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undercoverpena · 10 months

Text

iii - just say that you need me

javier peña x f!reader | chapter three of late night texts

summary: It's the year 2000. Javi is minding his own business on the porch of his pop's ranch when a text from an unknown number vibrates his phone. The only problem is, no one knows he has a phone and no one has his number.

chapter warnings: fluff. flirting. continuous romcom vibes. an: the amount of people who look forward to tuesday's makes me grin. for those who are new, i don't have a tag list. wordcount: 2.6k.

text key: bold is you/reader | italics is javi

You should say yes more.

to you or to my pop

To your pop. I know you wouldn’t say no to me.

you sure about that

I’d bet my next paycheck on it.

for you I’ll say yes to him once

Good. Now we have that out the way answer what the worst date you’ve ever been on was

shit. going with the hard hitting questions today

Just getting you to share, open up

probably when I first came back from colombia someone from my town where I live

They a bad host, bad dinner guest? Gimme more Javi cmon. You said you’d entertain me.

baby, im trying to entertain you but you told me to stop

I said stop flirting while I’m eating and answer the question

she wouldn’t stop asking me for details on escobar

Ah. Yeah I can see how discussing that would be a mood killer.

yeah didn’t wanna go in the first place either

So if we ever meet, do not ask about your Colombian experience. Got it.

you can ask, doesn’t mean I’d tell you

Ha! Good to know. I wouldn’t though. If you wanna tell me, I think you will.

thanks, what’s yours?

Well I was stood up when we first began texting. Think that’s pretty bad, enough.

he’s an idiot because only an idiot would stand you up

You haven’t seen me, remember

statement still stands

Stop being so charming.

you still eating

No.

then I can flirt

Most of the time, he ignores the mail.

Lets it pile up on the entryway dresser until his pop makes another reference to it. Unlike his pop, he is never in a rush to open them, knowing no good comes from the contents inside.

The same people contact him. The bureau being one. Sipping his coffee as he glares at the usual federal sign on the envelope, wondering how many more times they’ll try asking him to come in for a chat.

This afternoon, though, the envelope isn’t brilliant white, but rather off-cream.

Peeling a bit, thumb digging in as he drags it across, the ripping sound filling the small space. It’s only as he opens it does he realise who it’s from.

His eyes stare at the letter, taking in the number—the one in triple digits with his phone provider logo in the top corner. The number which is making him feel sick, the more he stares at it over and over again.

“Fuck.”

Folding it, he swallows.

Shit.

Motherfucker.

He stuffs it away, tucks it under magazines and other leaflets, as though by keeping it out of sight, it’ll go away.

But it's there.

The edge of it sticking out. He even blinks, and the number is there, tattooed on the back of his eyes. Taunting him—the price of speaking to you.

It's not that Javi can't afford it. He’s had a chunk of money sitting, gaining dust, in his account since he came home. Only able to force portions on his pop as and when he felt he could get away with it.

But this was a lot. More than he’d bargained on, more than he even knew he could spend simply by replying to someone.

There's a chance your day won't be done just yet—his day beginning far earlier than yours even began—but he pulls his phone out, fingers pressing into the keys.

so apparently talking to you is costly Oh, you've had your bill. I feel I should ask whether I'm worth it?

It’s instant—the way you make the nauseous feeling vanish. How you force it to slide back to where it came from, and in its place, warmth spreads. All accompanied by a smile on his lips.

He doesn’t want to show his hand too much. Better at concealing, playing the long game when standing face to face.

This requires a skill he hasn't yet gained. Simply focusing on not sounding ridiculous, or over the top. Unnecessary. Like some of the desperate men, he's happened to arrest over the years.

Even if his chest flutters and his mind screams, of course. Wants to ask, isn't it obvious? But he chooses something easier, uncomplicated.

yes just didn’t expect it I had my phone bill the other day. I get it. did your heart fall out your ass No. But I will be eating ramen for the next month. We can stop texting so much though, if it’s costing too much. would rather my bill be double than stop talking to you You’re such a flirt.

He drains the rest of his mug, leaning back in the chair—hearing the sound of approaching boots from his Pop’s side of the house. Fingers typing, all hurried and determined

Don’t forget I’m out for drinks and a movie. I remember don’t worry

He remembers as soon as you remind him.

Realising it's the reason you're able to reply right now. You’d been telling him almost every night for the past week. All worried, as though hating the idea of breaking the nightly tradition the two of you have concocted.

In a way, Javi should have assumed the bill would be high with the number of texts the two of you have been sending. How frequent it’s been—how nice it’s been.

Nice things do usually come with a tag.

you decided on sweet or salty Verdict is still out. You sure about waiting to do the crossword? if we don’t do it tonight, we’ll do two the next day You sure? more than sure have a great time

“Y’sure you don’t fancy coming with me, Jav?”

He thinks of it, tapping his phone against his palm as he thinks of your text the other night. The one about him trying to say yes—something curling in his chest as he realises he’ll be alone, alone if he doesn’t.

A sentiment he didn’t mind on paper, but now confronted with, rather despised.

“Alright, yeah. Can—can I get changed?”

Mid-grabbing his own jacket, his Pop turns, surprise knitted into his wiry brows. “Y-yeah, sure, I’ll….”

“I’ll meet you at the truck?”

And he does. All without complaint. Plaid shirt on, a smile being forced as soon as the truck pulls off the drive. He doesn't even complain about the radio choice or the fact his Pop always takes the main roads when he could cut down the dusty roads.

When he arrives, he doesn’t mind how many hands he shakes, one after the next. He tries not to grit his teeth as each person says the usual things, they’re proud, he’s grown, when is he settling down? Each time he laughs it off. Spanish rolling from his tongue as he smiles and winks.

It’s performative.

The old version of him coming out from a hidden place.

Always there, ready, as his hand shakes another person's hand—one he’s already forgotten the name of. Someone he’s sure he’s met before, too.

It always happens. The small-town boy who took down drug cartels has become somewhat of a celebrity tale. A thing to gawk at when he visits the store. Chucho's boy who ran away to Colombia and now hides away on the ranch.

For the amount of time it's been, he'd foolishly expected it to die down—but it hasn't. Not enough, anyway.

After enough time, he excuses himself, sneaking down the corridor near the bathroom. Leaning against the wall, fingers trying to rub out a knot that hasn’t yet appeared in his skull. The one pulsing, threatening to build behind his eye.

He’s unsure what he wants to do, what he needs. Retrieving his phone, just clicking around, before finding himself on your texts—feeling better for it.

Reading them back, smirking at some, smiling wide at others. A shape forming in his head, little details he’d amassed to make up you. A person he was pretty sure meant more to him than evening company, but it seemed tricky to delve too far into it.

That is until his phone vibrated.

Just wanted to tell you I miss you. Even if that’s weird.

His fingers hover over the keys, a retort quick—there in his touch.

Slowly he presses it out, hearing the click even over the bar’s music as he double and triple taps each button he wants, until it forms what it is he thought:

not weird, you drunk I’m tipsy, not drunk. Still mean it. good cause i miss you too

you never said how the movie was

As someone who flies a lot, I shouldn’t have watched it.

that bad

Will probably have to hold the hand of my seat mate the next time work makes me fly.

I’m sure they won’t mind

Depends on the length of my nails I guess.

some people don’t mind nails clawing in certain situations

You trying to tell me you like nails down your back, Javi?

if the situation is right, yes

What about in your hair?

now who’s being a tease

I’m learning so much tonight.

and your putting images in my head

I’d love to know what I look like in it, since you haven’t seen me.

beautiful, you look beautiful

My face is burning.

your day been ok

Yeah, was fine. Work has been rough.

you want to talk about it

Not really, it’s stupid anyway. Plus, would rather do the crosswords and hang with you.

you do have two to make up to me

Best get giving me the clues then, Javi.

four letters, begins with f

Is this a Javi crossword or a real crossword

baby, cmon

Fuck?

fork

someone’s in a dirty mood

You’re such a dick. Give me a real clue.

There's not a point in time where he can track how his thoughts went from nothing to you. But, he thinks about you all the time.

Has been doing so constantly for the last two days, at least—the occasional vibrations from his phone making his lips twitch and his mind wander. Javi’s brain exploding with wonder at what your reply could say.

Sometimes, he tries not to check immediately. Test—see—how long he can go before he does. It’s not been going well.

An excitement dashing through his veins that fills his chest, warms his neck and makes a ridiculous grin appear (one he’s caught accidentally in the mirror).

The back and forth has been quicker—for as costly as it was—outside of routines and work. His fingers have even improved in the speed of tapping the same key to get one single letter.

Each text makes him feel like he learns a new nugget about you, gathering a new piece of the puzzle—an idea of you forming in front of his eyes. One he likes—craves more of—wishing for other tidbits similar to how you like coffee after breakfast, not before.

That you don’t care for birthday cake, but love cookies.

morning hermosa hope you managed to grab the coffee

He doesn’t expect to hear from you.

Remembering that your time management in the morning isn’t to be admired. You are someone who is either awake too early or too late—never in the middle.

But, when he finishes. Sweat clinging to every muscle, he’s surprised to find nothing.

Even a little disappointed.

finished up for the day, unsure whether to lounge around on the porch or push the boat out and lounge in the barn

You’ve become such a part of his day, his shoulders sink when he steps out of the shower to see nothing.

His heart slips down inside his chest, resting unsteadily on his ribs as he checks and checks. His fingers fluff his hair as he runs his fingers through it before finding a strand, twisting, and twisting.

I’m probably worrying about nothing but just let me know you’re ok

A part of him had worried this would happen.

That he would allow the attachment to grow—ropes and threads wrapping around him—and it would be taken from under his feet.

He has a history of becoming hooked—usually combining itself with his need to help, to make someone’s day better, easier.

And on paper, he knew it was odd. To care for someone he hadn’t ever even met. But he cares all the same.

Copious amounts, in fact.

Far past an, ‘I miss you’—something else entirely, not that he’d admit as much.

hermosa I’m really getting worried now

He doesn’t want to call.

Doesn’t want to invade your privacy, your space. But it’s knotting inside of him. The things he’s seen, rushing to the surface, pecking away, making him overthink.

His mind conjures ideas that you’re hurt, wounded. That you’re crying, alone. Each flash of his past has the curated blob-of-a-face he’s created for you, written over it.

His fingers twitch, hand moving to his pocket before remembering there are no cigarettes to be found there. He quit. Ages ago. Felt better for it—for the most part—until now.

Now when all he wants is to focus on the taste, the way smoke swirls with the warm Texas air—

Hey, I'm so sorry, I had a bad day. Just didn’t check my phone. shit hermosa, you scared me. almost called you. Really? yeah Would you? what call you Yeah?

[Dialing number…]

you declined I did

His heart sinks, crashes, and plummets.

Then a new vibration, one that travels down his fingers to his wrist, suddenly staring at an instruction: Give me your landline number, be cheaper. For both of us.

Glancing into the living room, he taps the number in for you. Hating each precious second he wastes by having to delete a letter that should be a number.

Pushing the chair back, hearing it screech as he hovers. Nervousness thumps through him, making him shake, vibrate.

Staring, willing the phone to ring.

Even as he tries to collect himself, his mind has already begun running away from him. Hearing his pulse thump in his ear, thump, thump—

And then it’s ringing—you’re ringing.

His voice shouts out he’ll get it as he picks up the phone from the hook.

“Javi… that you?”

Grinning, he laughs, light and airy. “Hi. Yeah, it’s me.”

Silence blankets his ears and the air, thumb circling a knot in his forehead.

Smiling, he changes the phone to his other ear. “Knew you’d sound pretty. You have a nice voice.”

“Shut up, Javi. I’ve said three words.”

“And a few more.”

He hears you suck in a breath as heat rushes to his ears, feeling the edges of his lips curl into a smile.

“You wanna talk about it or talk about something else?”

He hears you take a breath another breath. Different this time, all accompanied by a shuffling sound from your end.

“Something else. If that… that’s okay?”

“Yeah, sure. Alright, lemme… lemme think for a second—“

You clear your throat, “You have a nice voice, too, by the way.”

Pausing, he bites the inside of his cheek. “Like you imagined?”

“Better, honestly.”

“I could have called you. I have this additional thing on our plan—so my Pop could call. When I was away.”

“From when you were in Colombia?”

Rubbing the bridge of his nose, he nodded. “Yeah…”

“Well, if this conversation goes well, you may get a new number to add to your phone book.”

“That so? Who’s flirting now.”

You laugh, sweet—fluttering its gorgeous wings down the phone to his ear as he readjusts the phone.

Dropping his voice, he turns more to the walls. “So, what you wearing, baby?”

“Oh my god, Javi.”

He doesn’t even mute his laughter, just lets it flow from him—rushing through the house. Not even caring if his Pop can hear him in the next room.

"I'm wearing nothing."

"Hermosa, you tease."

You laugh, and it's different. It's rich, and makes the room glow around him, without you even being here.

"I'm not really, I'm in a baggy t-shirt."

"Not as sexy, but I'm sure I can work with it."

You snort, "Javi, stop."

He wonders if your cheeks are warm. He hopes they are.

Leaning against the wall, he smirks, if only to himself. "I like how you say my name, Hermosa."

an: thank you so much for all being wonderful, i heart you

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eggluverz · 9 months

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hello!! would like to request a modern au with blade, where he’s a idol and due to him being busy with work, he didn’t have the time to visit/spend time with the reader (can be gn! or fem!). hence, he took it upon himself to surprise his s/o

bonus points if they are in a secret relationship and let’s say the reader works as a barista, so imagine the chaos the cafe will be if they see idol! blade having a lover SHSHDHDH

take ur time to write it hehe :3

— EVERYTHING I NEED

In which you’re feeling down about not seeing your boyfriend in a few months and Blade takes time out of his busy tour schedule to surprise you.

PAIRING. idol!blade x barista!reader

WORD COUNT. 1780

GENRE. modern au, idol au, fluff

NOTE. thank u for the request !! <3 i chose gn reader btw :) this was soooo much fun to write ٩( ᐛ )و i enjoyed this sm but warning it’s so very cheesy heh if u don’t like fluffy romcom cringe look away :3 hope y’all like it xx sof

It wasn’t always easy having a long distance boyfriends of sorts. A busy long-distance boyfriend who you sometimes didn’t see in person for months on end.

You knew he was busy, but you also knew he dedicated most of his free time talking to you. The relationship was important to the both of you— There was no doubt in your mind about that. Still, there were times the sadness and loneliness crept in.

Today was one of those days.

It wasn’t a “special” day as one would say. It wasn’t your birthday. It wasn’t Blade’s birthday. And it wasn’t even an anniversary. But still, you missed him so much.

You had gone months without seeing him. Your only solace was knowing Blade has gone just as long without seeing you and missed you just as much. He has been in and out of the recording studio whenever he had time in between performances, which limited your ability to call or even text each other even more.

You were aware the life of an idol could get hectic at times, you knew that well before the two of you started dating. But at times, it took more of a toll on you than you would expect.

“What’s gotten you so down in the dumps?” The voice took you out of your negative thoughts.

You turned to look at your close friend and coworker, Serval. You sighed, thankful afternoon rush hour had just died down so only few customers were at the coffee shop. “Nothing, really. Just missing Blade.”

She patted your back sympathetically. “I can only imagine. It’s hard enough barely seeing my brother because of military service.”

“How is Gepard, by the way? I haven’t seen him in ages!”

“He’s coming back for a bit next month! We’re having a little party if you want to come,” said Serval excitedly. “But back to you and Blade. When is the last time you saw him?”

“Over two months,” you said with a pout. You knew some people in long distance relationships would view that as nothing— Some would even be grateful that a month of not seeing their partner was a long time. But that wasn’t you and you felt yourself growing more dejected each day. “We haven’t even video chatted or called for longer than ten minutes in the last few weeks.” You tried to look on the bright side. “But at least I know he’s doing what he loves. I just hope management isn’t pushing him too hard.”

“That’s a big ask for money-hungry corporations,” Serval said dryly. “Poor boy is definitely overworked. Have you seen their back to back show dates? It’s all over social media. I’m sure he’s using any possible moment he can to spend time with you without being too obvious and letting the press know about your relationship.”

You nodded, trying to cheer yourself up the moment you saw a group of customers walk in. It was the end of work hours for most office workers around here so you mentally prepared yourself to give your best customer service smile. “I know he is doing his best. I just get sad about it sometimes, but I know it’s all worth it.”

“There you go.” She smiled. “And you’ll see him in no time, I’m positive. But for now, get ready for the evening rush!”

“One step ahead of you,” you sang, already at the cash register prepared to take the orders.

As you greeted the hoard of customers and helped your coworkers make drinks if they needed extra hands, you realized the rush lasted longer than normal.

“Is today international coffee day or something?” you asked as you passed by Serval. “It’s crazy busy right now.”

She shrugged, placing two drinks down at the ready table. “Not that I’m aware of. But this has been more than a rush hour. The sun isn’t even out anymore.”

“And people are coming in without buying anything or sitting down?”

As you wondered what was going on, you heard a loud, high-pitched scream coming from outside. The sound was followed by more and more squeals of excitement.

You and Serval looked at each other.

“Speak of the devil,” she said, shaking her head with a grin. “What a grand entrance.”

All reason left your mind as you were filled with hope and joy. You looked back at Serval, asking for permission to leave the cash register.

“Go,” Serval laughed. “I’ll cover the rest of your shift.”

“Thank you! I love you!”

With a big smile on your face, you rushed out of the coffee shop and pushed through the crowd outside. Standing tall above the group of fans, Blade stood there with black sunglasses and a face mask— A poor disguise that did little to nothing to protect his identity.

You lifted your hand up and waved from the back of the crowd, unsure if he would even be able to spot you amidst all the people. You wondered, even, if you should acknowledge him like this in public. You knew the press was crazy and the fans could be even crazier. Blade’s manager thought it was for the best he keep your relationship away from public eye.

But he was right here. And you didn’t want to wait another second before running up to him and giving him the biggest hug. Still, you refrained.

You did not want to jeopardize his image, no matter how much you wanted to give him a kiss right now.

Blade looked around the crowd before his gaze landed in your general direction. He lifted his shades to expose his captivatingly red eyes. When he saw you, he gave you a crooked smile.

“There you are,” he called, his deep voice rumbling over the muffled chatter of his fans. “It’s been too long.”

He maneuvered through the crowd, ignoring all the photos his fans were taking of him. The only thing Blade was paying attention to was you. Not caring you were in front of a large crowd, Blade immediately takes you into his arms. Time stops as you feel yourself melt into his embrace. The scent of his expensive cologne filled your senses, your face warm as it laid flushed against his chest.

“I missed you,” he murmured into your hair.

“I missed you, too,” you said. “But when did you get here? I thought you were in another continent? And are we allowed to be like this in public?”

As happy as you were to be with him, you didn’t want to get him in any sort of trouble with his management company.

“I got here just a few hours ago.” Blade rubbed slow circles on your back, not releasing you from his embrace. “I have a show in two days but I needed to see you. And, yeah, I might get in trouble by management but who cares?”

You pulled back urgently, looking up at him in concern. “You should care! I don’t want you to put your career in danger.”

Blade frowned and closed to distance between the two of you once more. “Management has worked me to the bone for years, if they want me to keep working for them, then they’ll have to put up with this being public. I’m tired of hiding you.”

Your arms wrapped around him, a small giggle escaping your lips at how ridiculous this must have looked to the public. You didn’t like being in a secret relationship either. You knew it was for his work, but when you happened to watch his interviews and had to hear him lie and say he was single, it hurt your heart, just a little.

“Besides, at this point in my career, I’m sure they need me more than I need them,” he said with a cocky look on his face. Even with his mouth and nose covered by the mask, you could see it in the crinkle of his eyes.

“That’s my Bladie,” you teased, running your fingers through his tangled hair. “Mr. Popular and you know it.”

“And I also know I want to be alone with you right now,” Blade said with a smirk. “Is your shift almost over? Let’s go back home once it ends.”

“Serval said she’ll cover the rest of my shift for me. We can go home now.”

“Thank you, Serval,” he said happily. Blade held your hand as he lead you to his car. “I might have to drive a little fast to lose the fans that’ll inevitably try to follow us. Is that okay?”

You noted his mischievous smile and laughed. “If I didn’t know any better, I’d say the thought of escaping them excites you.”

“I’m a simple man.” He opened the passenger door for you and gave you a small slap on the ass as you crawled in. “Buckle up, baby.”

“I can’t believe you did that with everyone watching!” you cried as he gently shut the door. You shook your head even though you knew he couldn’t see it. “It’s a good thing I love you.”

˖⁺‧₊˚❀˚₊‧⁺˖

When you woke up the next morning, your phone was filled with texts from your friends. You opened Serval’s first.

Serval: LOL guess who’s famous now

Serval: #CoffeeShopASScape #BladieOnTheLoose ... all the trending hashtags are about you and Blade

Serval: I wish you luck LMAO

You stifled a laugh, only mildly concerned about what people had to say. As you shuffled around on the bed, Blade stirred awake. He inched closer to you and lazily draped his arm around your waist.

“G’morning,” he mumbled.

“Good morning,” you greeted, kissing his forehead. “Blade… Have you checked your phone yet?”

“Yeah, when I woke up an hour ago. My manager let me know just how much chaos I caused over voicemail. Then I decided to go back to sleep with you and deal with it later,” he said simply.

“Blade!”

He noticed the furrowed crinkle between your brows and he rubbed it away with his thumb. “Don’t worry, babe. I’ll get it all sorted out eventually. All that matters is I’m here with you right now.”

“You’re right. Let’s enjoy this before you have to go back on tour,” you said, placing your phone on your nightstand and ignoring the notifications lighting up your phone. “And if damage control is too hard to deal with, know that I’m always here for you. I’ll answer your call even if it’s in the middle of the night here.”

Blade cupped your face and softly kissed your lips. “What did I do to deserve you?”

“I ask myself the same thing,” you said with a smile. “Now, wanna get some coffee?”

#I LOVED WRITING THIS IT MAKES ME WANNA WRITE THIS FAKE DATING CELEB!BLADE X CELEB!READER AU NGL...#honkai star rail x reader #hsr x reader #honkai star rail #blade hsr #blade x reader #hsr blade #hsr fanfiction #hsr #hsr blade x reader #idol!au #hsr imagines #hsr scenarios

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asuyaka · 5 months

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Hear me out on this,

HCS for Misa and L from Death Note(separately) with a detective s/o who's like Ranpo from Bougon Stray Dogs✋

★ - eeeee!!! Deathnote req!! (๑>ᴗ<๑)!!

☆ - Misa Amane & L Lawliet x Super Detective! Reader!

She loves you so much, but goodness (!!!) your smarts are going to be the death of her (literally and figuratively)

It’s a miracle how you haven’t found out she’s the Second Kira (you have, but you’re conflicted if you should rat out your girlfriend for the sake of justice) but she’s glad!

She is so confused about your addiction to snacks because ???? why do you need that much?

She’s an idol, so she has money to back you up — not all the time, but most of the time she lets you run free. She always reminds you that too many snacks aren’t healthy, but you need snacks to function, so it goes from one ear and out the other.

She tries her best not to let you and Light meet, as much as Kira needs you dead for interefering with his plans, she can’t bring herself to give you —her boyfriend who she loves so much despite your weird snack obsession— to the man who savd her life, no matter how grateful she is for that.

"Misa....!" You groan, lying down on a couch as you watch someone put makeup on her for her next photoshoot.

You've run out of cases that interest you, you're hungry, and you need something to do other than look at your perfect, amazing, charming, beautiful, pretty, stunning, breathtaking, gorgeous, captivating, alluring, attractive girlfriend.

You watch her in the mirror as the person places lipstick on her. Her light-brown eyes catch yours as she sends you a playful wink.

...Yeah, you lied, you could definitely keep staring at her more.

Your thoughts wander to the Kira case. You've solved it already, despite the dead ends and plot twists Ligh— Kira kept throwing at you, but you can't find it in yourself to turn it in to the police.

You're smart (obviously). If you turn in Light, Misa will become a prime suspect for the Second Kira, they'll arrest her under suspicion, and she'll eventually break or Light will manipulate her situation in a way so that they'll free him and keep Misa.

You still don't know how they kill, it's one of the few plot holes that bug you at night, but you're on the track to figure that out— you hope so at least.

Misa's face is above yours, a small smile on her face as she kisses your cheek. "I'll be done soon, then we can go out, okay?"

Her smile is so warm. Even after dating for so long, it still brings butterflies in your stomach. "Yeah," you breathe out, hands squeezing Misa's slightly. "Have fun, okay? I love you."

Misa giggles—you love her laugh, it's airy and tugs a smile on your face every single damn time you hear it— squeezing your arm as she makes her way out of the room. "I love you too!"

Snack runs, snack runs, and did I already say snack runs?

The two top detectives are also lovers?? It sounds like the plot of a cheesy rom-com, but it is, in fact, the life of you and your beloved, sleep-deprived boyfriend!

You two work best when you're together. You don't even have to be touching (a lie) being in the same room working on cases is enough for the both of you.

Watari provides food (desserts and snacks, upon snacks, upon snacks) when you two are working on especially time-consuming cases.

Whenever you don't feel like working or the case you are working on doesn't interest you anymore, you cling to L's back, hide your face in the crook of his neck, and either sleep or give small feedback on the cases he works on.

The amount of money you two spend on food is not healthy, you're both very aware of that, but if you think you never gain weight so... who cares?

L has a hard time expressing his feelings, you're very aware of that, so you two have little signals whenever he wants something!

Pulling on your thumb whenever he wants a hug (he quickly discovered he adores physical touch), having Watari hand you cookies 'n creme pocky whenever he needed some form of intimate physical touch (kisses, hand holding [only when you two are alone], or particularly... engaging kisses.)

You were half-asleep, a chocolate wafer in your mouth as you lay on the floor, papers scattered around your body like faux snow.

You were bored, unbelievably so. Most of L's time was spent on the Kira case, in which he wouldn't let you participate for the sake of 'your safety' or something you didn't care enough to remember.

You think that was the first serious fight you and your boyfriend had in the three years you've been together. You didn't understand why he wouldn't let you do this, you two were great and reliable detectives.

His argument of "keeping you safe" didn't make any sense either, because if he dies because of this god-awful and annoying case, you'll end up joining the investigation anyway— by force if you have to.

The sound of a door creaking open slightly catches your attention. The pattern of bare feet coming closer to your figure as a hand gently pulls your thumb.

"I'm mad at you, you know?" You huff, eating the wafer and turning your body away from the black-haired man.

A small noise of frustration comes from behind you as L pulls on your thumb harder. "Hug."

"Go hug that Yagami boy since you like spending time with him so much." You're being petty, you know, but you can't help it.

You know L loves you, and you love him too but fuck if the Kira case situation didn't get under your skin, you'd be a liar.

A very bad one too.

The tugs get harder and there's less pause between each one. L is very persistent, you don't know why you thought he'd leave you alone after denying him the first time.

"[Name]. Hug."

A beat of silence passed as your free hand pushed past the papers of evidence for a case you were working on, trying to find a snack.

You felt a tug in your heart when L's grip slightly faltered. With a sigh, you hastily rolled over. Encasing him in your arms and rolling back the other way, the two of you finally look at one another eye to eye.

"Happy now?" You ask in feigning annoyance as you watch your boyfriend's lips slowly curl into a smile, a small dust of red tinting his pale skin.

"Very."

Sighing dramatically, you let him stay in the crook of your neck, legs intertwined as the sleep slowly falls over your body.

You can be mad at him another time.

#ᶻ 𝘇 𐰁 — ᴡʀɪᴛɪɴ' ᴍᴀɴɢᴀ #death note x male reader #death note #l x male reader #misa x male reader #x male reader #male reader #l lawliet #misa amane #008 #⋆｡𖦹 — 🇼🇦🇹🇨🇭🇮🇳❜ 🇲🇴🇻🇮🇪🇸#★: anon!#death note x reader #death note headcanons

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kscheibles · 5 months

Text

christmas break (college bf! au)

content warnings: f! reader, fluff, smut, oral sex f! receiving, gagging

word count: 2.4k

a/n: merry christmas from your sweet boyfriend who also doms you :)

You watch the minutes pass on your computer clock as you sit under the punishing fluorescent lights of the library. You’ve been done with your assignments for a half hour, but have dutifully decided to stay with Matty until he finishes researching his term paper. It’s some rumination on Sartre you don’t quite understand but you told Matty you’d keep him company and you intend to keep your word.

He’s been homesick all semester, you can just tell. He takes every opportunity to bemoan the lack of brown sauce in New England and show you photos of his family preparing for the holidays back home in Wilmslow. In an effort to make him feel better, you’d driven to a specialty food store to buy him the specific chocolates he’d been craving the most. A few weeks ago, you’d looked up flights to Manchester together, hoping that with a few tricks you’d learned from a friendly compsci acquaintance, you’d be able to score a deal. But Matty’s on work-study and can barely make enough money to cover his living expenses, let alone a transatlantic flight. It will be his first Christmas without his family, no matter how he spends it.

He slams the top of his laptop down suddenly, sighing dramatically as he does. You rub your boyfriend’s thigh in hollow reassurance.

“You ready to head up?” he asks.

You nod. “Did you finish your research?”

“Fuck the research. I can’t focus, my Adderall has worn off anyway.”

“Okay,” you acquiesce, beginning to pack your belongings into your bag. The air is thick with something unsaid. Matty would never try to make you feel bad, but your excitement for the winter holiday is not something he shares. It makes you apprehensive to broach the subject of even going on a date to the local light show. You can’t imagine that would make him feel better.

You both trudge up to your dorm, as is your ritual. Matty always follows you to your door and waits for you to take your backpack off so you can give him a proper hug before he heads home. You would sleep together if you could, but the stiff single beds you rent are hardly comfortable, let alone sexy. At your door, you set your things down and envelop Matty between cold, brittle arms, squeezing him gently so hopefully he knows you care.

“I was thinking,” you start, pulling away to look in his eyes, “We have room for a guest at my house. I think my parents would be okay with you staying over the holidays as long as you take the spare bedroom. Would you like that? I know it’s not home home and my parents will definitely try to suss you out, but there will be warm food and Christmas traditions and–”

Matty cuts you off with a soft kiss on your lips. “I’d love to stay with your family, babe.”

Your face breaks into a grin. You nod slowly.

“Okay. Okay, then it’s decided. I’ll get them to cave.”

“My little meddler,” Matty beams, ruffling your hair. You catch his hands and move them off, smoothing your hair down.

“I’m their only daughter and they haven’t seen me in months,” you shrug.

“I love you,” he says, seriously.

You fall into his chest and smile, “I love you, too.”

It feels weird dragging your carry-on luggage up the pathway to the home that used to be yours. You have Matty in tow whereas the last time you lived here, you had never met him before. You’re transformed, yet when you put your key in the lock and step across the threshold, you feel like the same girl who lived there for eighteen years. You feel like a child again somehow.

“Mom, Dad! Matty and I are here!” you shout out. Your mom comes scurrying from the kitchen.

“Hi, how are you?” she asks you as she pulls you into a hug, rubbing your shoulders, “I thought you were supposed to have stopped growing. Harold, get in here, she’s grown three inches!”

You shake your head, chuckling. Your mom opens her arms warmly and holds Matty in a welcome hug.

“I’m Carol, nice to meet you,” she says.

Matty introduces himself as your dad shuffles into the entryway.

“Ah, there she is! I had a work call that ran long, shutting down for the holidays it can be a lot,” he leans down to hug you, “We missed you.”

“I missed you, too,” you sigh, “Especially missed your cooking.”

“Speaking of, I’m making Papa’s chicken tonight!” your dad exclaims, “Matty, I hope you aren’t a picky eater because we’ve planned a whole spread to welcome our girl back.” Your dad reaches out, offering his hand to Matty as he speaks.

“Not at all, sir,” Matty replies.

“Good then,” your dad states, “Why don’t I show you to your room, Matty? Let our girl get settled.”

You give Matty an apologetic look and head over towards the opposite side of the house and to your old room. It’s been preserved in its perfect adolescent state of whimsy, but something isn’t right. It's weird that it used to hold all of your clothes, all the evidence of your accomplishments, all your turbulent, hormonal emotions and now it’s like a movie set or a museum exhibit. Or an archeological site. Your bed is made with a childhood favorite stuffed animal in the middle against the pillows. You pick her up and give her a quick hug, she smells like home. You used to not be able to smell it because you smelled like home, too.

You take care unpacking your clothes, meticulously folding your sweaters and jeans, and placing them in your dresser. You open the windows to rid the place of the smell of nostalgia and then head back to the kitchen nook, where Matty is talking to your mom. You put on a brave face and massage Matty’s shoulders sweetly before sitting down with them.

When everyone’s departed to their separate rooms at night, you take an extra-long time doing your evening routine. You press each serum and treatment into your skin extra carefully and brush each tooth individually. When you’re sure your parents will have fallen asleep, you tiptoe to the other side of the house and open Matty’s door. He’s tucked into bed, back against the pillows, and phone in his hand. It almost flies out when he recognizes you in the doorframe.

“Fuckin’ hell! Thought you were the grim reaper,” Matty whisper-shouts as you make your way to the bed and tuck yourself in next to him. His arm pulls you close to him on instinct.

“You alright?” he asks.

“Yeah, just missed you,” you whisper.

“Awwwwww,” he pouts condescendingly, “Well, I’d love to have you stay, but your dad might actually take me outside and shoot me if he found you in here.”

“Oh god, did he give you the talk?”

“Just a little, don’t worry about me,” he consoles, “I kind of respect it anyways. I’m sure I’ll be the same with our daughter one day.”

“Our daughter?” you ask, looking up at his eyes.

“Too much? My daughter then. I dunno I just… I get the protective instinct.”

“It’s not too much,” you tell him, leaning over him to kiss him on the lips, “Very cute and very appreciated.”

Matty smiles into your mouth and you move to sit on his lap, straddling him comfortably.

“Well I really like your dad, too,” he says.

“Yeah?”

“Yeah, he really loves you,” Matty states, rubbing circles onto your hip, “You can tell that everything he does is for you.” You get shy at that.

“It’s fine, you can call me spoiled.”

“Not spoiled if you deserve it,” he says.

“I want you to spoil me,” you say into his ear, “Need you, baby.”

“Baby, I can’t, Harold will have my fuckin’ balls.” You giggle in response.

“Will you just put it in, then? I’ll be so quiet, I promise,” you plead. You see a familiar glint in his eyes and feel him hardening under you.

“One sound and I take it out, you understand?” he tuts.

You nod eagerly. “I understand.” You move his pajama pants down and take yours off, moving your panties to the side as you sink down onto him. You breathe wildly for a moment when you’ve taken him all the way. Your world is spinning.

“You okay?” he asks. You nod, “C’mere.”

You fall into his chest, totally content, and start kissing his bare collarbone. You lay the side of your head on his shoulder and try to catch his eyes. He leans down and nips at your earlobe.

“Bein’ so good for me, baby,” the praise makes you squirm and you clench around him repeatedly, looking for some relief. “I can feel that,” he teases. You pout in response. Matty’s hands reach for the hem of your oversized nightshirt and lift it over your head, revealing your naked breasts to the cold night air. His hands cover them instantly and his head ducks down to take one of your nipples into his mouth.

“Matty,” you warn. He responds by lapping his tongue all over you, sucking you more insistently. He bites gently at the sensitive bud, and you whine loudly, involuntarily.

“Shhhhh,” Matty tsks, looking up at you, “You don’t want me to stop do you?”

You shake your head back and forth so quickly you think it might fall off. Then it tips back; you look at the ceiling fan hoping the sight will ground you but it doesn’t. Your body is filled with pleasure and you have no outlet.

“Matty, can I move? Please? I promise I’ll still be quiet.” Matty huffs frustratedly and lifts you off of him harshly. You look at him sadly while he gets up to get out of bed. You reach for his hand as he does, feeling as though you might cry if he leaves you hanging.

“Please, Matty, I didn’t know that talking counted. I need you!” you say as loudly as you comfortably can. His hand slips out of yours as he heads towards the closet and kneels down to rummage through his luggage, leaving you dripping on his sheets. When he turns around, he has a tie in his hands.

“What’s that for?” you ask.

“Well I was gonna take you to a nice dinner while we were here,” he says playfully, “But now…” He taps your bottom lip, a command to open your mouth. When you do, he places the silky fabric on your tongue, looking into your eyes for permission as he ties a snug knot at the back of your head. “Need to shut you up if I’m gonna give you what you want. Would you like that? Gonna be a good girl and take it nice and quiet?”

You nod, drool already pooling in your mouth, soaking through the tie. Matty pushes you down so you’re flat on your back. You make grabby hands at him as soon as you’re down, still trying to be good. He smiles good-naturedly and takes his pants all the way off before moving on to you, removing your last stitch of clothing: a heart-printed pair of cotton underwear you’ve probably had since high school. He kneels before you – knowing he’s being watched closely – and slowly brings his mouth down between your legs, breathing all over you before licking a broad stripe up your soaking cunt. You gasp, trying to stay as quiet as possible as he starts to fuck you with his tongue; filling you and leaving you again. You grab his hair and try to maneuver him a bit higher to your clit.

Matty takes the hint and starts working on you there, switching between flicking his tongue up and down and sucking at you. You can feel the pressure in your body building and you accidentally let out a moan. Matty stops for a second, looking up at you. You realize what you’ve done too late, slapping a hand to your mouth. Matty chuckles a little before leaning down again, thrusting two fingers into you.

“Keep that hand over your mouth, okay, baby?” You nod, delirious from lack and need and anticipation. Matty’s mouth finds your clit once more, licking side to side and keeping in rhythm with his hand fucking in and out of you. You can feel your moans trying to escape on your hand as you begin to buck your hips in time with Matty’s assault on your pussy. You tug on his hair a little to catch his eyes and nod, silently communicating to him. Then he’s sucking on your clit and you’re a goner. You burst into flames as you cum, clenching his fingers as he works you through it until the pleasure feels like pain. You remove your hand from your mouth and gasp, pulling your boyfriend away from your tortured cunt.

Matty kneels over you a second later, untying the gag, wiping your mouth gently, and pressing a kiss to your lips.

“Thought you were gonna fuck me,” you say playfully.

“Greedy, greedy.”

“Not greedy, I just want you to feel good,” you tell him earnestly. Matty lifts the tie up so you can see the wet spot you left on it.

“I’m gonna use this when you go to sleep don’t worry about me.”

“But I’m here now.”

“I know but I’m really quite scared of your dad,” he laughs a little as he says it, but you believe him.

“Okay,” you kiss him hard and long, “Goodnight.”

“G’night, baby.”

On Christmas morning, Matty knocks on your door before going to the living room. You beckon him in to sit on your bed, careful to leave the door open in case your parents wake up. You give him a quick kiss and then turn around to grab something from your dresser.

“Close your eyes,” you tell him. Matty looks at you questioning but finally gives in. You place the item on his legs and indicate for him to look.

On his lap is a set of pajamas, matching ones that your whole family wears.

“My mom gets them for all of us every Christmas, you don’t want to be caught without,” Matty is quiet, “Do you not like them?”

“I love them,” he says, pulling you into a hug, “I’m so grateful to your family for taking me in this Christmas. I felt like a bit of an orphan, to be honest.”

You hold his face in your hands.

“You always have a place here, okay?”

“Okay,” he smiles shyly.

“Merry Christmas, baby.”

#matty healy fanfic #matty healy x reader #matty healy x y/n #matty healy fluff #matty healy fanfiction #matty Healy #matty healy smut

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estrellami-1 · 6 months

Text

If I Should Stay

Just a friendly reminder that I missed the last post so I’m posting part 26 and part 27 on the same day, so make sure to go back and read 26 if you haven’t already! ❤️

Part 1 | . . . | Part 26 | Part 27 | Part 28

Eddie doesn’t laugh the way Steve thinks he would. Instead, he frowns slightly. “Should be careful,” he mumbles. “Some dealers don’t care what they give you, long as they get their money.”

Steve hums in response. “Well, I won’t have to worry about that now, right?” He shifts on the roof, laying down to look up at the stars. Feels, more than sees, Eddie do the same. “You’re staying.”

“That I am,” Eddie replies, sighing as he looks at the stars. “Wish we could see ‘em all.”

Steve glances over, and Eddie lifts a hand, waves it lazily at the sky. “The stars. Can’t see but half of ‘em cause of all the lights. But they’re so pretty. So bright. Almost enough to make me want to brave my dad again.”

Steve hums. “He’s still alive?”

“Yeah. ‘S he not? In four years?”

“I dunno exactly. Just… the way you phrased things made it sound like he wasn’t.”

“Well, hell,” Eddie laughs, raising the blunt like it’s a glass. “I’ll drink to that.”

Steve snorts and knocks his knuckles against Eddie’s, accepting the joint again after Eddie takes a drag. “So,” Eddie says, rolling over to lay on his front, propping himself up on his elbows. “Tell me the Steve Harrington hierarchy for dates. What comes first?”

Steve chuckles. “Why?” He asks, then answers regardless. “First date is getting to know each other, y’know? If you run out of things to say twenty minutes into it, how the hell’re you supposed to make a relationship work, right? So first date is making sure you’re…” he waves a hand around, looking for the right word. “Like… making sure you match.”

“Compatible?” Eddie suggests, and Steve snaps at him.

“Compatible, that’s it, yeah. Making sure you’re compatible. Second date’s for making sure you’re serious about it, making sure there’s still more to talk about, that you’re not gonna end up staring awkwardly at each other twenty minutes into that date because maybe you’re compatible enough for one date, but not really two, right?”

“So every subsequent date is just making sure you’re compatible.”

“I guess, yeah. Except when you know you are compatible, then you show ‘em who you really are. You put away your nice shirts and start getting out the everyday ones. The dates aren’t as planned out because they don’t need to be, because you already have fun together. Maybe you go to the arcade and you don’t let ‘em win. Or not as easy, at least. I’m still terrible at bowling. I don’t think there’s any hope for me.” He shakes his head with a chuckle.

Eddie raises a brow. “You’re telling me there’s a sport in which you don’t excel? This I have to see.”

Steve laughs and nudges his shoulder. “Man, shuddup.”

“No, but seriously,” Eddie says, and he sounds serious, so Steve drops his smile and listens. “If… if I were to go on a date, on a few dates, with a guy, maybe someone like you, and it’s going well, and we get to that point… I could imagine us doing pretty much exactly this.”

“Getting high on a roof?”

“Spending time together,” Eddie says quietly. “No expectations.”

“Oh,” Steve says quietly, sure his cheeks are scarlet.

“And,” Eddie says even quieter, practically a whisper, “I maybe wouldn’t mind trying with you.”

“As excited as that makes me,” Steve says, “and trust me, I’m pretty damn excited, I can’t help but think maybe we should wait until we’re past the end of the world.”

“Sure,” Eddie says, and brushes his knuckles against Steve’s. They both watch the movement. “Figure I’ve waited this long, what’s a little bit longer, right?”

“Yeah,” Steve murmurs, pressing his thumb to one of Eddie’s knuckles. Wishes he was pressing his lips to that knuckle instead.

He suddenly sighs. “It’s not just gonna be a week or two, y’know. It’s… when this is over, we can’t stay. Robin and I, we’ve gotta go back to the future.”

“Well, sure, but there’s some version of you that’s gonna stay, right?”

“And if that version of me doesn’t know that any of this happened? ‘M still an asshole, Eddie.”

Eddie grins and rolls over until they’re face-to-face. “I don’t think you’re capable of not being bitchy,” he says, laughing when Steve good-naturedly shoves his face away. “No, but hey,” he says quieter, more serious. “The Harrington Charm might be legendary, but us Munsons got a few tricks up our sleeves too, m’kay? If I have to win you back, I’ll do it. Or could you write yourself a note, maybe? Alli’s staying, she could give it to you. You could write to ask any one of us about it, and we’d tell you.”

Steve hums. “How do you do that?”

Eddie blinks. “Do what?”

“Make me feel like everything’s gonna be alright.”

Eddie blushes, but doesn’t answer, just offers Steve the joint again.

Permanent Taglist: @justforthedead89 @ilovecupcakesandtea @madigoround @bookbinderbitch @suddenlyinlove @nburkhardt @artiststarme @paintsplatteredandimperfect @i-less-than-three-you @alyelf @quarble @messrs-weasley @littlewildflowerkitten @vankaar @starman-jpg @bornonthesavage @steddie-there @goodolefashionedloverboi @andienotannie @cinnamon-mushroomabomination @platinum-sunset @just-ladyme @steddiestains @swimmingbirdrunningrock @imhereforthelolzdontyellatme @martinskis-lydias @notaqueenakhaleesi @sleepyboosstuff @bestwifehaver @m-owo-n @thatonebadideapanda @finalmoondragon @velocitytimes2 @callmeanythjing @ajeff855 @ilikeititspretty @knitsforthetrail @sillysparrow @that-one-corvid @ace-is-bored @muricel @harpymoth @weirdandabsurd42

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#stranger things #if I should stay #steve harrington #eddie munson #eventual steddie #as I said before we’re SO CLOSE y’all #I can TASTE it #also this is gonna be well over 30 parts. you’ve been warned #fix it fic #time travel #time travel fix it #starambles

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smileypansy · 8 months

Text

let them nap / l.mk

pairing: mark x female!reader

synopsis: your boyfriend, Mark (and the rest of NCT) are all severely overworked, and the company does not seem to care. so you take things into your own hands

word count: 1.2k

a/n: this is an excuse to write down everything I would like to tell sm. f u sm <3 also the ceo does not get to have a name

You have been dating Mark for a year. Over the past year, you have been spending a lot more time around the SM building, usually watching rehearsals or just in Mark’s studio as he works.

It’s no secret that NCT, and especially Mark, are overworked. Czennies have been pointing that out for years, and the company has done nothing but add on to their busy schedules.

Since you started dating Mark, you have made it your mission to make sure he sleeps and eats enough, which is way harder than it sounds. Getting that man to take a break is borderline impossible. He would never take a break while they were still in the middle of working, and there was no gap in their schedule for the foreseeable future.

Which is what led you to your current situation.

Sitting in the small waiting area outside of the CEO’s office. Ready to give him a piece of your mind. But keeping yourself calm enough to rationally explain your concerns about your friends.

Of course there was a part of you that was very nervous about this whole “confrontation”, but the other part knew that he couldn’t do anything to you. He had no control over you or your life so you were safe. And he wouldn’t punish Mark for anything you said because, frankly, he makes the company a shit-ton of money.

So many thoughts were running through your head that you almost didn’t notice the secretary standing directly in front of you.

“You can go in now.”

“Thank you,” and you made your way into the office. And it all suddenly felt way more real.

The CEO is sitting at his desk, an entire wall of windows behind him. He is sitting with his hands folded on top of his lap, overlooking his very large and quite empty office.

“Y/N. It’s nice to see you.” “You too, sir,” you said, sitting in a chair opposite him.

“So, to what do I owe the pleasure?”

You awkwardly clear your throat. Now, actually being here, you are very unsure how to start this conversation.

“They need a break,” you suddenly blurt out, shocking yourself as well as the CEO.

He leans forward, across the desk, making direct eye contact with you, that you are determined to hold.

“What?”

“They need a break,” you said, more sure. More steady. “NCT. They haven’t had a break in so long. They are just doing comeback after comeback. Tour after tour. Promotions after promotions. While still doing rehearsals. And recordings. And other projects. And doing that for multiple sub -units? Or solo? It’s too much. They're all overworked and exhausted. Everyone can see it. I can. I know you can. The fans can. And they have told you as much. And you have consistently ignored that. The members would never tell you this but they need some time off. So if me coming here is what it takes for you to understand then well, here I am. They all really need a nap,” You let out a deep breath after your ranting, now noticing how loud you had gotten towards the end. “Sorry,” you said, regaining your composure.

“What for?”

“Yelling.”

The CEO settled back in his chair. Sighing deeply, staring at you. “I appreciate your honesty. And I will take your concerns into consideration.”

“Thank you for your time,” you said, getting up, giving a quick bow, and leaving.

What were the odds of him actually taking what you said into consideration? It honestly seemed unlikely. But at least you tried, right?

While you were in the building, you figured you could at least pop in to see Mark.

NCT 2023 rehearsals were in full swing, so walking into the rehearsal room, you were met with a chorus of “Y/N!” coming from every member. While you made your rounds, saying hello to everyone, Mark was just sitting in the corner watching with a fond smile. Watching you interact with his members always made him feel so happy. Knowing that all the most important people in his life were all friends was his favorite feeling in the world. (Well, maybe second favorite ;))

Your eyes finally met his and you sat beside him, hugging him tight, instinctively burying your face in his neck.

“Hey, baby,” he said. You could feel him smiling from where his cheek was placed against the top of his head. “How’s my girl today? I didn’t know you were visiting.”

“I missed you,” you said, still buried into his shoulder. You didn’t tell him about the meeting, and you had no intention to. It just felt unnecessary to get his hopes up when they would probably be crushed anyways.

You two stayed cuddled up against each other for the remainder of their short break from rehearsal.

“Hey lovebirds, you’re cute and everything, but we need to practice now,” Johnny said.

“You know you’re jealous, dude,” Mark retorted. Johnny’s face twisted in a weird way that showed Mark was right.

“Whatever. Let's just go.”

“You’ll wait for me, baby?” “Of course.”

About an hour later, rehearsal was over and the members were packing up getting ready to leave. Mark was standing next to you, deciding what your plans for the evening would be, when the CEO walked in.

“Oh! Hello, sir,” Taeyong said, bowing and getting everyone’s attention. And there was a chorus of “hello”s and bows.

“Hello, boys,” he said, making sure he had everyone’s attention. “I would like to talk to you all about something,” he was met with confused looks and some muttering. “It has come to my attention that you all haven’t had an adequate break in quite a while,” he purposefully avoided meeting your eyes. “So, after some consideration, you will all have 2 full months off after current promotions end. There will be no new comebacks, no new concerts, no other projects. You all deserve some time off after all the hard work you’ve put in for years now. And I’m sorry it took so long for me to give this to you.”

“Thank you so much, sir,” Taeyong said, prompting another round of bows from the members.

With that, the CEO left the room and the members started to talk excitedly about what they would do with their time off. Mostly talks of visiting family and finally getting the sleep they’ve missed out on.

Mark had stayed quiet, watching your face. He sat back down next to you.

“I’m assuming you had something to do with this?” he said, laughing at your shocked face. “Oh come on, I know my girl better than you give me credit for.”

“Fine. I did. And just so you know, you will be taking this time off. And I will be making sure that you are not working. Are we clear?”

“Yes, maam,” he said. After a bit of watching the other members joke around with each other, he leaned back in to whisper in your ear, “I have an idea or two of something we can do with the time off,” he wiggled his eyebrows for emphasis.

“I might be open to your ideas. But first, you will be taking a nap. A very long nap.”

The pure love and adoration for you was clear on his face. “Thank you.” “For what?” “For caring. For fighting. For loving me.”

“Gross. You sap.” “I love you, my pretty girl.”

“I love you too, baby.”

#nct #nct 127 #nct dream #mark lee #mark lee fic #mark lee x reader #mark lee imagines #nct fic #nct imagines

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plus-size-reader · 1 year

Text

Dating Bruce Wayne HC

~Bruce is an easy person to be with romantically

~So long as you’re a fan of awkward glances and late nights

~Bruce Wayne is a night owl and doesn’t actually make it to bed a lot of the time, so get used to cold sheets and early breakfasts

~A ton of really uncomfortable eye contact, because expressing his feelings is hard for Bruce and sometimes he just can’t express what he’s going through to you. It’s easier to just hope you get him well enough to work it out for yourself.

~Staunchly protective. Bruce has seen the underbelly of his fair city and as much as he adores it, he wouldn’t trust it with his most prized possession.

~Lots of little touches

~Bruce always has some kind of contact with you, whether it’s a hand on your lower back while you’re walking through a crowd or reassuring squeezes to your hands or shoulders as he passes.

~That being said, he isn’t “touchy” in any way. He doesn’t touch you just for the sake of it, every touch is deliberate and intentional.

~Bruce also isn’t particularly vocal if he can help it.

~After a while of being together, you just get to know all his little tells and actions that give away far more about how he’s feeling than he’d ever actually tell you.

~He’s careful, and guarded to a fault so don’t expect getting him to open up to you to be easy.

~Constantly getting dragged to galas and events, partially because it’s good for the heir to the Wayne empire to be seen out and about with you on his arm and partially because he simply can’t survive them on his own

~Bruce’s love language is absolutely gift giving, not because of the sheer amounts of money he has but because it was his fathers love language.

~He grew up watching Thomas shower Martha in just about everything she could have ever wanted, and that’s how he sees love. More than anything, he wants you to know that he loves you the same way his father loved his mother.

~Little black smudges all over your pillows and towels from all the eye makeup

~He’s a little (a lot) moody

~Bruce gets grumpy a lot and would probably get snippy sometimes if he’s too tired or hasn’t eaten in a while but eventually, you get good at not paying that too much mind.

~He’s covered in bruises, cuts and scars. Most of them you don’t take care of for him, but one occasion, he’s let you check them out just to make yourself feel better

~Having dinner together, at his favorite place, on the same night every single week…as long as he isn’t busy wearing his mask and saving the soul of Gotham city

~Constant check ins from Alfred, who grows just as protective over you as Bruce is.

~It’s important to remember that Bruce grew up richy rich and high society so sometimes he gets a little snobby. He likes expensive wine and the kind of classical music that blends into the background of a room.

~If you didn’t grow up like he did, he’s going to be a little out of touch.

~”You can’t just drop that much money out of nowhere”

~”I don’t know. Not everybody was a boy billionaire”

~Dating Bruce Wayne and dating Batman are two different things but somehow, you manage to juggle the two without issue.

~Absolutely loves to rest his head against your middle, especially if he’s getting overwhelmed. He loves to just pull you into him wherever he’s sitting and hide away in you for a while.

~Small surprises all the time. You haven’t actually woken up without a pastry from that little french bakery you love or a cup of hot coffee since you moved into Wayne Manor.

~Forehead kisses

~Bruce is sensitive to bright light, which you adjust too quickly, which means a lot of candle lit dinners and nights spend in front of the roaring fireplace in your pajamas

~This man is a fantastic boyfriend. He’s absolutely on top of everything. Sometimes, he forgets his own appointments and things like that but never yours.

~That’s the deal. Alfred takes care of Bruce, and in turn, Bruce takes care of you.

484 notes · View notes

fragileruns · 9 months

Note

welcome backk !!

request for tasm!peter - peter would always blow off reader on dates because he's busy fighting crime and stuff like that, and reader has always been patient with him and understanding until she finally had enough. peter went to her apartment without thinking ( so he was still wearing the suit ) because he wanted to make up with reader right away and then he reveals his identity to her and they make up ( can end with smut )

i am terrible at making requests, and sorry if it would be hard to understand T T

anywaysss happy that you're back :D take caree

sorry this request took so long, lovely! i hope you enjoy! sorry for not including any smut, i’m just not the best at writing it yet.

summary: peter’s been showing up late, or not at all, for all your dates recently and you’re upset, until you find out why.

content warnings: fluff mainly, very slight angst, peter being a stressed baby, gn!reader (i think, let me know if not!), not proofread

The first time it happened was a study date. You had been struggling to grasp the new topic that had been introduced in your mathematics class and Peter, being the braniac he was, had been quick to offer to tutor you. He was supposed to come over that Friday night and have a movie night, after you finished studying. You gave him the benefit of the doubt, that maybe he was just running late or had an emergency, but then the hours creeped on and he still never showed. He apologized the next day, claiming May needed help with something and he couldn’t get away (apparently, this ‘something’ had kept him from messaging you that he wouldn’t come, as well, but you decided not to bring that up).

The next time was a bit more annoying. It was date night. You and Peter always set aside at least one day every week to be ‘date night.’ It usually just consisted of take out food and really cheesy movies, but it was nice to be able to spend time together, especially when classes filled up most of your schedules. You had a stressful week, with exams coming up and final projects being due, and you had been looking forward to spending a night with your boyfriend. He always knew how to put you at ease. You waited up for him for hours, but he never showed, again. At least this time he did text you, even though it was nearing midnight and it only read ‘I’m so sorry, this huge emergency came up. I’ll make it up to you with an icecream date tomorrow???’

The cycle continued on. He kept missing minor dates, sometimes showing up hours late or texting you that something came up, and other times just going radio silent until the next day. And you had forgiven him everytime, but he could tell you were getting annoyed and feeling rejected. Rightfully so. He knew he had to make it up to you, somehow, and his best plan of action was to scrape together whatever money he could and find the fanciest restaurant nearby (which wasn’t as fancy as he’d have liked, but it had foods he had never heard of, so he figured it was good enough).

“Okay, listen, I know I’ve been really, really bad at showing up to our dates on time, as in, I haven’t been,” he had started one night, coming into your apartment after one of his classes. You were sitting on the couch, surfing through movies to find something to watch, and he walked over to plop down next to you. “And I know you’ve been stressed with exams, and I just… I want to make it up to you and tell you I’m proud of you for getting through them. So, I made us a reservation at that fancy place - the italian one, down the road? Anyway, it’s for Saturday at 7, and if you don’t totally hate me, I thought it’d be nice.”

You glanced over him, furrowed eyebrows and with only a hint of hope. It was hard to keep believing he’d show up whenever he had missed so many. “I don’t hate you. I just… are you sure you’re gonna show up? I’m really tired of embarrassing myself by just waiting around,” you admitted with a doubtful sigh, and Peter’s heart nearly broke. He felt even worse for missing everything, and he wished more than anything that he could just tell you why.

“Hey, I swear, okay? I — I’m really sorry for missing any of our dates, and I’m sorry you felt embarrassed. But, the only way I don’t show up for this one is if I’m dying in a hospital somewhere, alright?” He rushed to reassure you, hand reaching out to cup your cheek and keep your attention on him. Seeing his puppy dog eyes made you give in quicker than you would have liked to, and you just nodded with a small ‘okay’ to agree. He grinned, leaning in to give you a sweet kiss, before turning back to the TV, decidedly picking some action movie that he thought you’d like.

Saturday came around, and you hated to say it, but you were excited. You had dressed nicely, taking over an hour to get ready just to make sure you looked perfect. You even arrived at the restaurant a few minutes early, waiting outside for Peter to show. He ended up texting you that he’d be running a few minutes late and asked that you went ahead to claim your seats, told you he’d still be there shortly. You lost some hope, but still trusted he’d keep his word and went in to sit down.

By 7:30, most of that trust had died and you apologized to the waiter for wasting so much of her time, but you were sure your date would show. She gave you a sympathetic smile that made you want to curl up and die as you ate your complimentary bread.

By 7:45, you had already send Peter a string of texts, letting him know you were about to leave and would talk to him later. You still hoped he’d respond though, but no luck.

Finally, by 8:00, you had given up all hope and just left, apologizing again to the waiters as you hurried out, eager to get away from the stares. You stopped by a small pizza place on your way back, starving as you hadn’t ate since before noon that day, scarfing down the slice before going to your house. Part of you worried that Peter was, in fact, dying in a hospital somewhere and that was why he didn’t show, though you knew that wasn’t why. Knew he just got caught up with something else, like always.

Peter stared down at his phone, mask held in his other hand as he frowned at your string of texts, all consisting of things like ‘this is humiliating, are you showing up??’ and ‘you promised you’d show.’ He felt that deep pit of guilt, and he didn’t think before swinging to your home, only wanting to make things up to you. Only wanting to make things better before you finally just gave up and broke things off with him. He wasn’t at all focused on the fact that he was wearing his tight suit, mask in his mouth now, identity fully revealed if anyone squinted enough.

His heart was beating a mile a minute, but not because of the adrenaline of the fight or the feeling of whipping through the air. Because he could only imagine how upset and angry you must feel right now, and he felt awful for being the cause of it.

He got to your house in less than half the time it would usually take, moving as quickly as possible, tapping on your bedroom window as soon as he spotted you in bed. You had rolled over at the noise, eyes squinting to see what was going on at first before you spotted him. He noticed the split second of anger that came across your features, but it was quickly replaced with wide eyes as you rushed to let him in. He glanced behind him to make sure nobody was about to throw something at him.

“Peter, you’re —” you had started once you pulled the window up, but you didn’t have time to continue before he started rushing to apologize.

“I’m sosososo sorry, I know I promised and I don’t have a good excuse, and I know you must be so upset right now,” he started, his own eyes wide as he climbed in, hands immediately finding your waist to stand you in front of him, ignoring your own shocked look and attempt at getting words out. “Tell me how to make it up to you, I’ll do anything, I swear. Seriously, Do you want a puppy? A cat? A — a lion? Anything?” He was practically begging.

“Spiderman,” You had responded. His eyebrows furrowed, hands dropping from your waist as he took in what he thought was your request.

“You want — you want Spiderman? Like, a cutout? That’s… okay, I didn’t know you were that big of a fan.”

“No, Peter, you’re… you’re Spiderman,” you stated and he was more confused than ever, but then your hands reached out to grab the mask that had dropped to the floor, and everything clicked together. He had never changed.

“Oh, that — um, I was at a costume party,” he attempted to lie, and it was clear on your face that you weren’t falling for his bluff. “Okay, yes. I’m Spiderman. That’s… sort of why I’ve been so late to everything.”

“Why didn’t you just tell me? Did you not trust me?”

“No. No! That’s not it at all. I just — it’s dangerous. For you to know anything. For you to even be with me, but I’m too selfish to end things. I just didn’t want someone coming after you just because you knew my identity,” he admitted with a frown, upset that you were now in harms way just because of his own stupidity.

“You’ve been doing this alone? You haven’t had any help?”

“What?” He questioned, looking at you as if you had asked the most absurd question possible. You were worried about his help when he had just missed his probably fifth date in a row? And put you in danger? “Um, yeah, I’ve been doing it alone. Look, I’m really sorry about tonight, and I promise —”

“Peter. It’s fine, I’m not mad. Anymore. I just can’t believe you hid this from me. I could’ve helped you, you know?” You cut him off, reaching out to rub your hand over a bruise forming near his eye. He hadn’t really noticed it from the fight, used to being punched around and overly focused on trying to get home to you.

His eyes were wide and filled with both worry and guilt. Guilt over missing tonight. Worry because he had no idea what was going to happen now, because it was about to become ten times harder to keep you safe. If anyone found out you knew his identity, they’d come for you, and Peter really didn’t know how to deal with that.

“I’m sorry. It’s just… I was scared something would happen to you. I can’t lose you,” he admitted, his voice small, and your heart broke.

“You won’t, okay? Nothing’s gonna happen to me, I’m here. But I wish you would’ve told me, I hate thinking about you out there, getting hurt. Not having anyone to patch you up. Is that why you’d wear hoodies so often?”

“Yeah,” he looked slightly embarrassed, and he moved to sit on the edge of your bed, keeping a hold of your hand as you went to sit next to him. “I usually heal up really fast, though, I promise. So it’s not that bad. And I’m really good at patching myself up, so you don’t have to worry about that.”

“Of course I’m gonna worry about you. I worried about you before I knew you were Spiderman, why would you think I wouldn’t worry about this?” You sighed, scooting closer to him as he wrapped his arms aorund you, moving to hide his face in the crook of your neck. You could tell how messed up he felt about it all with how openly he was craving your affection, but you didn’t say anything and instead just put your hands in his hair, scratching his scalp gently.

“Sweetheart, ‘m gonna fall asleep if you keep doing that,” he said, but you didn’t stop and he didn’t stop you.

“That’s fine. Just go to sleep, bug boy.”

He grumbled something out about the nickname, something about being a man and not a boy, but it was quiet, and he almost immediately fell asleep soon after.

222 notes · View notes

miss-celestia13 · 7 months

Text

Don't Wait Around

Original Short Story

Time swiftly runs down. Life will never be the same. Will Paul be able to keep Elspeth from the clutches of the man chasing her? Or will she have to fight to keep her blood from spilling?

Part two of Don’t Fall Asleep.

Click the link above if you haven’t read the first part or you’ll be very confused🤭 thank you to @cassi0-peia for talking through the details of how this would go down with me! Her suggestions helped so much. Thank you 🥰❤️

TW: Violence. Blood. Swearing. Drugs.

Elspeth

“Have you upset anyone at work?”

“No.”

“Have you dated anyone recently that maybe feels slighted and is acting out?”

“No.”

“Any family members or friends with a grudge?”

“No.”

“Have you allowed anyone in here on their own?”

Elspeth was going to respond with another negative, but she paused. She only moved in six months ago, and the landlord would fix issues while she was out to give her privacy.

“Uhm, my landlord. He came to fix the faucet four months ago, and he had to come back twice after when it kept dripping.”

The police didn’t seem impressed with that information, but she didn’t bring anyone home. She met friends and dates outside of her house.

“Do you have his number, Miss Woods?”

She nodded and asked Paul for her phone. He reluctantly passed it over, and she opened the contacts. The officers noted down his name and number and told her they’d be in touch once they’d spoken to him. It wasn’t long before they were packing up. Black dust covered much of the entrances of her flat, and all her belongings were in disarray as she saw them off. The adrenaline had faded long before that moment, and once the door was locked, she slumped to her knees and leaned her head against the wood as Paul observed. All she wanted was to sleep for a week and have this be nightmare over. A sigh that came from the soles of her socked feet rocked her petite frame as she stared unseeing at the ceiling.

“We’ll head out soon, buy some cameras, and I’ll install them,” Paul murmured, eyes locked on her carefully composed expression.

Elspeth didn’t have the energy to respond vocally and only nodded. Someone had replaced her bones with lead and filled them with acid instead of marrow as she slowly got to her feet. Paul didn’t say anything as she walked into her disaster of a bedroom, studiously ignoring the lilacs scattered over the floor. She grabbed sweats and a hoody before going to the bathroom to change into them. Paul was waiting by the door as she slipped her sneakers on, grabbed her wallet and car keys, and followed him into the late afternoon air. He only had his motorbike, and she refused to entertain the idea of clinging to him like a terrified monkey as he wove through traffic.

Her little car hadn’t been moved in weeks, and she worried it wouldn’t start. Luckily, it did, and they were soon on the way to spending too much money on something she didn’t believe would help. Paul directed her to go out of town, and she argued at first, not wanting to be away from home too long, but his reasoning made sense.

“If they’re following you, they’ll know about the cameras before we can buy them. It’ll give them time to formulate a way to get around them. There’s a store in Stockbridge. We’ll go there instead.”

“Fine. Have you heard from Jamie?” She asked, recalling his earlier texts now the immediate danger was gone.

Paul shook his head but didn’t look at her as he replied, making her uneasy, “Nope. He’ll be sleeping off the night shift.”

She knew it was a lie as she grit her teeth to stop the torrent of angry words crawling up her throat from escaping. He would remain evasive if she continued to question him, and she wasn’t entirely sure if she wanted to know about whatever Jamie was dealing with. There was enough to deal with as it was. The drive into Stockbridge wasn’t long, and she was soon parked in front of a small electronics store. It was nondescript and unexciting from out front. Just a simple handwritten sign in the window informed patrons it was open. Paul exited the car, waiting for her to do the same before he made a beeline for the door, and she hurried after him.

Tiny and cramped, the shelves sagged under their burdens as she carefully walked between them and kept her eyes trained on Paul’s broad back. He leaned on the glass counter as the man behind it smiled in recognition and welcomed him like an old friend. Elspeth eyed the walls and looked around while the two men spoke in undertones, ignoring the shopkeeper’s gaze when it landed on her after something Paul said. She was being rude, but she was exposed and primed to dissolve if someone asked her the wrong thing. It was best she stayed quiet. Soon, the man was flitting around his shop as Paul directed him, and she was invisible as they talked over all the features. Her mind snagged on the price tag, eyes bugging slightly as Paul agreed it was a good deal. It was half a month’s rent, and her debit card burnt a hole in her pocket as she grieved yet another thing stolen from her. Money could always come back, and she knew her life was worth more. Death offered no returns, and she grudgingly paid it as Paul accepted the large bag. Before she could catch her breath, they were on the road home.

The day was put on fast forward. Paul was finishing with the last camera, a tiny thing that would clip onto her blinds and catch any movement from outside. She felt like she was on a terrible reality show as they sat in the living room, eating pizza that tasted like sawdust and hardly talking. Her brother still hadn’t called, but Paul spent much of the evening texting someone, and when her new doorbell rang, he didn’t seem surprised as he got up to answer it. Her brother’s dulcet tones rattled through the silent apartment, and she huffed as she tossed her half-eaten slice back in the box. Jamie entered with his friend, and the lines of strain around his nonsmiling mouth made her go very still.

“What happened?” She demanded, eyes flicking between the two men and rolling when they glanced at each other before Jamie replied.

“Someone put a knife through my tires. I was with the police half the day, and the other half was spent putting on new ones. They left no trace, and the police are chasing their tails.”

Her heart fucking stopped. Dead in her chest. Her mouth worked, but no sound came out as she tried to make sense of it and came up with nothing.

“It’s fine, Elsa. They’re getting brave. It’s only a matter of time before they trip and reveal something we can use against them.” Paul soothed, but her blood resided somewhere below her feet, and she was so tired.

She wanted to scream, to rage and make something bleed. Her rolling stomach and sluggish heartbeat kept her from doing anything above a whisper.

“If you believe that, you’re thicker than you look... I’m going to bed,” She sighed, utterly sick of life and all its horrendous surprises. Jamie snorted as Paul pretended to be affronted by her calling him stupid. Still, neither said a word as she shuffled to her room and clambered into bed.

Paul

He watched Jamie’s sister wear a path into the floors as she paced and wrung her hands until her skin turned red. Like a caged cat railing against its prison, she grumbled and cut daggered eyes to him and her brother as she complained.

“He lives in the middle of fucking nowhere. Why can’t he come here? If we leave and anything happens...” She never finished the thought, head shaking as she growled at the sky, and he bit back a laugh.

“That’s what the cameras are for, Elsa. It won’t take long. Most landlords wouldn’t give a shit about their tenants.” Jamie tried, but Elspeth was a hurricane draped in human skin.

“Well, he could send a fruit basket or an email or - something!” She spat and actually stomped her foot like a child refused a treat, and he couldn’t contain his grin as she whirled on him.

“I guess you’ll be coming too? Stop laughing, or I swear to -”

“Calm down, princess,” he drawled to make her eye twitch before going on, “You’ll do nothing. And, of course, I’m coming. For all we know, it could be your landlord. Another reason we have to go.”

She deflated like Jamie’s tires and scowled up a storm as she gave in.

“Fine. Fine. Let’s get it over with then.”

Neither man said a word as she got ready, saying more in looks and smothered laughs as she stomped around. He’d known her and Jamie for longer than he’d known himself, and it hadn’t been a question when Jamie asked for his help. They would do the same for him, and it kept his mind off the myriad of issues he stored in the back of his mind, yet to be addressed. It wasn’t long before Jamie drove them to her landlord’s house, and he went through his mental checklist of things to watch for while Jamie rapped along badly to an old song. The countryside blurred as Jamie put his foot down and followed the road to the house on the edge of the woods that guarded half of their town.

The long, winding gravel driveway stretched before them as he rattled off instructions and warned Elspeth to stay calm.

“Pay attention to your surroundings. Don’t eat or drink anything you can’t see being prepared. Give nothing away. Don’t offer anything, either. Don’t wander off alone. Stay calm and alert, Elspeth. Don’t fly off the handle if he says anything upsetting.”

Jamie snorted, knowing how reactive his sister could be when someone said the wrong thing, and Paul knew he’d watch her more than he’d see anything else. It was on him to log every detail to obsess over later. Jamie parked beside a beat-up truck, and they got out of the car almost as one, just as the red door at the front of the cottage swung open. Paul forced a relaxed smirk to his lips and was relieved when Elspeth did the same, her earlier ire locked away for now. Her landlord was a miserly old man, nearing retirement but held on to all his faculties from what he’d managed to parse from Elspeth earlier. He wasn’t much taller than Elsa’s 5’5 height, and his wrinkled, weathered face spoke of long summers outside. His grey eyes lit up as Elspeth greeted him, his smile broadened as he welcomed Paul and Jamie. They were ushered inside, and Paul had to stoop to avoid banging his head on the doorframe as he went in last.

“I wanted to discuss what the police told me and see if I can do anything to help you, Miss Woods. I apologize for making you come out here; my wife is sick, and my... they couldn’t be left alone.”

They were instructed to sit at a small round table in the bright kitchen, and the landlord, or Fred as he preferred to be known, began preparing a pot of tea. Paul’s gaze was trained on the man’s hands as he eased into the spindly wooden chair, holding his breath and praying it would bear his 230lb weight. It groaned, and he decided to sit very still to keep from turning the delicate chair into a pile of matchsticks. Jamie watched him with a shit-eating grin that he leveled with a glare. Elspeth’s honeyed voice broke through his silly thoughts, and he listened as she gave a quick rundown of the situation.

“I don’t remember when it started, but it’s been months. They’ve been inside the apartment multiple times, and I don’t know how. We got cam -”

“Cameron. We got a friend of ours, Cameron, to keep an eye on it whenever we are out. He won’t be able to do that forever,” Paul interjected and gave a slight shake of his head that only Elspeth noticed. He didn’t want anyone but them to be aware of the cameras.

“Yes. Cameron is there now. How much would I have to pay to get you to install new locks?” Elspeth asked.

“Usually, hundreds of dollars, but as this is a special case, I would not charge you. I’m afraid it will take a few days to make it happen.” Fred said as he poured steaming water into the teapot.

Paul tuned Elspeth out as he looked out the window to the massive garden. His mind worked overtime as he eyed the sheer scale of it and wondered how the old man kept it up. He wasn’t versed in the language of flowers and nature, but even he knew the man had created a masterpiece. Pink, purple, red, and orange, greenery exploding amongst the bursts of color, and he couldn’t imagine the patience it would take to care for such a garden. Butterflies fluttered freely amongst the blooms, bumping into fat bees as they filled up on pollen and carried it away. His attention was snagged by something bigger moving around. A flash of white bopped above the shrubs and bushes near the end of the garden, a man Paul thought. But it vanished when he looked back. Distracted by Fred as he set a china cup down beside his elbow, Paul lost track of the figure.

“Is there someone in the garden?” He blurted as everyone else fixed their tea with milk and honey.

Fred’s brows lifted as he glanced out the window and back at Paul, “My son. He looks after the gardens.”

Paul opened his mouth to ask more, but Elspeth was quicker.

“Oh, you mentioned him and your wife. I hope she’s okay and isn’t sick for too long. We won’t take too much of your time. I’m sure you’re stressed enough as it is.”

Fred thanked her and told them everything the police had said and done. It amounted to about the same as they already knew, but an oily feeling spread through Paul as they chatted. He didn’t touch the tea he was served and wanted to knock it out of his friend’s hands each time they sipped the murky liquid. Elspeth seemed to find it too sweet and daintily sat it down in its saucer after another mouthful that made her wince. Only he noticed, and Fred didn’t seem to care whether they drank it. The honey on the table bore no label. A handwritten date was stamped on the side in black marker. He tried to catch another glimpse of the son outside, but he was gone. Time raced ahead, the drooping sun the only clue of how long they’d been there as they wrapped up.

“However long this goes on, don’t hesitate to reach out if I can help, Miss Woods. I’ll call you with the details once I contact my locksmith.” Fred said with a kind smile.

“I will, thank you, Fred. We’ll get out of your way. Hopefully, this’ll all be over soon.” Elspeth returned, but there was no hope in her voice; Paul’s stomach turned at the flat tone of it.

“Yes, I hope for your sake that it’s settled soon. I’ll see you out. Feel free to take a jar of honey with you. We bottle it from our own hives and keep some around for visitors. It’s by the door.” Fred suggested, and Paul didn’t stop Elspeth as she picked up a jar from the wicker basket sitting atop a little shelving unit near the door. She wrinkled her nose and fought a cringe as Fred patted her shoulder. Paul wanted her safely locked inside her apartment before anything else could happen. She was too jumpy for his taste. Neither he nor Jamie took any of the honey, and they were soon waving goodbye to Fred as Jamie drove them away.

Elspeth

Day after day, fell away like leaves, and she chafed at her imaginary bindings every time Paul reminded her she could do nothing alone. He haunted her every step outside the apartment. He screened every call or message she received, and she couldn’t even use social media other than to doomscroll. It was driving her insane. Her cameras caught nothing more than birds, the mailman, or food delivery service workers, and she started to believe she had made the whole thing up. Gaslighting herself to get through the long, tension-fueled days. She should have known it wouldn’t last. Should’ve realized it was the calm before the storm. Woken in the middle of the night, the clatter of Paul bolting out of the house dragged her out of sleep, and her heart was lodged in her throat as she hunkered down like he taught her.

Curled up in the bath, the shower curtain her only shield, Elspeth’s breath echoed softly off the enamel, and her heartbeat was a war drum in her ears as she prayed she would live to see the morning. She didn’t dare move, not when she heard Paul coming back inside and barking at someone on the phone as he pounded on the locked bathroom door.

“Elspeth, they’re gone. You can come out.” He shouted, and she unfurled her tingling legs, blowing hair away from her sweat-slick face as she scrambled out of the bath.

Paul was already in the living room as she went through, biting her lip as he ordered someone around.

“I don’t give a fuck, Stuart. The cameras aren’t a deterrent for this cunt. Do your damn job or her blood is on your hands.” He clipped and hung up, eyeing her carefully, and she desperately schooled her features into something a shade less terrified.

“Sorry, you’ll be fine. I need them to get off their ass and stop pussyfooting around this. An officer will be stationed outside from tomorrow.” Paul explained, and her chest loosened enough to let go of the breath she was holding.

“That’s... something at least. Did you see them?”

Paul clenched his fists, jaw sharp as glass as he looked away and said, “No. It’s a man, though. The way he moved,” He shook his head, meeting her gaze at last, and she silently urged him to continue, “It’s definitely a man, and he left something. Poppies. Crushed and crawling with maggots. Any idea what that could mean?”

She had no response, and Paul heaved a sigh of the long-suffering as he paced. The night was a blur of new silence and tension so tight she knew one wrong word or touch would make her disintegrate. Paul fumed quietly as she dozed on the couch, and she couldn’t see a way out of this. Couldn’t fathom an ending that wasn’t soaked in blood and rotting flowers. Her dreams offered no respite. All the gifts, notes, and fright played on an endless reel until she gave up on sleep entirely as the sun broke through her curtains. Paul made her breakfast, simple fare, but it tasted like ash on her tongue as she forced it down. Her mind kept snagging on Fred. When he’d touched her earlier, she caught a whiff of a pungent scent that she recognized. But her frazzled brain couldn’t make the connection.

An iron cape hung from her shoulders as she and Paul watched old movies, dragging her down, down, down. They’d cleaned her room and left the window on night lock to remove the lilac scent that clung to everything she owned. Half of her wanted to hand herself over to the monster after her, end this now. Still, the other half roared her defiance, battering her hands against her cage and spitting flame at anyone who dared come near. The plain-clothed officer and his nondescript vehicle were parked down the street, and she felt like an animal in a zoo. Imprisoned and gawked at by all who dared enter her enclosure. The day dwindled like treacle, barely a word said as she and Paul readied for bed. She knew he wouldn’t sleep well, would listen for every sound she made, and her shoulders ached, tension building too high in her muscles as she brushed her teeth.

Long past midnight, she finally turned off her bedroom light, gritty eyes stinging as she struggled against the lure of sleep. Promising she would only let them rest, she closed her eyes and thought of dull things, taxes, emails, and energy bills, but it didn’t work how she wanted. Startled awake hours later by Paul hollering, her legs tangled in the sheets, and she collapsed to the floor as she tried to leave her room. Cursing and heart bouncing off her ribs, she ripped the fabric away and half crawled, half ran to see what was happening. As soon as she opened the door, a thick, acrid smoke draped the air above her head, and her head emptied out, everything inside going still as she dropped to her knees and scrambled on her hands and knees to find Paul.

She made it to the kitchen and pulled her sweatshirt collar up around her nose and mouth as she spied the open back door, flames licking around the sides of it. A desperate cry tripped off her tongue as Paul yelled her name outside.

“Elspeth! Stay inside,” A throaty cough interrupted him, wet and raw before he went on, “I don’t know what way he went.”

His coughing worsened like it was tearing him up from the inside, and she couldn’t listen to it; she needed to see if he was okay. She began army crawling toward the back door, eyes nipping with the smoke. A frustrated scream, torn from the bottom of her tattered soul, was her only option as cold hands wrapped around her ankles and hauled her back, nails breaking and splitting as she clawed at the floor and kicked her feet. Flipped onto her back, she saw her tormentor for the first time. He wore a full face mask, not an inch of skin on display, as his gloved hands tightened painfully and dragged her toward the front entrance. Shrieking and sobbing, she pleaded with him as Paul appeared in the kitchen, dazed and clumsy on his feet. She knew something was terribly wrong before he crashed to his knees. Fear for herself faded as her captor chuckled, delighted as Paul failed to stand up.

“You’ll find its best to lie down, Paul. Your muscles are weakening, and the tremors will only get worse. You can’t fight against nature.” The man crooned, voice laced with dark pleasure and punctuated by breathless little moans.

Elspeth kicked out with all her strength, but he held her harder and pulled her roughly behind him. Her head spun, lungs burning with the urge to breathe deeply. She didn’t dare as Paul gurgled and choked. It wasn’t regular smoke. Something insidious resided inside it.

“The police are outside,” She tried, forcing as much false bravado into her voice as possible, “You won’t get far. Leave, and we’ll forget about this. I swear to you, I’ll let you go.”

The man never halted, her words falling on deaf ears, and she understood that the police had been dealt with. When he dropped her legs, she scooted backward on her ass and stared up at the towering male as he cocked his head, hooded eyes glinting with something she couldn’t name. He took a syringe out of his pocket, and her head shook, tears sliding down her face as he straddled her and held her down. The silver needle sparkled in the low light, and a drop of clear liquid dangled from its point as he lowered his covered face an inch above hers and jabbed it into the side of her neck. The pain didn’t register as horror took over, and her hands turned to claws, raking uselessly down his neck.

“Now, now, little bird. It’ll all be better once you wake.”

His rancid breath didn’t help the roiling in her stomach, but the drug worked too quickly. The edges of her vision went snowy, and every blink lasted longer than the last as her limbs turned boneless. Darkness reared up and swallowed her whole as the empty syringe clattered off the floor. Her captor’s words echoed in her mind until it winked out, too, and she knew no more.

Sluggish and slow, her heart beat out of rhythm as her drug-induced sleep wore off. Every muscle and nerve had been dulled and weighted down, twitching fingers, cramping and clenching when she couldn’t lift them. Cracking a blurry eye open, she tried to catch her bearings and wished she hadn’t. Furiously blinking the haze from her eyes, she glanced around, whimpering as she tested her restraints. She ignored the metal table she was strapped to. All around her, above and below, flowers. There were so many types she couldn’t name them all, and all the greenery blocked most of the daylight. Cracks in the canopy told her it was daytime, and she didn’t want to know how long she’d been there. Her wrists burned as she twisted them slightly, finding a little bit of give in the worn leather, and wondered if she could dislocate her thumbs like she used to as a child.

An awareness washed over her as she attempted it and failed. She wasn’t alone. Her breath quickened, her pulse jumping in her throat as he approached her right side, hidden in shadow until he stood over her crying face. He bore no mask, and recognition ignited instantly at the sight of the scars and old scratch marks.

“Why?” She gritted out, mouth dry as a bone as the man smiled a serpentine smile and nodded.

“You didn’t flinch at the sight of me.” He replied and the hopelessness of her situation suffocated her.

Her muffled thoughts screamed as he bent down and sniffed her neck. She pulled as far away as the straps would allow, but it only made him happy.

“Please. If you let me go -”

“Ahh, that won’t be happening, I’m afraid. Your friend will live if they treat him fast enough. But, you, you belong to me. You can’t fly until I break you.”

Her heart trembled, relief and terror battling inside her, and neither winning as his words sank in. He stroked calloused hands down her face, every touch making her jolt and clench her teeth. He murmured under his reeking breath, words of twisted praise and joy. Bile rose up her throat, but she swallowed it, sweat prickling on her naked skin as he eyed her like a trophy. She had no shame to give as he trailed his fingers down her heaving chest, pinching and tugging at her skin as his hand moved south. Her rabbit heart was inconsolable as he grabbed her thigh, fingers digging in before his blunt nails scraped down her knee and to her bound ankles. Massaging her feet, he began to speak.

“Mountain Laurel, it’s a beautiful but deadly flower. It grows best in mountainous regions but can take to almost any soil if given the correct care. Once it thrives, it blooms, wondrous to see, and my bees love it. It’s beautiful to look at but deadly if you get too close. Or burn it. Your friend will suffer greatly for keeping you from me. Terrible business, but needs must…”

Frowning, she said, “I don’t particularly care how beaut-“

“Enough, little bird. Stop singing and listen,” His face morphed from serenity to extreme hate, his craggy skin mottling as he glowered at her.

“I can’t sell my bees’ honey because of this plant. They call it ‘mad honey’. It’s toxic to anyone who ingests it, so I give it away. What my father doesn’t know won’t hurt him. Did you try the jar you took? It takes time to build up; you should be fine, but I’ll keep a close eye on you to ensure your continued good health.”

Her mind whirled and tripped over itself as she tried to understand it. She hadn’t touched the honey yet, but Paul had. Oh, god, if he died… no, he was fine. He had to be okay, or she’d lose what remained of her sanity. The clinking of metal broke her out of her thoughts, and she could do nothing as her captor held up a sparkling scalpel and nodded, pressing it into her thigh. His panting accelerated as skin split and blood spilled. The tool was so sharp she only felt the pain once he lifted it from her skin. The cut wasn’t deep, but it dropped like rubies down the inside her thigh and dripped to the table. He swiped his thumb along the wound, lifting it to his mouth to taste it. His eyes rolled back, and his possessive groan assaulted her ears.

“Why the lilacs?!” She blurted as he moved to repeat his actions on her other leg, sobbing when he stopped and met her wild eye, “Why those flowers? What did that mean?”

The longer she kept him talking, the better her chance of getting out alive. He seemed appreciative of her attempt at conversation, and it settled the thing pacing along her ribs.

“Are you familiar with Greek myth?”

She shook her head, “No. Only Hades and Persephone.”

His whole face lit up, and he hurried to stand at her head again, the scalpel hanging from his fingers carelessly.

“Pan and Syringa. Syringa turned into a lilac bush to escape Pan’s advances. I thought it was fitting. You wouldn’t have come willingly. I had to - make you. You won’t be making any transformations that will steal you from me. No, my love, you will ache to be by my side.”

Tapping her fingers on the table, she sneered up at him and spat, “I will never forget what you did. I will never be yours.”

Shadows danced in his eyes, and she wanted to take the words back when a familiar male voice cut through her frantic breathing.

“Jonas! Dinners ready, get it while it’s hot.”

How odd it was to know the world outside her personal hell still turned and went on like she didn’t matter. Suddenly, she knew why she recognized that smell on Fred that day she visited. She smelt it on Jonas every time he was near and had seen the bottles. Fish, blood and bone fertilizer. Opening her mouth, she howled, but it was no use. A blow to the head made her teeth clack together, the sound cut off, and everything went dark as he hit her again.

It was night or early morning when she woke again; she could hear him moving around the plants and forced herself to stay quiet. The scalpel rested on another small table, mere inches from her fingertips. She tried again to dislocate her thumb, but it was impossible; she needed a hand free to do it right. Frustration smothered her as she stretched as much as her bindings allowed, fingers glancing off the scalpel but too far to wrap around it. A growl slipped free, and Jonas went quiet until his crunching steps came to her. He wore another sanguinary smile, and she wanted to tear it off with her teeth as he tutted and clicked his tongue repeatedly, goosebumps flaring in the wake of it.

“If you behave, I won’t have to hurt you.” He admonished her like a child.

“You’re going to hurt me anyway!” She snapped, ice dousing her insides as he glowered and clenched his fists.

“You’ll thank me for it one day.” He muttered, shifting on his feet as a vein in his temple bulged.

Changing tactics, she appealed to his need to “help” her, “I need the bathroom. I can’t hold it much longer.”

His brows furrowed, and he began to smile sadly, but she wouldn’t give up, “please. You’ve taken enough from me. Let me keep some of my dignity.”

Gaze softening, he considered for a long moment before he replied, “If you try to run -“

“I won’t! I promise.” And she wouldn’t, not yet.

A weighted pause hung between them as he thought it over and finally began to undo her shackles. She lay very still, not daring to breathe as blood rushed to her extremities, and they tingled painfully. Rubbing at her wrists, he gathered them in hand and hauled her up, pulling her through the jungle of plants to a glass door. It wasn’t until she was sucking down cool night air that she realized he was keeping her in a greenhouse. The darkness was so complete she may as well have been blind as he guided her to a tree and let her go, putting his back to her. She bit back an insult and crouched, relieving herself as cleanly as she could and sighing as the pressure of her full bladder eased. She didn’t have it in her to care she was debasing herself as he grabbed hold of her again, and they returned to the greenhouse.

Days passed in a daze of fear and anger. He kept her fed and watered like he tended to his fucking plants. And all she knew was Jonas as time slipped through her fingers. He came multiple times a day to check on her and test her, slicing into her skin whenever she displeased him and tasting her blood when she answered correctly. Her answers became shorter and shorter, her mind threatening to break with every night she spent staring at a tiny patch of stars or clouds. No matter how many wishes she made, none came true. Still, she waited. She prayed and gathered her fading strength for a time when he grew careless.

Her chance came weeks, maybe months later. She wasn’t sure. Another night, another piss under a tree, but they weren’t alone this night. Her brother’s voice shattered the lethal quiet. Barely above a whisper, but they both heard it, Jonas twisted to bare his teeth at her. She was picked up and carried into the greenhouse, thrown to the floor, where she rolled until her back hit the table, and she cried out. Jonas was already gone, the door locked as she searched for something to break it with. Fear for Jamie made her clumsy as she stumbled around her prison, and she knew if she broke the glass, he could return and kill her before Jamie could get to her. Instead, her eyes caught on the scalpel, and it was in her hand before she thought about moving.

Weaving through the forest of flowers, the scent of lilacs turned her weak stomach, but she followed it to the source. Barrels of them rotted against a glass wall, more hanging above them to dry. Gauging the size of the containers, she clenched the scalpel between her teeth. She gripped the plastic barrel, climbing into it uneasily. Slimy, sticky petals adhered to her skin as she wriggled under until she was buried in them. She wanted to be sick. Wanted to jump back out and forget about escape as the scent thickened in her lungs and choked the air from her. Bugs skittered over her exposed skin, itchy and awful as she screwed her eyes shut. A pained shout from outside made her jolt. She knew that voice anywhere. Planning to run to her brother, she prepared to leave her hiding place when the door to the greenhouse slammed and shattered, glass showering to the ground. The violence of it froze her blood.

“Little bird, come out, and we can forget this happened.”

She knew better than to trust that. Holding her breath, she clutched the scalpel in her trembling hands and waited. Measured steps neared her barrel; she counted them and let them slow her heart down. A loud bang, followed by his angry snarl, and she knew he was checking the barrels. One by one, he knocked them over. She couldn’t contain her shriek as hers was overturned, and she tumbled out. Scurrying away on her knees, she didn’t make it far. He grabbed her by the hair, yanking her back so hard she screamed as searing hot pain scoured her scalp. Twisting and leaning away, she couldn’t get him to let go. Another yank, and she collapsed on her back and let him drag her through the greenhouse. Stones, twigs, and dirt scratched and stabbed her back, drawing blood as sweat stung them like bees.

He wrapped her hair around his hand and straddled her once they reached the table. She only had time to take a single gulp of air as he wrapped his hands around her neck and throttled her. Her hands lifted, punching and beating his face, hands, and neck. Blood pattered like rain on her face as she caught his eye, and he screeched like an animal as he rolled off her. Blinking stupidly at her bloody hands, she saw why. Somehow, she still held the scalpel, and he hadn’t noticed, too lost in fury to check her over. He moaned and whined, clutching his face as scarlet poured between his sliced fingers. She didn’t waste a second. She ran outside. Her weakened legs struggled to hold her up as chilled grass and glass embedded and flattened under her feet, and she shivered as the chill hit her. She wasn’t paying attention to where she was going, falling over something big as she aimed for her landlord’s house.

The air whooshed from her lungs, wide eyes catching sight of her brother.

“Jamie, please be okay… please…” she mumbled as she pushed him on his back and saw the knife wound in his side. The bleeding had slowed to a trickle, but his grey shirt was black with it. He grunted when she slapped him hard, doing it again, so he opened his eyes. Panic stole her courage. Making her stupid as she felt for his pulse, weak but steady as he tried to sit up. She hurried him along, pleading with him to move and biting down on her tongue when he swayed. They didn’t have long, and she couldn’t carry him. Luck wasn’t on their side.

“You aren’t leaving here alive. Come back, little bird. You can’t hide from me.”

A large rock snagged her attention. She put the scalpel down and picked the stone up. It would have to do as Jonas rounded the bush they were hiding behind and blocked her way forward. Jamie whispered her name, telling her to run and save herself, but she couldn’t leave him to die. Jonas edged closer, blood still leaking down his face, and she clung to the last strands of her hope as she uncoiled to her feet, hand hidden behind her back. Fighting didn’t work. Begging don’t either. Seduction might.

“I don’t want to leave you, Jonas,” she purred, thrusting her chest out and adopting a submissive attitude as he eyed her warily, “Let him go, and I’ll be yours. You won’t have to hide me. I want to make you happy. Will you let me try?”

“I don’t believe you.” He said bitterly, and her hopes began to die, but she was stubborn.

Sidling closer, she reached out a hand and cupped his ragged face, smiling like a lover would as she stretched up on her toes. Internally, she revolted; the thought of kissing him was worse than anything he could inflict on her, but she made herself do it. Chapped lips met hers, and he didn’t taste any better than he smelled as he shoved his tongue down her throat. Trying not to choke, she kissed him back, melting into him and letting him take her to the grass. She mounted him, let him hold her hips, and grind her down into his erection as she sat back on her haunches and smirked like a cat. A repulsed shudder rippled through her as he jerked his hips into hers, and her disgust almost broke through her seductive veneer, but it was easily disguised as pleasure. Jonas closed his eyes as she circled her hips, her free hand resting around his neck as he grunted her name. She let him have his fun, and his body went rigid. He was panting wetly as she lifted the rock by inches.

Holding her down, he bucked and flailed under her; vomit soured her mouth as he opened his eyes. She grinned when shock flashed in their black depths. Slamming with all her might, she brought the rock down on his orgasming face. Flesh and bone gave way to her rage. Splintering and crumbling, she hit him again. Again. And again. She lost count when he stopped trying to get her off. Blood sprayed and squelched under the force of her attack, and shards of bone and skin decorated the rock as she pummelled him again. She was furious, she hated him for making her kill him. She kept going until he stopped breathing. Did it some more to make sure he was gone. Blood cooled and congealed between her sore fingers, making it slippery as she rammed it into his mushed up face. Lost in fright and fury, she couldn’t hear herself roaring and only stopped when someone hauled her off the broken man. His head was split in two, and brain matter and gore replaced his scarred face. She growled and screamed, and the rock fell from her fingers as she was taken away.

“Elspeth. Stop! It’s me. You’re fine!” Paul’s voice got through to her, and she sobbed anew.

“How? He said you would -“she demanded as he wrapped his jacket around her shivering form.

She must have looked horrific if his expression was anything to go by. Exasperation transformed into something lethal as he looked behind her to the dead man.

“I was in hospital, but they’d seen it before and knew how to treat it. You aren’t the first he’s done this too, Elsa. Just the last, thanks to you.” He soothed, embracing her and loosing a long breath into her filthy hair.

Her body failed her, and Paul hefted her into a bridal hold as her legs gave out, and she hung onto him. Burying her face in his neck, she let his scent settle her and listened as he walked her to where Jamie still lay prone.

“We’ve been looking for you for weeks. Jamie put it together. He had keys to your apartment that night he took you. He must’ve dropped them in the alley, and Jamie found them before the police did. They had your landlord’s name and address on the keychain.”

Exhaustion made her brain foggy as sirens neared the area, and she took her first natural breath in months as Paul kept talking to keep her awake. He explained that they’d decided to act later that day, save her before it ended in a death match, but Jamie couldn’t wait. He left without Paul, unable to sit in safety while she was in danger, and Paul had to catch up to him. She didn’t take much in after that. Jamie’s life bled out as the garden was swarmed by police and federal agents. Paul refused to let her go when the medics showed up and carried her into the ambulance, and she couldn’t fight it anymore. The darkness offered solace she sorely needed. She let Paul’s reassurance follow her into oblivion.

“You’re free. You’re safe. I’ve got you.”

Three months later.

“Paul, do you want soda or beer?” She called, smiling as he entered the kitchen of her new apartment.

“Soda. I need to drive home.” He said, leaning against the door frame with his hands in his pockets, a delicate smile on his lips.

“You can stay the night, you know.” She offered as she shut the refrigerator door and walked to him, handing him the cold can.

His fingers lingered on hers as he took it, a ghost of a touch that she wanted to last for hours. He’d been there through it all. The breaking, mending, and healing were still a daily battle but getting easier with each new day. He all but moved in with Jamie once he was released from hospital. He’d died on the operating table, and neither she nor Paul had let him out of their sight since his release. Her brother still couldn’t live his life the way he used to. He watched her like a hawk whenever she saw him, and guilt thickened her tongue whenever she was near him. They nearly lost him, and it was all because of her. Because she smiled and thanked a stranger for helping her, she blamed herself despite Paul and Jamie’s reassurance that she was a victim, too. But every time her brother faltered, she felt that blame like an indelible mark on her soul.

Paul visited her almost daily. To chat or check-in. Those visits lengthened until she was searching for excuses to keep him around a bit longer. He seemed just as reluctant to go and humored her each time she found a reason for his presence. Her therapist helped as well. She only woke screaming in the night a few times a week these days and was looking forward to seeing a time when it wouldn’t happen at all. Her landlord had sold all his properties, packed up, and moved away once he was cleared of any wrongdoing. He had no idea how evil his son was. Had tried to get him help when he first started mutilating himself; the scars were all self-inflicted from what she’d learned, but nothing stuck, and he grew into a monster, unfit for society. His seclusion and horrifying way of showing affection turned him into something she still couldn’t believe was wholly human.

Taking a life, no matter how awful the person was, it weighed on her, and she feared she was tainted by it. How could anyone love someone death has visited? She didn’t have an answer. But as she and Paul settled down to watch something silly and lighthearted, maybe she didn’t have to. He hugged, smiled at, and touched her any chance he got. Perhaps it was enough that he knew all of her, and he didn’t care what she had done to survive. Life would never be the same, but she thought that was the point, and she had the opportunity to make it what she wanted. It was almost stolen from her, but she took it back and would not waste it.

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*

Thank you so much for reading. I hope you enjoyed it. If you comment or reblog, thank you for that too. I was very nervous to share something original and still am. I had to give them a new start at the end for this first original story. They’ve suffered enough 🤭❤️

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sprainedwriting · 1 year

Text

i know you and i like you anyway (2)

chapter 1

tw/cw: drugs implied, slight violence (against nathan), parentification, tell me if i missed smth

nathan prescott x reader ; warren graham x reader

pulling all nighters was part of warrens everyday routine. he wouldn’t sleep for 3 days straight, finishing some school project or movie marathon, only to pass out for the rest of the weekend.

currently it was 6:30 AM and he was on his way to the canteen, wanting nothing more than to grab something to eat. warren couldn’t help but let his mind wander to the new students, or more like one new student. he was beating himself up, because he forgot to exchange numbers or socials with you. how creepy would it be if he showed up at your room?

thankfully, for once the universe was on his side. once he entered the canteen he saw you. if this isn’t a sign from above. you stood infront of the menu, probably trying to decide what to get.

“oh hey! nice seeing you again. how’s it going?” warren skilfully approached you. having you as a friend would probably be good, especially against nathan. another plus was you being actually somewhat nice and cool.

you quickly turned around and looked at him, “..warren, right? i’m doing ok…do you have any recommendations?”

warren shifted from one foot to the other, “hmm, usually i just eat cereal. between us two,” warren shifted closer to you and whisperd loudly, “the food here isn’t so.. radical. if you’re up for it we could grab breakfast at the two whales diner. they got the best food in town!”

you giggled slightly at his antics, “uhh, yeah sure. why not?”

warren gave you a smile which was pure sunshine. oh no, he’s precious. “that’s great! lets go, i will drive.“

shit, ok, you can do that. you can make friends. even if the guy has a cute smile. and a cute face. and a cute personality. god, you’re weak.

you were more than thankful that your scholarships cover more than enough. you appreciated nothing more than the fact that you don’t have to work, and that all your school expense and free spending money have been taken care of. free canteen food is another perk you love. but going out to eat won`t kill your wallet, hopefully.

a feeling in your gut told you that a certain sean prescott has played a huge part in the money you got. your brother has gotten the same perks. lucky bastard.

it wasn’t even you who applied for this school, it was your family who applied everything for you. being away would be good for you. yeah, as if. your mind was constantly buzzing with worry over everyone. the countless dislikes, allergies, appointments and play dates ingrained onto your brain. walking with warren to the parking lot was at least calming you down somewhat.

“so…are you a fellow night owl?” warren asked.

“no, i’m boring. i go to sleep at 9:30 and wake up at like 5 am.” you grabbed the straps of your tote bag tighter, then looking into it to make sure you really have your wallet with you.

“damn! healthy. i wish that was me. i haven’t slept for a second yet.”

nodding along to his confession, you furrowed your brows, “are you sure you should drive? i can also drive, you know.”

warren rubbed at his neck nervously, “no! it’s alright, really. i like to think i’m a pretty decent driver…if you feel unsafe tho! you can drive, of course, or we can reschedule! no stress.”

“it’s cool. i’m starving anyways. if i don’t get anything to eat soon i will get cranky, and i will make it everyone else’s problem.”

chuckling at your words warren continued the conversation, “well, i don’t want to keep you waiting and starving!” you guys reached the parking lot. with big strides, because warren was a long stick, you reached his car. he opened the passenger side for you, dramatically bowing while doing so.

“your majesty.”

you couldn’t help laughing at him, “finally, someone treating me like i deserve it.” sitting down on the seat, warren also closed the door for you. he quickly sprinted over to the drivers seat, and sat down. checking all his mirrors, he started the car. the ride was filled with mindless chatter and questions from both sides.

“i grew up here in arcadia bay, my parents moved away tho. so now i stay in the dorms and can fully live the student life.”

“i’m from florida, i like to blame that on my craziness.”

“i’m an only child. i don’t know if i would like to have siblings, not having to share is great. but being constantly in the focus of my parents also sucks.”

“i’m the oldest. if oliver says he is the older one he’s lying. besides oliver i got another 5 younger siblings. 3 boys and 2 girls. yeah, i hate and love them all deeply.”

“i love watching movies, no matter how bad. same goes for video games. hey! if you’re up for it you can come over to my room and we can play a good ol round of mario kart, or whatever else you want. i can even lend you my flash drive, it has a hundred movies on it.”

“oh that would be very nice. i’m down for movie and game night. i do in my spare time..uhh.. baking and reading..yeah. sorry, once again i’m very boring.”

(who were you if not a substitute parent?)

warren, the angel, assured you that you’re pretty cool in his eyes, “you’re fucking badass, dude! i have never, ever seen anyone stand up to nathan like that. even victoria is sometimes scared of him. she tries not to show it, but i think it’s pretty obvious.”

“..what’s he like?”

“nathan? he’s a fucking bully, man. no offenes. you know, when we were younger he was actually someone everyone picked on. kill the rich kid! but, i don’t know. he changed even before this senior program.”

simply nodding at warrens words, you said, “he..well, he always had…a problem with his temper. it just got worse and worse. i don’t know. i wish i could have done more, but i can’t really break into his head and like, re wire it, you know?”

“yeah, dude, mental illness is a fickle thing. you were also just a kid. i don’t doubt for a second that his life isn’t always fun, but it’s not an excuse to treat others like shit.”

“agreed.”

warren took a turn and drove into a parking lot, “welcome to the best diner food you will ever eat!”

“i don’t think i have ever eaten actual diner food.”

“no way. you’re wayyy overdue.”

and with that you left the car and followed warren into the dinner. since it was pretty early into the morning, it was mostly empty. a police officer and a trucker sat at the front, but they paid you no mind. warren lead you to a booth in the back and you sat down. taking a look at the menu, you tried to decide what you wanted, “do you now have any recommendations?”

“everything, dude. i mean it when i say nothing disappoints here.”

a tired waitress approached, ready to take your oder. warren started, “i would have a coffee please, and the homestyle eggs and bacon, with toast.” she nodded along, while writing down the order. “i would like a hot chocolate and uhhh waffles, with a creamcheeese bagel. thank you.” the waitress left shortly, only to return with your drinks. while she was filling up warrens cup, the door rang and a group entered.

of course, because you are the luckiest person alive, the group consists of nathan, victoria, your brother and 3 strangers. 2 girls and one guy. out of habit and because you knew you needed it, you dumped 1 and a half sugar packs into your hot chocolate. you gave the rest to warren.

the group sat in a booth right beside yours. when you looked up, you could make direct eye contact with nathan. your brother sat besides nathan, he turned around and made the phone symbol with his hands, grinning at you. him being happy never meant anything good, you preferred him to be miserable, because then he didn’t get on your nerves. shaking your head at him, he started dramatically pouting. even going as far as clasping his hands together, in a begging way.

rolling your eyes, you took out your phone to actually check your messages. some where from your parents and siblings left behind, some how are yous and where is the vacuum cleaner, where’s my favourite t-shirt? you love do not disturb, it’s the only thing keeping you sane.

oli

RECIEVED: yo u wonnt believe whhat a lil birdy just told me

RECIEVED: hey

RECIEVED: yy

RECIEVED: ok i will tell u because u asked soooo nicely

RECIEVED: and since im ur fav siblin

RECIEVED: im ur fave right

RECIEVED: right???

RECIEVED: anyyways guess. whoo misses u and is like madly in luv with u

RECIEVED: nathen

RECIEVED: btw are we fraternal or identical twins i keep forgetting

SENT: are you stupid?

looking up from your phone you glared at oliver. and you could see and feel nathan starring at you. ok creepy. whatever. as long as he didn’t follow you, like into the bathroom you were good. you looked over to warren, who looked a bit worried. probably because it looks like nathan wants to rip his head off. warren for your own peace of mind, don’t turn around.

covering the most part of the text conversation with your hand, you showed warren the twin question, “sometimes i wish i was an only child.” you whispered, warren couldn’t help but start laughing, “that’s a joke, right?…right?” shaking your head slightly, you both giggled at the stupidity.

getting up from your seat, you excused yourself and left for the bathroom. you had to take a break, anymore starring from nathan and you were going to die. literally. sitting on the toilet, with the seat down, you scrolled mindlessly through your phone. trying to recharge as best as you could. while you looked at a post from your 16 year old brother, zooming in and tryign to figure out if that was a vodka bottle in the background, you heard the door open. ok that’s cool, other people use the bathroom. but the person didn’t enter a stall, but seemed to wait something out. or more like someone: you.

you couldn’t help but sigh, betting 20$ that it’s nathan out there. fucker. getting up, you flushed to at least make it somewhat believable that you’re a normal person who does not need to hide away during social interactions to avoid being overwhelmed. you can do things like, talk to people and make friends and be normal. totally.

leaving your stall of safety, you saw nathan. who would have thought. looking away from him, you went to the sink to wash your hands. hearing nathan scoff (from where does he get the audacity?) he walked towards you. deciding to ignore him, you didn’t spare him a glance.

“what? can’t even look at me? i’m trying to have an adult conversation here.” nathan said, spoken with the audacity only a rich, white guy could possess.

“are you messing with me? you’re the one trying to have an adult conversation? where was that energy when i was calling and texting you like crazy. only to have goddamn kristine tell me you don’t want to see me ever again! go to hell, prescott.” at your answer nathan nervously wen through his hair, this was going as bad as it could.

“fuck, i’m sorry, alright? i know i messed up. i didn’t…i never wanted to leave. my dad and then also my useless fucking psychiatrist, they just, they kept pushing and pushing. leaving you behind is my biggest regret. believe me.” nathan saw you thinking, alright, this is going to be his lucky day.

“then why did you never contact me? anywhere? i think you had enough time to regret your actions.” right nevermind, this was the worst day nathan ever lived through and he nearly died of an overdose, twice.

“i..i don’t know. i was scared. being rejected by you is the worst possible thing that could ever happen to me.” wow nathan, being so vulnerable. hopefully this tugged on your heartstrings, “i will give you anything you want. you want money? to beat me up? want me to hook you up? cmon, say it and you will get it. you want the moon, baby?”

at the mention of him giving you cash you actually looked low-key disgusted, “i don’t want your money, or anything else. and don’t call me baby. jesus, dude.”

nathan nodded, “forgive and forget?”

“yeah, forgiving and forgetting jesus style.”

“thank fuck. give me your number.” you handed your phone over to nathan, “hey, this won’t be like a thing where you’re too embarrassed to be seen with me, so we never interact in public, right? because i’m not about to be your secret or change myself to fit into your friend group.”

“don’t worry about it, most of them aren’t even my friends. only victoria and rachel are the only real ones. and you, of course. maybe oliver too. he’s realll fun to have around.” nathan handed you your phone back, and with that you were about to leave. before nathan could open the door, you called out to him.

“hey, nathan.”

as he was about to fully turn around towards you, you sucker punched him in the stomach. hard. his knees were bent while he leaned against the door, making him smaller than you. grabbing him by his jacket you pulled him up.

“you ever leave again, without saying goodbye, i will kill you. i mean it, nathan joshua prescott. i don’t care where you are in the world, i will find you and i will shove your camera so far up your ass that you will be coughing up pictures for the rest of your short and miserable life. do you understand?”

nathan nodded wildly at you. you slammed his head against the door, “speak up.”

“y..yes. i won’t leave, ever again. i.. i promise.” at his response you smiled at him and let him go. nathan straightened up, trying to ignore the pain in his stomach. one thing he forgot over the years is the fact that you’re simply terrifying. god, he will probably have a bruise.

your hand petted over his jacket and shirt, making sure he looked presentable and not like you just punched the soul out of his body, “even though i think you’re a dick, i still missed you.”

nathan mumbled out an “missed you too.” and with that you guys left, finally.

yes, you’re scary with possible hidden anger issues and a control freak who just punched him, but why was he so attracted to you? that was like the hottest thing that happened to him. it was also a good thing he was in therapy already.

walking back to your booth, you saw that oliver took over your place. he made eye contact with you, while taking his first sip of your hot chocolate. he made a face at the overly sweet taste, “yikes, i always forget you’re trying to invent a new type of diabetes with your sweet tooth. the fact that you still have teeth is a blessing, man.”

sitting down besides him, you took the mug from him. “go choke.”

“wow! so rude. who raised you? anyways, i was actually about to join you guys in the bathroom. i was scared you were going to kill him. did you punch him? please say yes, i made a bet with rachel. she said no one would dare to punch a prescott, but you’re like, insane. so i said you totally would.”

“congrats, you just won 20$.”

“ha! see! i told you!” oliver climbed over you, while stealing your bagel. rachel got 20$ out of her wallet, or more like frank did. sucker. nathan was back at his seat, actually looking content for once. victoria frowned at you, she then turned to nathan and whispered with him.

warren leaned towards to you, “did you actually punch him?” he whispered. you nodded while

taking a bite of your well deserved food. nothing beats grease and sugar. his teddy bear brown eyes widened at the information, “you’re actually my hero.” you laughed with a mouth full of food.

the rest of the time spent in the dinner was relatively quite. once you finished up, you paid and left with warren, who drove back to campus.

“man, if i could punch nathan i would be the happiest kid alive.”

“you actually have to let it go, dude. i have other personality traits, besides punching nathan. like, insulting him and being his number one bully.” warren chuckled at you, “you’re actually a badass. how do you do it?”

“uhh, i don’t fear most people so i just do whatever goes through my head. i also have never lost a fight and i think that’s doing horrible things to my ego.”

“so cool..”

once you reached your dorm doors, you exchanged numbers with warren and said your goodbyes, for now. he said he would show you around more, once he actually slept for a bit.

#nathan prescott #nathan prescott x reader #warren graham #life is strange #life is strange x reader #warren graham x reader #x you #x yn

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altairs-little-world · 2 years

Note

welcome to the writing community of enstarsblr! can i req hcs of poly mika x arashi x reader going shopping at the mall?

Arashi x Mika x Reader - Shopping at the mall HCs

Characters: Arashi Narukami, Mika Kagehira

Genres: Fluff

Smaller "tags": Shopping, Polyamory relationship, She/Her pronouns for Arashi, Dates

TW: None!

A/N: First poly relationship request! I hope I got the feeling right - haven’t had much experience writing poly (⌒_⌒;) Arashi’s also kind of an unfamiliar character to me, so I hope I wrote her correctly! Enjoy, anon! Thank you for the welcome~

MIKA KAGEHIRA, ARASHI NARUKAMI ｡･:*:･ﾟ★,｡･:*:･ﾟ☆

— Shopping was one of the top activities for the three of you! Stressful day? No idea what to wear for an event? Simply want to spend quality time with your lovers? Shopping was the answer to all of that!

— Since the Pretty 5 circle goes out quite often, Arashi and Mika have a loooong list of shops they think you'd be interested in going to! During your dates at the mall, you willingly let yourself be dragged around by your excited girlfriend and boyfriend, trusting in their decisions.

— Arashi, being in a unit that is considered one of the "big three" of ES, is all too willing to use her deep pockets of money when shopping with you two! You and Mika occasionally insist on paying, but against this stubborn blonde, there was no other choice than to accept her spoiling you two.

— If any arguments or inconveniences arise between either you or Mika and a member of the public, Arashi is quick to step in like the honourable knight that she is, defusing the situation or arguing back in your steads.

— Mika, despite not speaking up as much as Arashi, starts rambling when the three of you shop for clothes, giving advice and suggesting different styles for all of you to try. He's the reason why you have matching clothes and colour schemes when the three of you go on a date!

— They love trying on outfits and seeing you try all sorts of styles! You may not be as much of a fashionista as they are, but you enjoy how they fuss over you, adjusting parts of your outfit and discussing what would look good on you.

— Other than clothes, Arashi, Mika and you love buying food! Mostly desserts and snacks rather than everyday groceries, but you get the idea.

— You would all go to your favourite cafe or try out a new shop from time to time, as long as they serve sweets!

— While the lilac-eyed blonde is more strict with her diet due to her unit's modelling jobs, she cannot resist when you or Mika offer to spoon-feed her desserts, prompting her to open her mouth wide with little “Ahhhh” sounds - which Mika comments, is “too darn adorable!”

— On the other hand, the heterochromia boy gets extremely flustered and shy when you or Arashi try to feed him. So, when he eats the dessert from the spoon offered to him, you and the blonde pepper his face with kisses as a reward - though it only serves to bring the boy closer to fainting with tomato-red cheeks.

— Being the shopaholics generous people you are, the three of you often buy enough sweets to share with all of ES, including the staff!

— The last stop for a day of shopping would be toy shops! Mika loves stuffed toys, and you and Arashi are definitely willing to indulge him.

— You also pick out little matching trinkets for you and your lovers - a necklace, bracelet, keychain, ring or earring! They always wear whatever you choose proudly, showing off to their unitmates and friends.

— Although you had all agreed on sharing the bags after the three of you were done shopping, Arashi carries most of the bags - mostly clothes and food - allowing you and Mika to carry only the lighter goods. (The two of you make it up to her by giving her massages and cuddles)

“What d’ya say we go again… Tomorrow?”

“Sounds good! My unit’s activities end early tomorrow, I can be both of your knights for the rest of the day~♪”

#enstars x reader #ensemble stars x reader #mika kagehira x reader #arashi narukami x reader #narumika #narumika x reader #ensemble stars

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husbandomail · 9 months

Note

Hi! I'm currently rewatching Zexal and I'd like to ask for some headcanons about the Arclights' (all four) love languages!

PS: Love your hcs!!!

Michael is fairly adaptable, and he can mold with your love language pretty well no matter how you communicate. That said, he naturally leans towards acts of service; he’s incredibly observant, so he’s well aware that you’ve been too tired to fold your laundry. He knows you hate washing the dishes. You keep running out of time to cook. So, while you’re at work, he quietly lets himself into your home with your spare key— he feels guilty for sneaking in, and it’s hard not to call you and confess what he’s doing, but he wants to surprise you too!! The role of a caretaker is something that comes naturally to him, so he has no trouble finishing the chores you haven’t done, and by the time you’re home, he’s made enough food to last for several days. He’s thrilled to take care of you no matter how you need it— even if you’re just having a bad mental health day, he’s perfectly content to climb in the bathtub with you and wash your hair so you can just relax.

His receiving language is gifts, which is something he feels a bit guilty about; he worries about coming across as materialistic or greedy, especially because he grew up with his family’s money and has never struggled to afford anything. If he breathes in the direction of something, his father will buy it for him. But there’s just… something about knowing you saw anything and thought of him. You were willing to spend your own money on something that reminded you of him. And now he’s laying in bed in the middle of the night, turning this little trinket over and over in his hands even while you’re not here— it’s reassuring. It’s easy to remember you’re loved when you have something you can hold.

Thomas is a gift-giver. He’s spent such a long time crafting his public persona—the grinning duelist who exists only on television and magazine spreads— that sometimes he feels he’s lost himself in it. And then he crashes in the opposite direction, so tired of keeping up the facade that he turns cruel and angry, even though he actively wants to be sweet to you. He feels like the only way he can prove himself is with gifts; even apart from the family money, he’s got plenty of his own as a result of his spotlight career. He’s had to be out of town for a tournament? He buys you that collector’s edition set of books you were wanting. He snapped at you while he was tired? Immediate apology in the form of expensive jewelry. Admittedly, it’s an unhealthy mindset for now— he doesn’t quite feel like he’s buying your affection, but he does feel like he has to earn it somehow, no matter how much you assure him otherwise.

For receiving, although he refuses to say it out loud, he absolutely craves physical contact. He’s not sure if it’s natural to him, or if it’s just a direct result of his childhood, but either way he’s had so little of it throughout his life. He remembers how his mother used to hold him and keep him safe; he remembers his older brother leading him along by the hand… and that’s about it. It’s not like anyone was affectionate at the orphanage— it’s not like their father was happy to hold them when he returned— as part of his career, his agency never allowed him to date publicly. The first time your hand brushed against his, he jolted backwards, not because he hated the feeling— for the opposite reason, actually. He was afraid he’d enjoy it too much. You’re too warm, and it sent a tingle of electricity up his spine, and when you actually thread your fingers with his, Thomas feels like he might pass out. As he gets used to your affection over time, his favorite thing to do is just drop himself in your lap and fall asleep as you drag your hands through his hair.

Christopher’s giving language is quality time together, which is somewhat ironic, because his grueling work schedule keeps him out of the house for days on end. It’s exhausting to be stuck in a lab for so long, surrounded only by white walls and his droning machinery; he always wants to see you, but his yearning is especially strong when he’s faced with how dull and repetitive failed experiments can get. He comes home at odd hours, and is always relieved to see that you left a light on for him— but then he sees you’re still awake, propped up on the couch with a book, and he feels guilty you stayed up so late to wait for him. He’s too tired to string a sentence together, though, so he just sets his stuff down and goes to curl up with you on the couch, holding you all night… even though the couch isn’t the comfiest place to sleep.

For receiving, it’s a tie between quality time and acts of service, precisely because of that same busy work schedule. Part of him hates it— not only is he away from you for most of the waking hours of the day, but he’s also relying on you to do chores or prepare food while he’s gone. He doesn’t want you to feel unappreciated, and he’ll be seriously tempted to find a different job just so he can actually see you more often. But then he comes home at 1 am again and finds dinner left in the oven to keep it warm for him, and he doesn’t have to worry about fixing that one leak under the sink because you did that already, and the laundry he kept forgetting about has already been washed and put away— he doesn’t have to waste his rare free time on chores, so now he can spend every spare second with you.

Byron is more similar to Thomas than either of them are comfortable with; he’s a gift-giver, for precisely the same reasons. He feels guilty all the time, for who he is and for what he’s done, and even though you’re insistent that you’ve forgiven him he still feels like he has to earn everything you’re offering for free. You’ve been driving that car for a while, right? Do you want a new one? Since you’re coming along with him to the next event he’s hosting, you might as well have an extravagant new outfit, tailored specifically for you. And hey, will you like him better if he buys you a house—?

His receiving language is a bit hard to pin down, because he’s resistant to most of your attempts no matter what. Kind words don’t seem to work on him; even if he’s smiling and nodding along with your praise, you can see in his eyes that it’s not getting through. He doesn’t dodge away when you reach to run your hand across his back, but he doesn’t lean into your touch either. In the end, simply love him in whatever ways come naturally to you— he’ll learn to understand what you’re getting at, and over time he might be convinced that he deserves it after all.

#yugioh #zexal #michael arclight #thomas arclight #christopher arclight #headcanons #imagines #x r #larmegliamori

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boldlyvoid · 2 years

Text

Come On, Eileen | Part Three

Eddie Munson x Eileen Mayfield (OC)

Summary: Eileen Mayfield moves to Hawkins in the wake of her step-brother's death, to care for her little sister, Max. The last thing she expects is to fall in love with their new neighbour at the trailer park.

Warnings: allusions to sex(a lot), flirting, lots of fluff, dropping out of High School, arguments with teachers, self-pitty/self-doubt

the Luna Halo version of Untouchable is in this fic

Masterlist

word count: 5.3k

Wayne opens Eddie's door in the morning to wake him up for school like he sometimes did, only to find Eileen and him all snuggled up together under the covers, bare arms showing, it didn’t look like they had any clothes on. He simply closes it again and knocks this time, allowing them to wake slightly and cover up before allowing him in.

“Dad, I can explain,” it just slips out in Eddie's half-awake state. He sits up, making sure Eileen is still covered, she barely reacts, she rolls over and shoves her face into the pillow.

“It’s okay, you’re both adults,” he waves his hands, “just, it’s time to get up and get ready…”

“Okay, sorry,” he apologizes, rubbing his eyes in the morning light.

“All good,” he assures Eddie as he closes the door again, leaving them alone.

“Do you think he knows I’ve been here almost all month?” Eileen whispers as she reaches out for him.

He snuggles back into her, naked bodies pressed together once again. He would never be used to how normal and safe he felt with her. It was somehow like she had always been there like they’ve been sleeping side by side for years… or she just knew how to play house really well.

She gives him a kiss on the cheek, always afraid of her morning breath. “Come on,” he pulls away a bit and looks at her with a pout, “one kiss?”

She moves in ever so slowly and presses her lips against his, he obnoxiously breathes in through his nose and squeezes her tight. She giggles, letting it happen because she loved what he did next. In a goblin voice, he reminds her, “you’re mine,” with an evil laugh after.

She just shook her head, still laughing at him, in complete love with this loser. “You’re such an idiot.”

“I thought that’s why you liked me?”

“It contributes,” she doesn’t lie. Not anymore. “I think I’m going to go home and have a shower before school…”

“Shower here,” he wouldn’t mind joining her but he doesn’t say it.

“Okay,” she agrees rather easily. She wiggles out of his grip and tosses the blanket aside while he just stares.

He was beyond lucky to get to see her in all her glory, stretching after a long night in an old bed with a restless sleeper, her arms stretching over her head, her boobs perky and delicious, he licks his lips while he sucks in a shaky breath.

“You coming?”

His eyes almost pop out of his head, “what?”

“Come on,” she motions towards the door, grabbing one of his shirts and slipping into it. It was just long enough to keep her modesty from Wayne, thank god. The last thing Eddie wanted was for her to feel uncomfortable while he was home… and he also didn’t want Wayne to be uncomfortable having a girl in His trailer. Eddie was just lucky to live there, he had to remember that.

They sneak out of his room and into the tiny bathroom tighter. The shower is definitely not meant for two, but when the water is hot enough, they get in together carefully. They trade places back and forth, one rinsing while the other shampoos and vice versa. They spend a lot of time giggling, singing songs together, making sure shampoo doesn’t get in their eyes and sharing lots and lots of kisses.

Just before they get out, she wraps her arms around his middle and rests her cheek on his wet chest. He holds her back gently, the water cascades down her back and puddles at their feet, starting to get cold. They just take a moment to enjoy each other.

“Do you wanna get breakfast before class?” He whispers, “I haven’t gotten to take you on a date yet.”

“I don’t expect you to, where would you get the money for that?”

He shrugs, “I have a job you don’t know about…”

“Oh?” She looks up at him with wet eyelashes all clumped together and the brightest eyes.

“I’m surprised you haven’t caught on to me?” He teases, reaching for the faucet to turn off the shower. “Random people come here throughout the day and pick something up under my front step and then I go out there and get money…”

“oh…” she doesn’t seem too impressed by that. “You’re not going to like get caught and go to jail on me, right?”

He shakes his head, “god, no, I have like 10 regulars. They come to me because the main supplier is a bit of a drive away. Rick gives me their stuff and I make sure they get it and Rick gives me a decent cut.”

“Okay,” she’s reluctant to believe it’ll all be okay.

“I used to work at guitar world before the mall burned down,” he adds, knowing that was a hard spot for her but mentioning it anyway. “And if it helps, I get free weed that you can also use anytime you want?”

She chuckles lightly, easing up on him a bit. She presses a kiss to the centre of his chest and looks up at him with her big green eyes, “I just got you, I don’t want to lose you so soon.”

“You won’t,” he presses his forehead against hers and looks closely into her eyes. “I promise.”

—

It doesn’t take long for her to get ready for school, or Eddie. They move around the room together in a choreographed dance they learned over the last week of essentially living together. Her mom knew she was staying with Eddie, only because Eileen made sure to tell her there was a real bed available and waiting for her when she got home from work. Max wasn’t too happy about it, but at least it stopped Lucas from sneaking in anymore.

They meet Max at the van about 10 minutes before the first bell, hair still wet as they frantically tried to make it on time. They had a pep rally, it was the first week of football season and not only was Lucas on the team, Jeff made it too, meaning Eddie was doubly required to go cheer them on.

“You guys are disgusting,” she rolls her eyes as she flings the van door open. “If you’re going to be late can you at least not give away why?”

“We had a shower,” Eileen laughs, “nothing happened, Wayne is home.”

“Oh, at least you’re considerate of him,” she scoffs and takes her seat.

“You wanna walk?” Eddie asks, reaching for the back door to pull it closed, making a point to stare at Max. “Cause you can walk.”

“No,” she mumbles and looks away from him just as he slams the door shut.

He gets in the front seat, starts the obnoxiously loud engine and turns to Eileen. “Seat belts, girlies, good,” he notices they’re both ready to go. He places his arm on the back of his seat and looks behind himself, van in reverse, and they’re out of there.

He is a crazy driver, but Eileen was getting used to it. It was only a 3-minute drive but that didn’t stop him from speeding down the road and harshly turning onto the school's unpaved driveway. He slowed down as he moved past the middle school, avoiding all the idiot kids that ran across the road before he pulled up to the high school to let Max get out.

“Are you guys not coming?” She looks disappointed.

“We’re letting you out to get a good spot, were going to park the van,” Eileen explained.

“Okay,” Max smiles again as she slides the door open, visibly so proud and excited for her boyfriend.

It doesn’t take long for them to find a parking spot. They grab their things and meet in front of the van where Eddie takes her hand and holds it throughout their walk back to the gym. Everyone looks at them as they pass, it’s weird seeing the Freak with a girl, let alone a pretty girl dressed in the cutest green skirt and matching ribbon in her hair… not to mention she was wearing one of Eddie’s Corroded Coffin shirts to really cement that she was his.

She liked how they all looked at them, partially jealous and mostly confused as to how he landed her. If only they knew he was the softest, most loveable man in the entire world.

They meet Max inside the gym a few minutes later, they push their way through the stands to be with her, Mike and Dustin.

“What are you doing up so early?” Dustin teases him.

“It’s hellfire law to support all members in all their individual heroic endeavours, and this year 2 of my satanic children made the football team,” he explains, always just the slightest bit over the top. “So yeah, I’m going to go all out for them.”

She loved him so much it wasn’t even funny.

She enjoyed standing on the bleachers with him, holding his hand and leaning against his arm, she pressed the occasional kiss to his cheek, admiring his freckles and long eyelashes.

She barely pays attention to the national anthem, or the captain's speech, she simply couldn’t wait to get out of there and spend the day with Eddie. He was getting close to just dropping out anyway, he was smart enough for the GED test, and he didn’t need the constant berating from the teachers. Soon the two of them would be free to do whatever they wanted together.

If she didn’t love Max so much, the two of them would’ve run away together by now. She could see them living in the van for a bit, playing around the country until they had enough money for their own place in a town they could call their own… maybe even have their own family together there. She wanted a long and fulfilling life with Eddie.

After the assembly, they begin their walk back to the parking lot, they make it to the van and she immediately pushes him against it, kissing him on the lips roughly. He’s shocked at first and then he settles into it, holding her hips, he slips his knee between her thighs and grinds her against him with a groan.

“Fuck,” he mumbles against her lips. “We can’t do this here…”

“Let’s go home then?” She proposes.

“Waynes home and your mom doesn’t start work till 10,” he reminds her that there wouldn’t be a good place to get anything steamy accomplished.

“We have a perfectly good van that can be parked anywhere,” she reminds him. “Let’s go find a back road somewhere?”

“MM!” He groans, “god, I love you.”

“Really?” She melts, eyes wide like a cartoon, she couldn’t believe he said it.

“Let me show you,” he picks her up and opens the van door before setting her on the seat and buckling her in. He kisses her cheek gently first and then closes the door carefully. Ever the gentleman.

He drives them out to the middle of nowhere, taking the van off-road down a little path and parking just in front of a giant rock. “Skull rock,” he announces, to be exact. “Everyone comes here to get laid, just mostly when the sun goes down.”

“Is this your first time here?”

“For sex stuff? Yeah,” he answers honestly. “I’ve made out with some people here but it never went far… I don’t think anyone wanted the freak on their roster.”

“Good,” she took off her seatbelt and climbed into the back seat. “More for me.”

She has been in the back of his van a few times, she knew he had blankets under the seat from when they went star gazing last weekend… more like the stars ended up watching them fall in love. Their million-year-old light lit up the sky, illuminating their brand new love story. She was so used to sleeping with him in the middle of the night, when no one was home and it was just them against the world, waiting all day for moments like this.

He joins her in a heartbeat. They lay out the blanket and then he’s on top of her, hovering gently, he brushes some hairs out of her face and she has to do the same for him. She tucks his stray hairs behind his ear and smiles up at him, “I love you too, by the way.”

He hungrily kisses her, pressing his body against hers, and he settles between her legs. She wraps them around him, holding him there with her hands in his hair. She moaned into his mouth as his tongue slipped in, giving her a little taste of heaven.

His hands travel behind her, rolling them over so she’s on top of him, sitting in his lap with more leverage to grind against him. “Come on,” she whispers against his lips, reaching her arms up so he can pull his shirt off her body.

He presses little kisses to her chest, basking in her glorious cleavage, he pressed his face between them and breathed her in, “god, you’re going to be the death of me one of these days.”

She giggled and reached for his shirt, “says you… you’re so fucking hot, Eddie… it’s actually maddening.”

He grips her hair, arching her head to the side s he can kiss her neck up to her ear. “Is that what’s wrong with you? You went mad?”

She nods, “I need you, so bad.”

He pulls on the zipper on her skirt, lowering it as far as it could go before motioning for her to sit back so he could pull it off of her. He tossed her back against the seat, giving her somewhere to rest her head as he spread her leg and laid between them. Fascinated by her pussy ever since he was first granted access, all those days ago. About 29AP (after pussy) to be exact… that was a new measurement of time Eddie created just to bug her. And it worked.

And for a newbie, he was surprisingly very good at what they did together. He took the time to study her the first time, they didn’t just fuck that night, they made love for hours and then they were late to class the next morning… but it didn’t matter. Nothing seemed to matter outside of her time with him.

—

School was impossible to focus on when he was busy planning the rest of his life with Eileen in his head. He was supposed to be reading the assigned book and writing down the important plot points, instead, he was doodling all over the lined paper.

“Mr. Munson!” His teacher's voice made his skin crawl. “If you want to spend this much time doodling, might I suggest you join the art class?”

Ms. O’Donall was a royal pain in his ass, you’d think after 3 years she’d let up on him, but no. it just got worse the longer he was in this fucking school.

He finally snaps, sitting up straight and staring at her like she’s a fucking idiot. “How dense are you?”

“Excuse me?”

“Every year for the last 3 years I have sat here and listened to the same bullshit and wrote the same papers and essays and news reports, I’ve worked my ass off and all you’ve done is berate me!” He shouts, standing up and smacking the desk. “Do you think I want to be here?”

“Detention. A week.”

“Bite me,” he picks up his shit and heads for the door. “I’m so fucking tired of this place.”

He wanders out into the hall, not caring that she was screaming after him about making it two weeks if he didn’t make it to the principal's office. He really didn’t give a fuck. He was so close to just dropping out. He just needed one final push… so he heads out to the phone booth by the gym, digs through his bag for a few quarters and dials the only number he has memorized.

“Hello?” Shannon picked up with a dull voice, there was a distant crying in the background, it didn’t sound like she was having a good day either.

“Hey, Shan,” he instantly smiles. “How are you?”

“Eddie,” her voice fills with joy, “hey girls!! It’s uncle Eddie!”

The sound of them screaming his name and their little feet running towards the phone is too cute for his heart to take. “How’ve you guys been?”

“Busy,” she sighs, “Pats working more than normal so it’s just me and the rascals here, you guys wanna say hi?”

“Yeah!” They cheer, “hi uncle Eddie,” Amanda picks up first. “When are you coming to see us?”

“Soon, Mandy-pants, that’s why I called your mommy, I need some help from my big sister,” he explains it softly to her. “Maybe I can come for Gracies birthday?”

“You hear that grace?” She hands the phone to her sister, “hi Eddie!” She yells.

“Hey Gracie, I miss you.”

“I miss you!” She calls back, “are you coming to my party?”

“I would love to! It’s not every day my littlest niece turns 5, now is it?” He loves talking to them. His heart filled with so much love and joy. “Can I talk to your mommy?”

“Here, mommy,” he can hear her pass the phone, making it crackle and fuzz as it changed hands.

“Did you say you’re coming here soon?”

“Yeah, is that okay?” He feels nervous. “I won’t be staying the night or anything, I just need to get away.”

“Of course, I don’t mind if you stayed here forever, I miss you too, ya know,” she meant that with all of her heart. “What’s got you so down?”

“Well… I have a girlfriend—

“No way?” She cuts him off. “Since when?”

“About a month ago,” he feels shy sharing this with her. “Her name is Eileen, she lives beside me and Wayne now. Uh, well, she’s already graduated and super smart right, and I fucking hate being at this school and I was thinking… what if I came to Cincinnati and on my way there I can hit up that adult education place in Shelbyville and get my GED and start working instead?”

“Did you knock her up?” Is the first thing she asks.

“No?” He laughs, “no, I’m just tired of working my ass off at this school and barely passing. I know I can pass the test if I did it anywhere but here.”

“I support you,” he replies sweetly. It’s all he was looking for. “Let me know what day you’re coming, we can have a big family dinner.”

“And I’ll come back with Eileen for Grace’s birthday,” he assures her. “I really think you’ll like her.”

“Well, if you love her, then I’m sure I will,” she sees right through him. “I’m proud of you, Eds, I hope you know that.”

“I do,” he smiles, but he’s cut off by the operator's voice. “You have 1 minute remaining, please insert coins for additional time.”

“Are you calling from school?” She asks.

“Yeah, just got kicked out of English,” he admits. “But I’m gonna go, tell the girls to be good or I won’t come visit.”

“You hear that!” She called out to the girls, still sitting near the phone. “He said if you’re not good he can't come visit.”

He can’t help but laugh at the way they promise they’ll be the best girls in the world. He knows they don’t even have to try for that. “I love you guys.”

“We love you, say bye,” she holds the phone to the girls. “Bye uncle Eddie! Love you!”

“i love you girls, bye,” he smiles as he hangs up.

That could be him one day. He could have a family of his own, he could provide for them and treat them better than any father on earth has before. If he was really going to make his mother proud, he would insure her grandchildren had the best lives possible. That was already 50% complete, he couldn’t wait to add more little people to love into their life.

—

He’s acting strange that night after school.

She notices during dinner that he barely eats, he pushes the peas around his plate until they get stuck in the mashed potatoes and sets his fork down with a sigh. Max wasn’t home, it was just the two of them, so why was he this quiet?

“What did you do?”

“Huh?” He looks at her with so much guilt.

“Edward.”

“I dropped out,” he drops his head in shame, “I have a plan though, I promise. I’m not just going to be a drug dealer in a failing band anymore, I’m going to get my GED this weekend and get a job and maybe even go to the community college?”

“Where did this come from?” She’s so confused.

He shrugs, “I’m tired of people making me feel stupid here.”

She gets up from her seat and goes over to him, she swings an arm around his shoulders and sits on his lap, “sweetheart, you are far from stupid.”

“Thanks,” he gives her a sweet smile. He loves having her close like this, sitting in his lap, his hand trailing up and down her legs, the other wrapped around her waist to hold her in place.

She snuggles into his neck, “I mean it.”

“I just don’t want you to be disappointed or follow me… I’ll still drive you to school every day.”

“It’s okay,” she assures him with a kiss on the cheek. “I’d still love you if you were in school till 30.”

“They’d kick me out at 21,” he reminds her. “But thank you.”

She gives him a little giggle, “you’re stuck with me now, Munson. I hope you know that.”

“I do,” he places his hand on her cheek and draws her in for a long, passionate kiss. Breathing her in through his nose, he would suck the soul out of her this way if he could. Like he wouldn’t be complete until they were 1 being.

She pulls back with a smile, “so when are you doing the test?”

“This weekend, I think? I told Shannon I was going to do it over in Shelbyville so I might as well go see her and the girls while I’m at it,” he admits. “And Grace is having a birthday party in November if you want to come?”

“I’d love to.” She steals another kiss from him in the silence, “what kind of present should we get her?”

“I actually already have their presents,” he admits. “I got them a couple of ukuleles in the summer. When the mall burned down, when I lost my job, they told me to take anything that wasn’t damaged as severance. So I got it for them.”

“That’s so cute,” she swoons. “You’re gonna be a good dad one day.”

His heart grows 4 more sizes, “you think so?”

She nods, “yeah, you’re literally the sweetest, you’re so imaginative, you’re cuddly and soft… they’re gonna love you so much.”

He kisses her again and again and again, all over her face and neck while she breaks down in a fit of giggles. He picks her up then, disregarding the dishes and leftovers that need to be put away, “put me down,” she orders before he can reach the door. “I have to clean up first, then we can go home and practice the baby-making, okay?”

He was more than okay with that.

—

Unbeknownst to Eddie, Eileen handed out sheet music to his own band and asked to borrow them for her set during her night at the Hideout. She turned one of her songs about him into a rock song, she snuck his extra electric guitar into the van and told him she had a surprise. But he never imagined this.

2 weeks ago, when Eddie travelled up to see his sister and his GED, he thought Eileen was just at home with her sister, maybe even hanging out with Wayne… they got on pretty well now that she was over all the time. What he didn’t know is that she went to Gareth’s house, made a song with his band and picked up a congratulatory cake for him on her way back to the trailer.

Gareth was not expecting a call from her, especially not when Eddie was out of town. But he listened to her request anyway, “yeah, I can call the guys to practice… what’s this about?”

“I wrote a song for Eddie and I’m having trouble making it more rock-y, can you help?”

“Yeah! That sounds fucking sick,” he gets so hyped. “You want me to come pick you up?”

“Can you?” She begs, “I was just going to walk over with my guitar.”

“Eddie would kill me if anything happened to you while he’s gone, dude,” he clarifies. “I’ll just give the boys a shout and then I’ll be at his trailer in 15? Sound good?”

“Perfect, thanks Gareth.”

“Any time, Red.”

He kept his word, he drove up in his beat-up old car and honked twice to let her know it was him. He didn’t open her door or help her with her things, he wasn’t as chivalrous as Eddie, but he was a good friend, that’s for sure.

In Gareth’s garage, she plays it for them on the acoustic guitar, it’s mellow and filled with love when she really wanted it to be a lustful rock song. She wanted to show him just how much she loved him, so much so that she’d change genres for him.

It didn’t take very long for Jeff to learn it on guitar or show her how she could make it cooler with the electric version. Gareth found a beat, adding a flare to the song that she didn’t know it needed, and then Kev came in with the bass. It ended up being pretty fucking sick by the end of the night.

She sends Eddie out into the crowd to get a drink for himself, saying that she’s fine to set up by herself, it was her 3rd time performing there anyway, not to mention all the shows of Eddie’s she’s watched there too, she knew where everything was now.

“You guys ready?” She asked them, “you practiced?”

Gareth nods, “yeah, man, it’s a sick song. I still can’t believe we made this?”

She laughs, “it’s a lot different from my normal stuff… I hope he likes it.”

“He’s gonna cream his jeans,” Jeff teases. “This is like his biggest dream come true, he’s always said it would be sick to have someone write a song about him. It’s even cooler that it’s a sex song.”

She blushes, “you didn’t have to make it obvious.”

“Come on,” Gareth shoves her lightly, “he made you cum so hard you saw stars and you wrote a whole song about it… that’s pretty fucking cool.”

“he’d say its metal,” she can’t help but smirk. “You guys ready to do this?”

“Hell yeah!” They cheer back, following her lead towards the stage.

She plugs the guitar into the amp and strums it a few times as the spotlights turn back on, illuminating her. “Can you make them blue?” She asks into the mic and sure enough, they turn blue. “Thanks, man… uh, so tonight I’m doing something a little different from my normal set, so, please welcome back to the stage three-fourths of corroded coffin!”

Eddie watches on from the audience with a bewildered look on his face, mumbling, “what the fuck?” To himself before taking a sip of his drink and moving in closer for a better seat.

He’s never heard her play electric before. She’s really good, and then the band comes in. “Untouchable, like a distant diamond sky. Keep reaching out and I still can't tell you why, I’m caught up in you!”

His jaw drops, and his jeans get tighter, he can’t believe they helped her write a song about him.

“Untouchable, burning hotter than the sun,” she sings with such a raspy voice, close to the mic, he knew her breath was hot and he wished it was him she was that close to right now.

“and when you're close I just want to come undone…”

He loses his shit when the beat changes, the chorus hits and he’s jumping to the beat.

“And the in middle of the night when I'm in this dream. It's like a million little stars spelling out your name. You gotta, come on come on, say that we'll be together,

Come on come on, little taste of heaven

It's half full and I won't wait here all day. I know you'll say that I'll be here anyway

And in the middle of the night when I'm in this dream, it's like a million little stars spelling out your name. You gotta, come on come on, I wanna be together

Come on come on

And in the middle of the night we could form this dream. I wanna feel you in the dark lying next to me. You gotta, come on come on, say that we'll be together

Come on, Come on, little taste of heaven."

He’s mesmerized all through the song, but especially when she breaks off into a guitar solo, shredding his old and neglected electric guitar like it’s been hers this whole time. It was absolutely fucking amazing, so good he starts to sing back to her.

“Come on, come on! Don’t make me wait forever!! Come on come on!!! Say that we’ll be together! Little taste of heaven! My little Taste of Heaven!”

He claps like a maniac, cheering louder than anyone in the room, but overall, the environment was wild. They all loved it, and why wouldn’t they? It was so fucking cool… he just hated that she had a few songs left to play. If it was up to him, she’d be with him in a stall right now, seeing stars again.

He counts the seconds until she’s off the stage, practically running back there to get his hands on her as soon as he can. “BABE!” He yells, arms in the air, a dumbfounded look on his face. “Where the fuck did that come from?”

She shrugs, taking the guitar off her body and placing it back in its case before she skipped over to him and hopped up into his arms, she clings to him. “Did you like it?”

“Like it?” He laughs and nips at her bottom lip with his teeth, she steals a kiss anyway. “I loved it.”

She lets out an evil giggle, “I can feel it,” she whispers in his ear.

“Hey, uh, we got this,” Gareth points at all their stuff, “you two go be indecent somewhere private. For Christ's sake…”

They didn’t have to tell him twice, Eddie carries her towards the performer's bathroom and shoves her against the door as soon as they’re inside. Their lips collide, desperate for each other in a way they’ve never been before, it was a do-or-die situation for them.

He unbuttons her jeans and pushes them down alongside her panties, kissing her neck and over her shirt on his way down with them. He only takes them off one leg, so she can get back into them quickly, then he picks her up, wrapping her legs around his hips, and he sets her down on the sink.

She starts working on his belt once she’s settled, he runs his hands through her slightly sweaty hair, pulling her attention back up to his face, “you are very touchable, I’ll have you know.”

She shakes her head with a smirk, “I meant it like no one new can touch me again… no one but you.”

@fightingdragonswithreid @mrs-dr-reid @kyomito @reidselle @venomsvl @nomajdetective @girl-with-an-orange-cat @stevesmunsons

#eddie munson #eddie munson stranger things #eddie munson smut #stranger things #eddie munson imagines #eddie munson imagine #stranger things imagine #stranger things season 4

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callsign-magnolia · 1 year

Text

Lost in Translation/ / Fuck Feelings

Warning: Angst, cursing, & smut

Collaboration w/: @alltimereverie

Bradley Bradshaw as Noah

Bob Floyd as Harrison

Old Feelings | Masterlist

I picked up the soft cotton dress from the rack, holding it in my hands as I admired it. “You’d look beautiful in that one.” I giggled as Noah wrapped his arms around my waist, pulling me back into his chest as his mustache tickled my cheek from his kiss. “You think?” He hummed, taking it from my hands before setting it down in the bag the associate gave me. “I know so. Now, I got you pretzel bites, because I know you can’t come into the mall and not get some.” He handed me the cup of pretzel bites, and held up another cup. “And I got you a large lemonade.” I grinned at him, standing on my toes to kiss his cheek. “You’re so sweet.” He chuckled, stealing a pretzel bite. “Only for you. Now come on, you said you were out of mascara and I know you’ll kick yourself in the ass if you forget it.” He took my hand as he led me to the register. We argued over who was going to pay, him going as far as snatching my wallet and tossing it behind him, making me chase after it as he paid.

I glared at him as we walked over to the sephora, purchasing my mascara and even some lipstick Noah suggested would look good. “Okay, it’s six-thirty. What do you want for dinner?” I chuckled as we walked out to the bronco, him taking my bags and setting them in the back seat. “I think we’ve spent enough money today. Why don’t I cook up something?” He shook his head as I leaned against the bronco, him caging me in with an arm on either side of me. “You’ve been cooking for us a lot lately, let me take you to dinner.” My heart sped up. The last few weeks we’ve been inseparable. Kissing, holding each other, sleeping in each other's beds, he’s attempted to sleep with me once or twice but I’ve told him no each time. I had hoped that me sleeping with him would help me forget Harrison, but in reality it made me miss him more. But us spending time together, going out and doing things has helped and I feel the best I’ve felt since Harrison and I split. But the way he insisted on taking me to dinner, it almost sounded like it should be a date. My heart sped up and it felt like my skin was lighting up. I was itching to ask him if it was a date, but I knew, with one word it would crush all the hope I have. “Come on,” He said, his thumb hooking under my chin to make me look at him. “Why don’t I take you to that expensive sushi place you love.” He grinned at me and I was putty in his hands. “Okay.” I giggled out, him leaning down and kissing my cheek before opening my door for me.

When we arrived he helped me out of the bronco, intertwining our fingers as we walked in. “Table for two?” The host looked down, before looking back at us. “It’ll be a forty-five minute wait.” I didn’t want to make Noah wait, but when I went to speak up, he beat me. “That’s fine.” With that, he led us over to a bench. It was crowded so he sat down, pulling me into his lap. “You’re really okay waiting for that long?” He gets hangry easily and we haven’t eaten since eleven a.m. “I promise, I’m okay baby.” He kissed my cheek, making a heat flood them. We waited and soon our table was ready. Noah held my hand as we walked back to our table but we were stopped when a familiar figure stepped out from the restrooms. “Oh, hi guys.” Katy stood before us, in her work attire and a shocked look on her face. “Hi, Katy.” Noah seemed caught off guard a little by her presence. “Um, what are you guys up to?” She asked, wringing her hands together. “Just getting dinner. What about you?” I watched as Noah stared at her, eyes raking over her body, and my heart dropped. “Just a work dinner.” Noah perked up a little at her words. “Oh, so not a date or anything?” I barely managed to contain the eye roll as she nodded, glancing to me. “Hi Liz.” She gave me a small smile, and I just gave her a small nod as I pursed my lips. “I’ll leave you guys be, I’m gonna go sit at our table.” I let go of Noah’s hand, walking to where our waiter stopped. I had hoped he’d follow me, but when he stayed with Katy I knew.

I feel so confused about our relationship more than ever now. Soon the waiter came and took drink orders and I ordered water for Noah and I, seeing as he still wasn’t over here. By the time he came over I had already decided on what to eat and told the waiter we weren’t ready for food yet. “Sorry, we were catching up.” He had this big grin on his face. “Anything interesting?” He placed his hands in his lap as he pursed his lips, shrugging his shoulders and shaking his head. “No, nothing.” I gave a small nod as the waiter came back. We had a pretty quiet dinner before Noah paid and we left. He didn’t hold my hand to the car, or in it, he barely looked at me after he closed my door. We made small talk on the way home, nothing like our normal conversations. Once he pulled into my driveway, we got out and he helped me get all the shopping bags out, carrying them to the door. Once I unlocked the door and walked in, he set the bags down just inside the door before standing there, hands in his pockets. “Do you wanna come in and watch a movie?” I asked. Normally he’d come in for a drink, a movie, or just snuggle on the couch before we went to bed. “No, um I’m actually gonna hit the gym. Haven’t been in a few days.” I nodded. We've been together a lot, and he does have to maintain a certain physique to be in the Navy. “Okay, well, see you tomorrow?” He nodded as I stepped forward, hugging him tightly. I leaned up, kissing his cheek before he pulled away and walked out to his bronco. “See you later.” With that he got into his car and backed out of the driveway.

I walked to the door, feeling a little defeated as I closed it behind me. Since we saw Katy he’s been distant, and I hope she doesn’t attempt to come between us again. I huffed as I unpacked all my stuff before stripping out of my dress and taking a shower. Afterwards I curled up on the couch, turning on a true crime documentary as I wrapped myself in a fuzzy blanket. I stared at the tv until my phone buzzed. I picked it up, smiling when I saw Harrison’s name appear on my screen. I opened the text to see it was some funny pet videos, making me giggle as I watched them. I felt a little better as I texted him back, telling him it was funny. I wanted to tell him I missed him, but I didn’t want to make it awkward. With that I laid my phone down next to me, slowly drifting off to sleep in the tv light.

Over the next few weeks Noah and I have hardly seen each other. He’s been going to the gym a lot more, but he’s been blowing me off to do it. I shouldn’t be upset about it, he’s his own person and he can do as he pleases. I don’t own him, we’re not in a relationship. But it still bothers me. It shouldn’t but it does. “Hey, Noah. I was just calling to see if you wanted to come over for dinner? Haven’t seen you all week and I’m making your favorite. Call me back.” I set my phone on the counter, sighing as I finished dinner. I ate by myself before showering and as I was getting ready for bed my phone buzzed. I stopped putting lotion on my legs and looked at my phone. I had a text from Noah.

At the gym. Sorry.

That was unlike him. This seems cold and distant. I finished getting ready for bed, crawling under the covers. I became so used to sharing the bed, it just seems big and cold now. I kept thinking about his text. Was he upset with me? Did I do something to upset him? I sniffled as a few tears slipped from my eyes. I wiped them away as I pulled the covers up to my chin. “I’ll talk to him tomorrow.” I muttered as I drifted off to sleep. The next day at work I made my way out to the hangar, only seeing Natasha and no Noah. “Hey Tasha. Seen Noah?” She nodded. “He’s in the air. He should be done in about… three minutes.” She said as she looked at her watch. “What’s up? How are things with him anyway?” She asked as she nudged my arm with a wink. “Weird. We were fine and then we bumped into Katy a few weeks ago.” She groaned, throwing her head back. “God, she needs to just leave him alone. You don’t get to dump someone, take them back, dump them again and try to get them back again.” I nodded in agreement. “Since then he’s been distant and spending a lot of time in the gym.” She furrowed her brows and opened her mouth, just as Noah walked over.

“Hey Liz! What’s got you out here?” He asked as he put his red and yellow helmet in his helmet bag. “Came to talk to you. We haven’t seen each other in weeks.” He pursed his lips, nodding his head. “And the text you sent me last night was weird. Kinda thought you were upset with me or something.” He furrowed his brows in confusion as he stared at his bag. “Text?” I nodded. “Ya know. At the gym. Sorry.” His eyes widened in realization. “Oh yeah! Sorry, I was in the middle of a set. Didn’t put too much thought into the reply.” I smiled at him. “Oh, good.” He smiled at me, pulling me into a tight hug. I closed my eyes as I inhaled the scent of his cologne and jet fuel. “Look, how about tonight we go out? I’ll pick you up at seven.” I nodded as I smiled up at him. “I think that’d be great.” He leaned down, kissing my cheek. “We’ve got a briefing. I’ll see you tonight.” He kissed my cheek before walking away with a wink. I could melt into a puddle at that wink. “Hey.” Natasha came over, her hand on my shoulder. “I don’t know what’s going on, but he hasn’t been to the gym anymore than normal.” My smile fell at her words. “What?” She sighed, before looking at me. “I think he’s lying to you Liz.”

That night I got ready, a black t-shirt dress and some sandals as I waited. Soon seven rolled around as I sat on the couch waiting. Then seven-thirty, then eight. I called him twice before he finally answered. “Hey Liz! What’s up?” I scoffed. “What’s up? Seriously?! You said you would be here at seven!” I was trying to keep from yelling, but it was hard. “Fuck!” He yelled. “I’m so sorry Liz! I got busy at work, and then they made us stay late and I forgot to call.” My chest was heaving. I could hear the lie in his voice. “Baby. Come back to bed!” My jaw dropped as I heard the familiar voice on the other end. “Whose that?” I asked. “Uh, Natasha.” I rolled my eyes. “I wasn’t born yesterday. Natasha doesn’t call you baby.” It was quiet for a beat before I spoke up again. “Don’t bother making any more plans with me.” With that I hung up, slamming my phone down on the coffee table. Of all the fucking things he could’ve done. He lied to me. One thing I can’t stand is lying, and he knows that.

Why would he lie to me? Katy and I don’t get along, but if he really wants to be with her, I would support him in the end. My support for him has been unwavering our entire lives, he was the same way with me. So why would he lie to me? It bothered me. Ate away at me from the inside out. I stood, pacing around my dining room as I fought hard to keep the tears at bay. But soon they fell, flooding my cheeks as my bottom lip wobbled. I grew angry, slinging my sandals off my feet, launching them across the house as I flung myself face down on the couch. Why not me? I have always been here, never turning my back on him, and he chooses this woman that screams at him for no reason and toys with his emotions. What was so wrong with me? Why couldn’t he see how in love I was with him? Sobs racked my body, my hair splayed out messily around my head as my hands were tucked under my chest. I shouldn’t be upset about this, it feels stupid. But he was treating this like a relationship, like maybe he had feelings. I should’ve known better. Noah has a type and it’s not heavier set women with my hair color.

I laid like that for a while, crying, so much I almost didn’t notice my phone ringing. I looked up, ready to reject Noah’s call, when I saw Harrison's name on the screen. I sat up, wiping my tears from my cheeks and taking a deep breath before answering. “Hello?” I asked, getting up to grab some water. It was quiet for a second before I heard him sigh, almost dreamily. “Hey, Lizzy.” I bit my lip at the nickname. “Hi Harrison.” My voice was quiet, small almost. “Are you okay?” I sighed, almost telling him no. “Lizzy. Something has you upset. Spill.” I huffed. “Noah and I got into it, is all.” I knew he saw right through me though. “Are you okay?” That question had more tears falling. “You don’t wanna hear about it, and it’s stupid anyway.” He scoffed. “Your feelings aren’t stupid, Lizzy.” I shook my head as I took the water back to the couch. “Let’s talk about something else.” “I miss you.” I froze at his words, not able to move. “What?” I didn’t even realize I asked the question. “I miss you Lizzy. So much.” My breath caught in my throat, not able to respond. “Lizzy.” Finally I snapped out of it. “I miss you too Harrison.” I could practically imagine the grin on his face. “I’m so happy to hear that. Why don’t you tell me how the F/A-19 going? I wanna hear all about how my smart girl is leading the team.” I couldn’t help the giggle that escaped me. “Your girl? I thought we broke up?” He chuckled. “No matter where I go, or what happens, you will always be my girl, Lizzy.”

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Taglist: @dhwanishah09 @wkndwlff

#lost in translation #rooster #rooster top gun #rooster fanfic #bradley rooster bradshaw #bradley bradshaw #bob floyd #robert bob floyd #harrison knott

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