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#chapter seven is out :D
0idontgetsleep0 · 1 year
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✨Malleus 80s style✨
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zodoods · 4 months
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sabotage chapter 1 part 1 (tell me your thoughts!
masterlist | next
transcript under the cut for clarity
Ladybug and Chat Noir: Pound it!
LB: 10 minutes. I think thats a new record!
CN: All thanks to the AMAZING ladybug.
LB: I couldn't do it without my partner, though!
CN: Speaking of partners...do you remember how you told your best friend that you're ladybug?
LB: You know at first I said it was really risky but it's really helped me out. You can tell someone too, remember? I assumed you already did.
CN: I never did, actually. I always thought the person I fell in love with would know. BUT my civilian identity is hard to date. So I haven't really met anyone who's fully stuck--which is why I had a BRILLIANT idea. I'll date people as my HERO persona.
LB: Wait, wait, wait. What do you mean your civilian identity is "hard to date"? Aren't you a total casanova?
CN: I think you mean...cat-sanova. Heh.
LB: oh my god.
CN: I guess you could say I'm sooort of in the public eye?
LB: Like...famous?
CN: Well...
LB: Chat. On a scale of one to ten, 1 being some averaje joe and ten being darling of Paris, Adrien Agreste.
CN: [nervously] Uh...seven?
LB: Oh, so pretty famous, huh. Well, I trust you, minou. Just don;t do anything stupid and make me look bad. Anyways, it's kind of a good idea.
CN: Really?
LB: Yeah.
Later, at home.
Marinette: Alya. Chat just had the WORST idea I've ever heard. And GUESS WHAT--
OKAY BYE HOPE U ENJOYED :D
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andvys · 7 months
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I knew you'd linger like a tattoo kiss | part 13
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Warnings: angst! mentions of sexual assault and talks of rape, alcohol and drug consumption, bad parenting, mentions of domestic abuse.
Pairings: Steve Harrington x fem!cheerleader!reader , Steve Harrington x Nancy Wheeler , slight Eddie Munson x fem!reader
Summary: Steve promised to always be there for you when you were little kids and you find out that he had kept this promise.
Word count: 7k
A/N: The beginning of this chapter is heavily inspired by Seven by Taylor Swift, if you haven’t listened to it, go listen to it now! @mysticmunson thank you for the help as always, ilysm 🤍
series masterlist
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You have never been one to ask for help, whenever you struggled with something, you simply kept it to yourself and dealt with it alone, not wanting to be a burden to anyone. 
Even when you were scared, you didn’t tell anyone, you didn’t ask for comfort, you didn’t call for help, you simply learned how to deal with the fear alone. 
When your parents started fighting and you heard your dad yell at your mom, you hid in the closet, you put your hands over your ears and cried silently, hoping that they would just stop yelling at each other, hoping that he would stop being so mad all the time. 
You suffered, hearing your parents fight. You were scared – scared that something worse would happen, scared that their fights would turn into something more serious, scared that one of them would leave. 
You didn’t want them to fight, you didn’t want them to hate each other, you didn’t want one of them to leave. 
You just wanted your mom and your dad, you wanted your family. 
One night, when you were twelve years old, Steve had climbed up to your window, he sneaked into your room, excitedly. It was the night before your birthday and he got you an early present. The smile faded from his lips when for the first time, he had heard your dad’s angry voice and your mom’s nervous one, when he heard the quiet sniffles coming from your closet where he had found you rocking back and forth with your hands over your ears and tears rolling down your cheeks. His heart broke at the sight of you. 
He startled you when he reached his hand out to touch your shoulder, you flinched and looked up at him, your face scrunched up in confusion and your eyes widened, you stared at him with a quivering lip and glassy eyes that flashed with relief when you realized that it was really him in front of you. 
“Steve?” You whispered, shakily as you removed your hands from your ears, slowly. 
He stepped inside the closet and closed the door again, he sat down beside you and wrapped an arm around you. 
“I’m here, Dolly,” he had whispered, using the nickname that he jokingly gave you when you were both five years old and you went through an obsession with dolls. 
Steve didn’t know that your parents were fighting, no one knew. 
You cried into his shoulder and he held your hand. Even he flinched at the sound of your dad’s angry shouts. He felt so awful that night, he was so worried about you. 
“Why didn’t you tell me?” He asked when you started to calm down. 
You only shrugged in response. 
“You should come live with me, you won’t have to be scared. I’ll protect you.”
When you smiled at his words and looked at him through your glassy eyes, Steve had promised himself that he would always be there for you, that he would protect you and keep you safe. 
He thinks about that night a lot. 
He thinks about how much he failed you. 
He thinks about how he broke his own promise. 
He thinks about how he abandoned you. 
And he hates himself for it, especially when he hears your broken voice and your quiet sniffles on the phone. 
“Steve?”
He straightens his back, furrowing his brows. Chills run through him and an instant rush of worry floods through him when he hears you crying. 
“Y/n?” 
“I-I’m sorry, Steve. I d-didn’t know who else to call.” 
You could have called Eddie or Heather or Chrissy or even Robin, Steve thinks to himself. You are outside, he can hear the passing cars. He wonders if your voice is shaky because of the cold or because you are crying. 
“Where are you, y/n?” Steve asks as he already gets up to put on the sweater he had thrown over his chair earlier.
You sniffle again, it reminds him of the night he found you crying in the closet. 
“G-Gas station,” you mumble, “c-can you please pick me up?”
There is only one gas station in Hawkins, he knows exactly where you are.
“Yeah, of course,” he speaks into the receiver. Steve can feel his heart pounding in his chest, a glance into the mirror shows him that his face is etched with worry. 
“H-Hurry up.”
The sound of your scared and small voice almost sends him into a state of panic. 
What happened? 
How scared do you have to be to call him out of all people? 
“I’ll be right there, y/n. Just stay where you are, okay?” 
“Okay,” you whisper. 
Begrudgingly, he hangs up the phone, he then hurries out of his room, rushing down the stairs. He turns on the lights in the hallway, he quickly puts his Nike's on, he grabs his jacket and his bundle of keys before he leaves the house. 
Steve doesn’t know what to expect but the awful feeling in his chest tells him that you are in a bad state. 
You have never asked for help, not even when you were still together and he already knew about your fears and struggles, he had done his best to be there for you but you have never asked him to be there for you, you didn’t want to be a burden, you never could be. 
Steve keeps running his fingers through his hair, a nervous habit he can’t seem to get rid of. 
He goes over the speed limit, not caring about the risk of getting another ticket. The streets are empty anyways, no cops seem to be in sight. He feels anxious and on edge but he feels relieved, when he pulls up to the empty gas station and he sees you.
You are sitting on the concrete floor, your elbows are on your knees, your hands are over your ears, just like back then. He parks the car and turns it off, he opens the door and gets out, not wasting a single second to get to you. 
You keep your head down, rocking back and forth, you haven’t noticed him yet. Your body is shaking, you aren’t even wearing a jacket. Steve’s heart is still pounding, despite the relief he had felt in his body when he saw you, he still feels very anxious. He takes his jacket off and walks towards you, he crouches down in front of you.
“Y/n,” he whispers as he carefully lifts his hand, placing it on your shoulder as he whispers your name again. 
Your first instinct is to flinch at his touch and push his hand off as you scoot back quickly. 
Steve raises his hands in surrender, “hey! It’s me, it’s just me, y/n!” He rushes, staring at you with a startled look on his face, “it’s just Steve,” he whispers. 
Your eyes are wide and you instantly calm at the sound of his voice. For the first time that night, he sees your face. Your eyes are red rimmed and glassy but you aren’t crying. You got glitter on your cheeks and your forehead, your hair is a mess like you’ve spent tugging at it, all night. 
The look in your eyes can only be described as terrified. 
“Steve?” You whisper in relief. 
He nods with a confused and scared look on his face. 
What happened to you? 
The street light is shining down on you but he has yet to see the rest of your body. 
“You came,” you whisper with a quivering lip, staring at him as though you can’t believe that he is in front of you. 
His gaze softens and his heart hurts to see you like this. 
What happened?
You were doing so good, you looked so happy. 
“Of course I came,” he whispers and slowly inches closer to you, you don’t flinch this time, only staring at him with your wide eyes as though you can’t believe that he is actually here. He wraps his jacket around you, leaning closer to you. He smells your sweet perfume, your shampoo, your vanilla body wash but above the pleasant scents is a heavy smell of  whiskey, cigarettes, weed and the strong scent of cologne, it’s not the same one he smelled on you before, it’s not Eddie’s cologne. 
He swallows nervously. 
You weren’t with Eddie tonight, you wouldn’t be here if you were. Steve might not know him well but if there is something he learned about Eddie is the protectiveness he feels over you. You wouldn’t be alone at a gas station at 1 am if you had been with him tonight. 
He just knows it. 
When Steve lifts your hair up to pull them out from beneath the jacket, a cold shiver runs down his spine when he sees the bruises on the side of your neck, bite marks and hickeys litter your skin. He pulls away slowly, his breathing quickens, he blinks, staring at your face for a long second. You seem to be on the verge of tears but something inside of you keeps you from crying, you look frozen, your body is tense.
Steve pulls back, he looks down at you and his heart drops completely. His lips part, his eyes widen and all color drains from his face when he sees the bruises around your wrists and on your thighs. 
No, no, no, no…. God no… Please no.. 
He keeps staring at the bruises, frozen in place, heart racing and breaking each passing second. 
He whispers your name in shock. 
You raise your head to look at him and when you notice the look on his face, you start shaking your head and pulling at your dress to hide your thighs as though it will get rid of the marks he had left on you, you didn’t even realize how hard he grabbed you, how rough his hands were when he forced your legs apart or when he pinned your wrists against his car, you were too consumed with fear to feel anything. You are surprised that you even managed to fight back, that you got out of the situation before something much worse could happen. 
“D-Do you need a doctor? Should I drive you to the hospital?” Steve asks, shakily. 
You shake your head as the panic begins to settle back in, your throat feels tight and tears well up in your eyes, “n-no, I wanna go home,” you whisper as you look at him with pleading eyes, “please just drive me home, Steve. Please.” 
Steve doesn’t know how to handle the situation, he doesn’t know what to do, he doesn’t know how to help you. 
Who did this to you? 
His stomach churns, he feels sick, so sick. 
You flinch a little when he touches your shoulder again and Steve pulls his hand away immediately. 
“I’m sorry,” he whispers. 
Your eyes shift away from him, you look down and pull the jacket tighter around your body. 
Steve eyes you, watching the way you push yourself up to stand, he follows suit, standing up as well. 
Your knees buckle and you almost fall back to the ground but Steve catches you, carefully holding you by your waist. This time, you don’t flinch away from his touch, he keeps holding you, pulling you closer to him. 
“It’s okay, I got you,” he whispers softly, “I got you.”
His heart won’t stop hammering in his chest and he doesn’t know which emotion inside of him is stronger right now. 
The worry he feels for you or the anger he feels for the person who did this to you? 
A gust of wind makes you shiver, it blows through your hair and you shudder at the feeling of the coldness touching your exposed skin. The smell of gasoline is beginning to make you feel nauseous. 
“I wanna go home.”
Steve nods with a broken look in his eyes. 
He leads you back to his car and opens the door for you. You let go of him when you sit down in the passenger seat. Despite the whirlwind that is going on in your mind and the amount of alcohol and drugs you have in you, you still remember to put on the seatbelt. Your dress rides up in the process, you don’t notice it.
Steve sucks in a sharp breath and he clenches his jaw when he sees more bruises on your thighs, the ones that were hidden beneath your dress. He looks away and clenches his hand into a fist after he closes the door. 
He tries to take deep breaths to calm himself down as he walks around the car, he opens the door and gets inside. 
You are quiet, so very quiet, he can’t even hear you breathing. He glances at you, you pulled the sleeves of his jacket over your hands and you are looking at the window, facing away from him. 
“Are you sure you don’t need to see a doctor?” 
You shake your head, “I’m fine,” you mumble, without looking at him. 
He nods to himself, sighing deeply as he starts the car. 
When the music starts playing and David Bowie’s voice sounds through the car, Steve winces a little. On the drive here, he was so on edge and distracted by his thoughts, he wasn’t really paying attention to the music that was playing. He turns the volume down and he narrows his eyes, glancing at you. You don’t seem to pay attention to anything right now. 
You keep blinking rapidly, staring out the window. 
On the drive to your house, he keeps checking on you to make sure that you are okay. His hands grip the steering wheel tightly, he is feeling too much right now. 
You are silent, so silent. 
It’s been a long time since you have sat in the passenger seat next to him. The last time you did, you were still together. He was yours, you were his, you were both okay and you were safe and happy. 
Now you sit here with tears in your eyes and bruises on your skin – you are not okay, you were not safe tonight and he doesn’t know if you will be happy again after whatever happened. 
Lost in his thoughts, Steve stares at the road ahead, swallowing the bitterness on his tongue and fighting the anger and the guilt he feels for himself. This shouldn’t have happened, this wouldn’t have happened if he hadn’t been so stupid all these months ago. 
He was supposed to protect you, he was supposed to keep you safe. 
Steve doesn’t notice the way you look away from the window, the way you look down at yourself, the way your breathing quickens and your eyes widen. 
You stare at the bruises on your thighs, the ones beneath your dress. How rough had he been when he tried to force your legs apart? How strong did he grip your thighs when he tried to touch you where you didn’t want to be touched? 
You push the sleeves of Steve’s jacket up, frowning at the bruises on your wrists. Your heart begins to hammer in your chest, hot tears threaten to spill down your cheeks and you feel the panic rushing through you. The realization of what would have happened if you didn’t find the strength to fight back begins to sink in and the sudden nausea makes you want to throw up but the tightness in your throat makes you feel like you cannot breathe, yet, somehow, the sob that’s been rising up, falls from your lips and you break down in the passenger seat of your ex boyfriend’s car. 
Too many emotions run through you; shock, fear, sadness, pain, disgust and anger. 
Not only did he try to strip you of your powers, he also tore down walls that you have been slowly building up since Steve left you. You hear his voice, all the things he said to you repeat themselves over and over again, you feel his touch, his rough hands on your body. 
A man who has no meaning in your life took away so much from you tonight. 
Steve pulls the car off the road, he hits the brakes and unbuckles his seatbelt. He doesn’t know what to do when he sees you crying that way. The pain in your eyes, the tears streaming down your face and your broken sobs make him want to cry too. 
He whispers your name and he leans closer to you but he doesn’t touch you, knowing that this will only make things worse. 
“I-I didn’t want it,” you whimper as you stare at the bruises on your wrists, “I-I said no, I told him no, I told him t-that I didn’t want it, I said no, Steve.” You ramble as you turn to face him with big, glassy eyes. 
Steve’s eyes are filled with shock, a horrified expression takes over his face. 
“H-He said that I wanted it but I didn’t, I never wanted it, I didn’t– I just wanted someone to like me.” You cry as you pull at your dress and Steve finally notices your bruised knuckles, he hasn’t seen them before.
How often can a heart break in one night? 
Steve feels like his insides are being twisted, the gut wrenching sound of your cries make him feel so helpless and your words make him feel sick. His eyes are burning and his hands itch to hurt the man who hurt you. 
He says your name softly and he places his hand on top of yours, this time, you don’t flinch away from him and his touch. You turn to face him and he wants nothing more than to pull you into his arms, to wipe your tears and take your pain, but he can’t. 
He doesn’t know how to ask you this question, especially when you are looking at him like that. 
“Did… Did he –” Did he rape you? Is what he needs to know but he cannot utter these words, the thought of someone doing such a disgusting and vile thing to you makes him feel sick to his stomach.
Steve doesn’t have to finish the question, you know what he wants to know and you start shaking your head with wide eyes as your tears continue to roll down your cheeks. 
“I fought back a-and he let me go but he was so awful.”
“Who?” He finally asks.
“Ray.”
Steve is not surprised to hear his name, not after he watched you write your number on his hand at the bonfire, last week. He clenches his jaw and nods. 
Raymond Parker. 
Steve knows where he lives.
The haunted look in your eyes tells him that there is more. Things you don’t want to say out loud.
He watches the way your brows furrow, the way your eyes continue to well up with tears. You seem to think about something, something that hurts you, it’s so clear on your face. 
“Why does everyone hurt me?”
Steve’s face falls, his eyes flash with guilt. 
“Why does everyone leave me?” You whisper to yourself. 
Steve knows that you’d never say these things if you were sober and free from the hurt. 
Your dad left, Steve left, your friends are slipping through your fingers and now you are afraid that Eddie will leave too. You saw the anger in his eyes when he found you at Reefer Rick’s house, you didn’t listen to him, you broke a promise and now he is disappointed in you – will your best friend leave you just like they did? 
“And Eddie hates me now, h-he was so angry at me, I-I don’t, I didn’t want to disappoint him,” you mumble, causing him to frown. 
“I ran away from him.”
What could you have done to disappoint Eddie?
Suddenly, you turn around, reaching for the door handle. You want to leave, you need to get out of here but before you can even open the door, Steve locks the car, mumbling something under his breath. 
“You think I’ll let you leave right now?” Steve asks, confused. 
His action seems to wake the anger in you and you turn back around, glaring at him. You stare into his eyes for a long second before you open your mouth to speak.
“Oh so now you don’t want me to leave!?” 
He knows that your question is one out of anger but the sadness is rooted so deep inside of you. The pain in your eyes is so contagious, it makes him sad too. 
“Dolly,” he whispers, using the nickname that he gave you when you were children, that seems to worsen your pain. He sees your quivering lip, the tears that pool in your eyes and roll down your cheeks in an instant. 
Regret and guilt is something that he cannot deal with, to this day. It haunts him and this will haunt him even more. This shouldn’t have happened, none of this should’ve happened. He was supposed to keep you safe from all the horrors in this world but he failed you so strongly and he put you through horror himself. 
You slump back in the seat, sniffling quietly as you turn your face away from him. 
Steve stares at the back of your head for a long moment. 
This is so wrong. All of this is. 
You belong here, with him, but not like this, never like this. 
He takes a deep breath and he closes his eyes for a second before he turns back, gripping the steering wheel again as he restarts the car. 
The rest of the drive home is spent in silence, you continue to cry and it makes his heart ache. He focuses on you, rather than the anger that he feels for the man who hurt you – he will keep that for later.
When he pulls up to your house and he parks his car in your driveway, he notices that the lights are off and your mom’s car isn’t here. The thought of leaving you by yourself tonight, makes him feel uneasy. 
You both get out of the car and he rushes over to you to make sure that you won’t fall again but you hold your hand up, not wanting to be touched. He keeps his distance but watches you closely when you walk up the stairs. 
“Shit,” you mumble, bringing your hand up to your face, you pinch your nose, “I-I forgot my jacket and I don’t have my keys.”
“Oh,” Steve says as he looks at you, he then looks down at the bundle of keys in his hand. He swallows nervously, “I-I uh, I still got your keys.”
With furrowed brows and a confused look on your face, you look up at him. Steve eyes the puffiness in your eyes, the redness in them, the pouty lips that you never notice yourself doing. 
He scratches the back of his neck and his eyes shift away from you, “I forgot to take them off,” he mumbles, unable to look into your eyes. He turns away and walks towards the door to unlock it. 
You don’t say anything about it, you keep quiet and stare at his back before your eyes move down to the keys. 
Is the key to her house on his keychain as well? 
The sound of an approaching car causes the both of you to turn around, the bright headlights and the screeching sound of the tires against the ground makes you both wince. 
You straighten your back when you see him. 
He jumps out of his van. The door on the passenger side opens as well and you see Robin. You watch the way their eyes find you, the way they sigh in relief at the sight of you under your porch light. 
Eddie places his hands on his head and he exhales loudly, happy to see you here. Both he and Robin rush over to you. 
Eddie’s eyes are wide and filled with guilt and worry, his brown eyes take in the sight of you and he almost lets out a gasp when he finally notices what he hasn’t noticed before, the bruises on your thighs, the redness in your eyes, the state you are in. 
What happened?
You are wearing Steve’s jacket and he wonders how or why you are with him. 
Did you call him? Did he find you? Did you walk to his place? 
He whispers your name in shock, frozen in place, he can’t even move towards you. Your eyes lock for a moment and he can tell that you are about to burst into tears, again. He wants to pull you into his arms but he is scared to touch you. 
“Y/n?” Robin whispers as her eyes flash with a knowing look. She doesn’t have to ask to know what happened, if it wasn’t for the state you are in then she’d be able to tell by the haunted look in your eyes. 
You tear your eyes away from Eddie, startling all three of them when you suddenly throw yourself into Robin’s arms and start crying again. Without wasting a second, Robin wraps her arms around you and hugs you tightly, rubbing your back. 
Eddie and Steve watch you with broken looks in their eyes. 
“Shh, it’s okay.” Robin whispers as she lifts her head, glancing at Steve who stares at you, looking helpless. She then looks at Eddie, who looks just as helpless as Steve does but there is also guilt and regret in his eyes, she knows why, he kept beating himself up over appearing so angry to you when he found you at Rick’s house. 
When he called her, he sounded scared and panicked, he asked for you, hoping that you came over to her, you didn’t. He picked her up and they both drove around town, looking for you. Eddie kept chewing on his lip and bouncing his knee, tugging at his hair and mumbling curse words under his breath – Robin had never seen him so nervous and scared before.
Now he stands there like a kicked puppy, he stares at you, not knowing what to do. 
“Come on, let’s get you inside,” Robin says to you. 
You nod and pull away from her, looking down at the ground as you wipe your tears. Robin wraps her arm around your shoulder, glancing at Steve and Eddie as you both walk past them. 
Eddie and Steve share a look before they follow you both inside, watching you walk up the stairs. Robin turns her head, looking down at them, she shakes her head, ‘don’t’ she mouths. 
They listen to your sniffles and watch you until they can no longer see you. They hear your footsteps in the hallway upstairs and when the door to your room closes. Eddie slumps against the door, he presses his palm to his forehead, “shit,” he mumbles, “what the fuck happened, man?” 
Steve narrows his eyes, eyeing Eddie up and down. The worry and the panic on his face and in his eyes, isn’t very hard to miss. 
Looking down at the keys in his hands, Steve sighs before he throws them on the little table in the hallway. He turns on the light and sits down on the stairs.
“She called me from the payphone at the gas station.”
Eddie’s eyes widen, “what?” 
“She asked me to come pick her up,” he says, looking down, “and then uh, then she told me that you were angry at her and that she ran away from you, that's probably why she called me, anyway.” Steve knows that you wouldn't have called him if it wasn't for what happened with Eddie. He is the one you think of first, whenever you need someone, now.
Eddie shakes his head, his eyes flash with even more guilt. He feels ashamed, knowing that Steve knows that he was the reason why you ran. He keeps looking at the ground, continuing to beat himself up for the next several minutes before he hears the door to your room shutting again. He looks up, seeing Robin again. 
“I think you guys should leave,” she says as she walks down the stairs. 
“What?” Eddie asks, “I’m not leaving.”
“Yeah, me neither,” Steve says to the girl he never spoke to before. 
She sighs, rolling her eyes.
She doesn’t know Steve very well but she knows Eddie and she knows how stubborn he can be, he won’t leave. 
“Well, can you at least get her some painkillers and water?” Robin asks Steve with annoyance written all over her face, “you must know where it is, right?” 
She doesn’t like him – obviously. Steve nods, he turns away from her and walks down the hallway. He turns on the lights when he steps into the kitchen, the first thing he sees are the pink flowers on the counter, it’s your favorite ones. 
“C-Can I see her?” Eddie asks, “please?”
Robin’s eyes soften at the pleading look in his eyes. 
“She’s taking a shower right now, but Eddie,” she mumbles, pausing as she looks down with a horrified look on her face, “she has bruises on her thighs, wrists and neck.”
He saw the ones on your thighs, but not the ones on your wrists or your neck. 
“She said that nothing happened, that she got away before he could – you know..” She says, uncomfortably. She can't even finish the sentence but she doesn't have to. Eddie knows.
“Ray did this?” 
She nods and Eddie’s stomach drops.
He shouldn’t have been mad at you, he shouldn’t have scared you that way, he should’ve taken a closer look at you, at least he could’ve taken care of you, instead of scaring you away with his worry and his anger, making your night even worse.
He blinks when he feels hot tears in his eyes. He feels guilty, so guilty.
He encouraged you to go on that date.
“Eddie,” Robin whispers, stepping towards her friends, she knows exactly what he feels like, she feels the same. “It’s not your fault.”
“I-I told her to go on that date,” he mumbles, shaking his head as he looks down at the ground.
"So did I!" Robin says but Eddie ignores her words.
“And then, I got mad at her when I saw her at Rick’s but, I-I was just worried! I specifically told her never to go to his parties alone, Robin!” 
Eddie wanted to protect you but it wasn’t even that place or the people at Rick’s place that put you into danger.
“I know,” she sighs, “she said that Rick found her and the girls she was with were nice, nothing happened, Eddie.”
“Nothing happened,” he scoffs as the anger – an even worse kind of anger, takes over him when he thinks about the guy who did that to you, who would have done worse to you if you didn’t fight back. “I’m gonna kill him.”
“Yeah, you and me both, buddy.”
The sound of Steve’s voice is irritating to Robin, every time she hears his voice, every time she looks at him, she gets reminded of how much she dislikes this guy but even through that, she has to admit that he cares about you – even if you don’t see it. 
She looks between Eddie and Steve, eyeing the looks on their faces as they seem to settle on a silent agreement. 
She quirks a brow, sighing in annoyance, she steps towards Steve and grabs the water bottle and the painkillers from his hands. 
“Okay cowboys, why don’t you let the cops handle it?” She asks as she turns around and begins to walk up the stairs, groaning in annoyance when they follow her. 
“Cops?” He scoffs, “they’re not gonna do shit, Robin.” 
Robin is surprised that he even knows her name. 
“Uncle Wayne is friends with Hopper, he won’t let him get away,” Eddie says.
“Yeah, Hopper won’t but Hopper can’t keep him in a cell in Hawkins for the rest of his life.” 
Eddie huffs. He knows he is right. 
Ray has wealthy parents, they will do anything to keep their son out of jail. 
“And what he did was bad enough but he won’t go to jail for that, you know how it is, guys,” Robin sighs, “men get away with worse, what makes you think that he will pay for this? A young college student, an athlete may I add? He has a bright future ahead of him, no judge will ruin that for him!” Robin mutters, angrily. 
“Yeah well, I can ruin his bright athlete future,” Eddie mumbles as he already thinks of the way he could hurt him. 
“Eddie,” Robin sighs, “she doesn’t want you getting into trouble–”
“No, he’s right,” Steve mumbles, “we can easily ruin his future.”
She looks between them, they are serious about this, she can tell that they are. 
“You aren’t doing anything, I don’t want you to.” 
Your voice startles the three of them and they all glance at you. They didn’t notice that you have opened your bedroom door or that you have been watching and listening to them talk. 
Eddie’s eyes widen again, when he finally sees the other bruises, he feels his heart clench in his chest. The bruises on your wrists will stay for a while. How roughly did he grab you? How much pain did he put you through? 
He feels the hot rage inside of him and the urge to hurt the man who did this to you is so very strong. 
But the urge to comfort you and pull you into his arms is so much stronger. 
Your hair is wet and your face looks clean again, the glitter and the mascara streaks are gone. You are wearing a big shirt, his shirt. 
“He didn’t r- assault me in that way. I-I'm not hurt, I was just upset about some shit he said to me, not what he did,” you mumble quietly, looking back down at the ground as you grip the doorknob tightly.
Never in a million years, would they believe your words. You are standing there with bruises on your body, lying about not hurting. This changes everything.
“A-And I’m okay, you guys don’t have to stay here and watch over me.”
All three of them know that you are lying, they can hear the shakiness in your voice and you are not exactly good at hiding the tears in your eyes.
“Sweetheart,” Eddie whispers. 
You lift your head slightly, looking into his eyes, “I’m okay, Eddie,” you whisper, trying to give him a smile. 
He feels helpless, just like Steve does, just like Robin does. 
“I’m not leaving,” he mumbles. 
“Yeah, me neither,” Steve says, “w-we can go downstairs if you’re more comfortable with that.” 
You look away from Eddie and meet his eyes, you eye the softness in them, the worry and you wonder, has it always been there since he left you? 
“Okay,” you whisper. 
But neither Steve or Eddie go downstairs when you walk back into your room. Robin follows and closes the door after giving them both a sad look. 
They settle on the ground, both leaning their backs against the wall on each side of your door and for the first ten minutes or so, it’s awkwardly silent between them. Only the sound of the ticking clock on the opposite wall sounds through the hallway. 
Eddie stares into blank space, twisting the rings on his fingers as he blinks rapidly, not noticing that Steve is watching him. 
“Stop beating yourself up, none of this is your fault.” He says, feeling just as guilty as Eddie does. 
“I should’ve protected her, I-I fucked up.”
“No, you didn’t,” Steve mumbles, “you didn’t fuck up. Her running away from you isn’t you fucking up, dude. She got scared that you were mad at her, she thought you were disappointed in her for whatever reason, that’s why she ran – she was too much in her head, on drugs and drunk.”
“I was mad and I wasn’t thinking straight, I just saw red when I saw her at Rick’s place, I shouldn’t have gotten so mad, I should’ve asked why she was there.” 
Steve had heard about Reefer Rick and the ‘wild’ parties he’s throwing. He heard about the drugs and other illegal shit that goes down at the boathouse. 
“You wanted to protect her, there’s a good reason why you didn’t want her there.” 
“Yeah but–”
“Stop it, Eddie.” Steve mumbles, rolling his eyes, “you aren’t the one who fucked up, you were there for her all this time and you were there to pull her out of the house before something else could happen.” 
He is right, Eddie knows he is but the guilt is still rooted deep inside of him. He should’ve told you to cancel the date, he shouldn’t have encouraged you to go. 
“I’m the one who fucked up,” Steve scoffs as he looks down at his hands, a look of hatred crosses his features, hatred for himself. 
Eddie frowns. 
“This isn’t your fault either, Steve.”
“Everything is my fault. This wouldn’t have happened if I didn’t break her heart, she would’ve never gone on that date.” 
Steve wasn’t even sure if it was a date, he figured it was. When he saw the flowers on your counter, he knew for certain. 
“This could have been prevented, I shouldn’t have encouraged her to go on that date,” Eddie admits in shame.
“It still isn’t your fault, Eddie.” 
“Well, it’s not yours either,” Eddie mumbles, “shit like that happens to girls all the time, even if you were still together, it could’ve happened.” 
Steve nods at his words, he is right, he knows he is but that still doesn’t take away the guilt. 
Both of them are trying to convince the other to stop taking the blame but it does little to make them feel any less guilty.
The silence takes over, once again and Steve is the first to break it, again. 
“I thought you were together.”
Eddie’s brows pull together, he looks confused when he turns to face Steve, who is already looking at him.
“Yeah, I uh, I thought you two were dating,” Steve adds as he looks away, nervously. “You seem pretty close, the way her and I were before we uh – before we started dating.” 
Eddie nods, “oh.” 
He looks at him, trying to figure out the look on his face. 
“We’re not, we’re friends.” 
“Are you?” Steve asks, “just friends?” 
Eddie nods, “yeah.”
He looks skeptic, unsure of whether he should believe him or not. He eyes the frown on his face, the sadness and the anger in Eddie’s brown eyes. 
“Do you love her?” Steve asks as his heart starts beating faster.
Eddie chuckles at the question, his eyes flash with something that Steve struggles to read. For a moment, he doesn’t say anything, he just stares into nothing.
“Yeah, I do.”
Steve can’t describe the feelings inside of him, right now. Is he surprised to hear him say it? No. How could he not love you? 
Eddie would treat you better than he ever did.
As Eddie looks at him, he notices the sadness in his eyes – Steve wishes that things were different and he knows that you do too.
“But it’s not like that. I love her and I would do just about anything for her, she is my best friend,” he says to him as he continues to fidget with his rings, “she makes me happy and things are amazing the way they are. I never had someone like her in my life.”
Steve feels confused about his words, isn’t that how he felt about you once?
“You love her but you are just friends?” Steve mumbles. 
Eddie snorts, he leans his head against the wall and glances at him, “friends can love each other too, you know that right? It’s a different kind of love than how you would love a partner but it’s still love.” 
“I’m confused.”
“Platonic love, dude.” Eddie sighs, “do you know anything?”
Steve purses his lips, he shrugs, “well our platonic love turned into something else.”
“Then it was never platonic in the first place.”
Yeah, he might be right. Steve loved you, he always did, even when he was a kid and even when he said he didn’t. 
“You love her but you are not in love with her?” Steve asks, whispering the question this time when he remembers that you might be awake and listening in on their conversation. 
Eddie rolls his eyes, he bumps his head against the wall, his bangs fall in front of his eyes but he doesn’t bother to push them away. 
“We can be friends without being in love with each other, right?” 
Steve doesn’t know how to respond to that, he only shrugs. 
Just being friends, never worked out for you and him. 
“I fucking adore that girl, that’s all.” Eddie explains. 
The look on his face is genuine. 
“Things are good the way they are, between us, I mean.”
“Has it always been that way?” Steve asks, curiously. “I mean, from the start?” 
Steve notices the way he hesitates, the way his eyes don’t meet his anymore. Eddie knows exactly why he is asking, he is trying to find something out. He knows that you two have been friends for longer than he initially thought. 
The night at the dance, back in december, Steve remembered seeing you with Eddie at a party he threw back in august and it brought up questions, ones that he never dared to ask you after what he had done. 
He never remembered much from that night, just how drunk he was and how awful your fight had been, so awful that you didn't even spent the night at his place the way you usually did. No matter how bad a fight had been, you had never not stayed with him, except for that night.
“Uh, no..” Eddie mumbles, “we’ve only gotten this close after you two broke up.” 
Steve nods and decides to stop asking questions, it’s better that way. 
But now, Eddie takes his turn, he watches him with a questioning look in his eyes. 
“You love her, don’t you?” He asks, “you always did, right? All this, ‘I’m not in love with you anymore’ bullshit, was just bullshit, right?” He asks, chuckling.
Steve winces at that word, it takes him back to the night in your room, after he had tried to kiss you. 
‘That’s bullshit, Steve! Everything you do, everything you say is bullshit! Y-You’re bullshit!’
You were right about what you said, about what you called him and Eddie is right too. 
“Yeah,” he breathes, “it was just… bullshit. But, I’m with Nance now and things are great.”
Great. Just great.
Eddie raises his brows but he doesn’t say anything. There is more he’d like to say and know but, this isn’t the right time. 
A beat of silence brings back the awkwardness. They glance at each other, not knowing what else to say or do.
But both, get lost in their thoughts so easily. They both think about you, about what happened.
Wondering what Ray had said and done to you. It weren't just his actions that had hurt and upset you, it was something he said to you. Both, Eddie and Steve saw the look in your eyes, the haunted and deeply hurt one.
What words had he thrown at you?
“Hey Steve?”
“Yeah?”
“You know where Parker lives, right?” 
next chapter
tagging friends & mutuals
@mysticmunson @corrodedseraphine @corrodedcorpses @wroteclassicaly @screammunson @hellfire--cult @taintedcigs @trashmouth-richie @xxhellfiregirlxx @take-everything-you-can @nemesis729 @sherrylyn628 @somethingvicked
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thisisnotthenerd · 5 months
Text
and now the best battles of the intrepid heroes go head to head
feel free to give reasoning/propaganda as you like!
the sidequest poll
quick episode descriptions:
arcade ambush: fighting biz in the arcade. the failed perception checks. getting sucked in and out of the games. riz in the palimpsest. beating a nat 20 in the box of doom. shooting off biz's fingers on the count of three.
broadway brawl: the show must go on. misty having the performance of a lifetime. queen titania. i may be little but i am fierce. esther in the rafters. don confetti. ricky, naked, bodyrolling on misty. stephen sondheim riding a bear. subduing titania with a waist trainer.
blast from the passed: after the trial for gorthalax. completely indecipherable battle. bill seacaster kills gilear. johnny spells can't get a word in edgewise. statistically i have just a good a chance at rolling good as any of you. toxic masculinity is dead, i dance now! riz is blasted off the ship into the iron city of dis.
boys' night (Roll20Con): just the lads, going to a party, where they are supremely uncool. extorting gilear for alcohol [uncle pappy's dag nasty rocket hooch] emergency poem for ragh and corey. stealth mode down the highway. chungledown bim is back. fabian falling under the car with the liquor. warping space time and going to the lan party.
deep bleu sea: peppermint batman is invisible in the darkness. primsy is attacked. jet sends stilton to the bottom of the ocean. shenanigan time. the boats sinking and shifting. cumulous appears. throwing the cheese marauders to induce a dexterity check. can i use swirlwarden to get back into the boat. annabelle in the yogurt
treachery at gramercy: fighting around the umbral engine. ricky's bat counterspell. pete surges twice. cody is a mounted combatant who read dante's inferno. tony simos is a crazy level 20 open hand monk. pete has subtle spell. ricky says tony get fucked and does 90 damage. kingston's spirits of the city. sofia stunning everyone. cody meets lucifer and makes a new contract. sofia pulls dale out of the past and into the present.
battle of the brands: the gang buys truly so much stuff. you are required to do a certain amount of drugs. barry is the angel of mercy. the sisters of the cosmic veil having a bikini party. taking kublacaine. we are the ball. barry taking brutus to the finals on a nat 20. nat 20 death save from aurora nebbins. margaret speaks to the plinth and then is down to 1 hit point. skip crits on the plinth. free teleportation shenanigans are not allowed. gunnie casts explosion. barry rapid shots the plinth and does product placement. operation slippery puppet. am i getting ocean's'd 11'd on my own fucking show? what the fuck is happening? a real son of a bitch is no more. sundry sidney has saved the dog!
terror on toy island: a soft little touch. mer-king's insect plague. no daddy. pib getting the little guys. i'm so fucking scared! the water surges around the mer-king. the terrible dogfish is here. daddy-meter is spinning. pinocchio crits to figure it out. pinocchio screaming to wake the dead. it has asthma! and another thing, with the eyes! you were about to instantly die. gerard is wearing full chain mail in the ocean.. rosamund & ylfa are swallowed. the sea witch shows up. murph causes a nat 20. call of destiny. rosamund gets the eye with a seven. i'm a lion in the water. pib's acrobatic crit. one v. one.
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trina864 · 7 months
Text
Teases and Intercourse | J.JK
Summery: Jungkook and you makes a deal, that he gets to do whatever he wants, the next week. Monday he starts out slow. Paring: Jungkook x Brat!Reader Lyric: "Show you what devotion is..." Genre: Fanfiction, Romance | Smut, Fluff Word Count: 4.3K Chapter Guide: Monday Previous / Next Warnings: Female reader. Explicit words. Kissing. Making out. Shirtless Jungkook. Naked reader. f2l. Friends having oral sɛx. Fingering, f!receiving. Oral sɛx, f!receiving, m!receiving. 69. Face riding. Brat!Reader. Dirty talk. Deep throating. Jk kinda shoving readers head over his d!ck. Unprotected intercourse. Reader and Jungkook is not a couple. Taehyung is their friend. Parties at Tae's place. ‣ A/N: Frist one in the series. Seven is the best thing to ever happen, and I mean it. I love it so much, I got so inspired that I had to write. Let's see how this turned out, hope you like it!
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Jungkook's and your relationship is hard to put words on. You are not a couple, not friends with benefits, you are simply just Jungkook and Y/N.
Your mutual friends have asked each one of you when it's time to put a title on you, but neither of you can give a pleasing answer.
But there's a good reason to it being like this. A reason which makes it impossible for you to commit to a serious relationship with him. The both of you are really bad at commitment.
Even if you wanted to be in a relationship with him, you fear that you can't stay with only him, and you aren’t one for an open relationship.
You have kissed before, at Taehyung's parties. You have made out in front of all your friends at an dare which Jimin had given you. You flirted wherever you went.
And yet it has never evolved to more than that, not when you both like to keep the cards open.
This is why it surprises you as much as it does when one Sunday morning Jungkook comes knocking at your door.
"Jungkook? What are you doing here?" You ask with a miserable tone. The hungover from last nights party is still evident.
Jungkook walks past you, inviting himself in, and plumps himself down on your baby green couch.
"Well I came to see you." He answer and smile. "How are you after last night?"
"Great." You say with sarcasm overflowing your voice. "No, I'm totally hungover. What about you? You seem fine."
"I am, I held again with the drinks, I know I can't handle them, unlike others." He looks at you with a sly look.
"Yea yea, I know, I can't handle all those drinks, but seriously a girl my age has to enjoy and live life." You defend, you don’t know why you have the need to explain yourself, maybe it's simply because it's Jungkook.
"I know" says Jungkook, "But there's another reason for why I held again yesterday."
"And why is that?" You ask and plump down on the couch in front of Jungkook.
Jungkook hesitates a bit, biting his lips as he usually does. Your eyes stay on his lips longer than you want them to.
"Jungkook, what is it?" You ask again.
"I want to have sex with you." The smirk that is covered on Jungkooks face lets you believe at first that it's a joke, and you reply with a hysterical laughter.
"Ahhh... You're so funny Jungkook." You say as you calm down, but as you look over at Jungkook and see the dead serious expression on his face you shrink in on yourself.
"Wait what, you're for real?" "Of course I'm for real." Jungkook replies looking rather offended. You don't know what to say, your friend, who has been that since your college times is standing in your home and revealing that he wants to have sex with you.
It's not like it's a big shocker for you, you've always known that Jungkook and you has a weird friendship on the edge of being more. And you will never forget how much this boy loves sex. You've never known anyone with as big a dirty mind as Jungkook. But even so it surprises you, where he found the courage to make a stunt like this with you.
Silence follows after, and your thoughts are running wild. Not only are you questioning why he all of a sudden does this, you're also considering his words and imagining if you two really did have sex.
Would it be as good as you've always expected? Or would it just be weird to have sex with a friend?
It's Jungkooks groan that breaks the silence as he throws himself back into the couch.
"Alright let me try again, because this is kinda awkward." He says all flustered and gets up from his seat only to walk over to you.
He towers over you. "I have a proposal for you, Y/N. We know we both want to have sex with each other" You’re about to interrupt him, but he shushes you. "Don't try to lie to me, you clearly don't remember, but you ranted to me yesterday about how good i looked, and that you wanted to have me in your bed, and-" "Okay I got it." You say as you finally understand why he is doing all of this now.
It's your own fault. Your memory opens up for one particular memory that happened last night.
Jungkook has always looked good in black, but his outfit tonight is something else. You walk up to him and he smiles as he sees you. "Y/N! Hey what's up?" Your eyes are focused on his lips and Jungkook notices this right before you get on your tippy toes and pulls him into a heated kiss. He doesn't resists, to be honest he had hoped something like this would happen when Taehyung asked him to come to the party. "Want you Jungkook." Your drunk self whispers in his ear. It makes him shiver and if you weren't this drunk he would've taken you right now.
"What's the proposal?" You sigh and rub over your face. The embarrassment you feel is not invisible to Jungkook and he smirks as he proceeds,
"This next week, I get to do with you whatever I want. You know my kinks and turn ons better than anyone, and I know yours, I wont do anything which I know is uncomfortable to you. After the week we go back to what we are now." He says it like it's so simple, like it makes perfect sense to do something like this.
"So what? You want me to be your play toy for a week?" Jungkook shrugs, "If that's what you want to call it, I would say lover, but hey! That's just the romantic part in me speaking."
There is a look in Jungkooks eyes filled with all the different ideas he has for the week, a dark sinister look.
Your own body starts heating up thinking of all the things Jungkook could do with you. He was right when he said no one knows your kinks better than him, how many times haven't you talked with Jungkook about kinks and turn-ons.
It’s a miracle that you haven’t had sex yet.
Even with your thoughts flying, considering if it would be weird after, or if it would change everything between you and Jungkook, you know there is no other answer than yes.
But you won't give in that easily, the brat in you can't allow that.
"I don't know Jungkook, I'm not sure you could satisfy me." Jungkook catches the sarcasm in your voice, and he feels relieved that you are slowly agreeing to his crazy idea. He wasn't sure you would say yes, and even if he hide it well, the nervousness would not leave his body before now.
His eyes darkens at your comment, they're hypnotic to you whenever they do that. "Oh you don't think so?" He asks walking closer to you and taking your chin in a strong hold.
"No I really don't." You say. "I'll have to show you then."
He squats down in front of you only to take your lips in a heated powerful kiss. You moan into the kiss as his hands explores your thighs and hips, lastly finding their spot on your waist.
Your own hands tangles in his hair, and pushes him forward into you.
As fast as it starts as quickly it ends and Jungkook pulls back.
"Ah ah," He say as if scolding a little baby "The deal starts tomorrow, not today, I asked for a week so that's what I'll get."
You whine, but get an idea.
"Why don't you just stay here then?" You ask and you lean back on the couch.
"Stay here? What?" Jungkook takes his place beside you and swings an arm around you.
"Yeah, the deal starts tomorrow, and tomorrow starts at midnight. You could stay for dinner and movies, and then when midnight hits, we could finally start our deal." You say and hug Jungkooks arm closer to you.
"I don't see any problem with that, I don't have work tomorrow anyways, but what about your work?" He ask. "I work from home tomorrow."
And like that the deal is settled. The whole day you walk with butterflies in your stomach thinking about the deal. You and Jungkook uses most of the day binging series you've already watched and making food.
Taehyung came over shortly to drop off a coat you had forgotten the day before. To say that he was surprised as he saw Jungkook there was an understatement, but he didn't question it knowing that your relationship is impossible to understand.
As dinner is over and everything cleaned you two walk back to your room, talking about all and nothing, about the party, about your common interests.
You’re in the middle of conversing about drawing and which pencils you like to use the most when your alarm goes off and the clock hits midnight.
"You sat an alarm?" Jungkook laughs as you hurry to turn it off.
"Don't tease me! I just wanted to be sure when it was midnight." You say, but still Jungkook jokes about it. "Oh yea, eager much?"
"I'm not eager! I just wanted to be sure." You say and finally turn the alarm off.
"Mhm, and I just wanted to sit and do nothing when I made you that offer." He jokes a smug look on his face as he moves himself closer to you.
The air around you suddenly changes, there is no more laughter or sarcasm, instead the room fills with sexual desire.
Jungkook now moves very close to you. His tatted hand comes up to get a strand of hair out of your face.
His hand rests where your neck and jaw meets, and you feel yourself slowly turn into a puddle at the anticipation. "You and I would be the perfect couple y'know?" He says. "How so?" You ask with a hitched breath.
Jungkook pushes you softly back into the bed and slowly crawls up over your body. There he stays as he starts explaining himself.
"We both have the same interests, and we're similar in the way we joke around, yet we're not too much alike to bore each other. And of course there's the sexual aspect of it all." He say, smirking as his eyes scans over your face.
Jungkook moves down to kiss you which you happily agrees to, the kiss is not heated in the same way it had been earlier the day, it’s softer, slower.
"We're also both not into commitment." You say between kisses, "It would never work."
Jungkook smiles into the kiss, "Let's see about that."
None of you say anything after that, nothing is left to say. All that is left is the pleasure, the kisses, Jungkooks hands wandering all over you.
There is an eagerness over Jungkook which you can connect to the many times Jungkook has moved a little too close, a little too friendly compared to other friends.
This is his time to feel you, and you him.
He thrust down into you, soft and experimental. He tries again only to figure you out, how your body reacts, where you're most sensitive, all those things he still needs to learn about you. Third time he does it he hits something good enough to make you moan into his mouth.
He smiles succeeding into the kisses which are becoming rougher for every minute, and he thrusts again.
His hands wrap around your thighs, pulls you down aggressively and proceeds to wrap them around his own waist, all while the thrusts keeps going.
You whine as he breaks off the kisses and stops his movements down at your crotch. He looks at you with a smirk that you don’t like, and he says “We're gonna start out slow. No dick tonight."
You who can’t think straight makes a big fuss out of it. How can he rob you from that? How can he make you so flustered and then not give his cock to you?
"Ah, ah. No complaints." Jungkook says as his hand massage your thigh.
"But how am I gonna be satisfied if I can't get your dick tonight?" You sigh. Jungkook looks at you with a raised brow and a playful smile.
"I can make you scream for me to stop without using my dick. And that's a promise." You scuff.
You know he's right, but the brat in you will never admit to that.
"You don't believe me?" He ask. His eyes are filled with desire, his hand on your thigh goes lower and rougher.
"No, I don't" You say, and even though Jungkook can see right through you he jumps into the play.
"Well then I gotta prove it. Shirt and pants of, now." He commands as he lifts himself up from you. He watches with eyes that could be devastated as you lift your shirt off and button your pants down you are left in only underwear.
Jungkook attaches himself to your neck, kissing and sucking, the sounds he can make on your neck are sinful.
He helps you with the rest of your clothes, unclasping your bra, and pulling down your panties.
Only when you lay totally naked in front of him does he come of your neck to take a good look at you.
You're like a goddess to him, your body shines in front of him as if the sun is radiating off of you. The curves of your body and the rise of your chests are all like sweet pleasures in his eyes. Even though Jungkook had often wondered what you looked like this is nothing to compare to his imagines.
You shy in front of him, but he makes it his mission to make you comfortable when he crawls over your body and places himself between your legs, his hand goes through every curve and every dip, feeling them all up, feeling you up.
“You look so fucking alluring like this Y/N.” His lips trace the shell of your ear. Shivers goes down your spine, with how Jungkook makes you feel.
Your hands wander down to where his shirt tucks into his pants and you yank at the material nearly ripping it. He helps you slide the shirt off his body. As the shirt is off you nearly drool with red lustful eyes.
How was he this sexy, you knew Jungkook was trained and buff, but holy god, he's not just buff, it's the way his waist is formed, his shoulders broad and one covered in tattoos.
It's everything about him.
He uses the time of your admiration to slowly creep his hands up your thighs, and as he reach his desired destination he attacks it with skilled hands. Your mouth forms into an 'o' and your head falls back.
His long slim finger is circling around your clit, slow and easy, but the friction is enough to make you yelp into the arm you had thrown over your head. He lowers himself down to where his hands are, and you can only lay and feel as his breath fans over your throbbing pussy.
You were wet long before your clothes were off, but this only doubles the arousal and that is evident in the sounds it makes as his middle finger opens your folds and makes a long stripe down.
"Goddess, you're soaking, tell me it's all for me." He says and you shutter at the nickname. "Ah-! It's all for you Jungkook..." You manage to moan out and as you do his finger finally enters you.
The intrusion of his finger is unforgiving, and just a few pumps in and out later he adds another finger. He looks up at you while doing so and to say that you’re a hot mess is an understatement.
You’re grunting and begging, and the fact that you’re so fucked out only gives Jungkook more confidence as he curls his fingers inside you and hits your g-spot.
Why you are so obsessed already is a mystery, maybe it’s because you’re sex deprived, it had been months since your last hook up, or maybe it’s just because Jungkook is that good. To be fair you and Jungkook had build a sexual attention for years, now the bomb exploded.
You make eye contact with him. His eyes as lustful as your own. You can't think of anything else than the pleasure happening between your legs which only makes you messier in every movement you make.
Your hips curve against Jungkooks fingers and he adds a third finger. The stretch is perfect and you feel your orgasm move closer. "God! Jung- Jungkook please!" You yelp out and your hands yanks in the bed sheets. Jungkook smirks and the pace quickens as he feels your walls clench around his fingers. "What? You gonna cum?" He asks and blows onto your clit. "Mhm!" You whine out, you're not able to make any words in this moment.
"Need some help?" He asks and before you can even understand what he means his tongue attacks your clit. He laps at your clit swallowing all of your ambrosial juices, he moans when your hand intertwines with his hair and the friction makes your stomach clench.
As his teeth comes out to nip at your clit the water finally overflows and your body goes into overdrive, humping into his fingers and your legs practically locks around his head. Jungkook slurps all of your sweet arousal, every last drop he can get to and you have to peel him off you as it gets too much.
But as he looks up at you with an unsatisfied look, you know that he isn't done yet.
His hands grab onto your thighs hard, he turns you both around so he's lying on his back right under your cunt, and you're sitting on top of him.
"No Jungkook, it's too much." You say and sit lower on his stomach. "So you want me to stop?" Normally Jungkook would've backed away the minute you told him too, but he had made a promise, and he intended to keep it.
You remembered back to his words not too long ago, 'I can make you scream for me to stop and that's a promise.' and you know you can't stop now. You won't let him win this easily.
A daring expression covers your face and Jungkook doesn't hide his smirk. If there was one thing he had dreamed about doing with you it was face riding.
He wraps his hands around your thighs that are resting on either side of his head. The view of your cunt dripping with your previous arousal makes his dick grow in his pants and he knows he'll have to take care of it later.
It's Jungkook who yanks you down onto his face and before you can ask if he's okay, he's licking a big stripe over your entrance. You fall slightly back, your hands rests on his thighs and you lean on them to give Jungkook better access.
He takes his time licking and slurping, taking it slower this time than the first. You can already feel the overstimulation, your body is begging you to pull back, but you push it back and slowly a new pleasure overtakes.
"Fuck.. You taste like candy, I won't ever get tired of this." Jungkook mumbles into your cunt and you push down just a little with a smirk. "You like it that much, huh?" It's the first time Jungkook hears your voice normal after your high, and something in him gets turned on at your dirty talk.
Jungkooks dick grows enough to graze your arm on his thigh. You look back to see the bulge in his sweats, it's big and needy and you just have to turn your focus to it.
He chases your pussy as you get up. "What the fuck are you doing, get back onto my face." He says. You laugh at his comment, but also feel your walls clench. "Are you really this needy for my pussy?" You ask.
Before he can answer you turn around over his face, shifting spots between your right thigh and left thigh, and before he realizes what you're doing, you are again on top of his face.
He doesn't question the new position, he's too hungry for your honey like juices and his tongue does not take anything slow this time. His tongue goes in and out of you and his hands presses you further down to reach deeper into you. Every movement of yours halt at the familiar feeling of loosing every independent thought, you're lightheaded from the speed of Jungkooks tongue.
There is one thought that stays in your mind though, and you like a starved dog, rips Jungkooks sweats down and knead at his boxers where you feel his bulge.
He didn't expect it, he hadn't seen it coming when you turned around just moments before, but oh! He is not complaining. His eyes roll back and he thrust up into your hands. His tongue quickens the pace even more and he grunts as your pace too quickens.
This was not supposed to happen, you should have told him to stop by now, but he's so glad you didn't. This is better than anything he had planned for this night, and when you pull his boxers down and put his cock in your mouth Jungkook totally malfunctions.
Moaning and grunting into your pussy, mumbling something with "Ah- Fuck!", his tongue halts a bit, but never stops, and he actually can't believe that he are doing 69 with you right now. You can't either, but then again there is no thoughts going through your brain other than the pleasure.
You bob your head up and down as good and as precise as you can in this moment, but how good that is you have no idea. It's only cause of Jungkooks grunts and pleases that you think it's going well for you. But it's not enough for you, your head screams for you to take his cock deeper, so you do.
You deep throat him, pushing yourself onto him, and Jungkook looses it completely. His tongue stops the assaults at your pussy and instead he uses his energy to fuck into your mouth. "Oh Shit! Y/N, ye- yea like that." His hands come on top of your head and he pushes just slightly. Gagging around his cock, tears swell in your eyes, Jungkook would've stopped if it wasn't because he knows you like it.
You've always told him you like to be manhandled, to be pushed a bit further than others limits, and this is what you meant.
"Fuuuck, You take it so well, fuck yea! So good for me." He says and a drop of your arousal falls onto his mouth reminding him of what he had been doing before you so sneakily started sucking him off.
It's when Jungkooks tongue picks up where it left with the same pace that you falter. You hump onto his face while he fucks into yours. It's a cycle of pleasure going over you two, and it's just a matter of fact who cum first.
You're not in doubt that it is going to be you. You're already clenching and humping like a mad woman, and Jungkook has in some way regained his mind.
As Jungkooks fingers finds your clit your orgasm finally explodes. Jungkooks dick pops out of your mouth and slaps against your cheek as you fall forwards against his stomach. "Fuck! Jungkook, I'm cumming!" You yell and press yourself as deep onto him as you can. When your high is over Jungkook again insists on you staying, and he holds you over his face as his tongue keeps assaulting your pussy. You know it's still because of the promise, but you are too proud and too stubborn to give in, so instead you find another way to stop him.
Your head once again bobs up and down over his cock. You wrap your tongue around the head of his dick and lick up the precum. Your lips feels pillow soft against his dick, and as you had hoped Jungkook stops the lick at your pussy and instead chases his own high.
His cock twitch inside your mouth and you know it's a question of seconds. Your hands find his balls, you squeeze them softly and lick up the vein on his cock. And just like you Jungkooks orgasm starts. "Fuuuu- uuck." He moans and hammer into your mouth.
His cum coats the back of your throat, your tongue, the inside of your cheeks. It's salty, and sweet and you agree with yourself that you love the combo. As he finishes and finally collapse on the bed, you turn around and lay on top of him.
He is covered in your cum, but he doesn't seem to mind as he smiles up at you and moves a piece of hair from your face.
Jungkook watches as you open your mouth, his cum is everywhere. He gets surprised though when you close your mouth again and swallow with the dirty sound of a loud gulp.
An arm covers his face as he can't hide his smile. You are so good at making him shy.
"That was the best head I've ever had." Jungkook says as he finds the courage to look at you again.
You smile at the compliment. "Thank you, you weren't so bad yourself."
It's so weird to you that you're not feeling weird about what just happened. It's quite peaceful, and there's no awkwardness as there should be when two friends have sex. The only thing that does confuse you is what you and Jungkook are.
You're still not best friends, you're not a couple, you're not just a hook up or friends with benefits, so what the hell are you?
Right now it doesn't matter. Not when you lay beside Jungkook with his arms around you and feel this good. Maybe it'll matter tomorrow morning when you wake up beside Jungkook, but not now.
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t4rt4gl14 · 7 months
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WHY I BELIEVE OUR GLORIOUS BLUE EYED KING[GOJO SATORU] IS NOT DEAD. [ NOT ‘COPE’ LITERAL FACTS ]
Jujutsu Kaisen is heavily related to buddha, and we can see a panel of flowers, not just any flower, but lotuses that symbolise strength, resilience and rebirth.
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We also know that Nanami said that MeiMei had told him to go North if you want to find a new version of yourself or go South if you want to stay as who you are.
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These two relate since Buddha took seven steps north and a lotus grew with each step.
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this could be perceived as Gojo finding a new version of himself in the after life BUT editors comment gives us a really big hint!!!
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“RUN, QUICKLY, TO DEATHS PLACE”, if Gojo Satoru is confirmed DEAD then why exactly are we running and why quickly? and why to DEATHS place if he’s already gone? meaning “RUN, QUICKLY, TO DEATHS PLACE” before satoru actually reaches it.
This is NOT coping i’m just piecing together what the chapter and editor comment has given us so pls don’t think i’m ‘delulu’ 😭 i’m fully ready to accept gojo’s death and Gege can do whatever they’d like with their story but i’m just pointing out the hints!!
have a nice day!! <3 ( authors comment makes a lot of sense to me along with the lotuses + going north! :D )
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undercoverpena · 9 months
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vii. oh oh oh, the sweetest thing
javier peña x f!reader | chapter seven of late night texts
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summary: It's the year 2000. Javi is minding his own business on the porch of his pop's ranch when a text from an unknown number vibrates his phone. The only problem is, no one knows he has a phone and no one has his number.
chapter warnings: fluff. flirting. alludes to smut. sinful thoughts. continuous romcom vibes. an: javi and reader, sitting on a bed... ;) also new theme, slightly amended banner. thanks to @wildemaven for giving me the confidence to use this one ✨ wordcount: 3.4k.
text key: bold is you/reader | italics is javi
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Javi wakes to cold sheets beside him. 
He stretches his arm out—and for a moment—he forgets where he is. Expecting to hear his alarm, feel the bobbles from his overly worn bedsheet.
That is until he catches the scent of sweet shampoo, perfume and—
Flipping his eyes open, he then hears the rustling.
His senses come back to him as he slowly sits up, spotting you immediately at the foot of the bed.
Compared to yesterday, you’re dressed so formally: fitted trousers, a shirt and a jacket. Your leg doing a twist, head bent—as he assumes—you’re trying to slide your foot into your shoe quietly. 
There’s minimal light fluttering into the room, all courtesy of your suitcase pushing against the heavy hotel curtains to allow enough to dress yourself. With it now allowing a slither of sunlight to creep over your face, lighting up the shades in your eyes—the ones he swears he’ll see forever when he dreams. 
The sunlight illuminates your lips—the ones he’d spent hours tasting last night—now having the chance to admire as they slide into a smile, eyes widening at the sight of him. 
“Morning—“
“Shh,” you whisper, brows dipping. “Go back to sleep, baby. It’s so early.” 
Stretching out his legs, he runs a hand over his face. “I’ll go back to my room.” 
“No, it’s okay, stay. Please. Just get up when you’re ready,” you offer. “Plus, if you move and I see any more of you, I’m not going to want to leave.” 
Softly, he feels a smirk slide up his cheek. “That so?”
Moving around the bed, he curls into your touch as it brushes through his hair—sparking memories of nails, your mouth pressed to his cheek as you begged him for more—before your lips kissed the side of his mouth. 
“Fuck. Forgot how much I like your voice.” 
“Didn’t get your fill of it last night?” 
Mirroring him, you smirk a bit more. 
His hand snakes up your wrist, keeping you here—just a bit longer. Feeling your eyes dart from one of his to the other, your grin broadening as his thumb traces a square on your skin. 
“Go to sleep. I’ll call you at lunch and let you know how I’m getting on.” 
Your face is so close it’s easy to kiss you. Deepening it, letting your mouth part as he tastes mint on your tongue, his hand sliding up— 
You pull back, humming as you tap your fingers against your lips. “I’ll be late.” 
“I can be quick.” 
Shaking your head, smirking. You move back from the bed. “I’ll see you later.”
Grinning, he lies back down, an arm flopping over his eyes. “You don’t mind me in your room?”
Pausing as you pick up your bag, you shoot him a look—one where your smile is across your entire face, not just your mouth. “I trust you. Plus, I have the important stuff, ID, money. And, if you were to steal anything, as handsome as you are, I doubt you can pull off my jean jacket, or some of the other things I've packed.”
Laughing, he shakes his head. "Have a good day, cariño."
“Try not to miss me, baby.” 
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There wasn’t duplicate sales, someone just can’t do their job correctly.
if you were back home I’d call them an idiot but since it brought you here
Valid point. I’m still annoyed that it took me longer to get in the building than it did me figuring it out. 
Could have had longer in bed. 
for sleeping 
Probably not. This handsome man has me waking up early to talk to him as he starts his day.
It’s reprogrammed my internal clock. 
he must be really nice for you to let him do that 
He’s okay.
fuck hermosa 
He’s got nice hands though. And lips.
has he now 
Yeah, don’t think I could tell him to his face that I don’t think my legs have ever shaken that much. 
can’t wait to make them shake again
Yeah that was obvious this morning, charmer. 
cant blame a man when you look the way you do baby 
Stop I can’t smile like that right now.
Few more hours and I’ll be getting a cab back, will let you know when I’m back, then just need to change and then I’m yours. 
I can pick you up 
It’s fine, work will pay so let’s make them. 
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You remind him again that you’ll knock for him before getting changed. 
Call for him. Like the two of you were teens ready to hang out until the sun goes down—something he found endearing and quite funny, all at once.
you wanna ask my pop if i can stay out past curfew too You’re hilarious. But I can do. I’d love to talk to your Pop. worryingly i think hed love to talk to you  Did you ever make curfew?  do I strike you as someone who didn't You strike me as someone who would work around the curfew, be technically on the land at the right time continuing the hang in the barn or something. 
Through texts, you’d seemed in high spirits. 
But when you reached his door, blasted with manufactured orange light from his room, Javi took one look at you and realised how much of a front that had been. 
He barely knew you, yet he spotted how stress sat behind your smile and how your face was twisted into a fake version of the expression he saw yesterday.
“You fancy staying in tonight?”
It was why Javi was staring over the room service menu. Hearing you shower, cancelling the reservation he’d made earlier, listening as the water fell into the base (one thin wall away) as he placed the phone back on the hook.
Trying not to think of your body—of soap suds sliding down your perfect skin and how it was likely bending and twisting as you showered. 
He tries not to think about the kiss, too. 
The one you’d given him, arm looped around his neck when he suggested staying in, ordering room service and finishing a crossword. It had taken a moment, his eyes jumping from one eye to the next as he assessed whether he’d said something dumb or smart. 
Your kiss confirmed the latter. Gratitude thrummed through it as you cupped his cheek—thank you, thank you, thank you, etching into him as he pulled your hips flush to him. Almost ready to pull you into his room when you’d mumbled about needing a shower. 
That had been half an hour ago. 
Now, he watched as you stepped out through steam, face fresh—black tee he could see the outline of your nipples through and a pair of yoga pants that made him almost choke when you bent over to pop something in your case. 
"You alright?"
Swallowing, he shifts on the bed, tilting his head. "Yeah, hermosa. You just look..."
He prefers letting his voice trail off. Watching it flicker across your face, the embarrassment. It starts with your hands coming across your front, your weight shifting, before your eyes find it difficult to meet his.
“I never asked," he says, changing the conversation, feeling the warmth of your eyes snap back to him. "Your friend, Aish? Is it? She not have anything to say about you flying miles to meet a man you don’t know?” 
You smile something wicked. “A few words, but..."
"But?"
Licking your lips, you look down at your feet. "I think she could see how happy I was. When I was talking to you. Think, like me, she just hoped you were who you said you were.”
Javi brushes his hand over his jaw, trying to fight the grin. The same one you constantly pull from him, his cheeks hurting from it happening so frequently all in one go.
“You put her mind at rest, baby?” 
“Oh yeah. First chance I got.” 
Moving to sit next to him, he hears the faint rumblings of your stomach. Something you quickly apologise for. And something you apologise for unnecessarily again a second or two later. His hand on your knee, drawing circles on the fabric covering it, hoping it assures you, relaxes you as he tells you as much.
“I don’t… I guess I don’t do things like this,” you say. “I’m not impulsive. I’m sensible—have to be. I don’t really have anyone, or thing, else if it all goes wrong, you know? And then you came along. And while my brain was telling me to be careful, the rest of me was just so sure this was…”
“Right?” 
“Yeah,” you smile. 
“So you’re glad?” 
“If my stomach weren't about to begin eating itself, I’d show you how glad. But, Javi, truthfully, I wouldn't let you be in my room again if I wasn't.” 
Allowing you to lean into him as you flick down at the menu, he presses a kiss to your cheek. “Good to know.” 
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Even if his original plans had been dashed, Javi still had plans to rid your body of the stress from your workday.
The alternative, he found, was just as pleasant.
After the two of you ate on the floor, you both moved to the bed to attempt the next crossword. Four answers were written before he found you in his arms, talking—sharing.
He learned more about your job, your place, and how you’d had a pet when you were younger.
Then, somewhere between sharing about music, movies and how good you were at Monopoly, you were curled against him, softly sleeping.
He could have moved, but he deep down he hadn't wanted to. Enjoying feeling your body rising and falling, your room rotating the smell of room service and your perfume in equal amounts. 
He thought about your laugh from earlier when he told you about a horse trying to throw him off. The way his chest had flooded with warmth when you told him about how often you’d thought of him at work today. 
It’s perfect. All of this. You.
It makes the corners of his lips slide up as he hears you take a sleep-filled sigh against him, your arm remaining tightly looped around his waist. 
His eyes fall to the crossword—the one you’d attempted to complete—and was now close to falling off the foot of the bed. The previous days all filled in, block letters staring at him. Not even bothered in himself that he hadn’t managed to finish today. 
Instead, he just focused on how nice it was having you against him. How he'd wanted this, before he even knew what you looked like. Had imagined your body is shaped and curled against his, but it hadn't even been close to this.
This, like you, was more perfect than his mind could conjure. Your knee currently between his, fitting perfectly—just like you do in every other aspect. 
It's why he hasn't stopped running his fingers up and down your arm, surrendering to his position—not that he’s complaining. If anything, he never wants to move.
He had tried, initially. His brain worrying about what you'd do when you woke. Javi had attempted to rise up and tuck you in, but your hand simply clutched him closer, all unwilling to let him move. 
He thinks about leaving every ten minutes, as though revolving. Only settling when his nose is re-flooded with the scent of your shampoo and perfume, making it harder to stop thinking the second thought on rotation.
The one which had slammed into him at the airport—the one which had been born some weeks back, bubbling inside him ever since—began rising up in his chest again, in his throat…
He likes you. Really likes you. 
To the point, he’s not sure if he’ll be okay when he has to let you go. When he has to say goodbye and leave you at the airport departures. 
Simply wanting languid kisses under bed sheets, your body under him, his fingers brushing your cheeks as he feels your laugh against his palm.
He wants more than a handful of days. Allowing himself to think it, acknowledge it, now he knows you're real.
Swallowing, he glances down at you—taking in the bow of your lips, the way your lashes sit on your upper cheek, and he relents. Just for a moment.
Instead, he rests his chin on the top of your head, letting his eyes close as he continues to slide his fingers up and down your arm. 
He wasn’t meant to fall asleep. Javi had just meant to rest his eyes.  
But he wakes to darkness, a slither of light peering through the closed curtains, with you very much beside him still. Your eyes closed, head on his chest, your own rising and falling as gently as earlier. 
But the light had been on then.
A thought that hooks the edge of his lips, tugging it up. Because you would have needed to get up and turn it off, before climbing back into bed again. Moving under the duvet—likely whispering to him to do the same, because he too is now under it. 
He lifts it tentatively, seeing that he’s still fully clothed, spotting that when you switched off the light, you’d also changed from your work clothes into a satin top and pair of shorts.  
You’d wanted him here. 
Javi beams. Broader than he's allowed himself to let grace his face. One that quickly, almost immediately, blossoms into a grin. One he continued to wear as he closed his eyes, pulling you closer—finding you do so with ease as he settled back down. 
The next time he opens his eyes, he finds you struggling to cram in the few things you’d removed from your suitcase. The one you’d packed—like you were staying for a month. 
Rubbing the sleep from his eyes, he allows himself a moment—hearing the quiet, disgruntled grumbling coming from you as you push down on it as hard as you can. 
“Want a hand?”
“No, no,” you protested, wiping your arm over your forehead. “All good.” 
Nodding, he gets up to use your bathroom, back cracking as he does. After he's washed his hands, he splashes cold water on his face, staring at himself in the mirror—seeing the usual dark bags under his eyes, now appear fainter. 
In truth, he wasn’t sure when the last time was that he’d slept as well as he had done the past two nights. 
It niggling at him as turns the tap off, drying his hand, before he runs his fingers through his hair. Shelving the thought, the realisation, as he opens the door to be greeted with the same grumbles and sweet perfume.
One thing he does hope, is that your scent buries itself into his clothes, skin, and bones. Mainly, he hopes this isn't the only time he can see you, or be around you.
Something he thinks as he leans against the wall, folding his arms, trying not to laugh watching you give your case another few shoves. After several more quick and successive presses down, you look up at him, giving him the most wounded, puppy-like look. 
“Okay, please help me.” 
His knees groan as he gets down on them, pressing down on the suitcase lid—nodding to you to try the zip as it budges. The process continues, your fingers occasionally poking in the odd item that attempts to stick out—the heel of a shoe, the edge of the jean jacket you were in on the day he met you, and lace. 
“So, I was thinking….” 
Javi lifts his eyes, finding that yours are already on him. 
“Did you…. want to share a room, maybe? Like, for the next few nights—I totally understand if you don’t want—” 
“Baby,” he says, softly, full of please breath and assurance, as he leans back on his knees. “Are you sure?” 
Nodding, biting your lip, your fingers slide over him on the suitcase. “I mean… we already have been, right? And, honestly, I hated even leaving you yesterday. Honestly, I… I don’t want to lose any more time with you than I already have.” 
“Me too.”
It’s like an eclipse, the way you grin. Smothering over your worrying. “Okay.”
“Okay.”
Lifting your case for you from being flat, you take the handle, continuing to grin before you follow behind him as you leave. His hand reaches behind, taking your fingers as the two of you head to his.
Half of him, not wanting to let go, see if he can grab his things with one hand while the other stays connected with yours. But he lets go, for speed, quickness, as he collects the things he managed to unpack in the room he's barely been in—never mind slept in.
Something you must realise, an apology hitting the air. Shifting on the spot at the door as he darts around.
Then, it's apology after apology. Different versions of the same thing, explanations that weren't necessary, because he didn't mind.
Something he also says.
It continues in the elevator, down to the small reception desk. The one more cramped, if that was even possible, than the first day they arrived. Your whispered reasons as to why you owe him made him slowly smile. 
You didn’t even get to sleep in your bed, happened to be his favourite. Because if you took a breath to ask him what he'd choose, he’d always choose to sleep in the bed you were in.
“To make it up to you, let me buy the other nights. Work covered the two necessary for them, so it hasn’t cost—“
His hand slides over your cheek, face forced to look up at him, blemished with curiosity that relaxes into simmering disbelief. 
A look he now suspects is on your face plenty of times when the two of you talk. That disbelief, the one unsure how someone could make you smile, makes you easily relax. 
He knows because it’s something he thinks himself. He’s just not sure if his expression looks similar to yours. 
“Hermosa, stop apologising—“
“—I can’t ask you to. You already picked me up from the airport—” 
“Cariño, please—
“—And you paid for dinner the first night, and—“
“Baby.” 
That word does it.
It makes you pause and swallow. Eyes focusing on him. 
“Baby, listen to me. I’ve already spent upwards of triple digits falling for you, and I don't care. So, lemme pay for the hotel room so I can show you how far I’ve fallen.”
You're torn. He sees it immediately on your face from the way it ripples across your face. 
Some part of you all unwilling to let him. A part he hopes to kiss away as he presses another kiss to your temple, softer, hanging there a second longer until he pulls back. 
“I’ve got this, okay?” 
“Okay,” you whisper. “But, I’ll buy—“
He kisses you. 
Realising as he does, it’s the only way to silence you. Feeling you melt, then you smile, before your fingers come up along his neck, little touches, and then nails, before you pull back. 
“You should… pay for the room now,” you say, lips twitching, a smirk wishing to bloom. 
“That so?” 
Nodding, you bite your lower lip. “I know you saw the things I packed in my suitcase, Javi.” 
Tracing his lower lip with his thumb, he smirks, slowly—before nodding. 
Turning to face the desk, he presses the bell once, twice, thrice—all insistent as you snigger by his side. He’s about to press it again, almost shouting to call someone, when he feels you nudge him—moving closer, arm coming around his waist as he feels his cheeks warm as you stare up at him.  
Fuck, you’re beautiful. 
“I’m taking you out tonight, too. Just so you know.”
Narrowing your eyes, you give him a lopsided smile as you swallow. “Can I pay half?”
“You can argue with me about it. Yeah,” he says, kissing your forehead before hammering his palm on the bell all over again.
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an: thank you for all the love on this, i can't even put into words how much i appreciate it and you. this chapter i was dreading, as it sets up so much for the next, but i hope it was worth it, as always xx
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imagines--galore · 2 months
Text
||The Thread of Fate|| Part Eleven
Summary: Soulmate AU. They say the Thread of Fate connects you to your one true love. It may tangle. It may stretch. But it will never break. Wrapped around your little finger it tightens when it feels your soulmate is close and loosens when they are far. And becomes visible with the colors of your soulmate’s Nation when you finally fall in love with them.
Pairing: Zuko x OroraOC (ATLA)
Rating || Genres || Warnings: T+ Romance. Adventure.
Previous Chapters - Part One, Part Two, Part Three, Part Four, Part Five, Part Six, Part Seven, Part Eight, Part Nine, Part Ten,
A/N: Omg I had such a HUGE influx of readers for this story, and I am grateful to each and every one of you for reading my story! I hope you guys enjoy this chapter and all the others I will be writing in the future.
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Working at the tea shop was Orora's first time at a job. She was just as green to it as Zuko was. However, she did not voice her disgust at the notion every few seconds. She was eager to learn, and ready to earn her living. As much as she appreciated the money Iroh had given her, she wanted to contribute to their financial situation as well.
The first day had been busy. There had been the different types of teas she had to learn to brew, other then the ones she already knew thanks to her Master. Then there were dishes to wash almost constantly. Not a lot of customers had come in that day, Pao having closed the shop early to allow his new employees to get to know their work place, so it hadn't been as tiring as she had thought it would be.
What Orora found she liked to do, was wash the dishes. She got to play with water and bubbles, and it helped calm her. Strange, she knew, but after so many days of being on the run, doing something as simple as washing dishes was oddly calming. Not to mention the job allowed her mind to roam and ponder over things she had not allowed herself to for quite some time now.
As she set aside one of the more expensive looking cups, the young waterbender sighed softly through her nose.
So far the truce she had offered Zuko seemed to be working. Though it had only been a few hours since it had been put into effect. And they'd only managed to snap at each other twice. True after the second time Iroh had seen the wisdom in separating them by giving them jobs to do at different ends of the shop. Zuko worked the front, taking orders and such, while Orora washed the dishes in the back.
Picking up a plate and dunking it in the soapy water, Orora continued to let her thoughts wander and ask the questions she wished she could say out loud.
Such as why were Zuko and Iroh fugitives of the Fire Nation? They were royalty, surely the Fire Lord would want his brother and son back. And did Zuko's sister truly want to kill her own Uncle? That thought sent a shiver down her spine. But what about their mother? Didn't she have a say in all of this? Was she treated just like Orora's mother was treated?
She had so many questions, and more, and all she wanted to do was march right up to Zuko and demand that he answer them.
But something held her back.
Maybe because she was a polite person who didn't go about poking her nose in other people's business.
Or perhaps, more likely, she had no desire to cause Zuko any pain by talking about his past. It was surely a sore subject, from the bits and pieces of information she had collected over the months. Besides, he already had his hands full trying to adjust to living in Ba Sing Se. Orora just wished he would figure himself out faster so she could ask all her questions.
Oh, she could ask Iroh if she wanted to, and her would probably answer, but for some insane reason, she wanted the answers to come from Zuko himself.
Spirit help her but she felt it was the right thing since it was his story.
Memories of every encounter she had ever had with the young prince rose unbidden, yet not unwelcome in her mind, as she started to play with the water not having any more dishes to wash.
It was strange, how someone she had not even known a few months ago was now at the very center of her life. He wasn't all that she thought about, really this was the first time she was allowing herself to think of him to such an extent. Usually she had other things to think about. Such as surviving, learning from her Master, perfecting her water bending techniques, inventing new ways to incorporate ice into her fighting, improving on her combat skills, restocking her medicinal herbs, making sure she didn't loose touch with her healing side, because as much as she liked to put her waterbending skills to use by fighting, she knew healing was a major part of who she was.
All those thoughts were pushed to the back of her mind, as she focused on a pair of golden eyes that seemed to watch her wherever she went, watching her every step. At first she had thought, it was perhaps because he didn't trust her. But slowly, that mistrust in his eyes had faded. Now, when she would catch him looking at her, he would look away.
Then again, who was she to complain. She looked at him and had been caught looking at him by him on multiple occasion.
Her fingers continued to twirl, her gaze listless as she created pretty patterns in the water.
She thought of the night when they had first met, officially at least. When he had tried to rob her. She could still recall every detail with a clarity that surprised even her.
She contemplated on their little sparring session and the conversation after it, how she had encouraged him to find something to live for, to fight for.
She recalled how shocked she had been when she realized his true identity. A prince. An honest to goodness prince. One who couldn't stand her, and who she couldn't stand either.
At least, she thought that was the case.
Her mind conjured the moment where she had first touched his scar. How vulnerable he had looked, and yet he had trusted her enough to not push her away. The way he had protected her when they were at the Oasis. The conversation they had shared while bathing. That one brought a fierce blush to her cheeks. And despite her best effort to move on to the next one, she found the blush only intensifying as she remembered the moment they had shared on the mountain.
Where they had acknowledged that they were soulmates. Where he had gripped her wrist, so desperately and yet so soft. Where she had wandered how his lips would feel against her own. And she was sure he had been thinking the same.
After all, hadn't he leaned forward slightly before the elements of nature had tread on their moment?
So lost in her thoughts, that she didn't even sense as someone else entered her work area and stood next to her. Watching her.
"Uncle says its time to go now."
The voice jolted her out of her thoughts, scaring her so much that she jumped where she stood. Her bending reacted out of instinct, mirroring her startled emotion as her hand shot a splash of water on the figure standing next to her.
"Spirits! You startled me!" She panted, resting a hand above her heart. Zuko glowered at her in return, water dripping from his hair and onto his shoulders. The girl winced, pursing her lips to hide a smile, though it still escaped. She couldn't help it, he just looked utterly ridiculous.
At his warning growl, she couldn't help but giggle. A strange sound since it hardly ever came from her. "Sorry, here." Quickly bending the water, she threw it back into the sink and gave him an apologetic smile. His glare did not let up.
"We're done here for the day. Lets go." He grumbled, before making for the door. She rolled her eyes. Clearly he wasn't too pleased with her little reaction. As he stomped off, she called after him, removing her apron as she went. "I said I was sorry!"
                                          ————————–
Their new home was a small apartment, just big enough for the three of them. As soon as they returned, Orora quickly settled in the middle of the room, wanting to get in an hour of meditation before bed. She crossed her legs, closed her eyes, folded her hands in her lap and evened out her breathing.
Which left Iroh to brew some more tea for them, and for Zuko to lay on the sofa, hands tucked behind his head as he stared up at the ceiling, his mind going over the day's event.
A job. For once in his life, he was actually working for a living. The notion had seemed strange at first, not to mention he had felt that it was beneath him, but what Orora had said was true. They did need jobs if they were to survive in this city.
Reluctantly, his gaze flickered to the water tribe girl as she sat meditating peacefully, oblivious to the effect she had had on him.
Him. Prince of the Fire Nation. Being effected by the words of a commoner.
Or rather, he was being effected by the words of a girl who was his soulmate.
Letting out a silent groan, his hand came up to press the back of his hand against his eyes, as if to physically stop him from staring too long at her. It was starting to get pathetic, just how much he would want her opinion on things.
He wouldn't go so far as to say he wanted her to approve of him, but it was pleasant to have someone else beside his Uncle give him a little wisdom. He spoke of life in riddles and words that were heavy with emotion.
Orora?
She would give it straight to his face. No regard of his feelings, his stand on whatever topic it was. She would just come out and say it.
And he appreciated her for that.
True he never always liked what she said, but sometimes they were the exact words he needed to hear.
Like the talk they had had after their impromptu battle near that lake. He still hadn't found something to live for, or to fight for, but at least he knew that he was looking for something.
Not to mention the fact that he would be ever grateful to her for saving Uncle's life. He would never say it outright, but in that moment he had been so so scared and she had stepped up and healed Iroh. Even after getting to know who they were and the lies she had been led to believe for so long.
And how she had probably saved him that stormy night on the mountain. A moment of weakness on his part, letting his emotions get the best of him, but she'd been there. She'd been where he needed her to be, and had not held back when telling him off for being so reckless.
He had to stop his thoughts there, not wanting to dwell too much on what would've happened if that moment in the rain had gone on any longer.
And then there was the truce. To live together somewhat harmoniously.
Lifting his hand, he looked at her again, watching her face. She looked so calm in that moment, as opposed to the plethora of emotions that always played about her features. Zuko found he was beginning to think of it as a game. A game where he would try to guess what she would feel next, and whether it would effect him in some way.
So far, almost every emotion she felt was directed at him, and though he would never ever admit it out loud, he kind of liked having her attention be on him rather then anything else.
Huffing to himself, as if disgusted with his own thoughts, he rose to his feet, moving to the pantry to see what he could have for dinner.
                                          ————————–
"Orora, my dear." Glancing up from where she had been counting the money of the customer who had just paid, the young waterbender gave Iroh a nod. "Yes Master?"
"We seem to have run out of Jasmine. I have asked Pao and he says to take some money from the till and buy some Jasmine tea from the shop just down the street."
Taking the money, Orora quickly nodded, before rushing to the back of the shop where Zuko was on dish washing duty. Seeing her taking off her apron, he frowned. "Where're you going?"
Straightening her clothes, the girl replied. "Ran out of Jasmine, just going to buy some." She had barely made it to the door when Zuko called out. "Wait, I'm supposed to go with you when you go out into the city."
Orora glanced over her shoulder, rolling her eyes slightly. "Relax Your Highness. Its only a five minute walk, nothing is going to happen to me." She opened the door, moving to step outside, but then she paused.
"Although, it is sweet of you to worry about me." She glanced over at him, a smile on her lips as she caught sight of the obvious flush on his cheeks as he looked at anything but her. "I'll be back soon." She said as a way of promise, before she was out of the tea shop.
It was a five minute walk, and once the goods were secured, the girl began to make her way back to the shop, her heart still warm at the prospect of Zuko actually worrying about her.
Her happy thoughts, however, were interrupted rather rudely when a hard hand grabbed her shoulder, yanking her into a dark alley, covering her mouth with a rough hand.
The instant she felt the unfamiliar hands, she began to struggle and push with all her strength, trying to get away.
"Stop moving!" A voice hissed, a very familiar voice.
Her eyes focused in the dark, and she was able to make out the face of the boy they had met on the way to Ba Sing Se.
The Freedom Fighter, Jet.
Her pale blue eyes narrowed, and a look akin to a cold anger burned in the gaze she fixed him with. "Look I just want to talk, that's all." He said, still not letting up from where he had his hand on her mouth.
She continued to glare at him, even after he had removed his hand, though his other kept an almost painful grip on her wrist. "I'm trying to help you. You're a waterbender, there's no way you would be with those firebenders of your own free will, so they must be keeping you prisoner somehow."
He knows, a voice hissed in her mind, prompting her heart to beat faster in her chest, and an ugly feeling of fear to coil in her stomach. But she didn't let it show.
Instead, she remained the epitome of disgust and anger. "What in the world are you talking about?"
There seemed to be an almost manic look in his eyes, accompanied by impatience, as he dropped her hand, and grabbed her shoulders. "You don't have to lie for them. I'm trying to help you. I just need evidence and then we can end those two firebenders."
End?! Spirits! He wanted to kill Iroh and Zuko.
Shrugging out of his grasp, Orora stepped away, fingers pulling the cork of her water satchel in case she needed to defend herself. "You're out of your mind." She growled at him. Despite the terror she felt at hearing his statement, her instinct to protect her two companions was far potent, which was the reason she was even able to face the boy with murder in his eyes.
"Just admit the truth! They're firebenders! And they deserve to die." He was starting to get frustrated with her. "I don't care what you say, I will find some way to expose them, and when I do, I'll have the pleasure of executing them."
Hearing those words, hearing the tone in his voice, the sheer hatred and anger in his eyes. Something in her snapped.
With a fierce cry she threw her arm out, the movement elegant yet deadly, given that Jet found himself staring at the very sharp ends of multiple icicles that she pointed in his direction.
"This is your first and last warning." She hissed, her voice full of warning. "If you come near them, if you so much as harm a single hair on their head, I will personally see to it that you pay for it." She fixed him with a cold stare. "In blood."
So saying, she turned her back to him, leaving him trapped behind her icicles. They would melt soon enough, though the words Jet called after her as she walked away, echoed in her ears all the way back to the tea shop.
"You would threaten someone who's on your side. You're willing to protect the enemy?! You're a traitor to your own people. A disgrace! You're just like them! A killer!"
                                          ————————–
As soon as she reached the back door of the tea shop, Orora leaned up against the wooden door. Her heart was beating so fast, she was afraid it would somehow burst out of her chest. A stinging sensation behind her eyes told her she was close to tears. Lifting a trembling hand, she pressed it to face, willing herself to calm down.
She had to warn Zuko and Iroh, make sure they were on guard. She couldn't let anything happen to them. They were her friends. She cared about them. Both of them.
Somehow, she managed to calm herself down, slightly, and entered the shop. It had taken her a good fifteen minute to calm down. Grabbing her apron, she tied it behind her in a haphazard manner before rushing out to the front of the shop.
There was Iroh, pouring tea for a customer, with Zuko picking up cups left behind by a previous customer. She all but stumbled forward, catching Zuko's hand, prompting him to look at her, confused and slightly alarmed at her obvious panicked state.
"Orora? Wha-"
But she didn't let him finish. "He knows." She whispered, aware of the other customers around her. "Jet knows." The words were spoken so softly that no one else could ever hear them, and yet Zuko did. Loud and clear.
However, before either of them could talk further on what she had revealed, the door of the shop slammed open and Jet himself walked in. A strangled gasp left her lips, as she caught sight of that murderous look in his eyes once more.
"I'm tired of waiting!" He pointed an accusing finger at both Iroh and Zuko. "These two men are firebenders! And that girl is helping them. She's a traitor!"
Immediately, Zuko pushed Orora behind him, gripping one of her hands to make sure she stayed there. Uncle and nephew exchanged a look which seemed to mirror what the other was thinking.
Play dumb.
"I know they're firebenders, I saw the old man heating his tea!" Jet continued, advancing towards the trio with his hooked swords out of their sheaths. "He works in a tea shop." A nearby customer stated in a rather confused voice, but Jet wasn't having it. "He's a firebender! I'm telling you!"
The same customer stood. "Drop your swords, boy. Nice and easy." Jet ignored him, his gaze never leaving Zuko's as he began to advance towards him and Orora. "You'll have to defend yourself. Then everyone will know. Go ahead, show them what you can do." His gaze flickered to Orora who, previous fear forgotten to be replaced by a burning anger, glared back at him. "Or would you rather have your girlfriend get hurt defending you."
She felt his grip on her hand tighten to an almost painful level. "Zuko, no! He's goading you!" She whispered, even as the previous customer moved to step forward, ready to unsheathe his sword. Zuko simply glanced at her. Her heart dropped to her stomach. She knew exactly what he was about to do.
And sure enough he stepped forward and grabbed the swords the customer had been about to withdraw. "You want a show?" He growled. "I'll give you a show!'
He pulled a table in front of him with his foot and kicked it at Jet, who was quick to slice the table with his swords and jumped over it. As he landed, he swung both hook swords at the Fire Nation prince, who deflected the attack and jumped backward onto another table. Which was again sliced in half by Jet, with a mighty swing of one sword through the middle of the table.
Somehow Zuko managed to balance on one half of the table, on one foot! Jet was unrelenting as he continued his frenzied attack by cutting the legs off the table. Zuko was quick on his feet as he jumped up. As he landed, he swung both broadswords at Jet's feet, but he somersaulted away and landed in a crouching position before charging forward. Zuko swung both of his swords at Jet.
Both weapons clashed as both fighters tried to best the other, glaring at each other as they did.
"Enough!"
Orora's scream cut through the air as she used her waterbending to push the two fighters apart. She moved to stand in front of Zuko, multiple ice knives nestled between her fingers as she stared down Jet. "We are not your enemies! Stop acting like a complete lunatic!" Zuko growled behind her. "Orora, stay out of this!" Jet's grip on his swords only tightened. "I will not listen to anyone who betrays their own people to help firebenders."
He took a running start, prompting Orora to drop in her stance to defend herself, however her plan of action went out the window when Zuko pushed her to the side. So forcefully that she fell to the ground with a loud thud.
Jet threw his leg out, catching Zuko in the chest and watching as he went flying through the air, smashing through the doors of the tea shop and out into the street. As the rest of the patrons rushed out to see what would happen next, Iroh quickly helped Orora to stand up.
"Are you alright my dear?" He asked, checking her over for injuries. She gave a quick nod, before stumbling to the door of the shop, Iroh following behind.
Outside the battle continued to rage between the two teenagers.
"Please, son, you're confused! You don't know what you're doing!" Even he was getting worried that Zuko would snap and use his firebending. Orora began to pray silently to the Moon Spirit, hoping her pleas would be heard and that Zuko wouldn't get hurt or reveal his true identity. The people would surely kill Zuko and Iroh, if they knew who they really were.
"Bet you wish he'd help you out with a little fire blast right now." As Jet swung at Zuko's feet, Zuko stabbed one of his broadswords through the hilt of his sword, pinning it to the ground. Jet looked annoyed at loosing his weapon, before focusing back on Zuko. "You're the one who needs help." Zuko responded. Leaving the sword embedded in the floor, they shifted to combating with a single sword each. Jet turned in a circle, trying to swipe at Zuko once again, but Zuko quickly advanced and swung his sword at Jet.
The Freedom Fighter quickly bent backward to avoid the blade, though it did manage to cut the straw sticking out of his mouth in half. Regaining his balance, Jet jumped backward onto the edge of a well. "You see that‌?!" He called out to the gathered crowd. "The Fire Nation is trying to silence me. It'll never happen." He attacked once more, hooking his sword to the top of the well and sending a flying kick towards Zuko.
Zuko growled as he dodged the kick and swung his sword at Jet once again. He moved to the side, and suddenly they were back-to-back, trying to land a hit, but neither could get past the other's defense.
Just then two newcomers entered the crowd. And from their uniforms, they looked to be of an official status. "Drop your weapons." One of them commanded. The two fighters stepped away and faced each other. Though Zuko lowered his sword, Jet pointed his weapon at Zuko, Iroh and Orora.
"Arrest them! They're firebenders!" Iroh stepped forward, throwing his arms out. "This poor boy is confused. We're just simple refugees." Pao, wanting to defend his employees joined in as he pointed to Jet. "This young man wrecked my tea shop, and assaulted my employees!" The customer from whom Zuko had borrowed the swords stepped forward. "It's true, sir. We saw the whole thing. This crazy kid attacked the finest tea maker in the city." Iroh blushed at the compliment. "Oh, ho, ho. That's very sweet."
Knowing it would be like adding wood to the fire, Orora stepped forward. "And he attacked me and threatened to hurt my Master and his nephew." She walked towards the two men, hand exposed to the wrist where he had grabbed her earlier. Sure enough the bruise from his grip was already beginning to change the color of her skin. The sight of it had Zuko nearly swinging his sword once again, but Iroh placed a hand on his shoulder to stop him.
It would seem the two had heard enough. As Jet continued his tirade of firebenders and Fire Nation, he was escorted to a cart where he was put in the metal cell and taken away.
Orora watched him go, unaware of the crowd as it dispersed around them.
"Orora?" At Iroh's voice, she turned around, still a little spooked with what had just happened. Or rather what could've happened. "Why don't you and Li go home. I'll help Pao clean up and meet you there."
As if she had no control over her actions, Orora took off her apron and handed it to Iroh, who gave her a sympathetic smile. "Do see that my nephew wasn't too hurt from the kick, my dear." The concern was evident in his gaze, as was the guilt in her own as she glanced at Zuko who was returning the sword to it's rightful owner.
Giving him a small nod, she waited for Zuko to walk past her, before following after him towards their shared home.
                                          ————————–
Tag List - @wavesofchaos​ @violet-potter​ @rennysketch​ @emma-andrea1 @lovesammikinzz @fuzzyfestcat @msrawog @notsaelty @lust-for-pan @aces-tattooartist
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elliesbelle · 10 months
Text
nobody compares to you
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chapter 7
pairing: ellie x reader
synopsis: you're in your junior year of college and at a party, you run into the girl who broke your heart: ellie williams. despite the time it took to reset your life, will you risk a broken heart again for her?
content warnings: modern college au, dealer!ellie, LOSER!ELLIE, cursing, ANGST, use of marijuana and alcohol, brief mention of death, descriptions of a weapon (it's just ellie's switchblade), sexual speech and content, brief mention of violence, brief description of homophobia, ellie's POV, minors do not interact
word count: 3.5k
chapters: one, two, three, four, five, six, seven, eight, nine, ten, eleven, twelve, thirteen, fourteen
series masterlist
my masterlist
i have a ko-fi if you like my work so much that you feel compelled to tip me ♡︎
the "nobody compares to you" spotify playlist
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“Ellie, seriously, calm down. Also, can you hand me the fucking joint already?” 
Dina watches as Ellie paces back and forth across the living room of the apartment Ellie shared with Jesse. She’d come back early from her Electrical Engineering Design class after silently storming out a mere 15 minutes into the lecture. She had her Particle Physics class in less than an hour, but she had very little intention of attending. 
She’d even bailed on making a quick stop at Ruston Coffee in order to reclaim the jacket she’d lent to Daniela. She had four unread texts from her, but she ignored them. 
“Dude, I just—” Ellie starts. 
“I know,” Dina replies. “But can you blame her?” 
Ellie doesn’t reply, instead angrily groaning as she plops down next to Dina on the couch. She hands Dina the joint, which was already half-burnt. 
“God, at least ash it first,” Dina complains, taking it from her and flicking the dusty remains into an ashtray on the coffee table. “Anyway, what the fuck is she supposed to do? Not move on from you?” 
“No, but—” 
“You’re only this mad because Abby Anderson’s the one she was seeing before you,” Dina says before taking a hit of the joint. “I mean, you’d still be irritated if it was someone else. But now, your ego is a little bruised.” 
“Oh, shut the fuck up.” Ellie scoffs. “And she and I weren’t seeing each other, we—” 
“It’s been two fucking years. You need to stop saying that shit.” Dina interrupts, getting exasperated. 
“We literally weren’t—” 
“Who the fuck cares, Ellie?”
“D—” Ellie attempts, but Dina continues. 
“She was in love with you, and you were so fucking in love with her. And don’t try to pull that shit with me, saying that you weren’t in love with her.” Dina adds, seeing that Ellie was about to interrupt once more. “Everyone saw it, and everyone knew it. Fuck, even Joel saw it, and it’s Joel.” 
Ellie says nothing, choosing to stare intensely at her fists. They were turning white from how hard she was clenching them in agitation. 
It had been so long since she’d seen your smile, the honest and genuine kind that you used to flash at her countless times. She hadn’t seen it since before your cousin Rafael passed away. The way it’d adorned your face so naturally just now, it broke something in her today the moment she glanced your way. Something that she’d hastily patched up after you cut her off completely. And for Abby Anderson to be the reason for that smile… 
Dina purposely blowing smoke in Ellie’s face wakes her up from her reverie. 
“The fuck, D…” Ellie complains, coughing and fanning a hand in her face to clear the smoke. 
“Jesse and I love you very much,” Dina continues, ignoring her curses. “But to be honest, we’ve kind of been pissed with you for a while now.” 
Ellie’s eyes shoot up to frown at her. 
“What is that supposed to mean?” 
Dina sighs. 
“We love her a lot too, you know. And we miss her. The past year, she’s pulled away from us because of you. And we would have pushed, but she asked us not to. She asked us not to choose and to just keep being friends with you like normal.” 
“I—“ Ellie stutters. “I didn’t know that.” 
“Because she told us not to tell you.” Dina sighs. “Even after you hurt her, she still thought about you. She knew how much we mean to each other, and she didn’t want to get in the way of that. And that’s why she hasn’t told either me or Jesse what happened between you two when you took her home at the end of that summer.” 
Ellie puts her head in her hands, recalling that drive. That day rattled in her mind constantly over the past year or so. She’d tried consistently to repress it at first, but it was all cemented in her mind: your nervous twitching and fidgeting, the way your lips trembled when you spoke, the redness of your eyes as you fought not to cry. Eventually, she gave up trying to forget it all; deep down, she knew she deserved to live with the guilt. 
“Fuck.” Ellie sighs. 
“Yeah.” 
They sit in silence for a few moments as Dina finished the rest of the joint, eventually putting it out on the ashtray. 
“So,” Dina finally speaks. “You gonna tell me what made her break up with you?” 
Ellie sighs. 
“I don’t think you really wanna know, D.” She mutters. 
“You know,” Dina says. “It’s not really fair that you’ve had me and Jesse update you nonstop the past year on what’s been going on with her, but then you won’t tell either of us what went down.” 
“It’s just…” Ellie continues, thinking. “I know you both think I was real shitty for what I did to her. And I’m not saying you shouldn’t think that. But I don’t want you both to think that I’m a complete and total asshole.” 
“Well, that’s where you’re wrong.” 
“What do you mean?” 
“You are a complete and total asshole.” Dina shrugs. 
“Oh, you dick.” Ellie says, smacking Dina’s arm a little too hard. 
“Ow!” Dina complains, rubbing the spot where Ellie hit her. “We don’t all go to the gym religiously, you know. Some of us are delicate!” 
“Pussy.” Ellie chuckles. 
Dina rolls her eyes before getting up from the couch. 
“Anyway, get your shit together, Williams. I gotta go.” She says. “Got class in about 20 minutes.” 
“Skip it.” 
“No. Go to your next class, Els.” 
“Yeah, yeah, whatever.” Ellie says dismissively, brushing her off. 
Dina said her goodbyes and waved before leaving the apartment, locking the door behind her. 
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Ellie sat with her thoughts for a moment before getting up to walk to the kitchen. She grabs a mug from the cabinets, one decorated with a red-winged blackbird on one side and a sandhill crane on the other. After she nearly fills it to the brim with whiskey, she begins drinking it impatiently as she makes her way into her bedroom. 
She places her now half-empty mug on her bedside table before plopping down onto her bed. Not bothering to remove her dirty Converse, she stares up at the prickly, white ceiling. 
Abby Anderson? Why her? 
Her tattooed arm was positioned above her forehead while the other laid on her side, her old, trusty switchblade suddenly in her hand. She starts playing with it mindlessly as thoughts of you swim inside her head. 
When the fuck did she start seeing her again? She didn’t even like Anderson that much… 
Ellie’s mind was a battlefield. She begins recalling memories of you when you’d talk about Abby Anderson, trying to discern the level of attraction you had for her from the bashful looks on your face and the dreaminess in your voice. At the same time, she was trying to push away her own emotion from those memories: the forced smile she’d give you when you brought Anderson up, the way she bit her tongue from unleashing nasty, sarcastic retorts about her, the seething rage she felt as she stormed away from you the first night she dropped you off at Anderson’s dorm. 
She didn’t even… She only slept with her once…  
Ellie thinks about that evening, when she watched you getting ready. She tried desperately to shut out the images of your tender eyes begging for her approval, your messy hair cascading down as you’d taken it out of its bun, every curve of your body that she was allowed a glimpse of when she’d helped you dress, your lips…
Anderson was just some fucking hook-up, I know she was… 
Ellie remembers miserably how she waited until you’d completely turned away to watch how mesmerizing you looked as you ascended the steps to Anderson’s dorm. Ellie remembers the disappointed look you had on your face, crest-fallen that she’d kept you at arms-length the rest of the evening. She remembers wanting desperately to call out your name, stop you from walking through the door, and claim you for herself. She remembers nearly doing so, but her courage had not moved swiftly enough. 
I fucked her hundreds more times… There’s no way Anderson is pleasing her like I did… I’m the one who knows how to… 
Ellie begins speculating on what you’ve been doing hanging around Anderson again. There’s no way that you were just friends. She sees the way Anderson swaggers when they occupy the gym together, her flirty smirk as she greets people as she walks down hallways. Ellie recognizes another lesbian player when she sees one, and she knew for a fact how popular Anderson was with other girls. And more than anything, Ellie knows how beautiful you are. She knows that anyone within five feet of you would be delusional not to want a chance. 
Anderson’s not her type… Anderson is not her fucking type… What the hell is she doing? She can do a whole lot fucking better… 
Ellie’s thoughts unravel as she wonders about what Anderson was saying that was making you laugh so much. She obsesses over the way you were touching her arm, how your fingers brushed over her muscled bicep. She torments herself about what you were letting her do to you at this very moment. 
I just… I just fucking saw her a couple of days ago… She’s single, she looked fucking single… 
Were you spending the night at her place this evening? Were you all dolled up today just to see her? Is Anderson taking you out on a date tonight or is she bringing you straight to her bedroom? Has she touched you already today? Has she kissed those cherry-flavoured lips of yours once more yet? Is she lifting your dress over your head or are you doing it for her? Is she kissing your neck as her fingers make their way down into your underwear to— 
Ellie sits up all of a sudden, yelling in frustration and hurling her switchblade across the room. She breathes heavily as she stares at her knife now fastened securely into the drywall, halfway stuck resulting from a throw a little too vigorous. 
“Fuck me.” Ellie huffs, disgruntled, not by the damaged wall, but by the jealousy smoldering within her. 
Why? 
Ellie picks up her half-empty mug of booze and chugs it. As droplets of whiskey dribble down her chin, she glances at the painted birds on her now-empty mug. 
Joel had bought it during a trip to a thrift store when she was 14 after she’d begged him to get it for her. Every time before the school year started, she’d always be sure to pack it to take with her, a piece of home. It was her favourite mug and it reminded her of her father. 
She missed him. She wished she was back home in Jackson with him right now, away from these problems. Life felt so much more simple when it was just her and Joel, just the two of them against the rest of the world. But she was no longer 14 and no longer an innocent. 
Ellie sighs. She deliberates for a moment or two. Maybe she could call Joel, tell him what was going on. He knew her best, besides Dina and Jesse. He usually steered her in the right direction, whether it was in a way she initially agreed with or not. 
In the end, Ellie decides against it. Explaining lesbianism to a well-meaning but clueless 60-something-year-old man was hard enough. Having to illustrate the current state of her love life? Ellie didn’t have the time or patience to describe to her father how lesbian situationships worked, much less what a “situationship” was. She’d give him a brain aneurysm within thirty seconds of her explanation. 
She also thinks back to the last conversation she had with Joel about you. He’d given her yet another caring but stern lecture before she headed back to campus for this school year. She knows deep down exactly how her father felt about you. Is that what she wanted to hear right now? 
Ellie lets herself fall back onto the bed, pulling her phone out of her pocket once her head hit her pillow. She swipes away yet another text from Daniela without bothering to skim it and opens up Instagram. Almost instinctively, she switches over from her main account to a separate one.  
For the first three months after you and Ellie fell out, you had her number and all her socials blocked. She hadn’t exactly tried to reach out to you during that time, but she hadn’t been able to resist the temptation to lurk. She’d treated it like she was defusing a bomb: she’d delicately open up social media, hastily type in your name, only to be abruptly greeted with blank screens. She wasn’t surprised. But whether out of pure curiosity or masochism, she’d continued this routine of searching your username on different platforms just to stare at nothing for a couple of minutes. 
Ellie wasn’t sure what had suddenly prompted you to one day unblock her from everything. For a while, she waited to see if this meant anything, if you were going to reach out to her in some kind of way. But after a few days of nothing, she accepted the continued, albeit unblocked, silence. She wasn’t naive; she never expected you to come back to her. At least she could still snoop in peace. 
Though not exactly adept with social media, Ellie wasn’t stupid. When she wanted to look at your Instagram page, she did so through a fake, secret account that she’d made solely for that purpose. It felt pitiful to do so, at least at first. But she’d known you had no intention of speaking to her again, and therefore no longer needed to impress you; so she swallowed the feelings of shame and self-disgust every time. 
Switching over to a blank account with the user name “br!ck_master2013” that has 2 followers (both of which were bot profiles) and was following 0 accounts, Ellie types in your username by heart in the search bar. She scans your Instagram page for any changes. You don’t update it often; your last post is from early the previous summer and is just pictures of your family cat Clementine who had passed away. 
A purple and orange circle dances around your icon, indicating you’ve posted something on your story within the last 24 hours. She let out an agitated breath before pressing her thumb onto the mirror selfie you’d set as your profile picture. 
There are four stories: the first is from 22 hours ago and was a fan art post of a video game she knew you liked, the second is from 18 hours ago and was a picture of the mocha frappe Dina had gotten you the day prior with a caption thanking and tagging Dina, the third is from 15 hours ago of a post that read, “Don’t Want To See Trans People? Gouge Out Your Eyes” (prompting her to chuckle to herself), and the fourth is from this morning. Ellie’s breathing hitches. 
It was a selfie you’d taken in your bathroom before you left for class. You’d captioned it with “fuck mondays but at least i’m cute,” an understatement in Ellie’s eyes. She was only permitted a minute to gaze at you in person earlier today, and it was from several feet away. A picture doesn’t amount to the real thing, but at least she can fully drink you in with her ocean green eyes this time, completely at her leisure. 
You were wearing that same pretty, floral sundress, the sweater you were wearing earlier missing from your ensemble in the photograph. She doesn't recognize the dress, so she figures it must be new. Ellie thinks it looked like it was made for you, the way it fits you so perfectly. 
She then dares to stare at your face. Even after all these years, she revels in how flawlessly you were always able to have your makeup complement your appearance. It was a gift, really, how you used colours to, not create your beauty, but accentuate it. And you seemed to have gotten even better at it now. 
Ellie keeps taking in your image for what feels like a hundred years until your Instagram story closes out on her. She blinks and then sighs. 
There’s no way Anderson hasn’t made a move on her already. 
Ellie reaches underneath her bed and grabs her laptop. She knows what she was about to do pushed her even further into loser lesbian territory, but she had passed the point of caring long, long ago. She opens up her laptop and clicks on the Spotify application on her desktop. 
The window pops up to display a few recommended albums and playlists. Scrolling past her most recently listened to song (“Novacane” by Frank Ocean), she clicks on the little icon on the top right that says “Friend Activity.” A sidebar opens up to reveal icons of a handful of Ellie’s friends. And of you. 
When you’d blocked Ellie from everything, she guessed correctly that you wouldn’t think of blocking her on something as trivial as a music app. Most people in your generation didn’t really pay much attention to these stupid little details. But Ellie did. And she was thankful you didn’t. 
Ignoring what songs the rest of her friends were listening to at the moment, she looked for your icon to see what you were playing. According to the tiny grey letters next to your picture, you were listening to “decode” by some artist named Sabrina Carpenter. 
Ellie chuckles quietly. You had a rather wide variety in music taste, always having been musically inclined. But you weren’t immune to enjoying and fixating on what she would call “generic, top 40 pop straight girl music.” She’d tease you about this relentlessly, to which you would respond by turning the song up even louder and belting your heart out to it. Even though it was in the act of defying her, Ellie always noted internally what a pretty voice you had when you sang. 
She figures that this artist was your current new fixation. She grabs her spare earphones from the drawer of her bedside table, plugging them into her laptop. She clicks on the song you're still listening to and lets it play. As the song progresses, Ellie feels her heart sink. 
♫ You're good at the fallin', not the stayin' there / You're good at the givin' too much, then gettin' scared
You're good at impersonating someone who cares / And you had me for a minute there ♫
Ellie shifts her laptop to one side and rolls to the other, allowing the music to continue in her ears. 
♫ But now I wonder why / I let your confusion keep me up at night 
I'm so tired / Reread every single undertone ♫ 
Ellie sighs, hooking an arm underneath her pillow, clutching it tightly as she clenches her jaw. 
♫ There's a weight off my shoulders now that I don't chase you / Bein' myself, did that emasculate you? 
Learnin' from you that I can walk away too / And you had me for a minute too ♫
Ellie frowns, closing her eyes, allowing the song to envelop her in shame. 
♫ Now I wonder why / I let your confusion keep me up at night 
I'm so tired / Reread every single undertone and I—♫ 
“Yo, Williams—” A voice interrupts with a knock on her bedroom door. 
Ellie shoots up from her bed, earphones tearing out from her ears. 
“What?” Ellie answers, irritated. 
Jesse’s head pokes itself through the doorway. His expression turned into amusement once he saw hers of annoyance.  
“Oh, sorry, dude. Did I wake you?” 
“Yeah, but it’s fine,” Ellie lies, relaxing a little and tapping the spacebar to pause the song. “What’s up?” 
Jesse scans her features further. He took a step in, leaning against the doorframe. 
“You alright?” 
“All good, dude,” She says, closing her laptop and hopping off her bed. “Was just having a bad dream.” 
Jesse considers this when his eyes wander to Ellie’s knife sticking out of the wall. 
“Bro.” He says, pointing to it. 
“It was a really bad dream, alright?” She shrugs. 
“Els,” He groans. “If we don’t get our security deposit back—“ 
“Yeah, yeah, I’ll fix it.” She says, crossing her arms. “What did you want?” 
“You got a second? Got someone here who wants to buy.” 
Ellie sighs. 
“Yeah, okay. They good?” 
“Should be.” Jesse confirms. 
“Fine.” Ellie replies, standing up straighter and rolling up the sleeves to her flannel. 
“Cool. You might have actually met him the other night.” Jesse jabs his thumb towards the living room, beckoning her to follow him. 
“The other night?” Ellie questions, trailing after. 
“Yeah, he was with us at the diner after the party.” 
“Wait, what?” 
Before Jesse can answer, Ellie’s eyes fall on who Jesse had brought into their apartment. Wearing a backwards cap, a plain navy blue t-shirt & khakis, their visitor looks like every other standard, forgettable college frat boy. 
But Ellie didn’t forget. In fact, Ellie remembers exactly who he was quite well. 
“You remember Adam?” Jesse asks.
“Man, really? Didn’t clock you as a queer.” 
“Yeah,” Ellie answers, eyes seeing red and hands balling up in fists. “Yeah, I remember you.”
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author’s notes:
okay so part of why this took me so long to write and why it also took a lot of convincing on my own part to post is cause i was writing it from ellie's perspective and that was a lot harder than i thought!! didn't plan it to be this way tbh but that's what flowed and well, here it is!
i hope all the college descriptions i’ve been writing have been realistic enough! i had a messy collegiate experience myself and i ended up dropping out after a few years, so i’m just trying to write from experiences from so many years ago (i legit researched what kind of classes aspiring astronauts need to take cause we know our girl wants to go up in space).
the birds on ellie's mug are just references to a couple of my gf's favourite birds (she's an avid bird watcher and she loves birds hehe)!
also idk why i know ellie's a whiskey drinker, but god i just know she is. what butch lesbian is not a whiskey drinker (just from personal experience, don't kill me).
you get a gold star if you got that "brick master" reference ♡︎
i also don't know why i know ellie would listen to frank ocean, but god her loser ass would be LISTENINGGGG to frank ocean. thank you also to everyone for bearing with me and my current sabrina carpenter phase rn ♡︎
does anyone else still look at their friends activity on spotify or is that just me. i love seeing what my friends are up to! i use the airbuds app too, i feel so involved. yeah, that is a pic of me from many years ago as reader's tiny little icon the spotify pic, that's the most y'all get as a pic of me rn sdklfjsd
taglist: @lonelyfooryouonly, @elliesinterlude, @sawaagyapong, @peppesgirl, @iconsoft, @maybeidohaveadhd, @ellieswifee, @valiantllamapersonpony-blog, @nil-eena, @echostinn, @uraesthete, @softbunlvr, @cherriessxinthespring, @amitycat, @thefishymissy, @yevheniiaaaa, @machetegirl109, @bertandfearnie, @ximtiredx, @efam, @elliesnoviecita, @digit4lslut, @tayyyystan, @emothurman, @livvy-2000, @abigaillovestoread, @gold-dustwomxn, @liabadoobee, @yuckyfucky, @qtefolleunpez, @libr4sonsa, @17luv, @robinismywifee, @villainousbear, @ashlynnnnnnnn15, @scarlettadore, @vianna99, @g0n3girls, @totheblood, @embermdk, @awyunh, @kenz-ee, @marvelwomen-simp
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Closed Position: Week 1 (Introductions)
Closed Position Masterlist ||| Main Masterlist Dieter Bravo x OFC (Katarina)
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Series Summary: Dieter Bravo, now sober, was looking to change his bad boy image after hitting rock bottom. His team hoped that having him join the nationally televised family friendly dance competition would be a good first step, if they can keep him out of trouble. 
Katarina Stamos expected her last season as a professional dancer on Dancing with the Stars to go the same as it had for the past thirteen seasons. That all changed when she was partnered with the infamous Dieter Bravo. 
Dieter and Katarina are reluctantly thrown into their partnership and must learn to work together to succeed in the competition. In the process they form a deeper connection beyond the dance floor that neither anticipated.
Chapter Word Count: 7.1K
👉 Warnings: Themes dealing with intimate partner violence, past alcohol abuse, and past drug abuse. There will be fluff, tears, spicy language, and smut. This will be a slow burn. Read at your own risk. Dieter Bravo comes with his own warnings.
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Week 1 Quote: "Fuck. I might be in trouble."
Dieter’s POV
“Lenny, have you seen this fucking schedule? It’s seven days a week for twelve weeks. When do I get a break?” 
Lenny, my agent, sighed through the speaker phone, “D, I told you this was going to be a lot of work before you agreed to do it. You shouldn’t be surprised…and besides, that’s only if you make it to the finals.”
I scoffed, “Thanks for the vote of confidence…asshole.” Lenny chuckled on the other end of the line. We both went quiet for a moment as I continued to flip through the packet of paper that Lenny had sent over for review, “I don’t even get to have any say on the wardrobe or music. Such bullshit…sucking all the fun out of it. Did you at least drop a bug in their ear about who I’ll be partnered with? If I get stuck with someone I don’t want, I’m gonna be fucking miserable.” 
“I did, but the producers said they always do the partner matching themselves. They have a formula…or something. Maybe bring it up again at this morning's meeting and explain why. They may listen to you on it.” 
I huffed as my eyes continued skimming over the weekly schedule, “I have to get a fucking spray tan every week? You have GOT to be kidding me…Lenny, you know I don’t like using carcinogenic chemicals on my body.” 
“Uhhh, no comment on that…Look, I’ll put in a call and see if they can use something natural for that.” 
I relaxed some, “I would appreciate that. Thank you. Tell them I have an allergy or something…just make it happen.” 
I tossed the packet onto the table and picked up my phone, taking it off speaker and putting it to my ear - now pacing as I spoke, “Well, it looks like I’m gonna be pretty busy for a bit. That’ll be a nice distraction. It beats being locked inside the house at least.”  
Lenny hesitated, but still asked, “How are you doing with everything? Still managing ok?” 
I sighed, “Yeah, I mean I’m going to therapy and all the meetings still. I’ve been doing ok…just trying to keep the stress levels down. That’s what gets to me the most.” 
“How long has it been?”
I looked at the date on my watch, “Eight months today…actually. It’s the longest I’ve ever been clean, and I plan to stick to it this time. I’m feeling good and I want to keep it that way.” 
“Everyone is really proud of you, D. You know that, right? Keep at it and we'll have you back on top in no time.”
I pinched the bridge of my nose, knowing that it was an uphill battle, “I appreciate that, but good luck getting people to change their opinion of me. I’m not sure if my reputation is salvageable at this point. Everyone seems to think my sobriety is some sort of joke. No one is taking it seriously.”
I could hear Lenny inhale deeply on the other end of the phone, “It’s just going to take time, D. Don’t give up yet.” 
I pursed my lips in thought, “Yeah, I guess. Anyway, I need to get ready for this meeting. We’ll talk later, yeah?”
“Yeah, definitely let me know how it goes.”  
Once I hung up the phone with Lenny, I took a quick shower, then spent longer than I should have staring at the clothes hanging in my closet - trying to pick something that says I have my shit together. My therapist kept reminding me that if I dressed like a slob, people were going to treat me like one. So, I was putting more effort into making myself presentable before I left the house these days. Since it was a work meeting, I went for a business casual look, figuring I couldn’t go wrong with that. After styling my hair and getting dressed, I grabbed my keys, phone, wallet, and sunglasses and headed out the front door.
As I approached my car, which was parked in the driveway, I noticed there was a dead bird on the hood. The fluffy gray, brown, and white stray cat that had been hanging around my house was sitting next to it, looking rather proud of himself. I sighed, “Come on dude, really?” And this is why I need to get the garage cleaned out. I hit the clicker to open the garage door so I could get a broom to knock the bird off the hood. As I waded through the mountain of empty boxes from my move six months ago, I cursed myself for taking my sweet time getting that stuff out of the house. Finally finding the broom, I quickly moved to get the dead bird off of the car and shooed the cat away. He didn’t look happy about it as he moved to sit on the pathway in front of the house, watching me until I was finally on my way to Television City Studios to meet with the producers of Dancing with the Stars. 
When I arrived at the studio, I was met by the two executive producers, Stacia and Joe and led into a conference room. I let them do their spiel about what’s expected and the schedule. Nodding along in all the right places, being as polite as possible even though I hated how little say I had over anything. Once they moved on to the topic of how they choose partners, I spoke up for the first time, “I would really like to have input on my partner.” They both moved to speak before I held up my hand to signal that I wasn’t finished talking. 
“Look, I know you all have your formula or whatever, but I have a legitimate reason for asking. As I’m sure you’re aware, I’ve been trying to clean up my image. I’ve been sober for eight months and I would really like to be placed with someone that doesn’t have a reputation for partying…someone who isn’t gonna be a negative influence on me. It’s actually really important to me because I’m actively avoiding being around anyone who is into that kind of lifestyle.” Which is why I spend most of my time alone.  
Stacia and Joe looked at each other, obviously surprised at my reasoning for the request. They were actually stunned into silence. Since neither of them said anything, I continued, “I had my team check into the dancers, and based on their recommendation…I’m requesting that Katarina Stamos be my partner. She has a good reputation and I’m also told she’s very professional and isn’t judgmental…because that’s been an issue here lately that I’d really like to not have to deal with.”
Stacia’s brow furrowed, “Are you looking to actually win? Because Kat hasn’t won a single season that she’s been with us.”
I narrowed my eyes on her. What an asshole thing to say about someone. “Well, maybe that’s because you keep giving her shitty partners.” 
I gave Stacia a sarcastic smile. She had the audacity to look offended by that statement. I had watched the show and seen the people Katarina was partnered with. It was always the older guys that could hardly move. Stacia’s attitude made me more determined to have Katarina as a partner just to prove a fucking point on her behalf. 
Joe interrupted the silent standoff that Stacia and I now seemed to be having, “Alright, let’s think about this…” He turned to Stacia, “Physically, they work together. Their height and proportions are a good match…and Kat is very patient. She would work well with him. Also, if he wishes to be with someone who isn’t into partying, Anika is not the person he needs to be with.”
Stacia looked frustrated and unwilling to give in as she glared at her counterpart. Joe smirked, “If you're worried about the change in narrative, it’s possible there may be other options we haven’t considered.” 
What the fuck does that mean? I leaned forward on my elbows, “What narrative?” 
They both turned to look at me, Stacia now had a sly smile on her face. It was Joe who answered, “We always consider the possible narratives that could come up between partners. How they’ll interact and get along personality wise. It’s an important factor for the show.”
I felt a crease form between my brows, “So basically, you try to manufacture drama for TV.”  
Joe shook his head, “Not exactly, I mean ultimately, yes. We just take personalities and such into account when we pair the dancers with their celebrities. I mean, we do want everyone to get along with their partner, obviously.”   
So, you’re fucking meddlers. Got it. I arched my brows, giving them a tight smile as I nodded, going along with what they were telling me. I now realized I would have to keep an eye on these two. I didn’t feel like they had my best interest in mind. Especially if they were initially planning to put me with the known party girl. 
I cleared my throat before speaking again, “So what does that mean…do I get to work with Katarina or not?” 
Stacia looked at me, now smiling, “I think that may actually be a good match now that I think about it. So yeah, we’ll let you work with Kat. Hopefully you’ll both make it through to finals.” 
What is this woman’s deal? Geez Louise. I eyed them both suspiciously for a moment, “Ok, good. Now I’m finally a little excited about this.”   
They went over a few more details about the schedule before taking me out to meet with a production assistant, who was tasked with giving me a tour of the building and showing me where my dressing room would be. This part of my day couldn’t end soon enough… 
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Katarina’s POV
As I was pulling into the Television City Studios parking lot for the first day of my last season on Dancing with the Stars, my phone pinged with a text from Alec, my fiancée.
Alec: I finished up my meeting with production. Are you here? Have you had yours yet?
I leaned my head back against the seat. What the hell has he been doing? I know his meeting was over an hour ago.
Me: Just parked, I have mine in 10 minutes. I’m on my way in…Meet you in the lobby. 
A few minutes later, I found Alec in the lobby. He seemed more excited than he normally was on the first day as he greeted me with a quick kiss on the cheek. 
I leaned away from him, “What’s got you so smiley this morning?” I could tell he was trying to temper it down and have a more neutral expression on his face as he shrugged, “I didn’t realize I was. Guess I’m just excited to see you.” 
He smiled, but it didn’t reach his eyes. What are you hiding now you asshole. He didn’t know how well I could read him at this point. 
I arched a brow instead of returning his smile, “So, I assume you found out who your partner is gonna be?”
He continued his attempts at a neutral expression, “Yeah, Lana Thompson…she’s an actress, I think. There was apparently a last minute change to the lineup this morning. You know her?” 
I gave him a tight smile, “Yeah…I know her. She has a bit of a reputation…”  
He feigned ignorance, “Oh? I don’t know anything about her. I’m sure she’ll turn out to be one of those stuck up, bitchy types like the rest of ‘em. Ya know, you’re lucky it’s your last season so you don’t have to deal with these people anymore.” 
And there it is. He doth protest too much. He was excited to be paired with her, I could tell. He saw it as an opportunity. As far as I knew, he hadn’t strayed to another woman in some time, but that didn’t mean he had changed. He still hadn’t earned my trust back and his current excitement only made me more suspicious of his commitment. 
Alec could sense the tension taking hold of my body as he rubbed at my lower back, “Everything ok, baby?”
I gave him a half-hearted smile, “Yeah, just peachy. I’ve gotta go or I’m gonna be late. I’ll catch up with you after.” 
As I was walking down the hallway toward the conference room, I saw Lana Thompson exiting the bathroom. I suspected Alec had already met his partner and liked her more than he let on. Which probably explains why it took him as long as it did to text me. 
When I entered the conference room, Stacia and Joe sat huddled together. They seemed to be engrossed in whatever they were whispering about, but abruptly stopped talking once they realized I was lingering in the entryway. They both smiled, almost over enthusiastically as they welcomed me and motioned for me to have a seat. They studied me for a moment before Stacia finally spoke, “How are things going with you?” 
That’s an odd question and an odd tone. I wasn’t sure what kind of answer she was looking for, “It’s going good, why?” 
She gave me a small smile, “I know it’s your last season because you have things going on…but do you think you’re feeling up to the possibility of making it to finals?” 
I gave her a confused look, “What is that supposed to mean?” 
Joe leaned forward, “What Stacia is trying to say is…the person we have you partnered with this time is going to be a little more physically able than your usual partners. So, you may be in it for the full twelve weeks…if you can pull it off. Are you physically able to handle it?” 
Should I be offended by that? It’s not like I can’t function. It was just painful some days, especially when there were a lot of rehearsals. My joints couldn’t handle the Latin dances like they used to - the jerky movements exacerbating the inflammation and discomfort. That didn’t mean they had to treat me like a fragile porcelain doll though. 
I narrowed my eyes at them, “Of course I can handle it. I could handle it this entire time…which is why I’ve been asking for more capable partners.” 
Joe smiled, “Well, good. Maybe you can go out with a bang this season.” 
What the fuck was this about? I dug my teeth into my bottom lip as I tried to figure out their angle. There was always an angle with them, “Why do I feel like you’re trying to sell this to me?” 
Joe grimaced slightly. “We’re not trying to sell it, but we do worry you won’t be happy about it.” 
I crossed my arms over my chest and leaned back into the seat, “Who is it?” 
Stacia smirked, “It’s Dieter Bravo.”
I looked between the two of them, “You’re joking?” 
They shook their heads in unison. This didn’t make sense. Wouldn’t he be better suited with one of the girls that enjoyed a lifestyle similar to his? 
“What makes you think he and I will work well together? I know I have a lot of patience, but it does have its limits.” 
Joe chuckled, “His people requested you specifically. He’s actually eight months sober and they want him with someone who isn’t going to get him into trouble. He’s trying to clean up his image.” 
I scoffed, “I thought you didn’t let the celebrities have any say in who they’re partnered with?”
Joe leaned forward onto the table, “We don’t normally, but given his request and the reasons for it, we felt we should make an exception. We were thinking of putting him with you anyway.”
I shook my head, “You are aware of his reputation, right? Alec is gonna lose his shit over this.” 
Stacia smiled, “It’s not your or Alec’s choice. We run the show.”
It dawned on me then. Alec had said there was a last minute lineup change this morning and that’s why he was put with Lana. I had somehow managed to fly under the radar when it came to the producers' manufactured bullshit, but now I was right in the middle of it. They were making moves to create an underlying narrative for the show. 
“Who was he partnered with originally? I know it wasn’t me.” 
Stacia looked surprised by my question, “He was never partnered with anyone else before you.”
Stacia was lying. She couldn’t look at me directly when she answered my question - it was her tell. I knew how their minds worked. Dieter Bravo had a reputation for causing trouble and they were looking to exploit it. I’m sure his request caused a hiccup in their plans, so now they were making adjustments to cause drama surrounding him any way they could. 
My eyes shifted between the two of them, “I don’t know what your endgame is here, but I have no intention of playing, just so you know.”
Stacia and Joe sat expressionless, not giving anything away. I assumed they expected this sort of response from me. My tendency to push back at their plans was one of the reasons I wasn’t a favorite of theirs and most likely part of the reason they always worked to get me off the show as soon as possible, every season. Which sucked for my bank account. To add to their reasoning, I wasn’t interesting enough since I never had issues with my partners or whirlwind romances that made for good TV. However, this season they were taking a chance, throwing two bombs in the form of Lana and Dieter into my already tumultuous relationship with Alec. Hoping for an exciting outcome that would play out behind the scenes to stir up tabloid fodder and result in free promotion for the show.  
Joe sighed, finally speaking to break the tension in the room, “For what it’s worth, we met with Dieter earlier this morning…he was actually very pleasant and agreeable. I don’t think he’ll be an issue for you, so long as he continues to stay sober.”
My brows furrowed, “It sounds like you have a lot of faith in him. Good to know.” I moved to stand, “Well, if there isn’t anything else you need from me…”
Joe smiled weakly in my direction, “No, I think that’s it for now…just make sure you review the schedule and let us know if you have questions.” 
I gave them a sarcastic smile before moving to leave the conference room. As I rounded the corner in the hallway, looking down at the floor lost in my thoughts and frustration, I ran into someone. I started mumbling my apologies as I looked up at the stranger. I was met with a mess of curls, piercing dark eyes, and a dimpled lop-sided grin. It was Dieter fucking Bravo looking like he just stepped out of a GQ magazine. 
“Hey there, sweetheart,” he said through a chuckle with his hands on my shoulders to catch me from running head first into him. We stared at each other in silence for a moment. You’ve got to be fucking kidding me, he can’t call me that.  
He had a slight smirk on his face now, “Katarina, right? Looks like we’re gonna be dance partners.” 
I shook my head, my lips set in a tight line, “Don’t call me that.” 
His brow furrowed, “What? Katarina?” 
I scoffed, “No, sweetheart. I don’t want anyone getting the wrong idea. It’s inappropriate. You can call me Kat like everyone else.” 
He was obviously taken off guard by my cold demeanor as he gave me a confused look, “I didn’t…mean anything by it, I-I call everyone sweetheart.” 
I nodded, “Well, you're not gonna call me that.”
He chewed on the inside of his cheek for a beat, “I guess I’ve earned that. Sorry, I won’t do it again.” 
I inhaled deeply, biting my bottom lip as I did so. It didn’t go unnoticed that his eyes shifted down to my mouth. “Look, this is my last season and I just wanna get through it without any drama, ok?”
A crease formed between his brows as his jaw ticked to the side, “What makes you think I’m gonna cause drama?”
I shook my head, now realizing how big of a jerk I was being, “Umm…I…”
He continued to stare at me with a burning intensity, “Just so you know, I’m sober…have been for eight months. Drama is not my thing these days…”
I gave him a tight smile, “Good…hopefully you can stick to it.”  Fuck. That did not come out how I meant for it to.
I could see his jaw muscles flex before he let out a small laugh. His eyes finally shifted downward. He almost looked hurt by that comment. 
I sighed, “I’m sorry…I didn’t mean that the way it sounded.” 
His brows arched as he peered at me through his lashes, “You know, I requested to be partnered with you because I was told that you're professional and wouldn’t be judgmental about my past…I guess I heard wrong. I suppose I should just expect it at this point, right? Maybe I shouldn’t have such high expectations of others.” 
My mouth fell open as I shook my head. I’m such a fucking asshole. He didn’t give me a chance to say anything before he spoke again, “I guess I’ll see you at rehearsals tomorrow. Have a good afternoon.” He gave me a sad smile as he brushed past me. I stood there with my mouth hanging open like an idiot watching him as he walked toward the exit. That was a great first impression. Good job, Kat. 
“Who was that?” Alec asked from behind me. 
I turned, running my fingers through the top of my hair out of frustration, “That was my new dance partner.” 
Alec squinted toward the figure standing near the exit, now stopping to look at his phone, “Is that Dieter Bravo?” 
I could feel my jaw tighten as I took in Alec’s expression, “Yes, it is.” Alec’s head snapped toward me, “I don’t want you working with him.” 
I smiled sarcastically, “Really? And you think I have a choice in that? They made it clear, there is no other option. I asked.”
Alec shook his head, “You could just not do this season. You're quitting anyway. Why not go ahead and drop out?” 
My eyes widened at his suggestion, “Because I need the fucking money, you know that.” 
He chuckled, “Right, for the dance studio.” 
I scoffed, “Yeah, for the dance studio. I don’t understand why you can’t support me on that.” 
Alec didn’t acknowledge my question, “This guy is a known womanizer. I’m not comfortable with this.” 
My head tilted to the side, “So you don’t trust me. That’s rich coming from you. You know…I’m not excited about your partner either, but I didn’t tell you to drop out. If anyone has a right to be concerned, it’s me.” 
Alec moved in closer, causing me to back up against the wall as he got in my face. His eyes were blazing with anger, “You’re never gonna let that shit go, are you? That was ten months ago, and I have been loyal to you ever since. Yet here you are…still throwing it in my fucking face.” 
I had a sudden defiant streak hit me, “You’re the one who brought it up by insinuating that you couldn’t trust me. I’m just reminding you who the problem is in this relationship.” 
Alec moved to put his hand on the wall next to my head as he leaned in further - his nose nearly touching mine as I turned my stoney face away from him, “Don’t you ever talk to me like that again,” he spat out.   
I could feel his eyes drift over my face for a moment before he pulled away and walked off. 
I huffed out a quiet “Fuck” as I exhaled a shaky breath and watched him walk toward the dressing rooms. When I glanced back toward the exit, Dieter was still standing there, frozen in place with his phone halfway to his ear. Once he realized I was looking his way, his head dropped downward, and he slowly turned to exit the building.   
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 Dieter’s POV 
As I walked out into the scorching afternoon sun, I ended the call to check my voicemail, deciding I wasn’t in the mood to hear it. I was frustrated by my first interaction with Katarina. It didn’t go how I expected, and honestly, she had hurt my feelings. Based on everything I had heard about her, I didn’t think she would throw my past up in my face like that. At least not immediately, if at all. She did seem a little flustered, maybe she was just having a bad day? 
What followed after our exchange was even more bizarre. It looked like she was having a tense conversation with the man that I assumed was the one she was dating. Lenny had mentioned she was engaged to one of the other dancers. When the man first leaned in, I initially thought they were just having a private moment, but then I noticed the look on Kat’s face as she turned away from him. Something about it was unsettling and for a brief moment, I considered interrupting them. Luckily, I didn’t have to. However, I was left feeling that I had witnessed something I wasn’t supposed to.
Even though our conversation didn’t go as well as I hoped, I was still struck with how beautiful Katarina was in person. Pictures and TV didn’t do her justice. It was probably a good thing she was seeing someone, otherwise I would be in danger of making a fool of myself. Then again, I probably would anyway. My sober self didn’t seem to know how to act around a pretty lady. My confidence and self-assurance definitely weren’t on the same level these days. 
When I got home, I spent more time than I would like to admit staring at my reflection in the mirror - trying to remind myself that I was no longer the piece of shit that everyone still saw me as. It was still hard for me to accept that the old me and the new me were two very different people. Some days it really did seem like it was easier being the old Dieter Bravo, because he didn’t care about how he was perceived by others. I often longed for him to come back, just to quiet the thoughts of self-hate and inadequacy. Those thoughts really could be suffocating and hard to overcome. It was near impossible living with myself on those days.
The anticipation of how our first rehearsal would go was starting to get to me. So, I decided to spend the rest of the evening trying to relax and take my mind off things. With classical music blaring from the sound system, I moved through the house to check in on my plants - watering, misting leaves, and pruning. It was a new hobby I had picked up since rehab. It started with one succulent plant that had seen better days. My neighbor had left it sitting next to the trash bin on garbage collection day. For some reason, I had an urge to attempt to save the shriveled mass. After a few weeks, it was showing new life as the deep purple hues started to form on the leaves. My plant obsession bloomed from there. Now I wasn’t even sure how many I had. I was fairly certain my housekeeper was going to quit if I brought any more home. 
After I was finished with the plants, I spent some time painting until I couldn’t hold my eyes open any longer. It was nearing midnight by the time I had showered and crawled into bed. Even though I was completely exhausted, I couldn’t shut my mind off. The anxiety was now building to problematic levels. It was always at this point that I thought about using the most. By now, the old Dieter would be a couple lines in and a few drinks deep to block out the thoughts. The new Dieter suffers through it as he lay in bed alone, staring into the darkness. I drug both hands down my face and huffed loudly before moving to switch on the lamp beside the bed. I reached for my latest self-help book and began reading.  
I was startled awake by my 7 AM alarm. I groaned as I felt around next to me on the bed for the shrilling phone to shut it off. I sat up, still half out of it, causing the book that had been lying on my chest to fall to the floor with a loud thump. I got up from bed, wiping the sleep from my eyes as I walked toward the bathroom to splash some water on my face. I stood staring at my reflection again, “You look like shit, Bravo.” It was clear I hadn’t gotten much sleep from my dark circles and puffy eyelids. I threw a warm rag over my eyes for a few minutes in hopes that would help.
Standing in my closet staring at the pile of gym clothes my stylist had picked up, I selected a random pair of shorts and a t-shirt, then pulled the tags off. We weren’t allowed to wear anything with brands or logos on filming days, so I had to break down and buy more clothes. It was probably for the best, my old gym clothes were looking a little ratty anyway.    
Once I was dressed, I grabbed my backpack that had a few essentials in it and headed toward the front door. As I stepped out onto the porch and pulled the door shut behind me, I was greeted by my furry squatter who had left another gift near the steps - a dead mouse. I sighed, “Well, at least it’s not on top of the car this time…” The fluffy menace meowed at me as he rubbed against my legs, as if to say, “Look what I did!” 
I was determined to not give in to the furry intruder, so I disregarded his attempts for pets. “Don’t you have a family somewhere to annoy?” I muttered to him as I continued toward the car. He followed me halfway down the pathway before sitting down and flicking his tail around as he watched me get into the driver's side and shut the door. He didn’t look happy about being ignored. 
I gave myself a quick glance in the rearview mirror, reaching to comb down my hair with my fingers. I hadn’t bothered to fix it, knowing it was going to turn into a mess no matter what I did to it. Then, I started the car and drove in silence to the dance studio, not even really sure how I got there as I pulled into the parking lot. I found myself wondering if I had run any redlights as I walked through the main entrance. I felt like I was in a haze as the camera team talked to me in the lobby to fill me in on the plans for filming. 
They wanted to do a brief interview with me before I went into the studio with Katarina. They wanted me to give the whole spiel about how excited I was to be here and working with my dance partner. Truth is, I wasn’t excited. I was nervous as hell, and I was supposed to act like this was the first time I was meeting her. I was unsure of how to act toward her, so when the time came for me to walk through the door to greet her and act excited, I turned on the Dieter Bravo charm the best I could and pretended like yesterday’s conversation never happened.
I was surprised to find how well Katarina did the same thing as she came over to greet me with a smile and a hug and gushed about how excited she was to work with me. However, we were both avoiding looking at the other directly. Clearly there was still some lingering awkwardness between us. After they filmed the introduction, they wanted to get some quick shots of us rehearsing. 
These first few days of rehearsal were meant for learning the basics. We were not actually getting into the first routine yet. We started with some simple stretches and moved into learning the proper frame, the different types of positions, and spacing for the different types of dances. It was all very high level and fast, but Katarina had promised that we would go over it in more detail once the film crew left for the day. The quick pace was mostly for the benefit of the film crew so they could get what they needed and move on to the next couple. 
Once filming was done for the day, we took a seat on the floor for a water break as the crew gathered up all of their gear to leave. We mostly sat in awkward silence until we were finally alone. I could feel Katarina’s eyes on me as I stared at the water bottle in my hand. She spoke first. 
“I feel like I should apologize about yesterday…I was having a shit day and kind of took it out on you. I’m sorry. I honestly didn’t mean what I said.” 
I pursed my lips and shrugged, “It’s fine. I’m used to it at this point.” 
She reached out and grasped my wrist with her left hand, the heat of her touch raced through me as I looked at the glittering ring on that finger for a moment before meeting her eyes, “It doesn’t mean that it should keep happening though. It’s not right and it’s not fair to you. Everyone deserves a second chance.” 
I huffed out a small laugh, “Yeah, except I’m on like my tenth chance. I understand why no one takes me seriously. Really, it’s not that big of a deal.” 
Her face softened as she stared at me for a beat, like she was trying to decide what she wanted to say next. Then she shifted her body to face me as she crossed her legs, “It is a big deal. It’s a big deal to me because I know better. You know…” 
She paused, appearing to gather her thoughts. I moved to lean back on my hand and face her more fully with my legs stretched out to the side. My teeth bit into my bottom lip as I watched her face shift to a somewhat pained expression. It was brief, but I still caught it before she gained her composure. 
“My uhh…my dad was sober for about 14 years before he passed. I know how hard it was for him in the beginning…with everyone doubting him and not giving him a chance. It’s one of the reasons he relapsed the first few times. It can be hard when you don’t have any support from the people around you. I know that…and I don’t wanna be one of those people. You haven’t given me any reason to doubt you, so I wanna make sure I’m giving you a fair shot and support you as long as you’re actively trying to better yourself. I know first-hand that people do change.”
Is she fucking serious? I couldn’t move or speak. She had stunned me again for the second day in a row. I never would have guessed she would share something so personal, especially on our first day together. She seemed sincere in her apology.   
I finally managed a curt nod before I reached to rub at the crease between my brows, “Thanks…I uhh…I appreciate that.”  I let out a small laugh, “I appreciate it more than you probably realize, actually.” 
She gave me a tentative smile, “Does that mean I’m forgiven for being an asshole then?” 
I chuckled, “Of course…and I didn’t think you were an asshole. Not really. I had a feeling you were having a bad day.”
“Whew…ok. Good. I was worried I had already fucked this whole thing up before it started.” 
Ok, it’s kind of hot when she says fuck. I smirked, “Does this mean I get to call you sweetheart now?” 
She narrowed her eyes on me and shook her head, “No. No sweetheart.” She laughed quietly, “But, I might consider a different nickname if you come up with a good one.” 
My lips spread into a cheeky smile, “I think I can come up with something.” She laughed into the top of her water bottle as she took a sip with a slight flush creeping up her neck. Am I flirting right now? I don’t even know what I’m doing. Geez. I looked away in an attempt to reign myself in. I can’t be doing that.  
We were soon back at it, now with a more relaxed atmosphere. We again started with getting my frame right. I stood in place as she moved my arms to the proper position, pushing in between my shoulder blades to straighten my posture. After several minutes in the position, I couldn’t help the groan that slipped out, “This is gonna do a number on my back muscles, isn’t it?” 
She snickered, “You will definitely have better posture by the time I’m done with you. Now, elbows up, you should have a horizontal line from elbow to elbow…and hold it there.” 
She then stood in front of me, taking in my form for a moment before manipulating my hands into the proper position. 
Smiling, she nodded in satisfaction as she stepped closer, “Ok, now let’s go over the hold. The hold is important because it’s how we connect…how our bodies communicate movement to lead and follow.” 
As she spoke, she moved closer, placing her arm along the top of my right one and clasping my left hand in hers. She was very matter of fact with her words as her eyes bore into mine. It was almost distracting. 
“I need you to make sure there’s no space between our arms…here, so keep your elbow flush against mine.” She bounced her arm against the top of my right one to emphasize what she meant. “This is an important connection point because I can feel the pressure from your arm, which will tell me how to follow. As for your left hand, keep it at my eye level. We apply pressure here as well for another connection point.”    
All I could do was nod along with her words, completely mesmerized by her intensity. Once she felt we had the hold down, she began to explain the differences in spacing for standard ballroom versus Latin dances. 
“So…in Latin style dances, we’ll have more space between us…like we are now. It gives us more room to move. We’re gonna be slightly offset from each other while maintaining this closed position. Got it?”
I nodded again as I chewed on the inside of my cheek. I wanted to look at her directly, but I couldn’t. Between her eyes burning into me and the tingling from her touch, I felt like my skin was on fire. I didn’t know what to make of it and it was sort of fucking with my head.
Then she stepped even closer, the front of our bodies nearly flush as she slightly adjusted the position of our arms. I swallowed hard over her proximity and the tangy citrus scent that was now invading my senses. Fuck. I might be in trouble. 
“For standard dances, like the Waltz and Foxtrot, we’re gonna be closer…like this. Our frame will be a little wider and our arms will be positioned slightly lower. We’ll both be looking off to our left instead of directly at each other.”   
I cleared my throat, stepping back slightly, “Sooo…umm…do we look off to the left for Latin dances?” 
Her brows arched as her eyes widened, “Good question. I should have mentioned that. There’s typically more direct eye contact in the Latin dances. It’s actually another form of connection…another way for us to communicate without words.”
She moved back into the Latin dance hold, now making direct eye contact with me. I couldn’t help how my eyes roamed over her face, taking in the minor changes in her expression as she spoke. I wasn’t sure if the close proximity of the standard hold or direct eye contact with the Latin hold was worse. They were both a little overwhelming. 
“Alright, let’s try some steps. We can start with the Rumba.” 
She broke away for a moment to show me the foot movement, then had me give it a try. After a successful attempt, she positioned us back into the Latin hold and we began moving together. Once it seemed we had the footwork down, she backed away with a smirk on her face. 
“You’re actually really good at this, you know. We do need to work on eye contact though.”
I smiled nervously as I looked down at my feet and rubbed the back of my neck, “I’m sorry…I know. Direct eye contact is a little weird for me.” I glanced up at her through my lashes, slightly embarrassed by the admission. 
She smiled and arched a brow in my direction, “Really? I never would have guessed that based on your love scenes.”
My eyes widened. I do not need to think about her watching me dick someone down on screen. Focus, Bravo. I chuckled nervously, “Yeah, I’m not usually looking directly into their eyes during those. I tend to stare between their eyebrows.” 
She gave me a sly smile now, snickering, “Oh, is that why you usually look cross eyed then?” 
My brow furrowed as I gave her a mock look of offense, “I don’t look cross eyed. That’s rude.”
She cackled over my response, “I’m joking. I don’t think I’ve ever actually seen one of your love scenes to know how your face looks.” 
I scrunched up my nose, “Ouch, ok…so you don’t watch my movies. Got it.” 
Her laugh had simmered to a quiet chuckle now as she lightly smacked my shoulder, “I’ve seen some…just not any with a love scene. So don’t be so offended. I’ve seen those TikTok videos though…they gave me a good idea of what I’m working with.”
I rolled my eyes, “Ugh…those fucking TikTok videos. They’re so bad.”  
I had to admit, it was nice to be joking around with her after all the tension that had built up from yesterday. I took it as a good sign that this might actually go ok. What I didn’t expect was the attraction that I was starting to feel as our day went on. However, the obnoxiously sized engagement ring she wore on her finger helped keep that in check every time I saw it sparkling in the light when she moved. As long as that shiny reminder was there, I would be ok... 
Right?
Next: Week 2
✨FUN FACTS: All cast members on Dancing with the Stars are in fact required to get a weekly spray tan. They also do not get to choose their partners, costumes, music, or themes. They can make recommendations obviously, but the producers do not have to honor the requests. When it comes to pairing partners, the producers do have a "formula".
A/N: I wanted to take a quick minute to welcome all of my new and old readers! So happy to have you all with me for my next adventure with Dieter Bravo. For the new folks, I'm a sucker for predictions and theories. If you have them, drop them in the comments so we can discuss. Now on to my normal nonsense...how are you guys feeling about the first chapter? How do you feel about Dieter and Kat's first couple of interactions? What about all the characters that were introduced? I'm curious to know who you want to throat punch more, Alec or Stacia? I'm already in love with these two and I can't wait to share more of them. This Dieter is...something else. I love sharing things from his point of view. He is going to be a good time, as expected. Kat is...kind of a mess, but also not? It's been interesting being in her head. How do you see things progressing with these two? Lastly, a quick thank you to @maggiemayhemnj for giving this first chapter a quick read through to make sure all these plot points were introduced in a way that made sense...because seriously, there is a lot going on here. She also found the perfect disco ball looking dividers for this...and I fucking love them. 😘 👉 I did a fun post about Dieter's plant hobby and his furry visitor. Check it out HERE. 👉 In case you missed it, I also did a character introduction post, which you can find HERE. Until next time, 💜 Mysty
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Credits: Support/MDNI Dividers: @cafekitsune Disco Divider: @deadbranch
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pinkrecs · 2 years
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pinkrecs’s bts yandere fic recs
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[POSTED ON JULY 12th 2022]
note: this is most (honestly just checkout all of these authors’ masterlists--there’s more great gems) of my favorite yandere bts recs! please show much love to our wonderful authors. the yandere genre does contain triggering themes (ex: representation of toxic relationships, possessive/obsessive behavior, non-con/dub-con, violent behavior, etc). read at your own risk + check out the author’s notes. ENJOYYY ^^
i would love to give each fic a detailed comment on how i love it but i lack the words and writing capabilities to do that. so hope a short spoiler-free comment will do (sorry). GO GIVE THESE FICS A LIKE, REBLOG, OR COMMENT!!!!
POLY/MULTI:
- death valley by @bangtangalicious 
↳ gang + rocker + fightclub au + ot7 x reader. my brain is dizzy & fucked (in a good way) after reading this. each member gets their own time to shine and the characterizations of each member are crazy. this fic is a messy ass rollercoaster and the smut is scrumptious too!!
- gumiho cisswap bangtan x reader by @bloodsweattearscatharsis
↳ gumiho + cisswap au + poly ot7 x reader. its obvious from the title since the author mentioned that they haven’t made a title for the fic lol. honestly, go give this a read because the dynamic of ot7 is quite fun and i LOOVEE the suspense that from each chapter. all of them could run me over anytime and also HOT WOMEENNNNN ayyyyyyyyy go read bc it needs more luv
- house of serpents by @smasmashie
↳ mafia au + ot7 x reader. every character in here needs to go therapy but also not because i need to see more drama unfold. ot7 seems to care for the mc but their actions shown are... uhmm... questionable. but that makes this fic good though! reading each chapter like it’s the morning newspaper 
- in your dreams by @voidswan
↳ idolverse au + vmin x reader. GOD THIS WAS INTENSE, i was shaking, gasping, and throwing uppp!! vmins are menaces in this one but god you can’t help but want more D: i’m like the mc--who’s a moth attracted to the flame.
- lilies of the valley by @girlmeetsliv3
↳ a/b/o au + poly ot7 x reader. each relationships between the members and towards reader is mysterious and there was underlying tension of meeting the pack’s expectation. in some way, it gets uncomfy at some parts yet that is what keeps each chapter an enjoyable read.
- lovesick by @angelicyoongie
↳ soulmate au + ot7 x reader. mc is very unlucky gal... not only having one BUT SEVEN yandere as soulmates lmaoo.. and the soulmark inflicts on both people if one of them gets hurt. that’s rough damn! i’m still unsure if all of them know that all of them are sending her letters. keep notifications ON for this fic 
- nephilim by @royallyjoon 
↳ cult + supernatural au + poly ot7 x reader. it was defintlely chilling while i read this. while there’s some sense of normalcy, the larger control of the cult makes keeps us feeling uneasy. 
- on the first day of christmas, my true love gave to me by @forever-once-gone 
↳ ceo + christmas au + poly namkook x reader. namkook is crazy and unhinged when they show their true colors. jungkook is very VERY sweet tho i cant hate him rip
- strangers by @bestaez
↳ strangers from hell au + ot7 x reader. i haven’t read watched the kdrama so i can’t compare between the two. this is definitely interesting as we can see SOME insight to how ot7 plans it and covers up their tracks to avoid getting caught. i hope the mc can get the tf out that apartment and we can see the reasoning for these actions of ot7 in future chapters
- school f*cking sucks! series by @sluttyandere
↳ high school au + maknae line x reader. all characters are of legal age btw! sucks to be mc because she just getting snatched from each guy like that. and she’s the class president but kinda powerless since two of them control her status at the school. all three of them are massively wicked and im kinda digging it LMAO
- thou shall not steal by @xherxx
↳ mafia + spy + enemies to lovers au + poly ot7 x reader. as the author mentioned, this fic is on the lighter side of the yandere spectrum. i love the mc in this fic. a girlboss icon actually. adored every interactions between the mc and each member. it’s a VERY pleasant read lol
- where three stars meet by @girlmeetsliv3
↳ poly sope x reader. this felt like a movie to this. i could picture everything in my head and sope was quite mysterious in this. and the little details placed throughout the story makes it enticing to continue reading. 
- “why you look so pretty when you cry?” by @minniepetals 
↳ mafia au + poly ot7 x reader. the way ot7 brings hopes up for the mc before crushing them down so she breaks and realizes that her only option is them is tragic for the mc... yet it’s a whole serve!
MISC (aka idk where to categorize these lol):
- never ever after by killingpeach (AO3)
↳ fairy tale au + ot7 x oc. each member is based on a character of well known fairy tales. for the mc to leave the story, she must make the member of that fairy to fall in love with her for “the end” to happen. i love the author’s versions of these fairy tales. each time the fairy tale ends, ik the oc is like: “i won... but at what cost??”
- seven princes of campus series by @bibbykins 
↳ college au + ot7 x reader. this series includes various fics with each member and their s/o and is more on the softer side of yandere! each couple is cute and the build up of how each became to be to great!
- tatemae; 建前 series by @99liners
↳ trophy wife au + ot7 x reader. this series includes various fics with each member and their s/o. the gaslighting and manipulation is wild in these fics y’all. and each time, the ending of the fic makes think like: damn... these men not seeing the pearly white gates of heaven
- the tarot series by @flowesona​ 
↳ ot7 x reader. this series includes various fics with each member and their s/o and “each inspired by one of the major arcana tarot cards.” i love this concept and each plot is easily able to get into. 
MEMBER X MEMBER:
- desire by kyoigi (AO3)
↳ demon au + jikook. demon jimin is hot yet creepy at the same time. and the way jimin goes through his inner turmoil before realizing his feelings for jk + jk starting to piece everything together?! just scrumptious 
- mused obsession series by @sombreboy + @chimoona
↳ photography + model au + jikook. the way jimin falls into jk manipulative and obsessive nature is crazy yall... and how they show their devotion towards each other? fucked up yet i can’t keep my eyes away from it!
- photos of you (and where I should be) by korknight (AO3)
↳ photography + rapper au + yoonkook. jungkook is risking it ALL for yoongi! down MASSIVELY bad yet jk gaslights himself into his actions are good for yoongi. 
- watching you, watching me by mellifluous_kim (AO3)
↳ idolverse au + yoonkook. THE TWIST? you knew my jaw FELL to the FLOOR?!? it’s a must-read because everything is not what it seems D:
KIM SEOKJIN:
- carnal by @kosmosguk
↳  vampire au. mc folded that quick... honestly same here too! just immaculate *chefs kiss*
- contact by @gorehsk
↳ alien au. pure filth and i love it.  
- rose gold by @sweetwolfcupcake 
↳ idolverse au. jin is quite eerie in this fic. he’s subtle with his yandereness and  calculated with his actions.
- the baron by @therealmintedmango​ (AO3)
↳ historical au. jin is charming and no one can suspect a damn thing. a fun read!! 
- the lost, the found, and the treasured by @forever-once-gone
↳  reincarnation + royalty au. so well-written!! there’s small details in the story and by the end... you see piece together. seokjin waited for a long time and i could see why (even though it’s quite haunting). 
MIN YOONGI:
- ash and cinder by @chimchimsauce 
↳ cinderella au. a cinderella retelling with yoongi as our prince. great fic with the yandere twist!
- beloved by @bang-tan-bitches
↳ historical + empire au. this fic was a RIDE. mc is a supportive sister yet she unknowingly attraction of yoongi. his desire is eerie and attractive at the same time. 
- beneath the world by @nomnomsik
↳ yoongi is down bad... and his notebook 😭😭
- control by @taeyohonic 
↳ idolverse au. damn a twisted universe of bangtan. yoongi’s character is a massive dick in this one
- exitus acta probat by @bang-tan-bitches
↳ mafia au. can he also snatch me away pls too
- lineage by @kosmosguk
↳ royalty au. god the twist? you gotta read this, it’s a masterpiece.
- the man in the moon by @worldwidemochiguy
↳ lowkey reading was comforting in some sort. like i was soft for yoongi’s character by the end :3
- the music of the night by @bestaez
↳ phantom of the opera au. i was smiling near the ending but then that had to happen lol
JUNG HOSEOK:
- angel by @worldwidemochiguy 
↳ best friend au. hoseok is affectionate, sweet, and insane in this one. 
- forbidden fruit by @deepdarkdelights
↳ organized crime au. mc’s lack of fear has gotten her into some trouble... but it’s jung hoseok--it’s alright!!
- may the odds be ever in your favor by @yandearest 
↳ hunger games au. this fic is incompeleted but the author left spoilers for the ending. i highly suggest checking out this fic--it’s very well written!
- orgasms on the verge of a nervous breakdown by @sluttyandere
↳ high school + party au. wow this was quite a lot to handle. pls note there’s non-con. in conclusion: trust nobody
- toska by @chummywchimmy
↳ a/b/o + werewolves au. hoseok is sweet and all but lord that bird gift LMAO. 
KIM NAMJOON:
- a dangerous game by @chaoticpuff17 
↳ mafia au. joonie does not know how to give up... prayers for the mc
- deviant by @jkeuphoriadreamland + @chimoona
↳ this fic is one of the most memorable fics i read. namjoon is so cunning and cocky piece of shit. 
- fôret de cauchemars by @kosmosguk
↳ sleep psychiatrist au. i massively agree that this fic is one hell of a rollercoaster. thrilling and creepy!!
- lady of the night by @deepdarkdelights 
↳ victorian + time travel + jack the ripper au. this joon lives in my mind to this day. enjoyed the mc figuring out what the hell is happening while scolding namjoon’s misogynistic ideas.
- let the villain win by @lemonjoonah 
↳ author au. let me tell you that joonie’s character will have you memorized and shocked!!
- moonstruck by @lovelyspring7
↳ mafia + florist au. this is fic did what it gotta do... and IT SERVED!!! 
- used to disappointment by @girlmeetsliv3
↳ nerd au. gosh i would also feel like a disappointment if i was in school with namjoon. but joonie is caring in this one (?)
PARK JIMIN:
- apothic by @jiminstonic
↳ zombie au. zombie jimin is sweet towards for the mc, but his actions went a lit extreme... ig that’s what he gotta do? slay?
- arte factum by @lolabangtan
↳ artifical intelligence + sci-fi au. fuck me up android jimin!@(31!!!! he’s a little bit eerie but we can OVERLOOK that :D
- charming by @bangtans-apollo
↳ cinderella au. *chefs kiss* prince jimin needs a therapy session because he’s very overbearing and possessive. you never know when he gotta explode!
- curiosity brought it back by catslullaby (AO3)
↳ CURIOSITY DID BRING IT BACK!!!!!! one of my all time favs. the way mc decided to make jimin jealous and she got what she wanted! but she also bargained more than what she can afford lool
- neighbors by @jkeuphoriadreamland
↳ neighbors + stalker au. toxic? yes. hot? yes.
- otherworldly by @sinning-on-a-sunday 
↳ coraline au. i am ashamed to say that i’m not mad at the ending. i would bend my knees for other jimin.
- porcelain by @deepdarkdelights
↳ dollmaker au. i’m not just screaming at jimin, i’m also screaming at the grandma.
- spirited away by @out-of-jams 
↳ spirited away au. i already watched spirited away and this fic takes it as inspiration to create something different as it own. jimin is supposed to be someone we can rely on... but the writing has good job of conveying the gut feeling of something that isn’t right :D
- the owner by @shumidehiro
↳ ghost au. i like the mc in this! love that she is respectful to the spirits and i can see how ghost jimin holds his resentment from.
- treasure by @sombreboy
↳ faerie dragon hybrid au. that took a dark turn but who can’t resist jimin? lets be REALLL
KIM TAEHYUNG:
- daffodil dreams by @sombreboy 
↳ murder suspect + therapist au. the way tae and mc are attracted towards each other is kinda in push and pull in way. and when they give into each other, it feels conflicting since it feels right but wrong for the two to be together. a thrilling read!!
- devotion by @sweetbunnykook 
↳ childhood friends au. the yearning?? the tension?? and when it blows up between the two, it’s completely worth it in the end. beautifully written!!
- dura lex, sed lex by @go1denjeon
↳ law au. tae is so mysterious in this fic. you know what you’re for when you read this, you just don’t know when tae decides to reveal his true colors. in hindsight, he acts like ordinary citizen yet ill think we’ll see more of his true colors in later chapters.
- like chalk and cheese by @helenazbmrskai 
↳ tae def helped the mc bring out the craziness in her. it’s refreshing read from most yandere fics as we start to see more of the roles reversed. 
- poison apple by @jooniyah 
↳ moneylender au. this is one of more darker fics. mc doesn’t give up nor so does tae. his character is crazy and im impressed how she keeps her sanity still. 
- purple people eater by @therealmintedmango (AO3)
↳ alien au. ik the title of this fic sounds crazy and the fic is. tae is adorable in the fic (besides the shit he pulled in the end). 
- the phantom by @darkestcorners
↳ paranormal + parallel universe/time travel au. tae’s character in this is fucking scary actually. i probably been dead by now if i was mc in that situation. 
- the treachery and reprisal by @min-hoax
↳ tae got ISSUES. and jimin??? my gasp was so damn loud at the end. that’s it. 
- violets: memories [part one] / violets: realities [part two] by @emoboijk 
↳ stalker au. tae and mc are unhealthy for each other but they still got feelings for each other... love how mc friends are there to support her :D
JEON JUNGKOOK:
- brother knows best by @cosmostae
↳ stepbrother au. jungkook is so hot and goodass smut. gulity-pleasure fic :D
- cardio by kaiseuphoria (AO3)
↳ personal trainer au. jungkook is so sweet but so insane all at once??&!6? this fic is a perfect mix of sweetness and creepiness. 
- cruel intentions by @explicit-tae
↳ mafia au. the first chapter was just recently out and i’m glad the mc got out of the situation. but since it’s the first chapter, i wonder when is jungkook going take her and the baby back? eagerly waiting for the second chapter!
- deception by @kthyg
↳ gang au. this fic is interesting in a way that mc likes jk long before jk likes her. jk gotta manage his anger and sort his shit out first. 
- flower petal by @royallyjoon 
↳ empire + reincarnation au. this two together is tragic. mc did what she gotta for everyone’s sake and that ended up... not so well many years later...
- forever afterthough by sorvette (AO3)
↳ fantasy + vampire + werewolves au + implied poly ot7 x reader. god this was a RIDE. the progress between the mc and jungkook is sweet and i enjoyed their bond together. writing felt like a kinda like dream because this is so well written!!
- play date trilogy by @worldwidemochiguy
↳  the inner turmoil within the mc between leaving and staying lets me know that jk got her bad... honestly same tho
- polarity by @darkestcorners 
↳ best friend’s boyfriend + college au. YOU GUYS WILL NOT GET IT UNTIL YOU READ THIS FIC. like i would smash my head everytime so i wipe OUT my memories and reread this fic all over again. the plot twists, the mind games, and how realistic this setting is in this fic got me fucked in all sorts of places. without being physical, jk uses all types of tactics to overtake mc’s mind. this is a must read. 
- taking over you by @go1denjeon
↳ idolverse au. love the mc’s approach this situation. jk’s character in this fic is actually fucking sick and twisted. at some parts, i just got very uncomfy and got the chills. 
- the crimson shell by @angelicyoongie 
↳ mermen au. do not think this is your friendly mermaid au. merkoo in this fic his claws, spikey teeth, and clicks his mouth to communicate. poor mc in this, she went through SHIT
- the friendly ghost by @darkestcorners 
↳ ghost au. ghostkoo is very sweet. he could never do wrong--until the end RIP :D
- to obtain the flower / primrose [sequel] by @mingshits 
↳ empire au. who knew that mc’s actions toward jk during childhood could leave a result like this lol? this fic was a whole serve, def must read. each time mc takes one step, jk is FIVE steps ahead her LMAO
- you by @whoretan 
↳ college + stalker au. the first chapter recently released and i’m invested on what’s going to happen to the next chapter. everyone’s motive in this fic is somewhat unclear and the mc here is quite unreliable. can’t wait for shit to happen 
5K notes · View notes
anundyingfidelity · 13 days
Text
I'M A RUIN — Soldier Boy/Ben (Part VII)
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Series summary: After the events of the Seven Tower, you present Grace Mallory a new secret project you're working on already to develop a cure to Compound V. The only problem? You need Soldier Boy for that.
Pairing: Soldier Boy/Ben x female reader.
Word count: 3.2k.
Warnings for series: set after S3 (spoilers), some OOC!Ben, some depressed!Ben, angst, hurt/comfort, eventual smut, slow-burn, language, PTSD, reader has Compound V (she's no Vought supe tho), Soldier Boy being an usual asshole, reader is a fucking liar.
Warnings on this chapter: sexual tension, suggestive stuff.
Notes: bonding chapter of this slow burn aaaa thanks again for reading :D
this fic tags: @k-slla @syrma-sensei @mostlymarvelgirl @cheynovak @drasticemotions @soldirboy @deans-spinster-witch
☕ if you like my writing, support me with a ko-fi !
get yourself in the taglist!
Part I | Part II | Part III | Part IV | Part V | Part VI | Part VII | Part VIII
GEN MASTERLIST! — SERIES MASTERLIST!
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Part VII: No More Doubts
When you left the motel early after a quick and dull breakfast, Ben was a pain in the ass as he kept asking question after question on the road. You knew he could just leave you alone but it wasn’t really something you’d like him to do. He was a fugitive, so were you. Soldier Boy knew better than that and he only had to stay by your side as much as he hated the idea. The only thing you could truly answer was that you were driving to a safer place. At least you were hoping it was. When you pulled the car after driving hours between the grove, Soldier Boy was waking up from his nap. You thanked heaven for that.
“We’re here,” you announced, turning off the engine.
Ben stirred on his seat, taking in the view of the house and nature and got out of your car, following you to the front door. He couldn’t help but to look around in somewhat awe. It was a large cottage-style house decorated with earth tones, great walls and columns. The place was surrounded by countless trees, making the weather bearable and somewhat nice due to the hidden location. The leaves climbed on some of the windows and the plants and flowers rested on the ground perfectly neat. He assumed you came here often. But it wasn’t really the place you used to come by and sleep every single day. It was too far away from the facility. As you unlocked the door, Ben followed inside, not without taking a last glance at your surroundings. No homes were near, nothing was to be seen. Only you and him inside this big fucking house.
The indoors were no different from the impression he got first. The decoration, the expensive sofa where you threw the sports bag, and the paintings and pots all over the place were saying you were rich. Of course, a fucking rich whore you were, he thought to himself. And he wondered where your real place was located.
“So, I’m gonna show you a guest room and then around, please don’t screw my house,” you said, giving him the sports bag.
“Got something to drink?” he asked, a smirk plastering on his face as he stepped closer to where you were standing.
“Water I do.”
Ben chuckled for a bit, eyes not leaving your face. “You’re so fucking boring, you know?”
“Yeah, well, alcohol is not really an important supply. Just follow me and maybe I’ll get you some later,” you said, turning around to get to the stairs.
You knew he did as you asked when his big steps echoed around the place. Once you were on the second floor, you motioned him to the next room a couple of feet away from yours and gave him directions about the bathroom and the manners. If he was going to be in your place, then he had to behave.
“I told you already, I’m not a fucking animal,” he complained after hearing your orders.
“Sure,” you dragged the word, eyes narrowed. “Because last night you were so civilized in the bathroom.”
He scoffed and then chuckled. “Did I get too loud?”
“You fucking tell me,” you replied with a much annoying smile on your face to match his own.
“Could’ve joined me. We’re not patient and doctor anymore,” 
“No.”
Just as the last word fell off your lips, your phone rang. Quickly you took the call, realizing it was Grace. You left Soldier Boy in his room and walked down the stairs a little too fast.
“You made it?” she asked on the other line.
“Yeah, arrived just minutes ago,” you answered, checking the stairs in case he followed. “Where are you, Grace?”
“That doesn’t matter. I have something for you.”
“Okay, tell me.”
“I will text you an address and an hour. Today. Don’t miss it.”
Your phone buzzed, announcing the information had arrived.
“I won’t.”
“I’ll keep calling through different phone numbers. Do what you have to do to complete the cure,” she said, like if she knew what was happening between both now.
Soldier Boy was unbearable but you had to keep him on track. Luckily, you were back home again and you’ll be working on the Anti V soon, praying the last bits of information and results of the last test were there for some reason.
“I’m doing my best,” you sighed.
Grace hummed.
“Good.”
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“Any updates so far?”
Ben’s smooth voice woke you up from your daydreaming while you sat together in the dining room.
You had been able to make something quick for lunch after Grace called and you found yourself all jittery and tense, hoping Soldier Boy wouldn’t notice. But he did sense something different from you. So he kept insisting on what was going on.
“I don’t know,” you whispered, taking the last sip of water from your glass. You avoided his eyes, looking away.
He rolled his eyes and narrowed at you. “Has your office contacted you?” 
You shook your head.
“So they’re dead,” he said. Not asking, but affirming it.
A heavy sigh left your lips, your eyes going back to his harsh ones. “Leaving was the best.”
“Who’s that you keep in touch with?”
“What?”
Ben groaned slightly before snapping back with a low voice. “C’mon, Y/N. You called yesterday on the road, and now you receive a call. Who the fuck is it?”
His question is not just an inquiry anymore. He’s demanding to know. But you also know he hated Grace Mallory for putting him to sleep again, confined to a chamber where he’d be a trophy for the government to do whatever they wanted, how they wanted. Until you appeared, offering him empty words. Just like everyone.
“My superior.”
Your answer hit him like a truck. He knew it was Grace, but he didn’t like hearing it from you. 
The truth was, Ben didn’t like you… Not that much. Sometimes he did, sometimes he didn’t. Sometimes he wanted to kill you, sometimes the small common sense he still had on his head would say you’d be better alive. He had been thinking of going away, but not he didn’t really want to. He knew you had been working with Grace, he was no idiot. So maybe staying close should get him even closer to Homelander and Vought. He also thought of Ryan back in the cell you had put him in. He was so damn afraid Ryan would become like his father. And since the brat has been protected before by many people, finding would not be easy. That’s where your contacts and network would be a help to him. He was hoping to find something at your place to find them and the information he craved.
“Right,” he said, alarmingly calm and quiet. He took the last bite of pasta on the plate and swallowed down in silence under your gaze. You didn’t know what else to say.
“So, these powers of yours,” he continued, drinking the last sip of juice. “How’d you get them?”
“Why do you want to know?”
He shrugged. “I mean, they’re pretty fucking useless against me,” his words made you chuckle. Of course you knew that. “But I’m just wondering if you’d be with them.”
Your face turned back to a somber demeanor. “The Seven?”
He gave you a nod.
“Well, it’s not like all supes dream of that,” you uttered. “I just wanted to be normal.”
Ben raised a brow at your sudden confession. “Someone exploded everyone’s heads at the CIA. Sorry to say, sweetheart, but you suck at being normal.”
“Yeah, details I have to work with.”
“I take it you never went to them,” he continued and saw confusion on your face. “Vought.”
The word made you shudder for a slight moment, and you quickly tried to collect yourself to avoid him noticing.
“No, I never did.”
He scrutinized your eyes, hearing the poor increase of your heartbeats. They were enough to tell him something was wrong. But he decided to play along, so he nodded and gave you a rather compassionate look.
“Must be thankful they didn’t fuck up your life then.”
He had no idea.
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You had parked the car outside an abandoned gas station; it was one of the nearest grocery stores to your home years ago. The now wasteland was almost two hours away, with a gas station around ten miles elsewhere. You had been waiting for Grace outside the car, leaning against the hood. Bored, you checked your phone again. When you arrived it was already past three o’clock. When twenty minutes went by, you wanted so badly to drive and get inside the next store you see and buy yourself food and supplies enough to survive a week or two with the idiotic supe now staying at your home. Grace said would be calling through a different phone but you received no calls so far. You’ve been waiting for more than an hour and the drive home wasn’t going to be shorter. Suddenly another car came into sight, pulling over near yours. Two men came out of it.
“Doctor Y/N?”
The stranger with the unknown voice and a weird accent caught your attention. Soon, you found the two tall men standing in front of you in the parking lot.
“We’re here on behalf of Grace Mallory,” the man continued.
He wore a long dark trench coat, looking rough and intimidating. The total opposite to the younger one, who gave you a kind smile once your eyes settled on him.
“How-”
“We have something for you,” the younger man continued. “I’m Hughie. Hughie Campbell,” he introduced himself, giving you a hand and fixing the backpack on his shoulder with the other one. You took it after a moment of hesitation. “He’s Billy Butcher, we’ve worked with Grace before.”
You nodded. “I thought she was the one coming.”
“She’s not in shape for that,” Billy answered. He realized your face changed at his words and quickly explained himself. “Vought’s cunts are looking for her, not safe.”
“Fuck,” you mumbled under your breath. “Great, awesome. So what do you have for me?”
“We, uhm, we made it to your facility and thought these could do some help,” Hughie took out a pouch and gave it to you.
With trembling hands you opened the pouch and sighed in relief. Five test tubes of the Anti V prototype were laid there. “You found them.”
“And we found a little bit more,” Butcher continued. “Victoria Neuman exploded the heads of your employees back there. We believe Vought had been sneaking and getting spies for themselves.”
“Victoria is a supe,” you voiced out. “A supe is running for vice president…”
“Yeah, long story,” Hughie commented. “She’s obviously linked with Homelander and Vought. Everyone was dead when we arrived; lab assistants, guards, agents, the supes… We believe her mission was to just let you and Soldier Boy out, besides stealing information about the cure you’re working on. Probably to give it to Vought.”
“Anything weird happen there before the attack?” Billy asked, not giving you time to swallow Hughie’s words.
“Uhm, yeah. Actually my lab assistant… She tried to warn me and, well, she was crying and asking me to leave. I didn’t know why until her head just- you know…”
You choked a little with your words. The picture of her body and the last seconds of her life were all you got. Everything was equally horrible that day.
“I’m sorry,” Hughie whispered.
“It’s fine,” you cleared your throat. “And I assume you didn’t find anything else? Information? Files?”
“Computers were destroyed. No files. No info. Nothing,” Butcher answered. “Grace says you’re the leader of the project. You have copies, right?”
“Why everybody keeps fucking asking me that? Of course I do!” you almost yelled, eyes full of rage staring at him.
“Easy there, doc,” Butcher lifted up his hands in surrender. “We just wanna get rid of those cunt supes as much as you want. Nothing wrong to make sure.”
“Well, I do have them,” you replied with a cocky smile. “Thank you very much for your concern, Adele.”
Butcher rolled his eyes, sharing a look with Hughie before switching his attention back to you.
“Yeah, sure you do, luv.”
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It was already seven o’clock when you arrived home with supplies and food. Ben, as usually, acted like a fucking caveman claiming he was hungry and you had to act like the housewife, serving him a fucking hamburger and a glass of wine. That was the only liquor you bought. Despite his complaints, his hunger was greater and he devoured the greasy food with no table manners at all.
“You could chew your food like a fucking human being, you know,” you said, eating the last french fries you had. 
He turned his eyes to your face, pointing with his finger. “You were gone for like five hours.”
“So? There’s fruit in the fridge.”
Ben narrowed his gaze, like if he had been offended.
“Don’t tell me you don’t know how to serve something for yourself,” you teased. He didn’t say a word, and you giggled. “That’s fucking pathetic.”
He leaned towards the dining table, eyes locked on yours. “No, you just don’t know your fucking place, woman.”
“I just saved your life, Ben. At least say thanks,” you beamed, having too much fun by seeing him upset for mundane things.
“No, you didn’t.”
You rolled your eyes and took a sip of your wine. “Fine. I didn’t. Let’s go past this and start over. If you’re gonna live here, for now, then you’ll have to learn how to respect me.”
His brows raised. “I thought I already did.”
“Offering yourself to fuck me in a cheap motel is not respectful, Soldier Boy.”
“Well, I didn’t try anything, did I?” Ben finished his sentence at the same time he finished his dinner.
He waited for a smart comeback from you but it never came. He wiped his mouth with a napkin and a stupid grin appeared on his lips. “Unless you want to.”
“No, we’ve been through it. My answer is still no.”
“Then, mind to fucking tell me if you found something by now?”
He changed the topic swiftly. His playful demeanor switched immediately and you sighed, knowing he might have to hear anything to keep him down.
“You’re in danger.”
“I’m the strongest supe ever, that doesn’t make any damn sense,” Ben scoffed.
“Listen, we need to hide from Vought. Hide and not leave a trace, because now I’m involved with you and they’re absolutely looking for your ass,” you gave him a stern look as you went on. “If I fall, you go with me. And if you fall, then I don’t know if they’d still want me. But you’ll be fucked anyway.”
Ben nodded. In his mind, it didn’t sound like a bad plan. In the end, that’s what he wanted; to get closer to Vought and Homelander to get over with them. The world didn’t deserve those fuckers. And as much as Homelander was created with his own DNA, he knew better than to let a scum like him walk around the planet. You already gave him something, a clue. He had to play along for now. If they took you in first, then he might probably bargain to be him instead. It was only fair. He was the one that mattered anyway.
“Okay, I get it. I’ll stay here. But I don’t want those fucking therapies anymore,” he expressed, his gaze not moving away from the surprised look on your face. “Understand?”
You blinked a couple of times, shifting on your seat and chuckling under your breath. “It’s fine, believe me. I can’t stand you more than you do.”
Ben held your gaze, daring you to try something else. Instead, you smiled and got up and took your empty dishes to the sink. His eyes followed your moves, focusing on your small shorts and the softness of your legs. And you knew he was definitely checking you out when you talked.
“By the way, you’ll have to help me wash the dishes.”
He stood up, plates on his hands and walked behind your figure, putting them on the sink as you opened the faucet. His arms surrounded you once he did so and you flinched a bit. Ben smirked, feeling the reaction of your body trapped against his.
“Get away,” you ordered in a whisper, unable to move.
“I’m helping you, Y/N,” he breathed your name against your neck, his hand wrapping on yours gripping on the edge of the sink.
The only sound now was his hot breath on your skin and the water flowing. You quickly turned the faucet off, but you didn’t try to push him away.
It was the second time during the day he had said your name, ever. And you wouldn’t deny it sounded fucking delightful. He had only addressed you as his ‘doctor’, but now it was different. Though, you didn’t want to give into him. He was a huge douchebag and you were basically forced to spend time with him, in your home, without really wanting him there. You felt his lips ghosting over the sensitive skin of your neck, and the primal part of you yearned for his touch, but the rational one won over and you freed yourself from his arms.
“Stop doing that,” you warned once you were face to face. His eyes were dark already and had a sparkle you knew too much since the day before.
“Alright,” he nodded.
“Just- let’s just wash these. I want to sleep.”
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With a tired sigh, you walked down the basement. It was already midnight and Ben was locked inside his room, probably jerking off or something since you, once again, rejected him in your kitchen. Inside the dark room, you found the metal door that let you inside the bunker and unlocked it with the code. When you stepped in, you made sure to turn on the power and lights that illuminated the room and the small lab in the back. The computers started to run and you sat down on the main monitor, leaving the pouch with the Anti V tubes on the side of the desk.
Yeah, you might have told Butcher and Grace you had copies of every detail of the project. But you were afraid of the last stuff you discovered just before the attack. You knew well how the information was protected and encrypted, but it didn’t really assure you the profile of Solaris would be there. He was the first and last supe who had his powers off for a couple of hours at least and the feeling of losing it all had been eating you the last few hours after meeting with Grace’s messengers.
It took you a while to decrypt the system, something you had been already used to doing every time you got there to keep working on it, just to make sure no one would steal it. Hopefully, Vought hadn’t discovered it before destroying the facilities, you thought. And after a while, you found the last updates of the last test your team ran. Solaris profile and test was there. Not just in written letters, but the footage of the test and the exact formula that was used too. Now, you were so lucky.
“Well, thank you, Bianca. Wherever you are,” you whispered to yourself and took a tube from the pouch the men gave you earlier. You had a busy night ahead.
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siren-serenity · 11 months
Text
ingame voicelines 🌈
what would they say about you? would they murmur sweet compliments or chuckle at your silly mistakes? in which yuu asks these strange students of night raven college about you: and is surprised to find out that they have lovers?
characters: cater diamond, jamil viper, idia shroud, dire crowley, gn!reader warnings: - spoilers for chapter 4! - reader is not yuu! a/n: feedback is appreciated!
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"hey hey hey! how are you, yuu? *smiles* have you seen y/n around? i need them for this super cute magicam trend! it's for couples exclusively so i totally need to get y/n and i into this one!...you said they were at the library? okay, thanks!"
"hello yuu *grins* i'm currently on my way to my date with y/n but you said you wanted to ask me something?....'what do our dates look like?' hahaha funny story! so y/n loves sweets, like- seriously loves them. we met through trey since y/n works part-time at his family's bakery. i was so charmed by her beauty that i asked to court them ASAP! they rejected me but gave me a challenge: make them fall in love with me within a month! luckily, with my charming looks and sweet mouth, they accepted!"
"omg look yuu! i need someone to rant to, lmao, so you don't mind if i grab you for a quick five secs? *pauses before getting a nod from yuu* great!! look at this beautiful gift that y/n bought for me the other day! when you press the pendant, it lights up and sends the other person a message! it means you miss them. *the bracelet blinks* OH MY SEVENS!! y/n is so sweet! they're in class but they're able to find time to reply!! *heart eyes* see yuu? y/n is the best s/o anyone could ask for!"
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"hello yuu. do you mind tasting this dish? i need to know if i have used the correct ratio of flavoring to balance out the spices since y/n can't handle those...huh? you're asking who is y/n to me? *smiles* they are my lover of almost three years and tomorrow marks our anniversary."
"hmm? 'how did we meet' you ask? well, y/n was actually kalim's fashion designer when it came to the important events he and his parents had to attend sometimes. i met them when they were designing his outfit and i accidentally spilled hot curry on the garment. believe me *chuckle* i was beyond horrified but they were ever so sweet when they accepted my apology."
"oh! prefect yuu, how may i help you? *listening* so you're asking me for dating advice? got your eye on someone in nrc? *laughs* well, my advice is to always maintain communication and don't let things become misunderstood. i learnt that lesson the hard way after my...incident back in scarabia. y/n had to sit me down and i really just- let loose. they comforted me, gave my over-emotional self a quick reality check and by the time the sun was setting, i felt my heart get lighter. *gives yuu a gentle smile* i don't know what i'd do without y/n."
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"hahaha! take the L, losers! i got a s/o and y'all dont' LMAOO...*jumps in surprise and shrieks* y-yuu! w-when did y-you arrive? *listening* o-oh? you h-heard everything that i-i said?....shit."
"lmao you're asking me how to get a s/o? newsflash, they came to me! not the other way around! i honestly don't know what part of me did they fall for, but after being together for so long, i don't regret saying 'yes' to their proposal."
"h-huh?! you're a-asking me about w-what do our d-d-dates look like? erm- well, most of the time, we game. like i swear to the sevens, y/n has a magic hand when it comes to the ten-pull summons! like i'm playing this game called we-can't-defeat-the-super-evil-boss-with-the-power-of-friendship-and-love and in just the FIRST SINGLE PULL, they brought home the rarest gacha card ever?! bro they are my personal cheat card!"
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"why, good morning to my favorite magicless- I MEAN hello yuu! how can i help you? be quick because i have to get this drink to y/n before it gets cold! see? i'm so generous to my darling, they are so honored to have the one and only me as their lover!"
"where did i meet them? well, at night raven college of course! they were hired as the lecturer for developing 'unique magic' and i fell in love with their uniqueness of their own *laughs heartily* oh, i was such a fool in love."
"hmm...'what do i like most about y/n' you ask? *in deep thought* well, of course i love y/n completely...it's really hard to choose just one...*snaps his fingers and smile* oh! we have this cute ritual every weekend where on the days that our jobs feel like too much, y/n and i will make what you 'youngsters' call a pillow fort! i'll summon some romance books and y/n will make some quick snacks and we'll just read together. sometimes, we'll re-enact some of the book scenes *coughs shyly* BUT we'll not talk about that."
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simplyreveries · 4 months
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Finally found a TWST writing account with their requests open (trust me it’s rare these days to find TWST writing accounts that are taking requests when I need them)… hehehehhe time for a silly request!!
Characters of your choosing (I can’t decide so you get to) with a reader who is self-aware about being in a game. Platonic or romantic, I don’t really care too much. :3 no pressure if you don’t wanna :D
self aware; riddle, azul, malleus
this concept is so interesting to me, thank you!! i did characters i was in the mood to write for!!
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riddle rosehearts
he's confused. he doesn't understand you, but he already knows you're from another world, so he doesn't exactly question it. i mean, of course you're going to be different. he admires your seemingly fearless attitude when dealing with what events come your way but hasn't grasped the concept that it's because you already know what's going to happen, so it doesn't exactly phase you when it comes things such as the overblots.
riddle has the befuddled look whenever you compare him to the queen of hearts. though he is flattered because he looks up to her greatly, he doesn't understand why you're so adamant on telling him it all the time. like whenever you laugh and point out he's "based off of" he's so?? what?? or compare the other dorm members as well. he thinks you're trying to be funny or something and not being serious.
whenever he has history class with you, he's always caught off by surprise when you're able to suspiciously answer most of the questions regarding not only the great seven but other figures and places as well! he thought you just studied well and thought it was rather intelligent of you, not that you already knew.
azul ashengrotto
he finds you peculiar, at first, he thought you were easy to manipulate into signing over the contract during the events of chapter 3 and he tried to take over ramshackle away from you. when you did it without much care or thought, he thought was amusing to see! he was too caught up in being able to successfully "deceive" you that he didn't seem to notice the lax "ohh i know what this part is" attitude from you.
azul has only heard of idia at the board game club they're in together talk a little about his favorite tropes "isekai" and stuff like that. he is curious about the world you're from, but whenever you talk about it, it feels so strange to him. and you keep comparing him to the sea witch! which he thinks is nice but believes he has a long way to go with how great she was.
he feels kind of frustrated when you can almost be one step ahead of him because you know how things are to play out! and even how to talk to people around you. he thinks its impressive though- he thinks you can just read other people well.
malleus draconia
he sees how keen you are on things in twisted wonderland, for someone from another world. but doesn't say anything about it for the most part. whenever you talk and almost get excited, talking about the stories of characters like one of the great seven he quietly listens and adds onto what you're saying. it's interesting, your knowledge is abundant, and you've only been here for a few months.
malleus likes by the way you act. though he isn't entirely sure why you're so confident on knowing how things are going to play out he finds your attitude amusing for a human. you commonly would compare him to maleficent and he'd chuckle shake his head and proceed to tell you stories of just how powerful she was.
he tilts his head slightly, looking down at you confused when you seem deep in thought during your nightly outings before the events of chapter 7. you usually seem so calm and collected but he seemed curious as to why you seemed worried and stressed for once about what's to come in the future. still unknowing what you know. he'll smile softly and tell you, "you need not to worry, child of man."
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ladykailitha · 4 months
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The Magic of Christmas Part 3/8
Just an extra long chapter here because they didn't want to shut up. They're getting closer and their best friends are slowly coming on board to the idea.
Part 1 Part 2
***
Eddie was vibrating. Chrissy had done a total deep dive into this guy and other then being a bratty teenager and having shit parents there was nothing in Steve’s closet that would set off alarm bells.
Steve Harrington just knew how to deal with people to get what he wanted. He knew when to back off, too. In fact, Eddie was trying to get the dude stop backing off so much.
He was a people pleaser with eroded boundaries. And while that was certainly a problem, it wasn’t a ‘might be a serial killer’ problem like Chrissy thought.
So yeah, Eddie was vibrating because he was going to show Steve his first set of sketches for him to okay the design.
Steve was late. He had called to let him know he would be late. A meeting had gone over and he would be there as soon as he could.
Eddie pulled out his drawing pad and flipped through the designs he had come up with. He itched to pull out a pencil and “fix” a line or seven. But he had to refrain. If he started on it he would be so far down the rabbit hole that he would have three new designs before Steve got here.
A shadow crossed over him and he looked up to see Steve standing there.
“Steve!” he greeted warmly, getting to his feet.
They shook hands and then sat down.
“So what have you got for me?” Steve asked eagerly, leaning on his forearms to see Eddie’s drawing pad.
Eddie grinned at him. “I’ve got loads, big boy.” He turned the drawing pad around and Steve paid diligent attention to each piece.
He went back to the third design and turned it back to face Eddie. “I like this one. But I have one suggestion, if I may?”
Eddie shrugged. “Sure.”
“What if the dragon’s wings spread out over the four other pieces connecting them?” Steve asked, biting on his lip.
Eddie began to sketch furiously while Steve watched in fascination.
“Have you ever thought about streaming your process?” Steve asked. “It’s very enthralling.”
Eddie’s head jerked up like he’d forgotten Steve was there at all. He looked down at his pad and blushed. “I never thought I’d have the patience for it, you know? The whole explaining it while I’m doing it.”
Steve nodded. “I can see why that might deter you. But if you just drew or painted and put music over the top, I think it would do very well.”
“And would you be my first subscriber?” Eddie teased.
“Hell yeah!” Steve said with a grin. “And I would tell everyone I know to subscribe too.”
“I’ll think about it.”
He slid the drawing back over to Steve, who grinned.
“Perfect.”
*
“Edward Allen Munson!” Chrissy hissed as she threw open the door to their loft. “You tell me right now: are you joking about the YouTube channel?”
Eddie looked up from his sketching and blinked at her. “I thought you’d be pleased.”
She walked over to where he had sprawled out in front of the five canvasses and flopped down across from him. “I am pleased but only if you aren’t trying to butter me up to leave you alone about your ridiculous crush.”
Eddie opened and closed his mouth, licking and smacking his lips as he struggled for words.
“It’s about the crush but not in the way you mean…?” he said with a grimace.
She crossed her legs and put her elbows on her knees. She rested her head on her knuckles to stare him down. He wiggled and squirmed under her gaze.
“Explain.”
So Eddie did.
Chrissy rubbed her chin thoughtfully. “So no talking but what if I convinced you to let me write words to put up on the screen while you paint talking about the subject matter and why you chose it?”
“Oh!” he said brightly. “Even better! Why don’t I talk about D&D or music while I paint? That way I can babble to my hearts content without out having to drone on about the process.”
She blinked at him. “Eddie Munson you are a genius.” She rose up on her still crossed legs and kissed him soundly on the forehead. “I love it and you.”
Eddie blushed and went back to his sketching.
*
“Steve!” Dustin screamed into his ear when he picked up the phone mere days after his last meeting with Eddie.
“God, kid,” Steve groaned. “Tone it down. I don’t want to go deaf please.”
He could practically feel the eye roll from here.
“Eddie Munson has a YouTube channel!” Dustin continued to scream. “Oh my god do you know how big this is?!”
“One, I need to you to breath before you pass out from lack of oxygen to your brain,” Steve said. “You like your brain, don’t abuse it like this.”
Dustin let out a slow shuddering breath. “Right. I’m breathing.”
“Good,” Steve said slowly. “And two, I know about the channel because he told me about it.”
“You already know?” Dustin squawked. “Why didn’t you tell me?”
Steve sighed. “Look at the clock and tell me what time it is?”
“2:37pm. Why?”
“What time did the channel go live?” Steve asked, pinch the bridge of his nose.
“About one.”
“And where would you have been at one?” he asked, his eyes fluttering shut against the audacity of this kid.
“Oh.”
“Yeah, bud,” Steve said. “Oh. You were in class. Which I still don’t understand why you are taking summer classes. You’re young, you should enjoy your life.” He tilted his head. “How did you find out so fast anyway?”
“I follow Eddie on twitter, Facebook, Instragram, and his fan Discord server.” This was said as though it was obvious.
“Well now you have one more place to follow him,” Steve said ignoring the tone.
“Steve…” Dustin said, his voice low and dangerous. “Why are you his first subscriber?”
“Look, Dustin,” he said trying to keep the giggle in his throat from bursting through, “I’ve got to run. I have a meeting.”
“Stev–”
Steve sighed as he held the phone against his forehead, grateful they weren’t in person.
“Yeah, Steve,” Robin said from the doorway, “why were you his first subscriber?”
He blushed a dark red. “Because I promised I would be when I suggested the channel three days ago?”
Robin narrowed her eyes. “I see.”
Steve wasn’t sure what she saw, but he knew he would find out soon enough.
*
Eddie was working on Dustin’s first because he felt like it was the most important to get right. Wizards were usually portrayed as dusty old men and it appeared that this kid had done the same. But then the character was created ten years ago.
But Eddie decided to avoid a Gandolf/Dumbledore looking dude and went more for a Jafar that had gotten the time to grow old. A neat goatee, a sharp piercing gaze and weather-beaten skin.
His robe had stars on it according to Will the Wise’s picture of them. So he decided to make the robe look it was filled with swirling galaxies and nebulae.
Eddie was working on the cave background when his phone chirped. He tucked his paintbrush behind his ear and pulled it out.
Rich Pretty Boy: I got ahold of a couple of friends of mine that are going to help promote your charity. Nancy Wheeler is an investigative journalist most of the time but she owes me a favor and is willing to interview you about the charity to get it seen on a national platform. I’ll email you the details.
Eddie blinked at his phone in shock. Nancy Wheeler was the new and improved Barbara Walters (improved as in she wasn’t an ass to the people she was interviewing.) That must be a huge fucking favor she owed Steve if he got her for this.
EM: Holy shit! What kind of blackmail do you have on her for this?
RPB: LOL! I’m sworn to secrecy, sorry. :(
EM: All right, keep your secrets.
RPB: That’s LotR, right?
EM: Correct. I know you keep telling me you aren’t a nerd, but dude every time we talk I gather more and more evidence to the contrary.
RPB: I blame Dustin. He wore me down.
EM: Then I take it upon myself to complete the education that Sir Dustin has begun!
EM: Meet me at my loft on Friday at 8pm. We are going to start with the animated classics of the 80s!
RPB: Beer or wine?
EM: Beer.
EM: I’ll see you later, pretty boy. I have this huge project I’m working on that is on a deadline.
RPB: Curse the bastard that’s taking up all your time. ;)
Eddie laughed out loud.
EM: He’s the worst. ;)
RPB: See you on Friday, Eds.
EM: Laters!
Eddie put his phone down with a fond smile on his face. It was absolutely ridiculous how much he loved this beautiful idiot that had come in and swept him off his feet.
*
“Tell me again why I have to be here for this?” Chrissy complained for the fifth time that hour.
“Because fair Christine,” Eddie said through gritted teeth, “it’s not a date and he’s bringing his best friend.”
“How is his secretary his best friend anyway?” she groused, folding her arms and burying herself into the big fluffy sofa.
Eddie rolled his eyes and flopped down next to her. “They were friends before he took over the business. They had worked together in every job they’ve ever had so when he took over he put the one person he could trust in front of his office to shield himself from the assholes who make his life a living hell.”
Chrissy pursed her lips. “Fine.”
He kissed her cheek and went to go get the popcorn and candy.
“You ever going to tell this Steve you have a hard on for him?” she asked as he kept swapping bowls around for best placement.
“No,” Eddie said firmly. “Not while he’s paying me, anyway.”
She shrugged. “I guess that’s fair. It’s just...”
“That I have it so bad my only two thoughts are painting and Steve?” he finished for her.
“And me,” she agreed. “But pretty much.”
He put his head on her shoulder. “I’ve never fallen this hard for a person before. He’s sweet and funny and an absolute dork.”
Chrissy kissed the top of his head. “I’ll be good tonight. No bitching or being mean.”
Eddie snorted. “He’s also a queen bitch. So you can be you all you want. Just...”
She turned on the sofa, bringing her knees up to her chest. “But what?”
“When he starts gushing about something don’t...” he floundered for the right words. “Just don’t make him feel small about it.”
Chrissy tilted her head to side. “Has people made him feel small about his interests?”
Eddie nodded. “I think his parents were like yours, if I’m honest.”
“Rich, entitled assholes who wanted a doll and not a child?” she asked bitterly. He nodded. She sighed heavily. “Yeah okay. You got me. I know the signs and will adjust accordingly.”
He threw his arms around her and gave her a wet sloppy kiss on the cheek.
Just then the doorbell rang.
“They’re here,” Eddie said nervously.
Chrissy leaned down to look at him. “Do you want me to answer the door to give you a second to prepare?”
He nodded.
She gave his hands a squeeze and gracefully slid off the couch to do just that. She bounded over to the door and threw it open. And yeah, objectively she knew what Steve looked like, but seeing him out of his trademark blue power suit was a revelation. And immediately she got why Eddie fell hard for this guy.
He was wearing a David Bowie t-shirt from his Ziggy Stardust era and tight, light blue jeans. His sneakers were Nike’s, and his watch was Schwartz but those were the only major shows of wealth.
Next to him was not what she was expecting either. Chrissy was expecting someone more bookish. Glasses, frumpy. Or even the extreme opposite, a fashion plate. Someone who fit the sexy secretary stereotype. But nope.
She was fashionable, Chrissy had to give her that, but not in the way she thought. Billowy pants with a long-sleeved button up with sleeves rolled up to her elbows and pair of colorful suspenders. Her blonde hair was artfully tousled and she had freckles on her nose and cheeks.
In short, Chrissy was in love.
“Hi!” she greeted as though her heart wasn’t going to leap out of her chest to prostrate itself before this lovely maiden, only for her stomp all over it.
“Hey,” Steve smiled back. “You must be the agent/best friend, Chrissy I’ve been hearing so much about. It’s nice to put a name to the face.”
The woman elbows him. “Face to the name, dingus.”
Steve flushed. “I’m so glad I have you here to correct me.”
“Come on in,” Chrissy said warmly, moving out of the way for them to enter the loft. Inwardly she briefly wondered if maybe the best friend was the cause of the “limiting” as Eddie called it.
“Thanks!” he said and then pointed to the woman next to him. “This is Robin my platonic soulmate, best friend, and all around Stevie wrangler. I don’t know what I would do without her.”
“Aww,” Robin said with a smile and hip check.
Steve stumbled but laughed, too.
By the time they reach the living area Chrissy still wasn’t sure what to think about these two.
Eddie leapt to his feet at the sight of them.
“Stevie! Robin!” he greeted brightly. “You found the place okay?”
Robin nodded. “I’m glad you gave us directions on top of the whole GPS otherwise we would have ended up in some cemetery.”
Chrissy grimaced. “Yeah. But that cemetery was here before the condos and high rises so I can’t complain. Even though I really, really want to.”
“How old is the cemetery?” Steve asked eagerly.
She looked over at Eddie for help. “I don’t actually know.”
“Uh...” Eddie said unhelpfully. “I don’t know exactly but I know it’s over a century old.”
Steve lit up. “That’s so cool.”
“You like old graveyards, Steve?” Chrissy asked. She sat down on the sofa and grabbed the bag of popcorn.
“Steve is obsessed with them,” Robin said playfully.
“Am not,” he said and then turned to Chrissy and Eddie. “I’m really not. I just think it’s super neat.”
“What makes them so neat?” Eddie asked, taking the beer from Steve and setting it on the table with the array of goodies.
“Like seeing a bunch of people with similar death years knowing that it was because of a pandemic,” Steve said. “Or on Memorial Day going to see all the American flags for those that died during war time. It’s all just endlessly fascinating.”
“I could take you some time,” Eddie said. “Have a picnic lunch, make a day out of it.”
“You’d do that?” he asked eagerly.
Chrissy bumped Eddie’s shoulder. “Eddie here likes graveyards because they’re spooky.”
Steve laughed. “That’s a great reason to like graveyards.”
They settled down to watch the movies Eddie had picked out for them. A double feature of “The Hobbit” and “The Return of the King”.
“Holy shit!” Steve said afterwards. “How did they get more faithful to the books in less time than Peter Jackson?”
Eddie laughed. “Good story telling.”
They finally left for the night and Eddie closed the door behind them.
“Thoughts?” Eddie asked.
“And prayers,” Chrissy said. “Holy fuck do you have it bad. And I’ll swear under oath that if there is a god, he made Steve especially for you.”
He blushed. “Fuck, you can’t say that.”
“Why not?” she asked raising an eyebrow.
“Because it feels that way for me, too,” he whined, “and if you think that too, then I’m royally fucked.”
Chrissy sighed. “Yeah.”
***
Part 4 Part 5 Part 6 Part 7 Part 8
@spectrum-spectre @estrellami-1 @zerokrox-blog @artiststarme @swimmingbirdrunningrock @gregre369 @pyrohonk ​@a-little-unsteddie @chaosgremlinmunson @chaoticlovingdreamer @maya-custodios-dionach @goodolefashionedloverboi @messrs-weasley @val-from-lawrence @i-must-potato @danili666 @carlyv @rozzieroos @wonderland-girl143-blog @justforthedead89 @emly03 @bookworm0690 @itsall-taken @vecnuthy @bookbinderbitch @redfreckledwolf @littlewildflowerkitten @yikes-a-bee @awkwardgravity1 @scheodingers-muppet @mira-jadeamethyst @cinnamon-mushroomabomination @genderless-spoon @anne-bennett-cosplayer @irregular-child @carlprocastinator1000 @mogami13 @samsoble
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dumbbitchenergy17 · 6 months
Text
Where the Wild Things Are - Chapter 7
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Chapter Seven: Haunted Memories
Plot: Wild men or monstrous infected creatures, the world is wild and ravaged by Cordecyps but some are raised in it and flourish becoming a wild thing.
Word Count: 3.6K
Pairing: Joel Miller x Platonic!Teen!Reader, Ellie Williams x Platonic!Reader
Warnings: canon-typical fighting/violence, injuries, harsh language, tw: trauma from abusive mother, vomit, DESCRIPTION OF POSSIBLE SEXUAL ASSUALT
—————
I wish I didn't care. 'Cause I just can't compare and oh how the bitterness stings. What am I doing wrong? Do I just not belong? Oh, why can't I excel at something? Like you.
“What is wrong with you?”
Her voice roars through the small apartment rattling the walls. Your head instinctively ducks down at the sheer volume as salty tears already form in your eyes. You didn’t mean for it to happen it was an accident, you had a simple job go and get the food with the ration cards. Your tiny hands clutching the cards that determine whether you will eat or not as you race through the streets excitement across your face happy to provide help to your mother.
“How stupid are you?”
That insult was thrown at you so many times it slowly became fact. You were a stupid kid. A disgrace, brat, failure. Any comment under the sun could describe how stupid you were. The ration building was so close and the warm feeling ready to hear the praise come from your mother when you returned home.
“I should have made sure you were never born.”
Just feet away and your short legs tripped against some mere trash. You should have paid more attention, she says you’re always daydreaming your attention a thousand miles away. You hit the ground hard and fast, the scrape of concrete against your fragile skin as your grasp of the small paper cards gets picked up by the wind. You watch frozen on your stomach watching the ticket to a meal fly into the gutter disappearing from your view and in that moment you had been given a fate worse than death.
“Do you have any idea how hard it is living with such an ungrateful brat!” She was right you were one. You took her kindness for granted and this is how you repay her. Your hands clutch the end of her shirt tears welling up in your eyes as you begged for forgiveness.
“I’m sorry mama..please I’m sorry!” It hurt worse hitting the ground once more but this time at the hands of your mother. You hold your breath trying to keep in the tears but fail the second you smack against the tile of the kitchen. Fat tears roll down your face stinging the tiny cuts across your face from falling on the street as you cry before your mother. Her warnings to force you to stop go on deaf ears as you wail before her and beg for forgiveness. It was pathetic really. Big tears and snot pouring out of the child had only triggered the older woman more just the noise sent her into a rage.
“I told you…to stop fucking crying!” A harsh grip on your arm as you’re pulled to your feet stumbling to try to keep up. The door to the outside rips open as you’re tossed out your body colliding with the cold snow producing a sharp cry. Scrambling to your knees you look up at your mother disgust branded on her face as she stares at not a child anymore but a young woman.
“Starve for all I care. I don’t care about you…your bastard of a father never cared about you..the world doesn’t care about you.” Her words are like venom, as you bite your lip so hard blood pours from the self-afflicted wound. The door shakes on its old hinges as it slams shut. You race to the old wood your hands pounding on the door pleads falling from your lips,
“Mama…I’m sorry please let me in.” Your voice is hoarse and cracks with your words. The snow soaks into your thin clothes your body quickly numbs as you cry hoping she finds pity and brings you inside away from here where anyone could snatch you up and harm you.
 The cable wraps around your throat tightly dragging you away from your safety as your voice is choked by the wire. It digs deep into your skin scratching to pull it free as your precious air is drained from your lungs. The other raider stalks toward you in the snow as your legs kick out the storm rages on muffling your screams.
Cries for your mother to come to your aid.
Help me.
Save me. 
Love me.
Your prayers go unanswered as the cable gets taut, your lungs burning, screaming for air. The burly man towers over you pinning you the cold of the snow burning your skin as his hands move toward his belt ready to take what he wants.
This was what she warned you about. You’re a stupid girl who never listens to her.
“Mama please!” Your screams echo through the air as the man with no jaw reveals a rotten bloody grin as his hand grabs your pants.
Air rushes through your lungs as you shoot upwards the rapid ascent of bile as you fall from the bed pain pulsing in your shoulder. Your sore body stumbles to the bathroom barely reaching the toilet as you expel whatever little was in your stomach. Your eyes sting as you empty your stomach coughing at the acidic taste, feeling drained as you slump back against the wall. You wince at the inhale your hand raising to your throat sucking in a harsh breath feeling the bandaged skin but the light pressure just tracing it sends you recoiling.
Fuck that hurts.
Flushing the toilet while pulling yourself up with the help of the sink running the water to wash your hands and then cupping water in your palms to drink. Spitting out the water in the sink semi-cleaning your mouth from the bitter taste of bile you look up at the mirror. Why hadn’t you anticipated the attack? You should’ve known one was going to be coming from behind. Your brows draw together a deep frown across your face looking at yourself. Those dark circles, the weakness in your bones and muscles, you’re getting weaker.
Getting weaker makes you vulnerable.
Weak means you’ve become a liability.
Weak means you can’t protect yourself.
Weak. Weak. Weak.
The world wasn’t going to wait for you to heal. The world doesn’t care about you.
Your joints ache removing the bandages seeing the raw wound across your neck and the neat stitching along your shoulder. The water runs a murky red removing the dried blood and grime off your body wishing to stay under the hot water forever but you knew you would have to get out. You don’t think you’ll ever get used to running hot water.
You had to bite down on your lip to muffle the sounds of pain as you redressed your wounds and dressed in clothes. Your limbs ache and you already feel drained of energy but you need to persevere through. The house is silent looking out the windows it didn’t even look like the sun had risen yet. Your body begs you to return to bed and sleep but you ignore the rational side, when you lived in the cabin the few times you injured yourself you were right back at work. Surviving to get to where you are today didn’t allow you to rest, if that meant traveling with healing wounds or cold then it happened.
The walk to the stables could have been peaceful if it wasn’t for the slight pounding in your head that only grew worse when you made it to the building. You barely acknowledge the horses as they seem to sense your weakened state putting them in a concern mode. Red nudges her head against your hand when you pat the side of her face. A noise of worry for the young girl that took care of them all.
Joel was surprised to not be plagued with nightmares given the circumstances that occurred not even twenty-four hours ago. No dreams of failing those he cared about, watching the ones he loved taken from him so brutally leaving him just an empty shell. He was also surprised by the quietness of the home, no pounding of shoes rushing through the house or the banging of cabinets as Ellie went scavenging for a meal for the growing girl. Glancing at the functioning clock resting against the bedside table he saw how late he had slept in for. It was almost noon for christ sake he scolds himself. Pushing himself up and out of bed with a groan to get at the late start in the day. His joints ache and crack as he rises to his feet and the loud noise of someone bounding up the stairs makes him feel slightly alright knowing this was normal in this new life of his.
The pounding on the bedroom door was something he didn’t think was normal. A tired shuffle quickly turned into annoyance as he dressed himself as the door continued to be beaten by whoever was outside of it.
“I’m coming! You can stop your poundin’!” He shouts his voice hoarse from using it for the first time today. “Why the hell are yo-” He already had a feeling it was Ellie as he swung the door revealing the younger girl but what came out of her wasn’t what he expected.
“She’s gone!” The panic and fear in her voice and face seemed to completely wake the older man up.
“What?” Immediately alert as Ellie starts pulling him out of his room and dragging him to the stairs, “I woke up and thought to make you guys breakfast and when I went to go check out her she wasn’t there! Her shoes and coat were gone, and it looked like she hadn’t been there for hours. I wanted to go looking but I knew I should have woken you up.”
“Settle down kiddo, it’s alright. Get your shoes and coat we’ll go get Tommy.” And like he summoned his brother the front door swings open and in comes the younger Miller brother with surprisingly the person they were about to go after who looked on the verge of keeling over.
“What the hell! Where were you?!” Ellie starts spewing questions running up to her and grabbing her shoulders. The motion makes the older girl’s eyes widen and she pulls back right out the door barely making it to the porch railing before emptying her stomach right over into the snow below. Ellie and Joel jump back at the sudden action as Tommy who seems to have already dealt with this holds your hair back as you cough and spit out bile, the acidic taste bringing tears to your eyes.
“Holy fuck.” Ellie turns from the sight not able to handle someone being sick causing a turn in her stomach. Joel watches as Tommy gives some comforting words while you rest your head on the railing trying to catch your breath.
“Alright let’s get you inside,” Tommy says softly helping you back to your feet both men were surprised by the complacency given your rejection of their help last night. The younger Miller brother helps you sit on the couch pulling a blanket across your lap before joining his brother back by the front door.
“Where the hell did you find her?” Joel questions both men glancing over at you and the sickly expression and demeanour that surrounds you. “Stables was going to take her shift until someone could cover her. Found her barely able to stand looking like the wind could blow her away.” Looking back at you to find Ellie sitting beside you on the couch trying to offer you a glass of water and you accept with weak hands.
Your head was pounding with the weak sips of water added weight to your empty stomach creating more pain. Being in Jackson you’ve gotten too used to actual meals or decent food instead of picking scrapes or rationing food to last you when you were in the cabin. Even in Kansas, the limited ration cards were barely enough for a growing child your stomach used to times of going through the day with maybe only one meal or just a crumb of food in your body.
“Hey kid,” Tommy’s voice pulls you from your thoughts with a heavy head looking up at the older man squatted in front of you. “You just stay there with Ellie and keep drinking water. Gonna get you soup something light on your stomach alright?” You hum bringing your attention back to your drink and Tommy stands with a groan both he and Joel head elsewhere from your field of vision. You’re sure Joel said something to Ellie but your eyes drifted shut only to blink awake from a poke at your thigh and a whisper of your name.
“Thank fuck I thought you stopped breathing for a second,” Ellie sighs and you shift your position feeling a crick in your neck from how you rested it. Ellie sat on one end her legs crossed on the cushion while you were more splayed out on your end.
“Where’d they go?” You grumble rubbing your eyes and wincing from the soreness in your shoulder when moving it.
“Uh Tommy went to go get you some food from the mess hall and Joel went to get you painkillers for your shoulder and something for your fever,” Ellie explains fiddling with the comic in her hands. She felt a lot of pressure on her shoulders being responsible for someone much older than her. Joel basically telling to keep an eye on her and no matter the circumstances ‘Don’t Let Her Leave.’
You cough and a flare of dryness in your throat and you reach for the glass finishing the water lubricating your vocal cords, “I’m fine…” Your hands gripping the couch and trying to push yourself to stand.
“No no no. Joel said you have to stay here until they get back. You shouldn’t have been outside anyway with your injuries.” Ellie rises to her feet and grabs your arms pushing you back onto the couch a groan coming from you. “Sorry! But I can’t let you leave.”
“You’re an asshole.” You hiss your one moment of energy gone once return to the couch. “Whatever keeps you there, I’m gonna get you more water. Don’t move.” She says pointedly grabbing your empty glass she walks backward making sure you’re in her sites before bolting for the kitchen to get you more water. In the few seconds she’s gone you contemplate getting up and trying to leave but your body wins out on your mind shutting down in exhaustion.
“Alright, more water for you.” She holds it out and you accept it with a grunt, “You’re welcome.” Rolling her eyes she returns to her spot silence between the two of you before she speaks up.
“How did you get those burns on your arms.”
“No.” A tense air covers the living room and you can see Ellie fidgeting in the awkward tension and the coldness that came from you from just one word.
“I just thought…I don’t know if it’s good to talk about things. Joel says it isn’t healthy to keep things to yourself, though when I tell him shit he just scolds me and gets made like it wasn’t my fucking fault,” She kinda goes off track before refocusing, “I’m just saying maybe talking about it to someone who may get you. Instead of an adult that’s just gonna be annoying and berate you.”
“You’re like twelve though?” You say and she smacks your leg with her comic, “Fuck you I’m sixteen! You’re only two years older.” You smirk a light chuckle leaves you and Ellie has a look of shock.
“You just laughed? I’ve never heard you fucking laugh!” She gets all excited as you take of sip of your water, “And you’ll never hear it again.”
“Come on! You didn’t even crack a grin at my joke book and you know those were fucking funny.” She points her finger at you before leaning back against the arm of the couch. Your finger circles the rim of the glass your nails broken your skin littered with tiny cuts are fading scars.
“You can ask questions,” Ellie perks up, “But if I don’t want to answer you don’t push it. Got it.” It was a tiny step of her learning about you but she was taking it and running with it.
“Promise! Alright alright!” She fixes herself to be fully facing you an excited grin on your face.
“What’s your favorite color?”
Whatever time passed since Joel and Tommy left Ellie learned as much as she could from your favorite color even though you said you didn’t have one and she said everyone has one until you said orange like sunset orange, you were born in the summer though it took you a while to figure out when you were born, your favorite food being the chocolates Ellie gave you when you first met which lead her to run to the kitchen to grab them the two of you nibbling on them as you spoke, you told her you used to read when you were a kid taking as many books as you could in the QZ school library and during your travels to the cabin to keep you entertained the cabin having your ‘collection’ of books you found. It got to deeper questions that the light air took a different path.
“So how long were you in that cabin before Tommy and Jesse found you?” Ellie asks leaning her arms on her knees with interest.
“I found that place when I had just turned seventeen so it was still warm but it was going to start getting colder soon. I was with people for a bit before I left them. They found me and took me with them…they were Fireflies.” That piece of information has Ellie sitting up straight hearing the rebellion group she was closely connected to.
“You were a Firefly?” She asks and you shrug, “I didn’t believe and still don’t believe in that whole ‘Look for the Light’ bullshit. They didn’t kill me when I stumbled upon their base, they kept me alive and let me stay with them.” They could have killed you, you were just a kid with no benefits for them but they spared you. Kept you alive in this fucked up world.
“Why did you leave?” She asks. Had they come across people you knew when you were traveling? Ellie could tell Joel that you were a ‘Firefly’ maybe he’d met you before during their travels. Maybe Marlene knew of you or maybe Tommy might she was sure Joel mentioned Tommy being a Firefly once.
“Place got attacked. I’m not sure who it was but I didn’t have any ties to them. I wasn’t fighting in a dying rebellion so I left and found myself tired and bleeding at that cabin.” You say. You remember that quiet, the peace that was there in that building before you heard the pop of bullets, and suddenly people were yelling running towards the fight unaware it was coming straight towards them.
“You got hurt?” Ellie says concern in her voice. “Grabbed whatever I could and ran, whatever group or whoever was there got me. The bullet went right through my calf no matter how fast I ran. I couldn’t outrun them so I just lay there and hoped they thought I was dead.
The pain of the bullet ripping through flesh your body hitting the ground and you just reacted smearing the blood of the dead Firefly next to you and just laid there. You heard the footsteps drawing near until they stopped right before you and for a second you were actually fearful that you would die. You heard the clatter of the empty magazine land inches from your face before whoever was before you looted the Firefly’s weapon and continued on leaving you there. You weren’t sure how long you stayed there until you got up and limped your way out of that building.
“I fixed myself up then just walked until I stumbled up the cabin you know the rest.” You say and it’s quiet before you place the once again empty glass to the side looking at Ellie an unrecognizable look on her face. “You alright?” She quickly looks up the look disappears as well.
“Yeah..yeah I’m good.” She says with a nod and you return one as well, “It wasn’t an easy life but it was my life. I rather deal with the infected. They are predictable I know how they work. But people…the ones still living in this fucked up world. They are the reason I stayed in the cabin.”
It was an understandable reason, infected were easier to read and how to avoid them or to kill them. Humans had different ideas and ways of living, and that made them more dangerous. If it wasn’t for a fungus infecting a majority of them we all would have killed each sooner or later.
“All these years who taught you to survive…who looked after you in the QZ? Where were your parents during all of this.” The shock in your veins just from the mention of the two people who created you, mainly the one who was in your life.
“You think I’m going to look after an ungrateful fucking brat?!”
With the slam of that glass bottle, the chips and cracks form just waiting for the one moment when it explodes when slammed just hard enough.
The smell of the smoke would cloud the house, making your eyes water, and your lungs tight begging for fresh air.
Your skin burns as the stick is held against your skin. Screams and pleads blare in your head.
“This is all your fault!”
“Pass.”
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