#yeah I hurt myself with this one chief

[buff-muffin]

I’m just. Just thinking about how the ASL brothers might have different feelings on Dadan and her hut.

Like for starters Ace. Dadan is the woman who raised him though let’s be real he probably heard every step of the way how she never wanted to, how he was a burden on her. That piled on with the whole Roger’s offspring never should have existed, probably never made for a good pairing. But the funny thing with children is. A part of them, especially when young and developing want to make their caretaker happy and so. Maybe that’s why Ace was so independent from a young age. Being out of the house and caring for yourself meant he wouldn’t be a burden. Meaning Dadan would be happy. Though being alone also means he doesn’t have to listen to her or the others talk behind his back either.

Then after the fires. I think it clicked in his and her head of what they mean to each other. After all. Dadan says these horrible things about him yet she saves him from the fire and Bluejam pirates. He’s heard her say all this terrible things since he could remember and he patches up and care for her wounds carrying her home. I think after the fires. Ace really registers that Dadan is safe. And that’s why after Sabo left he and Luffy didn’t build their forts far in the privacy of the forest but right at her side. Because she’s safe.

Then there’s Luffy. Unlike Ace, Luffy to some degree had a stabile home growing up with Makino. Yes the girl was busy and yes she never had time for Luffy. But her bar was always open to him and she would always be there caring for him. Luffy knew what security was. And he also knew security came in all shapes and sizes. After all the red haired pirates were scrappy drunkards that would pester, tease, bully and heckle him any chance they got. But they cared for Luffy and he knew it. Shanks lost his arm for Luffy to keep him safe. So the bandits behaviour probably never threw him off. But the fact they were BANDITS did. You can’t blame him. His first traumatic experience that was a big part in the shaping of his childhood was caused by bandits.

But every day he came home battered, beaten, muddied, bruised. And just like Makino they would al patch him up. And just like Shank’s crew, would tease torment and bully him. Luffy knew they were safe from day one, and really he probably doesn’t think of her as a mother but she is still definitely family. She when he left on his journey. The fact they were bandits to him just meant they weren’t as cool as pirates. But she was still the best damn bandit in the world.

And finally Sabo. He actually has very little interaction with Dadan throughout the whole flashback besides farting while she talks and sharing a meal. But honestly that quick ease around her made me think. For someone who had such shitty absentee parents and then raised himself on the streets for at least months maybe even years. He was so… trusting? Sure he’s ten, and ten year olds aren’t really that suspecting of the world yet. But of someone of the background, it strikes me as odd.

Do you think he had heard about Dadan from Ace? Like come on, preteens be preteens. Surly Ace has arrived whining about Dadan and her bandits and to Sabo, tales of fighting for each meal. Being literally thrown into a bath tub and her screeching at other bandits and things probably sounds crazy, surreal, like a dream. He’d never say he’s jealous of Ace. After all he knows Dadan isn’t the best but a ‘family’ that talks to you must have sounded amazing. Sabo fit right in at Dadan’s hut because this was the family he had always wanted. And even if for a little while he got to treasure.

[https-furina]

okay okay so, since im already on the angst train and i want to hurt myself today, hear me out:

you and your lover are out doing wtv and you're ambushed and then, naturally, you guys fight the enemies right?

okay so you get hurt and youre losing a lot of blood and your lover realizes this and is completely heartbroken bc you dont have much time, the wound is deep

so um yeah the reader dies in their lover's arms basically, with albedo, heizou, kazuha, wanderer, xiao and kaeya

theres so many characters im curious abt so please take your time mwah

(ps: i will not pay anyone's therapy okay i need it myself, my condolaences for hurting you)

✎ i wasn't ready to say goodbye [various men - part one]

ft. albedo, aether, heizou, kazuha, wanderer, xiao & kaeya x fem!reader

content: do i need to say angst? i'm so sorry. major death + blood warnings. implied that reader can handle a weapon in most of them - unspecified if reader is a vision holder. hurt with absolutely no comfort. semi-spoilers for scaramouche/wanderer's story (end of the sumeru archon quests.)

notes: we added aether last second in the discord bc we summoned aki ( @kazumist - aly wanted you tagged ) some of them are awful and ooc i'm so sorry - officially managed this in just over 24 hours!

albedo treasures you more than he cares to admit verbally. it shows in all of his acts of love through physical means, lingering touches and making sure you're warm whenever you visit him on dragonspine. he hates you visiting him as much as he loves you - it's merely because it puts you in extreme danger every time. there's the temperatures, the wildlife, the lack of oxygen and of course, there's the monsters lurking around every corner of the inhabited mountain.

as the chief alchemist for the knights of favonius, there's always a warrant for albedo's life one way or another. the fatui are eager to stop his research - or steal it, maybe both.

there's a silence except for the howling winds that circle the snowy mountain. you're struggling to breathe, to get the sharp air into your lungs as you lowered your sword slowly. not far away, your boyfriend is finishing off the final fatui soldier, blood splattering onto his sleeve before he turns to face you. is it just you or does albedo look even more beautiful right now? you furrow your brows in confusion. albedo looks like he's seen a ghost, colour flushing from his face when he rushes forward. your knees give way under you and he barely manages to catch you in his arms, kneeling as he lets you lay against him. "bedo, love?" you mumble, unsure as to what's happening. you can hear the roar of your blood in your ears, your heart is beating whilst the adrenaline still pumps through your body. albedo hushes you softly, pupils dilated when he looks at your wound. "h-how do you feel?" his voice cracks when he asks the question, a gloved hand applying pressure to your side. you wince, the adrenaline is starting to fade and you feel faint. there's a cold sweat glistening on your forehead when you look down at where albedo's hand is, seeing the blood seep through your clothing. it's albedo's turn to watch your expression drop, your world starting to spin and mix together when the adrenaline is gone and you're aware of what happened. it feels as if there's a lump in your throat but when you try to cough it up, only blood spills in a small trickle out of your mouth. "love-" there's another cough, the blood is running down your jaw as albedo's hands start to shake. he has no means of saving you out here, you're nowhere near camp and he can't leave you here while he gets help, "i want to go home..." your voice is weak, trailing off and albedo isn't sure if he should let the tears brinking his ocean coloured eyes fall as your breaths become raspy. chapped lips open and close, trying to find the words to reply to you but all he can muster is a weak "we're going home, dear" when your chest ceases to rise again. his breathing is jagged, clutching you close to him as if you’ll disappear for good when he lets go.

aether clings to you like ivy to a brick building. you give him hope in this search for his twin sister - one he's beginning to think is failing, day by day. you reassure him, that bright smile and sparkling eyes setting him on the right path. he's certain he would have gave up ages ago if it wasn't for you. but aether realises that he is constantly in danger. you love to adventure with, crossing the rolling hills of mondstadt and gawking at the grand mountain peaks of liyue that pierce through clouds.

it was only so long before he faced the repercussions for so willingly letting you travel with him, tearing his hope away in the blink of an eye.

"a-aether?" your voice is wavering, aether is confused. you've been travelling with him for so long now, what could possibly have scared you about some hilichurls? but he turns to face you, blade at the ready - ready to protect you. his eyes fall on the arrow lodged in your chest, your eyes wide in fear as you stare at him in panic. it was already too late to protect you, he'd failed himself. aether drops the sword in his hand, paying no mind to how it clutters on the gravel below you both when he's rushing forward to ease you to the ground. you're stable - awake but for how long? you're in shock, it's going to fade and you'll succumb to the blood reddening your attire. aether swears lightly under his breath, unable to look you in the eyes out of pure guilt; this was his fault, he hadn't protected you. now not only had he lost his sister, he'd lost his partner too. "it hurts to breathe," you mumble, your eyelashes are fluttering gently. the sun behind aether is starting to burn at your eyes, "aether why are you crying?" the blond isn't even aware of the salty tears that glisten in the sunlight when they roll down his cheeks, dripping off his jaw and onto your shoulder where aether has laid your head onto his lap. it's comfortable, just as it always is. on days where you needed a break from walking, aether would often let you lay like this under a nearby tree. the thought makes aether choke out a sob. you smile sadly. "you can't leave me too," your hand cups his cheek, thumb weakly stroking at the tearstained skin when he hiccups, "no, this isn't fair." there isn't civilisation for days and he can't keep the arrow lodged in your chest nor does he have the means of stopping the blood if he pulls it out. aether is at a loss, unable to do anything while he watches the damage done to you internally take you from him beneath his own hands. "hey, you'll find her." you sound so certain, just as you always do and aether watches that positive spark die from your eyes when your breaths turn to rasps and he finds himself yelling at your body - at the sky, at anybody! he yells and yells, hoping someone listens to his cries for you to wake up. wake up, please.

heizou believes that of all the cases he's cracked, you're his favourite. he's read every line written into your skin as you age, the blemishes that litter your body and tell tales untold. you were his favourite mystery but now he had you like a stained glass window, beautiful and on display. although as a detective, heizou has destroyed many more lives than he is keen to admit. his suspects have families - lives, presumably before he has them in jail or worse, life sentence.

their families are hurt, angrily in denial that their own blood could commit such vile atrocities. heizou took something precious from them, what was stopping them from doing the same to him in an act of revenge?

heizou is more than used to his routine of coming home to you, being able to drown in the comfort of your arms after a long day of work. he's disturbed by the front door being open but albeit it's the peak of summer in inazuma, the humidity is drowning you, especially if you're not native to the islands. you're not quick to greet them when he steps in however, in fact he can't even see you. the house is untouched but the silence is deafening. "i'm home," heizou calls out, brows knitting together when he doesn't hear you chime his name back excitedly, "love?" the silence is killing heizou, it's unlike you at all but then he hears it, the meek sound of you calling his name out back. it sounds like you're in the bedroom and with a relieved smile, heizou finds himself heading to find you. but verdant eyes fall on the red smeared on the walls, staining the bedsheets and pooling around you. the relief is gone and his body is tense with dread as he drops the case files he'd been holding, quick to kneel with you and hug you close when you reach for him. "what happened?" his voice is panicked, he's barely breathing when he feels your blood soak through his clothes. he's searching you for your wound, shaking, "love, answer me." your chapped lips open but nothing seems to come out, you feel cold to the touch and all you can do is stare up at heizou. you knew the moment you was attacked that this was it for you but your biggest fear wasn't death, it was heizou. it was your witty detective, keen and full of intuition that he prides himself in; it was whether you'd see him one last time before your heart put in its final beat. heizou doesn't take your inability to speak lightly, letting out a flurry of curses that makes your brows furrow in distaste. you wasn't fond of him swearing when he got stressed but as you watch a tear fall down his cheek, you know you can't argue about his tongue anymore. he has every right to be mad when your bloody hand reaches up for him, the warm palm of his hand quick to grab your hand and coat his fingers. "i love you," you mumble, raspy and heizou is quick to shake his head - conserve your energy, "don't cry please." "you're not allowed to leave me," he chokes out, his lower lip tugged between his lips as his spare hand presses on your wound to try stop the bleeding. you wince but heizou doesn't lighten the pressure in fear, "i'll find who did this." your lips curl up at his words and heizou leans to press a kiss to your forehead, which is clammy and covered in a light sheen. by the time he pulls away, he's the only one left breathing in the room. heizou's shaking hands cup your cheeks, eyes darting around the room when he doesn't quite know what to do. he's used to this - the blood, the smell, the touch of a lifeless body but not when it's you. not when it's the love of his life. he wails in anguish, the taste in his mouth bitter when he swears revenge on whoever took you from him.

kazuha took his time warming up to you when you first met. you didn't blame him, you'd heard the tale of his late friend from captain beidou when you first came onboard the alcor. but your patience with him warmed his heart quicker than expected, leaving you inseparable as you travelled with the crew. even on land, kazuha was joined to your hip. he claimed he was there to protect you and that excuse expanded tenfold when you started dating.

he should have never taken his eyes off you, simply searching for firewood shouldn't have consequences like this.

when the last treasure hoarder falls limp to the dusty ground, kazuha finds himself enveloping you in his arms, eyes frantically scanning your face for signs of pain. you're unresponsive, eyelashes shut but your breathing is shallow while your body fights the unexpected blood loss. "fuck," he whispers, much out of his comfort zone when he's trying to find exactly where your wound is. your blood is staining his skin, getting under his nails where it'll haunt and remind him of what happened for weeks, "y/n? love?" your brows knit as if you can hear him but he's unsure if you're just reacting to the pain. your body is most likely in shock and kazuha is running out of time before the shock fades and you're left in excruciating pain until your last breath. the thought makes kazuha feel sick. he was gone for at least ten minutes, how did he lose you so quickly? he shouldn't have told you to stay at camp by yourself. you'd offered to go with him but kazuha trusted you'd be safe without him, even just for a few minutes. his face turns sour at his own thoughts. how foolish had he been to think you'd have been safe without him? "i-i love you," he stutters out, voice cracking as he presses a kiss to your head, burying his nose in your hair when he tries to blanket himself in your scent - begging to the archons that he'll wake up in bed, "come on, let's go back to the alcor, beidou will get help." he's speaking to you in the softest of tones, his voice hushed as to not disturb the silence of the countryside - or attract more unwanted attention. carefully, kazuha raises himself to his feet with you in his arms. he sees tomo in you for a moment, forcing himself to swallow when there's a suffocating lump in his throat. by the time kazuha has stumbled back to the alcor, beidou rushing over with her face void of colour, your heart is no longer thudding against your ribcage. kazuha will never again hear your heartbeat when he lays his head on your chest or feel your pulse in your wrist when he grabs hold of you.

wanderer figured it was foolish to fall in love after all he'd gone through. what was love when you've been betrayed so many times before? when the archons have so harshly ripped the ones you love away from you? he likes to scowl and shun the premise of love until he met you, an adventurer from the guild assisting in vahumana darshan commissions. you would stubbornly strike conversations up with him, following him as he walked away until he finally caved and would reply.

was it foolish to fall in love or rather was it foolish to place his fragile trust back in the hands of the archons?

his ears are ringing, was mawtiyima forest always this loud? no, it's not even loud - it's silent. the silence is buzzing in his ears, driving him insane as he watches you cough blood onto the dirt. you'd been tasked with clearing out the treasure hoarder camp within the glowing forest - but wanderer isn't stupid. to let you do that alone? he'd be a mad man. but now he isn't too sure if he should have tagged along. would it have hurt him less to find out you'd passed away out on a commission through the guild? or is it hurting less to watch as you splatter that precious red that you humans rely on all over the ground? wanderer finds himself barely able to utter a word. that's rare, he usually has something to say in that stark, rude tone he never explicitly dropped. it made him cold, it stopped people approaching and getting close. why didn't it work against you? "w-why are you looking at me like that?" you croak out, pupils dilated and staring at him in concern. he's as pale as the snow on dragonspine but the tip of his nose is a pink hue as tears well up and sting at his widened eyes. he's not crying, he refuses to cry - he puts it down to not having blinked for a while. so he blinks but you're still hunched over, impaled by a polearm before him. he finally moves forward, kneeling carefully to the side of you as you let out a choked sob, your hands gripping his cold ones tight in yours. he's confused, what did he do to deserve it this time? he didn't ask for this existence in the first place. cursing under his breath, his eyes land on your sword on the floor. it's worn, getting dull and wanderer questions if you was unable to protect yourself properly. no. he didn't protect you properly and the archons saw an opportunity, another jab at his curse of an existence. his eyes dart between you and the blade, then the polearm that isn't welcome where it is. you wince, hiccuping as you wail into the silence of mawtiyima forest. your vision is falling hazy in between the blur of your tears and you're struggling to keep your eyes on your boyfriend's familiar face. "no, no, no - don't go," wanderer panics. it's the first thing he's said since he offered to join you on this commission, "don't leave me, not you too." you let out a sad laugh, coughing blood once more as your breaths get shorter with every one you take. wanderer feels sick, the tears are falling down his cheeks and he can't deny them anymore. there's a last breath, raspy and suffocating before your body falls forward into his arms, limp like a doll. wanderer screams out into the night, hands clutching at the guild's uniform you would proudly wear. how many more times was he going to witness someone getting hastily robbed from him?

xiao keeps his distance, even as your beloved boyfriend that you struggle to be away from for extended periods. you were stubborn, believing he didn't have to succumb to his karma as an adeptus. no matter how much he would shuffle away, he could guarantee you would shuffle after him until he no longer moved away. you still gave him his space - you knew you could find him at wangshu inn.

or if you really needed him, in the midst of the night for a multitude of reasons, you could say his name.

there's a lump in xiao's throat, what the fuck happened? one moment he knows he hears your hurried screams of his name, there's a shrill panic in your tone and he's alert in seconds. he thought you was perhaps in danger but when golden eyes see how you're leaning back on a tree, blood soaking your shirt - and your blade, he realises the danger is gone. and in all of your stubbornness, you had defeated the danger alone but put your life on the line as a result. you smile at him weakly, his footsteps silent as he rushes over to your side. "i got it, don't worry, love." you sigh, tilting your head back on the bark. xiao scowls, you're losing consciousness from the blood now, it's starting to pool beneath you and run down the cracks of the bark behind you. this isn't a minor injury and yet you hadn't called for him sooner? "we need to get you out of here - morax- zhongli- he can help," he barely breathes in between his words, swallowing at the tight feeling in his throat when your eyes are closing, "keep your eyes open, please." his beg falls short of no one's ears other than his own and the stars above. xiao stops breathing himself, holding his breath when he hurries to press the pads of his fingers to your neck, your wrist, anywhere he can try find a pulse. but there's nothing, your body is still warm and xiao pulls you flush to his chest when tears begin to fall down his cheeks. "keep.. them open. please." he repeats in a whisper, nudging his nose against your head as he buries his face into your hair. he's begging in hushed whispers, words disappearing into the strands of your hair in silent prayers.

kaeya was the one who chased you first, lisa's darling library assistant. he'd never spent so much time in the library in his life, other than crepus' own library at the winery but he wasn't much fond of that collection. he isn't much fond of the knights' collection either, reading the same book every day. jean occasionally entrusts you to handle matters in the valleys of mondstadt, to which kaeya is quick to always interfere and say that he'll go with you.

history will always repeat itself until the lesson is learned and an innocent soul has to face the reality.

thunder booms over head, followed by a distant crack of lightning that illuminates the dark sky above mondstadt. kaeya is stood, motionless as he looks at you. his eyes are distant, there's a vacant look about him when the blood is running down your bare legs and mixing with the rain. you're both soaked but your clothes are staining red where a mitachurl's axe caught you in the side. the blood is coming quick and heavy, there isn't time for kaeya to get you back to the city. this scene is familiar when you fall to your knees in the mud, hands holding at your side for pressure. suddenly, your hair is a bright shade of red. is kaeya about to stand and do nothing for a second time, when history is repeating himself right in front of his very own eyes? he swallows but it's difficult, rushing to your side. you're losing consciousness but your eyes are scanning his face. the sun kissed skin, the worn leather eyepatch and his messy blue ponytail that now looks like waterfalls cascading around his face. you smile at the thought. you should visit the waterfalls of mondstadt when the weather picks up so you can gawk at them. "baby?" it comes out of his mouth, barely audible above the rain, "say something - are you okay?" you almost throw back a playful retort but your vision is darkening around the edges and you're grasping to what sight you have left to look at kaeya. your vision blurs when tears threaten to spill - are you scared? you open your mouth to speak but nothing comes out. kaeya's gloved hands cup your face, pressing his forehead against yours. "stay with me, love, i can't lose you," kaeya's frantic and his words are jumbling when he panics, "we'll stop the bleeding and take you to sister barbara-" kaeya pauses when he notices you haven't blinked despite the rain falling onto your face when he pulls his forehead away. there's a distant look in your eyes, the light has faded and he can't feel the hot, struggled breaths you was taking against his skin anymore. a flurry of angered swears leave his lips and he's careful when he carries you bridal style to the dawn winery. it's the first place he thinks to take you, back to his brother who can't bear to see kaeya stood in the rain again with blood drenching his clothes from the long walk to the winery's front door.

© https-heizou 2023.

[janeyseymour]

Fire in My Heart (Repost due to mistake)

Anon asked for a mel x firefighter!reader, and I posted, but didn't realize I left out the end of it, so... repost!

Summary: There's an incident at Abbott, and you and your crew come to the rescue.

WC: ~3.4k

The two of you always joke about how ridiculous it is that you actually managed to find each other. Growing up, you had almost always had a crush on your teachers- particularly the ones with red hair. And for Melissa, she was absolutely fascinated with anything that had to do with firefighting as a little girl- it felt like it was in her blood to do something that had to do with fighting fire. 

You nudge her. So maybe she wasn’t doing something that had to do with fighting fire... but she was doing someone who fought fires for a living. She teases you right back.

“I’m sorry Ms. ‘I had a crush on all of my female teachers’.”

“Correction: I had a crush on most of my female teachers,” you tell her. Then you playfully shudder. “No one could’ve had a crush on Ms. Adams.”

“Okay, sorry,” Melissa rolls her eyes as she continues to pack your meals for your shift at the station. “I’m sorry Ms. ‘I had a crush on most of my female teachers.”

You shrug. “Eh, it worked in my favor. I got the hottest redheaded second grade teacher t’go out with me,” you grin as you wrap your arms around her waist. 

“Hell yeah it did,” she chuckles as she turns over in your arms to face you. “You got yourself a Philly eleven, and I got myself a Philly twelve. We’re the hottest couple in this city.”

You pat her backside as you realize you have to let her go. “Alright, babe. I’ll be home later tonight. Don’t start any Schemmenti style fires now?”

“I can’t make any promises, an’ you know that,” your girlfriend grumbles. “I swear, if Janine says one more thing about the stupid book fair, I’ll-”

“You’ll call your girlfriend and rant to her instead of bludgeoning the poor woman with a

copy of Peter Rabbit or lighting something on fire,” you tell her seriously. “Jesus, how did I end up dating someone from an arsonist family?”

“And that worked out in my favor,” Melissa wears a smirk on her face. “We Schemmenti’s can start the fires, but no one expects the chief’s family to be the ones starting them.”

“Please tell me that isn’t why you’re dating me,” you roll your eyes as she hands you your lunch bag.

“It’s not,” she promises you before adding on. “But it don’t hurt.”

You chuckle before picking up the rest of your bags. “Don’t start any fires that make my department have to come out to rescue you today.”

“That’s never happened,” Melissa retorts.

“Don’t let today be the first!” you call as you reach for the door. “I’ll see you later tonight, I love you!”

You can’t believe you have to go respond to a call from Abbott Elementary. As you’re driving, you have half a mind to call your girlfriend. She answers on the first ring.

“Melissa Ann Schemmenti, this fire that I’m responding to better not be because of-”

“It wasn’t me,” the second grade teacher tells you. She pulls away from the phone just slightly to scold a student for getting out of line. “Maya, this is a real fire! This is not a drill! Stop doing the Gritty!”

“Is everyone out of the building?” you grit out as you drive just the slightest bit faster.

The teacher looks around at all of the teachers holding up green pieces of paper. “Yes. And when you get here, don’t even bother looking for-” your phone clicks off. You assume a coworker of hers had come up to her, and no one knew that the two of you were dating.

As you pull up to the building, it’s clear that whatever set the alarm off isn’t too big of a deal. Still, you and your crew go in to survey the area. You know Melissa’s room number, and you immediately head in that direction, barking out orders to your coworkers as you go.

Melissa’s room looks perfect. It’s so... her. It’s filled with various signed sports gear and merchandise, but it also is flooded with pictures and drawings from the kids, and you can clearly see the bulletin board that displays different school projects they’ve completed. You nearly swoon.

You do a quick lap as you continue to make sure she didn’t somehow secretly start this fire. You stop at her desk when you see just the smallest corner of something sticking out from underneath her mousepad. You have to make sure it’s not any sort of evidence, so you lift her mousepad. Underneath, there’s a picture of the two of you. You do swoon at this. Even though neither of you are out, she still has a reminder of the two of you with her at all times.

“Oh, Mel,” you whisper, a smile appearing on your face. You quickly pull yourself together and continue on. You don’t see anything else that would make anybody suspicious of the Italian teacher, so you continue to the next rooms.

Janine’s room is quite the opposite of Melissa’s. You can’t explain why because she too has some memorabilia from sporting events in Philly, but-

“Hey, Y/N,” one of your men comes down the hall holding up a burnt shawl and a candle. “It looks like we found the culprit of this mess. Just a small little thing really in the teacher’s lounge.”

You release a breath you didn’t know you were holding. You were fairly certain your girlfriend hadn’t caused the fire... but now it was confirmed that you wouldn’t have to be bailing her out of jail today.

With a nod, you exit the building and tell everybody it’s safe to go back inside. Melissa is all grins when she sees you, but you remain professional. And she’s able to play it off that she’s beyond excited that they brought a tractor drawn aerial. 

She makes her way over to you. “Can I bring the kids out to look at the-”

You roll your eyes and nod. “But I can only stall for so long before the boys will start to catch on.”

Your girlfriend practically sprints away, giggling with glee, as she goes inside to retrieve her kiddos. 

When she brings out her students, you have to pretend like you’re annoyed that she’s wasting your time. 

“Ma’am,” you say. “We really do have to get-”

“Ain’t you the one who’s doin’ the fire safety meeting for the teachers later today anyway?” she challenges you, fully knowing you are.

You sigh. “Yes, ma’am.”

“Then you can stick around.” You don’t miss the wink and the licking of her lips. She finds you irresistible in your uniform.

While the kids are at lunch and recess, you have to hold the fire safety meeting. And Melissa is as brash as ever. You unfortunately have to ban open fires, and this sets off Barbara.

As Melissa runs out of the room, she gives you a look that asks for silent forgiveness, and you nod. You know she has to go check up on her best friend, and you need to continue your meeting.

After Barbara admits that she’s been dealing with Gerald’s health scare and the candle was 100% an accident, Melissa feels terrible. But she knows how she might be able to turn Barb’s mood around.

“I think I might have a roundabout way of getting you to be able to keep lighting your candles,” the redhead smirks.

“What do you- you heard the chief: no more open flames.”

“I can call in a favor,” Melissa nudges her. “I’m sure the chief can do something special for her girlfriend.”

The kindergarten teacher’s eyes go wide. “For her- her girl- Melissa Ann Schemmenti, how long have you kept this from me?!”

“I wasn’t keepin’ nothin’ from you,” your girlfriend laughs. “Ya never asked, so I never had to tell.”

“Oh, girl,” Barb howls. “You have some nerve, not telling me. I’m gonna need more details.”

“Maybe later,” Melissa rolls her eyes. “None of youse know, and none of her department knows we’ve been dating for the last three years and living together for the last year and a half.”

The kindergarten teacher looks at her best friend incredulously. “I’ve been to your house!”

“She’s always on shift, and we don’t have many printed pictures together; just digital copies,” the redhead shrugs. “Now c’mon. I have to convince my girlfriend to let my best friend continue to have candles. And then I gotta get my kids back outside to play on the truck.”

“Haven’t they been playing on the truck all day?”

“No,” she admits with a laugh. “That was my time. Now it’s theirs while I flirt with my girlfriend.”

“Miss fire chief?” Melissa asks all too innocently as the kids explore and play on your truck.

“Yes ma’am?” you reply, committed to your work persona of badass fire chief.

She glances around. Your coworkers are distracted with the kids, so she pulls herself slightly closer to you. “You think I can call in a favor?”

“And that would be?”

“Let Barb light her candles in exchange for her not killing me for not telling her about you?” Melissa asks hopefully. 

You hazard a glance at her. “Melissa.”

“I also need your help putting out my fire,” she says coyly as she daringly grabs your thigh. “Seeing you in uniform is... wow, babe.” She knows you’ll say yes now.

“Fine,” you groan. “But if this happens again, it’s on you. You hear me?”

“Yes, chief,” the teacher grins and mock salutes you. She stands next to you for a few more minutes before she has to call her kids back into the building for dismissal.

“Alright my little eagles, everybody say thank you to the firefighters!” Melissa grins. Her students do as she asks before they all head back in. She mouths a ‘thank you, love you’ to you while everyone else is preoccupied.

As you and your coworkers are heading back to the station, you hear one of them mention that ‘that redheaded teacher was a smokeshow’. You grip the wheel just a bit tighter. You almost say something right there, but you let them go. They’re right. Your girlfriend is a smokeshow, and she sure as hell knows it. They only continue making comments about her though, and suddenly you aren’t so happy.

One of the boys starts making rather vulgar comments, and-

“Oi,” you call from the front. “Will y’quit havin’ fantasies about my girlfriend?”

All of their eyes snap to you. “W-what, chief?”

“Stop thinking about my girlfriend like that,” you tell them again. “Or we’s gonna have a bigger problem than some little candle fire.”

“She’s your girlfriend?”

“Yeah, she is,” you huff. “Melissa. She’s a Schemmenti, and she’s mine. So any thoughts you have or had about her, clear your brains out, or I’ll have your asses. Are we clear?”

“Yes, ma’am,” they all mutter, heads down. Some of their cheeks are red.

“Wait a minute,” one of the younger firemen catches on. “Is she the one who made the ziti you brought to our Christmas party last year?” You nod. “Do you think she could make it again? That shit was off the charts. But, uh... only if she’s got time. Don’t wanna pressure her.”

“I’ll see what I can do,” you laugh. “She’s been pretty busy lately, teaching two grades. But maybe I can convince her to bring a couple trays of food down for all youse.”

Unbeknownst to you, Melissa finds herself in the same situation as you while everyone is gathering their things to leave.

“That woman was... wow,” a few of the other teachers say, and Melissa hears. She takes a deep breath. They’re allowed to say you’re pretty- they don’t know you two are dating. They start to take it to the next degree, and the redhead’s face is almost as red as her hair. Still, she tries not to overreact. She promised you she wouldn’t be the reason Abbott burnt to the ground. And then one of the fifth grade teachers says something so filthy about you that-

“Barb! Lemme go!” Melissa tries to fight her way out of her best friend’s arms, and Gregory and Ava are also quick to hold your girlfriend back. “He’s gotta know he doesn’t got any reason to talk about a woman like that! Much less, my woman!”

She doesn’t even realize what she’s said- she has no idea that she’s admitted to dating you. But everyone else heard her. They all freeze, all except Barb. Barb continues to try to hold Melissa back.

“Woah!” the fifth grade teacher surrenders. He puts his hands up, terrified of the redhead right now. “She’s your girlfriend?”

“She is, and you don’t get to think about her that way, much less speak about her like that,” Melissa grits out. “You even think about her again, and I swear to God, my foot will be so far up your-”

“Melissa!” the kindergarten teacher scolds.

She fixes her shirt as she huffs and pulls away. She storms out of the room, only to be followed by her usual crew.

“So... you’re dating the firechief?” Gregory asks as they exit the building. At Melissa’s nod, he says quietly, “That’s pretty cool. No wonder you know so much about the trucks.”

“Nah, I knew all that before I met Y/N. She just happened to be a firefighter when we met. Been promoted since, obviously.”

“That’s really nice, Melissa!” Janine grins. “So, when do we get to meet her?”

“Y’already met her,” the second grade teacher rolls her eyes and starts to head for her car.

“No, but like... really meet her?”

“We’re busy that day,” Melissa tells Janine. 

“I- I didn’t even give you a day,” the younger teacher looks hurt. 

“Regardless,” the redhead sighs. “She’s pretty busy. I’ll talk to her tonight when she gets home and see what we can-”

“You two live together?!” Jacob exclaims. 

“Have been,” your girlfriend snorts. “It ain’t news.”

“This is news to us though, Melissa!” Barbara chides her friend. “Even I didn’t know about Y/N! You pulled a Jacob on us!”

“Like I told you before, Barb, youse never asked. I’ll talk to her tonight and see if there’s a day we can have you all over, okay? Ya happy?”

“Delighted,” the kindergarten teacher smiles. “Alright, I have to get home to Gerald, but I will see all of you tomorrow.”

The rest of your day is rather uneventful, and the end of your shift couldn’t come soon enough. You know Melissa was all worked up seeing you in your uniform and having to be a hardass- something entirely different from what she sees at home. 

“Alright boys, I’m heading out for the day,” you tell your subordinates. “Don’t do anything where I would need to be called back in.”

As you’re just about to close the door, one of the men calls your name out. “Don’t forget to ask your woman if she’ll make us her ziti.”

When you walk into your house, Melissa is curled up on the couch, a glass of wine in hand. Her glasses are on the tip of her nose as she grades some of their writing.

“Hey, babe,” you smile as you make your way over, leaning down to kiss her. She tastes like wine, and it makes your head spin.

“Hey, yourself,” she says as her attention is back on her papers. Although she has changed her position so you can sit with her. “Your food is in the microwave, and your glass of wine is in the fridge.”

“Thanks,” you grin tiredly as you head to grab your food and drink. By the time you settle on the couch with Melissa, she’s already put her papers away.

“You didn’t have to put those away,” you tell her as you dig in. Funnily enough, you’re eating ziti tonight.

“I can grade during my prep tomorrow,” the teacher waves you off. “I just wanna look at you right now. Talk to you.”

Your heart practically melts. “Well, I pretty much know how your day went,” you tease her. “Harassed the firefighters all day to play on their truck. Anything interesting happen after I left? Is Barb okay?”

“Barb is fine,” Melissa assures you. She almost tells you that she told her coworkers about the two of you. But she doesn’t. “Did anything else happen after you left today?”

“Nothin that I had to go out for,” you tell her. “Although, the boys and I did have a pretty serious chat today.”

“Oh?” You can see her interest is piqued. “About new equipment?”

“About how they needed to stop thirsting over my girlfriend,” you say smugly. 

Her eyebrows shoot up. “Oh?” she breaks out into a grin. “I still got it.”

“You do,” you chuckle quietly as you lean into her. “And after I made it very clear that you were mine, and I’d have their asses if they made another vulgar comment about you... Jake, one of the newer kids, very sweetly asked if you could consider making another tray of ziti for them. I guess that reminded them all how much they loved your ziti because Vince mentioned it again on my way out.”

“Just take some of the leftovers in with you tomorrow,” your girlfriend laughs. “I’ll make another tray over the weekend too.”

“They’re all gonna be trying to steal you from me even more now,” you playfully pout. 

“‘N I’ll tell ‘em I only got eyes for my girl,” Melissa says sweetly as she presses a kiss to your temple. “For the fire chief. That I don’t go for the regular firefighters.”

“Should I remind you we started dating when I was just a ‘regular firefighter’?”

“But now you’re a firechief, and I won’t settle for less,” she grins. Then she gets the courage to tell you what she wanted to tell you earlier. “I guess we had a pretty similar conversation with our coworkers today about each other.”

You furrow your brows.

“One of the fifth grade teachers saw you today and was saying the filthiest things about what he would do to you if he could, and I almost lit his car on fire,” Melissa tells you.

“I told you I don’t want you committing arson for me,” you tease her. 

“Barb held me back, and I told the guy, I says, ‘you don’t get to think about her that way, much less speak about her like that,’ and then I told him if he did, my foot would be so far up his-” the redhead shakes her head. “That’s besides the point.”

You roll your eyes fondly. Of course she threatened the guy. “So everyone knows now.”

“Janine is already asking when they get to meet you,” Melissa sighs dramatically. “I told them we would find a day, but I also told her we’re always busy, so there’s really no pressure, hon.”

“I think it might be interesting to finally meet all of these people I’ve heard so much about,” you tell her. “We could have them over for a barbecue on Saturday?”

“That’s so soon though,” she grumbles. “And I just told you I would make a tray of ziti this weekend for your guys.”

“I think it would be nice, babe,” you try to convince her. “You can make the ziti Sunday, and- hopefully- it’s too last minute for some of them, so you’ll just end up with me and Barb anyway.”

“Okay, okay,” she says after a few beats. “I’ll tell ‘em tomorrow at lunch.”

Of course, they all show up to your house on Saturday. Of course they do. They’re thrilled to meet the woman who finally took Melissa Schemmenti off the market. 

Next

[fakescenarios-tohelpyousleep]

exile| aaron hotchner

summary| returning to her hometown, lehighton dawson's relationship with her unit chief gets revealed

"Are you being serious right now Aaron! I'm barely back on the team for a month and you're excluding me from cases?" I storm into the room as all eyes fall onto me, JJ was standing with the remote in hand reading the case information to the team while Garcia stumbles into the room behind me, failing her mission to make me late enough to miss the briefing. A mission which was set into motion upon the unit chief's request.

"I'm sorry sir, I tried-" "It's alright, Garcia."

After an abrupt resignation from the team about a year and a half ago, for reasons much unknown to my teammates, I decided to return to Quantico and the life... and people i left behind. Straight out of college, at the ripe age of 23, I joined the team of experienced profilers. Experienced as they were, however, none of them could profile me from the second I stepped into the BAU... and it was wonderful. Even with our rules about not profiling each other, we still do. And it can be suffocating, at least I can only imagine. We spend enough time with each other as a group that they do not need to know every single thing about me and my personal life. Hell my personal life could've costed me my job.

From Rossi to Derek, all the way to unit chief Aaron Hotcher, the people who knew me better than myself at times, could not read me even after working together for years. Unintimidating as I might look, stood at roughly 5'5 with long mousy brown hair and blue eyes, Derek would even admit to being scared of me in one way or another. Everyone on the team had met a case that shook them to their core and caused them trauma, expect me... besides the case that caused me to leave the team.

It was no secret I had a good relationship with our unit chief, it became no secret the moment I joined Rossi and Strauss in being the only people who call him by his first name and not his last.

My 'power' as Garcia puts it, comes in handy in many ways in the world of my job. Unsubs can't tell if you're lying and the team could never profile my relationship with Aaron Hotchner.

Looking at the screen, like most times, it's a line up of women. Around the same age group, red heads and brunettes. Snatching the closest file, in this case it happens to be Spencer's, my eyes scan over the case and they land on one specific detail... the location. "You've gotta be kidding me-" I scoff, throwing the case file back onto the table in front of Spencer. "There is a serial killer in my hometown, where MY FAMILY lives and you thought the best thing would be to keep it from me?" "It's considered a conflict on interest." Aaron Hotchner says lying straight threw his teeth. "You shouldn't be talking to me about conflicts of interest Aaron." A gasp filled the room at the knife I just turned in the side of Aaron Hotchner. I knew it hurt, but I didn't care. He was being ridiculous.

"Hotch, maybe Leighton's right." Derek spoke, seeing the tension fill between his boss and coworker. "Yeah, she could give us inside information. She knows the area well and the people." Emily now joined in on my side. Hotch stood shaking his head. "Aaron I don't care what you say, I'm going on this case with or without your permission- Wheels up in 30." I speak, disrespect filling my voice. If I was any other agent, Aaron would've yelled and suspended me in a heartbeat. But I wasn't any other agent. I'm Leighton Dawson and he can't handle loosing me again.

__

"You know, for there being a killer on the loose and our very own Lehighton Dawson being from Acosta, we really know nothing about this town." Derek slyly speaks, sliding himself into the seat across from me on the jet. Spencer next to me and JJ across from him. Rossi and Hotch were both sat across the isle from us and Emily on the couch behind us, who soon joined on the arm rest besides Derek. I shrug, only glancing up from the file for a moment before returning to it.

“What do you want to know? It’s like every other small town on the east coast.” “What a description, what kind of trauma did it cause you for you to be talking about it like that?” Emily was joking and I knew it but I couldn’t help the death glare that I shot her way. Maybe it was my look that made her regret saying it, or perhaps it was the even harder glare Hotch was sending her as well. “It was a joke.” Emily quickly clarified, I nod at her apologetically. “I’m sorry, it’s just, I don’t like it there. It’s that simple.” I didn’t even need to glance at Aaron to know what his facial expression was. His jaw was set tight. He and only he knew my story and they made him angry. Despite the worse conditions he was raised in, the fact that I had smaller burdens still bother him in a way I can’t understand.

__

“Are you doing okay?” Aaron suddenly appears at my side, I’m standing staring into the room where Chrissy Langdon’s parents and 3 sisters were sitting. Chrissy and I had graduated together, we were friends and worked together, however, we ended our high school experience on bad terms. JJ was speaking to them after I already had. They were a mess. It was horrible to watch. After three days of being in Acosta and no clues, leads or anything, this was not what the team needed. This is not what I needed. “This is honestly one of the worst days of my entire life.” Aaron side eyes me in that moment, he knows that this day does not remotely make it to the top 10 of my worst list, but he understands what I’m trying to say. I must have looked so defeated at that moment. “I told you, you should've come.” “You know, as a bitter teenager, I wished this girl dead so many times-” Aaron’s face drops at my sudden confession. “Hell, I wished myself dead so that she felt some type of pain, but I never actually meant that you know?” From a body jerk, I could tell, he was about to reach out and place a hand of comfort on my shoulder, but he stopped himself, he didn’t want to cross a line.

__

“We will find whoever did this Lehighton.” Derek’s voice pulled me back into the moment. All eyes of the team were staring me down in my chair at the table. The noise of the restaurant was all I could focus on. “Is it bad that I honestly don’t care at this moment. I have nothing left to feel anymore.” Little did the rest of the team know, right before leaving for dinner Emily had to come into my hotel room and pick my sobbing, hyperventilating body off of the floor. “You’re tired, we’re all tired. Something will come up, I can feel it.” JJ added, trying to give a glimpse of hope to our seemingly hopeless team. “Lehighton Dawson?” My head snaps at the voice, Sierra Deacon and Lillian Ross. 2 girls I met in high school and followed through with me to college and both ended back in Acosta working as river guides and park rangers in the surrounding area. “Holy cow!” I jumped at the sight of them, they were comforting in this situation. Sierra was also friends with Chirssy in high school, I really needed her at this moment. My moment of peace came to a close as I opened my eyes while in the middle of a 3 way hug with them and the other guides they came into the restaurant with came into view. Carson White, my first ex-boyfriend. The one who made me finally decide to leave this town and never look back. “Carson?” My body fell lump in their arms and they both let go and allowed me to step back, defensively. “Hey Lehighton, how the hell are ya?” He reached forward for a hug, and my body snapped stiff as he touched me. I vowed to never let this man ever touch me again. Before I could process, Aaron was at my side while Derek was at the other and bless him, Spencer stood behind me. “Aaron Hotcher, unit chief.” “What he means, we work with Lehighton at the FBI, Derek Morgan.” Derek steps in. “Nice to meet you- Didn’t know you made it to the FBI.” “Funny what you could learn if you don’t block people.” Sierra speaks under her breath and I can’t help but laugh very loudly at the uncomfortable situation. As my catch my breath, I could feel tears forming in my eyes, and Aaron’s hand on my back 

__

I didn’t notice Aaron on the lobby couch when I ran from the hotel early that morning. It was misting and blurry, my glasses were not on and I didn’t want to see anything. I just wanted to run, run from this town, run from these people, run from the killer, run from the team, run from my past. I didn’t know where I was going, but I ran. I ran until it reached the graveyard on Flinton, there I slowed as I walked along the paths through the graves. It felt disrespectful to run here. Flinton was the road of my alma mater, the road of my grandparents place, and the road of Carson White’s parents house. As the rain picked up Aaron’s voice came from behind me, I didn’t jump. My subconscious must have known he was following me this whole time. “Lehighton, it’s pouring. Let’s go back.” “And what Aaron! Find absolutely nothing that will help us find Chrissy’s killer!” At Aaron’s face dropping when I turn around, it makes me aware of the fact that I was crying. How long have I been crying? “We will find the person who did it, Lehighton, I can promise you that. It’s a white male, between 25-35. He knows the area-” “Oh well that’s just great Aaron, fuck it could be anyone here. It could be Mo Jo from down the block, it could fucking be Carson White!” “Do you think Carson White could be a suspect in this case?” “I don’t fucking know Aaron! I don’t want anything to do with this case anymore! The things that I’ve lost here, the people I knew, it seems like they got me surrounded for miles and miles and I don’t want that! I left here and promised to never come back.” I feel my knees smack into the blacktop below me and Aaron’s arms are around me the next second. “It’s ok, let’s get you back to the hotel.” 

__

“It was personal-” “What was personal?” The whole team turns to Aaron as he arrives late to the station that morning, Lehighton still nowhere to be seen. “Where’s Lehighton?” “Lehighton is off the case, now, what was personal.” He kept it short as he sat down. “Chrissy’s killing. It was definitely the same unsub, based on the MO but something about this murder was personal.” Aaron had a hard look on his face, like he had something to say but didn’t know if or how to say it. “What Hotch?” “Lehighton said something today, something about Carson White possibly being our guy.” “Her ex? Does she have anything to back it up?” “Wait, Lehighton and Chrissy went to high school together right?” “Right.” “And this kill was personal. One of the other women killed had any personal connection to Lehighton, until we showed up and suddenly someone she had personal connection to got murdered.” “Ok guys stop it, we have nothing connecting Carson White to the murders-” “You guys think Carson killed her?” The team jumps as the voice of Lehighton comes from the doorway. “Do you think Carson killed them?” “It doesn’t matter what I think Derek, it’s what the evidence says. We have nothing connecting him to the crimes.” “We need to know more about him but we don’t have enough to get a warrant for his house- Lehighton do you have anything about him in your childhood bedroom.” I nod, arms crossed loosely around me, I felt so uncomfortable in that moment. “It’s the same as when we broke up, I never came home again after that.” “JJ, Rossi go back to Chrissy’s crime scene, see if we missed anything. The rest of us are going to Lehighton’s home, we’re gonna learn about Carson White.” “Wait Hotch-” The team stops mid standing, “It’s almost the time school gets out, I need to go get my sister. I don’t want her just walking into a house full of FBI agents.” Aaron nodded, “Morgan, go with her.” 

__

Lila Castello, my 16 year old half sister. The only good tie I have left to my family. Lila was born when I was 13, our oldest sister Aurora was 17 and a senior in high school. Once Aurora was out of the house, everything changed. My mother checked out. Lila’s father, my mother’s boyfriend, was not paternal in the slightest. Growing up, it was always Lila and I against the world. When I left for college, I was freshly 18 and Lila was barely 5. I had promised myself when I got on my own two feet I would get Lila out, but things haven’t exactly gone as planned. Undergrad, followed directly by grad school, followed directly by moving from PA to VA for a position in the FBI, Lila just didn’t fit into any of it. She didn’t take it personally, I know she doesn’t and that’s one of the reasons I love her so much. She understands why I do what I do. 

“No fucking way!” The yell that bursts from Lila’s mouth when she spots me leaning against the SUV outside of the main doors of Acosta High is comical in itself, followed closely to how quickly she body slams me with a hug. Derek stood on the other side of the car, laughing, slowly making his way over to us as we rocked back and forth in each other's arms. “Happy to see me I guess.” “Are you kidding, you’re like a breath of fresh air in this shit town.” “I see the apple doesn’t fall far from the tree.” Morgan comments at Lila’s response to the town of Acosta. “Nope, the only difference is she gets the wonder gene of being a ginger.” Lila lightly pushes me at the comment and I can’t help but laugh. “Lila, this is SSe Derek Morgan, Morgan this is my little sister Lila.” “Do you guys have any leads on the Chrissy Langdon murder?” “Lila, be quiet, get in the car. I’ll explain.” Lila rolls her eyes, walking past us to get into the back seat of the SUV. Yes it was public knowledge that the FBI was here investigating but the last thing people need to know is that Lila is close to the investigation. 

“So let me get this straight, the FBI is in our house, pulling apart your room because they think Carson may or may not be the killer?�� Lila recaps, making sure she knows exactly what she’s about to walk into. “Basically, but you cannot and I mean it, cannot tell anyone what we are doing.” “Yes ma’am” she salutes from the back seat as we pull into the street parking of my childhood home. Derek could audibly hear a gasp when my eyes landed on the front door. “You okay Dawson?” “Yeah yeah, just go ahead without me. I’ll catch up.” Derek nods, removing himself from the car. Lila’s arms wrap around me from the back of the seat. “You got this.” 

“Find any life changing information while we were gone?” It all looked so wrong, my current life, these agents, in my childhood bedroom. A life I left behind. If this would’ve happened as a teen, I would’ve screamed at the thought of people touching my personal belongings but it almost doesn’t feel real anymore. I’ve been so removed from that part of myself that it feels like a different person. “Besides from the fact that you were so incredibly close to being goth, not really no.” JJ joked, which was followed by me flipping her off jokingly. “Not as goth as Emily.” “Precisely why I said ‘so incredibly close’” “Everyone, I’d like to introduce you to my sister Lila. Lila these are SSA Emily Prentiss, Spencer Reid and our unit chief Aaron Hotchner.” Lila’s eyes land and stay on Spencer. “He’s cute.” The team laughs at her pointing Reid out as Reid blushes. “These pictures and such are giving some kind of indication of Carson but not much we can work with- What?” Aaron stops at my eyes growing wide when he sits himself on my bed. “Get off the bed.” “What?” “Get off the fucking bed Aaron and stop looking at pictures of him! All of you stop it!” I don’t know what came over me that second Aaron touched the bed, but I suddenly wanted them all out of my house and out of my past life. I stormed from the room without another word, I couldn’t stand looking at it any longer. “She has a weird thing about that bed.” Lila tries to explain as she exits. 

I can see Aaron’s shoes as he comes and leans on the table across from me as I lean on the kitchen counter. My head is in my hands as I try to calm myself from the blow up I just experienced. “I’m sorry I don’t know what came over me.” “It’s ok, your emotions are on high right now.” I shrug. “This probably isn’t fun for you either, looking through my past.” Aaron shook his head. “I know we have to but-” He pauses, wanting to choose his next words very carefully. “Sometime ago we made a deal-” “That we wouldn’t talk about our past unless the other openly wanted to talk to the other about it.” I finish his sentence and he smiles. That right there is what I miss. Aaron Hotchenr being a human. “Yeah, that.” “Trust me, I don’t like it that much either but if it helps… it’ll be worth it.” Lies. As Aaron goes to speak again, a sudden screaming from out the front door comes. Lila and a male voice, I recognize almost immediately. “No fucking way.” I mumble angrily under my breath, taking off in the direction of Lila’s voice, Aaron following closely on my tail. “Come on Lila, I just need a little more. I promise I’ll pay you back. I have a job coming up and it’ll be a lot of money.” Just as I thought, Lila’s father, begging his 16 year old for money. Pathetic. “Dad, I can't. I have insurance coming out this week-” “Lila please!” His hand made contact with her arm as she turned away and I lost it. “George get the fuck off my sister!” “Lehighton? What the fuck are you doing back here?” “Doing my god damn job, now let go of your damn kid.” I snip, pulling Lila from his grasp and placing her behind me. “Just cause you moved away, don't think you’re any better than me.” “Ha don’t make me laugh.” “You’re a fucking cunt just like your mother!” Once again, I don’t know what comes over me at that moment, but I’m flying at him, only being caught by Aaron’s arms around me. “Lehighton, it’s not worth it!” “Dad please just take it and leave.” Lila yells, throwing money at him from her pockets. “Stay the fuck away from my sister!” I yell as he hauls back into his pickup and drives off. Aaron held me back, whispering for me to calm down. Then I hear Lila crying, that calms me down real quick. “It’s ok, Lila. He’s just a deadbeat. You owe him nothing.” I try to hug her, but get forcefully pushed off in anger. “What the fuck Lila?” “Don’t what the fuck me? What the fuck you! So he’s the reason?” Lila points to Aaron and all the color drains from me. “What?” “He’s the reason you were never ready for me to come to Virginia right? You were too busy fucking around with your boss to have your little sister, right?” My jaw drops at her statement. “Lila, Aaron has nothing to do with that.” I whisper, not needing the other members to hear what Lila has found out in minutes of knowing Aaron. “Bullshit Lehighton! Is he the reason you left the FBI the first time? What, did you guys break up or something and you left? We were this close to getting me out and then you just up and left everything! Is he why?” “Lila, there is so much you don’t know about me leaving the FBI okay? But you cannot blame Aaron for any of it.” “Can you guys please just get out? Mom is going to be home soon. You two don’t need to see anything from each other.” 

__

Sometimes, when memories of teendom and Carson come back, I wish I could get knocked in the head so hard I remember nothing. Nothing seems better than those memories sometimes. “Aaron?” I’m surprised when I open the hotel room door to find him standing there. “I-I wanted to check in and see how you’re holding up. I know things got a little heated today.” “Did Garcia find anything on Carson?” His face dropped at the mention of him. Towards the end of the day they found something that might link Carson to the murders. I don’t know what, I don’t want to know. But he didn’t come here to talk about Carson or the case, he came to talk about everything else. “Can I come in?” Without a word, I moved aside and let him into the hotel room, dangerous territory really. “Besides the fact that he’s done nothing besides have some minor marijuana charges, nothing.” “Do you think he might actually be a suspect?” “Honestly Lehighton, I don’t know.” A sign leaves my lungs at his confession of the unknown “Are you okay?” “I’m fine, Aaron.” “I just, I wanted to see if you needed to talk to someone.” I roll my eyes, shaking my head. “Trust me, I don’t. If I start talking, I’ll start crying and I’ve done too much of that since being here.” “There’s no shame in that, With everything that has happened in the past-” There it was, the before. Before I left the team, everything that Aaron and I have been through… the real reason he came to this hotel room. “Aaron, it’s been over a year now, that’s all behind me.” Lies. He looked a little distraught at that moment. Aaron reached out grabbing both my hands in one of his. “You’re not okay, last time you tried to pretend you were ok you ended up leaving.” I shyly slip my hands out of his. “And I’d do it all over again.” I unexpectedly grit my teeth at him, the burst of aggression scaring us both. I take a breath before continuing. “Damn it Lehighton, talk to me like a normal person for one minute!” “I can’t just do that Aaron! You’re not a normal person! You’re my ex and my boss and someone who I have too much history with to just act like we’re fine!” Tears begin to form in my eyes. “We can’t even begin to act normal if you don’t want to talk about it, Lehighton!” “Fine-” I throw my hands out to the side dramatically. “Let’s talk about it Aaron. We had a relationship and I left with no explanation because I felt like I didn’t need to give you one!” Aaron signs at me. “I told you when you left there was no explanation needed, there was nothing to forgive-” “Yes there was Aaron! I killed something for both of us! I can’t just let that go like it’s not my fault!” “It wasn’t Lehighton, neither of us could’ve known.” Tears fell from his eyes and it only made me feel worse. My tears began running as well. Aaron reached out, cupping my face and wiping my tears away. I fell into his hand, missing his touch. “Believe it or not, I wished you the best when you left the BAU, even though it was the hardest thing I ever had to do… and when you came back to help on that case, I’ll admit, I was jealous. Jealous that you were happy, you were happy without me. You walked back into that room with the biggest smile on your face, and I missed you so much. You seemed so much happier than when I moved you out of your apartment that I couldn’t help but feel like an asshole for feeling like that cause you were miserable when you left.” I scoff at him, tears running down my face as I back away from his hand. “Aaron, I was anything but happy… not to be overly dramatic but those first 24 hours without you and Jack felt like I couldn’t breathe properly.” 

__

“Lehighton, your mom is on line one, warning she’s pissed.” The mayor popped his head into the room as we were sitting around the table getting ready for another day of work, today I chose to join. “What the hell?” I ask myself as I click the accept button on the phone, letting the speaker phone stay on. “Lehighton Dawson! Just because you’re home doesn’t mean you can just let Lila skip school!” Everyone looks at each other confused as Lila was nowhere near me since the blow up at the house. “Whoa whoa, slow down. Lila isn’t with me. I haven’t seen her since yesterday.” “Well then explain to me why I just got a call from the school saying she never showed up today.”  The air, all of it, was suddenly knocked out of my lungs. “Maybe she just skipped, she’s probably still upset about the fight.” JJ quickly jumps in, trying to calm both me and my mother’s nerves/ “No, no, Lila would never. She has perfect attendance.” My mother speaks in a panic from the other end of the call, I nod agreeing with her. “She’s right. Lila isn’t like that. Something is wrong.” With that comment, Emily is already out of the room making calls, labeling Lila as a missing person. “Oh my god, Lila’s missing, with a killer on the loose. Oh my god, Lila!” “Mom, mom, calm down, we’ll find her! You have the best team looking for her.” “Dawson!” The mayor bursts back into the room. “There is someone on line 2, they say they want to talk to you.” “Mom, I gotta go.” Without another word, I hang up and quickly switch to line 2 without waiting for a go from the team. “This is SSA Leighton Dawson.” “Lehighton, it’s so good to hear your voice again. After seeing you the other day. I knew I needed to see you again.” Once again the air from the lungs is stolen as the voice of Carson White sounds throughout the room. It doesn’t take more than a second for the team to understand the situation. “Carson, where is my sister?” “Don’t worry, she’s safe. I promise.” “Lehighton!” From the background I can slightly hear her voice. “Carson I swear if you hurt her I will make your life living hell!” Just saying his name hurt my chest. “Lehighton, why would I do that? You love your sister, I could never hurt her.” “Just like you didn’t hurt Chrissy Langdon?” Carson chuckles at her name. “You wished her dead, Lehighton, I was just granting your wish. You hated her, she made you miserable, I was just helping.” Aaron can see the goosebumps rise on my arms and he motions for me to not speak, but I don’t listen. “That was in high school Carson! I haven’t thought about her in years.” “Well, now you’ll never have to worry about her ever again.” “Carson. Where is my sister?” “She’s here, with me, at the old train tracks in the back car. You can come get her if you want.” “What’s the catch?” “Nothing, just the pleasure of your company.” “You must be crazy if you think I’m coming into that train car alone.” He laughs again. “I’m not crazy and I want to meet your team, I want you to bring Aaron Hotchner., tonight at sundown. Don’t be late.” Before being able to speak again the line goes dead, and I scream my lungs out.

– 

“I’ll go in first, we'll get Lila and get out as soon as possible.” Aaron explains the plan once again as I sit in the passenger seat beside him on the way to the train tracks. Spencer and Emily in the back. “Understood.” “Reid, station at the back door in case we need back up.” “We won’t.” I say matter-a-factly. “Reid, back door.” “Got it.” ‘We won’t! Carson isn’t getting out that easy. He’s going to rot in jail, understand?” Aaron stays silent, keeping his eyes on the road in front of him. 

“Carson, drop the gun.” The sight before me was terrifying, my hand was shaking, my eyes were watery. Lila was kneeling with her hands tied behind her back as Carson stood, his arm wrapped around her neck in a light choke hold. A gun, in his opposite hand against her head. Only now do I understand at least a little bit of the guilt Aaron feels towards his ex-wife. “Lehighton, nice to see you again.” “Shut up and drop the gun.” “And if I don’t?” “You get shot.” Aaron announces unwaverly. “I’m here now, let her go.” I drop my gun down to the floor, showing no threat to him. “No!” He suddenly shouts, making Lila jump in his hold. “She doesn’t deserve to live! You love her, you should love me!” Carson suddenly raised his gun in my direction, being faced with death. Not the first time on the job. At the motion Aaron moves to block me, completely hiding my body from Carson’s view. Dumbass. “Don’t block her from me! I know too much! She loves me, not you! I’ll shoot you!” Carson was unraveling and finally processed Aaron in his presence. The threat seemingly over makes his confession of knowing, as I stop in front of Aaron, although if he really wanted to shoot Aaron, my body wasn’t going to stop him. 

I could only imagine the confusion that was covering the team’s faces, minus Rossi’s. I am almost 100% sure that Aaron had confided in him about our relationship. They’re hearing everything through the wire I was currently wearing. “Think about what you’re saying very very carefully, please.” I beg at this point. “What you know is just going to hurt her. You don’t want to do that, do you?” Aaron suddenly speaks again, trying everything to get him to stop talking. “You hurt her the second you got her pregnant.” 

The bomb was dropped. 

“Lehighton, what do you see in him! He’s old enough to be your father and he’s your boss! What the hell is wrong with you? When did you become such a slut!” Anger, anger filled me. Yes, I hated him before this moment, however the feeling I felt in that moment didn’t hit me until now. “Go fuck yourself Carson!” Redness rose in Carson’s face as the gun was once again raised, to point at Aaron. That's when from the corner of my eye I spotted him… Spencer at the back door of the train car, rushing forward, gun pointed at Carson. I process what’s happening, “No!” I rush forward as the sound of a gun goes off, I drop to the floor, just as I reach Lila, wrapping my arms around her before black takes over my vision. 

I open my eyes to a black sky full of shining stars. For a moment, I think it’s heaven or some kind of afterlife, but then I see the red and blue lights flashing and the sounds of people talking and sirens. I quickly notice myself on a gurney, an air mask around my face. I sit up, slipping the mask off and suddenly an EMT is at my side. “You need to keep that on-” “Where’s Lila?” “She;s okay, she was taken to the hospital just as a precaution.” I nod, pulling my knees to my chest, and I feel the familiar feeling of a panic attack begin to set in as the events of the night replay in my head. I stand as I continue to hyperventilate. Looking around, stumbling aimlessly through the crowd of police and EMTs my eyes land on my team. Derek is the first one to notice me, he breaks the conversation with Aaron to turn his attention to me. None of them have ever seen me like this, see me break. The thought of that is oddly enough what’s causing the majority of my panic. I seemingly lose track of time as in the next second I’m clinging to Aaron, breaking down in his arms. It’s unclear how long I was there before opening my eyes and spotting the EMT’s wheeling something out on a gurney… a black body bag. Lile and the rest of my team is accounted for, it could only be him. I don’t know what comes over me as a scream bursts from my throat, I try to run towards the EMTs only being stopped by Aaron’s arms around my waist pulling and keeping me back. Collapsing onto the ground Aaron still holding on tight and not letting me go. 

[in1-nutshell]

Lithia meets the Rescue Bots

SFW, Platonic, Mention of injury, Cybertronain reader

RB

Lithia was in the base alone that morning.

Ratchet was supposed to stay behind with her, but Lithia insisted he go out and exercise his T-cog for the day. She could handle a day alone in the base.

It was that morning when Lithia received a distress call. The call seemed to be coming from a hidden Autobot post.

“This is Autobot post Omega 1 what seems to be—”--Lithia

Lithia looks at a blonde boy and curly haired girl.

“…Ummm…”

“Hello, is Optimus around?”

“Umm… now he isn’t on the base right now, what seems to be the trouble?”--Lithia

“Our bots need help! They’re trapped inside a tunnel and I think one of them are hurt.”

Lithia looks at her med kits.

“I can help you guys. I have your coordinates, I’ll be there soon.”--Lithia

Lithia grabs her med kits, puts the coordinates in the groundbrigde and runs in.

Lithia arrives in a clean bunker with the two children standing by an open door leading into a tunnel.

The boy waves at her hurriedly.

Lithia quickly walks over to the pair.

The girl tells her to follow them to the bots.

Lithia and the kids walking down the tavern.

“So, who are you anyways?”

“Oh, I supposed I didn’t exactly introduce myself. I’m Lithia and you two are…”--Lithia

“I’m Frankie.”--Frankie

“And I’m Cody. We really appreciate you coming to help us.”--Cody

“No problem, Cody that is part of my job as a medic. Why don’t you tell me more about your bots, what happened to them anyways.”--Lithia

“The bots were working on reenforcing a section of the tunnel when part of it collapsed on top of them, I think they’re hurt.”--Cody

“Don’t worry, I’m sure they’ll be okay.”--Lithia

“Yeah, their Rescue Bots after all.”--Frankie

Lithia pauses for a minute.

“Rescue Bots? I have heard about those bots in years…”--Lithia

“Heatwave said that they were out of commission for a while.”--Cody

Lithia’s optics widen a bit.

“Heatwave?”--Lithia

“Yeah, our bots, Heatwave, Chase, Boulder and Blades.”--Cody

Lithia stops suddenly.

“Did-did you say Blades?”--Lithia

“AAAHHHHHH!”

Lithia grabs both the kids and begins running to the yelling.

Lithia eventually arrives at the scene.

Four human adults are trying to help two bots digging the rocks in the giant pile.

Cody yells that the help has arrived.

Lithia understood immediately the looks of surprise on their faces.

Everyone probably thought that the kids had brought Prime, not another random bot.

She carefully puts the kids down and walks over to the bots.

“What seems to be the problem?”--Lithia

“Our teammates are buried behind—”--Boulder

Some of the rocks fall revealing another bot.

“Who are you?”--Heatwave

“Here to help. Is that everyone?”--Lithia

“Negative, Blades is still—”--Chase

“Blades?!”--Lithia

Lithia sees a small opening in the rocks and starts shimming in.

“You know who that was?”--Kade

“And why she seemed worried for Blades?”--Dani

“I have no idea. Lithia also seemed to know Blades while we were coming back.”--Cody

All three bots look at Cody with surprise.

“Did you say Lithia?”—Boulder

“That was Lithia?”—Heatwave

“Impre—“--Chase

BANG!

Everyone turns and sees Lithia kicking some of the rocks with her pedes while carrying a tired but happy looking Blades on her back.

“Blades!”--Everyone

“Before we have a happy reunion, does anyone mind if I take a look at everyone before?”--Lithia

Lithia takes her time making sure everyone, human or bot, was in tip top shape.

She also calmly answers any questions the team has.

“You’re from Optimus’s team?”—Graham

Lithia carefully tending to Blades pede.

“Yes I am.”--Lithia

“And you’re a trained medic?”--Dani

“Yes I am.”--Lithia

“And Ratchet—”--Chase

“Is my father, yes.”--Lithia

“Who’s Ratchet?”--Cody

“Only the Autobot’s chief medical officer. You must have gotten some of the best training.”--Boulder

Lithia laughs a bit.

“Yeah, but it defiantly wasn’t easy in the Academy, am I right Blades?”--Lithia

“You said it.”--Blades

“That leads me to my next question. You know Blades personally?”—Chief Burns

“We met at the Academy back on Cybertron. I was running late to class and ran into Lithia. Coincidentally we had the same class.”—Blades

Blades side hugs Lithia.

“And the rest was history!”--Blades

“Which reminds me.”--Lithia

Lithia flicks him hard on the face.

“If you EVER decide to disappear like that again, you’re gonna wish you disappeared.”--Lithia

“Wait if you’re from Optimus’s team, then you know Bumblebee?”--Dani

“…Yes…”--Lithia

“…Does he know that you’re here?”--Heatwave

“…”--Lithia

Meanwhile back on base…

“BEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEP! (LLLLIIIITTTHHHIIIIAAAAA!)”--Bumblebee

Back on Griffin rock…

“I’ll call in a bit...”--Lithia

[ramblingoak]

Getting Home Safe

Mushy May In Lucifer's Hollow: Day 4 - First Aid

Secondo x Dewdrop

This fic is set in an alternate universe in a town called Lucifer's Hollow. For Mushy May I'll be using the prompts to post little snippets of life for the humans and ghouls that live there 💙 Thank you to @forlorn-crows for putting Mushy May together!

~ In Lucifer's Hollow Secondo is the Fire Chief and Dewdrop teaches art at the high school. ~

Warnings: angst regarding someone getting hurt but otherwise just fluff, a little suggestive so nsfw, 18+ mdni, 670 words, thank you to @ghuleh-recs for the dividers and @foxybouquet for helping with Dewdrop's nickname (fuocolino means "little flame")

“You should’ve gone to the hospital.”

Secondo hummed, tilting his head back when Dewdrop’s light fingers continued to clean the cut on his head.  He could feel the irritation coming off the fire ghoul in waves.  As soon as Secondo had gotten home and Dewdrop had seen the bandage he hadn’t stopped grumbling. 

“I wasn’t going to drive all the way to the hospital, fuocolino.”  He snaked an arm around the ghoul’s slender waist, trying to bring him closer but the ghoul wouldn’t allow it.  “Aether took care of it just fine.”

“It needs stitches.”  Dewdrop slipped away from Secondo’s grasp to search through the first aid kit.  “We could call Omega I’m sure he wouldn’t mind doing it.”

“Omega is a veterinarian and in case you haven’t noticed I am a man.”

“Trust me I’ve noticed.”  A spark of something flitted between them.  Secondo debated on getting up and hauling his fire ghoul to their bed but he stayed still, knowing Dewdrop wouldn’t be happy until he’d said his piece.  “I just wish you’d be more careful.  You’re the Fire Chief aren’t you supposed to stay behind a desk all day?”

There was an edge to his tone that Secondo didn’t like so he stood up, pleased when Dewdrop finally allowed himself to be tugged close.  

“My job is to keep this town safe, sÌ?”  He raised an eyebrow when Dewdrop stayed silent, only continuing when the ghoul gave a small nod.  “Sometimes that means I have to go out there myself.”

“Yeah, yeah I know.”  Dewdrop relaxed slightly, leaning against Secondo more.  “I don’t need the lecture grandpa.”

“Nonno?”  Secondo said the word with a playful growl, sliding his hands just below Dewdrop’s ass and lifting him to set him on the table behind him.  “Che monello sei.”

“Did you just call me a brat?”  The amber eyes of his ghoul seemed to light up from within and his tail started tapping against the tabletop in agitation.  “You better watch it, I've been doing Duolingo an-mmph!”

Dewdrop’s lips were warm, just shy of being hot.  The inside of his mouth even more so when Secondo swept his tongue in.  His fuocolino channeled his irritation into returning the kiss, the claws on the tips of his fingers digging into Secondo’s shoulders as he held on.  After what happened today Secondo just wanted to lose himself in his lover, all he wanted to do was carry him to bed and bury himself inside of him.  But he understood Dewdrop’s worry, it was something the ghoul had brought up when they first began dating.  

His fuocolino didn’t want to lose another loved one. 

Eventually they had to pull away for air, both of them taking deep breaths as their foreheads rested against each other.  Secondo carded the fingers of one hand through Dewdrop’s hair, marveling like he always did at the soft, golden strands.  

“The only thing I want to do at the end of the day is come home to you.”  Dewdrop smiled at Secondo’s words, his tail wrapping around Secondo’s waist.  “Even if it’s to you being cross with me.”

“Well sometimes you deserve it.”  

Secondo just smiled softly but that was enough for Dewdrop to see he agreed with him.  After one last kiss the older man pulled away with a sigh. 

“Go ahead and call Omega if that will make you feel better.”  He rolled his eyes at the ghoul’s triumphant grin but in truth he was willing to do whatever it took at that moment to make him happy.  “But I think he’s on a date with Terzo so prepare to be bitched at in Italian.”  

Dewdrop gave him a feral grin before hopping off the table and going for his phone.  

“There’s something you should have figured out by now, nonno.”  Secondo just raised an eyebrow when Dewdrop moved close again, his phone ringing in his hand and his eyes gleaming with mischief.  “The Emeritus brothers don’t scare me.”

If you'd like to be added/removed from the tag list (or if I accidentally left your name off) of this fic or any of my others please leave a comment or send me a dm! Thank you 💙

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hey guys <3 this is actually based on a true story that happended yesterday night :( The names are not the same as the real people, and some of it is twisted to make since, but yeah I felt like writing thsi would help me cope.

Rafe Cameron (not specified tho) x fem!reader

warnings: underage drinking (highschool party), heartbreak

Walking into the party, it was exactly as I expected. Loud, music blaring, drink cans all over the grass backyard, Halloween decorations along the fence, and lots of already drunk teenagers. I held onto my friend's belt as we moved between dancing pirates and angels, prisoners and fairies. I held onto my can of Dr. Pepper, eyes searching for him. As we come to a stop in the middle of the backyard where it isn't overly crowded, I spot my friend Stas and give her a hug. "I love your costume!" I say with a smile on my face, although I'm not entirely sure what she actually is. "Thanks queen, I love you," she slurs, holding my arm. "I am an album cover for Nirvana," she says bringing her drink to her lips. "Thats so creative," I comment, giving her another hug before she turns away to go see her other friends. I bring my attention back to my friend Kayla, watching as she has a conversation with someone dressed up as Salt burn. When I look to the left, I spot him. He's wearing a orange convict costume, matching with one of his friends.

But then I see her.

Shes gorgeous, clinging onto his arm, wearing a swat costume that seems to make her even more pretty. I swallow hard, watching as his hand moves lower to rest just above her ass. Fuck. I think, biting my lip to ignore the jealousy and sadness. I shouldn't even feel this way, because we've never even dated. We have technically grown up together, being in the same class since second grade, but why do I care? Maybe every time it felt like he was flirting with me, he wasn't, and he acts that way with everyone. Maybe I was just delusional because everyone knows the kook prince can't date police chief's daughter. "You okay?" Kayla asks, interrupting my thoughts. I glance at her and fake a smile. "Yeah." She gives me a look like she doesn't believe me. "Alright well, I'm gonna go get a drink, you want one?" I shake my head no, taking a sip of my soda. When I look back at him, we make eye contact for just a moment before he brings his attention back to her. I sigh and start to walk around to find some of my friends. I feel a tap on my shoulder, and I turn around to see Lexi with a drunk grin on her face. "Hey girl!" She giggles excitedly, dancing to the music.

After I talked with her for a while, and some random drunk people came up to talk to us, the vibe quieted down a little. I stand with my friend Bella, talking to one of the boys in our grade. He's incredibly high, but it's nice to talk to someone who used to be my friend. I look around as the conversation starts to bore me, him begging for us to drive him home after the party. When I look over my shoulder, I think my heart quite literally stopped. It was like the music was off and everyone stopped moving and it was just them. Their sitting on the steps, her hand is on his thigh and he's kissing her.

Her.

My mouth fell open as my eyes filled with tears. I turned back around, staring at the ground. I should have fucking known it was never going to happen for me. So why did I excite myself? Why did I spend so much time getting ready just for him to look at my for all of 5 seconds? I've never been so jealous and hurt, I guess he was just toying with me, making me believe it would happen for me. And I fell into his trap.

[dumbslxtclub]

steddie looking after extremely drunk reader??

catch me if you can | s.h + e.m

steddie x fem!reader

content warnings: fem!reader, adult language, reader is very drunk, mentions of underage drinking, mainly just chaotic fluff

word count: 621

a/n: did I swear to myself I wouldn't write requests until I finished my other two current wips?? yes. am I a filthy liar and decide to whip this up in half an hour? absolutely. took a bit of a chaotic angle on this one, hope you enjoy anon xx

The chill of the wind burns your cheeks, but you don’t care. Or rather, you can barely feel it thanks to the copious amounts of vodka in your system. For whatever reason, you’re running. The kind of run that is so exhilarating, dashing around the grassy expanse behind Steve’s house heading nowhere fast. In the distance, you hear two increasingly agitated voices calling out after you. Your chest hurts from how much you’re laughing, the source of which is the two boys trailing after you. 

“I’m gonna count to ten, and if you’re not back here, you’re gonna be in serious trouble.” The younger boy calls out, hands firmly on his hips near the patio.

“Oohh, Stevie’s putting on his big boy voice!” You laugh, hiccupping as your legs continue to carry you as fast as they can in no particular direction. Darting, weaving through the trees lining the edge of his yard, you feel like a child again. 

“Jesus, Harrington! I could use some help, y’know?” Eddie is breathless, finally catching up to you but still far away enough to taunt him. “C’mon, sweetheart. We promised Robin we’d have you home by midnight, and hopefully in one piece.”

“Don’t wanna go.” You retort, dashing past the metalhead in a flurry of chaotic movement. 

“Fuck- nearly had her.” A squeal of laughter echoes in your lungs, his ringed hand barely brushing past your wrist.

“Come and get me!” Taunting, you dart towards the edge of the pool, hoping the threat of water will ward them off. 

“That’s it, I’m not letting you accidentally drown on my watch.” Steve jogs forward into your view, effectively blocking you. With a giggle, you stop in your tracks and poke your tongue out at him, taking off in the opposite direction. You don’t anticipate the man-sized obstacle in your path, large arms quickly scooping you up and throwing you over a leather-clad shoulder. It knocks the breath out of your lungs, but does little to stop your giggling.

“C’mon, cheeky thing. Party's over, time to go home.” Eddie says, tightening his grip around your legs.

“No, Eds! I’m having fun.” You reply, dangling helplessly as he carries you up the steps. Steve follows behind, readjusting one of your shoes which has almost fallen off your foot thanks to your antics.

“I know, doll. But a deal’s a deal. And I don’t want Buckley biting my head off tomorrow when you’re hungover and useless for your shift.”

“God, you guys are no fun.” 

“We are very fun, thank you very much.” Steve replies, scooping Eddie’s keys off the entranceway bench on the way through. “Fun enough to make sure you don’t fall in the pool and freeze to death.”

“She probably wouldn’t, y’know? Like the chief baker on the Titanic. Drank so much brandy that he couldn’t freeze to death.”

“Bullshit.” Steve retorts, pacing beside the two of you. Reaching out, you put all of your core strength into messing up his hair with a scruff of your hand, much to his dismay. He pulls open the passenger side door for Eddie, who gently lowers you into the seat and buckles you in like a toddler.  

“Mind coming with us, Stevie? Don’t want to have this flight risk on my hands all by myself, could use the extra manpower.”

“Yeah, like he’s gonna be any help.” You mutter, eliciting a shit-eating grin from the metalhead. Steve simply rolls his eyes and opens the sliding door on the side of the van, shuffling into the back.

“You’re trouble, you know that?” Eddie gives your shoulder an affectionate push before throwing a water bottle in your direction. Looks like all of their babysitting practice is finally paying off.

[patibato]

[Bitter Sweet Sixteen] 002-A13 - Singing a Story to You

Momiji: Haa, haa…! Thank goodness…

Nanaki: -Chief is always running after someone, huh.

Momiji: Ahaha, because I'm surrounded by uncontrollable, adorable problem children.

Now then, we have to get back quick, but… the road is submerged in the sea, so let's wait for a ferry to come and find us.

Nanaki: …Yeah.

Momiji: …

Nanaki: …

Momiji: (I wonder if it would be okay to ask why he's been off today. I don't want to be insensitive, so I'm a little worried…)

Nanaki: … It's just.

Momiji: Yeah?

Nanaki: Everything's just- become such a pain.

Momiji: Hm… like what?

Nanaki: …Like, having lots of secrets.

Momiji: Secrets?

Nanaki: For example, why I - one of those "problem children" -

Was at the old school building that night, and stuff.

Momiji: …

Nanaki: You haven't asked about that at all, have you, Chief? Don't you want to know?

Momiji: I do, but I've got no intention of forcing it out of you. So even now, I'll listen only to what you want to tell me.

Nanaki: …Right. So-

It's the most annoying story ever. I want to tell it, so I will.

I'm basically the ultimate "whoever I like is my type" guy.

On top of that, I fall in love easily and I'm bad at controlling my emotions, so I'm always and only falling for people who'll never like me back.

Essentially, I'm predisposed to impossible love.

Momiji: Hm…

Nanaki: Even though I know reciprocation is hopeless, and don't want to like anyone, my feelings alone expand-

And even though I should understand that I won't be rewarded, my head gets all stupid.

So I found myself thinking… maybe this time, it'll work out.

Momiji: …

Nanaki: Controlling that feeling of anticipation is really difficult, you know. So that day-

Nanaki: Hey, so tonight-

Could you come to the rooftop of the old school building for me? I've… got something I want to talk about.

??: …I'll think about it.

Nanaki: I'll say this upfront just to be clear, but it wasn't Akuta or any of the others. They all just happened to be there with me.

Momiji: So then, you had no reason to all be together on the day of the explosion-

Nanaki: Nope, we ran into each other by pure chance. Everyone had their own reasons.

You won't be hearing about their circumstances from my mouth.

Momiji: (So that means…)

The object of your unrequited affection…

Nanaki: Didn't come. Probably made a few guesses based on how I was acting?

I got messages saying "I won't meet up with you", "You should watch the movie with someone else" …Right at the time we promised to meet.

Momiji: …

Nanaki: They cut ties indirectly, without letting me express my feelings.

Momiji: That's so…

Nanaki: Don't make that face now. I- well, I understand.

I know that feelings of love can become a deadly weapon. There's no resentment at all.

Just- the heartbreak alone remains, no matter what. It takes a lot of power to overcome.

Nanaki: That's why I don't want to fall for anyone. Don't want to get too close to anyone.

My "love" will surely mess with and break me.

Momiji: (I somehow feel like I can see the reason Nanaki-kun tends to keep people at a distance.)

(He was purposefully trying not to get deeply involved. Because he doesn't want to be hurt…)

Nanaki: But eventually, I'll probably end up falling for someone again. That's just how I was born.

And when my heart is broken like this once more, I'll probably feel this pain again too.

Momiji: …

Nanaki: We've gone so far away, yet just talking about a movie we were going to see was enough to make me frazzled.

Even though it'd be best to forget quickly. …Even though I've tried my hardest to forget.

Momiji: That's not it.

Nanaki: Huh?

Momiji: I think it's fine if you don't try so hard to forget. Even if it's heartbreaking, I'm sure it's a pain you want to keep.

You can't forget, because that's just how serious you were. They're your own precious, treasured feelings.

That's why - I want you to treasure that pain.

Nanaki: …

Momiji: You're surely a deeply loving person, Nanaki-kun.

Nanaki: …I wonder. Not that it matters without a partner to understand.

I know that in this life, I'll continue to suffer from this curse-like love. But-

Connecting with someone from the heart, loving and being loved… I honestly can't imagine it.

Momiji: I get that. I can't imagine it myself.

Nanaki: …

Momiji: Nobody knows what'll happen in the future.

But that's precisely why. You have to love yourself the most first, so that when your special someone appears one day, you can love them at full power again.

Nanaki: … You…

Momiji: Yeah?

Nanaki: …Mmm, it's nothing. Thanks for listening.

Momiji: (Ah, he smiled a bit… thank goodness.)

…I know. You like music, right, Nanaki-kun?

Nanaki: Huh? …Well. I do… or rather, I make it.

Momiji: Huh, you can make it!? That's amazing!

Nanaki: … Do you want to listen?

Momiji: Can I?

Nanaki: As a special privilege.

Momiji: Thanks!

Nanaki: Alright. Excuse me for only using one earphone, though.

Momiji: … …

Nanaki: How is it?

Momiji: A-amazing…! What a wonderful song… It sounds so professional…!

Nanaki: Yeah. …Like unlove, right?

Momiji: Huh?

Nanaki: That's my second secret. That I'm unlove.

Momiji: HUUUUUUH!? You mean the anonymous artist who made the song for our hospitality live!?

Nanaki: That's right.

Momiji: Wait, no, wait, that's way too shocking to learn…!

Nanaki: So you didn't know. I figured as much.

Momiji: (That wasn't recorded anywhere in the documents…! This must be Kafka's doing…!)

The Morning Team's song was really, truly beautiful! Loads of customers fell in love with your music!

Nanaki: …Do you also like my songs, Chief?

Momiji: I love them!!

Nanaki: …!

(…My hand, they're…)

Momiji: I'm sure even people who don't know your true identity deeply love your talent!

And that's all the more reason for you to treasure and love yourself more, Nanaki-kun! Right!?

Nanaki: … …Your hand.

Momiji: Ah, sorry. Wasn't thinking.

Nanaki: …It's fine, no need to apologise. I have a low body temperature, so we can keep holding hands.

Momiji: Huh?

Nanaki: Your hands are warm, Chief. We can stay like this just a bit longer-

Akuta: WHAAAAAT ARE YOU DOING OVER THERE!

Ushio: Uwaah… We came to get you with the ferry, but really, what are you doing? Are you going back like that?

Momiji: Akuta-kun and Ushio-kun!

Akuta: No fair! I wanna hold hands with Sensei and Nanaki too!

Squeeze squeeze! Squeeze squee~ze!

Nanaki: What's up. Did you turn into some hand-holding yokai?

Momiji: Owowowow…! Akuta-kun, don't push on the eye pressure points in the confusion…!

Ushio: Sigh… it doesn't matter, so let's head back already.

Momiji: Wow… the night makes the scenery look so magical.

Akuta: Ah, this scene kinda reminds me of that movie…

Ushio: Yeah, that famous one.

Momiji: I've seen it too! Now that you mention it, this kind of scenery was in the last scene. The heroine leaps from the boat-

Nanaki: I've not seen that one yet, but… the promise is null and void.

Momiji: Ah… sorry! Did I spoil it!?

Akuta: You spoiled the very end~!

Ushio: Guilty.

Momiji: I-I'm sorry… really…

Nanaki: Hahaha…!

I'm the type who can enjoy something even with spoilers, so it's fine.

…But this time, could we watch it together?

Momiji: (Nanaki-kun's face is bright. If I helped him out a bit, I'm glad…)

Of course!

Momiji: (Phew… that was a nice hot bath. I should probably record a cassette tape for Kafka before going to bed.)

Travel Diary. The sky was blue today too. From the morning, we received training from our coordinator, Gannosuke-san-

Akuta: Snork, zzz… can't eat… any more…

Nanaki: Zzzzzz…

Kiroku: … …

Sakujiro: Oh my, are you done?

Momiji: Yeah, thank you. …There's a lot of snack wrappers, huh. Everyone's fast asleep.

Sakujiro: They appear worn out from playing. Once I've cleaned, I shall have to take them to their rooms.

Momiji: I'll help!

Sakujiro: I appreciate it. …Oh my, what's this now.

Momiji: (Ah, that's…! The pouch with the very possibly indecent thing in it!)

Th-that must be, someone's, private belongings! I'll return it tomorrow, so-

Sakujiro: Is that so? I'll leave it in your care, then.

Momiji: Got it!

(Uu… what? It's heavier than I thought…! I'm gonna drop- ah!)

*thud*

*roll*

Momiji: What's this… an egg…?

Akuta: M~m… what~… heard a loud sound-

S…o…

Momiji: An egg…

Akuta: KYAAAAAAAAAAAAH!

Previous Chapter | Next Chapter

Masterlist

[ghostking4m]

TORNADO WARNINGS

Joe Burrow x male reader

Summary: Y/n reflects on his relationship with Joe in therapy. What his therapist doesn’t know won’t kill him.

——————————————————————————

“So tell me your favorite memory with Joe.”

Y/n didn’t know why he was wasting his time in therapy if he’s just going to be asked questions like this. It’s like he was being asked what his favorite childhood vacation destination was and it makes him feel like a little boy being mentally evaluated.

“I don’t know. I mean- there was this one time when I went to his game against the Kansas City Chiefs and we got this tornado warning. We were just sitting on the swings at this park and it was already cold and windy. The alarm started going off and the look on his face was like he was a character straight out of a horror movie.” Y/n said with a tiny smile and turned to his right to look out the window. “Neither of us had ever seen a real tornado, maybe in the Wizard of Oz, but never in person. Sure, we were both scared, but seeing his eyes wide with pure fear and his knuckles white as snow when he was gripping the chain on the swing was the most hilarious thing I had ever seen. He tried to convince me that we need to go and seek shelter, but I just sat there in the swing laughing. Eventually he sat down in the swings with me and just laughed with me. We even saw the tornado in the distance, but we didn’t move a muscle and we were luckily still safe. Well, no, that was kind of a lie. We did move, but it was only so we could play on the seesaw, then we just laid in the bark together. His arms were wrapped around my waist and I felt so safe. We were so close, not only in proximity, but also on an emotional level. We had feelings for each other, but we both refused to admit it. We were like teenagers playing 7 minutes in heaven, in the sense that we were like kids teetering with our feelings in the dark, both too afraid to make a move.”

Y/n felt a twinge of sadness deep in his heart when he thought of the memories. Remembering what it was like to face danger in the face with Joe hurt him a little more than he would like to admit.

“From what i’m understanding, the two of you stayed at the park in the middle of a tornado and risked facing the tornadoes wrath, just because you thought it was funny?” Y/n therapist asked him. It’s like he couldn’t believe that two people could be so in love that they just wanted to stay there and live in the moment, even if it meant being in the wake of a natural disaster.

“Well, when you put it like that, yeah, I guess we do sound a bit crazy.” Y/n chuckled in response.

“Like, don’t get me wrong, it was totally crazy to just sit there when we saw the tornado destroying everything in its path, but somehow it all felt like everything would be okay.”

“Why?” Dr. Wallard questioned Y/n.

“Because I was with him. I knew we would be okay as long as we were together.”

————————————————————————

“CINCINNATI, YOU GUYS HAVE BEEN SO AMAZING TONIGHT!”

Y/n felt a jolt of electricity while he was onstage. Performing in Paycor stadium was something different for him to get used to, but he felt so comfortable in Paycor, considering how many games he had been here to watch, despite being a California native.

“So, you guys know I’ve been doing this thing at the end of every show where I play a surprise song. We have 1 song left, so what do you guys think the song is going to be?”

Y/n didn’t want the night to end, so he was more than happy to keep the crowd engaged. He heard people yelling all around him in the stadium. He heard Vicious, Sue Me, Because I Liked A Boy, Decode, but he had something else in mind.

“Jokes on all of you, because i’m doing a song that no one has ever heard, not even my team. I just finished the final master last night and I’m so excited for you guys to hear this song. Only three people in the world will know what this song is about, myself, the person I wrote it about, and my therapist.” Y/n joked as he was introducing the song. The entire stadium howled with laughter and cheers after he said that.

“This song is called Tornado Warnings”

————————————————————————

“You always blow me away with your performances.”

Y/n knew that voice in the dark, if he were blind, even if he had his ears covered. Just the sound made his heart pick up to an inhuman speed.

“You just want to see me on my knees in front of you, Burrow” Y/n made a teasing joke in response.

“Well, I would never turn that down, but I mean it, you’ve always been such a captivating and talented performer. It was fun to come to your show today.” Joe pleaded. Y/n turned around and his breath dropped the second he saw those eyes, cool as ice. It never ceased to amaze him how much of an effect Joe’s eyes had on him.

“Thank you. That means a lot. Did you have a favorite song or part of the show?” Y/n asked him, trying to be as casual as he could.

“There was one song I heard tonight that I couldn’t get out of my head. It was something along the lines of you lying to your therapist. That seems like it’s the opposite of helpful, don’t you think?” Joe spoke, poking fun at Y/n.

“Yeah, but it was only ever for the lyrics. It fit the melody and theme of the song. I’ve been entering more of my popstar era than my songwriter era and now i’m just singing what fits the melody than making sure my lyrics are true to me.” Y/n said sarcastically. Joe could always see right through him.

“Right, because you’re a popstar, not a singer-songwriter who the internet claims is the son of Taylor Swift.” Joe said laughing. “Anyway, I really liked that song. I really liked being called a son of a bitch.”

Y/n laughed and it felt so natural to be with Joe like this. Oh god, Dr. Wallard would be so disappointed in Y/n right now if he knew about this.

“No, that one was actually just a line that worked for the melody. I don’t think you’re a son of a bitch. Your mom is an angel.” Y/n said with a smile on his face. He slow started inching his way towards Joe and wrapped his arms around his waist, looking up at him.

“I’ll tell her you said that” Joe chuckled back. He wrapped his arms around Y/n and leaned down to kiss him. No matter what happened, no matter how hard either of them tried, they just couldn’t stay aware from each other. There was something magnetic, something out of this world about their relationship. Joe didn’t want to be with anyone else, even if they were officially in a relationship. “You know, sometimes I can’t tell if we’re in a relationship, just hookup up, friends with benefits, or if you just like kissing me.”

“Oh please! Don’t flatter yourself, Burrow. You look like the green giant from that vegetable company.” Y/n retorted. “If anything, YOU just like kissing me.”

“Cant argue with you there.”

————————————————————————

Y/n thought about Joe all the freaking time. In the shower, driving to the grocery store, on stage performing, but his thoughts about Joe just hit a little differently when he was in his therapy sessions.

“If Joe were to tell you, right now, that he wants to get back together with you, would you do it? Would you reignite that spark that started your relationship in the first place?” Dr. Wallard asked Y/n.

“Oh fuck that! No. Absolutely not. I’m over that son of a bitch. I’m at a point in my life where I almost want to put all of that behind me and pretend like it never existed. I’m just gonna start telling everyone that we never dated, we never saw each other in the first place, we never kissed.” Y/n lied with no hesitation and absolutely no conviction.

Maybe some part of him thought that if he could convince Dr. Wallard that if he couldn’t see the lie that it doesn’t exist. Deep down, he knew that he wasn’t as mysterious as he thought and he’s not as good of a liar as he thinks he is. Dr. Wallard has GOT to be catching on as much as Y/n denies anything ever happened with Joe.

“You wouldn’t go back to the person that you described as the most epic love of your life? You’ve once told me that you think he’s the only person you could ever be with. You had plans or dreams to marry him. Do you still get those dreams sometimes?” Dr. Wallard investigated further.

“No. No. No. In fact, I actually met someone else. There’s a man i’ve been seeing who looks like Joe in a way, maybe it’s the eyes, but character wise, he’s nothing like Joe. He’s so much better than Joe. He’s like he was a predestined thought in Santa’s mind before he was even born and has been on the nice list from birth. He’s the upgraded version of Joe.”

“Does this man have a name?”

“I’d rather not say that right now. I don’t want to jinx anything, you know?”

“Ok. That’s a valid argument. Does this man have any green flags that Joe didn’t?”

“This man is nothing but green flags. Joe was like a walking red flag, or like a walking, talking, breathing natural disaster warning.” Y/n argued.

Y/b had to think a little more about his next response. He thought of Joe and his sweet kisses.

“Joe was a walking tornado warning.”

[skyloftian-nutcase]

Was scrolling through my Imprisoning War writing to do something, and just...

Link rolled his eyes, only mildly exasperated. “Fine. It’s all his fault anyway.”

“Damn right it is.” “But I… I mean… us…”

The air grew thick, and the two grew quiet. Then, softly, Link tried to ask, “Do… do you still…?” “Do I still what?” Hemisi pressed impatiently, reaching for her drink. “Speak up, goofball. Remember when I used to tell you that when we were first dating? My gosh you were such a quiet, timid little thing.” “I wasn’t timid,” Link huffed. “Just not used to being allowed to speak.” “Well that’s stupid.” “Unlike you, I was just a guard, not royalty.” “Different now, isn’t it?” Link sombered again. “Yeah. It is.” Then he looked her dead in the eye. “I still love you.” Hemisi nearly choked on her spit, breath ripped out of her. What the— What was she even supposed to say to that?! Well. If she was sober she’d probably contemplate that more. Instead, she just said, “I still love you too.” Link blinked. “…O-oh.” Hemisi laughed so hard her ribs hurt. “Oh? That’s all you have to say? You’re hopeless! Did you really think I hadn’t? What, just because you said ‘no’ and I respected that you thought that was it?” Link blubbered, flustered, cheeks far more flushed than they were a moment ago. “I get it,” Hemisi interrupted his pathetic attempt to formulate words. “You love Hyrule more.” Link’s stuttering ceased, and he watched her with a clear gaze. Then he sighed, looking away, eyes distant. “I… yeah.” Hemisi’s heart ached, but it also swelled. His selflessness was one of the reasons she loved him so much. She just… had never imagined it would come between them. “Hyrule has a good Hero.” Link’s lip wobbled a little, eyes growing glassy, alarming the Gerudo chief a little. He looked at her a moment, eyes pleading, desperately fighting for control, but the alcohol was preventing it from happening, and the tears trickled down his face. “Oh, love,” Hemisi said, hearing her own voice tremble, and she walked over to him, pulling him into a hug. “I know.” “I’m sorry,” he cried quietly, words thick and choking in his throat. “I’m sorry.”

WELL FINE THEN I DIDN'T NEED MY HEART ANYWAY NOW I'M SAD

Why do I do this to the blorbos myself

[steviewashere]

This may be a bit out there request (also feel free to ignore) for a small oneshot, but can I request some pure steve angst? him and hop sharing a drink, no ships, just two dudes talking about shitty things that have happened to them over the past few years. My boy desperately needs a father figure.

Okay, I'm so sorry this took so long to answer. I literally started writing it, forgot about it, and then came back and couldn't think of anything. And I also didn't have Hopper share too much, but I hope this suffices some. This was a fun challenge. <3

Pairing: Steve Harrington & Jim "Chief" Hopper CW: Discussion of Canon Traumatic Events, Brief Mention of Canon Violence Tags: Post-Canon, Post-Season 4, Angst and Hurt/Comfort

🫂—————🫂 He’d been sitting outside with his head between his knees for the better part of half an hour when the door creaked open behind him. Even as the footfalls, heavy and slow, made their way towards him, Steve didn’t dare drag his eyes up. Kept them securely at his feet. To the wooden step underneath him. On the off chance that whatever world existed around him was a mirage.

The person sits down next to him with an unceremonious grunt. Their breaths are as heavy as their steps. A swallow clicking in their throat, probably dry and overused. Something chilled is pressed against his denim clad thigh. And that’s when Steve finally draws enough effort to look up.

Hopper sits hunched, head pointed at the trees beyond his cabin, eyes darting between them. In his right hand is an offered, cold bottle of beer. A firm outstretched bridge. And Steve tentatively takes it. He’s not quite old enough to be partaking in this, Hopper should know that, but also—he’s not the chief anymore, is he? So, why should he care?

His beer is already uncapped when he raises it to his face. Knocking it back and taking it in with a deep swallow. The foam churning on his tongue, sugary between his teeth, and moist on his lips. He heaves a sigh. Mutters, “Thanks.”

Another bottle is drank from. The slosh against the sides of the glass an easy sound. Hopper smacks his lips together. “Looked like you needed one,” he states gruffly. A swig. “God knows I did with all that damn commotion in there.”

“Yeah,” Steve murmurs back, “it’s too loud for me.” He takes a small sip at his drink. Shifts the bottle back and forth between his palms, relishing in the crisp condensation on his skin. Begins to pick at the label where it looks like it’ll peel away easily, if he just gave it his full effort. “I don’t even know why I came over. I can’t stand noisy shit.”

“Feel like the old Steve Harrington that I’ve met would say otherwise,” Hopper muses. Instead of dignifying it with a response, Steve just nods his head in silent agreement. Because yeah, pre-November, 1983 Steve would be doing keg stands and chanting at the top of his lungs. Not moping around on the front porch of the ex-chief of police. Sharing beer of all things.

The noise inside the house floats out from under the crooked front door. A mixture of birdsong and laughter. The subtle soft chirps of crickets beginning to wake up. It’s good outside, the air cold on Steve’s face and the sun nearly set. He takes a deep breath and just absorbs.

“Sometimes,” Hop starts softly when their shared silence stretches too long, “sometimes I look at you and see myself.”

Steve swallows around nothing. “That a good thing?” He asks just as quiet.

“No,” Hopper answers honestly. “You look like you’d rather be under the dirt than be anywhere. There’s…you’re a lonely lookin’ nineteen year old.”

He shrugs. “Yeah, well—“ Steve sighs. “—maybe I’d rather that. All things considered, Hopper.” There are eyes on him, he can sense them through the aching joint of his left shoulder. They burn him. It hurts to have attention like this on him, after so much time alone. And he knows that he’s got Robin and the party members—he’ll maybe have Eddie if he pulls through in the hospital. But that doesn’t make his house any less silent, or his parents’ room any less dusty, or his bed any less cold.

“You got anybody you can talk to, kid? Outside of Robin?”

Steve sniffs. Picks at the label on his beer bottle. Tries not to notice his shaking hands. “Who ‘m I gonna talk to?” He asks lowly. “A shrink is gonna think I’m crazy, put me away. And y’know how my parents are. They aren’t going to believe me, let alone listen.”

Hopper’s leg bumps his. Beer bottle clinking against the porch as he sets it down. He ducks down, enough to make direct eye contact with Steve. His eyes are fierce, yet inviting and soft. Steve’s stomach churns. “Talk to me, then. You need an adult who will understand you? I’m right here.”

He scoffs. “What do you want me to talk about?”

“Anything. Everything. Something, Steve.” A hand lands gently on his shoulder. The warmth a lull, a sweet thing. And something inside of him begins to melt. But he doesn’t say anything, still. Hopper sighs long and winded. And the touch dissipates, leaving Steve drifted and yearning.

Behind them, Hopper’s cabin swells with noise. That raspy laugh of Robin’s. And Mike’s honk snorting. Even Jonathan is adding something, a few loud comments here and there. “I can’t believe we won!” Dustin crows and the others join in intense agreement. And Steve wonders why he can’t celebrate like they can. What happened to him. Where his joy lays in all this.

Hopper sips his beer again, looking out at the trees once more. Smacks his lips together. “I don’t know how to celebrate this shit,” he admits quietly. “I’m…Part of me is excited to not see my girl use those powers of hers again. To hopefully see her hair grow out. But another part of me is—I just remember all the bad shit that happened before we got to this point.”

“Yeah,” Steve croaks. He gulps a good third of his beer in one go. The sour bitterness of the drink burning his throat alive. When he pulls the bottle away, he absentmindedly rubs at the dark red demobat scar on his neck. “Especially when my body remembers and is covered in my failures,” he mutters.

Beside him, Hopper makes a noise of agreement. A hum. A grunt sort of thing. “I used to be a fat guy.” He half-heartedly chuckles. “Now I’m just this skinny dude with real short hair and the eyes of a World War Two soldier.”

Steve snorts. “And I used to have plain, blemish free skin. Now look at me, Hop.” He gestures loosely at his own face and neck when Hopper does turn and look over. “No amount of coconut oil—or whatever—is going to get rid of this shit. Like my mom keeps insisting on. I mean…She doesn’t know all the shit I’ve been through. The—The plate I took to the crown of my head or the needle to my neck or those Russian shitheads that knocked me senseless.”

Hopper’s breath hitches. Steve curses at himself internally. Remembers the haunted body that pulled him in close when they reconvened. Remembers the frantic calls from Jonathan, of all people, asking what to do when it comes to nightmares—“Not mine,” Jonathan had said, “Hop’s. He just…He just yells.” And even remembers the faint hints Hop gave: the relief in finding a jar of peanut butter, the biting cold, the labor, and the cells. The separation from who he used to be. The loneliness within what he’d gone through, which Steve knows all too well. “Russians?” Hopper softly implores anyway.

And part of Steve knows what he’s doing. The crack to his shell deepening, stretching. But he answers despite it all. Keeps his voice leveled, careful as to not be heard from inside the cabin. “Yeah,” he whispers, the syllables cracking. “Robs and Dustin and I, we all decoded this tape, right? There was Russian speech on it or whatever and I ended up finding the source of the intermission. It was coming from underneath Starcourt. So, y’know how stupid we all are, we went ahead and found these assholes and…Well I—“ He rubs the lip of his beer bottle to his own bottom lip. Eyes glossing over, remembering. “They were going to hurt Robin,” he states, his own voice like gravel, “and Dustin. And little Erica. So I did the stupid thing. Answered their interrogation. They didn’t like the answers; I earned a few punches. Went unconscious. Got hit with some truth serum drug bullshit. Threw up my guts, ended up with a concussion, saw a guy die in front of me, went home and threw up again in the shower, and then I went to bed.”

All at once, the world narrows to just them. Hopper’s completely silent though and Steve doesn’t want to glance over. See the pity written on his sullen, aged face. So he shrugs, takes another swig of his beer, and burps lightly when the carbonation comes up. Nonchalance. “Play stupid games, win stupid prizes. Right, Hop?” Steve pokes quietly. “Throw myself in danger for the people around me. Try to keep them on my good side. Show them I’m worth giving a shit about. Save ‘em. Love ‘em for a bit. Wait until they turn on me or whatever.

“I know you do it, too. So don’t try to lecture me,” Steve mutters, “At least we don’t have to do it again.”

He’s not sure what to really expect to any of that. But he doesn’t think he’d ever expect a firm, heavy arm to wrap around his shoulders. To tug him in close and warm. To hold him gently.

“I’m sorry, kid,” Hopper murmurs.

Steve tries to pull away, but the hand on his opposite bicep squeezes him back. “It’s not your fault, Hop. It’s—“

“You’re a kid, Steve,” he emphasizes. “A kid with a long fucking life ahead of you. And you’ve already seen enough for, well, for lifetimes. You should’a never been in any of this shit, none of you teens should’a. Not just those Russians, Steve. But for everything.”

He doesn’t feel like a kid. Doesn’t really feel like anything, but Hopper doesn’t need to know that right now. Sure, he’d understand. That liminal space after losing his daughter, right after war, before his world quite literally turned upside down—Hopper lived that nothingness for a long while. Maybe he lives it again, Steve isn’t sure.

But he just sighs. “You shouldn’t have been there, either,” Steve murmurs. His face is warm and his eyes sting. And before he really knows what’s happening, he’s crying. Hot tears that sear all the way down to the underside of his jaw. That don’t really produce much noise from him, but he supposes the terrible stuttering in and out is something.

“C’mere, kid,” Hopper mutters.

His beer gets set aside somewhere. Pulled even further in. Head nestled on Hopper’s shoulder, the fresh shave of his beard burning on Steve’s forehead. A hand between his shoulder blades and the other on the back of his head. Steve’s arms sit limp at his sides. But within Hop’s warmth, the musk of aftershave and Irish Spring soap, and his firm and careful hold—Steve finally breaks.

It’s not a catastrophic thing, like he had expected. It’s not all that quiet either.

Shoulders shaking, eyes heavy, and nose burning—Steve cries. Cries with the force of a sudden summer downpour. Heaves giant breaths as if he’s just come up from drowning. And he sobs against the bare skin of Hopper’s neck. Open mouthed. Wet exhales. Big globs of spit sticky between his lips.

When he can finally catch his breath, feel the exhaustion into his bones, he pulls back.

Hopper lays his hands on either side of Steve’s face. His own cheeks wet with tears. Sniffling. “I know, okay? I know, kid,” he says quietly. “You need a home to run to? A shoulder to cry on? You just need a good dad hug? Come over, okay? Steve, you just gotta come over.”

And with that, all Steve can do, is give in.

He cries again into Hopper’s shoulder.

Later, he’ll listen to Hopper in turn. Hug him just as fiercely. Laugh at the absurdity of it all. But this is nice. Just this for a little while longer.

For the first time in his life, though, he feels like he’s got a home to return to. An ear to hear him. And a heart to care about him.

🫂—————🫂 Thank you for the ask, this was an interesting one!

[cauqhtz]

GALLY X READER!TINY

DISCLAIMER: i’ll be substituting "y/n" for "tiny" if that’s something you struggle with digesting? Keep scrolling! I dont need to be harrassed bc of it. Its not that serious. (No its not a oc. It’s literally you with a nickname. Instead of typing all ridiculous (y/n/n) i gave it a different word. Thats it and thats all! Also i’ve seen other writers do this without being harrassed so please just respect me and my choices. DO NOT READ IT IF YOU DO NOT LIKE IT. I removed the option to request anonymously because of this. But my requests are open!

SUMMARY: Thomas and Tiny talk about Gally and rejection.

"What do you see in him?" Thomas askes sitting down beside Tiny, motioning towards Gally.

The only girl in the glade and his best-friend. She’d only joined a couple months before he did and yet for some reason she drooled all over Gally. The builders chief. Going out of her way to please the guy. Though from everything that Thomas has witnessed, he wasnt giving her the time of day. Its pathetic. Though he wasn’t in any position to be judgemental.

"Excuse me?" Tiny hums in acknowledgment her. Her attention unwavering.

"Gally, hey-" Thomas calls turning her head in his direction before continuing. "He treats you like shit and you kiss the ground he walks on. Does it not bother you? Why not move on?"

"Of course it bothers me Tommy. I have feelings just like everyone else but i dont know. I could give you a million and one excuses and it still wouldnt explain how he makes me feel. You know? Yeah rejection hurts like a motherfucker but all it takes is a smile, a kiss to my cheek or forehead, his skin on mine in general and its like the pain was never there." Tiny rambles on grinning, eyes as bright as stars as she shakes his shoulders in excitement.

Thomas nods in understanding. He understood. He didnt know when he’d fallen in love with the girl who was in love with the guy who hated his guts. It was pathetic… but he couldnt find it in him to be mad at it.

"And i mean come on. Moving on? If it were that easy. Heartbreak wouldnt hurt as bad as it does. It doesnt help that he treats me like an absolute princess. He’s such a sweetheart. You know im very peculiar with how i eat my food? It has to be a certain way or i’ll starve. It’s not like we have many options in the glade but i just cannot force myself to swallow the food if it isnt a certain way and i’d die before offending frypan. So i’d end up starving until Gally realized and started to go out of his way to plate my food for me?" Tiny sighs leaning her head against Thomas shoulder, her gaze trailing back to Gally who was rough housing with the guys.

"He built me a shack, so i’d have my privacy and be alone. God his hugs are the best. He’s always so gentle with me. I mean just look at him-"

"Alright! Alright. I get it. You’re in love with him." Thomas huffs playfully shrugging the girl off. Trying to ignore ache in his chest.

"Yup! And he’s in love with me. He just doesnt know it yet!" Tiny grins, pressing a kiss to the boys cheek after having heard Gally call out to her. "Welp my husband calls! Later Tommy!"

Tommy hums, watching Gally hand the girl a plate of assorted food, that doesnt touch with a kiss to her forehead. The two walk from Thomas’s sight.

Thomas understood the girls words. More than he liked.

[redrydersrequiem]

Wandering canary

Heyyyyyy first one piece fic, love the show and glad its doing so well, the oc character is about 32 to be closer to shanks and buggy’s ages this will be a buggy x reader fic because like so many others i love Jeff ward and his portrayal of buggy was “chefs kiss”

The strawhat crew finally landed on a seemingly normal island.( For once.) Finally able to restock their dwindling supplies and stretch their sea legs.

“Finally land!” Nami states pop in her back and relishes the feel of solid steady ground under her feet. “That storm was crazy, we're lucky we made it here.”

“Yeah it's nice to finally be somewhere that looks seemingly safe.” Usopp says looking around at the nice port and colorful looking town.

“Yeah, think of the new local ingredients we can find around here or all the beautiful island women just waiting for a dashing chief like myself to come along.” Sanji says straightening his tie about to walk further on the pier however he's almost pushed into the water by Zoro's yawning form, walking off the ship

“I'm ready for a nap, huuuuh”

“Damit zoro watch where you're going.”

“What was that waiter”

“Why you broccoli headed piece of”

Before the two can argue further luffy plows through them effectively pushing them into the dock below.

“Ohhhhhh I can’t wait any more, come on guys lets gooooooo.!”

Luffy wait nami call out but it's too late the captain of the going merry is off dust trailing behind him as the crew all quickly try to catch up before luffy accidentally destroys something

A short time later the merry was restocked and no threats were found (or had been created) so the crew decided to treat themselves to a night out.

The local bar was nice, not as nice as the Baratie but not run down either. Drinks and food flow, the crew having a grand time when a spotlight turns on illuminating the bars stage. Everyone claps as a person the crew assumes is the owner based on how nicely the old woman is dressed steps forward.

“And now for the event of the night, our very own wandering songbird, ms Canary.”

The room erupts in applause and cheers. The straw hats all look on expectantly slightly apprehensive of all the clapping after the last time the. Had to endure a spotlight and clapping, except for luffy he was full on cheering with everyone else.

The curtain opens and a woman dressed in shimmering jewel tones, coins and bells added to the hems of her skirts to make them jingle, she stands in the middle of the stage a tambourine in her hand posed for the music to start. But its not her outfit or pose that draws the straw hats' eyes. No, it's her blood red hair.

“Hey! Her hair looks just like shanks.” Luffy points nami quickly shushing him and lowering his pointed hand as the music starts.

*Think this outfit but of course character is not Esmeralda

Canary’s pov

* I changed some of the songs lyrics

{ rhythm of the tambourine starts playing}

The music starts and I begin my first movement. My tambourine mirroring my movements perfectly in time,

Hey, soldier boy, I see how you stare

Hey, fisher man, I see you admire

Come gather 'round

Hey, Jack and Pierre!

Come see me dance to the rhythm of the tambourine

Flash of ankle

Flip of a skirt

Feel them excite, enflame and inspire

Come see me dance, hey, what can it hurt?

It's just a dance to the rhythm of the tambourine

The regulars are all in the front row while those from out of town have sprinkled around the bar. One table is filled with younger ones all maybe 16/17 to 20ish years old all smiling at the performance, they definitely look out of place amongst all the Old beer gutted or wind beat sailors and fisherman of the island, but its the youngest looking one that makes me pause, or more specifically the hat on his head.

Memories resurface quickly. The call of my name comes from a fuzzy figure in front of me. I can’t make out any of their features besides their red hair and the straw hat on his head. The sound of someone yelling wait up idiot comes from beside me as blue infiltrates my vision. Their faces and voices are still blurry but hey at least I remembered something. I quickly shake my head and move back into my dance trying to appear normal

Straw hats pov

As she dances around the room coming to stand in front of. The table her eyes taking us all in with a smile on her face till she sees luffy. That’s when she freezes. A confused and distant expression crosses her face quickly, but as soon as it appears it disappears, the woman quickly regaining momentum and spins back into her dance. The straw hats all (besides luffy) silently look at one another making sure they all notice the pause. The music comes to an end, the woman exiting as a band replaces her now playing soft bar music, as everyone goes back to eating and drinking. The straw hats finish and decide to head out.

“Ahhhh that was amazing” luffy laughs rubbing his engorged belly.

“Agreed but did you see that woman's face when she saw luffy.?” Nami asks the group

“yeah she like froze or something” usopp adds

“Wait what?” Luffy asks

"Yeah when she was near our table did you really not notice luffy?” Sanji asks

“Yeah it was weird. How she,” but before Zoro can get out the rest of his sentence a yell of wait cuts him off. The crew all turn towards the voice to find the women now wearing a normal outfit jogging towards them.

“Please wait” canary says catching her breath

“How can we help you, miss?” Sanji Asks ever the gentlemen.

“Um, I'm sorry to bother you all but I was hoping I could speak to you, privately if possible.?”

The crew all look at each other before luffy interrupts and gladly invites the lady to the ship happily dragging her along the rest of the crew following

Canary’s pov

Night had fallen and the kitchen is filled with warmth, tea and snacks being handed out as the crew settles into listen to my story

“To start thank you for not thinking I’m insane, and let me formally introduce myself my names canary”

“Nice to meet you, canary. I'm monkey D Luffy and this is my crew.” The energetic brunette stats arms wide as he gestures to the others each one going down the line to introduce themselves

“Canary huh, got a last name to go with that?”, the green haired boy named Zoro asks.

“I don't actually that's kind of part of the reason I wished to speak to all of you.

“Zoro dont be rude go ahead ma’am start at the beginning”. Sanji scoulds Zoro before turning back to me

“Can you tell us why you need to speak to Luffy so badly?” Nami asks

“I know this is a strange question but none of you would happen to recognize me would you?”

The crew all look at eachother once more before all answering no.

“I should have known better.”

“Why do you ask?” Luffy asks now, invested in my story.

“Well about twenty years ago I was found on a beach after a storm. Some of the villagers nearby found me, treated my wounds and took me in.” I move my hair to show the kids the scar on my temple. “ I don't have any memories from before the storm but sometimes i get flashes of the past and one of them was a red haired boy wearing that hat.”

“That has to be shanks! Luffy says so excitedly, his whole being lighting up at the mention of this Shanks person.

“Shanks”

“Yeah hes the best,hes the one who made me want to be a pirate, hes also the one who gave me this hat.

“Really! then he could possibly know who i am.

“I mean yeah probably. He never forgets a face”

“Do you know where he is now or how to get ahold of him?”

“No unfortunetly, I haven’t really seen shanks in a little while. Hes out there sailing the grand line like us.”

Oh, is all i can get out a immense sense of sadness overcoming me at the possibility of knowing who i am is snubbed right in front of me

Strawhats pov

Looking at canary’s face luffy can help but to think of how to help her.

“Oh hey! I have an idea. why dont you join my crew?”

Everyone’s heads turn eyes going wide as they stare at the rubber boy.

“Really?” Canary asks the young kid

“Yeah any friend of shanks is a friend of mine besides were bound to run into him eventually i know it.”

Before canary can speak Zoro interrupts the over enthusiastic boy

“Luffy the grand line isnt a place for just anyone to travel around its dangerous especially for someone who’s just an entertainer no offense canary”

“I’ll try not to be but I will correct you and say I'm not just an entertainer. I happen to be a petty good sailer and im a marksmen, i'm not exactly defenseless” canary says pulling out the mini Gatling gun on her thigh

“Wow that's cool you know how to use that

“I do i even make my own ammo and everything, I can use a sword too but I'm not really an up close fighter unless I have to be.

“I want to see, I want to see” luffy cheers.

“I would be happy to show you all my skills if that would ease your minds, and besides I’ve traveled a lot looking for where I came from, and I've made friends at every island I’ve visited I can help you get around the grand line, help navigate which islands to go to and which to avoid.”

“Well guys i don't know about you all. But a beautiful talented woman is always welcome to travel with me,”Sanji says with a stricken look on his face as he gazes at Canary.

“I wouldn’t mind having another female around to Be honest.” Nami says wistfully.

“Hey im always for new friends” usopp joins. Everyone turns to Zoro the first mate being the final decider

“If she can actually defend herself and keep up then she’s fine by me”

“ALRIGHT!!!!” Ms canary welcome to the going merry.”

[roseeycreates-blog]

My favorite characters who have zero luck with men.

Yep, I've got a type when it comes to the women I stan... So here’s a list of my faves~ I love them so much, but seriously, their luck with men is just tragic!

Tsunade (Naruto/ Naruto Shippuden)

The legendary Sannin who’s tough as nails and a total badass, but when it comes to love, she’s had nothing but heartbreak. Dan’s death really messed her up, and she’s carried that pain ever since. Then, just when she’s ready to give Jiraiya a chance, he dies too…

Hera (Greek Mythology)

Queen of the gods and the ultimate boss lady, but her marriage to Zeus is a total trainwreck. He’s constantly cheating on her, and she’s stuck dealing with all his mess. And the kicker? She’s the goddess of marriage. The irony is just too much.

Eri Kisaki (Detective Conan)

The Queen of the Courtroom, a brilliant lawyer who’s sharp, independent, and stunning. But her relationship with Kogoro is a total mess. They’re still a couple but living separately, with lingering feelings and a complicated, on-again, off-again dynamic that never seems to get resolved.

Toph Beifong (Avatar: The Last Airbender)

The greatest earthbender, but her love life? Not so great. She had a one-sided crush on Sokka in ATLA, and in LOK, we all know she never really settled down with anyone. Plus, her daughters don’t even know who their fathers are.

Lin Beifong (The Legend of Korra)

The esteemed Chief of Police of Republic City, just like her mom, her love life isn’t much better. Her past with Tenzin was a tragic missed opportunity, and she never really found anyone else after him.

Yeah, I’m just gonna go cry in the corner. I keep hurting myself whenever things get tough… sad life.

[alto-tenure]

Hey remember those Japanese-exclusive prologues from a few days ago? If not, go read my post with Sissel's first. Capcom's Twitter just posted Lynne's, so here's a transcript of it!

When did it get so late?

Maybe if I leave the precinct now and really floor it, I can still make it in time? Yeah, I'll be fine. I'm a detective, after all.

Oh, who's that coming this way? It's the Chief of the Special Investigations Unit!

"Looks like you're all ready to go." "H-Hey, Chief...! What's up?" "What do you mean, 'What's up?' Don't tell me you forgot."

Drat! That's exactly what happened.

I was promoted to detective recently-- just this past autumn, in fact. And instead of some stuffy speech to mark the occasion, I said we should go for dinner sometime... I think.

"I'm so sorry! I... kinda have somewhere to be." "Now? And where are you going at this time of night, eh?" "Umm, uh..."

Look, I'm not some bad guy who can lie convincingly on the spot. I'm a detective, after all!

"Th-The junkyard on the outskirts of town." "The junkyard? You going there to throw something out?" "Not... exactly." "Then you're going there to pick something up?" "........."

Help. I don't know how to respond to that. Because that's technically what I'm planning to do... sorta.

The Chief's face clouded over in annoyance.

"I don't believe this. Are you saying garbage is more important than me?" "No, that's not it at all..." "Besides, you're the one who picked tonight in the first place."

Ah, I did, didn't I?

...Oh, well.

Guess I don't have a choice. I'll just have to go eat with the Chief.

And when I do...

I'll have to find the right moment to knock him completely unconscious.

Or would that be going too far?

Definitely not. The Chief would understand. This is an emergency. No one would ever blame me... Or is that only wishful thinking?

"...You're right." "Thank you." "Give me a second, though."

...To find the weapon that will hurt the least.

Just then...

"Ah, darn it!" "Chief?" "Sorry, but I'm going to have to reschedule." "Huh?"

Well, that was unexpected. ...As if this whole conversation we're already having isn't already that.

"I just remembered my wife asked me to take out the trash." "I-I see." "Before she gets home, I mean." "U-Understood, Chief! Loud and clear!"

I give him a salute as he leaves.

After all of that...

I guess trash turned out to be more important than dinner for both of us.

At least, that's what I'm gonna tell myself.

In any case, I'm glad that's settled.

Because I absolutely, positively have to be at the Zone D Waste Center tonight.

[Zone D Waste Center]

I'm running out of time, and the bad feeling I have is only getting worse.

If I don't hurry...

To be continued...