#yes that includes future fight me

[nebulousbren]

Steven Universe is so good actually

[welcometogrouchland]

I miss them so bad (Dick and Damian)

[luna-azzurra]

Weirdly Healing Things to Do When You’re Feeling Creatively Burned Out...

Write a fake 5-star Goodreads review of your WIP—as if you didn’t write it. Go ahead. Pretend you're a giddy reader who just discovered this masterpiece. Bonus: add emojis, chaotic metaphors, and all-caps screaming. It’s self-indulgent. It’s delusional. It’s delicious.

Give your main character a Pinterest board titled “Mentally Unstable but Aesthetic.” Include outfits, quotes, memes, cursed objects, and that one painting that haunts their dreams. This is not about logic. This is about ✨vibes.✨

Make a “deleted scenes” folder and write something that would never make it into the book. A crackfic. A “what if they were roommates” AU. The group chat from hell. This is your WIP’s blooper reel. Let it be silly, chaotic, or wildly off-brand.

Interview your villain like you’re Oprah. Ask the hard-hitting questions. “When did you know you were the drama?” “Do you regret the murder, or just the way you did it?” Bonus points if they lie to your face.

Host a fake awards show for your characters. Categories like “Most Likely to Die for Vibes,” “Worst Emotional Regulation,” “Himbo Energy Supreme,” or “Best Use of a Dramatic Exit.” Write their acceptance speeches. Yes, this counts as writing.

Write a breakup letter… to your inner critic. Be petty. Be dramatic. “Dear Self-Doubt, this isn’t working for me anymore. You bring nothing to the table but anxiety and bad vibes.” Rip it up. Burn it. Tape it to your mirror. Your call.

Create a “writing comfort kit” like you’re a cozy witch. A candle that smells like your WIP. A tea that your characters would drink. A playlist labeled “for writing when I’m one rejection email away from giving up.” This is a ritual now.

Design a fake movie poster or book cover like your story is already famous. Add star ratings, critic quotes, and some pretentious tagline like “One soul. One destiny. No chill.”

Write a scene you’re not ready to write—but just a rough, messy outline version. Not the polished thing. Just the raw emotion. The shape of it. Like sketching the bones of a future punch to the gut. You don’t have to make it perfect. Just open the door.

Let your story be bad on purpose for a day. Like, aggressively bad. Give everyone ridiculous names. Add an evil talking cat. Write a fight scene with laser swords and emotional damage. Just remind yourself that stories are meant to be played with, not feared.

[kira-akira]

What I Want You To Know About Long COVID

Well lads, I've been suffering from Long COVID for over a year now. My life is at a complete standstill. I'm 25 years old and I'm too sick to go back to school, I can't work, I had to move back in with my parents and I'm still stuck here.

Here are just a few things I wish people knew about Long COVID, including things I didn't know myself until I got it.

COVID destroys your immune system. Yes, even if you don't have Long COVID. Are you getting sick more often now? When you get sick, does it last longer? There are many studies showing that COVID causes t cell depletion, even in mild COVID cases! T cells are how your body remembers how to fight off infections you've had before so losing those cells? Bad news.

Your initial infection can be mild and you can still get Long COVID. Right from Yale Medicine, "Most people with Long COVID had mild acute COVID." (This is also a good link for a basic Long COVID overview).

There can be a gap of time between when you "get better" from the initial COVID infection to the onset of Long COVID symptoms. Some people get sick with an initial COVID infection and never get better. Some get better and then weeks or months later start developing Long COVID symptoms. Long COVID symptoms can even fluctuate over time, can go away for months and then suddenly come back.

So many people have Long COVID and don't realize it. Do you feel more tired lately but no matter how much you sleep, nothing helps? Is it harder to concentrate at work or school? Can you just not think like you used to? You could have Long COVID and not even know it. Even mild post-COVID symptoms are still Long COVID.

COVID can do anything to your body. Long COVID has over 200 recognized symptoms and can affect basically any part or system of your body. There is no one mechanism or cause of Long COVID which unfortunately also means there's no one cure either.

The effects of COVID are cumulative. Each COVID reinfection increases your chances of developing Long COVID. COVID is also affecting your body in other ways, yes, even if you're otherwise young and healthy! "Repeat COVID-19 infections increase risk of organ failure, death".

Once you have Long COVID, repeat COVID infections will make your symptoms worse. "80% [of Long COVID patients] saw their symptoms worsen [from reinfection]. In 60% of people who were in recovery or remission from Long COVID, reinfection caused a recurrence of Long COVID."

There is a lot more I want to say about Long COVID but I want to keep this post at least somewhat manageable to read. Like how when COVID is contracted during pregnancy, those COVID-exposed fetuses have a 6.3-fold increased risk of motor developmental delays, or that another study found 50% of babies exposed to COVID in utero had developmental delays.

You need to keep caring about COVID, for others around you and also for yourself even if you're "healthy". Everyone is at risk. And don't forget 40-60% of COVID infections are asymptomatic, which is why masking even if you feel fine is crucial. The only way right now to not get Long COVID is to not get COVID in the first place. It's not too late, if you've stopped masking it's never too late to start again! I know it's easy to get distracted by things in your life that seem more real than the possibility of getting sick some time in the future, and the peer pressure to not mask can be intense. But it only feels less real or less important until your entire life is having Long COVID. Trust me.

I know this is a complicated issue, many people can't afford to stay home when sick even if they want to because of their jobs, there are disgusting policies trying to ban wearing masks, but please if you can. Keep masking. Masking works, masking saves lives.

This post got a bit longer than I wanted so below the cut is a non-exhaustive list of my Long COVID symptoms and some of my experiences as one of the "healthy young people" who got "unlucky". cw brief mention of suicidal ideation.

Welcome to the Thunderdome that is my body with Long COVID. Keep in mind these are just my experiences and symptoms, Long COVID can cause any range of symptoms at varying severities.

Dysautonomia: Exercise intolerance, Post-Exertional Malaise (PEM), fatigue, and heat intolerance. What do those things mean? Here's some specific examples. Absolutely terrible circulation I am so cold all the time but also, if I get a little too warm I will pass out. Eating hot food makes my heart rate spike, I sweat, my body feels heavy. Blood pooling and pins and needles in my feet when I walk. Don't even think about exercising past walking, it's impossible. I used to work out an hour a day 4 times a week and now walking up one flight of stairs makes my heart pound and I can't breathe. Can't take even just warm showers anymore or I will pass out. Heat rashes from being in the sun for 10 minutes.

Digestive issues: Honestly too many to name but: constant bloating, extreme nausea, constipation, slow motility, lack of appetite, just so much cramping and pain. I lost 18 pounds from Long COVID, as someone who was already considered underweight their entire life, and almost had to get a shunt put into my chest to deliver nutrients because I was nearly completely unable to eat. For the first 6 months of Long COVID, if I could manage 600 calories a day, that was a good day.

Histamine intolerance: Oh boy. My worst symptoms, I don't even know where to start with it. If you know Mast Cell Activation Syndrome (MCAS) it's very similar. I can only eat 19 foods. If i eat a single bite of something not on that list, it's 48 hours of absolute hell. Coughing, migraines, itchy eyes, such extreme nausea I cannot even describe it, panic/feeling of doom, racing heart rate, derealization, rash, uncontrollable muscle tremors. I only learned about histamine intolerance 5 months into having Long COVID so before that, I was experiencing these symptoms nearly every single day. Terrifying isn't even a strong enough word to describe how it felt to experience all this and have no idea what it was, how to stop it, or if it would ever stop. Really dark times.

Neurological issues: More of that derealization. Inability to concentrate. Anxiety. OCD-like symptoms such as thoughts getting "stuck" in my head, repeating 24/7 completely unable to stop them, genuinely felt like my brain had cracked open and I had lost my mind. Constant dizziness like I'm on a boat.

Sleep issues: I sleep like garbage. I have insomnia, I wake up dozens of times every night and every single time I sleep I have intensely vivid dreams. I can't sleep longer than 7 hours total no matter how exhausted I am. It is exhausting. I'm exhausted, I'm so so tired.

And finally. Just. Really intense suicidal ideation. My body, my health, my entire life has been stolen from me because someone else decided my life was worth less to them than wearing a mask or staying home if they feel sick. Before I got Long COVID, I was preparing to go to South Korea to teach English, then on to a PhD in neurolinguistics, I was supposed to meet my long distance partner and had already booked plane tickets when I got sick. All of that has been destroyed.

Most of us with Long COVID are stuck in a cycle of being extremely sick, then if you're lucky you'll slowly get better over months, just to get reinfected and go right back where you started or worse. Honestly, I'm not scared of dying from COVID. I'm scared of living for a long time, suffering from Long COVID the entire time. This isn't living.

I don't know how to end this now. I'm still fighting, I'm trying experimental treatments, I'm not giving up yet. I hope everyone reading this stays healthy and well.

[tillythemenace]

I love Astrid so much as a character because she WAS the first one to change her mind. She was the best warrior yes, but she did that because that's the only one she knew how to protect Berk. But as soon as she saw another way, she immediately took it. Because yes, she believed in Hiccup and that meant SO MUCH. Enough for him to STAY and fight. Legit her being the FIRST one to believe in him LITERALLY saved everyone. Cause Hiccup was about to DIP.

It's so significant that she was the one to change her mind. I don't thin anyone else could've done it but her, cause I think she and Hiccup BOTH love Berk yes, but Astrid, given that she had no other outlet to stop this war, was about to do anything as well to protect it, including killing dragons.

It's understated so much how Hiccup and Astrid's relationship in the first movie is so significant for the future (I mean this beyond shipping btw) Cause Astrid being Hiccup's ALLY, was MORE significant for him than her being someone he's romantically involved with. She was his ally FIRST, and THAT to me was the BEST thing she could've been to him at the time.

I love Astrid in the first movie so much because it shows what she's willing to do to save Berk, and I'm not saying Hiccup DIDN'T want to save Berk, but not for Astrid changing her mind BECAUSE of her love for Berk, Hiccup REALLY would've left just like Valka... Who know what would've happened with him after that. And we see this VERY CLEARLY in the single best thing Astrid's been characterized in this franchise: Gift of the Night Fury.

in GOTNF, we see Astrid at her BEST after HTTYD1, we get to see her relaxed and actually active in trying to cheer everyone up, we get to see her TRUE personality in times of PEACE, and those are GREAT, she's so cheerful and active and PRESENT. SHE came up with Yaknog, SHE came up with the egg presents, SHE was decorating the village. We see her devotion to Berk and her loyalty and see her be HERSELF because of herself. I love her so much there (and yes even in HTTYD2 we get to see some of that cheerful personality and I also love that tbh)

[fellthemarvelous]

Deny. Defend. Depose.

It is clear to those of us that live in America, the only people we truly have on our side are ourselves. The ruling class has made it clear we don't matter to them.

Luigi Mangione was arrested and happened to have every single piece of evidence on him that law enforcement was looking for, including the parts for the ghost gun, inside his backpack (that he also got rid of in Central Park containing the Monopoly money???). Either he was trying to get caught or that evidence was planted. And when he was being forcefully pushed into the jail, he hollered back to the press about "injustice" and "being an insult to the intelligence of American citizens and our lived experiences."

The people have now turned against corporate America and the CEOs and billionaires are fucking terrified. Nothing the news stations are saying to us are changing our minds. The American people have finally united over this issue and there is no going back for us. Whoever did kill Brian Thompson (and theories abound on the game The Adjuster is playing because no one plays Monopoly alone) exposed the very real divide that exists between every day citizens and the extremely wealthy. Things were easier for them to control when they were able to divide us, but now that we are aware of how uncertain our future is in America and seeing just how little we matter to the people who take our money, we have realized that we have more in common with each other than the people who control every aspect of our lives. We are waking up.

There isn't one person in this country who hasn't been a victim to the predatory scam that is private health insurance. Medical debt is the leading cause of bankruptcy in America, and many of us are one ambulance ride or hospital stay away from homelessness. We all know people who have died because the insurance company denied them the treatment they needed or waited until it was too late for an approval of a medical claim to matter anymore.

Recently, I decided to be tested for autism and ADHD. Not life-threatening or anything, but my life is still in shambles and I want to know if I'm going untreated for something else. Before being tested though, I was informed that the insurance company (Aetna) has said that they were going to cover the full cost of the testing I was having (which was six hours of testing by the way). She even made sure several times that they were, in fact, going to cover it in full and they said yes.

The same day that Brian Thompson, CEO of another horrible healthcare company, was murdered in broad daylight, I received a call from that doctor's office with the woman telling me that Aetna was now telling her they never agreed to cover my testing and that they are going to bill me for $1600 (where the hell am I supposed to get that?) and she is fighting them, but considering our lives don't matter to the people who tell us what healthcare we are and are not allowed to receive, I don't think they will feel compelled to change their minds because they are bloodsucking parasites who only care about lining their pockets while I don't even have $6 lying around, let alone $1600!!

Corporate America leeches off our taxes. They take and take and take and we see nothing in return. They raise prices on insurance coverage and then deny us the very coverage that we pay for. They poison our food, price gouge our poisoned food, and then force us to pay for the treatment we get when the food makes us sick. Corporate America profits off of our hard work, our taxes, our health, our lives, our deaths.

I don't know if this will reach a larger audience or not, but I wanted to talk about it on Tumblr because this platform seems to be a crossroads for every type of creative soul. I initially brought up this idea on TikTok earlier, but I want to see if it can get traction in other places as well since I have fewer than 3,000 followers on TikTok (and I have seen a small few express interest in my idea in the hours since I posted the video.)

We're busy being lectured by politicians and the news media because while they are clutching their pearls at what happened to Brian Thompson, the rest of us do not give one single flying fuck about what happened to him. As CEO of a for-profit health insurance company, he signed off on denied claims and death for those of us who struggle to make it from one day to the next. The sicker you are, the poorer you are, the more they force you to struggle and pay. The love to deny coverage because regardless of whether we live or die, they already have the money we are forced to pay them.

I don't condone murder at all, but I also don't care that he was murdered because he was guilty of murdering so many more people in this country through legal means because it's profitable. The CEOs are scared and there are wanted posters with their names and faces popping up in places. Every CEO of every healthcare company is guilty of murdering Americans and they continue to go unpunished for it because "it's just business".

So (if you've read this far) all of this previous rambling is to say that I keep thinking about how I want to make an impression. I want to continue upsetting the billionaires and the CEOs because corporate America is full of murderers who are legally allowed to decide whether we live or die based on which outcome will give them more money.

I have thought about the idea of creating a wall/constructing a wall somewhere as an art piece or something (making a statement) that will somehow honor the memory of people who died because insurance denied them care.

I know I definitely want it to say something along the lines of "In memory of those murdered by for-profit healthcare systems in corporate America". Something blatant. Loud. Something they are forced to look at every single day. Somehow. The wall could have images of those who are gone, or names of the person who died with the name of the insurance company responsible for their death underneath. Just something to make it clear that we see them for what they are. Something to avenge those who were sacrificed so billionaires and CEOS and shareholders could brag about record profits. Something that shows the whole world that American citizens are waking up to who the real monsters are.

The Adjuster (whoever he is or is not) has fanned the flames of revolution in America. He managed to unite us in a way I can't even recall before. It's not over. We know what happened to Brian Thompson was just the beginning, and corporate America only just now realized how much we actually hate them. A single shooter has sparked an awakening in America that is starting to snowball into something much bigger.

So if there is anyone out there who might be interested in collaborating on something like this, please let me know. I know we are all tired and demoralized and we have no money. I want to make a statement though, and I love doing that through art or writing. Collaborating with other people who have been through this same shit will also probably help us unite even more.

This is a watershed moment in American history.

In the words of Kanan Jarrus, Jedi Knight,

"There is a future for us. One where we're all free. But it's up to us to make it happen."

[s0ckh3adstudios]

In Stars and Time: BOSS RUSH MOD

IT'S HERE!! My first ever In Stars and Time mod- And, really, the first mod for anything I've ever made!

Have you ever wanted a Boss Rush for In Stars and Time? No? WELL YOU'VE GOT ONE NOW!

Do a Boss Rush with different features to challenge yourself:

-Go with or without helpful items

-Remove any party members you want. Try a solo run if you dare.

-Fight the three midbosses and the King. Again.

-Meet yet another weird star.

You can access the Boss Rush in Act 6 and ONLY Act 6 by visiting the Clocktower. Yes, I fixed the bridge. Yay! Carpentry!

As I mentioned in a post while developing the mod...

This is the Bonus Star! The vendor for the Boss Rush and a little guy for modding. If anyone else ever wants to make an ISAT mod, I'll leave a link to a folder of all of his assets in case you might want to include him; basically his existence is "if you see him, you're obviously playing a modded version of In Stars and Time." ISAT Modding icon? Potentially. But I'm not going to get egotistical, if the people want to use him, they can LOL

Feel free to edit his sprites and artwork, make your own to share, or anything else; Bonus Star is COMPLETELY free to use for everyone.

Please enjoy the mod! I'm thinking of giving it future updates to add patches for any issues players might fun and to just add more fun stuff like original music, new features, and more!

Let me know your thoughts, bugs you might find, ideas you have, etc! Have fun!! Challenge yourself!! Reblogs help a lot, please do so!!

Here's the download links below:

[pascaloverx]

STARVE

Summary: You lost your husband some time ago while he served as a gladiator for Emperors Geta and Caracalla. General Acacius saved you from becoming an object of pleasure for the emperors. Since then, he has taken you as his mistress. In your free time, you became a disciple of Ravi, the healer, dedicating yourself to tending to wounded gladiators. All seemed to be in perfect harmony until Hanno, a gladiator driven by a thirst for vengeance, crossed your path.

Author's Note: And the gods said: Starve will be a multi-chapter fanfiction (I hope readers will follow it all the way through). Without further ado, the characters belong to Ridley Scott's Gladiator II universe, though there will be significant deviations from the film. Historical accuracy regarding life in the Roman Empire may not always be strictly observed, so I hope you can overlook that. Yes, this story revolves around a love triangle, but I will strive to satisfy everyone. This fanfiction will include adult content, violence, and potentially coarse language. Enjoy!

one three

TWO

Days, perhaps more, have passed. You and Hanno have been meeting in secret, seizing moments when there was no sign of General Acacius. All that you were permitted to know was that he was recovering in the company of his beloved wife, Lucilla, who made it clear she wanted no trace of your presence near her husband. The absence of Acacius weighed upon you more than you cared to admit. To be denied access to him felt akin to holding your breath for far too long. Yet, your clandestine encounters with Hanno had proven to be a welcome distraction, enough to keep your mind from lingering too deeply on what you could not change.

"Your gladiator is requesting your care, Y/N. And while we are on the subject, your encounters under the pretext of physical care will soon spark rumors," Ravi remarks as he steps into the chamber where he keeps his healing tools. "General Acacius will be the first to rage if he learns of your escapades. Should Emperors Geta and Caracalla grow suspicious, they may presume you are seeking a new lover. Not to mention the possibility of Macrinus taking offense at your growing closeness with his gladiator." You remain crouched, organizing a collection of herbs, a faint smile tugging at your lips. Hanno needs you—or rather, he has summoned you for yet another session of personal defense training.

"Ravi, believe me, I am well aware of the risks I take in daring to draw close to Hanno. Yet, I choose to take them—something no one of sound mind would do. General Acacius will not always be there to save me in the future. Lucilla has made her stance on my involvement with him abundantly clear. You do not see him here, concerned for me, do you? Precisely for that reason, I must think of the future." You speak as you search for the garment General Acacius once left at your disposal, should you ever need to fight.

"Since you are so determined to take such risks, be cautious. The guards will bring Hanno to be treated, and you will have only that time to practice—whatever it is you two practice," Ravi warns, much as he does each time you and Hanno meet, repeating the same cautions.

"I shall change my attire. If you would, dear friend, make Hanno comfortable until I return," you say, rising and moving toward the exit of the space where you and Ravi have tended to countless gladiators. "If all goes well today, I shall be one step closer to becoming more than a healer or a lover. I shall be the closest thing to a warrior I can aspire to be." Ravi nods, though a hint of worry lingers in his expression. He is the closest thing to an ally you have.

Time rushes by when one is on the brink of doing something forbidden, but you no longer concern yourself with the consequences. You are resolute to take control of your destiny, even if that control is but a sliver. Once dressed, you secure the dagger Acacius once gifted you in a hidden compartment of your attire. It is your small but vital secret, and you are steadily improving in its use.

With purpose in your stride, you make your way swiftly to where Hanno is awaiting you. When you arrive, his eyes brighten at the sight of you. "I see your delay is justified; you look prepared for battle. Let us see if you can land a blow," Hanno says, advancing toward you with a predatory gait meant to intimidate.

You meet his gaze with an unflinching smile. "Save your words for when we’re truly facing off, gladiator," you reply, following him to the familiar training grounds. It is the very arena where countless gladiators sharpen their skills, preparing for the moment they will stand before the emperors in the grand coliseum.

As soon as you step into the center of the training grounds, Hanno strikes without warning. His sword arcs toward you, narrowly missing as you instinctively step back. At the start of this combat practice, both of you wield swords, though your grasp on its use remains novice.

"Have you lost your sanity, Hanno? I wasn’t ready," you exclaim, fixing him with a glare of irritation. He advances on you again, silent and relentless, as if transformed into a stranger intent on attack. His gaze is unwavering, his resolve sharp.

"When you’re defending yourself, no one will wait for you to be ready, nor will they show you mercy. I want you to see me as you would see any foe who dares strike at you," Hanno declares, his sword slashing toward you again. You react, relying on your defensive maneuvers, retreating step by step until a strategy for counterattack begins to form in your mind.

"I’m not so sure; you seem to be enjoying this far too much," you retort, timing your movements before landing your first offensive strike. It catches him off guard, a flicker of surprise flashing across his face. The gap between you narrows, charged with the thrill of the fight and something deeper, more electrifying.

"I am enjoying it just as much as you enjoy patching me up with that brute strength of yours, healer. Now, focus," Hanno says, parrying your blow with unnerving precision. It’s like a dance—each movement perfectly countering the other. You attack; he defends. He strikes; you block. The rhythm between you is almost hypnotic, an eerie harmony born of tension and skill. But then, in a risky maneuver, Hanno manages to disarm you. Your sword flies from your grasp, landing far out of reach. Now standing mere steps apart, your eyes meet, both of you breathing heavily. It feels like the end for you, so why not take a chance?

With a surge of reckless determination, you rush toward him, channeling all your strength into an attempt to topple him. In your mind, it isn’t Hanno you’re facing—it’s an enemy, someone who would do you harm. Your unexpected move catches him off guard, and he falls to the ground. By sheer luck or fate, his sword slips from his grip as well. Now, you find yourself on top of him, both of you unarmed. The air between you is charged, your breaths mingling as silence envelops the space.

"It seems I have bested the great gladiator of Macrinus," you say, pressing your body lightly against his, a triumphant smile on your lips. Hanno smirks, his hands firmly gripping your waist as he swiftly reverses your positions, pinning you beneath him with effortless strength.

"Do not be deceived, healer," he murmurs, his piercing gaze locking with yours. But you are not so easily subdued. With a practiced movement, you draw the hidden dagger from your vestments and press it against his neck, the blade gleaming in the dim light. "Your presumption is touching, gladiator," you retort, your tone both teasing and sharp.

"What will you do next, healer?" Hanno asks, his breath warm against your face. The tension between you ignites instantly, palpable and undeniable. Before you can respond, he pulls your face closer to his, his lips capturing yours with a fervent intensity, as though he means to consume you entirely. At first, you almost resist Hanno’s kiss—it feels forbidden, a boundary you should not cross. Since your husband’s passing, Acacius was the only man you had kissed. Yet, as Hanno’s tongue ventures into your mouth, you find yourself surrendering, the kiss quickly becoming mutual.

In truth, Hanno is devouring you, but you refuse to let him take the upper hand so easily. You tug at his hair with force, pulling him closer, demanding his full attention. The kiss deepens, its intensity increasing to the point of no return. You want him to feel your hunger, to know that you wish to consume him just as much. For all its forbidden allure, you crave this moment—not because of duty or obligation, but because you want it. You want to know what it feels like to kiss someone you shouldn't, to rebel against every expectation tethering you. Your husband was not forced upon you, but your marriage had been a safeguard. Becoming Acacius’ lover served a similar purpose. But with Hanno, nothing feels safe. And perhaps that is why you let this moment unfold. There is no security here, no veil of protection. If you and Hanno are caught, Acacius could kill him, both the Emperor Geta and Emperor Caracalla could execute you, and the repercussions would be endless. Yet, none of that matters as your lips clash with his in this reckless, intoxicating dance of defiance.

The kiss is all-consuming, so intense that, for a moment, it steals your breath. You pause, pulling away to recover the air you desperately need. Yet Hanno seems unsatisfied, his eyes locked on you with an intensity that threatens to unravel your resolve.

His hand cups your face, fingers tracing over every detail as if committing you to memory. When his thumb brushes over your lips, he murmurs softly, "Your lips remind me of hers, my beautiful Arishat." Reality strikes like a sharp blade. He is with you, yet his mind lingers on his late wife. The weight of that truth is unbearable. As he leans forward, seeking your lips once more, you push him away, creating the distance you now desperately need.

"I will not be her replacement," you think, your resolve firm. "Nor Lucilla’s substitute." Avoiding his gaze, your shame and frustration burn within you. Rising quickly, you make your way toward your quarters. You and Ravi must always be prepared to tend to the wounded, so your rooms are close to where the gladiators train and where Ravi keeps his healing tools.

"Healer," Hanno calls out behind you, his voice firm yet laced with something softer. He follows after you, refusing to let the moment end so abruptly.

"Gladiator," you say, turning to face Hanno. Your body nearly collides with his, but you take a step back, halting the chase that had ensued. "Our training is done. I think it would be wise for us to part ways now, so as not to confuse..." You pause, searching for the right word to define what you might be confusing, only for Hanno to step abruptly closer, almost closing the space entirely.

"I am not confused about anything, healer," he says, his tone firm yet sincere. "I was lost momentarily in a memory, but I assure you, I knew exactly who I was kissing." He takes another step forward, his presence overwhelming.

"The act itself is already a problem, gladiator," you reply, struggling to maintain composure under his intense gaze. "We should not have kissed." Before he can respond, both of you hear footsteps approaching. In an instant, Hanno’s hand moves to your waist, pulling you behind him as though to shield you from whatever danger may come. Ravi appears, nearly running toward you, his face etched with worry.

"General Acacius has been seen heading this way," Ravi announces, his voice hurried and panicked. "The guards are murmuring that he’s coming to see you, Y/N. I suggest we get Hanno out of here immediately, and you prepare yourself to receive him."

The mention of Acacius sends a cold dread through you. Him encountering Hanno now would spell disaster. "Tell the guards who brought Hanno to retrieve him from here," you instruct, your voice steady despite the storm brewing inside. "Hanno and I will change out of these combat garments, and I’ll distract Acacius while the guards take Hanno back to his cell. Ravi, I’ll need your speed."

Without hesitation, Ravi nods and rushes off to summon the guards. You, in turn, push Hanno toward a secluded area where he can change out of his training gear. "Change in there and wait for me," you instruct firmly. Noticing the swords in his hands, you swiftly take them from him despite his protests. With no time to spare, you carry the weapons back to your quarters while Hanno remains in the area where you and Ravi usually tend to injured gladiators. In the quiet urgency of your chambers, you hastily change your attire, your mind racing with the precariousness of the situation. Hanno waits silently, the gravity of the moment clear to both of you.

"Do you fear what might happen should General Acacius discover your association with the gladiator who recently sought his life?" Hanno asks as you enter the room where he waits patiently to be taken back to his cell.

"I do not fear for myself," you reply, adjusting your tunic with calm precision. "I fear that if you and he meet, there will be unnecessary bloodshed. As I’ve told you before, if you wish to kill him, do so in a duel—before the people of Rome. Sate the appetite of Emperors Geta and Caracalla as they watch you strike at each other in a frenzied battle for glory in the name of the gods."

Hanno listens intently, his expression thoughtful as he steps closer. Without a word, he helps you smooth the folds of your tunic, his touch deliberate yet gentle. "Will you tell him of our association, then?" he asks, finishing his adjustments and letting his hand linger briefly as it grazes your cheek.

"What is there to tell?" you counter, meeting his gaze with resolve. "Our association is no one’s concern." A smile spreads across Hanno’s face, slow and satisfied, as if your answer pleased him greatly.

Moments later, Ravi appears, his expression tense. "The guards are near," he informs, his tone clipped. His gaze shifts between you and Hanno, briefly noting the closeness between you, though he chooses to remain silent. With a small nod, Ravi turns to Hanno, gesturing for him to follow. Hanno casts you a lingering look before allowing Ravi to lead him toward the guards, leaving you behind with the weight of the encounter still pressing on your chest.

You wait patiently for General Acacius to arrive, though his delay stretches longer than anticipated. The thought suddenly strikes you—he might already be in your quarters, as he has been on previous occasions.

"Would you care to explain," his voice calls out, smooth and laced with quiet reproach, "what reasons led my beloved healer, whom I hold in such high regard, to abandon me to the care of Ravi instead of tending to me herself?" Turning toward the source, you find him stepping into view, pulling back the mantle that had concealed his face and form. His approach is measured, deliberate, and his gaze briefly flickers to the swords you had left behind without considering they might draw his notice.

"You should have sought explanations from your wife, General Acacius," you reply, your tone calm but firm, though the effort to keep it so is greater than it seems. "It was she who instructed me, in the presence of the guards no less, to withdraw from tending to your care." His footsteps pause near the swords, his attention drawn to their gleaming edges. The air between you grows heavier as his eyes shift back to yours, narrowing slightly as he regards you. You remain steadfast, though the distance you keep from him feels tenuous, as if he could close it with the simplest of steps.

"I was not informed of such a decision; I would never have allowed my care to pass from your hands to another's," General Acacius speaks softly, his tone a mixture of calm and yearning as he moves toward you with deliberate caution, yet there is a palpable hunger in his eyes.

"General, whether you authorized it or not is irrelevant," you reply, holding your ground though the weight of his presence begins to press upon you. "Lucilla no longer wishes for us to remain close. Surely, you remember that when all this began, you told me that if your wife were ever to object to our association, even if it was merely for appearances, it would end."

Your words are firm, yet the truth they carry sinks heavily into your own heart. You know now, with certainty, that the chapter of your life entwined with Acacius is nearing its inevitable conclusion.

"Those words were spoken before we became what we are today," Acacius responds, his voice steady yet filled with a quiet intensity. "Surely you know I have no intention of abandoning you." He steps closer, his gaze unwavering, his nearness suffocating in its allure.

"Do not worry for me. Your pity is no longer necessary, Acacius," you say, though the ache in your chest betrays the pain these words bring. Deep down, you have long feared that what he felt for you stemmed from nothing but pity.

"I have never pitied you," he murmurs, his voice low and filled with conviction. "Perhaps I felt empathy for your pain in the beginning, but after that—everything was real. Your presence makes me a better man." His hand reaches up to touch your face, tenderly tracing its contours as if to soften your resolve. He presses a gentle kiss to your cheek, an intimate gesture meant to draw you back to him, to coax you into his embrace once more.

"You owe your loyalty to your wife, not to me," you say, your voice faltering slightly under the weight of his gaze and the warmth of his touch. "We must no longer allow ourselves to feel anything beyond what is proper, Acacius." Even as you speak, your resolve weakens beneath his touch, his words a balm and a temptation all at once. He seems heedless of your protest, intent only on closing the distance between you.

"Lucilla has my loyalty, but you... you have my protection. I will not leave you unguarded," Acacius says, his lips almost brushing against yours, his voice weighted with emotion.

"Then you should know that my loyalty is no longer yours exclusively," you reply, steadying yourself as you deliver the words. You feel the sharp recoil in Acacius as he steps back, his expression hardening, though disbelief flickers in his eyes.

"I am involved with another," you continue, forcing the lie to your lips with a strength you did not know you possessed. "It may mean that I will no longer require your protection in the future." Your words are a dagger you wield with precision, for you know that to continue as his lover would jeopardize his marriage—a risk you cannot allow, no matter the desires that linger within you.

"Who would dare attempt to claim you, knowing that you are mine?" General Acacius demands, his voice edged with irritation that betrays a rare crack in his calm demeanor. His gaze narrows, his presence no less imposing, but the fury brewing beneath his words sends a shiver through you. You realize the fire you have kindled within him may burn brighter than you anticipated.

"Someone who does not fear the wrath of General Acacius," you say, your voice steady despite the undeniable pull of his proximity. You desire him, undeniably so, but you know you must not have him.

"It is clear that our involvement must end—now. Before it concludes in disaster," you declare, watching as Acacius processes your words, his gaze shadowed with an intensity that seems both pained and unyielding.

"Then let it be clear to you," Acacius responds, his tone laced with an unwavering authority, though no threat lies in his words. "Whoever dares to encroach upon what is mine will meet the edge of my sword without delay. Our bond will not be severed while either of us draws breath, Y/N. Keep that in mind." His declaration is resolute, not spoken as a plea but as a statement of his immutable commitment to you. It leaves you breathless, the weight of his words pressing against the fortress of your resolve.

"You cannot protect me forever, Acacius. Just as I cannot heal you forever," you murmur, stepping closer, your desperation palpable as though silently begging him to release you—to let you go before you both reach a precipice from which there is no return.

"Mea domina," he whispers reverently, stepping closer and pulling down the fabric covering your shoulder with deliberate care. His lips press softly against the exposed skin, lingering as if to seal a silent vow. The tenderness in his touch conveys more devotion than desire, a gesture that leaves you caught between longing and regret.

"I would die if necessary, but I will not abandon those I hold in the highest esteem. You and Lucilla are my priorities, and I will relinquish neither of you. If you place so much faith in this new interest of yours, let him come to me bearing a sword, and he shall find his end," he declares, his voice unwavering and resolute, his words resonating like a solemn oath.

Acacius lifts his hand to gently cradle your face, his thumb brushing your cheek as his lips trace a path of soft kisses along your temple, down to the curve of your jaw, and finally your forehead. His lips linger as if memorizing each contour of your face, avoiding your mouth deliberately—a clear boundary, or perhaps his way of expressing silent reproach for the words you have spoken. The kisses feel like a claim, yet also a farewell—his way of both cherishing and punishing, of reminding you of his commitment while withholding the one intimacy he knows you yearn for. The intensity in his gaze as he pulls back speaks volumes, as though he is willing you to see the depths of his resolve. "At times, it feels as though battle is all you truly understand, Acacius," you say, holding his gaze with a penetrating look, as if unraveling the depths of his thoughts.

"I am a man of honor," he replies, his tone firm yet measured. "I will not seek out the man who dares to involve himself with you, but neither will I stand idle should he attempt to take what is rightfully mine." His presence remains close, commanding and resolute, as though he seeks to claim not just the space but the moment itself. With deliberate care, Acacius reaches out, his hand brushing your face in a touch that is at once gentle and laden with unspoken meaning. It lingers, as if he wishes to commit every contour of your features to memory.

Without another word, he steps back, retreating from your chambers with the disciplined stride of a general accustomed to carrying the weight of empires. His departure leaves the room heavy with unresolved tension, the air thick with the echoes of what cannot be spoken. Alone, you are left to ponder the tangled web of emotions and loyalties binding you to both Acacius and Hanno. The weight of your entanglement bears down upon you, as inevitable as the arena’s call to blood and glory.

[arottenlust]

cuz im pretty when i cry (the inspiration)

everything started with that edit. i don’t know what it was, but something about it was hard to look away from. ive rewatched it like a hundred times at this point. the song and the smile on his face inspired the first iteration of this story.

spoilers for the series below (kind of? It kinda fucks w the immersion i think. Idk its spoilerish to me)

one where youre desperate for any crumb of his affection, desperate to have your affections returned, and sukuna is willing and happy to enable your sickness. it grew from there to it instead being a misunderstanding of sorts- sukuna is showing his love and dedication the only way he knows how, with action instead of words. you, used to the very hot and cold and emotionally abusive environment you grew up in, don’t know how to pick up on this. it leads to you slowly falling apart more and more, miserably obsessed with keeping your place beside him, lashing out at any perceived obstacles, despite the fact that sukuna never planned to leave, would never want to. And, blinded by your seemingly easygoing nature and the fact that he quite enjoys your increasingly psychotic behavior, knowing that it stems from your love for him, sukuna doesn’t notice anything is amiss until the cracks begin to splinter and break you apart.

I didn’t plan to make you yandere esque, but it seems that the more twisted parts of me leaked into the story. Oops?

im not sure about including smut. I think i might but im still on the fence about that one…. I probably will tho

it has a happy ending. I didn’t want to give it one, I wanted it to just be a sad, horrifically desperate, story, but this route seemed a little more interesting to write. I think I’ll probably write a different version in the future, one where sukuna really doesn’t care.

the relationship is unhealthy in the sense that a well adjusted person wouldn’t frame their entire life around another person the way you do in this story. i.e youre a yandere. in your head, sukuna could keep you locked up and treat you like his dog-servant-thing, and you’d be happy because you’d be the sole object of his attention. (While u may be unaware) He feels the same in reverse, and he wouldn’t do that anyways, because he’s obsessed and he values you more than you value yourself. That’s why it’s unhealthy. And also because you tweak out if he talks to other people at all with anything on his face other than complete and utter indifference…. but hey! You’re working on it. Basically, It’s written um, romantically? Yes I’m romanticizing the codependent yandereisms sue me. But ya not super heart breaking and depressing. just putting that out there because I get really like unreasonably hurt when i read unhealthy -> very sad fics instead of unhealthy -> very in love and reciprocated fics

dykwim?

ugh. I’ll need to write a prequel or something. I want you all to see the way you go from normal and unattached to fighting the urge to stick cameras in his room and huff his underwear. You’re so weird. Stop fantasizing about killing the people he talks to, they dont even exist!

i originally planned to make it as gender neutral as i could but a lot of the scenarios don’t make sense if youre not fem, so that’s that. if that changes throughout the course of writing out the series, i shall let you all know.

also. should i make a playlist?

[patscorner]

write a Paige fic with them being rivals on the court but secret lovers off the court please and thank you patty🫶

yes ma'am 🫡

Always and Forever

Summary: You and Paige hate each other, or that's what you have everyone else thinking.

wc: 1,780

Contains: swearing, two kisses, just fluff

______________________________

For as long as you could remember, you loved basketball. You don't know when it started, but you knew that it was gonna be your future career. You joined your first team in 5th grade, and quickly became MVP, making progress faster than you could blink.

There was another girl in your class, and for whatever reason, she hated you. She also happened to be on the same basketball team. She made it known she didn't like you, because the first day of tryouts, she shoved you for no reason. Her hatred for you didn't stop there though, she refused to pass the ball to you, even if it meant costing your team a game, or taking unnecessary risks.

Nobody knew why she disliked you, but that animosity only grew as you both did. But there wasn't anything you could do, you both loved basketball, and you weren't gonna stop playing because some kid didn't like you.

But what you didn't know is that she felt the exact opposite. She was so painfully in love with you and so deep in the closet that she didn't know what to do with these feelings. Her only solution was to make you hate her.

Another thing you didn't know is that you felt the exact same way. If an outsider were to look at you two, you'd think it was one of the most intense long lasting rivalries of all time. But you two were head over heels for each other.

You only found out your junior year in high school, because the teachers and coaches were tired of you both bickering. They put you two in a room and told you to figure your shit out. Obviously, it started in a screaming match, but eventually you both grew tired of arguing, and a different type of tension filled the room.

You both start to have an actual conversation, without the arguing and fighting. Of course, there were small jabs at each other, you both still weren't friends, but by the end of the day, you weren’t enemies. Nobody knew that you were gay, so the only solution in your eyes was to pretend to hate each other.

Eventually, she admitted her feelings for you, and you didn't say you liked her back, but instead answered with a kiss. You started dating shortly after, and decided to keep your relationship on the down low. You both know it's for the best, as not everyone was open to the idea of you being gay, including your parents, so you both continued pretending to hate each other.

Even if everybody else thought you couldn’t stand each other, you were so head over heels for the kid who hated you for all of elementary and middle school.

Little did you know that kid would end up being the Paige Bueckers.

“So how does it feel being matched up against Paige Bueckers? I know that you guys have a long history.” the reporter asks, her smile matching yours. Oh, you have history. She's been your girlfriend for about five years now, but the media didn't know.

You and her were never super far from each other, since she got accepted to Uconn, and you got a scholarship to CCSU. The colleges were only thirty-five minutes away from each other, so that made seeing each other much easier.

“Yeah, it's gonna be tough, she's a good basketball player, y’know, great defense, amazing three-pointers.” You smile at the camera. “I'm excited, I can't wait to absolutely destroy her. I've done it before, and I'll do it again, no problem.”

The reporter chuckles at your words. “Big talk, can't wait to see the match up. Anything last words for Paige?” You can't help but smile at the reporter’s egging you on.

“Yeah, give me your worst, Bueckers. I'm coming for you, baby.” You say with a wink, before thanking the reporter, and walking away. You can't help but shake your head at the ridiculousness of your empty words. Everyone but Paige thought you were being serious, and to an extent you were, you had a bet with her that you'd score more than twenty points this game, but the rest was bullshit.

Of course, Paige saw the interview, laughing at your ‘seriousness’. So when it was her turn to be interviewed, she had to say something back.

“I mean, it'll be a fun game. Can't wait to see the big game that CCSU’s ‘top player’ was yapping about.” She throws up hand quotations and tilts her head mockingly as she speaks. “I'm excited to bring her hell and knock her off that tall ass high horse she's sat herself on.”

The reporter is eating up every word coming out of Paige’s mouth.

“Lots of trash talk from both ends, it seems the feud continues?” Paige nods and smiles. “Always and forever.” She winks at the camera as she speaks.

Always and forever.

The words Paige made you repeat back to her when she gave you the promise ring that you had safety-pinned to your jersey at all times. When you first put it there, it sent the media into a spiral, rumors spreading like wildfires. When interviewers finally asked you about it, you said there was someone, but the rumors about who were all incorrect.

Nobody would've guessed Paige, and you both made sure to keep it that way.

The game was just as tough as you imagined it would be. With 4 seconds left in the fourth quarter, the score was tied, 89-89. It was the Huskies ball, and they had one chance to win.

Nika passes the ball to Aubrey from out-of-bounds, starting the shot clock. Aubrey sneaks past defense, and attempts to pass into Paige. But, Aubrey's defender blocks the shot with her fingers, sending the ball flying into your hands.

You react quickly, sprinting back towards the basket, watching as the shot clock hits one second. You're only half-court, but you don't have enough time to get any closer, so you take the risk and let the ball fly.

Just as the ball leaves your hands, the buzzer goes off, and the stadium goes silent as the ball soars through the air. You freeze as you watch the ball fall through the net, the crowd erupting into screams. Your shot went in, making the final score 92-89.

You're immediately surrounded by your teammates, who are chest bumping you, and dapping you up. This moment is something you never want to end, but there's something missing. This moment won't be the same without one thing.

You manage to wiggle free from your extremely hyped up teammates, ignoring your name being called as you make your way to the Uconn bench. You try to ignore the eyes on you, as you find the only person you want to ever have to look for.

When you spot the back of her head, you quickly make your way to her before your confidence runs out. You pull her sleeve, and her eyebrows furrow as she makes eye contact with you.

“What-” She starts, but you cut her off.

“I'm going to kiss you now.” You say, but you don't move. You want to make sure this is what she wants, but as the smile grows on her face, her compliance becomes clear.

“Okay.” she nods as her face turns a bright pink.

You grin as you pull her into a searing kiss, her hands finding your waist as she reciprocates your passion. You hear the gasps around you, which only makes you smile more. When you feel Paige grin against your mouth, you wrap your arms around her neck.

She pulls away, laughing as your whine. Even though there's thousands of people in the room, she only cares about you. “Guess they know now.” she chuckles.

“Paige Madison Bueckers! What the fuck?!” KK screams, causing Paige to roll her eyes and look over her shoulder. “Can I help you?” She deadpans. “I'm a little busy right now.”

KK’s jaw drops even more from the audacity. "I can see that, I better be filled in after."

Paige looks back at you and smiles. “Yeah, later. Now, do you mind?”

“Oh, by all means, continue making out with your arch-nemesis. Don't let me, the six giant cameras, or the sold-out arena stop you.”

You laugh at this, kissing Paige’s cheek before pulling away. You look at your team, and around the stadium, and everyone's sharing the same expression, jaws dropped, eyes wide, and frozen in shock. You look up, and see yourself on the big screen.

Paige smiles down at you, her arm still wrapped around your waist. “I can't believe you did that. You're fucking crazy.”

You shrug and smile. “You love it.”

She kisses the top of your head. “Damn right.”

After the excitement of the kiss calmed down, the same reporter from earlier asked to interview both of you, to which you of course said yes.

“So what is your guys’ relationship status?” She asked, pointing the mic in your direction. You smile widely before answering. “Paige is my girlfriend, and she has been for five, almost six years.”

The reporter shakes her head in shock. “What made you guys choose to keep it a secret and cover it up with a seemingly harsh feud?” This time, she hands the mic to Paige, who shakes her head.

“Well, it started out real. Like I could not stand her, ever since we were on the same basketball team in fifth grade. But eventually, I started to like her, then I started to love her. Turns out she liked me too, so in high school we started to date.” She finished with a shrug.

“Oh wow, I mean this is a shock to everyone. You both played it off very well. What were some of the hardest moments?” You nod as the reporter speaks.

“Probably pretending to not care, especially if one of us has a rough loss or a great win. It was hard not to comfort or celebrate publicly.” You say.

“So everything after junior year in high school was fake? The rivalry, I mean.”

You smile. “Yeah, it was all for the cameras.” Paige’s eyes light up as she looks down at you. The camera picked up on the sparkle in her eyes as she looked at you with nothing but love.

Her hands squeeze your waist as the interview ends, and you both walk away. It felt like a huge weight had been lifted off your shoulders, and you've never felt happier.

You knew that whether the world knew or not, it was gonna be you and her.

Always and forever.

______________________________

taglist: @wintersstan @bueckerslover @lilia22hicks @fake-intelligences @girlokwhatever @pbloverr @breeloveschris

[nickssidewitch]

🌪️ ❓ What Is Going On W/ The Sturniolo Triplets? - A Tarot Reading & Honest Conversation 🤔

In this post, I will be answering common questions and tackling misconceptions and assumptions of who they were/are, where their careers are going, and why they seem to be losing some part of their audience. 🥰

While this is mainly based on me channeling their energies (as long with the energies of their general fans / ex-supporters), this is also based on things I have heard them speak on before. If you don't believe in spirituality in this way, that's okay! It ain't for everyone!

I will also include advice for the fans and for the boys within this post, so you can take these into consideration!

This is such an important conversation to have. I feel like as a community, we do not talk transparently in fear of adverse reactions and judgment. We need to be open, honest, and transparent. And yes, this involves the Triplets themselves as well because they are the leaders of this community, and whatever happens within our community should also be tackled by them as well.

I REALLY want the boys and other fans on other platforms to see this. Hopefully y’all post this on other places because I feel that it is veryyyy important for growth, honesty, and transparency. ✨💖💞

“They are losing interest in their YouTube career / fame, or they do not love their jobs anymore.”

This is not true. They love their jobs. They've been dreaming of doing something similar to the YouTubers and streamers they grew up watching. They love to entertain and see smiles on people's faces when they do so. They have a natural need to connect with people through art and encapsulating almost every bit of their lives through a lens.

The reason people may feel that they've lost interest is more related to the fact that they don't post intimate aspects of their lives anymore. In the beginning of their careers, even when it was mainly Chris posting, they would post and include everything and anything in their content. They'd go anywhere and vlog anything. They'd post silly things and post unserious things. They'd even post about their relationships and interests (platonic and romantic). They look back at this period and realize that yes, it helped them gain a significant following, but it also harmed the expectations that fans have of the content they expect now. Fans who were around in pre-2023 may hold the old content near and dear in their hearts because it was every part of their lives shared 2-3 times a week, with other social media apps included. All of their friends were involved and included, even those that are the closest to them. The triplets realize that if they were to do this now with the surplus amount of fans they have currently, it would do their careers more harm than good. I will explain more of what I mean by "harm" further in this post.

They also post not just for the entertainment aspect of it, but also for the nostalgia and comfort it brings them. They grew up in a household where photographs and videos hold every single memory for them. Almost all of their lives have been captured on media, and they would like to keep that going for when they get older, and for their future children. They embrace their youth heavily. They value their inner children deeply. Their inner children feel satisfied and loved when they look back at old content and relive those times. Whether it's a silly moment or a moment where they're fighting, those moments are memories that they can look back on, relive, and reminisce. So posting on YouTube brings their inner children immense satisfaction and comfort.

"They don't interact with fans anymore. This means they do not love their fans."

Part of this is wrong. They do not interact with fans as much as they used to because, for one, there is a higher quantity of fans. It is genuinely hard and stressful to keep up with so many ideas and opinions. They are only human, and they can't handle interacting with so many people.

Secondly, they experience threats, harassment, and stalking a lot more. The new influx of fans has unfortunately made them feel a little bit more unsafe. They have had experiences that they do not share with their fans because they don't want to add onto those experiences. They've shared one that has happened on their Versus Tour where someone threatened to physically harm them (mentioned in the podcast episode but I forgot which one). I can feel that even recently, they've had to deal with someone stalking them online and in person. SO while they will want to establish a better connection with fans, it is harder to do that now because they can't trust everyone and have to protect themselves and their loved ones.

They really want to establish a community. This is a big goal of their careers. But they just don't know how to fully do that, especially with the first two things I mentioned. They want the fans to create a safe space for each other, but they see the fights that occur online and pull back a bit. And again, I said a community, not a fandom. There's a difference. A fandom will all like the same things, but they are more susceptible to full-on fights due to their obsessive or possessive nature. A community supports each other, even when they disagree on certain things, and they also make each other feel accepted and safe. The triplets would love a community, but it's difficult with some of the "fans" or "supporters" they have (quotation marks for a reason lol).

They do have a problem with not listening to the fans, and even if they do listen to them, they aren't transparent with it and sometimes don't even show it. They sometimes turn a blind eye to some ideas. Sometimes, it's because they are focused on one idea that they begin to have tunnel vision and block out everything else. But sometimes it's because they judge it before they try it. This isn't just in YouTube videos, but also Twitch streams. The triplets need to take some suggestions into consideration a lot more. Even if it means doing a trial run of a suggested game on stream and then coming to the conclusion of "This isn't for us, but hey, at least we tried", that will be good enough for the fans. Watching only one form of content from YouTubers who have promised switching things up at times can be exhausting (Yes, I am referring to watching just Fortnite streams).

"Their management is terrible."

Yes, I would agree, but managements always change. And to be honest, they've been looking for a change for a while. They love their manager deeply. They've known her for a good amount of time in their transition between amateur YouTubers to social media stars with fame and recognition, so that love will always be there. But, they also do recognize that in order to grow, they need to change things up and rearrange things. Whatever this translates to, whether its getting a new team altogether or changing who does what within their teams. they are doing their best to do better, even outside of their team.

But fans should also not just blame things on their management. The boys also manage themselves. They have to recognize and be transparent with their audience about whether they are lazy or not, whether they are losing interest in certain things or not, whether they like certain things or not, what they want their schedules to be like, if any schedule at all, or if they are themselves unclear about what they are doing or what they want to do. They do this sometimes, but not all of the time. Transparency is key for a YouTuber's relationship with their fans. Even some gaming YouTubers (who aren't even recording their real lives) are more successful in their careers than others because of their transparency with their supporters (Markiplier, CoryxKenshin, etc.).

“Matt and Nick are rude and judgmental. Chris is the only "good" brother.”

From what I can read on their energies, this is not true. Matt and Nick are as lovely as Chris is in terms of their intentions and hearts. They are warm and accepting people who do care a lot for others. But sometimes they fall into scenes where they will snap and project if they have been particularly triggered by something. Matt and Nick don't trust many. Chris trusts too much too fast.

What I'm saying is not an excuse for poor behavior though. I, and other fans, will not sugarcoat shit just for the sake of saving them. But this is a time where they have to recognize when they say things that are a little too far, not only about the fans. Even if they're telling a silly story about people they'll never meet again, it's not necessarily just about those people. It's about the rhetoric. That way of speaking can just translate to others unintentionally. It's a psychological thing where if you say/phrase something for a long time, it starts to slip in your everyday vernacular and will unintentionally be said to people you didn't mean for it to be said to, and they will take it personally.

And to add onto that, parasocial relationships can make this effect worse. These fans do not know them off camera. So when they say certain things in a certain way, of course the fans are going to take it as rude even if it is not intentional. There is a natural disconnect between them and the fans that can only be mended by fixing the way they speak to the fans, or clarifying with every sarcastic or fake-rude thing that "Hey, I'm joking" or "Don't take this seriously because ..." They do that only sometimes, not every time, and that's why fans get antsy sometimes when they speak. There are also fans who cannot pick up on tone easily (neurodiverse people exist!), so when talking directly to fans they will have to clarify themselves more or just be more direct in their speech.

They all have their shit to work on and get through. This period between 2025 and 2027/28 will be a huge shift in how their personalities and behaviors develop. To the fans, you can stay for the ride and see that journey. But if you don't want to just for the sake of preserving your energy as a fan, that is valid!

“The triplets aren't the same anymore. They have changed.”

Yes, they have. But people also change. That's how humans work. The fans and the triplets lives are on a parallel trajectory where they are constantly evolving. Think of it as two parallel lines. They are both going the same direction. But then something happens and the lines may change angle and intersect. That intersection may be an interaction with them, seeing them on tour, meeting them in person, finding a community of fans that you interact with, creating edits, and so on. But then another change happens down the line where the lines do not intersect anymore. They become parallel again, and may even diverge from each other. But they are still growing. I use this analogy to paint the picture that sometimes people disconnect when change occurs because their values, humor, outlooks on life may not align anymore. And that is totally okay. If a fan feels disconnected to them due to change, that is valid. Their lives are going in completely separate paths that the triplets' and their content aren't compatible with.

People are afraid of change. It's uncomfortable for many, especially the younger or less mature/experienced they are with changes. The triplets have grown up so much, but are in that transition stage between teenager to adult (they are 21 turning 22 this year; still young but definitely getting older and their frontal lobes are still developing and shifting with new traits and ideals). Change is expected.

Don't bash them for natural change. You can totally call them out on bullshit. But if it's Nick standing up for himself and his brothers or being more vocal about his opinions in a way that isn't rude, or if it's Matt being more loud and energetic, these things just happen. If it doesn't align with the personalities or behaviors you like or feel comfortable with, it is okay to not follow them anymore!

"The tours are cash-grabs."

No, they genuinely do want to connect with their audience live. They want to see people's faces in the crowd. Their smiles, their laughs, their snorting even, are all infectious and a great morale booster. They definitely find enjoyment in other people's enjoyment.

Of course, money is going to be earned from this. But that's just a part of the process. To be honest, they'd even do this without the money, but obviously a venue ain't gonna give them their stage for free. They're not trying to rob anyone or make people's pockets hurt. They want people to have a good time.

But they do accept criticism. If something isn't working, they'll take that as a learning experience and won't do it for the next tour. This is a community, and this will work if the community is transparent and honest with each other.

"The triplets are one-trick ponies. They promise better content and preach 'quality over quantity', but aren't showing that. They don't live up to their promises."

This adds onto my previous point of them not listening to fans because they simply just give off the energy that they are one-trick ponies based on their behaviors. I don't personally think they are one-trick ponies, but I can see how people translate them to be this way.

They don't switch up editing styles. Their editing is boring. It is unique, but it's boring unique. That ain't even subjective. This is objectively why their content doesn't seem better in quality. Where's the little cuts and funny sounds in almost every video? That keeps people engaged. We're in an era where if people are consuming long-form content, it has to be engaging almost every minute. It isn't like mid-2010s YouTube vlogging where people didn't really have to do that. We're in a TikTok era where YouTubers have to keep up with that sort of engagement and humor. The triplets don't serve that at all.

I'm not bashing Nick's editing style. Just saying that they can level up the quality of that, especially since they're talking about improving quality all the time. I'm speaking from a technical and business side of this YouTube career. They can hire an editor who they can communicate with if the editing is becoming an issue (idk if it is; I'm just spitballing).

Quality over quantity isn't being shown. Their content as of lately (not referring to the videos where they are obviously posting just to post because they are preparing for tour) is pretty mundane. They just talk and use certain props and topics as vehicles (not actual cars lmao) for conversation. That isn't entertaining all of the time and gets long-winded. Do some challenges outside! Do that little gameshow thing like how they did it in that one Christmas video where Nick was some gameshow host named Barry. Do a little gaming video every now and then (they don't have to do series). Pranks? Trying new things that aren't just food and cooking and toys? More exploring and travelling? Individual channel content? Doing things outside of your comfort zones? Even videos that are heavy-hitters where you talk about some real and deep shit. Idk. Just think of something.

"The Sturniolo Triplets are in their downfall."

There's some saying that says "in order to gain something, you have to lose something". This applies to the triplets 100%. They are losing a good amount of their audience and viewership, which you can obviously see in their statistics.

However, would I call this their "downfall"? Not quite. This is a wake-up call if anything. Losing these fans and followers allows them to get a reality check of what is working and what isn't working in the most obvious way. I'm not telling people to mass unfollow so they can get better. That's not how this works. I'm saying that when there is an obvious decline of numbers, it is surely an eye-opener.

These are the ones I can think of for now. If you have any other things you would like me to tackle in a post like this, whether it be the Sturniolos as a group or individually, leave those assumptions or questions in the replies of this post. 💕💕

I REALLY want the boys and other fans on other platforms to see this.

Again, this obviously isn't hate, nor is it me coming up with excuses for them. Just a little something-something. 🤷🏾‍♀️🫶🏾

[darkficsyouneveraskedfor]

On Good Behaviour 3

No tag lists. Do not send asks or DMs about updates. Review my pinned post for guidelines, masterlist, etc.

Warnings: this fic will include dark content such as noncon/dubcon, threats, age gap, and possible untagged elements. My warnings are not exhaustive, enter at your own risk.

This is a dark!fic and explicit. 18+ only. Your media consumption is your own responsibility. Warnings have been given. DO NOT PROCEED if these matters upset you.

Summary: after release, you try to get on the right track but your new boss isn’t much help. (ex-con reader)

Characters: Loki

Note: :)

As per usual, I humbly request your thoughts! Reblogs are always appreciated and welcomed, not only do I see them easier but it lets other people see my work. I will do my best to answer all I can. I’m trying to get better at keeping up so thanks everyone for staying with me.

Your feedback will help in this and future works (and WiPs, I haven’t forgotten those!) Please do not just put ‘more’. I will block you.

I love you all immensely. Take care. 💖

Once you return with the tea, you’re shut out. You’re thankful for the moment of isolation. More and more you enjoy the time when you are alone. When there is no expectation. 

When you were locked up, you always had to be on, always had to be ready. Either a guard was coming to flip your cell or someone else was scoping out what little you. As your mind wands, you can’t help but trace along the scar which marked a fight over your coveted commissary cupcakes.  

You exhale and scroll down the document on filing expenses. You’ll need that for all those transactions at the cafe. An airy sort of disbelief clouds you as you try to focus. How things have changed. Now you can simply go buy a dessert and walk out unscathed. To think you survived like that for so long makes you feel even smaller in this fancy office. 

You have to break that mind set. You have to move on. You can prove everyone right. Not again. Your family, your teachers, your friends. Now, Mr. Laufeyson too. You will not back slide. 

When the door opens, you flinch and glance over. Pine exits first, trailed by your boss. The blond glances over and dips his chin slightly, “it was a pleasure meeting you.” He drawls as he approaches the door. He pauses to peek back at Laufeyson, “about time you got some help. I might actually get my books balanced on time this year.” 

“Very nice seeing you, Jonathan,” Laufeyson shoos him with his long fingers. “Perhaps if you didn’t insist on meandering.” 

Pine snorts, “good luck to you, darling.” He gives a two-fingered salute and lets himself out. You look at the laptop and highlight a paragraph to add to the image of your concentration. 

“Well, you sure do put on quite the front, as your ilk might phrase it,” Laufeyson says as the door clicks shut. He turns and sits on the edge of your desk. 

“Sir, I’m doing my job,” you assure him and look up from the screen. “Is there anything else I should be doing?” 

Your hand rests on the mouse. His eyes scour the desk and he clucks. You wince as suddenly he reaches for you. You form a fist with your other hand as he seizes your wrist. He squints down at the rigid line across the back. 

“This looks like quite the accident,” he muses. 

“Sir,” you tug gently. Your heart pounds behind your ribs. Before, if someone touched you without warning, you’d crack them in the jaw. This isn’t then. This isn’t prison. 

He hums and lets you go, “oh yes, I’m sure you have been through a rather turbulent time. This must all be very dull to you.” 

“It’s calm,” you assure him and rescind your hand, hiding it in your other. 

“And you surprisingly so,” he stands and tuts. You watch him stride around the office. “There is one other meeting today. I expect the same courtesy.” 

“Yes, sir,” you reply. 

He sniffs and spins on his heel. He marches through his office door and your frown. It’s as if he’s taunting you, even baiting you, into misbehaving. But why? Doesn’t he need help? Is that not why he hired you? 

You go back to your review, switching to the inbox as a new inquiry dings in. As you draft your response, a knock interrupts you typing. You clear your throat and stand up. You open the door and your voice clogs in your throat as you reveal a familiar face. 

“Dina,” you blink at your parole officer. 

“Hiya,” she smiles at you. Her blush-laden cheeks and fake lashes are deceiving, along with her rose-coloured jacket and skirt set. “Look at you, dearie, all proper.” 

She squeezes your shoulder and you hold back a growl. People are so touchy outside. Inside, they know better. 

“What are you...” you crane to see the clock on the wall. “I’m not late.” 

“Oh, I’m not here for you. Well, I am but I’m not,” she waves off your worry. “I’m here to chat with Mr. Laufeyson. I find it helpful to review parole conditions with employers.” 

“Uh, right. Yes. I’ll get him,” you back up and welcome her in. She giggles as she steps inside, her eyes flicking up and down. 

“So good to see you trying, dearie.” 

Her cheerful tone grinds on your nerves. She puts on this octave that tweaks in your ears. A mask over her true self. Before you came back with your letter of offer, she was threatening to put you back into gen-pop. 

You go to Laufeyson’s door and tap gently, “sir, your next meeting.” 

There’s a lull before he appears. You back up as he steps through and he slithers toward the pink balloon of a woman floating around. He extends his hand. “Diana, was it?” 

“Dina,” she faces him and her eyes round. “Oh, my, aren’t you a specimen,” she trills and shakes his hand. 

“Dina, apologies, thank you for coming. Might I offer you a refreshment? Coffee? Tea?” He says. You fight not to roll your eyes as you foresee another trip to the cafe. 

“Oh, no, it’s afternoon, no caffeine for me,” she insists. “But thank you, Mr. Laufeyson, you are a gentleman.” She releases his hand. “And so tall. Look at you.” She fans herself and you cringe as you stand trapped against the wall opposite your desk. 

“Shall we?” He angles as he gestures to his office. 

“Oh, happily,” she bounces forward. You watch without a word. Laufeyson turns to follow, his smile falling into a rather derisive expression as he eyes her ringlets. They are a bit young for someone her age. 

He shuts the door after him as she makes some comment about the decor. You shuffle back to your desk and sit. You’re a bit peeved. He could have warned you it was Dina. No, that would be too considerate. 

You roll your chair to the desk and run your finger over the space bar. It would be far more prudent to have a machine, or at least a kettle in office. Perhaps that could be a project for you. You could draw up an estimate of the cost against the price of the repetitive cafe purchases. The initiative might just break through the ice of Laufeyson’s ego. 

💼

There was a routine in prison. Meal times, bed time, it was all the same; it was everything in between that was unpredictable. Would you be sleeping in your bunk or in solitary? 

The days turned thoroughly dull. You're not mad about it. You like the slowly building sense of security. That peace only punctured by vivid dreams and noisy neighbours. 

It's pay day. Your first. You expect a chunk to be missing due to the advance but you've budgeted it all out. As you do your time; all according to boldly defined borders. 

You get out of work and go straight home. Dina checks in to make sure you're not out without reason and she's sure to do so frequently. She keeps asking about Mr. Laufeyson, likely to determine if you're doing well. You think you are. 

You take the early bus. That way you get there with time to spare. You sit on the bench outside the building to eat your overnight oats. You have an earbud in as you listen to a podcast about an old reality show they always put on in prison. You didn't really like it but it became a pasttime anyhow. 

As you swallow the pasty oats, you ponder whether you should add more cinnamon or sugar. You try not to go overboard with the latter. You push your tongue through the mouthful as soles tap closer. The men in their suits and women in their cleancut dresses sift into the building with pricey briefcases and branded coffee cups. 

"Ahem," the pointed leather toes turn and stop before you. 

You look up and swallow. You hide your mouth as you lick your lips. "Mr. Laufeyson. Good morning," you greet. 

"Waiting on me?" He tilts his head. 

"Um, no. Just eating my breakfast." You stir the oats. 

"Outside?" 

"It's... a nice morning," you shrug. 

"Suppose," he mutters. "Well, if you would like to come inside..." 

"I'll be on time," you assure him. 

He narrows his eyes before he goes. You bite your cheek and eye the half-finished container. You feel guilty. You twist the lid on and wipe the spoon clean with a tissue and tuck it all in your bag. Your hunger evaporates. 

You take your travel mug in with you as you hitch up your bag. You slow before you get to the stairs. You suppose you could stop and make sure to appease him. 

The cafe is mostly empty and you put in the usual order. The woman at the counter smiles. A girl, really. Younger than you. She might be in school. When you were her age, not very long ago, you were already in orange. 

"Would you like to try our new light roast espresso?" She asks. 

"Oh, no, it's not for me," you say as you count out change for the tip jar. 

She nods and thanks you for the tip. 

"You mean you come here every day and it's not for you?" She asks. 

"My boss. He works upstairs." 

"Right," she smiles. "Well..." she moves behind the display and grabs a thin sheet of parchment. She plucks out one of the swirled cupcakes. "Cinnamon bun. Another new creation." She shoves it into a bag and puts it on the counter, "free of charge." 

"Oh, no, I can't--" 

"I won't tell anyone," she smiles. 

"Um, okay, thanks, but... why?" You ask. 

"I don't know. You're here all the time. Kind of a hassle to be running down here all the time when you're not even getting anything out of it." 

"I guess so. It's nice. Thanks." 

"Let me know if you like it. I had to get up early to bake." She says. 

"Sure." 

She makes the cortado and you take it with another thank you. You head up with the end of the paper bag scrunched against your travel mug. You approach the door and realise you are a bit short of hands. You knock on the door with your elbow. 

You wait. You try again. Finally, it opens. 

"At last," Laufeyson sneers. 

"Coffee," you offer him the cortado. 

He makes a noise. Almost as if he's surprised. He takes it and backs off. 

"Mr. Laufeyson," you cross to the desk and put your cup and muffin on the desk, your bag in the chair. "I had something I wanted to suggest." 

"Mm, and that would be?" 

"A coffee machine? Or kettle. I drew up a pricing analysis--" 

"Oh, is that your suggestion? What is it, then? Are your feet getting sore? Not used to hard work?" 

"Um," you shake your head. "No, sir. It would be more cost-efficient--" 

"I've no worry for finances. It is my specialty, darling," he retorts. Your lips part then snap shut. You nod. 

"Understood." 

"Besides, it hardly seems you mind so much. What is that you've stowed away?" He points to the paper bag. You look at it and swipe it up. 

"A muffin," you turn to him. "Want it?" 

"Want it? Do I want a sugar-laced mess? No, I do have some standards... despite hiring you." 

Your brows pop up and you blink. You drop the bag on your desk and grit your teeth. You have to make yourself turn away. You pry your fists open and tap the button on the laptop. 

"Something to say?" He prompts coyly. 

"No, sir, I'm only starting up for the day--" 

"Ah, then, you will remember to smile." You don't say anything as you move your bag out of your chair. As you bend to nestle it under your desk, you feel a tickle along the back of your skirt. "Perhaps you might invest in an iron with your first check." 

You snap up and spin, swiping away his hand with a swat. "I didn't give you permission to touch me." 

His green irises flash and he takes a smug sip of coffee, "oh," he shakes out his other hand. "Violence." 

You frown, "no, you... you touched me first." 

"Ah, yes," he holds out his ivory hand to examine, "see, it is already red." 

You shake your head, "you--" 

"I believe that is against your probationary arrangement," he tuts. "Dina did seem rather concerned for your propensity towards anger." 

"I'm not-- I didn't-- you--" 

"Tsk, tsk, and it was going so well." 

You stare at him, temples thumping as he backs away and twists on his heel. He struts into his office with a snicker. You fall into your chair and slump. You should've known it's all too good to be true. 

[softspiderling]

illicit affairs - part nine

summary:

“You guys are totally in love with each other.”

You sneered, but your heart started beating a little faster at the chance of Rafe reciprocating your feelings. You tried not to let it show on your face though, as you rolled your eyes.

“What, he said that to you?”

OR; Topper offers you some unsolicited advice, Rafe and Kelce try to win your dad over, and you have another fight. Seriously, what is up?

pairing: rafe cameron x reader

warnings: actually very little rafe in this😭

word count: 2,1k

author's note: hi :) idk what to tell you😭 leave some love 🫶🏼 (I SAID LOVE) also pls see this post regarding future updates

✦ . 　⁺ 　 . ✦ . 　⁺ 　 . ✦

pt. nine: "leave the perfume on the shelf"

After sending Rafe out of the bathroom - not before making sure the coast was clear - you returned to the table, ignoring how Topper was side eyeing you.

It didn’t take long until they started serving the actual brunch and the four of you fell into easy conversation as you ate. Occasionally, Rafe would scoot some of his tomatoes over on your plate, and you rolled your eyes at him - he had a palate of five year old - but you didn’t say anything, piercing the tomatoes with your fork. By the time dessert was served, you were full.

“Yo that cake looks good, but I eat one more bite, I might actually explode,” Kelce groaned, sitting back in his chair. He had even gone so far to unbuckle his belt.

“That cake looks so fire, though.”

Topper careened his neck to look at the cake over on the cake stand, while Rafe sipped on his whiskey.

“Nobody is stopping you, Top,” he mused and you narrowed your eyes when you saw your father gather his friends, walking over in your direction.

“Head’s up.”

The four of you quickly straightened your backs and Kelce fixed his belt before the group of men arrived at your table.

“Boys. Sweet pea,” Your father said, kissing your head.

“Hi dad,” you said as the boys greeted your father.

“Are you enjoying yourselves?”

“Yes, it’s been really nice,” Topper said. “You’ve really outdone yourself with the planning.”

Your father laughed, shaking his head.

“I think that honor goes to my wife and my daughter,” your father said, placing his hand on your shoulder, inadvertently making Rafe take his arm off of the back of your chair. He only grimaced, putting his hand in his lap and you bit back a snort.

“Anyways, we were going for a quick round of cigars, get the digestion going, are you boys down to join?”

Your father looked in your round and you didn’t miss the fact that he had only asked your friends, and not you. Obviously, you weren’t joking to join anyways, but it’d be nice to be included every once in a while.

“I’d love to,” Rafe said, standing quickly.

“I’ll come too!” Kelce said, rounding the table, but you only pulled a face.

“Have fun increasing your chances of lung cancer,” you scoffed and Topper made an agreeing noise, throwing his arm around your shoulder.

“Yeah, me and precious will stay here. Smoke free zone.”

You only snorted out a laugh, throwing a dirty look at Topper and he only stared back at you with raised eyebrows.

“Kay,” Rafe said, glancing between the two of you before the group of men left.

An uncomfortable silence settled over you and Topper, and you tried to ignore him. Still, you could feel his eyes on you, so you slipped your phone out of your purse, checking instagram - anything to distract yourself. As you scrolled through the pictures, Topper leaned in closer, so close, you could feel his breath on your cheek.

“I’m not leaving,” he said. “You’re going to have to talk to me eventually.”

“Topper, you’re so fucking annoying,” you huffed, dropping your phone on the table.

“How do you not realize that this isn’t going to end well!”

“Why not?” you asked, exasperated, even though you knew exactly why it wasn’t going to end well.

“You guys are totally in love with each other.”

You sneered, but your heart started beating a little faster at the chance of Rafe reciprocating your feelings. You tried not to let it show on your face though, as you rolled your eyes.

“What, he said that to you?”

“Of course he didn’t,” Topper scoffed. “The only person he talks about his feelings with is you. And he’s obviously not going to tell you that he loves you.”

“Topper.”

“This is gonna backfire so badly and you’ll stop talking to each other. Just stop having sex with him!”

“Topper, thanks for the unsolicited advice but I think I’m good,” you said, frowning at him.

“I’m just trying to help you!”

“By breathing down my neck and making me feel like shit?”

Topper sighed and you only crossed your arms over your chest. He leaned his head on your shoulder.

“I’m not trying to make you feel like shit, okay? I’m sorry,” he sighed. “I just really think you haven’t thought this through. You need to talk to him, before all of it blows up in your face, because that is inevitable.”

You let out a breath, blinking as you refused to look at Topper, knowing he was right, but also hating how he was bringing up the points you yourself had been worried about.

“I need some air,” you muttered, pushing yourself off of the counter, leaving Topper behind as he called after you, but you’ve had enough of his nosy ass. You walked to the far end of the backyard, where the country club met the water, far enough to not be seen by any one, but still close enough to be considered on country club grounds. Taking off your heels, you sat down by the docks, inhaling deeply, hoping to ease some of the anxiety that was sitting in your neck. From this far out, you could only hear the music and chatter of the brunch faintly, slowly, you could feel your shoulders ease.

Your peace was short lived.

“Ah Princess.”

Great. About the last person you had wanted to see right now.

“I’m not in the mood, JJ.”

“Oooh, trouble in paradise?” he asked, taking the freedom to plonk himself down on the dock next to you like you were friends. You lifted your head to look at him as he tried to loosen his collar, grimacing a bit.

“I don’t remember inviting you to sit with me.”

“Sorry, is this not a public space?” he asked, still struggling with his buttons.

“Jesus, are you incapable of unbuttoning things?” you muttered, fed up with his jerking and slapped his hands away, unbuttoning the first few buttons of his shirt. Your fingers brushed over his skin, which felt hot to your touch, his breath fanning across your hand as he watched you with a gleam in his eyes.

“I’m usually better at taking clothes completely off, and not only halfway, ya know?”

You rolled your eyes at him, pulling your hands away when you were done.

“There, you heathen.”

JJ let out a breath, as freed his neck, as if he had been suffocating.

“Thanks Princess.”

Scoffing, you turned away from him, looking out to the water. What an idiot.

“Don’t say I never do anything for you.”

“Hey, you’ve done plenty for me, I would never be able to afford fixing up my bike if you hadn’t gotten me this job,” JJ protested. “And you know I’m grateful for that.”

“Grateful?” you echoed, giving him a look. “And how are you showing that exactly? By starting shit with my friends while half of Kildare is watching?”

JJ winced, but he gave you a wry grin.

“Okay, maybe I need to work on that. But Rafe is just too easy to rile up, I can’t pass up an opportunity like that Princess.”

“See if I ever do you any favors again,” you muttered and JJ’s eyes softened.

“Look, I’m sorry if you got caught in the crossfire, okay? That wasn’t my intention.”

JJ sighed, scratching the back of his neck. “I’ll lay off provoking Rafe in the near future when any grown ups are around, okay? For your sake,”

“Gee, you’re such a gentleman,” you mocked and he snorted. “No wonder every girl is fawning over you."

“Don’t say I never do anything for you,” JJ said theatrically, throwing your own words back at you.

You rolled your eyes at him, begrudgingly and even though you knew he was still a dick, you bumped his shoulder with yours in silent thanks.

“Mr. Maybank, the tables won’t bus themselves.”

The two of you whirled around to see your mother stand at the end to the dock, her hands on her hips.

“On it, ma’am!” JJ said, getting to his feet. “Princess.”

He winked at you before walking in quick strides to the backyard. You envied him, because judging by your mother’s face, you had a lecture coming.

“Did you have to talk to him that way, mom?” You sighed, getting up and straightening your dress.

“We’re not paying him to sit around and ogle you.”

“Jesus,” you muttered. “We’re not even paying him. The country club is.”

“And who do you think is paying the country club for hosting the brunch?”

You rolled your eyes before you turned to your mom as she walked towards you, her eyes in slits.

“Don’t think I haven’t noticed the last minute request for JJ Maybank for the staff.”

“I wasn’t trying to hide it, mom,” you replied, not a fan of where this conversation was going. “He needed the money and the country club needed some extra hands, what’s the big deal?”

“The big deal?” Your mother frowned at you. “He embarrassed you, me and your father!”

“Mom, my friends and JJ had an.. Argument. It was over before anyone even noticed,” you argued.

Your mother only sighed deeply, pinching the bridge of her nose before she glowered at you.

“Do you do this on purpose? Invite boys to fight over you to ruin my brunch?”

You raised your eyebrows at her, feeling a lump in your throat forming. Wow. Your mom never missed.

“Seriously, mom?. That’s a new low for you.”

Throwing your heels on the ground, you slipped your feet into it, before lifting your head to glare at your mother.

“If I’m such an embarrassment for you, maybe I should just leave.”

“Oh don’t be dramatic,” your mother exclaimed but you were already walking past her, throwing your hands up, knowing she wouldn’t follow you to avoid making a scene.

You more or less stomped past the country club and walked towards the main street, even though you had arrived with your parents and it was about a 20 minute walk back home, in heels maybe even 30 minutes.

Angry tears were brimming in your eyes, refusing to let them fall. Your mother always was like this, lashing out when she was upset before crawling back with an apology with empty gifts and a promise it wouldn’t happen again, just for it to repeat the next time you messed up in her eyes.

You weren’t walking long until a familiar sounding car pulled up next to you, the windows pulling him to reveal your best friends, each of them sporting a worried look on their faces.

The door opened from the inside and wordlessly, you climbed into the passenger seat, before Rafe pulled away from the curb. No one said anything, the car smelling faintly of cigars as you drove in silence.

“You can say something, I’m not gonna break,” you finally huffed and the tension broke, with Kelce reaching from the back to squeeze your shoulder gently.

“Sorry, precious.”

“You don’t even know what happened.”

“You were stomping away from the country club and your mother had that fake smile on when we came back from inside, doesn’t take a genius to put two and two together,” Rafe replied, glancing at you as he stopped at a red light.

“You okay?”

“It’s nothing new,” you answered. “Just my mom’s usual bullshit.

“Doesn’t make it okay,” Topper said and you only sighed, melting into your seat. The drive didn’t take long before you pulled up outside Rafe’s house, the four of you walking inside like it was second nature, taking a seat in the living room.

“Ugh I need a break from all this bullshit,” you said, rubbing the inner corner of your eye, careful not to smudge the mascara.

“Same,” Rafe sighed, throwing his arm over the back of the couch, pausing. “Ward, Rose and Wheeze are going to Spain on Friday.”

“Good for them?” Kelce said, confused and Rafe rolled his eyes.

“I’m saying that the house in the bahamas is free.”

You glance at him, frowning.

“Are you saying we should go to the Bahamas?”

Rafe shrugged with his shoulders. “Only a suggestion.”

“I could do with a vacation,” Topper said, tapping his knees excitedly and Kelce pulled his face in a grin.

“Bahamas doesn’t sound too shabby right now.”

All of three of them turned to you, each eyebrows raised higher than the other and you only looked at them with narrowed eyes, before sighing.

“Alright, let’s go to the Bahamas.”

✦ . 　⁺ 　 . ✦ . 　⁺ 　 . ✦

author’s note: what are your thoughts? :)

[cuteandhughesy]

Ceilings | Luke Hughes (instagram edit)

summary: you and luke finally know your true feelings for one another and now you are free to post and express that love through your instagrams

warnings: none <3

face claims: lola tung (y/n) & rain spencer (ariana)

a/n: this was one of the first fics I ever wrote and bringing the character to life was so fun.

link to ceilings

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liked by arianabrown, lhughes_06 and others

yourusername the playoff run continues 💙

tagged arianabrown & umichhockey

comments

user1 goals

user2 the cutest girl

arianabrown you are my queen. I bow to you

yourusername love u sm

arianabrown I can still here that chant in my head

yourusername no bc I was just humming it and didn’t realize 💀

user3 to be at a michigan hockey game 😩

user4 😍😍

user5 need those pants immediately

lhughes_06 🍑

yourusername love a good peach

user6 future wag watching her future superstar bf

rutgermcgroarty where’s my pic? I don’t see it

arianabrown don’t start

liked by markestapa, edwards.73 and others

arianabrown your favs

tagged yourusername, lhughes_06, markestapa, edwards.73 & dylanduke25

comments

markestapa you look so pretty hunny

arianabrown 😘😘 was thinking the same about you

user1 obsessed with this

user2 ethan 😍😍😍

user3 the icons of uomich

yourusername omg stop look at us

edwards.73 goats

user4 the prettiest girls

user5 luke baby that’s not your angle

yourusername HA 💀

liked by adamfantilli, arianabrown and others

yourusername last week of my third year 💙✌🏻 summer couldn’t come any quicker

tagged lhughes_06

comments

edwards.73 not the football game…

edwards.73 not you switching up

yourusername i’m so done with you

user1 the vibes are immaculate

user2 so pretty without even trying

user3 to be on luke hughes shoulders 🥲

markestapa thank god the scooter pic sees the light of day

yourusername it’s TOO good

user4 hello the scooter picture 💀

user5 so stunning

lhughes_06 that library has seen so much… 🫣

user4 WHAT DOES THIS MEAN LUCAS

user6 the real celeb at michigan

arianabrown can’t wait for summa !

liked by jackhughes, arianabrown and others

yourusername summer dump 💌 so in love with you

tagged lhughes_06, jackhughes, edwards.73, dylanduke25 & markestapa

comments

arianabrown i’m so obsessed with you

user1 play that should be me by justin bieber

user2 the KISS DUDE IM PASSING OUT 🥹

rutgermcgroarty that ice cream looks fab

markestapa too bad you didn’t come you could’ve had some

rutgermcgroarty shut up

user3 living for the summer reunion pic

jackhughes should’ve included my mean swing

lhughes_06 too bad you don’t have a mean swing

user4 your smile is perfect

user5 you two are so perfect together

user6 luke on the jetski is sending me

lhughes_06 so in love with you

liked by yourusername, _quinnhughes and others

lhughes_06 summer of a lifetime 🤍

tagged yourusername, jackhughes & _quinnhughes

comments

user1 you better know how to fight luke im gunna take your girl

user2 my favs

yourusername omg 😆

user3 THE CURLS

user4 biggest simp in jersey

user5 the kiss….on the cheek….im done. when is it my turn ? 😅

jackhughes i’m suprised you didn’t post a whole collage of just y/n

edwards.73 me too tbh

user6 i love you

liked by arianabrown, lhughes_06 and others

yourusername gonna miss this ☀️

comments

user1 beautiful

user2 you’re actually perfect

lhughes_06 baby you’re so cute

edwards.73 how come you never say this to me?

user3 😍😍

user4 oh so you’re perfect

user5 gorgeous

arianabrown YES BITCH SERVE FACE

liked by rutgermcgroarty, lhughes_06 and others

yourusername made it to jersey 🪻🤍👹

tagged lhughes06 & arianabrown

comments

arianabrown you’ve never looked more beautiful

njdevils we loved having you

user1 YESS IVE BEEN WAITING

user2 wag alert

user3 that first picture omg stunning 😍

jackhughes still thinking about those pastries honestly

arianabrown so real I dream of them

user4 photo dump of the century

user5 there’s nobody to talk about this with

user6 the life I crave

lhughes_06 ❤️

liked by jacob_truscott20, lhughes_06 and others

yourusername life recently: work, ariana, and missing my boyfriend

tagged arianabrown & lhughes_06

comments

user1 serving tho

umichhockey we miss your bf too 😭

user2 you’re so pretty

user3 the difference in shoe size….

edwards.73 luke 😍💦

yourusername there are kids on this app.

user4 if luke can pull her….ww all have hope

user3 luke’s hot wdym

arianabrown stop why do I look so concerned yet so content

user5 my favs

user6 🤩🤩

liked by markestapa, jackhughes and others

yourusername happy anniversary love 💗

tagged lhughes_06

comments

user1 happy anniversary to the king and queen

markestapa it’s felt like an eternity

yourusername is that a diss ?

markestapa definitely

user2 stop i’m in love with you both

user3 the perfect couple

user4 ❤️

lhughes_06 forever

user1 okay edward cullen 😩

user5 luke has never looked happier

arianabrown MOTHER AND FATHER

edwards.73 mark are you gunna let this slide? I thought she only called you daddy

markestapa 🫣

arianabrown STOP

liked by kayleighdocherty_, arianabrown and others

lhughes_06 1 year with you ❤️

tagged yourusername

comments

user1 no i’m fine 😭

user2 stop this is so cute

user3 oh yall in love love

yourusername and many more 🥰

arianabrown she’s so cute

user4 king shit

user5 men take notes !

user6 happy anniversary

jackhughes baby bro so in love 😎

rutgermcgroarty I mean…you’re welcome

yourusername rutger.

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a/n: not spell checked 🤪 make sure you check out the rest of the published insta edits for my fics and stay tuned for the upcoming ones 🤍

I do not own any of these photos - full credits to original owners.

[withallthingslove]

Have you seen the press kit on Hulu’s website?

They are basically doing a 180 arc of Nick with him still not stepping up to Gilead but even worse, following his father in law into the dark side, after him and June said they love each other in the present. Lizzie and max speak about Nick betraying June mid season and June not letting her love cloud her judgment anymore and finally see him for who he really is, a commander in Gilead.

I mean if they wanted to achieve a fail final GOT style, I think they are succeeding… I know we have to wait and see but I’m really disappointed with this storyline. But Lawrence on the other hand will help fight Gilead…

Yes, I was commenting on the Reddit thread.... *super long post and spoilers incoming*

Overall, I'm not surprised. They've done this since season 2. If they completely scrap Nick's Testaments characterization in favor of redeeming Serena or Lawrence I will be big mad. But why would they rewrite Luke's character to be like how he is in The Testaments but not Nick's? The answer is I think they are still pushing Nick to be underground and I think we could still have a NickxJune endgame or an ambiguous she chooses no one.

Before diving into the press notes, let's look at what we have so far:

Max is listed 4th on the cast list, in front of Ann Dowd. The season synopsis says he will face tests of character. This to me implies a big increase in screen time

Both Elisabeth and Max chose the bridge kiss as their favorite show moment

On the giant billboard, Nick is shown right beside June. Luke, Aunt Lydia, June, and Nick are also all in a group together, which to me is the characters who make it out alive to be in the Testaments.

The season summaries for seasons 1-4 were Nick heavy with his rebellious acts while only the season 5 was Luke heavy

In the fan tweets video they have O-T read a fan wish about June and Nick ending up together

The trailer is pretty Nick heavy like the season 4 trailer

Now the press notes:

June's character description: It does not mention Luke, but does mention Nick. "Over the course of the series, June becomes a completely new person, a person who does find her voice, an angry voice, a powerful voice. She’s a different person than she was. A lot of the romance with Nick is because of that. They are two people who understand and share the burden of Gilead’s tyranny."

This is reaffirming that Luke is included in June's past, Nick is her present. Back in the day we compared Nick and June to Katniss and Peeta, and this is almost verbatim what Jennifer Lawrence once said about Everlark.

Nick's character description: "I think some of the edges fray on Nick this season. His moral center is actually shifting. He has been quite selfless for much of his life, especially in this dynamic with June. And so maybe his gas tank for that is starting to run out. He’s speaking up from himself a little bit more and sometimes in quite misguided ways"

For seasons I think Nick has been a fuse waiting to blow. He was manipulated into joining a cult, survives in said cult, meets the love of his life and makes her his north star. Everything he does is for her but that is not sustainable and is uneven. Part of what I love about June and Nick's relationship is that he soaks up all of her stress and desires. But what is his outlet for that? When you take June away who is Nick? Where is his moral center if he is not acting out of love for one person? He has to figure that out this season if he actually wants a future outside of Gilead. If June ends up with him now, you would have a long list of people saying it's not good enough. So Nick needs to do more than be seen as good because of his connection to June.

"There’s something in Wharton’s masculinity that Nick has been searching for. One of the things that this season explores is the notion that a lot of these men in Gilead have broken relationships with their fathers. I think Nick sees in Wharton a mentorship that he craves. This season is the first time Nick’s been tempted by the dark side on a fundamental level, primarily because of that relationship."

Look I love Nick but by anyone's definition he's a war criminal with daddy issues. And that's fine because he's a fictional character and it's nuanced. He's nowhere near as responsible for Gilead as Fred, Serena, and Lawrence are. But he is still complicit. He's a Commander now, and he may still have ties to the Martha network and friendlies and Mayday, but he is not operating a secret operation out of his house like Lawrence that we know of. Being complicit as a driver is different than being complicit as a Commander. You go from being a cog in the system to upholding the system. The show has repeatedly driven home that Nick and Lawrence are good but flawed men. But if June is to truly choose Nick and end up with him, he has to turn away from Gilead for himself. Not to protect her, Nichole, and Hannah. And I don't think Nick has done that kind of work yet. At least not the show's version.

Now for his daddy issues. I think Nick is morally good, but even in earlier seasons he thought Commander Pryce was a good person. He looked up to him and trusted him. But Pryce was still a founder of Gilead who designed and upheld the system. When Pryce died Nick started depending on Lawrence. It makes sense that he would be drawn to Wharton. He's messed up from losing his family before Gilead and craves acceptance and stability and a paternal figure. It's how he got manipulated into the SOJ in the first place.

I don't think Nick could go underground at this point, even if he is working with Tuello. He's not ready. He has to work through the issues that got him into the SOJ, and that might mean he backslides. Healing and doing internal work is rarely linear and I doubt it is linear in a totalitarian regime.

So while I can't see him turning June in, I can see him ruining the rebels' plans by abandoning his agreement with Tuello. I can see Wharton taking advantage of a distraught Nick and having him kickoff the Return Baby Nichole campaign 2.0. Because Nick might not trust systems but he trusts people. And trusting the wrong people got him roped into Gilead.

So while yes it may suck for us fans of Nick and I don't trust the show to do it well, but I can see the writers thinking that Nick's path in season 6 involves backsliding. Because his history can suggest that. I will also add that when I first read The Testaments and was reading so fast, I interpreted Nick being underground as a commander on the run/rumored to be dead for protection almost like a myth. Not an active resistance operative. The show could easily go that route where Nick backslides and then redeems himself when he realizes his mistake and goes on the run vs officially joining Mayday.

Luke's character description: Doesn't mention June, just Hannah.

Tuello's character description: By the end of Season Six, a lot of the alliances that Mark had hoped for have fallen apart. Lawrence may be Mark’s only last, desperate hope to retaliate for all of Gilead’s many atrocities.

I could see Nick's betrayal being to Tuello and by extent of that to June, not him betraying June herself. It also makes sense that Nick makes a choice in the Jezebels episode after he sees June in disguise, and she hears about it two episodes later.

Elisabeth about Luke: "He is ready to go. So as soon as Mark gives him that opportunity, he doesn’t hesitate. June is furious with Luke’s choice. She’s trying to keep everyone safe, and Luke signs up for this most dangerous of missions."

What about that says June is choosing Luke?

Elisabeth about Nick: "In this season, we see Nick and June together for the first time in quite a while. Finally, they can talk about things that have been left unsaid. They finally admit that they love each other now, not just in the past but now."

Praise be we're getting extended Nick and June scenes. We're getting them talking like an actual couple and confirmation that they are the people they would choose to be with. Hopefully they discuss his role in the takeover and his history, because as one of the EPs said years ago, because June and Nick only have fleeting moments they try to keep it light when they see each other and they push down or forgive the bad. They NEED to have an actual discussion that fans see if an endgame is going to be possible. Or else they will be a resentful conflict avoidant couple.

"But then, toward the end of this season, Nick betrays June’s trust. It’s the biggest thing that’s ever happened to the two characters. It’s inevitable in a way. June has been shown over and over again that Nick is a member of Gilead’s hierarchy and will abide by their rules. But, she just doesn’t listen. Love clouds her judgement. Now, finally, she is able to see who he is and what he’s capable of. It’s devastating"

She says towards the end of the season, not at the end. So there is time for Nick to redeem himself before it ends.

Love clouds all of our judgements. We love Nick as a character so we see the nuance and we know his backstory as a resistance member in the novels and how his season 3 scenes were cut and that he was originally going to get Hannah out. But the average viewer doesn't. For better or worse, the show made Nick a commander in the system with a shady past. For him to go underground they have to address it and rectify it, not avoid the direction a great deal of viewers see him going in.

We love Nick for how he supports June and that he is a complex character. But he has been capable of bad things in Gilead by "following the rules." Would disobeying them get him killed? You could argue yes. But his character as written in the scripts is one who finds a way to do things for June within Gilead's official and unofficial rules. And after season 2 he's also bombed Chicago, killed commanders, married a high commander's daughter, supported starting New Bethlehem and probably a bunch of stuff offscreen. June hasn't seen that, but we have. And we chose to see through it and love him as a character anyway. But June has to do the same.

About it being inevitable, Tuello implies Nick has had multiple opportunities to leave Gilead. But he never did. Why? I think of what June said to Lawrence about "how long did you think it would be until they came for you?" The longer Nick stays in Gilead, the more likely it becomes he ends up betraying June in some way, either by active choice or association.

Also, we don't know what his big betrayal is? Why freak out about it yet when season 4 hyped up him capturing her and him being married as betrayals. Because that season also got us great Osblaine scenes that ended on a high note.

In a glass half full look, maybe seeing June distraught over Nick will be super angsty and amazing in a way so painful it's great.

O-T about Luke and June: "they are united as a couple to save Hannah. On the road to that mission, they sometimes have to make sacrifices. They have to sacrifice intimacy, home life and romance"

Nothing about this says happy rebel couple in love.

"It’s difficult for Luke to see June and Nick together because their connection is palpable. These are two people who are deeply energetically connected. They have a dynamism that he and June lack. Also, Nick is a man of action and, so far, Luke has not been.... And Luke definitely feels that when he sees Nick - so handsome, so confident, so strong. Max plays Nick with so much nuance and charisma that you totally understand why June is drawn to him. But, of course, Nick is still a commander in Gilead."

We're getting Luke, June, and Nick together!! Luke realizing that June is in love with Nick!! Luke realizing that they have something he and June will never have!! I've prayed for times like these.

"Luke is going to love June forever no matter what, although Luke fears that she might end up with Nick. I think he understands their connection is eternal, and he might have some uncertainty about how it’s going to ultimately play out."

So, so far Elisabeth has mentioned June being angry at Luke and in love but betrayed by Nick, and O-T has mentioned June and Luke not having romance and Luke coming to terms with June ending up with Nick.

It sounds to me we are getting the dissolution of June and Luke's romance, and an angsty high stakes faux-lovers to enemies back to lovers June and Nick arc.

Max on Nick and June:

"I don’t think that Nick has ever had any apprehensions about Luke... He’s often been quite compassionate toward Luke. I think he recognizes and understands that the situation is painful for both of them."

King shit.

"I think his relationship with Rose definitely factors into the changes in Nick’s relationship with June, but time is honestly a big part of it. We’ve spent a long time with these characters and in turn, they’ve been in these relationships for a long time, and relationships evolve, and resentments grow, especially when there’s so much external drama and chaos. I think it’s understandable that we would start to see the edges fray on this dynamic between June and Nick."

Just like I said earlier. Nick has been selfless towards June for pretty much the entire show. How long can that selflessness go unreturned, especially if he feels that every time he makes an effort to save her she is causing havoc again to try and save Hannah or bring down Gilead? And that brings Nick and June to two different pages.... June trying to bring down the horrible system Nick lives in BUT WON'T LEAVE because he has family obligations, daddy issues, and a low self esteem. A turning point would have to come eventually.

And Max's description might sound bad, but edges fraying just means uncertainty. It doesn't mean ending. The only reason Nick and June have been stable across seasons is partially because distance makes the heart grow fonder. They can push aside the bad when they are together and wish for each other when they are apart. I believe 100% they can be a couple in the real world, but to do so they need to rock the boat a little bit.

It looks like this season will let them face some hard truths so they can actually move on to the other side. S1-2 they were I think as much of a couple they could be, but s3-5 they've just been in a purgatory limbo of not being able to see each other or discuss anything. Because of how deep their love is they still hold a candle for each other, but they've been holding that candle while metaphorically moving farther apart.

Warren Littlefield about the love triangle:

"June’s married to Luke but she’s in love with Nick. She’s having Nick’s child, but she still loves Luke."

Even a producer knows that Nick is who June is in love with. Luke she still has love for, but she's no longer in love.

CONCLUSION

Obviously I'm using this to comfort myself because of how much I wrote. But honestly, when I read through the press doc for the first time I didn't read it as the end. As much as I would love for Nick to join the resistance midway through, I can see why the show is not taking that path. They are choosing to go with the storyline they've been building for seasons to (hopefully) get to Nick abandoning it all in a huge, dramatic, finale way.

But this doesn't have to be a bad thing. I read the press doc as an opportunity for June and Nick to actually overcome the challenges that have been keeping them apart.

And nothing about the character descriptions says June is choosing Luke. It says her and Luke are only bound by Hannah, and she and Nick are in love but drama is keeping them separated.

So let's get ready for some angsty, horrible, amazing, intoxicating drama.

[justmeinadaze]

I Want You (Steddie X Y/N)

A/N: "I present to you...this fucking thing..."

Because I'm a hoe. :P

This is from the universe they visit in this fic. You don't have to have read it to understand. Everything that happens here is years before what happens there.

Warnings: Serial Killer Steddie & Fem Sub Y/N, SMUT, sub/dom dynamics, light knife play (no cutting or anything), dirty talk, light chasing, light choking and spanking, a safe word isn't established (yet) but they do make it clear that they don't want to hurt her.

ANGST, starts off with the reader in jail (Steve is her lawyer), mentions of reader "embarrassing" her family, mentions of her getting into a fight while in prison, Steddie do kill someone but the death itself is not described, the person they take insults the reader (calls her a whore), Eddie likes to play with knifes 🫠, mentions of them tailing victims and disposing of them. They do talk about how they only kill people who deserve it (kinda like Dexter).

I think that's it.

Word Count: 6508

Donate to Me

As you slowly shuffled into the visiting area of the prison, Eddie hastily rose to his feet and took ahold of your hand to help you down to your seat.

Your eye was swollen where the other prisoner had punched you when they jumped you in the lunchroom. She got in a few good hits including busting your lip before any guards intervened.

Exchanging a glance with Steve, the long-haired boy sat back down beside you as you sat across from his friend and colleague.

“Did the hospital wing take care of you?”, your lawyer asked barely above a low rumble. 

They didn’t need to ask what happened. 

They warned your father that given your last name you could be hurt or worse if he insisted you should go to prison but he said that you needed to learn a lesson. Kallie tried to defend you; told your dad that you did nothing wrong and explained again how you defended her. 

Like the stubborn man he was, he wouldn’t listen. 

You embarrassed the family and that’s all he cared about. 

“She was drunk and took a swing at a prominent member of society. Thank God he’s not suing us.”

“So you’re worried more about the asshole that pushed me than the daughter that defended me.”, your sister growled. 

“I’m worried about our future, Kallie! I’m doing this for her own good!”

“And if she dies behind bars? What good will that do?”, Steve replied flatly, trying to control the immense anger that was welling up in his chest. Eddie was usually the one to respond with emotion but not him. He always needed to be in control.

“She’ll be fine, I’m sure.”

“Yes, sir.”, you whimper, wincing as the tears begin to fall. 

Blinking, he hesitated slightly as he reached for your hand, encapsulating yours with his own. 

“You don’t have to be so formal with us, honey.” Glancing his way, he delivered you a small smile before letting you go. “Like I told you in my letters I’m not…good at showing my feelings but… we’re here for you, Y/N.”

Since you met them, you picked up on their different personalities pretty quickly but understood why they were friends and worked so well together. Where Steve could come off as closed off, Eddie always radiated an energy that screamed he’d do anything that needed to be done. The first time your lawyer smiled, it warmed your heart because you had a feeling not everyone got that genuine side of him.

In court and on tv doing interviews, he played the part of a charming man well. He was suave and intelligent while always engaging but that wit could turn quick when challenged. Eddie wore his heart on his sleeve and could go to a ten with little to no prompting which is why you assumed he drifted more towards computers. 

It allowed him to focus that energy and use it where necessary which (besides being his best friend) is why Steve hired him to help at his firm. With their resources they had won numerous cases which is why your sister insisted on hiring them but your father was the one with the money so there was only so much they could do. 

Over the past four months being incarcerated, they sent you letters and items to make sure you were safe while letting you know you weren’t alone. You found it easy to be open with them and to trust them not just as your representation but as your friends. 

“I can’t stay here another six months. I’m scared.”, you whisper.

Eddie’s eyes met his friend’s stern ones before defying him and pulling you to his chest as his palm held you close.

“Everything’s going to be ok, sweetheart. Steve’s been trying to file appeals but it’s hard.”

“Your dad’s been bribing the judge.”, the other man answers when you look at him with confusion. “He’s blocking my motions.”

Leaning back, you wipe your eyes as you carefully take both men in. Their faces may appear calm but you could feel the worried energy rating from them. 

“I’ll…I’ll be ok. Just six more months right?”, you try to sooth as you force a smile. “T-Tell me about you two. You’re both being safe right? I heard on the news that serial killer has amped up his count.”

“Yeah, princess, we’re being safe. No dark alleys or talking to strangers.”, Eddie teases, smiling when you laugh.

They loved the sound of your laugh.

“Good. Besides my sister, you two are the only people I trust. If anything ever happened to you…I don’t know what I would do.”

***

“What are you thinkin’?”, Eddie asks as they both linger on the opposite side of the empty building they were currently in. 

“We’ve never done something this close to the vest before.”, Steve replies, continuing to stare into the void as he blows smoke from his cigarette towards the sky. 

“Yeah…but what else can we do? We tried the right, legal way and were shut down. I offered to hack into his bank records and expose him but that would put her dad at risk. You didn’t think Kallie or Y/N would want that even after all the evil shit he does.”, the metalhead growls. 

The lawyer’s eyes scanned his friend as he absently flipped the knife in his hand. The man’s own irises had begun to slowly darken as he dipped into the headspace that offered him control. Steve always found it amusing because while Eddie was calculated with the computer and finding their victims, once the person was in front of them he changed into the equivalent of a hamster running on a wheel. 

The man tied to the chair began whining as they listened to him slowly wake up and pull on his restraints. 

“Last chance, Steven. As soon as he sees our faces, there’s no going back.”

When his friend nodded and tossed the cigarette out into the night, Eddie knew he was sure, his grin growing now that they were going to get to satiate that need both boys struggled with, with the added bonus of being able to save and protect you. 

After throwing his suit jacket to the side with their other things, Steve casually sauntered to the judge that had sentenced you, now restrained with wide eyes looking up at this man he had extremely underestimated. 

“Judge White, we apologize for this inconvenience. Usually, my friend and I like to leave our personal lives out of this thing that we do but you didn’t want to hear reason. Because of your selfishness a young girl is currently suffering behind bars for defending her sister. You promised to uphold the law but only when it matters to you it seems.”

The judge mumbled behind the gag before Eddie roughly ripped it off and held his knife to the man’s throat as a warning. 

“You’re one to talk Mr. Harrington! Kidnapping a judge isn’t exactly ‘upholding the law’, now is it, son?”

Steve chuckled and Eddie’s fist flew hitting the man in the nose hard. 

“I’m not your son, thank God, but you do remind me of my father. People like him, you, and Mr. Y/L/N pretend to be these moral men but you’re not. What my friend and I do helps the people. We don’t hurt anyone that doesn’t deserve it.”

“Who are you to make that call!?”

The metalhead hit the man again and pressed the tip of the blade deeper into his skin. 

“Who are you? You were appointed and let the people down. You gloat behind your fucking Ferrari and 3 story mansion while people like Y/N rot, scared and alone IN A JAIL CELL!”

As Steve slowly became more ramped up, he rose to his feet till he was hovering over the frightened man below him. Blinking, he quickly regained his composure and took a step back. 

The sound of the judge’s laugh had both men tilting their heads. 

“Jesus. Out of all the women in the world, you fall for that one. An alcoholic whore with an arrest record now who won’t be able to do anything in this world without ‘a few favors’. Favors you can’t help with financially on your salary, Steven.”, he laughs. “Hopefully she’s good on her knees—MMPH!”

While he mocked you, Eddie himself had been struggling to keep it together. You were always so kind to him and made him feel seen. Steve was one of the few people to treat him like an equal but when you came along, even with what you were going through, you never looked down on him. He wasn’t going to allow anyone to disrespect you and especially not this asshole. 

The judge gritted his teeth as the metalhead removed his blade from his leg and wiped the blood along his pristine button up white shirt. 

“Watch your fucking mouth.”

“L-L-Look, boys. What do you want? You want her freed? I can do that—”

“We don’t need you for that. Without you there to block the appeal, the new judge will review her case and this one owes me a favor.” The judge’s eyes widen as his gaze shifts between Eddie’s wild eyes and Steve’s calm demeanor. “I think there’s a bit of a misunderstanding here. You seem to believe there’s a route you can take that has you walking out of this building alive.”

“You won’t get away with this! I’m a prominent member of this community! People will—”

The metalhead, placing a fresh price of tape over his mouth, interrupted the man’s pleas as the lawyer smirked, stepping forward. 

“Trust me, Judge White. We’ve been doing this for a while. No one will find you.”

###################

“Oh shit. I mean, hey, hey sweetheart. What, um, what are you doing here?”, Eddie asked when he answered your knock on their door. 

“I just wanted to come by and thank you so much for what you did. I mean…filing the appeal and finally getting me out of that awful place.”, you smile as you glance behind him to see Steve saunter up in gray sweats and a white short sleeved undershirt that showed off his muscles. “Um, I brought some food…as a thank you…I can drop it off and leave if you’re busy or—”

“No, Y/N, don’t be silly. Come on in. Thank you so much.”, the man behind him chuckled as he reached for what you were carrying while his friend met him with wide cautious eyes. “It’s alright.”, you heard him whisper before Eddie shut the door. 

“We’re just, um, doing some renovations here and there so we apologize for the mess.”

Smirking, you gesture towards the nice, expansive living room.

“What mess?”, you giggle. “The only thing messy is you two.”

The metalhead swoons as your hand reaches out to lightly tug on his hair and trails down his chest allowing your fingers to trace the Metallica logo on his shirt. 

“I was with Kallie but after a while I couldn’t sit inside so I thought I’d come thank you.”

“We can understand that. You spent so much time in a dungeon basically.”, Eddie sighs as he helps distribute the food you brought. 

As the night continued, you got to know both boys as you asked them questions you had been dying to know for months. Both men were single but they insisted this was due to their busy schedules. Steve followed in his father’s footsteps and became a lawyer but deviated to open his own firm which pissed his family off. Eddie’s computer knowledge was all self-taught having picked up some tricks through the years from other people as well as felon father. 

“One time I applied for a manager position in the tech department of some security firm but they kept brushing me off saying I had no experience for such a high position so I hacked into their mainframe showing them how good I was finding flaws.”, Eddie cackled as your laugh warmed his heart. “Yeah, Stevie had to use his know how to keep me out of jail.”

“What?! They didn’t hire you?! I would have if you showed me something like that.”

“Naw, companies like that have huge egos that are way more important to them than anything.”, the lawyer smiled as he sighed. “After seeing what he did, I asked him to come work for me and we’ve been together ever since.”

“That’s amazing. The two of you saving lives one broken hearted girl at a time.”, you grin as you take a sip of soda avoiding their gaze. 

After glancing towards each other, Eddie’s own smile widens as he gestures towards the radio that had been playing in the background. 

“I can play this song on the guitar.” Steve studies you as you giggle and playfully shake your head. “You don’t believe me? My uncle loves The Beatles.”

Reaching behind him, he grabs his acoustic instrument and begins to strum along with the music as he hums. 

“I want you… I want you so bad…”, you sing under your breath causing them both to watch you intensely. “I want you so bad, it’s drivin’ me mad, it’s driving me…”

The energy in the room starts to thicken and the lawyer catches onto it first as he sees his friend’s eyes darken with that familiarity he recognizes from when they take and dispose of their victims. Steve knew for a fact that Eddie didn’t want to hurt you like that. They both cared about you deeply but that intense need to take care of you and please you… To have someone love every bit of them…even the darkness… was pushing through and even he was struggling to control it as he listened to you sing. 

“She's so…Heavy…heavy, heavy, heavy…”

When his fingers stopped strumming you chuckled as you wiped away a tear that fell. 

“I love The Beatles to.”

The long-haired boy abruptly jerked forward and grabbed your cheeks, bringing your lips to his. It was a passionate kiss filled with so much want, you couldn’t get enough. After moving his guitar to the side, you climbed onto his lap, circling your arms and legs around him as he lifted you up and placed your back on the floor. 

While Eddie’s lips trailed down your cheek to suck on your neck, you glanced towards Steve who was still focused on your features as he watched your mouth fall open. Your hand reached for his face and he tenderly held the back as he brought your palm to his mouth. 

“Want…you…to...please.”

His eyes soften in a way you had never seen before from him. It was almost as if he had never heard someone tell him that…or maybe no one had ever proved it to be true. 

“You want me, baby?”

The subtle crack in his voice broke your heart as you nodded and Eddie fell to your side without removing his lips from your neck as Steve slid over to join him.

##########

You awoke a few hours later with a desperate need to use the bathroom. 

Your eyes flick to the metalhead who was fast asleep on his stomach and you couldn’t help but kiss his bare shoulder, grinning when he adorably groaned and turned his head to face the other direction. Shifting your gaze to the other sleeping boy, your finger gently reached out to move some of his fluffy hair away from his face as you tenderly kissed cheek. 

“Hm. Everything ok?”, he mumbled as his palm lazily came up to pet your head. 

“May I use your restroom?”

“Yeah, honey, of course. There’s one down the hall on the left.”

You smile as you kiss him before grabbing Eddie’s shirt and scurrying to where he directed. After finishing your needs and washing your hands, you caught your reflection in the mirror. Your hair was slightly out of place from where they had run their fingers through it and you had little marks on your neck leading down your chest from where they had sucked hickies into your skin. 

Just a few nights ago, you were in the worst place of your life and now you were safe because of these two men who did everything they could to get you out. As you reentered the hallway, you glanced up stairs and in your giddy state, curiosity got the better of you. 

The first bedroom you found was Steve’s, assumed by the cleanliness and strong smell of cologne. Your fingers grazed his dresser as you browsed the many scents and sticky notes along the mirror reminding him of things like meetings or court dates. By his bed, he had a pack of cigarettes and note pad with what you thought were case notes before actually taking in the words on the page.

“-Dick called her a name again. Sister said he doesn’t mean it he’s just angry. I don’t care. I don’t like the way he talks about her.

-Munson found evidence in bank account, dick bribing to keep her unhappy to “teach her a lesson”. Fucker.

-Emails and messages, calls her a whore…fucking… She’s not…she deserves everything good…”

What threw you off even more was when you opened the drawer and found a small gun nestled on the top. 

“As a lawyer, he probably feels he needs this as protection.”, you told yourself as you carefully put it away. 

Eddie’s room was the complete opposite with his clothes thrown every which way and the strong smell of cigarettes hanging in the air. Unlike his friend, he had a few photos on his own dresser of a gorgeous woman you assumed to be his mother and his uncle hugging him when he was smaller. 

On the wall across from his bed, you noticed little marks that looked like he had thrown something sharp at the material and as your foot hit a box underneath the mattress you learned what had caused them, quietly bending down to open it, finding many shiny, sharp knifes nestled in their foam beds. 

A couple were missing but you found one stabbed into the wood of his bedside table next to cigarettes and, to your surprise, a picture of you next to a notebook. Eddie’s notes were much more chaotic than Steve’s as he scribbled random words and doddles on the paper. One page you found had a sketch of you when they went to visit you after you had gotten jumped. 

You looked so broken and the words around your frame seemed to convey the same except underneath each sentence was another in bold as if he was trying to comfort you.

“I’m scared.”

“It’s ok, sweetheart. We’re gonna get you out. You’re safe with us.”

“Someone jumped me. It’s ok. I’m ok.”

“Tell me who, baby, and I’ll make them regret it.”

“It’s only 6 more months.”

“No. It’ll be sooner than that, pretty girl. I don’t care what we have to do.”

Blinking, you placed everything back where you found it and began heading back towards the stairs before another room down the hall caught your eye. 

You should ignore it and you know that. You’ve already disobeyed and invaded their privacy by coming upstairs but…curiosity got the better of you. 

The door creaked louder than you wanted it to as you gradually opened it and tiptoed inside. There was a desk with a desktop that had multiple monitors with another notebook beside it; Eddie’s handwriting scrawled throughout. 

“Transactions every week, same time from Mr. Y/L/N to Judge White… 5 grand…

Schedule: due to be in court Tuesday.

Takes Ferrari back home at 7pm. 

Camera on front and back entrances. (disabled)

No wife or children

Sometimes picks up a woman on Field St for the night.

Vacant building 5 miles away.”

Backing towards the other side, you noticed photos on the adjacent wall of Judge White as well as the missing knife stabbed into one of the images of him getting in his car. On the floor was a black trash bag and as you shakily opened it, you noticed one of Steve’s suits caked in what appeared to be dried blood. 

Your mouth fell open as a tear slid down your cheek but as you turned to head back downstairs, you bumped into a broad chest promptly meeting the lawyer’s angry irises. 

Covering your mouth and pulling you to his chest, Steve effortlessly carried you back downstairs where the other boy was pacing. 

“Did she…?”

“I told you to burn all the stuff upstairs yesterday.”, he growled as he used his free hand to point furiously his way. “This is your fucking fault.”

Eddie’s eyes darkened in a way you had never seen from this kind man before as he stood up straighter and his head tilted. 

“You’re the one that let her in the fucking house.”

“I didn’t think she’d misbehave.”, he hissed into your ear. “Especially not after everything we’ve done for her.”

The lawyer felt your lips moving against his palm and he lowered it slightly to allow you to speak. 

“I’m sorry. I-I-I didn’t mean to… I just—”

Covering your mouth again, he grunted in frustration as he slammed his fist against the wall. This was new behavior for you to witness when it came to him. Usually, Steve was calm and in control but right now he seemed…wild…and that scared you but not for the reason they would think. 

Eddie noticed first that unlike other people caught by them, you weren’t fighting against his friend’s hold. Your eyes didn’t reflect fear but worry, not for yourself…but Steve.

“Harrington.”

“WHAT?!”, he screamed making your jump as the metalhead narrowed his eyes. 

“Let her go.”

“I can’t do that, Ed—”

“Let. Her. Go.”

The deep rumble that left his friend’s throat had his own head tilting; even more so when a little whine only he heard left yours. Slowly, the man lifted his arms expecting you to bolt out the front door but when you instead turned to circle your limbs around him…he was surprised. 

“I’m sorry. I didn’t mean to be nosey. I just…I wanted to know more about you…and I got curious. I should have just asked. I’m sorry. Please, Steve, don’t be upset.”

He’d be lying if he said he knew how to respond. Instead, he carefully unhooked you from his waist and took a couple steps back to sit on the armchair behind him. His amber eyes remained locked on yours as you did the same, placing yourself on the couch.

Eddie startled you slightly eliciting a small squeak when he jumped over the back of the sofa and balanced on his heels beside you. His long fingers reach out to move some of your hair behind your ear and you can’t help but sigh as your eyes close, absorbing his touch. 

“I told you she was perfect, Steve.”

“Hang on a minute—”

“She’s not scared of us at all.”

“She hasn’t seen the real us yet—”

“Why are you trying to ruin this!?”

Just as the lawyer leaned forward, prepared to yell at his friend, your own palm extended out to caress the metalhead’s cheek. 

“It’s ok, baby. Let him think. He’s analytical…like Kallie. Kallie always thinks before reacting. I’m the opposite…obviously.”, you reply with a nervous chuckle.

“Kallie doesn’t kill people.”

“Neither do you.” Steve’s eyes narrow in confusion at your response. “I’ve known you for a while now. You’ve been…incredibly kind and loving to me and my sister… I’ve seen how you both are with the people around you. If…if you are hurting people…they probably deserve it…right? L-Like Judge White?”

“Your father wasn’t the only one he was taking bribes from. Add in all girls he picked up and used from the street. He didn’t even pay them, Y/N. He’d threaten them, fuck them, and send them back like they were trash.”, Eddie growled, closing his eyes as he tried to control his anger. “He still had the nerve to disrespect you even when we had him tied to a chair—”

“Edward.”, Steve interrupted with a low rumble. “You’re right, Y/N. I am more analytical whereas my friend is mostly emotions. This is how he really is…especially when he steps into that particular headspace… he’s harder to control but when he’s hunting…whether it be online or out in the world…he’s zeroed in and focused. Add in the fact that he’s amazing with a knife.”

At the word, Eddie grabs one you hadn’t noticed nearby and it rings through the air as he holds the sharp side to your cheek. Again, you don’t flinch or show fear and again he swoons. 

“Fuck me, you’re so beautiful.”, the metalhead whines as his nose replaces the blade and his breath warms your face. “I told him, sweetheart. I told Steve you were perfect and you deserved the world.”, he panted as his fingertips ghosted along your inner thigh. “You like this, baby girl. I can feel how warm you are between these sexy fucking legs. I bet that pussy is dripping. Fuuuuuuck and you’re wearing my shirt to—”

“Munson.”

This time Steve’s voice radiated authority, deep with a particular note of anger that had your head lulling towards Eddie’s smiling lips. 

“W-What are you like? In that headspace?”, you murmur breathily.

“You mean what am I really like?” His chest vibrates as a cool laugh escapes him. “I’m like him…I just hold it in better. I like control.”

“So do I—”

“No, little girl, you don’t!”, he snaps cutting you off. “Not the way we do it.”

“How would you know? I imagine no one’s ever seen you both like this before. I mean…no one who actually cared about you and wanted to be with you.”

“No one cares about us.”

At his sullen remark, you slowly rise from the couch and carefully climb into his lap, resting your head on his chest as you wrap your arm around his neck and twirl your finger in his hair. 

“I do. I care about you both a lot. Besides my sister, you’re the only people who actually seemed to give a damn. You wrote me letters and made me feel safe. Every time you visited me or called; every time I heard your voices… I knew everything would be ok.”

You felt it above your head, his jawline twitch as his chest rose and fell. The arms he had resting beside him gradually came up to wrap around you and you could barely contain the giddy pride that ran through you at the feeling. 

“I’m not afraid of you, Steve, either of you. Eddie’s right…I like this…” Grasping his hand in yours, you slowly glide it along your skin, between your legs till his fingers graze the slick sticking to your inner thighs. “I want you.”

His hair wipes to the side as his eyes meet yours. 

“You want me?”

“Yes, Sir. I want you both.”

Within his eyes, you see multiple emotions flash through them before finally darkening once more. 

“Show me. Show me how much you want me.”

Your eyes never left his as you slid down on to your knees between his legs and reached into his boxers to free his cock. When your lips delicately kissed his mushroom head, his whole body down to his toes shuddered in pleasure. 

“How does Mr. Harrington like it, baby, tell me.”, you whimper as your tongue darts out to lick his slit down the long vein that traced his massive size to his balls. 

“I don’t—fuck—I don’t want to hurt you.”, he whispered, his eyes squeezing shut as his fingers dug into the furniture. 

“That’s not what I asked.”, you giggle causing him to glare down at you at the sound. This time, your head leans to your left as you visually take him in. “Oh…I see…”, you nod as you let him go and rise to your feet, backing away slowly. 

Steve’s fury practically radiated from him as your gaze shifted to Eddie who was still balancing on his heels as his earnest eyes followed your every step with a smirk on his lips. 

“Ok.”, you repeat before turning to sprint in the opposite direction.

You manage to make it all the way up the stairs again before you’re grabbed by the leg and tumble to the ground. A ringed hand grabs your bicep preventing you from falling to hard and the long-haired boy’s husky voice fills your ear as he places his whole body on top of yours. 

“Didn’t get very far did you pretty girl?”

You push back against him but all that does is make him laugh as you feel his arm bend back and his fingers glide effortlessly through your folds.

“Fuck, baby, I knew you were dripping. I could fucking smell it.” 

As he breached your entrance with two of his fingers, you noticed a set of feet step over you both and Steve kneeling down in front of you. 

With his free hand, Eddie lifted you till you were on your palms and knees as the other boy pulled back your hair with his first. 

“I said…show me how much you fucking want me.”

Utilizing your hand, you grabbed his cock and enveloped him into your mouth greedily while his friend pumped his fingers into you at a fast pace. 

“Do you hear that, Steve? Oh my god. I’m gonna bust faster than I did when I lost my virginity. My dick is so fucking hard, Y/N.”

Holding your hair tighter in his grasp, the lawyer thrust his hips, pushing his length to the back of your throat as you gag. 

“That’s it, little girl. You said you fucking want us—shit—this is fucking us.”

“Fuck, Steve, I can’t…I need to…” Eddie had never bothered to put on any item of clothing like his friend so it didn’t take him long to position himself behind you to guide his cock inside your entrance. 

The cool metal of his rings stung a bit as his palm came down hard on your ass as he thrust his hips roughly into yours.

“Told you, honey. No self-control.”, Steve chuckled before pulling out to allow you to collect some air. “Like a fucking animal.”

It was Eddie’s turn to tangle his fingers in your hair as he pulled till your back arched and you mewled as his dick overwhelmed you filling you so completely that it felt like your pussy was made for him. 

“You like how my cock feels, dirty girl?”

“Y-Yes…oh ma…Goood…”

“H-He’s right. I am a fucking animal. M-My knife has slit so many throats but—f-fuck—baby, when I killed that fucking asshole—”

“Eddie.”, Steve scolded but was met with wild eyes you didn’t see. 

“Fuck off, Steven!”

“T-Tell me, baby. Please.”, you begged as your forehead rested against his cheek causing him to deliver the lawyer an “I told you so” smile.

“He…he was so fucking rude. He called you a fucking—mmph—a fucking whore. You’re not a whore and you shouldn’t have been in that cold cell. We made him pay, sweetheart. I-I wasn’t going to allow him to k-keep living while you were in so much pain because of w-what he did.”

“Thank you. Thank you f-for saving me.”

“Oh, f-fuck.”

At your whimpered words, his palm pushed your face against the carpet as his rhythm faltered and he slammed his release inside of you. Feeling him warm you as he whined was all you needed as the coil snapped and you came hard.

You barely had time to come down from your high as Steve circled his arm around your waist and lifted you like luggage as he carried you back to the room he found you in before dropping you on your knees. 

He was on you fast as he pinned your back to the floor and held your arms above your head. His expressive eyes watched your face as slid his cock into your cunt and your own eyes fluttered closed. 

“No. Open, Y/N. Keep them open.” You did as he commanded while he rolled his hips hitting that sensitive spot inside you slow and deep. “Look around you. This is what you want?” As your arms pushed against his grip, he clenched his teeth as he let go of one of your limbs to wrap his palm around your throat and turn your head to take in the photos on the wall. “I said fucking look. Answer me.”

“I want you.”, you repeated. “A-And everything that comes with you.”

Something in your voice slowed his pace and loosened his grip enough for you to look at him once more. 

“I’m not afraid of you…either of you…please, baby.”, you beg as your hand cups his cheek. “Give it to me. Give me all of you.”

Steve’s palm slithered to the back of your neck as he brought your lips to his and began pounding into you. He wasn’t as…animalistic…as Eddie but his pace was definitely rough and overwhelming in the best way. 

When you made love to them earlier that night, they were gentle and generous which you absolutely loved. This dominate energy they were displaying now, however, was perfect beyond compare and the fact that you were now aware they could enter both headspaces made you feel safer. 

Your body shook almost violently as you came, clinging to his shoulders as your nails dug into his skin. He grunted at the sensation and his head fell into the nook of your neck as he chased his own high before emptying his release inside of you. 

Steve collapsed on top of you as he panted, his cheek against your chest with his head under your chin and your fingers began to absently play with his hair as he listened to your heartbeat. 

“Eddie, why are you so far?”, you murmur as one of your hands reaches for where he was sitting against the wall fiddling with one of his knifes. 

“I didn’t want to…overcrowd you…”, he replied with a softness that told you he was back to the long-haired boy you had known for the past view months. 

“You won’t overcrowd me, sweetie.”

At the term of endearment, his chocolate eyes lit up like a boy on Christmas as he tossed his weapon away and crawled to your side. You hissed as Steve pulled out and both men scanned over your features with concern. 

“It’s ok. I’m just sore.”

After exchanging a glance, they silently rise to their feet and the metalhead lifts you in his arms as they carry you to his bedroom. The lawyer gets a bath going and once everything is ready, your (Eddie’s) shirt is removed before you’re lowered into the warm water. 

You sign pleasantly as they take care of you, beaming occasionally when their eyeline finds yours but Steve’s seemingly unhappy face gives you pause. 

“Are…are you still mad at me?”

“No, honey. I was never mad at you…just the situation…”

“You still seem upset.”

At your small voice, he smiles gently as he gestures around him. 

“I’m not used to the filthy conditions.”

“Rude.”, Eddie teases as he hits his friend’s thigh and the man laughs. “We could have gone to your room, asshole.”

“I thought…your room would make her more comfortable… My room is kind of, I don’t know, sterile? Hazard of growing up with my family.”

You softly grin as you reach for his hand and caress his skin comfortingly with your thumb. 

“You both make me comfortable.”

After kissing your forehead, the metalhead lifts you out of the bath and dries you but when the other man turns to wrap you up in one of his button up shirts you were suddenly gone. The tail end of the towel caught their attention and they followed it to find you taking in the photos of their latest victim on their wall. 

“It’s a little hard to fathom, you know? That my dad would work so hard…to punish me like he did…” Steve gradually came up behind you to remove the towel around you and replace it with what was in his hands. “Did Judge White really call me a whore?”

Eddie, who was now leaning on the desk in front of you, nodded.

“We don’t usually like to…play so close to home…”, he added. “But we tried everything else first, sweetheart, we really did.”

“We also don’t…” Your eyebrow quirks upward as the lawyer gestures towards the floor. 

“Play with women the way you just did with me?”

They both emphatically nod. 

“Where is he now? Judge White.”

“Would you like to see?”

######################

After a short boat ride, you found yourself with them in the middle of the lake on the opposite side of town. 

“Are you alright?”, Eddie asked as you clung to his arm. 

“Yeah. I’m just…I’m a little afraid of the…water…Not the water per say but what I can’t see in the water…like, ya know, sharks.” 

The metalhead smirks when you lightly laugh at yourself and tilts down to kiss your cheek as his fingers tangle with yours. 

“No sharks, honey, only bodies.”

“A lot?”

“Define a lot.”, Steve commands firmly as he brings the cigarette to his lips. 

“Do you EVER just answer a question?”, you giggle. 

Tossing the stick between his fingers overboard, he stalks your way till his face is hovering just above yours. 

“Sometimes.”, he jokes eliciting a wide smile as you push up to kiss him. “You’re fascinating, Y/N. We’ve never met a woman like you before. That being said…”, he pauses as his eyes search yours. “You have no idea what you’re in for when it comes to dating us; the danger it could put you in.”

“I’m not afraid of cops or anything else. I trust you to keep me safe. I know that’s odd to say but—”

Steve’s mouth cuts you off as Eddie wraps his arms around you from behind. 

“How did you do that? How do you know I didn’t mean us?”, he whispers as he rests his forehead against your own. 

“I told you…I trust you… I know your analytical mind may need some time to learn to trust me but I’m willing to wait.”

The metalhead abruptly lets you go with a little oh as he grabs the trash bag they brought and dumps its contents into a bin before pulling out a set of matches from his pocket. 

Steve’s eyes watch you as saunter towards the other man and place your hand on his to stop him, taking the matches, and lighting one yourself. You bring the flame to the cigarette between his teeth as his own eyes take in your beautiful smile and soft features before turning to drop it in the bin in front of him setting all the evidence ablaze.

##################

@dashingdeb16 @myherometalhead @fireeyes-on-teller-dixon-grimes

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