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manticoreflame · 2 years
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s-series finale?
[the predator is a story about sangjin feeding people he deems the "trash" of the world to his friend seonu who has undergone a transformation which now requires him to eat humans]
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bonny-kookoo · 2 months
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Jungkook
𝐄𝖝𝖊𝖈𝖚𝖙𝖎𝖔𝖓𝖊𝖗 | Teaser
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When second chances are wasted, there's only one thing left to do.
Tags/Warnings: Dystopian AU, Werewolf AU, Alpha!Jungkook, Omega!Reader, Angst, Some fluff, romance but he's a bit weird about it pls let him cook he's awkward okay, Violence, crime and.. bad stuff.
-> Masterlist
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A/N: oh look another werewolf fic oops. BTW if you do not like any of the tags or the trailer doesnt vibe with you, don't read the story. I literally have tons of other content for you instead. Thanks.
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“Do you think that people can change?”
No. Jungkook does not believe that people have the ability to shed their dark desires once they've shown their ugly faces to the world. Once someone has lost control over themselves and their inner demons even just once, it’s over. A wolf's inner beast set free won’t be tamed again, by anyone. There is no coming back from that- and a crime committed has to be punished, especially when there’s not even any effort put into areas trying to redeem one’s self. second chances should always be valued highly if given-
Because everyone has to face judgement for their actions, and if those second chances are wasted, he is the man who will execute the fitting punishment.
Jungkook doesn't believe in second chances.
A man who’s laid his hand on his wife will never truly change his mind and put the shackles onto himself after the line has been crossed. A cheating spouse will not suddenly become loyal as a dog again just because they realize the hurt they’ve caused. A murderer can’t give back the life they’ve taken even if they desperately want to. A young wolf lost to a frenzy can’t gain back their sanity with the snap of a finger.
He is part of the new world’s law.
Violence is the punishment put on people who can’t seem to keep themselves in check even after second chances. Violence is the final answer to the worst of the worst, the people who will never change.
Violence is the thing that changes people- from being alive to no longer being a threat to anyone ever again.
To Jungkook, these people are like maggots, infesting the cities and homes of families who just want to exist and live. Jungkook is the pest control, he removes those insects, cleans out the infestations.
Saves potential victims.
“I didn’t do anything!” the man slurs a little, alcohol in his veins causing him to visibly struggle with his bodily functions, even if he wants to desperately be sober in this moment. You’re sitting in the corner still, watching, well aware not to interfere with a man sent by the people in charge of the wolf’s law to carry out the final judgement.
“Evasion. Armed robbery, twice. Domestic abuse, twice. Attempted kidnap of a child while intoxicated.” Jungkook lists, having memorized what this person is being accused of- or rather yet, has already been judged for in the past. “You’ve shown that you do not aim to change.” He says, not even looking at you once. Instead, he just walks closer, like a predator, staring down his prey. “And now, keeping an omega hostage? Not exactly the actions of a man innocent.”
“I-“ the man tries, but he doesn’t get far with his words. “-There’s- nothing happened- Tell him! Nothing happened, right-?” He asks you, who’s staring him down.
Jungkook looks at you as well now, awaiting your answer.
You’ve got a life in your hands.
Your lips part, but you can’t speak- when suddenly, the man moves again, lifts his hand as he steps towards you, ready to intimidate you into answering if needed- but Jungkook is faster, having seen enough. Even if nothing happened- yet- surely if he was to leave, you’d be another body found. “Where- where are you taking me?” the man begs to know, unable to really go against the hand that holds the back of his head by the hair, fingers tightly dug into the locks to have a secure hold on him as he drags him into a corner or the small, run down house.
In this moment, Jungkook looks like a different person to you. There’s no trace of the man who just wants to help others. The hands that force this stranger to his knees aren’t the same that helped you stand earlier that day, hold gentle and without any intention to hurt. Those eyes are dark as coal, like two black voids swallowing any reflection whole.
“I'll take you straight to hell, where you belong.” Jungkook simply answers the man, before he lets go-
And takes out his gun, to fire the first shot of many.
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kwanisms · 6 months
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Otherworldly — l.minho
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» stray kids masterlist «
➮ alien!Minho × f!Reader wc: 29.2k (I have absolutely no explanation lol) summary: While watching a meteor shower with her best friend, Y/N witnesses a UFO falling from the sky and crashing on her family's farm. The two rush to the wreckage site and find an alien spacecraft with a rather mysterious survivor. genres/themes/au: smut; supernatural and alien themes, s2l; non idol au, alien au warnings: adult dialogue, female reader, Minho is not from Earth so he doesn’t understand a lot of things, sexual content (18+ mdni), see smut warnings under the cut! special taglist: @yoonguurt , @anyamaris , @wooyoungqueen , @kpop-stories-21 , @xsweetelegantdiasterx , @kookthief , @stardragongalaxy , @millennial-fangirl , @blankdyean , @imwithurmother , @bangchans-angel , @oreoqueen , @yjeonginlvr , @zdgx1, @shuxsoo , @s00buwu , @queenmea604 Join the taglist! »» Closes 10/30 @ 23:00 CST! Strikethrough means I cannot tag you. MINORS WILL BE BLACKLISTED & BLOCKED. AGELESS BLOGS WILL NOT BE ADDED.
a/n: uh... yeah. I have no explanation or excuses to give you. I just couldn't stop writing. It happens lmao but I'm totally in love with this Minho. I want this Minho tbh. Thank you so much for reading and if you liked it please reblog or comment! I love reading your feedback! As always, this is a work of fiction and all characters are not reflective of their respective irl counterparts. for entertainment purposes only.
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smut warnings: teratophilia (aka monsterfucking), unprotected sex (aliens have no concept of contraceptives but you should use protection), tentacles, alien genitalia, double penetration (f receiving), praise, anal (f receiving), Minho is more concerned at first about the anatomy but he goes pretty animalistic in the end. Let me know if I missed anything!
dialogue prompt: ❛ What? Does that feel good? ❜
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The worst thing about living in the middle of nowhere wasn’t the isolation. It was the lack of anything to do. You hated living on the outskirts of a small town in the middle of the country but it was all you knew. Growing up, your imagination took over, allowing you to play till your heart's content but as an adult, entertainment was much harder to come by.
You’d grown up on a farm, you’d lived that life and even though it was in your blood, in your roots, you still longed for more. For something bigger and brighter. You dreamed of life in a big city where you lived a busy work life and hung out with friends at clubs in high rise buildings.
Your life was a simple one but you longed for complexity.
The only thing you truly loved about living out here in the middle of nowhere was the endless view of the starry night sky. On a cloudless night, you could see thousands upon thousands of stars littering the endless black of night. It had been your favored view since you were small. Your mother had always shown an interest in the sky and she passed that love onto you, showing you endless books about space, the solar system, and the universe. Books that got more complex the older you got.
You learned everything from the most basics up to the complexity of supernovas and even black holes. Your mother taught you everything she knew, which was more than you could have ever hoped to learn on your own. Your mother had graduated top of her class from a prestigious university. She was from a small town and while back home, visiting family and attending a state fair, she’d met your father and it was love at first sight.
Not long after their wedding, you and your sister had been born. Your parents moved the family to your dad’s old family farm to take over when your grandfather had to be put in a nursing home until his ultimate passing. Your grandmother lived just a little longer but in the end, you knew she died of a broken heart, passing as peacefully as one could.
Your father had grown up on a farm as well and it was in his blood, too. He’d taken to teaching you and your sister everything he knew about farming and animal keeping. Though you didn’t have many animals. A few cows, a couple of pigs, and a handful of chickens. In addition to the farm animals, you had a couple farm dogs, an elderly one who spent most of his days lying on the porch and a younger one who was much too excited to jump into action at the slightest disturbance.
Your barn was also inhabited by a family of barn cats which kept the mice and rats at bay.
Sure, your life was simple and while you didn’t mind it, you still wanted more.
The only person who seemed to really get you was your best friend, Jake.
You met Jake when you were in kindergarten. He had stolen your crayons during coloring time and later at recess, you’d pushed him over on the blacktop earning a timeout but if felt good. From then on, he not only asked to borrow your crayons but he also became your best friend.
You did almost everything with Jake. And you’d gotten into a fair amount of trouble with him, too.
It’s not like he was a troublemaker but when the two of you were put together, you became a pair of troublemakers. Alone you were tame but together you were menaces.
The first time you’d gotten into trouble was when Jake distracted the teacher in biology, allowing you to let the pet frogs escape from their enclosure. Chaos ensued as the class erupted into screams as several students tried to chase the escapees down. Ultimately, it landed you and Jake in detention but you wouldn’t take a single thing back.
When Jake got his first car, he picked you up and the pair of you went on a wild ride which ended with you crashing into Farmer Dan’s field and mowing down a line of his corn. Your best friend took the heat, allowing you to escape and return home without any trouble.
He always had your back and you always had his.
“Did you hear the news?” you asked as you sat on the hood of his jeep, Jake leaning back against the metal with his hands behind his head as he enjoyed the mid autumn sunshine. Jake was always outside, especially in the summer as he worked and helped his dad’s construction business. He had a perpetual tan which he liked to show off with sleeveless tanks.
Now, however, autumn was in full swing and the weather was chillier. He wore a light sweatshirt with the local university’s logo on it. You were both enrolled and the first semester of your last year of college was underway. You had opted to study biology while Jake was going for civil engineering. He initially didn’t want to attend but his father insisted he get a proper education and live a better life.
Your family was supportive of your efforts but your father often mentioned how your degree would come in handy in the family business. You didn’t want that though. You wanted to pursue a degree in zoology after graduating.
You wanted more than a life on a farm.
“What news?” Jake asked, not opening his eyes as he basked, reminding you of the lizards you used to catch as a child. The ones that liked to lay on rocks in the sun and warm up. “The shower,” you replied, picking at the sleeve of your sweater, pulling off the little pilled up threads. Jake opened one eye, looking up with you. “What shower?” he asked, forcing a knowing smile from you.
Jake was about as country as they came. He loved everything about small town living and farm life. He liked to spend summers mudding with his buddies, swimming in the creek, and working hard. The two of you had grown into opposing forces but you always heard people around you saying “you know how opposites attract” and it couldn’t be more true for you and your best friend.
“The meteor shower,” you clarified, dropping your hands into your lap and looking down at him. He opened his eyes, giving you his full attention. “I think Julia said something about it,” he answered before giving you a knowing look. “You want to watch it, don’t you?” he asked.
You nodded excitedly, lips spreading into a smile. Jake sighed dramatically before propping himself up on his elbows. “Alright,” he said after a moment. “I’m in,” he nodded. “But,” he added, pointing at you with his index finger. “I’m bringing the beer.” You rolled your eyes. “Fine,” you answered.
“Tonight, then,” you started. “Come over after dinner,” you said as you slid off the hood of his car. “And we’ll go up to the hill.” You started towards the house as Jake sat up and gave you an exaggerated salute.
“Sir, yes sir!”
The rest of the day passed in a blur as you went about your chores, helping your mother with the laundry, making sure your sister did her homework, and helping cook dinner. Your dad had parked himself in front of the television at just about six, turning on the news and watching the broadcast.
You overheard the news anchors talk about the meteor shower and smiled as your dad called you into the room. “You know about this?” he asked, gesturing towards the tv. You nodded. “Yeah, Jake is coming over later and we’re gonna watch it,” you answered, noticing the way your dad seemed to light up at the mention of your best friend.
Your parents had only had you and your sister and while your dad loved you as much as any parent, you knew he would have loved to have a son. A mini version of him to play ball and rough house with. Instead, he got two girls who nearly beat him up every time he tried to wrestle. Two girls who kicked his ass at baseball and teamed together to take him down when playing football.
You knew your father had no regrets about having two girls and no son but he had that bond with your best friend. Just two guys who could sit around and watch the game even if they were rooting for separate teams. If your dad had his way, he’d jump at the chance to have you marry Jake.
You weren’t interested in him like that however. Jake was your best friend. He was like a brother to you. The thought of marrying him was foreign and you never once entertained the idea. Your parents certainly had, dropping subtle hints at you whenever the subject of marriage or the future came up.
“I like that Jake boy,” your dad said as he settled back into his seat.
“He’s not a boy anymore, dear,” your mother called from the kitchen as you moved back into the room to help her with dinner. “He’s a man now.”
Your dad hummed in agreement as he continued to watch the news, greeting your sister as she walked into the room. “Smells good, mom,” she said as she moved to lean against the kitchen island. You resumed cutting veggies for your mom as she manned the pan.
You lightly slapped your sister’s hand as she tried to grab a piece of one of the veggies you were cutting. “Knife!” you warned her as you resumed cutting. She pouted before you picked up a piece of carrot and held it up, ready to toss in her mouth. “Girls, don’t throw food!” your mother lightly chastised as you tossed the carrot into your sister’s mouth and she raised her arms.
“And it’s good!” she called as your dad changed the channel to the game.
Your mother rolled her eyes, still smiling as she continued to stir the contents of the pan. “Add those in here,” she instructed. You shot your sister a wink as you lifted the cutting board and carefully pushed the veggies into the pan where they started to sizzle and mix with the meat.
As your mother finished cooking, you and your sister set the table and called your dad in. He grumbled and turned off the television and joined you in the dining room as your mother carried the pot in. She set it on the table in the middle, warning your dad it was still hot.
You moved to grab the basket of rolls and butter keeper as your sister filled the glasses with water. Once everything was in the dining room and everyone had a glass of water, you joined your family, sitting across from your sister. Your dad briefly said grace before adding in a cheer for his favorite football team and you started to help serve dinner. As always, a home cooked meal was delicious, especially since it was your mother’s cooking. Everyone always said their mother was the best cook but you truly believed it. Your mother was arguably the best cook in the entire world.
Minho sighed, looking out the thick glass into the infinite nothingness. It had been about a month since he left home and only a day or so since his last space jump. Checking the mapping system, his latest jump put him somewhere in the Alpha Quadrant. Since then, he’s been flying through, passing by Sol X, IX, VIII, VII, VI and Sol V. These were planets he’d learned about as a child.
Seeing them in person was like something out of a dream. He’d seen most of them on a screen or in a hologram but seeing the planets up close was more than he could have ever hoped. He’d learned about the Great Milky Galaxy and all its solar systems and that one in particular, the Sol System, was home to intelligent life.
Never in his life had Minho ever expected to travel this far, especially alone. He stared in awe out the window as he flew through the seemingly nothingness. Except it wasn’t empty.
He’d made it past the plants and past the Sol Asteroid Belt and was closing in on Sol IV when his ship started sounding an alert. “WARNING, WARNING,” the female AI voice said. “ENTERING THE DETECTION SYSTEMS OF SOL III. APPROXIMATE TIME OF DETECTION 3 DECAMINUTES.” Minho groaned as he reached for the switch for the comms system. “Shut up, Stan!” he snapped before switching the communication system off and tried to focus on flying.
Stan was the name of the AI computer that was installed in most space flight craft like the one Minho was currently flying. It stood for Steolla Transmission and Navigation. Starships and fleet crafts had a different AI computer. 
The thing about AI systems is that no matter how many times you turn them off, they can just turn themselves back on. The screen flickered back to life, displaying a sad face. “Why are you so mad at me, Minho?” the voice asked. He sighed heavily and continued to fly, noticing that Sol IV was slowly coming into view.
“I’m just trying to focus on flying, Stan, so if you don’t mind. Please stop talking,” Minho said as he watched the rust red planet come into view. “Okay, Minho,” the computer said before falling silent. As he neared the red planet, Minho started to slow. “Actually, Stan, can you tell me more about Sol IV?”
The computer came to life, the screen displaying a smiley face. “Certainly, Minho! Sol IV, known to locals as Mars, is the fourth planet from Sol, the star at the center of the Sol System. Known for its rust red color, Sol IV is covered in soil rich in finely grained iron three oxide, also called ferric oxide, dust. This inorganic material is what gives Sol IV its red color. It is the second smallest planet in the Sol System and the farthest terrestrial planet from Sol. Sol IV has a thin atmosphere made primarily of carbon dioxide and has two irregularly shaped natural satellites: Phobos and Deimos.”
Minho looked down at the red planet. “Small?” he asked softly. “Indeed,” Stan said. “Mars is approximately one eighth the size of Ninsa,” Stan replied. Minho said nothing but started to accelerate, passing the red planet and heading towards Sol. Despite the fact that Sol IV was smaller than his home planet, from his position, it looked huge.
“Entering Sol III space,” Stan said as Minho neared a round dark rock. “This is Sol III?” he asked, sounding disappointed. Stan spoke up. “Oh, goodness no. This is Luna, also known as the Moon. It is the natural satellite of Sol III.” Minho slowed, turning and dipping the steering, maneuvering around the moon.
As he did so, his eyes widened, the bright blue and green of Sol III coming into view. His lips parted in a silent gasp. “Is… this Sol III?” he asked, his voice barely above a whisper as he stopped accelerating, slowing the ship and leaning forward, resting his arms on the top of his steering column.
“Correct,” answered Stan. “This is Sol III, also known as Earth, Terra, Tellum, and Gaia.” Minho let out a breath. “It’s pretty,” he noted. “Indeed. The blue you see is the ocean which covers seventy point eight percent of the surface of the planet. The remaining twenty-nine point two percent of Sol III’s surface is land, most of which is located in the form of continental landmasses. Most of the land is somewhat humid and covered by vegetation while large sheets of ice at the polar deserts retain more water than all of Sol III’s groundwater, lakes, rivers, atmospheric water combined.”
Minho listened intently as Stan went on, describing the planet in detail.
“Sol III’s land is part of the planet’s crust, consisting of several slowly moving tectonic plates, which interact to produce mountain ranges, volcanoes, and earthquakes, much like Ninsa. Sol III has a liquid outer core that generates a magnetosphere capable of deflecting most of the destructive solar winds produced by Sol and also protecting the inhabitants from cosmic radiation.”
“So it’s not much different than Ninsa,” Minho said, a smile forming. “Correct,” Stan replied. “Though Sol III is much smaller than Ninsa. It is twice the size of Sol IV.” Minho chuckled, looking down at the planet. “Tell me more,” he ordered.
“Certainly, Minho.”
Through the computer, Minho learned about the atmosphere of Sol III and how it sustains life, protects the planet from meteoroids and UV-light. “The composition is primarily nitrogen and oxygen,” Stan explained as Minho stared at the orb floating in vast nothingness.
“And what about the inhabitants?”
While you ate, your mother asked your father if he’d finished packing and he nodded silently. “Honey,” your mother said in a knowing tone. Your father smiled sheepishly before shrugging. “I’ll do it after dinner,” he replied. You took a sip of water and smirked at your little sister.
“How long will you be gone this time?” your sister asked. “A week,” your mother answered. “Just like last time?” you asked, looking up from your plate as your mother nodded, taking a bite of her food. She swallowed before replying. “Yes, so you’ll be on your own for a week.”
You looked from your mother to your father. “You mean we, right?” you asked, nodding towards your sister. Your mother shook her head. “Your sister is going on a camping trip with her friends,” she answered. You glanced at your sister who smiled back. ‘Camping trip my ass.’
“So don’t burn the house down,” your dad joked. You chuckled and shook your head. “I might not be inside much,” you reminded him. “School and all that,” you added. “Don’t you have a week off?” your sister asked curiously. You glared at her.
“Why do you have a week off?” your mother asked, turning to look at you. “Some kind of professor planning thing,” you answered, lifting your glass to your lips. “It’s not a big deal.” You took a couple gulps of water before speaking again. “I’ll probably spend a lot of time with Jake or something,” you added.
After dinner, your sister and you helped clean up, washing the dishes and setting them aside to dry. “Why did you have to rat me out like that?” you whispered as you worked side by side. Your sister shrugged. “I thought you told them.” Shaking your head you handed your sister a soapy plate.
“I don’t tell them everything, you know,” you said softly to which your sister scoffed. “I don’t!” you insisted. Your sister rolled her eyes. “You so tell them everything,” she replied as you pulled the plug and allowed the soapy dishwater to drain before starting to spray the sink down.
You glanced over your shoulder where your dad was watching the game and turned back to your sister.
“I never told them that I lost my virginity,” you whispered before leaning back as your sister looked up at you shocked. You smirked at her and turned to walk away, leaving her to finish her side of the sink. You walked down the hall to your parents’ bedroom where your mother was packing for their trip.
“Shouldn’t dad be doing that?” you asked, causing her to look up. She smiled at you as she continued to pack your father’s clothes away for him. “I love your father,” she started as she placed neatly folded shirts in the suitcase. “But he’s terrible at packing.”
You chuckled as you moved to the bed to help her. Your mother smiled up at you as you folded shirts and handed them to her to pack away. As you worked quietly, you couldn’t help but admire how much your parents loved one another. Not everyone was lucky enough to meet someone and marry them, let alone be with them for a long time.
Your thoughts were interrupted by a knocking at the door followed by your dad calling your name.
Your mother smiled and took the shirt in your hands. “Go,” she said gently. “Have fun.”
You shot her a grin before heading out of the room and down the hall to the foyer where your best friend was standing, talking to your dad. “You ready?” Jake asked, perking up when he saw you. You nodded. “Let me just grab a hoodie from my room.”
You climbed the stairs quickly, darting into your room and grabbing your university hoodie. As you passed your sister’s room, you leaned into the door frame. She was lying on her bed on her stomach, playing with her phone as you watched her. “Have a good time,” you said, causing her to look up suddenly. “Be safe,” you added. “And don't do anything dumb.”
Your sister rolled her eyes but smiled at you. “You too,” she said. “Don’t do anything dumb with your boyfriend,” she said mockingly. You picked up a pillow from the chair by the door and threw it at her. “He’s not my boyfriend,” you retorted. “He’s my best friend.”
You called a final goodbye to your sister before dashing down the stairs where Jake was waiting. You called a goodbye to your dad who got up and walked over, pulling you into a hug. “Have fun, be safe,” he said before letting you go.
Outside, the sun had almost fully set. You climbed into the jeep as Jake got in and started the engine. The drive to the hill didn’t take long and soon, Jake was pulling to a stop and parking the vehicle. You quickly got out, pulling on your hoodie and climbing onto the hood of his jeep as he came around the drivers side with a cooler which he set on the ground.
“You want one?” he asked as he opened the cooler and grabbed a can. You shook your head and he shrugged as he climbed up. “Suit yourself,” he said softly as he opened the can and took a sip. He leaned back against the windshield and looked up at the sky.
“When’s it supposed to start?” he asked. You grabbed his wrist and looked at his watch. “Fifteen minutes,” you answered, turning your attention back towards the sky. The two of you fell into a comfortable silence, staring at the starry sky as the lights twinkled down at you from millions of miles away. Your thoughts were swirling in your head.
You were turning the words over in your mouth until you finally spoke.
“I’m leaving Derrey.” Your voice was so soft you weren’t sure Jake had heard you but when he sat up quickly, you knew he had indeed heard you.
“You’re leaving?” he asked softly. You nodded, turning your head to meet his gaze. Even in the low light of the setting sun, you could see the shock, confusion, and hurt cross his face. “Why?” he asked softly. “I’ve gotten early acceptance at the university in the city,” you answered, glancing down at his knee sticking out of a tear in his jeans.
“That’s… amazing,” he said, sounding suddenly excited. You looked back up. The negative emotions on his face were replaced with a smile. “What are you going to be studying?” Relief flooded your senses. You’d expected him to be upset with you for leaving him behind. You’d expected him to be mad.
“Zoology,” you finally answered. “I want to help animals,” you added. Jake smiled at you, one of his hands moved to cup your cheek. “You’re going to do big things, Y/N,” he said softly. “You’re going to be amazing.” You smiled, your cheeks growing warm.
In the corner of your vision, you saw something streak across the sky and turned quickly to see a meteor burn out. “It’s starting!” you said excitedly, sitting up straight and watching the sky, not noticing the way Jake’s smile fell before he also looked up at the sky.
“So Terrans have existed for approximately six million years?” Minho asked, looking from the planet to the computer. “Correct,” Stan answered. “And how long have Ninsans existed?” Minho asked as he started to slowly take the ship out of its suspended state.
“The first Ninsans appeared approximately 5 million years ago. They are directly descended from ancient humans, cross bred with Gorians to produce a genetically modified species and then selectively bred to create a pure strain,” Minho reached for the comms switch, flipping it so it cut off Stan mid speech.
“Save me the history lesson, Stan,” he said as he took hold of the controls, scoffing as the AI switched back on. “Sorry, Minho. It’s in my programming.” Minho shook his head as he started to fly around the moon, keeping Sol III in his line of sight. “We should not get closer,” Stan warned as Minho flew in.
“Shut up, Stan,” Minho argued. “Sol III has planetary defense systems in place. If we are detected, they could fire on us,” Stan continued. Minho rolled his eyes. “We’ll be out of here before they can detect us,” he said softly. “We will be spotted by the International Space Station.”
Minho slowed the craft. “The what?” he asked, looking at the computer screen as a rendering of some sort of spacecraft appeared. “The International Space Station is the largest modular space station in low Sol III orbit. The ongoing project involves five space agencies: the United States’ NASA, Russia’s Roscosmos, Japan’s JAXA, Europe’s ESA, and Canada’s CSA,” Stan explained.
“The ownership and use of the space station is established by intergovernmental treaties and agreements. The station serves as a microgravity and space environment research laboratory in which scientific research is conducted in astrobiology, astronomy, meteorology, physics, and other fields. The ISS is suited for testing the spacecraft systems and equipment required for possible future long-duration missions to the moon and Sol IV.”
Minho glanced at the blue planet and back at the screen. “You’re telling me, the inhabitants of Sol III haven’t been to Sol IV?” he asked incredulously. “Affirmative,” Stan answered. “Humanity has not yet developed the necessary technology for interplanetary travel. Humans have only visited their only satellite. They have had successful fly by missions past the other planets in their system and have sent multiple rover expeditions to Sol IV. The first manned mission to Sol IV is projected to happen within the next decade.”
Minho shook his head, a smug smile appearing on his face. “How is it, Ninsans have been around for less time but are more advanced?” he asked softly, not really expecting an answer. Stan, of course, had an answer for everything.
“Ninsans have been aided in their technology by Gorians. Humans have developed their technology on their own,” the computer replied. “You have been fortunate enough to be born in a world where deep space exploration is possible. Humanity did not have that help.”
The smirk on Minho’s face dropped slowly. He sat back in his seat, pursing his lips. “Fine,” he said flatly before reaching for the controls. Just as the tips of his fingers touched the wheel, the lights in the cabin went red, a warning sound emitting from the speakers.
“WARNING!” Stan’s voice said suddenly. “You are entering a field of meteors.” Minho grabbed the steering wheel and looked out the starboard side window. “What?” he hissed, seeing a cluster of comets hurtling towards the planet. “We haven’t even moved!” he exclaimed.
“Turn around and go around the planet to avoid collision and detection.”
“Shut up, Stan!” Minho said, flipping the comms switch. “I’m not going back. That’ll take longer. I’ll just go through,” he added as he adjusted his straps. The computer flickered back on. “The odds of surviving a run through a meteoroid field are—” Minho flipped the switch and sighed. “Don’t tell me the odds,” he grumbled as the computer switched back on.
“Minho, you must turn back now. This is the largest meteor storm in Sol III’s history. If you fly into it, you will get hit!”
Minho cursed, hand moving to fiddle with the controls. “I thought I told you to shut up, Stan,” he snapped as he tried to turn off the AI again. At the same moment, he took his hand off the control, a meteor whizzed past his shield and he cursed, moving his hand back on the control and continued to fly.
“Oh for fuck’s sake!” he yelled as he started to navigate the field, avoiding the meteors plummeting to the planet below. Another meteor zoomed by, disturbing his flight pattern and causing the ship to shake violently. “Shit!” he cursed again, diving below to try and avoid another meteor.
“WARNING. WARNING. COLLISION IMMINENT. TAKE DEFENSIVE MANEUVER TO AVOID COLLISION!” 
Minho swore. “SHUT UP, YOU STUPID COMPUTER!” he yelled, trying to dodge the space rock. He managed to fly around it but suddenly the entire ship rocked as no doubt another meteor hit on the right side of the ship. Electricity crackled, the screens distorting for a moment from a small surge in power.
“WARNING. WARNING. FLIGHT PATH COMPROMISED. LOSING ALTITUDE.”
Minho grabbed the controls again and flicked a couple switches, trying to adjust his orientation. One of the screens flickered red with words that made his stomach sink. “THRUSTERS FAILED TO ENGAGE.”
Alarms started blaring as another screen went red. “MULTIPLE SYSTEMS FAILURE,” Stan read aloud. “Shit,” Minho hissed. “Shit, shit, shit!”
He quickly started to fiddle with the controls, hoping if he redirected power, he might fly out of this mess.
“WARNING. ORBIT TOO STRONG. UNABLE TO PULL AWAY FROM SOL III. ABANDON SHIP. ABANDON SHIP!” Minho growled, hitting the top of the console. “Shut UP, Stan!!”
He pulled back on the wheel, hoping to point the nose of the craft up and while he was able to, the ship was now careening out of control, plummeting towards the blue planet. “Stan!” Minho called, looking at the computer screen that flashed red and a sad face appeared. “Yes, Minho?” Stan said, voice breaking as the ship started to enter the atmosphere.
“What do I do, Stan?”
The computer was silent for a moment before answering. “Raise the sun shade,” the computer finally answered. Minho flipped the switch, watching as the metallic screen raised, covering his view. “Okay,” Minho said.  “Now what?” Stan was silent for a moment.
“Take hold of the steering apparatus,” the AI instructed. Minho did so, grabbing it firmly. “Okay! Now what?” he asked. Stan was silent for a beat longer than last time. “Scream and hold on, Minho,” it finally replied.
“There’s nothing else you can do.”
“Which one is that one again?” Jake asked, pointing towards a star. You turned your gaze to see which one he was pointing at. “The bright orange one?” you asked. He nodded. “Yeah, that one,” he confirmed. “Uhhh, that looks like… Betelgeuse,” you replied.
Jake looked from the sky to you. “Beetlejuice? Like the movie?” You laughed, shaking your head.
“No,” you answered. “Betelgeuse. B-E-T-E-L-G-E-U-S-E,” you spelled it out for him. “It’s a mispronunciation of the original Arabic name. There was an error in a 13th-century reading of the Arabic initial ya as ba. So as a result, the European name is Betelgeuse,” you explained. “It’s part of the Orion constellation.” Jake turned his attention back on the star. 
“And what about that one?” he asked, pointing at another bright star. You squinted, looking at the star in question. “Oh, that’s Aldebaran!” you said excitedly. “Oldie what?” Jake asked. You rolled your eyes, laughing at him. “Aldebaran,” you repeated. “It’s also derived from Arabic,” you explained.
“It’s a red giant, so it’s a lot cooler than our star but it’s forty-four times larger than the Sun.”
Jake’s eyes widened comically. “Wow, that’s big,” he said, nodding. “What’s the name again?”
“Aldebaran. In Arabic, it’s al Dabaran. It means ‘the follower’ because it seems to follow Pleiades,” you explained, pointing to a cluster of lights near Aldebaran. “And what constellation is it part of?” Jake asked. “Taurus,” you replied quickly. You’d been waiting for him to ask that.
Jake smiled, turning his head to look at you. “Which constellation is your favorite?” You thought for a moment. What was your favorite constellation? There was always draco, a favorite of your mother’s. But then there was Ursa Major. Scorpius was another really neat one.
As you thought of your choices, one stood out to you. You turned to look at your best friend.
“Vulpecula,” you answered. His brow furrowed as a look of confusion washed over his face.
“What?” he asked, making you laugh out loud again. “Vulpecula,” you repeated. “It’s a fox.”
Jake sat up straighter, looking up at the sky. “Where is it?” he asked. You shook your head. “It’s not visible from here this time of the year,” you explained. “Oh,” Jake responded, slumping down. “The meteors are picking back up!” you exclaimed excitedly, pointing up at the sky.
Sure enough, more fiery streaks were darting across the sky, some of them lasting longer than the others. “Uh,” Jake said suddenly, looking around. “Are we safe here?” he asked, looking at you. “Of course,” you answered with a nod. “Most meteors will burn up in the atmosphere. Very few ever get past the mesosphere,” you added, giving him a reassuring smile.
You watched as more flashes streaked across the sky. As you were watching, you noticed something… different. It was like two meteors had collided. “Whoa, did you see that?” Jake asked, sitting up quickly. You looked over at him before back at the sky. You had seen it. You just weren’t sure what you had seen.
“What was that? Did two meteors hit each other?”
You shook your head slowly, watching the sky for any other sign. “I-I don’t know,” you stammered.
To your surprise, there was another flash in the sky. Like another collision. ‘What is that?’
Before you could voice your thoughts, you watched in a mixture of shock and disbelief as something fell from the sky, heading in the direction of your farm. “Y/N,” Jake said, his voice unsteady as he slowly scooted towards the edge of the hood of the jeep.
“What is that?”
You watched as the object flew in an unsteady and jerky pattern as it descended, a trail of fire behind it as it entered the stratosphere. “Y/N,” Jake said, a little louder. “What is that?!”
You couldn’t find your voice as the object continued to fall from the sky, sailing over the hill where you sat and headed for the woods. It was large, dark, and rounded. Not unlike a meteor but it looked almost… smooth.
You and Jake watched as it crashed into the trees, breaking a path into the woods where it eventually hit the ground with a resounding boom and the ground shook slightly. You turned to look at Jake who turned to look at you.
“What the f—”
You cut your best friend off by jumping off the jeep. “DID YOU SEE THAT?” you exclaimed, pointing in the direction of the woods. “Y/N,” Jake said as you ran to the end of the hill where it started to slope down. “Y/N, where are you going?”
You turned back to see Jake still seated on the hood of his jeep. “Are you coming or not?” you called. Jake shook his head, sighing as he slipped off the hood and moved around to the driver’s side, picking up his cooler and placing it back in the backseat.
“Come on,” he called back, opening his door and climbing in.
You scrambled up the hill to his jeep, yanking open the door and climbing in as he started the car and turned the headlights on. “Why couldn’t we just have a nice quiet night?” Jake whispered as he put the car in gear and started to drive down the hill and back towards the dirt road that led to your property.
The ride back took no time and as soon as Jake pulled onto your drive, you directed him to the edge of the woods, undoing your seatbelt as he put the jeep in park and cut the engine. “Y/N, wait for me!” he called as you jumped out of the vehicle, shutting the door and hurrying for the edge of the woods, Jake following reluctantly behind you.
Navigating the woods proved to be harder than you expected even with your phone’s flashlight. Jake had thankfully grabbed the flashlight from his glovebox and was leading the way in, helping you traverse over fallen logs and ditches. You passed a small portion of the creek and hurried up the embankment until you stood at the top, holding a tree for support. In the distance you could see sparks of electricity and broken branches. “It’s here!” you called as Jake started to climb up the embankment and join you.
He shined the light in the direction of the craft and whined as you started down the hill, using the thin trees to break any falls until you were on even ground and closer than ever to the object you’d both witnessed fall out of the sky.
“Y/N! Wait!” Jake called as he hurried down the hill after you.
You didn’t listen, instead pushing on, scrambling over a fallen log until you were within spitting distance of the strange craft. “Holy shit,” you heard your best friend gasp as he reached level ground and shined his light on the craft. You turned to look at him, a wide smile on your face.
“Can you imagine if we discovered the first known aliens to visit earth?” you asked, sounding much too excited for your best friend’s liking. “Stop,” he said sternly. “It’s probably some military craft. Don’t touch it!” he yelled, waving the flashlight in your direction.
You ignored him as the beam danced around, reaching up a hand and hovering it over the wall of the craft. Deciding to take the plunge you pressed your palm against it and… nothing.
You expected it to be hot but it was cool to the touch. And the material was smooth, metallic but still somehow soft. Not malleable like clay but still soft like silk almost. You kept your hand on the craft as you walked around to the front or what you assumed to be the front. There was no break, no windows, and no door. Whatever this was, there was no way into it that you could see.
“Y/N please come back,” Jake called from the opposite side of the ship.
You started to walk back around, catching sight of him in the low red light emitting from what you determined to be the rockets of the ship. He seemingly looked relieved upon seeing you. “You’re going to give me a heart attack,” he called, dropping from his perch on a log.
“Come on,” Jake added. “The cops and military are probably about to be all over this place in a matter of hours. Let’s get out of here.”
You glanced at him as he neared your spot. “Since when have you been scared of cops?” you asked challengingly. Jake scoffed as he stopped, leaning against the side of the ship. “Never said I was scared,” he said. “I just don’t want to get involved with the military.”
You rolled your eyes but before you could answer, a loud hissing interrupted you followed by a loud mechanical whirring and to Jake’s horror and your delight, a door started to open, materializing in the smooth surface of the ship’s exterior wall.
“Y/N!” Jake hissed as you leaned down, waving your hand to try and clear the smoke that billowed from the open orifice. “Don’t get too close!” Jake added, taking a couple steps as you tried to peer into the open door. You glanced back at Jake who looked back at you, shrugging. “Maybe it’s a drone?”
You rolled your eyes and turned back to the door only to fall back, a scream emitting from you as a dark figure stumbled from the doorway. Jake fell back, tripping over a log as he tried to scramble away from the mysterious figure.
You watched in shock as the figure stood up and started to walk away from the craft, heading towards the back and looking around. You watched as the figure looked up at the sky and balled up its fists before letting out a slew of colorful curses in English.
You turned your head to look at Jake who looked to meet your gaze. The look of shock on his face must have matched the one on yours. Your eyes went back to the figure as he turned back to the craft and started to inspect the damage, muttering to itself. As it stepped closer, you noticed in the dim light emitting from inside the ship that the figure, or should you say he, looked somewhat human.
You heard the snapping of twigs as Jake got up and hurried over to your side. “Come on,” he whispered, gently grabbing your arm. You watched as the pilot of the ship raised his arm and started tapping on something at his wrist. When it didn’t respond, he let out another growl of frustration and kicked the wall of his ship.
It was at this moment, he seemed to notice the two of you.
He stumbled forward and Jake tried to pull you back but couldn’t and fell behind you. “Where am I?”
You stared up at the man, eyes wide. ‘Did he just… ask me a question?’
When you didn’t answer, he turned his attention to Jake. “Where am I?” he asked louder and more demandingly. “I-Iowa,” Jake stammered. The man took a deep breath and let it out. “What’s Iowa?” he asked. You glanced over your shoulder, meeting Jake’s gaze. He looked just as confused and scared as you felt. “What is Iowa?” the man asked again, albeit a lot louder.
You turned back to look up at the man towering over you.
Before you could answer, you noticed his body seize up and he started convulsing before dropping to his knees and falling to his side where he lay motionless. You froze, staring in shock at the body. You peered back at Jake before pushing yourself up onto your feet, squatting as you moved forward. “Stop!” Jake hissed but you ignored him.
You stopped just short of the man and hesitantly pushed his boot. His foot as well as his leg jostled but he didn’t move. You tried again but it yielded the same result.
“Is he dead?” Jake’s voice asked from behind you. You crawled closer, hovering over the man. You moved slowly, bringing a hand to his neck and pressing two fingers against his neck just under his jaw. It was faint but you could feel a pulse. You moved the same hand towards his face, holding your finger under his nose where you could feel a steady breath.
You sat back and sighed. “He’s alive,” you answered. “Just unconscious.”
“What do we do?” you asked, turning to look at your best friend as he walked over. “What do you mean? Just leave him here. I told you, the cops and military will be here soon. Let’s just go, Y/N, please.”
You turned your head back to look at the man. Pulling your bottom lip between your teeth, an idea popped into your head. “Let’s take him with us.”
Jake stared at you like you’d lost your mind. “Take him with us? Are you nuts?!”
You looked up at him. “We can’t just leave him here!” Jake nodded his head before reaching down to grab you by the wrist and pull you up. “Yes,” he said, starting to drag you away. “We can!”
You pulled free from his grip. “I’m not leaving him,” you retorted, standing your ground.
Jake scoffed incredulously. “Where are you going to put him?” he asked.
“My parents and sister are leaving in the morning,” you replied. “They’ll be gone for a week.”
Jake shook his head, looking around the area. “I can not believe I’m hearing this,” he said, laughing nervously. “I can’t believe this.”
You sighed, crossing your arms over your chest. “Please, Jake,” you asked, forcing him to stop and look up at you. “For me, please?”
Jake sighed into a groan before throwing his hands up. “Fine,” he said. “But this is your mess. If the military comes bursting into your house, I’m not involved.”
You jumped up and down excitedly, throwing your arms around his neck and hugging him tightly.
“Thank you, thank you, thank you!” you said excitedly. Jake tried to keep a smile from forming. “Don’t thank me just yet,” he said as you both moved to the man.
Moving an unconscious body proved to be much more difficult than you thought and you were sure it had taken you and Jake hours to just get the body of the man out of the woods. In reality it had taken about thirty minutes. Once you’d put him in the back with the cooler, Jake drove around the house to the front door, parking as close to the porch as possible.
He got out and walked to the back as you ran up the steps and unlocked the door, opening and peering inside. The television was still on but your dad was passed out in his recliner. You pocketed your key and made your way back down the stairs to meet Jake.
“Dad’s in his recliner but he’s passed out,” Jake stared at you as you started to try and pull the man out by his boots. “I’m not sure this is a good idea,” he said softly. Maybe we should put him in the barn?”
You looked up at Jake and shook your head. “No,” you protested. “What if he wakes up and is scared and confused?” Jake stared at you incredulously. “This is an alien we’re talking about, Y/N.”
You shrugged. “So?” you asked. “He speaks English and displays intelligent behavior,” you replied. Jake gave you a deadpan stare. “Kicking his ship when his fitbit doesn’t work strikes you as intelligent behavior?” You rolled your eyes. “Whatever,” you retorted. “Just help me!”
Jake shut up and helped you pull the man out of the back of his jeep, taking his arms and head as you took his feet and started up the steps, trying to take it one step at a time while also trying to keep a firm grip on the man’s feet.
You managed to pull open the screen door but carrying the man over the threshold proved to be a chore. The screen door swung shut, slamming in its frame and causing both you and Jake to freeze and turn your heads to look into the living room.
Your father shifted in his recliner but continued to snore softly and you could have sighed a breath of relief only you couldn’t breathe properly. Carrying the man up the staircase was worse than carrying him out of the woods and by the time you reached your bedroom and deposited him on the bed, you were convinced you’d never have to hit the gym ever again.
“You’ve really lost it, you know?” Jake asked as he shut your bedroom door.
You waved him off, falling back onto your bed. “Just think of it,” you panted. “As a week’s worth of workouts,” you continued. “You’ll thank me later.” Jake rolled his eyes as you sat up. “You need anything else from me, you weirdo?” he asked. You shook your head. “No,” you replied.
Jake nodded. “Good. I’m out of here,” he said, turning and heading for the door.
You stopped him. “Can you bring me some of your brother’s clothes tomorrow morning?” you asked, holding your hands together. “Please? I don’t have anything that would fit him properly,” you added. Jake sighed dramatically. “Fine,” he answered. “I’ll bring something. Text me when your family leaves.”
You thanked him, pulling him into another hug and following him down the stairs to see him out.
“I’m serious though,” he added as he crossed the threshold.
“If the military comes looking for him or that craft,” he started. “I’m not involved. Make sure he’s okay and then send him on his way. You don’t want to get mixed up in this and I don’t want to see you get in trouble.” You smiled as he took your hand gently in his.
“I’ll be okay,” you replied. “Text me when you get home.”
Jake nodded, dropping your hand and heading down the steps to close the back of the jeep.
“I will! Try and get some sleep.”
You waved as he got into his car and started it, back up and waving at you once more before he pulled away.
You shut both doors, locking them and heading back upstairs, entering your room and locking it.
The man took up your whole bed so you’d have to sleep on the floor for the night. You pulled off your boots and grabbed a blanket and one of your pillows, throwing them both down before lying down and covering up with your blanket.
Sleep must have taken you quickly because you woke with a start, a dull light starting to filter into your room. You sat up quickly and saw the man was still passed out on your bed. You got up and rushed to your closet, pulling off your hoodie and changing quickly.
You could hear your sister in her room moving about. You didn’t mean to sleep this long but there was no going back. You pulled on a clean pair of sweats, pulling your shirt off and tossing it into the hamper before grabbing a clean shirt and pulling it on.
You moved into your bathroom, standing by the sink and turned on the faucet, splashing some cool water on your face before drying it and turning the water off.
Back in your room, you pushed your mud covered boots further into your closet and unlocked the door before opening it carefully and peeking out. You stepped out, shutting your door behind you and walked down the hall. At the top of the stairs you saw your parents luggage as well as your sister’s camping gear sitting by the door. You hurried down the steps and into the kitchen where your mother was preparing two travel mugs of coffee. Your sister was sitting at the kitchen island, checking her phone as she waited for her friends to come pick her up.
“Didn’t hear you come in last night,” your dad said from the dining table, reading something on his phone. “Got in kind of late,” you answered. “How was the shower?” your mother asked, looking up at you.
You turned your head towards her before remembering to speak.
“Oh! It was really cool. Apparently it was the largest in recorded history,” you said as you moved to stand beside your sister. “Really?” your mother asked as she screwed lids on the mugs. “I’m sorry I missed it,” she said softly. You forced a smile as she set the cups on the counter.
A sudden horn outside announced the arrival of your sister’s friends. “That’s Clara,” she said, getting up from her seat and slipping her phone in her vest pocket. Your mother moved around the counter to hug her. “Have a good time,” she said before letting go and it was your father’s turn to hug her.
“Behave yourself,” he said, giving her a smile. Your sister turned to you and held up her fist for you to bump. “See you later, Star Nerd,” she said with a smile. “Later sea squirt,” you replied as she moved to the door and opened it. Her friend, Clara, had sent her brother Luke to help your sister with her bags and gear. She gave one final wave before heading out the door.
“And then there were three,” your father said.
Your mother handed him one of the mugs. “We better get going too,” she announced. You tucked your hands in your pockets and watched as they headed for the door, following behind. Your father grabbed the bags and took them out to the car as you followed your mother out onto the porch.
It was a typical crisp fall morning, a thin layer of frost on the grass and breath hanging in the air.
“There’s some food in the fridge,” your mom said as your dad loaded the car. “But I’ve also left some money for delivery. Don’t throw any college parties,” she pleaded. You smiled as you pulled her into a hug. “Don’t worry mom. We don’t have a pool. No one is coming here for parties,” you joked.
“Come on, hon!” your father called. “We gotta go!”
Your mom gave you one final hug before hurrying down the steps and to the car. Your father waved to you as he opened the driver’s door and you waved back, watching as they got in and settled. The car backed up and you watched as they drove off and down the drive before turning onto the main road and disappearing from view.
“And then there were two,” you whispered to yourself as soon as the tail lights disappeared from view.
Once they were gone, you darted back inside, locking the doors and moving to unlock the back door before rushing upstairs to your room and opening the door. The man was still unconscious and you entered the room, closing the door behind you and moving to sit at your desk, turning the chair so you could keep an eye on the man.
You grabbed your phone from your desk where you left it and started typing a message to your best friend, hoping he was awake. He answered rather quickly, letting you know he was on his way.
You crossed your arms over your chest, trying to ignore the chill in the room. You decided to play on your phone, glancing up occasionally at the man sleeping in your bed. 
You kept calling him the man but you knew that wasn't entirely true. 
He was an alien. 
You weren't sure how much time had passed as you solved what felt like the hundredth sudoku puzzle when you heard the back door open and close. You stopped, listening as footsteps came up the steps, drawing closer and closer until there was a soft knock at your door. 
You watched as it slowly opened and the face of your best friend appeared. “Is he awake?” he asked softly. You shook your head,  turning your attention briefly to the alien before looking back at Jake. He opened the door fully, stepping in and handing you a cloth tote. Inside were some of his older brother's clothes. 
Sighing, you looked up and thanked him. He nodded, not taking his eyes off the alien.
“Now that I see him in the light,” he started. “He just looks like just some guy,” he continued. “Almost like he could go to our university.” You nodded wordlessly, looking at the alien.
“Yeah,” you said softly. “He definitely doesn’t look like an alien.”
You felt Jake tap your shoulder, making you glance up at him. “What?” you asked when you saw his expression. “Don’t,” Jake said in a low tone. You shrugged your shoulders as if to ask him ‘what’ but he went on. “Don’t pretend like he isn’t from here. He came out of a spaceship that looks way beyond our technologies,” he started to explain.
“He didn’t even know what Iowa was!”
You gave your best friend a skeptical expression. “Hardly anyone knows what Iowa is.”
Jake narrowed his eyes. “And besides, I thought you said it was military,” you added.
Jake shook his head. “Military would know Iowa,” he answered, only for you to shake your head this time. “What if he's from another country’s military?” Jake scoffed at this. “No other country has the advanced technology we have,” Jake retorted. This time you squinted at him.
“Then why does all our technology come from Asia?” you asked, raising a brow at him. You turned back to look at the man briefly and then back at Jake. “He looks pretty Asian to me.”
Jake opened his mouth to retort but only gasped, nudging you quickly as he stared at your bed.
You turned just in time to see the man’s eyes snap open and he sat up quickly. He caught sight of you and Jake and screamed. You fell off your chair, Jake falling into the closed door, caught off guard by the sudden noise. “What the fuck!” Jake cursed.
“Where the hell am I?” the man yelled, trying to scramble away, only to fall onto the other side of bed. Jake grabbed your hand and pulled you to your feet. The man’s head appeared at the foot of your bed, peeking over the top of the mattress.
“You’re in my room,” you replied softly, taking a tentative step forward, shaking off Jake as he tried to grab your arm. “Why?” the man asked, watching as you approached slowly, only the bed separating you. You glanced back at Jake who shook his head quickly. “Leave me out of this.”
You sighed and rolled your eyes before turning back to the man who turned his attention from your best friend to you, giving you a wary look as you reached the bed and sat down slowly, keeping your eyes on him. “Well,” you started, not sure how to explain it.
Deciding the easiest way was the truth, you went for it. “You kind of passed out.”
The man stared at you, his eyes briefly flickering over to Jake who nodded, arms crossed over his chest. “Yeah, it was weird,” Jake answered. “You got real still and then fell down.”
The man looked back at you, watching as you nodded. “Yeah, you seized up, your eyes rolled back, and then you fell to your knees and then onto your side.”
The man lowered his gaze to your floral sheets before looking back up to meet your gaze. In the daylight, you could see just how different his eyes were than yours. A range of hues, almost like a rainbow but they were milky, almost as if he might be partially blind.
If that was the case, there’s no way he would have been driving— flying that spacecraft… right?
“How did I get here?” he asked, seemingly accepting your answer.
“We brought you here,” you answered, gesturing to yourself and then to Jake.
“Yeah,” Jake added. “Carried you out of the woods and put you in the back of my Jeep.”
The man sat up a little straighter, tilting his head slightly.
“What’s a Jeep?”
You fought the urge to snicker but held it back. “It’s a car,” you explained. The man turned his gaze upon you this time. “A car?” he asked, seemingly confused. You nodded. “It’s like a land vehicle? It has wheels and you drive it with a steering wheel,” you said, doing the motions of holding and turning a steering wheel. The man watched in fascination before speaking again.
“Show me.”
You picked up your phone and the man sunk down until only his eyes were visible as you googled a picture of a Jeep Wrangler. You turned the device around and showed him. The man sat back up and leaned in to look at the image.
“Jeep,” he said again. You nodded with a smile. “That’s right,” you said. “Jeep.”
“Jeeeeeeeep,” he said, elongating the double E sound, making you giggle.
“And what’s this?” he asked, pointing at your phone. “Oh, it’s just a cell phone,” you answered. “It’s like a communication device.” The man lifted his hand and pulled back his sleeve, showing you the watch around his wrist. “Is that your communication device?” you asked.
He held his arm out towards you. You hesitantly took his hand in yours and inspected the device.
It looked a lot like a smart watch. It had a massive crack in the screen and you figured it must have been damaged in the crash. “Is it broken?” you asked as he took his hand back and inspected where his palm had made contact with your skin before looking up at you with those same colorful piercing eyes.
You noticed how the color seemed to surge in a ring-like pattern from time to time. ‘Perhaps in time with his heartbeat?’ you wondered. He nodded finally, glancing at his watch. “It’s damaged. Must have happened when I crashed my-” his eyes suddenly went wide and he gasped.
“My ship!” he yelled, looking up at you. “Where’s my ship?!”
You held up a hand to calm him. “It’s okay! It’s nearby in the woods on my property.”
“I need to see it,” he said, scrambling to his feet but suddenly he doubled over, groaning. You climbed across the bed and stood up next to him. “Whoa, slow down there,” you said as you took his arm gently and guided him to sit back down as he kept a hand on his side just above his hip.
You turned to Jake and pointed at the tote he’d brought. “Bring me that, please,” you said.
Jake bent down, grabbing the handles and brought it to the bed where he handed it to you before taking a few steps back, keeping his eyes on the man.
You started to sift through the bag, pulling out a pair of gray sweatpants and a gray shirt.
You set them aside and turned to the man. “I need to take a look at your stomach,” you said, making him glance up. “What?” he asked. You nodded to where his hand was clamped over his side. “I need to look. You could be really hurt.” The man looked up at you, eyeing you up.
“Are you a doctor?” he asked. Jake scoffed from his place by the door, shutting up when you shot daggers at him with a glare. You turned your attention back to the man. “I’m in school for medicine,” you said, failing to mention your area of focus was animals and not people.
The man finally relented and let out a shaky breath before reaching up to unzip the top of his flight suit, pulling it down and you tried not to look flustered as he shrugged out of it, showing off his toned torso. He pushed the material down to his waist and you leaned around to get a look at his side.
“Is it okay if I touch you?” you asked, glancing up at him. He nodded, watching your face as you moved to kneel on the floor and reach up, fingers brushing against his skin. You gently pressed and he drew in a sharp breath. You looked up, meeting his gaze and felt your cheeks and ears burn before looking back down.
“It’s definitely bruised,” you said, starting to inspect the area around it which didn’t seem to be as tender. “Were you wearing safety restraints or anything?” you asked as you continued to prod around. He nodded, looking down where your hands were against his skin.
“I always wear safety restraints. That ship flies at almost fifty thousand decameters per hour,” he replied with a slight smirk. You slowly raised your gaze to meet his. “Fifty thousand what?” you whispered. He tilted his head curiously. “Decameters,” he answered.
You glanced at Jake who had moved from the door to the hall to the door to your bathroom.
“What the fuck is a decameter?” he asked, looking at the man.
“It sounds like ten meters,” you answered for the man. “Deca is the prefix that means ten,” you added, looking up at Jake who shook his head. “I’m not asking you, Y/N, I’m asking him.”
The man turned his head to look at Jake who took a step back upon seeing the man’s eyes for the first time. “She’s right,” he answered. “A decameter is ten meters.”
“Then why not say ten meters? Why even use decameters?” Jake asked, sounding annoyed. “Sounds like you’re overcomplicating things.”
“In my society, we measure everything in intervals of ten,” the man answered. “Sounds dumb,” Jake murmured, causing you to glare at him but the man smiled. “Sounds stupid?” he asked, drawing your best friend’s attention.
“Tell me,” the man said, turning his head again to face Jake. “Does a ship that travels at five-hundred thousand meters per hour sound like it was made by someone who was ‘stupid?’”
Your lips parted as the man spoke. ‘Five-hundred thousand meters per hour? Is that even possible?’
Jake looked even more shocked than you felt and the man knew it. He let out a little chuckle as he turned away from your best friend back to face you. “That’s what I thought,” he said softly.
You withdrew your hands from his body. “It doesn’t seem like there’s any internal bleeding,” you said, looking up to meet his eyes. “But that needs some attention,” you pointed at his shoulder where there was a decent size cut.
He looked at his shoulder and huffed. “Wonder when that happened,” he murmured as you got up and leaned in to look at his wound. “Maybe when you crashed? Might have cut it on something?” you suggested. The man shrugged. “Perhaps,” he answered.
“I’ll be right back,” you said softly and started to walk to the door. Jake’s hand wrapped around your wrist stopped you as you reached for the door. “Where are you going?” he hissed. “I’m getting the first aid kit,” you answered, glancing back at the man as he sat calmly on your bed.
“I’m coming with you,” Jake hissed but you pushed him back. “I won’t be long,” you said. “Just keep an eye on him,” you added with a nod towards the man. Jake shook his head. “No freaking way,” he whispered. “I’m not on babysitting duty!”
Before you could respond, the man spoke up.
“I’m not going to kill you,” he said, making you and Jake look over. He was turned on the bed, looking over his shoulder at the both of you. “If my presence makes you that uncomfortable, you can go get the first aid kit and Y/N can stay here to ‘keep an eye on’ me,” he said with a smirk.
The wink he sent your way didn’t go unnoticed by either you or your best friend. Jake frowned, letting go of your wrist. “Just hurry up, yeah?” he said, glancing at you before moving to stand by the bathroom door. You nodded and opened your door.
Like you had said, you were back in a couple minutes at most, the kit in your hand as you entered the room. The man had moved, sitting on the other side of the bed facing the door instead. “Welcome back,” he said jokingly as you entered, making you smile before you shut the door and walked over, sitting beside him and opening the case.
Jake watched as both you and the man looked down at the case. “Alright,” you said, taking a deep breath. “Let’s take a closer look at this,” you said looking up. “Jake, can you turn on the light, please?”
Your best friend moved to the door, flipping the switch without a word. You thanked him and turned your focus back on the man’s shoulder. It was a pretty large gash but nothing was protruding nor could you see any muscle underneath which you felt was a good sign. It might still need stitches.
You grabbed the blue gloves and pulled them on before picking up an alcohol prep pad and tore open the packet. “This might sting,” you said, looking up. The man simply smiled and nodded. You started to carefully wipe around the edge of the gash.
Jake had crept closer to get a better look at what you were doing.
Once you’d cleaned the outside of the gash, you inspected the inside closer. “It looks like there’s some fibers from your suit in the wound,” you said softly. “I’m going to need to flush it,” you said, meeting his gaze again. He kept smiling at you and nodded.
“Just do whatever you need to do.”
You picked up the small bottle of saline and grabbed a dry cotton pad. “This might-”
“It won’t,” the man interrupted. “Sting. It won’t sting,” he clarified. You nodded and looked back down at his wound, trying not to focus on the hammering of your heart in your chest.
You had been so mesmerized by his eyes earlier that you hadn’t noticed exactly how handsome he was and now that his face was so close to yours, it was hard not to notice.
You tipped the bottle over and squeezed some of the liquid into the wound and watched as the fibers and blood washed out and started staining the cotton pad. A couple more squeezes and you were able to get the wound clean.
Now that you could see it better, you could see that he would need stitches after all. 
You clicked your tongue in annoyance. “Shit,” you whispered.
“That doesn’t sound good,” the man said, watching your face. You looked up and sighed. “You’re going to need stitches,” you replied. “I have the materials,” you answered. “ But I don’t have any anesthesia,” you explained. The man nodded, glancing down at his shoulder.
“What about the stuff your dad uses on the cows?” Jake asked. You rolled your eyes at him. “That’s for cows, Jake. You can’t use that on people,” you explained. “But-” you shot Jake a glare, effectively silencing him. “I don’t think taking you to the hospital will be beneficial,” you continued.
The man smiled. “No,” he answered. “It would only cause problems,” he added. “It’s alright, just do the procedure.” Your eyes shot up at his suggestion.
“Y-you want me to do stitches on you without anesthesia?” you asked, not sure if your ears were working properly. ‘There’s no way he just said that.’
The man nodded. “Yes,” he replied. “It’s not going to be an issue for me. My pain tolerance is extremely high,” he explained. “Just do it please.”
You stared at him for a moment longer before nodding slowly. “O-okay,” you whispered.
“Okay, I’m out,” Jake announced. “I’m not watching you stick a needle and thread in his skin over and over. I’ll be downstairs,” he added, heading for the door, opening it and disappearing as he closed it, leaving you and the man alone.
The man looked at you with a smile. “And then there were two,” he said softly.
You gathered the suture and needle. “Are you sure about this?” you asked as you threaded the needle.
The man nodded as you moved into position. “My sutures aren’t perfect,” you continued. “But they’ll do the job.” The man smiled as you shook your hands before bringing your hand closer to his skin.
“It’s okay,” he said softly. “I trust you.”
Relief flooded your body as he uttered those words and you got to work, carefully stitching and tying off the suture as you sewed his skin back together. Your stitches weren’t perfect but they weren’t awful. As you finished the final suture, you set the needle and thread down and picked up another cotton pad and saline to clean the newly formed blood before picking up some antiseptic and covered the wound with it before finally covering it all with a large bandage.
“So,” you said softly. “What’s your name?” you asked, glancing up at him. You would never get used to those eyes. There was no way.
“Minho,” he finally answered, drawing you from your thoughts. “I’m Minho.”
You smiled at him. “And you’re Y/N?” he continued. You nodded excitedly. “And that man,” he added, nodding towards the door. “Jake? Is he your… boyfriend?”
You snorted, shaking your head. “No. Just my dumb best friend.”
Minho tilted his head. “What’s a best friend?”
You reached up to scratch your forehead. “You know what a friend is?” you asked, hoping he did. He nodded. “It’s that but the one you spend the most time with. Your favorite one. The one who knows everything about you and you know everything about them,” you explained.
“The one that no matter what, will always be there for you,” you continued, hoping Minho understood.
He nodded and smiled. “So best friend, not boyfriend.”
“Exactly,” you answered with a smile of your own.
Minho looked up as you removed your gloves and gathered all the used supplies to toss in your desk waste bin. As you returned to his side and packed away the rest of the supplies, he gently took your hand, making you look at him. He stared up at you with those bright eyes before his lips parted.
“Thank you,” he said softly. You offered him a kind smile. “It’s no trouble,” you replied as you closed the kit and latched it. “I may not be great at sutures yet,” you continued. “But I’m pretty decent at sewing. Maybe I could stitch that up for you as well?”
You pointed at the hole in his flight suit as he was pulling it back on. Minho glanced down at it. “Well shit,” he murmured. “That would explain the cut.” You held back a chuckle. “Are you going to sew it while it’s on me?” he asked, looking up. You shook your head before leaning across your bed and grabbed the clothes. “You can change into these,” you explained.
“And I’m sure you’ll want to take a shower. Clean up while you’re at it,” you added.
Minho nodded, grabbing the clothes from you and stood up. He wasn’t huge, probably about average human male height, even with the thick sole boots he wore. “Where can I… shower?” he asked, hesitating. You led him over to the bathroom door and turned on the light. “In here,” you answered.
You moved to the shower, pulling the rolling door aside and leaned in, turning on the stream and setting it to hot. “You can use this dial to adjust the temperature,” you explained, pointing to the handle. “And then to shut it off,” you continued and turned the handle back to the right until it pointed down.
“All the way down to the right,” you explained, looking back at Minho who was watching you with rapt attention. “There are towels in here,” you moved over to the small linen closet and opened it, grabbing a towel and handing it to him before shutting the door.
“And there’s plenty of soaps in here,” you continued, pointing at the soaps, shampoo and conditioner. “This one is for your body,” you said, pointing to the body wash. “And this is for hair,” you pointed to another bottle. “What that one?” Minho asked, pointing at the conditioner. “That’s to make your hair soft. You use it after you wash and rinse your hair,” you explained.
“And that?” he asked, pointing at your shaving cream. “Don’t worry about that,” you answered. “That’s not something you’ll need to use. Just stick with the body wash and shampoo. That’s all you should need.”
Minho nodded as you moved back to the linen closet and grabbed a washcloth and handed it to him. “That’s a washcloth,” you explained. “You use this to wash your body with the body wash. Keep this towel out of the water. You want this one dry,” you added, pointing to the towel.
You took the towel and clothes from him, setting them on the sink counter. “Just take that in there. Take off your suit and when you get in the shower, I’ll grab it and stitch up that tear in the shoulder,” you continued and moved to the door. “If you need anything, just call and I’ll see if I can help.”
You gave him a parting smile and exited, shutting the door behind you.
While waiting for the sound of the shower, you set up your sewing machine, filling a bobbin with a dark gray thread, hoping it would match.
Once you heard the shower turn on, you walked over to the door and knocked. “I’m coming in now. I won’t look at you I promise,” you announced, taking the handle and turning it. You peered in and saw the suit folded and set neatly on the counter. You stepped in and grabbed it, making sure not to look at Minho in the shower.
You exited the bathroom, shutting the door and moved over to your sewing table.
Sewing up the tear was much easier than performing surgery on Minho and once you were done, you admired your handiwork. The shower shut off in the bathroom and you decided you’d throw the suit in the wash to get some of the dirt stains out.
You hurried down the steps where Jake was sitting in the living room, watching TV. He looked up as you walked in. “Well?” he asked. “He just took a shower. His stitches are fine. I’m just throwing this in the wash for him,” you said, holding up the suit.
Jake rolled his eyes and turned back to the show he was watching.
Once you’d started the wash you walked back into the living room, placing your hands on the back of the sofa next to your best friend’s shoulder. “His name is Minho,” you said, drawing his attention. “Really?” he asked, looking up at you.
Nodding, you stood up straight. “Yep,” you replied. 
“And how do you know that?” Jake asked as you walked towards the stairs. “I asked!” you answered before starting back up the steps and down the hall to your room. The bathroom door was open and Minho was standing in the middle of your room, using the towel to dry his damp hair.
He pulled on the clothes you’d given him and you were pleased that they fit him so well.
He glanced up as you entered. “Are you hungry?” you asked. He hesitated, blinking a couple times before nodding. “Actually,” he said softly. “I’m ravenous.”
You led Minho down to the living area where Jake was still watching TV. Minho stopped behind the couch, eyes fixated on the television. You gently grabbed his wrist and dragged him into the kitchen, gesturing for him to sit at the kitchen island.
You moved to the fridge and opened it, peering inside. “Is there anything you don’t eat?” you asked, peering over your shoulder. “Anything you’re allergic to?”
You heard Jake scoff from the living room. “He’s an alien, Y/N. They don’t have allergies.”
You chastised Jake for being rude but Minho merely smiled. “No,” he answered politely. “No allergies. But I’m not overly fond of green peppers,” he added. You smiled and turned back to the fridge, grabbing the eggs, some bacon, and the steaks your mother had meant to have ready for your dad to grill the other night. ‘She won’t miss these. I’ll replace them if I have to.’
You set all your findings on the counter and opened a drawer to pull out a couple pans.
Once the skillets were heated up, you put the steaks in one and started the bacon in another. At the first sizzle of food, Jake had wandered into the kitchen and was looking hopefully at the food in the skillets. “Is that just for him or for everyone?” he asked.
You snickered and nodded. “I’m not making four t-bone steaks for one person,” you replied.
With that, you glanced up at Minho. “How many eggs do you want?” He tilted his head curiously. You picked up an egg to show him. “Do you eat them like that?” he asked, genuinely curious but his question made Jake burst into laughter as he moved to stand beside you.
You slapped his arm. “Stop being so rude!” You turned to Minho. “No,” you answered. “I’ll crack the egg and fry the insides,” you explained. Minho nodded and looked from the egg in your hands to the rest in the holder. “Five,” he finally said, catching both you and Jake off guard.
Jake was the first to break the awkward silence that ensued. “You can’t seriously believe you can eat five fried eggs and one of these steaks and bacon,” he stated. Minho’s smile turned into a smirk.
“Watch me.”
Thirty minutes later, you sat sipping on your coffee, musing over the look of shock on your best friend’s face. You both had one steak a piece. You’d made eight fried eggs total, five of them for Minho as well as a third of a pound of bacon. You’d eaten one egg and two slices of bacon with your steak, Jake had put away two eggs with his steak and three pieces of bacon.
Minho, on the other hand, had managed to consume two steaks, five eggs, and the rest of the bacon.
Jake watched with a mixture of shock, jealousy, and respect as Minho downed the rest of the second steak and the rest of his water. “I sit corrected,” Jake said softly, looking from the alien to you and back. Minho smiled at the both of you before he picked up his napkin and wiped his mouth.
“Now,” he said matter-of-factly. “Where’s my ship?”
You grabbed a jacket and one of the sweatshirts Jake brought over for Minho before letting him borrow some of your dad’s socks and shoes.
He sat in the back of the Jeep as you got in the front with Jake.
The drive to the woods wasn’t long but it was preferable to walking. Once Jake parked the car, Minho hopped out of the back and moved to your door as you opened it. He offered his hand to help you down, offering a wink as you looked up at him breathlessly.
“It’s, uh, this way,” you said, pointing and then leading the way towards the woods.
During the day, the walk took far less time and as the three of you scrambled over the ridge, the ship came into view and Minho cursed softly, carefully making his way down the slope with you and Jake reluctantly in tow.
You watched as he walked around the ship slowly, taking note of the condition before he headed for the open door and started inside. You followed, ignoring Jake’s warnings and peered into the open doorway. Minho was inside, sitting in a seat and flipping various switches.
He was murmuring and muttering under his breath as he tried to get some sort of response.
The console of the ship looked trashed, broken with wires sticking out everywhere.
Minho turned to look behind him before getting up and disappearing behind a wall. You grabbed onto a bar and started to pull yourself in. You reached the seat and craned your neck to see into the back. There was a small hallway leading through the ship to a wall with a door.
Minho was crouched in the middle of the hall, a floor panel in his hands as he inspected whatever mechanical that lay underneath. You looked around again and noticed that he had multiple monitors around the console. Silver embossed letters at the bottom read ‘S.T.A.N.’
‘Stan?’ you wondered to yourself as Minho cursed again, tossing the floor grate down and running his fingers through his hair. You felt your heart tug at his anguish.
“Is it totaled?” you asked, causing him to jump slightly. He turned to look behind at you before standing up and making his way back. “What’s totaled?” he asked as he reached the cockpit. “It’s like when you crash a car and the insurance company calculates the damage and decides it would cost more to fix than replace so they total it,” you explained.
Minho’s lips curled into a smirk. He shook his head. “No,” he said softly, one hand on his hip and his forearm resting on the back of the seat. “It’s not beyond repair,” he added. “I just need tools and a place to store it while I work on it. These conditions aren’t exactly ideal,” he continued.
You hesitated as you wracked your brain. An idea hit you suddenly. You brightened up and held up your index finger. “One second,” you said and hurried out of the ship, dropping to the ground. Jake started forward and started looking you over. “Are you alright?” he asked but you dismissed his concern.
“Does Julia still work for Ted?” Jake looked confused but nodded slowly.
“You think she could call in a favor?”
“Y/N,” Jake started but you interrupted him. “Just answer the question, Jake, please.”
He shrugged. “Yeah, I guess so. Ted owes her for covering his ass several times. A smile formed on your face. “Call your sister. We need those favors.”
It turned out that Ted, one of the farmers who owned an auto body shop in town, owed Julie several favors and she cashed in three of them on your behalf. You were almost beside yourself when a flatbed with an excavator and small crane pulled into your driveway. You waved and guided Ted to the old path into the forest.
He used the excavator to clear a path in the direction you led before moving the excavator back outside the forest and driving the crane into the forest. Upon seeing the craft, Ted was both shocked and also in awe at the sight. Julia had bought his silence with another one of her favors.
Ted was a professional, leaving the crane in place and walking back to get the flatbed and backing it up to the ship. Minho helped secure the bands and chains, careful not to cause any further damage before Ted used the crane to lift it.
Surprisingly, the ship lifted with no problem. Ted placed it onto the flatbed and once it was strapped down, he drove the flatbed out and Jake guided him to the barn, pushing the doors open and having him back it up.
You were lucky that your uncle had briefly ran a mechanic shop out of the barn until he left town so there was a lift and using the crane, Ted managed to secure the ship on the lift. Afterwards, Ted packed up his gear and with one final promise to never say another word about it, Ted and Julia left your family’s property, leaving you, Jake, and Minho behind.
You smiled triumphantly and even Jake couldn’t fault you for your cunning, knowing Ted would never break a promise made to Julia after she caught him doing things he wasn’t supposed to be doing on the job. 
Jake took his leave next and then it was just you and Minho.
You showed him where your father kept his tools and once the tour of the barn was over, you stood in the doorway of the barn with Minho, looking up at the gray sky.
“I think it’s going to rain,” you murmured. Minho looked from the sky to you. “Do you not like the rain?” he asked. You shook your head. “I like it when the sky is clear,” you answered. “I prefer it when I can see the stars.” Minho smiled and looked back up at the sky.
A soft meow caught both your attention and you glanced down to see one of the gray barn cats rubbing against Minho’s leg. “Sorry,” you said, moving to pick up the cat. Minho smiled and reached a hand up for the cat to sniff before petting it, even scratching it under the chin.
The cat purred in your arms at the affection before struggling against your hold and you let it jump from your arms onto a stack of hay next to the door. “Come on,” you said softly, gesturing to Minho. “Let’s get inside before the storm comes in.”
Minho looked up as you shut the barn doors, securing them and started for the house with him on your heels. “Storm?” he asked and you nodded. “Yeah,” you replied. “A thunderstorm is coming,” you added. “How can you tell?” he asked. You chuckled as you climbed the steps to the door and opened it.
“Because I’m from the midwest.”
Your intuition was spot on and by the time dinner rolled around, a storm had blown in. Most of it was wind, lightning and thunder so you used some of the money your mother had left to order pizza for delivery. You chose to get two pizzas just in case.
You sat on the couch with Minho, eating pizza and watching a movie. You decided to let him pick something based on the title and cover and unsurprisingly, he picked Alien and you had to try to keep your laughter in as you started the movie.
Minho watched with great fascination as the characters experienced misfortune after misfortune and as the titular antagonist appeared on screen, his rainbow eyes wide with rapt attention.
“It’s probably highly inaccurate,” you finally said as the creature on screen stalked Ripley through the cargo bay. Minho shook his head. “No actually, it’s not far off,” he answered, making you cough as you choked on your soda.
“Wh-what?” you stammered. He turned to look at you. “What?” he asked, a smirk forming on his face. “You think all aliens look this good?” he asked jokingly. You swallowed thickly, eyes returning to the screen. “So there are… aliens like that out there?” you asked softly.
Minho leaned against the back of the couch, resting his arm behind you. “Oh yeah,” he replied. You turned to look back at him, eyes wide with shock. “Even the acid blood?” you asked, your voice barely above a whisper.
Minho nodded slowly, the light from the television illuminating one side of his face. You couldn’t be sure but it almost looked like his eyes dipped down to look at your lips but as quickly as you thought you saw, his eyes were looking back into yours.
“And the d-double jaws?” you asked. Minho nodded again. “Even down to the parasitic nature. The creatures that implant an embryo in your stomach and then it erupts from your body,” he said quietly, moving his hand up to place his palm against your chest, against your heart.
“From right here,” he continued.
Embarrassingly, your heart rate sped up and you knew by the look on his face that he felt it.
“Does that scare you?” he asked softly. You shook your head, trying to be brave. In truth, the thought terrified you. That there were parasitic, intelligent, lifeforms out there in the universe like the Xenomorph.
“What if I told you that my race is like that?” he asked suddenly, face void of any emotion.
Your blood ran cold and your stomach dropped. ‘What have you done, you idiot?’ Jake’s voice came to mind, chastising you for being so dumb. Trusting an alien. How stupid could you be?
You gulped, your fear showing on your face as Minho leaned even closer. His lips parted but before he could say or do anything, a clap of thunder caught you off guard and you jumped. Minho let out a chuckle as he pulled back.
“I’m just messing with you,” he said, cracking a huge grin. You stared at him incredulously.
“Wait, seriously?” He nodded, still laughing. “At most, a parasitic life form will give you the stomach flu or something similar,” he explained. “In all my years of schooling, we never learned about any life forms like that. The most dangerous alien lifeform is bacteria,” he continued, grabbing his can of soda and downing the rest.
You studied him as he set the can down and turned his attention back to the television. You finally did the same as the movie ended, Ripley’s log playing over a starry background before the credits started to roll. You picked up the remote and stopped the movie before turning the tv off and reaching beside you to turn on the lamp on the side table.
You cleaned up and made sure the house was locked, checking out the backdoor that the animals had gone into their barn before calling the dogs in and putting them in your parents’ bedroom.
Back in the living room, Minho was standing at the front door, peering outside. You walked up next to him and he turned his head to look at you, smiling at you and watching as you locked the storm door before backing up and grabbing the main door and shutting it and locking it, turning off the porch light.
“What about the cats?” he asked softly as you headed to turn off the lamp.
“They’ll be okay,” you answered. “They stay mostly in the barn,” you continued.
“We can check on them in the morning, if you’d like,” you added as you joined him by the stairs and turning off the overhead light and turning on the light at the top of the stairs.
Minho climbed the steps behind you as you led him to the guest room and showed him around. “I’m just down the hall,” you continued, moving to stand by the door. “I’ll see you in the morning,” you added, shooting him a smile.
As you started to close the door, he called out to you, forcing you to open the door and peer in. “Leave the door open, please?” he asked as he sat on the bed, bedside lamp on. You nodded and left the door cracked open before walking down the hall to your own room, closing the door behind you and finally changing into your pajamas and climbing into your bed.
It had been a long and busy day and almost as soon as you were under the covers, you were out.
It only took you a few days to get used to having Minho around. You had told him he only had a week to get his ship fixed and get out of there before your family returned. Jake came by to keep you company but quickly grew annoyed with Minho’s presence and would leave after only an hour.
You went about your daily chores, feeding and taking care of the animals while Minho worked on his ship. You checked in from time to time, bringing him water or food whenever the time struck. He could still put back a lot of food and you would have to make a note to make a trip to the grocery store before your family returned home.
“Lunch time!” you called as you pushed open the door and peered in. Minho was leaning against the work table, holding one of the cats in his arms as he scratched its head and cooed at it. You smiled as you walked further into the barn holding a plate with a stack of sandwiches and a large bottle of water.
Minho glanced up from the cat and smiled as you approached, setting the bottle of water and plate on the table next to him. The cat in his arms leapt gracefully to the floor and trotted off as Minho brushed his hands off and picked up one of the sandwiches.
He took a bite, munching happily as you walked over to the ship, looking at it as you walked around it.
“It doesn’t look like there was much damage on the outside,” you noted as you rounded towards the back of the ship. Minho spoke a moment later. “No,” he answered. “Most of the damage is internal.” You said nothing as you rounded the front and he came back into view. Two of the sandwiches were now gone. “Speaking of,” you said, walking over to his side.
“Let me have a look at that bruise,” you continued, nodding at his side.
Minho lifted his arm but continued eating his sandwich as your fingers worked to untuck the shirt he wore.
Jake had brought over some more of his brother’s old clothes. Mostly tee shirts, jeans, sweats, and a few jackets. The weather had taken a turn and it was getting colder during the days now. Minho had chosen a white tee with a small red logo on a pocket on the right side of the chest. The jeans were just plain light denim and he’d also started to use the belts Jake included for some reason. 
You lowered your gaze to his side and gently prodded the spot that had been so tender a couple days prior. Minho didn’t wince and the skin didn’t look discolored. You glanced up to find him already looking at you, watching your face as you inspected him. “It doesn’t hurt?” you asked, pressing your fingers against his side. He shook his head.
“There’s no discoloration either,” you added, dropping the shirt. He smiled at you before swallowing the food in his mouth. “My body reabsorbs blood that doesn’t make it outside the body,” he said, chuckling when he noticed your shocked expression. “I’m like you but more advanced,” he added.
He finished his fourth sandwich and grabbed the last one. Five seemed to be his number, a small detail you noticed. Five eggs, five sandwiches. “These are good,” he said, holding the sandwich up before taking a bite. “What’s inside?” he asked, pulling back the bread a little to look at the filling.
“Egg salad,” you answered as you moved back around to pick up the empty plate. Minho reached out and gently grabbed your wrist. “Leave it,” he said softly. “I’ll bring it in later.”
You smiled but shook your head. “It’s fine,” you answered, picking up the plate and pulling from his hold. “I’m used to cleaning up.” As you started to walk away, Minho called out to you.
You turned back to look at him as you reached the door. “Will you come back when you’re done?” he asked and you smiled back at him. “If you’d like me to.” He nodded slowly. “I’d like that a lot,” he replied. Your cheeks burned and you nodded back to show you understood.
“I’ll be right back then.”
Outside the barn a gray overcast had started to fill the sky. More clouds and rain were in the forecast tonight but nothing like the storms from the other night.
You took the plate to the kitchen and set it in the sink, placing your hands on the counters and stared down at the white ceramic. ‘Stop it,’ you told yourself sternly. ‘He’s an alien. He’s not human. You can’t keep feeling this way.’
Trying to tell your heart to calm down was easier said than done and you would come to find it harder and harder the more time you spent with Minho. 
As promised, you returned to the barn and kept him company while he worked, sitting cross-legged on one of the square bales of hay while he worked under the ship, reaching through an open panel and reattached wires.
“So,” you said softly as one of the barn cats came out from hiding to crawl into your lap where it was warm. You petted the animal, looking back up at Minho. “Where are you from?” you asked, drawing his attention. He managed to hook a few more wires before pushing his hair back and turning to face you.
“Somewhere really far away from here,” he answered. You fixed him with a grimace. “I know that,” you replied. “But where is that?” Minho chuckled as he moved around the lift holding his ship and walked over to sit next to you, reaching a hand out to pet the cat as it purred and snuggled up in your lap.
“Did you know the universe is split into quadrants?” he asked softly, not looking up to meet your gaze. You looked at his face, his rainbow eyes fixated on the furry creature in your lap. “Like in Star Trek?” you asked before remembering he didn’t know what that was. “Sorry, it’s a-”
“I know what Star Trek is,” he said softly, glancing up to meet your gaze. “It’s a television show from the late nineteen-sixties, right?” You nodded slowly, watching as a grin spread across his face. “You’d be surprised at the reception we get back home,” he said simply.
You waited for him to continue but when he didn’t you spoke again.
“Where is home?”
Minho stopped petting the cat and looked up to meet your gaze once more.
“So, like I said, the universe is split into quadrants. Your galaxy is located on the edge of the Alpha Quadrant,” he explained. “My galaxy is located somewhere in the Delta Quadrant.”
You listened as he explained the quadrants and their structure before moving onto his galaxy. His home world was located one of six arms of a spiral galaxy, a lot like the Milky Way. “And in the third arm, is my solar system,” he continued. “The Chronos-Demos System,” your eyes were shining as he explained and he found it so endearing.
“Chronos-Demos?” you asked, tilting your head. This was more information that you could have ever hoped to learn. Minho was from an entirely different galaxy, millions of lightyears away from Earth. He’d seen things you could only dream of.
“It’s a two star system,” he explained. “Much like Proxima Centauri. We have two suns,” he explained. Your lips parted in awe as he spoke. “Here,” he said, getting up. “I’ll be right back.”
You watched as he walked over to the ship and pulled himself up, disappearing into the open door. You could faintly hear him moving about before he reappeared and dropped down, carrying some sort of tablet as he returned and took a seat beside you.
He tapped on the screen and it came to life. He started to tap around, pulling up a map and turned the tablet so you could see.
On the screen was a diagram, much like the ones you’d seen in science books when you learned about the Solar System as a child.
On one end was a large yellow sphere, solar flares shooting out from the surface. On the opposite side was an equally large red sphere, also with flames flickering from the surface. “Chronos is a class G star, a lot like Sol,” he explained before you held up a hand to stop him.
“Sol?” you asked, looking at his face. He smiled and nodded. “Your star,” he started. “You mean the Sun?” you asked and he nodded.
“In my society, your star system is called the Sol System. Sol means Sun in Latin.”
You nodded. “Okay,” you said softly as you started to follow along. “Sorry for interrupting.”
Minho smiled and went back to explaining the diagram.
“The red red star is Demos Gnu and is a class M star. I think your race calls it a ‘red dwarf,’” he said, glancing up as you nodded. “Yeah, that’s the common name but scientifically it’s a type m star,” you replied. “It has a smaller light field but produces more radiation,” you replied. Minho nodded, with a smile. “You know your stars,” he said, sounding impressed.
“My mother taught me,” you explained, a surge of pride filling your chest.
Minho continued, zooming in on the diagram.
“This little purple planet is Ahcar-3,” he said. “It’s very close to Chronos and has no life on it. It also doesn’t have a moon. This one,” he continued, moving the screen until a pink and purple planet with rings came into view with two moons. “This is Ninsa,” he said, a hint of pride in his voice.
“This,” he said, looking up to meet your gaze. “Is my home.”
You leaned closer to get a better look. It was a beautiful planet. The surface was a swirl of light pink and purple and the rings, all five of them were a darker purple. The moons were relatively small compared to the planet, one was white and the other reddish.
“Why is one of the moons red?” you asked, looking up at the alien. He smiled and pulled the tablet back to zoom in further on the red moon. “That’s Ta,” he explained. “It’s a mining location and it’s extremely rich in iron ore,” he explained. “The soil has a lot of ferric oxide in it, a lot like Sol IV,” he said.
“Sol IV?”
Minho smiled again, setting the tablet down. “Your system, Sol, is home to ten planetary objects. Sol I, is the first one from the sun,” he explained. “Mercury,” you replied. “We call it Mercury.” He nodded. “So then Sol II is Venus?” you asked and he nodded again. “So then Earth is Sol III and Mars is Sol IV?” Minho nodded again. “Exactly,” he answered.
“So Ta is like Mars because of all the ferric oxide?” you asked, clarifying and Minho nodded again. “Precisely,” he answered before picking up the tablet again and moving the screen. The next image you saw was two planets close together. “These are the Twins, Abo Phi,” he said, pointing to the yellow one. “And Boa Phi,” he continued, pointing at the orange one. “They orbit each other as they orbit the sun and they have one moon, Odomin,” he said, pointing to the small yellow moon.
“Does anyone live there?” you asked and he shook his head. “The government of Ninsa thought about colonizing but the likelihood of the two planets colliding either with one another or their moon is too great of a risk,” he explained. We’ve sent missions and studied them extensively so we know that nothing lives there,” he continued, scrolling to the next planet.
“This one is Averlent,” he said, showing you a turquoise and blue planet. “It’s the only successful colonization project we’ve had. It was colonized over ten thousand years ago,” he explained. “So she has a thriving metropolis and more settlements have popped up. Her moon is Horim, which is a tropical world and a very popular vacation spot,” Minho explained with a smile.
“Have you been there?” you asked looking up. He nodded. “I went there with my family last season,” he answered. “Our winters on Ninsa, especially where I live, are particularly harsh. So my family spent the winter on Horim.” You smiled, imagining Minho lounging on an otherworldly beach on the moon.
“That’s so cool,” you whispered. Minho chuckled and scrolled to the next planet. You had to keep from snorting when you saw it. It was a green and oval shaped planet with a darker green and just as oval moon. “This is Planet 9,” he explained. “No one knows why it’s called that,” he added. “This system has six planets.” You finally let out the laugh you’d been holding in.
“It’s the furthest from Chronos and the closest to Demos,” he explained. “You’ve probably noticed it’s not round like the others,” he continued. You nodded. “Is it spinning really fast on its axis?” you asked and Minho nodded. “Yes, and so is its moon, 1.43-C.” You laughed again, sitting up. “Reminds me of Haumea,” you noted as Minho shut off the screen.
“I think I saw that on my way into your system,” Minho replied.
You glanced down at the tablet. “Do you have any pictures of your home world?” you asked, Minho blinked at you before picking up the tablet and turning it back on. He tapped on the screen a few times before turning the screen towards you.
“This is the capital, Ninsa Prime,” he explained, showing you several pictures of a vast sprawling metropolis with high rises taller than you’d ever seen. “This is where I live,” he added as he continued to scroll through the images.
“Do you work there too?” you asked, looking up at him. He nodded, turning off the tablet. “Mostly,” he added. “I’m an aerospace engineer,” he continued. “Which is why I’m confident in my abilities to fix this ship,” he added, gesturing to the craft.
“I should probably let you get back to that,” you murmured, looking down at the cat still sleeping in your lap. Minho reached out, his knuckle gently lifting your chin and forcing you to look up at him. “I don’t mind the distraction,” he said with a smile before he finally got up and headed back towards the ship.
The rest of the day passed in a blur. You kept him company until the sun started to set and you got up to finish your chores. A light drizzle had settled in by the time Minho had finished for the day and came inside the house. He had gone up to shower while you fixed dinner when there was a knock at the door.
You walked over and peered outside. Jake was standing on your porch dressed in a zip up pullover, jeans, boots, and a baseball cap on his head. You unlocked and opened the door, smiling when your best friend turned to look at you. “Hey,” he said, opening the screen door.
You stepped back to let him in. “Something smells good,” he noted as he looked around.
“Where’s ET?” he asked and your smile fell. “Will you stop that?” you asked exasperatedly, moving around him and walking back to the kitchen with your best friend in tow. “It’s a joke, Y/N,” Jake said. “Lighten up a little.” You shot him a glare as you resumed stirring your sauce.
“What are you making?” he asked, looking at the stove.
“Tuscan chicken,” you answered as you added some pepper to the sauce. “He’s still eating half your kitchen?” Jake asked, noticing the grocery bags behind you. Nodding you looked up as footsteps announced the arrival of Minho who had showered and changed.
Jake and Minho locked eyes and Jake visibly stiffened as Minho’s expression went blank before walking over and taking a seat at the kitchen island. Jake moved around to stand next to you. “Well, it smells good anyway,” he said, leaning in to whisper in your ear before turning to open the fridge.
“What are you looking for?” you asked, glancing over your shoulder. “Where does your dad keep his beer?” your best friend asked. “In the fridge in the garage but if you drink it, you’re replacing it. I’ve already replaced a bunch of groceries.” Jake saluted as he shrugged off his jacket, slinging it on the back of one of the dining chairs as he made his way to the garage.
“Aye, aye captain!”
You rolled your eyes and turned back to find Minho already watching you.
“Why do you let him talk to you like that?” Minho asked softly. You froze and looked back up at him.
“L-like what?” you asked. “Like he owns you,” Minho continued. You shook your head. “It’s not like that,” you replied. “Jake is just… casual,” you said, trying to find the right word to describe your best friend. Minho narrowed his eyes as Jake returned but said nothing else.
Dinner was an awkward affair with you sitting at the end of the table with Minho to your left and Jake to your right across from him. The food was good, probably some of your best but you couldn’t seem to enjoy it with the way Minho and Jake were shooting daggers at one another from across the table.
After dinner, Jake moved to the living room to turn on the TV while Minho managed to beat you to the sink, despite your protests. “In my culture,” he said softly as he pulled on the dish gloves. “The cook never cleans,” he continued, giving you a wink.
You brought the dishes to the sink and watched in awe as he cleaned and rinsed them much quicker than you or your sister ever could have. You helped by setting the dishes to dry and soon, the sink was empty and Minho was rinsing the sides and pulling the gloves off.
“You’re so… human,” you said softly as you leaned against the counter. He smiled at your words and looked up, his rainbow eyes meeting yours. “We aren’t that different,” he said, his smile faltering as he looked past you to the living room. You glanced behind where Jake was looking back.
“Y/N, could you get me another beer?” You rolled your eyes. “Get it yourself,” you retorted with a smirk. “You got two legs.” There was a silence before you heard Jake get up, presumably to get another drink. “What did you say to me?” he asked, his tone low. You turned to look at him.
He looked angry. You were taken aback. It wasn’t unusual for the two of you to bicker like this before. “I told you to get it yourself,” you repeated. Jake stormed around the couch, making a beeline for you. The next series of events happened so fast you almost didn’t catch it.
As your best friend stormed towards you, Minho instinctively put his arm in front of you, pushing you behind him and putting himself between you and Jake, making your best friend freeze in his tracks. It took you a moment to realize that a deep rumbling growl was coming from Minho, the vibration coursing through his body.
You peered around Minho to see Jake’s look of shock and almost fear. You quickly moved past Minho, coming between the two. “Stop it,” you said loudly, looking from Jake to Minho. It was then you finally saw the look on the alien’s face. He was furious. His eyes had gone a distinct shade of red, brow furrowed and nostrils flared. If you’d been on the receiving end of that, you’d be terrified.
You turned back to Jake. “You should probably go,” you said softly. Your best friend finally withdrew his attention from Minho and looked at you incredulously. “You’re kicking me out?! What about psycho bastard over here?” he yelled, pointing at Minho who let out another growl.
You held a hand up towards Minho. “Stop,” you commanded calmly and to your surprise, he listened, backing down but keeping his eyes on Jake. You turned to your best friend. “He has nowhere else to go,” you reminded him. “He’s working on his ship and once it’s fixed, he’ll leave. Just be patient,” you told him. “And go home.”
Jake cursed under his breath, moving to grab his jacket from the back of the couch and headed for the door with you behind him. You threw a look back at Minho, who was still watching Jake intently. Jake stepped out onto the porch and pulled his jacket on. “It needs to leave,” he said suddenly. 
“I don’t like the idea of you alone in this house with it,” he added. You waved his concern away. “He is just fine. And he will leave when he finishes fixing his ship. Goodnight, Jake.” You shut the door and locked it, leaving your best friend on the porch.
He was starting to get on your nerves with his jealousy and disrespect. He wasn’t normally like this and you couldn’t understand why he was suddenly acting so rude to a stranger. He’d never done that before. You chalked it up to Minho being from a different world. Jake was just being protective. That had to be it.
The moment the door shut, Minho was by your side, looking over you and taking your face in his hands. “Are you alright?” he asked softly. His eyes were back to the rainbow you’d grown accustomed to. You nodded silently. “I’m fine,” you replied with a weak smile.
“I’m sorry for the way I behaved,” he added. “I just went into protective mode,” he continued. “I know that alcohol impairs one’s judgment.” You smiled up at him. “Thank you for wanting to protect me. Jake wouldn’t hurt me,” you continued. “He’s just mad about something. He’ll cool off.”
“Y/N?” Minho said softly, drawing your attention. “Hmm?” you asked. “Are you sure you’re okay?”
His expression was full of curiosity. Those same rainbow eyes looking back at you. “Can I ask you something?” you asked, looking down and taking his hand as nonchalantly as you could. Minho glanced down at your hands and back up, nodding.
“Why did your eyes change color?”
Minho let out a low chuckle, shaking his head slightly before answering. “It’s linked to my emotions,” he explained. “Your emotions?” you asked, tilting your head. He nodded before explaining.
“My eyes change color when I experience strong emotions. Rage, grief, shame, fear…” he stated. “My eyes will change depending on the emotion I experience. Red, gold, green, gray, purple, pink,” he continued, listing off various colors. “So what color is red?” you asked curiously. “Rage,” Minho answered softly. “And Gold?” Minho smiled at you. “Joy,” he replied.
“What about gray?” Minho’s smile faltered a little. “Gray is for grief,” he continued to answer.
“And what about pink?” He chuckled, lifting your hand to his face, placing a soft kiss to the back of it, making your heart flutter before he looked up. “Shame. Mostly embarrassment,” he answered. You nodded, looking back at your hands before meeting his gaze.
“What’s the color for fear?”
Minho hesitated to answer and you thought for a moment you’d messed up but he finally answered. “White,” he replied. You nodded, thinking back to the colors he’d listed off. “And what about purple?” you asked, wondering what emotion that could mean.
Minho’s smile dropped, replaced with a slight smirk as he stared back at you. You watched as his eyes briefly flashed a bright purple color before they went to pink and back to rainbow. “What’s that?” you asked, looking between his eyes. He shook his head “It’s nothing,” he murmured. Your cheeks burned as he dropped your hand, moving his hand to your waist and pulled you closer.
The heat radiating from his body was enough to drive you mad and you watched as his eyes flickered between rainbow and purple as his eyes searched your face, the hand on your waist, sliding to your hip and stopping. “Minho?” you whispered. He smiled, tilting his head. “Yes, Y/N?” he asked.
Your words failed as Minho held your gaze, his free hand coming up to your face, thumb brushing over the curve of your cheek before the same thumb moved down to brush over your bottom lip. His eyes dipped down to look at your lips before he leaned in, pressing his lips against yours.
At first, you leaned into the kiss, your heart hammering in your chest before you pulled back, stopping him as he tried to follow. “I’m…” you trailed off, not meeting his gaze. “I’m sorry,” you said softly. “I shouldn’t… we shouldn’t.”
You backed away from him. “I’m…” you trailed off. “I’m going to bed,” you said before turning and hurrying up the steps, leaving Minho to stare after you, confusion on his face.
Minho stared at the spot you disappeared, dumbfounded. Had he done something wrong? He knew that when you kiss someone it usually makes them feel better. So why didn’t it work? Why hadn’t his kiss cheered you up?
These thoughts swirled around in his head as he tried to wrap his brain around what he could have possibly said or done wrong. All he wanted was for you to feel better.
Although he wasn’t used to Earth’s customs, Minho was well aware of emotions and what they were. His people were descended from ancient humans. He understood what emotions were. Did you perhaps think he was incapable of feeling? That because he wasn’t from your world, he didn’t understand?
He slowly followed up the steps, stopping at the top of the staircase and looked down the hall where your door was shut. He had half a mind to walk to your door but decided against it. He didn’t want to upset you further. Instead he made his way to the guest room.
You must have wanted space so he was happy to give it.
Only a couple moments later when there was a soft knock on his door, Minho was confused as he answered it. You stood on the other side, having already changed into your pajamas, a plain shirt and shorts. You looked at him, eyes searching his.
“I wanted to apologize again,” you said as he leaned against the door frame. “I’m probably really confusing,” you said softly, chuckling at yourself. Minho said nothing, letting you speak uninterrupted. “We can just forget anything happened,” you said softly. “If you’d prefer.”
Minho narrowed his eyes, unable to stop the purple from surfaces as he tried to ignore your exposed thighs and the way your shirt left nothing to the imagination. He could feel something stirring inside him and if he wasn’t careful, he’d be unable to control it.
“I don’t,” he said suddenly, surprising you. “I don’t want to forget it,” he clarified.
“I wasn’t confused when I kissed you, Y/N,” he continued. “What—?” you started to ask, only for him to press a finger to your lips.
“I know you think because I’m not human that I don’t understand your feelings,” he started. “But I assure you, I understand them perfectly.” He removed his finger from your lips, placing his hand by your head on the door frame. “I’m not from Earth,” he continued. “And while I may not understand the culture of her inhabitants, Ninsans aren’t much different from Terrans.”
“You told me the other day you were sad that I’m leaving,” he said, tilting his head. You nodded, remembering the conversation you’d had a day or so ago. 
You’d grown so used to his presence that the thought of him leaving really upset you. Especially after the conversation you had today about his life and where he came from.
“We experience sadness, too. I’m sad that I have to leave as well,” he added. “I would be happy if I stayed here, with you.”
Your heart skipped a beat at his admission.
“I may not be human,” he continued, his hand moving to your cheek as he stared into your eyes.
“But I’m a man all the same. And while we come from different worlds and have different biology, we are inherently descended from the same species.”
You said nothing, merely staring back at him as he spoke.
“I understand more than you think. Like, love, desire, lust,” he continued to speak, his voice still soft. Your cheeks burned at the utterance of the last word. “They’re emotions I’ve felt before,” he added. “We aren’t that different, Y/N,” he whispered, leaning closer so your lips were inches apart.
“These emotions aren’t unique to humans. Ninsans feel them, too. I feel them, too.”
He moved ever so slightly closer. “In fact,” he whispered, his breath hot against your lips.
“I feel them… right now.”
Any response you had was taken away the moment his lips met yours again.
This time, you didn’t push him away, instead, your arms wrapped around his neck, pulling him against you, your chest pressing against his. His arms went around your waist, backing into the room. Your kiss turned rushed, a mess of tongue as Minho backed you up to the bed, watching as you dropped onto the mattress and backed up, allowing him space to climb on after, hovering over you.
You looked up at him, his eyes were full of want, the pupils blown wide and his irises a ring of purple again. “Do you want this?” he asked softly, searching your face.
You nodded silently, drawing your bottom lip between your teeth. He moved one hand, cupping your cheek gently. “I need you to say it out loud,” he said softly. “Do you want this?”
You nodded again, this time speaking. “Yes.”
Minho’s eyes widened slightly. “I want you,” you whispered.
In one swift movement, Minho had you flat on your back, hands pinned against the bed as he hovered over you, hips between your parted thighs. “Say it again,” he breathed, his nose bumping yours gently. “Say you want me.”
You let out a gasp as you felt something brush against your inner thigh. “What is—?”
Minho leaned down, taking your lips in a messy kiss, tongue moving against yours languidly. He pulled back, only slightly, to speak again. “I told you before we aren’t that different,” he said softly.
“But in this,” he continued, the thing you felt before brushing against your thigh. “We most certainly are.
You let out a yelp as the appendage you felt earlier slipped under your shorts, pushing against your core.
“It’s okay,” Minho said softly, taking your face in his hands, forcing you to look at him. “Do you trust me?” he asked, searching your eyes. You nodded slowly. “Yes,” you managed to breathe out. “I trust you.” Minho pressed his lips to yours once more as the fleshy appendage under your shorts pulled, starting to slide your shorts down.
Minho pulled back for only a moment to take the shorts in his hands and toss them aside before leaning back in to kiss you.
Your body shuddered as you felt the same appendage press against your panties, slowly rubbing.
Minho’s lips left yours, kissing down the side of your neck, nipping occasionally. “What is that?” you whispered, holding back a moan as Minho suckled on the skin at the base of your neck. “Promise me you won’t scream?” he asked, looking up as his hands moved under your shirt, pushing the material up towards your chest.
You nodded, glancing down at him. He sat up straight and you could see his pants were undone and two long pale pink colored tentacles had emerged. You stared in awe at them as they wriggled, one resting at your core, the other staying close to home.
You glanced up to meet Minho’s gaze. “Can I… touch them?”
He nodded, watching as you sat up, reaching out one of your hands and carefully touching the tentacle that was currently not pressed against your panties. Minho shuddered at the touch and you pulled back only for him to grab your wrist and guide your hand back.
“It’s okay,” he reiterated. “It doesn’t hurt.”
You cautiously stroked the tentacle, noticing how Minho’s body reacted when you did.
“Is this— are these,” you asked, nodding towards the tentacles. “Your… you know?”
Minho smirked, leaning in until he was inches from your face. “Are they my what?” he asked in a playfully dark tone. You swallowed thickly. “Are they your…” you glanced down at the tentacles and then back up to meet his gaze.
“Your cock?”
At the mention of the word cock, Minho let out a growl, his hand grabbing the back of your neck and pulling you into a heated kiss, a clash of teeth and tongue as both tentacles slipped under your panties and your ears were greeted by the sound of cloth ripping.
You whined as Minho pulled back. “That was my favorite pair!”
He chuckled against your cheek, peppering kisses down to your jaw. “I’m sorry, darling,” he cooed. You opened your mouth to retort but let out a shaky moan as you felt the tip of one of the tentacles rubbing against your slick entrance.
“Seems like you’re already properly lubricated,” he mused, watching your face as he teased your hole, prodding gently with the tip of the appendage. “You really want this?” he asked, tilting his head to the side. You nodded quickly. “Yes,” you gasped. “Please.”
Not needing to be told twice, you moaned as the tentacle pushed into you, your warm walls welcoming it with a firm squeeze. Minho let out a choked moan, pushing the tentacle further into you. “Oh fuck,” you heard him curse.
Hearing the word come from him made you laugh weakly. “What’s so funny?” he asked, the tentacle stilling inside you. “I’ve always wanted to ask,” you started, glancing up at him. “Where did you learn English?” you asked him. Minho smiled, chuckling at the question.
“I learned it from watching Friends,” he admitted. You stared at him incredulously. “Wait, seriously?” He nodded with a smirk. “You’d be surprised at the kind of reception we get out on Ninsa,” he said with a wink. Before you could respond, the tentacle started moving again, gliding against your walls with little restriction.
“F-fuck,” you groaned, back arching off the bed as he set a steady pace. “You like how that feels?” he asked softly, watching your expression. “Yes,” you whined. Minho chuckled, guiding the second tentacle to join the first. He misjudged his aim and found himself pressing against something else entirely.
You gasped, eyes snapping open. “W-wait a second!” you stammered. Minho stopped, watching as you propped yourself up on your elbows. “Can you pull it out for a second?” you asked softly. Minho nodded, withdrawing the tentacle and watching as you carefully sat up.
“If you want to put it in there, it’s better if I’m positioned like this,” you said, turning away from him to lean over, presenting your back end to him. Minho was getting a full view of your glistening sex and the smell nearly sent him into a frenzy.
Instead, he managed to keep his composure and got to his knees, quickly removing his shirt and tossing it aside. The first tentacle resumed, pushing into your cunt, making you groan, your head falling into your pillows. He took your hips gently in his hands, staring at the smaller hole. He knew what this was. He had one too. It was where excrement came out.
He also knew that some people, even his own species, enjoyed having this hole stimulated during intercourse. With that knowledge in hand, he guided the tip of the other tentacle to this hole, slowly rubbing the tip against it and smearing the natural lubricant that his tentacles produced against your skin and the appendage.
You lifted your head quickly. “Just… go slow, please,” you said softly. Minho leaned over, pressing a kiss to your shoulder as he pushed the tip into your hole. Your body tensed up slightly at the intrusion but a few gentle kisses and soothing words had you relaxing under Minho, allowing the tentacle to push further into your anus.
“F-fuck,” you groaned. “Feels so f-full.”
Minho felt a chill run up his spine as he started to move both tentacles moving in tandem. Your head fell into the pillows as you let out another long, low moan. Minho chuckled lightly. “What?” he asked, taking your hips in his hands. “Does that feel good?”
You nodded fervently, your moans increasing in volume with each thrust.
“Don’t stop,” you whined. “M’gonna cum.”
Despite your plea for him to keep going, Minho stopped, pulling both tentacles back until they withdrew into his pants. “What the hell, Minho?” you snapped, turning back to look at him. He simply smiled, pushing his pants down and discarding them.
Your eyes followed down his body until you caught sight of what he’d been hiding the whole time.
“Oh holy shit,” you gasped.
By his species’ standards, Minho was average at best. He’d never been commended for the size of his cock but he’d been complimented on how well he used it. He was aware, however, that the average size for a human was not the same as the average size for a Ninsan.
From your perspective, this alien was about to shove his whole nine inch long alien cock inside you. “Th-that’s not gonna fit,” you whimpered. Minho leaned over your back, pressing a tender kiss to your shoulder. “Just lie back for me,” he murmured, leaning back up as you turned back to face him, lying back against the pillows.
Minho hooked his arms under your knees and pulled you closer. “It’s really not gonna fit,” you protested. Minho took his cock in his hand and slapped it against your clit, making you jump and cry out. “Don’t argue with me,” he said sternly.
You fell silent as he looked down at you. His hand moved to your sex, fingers gathering your arousal before he pushed two fingers into your cunt. You let out a whine as he curled them, watching the way your face contorted. “That’s it,” he murmured as he continued to alternate between curling and pumping his fingers. “That’s it, baby,” he grunted, his fingers moving faster.
“Minho,” you whimpered, moving your hand to the back of his neck and pulling him down into a kiss. With your attention temporarily redirected, Minho pulled his fingers from your heat, taking his length in his hand and guiding the tip to your entrance and pushing into you.
You moaned into his mouth, a dull sting making you tense up.
“Shhh,” he murmured against your lips, one hand moving up to cup your cheek, using his thumb to brush away one of the tears that had formed. “It’s okay,” he added softly. “S’too big,” you whimpered. Minho took your lips in a tender kiss. “I know,” he murmured against your lips. “But you can take it, can’t you? Are you going to be good for me?”
A shudder ran up your spine before you nodded. “Y-yes,” you whined. You let out another moan as Minho pushed further into your walls, groaning as the warmth enveloped him. He’d never experienced such a tight fit before and it was making his head throb as his heart hammered in his chest.
“Fuck,” he growled, pushing further into you, holding you against the mattress as his cock stretched you open. “Shit,” he hissed. “That’s it,” he repeated. “Almost there.”
You let out a mix between a sob and a whimper. Minho leaned in, pressing soft kisses to your cheeks and nose. “So close,” he muttered. “Almost there, baby.”
The pet name had your stomach doing flips and your heart fluttering. Finally, Minho seemed to stop moving and you let out a shaky breath. “Is it… are you…?” your words failed as your cheeks burned hot. “Yes,” Minho said softly, stroking your cheek tenderly. “It’s all the way in.”
As if to punctuate his sentence, Minho pulled out and gave you a tentative thrust, head falling into the crook of your neck with a low groan as you let out a high pitched moan, back arching off the bed. “It’s taking every ounce of strength I have not to start pounding into you,” he said, his voice strained in your ear. You moaned again, walls clenching around his cock.
“Oh fuck. Keep doing that and I’ll lose my mind,” he growled.
You focused on relaxing, allowing the stinging stretch to dissipate. Minho coaxed you through it, leaving soft kisses on your face and against your lips, your neck, your collar as he whispered words of encouragement. 
“You’re doing so well,” he said, his voice barely above a whisper. You let out a gasp as he gave another testing thrust. “Does that hurt?” he asked softly. You shook your head, drawing your bottom lip between your teeth as he gave another. “N-no,” you stammered, shaking your head.
“Does it feel good?” he asked, his voice still low. You nodded quickly. Minho took that as a sign to keep going, setting a steady pace, growling as your walls gripped him so tightly, as if you didn’t want him to leave. “How are you so tight? It’s so warm,” he muttered, eyes fluttering shut as he tried to focus on the feeling of your warm walls completely surrounding his thick, heavy cock.
He moved his hips harder, hitting your ass with each snap. “S-shit!”
“D-don’t stop,” you moaned, fingers curling into the sheets as Minho’s face buried into your neck. “F-fuck,” he stammered. “You’re doing so well,” he grunted, his voice muffled against your skin. “Doing so well, baby. Taking me so deep.” 
You whimpered, the sound of skin hitting skin filling the room with each frantic thrust. You could feel the tip of his cock so deep. Further than you’d ever felt before.
“M’close,” you gasped, one of your hands moving up to his hair, fingers tangling in his hair. “Yeah? You gonna be a good girl and cum for me?” he whispered in your ear, his breath hot against your skin. “Yes,” you moaned, ignoring the way the bed creaked under your bodies.
“Then do it,” Minho groaned as your walls clenched around him. “Cum for me.”
Your moans reached a high pitch, each thrust pushing you closer and closer until you finally came with a cry, tumbling over the edge. Your grip on the sheets and Minho’s hair tightened, your toes curling in tandem with your fingers as you rode out your high. 
Minho lifted his head, one hand moving to grab yours and untangle your fingers from his hair and lacing his fingers with yours as he pinned your hand against the pillow. “Look at me,” he ordered. Your eyes fluttered open, looking into his bright purple irises. ‘Sexual arousal,’ your brain finally said in your post nut clarity. ‘That’s what purple means.’
Minho’s hips stuttered as a low moan spilled from his lips as he finally came, releasing into you with three more thrusts until he stilled, burying his cock as far into you as he could. Your chest rose and fell with each breath as you stared up at him. He held your gaze until his eyes finally slid shut and he collapsed on top of you, burying his face in the crook of your neck.
You listened to your own pounding heart as it started to slow, your breathing starting to return to normal as Minho also tried to regain his ability to breathe. “Are you okay?” you finally heard him ask, lips brushing against your skin.
Licking your lips, you spoke, internally cringing at the hoarse sound of your own voice.
“Yeah,” you replied. “I’m okay,” you answered. Minho let out a huff against your skin, the short blast of air against your sweat covered skin sending a slight chill down your spine. “Are you okay?” you asked, noticing he had yet to move. He nodded, burying his face further into your skin.
“Mhm,” he hummed. “It’s a normal custom to stay like this for a while after intercourse,” he added. Your cheeks burned slightly but you welcomed his hold as he kept a firm hold on your hand, his other arm managing to snake between your back and the sheets.
It was much different than the aftercare you’d experienced. “Post sex cuddles,” you murmured, making Minho raise his head slightly. “What?” he asked softly. “Post sex cuddles,” you repeated. “That’s what I’ve heard them called before,” you added. Minho hummed softly before hiding his face in your neck again.
You stayed like that for much longer than you cared to count but as you were starting to fall asleep, Minho started to shuffle, pushing himself up to look down at you. His eyes had shifted from the purple to rainbow again. Upon seeing your face, specifically your eyes, looking back up at him, his irises flashed pinked before a smile spread across your face.
The moment your lips curled into a grin, the pink was replaced with a beautiful golden honey color. You reached up your free hand to cup his cheek. “Joy,” you said softly as he leaned into your touch, his eyes fluttering shut. When they opened again, they were still gold. “You must be really happy,” you commented. Minho leaned down, taking your lips in a tender kiss. “I am,” he murmured.
“I’m very happy. You make me very happy.”
You couldn’t help the smile that spread across your face this time as you freed the hand he held and wrapped both arms around his neck to pull him down into a hug. “You make me happy, too,” you whispered. You felt a vibrating rumble from Minho’s chest. “Are you purring?” you asked softly.
He nodded, pressing a kiss to your cheek. “I am,” he whispered. You tightened your hold on him.
“You’re so cute.” 
Minho whined, hiding his face in your shoulder. “I’m not cute,” he pouted. You pushed him back, taking his face in your hands. His eyes had turned pink again. “You’re very cute,” you cooed, pressing a kiss to his nose. “But you’re also handsome,” you added, kissing his cheek. “And very, very sexy,” you concluded, punctuating your statement with a kiss.
Minho melted into the kiss, pressing his lips against yours with the same affection. “We should get cleaned up,” he murmured. “You’re full of cum,” he added. Your eyes snapped open. “Oh shit, you’re right,” you said as he sat up, his cock having already softened and slipped out of you.
He glanced down between your thighs and tsked, shaking his head slightly. “I’m gonna need clean sheets, too,” he murmured before getting up and walking over to the bathroom. “Stay right there,” he called as he disappeared. You propped yourself up and peered down, eyes widening at the sight of a deep eggplant purple colored liquid.
Minho returned with a towel and started to wipe your skin. “Is your cum purple?” you asked, sounding amazed. Minho looked up at you, perplexed by your question. “Yes?” he asked, not understanding why you sounded so shocked. “Is yours not?” he asked. You shook your head.
“Human cum is whitish,” you answered. It was his turned to looked shocked and confused. “White?” he asked incredulously. You nodded quickly as he finished wiping your skin and held out his hand. “Weird,” he murmured as he helped you up, guiding you to the bathroom, making sure you made it on shaky legs.
“I’ll join you in a second,” he murmured, leaning forward to press a chaste kiss to your cheek. “I’m gonna pull the sheets before they stain.” You nodded, starting the shower and getting in as he disappeared. He was only gone for a few moments before returning. You stepped aside as he stepped into the shower behind you. “The sheets are already compromised,” he said, pressing a kiss to your shoulder before you turned to face him, your hands moving up his chest to his shoulders.
He leaned in, kissing you gently. “But the mattress is fine,” he added. You said nothing as he continued to kiss you under the stream of hot water. “I’ll come up with an excuse for the sheets,” you murmured when he finally pulled back. “I’m sure my mom won’t care that much,” you added.
“Just forward me the bill,” he joked, hands moving to your waist and pulling you closer, smiling as he kissed you. You moaned as his hands wandered. “Again?” you asked as his lips moved down the side of your neck and he backed you against the shower wall. “My energy replenishes fast,” he murmured, nipping and sucking the skin at the base of your neck.
“You don’t have to do anything,” he added. “Just turn around,” he added, using his hands to guide you to face the shower wall. “You’re insatiable,” you chuckled as you felt his already hard cock press against your back. “I know,” he retorted, taking himself in his hand and guiding the tip to your entrance again.
“I promise this is the last time,” he sighed as he started to sink into your heat, making your groan against the tile.
“For tonight anyway.”
Another day passed by with Minho working on his ship. He’d managed to put the console back together, even enlisting your help inside. You mostly helped hold things in place or hold tools while he talked about his life growing up on Ninsa. You listened with extreme fascination to his stories.
His life wasn’t much different than yours; only he grew up in a massive city but he still went to school, attended university, and went out with friends. He took vacations with his family, visited them for holidays, and even dated. It was almost as if he was human but you still noticed subtle differences that reminded you that he was an alien.
You pushed aside the door, walking into the barn with Jake on your heels as Minho worked under the ship. “Wow,” you heard Jake breathe as you walked over to the work table, setting down Minho’s lunch and some water. Today you’d made him some soup as it was a much colder day than before.
Minho shut the panel under the ship and wiped his hands on the rag he had tucked in his pocket and walked over, smiling at you as he hopped up onto the work table and picked up the bowl. “Smells delicious,” he said before digging in. You leaned against the table, watching as your best friend started to walk around the ship. “It looks like it’s done,” Jake noted, a hopeful tone in his voice.
Minho shook his head, swallowing the bite of food. “I’ve run all the diagnostics,” he started to explain, more to you than to Jake. “Everything is almost done but I’m missing a part,” he explained. Your eyes widened. “Oh no,” you said softly. “Is that… bad?” you asked. He nodded, swallowing another bite of soup. “It’s a crucial part,” he explained. “It allows fuel to reach the thrusters. Without it, I can’t even fire up the thrusters,” he explained.
“What, like a fuel injector?” Jake asked with a scoff. Minho nodded, looking at him. “Actually, yes,” he answered. Jake turned to look at Minho. “Wait, you’re serious?” Minho nodded again.
“Yes. That’s all I need. The valve spring in one of mine broke and the spray tip was crushed. I need a new injector.”
Jake looked from the ship to Minho. “Would a car fuel injector work?” he asked. Minho shrugged. “It might,” he answered. “What does yours look like?” Jake asked, tucking his hands in his jeans pockets. Minho set his bowl aside and got up, walking over to the ship and climbed inside.
A few moments later, he reappeared, dropping down to the ground and walked over to Jake, handing him the part. Jake inspected it closely before handing it back. “Looks like a JTS Jet Thrust Stoichiometric injector,” Jake said and you were thankful your friend was into cars.
Minho nodded and looked up. “Where can I find one?” he asked and Jake shrugged his shoulders. “I’m not sure. The cars these were made for don’t exist anymore.” You slumped in your spot. “So the auto shop won’t have any?” you asked, drawing both their attention. Jake shook his head. “No,” he answered. “Definitely not. These were manufactured for the Alfa Romeo JTS engines from the early 2000’s. Those car’s aren’t in production anymore.”
Minho looked down at the part and sighed. Jake’s eyes lit up. “But the junkyard might have one,” he said suddenly. You and Minho both looked up as Jake pointed at you. “Remember last month when I got all excited about the Spider that was brought into the junkyard but Jim said it wasn’t for sale!” You nodded, vaguely remembering the conversation.
“That car will have these. It should have four of them!”
Your face split into a smile as you looked at Minho. “Up for a visit to a junkyard?” you asked.
Minho’s lips curled into a grin. “Oh absolutely,” he replied.
Knowing the owner of the scrap yard wasn’t going to just hand over the part, Jake decided the best option would be to sneak into the junkyard at night and take the necessary part. You had asked if that was going to get you in trouble since you were breaking in and stealing but Jake merely smirked as he shrugged. ‘Only if you get caught,’ he’d said.
So later that night, dressed in all black, the three of you got into Jake’s jeep and drove out to the edge of Derrey where the junkyard stood.
Minho had brought a couple tools to remove the part from the car and Jake came with the wire cutters. You felt uneasy about this but once you were at the fence, there was no going back. Jake led the way around the outside perimeter of the fence to the spot he knew would be closest to the car.
Jake cut the fence and pulled it back, allowing Minho in first, with you following and finally, he slipped into the gap and started to lead the way, your path taking you behind large piles of old rusted cars and tons of scraps, old tires and more.
It only took a few minutes to reach the car. It was a pretty candy apple red but had definitely seen better days. The pain was chipped in parts and the exposed metal was rusted. The leather seats were torn with the stuffing falling out into the seats.
“What happened to this thing?” you whispered as Jake and Minho moved towards the hood. Jake managed to find the latch and open the hood, pushing it up and lifting the holder. You looked around nervously and turned to watch as Jake produced a small flashlight and pointed it to the engine. “Okay,” he said, taking one of the tools from Minho. “Right here. Undo this part.”
You kept glancing around, feeling as if you were being watched but saw nothing while Jake and Minho worked to unhook the fuel injector system. Once it was undone and the cover removed, Jake looked down at the four injectors and smiled, looking up at Minho who smiled back. Jake handed the injectors to Minho and started to lower the hood. “Alright,” he whispered, carefully shutting it.
“Time to go.”
You had only taken a few steps when a flood light turned on, illuminating the yard. “Shit,” Jake hissed. “It’s Jim! Go, go!” he motioned for you to move. Minho moved around the car, taking your hand instinctively and pulling you along as he followed Jake’s movements. The three of you ducked behind an old rusted Chevy, listening as footsteps walked past your hiding place.
“Come on!” Jake mouthed and waved you to follow. You snuck out from behind the truck and started heading for the fence when another flood light turned on illuminating the area you were in. “Fuck, go!” Jake yelled, taking off. Minho tightened his hold on your hand and pulled you along, running quickly as he tried to follow Jake’s path. Jake managed to reach the fence and jumped, climbing over it and landing not so gracefully on the other side.
Minho turned to look at you. “I can’t climb that!” you said, panic in your voice.
A loud yell in the distance followed by barking upped your panic and Minho cursed softly, grabbing your hand and pulling you along. “Here!” Jake called, running outside the fence and leading you both to the break in the fence. You reached it but before Minho could pull it open, the dogs, two doberman pinschers, had caught up and one of them made a lunge for you.
Minho blocked the dog with his body, letting out a growl of pain as the dog’s teeth dug into his leg just above his knee. Jake managed to pry open the fence and Minho shoved you through the gap as he managed to shake the dog off and kick it away. Before either dog could take another lunge, Minho fell through the gap and Jake let the fence snap shut.
You grabbed his arm and helped him up, the three of you running from the fence as the dogs barked ferociously but trapped inside the fencing. You helped Minho hobble back to the Jeep and helped him into the passenger seat as Jake started the engine and you hopped into the back.
Jake stepped on the gas, driving back towards town, cutting through to head back to your farm. He let out a laugh, mostly out of disbelief that you managed to get away. “Holy shit,” he yelled over the sound of the wind whipping. “Talk about a rush!”
You leaned over the center console to look at Minho. “Are you okay?” you asked and he nodded weakly. “I’m fine,” he said through gritted teeth. You could tell by his face, he was certainly not okay and you would look at his leg when you got back.
The drive to your house didn’t take long and Jake only pulled into drive when he was sure you weren’t being followed. Once he pulled up to the front porch, you hopped out as Minho opened the door. He tried to climb out but as soon as his foot hit the ground, he collapsed, screaming in pain.
You rushed to his side as he rolled over. Jake climbed out and walked over. “What happened?” Jake asked. “He got bit,” you said softly as you inspected his leg. “Help me get him inside.”
Jake knelt down, helping pick Minho up off the ground and slinging one arm over his shoulder as he helped walk Minho to the door. You unlocked it and held the door open as Jake guided Minho inside and to the living room. Minho grunted as Jake plopped him onto the couch.
“How did he get bit? What were you thinking?” Jake chastised Minho as you grabbed the first aid from the closet and returned to Minho’s side, flipping on the lights and starting to open the case.
“Stop yelling at him,” you said as you put the gloves on and grabbed a pair of scissors to cut open the jeans. “Those are my brother’s!” Jake yelled as you cut the pant leg of the jeans up to the knee. “I’ll replace them,” you said as you inspected the bite wound.
Jake ran his fingers through his hair as you worked to clean the wound and inspect the damage.
“What were you thinking, getting bit by one of those mutts?!”
Minho stared up at Jake, his eyes flashing between red and orange. ‘Orange? That’s new.’
“If I hadn’t taken the bite, it would be Y/N sitting on this couch instead of me,” Minho said angrily, his eyes finally settling on red. You sat up and turned to Jake. “Stop antagonizing him! I need him to be calm and still so I can clean this,” you snapped. “I don’t need you yelling at him and making things worse. If you can’t be helpful then you can just leave!”
You pointed towards the door. It was the second time you were kicking your best friend out but your priority right now was making sure Minho was okay. Jake scoffed and moved to the door. “Fine,” he snapped, ripping open the door and turning to look at you. “Tell me when the thing leaves. I’m not coming back until then.” He stepped out, slamming the door behind him.
You got up and followed, yanking the door open and stepping out onto the porch. “Don’t you dare slam my fucking doors, Jacob Willowby!” you shouted as you followed him off the porch. Jake rounded on you. “It’s like I’m not even your friend anymore!” he shouted. “Ever since that thing showed up, you’ve done nothing but give me the boot. You’re choosing some alien over me!”
“He’s not just some alien!” you yelled back, the corners of your eyes burning. “He’s my friend, too!”
Jake stared at you incredulously. “He’s an alien, Y/N!” he shouted. You raised your hands up, shrugging. “So? You’re an asshole and I’m still friends with you!” you retorted. “He’s. Not. HUMAN!!!” Jake shouted again. The commotion had caused Minho to get up and limp over to the door.
“That doesn’t make him any less of a person!” you shouted back at your best friend.
“What is your obsession with him?” Jake snapped. “It’s like you’re in love with him or something!”
You fell silent, staring at your best friend, watching his expression shift from anger to confusion as the realization hit him. “Oh my god,” he whispered. “You’re in love with him?” he asked, spitting out the word as if it was disgusting to him. “With him? You’re sick, Y/N,” Jake said, laughing incredulously.
“He’s an alien. He’s not human. It’s not like you could ever be together.”
Again you said nothing, images from the other night coming to your mind. Jake took your silence as some kind of omission and he choked back a laugh. “No fucking way,” he whispered. “Did…” his words failed him. “Did you have sex with him?”
You looked up, meeting your best friend’s gaze. You didn’t say anything but you didn’t need to. He could tell by the look on your face what the answer was. His eyes flickered behind you, anger taking over his features. “You son of a bitch!” he shouted, pushing past you and making a beeline for Minho who stood on the porch.
“Jake, stop!” you called as Jake stormed up the steps, towering over Minho, drawing back a fist. “Stop!” you screamed. Jake didn’t have a chance to land a blow on Minho before he was knocked backwards and tumbled down the steps. Minho took a step forward.
His eyes were blood red, a red aura emitting from him as he stalked forward, down the steps toward your best friend. “Stop please!” you cried out, moving forward. Jake tried to stop you but you dodged his attempt to grab you and moved to stand in front of Minho, reaching up to take his face in your hands.
“Minho,” you said softly. “Minho, baby please, look at me.”
Your voice seemed to snap him out of it and his eyes faded from the red to a white before settling back on their normal rainbow hue. You smiled, blinking back tears. “There you are,” you said softly. Minho’s arms went around you protectively.
Jake watched in a mixture of shock and horror that slowly gave way to anger as he got up. “Are you really picking him over me?” he yelled. You pulled back and turned to look at your best friend. “Jake,” you started but he interrupted you.
“No,” he snapped. “You need to think long and carefully about this Y/N,” Jake continued. “Are you really going to pick an alien over your best friend? Someone you’ve known since you were a child? Someone who’s been by your side this whole time, waiting for you to notice them?”
Your eyes widened as you realized the meaning behind Jake’s words.
“Are you seriously trying to confess right now?” you asked. Instead of sounding shocked or whatever Jake had been hoping for, you were livid. “You are so selfish!” you shouted, turning to face Jake who gaped at you like a fish. “Selfish? Me? I’m the selfish one? You were going to leave!”
You scoffed. “I was going to follow my dreams and get out of this place!” How dare he try to sell you as the selfish one when you’ve been living the life everyone has expected you to live and not the one you wanted to live. “I’m taking steps to live the life I want, not what’s forced on me. Everyone is trying to force me into a box and keep me from doing something great with my life. My parents, you, this whole fucking town!” you screamed, tears welling up in your eyes.
“I just want something bigger. Something better,” you added. You felt Minho’s hand take yours, comfortingly. “Why isn’t this place good enough for you?” Jake asked. “Why aren’t I good enough for you?” You shook your head. “It’s that thing’s fault.” Jake accused, pointing at Minho.
You shook your head. “No,” you answered.
“Even if Minho hadn’t shown up, we never would have worked. I don’t feel that way about you Jake. I never have.”
Your words must have been the final nail in the coffin for Jake. The hurt look on his face dissipated into a look of resolve. “Fine,” he spat. “Fuck you, Y/N,” he added, turning and heading for his Jeep. 
You pushed Minho back towards the steps, climbing them quickly as Jake put the car in reverse and backed up, tires digging into the ground. “You’re gonna regret ever coming here,” Jake shouted, pointing at Minho from the window of his car before throwing the car in drive and tearing out of the yard, his tires spitting up dirt as he floored it.
You turned to look at Minho who looked at you. “Your leg,” you suddenly said but Minho stopped you. “It doesn’t hurt anymore,” he murmured. You glanced down and back up. “Let me at least look at it, okay?”
Minho allowed you to guide him back into the house and sat at the kitchen island as you looked as his leg. The bleeding had stopped but you cleaned and bandaged it all the same. Minho headed upstairs to change his clothes before coming back down. “I’m gonna put that part in the ship,” he called and you nodded as you cleaned up the dishes.
He walked over, resting his chin on your shoulder, resting his hands on your hips. You smiled as he pressed a kiss to your shoulder before lifting his head and speaking into your ear. “Come with me,” he muttered. You smiled, letting out a chuckle as you sprayed down the sink and removed the gloves.
“Well, now that the dishes are done, I guess I could accompany you to the barn,” you replied, wrapping your arms around his neck and pulling him in for a kiss. Minho broke apart, pushing you back. “No,” he said softly. “Come with me.”
You stared into his eyes until it hit you just what he was suggesting.
“You mean, leave Earth?” you asked. He nodded. “Yes,” he said, one hand moving to cup your cheek. “Come with me, baby,” he murmured, leaning in to kiss your lips. You melted into his embrace before pulling back. “But what about school? My family?”
Minho caressed your cheek slowly. “If you don’t like it, I can always bring you back,” he offered, a smile spreading slowly across his face. “Though,” he added. “I don’t think you’ll want to come back. Traveling with me? Seeing the universe?” he asked. You worried your bottom lip between your teeth.
“See the universe?” you asked, a grin slowly spreading across your face. “And Ninsa?” Minho nodded, slowly swaying you on the spot. “It’s rash,” you said, shaking your head. “It’s irresponsible,” you continued as Minho leaned in to kiss you.
“I’m not hearing a no,” he whispered, lips inches from yours. You closed the distance, kissing him passionately. “Yes,” you finally said, pulling back to look up just in time to see the rainbow irises change to gold. “Yes?” he asked. You nodded, giggling when he pulled you into a tight hug, spinning you.
“I need to pack,” you said softly. “Just bring some basics,” he said as you let go and made for the stairs. Minho chuckled as he watched before heading out the door. 
He made his way to the barn, glancing up at the cloudless night sky. 
Minho climbed up into the ship, moving to sit in his chair and flipped two switches to turn Stan on. The main screen flickered on, the familiar star logo appearing in the middle of the screen before the computer started booting up.
After a couple moments, the screen turned green and a smiley face appeared in the center. “Hello, Minho,” Stan greeted him, a smile spreading across Minho’s face. “Haha!” he laughed triumphantly. "Stan!" Minho said excitedly. "Boy, am I glad to hear your voice," he continued. “Happy to be back, Minho,” the female AI voice said. 
“I need you to run full diagnostics of the ship as well as chart a course out of Sol III's atmosphere,” Minho instructed. “Certainly,” Stan replied. “Where would you like to go?”
Minho thought for a moment before an idea hit him. “Sol IV.”
You looked through your closet pulling out some basic clothing. Minho had said to grab the basics only so you couldn't pack everything. You pulled out some leggings, sweatshirts, tee-shirt, shorts, as well as underwear and socks.
You quickly rolled and packed everything before moving to grab some shoes and place them in your bag. You rushed into your bathroom, grabbing your toothbrush, toothpaste, and other toiletries, throwing them in the bag as well. You grabbed your phone before hesitating. Would it even work??
Deciding you could at least use it to look at pictures and take pictures, you threw it and your charger in your bag before finally zipping it shut and picking it up.
You rushed down the stairs, dropping the duffle bag by the front door before heading to the kitchen, grabbing a pen and the pad of paper that hung on the fridge by a magnet. 
You hastily scribbled a message to your parents, letting them know you were safe and that you were traveling with a friend. You placed the pad back on the fridge and ran to the front door, stopping to grab your bag and step out onto the porch. 
As you reached the top of the steps, you heard the sound of vehicles approaching and looked up to see a line of cars driving down the road. At the front was an all too familiar Jeep.
‘No,’ you thought, dropping the bag on your porch and bounding down the stairs, making for the barn. You pulled the door shut behind you and turned the light off as Minho was dropping out of the door. “Hey,” he called as you ran to him. 
“I’ve calibrated the navigational system and Stan has run full diagnostics on the ship. We are ready to go and you're not gonna believe where we're going first,” he said, grinning as you stopped, grabbing his arms. “You need to go,” you said breathlessly. 
Minho's smile faltered slightly. “Well, the ship's ready,” he replied. “We can go as soon as you're ready.” You shook your head. “I can’t go,” you started. The remnants of Minho’s smile vanished.
“What are you talking about? Did you change your mind? If so, baby-”
“Jake’s back and it looks like he's brought the whole town with him,” you interrupted, watching Minho's eyes turn white. “Then we need to go now,” Minho said, grabbing your hand and starting to lead you to the ship, looking back when you pulled from his grip. 
“I can’t go,” you repeated, feeling your heart starting to crack. Minho hurried back over to you, taking your face in his hands. “Yes you can,” he said softly. You shook your head. “I have to stall them,” you explained, fighting back tears.
Minho shook his head. “No,” he said firmly. You took his hand, pulling them from your face. “Minho,” you started calmly. He shook his head again, his eyes flashing gray before settling back into rainbow. “No,” he said again. “I’m not leaving without you!”
You moved your hands, wrapping your arms around his neck and pulling him into a hug. “It’s okay,” you whispered as his arms snaked around your waist, his face burying into your neck. 
“It’s going to be okay,” you said softly, running your fingers through his hair. “I’ll be okay.”
Minho's hold on you tightened. “I don’t want to say goodbye,” he murmured. You were the first to pull back, forcing Minho to meet your gaze. His eyes had changed to a deep sapphire blue. You reached up to cup his cheek. 
“What does this color mean?” you asked softly, noticing the way Minho tried to blink away his own tears. “It’s the color our eyes change to when our hearts break,” he said quietly. You tried to ignore the heavy feeling in your chest as you fought back tears. 
“I’m so sorry,” you whispered. Minho offered a weak smile, removing your hand from his cheek before leaning in, pressing his lips to yours. “Don’t apologize,” he whispered.
“I’d rather have met you and experienced all this than not have met you at all,” he said with a smile despite the tears in his eyes. You pulled him back into another kiss, pouring as much emotion into it as you could muster.
Neither of you wanted to be the one to pull away until you needed to breathe, Minho resting his forehead against yours as you both tried to catch your breaths. 
You needed him to know. Know that you’d never met someone like him. Know that your life had changed forever the night he came crashing into it, literally. Know that no matter what, you’d never forget him. You needed him to know how you felt.
“I love you,” you whispered, eyes shut tight.
Minho let out a soft chuckle. “You can’t say things like that and expect I’ll leave you behind,” he said, his voice cracking. You kissed him softly. “You have to,” you repeated. He nodded, pulling back to look at you, his eyes a bright pink, different from the pink you'd seen when he was embarrassed. 
“What's this one?” you asked, looking into his almost neon pink irises. He reached up, caressing your cheek before answering. 
“Love,” he said softly. “It’s love.”
The sound of engines outside the barn brought you back to reality. Minho looked towards the door before looking back down to meet your gaze. “I will come back for you,” he said, taking your face in his hands. “I promise.”
He gave you one final kiss before moving to the ship as you ran to the door. You looked back to find him looking back at you, the both of you holding each other's gaze until you finally looked away to open the barn door and step outside. 
In your yard were about ten cars, the occupants shutting off their engines and stepping out. Jake was leading the group as you walked to meet them. You stopped before Jake who stared you down. “Move, Y/N,” he said. You stood your ground. 
“He’s gone, Jake,” you said plainly. Your now ex best friend scoffed.
“Don’t think you can lie to me,  Y/N,” he started. “Just step aside and let us deal with it,” he continued. You shook your head. “No,” you snapped back. “You’re all trespassing,” you called out.
“Do you really want me to call the police and have you removed?” you continued. Jake scoffed, rolling his eyes. "Go ahead, call them," he laughed. “I’m sure they’d love to see what’s in that barn.”
You pulled your phone out and unlocked the screen. “There’s nothing in the barn,” you said as you pressed the 9 on your dial pad. You pressed the one and looked up to meet Jake’s gaze as the ground started to shake, a deep rumbling sending vibrations rolling through the grass. 
A bright light shone out from under the barn doors as Jake and the other townspeople looked on in shock. You pressed the one again and just as you did, several of the people in the crowd screamed as a loud crash sounded from behind you. 
Wood splintered as Minho’s ship tore through the roof of the barn, rising up above the structure, lights illuminating the crowd. You turned to look up at the ship as it hovered before it finally turned and shot off into the night, becoming a faint glow until it ultimately disappeared. 
That night, more than forty people called into the Derrey police station, claiming to have seen some kind of spacecraft crash through your family’s old barn. It was the talk of the town until some other scandal took its place and eventually people stopped talking about it.
You decided to finish the year at your town's local university before transferring to Columbia University, packing up and moving to the East Coast. You loved living in the big city, finding it a massive improvement over Derrey. 
You went back home during the holidays and while you saw Jake in town, your friendship with him ended completely the night he led an angry mob to your house against your alien boyfriend. 
The only thing you missed about home was the sky.
In New York, you were lucky if you saw any stars, especially on campus. Thankfully, you happened to find a nice place just a thirty minute drive from campus where you could go and see more stars than you'd see in the city. 
You’d just finished an exhausting week off work at the zoo and decided to treat yourself with some ice coffee and a drive out to your favorite stargazing location. 
Summer was coming to a close and fall was on the horizon, a chill in the air each night. You were sitting on the hood of your car, looking up at the starry sky, thinking about the last three years of your life. 
Three years since you said goodbye to Minho. 
As you were staring at the sky, you noticed what seemed to be a meteor and sat up, focusing in on it. It was flying across the sky but suddenly, it changed direction and seemed to be heading your way. 
A smile slowly spread across your lips as you slid off the hood of your car and watched as the object sailed overhead and headed for the valley behind the hill your car was parked on. 
You shook your head as you walked around to the driver’s side,  unlocking the door and getting in. You started the vehicle and backed up, turning around and following the dirt road down the hill carefully until you reached the base and started driving into the field. 
As you looked around a bright light suddenly illuminated the field and you slammed on the break, parking the car and looking through your windshield as the craft you spotted before started to descend. 
You turned off the engine and opened the door, ignoring the wind as the ship carefully set itself down and powered down. You shut the door and walked around to the front of your car, crossing your arms as you leaned against the hood. 
You watched as a door opened, light from inside the craft spilling onto the grass. A shadowy figure emerged, walking from the doorway and stopping on the grass, facing you. 
Neither one of you moved for a moment and it was silent. 
Finally you spoke up.
“Took you long enough!” you called. The figure started a brisk walk into the field as you stood up and started walking towards them. 
You weren’t sure who was first but you both broke into a run, colliding with each other, where you threw your arms around his neck as his arms went around your waist, face burying in your neck.
Finally they pulled back and you smiled, looking into those familiar rainbow eyes as they flashed gold. “In my defense,” Minho started. 
“You moved and didn't leave a forwarding address.”
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ⓘ Graphics made by me. Content and support banners made using a template by cafekitsune. I do not allow reposts, translations, or continuations of my works. All writing and graphics are ©️ kwanisms.
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lovelyiida · 1 year
Text
mha guys caught stalking your socials.
INCLUDES: KATSUKI BAKUGO, SHOTO TODOROKI, EJIRO KIRISHIMA
SUMMARY: while in class you notice a certain person looking through your socials, and I mean every social platform possible. looking at every post down your first, so you decide to confront them.
WARNINGS: implied gender neutral reader, vulgar language
MASTERLIST
REQUESTS OPEN!!
WORDS: 5.4K
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KATSUKI BAKUGO
•his face becomes so pale
• he’s so embarrassed that he becomes angry that you caught him in the act.
It was the middle of your recess before it was time to resume back to regular classes. You were trying to buy something from the vending machine downstairs but forgot your wallet at your desk.
In a hurry, you walk back to classroom 1-A to get your things. Walking in you noticed that Bakugo was the only one in the classroom.
A slight smirk plastered on his lips, watching him scroll relentlessly over and over. Sometimes he would stop and pause, clicking a couple of more times until he scrolled again.
You didn’t want to disturb him, he looked so content with life at the moment. You made sure you quietly got your wallet from your desk.
As you walked towards the back exit of the class, you near Bakugo. You wondered to yourself what’s got him smiling like this until you see it.
He was on Instagram, looking at photos of you.
And he was far down your page…at least a year's worth of posts.
You’d seen a selfie you took in front of a cat cafe with one of your guy friends you haven’t spoken to in a while due to him going to different schools.
“who the hell are you?” He quietly grumbled.
Tapping his phone, your tagged list popped up. Quickly slamming his thumb on his account, he starts to scroll fast through his posts as well.
Letting out a quick snort, bakugo smiles to himself. “Of course, he fuckin’ goes to school there…” he snorts. That was obviously a jab at him, he seemed to be jealous of him and he doesn’t even know the guy.
Before he could fixate on his “competition,” he saw a notification pop up. It was a rather late notification that you updated your story.
he has post notifications on for your account?
Quickly clicking your icon, bakugo paused before he loudly sucks his teeth together.
“What the hell?”
It was a photo of you and your desk neighbor Sero, posing goofily in class. Around 30 minutes before recess began, Sero with his hand on top of your head and a middle finger shown on the other.
He read the caption on your story: “FUCK PHYSICS -sero #eviltwin”
The story flashed quick before Bakugo took a screenshot of it. His breath started to quicken, you could tell he was pissed. Quickly opening his dms, he clicks on Sero’s account.
“What the fuck is evil twin?” He spits.
Sending the photo, bakugo begins to type:
‘WHAT THE FUCK IS WRONG WITH YOU’
‘DIDN’T I SAY NOT TO TOUCH THEM?’
‘I’m gonna beat your ass at lunch’
‘meet me at the bottom of the staircase at B hall NOW’
‘what the hell is even an evil twin? ARE YOU GUYS TOGETHER OR SOMETHING?’
‘oh I’m gonna light your ass up’
Bakugo’s thumbs move so fast, spamming Sero with such ease and vigor. You see that Sero leaves him on seen, and you’d honestly do the same.
Typing out a ‘HELLO?’, bakugo starts to grumble. You start to feel heat bounce off of him, standing back you decide to make an exit.
But before you could even move your feet, bakugo jumps up from his seat and whips around. His eyes stare at the ground dart up to your soft eyes.
Words caught in his throat, Bakugo’s eyes widen.
Bakugo, shoots back in shock. He couldn’t even process your presence before he stumbled back into his seat with a loud slam. Startling you, you try and reach out to help him but he held out his hand and pops a spark making you shriek.
“are you okay?” You asked.
“How long have you been fucking standing there?” He yelled. His cheeks dusted pink as he screamed in your face.
stammering, you start to rub your fists together. Your palms were sweaty as you grew nervous.
“a-about 5 minutes or so!” you yelled.
“are you fuckin’ serious?” He groans, his hands shooting to his eyes as he rubs them in embarrassment.
“I-I’m sorry, okay? I was just coming in here to get my wallet for the vending machine and I saw you on your phone and I was just gonna do a quick little peak and then you just so happen to be stalking my account and-“
“Like hell would I ever stalk you!” He exclaimed, just flat-out lying.
This takes you aback, “so are we gonna sit here and pretend that you didn’t just curse out Sero because you’re jealous of him touching me?” You laughed.
Bakugo grew quiet, crossing your arms you let out a smug smile.
“Y’know, instead of parading around orders and making threats to people about not touching me like I’m your property. Maybe you should try and—I don’t know, make a fucking move?” You say.
A long beat of silence goes by.
You eye Bakugo down, his lips quiver. His chest heaving, as his face was red from embarrassment. Only his blonde spikes of hair were covering up the evidence of that.
You frown at him, maybe you were too harsh.
“Bakugo-“
Shooting up from his seat, he raced towards the door. The bell rang, signaling that recess is finally over.
Your lips were slightly agape, as you were still trying to process what just happened. You couldn’t even revel in the moment before your classmates walked in.
One by one they all get seated, settling in as they place out their textbooks for the next subject to be taught.
You didn’t realize how long you were standing there until you looked around and saw that everyone was seated, except for bakugo and sero.
The bell rang, signaling that it was time to continue classes.
“Is there a problem, “L/n?” Your teacher Aizawa voices.
You open your mouth to speak, but the heavy stomps of shoes cut you off once more. Looking at the doorway, you see Sero. Breathing heavily like he just ran for his life, his necktie untucked and a scuff mark on his cheek.
“Sorry, I’m late sensei!” Breathing heavily, you saw him lock eyes with you for a brief moment before walking past you, almost ignoring your existence.
Frowning to yourself you speak, “no sir.”
Talking quick paces to your seat, you sit down, huffing your breath you face towards Sero.
“Are you okay?” You asked.
Sero ignored you for a moment, cursing under his breath he then turned to you. “All good! Just worry about yourself kay?” He says. A fake smile was plastered all over his face.
Your bottom lip pokes out, you knew he was lying.
Turning towards the board, you gather your things and set up for the lesson. Writing some things down on your paper, your phone buzzes.
Picking it up, you notice that someone requested to talk to you on Instagram. Opening it, you read the account name.
@katsuki_lordexplosionmurder
you hesitated for a moment before opening it up.
‘sorry for blowing up on you back there’
‘you don’t have to respond to this, you have every right not to’
‘I fucking like you okay? Like a lot
‘please forgive me…’
letting out a sigh you start to type back:
‘apologize to Sero first, then we can talk’
Bakugo quickly reads your message, a long minute passes by before he responds ‘k.’
still shitty as ever, even in an apology...
around a day or so passes by before the both of you ever talk again. You’d see each other in class or around school, but you wouldn’t give as much as a side glance. Even tho Bakugo would be eyeing you down to where it felt like you thought you were naked.
You talked to Sero about if Bakugo apologized to him, which he said that he did a day ago. So why hasn’t he come to you yet?
It was a new day, and the bell just rang for recess. You decided to stay in your seat for today, scrolling through the nothingness of social media. You paused for a moment, turning slightly, you look back to see that Bakugo wasn’t in his seat.
Turning back you let out a deep exhale. You scrolled some more, growing comfortable in the silent classroom.
Liking a random picture you start to think of Bakugo again. Opening your dms, you mindlessly tap Bakugo’s account.
You wanted to say something, you just didn’t know what to say. Your thumbs hover over the screen, you were too scared to type. You felt that if you typed one single character that the world would crumble and the sky would fall.
Huffing out a breath you turn your screen off, as it fades to black. You notice a pair of amber eyes staring into the screen.
Eyes widening, you lean closer.
“Bakugo?” You whispered.
“Doesn’t feel good being watched does it?” His voice booms through the room. You jump, startled by his deep voice.
You see Bakugo let out a quick chuckle before sitting down in Sero’s seat.
“Bakugo, don’t scare me like that!-“
“After what you did to me? You were beggin’ for it” he jumps in.
A moment of silence goes by…
“Listen-“
“I get it if you don’t want to talk to me again…” Bakugo admits.
“It’s just—I’ve never felt this way about someone, okay? I like you a lot, and I want you to be mines. These people out here aren’t right for you, I wanna the only guy! You’re right I am jealous, I mean- who wouldn’t be? look at you!” Bakugo stammers.
You looked into his eyes for a moment, letting out a smirk as you turn toward him.
“After classes” you grin.
“What?” His head slightly turned in confusion.
“After classes…I’ll give you chance for you to show me that you’re the right guy” you bit your bottom lip, nervous for his reply.
Bakugo is still for a moment before showing his signature devilish grin, “shit.”
“It’s a date?” You asked innocently, extending your hand out to shake you smile at him. He looks down at your hand, quickly taking your hand he softly shakes it.
“It’s a date”
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SHOTO TODOROKI
• surprisingly upfront with it
• what’s he got to hide?
At first, you caught him secretly going through your tik tok. Sitting behind him in class you would see your face on the screen as you lip-synced, danced, or talked.
Each video he would save and scroll past another one. Which made you grow uncomfortable.
Then he realized that he didn’t do it just to you but he did it with everyone else’s posts. This made you let down your guard a little.
I mean, who doesn’t stalk their friends from time to time? It’s good to see what your friends are doing within their “inner,” social media lives.
So you let it go.
You continued being friends with Todoroki, as he had no idea you knew he stalked him on social media. You went on and everything went normal.
Until one night you received a notification on Instagram.
‘@shoto has followed you!’
Looking at the notification, you thought nothing of it. Turning into your bed, you began to rest your eyes. Falling deeply into slumber, you were jolted away by the buzz of your photo.
A tired groan passes your lips, turning over you soak your hand down onto the nightstand. Patting around you find the familiar texture of your phone brush against your fingertips.
Letting out a sigh, you flip your phone over. Eyes hooded, closing completely as your screen flashes you. Quickly blinking, you adjust to the lighting of the screen.
“Another notification from Instagram?” You muffled into your pillow. Opening it, you see that Todoroki liked your most recent photo of you.
Another notification pops up on the top of your screen:
@shoto has commented on your post!:
@shoto: beautiful.
Was this a mistake?
You couldn’t believe your eyes, this must be a good dream because no way could this ever be reality.
Then it happened again, another notification on a post from a week ago. Tapping your screen at the speed of light, heat rises to your cheeks.
It was a photo of you holding up your favorite figurine you just bought with your savings. The caption read: ‘I GOT IT YES BITCHES!!’
@shoto: lol
@shoto: so cute
He must be on drugs, or maybe he was hit with a flirtatious quirk? Wide awake, you sit up in your bed. Blankets once covering your body slid off as the cold air of the room hugs your body.
Posture terrible, you bend down eyeing the screen. Neck extended and eyes wide, as you received another notification.
It was a video of you and your friend holding hands, walking at a festival. Laughing like happy idiots.
Another comment from Todoroki appears.
@shoto: should’ve been me holding your hand :(
Your mouth shoots agape, you quickly took a screenshot of the comment.
You genuinely could not process what was happening at the moment. Snapping your head towards your alarm clock it read 10 PM, you let out a sigh.
At least you have time to fall back asleep.
You sent the screenshot to your friends, pleading for advice. But you knew everyone was asleep due to how strenuous the hero drills were this evening.
You quickly place your phone on “do not disturb’” mode. Shutting your phone off you place it back on your nightstand with a “plop”. Smashing your face into the pillow, you let out a much-needed loud sigh.
‘Is he being hacked right now?’
‘He has to be getting hacked.’
‘There’s no way on earth Todorok would be saying this to me!’
It would take about another hour or two of tossing and turning before you were able to fall asleep again.
The room started to feel hotter than usual, stirring in your bed your eyes open. You were too tired for this right now. Slipping out of the covers, you walk over to your fan, turning it onto the highest setting. You huff out a breath and turn back around, only to be stopped dead in your tracks.
“can’t handle the heat?
eyes snapping wide, you whip over to the deep voice you heard.
"Todoroki!" you screamed, your body still from shock. you see him in the bed, under the covers, a smug smirk cast over his lips.
"what are you doing here, you're not allowed in anyone else's dorm past 8pm-"
"why not? you're scared someone will catch us?" he asks, ripping the blankets off your bed as he gets up. his body moving closer towards yours, you still couldn't even move due to the amount of shock.
looking into his multi-colored eyes, your mouth parted, "h-how did you even get in here?" you whispered. feeling a warm hand grip your waist, you jump, startled by the sudden touch of his hand.
"don't touch me there!" you whimpered.
your face looking towards the ground as you cower in embarrassment, this earns a chuckle from todoroki's lips. Leaning in closer, his other hand grabs your face softly.
"look at me," he says. voice stern yet soft, you shyly look up. eyes hooded and breath jagged. you shakily set your arms around his shoulders.
"you're mine" he whispers as he slowly leans in. you gasp at his words, biting your lips to begin to lean in as well.
your eyes close, as soon as you know it. the smoldering warmth you felt faded as you were shaken by the airy coldness of your dorm. eyes shooting open, you turn over to look at your alarm clock.
8:45AM!
you're late for class!
once you finished jumping around and getting yourself together, you dashed out of your dorm with a loud slam of the door. running across the courtyard and into the academic side of the school, running up the grand stairs and long halls. you finally make it to the class.
out of breath, you crash into your seat and bang your head against the desk.
"you're late today l/n, especially on count day, marking you down an extra five points." your teacher Aizawa speaks. You couldn't even mutter a complaint because you were so tired.
as the day went on, you couldn't stop staring at the back of todoroki's head. that was the dirtiest dream you ever had...
soon it was time for hero training, today the student just needed to focus on themselves and build their quirk.
you were looking at todoroki the whole time, and when you weren't, he would look at you.
you can't shake what you experienced last night, even if it was just a dream, it felt so real...
you talked to your best friend Jiro, as she was also suspicious of todoroki's new confidence, she was just as shocked as you were when you showed her all of the comments and messages he left you.
"let him come to you," she said.
"no, go after him! guys like it when a woman's in charge!" sero says.
"I think you just need to wait it out, let the future take its course and the universe will work it out..." says hakakure.
you decided to take hakakure's advice.
as the rest of the day went on, the sun falls and the day was still into another dark night. here you were once again, preparing to fall asleep as you wrapped yourself in your blankets. kinda hoping to have the same dream you had the night before.
growing comfortable with the silence, your phone buzzed.
eyes opening you reach out for your phone, turning it on you see that todoroki commented on your story. opening the notification transports you to your dms.
the story was just a photo of half of your face, eyes tired as it was around 30 minutes after you ran late from class today.
you finally start to read the message, word for word your heart falls to the bottom of your feet. the comment sends you into a frenzy.
@shoto: you look so tired but you're still so pretty.
that's it.
jumping out of your bed you read the clock, 10:45. it's well past curfew but you didn't care. if todoroki didn't care in his dreams, neither do you.
putting on your house shoes you race out the door.
after one elevator ride and a long walk down the hall, you arrive at the front of his door. you were about to knock on his door until you realized you were actually there.
what were you even going to say? hey I had a dream we made out in my room and I want you to stay out of my dreams and my dms? Yeah.
hands-on top of your head, you let out a quiet sigh. "shit, here goes nothing." stepping for award, you place three quick knocks on his door, staring at his name plate on the door, you gulp.
hearing some shuffling, you look down and see the lights switch on past the crack of the door. blinking, you wait anxiously. another moment passes by until the door knob starts to jiggle.
biting your lip, the door swings open. appearing a more laid-back todoroki that you've ever seen. his hair is a little messy from laying in the bed and all he has on is pajama shorts and a white t-shirt.
his eyes shift onto you, his eyes widen only a little. as a soft smirk is shown on his face. "l/n...w-what are you doing here?" Todoroki stuttered.
if you didn't mistake yourself, he almost sounded flustered to you.
"um, I just wanted to talk to you about something if that's alright. I know it's past curfew and I really shouldn't be here but I can't wait any longer" you say, a sigh passed by your lips.
Todoroki leans out the door, looking left and right, then to the security camera a door down. Quickly, he grabs you by the arm and gently pulls you into his room.
you close the door with a quiet thud, turning around you look around todoroki's dorm. it's so...empty?
the modern Japanese-style room was very much his style, he didn't really have any posters or figurines you could base any of his interests on. but that conversation is for another day.
kneeling down on the ground, you sit on your feet. hands placed on your lap, your face was unreadable. you were nervous yet so excited.
you were in todoroki's room, alone, after curfew.
"what did you want to talk about" todoroki's voice was soft. looking around you grew nervous, "well...I wanted to talk about you, and how you've been stalking my socials...and stuff? I don't know" every word you spoke grew quieter and quieter.
balling your hands into fists, you look down at the floor.
"stalking? I don't understand" he says, a frown present on his lips.
"but you do!" you blurt, your hands flung in the air which causes todoroki to jump back. you gasp, slapping your hand on your lips, you close your eyes in embarrassment. hands slowly shifting from your mouth rest on top of your eyes. "but you do todoroki," you quietly groaned out.
"the late-night notifications! do you know I get those? I see you flirt with me and compliment me and all that other stuff, I caught you almost halfway down my profile the other day todoroki."
hands still covering your face, if they were uncovered you would see the priceless pink blush dusting across todoroki's face.
"I'm...I'm sorry, I didn't know you could see that...I thought I could like and comment on things anonymously...apologies."
uncovering your eyes, you notice todoroki slightly bows, the blush still on his face. You quietly scoff, "who told you that you can anonymously comment and like things on Instagram?" you asked.
"Denki told me, he helped me set up my account as well-"
a groan escapes your lips as your body slowly sinks to a bow. "I'm going to fucking kill him!" your yell is muffled by the floor. Rising up again you frown at todoroki.
"Just...I know now that it's not your fault and you really don't know any better, but could you please stop?" you say.
"I don't understand why I should, everything that I said about you is true, I meant it l/n. I think you're so beautiful and-"
"please! I can't handle you doing all of this because if this keeps on going I'll have more dreams about you!" you yell.
"you dream about me?" todoroki asks, his voice filled with hope and adoration.
"what!" you grow warm in the face at this. stumbling up from your feet, you race for the door. Quickly opening it, you turn, giving a respective bow you quietly shut the door behind you.
Todoroki hears your quick stomps and the ringing of the elevator.
a moment passes by, smiling to himself he plops himself down into his bed.
staring at the ceiling he lets out a smug smirk.
"bullseye."
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EJIRO KIRISHIMA
• was happily chilling in class looking at your tik tok until denki catches him in the act.
• was very embarrassed, but you fount it absolutely adorable.
It was another regular day inside UA, class 1-A. Everyone talking whilst doing their assignments, slowly reaching the goal of becoming the next generation of top pro heroes.
And within this class, there are the slackers.
And that slacker is Kirishima.
Slouched down in his seat, his phone hidden under his desk as he scrolled relentlessly through your tik tok. Hypnotized by your every act.
Sometimes he would chuckle to himself, seeing how cute you were. Whether that be you should dance with one of your classmates. Or seeing the way you sing your heart out at one of your favorite songs.
You were everything to him.
It was an accidental infatuation, really.
One day you so happened to pop up on his for you page. Surprised, he curiously went through your page.
All 500 hundred posts to be exact. Every. Single. One.
He didn’t mean to really, he just was so amazed by you. Sometimes the people you see on a regular daily basis aren’t who they actually are.
You were more confident in yourself on your page. You were bold, loud, and funny, he never saw this side of you. Maybe in a sparring battle, but that’s only the tip of the iceberg.
Sometimes when he’s hanging out with Sero, he’ll show him a tik tok of you (from a year ago that he saved) and just go off and fawn over you. Which heavily irritated Sero.
“Look at the way they’re dancing, isn’t it cute?”
“Dude, did you know l/n had their hairs died red before they came to this school? We could’ve totally matched!”
“Have you seen l/n’s new post? It’s amazing!”
It was fine at first, Sero gets it. He’s got a crush, but now it was all he’d talk about when they’d hang out.
“Dude, why did l/n make a tik tok about having a crush on a guy in our class!” Kirishima exclaims, a worried expression plastered on his face.
“If you want them, go get 'em instead of blabbering to me about it!” He’d complain.
Kirishima rolls his eyes as he swings back and forth on Sero’s hammock. “Dude, they’d never go for me.”
Sero strummed a couple of notes on his guitar, “if you won’t tell them you like them, at least tell them you look at their tik tok all day~” Sero sarcastically sings, making a little jingle out of his rude statement.
Kirishima’s swinging comes to a halt.
God, you don’t even know he knows you have an account.
Kirishima does follow you, but on a new account, he just made up that kinda looks like a bot you’re too lazy to remove, so you just keep it.
Swallowing his spit he sits up from the hammock, “if l/n ever found out that I have their tik tok, I will off myself.”
And here we bring it back to present day.
You just posted an hour ago on tik tok.
You were doing some random hand dance with Mina at lunch. He’d watch the way you’d laugh when you or Mina would mess up. The multiple takes and the fit of laughter.
He loved the video so much, he found it so organic and personal. Like he was actually there across from the table. He smiles at the screen watching it over again.
His smile faltered only a little when he gets another notification that you posted something.
Quickly pressing the notification, Kirishima’s heart stops.
He didn’t know what song was playing, and what words you were singing. But you looked HOT.
You had an entirely new look. You transitioned from regular pajamas to a whole other cooler outfit. Kirishima bends lower into his desk, making sure that only his eyes get to get to lay on your beauty.
Kirishima likes and saves your post with the quickness. He didn’t care if he was the first ever to interact with your post. At least you know he’s not some bot.
As Kirishima soulfully enjoyed the video you posted, Denki finally walks into class. An hour late.
A scold here and there from Mr. Aizawa, and he reaches his seat. Falling down with a thud he greets his next-door seat buddy.
“What’s up, man! Dude, I couldn’t sleep last night until the early morning and then my alarm didn’t go off! I just said fuck it and took my time today” Denki vents, a defeated smile portrayed on his lips.
Looking at his friend, he noticed how hunched up he is in his seat. “Dude?” Denki says, still no reply.
Kirishima was so deep into thought whilst watching the video of you. He started to think about his deepest fantasies.
What if you sang to him like the way you sang in your tik toks? What if the both of you were a couple?
He’d imagine the dates he would take you on, the way you smile, the way you laughed, it was all worth it at the end of the day.
He’d imagine how he’d kiss you and how you’d kiss him. Arms tightly wrapped around your waist as you sat in his lap, going at it for hours until your lips were swollen and you couldn’t give away anymore more breath.
This makes Kirishima’s breath hitch, what other things would you guys do?
What if you guys were a couple until graduation? He would definitely propose to you. Imagine the wedding the both of you would plan. The reception would be beautiful.
Kirishima really started to melt when he imagines the honeymoon. He wanted to go somewhere warm and tropical, maybe the Bahamas or the Maldives. He thinks you would like the Maldives, as he would too.
A blush castes over his face as he still watches the video of you over and over again. He’d imagine the night of your honeymoon.
Can he give you children? He thought.
If you can’t, he’ll find a way that night–
“Dude!”
Kirishima jumps harshly at the loud voice that called his name.
Denki buffs out a breath, Kirishima sees Denki standing from his seat as he surrounded Kirishima.
“I’ve been calling you for the last, like, 3 minutes!” He exclaimed.
“S-sorry man, j-just deep into thought” Kirishima says. A blush was still present on his face.
“Whatever, anyways as I was saying–“ Denki sits in his chair, his eyes so happen to shoot down towards Kirishima’s phone.
Denki paused at this, a devilish grin showing on his face. “No fucking way dude! You were stalking l/n’s page!” Denki exclaims, laughing enough for everyone to hear.
“Kaminari! Detention!” Aizawa barks.
Denki didn’t even care, a smile still on his face he starts to laugh.
“Dude!” Kirishima grows red at the loud announcement Denki makes, sinking into his seat he covers his head.
“What is he doing?” A voice says.
Kirishima’s eyes shoot wide, looking behind him he blinks. Two seats behind him he noticed you, leaving out the aisle in confusion.
“L/n! Get up, get up, get up! Kirishima’s stalking your freakin tik tok!” Denki laughs. Your bottom lips was pursed out, you were still confused as to what was happening as you slowly gained height out of your seat.
You were walking towards him, oh god.
Kirishima was so embarrassed that his hands were on his face the whole time. He didn’t even realize that his phone was on his desk still playing the video you posted over and over again.
Placing your hands on the two desks behind Kirishima and Denki, you crouch down. “What’s going on?” You say, you were also quiet. As he would assume no one really knows of your tik tok like that but him and a select few.
“Kirishima stalks your!–“ before he could finish, you slapped your hand on top of his mouth. “Quietly!” You whispered.
Uncovering your hand Denki leans down into your ear, telling you about how Kirishima was watching a tik tok of you over and over again. Looking over you eye Kirishima down.
Kirishima swallows his spit as he uncovers his face, the red blush still painted on his face like red roses sprawled out within a garden.
“H-here” he trembles. Reaching for his phone he extends it to you. With a fierce snatch, you scroll through your tik tok, seeing that he at least liked or saved all of your most recent posts. You didn’t even want to know how far this goes down.
You scrolled some more until you stopped on a particular post. “You’ve seen this one, Kirishima?” You asked. Holding the phone out, he leans in staring at the screen.
“Y-yes” he stuttered.
It was the tik tok of you talking about you having a crush on a guy in your class. Letting out a sigh, you stand back up.
“You wanna know who it is?” You say. Kirishima pursed up at your question, his head shaking with a shy nod.
Smiling you reach down, closing the space between the both of you. You grab the back of his neck, which makes Kirishima let out a jagged breath.
Falling close to his ear, you whispered.
“You really wanna know?” You teased.
You could hear Kirishima swallow his spit hard, and he nods again. “Yes—I do” he whispers.
“It’s you.”
Kirishima’s eyes snap wide open, snapping his neck towards your face, he sees you let out a giggle. He shoots up from his seat. Walking backward he stumbled out of the classroom.
Before you could chase him out, you hear a loud thud.
“Kirishima just passed out!” You hear Momo shout.
If Kirishima died today…
He’d die a happy man.
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Omg, guys, thank you all so much for all the support and new follows!!! I just saw my post show up third on one of the Bakugo hashtags! And some of my posts were recommended under others. I’m so happy right now.
– lovelyiida<3
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grimoireofhayley · 9 months
Text
Of Friends and Horror
Stu Macher x Fem!Reader x Billy Loomis
WARNINGS: Graphic content, eventual Smut (MINORS DNI), Language, Talks of SA (rape), Cheating, Obsessiveness, Gore, 18+ content, Stalking, Jealousy, Angst, Possessiveness, (let me know if there’s more that needs to be added!)
Word Count: 1.02k
Tag List: @ev3ningrain @nerdytif @m-the-little-witch
A/N: Ah, I hope y’all feel lucky. Two chapters in one day! I hope you enjoy this one as much as I enjoyed writing it. I hope I captured Randy, Billy, and Stu’s personality correctly. Thank you so much for reading! I’m hoping I’d get an update out tomorrow, but if not, it should be up later on this week at some point so keep an eye open. I also wrote this on my iPad, so I apologize if there’s any grammatical errors. I’ll proofread again tomorrow and put out an updated version. Oh, again, if you wanna be added to the tag list, just comment down below. Thank you :)
All chapter links! 👇🏻👇🏻👇🏻
OF&H Masterlist
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Chapter 3
“Remember, your principal loves you, and I want you to be safe. All students are encouraged to return to their homes promptly from school grounds…” The principal spoke over the PA, “Avoid strangers, walk in twos and threes—“
You pinched the bridge of your nose, visibly stressed from all the questioning. You haven’t a clue why you were so upset about everything, you weren’t the killer, but for some reason it felt like you were. Maybe you should’ve lied? Twisted the story a bit so you didn’t reveal you were a mistress at some point in your life.
“I am a slut..” You mumbled, dragging your fingers down your face, causing your eyes to droop. “Now Brooke is definitely going to find out, how am I to confront her on that?” You asked no one in particular.
You stared at the vibrant blue sky, squinting when the sun flashed your eyes. “Have mercy on me, please?” You begged the man upstairs, not expecting an answer in return.
“What kind of questions did they ask you, Sid?” You heard Tatum’s voice in the distance.
You blew a raspberry, putting your brave face on and sauntered over to your friend group at the fountain.
“They asked if I knew Casey…” Sidney’s voice soon followed.
“Hi, guys!” You chirped, sitting in front of Stu, Billy, Tatum and Sidney, unintentionally stopping their conversation.
“Hello, Sweetcheeks!” Stu blurted, eyes glazing over you, a small smirk planted on his lips. “What took you so long?” He groaned, “It’s always so boring when you aren’t here!” He frowned, tossing his head back.
“Gee, thanks Stu..” Tatum snipped, causing you to giggle.
You looked over to Billy, seeing Sidney leaning against his legs, your face contorting in disgust as jealousy was creeping up on you. You mentally slapped yourself, looking away and back at Stu.
“Uh, they had me stay longer for questioning…” You admitted, leaning back against your bag, stretching out your legs.
“Huh? Why?” Billy asked, curiously.
“Yeah, why’s that?” Sidney mumbled.
You swallowed the lump that formed in your throat.
“Just reasons, I guess.”
“Speaking of questioning, did they ask if you like to hunt?” Stu looked at Billy and Randy who seemed to have shown up out of nowhere.
“Yeah, they did. Did they ask you?” Billy answered and probed, Randy nodded in agreement.
“Hunt? Why would they ask you if you liked to hunt?” Tatum voiced.
“Because their bodies were gutted.” Randy spoke up, shoving a peanut in his mouth.
“They didn’t ask me if I liked to hunt…” both Sidney and Tatum declared.
Stu looked around, but his eyes always seemed to land on you, which caused you to blush, and chew on your fingernail.
“‘Cause there’s no way a girl could’ve killed ‘em..” Stu laughed.
“That’s bullshit. The killer could easily be female, basic instinct.”
“That was an ice pick. Not exactly the same thing…” Randy butted in.
“Yeah, Casey and Steve were completely hollowed out. And the fact is, it takes a man to do something like that.” Stu grinned, still staring at you without realizing it.
You leaned in, placing your chin on the palm of your hand. “Really now? If that’s so, then why did they ask me if I liked to hunt, Stu?” You smirked, catching all of them off guard. “Like Tatum said, the killer could easily be a girl. Though, with how they were killed it was clearly a man. They’re all the same, messy. They like to play with their prey. A woman on the other hand, knows how to get things done, swiftly and cleanly. Why do you think they don’t get caught as easily?” You finished your statement. Drumming your fingers across your lap in triumph.
“That was— I was not expecting that.” Stu laughed loudly, bewilderment lingering around him like an aroma of some sorts. Billy was just as shocked, but more amused.
However, Sidney wasn’t having it. “How… How do you gut someone?” She asked.
“You take a knife—“ Stu started and Billy looked up from his lunch. “And you slit ‘em from the groin to the sternum..”
“Hey.” Billy cut Stu off, glaring at him. “It’s called tact, you fuckrag.”
You sighed, shaking your head.
“Hey, (Y/n)..” Sidney asked, ignoring Billy and Stu’s former conversation.
Your ears perked and you looked at her confused.
“Didn’t you used to date Steve Orth?”
‘Now how in the fuck could she have possibly known that…’ You thought, your ears turning red from anger and you clenched your fist.
“Yeah, for like a couple of months..”
“Hold up, did I miss a chapter or something? When the hell did you date him?” Billy asked, looking somewhat pissed.
“Uh, yeah, I have to agree with Billy here.. when the hell did that happen?” Tatum’s eyes widened, she felt betrayed.
“Jesus, guys, it was only a couple of months, I don’t even know how Sidney found out.” You started, shooting Sidney a glare.
“Can we change the subject, please?”
“Did you sleep with him?” Stu mumbled, starting to get irritated as well.
“All of you, please just shut up. It is not a big deal.” You demanded.
“Are the police aware that you dated the victim?” Randy asked, ignoring your pleas.
“Hey, what are you saying? That I killed both Casey and Steve?” Your mouth gaped at the accusation.
“It just makes sense, ex-girlfriend not over the relationship, gets jealous seeing her lover with someone else… You know, the scorned ex who kills for revenge!” Randy shouted, earning a few stares in the process from passersby’s.
“(Y/n) was with me last night, okay?” Billy spoke, winking at you from behind Sidney.
“Yeah, I was…” You stated, catching Sidney’s eyes darting your way.
“Was that before or after you sliced them up?”
“Hold on, you went to (Y/n)‘s after you came by my place? You said you were going to Stu’s!” Sidney flared her nostrils, anger bubbling to the surface.
“Oh, brother…” You whispered, face-palming. Seeing Sidney hurriedly packing up her things, she didn’t give neither you or Billy time to explain...
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powderblueblood · 19 days
Text
HELLFIRE & ICE — eddie munson x f!oc as enemies to star-crossed lovers
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CHAPTER TEN — THE NEW FACE OF FAILURE
PREVIOUS | MASTERLIST | NEXT
summary: a surprise visitor shows up at nancy wheeler's house during your sleepover. eddie has a run-in with steve harrington and gets some hard-to-choke down news from a teacher. things with your newly released convict father seem to be going... eerily well. content warnings: does excessive yappin count. cussin! shitty dads! allusion to past physical abuse! drugs and smoking! heavy pettin! lovesick and scared about it edlacy! word count: 11.6k
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Dear reader, 
For the first time in forever, I have nothing smart to say. I mean, really. For the first time in forever, when things have reached a previously unprecedented crescendo of shit-hitting-fannery, when my life has truly shown every possible sign of being headed toward complete ruin, when it’s not just opposite day but bizarro world incarnate, I feel…
Good. 
Because I’m looking at him. 
And he’s looking back at me.
And Nancy Wheeler is yelling for him to get in the goddamned window. 
Eddie Munson has no business standing outside the Wheeler’s garage with a fistful of pebbles, cautiously flicking them at a second story window, yet he is. The soft pelting noise had made your neck jerk up from where it craned over Nancy’s nails, painting them a springy green and go, “Do you hear that or is it my paranoia talking?”
See, when you woke up that morning, you knew you had two phone calls to make. Instead of using the traceable line of your house phone, you’d snatched a handful of quarters and booked it to the payphone at the edge of the lot. You’d almost stopped at the Munson trailer, tossing your own rocks at Eddie’s window, but thought better of it– there was always a chance that the newly exonerated (sort of) Ray Doevski would be peering through the blinds, taking a Rear Window affect to his newly instated house arrest. 
Yeah. House arrest, and you were sure that the same crack had run concurrently through the minds of you and both your parents– we’d hardly call this a house. But Ray was ordered to stay put, and even had this nutty gadget tagged to his ankle, this new fangled monitor that they were just rolling out. 
“Always on the cutting edge, aren’t you, Daddy?” 
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With shaking fingers, you thunked in Eddie’s number, which he’d scrawled inside the cover of a Flannery O’Connor short story collection you’d been carting around a couple of months ago. It was one of those days that came up every now and again, where you couldn’t quite keep the lid on feeling blue. The weight of everything came down on you in an avalanche, leaving you unable to throw your pithy remarks into conversation with him or with Ronnie like you usually would’ve. Pretty much silent, pretty much staring a hole through the middle distance. He grabbed the book from you in the library during free period, your free period which he wasn’t even in, and whispered, “Just in case that curse gets lifted and you get your voice back. I’m sure you’ve got, like, a laundry list of barbs you’ve been dying to unload on me all day.” 
You remembered the way his eyes softened as he slid the book back to you, pressing his ringed hand against the cover for a couple seconds longer than he needed to. 
“Or just… for anything, y’know. We can just talk. About nothing. If it helps.”
At the time, you fought the instinct to put your hand over his.
“Won’t Wayne care that I’m calling?” you’d crackled, voice weary from underuse. 
Eddie shrugged. “Not if you pretend you’re Gareth.”
And that was exactly what you were hoping you wouldn’t have to do, shivering in your thin sweater as the dial tone to the Munson’s droned out. What if Wayne answered? What if you couldn’t rightfully approximate the voice of a balls-half-dropped freshman? What if he knew it was you, what would he do? 
Well, you needn’t have worried, because you apparently had a future in impressions. You squeaked out something about being the aforementioned Emerson looking for Eddie (at this ungodly hour of the morning?), something about Hellfire. 
“Gareth the Great! What’s the problem, the Arcane Brotherhood finally scoop your ass? Need me to come bust you from their tower? I told you, goin’ all Fear and Loathing in Luskan is gonna cost y–”
“Jesus Christ, Eddie, it’s me,” you chattered, but even through the worry, a tiny smile pulled at your lips. 
 “Uh. Disregard everything I just said.” His voice had an early-morning static to it that you wanted to stay tuned into. “Hi!”
“Hi.”
“Hi… are you… shivering right now? Need me to come warm you up, because I’d be more than happy to cr–”
“Eddie, I’m at the payphone–”
“--what the hell are you doin’ out there?”
“--will you shut up so I can tell you? I don’t have a lot of time, so I need to cut right to the chase.”
“Sorry,” and this breathy little laugh runs through his voice that nearly knocks you clean out. God. What you wouldn’t give to hear that breathed into your ear instead of through some handset flaking rust. “Please, cut away.”
But, uh, yeah. That other thing. 
“My father got out of prison some-fucking-how–”
“Wait, what? Like he esc–,” you listen as Eddie drops his voice to a hiss, “Like he escaped?!”
“Oh my god, let me finish! –but, psh, no. Ray Doevski is a man of manicured hand, alright, he’s not tunneling out of anywhere. It’s all apparently legally above board, but… he’s– he’s at home. He’s in the trailer… He’s there right now.”
The fear in your chest was beginning to make your breathing feel white hot, hard to get out. Walls closing in. Your dad is at home. He is in your trailer. He is there right now. Five minutes alone in your room, a flick of his eyes over your belongings, he’ll know everything– everything that you’ve done–
You didn’t even notice that your breaths were turning into low, panicked gasps until Eddie’s voice broke through the receiver again. 
“Lace, stay put. I’m comin’ out there.”
“Eddie, no!” you barked down the phone, and a couple of birds scattered from the powerline overhead. Despite the fact that you were pretty sure collapsing into Eddie’s arms would have put a temporary stopper on the panic, you weren’t awarded such luxuries in this life. Figures. “I’ve got to get back to have some phony-ass breakfast with them in, like, now and you cannot be seen near me. Not here, okay?”
What Eddie crackled back with was like a shot of adrenaline to the heart chamber. It wasn’t a plea, or a demand. He simply said, brimming with a bright resolve, “Say the word and I’m there. Right next to you. Hear me?”
You had never heard anyone sound so sure about you before. 
Well, Eddie’s valiance was rivaled only by Nancy Wheeler, who you phoned up next. Karen Wheeler answered in a chirpy voice that even sounded blonde, her voice pitching higher when you announced who was calling. 
“Oh, Lacy! Of course. I’ll grab her for you, sweetie.” A little too goddamn knowing-sounding for your liking. 
But Nancy was all firm edges, picking up on the tremble in your voice just like Eddie had. “Well, you’re coming over. Obviously. Pack a bag– we need to put in serious work for that Streak article you’re finishing, right? Might even be an all-nighter. I’ll order pizza.”
With your dad shackled to the trailer and your mom reluctant to leave his side, there wasn’t a whole lot they could do to prevent you from swanning off to the Wheeler residence. Had to stay true to your commitments, after all, something your dad constantly impressed upon you. But when you reminded him of this as you hitched your overnight bag over your shoulder, heading out to Nancy’s waiting car, he met you with a serene smile. 
“Of course, honey. Do what you need to do.” No argument. No pushback. Not even a snide remark. That chilled you to the bone. 
You attempted to distract yourself from… well, the whole meal of it, by allowing the Precious Moments-themed decor of the Wheeler household to wash over you. The house is warm and chintzy inside, with shoes piled up by the door and laundry overflowing in baskets. Nancy’s bedroom is just as achingly normal in tones of pink and cream, a sanctuary and a strangle between girlhood and growing up. She’d shyly batted a couple of stuffed animals away from the bed that had seen the throes of her and Steve Harrington. Her Tom Cruise poster hangs opposite a pinboard of college brochures. Barbara Holland’s memorial card on her mirror. 
Guilt and innocence and upward mobility. 
As you looked around, you thought about the photo strips from the mall of you and Tina and Cass and Carol, how they were stuffed away in a box somewhere. You made a mental note to tug Nancy into the next photobooth you both came across. And Ronnie, for that matter. 
Nancy was kind about everything, of course, like she always is; she didn’t push for information about your dad’s surprise return, but you gave it pretty willingly as you cracked into her Cosmo and nail polish collection. Everything but the you and Eddie of it all… that juicy morsel you were saving until the witching hour struck, the customary time for girls to tell secrets at sleepovers. 
But somebody always has to try and get the jump on you. 
Which is how you and Nancy end up hanging out of her window, a beaming Eddie staring up at you from the pavement. 
“What the hell is he doing down there?” Nancy hisses, her eyes panicked and flaring. 
“I’m not entirely sure,” but even through the initial flash of panic, your voice has taken on this dreamy quality that makes Nancy roll her eyes–and rightfully so! “Munson, what say you? What the hell are you doing down there?”
“I–”
Nancy doesn’t even let him finish, just lets out an exasperated sigh and tells him, “Just– come up here, alright? I do not want to answer for what’s gonna happen if my dad catches you in the driveway!” 
Without a second thought, Eddie makes to hoist himself into Nancy’s dinky bedroom window. He falls over the little seat in a jangle of silver and leather and hair and gleaming teeth– “Ow! Jesus!” “Eddie, shut. Up!” Nancy winces, you wince, but as Eddie rolls onto his back and clears the hair out of his eyes, you realize that fluttering in your stomach is not a fight or flight response. 
He smiles up at you, all teeth and mischief. “Hi. Whatcha doin’?”
Oh, no.
You nudge him in the ribs with your foot, way too light for him to yelp like that. Nancy looks like she’s going to kick the shit out of him for real–and you too, maybe.
“You’re telling me you didn’t know about this?” she demands, turning on you. You notice that she’s still holding her fingers aloft, which you appreciate! No one seems to care about manicures as much as you do. It’s nice to finally be seen, for Chrissake. 
“Like I’d bring the heat around your place, Nancy! Come on, currently in a precarious situation much?” 
Hilarious to describe Eddie Munson as heat when he is, at best, a bull in Wheeler’s overstuffed china shop. Adorably so, you have to concede, watching him pick up a little porcelain figurine from her dresser. 
Nancy’s not buying it.
“I plead the eternal fifth!” you exclaim, eyes wide and willing the laugh to stay out of your voice as Eddie peers around Nancy’s stuff. “He operates on his own logic.”
Nancy eyes you warily before her gaze darts to Eddie. “Can you not touch anything? ”
“You have a cat just like this!” Eddie barks.
“What the fuck are you doing here?!” the both of you chorus.
Delicately, Eddie replaces the little ceramic cat with a severely offended look. “Sheesh, ladies, I thought we were friends.” He drops the pretense pretty fast, jerking his chin in your direction with a smile that has I ain’t goin’ nowhere written all over it. “I need a word with the duchess here.”  
“So leave a message!” 
“He can’t–” “--you think we got answering machines in Forest Hills?” “--my dad–” “--life might be different for all you up here on Maple–” “--will have him taken out by sniper rifle.” “--you know this woman used a payphone for the first time in her life today?” 
A squinting Nancy lets this settle in the air for a second, like a stink bomb that’s just been deployed. I mean, you don’t know if she can see it exactly, but the charge between you and Eddie isn’t exactly subtle. Changed, maybe, from will-they-won’t-they to they-did-and-it’s-hazardous. Realization soon dawns on her. 
“Oh, you–ohhh,” Nancy nods, and chirps another, “Oh!” 
Then, a thunderous hammering that just about brings down Nancy’s bedroom door. The three of you lurch and freeze. Your hand instinctively goes to grab Eddie’s arm, fingers finding the soft leather. Your lashes flutter.
“Nan-cyyyyy!” 
That high-pitched, middle-schooled, reedy little tone? “Oh, shit. It’s just Mike.” 
“Mom said you were getting pizza so you have to get a pie for me and the guys! Wait,” some juvenile sounding muttering, “Two pies!” 
“Oh, Jesus Christ,” Nancy snarls, in the way only an older sister can, “I… am going to go out there and run interference and you– five minutes, okay?! I’m–” She goes so far as to set a timer on her watch. “I mean it.”
Both you and Eddie make noises in the affirmative, him sidling closer and closer to you as Nancy moves out of the room. But she pivots, nailing you both with pointed index fingers. “And don’t– don’t you even think about it. You two are not subtle, I will know!” 
“Wheeler, I resent that perverted implication!” Eddie hisses, but his fingers are already walking themselves over the curve of your ass. You’d say something if you weren’t desperately trying to keep yourself under control. 
“Mike, quit yelling the house down like an asshole!” “Who is that? Have you and Lacy got a guy in there? Gross, are you sharing a boyfriend or something?” “Shut up, don’t be disgusting, I’ll kill you, get downstairs!” 
Soon as Nancy’s door clicks behind her, you wrestle an easily malleable Eddie down to sit on the bed and climb right into his lap, thighs planting either side of him. Your body is completely abuzz now that you’re alone with him again, physical form melding instantly to the heat of his body. Eddie’s gaze darkens just a touch, like he’s dimmed the switch inside his head from mischievous to slightly dastardly. “Oh, shut up!” you say, and catch your mouth on his.
“I didn’t say shit!” Eddie breathes in return, falling right into your rhythm. 
“You heard the chief,” you struggle through desperate lip smacking; that lived in taste of him, cigarettes and sweet soda, makes your head feel all baubly on the stem of your neck, “Five minutes,” Eddie’s hands web into your hair, your knees sag into the comforter, “Explain yourself.”
“I was in the neighborhood,” Eddie’s mouth clicks sweetly against yours, words a bullshit mumble against your tongue. A heady mix of relief and desire flood you as you brace your hands around his shoulders. 
“Don’t lie,” you say, tinge of a whimper creeping in as Eddie’s grip starts to harden, indenting the flesh of your thigh. “I’ll kill you.” 
Looking at his grin is one thing, but feeling it against your neck as his mouth embarks on its own journey is something completely different. “Prom–”
“Eddie, how did you even know I was here?” A light, mindless slap comes down on his shoulder. Your breathing is becoming troublingly labored, head becoming troublingly spinny as Eddie’s teeth graze your collarbone.
“Rudimentary guesswork!” he gasps, coming up for air that’s soon stolen by the ready plushness of your mouth. “Okay. Okay. Fine, I saw Wheeler pick you up in her goddamn station wagon and–” Eddie’s voice cracks a touch as your hips press harder into him, “--put two and two together?”
“And you came here because…? Expound, already!” Your furious, air-starved hiss is a stark contrast to the way your lips keep chasing his.
“I wanted to c– I needed to come–” he swallows your stupid blooming smirk with another kiss, “Shut up. I wanted to make sure you were okay. And I couldn’t sleep. Could you sleep? I couldn’t sleep, just kept thinkin’... Kept… hnm, thinkin’ about you… About you like this… ‘n last night…”
As he babbles, your heart jackrabbits. Christ, you want him so bad. You’d listen to him like this for hours–talking like this alone, open and wanting, is enough to get you off. Eddie’s easing your skirt up your ass, rucking that fabric up slow like he did last night–but you want more than last night, if that’s possible, you want all of him, and for longer and for good–
You want him so badly that you forget where you are. Eyes snap open to catch direct iris-on-iris contact with Nancy’s Tom Cruise poster, hung strategically in view from her bed. 
Nancy’s bed. Nancy’s room. Nancy’s fucking Tom Cruise poster.
“Shit,” you say in a strangle, right against his cheek. “Shit, what are we doing?” You rear right back, getting a good look at Eddie’s ruffled demeanor, his blush-high complexion. That intoxicated look he’s wearing just from feeling you up.
Someone looking at you the way Eddie is right now feels completely, totally brand new. Ardent and urgent, untouched by influence. 
You’re almost positive that your gulp is audible.
With a couple of rapid blinks, Eddie seems to come back down to earth. 
“No. No, you’re right, um– listen, at the risk of completely humiliating myself–”
“More than you did crawling in that window? This is crazed.”
Eddie pauses a beat, a genuine look of offense constricting his features. His hands have moved from your ass to your waist, and don’t shift. 
“Hold on–Doevski, are you marking my dismount?”
You assholes just can’t help yourselves, can you? Mouth twitching at the corners, you harden up your gaze.
“I’m just saying, if you weren’t wearing ten tonnes of regalia, you might be able to make a more subtle entrance–”
“--who died and made you a hellenodikas?”
“Oh! Pulling out the Ancient Greek mythology on me now, huh?”
“I would never… pull out on you,” Eddie says and manages to hold his stone faced expression for a grand total of half a second before both your faces split in two. See, you hate him for this; that he can keep perfectly in time with you, and has since the jump. 
You’re the first to move. You edge yourself off Eddie’s lap, his hands mournfully side along your legs as you move.
“C’mon. Montague moment’s over. Kick rocks.”
He gives you one good, solid nod and mockingly straightens himself out before attempting to worm his way back out the window. Crouching half in-half out, he pauses. Some remnant of a smile he smiled at you about a million years ago flickers across his face.
“You know, Lace,” Eddie says, “you keep throwin’ me out of windows like this, I’m gonna start thinkin’ you don’t like me.”
The door of the record store. The hot blast of stoned realization. Your fingers around his wrist. 
Knees working faster than your brain, you bend to Eddie and meet his mouth again. The kiss is soft and gentle, devolving into several little pecks around his smiling cheeks, his eyes, his forehead. To tide you over. To be continued.
“Eh, I don’t like you,” you mumble, tips of your noses brushing. “That much.”
“Yeah? Well, you got a funny way of showing it.”
You watch Eddie’s dismount (an easy six) and nervous jog all the way ‘til he’s disappeared through the shrubbery of the Wheeler’s. Soon as he’s out of sight, you’re almost positive that you catch a flash of burgundy paintwork zipping past the driveway, but it’s too fast to tell. Weird. 
Nancy near slices your fingers clean off as she noiselessly returns to the room, slamming the window shut. For as enraged as she’s trying to look, this girl with her half-painted nails also bears the familiar expression of someone baying for gossip. 
“Spill everything. Right now.” 
Eddie is a living, breathing, stink bomb of a cliche. He’s walking on air, he’s signed a lease on cloud nine, he’s all Gene Kelly’d out and still tap dancing down the locker lined steel trap of Hawkins High. Push back his curling bangs and he’s sure that PROPERTY OF LACY DOEVSKI is etched on his forehead, by the delicate hand that wields your fountain pen. 
Dude’s a goner. Lights out, KO’d, hit the bricks gone. And he only has himself to blame. 
If it were anyone else, he’s pretty sure it’d be different. Easier to stamp out the flame of hotheaded lust beneath his sneakers like a bag of dogshit on fire if it was some other right-side-of-town type girl. If it was just about being his diametric opposite. But it’s not. It’s you, sharp and silly and sexy, a total turn on even when you’re doing your best O’Donnell impression to sic him into studying. The you that he’s been slyly slipping into the NPCs of Hellfire, in ways that make Ronnie’s eyes roll (but she still tries to flirt with them, and that weirdly makes him a little… jealous? That dwarf is slick when she wants to be). The you that sometimes make a cameo appearance at his lunch table when you’re not holed up in the newspaper room, sat with poise and pith that the rest of the gaggle of nerds just don’t know what to do with. 
Eddie can’t count the amount of times he’s wanted to crawl across that table and kiss you. And he’s been close to doing it. Couple times. Remnants of sloppy joes on his hands and knees.
But now he can kiss you, at least in private anyway, because there’s still a roadblock or two you have to navigate. And so what! What’s a little challenge when you’re this blissfully, head fuckerly, heartburningly in l—
“Watch where you’re going, asshole.” 
This particular dagger comes straight out of the maw of Hawkins High’s crown jackass, Steve Harrington, whose shoulder Eddie’s just accidentally checked. Now, Eddie’s never cared much for Harrington, but never thought much about him either—the feeling, outside of scoring a baggie or two, is apparently mutual. But the glower Steve is sporting says anything but nonchalance. 
“Jeez, Harrington,” the grin Eddie’s sporting makes a full meal out of a plate of shit, “If you like me so much, you can just say so. No need for the whole pullin’ pigtails routine.”
Steve stares at him for a good, hard second or two— so rigidly, in fact, that it nearly makes Eddie’s face falter. Who pissed in this guy’s Cheerios? Because, even if he double counts on his fingers, Eddie’s sure it wasn’t him. 
“I,” Steve starts, pretty dumbly, “I’m havin’ a party on Friday. You should come.”
Eddie knows an order when he hears one, but it’s usually couched in something like, You got any good stuff, man? Y’know, phrased in the strained way popular kids do when they pretend not to hate his guts for half a second. 
He knocks a mocking two fingered salute off his forehead and Steve’s grimace deepens. “Be there with bells on, sire.”
Up the hallway, one of the classroom doors creaks open. 
“I don’t have all afternoon, Mr Munson.” 
Steve looks past him to the imposing, near-six foot figure of Ms O’Donnell, impatiently tapping her shoes against the linoleum. Eddie’s smirk flattens into a tight line.
“Well, I’d love to stay and chat, but I’m in high demand! As you can see.”
Steve doesn’t dignify that with a response and takes off toward the exit. 
“Quit gazing after the quarterback and get in here,” O’Donnell demands. And who is Eddie to deny her, Amazonian Baba Yaga that she is? 
“Ms O’Deeeee, you call yourself a Hawkins Tiger?” he says, turning on heel, “You oughta know that Harrington is one of our finest ball players. Loves to play with balls, that one.”
“You can attest to that first hand, can you?” O’Donnell snarks, settling down behind her desk and gesturing Eddie to get comfortable at the top of the class. 
Oh, Iris. She’s right on his level, when she’s not tearing him a new asshole, scholastically speaking. 
Her name may not be Iris either, but tomato potato. Eddie slumps down into the desk like a graceless, clinking cat.
“I know you didn’t bring me here to talk about my extracurriculars. That would be a breach of propriety on your part.”
“Sure as hell I did not.” O’Donnell removes her eyeglasses and pinches the bridge of her nose, as she often does not even thirty seconds into an interaction with Eddie. “I’m missing my granddaughter’s recital for this, I want you to know that.” 
He’s pulled out the there’s no way you’re old enough to be a grandmother line half a dozen too many times for it to fly again. Not that it ever did— look at this woman, with her tented fingers! She has a clear sight line right through his bullshit. 
“I appreciate that you value my education more than some pipsqueak with a cello.” 
“The problem is that you don’t,” O’Donnell sighs. There’s a note of defeat in her voice. “Eddie, we need to talk.” 
In all the years O’Donnell has been on his case (four consecutive), she’s never addressed him by his first name. Eddie shifts in his seat a little, good mood not quite punctured yet. But askew, slightly. 
“They finally found out about our clandestine little tryst, huh? Well, you can tell Higgins and the school board that I’m—“
“Shut up.”
He does. Right up.
“You understand why I push you so hard, don’t you?” O’Donnell asks him, and instead of some smartass response, Eddie clams. Ask him honestly and he’d say she’s a past-prime faculty lifer in desperate need of a power trip. That’s the narrative he’d always gone with anyway, the reason she’d always single him out and make an example of him and insist on the repeat exams he’d rarely end up passing anyways. Like, just flunk him, okay? Get the humiliation over with. 
“It’s because I know your situation,” she tells him, “And I know you’re better than it. By a goddamn country mile.” 
That knocks him. He blinks. Huh?
“You’re bright, you know. If you only allowed yourself to be,” O’Donnell nods, leafing through a manila folder in front of her, “If you could only find some way to focus, you’d be a halfway to decent student. Might even make it to college.”
“Don’t be too generous,” Eddie scoffs, arms folding over his chest. He can feel the defense rising. 
O’Donnell stares at him over the rim of her glasses. “Oh, I’m not. Because the reality is, you’re too far gone. I’ve done all I can to try and drag you out of the sandpit of shit you’ve managed to fall into, but our time is coming to a swift and brutal end.” 
A beat.
“Christ, who died and made you my guidance counselor—“
“You’re not graduating, Eddie.”
A cold sear runs down Eddie’s spine. “Um.”
Alright. Alright, look. It’s not like he hadn’t expected this, in some way or another, but again, if he is really honest… Eddie had expected some eleventh hour miracle that ended up with him with that diploma in his hand. Walking the stage in that godawful green gown, scooting down the line to take his place beside Ronnie and… and you. 
First Munson to ever do it, at least in the proud township Hawkins. Something solid to his name, finally. A GED that wasn’t necessarily a ticket to college, but proof that he could break the family curse of not following through. He didn’t need to be valedictorian or anything, he just needed… 
“But—but,” begins the scramble, “I’ve been doing… better, right? Like, I’ve gotten my grades up… not massively but a little!”
And he had. Fact is, these last handful of months, he hadnt just been dicking around with you and Ronnie after school— you’d actually gone out of your way to slice off some of those legendary brain smarts and slide them his way, bumping him up a letter grade in at least three subjects. 
You’d said something similar to O’Donnell.
You’ve got something, y’know, beyond all the hair and regalia. This system is rigged to fail anyone who surrenders to being, like, a bad test taker— so you just have to game the system and make it work for Eddie Munson. Right?
Then you’d poked him in the cheek with your number two pencil and he’d forgotten everything he’d ever learned, brain lingering on that little touch for days. 
That was before. Before your bedroom. Before Wheeler’s bedroom. Shit, before Granny Ecker’s closet. 
“Now, Eddie. Jesus. You’d need a miracle to get you anywhere close where you need to be to get out of here. Look, I am telling you this because I—“
“Why? Why do you even care? You’re the one that’s been failing me half the time.”
“Yes, because you’ve been failing, smartass! Think I’ve got a choice in the matter?” O’Donnell and her high Midwestern fury shuts him up again. “I’m telling you this because… well, it’s time to weigh up your options.” 
“Which are none.”
“Which could be none. The question on almost the entire faculty’s mind is, why haven’t you dropped out by now? And I’ve got a pretty good stab, I think.”
“Enlighten me, then.”
“Because, contrary to popular belief, you’re not your father.” 
Eddie has to look away. “Oh, yeah?”
“Yeah. I knew Al Munson. My first year here, I taught him. And I was green then, sure, in the goddamn dark ages but even then I knew he was just looking for any easy way out.” 
“And I’m not, huh?”
“No. Because you would’ve dropped out by now.” O’Donnell closes the folder like she’s seen enough. “Eddie, you have something to prove. And it’s worth proving.” 
Far be it from Eddie to believe that any teacher in this school actually gives a shit about him, but the glance he steals to O’Donnell makes a damn strong argument otherwise. 
“So w… what do I do?”
“God knows half the staff doesn’t want you around for another year. Sorry, but it’s true,” O’Donnell rolls her eyes and Eddie feels the sting of his last name, the skid mark of his father’s legacy following him wherever he goes, “I’ll work on it. Starting with Higgins, which should earn me canonization of some kind.”
“Castle in the sky and all that shit.”
Eddie doesn’t exactly nod; defiance is as strong as his white blood cells. He kind of wants O’Donnell to prove that she’s serious about helping him. About caring at all. 
She goes on, tone strict and pushing. 
“But you– keep your nose to the grindstone. Just because you’re not gonna pull through this year completely doesn’t mean that the improvement in the last couple of months meant nothing. I have noticed, by the way. And, uh, keep up the peer tutoring.” 
Eddie raises his eyebrows. “Huh?”
“Peer tutoring,” there’s amusement dancing in O’Donnell’s words that makes them a little uneven, “Lacy Doevski’s been so kind as to take you under her wing, hasn’t she?”
A shock of heat takes seat on his cheeks. Right. He’d forgotten about that scam you ran like a ride on lawnmower through Kaminsky’s class. 
“Y—yeah, somethin’ like that.”
“Well, keep that something going. It’s good. For the both of you,” O’Donnell clips with a knowing look. “I knew her father too.” 
She dismisses him with a wave and Eddie, feeling like she’d just made him tie up a pair of leaden boots, follows the tug of his deflated heart like a compass. A tread through the eerily empty after-hours halls brings back a memory here and there. Getting caught smoking under the stairwell on the first day of freshman year; a girl named Phoebe lending him a pencil in Biology, which he ended up using to pretend-stab Tommy Hagan who made fun of her stammer (Tommy cried like a bitch, as if Eddie would ever actually do that); fighting against his better judgment and jimmying the lock of a classroom open so he could help Gareth make a new character sheet for Hellfire and getting detention when they were found out, while the freshman hid under the desk so he wouldn’t be caught too. Plenty of little battles lost. But this is the big one–the one that tells him he’s doomed to repeat this adolescent torture for at least another year. 
However, as soon as he shoulders the swinging door open and sees you, bathed in a pool of lamplight with reams of typewriter paper surrounding you, and you pull your fountain pen from your mouth with a tired smile, stitched together just for him… 
KO. The big gold belt. Eddie Munson, heavyweight champion of the world.  
“Hey, Hildy,” he says, sliding down the short handrail into the typing pool, just because he knows it’ll make you roll your eyes and laugh. And it totally does, a croaky little giggle rasping out of your lips. “What’s the scoop?”
“Don’t you dare come any closer.” Your voice, your outstretched hand, makes Eddie freeze in a rigged marionette’s pose. It’s like your words have actual alchemic pull, how powerless he is to obey you and shit. “Let me just…”
“Seriously?” Eddie lets his arms drop, playing with a ball of elastic bands from the desk he sits on as you painstakingly reorganize your papers. “Y’know, I really should have an early preview of this, given I’m the star of the goddamn article and all. What if I object? What if you paint me in, like, an unflattering light? I could sue. Character defamation.”
“You’re taking care of that defamation all on your own, darling,” you yawn, the punch of your words not quite hitting like they usually would as you stagger across the newsroom to him. You’re exhausted–Eddie can see it. The deep shadows under your pretty eyes, new ink stains appearing on your fingers every day. You’re jerky and shaky, overcaffeinated to the point that the drug ain’t even working anymore. You’re working yourself to the bone. It’s been like this for ages; every spare moment that Eddie doesn’t see you, you’re playing catch up for college applications. “But no. Not ‘til it’s cooked and printed. My portfolio needs this article for a lead-in and it has to be bulletproof. Watertight. Unassailable. Other words for–”
“--perfect?” Eddie steps in, tossing the elastics over his shoulder and tugging you closer so that you’re just about sitting in his lap. “In that case, you chose a real winner of a subject.”
“Eddie.”
“No, seriously! Trailer park nobody with a fantasy game club. Wah-wah. I don’t envy the amount of fluffing you probably have to do to make it remotely appealing to… whoever’s in charge of reading that shit.” 
“Admissions board,” you supply. You’re close enough that Eddie can taste your perfume and honestly, he’s doing a great job of not just licking it clean off your neck. “And I know this is one of your self-pity rally cries, and I won’t entertain it. Besides, it’s not just about you. It’s about Hellfire. The whole… well, I’m not saying any more. You’re just gonna have to read it and find out.” 
“But I want my ego massaged,” Eddie pitifully whines, right out his nose. He clutches onto you harder, the pressure of your body against his alleviating the pressure of his total failure. His breath snags as you, so tired that you’re nearly trembling, kiss him softly. 
“Mm, let’s compromise. I can massage something else,” you hum against his chasing lips, but something saintly touches him before you get the chance to move your inky hand. He uh-uhs you. 
“Much as I appreciate the offer and will immediately curse myself for turning you down the second I get back to the trailer… you’re worn out, Lace. Seriously.” Eddie flicks a lock of your hair out of your face. Were you always like this, even when you were queen bitch? Did anyone ever think to check in on you before? “You been sleepin’? At all?”
“I have a countdown to my future and a convict father taking up residence on my couch. Of course I’m not sleeping. I’m optimizing,” you snit in the sleepiest voice he’s ever heard, your head is lolling against his shoulder. The pout you’re wearing makes Eddie want to bundle you right back to Forest Hills, tuck you up in his grody sheets and not let the rest of the world in ‘til you’ve got your strength back. Just you, him, some records. He’d read to you from The Silmarillion, because that was a surefire way to send you unconscious in seconds. 
“I just need to get this article done and then I’m… I’m good. It’s out of my hands,” you croak.
“Then it’s… NYU’s problem, right?” says Eddie.
“Columbia,” you murmur, “with Emerson as a safety.” 
“Lofty safety.”
“I’m a lofty girl. But you know what? I’m gonna get in.”
A pang in the key of dread hits Eddie in the throat. “I believe that.”
“But you know why?”
“Enlighten me.”
“Because of a silly little story I wrote about you.” You curl Eddie’s hair around your finger and he wonders if you can feel the physical sensation of him melting. Dripping all over you like a pathetic soft serve. “It’s so beyond comprehension but… You’re gonna make my dreams come true, Eddie Munson. I can feel it.”
About time I returned the favor, huh? is what he wants to say, but it’s not the time and it’s not the place and he thinks you might be drifting off in his arms. So he just breathes you in, and takes the win.
One thing Ray Doevski was always known to do was move. Not so much in a without exercise, the body devours itself kind of fashion, but in a without constantly one-upping oneself, the self devours itself kind of fashion. With Ray, moving was always some new business venture, some new property acquisition. Some other new reason for a cocktail party, so your mom would have an excuse to pretty herself up and you’d make your on-cue cameo, sweeping through the room and waving at all the important people your father had charmed and collected like stamps. And like stamps, the people he tended to collect all got more valuable with age. Ray liked old money, even if your family was on the newer end of the see-saw.
You saw all that for what it was now. Running the big scamola, charming these people out of pocket with that ugly Hawkins High class ring on his finger. Gold, garish, glaring, a glimmering green stone set right in the center. You hated that thing. 
So, to see someone so diligently dedicated to movement and momentum sit docile on the sofa is pretty fucking disturbing. With that ankle monitor permanently welded to his leg, Ray can’t do so much as stand outside for a smoke without the heat coming down on him. Such are the conditions of his parole. It’s a humiliating fate, watching someone so previously well-kempt rot before you. 
And more disturbing still, your father seems… not unhappy about his situation. As far as a man on house arrest goes, he’s not angry. He’s not irritable, he doesn’t even seem that frustrated. It’s strange. He’d even asked you to borrow a couple of your books to keep him occupied. That threw you. He’d never taken an interest in your voracious love for literature before… but boredom does absolute downright Invasion of the Body Snatchers type shit to a man.
He smiles at you from the corner of the sofa as you come in from an evening shift at the bookstore, your worn copy of Answered Prayers by Truman Capote in hand. It sends a cold dart through your tummy. 
“You!” comes a snarl and your elbow is being snatched before you can even regain your bearings. 
“What the f–”
Your mother slams her bedroom door so hard it seems to shake the trailer. It occurs to you that you haven’t stood inside her bedroom in weeks–months, maybe–or even seen inside of it save for the odd glance. Even then, it was always the sad staging of dresses and hose strewn across the bed, glasses with scarlet staining sitting on the nightstand and the smell of cigarette smoke and perfume growing old and flat and stale. But she’d straightened the place up– now the bedsheets sat tight around the corners of the mattress, and Gloriana’s jewelry was tidied away somewhere. No used wine glasses to behold. Like housekeeping had breezed through. 
She told you she worked as a maid once, ‘For about a minute. Before your father rescued me.’
“What’s your problem?” you snipe, rubbing your pinched elbow through your sweater sleeve. 
Your mother exhales a furious stream of smoke through her grit teeth, Dunhill poised, lit and ready. “You have to do something with him!” 
“Me?!” you hiss back. Alarm sets off a roil in your stomach. You’d made incredibly delicate work of avoiding your father since he landed on the other side of the trailer’s formica table, notching it all down to I’m eighteen, I’m about to graduate, I’ve got work to do! All of which is definitely true, but you’d padded it out a little. 
Padded it out with the time you spent with your lips on Eddie Munson’s lips, sure, but…
“Yes, you!” Gloriana spits, “Don’t think I’ve noticed how you’ve been skirting around him since he came back. Shouldn’t you be over the moon with yourself?”
“I am. I am over the moon.” Greatest lie you’d ever told. “He’s back! Hurray! We’re all happy families again. Do we get the house back? Do I get my car?”
Your mother’s lip lifts into a little smirk. “Oh, Lacy. Has someone gone and turned your head about Daddy? Knocked him off his pedestal?”
See, your mother’s always had this thing– this seething jealousy about the way you looked up to your father. Not necessarily because you never looked up to her the same way (you’d written plenty in your journal about the vapidity of being a ‘society wife’, as she definitely was– a kind of cornfed Midwestern Slim Keith, an ex-pageant girl from the unremarkable middle point of Hawkins who benefitted entirely from her once-poor husband’s grafting), but because you were there at all. Yearning for his approval and robbing his attention. 
Not like you ever got much of either. 
“You want I should call the cops and tell them he’s been running phone scams from the trailer?” 
Your mom lets out a little huff that could be mistaken for a laugh. “He just sits there, all day long. And when he’s not sitting, he’s curtain twitching.”
Just like you’d thought. Rear Window. Danger zone. 
“This place could use a neighborhood watch,” comes the pith through your nerves, “Has he seen anything good, at least?”
Gloriana rolls her eyes at you, hooded with the pretense of as if I’d tell you. “That’s the other thing. He doesn’t talk. But he does ask questions.” 
“Like?” you ask, after a rough swallow that alerts you to how dry your throat has suddenly gotten.
Finely penciled eyebrows quirk. It reminds you of how much your mother can resemble Ava Gardner, when she puts some chutzpah into it. “Better get out there if you want to keep him from his suspicions, is all I’m saying.” 
As if she knows more than she’s letting slip. 
“Shouldn’t you be over the moon? Aren’t you happy that he’s out?” You turn the mirror on her. Gloriana’s eyelids flicker, as if she’s exhausted by the mere question. 
“Of course I am. Don’t be ridiculous,” she sighs. “But some things… were easier. Before. You and I didn’t need to pretend–”
That we liked each other. 
“Yeah.” You snip right into her sentence because although you’re well aware of the scope of your mother’s feelings toward you, it still stings to hear it said out. She’s still your mom, after all. Or, she should be. 
Standing in this room is making you nauseous. 
“I’ll keep him occupied for a while.”
“Good. Thank you.”
“Don’t strain yourself.”
Moments later, you’re tossing a pack of cards on the little formica breakfast table. It used to be a universal language in your household, when your father was still feigning interest in you. He taught you to play cards, and taught you how to cheat at them. You only retained one of those things. Little miracles.
“Want to deal?”
Ray slowly closes the cover on Answered Prayers and rises to the table. 
“Why don’t you give it a try?” he says, a smile playing around his mouth. You resist the pull to roll your eyes, as if he’s bestowing such an honor on you—and wonder when exactly you did stop worshiping him.
Sometime between the last time you’d seen the back of his hand and the guilty verdict, you’re guessing. 
You lay out his hand, and yours. He archly remarks, “Gin?”
“I’ve gotten better.”
“You’ve gotten a lot of things, haven’t you?” Ray says, focusing on his cards. “Lot of things have changed.”
“What does that mean?”
“Look, I admit, I came on a little… strong that first night I came home.” Strong was one word for it; you’d call it more of a three-hour cross examination delivered while you were trapped inside an iron maiden. You’d shed as little light on the whole Munson situation as you could. He gave me a ride once or twice. We go to school together, what do you expect? “But can you blame me? With you and your mother living in… this place? I had to know. To be sure that you were safe.”
You want to think, he doesn’t give a shit about safety. He gives a shit about treason. About me fraternizing with his enemy’s offspring, or whatever. But the way he says it gives you pause. 
“It’s not so bad,” you shrug, swapping out a card. “It’s cozy.”
We’re not cozy people.
Ray takes a dig into the stock pile himself, regarding you with a curious look. “See what I mean? You seem… more willing to accept your circumstances. It’s interesting.”
The line between Ray Doevski praising and insulting you is like fishing line; depends on what he’s baiting you with. Accepting one’s circumstances was usually Doevskian for accepting failure.
“What, did you expect me to be kicking up tantrums about not having a clawfoot bathtub anymore? Because I’m not,” you smirk, “I’ve even adjusted to the notion of not always having hot water.”
Your mind flashes back to the small, square shower in the Munson trailer and you make a mental note to ask Eddie how his water heated to boiling within seconds. 
“That, I could personally never get used to.”
“Plumbing wasn’t so great in IDOC, I take it?”
“No. But that didn’t register so high on my scale of problems inside.”
“Was it scary?”
“Yes.”
“And were you… in danger?”
A long beat settles between you. Ray shifts in the vinyl-backed seat, a tiny squeak the only sound between him and his apparent discomfort. Chills, again. You get a chill. 
“... yes,” he says, and meets your eyes. They’ve sunk a fraction more than the last time you’d looked into them. Some of the gray shocks in his hair have turned white. Scary, to witness real evidence of your parents growing old. And frightened. “Lacy, I’d done badly by a lot of people. Some of them were even inside with me, and they wanted retribution, and that was fair. I could live with that,” depending on what end of a shiv he was on, you guessed, “But I also did badly by you. Very badly.”
Ah, acknowledgement that their father has lied about their criminal enterprises for the better part of her life–just what every little girl wants. It wasn’t as if you had still staunchly believed the not guilty campaign that your parents had spearheaded throughout Ray’s trial, even in the face of stony evidence. He was guilty; you had to figure out if you cared about the crimes, or the fact that he’d led you to believe he was so much better than he was. 
But this is the first time he’s really copped to it. 
You’re not quite sure what his admission is supposed to do, so you stare at your spades.  
“It makes sense that you don’t trust me anymore,” Ray goes on, “But I love you, and I always will. All I’ve ever wanted is to provide the best for you, the very best I could. Better than that, even– because that’s what you deserve. The whole world, Lacy.” 
Stomach churning, you wish he’d stop calling you that. Your nickname sounds wrong in his mouth. A world apart from the girl he thinks you are. 
“I just feel like you could’ve done that without skimming money off children’s charities,” you hear yourself saying before you register that your mouth is drawling off the words, “And laundering money through those rentals. And… what was it, drug trafficking? I lost count.”
Knowingly, you brace for explosion. Ray flipping the table, scattering his hand and laying an open palm across your face, the dull thunk of his Hawkins High class ring making contact with your cheekbone. That’d be something. Something solid. Something you could point to, that said I know who he is, I tried to stand up to him, I’m not him, please don’t think that I am.
But he doesn’t, so the line of your shoulders tense for no reason. He digs a cigarette out of the soft pack laying on the table and flicks it towards you with a fingertip. His right hand, ring finger bare. He’s not wearing it. 
He is wearing a sad grin of humility, shrugging like, well, kid, you got me there. Dead to rights.
He looks like somebody else. 
“So, how’s your life been, Lacy Doevski?” A charm dances around his tone, the way a flame dances around the edge of a photograph that doesn’t want to burn. 
And despite your best fucking instincts, despite the way that nickname falls out of his mouth like upchuck, despite the fact that you should hate him, there’s a change in the lighting around him that you just cannot help but want to engage with. 
“You really wanna know?”
“I really wanna know. Tell me everything. The road to Columbia, how’s that going? The newspaper. This job at the bookstore in town. Your friend, uh, Nancy, right? She seems like a nice kid. I know Ted Wheeler, a little bit. Went to school with him and her mom, Karen. And everybody knew Karen, but, uh, don’t mention that to Nancy!” He steals another card from the stock pile, but doesn’t discard one from his hand. You decide not to mention it. “I want to know everything, Lacy. I’ve been way too distracted with things that don’t matter as much as you. Call this… makin’ up for lost time.” 
Your shoulders shrug into themselves, like when you were a little kid and he’d let you sit on the big leather chair in his office after you’d sat outside the door for a solid hour, begging to come in. The corners of your lips pick up.
“Just about to finish my applications. I’m submitting this writing portfolio–”
“--I thought we talked about business school?”
You seize. You had. An effort in setting you up for a future of undebatable prestige started to sound more like sending you off to the meet market, the more your father talked about it. Business school is where you’ll meet young men of excellent character, Lorelei. Excellent family stock. It won’t hurt if they see that you’re smart, too. 
… why the everloving fu-huuuck would you go to business school when you spend every spare second of the day giving yourself carpal tunnel and preaching about that Woolfe chick, Lace? Nope, you need someplace with climbing ivy and people whose dissenting opinions on cliterature you can cat fight with. Eddie Munson, leaning over the counter at the Bookstore and shedding light on your secret desire to bury yourself in novels and pretention with his ever-burning flare of perception. 
Cliterature? you’d asked, brow an arch. 
Classic literature. As written by the fairer sex. Bronte and broads.
Well, Jesus Christ. Who died and let you lead the third wave of feminism, Munson?
“Um…” You hadn’t prepared a good defense for this. You felt a stab of nausea.
“It’s okay!” your dad chuckles, tapping you on the wrist in reassurance, “You changed your mind. That’s fine. But it’s still Columbia, right?”
“God, of course. Couldn’t imagine anywhere else.” 
“Good.” The smile reaches his eyes. “Sorry, your portfolio.”
“Right, uh– I’m just about polishing it off and I’ve got a great lead in, my last article for the Streak…” you trail off. A warning signal travels down your brain stem. Don’t tell him. Don’t tell him about Hellfire. You’ve got to keep him as far away as–
“About what?” Ray asks brightly. Picks up a card. Discards another. You see a twitch in his mouth. 
“An after school club,” you blurt. “My, um. My friend Ronnie’s in it. We were… lab partners. Junior year. Dissected frogs together.”
“Yeah, that really bonds people for life, huh?” Ray says. Not a trace of irony. “Well, I look forward to reading it. If you want me to. I know writers can be very precious about their work.” 
And their subjects.
“Uh, well. We’ll see. I might not want to jinx it after I send off my applications.” 
“Superstitious,” he smiles, “Just like your old man.”
“And I have a boyfriend.” The blurting just doesn’t let up from you, eh? Like you have to cover all your bases while Ray is swept up in this gregarious mood. “And he goes to… Ithaca. I think.”
Your father makes a face that stands up to some interpretation of, la-di-da, lookit you! and Christ, you’re nearly sure he’s bought it. College guy… he’d kind of fallen by the wayside since you took that trip to Saturday morning detention. He’d better fucking pick up if you call now, if he hadn’t gone back to Vermont or wherever. 
“Well, look, I’m glad you’ve kept that momentum even given… everything. And I’m glad you seem to be surrounding yourself with good, level-headed people.” People he would have called nobodies eight months ago. People you would have called nobodies eight months ago. “Like Nancy. And this Ronnie. And that you’ve stayed out of trouble, as much as you can.”
You swear you see his eyes flick to the window beside you. In the direction of the trailer across the way, where a warm yellow light glows from the bedroom. There’s a shake in your breath, but Ray isn’t quite done. 
“I’m incredibly proud of the woman you’re becoming, Lacy. And look at that–” His hand slaps down on the table, revealing his melds. “--gin! I thought you said you got better at this, kid!”
“You took me by surprise, Daddy. What can I say.”
“Quit that. That’s explosive cargo you’re flickin’.”
“You’ve got to be fucking kidding me.” Tap, tap, tap. One of the hinges of this rusty, crusty, dusty old domed metal lunchbox is loose, and you can’t stop toying with it. “This is what you’ve been carrying your motherlode around in?” 
“What about your mother’s load?” Eddie says, scraping the lunchbox a couple of inches away from you on the bench. Still, you reach for it, and he smacks your hand away. “Respect the receptacle, please. It’s a thing of legend.”
“Seems like a dangerously obvious hiding place for a bunch of illegal substances,” you say, brow creased. Had Eddie put any thought into his operation thus far? Because this seems extremely haphazard. He’s always swinging that goddamn thing around school, and one look inside the false bottom could put him away for a long time, if the Reagan administration had anything to do with it. 
“Exactly! Making it the last place anyone would think to look!” Eddie beams, flicking the lid open. “Class A drugs? Why, no, officer, these are my party pretzels. From home.” A deeply tragic baggie of crushed pretzel pieces lands between the two of you. Your frown deepens a degree or two. Eddie shrugs, shaking his curls out a little and starts picking through the detritus in the lunch box. Other than a couple of dime bags, a box of Camels, a lighter and some loose Twizzlers, his load’s light.
“How exactly does one get into the business of selling hydroponics et cetera out of a lunchbox, Eddie?” 
“Why, you lookin’ to diversify your criminal skillset?” That sly poke. You roll your eyes, jiggling your mary jane’d foot and pick up a bag of Mary Jane herself.
“I’m just curious about the trajectory! The more I learn about you, the more it occurs to me that you’re possibly the uncoolest drug dealer in history. You know, stereotypically speaking.” 
“The answer I think you’re looking for is that I’m a big, big boy,” Eddie rasps, taking an exaggerated chomp out of one of the liquorice ropes, “and I contain multitudes. Shit happens. Sometimes it leads to you selling pot. Et cetera.”
“What kind of shit?”
He considers you for a second, but you’re bright-eyed and curious about him. He jumps back from you when you’re like this sometimes, like he just touched a hot stove. You’d give him shit for it, but you did the same thing. The Twizzler waves in your face. “If I didn’t have such a brain-damage inducing crush on you, I’d think you were a narc.”
 “Eddie.” Though your heart does jump like a needle on a scratched record when he says crush. Particularly when he says crush like that. But he could elaborate on that for you later. 
“Fine, fine, fine– I’m not gonna get into the finer points of it now, but… basically, some shit went down with my dad that meant I had to move in with Wayne and working at the plant isn’t actually the cash cow that you’d think it is, and neither is me picking up barback shifts at the Hideout so… I hit up my dad’s friend Rick who said he’d help me out if I ever needed it and here we are. Lunchbox and all. Half ounces for halfwits at horrible parties.” Eddie toughens into this tense line as he speaks, like he’s halfway embarrassed about having to do this. “Means to an end, y’know?” 
You nod, though you want to prod further so bad. “Do what they expect of you until you don’t have to anymore.”
Exactly, Eddie mouths with narrowed eyes, another bite into the Twizzler. “You know what tune I’m singin’.”
Better than the both of you realize, it seems.
“This whole,” you gesture around the circular clearing, the place everyone knows you come to meet Munson to score product, “place does kind of look like the kind of hotspot where one might catch Goody Proctor dancing with the Devil.” 
It’s your first time out here–you’d elegantly skirted the responsibility of ever having to pick up for your group of friends but it’s… delightfully creepy. Whispers cragging through the tree branches. Eddie’s presence knocking you off guard at every turn–well, not you. Not anymore. 
“Rumors are kind of starting to add up. Satanic worship, human sacrifice… girls panties going missing. That’s all I’m saying.” 
A maddened grin peeling over his features, Eddie scooches closer to where you sit, perched on top of the rotting picnic table. “Why do you think I lured you out here, Lace?” His fingertips race up your calf and you spill a giggle, squirming away. “The Dark Lord requires another infernal bride!” He leaps up, ticklish touch attacking your sides ‘til you’re shrieking, not working quite as hard as you could to beat him away. 
“Ed–Eddie, st-aaahap!”
“It’s all cool! It’s no big deal! Just take your clothes off and sign my yearbook! Then, hey presto, the big guy’ll give you whatever you want.”
Eddie’s hands slow to a still on your hips, your uncrossed legs caging his sides. His lids fall, mouth prepping a pout for yours, but you press your thumb into his lips. 
“Whatever I want?” you whisper, eyes narrowing. 
A smirk flickers across Eddie’s mouth, a puff of breath pressing his mouth into your thumb until the tip is wedged between the edge of his teeth. Your breathing stills for a second and you resist pushing it further into his mouth. 
“Shit,” he murmurs, moving your hand across his cheek so he can kiss you full on the mouth. His tongue is needy and searching, making you curve into him just a touch. You can feel the prickle of his stubble coming up. Eddie with a five o’clock shadow… “I’d give you whatever you want, Lace. John Hancock in the Book of the Beast or no.” 
The wettened peaks of his lips go straight for your jugular. You two have shared enough mouth-to-mouth episodes for him to know that feeling his tongue against your pulse is liable to make you do nutty things. 
“Tell me what you want, dahling one,” Eddie’s mouth crawls up your jaw in an approximation of Bela Lugosi, up to your ear, where he knows you’re ticklish too. You feel him smile at your breathy laugh. “Anything you desire, anything beneath the blazing sun and under the heaving mud, anything under the banner of… the Hawkins township, because I don’t have a lot of gas money right now…”
“I want you,” you struggle through a sigh–his stupid mouthy beautiful mouth, “to get rid of that goddamn lunchbox. At least, for illegal purposes. Keep it for pretzels.”
Eddie honks out a nasally groan far too close to your ear and you jerk back. “No! You’re supposed to be all, ‘I absolutely indubitably want you, Eddie,’ and then we’re supposed to, ee-ee,” he thrusts his clothed hips into yours animatedly, “on this very table top. Until you realize it’s covered in woodlice.”
“Well, I can’t fuck you if you’re in prison. I’m telling you, that old tin thing falls apart in the hallway and you’re being tried as a full adult!” Wait, did he say woodlice? 
“You worry too much. S’gonna make you warty. Plus,” he says, unlatching himself from you and tossing his effects back in the tin box, “this is a family heirloom. Al Munson made good on his last straight job at the plant for a grand total of six hours, and all he got was this lousy lunchbox.”
Speaking of Al… 
“Y’know, I was thinking… If it wasn’t for your dad…” Your hands knit in your lap as you pretend to look around for woodlice.  
“‘If it wasn’t for Al’ what?” Eddie’s tone is flat, “Grand theft auto would decrease tenfold from here to Bloomington? Less diner waitresses would have complexes about men who abuse the free refill system? Starcourt Mall wouldn’t have burned down?”
Your eyebrows knit. Okay, pause. “What has he got to do with Starcourt Mall?”
“I’m not a hundred percent, but I have a theory,” Eddie says, arms bound across his chest. “It involves horseshit bombs and the Russian mafia.”
“And you told me my Larry Kline theory was crazy!”
“Well, funny you mention because my idea actually runs kind of concurrent to that–” 
“No, let’s put a pin in that for a second,” you cut him off, “It’s… my dad. I think he might actually be somewhat rehabilitated. Knocked down a peg, maybe? He actually displayed a hint of diffidence, Eddie. I think I … kind of have Al to thank for that.”
Sure, there was an air of initial disconcert to you and your dad’s little game of gin rummy, but the more you ruminated on it, the more it felt… threatless. Your mom had even joined you for a grim dinner of mac and cheese, where the three of you had nearly fondly reminisced on the pasta alla vodka from a restaurant they always went to on New Years Eve in Indianapolis. Maybe that’s what it took; a stint in prison to crack his ego like the Liberty Bell, and now Ray Doevski had to bear the humility like everyone else. Maybe he’d make good on his promise, making up for lost time.
But the disbelief, and, in fact, concern that Eddie is eyeballing your way says something different. 
“Don’t thank Al for anything.”
“I’m just saying. Dad and I actually talked last night, for the first time in… ever, really, and it didn’t feel like he was sizing me up. It was.. He was… nice.”
“Lacy.” Eddie’s shoulder’s sag. He hops up on the table next to you, bringing you knee to knee. The tear in his jeans rubs against the webbed nylon of your tights. When he looks at you, it’s with rounded eyes that could very well have been checking you for brain damage. “I don’t mean to blow out your candle or anything, but coming from someone as well versed in the tales of a crooked father who never really changes as I… I don’t buy this Ray of sunshine bit.”
Your hackles start to raise. Hey. Just because Al Munson was a famed and patterned piece of shit didn’t necessarily mean–
Eddie clocks you immediately, your crunched brow and pursed mouth. His hands go up, requesting pause. “Look. This is your first time at the convict parent rodeo, so I know how it is. Whirlwind. They always roar in in some Cadillac full of promises, right, swearing to make everything they fucked up right by you. But it never sticks, Lace. They’re hardwired to not follow through, okay? At least not on anything that doesn’t serve their own vain little agenda. With Al, it’s always some big dick scheme, something that’s gonna set us, and by us I mean him, up for life. No matter how good it feels to have them back, it– it always feels better when they’re gone.”
His searching eyes dart to his hands, as if he’d said a touch too much. On the one hand, a couple of painful pop rocks explode in your chest. You always feel this way whenever he mentions Al– Eddie’s let you in on glimpses here and there, revealing that he hasn’t quite shucked off the essence of being a hurt kid. It presents you with the super challenging desire to soothe the memory, but you dance around it at a distance. The dad stuff, it’s still sticky for the both of you. But now that Ray is back, and Al is back, you kind of have to talk about it. It figures pretty keenly into… whatever the fuck you two think you’re doing.
Then, on the other hand, a quick flash of resentment burns in you. Yeah, your dad is hardwired–why can’t mine be different? 
“Better?” you ask. 
“Maybe–not better,” Eddie rectifies, his rings knocking against his palm. “But easier. It’s always easier when he’s gone, even if I want him to be there. At least I know what to expect when he doesn’t call or write or whatever, which is nothing.”
“So I should do the same? Expect nothing?” You can’t hide the bite in your voice, and you can’t meet his eyes when he looks at you. 
“Lacy,” he says, searching hard for you in there, “You know what kind of guy your dad is. All the pomp and circumstance in the world won’t change what you’ve already seen. What you’ve already been through. This nice guy shit is a tactic– you…”
A heavy-ringed hand pulls your face to his, forcing you to look him in his earnest, gleaming eyes. 
“You deserve more than that.” 
Confusion with a sadness chaser churns in you. The metallic chill of Eddie’s rings against your cheek. A cooling comfort. Not a harsh sting. Not an open palm. A cradle. 
“I know you don’t believe me, for whatever reason, but you do deserve more than that.”
I still want you to be wrong, a voice hisses in the back of your head. Fucking Medusa rising.
“Yeah,” you nod in his hands, surrendering because it’s the right thing to say. “Yeah, of course I do. I’ll be careful. It’s fine.”
“And speaking of careful,” Eddie’s timbre hits a more suggestive spot, his hand falling from your jaw to your shoulder, “Harrington’s having a party on Friday, s’why I need fresh supplies.”
“Oh, really?” you mumble, mood not immediately perking up.
“Yes, really,” Eddie mocks, grip slipping to your waist. “I was thinking… y’know. Harrington’s house is big. Lotta rooms. Lotta beds…”
“Lot of intimacy at big parties,” you paraphrase Gatsby. “But the last time I was at Harrington’s… Is that such a good idea? Risking a repeat of teenage gladiator?”
“You were hardly gladiating, you were performing The Crab Monologues. Now, Carol, she wa–”
A scowl starts growing on your face. “Not helping your case.”
“Okay. Okay, I’m sorry,” Eddie grins that bitten, private grin he deploys when he’s just about to lay one on you. “Will you show if I promise to protect you from wild redheaded assailants?”
“I’ll consider it. But that better include that little neighbor girl of yours, too,” you warn, suddenly reminded of the viscous stink-eye that Billy Hargrove’s stepsister had been throwing your way the last couple of times that you passed her in the trailer park. “Orphan Annie has it out for me for some reason.”
“You’re so cute when you’re paranoid.” 
“You have a woodlouse in your bangs.”“Wuagh! Where! Kill it!”
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author's notes: christ it is GOOD TO BE BACK!!! if this feels like a part one to something, that is because it very much is, my friends. this was on its way to becoming a 20k+ chapter, which would freak me out actually so i decided to have some boundaries for once and split it in two. get you warmed up for what's to come. it's drama. btw. anyway on with the show - ohhh, you guys i have been listening to so much early-mid 00s emo in order to write this story. i realized that that's my secret weapon, because it's just as melodramatic as these two fucking dumbshits are. points to anyone who knows what the title of the chapter is a reference to (bonus points if they can find it a second time in a past chapter of this story) - flannery o'connor is of course a standard doevski pick for an author, but also a nod to maya hawke playing her in the biopic, which looks exquisite btw - back at it with the extremely rudimentary dnd references! i thought fear and loathing in luskan was fun - eddie WOULD know a ton about ancient greek mythology, specifically the goings on at the olympics, but not because he has any real vested interest in it but moreso because when he researches for a campaign he goes absolutely hard, like me with my 26 tabs open googling 'nail polish shades popular 80s teen girl bonne bell' - kick rocks! montague moment's over! but real quick-- what's munson? it is not hand, nor foot nor arm nor face, nor any other part... belonging to a man :) - yet another hellfire & ice fancast moment, i must present my personal pick for o'donnell-- it's gotta be allison janney, baby. less in the 10 things i hate about you guidance counselor vein, rather in the stepmom from juno vein. - 'hey hildy, what's the scoop?' had to get a his girl friday reference in somewhere, didn't i - answered prayers by truman capote is not only the cuntiest book ever written (capote essentially sold the secrets of his wealthy socialite friends in order to write it) but is also the latest ryan murphy adaptation - we stan jordan baker from the great gatsby in this house alright! that's all for this one! hope you enjoyed it, i know it's heavy on set up but next chapter will see us right back at casa de harrington for another blowout party, so... brace yourselves. please comment and reblog to support the work, thank you hellcats i love you forever
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Red and Gold
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PAIRING || Sugar Daddy!Tony Stark x Sugar Baby!Fem!Reader
WORDCOUNT || 4.1K
SUMMARY || Tony is bringing you along to a charity event, but this time, you decide to surprise him with your outfit. The moment he finds out you're wearing his colors, he has to restrain himself from tearing it off you and having his way with you right then and there.
RATING || Explicit (E)
TAGS || Sugar Daddy AU. Sugar Daddy!Tony Stark. Sugar Baby!Reader. Heaps and heaps of tooth-rotting fluff.
WARNINGS || Unspecified age gap. Use of nicknames (Sugar). Use of Y/N. Mutual pining. Idiots in love. Sexual tension. Explicit sexual content. Feral Tony Stark. Referenced heartbreak.
SMUT || Daddy kink. Dirty talk. Begging. Praise. Degradation. Hair pulling. Oral (F receiving). Beard burn. Spanking. Semi-public sex. Clothed sex. Rough sex. Unprotected sex (wrap it before you tap it!). Cream pie. Aftercare.
A/N || The idea for this one-shot has been living rent-free in my head, and I am happy to say that with the help of @ccbsrmsf1, this story has finally come to life! This is proofread by the lovely @ccbsrmsf1 as well, for which I'm forever grateful. Thank you for everything you do for me; I love you! 💙
A/N 2.0 || I used writing prompt #2422 from @promptsforthestrugglingauthor while writing this story. From the moment I saw it months ago, I knew I had to use it in a story, and I'm happy to say I finally found the perfect one to incorporate it into! 💙
EVENTS Masterlist || @fandom-free-bingo Book night || "Look At Me." Masterlist || @fandom-free-bingo Book night || Sexual Tension Masterlist || @fandom-free-bingo Wild || Love Confession Masterlist || @mcukinkbingo || Having sex while clothed
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Banners: @nicoline1998enilocin || Divider: @rookthornesartistry || Photo: @ccbsrmsf1
Main Masterlist || Tony Stark Masterlist || AU Masterlist
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Sugar's POV
It's a beautiful day today, and you're sitting outside the coffee shop on your college campus, a hot cup of coffee and a pastry on the table, along with your laptop. On the screen is the face of someone you haven't seen in almost a month but who you miss more than anyone: Tony Stark.
He's seated in his office, his phone propped up as he eats his lunch while talking to you - a habit you two have subconsciously slipped into a few months ago. Seeing how your lunchtimes overlap most of the time, you spend 30 minutes to an hour keeping each other up to date on everything, and today, the topic of conversation is tonight's charity event you're both attending.
"Why won't you hint at your outfit, Sugar? I've already shown you mine, so it's only fair you show me yours," he tries again with a soft smile, and you feel the butterflies in your stomach go wild as you look at him.
"Because, Tony, it's a surprise. I've told you that before, and I'll tell you again now. I want to surprise you tonight because we haven't seen each other outside of FaceTime in a while. And I may have gotten something special that I'd like to hide from you," you say as you wiggle your brows, and Tony's cheeks flush at your teasing.
"Not fair," Tony pouts before taking another bite of his lunch, making you laugh.
"Life's not always fair, sorry," you respond, sipping your coffee as your eyes slip shut. The liquid warms you from the inside out, spreading a content smile.
"Are you sure you won't be able to drive to the event together, Sugar?" Tony tries one last time, and you shake your head. Between classes until 7, getting ready for the event, and meeting Tony beforehand, there won't be enough time to join him, so you will have to meet him on the red carpet.
"I'm sure, Tony. I wish I could, but unless you want me to wear my casual outfit, I prefer to go home first and meet you on the red carpet instead. But I promise you I'll make it worth your while later tonight," you say with a wink, and Tony almost chokes on his food as he realizes what you're referencing.
Just as he's about to respond, a notification on your screen lets you know it's time to head to your next class. A sad feeling settles in your chest as you say goodbye to Tony, whose face shows a hint of disappointment that you must go.
"I can't wait to see you tonight, Sugar. I'm looking forward to seeing what you have in store for me," he says before you both say your last goodbyes and you head to class.
Luckily, the remaining classes seem to fly by, and once it's finally time to go home, you can feel the butterflies in your stomach go wild at the thought of seeing Tony again in an hour or two. Your dress and accessories have been picked out and laid on your bed in preparation, and your hair has been washed this morning to save time.
The moment you step into your apartment, you're running from one place to another to get ready as quickly as possible while eating some leftover pasta salad you made for dinner last night. Your hair is straightened before being put into a ponytail, a few pieces left out to frame your face, and you opt for a red and gold makeup look to finish your look.
Lastly, it's time for your dress: a deep-red off-shoulder gown that reaches down to the floor and has a split on your right side that reaches mid-thigh to show off your leg. Combined with gold jewelry, high heels, and a matching gold bag, you're ready to go on time.
After one last look in the mirror, you hear a car honking outside - letting you know that the car Tony has sent to pick you up has arrived.
"Good evening, Ms. Y/L/N," Happy says with a nod, and you smile at him as you greet him.
"Good evening, Happy. Thank you for picking me up," you tell him before getting in the back of the large car, careful not to bang your head or trip on anything. The second you're seated, you let out a soft sigh, and your heart hammers against your ribcage, trying to escape as the realization sinks in that you're almost reunited with Tony.
But most of all, you're curious to see his reaction because you're wearing red and gold—his colors.
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Tony's POV
It's been a long day already for Tony, filled with long meetings, and it's about to become even longer now that he's at the charity event. Pepper has also been asking him countless questions today, and all he wants now is to see you again; he wants a piece of his sweet, beautiful Sugar. At this point, knowing that he'll be reunited with you soon is the only thing that keeps him from walking out of here with zero fucks to give.
He has already passed countless photographers and is now being interviewed. However, he's sure that his answers are barely usable, now that you have completely taken over his thoughts. His mind is miles away from the moment at hand, after all.
Just when the interviewer is about to ask the next question, Happy pulls up in the car he sent to pick you up, and it's all Tony can focus on now. Time seems to have slowed as the door swings open in slow motion, and each of your legs emerges from the large, black vehicle.
First, he sees your golden shoes complementing your skin tone beautifully, and then he sees the bottom of your red, floor-length gown. His heart is hammering against his chest as he's holding his breath in anticipation of the rest of you—which will be gorgeous, without a shadow of a doubt.
Happy extends his hand, and you grab it to get up carefully. Tony sees the dark red nails that match your dress perfectly, and his mind instantly wanders to how they will feel as they scratch his back later, feeling himself chub up in his bright white pants.
Every last drop of blood officially rushes south as you step out of the car and into the spotlight. After thanking Happy for the ride, you face the red carpet with a bright, wide smile on your lips as you spot Tony, and you wave shyly at him before being led to the giant wall of photographers.
Men and women shout your name left, right, and center while Tony can do nothing else but stare at you in absolute awe. The woman interviewing Tony has given up and moved on to someone else, all while he looks like he's nailed to the floor, his jaw slightly slack at the sight of you.
The dress hugs your curves in the best way possible, and Tony's heart beats faster than ever as he looks at you, enjoying yourself on the red carpet. You have joined him enough times, and you two have been the headlines of many tabloids since your arrangement started, so everyone is well aware of who you are.
When you extend your hand towards Tony, letting him know you also want some photos together, he immediately rushes over to where you're standing. If he weren't already deeply in love with you before this moment, he definitely would be now, though he wouldn't dare to admit it out loud. He doesn't want to ruin your relationship, after all.
As soon as your hand makes contact with his, you both feel a shock of electricity going through your body. Tony lifts it to his mouth, kissing the tender skin of the back of your hand, causing a deep red blush to spread across your cheeks, but you also feel superb as he does it. He never fails to make you feel like a princess.
"If I didn't know any better, I'd think you did this just for me," he says as he looks at you with pure love. His glasses frame his face in a way that makes him look even more handsome than usual, and they complement his bright white suit.
"I told you I wanted to surprise you, and I believe it worked," you say as you reposition yourself against his side, the leg that was exposed by the slit of your dress is bent slightly while your hand covers his arc reactor under his shirt, which helps to ground you a little bit as well.
"Let's get a move on, Sugar. I can't wait any longer to be buried deep inside your tight, sweet pussy," Tony whispers in your ear before grabbing your hand and pulling you away. His heart beats faster with every step, and his cock is straining hard against his pants. Seeing you has made him horny, and he is going to make sure he will have his relief - preferably by burying his thick, hard cock deep inside the hot, tight, velvet walls he's missed so much.
He needs you badly, and he needs you now.
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It doesn't take long for Tony to find an empty closet, and without a care in the world, he opens the door before pulling you inside with him and pushing you against it once it's closed. Tony's lips are on yours instantly, and you welcome his tongue immediately, savoring his taste after almost a month of not seeing each other.
The kiss is messy, and it's a combination of tongue and teeth as his fingers glide over your exposed thigh, the other hand pulling your hips against the straining bulge in his pants.
"God, I missed you so fucking much, Sugar. Missed having that perfect little pussy wrapped around my cock, and your lips sucking my soul out through my cock," he pants while he works your panties down your legs, all while your hands are wrapped around his neck, your forehead pressed against his as your breaths are mingling.
"Missed you too, Daddy," you say before capturing his lips to suppress the moan leaving your lips, but he quickly pulls back after hearing you say that.
"What-" is all he can get out before you move your hands from his neck down to his pants, unbuttoning it quickly before pulling out his achingly hard cock. Your bottom lip is pulled between your teeth as you look at him with a shimmer of mischief in your eyes, a smirk tugging at the corners of your mouth.
"I need you to fuck me, Daddy, please," you beg softly, and it's exactly what he does. Your dress is quickly pushed up and out of the way so he has the access he needs, and he guides his shaft back and forth through your folds, making you gasp each time it nudges your sensitive clit.
"So fucking wet for me already, huh? Nothing but a dirty, desperate little slut for Daddy to fuck whenever he wants. Letting me fuck you in a closet where everyone can walk in at any moment - I'm sure it makes you fucking drip for me," he says through gritted teeth as he lines up his cock, not pushing in just yet, but letting his hand glide back and forth over his length.
"Y-yes, Daddy! 'M your slut," you tell him in a breathy tone as you look through half-lidded eyes at him, mouth slightly slack as you feel him pumping his cock up and down, your nails digging into his shoulders in anticipation of what's to come.
"If you want to be a good slut for Daddy, you will need to keep quiet for me right now, Sugar," he says, and without any other warning, he shoves his cock in with a single thrust, and his lips instantly crash onto yours to swallow the loud moan that was spilling over.
Tony's thick, strong fingers are digging into your thighs as he thrusts in and out of you at a strong, rapid pace that has your eyes rolling back and your pussy fluttering around his cock, the length of it hitting your sweet spot with every thrust.
Your nails are digging harder into Tony's shoulders, and it only spurs him on as he builds both your highs, your orgasms barreling closer at an alarming pace. Suddenly, Tony's mouth is gone from yours, and he carefully grabs your jaw with his right hand, his left one holding you still.
"Look at me, Sugar, look at me when you cum on my cock. Fuck, need you to cum on my cock like the good slut you are for Daddy," he groans, and you nod as soon as your eyes find his intense gaze, the usual dark brown entirely replaced by the black of his pupils.
"Cream my fucking cock, Sugar, and I'll fuck you so full of my cum it'll leak out of you for the rest of the fucking evening, dripping down these delicious thighs of yours before I fuck it right back into this tight, warm pussy when we're in my penthouse," he pants. Still, all you can do is whimper softly as you're trying not to scream as he repeatedly hits your G-spot.
The moment your orgasm washes over you, your nails are digging hard into Tony's shoulders, and his mouth is immediately back on yours as he fucks you through it, your legs trembling heavily in the process. He whispers soft praise as you come down from your high, and it's only when he pulls out that you notice he has cum, too, his seed nestled deep inside you.
"Such a good girl for Daddy; I missed you so much," he whispers as he peppers your face with soft, gentle kisses, and you smile shyly up at him. You always feel extra vulnerable after you've had an orgasm, but he has learned how to handle that, making sure you won't crash after your high.
"M such a lucky man to have you by my side, Sugar," he whispers before placing a kiss on your forehead, followed by one on the tip of your nose, and he finishes with a last peck on your lips when you've found your footing again, and you're steady on your feet.
"Thank you, Tony," you whisper, and he smiles. Just before you two leave the closet, Tony picks up your panties from the floor and tucks them in the pocket of his pants as a little souvenir to remember what you two just did.
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Surprisingly, the charity event went by quickly, but you and Tony decided not to stay for the afterparty this time. You two have been eyeing and teasing each other ever since you emerged from the closet, wanting nothing more than to make each other fall apart a couple more times before falling asleep in each other's arms.
Happy has picked both of you up, and there's a comfortable silence in the car as Tony's hand draws abstract figures on your thigh. You look out the window at the New York City skyline. It has always been one of your favorite cities, and when you decided to study here, you couldn't wait to explore it all.
Somewhere along the way, you met Tony, and now you're seated in the back of a large SUV on your way to his penthouse, where you two will undoubtedly spend the entire night pulling orgasm after orgasm out of each other.
The moments between Happy dropping both of you off and the elevator ride to his penthouse are a blur. The only thing you remember is Tony kissing you fiercely in the elevator, hands wandering everywhere until you had to let go, and he would lead you to his large bedroom.
Now, you're standing in front of the large floor-to-ceiling windows. As you look over the Manhattan skyline, Tony stands behind you with his hands on your shoulders. Your heels have already been kicked off, making him considerably taller than you are.
"I can't believe you had the nerve to show up looking like this, Sugar. Wearing my colors was such a bold move, and I can't say anything other than that I'm impressed," Tony tells you as you meet his gaze in the window.
"You must bring it out in me, Tony. Because I know for sure I would never have been able to do something so bold without you by my side," you answer as you take the last step back until your back is against his chest. Your eyes flutter shut as his arms wrap around you, and you hold his forearms as you stand there for a moment, basking in the moment's intimacy.
"As much as I love seeing you in that dress, I know for sure it'll look even better when it's on the floor," he tells you, making you chuckle as you let go of his arms, and he pulls the zipper on your side down. The fabric falls to the floor in one flowy movement, leaving you entirely bare for him.
"Perfect," he whispers, his nose nuzzling your neck while his hands glide down your sides until they land on your hips, where he makes a move to turn you around as he sinks to his knees. His fingers glide over the soft skin on your thighs and calves, before grabbing one of them and hooking them over his shoulder, opening you up beautifully for him.
Your glistening, puffy folds are on display as Tony licks his lips in anticipation, and he groans softly when you let your fingers glide into his hair, pulling softly to get him to the place where you need him most. Without a second thought, he flattens his tongue as he licks a stripe from your entrance to your clit, and you throw your head back as he teases your sensitive nub a bit with the tip of his tongue.
"D-Daddy," you moan as your hips roll against his face, the friction causing a jolt of pleasure to go through your entire body. Tony's hands are holding you up firmly, his fingers pushing into the flesh of your hips to steady you.
With expert precision and the enthusiasm of a puppy, he eats you out like a starved man, and before you know it, you're tugging on his hair from root to tip to pull him closer, his facial hair giving you the best case of beard burn you've ever had as he works you through a mind-bending orgasm.
Every sound coming from your body is almost inhuman as the pleasure takes over your body, and you're trembling in Tony's hold, but you're not scared to let go. You trust him completely to take care of you, and you know he will do everything in his power to ensure you're safe, especially during moments like these.
"Tastes like heaven, Sugar, sweetest pussy I've ever tasted in my life," he rasps as he carefully guides your foot back on the floor before pulling you against his chest and kissing you softly, allowing you to taste yourself and the faint taste of his cum on his tongue. You quickly get lost in him as he touches you, and he makes you feel like you're floating right now.
"'s your turn now, Daddy," you tell him when he pulls away, but he shakes his head with a smile as he stops you. Your brows knit together as your gaze finds his, worry visible in your eyes.
"As much as I would love to have these beautiful, puffy, pink lips wrapped around my cock, I think I'd prefer to stuff you even more with my cum. Now that I've had a taste again, I want to be buried deep inside you, Sugar," he tells you as he cups your cheeks, and you nod in understanding.
"M'kay, but only because you ask so nicely," you tease, making him laugh. You let go of him before walking to the bed, and he lands a slap on your ass as you pass him - making you yelp in surprise.
A few minutes later, he's entirely bare above you, your head on his pillows as you look up at him in anticipation. He has settled between your legs, and his hard cock rests on the crease where your hip meets your thigh.
"You're so beautiful," he whispers, enjoying how your cheeks flush at his praise. A smirk tugs at the corners of his lips as he lets his thumb glide over your cheek and the line of your jaw, before tipping up your chin to capture your lips in another kiss.
You two may not have revealed your feelings for one another yet, but you're also not afraid to show them off when it's just you two right now, basking in the intimacy of your closeness. So vulnerable and yet so strong at the same time.
Tony's fingers ghost over your body and down to his cock, which he fists a couple of times before lining up with your entrance and pushing in. You're still stretched enough from when he fucked you earlier, making it easier for him to slide in, but despite that, he still takes his time with you.
Soft moans tumble from your lips as he slowly thrusts in, taking his sweet time to fill you up completely. His hands are interlaced with yours above your head, and your noses are practically touching each other as he slides in completely, and your back arches into him as he hits your sweet spot.
"That's it, Sugar, you take me so well," he praises you as you wrap your legs around him, allowing him to fuck you even deeper than before. His hips roll into you at a careful, steady pace as he watches your face for any discomfort - but he doesn't find any.
"So good," you whisper before capturing his lips, and it doesn't take long for both of you to be on the edge of yet another release. Your eyes widen as you feel the band inside your belly on the verge of snapping, and with one last command, you're over the edge.
"Cum for me, Sugar, milk Daddy's cock for all it's worth," he grits out as he nuzzles his face in your neck, and with a loud scream of his name, you fall apart around him, your hips rolling in tandem with his as he releases every last drop of his cum inside you.
After riding out both your orgasms, he carefully pulls out before collapsing beside you and pulling you onto his chest, where you both come down from your highs.
"God, that was amazing, Sugar. But I definitely don't want to wait a month again before seeing you," Tony says with a breathy chuckle, and you nod.
"Me neither," you say sleepily as you listen to the soft hum on the arc reactor in his chest. It doesn't take long for Tony to hear your soft snores, and he pulls the comforter over you both. The cleaning up can wait a little bit.
"I'm not sure I know what love is, but I think this might be it, Sugar," Tony admitted to your sleeping form. "And I know you can't hear me right now, but maybe one of these days, I'll be brave enough to say it when you can," he whispers, the reality of his feelings suddenly hitting him hard.
After that, he got you cleaned up after you had a short nap and something to eat. You two shared more cuddles and soft kisses before going to sleep again, and you felt content in his arms as your arm was draped over his chest.
The next morning, you wake up to an empty bed, and you rub your eyes to make sure Tony isn't in there with you. When you've confirmed that he's not there, you sit up, pull the comforter to your chest, and grab your phone to look at the time.
"Good morning, Sugar. I made you breakfast in bed," Tony tells you as he walks in with a tray filled with your favorite fruits, french toast, some yogurt, and two steaming cups of coffee to finish it all off.
"Mornin'," you say as you yawn, the scent of breakfast filling your nose. A smile dances on your lips as you look at everything Tony prepared; your stomach begins to rumble.
"Someone's getting hungry," Tony teases as he sits on the edge of the bed and leans in to kiss your lips softly. You can get used to these mornings, though you shouldn't be getting too comfortable with how things go now. You don't want to get your heart broken again, after all.
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blackleatherjacketz · 7 months
Text
The Notebook
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Javier Peña x Female Reader
Summary: Your coworker, Javier, finds some of your erotic writings in your notebook and takes a very special interest in them.
Warnings: 18+ Only!, Explicit Smut, Mature Content, Humiliation Kink, Invasion of Privacy, Javier invading your personal space, Dracula Fan Fiction, Stealing, Teasing, Taunting, Alcohol, Kissing, Writing Kink, Javier wanting you to talk him through it, Vaginal Fingering, Finger Sucking, Face Grabbing, Neck Kissing, Neck Sucking/Biting, Vaginal Sex, Woman On Top, Orgasm Delay
Word Count: 3.6k+
Notes: This may or may not be inspired by true events.
Tags: @bullet-prooflove @skittle479 @letsby
This day has dragged on long enough, your office’s efforts in catching Escobar sluggish at best as Peña paces around the busy office with his hands on his hips. His stance accentuates the muscles in his back as they flex in aggravated tension through his dress shirt, his rugged features twisting with worry as he slowly turns to face you.
“You got anything?” He asks, waltzing over to your desk. “Any random phone calls or photographs we might have overlooked?” He gives you a glance reminiscent of the one he shot you at last year’s Christmas party, one that sent shivers down your spine then and is well on its way to doing so now.
“Nothing I haven’t already shown you.” You shrug your shoulders as you watch him saunter around your desk, running his thumb and forefinger over his mustache before planting himself proudly onto a stack of your papers.
You’d seen him do this to Murphy dozens of times before, but he’d never had the audacity to do it to you until now. He’d never gotten close enough for you to feel the heat radiating off his body, hear the rhythm of his breathing or feel the roughened texture of his pants as his thigh brushes against your elbow. The scent of smoke and whiskey surrounds you as your heart begins to flutter in response, making you well aware of the attraction you’ve been trying to hide for months now as he leans in close to see what you’ve been writing.
“Wait, what does that say?” He leans in closer to get a better look before placing his hand on top of yours, grazing his index finger over your hurried handwriting as your heart skips a beat. “Peña doesn’t believe me?”
He snatches the notebook right out of your hands, standing up to read your most pertinent notes on the case out loud for everyone in the office to hear. He takes his time rifling his way through its weathered pages, picking and choosing phrases he finds to be interesting as his large fingers spread each sheet of paper apart from the next. Those mischievous eyes of his glance up at you in between his redundant narrations until he gets to the very back of the book, a section you’ve always kept to yourself.
“Peña, stop!” You stand up from your seat and lean forward, reaching out to him as he playfully pulls it away just in time. He’s never shown any interest in your notes before. You have no idea what could have changed that now.
“Por qué?” He raises an eyebrow and steps back just far enough to sit down on top of his own desk, the skin around his eyes creasing with intrigue. “Is this your diary or something?”
You shoot him a look that tells him he should know better; a look you hope to be just as threatening as it is pleading while he holds your innermost thoughts and desires hostage. You try your best to avoid telling the entire office what’s inside, but you can’t expect him to know that you’ve written your own erotic version of ‘Dracula’ in the back of the book he holds in his hands.
“Peña, please give it back!” You extend your arm out as far as you can, flexing your fingers toward him as he blatantly ignores your request.
Smiling wide, he enacts your biggest fear by reading your dark and dreary prose aloud, your words rolling off his tongue as if he’d written every one of them himself before reciting them to your peers. He looks up at you occasionally until he gets to a certain part of the story that shouldn’t be uttered in a place of business, let alone out loud at all. All of the sudden he gawks at you from atop his desk, his eyes growing darker as his mouth falls slack, his lips deepening into a vibrant shade of mauve.
Oh God, it’s too late. He’s seen too much.
Sweat begins to form at your temples as he turns the page, a single drop racing down your cheek as a lick of his lips makes you swallow hard before wiping away the evidence of your discomfort. Powerless to stop him, you attempt to busy yourself with whatever paperwork is in front of you, stapling random things together as he continues to read your deepest, darkest thoughts in the light of day. But it’s no use. You can still feel his eyes upon you, the heat radiating off of them practically cooking you from the inside out as everyone else around you moves on, unknowingly going about their business.
His silence remains heavy as his glare only deepens over the aged black leather of your personal ledger. Another page turns, the edge of the paper practically deafening against the hustle and bustle of the room as it scrapes across his calloused fingertips in what seems to be slow motion. You’d been in dozens of high stress scenarios on the job before, but nothing had frozen time or gotten your heart racing quite like this. Nothing had flushed your cheeks or shook your hands like this until he started looking at you like that.
“Hey, you got those financial reports I asked you for?” Murphy interrupts your thoughts by stepping directly into the line of fire.
“Uh, yeah, I uh…” you scramble, looking down at your desk to rid yourself of the unbearable heat of Peña’s eyes. It’s only now that you realize you’ve stapled a takeout menu to your paystub just in time for you to shove it under the rest of your disorganized papers.
“You okay?” Murphy tilts his head as he looks at you, glancing back at Peña before squinting as if to try and figure you out. “You look a little…”
You can see Peña shifting his weight out of the corner of your eye, no doubt getting to the part where Dracula bites the girl on her thigh and starts dining between her legs with a fervor you described in great length. You hold your breath and furtively watch him take in a slow, stifled one to match yours before he looks up at you in an almost… helpless manner. You notice his palm gently grazing over the bulge in his jeans as they gradually tighten around it, the space between his thighs shrinking as he brings them together in muffled frustration.
Is he…? Holy shit, he’s really enjoying himself.
“It’s nothing,” you reassure Murphy, sifting through your messy stack of papers until you find the ones that he’s after. “Women’s troubles, you know.” You wink at him before handing over the documents, knowing full well that was enough to steer him away from you in a heartbeat.
“Say no more!” He holds his hands up in defense before taking the paperwork from you. “I’ll leave you to it! Wouldn’t want to make you mad during that time of the month!”
You sneer at him until he takes the hint and walks away, clasping his hand onto Peña’s shoulder in order to get his attention. He leans in to tell him something inaudible, something about a lead they need to follow up on as Peña swallows hard, nodding to his partner in silence. You watch his Adam’s Apple bob up and down in his throat before he turns to stare at you like a jungle cat would his next meal, closing the book in his hands before shoving it into the hem of his pants for safekeeping.
“I’m gonna need that back before you go,” you remind him, remaining seated as you hold your hand out.
Grinning from ear to ear, he laughs to himself and slaps his knee before standing up from his perch on his desk. He slowly saunters toward you with your book tucked snugly between his hips. “But I haven’t finished it yet.”
“You don’t need to finish it, Peña.” You try to control your breathing as he gets closer to you, every vein in his neck and forearms popping against his skin as the tension between you builds. “Give it back.”
“You want it?” He leans forward and places his palms flat on your desk, bringing his gorgeous face mere inches away from yours.
“Please,” you attempt, your chest heaving.
He licks his lips and takes the pen right out of your hand just as quickly as he had your notebook, writing an address on the closest sticky note before turning it around to face you. “Come by my place later tonight and pick it up.”
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It took you a while to muster up the courage to actually get in your car and drive over to Peña’s apartment a few hours later. You realized maybe a little too late that if he really wanted to embarrass you, that if he hated whatever you’d written down on those pages that he wouldn’t have taken it home for him to finish later. You tell yourself that if he didn’t at least want you in some capacity after reading that about you, he wouldn’t have invited you over here tonight at all. So, you decide to show up and act confident enough in who you are and what you’ve written, hoping that maybe this night won’t turn out so bad after all.
Just as you expected, he’s all but smirking when he opens the door to his apartment, eyes taking you in as he leans in against the doorframe just a little too long. His tie is nowhere to be found and the first few buttons of his shirt are undone just enough to show the sweat glistening across his muscular chest as it rises and falls with your arrival. “Took you long enough.”
“Where’s my notebook, Peña?” You try not to stare at him for more than a few seconds as he steps back just far enough to grant you entry, his scent intoxicating you once again as he towers over you.
“It’s over there,” he mutters. “And call me Javi.” He points to the coffee table with a nearly empty glass of whiskey in his hand. “You want a drink?”
“Sure, Javi.” You try on his first name with a smile, seeing how it feels in your mouth as you make your way over to the sofa, sitting down in front of the messy coffee table. Your notebook lays in the midst of scattered ashtrays and coffee mugs, the edges of it bent a little bit more than you’d like. “I assume you’ve read everything in here, then?”
“A few times, yeah,” he admits, glass clinking behind you before he returns with a full drink in each hand, sitting down next to you.
“I didn’t know you were such a huge Dracula fan,” you tease, forcing yourself to play the part of your confident protagonist as you take your drink from him.
“Neither did I.” He winks at you like he winks at everyone, only this time that salacious glare stays on his features as he lifts the amber liquid to his lips. “You’re a really fucking good writer, you know that?”
“Yeah,” you wink back.
“Humble, too.” He takes a sip of alcohol, nodding toward the infamous notebook as he shifts his weight to disguise the act of scooting even closer to you. “There’s some real sick shit in there, you know that?”
“You seemed to like it just fine.” You remind him with a quick sip, wincing as it washes over your tongue and down into your stomach, warming you to the very core. You’d be lying if you said you hadn’t replayed the image of him rubbing his jeans in the middle of the office over again in your head on the drive over here.
He only laughs as you call him out, nodding unapologetically as his breath fogs up the glass around his mustache. “Oh, I’m not complaining.” He sets his drink down on the table before grabbing hold of your knee as if he’d done so a thousand times before, squeezing it affectionately. “You know that.”
You do now.
“Do I?” You let him touch you as you down the rest of your drink, relishing in this moment that you’ve been fantasizing about for far too long as his fingers curl beneath your thigh, tugging it towards him.
“So how long has it been since you’ve done anything like that?” His voice drops an octave as he slowly turns you toward him, the darkness in his eyes engulfing his usual chestnut hue as a strand of hair falls in front of them.
“You mean since I’ve been bitten by a vampire?” You chide, feeling the warmth from your drink spread from your arms and legs out into your fingers and toes.
Now it’s his turn to give you a knowing look.
“A while,” you admit, letting him carefully spread your legs apart as the moisture you so eloquently described in your writings begins to collect between them. “What was your favorite part?”
“All of it.” He holds eye contact with you while his hand grazes up your thigh toward your junction, his fingertips barely sliding beneath the cotton of your underwear before he pauses. “You really experience pleasure like that?”
“Sometimes,” you nod, lifting your leg up onto his lap as he guides it there with his opposite hand. “If I’m lucky.”
He grins and pulls the soft fabric to the side, studying your face as he dips his digits into the moisture between your folds as a hushed moan barely escapes your lips. He brings his mouth just a breath away from yours as he spreads your slick up and down your seam, delicately lubricating your now puffy lips before coating your swollen bud up and down with your arousal.
“What are you feeling now?” He whispers, his question hot on your skin as he excites the neurons in your most sensitive spot.
“What?” You’re barely able to ask, his fingers pushing and pulling against your clit in a torturously slow and pedantic pattern.
“Describe it to me,” he slides his fingers down inside your heat, his thumb pressing against your bud as your walls instinctively squeeze around him. “Describe it like you would in your writing.”
What?
“Mmm…I… you feel… electric,” you start out almost stuttering, still shocked at his unique request as he glides up at the most euphoric angle. “Your fingers are sending little… fuck, Javi!”
“I knew I liked hearing you call me that.” He kisses your lips as you try to find the right words in the moment, to convey the utter bliss he’s sending up into your core as your hips roll against his wrist again and again. But the pleasure he’s giving you is so intense that it blocks out any logical form of thinking, erasing any linguistic mastery you may possess as his bold request remains unfulfilled.
You lift your hand to hold onto his face as you moan against his mouth, tasting the flavor of whiskey you both shared as the hair of his mustache tickles your skin. He moans along with you, your growing euphoria seeming to give him just as much satisfaction as he pushes his fingers in deeper than yours could ever reach. In and out, they nearly brush against your cervix as he continues massaging your bud, exciting each and every nerve ending along your soaking wet walls as they grip around him, clenching in delight. His groans vibrate against your lips as he breathes in your hushed whispers, your failed attempts at any literary description of what he’s doing to your body until it’s finally about to give way.
“Tell me how you taste,” he pulls his fingers out just as you’re about to climax, shoving them into your mouth as you whine in stifled protest.
Your eyes widen as he pushes in past your lips, that zesty flavor settling into your taste buds as you wrap your tongue around his fingers to pinpoint the notes of your juices. He watches you, utterly rapt as you take him in up to his knuckles, your spit all but spilling out of the corners of your mouth before he reluctantly takes them out.
“Well?” He sucks them into his own mouth to get a taste, his eyebrows disappearing into his hairline as he awaits your answer.
“I taste tangy,” you manage to say as you watch him savor the little bit of flavor you’d left for him, his full lips glistening in your sex. “Tart with a little bit of sweetness.”
“Tastes like you were about to come.” He grasps onto your chin, smearing the brink of your orgasm across your face as he brings his lips to your cheek, pressing hungry kisses into your jawline. “Now, what kind of story would that be if I let you come that quickly, huh?”
“I, uh…” you mutter as his lips reach yours, slowing down the synapses in your body with each prolonged kiss as his fingers weave their way into your hairline. “Not a very good one.”
“No, not at all,” he whispers, sucking your bottom lip into his mouth before letting it bounce back into place.
He grabs hold of your hips and pulls you onto his lap as he kisses his way down your face and neck, just as fervently as you’d written in your book. You hiss as his tongue barely softens the blow before his teeth scrape against your flesh, latching onto your throat in order to suck your pulse into his mouth in a delicious twinge of pain. It’s as if he’d memorized every word you’d written down, following the map of intimacy you so blatantly laid out for him as he pays perfect attention to your most erogenous zones. His hands accompany his mouth by needily grazing over the muscles in your back, massaging them on their way down to pull you near before grasping onto your cheeks.
You run your fingers through his hair as his kiss deepens, darkening your bruise with a soft hum that sounds more like a whimper as you grind your soaking wet mound over his clothed erection in urgent desire.
“Don’t think you’re gonna make yourself come like that,” he breaks free from his bite, bringing you out of it with a harsh smack to your ass.
“No?” You ask, wondering just how long you can prolong your release.
He bucks his hips up just enough to slide his thumbs beneath the fabric of his jeans, freeing himself in one fluid motion as his pants rest just below his knees. “I wanna feel it, too.”
Jesus Christ, he’s huge.
He licks his fingers and drags them slowly up your length as you hover over him, smirking as he tugs on your clit one more time before finally stroking himself.
“Tell me how it feels.” He looks up at you and grabs onto your face while coating himself in your sex, your juices already dripping down his shaft and onto his pelvis before you open your mouth to speak.
“My skin’s on fire, Javi, I’m so… aching for you,” you whisper incoherently as you look into his eyes, resisting the temptation to watch him line up with your entrance as he stimulates you with the tip of his cock. “I’m tingling with pleasure, but it’s not enough, I need you inside me.” His girth cuts you off as you slowly sink down onto him, his head already stretching your walls in pulses of ecstasy as they gradually expand around him.
“Good,” he huffs, placing his other hand on your hip as you take him in completely, his eyes instinctively rolling back in his head before he has the chance to look back up at you. “Tell me more, baby.”
“Fuck, you’re big, Javi,” you mumble as the pet name nearly takes you out, your inner walls already quaking around him as he pushes in up to the hilt. His other hand snakes its way across your hip, grabbing onto your ass as he thrusts up into you, his size stretching you out inch by inch as you rise and fall onto him at a desperate, delicious pace. “I’m gonna feel you for days after this,” you mutter, nearly out of breath. “Feel so empty without you.”
“Yeah?” He tightens his grip on your face before turning you on your back, thrusting in even deeper to trigger that cascade of pleasure that can only come from hitting that bundle of nerves he’s been dancing around all night. He grunts as he feels you begin to seize around him, loosening his grip on your face before sliding it down to your throat as he drives those surges of bliss up into your spine, one right after another.
“Javi, you’re making me come!” You whimper, mewling beneath him as he ignites your entire body with a thousand tiny explosions, sparks of euphoria practically shooting out of your fingers and toes as you contract around him like a mad woman.
“Good girl,” he growls before losing himself inside you, too caught up in his own pleasure to demand your verbal description as he slams his hips against your thighs at a violent, erratic pace, straining every muscle in your body as he spasms within the confines of your velvety grasp. “Fuck!”
You wrap your legs around his back as the aftershock courses its way through you, his thrusts barely slowing down as he spills his release inside you with reckless abandon. He looks like a wild animal as he builds onto your pleasure, his eyes blackened with lust as he grunts and growls into you, forcing it to wreak havoc on your system as you rattle and hum uncontrollably. His abs contract as he pushes in deeper with each twitch of his dick, sending you even further over the edge as his eyes fall shut in sheer delight before eventually slowing his rhythm.
“That’s one for the books, huh?” He asks, resting his forehead against yours before kissing your cheek.
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ninjakk · 11 months
Note
Hi..
As much as I wanted to love the novel (original version), that r*pe jokes author threw in that extra chapter really put me off. She's so good creating the plots in her stories, but why did she has to put that jokes in? She was so insensitive about that issue.
I want to know your thoughts about this :)
Hi anon,
I'm sorry to hear you've been put off the novel, but each to their own.
So, you see the thing is it's not a joke to WWX and LWJ, they are just roleplaying to their kink. There are hints throughout the novel that WWX is not opposed to this forceful behaviour and he even makes a 'joke' about such things back when they are trapped in the Xuanwu's cave.
I think one thing that a lot of people forget is that this was a web novel on a site with author's notes and tags. So if the noncon, or in this case CNC (consensual nonconsensual), was an issue for readers, they might have been able to see this and not read on. It is also something often found in BL and she was targeting a specific audience who would mostly be aware of such things possibly appearing in her chapters anyway. Because of this, I don't think MXTX was being insensitive about such topics.
In fact, I think due to noncon and dubcon being a common trope in the BL genre, MXTX has (as she so often does) turned this trope on its head and actually made it something I would consider healthy. LWJ holds himself back from doing anything without WWX's consent (bar his momentary laps with the kiss, which he feels terrible about afterwards) and consent is actually a running theme throughout the novel. LWJ refuses to do anything WWX doesn't want - to the point he does not take him back to the Cloud Recesses in his first life. It only becomes CNC because WWX wants and encourages it at the end of the novel. Even the apparent dubcon bath scene where WWX thinks he's taken advantage of LWJ, was actually consensual because LWJ had sobered up before this point and it's subtly shown as such by LWJ's speech pattern changing from childish to a more forceful tone. Obviously LWJ's dream is technically noncon and was quite a shock to some, but this was a dream and you can't control dreams. I won't go into the dream scene because there is already a lot of meta on this and I'd just be repeating!
Overall, CNC is a part of WXs shared kinks and I actually found it refreshing to see it handled quite respectfully, in the sense of it being a kink that can have a bit of a bad rep. MXTX showed her readers how a loving couple can have such a kink, yet be so tender and sweet as well.
Naturally I understand why this might make some readers uncomfortable, especially if they are unaware such things are in a novel and it may be triggering. There is an argument here for some sort of warning being included for such content that may pose as a possible trigger and something indicating as such somewhere on the novel cover - as it does not have any on the official volumes I have. Especially considering some readers may have come from the CQL or donghua and aren't aware of such things being present.
As such, I would say that if anyone handled such things insensitively, it would be the publishing companies, not MXTX - as she is just an author catering towards a certain audience and genre. It is the publishing company's responsibility and choice to safeguard the general public from reading something that may be triggering, but most publishing companies do not do this because they fear it may impair sales. There is also a huge argument about adding warnings being a form of censorship and trigger warnings actually doing more harm than good, so it seems to be a very difficult line to tread.
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violetsiren90 · 2 months
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All I Haven't Said | Namjoon/Reader
💜 Chapter 3: Part 2 💜
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Table of Contents: Chapter 1, Chapter 2, Chapter 3 (part 1), Chapter 3 (part 2)
Pairing: idol!Namjoon/f!Reader
Genre: Soulmate AU; idol AU; chapter fic; strangers to lovers; a bit of idiots to lovers, tbh; slow burn; eventual romance; eventual smut; angst (life is messy & hearts are complex); OT7 featured
Summary: You found your soulmate - or rather, he found you. Turns out he's an idol of much acclaim who needs you for very real and unglamorous reasons. What could become of two hearts so used to giving of themselves when they are confronted with needing each other?
Chapter Word Count: ~7k
Chapter Warnings: This fic is 18+, as is all my work and my page as a whole; depictions of cancer and its treatment; secondhand embarrassment; awkward situations; soulmate skinship; loss of consciousness; dudes dude-broing a bit lol; mentions of minor character death (in past); cursing; chemo therapy and its symptoms; nausea and vomiting; characters eat meals; Reader is starting to grapple with some difficult feelings; Hybe kinda sorta depicted as being collective assholes in responding to this situation (gonna be a theme, guys)
Author's Note: Here comes part two! I know this is months coming (again), but I've finally found my stride with writing and work. I had this mostly done, and then redid some parts and finished editing, and well...I just hope you all enjoy it! My hope is to post part three in two weeks - I really want to get into a groove with plot progression here!
There is a lot of content in this chapter about medical procedures and treatment. I tried my best to represent these as accurately as possible with what information I could acquire, but if there are any misrepresentations, great or small, please don't hesitate to let me know!
Thank you again to all who have stuck with this story! I continue to be blown away by how much love you have all showered upon it, and I'm so excited to walk the path I intend for these two and have you all along for the ride!!
P.S. If you want to join the tag list, drop me a comment or an ask!
P.P.S. If no one has told you yet today, you're loved and worthy of love! 🧜‍♀️💜
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"Out of sheer taciturnity the ceiling listens To the fall of ancient leafless rain, To feathers, to whatever the night imprisoned." ~Pablo Neruda
Chapter 3: My Windows Ache
Namjoon's labs had come back with even more promising numbers. A radiology scan had shown no shrinkage in his tumors, but the doctors commented that these were early days, and that the effects of the bond might even be keeping them from inflaming due to the chemo. You had watched him, smiling as the doctor reviewed the result, and couldn't help but feel a sense of pride. Your soulmate was on the road to recovery. 
     Nurse Cha quickly checked both of you over before initiating another skinship session.
     "I saw you out on the grounds earlier, and for the first time in weeks," she said, shooting Namjoon an approving grin. "Keep that up. He needs sunlight and fresh air," she remarked to you, flustering you even as you nodded in agreement.
     Why was she telling you that? Were you his keeper?
     Actually, you supposed, in fact, you were.
     You peeked back up at him and found him regarding you with a small, amused smile, which disconcerted you further. You shook your head, shooting him an eye-roll as you made your way into the bathroom to disrobe.
     After your first few experiences with skinship, you had asked Matt to acquire you some sporty, conservative sports bra and boy-short sets, and you slipped into one, pulling a hospital gown over it. After the way your conversation with Hyung-seo had unfolded you were glad to have them - the practical underwear felt far less intimate and flirty than your typical bras and panties, giving you much more peace of mind. 
     As you left the bathroom and made your way back to Namjoon's half of the suite, you noticed him sitting on top of the covers, long legs stretched out in front of him, in nothing but a black tee and blue boxers. He had a drip attached to a tube that ran under his shirt. When Nurse Cha glanced up from her touchscreen tablet to see you approaching, she waved her hand for you to come around to the other side of the bed, which had been adjusted to accommodate Namjoon's upright position.
     "We’re going to try this sitting up today," she explained as she typed. "He's on a chemo drip right now, and the doctor wants to see if the bond will help ease the nausea and some of the other side effects. I heard you just had a nice lunch, so it would be wonderful if Namjoon could hang onto his."
     She shot him a rueful smirk and he let out a chuckle. You smiled in turn and nodded as you slipped off your hospital gown and draped it over the end of the bed. You glanced up at Namjoon who had cast his eyes down at his hands, folded in his lap. The huge apparatus was lower than usual, so you slipped rather easily into it and against Namjoon's side. He raised an arm to drape over your shoulders and you settled against him, pressing your bare leg against his. It was comical how much shorter yours were, but you could only think of that for a fraction of a second as every other thought in your mind melted at the feeling of the man beside you.
     Butter. Warm, melted butter. It was as if every single muscle group in your body had suddenly released every bit of tension it had been holding. So many sensations at once, but this was the one you felt like leaning into at the moment. You felt like collapsing against him.
He sighed deeply through his nose. Yeah, you felt that on a spiritual level. Mmh. 
     Your melty, bond-induced reverie was broken, however, by a dissatisfied noise from Nurse Cha as she stepped toward the bed. You looked up to find her expression matched her tone. 
     "You're not really getting much contact," she said, scanning her eyes over everywhere you touched...and didn't. 
     You raised your arms slightly and a bit uselessly. You felt Namjoon lean forward.
     "Should I...like..." you looked to her for direction, but she was already in motion. 
     She grabbed your arm, guiding you off the bed and motioned for Namjoon to scoot back to the middle. She said something to Namjoon in Korean and suddenly he was tugging his shirt over his head. You felt your cheeks getting hot. Social norms had not prepared you for this amount of casual nudity. You stood there, eyes glued to Nurse Cha, hugging your arms over your middle and hoping that Namjoon was playing his usual blessed game of "look anywhere but soulmate". The nurse took your arm again and guided you back toward your previous perch.
     "Sit between his legs and lean back against his chest," she instructed, nudging you to join him.
You looked up at Namjoon. His face looked like you felt. And then it was just too much. You were standing in a hospital in South Korea in your underwear being asked to sit in a practically naked celebrity's lap so that he wouldn't die.
     You busted out laughing.
     Nurse Cha jumped, surprise clear in her features as she regarded you. 
     "I'm sorry! I'm sorry!" You gasped, bending over to support yourself against the bed as you continued to chuckle, "This is just..."
     You snorted. Mortified but still attempting to swallow your giggles you clapped a hand over your mouth and looked up at Namjoon whose dimples were out and whose shoulders were shaking with his own silent amusement. Nurse Cha's lips curved up a bit to one side, but her narrowed eyes spoke of far less hilarity felt.
     "Here's the thing," you said, turning to the nurse while still biting back your laughter, "Namjoon is spoken for, and...well...I have a pretty nice ass."
     The nurse's eyes widened.
     You were probably being really impolite. That would have been borderline in the States. You weren't sure about here, but you felt like that might have broken some unspoken rules. Or, maybe spoken ones because there were a lot of formalities, you were learning. But you had reached your limit with all this. The awkwardness levels were at maximum, and you were gonna cope the only way you knew how - with humor.
     When you hazarded a look at your soulmate, he had drawn his knees up, grabbing them with his hands, his head dropped between them and his shoulders shaking as he badly repressed laughter of his own. You could see those dimples again. They were even deeper than before.
     "We need to get maximum skin-to-skin contact during these sessions," Nurse Cha insisted indignantly, clearly a bit flustered. 
     "I know, I'm sorry, I'm sorry," you offered her a contrite smile as you rocked back on your feet. 
     "Ah!" Namjoon drew your attention as he pointed behind you. "Throw me that pillow?" 
     You grabbed the little green cushion from the corner of the couch and tossed it to him. He lowered his legs and placed it over his lap.
     "How's that?" he asked with a closed-lip smirk.
     You gave him a thumbs up and clambered back onto the bed to situate yourself between his legs. You looked back over at Nurse Cha. 
     "Better?" 
     She raised a brow as she handed you a blanket. You thanked her quietly and cleared your throat as you fanned it out over your legs and Namjoon's, tucking it up to your waist. The nurse checked Namjoon's vitals and said that she would return in an hour to take him off the drip.
     You sank back tentatively against your soulmate's chest, careful to avoid the little port below his sternum. There it was again. Butter.
     Somewhere above and behind you, Namjoon chuckled. You smiled knowingly.
     "What?" you asked indignantly.
     "Did you see her face when you said that?"
     You shrugged against him.
     "Hey, it's true!" you insisted.
     "Sorry if this is uncomfortable for you," he murmured.
     You could hear that he was still smiling, but he sounded serious all the same. You let your head fall back.
     "Honestly, I felt bad for you," you huffed in another laugh before sobering. "And, thank you," you turned, casting your eyes up over your shoulder, "For always being so respectful. It's made this a lot easier."
     "Oh," Namjoon responded softly, "Of course." 
     You looked at his arms resting at his sides and thought of what Nurse Cha had said. You slowly picked up his hands in yours, raising them slightly.
     "May I put them around me? For more contact," you asked.
     You asked it boldly, but you felt shy. You wanted the chemo to work. You wanted it to stop hurting him while it did. When Namjoon let out a low hum of assent you drew his forearms around your waist and laid your own over them.
     Your eyes slipped shut. So euphoric but it always made you feel like sleeping. You weren't going to give into the urge, though, not just yet. There were conversations to be had.
     "Tell me about Hyung-seo," you prompted softly, shifting against him to get comfortable. 
     He was quiet for a moment.
     "Well," he responded slowly, "what do you want to know?"
     "How did you meet her?"
     He went quiet again. Then he sighed a small sigh. You wondered what that little breath carried.
     "She debuted in 2019. A buddy of mine - Seo Jungkwon, he goes by Tiger JK in the industry -  had signed her to his agency. Bangtan was just taking off, things were blowing up. I actually collaborated with him which is when I met her."
     He silenced for a moment.
     "We had a lot in common - how we approached life and music."
     "Had?" you asked, gently.
     He heaved another sigh. 
     "The last few years have been really tough on her. I mean, she hasn't had an easy life to begin with, but..."
     He paused, as if deciding whether or not to utter the words he wanted to say next.
     "Anyway," he redirected himself, and you wondered what thought he had dismissed, "Preparing for a tour is grueling, and this is her first one. I think the stress is really getting her."
     You hummed in acknowledgement. You recognized it in his voice - you should after all, as the same sound had echoed so often in your own - the hollow clemency of lying to yourself on someone else's behalf. 
     "Well," you offered, "She's lucky to have you supporting her, especially when you're going through such a difficult time yourself."
     Namjoon scoffed.
     "I mean, yeah, I'm sick, but...I don't know. In a lot of ways my life has been a lot easier these days. A lot simpler."
     "Really? In what way?"
     He huffed out a wry laugh.
     "I have so much time to just do whatever. Read, write...I've been learning a couple of languages. I get to do v-lives with ARMY pretty regularly, as the company allows - Jungkook went kind of crazy with it before enlistment so we have to go through them for access now."
     You had no idea what a v-live was, but from what little you had seen of Jungkook, you could imagine it took very little for him to get up to a significant amount of shenanigans. You smirked.
     "Did you have so little time for those things before?" you queried.
     "No! No way. It was like running non-stop for ten years. During my time in the military, I got a bit of a break and a change, but then I got sick and had to be discharged early, so...well, I didn't even get to experience that like I should have."
     You felt your hands tighten in response around his forearms. His life hadn't been cake-walk either, that was clear. You wondered if he knew that, if he acknowledged it.
     "Well, I'm glad you have more time for those things. You should keep as much time for them as you can, even when you're better."
     He paused for a moment before whispering agreement into your hair. You felt it even though he didn't say it, the caveat - if he got better. He would. You'd never make him a promise you couldn't guarantee, but you could make one to yourself. So you did.
     For the rest of the session you talked about Bangtan, and the recent history of the group's situation.
     You learned about conscription and that it applied to idols as well. You learned the members had decided to enlist pretty much around the same time so that they could reunite to tour again after being discharged. Namjoon had been released ahead of schedule when he had fallen ill, and at this point most of the members had followed, save Yoongi who was set to be discharged the following week. He fondly reported that they were all anxious to meet you, and that Jungkook and Jimin hadn't stopped pestering him with all manner of questions in your regard since their visit the previous day.
     Every time you had heard him speak about his members, the deep brotherly affection that permeated his words was incredibly evident. 
You asked him to tell you about each one, and he did.
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     You blinked your eyes open as you felt Namjoon shift you in his arms. You slowly pulled yourself forward, struggling to focus.
     "I...I'm sorry," you murmured, "I fell asleep on you again." 
     Namjoon chuckled and assured you it was quite alright. As you wearily slipped off the mattress to stand, you suddenly felt the room tilt and your knees buckle. Namjoon's reflexes were quick enough to catch you in his arms. He stood to pull you up and hold you against him.
     "You okay?" he asked in concern.
     "I...I got dizzy..."
     You attempted to put your weight into your legs, but failed, sagging weakly against his broad frame.
     Nurse Cha was already in motion.
     "Help her to the bed," she ordered, striding across the room. 
     Namjoon wasted no time in scooping you up in a bridal carry to follow her. You gasped despite yourself, the sudden movement and his strength equally surprising. But every thought was fleeting as you found yourself struggling to maintain a grip on consciousness.
     You felt Namjoon lay you gently on the bed as cold, sticky monitors were pressed to your skin; heard him ask the nurse what was the matter, his voice tinged with anxiety. 
You heard him say your name.
     And then you heard nothing.
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     You groaned as you came to. Your throat felt like the Sahara and your head was pounding. Pushing yourself to sit up, you became aware of the sound of voices on the other side of the curtain. Carefully drawing your legs to the edge of the bed, you clutched your IV stand as you struggled to your feet.
     Pulling back the hanging divider, you were surprised to see Matt occupying the little couch, a cup of coffee on the low table in front of him. Namjoon sat in the opposing chair, leaning forward with his elbows on his knees in rapt attention as the older man spoke. It was dark out.
     "Matt," you croaked, shuffling forward.
     Namjoon's head whipped around at the sound of your voice and he sprang up, just a moment faster than his guest, striding over to take you by the arm. You faltered just a moment in your steps as his hand cradled your elbow and you felt it - his touch and what it did to you. You wanted to curl into him. You wanted him to hold you.
You gently tugged your arm away.
     "You're awake - let me call the nurse," he said, almost to himself as he moved to press the red call button. 
     You sank down beside Matt.
     "What time is it?" you asked in a husky murmur. Your friend checked his watch.
     "1:33am."
     You frowned, blinking blearily.
     "What the heck are you doing here at the hour?"
     "Well!" Matt laughed before taking a sip of his coffee, "It's nice to see you too."
     "You know what I mean..." you grumbled, rubbing your eyes.
     "He called me," he said, gesturing with his raised mug toward Namjoon, who had returned to the armchair. "Said you'd had a fainting spell."
     Your eyes followed his motion to your soulmate, who was already scanning his over you, brow furrowed and full lips pursed pensively.
     "How are you feeling?" Namjoon asked.
     You huffed out a mirthless chuckle.
     "Like I got hit by a freight train."
     The worry lines on his brow deepened.
     "Hey, look..." you held up a hand to wave it weakly between both men as they regarded you in apparent concern. "I'm probably just adjusting to the bond or something. Cancer isn't contagious, you know," you ribbed, shooting a tiny smirk at Namjoon who attempted to return the expression though the smile didn't reach his eyes.
     The night shift nurse and an aid entered the room to assess you. Namjoon asked to speak with a doctor, and was told that Dr. Na would be checking in first thing in the morning. The nurse had very little else to report other than that your blood work had been sent to the lab and that they would be able to determine more once your results were available. He informed Matt that some charts would likely be available in twenty-four hours, but that your CMP could take up to three days. The aid urged you to try to get some more rest. Before departing, the nurse removed your spent sodium chloride drip and said that a meal would be sent up which you were advised to eat if possible, but to be sure to report any signs of food-rejection should they appear.
     Namjoon stood and sighed, rubbing the back of his neck as he gazed at your little portion of the suit.
     "They want you to rest, but how the hell are you supposed to sleep with me over here snoring? It's keeping you up, right?"
     You smirked.
     "Well, most of my rest over the last couple of days has been due to a lack of consciousness, but I do have to admit that you woke me up a couple of times last night."
    Namjoon groaned discomfitedly.
     "It really isn't a big deal!" you reassured him, "I'm a pretty sound sleeper."
     "And still I woke you up."
     "Don't worry about it..."
     "It's not just that, though," he insisted, hands in the pockets of his sweats and head cocked to one side as he continued to consider the small space across from his. "You don't even have a window. If you want privacy, you have to sit behind that curtain in the tiny bed -- I hate it. I've hated it since they were first preparing for you to arrive. I'll make some calls tomorrow. You need your own room," he stated decidedly, returning to the chair across from you.
He fished his phone out of his pocket and leaned forward to rest his elbows on his knees as he fired off a message.
     Namjoon did have a point, it was a pretty meager space you currently occupied. But they must have had a reason, you thought, for wanting you to share a room with him. And you didn't want to cause any kind of fuss in the name of personal convenience that might detract from his treatment or recovery. 
     "Namjoon, it's fine..."
     He looked up at you, his brown eyes assured and determined.
     "Just let me handle it. I've got you."
     A sudden warmth spread through your chest like the rising sun on the frost of your anxieties, his gaze melting away the familiar worry of burdensomeness. You looked away shyly.
     "Good man," Matt said to him with a nod, and they shared a look as your soulmate nodded in return that seemed to be one of mutual masculine respect. You wanted to roll your eyes a little bit. You also felt pretty damn grateful.
     Matt stood to leave, pressing a kiss on your temple and promised that he'd return in the morning. He paused to shake Namjoon's hand.
     "If there are any further developments, don't hesitate to call me," he said, to which the younger man nodded in agreement.
     "Or I can call you!" you rasped after him as he raised his hand in one last gesture of farewell while shutting the door.
     You huffed.
     "Smart guy," Namjoon remarked, sitting back down in his chair. "You know he's read Toegye exhaustively?"
     You raised a brow at him, your lips quirking with a wry grin.
     "Two peas in a pod. He's probably going to be coming around here nonstop until he leaves just so you two can gab in genius."
     Namjoon smiled and touched his fingers absently to his jaw, his eyes trained on the linoleum.
     "Are you bothered that I called him?" he asked abruptly, glancing up at you.
     "What? No, of course not," you reassured him with a shake of your head. "I just..." You rolled your eyes and smirked. "I'm not used to sitting around while boys decide what's best for me."
     "Aaahhh," Namjoon responded with a nod, interlacing his fingers, "Well, you've been looking out for me since you walked through that door back there, and honestly, I could get used to that..." he leaned forward a bit, "But only if I get to return the favor. You said we don't owe each other, but that doesn't mean you get to be the only one doing the giving."
     You stared at him. The only one to do the giving. The words jarred something loose inside you. You swallowed the strange feeling that threatened to well into your throat.
     Before you could respond, an aid entered with your meal. A tray loaded with dakjuk, rice, and several banchan was placed before you. It smelled fantastic, and you actually felt you could eat. You moved to take the tray to your side of the suite but Namjoon stopped you.
"Hey, wait. I'm hungry. I'll eat with you."
He crossed to the other side of the room to pick up the telephone.
"Go ahead," he said with nod of his head a little grin, "Don't wait on me."
     He didn't have to twist your arm. The chicken porridge was steaming and savory, warming you up within just a few bites. A similar tray soon arrived for Namjoon, and you found it did feel far nicer to eat with someone than alone.
     Between bites he asked you about Matt.
     "He's my dad's best friend. When he died - my dad - Matt and his wife Rebecca helped to take care of us for a while. They've been really good to my family."
     Namjoon's face sombered.
     "I'm sorry about your father."
     You smiled softly at him.
     "It was a long time ago, when I was ten. He was a firefighter."
     He nodded quietly, giving you the opening to continue. You decided to take it.
     "A fire broke out at a high-security prison. The situation got really bad with a lot of people still inside - prisoners. They told the team to stop attempting rescues, that it wasn't worth it, for people like that. But my dad kept going. Alone. He saved seventeen more lives before...well, he couldn't make it out."
     When you looked up at Namjoon again his eyes were locked on you, his chopsticks resting idly in his hand.
     "Wow," he murmured after a pause. "And you were ten years old? That must have been so hard."
     You dragged your spoon through your dakjuk.
     "It was. But managing things after he was gone...that was harder, I think."
     Namjoon's brow knit in question but he didn't press you further. For the second time that night, you were grateful. Death was easy to explain, other things were much more difficult.
     You finished the rest of your meal chatting about Matt, Neo-Confucianism, and unequivocal humanism between mouthfuls of rice and porridge.
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      The next day, you were moved into your new suite a few doors down. Namjoon had received no resistance from the hospital in procuring you the space, as apparently Hybe's representatives had been the ones to originate the request that you be at the idol's immediate disposal.
     Your room mirrored the setup of your soulmate's, being on the same floor but across the hall, and Kang Dae had dropped in with a catalog stating that you could select whatever you wished to make the space more comfortable. You had circled a few things and he had departed to procure them. Matt had brought the bulk of your luggage, which meant a good portion of books, your art supplies, and finally more clothes which you would blessedly now have no worries of mixing up with Namjoon's. You changed into jeans and a comfy Nirvana graphic tee.
     You were busy unpacking when a knock came at your door. You called for the person to come in while you continued to stack books onto a small set of shelves. The doctor had cautioned you and Namjoon against further skinship sessions until your blood work had come back, so you were anxious for the results, not wanting him to go through another bout of chemo without the aid of the bond. 
When you glanced up expectantly, however, you found your curiosity would have to wait - at least, concerning your charts - as in the entry stood none other than Kim Hyung-seo.
     She lingered in the entryway at the mouth of the space, her arms wrapped around her middle. She looked much more casual today in a pair of big baggy camouflage cargo pants, a tight black crop top, and chunky white sneakers. Her hair was pulled up into a bun, and she had black mask pulled under her chin. She was bare-faced, save for two small red dots under her right eye.
     You stood from your crouched position, trying your best to keep the surprise from your face.
     "Hi," you greeted her with a small smile, which she returned remorsefully, still hugging herself as she glanced around the room. "Would you like to sit down?" you offered, motioning to the furniture beside you. 
     She nodded, crossing over to take a seat in the little arm chair. You moved to sit across from her. Your first instinct was to offer her something to drink, only to realize you were in a hospital room with no way to deliver, at which you both laughed awkwardly. After a moment of tense silence, she looked up at you, gnawing her bottom lip.
     “I owe you an apology," she sighed. 
You gave her an encouraging smile.
     "Fuck..." she dropped her head in her hands, and you waited for her to collect herself. Finally, she raises her eyes to yours, interlacing her fingers with their long white nails in her lap. 
     "What I did...what I said yesterday...I was cunt. I'm sorry." 
     You let out a little laugh at her choice of words.
     "Well, I do accept your apology...but, don't be too hard on yourself. It was a really bizarre and unprecedented situation for all of us. I'm glad we're moving forward, and in a better direction."
You smiled again at her reassuringly.
     She nodded, her lips pursed and quivering slightly. You could tell she was blinking back tears.
     "Me and Joon...we'd only been engaged for a few weeks before we found out...you know, that he had a match. That it could be his only option to live - bonding. With you. It's just all really fucking scary."
     You nodded sympathetically. She released another sigh as she continued.
     "He had to decide so fast, they pushed him to just make this huge life commitment as fast as they fucking could and now..." She raised her arms, looking around the room in resign, "Here we are. And we have to figure everything out, and I'm about to leave and..."
     "I'm sorry," you murmured sympathetically.
She looked down into her lap, worry still twisting her features.
You wondered why she was leaving, now of all times - when things were the way they were. But that wasn't for you to judge.
"You know," you offered hopefully, "At least he's on the mend. At least you know he'll have someone to look after him."
     She hummed. You wondered if it was an agreement as her eyes flitted over your face searchingly. Anxiety from the previous day's encounter began to seep into your chest as you considered if you had chosen your words poorly. You had said what would have comforted you in under the same circumstances. But maybe you were different - too different.
You softened your heart, determined to reserve judgement. Life had given Hyung-seo had her own shoes, and you would do everything you could to understand what it was like to walk in them.
     "Can I add you on KakaoTalk?" you asked, realizing you were still clutching a book, and setting it onto the low table to pull your phone from your pocket.
     She was chewing on her lip again when you looked up. She stared down at the hardback. 
     "You read a lot, huh?" she asked, though it didn't sound like a question.
     "I do," you answered slowly, wondering where her train of thought was headed.
"All that stuff you said yesterday, you seem, like really in tune with people. And smart. You guys are, like, the same."
She pressed the words out in a strained voice. She looked so small and so sad. Your heart sank for her.
"Namjoon actually said that very thing about you yesterday."
She glanced up at you in surprise and confusion. You smiled.
"He said that when you met he was struck with how much you shared in how you saw the world, and how you approached music."
She regarded you silently as you continued.
"And that's your life right, your great love? Music? What a wonderful thing, to base your life with a partner in a love you share."
She nodded slowly, her eyes watering.
"Thank you," she finally whispered, and you nodded in understanding.
You reached out to take her hand and she squeezed yours. After a few moments of silence, she rose and wiped her eyes.
     "I'm leaving tomorrow and I want to see Joon again before I go," she explained. 
     You nodded.
     "Thank you for coming to talk to me and for sharing about how this has been for you. I really appreciate it."    
     She smiled - perhaps genuinely for the first time since you met. It was a lovely smile.
     You sighed as she left. It wasn't much, but it was progress. Maybe she would let you in. Maybe it wouldn't be so hard after all.
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     When several hours had passed with no updates on your lab results, you decided to take a walk down the hall to see how your soulmate was faring. You knocked on his door, but received no answer. 
     "Namjoon!" you called softly with another rap of your knuckles, but were still met with silence.
     Just when you were about to turn and go, the door creaked inward on its hinges, slipping open to reveal your soulmate's tired face.
     "I just came to see how you were doing...are you okay?." 
     You followed him as he slumped back into the suite, but before he could even reach his bed he turned and pushed past you to hurry into the bathroom. It caught you a little off-guard and you stumbled, catching yourself on the opposing wall, but quickly realized the reason for his urgency when sounds of retching followed.
     The bathroom door was cracked open and you could see him hunched over the toilet, breathing heavily as his body wracked with each attempt to expel the contents of his stomach. You hesitated a moment, then pushed the door in slowly, coming to kneel beside him and gingerly place a hand on his back.
     He raised his head, eyes fluttering when you touched him. You gently pulled your palm up and down his spine, feeling the warm surge of the bond even through his shirt. He reached for a piece of toilet paper to wipe his mouth.
     "You don't have to do that..." he murmured, resting his forehead on his arm propped on the porcelain rim.
     "I know," you answered quietly, continuing to slowly rub his back. "Can I put my hand under your shirt?"
     "You're not supposed to be touching me until we know what's going on with you." 
     You slipped your other hand out to curl your fingers around his exposed bicep below the sleeve of his tee. He sighed, shoulders sagging as the comfort and warmth of the contact soothed his aching body.
     "Can I?" you softly persisted, and he nodded his head where it laid against his forearm.
     Slipping your hand beneath the baggy cotton you ran your fingers over his soft, taut skin, heart squeezing at the definition of his spine and the ghosts of his ribs. 
     "Did you do chemo without me?" you asked.
     “I've been doing it before you got here, you know,” he retorted weakly.
     "How are you supposed to gain weight if it makes you this sick? Please don't do it again without me."
     "You passed out, Y/n," he shifted his head to look at you.
     "We'll figure that out," you smiled, "But you need to be as agreeable to these treatments as possible, right?" 
     He nodded.
     "Hyung-seo paid me a visit this morning," you remarked after a moment of silence.
     "She told me."
     "Said she leaves for her tour tomorrow. When does she get back?"
     "February."
     "Of next year?" You paused to temper your shock, "That's a long time."
     "It's a world tour. That's how it goes."
     "Wow."
     You realized for the hundredth time in as many hours that there was so much about their lifestyle to which you were ignorant. You had so much to learn, but one thing you did know: he needed you right now, so you stayed by his side until the sickness had subsided.
     Nurse Cha arrived shortly after to conduct routine checks on Namjoon, and you sat by, thumbing through the latest issue of Batman and Robin which Matt had been kind enough to drop off with your things.
     "Your initial blood work came back with some concerns," she said, turning to you and picking up her tablet to access the results. "There are signs that your body's nutrients are being depleted. Since your fainting spells have been occuring during skinship, we ask that you refrain from touching until your CMP comes back."
     Namjoon glanced over at you, a chiding expression on his features. You flatly ignored him.
     "I need to be able to touch him, especially if he feels ill. He needs to keep down his food, right?"
     Nurse Cha hummed, pursing her lips.
     "Well, I'm going to run this by Dr. Na, but if absolutely necessary, keep it light and brief. And please be sure to document even the smallest instances of skinship so that we can track the effects."
     You agreed readily, and she left to continue her rounds. 
Glancing out the window, you noted that the evening was mild, and the gardens were aflutter with birds and awash in soft late-afternoon light. You thought about what the nurse had said before about the fresh air.
     "Hey," you remarked, still looking out the window, "We should take a walk - it looks so nice out. You up for it?" 
     "Great idea," he replied, joining you to look out across the greenery. "I'm definitely feeling up for it." He huffed out a little chuckle.
     "What?" you asked suspiciously. You were beginning to recognize his different laughs - this particular chuckle was always at your expense.
     "Gonna keep pushing it with the poor nurse, huh?"
     You scoffed.
     "Well, if I hadn't would you be feeling well enough to go out right now?"
     "No."
     When you glanced up you found that he was gazing raptly at you, his face filled with unchecked thanksgiving. Your witty response faltered on your tongue. 
     His touch, you were pretty damn sure that for the rest of his natural life you would never grow used to it...but his eyes? It was almost the same. Was this part of the bond? Or was it just...him? Did everyone feel this way when he held them in those eyes? When he looked at them, really looked...
You couldn't tear your eyes away. You couldn't find words.
     When Namjoon's phone suddenly buzzed you thanked almighty Samsung and sagged against the window pane. 
     "Damn," he muttered. 
     You looked at him questioningly.
     "I have a consultation with my radiation oncologist in ten minutes. Go ahead! I'll meet you down there right after."
     He pulled a sweatshirt over his head and changed his slippers out for his shoes.
     You returned to your room to grab outerwear as well. The evening was temperate enough to go without, but you were feeling chillier than usual. You felt your phone buzz in your pocket.
     Mom flashed across the screen.
     Your chest tightened and you silenced the ringer. You'd call her tomorrow, you told yourself. Besides, she had already spoken to Matt. 
     When you reached the garden, you decided there was someone you should call while you waited. Ambling down a gravel path, you held the phone up to your ear, stuffing your other hand into the pocket of your jean jacket.
     "Matt told mom that you passed out - are you okay?" Diana's voice on the other end registered genuine distress.
     You rolled your eyes and sighed. 
     "I'm fine. My body is just adjusting to the bond and probably jet lag and whatnot."
     "You better fucking be fine or I'm coming out there to make sure you are."
     You laughed. 
     "To South Korea? On a Wednesday?"
     "You know what I mean, god! You're so - hey! How did the fiancee thing go?"
     "I knew you'd want an update."
     "Spill."
     You sighed.
     "Uh-oh," she hummed, "That was your, things-are-an-effing-disaster sigh."
     "It was no- why do you keep trying to divine my air flow like they're casting-runes or something? Will you just let me tell you?"
     "You don't always say."
     You huff in exasperation.
     "Okay, well, I won't tell you what that sigh is," she mumbles in trepidation, "But I will tell you that I know enough to shut up and let you continue. Go on."
     "It didn't go swimmingly."
     "Fuck."
     "Yeah,” You lifted your fingers to absently stroke at the petal of a rose. “She seemed very frightened by the whole situation, which is completely understandable. But then...she also kind of came at me. She started asking pretty intimate stuff about the bond right off the bat. When I tried to redirect by suggesting we get to know each other better she started saying all this stuff she already knew about me. About Dad and Mom."
     "What?!" Diana gasped incredulously.
     "It was almost as if...I don't know, I could have been reading her incorrectly, but it was almost seemed as if she was trying to bring things up that might knock me off my footing. Make me...insecure." 
     You suddenly remembered your conversation with Namjoon the previous night. He hadn’t let on that he had already known your father passed when you were a child...but he had known. Passing out during skinship had gotten in the way of the conversation you had intended to broach with him about knowledge of the other. You had done research before meeting him, but only the basics. You had felt that as much should come from him as possible. Clearly you hadn’t been given that opportunity.
     "That bitch," Diana seethed, pulling your mind back into the moment.
     "Hey, hey, hey," you cautioned her, "She's in a extremely difficult situation. And that was just my biased impression of her intentions. Don't be too quick to judge her, Di."
     Diana hummed discontentedly.
     "Also, she came to apologize to me today before she leaves on tour. We made progress, I think."
     "Apologizing? Bare minimum," Diana said with an air of dismissal. "What did you say her name was?"
     "Kim Hyung-seo. Her stage name is Bibi."
     Diana was silent for a moment. 
     "Found her," she declared. 
     You smiled to yourself - of course she had found her, the woman was famous. It wasn't as if stalking measures were necessary (though you had no doubt of Diana's abilities should that have been the case).
Diana clicked her tongue in disappointment.
     "She's hot."
     "She is very pretty," you agreed.
     "Yeah, but you're hot too. And, y'kow, you're you. Bet you're smarter..."
     "Di," you said, stopping to pinch your brow, "We're not in some kind of competition. We're both just human beings navigating pretty uncharted waters, okay? We both have our strengths and weaknesses. She's going to be part of my life as Namjoon's wife, so not only is building a good relationship with her important to me, I have a responsibility to her as well. We all do. To each other."
     Your sister paused on the other end before relenting sullenly.
     "Yeah, yeah. I guess you're right - you do need to make nice with her...as long as they're married, that is..."
     "DIANA."
     "Okay! Geez!" Diana cleared her throat. "How is the soulmate doing?"
     "He's getting stronger every day," you answered, happily moving the topic away from Hyung-seo.
     "That's great!" she crooned. 
     "It is."
     "Are you smiling? You sound like you're smiling."
     "How are you doing, Di? Classes are starting soon."
     You smirked as your sister's attention surged in a new direction, and for the next half an hour she regaled you with tales of her new housemates, and the smarmy and unseemly Johnnie (who had come crawling back, as predicted, upon returning to the States). 
     Upon hanging up with Diana, you checked the time, and discovered that it had been nearly an hour since you left Namjoon. You were starting to feel weak, and a bit cold - hunger, you told yourself - so you decided to return indoors for dinner.
     You called Namjoon on the way up to the fifth floor to inform him if your change in plans. He apologized profusely, saying that the doctor had been detained, and asked you to join him for dinner.
Letting yourself into his suite, you shrugged your jacket off as you headed for your usual spot on the couch when, suddenly, you froze.
    A man was rising to stand from where he had been seated on the sofa. He was clad in a dark blue button-down with a golden emblem on the shoulder and black slacks. He wore a black cap which bore a similar insignia to the one on his shirt and fit snugly over his short dark hair. He wasn’t as tall as Namjoon, though his shoulders were nearly as wide. His features were soft but arresting, and his deep brown irises, you thought, seemed to hold a bit of everything a pair of eyes could. Your comic book was in his hand.
You crossed the room toward him.
     "Hi, I’m sorry, Namjoon will be here soon - oh, I'm his soulmate, Y/n," you stammered, before catching yourself.
     The young man's sharp eyes widened, his lips parting as you bowed.
     "Je ireum-eun Y/n imnida," you started over in Korean.
     He bowed in return, raising his dark brown eyes to you again as he responded in a soft deep voice.
     "Annyeonghaseyo, je ireum-eun Min Yoongi imnida."
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charmandabear · 5 months
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Leather and Lace
Summary
Lady Estelle wasn't expecting to fall for her tailor, of all people. But with everything under her control during the day, she's more than content to cede control to him at night.
Pairing: Astarion/F!OC Rating: E Word Count: 5.7k Tags/Warnings: unprotected sex, orgasm denial, safeword discussion, light bondage, d/s dynamic, p in v sex, vampire sex, biting, vampire bites, blood drinking, sexual tension, casual classism, AU, (sorta, you can make an argument), praise kink
Read on AO3
Something in me turned feral when I saw Hamrikaa's tailor!Astarion art and I needed to get this out of my system. It doesn't help that I work with costumes irl and I suddenly got a lot of opinions about Astarion and sewing.
I have more thoughts on this relationship, particularly with the class difference and power dynamics. I also really want a story with a plus size protag since I'm really tired of feeling like the implication is that all Tavs/OCs are the type 1 body. So let me know if that's something that appeals to you, or if you're interested in a longer version with more than just sexual tension and smut, lol.
Fucking Arfur.
It’s sundown on a Saturday and Lady Estelle Rosewinter is traipsing through the Lower City looking for a tailor. Arfur Gregorio had shown up to her masquerade several hours early already intoxicated. While trying to shoo him off the grounds, he had stepped on her gown, ripping the seam of the thigh high slit to a nearly obscene height. Now, as guests are beginning to arrive, she isn’t there to greet them and is rather passing shop after shop putting up their closing signs. 
She could have just chosen a different gown as her handmaiden Celia had suggested, except that it took her so long to get into the damn thing. She thought that getting it fixed would take but a minute. It did not occur to her that, given the hour, finding an available tailor would prove so difficult.
Estelle is about to give up when she sees a dim little shop out of the corner of her eye. It’s not on the main drag, but rather up a quiet alleyway. But there’s no mistaking the sign.
Threads of Starlight
The door to the shop is clearly open, so she rushes in, desperate to speak with the proprietor.
“My apologies, I know you’re probably about to close, but I have an emergency, and I promise that I’ll pay handsomely for the inconvenience–” she cuts herself off as the tailor walks out from the back. He’s so much more attractive than she would’ve expected from someone of his station. His clothes are humble but understandably incredibly well-fitting, his trousers gently hugging his lean legs and the sleeves of his light linen top rolled up above his elbows, revealing pale, slender forearms. His silvery hair looks windswept and effortless, although Estelle knows it takes a practiced hand to get one’s hair just right like that. There’s a measuring tape slung around his neck and he looks briefly startled by her appearance before a practiced charm takes over.
“No need for apologies, Lady…” he leaves a gap in his speech for her to tell him her name. His voice is melodic.
“Estelle. Lady Estelle.” She tries to match his honeyed tone but her mouth has suddenly gone dry. He takes her hand and gently presses his lips to her knuckles.
“Lady Estelle. The pleasure is all mine,” he coos and a shiver goes up her spine. What on earth would a tailor need with this much charisma? Without letting go of her hand, he gracefully leads her up onto the fitting stand in the middle of the shop. She has danced with the finest nobility in Baldur’s Gate, and none of them were even half this elegant.
“Now please, tell me what I can do for you. I hope there’s nothing wrong with this beautiful gown of yours. Is it one of Galwen’s?” The way he looks at her makes her feel exposed, almost naked, despite the conversation literally being about her clothes. She clears her throat in an attempt to regain some composure.
“Yes, I’ve been going to her for years, but she’s tragically unavailable this evening.” Not that Estelle didn’t try. She sent three messengers and finally went to Galwen’s door herself, but she refused to open back up. Pity, since it looks like she’s lost Estelle’s business for good, especially if this one turns out to be as good as he looks. And gods does he look good.
“All the more fortunate for me that I stay open late,” he says in a low tone, and gooseflesh breaks out over Estelle’s arms. “Now, tell me darling,” he coughs at letting the casual pet name slip out, “pardon me, my Lady, how can I be your gown’s savior this evening?” Estelle hadn’t heard the rest of his sentence because her ears started ringing at the “darling.” Normally she would not take too kindly to someone in the working class speaking so informally to her. She’s beginning to feel lightheaded. Has she been hexed? Does this happen to any who cross his threshold?
“It’s torn,” she says in an uncharacteristically small voice. “Right here.” She lifts her skirt at the thigh slit, threads popping out of the seam. In an instant the tailor is on one knee, examining it closely. With him suddenly this close, all of her symptoms dissipate and are replaced by just one: desire.
She tries to shake herself out of it. Not only would anything of the sort be wildly inappropriate - given her status in Baldur’s Gate, an affair with a lowly tailor would be splashed all over Baldur’s Mouth within hours - this man is a consummate professional, and she’s certain that he would never return her affections. He must look beneath dozens of hems a day, this is nothing out of the ordinary for him. 
He touches the fabric as he studies it, cool fingers lightly grazing Estelle’s skin. She gasps at the sensation, and he looks up at her sheepishly.
“I’m terribly sorry, I have poor circulation. My touch is always something nasty, I’m afraid.” Estelle shakes her head and finds anywhere to look but into those piercing red eyes. 
“It’s fine, really. I have an important evening planned, so I’m a bit jumpy,” she lies through her teeth. He steps away to pick up a needle and thread from behind the counter. While his back is turned, Estelle takes the time alone to wipe sweat off her brow. This man is making her burn up inside and out.
“Oh really?” he sings as he’s back down on his knees, dangerously close to her upper thigh once again. “And pray forgive me, but I must reach up slightly in order to make this repair, if that’s alright. I promise, I’ll be the picture of a gentleman.” He looks up at her, waiting for her consent before touching her further. Estelle, worried what might come out if she opened her mouth, just nods. 
He slides his hand between the fabric and her leg, pulling it out slightly so he can tuck his needle into the underside of the seam. Estelle bites down on her tongue to keep from moaning. She knows that she’s touch-starved, it’s been far too long since anyone has warmed her bedsheets. Between running a household, meeting with politicians and nobility alike, and her position in the Baldur’s Gate arts council, she hardly has the time. But this is ridiculous. A gentle caress from a man should not elicit this much heat between her thighs, and yet here she is, keeping them pressed together tight, the slight pressure her only relief. 
His fingers move deftly, pulling the needle through the fabric with ease. He’s focusing on his work so intently, and Estelle watches him almost like he’s a dream. He begins tying off the thread, and before he’s complete, his eyes flick upward to meet Estelle’s.
“All finis-” he begins, but Estelle is so startled by the intensity of his gaze that she jumps, causing him to prick his finger with the needle. A tiny droplet of blood lands on the pale pink silk. The tailor jumps back, horrified, and immediately starts apologizing profusely.
“Oh gods, Lady Estelle, I’m so terribly sorry, look at what a clumsy little fool I am, gods on such a beautiful dress, too,” his words tumble out of him, all composure that was once there, now gone. She’s finding this flustered side of him possibly even more appealing than the cool and collected version. Her lady-of-the-house instincts kick in, and she addresses him like a new maid who has accidentally broken china while transporting it to the kitchen. 
“Darling,” she breathes and lifts his chin with a finger. She can finally look into those crimson eyes, feeling herself regain the poise she’s accustomed to. “It’s nothing to worry about. Just a speck.” She swears she can hear his breath catch, but maybe it’s just wishful thinking because he recovers quickly.
“Perhaps, but I still feel terrible. This mend is on the house, as well as any alteration you might need done on another garment. And, ah. How to say this.” He looks flushed again, despite the paleness of his skin. “There is a foolproof way of getting one’s blood out of fabric, but it’s not the most, er, refined shall I say.” This piques Estelle’s intrigue.
“Really? And what way is that?”
The tailor shifts nervously, and she positively relishes in the trade in demeanors. 
“This only works if it’s the one the blood belongs to, but if you can catch it straight away, then, erm, saliva will do the trick,” he says with a chagrined smile. Whatever Estelle was expecting, this is not it. 
“Oh,” she responds, and suddenly she’s back to that lightheaded feeling. What is he proposing exactly? Whatever it may be, she’s certain it will involve his mouth in some way and she’s not sure how she’ll handle that.
“The next five alterations are free, I’m so very sorry, this is very uncommon while working on a garment. At least, I’m usually better at catching myself,” he adds with embarrassment. 
“Uh, yes, whatever- whatever needs to be done. Thank you.” She peers down at him, willing herself to find somewhere else to look but unable to tear her eyes away. He pops a thin, pale finger in his mouth and swirls his tongue around it. She swallows loudly as he takes his finger out and dabs it on the slit of her dress, still achingly close to her thigh. He rubs at the spot, but evidently it’s not enough, because he then brings his lips to her dress and lightly rubs his tongue on the silk. 
“Oh gods,” she can’t keep this moan from escaping her lips. If he can hear her, he doesn’t respond, blessedly. He pulls away from her, silver hair ever so slightly disheveled, and rubs at the spot with a handkerchief to dry it.
“Apologies again, my Lady,” he says with a frown, examining the spot for any remaining blood. Then he stands and they’re face to face, the few inches of pedestal putting their eyes at the same height. “I hope this doesn’t make you think any less of my skills as a tailor.” She briefly wonders what other skills he might possess before banishing the thought from her head. 
“Not at all, er,” she falters, realizing she never asked his name, which is unlike her, she usually tries to learn the names of all of the people she contracts to work for her.
“Astarion,” he says with a bow.
“Astarion, yes,” she repeats breathlessly. “Well, Astarion, you came to my aid in a time of desperation, and I suppose there was a blood price to be paid.” He lets out a startled laugh, clearly not expecting her to make such a joke.
“That’s very clever, Lady Estelle,” he says, his eyes sparkling. “You were a pleasure to have on my fitting platform, I do hope to see you again soon. At least to make up for my absolute buffoonery.” He’s back to the confidently poised man who first greeted her when she entered the shop, and he plants another light kiss on the back of her hand. 
“I assure you, the pleasure was all mine,” Estelle murmurs, almost hoping that he doesn’t hear her. “Oh, and Astarion?”
“Yes, my Lady?”
“Please. Call me Stella.
***
Several tenday have passed since Stella’s first meeting with Astarion, and she had visited his shop nearly every evening. It didn’t take long for her to admit her feelings; she couldn’t hide them even if she wanted to. Even when Astarion confessed his status as a vampire spawn, she wasn’t deterred. If anything, it aroused her all the more. Something happens to Astarion when he drinks her blood. The humble and subservient tailor disappears, and in his place is a self-assured and dominant man. Stella is more than happy to relinquish control over to him. She’s responsible for so much during the day, making decisions, telling people what to do, so there’s an appeal to having someone else take that role for once. 
The moment she walks into the shop she’s met with the graceful gentleman. No matter how many times she sees him, that wicked smile sets a small ember in her belly that quickly spreads. Each point of contact lights on fire despite his chilled skin. A spark in her fingers as he pulls her forward, a flame on her cheek as he strokes it gently. In an instant he shuts the door and flips around the open sign. With the darkened windows and the door now closed, they’re plunged into semi-darkness and Stella feels a chill go up her spine.
Astarion wastes no time in pushing her against the door and kissing her deeply. He presses his body up against hers and she gasps into his kiss as he pulls her in closer by her waist. He slides his knee between her legs and she lets out a whimper. Astarion chuckles in her ear.
“Eager, aren’t we?” he coos, lifting her slightly with his knee putting a delicious pressure on her mound. She clutches the back of his neck and hair, wrapping her leg around him to get even closer. He hikes up her skirt to her waist and scoops her up so both of her legs grip his midsection. Keeping his lips locked on hers as she continues to devour him, he carries her through the shop and to one of the adjacent rooms where there’s a bed and two untouched glasses of wine sitting on a side table. The tailor’s quarters. 
He throws her down on the bed and she looks up at him, cheeks and lips flushed, eyes glowing. Her typically neatly coiffed hair is mussed and strands splay out beneath her head like a halo. Astarion straddles her waist, pinning her in place, as he strokes her face.
“Tell me what you want,” he breathes, looking down at her with heavy lidded eyes. She grabs his shirt and pulls him in close.
“You know what I want,” she smirks, gaze flickering between his eyes and lips. He laces his fingers through her tousled hair and gently grazes his fangs over her neck, eliciting a sharp gasp.
“And you know I like to hear it,” he murmurs into her neck, and another full-body shiver goes through Stella. His breath feels chilling against her warm neck, blood pumping eagerly through her arteries. She grabs his face and forces him to look her in the eye – the last bit of control she has before she cedes it completely.
“Astarion,” she says slowly, measured and teasing, “I would enjoy it very much if you bit my neck, drank my blood, and then had your fucking way with me.” He chuckles darkly.
“Well,” he grins, a mischievous glint in his eye, “since you asked so nicely.” Stella lets out a moan as his fangs sink into her skin, the piercing pain soon giving way to a throbbing ache. His lips close around the wound, drinking in her delicious warmth, leaving her feeling blissfully lightheaded. She hums with pleasure as she curls her fingers into his silvery locks, hips unconsciously rolling into his, hungry for more contact. She can feel him growing stronger as her blood flows into him, his thighs tightly gripping her hips, keeping her locked into place. 
Astarion pulls away from her before going too far and Stella lets out a small whine at the loss of contact. He’s out of breath, chest heaving as he licks the last of her blood from his lips. He presses two fingers to the wound on her neck to stanch the bleeding as she looks up at him, pupils blown wide with lust. Once he can feel that the blood is no longer flowing freely, he takes his fingers away and hovers them centimeters above Stella’s lips.
“Open,” he commands, and she dutifully obeys. She takes his fingers into her mouth and sucks on them lasciviously, the metallic taste of her own blood filling her mouth. It’s one thing to prick her finger and to suck on it to make the bleeding stop. It’s quite another to lap her blood of Astarion’s fingers, languishing in the vulgarity of the taboo. She yearns to hear his breath hitch as she works her tongue over their length. 
He slides his fingers out of her mouth and grabs her chin, reversing the roles from moments before. He examines her face, turning it this way and that, like he’s inspecting a prized golden retriever at a dog show. 
“Gods, you’re beautiful,” he lets out in a low tone. “Trapped underneath me, open and wanton, ready to let me do whatever I want with you. To you,” he adds on with an impish grin, and Stella squirms with anticipation. He swings a leg over her and stands by the edge of the bed, towering over her.
“Up now, on your knees,” he instructs and she scrambles to sit on her knees, still looking up at Astarion with lust-filled eyes. He reaches behind her and fully releases her hair from its loose braid letting it fall down the length of her back. He runs his fingers through her hair, humming as he does, “Good girl.” Her chest swells with the intake of breath as she leans into his touch even more.
“Undress. Quickly,” he demands. Her skirt is already up around her waist so she peels the rest of her dress off in a fluid motion. The corset provides a little more resistance, but even with fumbling fingers she manages to untie the laces and undo the hooks, letting it fall behind her. The sudden exposure to air makes her nipples go hard. Astarion smirks and cups one of her breasts in his hand, stroking her tit with his thumb. Stella bites back a cry.
“Shh shh shh. Not a sound,” Astarion whispers as he puts his lips close to her ear, continuing to fondle her. “I don’t want to hear you make a single noise, understood? Not until I say so.” He pulls away and locks his crimson eyes on her brown ones. Stella trembles, but nods silently.
“Good,” he breathes and slides her forward so that she’s sitting on the edge of the bed with her toes lightly touching the floor. He then lowers himself to one knee between her legs. He kisses up her thigh until he reaches her panties. He looks up at her mischievously as he hooks a finger in either side of the waistband, and he slips them off in a single fluid motion. Stella shudders with anticipation for what he plans to do next. 
Astarion parts her legs and she can feel the cool air on the slickness between her thighs. He leans forward and takes her nipple in his mouth, flicking his tongue lightly over the tip. She takes in a shaky breath, but she manages to keep any noise she might want to make under wraps. He looks up at her while continuing to work his tongue. She clenches the sheets as jolts of white hot electricity shoot through her body. He pushes her legs apart even further and leans in, the ties from his frilled shirt lightly brushing against her folds. She gasps and shifts her pelvis, simultaneously trying to get less and more contact. He grabs her waist forcefully to hold it in place. He snakes his way up so that they’re face to face, lips a hair’s breadth apart.
“Ah ah, no moving either. Are you going to be good for me? Will you be silent like I’ve asked?” he says in a light, sing-songy tone. Stella keeps her lips clamped together as she nods.
“And what will you give me if you can’t obey?” he purrs, brushing his lips against hers as he runs a thin, cool finger along her slit. 
“Ah-anything,” Stella moans, turning her pleasure sound into a response. Astarion lets a smug grin play on his lips.
“Either way, I’ll get what I want,” he intones, and mercifully pulls his face away from hers. She releases a breath she didn’t realize she had been holding. But it’s still only the beginning.
He lowers himself onto both knees and places a delicate kiss on her labia. She squirms but remains silent.
“My, you could drown a small army down here,” he says with an amused smile, and Stella just continues to breathe heavily, her chest rising and falling as she gazes down at the head of white curls between her legs. He runs the tip of his tongue along her folds, hands pushing out on her thighs slightly as he does. As he parts her legs further he exposes more of her, letting his tongue explore the newly uncovered skin. A cry catches in Stella’s throat and she slaps a hand over her mouth. His scorching gaze fixes on her and she lets herself fall back on the bed. If she watches she’ll be done for. Then again, not being able to anticipate his next move might be even worse.
Not being one to let her escape his torment, Astarion grabs Stella beneath the legs and yanks her toward him, letting her legs fall onto his shoulders as he continues to lap up her sweetness. She chokes down a whine, her breath quickening as she desperately tries to control herself. His tongue plunges into her and she bites into her hand with a hiss. With her pelvis rolled up so that he can get the best angle, he continues fucking her with his tongue, getting deep enough that the tips of his fangs press into her ever so lightly. 
That’s what sets her over the edge. The smallest pinprick of pain along with all of the filthy things he’s doing to her with his tongue tears a scream from her throat, muffled by her hand. He stops and stands over her, backlit by the low lighting, her wetness reflecting off his devilish smile. He then grabs her by the throat, not enough to constrict her breathing, but just enough to pull her face up to his.
“What was that, my sweet?” he growls dangerously. 
“N-nothing,” Stella stammers out, but Astarion just smiles.
“I don’t think it was ‘nothing,’ darling,” he breathes, acid in his voice. “I was very explicit in my instructions, was I not?” His hand tightens around Stella’s throat and she lets out a choked sound. It’s not a sound she usually makes. Astarion pulls his hand back slightly, concern creeping into his eyes. Stella looks up at him and nods.
Keep going.
They have a safe word for a reason, but if anything unexpected happens, Astarion still prefers to check in. He’s mentioned before that sometimes he’s worried that he’ll lose control, especially right after drinking her blood.
Stella finds the danger absolutely thrilling, but wants him to feel just as safe as she does.
Astarion drops her throat and pushes her down so her back is flat against the bed. Still between her legs, he pushes his pelvis against hers, pinning her wrists above her head. He’s still fully clothed, and the leather of his pants feels deliciously cool against her wet pussy. He puts one knee up on the bed, pushing her right leg up higher and spreading her even further. As unphased and indifferent as he seems, Stella can still feel his erection pressing into her, and she shifts to feel it more.
“You said you’d give me anything if you failed, correct?” he murmurs against her lips. 
“Yes,” the word escapes on a breath.
“Then hold still.” Astarion stands and the sudden loss of all contact elicits a small whine from Stella. He flashes her a playful smirk as he walks over to the bedside table and pulls out two long strips of cloth. He climbs on top of Stella again, straddling her hips and squeezing lightly with his thighs.
“Wrists, please,” he commands almost nonchalantly. Stella immediately puts her wrists together and holds them out to Astarion.
“Good girl,” he coos and the praise makes her lightheaded. He tenderly wraps her wrists up in the silk cloth, making sure it's tight enough to prevent escape but not enough to cause any lasting damage. He then takes the other strip of cloth, a sturdier cotton broadcloth, and holds it to her lips. He ties it tightly behind her neck, keeping her from being able to open her mouth at all.
“Since you can’t control yourself enough to stay quiet,” he purrs, low and dangerous, “maybe this will do it for you. And I think,” he stands and walks over to the bed stand. He looks over his shoulder and orders in an apathetic tone, “Up dear.” She scrambles to her knees, wrists falling limply in her lap. He continues, “I think you need one more thing to remind you to whom you belong.” He pulls out a fine leather collar with a silver O-ring in the middle. Stella’s excitement mingles with genuine admiration for the craftsmanship. He turns around and lovingly closes it around her neck. He then slips one slender finger through the ring and pulls it up so her head is tilted toward him.
“How does that feel, good?” he asks lightly, and she nods, still desperate to please. He lets go of the collar and strokes her jaw. “Good,” he breathes, and she can see the self-control in his eyes. He wants to fuck her just as much as she wants him to, and it’s taking everything in his power to hold out. He leans into her lips as though he’s about to kiss her but stops just short of making contact. 
“Now, before I decide precisely what I want to do with you,” he hums into her lips, “I want to make sure you can still tell me if I need to stop or slow down. If it ever becomes too much, I want you to snap your fingers, understood? Show me now.” Astarion keeps his lips achingly close to hers, but she does as he says. When he hears her snap, he grabs her face in his hands and kisses her roughly, sliding a dastardly knee between her legs once again. She longs to reach for him but keeps her bound wrists dutifully in her lap as his lips continue their assault on hers. 
Once he breaks the kiss, he remains close and slides his hands behind her head and into her hair. “Good girl,” the words rumble low in his throat and Stella is grateful for the cloth that muffles the obscene noise she makes. He steps away and she’s finally able to see all of him as he pulls off the tunic, revealing his porcelain chest. She yearns to run her fingers along it, tracing the outlines of his muscles, but instead she just grabs a fistful of sheets beneath her hands. He pulls down his trousers, letting his already hardened cock free, and her pussy twitches in anticipation. 
Astarion saunters back up to her and touches the front of her gag where a small wet spot is forming with her desire for him. He smirks and pulls her face down to his cock, running the tip of it along the broadcloth. She can feel it brush against her lips, and she again moans in anticipation. 
“Don’t you wish you could take me in your mouth?” he breathes, and Stella presses her tongue against the inside of the gag, trying to make even minimal contact. He laughs cruelly. “Gods, you’re desperate,” he scoffs. “It’s a shame, because if you had been able to follow my instructions, I may have even let you ride me on top.” He pushes the tip of his dick into the gag one more time before pulling away, leaving Stella to squirm achingly. 
“But instead,” he forcefully pushes her back so that she’s once again lying on the bed with her legs spread open for him. He crawls on top of her and teases her opening with his tip. She mewls in desperation. “You’ll have to contend with me doing whatever I want to this beautiful body of yours. I can slide in,” and he pushes into her, wrenching a gasp and whine from her mouth, before pulling out and letting his tip tease her again, “and pull out on a whim. You said I could do whatever I want.”
Stella is beside herself with lust. Unable to move her hands, she writhes her pelvis, trying to get even the slightest bit of contact. Her pussy is starting to burn from the pent up desire and she’s genuinely unsure of how much longer she can last like this. Astarion grins widely and his fangs sparkle in the low lighting. 
“Shall I give you what you want, darling? What you so fiercely crave?” His slick tip is still dancing around her cunt and tears are starting to form in her eyes as she nods. He thrusts into her again and rips the cloth from her lips before whispering sharply into her ear.
“Then I want to hear it all,” he hisses. “I want you screaming my name as I fuck you.” With his permission, she cries out, all of her stifled energy finally releasing.
“Oh gods, Astarion, fuck me please,” the words spill from her mouth uncontrollably. He starts pounding into her and she knows after all that time teasing her, she won’t last long. The heat of him sliding in and out, the stretch with each thrust, fills her with a fire that threatens to turn into an explosion. 
“Fuck, Astarion, please,” she whines, moments away from climax. She wraps her legs around his waist to get him in deeper, and now it’s his turn to let out a low moan. He continues to slam into her, the sounds of their mutual pleasure mounting.
“Look at me,” he growls, and she struggles to keep her gaze locked onto his crimson eyes. He looks so beautiful above her, silvery hair getting slick with sweat, panting as he continues his smooth rhythm. She can feel her orgasm building as her cries grow louder. He knows she’s close, too, and once again he flashes a fang-bearing smile.
“Come for me, darling,” he groans, and that sends her toppling over the edge.
“Gods, Astarion, yes!” she screams as she comes, and his follows shortly after. With a final thrust, he releases into her, his cock pulsing exquisitely. He looks down at her with an uncharacteristically shy smile and kisses her as he pulls out.
Both of them are out of breath as he collapses onto the bed next to her. Stella’s limbs feel light as though she just downed an entire bottle of dream mist. She rolls onto her side to look at Astarion, who appears to be equally intoxicated. Without a word she holds her wrists up, and he laughs lightly.
“Ah, yes, you might want those back,” he croons, and uses his teeth to pull out the knot, and the silk falls away in one fluid motion. Her hands are so close to his face that she cups his chin gently, just content to look at him.
“You’re so beautiful,” she whispers, and he turns a kiss into her palm. 
“I could say the same thing,” he purrs as he looks up at her through his lashes. “Tea?” He pulls up the plush blanket that had been folded neatly at the end of the bed and wraps it around Stella’s shoulders. She snuggles into it and pulls it closed around her, then nods. He plants a quick kiss on her forehead and walks over to fill the kettle hanging above the hearth. Stella admires his silhouette, backlit by the light of the fire. He’s lithe and sinewy, his sculpted muscles built for dexterity more than strength. Her eyes rake over his broad shoulders, the dip of his lower back, the curve of his bare ass. He turns his head to look at her over his shoulder.
“Yes?” he asks, raising an eyebrow at her.
“Nothing,” she hums, “just enjoying the view.” He smiles as he leans over the blanket cocoon she’s swathed herself in and kisses her lips softly, gently. He’s always particularly tender with her after a session like that, and Stella is grateful for it. She loves being able to see both of these sides of Astarion. The affable tailor eager to serve, and the dangerous dom claiming his power. Her fingers lightly dance on the collar he put on her. She likes the idea of belonging to him. A pity she couldn’t wear something as conspicuous as a leather collar in her daily life.
Astarion returns with a steaming mug, and as though reading her mind, pulls a long jewelry box from the drawer of the bedside table. 
“A companion piece to your collar, if you so wish,” he says in explanation. “You’re under no obligation to wear it, of course, but I thought you might like a little reminder of me everywhere you go.” She opens the box and nestled in the satin is a delicate silver chain with a small ring in the center. Her jaw drops slightly as she marvels at its beauty.
“Astarion, how did you–?” she begins, but he cuts her off.
“It pays to be a well-connected artisan, darling,” he says with a shrug. 
“Will you put it on me?” Stella asks in a light voice, and he looks delighted. She lifts up her hair so that he can unclasp the leather collar and replace it with the silver necklace. His fingers brush against her neck, lingering on the puncture mark he left earlier.
“Although perhaps you might want to sport high-collared dresses for a bit,” he admits with an apologetic grin. Stella turns and kisses him, cupping his face and gently running her thumb along his jaw.
“Well thank the gods I have a tailor who can make me new gowns in all the latest fashions,” she smirks. He climbs on top of her to kiss her more deeply, their naked bodies touching in a way that’s intimate, but not sexual. She could melt into his flesh, his kiss, his breath, and never want to change a thing.
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oskea93 · 23 days
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✶ Whiskey (2) ✶ - John “Bucky” Egan x OC - Masters of the Air fandom - Multi-chaptered story.
⚠ Warning: Rating 18+ ⚠ Chapter warning: Sexual content, period sexism, spousal belittling, cursing Words: 4353 A/N: Hello again! First off, I just want to say thank you so much for the love and support y'all have shown this story!! You guys are amazing and you have no idea how much I appreciate you guys! So, with this chapter, we get to meet Dominik and Marigold - the husband and MIL. These two will have major impacts on our OC's life and at times their treatment towards her will not be very nice. We also get to meet the most important person in our OCs life... The bright side, we will see our OC spending time with a certain Major 🥵. This story is just getting started and I promise that Mr. Egan and all the fabulous men of the 100th will come to light in the upcoming chapter. It's gonna be a wild one! If you would like to be added to the tag list, just comment your username ☺︎
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“I don’t see why you need to accompany your husband to such a location – full of men waiting for their chance to die.”
Rolling my eyes, I kept my mouth shut as my mother-in-law moved around the room. She had volunteered herself to accompany Dom and I to England – stating that she needed to be here for the sake of her granddaughter.
“What’re you expected to do while he’s working? Just longue around and make eyes with all the soldiers – give them blue balls so they can go back to their barracks and dream about you?”
A smile tugged at my face, “Somebody has to get them a little excited, Marigold.”
Her brows knitting together – unsure if I was being serious of not. “That’s what those pin-up women are for – you’re a married woman, Rachel. Married to one of the top colonels in the army – you don’t need to be strutting around like some old whore.”
Sighing, I pushed myself off the chair, her eyes watching me like the hawk she is. “Are you faithful to my son?” The question causing me to stop in my tracks. “You wouldn’t think about stepping out on him, would you?”
Her dark eyes bore into my soul, their intensity like a piercing gaze from the depths of the night. With each passing moment, I felt a shiver run down my spine, as if her gaze held the power to unravel the very core of my being. In that fleeting instant, the world around me seemed to fade away, leaving only her eyes, dark and mysterious, capturing my every thought and emotion in their enigmatic depths. “No –“My tone defensive. “Why ever would you think that?”
Feeling a mixture of frustration and resignation, she shrugged her shoulders, the weight of the moment causing her lips to press tightly together in a display of silent resolve.
“What gives you the idea that I would be unfaithful to Dominik? Because of what I said – that was a joke – they’re very popular nowadays.” Her back straightening at my bitter return.
I took a deep breath, trying to keep my composure despite Mari's biting words. Our relationship had always been strained, but her sharp remarks never failed to sting.
"I understand your concern, Mari," I replied evenly, meeting her gaze. "But I'm not going to England to flirt with soldiers. I'll be there to support Dom and assist in any way I can. It's important for us to be together during his assignment."
Mari huffed, clearly not convinced. "Just be careful, Rachel. Men in uniform can be quite charming, but they're not to be trusted. Don't forget your responsibilities as a wife and a mother."
Her words echoed in my mind, stirring up a mix of frustration and resignation. I knew Mari meant well in her own way, but her traditional views often clashed with my more independent spirit.
"Again, I appreciate your concern, Mari," I said, choosing my words carefully. "I'll always prioritize my family above all else. You can trust me on that."
In that fleeting moment of our interaction, as her captivating eyes locked onto mine, a subtle yet unmistakable expression of doubt crept into her gaze. "I hope so, Rachel. You have a good husband and a beautiful daughter. Don't take that for granted."
In the intricate web of relationships that intertwined our lives, tensions simmered just below the surface, threatening to erupt at any moment. Marigold's disapproval of me seemed to stem from a place of deep-seated insecurity and a need to control the narrative surrounding her son's marriage.
From the very beginning of Dom and I’s relationship, Marigold had made it clear that she held certain expectations for the woman who would become her daughter-in-law. My lack of pedigree, my fiery red hair, and perceived lack of refinement were all points of contention for Marigold. In her eyes, I was an outsider, unworthy of her son's prestigious lineage.
The constant barrage of criticism and belittling remarks from Marigold had taken its toll on me, chipping away at my confidence and sense of self-worth. Despite my best efforts to prove her loyalty and devotion to Dominik, I found herself caught in a never-ending cycle of scrutiny and judgment.
As Marigold insinuated doubts about my fidelity and questioned my motives, I felt a surge of indignation rise within myself. The implication that I would betray Dominik, the man I loved, cut deep, leaving a bitter taste in my mouth. Yet, I understood that Marigold's insecurities and fears were driving her behavior, fueling her need to assert control over the situation.
The dynamics between myself and Marigold were fraught with unspoken tensions and power struggles, each woman vying for dominance in their own way. My defiance in the face of Marigold's criticisms and barbs hinted at an underlying strength and resilience that belied my outward appearance.
She lightly cleared her throat, the sound echoing in the opulent room. "Darling," she began, her voice smooth but with an underlying tension. A faint, almost imperceptible smile played on her lips, not quite reaching her eyes. "I know you would never hurt my son in such a fashion."
With deliberate grace, she slowly rose from her seat, her elegant movements betraying the subtle power she held. Her hand smoothed down the expensive fabric of her dress, erasing any hint of imperfection. "You're a very beautiful girl - woman," she remarked, her words laced with a mixture of compliment and observation.
Turning to face me fully, she continued, her gaze piercing yet enigmatic. "Those men at Thorpe Abbots haven't seen or been around a real woman in who knows how long - only the women that are working or the local townies." Her voice trailed off momentarily, her hands coming to rest gently on my arms. "It's going to be hard for them to resist you."
I regarded her with a mixture of curiosity and apprehension as she pivoted back towards the chair, as if the weight of her words had dissipated as quickly as they had been spoken. I felt the urge to respond rising within me, but something in her demeanor made me hesitate, my words left unspoken.
As she settled back into her seat, a subtle yet unmistakable smugness crept into her expression, adding a layer of complexity to her otherwise composed facade. Her eyes met mine once more, a silent challenge lingering in their depths.
"Better get packing, darling," she remarked casually, the nonchalance in her tone belying the undercurrent of tension that hung in the air…
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We lay in silence, the distant sounds of the bustling streets below providing a gentle background melody that filled the room. His touch, feather-light against the curve of my ribcage, sent a shiver of electricity racing through my body.
"Someone walking over your grave?" he remarked, a playful glint in his eyes as he traced patterns on my skin with his fingertips.
Resting my chin on his chest, our gazes locked in a shared moment of intimacy. "Excuse me?" I replied, a hint of curiosity in my voice.
He chuckled softly, the sound like music in the quiet room, as he brushed a stray strand of hair away from my face. "My pops used to say that when you get a cold chill, it means someone is walking on your grave." His words carried a touch of nostalgia and folklore.
Raising my eyebrows in amusement, I shook my head. "Can't say I've heard that one before."
As my left hand trailed down his chest, I noticed the cross necklace he wore, a simple yet meaningful charm that he kept close for protection. Taking the pendant between my thumb and index finger, I studied it briefly before placing it gently in the center of his chest, my fingers lingering over the cool metal.
"My mom gave it to me before I left," he explained, his voice tinged with emotion. "I'm not really a believer, but you need something to protect you out there."
Moved by his vulnerability, I began to share a piece of my own family history. "My grandmother was a God-fearing woman," I started, the memories of her devout faith flooding back. "She would attend church on Sundays and Wednesdays, unwavering in her devotion even in the face of adversity." A pang of sorrow touched my heart as tears threatened to well up in my eyes. "But when my Grandad fell ill, her faith wavered. She prayed for miracles as he lay dying, his lungs ravaged by years spent in the mines."
The weight of past grief hung heavy in the air between us, the shared stories weaving a bond of understanding and empathy that transcended words.
John's arm tightened around my waist; his unwavering attention focused on every word I spoke.
"After he passed away, she changed," I continued, a wistful smile playing on my lips as I reminisced. "She stopped praying, stopped going to church as often, stopped believing. My grandad was her entire world, her reason for everything. She used to tell my brother and me that God had led Grandad into her life." The warmth of nostalgia colored my voice as I shared the cherished memories.
"She would say that she prayed for God to send her a hard-working farm boy - one with dark hair and skilled hands." John's chest rumbled with laughter; his amusement palpable in the air between us. "And one day, it was as if he appeared out of the heavens, right at Sampson's Feed store across the street from her daddy's farm."
As I slowly rose from the bed, the sheet draped around my waist, I pulled my legs up to my chest, lost in the recollection. "She loved that man more than anything - perhaps even more than she loved God, I think."
The bed shifted as John pressed his chest against my back, his warm breath sending a shiver down my spine.
"Have you ever felt that kind of love?" His whisper tickled my ear, his words laden with a depth of emotion.
Turning my head, our lips met in a soft, tender kiss, an unspoken connection weaving between us in the quiet intimacy of the moment.
"Does right now count?" I murmured between kisses, the warmth of our closeness enveloping us.
A smile played on John's lips as he pulled back slightly, a mischievous glint in his eyes. "Well," he teased, gently guiding me into a lying position on the mattress, "you were certainly calling for him earlier."
We both laughed, the shared moment of levity breaking through any lingering tension. I wrapped my arms around his neck, our gazes meeting with a mix of affection and sincerity.
"You're so beautiful," He whispered, his words carrying a depth of feeling that stirred my heart.
My fingers tangled in his brown locks, finding their place at the nape of his neck. "As are you, John Egan." I replied, the unspoken bond between us growing stronger with each passing moment.
His lips met mine in a gentle manner, each light peck carrying a world of unspoken emotions, his hand tenderly caressing my cheek with a touch that spoke volumes. We lingered in that moment of quiet intimacy, the outside world fading into insignificance as we shared a silent connection that transcended words.
After a moment, he lifted himself up from the bed, leaving the sheet behind as he made his way to the curtained window. I watched as his back muscles moved beneath his skin, a silent display of tension and contemplation as he gazed out at the streets below. The sun had hidden behind the thickening clouds, casting the room into a dim twilight as the impending rain approached.
Quietly, I crawled out of the bed, the sheet slipping off my body as I closed the distance between us.
Instinctively, my arms wrapped around his mid-section, offering a comforting embrace. "Are you okay?" I whispered, pressing my lips against his back, seeking to convey my support through the simple contact of our bodies.
He let out a deep sigh, his body relaxing into my touch as his hands found their place atop mine. "You ever wonder if all of this is really worth it?" His voice held a weight of solemn reflection as he voiced the doubts that lingered in his mind. "All this killing and bombing - innocent lives lost every day, many of them unaware until it's too late." The heaviness of his words echoed the burdens he carried, the moral complexities of his actions weighing heavily on his conscience.
Listening to his inner turmoil, I felt a surge of empathy and understanding for the struggles he faced. "You can't beat yourself up about that, John," I spoke softly, offering reassurance in the face of his inner turmoil. "The choices you've made, the actions you've taken - they may be part of a larger conflict, but you have to remember the good you're fighting for, the lives you're trying to protect."
John and I barely knew one another, but even in the brief moments we shared, it was evident that the weight of war was bearing down heavily on him. His eyes, once bright with youthful vigor, now held a weariness that seemed to go beyond mere physical exhaustion. It was a weariness of the soul, a deep-seated fatigue born from the harrowing experiences he had endured on the battlefield.
"My pal Buck says the same thing," He remarked, a faint smile edging on his face as memories of their conversations flooded back. "He always told me to just worry about getting back home to Wisconsin – making sure our country and those helping us fight those German pricks win the battle – big or small."
As the rain began to drum against the windowpanes, a sense of shared vulnerability enveloped us, binding us together in a moment of shared empathy and support amidst the storm of uncertainty and doubt.
His hands fell from mine as he turned towards me, his eyes falling on my naked frame. The slightest hint of sadness could be seen in his irises. Without hesitation, I closed the gap between us, his callused hands reaching my thighs, bending down slightly as he hoisted me onto his hips. Our lips never separating, a muffled moan purred through my body as my back hit the wall next to the window. The cooling fall air that drifted in from the draft window was no match for the heat that coursed through my body as John’s touch lit a fire in and outside my body.
As our embrace deepened, the weight of the war seemed to momentarily fade away, replaced by a sense of raw connection and passion. In that fleeting moment, there was only the two of us, lost in a dance of desire and longing.
The world outside may have been engulfed in chaos and uncertainty, but within the walls of that room, time seemed to stand still. Each touch, each kiss, spoke volumes of unspoken emotions and desires. It was a moment of respite, a brief escape from the harsh realities of the outside world.
With the leverage from the wall, his hand made quick work as it moved between our bodies, his large fingers finding my clit, my hips responding as they moved against his touch.
“John, please.” My mouth latching onto his neck, an animalistic growl releasing from his body.
His paced quickened, “Tell me what you want.” His breath hot against my ear. “Tell me you want me to fuck you.”
My teeth biting down harder on his neck as my walls began to clench around his touch. “Goddammit, Rachel –“His words full of lust. “Tell me what you fucking want.”
The pleasure causing tears to form in my eyes, “Fuck me, John.” Out of breath. “Please just fuck me, please!” Without warning, his cock slammed into me. His lips harshly meeting mine, stifling the gasp that fell between our kiss.
The pace was fast – hard as our hips slapped against one another. His fingers digging into my sides as my nails dragged down his back, hard enough to pull away the first layer of skin.
“Harder.” I begged. “Oh God, please go harder!”
I cried out in pain as my back repeatedly hit the wall behind me – his cock swelling inside of me as we started to reach our climax.
The warm sensation soon flooded my core, the liquid rolling down my leg as his cock stayed buried inside of me. His lips peppering kisses along my collarbone as my fingers floated through his hair as we both regained our breath.
“I don’t think I’m gonna be able to make it back to the base.”
“And why’s that?” His hips slowly moving again.
“Because-“The friction between our hips causing us both to groan. “You’re gonna be the fucking death of me.”
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As the soft glow of the vanity lights illuminated the room, casting a warm ambiance over the space, Dominik's footsteps echoed against the wooden floors, the sound a rhythmic accompaniment to the weight of the impending departure. His words lingered in the air, carrying with them a mixture of anticipation and melancholy.
"I spoke with Colonel Huglin over the phone today," His voice tinged with a hint of tension that belied the calm facade he tried to maintain. "It seems like everything is ready for our arrival in the morning."
I turned to face him, meeting his gaze in the reflection of the mirror. His hair, usually meticulously styled, now bore the tousled look of a man consumed by nerves and the weight of responsibility.
"My mother is going to take Charlotte back to the States once we get on the plane," Dominik continued, his words hanging between us with unspoken emotions. "I told her to stay here for a while, but she's insistent on getting out of England."
I couldn't help but inwardly roll my eyes at Marigold's insistence on whisking Charlotte away to New York. The prospect of being separated from my daughter for an unknown stretch of time tugged at my heart, the idea of her absence leaving an ache in its wake. While Dominik and Marigold argued that the military base was no place for a young girl, I couldn't shake the feeling that there were other children in the town who could keep her company.
“What time do we leave?” I asked, my voice tinged with concern.
Dominik checked his watch, furrowing his brow. “Huglin mentioned the plane will be ready at nine sharp. We need to be at the airfield no later than 8:30.”
I bit my lip, a pang of sadness washing over me. “Charlotte will still be sleeping when we leave. I can’t bear not saying goodbye to her. We don’t know how long we’ll be a part. Your mother isn’t gonna let me wake her that early.”
“Maybe it’s best we leave without saying goodbye.” Dominik suggested, his tone matter of fact.
I stood up from the vanity, feeling a surge of frustration. “You can’t be serious, Dom?”
He shrugged, his expression impassive. “You know how my mother is. She doesn’t want Charlotte upset. She’ll have to deal with a crying child when we leave.”
Dominik’s dismissal of my feelings stung. “I’ll have Mother call the base when they land in New York and you can talk to Charlotte then,” he continued, his hands moving down my arms.
Tensions crackled in the air as he towered over me. His words, though well-intentioned, felt like a cage closing in around me. “I know it’s hard to be away from the baby, but I need you with me. You’re my rock, sweetheart,” he murmured, planting a gentle kiss on my neck. “I can’t go anywhere without my special little rock.”
I felt a mix of emotions swirling inside of me – love, frustration, and a hint of resignation. Dominik’s ability to use intimacy to end arguments was both comforting and manipulative. I knew that arguing further would only lead to more tension. So, with a heavy heart, I relented, letting the moment of peace wash over us…
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As I stood by Charlotte's bedside, the soft glow of the nightlight casting a warm aura over the room, memories flooded her mind. Remembering the first time I held Charlotte in her arms, the overwhelming rush of love and protectiveness that consumed my heart. It was a feeling unlike any other, a bond that transcended words and explanations.
Gently brushing a stray strand of hair away from Charlotte's face, I whispered, "Sweetheart, it's time for me to go now. But remember, mommy loves you more than anything in this world." My voice cracked with emotion as I fought back tears, hand trembling slightly as I traced the curve of her cheek.
She stirred slightly, her eyelids fluttering open to reveal sleepy, drowsy eyes. "Mama?" she murmured, her voice soft and filled with innocence.
My heart ached at the sight of my precious daughter looking up at me, so small and vulnerable in the dim light. "Hi, baby girl," my voice barely above a whisper. "I just wanted to say goodbye before I go."
She reached out a tiny hand, her fingers seeking the comfort of her mother's touch. "Don't go, Mama," she said, her voice tinged with a hint of sadness.
Tears welled up in my eyes, leaning in to press a gentle kiss on Charlotte's forehead. "I have to go, darling, but I'll be back before you know it. Grandmother will take good care of you while I'm away, okay?" I reassured her, my voice filled with love and tenderness.
With a heavy heart, I tucked the covers snugly around Charlotte, tucking her in with care. Lingering for a moment, savoring the quiet peace of the room before I reluctantly turned to leave.
As I stepped out into the hallway, a familiar voice made me jump in surprise. "A little early for tears, Rachel," Mari's voice floated towards her, her figure blending into the shadows of the room.
Startled, I clutched my chest, heart racing from the unexpected encounter. "Marigold, you nearly gave me a heart attack," I gasped, trying to steady my breathing.
Mari's gaze flickered towards Charlotte's room, her expression unreadable. "Dominik told you not to wake her," she reminded in a low tone. "You know how she gets when you leave her. It wasn't a wise choice, Rachel."
Feeling a pang of guilt, I nodded silently, realizing the impact of my actions. With a heavy sigh, I prepared myself for the difficult task ahead, knowing that leaving Charlotte behind was a sacrifice I had to make for now.
I watched as she retreated into Charlotte's room, glaring daggers as she closed the door behind her, the tension between us palpable in the air. I stood there for a moment, the silence of the house buzzing in my ears like a persistent drone, a stark contrast to the storm of emotions swirling within me. With a heavy exhale, I gathered my resolve and took a deep breath, steeling myself for what lay ahead. The faint sound of a car engine humming in the distance pulled me back to the present, prompting me to make my way towards the awaiting vehicle, each step feeling heavier than the last as I left the turbulent scene behind me.
The weather once again mimicked the mood, a common occurrence for England, with dark clouds looming overhead and a chilly wind cutting through the air. Despite the dreariness of the day, there was a certain familiarity in the gray skies and mist that enveloped the surroundings, as if nature itself was reflecting the emotional turmoil within.
My eyes met the driver's, a silent exchange of gratitude passing between us as he held the car door open, a small gesture that spoke volumes amidst the unspoken tension that lingered in the air. Dominik's body stiff beside me, his presence a palpable force in the confined space of the car.
"I told you to leave her alone, Rachel. I told you not to wake her, and of course, you never listen." Dominik's voice was low, the words carrying a weight of frustration and disappointment.
He stared out the window, his gaze fixed on the passing scenery outside, the rigid set of his jaw betraying his inner turmoil.
"After your little emotional moment," Dominik's voice cut through the tense silence in the car, his words laced with a hint of frustration. He paused; the weight of his gaze heavy as he turned to look at me briefly before returning his attention to the road ahead. "You better hope we're not late getting to the airfield."
His words stung, a stark reminder of the consequences of my actions and the impact they had on our plans. Guilt gnawed at me, knowing that my emotional outburst had potentially jeopardized Dominik's mission and the success of the operation ahead. The weight of his disapproval bore down on me, adding to the already heavy atmosphere in the car.
I swallowed hard, the lump in my throat making it difficult to form a coherent response. The reality of the situation sank in, the urgency of our mission overshadowing any personal grievances or misunderstandings between us. With a deep breath, I nodded silently, understanding the gravity of the situation and the need to focus on the task at hand.
As the car started to move away, my thoughts were consumed by Charlotte. I had envisioned our trip to Thorpe Abbots with Dominik as a special event, a chance for us to bond and create lasting memories together. Dominik, poised to become the 2nd colonel in command, was about to embark on a crucial mission to take down the German forces, and I had hoped to support him in this pivotal moment of his career.
However, as the weight of our unspoken tensions and misunderstandings hung heavy in the air, I couldn't shake the feeling of missed opportunities and shattered expectations. What was meant to be a moment of triumph and unity now seemed clouded by discord and distance.
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fbczine · 4 months
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Before we open contributor applications, the mods would like to answer questions raised through responses from the Interest Check and expand upon our carrd’s guidelines/FAQ.
If you are potentially considering applying for the zine as a contributor, please take the time to look over this post and read the carrd. 
Zine’s Themes: 
For our second zine, we decided to have a centralized theme for the overall project: investigation. Solving mysteries, puzzles, and problems are key elements of Remedy games. All pieces featured within the zine will focus on these ideas. 
The Oceanview is a connecting point between the Alan Wake and Control universes. It is a place of power individuals pass through on their way to somewhere else, so it’s had many guests over the years. However, pitches for the zine do not have to feature the Oceanview, they can involve different settings featured or referenced in these games, excluding the Oldest House. 
Interest Check Feedback
During the interest check, we received several common questions we would like to address:
Can we submit pitches related to Alan Wake? 
Yes, as both Alan Wake and Control both fall under the Remedy-verse, we want the zine to have a diverse spread of content featuring characters and themes from both games. 
Are Alan Wake 2 spoilers allowed? 
The zine will release a year after the first game, so we will be allowing content featuring spoilers. All pieces with spoilers will have a warning tag in the zine’s table of contents, allowing consumers to pick and choose what content to enjoy. 
Are meta/theory-crafting pitches allowed? 
No, the zine will only be featuring fanart and fanfiction. 
What about lore related documents such as dossiers/letters/case files etc? 
Yes. As with our previous zine, in-universe documentation is welcome so long as it fits the zine’s themes and criteria. 
Can I submit something which has already been posted to social media? 
No, all contributors must submit a new, original piece of content never shared before. 
Is there any specific content which will not be allowed in the zine? 
We will not be accepting typewritten, out of context manuscript pages. If a typewritten manuscript page from Alan happens to be one part of your overall story, that’s fine. 
No pieces featuring places found within the Oldest House. As much as we love the Astral Plane, the Quarry, and the Clocks Threshold, we want the zine to feature many of the other interesting settings within this universe!
All art pieces must be polished lineart or equivalent. We will not accept sketches. 
Pitch Process 
Please do NOT submit pitches that state “I’ll draw/write anything” – these will be automatically rejected. 
Please submit three detailed pitches. Include any characters or ships featured in the piece along with the general idea. Give us the elevator pitch.  
If you’re pitching a piece featuring shipping content, please state the overall plot of the piece. The mods will not be accepting stories that do not take into account the zine’s investigative themes. 
All art pieces will need to have a background. No negative white space will be allowed. 
The mods will be trying to diversify the zine’s content through the provided pitches. Of your three pitches, the mods will select what pitch to move forward with based on the zine’s tentative content spread, so please make sure these pitches are something you are passionate about and willing to create. 
Collaboration and the Creation Process
Remedy fans are a passionate bunch. Love for these games is shown in each and every creative work. And just like Remedy collaborates to bring us these amazing games, we are looking for that same dedication for the Oceanview Guestbook zine. 
We would like each of our applicants to feel comfortable collaborating with both the mods as well as their fellow contributors. We will be encouraging contributors to share WIPs with each other through more organized check-ins to receive feedback. With each phase of the creation process, the mods will provide detailed feedback and constructive critique with each individual contributor. 
Our primary mode of communication will be through Discord. The mods will be available should contributors need any assistance, to communicate any unforeseen circumstances, or to answer questions which may arise throughout the creation process. 
Final Notes
The mods are fans of the Remedy universe and love the games. We want to talk and create with fellow fans. This project is for the community, and we can’t underscore that enough. This is why our previous and next zine are digital and free. We don’t want to hide the fanworks behind a paywall. This unofficial project is made for fans by fans as a labor of love. 
We hope you’ll join us on this journey!
– The Admin Team
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London Will Burn - A Sean Wallace/OFC Story.
I couldn't wait to share this with you, besties. Here, have the first chapter! I know that Sean is pretty niche as he doesn't seem to have all too huge a fandom, but if I can garner a few readers, and you guys could help me out by reblogging this, I would be very appreciative. Commentary is very welcome, as usual, so yes, dive on in and hopefully enjoy! If you like it enough, you can have chapter two sooner rather than later, too :)
The story begins seven years in the past, but will then run semi-canon to the Gangs of London plot and timeframe.
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Tag list - In the comments, please DM to be added/removed
Words - 3,826
Warnings - 18+ content throughout. Minors DNI.
May 24th, 2016. 
Coffee, the financial times and resounding quiet. These were the defining components needed for Finn Wallace to begin each day within the spatial surroundings of his corner office, the floor to ceiling windows offering the widest view of the city he ruled over with an iron fist.  
“Mr Wallace, please. Sir...”  
The words of Minnie, his secretary, delivered outside of his office with mildly pleading desperation tore his attention from fastidiously studying the FTSE 100, Finn looking out from above the pink sheets of paper. He witnessed her scurrying along, her eyes pleading while trying to match the long strides of his son as he approached. “You know your father doesn’t like to be bothered...” 
...between the hours of eight and nine. He needed a full hour with nothing but a newspaper and a good supply of anything that came from Whittard of Chelsea prior to starting his day. His son had other ideas that morning, though.  
Placing his coffee down, he lifted his chin as Sean strode through the doors, a heap of paperwork within his grasp.  
“One print off of the e-contract signed late last night by Kevin Cavanagh, and one verbal assurance that the vessels may port within his dock space for the original agreed amount.” The paperwork hit the desk so hard, it was almost splashed in coffee, Sean looking thoroughly pleased with himself. As he should, his father thought. Kevin had been extremely tricky in this, his son’s first solo deal for the company. 
Reaching for the contract, Finn could scarcely believe it, but there it was. K. Cavanagh. Signed, sealed and delivered. “How the fuck did you swing that, boyo?” 
Kevin Cavanagh had shown himself to be a rather large thorn in the side of the Wallace empire for weeks, the investor digging his heels in over their proposed deal, an influx of two hundred million sterling into the company’s legitimate holdings to fund the proposed apartment complex they wished to build, and a grant of passage for boats containing large shipments of heroin porting from Pakistan to enter his docks.  
The terms and conditions set by Sean had been made clear, but having the upper hand in it all, Kevin had gone back on their proposed arrangement out of sheer greed. It had not gone down well at all. Especially since Finn considered Kevin to be a long-standing friend as well as a business associate. He wasn’t about to involve himself, though. It was Sean’s deal, and he had to learn in going it alone, friend or not. 
In their world, though, alliance and friendship were subject to change at any given moment. Friendships aside, Sean had been advised by his father to do whatever it took to secure the deal by the required deadline, which had passed at midnight the night before. 
Looking upon his son expectantly, Finn was under no illusion over Sean’s self-satisfied pride in his achievement. His poise did not slip, though. Not even for a second. “I have my ways, all of them effective.” 
He raised an eyebrow. “How?”  
His son smirked, the same bloody smirk he’d had since he was three, back when he’d usually hoodwinked his mother into the offering of a second reach into the biscuit tin. “If you knew that, then you’d know as much as me.” 
Finn felt himself losing patience at his allusivity, but couldn’t quite keep the grin from spreading across his face. “Wiley little shit.”  
He chuckled, checking his watch. “I have a meeting to get to. Lunch at The Strand, 1pm? I have a table booked. See you then.” 
“If I’m late, order my usual.” Looking over the contract once again, Finn rested his chin upon the pinch of his thumb and forefinger. If he’d gotten a result without them having to yield to Kevin, it surely didn’t matter how Sean had procured the deal.  
As time would tell, though, it would.  
Striding from the building, Sean climbed into the waiting car, ready to be whisked across London for a viewing on another apartment complex currently under construction. It would take up most of his morning, but such was the nature of his role within the company. Build big, reap big, remain on top. 
Leaning back against the plush leather upholstery within the black Mercedes, Sean winced, feeling the soreness that remained from his weekend of sexual hedonism. Clawed scratches marking the freckled alabaster of his back from his shoulders right to the rounded muscles of his arse had certainly felt good at the time, but now the scabbed wounds stung and itched.  
That itching sting was experienced internally, too, a rolling wave of cold discomfort washing over his insides once again. Guilt. Maybe even a little remorse. Who’d have thought it? Certainly not him. He had previously considered those emotions to be completely superfluous, with a nature such as his, and most definitely not when his actions had reaped such rewards.  
Sean was, if nothing else, completely ruthless in the pursuit of attainment.  
His go to in attaining a desired result didn’t always equal the exertion of moral turpitude, but in this instance it very much had. There was no going back on it either. He had struck out, used his bargaining chip of blackmail and garnered the desired results. At twenty-five years old, he’d thought himself perhaps above the actions he’d resorted to, considering his bartering and negotiation skills to be proficient enough.  
They hadn’t been.  
However, Sean knew that blackmailing Kevin Cavanagh into agreement by threatening to upload a video to the internet of himself fucking his eighteen-year-old daughter would work like a charm in securing a signature, and it had.  
He’d understandably been beyond livid with him, after receiving an edited version of the hour-long filming, showing just enough for Kevin to know that Catherine would be subjected to great personal embarrassment and emotional anguish if he didn’t comply.  
With his arm figuratively bent up his back, he had agreed, the money immediately transferred, and the contract signed the evening before, once he and his wife had returned from their weekend away. Kevin had also struck a permanent black mark against the son of his old friend, knowing that Finn likely had no part in the blackmail. As chillingly cutthroat as he could be, it wasn’t his style. Words would be had, though, and Sean knew he likely had that coming to him sooner or later.  
Just as he would when Catherine caught up with him. He highly doubted Kevin wouldn’t tell her. 
Reaching into his pocket, he pulled out his phone, placing his earbuds in and locating the video he had promised to delete. He’d been hesitant there, not because he intended to nefariously make good on his threat and upload it anyway, he had no cause to. The reason behind his stalling was much more complex, and not one he was in a hurry to admit. Not even to himself.  
Hearing her sweet moans as he watched himself on the screen, face buried between her legs, a jolt ran right through him. He could almost still taste the sweet honey of her cunt on his tongue, feel her skin against his, and with a shift in his seat, experience her nails clawing at his back.  
It was only ever meant to happen once. Once had led to an entire weekend, and there it was again, the unpleasant sting rolling through his guts as he closed his eyes and remembered it. Remembered her.  
Her... her. 
It was only ever meant to happen once... 
St Augustine’s Grammar School for Girls was one of the most exclusive private Catholic schools in the entirety of London. For an eye watering yearly fee, it boasted unsurpassed examination results, a sterling OFSTED record, and much to the fury of the young ladies within its prestigious halls, a strict code for uniform. A black skirt to the knee, high black socks, a white shirt and a navy blazer and tie.  
Even the students attending the adjoining sixth form college had to still adhere, much to their loathing. For Catherine Cavanagh, as soon as she was out of the front gates with her friends, adjustments were made.  
Her neatly pleated skirt was rolled over a few times to hitch it up, her folded over socks pulled up until they came over the knee, her blazer and tie stuffed into her bag and her shirt undone to reveal a little of the black lace bra she wore beneath, as well as being knotted at the waist. She liked to show off some of what she had. 
Lashings of smoky black eyeliner were applied, her lips liberally glossed and her shoulder length blonde waves all shook free of their ponytail prison before she sauntered away, ready for a coffee with her friends, of whom also made similar adjustments to their own uniforms. They were young women at eighteen, all mildly incensed that they still had to stick to the rules of their frigidly stalwart school.  
Catherine, or Rin as she preferred to be called, was far from frigid.  
“Oi darlin’! Fancy gettin’ in the back of me van and lettin’ me give ya one, eh?” 
Ugh. Builders. The worst of the worst for shouting pervy obscenities from the open window of a slowed down Ford Transit. She immediately rolled her eyes. “No thanks, but I fancy giving you this.” Raising her middle finger, her confident smirk grew, her friends cheering on her usual chutzpah.   
“Fuck you, then! Little slag!” 
Rin snorted. “You wish, mate.”  
“I don’t get it,” Rashida, her bestie mused, fiddling with her necklace as she cocked her head. “He wanted to shag you five seconds ago, and now you’re a slag because you didn’t take him up on his offer?” Her face was a picture of bemused disgust as she barked a laugh. “Wanker.” 
“Yeah, sums him up. Right, let’s hit the coffee house. I’m fucking gasping for something strong, hot and foamy.” 
Their friend Carly couldn’t help but pipe up, laughing at her own joke before she’d even spoken it aloud. “What, you want the big fella from Game of Thrones in a bubble bath? What’s his name?” 
“Tormund,” Rin confirmed, her eyes dreamy. “You know I’m weak as fuck for a redhead!”  
While the prospect of Kristofer Hivju, the actor who played the aforementioned character awaiting her in a bubble bath was preferred, it was a double shot cappuccino she needed most at that moment. After a day of hard studying for her ongoing A Levels, Rin needed the coffee like air. For no other reason than to stay awake for the duration of her journey home.  
She wouldn’t be driving, though. Yet to pass her test, she would simply call for a driver in the employment of her father to collect her when she was ready. Being rich certainly had its perks. Entering the coffee shop a ten-minute walk from the school gates, she paid for her order and stood back to wait, sensing someone behind her before a familiar voice spoke into her ear. 
“I am unsure whether your mother would approve of that skirt, young lady.”  
Turning, her eyes widened. “Bloody hell! Hello!” It had been at least five years since she’d seen Sean Wallace other than fleeting moments in passing, the last proper time being when he was home from university in his final year. The occasion had been when her parents had thrown a garden party for her father’s friends and closest business associates, plus their families.  
“How are you, darling?” He drawled smoothly, kissing her cheek as they exchanged a brief hug. “It’s been a bloody age.” Looking down upon her, his gaze was nothing but clearly appreciative, thinking just what a beautiful young woman she’d become. In fact, beautiful was an understatement; she was an absolute knock out.  
In any other circumstance, Catherine Cavanagh would be his perfect match. She came from a similar family, steeped in criminality and staggeringly wealthy, with the best education money could buy, just as he himself had received. They were cut from the exact same cloth, she and Sean. This was not an exercise in procuring the perfect match long-term, though. Far from it.  
“It has, I was just thinking that myself,” she confirmed as they parted, feeling a little flustered. Oh, how she’d always fancied the arse off Sean. She might have been extremely confident for an elder teen, much more woman than girl in that respect, but still. Sean was the bloody holy grail as far as she was concerned. “As for me, up to my eyes in all things A Levels, only two more exams left and then its fingers crossed I do well enough to take the provisional place I’ve been offered at LSE.” 
He remembered that the London School of Economics had been her long-term goal from the last time he’d spoken to her at length, back when she was just a kid of thirteen. “I remember you telling me, yes. Forgive me, but I forget just what it is you were aiming for?” 
A flutter delighted her insides at that, how he hadn’t forgotten her desires to attend LSE when it had been so long since they’d last talked in depth. She’d thought he’d merely been entertaining her thirteen-year-old self and her long-winded plans for her future, but no. He’d actually listened. Then again, he was always very attentive when engaging with someone, no matter who they were. “BSc in mathematics, statistics and business.”  
“I bet your father is very proud,” he commented, Rin turning to pick up her coffee.  
“Well, I suppose he will be if I actually pull it off and attain the necessary grades. It’ll stand me in good stead for taking over the family business too, when he eventually retires.” They were birds of a feather in that respect, both primed to one day sit at the helm of their respective family empires. “Speaking of which, how are things with you? You’re doing very well at the Wallace Corporation, according to dad.” 
“Your father is correct, I am.” He was still very sure of himself. Anyone else would call it arrogance, but Sean was merely infectiously confident. He knew what he wanted, and he went right after it, Rin completely oblivious to the fact that his cool blue eyes were directly focused upon his present target. “Long hours and probably less pay than I should be garnering, but I must confess to be doing rather well for myself. Especially considering I have only been there just over four years.” 
They eventually became so lost in their catch-up chatter that Rin completely failed to realise that her friends had moved to a table, turning to see them wave at her. The looks on their faces spoke volumes. 
“I’ll be there in a sec,” she assured them, praying Carly didn’t open her mouth. No such luck. 
“No, no,” the girl herself chirped right on cue, waving her hands gently in Rin’s direction. “You stay there with your fancy man; we’ll be over here when you’re ready!” 
“Oh, shit off!” she chided, feeling her cheeks burn. Turning to Sean, she shook her head. “They’re embarrassing as fuck.” 
“I can’t say I’m embarrassed, being labelled as your fancy man.” Pulling out a seat, he gestured to it with a flirtatious smile, ensuring her heart virtually catapulted against her ribcage. She definitely blushed furiously at that. Ahh, it was almost too easy, but then again Sean’s charm was legendarily flawless. Being well spoken, powerful, and as dangerous as he was gorgeous didn’t hurt either.  
A red-haired bad boy in a Balmain suit. If Rin had a type at all in this world, it was Sean Wallace. And boy, how the man himself saw that loud and clear.  
“So, I hear your parents are away in France right now?” 
“Yes,” Rin confirmed, the smidgen of envy in her voice clear. How she would have loved a long weekend in the French Alps skiing, too. “They’ll be hurtling down a mountain right now, while I’m stuck here in dreary London, slogging my guts out all in the name of revision.” 
He smirked, picking up his espresso and sipping it. Sean liked his coffee one way; strong and black. “Ah, but you do get Mulford Hall all to yourself for the weekend. Quite the party palace, one would assume.” 
She crinkled her nose, shaking her head. “The staff will grass me up if I even so much as open a can of cider with more than four friends in attendance. Mother dearest likes to keep her fucking tabs on me.” Rin didn’t dislike her mother, but it was no secret that she was daddy’s girl through and through. If he had his way, he’d have arranged for the antiques to be removed from banquet hall and allowed she and her friends run wild. Diane was not quite so lenient.  
Yes. A banquet hall. The Cavanagh’s were truly that wealthy, to have such in their fifteen-bedroom, eighteen-bathroom, sprawling abode located in Westminster, just around the corner from Hyde Park. Half of their sprawling gardens backed onto the park itself, in fact.  
Mostly, Mulford Hall was used as a successful wedding and events venue, half of the house sectioned off as a private family residence and inaccessible to the public, also being a historical location of interest for tourists. It had been in her family for centuries, gifted to one of her ancestors, the very first Lord Mulford by King Charles I. Now with no elder male heir and her grandparents having passed on, it remained in the family by the residing Lady Mulford, her mother. 
“I suppose the little ones would have plenty to say, even if the staff did keep schtum.” Oh yes, Sean was correct there. Her younger brother and sisters would likely relish in telling on her to their parents. Keeping secrets that did not directly benefit them was not in the interests of your average twelve, ten and nine year old children. “I mean, if they could even hear the sounds of partying. Does your mother not keep them in a turret or similar?” 
She snorted laughing into her coffee, spraying a fine mist of foam from the large cup, “Shut up, you shit. You know we’re not that grand.” Suddenly, she felt the cold wave of discomfort when he frowned, wondering if she’d pushed it a little in calling him a shit, even in tease. After all, they did not know each other beyond the boundaries of acquaintance. It was their parents who were friends, not them.  
He then reached, wiping a fleck of foam from her cheek, the corners of his mouth upturning as he watched her blush, leaning across the table. “It takes a brave person to refer to me as a shit.” 
Regaining her confidence, she licked her top lip, shrugging lightly. “Or a gobby little twat such as myself.” 
She was a pistol. He enjoyed that perhaps more than he should have. He laughed softly through his nose, sipping his coffee again as she continued. “I actually have the place to myself, staff aside. The nanny has taken the little terrors to Legoland for the weekend, and there aren’t any weddings on, so I’m enjoying pottering around the old pile in my pants.” 
He raised an eyebrow. “Just your pants?” 
“I like to give the gardeners something nice to look at.” 
God, and how nice her body was, he wagered, his eyes sweeping her momentarily. “I bet you do.”  
Lust. Lust delivered from behind full, long auburn lashes tinged with gold, eyes that burned like cool fire as he stared her dead in the eye, Rin feeling as if she was caught in a searchlight she could not avoid. Not that she’d want to. Being illuminated by the desire of Sean Wallace was something she’d only ever fantasised about as a girl. As a young woman, acting upon it now seemed within her grasp. 
And grasp for it she would. “You’re thinking about me in nothing but my pants, aren’t you?”  
Playful, yet direct. He liked that, liked that she was so easily wandering right into the jaws of his trap with such little effort. “I am.”  
She leaned closer, watching him retrieve a packet of mints from his pocket, placing one into his mouth. The way he so effortlessly pressed the white disc onto his tongue made her shiver, imagining the skill a mouth that clever and effortlessly cool might possess. He offered the packet, but she shook her head, the strongness of Trebor’s finest too much for her delicate tastebuds. “What else are you thinking?” 
He mirrored her, leaning near, eyes fixed unblinkingly as he ran his fingertip in a circle over the back of her hand. It was an action that made every single hair upon her arm stand on end. “I’m thinking that the next thing I want on my tongue is you.”  
Fireworks exploded in her chest and gut, a fizz of excitement glittering. Unexpected afternoon sex; it was a proposal most definitely to her liking. “Where’s closer, mine or yours?” 
“Mine,” he confirmed, rising from his seat as he pulled out his phone. “Westminster is a fucking ball ache of a drive at this time in the day.”  
He wasn’t wrong. While Sean called his driver, giving him the name of the coffee shop, Rin made a phone motion to her friends while mouthing ‘I’ll call later’, Rashida and Carly looking as alert as two meerkats keeping the watch at seeing their friend leave with the handsome young mystery man.  
Rashida couldn’t help the joke she made. It was too uncanny. “Little slag.” 
“Love you too, you knob.” Leaving to the sound of her friend's laughter, Rin joined Sean at the side of the curb, only waiting a few moments for the sleek, black Mercedes to pull up before them. He opened the door for her, Rin sliding in and moving across so he didn’t have to walk around, Sean climbing in and shutting the door with a soft clunk.  
“Home please, Tony.” he spoke to the driver, his eyes remaining ahead. She turned slightly to view him, feeling somewhat uneasy when he didn’t return her glance. Dropping her gaze, her thoughts began to race a little, jumping slightly when after a few moments, she felt his hand press to her thigh.  
It was a plan of effortless execution, Sean tracking her movements from afar for a few days prior, learning her daily routine. It truly had been as simple as turning up at her regular coffee shop prior to her usual time of arrival, turning on the charm and reaping the rewards. Leaning close, his beard tickled her earlobe, sending a thrill right through her. “I can’t wait to put my mouth between these fantastic legs of yours.”  
Neither could she.
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romana-after-dark · 6 months
Text
Blessed be the Fruit: Chapter 4
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Commander!Joel Miller x Handmaid!Reader
Series masterlist Join dark!Romana's tag list Dark!Romana's Masterlist
Summary: Joel fills you up. That's it. Thats the fic.
AN: It's pretty much smut
Content and Warnings: DARK JOEL! DUB CON!
Although no violent rape happens like in TWW, reader is under systemic misogyny and a society of ritualized sex abuse. Everything other than the violent rape scenes, everything that happen in either The Handmaids Tale book or show are liable to happen here including but not limited to discussion of rape, child abuse, child marriage, ritualized sexual abuse, sexual abuse in general, acts of violence, major character deaths, mentions of miscarriage but never shown and never pregnancies we know of. Big ole homophobia warning, specifically in regards to lesbophobia. As for Joel, PIV sex, breeding kink, degrading (slut, whore etc but thing like Raider!joel) forced breeding and breeding kink, power dynamics, Joel is not the good guy but he’s also not the worst, slightly rough sex but not violent. Warnings are liable to be added as the story goes but I’ll always update. As always if I miss something please tell me, but i extensively label my warnings and in the end media consumption is your own choice. If you would like to know if this is a happy ending or not you can message me and I’ll tell you that way I don’t spoil for everyone but you can decide if this is for you.
Immersability: Reader has long hair, can conceive children theoretically.
Additional warnings: SMUT CHAPTER spanking, spitting. BREEDING KINK, Joel insulting his wife tee hee. Gina slander.
Support writers, reblog and leave comments!
*****************
In Gilead, women were segregated by color. Pink was for child girls, white was for unmarried but marriage age women. This phase never lasted long. As soon as they were married, the wives of commanders got blue and wives of working women got green. Martha’s had tan, Aunts had brown, Handmaids red.
These colors were never supposed to mix, with the exception of the ceremony and when a mother or martha parented a child.
But you watched as Ellie’s white and Riley’s blue entangled together, but separating to their rightful distance.
“It’s not what you think!”
“We were just-”
Thinking fast, you shut the door to the panty, giving privacy in case Gina or Thomas come looking for you. “What the hell were you thinking!”
Ellie blinks up at you, surprised by the reaction, but Riley was still in panic mode, trying to protect Ellie. “She didn’t do anything, I swear, I just got caught up and tried to kiss her but she didn’t kiss me back!”
That was a lie, Ellie had been quite involved in the kiss.
“I don’t care that you were kissing!” You hiss.
Ellie narrowed her eyes. “You seem like you care.”
“I care because  if it had been Gina or the other Mrs. Miller, or commander Bedford or Lisa! You could be on the wall!”
She paused, watching your reaction before talking slowly, Riley slightly hyperventilating to her right. “Does that mean your… not going too…”
“Of course I’m not, jesus, you guys are just kids…” Truthfully, you didn’t know much about being gay outside of Gilead propaganda but you thought execution was awfully strong a punishment… and even still, Riley was only 16, and Ellie 14. There wasn’t much of a crime that could justify harming them. Ellie was trouble, that much was obvious, and it would take every resource Commander Miller had to keep her alive. You would be joining him and his brother in this attempt.
“I won't tell tell anyone.” you confirm to their great relief. “But you two have got to be more careful!”
“We will! I promise!” With that, Ellie took Riley’s hand and began to head out the door.
“Ellie!”
She dropped Riley’s hand, and the two scampered out the pantry. You grab the needed wine.
*
“Ellie give’n you any trouble? I notice she’s hanging around you a lot.” 
Joel asked, sipping his whiskey as you played chess. Conversation had come more and more easily, but seeing that tomorrow was the ceremony, you knew what tonight was going to entitle. Still, you appreciated the time spent playing the board game and chatting. It was a nice change. You had begun to really value these nights. It was a few times a week, on the nights Commander Miller wasn’t teaching Ellie or when he needed to get a good nights sleep. He made you feel like a person, and you began to feel more and more comfortable. The younger Commander Miller still attempted to talk to you, but you could not fully trust him, even if Angela did. Angela was really the only person you trusted inexplicably. A beautiful, smart, and powerful woman, Angela seemed to tow the line, knowing exactly how much she could get away with it. Of course, it helped that her commander was very lenient.
Gina had been getting worse. Her and Deborah liked to make little jabs at you when she was over or when you went with Mrs. Miller over to Thomas’ house. It seemed as if she had picked up on something. Did she know Joel and you spent time alone? Had she noticed you and Ellie spending more time? Was your friendship with Angela suspicious? Angela was not liked amongst the wives, and wives have nothing better to do than talk. 
Gina loved to make comments on your weight, but the ones that irked you the most were calling you quiet, saying you didn’t talk much, you weren’t interesting or didn’t have much going on in your head… whose fault was that? Ellie filled you in on Gina’s life before the Gilead. Gina was a part of the problem, a woman who ad championed anti-choice rallies and campaigning to shut down planned parenthood, to take away Obergefell v. Hodges, and using her blog and later vlogs to promote a traditional lifestyle. Gina stated proudly that she would not be allowing Sarah to attend college, and that her “homeschooling” focused on womanly tasks. Sarah would never have a chance to reach college, nor high school. It was Gina’s beliefs that you should be demure, quiet, and only speak when spoken to. You didn’t need a brain to have children. Why did she suddenly have a problems with you being quiet when her issue with Ellie was she talked too much.
“No, she’s nice company.” You had been teaching Ellie to read, Joel didn’t know that. 
A small smile peaked on Joel's face. “I think she’s lonely. Riley has wives duties now and she’s in kinda a limbo… more or less.”
You nod, besting him in the game with a final move. You consider whether your next words were your place or not, but said them anyway. “Has Commander Miller spoken to you about Commander Bedford?”
Joel’s eyes darkened at the mention. “He has, made me promise not to say anything to her… Doesn’t want her getting to secretive, but I damn near lost it when he told me.” He notices the board.
“Checkmate.”
“Well I’ll be damned…”
Standing, Joel shuffled over and resituated himself on the couch you were up. Up close, the fine lines of age were clear on his face but he was no less handsome, no less broad, the soft and sharp contrast of features melding together so perfectly striking. “You’re quite clever, you know?” Joel mused, placing a hand on your thigh.
Your voice is quiet, a juxtaposition to your bold words as you attempt to sound brave. You wanted so badly to be like Angela, to be like Ellie, to be brave in the face of the horrors. “I think a lot more of us are than you think.”
“And yet, you can’t even read.” His eyebrow raises in a challenge. For a moment you are so shocked by his words you cant even be offended. Then the statement settles. How dare he! How dare, as one of the founding members of The Sons of Jacob, he’s responsible for taking away your right to- Joel’s face melts into a smirk, and then into a chuckle. He was fucking with you.
“Oh, you’re joking.”
“Of course I am.” His soft laugh ends, his eyes stealing into something darker, and although his smile remains, the motive behind it changes. “But isn’t this better?”
That gets your attention. “... better?” 
“Yeah, better…” His hand creeps up a little more on your clothed thigh, leaning in just a bit more. “You don’t have to worry about anything but spreading your legs…” He pried your legs open and you allowed him access easily. “Get fucked…”
“You think that’s all we have to worry about?” Your attempt to sound strong was, frankly, pathetic. 
Joel’s hand went up quickly, cupping your sex over your thick dress and frumpy underwear not making you gasp nonetheless. “If you’re a good girl, yes.” His face was suddenly next to you, his breath hot on your skin as he spoke lowly. “Are you a good girl?”
You try to not cave, you try to at least put up a little bit of show to prove you aren’t that easy… but your mouth chases his lips, whimpering as he pulls away before you can take a bite. Between your legs is fire, melting to his touch that was just not enough, teasing, edging…
“I said,” He reiterated, voice dark and harsh now, lightening his touch on your mound. “Are… you… a… good girl?”
Your resolve broke quickly. “Yes, yes I’m a good girl!” Instinct forced you to buck up into his hand, desperate for more pleasure.
“Yes, you are.” Joel slips slotted against yours and you opened your mouth for him without thought. “Mmmm hungry girl…” he begins to rub your clit with the heel of his palm as his other hand laid you down. “Don’t you worry, I’ll make sure you fulfill your biological destiny, beautiful girl.” His hips settle between her legs, replacing his hand with the shadow of his hardening cock as he devoured you.
Joel’s hands moved to your thighs, squeezing and rubbing down your calves and to your ankles before pulling the skirt up to your waist. Your underwear were practically bloomers, not flattering by any means, but just still looked at you hungrily before taking his pocket knife out and-
“Joel?” You squeak, forgetting your formalities as a peak of fright flows through you.
“Hush now.” Joel covers your mouth and you freeze, but all he does is cut off your underwear. “Don’t wear any next time, we won’t have this problem.”
As soon as your mouth is released, Joel is flipping you over to your stomach and then pulling you up by your waist so that you are on your knees; your hands braced against the armrest of the red velvet couch. Suddenly, your ass and legs were cold as Joel flips up the cotton skirt. His left hand opened by his point and thumb wide, sliding between your cheeks as he began fingering you, dominant hand undoing his pants. Despite the blood pounding through your ears, you hear a *spit* and then a *fap fa fap* before he’s notched at your entrance. You don’t have a moment to breath before he’s pushing in halfway, pulling back, and then ramming directly into you, full length, full speed, full power.
“JOEL!” You scream, before a hand is slapped over your mouth again. “Goddamn, can’t keep quiet for one fucking minute.” Joel smacks your ass, not hard enough to leave a mark but to get your attention and god does it, forcing your cunt to inadvertently clench around him. “Fuck, you like that don’t you?” When you nod, he smacks you again, harder, making you cry out into his hand again, and then his face is nipping at your neck. “Or maybe you want to be heard, is that it? You like the thrill, the risk? Bet that’s why you fucked that guard, can’t get off without a little danger.” He removes his hand with another warning to “shut the fuck up, unless you wand Gina to hear.”
“No” you try to deny with a whine. “You feel so, oh commander, just feel so good!”
With a hand now free, he went back to his minstrations on your bundle of nerve, fucking you full of every inch of girth. “I bet you like being the other woman, you like lying between my wife's legs as she’s stuck helpless, watching you get stuff, watching you struggle to take it inside.”
“C-commander…” It was building quickly inside you, the wet squelch of your cunt telling him just how much his words affected you.
“Ready to be bred, to be filled, to carry my child as your belly swells… ugh, fuck…” The thought of you pregnant with his baby turned him on even more. The baby was Gina’s idea, something she wore down on his with constant nagging… so it really wasn’t his fault he was fucking the handmaid, right? That was the point wasn’t it?
“Wanna have your baby, Commander, wanna fullfill my, oh fuck oh fuck oh fuck! My biological destiny!”
“You will, beautiful, you will, no matter how many times I have to fuck you, no matter how many times Gina has to watch you stretch around my cock.”
Your arms can’t hold you anymore, the heat between your legs spreading to you whole body and melting you until you collapse on the couch, gripping on to the arm rest for dear life as Joel repeatedly rammed himself into your tightening channel. “Want her to watch.”
“Yeah, I bet you do, dirty girl.” Joel gripped your hair, yanking your face toward him and spitting on your face before shoving it back into the couch. 
“Want that bitch to suffer.” You mutter into the couch, muffled by half your face stuffed with the velvet coving. “Watch someone more worthy take your seed.”
“God DAMN!” His thrusts grew sloppy, but no less filling. “Need you to cum, need you to cum so I can fill you up.”
You’re panting, sweating, feeling his slide through your walls as you edge closer to your release. “Tell me.”
“Tell you what, beautiful?”
“Tell me I’m better than her.”
Joel groaned loudly in your ear before straightening up, gripping your hips for leverage. “You’re so much better than her, sweet girl. You’re pretty than her, more obedient, fuuuuuck, so much fuck tighter.”
“Jooooooel”
“I don’t even cum inside her anymore, because she’s not worthy to take my seed.” He was teetering on the edge, desperately trying to find stability in your body. “But you, pretty girl? I’m gonna give you every last drop, and make her watch you grow and feed my baby, all because you’re better than her.”
Getting ahead of it, Joel shoved your face into the armrest and you out scream your orgasm into it. Joel’s pounding never stopped as he spilled into your eagerly, clenching cunt. “Good girl, good fucking girl, take it all…” Joel collapsed above you and you had wished you had both gotten naked so you could feel his sweaty, stick skin on yours as he kept you plugged up…
Though you were fucked out, eyes closed and only have concious, Joel kisses your neck, fae, lips and eyes whisping sweet nothings about how beautiful you were, how perfect you took him, how you were a good girl.
His hand slithered under you, splaying it under your belly. “My good girl, gonna knock you up, I just know it.”
Still breathing heavily, you lazily attempt to kiss back whenever Joel’s lips reached yours, but it was more akin to mouthing at him. “Did you mean it?”
“Mean what?” Joel nuzzled at your neck, kissing lightly. Couldn’t leave any marks.
“I’m better than her?”
A loud, wet, sloppy spit-and-tongue-filled kiss as Joel latched onto you with his mouth before unplugged your cum-soaked cunt. “By a million miles.”
*
Your next ceremony came and went, and you came on Joel’s cock once again, just as you did in his office again, and again, and again. Although he got you undressed, Joel  never undressed himself, only enough to free himself from the confined of his pants. You wondered why… but wondered what was underneath him clothes… you wonder as you touched yourself on nights he wasn’t with you.
Walking back from Fishes and Loaves with Angela, she wasn’t super talkative as she had a cough. The spring was making her allergies act up. As she parted, however, she caught you before you entered the hearshot of the Miller’s driver. “Listen, I can’t say much… but…” She looked around before continuing to your confused face. “Whatever happens tonight… just go with it, okay?”
Fear struck you, uncertain on what is interrupting your routine. “What?”
“Joel is going to ask you to dress up and get into a car… and just trust me, you’ll be okay.” She began to walk towards her home next door, but you grabbed at her sleep, panicking. “Wait, what do you mean? Why can’t you tell me?”
She looked apologetic. “I’m sorry, I love you but I don’t know how much I can trust you just yet.” She pulled away.
Enough distance was put between you that you could no longer speak freely and had to watch her red walk away as you wondered what could possibly be happening tonight…
**************
This was mostly smut lmfao but thats okay. Got a lil into cucking Gina and that may come up earlier. Fuck Gina.
Next chapter, if you have watched or read the handmaids tale AU, you probably have an idea what's going to happen... but lets just say we'll have a special guest hahaha
Joel and his breeding kink... ANYWAYYYYYYY
LMK IF YOU WANT TO ME TAGGED!!
Please remember to reblog if you enjoy this fic, its the only real way to spread it!
@my-secret-shame-but-fanfiction @dins-riduur-anthe @morallyinept @fan-fiction-floozy @med494 @taliarose12 @flvrdoll @k-ra @sam-2me @ramblers-lets-get-ramblin @moriartyyouwhore @hereforthepedrofanfic @alwaysmicado @noisynightmarepoetry @kyloispunk @jenna-ortega @lunitareads @labyrinthofheartagrams @swimmjacket @magpiepillsjunior @stevngrant
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mamaestapa · 11 months
Text
Offseason Romance
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•pairing: Joe Burrow x reader
•series summary: Y/N Y/L/N moved to Cincinnati, Ohio for a new start. Move in day arrives and she discovers something terrible...the apartment complex gave her the wrong lease. Instead of living with who she originally was supposed to, she's now living with the hottest quarterback in the NFL, Joe Burrow. Y/N is stuck living in the same apartment with him for a year...which the two are not thrilled about. However, as time goes on, they realize that maybe this wasn't the worst thing that could happen to them. Will Y/N and Joe stay enemies, or will they find themselves falling in love?
•chapter summary: Off-season adventures shown off through an instagram photo dump
•word count: 1.1k
•warnings: thirsty comments, HEADBAND JOE!, mean fans, fluff, Joe is SO in love w you
series masterlist
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February-July 2023
February 11, 2023
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liked by lahjay10_, nbsmallerbear, and 745,458 others
tagged: @yourusername
joeyb_9- Thanks for having us @fanatics
comments:
yourusername- such a fun day w you🤍
joeybfan- Idk how i feel about them, but i'll take the content
lahjay10_ - and they were roommates😮
burrowsbae- The matching Cartiers🥹
itsmemacee- The cutest❤️
yourusername- @lahjay10_ omg they were roommates
fanatics- Thanks for joining us Joe and Y/n!
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March 6, 2023
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@yourusername Instagram story
story replies:
shiestysbae reposted story
shiestysbae- boys wearing those damn gray jeans 
y/njoestan reposted story
y/njoestan- THOUGHT THIS WAS THEIR BABY FOR A SECOND 
joeyb_9 reposted story
joeyb-9-❤️
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March 19, 2023
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liked by bengals, emhubbard, and 201,009 others
tagged: @joeyb_9
yourusername- Wedding Szn🤍
comments:
itsmemacee- So glad I got to celebrate my big day with you two🥰
y/njoestan- MOM AND DAD pls say you're next
joshallen- It was great meeting you!
joeburrowismydaddy_9- i miss liv :(
bengals- Wedding szn>>>football szn
joeyb_9- @bengals Football szn>>>Wedding szn
samhubbard- Joe Burrow hates weddings
confirmed
robinburrow- Miss you two!❤️
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April 9, 2023
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liked by shiestysbae, emhubbard, and 900 others
tagged: @nbsmallerbear, @joeyb_9, @samhubbard, @emhubbard, @itsmemacee, @yourusername, @graciegroat
cincybengalsupdates- Joe and Sam at the UFC fight with Bosa and others. Meanwhile their wives stayed back at the beach rental with some other Bengals WAGS! Good lookin group!
comments:
shiestysbae- JOSEPH STOP WITH THE GRAY JEANS😭 Y/n girl pls throw them away
bengals- Our faves!
yourusername- @shiestysbae- I've tried. Trust me.
cincybengalsupdates-UPDATE! Joe was just seen with a girl at an after party in Miami...and it's not Y/n😬
emhubbard- @cincybengalsupdates when it actually is her though😬 let's not make up rumors please and thanks!
cincybengalsupdates- @emhubbard Never tried to make any rumors! sources told me it was another girl
kaylabradshaw- Sources are clearly WRONG! Just met Joe and he was with Y/n...they're both so sweet!🥰
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April 23, 2023
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liked by jb9lover, yourusername, and 1002 others
tagged: @joeyb_9
bengalsbabe- more of Joe at the LSU spring game💜💛
comments:
jb9lover- i am 99% sure him and Y/n broke up. she's posted and he hasn't liked her photos. plus, why isn't she there with him?
joeburrowfan- @jb9lover GOD I HOPE YOU'RE RIGHT
bengalsbabe- @jb9lover @joeburrowfan i actually really like Y/n!🥰 she makes joe happy and she's seems very sweet. i think instead of tearing her down for being with him, we should be hyping her up. you cant love joe and hate on his girlfriend just for being with him🤷‍♀️
yourusername- Love this pic! thank you for your kind words @bengalsbabe❤️
bengalsbabe- @yourusername of course queen🥰
susieevans- omg how cute!!
haleighbroucher- Y/n, pls give him a baby rn. we need dad Joe🥹
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April 24, 2023
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liked by itsmemacee, body_by_hollyyy, and 200,097 others
tagged: @cincystyles @itsmemacee @yourusername
yourusername and itsmemacee- A little behind the scenes of our summer collection photoshoot✨
comments:
itsmemacee- So much fun!!
emhubbard- I cant wait for those sets in the second slide to be released!
joeyb_9- Proud bf moment. I miss you
erinandrews- Beautiful, ladies!😍
loganwilsonlb- Macee baby...you look gorgeous as always🥵❤️
bengalsbabe- this is why Y/n wasn't at the LSU game for anybody wondering😙
body_by_hollyyy- YESSSS!!🫶
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May 2, 2023
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liked by yourusername, nfl, and 78,478, others
tagged: @joeyb_9
bengals- Who wore it better?👀
comments:
yourusername- ME
shiestysbae- dammit. the GRAY JEANS😭 but Y/n fs
jb9lover- JOE😍
bakermayfield- JOE😍
itsmemacee- The only correct answer is Y/n
y/njoestan- she's wearing his necklace🥹
nfl- The king and queen of the North👑
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May 6, 2023
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liked by bengals, teehiggins, and 378, 990 others
tagged: @zactaylor @yourusername @loganwilsonlb @itsmemacee @emhubbard @samhubbard
joeyb_9- Stagecoach '23
comments:
joeburrowismydaddy_9- joe posting on instagram AND being social? that's a first. WE LOVE IT
evanmcpherson- COACH AT STAGECOACH!?
yourusername- still can't believe zac came with us
samhubbard- Best way to end the offseason!
lahjay10_- @samhubbard the fuck you mean? we still got like a month (i ain't showing up unless it's mandatory idc)
bengals- Stagecoach w coach😎
zactaylor- Thanks for having me! Made me feel like I was 25 all over again😂
lanalang- this is why the bengals are the best team in the nfl
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May 10, 2023
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@yourusername Instagram story
story replies:
joeyb_9 reposted second slide:
joeyb_9- My girl
burrowupdates reposted story:
burrowupdates - Joe and Y/n are in Arizona for a quick vacation before OTA's! Y/n grew up around Phoenix so I assume that's why they are there.
y/njoestan reposted second slide:
y/njoestan- MOM AND DAD🥹❤️
yourmomsusername reposted story:
yourmomsusername- My baby girl!!! Cant wait to meet you Joseph!!!!🥳
May 11, 2023
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@joeyb_9 Instagram story
story replies:
yourusername reposted story:
yourusername- 🤍🤍
jb9lover reposted story:
jb9lover- i take back anything i've ever said about their relationship. i'm so glad he's so active on social media now. thanks Y/n🫶
May 15, 2023
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liked by yourusername, bengals, and 990 others
tagged: @joeyb_9
joeburrowfan- Joe today🥵
comments:
joeyblova- HOLY SHIT😩
bengals- QB1 lookin' good😍
shiestyswifey- i just KNOW Y/n is going feral right now over these just like we are.
yourusername- @shiestyswifey Oh trust me, I am
joefan9- The king and queen of cincinnati definitely gettin' it on when he gets home👀
shiestysbae- @joefan9 EW😭 id rather not think about them getting nasty
joeburrowfan- @joefan9 @shiestysbae cincinnati? more like cincinNASTY
itsmemacee- Please tell me you're seeing these comments😂😂 @yourusername
yourusername- @itsmemacee Yep😂 showing Joe as we speak
shiestysbae- @yourusername NOOOO OMFG
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July 17, 2023
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@yourusername Instagram story
story replies:
emhubbard reposted story:
emhubbard- Awww, Taylor's new bestie🐾
shiestysbae reposted story:
shiestysbae- what are the odds she chews up your gray jeans @joeyb_9
y/njoestan reposted story:
y/njoestan- she's adorable!! what's next, a baby?!👀
itsmemacee reposted story:
itsmemacee- brb crying. bean burrow🥹
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hi loves!!
doing a "double update" for all of you because i've been slacking with updates, so you all deserve this because of how patient you've been with me. i appreciate it so much🤍
but omg i had so much fun with chapter! these instagram chapters are always so fun to write. instead of writing just one moment or one vacation from yours and Joes off-season adventures, i decided to do a bunch of "posts" to show them all off :)
i hope you all enjoyed this chapter! the next chapter is full of surprises👀 (any guesses on what they could be?)
only three more left of this series ! i cant believe it.
thank you all so much for your love and support with this book. every like, reblog, comment and view means so much to me!🥰
tags: @jackharloww @ilovejoeburroww @dandelionwrites8 @ijustcrypretty @sinners-98-world @a-moment-captured @stainednailpolishremover @spooky-stoner @xoxokiaraaxoxo @kkrenae @hallecarey1 @jordyn14
186 notes · View notes