#there is one month out of the year where we are numerically a year apart and that's normal. and then i hit my bday and it's 🤨 again

[wizardnuke]

speaking of age gaps do you think people are going to continue to be strange to me now that im 22 and he's 20 and the first number matches now. do you think people are still gonna make faces about it

[cinhomi]

𝐀𝐅𝐓𝐄𝐑 𝐃𝐀𝐑𝐊

𝐩𝐚𝐢𝐫𝐢𝐧𝐠: boyfriend's best friend Hwang Hyunjin x fem reader

𝐬𝐲𝐧𝐨𝐩𝐬𝐢𝐬: you should've left your boyfriend sooner considering the man of your dreams, his best friend, has always been there for you... but the faithful event you were hoping for finally occurs and you find yourself at his house, in his arms, in his bed.

𝐠𝐞𝐧𝐫𝐞: angst?, smut, fluff, aquaintances to lovers

𝐰𝐚𝐫𝐧𝐢𝐧𝐠𝐬: cheating (but not really, you'll see), reader is in a toxic relationship, explicit descriptions of sexual acts, unprotected sex (it's sexy but use protection babes), fingering, pretty vanilla.

𝐰𝐨𝐫𝐝 𝐜𝐨𝐮𝐧𝐭: 6.4K

I have a thing for sex while it rains, it seems... and like this I post something after months. I'll work this storyline in the future too for Hyunjin, but for now, enjoy!

It's strange how sometimes we believe to be in the right place to later find out we were living in a lie, a product of our fervid imagination, just to not accept reality and the fact that life, or even our past self, played a good and structured not-so-funny prank on us.

These lies we tell ourselves most of the time are a response to our awful experiences, but they can become harmful in numerous types of ways, and we should learn that instead of letting us be tempted by sweet beliefs. When we find ourselves facing reality it's hard to accept it, it's ugly, but ugly things are part of life and we should try and accept them nonetheless, they may reveal themselves as lessons or the best things that happened to us, with various meanings to that.

What pisses people off the most is the "waste of time". And that's how you feel too, like the rest of humankind, angry because you wasted time. You would very gladly prefer to be in the denial stage of the whole thing but it's so evident that you can't even pretend to be doubtful, to question what you saw, to give him a chance to explain himself.

The car is still cold even if you already reached the destination that popped in your mind right after what happened, salty tears adorning your eyes as they cross your freezing cheeks, collecting under your chin, falling on your scarf. The same damn scarf he gifted you after your first two weeks of dating, the one you didn't even like at all, the color you hated, a dull pattern over it… the urge to pull down the car window and throw it outside in the middle of the parking lot soon becomes reality. Wind starts to rise a bit, and you see it dance on the wet concrete for a while before a car passes over it and plasters it on the ground.

Ironic, right? You feel a bit bad after the impulsive gesture, but he didn't hesitate to make you feel the same, so, "screw it".

You shouldn't even be here. You should go to your own best friend, sitting on her way too low couch with its broken springs and cry your eyes out as she yells at you her usual "I told you so!" and "You're an idiot, I knew it from the start!" even if what you really need is comfort, and not to be scolded like a twelve years old while she offers you chocolates and tissues like in some chiché romcom.

That's why Hyunjin's place is just few meters and five floors away from you now. You're actually hesitant to get out the car but when you see your boyfriend's text appear on your screen, asking where are you, it's suddenly not so difficult to take your things and rush to take the elevator, and when you send Hyunjin a message telling him you're in front of his apartment he's quick to open the door. He doesn't say a thing, he doesn't even dare to, he already knows.

He delicately takes your hand in his and guides you inside with a saddened smile, his eyes soft as they watch you attentively trying to search for your tears. God, he wants to kiss them all away, he never wants to see you like this ever again, but he thinks it's probably not the last time… is it? Either way, he'll do anything he can to make the redness of your eyes disappear.

"Go sit on the couch petal, relax for me, hm?" he says in a hushed tone to not provoke your impending outburst. When you're finally hugged by his cushions you feel his presence behind you, his hands going on your shoulders to free you from your heavy coat and bag that he places on his forearm. When he reaches for your scarf his fingers are suddenly met with the cold skin of your neck and a startled "oh!" escapes from him because of the unexpected touch, making you giggle. If only you knew how his heart starts beating faster whenever he hears you like this…

"Where is your scarf? You always wear it, were you in such a rush to leave it at your place?" he's now lowered near your face, breath tickling your cheek as he adjusts your jumper on your shoulders ー the stained one you only wear at home, you didn't even change, how embarrassing. He touches you like frail porcelain and little bumps start to rise on your skin where traces of his touch linger, you wish his fingerprints could bruise your skin.

"I threw it in the parking lot…" you explain, looking at him trying to not make your lips touch while doing so.

A laugh that comes from his chest slowly builds up as he lifts himself and reluctantly distances from your face to go place your belongings on the hanger at the entrance. If only he knew how your heart twists in excitement whenever you hear him like this…

Hyunjin doesn't come back to you immediately. He always makes sure you have enough time to think by yourself first, to gather your words, to decide if you want to cry or yell, and then he sits beside you and goes along with anything you've come up with. It's always been like this until today, every time you came to his place after something happened between you and his best friend, every time he had to gather your broken pieces and try to put you together again. He doesn't know he's always done that beautifully though, making a breathtaking mosaic out of you, making you so splendid and wonderful anyone could say he's your creator.

You hear a distant rustling in the kitchen, the clicking of the bottles in the fridge as he closes it with a thud, two glasses colliding it seems, and his slippers sliding on the floor, approaching you.

"You're lucky petal, I have your favorite today." he proceeds to place the glasses on the way too elegant coffee table and pour the drink with all the calmness in the world. Time with Hyunjin stops. You think that every second spent with him is never wasted.

"I like this clip, it compliments your hair color." he says suddenly, snapping you out of your trance. How could he notice such a thing?

"Really? It's the first time I wear it…" you still mumble a bit, too shaken to let your voice take its natural timbre. Hyunjin laughs again, handing you the drink and carefully sitting so as to not spill everything on his expensive carpet. His body is completely facing yours, knee against knee.

"It's not true!" Hyunjin takes a sip and giggles at your confused expression.

"You had it the first time we met, too. It was perfect with your dress and necklace. Do you really not remember? You looked beautiful…"

What Hyunjin refers to is a random saturday evening of autumn. What day it was, what you were wearing, what you did before meeting in front of the restaurant, you can't remember… but what you can vividly recall is the stinging sensation of the first cold breeze of the season on your cheeks, how crunchy multicolored leaves swirled on the sidewalk, and the city lights beginning to be turned on a bit earlier than usual. Now that you think about it, it was around this period. You remember what perfume you wore, paying attention to what type of impression you wanted to give to your boyfriend's group of friends that you were about to meet for the first time, and you even remember what mascara you decided to use.

But what remained tattooed on your bones the most are the first ten seconds of Hwang Hyunjin taking possess of your vision, because you felt incredibly sick.

If you close your eyes and concentrate you can almost feel the same emotions, when your stomach swirled like it was a washing machine, your head light, and your legs almost giving in making you trip while standing still.

You felt incredibly guilty, disgusted with yourself, disappointed, a monster. Why the hell your first thought was "he's my soulmate" and not something along the lines of "nice, my boyfriend's best friend" you still don't know. Call it destiny, call it sixth sense, you immediately tried to suppress it all.

It didn't help that Hyunjin's slender fingers delicately took your hand to kiss your knuckles with his oh, oh so beautiful lips like an ambassador of chivalry itself, his siren eyes looking up at you sweetly but confidently, making you blush like crazy ー you later blamed your flustered expression to the restaurant's excessive heating.

On top of that, your boyfriend decided to sit at your side leaving Hyunjin in front of you, so you had his ridiculously handsome face in sight for the whole night as you ate your stupid california rolls and tried to elegantly slurp your noodles ー for as much as something like that is even possible.

You talked, a lot, even if you felt your face heat up at every strangely seductive giggling sound he made together with the little bumps his shoes would land on your naked ankles, toying with your heels from time to time. You had so much in common, and after that you only felt complete when he was near you.

Your boyfriend did catch on with the new dynamic though, so unfortunately considering how jealous and a bit possessive he is, you and Hyunjin didn't see each other as often as you expected after that, but you really didn't grasp that it was because he wanted you apart at first, just a series of unfortunate coincidences.

Hyunjin parted from you with a tight hug, lingering his hands on the smaller of your back, adjusting your shawl over your coat and twirling a strand of your hair behind your ear, the moment never fully leaving your memory. He was… perfect, really just perfect, and you couldn't help but feel nauseous when you got in the car with your boyfriend to let him accompany you to your apartment, the thought of another man being more suited for you making you feel like you were cheating. You only felt relieved when you talked about all his friends during the ride and he revealed that Hyunjin is "a bit of a player, y'know, he flirts with everyone and he has those french manners, but he's always been like this." so you thought that maybe your feelings would slowly fade… but they always, always rested down the bottom of your heart, even if you pushed them away forcefully, almost violently.

No one knows you two meet up from time to time now, because one time you found yourself crying in a corner on his shouler. No one knows that you always seem happy and carefree only because you talk with Hyunjin, because he comforts you when you need it without complaining. Not that it needs to be a secret, but you both are well aware that it may result suspicious to meet with your boyfriend's best friend late at night, best friend's girlfriend from his side.

And the fact that you two always seem to attract each other like magnets, so close, with instant connection, it doesn't let thoughts stray further from the idea of something tender existing between the two of you, everyone can see it.

It's just that it's prohibited. Or, to say it better, you were too caught in your lies to even contemplate the idea of leaving your boyfriend and Hyunjin simply didn't want to betray his "friend". But when you started to message him asking for advice, when you later had long calls together, when you crumbled in his arms crying almost weekly, he wasn't so sure about having a best friend anymore.

"I… you really think I was beautiful?"

Your question comes from the heart. The mixture of the memories of that night and his proximity makes heat rise on your face, shyness visible from the automatic action of your teeth catching your bottom lip and your gaze straying from his face to linger on the glass in your hands. The bubbles of the drink fizzle on the surface and for a moment or two that's all that can be heard in the room.

"You're always beautiful, y/n. I told you many times." he says cautiously, putting down everything to wrap his hands around your wrist.

"I don't know how he doesn't make you feel like you are, I don't know why he treats you like this but, petal, you're an incredible woman," he lowers his head to look into your eyes as he tries to explain himself further, "smart and strong. He's an asshole and you should stop doing this to yourself."

Does he know? Does he know what your boyfriend did? Probably not. Hyunjin would never hurt you, he would've immediately told you. You want to make sure though, in case everything that involves Hyunjin is a lie too.

"Why are you his friend then? Why do you keep coming to our house and have dinner as we fake not knowing each other like we really do? Why do you keep on hanging out with him? If you really think he's terribleー"

"Because I want to protect you."

His reply is fast, cutting you off. His stare bores into your eyes and drinks in all of your feelings, like he can see them displayed in front of him. A few seconds of silence fill the room and you suddenly gulp down your drink until the last drop, sprinting up from your seat and escaping his intoxicating presence that's almost engulfing you.

Hyunjin doesn't say a thing. He waits, he can sense that something big happened this time and fuck if he's going to kill his "friend" after this. You were never this silent, you usually would storm inside and throw yourself on him… for as much as he dislikes seeing you like this, he's grateful for your presence, for the feel of your body against his, the trust you put into him. He doesn't do all this just to be a rebound, he already knows part of him is yours and vice versa, so he's simply waiting. Everyone considers him being a romantic man, but really, he just believes in destiny. When Hyunjin first saw you every cell in his body started to boil, goosebumps rising down his nape, the world destroyed itself and was reborn before him, it's impossible that it didn't matter at all.. That was the day he realized he didn't know what "love" meant before.

He watches your silhouette get near the big windows that face the road, little droplets of water striking them. The sound of the rain reaches your ears only when you notice the detail, and soon you see how much water is actually coming down from the sky, your scarf already soaked and dirty laying alone between various cars. You take a deep breath, thinking about your next words, a way to tell Hyunjin what happened without sounding pathetic as you concentrate on the mesmerizing foliage outside, reds and oranges and yellows decorating the city landscape.

"He accidentally left his phone at home since he rushed to his office, I don't exactly know why…" you started to explain, hands fidgeting with your rings, heavy breath obstructing your throat, "and I heard a notification so I went to check right?"

Hyunjin slowly gets up and approaches you, his warmth radiating behind you now, hands resting on your shoulders and caressing them as he listens and slowly gets closer and closer until he's hugging you.

"So, petal? What was it about? Did you find porn?" he tries to guess, but when you shake your head as a 'no' a cold chill goes through his back. Oh, oh no…

"It… it was a message, a very sexual one, coming from a saved contact, I don't even remember the name." you pout, looking down almost in shame even if you're not the responsible one. Maybe it's the shame of having a cheater as a partner.

"I opened the chat Hyunie. They've been sexting for months and from what I could grasp they even met few times…" you can feel tears start to form on your waterline again, a deep ache inside your chest rises when you finally say it out loud. One thing was to acknowledge it, another was to tell everything to the man you've secretly been in love with for a year already. What were you doing exactly all this time?

"Am I really not good enough for anyone, Hyunie? She's… she's so different from me… Am I really a disaster as he says? Why would he do that to me? I've always been a good girlfriend, I even ignored all those mean words and his being immature and the shitty sex!! I put aside my needs to make him happy thinking I was the problem!" you turn around to face him and you're met with his serious expression.

You expected to find him at least slightly surprised by your sudden show of emotions, but he's calm, he radiates calmness. Hyunjin sighs and looks in the distance behind you for a second, blinking ever so slowly, his touch traveling up to cup your cheeks and wipe your angry tears with his thumbs.

That's the final stroke, the gesture that makes you sob and bury your face in his chest to hide.

You aren't broken yet, it's almost as if Hyunjin is physically holding you together. He's trying to smooth the new sharp edges that formed around your heart to not let it be isolated, while hugging you he's working hard to let it be still approachable to receive and give love, he's trying with all he has to prevent a horrible plague that's trying to approach you.

You hold his shirt between your hands, tightly, you're afraid you'll ruin it but you can't stop, you need to ground yourself and try to be strong, but it's so hard to not let him sway you around the room, lullying you as he hushes you and lets his fingers comb your messy hair.

"Leave him."

You freeze.

Did he really say that? Hyunjin never said it out loud. He did make you understand his vision about the situation, he did suggest it with hidden phrases, but so explicitly…

"It's time to let him go, don't you think?" he presses his lips on your forehead, continuing to mumble his real feelings, "You don't need someone who mistreats you petal. You deserve better." he closes them in a kiss that leaves a mark on your soul, making you gasp.

"Hyunjin?" it takes a lot of strength to look up at him. His eyes seem less gentle, brows forming a frown that's not his usual playful one, a bit scary even. The mole under his eye is contracted and his mouth is curved in disgust, just enough for you to understand he's furious.

"Why don’t we put an end to this farce? He didn't even deserve you in the first place, you don't love him, stop doing this to yourself y/n. There's someone who's the right one, for sure…" his tone is desperate, but you want him to say it clearly. You can't help it, if it's to be sure or to satisfy a need you've been having for a while you don't know, but you want him to say it loud and clear.

You know that if he says it now everything will change and it'll be scary as fuck, but if that's a premise for a better life… maybe it's not as scary as you think, it's Hyunjin after all, the man who's looking at you in adoration.

"And what man could possibly want me at this point?" your voice is shaky and uncertain as you tease the confession out of him.

Hyunjin looks away and smiles, a bit frustrated. He wipes another tear away from your cheek and then places his hands on your waist.

"Me?" he fakes the question, smiling softly; "Be mine y/n."

Breath gets caught in your throat as he finally says it. It's wrong that you waited for it, it's wrong that your first instinct is to say yes without thinking about it.

"Hyunjin Iー"

"Ooh don't say you don't reciprocate, petal. I know you too well." he interrupts you, his hold a little tighter. Hyunjin tilts his head to the side, few strands of black raven hair following the motion and slightly covering his eyes. He's beautiful now, even more than in any other moment you've ever been with him. Hyunjin is the most beautiful man in the world and he wants you.

Your phone starts ringing. It's a strange moment to realize your ringtone is kind of cringe, cutting the tension weirdly… but you can't laugh, not right now. Both you and Hyunjin know who it is.

He's right. You should put an end to all this and start to think for yourself, about what you really want, need. This is not wrong. To love yourself isn't wrong, and Hyunjin makes you feel like the person you want to be.

"Do you want to pick up?" Hyunjin takes his hand under your chin again and directs it up to make your eyes meet his, gaze frenetic as he tries to not look at your tempting lips. Everything will depend on what you decide now. And you think quickly, under pressure, and you don't know if it's a good idea or not but you shake your head and hold him tighter, hiding again.

"Y/n, please look at me…"

The phone eventually stops ringing and silence overwhelms you when you can hear his fast heartbeat right against your ear. And it's because of you, it's for you, your heart starts to adapt to his and you almost feel pain in your chest. It's too much, too much…

Ah, that's it.

You get on your tiptoes to pull him down by his collar and make your lips crash together.

Hyunjin drags you towards him as if you kissed thousands of times before, immediately, tongue slipping into your mouth as you grant him access, making it run along yours. You hold his shoulders trying to search for your lost balance and he's quick to walk you towards his bedroom, he isn't even slightly hesitant.

The desperate sighs you two let out add into the sound of your first kiss; it's a relief, something you didn't imagine to need so badly. Hyunjin pushes you further into the room until your legs meet the mattress and you fall on it guided by him, a knee starting to press beside you as he cradles on the bed on top of you. He can't stop kissing you.

Hyunjin clumsily reaches the lamp on the nightstand to turn it on and oh, oh if this is even better than any fantasy he's ever had… seeing you panting with that flustered expression, your legs already crossing beneath him, jumper half lifted up, your hair all disheveled since you quickly reached for your clip and threw it somewhere in the room. You just look breathtaking in his eyes, even more than any other moment he's ever thought about it. He has to let you know. You didn't think he'd turn on the light but maybe you can put aside your shyness for once if it means having this type of gaze reserved to you.

Your hands try to reach his shirt to pull him out of his trance and he resumes his kissing, hands flying on your sides as they slowly, painfully slowly slide down until he's hooking your pants. Hyunjin lowers down to press chaste kisses on the little part of your cleavage that is exposed, going down to your stomach, then your belly, until he darts his tongue out to lick a stripe just above your groin, leaving a longer kiss there while he proceeds to undress you.

The way you feel embarrassed when you remember you're wearing plain, white cotton panties… but it's honestly sending him haywire. The fact that you didn't expect to end up like this, a confirmation that you didn't plan anything to happen, it's making Hyunjin even harder in his confines. You're so wet your juices dampened the fabric, making it almost transparent, and he sighs at the faint outline of your cunt now puffy and pulsing… and he still has to touch you properly.

Hyunjin is honestly the same. You can't see it but waves of excitement run over him so violently he physically trembles and his legs give in from time to time.

“I'm gonna fuck you so good you won't dare to come back to him…” it's whisperes, almost as if he's accidentally thinking out loud but it makes you clench. Hyunjin's fingers start to tease you on top of the fabric, seeing the wet patch getting larger and larger. You can't believe this part of him exists… how many things do you still have to learn about him?

Hyunjin keeps on touching you there but this time he starts flicking, snapping his fingers where you're most sensitive, the tingles that start to make you jolt are strong and they make your breath sharp.

“H-Hyunjin…” your stuttering voice slightly higher as you call for him, he rolls his eyes back.

“Hyunjin please…” you can't help but pant, wrapping your hand around his forearm to try and make him slow down. Is this what those stupid magazines talked about? That sex feels better when you do it with someone you love? So fucking true.

Hyunjin feels on cloud nine. He starts paying attention on your neck tenderly but still with open-mouthed kisses as his fingers subtly slide your panties to the side. “Yeah petal, let me hear you, let me…” his words get lost as he concentrates. Ah, it's uncomfy for him. Hyunjin lifts your legs and carelessly slides your underwear off with a hiss, his eyes closing like they've been blinded by the vision of the Virgin Mary for a second, then maniacally staring at your bare cunt, digits caressing your wet folds mere seconds before plunging into your entrance.

You can only let out a choked moan and push your head back onto his soft cushions, that smells just like him. You're completely surrounded by his presence when his scent is all around you, his fingers move smoothly to work you open and his mouth is now latched around your nipple, his forehead pushing your jumper further up. When the hell did he…

“Is it good?” his voice displaying signs of fatigue, urgency and need buried deep inside him. You know his fingers are long but God if they can reach otherworldly places. It's not the in-and-out motion but the brushing of your g-spot that makes your legs close around his sides and poke his ribcage with your knees; he doesn't mind, your tits keep him occupied enough to make him mindlessly keep going. Hyunjin decides that prefers your chest covered in love marks over any art piece he's ever seen these past years, so nothing can disturb his work in progress. Maybe the work itself.

“‘S good Hyunie, Hyun…” it's difficult to breathe, it's difficult to think straight as the bumps of his fingers touch your insides so precisely, as if you've always done this and he already knew your body by memory.

“Did his fingers ever make you feel like this? Hm?”

The question makes you sigh along with a moan. You shake your head.

“Did he ever kiss you like I do?” and Hyunjin kisses you again as the movement of his fingers fastens. His teeth catch your bottom lip and his tongue slides against yours before he sucks it, drool making it shine where you two meet; passionate and euphoric, it feels like experimenting fireworks. You follow his lips when he detaches, but he just smiles and starts pressing his thumb on your bare clit. “Tell me, petal.”

“N-no…”

Hyunjin feels it, the way you start clenching around him, hard. He almost can't move anymore. So he whispers, just above the squelching of his palm spreading your wetness.

“Wanna go to Heaven with me, y/n?”

How, how can you say no? You need Hyunjin, even more than oxygen right now, he already has you completely. Your hands hurry on the button somehow miraculously keeping his pants together, and you reach his zip and pull the fly, that struggles to slide down ー he's too full.

“Wanna try how a real man makes you feel?”

You nod almost too eagerly and he chuckles within a whiffle. Hyunjin deprives you of his fingers despite your whines of protest and spreads your juices all over his face, tongue swirling on his hand. A low groan comes out from him, his touch moving to your hips where he squeezes, plush skin bending under his grip. It's all in contrast with the look in his eyes as he stares at your face, your reactions, as if you were the most adorable thing he's ever seen.

You're so distracted that when you feel something poke your inner thigh you gasp, and can only stare… his cock springs free from his confines altogether, long, slim and leaking, underside vein pulsating under the pads of his fingers as he pumps himself few times, precum dripping on your groin. Hyunjin's eyebrows are knitted together as he grinds between your legs, his still sticky hand moving your lower body closer so that he lifts you back up to wrap his arms around you, hugging you ever so gently.

His full lips kiss your cleavage and he curses under his breath because of his choice to not take all your clothes off but there's not much time anymore. You close your fists on his shirt, the lines of the fabric changing their shape under your hold while you wait for him, subtly writhing impatiently.

“Hyun please hurry…” not once in your life you've been this desperate for a man to fuck you. It's not because of the wait, not because you're horny, it's just that it's Hyunjin.

“Say it.” his eyes are darker, but they shine with the yellow-ish light in the room. He clears your forehead by adjusting your hair away.

You know what he's doing and it's nothing different from what you did before, in the living room, so you're more than willing to satisfy his request. You try to regain a bit of composure and steady your breath before speaking up, his head twitching together with every movement of yours.

"I want you, Hyunjin. I want you, please.”

A big bright smile spreads on his face as his head drops low, in disbelief. Hyunjin didn't imagine those words would have such a strong effect on him but here he is, blushing and trying to hold back a giggle. When he looks back at you he's serious again, eyes piercing into yours.

“I'm going in, hm? I wanna hear you scream my name through it all. Is that clear petal?”

What you'd give to hear him call you petal until the end of time, he says it and it's like dripping honey, he says it and you melt. The warm pool of pleasure in your belly tightens again as you say a shaky “yes”. You're his delicate, fragile petal.

His tip rests just before your entrance for a second while he takes a deep breath, breaching you gently. It's not a big stretch but his veins are already making your eyelids flutter and your lips part. Inch by inch, Hyunjin makes sure you feel his cock going deep, concern showing on your features as he doesn't come to an halt. He does, eventually, but the time he took to do it seemed eternal. “Oh my- Hyunie-”

“Bet my dick feels better than his,” he smirks between the kisses he's leaving under your jawline, “I bet mine's longer too.”

His comments only add fuel to the fire. He's bigger, he's better, the curve of his cock lands exactly on the spot that makes you black out. As you remember that you're technically still in a relationship your phone rings again. It's a distant sound, it's in another room, covered by yours and Hyunjin's sighs and moans, but he hears it too. Hyunjin stops every movement, hips against yours as he's fully inside you. He lifts himself up just enough to check on you. You look at him too.

You don't exchange any word, there's no need to, because you both arch your lips upwards and meet mid-air for another kiss, tender but messy as he moves backwards to get a starting point to his thrusts. The ringtone eventually dies making room to the faint dripping of the rain outside.

You feel warm, squeezing his cock just right and he's sure he will never let you go, never let you change your mind.

“Pussy ‘s so tight petal, was made for me, ‘m sure,” and he starts moving with consistency, picking up a pleasant rhythm, “you're so fucking perfect.”

His necklace is cold against your skin as he keeps on holding you flush against him, as well as your rings leaving icy lines on his back when your hands slip under his shirt and hold onto his shoulder blades. Hyunjin throbs inside you, drawing loud moans out of you that someone will for sure complain about. He thrusts harder, faster, every second that passes and you can only call for his name, yours being whispered by him against your skin making you shiver.

“Waited so long, so fucking long-” a guttural sound interrupting him, “since that time at the club, wanted to make you mine.” he mumbles, words hardly making sense but you decipher them anyway and when you realize what he's talking about the confused memories of it flood your mind. You, swaying your hips in front of him, grinding your ass on his crotch following the music; Hyunjin's hands right under your breasts guiding you together with him, his breath fanning on your neck, drying your tears completely as those three drinks made your head light enough to not care about any problem you complained about minutes before. It was just you and Hyunjin, all this would've happened sooner if a series of coincidences didn't happen.

“You would've let me take you in the bathroom, isn't that right?” Hyunjin asks, not losing concentration even for a second. “I wanted to bring you here, and fuck the sadness away. Every time, y/n, I wanted to tell you to forget him and be with me.”

You feel him stretch his arm between your bodies, and you feel your swollen bud stimulated again, you both whine against each other.

“‘M with you now Hyunie, want only you, ‘m yours babe.”

He's so fast now, the snapping of his hips moving you up and down the mattress… your words affect him on a visceral level.

“I choose you, I'll leave him for you-”

“Fuck!” he's close, so, so close and your walls tightening more and more and more are making him go crazy. Little beads of sweat decorate his forehead, a caramel-like smell coming from him as the crown of his head dampens and some hair stick to his forehead.

His tip keeps abusing your sweet spot, the kiss you share is feverish, your nails dig into his skin and his hold bruises your soft one. Both your bellies contract and before you can process it you're coming, white pois pattern creating over your blinding vision. You say his name out loud, dragging it together with your last moan as the hardest orgasm ever washes over you. Hyunjin pulls out just in time, copious white ropes of cum landing on your stomach like dripping art. Hyunjin loses track of space and time for a few moments as he comes down from his high, then takes you close to him when he lays next to you. Your heavy breath fills every other sound in your ears as you get comfortable hiding in his muscular chest. Your body spasms, all energy left your body already and your chest rises and falls frantically.

Hyunjin caresses your cheek and kisses your hair. It's peaceful. You just had sex with your boyfriend's best friend and it feels peaceful. It starts to feel a bit cold so he grabs the soft sheets near him and covers both of you.

“When will you tell him, petal?”

The question floats in the air for a while. You start playing with his necklace, making it dance between your fingers. He starts to worry a bit, when you don't answer him, but he decides to be patient, like always.

“After we eat something, I'll send him a text.” you seem resolute, and he's convinced. “Can I stay here tonight?”

He's a bit taken aback, his eyes narrowing in surprise: “Wasn't it obvious? You'll stay here from now on anyway.” and he says it so naturally, you think he's thought about this moment a lot… it makes you smile.

Hyunjin rolls to the side briefly, taking some tissues to wipe yours and his stomach since his sticky cum was still there, and kisses the tip of your nose adjusting your jumper back to its original place before sitting on the edge of the bed and taking his phone, after finally freeing himself of his shirt. His back is slender yet defined, long, his spine making a beautiful curve. Your eyes travel from his nape to his glutes, the ones of a dancer. There's a doubt still in the back of your mind, you need to make it disappear.

“Are you… sad, that you can't be friends with him anymore?”

He doesn't even bother looking at you to answer, he keeps scrolling on the delivery app searching for something you may want to eat, the words he's about to say seeming obvious to him.

“We haven't been friends for a while already. I understood he's not the guy I met years ago, he changed, and I don't like to be around him anymore. Don't worry petal, it's not entirely because of you, I already wanted to part from him but you came into our lives so I endured it some more to stay with you… and it was worth it.” one of his hands shifts position behind him and taps the covers to signal for you to hold it. Your fingers interlace and he looks at you over his shoulder, slowly turning around, his body twisting slightly as he leans back again and kisses you sweetly yet still with some need.

Your breath is now steady, you're relaxed and it feels like Heaven, just like he promised.

"Pizza?"

You giggle and he follows.

“I love you y/n. I love you.”

[fatalhoon]

and again. » ljn

genre | angst with fluffy ending, jeno x reader, college au

word count | 2.7k

summary | you hadn’t seen jeno since you had broken up, but a new year’s party brings you back together again, physically and emotionally

warnings | argument, small mention of past relationship issues and insecurity, light swearing, teeniest alcohol mention, flashback where jeno is a dick to reader, one female pet name (pretty girl) but i think its pretty gn aside from that

tonight marks roughly one year.

it’s been an entire twelve months since the big fight that had ultimately caused the downfall of one of the most fawned over relationships on campus. in one year, you’d surprisingly- impressively, even- managed to avoid talking to him or seeing him in person at all.

which really, was your biggest motive for desperately wanting to skip out on the party tonight. you knew jeno would be there, despite the numerous attempts by all of your friends of trying to convince you otherwise. but you knew that you couldn’t bail on everyone who hadn’t seen you since you arrived back from visiting home. not to mention, everyone was going to be there. it’s new years eve, and no one misses the new years party. so you just had to swallow your pride and attend.

the fact that it was the very same party that drove you apart the year prior, however, is another major reason you’d rather just stay home.

even as you sat in your best friend’s car, you weighed your options.

“do we really have to go?”

“are you really asking me that when we’re already half way there?” ningning asks, but its less of a question and more of a statement. “i can drop you off on the street if you really want me to,” she jabs.

you groan, your head falling against the headrest and your hands sliding down your face.

“who’s to say he’s even gonna be there anyway?” karina asks from the backseat.

“stop giving me hope, everyone is going to be there.” you sulk, crossing your arms and sinking down in the passenger seat.

“then what are the chances you'll even run into him? more people more distractions, right?” giselle consoles. she had a valid point, but even the slimmest chance made you want to rip your hair out.

ningning parallel parks her car on the side of the residential road, and the house party practically lights up the entire night sky. your girlfriends chatter excitedly as their heels clack on the sidewalk, all the while you’re hoping, praying that karina and giselle are right.

but as fate would have it, not even three footsteps in the door, you spot him. and unfortunately, your presence doesn’t go unnoticed either.

jeno is stood by the fireplace, deep in conversation, but sees you almost immediately upon your arrival, like the universe was on a timer, counting down to the exact second that your eyes would meet again, not a moment too soon or too late. his lips are parted like he stopped mid sentence, and you stand dumbfounded in the doorway, staring stupidly at him as people shove past you to enter.

renjun taps jeno’s shoulder from beside him, most likely trying to bring his attention back, but jeno’s eyes never leave yours, and you see him mouth your name in response to his confused friend, making your heart flip. renjun follows his eyes, adding to the unwanted attention that’s been placed on you. jeno then suddenly takes a few steps toward you, squeezing through the dense crowd, but before you think it through, you scurry off in the other direction.

“y/n, will you stop pouting about it already?”

you enter your apartment with jeno trailing behind you, your mood extremely sour as you open the door and let it slam against the wall.

“i’m not pouting, jeno. i’m upset, do you not get that?”

“you’re so dramatic,” jeno scoffs. he kicks off his shoes and drops his jacket over the back of your couch, so nonchalant about the whole situation that it makes you even angrier.

“she was all over you!” you cry out in desperation. you’ve repeated this what seemed like a hundred times already, but no matter what you said jeno wouldn’t even attempt to understand.

or maybe, he just didn't care.

“you couldn't even bother to just tell her to stop!”

jeno rolls his eyes. “i told you, y/n, i did tell her to stop. she wouldn’t listen.”

“then that's when you walk away, jeno. push her off of you, ignore her, anything! actions speak louder than words.” your arms flail wildly as you speak. “why do i even have to explain something like this to you? i’ve told you about what’s happened to me before and-“

he’s not even looking at you.

“are you listening?! do you even give a shit about how i feel right now?”

“not when you’re acting like this, y/n.” he drones, tapping away at his phone screen. “maybe if you’d just calm down and acted a little less crazy i’d be more inclined.”

all you feel is red. red from the sting of tears muddling your line of vision. red from the prick of your nails digging into your palms as they grip into fists at your sides. red for the old wound he’s just slashed open.

your voice is low and calm when you speak again.

“get the fuck out of here, jeno.”

only then does he decide to look at you.

“babe-” the smallest hint of guilt crosses his eyes, but he’s burned the bridge already. he reaches a hand out toward you, but you step back as if he’s venomous.

“get out!” you screech, not even caring that it rattles the walls. jeno flinches back. with a huff, he grabs his things and stomps out the door, slamming it behind him.

against all odds, everywhere you look, he’s there.

you see him when you’re seated by the tv watching a tipsy group of freshman struggle to get through a round of a dancing game; he’s sitting on the opposite end of the couch, laughing when they stumble.

and again, when you’re outside soaking in the fresh air; he’s got the attention of everyone lounging in the hot tub, telling them stories behind the constellations visible from the deck.

and again, when you’re reaching into the fridge for another drink; he’s pouring shots for swooning girls at the kitchen island.

always suspiciously close, yet just far enough away.

you initially thought it to be just an unfortunate coincidence, but the house was much too big and had too many other places to be. he’s attracting way too much attention to himself in such ways that it’s impossible for him not to be pining for yours in particular.

enough is enough. you decide that if jeno wants a show, you’ll give him a show.

the basement is the one place left in the house where you hadn’t seen him. its a cozy little space, with sports banners and posters of swimsuit clad models cluttering the walls, and along with the pair of couches there's a large pool table. you watch as your friend jaemin stands beside it, twirling his pool cue in his hands, laughing at something haechan had said. you swirl the liquid around in your red solo cup, an idea brewing in your mind.

right on time, you see jeno descend the staircase. you stand, walking over to jaemin.

“help me with something,” you whisper into his ear. he gives you a curious look, but when your eyes flick over to jeno, jaemin understands immediately and gives you a subtle nod.

it’s no secret to you- or to anyone, really- that jeno is watching you. you can feel his eyes on you, burning your skin as you grab the cue from jaemin’s hand and lean over the bright green table to shoot a striped ball into a pocket. jaemin gives you a charming smile, complimenting your technique. his bubblegum hair reminds you of the color jeno’s was before the breakup. it’s never bothered you before, but your heart involuntarily twists at the thought.

you hum, rounding the table to stand right beside your pink haired friend, scanning for the right ball to shoot in next. you lift your cue to point at the number ten ball, turning to jaemin, tilting your head.

“i don’t think i can get this one on my own, do you mind helping me out?” you ask smoothly, dragging your fingers up his arm. your friend picks up quickly, smirking down at your innocently pouty expression.

“sure thing, pretty,” jaemin hums with faux flirtation. he does a flawless job of dragging his hands along all of the parts your body that were jeno’s favorites, and you can almost feel his stare burn hotter. you not-so-subtly bite down a grin as jaemin leans over you, breathing heavily down your neck as he guides the cue through your arms, shooting the ball directly into a pocket.

after watching from the corner for a while, jeno begins to make his way towards you, telling you that he’s had enough of staying arms length away.

“you’re not subtle,” jeno says bluntly. its directed at you, but he’s glaring at jaemin.

you scowl, casually chalking up the tip of the cue you hold. “a bit narcissistic to think this is about you, don’t you think?” you hadn't expected those to be the first words you’d spoken to him in a year.

“do you mind?” jaemin interjects, his hand resting on your hip. “we’re in the middle of something.”

the tension in the room rises.

“well, whenever you’re finished,” jeno spits through his teeth. he shifts his eyes down toward you then, his gaze just a little bit softer. “i’d be really grateful if you’d meet me outside. i wanna talk to you, if you’ll let me.” and with that he’s gone.

after serious contemplation, you do decide meet him outside, despite a very sensible voice in your head telling you not to. as soon as you slide open the glass door and step out onto the grass, he’s leaning against the side of the house, closer to you than he’s been all night- all year. this close up view of him makes your heart flutter more than you’d ever be willing to admit in the moment. his hair is a shade of brown you’ve never seen on him, but his eyes glimmer just the same as they always have when he looks at you.

“long time no see, baby,” he greets you, the corner of his mouth tipped up in a small somber looking smile.

“that’s not my name.”

“it used to be,” he replies. you roll your eyes.

“what do you want, jeno?” it’s harder to say his name out loud than you thought it would be.

“i know you’ve been thinking about it, too,” he says softly, a very sharp contrast from the vibe he’s been presenting to other partygoers the entire night. the bass thumping upstairs is synched with your heartbeat. you still can’t bring yourself to look directly at him. “there’s no other reason you’d pull a stunt like that. jaemin is handsome, sure, but he’s not your type.” you fold your arms, slumping a bit. you hate that he’s right; that you haven’t changed enough during the time that’s passed and he can still read you like an open book.

“doesn’t feel so good, does it?”

jeno swallows, his head bowing forward to fix his eyes on his feet.

“i wanted to say i’m sorry.”

you turn to look at him then, your brows raised. “isn’t it a little late for that?”

“you blocked my number,” he says; you’d almost forgotten you had, in fact, blocked him on just about everything. “i couldn’t get a hold of you in person, either.

but i didn’t know what to say even if i could. there’s no excuse for what i said to you, and an ‘i’m sorry’ doesnt cut it.”

the look jeno is giving you is so genuine that its hard to breathe. all of a sudden your facade begins to crumble. “i can’t- i’m not doing this, not right now,” you tell him dolefully, turning around to slip back into the house, but he catches your elbow; his grip is soft, unthreatening, unmalicious.

“please, please just listen to me, i’m begging you.” when you turn around he’s on his knees, looking up at you with a pleading look on his face and your hand is clasped between both of his own. you despise how he looks so beautiful in the dim moonlight.

“jeno.” you blink your tears away. “don’t beg for me, please.”

he tugs lightly on your wrist, and reluctantly you sink down to kneel in front of him on the grass.

“i haven’t had a full night’s sleep in a year. every time i dream, its about you. believe me y/n i've tried so hard to let it go but the things i said to you still haunt me.”

his eyes flicker across yours, glistening with tears of his own, searching for something he can grab onto. the floodgates holding your emotions in begin to crack at a rate that’s too quick for you to keep up with. “you, you knew how i felt, about things like that,” your voice stutters, your lip quivers. “you knew, and, and you still-“ you choke on a sob.

“i know. y/n i’m so sorry,” he gingerly lifts a hand to your face, pausing for a moment, but when you don’t lean away or swat at him, his thumb brushes your cheek to wipe a tear away that’s just fallen from your lashes, tenderly tucking a stray lock of hair behind your ear. “thinking about how i made you feel that night makes me so disgusted with myself. i never ever wanted to hurt you, but the fact is that i did and i can’t forgive myself for that.”

a moment of quiet passes between you. you wipe at your face with the sleeve of your sweater over and over but your tears don’t stop and the runaway drops fall onto your bare knees.

“do you remember when we won king and queen of prom court in high school?”

his sudden question puzzles you. you look up at him, and you see the real jeno. your jeno, soft and simple and so full of love.

“we went out for ice cream after the dance. it was the first night i told you i loved you.

and again, when we went to your sister's wedding together. you accidentally spilled red wine on my favorite white dress shirt. you were trying so hard not to cry, but i told you it didn’t matter, because i loved you.

and again, when we took your little brother and his friends out to that laser tag place for his birthday. we played one on one, and when you asked me why i let you win, i told you it was because i loved you.

and again, when you broke your wrist falling off the old tire swing in your front yard. you asked me why i came over every night to feed you dinner, even though you didn’t need the help, and i told you it’s because i loved you.”

“what are you doing?” you cut him off before he can continue any further, your voice small and trembling.

“i’m telling you that i still love you.”

he scoots forward on the ground, his body now so close to yours that you can feel his warmth. “i know i don’t deserve it, but all i’m asking for is another chance to love you right, the way you deserve to be loved.” his fingers cling tightly to your hand he still holds as he speaks.

“i don't know where you stand, so you’ve got all the power in your hands right now. stay here with me, and i’ll know we’re on the same page. turn around, and i’ll leave you alone, and you won’t see me again. it’s your choice, and i won’t judge you either way. your word is the final word.”

you feel heavy. his sweet words and the smell of his familiar cologne are intoxicating, but you do know you have the ability to get up and walk away right now if you want to.

but… do you want to?

the painful racing of your heart reminds you that no matter what, no matter how long you’ve been apart, you love jeno. you always have you and always will.

you raise a hesitant arm, placing your shaking hand lightly on his shoulder, and he draws in a breath. your fingers dance upward, contemplating, lips parted slightly with hazy breaths. cupping his jaw, you lean upward, brushing your lips against his in the lightest kiss, testing the waters.

you ignite. suddenly you’re full of such a serene feeling of home, a feeling you hadn’t realized had been absent from your life from the second you pushed him out of it. all the memories you’d tried so hard to keep at bay come rushing back with the image of a soft and smiley jeno; one who’s never had anything but love for you. jeno sees your eyes light up, and he smiles dreamily at you. in an instant, you’ve never been more sure of anything.

you press yourself up against him, pulling him down into your lips, and he wraps you up in his arms. even though the house is filled with the sounds and heat of other people, it’s only you and jeno in the entire world. you pull away when you can’t control your cries anymore, burying your face in his neck instead.

“i’m sorry,” your voice wobbles as you let out the words, but jeno sweetly hushes you, rocking you back and forth in time with the rhythm of the muffled music.

“no apologies from you, pretty girl. none of this is your fault.” you feel the weight of the world lifted from your shoulders. he presses a gentle kiss to your temple, resting his chin on top of your head.

“i love you,” he reassures you. and he does again, and again, and again.

[totalswag]

graduation - RAFE CAMERON

authors note we love soft!rafe thats all i gotta say

summary rafe's is supposed to attend his girlfriends graduation but told her he couldn't make it last minute due to work stuff. rafe finishes his work stuff early and decides to surprise his girlfriend after the ceremony with flowers.

warnings crying, cussing, wholesome content

It’s graduation

You are officially finished with school for the rest of your life. On to the next phase of your life. Everything you've done to get here has paid off. All those examinations you studied so hard for, to the point of crying and wanting to quit, paid off in the end.

The second you stopped onto campus as a freshman, you couldn't wait to get your degree and graduate from college. It’s been your dream to go to Chapel Hill University since high school.

Your entire family gathered to see you walk across the stage and receive your diploma. You were glad to see them all here on this special occasion. In a way, seeing your loved ones cheer you on as you walk across the stage in your gown and cap, receiving your diploma and degree is a great pat on the back.

There is one person in particular you wish was attending.

Your boyfriend, Rafe.

“Is Rafe coming?” Y/F/N asks, nudging your shoulder. 

Y/F/N met freshman year, you lived in the same dorm. A week after knowing each other, you instantly clicked. You two live in a two bedroom apartment near campus. She’s that type of friend you know you can count on no matter what.

“He said work got super busy and that his dad needed him to stay to help out” you sigh, “he wishes he could be here though '' choking on your words but you take a deep breath to calm yourself down.

When Rafe told you on the phone he wasn’t gonna make it due to work your whole world came crashing down in one second. You know how much Rafe takes work seriously– it's a family business he needs to take care of. 

Y/F/N pouts, wrapping her left arm around your shoulder, pulling you into a hug to give you some sort of comfort. 

“I bet he wishes he was here too, Y/N.” Y/F/N knows how much you want him to be here and watch you walk the stage. 

Before you could answer, the president announced everyone to stand up to receive their awards and degrees.

This is finally it.

After the ceremony, you walked around the large crowd of families to find yours. You took a bunch of pictures with your friends before you went over to your family. Your mom texted you where everyone was at.

When you found your family, you walked over with the biggest smile on your face holding your diploma in the air, moving it up and down.

Everyone came over to you and congratulated you. In so many ways, the love you received from your family warmed your heart. You were also given flowers and balloons. There were numerous pictures taken. 

Multiple conversations between the family started happening.

Your older brother and his wife arrived, followed by their two-month-old daughter, your niece. Your brother handed her to you. She wore a onesie with writing that said, My auntie graduated  with flowers all throughout. For the photo, you held her by her armpits, pulling her face to yours and kissing her nose. 

"Ugh, I love being your auntie!" You exclaimed as you cradled her.

She looked up at you with a grin, making you smile even more.

Your mom had her phone in her hand, ready to take a picture of you with the flowers and your diploma. Your mom is a photographer, she takes amazing pictures and usually takes pictures of you for your instagram sometimes.

Everyone gathered around to take pictures of you as well.

So much was going on that you didn't notice Rafe standing behind you with a bouquet of flowers and a card he bought for you.

You could feel a male present standing behind you. You smelt a familiar cologne, Rafe’s cologne. 

"Congratulations, baby," he quietly said, catching you off guard.

Your eyes had blown out of their sockets. Your heart was racing at a hundred miles per hour. You spun around, putting your arms around Rafe and pulled him closer, unable to let go.

Rafe was the only one who mattered right now.

Tears began to build up in the corners of your eyes.

“How are you even here right now? I thought you couldn’t make it today” you cried, kissing his face, laughing.

“Well, I was able to get the important stuff done and decided to surprise you” Rafe explained, holding your waist.

"Did you see me-" you are interrupted by him, "yes, baby, I was there to see you walk the stage."

"I believe these are for you, my pretty lady," he says as he hands you a gorgeous bouquet of your favorite flowers. 

"Thank you Rafe, these are beautiful."

"I'm so proud of you and everything you've done to get to where you are now." "This is definitely a proud boyfriend moment," you sigh, then laugh at his final remarks.

my taglist

@runningfrom2am @winterrrnight @brooklynscherry-z @kaydsr3venge @johannelis2302nely

if you would like to be added my taglist please let me know :)

[beardedmrbean]

The U.S. Marshals Service (USMS) found 200 missing children during the course of a six-week national sting that ended last week.

The second of its kind, "Operation We Will Find You 2," was conducted in seven federal judicial districts and geographic locations across the U.S. from May 20 to June 24, focusing on areas with an increased number of critically missing children.

In a press release, the USMS said the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children (USMEC) assisted in the operation, which led to the recovery and removal of 123 children from dangerous situations, as well as another 77 missing children who were located and found in safe locations.

Out of the 200 children, 173 were endangered runaways, 25 were considered missing, a family member abducted one, and one was a non-family abduction.

Additionally, 14 of the recovered children were located outside the city where they were reported missing, and the youngest was 5 months old.

About 57% of the missing children were recovered within seven days of the USMS helping out with the cases.

"There are no words to describe the terror felt by missing children, their families, and their communities," Attorney General Merrick B. Garland said. "I am grateful to the dedicated professionals of the U.S. Marshals Service and the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children who worked to find 200 critically missing children during this six-week operation, and who work every day to keep children safe."

The operation was executed in several locations, including Arizona, California, Florida, Michigan, North Carolina, Oregon and New York City.

U.S. Marshals worked with federal, state and local law enforcement, NCMEC, the Department of Children and Family Services and other agencies to locate the missing children.

Many of the children were considered to be in challenging recovery cases, including child sex trafficking, child exploitation, sexual abuse, physical abuse and suffering from medical or mental health conditions.

For instance, on June 13, USMS recovered a 16-year-old girl who was reported missing from her home in Edwardsburg, Michigan, by her legal guardian on Jan. 11, 2024.

An investigation determined the child was likely being controlled and abused by an adult man, who reportedly shared photos of cash and firearms on his social media page. In one photo, USMS said, an adult man was pointing a handgun with an extended magazine at the missing child.

During the rescue, USMS went to arrest the man at an apartment in Hammond, Indiana, when he jumped out of a window and attempted to flee. He was ultimately apprehended and arrested. The child was located inside the apartment before being released to child protective services.

In another instance, a 15-year-old girl was reported missing by her guardian on May 13. An investigation discovered the child had become a victim of human trafficking in the Miami-Dade, Florida area.

On June 7, USMS and members of the Miami Police Department located the girl in an apartment complex. She was recovered and interviewed by the Florida State Attorney’s Office Human Trafficking team before being returned to the Department of Child and Family Services.

"One of the most sacred missions of U.S. Marshals Service, is locating and recovering our nation’s critically missing children," USMS Director Ronald L. Davis said. "This is one of our top priorities as there remain thousands of children still missing and at risk."

[yaut-jaknowit]

Hi! I like you, you seem so cool. Such a vibe.

So, i might end up writing this eventually BUT the writers block has locked barricaded and blown up any entrance to writing anything beyond poetry for the past numerous months and, honestly, I don't think she (gn) is willing to open up. We've gone to therapy. But she just says she needs time. 🙄 . ANYWAYS, I had this idea, right? Reader and a Yautja who are mates/soulmates, and he is NOT for it. Big no no time. Shuts them down and pushes them away. Thing is, while the pull towards them is intense for him, he doesn't realize that for humans it's, like, a painful experience. They can go a bit without being near their soulmate once they find them, but months? *years*?? Eventually he goes back to earth and something pulls him to go check in them and finds them an absolute wreck. Chronic pain, maybe some of that ✨️classic substance abuse✨️, and absolutely heartbroken because their *soulmate* didn't even want them.

And... that's where the little writer part of my brain walks away.

Anyways, maybe one day I'll write this, but the ADHD part of my brain wants the gratification my writer part just isn't interested in entertaining.

I'd love to see your twist on it, if you'd be interested! If not, I get it (not every request peaks our interest and that's valid, but thought I'd share).

P.S. I just heard an owl for the first time in AGES. Really cool.

Are We Meant to be?

Pairing: Yautja x GN!Reader

Word Count: 2031

Summary: On a walk home from work in a city that wasn't friendly, you stupidly decide to take a shortcut. A shortcut that could cost you your life...

Author Note: Thank you! I'm glad I have good vibes! I might be falling into writers block... Towards the end, it was hard to figure out what to write but I hope this is good for you! I wanted to give you a start so you can finish it yourself!

Masterlist

Ao3

Part 2

When you find your soulmate, it’s said that fireworks go off in your stomach. Then, life is a happy fairytale afterwards. Both souls are drawn to each other by an invisible string. Over time, they’ll be pulled to one another until they meet. From there, life is filled with happiness and complete. You are at height of your life with your soulmate.

So why was the universe cruel to you?

In the concrete jungle that made up your city filled to the brim of people and constant death, you raced back to your little apartment. The minute place you’ve carved out for yourself in a city like this. Something told you to be here, to stay here, no matter what happens. Just a tiny feeling in your cold, hope-filled heart. Maybe, just maybe your soulmate was here. So you endured the life you’ve created here and waited.

Waited for that faithful day they would stumble across your path and boom! Fireworks.

This was a bad idea, your brain shouted as you turned into a dark ally. It was a short cut that would shave off about five minutes. Five minutes closer to your studio apartment. Or lose your life.

A dark figure stepped out from the shadows. In the limited light, you see the way a blade reflects. Shit. Cursing internally, you skid to a stop and started to walk backwards towards the safety of the public street. But footsteps behind you had you pausing where you stood. More curses flew around in your brain as any logical thought.

Nothing needed to be said as you stared down the figure before you. This wasn’t unusual for a city like this. They wanted money, your money. Yet, you didn’t have much on you to offer. Probably only two dollars and nineteen cents in your pocket. Definitely not enough to quell them.

Before you had a chance to even inhale and speak, the person before you collapsed to the ground with nothing but little more than a squeak. A hunking form towering over his crumbled body. Your jaw dropped at the size of this figure. Your heart stutter in its bony cage as you were pinned to the spot like your shoes were welded there.

The string in your chest yanked hard directly in front of you. Your eyes couldn’t expand anymore at the feeling.

With nothing more but a breeze, the shadow zipped past you. You spun around to keep an eye on whatever had attacked your own attackers. Now that it was closer to the street lamps, you were able to pick up flashes of what it looked like. Yet, your brain couldn’t comprehend who this figure that moved in a blink of an eye was. You’ve never seen anyone move like that before. It couldn’t be possible.

A sick snapping echoed through the alleyway that had you tensing. The second attacker fell to the ground, unmoving. Finally, your shoes unpolarized from the dirty concrete but stepped away from the towering form that casted a long shadow. The head barely touching the tips of your toes. You swallow thickly and ignored the way your heart pounded heavily. It wanted freedom, wanted to rip out and go towards it.

He lifted his head. What could you see were long, thick… dreads? swaying as he shook his head. Metal, shining ornaments were attached to them. His form, larger than any man you’ve met before stood there. Only one arm moving, bending at the elbow. You couldn’t see what he was doing. You felt a fluttering feeling in your chest.

The figure whipped around with a snarl that echoed back at you. All you could see was emotionless eyes before it was upon you.

Your back slammed into the brick wall but a hand cushioned the back of your head. A gasp tore from your throat then your vision settled to take in the sight. He had pounced on you, pinned you to the alleyway wall, all the while breathing heavily. A hand had captured your neck, to ensure you stayed there, trapped.

Even with the knowledge this unknown figure might had just killed two people, your body was warm, lax underneath him. Your brain should’ve been screaming danger of the situation but all it sung was safety. A melody you couldn’t tell was true or not from the logical side of your brain. Yet, you couldn’t dispute the hot flash of an connection that struck you deep in your stomach at just his touch.

“Y-you…” he forced out in a guttural, gravely voice. This close to him, you realize he was wearing a mask, metal by the looks of it. “Not po-possible.” Your brows furrowed at his barely audible words. What did he mean?

Timidly, you reached out and rested your palm on his chest. He was incredibly hot, temperature wise. You felt a sort of netting there. He hissed, like a cat, and slipped the hand behind your head to snatch your wrist. It was pinned above your head. “No.” It was hard to understand what he was saying.

Not an ounce of fear entered your body as he continues to pin you there. Yet, your voice was caught behind a lump. So many questions fluttered around inside of your head but all you could do was stare into the emotionless eyes of his mask.

As if you had burned him, he ripped himself away from you within a blink of any eye. It left you feeling unsteady and almost falling to the ground. You saw for a moment he reached out to help you before letting the limb fall to his side.

Then, he was gone. In a small flash of blue, his form disappeared completely. Yet, you could feel him standing there, like a ghost to haunt you.

The walk home was confusing.

…

Blaring noises, inundated scents. Everything that a newly blooded would not be able to handle. Through the thick of it, the hunter waited in the shadows for the perfect moment. His ears picking up every little noise yet filtering them until he felt a pull. This pique his interest. A feeling he’s never felt before. His eyes closed as it persisted inside of him, his chest tightening.

A huff sounded from his mask he stood up, long legs stretching after being in a crouch position for so long. The Yautja cracked his neck a couple of times before beginning his trek through the concrete jungle. He allowed the tug to guide him over buildings as if he back on his home planet. It took him from one side of the city hundreds of thousands of oomans resided in all the way to the other side.

All of his moves were smooth, agile. He knew where and how to land before he was going to. His body going through the motion like a thousand times beforehand. His feet never making a sound. His breaths steady, confident. He loved this, the movement, the rise of adrenaline. That extra energy that filled his system.

The pads of his feet let him land silently on the edge of a building. The pull taking his straight down. He stopped and peered over the edge… to find three measly oomans. The heavy scent of fear permeated the air. He drank in the smell and watched the scene unfold before his bright eyes.

At the sight of ooman between the two male had his quills bristling at the sight. With his cloak deactivated, the Yautja stepped off from the edge. His entire body landed on top of one ooman, simply crushing it underneath his feet like the scum it was. Its frame making a sickening sound he could care less about to think of.

He launched himself at the other ooman. No mercy. A hand wrapped around the ooman’s throat while the other wrapped around its head. Only an ounce of his strength was extruded as he snapped the neck of this low life. Its body dropped to the dirty floor of this noisy, death filled city.

Beneath the thick scales that covered his chest, a strange feeling bloomed. It was the same notion from before. Pulling him backwards. He raised a hand to graze over the spot, deep in thought.

A snarl ripped at his throat. He whipped around to face the only other living thing in this dark path. The biomask that covered his face scanned over the little ooman left in his presence. Weapons, nonthreatening, adorn its small body. He wasn’t intimidated by them. He could scoff at how unprotected it was in a place like this.

He was upon the ooman in a second, ramming them into a brick. One hand coming around to cradle the back of its head while the other swiftly encased your neck. The Yautja gave it no room for escape.

His entire body tensed as the feeling tenfolded, eyes widening behind his mask. He didn’t know what was happening. Unlike any other time he’s had a ooman in his grasp, you didn’t move, you were like water in his grasp.

Tales as old as time sprung to life in his mind. “Y-you,” he grumbled in the ooman’s dialect. It hurt his throat to speak the language but he wasn’t going to waste a translator on you. He couldn’t… couldn’t. His heart, his mighty heart pulled, fluttered even, at your proximity and touch. “Not po-possible.” He hated the ooman languages.

The ooman’s face turned sour with confusion. He watched as you raised a hand to his chest, where his heart beats. A hiss surged past his mandibles. With a hand, he snatched your wrist and pinned it above your head harshly. Hopefully, you would learn a lesson. Not a single waft of terror rolled from your tiny, fragile body.

It jerked at his heart harder. In an instant, the Yautja yanked himself away from you with disgust. Yet, the way you stumbled from the lack of a steady body to protect you, he moved to help you. Halfway through the motion, he paused, arms falling to his sides. He needed to leave. Now.

A simple button had his cloak reactivating and gone from your sight. His feet were cemented in place right before you. You could still feel him, standing there. He observed you after you finally ripped yourself from the wall and began the trek of wherever you were heading.

Like your shadow, he followed you. All the way, even as you opened a door to a dingey old building and up the stairs. The Yautja followed your every move even as you prepared for bed and laid down. He watched you struggle to find comfort, kicking, squirming, and shivering. The distress clearly evident. Strangely enough, he wanted nothing more to march into your room and comfort you. But, the Yautja stayed.

When he knew it was time to become homebound, the Yautja gave you one last look. Days in, days out, he’s been your shadow, observing your every move. For the fifteen rotations of your planet, he’s been there. He didn’t allow himself to be seen, by anyone. Including yourself. He was there though.

.

Sleeping was difficult. A struggle to find peace within the storm raging inside of you now. It felt a door had been opened and couldn’t be shut. You felt incomplete now. A distraught noise escaped your lips as you fulfilled your worthless job. You leaned heavily on the counter with a sigh, eyes shutting. All you saw through the darkness was flashes of that night.

The night were everything changed.

On the day afterwards, you took an unfortunate day off from work. As much as you needed the money, research was needed to be done. For the entire day, you searched through every article possible about soulmates. Everything. You also dug into anything that was close to whatever had… saved you. It had saved you then disappeared. But it left behind a feeling that was consuming you every thought.

Was this what it felt like to be abandoned? You whined at the thought and opened your eyes. Work needed to be done. If only you knew the consequences.

[brian-in-finance]

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•••••

•••••

WHAT THE STARS ARE SAYING

Check out why so many famed actors use Backstage

Trusted since 1960

Founded in 1960, Backstage has a storied history of serving the entertainment industry. For over 60 years Backstage has served as a casting resource and news source for actors, performers, directors, producers, agents, and casting directors.

Over that time, Backstage Magazine has also appeared on numerous TV shows, such as “Mad Men,” “Entourage,” “Glee,” “Oprah,” NBC's “Today” show, Comedy Central's “@Midnight”, NY1's “On Stage,” and “Saturday Night Live,” as well as multiple mentions on shows like “Inside the Actor’s Studio,” “Girls,” and appearances in films such as “13 Going on 30,” the Farrelly brothers' “Stuck on You” and Spike Lee's “Girl 6,” and even a mention in Woody Allen's short-story collection “Mere Anarchy” and Augusten Burroughs' novel “Sellevision” – and Backstage has received accolades from multiple Academy Award-, Emmy-, and Tony-winning actors and directors. (Plus, the hit musical “The Last Five Years” even includes Backstage in its lyrics: “Here's a headshot guy and a new Backstage / Where you're right for something on every page.”)

CAITRÍONA BALFE

ACTRESS

"I still get Backstage emails 'cause I still subscribe to Backstage. [Backstage is) kind of the Bible in the beginning, which is amazing. Samuel French and Backstage go hand in hand, you know? You go there for your plays when you're in classes, and then you get your Backstage."

Backstage 1

•••••

Brian’s Note: The following story originally appeared in April 2015. Most recent update is December 2020.

The Gorgeous Determination of Caitríona Balfe

Caitríona Balfe is on the move. That's been true most of her adult life— especially the 10 years she was modeling for Victoria's Secret, Dolce & Gabbana, and others—but as she sits on the rooftop patio of a West Hollywood hotel in mid-March, she mentions that she's pulling up stakes from Los Angeles.

"It just feels silly to have an empty place for 10 months until I figure out what I'm doing with my life," the Irish-born actor says. "I've rented the same place for the last four years and now I have to give it up." Her apartment is being razed to put in condos, but her departure from L.A. is extra poignant considering this is the city where Balfe journeyed when she decided to put aside that successful modeling career and focus on the vocation she'd always wanted: acting.

Photo: Luc-Richard Elie

"I've moved so much since I was 18," she says. "I mean, l've lived so many places. New York, I lived in for almost eight years [while modeling], and that's been the longest of anywhere since I left Ireland. But L.A. is where I came and said, 'OK, this is what I wanna do with my life.' "

She refuses to think of her move as a permanent one, though. "I'll be back," she declares, "but it feels really sad. My little apartment, it's got so many memories."

Balfe's sadness is no doubt mitigated by the fact that part of her need to move is due to the precipitous rise in her fortunes. She'll soon be flying to Scotland to shoot the second season of "Outlander," which returns to Starz April 4 to conclude Season 1.

When last we saw Balfe's Claire, the resourceful British nurse who comes home after World War |I only to be inexplicably teleported into the 18th-century Highlands, she was half-naked with a knife to her breast. Don't worry: Claire will get out of that scrape, but more perils await-to say nothing of the emerging multi-era romantic triangle developing between her, the Scottish warrior Jamie Fraser (Sam Heughan), and her 20th-century husband, Frank Randall (Tobias Menzies), who wonders where she's gone.

Based on the much-beloved Diana Gabaldon novels and developed for television by "Battlestar Galactica" rebooter Ronald D. Moore, "Outlander" is an ostensibly lush period-piece-within-a-period-piece drama that's consistently richer and thornier than its romance-novel trappings suggest. And much of the credit goes to Balfe, who had managed small parts in films such as “Super 8” and “Now You See Me” before landing the central role in this adaptation.

In person, Balfe is far less imposing than the steely Claire, who has to weather the dangers of being a woman in sexist, violent Scotland in the 1740s. Cast late in the preproduction of “Outlander”—Moore has mentioned in interviews how hard it was to find the right Claire—she didn’t have time to consider what the role would do to her life. “I’m so bad on social media," she confesses on this warm afternoon, nestled underneath a cabana. "I had set up an account on Twitter maybe a year or so before I got this job and had, I thought, a lot of followers — 250 or something, and most of them are my friends. Within about a month or two, it was thousands of people — and my phone, I didn't know how to turn off the alerts, so it was just going all the time. That was the beginning of the awareness."

Growing up in the small Irish community of Monaghan, Balfe had considered acting from an early age. ("I was devastated that I wasn't a child actor," she says, smiling. But after traveling to Dublin to study theater, she changed course once she received an offer to model. It wasn't a secret passion of hers, but who turns down a trip to Paris? "My parents felt that I should finish college," Balfe recalls, "but l'm slightly headstrong, so l took their advice and I completely ignored it."

Over the next decade, she lived in France, Italy, Germany, and Japan, her modeling inexperience hardly a detriment. "You'd be amazed how little information or training goes into it," she says. "When I first arrived in Paris, I was told to take a bus to the office. I left my suitcase — I barely spoke any French — and someone took me across the street, helped me buy a Carte Orange. They printed out five addresses that I had to go to that day, and then they sent me off." She still remembers at 18 riding the subway alongside 16-year-old aspiring Russian models, who knew no French or English, homesick and sobbing their eyes out. "That was just the way it was," says Balfe. "You become pretty tough. When I went to Japan, it was similar: They would drive you to their castings, but the minute you got a job, it would be like, 'Here's an address, here's a map. Good luck.' They don't have signposts in English in Japan, so the map and the address are not always very helpful."

Hear Balfe recount her early misadventures in modeling and you can't help but think of Claire, who's equally thrown to the wolves once she arrives in the 18th century amid people wary of the English in general and assertive women in particular. "Honestly, l've been in so many situations in my life where you just are completely displaced," Balfe says. “You have to adapt very quickly and figure it out. I definitely think that informs Claire a lot. It helped me understand her."

Did moving to Paris at such a young age teach Balfe that she can cope in any circumstance? "I think I didn't really realize that until many years later," she replies. "I have a great knack of not thinking about things and just going for it. You learn the hard way sometimes that you're able to get through, but sometimes it's quite tough when you're in a situation where you don't know anyone and you're trying to find your way around cities. But if an opportunity presents itself and it seems like a good idea, l'm just like, 'OK, let's do it, then I'll figure it out.'”

The decision to reconnect with her acting ambitions was conducted just as boldly. Ready to quit modeling, she moved to Los Angeles because a writer she was dating lived there. He was the only person she knew, but she had read a Vanity Fair interview with Amy Adams in which she said she trained with Warner Loughlin. "I could walk to that place from my ex-boyfriend's house," she says, "so l was like, 'Well, I'm gonna go there because I can't really drive. I started from scratch. I didn't have any managers, I didn't know any agents, I hadn't acted in almost a decade." But she just kept taking classes, moving from Loughlin to the studios of Sanford Meisner and Judith Weston. "I think when I first got here, I had a nice little air of delusion: 'It's gonna work out,'" she says with a laugh. “You just don't know how."

And then came "Outlander." By email, Moore admits that he didn't know Balfe's work until her audition tape came unsolicited to his office from her agent. Once she was chosen for Claire, he made it clear how demanding the job would be. “I told her in our first meeting that this was going to be an even bigger responsibility and workload than the normal TV lead," he writes. "Because the story was being told from Claire's point of view, Cait was going to be in every scene, every day for months, which is an extraordinary amount of work, far beyond what most actors are ever asked to do."

Moore's warning didn't faze Balfe. Writes Moore, "After she met with the president of Starz... and it was clear that she was going to land the role, I walked her to the elevator and just before the doors closed on her, I said 'Your life is about to change forever,' and she gave me a grin that was both thrilled and slightly nervous. I never saw her hesitate after that."

She's never hesitated before. As Balfe prepares to say goodbye to L.A. (for now, she thinks back to her early days in the city, trying to convince casting directors that she was more than just a model. "I went on many, many, many, many auditions that were Hot Girl No. 2 — you wanna shoot yourself," she says, laughing. "But, you know, I'm very lucky that l was even getting those auditions in the beginning. And it toughens you up. At least for me, to have that fuel to prove people wrong—it definitely spurs me on and makes me wanna work harder." Then she smiles conspiratorially. "And shove it to them."

Backstage 2

Remember… I told her in our first meeting that this was going to be an even bigger responsibility and workload than the normal TV lead. — Ronald D Moore

[lostcauses-noregrets]

Lost, I think Erwin was only in 65% of the manga/anime, yet I don't think anyone has ever left such a long-lasting impression on the audience. He ranks higher than the mc in the character polls, and he even once ranked higher than Levi. People still love and praise him even though he's been dead for years. Why do you think this is? What makes him such a compelling character?

I’ve been sitting on this ask for months because it feels like such a huge responsibility to answer it. What is it that makes Erwin Smith such a compelling and enduringly popular character, despite having been written out of the story years ago? 

The most obvious reason is that Erwin is a well written character with considerable depth.  He is a brave and inspiring military commander who leads from the front and dies heroically, laying down his life to ensure the main characters live to fight another day. He plays a pivotal role in the story and, long after he dies, continues to be a motivating force for several other characters. He’s also pretty easy on the eye, which does no harm either. 

However characters like this are ten a penny in manga and anime so I don’t think this is enough to explain Erwin’s enduring appeal.  There’s a very interesting interview with Isayama from 2016 where he talks about coming to understand Erwin’s character, which I think gets to the heart of the matter.  

“...for Erwin, there’s no person I can easily compare him to…The main reason for that is probably because I didn’t have anyone in my life who was an “insightful leader” like my initial portrayal of Erwin. Of course, I’m sure there were people who were “insightful leaders” to a certain degree around me, but—and this is likely due to a quirk of my own personality—the grander a person, the more my eyes are drawn to the places where they’re frayed, or are coming apart at the seams. Armin once said of him, “If a person existed who was capable of bringing change, they would have to be able to sacrifice things that are important to them.” Erwin is certainly someone who can do that, but because I had no one in reality to model him on, and because I, the creator, had no shred of an “insightful leader” within myself to use either, I think I ended up making Erwin more and more human as I went along. Lately, though, I’ve started enjoying drawing Erwin. To put it simply, I think it’s because I am now able to write Erwin not as the “insightful leader,” but as he is inside my heart, an Erwin who is very complex inside."

And Erwin is a very complex and conflicted character.  He’s also a deeply unreliable narrator who sees his own actions in the very worst possible light. He has the ability to motivate others to great feats of heroism, but at the same time he sees himself as a fraud and a conman.  He carries a huge burden of guilt over his father’s death, yet he isn’t driven by vengeance, what drives him forward is the pursuit of knowledge and his desire to prove his father’s theories were right. He is a ruthless commander, willing to sacrifice countless soldiers to achieve his goal, but he also devised a Scouting formation that saved numerous lives. He is also quite literally haunted by all the men and women who died under his command.  He’s incredibly insightful and intelligent, always thinking several steps ahead of everyone else, but he isn’t invulnerable to being manipulated by unscrupulous characters like Zackley, who was able to spot his weakness. He believes that he alone is pursuing his own selfish dream, despite all the characters having their own dreams and motivations. Yet despite his misgivings, he is able to set aside his dream, and lay down his life for the greater goal of saving humanity. He presents an implacable facade to the world, yet he privately admits to wishing he could end his life.  So many deeply human contradictions. 

Although Erwin is a hugely compelling character in his own right, I don’t think we can overlook the importance of his relationship with Levi, who of course is the most popular character in the series (sorry Eren).  Regardless of whether you ship them or not , it’s impossible to ignore the importance of Erwin’s relationship with Levi (and vice versa). I’ve written reams over the years about Erwin and Levi’s relationship, which I’m not going to repeat here, but I am going to point the famous quote from Ono Diasuke who described Levi as the last stronghold of Erwin’s humanity, because that’s what is really important.  

Ultimately Erwin is a complex, contradictory human being and it’s his humanity, rather than his heroism, and the emotional conflict at the heart of his character that continue to fascinates and move people.

[king-bumis-armpit]

Hey! If you are still looking for maiko prompts.

You could write a sour zuko finding out that Mai and kei lo broke up. I like imagining ways for him to find out and what his reaction would be.

And I’m always a fan of stories where Mai runs away when zuko is banished, or try to smuggle herself into his ship.

Anyway, have fun!

Put a Ring on It

Part 2 is out now: read it here.

Summary: Kei Lo buys an engagement ring. Zuko freaks out. 

“I’m thinking something gold and traditional.” Good, Zuko thought bitterly. At least Mai will hate it. He had well and truly lost her. He had lost her to another man.

Author’s Note: This idea was given to me by a lovely anon! If you have any Maiko fic ideas that you want me to write, send them my way! And thank you, if you already have <3

Gene Luen Yang wants me to believe it took Mai and Zuko 3 years to get back together. Ha! I spit in your face, good sir. This fic will do it in one! (I’m kidding, I’m kidding… mostly. I hate the comics but I’m sure Gene’s a decent fellow.)

This fic takes place 8 months after the events of Smoke and Shadow, vol 3. It’s canon compliant up to that point, and canon compliant with Korra, but I know nothing about the comics that chronologically happen in between so it might contradict those. For the purpose of this fanfiction, marriage proposals in the Fire Nation are the same as modern proposals with an engagement ring. 

Also! Happy (late) Mother’s Day to all the moms out there! You’re the best!!

Zuko made his way quickly through the rain, hood pulled tight over his head. He was out with only a few plainclothes guards today, hoping to maintain some anonymity. It was only a week until the Feast of the Mother of Faces, and Zuko had yet to find a suitable gift for his own mom. He wanted to get her something especially nice since they had been apart for so many years. He was pretty sure his last gift to her was a macaroni necklace, and figured he had to at least up his game from that.

His uncle had given him some recommendations of places to shop, and the first of which was a small but well-known jewelry store in the Caldera. As he slipped inside, he noted that the place was nearly empty except for the store clerk. His guards would be watching the door from a tavern across the street, and were instructed not to check in unless he spent over an hour in the building.

The spectacled shopkeeper looked up at his arrival, “Can I help you find anything, sir?”

“I don’t think so?” Zuko replied. “I’m just browsing for a Feast of the Mother gift.”

“Ah,” the man nodded in understanding. He gestured to the wall to Zuko’s right. “We have a lovely selection of necklaces and pendants that might be suitable. Prices are listed on the tags. Let me know if you have any questions or if you would like me to remove any items from the case.”

Zuko smiled and gave the man a slight bow. This was shaping up to be easier than he expected. He looked through the glass at the different options. He noticed some that were similar to pieces he recognized from his childhood. There was one in particular, a gaudy and ruby-encrusted flame, the size of his fist, that reminded him of something his father would buy. Best to stay away from those. There were some cloth chokers, similar to one that Katara occasionally wore when she was in the fire nation. He wasn’t quite sure they would be his mother’s style, but perhaps he should send a memo to Aang. (For a monk, who swore off material things, that kid sure bought a lot of gifts for his girlfriend. The thought made Zuko smile.) 

Then, he caught sight of a delicate silver chain. Most women in the Fire Nation preferred gold, but Zuko knew one woman who hadn’t. 

— —

“Silver matches my knives, Zuko. The aesthetic of it all is very important to me.”

Zuko snorted. They had decided to explore the numerous palace basements, and had come across one of the many treasuries, nearly all of it gold. Mai had immediately protested the lack of her favorite metal.

“Well gold is the emblematic color of our nation, so most of the royal jewelry is gold. You’re going to have to get used to it eventually.” Zuko blushed when he realized the implication of his words.

“Oh? Why is that?” Mai asked, fixing him with a satisfied smirk. 

His cheeks were burning, but he decided to play it cool. “I plan to put a golden crown on your head one day… if that’s alright with you.”

Mai kissed his cheek, and then his nose, and then his lips. “I think that’ll be alright. One day. But I really would prefer silver.” 

He cupped her cheek with his palm and guided her in for another kiss. That was the last room they managed to explore that day.

— — 

And even though they were no longer together, Zuko thought about her more than he cared to admit. He leaned in to examine the silver chain. It carried a small charm, about the size of his thumbnail. The charm itself was also silver, fashioned into the shape of a plum blossom. A wine colored garnet– again, a favorite of Mai’s–  was nestled in the center of the flower. Zuko felt his heart seize. It was perfect, but not for the person he was supposed to be shopping for. 

He contemplated buying it anyway. Maybe he could stop by Mura’s after this and place an order for a bouquet. Surely his mom would want flowers. And if Mai was there, he could give her the necklace. What’s a gift between friends? 

The sound of the door opening broke his reverie. The rain had gotten heavier since he entered the shop, and the new customer had practically flung himself into the building, allowing the door to slam behind him. 

The shopkeeper seemed slightly irritated by this noisy appearance, but nonetheless asked him the question he had asked Zuko. “Can I help you find anything, sir?”

The man removed his hood, and Zuko felt his muscles turn to ice. It was Kei Lo.

“Oh yes please!” He gave a good natured smile, all cheerfulness and boyish charm as he swaggered up to the counter. The universe was taunting Zuko. Of course he couldn’t buy a ridiculously expensive present for Mai. She had a boyfriend. She had made that quite clear when he last saw her eight months ago.

“What are you looking for?” the man asked, pushing his glasses up the bridge of his nose.

Zuko noticed how Kei Lo shuffled, seeming nervous. “I– I’m here to buy an engagement ring.”

Zuko was going to be sick. He was going to throw up. Right on the floor. Right in front of the store clerk. And right in front of Mai’s soon-to-be-fiance.

“Congratulations!” The storekeeper seemed to have fully gotten over irritation and beamed from ear to ear.

“Thanks!” Kei Lo said sheepishly. “I haven’t asked her yet, but we’ve talked about it before so I’m confident she’ll say yes.”

Zuko took several deep breaths and forced himself to quietly turn and face the display case once again. Kei Lo obviously hadn’t noticed him yet, and he knew that any interaction between them would be a disaster.

“Have you discussed ring preferences?” the older man asked.

“No, but I’m thinking something gold and traditional.” Good, Zuko thought bitterly. At least Mai will hate it. 

As the two walked over to the ring cases and discussed the pieces, Zuko’s thoughts began to spiral. How had this happened? He had well and truly lost her. Mai, his soulmate, his best friend, his plum blossom. He had lost her to another man. Except…

Except he hadn’t yet! Kei Lo hadn’t asked her yet. He could buy his own engagement ring from a different shop and ask her right now! Or he could run there and ask her without one. 

“Prince Zuko!” He heard his Uncle’s voice in his head, echoing the wisdom of the past. “You never think these things through! You had no plan! You could have died!” Then he said something about ice and chasing the avatar. The exact words were hazy, but the sentiment was clear. He was too impulsive. 

He needed to wait and collect more information. Then he could form a plan and– and then what? If Mai wanted to marry Kei Lo, then he knew he had to support her. He wanted her to be happy more than he wanted his own happiness. But when he spoke to her in the Dragonbone Catacombs she herself admitted that she didn’t like Kei Lo as much as she had liked him. He cursed himself. He had driven her away and broken her heart twice! Now she was scared to trust him. But if he could just convince her to give him one more chance, he could fix it. He had learned how painful it was to live without her, and he would not repeat his mistakes.

His heart ached to imagine Mai in a wedding dress at someone else’s side. Even as a kid, when he pictured his wedding, he pictured Mai as the bride.

— — 

“Mom! Mom! Mom!” Little Azula tugged at their mother’s sleeve. “My friend Mai is here and we want to play a game with Zuko! Please! Ty Lee is sick, so we need another person.” Zuko rolled his eyes. He considered Mai to be a shared friend since they all used to play together at Ember Island, but lately Azula had been calling her “my friend Mai.” It made him angry and he didn’t know why.

Ursa patted her daughter’s head. “I think that’s a great idea. What do you think, Zuko?”

He crossed his arms. He remembered what happened last week with the apple. But if Ty Lee was sick then Mai was alone with Azula. What if his sister was teasing her? Or telling her lies about him? He needed to intervene. “Sure. I would love to play with you Azula.” His tone of voice did not match his words, but his sister didn’t care.

“Good!” Azula grabbed his hand and marched him into the fountain garden. Zuko knew that this couldn’t possibly end well.

Mai was sitting under a tree, twirling a knife. She looked up at their approach and raised an eyebrow, “I thought you went to get mochi.”

Azula shrugged. “I changed my mind. I want to play a game.”

Mai looked at Zuko with great trepidation. He couldn’t blame her. Last time Azula said those words, he had tackled her.

“No firebending this time, Azula,” he ordered.

“Of course not,” Azula agreed. “We’re going to play wedding. I’ll be the officiant and you two will be the couple.”

It took all of Zuko’s discipline to not stare at Mai and search her face for a reaction. He heard her sigh, and he felt his stomach drop.

“Well,” Azula prompted. “Come here.” She made Mai and Zuko stand facing each other while she launched into a monologue about the rich culture of the Fire Nation. She went on for a while and Zuko was so bored that he almost forgot to be embarrassed. When Azula wasn’t looking, he noticed Mai yawning. He bit his lip to keep from laughing. “And naturally,” Azula carried on. “Fire bending comes from the breath. In order to symbolize the joining of flames, the couple will now share a breath and share a kiss.” She looked at them expectantly.

“Azula, I don’t think we should do this,” Zuko protested.

His sister smirked. “Why not? You don’t want to kiss Mai? She’s not pretty enough for you?”

Zuko saw red. “Mai is really pretty! You take that back right now!”

“If she’s so pretty, then kiss her!”

Mai cleared her throat. Pink dusted her cheeks, but aside from that her expression remained neutral, “Can’t we just pretend?”

“What do you mean?” Azula asked. 

Mai shrugged. “Like this.” She leaned slightly closer to Zuko and kissed the air. 

“That looks ridiculous,” Azula said.

“That’s weird. I thought you said you were better than Ty Lee at everything.” Mai’s words made no sense to Zuko, and apparently they made no sense to Azula either.

“Well yes, but I don’t see what that has to do with anything.”

Mai smirked, “I bet Ty Lee would be able to pretend. She’s more creative and she has a better imagination.”

Azula was irate. Zuko knew first hand that people were not allowed to be better than her at anything. “I have an idea,” she replied. Zuko shuddered, that was Azula’s scary voice. “Next time, Ty Lee can be the bride. I bet Zuko would kiss her.”

For once, Mai’s facade cracked. Her face scrunched up and Zuko was afraid she was going to cry. “No!” Zuko cut in. “I don’t want to play this game with Ty Lee.” Azula huffed, but Mai looked up at him hopefully. He took her hands and kissed the air like she had. “I now pronounce us husband and wife.”

“Hey!” Azula pinched his shoulder. “That’s my line.”

Thankfully he was spared a confrontation by the arrival of his mother. “Zuko! Azula! It’s time for dinner.” She caught sight of Zuko and Mai’s clasped hands and smiled. “You’re welcome to stay too, Mai. I can send a servant to your mother to let her know.”

Mai politely declined, and Zuko was sad to see her go. That night, he thought for the first time about what his wedding might be like. He imagined hands entwined with own, slightly colder than his. They were soft except for the side of her index finger and thumb where she gripped her knives.

— —

Zuko caught himself staring at his own hands, and tried to shake off the memory. Since that day, he couldn’t help but picture Mai as his bride. It was almost involuntary. But if she had truly grown to love Kei Lo, then he would have to get over it. His mouth tasted like ash.

Zuko pulled his hood down, to the point where it hung in his face obnoxiously, and he walked over to a display case of bracelets that was closer to the rings. He tried to appear nonchalant as he looked over the merchandise, but he listened to the other two men intently.

Kei Lo was in the middle of speaking. “I walked into her shop one day on a whim. She was so beautiful. I asked her out on the spot and the rest is history.”

The older man smiled. “How lovely! I met my husband at work as well. He came in to buy a gift for his grandmother and he kept coming back. Eventually, I asked him out because I was worried he would bankrupt himself spending so much money here.”

Kei Lo laughed. “Wait, he bought something every time he came in?”

“Yes,” the shopkeeper shook his head. “I think he felt guilty for wasting my time. But we’ve been together for thirty years at this point and I don’t consider any of them wasted.”

“Wow! My girl and I have only been together for seven months.” Kei Lo replied. Zuko huffed. That was wrong. He and Mai had been dating for nine months at least according to what he learned from Ty Lee. Kei Lo really should know that.

“What’s her name?” the shopkeeper asked. Zuko shuffled close still, pretending to admire the bracelets in the sale section. Unlike the others that were behind glass, these hung from artful stands. He allowed his fingers to graze a band of beaded obsidian.

“Her name is Machi,” Kei Lo answered.

Zuko spun around, but his sleeve had caught on the stand and the entire thing toppled over, making a terrible noise and scattering bracelets across the floor.

“I– I– I’m so sorry,” Zuko’s face burned hotter than the sun. 

Kei Lo looked at him stunned. “Zuko?”

The shopkeeper’s eyes went wide. With the scar and the name, he put it together. “Fire Lord!” He bowed at the waist, and– for a moment– Zuko was worried the man would lose his glasses. “My deepest apologies. Had I known it was you I would have helped you pick something out for your venerable mother–”

“It’s okay! It’s okay!” Zuko reassured him and the older man rose from his bow. “I’m sorry. I knocked over your display stand and the bracelets–” Zuko righted the stand and began to gather the fallen items, but the shopkeeper would not have it.

“Oh no!” He rushed over to help. “You do not need to clean my shop, Lord Zuko. Thanks to you, my husband and I were finally married under the law.” 

Zuko smiled, “I’m glad. But still, let me help you. It was my fault after all.”

Kei Lo clapped a hand on the shopkeeper’s back. “I’ll help too.” 

The three of them quickly subdued the mess. The shopkeeper noticed a few damaged pieces which he took to his back room for repairs. Zuko made a note to send the man compensation. 

While the store owner was removing and cataloging the damaged pieces, Zuko and Kei Lo were left alone. Kei Lo broke the silence. “So… How’s Mai?”

“I don’t know,” Zuko answered honestly, and the awkward silence descended once more.

Zuko felt relief course through his body. After making a fool out of himself, he could finally take it in. Mai and Kei Lo had broken up. Kei Lo was engaged to someone else. Kei Lo thought that Zuko and Mai were talking.

The first part was wonderful news. Zuko felt it was safe to assume that Mai had dumped Kei Lo. When he released Kei Lo from the prison, the man had made it abundantly clear that he was with Mai to stay. Besides, the thought of Mai sending him on his way made Zuko very, very happy. The only potential concern was that the breakup had happened a long time ago, at least seven months. And, in all that time, Mai had made no effort to see him. For all he knew, she could be with someone else too.

“Umm…” Zuko did not know a subtle way to ask what he wanted to know. “Have you heard if Mai is with anyone right now?”

Kei Lo shook his head. “To be honest, I’m surprised she’s not back with you. She was normally so… neutral, I guess. You know how she is. But when she talked about you, a light would enter her eyes. She would go on and on…”

Zuko felt a spark in his chest. “Really?” He could hear the pathetic hope in his own voice. “She seemed so hesitant to trust me again. I thought she hated my guts.”

“No,” Kei Lo smiled wistfully. “I take it you don’t know how we broke up.”

“To be honest, I thought you were proposing to her.”

Kei Lo let out a raucous laugh. “HA! Agni, that’s why you bumped into the bracelet stand. Were you spying on us?”

Zuko laughed along sheepishly. “Kind of. I really did come here to get something for my mom, but when I heard your request… Part of me wanted to run to Mai right then and make a grand declaration.”

“I would have paid to see that. Front page news: The Fire Lord’s Shocking Proposal.”

“Yeah,” Zuko rubbed the back of his neck. “It’s a good thing I didn’t.”

“Well, I was going to say that after all the stuff with the Safe Nation Society, Mai and I had a talk. I told her that if we were going to keep dating, I needed to know that she was over you. She has this one portrait of the two of you, and she keeps it in her dresser. I told her to get rid of it or I was gone. She made her choice.”

Zuko remembered that painting. He had one very similar to it in his own room that he kept on his desk. His was in ink and hers was in color. 

And then he remembered that he should probably express some sympathy for Kei Lo. “It seems like it all worked out for you in the end though. I wish you and Machi the best.”

Kei Lo nodded. “Thank you. I’m so glad I found her. I was really upset when Mai and I broke up, but it all seems so trivial now. For what it’s worth, I think you should reach out to Mai. See if she still has that painting.”

“I think you’re right.” The two men shook hands. If Zuko had learned anything from this experience, it was that he didn’t want to wait anymore and risk Mai moving on completely. He needed to find her and apologize and beg for her to come back. 

When the store owner returned, Zuko purchased the plum blossom necklace.

Endnotes: I’m open to writing a part two where Zuko gives Mai the necklace if people would be interested. (I mean, I might anyway even if you all aren’t, lol.) But I wanted to get this out close to Mother’s Day since I made up the Fire Nation version of Mother’s Day for this fic. And, a big HAPPY MOTHER’S DAY to all the moms!!!

Also, I couldn’t get into it in the story, but Kei Lo is that guy who falls for his barista, right? He went on like one date with Mai and then decided she was his reason for living. So I thought it would be hilarious if that’s how he met his next girlfriend! And then he could ambiguously say that he met her at the shop where she works which is also how he met Mai. Anyway, it was a funny head canon that made me laugh.

Thank you again to the anon who suggested this! I hope I didn’t make it too silly. I love putting our dramatic boy in ridiculous situations. Also, I plan on writing your other idea as well at some point, but this one demanded to be written immediately <3

PART 2!

[am-i-the-asshole-official]

AITA for hooking up with my ex-fiancée's friends

nsfw for obvious reasons. everyone involved is early to mid twenties

I was dating a girl for 4 years, we were engaged, planning to buy a house, had a wedding date and theme, the whole shebang.

Well, she had actually been spending the last 4 months of our relationship turning all our mutual friends against me, draining my bank account, talking with other people on dating apps, and generally ruining my life, which culminated in me coming home from work to find her, half our pets, her stuff, our stuff, and half my stuff gone from our apartment (along with a note from all our friends and multiple broken utilities).

Anyway it has been about 7 months and I have since cut my losses, gotten my life back together, and I've even started going on dates and hookups again. It was a bad relationship for numerous other reasons, so I'm counting this as a fresh start. Yay.

I was scrolling and saw her best friend (who was one of our mutual friends who I still miss hanging out with) Being an adult, I didn't match. I then got an alert I missed a potential match. I laugh about this and move on.

But here's where the AH part comes in. I find them on another app, along with some other members of that friend group. I match with them for a few reasons. 1) They have me blocked on everything, so I can't really text them any other way. 2) I do miss these people still. 3) Well, they tried to match first. 4) I am leaving this state soon and don't have to deal with any fallout.

Well, turns out I was apparently hot shit in this friend group bc I now have multiple hookups scheduled with different people in this group. They all know it's just a one-time thing. They do not care that I am sleeping with other people. I always use protection, and I regularly get tested.

But, like, these are her friends. And they're my old friends (though I plan to cut contact with them after this for the whole trashing my apartment and not believing me about the legit abuse I suffered thing)

So, AITA for sleeping with my ex-fiancée's friends?

What are these acronyms?

[liuvli]

Critical Darling

pairing: eddie munson x fem!goth!reader

summary: It's your senior year. You're a "goth freak" and you definitely stand out, but it doesn't bother you. You're proud of who you are, and nobody is going to change that. Not even the person that motivated you to be so proud in the first place. Eddie "The Freak" Munson.

warnings: she/her pronouns, slow burn, cursing, alcohol, smoking, eventual smut, minor use of y/n, slightly bitchy reader, work in progress

tags: first meetings, pov second person, s4 doesn’t happen, goth!reader, tradgoth!reader, fluff, angst, eddie & chrissy friendship, reader is a little fruity

all fic chapters & a03 link

chapter wc: 8.3k

Chapter Seven: Mary Shelley's Frankenstein

Although the two of you had made plans to meet up and spend time together before Christmas, you didn’t end up seeing Kace over the weekend, all thanks to one person and one person only; your mother. She had spent the weekend doing nothing but complaining at you for the posters stuck onto the walls of your room, sending you on endless errands that she was more than capable of running herself, critiquing the way you and April decorated the house, being on your back constantly about grades and homework, insisting you had to set a good example for April, who already had A’s in most classes as a Freshman. Truthfully, you knew you had started to reach your limit with it all. 

Christmas Eve had finally arrived, and almost as if it had become a daily task for her, your mom was sitting on the couch filing her nails as she complained about the decorating again. To be more specific, she didn’t like the “hue of the lights” (lights which she had bought a few years back), the color of the tinsel (a color she was obsessed with the last time you heard her express any kind of interest in anything), and the tree looked “anemic”. What did she mean by that? Nobody was to know. Truly one of life’s biggest mysteries. 

She kissed her teeth as she didn’t bother to lift her head to look up at you from where she sat on her armchair, thick lashes casting a dark shadow on her eyes. You switched which leg was crossed over which, readjusting yourself on the couch next to April, TV remote in hand. 

“With all due respect, Mom, you leave April and me home alone for months on end for ‘work’. We keep the place tidy, and we put the decorations up without you having to ask. You could decorate the house yourself if you were here all the time, but you’re not. So, really, what gives you the right to complain?” That ‘tch’ sound again, switching to another nail and filing the edges again.

“...Tidy apart from the housephone. Remind me, how did that end up broken?” Letting out a huff, you uncrossed your legs, leaning forward as you looked over to her.

“I told you, I tripped over it. Must’ve slipped off the wall and I ended up catching it around my leg when getting a glass of water one night.” Silence, before just two words.

“Likely story.” That was it. Your last nerve, gone. Evaporated. Vanished. Missing person case reported. 

Standing from the couch and instantly turning to walk away, you let out a quiet sigh, holding back from the things you really wanted to say.

“Okay, I’m going out. I’ll be at Kace’s.” Blowing some dust off of her nail, your mom still didn’t manage to even look up as she spoke.

“Mhm, do what you want. Just be back in time for dinner tomorrow. No later than 2 pm.” How predictable. It’s Christmas Eve, you said you’re leaving, and she couldn’t give less of a fuck. Love you too, Mom. 

Stepping out of the house with just the clothes on your back, a simple pair of boots, and the leather jacket, you walked to Kace’s, which had thankfully never been too long of a journey. When you turned up at his front door after a short 10-minute trek, the sound of numerous voices inside brought back a memory from last Friday. You had been made aware that the group was having a Hellfire session at Kace’s house on X-mas Eve, but with all the shit your Mom had given you for the past three days, it had slipped your mind. Contemplating whether or not you should just go back home instead, spending the night with your family like most people did, you figured intruding on a Hellfire session would be preferable in comparison to the other option. 

Not bothering to knock on the door, as you had grown used to being told to just let yourself in, you made your way into the living room, finding the boys all sat around Kace’s dinner table, shouting amongst themselves as Eddie chuckled devilishly. The first of the boys to notice you was Dustin Henderson, as he was standing from his chair and facing your direction, just raising a finger to point at you, the others instantly looking over as they all noticed one by one. Coincidentally, Kace was the last to notice as his back was fully turned to you, swiveling in his seat as he finally looked up to notice Dustin’s pointing. When he turned to face you, he lit up, making you remember that he had once said that he was always happy to see you, even if you broke into his house one day and came to brutally murder him in his sleep. His words. 

Rushing over to you and squeezing his arms around you for a hug, he leaned back, his hands still placed on your shoulders.

“I’m so happy to see you, love. As always. What brings you here?” For a brief moment, your eyes flicked over to the rest of the group still seated around the table, and thankfully, Kace understood the awkward glance, shuffling the two of you into the hallway. 

“Argument with my Mom, obviously. I did tell you they were home, didn’t I?” Kace snorted, dropping his hands and taking a step back. 

“Yes, during the brief phone conversation that we had on Saturday before she got back from the store.” You hummed, remembering it now.

“By the way, how are your parents okay with this? Hellfire having their meeting here, I mean.” The tall boy leaned against the door frame, smirking to himself.

“Eh, they don’t know. They’ve gone out for the night and just told me to meet them at my Aunt’s tomorrow for the family dinner. They’ll be spending the night at hers. Hellfire at my place, woop woop!” Laughing at the cheesy display, you nodded, understandingly. 

Hearing a loud holler from the other room as Eddie called after Kace, hoping to continue with the session, you took it as a prompt to make yourself sparse. 

“...I’m gonna go up to your room and chill for a bit. That okay? I just need some space.” Kace nodded, giving you a warm smile.

“Of course, you don’t even need to ask. We’ll be done soon, anyway, because the freshmen need to be home early-ish.” With one last tap on the side of your arm, the boy returned to the room next door as you made your way up to his bedroom, immediately bee-lining towards his bed. 

Spending the next hour reading magazines that Kace proudly collected, listening to music, and letting his TV play quietly in the background, you eventually found yourself mostly forgetting about the shit you had been putting up with for the past few days, finally taking a moment to relax. Kace had popped his head through the door briefly to say that he and Eddie were driving the group home and that he’d return soon, so you found yourself anxiously waiting for that time to come, just wanting to spend some time with your friend before having to make your way home. 

When he did finally return, however, he had Eddie lurking behind him in the doorway, his stature slightly smaller than the boy’s in front of him. The two of them stumbled to explain that Eddie had revealed he’d be spending the night alone due to his uncle working again, as usual, and that Kace had so kindly invited him to come back to the house with him, betting on the chance that’d you’d tolerate him just for the reason they had explained. Not wanting any sort of fight, you allowed it, Kace perking up as he ushered the three of you downstairs, beers in hand that he had been hiding in his room for the longest time, waiting for the best opportunity to finally drink them with someone. 

As the three of you idly chatted about anything and everything, it felt like there was one topic that both you and Eddie had the urge to bring up, exchanging knowing glances every time Kace would be taking his turn to speak, and finally, you decided to pop that bubble of brewing tension.

“Who was that guy you spoke to when we went out for food a while back? You know, the one you keep letting your eyes follow when we see him in public.” As the question finally came out, Kace froze, the bottle pressed up against his lips tilted mid-air, his eyes widening before quickly placing it down on the coffee table, wiping anything away from his mouth.

“Oh, that one. Uh… steveharrington.” You and Eddie gave each other a mutually confused look as neither of you was able to catch what the last word he said was. 

“Sorry, what was that?” Eddie contributed, also curious for an answer, despite already having his suspicions. The boy sitting across from you groaned, letting his head fall back and his eyes land on the ceiling.

“...Steve Harring-”

“STEVE ‘THE HAIR’ HARRINGTON? I fucking knew it.” The speed at which he raised his voice had taken you aback, as you held your hands up in surprise.

“...I still don’t know who this guy is or why it’s such a big deal.” This time, all eyes were on you, and you suddenly felt like you had been living under a rock all this time. Eddie shifted his body to face you, clasping his hands together in front of him.

“Harrington’s this douche that used to go to Hawkins. Would try and hit on any girl that would give him the time of day, after he and his girlfriend split, of course. Thinks he’s all high and mighty.” Eddie tried his best to enlighten you, but with your expression of ‘so?’, he felt the need to add one more piece of information.

“Definitely not the type of guy that would associate with anyone like me or you guys.” With this new understanding, you nodded, taking a sip of beer as Eddie redirected his attention back to Kace, who seemed thankful for a brief moment that he wasn’t being interrogated. 

“You. How did the two of you even end up talking? What the fuck would you and Steve Harrington have in common?” Kace let the tips of his nails gently tap against the wood of the coffee table.

“Well… Tears For Fears was playing over the speakers and I overheard him muttering along to it, so I-” This time, it was your turn to cut him off.

“Hold on just a fucking minute, you like those guys? Our many years of friendship, and you’ve never told me that.” Kace just shrugged, averting his gaze, his fingers still idly tapping.

“I know, not my usual thing. But anyway, I asked him the same thing, not knowing it would be the type of music he was into either, and we just ended up… talking.” In the corner of your eye, you could see Eddie, slack-jaw, blinking in bewilderment.

“...Really didn’t take you for a Harrington kind of guy. Truly.” This earned a shrug from the suddenly quiet boy. Noticing Kace’s unusual demeanor, not his usual confident self, you tried to throw in your two cents.

“Personally, I can see it. I don’t know much about this Harrington guy, but doesn’t sound… too bad. Go for it, love.” His attention caught by the nickname you sparingly used for him, Kace finally lifted his head, giving you a sincerely thankful smile, to which you returned one. Eddie opened his mouth to speak again, which worried you, hoping he wouldn’t say anything to put your friend down again.

“You got a thing for this guy then, huh… Well, Chrissy’s holding a New Year’s party, if you two feel like coming. Pretty sure her Mom is going away with her new boyfriend to start the new year off and Jason somehow convinced the poor girl to take the chance to host a party. Most likely because hosting it himself would do wonders for the good-boy reputation he works so hard to maintain.” Both you and Kace looked over at the brunette, unsure how this was related to the previous topic you were all on.

“What I’m saying is that seeing as it’s a party with mostly… normal people, who knows, Harrington might end up showing his face. Hot girls and beer? What guy would miss out on that?” You let out a fake gag as you rolled your eyes, but this piece of information had Kace perking up instantly, leaning over the table with a hopeful expression. 

After each of you had gotten through a few more drinks, and you got the chance to briefly discuss the issue with your Mom, something you tried not to dwell on, it was time you called it a night. Of course, Kace wasn’t going to let you make your way home whilst drunk, and he wasn’t going to risk his license driving you home, of course, equally drunk. You had somehow found yourself cuddled up next to Kace on the couch, your head resting on his slumped shoulder, with Eddie sitting across from the two of you on the armchair, his shoes kicked off and his legs tucked under him. The shape of his brown, frizzy mane was just barely distinguishable as your eyes struggled to remain open, just barely paying attention to the words he was quietly speaking to Kace. 

“Man. It’s weird, don’t you think?” The boy next to you gave a questioning hum, his body subtly vibrating as he did so, Eddie continuing. 

“Just a couple of years ago…” Again, Kace hummed, this time with a gentle nod, as if he knew what Eddie was trying to say. He took one last swig of beer before placing the empty bottle on the floor beside the couch, leaning back against the cushions.

“I get you. She’s changed a lot since then. Who knows, maybe subconsciously due to your influence?” Eddie laughed, unsure.

“Right. Sure.”

With the sun shining directly into your eyes from the gap in the curtain, you woke up and are immediately aching, sleeping on the couch always working wonders for your body in the long term. At this rate, you’d be needing a cane by the age of 25. However, the second thing you noticed was just how claustrophobic your legs felt, slightly wiggling them around and feeling restricted. Shifting out of the way of the beam of light blinding you, you forced your eyes open, the sight of Eddie still asleep on the other end of the couch taking you aback. What.

Finding the clock on the wall, it read 12:05 pm. Briefly looking around the room, you searched for Kace, but weirdly, no sight of him. As you slumped back down onto the couch, you looked forward, being met by the sight of Eddie with his eyes now slightly cracked open. His arms were crossed over his abdomen, and his hair was unstyled, draping down the back of the couch. 

“...Good morning, Munson.”

“Merry X-mas, doll.” You scoffed, being saved as the sound of Kace stepping down the stairs captured your attention, the boy appearing at the bottom step wearing a long nightgown over a pair of shorts and an old t-shirt you were 90% sure was from summer camp in 7th grade. 

“Dude, did you sleep upstairs? In the bed?” With the biggest case of bedhead you had ever seen, Kace trudged over to the kitchen, pouring a cup of black coffee, and shrugging.

“Well, duh. If the option to sleep in a nice, warm bed is available, I’m taking it. Besides, you seemed… comfortable on the couch.” He snorted as you let out a loud groan, untangling your legs from Eddie’s and throwing the blanket that was draped over the two of you into his lap. You looked down.

“Did you really sleep in jeans?” The still sleepy-eyed brunette looked up at you, stretching his arms above his head.

“...Would you of preferred it if I didn’t?” Holding your hands up to block the view of his face, you began walking away.

“Ew, no. Nevermind.”

Walking into the kitchen, Kace slid a mug over to you, and you graciously expected without a second thought. 

“You good to drive me home before heading to your Aunt’s?” He sipped his coffee, wrapping both hands around the warm mug.

“Yup. But don’t count on me to come get you if shit bombs at home. You know I’d usually drop everything to come save you when you need it but… my family, you know how they can be.” You nodded, not having to ask further because you indeed did know what his family was like. 

Finishing your coffee, you offered to help Kace tidy the place up before heading home, and despite his insisting that you didn’t have to, you ended up doing so anyway. Once the living room was returned to its former glory, all three of you piled outside, saying your goodbyes to Eddie. You rested your arms atop the roof of the car as Kace turned to speak to the boy. 

“You doing anything nice today?” The metalhead shrugged, letting his keys dangle between his fingers.

“Nah. Wayne’ll be home later tonight and we’ll probably order takeout but you know what work’s like.” Kace sucked in air through his teeth, giving you an awkward side glance, and you chewed the inside of your mouth, not knowing whether you should say something or not. With just a single wave, the two of you piled into his car as Eddie got into the van, driving down the street as you and Kace sat, awkwardly.

“Why do I feel bad for him?” You questioned, not realizing you had said it out loud. Kace looked over at you, turning the engine on. 

“I do, too, love. If there was something I could do, I would. But again-”

“Yep, know what your family is like.”

As you arrived home and said goodbye to Kace, dinner was just being plated as you made your way into the house. Mom standing in the kitchen, her back turned to you and not a single ounce of acknowledgment, Dad sitting at the table already, reading the newspaper, and April practically leaping over to you, hugging you as if it had been years since you had left.

“Thank God you’re back. That woman is a pain to be around without you here.” You snorted, hushing her as you made your way over to sit down at the table next to your Dad.

“Sorry for leaving, by the way… but we both know it was smarter for me to leave rather than stay.” She nodded, twirling the end of her knife against the tablecloth. 

“Well, true. Can’t blame you for that.” 

Despite the awkward silence, only being broken when your Dad had something to say about what he had read in the morning paper, dinner was… nice? If there was one thing your Mom was good at, which obviously wasn’t her warm parenting skills, it was cooking. On the rare occasion she was home and would cook a meal for everyone, it never failed to give you a bittersweet feeling; remembering what it was like when you were younger, when she felt like an actual Mom, the kind other people had. But these meals always left a sour taste in your mouth afterward, metaphorically speaking, as it was a stark reminder of what things were like now. 

When everyone had finished eating, April had taken notice, quietly placing her cutlery down as she prepared to ask a question.

“...Can I go see Edith?” What the fuck? What kind of question is that?

“It’s Christmas day, April. Why on Earth would you need to go and see one of your friends right now?” The girl dropped her head, fidgeting with her hands, nails clicking against each other.

“Well- I got a gift for her, and I just thought since she got to go out last night-” You leaned forward, waving your hands out in front of you.

“Woah, woah. I went out last night because… I needed air. It’s not the same.” As if you had committed some sort of grave betrayal, the younger girl gave you a look, her eyes flicking over to your mom expectantly. 

“It’s kind of the same. You went out to get away from Mom, I want to go out to see a friend. I think my reason is way more valid.” Noticing the head tilt your Dad made as April spoke, your Mom huffed, the legs of her chair screeching against the flooring as she stood up. Getting more desperate, April revealed another trick she had hidden up her sleeve.

“I’ve been doing my homework! And my room’s tidy, you can check!” You groaned as you leaned back in your chair, crossing your arms.

“Oh, now you’re sucking up to her. Only when it benefits you, right? Screw our sisterly bond-” Silenced by the sound of her hands clapping together, the two of you finally remembered your Mom’s presence less than a meter away. “April, go see your friend. Don’t be home late.” Without a second thought, or a moment to let your Mom change her mind, April stood up from the table and rushed up to her room to get ready to leave, your mom collecting the empty plates and dishes. You followed her over to the kitchen, frustrated by the situation. 

“You would’ve NEVER let me go out on Christmas to see friends when I was her age.” The older woman turned to face you, one hand resting against the edge of the sink. 

“You didn’t have friends at her age. Besides, if it gets her out of my hair and stops you two from bickering…” You took a step back. 

“Right. Merry Christmas.” Dad gave you an understanding look as you walked back into the living room, giving you the go-ahead to slip the first pair of boots on that you grabbed and wrap yourself up in the only jacket you had hanging up in the hallway. 

Stepping out of the house, not caring that the door accidentally slammed behind you, you let your head fall back as you looked up, the sky a solid white. You blinked a few times, letting out a deep sigh, and as you looked down again, ready to start walking to a park, or something, you were greeted with a sight. A very familiar one, by now. The van. As you walked over, Eddie rolled the window down, leaning out slightly with a grin.

“Need something?” His eyes flicked over to the house briefly.

“Figured from what Kace was saying earlier that you’d need saving. You getting in?” Contemplating your choices, you looked back at the house, watching as April stepped out and made her way over to where you were standing, looking up at Eddie in the van.

“Who are you?” Before you could answer, giving her an equally vague response as you did before, Eddie had taken it upon himself to do so, letting more of his body hang out of the window as he stretched his arm out to shake April’s hand, which she did hesitantly. 

“Your sister’s new best friend. You the infamous Apricot?” She scowled. 

“Ew. Yes.” The girl glanced between you and the boy, before landing her gaze on the van. 

“Can you drive me to my friend’s house?” You turned to face her again.

“April, you can’t just ask strangers to drive you places.” A moment of silence before she replied, clearly finding herself hilarious.

“He’s not a stranger. He’s your new best friend.” Dumbfounded, and the metalhead laughing his ass off next to us, April began walking around to the opposite side of the vehicle, not waiting for an answer. Eddie looked down at you, wiping a tear from his eye.

“She’s funny.” You squint.

“You’re a dick.”

Accepting your fate, you followed April to the passenger’s side, sliding into the middle seat before letting the girl slide in after you, closing the door behind herself. After telling Eddie the address of her friend, he was already somewhat familiar. 

“Got a friend who lives nearby. Gotcha.” As he began driving, playing his music on a lower volume than he usually did, April nudged you with her elbow, tilting her head toward you. 

“Is he your new boyfriend?” You couldn’t help letting out a laugh, muffling the sound with the back of your hand before taking in a deep breath and regaining your posture.

“Who’s asking?” She pulled a face.

“Ew.” You also pulled a face.

“Ew, you.”

The van finally parked up outside of a house, and April climbed out the second the vehicle stopped moving, making her way around to the driver’s window, Eddie rolling it down. 

“Get a new air freshener for your van. It smells weird.” Before Eddie could reply, she walked away and up to Edith’s house, the boy rolling the window up and pulling away from the curb. 

“Nice kid. She get it from you?” You just hummed, muttering your next words.

“She thinks you’re my boyfriend.” This short sentence had Eddie choking on air as you fought a smile, taking notice of the way his fingers began nervously tapping the steering wheel.

“We should act like I am to prank her.” You kissed your teeth, shaking your head. 

“What’s wrong with you?” The boy shrugged, briefly glancing over at you.

“Your loss. I’d make a great fake-boyfriend.”

“Uh-huh…” 

Not thinking to ask where you were even going, you were surprised when the van pulled into the parking lot of Family Video, the movie rental store halfway across town. Eddie had stopped the engine and stepped out without saying anything, and you watched as he walked around the front of the van to reach the passenger door, opening it for you. 

“My angel.” He held a hand out for you, and you scrunched your brows together, a smile on your lips. 

“‘Great fake-boyfriend’ my ass. I just puked in my mouth a lil’ bit.” Grabbing his hand as you stepped down, you looked over to the Family Video building, trying to think of any reason as to why you’d be there on Christmas day.

“Enough about your ass, we going with the fake boyfriend thing or…?” Confused by what he was saying, you looked down, instantly recoiling as you pulled your hand out of his. 

The two of you made your way into the store, and you looked around, feeling slightly lost. 

“Look for a movie you wanna watch, I’ve got something I need to do.” With a shrug, you watched as he walked over to the counter, starting a conversation with the girl standing behind it, a girl with short, brassy hair. Five minutes later, Eddie was signaling you to come over to him, a VHS tape in your hand. The girl behind the counter looked down as you placed it in front of her, reading the name on her badge. 

“Gremlins? Good choice.” Eddie laughed, realizing what you had chosen. 

“Really? That’s what you went for? Out of literally everything here.” You shrugged, and he laughed again, shaking his head.

Just a few more minutes later and the tape was in your hands again. The two of you began to leave as Robin said one last thing to Eddie.

“I’ll talk to him for you. Merry Christmas, guys.” The boy smiled and nodded, before leading you out of the store.

“What was that about?” You asked as you walked over to the van again, Eddie opening the door before you had the chance to.

“Oh, nothing. Just me being the best wingman there ever was.” 

The rest of your day was spent on Eddie’s couch, watching the movie you had chosen and eating chips with dips that the boy had picked up for the two of you. You didn’t speak much, as you were still feeling tired from last night at Kace’s, and from the previous week you had been dealing with your mom and thankfully, Eddie had sensed this. He only really spoke when commenting on something happening in the movie or when you spoke first, plus occasionally asking if you needed a refill of soda. Putting personal opinion on Eddie aside, it was one of the most enjoyable Christmases you had ever had. 

At the end of the day, Eddie drove you home just as it was approaching 8 pm. The van arrived outside your house, and you waited a second before turning to leave. Eddie cleared his throat, his fingers drumming against the steering wheel again. 

“So… you coming to Chrissy’s party?” You took a moment to think about it, unsure. 

“Mm, yeah. May as well, seeing as I don’t have any other plans for New Years, and my parents head out again the morning after.” The boy nodded, his posture weirdly stiff.

“Cool, cool…” There was silence for a second as you twisted some of the rings around your fingers. The brunette opened his mouth to speak again, but you got to it first.

“Thanks for saving me. Earlier, I mean. I know I haven’t been super talkative today but… thanks. It was nice.” Finally looking over to him, Eddie was staring at you like a deer in headlights, and you couldn’t help but chuckle slightly at the sight.

“What?” He shook his head as he tilted it to an angle, rubbing the side of his neck.

“Nothing, nothing. You just sounded very… sincere.”It made you scoff, but lightheartedly.

“That’s because I am being sincere.” You watched as he pressed his lips together in a tight smile.

“Right. Gotcha. Well…” Eddie’s breath hitched, almost as if he still had something he needed to say.

“Goodnight, Eddie.” Letting out a shaky breath, he smiled, studying your movements as you grabbed his hand and planted a kiss onto the back of it, black lipstick being left behind. 

As he stared down at the mark left on his skin, you took it as your chance to climb out of the van, Eddie’s hand still raised in the position you had left it in. Forcing yourself to walk into the house without looking back, not wanting to see Eddie giving you some sort of weird face, you couldn’t help but use the peephole as the door shut quietly behind you. Eddie was still sitting in the van outside your house, looking towards the building before turning to face forward, his hair blocking your view of his features. After a few long seconds, he lifted his head before finally driving away.

The days leading up to the party were the mostly same as the days previous to Christmas had been, with your parents also being out of the house most of the time running errands, preparing to go away again. April was spending most of her time in her room unless your mom was in the house, or she was out with friends, and you had also made your bedroom the place where you spent most of your time, trying your best to avoid having to speak to your Mom. 

New Year's Eve had arrived, April was spending the night at a friend’s house for a sleepover with multiple classmates, and your parents were packing to leave the next day. 

At some point, before you were supposed to be leaving for the party, your Dad had come into your room, letting you know that he had left cash in an envelope next to the coffee pot, and to call him if you needed absolutely anything. He had never stuck up for you when your Mom was giving you grief, but you still appreciated what he did for you any other time. The excuse you had given him for going out that night was that you were spending the night at Kace’s house, celebrating with his family, which your Dad was understanding of, only advising you to avoid your Mom as you left for the night. Obviously, he didn’t have to tell you twice.

Kace had picked you up and driven the two of you to the party, so you both arrived at the same time and were both feeling awkward as fuck, at the same time. Seeing as it was mostly cheerleaders, people from the basketball team, and their associated groups, potential people for you and Kace to speak to were… practically non-existent.The only reason Eddie was there was because he was Chrissy’s weed dealer, and the only reason the two of you were there was because of, well, Eddie (and Chrissy, because she had taken a liking to you apparently). Kace was somehow able to interact with all sorts of people, proved by his conversation with that Harrington guy all those weeks ago. Speak of the Devil, that’s exactly who he somehow sniffed out and had begun talking to, cutting into a conversation Harrington was having with some girl on the cheer squad. 

Trying to find some sort of way to make the party enjoyable without Kace by your side, you had found the first guy who didn’t immediately appear completely repulsed by the sight of you, judging the way you dressed and struck up a conversation with him. Yes, he was asking about the clothes and makeup, but not in a mocking or judge-y way, just out of genuine curiosity, from what you could tell. He was asking things like “Why do you dress like that? Do you like scaring people? Is that part intentional? Are you really that pale?”, so honestly, you were humored. 

That was until a girl approached the two of you, seeming to be another one of Chrissy’s friends on the team. Immediately, she threw a nasty look your way but offered you a drink, and stupidly, because of the alcohol you had already consumed up until that point, you accepted the red solo cup without another thought, chugging it in hopes of making the party somewhat more enjoyable in a short amount of time. As you swallowed the last sip, it finally occurred to you how disgusting it tasted. Some alcohol really did taste like this, but this was on a whole new level. You couldn’t imagine anyone enjoying it. Was it some shit like absinthe, or something? 

Placing the cup down on a table next to you, you began stumbling away, your head almost instantly feeling the effects of whatever concoction you had just consumed. Thankfully, you ended up bumping into Chrissy, who took immediate notice of your state, her eyes instantly flicking towards the girl standing a few meters behind you. 

“Oh my gosh, did she give you something? I swear-” The blinde cut herself off as she marched towards the girl, chewing her out as you started walking again, turning the corner to make your way up the stairs, hopefully running into a bathroom at some point on your journey.

Instead, you ended up tripping over some guy sitting on the stairs, the poor dude miserably failing to flirt with a girl who was clearly just sticking around because she thought it was funny. As you fell, however, your hands landing on the boy’s shoulder, he had redirected his attention to you, the girl slipping away and down the stairs, laughing with a group of people as she reached the bottom. You lifted your head, trying to get a good look at the guy as he stood up to support you, recognizing him as the tall guy lurking behind Robin at Family Video last week. 

At some point, you had made your way upstairs, sliding into the first open door you could see and keeling over as you began emptying your gut into a trashcan beside a dresser, wiping the edge of your mouth after a few seconds, and floating over toward the bed, planting yourself down with a big huff. Without realizing what you were doing, you had begun mumbling nonsense about your Mom.

“She’s such an ass… I don’t know what my Dad sees in her, really. I don’t know why he puts up with her shit. It’s so-” You trailed off as you noticed a pressure on your thigh, looking down to see the boy’s hand gripping you. 

“The fuck?” Before you’re able to instantly recoil, your hand is in his other, slowly being pulled toward his lap. You were drunk, yes, but not drunk enough to be completely unaware of what the guy was trying to do. After noticing the way his belt and zipper were already undone, you wasted no time yanking your hand away, stumbling as you stood up from the bed and continued to stumble your way out of the dark room, hearing the guy scoff as you left.

You re-entered the busy hallway, your head starting to pound again as the music became louder, partly shutting the door behind you as you tried to forget what had just happened. Somehow, you hadn’t noticed Eddie appear directly in front of you, almost bumping into him like what you did with Chrissy earlier. You made a fuzzy mental note to practice spatial awareness at some later date. 

The metalhead was already checking you over before you could say anything.

“Chrissy said you looked in bad shape but…” His voice hushed as he leaned forward slightly to look through the crack of the door next to you, watching as the guy from before stood from the bed, zipping his fly up. As you rested your head against the doorframe, Eddie directed his attention back to you, his eyes wide as he looked down, gently holding your arm.

“Did that guy try something with you?” Not quite grasping the severity of Eddie’s concerns, you rolled your eyes, your head rolling to one side and resting on your shoulder.

“Nooo. I mean, he tried. But I hopped up out of there because grossss.” The brunette didn’t say a word before pushing the door open, careful to not knock into you as he walked past and into the room. 

The guy looked up at Eddie as he began to buckle his belt up, being interrupted as Eddie snatched his hand away by the wrist, holding it up into the air.

“Did you touch her?” With a scoff, his trademark by now, the boy began trying to wriggle his hand out of the brunette’s, nervously laughing.

“Pfft, what does it matter to you? She yours or something?” You stepped back into the room, slumping against a dresser next to the doorway, struggling to stay upright as you observed the scene unfolding in front of you. Eddie immediately snapped back.

“What if she is? Really, what if?” This confused the boy, a snort coming from him as he decided to test his luck again.

“But, is she-” And again, Eddie cut him, his tone flatter this time.

“She might be.” The lack of an immediate response from the boy gave Eddie a chance to let his eyes flick over to you, his gaze softening as he appeared to be having some sort of internal conversation with himself, his grip tightening around the boy’s wrist.

He finally let himself look back at the boy.

“If I ever see you approach any woman other than your own mother again, I will cut this hand off and keep it pickled in a jar like a trophy. Do you understand what I’m saying?” The guy began stuttering his words, head trying to recoil away from Eddie, who had his face positioned just inches away.

“-Okay, man. Yeah. I got it.” Finally, Eddie released his grip on the wrist, and the boy slid out of the room within just a few seconds, his head dipping to avoid making any sort of eye contact with you. 

Gently ushering you out of the room with him, you and Eddie were face to face with Chrissy back in the hallway, the girl stepping out of the bathroom across from you, tightening to ribbon around her ponytail as she gave the two of you a warm smile. 

“Oh, hey, guys! You two good?” Eddie stepped in front of you slightly, leaning toward the blonde and lowering his voice. 

“Not doing great. You got somewhere she can stay for the night?” Chrissy was confused, her eyes flitting between you and the boy, so he continued.

“I’ve drunk tonight, and I was just planning on walking back to mine, so I don’t even have my van with me. And… things aren’t great with her parents right now, so I don’t think her going back is a good idea anyway.” The blonde began waving her hands in front of the both of you.

“Say no more. Of course, Eddie. She can have my bed seeing as I’ll probably end up passing out elsewhere in the house later when everyone is gone.” The brunette placed his hands on Chrissy’s shoulders as he thanked her, the girl giving him a big grin.

As she slowly guided you into her room just slightly down the hall, she started speaking as you failed to remain standing still in one spot. 

“Extra blankets in that closet. If she needs pajamas, there’s some in that drawer over there, and bathroom is through that door. I’ll go tell her friend about what’s happening, but I’ll probably head back to the party after that. Unless you want me to look after her, which I’m more than happy to do. You know, so you can enjoy the rest of your night.” Eddie looked around the room, shaking his head.

“No need, I can stay up here.” Chrissy gave him one last nod before heading back downstairs to find Kace. 

You were gently pushed into the bathroom with a set of pajamas that Eddie had quickly grabbed, and you continued to mumble nonsense as you the door was closed behind you. Through the wood, you could hear Kace enter the room, muffled slightly, as he spoke to Eddie.

“Is she okay? What the hell happened?” A sigh.

“Some fucking guy- I don’t know, she must’ve drunk something and a guy must’ve noticed how much of a mess she was. Decided it was his time to shine, I guess.” You can hear the sound of your friend stomping around angrily, almost being able to see the image of him running his hands through his hair due to stress.

“If I see that man, he’s getting castrated. Hold me to my word.” 

A few minutes later, you finally emerged from the bathroom, the door swinging open as you held onto the side of it for dear life. Kace immediately captured you in a tight hug, instinctively letting your head nestle into the crook of his neck, not being able to lift your arms to give him a proper embrace in return. Once released, you trudged over to Chrissy’s bed, falling back onto it and sinking into the mattress, mumbling about how comfortable it was, your head sinking further into the numerous pillows the girl had stacked up. You weren’t awake for long as Kace and Eddie just spoke amongst themselves, their two faces out of sight as they towered above you, their torsos being the last thing you could see before passing out.

Only a few hours later, you were awake. The first thing you did was read the clock on the bedside table, the time reading 04:37. The second thing you did was take notice of the way your head throbbed, the dimly lit room probably being the only reason it wasn’t somehow much worse. You leaned forward and noticed the small night light plugged into the wall, and looked up to notice Eddie asleep on the armchair across from you, his jacket draped across him like a makeshift blanket, his feet crossed over one another on the floor, and his head dipped down, his face not visible. If you listened closely, you could hear his slow, deep breathing, watching the way his shoulders and chest moved in time with the sound. 

Sitting up slightly, you tapped the edge of the mattress with two fingers, attempting to make some noise, but not too much that would startle a person.

“Psst, Munson. Hey-” He lifted his head suddenly, eyes squinting in the darkness, confused. He rubbed his hand down his face as the jacket slid down and into his lap and as he looked at you, he was more awake, his eyes wide as he leaned forward. 

“Oh, hey, you good? You- You’re awake, are you okay?” You lifted an arm and rubbed the side of your head.

“Uh, yeah… I think I’m good. It’s so late, why are we still here?” Eddie straightened his posture as if it was a bad thing to ask. 

“I’ll explain when you’re more awake and sobered up in the morning, but Chrissy offered you her room for the night. She’s in her Mom’s room next door, so don’t worry about her.” You nodded, trying to make some sort of sense of the situation with the small amount of information you had before he spoke again. 

“Why don’t you head back to sleep? You’ve only been out for… five-ish hours.” Grimacing as your head throbbed again, you were given your answer.

“I have this huge headache, could you see if Chrissy has something I could take for it?” Without any sort of hesitation, Eddie stood up, walked into Chrissy’s bathroom, and slightly closed the door behind him to prevent too much light from seeping into the room. He returned a few seconds later with two Advil and a glass of water, which you graciously accepted.

Placing the glass on the table beside the bed, you looked up at the boy. 

“Why are you even in here? Did you miss the party to stay up here?” As you asked, Eddie brought a tuft of hair from the side of his head to hide the lower section of his face as he looked away, eyes drifting around the room. 

“Well, yeah. Didn’t feel right leaving you all alone, and I thought Kace would appreciate having more time to speak to Harrington tonight, so I said I’d keep watch, or whatever.” You gave him a simple nod, a weird feeling thrumming in your chest. Probably just a precursor of tomorrow’s hangover. 

“Well, why are you sleeping on that chair?” The question made Eddie laugh as if it was ridiculous for you to even ask. 

“I’m not just gonna climb into bed with a sleeping girl, am I? I’m not that much of a degenerate. It’d feel so wrong.” Chewing the inside of your lip, you sat up even more.

“...That chair can’t be comfortable.” Eddie was clearly confused, nervously laughing as he struggled to remain still, his feet shuffling around in one area.

“Well, what can I do? Not many other options, you know?” 

Without another word, you began taking some of the pillows from Chrissy’s abundant collection and started to construct a wall of them down the middle of the bed, feeling Eddie’s eyes watching closely as you did so. He walked around to the other side of the bed, giving you a look that said ‘Really?’ to which you returned with one saying ‘Really.’ You jerked your head slightly, gesturing for him to get onto the bed. It earned a sigh from him, but he still kicked off his shoes before climbing into the bed, his body rigid in its position. 

You laid back down, but facing him still, just being able to see most of his face, just barely being able to make out his open eyes staring up at the ceiling in the darkness. The pile of pillows wasn’t too tall, but just about thick enough to qualify as a suitable partition between two people, so it was easy for you to slide your arm over it, letting your hand fall onto Eddie’s chest, your fingers slowly rubbing against the fabric of his shirt. He didn’t say anything to the gesture, but you took deliberate notice of the way he tensed up as you first made contact, before relaxing into your touch. 

You decided it was time to break the silence, but just barely, as you whispered, your voice muffled by exhaustion. 

“Thanks for staying with me.” You had begun to worry that you were crossing a boundary for a second as you didn’t get an immediate reply until you felt Eddie’s hand gently slip over your own, his fingers tucking under your palm, thumb gently caressing the skin on your knuckles. 

“Any time, angel. I would’ve been the world’s biggest douche if I had left you up here alone.” Letting your nail tap against the metal of the chain on Eddie’s chest, you smiled to yourself.

“Whatever your motivations were, I appreciate you being here for me, even if it did mean you missed most of the party.” The boy quietly chuckled, your hand moving as his chest shook.

“Worth it, for you.” 

It was the last thing you heard before falling back to sleep, and when you woke up only a few hours later again at 7 am, it would’ve felt like a dream if it wasn’t for the fact that the first thing you saw upon cracking your eyes open was Eddie’s sleeping face. His bangs messy, the pillow wall you had constructed between the two of you being mostly broken down or flattened.

The room was still somewhat dark, as it was the middle of Winter, but the morning allowed for a muted blue shade to be cast across the room, letting shadows fall on Eddie’s face almost too perfectly. Your leg was raised, lying across the wall of pillows, and one of Eddie’s hands was tousled in your hair spread across the pillow, the boy using the crook of his arm as a headrest. Despite being hungover, exhausted, and still delirious, due to having only been awake for, at most, a minute or two, you let out a quiet, shaky breath. 

“Fuck, man.”

[dwonfilm]

Come hell or high water. | Dean Winchester x Reader.

Summary: Looming over the Winchesters and [Y/N] is the war between heaven and hell. Dean will ultimately be faced with a choice he’d never be able to make. What will happen?

This will be a multi-part story, not necessarily set in a specific season but around 4-5 would be the best fit.

Pairing: Dean Winchester x Reader

Mentions: Sam Winchester, John Winchester, Castiel, Bobby Singer, Azazel (yellow eyed demon).

Warnings: angst, supernatural level violence, season 2 spoilers in flashback.

If you missed it, here’s Part I.

Flashbacks are in bold.

Part II:

Here our trio sits, all tied to separate chairs and bloodied. Each unconscious at the moment, at the mercy of whoever held them captive—though right now it seemed they were alone. Not that it was helpful, none were in the state to simply bust out of their restraints.

Two days earlier.

It was the crack of dawn and for a change, [Y/N] was the first awake. Though in saying that, it would imply she got much sleep to begin with—which she didn’t. If she had to count the hours, she’d guess maybe two out of the numerous hours at night she’d spent sleeping. Every other hour was spent snuggled into Dean who was for a change fast asleep and remained that way all night long. For [Y/N], she was restless and worried and that never ended well when it came to a hunt. There had been a handful of times where she’d just.. known something bad was gonna happen. She couldn’t tell anyone how she knew but her intuition was rarely wrong. She’d felt off about their rescue of John Winchester from those damned Sunrise apartments. Lo and behold he was possessed by the yellow eyed demon that we now know was called Azazel. All of those events spiralled and led to John ending up dead and in hell—a deal made, a trade, his life for Dean’s. There was one other instance in which it was the day that her beloved Dean made the deal that would eventually send him to hell himself.

Tears had been flowing so long their tracks had stained [Y/N]’s pale cheeks. Everything had happened so fast—weeks, hell maybe months had been spent tracking these.. other children that the yellow eyed demon had planned a future for and now.. it all felt as if time froze. They’d found this guy, Jake, but something had been incredibly off about him—more so than the other children really seemed to present at first. It wasn’t long before Sam found himself physically fighting with Jake. After a couple blows that would definitely hurt in the morning, the younger Winchester had knocked the man unconscious. Holding the pipe he’d used to nail the final blow above an unknowing Jake. Inner turmoil clearly tearing at his brain. This constant battle of how far was too far, which had been brewing within Sam Winchester for the last year or so. Ultimately, he just couldn’t kill Jake, despite the fact that he had been trying to kill Sam. Tossing the pipe to the ground before hearing both Dean and [Y/N] yelling for him. “SAM!” Dean had been searching for his little brother, frantically at that. “SAM!” [Y/N] yelled immediately after, her body right behind Dean’s. Turning in the direction of their voices Sam would sprint off, leaving the unconscious form of Jake lying on the gravel. Now they could see one another. Dean, [Y/N] and Bobby had all come into sight. “Sam.” Dean said, voice sounding exhausted. “Dean..” Sam spoke, also sounding exhausted while holding his left arm with his right. All three hunters dropped their shotguns from the aimed position but [Y/N] however, she had a bad feeling in the pit of her stomach that something was lingering. Seconds, mere seconds.. and Jake had appeared behind Sam. “Sam look out!” Dean warned, but it had been too late. Jake had grabbed a knife from the earlier battle and plunged it deep into the back of the younger Winchester. Dean, [Y/N] and Bobby frantically began sprinting towards Sam. “NOOOOOOOOO!” Dean yelled with one of the most pained and strained voices that [Y/N] had ever heard. Rushing towards Sam, who’d fallen to his knees, Dean threw the shotgun onto the gravel before him and gripped Sam’s white shirt tightly in his fists. Bobby and [Y/N] didn’t stop—couldn’t stop. They chased Jake as he ran away from the horrific scene he’d just caused. Sam fell limp, only being held up by his older brother’s grip on his shirt. It was clear this was bad, beyond bad, it was.. criminal. “Hey, hey, hey.. c’mere.. lemme look at ya’..” Dean cooed as he moved his brother into a hug. Placing his hand on Sam’s back he felt the wound, his little brother’s blood now coating his palm. Panic filled him as he stared at it, before trying to keep Sam responsive. Pulling back, he’d look Sam in the face but his brother was still like a ragdoll in his hands. “It’s not even that bad, it’s not even that bad.. alright?” Dean lied, looking into his little brother’s eyes. They weren’t fully open, Sam was clinging to the last string of life and Dean knew it. “Sammy… SAM!” He cried out, shaking his little brother out of sheer desperation to keep him awake. “Hey, listen to me.. we’re gonna patch you up okay?” Dean’s breaths were heavy, panic setting in but he’d keep it at bay as much as he could. “You’ll be good as new..” Another lie. Yet he said it anyway, at this point he didn’t know if it was to comfort Sam or to comfort himself. Here he was kneeling in the gravel, holding his little brother’s near lifeless body in his hands. “I’m gonna take care of you, I’m gonna take care of you.. I got you. That’s my job right? Watch out for my pain in the ass little brother.” By the end of that sentence Dean’s emotions had began to put cracks in the dam of his repressed emotions. “Sam. Sam. Sam.. SAMMY?” Dean wailed with his hand on his brother’s face. Sam’s eyes had closed now, there was no sign of life present in his brother’s body and he knew it. He realized it. Eyes widened with the realization and the fear that came with it: Sam was dead. “..no.. no-no-no-no-no-no-no-no..” Dean was pleading, with who.. with what.. he didn’t know.

Bringing his little brother back into a hug he stared off at the ground just behind where they were. Hands gripping at his little brother tightly, frantically, inwardly hoping this was some kind of sick nightmare. “Oh god..” he pleaded, just holding up his brother who was no longer living. Both knelt there in the dirt and the gravel, silence overtaking the area. Eery and calm were their surroundings but the emotions within the eldest Winchester were anything but—“SAM!” he cried out, breaking the silence that had briefly settled. Finally he broke, leaning into his brother’s hair and beginning to weep.

Sam’s body was now laid on some mattress at Bobby’s, on the ground and undisturbed. Dean, and [Y/N] kneeling beside him. “I just wanted you to be a kid.. just for a little while longer. “I always try to protect you, keep you safe. Dad didn’t even have to tell me, it was just always my responsibility you know? It’s like I had one job.. I had one job and I screwed it up..” Dean’s voice broke at the end of his words, as he leaned forward, just looking at his brother’s body. [Y/N] was close behind him, didn’t want to be far because this.. this was something that no one was prepared for, no one thought it would happen. This truly was in all facets the worst case scenario. “I blew it.. and for that I’m sorry.” Dean spoke, tears falling from his eyes and slowly rolling down his cheeks. He reached up to wipe his eyes and [Y/N] finally hooked her arm around his, leaning her head against his shoulder. “I guess that’s what I do. I let down the people I love.” She squeezed his arm, not wanting to interrupt his emotional words to his brother but wanting to let him know that wasn’t true. Head turning to face him with tears in her eyes while Dean’s vision remained on Sam. “Yeah I let Dad down.. and now I guess I’m supposed to just let you down too? ..how can I? Am I supposed to live with that? What am I supposed to do? Sammy..” emotions break and she held onto him tightly, despite the fact that he never acknowledged that she was there. “What am I supposed to do?” These words were a little more angry, but still ultimately just.. sad. Anger came out again as he yelled towards the sky. “WHAT AM I SUPPOSED TO DO?!” [Y/N] ran out the front door to hear the impala’s engine revving and the bright headlights turning on. “Dean! ..DEAN WAIT.” She called after him, but he was already pulling out of the driveway and taking off down the gravel road. Tears were still rolling from her cheeks and bits of her makeup had dried, others wet and smudged from the constant flow of tears. Bobby stepped out, placing his hand on her shoulder. “C’mon girly, we’ve just gotta let him go for now.” He sighed, looking at how much of a wreck [Y/N] was and dealing with the sadness of his own. He guided her back inside and closed the door, getting a bottle of whiskey from the cabinet. She was on edge, not only from Sam’s death but from the feeling that things weren’t over yet.

Daylight came and [Y/N] came downstairs to find.. Sam was alive. She couldn’t believe it. Running down the stairs she hugged him tightly, which he protested after a moment or so because it was hurting him. “I’m sorry, ..I’m sorry. I just. You’re okay?” She asked, to which the youngest Winchester nodded. It was a miracle, a miracle.. suddenly she felt that same pit in her stomach remembering what happened the night before and the feeling that kept her up most of the night. From the corner of her eye she saw Bobby and Dean walking out towards the cars—that was never a good sign. Sam had been eating some breakfast and so she smiled over at him. “I’ll be right back, Sammy. I’m gonna go talk to Dean and Bobby.” Sam nodded, continuing to eat his food. [Y/N] made it out there rather quickly but more importantly? Quietly. She wanted to see what they were talking about before they were alerted to her presence. Hiding behind a broken down car, she heard the whole speech. Every single word. Just as Bobby had his hand on Dean’s face, [Y/N] stepped out from behind the car. Dean’s eyes widened and Bobby was confused until he turned to see her standing there. “I’m gonna.. leave you two alone.” Bobby said, offering a sympathetic look to [Y/N]. She was shaking, tears again staining her cheeks and the makeup she wore yesterday became a bigger mess—both because she slept in it and from the fresh tears upon her skin. Bobby walked away and there was silence that surrounded them. Tension that you could cut with a knife. “Baby..” Dean spoke, voice low. It was in that split second that her gaze pointed like daggers at him. “..please say something.” He pleaded, holding her gaze even though he knew there was pure anger on the other end. [Y/N] was still shaking, hands clenching to form fists and she was holding them so tight her hands began to turn white. Dean made the mistake of taking a step to close the distance between he and his girlfriend—immediately being met with a punch to the face. He staggered backward but he wasn’t mad, he knew he had that coming. “How could you!” She yelled, taking a step towards him herself only to shove him in the chest. “One fucking year?! ONE YEAR DEAN?!” She yelled again, shoving him again. Dean’s voice was kept low. “Baby I tried.. I tried for ten, hell I started counting down to five. She wouldn’t budge. Baby I couldn’t let him die..” He choked out, tears running down his face again. “I didn’t want him to die either Dean, we could’ve found another way!” She cried, tears searing her face and her body aching already from the violence the sobs had brought upon her. “What other way, [Y/N]?! There was no other way, dammit!” Dean yelled, but the look he got back removed the irritation and only broke his heart further. “..what am I gonna do, Dean? What am I supposed to do, what am I supposed to say..” her voice broke from the sobbing and all Dean wanted to do was hold her in his arms. Tell her things would be okay, but he didn’t know that they would be and she clearly didn’t want him to touch her right now. Silence overtook them again, only broken up by her sobs. “You really thought your life meant nothing? You really feel like our life together means nothing?” [Y/N] sobbed the words out, turning away from her boyfriend. “Baby I didn’t say that..” he spoke lowly still, both because he didn’t want to cause more commotion and because for the first time he realized just what he’d brought down on the woman he loved. “YOU DIDN’T HAVE TO!” She cried out, her sobs felt like stabbing in her lungs. Each and every one of them felt like bullets to Dean’s heart, but he had to reaffirm what he’d told Bobby. “You can’t tell him..” he choked out. [Y/N] scoffed, looking up at him with that same daggered gaze. Laughing the most dry and uneasy laugh that he’d ever heard. “Right, I just got my still beating heart ripped from my chest and I have to smile and pretend like everything is fine? Because you asked me to?” She was angry and it was the kind of anger that was turning calm.

Perhaps the most scary kind of anger that there was—but Dean’s eyes held so much emotion that she just scoffed again. “Fine.” It was all she could say. “Baby please let me..” Dean started, reaching out for [Y/N] but she backed away before he could touch her in any way. “Don’t. Don’t you dare.” She spoke, turning around and walking off.

Dean had rolled over in his sleep, so [Y/N] figured this was the time to just.. get up. There was no point in even trying to get more sleep, it wouldn’t happen. She just had to accept it. Slowly pushing herself up from the mattress she’d run her hand over her tired face. Turning around she looked at Dean, smiling at how peaceful he looked while he slept and she couldn’t help herself—she leaned down to press a light kiss to his forehead. It wouldn’t wake him up, he was the heaviest sleeper she’d ever met when he actually got to sleep. Running her hand through her [Y/H/C] hair to push it from her face, she turned and moved towards the door to the motel room. Sam had still been asleep and so she made sure to be extra quiet, unlocking the door and taking the key with her, holding it in her hand. Once she was out of the room and had relocked it, she slipped it into her jacket pocket and sighed. Maybe this walk in the crisp morning air would give her some clarity, make her feel better. It isn’t that she was intent on going far but she’d needed some alone time to sort her thoughts. There was a coffee shop not too far from where they’d been staying and she figured she could grab everyone’s usual before they’d woken up. Despite the crisp air feeling fresh in her lungs, it wasn’t doing anything to calm her mind. As much as [Y/N] tried, she couldn’t figure out what was bothering her so much about this case—other than the fact that it had seemingly been dropped in their laps. Sure there could be some controlling of the evil in the world but to have such a gap in potential cases.. could something really control all of species of evil? Truly make them pause any and everything? She wasn’t sure even Lucifer had that kind of pull. Before she knew it, she was at the coffee shop and they had just opened a few minutes prior to her arrival. As she opened the door, the little bell rung out to alert the workers to a customer. [Y/N] smiled and ordered two caramel lattes and a black coffee—all with a shot of espresso. Eyes flicking around the interior, it was quaint and it was very much what you’d expect from a smaller town’s local coffee spot. Leaning against the half wall by the counter, she was lost in her thoughts again. It wasn’t a day she wanted to relive but this pit in her stomach was growing and it reminded her too much of that day—the day Dean made his deal. Sure, things had worked out in the long run with that but.. it wasn’t easy. “[Y/N]?” She smiled as the woman behind the counter called out her name. “That’s me.” She smiled, taking the tray with the three coffee cups settled snugly into it into her hands after paying with the card she’d brought. Thanking the worker she turned on her heel and walked back out of the door, by now the sun had fully risen in the sky. It took less time for her walk back towards the motel room, probably because she wasn’t using the walk to think anymore. Now she just wanted to get back to Sam and Dean so they could get this day started.

Using her free hand, [Y/N] grabbed the keys from her pocket and moved towards the door. However Sam had opened it, smiling at her and stepping aside to allow her to reenter the room. “Dean’s in the shower.” He said, noticing you seemed a little puzzled when you looked at the bed you’d shared with him only to find it empty. “Ahh, makes sense.” She replied, placing the coffee tray on the table and slipping her jacket off. After tossing it onto the bed, she smoothed back her [Y/H/C] hair which the wind had messed up a little. “Is everything okay, [Y/N/N]? You’re never up before me and if you are you’re damn sure not in a good enough mood to be around other people.” Sam chuckled, which made her chuckle too. “I didn’t really sleep much. Probably two hours but that’s being pretty generous.” She admitted, pulling the cups from their respective holders and setting Dean’s on the table. Grabbing Sam’s drink she extended her arm outward to offer to him, which he happily took. “Thank you.” He spoke softly, smiling at her before taking a sip. “You’re welcome.” She replied before mirroring him and doing the same from her own cup. “You that worried about this case?” He asked, eyes glancing back to her with concern in them. She nodded, sighing. “I can’t shake it, Sam. No matter how much I’ve tried since yesterday it just.. it feels like..” she was cut off by the door to the bathroom opening and Dean walking out. “Oh hey baby, good morning.” He said, smiling to [Y/N] as he walked over to her and gave her a gentle peck of a kiss. “Good morning honey.” She replied, returning the peck and offering up his coffee. “Thank you, sweetheart.” He said as he took the cup from her hand and immediately took a sip. There was a momentary silence before the eldest Winchester spoke up again. “Since when are you the one that goes for coffee in the morning by the way?” His eyes moved between Sam and [Y/N], who sighed softly. “I couldn’t sleep.” She said before sipping her coffee again. “She was just telling me that she only got two hours, being pretty generous.” Sam added, which had [Y/N] choke a bit on her coffee. Dean always worried when she got like that. “Babe.. two hours? That’s it?” Of course he knew that hunters didn’t get as much sleep at times as others did. Dean himself struggled with sleep, usually being riddled with nightmares or just worrying about things. “That’s it.” She repeated, sighing again. “I’m gonna grab next shower if that’s okay Sam.” She looked to the younger but taller Winchester and he nodded. “That’s fine, [Y/N.] Go ahead.” She began gathering her things and headed into the bathroom, shutting the door. “Dean she’s really worried.” Sam said, turning to his older brother. Dean ran his hand across his face, sighing himself. “Yeah, Sammy, I know.” Placing a hand on his older brother’s shoulder, he lowered his voice a little bit. “No, Dean, I don’t think either of us realize how bad it is for her.” This made Dean raise his eyebrow, but his eyes began searching his little brother’s eyes for answers. “What did she say?” He asked, looking at Sam. “She didn’t fully get it out, because you came into the room.. but she said it feels like something else and with the look on her face Dean.. it’s bad.” Both brothers wore looks of concern as they settled into a silence. All that could be heard was the distant sound of the shower running behind the closed bathroom door.

About ten minutes passed, the water turned off and [Y/N] emerged from the bathroom already dressed for when they’d inevitably leave. Sam had finished his coffee just now tossing the cup into the bin. Without a word he gathered his things and headed into the bathroom to use the last bits of what he hoped was hot water. Once the bathroom door closed, Dean would approach [Y/N] and take her hands into his and squeeze them gently. “Baby.. look at me.” He spoke softly, she didn’t want to meet his gaze at first mention. “Baby.” He repeated, gently easing his index finger underneath her chin and pushing her face upward. Finally she met his gaze and his stomach and heart sunk. All that he could see in her eyes was sadness and worry. It broke him a little. “Talk to me.” He said softly, running his thumbs over the top of her hands. “I’m just.. something really doesn’t feel right, D.” She spoke, her eyes glassing over a little bit as she attempted to hold back the tears. “This case?” He asked, letting go of one of her hands to bring his now free one to her face. Thumb easily caressing her cheekbone which makes it harder for her to hold back the tears. “Everything about this, Dean. It feels like.. like..” she trailed off and tried to look away from him but gently he kept her gaze on him. “Like what, sweetheart?” He asked, letting go of her other hand to bring his up on the other side of her face. His hands were cupping her face now, so she gripped his forearms firmly. Taking a deep breath she attempted to steady her breathing. Dean leaned forward to press a kiss onto her forehead to help calm her down. “All of this has that pit in my stomach like the day you made the deal to save Sam.” She was quiet, she didn’t wanna say it too loud—she didn’t wanna say it at all. Finally he understood why she was so worked up, why she couldn’t sleep and why she’d been stressing so much. “C’mere.” That’s all he said, pulling her as close to his body as he could. She wrapped her arms around his midsection and he wrapped his own around her shoulders. [Y/N] buried her face into his chest and quietly sobbed. “It’s not gonna be like that day. I promise.” He spoke lowly, pressing a kiss to her temple, followed by another one. She lifted her head to look him in the eyes with the tears all along her face. “Don’t promise me that, you know you can’t keep it.” She whispered. He sighed knowing she was right. “I know.” It was all he said, but she knew it was his way of saying in this moment that he’d do anything to protect her. They knew Sam would be out of the shower any moment and so [Y/N] began to rub her eyes, wiping away the tears and hoping her eyes weren’t too red and puffy. Dean pressed another couple of kisses to her forehead, soothing her as best he could.

“Did you try praying to Cas yet?” She asked, her voice sounding more stable than it had earlier. “Yeah, he’s not answering me.” It was clear that Dean was frustrated but surely the angel was just.. busy. “It’s okay, he’s probably doing something.” It’s like she could read his mind sometimes, which he mostly loved about [Y/N]. “Why don’t you sit and finish your coffee? I’ll pack the car up so we can just head out. That okay?” He asked, looking at her with a little smile but it didn’t quite reach his eyes. She nodded, slowly letting go of Dean and moving back to the table and grabbing her coffee. [Y/N] sighed before taking a sip, slowly picking at the cup with her eyes down. It didn’t take long for Sam to reenter the room after his shower. [Y/N] didn’t really look up, just sat there trying to keep her composure. He’d made his way from the bathroom directly to his bed, packing up all of his stuff into the couple bags he owned. “Dean taking the stuff to the impala?” Sam asked, which she barely realized. “Huh? Oh yeah, he’s running everything out now.” [Y/N] replied without really looking up. Now the younger Winchester was furrowing his brow, turning to approach where she was seated. Fingers with a semi-grown out manicure still picking at the material of the cup. Sam gently placed his hand upon her shoulder and gave it a squeeze. [Y/N] placed her hand atop of the man’s, the man who’d been like her younger brother too. Not that she always intended to, but often times she was like Dean in the fact that she tried to shelter Sam from how bad she was feeling. He’d given her shoulder another gentle squeeze. “It’s gonna be okay. Whatever it is, we’re gonna make it through this, [Y/N].” She couldn’t help but smile up at Sam and hope he didn’t notice her eyes and how red they likely were. “Thank you, Sammy.” She replied with that same smile that stopped at her cheeks. Just then the door to the room opened and Dean walked back in, offering a lopsided half-smile at his girlfriend and his brother. “You guys ready to go?” Dean asked rubbing his hands onto his jean-covered thighs—both Sam and [Y/N] nodding. First to leave the room was the younger Winchester, wanting to get settled for the long drive between states. This left [Y/N] and Dean alone in the room for a moment as she slowly got up from the chair. One medium length drink had the rest of her coffee gone and she threw it in the bin before stopping to stand by her man. “I love you, [Y/N/N].” He said taking her into his arms once again. “I love you too, D.” She replied, burying her face in his chest for a few seconds before both made their way out of the room. Dean reached behind him to close the door again. “I have the key, I’ll drop it off.” [Y/N] spoke before giving Dean’s side a little squeeze. She broke away from the hug and made the short walk towards the office, so he took that time to get into the impala. After offering one last wave she made her way back towards the car, looking around for a couple of seconds before stepping towards it. Soon enough she was tucked away in the passenger seat of Baby, Sam in the back with his face in a book of lore. Turning her head would have Dean come into view, gripping the steering wheel and turning the key—putting the impala into motion. Reversing out of the parking lot and taking off down the road as Baby’s engine roared freely.

[art-of-manliness]

Bruce Lee’s Forearm Workout

If we’ve learned one thing this year about what the ladies find attractive in men, it’s forearms: forearms sticking out of rolled-up sleeves; forearms gripping steering wheels; forearms handling tools. Women love the look of a man’s well-developed forearms. Strong forearms are functional too: they improve your throwing capacity and help you lift, carry, and hold things better. If you’ve wanted to build bigger, stronger, more defined forearms, today we’ll get a tutorial on how to do so from someone who raised forearm development to an art: Bruce Lee. A Dragon’s Forearms Last month, we detailed the all-around physical training protocols Bruce Lee used to build his strong and chiseled physique. But there wasn’t room in that article for delving into how Lee worked his forearms, an area of his body he was especially committed to developing. Lee believed that forearm strength was essential to punching power and grip strength, capacities that were fundamental to his life’s great goal: becoming the best martial artist in the world. And, as someone who desired to fully express the beauty of his body, he appreciated the aesthetics of muscular forearms as well. Lee’s wife Linda called him “a forearm fanatic.” The martial artist Bob Wall remembered: “Bruce had the biggest forearms proportionate to anybody’s body that I’ve ever seen. I mean, his forearms were huge! He had incredibly powerful wrists and fingers—his arms were just extraordinary.” Another friend said that “If you ever grabbed hold of Bruce’s forearm, it was like grabbing hold of a baseball bat.” Bruce Lee’s Forearm Exercises The forearms include numerous muscles that can be broadly categorized into two groups: the flexors (on the underside of the forearm) and the extensors (on the top of the forearm). To develop truly meaty forearms, you’ve got to do exercises that work both of these groups of muscles. As you do so, your forearms will not only develop in size, definition, and strength, but you’ll improve the stability, endurance, and stamina of your wrists and grip as well. Lee only lifted weights three times a week, but he trained his forearms every single day, doing a variety of exercises that trained all of their muscles. While Lee commissioned the creation of several special forearm-training apparatuses, most of the exercises he did, which we’ll detail below, can replicated by the average joe: Wrist Roller. Lee was a big fan of this classic forearm exercise, which targets both the extensors and the flexors of the forearms. To perform it, you need a wrist-roller device: a bar/rod from which a rope hangs that attaches to a light weight (usually 5-10 pounds). To perform the wrist-roll exercise, stand with your feet shoulder-width apart and hold the wrist-roller rod straight out in front of you with both hands, palms facing down. Begin rolling the weight up by rotating your wrists; focus on using your wrists to roll the rope around the bar, rather than moving your arms or shoulders. Don’t bend your elbows. Continue rolling until the weight reaches the top, near the bar. Slowly lower the weight in a controlled way by reversing the motion. Lee could perform push-ups with just two fingers (the index and thumb), of one hand. Fingertip push-ups. Fingertip push-ups are performed as you would traditional push-ups, but instead of placing the entirety of the palm-side of your hand on the floor, you support the weight of your body with only your fingertips. As you get stronger at this exercise, try to progressively subtract a finger from each hand; Lee eventually got to the point where he could do this exercise with just two fingers from one hand. Reverse Curl. The reverse curl targets the brachioradialis, a muscle of the forearm that flexes the forearm at the elbow; it will hit your forearm extensors as well. Usually when you’re doing a curl, your palms are facing up; with a reverse curl, your palms are facing down. You stand with your feet shoulder-width apart, gripping the barbell or dumbbells with an overhand… http://dlvr.it/TCFbjQ

[fcble]

TW for stalking. Inspired by videos like the one in the source link.

Despite being closer to nugudom than BTS-level fame, Fable’s Haksu has been the victim of numerous sasengs ever since his debut. They range from more annoying than normal fans to people committing crimes, with a stronger emphasis on crimes.

MARCH / @haksubak

The most is known about Twitter user haksubak, who once posted her entire government name in a picture of her passport and a plane ticket to Seoul. To protect some of her privacy, her first name is Michelle, though she goes by March online. She’s presumably Chinese American, based on her Chinese middle and last names and American passport. As the biggest name in Fable’s English-speaking fandom, she’s seen as an authority on most things related to Fable. She’s supposedly OT8-biased, but anyone who’s ever followed her knows that she likes Haksu the most. She probably doesn’t even know Intak’s name. What most people don’t know is that her reputation was built on some very sasaeng-like behaviors. From the creation of her account in early 2021, she’s always known everything there is to know about Fable’s official schedules and some of their unofficial ones. She used to post about university performances and filming schedules before the fancafe ever did. No international fans ever fact-checked her on those tweets until she jumped on the Zenith Entertainment leaks bandwagon at the end of last year and correctly predicted all the stops and dates for Fable’s world tour.

March is most commonly associated with a GoFundMe scam from the end of 2022, where she posted about needing to pay for surgery for her dog. She surpassed her goal of $3500, and everything was fine for a while. A few months later, one of her friends fell out with her and posted DMs where March bragged about scamming other fans to extend her stay in Korea. She doesn’t even have a dog. She’s been exposed multiple times for both her sasaeng behavior and for scamming people, but her status as the most popular international Fable fan account continues to remain untouched. 

EUNMYEONG / @eun__myeong

One of the earliest sasaengs on the scene, Eunmyeong has been a constant and constantly disliked presence since Fable’s debut. Her account dates back to late 2018, and her username is an obvious play on the word 운명 (unmyeong), or destiny. It was also one of Haksu’s most used words shortly after his debut. It was his destiny to debut. It was his destiny to meet his fans. It was his destiny to piss Mingeun off so badly in their debut era that they didn’t speak on camera for two months. You get the point.

Since then, Eunmyeong has proven herself extremely dedicated. She attends multiple fansigns every era, and is probably a good percentage of Fable’s total sales. She’s posted pictures of the stacks and stacks of albums she’s purchased and the shreds of the inclusions featuring members other than Haksu. In the short promotional period of Fable’s last release, she attended all four fansign events. In comparative fansite photos, Haksu looks a little less pleased to see her each time.

Opening her Twitter media at any point subjects you to dozens of pictures of one of Haksu’s photocards held up in front of an apartment building at all times of day. She’s confirmed multiple times that the building she loiters in front of is Fable’s and offers to give other sasaengs the address for a certain price as long as they don’t bias Haksu. Most pictures of the inside of their building, all the way to right outside their apartment doors are her doing. She’s stated multiple times that she also knows what the interior of their apartments look like, but she’s never posted any proof. Not that we want to see any proof.

H.VEN / @chunguk97

H.ven, pronounced “heaven,” is among the most infamous of Haksu’s sasaengs. She first went viral in late 2020 for attending a fansign in a wedding dress. While it seems like that could be the action of a normal but intense and slightly deranged fan, she re-appeared in different wedding dresses multiple times over the next couple of years. She’s also attended all the stops across both of Fable’s world tours except one: the one where Haksu wasn’t there. She posted a picture of her collection of VIP badges, which could probably pay for a year or two of my college education. At the end of their tour, she was the main character of a now extremely iconic airport video of Andrew stepping in front of Haksu and shoving her aside. He shouldn’t have to do that, but I wouldn’t complain if he did it more often. 

As if all of that wasn’t enough, H.ven has also thrown hands with airport security not once, not twice, but at least three separate times. Other fan accounts have reported times where she was literally dragged, kicking and screaming, out of the airport. Oh to be a fly on the wall when that happened. During the pre-recording of one of Fable’s music show performances last year, she reportedly fist-fought a fan of another group for a spot close to the stage. According to hearsay, they were both removed from the venue and restarted their brawl the next day at the next pre-recording.

The mainstay of her Twitter account is an ongoing thread of her appearances in the background of official Fable content. She’s been featured in over half of Haksu’s vlogs since he started uploading them in 2019, usually standing around somewhere in the background with her face blurred out. She compiles screenshots and video recordings in tweets anyway. Her thread has gained enough infamy within the fandom to be compiled in YouTube videos running twenty to thirty minutes long.

RIA / @a2uz7ha3k1

With a keyboard smash username that strikes fear into the hearts of kpop stans and idols the world over, Ria is known for buying and selling phone numbers. Her journey as a Fable sasaeng around 2022, when she started offering Haksu’s cell number for sale. She was probably annoyed by H.ven in her mentions every day asking about him. She also offers Byeonghwi, Kiyoung, and Andrew’s numbers for lower prices. Her accounts usually don’t last more than a few days or weeks before being mass-reported by sudden alliances of different fandoms and then deleted. It does nothing to deter her. She hits her keyboard again and is back to selling phone numbers within the hour.

She seems to specialize in doxxing. She was the first to announce that Jaeseop moved out of the Fable dorms and in with his girlfriend, later adding on her full name, workplace, and parents’ names. Eunmyeong didn’t have anything to say about that and she spends all day outside of Fable’s building. Ria was also responsible for a leak of Haksu’s private Instagram that made few waves other than outrage over the invasion of privacy because everyone discovered he was pretty boring and he didn’t post anything too different from his public Instagram. Somehow this did nothing to curtail anyone’s interest in him.

[kmomof4]

Destination Dream Weddings, Driving Disasters, & Dented Derrieres: A Fic Collaboration Between @kmomof4 @snowbellewells @whimsicallyenchantedrose and @jrob64

Hello everyone!!! We are back again!!! After the fun we had turning last year's trip into a fic, we decided to do the same with this years Girls Vacay!

Summary: Picking up one year after last year's fic collaboration - Cave Cruises, Cabin Capers, & Cracked Craniums - the six couples and Roland meet on St. Simons Island off the coast of Georgia for Mary Margaret and David’s dream wedding.

Rating: T

Words: Almost 4800 of approx 21k

On ao3 and ff.net

Under the cut, unless Tumblr ate it

Emma Swan was truly glad that they were finally on the road and making progress toward their destination. While attempting to leave the previous morning, Elsa had needed to say goodbye to Liam “just once more”, visit the restroom again, and they’d had to rearrange the luggage to fit something else in, as well as call to coordinate with the other members of their friend group numerous times, before they’d actually set out on their travels. Liam needed to lead one more previously scheduled Lake Michigan boat tour before he could follow them from Chicago to Bowling Green, Kentucky.  After a long day of driving, an exuberant reunion with Emma’s dashing and altogether irresistible boyfriend- whom she hadn’t seen in months- and a good night’s sleep in his arms, they were all back on the road again, Liam and Elsa following in his Expedition with Graham and Will in the back seat. 

Now that they were rolling down the highway, wheels on the pavement and making good time toward Georgia, she felt much of her frustration melting away. It had been well past time for a break from her job - even loving it as much as she did - and a few hours of girl talk in the car with Elsa. But now having Killian in the seat beside her, their fingers intertwined where hers rested on the gearshift of her vintage yellow VW, made all the difference in the world. Though she wouldn’t want to admit it to most people, her stomach still fluttered at his nearness with all the excitement and joy of their first date, even a year into their relationship.

She had been pleasantly surprised by how easily Killian had acquiesced to being her navigator and co-pilot rather than trying to take over driving duties himself. She had dated a few guys who would have been unwilling to allow her to take control on the road, and would have had their masculinity insulted if she insisted on driving. Killian had simply taken her hand gallantly, bent over it to kiss her knuckles playfully - much as he’d done the first time they’d met - and helped her into her seat, before rounding the front to get into the seat beside her. “As you wish, Emma Love,” he’d agreed gamely. “It is your chariot which awaits us after all.” Since then, he’d proven to be a very apt and helpful navigator, more so than “the Google Woman” whom he had groused at repeatedly for offering them longer trip times and trying to take them on unwanted scenic detours. She couldn’t help but laugh when Killian managed to find a reroute that shaved fifteen minutes from their drive time and then berated the automated navigator proudly. 

As glad as she had been having Elsa to keep her company on their way to Lost River Caves to pick up the guys, Emma was thrilled to have a little time with just Killian now.  He launched into some story from a recent tour group they’d seen through the caves, and she marveled again at how seamlessly they had navigated into being a couple - even with the physical distance between them. Warmth swelled in her chest and a small voice in her head whispered just how happy it made her that he was hers and she was his - when not so very long ago she wouldn’t have believed such a thing was possible.

She knew that Elsa was equally glad to be back with Liam, despite being apart for just a few hours. Though her friend and Killian’s older brother were both more quietly reserved in their affection, since they had eloped in the spring, they were nearly inseparable unless parting was absolutely necessary - and only then for as short a time as possible. The other members of their group were easy to spot in Liam’s stuffed-to-the-gills SUV as they all traveled to meet the rest of their friends for David and Mary Margaret’s week long nuptial celebration, culminating with their wedding the following weekend on St. Simon’s Island off the Georgia coast. 

For several hours they made decent time, passing from Kentucky to Tennessee and into western Georgia without a hitch. They’d texted back and forth from one vehicle to the other about roadside billboards seen, accompanying commentary that those in the opposite car would enjoy, and when to stop for gas and a restroom break. 

Emma was just settling into a calm stretch of highway and feeling as though they had thankfully reached the last leg of the journey, when dark, jagged detritus reared up in her vision spread across all three lanes. Not even sure what it was, Emma let out a shocked cry, veering as best she could without swiping the traffic on either side of her, in an attempt to avoid the worst of whatever had seemingly exploded on the interstate.

“Well done, Lass!” Killian congratulated - a bit too soon as it turned out, when a moment later a loud thump sounded and their tire and the car’s undercarriage undoubtedly made contact with some of the debris Emma had hoped to miss. If the sound hadn’t alerted them, the jolt they felt could not be ignored. Once they were past the area, Killian breathed out a deep sigh, looking back over his shoulder at the road behind them. “I think someone violently blew their tire, Swan. I doubt anyone could have missed that mess entirely; you really are quite the captain.”

“Learned from the best,” she sassed back at him with a wink, rubbing her thumb over the back of his hand affectionately. A moment passed silently as they both calmed down after the alarm of the past few moments. “Still,” she finally added, “just for peace of mind, maybe we should pull over, check the tire pressure, and be sure there wasn’t any damage done the next time we see an exit with a service station.”

“Aye,” Killian agreed. “Good plan. I’ll let the others know.”

Neither of them felt that the car was riding any differently, and Emma accepted that she was probably being overcautious, but the Bug had been with her a long time - longer than any other person or thing, in all honesty - and she wanted to make sure all was as it should be so it could hang in there with her a few years more. Killian texted their intentions to Elsa, got an assurance that the other group would stop as well, and soon they were exiting off the interstate and pulling into a Chevron station, stopping near the air pumps in case they needed them.

Unfortunately, though it hadn’t been apparent on the road, when they pulled into the lot, it was obvious serious damage had been done. Emma hadn’t even made it around the car before Killian was trying to slow her progress, hands gently cradling her shoulders as if to brace her for impact. “Now Swan, don’t get too upset. It’s not as bad as it may look at first.”

She didn’t like the sound of that at all, and coupled with the horrified look on Elsa’s face as their friends had parked alongside them and gotten their own glimpse of Emma’s front passenger tire, it was far from comforting. Nudging her well-meaning boyfriend to the side, Emma rounded her car only to groan and feel an almost irresistible urge to kick the curb repeatedly in frustration. Her tire wasn’t just a little low - it was completely flat! How had they not felt that?!? How had they managed to avoid wrecking her beloved Beetle?

“Great! Now what?” She couldn’t help the snap in her voice as she threw up her hands and let them slap back down against her jean-clad thighs exasperatedly. “We’re due to meet everyone at our rental cottage in two hours. I never paid to join AAA, so it’ll cost a fortune to get anyone else out here to tow us to a repair shop - if they even come within the next century! And - ” She was just gathering up steam to continue on her rant, when she looked around her, realizing that everyone else looked either pitying, rather bemused, or down right biting back laughter at her expense.

“Ya do know we could just change the tire ourselves, don’tcha?” Will suggested cheekily, shrugging as if it wasn’t any big deal. 

“You say that like it’s so easy,” Emma grumbled, narrowing her eyes at him. “The jack never wants to work right, or the lugnuts are screwed on too tightly to remove by hand - not to mention that my cheap little doughnut spare is hardly what we want to be driving on for long.”

“It ain’t all that difficult neither,” Will insisted, giving her a more genuine smile, and taking in the other guys in turn as if to garner their agreement. Killan wasn’t about to get in the middle of this little debate, nor would he side against his lovely Swan, but not hearing much support had yet to deter Will Scarlet when he got an idea in his head. He stepped right up to the passenger side, with a “Budge over, won’t cha?” to Emma, before crouching down for a closer look and then asking for the wrench to begin loosening the lug nuts.

Well used to Will’s good intentioned but often accident prone brand of assistance, Elsa looked to Emma uncertainly from where she stood, cell phone in hand, rather surprised at having had Will brush past her and move into action. “Should I still call for a tow, just in case?” she asked meekly.

Graham snorted and shook his head, sharing a grin with Killian as he spoke up. “No, don’t worry over it yet. Will might just manage this, and we’re all here to help if he needs it.” 

The Jones brothers nodded their consensus, even as Will let out an indignant, “Oi! Some friends the lot of you are! Try to do something nice for a person, and this is the thanks I get? No one even believes I can change a tire!”

Shaking his head and muttering to himself, he put each of the lug nuts into Emma’s waiting hand, while Killian went to fetch the spare tire from her trunk, despite his supposed unbelief in his friend’s capabilities. Rolling the tire with him, he brought the jack to Will, who slid it under the car’s frame to what seemed the appropriate spot. Soon the car was rising, one slow increment at a time, Will now carrying on to himself about the cheap manufacture of the jack in Emma’s kit and how awkwardly constructed the jack’s crank was for anyone to operate. 

Suddenly, without warning, there was a frightening screech that brought yelps of surprise and dismay from all of them. The car lurched sickeningly back and to the right and then to the ground, landing precariously with the wheel sticking out and only partially off the lugs which held it in place. If the sight had looked pathetic before, it was now even more so. 

“Will!” Emma yelled before she could stop herself. “You’re making things worse!” 

Will picked himself up from where he’d ended up on his backside, rubbing the tender spot where he’d landed atop the discarded wrench when he’d quickly moved to avoid being hit by the shifting vehicle. He shot Emma a rather grumpy look. “Well your precious classic isn’t exactly a model of perfection anymore. The wheel didn’t come off as smoothly as it might’ve. This flimsy excuse for a jack is a piece of junk! Bloody thing bent and that’s what made the car fall!” he snarled back.

At this point, Killian took pity on his mate and crouched down beside him to help. Between the two of them, they cranked the jack back down, managed to reposition it further under the car’s chassis and cranked it up once more, finding they could get it even just a little bit higher. This time, with Killian carefully bracing the jack so it wouldn’t shift, Will managed to wrangle the ruined tire from the VW and get the spare into place. All of them cheered heartily, along with letting out several deep breaths of relief, and Will’s friends were all patting him on the back in turn. 

After that, they managed to avoid any more mishaps and were finally able to get on the road again. Emma even gave Will a quick hug and apologized for snapping at him, giving him a teasing kiss on the cheek and declaring him her knight in tarnished armor. 

“And what about me, Swan? I did have some role in his eventual success,” Killian prompted as they got back into the car and began to carefully back out of their parking spot. He waggled his eyebrows at her mischievously, tapping two fingers against his lips and waiting in expectation. “Perhaps some gratitude might be in order?”

She was tempted to tease him back, make him wait until they arrived at their final destination, but she was too relieved to be back on the road and with her dearly loved VW still in one piece to hold out on him. Leaning over the console briefly, she gave him a quick peck on the lips, brushing her nose along his cheek for a moment and smiling warmly. “Hold onto that thought for later,” she purred. “And thank you too, of course -  my real hero.”

~*~*~

“Oh, isn’t it beautiful?!” Mary Margaret exclaimed as David pulled into the driveway of their home for the next week. They’d just dropped off Belle and Ruby at the cottage next door, after driving the past two days from Portland, Maine and then New York City, where Ruby lived. With all the actual wedding preparations on her plate, Mary Margaret was ever so grateful that David had been in charge of the logistics of their respective annual guys and girls trip this year. Since they were planning a summer wedding with all of their friends comprising the wedding party, Mary Margaret had the idea for them to join their two respective groups again - to commemorate how they all met the previous summer - before marrying the love of her life at the end of the week. Mary Margaret hadn’t even seen pictures of  the rental David had reserved for them, and she was blown away by the quaint romanticism of the cottage in front of her. 

Fairy lights were draped along the eaves of the wraparound front porch, which boasted plentiful seating, in addition to the wicker sectional around a romantic firepit next to the driveway where they were parked. They climbed the steps to the porch and typed in the code to unlock the door. Mary Margaret gasped as they stepped inside. The interior was just as lovely as the exterior. Soaring ceilings and tall windows coupled with nautical and beach decor in soft blues and warm creams created a space that was as inviting as it was relaxing. To the left of the door they’d just entered was an open air kitchen and eat-in dining area, while on their right was the living room, with two bedrooms and a bath in between them on the other side of the large welcoming space. 

“How do you like it, Sweetheart?” David asked, a wide smile on his face. He knew his bride well enough to know that she’d love just about anywhere he picked as long as they were together, but he felt his heart skip a little as he finally laid eyes on the charming bungalow. 

“I love it!” she exclaimed, spinning toward him and hugging him tightly. “It’s so light and airy with all this room.” She released him and moved into the kitchen area. “Coffee maker, gas stove, microwave,” she listed, opening and closing the cabinets to see how stocked the kitchen was. She was pleased to find plenty of dishes, condiments, and pots and pans for cooking. Not to mention the terribly organized junk drawer filled with all the unthought of but sometimes necessary things that come up occasionally - scissors, twist ties, Ziploc bags, a small sewing kit, pens, and pads of paper.

“Our room is over the garage,” David informed her. “Come on.” 

She followed him out the side door of the kitchen into the garage and was immediately greeted with a closed door on the other side of a very small landing. David opened the door and they ascended the stairs to the room above. Mary Margaret gasped again when they entered the room. Small lamps on either side of the king-sized bed cast the room in a soft warm glow. Scattered across the cream colored bedspread were red and pink rose petals with a string of pink lights draped from the four posts at the corners of the bed. There was a crystal vase on the low dresser across from where they stood filled with red roses next to a silver tray with an ice bucket holding a bottle of champagne and twin flutes.

Mary Margaret launched herself into David’s arms, kissing him passionately. Given that they were the first ones to the cottage and no one else was expected for at least a couple of hours, she drew him further into the room, determined to show him just how much she loved him and how ready she was to be his wife.

~*~*~

Mary Margaret descended the stairs some time later, to find Robin, Regina, and Roland entering the cottage. Loud exclamations of joy and delight came from the ladies as they rushed toward each other and embraced. Robin grinned as he held Roland back for a moment from joining the heartfelt reunion. As soon as the friends released one another, he let go of his son, who ran as fast as his small legs could carry him to all but tackle Mary Margaret.

“Aunty M’s!” he cried, as she picked him up and spun around with him in her arms.

“Hi there, Roly Poly,” she said, hugging him tightly.

“I hear a little boy in my cottage!” David’s voice boomed as he descended the stairs. “Where’s my Roland?”

“Uncle David!” Roland cried, squirming to get down. 

David laughed and picked up the small boy. “You act like you haven’t seen me in a month instead of a few days,” he said. 

Roland shrugged. “I’m just happy to see you and Aunty M’s.”

David smiled fondly at Mary Margaret. “We’re happy to see you too, Roly Poly.” He ruffled Roland’s curls and put him down, approaching Robin and Regina to exchange enthusiastic hugs and handshakes. “Y’all’s room is back here. I’ll show you,” he said, turning the corner out of the kitchen and down a short hallway to the master bedroom. He flipped on the lights and let the others precede him into the large room. 

“You should have the master,” Robin protested. “It’s your wedding after all.”

David shook his head. “We wanted the room above the garage so we wouldn’t have to worry about disturbing anyone else. Plus, this room had the child’s bed in here,” he said, motioning to the huge walk-in closet that not only had plenty of room for clothes and shoes, but also housed a small bed and dresser. “I didn’t figure you’d want to be too far from him at night.”

“You guessed correctly,” Robin replied. “Where’s the rest of the group? Shouldn’t they be here by now? I thought they were leaving earlier than we were.”

“Emma got a flat and that put them behind just a bit. I think they’ll be here in about an hour.”

Regina exchanged a nervous glance with Robin. “Oh, man…” she trailed away uncertainly. “We’ve been putting Roland off stopping for food the last couple of hours, promising him we’d get dinner with everyone once we arrived. Adding another hour - or more - might be a bridge too far.”

“Roland,” Robin said, poking his head in the closet to find his son jumping up and down on the bed contained within. He immediately stopped, a guilty look on his face when his father appeared and frowned at him. “You know better than that, young man. It’s dangerous. And besides, this bed is not yours. It belongs to the person who owns this cottage. You do anything to damage any of the furniture and you will be in big trouble. Do I make myself clear?”

“Yes, Papa.”

Robin nodded. “Everyone else won’t be here for about another hour. Can you wait that long for dinner, or do you want a snack?”

He climbed down from the bed and took Robin’s hand. “A snack, please.”

“Alright, let’s go, then.”

Killian and Emma arrived not quite an hour later. Killian, trying mightily to contain his laughter and failing miserably, told them that Liam and Elsa were next door, dropping off Will and Graham. As he and Emma were pulling into this driveway, they could see Will, carrying his luggage, hadn’t time to brace himself before Belle threw herself at him, toppling him in the process. He’d landed on his butt again, but Killian didn’t think he minded all that much as he returned Belle’s ardent kisses. 

It was just a few minutes later that Liam and Elsa arrived. After another round of enthusiastic greetings, with Mary Margaret and Regina exclaiming over the beautiful wedding ring set Liam and Elsa wore, the newcomers adjourned to their respective rooms to unpack and relax for a little while before regrouping to decide where to go for dinner.

Mary Margaret came back to the bedrooms containing the other two couples almost thirty minutes later. She was about to knock on the door on the left when she heard Liam and Elsa talking in low voices inside.

“Should we say anything yet?” Elsa asked.

“I don’t think so,” Liam replied. “This week is to celebrate David and Mary Margaret. I don’t think we should take away from that. We can announce it after the wedding.”

Mary Margaret’s eyes got wide and her brow furrowed in thought. What could Elsa and Liam’s secret be, and was it good news or bad? From the tone of their voices, she couldn’t help but speculate that it was good. A smile grew on her face as she imagined the possibilities.

“Time to circle up and decide where we want to eat dinner,” she called, knocking on one bedroom door and then the other. “Come on.” She turned around and went back into the living room to find the rest of their group sitting around waiting for the last two couples.

She entered to uproarious laughter, Ruby grinning unrepentantly, and Graham’s face aflame. “What’d I miss?” she asked, sitting on the arm of the chair David was in.

“Will here was complaining about the noise,” Ruby began, her eyes dancing mischievously, “and I was just explaining that we were only doing what the sign said. Did you all see the Speed Hump sign just before the cottage? Since we had some time before coming over to decide about dinner… we did.” She shrugged nonchalantly. “And it’s not like you were twiddling your thumbs and trying to plug your ears while we were busy, anyway,” she said to Will, causing both he and Belle to blush furiously. Everyone howled again, Mary Margaret, Emma, Killian, Liam and Elsa - who’d just arrived in the room - included. 

“What’s so funny?” Roland asked, coming in.

Regina tried to put on a serious face and motioned him over, picking him up and placing him on her lap. “Nothing, baby. Don’t you worry about it. Now, where are we going to eat? I don’t know about the rest of you, but I do not want to have to drive far.”

“And I’m liable to fall asleep before we get our food if we don’t go very soon,” Elsa added, smothering a yawn with her hand.

Fortunately, David had already done some research, and from print and online reviews, as well as word of mouth, he’d found a well-loved island gem right around the corner from the cottages that apparently wasn’t to be missed.

They all agreed and left to pile into the respective vehicles.

~*~*~

It was a pleasant evening with a cool, gentle breeze blowing as they pulled into the parking lot of the Southern Soul Bar-B-Q and began walking toward the entrance. As they came around to the front of the white painted brick structure, Regina pulled up short, bringing Robin to a stop as well since their hands were joined. “Wait just one second,” she spoke up, her polished voice expressing the exact measure of disdain which served her so well as a practicing lawyer. “This is the famed establishment you’ve been talking about?” she addressed David with arch disbelief. “I am not about to sit down for a good meal in what looks more like a gas station than anything else!”

The rest of them paused, not sure how to counter her logic. The place’s appearance from the outside didn’t quite look like what any of them had expected, but the rest of them were generally a lot more easy going in their tastes and were willing to trust the local reputation and let their taste buds, rather than their eyes be the judge. 

Robin, however, had clearly learned how best to proceed with his regal girlfriend in the time since they had all been together last. He moved closer to Regina, whispering low, cajoling words in her ear, and though the rest of them couldn’t make them out, the tone was clearly doing its job at melting her usually rather inflexible demeanor. And if that hadn’t been enough, there was the added secret weapon of little Roland. When Robin’s young son tugged on her hand, urging sweetly with his open, dimpled smile and adoring brown eyes gazing up at her, there was no way even her sophisticated queen persona could hold out against his, “Come on, Miss Gina, let’s try it! I think it looks like fun.”  

Between the two Locksley men turning their charm on her, Regina finally capitulated and followed the rest of them inside.

Despite any initial reservations, they were presented with a feast of authentic Southern sides like Brunswick stew, Hoppin’ John, and hushpuppies to accompany the variety of brisket, pulled pork and ribs they ordered. Will had insisted on trying the Knuckle Sammich, and Regina had finally settled on a chicken strip basket similar to the child’s version they got Roland, deeming it unlikely she’d be able to order much of anything else which wouldn’t have either sauce or juice dripping off of it.

It wasn’t long before Ruby and Graham drew attention to their end of the table when he attempted to feed her brisket by hand. She’d stared him down sultrily, a glimmer of seduction in her dark eyes before delicately nibbling the morsel he offered her. All would have been fine if she’d stopped there, but that wasn’t Ruby’s style. Instead she’d held her boyfriend’s gaze and then wrapped her bright red lips around his fingers, bringing her tongue into the action as well, and slowly dragging them along his calloused skin as if enjoying a succulent treat. Graham flushed all over as red as her signature shade and seemed to be having a little trouble even drawing breath. He’d started a fire that he wasn’t capable of keeping under control, and clearly he knew it. Sputtering for some sort of response, he quickly pulled his hand away when Ruby released him, glancing around nervously as if afraid their friends might be judging them. “I know I sorta asked for that, Babe,” he murmured under his breath, “but there’s a kid at the table, for crying out loud!”

Unabashed, Ruby merely shrugged her shoulders at him, and grinned at the table as a whole. Her friends knew her well, and were largely unfazed by her brazen behavior at this point. 

Nearly an hour later, they were stuffed and ready for home and their beds. David laughingly joked that Mary Margaret would have to roll him back to their rental to sleep off the meal, but it was a delicious close to day one of their reunion.

~*~*~

Notes:

Welcome to our 2024 Girls' Trip fic! This year, as I'm sure you've already deduced, Krystal, Joni, Marta, and Jen travelled to St. Simons Island, Savannah, and Jekyll Island, Georgia. Along the way, we met up at various times with Giennie and Randi as well. When a group of fic writers get together, naturally, every event is seen through the lens of "how can we fic this?" While normally we'd be looking for ways to turn our adventures into Captain Swan stories alone, we had a lot of characters to work with this year! (Truth be told, most moments were seen through the lens of "How can we comically whump Will with this?" or "What kind of innuendo would Ruby make about that?") As last year, we'd like to give you some idea of what we took from our actual experiences and what we chalked up to creative license.

While a small detail in the fic, the need for creative packing was real with us! It took Jen, her dad and Joni (with Bear supervising) to figure it out on the way there and Krystal and her family (with Minnie supervising) on the way home.

You might think Killian’s frustration with the “Google woman” was a call back to his lack of knowledge of technology in canon, but it was indeed a factor in our trip. Jen’s GPS seemed to have a mind of its own and routinely offered alternate routes that added significant time to the drive.

Regrettably, the “driving disaster” was rather close to real life. On the way to Savannah, Jen was not able to avoid the debris from a blown semi tire strewn across all three lanes and got a flat as a result. Joni tried valiantly to come to the rescue and change the tire, but the jack did, indeed twist and the car fell. Luckily a couple of Good Samaritans helped us out and got us back on the road, all in one piece. (And Jen’s new vehicle seems no worse for the wear.) 

The description of the rental house was true to life–with a bit of creative license taken. As there were four of us and the cottage had four bedrooms, we didn’t rent a second cottage. Marta stayed in the room we gave David and Mary Margaret, but in reality it had two queen sized beds rather than one, and there were no rose petals or romantic candle light. The walk-in closet of the master bedroom contained a high chair and changing table rather than a child’s bed for Roland.

There was indeed a sign warning of Speed Humps on the road in front of our cottage. Naturally, we decided Ruby would run with that.

Southern Soul B-B-Q is a real restaurant only a couple miles from our rental that is apparently highly acclaimed, but we never made it there on our trip. We were struck by the fact that it clearly used to be a gas station and decided Regina would balk at that.

Thank you for reading and sharing! We'd love to know what you think! Stay tuned for day two of the character's adventures posting on Thursday. In the next chapter, they explore St. Simons Island.

[scotianostra]

Isobel Gunn was born on August 5th 1781 at Orphir on the Orkney Islands.

Little is known of her early life until the summer of 1806, she enrolled as a man in the Hudson's Bay Company and was the first European woman to reach western Canada, using her father's name, John Fubbister.

Gunn quickly distinguished herself for her bravery. Her canoe treks and expeditions through the most remote stretches of Canada saw her travelling some 1,800 miles between remote trading posts. Hugh Heney, who led one of the brigades Gunn travelled with to Pembina, wrote that she “worked at anything and well like the rest of the men.” She even earned herself a pay rise for performing her duties “willingly and well.”

Although she disguised the fact that she was female at least one man knew of her true gender for she fell pregnant. On December 29, 1807, she excused herself from work at the Pembina trading post, citing stomach pains to Alexander Henry, who was the head of the post. She begged him to let her rest in his home by the fire. Henry’s journal takes up the story.....I returned to my room, where I had not been long before he sent one of my own people, requesting the favour of speaking with me. Accordingly, I stepped down to him, and was much surprised to find him extended out upon the hearth, uttering most dreadful lamentations; he stretched out his hand towards me and in a pitiful tone of voice begg’d my assistance, and requested I would take pity upon a poor helpless abandoned wretch, who was not of the sex I had every reason to suppose. But was an unfortunate Orkney girl pregnant and actually in childbirth, in saying this she opened her jacket and display’d to my view a pair of beautiful round white breasts.”

Henry’s journal continued: “In about an hour she was safely delivered of a fine boy and that same day she was conveyed home in my cariole, where she soon recovered.”

The name Gunn registered on the birth certificate? Hudson’s Bay labourer John Scarth, who she said had forced himself upon her.

This story is plausible. There are records to show that Scarth had been with Gunn at numerous HBC postings. Some historians say Gunn was trying to cover up an affair gone wrong; others believe she likely was taken advantage of by Scarth, who could have discovered her ruse as a man, and threatened to tell their employer.

Gunn and her child were returned to Scotland on the ship Prince of Wales on 20th September 1809. There, she lived in poverty, working as a stocking and mitten maker until her death.

Canadian songstress Eileen McGann wrote the following song about Isobel, but called her Isobella, probably for artistic reasons....

My name it is Isabella Gunn, I'm a woman both true and strong From Orkney's rugged Isles I come, but now listen unto my song When I was young I had a lad, as I loved, so he loved me Poverty made him sell his land to travel across the sea It was in the summer of eighteen and six, my lover and I set sail To stay with him I used my wits and my courage it did not fail In men's atire I stowed away to join that jolly crew Side by side we worked each day and only my lover knew And oh how I loved those rocky cliffs and that windy and treeless shore And oh how it broke my heart to leave, but I loved my dear one more, one more But I loved my dear one more. My love was signed by the Hudson Bay for to be a Voyageur To map and explore the northern ways, to trade and to transport fur And if you think I'd be left behind, it's little you understand For on the very next line I signed for to do the work of a man And O how I loved the life we led, though my love and I worked apart But adventure delighted my very soul and the forest had healed my heart The company signed me to work three years, and well had I proved my worth But eighteen months fulfilled my fears and I found that I'd soon give birth. I hoped that the trees would give me rest but they found me where I lay With my newborn baby at my breast there was little that I could say. They sent me downriver to wash the clothes of the men I had worked beside And though I did well enough I suppose, I felt that I'd rather have died. The only thing that gave me joy, the baby grew strong and hale And I looked for the day I'd take my boy and we'd follow that northern trail Oh how I loved those rocky lakes and the stands of birch and pine And oh in the spring how my heart turned north for to search out this land of mine My name it is Isabella Gunn and it's many long miles I've roamed From Orkney's rugged Isles I come, now Canada is my home. For it's here I've come and here I'll be and Here I'll find my rest And my son's son's and daughters will follow me in the land that I love the best