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lovebugism · 10 months

Note

eddie x shy!reader , she asks him on a date by giving him tickets to a concert and he thinks its a joke til she walks away feeling rejected & he realizes she’s like dead serious & goes up to her

thanks for your request! i sorta broke my own heart with this one — the one where eddie rejects you and immediately regrets it (shy!reader, hurt/comfort, 2.6k)

bug's summer fic fest ♡

Robin tells you that he’s nice. She says he won’t turn you down because he loves Mötley Crüe too much and he’s called you pretty too many times. Robin Buckley is many things — a dork, a polyglot, and your best friend, to name a few — but she’s never been a liar.

She wouldn’t lead you to the slaughter that way. She wouldn’t just let you get your heart broken. More than anything, though, she knows Eddie far better than you do — partly because she’s actually able to talk to him.

So despite your lingering worry, you swallow her words like a shot of vodka and maneuver helplessly through the bustling crowd of the Hawkins High lunchroom.

Eddie Munson sits alone at the Hellfire Club table — the smallest one in the very back corner by the large square window.

Instead of eating a real meal (even though the hamburgers might be horse meat instead of cow), the boy eats crumbled-up pretzels from a worn ziplock bag. He pinches them into his mouth blindly because his chocolate syrup gaze is trained on the well-loved book folded in his left hand.

J.R.R Tolkien’s, The Hobbit.

It makes you smile softly to yourself. You hope one day you’ll have the courage to tell him you’ve read that book so many times you could recite it in your sleep. You hope that day comes soon.

“Eddie?” you call softly to him when you reach his table. Your sweaty fingers fidget with the concert tickets you clutch between them.

He just thinks he hears his name at first. It’s barely audible over the sounds of muddled chatter in the cafeteria. He glances up from his book, not expecting anyone to be there, and gaping when he finds you standing in front of him.

His cinnamon eyes go wide. The boy blinks owlishly at you once, then flits his eyes behind you like he’s expecting to see someone there. When he doesn’t, he blinks at you again.

“Hi…” you waver with a trembling smile.

Eddie grins back, still obviously confused. “…Hi?”

“I, uh… I don’t know if you heard, but— well, obviously you heard, that’s… that’s stupid,” you laugh at yourself, shaking your head with your eyes squeezed shut. You’re already stumbling all over yourself, and you haven’t even managed a full sentence yet.

“Mötley Crüe is coming to Indianapolis in a few days, and a friend of mine was selling tickets, so I bought them. For us. Potentially. You know, if you wanted to… to go… With me.”

Your offer lingers and hangs in the air between the two of you.

A smile quirks at the right side of Eddie’s pink mouth. It isn’t a kind one, though. It looks more cynical than anything else.

His head juts back. He’s almost peering at you from the corner of his eye as though you were some suspicious thing he needed to analyze. A laugh sputters from his lips. “Did Buckley put you up to this? Is that what this is?”

Your faltering smile fades entirely. Your features crumble in disappointment.

This worse he could say is no, Robin had told you.

You hadn’t prepared yourself for this.

“…What?” you wonder, voice fragile like a wilting flower petal.

Eddie chuckles to himself. He sets the book down to give you his full attention, though you’re not sure you want it anymore. “You know, I knew she was upset about me trying to set her up with Vickie and all, but this is a… whole new low.”

“Vickie…?” you murmur through a tightening throat, brows pinched in confusion. “I don’t understand—”

“Look, sweetheart… Tell Robin that this was a real funny joke, but I’m not interested, alright?”

Your chest aches with an empty feeling. You think your heart might be breaking. “J—Joke?”

“—Actually, tell her that this was very not metal of her, and that I will get my vengeance,” Eddie says with a sardonic laugh deeply rooted in his chest. His smile looks almost like he pities you as he shakes his head, eyes twinkling with pessimism. “I’m sorry she sent you to do her dirty work, but… You should probably go now. This is, you know, the Hellfire Club table and everything, so…”

You swallow thickly, then nod.

Eddie doesn’t want you here. Eddie doesn’t want you at all.

“I’m— I’m sorry if I…” The words get caught in your throat. You clear it and blink back burning tears. “I was just… I thought that maybe—”

“Eddie!” a boyish voice calls from across the cafeteria, only halfway drowned out through all the noise. A group of guys in Hellfire shirts walk towards the table.

You take that as your cue to leave. You don’t want to burst into tears in front of your crush and all of his friends.

“I’m sorry,” is all you manage to choke out before turning on your heel and walking away.

He’d been smiling up until that point — like it was all a big joke to him — because it was.

The girl he’s been fawning over since junior year comes out of nowhere with tickets to see one of his favorite bands? That was the kind of shit he dreamt about — the kind of plan only someone as vicious as Robin Buckley could concoct to hurt his feelings. And after spending so many years being the brunt of bullies, Eddie was tired of being embarrassed.

And at first, he thought you were just a really good actor. You did look almost genuinely confused when he’d snuffed out the plan so quickly. But those wide, glassy eyes you looked at him with — he doesn’t know if a person can fake that sort of heartbreak. That looked real.

Eddie had been close to commending himself for not letting Robin win. He thought he was a genius for not allowing Buckley to use you against him. Now he knows he’s the same dumbass he's always been.

“Hey, man…” Gareth wavers as he sits at his designated seat adjacent to Eddie’s. The boy’s forlorn and faraway gaze doesn’t go unnoticed by the rest of the club. They all share looks of confusion, but the sandy-haired boy is the only one brave enough to speak up. “You okay?”

Eddie keeps his gaze trained on your figure as you maneuver through the crowd. Robin looks happy for you when you reach her, but the puppy-like excitement washes away when she notices how sad you are.

He feels like someone’s shoved a knife between his ribcage. He wonders if this is what a broken heart feels like.

“I think I screwed up,” he answers, laughing cynically at himself. “Like, big time.”

“Well, it wouldn’t be the first time, right?” Dustin jokes before popping a fry into his mouth. He laughs, but no one else joins him. “…Right?”

Eddie glares at the boy.

He cowers. “…Kidding. I was kidding.”

—————

He stews over it all day — your offer and what he said to you and how sad you looked after he said it.

He pictures your pinched brows and big, glassy eyes and his chest starts to burn a little. Everyone always thought he was some raging asshole just because he had crazy hair and a crazier taste in music. Now he feels like they were sort of right about him.

Whatever chance he had with you has surely turned to dust by now. It wouldn’t surprise him after he shrugged you off like he did. But after waging a nearly four-hour war in his mind between lunch and dismissal, he knows he has to make sure.

He has to know if he’s ruined things entirely or if there’s a glimmer of hope he can hang onto.

He comes to you at the end of the day, dripping in metaphorical blood from the mental carnage he’d endured. He stood across the hall from you for five whole minutes as he tried to come up with something to say. He walks to your locker empty-handed and just blurts, “I thought you were joking,” like a total idiot.

Through the muddled conversation in the bustling hallway, you hadn’t heard him coming. You didn’t know he was there at all until he was right next to you. Seeing someone so suddenly close to you makes you flinch — hard.

And it’s not totally Eddie’s fault. You’re jumpy and too easily frightened at times, but he can’t help but feel like he’s messing things up more than he already has.

“Oh…” you deflate with a sigh, eyes still wide and swimming with something he can’t quite place. You look like you’re almost relieved to see him. Almost.

“Sorry— shit, sorry. I didn’t mean to…” The boy stumbles over his words, then trails off when they don’t come out the way he wants. He shakes his head and finds it in himself to smile. It’s bitter, though, filled with self-abhorrence. “I wasn’t trying to scare you.”

With one hand still clutching the door of your locker, and the other gripping a stack of textbooks, you peer at him through your lashes. “I know. It’s okay. I just— I wasn’t expecting it…”

He grimaces. “Sorry…”

“’S okay,” you repeat.

“I, um, I only came in so hot ‘cause I wanted to apologize— you know, for earlier. In the lunch room,” he stammers and puts his fidgeting hands in the pockets of his leather jacket. He tries to laugh, but it comes out more as an insincere puff of air. “Honestly, I thought you were joking.”

Your brows pinch. “Joking? Why would I—”

“I sorta locked Robin and Vickie in the old chemistry room in the east wing a few days ago,” he confesses, bouncing his shoulders. “Just because I know they both like each other and everything, and I thought maybe they’d finally admit it if they were alone together.”

“Okay…?”

“Well, they didn’t. And Robin was pissed. So I thought she was using you to get back at me.”

“Using me?” you echo.

“Yeah. ‘Cause I’ve kinda been into you since junior year and everything,” he admits with a nonchalant shrug. The corner of his rosy mouth quirks into a half-smile. “It’s, like, the one card Robin could use against me that would actually hurt, you know? If she did try to get me back.”

Your heart swells so much it hurts, almost — the same kind of hurt you'd felt in the lunch room earlier. It feels fiery, like someone’s taken a match to your ribcage and lit your heart aglow. But it’s different now. This is a good hurt, a happy hurt.

“Really?” you squint at him, your voice high and light. Your lips twitch like you want to smile, but you don’t let yourself — lest this all turns out to be some kind of elaborate dream. Or a joke.

“Since we had Mr. Kaminsky’s together, yeah,” Eddie affirms with a slow, confident nod. His chocolate eyes flit up to the water-stained ceiling. “Let’s see… We were learning about reproduction, and Tommy Hagan made some stupid joke about using you as a real-life model instead of the pictures in the textbook—”

“I remember,” you nod, trying not to shudder at the memory that still haunts you.

“And I told him that he was making it real obvious that he’s never seen an actual vagina before and that the one in the textbook looked a lot like his mom’s,” the boy recalls with a soft laugh. “And you looked over at me, and you smiled, and I… have been a goner ever since.”

He looks down at you again, all sheepish like he isn’t gluing your broken heart back together again. His chocolate eyes twinkle in a way you’ve never seen before. They sparkle in their softness. You have to look away before it turns you into a puddle at his feet.

You smile widely into your locker, pursing it off to the side in attempts to conceal its brightness.

“No one’s ever stuck up for me like that before,” you confess quietly after a few moments, peeking at him from the corner of your eye. “I’m pretty sure I gushed to Robin about it for days.”

“Yeah?” Eddie hums. He can feel his hopes getting too high.

“Yeah. I told her all about the pretty boy in the back of the room that finally got Tommy H. to leave me alone.”

“Oh… You think he’s pretty, huh?” the boy teases despite his pink cheeks.

You nod — made much braver by his previous admission — though you still have a little trouble looking him in the eye. You drag a notebook from your locker as you tell him, “I think he’s very pretty.”

“Well, I have it on good authority that the boy you think is pretty is super sorry for being such an asshole to you earlier,” Eddie murmurs, his nose scrunched and head tilted. “And that he’d really love to go to that concert with you— if you haven’t found some other schmuck to go with you, that is.”

Your eyes light up like a Christmas tree as you beam at him. No one’s ever looked at him that way before now.

“I’d like that,” you nod, then shrug. “I don’t think I’d wanna go with anyone else, anyway…”

“So, it’s a date?” Eddie asks, just to make sure. His raised brows disappear behind his fluffy bangs. His chin tilts to his chest as he smiles hopefully down at you.

You nod, and repeat it more softly than the loudmouth boy. “It’s a date.”

Eddie can feel himself grinning like an idiot. His cheeks ache with how wide he’s beaming at you, but he's too lovesick to stop. Like squinting into the sun, smiling every time he looks at you is muscle memory by now.

And what did a freak like him ever do to deserve a date with the freakin’ sun?

#published by bug #eddie munson x reader #stranger things x reader #eddie munson x y/n #eddie munson x you #eddie munson #stranger things #stranger things imagine #stranger things fanfic #eddie munson fic #eddie munson fanfiction #eddie munson fluff #eddie munson angst #st drabbles #eddie spaghetti drabble #bug's summer fic fest!

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arminsumi · 7 months

Note

“you’re short”

“okay? so put some inches in me”

all i can imagine is a sassy/bratty reader and a cocky gojo 😭

we’re going to ignore that i’ve only seen one ep of jjk and i’m already requesting smut over it ☠️

OOH, YOU FLIRTIN'?

💗 GOJO さとる

[ Note ] : 🥵😳 what a vision! and lol one ep into jjk n alr thirsty for gojo love that 👍 also u n me are so small compared to him 🫠 also idk if he's more cocky or dorky in this oops lol. and i am writing this on my phone at a sleepover lord help me i have been awkwardly shifting around and avoiding showing my screen to any eyes 😭😭

[ Warnings ] : 🔞 minors do not read/interact : suggestive/18+ content/smut, mentions virgin reader, getting caught

[ Playme ] : XXX

"You're so short."

"Okay, so put some inches in me."

"Yeah, I bet you'd like that, huh?"

"I would, actually."

"Ooh, you flirtin' with me, shorty?"

"Yeah, well you started it, big boy."

Big boy...? 😳

Gojo Satoru, your very cheeky and very bold classmate, who has not held back on flirting teasing you about your height since he met you, is rendered speechless for the first time.

But only for a moment. Soak up your victory quick. He stutters. His brain chokes up. His heart throbs like he's just developed an instant crush. His uniform pants feel uncomfortable.

And then he reanimates himself once he hears Suguru snickering next to him.

"That's pretty bold of you, huh?" he smirks toothily, sinking his shaky hands in his pockets. "Now you're gettin' me all worked up—"

"—oh yeah?" you lid your eyes and flirt. He's taken aback again. "Worked up how?"

"Get a room, you two. Honestly..." Suguru grumbles.

"Yes, I think we will." Satoru winks at you. It's a failed wink. Deep down, he's not confident in his flirting. No. Deep down, he's an awkward dork.

His brain short circuits when you continue flirt back. He actually runs out of things to say.

She's a mature flirt. I'm an immature flirt. How the hell do I keep up? Fuck.

When you and him get alone together, clearing up the chairs after a class, you tease;

"Come on, big boy, what's the matter? Lost your edge?"

"No... I'm just thinking." his voice cracks at the end, he clears his throat. It feels tight. His pants feel tight too.

"About what?"

"About what you look like naked."

You let out a laugh, and laugh and laugh, like he's the most ridiculous flirt you've ever met.

"What?" he raises a brow.

"You're so ridiculous."

Oh yeah. That irks him. That flippant comment. You're not even looking at him as you say it, you're scooting a chair into a desk.

He walks over to you and peers down, making the height difference between you and his 6'3 frame sorely apparent. What a big boy.

"Wanna repeat that for me?"

Ooh his voice is heavy and low, low enough to cause goosebumps on your skin. And the proximity? It makes you feel more than just small, it makes you feel a tingling between your thighs.

He comes closer. Grazes his lips across yours. Mixes breaths with you.

"Uh—" you get flustered.

"—haha, just kidding." he pulls away suddenly. Maybe because he got too nervous (true) or maybe because he felt victorious in knocking you off your high horse (also true).

"I thought you were gonna—" you begin disappointedly.

Satoru cuts you off.

"—do something? Aw, are you horny?" he winks.

"Yeah. For you." you roll your eyes.

Fuck.

My pants feel too fucking tight. Can she see the outline of my dick? Is she looking there?

"Is that so?" he raises a brow, staring right into your eyes. No one holds eye contact quite like Mister Six Eyes.

He chuckles, Addam's apple shifting up and down deliciously. "Aren't you a virgin?" he sneers.

"Yes. I am. Are you gonna do something about it, or just stand there like an idiot?"

He nearly chokes.

Wow. What? She actually just said that?

"Of course I'll do somethin' about it, sweetheart. But..." he leans into your air again, closer than before, 'n breathes tauntingly against your quivering lips.

"... does a goody-two-shoes like you really wanna lose her virginity in a classroom?"

"Stop stalling, big boy. I'm not a "goody-two-shoes"; I'm fucking horny." you seethe lustfully.

Fuck.

He's not sure how to respond. His brain is malfunctioning.

"Alright... then use your words like a big girl and ask me nicely to fuck you." he mutters, lips grazing yours. You can feel how badly he wants to kiss you.

Please say it.

The sexual tension has his heart racing, pretty cock pressing flush against the fabric of his dress pants.

"Satoru..." you begin, pulling on his collar.

He gulps and listens intently. The small touch your fingers make with his neck drives him wild.

"... fuck me."

Something just snaps inside him right there.

He crashes his lips onto yours with a feverish intensity, the rest his history—

—er, until the teacher walks in on you two right as things get toasty, catching Satoru with his hand up your shirt and your hand down his pants. And then you giggle off to detention with Satoru.

He promises to put some inches to your height. Uh... you know... by lifting you off your feet while he stuffs you up with his cock 😌

No copying/plagiarizing/reposting. Do not promote me on other platforms.

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jazzyoranges · 8 months

Text

Save a horse, ride a cowboy

Tara Carpenter x fem!reader (r is also implied to be more masculine-leaning)

Summary: Tara rides you 🤷‍♀️ no Ghostface au

Words: 3.5k

A/n: the card game they play is called “do or drink” so if you don’t understand the rules here, search it up and it’ll probably make more sense

Warnings: G!P reader, explicit sex, unprotected sex (you pull out dw), blowjob, face fucking, Tara lowkey has a size kink, R has a praise kink lol, service top!R, power bottom!T (i think? idk positions that well)

MINORS DNI!!

Tara didn’t really feel like being at this party. Unfortunately for her, she was a victim of peer pressure by Mindy. The twin said something about “getting laid” and how Tara needed to “get some”, but in all honesty, she wasn’t actually listening

The party she was at was cowboy/southern-themed, and Tara opted to wear some plaid and a white crop top. Chad went fully cowboy, through. Tara said he looked like a dork, but his eyes were set on looking like someone from Red Dead Redemption. The brunette didn’t know how he did it, but Chad didn’t even look half bad. Tara swears he has a superpower at looking stupid and not stupid at the same time

Mindy on the other hand, did the least. The twin adorned a black shirt and a brown leather jacket with southern-ish accessories

Chad didn’t bother knocking or ringing the bell over the loud music, and he let himself, Mindy, and Tara into the house. There was a familiar smell in the house. Weed and alcohol absolutely flamed her nostrils, and she scrunched up her nose. When Tara’s eyes landed on you, she swore you were a goddess straight from Texas heaven

“Mindy.”

“I see her, Tara”

“Mindy.”

“No straight woman wears a wife beater. You’re in the clear”

In Tara’s favor, Chad yelled your name and waved you over

“Mindy, Tara, this is Y/N! She coached me back in Woodsboro. She’s also from Texas, so i invited her to show up all the fake cowboys like me” The football player slung an arm around your shoulder, and you held out your hand for the two girls to shake

“Nice to meet you two” Your accent was practically nonexistent, but certain words have you away. When your hand meets Tara’s, yours engulfs hers and she swears she can feel her heart beating in her throat

“Chad speaks well of y’all”

“Really? I’m surprised” Mindy laughs, but Tara is too busy sweating over you to engage in conversation

“I’m gonna introduce Y/N to the rest of our friend group, i’ll see you two around!”

“Have a good night, you two” You tip your hat with a wink, and follow after Chad

“So, wanna explain?” Mindy sends a knowing glance at Tara, a small smirk on her face

“Absolutely not.” The shorter girl makes her way into the kitchen, pouring herself a solo cup of whatever alcohol she can find. Tara chooses to ignore the burning sensation down her throat

“Nope, you’re going to talk right now. I didn’t even know you were into women like her”

“Neither did i, that’s the problem” Tara groans, covering her face with her hands

“What’s the plan?”

“There is no plan, Mindy. I don’t even know how to get close to her…” Eros or Aphrodite must’ve been listening real close because not a second later, she sees you being dragged around by Chad, rounding up a few people to play a drinking card game

“Tara! Mindy! Play drinking games with us? Ethan, Quinn, Y/N, Amber, Wes, Anika, Liv, a few other people and i are playing”

Mindy nods, and they follow you two to the living room, where all the aforementioned people were sitting. Some on the couch and some on the floor. You took your spot on the floor with Chad on your left, and Quinn on your right on the couch.

Chad clears his throat, and all eyes are on him. “Alright! Rules are simple. Everyone has to draw a white card, and do what it says. If you get a white card that says ‘Draw’, you have to get a black card and either do what it says, or drink however much it tells you. Make sense?”

The group nods, and small discussions are made between people. Tara is seated between Mindy, who’s talking to Anika, and Ethan, who’s talking to Chad

“Since i’m the one that wanted to play, i will graciously go first” Chad pulls his white card, and his face lights up. “War! Challenge another player to an arm wrestle. The loser must drink”

The twin gets up, and he points straight at your forehead. “Y/N! This cowboy challenges you in a duel of our arms!”

“How could i say no. I agree to your challenge, my good sir” You shake hands, and make your way to the coffee table in the middle of the room. Tara is on your right, and you give her a perfect view of your bicep

“You look nervous, Chad. Are you afraid?”

“You can’t teach an old dog new tricks. Therefore, the student always wins” he smiles at you, and your competitive side starts to bubble up

“When i win, i’ll make sure to spoon feed you your own words” readjusting your grip on Chad’s hand, Ethan makes his way over to be the referee

“Three…”

Tara notices your concentrated face, and how you bite your lip in anticipation

“Two…”

You adjust your grip once again, and Tara wonders what else your hands can do

“One!” Ethan lets go of yours and Chad’s attached hands, and they both stay in place. Tara can tell you two were pretty evenly matched

“C’mon, Y/N! Gag him!” Mindy cheers for you

“Don’t listen to her, babe. You got this!” Liv cheers for Chad

“Show him up, Y/N! You’ve got it” Tara cheers with a smile on her face, and you momentarily stop pushing before you catch yourself

“What’s the matter, Y/N? Losing already?”

“We’ll see” When you hear Tara say your name again, a new urge to win rushes through your body. In one swift motion, Chad’s hand meets the table, and those who were supporting you cheer

“What did you say about the student always winning?” You say with a wide grin on your face, and you kiss your arm in a show of ego

“That was a fluke! I want a rematch!” The twin says playfully

“Like you wouldn’t just lose again”

“Whatever, it’s your turn to draw”

You pick up a card, and you laugh to yourself. “Vote! On the count of three, everyone points to the person they think has had sex in the most interesting spot. The player with the most votes must confess their sex spot and take a drink”

“Alright! Three, two, one!” You count down, and mostly everyone is mostly pointing at Quinn

“Geez, what do you guys think of me?” She takes a sip of her drink. “And my most interesting spot was under the bleachers during his football practice”

This goes on until it’s Tara’s turn. Amber got an “All brunettes must drink” card, Anika got to be Simon in Simon Says (which Tara had to drink for losing first), and Mindy drew a card that made all of the single people drink. Luckily for Tara, you drank when Mindy pulled her card

“Your turn, Tara! What’ll you get?” Chad quickly made himself the keeper of cards, sitting in the middle as you sat on the couch in his place. Tara leans over, and she takes a card from Chad. Revealing her card, she see’s it says to draw

“Our very first ‘Draw’ card! I wonder what it’ll be” Chad grins, and Tara pulls a black card from the deck

“Spin a bottle. Whoever it lands on, sit on their lap for the next 2 rounds or both must drink four times”

Oohs are exchanged throughout the group, and Tara rolls her eyes in embarrassment. Less than a second later, Chad hands Tara an empty beer bottle. The twin takes his spot somewhere in the circle, and the brunette spins the bottle

“I’ll pray it lands on her” Mindy playfully nudges her shoulder, and Tara blushes. Neither of you knew it, but both you and the brunette hoped the bottle ended up pointing at you. It went around once, twice, three times

Slowly passing by the person to your right, the bottle points straight at you and you swear time stops for a second. Tara meets your eyes, and you swear she’s blushing when Mindy shoves her towards you

Tara awkwardly sits on your lap, moving to find a comfortable spot

You place a reassuring hand on her hip. “You know you don’t have to do this, right? If you’re uncomfortable, nobody is gonna judge you” Tara can feel your hand leave her side, and the smaller girl has to physically stop herself from letting out a whine of frustration

“I’m not uncomfortable. I just… need to adjust.” The brunette not-so-accidentally grinds her hips against yours, and she swears she hears you let out a tiny groan

It’s Wes’ turn next, but Tara can’t focus as she gropes around the couch for your hands. The alcohol in her system takes over when she leans back into you, and makes you wrap your arms around her torso. You happily oblige

“You having a good night, so far?”

Tara decides to be bold. “It’s definitely better in your lap”

Despite your semi-hard cock uncomfortably rubbing against your jeans, you try your best to learn more about Tara. Asking how her day was, what she’s majoring in, if she has any family; all while the brunette causes more friction by slowly rubbing her ass on your crotch. You have to suppress many moans as she not-so-casually grinds on you

Tara learns that you used to work on a family farm in Texas, but moved to California for college. You told her about the animals, the pumpkin patches, and looking up at the stars with your siblings

Not even noticing it’s your turn again, Chad has to remind you to draw a card. You instantly miss Tara’s heat when she crawls off your lap so you can draw a card. The game goes on for the next hour or so, and you can barely remember what you had to do after all the drinks you’ve had

You end up having to quit the game halfway through when you refuse to send a nude photo of yourself to a random number or take a drink. Tara’s card no longer applies very early on, but she actively decides to sit in your lap for the rest of the game

Amber kicks out the rest of the party-goers around 1 am, and you’ve been tasked to drive Tara and Mindy home. Somehow you’re the least drunk. Since Chad was their ride and he’s off somewhere making out with Liv, you so graciously offered to drive them home.

The ride to Mindy’s house was quiet, but it was a comfortable quiet. You tapped on the steering wheel to the soft music, Mindy was half asleep, and Tara was discreetly trying to look at you from the passenger seat. You dropped Mindy off at her place, and now you were on your way to Tara’s house. The moonlight was hitting your eyes in the right way, causing them to sparkle the tiniest bit Tara had a little staring problem

“Do i have something on my face?”

“Do you want to stay over at my place?” The brunette blurts out, instantly regretting her words. “I mean- uh, if you want…”

“Sure, i’d like to stay over. I’m pretty sure i have some extra clothes in here, anyway. Any scary dogs i should beware of?”

“Does my sister count?”

“Only if she bites” This earns a laugh from Tara, and you mentally pat yourself on the back

“Definitely beware of her. She’s staying at her boyfriends place tonight, so you’re good”

“Noted” You pull into the Carpenters driveway, and both of you get out. Grabbing an extra hoodie, shirt, and shorts, you follow Tara into her house

“Bathroom is on the left. Do you want to watch a movie?”

“Sure, you can pick”

“You’re gonna wish you never said that. Let’s watch The Babadook”

“Seriously? Dude, i used to jump like six feet in the air when the floor boards creaked in the barn”

“You’ll live” Rolling your eyes at her words, you made your way to her bathroom to change. You made sure to freshen up, even though you two were just watching a movie. The smell of buttered popcorn filled your lungs and you could faintly hear the popping kernels

When you leave her bathroom, Tara’s already changed into something more comfortable

“Do we have to watch something scary? Can’t we watch a sitcom or something?”

“Listen, you let me decide but we don’t have to if you don’t wanna” Tara finds her seat on the couch, your shoulders touching when she sits down the bowl of popcorn between you two

“But i will think you’re a pussy”

“The Babadook it is” You click play on the remote, and Tara lays her head on your shoulder. She barely pays attention to the movie, considering she’s seen it far too many times. Instead, the brunette opts to watch you and all of your reactions. You’ve raised the blanket up under your nose and leaned into Tara about 20 times, and the movie is just about halfway through

Every now and again you’d flinch in anticipation, and Tara would rub your thigh in support. You don’t know if your heart is beating due to the movie, or due to Tara practically being on top of you for the second time this night

When the movie ends and the credits roll, you can only stare at the black screen and Tara lets out a laugh

“So, what do you think?”

“I don’t think i’ll be able to sleep tonight, Tara”

“You’ll be okay” The brunette pats your cheek

“Can we watch something lighter? Like My Little Pony?”

“Of course you were a horse girl”

“Actually i was an Equestria Girls girl, thank you” You huff

“Tomato, potato, they were all ponies” Tara rolls her eyes, and smiles “I think i have another horror movie you’ll like. Well, it’s technically a trilogy”

“Absolutely not! I’d like to be able to close my eyes tonight and not hallucinate a monster leaning over me”

“There’s a scene where two girls kiss”

“…Fine.”

An hour in, the two main girls are making out in their bras, and you’re staring quite intensely at the scene. Something in the room shifts, and all of a sudden you start to feel hotter. Tara goes from rubbing your thigh to slowly dragging her hand to your crotch, leaving a trail of goosebumps behind. Your breath hitches when she starts to rub your clothed cock

“A-Are we about to do the thing?” You say unsure, but the brunette is already pulling you off the couch and leading you to her room

Before you know what’s happening, Tara is guiding you into her bedroom and pushing you up against a wall. Her kisses are hungry and fast, wanting to taste every part of you. When she starts to fiddle with your shorts, you let out a small laugh at how she huffs in frustration

“Take it off, already.”

“Someone’s needy” You tease

“I’ve been eye fucking you all night. I’m not waiting any longer. I had to drag you here myself”

“I didn’t know if i was reading your signals wrong…” You mumble, and Tara hates how adorable you look. God why were you cute and hot at the same time

“I was grinding on you the entirety of those two rounds at the party”

“You said you were adjusting! I thought my lap was uncomfortable!”

“I hate how the oblivious ones are always the hottest.” Tara finally manages to pull down your shorts through shaky hands, and she feels her mouth water when she sees the small tent in your underwear

“Spider-man boxers?” the shorter girl quirks an eyebrow at you

“I didn’t think i’d have sex tonight” You suck in a breath when Tara starts to rub your cock through your boxers

“Really? You didn’t think you’d get laid tonight looking like this” Tara motions to your entire body with her non-busy hand. “Maybe i should show you how pretty you are. Do you want that, baby?” The brunette squeezes your cock; and you nod, not trusting your voice to do anything but moan

As she gets on her knees, Tara pulls down your boxers just enough to reveal your hardened dick

“Jesus, you’re big…” The brunette says to herself, but you can feel your ego boost at her words. Tara starts to lick the veins on your shaft, and you can feel her massaging your balls. Your cock is drooling pre-cum when Tara kisses your tip, and you let out a breathy moan

“Please, Tara…”

“Tell me what you want, baby”

“Please let me fuck your mouth”

“Let me adjust to your size first. I’ll let you know when you can start, does that sound good?”

“A-Anything you want”

“You’re cute.” Tara kisses your tip again before taking it into her mouth, eliciting a moan from your throat. She swirls her tongue in a way that drives your crazy. Her hands make their way around your thighs, and Tara squeezes your ass as she takes half your cock into her mouth. The brunette squeezes your balls and you hear her gag as her nose meets your lower abdomen. The sight of Tara deepthroating your cock almost makes you cum

“Fuck.” You breathe out. You try backing away to give Tara a little room to breathe but she just ends up making you thrust into her mouth, making her gag. You pull her face away from your cock not wanting her to choke, and the shorter girl wipes a little drool off her chin

“Why’d you do that?” Tara asks, a little annoyed

“I didn’t want you to run out of breath. Your eyes were watering”

“It’s nice how much you care about me. I can assure you i can handle your cock, baby. It helps you taste good”

“If it ever gets too much or becomes uncomfortable, squeeze my hand” You tuck a strand of hair behind her ear, and Tara’s heart flutters at how soft you’re being despite the situation

“I promise i’ll let you know if it starts to become too much, baby” The brunette kisses your tip once again and dives right back into sucking your dick. When you look down and she gives you a small nod, your hands tangle in her hair. You start off with small thrusts, slowly going faster as Tara gets used to your size

“F-Fuck you’re amazing” Your balls slap against her chin, and Tara almost cums at how dirty it feels having you fuck her throat like a fleshlight

“Shit, i’m gonna cum, Tara…” You moan, and the brunette gives you a pleading look. You can only assume it means ‘Please cum down my throat’, so that’s exactly what you do. You release your load in her mouth with a groan, and Tara happily swallows all of it down. When she pulls away from your cock, you use your thumb to wipe away the leftover cum on her chin. Tara takes your thumb in her mouth, and licks away the rest of your semen

She gets off her knees, and gets up to pull you into another searing kiss. You can taste yourself on her tongue, and you moan into her mouth at the flavor

“Jesus, you’re still hard?”

“I have the stamina of a stallion” You shrug, feigning a big ego

“Oh, yeah? How about i ride you and we’ll see if you can handle it”

“You have such a beautiful way with words”

“I’d be mad about the teasing of you weren’t cute. Hurry up and get naked, already”

“Yes ma’am” Barely a second passes before Tara’s lips are on yours. In a flurry of heat, both of your clothes end up strewn about her bedroom. Tara pushes you onto her bed. She straddles your lap and kisses you with a new wave of confidence and fervor. When the brunette urges you to lay back, you have to actively keep your jaw closed at the sight of Tara. Unfortunately for you, she notices your staring

“Take a picture, it’ll last longer”

“Can i really?”

“Mm… maybe next time”

Your face lights up. “Next time?”

“After you take me on a date first. We can talk about the specifics later” Tara softly kisses the bridge of your nose, making you close your eyes and blush

“Right now, i want you in me.” The brunette on top of you lines up your tip with her pussy, slowly sinking down your shaft

“Fuck,” Tara takes the rest of your cock in her, and you massage her hips when you can feel her squeezing around you “You feel so good, baby”

Noticing how you moan at her praise, Tara takes note of this. She starts to move up and down, and the feeling of her around you earns a whimper from your throat. Moans are exchanged as Tara starts to ride you faster, constantly increasing her pace

“I’m close, Tar” You breathe out, letting her nickname slip through your lips

“Fuck i am too, baby. You’re so big” Her words are reinforced as she starts to tighten around your cock, and you have to use all your strength to pull out. You ejaculate your cum all over your stomach, and so does Tara. When you both come down from your high, the brunette notices how you’re still somehow hard

“Round two?”

—

A/n pt.2: cookie if you can guess the second movie they watch

#jenna ortega x reader #tara carpenter x reader #jenna ortega #tara carpenter #chad meeks martin #mindy meeks martin #sam carpenter #scream #anika kayoko #scream 6 #amber freeman #quinn bailey #ethan landry

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sukioyakio · 1 month

Text

Saw some gojo drawings of him being a cowboy.Just wanted to share my thoughts on it. (Femreader)

might not be well edited 😭✌️

Cowboy!gojo,Who lives his whole life in his little sort of town, where it had enough food and water but enough for people to be able to use electricity. And its where he works as a cowboy in one big ranch. He just as well know about everyone in the little town, and they know him I mean who wouldn’t.The handsome white headed cowboy, the cutie that the girls would die for to be his wife, and the gorgeous blue eyes cowboy.

Cowboy!gojo,Who immediately knew when he saw you that he didn’t ever see you before. But you had this glow around you that brought him wondering. Probably that city girl glow he said to his mind, he cant say that he never went to other places or travel the world in which he did he pretty much enjoy it to top to bottom. But he prefer his little town he knows from the bottom of his heart.

He just had to come to you and he wanted to have his first appearance with you to be good. But it just happens that a car drove by a mud puddle.

“Helloooo there I hadn’t se- A red car drove by hitting the mud puddle and perfectly aimed on Gojo’s body and hair. You had no idea what just happened but you couldn’t help but laugh at his blanked expression. You hadn’t even heard what he had said before but you waved him off. Before saying. ”You might need a shower of a hour or two, see you later sir” You added with a sly smirk walking off with a sarcastic tone. He saw everything he needed to know that you just obtain his cowboy ass heart. He who is smiling like a dork after seeing a crush. Walking around with mud on his body like it’s nothing.

I just know that cowboy!gojo, who would have his signature smirk on every time he’s playing with the other cowboys. But he puts that smirk more widely when your around.(I don’t know if cowboys do races)

Cowboy!gojo, Who purposely trying to do anything to grab your attention. Sitting on his horse while they walk or jogging balls while the horse sprints. Wanting nothing more than to see you smile at his stupid shenanigans. It just bursts his ego with such warmth that he would have such a dorky grin on his face that his best friend playfully nudged his shoulder and ask him why he’s smiling like that.

“Gojo what the hell are you doing right now”Shoko stated as she sees him sitting on his black horse four beer bottles in air as he juggled them up and down. Gojo who didn’t hear shoko at all. Shoko couldn’t see who he was doing that for from the view she had and so she walked towards him. ’What is that idiot doing with my beer.’ She says but she stop when she see you rolling your eyes playfully and huffing a bit of laughter at his tactics. Shoko looks at you and knew immediately that she never saw you before and she looks at Gojo and sees that Manchild smiling like a highschool boy after their crush saying hi to them.And she knew that he was absolutely in love with you. “What you didn’t think I can juggle,huh” He says with a large smile on his lips. And beautiful blues eyes that were aimed towards your attention. “Definitely not on your horse I didn’t,your pretty talented guy that I can tell”You replied to him with a cheeky smile,looking at him with your arm crossed.The sarcasm in your voice wasn’t that hard to not notice.

Cowboy!Gojo,Who loves Fucking with you,He just like seeing if he can get to see how many adorable expressions can be on your face. Especially if he finds you reading a book on the grass field right next to the ranch house,in the quiet silence.In which he would purposely scare you with his loud voice. (edited)

It was pretty uneventful at the ranch.Which meant that he had more time to relax or catch up with you,his pretty princess.Ever since the last time he visit you which was like yesterday he had called you that nickname ‘pretty princess or princess’. and then you heard you mutter 'what a annoying knight’. And so he decided to call that every time he see you.He’s walking by the forest part of the park where it just outstanding beautiful, with the view of the green trees and perfectly shaved grass.He instantly see you and notices that didn’t see him or even hear him. Which hurt his little cowboy heart.But then a thought come up. I wonder what she does when she alone. He walks towards you with such ease that you didn’t even notice that.And Then BANG A gun shot blow up right next to you, making you jump up like a cat in fear.You quickly turn to your side to only get jump on by a white headed and all dessed cowboy. “Oh my fucking god!!What the hell was that For!” You yelled at him as your chest going up and down due to shear panic attack you almost got. while You could hear his laughter through the whole time.He just smiled and ruffles your hair.You groan quietly. ”Your alright,I’m right here princess.But woah are y’all city girls like this,pretty looking and addictive scary cats but don’t worry your knight in shining armor is here” You were so ready to punch him for doing that,but didn’t fell like doing that and so instead you just grumble and rolled your eyes,and huff out breath. “Oh yeah,I forgot to learn that I now have a knight in shining armor,that works at a ranch how lovely are you- -Satoru Gojo” god how he love the way his name rolls of your tongue.It like hearing the beautiful morning breeze.He lips can’t help but smile and laugh softly after seeing your cute frown on face.And then he already forgot what he wanted to came here to do.

Cowboy!gojo, who tried so hard to focus into something else but can’t seem to find anything,because you got him acting like a coward when he supposed to be a confident cowboy.After he saw you in some chaps (here links of the outfit- here ). You got him walking around with a half hard on.

Cowboy!gojo, who hear you laugh at him after his lovely horse kick him off her back while training,and even laugh more at the fact that he tried to act like that didn’t happen.He would just rolls his eyes and pull out his tongue.Like a man child his is.But cant help to put his hat on your face to cover his fluster face,chuckling really loudly.

THAT ALL I HAVE THERE AND I HOPE LIKE IT

also here I FINALLY FOUND WELL SORT THE ART of cowboy Gojo, But it not the one I saw.

The artist link Here go check them out

#gojo satoru x reader #random thoughts #gojo x reader #gojo x you #gojo x reader smut #gojo satoru #jujutsu gojo #jjk x reader #jjk fluff #jjk fanfic #jjk satoru #jjk gojo #jujutsu kaisen

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stevieschrodinger · 6 months

Text

for @gutterflower77

Part One

Part Two

Part Three

Part Four

Steve actually has all the stuff ready. It’s right there, but he needs a moment to gather himself, so he uses the excuse of retrieving the tube of antibacterial cream, the water, the snack bar. Because what the fuck. He wasn’t supposed to enjoy that quite that much.

Steve has to adjust himself a little in his pants, and he’s got no explanation for that, either.

Eddie is dressed and sitting on the edge of the bed when Steve gets back; posture a story of defeat.

Steve doesn’t want to compare what just happened to him, like, breaking in a horse, or something. But that is kind of how it feels. And it wasn’t even that hard.

Steve sits next to him, giving him the water and then, and he doesn’t know why he does this, opens the snack bar before he hands it to Eddie. Obviously Eddie can do that himself, but it was a reflex that had happened before Steve could stop it.

Eddie eats the bar and drinks half the water, and then he lets Steve dab a little cream on his lip; it’s probably not helping, it’s already well scabbed over, but Steve still feels the need to do it. Eddie won’t look at him though, tilts his head back with his eyes closed, twitching as Steve applies the cream carefully with the tip of his pinky finger.

Which is fine, Steve figures they’ve both had enough tonight.

“Okay, time for bed.”

Eddie doesn’t even say anything, no complaints, nothing, just does as he’s told and crawling into bed next to Steve. Steve waits, listening until Eddie’s breathing evens out, which actually happens really, really fast.

Eddie lying there trying to hide the fact that he’s awake and in pain, or Eddie waking up with nightmares and trying to cover it up was a regular enough occurrence that Steve can tell pretty accurately now if Eddie really is asleep or not.

Steve’s pretty sure he’s asleep.

Steve sleeps, too.

Steve finds himself in the city. He doesn’t really go into the city much, and never alone; it’s usually with Rob. Occasionally a couple of the kids. Rob likes to riffle through the thrift shops for clothes. The kids like to go look at Dorks and Dickheads and nerd shit, and then after hours of that torture, demand Steve buys them ice cream.

So.

He’s never usually here alone. And he’s doing something else he never thought he’d do; he’s trawling book shops.

He’s wearing shades inside, like that’ll stop people from seeing him in the adult sections. One thing he’s learned from Dustin Henderson over the years; if you need to know about something, there will be a book about it.

And it turns out, there is. One of them, as far as Steve can tell, is just a dirty novel, so he’s not sure how much use that will be. He picks up something by someone called Marquis de Sade, reads the back, and puts it down again. Definitely not.

He leaves with four books that he has wildly varying degrees of confidence in.

There’s an adult shop in the city; it’s got blacked out windows and everyone knows exactly what it is. Steve’s not expecting a bell to tinkle happily over the door when he walks in, and that’s almost startling enough for him to walk back out again.

He doesn’t though. He sticks it out. He needs to show Eddie he’s serious.

He needs to take care of Eddie. He needs to keep Eddie safe.

Also, he kind of needs to win.

He also needs to figure out how to fuck Eddie without having sex with him, since Eddie has made it pretty clear this is a sex thing. Not just a sex thing, the whole thing is pretty integral to Eddie getting laid, so. He’s going to have to do something. But that’s later Steve’s problem.

He walks past a very impressive collection of dildos and buttplugs and...very, very briefly considers the possibility. His brain stalls out a little bit, decides that this is...too much for right now, and keeps walking.

Steve’s not going to lie to himself. Out loud, yes, he lies all the time, but not in the privacy of his own head. And in the privacy of his own head...he was expecting handcuffs. Maybe like...fluffy pink ones.

He wasn’t expecting quite so much...leather. He sees a harness type contraption that he knows instantly Eddie would like. For the aesthetic, obviously. It’s just that it’s black leather with metal fixings and looks like it would form an ‘x’ over Eddie’s chest. That’s just, Eddie’s style. Or something.

“For yourself-”

Steve nearly screams. He swears his feet actually leave the ground. He thinks he maybe pee’d a little bit. He’s actually clutching at his chest, at the material of his shirt, like some scandalized middle aged woman clutching desperately at her pearls.

He takes a second to breathe through it, and to remind himself that he has been tortured by Russians and has beaten monsters from another dimension to death with a baseball bat and he is better than this, godamit.

It’s a diminutive woman that's speaking to him. She’s made a good six inches taller by the luminous green mohawk she’s sporting though, “sorry, you startled me.”

“I can see that, hon,” she pops her gum, “you’re like a cat in a room full of rocking chairs. First time, huh?”

There’s no point in denying it, “yeah. Yeah, first time.”

“Right, so, shopping for yourself, or someone else? You need any help?”

She’s so without judgement, so open about the fact that they’re squeezed into an aisle of the store with leather wear hanging on one side, and gags and…muzzles hanging directly in Steve’s eye line.

“Someone else and...yeah, I think I do. Kind of...new, to all this.”

“Uh hu, so what are you looking for?”

“Well, he wants to be tied up,” Steve blurts before his brain to mouth filter can intervene, “I’m not gay,” he tacks on, panicking.

Both of her eyebrows raise a little, and Steve can tell that she is absolutely fighting not to smile at him, “uh hu. Right. So you want some restraints for...platonically tying up your...friend?”

“Yes,” Steve nods like his head is on a loose spring, “yes, exactly that, yes.”

“Hon, either you are outright lying to me, or there is a story here I absolutely want to hear.”

Steve almost...he feels like he collapses in on himself. He bluffed his way through the last encounter with Eddie...and he fucking loved it, he did. But now he’s got nowhere to go, because this is a sex thing, isn't it? So what the fuck is he supposed to do?

Steve doesn’t know what his face is doing, but he guesses it must be bad when she tuts sympathetically and says, “oh. Oh wow, hon, come on, I’ll make you a coffee, yeah?”

“I bought some books about it,” Steve offers weakly as he trails after her through the store, and she laughs right the way through making them both a coffee. There’s nothing mean about her laughter though, and by the time Steve has a mug in his hand, he’s laughing along with her.

When Steve tells Maria that his name is Steve, she gives him this look, but doesn’t say anything. She thinks he’s lying about his name, he realizes. Apparently ‘Steve’ sounds like a fake name you give when you’re panicking.

Steve guesses she’s not wrong.

“Okay, come on then. Spill. Trust me, nothing you tell me will shock me.”

“But it might make you laugh.”

“Well...yeah,” she grins at him, and something about her kind of reminds him of Nancy, a no nonsense honesty about her.

Steve figures he has nothing to loose, it’s not like she knows who either of them are.

“So...my friend, he’s a...submissive?”

“You sound so sure hon,” but she’s laughing in that kind way again. Steve doesn’t feel like he’s being laughed at, he feels like they’re seeing the funny side together. It helps that this lady is probably old enough to be his Mom.

“Right, well, he is. And he’s...he’s a good friend. We’ve been through a bit together and we’re kind of close. And he’s been showing up with like, bruises, split lip and...dropping. He explained to me what that was,” she nods, “and I just...I can’t let him keep going through that. I’m not going to let people keep treating him like that if...if I can do it, for him. If I can look after him.”

Maria makes a face like that is the sweetest thing she’s ever heard, and she’s looking at Steve like he’s a basket of puppies. Which is weird, because if Steve were to lean too far to the left, he’d knock over a towering display of different flavors of lube and glow in the dark condoms.

Steve lays his purchases out on the bed. He’s just spent way more money than he initially intended, but he figured if he’s doing this he might as well do it right. Maria was a font of information.

First and foremost, this is not, necessarily, a sex thing. It’s a trust thing. And when Steve had really thought about Eddie’s brain going quiet when he’s restrained...yeah, he kind of gets it? He thinks?

He knows shit all about how to safely tie someone up with rope, so he bought handcuffs instead. Velcro ones. They’re soft inside and might not be what Eddie’s used to, but if they’re going to do this, then some things are going to be none negotiable. If Eddie wants out of the restraints, Steve is going to make sure he can do that on his own.

It just makes Steve feel better about the whole thing, knowing that Eddie could take his control back at any moment if he really wanted to.

And he’s got a plan. Sort of. To start small. Might be pretty tame by Eddie’s standards, but Steve’s happy to admit that he’s totally new to this, so that is where they’re going to start.

Maria was very opinionated on the importance of enforcing your own boundaries in a healthy relationship, and Steve soaked up everything she said.

If Steve does something he doesn’t want to, simply because he thinks it’s what Eddie wants...Steve won’t enjoy himself. Steve won’t like it. And if Steve grows to really not like it...then this will fall apart really fast and any stability he managed to create with Eddie will disappear.

Probably to Eddie’s detriment. Probably having some negative fall out.

Which, all of that, is hugely logical, but it wasn’t until Maria very plainly pointed it out that Steve saw it that way. But now that she has, Steve’s really thought about it. He feels like he gets it now, at least, in principle. So for Steve’s comfort, as much as Eddies, they’re starting really, really small. Super safe.

When Maria had said they have to build trust, Steve had scoffed and Maria had raised an eyebrow. He didn’t mean to make that noise...it’s just, they’ve saved the world together. Literally relied on each other when their lives were on the line. Steve can’t imagine building any more trust with Eddie, they’re already at maximum trust.

He doesn’t know how to explain that considering he can’t tell anyone about the alternate dimension full of monsters, or the kids with magic powers. So.

But he didn’t come to Steve with his split lip, did he? The thought makes Steve frown, a niggle of doubt. Maybe he was just embarrassed? Probably that. It isn’t that he doesn’t trust Steve with this, necessarily, it’s just he didn’t want to deal with Steve freaking out at him again.

Sure. Probably that.

Regardless, Steve has an idea of something he wants to try, and he feels better equipped to do that with Advice from Maria.

And if he did get half way to reading one of those dirty novels, no one needs to know.

Eddie eyes the cushion warily, “that’s it? You just want me to sit on the floor.”

Steve crosses his arms, “that is what I’ve asked you to do, yes.”

Eddie hesitates long enough that Steve wonders if he’s going to do it or not, but eventually Eddie does. He’s moving gingerly, like he thinks the cushions going to bite him. He sits just as Steve asked him to, back to the couch, facing the TV. Steve puts on ‘Born Free’ and absolutely does not react when Eddie snorts and rolls his eyes. Steve settles himself behind Eddie. Not shying away from pinning Eddie’s shoulders between his thighs, encouraging Eddie to settle back even further. He does, but he's sitting stiffly, and Steve can basically feel the tension radiating off of Eddie.

But this is step one. To get over this.

They might be incredibly familiar with each other at this point, and may have already built up a mutual trust...but this. This is something new they’re going to have to sort through and get used to if they want to make it work. And Steve does want to make it work. He can’t let Eddie put himself in one of those situations again if he can help it.

Not if he can do this a better way.

Part five

#eddie munson #steve harrington #stranger things #steddie #my fic #ficlet #dom steve harrington #sub eddie munson

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ivystoryweaver · 6 months

Text

Jingle Bells

Summary: Santiago is a flirty cute dork and you can’t stop me

Pairing: Santiago Garcia from Triple Frontier x gn!reader

Word Count: 800

Content: fluff, mentions of Christmas songs (but story doesn’t indicate what Santiago or reader celebrate, if anything), not beta’d

*✧･ﾟ: *✧･ﾟ:*✧･ﾟ: *✧･ﾟ

Beep. Beep. Beep.

"That'll be $73.07," you mumble to your customer, waiting as she runs her credit card through the machine before handing her a receipt.

Twelve hours on the cash wrap at work, scanning grocery item after item, dealing with faulty coupons, the holiday rush and fussy customers. Your feet are sore and you're dying to get off your shift in thirty minutes.

You picked up back-to-back shifts to pay for a plumbing bill your landlord refused to cover.

"Plumbing is the responsibility of the tenant," he groused at you last week. "Read your lease."

Without even a glance, your hand reaches to scan the next customer's items.

Beep. Beep. Beep.

"Happy holidays," a soothing tenor voice greets you.

"Happy holida - " You trip over your monotonous reply when your eyes meet the most beautiful man you've ever seen in person.

Sparkling brown eyes dance underneath thick eyebrows, arched in playful curiosity. A sprinkling of gray dusts his dark curly hair.

"Hi," he greets you, chomping playfully on his gum, which draws attention to the curve of luscious, full lips and the sexy stubble on his chin.

"Good afternoon," you manage, reminding yourself to continue scanning his groceries.

"Afternoon?" He shoots back, nodding toward the darkened windows at the front of the store. "It's 9:15."

"Oh. Right," you sheepishly chuckle.

"Long day?" the handsome man genuinely questions.

Your first instinct is to shrug him off with the run-of-the-mill small talk that comes as naturally as breathing to you, as a cashier.

But something happens - a contradiction that has your heart tripping over itself.

His eyebrows shift curiously, like a puppy, while, at the same time, a smug smirk curls the corner of that mouth.

"Uhh, yes," you admit, pausing, "the longest."

"I'm sorry," he sincerely returns, reaching to swipe his next grocery item for you. "Must be busy this time of year."

"Oh, god...sorry," you stammer, reaching to finish up his order.

"'S okay," he shrugs one shoulder. "You gonna be able to get out of here soon?"

"Not soon enough," you joke. "If I hear 'Jingle Bells' one more time, I can't be held responsible for my actions."

"Hmm," he nods and then he sings, "Dashing through the snow in a one-horse open sleeeiigghh..."

"Nooo, please stop," you find yourself laughing. Out loud. When was the last time you laughed?

"Are you sure? Because I do all the hits. Siiiilent niiiight - "

"Oh my god," you giggle, "you have a terrible voice."

He pretends to be offended, "Is this how you treat all your customers?" The corners of his warm brown eyes crinkle with amusement, letting you know he's still teasing. "Because if you smile at everybody like that, you must be the best cashier in this place."

"Could you hurry it up?" A grouchy customer behind this gorgeous man interjects, almost bouncing on her toes.

And just like that, you're deflated. This is why you don't waste your time caring. No point, no time to truly connect. Everyone is in such a damn hurry, especially this time of year.

"Sorry," you mumble, flustered as you start to bag the man's groceries.

"Hi, I'm Santiago," he greets the grinch behind him. "And this is... " he glances back at you, reading off your name tag. "Been a long day. Just trying make 'em smile. I'll get out of your way."

He flashes a stunning, yet disarming smile and the woman falters.

"Oh. I-it's okay."

"Thanks," he nods, shifting his attention back to you.

You give him the total. “Hang in there,” he winks. “Bet this place would fall apart without you.”

He leaves you stupefied, but smiling.

You can’t even remember the last time someone showed kindness and warmth to you, a simple cashier - let alone made you laugh.

The remaining 27 minutes of your shift feel a little lighter.

*✧･ﾟ: *✧･ﾟ:*✧･ﾟ: *✧･ﾟ

One week later…

Beep. Beep. Beep.

“Dashing through the snoooowww…”

Your eyes snap up to find Mr. Handsome next in your checkout line.

“This is gonna get awkward if you don’t remember me.” His dark eyebrows shoot up questioningly.

“Santiago…right?” Your cheeks feel warm as he flashes you that smile.

“Guilty,” he chuckles. “I really am dying to see what happens when ‘Jingle Bells’ pushes you over the edge.”

“Don’t try me,” you laugh, scanning his grocery items. "Nobody wants me to lose control in here."

"Maybe somewhere else then," he cooly suggests, with the cutest eyebrow wiggle. "Maybe a restaurant? Or a bar? We could grab a drink when you get off?"

Your mouth drops open. "That...was..."

"Pretty smooth, right?" He grins. "Yeah, I've found that singing off key holiday songs is the way to go."

You laugh for about the twentieth time since you met Santiago.

And you go for that drink.

*✧･ﾟ: *✧･ﾟ:*✧･ﾟ: *✧･ﾟ

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#santiago garcia #santiago garcia x reader #santiago garcia x gn!reader #santiago pope garcia #triple frontier #1000 followers #oscar isaac fic #holiday fics #holiday celebration #oscar isaac characters #celebration #1000 follower celebration

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janeyseymour · 5 months

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Idk if you’re taking requests but would love to read a melissa schemmenti/reader where reader is a horseback rider and takes melissa to the barn for the first time!! Melissa gets to meet reader’s horse, the barn owner and their riding trainer who are very protective of reader, as they met her as a kid and watched her grow up!

So full disclaimer: I know absolutely nothing about horses, most of this was written drunk, and it is highly unedited due to my absolute exhaustion with taking over this first grade class... but I hope you enjoy!

Horsing Around

wc: ~3.6k

You’ve been trying to get Melissa to accompany you to the barn for months now, but your schedules never quite lined up or you had different plans together. But now, on this beautiful Saturday, you’ve convinced the redhead to join you in an excursion to the horse farm. You can tell she’s nervous, and you’re doing everything you can to calm her worries.

“Babe, c’mon,” you chuckle. “It really isn’t that scary. It’s just a horse.”

“All I’m sayin’ is,” your girlfriend sighs. “When I get bucked off and break a hip, you’re the one who gets to take care of me.”

“You won’t,” you promise her, taking one of her hands in your own. “The horse I plan to put you on is one I’ve been riding for forever. Dolly is a good girl.”

“You named your horse Dolly?”

“After Dolly Parton,” you reveal with a grin. “The other horse I named there is Jolene.”

“Good lord,” she rolls her eyes lovingly at your antics. “I really am dating a dork.”

“And you love it! Now let’s go!”

You usher your girlfriend to your car excitedly. It’s been a bit since you’ve been back to the barn, and you know the owner is thrilled that you’re coming around. You told her you would be there at two, and it’s already 1:30.

When you pull in, you’re practically out of the car before you can even turn the vehicle off. Judy, the owner of the barn, is already sitting on her porch in a rocker waiting for your arrival.

“Judy!” you sprint up the steps and launch yourself into the older woman’s arms. You’ve missed her. You used to spend all of your time here before you were thrown into the real world and had to get a job.

“There’s my favorite girl,” she sighs and wraps you in her arms. You feel a maternal kiss being pressed to your cheek. “It’s been so long.”

“I stopped by a couple months ago!” you protest.

“To drop off some carrots for the animals,” she laughs as she pulls away. “You didn’t even stick around for dinner.”

You stand back up straight to glance over at the car where Melissa is finishing up her coffee. You smile and blush. “Well, Judy… I did have dinner with my girlfriend that night.”

“Same girl you been seein’?” You nod. “You been seein’ her for a while. When do I get to meet this mystery girlfriend of yours?” the older woman raises a brow.

“Right now,” you say excitedly. You call over to the redhead. “Mel? C’mon, hun! I have someone I want you to meet!”

“I’m comin’!” she calls back. “Give me a few seconds to finish my coffee!”

You and the woman that you’ve known since you were young catch up for a bit before Melissa makes her way over.

“Judy, this is Melissa Schemmenti, my girlfriend,” you grin as you take her hand in your own.

“So you’re the reason I ain’t seen my little girl in so long,” Judy stares her down. You know she’s just playing, but you hope it doesn’t trigger Melissa’s fight or fight instinct.

“That’s me,” the redhead says with a smirk written on her face. “Nice t’meet ya Judy. I heard lots about you.” She sticks her hand out for the farm owner to shake.

Judy glances to you and gives a subtle head nod before taking Melissa’s hand in her own and shaking firmly.

“Aye, that’s a good handshake you got there,” the farm owner notes.

“It’s a power move,” Melissa shrugs. “Gotta show the idiot fathers that walk into my classroom who’s boss.”

“So you’re a teacher? That how you and Y/N met?”

“Judy!” you blush. “I already told you how we met!”

“It is,” Melissa doesn’t miss a beat. “Y/N came into the school bright and chipper, and while I normally can’t stand that kind of attitude, I had some soft spot for her… next thing you know, we’re dating.”

The older woman chuckles her deep laugh. “Just makin’ sure Y/N wasn’t lying. I remember her teenage years, you know.”

You turn a deeper shade of red. “Judy!”

“That’s all I’m sayin,” Judy shrugs and she stands from her chair. “C’mon, now. I’m sure Dolly and Jolene will be thrilled to see their favorite rider.”

You lead Melissa around the farm, providing a running record of everything you pass. Your girlfriend hands on to your every word, occasionally asking a question that you’re quick to answer. You know this place like the back of your hand. Judy watches the two of you with a twinkle in her eye. She’s been in your life since you were six, the first time your mother brought you down. She’s watched you grow and change, seen you through multiple boyfriends and girlfriends, and she has to admit that seeing you with Melissa is the happiest you’ve ever seemed.

Every once in a while, she throws in some smart comment or little anecdote about your childhood. And every time, it’s met with a whined out, “Judy!” Both women just laugh at your antics.

When you finally get into the horse barn, there stands Annette, the horse trainer that you haven’t seen in ages.

“Well golly,” she smiles broadly at the sight of you. “Judes, I know you said Y/N was dropping by, but this surely can’t be her.”

You drop Melissa’s hand in an instant to launch yourself at the woman you haven’t seen since before you went off to college. “Annette!”

“Hey, baby cakes,” she chuckles as she engulfs you in a hug. “Look at you, all grown up.”

“I didn’t know you were going to be here!”

“Well, Judes told me you were swingin’ by, and I had a free day,” the woman laughs with a sparkle in her eye. “I knew I couldn’t miss ya again. How you been?”

“Oh, I’ve been great!” you can’t contain the smile on your face. You tell her about college and how you’ve graduated, how you found a job teaching- to which she tells you how proud she is of you-, and then you tell her you have a girlfriend. “Annette, this is my girlfriend Melissa. Melissa is a second grade teacher at the school I work with. Mel, this is Annette. She taught me how to ride when I was a kid.”

The horse trainer, unlike Judy, grabs Melissa and pulls her into a tight hug. “Nice to meet ya, hun.”

“Yeah,” your girlfriend pats her back awkwardly. “Nice to meet you too.”

“I was hoping Mel and I could ride Dolly and Jolene?” you ask hopefully, rocking back and forth on your feet.

“I’m sure they would be more than happy to get out and run around for a bit,” the trainer smiles. She turns to Melissa. “You ever seen your girl ride?”

“Not yet,” your girlfriend says.

“She’s one hell of a rider,” Annette grins. “You’re in for a treat. Have you ever ridden?”

“Today will be the first,” the redhead says nervously, playing with one of her rings.

“You’re in good hands with the two of us,” you promise your girlfriend. “And like I told you, Dolly is a sweet girl.”

“She’s one of the best we have,” Judy tells her. “I’ve watched Annette put the young ones on her, and she’s just perfect with them. A great starter horse.”

“C’mon babe!” you take Melissa’s hand in your own again and start dragging her into the barn.

The two older women hang back as you enter.

“So,” Judy and Annette drawl out at the same time. They chuckle.

“She seems happy with this one,” Judy notes softly.

“She does,” Annette agrees. “This one better not break our girl’s heart.”

“I don’t think she will,” the farm owner tells her friend. “Any time the girl comes around, she’s always talking about Melissa. I watched as Y/N was showing her around, and she was looking at her like our girl hung the damned stars. And if she does, well… woman’s got another thing coming for her.”

“You got that one right,” Annette chuckles as she nudges her boss with an elbow. “C’mon. I gotta get in there to make sure Melissa isn’t having a heart attack over the size of Dolly.”

When the two of them enter the barn, you’re with your girlfriend in Dolly’s stall, and Melissa looks terrified. You, on the other hand, are grinning as you pet your horse and feed her a few apples.

“Oi,” Annette quips. “Don’t overfeed her.”

“I’m just giving her a few treats!” you protest as you continue to stroke the animal. “My good girl,” you coo. “Mel, c’mon.”

“I think you got that one, hun,” she stands in the corner of the stall, glancing at the animal with fear.

“Babe, I promise, she’s a sweetie!” you wave her over. “You just have to stand to the side of her so she can see you and get used to you.”

Your girlfriend looks at you nervously, but listens. You give her a gentle head nod and a look of comfort and love. Annette and Judy don’t miss that look. You turn your attention to the redhead and help her get more comfortable around the horse, and before you know it, she’s feeding her a carrot and praising her sweetly. It melts your heart.

“Do you want to try brushing her? She loves being groomed,” you suggest. At her nod, you show her how to do it. “If I leave you with Judy and Annette for a few minutes so I can go tend to Jolene, will you be okay?”

Melissa nods at you nervously, and you give her a quick peck on the lips. You shoot the two that you’ve known for decades a look, as if to say ‘behave yourselves’, before heading to a different part of the barn.

The redhead continues to groom the horse in front of her, but she can quickly feel two pairs of eyes trained on her.

“Can I help the two of you?” your girlfriend asks lowly. She’s trying to stay on her best behavior for you- she knows how much you care for the two, and she oddly wants their approval.

Neither woman says anything, so Melissa keeps her eyes trained on the horse until the silence is broken.

“What are your plans with our girl?” Annette asks lowly.

Melissa raises a brow as she slowly stops grooming Dolly. “What do you mean?”

“What are your intentions and all that shit?” she asks.

“She’s my girlfriend, and I want to make her happy?” your girlfriend glances over.

“You know,” Judy cuts in quietly. “The two of us have quite a soft spot for Y/N. You hurt her, and we will find you.”

“I ain’t got no plans to hurt my girl,” Melissa states confidently. You start to round the corner to re-enter Dolly’s stall, but you’re quite interested to see what the redhead has to say. “I’m not some loser her age who is going to take advantage of her. I love that girl, and one of these days… I’m gonna marry her.”

“What makes you so confident?” the farm owner asks, and you know she’s much tougher to gain approval than Annette is.

“The fact that we’ve talked about getting married and starting our lives together,” Melissa tells them. “The fact that I got a ring hidden in my classroom that I know she’ll love.”

“Is it-”

“It’s white gold,” the teacher cuts Judy off. “I know what my girl likes, and I fully intend on making her the happiest woman alive. I can’t wait to be able to call her Mrs. Schemmenti.”

“How do you know she isn’t going to keep her last name?”

“Because we’ve talked about how she can’t wait to get rid of her last name,” Melissa chuckles.

“She has always hated it,” Annette chimes in with a hearty chuckle. “It ain’t even that bad a last name.”

“She’s my girl,” your girlfriend says simply. “I’ll do everything I can to always keep that gorgeous smile of hers on her face. Even if most of it scares the living shit outta me.”

“Like?”

“Like… I’m terrified of horses,” Melissa tells them honestly. “But I’m here.”

“You are,” Annette smiles. “And Dolly seems to love you already.”

“I know she wants marriage, and I’ve already done the marriage and divorce,” she confides in them quietly. “I know she wants kids, and I’ve always been terrified of having kids. But I know they’ll turn out okay as long as Y/N is around. She’s a… that woman is something. She makes every day worth living, and she makes every day the brightest day I’ve ever had. She’s my girl- my everything.”

Melissa’s eyes sparkle with love, and her tone conveys just how much she cares about you and is willing to go the extra mile for you. You have to choke down a quiet sob at her words.

“Ain’t that sweet,” Annette coos.

“Sweet, and heartfelt,” Judy gives a nod of approval before turning serious again. “But I swear to God, you mess up… we’ll find you.”

“Trust me, I ain’t got no plans to fuck it up with this one,” Melissa tells them. “She’s it for me.”

Your second and third mother give simultaneous hums of approval, and you see it as your time to enter without them knowing you were listening.

“Baby!” you bounce over and kiss her cheek. “I got Jolene all ready to ride if you wanted to give it a go?”

Your girlfriend looks extremely nervous, but she nods. “If that’s what you want to do.”

Judy and Annette give each other nods of approval at knowing just how scared Melissa was to get on the horse, but she was going to do it for you.

“I promise, Dolly will be just fine for you,” you assure her. “And whenever you’ve had enough, I’ll take them both out to do some jumping and stuff with them.”

“I’ll grab Jo for you,” Annette volunteers herself. “Judes, you wanna come?”

The two exit a few seconds later, giving you optimal time with the redhead.

“Let me just grab her saddle, you a helmet, and we should be set?” you suggest.

She smiles as her eyes linger on you. “Sounds like a plan, amore.”

You kiss her gently. “I know this is new and scary for you, but thank you for doing it for me.”

“Anything for my girl,” she mumbles against your lips. “Anything at all.”

“Let me get Dolly ready for you to ride, and then we can take her out, and I’ll show you everything you’ll need to know,” you tell her.

It’s only a few minutes later that you reconvene with Judy and Annette, Dolly the horse following behind you as you lead her into the pen.

“You ready, hun?” you ask Melissa gently. At her nod, you lead her over to the two that work on the farm. You help Melissa up onto the horse, and then you expertly mount Jolene. You teach her how to get the horse to walk, and when she seems comfortable with that, you ask her if she wants to try to get the horse to trot. She seems nervous, but with you by her side and Annette helping to handle the horse, she gives a nod.

Trotting is not much her speed, so Annette helps to slow the horse back down, and you grin at her.

“I’m proud of you for trying,” you tell your girlfriend sweetly. “Whenever you feel you’ve had enough, I can help you off of Jo, and then I’ll take them both out for just a bit to keep up with their training.”

After about ten more minutes of walking the horses, Melissa has felt that she’s had enough. You help her dismount. Her, Annette, and Judy exit the pen, and you’re left to do what you love.

You have to admit that you’re showing off a bit, and you know Melissa is eating it up. Her eyes don’t leave you the entire time that you ride both horses. You send her a wink whenever you pass her on either of the horses.

Judy and Annette watch Melissa watch you. They can’t believe how much love can be conveyed in just one simple look.

Finally, you’re finished, and you take off your helmet with a smile and a toss of your hair. You lead both horses over to where your group is standing, and you hand Dolly’s lead to Melissa.

“Walk with me to take them back to their stalls?” you ask as you extend your hand out. She takes it gently, and the two of you head back for the barn hand in hand. Annette and Judy follow behind, looking at the two of you fondly.

“Stay back on second,” the horse trainer says softly, and Judy stops in her tracks. Annette pulls out her phone and takes a few pictures of you and your girlfriend as you chat and lead the horses back to their stalls. After examining the pictures for a few seconds, she grins. “They are a cute couple.”

“I suppose,” Judy bites her lip. “But I’m serious. If Melissa hurts our girl-”

“I know, I know,” Annette rolls her eyes lightheartedly. “You’ll have your foot so far up her ass, she won’t be able to walk for weeks. But have a little faith in this one. That woman looks at Y/N like my Frankie used to look at me, and we were the happiest couple.”

“I thought I recognized that look,” Judy sighs softly.

“So, give her a chance?”

“I am, I am,” the farm owner waves off. They follow the two of you into the barn.

After the horses are away, you take Melissa’s hand in your own and start to head out of the barn.

“Oi,” Judy calls to the two of you. “Are you at least gonna stay for dinner or what?”

Melissa squeezes your hand, silently saying that it’s entirely up to you. You nod with a smile. “If you’ll have us.”

“Good. I have enough food to feed a small village, and I need help cleaning out for the next season of planting,” the farm owner chuckles.

Dinner is nice. You get to hear about what Judy and Annette have been up to, they ask what you’ve been spending your time doing, and they get to know your girlfriend just a bit more. Melissa’s usually stoic and stony persona is set aside, and you know how much this is taking in her to answer every question they ask her with as little snark as possible. You’ll tell her how much you appreciate it later tonight… or rather, show her.

Before you know it, you’re bidding goodbyes to your mentors. They each give Melissa a hug, which shocks you- Judy has never given your former partners a hug before. She usually just glares them down with a firm handshake. In that moment, you know your current girlfriend has Judy’s stamp of approval.

You pull your keys out of your jacket pocket, and Melissa smiles gently at you- that soft, warm smile that made you fall for her in the first place.

“I can drive home if you want,” she offers quietly.

“You just want control of the music,” you tease her.

“You can have control,” she chuckles. “I just thought I’d offer.”

“I won’t pass up on not having to drive home,” you giggle softly as you hand your keys over. “Thank you, love.”

She presses a delicate kiss to your temple as the two of you walk to the car. She holds the door open for you, as she always does, before closing it for you and climbing in.

“You can play your music if you want,” you tell her.

“Play what you want, my love,” she smiles as she turns on your headlights. She starts to back out with a small wave and smile to Annette and Judy. By the time you’re pulling out of the farm, Sara Bareilles is playing softly through the stereo, and a warm hand has settled on your knee.

“Thank you for showing me what you love,” she leans over and kisses your cheek, eyes never leaving the road.

“Thank you for coming with me,” you say just as softly. “What did you think?”

“I’m not as terrified of horses as I used to be,” she tells you with a quiet laugh.

“Judy and Annette didn’t scare you off?” you tease before turning a bit serious. “They’ve scared off quite a few who they didn’t deem worthy of my time… Judy has never actually hugged any one of my past boyfriends or girlfriends.”

“I think I showed them how much I care for you, amore,” she states confidently. “And if Judy hasn’t ever given your past people hugs… I think I’m doing pretty damned good.”

“I love you,” you sigh softly as you lay a hand over hers and lay your head on her shoulder.

“I love you too,” she tells you gently. “But you already know that.”

—

“So… we met Melissa,” Judy and Annette tell your mother over the phone.

“Oh? And what did you think?” your mom asks.

Both women that work on the farm glance at each other.

“She’ll do just fine,” Judy gives your mother a thumbs up.

“I agree,” your mom tells them. “Are we placing bets on when Melissa is going to propose?”

The two women on the phone at the farm know your mother’s tricks though.

“She already told you she got a ring, didn’t she?” Annette asks.

“Dammit.”

#melissa schemmenti x you #melissa schemmenti fanfic #melissa schemmenti x reader #melissa schemmenti #abbott elementary fanfiction #abbott elementary fanfic #abbott elementary

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gallusrostromegalus · 5 months

Note

Funky Muguruma Kensei AEIWAM headcanons? Spare serotonins with the blorbos? /j Also what's AEIWAM Mashiro like? She's one of the only characters I genuinely get annoyed by in the canon oof

So the friendship between Kaname and Mashiro is one of my favorite things in the fic so far. Have a spoilerific Scene (Part 1 of ?)

Crickets and Grasshoppers

Scene One of ??? Approximately 7K words Fluff that goes South and won't get (sort of ) better until part 2, warnings for body horror, referenced torture and Emotionally Devastating Betrayal

It was Tuesday November 5th, 1901, Scheduling Day in the Ninth Division and Mashiro was standing in front of the vending machine just down the street from the Ninth, choosing her armaments for the coming battle.

In other divisions, the actual drawing up of rosters was the job of lower-seated officers and the specific parts of the Division they were responsible for. Tousen’s friend Komamura has told her once that the 7th Division’s schedule was so predictable, they only looked at the roster once a year when people retired or were hired. A fascinating concept to Mashiro, who listened to Komamura’s tales of the 7th with the rapt fascination of an anthropologist privileged to hear the folklore of distant and largely unknown people.

The Ninth was… complicated for the sake of simplicity. Information did not move the same way people did, and while the seventh could pass an inbound soul from the Intake Team to Queue Management to the Registry Office, passing an information project from one subdivision to another was a great way to lose said project. So instead of projects moving from subdivision to subdivision as they reached different stages, subdivisions went from stage to stage, following projects.

This meant scheduling had to be done every month, but it beat the hell out of a major archive loss or communications failure.

And it meant that Snackage was in order.

Mashiro surreptitiously glanced over her shoulder to make sure Captain Muguruma was still overseeing drills in the courtyard, then selected 37 cookies, chips, snack cakes, bottles of pop and juice and other goodies from the machine and paid out of the Division Purse.

Kensei, bless him, was a deeply honorable man who was so reliable you could set a watch by him and would probably cross actual Hell to help a friend, but he did not understand scheduling, much less the kind of caloric requirements it held.

-- “You’re just sitting there! What do you need all that for?” He’d asked her once.

“The brain’s the most expensive organ to run in terms of calories.” She’d explained, rolling her eyes and opening a bag of Barbecue-flavored corn chips. “-I know your brain is a plodding cart horse, but you can’t do scheduling. You need my thoroughbred racehorse brain, and it needs snacks!”

He’d given up with a disgusted groan of defeat, which was good, because the other reason she needed the snacks would have actually made him snap. -- Mashiro shoved the snacks into her backpack, checked that Kensei was still distracted by drills, darted back across the street where he might spot her, ran around the back of the division, and jumped up to the third-floor window that had been left open for her.

“The level of subterfuge this perfectly normal administrative process requires…” Fifth-seat Kaname Tousen groaned from where he was lying on the floor, partially under his traditional low desk.

“-Is half the fun, you dork!” Mashiro giggled, closing the window after her as she climbed in. “All the autumn stuff is in the shops and vending machines now, and I made sure to get every persimmon-flavored thing they had just for you!” She grinned down at her chosen assistant for scheduling.

The other purpose for the snacks was Bribery.

Kaname Tousen was, by Mashiro’s estimation, definitely the smartest person in the Ninth Division, and possibly in the entire Soul Society. If the world was a fair place, he’d be lieutenant and she’d be fifth seat, but the world wasn’t a fair place and in the week between Graduation with every honor Shin’o academy had and starting as the 9th Division’s 20th seat, Kaname had been struck down with some sort of horrible spinal infection that damn near killed him, made him miss his entire first month and a half of work, and left him with occasional bouts of crippling pain, like today, when he’d decided to risk worsening Kensei’s already low opinion of him by doing his work lying flat on his back on a hot pad.

Kaname’s services as a Brainiac were much in demand and his availability highly limited, so Mashiro guaranteed her place on his schedule with confection-based compensation.

“I mean, Kensei’s a mean old sack and that’s not great for the division too, but the spy shenanigans and scheduling snacktime really is like, The Highlight Of The Month sometimes.” Mashiro shrugged, flopping down on the floor beside him and dumping the snacks out between them.

“Captain Muguruma’s sense of discipline is intense but very necess- ow. Yeah, that’s not happening.” Kaname sighed, laying back down from trying to sit up. “-He’s a good man. Difficult, sometimes, but a good man.”

“You’re way too nice for your own good. Here’s the Persimmon castella cakes.” Mashiro grunted, handing Kaname the small package and the payroll notes to read.

Kaname groped across his desk for a clipboard, attached the payroll notes to it, propped them up on his stomach so they were balanced on the edge of his desk, and laid all the way back down, face pointed at the ceiling rather than the notes. Mashiro opened up a packet of Amakara rice crackers, watching him with interest as Kaname took off his goggles.

The goggles were what convinced Mashiro he was the smartest man in the Soul Society. Kaname had been born totally blind, but he had figured out how to mount a pair of tiny cameras in the frame of a pair of safety goggles, which were connected to… he’d explained that the little bricks behind the opaque white lenses of his goggles contained something like an obscenely long and complicated Kido spell that spotted readable characters, ‘read’ them, and turned the resulting text into words that played out of the tiny “Microphonogram Speech Players or ‘speakers’ “ hidden in the legs of the goggles. So he could read pretty much anything printed with enough contrast (and decent enough handwriting, Captain Urahara) because his goggles would read it aloud for him. They were much slower than most people read, and sometimes he had to stop work to “charge” the spell that made them work, but they worked a damn treat, and had the added advantage that Kaname himself did not need to be looking at the thing he was trying to read, only the goggles.

So now he unwound the coil of wire that connected the Kido brick to the microphonogram, placed the ‘speaker’ back in his ear, and set the glasses on his chest so he could read the notes while keeping his back and neck pressed to the hotpad.

True Genius, that.

“I love how the cameras wiggle.” Mashiro grinned, watching the two lenses shift and dilate as they focused on the notes. “They move the same way cicadas and grasshoppers shift their eyes independently to focus. It’s so clever to have them operate like that.”

“Hm. That was Kakiyo’s design, not mine.” Kaname smiled. Kakiyo was his adopted and now-deceased sister. “She was always more of an entomologist than me.”

“Weird that you ended up with Suzumushi the cricket for a Zanpaktou then.” Mashiro pondered. She liked Suzumushi- that sword, and her own Musabori Kuu Batta (Devouring Locust) were two of less than One Hundred insect-type Zanpaktou in the court guard, and fewer still that weren’t butterflies. She couldn’t really see Suzumushi- no shinigami could perceive another’s Zanpaktou Spirit- but she could hear Batta’s half of the conversation the two would chirp to each other sometimes.

Kaname paused from opening the persimmon cake packaging with his teeth. “...Yes. Bizarre.” he said, with a rueful finality that Mashiro took as her cue to change the subject.

“Right. Where are we on the Agricultural Practices census?” She sighed, pulling the active projects list and next month’s calendar out in front of her.

“Maegawa-san has requested travel permissions to-” Kaname replied, flipping through the pages, the goggles faintly reading off names as he tracked them with his fingertip. “Ah, ‘pull the damn report out through the East 36th Daimyo’s nose if I have to’, which I think we can call a requisitions expense rather than reconnaissance. Unless you think Lieutenant Fon would enjoy the catharsis as well.”

“She WOULD, actually, that girl is wound tighter than my grandpa’s pocketwatch.” Mashiro nodded, placing the card for “3rd Seat Maegawa” in the “Out Of Office” Pile.

And so it went for a pleasant hour, eating snacks and solving the five-dimensional time, space and payroll puzzle of scheduling, with Kaname helping her keep track of the process and who was not supposed to be doing overtime or couldn’t be trusted to work with someone else or on maternity leave or whatever.

“Alright, I think that’s nearly everyone sorted…” Mashiro muttered, going down the list of all 200 division members to make sure they’d made it onto the roster. “Oh wait, we didn’t put you down!” She giggled.

“I believe my schedule should be identical to last months while we are still doing data entry into the archives, but I do have a request- May I have this coming Friday off?” he asked. “I have an engagement.”

“Who’s getting engaged?” Mashiro teased, erasing him from the roster that day.

Kaname tilted his head a bit, pointing his ear at her with a conspiratorial smirk. “...Can you keep a secret?”

Mashiro blinked at him in surprise, then gasped with delight and leaned in “Cross my heart and hope to die!” She whispered back, giggling.

Kaname regarded her for a moment, teasing. “Love- Captain Aikawa has finally worked up the nerve to propose to Lieutenant Yadomaru.”

Mashiro made a noise like an asthmatic teakettle as she tried to not shriek with delight and deafen Kaname as well, rolling onto her back and kicking her legs in the air with excitement.

“-He wants it to be a surprise though, and Lisa is always going through his bag for his water bottle or whatever at kendo practice and she will notice if his schedule changes, so I need to duck out during lunch today and pick up the ring for him to propose with on Friday.” Kaname elaborated.

“A conspiracy!” Mashiro balled her fists with excitement. “When? Where? Can I come?”

“You got an invitation to Captain Kyoraku’s next moon-viewing party, right?” Kaname asked and she nodded. “It’s then.”

“EEEK!” Mashiro giggled with delight.

“What’re you two giggling about?” Kensei grunted from the doorway, still sweaty from training.

“It’s a SECRET!” Mashiro glared imperiously, sweeping the snack wrappers out of sight off the desk as Kaname sat up with a small grunt of pain and bowed his head in salute.

“Whatever.” Kensei rolled his eyes. “Tousen. Read your report on the dodgy census statistics and possible disappearances in West 66 and I think you’re right. Something stinks on ice out there.”

Kaname gasped sharply with relief and bowed his head in gratitude. “Thank you, Sir.”

“I gotta attend a captain’s meeting this afternoon because Urahara has some harebrained new project to show and tell-” Kensei continued, glaring at his battered fingertips where he’d caught a bokto the wrong way during training. “-Saw that Maegawa is gonna be in East 36 and Fukuda’s on maternity leave, so I’m sending every seated officer from you to 15th seat Shizawa out there to investigate and deal with it. You all need to be at the Kido Corps for teleportation at three. Mashiro, don’t burn the place down.”

“OH COME ON!” Mashiro shouted with disappointment.

“HEY! No backtalk! I know you wanna go but someone’s gotta hold the fort-” Kensei glared down at her.

“It’s not me! Kaname has to- I mean-” She sputtered, abruptly remembering his request for secrecy.

“It’s alright!” Kaname tried to smile but ended up grimacing at her as he got up. “I’ll just go get it now and it’ll be in my pocket when I get back!”

Mashiro glared at him for a moment, but sat back down. “Okay. I guess.” She pouted.

“Get what?” Asked Kensei.

“A surprise for Captain Kyoraku’s moon-veiwing party!” Kaname grinned at him as he collected his belongings into his satchel by touch.

Kensei pondered that for a long moment, glaring at Kaname. “...How’d you score an invite?”

“Captain Aikawa invited me along.” Kaname explained over Mashiro’s offended scoff. “We were roommates when we were at the academy and he has very kindly kept inviting me along to things despite my not really being able to keep up with him anymore.”

Kensei regarded him a moment longer. “Huh.” he eventually decided. “Well, see you when you get back from the investigation.” He waved, dismissing Tousen.

“Thank you Sir. Lieutenant Kuna.” Kaname bowed before jogging off.

“See you later Kaname-kun!” Mashiro called after him.

“-Even if he won’t technically see yo- OW!” Kensei yelped as Mashiro clipped him sharply under the ear.

“Why are you so MEAN to him!?” Mashiro glared up at her captain as he rubbed his jaw.

“I’m not mean! I’m just- it’s just office banter!” Kensei growled back. “I can just not like a guy and still be colleagues with him, okay?”

“No, apparently you can’t!” Mashiro “You’ve been really hard on him and getting on his case and teasing him since day one!”

“-More like day thirty-two, he missed the first six weeks of his appointment.” Kensei grumbled.

“That was literally FIFTY years ago and he was in the HOSPITAL. BECAUSE HE NEARLY DIED!” She bellowed, probably loud enough for Kaname to hear in the street but it didn’t matter. “Yeah, it sucked, but it wasn’t his fault! I don’t get why you were mad at him back then, and I really don’t get why you’re still mad about it NOW!”

“I’M NOT MAD ABOUT THAT, I JUST-” Kensei bellowed back but then stopped, hand over his mouth. “...He keeps secrets.”

Mashiro stared at him blankly for a moment, face slowly collapsing from bewilderment into disgust. “OH. MY GOD. You’re the one always going on about operational security! He’s just careful- all the details are in his summarial reports, if you ever read them…”

“I do!” Kensei barked. “And they’re- I mean, All the information he’s required to fill out is there, and then some.” He sputtered, deflating.

Mashiro leaned in close, eyebrow cocked at him.

“...But I keep getting this feeling it’s not the whole picture.” Kensei muttered.

“Ugh!” Mashiro shouted, throwing her hands up and turning away. “So you don’t like him because you have bad reading comprehension?”

“Shut up! I don’t- there’s just something off about that guy! He’s always taking weird days off-” Kensei started, ticking off a list on his fingers.

“You mean the sick days from his spinal infection?” Mashiro glared, arms folded across her chest.

Kensei continued to count his grievances “-and taking secret calls in weird corners-!”

“You mean privately scheduling his medical treatment? For his spinal infection?” Mashiro continued to glare.

“-And getting him to go to the fifth or third division is like pulling teeth! What the hell is up with that?” Kensei demanded.

“You mean the divisions that have A) Lieutenant Iba, the woman who has a weird horoscope-based personal grudge against him-” Mashiro asked, mimicking Kensei’s earlier counting, “-and B) Lieutenant Aizen, who also keeps forgetting he has a spinal injury and slaps Kaname across the shoulders every time they meet? Yeah, I don’t blame him for wanting to avoid two of the most annoying people in the whole court guard!”

“Whatever.” Kensei waved her off. “I’m still right. There’s something off with him. Now get that roster updated and posted!”

“Yes, sir.” Mashiro groaned, rolling her eyes at him and stomping back to Kaname’s office for the Roster.

***

Kaname hadn’t felt this light in years.

Oh god.

Oh, GOD!

Please, please, please please let this be happening?

He sprinted down the road, back towards the apartment that he and Sajin shared, the small box with Love’s ring in his chest pocket. He allowed himself an ounce of elation- After all, I am just a young man who has picked up the engagement ring of one of his best friends! It is exactly what anyone would expect to see-

That was the tricky part of The Curse.

He couldn’t talk about it, like many curses, but it had the added complication that anyone who looked at him- or listened to him, or put their hands on him, or-

Well, they’d only find what they expected to find.

Certainly not a curse.

But curses cut both ways- The broader and less specific a command for someone bearing a curse was, the harder it was to enforce, and it was harder to come up with a command broader and more open to interpretation than “Help Me Kill God”. So as long as Kaname could argue to the curse that an action did “help” some aspect of Aizen’s plans, he could be inefficient, neglect to mention something important, do an assigned task sloppily, fail to cover his tracks and so on- Sometimes Other times, the curse would take effect and cripple him until he relented and obeyed Aizen’s command again. Or at least, managed to convince Aizen he was doing what Aizen wanted.

Aizen hadn’t quite realized it, but he was also subject to his own illusions, and there was a gap- a mirror image, if Kaname understood mirrors correctly- so long as he appeared as Aizen expected, Aizen wouldn’t notice him sabotaging Aizen’s machinations. So for the last three years, Kaname had done his best to appear tired and overworked and failing from exhaustion rather than malice, or like he was starting to agree with Aizen, which is exactly what the narcissist expected after fifty years of mental, physical and spiritual torture.

It was finally paying off.

He’d managed to make the kidnappings Aizen and Gin had been conducting on the villagers of West 56 appear by conducting a census that showed the discrepancy of expected versus actual population. -And made sure the increased hollow activity in the area from Aizen’s experiments showed up in the 10th Division’s monitoring statistics. - And the weird waves of reiatsu visible on the 12th’s monitoring equipment- not what people expected to see, but by keeping all the evidence noticed by unrelated parties, he kept it out of the scope of Aizen’s Illusions.

Kyoga Suigetsu took a lot of energy to operate, and Tousen was pretty sure Aizen could only passively fool about 150 at a time- he chose mostly his own division and people he saw daily, like his neighbors and cross-division colleagues, and could only actively alter the reality of maybe 20 people at once- the other captains and a few key would-be witnesses. So a rural census-taker, and two members at the bottom ranks of other divisions weren’t actively subject to the illusion.

He had to do it on faith, that someone would notice-

Kaname felt like he’d been holding his breath for weeks now, doing his best to tell Aizen and the constantly-itching nails in his spine that this was a Perfectly Normal Database Cross-referencing project- very boring, but it will be missed if it’s not done, Lord Aizen- and nothing to draw attention to the horrible Laboratory…

…By some miracle, Mugurama had read the report, understood and believed it- Kensei had a naturally suspicious mind, so Kaname made sure the report was full of “It's entirely possible this is all a weird coincidence!” to make him suspicious. The curse only showed people what they expected to see, and for once, Kensei’s natural pessimistic expectations allowed him to see the truth.

24 hours. That’s all I have left.

The only people in the Ninth Aizen had under his Active Influence were Kensei and Mashiro, so he wouldn’t be able to hide the nature of the laboratory from the investigation team without dropping the Active Illusion on someone else and risk discovery- and so long as Aizen didn’t find out about the expedition, he wouldn’t know to make that shift in time.

24 hours. I only need to keep Aizen distracted for 24 hours.

In Aizen’s personal quarters, The Distraction Apparatus waited.

Aizen was mistaken to force Kaname to do his lab work for him- Kaname understood it better than him now, and had pulled aside a little trick to confuse him. The Hogyoku bonded with its user, almost like a zanpaktou, and communicated with them- it purred when Aizen fed it, and whined when it was hungry. Aizen knew about Suzumushi’s Bankai- he’d insisted Kaname develop it under his supervision, so he would know of all Kaname’s abilities. But he only knew it from the inside, and hadn’t realized that not only was anyone inside blind, deaf and without any form of sensory input, neither could anyone on the outside sense anyone within. It was worth it to break Suzumushi like that. It was actually her idea, to break the guard of his Zanpaktou and separate the ring from it. That’s where the Bankai was stored, and with a hell of a lot of practice, he’d learned to cast it remotely.

It had been months before he had an opportunity- Kaname would never forgive what had been done to that poor angel, but during one of the The Sessions where Aizen was using the Hogyoku to change the angel, Kaname was able to get ahold of the little Illusion box Aizen kept the infernal device in, Secure Suzumushi’s ring to the floor, disguise the tampering with a false floor, and return the box to it’s place without Aizen’s notice. The Ring had been waiting there for months.

24 hours, and the secret will be out.

He’d memorized Aizen’s schedule- in 22 minutes Aizen would be entering the reiatsu-locked laboratory of the 12th with his own Captain Shinji for Kisuke’s Demonstration, and would not be able to feel Kaname activate his Bankai. When he came back out, it would seem like the Hogyoku had vanished. And for all Aizen would be able to tell, it had- he wouldn’t be able to perceive the Hogyoku or it’s illusion box until Kaname released his Bankai.

So for now, Kaname acted exactly like Aizen would expect him to act- a little tired, a lot in pain, but elated that two of his best friends were getting engaged, and that he’d be able to help. That was a natural source of excitement, and definitely not any kind of counter conspiracy-

Kaname jogged down the stairs to the apartment, ring box in his pocket, heart hammering, hands shaking a bit as he took out the keys to unlock his door, grabbed the knob that was not there and was suddenly off balance and falling- Into something soft and steady that carefully picked him up like a child’s doll and set him back on his feet, gently taking his hands.

“Are you alright?” Sajin asked, soft, deep voice tinged with concern. “My apologies, I was just trying to do some house cleaning while the weather is mild and had the door open for ventilation.”

“Y- yeah! I’m. I’m alright. Just- distracted. I’ve had some good news!” He grinned up at his friend.

“Oh?” Sajin asked, tugging lightly at Kaname’s fingertips to indicate he should step inside. “Mind your way, I have all the chairs out in the living room so I can sweep.”

They had been living in this garden-level apartment for the forty years since Sajin had followed Kaname into the court guard, and under the same roof at the Akaido City Library for many years before that, and their domestic arrangements settled into a comfortable and comforting routine- Kaname was incapable of seeing grime, so Sajin did the housekeeping, and Sajin would eat raw, expired meat if left unattended, so Kaname did the cooking and shopping.

Kaname followed his lead, hand reflexively on Sajin’s instinctively proffered arm to keep balance while he unbuckled and took off his boots- the gestures of proximal intimacy had calcified into a secret language between them.

“Thanks-” Kaname stood up and stepped in with a guiding hand on the wall. He could normally navigate the apartment by memory alone. “-I’m only here for a few minutes, I’ve also got a deployment I need to pack for.”

“Deployment?” Sajin asked, following after him, voice slightly muffled from the cloth mask he wore over his face- at least when the door was open. Being mostly underground had it’s advantages- Kaname didn’t need much light and Sajin possessed almost superhuman darkvision, and the small, high windows that were obscured by bushes gave them enough Privacy that Sajin could relax and keep his face bare at home.

24 hours.

Maybe. Maybe when it all came out, and the dust settled--Assuming they don’t hang me alongside Aizen, which was a big If--But once it was all said and done and I still draw breath- Maybe I will have the courage to ask Sajin what it is he feels he needs to hide.Surely, he is far too gentle to be half so monstrous as he claims.

“Kaname?” Sajin prompted, and Kaname realized he’d been silent for nearly a minute. “S-sorry. I just. Captain Muguruma finally read my report on West 66 and ordered and immediate investigation, so I have to be at the Kido corps by three-” “Kaname.” “Ah, No don’t worry, I’ll get dinner prepared so you only have to put it under the broiler, and There’s um-” “Kaname.”

“-I’ll be back by Friday for Love and Lisa’s- Right- Here, I need you to-” He sputtered, dozens of ideas baying for his attention at once, patting his chest for the ring box- “Kaname!” Sajin snapped, and his giant hands were on Kaname’s shoulders again, turning him around in place to face his friend, gloved hand suddenly under his chin, holding his face up for Sajin to glare at. “...When was the last time you slept?”

“I’m fine!” Kaname tried to jerk back, laughing defensively.

“You’ve gone to bed after me and gotten up before me, if you went to bed at all for at least a week, and I’m doing maximum overtime. You don't have bags so much as matched luggage under your eyes and can’t finish a sentence coherently. You’re not touching anything in the kitchen.” Sajin rattled off, giving Kaname’s chin a light shake. “...it’s not yet eleven, and the Kido Corps is less than ten minutes from here. I’ll see to your packing. Lie down. Please.”

Kaname sighed, shoulders slumping. “Sajin, I- I need to-”

“You need. To sleep.” Sajin rumbled, no room in his voice for argument.

Kaname panted for a moment, realizing that if Sajin wasn’t holding him in place he’d be swaying with exhaustion.

24 hours.

…I can spend one or two of them resting.

If I don’t manage to prove my innocence, I’ll want to have at least this to think about on the gallows.

“...Stay with me until I fall asleep?” Kaname asked, voice soft. “It’s just. It’s been a lot.” “Of course.” Sajin hummed, rubbing his cheek. “I also need to, ah- use facilities, first.” he grimaced, and Sajin let him go.

“I’m coming in after you if I think you’ve passed out on the floor.” Sajin threatened.

“That happened ONE TIME-!” Kaname protested, following the wall to the bathroom.

Once inside, he checked the time again.

If the meeting had stuck to schedule, they should be inside the 12th’s labs now.

Kaname sent Aizen a test message to his Soul Pager.

> Mandatory Status Report: Muguruma handed me a sudden assignment. Won’t be back until Friday.

If he was outside the Reiatsu-locked lab, that missive would have Aizen furiously calling him in under five minutes. He timed it, relieving himself and washing his hands as he waited-

Nothing.

“Here goes…” he muttered, hoping the sound of the bathroom fan and the running water would cover his voice. He focused, feeling the silver ring start to rotate in his mind, the way it multiplied and stretched, the rings dancing a circle on that which needed to be concealed-

“-Bankai.” He whispered, skin tingling-

-And suddenly he was keenly aware of the hogyoku and it’s illusion box, as though he were holding it, both wholly contained and hidden by his Bankai.

It is done The distraction is set. In a few hours, all will be revealed to the rest of the court guard. There. All I need to do now was follow the assignment like I was told and investigate the- the-

-He suddenly he felt the Bankai’s draw on his power and he collapsed over the sink, retching and knees shaking with how weak he felt. The skin on the back of his neck prickled and almost tasted like vinegar in the back of his mind, high-pitched ringing between his ears.

The nails sizzled ominously but there was no power behind it- It’s alright- I can- I can deal with this. Just breathe, come on dumbass, you just need to keep breathing for another 24 hours.

“Kaname? Sajin called.

“Nothing broke!” Kaname called back, forcing himself to his feet and stumbling back against the wall. He tested the Bankai again- It holds. Very convenient of you Suzumushi, that I only need to cast and feed it, rather than concentrate…

Suzumushi chriped distractedly, her focus on maintaining the Bankai. With her concentration, the illusion would hold even as he slept. Cold water on his face and neck, trying to make himself vaguely presentable and the room stop spinning as he stumbled out- oh, Sajin is right here, how thoughtful of him…

“It’s alright, just follow me…” Sajin soothed, guiding him along to the Thick Futon and large collection of pillows they used as a couch- nothing with legs would bear Sajin’s weight for long. He allowed Sajin to pull him down, settling beside Kaname until he was wedged between Sajin’s giant body and the collection of cushions, head on his friend’s chest, listening to his heartbeat- A little slower than mine, and steady- always so steady- so-

Kaname was asleep before he completed the thought.

---

Scene two: 23 hours later

“It’s just up this way Mister Shinigami!” The boy said, his hot little hand pulling Kaname along.

They’d gotten to West 66 and Kaname had realized he’d been wrong to worry about looking like he already knew the way to the Laboratory- Iruka Village had taken some fairly extreme defensive measures against the kidnappings since the last time he’d been forced out here- Barricades errected, bridges taken out, and even the road torn up and replanted to hide the route to the village. Kaname was entirely turned around before they even set foot in the Village and started asking the peasants if there was anything unusual nearby.

Fortunately for the expediency of the investigation, one Young Shuuhei Hisagi was extremely eager to help, giving them a detailed accounting of the strange activities at the old foundry, where someone had turned one of the kiln’s back on and there was “An ‘lectric” generator and it smelled a lot like someone was cooking rancid pork but he’d never seen anybody there, even when he went into the basement because he wasn’t ascared of it, weird that there’s a basement, nobody makes basements here as it’s a swamp-

Kaname felt his skin go cold when he realized the boy had somehow gotten inside and made notes and even poked some of the machinery, but given he hadn’t tried to actually chew Kaname’s arm off as he lead the Ninth Division Investigation team to the Lab, he was probably uncontaminated…

“There’s a hill an’ it’s on the other side- mind the branch.” Young Shuuhei was one of the great tragedies of the poor parts of the Rukongai- whip-smart and observant and thoughtful, but illiterate from the lack of teachers, and likely destined for an early grave if the statistical average lifespan out here held true. His Reiryoku shimmered at the edges- with a little training and a better diet he might even make for a good Shinigami.

Maybe if I live through this I can get him a scholarship. Kaname mused, trying to think about literally anything but the nauseating familiarity of the smell creeping over the hill.

“Mr. Hisagi?” he asked in the polite voice he’d cultivated as the Head Librarian to indicate to children he was taking them very seriously.

The Boy snapped to attention. “Sir?”

“Thank you for leading us here, but I absolutely cannot allow you any closer. It’s extremely dangerous here-” he started to explain.

“I been in before! An’ the door’s trickylike you gotta pull the handle up and in and rattle it to get in and then prop somethin’ in the gap or it locks back behind you-” Shuuhei explained, gesturing like Kaname could see him demonstrating.

“-And you were lucky to get out in one piece! I also need you to do a very important job.” Kaname sighed, familiar with this kind of kid- slightly too bright and kind-hearted for his own good, but reliable at a task- “-I can hear that some of your friends have followed us from the village. They’re about a quarter mile behind us-”

“Dangit Suichi-!” Shuuhei muttered under his breath. “-Yeah that’s probably my little brother and his friends. You want me to go chase him back home?”

“Precisely. Also, tell everyone to get indoors and stay put until they get an all-clear. Just in case something goes wrong, I need everyone to stay safe until re-enforcements arrive. So go get everyone back home and inside, alright?” “Yessir!” Shuuhei snapped a salute and Kaname heard some of the other Shinigami giggle behind him.

“I’m glad I can rely on you.” He nodded, and shooed Shuuhei down the road. The boy took off, hollering for his brother.

“I didn’t know you were so good with kids.” Laughed Sixth Seat Todo Izaemon. “Cute little thing too-”

“Being in charge of the West 51 Children’s Intensive Literacy School teaches you how to get along with them.” He shrugged. “Alright, I can’t sense anything, but that doesn’t mean danger is not present. Even numbered seats- go west and approach from the north. Odd numbers, we go east and approach from the south.”

“Sir!” Izaemon nodded, the next ranked officer.

Kaname approached the building at a crouch, straining to hear- the brief nap Sajin had insisted on and six-pack of illicitly acquired 4th Division “Stamina Supplements” were doing what they could for him, but everything hurt and Suzumushi’s Bankai was even more draining than he’d anticipated and he could barely sense more than a few feet around him. But he found the door- Shuuhei was right, the Handle was starting to go out of alignment- Up and in, right? Yeah- and when nothing behind it exploded, he cautiously stepped in.

“Nobody ran out our side Sir!” Izaemon called and Kaname acknowledged him with a nod.

“What the hell IS this place?” Seventh-seat Akishita asked, looking around the room. This was the main floor of the laboratory, where the bulk of Aizen’s butchery was done- the whole place reeked of rotting flesh and sulfur- byproducts of the ‘Hollowfication Process’, and Kaname very nearly tripped on a groove gashed into the floor that hadn’t been there last time.

“That looks like an office or control room up there-” Kaname said, pointing to the partial second story that took up the west third of the building that he REALLY hoped was still there. “-Akishita, with me. Lets see if there’s a schematic or something.”

“Sir!” She agreed.

Oh good, it is still there. He thought, trying to not pant with pain- oh god, his eyes were burning and spine felt like it was actively dissolving he was so TIRED- He touched his watch, checking the time again.

24 minutes. Come on, just a little more-

He got to the door at the top of the stairs, Akishita behind him.

“Are you alright Sir?” She asked.

“What?” He jerked towards her.

“You seem… really off today.” She frowned. He could sense the shape of her this close, and the way her hand on the hilt of her Zanpaktou. Maybe just resting, maybe not.

“I- I haven’t been sleeping well. Nightmares.” He gulped. That was actually entirely true. Still the nails sizzled louder and he winced. “-I -I might need to put in for sick leave when we get back.”

“You really should. You look awful.” She nodded, hand off the hilt.

Kaname nodded, and carefully opened the door into the control room. He felt Akishita turn, making sure nothing unexpected followed them as he stepped in- no traps, but a strange sort of coldness- not a draft, like a there was a block of ice in here-

The door slammed shut behind him.

“Heya Goggles!” a boy’s voice drawled behind him.

-Or a snake.

Kaname froze, skin going cold as Akishita called for him from the other side of the door.

“Gin?” He asked, trying to keep his voice even.

“She’s right, you look like shit!” the boy laughed, activating a Kido seal that barricaded them in the room. “-Boss sent me to talk to you because the CRAZIEST thing happened at the Captain’s meeting this morning!”

“-Please tell me Urahara’s latest crime against nature maimed him? I could use some good news.” Kaname groaned, complaining like usual, like nothing was wrong. There was more shouting from the main floor. He braced himself, feet under his shoulders, feeling Gin’s aura twist as he decided on an angle to strike from.

“Oh nah, Aizen-sama is wrapping things up and planting evidence over at the 12th right now, that’s why I’m here!” Gin laughed. “No, Your Boss Muguruma stopped everyone before Urahara’s demonstration to tell everyone about this report you submitted sayin’ several hundred people had vanished in West 66! The other haoris were all horrified, I tell ya- Captain Hirako just about shit bricks! Hollerin’ Aizen-sama’s ear off about it the whole way back to the fifth!”

Kaname gripped Suzumushi’s hilt.

“Oh now don’t be unfriendly! I even got somethin’ for ya!” Gin laughed, and tossed something his way. Knowing better than to catch anything he threw, Kaname waited for it to hit the floor-

PING!

-Stomach turning over as he recognized the metallic chime of Suzumishi’s ring.

“Neat trick by the way- Aizen must have spent ten hours turning over the fifth looking for the Hogyoku!!” Gin laughed. “-He didn’t actually find it neither, if it’s any consolation. But he has me, and I got…Abilities.” The boy leered as Kaname Swiped the ring from the ground- Suzumushi had been strangely quiet, and only now did he realize that at some point the sensory illusion of his Bankai had been reversed. Louder yelling from the main floor and the sound of Akishita preparing a Hakudo Kido to blow the door in on the other side.

“-Shit.” Kaname growled, reconnecting the ring to the hilt, Suzumushi whimpering in pain.

“Madder than a mosquito in a mannequin factory he is!” Gin chuckled, then surged forward. Even on a good day, Gin was nearly impossible to block and tonight-

“-Sorry goggles, but I got orders. Rikujokoru!” he hissed fingertips on kaname's sternum, and Kanane was slammed to the ground, six beams of Kido energy hitting his middle, paralyzing him completely. “Aizen-sama says if you can get outta this and get home you can live, but if I’m honest, I don’t really like your odds-” Gin explained, walking over to the control panel and flicking it on, the machines whirring to life and something rumbling beneath them.

…Basement. Kaname realized. The boy said there was a basement- there wasn’t one last time?

There was a loud hissing as vents opened and gas streamed out of the floor into the main room, the sickening scent of rotting fruit comingled with melting plastic- The Hollowfication Compound? It’s a gas now!?

The shouting turned to screaming.

Oh God.

The screaming turned to roaring.

Oh god, no. Please-

“- 'Specially not now.” Gin leered, patting him on the shoulder as he turned to leave. “Bye-Bye! See you tomorrow-! …Maybe.”

Kaname could hear Gin leaving out the small fire window up at the roofline and he struggled, concentrating his reiatsu in his mouth to speak the counterspell- “-Horses of wind and gale, river of thread-

-Akishita screamed in the hall, and there was the terrible wet sound of tearing flesh and breaking bones-

“- By Shadow and storm, unbind me!” He hissed, and the spell dissipated with the loud sound of shattering glass. Kaname scrambled to his feet, standing up in time to feel the gaze of ten newly-turned hollows fall upon him. His watch pulsed against his wrist, the timer for 24 hours Going off.

“Well. I did say it would be over one way or another, didn’t I?” He grimaced, drawing Suzumushi as his former colleagues charged the plate glass that separated them.

---

Part two approximately whenever I finish it :)

#AEIWAM #an elephant is warm and mushy #kaname tosen #Kaname Tousen #mashiro kuna #kensei muguruma #Sosuke Aizen #gin ichimaru #Bleach #bleach fanfiction

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