#when he throws eli over the wall to get him out of there in a moment of blind rage and panic for endangering his kids

[grinchwrapsupreme]

i'm not gonna recover from chas tenenbaum telling his father "i've had a rough year, dad" while on the verge of tears and then immediately hiding that pain again to go show his sons the new dog like nothing happened

[drrobobitch]

☆𝓣𝓱𝓮 𝓣𝓸𝓐 𝓰𝓪𝓷𝓰 𝔀𝓲𝓽𝓱 𝓪 𝓬𝓵𝓾𝓶𝓼𝔂 𝓻𝓮𝓪��𝓮𝓻 ☆ (yea pretty basic but it’s the best I got rn 😭)

Warnings: slightly angsty??,cringe,slightly cursing but otherwise fluff, mentions of burning….??? And fire??mentions of injury, car crashing, and stalking?? Blinky bro- get it together man

This is so long help 💀💀😭 (also sorry I didn’t include some of the characters I got lazy)

Jimbo

Jim…to say he worry’s for you is an understatement

Feels like he has to be there watching your every move so there’s no accidents

You’re bumping into walls, poles, signs, breaking things,tripping,accidentally burning things

Jim is kinda of confused…how did you not see that pole….it’s right there

But he doesn’t have the heart to throw shade your way

Even if you do break things

Very important things

In all truthfulness he is frustrated but never mad, especially at you

Even when frustrated he doesn’t snap at you or lash out (even if he did I wouldn’t even count it as that, he just doesn’t seem like the type to yell at his s/o or anyone for that matter)

He just tries to fix it to the best of his ability

And if you try to fix it, he’ll definitely appreciate it even if it is a little…..banged up

As for the burning….

After the first time you cooked together…

Wouldn’t let you near the; stove,microwave,oven, or even the toaster without his supervision

He’s just trying to keep you safe, he doesn’t want an accident to happen, so…can you really blame him???

If you’re able to drive no you’re not 😃

You’re not getting in that car

Is scared you’ll slip up and get hurt or worse

So he’ll ride in the car with you if you’re driving

Once he gets his drivers license, you’re not driving it for a while 🧍🏾‍♀️he’s just looking out for you

When you trip he tries his best to catch to catch you but there’s no guarantee

He also tries to pull you out the way when there’s a pole which usually works

Unless he’s distracted

Another thing, he’d never laugh if you fell, and he’d always help you back up

He’s so sweet I love him he’s such a gentleman 💙

Toby pie

Tbh he was probably scared of you at first 💀💀💀

Thought you were bad luck (thank eli for that)

He quickly figured out that wasn’t true

Nothing happened to him when you were around

It was just you tripping and falling 😭😭

He did try to help you to the best of his ability

Surprised whenever you bumped into a pole

“How did you not see that?!?! It was right there!!!”

Throws shade at you all the time for falling tripping, or worse

But always does it lightheartedly

Tells you to ‘be careful’ but you him both know that’s not possible, even if you tried

The burning now…

That’s what has him paranoid

What if you’re house burns down

“You burned my house to the ground” (sorry not sorry)

But still

Every time you tell him you’re cooking, he tells you to be careful or asks if he can help

Even if you say you don’t he’ll show up anyway 💀💀(“how I got you address…?…….don’t even worry about that bruh-“)

I mean you don’t want your house crispy do you?? 😭💀

Usually asks what you’re doing so he can keep track and be aware of what could go wrong

He’s lucky you’re just clumsy

Not one to laugh when you fall, but he has that stupid smile on his face while he helps you up

If you can drive, he feels very anxious about you driving

Doesn’t want you to get hurt or deal with the trouble of having to buy a new one and have the same thing happened over and over

So he offered to drive it for you (despite not having his license💀💀)

Either way start praying

If you break something, he helps you clean it up or just fixes it for you

If it’s something important, it’s likely that you never broke it because he never let you near it 😭😭 (no shade to you he’s just being careful)

But if you do break something important he’s definitely frustrated and you can tell

Toby is a very honest person, so he usually voices how he feels and his opinion

In this scenario…dw he’s not the type to yell at you or anything but he will slightly raise his voice an octave or two

But you can tell he’s upset

“I told you to be careful!! I told you this was really important, and to be careful with it……why didn’t you listen to me”

He knows that even if you tried you couldn’t but is still frustrated

But he’s not mad at you, he could never be mad at you

You usually try to fix it afterwards, which he is great full for that

Like a lot

(He’s so sweet I love Toby 🧡)

Claire bear

Tbh she just feels bad for you

You bump into stuff, fall and trip, burn things in chemistry by accident (you got ms. Janeth growing gray hairs💀💀)

And you break your own projects and assignments 😭😭😭

She usually offers to help you fix it

Let’s you know when there’s a pole or wall up ahead

Tries to stop you from tripping, but once again no guarantee

Is praying you don’t or haven’t already fell down the stairs (you have)

Tries to cook you food before you try to make it or she’ll buy you so many snacks or take out that you don’t even need to make lunch or make food 💀💀

Will also try and keep track of where you are so that she can be there to help you if you’re in danger

If you’ve got a car, she won’t necessarily drive it for you or tell you not to drive you

But will offer for you to ride or walk with her to spend time with you

And she’ll ask you almost everyday(she’s so slick)

It’s her little way of getting you to not drive the car without outright telling you (Claire is so smart, Claire>>>>>>)

Definitely helps you clean if you break something, if its glass…you’re not going anywhere near it or the mess you just made

Knowing you, you’d probably step on it or worse

If you break something important, like Toby, she probably didn’t let you near it in the first place

If you do break it…..

She’ll definitely be pissed

But she won’t say anything (that’s how you know bruh 💀)

She definitely wouldn’t yell at you, like at all

She wouldn’t even know what to say

In the end she feels bad because SHE thinks that YOU think she hates you

She doesn’t, and she lets you know that after a bit or after she’s calmed down

She’s more so frustrated than mad

If you try to fix it, she’ll definitely appreciate that

(Claire is a W girlfriend)

AAARRRGGHH

Confused as to why you keep bumping into walls and poles

Can you not see??? Are you blind??

Toby tells him you’re just clumsy but…..he doesn’t understand

What does clumsy mean?? And what does that have to do with you falling all the time??

Catches you when you trip or fall, not just sometimes, but all the time

He doesn’t pull you out of the way when there’s a wall or a pole

Instead he picks you up :)

Offers to carry you so that it’s less hazardous for you when traveling

Feels a little uneasy when you drive a car 😭😭

He doesn’t want you to crash okay 😭

As for cooking..

No 😃

Hell no😦

He can’t really stop you…

Well not that he can’t he just doesn’t 💀💀

The others keep track of you for him (mainly Toby)

So they’re there supervising, you…a grown adult

They know you feel embarrassed but they don’t care, they’re saving your life

And your house-

But anyways back to AAARRRGGHH

Won’t stop you from driving a car, but if you get in an accident even once

Gets nervous about you driving one again or any vehicle for that matter

If you break something he’s probably gonna eat it 💀💀 (if it is something he can eat)

Dw it doesn’t hurt him even if it is broken glass

If you break something important, he probably wouldn’t even be mad

Not even frustrated more so sad if anything at all

Does say anything either just holds it looking sad

Which makes you feel bad (and sad)

So you fix it (or try at least)

Which he very much appreciates, and it lifts his spirits quite a bit :) 💚

Blinky

Also confused as to how your bumping into walls

Like bbg can you not see???

Probably thought you had bad luck but after a while figured out that wasn’t the case

Still a bit cautious around you though

Tries to warn you when there’s a pole but is usually too late

Also try’s to catch you when you trip, which he always does of course cus it’s Blinkous duh 🙄 (my 5th hubby wubby/hj)

For his own sake he HAS to be there to watch you cook

Also you’ve caught him following you from time to time, he’s just looking out for you buddy, he’s trying his best

He mainly just asks where you’re headed so he can know what you’re up to

Will try and distract you from getting into your car (doesn’t work and if it does it’s rare)

And since you know how stressed he gets about you driving, and since you don’t want to stress him out further

You’ll usually just walk

If you break something he’ll probably clean it up for you or help fix it

If it was something important, he probably was sure to keep it on him so that there’s less of a chance of you breaking it

If you do break something important, he’d definitely be frustrated but not mad per say

And you can tell

He just sighs and quietly grumbles whilst trying his best to fix it

Would not give you the chance to fix it at all and is scared you’ll break it further

In the end he let’s it go because he knows you can’t help it

Even though you stress him out sometimes he still loves you (I love my hubby wubby)

Douxie

Finds it partially amusing that you bump into poles and walls

But if you fall over or are actually hurt by it then that’s where the hilarity of it ends

At first he thought you just had bad luck or something, but he checked and you didn’t

So you explain you were just really clumsy…and partially hazardous 💀💀

Pulls you out the way if there’s a pole up ahead or just warns you before you hit the pole and or wall

Usually catches you if you fall and if HE doesn’t then he was probably just using his magic

Sometimes if he’s in a particular mood he’ll let you fall, but he’ll make sure that you don’t get hurt (but still 💀💀)

Doesn’t trust you in the car, so he ‘offers’ to drive for you

If you do drive……naur 💀💀

He’s getting out

And throws shade at you while doing so (lightheartedly of course)

He doesn’t let you cook either, he doesn’t have the insurance for an apartment fire (💀💀💀💀 I’m sorry, no like I’m actually sorry that’s funny and it shouldn’t be)

So instead of supervising he’s the one doing the cooking

But usually gets take out so there’s less of a chance

He barely trusts you the toaster

The amount of times you’ve broken something is beyond me 😭😭

If you break something, he’ll help you clean it, or offer too at least

He knows you’re an adult and you can handle it yourself but he doesn’t want you to be hurt

Especially if it’s broken glass

If you break something of importance

Tbh idek what his reaction is

Believe it or not

He’s only a little frustrated, if at all

He’s more so exasperated if anything

When he sees it broken he’s just like “oh……here give it to me I’ll fix it”

🧍🏾‍♀️like bro ur not mad??

If you’re insistent on fixing it (which you are) then he’ll let you

He does appreciate it though

Like a lot

Steve the Palchuk

Probably made fun of you and laughed at you whenever you fell when he first met you

Then was kinda scared of you cause Eli told him you were bad luck

But now he doesn’t

He’s still somewhat amused

Just no longer out right making fun of you

He does help you up when you fall

“Hey, watch where you’re going, I don’t want you getting hurt..”

Yes pookie

Anyways, Steven usually tries to catch you

But he’s also a bit clumsy so you both end up falling down 😭😭

He is definitely one to warn you, not just when there’s poles in front of you but around you as well

Will sometimes pull you out of the way closer to him to look…heroic??? (Steve come on-)

Doesn’t let you drive his Vespa

And if you have a car of your own

😅 nah man-

“Oh please fuck that car, get on my Vespa” 💀💀💀

Doesn’t understand how tf you burn things

How???? Especially if you were watching it the whole time

As much as he wants to protect you but still

He’s scared to come over when you cook

Especially if it’s over the stove

If you break something he usually offers to help fix it or pay for it

Even if he doesn’t have the money for it (aww Steve 🥲)

If you break something important

He won’t be mad more frustrated

And if it has anything to do with the sake of Arcadia then he’s scared screaming and running around like a little girl

So you have to calm him down and apologize

You and him do try to fix it so he’s feeling a lot better

But still he’s nervous, are you just clumsy or bad luck???

Was Eli right???

Nahh someone this sweet could never be bad luck

Aja

She’s never met a human this….

Clumsy??? Is that the word

Doesn’t understand why you’re bumping into poles, “they’re in front of you how did you not see them…?”

Same with walls, you’ve had to have seen it….are you blind

When you trip, she’ll giggle a little bit but she’ll help you up

She thinks you’re so silly

The amount of times you’ve broken your own projects and assignments is astonishing to her

Has watched you burn things without literally trying

And is just like 🧍🏼‍♀️”how did you do that??? Show me!!” (💀💀)

Watches you when you’re cooking

After a while connects the dots, your forbidden from the kitchen (unless it’s to eat)

If you’ve got a car

She won’t stop you from driving it

But is still worried

If you get into an accident then she probably wouldn’t let you drive it for a while after that

If you break something, she’ll offer to fix it

If it’s tech she’ll take it to krel to fix and probably improve :)

If it’s something important

Tbh I don’t see her being mad about that seeing that you didn’t do it on purpose

“I told you to be careful!!…….now look…..”

“Sorry I’m just frustrated….”

But the thing is she doesn’t look or seem frustrated

She looks more worried and sad if anything

She appreciates that you offered to fix it

Dw it’s not that she doesn’t trust you or thinks you’ll break it

It’s just that whatever it was probably wasn’t something you could fix

So now she keeps important stuff in a certain place that you can’t reach, or would have a hard time try at least

But she loves you even if you are a clumsy silly little human (I nominate Aja to be my girlfriend)

Krel

Now this…….I’ve been waiting for this (I’m literally obsessed with this boy I love him sm)

Is also confused as to why are you are bumping into walls

“Ay yi yi yi…….are you a soolian??….it was right there…you saw it coming!!!”

Eli also told krel you were bad luck 🧍🏾‍♀️

Which krel, boy genius, obviously didn’t believe

I don’t see him pulling you out of the way when there’s a pole or a wall, I don’t really see him warning you much either 💀💀

On a good day he probably would

If it were something that could hurt you or worse would probably do both

“Be careful!!! And watch where you’re going, my love you know I can’t stand to see you hurt” 😍😍😍

Krel >>>>>>>>

Anyways

Probably laughs when you fall, but helps you up)

Except when you’re hurt, then he probably feels bad and helps you up

Is actually scared FOR you

Like constantly

Bro is going through enough he don’t need this 💀

The fires, possible car accidents

💀💀he’s horrified

If you’ve got a car or something

Not anymore

He’s not letting you get in that

Literally forbids you

“As king in waiting of akiridion 5, I hereby forbid you from going in that death machine”

“Krel…….this is earth….now get out of my way I’m going to the mall-“

Probably had luug piss on your tires (making them pop, or melt…..probably-)💀💀💀

Either way you’re not getting in that car

Now the burning…..

Naur-

If it’s in chemistry class

He’s probably yelling and screaming along with everyone else😭😭

If it’s because you were cooking

NO

Nope

He gives you a blank bot so that you never have to cook again!!! 😃

And if that’s not good enough for you then sure go ahead burn your house down 💀💀💀

He’s just trying to protect you

If you break something it kinda scares him or makes him nervous

Not too sure why

He does offer to help you clean it up

Or more likely fix and improve it in any way he can

Or he’ll use parts of it (for god knows what)

If you broke something important he probably kept it away from you anyways (sorry y/n)

If you did manage to break something important

He’d be frustrated definitely

But not mad seeing as you didn’t do it on purpose

“I keep telling you to be careful!! Why don’t you listen!!! Ugh….great now I have to fix it”

That and other things pretty hurtful things in all honesty are things he says in the heat of the moment

After a while he calms down

He knows you can’t control it so what’s the point in yelling at you for it, you apologized and tried to help what’s the point in being upset

He does think you’re adorable and loves you, but when breaking his inventions….it hard to think so (no he still thinks you’re adorable)

Eli

Couldn’t add a gif for him so anyways but yea 😔

Like I said before

Bro is horrified of you

You must be bad luck or something

After a month or two of watching you…(wtf Eli not again)

He realizes that he might be wrong

None of your friends ever got hurt, just you

He’s thinking about investigating you

Which he does

You just explain to him that you’re a little bit clumsy

“Yea…., a little clumsy….”

C’mon you fell over the railing that’s not clumsy mf 🙄/j

He genuinely thinks you’ve been cursed but what’s the point in telling you that, you have enough going on

You almost burned your house down for gods sake you don’t need anything else rn

Tries to warn you if there’s a pole or a wall(the majority of the time you don’t hear him)

At this point he just feels bad for you…

If you trip he’ll try to catch you but ends up falling down with you

Won’t laugh if you fall, he’ll just help you up and tell you to be careful (even though he knows damn well you can’t 💀💀)

Like I said before Eli….thought you were cursed

So when a fire breaks out and you’re the cause

He starts freaking out

He does know now that you aren’t….or might not be

But the possibility is still there…..(I’m Eli’s eyes at least)

Honestly he’s really scared for you

Like shaking in his boots scared

And gets extra scared when you don’t respond to his texts he keeps thinking something happened

Eli is definitely a bit paranoid as always

Honestly if you break anything he’d probably just let you clean it or if it were too big of a mess he’d probably helped

If it was important he probably fixes it or at least tries

It’s not that he doesn’t trust you

It’s just that he doesn’t trust whatever the fuck type of borderline hazardous shit is gonna happen yet

Especially if it’s an item that could be considered a weapon

Eli doesn’t even have to worry about you crashing your car

You wanna know why??

CUZ THIS ASSHOLE RATTED YOU OUT 💀💀

He told your parent(s) about the time you snuck out (to go see him 💀) and that you had basically crashed your car on the way back

Needless to say you no longer have car keys

You and Eli ended out getting into a big fight later about it

But more on that later 💪🐺🐺

Yea he loves you obviously

Even if he does think your cursed

But that’s not gonna stop him from loving you

(Sorry this was short I had to finish it quick tho)

[killersfool]

hii! not sure if you’re open to requests but i’m going to give u a few ideas! most of these are for elijah hewson😭

falling asleep on the couch, waking up to not only a blanket around them, but eli squeezed in behind them

being in the studio with the band and messing about?? making jokes and being silly!

kissing and dancing in the kitchen to an old singe they both like?

eli taking care of you when you’re sick and just being super soft and caring!

spending valentine’s day together!

something about the reader playing with eli’s fingers to calm them down?

softly smiling at each other from across the room and also reassuring touches!

telling each other how much they love them

them cuddling in bed and pulling eachother closer

hope these spark your writing :))))

Kiss It Better | ELIJAH HEWSON

here's a short little thing inspired by this request!

PAIRING: elijah hewson x f!reader

WORDS: 1.5k

SUMMARY: eli's girlfriend is ill, elijah comforts her.

GENRE: hurt/comfort, fluff

WARNINGS: references to throwing up

I've never been so ill in my life. My nose is so runny. I've almost used every single packet of tissues in the kitchen cabinet right under the sink — which used to be a lot and now is very little. I've thrown up my insides into the loo way too many times to count on my fingers. Bent over the toilet, eyes pricking with tears, I've never felt so useless. At least the thought of my boyfriend getting back after his gig gives me something to look forward to. But it's far too late.

I'm staring at the TV screen. I hug my knees to my chest, attempting to generate some warmth. The blanket is upstairs — probably hiding in the space between the bed and the wall. Surely, if I attempt to stumble upstairs now, I'll just get stuck and end up falling asleep in the corridor.

I can't stop glancing at the door. I'm hoping for a doorknob twist, knock, ring of the doorbell, stamp of boots, low and raspy post-concert voice. But I'm just met with nothing. No signs of his arrival. He hasn't called me. He usually doesn't. He likes to surprise me. After having the worst migraine of my life, it would give me some comfort if he just gave me a hug. A warm Elijah Hewson hug would cleanse my mind.

Starting to realise that the TV is doing more harm than good, I switch it off. I'm beginning to see blurry triangular shapes and my eyes burn like they're on fire. The living room is pitch black. I'm freezing. I'm tired. I take two paracetamol tablets and chug some water. Curling up on my side, legs on the armrest, I close my eyes.

-

I wake up. Sunlight gleams through the gaps in the white curtains. My body is wrapped in a duvet, soft and warm. Skin is against mine. Arms are around my body, squeezing me tightly. He's shirtless. I can tell by the tufts of chest hair flicking at my shoulder. His head is on my back, curls all over my skin, lips between my shoulderblades. I don't want to move. I don't want to speak. He's asleep. Gentle snores, deep breaths, in and out.

I must've fallen into a deep sleep because I have no recollection of his arrival or him ever taking me upstairs. I'm usually a light sleeper. This migraine fully knocked me out. That's the best nights sleep I've had in a while. I'm especially thankful I managed to escape from work for the rest of the week.

Elijah's normally the little spoon when we hug like this. It's funny how the tables have turned. I think I prefer this though. But lying awake and tracing the muscles in his back always seems to calm me down.

I want to ask him how the show went and the reason for his tardiness. He had been playing in Glasgow, thankfully only a few miles away from me and had bought me tissues, chocolate and gave me an endless supply of kisses before he had to run down to meet the band.

Opening my eyes fully, I take a peek over at the bedside table. He's brought me more tissues, face masks, more chocolate and a box of sleep teabags.

I realise Elijah's awake when his fingers start to walk along my bare stomach and his mouth is at the juncture between my back and shoulder. He pulls my hair to the side, presses his wet mouth to my neck. He smells clean. I'm sure he's showered. His hair feels a little damp.

He keeps pulling me closer. Arms tightening like he's a boa constrictor. Cool rings on my stomach, large hands tugging at the waistband of my shorts.

"You feeling better?" He asks, between kisses, tongue tracing my jugular vein. It's unsettlingly nice. His words are always gruff the morning after the show. All the singing takes a toll. Makes him sound more mellow. Sometimes I worry for his vocal cords.

"Not really." I groan. A mind-numbing headache is still prodding at my brain and the brightness of the sun makes my eyes burn. He's got a hand on my forehead, cool fingers against fiery skin — checking the temperature.

"God, you're pale. And you're burning up. I should get the thermometer." He gets out of bed. The loss of weight of his body makes the mattress shift. I glance over at him. His hair has stuck up at the top, his bare back glows under the sunlight. He stands up. Sweatpants cling loosely to his hips, revealing the muscles of his abdomen and a chain circles around his neck. He leaves the room — not even giving me time to utter a word of annoyance at the sudden lack of touch.

Then he's back. He crawls into bed. The thermometer is between his index finger and thumb. I look at the cross tattoo on his palm, see the concentration on his face as he plays around with the buttons.

"It's just a migraine," I say but he's already turning it on and pointing at my mouth. I roll my eyes and separate my lips. He gives me a sly smirk, just making me sit like that for a moment. Then he puts the device beneath my tongue and waits patiently. I'm trying not to laugh at how awkward this is. I close my eyes to evade his gaze but I can still feel the force of his stare.

"You've got a fever." Dr Hewson alerts me with his expert diagnosis although the furrow of his brows makes him seem unsure. He looks down at the numbers displayed, rubbing his face with worry. "A really bad one." He's now searching up on his phone what it means.

"Should I go to the doctors?" I shuffle away from him. I don't want him to catch what I have. He has gigs all week, I don't want to ruin anything for him.

He notices my movement. Shaking his head, he drags me back towards him, making me nestle into his chest. His eyes are still darting along a website.

"I think you just need to rest. I'll make you breakfast." Elijah kisses my nose before running downstairs with his mind set solely on making some decent food.

Through the corridor, into the kitchen. He's forgotten where half the things are in the room. Opening cabinets, searching through the fridge, putting water into the kettle. Most of the time he'll get his breakfast on the way to a show. Maybe a café, maybe he'll steal some food from Ryan. Today, however, he's lucky enough to not have a gig and actually have time to look after his girlfriend. Although he's definitely going to make a mess of the place.

His final decision is to make omelettes. Oil on the frying pan, ham—leaving it to heat up until it's a little crispy. Two eggs, cracked and swirled in a glass. Cheese on top, grated with masterful excellence—at least that's what he believes. Folds it over to make it fill half of the pan. Let's it continue to fry. Then he's running over to make a cup of tea. He uses one of the sleep teabags he bought. He's just about to plate up when footsteps echo behind him.

I have to stop for a second when I walk into the kitchen. It's a rarity to see Elijah here, cooking for me. We started dating at the beginning of the tour which unluckily means that he's hardly ever home. He has to leave early in the morning and gets back really late. Whenever he has days off, he takes me on dates and walks, or we just laze around at home, basking in eachother's presence. There's times when he brings me along to the recording studio so that I can reprimand all the band members or give an outside opinion of their new songs.

Elijah seems so focused on getting this omelette perfect. He's running around the place. He grabs two pieces of bread to turn his dish into an omelette-sandwich. I stand in the doorway for a while, just watching him. But, I can't stop myself from nearing him. As he cuts an apple into a slices, I slide my arms around his stomach, pressing my head to his shoulder. He sighs quietly. I breathe in his scent, his comfort.

"You should be in bed," he whispers, although he doesn't seem to want me to let go. I shake my head as he looks at me.

There's music playing on the radio. I turn it up. It's a song by The Smiths. I'm swaying to the beat, moving Elijah along with me. He's still carefully chopping fruit into perfect pieces. Watermelon, strawberries, mango. My mouth is watering just looking at the vast array of flavours.

Elijah drops his knife, turns around to face me. His hands find my waist, his lips find my neck, his head burrows into my chest like he's a mole hiding under soil. We dance along to the crackle of music, feeling the melodies trickle into our bones. Just his presence makes me feel better, every kiss turns my negative thoughts to mush.

[frownyalfred]

How much violence do you think Batman should be able to get away with and still remain a hero or vigilante while also not losing his characterization?

There are times where no lives are in immediate danger and he only needs to get information but then he just casually breaks bones, effectively torturing someone. Like in the videogames Telltale Batman or the Arkham games' verse or even the movies and comics where he dishes out way more violence than necessary. That scene where he threatens to crush a guy's head with the Batmobile and actually has the car start rolling over his head, cracking it slightly. Or the interrogation of Eli in the Telltale game where Batman can pretty much brutalize and torture an already frightened criminel if the player so chooses. Or the comics, where he sometimes says he enjoys hurting criminals and sends them to the ER without a second thought.

Also, do his kids know just how brutal Bruce can be on a Tuesday just cause he feels like a criminel deserves it? After a patrol, he'll reprimand them for breaking someone's collarbone or if he thinks they took it too far even though he does that all the time. It's not like the Batkids never do it themselves, but when they do, they're mostly in extremely emotional states and not a cold clinical mindset. One could argue Jason and Cass are exessively violent too but, well, Jason is an anti-hero (or villain) and Cass is still learning how far is too far.

And if the kids didn't know/realise, what would happen if they saw a recording of Batman absolutely dismantling a criminal in a detached sort of way (maybe a rogue maybe not, whatever would be worse ig) and then having to reconcile that that's the man who's like a father to them.

It's a very interesting question, and I suspect you'll get a different answer from everyone you ask.

My take is that it comes down to two things: intention and likelihood. Bruce's line for injury/torture/death sits somewhere between probably won't kill them or cause grievous injury and could cause death or grievous injury.

Throwing a guy off a high-up roof isn't just likely to kill someone, it was likely intended to do so. As we see in Batman Begins, you can throw someone off a (low) roof and not kill them, without the intention of killing them, and without the high likelihood of the act killing them.

Breaking a man's leg for information probably won't kill him, but it could! The break could be done wrong, or heal wrong, and cause a blood clot that killed the man. But was breaking the man's leg intended to kill him? Was it done with full knowledge that the break would likely result in death? Is that something a reasonable individual can even evaluate on their own?

The argument can be made that hitting someone in the head could result in death. So is Bruce risking his no-kill rule on a technicality when he punches people into walls? Does dying from a complicated TBI years later count?

I find the branding example in BVS a fascinating discussion of this point. Bruce doesn't kill the men he brands, but he effectively sets the men up to be killed in prison. Is it the same? Does he intend for the brand to kill the men? Does he have knowledge of the likelihood of death as a result of his brand? Does Lex's meddling actually change any of that when it's revealed later?

The third thing I haven't brought up but that you did is Bruce's enjoyment/active participation in all of this. Does he hurt people because it's effective? Is it ever gratuitous? Is he detached from the suffering he causes, viewing it as a means to an end? Does Gotham play by different rules -- i.e., is torture and grievous bodily injury ever acceptable in Gotham when it wouldn't be in other cities? Is Bruce a man willing to do what it takes at the end of his rope, or is he a man who resorts to violence when there are still other viable options? Somewhere in between?

I do agree that, with the addition of Robins and other family members, the violence likely tones down unless absolutely necessary. Hurting people shouldn't be enjoyable, but it is downright painful for some people (not Bruce) to witness firsthand.

[ontherocks21]

Someday I'll Write It:

Lady Vader Part IX

The summons comes at an obscene hour of the morning with Anakin still away on assignment. That should have been her first warning. Even as Dormé works her handmaiden magic, Padmé is still hard-pressed to get her late-term self presentable in a timely fashion. Her gait weighed down by creeping dread as much as her large abdomen, she arrives, winded, at the former Supreme Chancellor's office.

Eerie disquiet shakes her palm stretching out for the access panel until cold trepidation freezes all of fear's motion from her entirely when she enters the room.

The goosebumps erupting all along her skin and the hair on the back of her neck standing on end are her second warning. Fully heeding it, her heart rate doubles, then triples when Anakin doesn't seem surprised.

She hadn't even known he was home.

"I hear congratulations are in order. How is the mother to be?" The slippery voice of Palpatine sounds fraught with disdain.

Forcing pleasantness to her face, Padmé smiles tightly. "Well, your Excellency." She almost gags. "Did Lord Vader tell you?"

"No." The reply is sharp, angry, cutting. "But he should have. For his fault in loyalty, I have asked you here to witness his punishment so that you may both understand my mercy."

Behind her, the door hisses and Galen Erso is brought in in binders. The moment he spots his allies is the moment he forgets he has them. "You promised me we would be safe! You lying sack of-"

The Red Guards shut his mouth for him with a brutal jab of their pikes. She watches, hand covering her mouth in horror, as Galen falls to the floor, gasping air for the both of them.

Immune to the misery on display or perhaps feeding on its panic, Palpatine reclines, comfortable on his throne.

"Two versions of events have floated around these chambers for far too long, each naming one of the individuals before you an enemy to the Empire. I trust you to eliminate the traitor, Lord Vader.""

Bile roils in the back of her throat but it looks like Anakin is going to be the one to throw up. He won't even acknowledge her as he moves past, igniting his lightsaber with unmistakable intent.

"Ani, don't," she whispers, her voice disappearing in an irony of breath-taking when she sees the ruby red color to his normally brilliant blue eyes. Even horrified at the unnatural hue, she can't stop herself from trying to stop him.

Her fingers barely snag his ebony sleeve when the coarse fibers wrench away from her grip. She doesn't understand at first, an invisible force yanking her off her feet, the leaden weight in her limbs suddenly gone. Impossibly, she's flying, lighter than her body's felt in months, but her trajectory is all wrong. She only vaguely comprehends when her spine slams into the wall, a sickening crunch rivaling the echoes of her screamed name.

Her vision spirals, and it's hard to hear what's happening past the agony roaring in her head, her veins, her womb. Her hands slipping across inexplicably wet and warm fabric. She can't see why, just like she can't see the source of all the shouting and noise - is that Obi-Wan's voice?! Are those more lightsabers?!- but it sounds like all hell is breaking loose.

Louder than the rest, one voice carries over the chaos around her.

"Padmé!" Anakin screams.

"Anakin..." she tries to answer.

But the world goes black.

Image Credit: Eli Hyder

[fallingblueroses]

At the request of @acaplaya-musings . Layne manages to get a new rule put into place at PattyCake.

***

Geoff smiled a little as he walked into PattyCake Production's breakroom and saw someone had already started the coffeemaker. Someone had also brought in a box of donuts, and he'd grab one of those too. It was already promising to be a long day, and the caffeine and sugar would both be appreciated. He sat down on the couch and closed his eyes for a moment as he waited.

He sat up as the coffeemaker gurgled. "Finally." Once the dripping had stopped he poured some into his usual mug and gratefully took a sip--then spat it back out into the cup. What the hell? The coffee had a strange, bitter taste to it, and at first he thought maybe his coffee mug needed cleaning. He poured another coffee into a Styrofoam cup and tried again--only to spit it back out.

Geoff stared at the cup for several seconds. The aftertaste lingered in his mouth, and he was finally able to place it--beets. Someone had put beets in the coffee--no, he thought. Not "someone". Layne. Who else?

"Oh hey, donuts! Great!" Geoff looked up as Cesar walked in and headed straight for the box. Things clicked in his brain, but before he could warn Cesar the younger man had taken a big bite out of one of the donuts. Cesar's eyes widened, and he sprinted to the trash can and spat it out. "What was that?!"

Geoff picked up the donut Cesar had bitten into and scooped some of the "cream" filling onto a fingertip. His brow creased as he tasted it. "Turnips."

"Turnips?" Cesar sighed. "Oh boy. It's going to be one of those days, isn't it?"

Before Geoff could answer they heard Tony yell. They looked at each other briefly before running toward the sound, and found Tony standing ankle-deep in potatoes in front of an open storage closet, his hand still on the doorknob. Tony's head slowly turned toward them as they gaped at the sight, and he spoke in a high-pitched, almost hysterical voice. "...I'm going to kill him."

Kathy came up from the other direction and stared. "What the--"

Geoff sighed. "Layne's at it again."

"I know." Kathy pointed behind her. "You should see what he did to the office."

Tony snapped out of his stupor. "The office?" He quickly walked in the direction Kathy had come from, and Geoff, Kathy, and Cesar followed him. When Tony got to the office door, he clutched his head and screamed.

Geoff peeked around Tony and gasped. Carrots hung on strings from the ceiling. Garlands made of red, yellow, and orange carrots decorated the walls and a vase with carrots arranged in a bouquet sat on the desk.

Cesar was peeking around from the other side of Tony. "Damn. I'm impressed."

"This is impressive," Geoff said. "He was probably up all night making those."

"Just until two o'clock or so." They all turned around to see Layne standing in the hall, grinning and holding his phone up to record them. "Doris helped until Cyndi made her go to bed. So, did you find everything?"

"Just the beets," Geoff said.

"And the turnips," Cesar chimed in.

"And the potatoes," Tony growled.

"And the carrots," Kathy sighed.

Layne's grin widened. "Oh, so you haven't found the--"

"Radishes," Eli growled as he walked up. "Yes, I found the radishes."

Tony groaned. "Radishes? Where?"

"In the restroom ceiling."

Geoff blinked. "What?" He had to see this for himself. Cesar followed him to the restroom where they found dozens of radishes on the floor and in the sink. Geoff saw a string on the floor, and followed it up the wall to where one of the ceiling tiles was hanging down.

Eli snarled from behind him. "I picked up the string to throw it away, and then it started raining radishes!"

"Did you wash your hands?" Layne asked.

The three of them turned around to see Layne still recording them--and Tony running up behind Layne. He tackled Layne with a yell and knocked him into the group, and then a full-on brawl started.

***

Tony stood watch over Layne while he cleaned the messes up, and Eli used his phone to record everything. Layne sighed as he entered the stage area nearly an hour later. "All right. Everything's cleaned up, there's a fresh pot of coffee brewing, and I'll bring in new donuts tomorrow."

"Good," Kathy said from where she stood next to the easel and large notepad they used for brainstorming. Geoff and Cesar stood next to her, both of them trying and failing to keep stern looks on their faces. Eli kept recording as she walked up and handed Layne a marker. "Now, you're going to write 'I will only use one root vegetable at a time for shenanigans' one hundred times."

Layne blinked. "What?"

Kathy pointed at the easel. "'I will only use one root vegetable at a time for shenanigans'. One hundred times."

"That'll take all day," Layne whined.

"Now!" Kathy snapped.

Layne took the marker. "Yes, ma'am." Eli kept recording him as he went to the easel and began to write.

[elementaldoughnut12]

"Horrors Just Begun"

*contains crying, bleeding, getting branded by a hot iron and start of a non-consensual sexual act and Finn being an obsessive person*

Doughnut Team: @afterdarkprincess , @thlayli-ra

“I can't believe we won!” JD says with pure joy as he and Finn walk down a hallway. “I knew you could do it little buddy!” Finn says proudly as he claps JD on the back. “Now I can finally rub it in Damian's stupid face!” JD says as he bounces with excitement, causing Finn to laugh. “Wait til we go get some pizza before you do that” Finn says, causing JD to gasp. “Really!?!? We haven't done that together in forever!” JD says while smiling wide.

“I thought it was time to bring back the tradition! You've been working so hard to prove that you're part of the team so I thought we could do something to celebrate! We can take selfies with our belts and show the world that we're the best! Don't worry about paying either because Damian offered to pay tonight” Finn explains happily. “Really? I thought he hated me?” JD asks confusingly. Before Finn could answer, JD's phone started ringing.

JD checks his phone and smiles wide. “It's Eli! He must've seen the match! You don't mind if I take this, do you?” JD asks curiously, causing Finn to laugh. “I don't mind! I gotta call Damian so he can pick us up so go on! Call your hot piece of man!” Finn says with a laugh, causing JD to blush. JD walks around a corner and answers his phone.

“Daddy! You see the match?” JD asks happily. “Ya bet your ass I did! I'm so proud of ya Clover! I just wish I could've won them with ya instead of Mr. Short and Stupid” Knight says, making JD giggle. “Be nice daddy! Finn's like a brother to me plus him and Damian are taking everyone for pizza to celebrate!” JD says enthusiastically. “Clover, Are ya sure it's a good idea to go with them? Ya know I don't like when Damian and especially Finn are alone around ya” Knight says worryingly.

“Don't worry daddy! If anything goes wrong I'll call you!” JD says reassuringly. “OK if ya say so! Make sure ya bring me back some! Also since ya won a belt I think it's time ya invoke your winner's room don't ya think?” Knight says sweetly, making JD gasp. “R-Really? I'm really ready?” JD asks hopefully. “YEAH! I'll get myself prepped and pretty for when ya come back ok? Be careful and I love you Clover” Knight says, causing JD to blush. “I love you too daddy” JD says as he hangs up.

Finn listened to JD's conversation with a disgusted look. He pulls out his phone and contacts Damian. “Yo, big man, kick Rhea and Carlito out the room and tell Dominick to get the blowtorch ready! Tonight's the night I get to brand my pet” he says as he hangs up his phone and puts on a fake smile when JD returns. “Ready to go little brother?” Finn asks curiously. “Hell yeah! I'm excited to actually hang out like we used to!” JD says happily as they continue walking down the hallway.

“Me too! What did Eli want?” Finn asks, making JD blush. “He just wanted to congratulate us on winning and that he hopes we enjoy ourselves! That's all!” JD says nervously, making Finn smile. “If you say so! Now let's get this party started!” Finn says enthusiastically as he grabs JD's hand and runs to the locker room. They stop at the door and JD gives Finn a confused look. “I'm old and I don't want Dominick to bear hug me the moment we walk in” Finn explains with a shrug. JD just laughs as he opens the door.

The moment JD enters the room he's slammed into the wall by Damian. “Hola, perra” Damian says with a sickening smile as he grabs JD by the throat and pins him to the wall. JD scratches at Damian's arms as he gasps for air. “Enough Damian” Finn commands, causing Damian to scoff and throw JD to the floor. JD crashes to the floor and Dominick kicks him right in his injured ribs. Dominick keeps kicking him and kicking him all over his body. “Please stop” JD whimpers as he feels tears stream down his cheeks.

“Aww! Are you crying? Is the little bitch crying cause he doesn't have his daddy?” Dominick taunted as he pressed the bottom of his boot against JD's face. “Enough out of you too Dominick! I need him conscious for this” Finn says as he crouches in front of JD and pulls him by his hair to face him. “Thirteen years… I have watched for fucking thirteen years as someone stole you from me! I have been in love with you for so long but what happened? Some old bastard with spiked up hair and an ego the size of Jupiter said some sweet lies and swept you off your feet!

You ever wonder what's gonna happen when he dies? You'll be alone again and begging me for forgiveness cause that's what always happens when little JD makes messes and his best buddy Finn has to clean them up! Isn't that right Jordan?” Finn asks angrily. “Shut up! Why are you even doing this? I thought you were my brother!” JD yells through tears.

“Oh Jordan, I used to think that too. But over the years that we've known each other and I've seen you become a true man well… the feelings have become more than that. I love you and I'll always love you even if some pathetic old man is in my way. You can still see me as your brother if you're into that kinda thing but I think it's time to brand my little pet” Finn says as he leans in and forcefully kisses JD. He tried to push Finn away but felt the cutting metal of handcuffs on his wrists.

“You taste just like in my dreams” Finn says sweetly as they depart. “Please Finn, I'll do whatever you want just please don't hurt me” JD begs through whimpers. “Oh sweetheart, I wish that was possible but I think you deserve a reward for tonight” Finn says as Dominick comes out with a lit blowtorch. JD watches in fear as Finn pulls out a metal rod with an X at the end and watches Dominick light the end of the rod until it's steaming and red.

“Don't worry Clover, this'll just be a little pinch” Finn reassures as he presses the hot metal against JD's bare hip. “AHHHH!” JD screams as the metal burns through layers of his flesh. It felt like the brand was being tattooed on his very being and it was like the worst kind of hell he could ever experience. He started whimpering when the rod was off his skin and all he could smell was his burning flesh. “Now you truly have the mark of the demon” Finn says as he gently wipes the blood from JD's wound.

“You think his precious daddy will love him now that he looks like an ugly piece of meat?” Dominick asks harshly, making JD cry even more. “Please just let me go” JD says quietly. “Oh we're not done yet sweetheart, Damian!” Finn yells, catching the man's attention. “I'm on it” Damian says as he walks in front of JD and pulls down his pants and boxers, revealing his thick and heavy cock. “Hope you're ready bitch” Damian says with a cruel smile. JD knows the horrors have just begun for him…

[disneyanddisneyships]

@gyubby99

The Prophecy Of Imortal Fire 3

"You what?!" Elias practically yelled. "He Stabbed me!" "Yeah like 10 years ago! Give or take! Why would he lie now?! Listen, I've met his father. Not a nice guy, and not easy to beat in a fight. Even if Alistar was doing this for his father, he wouldn't have any chance against him in combat!" Ella argued. "Ella... he almost killed you! He kidnapped children, and your father.... he killed me for a hot second! He called you names, gave you trauma, hurt you! Broke you! How can you trust that?" Elias asked. "I don't! I don't trust him as far as I can throw him, but right now we don't have a choice!" Ella answered. Eli looked over at Alistar, glaring before his eyes softened. He sighed. "Fine. He can't wield a sword with a broken arm anyways," he muttered. "Youd.. be surprised...." Alistar replied, earning some looks from the group. "Oh.. god, no! I learned my lesson! Besides i-...." alistar trailed off as he glanced at Ella and Eli's kids in the other room. "I wouldn't take a parent from their kids," he muttered. "No, but you'd take a kid from her parents," Loreley spat. "... I'm sorry," Alistar spoke. Eli scoffed. "Dont say it to us," he muttered, glancing at Ella. Alistar looked down, embarrassed. Eli rolled his eyes. "Coward," he muttered before walking out of the building. Everyone followed. Except for Ella. Ella hesitated. "We were friends you know...." she stated. ".. I know," Alistar replied. "What in the world happened to you after we stopped contacting one another that day?" Ella asked. "Too much to fit into one conversation....." He whispered before looking at her. "I'm sorry. What I did was selfish, and wrong, and shitty. You didn't deserve that.... and fucking hell you are NOT fat. You never have been. And if I could go back in time, calling you that would be the first thing I changed," Alistar ranted. Ella kept a distance between the two. "I did what I did because I was in love with you....but my father taught me that love was weak.... and seeing you choose someone over me... broke me... and it reinstated the fact that love was weakness.... so I thought I could marry you by force..... but i..... I shouldn't have thought that," Alistar stated, tears brimming his eyes again. "Alistar.. I wasn't in love with you. You were my friend.... how could you have possibly thought that doing what you did would change that?" Ella asked, crossing her arms. "I don't know," his voice cracked. "I don't know what I was thinking.... I just made choices and i...... God I regret every single one," Alistar muttered. "I'm not gonna ask for your forgiveness.. cause I realize its too late.... but please.... don't let my mistakes create a leeway for my father to come in and Destroy the life You've built," Alistar stated. Ella stood there for a few moments before walking closer to him and hugging him. "I can't forgive what youve done.... not yet at least..... but.... I believe in the fact that you're telling the truth," Ella sighed. Alistar let out a breath. "Thank you...... I'm so so sorry.... I-I didnt..... I shouldn't've..... I'm sorry," he all but whispered as he tried not to cry.

........ The group as a whole stood in the dining area, a giant map on the table. "So if we can destroy his forces from the inside, we can possibly win... but how are we gonna get in?" Loreley asked. "Theres a passageway through the dungeons. I found it when I was 10 when he locked me in my cell after breaking a vase. I made it myself from a small hole in the wall," Alistar replied, pointing the area out to the group. Mia glanced at him. "How many times did he put you down there for you to make an entire crawlspace?" She asked. Alistar raised an eyebrow as he calculated. "Uh.... maybe 5 times a week. 2 if I stayed out of trouble," He answered. The group looked at him. ".. what?" He asked. "Okay, so we'll go through there. Do you have armor?" Ella asked, turning to alistar. "No. Just this," he stated as he gestured to his shirt and pants. "Hm okay. Elias will fir you for some armor later," Ella stated. "What so he can stab me with it?" Eli asked. "Elias," Ella scolded. Eli sighed. "Fine. We'll do it now so I can get it over with. Cmon," Alistar gulped as he followed Eli outside.

"Lose the shirt," Eli stated as he picked up some already made armor. "P-pardon?" Alistar asked. "The armor won't fit right if your measurements aren't correct and your shirt is too baggy," Elias stated, an unamused look on his face. "O-okay but can't we just-" "Oh my god do you want me to help or not?" Eli asked, clearly frustrated. Alistar sighed. Eli rolled his eyes, turning to grab a measuring stick. His eyes widened at the sight of all the scared on Alistar's back and chest, blending into smaller ones on his arms. "Woah.... what... happened?" Eli asked, almost forgetting what alistar did. Almost. Alistar sighed as he hung his shirt over a chair in the hut. "After my mom died, my dad thought waking me up by having people whip me was a wonderful idea... and when he and I dueled, he would stab me," Alistar replied. Elias' eyebrows furrowed. "You're really messed up, aren't you?" Eli asked. Alistar chuckled. "Yeah... I am...." Eli gave a small genuine smile before walking to work on Alistar's armor.

[willows-adventures-in-words]

Finally got around to putting together the first draft scenes of the story I'm working on. Currently, it doesn't have a beginning or a title (titles are hard…), but the pieces are slowly being put together. I decided to put both scenes together in one post simply because I feel like it'll be easier to deal with at the moment.

The first scene (also the first scene I wrote) involves Geoff, Kathy, and Cesar. In this scene Geoff's ability activates. The setting I basically took from the Seven Nation Army video. (I later learned where they filmed the video, but I don't feel like changing my story THAT much) In its current state this scene got a bit of a face lift. Had to change and adjust quite a bit.

~-~-~

“Hey! Get away from her!” The man turned slightly to see Geoff. With his distraction Kathy kicked him in the legs throwing him off balance and ran back to where they left their bags. The assailant went after her. With a few long strides Geoff intercepted him. “I said leave her alone,” he growled, rage boiling below the surface. The man stiffened for a second before lifting the bat he was carrying and took a swing at him. The bat brushed against his shirt as he barely moved back in time. Before the man could pull back for another swing, Geoff ripped the bat from his hands causing the man to stagger. Grabbing his arm, Geoff forced him back upright before he shoved him backward against the pillar half a dozen feet away from them.

Cesar started up the steps back to where he was meeting up with the rest of his group. He could hear Geoff's voice. There was an anger he wasn't used to hearing and picked up his pace. He turned his head to see the scene unfold. His eyes widened and ran up the last couple steps. Geoff stalked towards the man slumped against one of the pillars. “Geoff!” Geoff spun to face him. Despite the distance between them, Cesar could see the fire in his eyes. He jerked to a halt, giving it a second to process. What looked like literal fire reflected in his eyes. Not a play off of the lighting. “Hey, it's just me. We're good.” And just like that it was gone.

Geoff turned back to Kathy. She stared, wide-eyed, hands to her mouth. He looked back to the man. The cracks in the pillar. The dusting of drywall that flaked off on top of him. The-

“Come on. We gotta go.” Cesar told them, tapping a hand on Geoff's shoulder as he hurried past. “We gotta go.” He ran to help Kathy with their bags, throwing one over his shoulder and grabbing Geoff's before practically shoving it in the other man's arms, telling him to go as he gave him a slight push in the direction Kathy started in. He quickly glanced about, grabbed the bat on the floor, and ran after his friends. Despite his panic to leave, Cesar knew he wouldn't be forgetting the image of the man slumped, dead, at the foot of the pillar, with his shirt and skin scorched with the imprints of Geoff's hands.

~-~-~

The second scene involves Layne and Eli. This scene takes place pretty much a full day after the first one. The group got separated after the first scene. I've made some small changes to this one but nothing major yet since I didn't finish the scene that takes place right before it yet.

~-~-~

They sat on the ground, mostly hidden behind a few pallets and milk crates, with their backs to the wall of the store as the setting sun cast deep shadows over them. Eli turned to his friend. He looked tired. Which wasn't at all surprising given how exhausted he felt. Neither one of them had slept well the night before. Opening his mouth, Eli went to speak but stopped when he faintly heard talking. Layne tensed and looked in the direction of the voices. Neither spoke. Just waited and listened. There was a raised voice but they didn't quite catch what was said when a gunshot rang out. Eli jumped. While Layne took a sharp breathe and held it. Both tense, hearts pounding, as fear of being found settled in deeper. They sat as still as possible, neither making a sound.

Finally, after a long ten minutes, they heard footsteps walking away. “Layne?” Eli whispered. Layne let out a shaky breathe. “You okay?” Layne looked down and wiped his sweaty, shaking hands on his pant legs. He tried to calm down, but his heart sounded so loud in his ears, and the only thoughts running through his head were panic ridden. They could have died just now. What if his wife and daughters had left home when all this happened. What if they were dead.

Eli reached out and gently touched his shoulder. Layne's breath hitched slightly at the contact before he looked over. “You're okay.” He was going to tell him 'we' but changed his mind in the last moment. “I'm sure they locked up the house and are staying safe. And maybe this chaos didn't even reach your neighborhood.”

“Yeah.” It was more of a breath than a word, but Eli understood. He pulled his hand back giving him his space back. Layne didn't dare say more. Worried he'd break. He looked away and swallowed as he tried to calm his fears. Though these types of fears aren't easily calmed. Eventually, he pulled his legs up so he could wrapped his arms over his knees and rested his head down on his arms.

Eli hoped his friend would be able to rest. He tipped his head back to rest against the wall. And hopefully his own worries would allow him to. Because despite not talking about, his fears were more widespread. He was concerned for their well-being. For the rest of their friends that they were separated from. And though he didn't have kids of his own, he was also afraid for his wife. Since shortly before all of this mess started, she had texted him that she was going out and wasn't sure if she would be back home before he was. So, he had no idea where she was. He could only hope she was safe.

[nuggeett875]

Unbroken Promises-Derek Hale

“Dude, that was Derek Hale! You remember right? He’s only a few years older than us.”

“Remember what?” 

“His family. They burned to death in a fire like, 4 years ago.”

“I wonder what he’s doing back…” 

…………………………………………….

“Isaac let’s go we have to meet somebody.” Derek called to Isaac who was upstairs in his room. 

Isaac made his way down the staris confused as to where they were going. “Is it a new pack member?” He asked while he threw on his jacket. “No.”

“Is it Scott?” Again Derek replied the same, “No.” They rode down the elevator both leaning against the back wall. “Are you going to tell me who it is before we get there?” 

Derek smiled and looked at him before walking through the open elevator doors, “No.” 

Isaac groaned and got in Derek’s camero and started watching the scenery as they drove to this mysterious place. 

When they came to a stop, around 35 minutes later, Isaac looked up and saw a small diner in front of them, “This? This is the place we needed to come to? Who are we possibly meeting here?” 

Derek stayed silent as he opened his door and started walking towards the entrance.

……………………………

Inside the diner a young woman was walking around dropping orders at different tables. “What can I get you two?” Delilah asked the two kids sitting at the counter next to their grandmother. “Cake!” They both screamed out.

Delilah went to respond before hearing the doorbell ring, she walked over to the front counter area, “Hi I’ll be right with…you?” She looked up and froze when she saw the face of Derek Hale. The last person she ever expected to see. 

“Hey Del.” Derek said with a small smile. Isaac went to step forward but Derek held his hand out keeping him at a distance from the woman. “Careful.” 

Isaac chuckled, “Of her? What’s the big dea-” He was cut off by a piece of bread hitting the side of his face. 

“Get out!” Delilah yelled as she continued to throw the objects closer to her at Derek. Isaac at this point had stepped away and went to sit in a far booth. Derek dodged the food making no attempt to stop her until she ran out of edible items and reached for a glass bowl next to her. 

“Hey, hey please. I know you don’t want to see me but I need your help. Please Del.” Derek approached her, carefully, and now stood across from her seperated by the counter. “Do not, call me that Derek Hale. Why the hell are you here?” 

Derek’s head dropped, he had missed her voice. Even if it was the one that was upset and close to cursing him out, he wished he could hear it all day. “Delilah, I wouldn’t be here if I didn’t need to be. I’m not trying to hurt you, the kid behind me, Isaac, he needs your help too.” 

Delilah released her grip on the glass and looked over Derek’s shoulder at the teenager, “Now, now you need me? What about when I needed you Derek. I tried to help you before but you left. I was there for you when your family died and you left me. No calls, no texts, nothing. But now you’re asking me for help? Get out Derek and don’t come back. Please.”

As she said ‘please’ Derek could hear her voice crack and could tell she was on the verge of tears. He nodded afraid that if he tried to speak, he himself, would cry. 

Derek turned around and motioned for Isaac to follow him as he made his way out the door and to his car.

…………………..

“I’m sorry about that.” Delilah said walking back over to the 3 at the opposite end of the counter. “And are you planning to start work at all today? You’re not retired yet mom.” The grandmother of the two, Jane, sighed and stood up before making her way around the counter.

“Well excuse me for wanting to spend some time with my grandbabies. Who was that by the way?” She asked throwing in apron on. “Just, an old friend.” Delilah said before walking over to her twins. “And for you two,” She messed up their hair-Eli and Taliah-laughing.

“Who said you could get cake at this time?” Delilah was moved over by her mother who placed two slices of cake down in front of the 4 year olds. “I did. Now hush and get back to work. Mr.Johnson’s ready for his check.” 

Delilah nodded and kissed her kids heads before walking away, thoughts rambling around in her head. 

Why was Derek here? Why now? She couldn’t begin to explain the pain of wanting to run into his arms and knowing she should stay away. After all, he left her, and even thought she wanted to pretend she didn’t love him anymore, she couldn’t. How could she, he was her first boyfriend, her first love, her first everything.

And the father of her children. 

[sensei-venus]

A Better Halloween~ (1/2)

(Slightly unedited) ( Alternate version of the Halloween dance) (Bullying,Bullying Behavior, Mentions of Kyler being a bully, Kissing, Oral fixation, Scar kink, Pre-Hawk phase) ( @gemini-sensei )

The Halloween dance was something met that bugged Reader to high heavens. She would rather be at home doing her own thing, watching scary movies on her couch wall eating leftover candy her parent bought. A night all alone to herself. The talk around school about the stupid dance just made her roll her eyes. She wanted to just forget about it and stay home.

That was until she heard Demetri’s loudmouth in one of the classes they shared. He was talking to the Diaz kid about how he and Eli were going to go to the dance, inviting Diaz to join them at the dance.

She perked up at the mention of Eli.

Her favorite little toy, she loved messing with the runt.

Eli was so stupid to the fact that she liked him or maybe he was just that scared of her. She picked on him as much as possible, doing little things to mess with him, to keep him on edge. Kyler may have liked getting in his face, picking him up, and touching on him. Reader liked doing things like taking his stuff and throwing things at him. Pushing him in the hallways against the lockers. She liked to tease him to the point he went red in the face and he looked like he was about to cry.

That's why when she heard he was going to the dance she just had to go.

It was her chance to play with him.

The dance was overcrowded, and most of the school had shown up to the surprising event. Most of the time the older students would blow this thing off, going to real parties where they could get high and drink all night. Have sex in rooms at B list asshole popular kids summer home. She scoffed at the idea, shitty rich kids.

Walking into the dimly lit gym was interesting. The room was full of teenagers dancing and grinding against one another, they shitty lights did little to help see through most of the place. Music was only slightly loud and you could still hear the groups of people scattered around the gym talking.

Reader looked though the crowd trying to find the only person she was interested in, the only reason she had bothered to show up to this stupid thing anyway, Eli.

She spotted him as she moved around the room and through the crowed of kids. She pushed past a group of the population students, she rolled her eyes at them as they looked at her funny and whispered to one another as age passed them. She really didn't feel like making a scene tonight. She just wanted to find Eil and get away from everyone.

She wanted to get Eli all alone so she could finally get what she wanted from him.

That was a fun time and just maybe a cute little boyfriend.

She found him next to Demetri and Miguel, all three of them talking about something. She waited until Miguel and Demetri went off towards the snack table, most likely to get something to drink. This left Eli alone and unprotected. Just what she wanted. She smirked to herself as she made her way over. Walking up behind him she put her hands over his eyes making him yelp and stumble, she laughed as she said: “Guess who buddy.” She felt him gulp down a big thing of air. His body pressed into her front. Spinning him around he froze in place and just stared at her with wide scared eyes. He had the most beautiful blue eyes she had ever seen if she was being honest.

She grabbed his arm and pulled him alongside her as they left the gym. She guided him through the empty hallways of the school until they got to the one room she was looking for. It was an old art room. They had long since abandoned the room and only used it for storage, the glass panel was blacked out with old construction paper. Lucky for Reader, she was a great art student and the art teacher had given her an extra key to the room so that she could help store some of the old artwork from the new classroom in it. She never gave the key back. She unlocked the door and quickly shoved Eli in with no hesitation.

She smiled as she closed the door behind them and locked it.

Eli shivered as he looked at the girl in front of him.

Reader always had a way about her that made his heart race a little faster and his breathing goes shallow.

She wasn’t as bad as Kyler but she definitely up in the ranks of people who bullied him.

Before he could try and move she was already in front of him gripping at his face mask before yanking it off along with his surgeon hat. He watched as she looked up at him, her eyes fluttering in the soft light from the windows. The moonlight cast a glint that bounced on her eyes, she was actually pretty when she was this close up.

He wanted to rear back when he felt her warm hand on his cheek, her fingers ghosting over his flushed cheeks. He wondered if she was going to say something, insult him and call him names. He couldn't imagine her beating him up like Kyler usually did. Her fingertips lightly ran over his lip and over his scar. He cringed, this was stupid, she was just going to make fun of his lip and scar. That's all she was going to do.

“Why do you have to be so fucking cute with your little lip? It's not fair.”

Then there was wet heat on his lip and over his scar and his eyes went wide.

She was licking across his lips and up to his most and before long she was sucking on his top lip. He felt frozen. His butt hit the back of a table as she caressed his cheeks, her thumbs making light circles on the hollows of his cheeks. He felt warm and his belly fluttered.

He shouldn’t be feeling this way about his bully, but he was. His heart was beating fast and loud to the point he could hear it in his ears. She smelled nice too warm and sweet like candy. He wondered if maybe she had been eating something before she got to the dance like chocolate. Her tongue lapped over his mouth and he just let her but before long she was kissing him right on the mouth. He moaned into the kiss as he let her guide him. Her lips were soft and plump against his.

Maybe deep down he wanted to kiss her all along.

Maybe just maybe he just needed a big push to actually do it.

[anniebaxterthefuture]

Annie looked hot. She knew it, June had known it when Annie had littered their chat with selfies from every angle humanly imaginable, and Duncan, her assigned driver for the night, knew it. After the horror of last year's celebrations, being stood up and left moping in front of Eli in the prettiest dress she owned, Annie had been adamant she was going out with a true bang this year. But not before she secured the perfect arm candy, of course. 

With a simple flutter of her long lashes, leaning in close enough to give him a whiff of her perfume, Annie had offered Duncan her prettiest, most sympathetic pout when she’d asked him to pull up outside of Eli’s apartment complex. She knew he was under strict instructions to take her straight to A Novel Idea, and people rarely disobeyed her father, but she also knew that Duncan had a soft spot for her. The way his cheeks flushed under her gaze, his lower lip wobbling as he stuttered over attempts to impress her, the uncertainty that flickered in his gaze whenever she offered up her arm upon entering some high-profile party she was being forced to attend. She knew fine well he was into her, and Jax had rattled off countless warnings to her that he might be a little more smitten than she was given him credit for, if the high-pitched giggle he emitted whenever she called him Duncy was anything to go by. All the same, it was benefiting her tonight, and she’d be sure to repay the favour by buying him a drink and redirecting him into the arms of an equally gorgeous woman before midnight. 

“Just wait out here for me, cutie, okay? I won’t be long, I promise,” she insisted, catching the look of uncertainty that crossed his features. She knew how desperately Duncan hated to go against her father’s orders, particularly given how many drivers she’d given the slip, sneaking out of some side exit while they were dutifully awaiting her return. Not tonight though – tonight she had plans. “Don’t look at me like that, Duncy! I mean it. Eli doesn’t even know I’m coming to steal him away, so we need to give him a few minutes to get ready, okay?” 

With those parting words, she slipped out of the limousine, onto the sidewalk and started heading towards the lobby of Eli’s building. 

As eager as she was to make the most of the night, she hated thinking of Elias all alone up there, ringing in the New Year on his own. For the second year running, she found that she hadn’t been privy to Jaxxy’s plans, and Matty had informed her – with a look of sadness so great she couldn’t help but wonder if he’d excel in the Gay Porn industry – that Eli hadn’t been up for talking much lately, so much so that he’d turned down his best friend’s invitation to come and party. But that simply wouldn’t do, and if she had to kick off her heels and throw herself down onto the sofa next to him for the night just to ensure he wasn’t alone, then so be it. He was hurting, that much was obvious, but there wasn’t a hope in hell she’d let him do it alone. Not anymore, not on her watch. 

Catching sight of herself in the mirror as the doors to the elevator opened, Annie smirked. God, she looked good. Scooching her way in, she gave her lipstick one last touch up, fixed her curls, and hopped off at the third floor. The walk to Eli’s apartment was as natural to her as wandering the walls of her parent’s own mansion. She’d always loved it at Eli’s. It was cosy, homely even, and this very building housed one of her favourite people in the entire world. She gave his front door a delicate rap of her knuckles and waited, patiently – or so she thought – for him to answer. 

Barely a minute had passed before Annie grew impatient and she gave the door another knock, this time a little harder. 

“Elias! It’s just me!” she called out, confident he’d recognise her voice without context. Annie wasn’t afraid of drawing attention to herself, but she knew Eli was a lot shyer than her. “If you don’t answer, I’ll knock the whole thing down myself! These heels are very sturdy, honey!” 

[crimsonlyinglilly]

Familiar Faces - Accepting and researching past lives, Part 2

Summary: Elijah Gilbert has been haunted by dreams of other lives as long as he remembers, but now with the appearance of the Salvatore brother he may finally get some answers.

----

Zach watches as the girl flees, suddenly aware that his death was literally inches away, that Elijah was upstairs alone, that’s when he remembers Stefan’s “Never mention him around Damon.” and does just that.

Couldn’t make it worse.

Why not have his last words be the mystery that had haunted him for the last twenty-ish years.

“Elijah Salvatore!” he managed to shout as he lost his hold on the door and was thrown against the opposite wall.

To his eternal surprise Damon froze looking at him from the open door for a moment.

“What did you say?” Damon hissed, as he dragged him by his shirt up stopping inches from his face instead of killing him.

“Elijah Salvatore.” he repeated, “He remember his past lives but why was he born into the Gilbert family?”

“Past lives?” Damon hissed, never more than a predator than this moment, Zach thought, “how many have you found?”

“The-three after your brother, all born into the Salvatore family.” he managed to tame his stutter, dragging this out was actually making it worse, “the last died just over seventeen years ago.”

“Then a pair of twins were born, one bearing his name.” Damon finished, “why do you think he remembers?”

“EJ’s nightmares,” He explained “i heard from the Gilberts that Elijah had them and when he was ten, he repeated part of EJ last letter to me.” he doesn’t add that the boy had also slipped up and used Z something only E.J had ever used to call him.

“Whose EJ, Zach?” Damon asked as he stepped a back, allowing Zach to stand if he wanted to get any closer to a starving beast, Zach stayed on the floor

“My cousi-” Zach started before being interrupted.  

“BROTHER.” Another voice joined them; they both turned to look to see Elijah standing at the end of the hall, at the bottom of the steps. “Half brother, Zach, why didn’t you ever tell me?”

“Elijah run!” he shouted, throwing himself at Damon, who knocked him aside.

“Whoa,” Damon said hand up stepping away from Zach as if he was the dangerous one, “Calm down, I'm not going to hurt Eli,” he said it as if the idea was ridiculous, as if his Elijah hadn’t been buried in an unmarked grave to be dug up by his bastard brother a decade later. “How much do you remember Elijah?” Damon asked, turning his complete attention to the teenager.

“Bits and pieces of anything, nothing complete.” Elijah replied oddly calm in the situation, Zach felt himself panic as Elijah walked towards them “the further back the harder to recall they normally are but you and Stefan made that life solid.”

Even stranger was Damon stepping back into the cell as Elijah got close enough to offer Zach a hand.

“What did I interrupt?” Elijah asked as he looked between them, Zach took the hand and attempted to step between them but Elijah stepped back keeping himself between them, Zach had a horrible feeling that Elijah was attempting to protect him, “and why are you grey Dam?”

“Why don’t you let Zach stay between us Eli, just until we get upstairs and I can get a drink.” Damon said and Zach couldn’t stop himself as he stared in shock.

“Right,” Elijah agreed, and Zach never thought he’d be pleased at the fact he was standing this close to Damon in narrow hallway but with Elijah who was also EJ, who's blood wasn’t laced with Vervain, next to him, he’d hug the vampire if he slowed him down. The next words however drew him short “you keep human blood upstairs?”

“Stefan has to have some bunny somewhere-” Damon started but Zach cut him off.

“You're not surprised by any of this?” Zach could help himself as he asked, apparently getting Damon’s agreement as watched the vampire’s brow furrow as he looked at the teenager.

“I think I was one in my first life, maybe that's why i was cursed.” Elijah wondered, “Things start making more sense when I give up trying to deny them.” he added in explanation with a shrug.

Zach swallowed as his long buried guilt suddenly reappeared, EJ hadn’t been delusional, his dad had locked up a child and Zach had left him there to be drugged until he had taken his own life.

“E.J. i’m so-”

“No Zach, it was too much as a kid.” Elijah shook his head as he looked at him “the life I had before EJ wasn’t good in any way, those memories, at that age. I was going to hurt or do worse to someone or myself.”

“But later-”

“I’m sorry, I needed distance, I'm not sure anything could have saved me in that life.” 

Elijah stared up at him with wide eyes, as he told him, Zach thought back to his baby cousin the tiny hand reaching for him and holding on always too tight, E.J had always been doomed.

If it hurt him to think that, what was it like for Elijah, what was it like to know you had no chance and to still remembered living that hopelessness.

And to remember what had caused it?

What on earth happened to him in the years of his life before EJ was born that had left that sort of mental mark.

There was barely twenty years between the death of Elijah. S. and E.J's birth.

“Eli,” Damon started slowly looking between them “Once I'm fed you're going to tell me all your lives and if anyone of those that hurt you are still alive I'm going to kill them.” he finished with a promise.

It was the first time Zach felt anything close to similar to Damon.

“I don’t need you to kill them," Elijah shook his head, apparently  unphased by the offer of murder, Zach had a feeling it wasn't because he didn't believe Damon would do it. "I want you to help me figure out how I can stop this?”

“Stop what?” he asked before could stop himself.

“Remembering" the teenager shrugged, looking very much like a typical teenager if not for the urgency in his eyes, Elijah was very good at control his expressions but you could always tell what he was feeling but his eyes, it was the same, E.J at six or Elijah at seventeen, "or being reborn; every life adds more memories, and it’s making it worse.”

“I could turn you?” Damon offered,

“No” Zach snapped,

“How fond of Zach are you?” Damon asked Elijah with a smile before returning his gaze to glare at Zach.

“As I am of Aunt Jenna, Jeremy and Caroline?” Elijah explained not even blinking at the open threat, Zach looked at the boy in shock, yes he had been all EJ had but he was well aware of how bad he had been, no visits but letter and rare phone calls, to be placed next to his current family and friends who hadn't failed him felt undeserved. “I’d been very angry if you killed him.”

“How angry?” Damon asked again as the finally made it out of the cellar that he had been sure he would have died in, as Damon glared at Zach.

Zach glared back.

“Stefan becoming my favourite older brother angry.” Elijah finished shortly, “I'm already mad at what you did to Caroline.” he added before continuing with, “Besides that doesn’t matter, I can't be turned.”

“What?” Damon asked and he snapped his head back to look back at him, Elijah's glaze looked slightly vacant, something he did remember the few time he had asked his cousin to describe his dreams, as he explained

“I’ve died three times where a vampire was pushed a bloodied wrist to my mouth and yet those lives ended and I started anew.” he swallowed as he blinked the memories away.

"Maybe they gave you the blood too late." Damon offered, telling Zach that Elijah was right in how he could have been turned.

"The first that may have been the case but both those after- I have a feeling they were older and quick enough that I should have turned." Elijah paled suddenly, "Thankfully I didn't after the last one." he muttered to himself.

'I think I was one in my first life,' Elijah had said, he meant he was a vampire in his first life, one that had to have come before Damon and Stefan's younger brother.

Zach may have the least amount of knowledge about vampires then, but he did have a good enough about his family history.

He also knows having a staving vampire with control issues around a person not on Vervain wasn't a great idea even with Damon's claim that he would hurt Elijah.

He still noticed the way Damon eyes darted to Elijah’s neck as they moved further into the natural light.

“Damon, go and get some of Stefan’s supply. You already know where it is, don't you?” he told him, Damon blinked at him.

“Who are you to start telling me what to do Zach?” Damon asked incredulously

“Someone who has already found four of Elijah’s lives,” he replied, using something he knew he had over Damon from his first question, “you can join us in the library when you're not tempted to kill either of us?”

“You, always Zach.” Damon smirked.

“Dam, go please” Elijah asked, and Zach watched in amazement as Damon did as he was asked with only a soft smile send toward Elijah. 

“Thanks Z.” EJ told him the old nickname was so natural that for a moment Zach wondered if he had really died down there. then he kept speaking and reminded Zach why his live wasn't simple “I really didn’t want to redo having my throat torn out with my other brother.”

‘What?’ He thought in mild panic as he watched him walk away.

Other that meant Stefan had been the one not Damon. Suddenly Stefan demand to not speak of him made sense, it was the same reason Zach had tried not to think of his cousin, guilt.

—--

Elijah had returned to the library, his apparently once father’s journal sat where he had left it, with his phone next to it telling him in a text that Jenna’s slime had asked for dinner tonight at their house.

He wondered if he could get away with staying here, tonight part of him wondering if his old room was free before he had to question which room he was thinking about.

It was strange how much calmer it was thinking about them now he had accepted it, there wasn’t even a need to find a high to escape it that he had for the last two lives.

Sure it wasn’t all great, Elena was dating a vampire, he was going to need to explain all of this to her and Bonnie and Caroline, who had been attacked and used by one.

By his brother, his brothers were now dangers to his family.

It had been so easy to tell Damon to leave Zach alone but as he stood alone in the library he was suddenly aware how while he had his powers, the rest of the people he loved didn’t have the same protection, Bonnie might have after training but Caroline and Vicki had been already been attacked.

Vicki had almost been killed, could have been, Tanner and others had been.

Bonnie and Elena had been upset at Tanner's death, Elijah hadn't felt the same, was that because of his lives or was he just a bad person?

Before he let himself think about that too much Zach joined him in the library with two boxes.

Damon followed as he and Zack started taking papers out the boxes, he looked better, less grey but glaring at the glass of blood he brought with him like it had personally offended him.

“You know you could drink from my wrist” Elijah offered after he watched Damon make a face at the blood in front of him

“NO!” twin voices rose to meet him.

“I could bleed into a glass.” he tried again.

“NO.” It was repeated.

He winced as his words repeated, he turned to Zach.

“Sorry that was insensitive.” he said, Zach didn’t say anything

“Why was it insensitive?” Damon asked, glass empty save for the stain.

“That was how I killed myself last time.” he said, watching as the both flinched at his words.

“And the time before that?”

“Tortured to death by a vampire with a grudge.” 

“What?” both of them asked, Damon with rage, Zach with bewilderment.

“He knew me, from before all this, i think.” he explained, “and no Damon you can’t kill his he’s far older than you, stronger.” he told him before Damon could ask who his mouth was forming word he knew he should have kept to himself. “Besides I won.”

“How do you win at being tortured to death?” Zach asked weakly as Damon fumed at his vengeance denied.

Both were looking at him so he forced himself to explain.

“I never broke, and he lost me in the end, he had the perfect tool in several ways but aloud his temper to break and lost it-me.” he told them with a smile.

They both stared at him in different states of horror.

“Right. So what have you got Zach?” he asked as he pulled his collection of notebooks free, “We can match them with what I've gotten.”

[eri-mergo]

For: Elijah @eremington and Matt @matthew-alexander

Location: Hedon

Eri had been itching to talk to Eli ever since his punishment had ended, but the man was hard to find. He figured after some searching that Eli was probably hiding from him for some idiotic reason.

Eri had tried to soothe his stung feelings when Eli had staunchly refused to talk to him. He would've been alright with Eli lashing out. He would've understood it. And, because he'd been expecting some retaliation, he took all of the blame for his role in Persy's death. It was his fault, after all. But Eli had been the one to tell him to bring Persy back. Eri had fucked around with order magic for Eli and Persy. He'd been thoroughly punished for it. And he'd kept from dragging Eli and Persy's names through the mud all this time. He kept it to himself that he'd been acting under Eli's orders when he used order magic. He'd endured a month of isolation and grasping phantom hands and truly not knowing whether he was alive or dead for Eli and Persy.

But it was getting hard to keep sight of why he was doing that when Eli was avoiding him. He'd tried for all this time to be patient, and hope that Eli would come to his senses on his own. He wanted Eli to acknowledge what he'd done for him. He didn't much care whether Eli was going to fight him about it or whether he was going to be grateful for those days Eri had given him with Persy. But Eli wasn't going to run from him anymore.

Eri had honestly just been waiting around Hedon when he'd gotten lucky and spotted Eli on the sidewalk with his briefcase.

As soon as Eli showed up, Eri was moving. He peeled off the wall and walked for him, throwing a big, fake grin up on his face so he wouldn't arouse any suspicion. An arm was tossed over Eli's shoulder. "Eli! It's been far too long. Let's talk."

With a too-tight grip on Eli's shoulder, he led him away from the crowd and into a secluded alleyway. Once they were out of eyeshot and earshot from most of the other guests, he let the grin drop.

"You kept me waiting. Here I was thinking we had something special," he said, letting his grip slide to Eli's wrists to keep the man from running. "I just went through hell because I thought it'd be a good idea to give you and Persy enough time to say goodbye. A simple thank you might be nice."

[endfght]

let down at the lack of information given, despite being all too familiar with the state that she was in and the confusion that accompanied it. ❝ right, okay, maybe ⸺ why don't you sit down in here and i'll get you water so you can just sober up for a second. maybe it'll help you remember where you're supposed to be and i can help you get there. ❞ as she stands, it's clear that she's unsteady on her feet, and so eli hovers close by as he leads her further into the room, making sure to kick the door shut ― but not all the way ― as they move out of the way. the grip that she has on his wrist feels almost bone-breaking, but if it was that versus her falling flat on her face, he'd endure. begins to talk again, more to himself this time as he attempts to remedy the situation that they were in. ❝ do you think eating something would help? might soak up some of the alcohol in your stomach ⸺ we might have saltines around here somewhere . . . ❞

bizarre how he watches the color drain from her face, the pink hue of her lips fading to blend in with the skin around them. still, it comes as a shock when she rushes past him, all but sliding across the floor to the empty garbage that sat beneath his desk. ❝ oh ⸻ ❞ honestly, he was just glad that she had her senses enough to go for the garbage pail over getting sick all over his floor. as she slumps back against the wall, sure she's good for the time being, eli leaves her side and grabs a small water bottle from the room's shared mini fridge, returning only to offer it to her. ❝ what? no ⸺ god, no i'm not . . . ❞ he stumbles over his words, awkward and embarrassed and avoiding eye contact. flustered, he lets out a breath of laughter before sitting back down in his desk chair : the last thing on his mind was making some kind of move on @hallowburnt. ( not that she wasn't attracive ⸺ even red in the face and sweaty, the scent of alcohol and sour-sweet throw up wafting into the air around them. it seemed like the wrong time entirely to even attempt to flirt. still, a piece of him hoped that she would remember him when she woke up the next day. ) ❝ do you want me to call someone, maybe? like, your roommate or someone . . . and they can come get you? i've never had someone show up on my doorstep like this, i don't really know what do to. ⸻ i'm eli, by the way. ❞ (cont.)

[elijahhudson]

oh no!

winter word gets back eli that faye wrote an article about him and they accidentally end up on the phone together

After learning about Eli’s music, she spent the last couple weeks trying to ignore the voice in her head telling her to listen to it. Finally after getting home from bartending early in the morning, she gave in. Faye listened to the first song and sat in front her laptop dumbfounded. Her first instinct was to throw her laptop against the wall but she refrained instead she listened to another. The next one brought out different emotion. This time she felt the pain that she had tried to shove down from years ago bubble up. Faye didn’t know what came over her but suddenly she had her phone open and typed in the name she has tried to block out for years into the search. His Instagram was filled with music promo and her eyes widened at follow count. Faye clicked on a post and out came the first song that filled her with slight rage. Her eyes narrowed as she quickly clicked out and impulsively when to message him, I have never called you a psycho, Eli Hudson. How long have you been profiting off making me the bad guy?

The morning after the impulse DM, Faye still felt this heavy emotion on her shoulder. She had to work on a new article today anyways so she settled in front of her laptop once more and did what she did best, write her feelings down.

Title: What to do when your ex becomes a singer songwriter (successful one) I had heard rumblings from a few mutual friends. But little did I know the extent of this. My ex was up and coming. He was on a late night talk show, he hired a hugely successful model to be in the video and all of these songs make me sound like a crazy bitch. Okay, I didn’t listen to them all. Can you blame me? I’m shocked and truthfully hurt but maybe a little flattered. I mean, I’m a bartender and a writer. And he is about to become a rockstar with these emo songs about me. Well, I think otherwise I’ve got too big of an ego and someone needs to check me Faye writes this entire article with subtle details about the two of them but with no intention of having it published. She feels her phone buzz, Faye jumps in surprise and accidentally slams a button on her laptop. She sees the document was sent. “Fuck…” Faye looks and sees it just says it was sent her personal email. Unfortunately, she didn’t realize her editor was also CCed.

Eli is just about to leave his meeting with the label, finalizing the logistics of a few of his upcoming shows when his phone starts blowing up.

Carson: Dude, you're all over TikTok cause of Faye Jade: you didn't tell me your ex was a writer for why??? Deuxmoi even shared her post about you!!!!

His brows raise and he exits the meeting room before calling Jade, and she picks up on the first ring. "What's happening?" He asks, trying to keep calm. Jade laughs, "Faye finally listened to your music, and she wrote a piece about it. You're not named but the TikTok kids put it together." Eli chews on his lip, "Guess she didn't like it then." Jade laughs, "That is… one way to put it. Oh, shit, I have to take another call. Good luck." Jade hangs up so Eli calls Carson next, "What do you know about this?" He asks his friend. Carson puts the phone on speaker with Sylvia there and laughs, "Well, you see, the thing is…"

Sylvia grabs the phone from Carson, “Faye wrote this article more for her own personal venting but accidentally sent it over to her team and they published it.” She laughs nervously, “Apparently in the article she said she DMed you in the middle of the night after she listened.”

Eli raises his brows and opens Instagram, scrolling through his requested messages until finally finding Faye's name. He clicks on the message and groans, "'I have never called you a psycho, Eli Hudson. How long have you been profiting off making me the bad guy?' Jesus Christ."

Sylvia bites her lower lip and looks at Carson, “I uh..I did reach out to her. She really didn’t mean to have the article published. It was too late by the time she found out.”

Carson raises his brows, "That's if it's any consolation." Eli laughs humorlessly, "Well from this DM, I'd say it's not."

She nods slightly, “What are you going to do?”

Eli lets out a soft breath, "I don't know. Is it even worth it to reach out?"

Sylvia shrugs softly and looks at Carson, “I think she just was surprised. Your music is honest and how you feel but it’s been a long time, I think you both could hash things out a little bit.”

He groans, "I don't want drama, I wrote these songs years ago. It's just that they're good."

She laughs softly and shakes her head, “Unfortunately the drama is already happening with that article.”

Carson laughs sympathetically, "Reach out, it's not like you two are together, you're not obligated to apologize or anything. And you can stop responding whenever you want."

Sylvia nods in agreement with Carson, “Exactly. As soon as it’s drama, just call it there.”

Eli laughs, "Alright, thanks guys." Carson smiles, "You're welcome,"

She smiles softly and nods, “Oh! And keep us updated!”

He chuckles, "Yeah, yeah, I know you two are living for the tea."

Sylvia giggles and leans into Carson, “Guilty.”

Carson laughs, "It's not everyday that two people you used to have group sex with end up in the tabloids!"

Sylvia elbows his side as she flushes, “Carson!”

He laughs loudly and Eli laughs, "The moment you said that I knew that was going to be her reaction." Carson grins cheekily at Sylvia, "What? You had sex with a rockstar, that's pretty cool!" Eli shakes his head and laughs, "I'm hanging up now!"

Sylvia gasps and tickles his side, “Carson Nichols!” She laughs and hands the phone back to him, “Bye Eli! Good luck!”

Eli laughs, "Bye guys." He hangs up and goes home, thinking of what to say to Faye. He has Sylvia send her phone number over to him and finally texts Faye, Damn, why don't you tell me how you really feel?

Faye has been trying to comb through her social media and emails about this damn article since the moment it went viral. When she got a text from an unknown number, her mind was so focused on these messages she didn’t have any clue what it could possibly mean. Sorry, I’m not sure you have the right number.

He sets up his laptop with Faye's article open and takes a selfie with it before sending it to her.

She widens her eyes at the picture and she sets her phone down. “Fuck, fuck, fuck..” Faye mutters under her breath. Finally after a few minutes she picks up her phone again and tries to type a response a few times before deleting it.

Eli sees her text bubble pop up and disappear several times before typing, And for the record, I know you never called me a psycho. They're songs that are inspired by things that happened between us, they're not supposed to be a 100% accurate depiction because I'm not not trying to portray you in a negative light.

Faye sees his next text pop up and sighs softly before typing a simple respond, I’m sorry. That article wasn’t meant to be published. It was personal for my own outlet. I was angry and venting to get over it.

His brows raise, And the DM?

She sighs again and clicks his info to add his number back into her phone but accidentally hitting the call button.

Eli answers the phone, "Yeah?"

Faye squeezes her eyes shut and rubs her forehead, “Hey..” she lets out a soft breath, “I had just gotten home from work and it was late. I shouldn’t have DMed you. I actually was going to go delete it but figured you would never see it anyways.”

He chuckles, "I didn't see it til about an hour ago."

She laughs softly and shakes her head, “See! You would’ve never known.”

Eli shakes his head and smiles a little, "I'm not mad about the article."

Faye bites her lower lip softly as she leans back against her bed, “Well..I am. It wasn’t meant for anyone else.”

He frowns, "I'm sorry it got out then."

She waves her hand softly and hums, “It’s not your fault..well I mean, it’s a little your fault but indirectly.”

Eli laughs loudly, "Is not!"

Faye laughs softly and nods to herself, “Is too. You wrote the songs that made me all..upset I guess.”

He shakes his head and laughs, "Three words. Pen and paper."

She scoffs playfully at him, “In case you forgot, I was always the writer between the two of us!”

Eli chuckles, "My preferred medium is clearly the superior one."

Faye laughs and shakes her head. “That’s so fucked up, Eli Hudson.”

He grins, "Hey, I never accidentally leaked anything onto the internet when using paper or canvas or writing or painting, did I?"

She groans softly and shakes her head, “Or wrote a mean DM or accidentally called your ex when apologizing?”

Eli laughs more, "Technology is the devil."

Faye laughs softly and rubs her forehead, “And yet it’s my career. Time to quit and move to Hawaii to become a surf instructor.”

He grins, "And you can still bartend at night."

She shakes her head and laughs, “That job is mostly just for the stories anyways. Maybe instead a hula girl.”

Eli laughs, "Are you native Hawaiian and I didn't know?"

Faye rolls her eyes and laughs, “I mean would you prefer I move to Portugal?”

He hums, "Only if you'd be happy there."

She half smiles to herself and nods her head, “Maybe.”

Eli laughs, "Hey, how's your parents' tiny house?"

Faye raises her brows and laughs softly, “I think they just decided to finally hook it up to a truck and start traveling with it. But actually I lived in it for a while after..” She trailed off softly, “You know.”

His brows raise, "Oh wow. Where did you end up moving to after that?"

She hums softly and smiles to herself, “Well, kind of all over for a while. That’s a long story but moved back officially to LA almost two years ago.”

Eli nods a little, “Welcome back then.”

Faye laughs quietly and shrugs, “Thanks. What about you? Cali for life bruh?”

He laughs and talks in a surfer bro voice, “Oh totally dudette, where else am I gonna catch such sick waves?”

She leans her back and laughs louder, “Oh look at that Laguna boy coming out.”

Eli chuckles, “California’s home but now I’m really gonna be able to travel on tour and stuff.”

Faye smiles with a nod, “I feel the same way. I always knew I’d come back.” She lets out a soft breath, “Do you wanna get a drink sometime when you are in LA? I’m sure you are busy with everything but I do think I owe you for all of this.”

He smiles, “Yeah, I’d like that.”

She bites her lower lip and smiles to herself, “Really? I mean if it’ll be weird I get that too.”

Eli laughs, “It’ll probably be weird, but that doesn’t mean I wouldn’t like to.”

Faye shakes her head and laughs, “Okay. Well, let me know then.”

He chuckles, “I’ll text you.”

She hums and raises her brows, “Or DM me, I’ll see it for sure.”

Eli laughs, “Well I am a verified account.”

Faye rolls her eyes and laughs, “Can’t believe you are the same shy guy who could barely talk to me.”

He grins, “Well if I didn’t know you then I wouldn’t be saying stuff like that.”

She laughs softly and shrugs, “No, it’s good. I’m happy you are confident in your success. You deserve it.”

Eli smiles, “Thanks, Faye.”

Faye nods her head before she hums, “Okay. Tell me what songs to not listen to. I’ve only listened to two.”

His brows raise and he laughs. “What do you mean?”

She laughs and shrugs, “I mean which of your songs are about me? Or about me and will make me mad or sad.”

Eli laughs, “most have a piece of you in them. Not all of them will cause such a visceral reaction.”

Faye hums thoughtfully and teases, “Well, I must’ve done a number on you.”

He chuckles, “These songs are from years ago, it’s just that they’re good so I couldn’t let them go. I’ve moved on from the feelings that causes them.”

She nods her head with a laugh, “Of course. It’s been a long time, we’ve both moved on. It’s not like I expected you to be pining after me, I guess I was just surprised that you weren’t writing about someone or something else.”

Eli hums, “There are songs not about you at all.”

Faye raises her brows and laughs, “Okay those I wanna listen to.”

He chuckles, “I’ll text them to you.”

She nods with a small smile, “Thank you. I’ll give them a listen.”

Eli grins, “Okay.”

Faye laughs softly and repeats after him, “Okay.”

He grins, “I’ll let you go and enjoy the rest of your night. Sorry for all the jealous fans you inadvertently sicked upon yourself.”

She rolls her eyes with a laugh, “Thanks. It’s my own fault anyways.”

Eli laughs softly, "Good luck."

Faye nods with a smile, “Thanks. You too, I mean I’m sorry again for all of this.”

He smiles, "All's forgiven."

She hums softly and nods, “Okay..good. Well, I’m sure you are busy so good luck with everything.”

Eli smiles, "Good luck to you too. And hey, now you have my number so you can warn me when you write about me next."

Faye laughs and shakes her head, “I’ll stick to my articles about the dudes at the bar.”

He playfully sighs, "If you insist."

She hums and shrugs one shoulder, “Maybe when you win a Grammy. I can see the title now: How To Cope With An Award-Winning Ex Boyfriend When You Are A Bartender.”

Eli jokingly groans and laughs, rolling his eyes, “that’s a mouthful.”

Faye laughs and shakes her head, “It’ll go viral though.”

He laughs, “that’s definitely true.”

She smiles and shrugs one shoulder, “I don’t even know how to follow up this one anyways. My comment section is going to be interesting for a while.”

Eli smiles, “you can say we talked if you need to.”

Faye lets out a soft breath and shrugs, “I don’t really know yet. May just let it stay a theory and pretend like it didn’t happen.”

He laughs softly, “that works too.”

She laughs and shakes her head, “It’ll be old news soon enough anyways.”

Eli chuckles, “hopefully.0

Faye nods with a small smile, “Yeah, hopefully. Well..I can let you go and try not get you into anymore trouble.”

He smiles, “trying is all I can ask for.”

She laughs softly and shakes her head, “Have a good rest of your night, Eli Hudson.”

Eli grins a little, "You too, Faye."

Faye smiles softly and nods, “Thank you.”

He hums and nods, “you’re welcome. Bye..”

She nods again, “Bye..” Faye wait a beat before hitting the end call.