hand hesitates but decides to rest on your knee. 

‘are you sure you don’t care?’ he gives your knee a slight squeeze.

‘i’m sure, steve. we just haven’t had the chance to really speak about what happened. i think, there’s just some unanswered questions, from both sides.’ 

he nods, knowing that he must have made you feel ten times worse than this just a few months ago. 

‘i’m sorry,’ you press, not giving him a chance to reply, ‘i know it must be strange for you too, but i want you to know that i choose you.’ your hand leaves the steering wheel and sits on top of his. you daren’t look from the road. 

‘i know. but i also know that i had pushed you to him in the first place, and i can’t blame you. i don’t really know exactly what happened between you, but i do know that you left him and you came back to me, so..’ 

you finally muster the courage to look over at the boy in your passenger seat, his eyes are already on yours, a somber look in his eyes. his statement makes you beam. 

it was true. you could have spent the rest of the summer with eddie if you’d really tried, but you didn’t want to, instead choosing to nitpick the worst of your situation, finding a reason to leave, a reason to come back to hawkins. 

to see steve. 

your hand squeezes his, ‘i did, and i don’t regret it one bit, but i think i need to speak to eddie... there’s too much gone unsaid that i need to wrap my head around.’ 

steve understands, probably better than anyone else would have done in this very situation. 

you pull up in his driveway, removing the keys from the ignition and shifting your body to face his. your hand still grasping his, he smiles slightly at you. 

‘you do what you need to do, god, you gave me that much grace, i can do the same thing for you.’ 

that night, you and steve stayed up for hours under his blanket, talking about everything and nothing all at once, his fingers tracing along the small of your back. 

‘will you be my girlfriend?’ it slips out of his mouth too easily, you’re mid-sentence babbling on about your theory about aliens. just a month ago you hadn’t even confessed that you’d even liked him and now you find yourself blushing as he asks you to be his. 

‘of course i will,’ you giggle as his pretty pink lips kiss yours. it’s soft and slow, different to the kisses you’d shared with eddie. this kiss was full of love, rather than lust. 

steve pulls away, his forehead flush against yours, his long dark eyelashes almost touching yours. you curl up into his arm, his fingers running through your hair. 

‘goodnight, boyfriend.’

-

you’d called eddie’s trailer for the sixth time today, still to no avail. you thought you’d give him the courtesy of a call before you turned up at his house, ready to break his heart. 

‘he’s not answering, i don’t think he’s home.’ you sigh, it’d taken you long enough to muster up the courage to even call him.

‘do you know where else he could be?’

you ponder, looking down at your watch: 7pm. this time on a friday you would have been sat backstage at the hideout, waiting for his band to start. 

‘he might have a gig.. i don’t know anymore,’ you shrug, things have changed since summer, not just for you, but eddie too. this tour seemed to have ignited his music career. you’d heard one of their tunes on the local radio, not only that but there were new posters littered about town with dates of an even larger tour. 

‘why don’t we go and see if he’s playing?’ oh steve, he was being so wonderful, offering up solutions, trying to make you happy. but it wasn’t that easy, this could never be an easy conversation, steve being there would not go down well with eddie.

‘i’ll go,’ you nod, ‘i’m not sure having you there would be the best choice in the world.’ 

‘right, yeah.. as long as you’ll be okay going alone?’

‘i will, i’ll be home straight after, i promise.’ 

-

a large sigh escapes your lips, looking up at the bright neon sign. you can hear the faint sounds of a guitar in the venue. you know it’s him, just like that. 

exiting the safety of your car, you walk through the doors and lo and behold, the curly headed man you’ve been avoiding for weeks is stood centre stage. it was almost too much, this had been your life for months, standing at the back of his gigs, surrounded by metalheads waiting for eddie to finish his set.

you stay slinking around the back, hoping the bright lights provided enough disguise for you. 

eddie’s saying his final thank you’s when his eyes slide around the room one last time. his heart fucking sinks as his eyes meet yours. oh fuck. he didn’t look too keen to come and chat with you. 

it was hawkins, things get around and fast, he had most definitely heard that you were now steve’s girlfriend. 

he rushes off of the stage through the black curtain and for a second you’re contemplating storming up there yourself. 

instead you know that if eddie’s that hellbent on swerving you he’ll be out by his van begging to skip clean up so he can escape. you barge through the large swinging doors, making your way around the building to the back door. 

you can hear him for christ’s sake, ‘gareth please man, just this week.’

as you round the corner, you spot him practically on his knees begging.

gareth spots you first, ‘i hope you’re not the reason this lazy asshole is trying to skip cleanup?’ 

eddie turns to face you, his mouth open, mid-plea. 

‘hey eddie.. can we talk?’ the words barely escape your mouth. the atmosphere is tense, you can see in his eyes that he didn’t expect you back here. 

‘what’s there to talk about?’ he spits back. his eyes narrow, half expecting steve to follow you around the corner.  

‘i think you know..’ your eyes are firmly on his. steve had told you that you needed to learn to stand your ground more, ‘don’t let him blow you off.’ he’d said earlier that week.

so, you clear your throat, ‘eddie, we need to speak about us, about this summer and everything else that’s happened. okay?’ this was your attempt at being more confident, although it was feeble, it was a start. 

eddie looks at gareth and then back to you. he knows this conversation is weeks overdue, he’s just not ready to let go of this summer. let go of you. by having this discussion with you, it’s officially over.

‘you still have to clean up, dude.’ gareth retorts. 

‘fine. ten minutes max.’ thankful that he now had an excuse to depart from the conversation when he pleased. he nods over to his van and you follow as he climbs into the driver’s seat. 

it’s exactly how it looked that day you’d left him at the train station, although a red pair of panties now adorned the floor. you shake your head, almost letting out a giggle. 

‘i’ve been trying to call-’

‘i wasn’t home.’ 

you nod, biting the insides of your cheeks. good god, you’d pictured how this situation would play out but had never expected such hostility from him. 

‘yeah i gathered... i just.. i wanted to apologise, for leaving so suddenly... and for not.. i guess for not telling you what was going on.’ you brave a look over to him, he’s playing with the rings on his finger, you notice the tacky skull ring you’d bought him as a joke from some tourist shop on one of the tour stops, was still on his ring finger. 

‘okay? does that make you feel better? i’ve accepted your apology, you can run along back to harrington now.’ 

‘can you just speak to me, properly? i’m not here to make myself feel better.. eddie i just want to explain myself to you. i know i’ve been a shitty friend. this summer.. i was confused and you got caught up in the middle of it all..’ you trail off, exasperated. it didn’t matter what you said, he was never going to listen to you. 

his eyes are focused on the building in front of his van. begging for gareth to come back out and tell him that he needs to go and help now. he swallows, choosing to deflect, it was surely much easier than being truthful with you.

‘you just left. and then i didn’t hear from you again, i wouldn’t have even known you were back if wayne didn’t tell me he’d seen you with steve.’

you shake your head, your teeth clawing at the inside of your cheeks, surely you were drawing blood. 

‘we weren’t together, you were never mine, so don’t think you needed to come in here apologising for fucking cheating or whatever.’ he says it with spite, even though it was true, you weren’t his, so why did you feel so guilty?

‘that’s not- that’s not what this is. we weren’t together but i liked you, and i thought you’d liked me t-’

‘we were friends, and we were fucking. sure i liked you, it was a great month or whatever but it’s over, so what.’ he shrugs, you know this is eddies way at building up a wall, he’d been doing it since he was six, his go-to coping mechanism.

‘you and i both know that isn’t it, and you can lie to me and say you don’t care but why are you running away from me if it’s that simple?’ 

‘i was just returning the favour, sweetheart.’ he glances at you, he’d seen you leaving the party with steve that night, the first time in a month he’d seen you in the flash. unbeknownst to you, he’d kept the polaroid of you at the beach in his wallet, stealing glimpses when his mind went back to you.

‘jesus christ, i literally walked in on some girl sucking your dick. what? did you expect me to stand around and watch?’ you straighten up in your seat, your torso fully twisted towards him. suddenly doubting why you ever thought this was going to be a good idea. 

he scoffs, ‘so that’s why you ran from the whole party? why you and stevie made a quick getaway? i saw your car pulling off pretty fast.’ 

‘i’m not the one pretending i’m not bothered! i didn’t want to speak to you at a party after seeing your dick in someone’s mouth! big deal! i came here on my own tonight, to speak to you, so we can fix this, or whatever it is we need to do.’ your body slinks back down into your seat, this is pointless. you should have known better than to expect anything more than sarcastic responses from him. 

‘there’s nothing to fix, y/n. we can still be friends if that’s what you want and hey, if harrington gets bored of you again you know where to come.’ 

you shake your head, tears spilling out onto your already warm cheeks. ‘i cannot believe you just said that..’ 

he looks down, tasting the poison that had just left his tongue. ‘are we done here? got what you needed?’ 

‘you’re unbelievable.’ your fingers struggle to find the door handle with how much they were shaking. as you grasp the plastic, you can only manage a feeble, 

‘fuck you eddie.’ 

his passenger door closes with a slam, eddies body deflating on the seat, his eyes following you in the rear-view mirror, not knowing that those would be the last words you would ever speak to him. 

-

and with that, you never spoke to eddie munson again. sure, you saw him around town a few times, his music career was bigger than ever and you were genuinely pleased for him, knowing how much he wanted and willed for this. but, there was no other route for your friendship to go down, he’d chosen this path and you made sure that he got what he wanted.

deep down eddie knew he had ruined any chances at a friendship with you but it was easier for him to defend himself with cruel words than to attempt to explain his feelings for you. he’d seen you around with steve, always looking so authentically happy and that crushed him more than he could ever imagine. 

[redfish-blu]

People asked to drop the Danger Days tl from my last post so I’ll do that.

*Disclaimer: Not canon at all this is just my personal idea and take on like. How all that happened. Based on what they said in the videos and comics sort of.

*Disclaimer 2: I have not read National Anthem and I don’t care if this doesn’t line up with that.

Zones Timeline

1947:

- Cold War begins.

1987: Dr. D is born (hey legend).

1991:

- Cold War does not end.

1996:

- 1st Helium War starts.

- NATO and the Warsaw countries exchange declarations of war.

- Most of Eastern Europe is destroyed first, followed by the Middle East. Russia remains intact, as do a few Western European countries. Not including Great Britain or Germany.

- Other countries fall into isolation in fear of being the next targets of war, and either disappear into themselves or join pacts with one another. Some disperse entirely.

1997:

- America dissolves into civil unrest after attacks on the mainland result in various important political figures’ deaths.

- A number of American states cede from the nation and become The Confederacy of California, as per their secession being definitely illegal, and they take the states of California, Nevada, Arizona, and Wyoming.

- Utah, Colorado, New Mexico, and Texas are disputed.

- The rest of the states are assimilated into The Federal Republic of The United States, however they are in constant political battles between themselves because now everyone either wants out of the nation or they want control of it.

1997-98:

- Technology stagnates, but still advances. Just nowhere near as fast as it did in our lives.

1998:

- 1st Helium War ends.

- Cherri Cola is born.

- Tensions between the COC and the FRUS are high strung but not hostile.

- This is generally considered peacetime, if peacetime can be defined as you and the person you just fist fought in the bathroom being forced to sit next to one another in the principal’s office. Alone.

- A company specializing in chemistry and weapons manufacturing under the name of “Better Tech” rises in the COC and the FRUS.

2000:

- 2nd Helium War starts.

- Jet Star is born.

- War is declared on the FRUS by the COC, and various military campaigns take place in the disputed states.

- Better Tech supplies resources to both sides in a kind of double entendre situation where neither side knows they’re actually being played.

2001:

- Party Poison is born.

2006:

- Kobra Kid is born.

- Fun Ghoul is born.

- Helium Wars end when a series of nuclear bombs are dropped around the Rocky Mountains.

- The FRUS is never heard from again, and radio/electronic communication is disrupted by damage to the earth’s electromagnetic field.

- Better Tech rebrands themselves to Better Living Industries and gain influence over the COC government with the aim of salvaging the country and fixing the physical damage done by the war as well as the mental trauma of the citizens.

2010:

- BLi attempt to take control of Latin America but are flushed out by rebellion, and Mexico’s border is closed.

- Canada follows suit soon after, and America is officially cut off. Trapping everyone who remains there within the country (legally).

2012:

- Pig Bombs drop, eliminating Texas and New Mexico, whose governments were still kind of functioning independently after Helium 2 and building resistance against the COC.

- Fires of 2012 destroy Phoenix but leave Las Vegas intact. All remaining military units are pulled to Los Angeles.

- This is where BLi’s intense propaganda machine starts working to cover up all the crap they do. Working in tandem with how technologically challenged most people are at that point.

- BLi take what’s left of the lower 48 and establish Battery City as the new capital of America. Their borders define the nation as California, Oregon, Nevada, Utah, and Arizona.

- However, BLi becomes notoriously bad at maintaining and “cleansing” their proclaimed territories; and most of the area outside of Zone 3 sees little to no substantial BLi presence at all.

- Dr. Death Defying makes his first radio broadcast as a rebel.

2013:

- Analog Wars begin.

- Battle of Utah takes place wherein Salt Lake City is destroyed in a series of Killjoy v. BLi battles.

- Destroya was used for its first and only time during this battle, and was abandoned in Zone 3 during BLi’s retreat.

2015:

- Analog Wars pause after significant damages to both sides prompt an unofficial ceasefire, giving way to a long period of relative inactivity.

- BLi uses this time to build its presence in everyday life, establish the Zones, and advance it’s scientific research and development.

2028:

- The Girl is born.

- Girl’s mom is Drac’d

2029:

- The Girl is found by Killjoys.

- Analog Wars start up again when her existence is uncovered.

2029-35:

- These years see the most one on one fighting between kj factions and BLi since the Analog Wars first started.

- Generally remembered as a sort of Zones Renaissance due to the re-popularization of art, media, and philosophy within the killjoy community.

- Who had fractured off in the years after the armistice and became very detached from one another rather than a collective movement.

2035:

- The Killjoys die.

- Analog Wars officially end.

2036-47:

- The schools of thought built up during the renaissance period fade into the background once again as their figureheads either die off or become irrelevant.

- This is the era in which the Val Velocity era of killjoys grow up in. They were all born well after the Helium and Analog wars began and ended, so they have little to no connection to the values or customs of pre-war life.

- Its very Lost Generation-y in that everyone just kind of wants to party and forget about how their lives suck underneath all the glitter.

2047:

- California Comics events.

- Cherri Cola dies.

- Dr. D dies (rip legend).

- BLi is destroyed.

[lampthehealthminister]

An Aventurine-centric analysis of the 2.1 Trailblaze Quest - Part 2

This is so late I’m sorry :( Life has been keeping me busy and I just didn’t have the time to look over this one last time and post it. I focused only a small part this time because nothing else interested me in the quest. Plus, next up is All the Sad Tales, and I feel like that’s gonna take a massive amount of time… It’s probably gonna be divided in two parts! Anyway, enjoy my rambling!

Warning : Spoilers for Honkai Star Rail’s 2.1 Trailblaze Quest “Cat Among Pigeons” (still putting it here just in case)

Part 2 : Heaven is a Place on Earth

Memory

Indifferent Male: So, No. 35, you're back. Like your new lucky charm?

Aventurine: ...Can a "commodity code" really be considered a lucky charm?

→ I don’t actually have much to say about these lines, except that I searched the meaning or symbolism of the number 35 and I found none. The number 34 is more interesting, but I’ll talk about it later ! (See line 3)

→ Other than that, the whole dialogue talks a lot about luck, and there’s definitely something ironic about Aventurine’s master referring to his (Aventurine) mark as a lucky charm in these lines. It’s obviously mocking, a way to taunt Aventurine for being someone’s property even though he’s naturally lucky. Also, it’s another way to tell him that his luck is meant to be used, specifically for or by someone else. There’s basically a double layer to the way Aventurine’s master strips him of his identity and freedom. Also, with the link made between the commodity code and Aventurine’s luck, the latter appears as something oppressive, that binds Aventurine to a certain path. His luck is not shown in a positive light but as something that brings him trouble, exactly the way he sees it in the present.

2. Indifferent Male: The guys in black didn't say much, so I've no idea what you did to save your skin in that massacre back in the day.

Indifferent Male: But I figured you must have had good luck, so I bought you. From now on, you and your good luck are MY assets. Are we clear?

→ Nothing much to say here, except that it’s once again so ironic that the IPC, who said they would protect the Avgins, ended up selling Aventurine to this guy. And the fact that Aventurine ends up being forced to join the IPC in the end makes it even more twisted, it shows he’s always just been the property of the IPC all along, even if he was in the hands of someone else.

→ Also, Aventurine’s luck is again shown as something detrimental to him, the reason he was bought by this guy in the first place, so by extension the reason he became a slave. Throughout the whole memory, we’re really shown that Aventurine’s luck has never been an asset for him, even though the Avgins considered it a blessing.

3. Indifferent Male: Your first task is simple. In addition to you, I've purchased thirty... well, thirty-four other slaves.

Indifferent Male: Go and play a "game" with them. You came [sic] out alive after two days. It proves that you are the real deal.

→ So, like I said before, the number 35 doesn’t have a meaning, but 34 does. First, in ancient Egypt, the number 34 represented the union of heaven and earth. And the name of the quest is “Heaven is a place on Earth”. However, it could easily be a coincidence. But then I kept reading, and I saw that in Sumerian culture, the number 34 was associated with divine protection and spiritual strength. So obviously, I made the link between “divine protection” and “luck”. It seems that these lines are saying that Aventurine doesn’t just prove his luck to the man who bought him by killing the 34 other slaves, but also reinforces his luck. Basically, killing people gives Aventurine more luck. Once again, Aventurine’s luck only benefits him and no one else, putting him on a pedestal while other people suffer. This time it’s even worse because he directly participates in others’ suffering in the name of his luck. He’s no longer a bystander that could do nothing, he’s straight up a murderer. So we’re once again led to believe that Aventurine’s luck is more of a curse than a blessing.

→ Also, the use of the word “game” to replace the act of killing definitely has some meaning. It gives a twisted dimension to the death of the other slaves, making them look like a form of entertainment. Also, it puts the killer, Aventurine, in the position of the victor. “Game” has a positive connotation, so Aventurine’s survival is seen as a good thing, even though he had to kill everyone else to win. This definitely affected the way he values life, but also the way he approaches games and gambles. And yes, you can definitely make a link with the “Final Victor” lightcone.

4. Indifferent Male: Hahaha, are you trying to strike a bet with me? Well, you've got some guts!

Indifferent Male: Sorry, but that won't do. Don't forget your place, slave. You're not qualified to be at the table.

Indifferent Male: You're just a chip, a life thrown away in someone else's hands. Either you come back with more chips for your master, or... you never come back.

→ In these lines, there’s more vocabulary related to gambling. But just like before, the game, the gamble, is associated with the risk of losing your life, which probably shaped Aventurine’s mentality. It’s also possible that Aventurine gambles specifically because he knows that it’s the only game in which he has control over his life. Meaning that gambling is his way of no longer belonging to anybody except himself. If his life is a chip, then it’s his own and no one else’s.

5. Indifferent Male: It's all or nothing. Don't embarrass me, my lucky hound.

→ This line caught my attention. I find it pretty interesting that Aventurine uses the sentence “all or nothing” pretty often despite the fact that he probably heard it from this guy originally. Why would he regularly use a sentence that was used against him in the first place? I think it’s for the same reason as before : it’s his way of being in control of himself. There’s no longer someone to force him to follow that mentality, he’s the one who does it because he’s his own master. By claiming that sentence as his own, he’s probably showing off his freedom, or at least it’s his way of reminding himself that he’s free to a certain extent.

→ Last thing that’s not related to any line in particular, but for some reason in this memory the name that appears on top of Aventurine’s lines is “Aventurine”, whereas in the next memory, the one with Jade, the name “Kakavasha” is written on top of his lines when he speaks. Which is just strange. This memory is the only one where “Aventurine” is written on top of his lines, all of the others say “Kakavasha”. It might just be an error, but I don’t see how they could have messed it up for only one memory. I’m thinking that it could be a way to underline how this moment shaped Aventurine’s beliefs and actions up until the present, but I’m not really sure. If anybody has suggestions, do drop them!

[writingbyshiloh]

Night Shift

AN: I want superstrength so I’m being indulgent. I actually have a part 2 in mind but it took AGES so I figured I’d drop pt 1 

CW: NO BETA (I’ll check it over later), robbery, reader has unspecific powers, but some super strength etc. Rude customer hitting on reader if I use the term FIFO it means first in first out etc very big in food service (IDK which one of y’all sufferers in food service with me but there we go), suggestive thoughts from Reader

Word Count: 1.2K

Tag List: @tokoyamisstuff, @imonlyherebecauseofthisbandilike, @oiiilyyyy

Was being an assistant manager of a Burger Mart your life dream? Absolutely not. It was something to pay the bills while you put your energy into what you cared about. 

Did you enjoy the evening shift? Absolutely fucking not. It’s hell on earth. The store somehow makes enough to justify staying open until 11 pm but only with a skeleton crew. You, another cashier and a fry cook, no doubt stoned out of her mind.

You pull out another small wear from the soapy water, not bothering to see what it is as you rise off the soap before plunking it onto a tray. It's while you’re switching the loads in the sanitizer over someone crackles on the headset.

“Can you come to the front? Ger-Bear is here.” 

You grab your tray aggressively, scoops and spoons rattling around. “Call me Ger-Bear” (On his Burger Mart rewards account you can see his name is Gerry), is your least favourite person in the world. He has two moods and you’re not sure which you hate more. His “this is too many onions, learn how to do your job.” and “Thanks darling, your hands are so soft.” you wonder which one you’ll get today, you hate both equally. 

You plunk your tray on the counter, hopefully, your coworkers will pick up that slack. Turning to the counter, you see Ger-Bear, holding out his membership card. One of his “learn your job.” moods. 

“The usual?” you ask, putting on your best customer service voice while wanting to bash your head into the wall. He doesn’t reply just shaking his card in your face. You scan it and direct him to the counter. You unfortunately have his order memorized so you can just put it in instantly. Even if you make it right you’re sure he’ll send it back. 

“Hi. What can I get for ya?” your voice sounded fake and tired to your ears, as you greet the next customer, eyes focused on the screen. It's his voice that makes you snap your head up. His height makes you tilt your head back even further. And of course, he's fucking blue. Why would you ever have just a normal shift? 

“Hi. Can I get a box of burgers? On the house.” The smooth baritone of his voice almost causes you to miss the thinly veiled threat. As if you’re going to fight this guy over a fucking box of burger patties. You sigh while weighing your options. 

He watches you internally debate what to do, while the crew behind you isn’t paying attention. Your hands are still above the desk so he knows you can’t hit a panic button. He hopes you would hurry up though, it’s not a great look to be freshly out of jail and immediately caught again in Burger Mart. 

“Hey! This is not what I ordered.” Ger Bear shouts from the end of the bar. You’re used to his usual song and dance. Gerry is so engrossed in the onions on his burger that he’s not paying attention as he walks back to the counter to berate you for messing up something you should have known. 

He never makes it back to the counter. Instead, he bumps into a solid blue mass of flesh. You can’t help but enjoy how terrified Gerry looks as he takes a step back, argument dying on his lips. 

“Apologize. Now.” The singular twin says arms crossed to make his muscles look even better. 

You have to press your lips together to avoid grinning at Gerry as he stumbles through an apology to you and your staff, saying his burger is perfect and that he's going to give everyone 10s on the BM survey. 

“You can have whatever you want.” you tell Mauler as you both watch Gerry slink back to his seat. “Follow me.”

He raises an eyebrow but does as you ask. You give yourself a second to admire his shoulders and arms before leading him into the back room.

“Don’t you have a twin?” you ask, back resting against the deep freeze door to keep it open for him. You’re grateful for the human-sized BM jacket the store has, meaning you don’t have to share the warmth. Plus a jacket would cover up his muscles, while you watch them flex and shift looking for what they want. “Wait, are you getting this shit to use for the clone-twin thing? Is it a food source?” 

The one-mauler twin turns around from where he hunched over, sorting through the deep freeze for a box of something. Remember that Burger Mart does not pay for “hostage time”:  you decide to help him. Plus you can probably use this robbery to get your shithead manager fired. 

“Look at you, not just a pretty face.” He says, passing through the door with a box to put by the others he selected. You feel your face heat up but hopefully the cold air from the freezer will counteract it. 

“Do you have more of the deluxe patties?” he asks. He puts one arm on the outer door frame and leans against it to look down at you. If you die now, what a way to go you think. 

You duck under the doorway and his arm to bring him to the other deep freezer mostly used for storage. He's much better company than you thought he would be, but Burger Mart doesn’t pay after when your schedule says your shift ended.

You drag a breakroom chair to prop the door open. Being in the second deep freeze is tidier. Anyone working can haul things from the first deep fridge, but the second one is only for stock and few are allowed to access it, mostly you and your manager,

Cardboard boxes are arranged neatly on shelves, so you know exactly what he's looking for and where it is. Sliding your hand under the metal shelf above you lift it, allowing space for someone to grab the fresh fifoed box of patties.

It’s too heavy for a normal human to lift, the shelves full of products but you can manage it. 

“The fresh ones are at the back…” you prompt him out of his staring. “If you want to… y’know, fucking grab them.” 

You pish the shelves slightly higher to make room for his arm so he can grab what he needs. While you have some superhuman strength they’re still fucking heavy. You catch him staring as he stacks the boxes with the others.  

“You said it yourself, I’m not just a pretty face.” 

“That was scary.” Fry Cook Anna says from the passenger seat of your car. You and your staff stayed later to fill out incident reports to hopefully get time off for trauma. “But you could take him, right?” 

With your mind focused on the shit directions Anna gave you, you’re only half listening.

“With some prep, I think so. Maybe both if I have a lot of time.” you mumble. 

“What? Like warming up?” It’s Anna's questions that make you realize you mistook her words, she meant a physical fight. 

“Yeah, like that.” You lie, hoping she's too high to remember any of it.

[smok3r7]

Is Leaving Even An Option?

Joel x F!reader

Explicit, 18+

Six: Running Away // Joel’s Perspective

Main Masterlist & Series Masterlist - My Ao3

Summary: Your days have become one in the same, even with the terrifying reality of death right outside the walls of Jackson. You never thought you’d be in the situation you’ve been stuck in for seven years now, the daily abuse you endure has become an expectation. You take whatever your husband throws at you, literally and figuratively, because you’ve been trained to believe this is normal. But a new man, Joel, moves next door and happens to be friendly towards you, this causes your husband’s anger to worsen. Your mind starts a gruesome war with itself - can you leave him or do you stay until the inevitable happens?

Chapter Summary: After Joel met you, his whole life changed. Seeing all these events unfold from his perspective definitely makes the whole thing seem more real, and it somehow makes it harder for you to understand.

Word count: 6.3k

⚠️Warnings: mention of abuse from past chapters, fear of losing another loved one, quick mention of rape from past chapter (no description)

—

“Please, do not call her Mrs. Rossi,” Maria pleads.

“Why not? Isn’t that her name?” Ellie chimes from the living room behind Joel’s relaxed body.

All he does is slightly turn his head to the left and squint his eyes at Ellie to tell her to shut up, and she’s quick to shrug her shoulders as he turns back to face Maria, sorry!

“Well, yes, but… Nate, her husband, is an abusive piece of shit. She’s been with him for seven years now and for some reason,” Maria sighs as she shakes her head, “the poor girl won’t leave him. So just, please, don’t call her Mrs. Rossi.”

He nods as he takes a sip of hot coffee as he turns to Ellie once again to make sure she understands, “I’m not stupid, Joel.” He just shakes his head as he still stands in the kitchen that belongs to Tommy and Maria. Why won’t she leave if it’s that bad, floats around his head so much that he can’t help but ask Maria how bad this marriage actually was, before Maria goes down the rabbit hole of it all with him and Ellie.

—

How could someone stay married to such a vile person? It just makes no sense. After only knowing him for less than a year, she married him. I mean, what was she expecting to happen? She didn’t even know who he truly was.

What’s so special about this Nate? How did it become so bad without anyone noticing? Does Nate really hold that much power over her? Shit, clearly he does if this girl won’t leave him, even after beating her so badly she had a goddamn miscarriage.

Joel’s mind can't stop thinking about you and why on earth you would still be married to Nate, it’s simply unbelievable. And with knowing your history before Jackson, it boggles his mind even more because how can this woman who was once the most badass person, now become this weak, pushover of a woman - it just doesn’t make sense.

“She should be getting out of work soon,” Maria announces to Joel and Tommy, the three of them on the porch, watching the snow continue to fall.

“So I’m gonna have her bring you guys to the empty house next to hers, and look, I’m not saying you have to date her, but she needs a change in her life. So just maybe feel it out?”

“Maria, really?” Tommy starts with a laugh but it’s quickly turned into a cough when she looks at him.

“Yes, dear, she needs something more and I really think your brother and Ellie could give that to her!”

“Okay, look,” Joel interrupts, “I’ll give her a chance but if I get any vibe that she’s not digging for more, I’m leaving it at that. I’m not looking for a project.”

Maria nods, fair enough, thank you, and Joel gives a small nod back as he turns back to the snow again, the way the lanterns light up the snow covered street gives Joel a sense of security and hope. Maybe I can have a real life again, just maybe.

—

Wow.

That’s all that Joel’s brain can even begin to fathom about as he watches you walk up to the front porch with Maria where he and Tommy are.

Your beautiful facial features are what initially pull him into you, the way your eyes and nose move with emotion as you listen to Maria and how your nose scrunches and sniffs from the cold winter air is all just icing on the cake.

You haven’t even looked at him the whole time you’ve been chatting with Maria, but he guesses that's what happens after so many years of being abused when you do look at another man - even if it's just to meet someone new or become friends.

He quickly pushes those thoughts away for another time when he hears Maria introduce him to you and then you finally look at him. Joel watches how your breath catches in your chest, and he does the same but he’s a lot better at hiding it than you are.

Joel then reaches his worn hand out to meet your soft one, making sure to not scare you, to be gentle with you. “Nice to meet you darlin’” Falls from his lips with such ease, and he doesn’t even think about it, the whole world coming to a sudden stop as Joel stares at your beauty.

Your eyes shimmer from the the orange porch light that also illuminates your well-aged face, your subtle smile on the corner of your lips, the way your hair is covered in many snowflakes as they slowly melt into it, and all of this combined has Joel wanting to know more about you and how you ended up with Nate. If this is what you looked like after almost a decade of abuse, how gorgeous could you look out of it?

“Yeah, I can definitely do that,” You say smoothly as you continue to stare at Joel. He can’t help but smirk as he says, “Thank you darlin’,” with a natural wink to hint that he is somewhat interested, “gonna go grab the kid, then we can head out.”

—

Joel watches how your body goes rigid walking past your own house and the quick glance you give the mossy colored home. He notices the light through the sheer curtains of what he can only imagine is the living room, maybe even Nate.

Passing your home the three of you reach the navy blue house with a stunning wrap around porch and a huge oak front door. Holy shit - Joel never thought this day would come again, a time where he could be free of worry about death for him and Ellie. It’s such a relief to finally feel safe for once.

His heavy feet on the cream steps causes a slight creek as he slowly walks behind you and he takes a quick glance at your ass. God damn, you fill those jeans out nicely. You take a couple more steps before you reach the huge door and put the key in, pushing the door open and sliding to the side so he and Ellie can go in.

As you turn to him and hold out your finger with the key ring on it, your soft voice rings through his ears, “Welcome home.”

“I call dibs on the shower,” Ellie then shouts as she flies past the two bodies on the porch. This girl, I swear, Joel chuckles. Now it’s just him and you out in the freezing cold weather, and he wants to get a better look at you so he takes a couple steps, ending up across from you and he leans back on the railings for support.

“Thank you, sugar,” your head picks up at the sound of his voice.

Joel notices how your body sways back and forth between both feet, your feet most likely sore, your hands behind your back causing your army green jacket to tighten, and your face showing so much interest and curiosity.

“Will I- we be seeing more of you?” He quickly changes his words, not wanting to seem too desperate. His body language becomes sheltered, one hand behind his neck and the other in his jacket pocket, and he really doesn’t want to scare you away because for the first time in decades, Joel feels like something might come out of this.

The way your body and eyes are contradicting each other with innocence and lust has Joel feeling dazed, she is gonna be the death of me. You then innocently speak, “I sure hope so.”

You’re now only inches away from him, and oh, she’s just as hooked as I am. He takes a couple slow breaths that mesh with yours oh so perfectly. How I just want to grab your face and kiss you and give you everything you deserve, his mind is flowing with all the ideas of things to do for you, how he would make you breakfast every morning, let you do what you please, and treat you with the utmost respect.

Joel’s heart and mind are fighting with each other, his heart wanting to kiss you and his mind telling him it’s way too early for anything like that, even though you have shown you’re interested.

“Goodnight, Miller.”

“Goodnight, Sugar.”

No one moves. Not you, not Joel, both him and you are stuck on the porch, only inches apart from one another. He can tell you don’t want to go home, and why would you? If the light on in the living room is any indication of Nate waiting for you to walk in, Joel knows it won’t be any good for you.

Why do you have to go there? You know you don’t want to, you know you just want to stay here. But I know you’ll never ask, and there’s no way I can ask you - it’s just, too early.

He doesn’t want to send you back over to that so-called home of yours, but if neither he or you are going to ask, he simply must let you go for the night. The exhaustion of the past couple weeks of travel and violence is finally catching up to him, all he wants is to shower and lay down - preferably with you, but he’ll take what he can get.

“Goodnight, Sugar.” He smirks.

“Goodnight, Miller.” You bite your bottom lip which grazes him gently, you tease.

—

“I’m going to bed, G’night Ellie,” Joel yells down the stairs. Night, old man, he gets back, before he shakes his head and chuckles. This teenage girl is ridiculous, but she holds a very special spot in Joel’s heart - Ellie is his other daughter, his saving grace, his purpose.

As he shuts his bedroom door for the night, he can’t stop thinking about you and what is happening next door. Why didn’t I just ask her to stay over, repeats in his mind as he stumbles over to the king size bed that’s covered with gray sheets and a comforter. He sits down with a groan, his elbows rest on his knees and his hands come up to cover his face.

The image of you standing in front of him on the porch, only a mere inch away from him is ingrained into his eyes, it simply won’t leave him alone. He pulls his hands away from his face and stands back up, and his knees pop as he does, walking towards the window that faces your home and the only sign of life is from the one light on - please be okay.

How could he just let you walk right back into the lion's den? The feeling of guilt starts to creep into his mind and heart. If anything happens to you tonight, he’s gonna feel responsible.

—

“Joel, Joel!” Ellie shouts at him and shakes him awake.

“Better be important,” he groans as he slowly sits up under the covers, rubbing his eyes and yawning.

The sound of your name falling from Ellie’s mouth shakes him, he’s immediately up from the mattress and sprints down the stairs, Ellie right on his heels blabbering about how you showed up practically naked and with bruises all over.

He’s in pure terror at the sight of you curled up and shivering on the couch, your hair drenched from the snow, your face covered in blood and your left eye bruised, god damnit. He runs over to you and sits on the coffee table that faces your trembling body, the look on your face is disheartening, he watches as you tighten your arms around your bent legs.

As his eyes make their way to yours he sees the way your expression is a scream for help. Joel can’t stand to see you like this, all he wants to do right now is storm over next door and kick the shit out of this Nate kid. Who the fuck does this to a woman you’re supposed to love and cherish?

“You’re staying here for a little bit, sugar,” He bites through his teeth, wanting to control his rage in front of you.

He watches as you finally let it all go, as you start to blabber some sort of, thank you, caught between your sobs. Joel is quick to jump up and sit next to your shaking body, instinctively pulling you into his lap and starting to rock you as you continue to cry.

I knew not to send her over there, why didn’t I just invite her in? Poor girl, she doesn’t deserve this at all, not in the slightest. God, I could just go over there and kill that son of a bitch. How has no one done anything to help her? She’s so scared and weak, how is she still alive?

About twenty minutes have gone by, and your weeping has stopped but Joel watches your face as singular tears still roll down your cheek down to your neck. Joel can’t stop wanting to know what really happened tonight, and he needs you to say something, anything. Still staring at your figure in his arms, your head laying on his chest as it rises and falls in the rhythm of his, he asks what has been on his mind.

A moment goes by of silence, which Joel was expecting and completely understood - you clearly went through something incredibly traumatic tonight, enough for you to come over to Joel’s, to this man who is practically a stranger, and that alone says something.

He observes as you lift your face to look at him and you both stare into each other's eyes. His are soft and yours are sharp - should be the other way around. Joel feels this tear in his chest at the sight of you broken down to complete helplessness. I could’ve prevented this.

You hesitantly sit yourself up, still in Joel’s lap as he softly wraps his arms around your now sturdy body, just wanting to make you feel safe and comfortable. Okay, um, you start slowly telling him what happened and Joel just listens with intent - he needs to know how you ended up looking like this.

He can’t believe what he is hearing right now, she hid in her bathroom for three fucking hours? He ripped her hair, enough for pieces to be missing, gave her a black eye and bruised her whole body, old and new ones.

What a pig, a sad pathetic waste of a human life.

You’re hysterical by this point, hands flying as your voice continues to rise as you finish your dreadful story, but there’s one more thing you tell him that causes Joel to freeze.

“And I wouldn’t have been raped either.”

It causes this static sound to ring in his ears, the tears that have been begging to flow from his eyes finally roll down his cheek and disappear into his facial hair. Neither Joel or you have broken eye contact, and his eyes can speak more than his own voice can, he’s stunned into silence. I’m gonna kill him.

The sudden feeling of your soft hand on his cheek, as your thumb wipes away the trail of wetness from his tears, brings him back to the beautiful woman sitting in his lap. This woman that he feels he can help bring back to the old her, and that’s exactly what he’s gonna do.

—

Another round of the four seasons come and go. Joel and Ellie have insisted that you move in with them, both of them pleased when you accepted their offer. Joel especially, who never wanted you to step foot back into the hell you came from, even if Nate wasn’t there much - he knew that it held too many memories.

Over the last couple months, Joel and you decided to have a designated game night every Friday with Ellie, Tommy, and Maria. They would bring the food and Joel would supply the game for the evening, which usually ended up being some sort of card game.

“John Travolta’s right hand… Okayyyy,” Ellie drags out as she turns her head to look at Joel with a questionable look. Of course she doesn’t know who John Travolta is, he thinks as he takes a sip of his whiskey. When he sets it down and listens to Ellie continue, he looks over to you and sees you trying to hide your smile. That beautiful smile that makes Joel feel warm and bubbly inside, like a teenager on a first date.

Well it’s gotta be hers, he laughs to himself, you definitely do not have the best poker face, especially with some wine in you. Joel finds it cute when you get all ditzy after a couple drinks, it makes him feel warm because he knows how you weren’t allowed to drink with Nate, so the fact that you do here shows just how comfortable you really are.

“Having no legs, just toes,” Ellie reads, which is followed by you and Ellie bursting into laughter, both of you hitting the table and crying from reading the silly little white card, and Joel starts to laugh at you. She’s perfect.

“That’s the winner!”

“I win!” You shout as you raise your hands in the air and wave them around, and Joel watches as you finally act how you want to, not being scared to do so, there’s that girl Maria was talking about. He’s in complete awe of you and the confidence that has grown so much in the last year - shit, even the last couple months. It’s like you’re a new person, but still the same as before, you've just adapted your older personality with your newer one.

But just imagine a T-Rex with its baby arms and instead of legs, it just has toes, comes from Ellie as she does the baby arms impersonation and the whole table starts loudly laughing. Joel can’t help but smile, Ellie can finally have her teenage years back a little bit, more normal than out beyond the walls.

The conversation has changed, and Joel ends up blocking it out because he can’t stop thinking about the sight of you feeling free. The couple glasses of whiskey have made him feel like tonight could be the night, the night that the months of small flirting can come to an end and can turn into something else, just maybe.

It’s now or never, he thinks and he carefully sets his hand on your bare thigh and gives a soft squeeze. God, I just want to devour her. His eyes glance over to you and he pays close attention to how your body reacts to his new touch, and it pleases him to see the effect he has on you.

The way your chest rises and lowers, your eyes darting to his hand and back to him, the slow smile that grows on your face, then your hand laying on top of his with a gentle squeeze back. Yes, ma’am. A minute goes by of Joel not paying any attention to Maria’s complaining, all his focus on you and only you. He observes, discreetly of course, how you are slowly unwinding, moving close to your breaking point of just going upstairs. I gotta get rid of em’.

—

“Gotta say, darlin’,” Joel says as he slides his jeans off and moves to the head of the bed, “I like you in charge.” And he honestly does, it’s such a difference from your natural attitude that this has Joel attracted to you in a whole new way.

Joel is starstruck at your appearance, the way the green flannel hangs open showing off your sexy black lace bra that fits you perfectly, and he can’t take his eyes off of you. Your movements have Joel in a trance. When you straddle him, his hands almost have a mind of their own, the way they find their spot on your ass and they start to knead your soft skin.

All he wants to do is take care of you, by any means necessary, even if that means only you get the attention and love tonight - that’s perfectly okay with him. You honestly need this more than he does, and he knows that, so all his energy goes to pleasing you and only you. Joel has no problem with not getting anything in return, all he wants is for you to feel good, and honestly, he loves that you feel comfortable enough to be the dominant one. He’s gonna let you do what you want.

He loves watching how your face contorts from the pleasure his fingers give you, the way your hips roll with the rhythm of him. The little noises that escape your mouth have him in shambles, the way your hands snag his hair and it forces him to look at you while you kiss him - he loves it all.

“Let it all go, pretty girl,” Joel coos as you ride out your orgasm that has left you speechless, breathless, he watches how your body freezes and the broken moans roll out of your mouth into his. This is exactly what Joel wanted you to experience tonight - pure ecstasy.

—

The next morning, Joel gets up early and decides he’s gonna make you breakfast, that this is gonna become the new normal for you. He wanted you to have the best treatment here that you could possibly have. He finds some pancake mix and decides, why not, alongside some fresh fruit from your garden next door that you still attend.

“Ellie, can you grab the strawberries please? I’m gonna go grab her,” Joel asks as he exits the kitchen and heads towards the stairs. I really hope she enjoys this, he thinks to himself, and he really wants you to give this a chance because he knows that he’s not the only one who feels the connection the two of you have.

He softly knocks on the door so he doesn’t startle you, but when he doesn’t receive a response, he turns the silver handle. “Darlin’?” He asks to the empty bedroom, must be in the bathroom.

“Bathroom!” You respond quickly, but there’s a hint of something in your voice, something different.

He asks if everything is okay and the way you respond has him thinking you’re scared, or that there’s something you need or want to discuss, but he decides not to push it. He knows that you have your limits, and just by your voice alone, he can tell this is one of those times, so he dismisses himself and tells you that breakfast is ready.

“Hey,” Joel says to Ellie who’s at the dining room table eating her pancakes already, “have you talked to her at all today?”

“No, she’s been upstairs all morning,” she takes a sip of her orange juice, “why?”

“Okay, um- she just seems,” he waits a beat as he sits next to her, “something seems off.”

“Well, we’ll just have to wait and see.”

Joel nods as he picks up his fork and tabs a piece of cut up pancake, and takes a bite just thinking of what possibly could be wrong. What happened?

After about five minutes, you finally come down the steps, and he can tell you’re trying to be quiet, almost mouse-like, but why? You don’t have to be scared here, you’re safe, Joel made sure you knew that and never thought any different. However, that doesn’t seem to be the case right now.

“Hi darlin’,” he chirps as you sit down across from him, “I’ll make you plate real quick.” And all you do is give a weak smile and thank you, and he’s sure that something is definitely wrong. You’re usually quick to say you can do it yourself or you just do it, and as Joel makes your plate and walks back, he looks at Ellie and she mouths, “I see what you’re talking about.”

The whole ten minutes you sit there, Joel and Ellie are trying anything to get you engaged in some sort of conversation, even if it’s stupid. But, nothing works, you just pick and pick at your plate, eating only a handful of bites. What the hell is going on?

Suddenly, you stand up and walk over to the sink but instead of setting your dishes in the sink, you just drop them next to it on the counter. “I’m heading next door to grab a couple things, and then I’m heading to the stables,” you coldly announce and continue to walk to the front door, grabbing your bow and arrow as you swing open the door and shut it behind you.

Joel’s at a loss for words - he can’t believe what he just saw. He thought the two of you had a really good time last night. Like, really good. Joel cannot recall anything negative from last night, game night went great, you two finally got past the flirting game that’s been going on - and oh, that’s it. It finally clicks, you’re not used to getting the attention during sex, sweet thing.

“What did you do, dummy?” Ellie breaks his train of thought from last night. He’s quick to turn his head back to her and just tells her, “Nothing, it all went great last night.” Ellie doesn’t need to know everything that went down between you and him, just not her business, he’ll just play it off as something else.

“Well,” she continues as she takes a bite of pancakes, “If I were you, I would head over there and try to talk to her. But y’know, that’s just me.”

Yeah yeah, Joel responds, like I wasn’t gonna do that anyways, he is almost frozen to his chair, he just can’t believe what events have unfolded right in front of his damn eyes. Why doesn’t she just talk to me?

“So, like, are you gonna go or what?” Ellie reminds him as she pushes his shoulder talking him out of the trance he was in. “Oh, shit,” he stands up, “Yeah, stay here. I’ll be back.” Joel is out the front door in a matter of seconds, heading to your old home you haven’t stepped foot in for months.

As he climbs your steps and reaches the door, he looks in the small window of the front door and he can see the lights on as well as the edge of the hallway closet door. There you are, he then brings his right hand to the door and starts to knock furiously because he has no idea what you’re doing over here, you haven’t been here in forever.

No answer.

God damnit, baby, he starts knocking again because he wants, he needs, to talk to you or at least, listen to what you have to say. Because he really cares and wants to know what is going on in that brain of yours, he wants to help you. With no answer coming from the other side of the door, Joel calls your name, followed by a weak, “I just wanna talk.”

His forehead falls to the window pane with utter defeat, why does she have to do this, she can just talk to me, she should know that by now.

After about three more rounds of knocking and calling out for you, Joel gives up, and he’s not sure what to do anymore. When you want to come back out, he will be right there to listen and hold you, he will be here for you whenever - Joel does not care how long either.

When Joel reaches the sidewalk covered in golden brown leaves, he thinks back to the last thing you said to him, I’m heading next door, then I’m going to the stables. That’s right, the stables, and Joel takes off running down Spruce St. towards them.

Joel passes Tipsy Bison and a couple guys yell out, “If you’re looking for the old lady,” that was your new nickname since people of Jackson knew you weren’t with Nate anymore, “She was talking to Vince about heading out!”

Joel stops his running and takes a couple seconds to catch his breath, “Are you serious?”

They group of men all nod their heads and Joel cannot believe what he just heard, no fucking way, she did not do that, he mumbles to himself. He says a quick thank you to the group and springs towards the stables because he really doesn't think that you left the safety of Jackson.

He notices how the padlock is still on the front doors of the barn, he quickly remembers the fenced area isn’t locked, so he runs back there and jumps over the little fence. When he goes into the stables and scans the barn for Dougie, he sees all the horses, except Dougie. No, no, no, no, he says to himself as he starts to panic.

She did not leave Jackson, no way. That’s just not possible, why would she do that? How could Vince just let her leave all by herself?

The same questions loop around in Joel’s head like a rollercoaster, and he just can’t seem to understand it all, everything seemed to be moving along smoothly last night, until this morning.

The next person to talk to was Vince. How could he let her leave alone? Bounces in his head as he leaves the stables and then hurries towards the front gate, this way he can actually see if you left or not. He scales the small fence and heads towards the big gate that lets people leave and enter Jackson.

As Joel takes a chance to catch his breath, he spots Vince as he takes the last step off the ladder to the top of the gate, there he is. Joel then yells out Vince’s name to grab his attention, as Vince notices Joel and the amount of distress he’s under, his face drops.

“What’s up, Joel?”

“Did she leave?”

As soon as the question leaves Joel’s mouth, Vince knows that something is up.

“Um, like, almost fifteen, twenty minutes ago,” Vince starts but Joel is quick to grab him by his collar and pins him up against the metal gate, causing his feet to dangle off the ground.

“And you just let her leave by herself?” Joel basically spits into this man's face.

“Sh- she told me that Tommy okay-ed it and that you were gonna be right behind her!” Vince rambles as he tries to plant his feet onto stable ground. However, Joel is so enraged that he isn’t thinking clearly, and although his conscience knows that Vince is innocent, his subconscious is not so generous.

Joel’s mind and emotions end up on autopilot. He wants to hurt anyone who he feels is responsible for you leaving Jackson. If Tommy didn’t yell out to him, Joel would surely have killed Vince right then.

Joel lets go of Vince’s collar instantly, and Tommy is quick to step between the two of them to stop whatever violence was about to unfold.

“Woah, woah,” Tommy questions as he stares at Joel, “what is going on?”

Joel can barely think, so many thoughts and questions are crowding his head, and he can’t think straight at all, not with you out there with no one. He knows you can take care of yourself, but it doesn’t hurt to have backup out there. That’s just the truth, and even Joel knows it and admits that.

—

It’s been just under a month of Joel searching for you, or any sign of you. He left Jackson that same day to find you. Joel was not going to give up on you, he knows way too much and cares too much about you, for you to just slip away without any explanation.

He has searched almost everywhere, traveling as much as a couple miles outside the radius of Jackson, but he’s had no luck. Until one day, when he finds the Motel 6 you and Tommy had talked about. Joel had a hunch that you would’ve gone somewhere familiar to you. As he searches the motel rooms, he finds about a dozen dead infected. This has got to be her.

It’s almost pitch black when he reaches the Motel, so he decides to stay in one of the rooms for the night and then pick right back up tomorrow. He doesn’t need to run into raiders or be infected this late in the night - that would just be stupid, he knows better than to do that.

Please, please, please be safe. I know you can hold your own, but please don’t be absolutely fearless. I just want to find you and help you, I just want to help you baby. He repeats to himself over and over until falls into a restless sleep.

The next morning, Joel is right back on his horse and continues East. He’s gotta run into you sometime, right? He ends up running into a group of raiders a couple miles past the Motel 6, a group of five middle-aged men who see Joel as a threat and not a friend.

However, Joel is not bitch. He takes care of the whole group without getting a single scratch or bullet wound, feeling oddly proud of himself for still being able to hold his own. But the feeling of victory is quickly washed away when Joel thinks of you, did you end up getting caught by this group, or even another one.

Joel’s mind is constantly on alert - he hasn’t had this much adrenaline running through his blood since before Jackson. It’s how he felt with Ellie; I have to protect her, she’s under my watch, I can’t just let her slip away from my grasp, she’s my reason to live.

The sun has started to set, the sky is a beautiful mixture of pink and orange, it meshes so beautifully it’s almost unbelievable. The different colors of oranges and reds sway on the trees with the wind as it softly blows, and it causes a chill to run down Joel’s spine.

“Just a little bit further, Rose,” he whispers and pats the side of his beautiful horse, knowing that he’ll have to stop some time soon since the sun is setting. Darkness is not the time to wander around in the nothings of the woods - it’s just not a smart move - but he knows that he has about an hour before the sky turns to pitch black.

She can’t be that far, right? It hasn’t been that long that she's been gone, there’s no way she would just leave Jackson like that. It’s the safest place to be in times like this, there’s no dictatorship and it’s peaceful, really peaceful. Why would she just pick up and leave like that?

About twenty minutes go by before he spots a small cabin about a couple blocks away. Please be there, he mumbles to himself. He softly kicks the side of Rose and she hurries her stride more than before, this has got to be it. Joel’s mind is racing, he’s pleading that you’re at this abandoned cabin. It would make sense, and he has a gut feeling that you wouldn’t up and leave Jackson completely.

When he gets about thirty feet away from the cabin, he sees a female with a bow and arrow pointing directly at him. The way the woman is standing he immediately knows who this is. I finally found her.

Joel jumps off Rose and starts to sprint towards you. He can’t help it, he finally found the love of his life, and he was never going to let you go ever again. He watches as you realize who you’re looking at and your bow drops to the ground, along with your arrow. She knows it’s me.

As he steps foot onto the porch and scoops you up into his arms and spins you around, a mixture of loving words spill out of his mouth.

“My pretty, sweet girl, I thought I lost you forever. What are you doing all the way out here?”

“I’m so sorry,” falls from your mouth over and over, and Joel can’t help but feel sorry for you. The fact that you felt the need to run all the way out here, all so you could simply just get away, was terrifying for Joel to think about. Because why, for the love of god, did you feel better running away than running to Joel for help?

What Joel takes away from this is that, although he knows that some things are more difficult and sensitive for you to work through, he also feels that you need to tell him about these things, instead of just running away.

Tags: @evyiione @oscarissac2099 @southernbe @pedrosfanny @orcasoul