#tw: cheating mention

[specialgradefckr]

thinking about satoru x reader cheating fic, but satoru is cheating on his partner with you. specifically... homewrecker!reader.

WALK WITH ME. WALK. with me. see the vision.

you're not a great person in a general sense. your type is hot guys, yes, but more specifically your type is taken guys. the more taken, the better.

and hey! you don't push men who say "sorry, i'm married" or "sorry, i have a girlfriend".

if they turn you down, that's fine! you're way too hot to chase after a guy, taken or otherwise.

in a way, it's a public service. you get some hot dude who's totally thrilled to be with you, and if you do get the opportunity, you rat them out to their partners without a second thought.

you're not the "affair" type, really. just a one-night stand. no man who'd cheat on his woman is worth anything more than being fucked and discarded, anyways, no matter how hot.

but you like them hot. oh, you do like them hot.

when you spy satoru gojo, the absolute vision that he is, with a ring on his finger, alone at a bar - well. your panties are already soaking.

you expected him to bring you home.

you didn't expect his equally hot husband to be waiting for both of you, stroking his dick and drinking his wine, smiling when you step through the door.

even less expected is the lock clicking behind you, the smiles that grow all too sinister.

the invisible - god, you don't know what to call it, a limb, or what - it pulls you in, stumbling.

when gojo wraps an arm around you from behind, it feels like a cage.

the dark eyes of the husband of the man you planned to fuck peer into you. unbothered. amused.

"you've brought home a nice one this time, darling."

you're starting to think you're a little out of your league.

[mossy-opal]

Pedigree

Shuichi Iguchi x Reader

Warnings: Pet-Play, Dominant Reader, Double Penetration, Mentions of Cheating, Mentions of Murder, Safe Word Usage, Alcohol Consumption, Hints at Manipulation, Hints at Misogyny (?)

You figured this marriage would be the best thing to have ever happened to you. He was older than you, smarter than you, richer than you could ever imagine, and he loved you so much. He spoiled you endlessly, gifting you lavish gifts and expensive clothes and other items, you never had to clean the house or even cook him dinner, you were living in the lap of luxury! You knew when you got into this relationship that he was a busy man, running his business and going on business trips, doing what he needed to, so you never asked questions.

You loved your husband so much, he was a good man.

You were married for almost ten years together, and despite how many times you two tried, you could never get pregnant. He never blamed you for it, never got mad about it, if anything he seemed thankful. After all, that gave him plenty more time to focus on his job.

You loved your husband, truly you did, but there was one thing you didn’t put up with.

Your mother had gotten ill, so you needed to go off to see how she was, to see if there was anything you could do to help, or if you needed to send her off. Once your decision was made, and the funeral had gone on easily, you were finally able to return home to your loving husband and his open arms.

Apparently, his arms were too open, because you found him in bed with his secretary and accountant.

If only he had talked to you.

If only he had told you the truth.

If only he had changed his will before having that heart attack and drowning in the pool.

You were crying for days when he died, crying when you spoke to the police, crying when you had to put him in the ground, crying when you fired the accountant and secretary he stuck his dick in, crying when you had to sell your share of his company, and crying when you went to bed.

Now you were a widow, with newfound fortune and no family to share it with.

You were lonely.

But it could’ve been worse.

The police questioned how you got over your husband's death so quickly, and you rolled your eyes, explaining you were in the process of divorce before he passed away. You explained his extracurricular activities with other women, and they in turn questioned you about the money. You rolled your eyes again and explained you could give two fucks about the money, wanting to be rid of it more than anything. You were telling the truth too, having donated many of your newfound funds into homeless shelters, foster systems, local libraries and so on. You didn’t want anything to do with that man, you explained, having instead moved into a small little home for yourself and selling off everything he had previously owned. Of course you were suspect number one, but the police were far too dumb to catch on to anything, and you were much smarter than a simple vexed housewife.

Did you kill him?

… Well it wasn’t like he didn’t deserve it, but no one needed to know that.

But the fact of the matter still stood. You were lonely. Loneliness snuck up on you, afterall you never anticipated feeling this way, especially after getting away with something scott free. You were lonely after your grandparents died, but you still had your parents.

You were lonely after your father died, but you had your mother. You were lonely after your mother died… You wished things could've been different. When did it all go wrong? When you got older? When you couldn't bear his children? You couldn't guess, and frankly you didn't care anymore. Why would you care about the thoughts of an old fool like him, anyway? You had better things to do. You could paint, work in your garden, visit places and people at your leisure.

But none of it soothed that aching loneliness…

So, you tried dating. You were still young, confident in yourself, and you knew you could wrangle any man you could ever want! So… You refused to believe anything was wrong with you when men would avoid you, swipe over you, choose someone younger rather than someone their age. It was frustrating, but there was always one more option…

No… Not that one… Too many muscles… Far too young for your taste… A bit too expensive… Oh that's just obscene-

This site wasn't one you'd ever expect yourself to be on, but you had money and time to spend on someone else. Besides, it was better to hire someone rather than just sit alone in your home, right?

There was one young man who was damn near a decade younger than you- But you weren't that… Opposed to him. He had great reviews from everyone, sans some creeps complaining that he wouldn't act like an animal no matter how much money they put on the line. What you gathered from that was he had dignity, and you liked that.

So you hired him.

Truth be told, no matter how confident you were, you were still terribly nervous. Days went by where you meticulously cleaned your home, putting everything in its proper place. You paced and double checked yourself in the mirror, wondering if you looked okay, maybe too old? Not old enough? What were you even doing, maybe you could still cancel-

There was a knock on your door and you jumped, quickly moving to answer it. He was taller than you anticipated, and far better looking in real life than on your tiny little screen.

Shuichi Iguchi was in your doorway, the male escort you hired to… Simply spend time with you.

He looked familiar, but you couldn't be bothered to put your thumb on it, welcoming him in and offering him a drink.

Shuichi was very thankful you didn't ask questions, or make a comment about any of his affiliations with the League. He was also pleasantly surprised you were rather young, and really attractive too. Maybe this time he'd actually enjoy himself. Coming into your home he made himself comfortable, telling you exactly how he liked his tea, and being cordial with you while you sat with him. However, he noticed your nervousness while the two of you sat in silence, the clock ticking in the background.

"... Are you alright?"

You jumped, "Ah- y-yes uhm I'm just a bit…. Nervous, is all I'm not really- I-I've never-"

He caught on, "Oh, really? A pretty thing like you? I-I'm sorry, that's just hard for me to believe…."

You blushed and nodded, laughing at his compliments. "Yes, I'm afraid I'm new to this whole exchange… I just lost my husband you see and I'm a bit lonely-"

"Oh wow I'm sorry-"

"He was a cheating bastard, don't waste your breath on him."

Shuichi shut up with that, nodding. You smiled again, immediately changing the subject.

"Sooooo, Shuichi, what is it that you do?"

"Uh well, mostly this…" He hesitated mentioning the League, but caught himself. "I also play video games…"

"Oh fun! I used to play some, but I haven't played any in quite some time though…"

"Cool… What about you..?"

"I spend most of my time doing small things and donating, charitable work, things to help others. But even then I've grown lonely…"

Shuichi hummed, "So why not get into dating? Why this?"

You laughed shortly, "I tried, but I'm out of the age range for most men my age… Ugh, and look at me, doing exactly what they are…"

Shuichi took your hand, his was far colder than your own, "You're not really, I can promise you that. We're just talking, and it's not like I'm a dumb kid, I know what I like n' all that. You're not taking advantage of me, so don't even think about it, alright?"

You held onto his hand and gave him a squeeze, nodding your head, "I appreciate the reassurance… To make myself feel better, may I ask something…?"

"Sure thing, you can ask anything."

You hesitated, blushing. Here it comes.

"Is it alright if we just talk, for now…?"

Oh, that… Was not what Shuichi expected. He expected something far more profane. Perhaps something dirty, or even gross, but not this.

It was cute, wholesome even.

"Sure thing…"

•

•

•

Visits were often like that, and he was thankful you lived so far away from anyone. He didn't have to hide his face with you, and never expected you to do anything odd. The two of you got to know each other, watched movies together, and the most you've done was cuddle him at night. Shuichi was never opposed, you were soft and warm, the world was cold and hard, he could get used to this.

He even thought it was funny when you would smack talk your old husband. The man sounded like the person you were afraid to become, going after people far younger than yourself and manipulating them, making them your little play things rather than your partner. Every time that happened, Shuichi reassured you that you were nothing like that, even if you paid him for his time, he could deny you at any point, and he knew you would never push anything uncomfortable on him, unlike others. Many others.

Hell, even when you were drunk you didn’t push anything onto him. But, he did learn plenty of new things about you. Things you were far too bashful to talk about without intoxication.

“Wait wait wait, let me get this straight… He didn’t want you to-”

“Ever be in control! I could n-never make suggestions, use toys, or even- *hic* Eve-even tell him which hole to use!”

Shuichi laughed, “And he slept with other women? Ha, no wonder he liked 'em young…”

“He was terrible too- He only ever lasted ten minutes!”

You took another sip of your third glass of wine, Shuichi barely drinking from his first. “So, what would you have done, if given the chance?”

You cooed at that, your bright red face somehow turning even redder.

“Oooh, the things I would have done… I wanted to tie him up and torture him until he was begging for it- P-put a collar on him too- Wanted to mark him like mine-”

You muttered something about it not working, but Shuichi was too preoccupied with your confession of wanting such dominance over him. Your husband was a lucky man, why would he waste such an opportunity to submit?

“Yeah, I wanted to do so much with him, try using vibes and cock rings, wanted to try out shibari with em- *hic* W-wanted to make him my pet, y’know? But nooooooo, I don’t know what I want- Bas- *hic*- Ugh… Bastard…”

Shuichi was glad you were inebriated, you wouldn’t notice the red on his face or the tent in his pants.

He’d admit it was a little embarrassing, being used to something very similar, and yet completely the opposite. He was used to being a call-boy, an escort, a sugar baby. He was used to freaks asking him to act like a lizard. He was used to older women asking him to absolutely desecrate them- Men too. It never really bothered him, after all they pay for what they want, and if they want a dominant then he would be that for them. But really, he wanted someone to take control.

He wanted someone to take the reins and treat him like a pet- Like what you wanted to do. Was the idea extremely arousing? Yes, and unfortunately there was nothing he could currently do about it, and he half-expected you to not remember a damn thing tomorrow. So, despite his obvious attraction to you and his raging hard-on, he would be good.

For now.

He decided to call it there for the night, for the both of you, when you started talking nonsense about drowning your husband and hoping he rots in hell. He got you some water, set aside some pain killers for the morning, and he was about to leave you be.

Well, until you grabbed his hand and pulled him back slightly.

“Shuichiiiii… Staaaay… ‘Wanna cuddle…”

He blushed again, still half-mast. “Ah- I don’t think that’s wise-”

“Mmm- Promise I’ll be good… Don’wanna be ‘lone r’now…”

Your words were slurring even more as you started dozing off, and he relented. Crawling into bed next to you, he was sure to keep a good amount of distance, as to not… Alert you. But, he wrapped his arms around your waist and rested his head on your back.

“G’night Shu… Ichi….”

He smiled into your back, “G’night…”

The next morning you woke up with a splitting headache, as expected. You never really were one to hold your alcohol well-

You groaned when you remembered what happened last night, feeling your face flush as you held your head in your hands. You were ashamed of yourself, having spewed your guts to him like that- Oh fuck, you told him about your husband! You told him about your husband's death! Throwing yourself out of bed, you ran to the kitchen area and saw Shuichi eating some cereal, he was stopped right in the middle of taking a bite.

“Uuuh, good morning? You alright?”

The cops weren’t here yet, maybe he wanted to blackmail you.

“Y-yes I’m fine uhm… W-what are you doing?”

He looked to the side and motioned to his spoonful of cereal, “Eating, why?”

You gulped, looking at the phone in his hands and back to him.

Tackling him down to the ground you yanked the phone out of his hands, ignoring his pleads as you got off of him quickly and held it away from him.

“What the hells gotten into you!? Give me back my phone!”

“Not until you tell me what you plan to do!”

“I wanted to eat breakfast! Is that so bad!?”

You played ring-around-the-rosie with him around your coffee-table, before he jumped over it and tackled you. You squealed, trying to wiggle your way out from under him before he snatched his phone back from you, before pinning you to the ground.

“What has gotten in to you!?”

You huffed, still wiggling, “L-let me go! I have to get out of here-”

“Why!?”

“Because I told you!”

Shuichi was confused, letting you go and sitting up, still pinning you by the waist. “Told me what!? Your kinks!?”

You flushed, “N-no! Not that…!”

“Then what the hell are you-”

It suddenly clicked in his head what you were talking about. It wasn’t nonsense what you were talking about last night, it was the truth. You paled when you saw his realisation and started wiggling even more, before he pinned you again.

“I’m a villain.”

His sudden outburst made you stop. You looked at him and scoffed, “No you’re not…”

“I am, my villain name is Spinner, I’m a part of the League of Villains…”

You were silent and he went on, “I needed extra money, so I picked up a side gig… The kind of thing I do isn’t exactly legal, but because people are desperate, they usually keep quiet… So I wouldn’t tell the cops anyway, even if I believed you.”

You scoffed, “You still don’t believe me?”

“Not fuckin’ really, you don’t take me for a murderer in the slightest…”

You rolled your eyes and wiggled again, “Could we get up now…? I’ll tell you everything, I just… I need to take those pain meds too…”

Shuichi sighed and got off of you, helping you up and getting you the pain meds he originally expected you to take immediately after waking up. From there, you told him your story, your method, how you didn’t even feel anything when you did it too… He told you a few stories about himself, and the two of you sat there. Shuichi’s cereal was long forgotten, and you were poking at your water.

“So… About your kinks-”

“Shuichi!”

He flushed, “Sorry sorry, I just thought it’d be a good topic to talk about! Especially since you’re sober now and can probably remember a lot more.”

That got you interested, but you felt like teasing. “Why would you be interested in something like that? Naughty…”

He flushed a bit and chuckled, “Ha, uh… W-well I’m just curious, that’s all…”

You caught on suddenly, and it made you flush, “Shuichi, you know we don’t have to do anything, right…?”

“I-I know I mean…” This usually wasn’t as hard to do, or initiate, so why was he struggling now?

“Shuichi, maybe we should wait for that, don’t you think?”

You touched his arm and smiled softly at him, and he couldn't help but think about your hands. The hands that ruthlessly held your husband under water, were holding him so gently. Why was that thought so attractive to him?

“Y-yea sure uh… W-well, will you ask for me again soon?”

You smirked and he felt his dick twitch at the sight. “Maybe, darling. Now go on, I’m certain you have things to tend to.”

Shuichi nodded and after making sure you were alright, and reassuring you once again he was a villain (he showed you a picture of the Tomura Shigaraki sleeping- He snores apparently), he left. You waved him off as you always do, and smiled softly at him. He had his secrets, and you had yours. But, you found solace in each other, and shared your secrets with one another. It was… A soothing thought.

But now that those revelations had come to pass, you had to make preparations. You got online immediately and started spending hundreds on new toys that you’ve always wanted to try, and after reading up and studying plenty, you were finally ready to call upon your new pet.

Shuichi hadn’t taken any new clients since that night and morning. He didn’t think he could get it up for anyone else anymore, after all, you were his dream come true. You were older than him, sure, but you were so fucking attractive, and you paid him well, and you never pushed anything onto him and- Ugh, he was in deep.

It could prove to be a problem if he didn’t get it taken care of, but when he heard that ding on his phone, and he saw it was a transaction from you, he nearly tripped over his own feet getting himself together to leave. He wasn’t sure if he should bring anything or expect anything, but he couldn’t lie about not being excited. He had to adjust himself multiple times to not alert any stander-byes about his current very hard problem.

Don’t get too excited.

Don’t get in over your head.

Don’t rush.

All things he tried to tell himself as he arrived at your home, rather quickly. He knocked on your door erratically, alerting you that he was finally here. You gave yourself one more look over and smirked. You hadn’t felt this good since your wedding night, dressed in your finest nightwear, a sheer robe, just enough makeup to accent your eyes. You got to the door and opened it slowly, and you smirked at what you saw.

What Shuichi saw almost made him cream his pants. Sure, he was bigger than you and stronger than you, and he’s killed plenty more people than you, but you still looked like a predator, and he was your prey. You looked at him with sharp eyes and a smirk, and you looked hot.

“I uh… I-I got your t-transaction…”

You nodded, “And you came running, huh?”

Shuichi nodded with a gulp, his face flushing even darker. You let him in and allowed him to get comfortable, before you brought him to your room. You even lit candles- Fuck he was done for. You sat on the foot of your bed and patted the seat next to you, but Shuichi wanted you to know exactly what he wanted. With an embarrassed blush, he got on his hands and knees, and crawled over to you. Putting his head in your lap, and looking up at you with pathetic eyes. Your eyes were slightly widened, before you smiled down at him with an almost loving gaze.

“Tell me what you want, pet… And tell me what you don’t want…”

Shuichi whimpered and you could feel yourself get even more excited. “I… I want you to take control of me… T-to own me… I want you t-to take care of me a-and I… I wanna be good for you…”

You cooed at him and he felt his heart speed up. “And what lines shouldn't I not cross dear?”

He blushed even darker, “U-uhm… I-I don’t really feel comfortable with a-anal… N-not yet…”

You nodded and pet his hair, “Good boy… Now do me a favour, okay? Tell me if you have a safe word, alright~?”

“Y-yea ‘c-course uhm… M-my safeword has always been Leopard…”

“Thank you. Now, darling, is there anything else I need to know~?”

Shuichi shook his head and mumbled a soft, “No.”

“Alright then, now, be a good boy and strip for me, ‘kay~?”

Shuichi sputtered as he got up and nodded, taking off his clothes, rather quickly. He was excited, what could he say? Getting his pants off was difficult, to say the least. But, he knew you wouldn’t be disappointed, nobody ever was. That was one of, if not the only reason he was as popular as he was before he met you. He was “blessed” with more gecko-qualities than he’d like to admit.

When you saw him, you were surprised, and slightly worried. Would you be able to fit both? Your husband was only nearly half his size, and despite one of his dicks being smaller than the other, they both still had a lot of girth. Shuichi noticed your staring and he blushed, suddenly feeling very self-conscious.

“W-we don’t have to-”

“No, it's fine. This is what they invented lube for anyway. Now, come here~”

He looked back up at you and saw you holding your arms open for him, and he walked over to you slowly.

“Kneel~”

He did as you told him, keeping his head down, before you lifted his chin, “Look at me, baby~”

When he did, he felt something around his neck, and his eyes widened when he finally heard the metal clinking. You got him a collar, and it had his name, and your name on it. He looked at you in shock, and you were about to ask if that was alright, before he clung onto you, nuzzling into your waist, muttering his praise and pleading for you.

You smiled sweetly down to him.

Your husband would never.

“I’m glad you like your present baby, but we haven’t even begun yet. Get comfortable on the bed, okay~?”

He nodded and did as you told him, laying down on the bed and breathing in your scent, the pillows surrounding him as he laid there. You lifted yourself onto the bed, clicking something onto his collar.

He wanted to squeal when he saw the leash, but only moaned when he felt you rub yourself against him. You flushed, pleased to know he was already so ready for you. But, you wanted to go slow. It had been almost a whole year since your last time having sex, and you needed time to get used to him. Leaning over and grabbing the lube, Shuichi looked at you in anticipation. Slowly you dribbled some lube down his dicks, making him whine. Tossing the bottle to the side, you almost immediately started slowly pushing him in.

“H-haaooh f-fuck~!”

You smirked at his reaction to you, but stopped at about halfway, when you felt his second dick twitch outside of you. He whined again, his hips moving on their own before you tugged the leash.

“Ah ah, no… I need to ready myself for you baby, you need to be good, and patient, alright~?”

“B-but- Mmm~ F-feels good~”

You cooed almost mockingly at him and he felt himself buck at that, making you tug even harder at the leash, your other hand steadying his hips.

“I know it feels good baby, but patience is rewarded~”

He whimpered yet again, but nodded. You nodded as well, fucking yourself on his larger dick, slowly, making him moan with every little movement. It was torture for Shuichi, but he swore to himself he’d be good- He would, he’d be good for you, he had to be…

It felt like it took ages for your speed to pick up, and your moaning was something he wanted to hear for the rest of his life. Music to his ears, a song for his soul, and he wanted it to never fucking end.

But when you stopped and he whined again, you tutted at him, as you moved your other hand to press his other dick at your entrance.

“O-ooh f-fuck b-be c-carefu~Uuuhh~!!”

When you pressed him in to you, he threw his head back, moaning out your name like a prayer. He was huffing, his hands finding purchase on your hips while you slowly sank down further on to him.

Don’t cum, don’t cum, don’t cum, don’t cum, don’t-

“F-fuck! N-no-no!! Leopard- Fuck~!”

You jolted when you felt him cum inside you, moaning yourself and gasping at the feeling. This was something completely new to you, and when he said his safe word, you tried pulling off of him- But he stopped you.

“S-Shuichi y-you said-”

“M’sorry I just- Aah…. F-fuck… I’m so-sorry….”

You immediately knew he was embarrassed when he shut his eyes tight, shoving his face in the pillows next to him. You cooed, your grip on his leash loose as you leaned forward, still with his dicks inside of you, making him moan at the slight stimulation.

“Shuichi darling it’s okay…”

“B-but you didn’t-”

“I didn't say we had to stop honey, you did~”

He flushed at that and gulped, whining softly when he was reminded of the collar around his throat.

“O-okay uhm… I-I take it back…?”

You chuckled softly, “What was that sweetheart? You take back what?”

“M-my safe word I-I take it b-back… Mmm- P-please move..?”

You smiled softly and nodded, “Of course baby~”

With that, you slowly lifted yourself, before fucking down on him, making him almost squeal. His moan was so loud, and he could swear this was the best he’d ever had. Anyone else before you seemed… Used to it. Used to double penetration. But not you, you were so- Tight and warm, and now you were full of him in so many ways, it made him want to cry how heavenly you felt, wrapped around him like this. Your hips moved painfully slowly, bucking your hips and moaning at the feeling. You were slow, sensual, and you couldn’t last much longer.

With a short gasp and a shudder, you came on him, making him cry out and whine.

"Fuck fuck fu-fuuuugghh~" Shuichi cried out, groaning in absolute pleasure.

You moaned softly as you pulled him out of you, slowly. Yanking his leash again, he tiredly looked down and moaned when he saw your combined juices dripping out of you and onto the sheets.

"Holy… W-wow I…. Ha…"

"How was that, my pet~?"

He shuddered at the name and nodded, "G-good- Really fucking good… Uh… I-I don't think I'll ever recover ha…"

You giggled, "Oh? Care to elaborate dear?"

You leaned to take the collar and leash off, but he stopped you. "I mean, I'm not… I-I'm not taking anymore clients… I-I want to be exclusive…. Exclusively y-y-yours… Your... Your pet..."

Your eyes widened at that, but you quickly smiled and nodded.

"I'd like that~"

Tags: @keinacea @daniidil @elias-fable

[serandipity]

☠ What does someone have to do for an instant unfollow from you?

Be weird about female characters. In any type of way.

If you’re the type to demonize a female character cause it ruins your mlm ship, if you are weird and consistently horny posting about female characters in degrading ways I will unfollow. If you have a hate boner for a female villain that goes beyond a typical hate for a female villain and build misogynistic headcanons around them and justify it using some weird logic I’m OUTIE.

The rest of this deals with sensitive content under the cut. This is a general tw and also a warning.

This is more personal and contains mentions of like… being used for sexual content but I’m always really wary of certain types who write nothing but smut. Smut is fine, but I’ve never really had a good experience with people who ONLY write explicitly or are only interested in writing explicit smut.

Whether it’s them being pushy with boundaries and sharing nsft content art without asking first or shout out to the one partner I thought was a close friend who I learned after went to jail for some AWFUL shit that their wife had asked them not to rp nsft content with people online cause the wife viewed it as cheating and they still did it. It’s AWFUL to feel used that way and honestly fuck you Hiro / Gladio. Gladio would constantly be pushy with boundaries and while I never rped smut with him they were unafraid of sending smut and talking about smut with me unprompted.

The blog is inactive cause they’re literally in jail for 10 years but fuck @/lunarnebulae ☺️ hope you rot ✨

[levinxliza]

( FLORENCE PUGH . CIS - WOMAN . SHE/HER ) - the chicago resident , ( ELIZABETH “LIZA” LEVIN ) , was heard blaring ( THE PROPHECY / TAYLOR SWIFT ) this morning . the ( TWENTY FOUR ) year old is a ( BAKER ) in the city & has lived the ( WEST ) tower for ( ONE MONTH ) . since being here , they have been told to be ( - SELF-DEPRECIATIVE ) , but also ( + SOFT ) , i guess we’ll find out soon ! 

Liza was the first-born daughter of James and Agnes Levin, and even though she was only two years older than her sister, Liza took the role of big sister very, very seriously. She always wanted to help take care of her sister, from changing and feeding her to walking with her to school as they got older. According to their mom, the girls were inseparable, always trusted each other above all else, it was the first formative relationship Liza had ever had. They grew up in a sleepy little beach town in California, the Levin family very well off, and even though that in turn meant Liza was, well, rich, she never flaunted it. She wasn't a boastful person, wasn't showy. Even from a young age, Liza had always been kind, always been soft (sometimes even to a fault) and it's an attribute Liza has kept with her into adulthood.

While her father, James, was a popular restauranteur, Liza's mother was who she took after more. Agnes was a baker, a love she'd gotten from her mother, and it was a love that had been passed down to Liza as well. Since childhood, Liza loved baking, loved making cakes and cookies and pastries, always excited to try new things--so of course when she was 18, she began working in her mother's bakery as well, eager to really hone her skills.

Life after that was good--great even. James and Agnes never seemed to leave their honeymoon phase, her little sister was doing well in her own classes and her own life, having given birth to a beautiful little boy named Jamie, and Liza was poised to (eventually) take over her mother's bakery. Things were perfect.

So of course, that's when the universe decided to swing in.

Liza found out her boyfriend of over a year was cheating on her, tilting her world off its perfectly-cultivated axis. And then mere weeks later, the universe showed her that was just the tip of the iceberg and shattered what was left of her. Liza's mother, father, and her sister were all killed in a car accident one rainy evening, essentially leaving Liza (and Jamie) alone in the world and changing life as she knew it forever . How was she supposed to go on when, in the blink of an eye, her whole family was gone? Liza kind of shut down a bit. She chopped her long blonde hair off, stopped answering (smothering) texts from friends (and outright blocked her ex). She couldn't go to work anymore, couldn't bear the ghost of her mother in every nook and cranny of the place. In fact, she couldn't quite bear being at home anymore either.

Liza had always been a selfless person, had always put her family and her loved ones first--but for once, she needed to put herself first. So Liza decided she needed a fresh start. And that start entailed moving across the country with her nephew. Her mother had been from the east coast after all, and she had a cousin with whom she was incredibly close to who prodded her to come and stay with her, so she figured maybe it'd be a good thing for her to now do.

It's been two months since her family was killed, and only about a month since Liza essentially became a parent and moved to Chicago, where her mother was from. She's settling in with her cousin and got a job, suitably, at a bakery in town. Everything is still new (and scary, and overwhelming) but Liza finally feels like she can breathe again. And if she tries hard enough, she can maybe keep her mother's memory alive in this new place to call home.

[schrijverr]

Familiar Stranger at the Bar

During the 27 years Eddie and Richie run into each other. Neither of them know one another anymore, but there is a connection with this stranger, something familiar, like they do know each other. Nothing comes from it at the time, but maybe later.

On AO3.

Ships: Eddie x Myra (bad), pre-Richie x Eddie

Warnings: Myra and Sonia are a warning on their own, talks of infertility and thoughts of cheating (doesn't happen)

~~~~~~~~~~

Eddie is alone in a bar, which is probably not a good look on him, since he told his wife he was working overtime and the suit he is wearing screams corporate guy, maybe looking to cheat. But he isn’t. He swears on his mother that he is not there to cheat.

He just needs a second to himself.

Myra is becoming more and more smothering and Eddie knows he is letting her. It is just hard to stop her, hard to not sink into that familiarity that he has always known. He only has vague memories of his childhood, except for his mother.

And perhaps marrying Myra isn’t the most healthy thing Eddie has ever done, he knows that. He couldn’t say no when it got to a point where it was breaking up or marrying her. He stayed. He never really learned how to say no.

So, here he is. In a bar. Drinking by himself and looking utterly sleazy. But he justifies that to himself, because he isn’t actually going to do anything. He might not be sure if he loves his wife, but he is not going to be an asshole.

Like he said, he just needs a second to himself. They went for their check ups recently, which is always nerve wracking, not just because of Eddie’s health, but also because Myra always worries more afterwards. Always smothers more.

This time it was too much and Eddie had to get out for a little bit. However, he feels terrible over it, because Myra learned she might be infertile, which is why they don’t have a child yet. Something she desperately wants.

Myra has a younger sister with two kids and Eddie sees how much it pains her to watch the two little ones run around and get pampered by their grandparents. Eddie doesn’t want her to hurt like that.

But he can’t deny a part of him is glad they can’t conceive. The bits he still knows about his own childhood weren’t the happiest and the fact that he is still stuck in the same situation doesn’t bode well for the kid that will now never be.

Eddie feels horrid for hos relieved he is for the unborn kid, who won’t have to go through what he is going through. Because while it feels safe, he remembers many unhappy moments from his childhood, where he longed to have friends and play games, climb trees, exist outside.

If he had some friends who had his back, it might have been different. However, Eddie remembers no such friends, thus no alternatives for how he has always been that he can cling to, that can give him courage to try and break out of the mold.

He heaves another sigh and takes a sip of his drink, trying not to think about all the negative side affects alcohol can have on the body.

“Well, don’t you look excited to be here,” a voice snaps him out of his musings and Eddie looks up in surprise to see who had spoken. There is a man next to him, raising an eyebrow. He is about Eddie’s age, brown eyes and thick glasses on his face, his clothes are a bit of a mess and would look more at home on a college kid.

Still…

There is something about him that Eddie can’t place, something familiar. Something welcoming and warm. As if the man is a home he doesn’t know he lost.

The thought is weird enough to snap him out of his little stupor and the words register. They’re sarcastic and a bit too familiar out of the mouth of someone, who doesn’t know Eddie. He is already in a prissy enough mood that he replies: “Not everyone is out celebrating at a bar, you know,” in a scathing tone.

“Sorry,” the man says, raising his hands disarmingly. “Just thought you could appreciate a good chuck, old chap,” in a posh voice that makes Eddie snort without knowing why. The man lights up at the reaction: “See, much better with a smile.”

And Eddie realizes that he indeed needed to laugh a little. Fuck, it’s been too long since he just had fun and smiled. The longing to some good company combines with the odd nostalgic magnetism the man has. So, Eddie smiles again and holds out his hand: “Thanks. I’m Eddie.”

“Richie,” the man, Richie (and that name sounds familiar somehow), replies, shaking Eddie’s hand firmly. His hands are big and warm. Firm. Good hands.

Eddie never thinks that about anyone, usually focusing on how unhygienic hands are and how he can use sanitizer without coming across as a huge asshole. But Richie is throwing off all his normal responses, which is odd. Eddie never connects easily with people.

“So, what are we contemplating with noir detective style depression drinking?” Richie asks him. A question that is a huge overstep and again overly familiar for people who just met each other.

However, as Eddie said before, Richie makes his normal boundaries obsolete, because he shrugs and honestly answers: “My wife is likely infertile.”

“Oh, I’m sorry,” Richie says, looking taken aback at the reply and unsure of how to properly reply to that.

“It’s okay,” Eddie tells him. “I’m drinking because I’m happy about it.”

Richie is quiet for a second and Eddie is sure that he scared the man off. He wouldn’t blame Richie, it won’t be the first time either. Yet, Richie surprises him by staying seated and nodding to himself, before saying: “You’ll find more cheer in a graveyard, but I won’t judge how you celebrate.”

“I’m not celebrating, dickwad,” Eddie rolls his eyes, the insult rolling easily off his tongue. He falls into a manner of speaking that is highly unprofessional and his wife won’t allow without struggle around Richie, into a manner that is more him. More comfortable.

And Richie doesn’t seem to take it to heart, instead laughing as he replies: “Sure, whatever you say, asshole.”

“Oh shut up,” Eddie grins. “What are you doing here then, huh, smartmouth?” The nickname sounds right, but slightly off on his tongue in regards to the man.

“I had a gig in the area, wanted to see if New York beer is drinkable,” Richie says.

“A gig?” Eddie repeats, looking Richie over critically. “No offense, dude, but I can only picture you in a very shitty ska band.”

“Fuck you,” Richie says, but he is smiling, seemingly taking no offense. “I would be great in a ska band. Or maybe rock ’n droll, you know. But no. I’m a comedian.”

“Oh, never seen your work,” Eddie tells him apologetically.

“Normally I’d be offended, but seeing as you dress like you don’t know what fun is, you are forgiven, Mr. Suit,” Richie replies easily. “Richie Tozier, America’s favorite Trashmouth at your service.” And Trashmouth does seem to fit him better than the smartmouth Eddie had used earlier, seemed more Richie like. More familiar.

“I know how to have fun,” Eddie protests, though he doesn’t put his heart into it. To be fair to the other, one of his problems is that he indeed doesn’t know how to have fun. However, he is deciding not to focus on that, instead focusing on Richie’s mocking disbelieving look.

Richie ribs him back, though takes the focus off of the having fun part, instead boosting his own ego in such a ridiculous way that Eddie has to snort again. It is as if Richie knows when and where he can push without Eddie having to say so.

They talk for hours, sitting at that shitty unsanitary bar without running out of topics. It is amazing that a social interaction is going this well for Eddie. Hell, Richie doesn’t even mind when he starts a paranoid spiral about the bar, managing to gently lead him out of it and calm him down.

Talking with Richie makes him feel like they’ve known each other for all their lives.

It’s freeing. It’s nice. It’s silly. It’s filled with laughter. It’s utterly terrifying. Eddie never has a click with someone like this and all sort of old stuff starts to resurface. He starts to think there had maybe been a boy once. In his classes perhaps?

He has always done what is expected. He married a girl and tried to have children, despite the fact he didn’t want to. Looked for someone familiar, who he could tie to the love he had once held for his mother, because it had been the only thing he knew. Yet here in this bar, laughing with Richie all that he knew about himself crumbles a little.

Eddie isn’t going to do anything about it, of course. A lot of diseases can be transmitted through kissing and sex and it is all too new to even think of trying anything. Plus, that would be horrible and he doesn’t think he could survive the round of tears Myra would undoubtedly fire at him. He hates it when she cries.

So, he just sits and laughs with Richie, wondering if this chance meeting with a stranger that feels like home will be the thing he needs to change his life around.

It’s about 1:00 AM when they leave the bar. Eddie has had too much to drink to drive, so he hails a cab while Richie plans on walking to the hotel where he is staying. Their goodbye is awkward, neither wanting to leave, but also unable to verbalize that. It’s a bit too intimate how they part ways, since they’ve only just met, but nothing has ever felt so right.

When he is driven away, Eddie is sure he is going to think about this night on a loop for months, years maybe even. The name Richie Tozier is burned into his mind.

Myra is concerned when he gets home, a whole other tear fest that has Eddie grovelling to apologize to her, before having to sleep on the couch. All the while, a voice in the back of his mind makes him wonder why he’s doing all this.

However, the opposite happens. He can barely recall what they talked about the next morning and by the end of the week the entire encounter has been erased from his mind. It is as if that night in the bar never happened and Eddie stays in the thrall of Myra, who loves him in a way he knows and understands.

But…

But if he happens to come across a comedian later, whose show he enjoys, though he does not know why and if something tells him the jokes are disingenuous, unable to help but think the man didn’t write them himself. Well, that is no one’s business but his own.

And if he comes face to face with his childhood friend years later, wearing the face of a man he had almost forgotten. Maybe that is enough for him to put the pieces together. Maybe it’s enough for him to finally leave Myra. Maybe, maybe…

~~

A/N:

I love the idea of the Losers meeting before they remember again and having that sense of familiarity with people they have never met. It is so precious to me.

Anyways, fuck Myra and Sonia

[rebelw1thacause]

CONT from @heroesandironmen

Jasmine couldn’t help the tears that fell from her eyes. Hearing how Loki suffered for what Thanos did to him and how he still got the blame. It was too awful to think about.

“I’m really sorry, sug,” Jasmine said through her tears. “But I promise that Thanos will pay.”

She and the Avengers would make sure of it. Then there were his words about how he wouldn’t cheat on her.

“Thank you, but I was just worried you’d get frustrated. I’ve heard men get more sexually frustrated than women do,” Jasmine said and then added as a joke. “It’s why the mafia takes goomahs.”

[rainbowmuses]

Nodding slowly while Thorin listened to the other talk about her life and background, he sighed softly. "I am sorry that all of this happened to you. It is never easy to see someone break another person's trust and especially not when you are young" he crossed his arms over his chest. "You will find something to do. This town has a lot of opportunities"

"It's not just because cheating is bad, especially when you see your own mom doing it, but it also affected me. I started to be a homewrecker if you know what I mean. But I found out someone here that been through the same chaotic city as me. We haven't bumped in Tokyo but we bumped here in DC" Heiya explained to him. "Career is something you'll do in your whole life and I'm not sure what I'm good at so a job is more fit and maybe I'll find what I want there".

[anantaru]

⊹ ‧₊˚ ᰔ synopsis. breaking up because he wants to keep you safe, right person wrong time, cw. angst, he's lying to you, break up, mentions of death, gn! reader

what if childe doesn't want to break up with you, yet he's also aware that someone being close to a harbinger was way too dangerous, keeping you as his significant other would be a death sentence for you— his enemies are countless, he doesn't fear them but you should. what if he cannot protect you? aside from that, even within the fatui, he cannot trust a single individual.

who knows if somebody was actually able to find out about your secret relationship and use it in order to force childe into doing something? blackmail him or threatening to hurt you if he doesn't comply? can he even come to your rescue then? just thinking about you dying in front of him makes him want to fall asleep and never wake up.

after he went through those multiple concerns spreading inside his head, trying his hardest to find a solution, or, an answer. childe ultimately decided to break up with you— of course, in order to protect you.

but what's worse than that is that the harbinger was aware that, if he was to say it's due to "keeping you safe" you wouldn't accept it and would probably change his mind.

the thought alone of you looking at him with those eyes of yours, with droplets of tears hanging from your lashes, childe would fall to his knees immediately and admit defeat.

what does he do then?

you see, he's lying, lying that he's fallen out of love with you, that there was someone else he's fallen for yet that person wasn't you anymore.

he doesn't feel anything when he looks at you. no love, no future, he doesn't want to touch nor feel you, hear or see you.

saying those words out loud, precisely to your face actually broke his heart into a million pieces.

childe thinks he's numb now, and his colleagues were already talking about how weidly ruthless he's gotten over the past weeks— more pitiless and bloodthirsty than before, like he's lost a part of himself after he's lost you, after he pretended like he cheated on you so you would let him go.

childe doesn't care anymore, you were the one reminding him of his humanity, but with you gone, what even was humanity to him?

he doesn't mind that you hate him now, to him it means that you'll never come anywhere near him anymore, he's succeeded with his plan on keeping you protected from harm— meaning, that you're finally safe now.

©2024 anantaru do not repost, copy, translate, modify

[dr-awkkward]

Slay the Princess text posts, part 4

[part 3] [part 5]

[radio-writes]

Hi, will u do a human alastor x side mistress reader, so basically he has a wife, but he doesn't really love her, so when he's on the air he has sex with his side mistress in the radio tower. His side mistress knows he's a serial killer, by the way. You don't have to do this if u don't want to. I love ur fics.

By the Gold Ring on His Hand

Synopsis: He loved you and only you. You were his to cherish, to adore, to worship. Sweet words he whispered softy, promisingly, into your ear. Sweet words he also whispered softly to his wife.

Warnings: smut, oral (m receiving), mentions of murder, heavy manipulation, cheating

Tags: human!alastor, alastor x reader, gn!reader, reader is the other wo/man

MDNI

You've always revered Alastor.

You were entranced by the way his smile never broke. The way he seemed to take control of any situation he was put in. The he always managed to just charm the socks off of anyone he's ever met.

You loved the way he made little corny jokes. You loved the way he danced—barely drunk from the bottles of rye he downed.

And oh, did you love the way he spoke.

You could listen to him all day on the radio, just absolutely smitten and melting where you stood. 

The one thing you didn't love about Alastor—the one thing you despised, really—was his wife.

That naive little thing. So meek, so quiet. You always hated the way she would cling onto his arm at parties. Loathed the way she'd shyly smile at everyone, including you.

There was just no way that delicate stupid girl could satisfy someone like Alastor.

Alastor needed, deserved, a real partner. One that had enough of a spine not to be stepped on, at the very least.

Your fingers twitched, aching to touch him more; to caress his thighs that perfectly framed your head. You wanted to feel him beneath you, reassure your heart that he was here with you.

You groaned as your longing was denied. You felt Alastor press his shoes harder against your hands, pinning your palms to the floor. The fingers in your hair tightened their grip, guiding you more strictly down his cock.

It was enough to cheer you up a little. Although your touch was declined, the little vibrations your sounds made clearly still had an effect on him. You felt a little proud knowing something as small as you moaning around him pleasured the hefty cock in your mouth.

The reality was far more bitter, though. Not that Alastor would ever let you know that.

Truth be told his grip was a warning. He had explicitly told you to be quiet, to keep your hands to yourself. But you seemed to be so adamant on testing his patience today, as you were refusing to do both.

Alastor's smile strained just a tad bit more in annoyance as he spoke into the microphone. "Hate to finish up the broadcast with some sour news, but someone's gotta keep you lovely folks up to date!"

You continued to bob your head between his legs, hidden from the rest of crew by the control panel. You made sure to drag the flat of your tongue over the under side of Alastor's dick each every time you lowered your mouth to his crotch. If your ministrations did anything for him, you couldn't really tell.

His voice was perfect, not a tone out of place as he continued his broadcast. You've never seen a man so well put together while having someone's mouth serve them so reverently.

"Seems the coppers found a couple more for the good old wooden kimonos last night. Grizzly sight it was—so I heard. Hate to be the ones to dig those poor souls out."

Even though he was the one to put them there in the first place, you suppressed a laugh. Not that you were complaining, though. It was part of how you and Alastor finally got together, after all.

Alastor finished up his broadcast, and you continued your slow little prayer on your knees. He waved his staff away when they tried to approach, simply sending them off with a friendly jest that he'd meet them at the bar after he cleaned up his work station.

It was only when the lock clicked behind his crew did Alastor finally acknowledge you. His lovely smile was intact, but you could tell his mood was a little soured by the way his brown eyes narrowed at you from behind his glasses.

The hand gripping your hair pulled you off his cock, a pathetic whine escaping your lips as he did so.

Alastor tried to ignore the—rather off putting—sight of a thin string of fluids connecting your mouth to the head of his dick. He bent down closer to you, keeping his gaze locked on yours.

"My dear, I thought I told you to be quiet while I worked." His voice was as sweet as ever.

You chuckled lightly, you wanted to move your hands to cup his cheek, bring him even closer to you. Perhaps even for a kiss to lift his seemingly bad mood.

The moment Alastor so much as felt your fingers twitch, he stepped harder on your hands again, keeping them pinned to the floor and away from him.

You opted to shrug your shoulders sheepishly instead. "I may have gotten carried away," You responded coyly "You just taste so good."

Alastor did his best not to cringe, choosing to tighten his smile. Ah, you were in one of your moods again, he thought.

"Then why don't you go ahead and have your fill of me now." His hand left the back of your head, resting instead on the sides of his chair as he leaned back. The gold band on his ring finger momentarily caught the light and drew your attention to it.

Your chest tightened just the slightest bit. You absolutely hated the reminder that Alastor wasn't fully yours. That he'd still go home to his stupid wife at the end of the day.

But not for long, at least that's what Alastor had promised you. And not right now. 

You ran your tongue along the thick vein of his cock, from the bottom, up its shaft, and smiled at the sight of his hips bucking up to your touch.

"In your mouth now again, darling." It didn't sound like a request, but you obeyed faithfully anyway. You were rewarded with a soft sigh as you welcomed him back in your warm mouth.

You'd bet your job that his sweet little wife never pleased him like this. Skittish thing like that would probably run at the thought of putting her lips on a hard dick.

Well, her loss is your gain.

You were so far gone in your own head that you hadn't even noticed Alastor wasn't looking at you.

No, instead his head craned towards the ceiling of his studio, eyes closed and tired.

He was trying to focus on the physical sensations you brought him, not that he had much of an interest in it in the first place, but he tried hard to concentrate. All he had to do was finish, and he could finally leave. Leave you here with some sweet promises, and not have to deal with your disgustingly loving gaze on him until maybe his next shift on Monday.

Not that spending time with his wife at home felt any more appealing.

He pushed the thoughts away, willing his mind to stay on you instead. He thought he can finish, at least he could feel the bottom of his gut tightening just a tiny fair bit.

He focused on the way your tongue felt as it swirled around him. How your lips stretched so softly to fit his shaft. How you practically drooled over his cock. How you—

You were noisier now that you knew you were alone, and it wasn't doing Alastor any favors. A rather loud moan cutting through his mind and it almost made the coil in his gut loosen completely, his shoulders tensing instead.

No, no this just wouldn't do. He had much more interesting plans tonight than to sit there and buy your silence with his cock.

His hand reached out once more, much less gentle than it was before. With less grace and care, Alastor's hand rested on the back of your neck, before harshly pushing you down as he bucked his hips up.

Your eyes were wide, a surge of panic filled you at the suddenness of the sensation. His dick hit the back of your throat and you tried to pull back immediately.

Alastor's other hand came up to the back of your head to push you back down. Your nose pressed firmly to his skin as his cock pushed past your throat. 

Your arms strained as you tried to use your hands to push him away, but Alastor merely stepped on your fingers harsher to get you to stay.

"Ah, fuck, darling. Stay like that. Oh that's lovely." You thought you heard him say.

He was finally looking down at you. The way you heaved as you choked on him. The way your body spasmed to get away. The way panic filled your pretty tearful eyes. 

Your throat tightening around him as you tried desperately to breathe felt miles better than whatever you were trying to do before, and it was exactly what he needed.

"Finally," He breathed out softly, almost in a moan, feeling the coil in his gut finally snap. He pressed you down, just the tiniest bit more and you felt his warm seed flow down your willing throat.

"There we go, dear." Alastor's harsh grip in your hair loosened, slowly petting through your locks. The hand on your neck remained, locking you in and rendering you unable to pull free.

Your eyes flickered up to him, part of you ready to beg for mercy, but one sight of his dazed smile made you pliant. Your body relaxed into his touch, simply letting him ride his high out with your bruised throat. 

He must have just gotten carried away, that's all. Simply something new he never got to do with his stupid wife. 

You felt his softening dick slowly pull out of you, his shaft dragging across your tongue and you finally pulled free with a choked gasp of air.

A gentle hand tipped your face back to meet Alastor's before you could be too dramatic. He pressed a gentle, chaste, kiss to the corner of your lips to calm you.

"You'll have to forgive me, my dear. Your body just makes me feel far too good—just couldn't hold back." The charm practically oozed from his smooth tongue.

Your gaze softened immediately. Your hands, now free from beneath his feet, made their way to his cheeks but he easily pulled back.

Really, what on earth made you think he'd let you touch him with filthy hands. Had you forgotten he'd been stepping on them this entire time? Kind of rude, if you'd ask him.

Not that any of those thoughts showed when Alastor simply, gently, helped you up to your feet by your elbow.

"Always so good to me, my dear. How I got so lucky to have a divine thing like you service me, I'd never know." He stood up with you, part of him did enjoy it whenever he got to look down on you in a more literal sense.

He pressed his body against yours, arms on the control panel behind you as he caged you in. His lips barely grazed your ears as he continued his sweet, sweet, praises. "Why couldn't you have shown up sooner, dear? I would have had it all." 

You placed your hand on his chest, failing to notice the way he flinched at the touch. "You still could, you know? All you have to do is leave that naive little thing and I could give you this every night." Your voice was low, seductive, alluring.

Alastor held back an annoyed groan. This again. His eyes rolled, not that you could see it with his head nuzzling against your shoulder.

"We both know I treat you so much better." You continued, hand trailing up to scratch at the hair at the bottom of his neck. "And I'd never hold you back from that little hobby of yours either." 

He chuckled at that, you could feel his lips at the base of your neck. "My dear, we've been through this." His kisses were soft, gentle, barely touching you, just like how he preferred it. "You don't have to feel so threatened by her, it's you that I want."

"Then why don't you—"

A gasp passed your lips.

"Leave her?" Alastor continued your sentence when you couldn't. His warm tongue licked over the reddened skin he bit. "I will, my dear, I will. Things are just a bit complicated at the moment."

More complicated than you knew, really.

He couldn't leave his wife because her dad was a big boss of his station. His ass would be out on the streets in minutes if he ever hurt that shy doll.

But he couldn't just kill you either. Not when your dad was the town sheriff.

He was lucky you were so obsessed with him that fucking you once in a while was enough to keep your pretty little mouth shut.

Honestly, just fuck the day you caught him slicing that man's flesh. That scum was hardly worth all the trouble he now has to go through.

"But I'm working on it." Alastor promised as he finally pulled away from you.

You gazed up into his warm, honest eyes. You adored the way he towered over you, really. It's like you fit together so perfectly—like puzzle pieces, was it? Was that how that cheesy line went.

"And then we can be together?" Your palms move to cup his face, and Alastor caught them on instinct before they could.

But you didn't notice, not when he corrected his actions so smoothly by pressing his lips to your knuckles instead—he tried his best to ignore how filthy they are, just to hide his mistake. "Of course, darling. In fact, I think I can work things out by tonight." 

Your father was going to be alone at the station.

Your eyes lit up. "Really?"

"Yes, my dear. Soon all of this hiding and sneaking around will be a thing of the past." He said, almost with the same amount of excitement as you.

He couldn't wait to toss your body in a ditch next to your old man's corpse.

"But I musn't be late"

He'll miss his chance to slit your father's throat if he lingered any longer.

"Soon you wouldn't have to be jealous of my wife, dear."

After all, the dead don't envy do they?

Alastor willed himself to humor you one last time, pressing his lips to yours before he bid you a good night.

He couldn't have rushed out that door any faster.

Who would have known trying to keep his cover would have eaten up so much of his time? He barely had any left to do the very act he was even trying to cover for.

Honestly, how troublesome.

But no matter, no matter.

He glanced back at the station. He could vaguely see your lovestruck figure through the window. He watched amusedly as you pathetically held your fingers to your lips, absolutely lost on cloud nine.

It won't be long until he was rid of you, and that fact was enough to lift his sour mood.

[thegillyxliang]

Gillian swallowed hard as she just raked her fingers through her hair, resisting the urge to cross her arms over her chest. She didn't like feeling unsure like this- not when it was about him. Asher had always been a constant for her. A surety. She trusted him in ways she'd never trusted anyone else--so to feel like she didn't know what to do or where they went from here...she didn't like it. And sure, it was a bit of a comfort when he said he didn't want Wes like that, the fact of the matter was still that he did it. That he felt that jealousy and that pull to do it in the first place.

"You should apologize. Be an adult. This isn't like something you swiped, or some dickhead prank. But...not right now, I don't think. Cause if I was her, and I were pregnant, I'd probably want to murder you. She'd probably get away with it too given the money and the sway that family has in this town. Besides, pregnancy hormones could probably equate to like...an insanity plea or some shit." Gilly let out a huff then, biting her lip before she continued, "A-And then I need you to think. Really think. Are you sure that...that you don't...--" She trailed off then and finally moved to stand, unable to keep still any longer, not with how antsy and uneven she felt.

"I need you to be sure that...that you don't feel anything like that for him, or that you're not gonna pull this kind of stupid, selfish shit again.. Because I.....because I thought that you and me.." She swallowed, starting to pace for a second before she just closed her eyes and then stopped to face him. "It's not in my head right?" Her voice was softer than normal, quieter. Almost like she was scared to talk. "You and me? I-I know making out and fucking and just being friends has always just been our thing but I...I thought here, now, it..it could be different. It could be more but.." Gillian finally did cross her arms over her chest, but it was more like she was almost holding herself, hating how vulnerable she felt because she didn't do this... "I-I'm not going to try and compete for your attention o-or your heart. So...so I need you to think, on what you want. On who you want. Because I'm not going to come second to a ghost of your past, Ash. I don't deserve that- especially from you. " @heyits-asher

“No— I mean, I did. After the fact. Not then, in the moment.” Consequences, who is she? Asher would prefer not to be bothered facing him, and now he’s regretting this choice in his own character development. He could have kept this to himself. Not said a word about repeated mistakes made out of selfishness, maybe looked to relocate to another beach town far away from Wes and Liza and—

Asher swallows and draws in a deep breath, steadying to tumultuous race of thoughts bouncing around in that skull of his. “I don’t know, Gil. I guess it was a weird sort of jealousy. It doesn’t make sense, I don’t want anything to do with him like that. Not like that at all.” 

A thought to consider when he faces what he may have wanted, which lies solely in the past. Their old friendship, and the way Wes looked to him like he didn’t have all the cracks and chips taken out of him like he did. At times, because of Wes, Asher felt like he didn’t either, and that’s what he was chasing. A thought he can’t formulate into words, not without shame burning red-hot within him.

“I don’t want to know if I messed things up for them, but I also don’t know if I should apologize. To him or Liza, or tell her it was all me and not him. Or if I just should put it down and let it be. Move forward from this and do better or whatever. I don't know what to do now.”

But that would be what he seems to always do — run far away from the damage he’s caused, leaving people in the wake of his selfish impulsivities.

@thegillyxliang

[hauntedhowlett-writes]

Title: No Closer Could I Be To God

Pairing: Post-outbreak!Joel Miller x Female Reader

Rating: Explicit

Word Count: 1.3k

Summary:

The closest he’s been to a god in these last few miserable years has been between your thighs.

Dear Reader:

This one is for the homies with religious trauma. If you enjoy this little fic, please comment or reblog! Title art is "Through Cataclysm" by Andreas Birath (b. 1974).

Warnings:

explicit sexual content (18+ MDNI), infidelity, no use of y/n, no reader description or age, single POV - Joel, post-outbreak Jackson, heavy religious themes and imagery, unprotected p in v, oral sex - f receiving, dirty talk, pet names, begging.

Joel Miller gave up on the notion of a benevolent god around the time the light faded from his daughter’s eyes and he was left to hold her lifeless body. Since then, he’s only seen glimpses of that former goodness in the world — in Tess and the way she fought tooth and nail for their survival and in Ellie, once she quit being such a pain in the ass.

But perhaps the closest he’s been to a god in these last few miserable years has been between your thighs.

“Joel!” You cry out, squirming beneath his tight grip. He’s got you laid out on the work bench, thighs hugging his head as he licks and sucks your clit until you’re singing his praises. The storage shed is hot, sweat gathering at his neck and beading at his temple and making his fingers slip against your damp skin.

“Shhh, baby,” he murmurs, dragging his mouth away from your center and licking his lips to gather every drop of you from his flesh. “You’re fuckin’ loud today.”

“Sorry,” you whisper, voice breathy as your chest heaves with desperate breaths. “It’s been too long.”

“I know,” Joel agrees, standing up and leaning forward to steal a kiss, your hot mouth opening immediately for his tongue to explore. You taste like shitty instant coffee and mint, his favorite flavor as long as you're the source. “‘M sorry.”

Your fingers play with the hair at the nape of his neck, nails scratching against his scalp. He drags his lips across your jaw, down your neck, sinking his teeth briefly against your pulse point to make you shiver.

The modest dress you’re wearing is rucked up around your waist and Joel reaches down to slip his fingers past the elastic of your underwear, sinking two digits inside of you and groaning at how tight you are, how warm and wet you get for him. Your quiet whimper reaches his ears and he wishes he could hear you without restraint, wishes he knew how loud you could be. He’s fairly certain it’s as close to a choir of angels he could ever get.

Especially since he’s destined for hell. But that’s neither here nor there. Right now, he’s in heaven.

He removes his fingers, reaching up to slip them past your lips for a quick clean. Your tongue glides across his fingertips and your eyelids flutter shut as he uses his free hand to work his belt open with clumsy movements. He shoves his jeans and boxers down his hips, just enough to expose the hard length of his cock.

Joel pulls his hand away from your face, using his spit slick fingers to pump himself. With his other hand, he reaches into the chest pocket of his flannel shirt for his knife.

Your eyes go wide as he pops the blade open, slipping the cold steel beneath the elastic of your panties and tugging sharply. The fabric snaps, echoing your gasp, your mouth dropped open in surprise. He doesn’t give you long to recover, sliding his cock through your wet folds and smiling in satisfaction as your expression shifts from incredulity to pleasure.

“You ready?” Joel grunts, his tip catching at your entrance. You nod your head rapidly, but he’s in the mood to hear you beg. “Words, sweetheart.”

“Please, Joel,” you murmur. Your lashes glisten with captured tears and the sight makes his blood run hot. “Please, please, please!”

Joel presses forward, sinking into your body with ease. You have one hand on the workbench behind you to support yourself but the other grips his shoulder tightly, fingernails sure to leave little indents in his skin even through the fabric of his shirt.

“Christ,” he hisses, dropping his head into the crook of your neck. “Always feel so fuckin’ good. How is it always so fuckin’ good?”

“Need you to move,” you reply. “Please, Joel.”

And what is he if not your good and faithful servant?

Joel draws his hips back and thrusts sharply, lifting his head to watch your face as he does. This is his favorite part, staring into the Garden of Eden, enjoying his forbidden fruit. You whimper and moan, teeth digging into your bottom lip to keep quiet.

When he feels that knot of pleasure coiling tight in his belly, he curses and chases it all at once. It’s always over too soon when all he wants is to worship at your altar for eternity.

“Angel,” he murmurs, wrapping an arm around your low back as your own circle his shoulders. “Need you to come for me, baby.”

You whine, high and petulant. “No, no, no,” you chant, “Not yet.”

Joel leans forward to capture your lips with his, the action more of a sharing of breath that lacks any coordination of a proper kiss. He slips his hand between your bodies to circle your clit, the responding moan swallowed by his greedy mouth.

“Good thing you don’t make the rules,” he grunts, hips stuttering as you begin to squeeze around him. He may not inherit the kingdom of god, but he at least got a glimpse of heaven today.

Your legs drop from around his waist and he lifts his head to find your gaze. He always worries what he’ll see — disgust, guilt, and shame have all been reflected back at him before. But today…today you just smile softly, your skin damp with sweat and your lips swollen from his kisses and your teeth.

“Joel,” you murmur, pressing a palm to his cheek. “I have to go.”

Joel nods, knowing you’re right. He’s kept you long enough. Gray light filters through the dirt caked window of the little shed and you should get back to your home to get ready for Sunday service.

“I’ll see you around,” he replies, wrapping a hand behind your neck to pull you forward and give you one last hungry kiss before stepping away to right his pants. He holds a hand out to you to help you down from the work bench and watches as you fix your dress.

You give him one last watery smile before leaving through the flimsy wooden door. It slams back against the frame, the sound sharp to Joel’s ears. He sighs, counting to himself as he catalogs the spiderwebs and rusted tools in the shed.

There’s a flash of white in the corner of his eye. The mangled fabric of your panties sits discarded on the ground, and he leans forward to pick them up, pocketing them. For what, he’s not sure, but he’ll take any piece of you he can get.

Even if it’s just the part you’ve carelessly left behind.

________

Later, your husband stands at the dented podium to deliver his Sunday morning sermon to the good people of Jackson who still turn to religion for comfort and guidance. Joel isn’t one of those people, but he sits on a rough wooden bench across the aisle from you. Your panties are still tucked away in his pocket and he wonders if you’ve cleaned up already, or if you’re still full of him even as you sit there watching your husband.

“…And we see this spoken of in Proverbs 7:25 — ‘Do not let your heart turn to her ways or stray into her paths. Many are the victims she has brought down; her slain are a mighty throng. Her house is a highway to the grave, leading down to the chambers of death’.”

Joel looks towards you as the words settle among the crowd. Your gaze remains steadfastly on your husband, but your hands move restlessly in your lap. When Joel looks up at the podium, he finds your husband’s righteous glare trained on him.

Maybe Joel was wrong. He hasn’t found heaven in you.

He’s just found a deeper hell.

Joel Miller masterlist

All masterlists

[miss-may-i]

Miss May I: Season 5 Part 37

Noah: So that's it? Instead of talking to me about it, you just run and file for divorce?

Julian: We were supposed to talk, but then you stood me up to get sucked off by her. Why even wait this long to bring it up? You know what you did--what you've been doing.

Noah: Who's her?

Julian: That's what I want to know. Who is she? How long have you been cheating on me?

Noah: Julie, I don't know what you're talking about. You're the love of my life. We have a family together. You have to believe me.

Julian: The girl with the silver hair. Who is she?

Noah: ...

Noah: She's a co-worker.

Julian: So what? Another drug dealer? Another junky?

Noah: A friend.

Julian: A friend? Friends don't do that to friends. Why even marry me if this is how you're going to treat me?

Noah: Our marriage meant everything to me! You're the one giving up.

Julian: No, I don't give up on anything. I'm just flat out done. I was willing to support you if you got help for the drugs, but now cheating just makes me look stupid.

Noah: Cheating? I would never cheat on you. You and Jasper mean everything to me. You're the only one who never gave up on me.

Julian: You can't gaslight me about this. I saw it with my own two eyes. Everyone warned me about you and I'm an idiot for not listening. I can't believe I actually thought you changed.

Noah: Jules, I don't know what you saw--

Julian: But it's not what I think?

Noah: No, no ... I believe you saw what you saw. You're right, it's the drugs. I don't know who I am when I'm on them. It's just ... I don't always know what I'm doing, or even remember it.

Julian: The sad thing is that I believe you, too. Do you even remember what you did do Vivian's house? The house your son was living at. You need help, Noah.

Noah: Help me.

Julian: No. I've drawn my line. I don't want Jasper to see his father in prison or a body bag, but that's exactly where this is headed. And I don't want to see that either. I've seen enough.

Noah: Before you go, at least answer me this:

Noah: When were you going to tell me about the baby?

Julian: When it was safe.

______________________________________________________________

Previous | Beginning | Next

Season 1 | Season 2 | Season 3 | Season 4

Family Tree

[mugloversonly]

What Happens Afterwards?

I read this post by @acowardinmordor and was obsessed with what happened next. Written with their blessing.

also on AO3

tw: overdose, drugs, near death experience, mentions of HIV

Summary:

Famous Eddie doesn't touch drugs...too bad Steve does After Steve ODs at a Corroded Coffin concert, he wakes up in the hospital.

Steve woke up groggy and confused. Is he in a hospital? Suddenly the night rushed back to him. He did a line, borrowed a needle. He’d meant to go back to the dressing room, but he hit the deck before he could. Shit!

He shot up and frantically looked around, hoping beyond all hope that he was alone. Luck was not on his side though, because Eddie was asleep in the hospital chair next to him. Steve took a long look at the love of his life. His eyes were red and puffy with deep bags. His hair was a tangled mess as if he’d been yanking on it. And his clothes were rumpled as if he hadn’t changed them in days.

Steve sighed. He really didn’t want to have this confrontation right now. Before that thought could even leave his brain, Eddie opened his eyes and met Steve’s. The pools of chocolate were filled with a myriad of emotions. He leaned forward and took Steve’s hand.

“Hey, Stevie. How’re you feeling?” He asked softly as he reached over and pressed the nurse call button. Steve was confused by the softness, but he wasn’t going to complain.

“How did I get here?” He asked instead, dropping his gaze.

“You were brought in as a John Doe after the concert baby.” He whispered, his voice thick. “They said you overdosed.” He didn’t sound angry, Steve would have preferred that. Instead he sounded guilty. Steve forced himself to look and felt bile rise up at the expression on Eddie’s face. “I’m sorry baby.” Eddie said. “I’m so sorry.” Tears ran down his already tear coated cheeks. Steve expected yelling, berating, and ultimatum. Anything but an apology.

“Sorry for what, Eds?” He asked. “You didn’t do anything.” That turned out to be the wrong thing to say as it turns Eddie’s cries into sobs. Something sour built a home in Steve’s chest.

“Exactly! I didn’t do anything!” He said emphatically, gesturing wildly. “You were missing! And i didn’t do anything! I let everyone else handle it while i panicked. I still played the show. I didn’t follow my gut and looked who the junkies were that night!” Tears streamed down his face, but the words rattled something in him.

“How long have I been here?” Steve asked hesitantly. Eddie took a stuttered breath.

“Five days. You’ve been here for five days. You were missing for over 24 hours.” He bit his lip trying to stifle more tears.

Steve was floored. Five days?! Wait…missing? “Oh, baby.” Steve said, mournfully running the hand not hooked up to anything along Eddie’s cheek. He melted into the contact and put his hand over Steve’s. “I’m sorry for putting this much stress on you.”

“For a minute there, I’d thought it came back.” Steve knew exactly what Eddie meant. The upside down. “But when I found out you ODed…I almost wish it had.��� Eddie admitted. “This is all my fault.” He whispered unable to hold the tears back any longer.

Steve felt like he’d been on top of the world from what he could remember of the high, and he thought about chasing that rabbit. But the look in Eddie’s eyes, the deep well of pure devastation and guilt swirled together, made Steve pause. He couldn’t do this to Eddie again. “This isn’t on you.” Steve insisted. “I told you I quit. You had no reason to assume I’d be in that bathroom.” Eddie just shook his head.

“If I hadn’t forced you on the road, you never would’ve had access to this kind of hardcore shit in the first place. If I spent more time with you, if I never left you alone, you wouldn’t have felt the need to do this.” Eddie trembled. “I should have protected you better, I knew what that shit could do, I’m so sorry baby.” Steve knew then that there wasn’t anything he could say. Eddie would blame himself for this until the end of time.

That more than anything else, broke Steve down. “I’m sorry, love.” His voice trembled. “I shouldn’t have lied. I just didn’t want you to worry.” He flipped his hand up in offer. Eddie immediately filled it with his. He squeezed it as he continued. “You had so much to worry about, I didn’t want to be another. But I should have known that you’d worry anyway.” Steve looked away, ashamed.

“Baby…” he was cut off as a doctor came in.

“Well, Mr. Harrington. You’re lucky to be alive. The cocktail of drugs you took was extreme.” The doctor said.

“What do you mean?” Eddie asked.

“The heroine appeared to be laced with meth. And the line he did was cocaine and ecstasy.” The doctor said calmly. Eddie gasped a shuddering breath and his hands shook in Steve’s grasp.

“I didn’t know the heroine was laced.” He said. “It wasn’t my needle.” The regret was finally showing up. At this the doctor’s eyebrows rose to his hairline. Eddie yanked his hands away and covered his mouth.

“I’ll send in a nurse to grab some blood so we can run some tests.” He said. “In the meantime Mr. Munson, I recommend limited physical contact.” He directed that to Eddie with a look of sympathy. He nodded and the doctor took his leave. Tears sprang to Eddie’s eyes and ran down his face.

“You shared needles, Stevie?” He asked in shock, his voice quiet. His fear was clear on his face. “Have you been…doing other things for the drugs?” Steve had to come clean.

“I’d do pretty much anything for them.” He admitted.

Eddie stood up quickly and made to leave the room. “I’m going to go let Robin know you’re awake.” He dashed out before Steve could say anything else.

He fucked up. He always felt guilty after the high wore off, but this time it was horrible. He’s in the hospital, after disappearing for over a day. He should have been more careful. He knew sharing needles wasn’t the best plan, but at the time the high was worth it. But the look of betrayal, sadness, and the tiniest glimmer of disgust on Eddie’s face just now, was enough to make him never want to touch another pill. Sleep snuck up on him and he prayed that Eddie would be back when he woke up again.

His prayer went unanswered. The next time he woke up, it was Robin by his bedside. She was staring at the TV but she wasn’t really watching it. “Hey Robs” he said. She whipped her head around so fast he wouldn’t be surprised if it popped off.

“Steve! You’re awake!” She exclaimed. The smile on her face fell quickly. “You’re an idiot. If you weren’t in this hospital bed right now, I’d smack you.” He shrunk down in the face of her ire. “What were you thinking?!” She shrieked.

“I didn’t think it’d be that bad.” He admitted. The fire in her eyes could set the arctic ablaze.

“Not that bad? Not that bad?! You ODed at Eddie’s concert.” She began counting on her fingers. “You lied about being clean. You shared needles with some random junkies!” On the last point she threw her hands up. “How often have you done that? Don’t lie to me Steve.” Her eyes narrowed.

“Every once in a while when I get the itch for it. Maybe once every few months or so.” He admitted grimly. Robin’s eyes narrowed.

“So however many months you’ve been doing this, you’ve been sharing needles?” She clarified. At Steve’s nod she sprang up and paced the room. “Every time?”

“Not every time, but not rarely either.” He said as guilt started to creep into his stomach. She ran her hands into her hair and yanked on it softly.

“Have you been getting tested at least?” She asked.

“I’m not cheating on Eddie, Robin!” Steve yelled, hurt that she’d even imply that. She stopped pacing and turned to him.

“Okay, first. I didn’t say that. Second, your word has no credibility right now. I know you wouldn’t, dingus. That’s not why I was asking.” She grabbed his hand. Before she could continue, a nurse came in.

“Oh good! You’re awake. I’m going to be taking some blood okay?” She asked but really was demanding. She glared at Steve as he held out his arm for her.

“Is everything okay?” Robin asked. The nurse turned to her and gave a small smile before glaring again at Steve.

“With the patient, everything is looking like it’s returning to normal.” She snapped the tourniquet into place but when Steve flinched she didn’t look remorseful. She drew a few vials of blood, stuck a bandaid on, and pulled off the tourniquet all in silence. As she got cleaned up to leave, she finally spoke. “Look kid, it’s not my place. But that boy out there? I can take a guess as to what your relationship is with him.” She flashed a tiny pride flag pinned inside her scrubs. “He cares about you so much. He was beside himself when he came in and saw you, he had you moved to this room, he asked us if there was any kind of experimental treatment, anything to help you.” She turned that glare on him again. “He loves you to the ends of the earth and he will never leave you. You better clean up your act to be worthy of that devotion, because make no mistake. He would let you drain his veins and apologize for not bleeding out faster.” She stalked over to Robin and handed her a stack of papers. She jabbed a finger in his face, “don’t you dare break up with him in a misguided attempt to save him from you. You clean up your act. If not for yourself, then for him.“ With that she stomped out of the room and practically slammed the door behind her. For a moment neither of them said a word. Steve was filled with regret and Robin was a bit smug. She looked down at the stack of papers. Rehab clinics.

“Should we pick one?” Robin asked.

“I think I want to do it with Eddie.” Steve replied. “The nurse was right. And so were you. I’ve taken him for granted and my word means shit right now. I want to prove to him that I want to get clean.” Robin hesitated.

“Do you?” She asked. “You don’t seem particularly regretful about the actual drugs.” Her tone was soft even though her words were harsh.

“I do!” Steve exclaimed. “You didn’t see the look on Eddie’s face, Robbie. He was devastated and blamed himself for all of it. When I told him I’d do anything for the drugs he got up and left. I don’t think he’s coming back in.” He trailed off into a whisper. Robin took hold of his hand.

“Stevie, he’s right outside.” She said. At Steve’s confused look she continued. “He’s sitting on a bench right next to the door. He wanted to come back in, but I asked him to let me talk to you alone.”

“Why?” Steve asked. Robin’s eyes hardened.

“Because what I’m about to say, he wouldn’t like, but as your best friend I have to tell you hard truths. And Eddie's my best friend too so I have to protect him.” She took a deep breath. “You deserved his love once Steve. I truly believe that. But right now, his love for you is hurting him. And the only one who can fix it? Is you. He hasn’t slept or eaten practically at all since you disappeared.” Steve flinched at the word disappeared. “When he called me he was sobbing so hard I thought you died Steve.” Her eyes watered. “He kept repeating ‘it’s all my fault. I did this to him’ and Jeff had to take the phone to explain what was going on. When I got here, you were still touch and go. You died on the way here, Steve. They had to resuscitate you. The sound he made when the doctors told him that…” she shuddered. “I felt his heart shatter. The nurse is right. He will forgive you and he won’t ever stop loving you and he won’t ever leave you.” Her eyes got intense again. “So you need to promise me. Promise me! That you’ll take care of yourself. Because I don’t think I could survive watching him wither away if you leave him.” The emphasis she put on leave tore Steve apart. She didn’t mean break up with him. She meant leave him. “You don’t deserve his devotion. Not after you lied to him for months. But you have it. So now, you need to cherish it. Got it?” She asked. Steve could only nod as the dam finally broke. They held each other’s hands as they cried together.

~~~

“Can you get Eddie? Please.” He asked after his eyes dried up. Robin nodded and dashed out the door, waving Eddie inside.

Steve’s heart broke at the sight of him. He looked exhausted and his eyes were red rimmed as if he’d been crying for hours. Steve held a hand out to him and Eddie rushed to take it. Steve slid over in the hospital bed, yanking Eddie in after him. He curled around him and held him close being mindful of the wires in his hand as he draped it on Eddie’s chest. Eddie took a deep breath but Steve could feel the anxiety still thrumming under his skin. “I’m sorry, love.” Steve whispered. “I shouldn’t have lied.” He halted when he heard the sniffles. He sat up, peering at Eddie. His cheeks were wet again and Steve reached up to wipe them clean.

“Stevie, I have to ask…” he began. “And I hate to even think it. But…” he paused. “Did you…when you said you’d do anything for the drugs. Did you sleep with people for them?” He finally spit out. Steve wanted to be mad. He wanted to hiss and spit and rage at the accusation. But he knew that wasn’t fair to Eddie. He was within his rights to ask.

“No my love.” Steve promised. “Never.” Eddie nodded and sighed with relief. “I don’t know how much my word is worth right now.” He admitted. Eddie pressed a finger to his lips.

“I trust you.” He said. Those three words broke Steve. How could Eddie trust his word after everything? He asked him as much. Eddie just smiled softly. “I trust you because I want to. That’s all there is to it.”

“I’m sorry for everything.” Steve repeated desperately.

“I forgive you.” Eddie promised. “Now, let’s forget the past for a minute and focus on the future.” Eddie said. Steve looked over his shoulder to the door to the room and saw Robin and the Coffin boys. The boys were glaring at Steve but he knew it was because he hurt their friend.

Steve grabbed the rehab brochures and the two went over them until they found one that had a branch in DC. “I don’t want you to cancel the tour Eddie.” Steve was adamant. He ruined enough of the tour so far and he wouldn’t be the reason it ended. At least in DC he’d be close to Robin who would keep him in line. She promised Eddie daily updates (real updates) once Steve got out until the end of the tour. Eddie finally agreed after the boys convinced him he’d need the distraction so he wouldn’t be pacing around the house all day.

Steve leaned up to kiss him, but Eddie pulled away. The regret in his eyes was almost enough to soothe the hurt. “Not yet Stevie, okay?” He asked. Steve nodded but his head tilted in confusion. “Not until the blood tests come back.” He explained. Suddenly, Steve understood. He put himself at risk and Eddie too. The virus going around was deadly and Steve had been careless. Playing russian roulette with not only his life, but Eddie’s too and by extension the band’s.

The shame that filled him was so intense he reached over and retched into the nearby bed pan. Robin ran over with a trashcan and he kept heaving. Eddie rubbed his back as he emptied his body. “I’m sorry. I’m so sorry. I…” he cut off by dry heaving. He finally understood why Eddie ran from the room earlier and why the nurse glared at him. He’s a monster. He put the love of his life at risk of contracting a deadly disease just so he could get a fix. What the hell was wrong with him?

When he was finally done, he was exhausted. “Sleep baby.” Eddie whispered. Steve clutched tight to his hand.

“Will you stay with me?” He asked. As his eyes drifted shut.

“Forever.” Eddie whispered as Steve floated off into a dreamless sleep. His last thought was that he needed to prove he was worth forever.

~~~

The next time he woke up, Eddie was still there. Asleep curled up beside him. But in the chair next to him was someone he hoped not to see. Wayne. Their eyes met and he didn’t say anything, he just raised his right eyebrow and Steve folded. He apologized for letting Wayne down, for hurting Eddie, for lying about it. He begged Wayne’s forgiveness, but the man didn’t respond. His gaze flickered to his sleeping nephew and softened.

“You listen to me boy.” Wayne said. “My nephew is a gentle soul, quick to forgive and let things go. You should know that based on how he was after that spring break.” They both shivered at the memory. “So, he’s not going to want to hold you accountable. He’d rather just move on and take your word for it. But lucky for him, and not so lucky for you, I will be holding you accountable.” He leaned in. “I love you like one of my own Steve, I really do. But I love my brother too and he ain’t seen Eddie since they locked him up. Eddie forgave him within days, trusted him. I learned then, that if Eddie loved someone, he’d forgive pretty much everything just to keep them around. So I’ll tell you the same thing I told Al. Eddie is my boy, first. And I will protect him from anything that will hurt him, even if it’s himself. So I’ll be holding you accountable. You’re going to rehab?” Wayne asked. At Steve’s nod and explanation of where, he continued. “You’re going to give the rehab my information as someone who they can talk to. I’m going to call to check up whenever I see fit. Got it?”

“Yes sir” Steve replied. The nurse from before knocked and opened the door quietly. She paused as she saw Eddie curled up in the bed next to Steve. She gently shook him awake.

“Mr. Munson? We have both of your blood tests back.” At this Eddie was wide awake.

“You got some blood tests done Ed?” Wayne asked.

“Yeah, just um…just in case you know?” He trailed off not making eye contact with his uncle.

“Good news or bad news first?” She asked.

“Bad news first, always.” Eddie and Steve replied in tandem. They shared a private smile.

“Bad news, Steve you have moderate kidney damage. It won’t take much more to send them into failure.” She said with hard eyes.

“And the good news?” Wayne spoke up.

“Good news, you both are negative for any STDs. Including HIV.” The three men breathed a huge sigh of relief. The nurse turned to Steve. “You got lucky kid. Don’t forget that.” Steve assured her he wouldn’t and she left with a nod. He couldn’t believe he’d been so reckless. He turned to Eddie and was immediately pulled into a soft kiss.

~~~

“They said you’ll be discharged soon.” Robin said later. “Then what?” It was just the two of them.

“Then, Eddie drops me off at rehab and I get help. I stay clean. I do everything to be worthy of him.” He declared. Robin nodded her approval. Eddie came back from the hotel with all of their things packed away in a rental car. He slid into bed next to Steve.

“Hey, baby. You ready?” He asked. Steve nodded and they all left the hospital. The three of them piled into the car and drove Robin to the airport. She was going to fly back to give the boys some time alone. She hugged Steve and then Eddie. She whispered something in the his ear that had him tearing up. She went into the airport with a promise to call Wayne if she ran into any trouble.

Then it was just the two of them. They spent the first hour or so making idle small talk before the curiosity got the best of him. “What did Robin say to you?” He asked.

“Nothing important.” Eddie answered far too quickly.

“Oh, come on. You can tell me.” He knew he was being annoying but he didn’t want to think about what was awaiting him at the end of the ride. Eddie sighed, he never could keep something from Steve.

“She said if I could forgive you, I should forgive myself.” He admitted.

“You still blame yourself, love?” Steve asked. Eddie bit his lip as he nodded.

“If I hadn’t dragged you on tour, you never would have found that stuff.” Steve couldn’t let this stand. He knew he had to finally come clean.

“I was already doing it.” At Eddie’s questioning noise he continued. “As soon as we got to LA, I was looking for it. I did it at those events because it was free from someone else's supply.” He took a breath and glanced at Eddie before he admitted the next bit. “I didn’t get into this shit because I was on tour with you. I wanted to go on tour because I didn’t want to be away from you. That it would be way easier to get my hands on shit, just sweetened the deal.”

Eddie was quiet for a while after that. Steve glanced over and saw his cheeks were wet. He’d made him cry again. “So, you didn’t start them because of me?” He whispered.

“No love. And to be clear, even if I started on tour, it still wouldn’t have been your fault. You didn’t hold me down and force a line up my nose okay?” He reached out and wiped away a tear. “This was my choice. Just like going to rehab is my choice. If I didn’t really want to go, I wouldn’t.” His conviction was clear. Eddie pulled to the side of the road to kiss Steve softly before they drove the rest of the way in comfortable conversation.

They arrived at the rehab center and Eddie walked him inside. He checked in, Eddie handed over his credit card, Steve handed it right back and handed his over. The attendant smiled and swiped Steve’s card giving the boys a moment alone. They held each other close and kissed not caring at the moment who saw them. “I love you, baby. Don't forget okay?” Eddie whispered leaning his forehead to Steve’s.

“I know, love. I love you too. More than life.” He replied. He gave a final kiss to Eddie’s lips and followed the attendant into the center. He was determined to come out a new man.

~~~

Six grueling weeks later, Steve was out. He had a sponsor and group therapy sessions. Waiting to pick him up was Robin. Eddie was on the last few weeks of the tour. They had to extend it a bit to cover for Steve’s hospital stay. Robin gave him a long hug. “Ready to bust out?” She asked and they both got into the car. He lasted barely five minutes.

“How is he?” Steve and Eddie didn’t speak at all during his rehab. The center thought Eddie being on the road would be triggering to Steve. And to be frank, Wayne thought Eddie needed to distance himself from the process for a bit. Wayne and Robin had kept them both informed on the other.

“He’s okay. I mean…he misses you terribly, but he’s been coping on tour.” Robin said. Thankfully the drive wasn’t very long. Steve wanted to be in a familiar place, even if life outside of rehab was scary. They pulled up to Robin’s building and Steve stepped in after her.

There was a loud pop and confetti raining down on him. “Welcome home Steve!” Came several voices he was not expecting. The entire party was here. Wayne, Hopper, and Joyce too. But what brought him to tears was the sight to his left. Eddie was there, holding his arms open. Steve ran into them, nearly knocking them both to the ground.

“I thought your tour didn’t end for a few more weeks?” He asked in between kisses.

“I lied about the end date to surprise you.” He admitted holding Steve close. “Are you surprised?”

“Very! A good surprised!” The two pulled apart so everyone else could greet Steve. Eddie didn’t go far, not letting go of Steve’s hand the entire time. He’d felt better in rehab once the withdrawals subsided. More clear headed, more aware. But he didn’t feel completely healed. Feeling the warmth of Eddie’s hand in his, Steve felt hopeful for the future. As he made eye contact with the man again, Steve silently promised to stay clean. Not for just Eddie. But for himself too.

~~~

He skipped the next tour as recommended by his therapist. The two men decided it would be better if he wasn't alone, so Wayne stayed with him. He'd been retired from the plant and wanted to move out to LA with Eddie anyway.

He and Eddie had a hard time, but they make due with calls and letters. On one memorable occasion Steve sent a racy Polaroid. That night, Eddie called already worked up and they had a wonderful time. The reunion was so sweet. They were locked in their bedroom for days, coming out only for food and water. The rest of their friends knew better than to come visit until the love birds made the first move.

The band wrote a new album and started a nonprofit for drug addicts. It helped those who couldn't afford to get clean and see therapists, providing them with clean needles and clean drugs to help ween off them. Steve didn't shy away from his overdose, or the affect it had on those around him and he encouraged the others not to either. Eddie did several interviews on how helpless he felt when his "best friend" was taken to the hospital as a John Doe. This spurred the nonprofit to add resources for loved ones of addicts too.

Steve had been sober for three years when he went on tour with the band again. For real this time. He got clean and he stayed clean. When he was offered something at a party, he couldn't say he wasn't tempted. But he'd look over to see his love laughing and knew he'd do anything to keep that sound in the world. He never wanted to jeopardize Eddie's happiness again and he finally accepted he was his happiness.

And the next time the band played The Garden, Steve was on the sidelines cheering for Eddie and the band. He made sure Eddie could always see him and know he was safe. That look of guilt and devastation he saw in the hospital never returned to Eddie's face and Steve was determined to keep it that way.

[not-that-kinda-bj]

"Oh c'mon, Finn. It's a classic." It wasn't. "You can't sit here and tell me you weren't singing along to it whenever it came on the radio. You were probably even one of those boys who had the same haircut cause all the girls liked it." She couldn't help but snicker at the thought of prepubescent Finn sporting the side-swept bangs, having to keep his head tilted to one side to keep said bangs in place. "Fine, if not this one, then what else shall I pick? Burnin' Up?"

Humming the song's tune quietly, now stuck in her head, she asked Siri to play Baby and glanced over to meet his shit-eating grin. "So you can have a refresher on the song," she said innocently, turning up the volume just a smidge.

"I'm pretty sure I could make it work. I've made a few calls here and there and adjusted my budget accordingly." Which was why she was considering it to begin with. Whether she could get a second room or not, she was ready to move on. Itching to. She never liked having to rely on other people for this stuff. Even if she had friends who were willing to help out with that, for the past few months, or even after the flood and she had to stay with Finn, she didn't like freeloading. Even if there were insistences that she wasn't.

At the mention of why exactly she needed to stay with her friend, her smile fell a little, her back sinking into the seat just a little more. Clicking her tongue, she looked out of her window for a second as her fingers tapped at the steering wheel, though not to the beat of the music. Her stomach tightened and fluttered as she opened her mouth to speak before cutting herself off.

Would he judge her too harshly if she were to tell him?

Should she tell him?

Did she even want to?

"I... It's kinda a long story. Made a couple of... I made a few mistakes last year," she started, reaching up to swipe her hair from her face in an attempt to distract herself from her nerves and jittering stomach. "But, uh, TLDR, I got drunk and got into a fight with my f- with some girl." She paused. "Okay, I started it. Got slapped with a jail sentence and a hefty fucking fine. When I got out, I couldn't afford to get another one, so Emery let me stay with him until I could again." There was another pause before she added, "The girl? Was sleeping with my fiancé at the time. Which doesn't justify my actions. Not in the slightest. I was upset and took it out on someone who didn't deserve it."

She reached towards her phone, quickly clicking the rewind button to start the song over. Clearing her throat, she said, "Missed most of the song, but I hope you're taking notes."

"Oo, of all the love songs available, you're choosing one by none other than Justin Bieber? Bobbi-" Finn tuts, shaking his head slowly from side to side. "I'm passing some pretty harsh judgment, just so you know." She's called his bluff. Choosing something so ridiculous knowing he would not make do on his threat. She's too clever and all-knowing, Finn needs to up the games again.

When he's certain it's safe, and he'd not tugging on a string leading her on.

With his head against the headrest to her car, Finn rolls his head so that he can filter his narrowed gaze on her, and show her that too big grin. "I do love ego rubs, Bobs, just as much as I enjoy your insults. A lose lose, then. For you, not me." She knows, but he knows she is more nice than she is mean. Her kindness extended to him even now despite everything.

He'd thought the first time he walked up her driveway that it was too uppity for her vibe. The generosity of her friend does not go unnoticed, Finn even hums in approval at that. If he has the space, which he absolutely does, then why not help a frend in need?

"I support the extra art room idea. If you have the means, go for it. Then if it gets tight, you can probably convince the landlord to break your lease and shift you into something smaller." They aren't all that bad, and the speedy work does after the storm and fire to get all residents back in house marks the sign of a good landlord. "So, you never told me why you needed to move into Emery's. You mention getting back on your feet, but-" Finn cuts off, shrugging.

"Doesn't matter now if you're doing alright."

[castawavy]

tried to enjoy a date with aaliyah, but the paparazzi were bothering them and he started to get worried that zara would hear about this

before / next

hopefully his ass gets caught 👊💥‼