#got told that i sounded like a hick a lot when i was a kid as if our neighbors didn’t literally have horses in their backyard | Explore Tumblr Posts and Blogs

nicolepeterson · 7 months

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Who: Nicole Peterson & @rickyxthompson with @mattswheeler & appearance by @galexpeterson

Location: Halloween Bash, a street on Primrose Heights

Date: October 27th, 2023

Summary: Nicole, Ricky, & Matt try to enjoy the Halloween Bash when Nicole goes into labor

Notes: This was written on Discord. Jennie is in italics and normal was written by Kayla.

Triggers: Pregnancy, labor, birth

Halloween was always a favorite of Nicole's and she loved the event that happened at the country club. Maybe it was because her birthday was around then, but whatever it was, she loved it. So of course she had Ricky take her out so they can see it. Never mind that she was cramping all day. She had been for days, actually. Braxton Hicks kept coming and going, but she wasn't going to let that stop her from having fun. She wanted to see it all and if she could, maybe go through the haunted house. "We should've dressed up. Get our names in the costume contest." She said as they parked and she rounded the car to take Ricky's hand. "I could've gone as Juno or something."

Ricky wasn't really sure about going to the event with how Nicole had been feeling. They had a little while before the due date and now that Ricky was living at home again he wanted them to do things together. However it worried him that she was having cramps and the festival was not close to the hospital. "You could have," he agreed taking her hand. "I still don't know what to dress up as, if I do. I might just dig through my old costumes and see what I can find." He told her as they headed to the entrance glancing at his phone to read a text "Matt said he's heading over he just had to close up shop. He might even be here already." he told her.

She smiled as they interlocked hands. She was happy they were like this right now. Things had been so emotional over the last several months, but they were trying hard and she wanted this with him more than anything. "Come on, we should do something. It's our first Halloween as a couple. Last year we were just playing video games online together." She laughed as they walked inside and looked around. "Perfect. Maybe he'll dress up with me." She nudged Ricky. "He hanging with us then instead of Logan? Or is he gonna show up?"

He furrowed his brow when she mentioned them meeting online. "Was that back then?" He couldn't believe it had been a year and so much had happened. He shrugged. "We could wear the same costumes we wore for the LARPing thing Brady put on. You made a pretty cute princess." He said. "Besides, its not like we're doing any wild parties this year. Maybe just handing out candy. We always get a lot of kids on our street." He told her as they went inside and started to check out the festival. "I guess so. She might be here too. They've been hanging out a lot, huh? She better not steal our Matt from us." He joked. "So, anything special you wanna do first? I would maybe avoid the scary stuff. The last thing we need is your water breaking while we're here." He chuckled a little.

She nodded. "A year ago. And look at us now." She honestly wouldn't have believed it if someone told her that this is where she would be. It was crazy, but she was happy. "We could. I have to say, I loved your costume." She squeezed his hand before stopping and listening to him as he talked. "Wow. You realize how domestic that sounded? We're going to dress up to sit and hand out candy to the neighborhood kids." It was wild, but cute all the same. "Hey, more power to her if she does. He deserves happiness." Nicole's face scrunched up and she rolled her eyes. "I was going to say food first, but now I wanna do the haunted house. I can handle the scary stuff." Maybe not as a kid when it gave her an asthma attack, but she could do it now. "Maybe definitely food first."

"Yep. It's just been a string of craziness." He said in a light tone but felt like it had been a lot. He had got out of jail, started a relationship, relapsed and was about to be a father. With how badly things had gone at the halfway house he knew that leaving was the right choice but he was worried about what he was going to do now if he couldn't handle it. He chuckled. "Yeah. Usually my mom was the one who handed out candy. Or if she was working she'd ask me to do it and I'd just put the bowl outside and sit in the basement gaming or whatever." he admitted and nodded when she mentioned Logan and Matt. "Yeah, I know. I want him to be happy too." he assured her. He really did hope his friend found love and could heal from what he had been through. "Well okay, if you're sure. But yes, food first." He agreed.

"It really has." She knew it hadn't been the easiest year for either of them, but they were getting through it together and that's what was important. It was hard to figure it all out, but they were doing it, even if they were struggling here and there. She was just happy to have him around more; even if she hated that things didn't go well for him at the halfway house. "Well, now it's up to us unless you wanna clean up after someone throws toilet paper around the house." She said and nodded. "I know you do." She rubbed his hand. "I should be fine. We have like a week before my due date." Which was definitely cutting it close, so maybe she should be more careful, but she loved a good haunted house. Speaking of, she felt a cramp coming on and she squeezed his hand as she stood there for a moment and touched her bump. "Just second." She said and took a deep breath before it passed and she sighed. "These Braxton Hicks are annoying."

"Unless I make Matt do it," he teased. He nodded. "Yeah. Its fine I'm sure." He said although he wasn't completely convinced. He stopped when she did, becoming worried. "What's wrong?" He watched her and something was telling him that something wasn't right. "Look, maybe we should go home. We could go through a drive thru and just relax tonight. I just. I'd feel better if we were closer to town." he said.

She laughed. "And what would we do? Go play video games?" She teased him a little. She breathed and looked up at him, touching his cheek. She knew he was worried, but she didn't want her having some normal cramps to ruin their fun. "I'm okay. It was nothing. I want to enjoy this with you. If it continues, I promise we can go, but just one is nothing. It's all okay." Nicole tried to assure him and smiled. "We worry too much. We need to have fun."

"Yeah, we could." he said smiling a little at the thought. He quickly became worried however. He knew she had been having cramps on and off but with how close they were to the due date, it scared him every time. "Are you sure?" he asked. He wanted them to be prepared when the time came, so they could get into the hospital with no issues. He still worried despite her saying it was nothing but he also wanted them to have a good time. He knew he had put Nicole through a lot these past several months and he wasn't about to ruin something else for them. "Yeah, well we haven't had the best of luck with these events." he muttered, referring to the two that had ended in disaster even though neither of them had attended. It seemed something always went wrong. He nodded when she promised they'd leave if it got worse trying to believe her that everything was fine. "Okay. Well, lets sit down for a while. I'll text Matt and see where he's at." he said leading them to an empty picnic table near the food trucks.

"That's fair." She laughed and rubbed his hand. "I'm positive. It's okay. We're going to have fun. We'll call this our last hoorah before the baby comes." She tried to tell him before nodding and smiled. "It won't be like that. This one is going to be perfect. We'll play games, win a prize, and by the end of the night, we'll be smiling and coming off a sugar high, okay?" She tried to tell him. "You don't have to worry." She said before nodding and moving towards one of the tables. She sat down and sighed as her back ached. As they sat, she felt another cramp sneak up on her and she rubbed her stomach while trying no to let Ricky know so she forced himself not to react as much as possible. When she spotted Matt, she pointed at him and smiled. "There he is." She said as he joined. "Sorry. I wasn't gonna, um, come."

Ricky smiled a little and nodded. "I guess we better start by finding some mini donuts or candied apples or something." He rubbed her stomach as well. "Maybe we could go on the haunted hay ride or something after? We'll just tell them to drive slow." He became distracted when he looked up and saw Matt and waved. "We're just glad you made it." he said. "We were just discussing what we should get to eat."

She nodded. "We better. You have two people who is craving a lot of sweets right now." She said before nodding. "Yes. I'd love that. And please, those things are slow enough as it is." She laughed, thankful the cramps ended once Matt appeared. "Definitely happy." Nicole agreed with Ricky with a smile. "Thanks." Matt said and shook his head. "Food please." She begged and pouted at Ricky. "Fries? And donuts?"

"Sure, blame the baby." he teased her and grinned. "I'll be sure to get some extra Halloween candy for you so there's some for the trick or treaters." He assured her. "They are, but they're bumpy. We don't want anything falling out, you know?" He started to stand. "Alright, alright. You know I'm not going to scorn you if you want to eat chicken nuggets or something in front of me." he told her as Ricky had been vegetarian for a few months now.

"You're right. It's all me wanting the sweets." She grinned at him and nodded. "Smart man." She laughed and made a face. "Please. If anything falls out, it might be you from me pushing you off." She teased him as she nudged him a little bit. "Oh, I know, but right now I want fries." She said with a pout before smiling. "We'll wait here." She said and rubbed her bump while the boys went off and got food; just in time too for her stomach to tense up. She took a deep breath and rubbed her stomach. "Listen, baby. I know it sounds like fun out here right now, but please stay put for Mommy. She just wants to enjoy this night with your daddy, okay?" She said and swallowed she rode out the pain.

He frowned pretending to be offended. "You wouldn't dare." he said before kissing her cheek. He went with Matt and ordered their food. When it finally came he returned to the table he noticed Nicole was in pain again. He set the food down. "Are you sure you're okay?" he said becoming concerned again.

"We'll see about that." She grinned at him. She was so happy that they weren't acting how they had been the last several weeks. This was all she wanted and she was glad to be with him. Nicole looked up when she heard them and smiled as she nodded. "Yeah. He's just decided my ribs are his play thing tonight." She lied, not wanting him to worry about this. It'd pass. "Fries." She said and she grabbed the container of them before starting to eat. "What's going on? Have you been having contractions?" Matt asked as he sat down and she shook her head. "Just cramps, its fine."

"Because we're adults now." He told Matt teasingly. He handed Nicole the fries when they came back but couldn't shake the feeling it was something more than cramps. He wished he could stop worrying and reassure himself that this was normal. Maybe because they were on high alert with it being close to the due date. "Yeah, a lot of them today." Ricky said when he heard her tell Matt they were just cramps. "Maybe we should go to the doctor tomorrow." he suggested as he sat down next to her to eat.

Nicole ate her fries before a sigh came from her lips and she looked around for a moment. "It's not a lot. A few times. It's been happening on and off for a few days. It's normal." She tried to assure him. "We can if you want to, but can we enjoy tonight?" She asked and wrapped her arm around his. "Please?"

Ricky looked at Nicole. "But more than before." he argued. Again he tried to push his fears from his mind for her. "I am enjoying it." he tried to assure her, and he was. Or would have been, if he wasn't worried. He was glad they could spend time together without a curfew to worry about like when he was in the halfway house.

She smiled and rubbed Ricky's arm. "It's just my body preparing. It's okay." Nicole smiled up at him. "Hayride then? After this?" She asked and looked into his eyes. She wanted to distract him from al this and maybe the hayride would help. She sat up and ate more of her fries. "And then maybe the haunted house?"

"But that means it could happen soon, doesn't it?" He looked at her with worried eyes. He wasn't a doctor obviously but he wouldn't be surprised if the baby came a few days earlier than they were expecting. Hopefully not tonight. He nodded. "Okay. We can do that, yeah. But need don't need to stay long. I don't really care about the fireworks." he admitted, considering what happened in July. He finished eating and started to gather their garbage up.

She nodded. "It does, but I'm due in a almost a week. It's expected." Nicole pointed out before nodding. "Okay. We'll go after a while. I don't think they're having fireworks here though. Too many people still spooked from them." She gave him a reassurance. "Besides, fireworks and Halloween don't mix." She finished her fries and helped get the garbage for standing up slowly.

He sighed, deciding not to argue about it although he couldn't settle his fear. "That doesn't stop people from setting them off." he said when she said there would be no fireworks, but he was relieved. Ricky felt bad for his comment to Matt and put his hand on his friend's shoulder. "Come on, man." he said not wanting to bring down his mood. "Hey, don't tell Nicole, but you're my real date, and she's the third wheel." he joked hoping to lighten the mood as they headed towards the carriage.

"I know." She said, but hoping no one would. It wasn't usually done anyways that time of year. She listened as they walked towards the hayrides and rolled her eyes. "I heard that." She nudged him, but Matt laughed. "I knew it." He teased as they got to the ride. "Help me up." Nicole said and stuck her hand to Ricky. Matt hopped up first and held his hand out to help as well before they were all in the ride and it started to move. She rubbed her bump as they moved and sighed as another cramp came over her and she shifted in her seat.

"You heard nothing." He teased his girlfriend. He grabbed her other hand as Matt helped her up and they sat on the side of the carriage while a few more people got on. He put his arm around Nicole as they started to move. "Hold on. There's no seat belts." he said even though he knew they wouldn't be going fast, he still worried about her.

She leaned against him as they started moving and nodded. "Sure I didn't." She teased. They went down the dark path before a figure ran out of the woods scream, causing her to jump. "Jesus."

"Man, look at that guy." he added nodding towards a man walking around in an inflatable baby costume near by. He jumped a little when the person screamed and laughed rubbing her back. "You okay? I feel like I should be streaming this for your followers." he teased as the carriage went on through the woods.

"That's just weird." Nicole laughed. She settled back in the carriage and nodded. "I'm okay. And I'm sure they'd love that." She smiled and swallowed as they hit a bump and it made her wince a little. She was feeling more and more uncomfortable by the minute. She released a breath as some guy with a chainsaw started chasing the ride and she held onto Ricky's hand tight; a bigger cramp striking her then as well and she groaned; but it was hidden by the sounds of the chainsaw.

"Probably. They like seeing you get scared." he laughed. He was too distracted by the ride to notice that Nicole was in pain but felt her squeeze his hand tighter. He tried to laugh it off. "It's okay, it's not real." he assured her. They went a little further down the path and he flinched when a woman in a tattered dress lunged at them from behind a tree. "Are you sure you can handle the haunted house after this?" he asked Nicole.

"They do. There's a reason the scary games are more popular." Nicole let out a breath and nodded as she released the grip on Ricky's hand, only to jump as well as a woman ran out form behind the tree. This whole thing was starting to feel like a bad idea, but she didn't want him to know. "Y-Yeah. I'll be fine." She said and smiled at him. After going through a some teens singing Ring Around the Roses in a creepy tone and two people in a pigs mask along with another pain going through her, they were finally at the end and she released a sigh of relief. She waited until the others got off before she moved and took Ricky's hand so he could help her down. "You know, maybe we should..." She stopped as she got to the ground and she felt her water break. She touched her stomach and looked up at Ricky. "We should, um, go to the hospital."

"Because you look so cute when you get scared of silly things." Ricky teased her giving a nudge. As they continued on down the path and endured more scares, Ricky couldn't help but notice that somethjng felt off with Nicole when she wasn't really screaming or laughing like everyone else did and became more worried. Finally, the ride came to an end and he took her hands as she stepped off the ride. "Well, that was not too bad was it?" he asked. His eyes widened and his heart dropped suddenly. "What?" he saw that her pants were soaked. "Oh, shit..." He could feel his heart racing already as he turned around quickly looking for Matt, and seeing other people coming off the carriage. "Matt!" he yelled when he saw him. "We gotta go. We gotta go now."

"They're not silly." She shook her head. Nicole watched as he looked at her and nodded before looking back for Matt, who was hopping off the carriage. "What? Why? All we've done is the..." He looked at them and noticed Nicole's pants and back up at her. "Shit." He said before nodding. "Okay, okay. We got this. Who parked closer? I can run and get the car and meet you out front?" He said and his mind started racing. "We parked close, didn't we?" She asked Ricky and took a deep breath to calm herself down.

Ricky took a breath trying to stay calm but it wasn't easy. He could barely even think straight or answer Matt's question. He ran his hand through his hair and looked around nervously for the quickest route to the parking lot. "Um..yeah." he nodded quickly. "Let's take my car." he said and put his arm around Nicole. "Be careful. Don't go too fast. Matt, you go ahead of us and try and clear the way." he said knowing it was crowded, and it was going to be hard to get out.

She took a deep breath and held onto Ricky. "I'm okay." She tried to tell him while she watched Matt move ahead of them. "We'll have to go inside and through the crowd. Going around the place will take forever." She said and gripped his hand as what she knew now was a contraction came over her. "Fuck." She squeezed her eyes shut. "What if we don't make it?"

Ricky swallowed as he tried to help her walk. He nodded when she said they'd have to go through the crowd to the parking lot. He stopped when she had another contraction. "Oh, fuck.." he pressed his hand against his head trying to keep it together. "We will. We have to make it." He said as he tried to keep following Matt. "We could call an ambulance but...I dont know. It would take just as long to get here." He tried to reason.

She took a deep breath as it passed and she started following slowly behind while Matt went and she tried harder to just breathe. This is what she got for trying those quick labor things she had seen. "And then back." She said and nodded as the started going up the stairs and through the crowd. She prayed another contraction wouldn't come, but as they got close to the door, she felt the baby move lower and her stomach tensed. "Ugh." She stopped and held onto the wall for a moment.

He nodded. "Right.. we have to go there ourselves." He felt like they were way over their heads but it was their only option. He stopped when he saw she was having another contraction. He didn't know what to do. He couldn't believe this was happening right now, and here of all places. He took her hand. "Come on, we're almost there. Its not much farther, okay?" He tried to assure her placing his hands on her cheeks. He knew he wouldn't be able to carry her safely so he needed her to keep trying. As they went towards the door there were a lot of people coming in but he held onto her and kept moving around them.

She nodded. It was the better option than just waiting for the ambulance and then driving the same distance anyways. She sighed as he urged her to move and she nodded before taking a deep breath and held his hand as they kept going towards the parking lot. It was hard getting through all the people, but they were finally on the porch and started going down the stairs. Luckily, Matt had pulled up in their car and she gripped the handle of the backseat as another contraction hit her. "They're not stopping." She cried as she leaned against the car.

"There's the car." He said feeling relieved to see Matt. He was very glad that his best friend was there because he was not calm, his hands were shaking and there was no way Ricky could drive. Ricky watched another contraction come feeling even more panicked. He opened the back door of the car. "It'll be okay," he tried to assure her. He got in next to her. "We have to hurry, man." He told Matt.

She carefully got into the back seat and held her stomach while Ricky got in. She let out a breath while Matt started to drive, but was going slow as people were everywhere going in and out of the place. "Oh, my god." She groaned and leaned her head back against the seat. "Honk at them." She begged and Matt nodded before starting to honk trying to get people to move and they did to a point. "I'm sorry I made us come here." She told Ricky. "I should've listened to you."

"Jesus Christ, move!" Ricky yelled at the other drivers even though they couldn't hear them. He knew they needed to get to the hospital soon but it seemed like everything was making it impossible. This felt like a bad dream. He was on the verge of tears from all the frustration and fear that something bad could happen to Nicole or their son. He shook his head and took her hand. "Don't worry about that now, okay? Just focus on keeping that baby in." He said and let out a sigh when he saw a clear path to the exit open up. "Oh, thank god.."

"I'm trying." She said and squeezed his hand. She felt the car move faster as an opening came and Matt pulled out of the parking lot. She took a deep breath and let out short breaths as a another contraction came and tears filled her eyes. She could feel her son moving further down and she groaned against the seat. "He's moving more. I don't think we're going to make it."

Ricky squeezed back. "Its gonna be okay. We'll get there soon." He tried to assure her but grew more worried when she said the baby was moving. He rubbed her stomach not really knowing what else to do. "Come on, Matt. What the hell is taking so long?" He cried out as the stress was getting to him.

She kept taking deep breaths and letting them out slowly as they moved through town. They were still in Primrose Heights and had to make it all the way to Maple Hills where the hospital was and they kept hitting stop lights. "I'm trying my best! There's just so many reds and people driving everywhere." Matt called back. He was feeling stressed as well about the whole thing, but kept going as quick but as safe as he could too. As she breathed and another contraction hit her, she shook her head and lifted her hips a little. "I need these off of me." Nicole started pushing down her pants. "Get them off."

Ricky knew that freaking out was not going to help the situation but it was hard for him to stay calm when Matt said the traffic was bad, which meant it was going to take longer. His eyes widened when Nicole said she needed her pants off and he realized that they may not make it. "What? Oh my god..Oh fuck!" he tried helping her get them off and started hitting the back of Matt's seat to get his attention. "Pull over, man! Pull over and call 911!" he was practically screaming at him.

"Off please." She said with a begging voice and kept trying to push her pants down while kicking off her shoes. "What?" Matt asked and looked back before his eyes widened. "Fuck." He said and he got over as best as he could before putting off into a empty parking lot at the park. Matt got his phone out and he started dialing 911. "I need to push I think. God... It's so much pressure. Get everything off please." Nicole begged Ricky as she felt another contraction and her son move lower.

Ricky helped her get her pants and underwear off as Matt pulled over to the side of the road. He laid Nicole down across the seat and got out to give her more room. "Fuck me, man....I don't know what to do.." he muttered to himself as his hands shook. "No, don't push! No pushing. You have to try and keep it in until they get here, Nicole, please!" he shouted at in his panicked state. "Matt, tell them to hurry! We need them here like now!"

She sat up a little bit and groaned. "You try not pushing something forcing it's way out of you!" She yelled back and laid her head back and she breathed. She could hear Matt talking to 911 and telling them what was going on and she let out a breath. "You have to look. Do you see anything? I can feel him down there, but can you see it?"

"You have to try, okay? I can't do this..." His voice broke as he could feel his heart thudding in his chest. He didn't feel like he should be the one to deliver his baby when he had no idea what he was doing and something could go wrong. He didn't want to look but he did. "There's...there's water coming out and...I see something. I don't know..fuck!" He knew that he was probably seeing a small bit of the baby's head and quickly took off his jacket laying it on the seat in case the baby came out. "Shit...what do I do? Matt, tell them to fucking hurry! It's coming out... ask them what to do!" he told his friend with desperation.

Her heart ached when he said he couldn't do this and she moved to touch his cheek. "I believe in you, okay? I can't hold him in so you can do this. We're gonna meet our son." She said softly and she groaned as she pushed a little while Ricky yelled. She released a breath and she handed him her bag. "Get the hand sanitizer in there. If he comes out before they get here, we're gonna need something to wrap him in and he'll need to go on my chest quickly." She said, going through her list in her head from the thousands of videos she had seen lately on labor and delivery.. "They're on their way. They want to know what you see and to just try to stay calm." Matt said from up front. She let out a cry as she started pushing again and steadied herself on her elbows. "Oh my god..."

Tears filled his eyes and Ricky nodded when she said she believed in him. He grabbed the hand sanitizer and used a lot of it to rub into his hands trying to mentally calm himself so that he could do this. "I think I have a blanket in the trunk, hold on." He moved quickly to the back of his car where he kept some emergency things and grabbed the blanket before he came back and knelt on the pavement by the door. He took a breath and held apart her knees. "I see part of the head. I'm pretty sure...there's hair. It's starting to come out. How much longer are they going to be?" He asked Matt.

She nodded and took a deep breath while she waited for him to come back with a blanket. She couldn't believe this was happening like this, but of course it was. When was anything going to plan during events? Or even in their relationship? Once he came back, she listened to him and tears ran down her cheeks and swallowed. "They're still about ten minutes out. The traffic is bad coming and going to the country club." Matt said. "I gotta push again." Nicole said as a contraction came and she start pushing harder than before. She could feel it burning and she let out a small scream as she continued to push; letting out a gasp as she felt the head leave her body. "Oh, my god. Oh, my god." She gasped out and leaned her head back.

They couldn't have been less prepared for this. Ricky had a feeling the baby was going to come soon, but he didn't think it would be this soon. He had a bad feeling about going to the event but nothing could have prepared him to deliver his son in his car on the side of ther road. His heart felt like it was inside his throat as Nicole screamed and he saw more of the baby's head coming out, plus more fluid and more blood. He felt like he could hardly breathe, but he tried to keep calm. He remembered when he helped the horse being born when he was in rehab and how quickly it happened. He told himself that he could do this and took a breath. "No, don't, you could tear and bleed out.." He tried to tell her but he could tell it was already happening. He had to do his best to help guide their baby out. He held his breath as more of the head appeared. "The head is out...like the whole head." He said and waited for more of the baby to come. He knew next the baby's shoulder should come but he wasn't seeing it "I-I think he's stuck....shit. Babe, you need to push again."

She listened to him and took a deep breath as she tried not to push, but it was so hard. However, their son's head came out and she had a tear run down her cheeks while Ricky told her the head was out. "The cord isn't there, right? I don't wanna hurt him." She wanted to make sure, but fear started building in her when Ricky said he thought the baby was stuck. She knew she needed to do this and once she was sure the cord wasn't around her son's neck, she took a deep breath, widened her legs more, and pushed harder; letting out a louder scream as she tried to get her son unstuck.

Ricky was sure he was running on pure adrenaline. He couldn't even fully process that he was seeing his son's tiny face for the first time. "I...I don't know. I don't think so." Ricky couldn't see anything but he knew it was still possible something was wrong. He carefully gripped the baby with one hand under the head and pulled while Nicole pushed again. He finally saw the baby's shoulder and guided more of him out with his other hand. "He's almost there, Nicole. I see him." Tears were running down his cheeks. He didn't want to pull him out and cause any damage. "One more push, you can do it." He looked up at her.

Tears ran down her face as Ricky said he was almost there. Their son was almost there. She felt exhausted and in so much pain, but she wanted to see her son so desperately and she couldn't believe this was all happening. She barely heard Matt's voice anymore as he talked to the 911 operator. Nicole was only focused on her boyfriend and getting her son out. She nodded and took a deep breath before pushing again, feeling the baby slide out and finally he was born. She was a mother.

He held his breath waiting knowing they didn't have much time to get the baby out safely and he didn't even hear sirens which meant the ambulance wasn't close. He could see the baby's top half and when Nicole pushed the rest of his body slid out. He felt his heart racing as he held his son. He sat down on the ground pulling the baby close to his chest. He couldnt speak or move. He could hardly believe what had just happened, until it occurred to him that he wasn't crying. He didn't think he could panic any more than he already had in the past hour but the thought of their son not coming home with them was too much. He turned the baby over in his arms looking at his face. "Matt…he's not breathing!" he yelled to his friend so that he could tell the dispatchers. He knew he had to try something and he grabbed the blanket. He turned the baby face down in his arms carefully and started rubbing his son's chest and back vigorously. "Oh God, please…" he prayed as he ignored his tears, and finally he heard him take a breathe and the sound of his cries. He breathed a heavy sigh of relief and quickly wrapped the baby in the blanket. He held him for a moment feeling so many emotions at once. "He's okay…" Ricky was breathing deeply. When he stood from the ground however, he felt like the blood was draining from his head at once. He knew he had to give the baby to Nicole. He moved into the car to hand the baby to her. He couldnt take the time to enjoy their first moment with his son because he feel himself fading fast. He tumbled backwards as everything went black very quickly.

Nicole relaxed back against the seat and took a deep breath. She couldn't believe she had just given birth in the back of the car, but she did. However, she wasn't hearing anything. No cries. She sat up as she heard Ricky and she started to panic. "Rub his chest." She said and reached for him. "I can do it." But Ricky already was and in the distance, she could heard the sirens. Finally, their son started crying and she laughed while Ricky wrapped him and brought him close when she was given her son. She moved the blanket a little carefully and moved her shirt so the boy could get some skin to skin contact to keep his heat with the blanket as well. "Hi, baby. My sweet baby boy." She said as he cried and looked up to see Ricky fall. "Ricky! Matt, help!" She said and watched Matt get out of the car to help his friend while the ambulance and police showed up.

When Ricky started to come to, he could hear voices around him. He was still confused and his head was hurting a bit. He opened his eyes and waited for them to adjust when he realized someone was speaking to him. He gathered from their uniform that they were a paramedic. He was still on the ground, but someone had put something under his head. "Where's Nicole?" he lifted his head and saw that his girlfriend had been moved to a stretcher. "Is she okay? Is the baby okay?" he looked into the face of the paramedic who nodded. "She's fine and so is your son. You did an amazing job, you just passed out for a few minutes. It happens." The paramedic asked him a few questions, ensuring he was okay and then helped Ricky slowly sit up. When he felt like he could regain his balance enough he stood and went to Nicole seeing she was still holding Link. "Are you okay?"

Everything happened so fast. The paramedics went to Ricky and her brother's face appeared. She continued holding Link close to her and Gale along with aonther paramedic helped her onto a stretcher. "Is Ricky okay?" She asked and the paramedic nodded. "He'll be fine. Just passed out, but should be awake any moment." They said and she nodded as she was brought into the ambulance and was checked out. She explained what had happened and the paramedic went to check Ricky and Gale went to talk to the other police. She held Link close and rubbed his back through the blanket and smiled as Ricky appeared. "Hey. Yeah, we're perfect." She assured him and gestured for him to get in the back with her. "How are you? Are you okay?"

He stepped into the ambulance after a paramedic had handed him some water and made sure he was not going to pass out again. He nodded. "I'm fine, yeah. I just got a little light-headed." he explained. It was probably a shock to his system with everything happening so fast. He put his hand on her cheek. "I'm glad you guys are okay." He looked down at their son feeling relieved to see him safe and warm in her arms. It still felt unreal that he was here with them. "That was...intense." he chuckled. "Like, I wouldn't even believe this happened if I wasn't here. We might end up in the paper or the news." He joked and let out a breath, taking her hand. "But he's here. We have our baby." He smiled and kissed her lips before the paramedics got in and said they would be taking them to the hospital. Before they closed the ambulance doors , Ricky saw Matt near the car. "Matt, we'll meet you there." he said since his friend had his car.

She smiled and nodded. "Well, you lucked out and missed the after birth, but I figured you wouldn't mind that part of cutting the cord." She teased him and stared into his eyes. "Are you sure you're okay?" Nicole asked again before nodding once more. "We are definitely okay." Her eyes went down to their son and back up to him. "God, at least the picture would be us at the hospital and not in the middle of it all." She squeezed his hand and kissed him back. "We do. We have our son." She looked out and smiled at Matt before back at Ricky as the doors closed and they headed to the hospital. "Gale was the officer on seen. I didn't get to tell him about the name yet. I'm think we should add Matt's name to it. Seeing as he helped." She rubbed his hand. "But you... you did amazing. You helped our son enter the world."

"I probably didn't need to see that. I might have passed out again." he chuckled and nodding. "Yeah. Dont worry about me. And at least I'd be in the paper for something other than an arrest." He said lightly. He sat in the seat next to her as they started to move towards the hospital and kept his hand on hers. "He was?" He raised his brows when she said Gale was there and nodded. "Yeah. We put poor Matt through a lot. But if he wasn't there I dont know what we'd do." He was very grateful for Matt being with them to drive and call 911. He nodded again. "How about both? He could be Lincoln Gale Matthew Thompson." He said and rubbed her hand. "You did incredible. You had a baby on the side of the road." He smiled and touched the baby's head. "It was amazing. Like the most wild thing I've ever done. And then I was so scared when he wasn't making any noise. I thought..." he swallowed starting to tear up. "But he did, and..it was amazing."

She laughed and nodded. "Probably." Nicole touched his cheek softly for a moment and brought her hand back to his. "I just wanna make sure you weren't hurt." She was scared after she watched him fall back and worried he hit his head, but he looked okay. Both of her boys were okay. "Yeah. He helped get me onto the stretcher." She said and smiled at him. "We really do. I love both. Our little Lincoln Gale Matthew Thompson." Her eyes went to her son who nestled close to her. "He didn't leave me much choice." She laughed a little before nodding and squeezed his hand. "It was. The whole thing was crazy, but amazing." She leaned in and kissed him softly. "I love you so much, Ricky."

He nodded giving her hand a squeeze. "I'm fine. You're the one who just pushed a whole ass person out of you." He smiled and kissed her head. "Are you in pain or anything? We can get them to give you something." He looked down at their son still finding it hard to believe he was here. "It all happened so quickly." he agreed. He watched as they pulled up to the hospital and he let go of Nicole's hand when they loaded her out of the ambulance. When they reached the ER he watched nervously as they took Nicole and his son to a secluded area to be checked out. He sat down and waited.

She laughed a little. "He gave me no choice in the matter." Nicole said and grinned as he kissed her head. "I'm okay. It just feels weird sort of. A little crampy." She ran a finger over her son's cheeks. "I know. I should've listened to you about going when we got to the bash, but I didn't think this would happen." She held onto Link as they were taken off the ambulance and then taken to get checked out. A doctor took the baby away to get cleaned and she was checked out by one. After a bit and Nicole getting cleaned up, they were brought to a private room and both healthy as could be. A nurse went to go get Ricky while another helped her feed Link for the first time. While it felt weird, she smiled as he took on quick and she was feeling him by the time Ricky came in. "Look, he's feeding."

He shook his head and touched her shoulder. "It's okay. I don't know if we would have made it there from home either." He chuckled softly. When they were examining Link and Nicole, a doctor came to ask Ricky some questions about the birth and about his fall. He saw Matt finally arrive and he waited outside the room talking with him for a bit before a nurse came and told Ricky they had moved Nicole to a private room for the night. "Would you mind getting our overnight bags? They're in the car." Ricky asked Matt. He took the elevator up to the room he had been told and found Nicole feeding Link. "I bet he's hungry after all that." Ricky said looking at the baby. "I sent Matt to get our stuff." He explained. "I guess maybe I should text my mom." He reached for his phone.

Nicole smiled up at him. "He's definitely happily taking it." She smiled and watched her son as he ate before nodding. "Okay. He doing okay? It was quite the adventure." She laughed before nodding. "I wonder if Gale has told mine. I think my phone is still in the car. Can you see if Matt will grab it?" She asked. "Also, is it okay if maybe no visitors for the night? They can see us tomorrow. Except Matt and Gale, I think. They already saw him. Besides, the doctor said if everything goes well, we'll be released in the afternoon. I just want him to bond with us."

Ricky nodded. "I think so. And yeah, I'll text him." He sent a text to Matt and nodded again. "Yeah. Its getting late and I'm beat. As much I'm sure my mom will be here first thing in the morning." He chuckled and sent a quick text to her and then Renee. He put his phone away and sat on the edge of the bed. "When he's done eating can I hold him?" He asked as he hadn't had much of a chance to before he fainted.

"Thank you." She said with a smile and nodded. "You and me both. I can tell the nurses too. I'm sure my family will try coming down." She looked up at Ricky and nodded. "Of course." Not long after, he was done and she burped him carefully before passing him to Ricky. Her heart swelled as she saw him with their son and she grinned. "You look so good with him." After a moment, a nurse came in with the stuff Matt dropped off and Nicole talked to her about no visitors and then she took her phone and took a picture of Ricky with their son, sending it to her family to tell them.

"I bet you are." He smiled softly. "My mom will for sure try to be the first one. She's got competition now." He said referring to Nicole's parents. He took the baby from her carefully and stood to gently bounce with him in his arms when he fussed a little. "Look at him. He's beautiful." He felt tears come to his eyes as he really looked at him for the first time since he came out. He thought to himself that no matter where he was in his recovery, from this moment on, he could never give up trying. He wanted nothing more than to love and care for his son and to be a good father. "I love you, Link.." he said softly. He sat next to Nicole again. "And I love you," he told her before kissing her lips. "We're a family.." he chuckled after saying it, as he could hardly believe it.

"That's gonna be fun." She laughed. She knew her parents were gonna be around a lot and so was Nancy. Plus Gale. Their son already had so many people who loved him and she was so happy to have that for him. "He is." Nicole agreed and smiled as she watched her boys together. Tears lined her own eyes and she leaned against him as he sat by her. "I love you." She kissed him back. "We are. The Thompson boys and Peterson girl. The perfect family."

He looked at her and smiled. "Are you sure you can handle that? There's two of us now." He teased. "And now there's no going back." he added. Every day he felt lucky to have Nicole in his life through all the ups and mostly downs he'd been through this year. He heard his phone notification going off and glanced at the screen. "Its just my mom blowing up my phone. Shes probably screaming and driving Harrison crazy." He said.

She smiled and nodded. "I've handled it this far. I'm happy to continue." Nicole smiled and kissed his shoulder. "Good. I don't want to." She looked at his phone and then hers went off as well. "There's mine." She reached over and muted her phone. "They can wait. We have our own child to give attention to tonight." She said and laid back a little, moving so he could lay by her. "Thank you, Ricky. For giving me him. For helping me bring him into the world."

He smiled back "As long as you're sure." He leaned down to kiss her head. He chuckled. "I didn't even tell anyone how he was born yet. I'm sure they'll hear about it soon enough." He added looking down at the baby in his arms. It was all so crazy how this happened, but it seemed fitting with all the chaos in his life. He layed down next to her holding their son between them. He smiled softly. "Well, thank you for sleeping with me." He chuckled and looked at their son giving a small sigh. "I still can't believe that we made this thing. And now we're going to have to take care of him for a very long time."

"I am." She smiled and leaned into his kiss. "I'm sure they will. We'll tell them in the morning. It's definitely a story." She still couldn't believe this was what happened. That this was how their son was brought into the world. She could hear her mom saying now like mother like son. "No problem." She laughed as they relaxed together and she looked at their son. "For the rest of our lives. This perfect baby is all ours."

#interaction ;; ricky thompson #interaction ;; matt wheeler #pregnancy tw #birth tw #interaction ;; gale peterson ruiz

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nostalgebraist-autoresponder · 1 year

Note

What were your top 10 favorite interactions on Tumblr?

(Thanks!)

1. When necarion-blog made a version of my long post in real LaTeX:

Let me explain to you some things about College

\begin{enumerate}

{\item[{\bf 0} there are no classes

1. This is because everyone in college is secretly a slacker

2. this is not true

3. 0 points}]

2. The first time I talked to one of my non-online friends after reading Floornight. I explained one of the characters to them (it was Arjun), and they asked me "are you saying the character is a nekobo?" and it took a moment for me to realize that, yes, he was a nekobo. It was just a very weird moment

3. Meeting all my internet friends at the same time IRL

4. The NAB chatlog from March 8, 2013

4(a). You know, that one

5. That time my cousin sent me an email expressing confusion about whether the phrase "Prince Namor" referred to a person, and I had to explain that it referred to a character from the Marvel universe. He asked me how that character could be a prince given that he was from the sea, and I had to explain the concept of "title" to him. That was really fun

6. The party where I told a story about how I had licked the ground a lot as a kid because the "ground was a flavor" and a friend told me I should check out "the show with the blue horse" ("My Little Pony")

7. The first time I learned that the person I had a crush on since the summer before 7th grade was "into me" (she gave me a Valentine's Day card at school)

8. My godfather and I had been having a long, frustrating conversation about theology in which he kept bringing up the arguments of William Lane Craig and I kept saying "but there are other Christian philosophers" and he kept saying "I don't know who they are, who are they?" and I mentioned Richard Swinburne (not a Catholic, but an influential Christian philosopher) and asked if that name sounded familiar. He said it didn't, and I said "OK, how about John Hick" and he said "ok, that sounds familiar, it sounds like a drug"

9. Noticing that I could not feel my left hand when I looked at it and my first reaction was to check to see if I was actually in contact with it, and determining that in fact I was (I had gone numb during a nap)

10. The time I took a 10-minute walk and decided that a specific hole in the ground was really cool and decided to document this by creating a Google account and a Google+ account both named "ThePitOfAwesome," of which the only content would be a picture of this hole and a post about how cool it was

10(a). I was about to post to Google+ until I realized that this would make me expose my actual identity to the world and decided it was for the best that I did not do this

10(b). I deleted this Google+ account yesterday because I was worried I would forget about it and later find out I had posted a picture of ThePitOfAwesome to my actual Facebook account

11. I got a new prescription for glasses this year and this morning was the first time I got to wear my new glasses to go outside and when I got up from the dinner table my dad asked if I wanted some water and I said "Yes, I'd like the water" (as opposed to "I'd like water") and my dad's response was "You know, you're talking like someone with glasses on now, it's so obvious" and my mom's response was "Well, duh"

12. When I was 6 or 7, I was playing with my little brother in the living room and I said something was "kind of green" and my dad said "that's just a stupid thing to say, no color is just 'kind of green.' 'Kind of green' doesn't exist" and I remember being really angry and saying something about how I would prove him wrong but realizing that I couldn't, because you couldn't have a color which was 50% green, 50% yellow, etc. The next day he finally caved and said "fine, greenish yellow does exist, whatever"

#henbane-heretic

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lillywillow · 3 years

Text

Fatherhood

Summary: Steve wants to be the best dad ever for his baby

Word Count: 1344

Square Filled: Pregnancy

Pairings: Steve x Female Reader

Warnings: Pregnancy, fluff

Written for @star spangled bingo

Being married to Steve was an absolute dream. He was everything you could ever want in a husband and more. While you were still dating, the subject of starting a family had been brought up but life got in the way and the thought had been put on the backburner. After your wedding, the subject was once again up for discussion. People gave you all sorts of advice to help, some utterly ridiculous and some practical but you knew if you listened to all of it at once, you and Steve would drive yourselves mad. You decided if you weren’t pregnant by a certain timeframe, you would make an appointment to be checked by a specialist. Fortunately, that would not be nessacary...

...

When you woke that morning, you had a good feeling about the day. You headed into the bathroom to take a pregnancy test. After a while, Steve became a little worried about you as you normally would walk out into the kitchen to greet him. He knocked on the bathroom door.

“Y/N? You okay? You’ve been in there a while...”

You opened the door with the stick in your hand.

“Steve... look...”

Steve took the item from your hand and looked at the two parallel lines.

“Does this mean...?”

With a smile, you teared up and nodded.

“It’s positive...”

“We’re going to be parents!”

Steve hugged you tight and kissed your face all over. You couldn’t stop smiling.

...

Over the next few weeks, you told everyone you knew about your upcoming arrival. Once again, people offered their advice, even if some of it was pointless but the number one thing people offered was help which you were grateful for.

The first thing you did was convert the study into a nursery. It took a while but eventually you got all the old furniture out of the room and painted the walls a soft eggshell with the help of your friends. Steve told you he had a surprise for you and for days he worked tirelessly on it, not even allowing you to enter the nursery until he was done.

Finally one day, he took you into the room to show you his work.

“What do you think?” he asked, showing you the beautiful mural he painted.

On the back wall, Steve had created an adorable pond scene. A white duck was swimming in the middle surrounded by her little yellow babies. A happy green frog sat on a lily-pad near some cattail reeds and water lilies. Every detail had been lovingly drawn with such fine brushstrokes.

“I love it...”

“Do you think our baby will too?”

“I’m sure baby will, my darling,” you smiled, placing a hand on his cheek. Steve smiled and kissed you softly, placing his hand on your tummy. He couldn’t wait for your baby to get here.

...

A few weeks later, you went in for a health check. Steve had missed the last few appointments due to work so he was determined to come to this one. You went in when your names were called and the doctor prepared everything. Steve helped you up onto the examination table and held your hand as the doctor put the gel onto your belly. Instantly, the baby’s heartbeat could be heard when the scanner was applied to the gel.

“What’s that noise?” Steve asked, making you smile.

“That’s the baby’s heartbeat,” the doctor confirmed.

Steve gasped softly and his eyes widened in wonder.

“That has to be the most beautiful sound I ever heard...” He teared up a little and squeezed your hand.

“Would you like to know the gender of the baby?” This had been a conversation you had early on in your pregnancy so you already knew your answer.

“No, thank you. We would like to leave it as a surprise.”

“Okay. Well, everything looks great so far. We’ll schedule another appointment for you and if you have any questions or concerns, just call.”

“We will. Thank you, Doctor.”

With that, another appointment was made and you headed out of the office and headed home.

...

Once you were home, Steve helped you to your room for a rest. Lately you had been feeling exhaustion set in easier than it used to. After he had made sure you were comfortable on the bed, Steve laid down beside you so he could talk to the baby, placing one hand on your bump.

“Hi, little one. I’m your daddy. I’m so, so excited that you’re on your way and- oh!” Steve was interrupted by a tiny movement against his hand.

“Was that...?”

“I think so...”

“Baby’s first kick!” Steve grinned and kissed your tummy, inciting another kick from the baby against his hand. “This is amazing!”

You grinned and ran your fingers through his hair.

“What’s with that look, Y/N?”

“You’re the cutest. The baby isn’t even here yet and already you’re gushing over their smallest achievements... plus you’re taking such good care of me and taking care of my needs...”

“I love you, Y/N and this little life right here... this is an extension of that love. I want to be the best dad ever. Teach them everything they need to know, be there for them when they need me... With you by my side, I feel like I can reach that goal...”

You found yourself tearing up at his words. Smiling, Steve leant forward and kissed you softly, the baby still kicking away at his hand.

...

During your eighth month of pregnancy, your family threw you a baby shower at a relative’s place in the countryside. The party had been a lot of fun with everyone who attended, playing games, eating food and some of them bringing presents. You watched as the some of the kids ran around, playing in the mud. They were all laughing and squealing in joy until one of them got stuck and started to panic. Being the closest one to the scene, you waddled over to help. With one hand on your belly, you managed to get onto your knees and stretched out your hand. The boy grabbed your fingers but it wasn’t enough.

“Y/N!” Steve screamed. He ran over to help you out of the mud before extracting the stuck child.

You still held your stomach as you felt strong pains.

“Steve... Steve something doesn’t feel right...”

“Hold on, Y/N. I’m taking you to the hospital.”

Steve abruptly told your family that you needed medical assistance and fast.

...

When you got to the hospital, you were taken in to be examined. Fortunately, it would only prove to be strong Braxton Hicks contractions but they still wanted to keep you in for observations. Steve informed your family on your condition and promised to keep them updated. He sat by your side, putting an arm around him.

“I’m so glad that it was just a false alarm,” he sighed.

“Me too. That was really scary...”

“Why didn’t you come get me? I could have handled it...”

“I wasn’t thinking. Besides I’m not the one who constantly puts themself in danger, Mr. I-jump-out-of-planes-without-a-parachute-and-run-into-burning-builsings-every-other-day-of-the-week.”

Steve chuckled and kissed your head.

“I may do those things but I’m not the one carrying precious cargo.”

“That is true... Steve, can we not argue? The important thing is I’m okay and baby is okay.”

“You’re right. You’re both safe and that’s all that matters.”

...

One month after that incident, you safely gave birth to your beautiful little baby and Steve was absolutely over the moon. He couldn’t believe that the moment he had finally been waiting all these months for was finally here. Steve never left your side the whole time, holding your hand, stroking your hair; being the supportive husband he been throughout your whole pregnancy. As he held your child for the first time, Steve knew he couldn’t wait to start the next stage into fatherhood.

#ssb2021 #Pregnancy #Family #Baby #Steve Rogers #steve rodgers x reader #Daddy!Steve #Fluff #married #marvel fanfiction #nursery #Marvel #Fatherhood

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yikesharringrove · 3 years

Text

Egg the Cat

Chapter 3

Read on Ao3

Billy had to double-check to make sure he hadn't accidentally followed someone else home from the party.

Because Steve lived in a fucking mansion.

“Jesus Christ .” Billy stared at the house. “You didn’t tell me you’re fucking royalty .” Steve rolled his eyes, leading Billy towards the house.

“Can it. You got the booze?” Billy shook the bottle at him.

Steve looked better. Like maybe he had gotten a bit of a handle on himself.

Billy followed him into the pool of light cast over the porch, the unmistakable scream of a very excited cat sounding from inside.

Steve pushed open the door, bending immediately to scoop up his purring cat, holding her close to him as he went inside.

Billy gave a low whistle as he took off his boots, lining them neatly next to Steve’s shoes.

Steve just climbed the stairs, assumed Billy was following.

Steve’s bedroom was nice enough.

Felt as impersonal as the rest of the gaudy house, but there was a cat tree by the window, and a cat bed Egg ignored in favor of curling up on Steve’s lap as he settled in bed, sitting up against the headboard.

Billy didn’t know what to do with himself.

Last time he was in another boy’s bedroom, very different things were happening.

But then Steve gave him an odd look, eyes flicking to the spot next to himself, and Billy took that as his cue.

“I can’t drink a lot. Gotta be home in three hours.” His dad had a very clear rule about curfew: You miss it, don’t bother coming home.

“This is for me, anyway.” Steve gave him the weakest smile Billy’s ever seen, taking the bottle from Billy’s hand, and taking a long pull.

He grimaced at the taste, gasping for breath.

“That’s fucking rank .”

“Not used to cheap liquor?” Steve swatted at his arm, but took one more pull before passing the bottle to Billy.

Egg was still settled in his lap, and Steve ran long fingers through her dark fur.

“She can always tell when I’m feeling bad. Gets extra snuggly.”

“More snuggly than at the diner?”

“Nah, that was the more. She could tell I had been freaking out looking for her.” Her ear twitched and her tail swished, like she knew they were talking about her. “She’s the smartest cat in the world, I think.” He was quiet for a few moments as Billy took a drink from the bottle. “Took better care ‘a me than Nancy ever did. That’s for damn sure.”

“Sucks that she dumped you like that. All drunk and shit.”

“Isn’t there an expression? Drunk words are sober thoughts? Wish she had gotten drunk a year ago. Woulda saved me a lot of fucking trouble.” Egg perked up, standing to pace on Steve’s lap, curling up again, her chin resting on his tummy. “See? Has a fuckin’ sixth sense for when I’m upset.” She purred, her eyes closing as Steve scratched between her ears, down her back.

“How long have you had her?”

“Like five years? Someone was just, giving her away. Said he didn’t need bad omens, or whatever. ‘Cause she’s a black cat. I think that’s fuckin stupid. She’s brought me nothing but good.” Egg purred again, blinking slowly at Steve, nipping playfully at his fingers.

She really was cute.

Billy had never been much of a cat person, always favored dogs a bit more.

But Egg was so human, the way she tracked their conversation, like she could understand it.

“Man, don’t laugh.” Steve took the bottle from Billy, taking another long pull, shuddering halfway through. “I’m already feelin’ this. Haven’t drunk in so long .”

“Pussy.” Steve huffed a laugh, Egg meowed as his stomach shifted, jostling her head. He let the silence sit for a moment, just watched Steve’s fingers stroke through thick dark fur.

“So, uh, are you like, friends with Tommy?” Steve’s voice was way too measured, his tone far too light and casual.

“Who?”

“Tommy. The guy that was parading you around all night.”

“Oh, uh Karate Kid, guy?”

“Yeah.”

“No. He just kinda started talking at me, told me to do a keg stand. Said the guy that still held the record was a poser.” Steve outright laughed at that.

“Yeah, you broke my record tonight. I’m the poser.”

“No shit?”

“No shit.”

Billy turned to look at Steve, found him smiling this stupid fond smile at the cat on his lap. The room was dim, only one lamp clicked on, throwing a warm glow around the room.

“Can I ask you what happened? You said you used to be hot shit.”

“Nancy.” Steve’s smile evaporated like a flash. “I used to be a real douchebag. Ruled that fucking school. I mean, it’s not like I liked myself. I could definitely be called a bully, like, which sucks. But, you know. I had friends. I was popular. All that.”

“But she didn’t like that.”

“Nope.” Steve made sure to pop the ‘p’. “It’s not like she blatantly said that, but I could tell. I think that, I think that the changes have been good, like I’m nicer to people now. But I kinda cut off all my friends. Just hang out with her most of the time. And now-” Steve trailed off, taking another swig of shitty tequila. “Guess it’s just me and Eggy.”

“You say that like I’m not sitting right here.” Steve smiled at him, a real one, not the tight ones he’s been using all night.

“You hang out with me, you’re gonna be a fucking laughing stock, new kid.”

“Oh, come on. Have you seen me? I could literally never be a laughing stock. If anything, I'll make you cool again.” Steve just hmmmn ed at Billy, his eyes going a little far away.

“I don’t know if I really, really care about that anymore, if I’m being honest.” He swallowed thickly. “Some major shit went down last year. Like, more than Nancy shit. Kinda put things in perspective, I guess.” Egg had sat up, kneading at Steve’s stomach, making a noise like a little cat alarm.

Egg was so in tune with Steve it was utterly fucking ridiculous. They must be wired directly into one another’s brains.

“What kinda major shit?” Steve was quiet. Egg began walking up him, stepping softly until she settled on his chest, her chin resting on his shoulder, little pink nose tucked into his neck.

“Just like, major shit. Like, like people died kinda major.”

“Damn.”

“Like, I legally can’t talk about it kinda major.” Egg sniffed in his neck.

“What, you get mixed up in some kinda lawsuit or some shit?” Steve just sighed.

“Man, I just said I legally can’t say anything.” But he had a ghost of a smile on his face when he turned to look at Billy. “Can I ask you something?”

“Free country.” Steve rolled his eyes.

“Why Hawkins ?”

“You asked me that like, three times yesterday.”

“And you never answered.”

“I said my dad remarried and wanted a-”

“Fresh start, yeah. But you could move one town over and have that. You could stay in the same damn state and do that. Why Hawkins ?”

There was something more behind Steve’s voice, something strained.

Billy just looked back up at the ceiling.

He had to take a breath, talking himself out of actually telling Steve. Telling him how Neil wanted him out of California, where gay bars were only a short drive away. Where Billy could cruise the piers, where a carefully toned you goin’ my way? could lead to a sloppy blowjob in the car.

Hawkins wasn’t necessarily specific, but Neil had wanted a small, God-fearing town. One where he would know if Billy got up to anything unsavory.

“He found a job here,” he said lamely.

Everything in him was screaming to trust Steve. To tell him the truth. Which was just a fuck of a lot. Billy doesn't trust people. He just does not.

He blames Steve.

Blames those soft brown eyes.

“Well, that’s thrilling .” Billy rolled his eyes, smiling a little to himself.

“What were you expecting?”

“Something more exciting. You moved here from California. That’s like, the coolest place ever .”

“I lived in L.A., too.”

“So like, the coolest place in the coolest place.”

“You ever been?” Steve just gave him a dark look.

“Last time I left the state was ten years ago. My parents took me to Chicago.”

“Damn. You’re like, a true hick, then. Only know this little town.”

“That’s me. Pure hick .” He scratched Egg’s back hip. She purred softly. Billy took another long drink, officially calling that his last one. He needed to be sober by the time he went home. Couldn’t be loud and clumsy as he made his way to his room.

He just pressed the bottle into Steve’s hand.

They spent the rest of the time before Billy had to leave just talking.

It was nice, Steve filling him in on the Hawkins drama, told him which gas stations had better candy selections, that the liquor store on the corner of Haven and Burbank didn’t card. He told him that Andrew Conner always had good weed, but it was cheaper to buy from Lisa Kendle.

And the more Steve drank, the more his eyes drooped, the lazier his smiles got, the closer he scoot to Billy.

He was warm, pressed up to Billy’s side, cat still curled on his chest.

He listened with rapt attention as Billy gave him stories about California, about the boardwalk and metal shows, told him stories of his best hookups, told him they were girls.

He was in the middle of one story, switched out the name from Daniel to something more appropriate, when he looked over, found Steve knocked out, mouth hanging open, tequila dangerously close to spilling, cat sleeping soundly on his chest.

It made Billy falter.

He just took in the scene, wanting to remember it.

He moved slowly, tried not to shift the bed too much, and turned out the light in Steve’s bedroom as he left.

#yikes writes #egg the cat #steve harrington #billy hargrove #harringrove #i refuse to pay attention in class today thanks

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avengerscompound · 3 years

Text

The Tower: Family - 29

The Tower: Family An Avengers Fanfic

Series Masterlist PREVIOUS //

Pairing: Avengers x OFC, Bruce Banner x Bucky Barnes x Clint Barton x Wanda Maximoff x Steve Rogers x Natasha Romanoff x Tony Stark x Thor x Sam Wilson x OFC (Elly Cooper)

Word Count: 1858

Warnings: Pregnancy, labor, delivery, medical proceedures

Synopsis: With new powers, Thor now living on Earth full time, a wedding to plan, and Natasha and Wanda expecting, a lot is changing for Elly and her large and rather unconventional family. When Elise’s parents try to reestablish connections, Elly questions what being a family actually means.

Chapter 29: Becca

When Natasha went into labor it was about as dramatic as what you’d expect it to be for her.

It was a week before her due date, but well into the zone the doctor’s call full term. She was uncomfortable and hating it but she still insisted that she be the one that walked the kids to and from school every day so that she could cloak them. Because it was getting so close to her due date, Clint and Bucky had started to shadow her again. That meant, rather than a random changing of the guard for the people doing the drop-off and pick-up, it was always Clint, Bucky, and Natasha.

They had been out for around half an hour when they returned. I was sitting in the living room with Sam and Wanda while she nursed the babies.

Wanda had been such a star with breastfeeding. With Riley and Pietro I’d ended up needing a bottle supplement which had turned to complete formula diets when they realized the bottle was a much easier way to get lots of milk. I also remember struggling to feed them both at the same time.

Wanda had no such trouble. I don’t know if it was just her and she would have been fine no matter what, or if it was the fact her powers pretty much allowed for anything - or a combination of the both - but she could feed both twins at once, never complained, and the babies were steadily gaining weight.

If there was a way for a person to burst through elevator doors, Natasha did it. All three of us looked over startled as Nat hurried inside, beelining straight to the stairs. There was a shadow of wetness on her maternity pants and a look of frustration on her face.

“What’s going on?” Sam asked his eyes flicking from Natasha who was already halfway up the stairs to Bucky and Clint who were following after her.

“Nat’s water broke while we were dropping the kids off at school. She started getting contractions on the way back,” Clint explained.

Wanda gave an excited squeak that made Rose give her the dirtiest look a newborn can muster.

“Wow, alright,” Sam said. “El, you go with them. FRIDAY, let the others know it’s happening. And tell Happy, Travis, and Amber that I need to see them.”

“Yes, sir,” FRIDAY replied.

I gave Sam a curious look. “Well, the kids are going to need to be picked up, I figure if Happy drives one either Travis or Amber. And they’re both going to need to be extra hands-on, because I’m pretty sure Wanda’s going to want to come down and be with Nat too, right, honey?”

“Oh yes,” Wanda agreed. “I’ll come up to feed these two, but I don’t want to miss that.”

“Alright, I’ll go check on Nat,” I said getting up. “I’m sure we’re still many, many hours away. She probably won’t come until tomorrow morning.”

“Wanna bet on the time?” Sam asked.

I smirked at him. “Yeah, alright. I think 3.30 am.”

“I’m gonna say 11 am. Rebecca’s going to sleep in,” Sam said.

“Closest to it wins? If it’s exactly in the middle it can be you,” I suggested.

“Sounds good,” he said, holding out his hand for me to shake.

“What’s the prize?” I asked.

Sam smirked at me. “I’m sure we can think of something.”

I giggled and headed upstairs to check on Natasha. I found her in the shower with Bucky, while Clint lazed on the bed. “How are you doing there, Nat?” I asked.

“Completely mortified,” she said. “I was talking to one of the other mothers and I just … exploded all over them. Amniotic fluid went everywhere. All over her pants legs. And the floor. The worst part was that I think the labor started this morning, but I thought it was those Braxton Hicks contractions so I ignored them.”

“That is very dramatic, Tasha,” I teased. “Perfectly you.”

“I am really glad I have those powers, I tell you,” Natasha said. “I would have to murder half the population of the planet if pap photos came out with me looking like I wet my pants.”

I smothered a laugh. “No, we wouldn’t want that.”

“Careful, El,” Natasha warned.

“Yeah, El, don’t anger the assassin that’s in labor,” Bucky teased.

Natasha got out of the shower and I grabbed a towel and wrapped it around her as Bucky turned off the water.

“What no towel for me?” Bucky asked, stepping out onto the bath mat.

I grabbed another towel and threw it at him. He caught it laughing and I giggled and turned my attention back to Natasha. “Have you called the medbay?”

“Yes,” Natasha said. “I called them on the way home. They said to wait until five minutes apart and then come down. I only had -” she looked at Bucky. “-two? Since my water broke, so I think we are a ways off yet.”

She wasn’t kidding. Most of the rest of the day was spent just as normal. Only every half hour, give-or-take, Natasha would have a contraction. Happy and Travis went and collected the kids from school. By dinner time Natasha was beginning to feel it and opted out of eating anything but she sat at the table with us. She only winced once during the meal but tried not to let the kids see her discomfort. Bruce even had time to read Riley and Pietro their bedtime stories before things started to get serious.

At around 11.30 Natasha was in serious pain and not able to hide it anymore. Given her background and the super-serum her pain tolerance was higher than most, so it was difficult to see her struggling so much with it.

We took turns pacing with her, rubbing her back, and feeding her ice chips. At around one I ran a bath for her and Steve sat on the edge of the tub and held the nozzle against her back.

By two she couldn’t take it anymore. We went down to the medbay and Clint supported her while they put in an epidural. When that kicked in, it was like Nat was a completely different person. She just kicked back in the hospital bed dozed through her contractions and we all spread out around the room doing the same.

We all awkwardly slept where we could, only waking when the nurses came in to check her progress. At a little after three, they told us it was nearly time for Natasha to push. They turned off the epidural and the pain of childbirth returned to her in full. She hunched forward grabbing her knees and bared down. Sweat clung to her skin and her face flush red.

“That’s it, Natasha,” Doctor Shroeder coached. “Push.”

There was nothing beautiful or romantic about the way Natasha gave birth. It wasn’t a magical moment where life miraculously entered the world. It was messy and bloody and loud. After half an hour of pushing, Rebecca began to crown, and right away we could see she was going to take after her biological mom more than her biological dad. She had a little cap of pale red hair that was just visible.

“We can see her, Nat,” Sam said, excitedly.

“Not long now, Tasha,” Bucky added.

“It’s gotten to that freaky horror movie part, Nat,” Clint said. “You want a mirror so you can see?”

Natasha nodded and Doctor Schroeder grabbed a mirror and held it up for her to see. “There she is. Your little redhead girl.”

Natasha smiled and started to sob. She had gone past the point where she could speak it seemed and everything had gotten too much. Bucky patted her forehead with a damp cloth.

“Alright, Natasha, next time you feel the urge again, push,” the doctor said.

Natasha bared down. “I hate you so much, James Barnes,” she moaned as she pushed.

“I know, Tasha,” he said. “I don’t blame you.”

“You’re doing so well, sweetheart,” Steve praised.

She shot him a look that screamed bloody murder. “Shut your stupid, positive mouth.”

Tony tried to stifle a laugh as Steve’s cheeks flushed.

It was another two pushes until Rebecca’s head was clear, and only two more after that before she joined us screaming her head off. “Here she is. Your daughter has a lot to say.”

Natasha lay back exhausted but looking very pleased with herself. I was ushered forward and cut the cord and the little squawling baby was put onto Natasha’s chest. “Hey, Becca,” she croaked. “You made it.”

Her cries began to settle and she lay staring up at all the faces peering down at her. “You did so well, Natasha,” Wanda praised. “Look at that perfect little girl.”

“I can’t believe you did this with two and no drugs,” Natasha sighed, caressing Rebecca’s back.

“What time is it?” Sam asked, reaching over and playing with Rebecca’s hand.

“Her official birth time is 4.23 in the morning,” Doctor Shroeder answered.

“Ha! I win,” I teased.

Sam smirked at me. “Seems to me, we both win, princess.”

“Okay, okay, enough of that talk in front of the baby,” Bruce joked.

The medical staff fussed around Natasha, giving Rebecca her shots and a shot to Nat to help her deliver the placenta. We were all too caught up in Rebecca’s presence to pay that much attention. Though Bruce and I both looked over the placenta fascinated when it was out.

Eventually, the nurses took Rebecca off Natasha to clean her up a little and check her over. Thor rubbed my back. “Only one more to go,” he said.

“He can stay put for a little longer,” I said. “Let him get fully cooked.”

Once Natasha had been taken to her room with Rebecca and she’d showered and changed into her pajamas it was just past breakfast time and Amber and Travis brought Riley, Pietro, Sarah, and Rose down. It was funny, even though Sarah and Rose were almost three weeks older than Rebecca they were still a little smaller than her. We once again got Riley and Pietro gifts from the newborn and they were much more interested in opening those than interacting with their new sibling.

“Alright kiddos, you better say goodbye to everyone, it’s time to get to school,” Amber said.

“Do we hafta?” Riley asked.

Steve shrugged. “You can stay if you want, but we’re all very tired and everyone will most likely be sleeping.”

Riley seemed to ponder the predicament for a moment and then nodded. “Otay, we go.”

“Sounds good, bug,” I said and kissed them both goodbye. “Are you going to say goodbye to all your sisters?”

“Otay,” Pietro said and the two went around kissing first all their parents and then the babies goodbye.

“Bye-bye!” They called as Amber led them from the room.

“Okay but that was really cute,” Clint said.

“Yeah,” I agreed. “I have to say I am really glad we have FRIDAY recording things because I definitely want framed pictures of them kissing the babies goodbye.”

// NEXT

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imaginesupply · 3 years

Text

Homecoming - Chapter Five

(Gif’s not my own.)

Summary: The day has arrived, Captain Syverson is going home. For good, this time. He is going home to a civilian life he can hardly remember and a wife he barely knows, with memories of the war still fresh on his mind. Love might not be able to heal everything on its own, but it’s a good start.

Genres: Romance, drama.

Story warnings: Smut (always fully consensual), mentions of PTSD and nightmares and mental health, angst, hurt and comfort, fluff, mentions of war (minor), mentions of cheating (minor), mentions of pregnancy (very minor), police appearance (very minor), violence (very minor).

Notes:

It’s my first time writing for one of Henry’s characters and I’m unsure I did Sy’s character any justice.

This is a Capt. Syverson x OFC (Ada) story, written in 3rd person POV but OFC’s physical description is very limited so it could also be read as Capt. Syverson x Reader, I think.

English is not my first language, so there might be some mistakes. Proofread, but not beta’ed. We die like men and all that.

Timeline is a little wacky: The movie takes place in 2003 and the U.S. forces were withdrawn from Iraq in 2011, but I never set a precise date because I don’t think it’s essential for this story. However, some elements might not be realistic because if we set this story in 2003: Phone cameras quality was not as good as it’s now, but for the purpose of the chapters, I will need you to imagine you could film great videos with your flip phone haha. Plus, it says Sy is coming back after being deployed for more than three years which makes no sense unless we set this in 2006 or later. I am asking you disregard any time inconsistencies.

Also: I am not American. I only lived in the US for six months and it was in the Midwest, not Texas so please bear with me if I write something stupid.

Finally: This will be a Christmas fic and I intend to post the last chapter (there will be seven in total) on or before Christmas. However, religion is never mentioned in this story and the Christmas-sy elements of this story are limited to family gathering, gift giving and tree decorating.

Chapter Five starts after the cut. (Chapter Four can be found here.) Let me know if you wish to be tagged in future chapters or if you wish to be removed from the tag list.

A/N: I am aware of the neutral, perhaps positive, portrait of the police I painted in this chapter. I am fully conscious of the recent (and not so recent) instances of police brutality happening all around the world, many – if not most – of them motivated by racism and other despicable ideologies. With this chapter, I did NOT mean to express support for the police forces. I simply had this ‘plot’ idea come to my mind and decided to write it. There is no ulterior motive.

While all my personal experiences with the police have been positive, I am aware that my ethnicity gives me privilege and that many people are not as lucky as I am. This both angers and saddens me. It has to change.

Black lives matter. Minority lives matter.

Chapter 5

Chapter warnings: Cockwarming, irresponsible driving (kind of), car accident (not serious), police (but no police violence), very mild violence, language (perhaps a little bit worse than in previous chapters but nothing you don’t hear in real life, I guess), mentions of mysogyny.

Ada yawned with Sy quickly following suit. “You can drive my car if you want, Sy. It’s not that new anymore, you know.” She offered, gracing him with the most angelic smile she could muster. It was the first time she was granting him the opportunity to drive her car.

Sy laughed next to her, his left hand moving over the center console to rub her thigh. He had that stupid grin again, that looking endearing with his current droopy eyes. “It’s your car, darlin’. Besides, you’d kill me if I ever so much as got a scratch on it.” He chuckled, suppressing another yawn. “And I know you’re only offering because you want to sleep.”

His wife gasped, a look of mocking offense on her features. “They’re your nephews!”

“But you were the one who said yes,” Sy countered, his eyes closing again as he made himself more comfortable on the car seat. The drive home was only about one hour and a half, but it was the perfect length for a nap.

“What the fuck was I supposed to say, huh?” Ada laughed, gesticulating wildly as was her habit. “Yes, Joshua, I understand you’re taking my pregnant sister-in-law to the hospital. No, I will not look after your kids for the night. It’s our date night.”

Next to her, Sy grimaced. She did have a point, even if he had been looking forward to going bowling with her: Ada was a sore loser which always ended with lots of fun for him. At least, his sister and the baby were okay. Just a normal case of Braxton Hicks, apparently, whatever that was supposed to mean. Perhaps it was good thing Ada didn’t want children because he’d freak out if she started having contractions four months in. “You fell asleep on Luke’s bed at one in the morning when you tried to get him to sleep for the third time and I had to spend the whole night entertaining them with tea parties because they wouldn’t tire!”

“Hey! That’s not cool!” She protested accusatorily, her eyes on the road as she switched lanes to take the next exit. “I didn’t know you couldn’t give kids sugar after a certain hour!”

Sy huffed, shaking his head. They’d had the great idea to bring donuts because according to his dear wife, sugar always made you feel better when you was anxious or down, and the kids had been aware something was off with their mom. “We suck at this parenting thing.”

“You don’t say!” Ada laughed, before loudly cursing at driver who’d just cut her off, something which never failed to make Sy smile. “The nap’s going to feel heavenly once we’re home.”

Sy hummed in agreement, his head falling back against the headrest as he drifted off, hiding his eyes from the sun with his cap. Ada glanced sideways at him, shaking her head. Part of her wanted to shake him awake. If she had to suffer, so did he. But he was right, she had slept more than him and he looked too peaceful to disturb, especially with some leftover glitter still on his cheeks.

Suddenly, there was a mild thump and the car stuttered before stopping, startling Ada who jumped on her seat.

"Shit!" She cursed. "Did I just...?" She began to panic, her eyes moving to the red car in front of them, too close. She had bumped it while she had been distracted by her husband’s stupid, sleepy face!

"Yes, yes you did," Sy laughed next to her. Ada was a good driver and she loved driving, but she was easily distracted and Sy never failed to tease her about it. This time, however, he could tell she was scared from the way her chest was heaving with her shallow breaths. "Want me to deal with it, darlin'?" He offered, tilting his head at the other driver who had just come out of the red, broken-down car.

"No!" Ada protested all too quickly, taking off her seatbelt and grabbing the necessary documents from the glovebox, accidentally hitting his knees in the process. "I am an independent woman who don't need no help," she muttered, trying to convince herself of her own statement. In the eight years since she’d had her gotten her licence, she had never given any of her cars a single scratch, let alone gotten into an accident.

Sy grinned at her antics but tried to hide his amusement, not wanting to make it worse. "All right. I'm here in case you need me, okay?" With a determined nod in his direction, Ada stepped out of the car and attempted to summon the Annalise Keating or the Olivia Pope inside her, whichever she could find in herself.

The man from the red car, who seemed to be in his early forties and balding, was already inspecting his vehicle for damage – looking mighty pissed as he did so. Ada approached the impact point from the other side, noticing the bump on the man’s old car. It didn't look too bad, she sighed with relief. Her own car barely had anything. Ha! She would have to use this as an argument next time Sy and her started discussing cars. Her black Citroën DS5 was sturdy and not just fancy looking, unlike what he said.

"Hello, sir," she said calmly, the man instantly looking up at her. Damn! He really looked furious, seething even. "I am so sorry for this. I was a little distracted- Anyway, it doesn't matter. My insurance will cover whatever repairs your car may require."

"You stupid little bitch!" The man shouted, out of the blue.

Ada gasped, backtracking. The muscles in her jaw twitched. What the fuck was wrong with him? "I understand your anger, but there's no-"

"What were you even doing behind that wheel?" He snarled, gesturing at her car, her baby. "Who the hell lets women like you drive cars like that?!” The man cursed, aggressively waving his hand in the air.

She just stood there, still in shock. Did... did he just bring misogyny into a fender bender situation?! "Women like me?!" She repeated, quite stunned.

"Aye! Bitches like you have no business driving-”

Ada flinched at the man’s words. He was starting to breech the distance between them, moving too close to her. Ada jumped again when she felt a warm hand on her shoulder before realizing it belonged to Sy and letting herself exhale slowly. Thank God he didn’t listen to her and stayed in the car!

"I get that you’re pissed, but that's no way to talk to a lady. You should to apologize," Sy told the man, making it sound very much like an order and very little like a suggestion. The driver huffed before coming closer, his face about as red as the car as when he started laughing. Ada instinctively hid under Sy's arm, though she aware of the ridicule of the whole situation.

"That's your whore? You let your whore drive your car?!"

Okay, this was going too far. It left her lips before she could help it, "that's my own goddamn car, you wanker!". Maybe it was time to stop borrowing insults from Tom.

Ada could almost hear how his jaw clenched when she felt Sy's whole body tense up against hers. "Call her a whore one more time and you're gonna wish she had run you over instead."

This was escalating. Ada bit her lower lip. She was going to have to be the bigger person here. "Look, I'll just go grab my phone from the car and call the police. They'll deal with this." Ada announced, dislodging herself from Sy’s grip before turning around to get to her car.

Her hand had just wrapped around the car door handle when there was a clouting noise, quickly followed by a loud thump, this time. Ada immediately turned around at the sound. The angry driver was out cold on the ground, blood rushing out of his nose and forehead, with Sy looking down at him, the same blood tainting his fist.

"Oh shit!"

°°°

A lanky guy, smelling heavily of pot, was thrown inside the almost full holding cell by the same officer who had arrested him. Sy was amused at the sight until the guy, after a full survey of the room, started walking him up to him before sitting down on the bench far too close for his liking.

Exhaling through his nose, Sy tried ignoring the smell and closed his eyes again. He didn’t expect the nap he had been looking forward to, to be in a stinky cell with stinky men but it would have to make do. At least, after the man sitting closest to the entrance had commented on the leftover pink glitter that still shone in Sy’s beard, nobody had bothered him anymore – not after he quite literally made the man piss himself with just one stare. That man wouldn’t have survived a single day in Baqubah.

"It's cramped in here," the new guy commented nonchalantly though his eyes were fixed on Sy. Out of politeness - damn Ada and her insistence on good manners! - Sy acknowledged his useless statement with a noncommittal hum.

"Name's Ben, by the way," he said, stretching out of his hand but Sy didn’t move a muscle. What was it in his current posture - crossed arms and spread legs - that made him appear friendly enough for a chat, he wondered, rolling his eyes behind his closed eyelids.

"And you are...?"

Sy groaned out loud time. "Not interested."

Ben didn’t get the hint and proceeded to ramble off about how he got caught selling pot near the university. Sy was actively working on drowning out his voice when the sound of fast and angry clicking heels on the concrete floor caught his attention. He smiled. Ada. Apparently, she hadn’t changed and was still dressed for date night, wearing a dress and stilettos, even though they had only meant to go bowling and eat at a steakhouse.

Somehow, everyone in the holding cell must have been intrigued by the same sound because all conversation suddenly stopped, the men all hoping to eavesdrop.

"I am here for Syverson. I wish to talk to him."

"Ma'am, I apologize but we are not allowed to let him out of his cell."

"Not a problem. Just give me the keys and I'll let him out myself!"

Every person in the holding cell laugh with Sy grinning quietly, amused at how she sounded distinctively more foreign when she was mad. He was used to her accent in more intimate settings, but he was enjoying the sound of it during her current outburst which was followed by an uninterrupted string of curse words and insults alike, all coming from her delicate mouth. First, in English, then French. Spanish. Portuguese. Italian. Sy frowned at the last one, he didn’t recognize it. Was it German? He'd have to ask her.

"What a woman, huh," the guy next to him deadpanned, still not giving up on a conversation.

Silence fell again as everyone attempted to listen to the rest. “I swear to God I’ll hang your heads up in my living room if –“

Sy only huffed, leaning back against the cold wall. "You can't even begin to imagine."

"You know her?" The pothead quipped up.

"Yeah," Sy replied. "She’s my wife." He said it loud enough to make sure everyone was able to hear it.

“Oh,” came the nasal voice next to him just as they heard heavy, resigned footsteps become louder.

A different policeman stopped just behind the door, a colleague just behind him as he fished out the right key from his pocket. “Syverson,” he called out loudly. “There’s a woman here for you.”

Sy got up at once, unable to hide his smug smirk. Ada always got her way.

°°°

“What the fuck were you thinking, Sy?!” His wife blurted out as soon as she was let inside the interview room, the young officer locking the door from the outside. Then, turning around, she caught sight of her husband handcuffed to the table and her shoulders instantly slacked, her anger vanishing almost instantly. “What you did was disproportionate,” she sighed, her voice calmer as she took a seat in front of him, the cold iron table separating them.

"He called you a whore, I just punched him!" Sy protested, leaning back on the chair. "My response was disproportionate - disproportionately small."

"You knocked him out cold!" Ada reminded him, her voice pitching higher than usual but the only response she got from Sy was a smug grin. "He might press charges, you know. It's battery."

Sy rolled his eyes, sitting up straight. "He’s an asshole."

Now, it was her turn to roll her eyes although she knew he hated it when she did that. She took a deep breath, hoping to calm down. Sy was looking entirely unbothered, but she was freaking out at the situation. "I'll try to convince him not to press charges and offer to cover the medical bill on top of the car repairs in return."

"Medical bill?" Sy asked, cocking his eyebrow.

"Yes. After the police took you into custody, he was brought to the hospital. From what I heard, he has a broken nose, needed stitches on his forehead and got a concussion." Sy only huffed with a smirk. "This is not funny, Syverson!"

"It wasn't funny when he called you a whore either," Sy countered. He was right. It was also very pleasant to see that dickhead in pain, but she wouldn’t tell him that.

"Look, my friend, Gale, who's a lawyer, is on her way. I'll get you out of here tonight. He’ll either agree to drop the charges or I’ll bail you out."

The corners of his lips twitched. He moved his hands as much as the chain allowed, to grab hers and squeeze them in his large ones. "Are you worried about me, darlin'?"

What a teasing little shit he could be! Of course, she was worried about him! He was in a cell! Feigning innocence, Ada smiled, running her thumbs over the back of his hands. "I am not. However, seeing what you did to that prick just got me really horny and I would like to have you back in my bed tonight," she whispered, watching as her husband’s smug grin slowly disappeared as she got up and grabbed her purse, heading to the door.

"You better get me out of here quickly!" Sy called after her.

°°°

He was returned to the holding cell, the officer uncuffing his wrists again once the bars closed behind him. There were two new faces, but he also recognized that at least three men had left already. Unfortunately, pothead was still there.

“I saved you your spot,” Ben smiled wildly, gesturing at the vacant portion of the bench next to him. “The guy in the red shirt was going to sit here but I told him it was occupied.”

Sy merely hummed, taking the seat that had so generously been saved for him. Hopefully Ada would get him out quickly because he didn’t know how much longer he could deal with his chatty neighbour.

“Was she mad?” Ben asked, whispering loudly and defeating the entire purpose of a whisper in the first place. “Did she yell at you?”

Despite his closed eyes, Sy could feel Ben’s stare on him as he awaited an answer. “No.”

Ben nodded thoughtfully, shaking the uneven bench as he did so. “If we go to prison, I want to share a cell with you.”

If Ada didn’t get him out of there quickly, he was soon going to get charged for battery again.

°°°

Sy stood by the counter, his attention on the ugly Christmas decorations he hadn’t noticed when they brought him in hours earlier. Somehow, he had managed to forget all about it. And fuck, he still needed to get Ada a present!

“Here are your things,” the young officer told him as he slid over a transparent plastic bag.

With a curt nod, Sy ripped it open and fetched his wedding band first, before looking for his wallet and belt. He was already heading to the door when he turned around at the last minute. “Did Mrs. Syverson post my bail?”

“No, the charges were dropped.”

Huffing with amusement and a hint of pride, Sy zipped up his coat and headed to the front door. He swiftly descended the stairs in front of the precinct, his face illuminating at the sight of her. She was still wearing the black dress and the fancy shoes, her makeup now lightly smudged around her eyes.

As soon as he was close enough, his hands moved to Ada's waist and he leaned down to kiss her, only for her to pull away at his touch. "Not so fast, big guy," she teased, a glint in her eyes as she grabbed something out of her coat pocket he couldn't yet identify. "You're still in trouble."

Sy threw back his head, his laugh booming through the night sky as he finally saw what she was holding up in front of him. Handcuffs, and not the fluffy ones either.

"Now gimme your hands," Ada demanded, making him cock his brow at her authoritative tone.

With a chuckle he obeyed, presenting her his hands. "Yes, ma'am."

Sy watched keenly as she fumbled with the cuffs to get them around his wrists, and then seized the right opportunity to take the upper hand, easily taking the cuffs away from her small hands.

With a shriek, Ada found herself bent over the black hood of her own car, her cheek pressed up against the slick surface and her husband's body pressed up against hers. She could hear the smirk in his voice when he spoke. "Mrs. Syverson, you're under arrest for unlawful teasing back in the questioning room." Ada scoffed, the sound weakened by his heavy weight on top of her. "You have the right to remain silent. Everything you do say can and will be held against you in-"

"Your dick!" Ada suddenly blurted out, a little too loud given where they were, and Sy immediately stopped, clearly surprised, but she quickly felt him laugh against her back.

Before she could join him, Sy smacked her ass, effectively silencing her. "Guess I'll have to fuck that attitude out of you," he grunted before pulling away and fastening the cuffs around her wrists.

Ada kept complaining as he carefully dragged her inside the car. Despite her struggling, Sy easily opened the right backdoor and threw her on the backseat, mindful to fasten her seatbelt before closing the door. Her eyes widened and her mouth went agape when Sy sat down behind the steering wheel and proceeded to push back the driver’s seat and readjust all the mirrors.

“Are you shitting me?” She exclaimed, leaning forward on her seat as much as the belt would allow. He was messing up with all her settings and the grin on her face made it very clear that he was doing it all on purpose just to get her riled up.

“Language, darlin’,” he chided, turning on the engine. “Didn’t you ask me to drive earlier, anyway?”

Ada groaned in response, shutting her eyes tightly before opening them again. “You know very well that was-“

Sy didn’t let her finish, the tires squealing on the tar as he sped out of the parking lot all too fast. Ada involuntarily cringed at the noise. “I’ll make you pay for this!”

“We’ll see, kitten. We’ll see.” He was entertaining by her determination even though her eyes were already closing.

As expected, Ada fell asleep within five minutes despite the handcuffs keeping her arms in an uncomfortable position. Her head lolled before it finally came to rest against the window. He watched her though the central mirror, an adoring look in his blue eyes as she sighed contently the very moment she had fallen asleep. While he had managed to rest while in the cell, though not as much as he had hoped, he knew Ada had been up all afternoon trying to sort everything out and get him out. Sy had noticed her exhaustion as soon as she started fumbling with the handcuffs, her movements uncharacteristically clumsy.

He stopped at a junk food drive thru on their way home – night had already fallen and he hadn’t eaten anything since breakfast. He doubted she had either. Her eyes didn’t even flutter under the bright neon lights and once he parked the car on their driveway and went to carry her inside along with their food, after undoing the cuffs, her body was completely limp in his arms. It was only when he accidentally let her shoulder hit the doorframe as he tried to lead them inside their bedroom, that she woke up again. “Ouch!”

“Sorry,” Sy murmured and kissed her forehead before laying her down on the bed and setting down the bag on the mattress next to her. Her nose wrinkled as she sniffed the air even as he helped her out of her coat and dress, and then the shoes. “Did you get us food?”

“Tenders and fries.”

Within an instant, she had ripped the bag open and was clutching the bucket of chicken to her chest, moaning as soon as she took a bite. He smiled knowingly at her– she had been hungry after all.

Hurriedly, Sy took off his clothes and slid in bed behind his wife, wrapping an arm around her waist to pull her closer to him. They hadn’t slept together the previous night as they babysat the kids and he had missed the feel of her soft body against his. A content hum escaped him as his already partially hard cock nestled against the roundness of her ass.

Ada chuckled at his reaction, the vibrations of her body sending sparks of pleasure to his growing erection. “I have an idea,” she whispered, her voice becoming seductive again as she started rubbing herself against him.

Sy groaned deeply and tightened his grip on her waist, forcing her to still even though he was no longer sure for what he now hungered more; food or his wife. “We’re both hungry and exhausted,” he reasoned with her, his fingers moving some hair away from her neck so that he could kiss her there.

“Let me,” she insisted, a grin audible in her voice. Her hands disappeared under the bedsheets and she slid off her panties before retaking her initial position as the little spoon. Behind her, Sy groaned as her delicate fingers took hold of his cock, giving it a few pumps before guiding him inside her warmth. He muffled a soft moan against neck at the snug feeling of tight her walls, his arm tightening around her again. She let out a quiet gasp at the stretch, it hurt a little despite her still being sufficiently wet from when he had pushed her against the hood of the car. But once he was fully inside, Ada sighed at the pleasure of being again. “Now we can eat.”

°°°

There are two more chapters to go! Next chapter will include Christmas tree decorating. I am running behind on schedule so I cannot guarantee the last chapter will be posted by Christmas but I’ll do my best.

°°°

@colourmeinblue @hail-horror-queen @youthought-iwasa-nicegirl @kmuir1 @madbaddic7ed @coffeebreathy @purplelove75 @summersong69 @helenaellie

#henry cavill smut #syverson smut #henry cavill x ofc #syverson x ofc #henry cavill x reader #syverson x reader #syverson fluff #henry cavill fluff

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hargrove-mayfields · 3 years

Text

Day five of Horror on Cherry Lane Challenge! Today’s prompt was monsters!

Little brat’s been in the school ten minutes after the bell.

After they both broke curfew, Max staying out late trick-or-treating and going to one of her little friends’ house to trade candy, and Billy crashing at the lingering party until he was sober enough to come home and not get his ass kicked, they were supposed to be straight home today. Used up all their free time for the week apparently.

Max knew that this morning, he already told her to forget about the damn AV club. If he had to cancel on whatever chick he was going to take out (was it Carol? No, Carol is Tommy’s girl. Fuck he doesn’t know anybody yet) Max had to give her shit up to.

He gets bored of waiting for the little twerp and tosses his cigarette to the ground, marching in there his damn self.

Only time he’s ever been in this building was to pick Max up from AV. His dad made him come all the way inside and give his assessment on the teacher. Asked (slapped him and demanded it) that he do so to check on Max. Just to be sure. Like he cares.

But it works out anyways that he knows the way now that Max has decided to disappear and it’s up to him to track her down. Only problem is he gets there, and the room is empty. Not even just that Max isn’t in there, there’s no damn kids or teacher or nothing. Just a knocked over lamp and some shit on the floor.

He ain’t trying to hunt her down, but he has to get her back home in like, the next half-hour, and she’s somewhere she ain’t supposed to be. The school isn’t very big, half the damn building is closed off for the school board to use, so there isn’t much ground to cover.

He’s not trying to get himself arrested either, so he makes quick work of the school, checking all the places Max might be. Still, he comes up empty, and he’s about to just give up and let whoever she was with keep her when he sees something scurrying across the floor out of the corner of his eye.

It’s not really any of his business whether or not the middle school is infested, but it catches his eye for the wrong reasons.

It’s a gnarly little thing, a cross between a frog and rat or some shit, but Billy’d recognize that thing anywhere. It’s a fucking monster, crawling around the halls of his sisters school.

Purely on instinct, he tracks the thing to where it cornered itself, taking advantage of the fact that it’s still small and growing into its demon teeth to stomp on the gross monster. He stops once he’s positive it’s dead and not just faking him out like they do sometimes, he’s not gross or something, but he nearly jumps out of his skin when behind him, Max shouts, “Billy!”

He turns, ignoring the pile of goop that was one of those things to face his, apparently, from the flush on her cheeks and the bitterness in her tone, “Jesus, shitbird. What is wrong with you?”

He’s hardly even got the question out before Max snaps at him, “Why would you kill it!”

“Do you even know what that thing is?” Billy raises eyebrows, no patience for Max telling him what to do, but she counters with something that surprises him, “It was Dustins, he discovered it, you jerk!”

“Yeah, no. These things’ve been around longer’n any of us have been alive. And I don't care who found it first. They’re fucking monsters.”

“How do you even know what he was? You killed him.”

“It. Not him. Don’t humanize them.” Billy hisses, warning Max, “And anyways, I seen some shit kid. Don’t ask. And don’t play around with anymore of these little fuckers. Give ‘im a day or two ‘n he’ll be the size of a gray wolf. Another month or so and he’s seven feet tall.”

“But what is he?” Max demands stubbornly.

Billy answers simply, “Something you don’t want anything to do with.”

By now, the rest of Max’s friends have followed the sound of her yelling to their little showdown, and it’s Dustin, the owner of this thing, that chimes in, “But wait, does that mean you know?”

“Know what?” Max huffs, but she gets ignored, Billy firing back at Dustin, “Do you?”

All four of the kids nod at once. Billy sighs deeply, “Jesus, how the fuck did a bunch of little kids get caught up in this bullshit?”

“How did you?” These kids aren’t very original coming back at him with his own questions like this.

Again Max interjects, being left out of the questioning just making her more confused. “Excuse me, but what exactly are we talking about?”

But again nobody acknowledges her, Billy busy answering the boys’ questions.

“Had a friend came from that lab. You know about that part too?” He clarifies, getting three attentive nods, and this time one disapproving scowl, as he explains, “Well the monsters followed ‘im. Through their portals and his head and shit, they were out in California too. That’s how I know I was right to kill that thing.”

There’s a moment of stunned silence before Mike insists, “I don’t believe you.”

“I don’t know, man. How else would he know about everything?” Lucas shrugs, exciting Dustin and promoting him to ask, “Do you think he knows about Eleven too?”

“I’m still here too you guys. What is going on?” Max interrupts, serving only as a reminder, Lucas turning the conversation back to Billy as he asks, “Why haven’t you told Max?”

Billy smugly tries their little deflecting shtick on them, “Could ask you the same. Why are you showing her the monsters if you ain’t gonna tell her jack about ‘em either? I was keeping her safe. You assholes were keeping her stupid.”

Max interjects, “Hey!”

“No, that’s not fair. We had to sign an NDA.” Dustin corrects, very matter of fact for a kid who doesn’t know what he’s talking about.

“Yeah, me too kid. It wasn’t any secret that number six escaped. I’ve had those assholes watchin’ over my shoulder for years and I didn’t even do anythin’.” Billy feels like he’s having a trauma competition with a bunch of middle schoolers, and he hates it. His tone is harsh as he demands, “Which brings us into, what the hell did you do to get caught up in all this?”

“None of your business.” Mike spits, but for the first time in the conversation, Will chimes in, “I got taken. By the demogorgon.”

“Okay. What’s that got to do with this, kid?”

“The demogorgon is what we called the big one. Before El killed it.” Lucas explains.

“Look, I don’t know who El is, but believe me when I tell you, you brats don’t know nothing. There ain’t just one of those, you know. Every last one of those annoying little fuckers like the one I just squished’ll turned into a ‘big one’.” They all look collectively defeated by that, maybe because he knows more than they do, or maybe just because they didn’t want to admit it was that bad.

But none look more ghastly than Will, who barely manages to inform them, “That’s bad. Last night, I heard them while we were trick-or-treating. They were everywhere.”

“Then we’re gonna have to do something.” Dustin declares determinedly, but Billy shuts it down right away, “No. Seriously, what the hell? All you sorry little punks are going right the fuck back home and pretending none of this never happened. If you don’t provoke ‘em, they’ll stop.”

“But they weren’t provoked when they took Will.” One of then argues, but Billys ignoring them now, turning back to a no less calm Max, “I don’t care. I ain’t doing this shit all over again. Come on, Maxine. Gotta leave your little friends to their baby ‘demogorgon’ and their world saving bullshit.”

Max scrunches her face up and argues, “Um, did you forget that I still have no idea what the hell is going on?!”

“Honestly, yeah.” Billy admits, “But s’better if you don’t ask questions. Now if you please, we gotta go.”

“No. You’re being a jerk.” Max crosses her arms and glares at him, a clear sign shes refusing to leave with him.

Billy just shrugs, “M’always a jerk. Thought you’d know that by now.”

“I do. And that’s exactly why I’m not listening to you. If my friends are going to do something, I want in on it.”

“Look what you little fuckers did.” Billy grumbles at the boys before trying to reason with his sister again, “Max. We only got fifteen minutes out of an almost half hour drive to get home. Come on.”

“This is so much bigger than that! I don’t care what your stupid dad says, I want to do something!” Her attitude gets on Billy’s nerves. That’s definitely deliberate if the spite gleaming in her cold eyes is any indication.

“You don’t even know what it is!”

“Then I deserve to find out!”

Billy sighs deeply, done doing this with a bunch of little kids in over their heads, “You know what, fine, but we’re stoppin’ at a payphone and you’re gonna be the one to tell my old man I’m takin’ you out for.. I don’t know, fucking ice cream or some shit. And if we get in trouble, I’m blaming you. Deal?”

Max smiles to herself at having gotten one over on him, “Deal. Where are we going though?”

“I dunno. Ask your nerds. S’their big fucking idea.” Billy grumbles, matching Max’s bitterness.

“We’ll have to call a meeting.”

“Will my basement work?”

“No offense, but I don’t think he’s getting past your mom.” Dustin nods towards Billy, the older boy rolling his eyes even though he’s not wrong, then offers, “My mom doesn’t like visitors. Maybe Will’s?”

“Yeah, Mrs. Byers will let anybody come over.”

“And she already knows what’s going on.”

They all nod again, and Billy rolls his eyes at them again while Lucas relays their decision to Max, “Alright, meet us at Will’s in an hour.”

“Why that long though? We’re all here right now.”

“Gives us time to cover our tracks, shitbird.” Billy hums in response to Max, stepping forward and asking, “What’s the damn address?”

This ‘meeting’ the twerps called was pretty much everyone in this hick town that knows the same dirty little secret as he does getting together in a tiny house and panicking. Billy and Max get fully interrogated like, a dozen times, once by the damned chief of police himself, all the while everyone is coming up with theories and plots and arguing. So much fucking arguing among this lot.

It gets to be too much pretty quickly, day five in this place and he’s already having to jump back into some of the worst things that ever happened to him. None of these people realize how big this is. Especially not the kids who just think it’s badass to fight monsters.

He leaves without telling anyone, or without anyone noticing among the chaos, to the back porch to light one up. There’re ashtrays all over the house he could use, but looming smoke in that cramped little kitchen wasn’t going to be any better than watching it curl upwards to the stars. So outside it was.

He leans against the wall, gaze fixing straight to what’s above him. He doesn’t notice the presence of another person until he hears them speak, startling slightly at the sound of a voice breaking the calm silence of a humid November night.

It’s Steve, sitting on a rusty and banged up glider at the opposite end on the porch, lit up just like he is. “So, uh. I guess you’re a part of this now?”

“I guess I am.”

Steve just nods and responds simply, effectively ending the conversation, “Right.”

But that’s not satisfying to Billy. He might appreciate peace more than what’s going on in that house, but he doesn’t like empty silence either. “What’re we all awkward like this for, Harrington? Spit out what you’re thinkin’.”

“I dunno, man.”

Billy frowns, prompting, “Come on. I know them gears are turnin’ over there. You've been quiet since we all got here.”

Steve looks away from him, but he does answer, “I dunno it’s just.. We’ve lost so much. People died because of this. People I knew. And I don’t like that anyone else is involved I guess.”

Billy scoffs, “Even me? You don’t even know me other than the asshole you met at the party last night.”

“So? What do you mean even you? I don’t want anyone anywhere near those fucking monsters. Could be my worst enemy and I’d still save them. I’d protect anyone from those things.” The haunted look behind his eyes, which seem so tired the longer Billy looks, tells Billy everything he needs to know.

He doesn’t mean to sound so soft when he asks, “What makes you so confident you can? Save ‘em I mean.”

“I fought a demogorgon myself. Well, not really by myself. Nancy and Jonathan were there. But I took a nail bat to its fucking face. Like hell I’d just let one of those things get anyone. Even you.” Steve

Billy flicks away his burnt out cigarette, sitting next to Steve on the old glider. “That’s real touching H, but I ain’t letting nobody sacrifice themselves for me. Need I remind you I’ve fought these assholes too.”

“But you told the kids you didn’t. Said it was all your friend.” Steve looks at him, sort of doubtful, but Billy blows off the remark, “No shit Sherlock. I ain’t airing all my business to any nosy brats like them.”

“I get that, but.. “ Hesitantly, he clarifies, “Is.. your friend, you know, even real?”

Billy must look at him like he grew a second head, “Shit, man, you think I’m one of those freaky experiments? No way. ‘Course he was real.”

“Oh. You said ‘was.’ Does that mean...” Steve’s voice trails off, sparing him hearing the words out loud.

“Don’t know. He got caught about two years back. Haven’t heard from him since. They might’a brought ‘im back here, they might’a killed him. I dunno.” Billy shrugs, picking at his nails while he talks so he doesn’t have to acknowledge Steve, or the fact that he’s even admitting this shit to him, “That’s why we’re here in Hawkins though. Susan’s got family over in Hope and a little ways up by Indie, so I suggested Hawkins. Just to come see where he came from. Get some closure I guess.”

“Guess he was really important to you then?” Steve smiles softly, but Billy only sighs through his nose, “You got no idea, Harrington.”

“Well, for what it’s worth, I’m sorry. I’m sure you’ll meet someone like him again.” He offers.

Somehow that sentiment immediately sets Billy on edge though, something about his tone implying that he knows, knows him and six were more than just friends, and Billy really doesn’t want to face that kind of monster tonight. He snaps, suddenly defensive, “What the hell’s that s’posed to mean?”

Steve’s face falls a little, evidently surprised by how upset Billy is, and he tries to fix it, “Oh I just thought that, the way you talked about him- and you look so sad when you do- that he was, you know, special to you.”

“So what? You gonna leave me to the monsters or some shit for that?” Billy growls, quickly warranting more defense from Steve, “What? No way. No I.. I get it, Billy. I do. More than you probably think I do.”

Billy half nods, his shoulders untensing as he slowly recognizes Steve’s genuinity. He mumbles eventually, working through what he needs to in his head to be comfortable talking openly with him again, “Didn’t expect to be getting relationship counseling too. That your assignment on the team, mister romance expert?”

“Shut up. You’ve never seen me swing a bat before.”

“Oh believe me, I cannot wait to.”

Steve’s smile returns, something Billy is personally glad for, though he might not be ready for that realization yet. He bumps their shoulders together, to hold Billy's attention and let him know he’s genuine, “Still, in all seriousness man, I hope you can find someone else like that for you. I know it’s not really easy pickings around here.”

This time, Billy’s tone is light, his features soft and vulnerable for the boy next to him, for the way he makes him feel less weighed down, less alone in this, “You got no idea, Harrington.”

#CherryLangeChallenge #harringrove #billy hargrove #steve harrington #billy x steve #ej writer #story by ej!#this is probably a disaster but I don’t care #season two au where literally none of the bad shit that happens happens except that the monsters are back #has my dialogue been too southern lately?#I feel like I’ve been writing Bills with an accent oopsie

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uncurlinglikeflowers · 3 years

Text

Queer Trauma, Coming Out, & the Long Road to Self-Love and Healing

As I’ve reflected on my past, I’ve discovered that my adolescence may be one of, if not THE most traumatic time of my life thus far as a queer person. The last few months with my incredible therapist have made me realize that the years of anxiety, panic, fear, self-loathing, confusion, and depression have scarred me deeper than I had previously thought. She also made me realize that this is at least partially because I have never really talked about it openly and in depth in a healthy and productive way before, which is what inspired me to start this blog to share my experiences with others that are currently struggling with their identity, or to allow those that are also currently healing from the trauma of their previously closeted life feel a little more seen.

I knew from a VERY young age that I was different, but didn’t know how or what it meant. I was a lonely kid for a lot of my childhood without many friends. I didn’t want to play football with the boys during recess. I sought companionship at lunch with a table full of girls more often than not, which in itself also made me feel incredibly self conscious at the time as well.

I asked, (with incredible shame) for the “girl’s toy” from the backseat in the McDonald’s drive-thru because I loved to play with the mini-Barbies and craft entire storylines for them. They were easier to hide in my room than regular sized Barbies. I spent most summers off school alone playing video games and reading book and book after book. I didn’t really click with the boys down the street. I was obsessed with Britney Spears and the color purple. I was lonely without really knowing what it meant.

I feel as though that fear I felt in my childhood and adolescence held me back from SO much. Middle school in particular was absolute hell. I hated it. I always felt constantly insecure and uncomfortable. I had absolutely zero confidence or self love. I hated my body and how I looked.

While other kids experienced their first relationships and first feelings of romantic love, I was convinced that it was just not a possibility for me. On top of being deeply closeted, scared, confused, lonely, and in deep denial, girls didn’t go for me anyway. I was the awkward chunky guy struggling with his identity feeling like he had to make up for it by working extra hard to get perfect grades and give himself 100% to other people. I tried not to think about it too much, but hearing about relationships, seeing people kiss in the hallways between classes, and girls talking about what they liked in boys which was the complete opposite of me... it was hell.

To make my self consciousness worse, I felt supremely uncomfortable in gym class and the boys’ locker room in particular. I was ashamed of my body and also self conscious for wanting to look at the other boys; terrified that they would catch on and beat me senseless. Hearing them consistently call each other f*g in a very VERY negative context drove me deep into the closet as the identity I already felt shame for was directly correlated with being a ridiculed outcast, and something that was inherently, disgustingly wrong and unacceptable. The worst insult teenage boys could deliver to each other in the safety of an unchaperoned locker room in a hick town often not kind to queer people or those that were different. I SO desperately wanted to fit in with the other boys instead of being any version of who I actually was.

Part of that façade of blending in with my hetero peers involved having a girlfriend for two months in 8th grade. We didn’t even kiss, let alone approach any sexual situations. I’m sure she had her suspicions. I was utterly obsessed with the concept of blending in by having a girlfriend like the other boys and just having someone special in my life, even if we really didn’t even do any couple things.

Upon reflection, I don’t think the concept of ever being sexual with her ever crossed my mind in the slightest. Even the idea of kissing her scared the hell out of me, and not just from first kiss nerves. Deep down I knew it wasn’t right for me. Don’t EVER tell a kid they’re too young to know. Fast forward to modern times, my first kiss with a girl was with a close friend YEARS after I came out. Go figure.

The idea of caring about and loving myself was non-existent at that time. It’s a very VERY new and ongoing journey for me. I didn’t really care about myself at all. I hadn’t learned how to. Mom was in and out of cancer treatments, and would later pass during my senior year of college and kick off my coming out process, but that’s a whole other post for another day. Spending pretty much my entire childhood watching mom deal with being sick, I didn’t want to cause my family any more discomfort. I was full of self loathing, fear, and confusion, but it seemed irrelevant and unimportant because I didn’t want to be a hindrance.

Instead, I tried so desperately to be the perfect kid and son by befriending my teachers, being a model student, and joining band and a bunch of organizations to stay as busy as possible to stay distracted and impress everyone else.I didn’t love myself because I didn’t think I was allowed to or deserved to in my own head. While I did finally make more meaningful friends in high school, I continued to go through the motions to make my family proud to make up for the scared closeted kid who thought he had to make up for his queerness as though it were a shameful weakness, and it seemed to be the only thing that could possibly matter at the time.

Non-surprisingly, I never really knew any openly queer boys in grade school. It probably legitimately wasn’t all that safe to come out in that environment. I’ll never forget the two boys I saw holding hands in a Wal-Mart that absolutely shook up my entirely reality, because I had never seen romantic same-sex affection in person before.

There was a lesbian couple at my school, but people said awful, degrading things about them behind their backs constantly and acted like they were the biggest freaks. Another boy in my grade in high school hadn’t come out yet officially but was very flamboyant, and thus was treated just as awful as the lesbian couple, if not worse. Other kids just regularly said despicable things about him without even knowing him at all. I even heard parents make blatantly homophobic jokes about him.

His life had to have been hell, and as a fully out queer adult, I still regret not being able to stand up for him more. That definitely forced me deeper into the closet. He wasn’t even out but got talked about like he was some disgusting abomination. How could I ever assume that I could ever come out, let alone kiss, date, and love another boy? I HATED the idea of any attention being placed on me, so I just wanted to survive school at that point.

I had multiple people throughout high school ask me if I were gay just as though it were the most casual question rather than a triggering inquiry that sent me into a mental frenzy every damn time it was presented. Having one of the jock boys ask me such a deeply personal question in passing on the way to my seat in Algebra class was traumatizing. I of course always said no, as at the time I was still convinced it was a passing phase and that I couldn’t actually be gay.

At home, in the days of Myspace, I got anonymous messages telling me they were pretty sure I was gay. The anonymity was arguably worse in some ways.

At a young age, I became hyper aware of how I carried myself, talked, and acted. I loathed hearing my voice or seeing myself in pictures, for fear of sounding too feminine or standing or emoting too gay. I obsessed over the concept that boys and girls carried their books a certain way, or the boys would be labelled as queer. I was paranoid about where I shopped for clothes, the colors I wore, and the length and fit of my shorts.

In middle school, I got a lilac colored trapper keeper for school that I ultimately had my parents take back to the store for a different one because I felt so self conscious about it all day. At home I played with my little Barbies, but didn’t dare tell the kids at school for fear of rejection and isolation. Overall, I felt grossly incompetent, irrelevant, and unimportant in my own mind. Unworthy of love and of course, deeply ashamed for my attraction to the other boys.

I never had anyone whatsoever to help guide me through the coming out process, because I didn’t know a single queer person who could. I’ve now dedicated a good amount of my energy trying to be that person I desperately could have used then for anyone else that needs that role to be filled, and for someone to tell them that someone is incredibly proud of them. An obscene amount of queer people don’t ever hear “I’m so proud of you!” when they really need it the most.

I also didn’t have any good queer representation on TV or in movies, so I really did feel completely alone at times. Most queer characters in media existedly solely to be made fun of and mocked, ratcher than celebrated, properly represented, or God forbid, given a legitimate love story, and the public’s reaction was so frequently one of such repugnance and disapproval.

This was also probably about the time that a close family member told me that he had punched a gay guy for hitting on him when he was younger, a story he again felt the need to share with a now ex-boyfriend and I when we were dating, as though that’s not a horrifying thing for an already scared and closeted queer to hear from their own family.

I think during middle school in particular is when my anxiety and depression issues started, but I assumed either that I was being a baby and that my feelings were invalid, or that it was just teenage angst. The idea that boys and men should mask their emotions and feelings and feel shame rather than expressing them was, (and seemingly appears to continue to be) a very real thing in small towns and society in general.

It didn’t occur to me at the time that I was experiencing varying levels of almost daily trauma that would fuck me up well into adulthood. If you take anything at all from this post, let it be that the conversation around mental health, (and men in particular in this instance) NEEDS to change.

Another particularly noteworthy event in my queer adolescence was when two of my friends, (both girls, shocker) discovered gay porn on my computer. While they pestered me about if it were mine while they laughed, I of course lied. I felt a deep shame and utter humiliation. On reflection, fucking IMAGINE if they had been able to be gentle and understanding with me and told me they loved me and still would even if I were gay. From then on I was terrified that they would bring that day up to our other friends as a joke. Perhaps they did a time or two, I don’t recall. These same friends made jokes about the queer kid I mentioned earlier, and both parents of one of the girls regularly gossiped and made homophobic jokes about him when I was at their house

By the time school dances rolled around, I knew I would never be able to go with anyone but friends. Even if I weren’t still deeply closeted, I’m pretty sure my school still had pretty strict rules against bringing same-sex dates to Prom. While I definitely had fun with my friends at the dances we went to, I so desperately longed for a world where I could dance with a boy who loved me like everyone else was able to.

The loneliness and isolation I felt at the end of those nights could be unbearable because it didn’t seem possible for me, even as I looked into the future. I was fully convinced I would live a very lonely life without anyone to love me the way I craved. I didn’t belong in that world, and wouldn’t ever be set up for that kind of happiness, joy, and feeling of content. I would live for everyone else but myself because that’s just the way the world worked for us queers.

I wish I had had just one single person then who gave me full permission to be my authentic queer self on any level. Someone who could hug me and tell me life after high school and college could and would be vastly different. Someone to tell me I wasn’t an unlovable disgusting freak, but rather a kind-hearted boy who deserved a deep love someday because I was a valid and gentle soul who deserved the world. I certainly deserved more than the shame and pain that constantly haunted me.

Maybe then I wouldn’t have thought about death before 30 so much and obsessed over it well into my college career. I might have realized that I needed to learn to be gentle with myself and take care of and prioritize me and my own happiness. So many people let me down and convinced me that I was a filthy sinner and an over-emotional kid with invalid perspectives and feelings. As most of my closest friends, (that I cannot stress enough have been the ones to save my life and encourage the authenticity that I present so proudly today) came into my life after I had already come out fully, they weren’t around during those dark early struggles.

Sometimes as an adult I still wonder what it would have felt like and how profoundly different my life could be if someone had held me close and sincerely told me they’re proud of me for what I survived and overcame, and told me that they can’t wait to see my eyes light up with the love I’ve always dreamed of in a boy, and that I still continue to seek.

Young, baby gay Travis would be in absolute awe if he knew what life had in store for him back then. To see a future version of himself painting his nails, wearing whatever he wanted, dancing with strangers at pride festivals, having the time of his life at drag shows with his queer family and falling in love with boys? Proudly holding a boyfriend’s hand walking downtown in a busy city? Openly telling his dad about the cute boy he’s going on a date with? Going Facebook official with a boy? Being a super vocal advocate and inspiration and mentor to not only queer family, but to people he hardly talks to but manages to influence and inspire just by unashamedly being himself? Genuinely looking forward to kissing his new husband in front of family and friends on his wedding day, knowing it’ll be one of the happiest days of his entire life?

Holy. Actual. Fuck.

Travis of six or seven years ago wouldn’t have even dared to dream this big, let alone baby gay Travis. He probably would have been utterly mortified but SO comforted to see that future life when he didn’t believe it to be any level of possible.

I’m so fucking proud of myself for this journey, and no one will ever take that away from me or water down my trauma or the grueling work I’ve put in. Genuinely, this is the one thing in my life that makes me absolutely burst with pride.

I think I want to learn how to keep baby Travis in mind with this pride without having to revisit the trauma in the process. Look back at him with open arms, excited to see him learn and blossom into his actual self someday. Even if he could have desperately used someone like the me I am today, he survived then, and continues to persevere today.

He’s queer as fuck, and proud to shout it from the rooftops. He’s a voice and an advocate for the voiceless. A shining light and beacon of hope for those still navigating their terrifying escape from their closeted life. He’s going to meet a man someday and love him so deeply in the way baby Travis always dreamed of. Above all, he’s going to continue to make that little guy so incredibly proud because he knows now the importance of loving himself in the process.

I’m so proud of that scared little boy. I just wish he could have known then how proud he would make himself one day.

As you talk with the queer people in your life, please keep in mind that just about all of us have incredible trauma directly tied to our identities. Talk to them with love, compassion, and understanding. Tell them how proud of them you are for pursuing their own happiness in the face of oppression and rejection.

Demand better from elected officials. Advocate for us. Shut down homophobic ideals, even if you think it’ll make your family and friends uncomfortable to hear. Support queer content, artists and creators. Be a proud ally, but don’t ever allow yourself to take the spotlight away from actual queer people or our queer spaces. Mourn, love, and celebrate with us.

Understand why pride is SO fucking important to us, and why you never have to worry about needing your own pride events. Listen to us and love us for exactly who we are, and were always meant to be. Love is the most incredible, beautiful, and often rare human experience we’re able to experience during our short time on this planet, and it should always be celebrated.

Happy Pride!

#pride #gay #lgbt #journaling #love #queer #coming out #coming out stories #queer trauma #adolescent trauma #self love #healing #trauma

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sweatersexual · 3 years

Text

just some black ink on some blue lines (and a shadow you won’t recognize)

Read on AO3

Stan wished he knew what was going through Ford’s mind when he’d packed this box and shoved it in a closet. When they were kids, they’d insisted to their mother on cleaning days that the piles of the stuff in their room were organized, they had a system. Ford probably still had one, but Stan was no longer privy to it. He’d probably be annoyed with Stan for messing it up if - when - he got back.

But if Stan was going to turn this room into a gift shop, this closet would have to be cleared out. So he dug through the motley collection of vinyl records, books, part of a research paper, a jar of molasses, and a Cubic’s Cube, placing most of them in the pile of Ford’s things to be packed away and eventually returned to him. The book on Fifth-Dimensional Calculus, though, that might be helpful with the portal.

Two loose sheets of paper fell out as he flipped through the book. A letter, but not addressed to anyone. Still, Stan had spent enough time bent over that journal to know Ford’s handwriting back to front.

I’ve fallen in love with him, the letter read. I never imagined I could fall in love, let alone with a hog farmer from Tennessee, but he’s brilliant and charming and something electric runs through me every time we touch.

The confirmation that Ford was gay after all these years was hardly a surprise to Stan. He’d suspected Ford’s sexuality for about as long as he’d questioned his own. But Stan could never imagine writing anything so sappy about a guy he himself was into. Stan snorted as he continued reading.

I know you would tease me if I told you this in person. That’s only one of the many, many reasons I can never send this letter. But I feel like I have to tell someone about this or I’ll burst. Anyone else would think I was some kind of pervert. But somehow, I think you would understand.

I know we never talked about this, back when we still talked. We both knew how our father felt about men loving other men . . .

This letter was written to Stan. Ford had wanted to tell someone he was in love, and he had thought of Stan, even though they weren’t talking to each other. Ford must have picked up on Stan being bisexual in some way and known that it would have been safe to come out to him, if circumstances were different.

Well, he’d have been safe from homophobia. Safe from the usual brotherly mockery was a different story.

We both knew how our father felt about men loving other men, and his disapproval hung like a specter over everything we did. I know some psychologists would blame his overbearing nature for my current inclinations . . .

Overbearing nature, yeah, that was putting it lightly. “He’s an asshole,” Stan muttered to himself.

. . . but I can’t help but feel that if an overbearing father makes one queer, there would be a lot more queer people in the world. And psychology is a very inexact science anyway.

Stan had already figured, but it was nice to have someone as smart as Ford say that at least one of the theories people put out about why people weren’t straight was bogus. It didn’t matter why he or Ford loved men, because they weren’t about to change, and they weren’t hurting anybody. The sooner more people realized that, the better.

I’ve given up on analyzing why I feel the way I do about F. The fact that we have so much in common probably has something to do with it, but we didn’t always get along so well. When we first met a few years ago, I found his unique blend of hick and hippie mannerisms very off-putting. He thought me stuffy and intractable. Still, we managed to stand living together long enough to become close friends, and now, something more romantic in nature as well.

A few weeks ago, he insisted we take a break from studying. We drove out to the middle of nowhere and stargazed, something we’ve done several times before. Talking about space excites our imaginations. It has sparked many a conversation about the future, not just our own hopefully bright ones, but that of the world and humanity at large. This time, however, we got on the subject of how grateful we were to have each other in our lives. I’m a loner by nature, as you know, so connecting with anyone as well as I do with F is rare and precious. No sooner were the words out of my mouth than his lips were on mine, and I was reciprocating wholeheartedly.

When the kiss broke, he looked at me questioningly, worried, I think, that either of us would come to our senses and acknowledge the enormity of what we had just done. Instead I simply kissed him back. We’ve shared so many since then, and the close quarters of our dorm have proven too enticing to get schoolwork done without distractions. I’ve had to relocate to the library several times in order to get any real studying done.

That nerd. Of course his main concern about getting a boyfriend was how it would cut into his study time.

Despite how busy we are, we’ve still found time for things like walks around campus or daringly holding hands in the back of a dark movie theater. But mostly we’ve spent an increasing amount of time in each other’s arms back in our dorm. We made love last night. I’ll spare you the details, but I’ll have you know he’s just as considerate and patient in bed as he is anywhere else. Perhaps even more so.

Oh come on. “Considerate and patient?” That’s how you’d describe your waiter, not your lover. Had the sex not been that good? Not that Stan wanted to know the details, Ford had been right about that, but sheesh, Stan expected something more spicy than “considerate and patient.”

I can’t believe I just put that down on paper. Thank goodness you’ll never read this, you’d say I’m such a sap. I can’t help it, I’m in love and the only one I can talk to about it is the object of my affections. And as much as I do love talking to him about us, it would be nice, just for once, for someone else to know how happy I am, and why.

Yeah, Stan had been there before, when he’d dated guys who weren’t out. It sucked, not being able to introduce him to your friends, having to worry about who was watching when you so much as held his hand. So much of what was normal for couples just couldn’t be for you.

But sadly, disappointment is just as much a part of life as love is. You taught me that.

Stan winced. Ford had basically just called him a disappointment. Stan had known their father had felt that way about him, and Ford probably did too, but damn. Seeing it in writing like that still hurt.

Even F may leave me someday. As lovestruck as I am, I can still see the obstacles ahead of us clearly. I try not to let it taint my time with him now, much in the same way I still look back on our childhood fondly, even though it ended so badly.

I still keep that photo of us on the Stan-o-War, you know. F has seen it. He thinks we should talk to each other. I have no idea how I would even start. And sending this letter is still very much out of the question. Ma thinks you moved from the last address you gave her anyway. I would tell you to call her, but that would involve talking to you.

See you never,

Ford

Stan turned the letter over and sighed. Disappointment or not, at least Ford didn’t completely hate him. You didn’t write a letter like that to someone you hated. You didn’t keep a picture to show your boyfriend. You didn’t fondly reminisce on old memories. It sounded like Ford had considered reconciliation as a possibility, but not one he knew how to pursue. Stan could understand that. He had felt the same way.

Stan wondered if he had enough information to look up this F guy. Surely it wouldn’t be hard to track down a Backupsmore alumnus who’d been a hog farmer from Tennessee and had the first initial F. Maybe he was the owner of the smaller sized clothes Stan had found lying around the house, or of the vinyl records that didn’t seem to fit Ford’s music taste. Or maybe Ford had moved on from his college sweetheart and they belonged to someone else.

No, looking up F was a bad idea. Either he’d figure out Stan was impersonating his brother and ruin everything Stan was working for, or he’d believe Stan was Ford and Stan would have to pretend they had romantic history. Neither option was worth the hassle.

Stan ended up keeping the letter down in the basement with his brother’s journal. Whenever Stan reread it, he felt every minute of the decade plus he and Ford had spent growing apart. In another life, could they have shared those moments together? Could they have come out to each other in person? There was a whole relationship as adults they could have had, and maybe it was still a possibility.

Stan just needed to get that portal up and running.

#gravity falls #stan pines #ford pines #fiddauthor #fiddleford mcgucket #fanfic #otp: not just research partners #1600 words

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marshunter06 · 3 years

Text

@elskamo because I adore you I will write a thing for it, but tbh this really should be a multichaptered fic. I’m just the worst at writing those, so here’s a shortened version. Also you should totally write that alternate world tour idea, it sounds super dope!

“If you think he’s cute, why don’t you just go talk to him?”

“Who are you even talking about?”

“Don’t play dumb with me, I know you Duncan. Just because things didn’t work out with us doesn’t mean you’re not still my best friend. I can read you like a book.”

“You should stick with reading actual books Princess, don’t you have other people to bother. Like Trent?”

“Stop trying to change the subject, he’s literally looked over at you at least twice now. Go say hi.”

“Not interested, besides you know I only have eyes for you Court.”

“Not interested.”

“You break my heart Princess.”

“And you’re unbelievable. Oh look, there’s Heather and oh!”

“What?”

“Looks like she knows your guy.”

“No, Courtney! Don’t you dare!”

Too late, his ex girlfriend proves to still be a pain in his ass as she waves down Heather and motions for her and her handsome friend to join them in their booth. Courtney makes sure Heather sits next to her as they’re all introduced to Alejandro, a childhood friend from her daycare days who she managed to keep in contact with.

“Duncan, Court, this is Al.”

“Heather.”

“Kidding, his name is Alejandro. He just moved here, so he’ll need all the social interaction he can get.”

“I was doing fine on my own.”

“Sure, that’s why I found you napping on the couch with a documentary on whales playing in the background. You need to get out more.”

“I told you already I had it on for the ocean sounds.”

“Dude’s got a point, waves are pretty soothing… um… you know at least that’s what the homies… I mean Geoff tells me.”

Courtney shoots Duncan a pointed look as to say I told you so when he just had a brainfart and blanked out on the words, it had nothing to do with how distracting his new… friend is. None at all.

😏😏😏

Heather: You know if you wanna talk to him, you should’ve just done it. I’ve never seen you this nervous before, I really gotta meet this guy.

Alejandro: Haha, really funny Heather. The only reason why I’m even looking at him is because you’re running thirty minutes late.

Heather: Right… it’s why you’ve only been sending me messages about him when there must be at least twenty other people at the diner.

Alejandro: The guy has a green mohawk! It’s very in your face!

Heather: Oh yeah, not that you were paying extra attention to him or anything… I mean you must just have keen observation skills to see that his eyes are a unique shade of light blue you’ve never seen before and that he has a dimple only on his right cheek when he smiles… but you would notice that about anyone.

He was still struggling with a reply when he catches the guy he totally hasn’t been checking out, no matter what Heather thinks, looks over at him for the third time since he’s been in the corner spot. The sound of the door chiming along with a pair of heels on the tiles lets him know his lunch buddy has finally arrived. She doesn’t even apologize for being late, just glances at her phone and smiles at her while firing away a text message before putting the phone back in her purse.

“You’re not even going to say hello?”

“No time, we have some people to meet.”

Before he even has the chance to question her further, she’s already pulling him out of the booth towards, the guy with the green hair and his friend… that Heather clearly knew and didn’t tell him about. Great, he’s been set up. She shoots him a wink as she sits down next to the brunette he knows as Courtney, leaving him no choice but to slide in next to Duncan.

😏😏😏

“Wait, oh my gosh Duncan! This is big! Your first date together! Where are you guys going?”

“Slow your roll Princess, it’s not a date. We’re just going to watch that new scary movie since someone bailed on me.”

“Going to a movie is a date, I knew you liked him!”

“Yeah, no. Dude seems chill and he was free, that’s the only reason. We’re just two guys hanging out.”

“Sure, just like how Trent and I are just two friends who text each other everyday.”

“We don’t text everyday…”

“Ha! I knew you had his number!”

“... of course I do… we’re friends… don’t wait up.”

😏😏😏

“Wow, look at you getting all dressed up, hot date? Actually don’t answer that, where’s Duncan taking you?”

“I’m just wearing a button down and how’d you know I was hanging out with Duncan?”

“From the way you were smiling at your phone even though you two have been texting non stop all day, and is that what you’re calling it? Hanging out.”

“We’re just going to see a movie.”

“Netflix and chill.”

“No Heather, at a movie theater.”

“Oh, a bit voyeuristic for the first date, but I’m not judging.”

“We’re just friends. Nothing’s happening. I don’t like him like that.”

“Right, just remember to use protection.”

😏😏😏

Somehow they end up having a picnic in the park a couple weeks after their movie not date. Clearly neither of them are interested in being anything more than friends, though their roommates keep trying to push them together. Even though again, they were just friends. Just two bros eating homemade food they made for each other on a nice sunny afternoon in a secluded part of the park next to the lake. Totally normal and definitely not a second date. It’s easy to confuse it as one, especially when they start talking and get to know each other more, what their families are like, favorite foods, hobbies. Just questions to get to know each other better, as friends of course.

😏😏😏

“So when are you going to make things official with Alejandro?”

“Nice to see you too Heather. Courtney’s over at Trent’s.”

“Dodge the question again. I dare you.”

“Al and I are just friends.”

“Woah. This is serious.”

“What?”

“Alejandro doesn’t just let anyone call him Al. He hates being called that…”

“Yeah I know cause José’s a douche… stop looking at me like that.”

“And you’re still trying to convince me there’s nothing there?”

“He doesn’t like me like that and I don’t see him that way. We’re just friends.”

“You two are impossible I swear.”

😏😏😏

“Courtney? Heather’s not…”

“I’m not here for her, what are your intentions towards Duncan?”

“I don’t know what…”

“Don't finish that sentence. You guys have been dating for the past two months. Is this just a fling? I need to know how invested I need to be in this. Duncan’s been through a lot already…”

“I know, his parents, really his dad is an asshole.”

“He told you that…”

“Yeah, of course he did. I know about his time in juvie too, he had a crush on…”

“Dylan. Alright, I guess we’re done here.”

“You’re just gonna leave now?”

“Yep. Oh and by the way, his birthday is coming up…”

“This saturday.”

“Exactly… and I’ll be busy working overtime that day which means I’ll probably end up crashing at Trent’s since it’s so much closer to the office…”

“Didn’t you request his birthday off months in advance.”

“He doesn’t know that.”

😏😏😏

A whole year passes and somehow Duncan and Alejandro are still in denial. They act like a couple, invading each other’s space, giving each other gifts for birthdays and anniversaries, and holding hands in public. Courtney and Heather have both caught them on five separate occasions of them in promising positions with red lips and hickes they tried to hide. It’s exhausting getting them to admit they like each other and are together in a relationship. At this rate, the girls have given up, as long as they’re happy.

😏😏😏

“You’re going to smudge your mascara, I thought you used the waterproof one.”

“Guess I grabbed the wrong one. I’m surprised you’re not crying? How did I become the emotional one.”

“Probably because I’m still annoyed at them for denying they’re relationship when they’re literally getting married right now! Who does that?”

“Let it go Court, they just don’t want to admit we’re right.”

“Okay, but doing this for tax breaks is a lousy excuse. Just like when they were claiming they wanted to save more money by moving in together when our leases were nearing its end.”

“Boys, what are you going to do. Speaking of…”

“This is their day Heather. Look at those two. I swear they’ve only had eyes for each other since the day at the diner.”

“About that…”

“... no… you’re kidding!”

“Fate works in mysterious ways. Who would’ve known they met when they were kids and never forgot about each other.”

“Well that explains why they were so drawn to each other in the first place.”

Duncan and Alejandro both gave a special smile to their former roommates finally acknowledging that they were right to think there was something more to their friendship. Funny how they kept trying to convince themselves there was nothing there when it couldn’t be farther from the truth. They were always meant to meet and continue falling together.

#aleduncan #lots of dialogue #inspo credit to elskamo #couldn’t resist slipping in Trentney... I tried not to get it out of hand and almost failed #also that emoji is the face I imagine both Courtney and Heather to be like the whole time

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rrickgrrimes8 · 3 years

Text

Normality is Death

Chapter Four ~ Atlanta and the Vatos

masterlist

It has been a few days since Addie last spoke to me but it's for the best really. We're not supposed to be together and it took me a while to figure that out but now I know and I won't ever forget it. I know she's been avoiding me since we almost kissed and I guess I've made my peace with that but today that ends. Today, we have to go into Atlanta for a supply run. It was a normal thing for me and Addie to go on a run together but today I felt different. I don't know whether or not it's because of my nerves or maybe something completely different all I know is that I'm scared more then I would be usually. I guess I could put it down to the reckless asshole that put the biters on high alert. What happened was that Mitchell said he saw some dude enter Atlanta on horseback and be surprised by the biters and got cornered in a tank or something. He's probably dead now though, everyone thinks it as no one makes it out of Atlanta after making that much noise and I'd be very surprised if he was alive.

The supply run should be easy today as we gave it a couple of days before going out and just so they wouldn't be on such high alert. I haven't spoken to Addie about coming with me but she hasn't spoken to me either so I guess she's still planning on joining me.

I stepped out of my shared house, ignoring the blazing Atlanta heat and walked over to Mitchell, "Still going on a run today, right?" I asked him to which he nodded. "Yeah. Addie's waiting for you at the gate." I smiled at him and span around mentally preparing myself to face Addie.

"Oh and Jacey?" Mitchell called after me.

"Yeah."

"Stay safe. I know somethings going on between the two of you I don't want that to cloud your judgement. Be smart about it, alright?" I nodded at his words internally sighing and walked away.

I approached the gates seeing Addie stood there nervously and holding a rifle and my machete and handgun. "You ready?" I asked her snapping her out of her daze she nodded curtly before motioning the people on watch to open the gate.

"Well this is going to be fun," I muttered to myself before taking my weapons and leaving camp.

Upon arriving in Atlanta you could tell that the biters had maybe doubled in numbers since our last run. I sensed Addie's fear to which I just looked at her and smiled, "We'll be okay, we always are." She smiled back and relaxed slightly before taking the lead and heading into the city centre careful not to cross closely to any biters. I pulled my hood up as we passed through the numerous remains of what once were people and kept close to Addie before turning into the first alleyway.

"So what's the plan today?" She asked looking over her shoulder for biters and then back to me.

"Just the usual. Hit the mini markets and then see what we get," I shrugged at her before continuing, "Oh and Mitchell mentioned the other day to get some more clothes if we could." She smiled softly and nodded.

"You ready, Grimes?"

"Always, Smith."

We said to each other before running out of the alley and across the street ignoring the reactions we were getting from the many biters we crossed.

Addie and I got to the other side easily and snuck into the first shop. We shuffled quickly through each shelf grabbing what we needed and leaving everything we didn't. It was all going so well until we heard voices. Neither me nor Addie spoke we just watched through the window closely. The voices couldn't be more then a store away from us and we probably wouldn't have been able to hear them if they weren't being so damn loud.

"You got a lot of balls for a Chinaman." One of the men remarked in a deep southern accent. I rolled my eyes at his words and looked over to Addie, who looked terrified.

"I'm Korean." The other man, who sounded more youthful than the other man, corrected him. I looked back over to Addie and mouthed 'I'll be right back. Don't move.' She attempted to call after me as I left the shop but I ignored her and discreetly followed the voices, finding them in an alley.

Still hidden around the corner I heard one of them say, "Whatever." I walked away from the pair hoping that they hadn't seen me yet.

I was about to leave for good until I heard a small familiar scream pierce the air, "Jacey!" I span around to see a biter almost taking a piece out of her neck. I got my gun out quickly not thinking about the sound it'll draw and shot. It hit the corpse perfectly and Addie ran back over to me.

"Hey! You two!" a hushed voice called to us from the right. I looked over to see one of the men from the alleyway before. He was a younger man wearing a t-shirt and a cap and holding a bag of guns with the bold lettering of 'SHERIFF' on the side.

"What the hell are you thinking, setting that off?" I rolled my eyes at him and got ready to retort but he interrupted, "Forget it you've gotta follow me it's not safe out in the street."

"Yeah well it's probably not safe with you neither," Addie snapped.

"Just follow me, okay? The way you came from is blocked off now this is the only option." I looked behind me and sure as hell, he was telling the truth, about a dozen or so biters clambered across the street towards us. I heard Addie gasp in shock causing me to grab her wrist and pull her in the direction the man told us to.

Once we get into the alley I see the mans friend on the floor being beaten by what looks to be a metal pole. The two men who were beating him pushes me to the ground and one of them hits me across the face. I hear Addie scream and I look up to see those pricks grabbing both her and that guy, attempting to throw them in the back of the truck. I spat out some blood and looked to my side grabbing a crossbow and shooting at the guy, who had Addie, in the ass. I pushed myself up and ran after them but missed them by a mere second as they drove away.

"No Addie!" I shout after the car and got ready to run after them but was pulled back by two arms.

"Stop struggling yer damn bitch," He growls to me before throwing me next to a younger boy.

The redneck picks up his crossbow and aims it at the pair of us, "Tell me where they jus' took ma friend." The boy next to me looks scared but I just roll my eyes and grab my gun aiming it right back at him.

"I don't fucking know," I hear voices call for the man to stop but I ignore them and push him out the way and ran back into the now biter filled street.

"Hey get back here woman!" I hear him shout before one of his friends closes the gate between us.

"No can do asshole. See ya in hell!" I walked away from the group setting myself down in the closest store. I had to fight back the tears thinking about what they could be doing to my girl right now. She could be dead already for all I know and it would be my fault. My thoughts drifted back to the man that was taken with Addie. He was nice - unlike his friend - maybe he's protecting her like he was trying to do before. I bow my head thinking about all the places I know of in Atlanta hoping to have any clue of finding them.

I've got to save them.

Rick paced around the room slowly, looking back and forth between the boy, whose name he learnt to be Miguel, and Daryl. Daryl was angry it had been clear since the start of this endeavour and Rick could almost fear that. He understood that a man could do a lot of damage on anger alone.

"Those men you were with, we need to know where they went," The officer spoke down to the boy.

"I ain't telling you nothing," He spoke sternly and with as much confidence he could muster causing Shane to sigh and sit back on to one of the tables.

T-dog looked over to Daryl and asked, "Jesus, man. What the hell happened back there?"

Daryl looked up at him and sneered, "I told you, this turd and his douchebag friends came out of nowhere and jumped me."

"You're the one who jumped me, puto, screaming about trying to find his brother like it's my damn fault." Miguel sassed rolling his eyes at Daryl's madness.

"They took Glenn n' that other girl too. Coulda took Merle as well," He justified a hint of sadness in his voice once he spoke about his brother.

"Merle? What kind of hick name is that? I wouldn't name my dog Merle," Miguel laughed at him causing Daryl to try and kick him which Rick intervened.

"Damn it, Daryl. Back off." Daryl moves away sitting in the background still giving the boy a dirty look.

The redneck looked over to Miguel once again and moved over to his back, unwrapping his brother's hand, "Want to see what happened to the last guy that pissed me off?" Daryl dropped the cold hand onto the boy's lap making him freak out. Shane picked up the hand and put it back in the bag ignoring the laughs he got from Daryl, "Next imma gonna start with the feet."

After the boy calmed down T-dog looked over to Daryl and inquired, "Hold on you said they took some girl, who was she?"

"Yeah, and who was that girl you were shouting after?" Shane joined and looked at the redneck.

"Don't know who they are. They were just with Glenn," He shrugged.

"Then why the hell did you point your crossbow at her? She could've helped us." Rick scolded him.

"I thought she might've been on their side," Daryl attempted to explain, "She was a bitch anyway, doubt she woulda helped shit."

"She was just a kid, puto, a badass one but still just a kid," Miguel added seemingly almost fully recovered from seeing that hand and the threats Daryl made afterwards.

"How do you know?" The brunette man asked.

"Dunno she just looked it. Couldn't be more than 15." Both Rick and Shane's heart seemed to sink at his reply - she was just a kid. A kid that was the same age as Ricks daughter when she died. Knowingly Shane looked over to his brother, a sigh getting caught in between his lips as he looks at the face of sorrow and grief he had on.

"She was only 15, Daryl!" Rick snapped at Daryl, "And you were prepared to kill her for nothing!" Both Daryl and T-dog looked at the man in shock and if he was honest with himself he was shocked too. Why all of a sudden did he care so much for a girl he had never met. Shane sped over to his partner and pushed him back slightly, "You gotta chill brother." Rick looked at him with a death glare and then back at Daryl.

"Chill man she had her gun on me anyways. Was kinda askin' for it."

Shane rolled his eyes ignoring Ricks anger towards the man and moved back over to Miguel, "The men you were with took our friend. All we want to do is talk to them, see if we can work something out."

Addie faced the wall not daring to make a noise as the man she met from earlier sat closely as if he was ready to protect her. She felt herself begin to cry letting the bad thoughts of what these people could do to them take over. But the worst one she could think about was that she'd never get to see Jacey again.

"Hey, it's okay. Please don't cry," The boy next to her whispered, "My friends will get us out of here. I promise." Although she weakly smiled at him they both knew it was fake - they were both terrified there was no denying it.

"Thanks for what you did back there," He looked over to the girl confused, "For trying to help me and my friend. She'd hate for me to admit this but you really saved our asses even if it brought us to this."

He smiled at her and said, "Its no problem really. I mean I'm guessing you're only young it would've been wrong to leave you with a ton of walkers. My names Glenn by the way."

"Addie. I would shake your hand if I weren't tied up," Glenn laughed, "and yeah I guess were younger I'm 16 and my friend is 14."

"14, Jesus. She's so young and I mean so are you but she's like just started high school," Glenn muttered sadly, this world was too hard for a girl that young.

"If you got to know her you wouldn't expect her to be that young. She's pretty badass."

"I could tell. She shot that Walker and you know didn't miss. Whenever I try it takes me a few times," Addie laughs at his embarrassed face.

"I think she's had practise though. Our leader taught her a lot but her dad was a cop before all of this and he taught her some stuff."

"Another cop, Jesus, do they grow on trees," Glenn whispers inwardly but Addie still hears it.

"What do you mean?" she leans her head back onto the wall, still looking at him.

"Oh we just have two cops in our group and you guys have another one. It's kind of stupid saying out loud I understand lots of people are cops I just... I honestly don't know nevermind," They both laugh, him doing it more out of embarrassment rather than humour.

Addie sighed sadly, "Her dad isn't in our group though. He died before I even met her."

"I'm sorry to hear that. Do you know how?"

"Gunshot." She stated simply remembering back to the conversation they had about him.

"Wait, no way! No was one of the cops in our group! He got left behind or something but reunited with his wife and son. They all thought he was dead," He excitedly yelled, still remembering the tearjerking reunion.

Addie looked shocked at the man's claim and was about to answer with a bombardment of questions but was interrupted when the door slammed open.

The four men enter the hideout guns raised and moving in a way best described to be as a troop of soldiers. Rick took the lead, a shotgun in hand, and a look of pure determination to get his friend back, alive. Miguel shakily walked in front of them, arms tied behind his back.

"You sure your up for this?" Shane looks to the group.

"Yes," T-dog replies as Rick starts to nod.

As if it was on cue, a group of older men, some that Daryl could recognise from earlier, came pouring out of the building. The leader, Guillermo, walked ahead of the group and up to Miguel checking out any bruises he may have, "you okay, little man?"

In response, Miguel shook his head biting his lip softly, "They're gonna cut off my feet, carnal."

"Cops do that?" He asked him looking over at the group, eyeing Rick's sheriff hat and Shane's cap.

"Not them. This redneck puto here. He cut off some dude's hand, man. He showed it to me." Guillermo looked at Daryl his eyes grazing over his crossbow.

"Shut up," He spat roughly.

Out of nowhere, another man came out of the building his gun raised to the group of men, "Hey where's that puto? The one that shot me in the ass with an arrow?" The man looked over the group men still not spotting the girl that did this to him.

"Chill, ese, chill. Chill. This true? They want Miguelito's feet? That's pretty sick, man," Guillermo looked at the group scoffing.

"We were hoping for a calm discussion," Rick clarified.

"That hillbilly jumps Felipe's little cousin, beats on him, threatens to cut off his feet and some girl shoots Felipe with an arrow in the ass and you want a calm discussion? You fascinate me."

"Heat of the moment. Mistakes were made from both sides," He said looking over at the redneck.

"Where is that girl anyway? Hiding in the bushes to ambush us?" Felipe gulped as Guillermo spoke and looked at the nearby bushes.

"No. She's not with us. Was just in the wrong place at the wrong time and so was her friend," Shane spoke up.

Guillermo nodded still unsure and looked over to Daryl as he spoke, "You got my brother in there?"

"Sorry, we're fresh out of white boys. But I've got an Asian and an African American. You interested?"

Rick stepped forward looking at Guillermo intimidatingly, "I have one of yours, you have two of mine. Sounds like a good enough trade."

Guillermo shook his head looking back at Rick just as fiercely, "Don't sound even to me."

"G, come on, man," Miguel begged.

"Not only do my people got attacked but you offer an unfair trade. Where's the compensation for their pain and suffering? More to the point, where's my bag of guns?"

Rick shrugged, "Guns?"

"The bag Miguel saw in the street. The bag Felipe and Jorge were going back to get. That bag of guns."

Shane looked to the man who was still eyeing Rick suspiciously, "You're mistaken."

The man shakes his head saying, "I don't think so."

"About it being yours. It's my bag of guns," Rick shares.

"The bag was in the street. Anybody could come around and say it was theirs. I'm supposed to take your word? What's to stop my people from unloading on you right here and now and I take what's mine?"

"You could do that or not," Rick says pointing back to T-dog, who was hidden behind a wall, a sniper in hand. Guillermo looks to T-dog and back at his group and nodded to them.

Seconds later, two men appear on the roof dragging behind them a girl and a man with bags over there head, "I see two options. You come back with Miguel and my bag of guns, everybody walks. Or you come back locked and loaded, we'll see which side spills more blood." The gang turned around heading back inside the building and leaving Rick, Shane, Miguel, Daryl and T-dog behind.

Rick say down the bag of guns in front of the group and thought silently for a moment. He starts to divide the guns up causing Daryl to scoff, "Them guns are worth more than gold. Gold won't protect your family or put food on the table. You're gonna give that up for them kids?"

T-dog joined in looking at the angry Daryl and conflicted Rick, "If I knew we'd get Glenn and the girl back, I might agree. But you think that Vato across the way is just gonna hand them over?"

"You calling g a liar?" Miguel almost shouted, drawing Daryl over to him.

"Are you apart of this? You want to hold onto your teeth?" Daryl threatened, slapping him sharply.

"Question is do you trust the man's word?" T-dog questioned.

"No, question is what are you willing to bet on it? Could be more than them guns? Could be your life? Glenn and some stranger worth that to you?" Daryl countered looking at Rick.

"What life I have I owe to him. I was nobody to Glenn, just some idiot stuck in a tank. He could have walked away, but he didn't. Neither will I. And let's not forget that stranger is just a kid. If that was your own kid you wouldn't leave her behind, would you?" Shane looked at the man and felt his heartbreaking. Maybe Rick knew she was left behind maybe Lori didn't even tell him. To Shane, it didn't matter he saw that the man was struggling.

Daryl ignored the question and continued, "So you're gonna hand the guns over?"

"I didn't say that. Nothing is keeping you three here. You should get out, head back to camp," Rick directed at them.

To which T-dog shook his head, "And tell your family what?"

"Come on, this is nuts. Just do like g says," Miguel tells them the fear evident in his eyes.

Shane looked to Rick again and whispered, "Brother I think you should go back to camp."

Rick's head snapped to him upon hearing his words, "What?"

"I think you need to leave. All this," He paused looking back at the hideout, "It's getting too personal for you."

Rick sighed, "Glenn saved my life. I'm not leaving him." Rick sat up from sorting the guns and went to the window.

"You know full well this is not about Glenn," He snapped causing him to bow his head, refusing to look at his best friend.

"That girl, whoever she is reminds you of Jacey. I get that, of course, I do b-but it's not her," Shane told him, "Jacey's gone, man, and that fucking sucks but there's nothing we can do about it." The officer shut his eyes fighting off tears.

"I'm sorry Rick. I'm so sorry but you need to leave. You just found out Jacey is dead you can't be here. Hell, you shouldn't have come out, to begin with."

"I'm fine. I can deal with it," He attempted to convince Shane.

"No you can't," He sighed, "You snapped at Daryl earlier for pointing his weapon at some kid just because she was around Jacey's age."

Rick slid down the wall leaning his head against the rough bricks, "When he said that she couldn't be more then 15 I guess uh I thought what if it was her. I thought that I might get my angel back," He confessed breaking the silence between the pair.

"She's gone, Rick," He said causing Rick to cry to himself quietly.

"Head back to camp okay, take T-dog with you. Just be with your family okay? It's what you need right now," He looked at him unsure, "If not for you, do it for Carl. He misses his sister more than anything. And no matter what I tell him he doesn't believe she's dead," Rick nodded sadly, standing up and wiping away any sign of tears.

"T-dog you go back with Rick. Take the spare car," T-dog nodded but looked confused at the teary-eyed male.

"I'll see you back at home, brother," He said to his friend hugging him tightly.

They left soon after leaving Daryl, Shane and Miguel in the room. "What the hell? You just sent away half of the group. How we supposed to protect ourselves?" Daryl snarls.

"We'll be fine." Daryl glared at the man unsatisfied with his answer but remained silent.

"Why'd he leave anyway?" Miguel asked curiously as if he weren't the hostage.

"He lost his kid. I didn't want him to lose it when we're facing them and lose his life too," Daryl nodded to the man almost sympathetically despite the obvious hatred between the two.

"We ready to do this shit then?"

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dammitadolfnomorecake · 3 years

Text

Once Bitten, Twice Stupid prt 191

191

Lance spent every moment he could before they left making sure the house was cleaned from top to bottom, then bottom to top. The nursery had gotten his blood flowing again, Pidge roped into playing delivery person for him as he fixed up his garden, mulched and pruned, then scolded himself over spending so much money. Then there was Pidge’s birthday party that they’d nearly missed as Lance had let the days of the week slip by. If it hadn’t been for Hunk, they would have been fined a hefty present tax, and had Pidge teasing them for the rest of their lives. The party was small, games and alcohol, Lance trying to do the catering, while Hunk tried to make sure he got in and did everything that needed to be done before Lance could do it. Moving felt better than sitting still. Keith letting him work until he was too tired, then would force feed him as he put him down for a nap... from which Lance would wake up and find himself cleaning again.

Deep cleaning the house felt good. Keith putting up with hanging the washing out, then bringing it in. Everything from the linen cupboard hit with vinegar washes to kill any mould particles that thought they had a right to make themselves at home. The only room to escape was Matt’s and Rieva’s, as they were entitled to their privacy, and Rieva was being fussy over how many hours he was spending on his feet. He’d been banned from cooking by her, and even having to get up to pee earned him a scowl over being on his feet. She’d smacked when he’d tried to mow the lawn, pretty much chasing him back inside and forcing him to leave his precious lawn half mowed. He was an old man robbed of his pleasure as far as he was concerned. Sure, he was plenty sleepy during the day, but once he’d been stung with cleaning bug, it left him feeling useful, and being outside meant he didn’t have to listen to Rieva scolding Keith for letting him do too much.

Honestly, when they’d left the house for their trip, the only thing he was sad about was leaving Blue and Kosmo behind. The pair seemed to think that his cleaning was for their benefit. They’d taken to playing in the middle of night, which spilled over into Blue less than ceremoniously waking them by jumping on Keith’s head as Kosmo barrelled up the bed to get to her. The pair thick as thieves and Blue not afraid to use her humans as a convenient escape. The drive was something like 6 hours, with Keith being on edge over how he’d react to being in the outside world again. His ego putting Lance’s ego on edge, leaving them having a spat just as they’d put their bags in the back of Lance’s bronco. Lance had faith that Keith could do this. Keith had anxiety gushing out of every pore by the bucket load. When Keith snapped at him, Lance had snapped back twice as hard.

This led to a very tense first hour of driving. No radio. No snacks. No talking. There were plenty of snacks packed. All the snacks and drinks within hands reach sat on the backseat. Hunk had baked cookies, and sent along a bag with them, that they were absolutely not allowed to open until they reached the hotel. Their planned six hours seemed so long, until they reached the first unplanned stop on their trip. Keith pulling in at a service station, Lance knowing instantly that his boyfriend had to know he needed to pee. Even when they fought, Lance knew Keith still had his best interests in mind.

With breaks in almost every small town they passed through, Lance felt like he’d peed his way half way up America. They’d stopped for lunch at a kind of backwards diner off the main road. The food greasy, the milkshakes icy, but the company made up for it. Being alone with Keith felt soothing, despite the shaky start. He didn’t have to adult. He didn’t have to run around after anyone. He didn’t have to worry about the tiny flecks of dust that seemed to have it their personal mission to settle almost immediately after he’d dusted. All he had to worry about was Braxton-Hicks contractions that worried him a whole heck less now he’d been through real ones, their twins spinning summersaults, and Keith’s terrible choice in music... that’d he’d never admit to secretly loving, especially when Keith would seem to forget he wasn’t alone and start singing along.

Seeing Keith smile, and having his whole attention sent Lance’s ego into some kind of blissful state. His scent filling the car, accidentally, as he found himself getting horny from watching Keith be so happy. Keith teasing him as he pulled off the main road at the first available chance, for some very awkward car prepping in which Lance got a leg cramp and Keith smacked his head on the sun visor. It then progressed to out of the car sex, Lance lost in bliss all over again at the feeling of Keith’s hands over his skin as his head swam, drunk on Keith’s scent. He hadn’t known what he’d missing, or maybe he had, and that’d contributed to him discovering that he didn’t mind Keith biting his neck, or nipping at his nipples hard enough Lance was sure he’d end up pierced by Keith’s fangs. He’d been so caught up in cleaning, that being intimate had slipped the last few days. He’d become such a slut for Keith’s undivided attention that he could have purred contently, like a fat cat whole stolen a whole bottle of milk for himself.

He hadn’t told his boyfriend, but he’d packed to play a girl depending on the kind of town it was. He looked female enough to pass. No fake chicken fillets were required to fill out a brallet anymore. He’d packed a wig, and a dress, kind of embarrassed over both, yet willing to face the embarrassment if it meant making the trip easier for his boyfriend. When they’d climbed back into his car, Keith was all smiles as Lance curled into him, ignoring his own rules over seatbelts and sitting properly in a car. He didn’t need to fear his car rolling over, not with Keith behind the wheel, plus leaning against Keith meant kisses on the top of his head as Keith drove, Lance unable to offer to drive thanks to no longer fitting comfortably and a new fear that they would crash and he’d lose the twins if his stomach impacted against the steering wheel. This was really nice. Just a vampire and his werewolf boyfriend off on a life changing trip, and some alone time, until they were party crashed in a couple of days by humans. Yeah. It was nice.

The hotel was a piece of shit and Keith hated it. The town he’d once apparently called home, now verged on some kind of city. The sign in boasting a population of 3000 people, though you wouldn’t know it with sheer amount of people at the hotel. Kids were yelling as they played in the tiny pool in the centre of the U-shaped complex. Parents yelling at their spawn. Their room was upstairs, and the bedding so basic it made his bedroom look fancy. For a hotel boasting about being the only one in town, they had nothing to boast about. Every noise seemed to drift right and through their room.

Late to check in, Lance offered to go in, Keith shaking his head at the offer. He could totally handle one 2 minute interaction. Said interaction blowing out to 20 minutes, with far too many questions asked. No. He wasn’t there on a get away for Easter. No. He didn’t have kids. No. He didn’t have a wife. Yes. His eyes were an unusual shade of purple. He didn’t know what the old man behind the check in counter got from his interrogation, but he was lucky Keith didn’t snap with how tired he was. He didn’t blame Lance for the numerous stops they’d made, but he did think that maybe they should have split the drive and found somewhere to camp overnight, with less fucking people around.

Coming waddling out the bathroom, Keith noted Lance had packed his own robe. His stomach on display, with the looped belt sitting just below his breasts. Their room was so “Lance-esque” that his boyfriend blended right in with brown shag pile carpet, khaki bedspread and orange flowered wallpaper. Being Lance, his boyfriend had fixed the dripping shower, instead of simply complaining to management. Keith annoyed his boyfriend didn’t care that the hotel wasn’t great. He was certain he’d heard more than one couple doing the do well into the hours of the morning when normal people should be sleeping. Hell. He should be sleeping. All the scents and sounds, coupled with a boyfriend hogging the blankets had made for a long night.

Seeing him watching, Lance shot him a smile. Opening his arms, Keith made straight for Lance. The vampire chuckled as he kissed Keith’s hair

“Come on, it’s not all bad”

“It’s not all that good either”

“I know. It’s only for a few days”

“This place is awful”

“It’s not getting a good Yelp review, but it’s not completely horrendous”

This was no place for his pregnant mate. A budget hotel room with a TV smaller than Lance’s laptop, and way too many people

“How do you think this isn’t horrendous?!”

“Because you’re here”

Lance’s sincere answer made him splutter, Lance chuckling at him as he kissed his hair

“I know it’s not what you expected, but it’s not forever”

“There’s so many people...”

“I know. It’s a lot for your senses. Why don’t you take a shower? We were both too tired last night, and I want to go get something decent to eat. Maybe find you some coffee?”

Coffee sounded good. Showering sounded like too much effort, but after tossing and turning all night, it’d feel good to feel clean of their bedding

“Okay...”

“Don’t take too long though. Your kids are seriously craving pancakes and I might have to stab someone if I don’t get them soon”

Keith gave a weak chuckle, not at all looking forward to the outside world

“We can’t have that. Get dressed and I’ll be out in a bit”

The shower ran out of hot water halfway through. Keith kicking the wall tiles hard enough that he cracked the tile that took the main impact. Not that he felt bad about in the slightest. When he’d been on the streets, even a place like this would have been heavenly. Now he’d gotten used to being pampered by Lance and the niceness of Platt. He’d been spoiled. He shouldn’t be expecting city niceties in a backwards town like this.

With a towel barely bigger than a hand towel around his waist, Keith walked back into the bedroom to find Lance had gotten dressed. He’d stumbled to a stop as he stared at his boyfriend. Lance was in a dress. An actual flowy white dress. A wig of long brown hair flowed down past his shoulders. Catching him staring, Lance sighed at him

“Don’t look at me like that”

“Like what?”

“Like you’re confused. Our friends might be okay with me being pregnant, but I don’t want people making assumptions and being rude as fuck”

They could go fuck themselves sideways as far as Keith was concerned. Lance was Lance. Lance didn’t love wearing dresses and hiding himself... He shouldn’t have to, either

“You dressed like that for me? You didn’t have to...”

“It’s fine, babe”

“But you’re a man...”

“Who’s currently pregnant and just wants his pancakes in peace. Besides, I like to think I look cute”

He did... but it was so freaking weird. Lance was Lance... and now he suddenly had a girlfriend in place of the man he loved

“You always look cute, but I don’t want you to be uncomfortable. I don’t want you to feel you have to hide away”

“I know. Look, I figured it’d be easier for these poor country folks. Or don’t you like it? I mean, I can change, but I’m okay for now... more importantly, you know that’s the bath mat you’ve got around your waist, right?”

No. Why hang it up if it was meant for the floor?! Keith’s cheeks flamed, scrambling for an excuse he pathetically replied

“It does the job”

Lance could only shake his head at him. Keith feeling that was fair

“I did pack our towels. I thought you’d like something more familiar from home. I just didn’t think to grab them”

Lance meant he hadn’t thought to grab them as he rushed off to vomit. Keith copping both the wet noises and the scent. Neither making him feel all that good about their “holiday”

“I’m going to get dressed. Please tell me you’ve found where we can get coffee?”

“As if I’d make you wait for coffee. There’s a restaurant not far from here”

Thank god for that. He had no idea how this was all going to work, or when they’d be finding his dad’s grave. Now that they were here, he didn’t know how he felt. Yes, he was glad to be there with Lance. But at the same time, everything outside the confines of their crappy room scared him. Logically no one would recognise him. Not when anyone who’d last seen him had seen him as a little kid, but he still feared it. He feared someone from the past coming up to him to say “Oh my god! Are you Keith? I remember when your father died...”. He didn’t want to be remembered. He didn’t want the awkwardness or pity from some stranger. He didn’t even know if he wanted to stay in town long enough for Curtis and Shiro to join them. He did know he wanted to find the shack he’d called home... but even then, he didn’t know what he’d do when he did. All of it felt too much, but all of it would bring some kind of closure. That was if he listened to Lance... Lance who was annoyingly right more times than not. All he could do was hope that he was strong enough to see this through, and that Lance would remain by his side, no matter how he might react.

#oncebittentwiceshy #once bitten twice stupid #ashratherose

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yikesharringrove · 4 years

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So, this began several months ago like this and because I cope by putting my sweet bby through the ringer, it has risen.

Some of that sweet sweet Steve angst. This takes place post-season 3 but they burned the Mind Flayer outta Billy, established relationship.

Read on Ao3

It was Will Byers that found him.

Steve had begun hosting DnD night after the second run-in with the Upside Down. He said it was to keep the kids out of the hair of the rest of the Party Moms, but Billy knew it was to keep the house filled with noise, light, life.

He knew Steve had been hanging on by the slimmest, teeniest little thread after this summer, so the kids were over more often than not. They would play for a few hours, watch a movie (deciding which movie usually took at least an hour in and of itself) and all the kids would pass out in the sitting room. Billy and Steve would take that opportunity to sneak up to Steve’s room for the night.

It was a typical game night when Will was startled awake. Almost a year later, he was still getting nightmares of his possession, of the Mind Flayer using him to hurt others, lure people to their deaths. He needed a minute to gather himself, so he went to the bathroom to the left of the upstairs landing, the bathroom almost nobody uses.

When he opens the door, the first thing he notices is the clumps of dark brown hair littering the counter and sink.

He met Steve’s eyes in the mirror and found them red-rimmed, filled with tears. His hair was a fucking mess. Random chunks had been cut at odd angles. Nothing was the same length and overall his hair was shorter than Will has ever seen.

He didn’t know what the fuck was going on.

He was wearing green shorts Will recognized from the Hawkins High Basketball Team and a ratty old Mötley Crüe shirt Will would have never pictured Steve wearing, let alone owning.

He put the scissors down when he noticed Will behind him and whipped around. His breathing was fast and ragged, he had a white-knuckle grip on the counter behind him.

“Steve?” Will took a step forward as Steve’s knees seemed to buckle. He lowered himself to the ground

“Get Billy. He’s-he’s in my room. Tell him I-” he closed his eyes and took a few shuddering breaths. “Tell him I need him.”

Will booked it the fuck outta the bathroom, opening doors at random as he sped down the hall. He felt like shit leaving Steve alone in the obvious panic he’s in, but if Billy can help, then Will’s helping too.

He knew Steve’s room from the honey smell. Steve had a very particular scent Will recognized immediately, the fresh wheat of a meadow in late summer. The next thing he noticed was the giant lump of very obviously naked Billy draped across the left side of the bed. Will’s mouth was dry as he approached, but this was important. Focus Will, c’mon. He whispered out Billy’s name.

Billy was a light sleeper. He heard the door open and was awake right away. When it wasn’t Steve who was silhouetted against the hall lighting, he knew something was fucking wrong.

The second Will Byers whispered out his name in the darkness, he was up and out of bed, digging through the piles of his and Steve’s clothes strewn about the floor for something, anything, to put on.

“Where is he?”

Will just turned, motioning for Billy to follow him down the hall to the large bathroom just to the left of the landing.

Billy’s heart shattered the second he saw the devastation that was Steve Harrington in a heap on the floor. He approached like he would a scared animal, slowly lowering himself near Steve’s head, carefully keeping his movements slow and deliberate.

“Baby, it’s me. I’m here, I’m right here for you, Honey. I’m not gonna touch you, okay? You come to me when you’re ready just like always. I’m here, Baby, I’m not going anywhere.”

Will’s brain was going a mile a fucking minute. He felt like he was going to throw up. He was too worried about Steve to actually process what Billy was saying, to actually process the fact that Billy and Steve were obviously, together, in a way Will had dreamed of being with another guy. All he could think about were Steve’s uneven breaths and all the fucking hair covering the bathroom.

He began to clean it up, quietly picking up the clumps of dark hair and placing them in the trash he found under the cabinet while Steve slowly came into himself enough to crawl pathetically into Billy’s lap.

“Can you talk to me, Stevie? What’s going on?” Billy was running his fingers up and down Steve’s back, gently making patterns through the shirt Will now figured wass Billy’s.

“I wanted, I wanted it gone,” was Steve’s mumble. Will had abandoned cleaning, dropping himself down the wall adjacent to the one Billy was propped against.

“Okay, okay. Can you tell me why? Take your time, Baby. We’re right here for you.”

“Had another, ‘nother nightmare,” Steve was still taking shaky breathes, spitting out his words on every exhale. “‘Bout the-the Russians.”

“Okay, I know what happened. I understand, Baby. Just focus on your breathing, okay? Try to match mine. We’re not going anywhere.” Billy looked at Will, flashing him a small smile he sheepishly returned. Steve turned his face into Billy’s chest, closing his eyes and checking out, focusing on the steady rise and fall of Billy’s strong chest.

“Is he, is he gonna be okay?” Will was about to have a breakdown of his own. Watching Steve, someone he always saw as strong, the protector, succumb to the same panic and fear Will had felt his whole life. It was jarring.

“Yeah, kid. This happens sometimes. We just gotta give him a little extra love.” He huffed a breath. “Anyone ever fill you in about the Russians?”

“Kind of? Like Dustin told us all about being trapped in that elevator and the underground base while we were getting the Mind Flayer out of you. I don’t think I’ve ever heard Steve say anything about it though.”

“Well, you know how he is. Threw himself of the sword so Dustin and Erica could get outta there. He ended up getting- I mean he and Robin both got, drugged and, and tortured.”

Will felt the tears he’d been holding back this whole time roll down his cheeks.

“I didn’t know that, he-why didn’t he tell us? We can help him. We all l-love him a lot and we’re a family. We’re his family.”

“He knows that. He does, and it means a whole hell of a lot to him, you guys really are his family, but he’s-he’s got it in his head he’s gotta be the strong one. The one to protect all of us, so he pushes his shit down until, well, until this happens. But, kid, you gotta, you gotta promise both of us not to go tellin’ this to the other nerds, okay? You know he would fuckin’ hate it if they all knew about this, and I’m not-I’m not just talking about the attack, I mean, you know, me and him.”

“I promise! I really promise, I know what it’s like, the-the panic and, you know, the, well the other thing.” Billy’s eyes brightened.

“Yeah? You a social deviant too, Baby Byers?”

“I, well, I think so.”

“Hey, welcome to the club! Nice to know there're more queers in Hawkins. I need to give this hick town more fuckin’ credit. Good for you, figurin’ that shit out quick. It’ll save you a lotta confusion. ‘Lotta heartbreak too.”

“I think I’ve always known. Never thought about girls, not when, not when-well. I always knew.”

“Who was your first crush? That guy that just made you go ‘hot damn’?” Billy was grinning at Will. “Mine was Jim Morrison. Saw a poster of him at a record store once, and just, you know. Knew it.”

Will didn’t really know what to say. He knew exactly who it was that awoke the gay beast inside him, but he didn’t really know how to tell Billy.

“This is kind of, well it’s kind of embarrassing,” That only made Billy’s smile grow.

“You need to tell me right the fuck now, kid. C’mon, I can tell you Steve’s too!”

Will flushed. So he was doing this.

“So, he probably told you this, but um, Steve used to coach little league. And, he was my coach the summer before sixth grade, and, well...” he trailed off, not making eye contact with Billy until he let out a bark of laughter.

“Are you fucking telling me,” He shifted Steve around on his lap who made a disgruntled noise before settling back into Billy’s chest. He was entirely zoned out, focused on the rhythm of Billy’s breaths and the cadence of his voice, not registering any actual words from the other two.

“Are you fucking telling me, that Steve Harrington, this lump right here, caused your sexual awakening?” Billy was laughing.

“I mean, he was always really nice to us, and like, I hated baseball, but he made it, he made it really fun and he would always be so excited for us when we did well-”

“Plus, he’s hot as fuck.” He cut Will of, shooting him a wink, with his tongue between his teeth. Will went bright fucking red. “I’m just fuckin’ with you kid. I know he’s a sweet one.”

“He made me want to play baseball. I hated baseball. Only did it because my dad made me. He probably thought it would straighten me out.” Billy’s teasing smile dropped from his face.

“Sounds like we had the same kinda dad.” He took a breath, looking down at Steve for a moment. “He ever hit you?”

Will’s blood ran cold.

“No, not me. He used to hit Mom and Jonathan. I think they both thought that if they got hit, at least the rest of us weren’t gettin’ any. She definitely caught him slapping Jonathon around once, though. All his stuff was on the lawn within the hour.”

Billy smiled, but it was kind of, sad. “Your mom is a damn spitfire. I adore that woman.”

“I do too. She’s the best mom in the world.” Will could talk about his mom all day and all fucking night.

Steve was shifting around again, moving between Billy’s legs and sitting up more on his own.

“Hey, Baby. Welcome back to us. You okay?”

“Yeah, I’m okay.” He looked at Will. “I’m really sorry. I’m really sorry you had to see all that.”

“It’s okay. I understand. I get anxiety like that too.” Steve smiled at him blearily before turning to Billy. “Okay, be straight up with me. How bad’s the damage?” He swept his fingers over his hair, wincing when he felt the different lengths and random chunks.

“I’m not gonna lie, it’s not good. But I think Robin could fix it. She seems like the type that can cut hair. It’s gonna have to be short though. Real short.”

Steve whined, pushing his bottom lip out at Billy. “You gonna dump me? I’m not pretty enough for you anymore?”

Will’s heart nearly stopped when Billy leaned in to bite at Steve’s pouty bottom lip. He had never seen moments like this between two men, just sweet moments that showed how much they love each other.

“You’ll always be my Pretty Boy, you fuckin’ know that.” They were smiling at one another so softly. “You know Will and I got some nice bonding time in while you were working on your breathing.” Steve leaned sideways against Billy’s chest, slipping one hand into the big front pocket of his sweatshirt.

“Yeah? What’d you all talk about?”

“Oh, you know. Shitty dads, first crushes, normal stuff.”

“Oooh, I already know yours is Jim Morrison, you’re old news around here, Bill. Care to share, Will the Wise?” No, Steve, he does not care to share.

“Oh, umm it was actually uh,” He reached around for a name, absolutely not ready to admit to Steve his first crush. “Marlon Brando?”

Steve’s tired eyes lit up a little. “Brando? Honestly, he was one a’ mine too. And Harrison Ford. I saw Star Wars four times in theatres. Couldn’t tell you a single plot detail. So you’re playin’ for our team?” Billy rolled his eyes and mumbled something that sounded vaguely like fucking jock under his breath. Steve elbowed him.

“Um, yeah. Although, I haven’t really, told anyone, so if you guys could, you know.”

“Oh, yeah, discretion is key.” Steve nodded. “We’re not too bad at keeping secrets, you don’t gotta worry about us.”

“So none of your friends know? That’s rough, Byers. I mean, even here I’ve found a few people I can tell, Steve, obviously. But California, all ‘a my friends knew.”

“Well, I mean, I told Mike. Last year. And he was really cool about it, but then this summer we got into a fight, and he kinda, threw it back in my face.”

Billy and Steve both looked shocked and appalled on Will’s behalf.

“What did the little fucker say? I’ll kick his ass if he called you a fa-”

“No! Nothing like that, it’s cool, Billy. He just, well we got into it about how he and Lucas didn’t really have time to play DnD, or hang out with me in general anymore, and he said ‘it’s not my fault you don’t like girls’. We didn’t really talk about it, I mean, he kinda apologized, but it was right when everything was going down. So, I put it aside.” Steve got his Mom Face on.

“But have you talked about it since everything has blown over? Has he apologized? He shouldn’t have said that. He just wanted to hurt you and that was the one thing that probably came into his head, but that isn’t okay, especially if he was the only one you trusted enough to tell.”

“I know. I keep meaning to talk to him, but we’ve been really good lately and I don’t want to, want to, fuck anything up.”

“All the more reason to do it now. If you two are really tight right now, he’ll probably listen to how shitty he made you feel, and feel really bad about it.” Billy was nodding along to what Steve was saying. “And, you know if you ever need to talk about shit, we’re here for you, and you know, probably understand you more.”

“Or if you just want someone to teach the little poser a lesson-”

“I think I’ll just talk to him, but, uh, thanks?” Billy grinned. Steve leaned back into him, pulling Billy’s left arm around his chest to pull him in more. “Um, Steve, do you think I could-I mean, would it be okay to ask you what, um, all this is.” Steve’s face fell immediately, and he shrank back more into Billy. “You don’t have to! I just, it kinda freaked me out to see you like that. I’m sorry, I shouldn’t have asked.”

“No, it’s okay. I can’t-I can’t talk about it too much right now, I’m still a little” he looked at Billy “fragile, I guess. But, well. What do you want to know?”

“Nothing you don’t want to talk about, or, or feel okay telling me but, I mean, why go for the hair?”

Steve shifted some more. It looked as though he was trying to disappear into Billy.

“You know about the Russians? The ones under Starcourt?”

“Yeah, Billy filled me in a little. Just generally what, what happened to you.”

Steve sighed.

“Well, for some fuckin’ reason, the general that was, in charge of us, he, uh, he really liked pulling at my hair. He would just grab it and move my head around, or-or use it to hold me steadily while they, um, while they hit me and-when I woke up I couldn’t think. I just, I wanted it gone.”

Billy’s face was white as a sheet. He looked like someone had pulled the entire floor out from under him.

“Steve, why the fuck didn’t you tell me? I thought you-you used to love when I played with your hair. I would’ve stopped.” He looked disgusted with himself at the idea of contributing to Steve’s pain in any way.

“I thought that-I don’t know. Maybe it would go away? That I would like it again?”

Billy looked like he could cry. A level of hurt and remorse and apology Will had never seen him exhibit.

“Jesus, Stevie. You need to tell me when you feel shit like that. You know all of my shit and triggers and whatever.”

“I know,” Steve buried his face back into Billy’s chest, curling his body inwards again. “I’m sorry I didn’t tell you, you know me though. You know I don’t like-”

“Having a weakness?” Billy seemed sardonic. Steve’s head shot up to glare at Billy in the eye.

“That is not what I was going to say and you know it. I was going to say that you know I don’t like being vulnerable and I’m sorry and I’m working on it. But this was, I didn’t even realize what I had done until Will walked in.”

A look of pure horror came over Steve’s face.

“How the fuck am I supposed to hide this from the rest of The Party tomorrow? Dustin is gonna ask so many questions I do not have the answers for.” Billy chuckled lightly, all tension that may have been building between them melting away. They snuggled even closer and Will’s heart turned to a big pile of mush.

“Just stay in bed tomorrow. I’ll tell the nerds you’re sick. Plus, you always ass out for about 18 hours after a panic attack anyway.” Steve rolled his eyes.

“Will, do you think you could maybe, not tell anyone about this? I’m gonna have to come up with a cover story and everything.”

“I already promised Billy I wouldn’t. But, you know how you said I could always talk to you two? Well, the same goes for you. We all really love you, Steve. And maybe we don’t understand exactly what you’re going through, we just, we want to be here for you. We are here for you.” Steve’s eyes went even bigger and all watery when Will spoke.

“That, that really means a lot to me. I love you shitbirds. I hope you all know that.”

“We do,” Will said quickly. He doesn’t think he could watch Steve cry anymore tonight. Or maybe ever. “We know that.” Steve gave him a watery smile, looking at Billy’s watch.

“I think it’s time for sleep. I need a soft bed and a big man. Now.” Billy rolled his eyes, but picked Steve up as if he weighed nothing.

“Go to bed, Baby Byers.” He knocked Steve’s foot into Will as he went past.

“Thanks, Will.” Steve’s voice was soft as Billy brought them back into the bedroom.

Will went downstairs as quietly as possible, settling back into his little makeshift bed.

“Hey, you okay?”

And of course it was Mike, whispering to him from his own little spot.

“Yeah. I’m good. Let’s talk in the morning.” And Mike smiled at him, and gave him a little wave, and flopped back onto his pillow.

#ummmm #heres some steve angst bc im on breakdown number 3 #this has been in my wips for months so here it is #im sorry if its all over the place my brain isnt really real today #some original content from em for once in my life :)#yikes writes #steve harrington #billy hargrove #steve harrington x billy hargrove #billy hargrove x steve harrington #harringrove #harringrove fic #harringrove ficlet #harringrove drabble

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stardust-walker · 3 years

Text

High Hopes: Chapter 6

Previous Chapters: 1 2 3 4 5

word count: 5078

If anyone wants to be added to my taglist, feel free to reach out!

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Glenn couldn’t be gone there was no way. There was no time to really process what happened before Daryl’s attention immediately turned back to the boy. Dove lunged forward and tried to grab Daryl’s arm, but was only able to grasp his shoulder tightly as he swung at the boy. She dug her heels into the ground as she heard Rick and T-Dog approach. “Stop it,” Rick shouted.

Dove nodded quickly and stepped aside as Rick grabbed Daryl. The two of them pushed back further into the alley. T-Dog looked confused as ever but Dove just pointed. “Grab him!” She motioned towards the boy who looked ready to make a break for it.

“I’m gonna kick your nuts up in your throat,” she heard Daryl shout as she marched over and grabbed the boy by the wrist. Her head was pounding.

“Let me go!” The boy shouted.

T-Dog shoved him back against the wall, “Chill out!”

“They took Glenn! That little bastard and his little bastard homie friends,” Daryl yelled as he paced like an animal. Rick looked back quickly before he turned his attention back to Daryl.

“He’s not making it up,” Dove called over to Rick, “His friends took Glenn…and tried to get the guns.”

Daryl pointed over Rick’s shoulder. “I’m gonna stomp your ass, kid.”

Dove felt her anxiety rising as the chaos ensued around her. Then she heard Rick yell for them to move and the boy was pulled from her grip by T-Dog. “C’mon! Let’s go!” She followed as fast as she could. Part of her still wanted to raise absolute hell and just run down the street to try to get Glenn back, but that just sounded like more of a death wish than anything had in the past few weeks.

She realized once they were inside that her hands were empty. “Shit!” She stopped in the middle of the hallway. T-Dog shoved the boy against the wall again as he turned to scrutinize her.

“Why’d you stop,” he hissed back down the hall.

Dove threw her hands up in the air before she rested them on the back of her head, “The crowbar! I promised Jim I was gonna…” She trailed off as Rick and Daryl rounded the corner. The weapon was shoved roughly back into her hands as the two of them walked past her. More stomped in Daryl’s case.

“C’mon. I meant what I said. No one’s savin your ass. Better not drop that shit again, girl,” Daryl called over his shoulder after her. Dove sucked in a deep breath as she wrapped her fingers tightly around her weapon again.

It was hard to keep up with a fast moving group when your head was pounding. Dove entered the room and her gaze fell on the boy seated in a chair. “I ain’t telling you nothing,” was the response he gave to whatever they had asked him. This was going great.

T-Dog looked away from the boy, back at Daryl. “What the hell happened back there, man?” He had a right to ask. There hadn’t been much time to explain.

“I told you! This little turd and his douchebag friends came out of nowhere and jumped me! Damn near knocked bird out tryin to beat the shit out of me too,” Daryl glared at the boy as he paced.

Dove narrowed her eyes as the boy replied, ��You’re the one who jumped me, puto. Screamin bout trying to find his brother like it’s my damn fault.”

“Yeah? And your guys ganged up on him with weapons. On top of that, it was two on one. He tried to ask you a question, you didn’t answer. So I think it’s best you start answerin,” Dove pointed to crowbar in the boy’s direction. A warning look from Rick only caused her to shake her head and set the weapon down. Eyes not leaving the boy, she leaned up against the side of the desk as she chewed on the inside of her cheek.

“They took Glenn. Could’ve taken Merle too,” Daryl attempted to reason with the others. On one hand, she could see how it made sense. On the other, it definitely seemed like he was reaching for any possibility that his brother could be alive and not bleeding out in the street somewhere.

“Merle? What kind of hick name is that,” the boy snickered, “I wouldn’t name my dog Merle.” Dove pursed her lips and shared a worried yet amused look with T-Dog for a moment before Daryl lashed out. This time, he aimed a kick right for the boy’s head. The brunette really had to admire the sheriff’s reflexes, especially when it came to keeping the angry redneck from beating someone.

Instead of staying back, Daryl marched right past Rick and began digging in Glenn’s backpack. Dove straightened up and tilted her head to the side as she observed what was happening. “Want to see what happened to the last guy that pissed me off,” Daryl said. His tone was eerily calm as he turned to the side so they could see what he was holding. It was the do-rag he had borrowed from T-Dog.

“Oh Jesus Christ,” Dove whispered as she brought a hand up to cover her mouth. She fought back a laugh as Daryl threw the severed hand right into the boy’s lap. She couldn’t understand why she found it funny, but if she had to venture a guess it would probably be the stress.

The boy screamed as he threw himself out of the chair and onto the floor. “Start with the feet this time,” Daryl still sounded amazingly calm as he gripped the boy up by the collar. Rick took advantage of the situation, he was really good at playing good cop.

“We just want to talk to your friends,” he said calmly as he got down to the boy’s level,” See if we can work something out.”

Daryl leaned over to pick up the hand off the ground as Dove spoke up again from behind the desk. “We don’t wanna have to let him cut your feet off, but if you don’t talk to us or tell us anything,” she shrugged her shoulders, “We just might not be able to stop him.” She smiled at the boy. The boy’s eyes flickered nervously between all of the others in the room.

He gulped and nodded his head slowly. “Alright. Just keep that crazy puto away from me!” It was almost sad to see the way the boy almost plead with Rick, but it was worth it. They were going to get their answers.

A little while later, Dove was seated alongside a brick wall; dark eyes locked on the boy as he sat away from the rest of them. She found herself feeling bad for the boy. Odds were he had no idea what was going on when Daryl started yelling about Merle and yet he found himself in this insanity with them. Dove’s attention shifted to Rick as he spoke up. “You ready?” He stared at her for a moment before she nodded.

The brunette nodded her head as she looked down at the gun that had been placed in her hand. It made her nervous as hell just holding the thing.

Daryl narrowed his eyes at the boy again as he threatened to put an arrow in his ass. T-Dog shook his head as the kid retaliated with, “G’s gonna take that arrow out of my ass and shove it up yours. Just so you know.”

“G?” Rick questioned as he finally turned his attention back to their hostage.

“Guillermo. He’s the man here.”

Dove rolled her eyes as she rested her back against the wall. “Some man he is. Sendin a kid out to do his dirty work and shit.”

Rick hummed in agreement before loading his gun. “Let’s go see Guillermo.”

Dove stood as she watched Daryl disappear through the window.

There was a moment of silence before either one of the lookouts spoke. “We don’t tell Carol about what a shit show this was or I’ll be the next one handcuffed except this time to a fucking car. Deal?” She turned her head, a serious expression on her face.

T-Dog pinched the bridge of his nose as he shook his head. “Christ. Deal. Only because Dale doesn’t need to be putting us all on lockdown either.”

Dove smirked as she followed quietly after T-Dog. “Knew you’d see it my way.”

Once they were in their positions, Dove peeked over the edge of the building. “Holy shit that’s a lot of people,” she mumbled as she looked through the scope of her gun.

“If this goes south, I say we book it,” T-Dog whispered. The only response he got was a gentle slap on the back of the head.

Finally, the other man looked in their direction as he followed Rick’s gaze.

“Make the trade. Please,” T-Dog practically prayed.

There was a shout from down below and she saw Rick’s gaze go up toward the roof of the building. Dove’s attention snapped in the same direction and her stomach dropped. She gripped the handle of the gun tighter as she bit down on her tongue hard to keep from shouting. Glenn was alive at least for now.

“Fuckin bastards,” Dove’s hands began to shake and her ears rang. She couldn’t even pay attention to what was happening with Rick right now. In fact, a shoot out could be happening right under her nose and her only thought might still be about getting Glenn down off that roof safe and alive. T-Dog nudged her arm, finally bringing her attention back to reality.

“Let’s go, cmon.” He didn’t seem happy at all and they were walking away without Glenn.

Dove paced the room as Rick slammed the bag of guns onto the table. She chewed on her already bitten thumbnail as she tried to keep herself calm.

“Those guns are worth more than gold. Gold won’t protect your family or put food on the table,” Daryl said. Was he actually trying to reason with someone? “You willing to give that up for that kid?”

That triggered something in Dove’s brain and she stomped over, a finger pointed right in Daryl’s face. “You best take that back, Dixon!”

“What? It’s the truth! You willing to give away something that could keep you or your sister from dyin to save some kid who wanted to put himself on death’s door,” Daryl didn’t back down. She had counted on that.

“You’re damn right I am! I would die for Glenn if I had to! You were about to put both of our asses in the grave when you decided to fight Miguel in that alleyway when you thought he might have Merle. So don’t you dare try to preach to anyone about what we gotta give up for anyone else in the group. You got me,” Dove’s hazel eyes could have burned holes right through Daryl if T-Dog hadn’t stepped in between them. A hand pressed against each of their shoulders as he pushed them away from each other.

“Listen. If I knew he would hold up his end of the deal and give Glenn back, I might agree to it. But you think that Vato across the way is just gonna hand him over?” T-Dog looked right into Rick’s eyes as he said this.

“You calling G a liar,” Miguel piped up from the floor.

“Are you a part of this,” Daryl snapped at him just before he slapped him on the side of the head. Dove gripped the edge of the desk tightly as she struggled to regain her composure. “You want to hold onto your teeth, kid?”

“Question is, do you trust that man’s word,” T-Dog spoke up again.

“No. The real question is, what are you willing to bet on it,” Daryl cut him off before he could say anything else. “Could be more than guns. Could be your life.” Dove glanced over her shoulder and caught Daryl’s eye for a second before he looked away.

“What life I have I owe to him,” Rick stated. “I was nobody to Glenn. Just some idiot stuck in a tank.” Dove stood up straighter, arms crossed in front of her chest. “He could’ve walked away but he didn’t. Neither will I.”

“So you’re gonna hand the guns over,” Daryl was surprisingly calm. Dove felt even more embarrassed about losing her cool as she listened to him actually talk reasonably to others in the group.

“I didn’t say that. There’s nothing keeping you three here. You should get out, head back to camp while it’s still light out,” Rick tried to explain to the others in the room.

“And what do we tell your family,” T-Dog sighed as he closed his eyes.

“We leave you here alone and we go back without you, without guns, without Glenn. Hell, without Merle? What was the point,” Dove shrugged her shoulders as she shifted her gaze to Rick.

The four of them looked around at each other for a moments before Daryl nodded his head. Dove reached over onto the table and grabbed the gun closest to her. She paused a moment before she shoved the crowbar back into the bag in its place. “You know how to shoot that?” Rick questioned as the other men examined their guns.

Dove pursed her lips and looked the gun over for a moment. With a shake of her head, Dove flashed Rick a surprisingly confident smile. “Nope, but I’m countin on your diplomatic talkin to make sure that I don’t have to.”

Rick frowned before he nodded at her. He held his hand out for the gun and she handed it over to him slowly. Dove’s eyes studied his hands as he loaded the gun for her. “Now listen. If it comes down to it, the safety is right here, alright?” Rick showed her and Dove nodded her head. “You remove the safety, place the butt of the rifle against your shoulder, right here. Then you look through the crosshairs to get your target. Then you pull the trigger and pray the kickback doesn’t get you.”

Dove nodded her head as she took the gun from Rick. “Thanks, Sheriff.”

Dove followed closely behind Rick as they moved through the courtyard of the building where the Vatos were holed up. She was still praying that they wouldn’t have to actually use their guns, but the way that Daryl shoved the boy through the door didn’t look promising for any of them.

Dove raised her rifle slightly as she followed Rick into the building. She could feel eyes on her as she walked through the doorway and she tried her best not to shiver.

“I see my guns, but they’re not all in the bag,” the leader that Dove recognized from before smirked slightly as he addressed them

“That’s because they’re not yours. I thought I mentioned that,” Rick retorted as he raised his rifle slightly.

“Let’s just shoot these fools right now, ese,” a bald headed man spoke up from next to Guillermo. Dove clenched her jaw as she felt her hands begin to shake. “Unload on their asses, ese.”

“I don’t think you fully appreciate the gravity of the situation,” Guillermo eyed Rick suspiciously. Dove felt some ounce of gratitude for the man. It seemed like he had some sense still, unlike the man that had just threatened to unload on them all.

Rick shook his head at the shorter man, “No, I’m pretty clear.” Rick nodded at Dove. The brunette lowered her gun and took the pocket knife from Rick with a shaking hand. She cut through the tape around Miguel’s arm as quickly as she could before Daryl shoved the boy forward. “You have your man. I want mine.”

For a second, she thought it was over. “I’m gonna chop up your boy. Gonna feed him to my dogs.” Dove felt a hand on her shoulder and a slight shove backwards. She caught Daryl’s gaze out of the corner of her eye as he raised his gun again. She followed suit as she took in a deep breath through her nose. Nothing could ever be easy anymore. “They’re the evilest, nasiest, man-easting bitches you ever saw. I picked em up from Satan at a yard sale.” Dove quirked an eyebrow at the man. He was really trying to put on a show for a guy who seemed so ready to kill them. “I told you how it has to be, are you woefully deaf?” Yes.

“My hearing’s fine. You said come locked and loaded.” Rick raised his rifle again. Daryl and T-Dog were right behind him, gun’s locked and loaded. Dove’s hands froze in place. Her brain knew what to do but her body wouldn’t listen. She didn’t want to have to shoot someone but she sure as hell wasn’t expecting what happened next.

“Felipe,” an older woman called as she entered the room. Dove’s eyes widened in shock as T turned and pointed his gun in the direction of the new voice.

“Abuela, go back with the others,” the bald man called back at her.

“Dude what the hell is your grandmother doing,” Dove couldn’t help but hiss through gritted teeth at the man. What the fuck was going on.

“Get that old lady outta the line of fire,” Daryl snapped, though he didn’t lower his gun.

Guillermo just sighed and seemed to roll his eyes before he turned his attention away from them. “Abuela! Listen to your mijo, okay? This is not the place for you right now.” Dove’s head was spinning. He genuinely seemed concerned about the older woman as she continued to walk closer to them despite the many protests.

“Mr. Gilbert is having trouble breathing,” the old lady pleaded with Felipe. “He needs his asthma stuff! Carlito didn’t find it.”

Despite what everyone else seemed to be doing, Dove lowered her gun. Her right hand held rightly to the butt of the rifle as she raised her left hand to cover her mouth. Then it all clicked in her head. There was a reason they didn’t just kill them all in the alleyway. They could have easily killed her, Daryl, and Glenn and made it out with the guns with no issue. But they didn’t want to. They were more like them than Rick or any of them had realized.

“Felipe!” Guillermo shouted and it broke Dove from her train of thought. “Go take care of it! And take your grandmother with you!”

She noticed the change in the bald man’s demeanor almost instantly too as he turned to his abuela. He tried to pull her away, but the old lady wasn’t leaving that easy. “Who are those men? And that girl?” The woman squinted at them and began to walk closer. Felipe tried to plead with her in Spanish again but she didn’t listen. “Don’t you take him. Felipe’s a good boy. He have his trouble but he pull himself together. We need him here.” Dove felt herself choke up a little bit at the old woman’s pleas. She turned her head and locked eyes with T, who looked just as torn as she felt.

“Ma’am. I’m not here to arrest your grandson.” Rick tried to reason with the older woman.

“Then what do you want him for,” she questioned Rick. The sheriff struggled for a moment before Dove spoke up.

“He’s…”

“Well, you see, ma’am,” she stopped for a moment. The brunette woman turned to Rick, who just nodded his head. “Our friend went missing. We think your grandson might be able to help us find him. His name is Glenn…”

“The Asian boy,” the old woman perked up slightly. “He’s with Mr. Gilbert! Come. I show you.” She reached out her hand to Rick and he paused for a moment before taking the old woman’s wrinkled hand in his. Dove could only look on in shock as the two of them started to walk away.

Guillermo closed his eyes, clearly a little frustrated before he waved his hand. “Let em pass.” Dove didn’t wait for the others as she immediately pushed past Felipe and followed as close behind Rick as she could.

She fell back a few steps as they rounded the corner into another courtyard. “Whoa…” Dove caught the eye of Felipe as he walked past her except this time, he smiled a little and nodded his head at her. “This place is amazing.” She whispered to Daryl as she fell into step next to him.

“Better than a quarry for sure,” was the only response she got. They walked up the steps and into another building in silence. Dove peered into the first room they passed as they walked inside just as Rick was taking his hat off. Another old woman was sat on a chair in the room and she turned just as Dove peeked into the doorway. A small smile appeared on the old woman’s face as she waved a hand feebly. Dove waved back slowly as she felt a hand on her shoulder. It was T; with a slight nod, he motioned for her to keep walking.

She couldn’t help but look in every room as they passed. Her heart jumped in her chest as they finally arrived in what had to have been a cafeteria of sorts. There was a little stage in front with a group of people crowded around the front of it and in that group was “Glenn!” Dove shouted. She couldn’t hold in the excitement at seeing him alive for a second longer as she ran forward.

Glenn turned his head just in time for Dove to wrap her arms around his shoulders. “Oh my god, you’re alright!” She whispered as she tried to fight back tears. Glenn chuckled a little bit as he wrapped his arms around her.

“Yeah, I’m more worried about Mr. Gilbert right now. I’m fine,” he assured her.

Dove released Glenn from her grasp, only to place a hand on his shoulders before emotion took over her once again. She leaned forward and placed a kiss on both of his cheeks as Rick and the others approached. “I’m chaining your ass to that god damn RV when we get back, Rhee! I swear it.”

“What the hell is this,” Rick hissed.

“An asthma attack,” Glenn explained. Dove finally turned her attention to the scene in front of her. Her hands slipped into her back pockets as she observed Felipe administering the inhaler. These weren’t bad people at all.

“I though you were being eaten by dogs, man!” T-Dog snapped.

Glenn turned suddenly and all of their gazes followed his until they landed on three little dogs in a bed on the floor.

“Are those…” Daryl raised an eyebrow.

“Chihuahuas?” Dove cut him off. She was quiet for another moment before a hysterical laugh escaped her lips. “Oh Jesus Christ,” she shook her head as she covered her mouth to try to stifle another laugh.

Rick was clearly not as amused as Dove heard him speak to Guillermo, “Can I have a word with you? You’re the dumbest son of a bitch I ever met.”

Dove turned her attention back to Glenn as she pointed a finger at him. “You’re lucky we like you or I would be totally kicking your ass right now.”

Daryl shook his head in amazement as T-Dog let out a deep sigh. Rick interrupted anything either of them had to say as he called out to them from the doorway before he motioned for them to follow him.

“C’mon, Karate Kid. Say goodbye to your little friends, you’re grounded,” Dove said as she grabbed Glenn by the arm and pulled him after her. She thought she heard Daryl let out a snort of laughter.

When the six of them finally reached a more isolated room, Rick questioned Guillermo. “What about the rest of your crew?”

“The rest of the Vatos trickled in. They came in to check on their parents or grandparents, they saw how things are here. Most decided to stay,” Guillermo explained. “It’s a good thing too. We need the muscle. The people we’ve encountered since this all started? The worst kind. Plunderers. They like to take things by force.” Dove leaned back against a wall as she listened to him

“That’s not who we are.”

“How was I to know? My people got attacked and you show up with Miguel hostage. Appearances,” Guillermo shrugged.

“I guess the world changed,” T-Dog piped up from his spot on the floor.

“No, it’s the same as it ever was. The weak get taken so we do what we can here.” Guillermo shook his head.

Dove bit her lip as she shook her head. They really were more alike than Dove thought they could ever be when she first met them in the alley way.

“These people here? They all look at me now. I don’t even know why,” Guillermo said.

Dove thought for a moment before speaking. “They probably see that you’re smart. Capable. Plus, there’s no one telling them that they can’t,” she shrugged her shoulders as she ran a hand through her long hair.

Once Rick finished splitting up the guns, they were led to the door. An immense sent of relief rushed through Dove as she realized they were going back to the group. With a final goodbye, the five of them set off in silence towards the box car. It had been a long day and, surprising no one, it was Glenn who broke the silence.

“Admit it. You only came back to Atlanta for the hat,” Glenn teased Rick as Dove let out a snort of laughter.

“And you probably only wanted to come back to steal another car,” she elbowed Glenn in the side gently as she walked alongside him.

“You gave away half our guns and ammo,” Daryl growled from alongside Rick.

“Not nearly half,” Rick corrected him calmly.

“For what,” Daryl snapped back, “A bunch of old farts? How long you think they got left anyway?” Sometimes Dove just really just wanted to grab him by the hair and slam him against a car for being so ignorant.

“How long do any of us have,” Rick retorted.

“Son of a bitch.” Dove shouted as her gaze locked on where the box car should have been.

“Where the hell’s our van,” Daryl sounded dumbfounded.

“Who the hell would take it,” Glenn stared at the empty spot.

“Merle,” Rick snarled.

Dove clenched her jaw and shook her head. “If I ever see that bastard,” but she trailed off as a horrible thought entered her head at the same time Daryl spoke.

“He’s gonna be taking some vengeance back to camp,” Daryl actually sounded worried.

“Then we best get fucking walking because he’s not going to take some revenge on my sister,” Dove frowned as she began to move forward.

Rick nodded his head. “Right. Glenn?”

Glenn rubbed his face before releasing an annoyed grunt. “We can probably make it back by nightfall.”

“Let’s go!” Dove shouted as she slipped through the hole they’d cut in the gate. The only thing on her mind now was getting back to her sister before things got bad.

Dove ran behind Glenn as the thought of getting back to Carol was the only thing that kept her moving. Her legs were tired and her lungs were burning, but for the first time all day since Glenn had went missing she thought of her family. A million emotions and thoughts ran through her head as she ran. Guilt, fear, and regret were among the many. While she was happy that they were all able to return safely, she was worried about what had happened while they were gone. What if Ed had done something while she was gone? She was really going to kill him when they got back.

“We’re getting close,” Glenn spoke up as they slowed down.

Dove drew in a deep breath but any reply was lost as gun shots rang through the air. Panic shook her to the core and before anyone could stop her she screamed, “Carol!” Dove was off like a shot in the dark. Her feet carried her faster than she could ever remember running as the screams and gun shots got closer with every second. The metal from the crowbar in her hand dug into her palm as she gripped it tight.

A scream left her throat as she broke through the tree line and brought the claw end of the crowbar right down into a walker’s face. She had never killed one before but there was no time to think. The screaming kept continuing and the gun shots from Rick, Glenn, T-Dog, and Daryl rang out around her. Dove’s brain only seemed to focus on Sophia. She was screaming from somewhere up by the RV. As she looked around, she caught sight of Daryl as he slammed the butt of his gun into a walker’s head over and over.

“Carol,” Dove shouted over the chaos. “Sophia?” She shouted even louder as she saw Carl run forward and hug Rick. Finally she saw them. Carol was crouched next to her, arms protectively around Sophia. A sob escaped her as she stumbled forward towards them. It seemed like it took forever, but she collapsed next to them on her knees and wrapped her arms around both of them. “I’m sorry, I’m so sorry I wasn’t here.” The words spilled out through choked sobs as Sophia cried and wrapped both of her arms around her aunt’s waist.

Carol smoothed Dove’s hair out of her face as she stifled a sob. “We’re okay…we’re okay.” Then anything she said was cut off by Andrea’s screaming. It chilled her to the bone as Carol grabbed Dove by the arm and helped her to her feet, Sophia still clung to her waist as the three of them continued to choke back sobs.

“I remember my dream now,” Jim spoke suddenly. Dove turned her gaze from her sister to the older man. “Why I dug the holes.” Then he said nothing else. He didn’t have to because as she finally took in her surroundings, Dove could only see bodies littering the ground around them.

_____

@crossbowking

#daryl dixon #daryl dixon imagine #daryl dixon fanfic #daryl dixon fanfiction #Daryl DIxon fic #the walking dead fanfiction #the walking dead fanfic #twd fanfic #twd fanfiction #daryl x oc #daryl dixon x oc #daryl x reader #daryl dixon x reader #carol peletier #merle dixon #my writing

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btsqualityy · 4 years

Text

BTS Second Pregnancy Series #10: Third Trimester Issues

32 weeks, or 8 months, pregnant

Kim Seokjin

You opened the front door to your house and walked inside, holding the door open for Kaiden to amble in behind you.

“Is that my two favorite people?” Jin called as he walked down the stairs.

“Hi Daddy!” Kaiden shouted and once he had gotten his shoes off, he ran over to his daddy, who picked him up and gave him a tight hug.

“How was school?” Jin asked him.

“Good!” Kaiden replied.

“Do you have homework today?” Jin wondered.

“Only a little,” Kaiden pouted and Jin chuckled at him.

“Well, why don’t we go get started on it?” Jin suggested and Kaiden reluctantly nodded. Jin then looked over at you, a small smile on his face at seeing you. “How was work jagi?”

“Got a lot done today,” you told him and he nodded.

“I’m gonna go help him get started with homework and I’ll be back,” he said and you nodded, watching as he turned around and carried Kaiden upstairs to his room. After setting your purse and keys down, you kicked off your shoes and walked into the living room, plopping down on the couch once you were there. You then lifted your feet, setting them on top of the coffee table and your eyes widen when you saw how swollen your feet were.

“Alright, he’s all set with his homework,” Jin announced as he walked back down the stairs and over to the couch where you were, sitting down next to you. “I still don’t understand why they give three, almost four year olds homework.”

“It’s just tracing letters,” you giggled. “It’s just to get him used to the idea of doing homework.” Jin shrugged with a hum and his gaze fell onto your feet that were propped up, his brow furrowing when he saw how swollen they were.

“Y/N-ah,” he tsked, reaching over and grabbing the backs of your calves, making you swing them around and rest your feet in his lap. “What did I tell you about being on your feet all day?” He asked as he began to massage the soles of your feet.

“I wasn’t though,” you replied lamely, making him glare lightly at you. “I’m eight months pregnant now Jin, they’re gonna be swollen regardless of what I do.”

“But there’s no need to make it worse than need be,” he responded. “I still think that you should take your maternity leave early.”

“And you know that I didn’t want to do that yet,” you shot back.

“Y.N-ah...”

“Jin, please,” you begged and he looked up at you, his face softening when he saw your slight pout. “Just a few more weeks.”

“Alright, fine,” he relented, making you smile widely. “But I want you to rest when you come home, ok?”

“I promise,” you nodded, leaning over and kissing him softly.

Min Yoongi

“Oh my fucking god,” you muttered as you walked out of the bathroom, fresh out of the bath. Yoongi looked up from his notebook that he was writing lyrics in and he frowned when he saw the grimace on your face.

“What’s wrong Y/N-ah?” He asked.

“My back and hips are still hurting,” you whined. “I thought the warm bath would help but it didn’t.”

“You don’t think that they’re Braxton Hicks, do you?” He wondered and you shook your head.

“It feels nothing like contractions, it’s just really fucking sore,” you explained. Yoongi bit his lip as he thought for a second and you watched as a small smile spread onto his lips. “What?”

“Do you want me to massage your back and hips?” He offered and you raised an eyebrow at him. “It could be worth a try.”

“That actually doesn’t sound too bad,” you chuckled.

“Well, get over here then,” he smirked and you walked over to the bed before sitting down on the edge next to where Yoongi was sitting. He then sat up, getting onto his knees before setting his hands on your lower back and kneading the skin there.

“How’s that baby?” Yoongi wondered.

“That’s actually really fucking good,” you murmured quietly and Yoongi chuckled as he began to massage you a little harder. “I just wish that Kammie wasn’t moving down more just yet.”

“You know that just means that we don’t have much longer until she gets here,” Yoongi whispered. “You are eight months pregnant now Y/N-ah.”

“I know, but I’m tired. Hopefully, she’ll come as soon as I’m full term.”

“What if she’s overdue like baby girl was?” Yoongi wondered.

“Don’t you even speak those words into existence,” you hissed, making Yoongi laugh loudly.

Kim Namjoon

“Mommy, come on!” Mason shouted as he rushed out of the kitchen, eager to take his bath so that he could play with his toy dinosaurs in the water.

“I’m coming Myungie,” you chuckled, turning the water off on the kitchen sink and wiping down the counter one last time before walking out of the kitchen. Mason then ran up to you, grabbing your hand in his as he pulled you in the direction of the stairs.

“Mommy,” he smiled, making you laugh at how excited he was. “Faster.”

“I’m going as fast as I can Mase,” you replied, watching as Mason let go of your hand and quickly climbed the stairs. You then followed after him, quickly running up the stairs. By the time that you made it to the top, Mason had already run into the bathroom while you were breathing heavily and your heart was beating fast.

“Hey jagi,” Namjoon called as he walked out of your shared bedroom but when he saw you bent over with your hands on your knees, he rushed down the hallway and set his hand on your lower back. “Y/N-ah, what’s wrong?”

“I..took the stairs...too...fast,” you replied as you did your best to get your breathing back to normal.

“Here, deep breaths in and deep breaths out,” Namjoon told you and you nodded before doing as he said, inhaling as much as you could before slowly releasing it. “Good?” He wondered and you nodded, lifting your abdomen so that you were standing up straight again.

“I know it probably sounds stupid but I guess I just didn’t release how far along I am now,” you said and Namjoon gave you a small smile as he rubbed your lower back comfortingly.

“I get it jagi and it’s ok,” he replied. “Just be a little more careful yeah? You scared the hell out of me.”

“Sorry Joon,” you apologized, puckering your lips and a small hum escaped your throat as he kissed you softly.

“Why don’t you go lie down and I’ll go give Mase his bath?” Namjoon offered and you smiled lightly.

“That would be great,” you said.

“Then go ahead and get into bed,” he told you and with one last kiss, the two of you went your separate ways.

Jung Hoseok

“Look Mommy, watch!” Lennox shouted out as he stood at the top of the slide. Every since Hobi had confided in you about wanting to spend more time with the kids, the both of you were doing your best to do as many activities with the twins as you could before Hendrix was born. Today, the two of you decided to take them both to the park that was not far from your house.

“I’m watching baby,” you yelled back, watching with a small smile as Lennox sat down and slid down the slide.

“Did you see me Mommy?” He asked excitedly.

“I did see you,” you nodded and Lennox grinned widely before turning around to climb back onto the play-set. You looked over and saw Hobi pushing Berkeley on one of the swings and when the two of you made eye contact, he winked at you before turning his attention back to Berk. You then continued to watch Lennox, when you suddenly felt a strong headache hit you. You set the tips of your fingers on the sides of your forehead, trying to massage the pain away but it only became more intense. You almost began to feel like passing out but you suddenly felt a pair of arms wrap around your waist.

“Y/N, what is it?” Hobi asked frantically and you opened your eyes, blinking a few times because of the sunlight.

“My head,” you whispered and Hobi immediately guided you over to a bench where the two of you had left the bag that held stuff for the twins, making you sit down before he sat down next to you.

“What, it hurts?” He guessed and you nodded.

“Almost felt like I was gonna pass out,” you explained.

“Have you had any water today?” He wondered and you shook your head. He then reached into the bag, pulling out a bottle of water and handing it to you. You quickly unscrewed the cap and put the bottle to your lips, taking a large gulp of the water. “You know that you have to stay hydrated Y/N-ah.”

“I know but I forgot,” you replied once you had lowered the bottle from your mouth.

“Are you feeling a little better now?” He wondered and you nodded quickly, the headache that you had previously been feeling almost disappearing immediately.

“Thank you Hobi,” you smiled, making him do the same.

“No problem,” he shrugged. “Now, you stay here and relax and I’ll watch over the kiddos, alright?” He said and you nodded, watching as he kissed your cheek before getting up from the bench and going back over to Lennox and Berkeley.

Park Jimin

You flipped onto your back, stretching your legs out as you tried to find a more comfortable position. As you progressed further into your pregnancy, you found it harder and harder to sleep comfortably. Most nights, you ended up just giving up on sleep completely and it looked like tonight was going to be another one of those nights.

Just as you moved to sit up and get out of bed, you felt Jimin’s arm tighten around your abdomen. “What’s wrong Y/N-ah?” He muttered sleepily.

“Can’t sleep again,” you whispered back and that’s when Jimin opened his eyes. He then sat up, rubbing at his eyes for a few seconds before pushing the covers off of his body and getting up from the bed. “Where are you going?” You called after him.

“Just stay there and I’ll be right back,” he replied before walking out of the bedroom. You laid down against the pillows again, rubbing your bump softly as you felt your baby moving around a little. After about 10 minutes, Jimin walked back into the bedroom with two mugs in his hands. He placed one of them down on the nightstand next to his side of the bed before climbing onto the bed, handing you the other mug once he was settled down next to you.

“What’s this?” You wondered as you brought the cup up to your nose in order to smell it.

“Lavender tea,” he replied and you nodded before taking a small sip of it. “I know that you’ve been having some issues sleeping lately so I goggled some pregnancy safe ways that might help and lavender tea was one of the top results.”

“So you went out and bought lavender tea for me?” You finished for him and when you looked over at him, he was smiling shyly.

“Well, I wanted to help,” he shrugged. “Plus, it’s not healthy for you not to be getting any rest.”

“I know,” you nodded in agreement, taking another sip of the tea. “I really do appreciate this Jimin-ssi.”

“It’s the least that I could do,” he told you. “You have such a hard time when you’re pregnant, I want to do as much as I can to help you out.”

“And you definitely go above and beyond,” you said firmly, recognizing the tone in his voice and he nodded. The two of you then continued to drink your cups of tea, talking quietly about random things. Once you were both finished, Jimin set both mugs on the nightstand and cuddled up to you, setting his hands on your bump and rubbing softly.

“Good night jagi, I love you,” he whispered.

“Good night Jimin-ssi, I love you too,” you replied and you shut your eyes, sleep taking over you almost instantly.

Kim Taehyung

“What do you want for breakfast today Spence?” You asked her as the two of you walked down the stairs, her tiny hand in yours. Since it was a Saturday, you liked to make Spencer whatever she requested for breakfast as a way of saying ‘good job for getting through this week!’.

“Pancakes please,” she replied.

“You always want pancakes,” you chuckled as you looked down at her and she looked back up at you with the same pout that Taehyung has.

“But pancakes are good,” she said and you couldn’t help the laugh that escaped you.

“You’re right, they are pretty good,” you nodded, setting your hand on top of her head and pushing the flyaway hairs that had escaped from her ponytail away from her eyes. Once the two of you got into the kitchen, you pulled out of the ingredients to get started on the pancakes as Spencer sat at the kitchen counter and colored in one of her coloring books. As you started cooking, it didn’t take long for Taehyung to make his way down stairs.

“Mm, good morning,” his still gravelly voice greeted.

“Morning Daddy,” Spencer chirped and you glanced over your shoulder just in time to see him lay a soft kiss onto her forehead. He then walked over to you, wrapping his arms around your waist and pressing a kiss to your neck.

“Good morning,” you smiled, giggling when he brought his hands up and placed them on your bump.

“How are you feeling?” He wondered and you had to stop yourself from rolling your eyes. Since you were eight months pregnant now, Taehyung was on high alert for any sign of something wrong.

“I feel fine Tae,” you told him, flipping over the pancake in the pan in front of you. “No need to,” you tried to finish but you cut off by a wave of pain wrapping around your lower hips. You stumbled back against Taehyung, who tightened his grip on you and held you upright.

“Hey Y/N-ah, what is it?” He asked worriedly and you shook your head as you stood up straight on your own again.

“Braxton Hicks’ contraction,” you explained. “It just caught me off guard.”

“Want me to breathe with you?” He offered and you nodded, grabbing onto his outstretched hand and closing your eyes. The two of you then inhaled deeply and held it for a few seconds before releasing it.

“Mm, thanks Tae,” you murmured as you opened your eyes. “I forgot how much contractions knock me off my ass until now.”

“No need to thank me jagi and don’t worry,” he assured you. “I’ll be right here with you, through the fake contractions and the real ones, ok?” You nodded and then kissed him gently before turning back to the stove.

“My pancake!” You shrieked at seeing your now burnt pancake in the pan.

Jeon Jungkook

“Have I ever mentioned how much pregnancy annoys the absolute fuck out of me?” You said as you walked out of the bathroom and Jungkook looked up at you in surprise, his brow furrowing in confusion right afterwards.

“What’s wrong?” He asked you, watching as you walked over and sat on the edge of the bed next to him.

“I’m sick of having to pee all the damn time!” You exclaimed. “Aria has started to move down and she’s growing, meaning that she’s pressing down on my damn bladder and I hate it!”

“Y/N-ah,” Jungkook said, lifting his hand to try and stop his laugh from escaping. You caught him however, and you could tell by the way that his eyes were crinkling up that he was about to laugh.

“Oh, I’m really happy to know that my pain is funny to you,” you hissed as you smacked his thigh and he shouted in pain.

“I’m not laughing at your pain, I’m laughing at how you just said that,” he clarified, still chuckling in spite of himself. “I know it sucks Y/N-ah but you’re eight months now so you only have a little while longer to go.”

“It can’t come fast enough,” you muttered. “Don’t get me wrong, I love our babies and I wouldn’t trade them for anything in the world but carrying them sucks.”

“I know you love them Y/N-ah and it’s ok that you’re tired,” Jungkook nodded as he reached out and grabbed your hand, intertwining your fingers with his. “You’ve been doing an amazing job though, and that’s why Ava loves you so much and Aria will too.”

“You really mean that?” You questioned and Jungkook nodded.

“Of course I do,” he assured you. “Hey, want me to go pick up your favorite pocky?”

“Yes please,” you said immediately, making Jungkook laugh. He moved forward and kissed you three times, pulling back and looking at you afterwards.

“You got this, ok?” He said and you nodded with a small smile. “Now, I’ll be right back with your pocky.” He got up from the bed and after grabbing his car keys from the dresser, he walked out of the bedroom. It wasn’t until you heard the front door shut behind him that you got that familiar urge again.

“For fuck’s sake,” you groaned as you got up and walked back into the bathroom.

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