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sunshinevanfleet · 1 year

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daisy - s. kiszka

pairing: sam x reader

a/n: hi!!! i'm back again with another sammy fic. i know i just posted one, but he's my baby so i'm going to post for him whenever i want. this one is dad!sam and i am so emotional about it. it's short and sweet i hope u all like it. ok byeee<3

genre: fluff

word count: 1.5k

summary: the reader and sam share a moment together before their toddler wakes up.

warnings: none (unless you count children lol)

It was an unusually quiet morning in the Kiszka household. Peace blanketed the space of your bedroom, a sparrow’s sweet song muffled by the shut window over your bed. Blinking, you rolled over in bed, propping your head up on your hands to find you were alone in bed. Another peculiar occurrence. Your yawn broke the silence, for half a second, then you sat up in bed. The blankets tangled between your legs, still warm from your deep sleep.

Your ears perked at the sound of the birdsong, expecting to hear someone stirring down the hall, but there was nothing. Faintly, you wondered where Sam disappeared off to. He was rarely out of bed before you were, preferring to curl up next to you, where he slept like the dead. You couldn’t blame him; these last few months were nothing short of exhausting. Something about raising a toddler was extremely draining. Your daughter seemed to be more of a handful now than she ever was as a newborn.

Forcing yourself out of your little cocoon, you padded to the doorway of your bedroom and pressed your ear to the door. There was a sound– ever so quiet– down the hall in the living room. You opened the door with care, wincing at the squeak that sounded from the hinges. Your eyes immediately landed on the door to your daughter’s room, luckily finding it still closed. A pleased smile found your lips. It was about time you got some time alone with your dear husband.

Tip-toeing, you slinked down the hallway and peered into the living room. There was Sammy, slouched over his guitar as he sat on the couch. He strummed gently, a few chords floating through the air between you. Perched against the doorway, you took a moment to admire him. It was rare that you had a still moment like this. His hair was tied back in a messy bun, his bare back and shoulders facing you as he played. You watched the muscles stretch beneath his skin, the veins protruding on his hands and forearms. His brows pulled together in concentration as he played a couple different chords, scribbling in his notebook as he worked.

Still silent, you ambled over to the couch, settling into the space behind him.

“Good morning, pretty,” he smiled. You draped your legs on either side of his body, pressing your cheek against the warmth of his back and wrapping your arms around his middle.

“‘Morning,” you mumbled. “Is the baby still asleep?”

“The baby is fast asleep,” he said, proudly. You grinned; it pleased you that the two of you still referred to her as ‘the baby,’ despite her now being almost three years old. She would always be your perfect little baby, curled up in your embrace no matter how old she got.

“Maybe I should go check on her,” you suggested. Absentmindedly, your fingers traced little circles onto the soft skin of his abdomen. He relaxed into your touch, though he was still scribbling away on the paper in front of you.

“She’s all right, Y/N,” Sam said, voice soft. You could hear the amusement in his voice. He thought you were a complete worry wart, troubling yourself for no reason. It was part of the reason that you lost so much sleep; how could you not worry, with your entire world all by herself down the hall?

“She never sleeps this late,” you continued.

“She knows her mommy needs a break,” he replied.

You sighed, nodding your head. “I guess you’re right…”

“As usual.”

“Oh, hush.”

Your quiet laughter chorused through the living room, and Sam turned his head towards you, looking expectant.

“What?” You wrinkled your nose, peering up at him from your comfortable place pressed against his back.

“Can’t a man get a kiss from his wife?” he asked, incredulous.

“If only a man asks nicely,” you muttered, craning your neck to plant a brief kiss on his lips.

He smiled, looking satisfied. “Thank you very much.”

“Anything for my dear husband.”

The two of you returned to the quiet of the morning. His focus returned to his song, higher in pitch and melodic, ringing through the air like the voice of the bird outside your window this morning. You closed your eyes and listened. The notes filled the air around you, something like a lullaby as he played, changing and correcting himself every now and then. The tune was sweet, slow, and lovely. This was the type of song that would be played at weddings, a song for slow-dancing, tender moments.

“Everything that comes from your mind is so incredible,” you mumbled quietly, not wanting to interrupt the enchanting song. One of his hands dropped from the guitar, finding yours. He squeezed it before bringing it to his lips. They brushed over the skin, soft as clouds as he kissed your knuckles. He intertwined your fingers as he brought them back down to his lap.

“It’s your song,” he said, quiet. This tone of voice was unusual for him; he sounded almost bashful.

“My song?” You couldn’t help the smile that broke out onto your face, almost painful. A flush spread across your cheeks, your face burning. You peppered kisses over his back, unable to help the giddy feeling that spread through your chest and stomach.

He nodded. “Your song. I’ve been working on it for a while now. I wanted to wait until it was finished to show you…”

“Oh, and I just waltzed in here all careless,” you laughed.

“I don’t mind,” he said, “I missed having time alone with you. Just the two of us.”

“Me too.”

“Is that bad?” he asked, laughing softly. You did the same.

“I don’t think so… We’re still people, you know.”

“Parents before people.”

“Wouldn’t trade it for the world,” you said truthfully.

“No,” he agreed. “Where would we be without our baby?”

You shrugged. “Lost, probably. A little bit of peace and quiet isn’t so bad though. How much longer do you think we have?”

“Long enough for a little adult time?” He asked, turning to face you. He wiggled his eyebrows, eliciting a giggle from you.

“Maybe.”

He placed the guitar in its case at his feet, and turned back to you. You sprawled on the couch, hands curling up over his shoulders as he crawled over you. His breath tickled your neck as he traced his lips up your neck, kissing gently. You sighed contentedly, settling into the cushions beneath you. One of his hands slid up under the hem of your t-shirt, and–

His head snapped up as a small thump sounded from down the hall, then you heard the bedroom door opening. A defeated smile found your lips and you sat up, head turning towards the sound. There was your little girl, rubbing the sleep from her eyes as she wandered into the living room. She was the spitting image of Sam, her brunette hair tangled in a sweet halo around her head. Her little rosebud lips parted in a tiny yawn, and your heart melted.

“There’s our Daisy Lou,” said Sam in his sweetest voice. He held his arms open for her, and she hurried towards you. He scooped her little body up with ease, setting her on his lap. You sat up on your knees, brushing her little waves off of her forehead.

“Sleep well, honeybee?” you asked.

She smiled at you, nodding enthusiastically. Sam looked between the two of you, eyeing your matching smiles and wild morning hair, and his features broke out into a wide smile.

“Gosh, you two are like twins,” he laughed, nudging Daisy’s cheek with his nose.

“I’m Mommy’s twin?!” Daisy said incredulously, soft giggles spilling from her lips.

“Oh, you are so Dada’s twin, miss Daisy Louise…” You made a face, leaning in to plant a sloppy kiss on her cheek.

“No way,” Sam argued, but Daisy leaned between the two of you, a finger pressed to her lips. She shushed the both of you.

You blinked at each other, wide-eyed as she glanced back and forth at the both of you. “What is twins?” She looked very seriously between you, and you met Sam’s gaze. His lip quivered for a second, and then the two of you burst into laughter. What were you going to do with her?

“Twins are…” Sam began, then looked at you for help.

“You know how Uncle Jake and Uncle Josh look alike?”

Daisy frowned. “No. Uncle Jake’s hair goes like this,” she gestured to her hair, smoothing it down. “And Uncle Josh’s hair goes like this–” She spread her hands around the top of her head, miming Josh’s wild curls. You started laughing again.

“Okay, bad example,” you said.

“Well, while Mommy tries to figure out how to explain twins,” Sam said, standing up with Daisy wrapped in his arms. “How about we make some breakfast?”

“Breakfast!” she shouted excitedly.

“Sounds like a dream,” you agreed, following your husband into the kitchen. You were quickly surrounded by the noise of bowls and pans being removed from the cupboard, the relentless chatter of your toddler, and a slow song playing from the radio. Things were back to normal in the Kiszka household.

#sam x reader #sam kiszka x reader #sam kiszka imagine #sam kiszka fic #greta van fleet imagine #greta van fleet fic #greta van fleet x reader #gvf fic #gvf imagine #gvf x reader #greta van fleet #my writing #queue are my special

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lady-necropolis · 11 months

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Ghost bc Whump Month Day Two: Collapse

Little late with these but better than never I guess!

TW for a character forgetting / neglecting to eat

You never minded working hard, and it wasn’t that you were trying to grind yourself to the bone. It was just, easy to forget about everything else on tour. There was always something. Last minute costume fixes, scheduling issues, keeping the bus clean. And the ghouls. The ghouls. Swiss and Dew making a mess after one of their shenanigans, Swiss and Dew at one another’s throats, trying to get Mountain up for rehearsals— The point was that there was always something to do!

And today was one of those days. Everything that could go wrong, was kind of going wrong. First, you were up early to get coffees and breakfast for everyone because a particularly plucky fire ghoul fried the outlets last night and no one had had time to repair them yet. Thankfully, Aether was up early too and offered to come with and help you bring it all back so you got some mercy there. Then you broke up a squabble about who took the last cinnamon roll and went about making calls to reschedule interviews, make sure the venues were prepared, let the hotel know you would be late to check in because of course, the bus was having problems.

You’d been busy. And breakfast was far gone. But you still had work to. So, you ignored the neglected rumblings of your stomach and your shaky hands and pushed through the best you could. It was your turn to clean the bus anyway, and you were nearly done, only the kitchenette left. You’d eat as soon as you were done. You’d bent down to pick up a fork you’d dropped while doing the dishes when footsteps resounded behind you, coming to a casual stop.

“Hey sister, do you know if we have any crackers left?” Dewdrop asked, yawning. Probably just got up from a nap.

“Um.” You frown, standing up. Blood rushes from your head and you steady yourself with a hand on the counter, little black spots slowly creeping their way into your vision. “Check the cabinets,” you sigh. “Can’t remember.” Every second that goes by the black spots creep further and further in. You shake your head, gripping the counter. Just push through. Almost done. You take a glass from the sink, fumbling for the dish rag.

“Hey, you good?”

“Hmm?” You turn around, leaning back on the counter. Dew’s voice is coming from somewhere, but right now you can’t possibly pinpoint exactly where that somewhere might be.

“You didn’t answer my question.” His voice is hollow, and why is everything spinning? The glass slides from your hand, shattering on the floor with a loud crash. “Shit!”

“Oopsie Daisy,” you mumble. You hear a distant “Fuck!” as the world goes black.

“She just went down.” A cold sweat sweeps over you, and as you crack your eyes open, you’re vaguely aware of two shadowy heads looming over you.

“Did she hit her head?” There’s cotton in your ears, fuzzy, muddled.

“Nah, caught her before she fell.”

“What happened?” You groan, trying to sit up.

“Hey, hey, hey, easy.” Aether’s guides you up to sit slowly with firm, gentle hands on your shoulders, and you blink in confusion.

“You passed out on me,” Dew says softly. Then there’s a glass of water thrust into your hand. You take a small sip, and then another. The cold water soothing your befuddled mind, lifting that heavy fog.

“We should get you to your bunk. You need to rest right now,” Aether murmurs. All you can do is nod weakly, letting the Aether ghoul help you up from the floor and walk you to your bunk. He settles you in with a cold facecloth on your forehead, saying he’ll come check on you in a bit.

You’re alone for a few minutes, finishing off your glass of water when there’s a knock on the outside of your bunk. You pull back the curtains to find Dew holding a plate with some crackers, cheese, and a few candies on it

“Feelin’ good enough to eat something?” You offer him a small smile and scoot over on the smell bed, patting the empty space next to you in offering. The fire ghoul huffs, but takes your offer, handing you the plate before settling in, tucking a hand behind his head.

“Thanks,” you murmur, gingerly taking a bite out of a cracker. When it doesn’t upset your stomach, you wolf it down, putting a slice of cheese on the next one.

“Figured you hadn’t eaten,” he chuckles, and you nod.

“Got busy.”

“I know. You’ve been going non-stop all day.” He frowns at you, a very unfamiliar crease forming between his brows. He’s worried.

“Sorry,” you murmur sheepishly around another cracker, and Dew shakes his head.

“No, no you don’t have to apologize. It’s just—you scared me is all.” He grumbles it out, a hand scratching at his brow. And your heart melts a little bit at that. You snuggle closer to the fire ghoul, and though you’re fully expecting him to pull away, he doesn’t. “C’mere,” he mutters under his breath, sliding an arm under your head, pulling you into his side. You rest your head on his chest, feeling Dew tuck you under his chin, his warmth calming you.

“Thanks.”

“For what?” You shrug.

“Worrying about me.” A puff of soft laughter tickles your hair.

“Someone’s got to.” You merely hum, finishing off your snack and popping a candy into your mouth. Dew places the plate on the floor, and for awhile, the two of you lie together in total silence; him, petting your hair and gently purring, you with a small smile on your face.

“Can’t believe you said oopsie daisy before passing out,” Dew snickers, and you squeeze your eyes shut in embarrassment.

“Shut up!” you groan, but you’re laughing along with him.

“It was cute.”

“Yeah?” You crane your neck up, and he looks down at you, grinning in amusement.

“Yeah.”

The exhaustion of the day is getting to you, and Dew’s warmth and the sway of the bus are certainly not helping. You fight to keep your eyes open.

“Hey,” Dew murmurs, noticing as you try to rub the sleep from your eyes. “Just sleep, you got nowhere you need to be.” And as though he’s pulling the thoughts straight out of your mind, Dew adds: “I’ll be right here when you wake up.” You smile into the fire ghoul’s chest, and with the feeling of his cheek resting atop your head, you drift off into much needed slumber.

#the band ghost #ghost bc #ghost bc fanfic #whump month #dewdrop ghoul #sodomizer ghoul #dewdrop x reader #nameless ghouls

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daisyblinder · 1 year

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Whoopsie Daisy// Richard Winters x reader

🍁 Warnings: None

🍁 Summary: George Luz has a big mouth

You had gotten used to the ways of the men. It was more often than not that the nurses got their fare share of attention when dealing with the more upbeat soldiers.

You did not wear your engagement ring when working, for obvious reasons, but it was never far from you. Hidden in an envelope, in your skirt pockets so you would not lose it. Many soldiers took the lack of the ring visible as an open door to take their chances.

And for the most part, you did not mind. Most of the men were just genuinely sweet and funny. In the midst of all the horror, it was nice to have something happier and regular to think of. When it was just innocent and cheerful, you saw no harm in it.

The thing is: you did not expect to end up working with men under your own fiance’s command. And some of those men, were far from innocent. They had made you blush and cover your ears more than a few times.

”What do you say, Ms.? Should I get this cake on the line so you can finally get your hands on it?”, George Luz was a handful that one. Trying to patch up Buck Compton’s behind while having him observing was not an easy feat. A lovable man, George was, but he was a jokester and he knew exactly the words to say to fluster someone.

”I would advice you to keep you head low and preferably if there is cake on the line; eat it”, you answered with a light tone as you try to focus on your work.

”You’d like to eat this cake then, huh?”, George teases with a chuckle making your whole face heat up. Buck swats a heavy arm at him, noticing how flustered you are becoming.

”Come on, Luz, leave the lady alone”, he commands lightly. Buck knew who you were, you had met him before. He was a pleasant man. A gentle giant with carefree baby blue eyes. If only they could remain as carefree.

”I would have to agree with Lt. Compton, Luz”, rasps a voice behind you. You don’t have to look to see who it is. A smile spreads to your face as you finish your wrapping and still your hands.

”You’re all good to go”, you say to Buck and the men waiting to carry him away to a transportation for the hospital. ”Take care, Buck”

”Will do, sweetheart”, he answers back quietly. As the men take him away, you stand up to look at Richard. The man is staring down the radioman with such intensity it could set the whole field on fire. He was not a jealous man, your Richard. Usually at least but the time apart did something to a man.

”Let me introduce you”, Richard says with a commanding voice. ”Come closer George”, The man in question gulps lightly, not used to this sort of power play from his usually calm officer.

”Holy Mary and Joseph care for me like you did Jesus”, he whispers to himself as he comes to stand right in front of Richard. You step next to him as well an amused smile playing on your lips. Several of the men were also now alert on what was going on.

”This here, Is our T-4 George Luz”, Richard begins, ”and this George, is my fiance nurse Y/n Y/Ln” he finishes with a tight smile. George pales at the mention as you can hear a howl of laughter from the side. From what you can see it’s Lewis and Harry.

”Honor to meet you. Whoopsie daisy how my mouth deceives me”, the technician stutters before saluting Dick and taking off. You let shake your head as you giggle.

Without a word Richard starts leading you to a jeep with a hand on the small of your back. ”You silly, silly man”, you say shaking your head. ”What has gotten into you?”, you giggle looking at his sour face.

Richard shakes his head as he helps you to take as a seat in the back of the empty jeep. ”Do they do that often?”, he asks making you furrow your brow in confusion. ”Make comments, my men”, he clarifies seeing your confusion.

You sigh, looking around quickly to see that people aren’t looking, and cup his face. ”Your men are very well behaved, they make comments yes, but they can draw a line. You don’t have to worry, darling”, you soothe.

Dick’s face remains tight as he looks at you. ”I miss you”, he says after a moment of silence. Your own face goes grim as you bite down on your lower lip. ”I miss you too”, you agree. Gently resting your forehead against his, you hold back your tears.

What would you give to just burrow yourself into his arms like you used to back in Lancaster. ”This is what awakened our jealous Richie, huh?”, you tease trying to deflect the sadness, not wanting to take the chances of the last time you see him, being a sad memory.

”I don’t have to be jealous”, he shakes his head. ”I would be a bad man to take away your smile from other men. What matters to me is that this heart here beats in union with mine”, he whispers both of you looking down at his palm that now rests on your chest.

You take your hands away from his face and rest a palm over his own heartbeat. Soon your hearts beat together to the same pace. ”I have to go”, he says all too soon but makes no move to step away.

”I love you”

”Till death do as part”

And with a tender swift kiss, you have to part.

#richard winters x reader #richard winters #band of brothers #lewis nixon x reader #harry welsh #george luz #dick winters x reader #dick winters

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moonchildreads · 1 year

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small town

Chapter 10 - That's What Friends Are For

IN THIS CHAPTER: Hellfire gets ditched, a cheesy misunderstanding, and Eddie bribes the Yearbook Club [7.5k]

WARNINGS: weed I guess? small mention of the "starcourt fire"

masterlist - prev - next | playlist

Keep smiling and keep shining Knowing you can always count on me, for sure

Friday, May 2nd - 1986

Before third period started on Friday, the male Hellfire seniors had congregated around Eddie’s and Gareth’s lockers, talking animatedly about going to see Poltergeist II: The Other Side in just a few weeks. Gareth, the biggest horror enthusiast of the group, was a huge fan of the first movie and had talked his friends into seeing the second installment on opening night, May 23rd. He was very much excited about having already secured four tickets from Kimberly, one of his sister Gretchen’s old high school friends that manned the ticket booth at the local theater. They were so engaged in their chatter that only Donny, who was resting his back against the lockers as they talked, caught sight of the short girl bounding down the hallway towards their direction, bright acrylic daisies dangling from her ears.

“Hey, I know those earrings!” he commented with a knowing grin as soon as she was within hearing range.

“They are my new faves,” Dottie shook her head lightly to show them off. “Besides, if I’m gonna wear this bad boy I thought I’d go all out.”

She opened her jacket intending to show him her matching yellow cardigan with small daisies cross-stitched around the neck, but a much more important piece of clothing peeked through the top of her black denim overalls. There, hiding underneath all the pastels and flowery patterns, a very familiar t-shirt was hardly on display, but there was no way they could have missed it; not when all four of them had been wearing the exact same shirt every Friday for the past few years.

“You’re wearing the shirt!” Gareth exclaimed, pulling her cardigan open to see the text at the top and confirm they were, in fact, matching.

“It’s Hellfire day, of course I’m wearing the shirt,” she waved him off like it was obvious. The bell rang signaling they should be getting to class if they didn’t want to be late and she locked arms with Jeff, pulling him away from the group towards Mrs. Click’s World History classroom. “See you around!”

“Well, time to go run over some cones,” Gareth said, a mischievous smile on his face as he left to attend his Drivers Education class.

Donny watched Eddie’s face for a few beats while everyone walked away, barely contained laughter at the sight that was his friend’s flustered expression. His pining was getting ridiculous at this point, and Donny was greatly enjoying seeing the events unfold, fully aware that the rest of their friends were a few steps behind in their observations about their rugged leader. Sometimes it pays off to have three sisters. He snorted as he saw Eddie pull a Latin-English dictionary from his locker and the taller boy turned to look at him when he heard the sound, having completely forgotten he was there.

“You might wanna close your mouth there, bud. Don’t think she’s gonna want to kiss you if you start swallowing flies,” he said, and hurried off towards his Physics lesson before his friend could punch his arm.

“You piece of shit!” Eddie yelled at him in fake anger, but the blush tinting his cheeks couldn’t have been more real even if he had tried.

“I just know he’s planning something big and it’s making me so nervous,” Chrissy said, watching Eddie light up the joint he had just rolled.

“Wha, ’s your anniversary or sumthin?” he asked, the joint between his lips as he took his first hit of the day.

Eddie and Chrissy were hanging out in the woods after school, enjoying a bit of a breather in between the end of the school day and the start of their extracurricular activities: cheerleading practice for her and The Hellfire Club for him. He offered the lit blunt to her and she took it gladly, hoping it would chase away the uneasy feeling she’d been carrying at the base of her stomach all day. If anyone had told either of them two months ago that they would be sharing weed in the woods, they both would have told you to get your brain checked, but now, at the beginning of May, they were both comfortable enough admitting that the secret drug deals and shy smiles had led them towards a surprising yet pleasant friendship.

“No,” she paused, letting the smoke fill her lungs. “Prom’s coming up and I’m on the planning committee so Jason feels like he has to do a huge promposal. I think he’s getting the girls to help him out, they all stare and get really quiet around me lately.”

“But why does he have to ask? He’s your boyfriend, everyone already knows you’re gonna go with him to prom.”

“You think that’d be enough, but if he doesn’t pull a big event for everyone to see how much he loves me, then he might as well be publicly dumping me.”

“That’s… I’m sorry, Chrissy, but that’s the dumbest thing I’ve heard all day,” he chuckled, taking the joint back from her. “You’re gonna have to explain this whole… popular people bullshit to me.”

“It’s not bullshit just because you don’t get it, Eddie.”

“You’ve been literally complaining about it for ten minutes,” he exhaled the smoke through his nose feeling like a dragon. “I feel like that’s the definition of bullshit, y’know? Shit that pisses you off?”

Chrissy looked at the boy sitting on top of the table next to her leaning back onto his arms, his metal lunchbox open at his feet on the bench seat. She fiddled with the gold ‘86 pendant hanging from her necklace, pondering on just how much she wanted to share with him. She knew by now that she could be sincere here; Eddie was not big on divulging secrets, and even if he was, this unlikely relationship she’d struck with him was not something anyone in school would believe if he talked about it in public. She felt safe in the woods with him, their own personal bubble where they could admit to each other the things they feared saying out loud to everyone else.

“The promposal is not the problem,” she said, not looking at anything in particular as she spoke, her voice soft. “The problem is that I know he’s planning to do it in front of the entire school and I don’t want that.”

“What d’you want, then?”

“Huh?”

“You just said you don’t wanna be promposed to like that,” he wiggled his fingers at her, pulling a smile from her lips. “How would you want him to do it?”

“You know Marianne? She’s a cheerleader too,” Chrissy extended her hand to ask for the blunt; he gave it to her wordlessly.

“Uh…”

“She’s in your Sociology class?” Looking at his confused face, she sighed. “Bubblegum pink eye-”

“Bubblegum pink eyeshadow! Yes, okay, I know Marianne. What about her?”

“She’s dating Greyson McIntyre from the track team, right? He promposed last week after we announced this year’s theme.”

“Red Carpet? Really? Who pitched that one?”

“Kyle Foster,” she gave the joint back to him and waved in that familiar way that told him she didn’t want to smoke anymore. Oh well, more for him.

“That asshole owes me 20 bucks and keeps dodging me in the hallways.”

“Don’t expect those back any time soon,” Chrissy giggled.

“I’ll charge him more next time he sends one of his buddies to buy. But you were saying something about Marianne?”

“Oh, right. Well, Greyson took her out on a date and wrote “Open the glove box” inside the sun visor and waited for her to see it when she checked her makeup. When she opened the glove box it was full of flowers.”

“That’s so dumb, what if she hadn’t seen it? All those flowers would’ve dried up in there.”

“You’re not getting it,” she shook her head. “He did it because he knew she was gonna notice. She always checks her makeup when she gets in a car, he pays enough attention to her to know that.”

“So what you are saying is that you want Jason to pay enough attention to you to know you don’t want a huge promposal?”

“Yes. No. I-,” she leaned forward, her head on her hands, elbows resting on her knees. “I don’t even know what I want. I mean, my boyfriend wants everyone to know he loves me and here I am, complaining that he loves me. You’re right, it is dumb.”

Eddie got up from his place at the table, the burning joint still in his hand as he paced in front of her. He was deep in thought, like he was trying to find the right way to comfort her and couldn’t. Words were something that came easy to Eddie, except when they involved feelings and complex emotions. He understood what it was like to have people around you thinking that they knew what you wanted or desired, seeing you as nothing more than a stereotype or a puppet they could move around to fit into their scenarios and fantasies. The wannabe groupie that wanted a story to brag to her friends about after a gig, the guy that bought him a beer and then threatened to out him if he told anyone what they’d done in the back of his van. His own dad putting a broken coat hanger in his hand and forcing him to open a car window when he was barely six. Eddie had dealt with what Chrissy was feeling his whole life, and he couldn’t help but think that they were two sides of the same coin. She was desperate to not be seen as a trophy anymore while he wanted someone to show him off like he was worthy of being paraded.

He leaned against a tree in front of the table and crossed his arms, smoking the last bit of the blunt before it began burning his fingers.

“It’s not dumb,” he said, making her look up. “I think I get it.”

“You think?” Chrissy smiled lightly.

“It’s like… It’s nice that he wants everyone to know that he loves you but you want him to love you when no one’s watching too.”

“Yeah,” she nodded. “Yeah, exactly. You get it.”

“Can I level with you, Chris?” he threw her a pointed grin. “High school guys are dumb as hell. We are dumb as hell. Jason is no exception. Actually, I’d say he’s even more dumb because of all that macho thing the basketball team has going on. It melts their brains,” she scoffed but he continued. “So if you want that guy to know what’s going on in that pretty little head of yours, you gotta speak up, okay? Because I can promise you all he’s thinking about is playing with balls.”

“Eddie!” she laughed loudly. It was a real laugh, probably her first of the day.

“As much as I hate your boyfriend, you are actually a pretty good friend and I want you to be happy. Just tell him how you feel. And if he still doesn’t get it, then kick his ass.”

“When did you become so smart?” she teased, storing his advice to think about later when she was in the comfort of her own bedroom.

“I don’t know, I think it might be the weed,” he said conspiratorially, making her laugh again. He liked when she laughed.

“Yeah? Well, how about you start using your own advice, Romeo?”

“I’m working on it,” Eddie beamed. “I think I’m making progress.”

“Did you ask her out?”

“Yes! Well. No, not exactly.”

“What does that mean?”

“We’re going out for pizza tonight. Just the two of us.”

“But it’s not a date?” Chrissy narrowed her eyes at him.

“It’s a study date.”

“A… study date. On a Friday night.”

“I asked her to help me graduate so we’re studying together every day until finals week. But! Hear me out on this, because I think it’s pretty damn smart,” looking at her raised eyebrows, he continued. “I’m gonna get my grades up, get my diploma and that’s gonna tell her that I’ve got my shit together, right? And then I’m gonna ask her out, like, actually ask her out after the ceremony.”

“Okay,” she said, the gears turning in her head. “And how does the date that isn’t a date fit into your gameplan?”

“Trial run. I get to figure things out before it’s official and show her that I’d be a decent boyfriend. Plant the seeds in her brain, y’know?”

“You’ve really been thinking about this a lot, haven’t you?” he shrugged, the corners of his lips twitching upwards. Chrissy smiled at him, a proper smile, all toothy and warm and kind. “I think it’s very sweet that you are taking things slow and putting in the effort. And you know, you’re actually a good friend too and I also want you to be happy, so I hope everything works out for you two.”

“Thanks,” he scratched his neck, weirdly emotional at the fact that Chrissy had so much faith in him to not fuck this up. “Also thanks for the, uh, sizing help? She’s wearing the shirt today so…”

“I’m glad I could help! It was a great idea, I’m sure she feels like things are a bit more official now. Kinda sad she’s not gonna be in the yearbook with you guys.”

“Wait, what? Why not?”

“They already took the club pictures back in February, remember? They’re gonna start printing the yearbooks next week.”

He didn’t even register that Chrissy was still talking as the thought popped into his head and refused to go away. Dottie wasn’t gonna be in their yearbook photo. No one would ever know that she’d been part of The Hellfire Club, except those who had been there with her. She had the shirt to advertise to the entire school that she belonged with them now, but shirts got old and holey and one day she was gonna have to stop wearing it and there would be no proof anywhere that she’d once slayed hordes of pixies, helped throw a dragon egg hatching ritual, and freed enslaved half-orcs with her friends. No one would ever grab the Hawkins High School Class of ‘86 yearbook and think that she’d been happy with them. She’d be just another face in the senior class section, an unassuming picture taken a month after she moved to Hawkins and was still spending her lunch periods alone in the library or at the back of the cafeteria with her headphones on.

Without so much as a glance at his friend, Eddie rushed to the table and started gathering his things into his arms, frantically searching through his lunchbox for a little bag of weed that was already packed and prepared to be sold. Chrissy looked at him like he’d suddenly lost his mind, the previously quiet and introspective boy now full of nervous energy. He shoved the baggie into his right front pocket and bolted out of the woods, movements rough, long legs trying to catch up with his torso.

“Eddie! Eddie! What’s wrong?” she called after him, watching his back get further away from her as he ran back towards the school grounds.

“Gotta catch someone before he leaves, sorry! See you around, okay? Have fun at your cheer thing!”

“Thanks!” said Chrissy to the wind, still sitting on the wooden picnic table.

She looked at her wristwatch, a gift from her grandparents when she turned 18. Realizing she still had 10 minutes to spare before anyone would start wondering where she was, she relaxed into her seat, enjoying the particular kind of high that sharing a joint with Eddie in the woods always brought to her. Maybe he’s right, Chrissy thought, lowering her back onto the surface and looking at the fluffy clouds above her. Maybe I do need to start speaking up. Just gotta figure out what I want to say first.

“Foster! Long time no see, bud,” Eddie grinned at the brunet boy walking out of the Yearbook Club room.

“What do you want, Munson?” he replied, his eyes shifting back and forth from the older boy to the bathroom doors at the end of the hallway.

“You know what I want.”

“I’ve already told you that you’re wrong, I don’t owe you shit,” the boy’s voice dropped to a harsh whisper.

Kyle Foster was a lanky boy with brown floppy hair and blue eyes that was sufficiently popular to get himself a spot in the prom planning committee, but not popular enough to be welcomed into the upper echelon of Hawkins High. He was used to being on the sidelines and, as a part of the Yearbook Club, he was privy to all kinds of gossip, making him a very valuable person to keep in your back pocket if you were looking to climb the social ladder.

He also happened to be a terrible customer, having gone through at least three different dealers before Eddie took pity on him and agreed to sell to him on the condition that he always paid him back within two weeks. For a while, their arrangement worked, even if Kyle took the liberty of paying in installments through the vents of Eddie’s locker. Things would change, however, during a particularly crowded party back in December where the super senior had gotten an influx of new customers around his van looking for a way to disappoint their parents and have fun with friends, allowing Kyle to slip away unnoticed without coughing up the twenty bucks for his preferred illicit substance.

“Is that why you keep sending your friends to buy from me instead of asking me yourself? Because you don’t owe me shit?” he looked at the younger boy while holding his head high, his narrowed eyes dangerous in the shitty school lighting. Kyle swallowed nervously. “Lucky for you, I’m willing to forget this whole thing ever happened if you do me a favor.”

“What kind of favor?”

“I need you to replace a picture for me in the Yearbook before you send it off for printing.”

“You’re insane,” Kyle shook his head. “I’m not getting into trouble for a few bucks.”

“Look, I’m gonna be honest with you, Foster. I’m not planning a fucking prank here, okay? I just need you to update the Hellfire Club’s photo before you print the damn yearbooks. You’d be making two sweet girls very happy if you did.”

“What girls?” he squinted at Eddie, fully believing that everything that was coming out of his mouth was a lie.

“Come to Hellfire today to take the new photos and you’ll find out. Hell, I’ll even throw one of these in if you keep our deal quiet,” Eddie pulled out the small weed baggie from his pocket and shook it above his head, making Kyle instantly whip around to see if anyone was nearby to witness and snitch on their conversation.

“Put that shit away, Munson, goddamnit!”

“Do we have a deal or not?”

“Fine, fine, I’ll do it. Just swap the old photo for the new one, right? And no one besides your little cult finds out?”

“And add some names to the list of members. We’ve had a few changes in the last month.”

“Alright. I’ll… I’ll borrow a camera from someone in the Photography Club and be there in thirty. You tell anyone about this and I’m throwing you to the wolves.”

“Always knew you were a reasonable man, Foster,” Eddie patted his shoulder a few times and felt the boy flinch under his heavy touch. He slipped the baggie into his jean pocket again and grinned. “You’ll get this after I see the requested changes made it into the yearbook. Pleasure doing business with you.”

Dottie hurried along the deserted hallways, feeling extremely guilty that she was running late for Hellfire for the first time since she joined the club. She was only five minutes behind schedule, but she was so used to being there at least half an hour early to help Eddie and Dustin set everything up that she felt like she was extra late. Out of breath, she pushed open the doors, apologies burning her tongue while she took in the scene before her.

“There she is!” Gareth exclaimed, taking her folder and backpack into his arms and throwing everything onto a chair.

“Come on, hurry up!” Dustin said, putting his hands on her shoulders and pushing her towards the wall where everyone else was lined up, round Hellfire plate hanging high above their heads.

“W-what’s going on?” she asked, dumbfounded.

“Yearbook photos!” Donny explained excitedly, pulling her to his side to pose to the camera.

“But I thought they already took them back in February,” Dottie said.

“I asked for new ones,” Eddie admitted, looking sheepish. “I wanted you and Erica in the yearbook with us, wouldn’t have felt right if you weren’t there.”

“Aw, Eddie, you didn’t hav-”

“Yeah, yeah, you can make eyes at each other later. Are we gonna take these photos now so we can finally play or are we gonna keep standing here like we’re waiting in line at the bank?” Erica said, impatient as ever.

“Alright, let’s huddle up,” Kyle made a hand gesture to settle everyone down. “On my count, say cheese… or whatever.”

Kyle counted down to three and with two quick flashes, it was over. The Hellfire Club had a new picture to show off in the ‘86 yearbook. He frowned as he lowered the camera, looking at the strange group in front of him. This was going above and beyond what he’d bargained for in his deal with Eddie but the perfectionist side of him won the battle in his brain; the Yearbook was a labor of love and he wasn’t about to ruin it with a shitty half-assed photo.

“Can we take another one that doesn’t look like I’m holding everyone at gunpoint?” he lifted an eyebrow pointedly.

“Sure, man, we can, uh… We can borrow some chairs like we did last year,” said Eddie, looking at Jeff who was standing to his side.

“Or we can use props maybe?” the boy supplied, brainstorming on the spot. “Our books and stuff?”

“Jesus Christ,” Kyle muttered under his breath. “Alright, just… Hold this for me, kid?” he shoved the borrowed camera into Dustin’s hands and spinned around the props room, eyes narrow as he searched for what he was looking for. “Let’s move that chair under the sign,” he instructed, pointing to Eddie’s throne.

Mike and Eddie immediately sprung to action, moving the throne to his desired place. Kyle busied himself with throwing various props into Gareth’s outstretched arms: an old pair of plastic swords, a crown, a jester’s cap, a red cape. He began moving people around like they were his own personal Barbie dolls, telling them to sit or stand in a particular place and giving them things to hold or wear. There was a low buzz around the room, like everyone was on the same page for once and in agreement that a boring photo would never do for their particular club. Once he was done, he grabbed the camera from Dustin’s careful hands and stepped back to observe his creation.

Eddie sat on his throne, a dark hooded cape on his shoulders and a plastic skull that had seen better times during a Hamlet production in his heavily ringed left hand. To his left stood Mike, holding matching swords with Jeff who stood to Eddie’s right. Between Eddie’s open legs, sitting on the floor was Dustin, wearing a blue, white and yellow jester’s cap with bells, and a friendly grin that could light up the entire room. Near Mike was Erica, a school flag tied around her neck like a superhero cape and a dainty tiara on her head, and Gareth, holding a knight’s helmet under his arm like it was a basketball. To Jeff’s right was Donny looking like he was having the time of his life with his red cape with furry white trim and a golden scepter. Dottie stood between them to the front, a gorgeous silver crown with red plastic jewels on top of her curls and a crystal orb between her two hands. Kyle lifted up the camera to his face.

“Okay everyone, huddle up again please!” he waited for everyone to get in position and snapped a picture. “One more, look dramatic! Alright, last one, go wild!”

At his command, Dustin contorted on the floor like a puppet on strings, Mike and Gareth lifted Erica up like she was a princess being carried by her loyal subjects, and Jeff and Donny pretended to be in a fierce fight, sword and scepter crossed in the air between them. Dottie looked at Eddie who was locked in a staring competition with his skull friend and acted quickly before her sudden burst of confidence disappeared, letting herself drop on the arm of his throne and holding her orb up with two hands, one on top and one on the bottom like she was about to divinate someone’s future. Eddie glanced at her completely-in-character wicked grin, and immediately schooled his features to look more like hers, let his right arm curl around her hip and draped himself on the chair like a king drunk on power. Two more quick flashes and Kyle lowered the borrowed camera, smiling with the knowledge of someone who is aware has done a great job.

While everyone busied themselves putting the props back in their places, Eddie gave Kyle a list with the names of the club’s new members to replace the previous one and walked him out with a grin on his face. When he returned, everyone was already in their seats, waiting for the week’s adventure to commence. Eddie lowered himself back on his throne and noticed that Dottie, sitting to his right as she always did during Hellfire, had taken off her pale yellow cardigan and was now fully matching with everyone else at the table. He looked down at his notes, took a deep breath and began his performance.

“We left off last week with Mozikith, Seebo and Tharivol trying to lie their way into a secret fight ring to track down Dedlock, Orfuel’s last known drug dealer and former fling,” he narrated, watching Mike, Dustin and Jeff sit up at their character names being mentioned.

“Mozikith, I believe you were about to snort a mysterious powder to prove yourself as trustworthy to her bouncers, is that correct?”

“Yes,” said Mike, locking eyes with his DM.

“Wait, hold on, is this really the best choice we have?” Dustin said, watching Eddie’s eyes glinting with barely concealed anticipation.

“Do you or Tharivol have resistance to poison? I didn’t think so. I’m snorting it.”

“That’s not how it works! Green dragonborns have resistance to poison damage, not advantage against getting the condition,” Jeff argued.

“I want to snort the powder,” Mike stood from his chair, putting an end to the debate.

“Alright then. Mozikith, you lower your snout to the table, sniffing the thin line of red powder in front of you and immediately you feel your nostrils start to burn, your eyes tear up, your muscles tense… your magic feels stronger, wilder, bursting to get out,” Eddie smirked at his player. “You just did a bump of high quality R. Cane, your attack spells get an extra 1d6 for the next hour.”

“Holy shit, that’s awesome!”

“You also have to roll a d20 every time you cast a spell for a Wild Magic Surge. If you land anywhere from 1 to 5, something unexpected will happen to you or those around you.”

“YOU ASSHOLE!” Mike screeched while everyone around him dissolved into a fit of giggles, setting the scene perfectly for the intense session that lay ahead of them.

“Can’t believe you got me poisoned because you couldn’t say no to drugs!” Dustin was yelling at Mike while they walked through Hawkins High’s hallways.

“Oh, I’m sorry, I didn’t see anyone else snorting the R. Cane so we could get into the basement! How is it my fault you failed your Con save?”

“I told you it was a bad idea! The only reason I had to do a Con save in the first place was because you failed your Wild Magic Surge roll!”

“For fuck’s sake, stop arguing about it, it’s been literal hours!” Jeff complained, trailing behind them.

“I don’t know, man, I’d be pissed if I was unconscious for like half the session,” Gareth said, backing up Dustin’s rage. “He’d still be poisoned if Erica hadn’t saved a spell slot to Lay on Hands him.”

“Thank you, Gareth, exactly my point!”

The sun was beginning to set as they trickled out onto the parking lot, the heated argument between childhood best friends bouncing off the cold pavement at their feet. Mike and Dustin continued bickering all the way towards their chained bikes, and Erica, absolutely certain that they’d keep it up all the way to their homes, hung back with the rest of the group in an attempt to put some healthy distance between herself and the younger teens for the sake of her eardrums.

“Hey, you need a ride?” Donny offered to Dottie while pulling a cigarette out of his pocket. She was standing next to him, unusually quiet, a box of props and figurines in her arms.

“It’s okay, Eddie’s got me,” she said.

“You sure? I’m dropping Jeff and Gareth off too, it’s not a big deal.”

“Yeah, I’m not going home anyways, don’t worry.”

Before anyone could ask where she was heading to on a Friday evening after Hellfire, the school’s front double doors burst open with a loud metallic bang and Eddie jogged up to them, sliding his arms underneath the cardboard box Dottie was holding and propping it on his right hip like a mother would with a toddler.

“Thanks, darling. Thought I was gonna piss myself in there for a second,” he joked, letting his friends know the reason he had stayed behind for a few minutes while everyone else hurried to leave.

“Ew,” she giggled, fishing his keys from her coat pocket and giving them back to their rightful owner. “Ready to bounce?”

“Yup. What are we thinking, pepperoni or sausage?”

“Oh, sausage, always. Can we get half without olives though?”

“Just pick them out and I’ll eat them,” he started guiding her towards his van with a gentle hand on her shoulder.

“Wait, wait, wait, hold on,” Gareth said, eyes narrowing. “You guys are getting pizza without us?”

“Yeah,” Eddie smiled, offering no other explanation to his inquiry.

“Is this supposed to be a date?” Erica asked, her eyebrows rising.

“Eddie’s buying me pizza in exchange for my tutoring services,” Dottie clarified quickly. It was bad enough that her Dad had caught onto her newly discovered crush before she even knew it existed; she didn’t need all her friends knowing about it too. “We’re getting ready for finals week.”

“You’re gonna study on a Friday night,” Gareth deadpanned. “Are you two okay? Didn’t you get enough yesterday?”

“We have a schedule, man, every day until finals start. Even on weekends,” Eddie said.

“On the weekends?”

“Yes, Gareth, that’s exactly what I said. You got any problems with me trying to actually graduate this year?”

“What’s gonna happen to band practice?”

“Are we still on for Wednesday’s study group?” Jeff asked.

“Everything is still on!” Dottie assured them. “We’re just clocking in a few extra hours, really, don’t worry about it, guys. We’re not gonna disappear for the rest of the month and nothing’s changing, I promise.”

“Can we go now? I really wanna eat before she has me reading up on genetics all night.”

“Didn’t know they called it reading up on genetics these days,” Donny muttered, flicking the ash on his cigarette onto the parking lot concrete.

“Ha, ha, very funny,” Eddie deadpanned, fighting the heat that was rising steadily up his throat.

“If we’re still on for study group, do you guys need help?” Jeff offered. “I can take over Bio and Sociology for you, I’m in those classes with him anyways,” he looked at Dottie with a friendly smile.

“I’ve got Sociology covered but if you can help him with Bio, that’d be great. I’m… terrible at Science.”

“I’ll bring my notes then.”

“God, you’re a saint,” Dottie hugged him goodbye before trailing behind Eddie towards the van. “See you guys Monday!”

“Thanks, man,” Eddie said to Jeff, who raised his hand in acknowledgment. “Bye, children!”

They watched the pair get into the van and leave, Dottie waving at their friends through the window as they peeled out of the parking lot. Gareth and Jeff headed to Donny’s car, arguing over whose turn it was to ride shotgun, leaving Donny and Erica standing near the doors, both deep in contemplation. They could still hear Mike and Dustin talking about the session farther away near the bike rack.

“Eddie likes Dottie, right?” Erica asked, eyes never leaving the street in front of them.

“Yup,” Donny said, taking another drag of his cig.

“And he hasn’t told her yet?”

“Nope.”

“And she also hasn’t told him she likes him?”

“She’s harder to read than he is. I’m not sure if she likes him or if she’s just incredibly friendly. Saw a guy hit on her at the video store the other day and she didn’t even react.”

“Oh, she likes him, alright,” the younger girl said, a smirk on her face. Donny turned to look at her. “Just the facts. I’m a girl, I can tell.”

“If you say so,” he laughed, throwing his cigarette butt to the ground and stepping on it. “Don’t tell anyone, though. Let them figure it out on their own.”

“Who do you think I am? Cupid?” she laughed back, heading towards the bikes. “Let me know if anything juicy happens!”

“Yes, ma’am,” Donny saluted her as she walked away.

He watched how she finally wrangled the bickering 15 year olds onto their bikes and got in his car, Gareth already seated happily in his passenger seat. Donny smiled to himself as the engine roared to life, perfectly content in keeping their friends in the dark as long as he and Erica got to gossip about it soon. He couldn’t wait until Monday.

Eddie drove like a maniac. This was a well known fact to his friends and the general Hawkins population; he liked his van to go fast and his music to play loud. The boys were used to hanging on tight when he flew over potholes or barely slowed down at deserted corners on their way back from The Hideout, and his neighbors didn’t complain anymore when he pulled into the trailer park at odd hours, metal music making their window panes rattle in the dark of the night. And yet, whenever Dottie was sitting prettily to his right, her backpack between her feet on the floor and the seatbelts he hardly ever used when she wasn’t there clicked on safely, Eddie found himself slowing down at every intersection and keeping his favorite songs down to a low rumble. He hadn’t noticed his preferred style of driving could be fear-inducing until the first time he drove her home.

Dottie’s dad picked Gareth up every morning on their way to school, and the two teens took the bus together at the end of the day to go home. Gareth got off first, and three stops later, Dottie only had to walk only half a block to reach her own house. It had been pouring that day, the kind of rain that drenched your jeans and ruined your sneakers if you dared to stand outside for more than a few seconds. Eddie hurried both friends into the safety of his van before they could even argue about waiting for the bus, and in the short blocks between dropping Gareth off and pulling up to Dottie’s driveway, he saw her white knuckles holding onto the worn fabric of the seat, her wide eyes fixated on the wet road in front of them. She had trembled a little when she got out, and while he didn’t know if it was because of the cold or if she was trying to shake off the intense fear of death he had instilled in her with his need for speed, Eddie had never again driven like that with her sitting next to him. Gareth had made fun of him for it once: called him a Grandma, said he was getting soft. Eddie was just thankful she had trusted him enough to get in his van again after that terrible first ride.

He liked driving her around. He liked taking his time through the streets, pointing stuff out to her, telling her stories about various places around town. He liked answering her questions, hearing her little comments like how she loved when houses painted their front doors in bright colors like red or yellow, or catching her gasps whenever they stopped at a traffic light and the car next to them had a dog inside, all furry, tongue out and tail wagging at her through two layers of glass. Eddie liked how she pretended she wasn’t flustered when he put his hand behind her headrest while he backed his van into a parallel parking spot, just like he was doing at that moment outside the pizza parlor.

“Come on, princess, cheese awaits,” he said, helping Dottie jump off her seat as an excuse to hold her hand for a few seconds.

“Thank you, kind sir,” she played along, always happy to indulge him.

“You been here before?”

Dottie took in the bright neon sign above them, colorful letters spelling New York Pizza and warm light spilling out of the big windows at the front of the building. She shook her head, all smiley and cozy, her hand tightening on his as she trailed behind him and into the shop. Eddie allowed her a few seconds of marvel before tugging her into an empty booth away from the few families enjoying their Friday night out.

“I didn’t even know this place was here, we always order in from Domino’s or go to Donny’s,” she said, tugging her jacket off and setting it on top of her backpack.

“Don’t get me wrong, Domino’s is great, but this place has better cheese and it’s cheaper than Donny’s. It’s a shame they don’t have delivery,” he explained, pushing the menu across the table. “It opened last year at the mall but they moved here when it burned down.”

“Oh, yeah, I heard about that. Dustin said they were inside Starcourt when that happened.”

“Yeah, I don’t really know the whole story. Mike doesn’t like talking about it. I think they knew some of the people that died in there.”

“That’s… Jesus, that’s terrible,” she shook her head like she was trying to get an awful mental image out of her brain. It didn’t go away. “Poor kids. I’m glad it didn’t really affect them, they seem so… carefree, I guess?”

“A lot of weird stuff has happened in Hawkins in the past few years, I think most of us just don’t think about it anymore,” he tapped on the menu in her hand. “What are you drinking?”

“We should buy a big bottle at the gas station, it’d be cheaper than getting individual cans here.”

“Don’t think they’ll let us bring our own drinks in, princess,” he chuckled.

“I thought…,” she trailed off. “Didn’t know we were eating here.”

“You wanna go home?”

Eddie hadn’t thought of the possibility of her not wanting to go out with him for such a simple thing as pizza and now his hands were sweating so badly he was sure that if he wiped them on his jeans, his thighs would feel damp. Of course she doesn’t wanna be here, he thought. That lady in the corner has been staring since we sat down, she must think I kidnapped Dot or something. As soon as she heard his unsure tone, her eyes snapped from the menu up to his, finding them wide open like a deer’s seconds before tragedy struck.

“No, no, it’s okay!” Dottie hurried to erase his apparent panic. “I just thought we were gonna buy the pizza and go back to yours, have dinner with your Uncle, y’know?”

“Oh,” he looked confused. “Wayne’s not home, he has his union meetings on Fridays before work. But we can leave if you’re uncomfortable, we don’t-”

“Eddie,” she extended her arm across the table, resting it between them. “I’m not uncomfortable, I just thought we were including Wayne in our pizza night. I wanna stay. This place is great, thank you for inviting me here.”

“Okay.”

“Okay?”

“Yeah,” he finally smiled back.

A tired-looking middle aged lady with a tag that read “Margot” came by their table to take their order (“A medium sized sausage pizza, one Sprite and one Coke, please.”), and they settled into companionable silence, watching their pizza dough being tossed around through the long kitchen window behind the counter. They talked about the still fresh D&D session until warm food finally arrived at the table, Dottie complained about a jock in her AP Spanish class asking stupid questions he definitely should have asked weeks ago and not now when they were so close to the final exam while picking out olives from her slice and piling them onto Eddie’s, they argued about who was gonna pay and settled on splitting the bill even though he had definitely eaten more slices than she had, and Eddie admitted that he had been taking naps during the free periods he didn’t share with her on the drive to his trailer.

They sheltered themselves from the cold by camping out in his living room and sitting side by side on the couch, books and notes spread out all around them. Dottie decided that Biology was too hard to tackle without Jeff and they proceeded to spend a good chunk of the night going through a bunch of wrinkled Calc worksheets Eddie had found at the back of his locker that he probably should have submitted a while ago. She fell asleep reading her World History textbook, her sock-covered feet resting on Eddie’s lap while he sketched out a bowl of imaginary fruit for his Drawing class final portfolio, the radio on in the background tuned into Wayne’s favorite oldies station.

A few minutes before midnight, Eddie helped a sleepy Dottie into his van to take her home, her backpack on the floor tucked between her legs and an old knitted blanket around her shoulders. When he pulled out of the trailer park, music low, speed gentle, seatbelts on, he risked a glance at her snoozing form only to find that she was wide awake and looking at him.

“Why did you think I was uncomfortable at the pizza place?” her voice was almost a whisper.

“Dunno,” he admitted. “We’ve never done that before. Go out to eat by ourselves, I mean.”

“So?”

“People were staring. Didn’t want you to feel weird.”

“Don’t care.”

“Huh?” he slowed down at the corner of Maple Street and turned to look at her. She was still looking right at him.

“I don’t care if people stare. I know what Hawkins thinks of Hellfire, and it’s dumb. This shirt’s cool.”

“It’s not about Hellfire or the shirt. It’s about me,” he said, more serious than she had ever seen him. “This is what it’s like being around me. I’m the good-for-nothing Munson boy, and people stare.”

“Don’t care,” Dottie shuffled in her seat and tucked her knees under her chin, turning her body towards him. “They’re dumb and you’re cool. Their loss if they can’t see that.”

Eddie continued driving in silence, music barely audible, never going above minimum speed. He pulled into her driveway quietly, busied himself folding the blanket she left behind as she hopped out and rounded the van searching for her keys in her backpack’s front pocket. She stopped at his window, motioning for him to roll it down.

“We should do this again,” she said. “Next Friday?”

“Yeah? I know a place on Mulberry that has tacos,” his voice was soft, kind. Vulnerable. Happy.

“Oh, I love tacos.”

“I know.”

“Good. Tacos next Friday then.”

“Tacos next Friday. Until tomorrow after lunch, princess.”

“See you tomorrow,” she pulled her sleeves over her hands as she walked to her front door, and Eddie heard her muttering to herself after a big yawn. “Can’t believe he thought I would ever be uncomfy with him. Dumbass.”

He waited until she was safely inside to drive away, let out the biggest sigh of his life at the first stop sign he encountered, and finally drifted off to sleep after smoking a joint, all wrapped up in the cozy blanket that had kept her warm in his van, old thick yarn keeping away the cold spilling into his room from the open window. And if Wayne found his sleeping nephew still tangled in that same blanket when he came back home after work, no one had to know.

taglist (let me know if you wanna be tagged!): @munsonology

#bunny writes #small town fic #eddie munson x female character #eddie munson x oc #eddie munson fanfic #eddie munson fic #eddie munson #eddie munson x reader #hellfire club #gareth stranger things #jeff stranger things #dustin henderson #mike wheeler #erica sinclair #chrissy cunningham #stranger things 4 #joseph quinn #eddie munson fluff #baby's first fic

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bi-bard · 9 months

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I Guess I'm Trusting That There's Such a Thing as Elegance in Dissonance - Karen Sirko Imagine [Daisy Jones & the Six]

Title: I Guess I'm Trusting That There's Such a Thing as Elegance in Dissonance

Pairing: Karen Sirko X Reader

Based On: Page 28

Word Count: 2,230 words

Warning(s): mention of unhealthy relationship(s)

Summary: An old friend of the original Dunne Brothers finds their way to the band's doorstep. At one of the worst points of their life, (Y/n) is forced to reevaluate their life so far. The biggest question is where (Y/n) is going to end up once they get through all of their self-reflection.

Author's Note: I love her so much.

Part Two of "August" [Release Date: 8/13/2023]

Part Three of "August" [Release Date: 8/15/2023]

YEARBOOK - SLEEPING AT LAST WRITING CHALLENGE MASTERLIST

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Arriving at that very crowded house in Laurel Canyon was met with a mix of emotions.

There was the anger and sadness over the circumstances that got me here. The slight excitement over finally seeing some of my dearest friends again. The anxiety over what was going to happen when I saw them again. It was all sitting there. A weight in my chest.

I felt like I spent hours staring at the front door. I don't know what my goal was. Maybe I wanted to change my mind. Turn around and leave and decide that I could deal with it all on my own.

But I couldn't.

For the longest time, I stood at that door. I was unable to get myself to knock on the door or walk away.

A heavy sigh escaped me as I finally lifted my hand and knocked on the door.

The next few moments felt like a blur.

The door slammed open and I was suddenly getting swept into a tight hug. I heard a laugh and a cheer in my ear. It didn't take long for me to recognize Warren as the person hugging me.

A chuckle escaped me as I hugged him back. "Hi, Warren."

"I've missed you," he muttered to me. He stepped back and dragged me inside. "(Y/n)'s here!"

"Warren, my bag," I shouted.

He turned around to grab it for me as the rest of the group came running in.

"(Y/n)!" Eddie pulled me into a tight hug as soon as he saw me.

"Hi," I mumbled.

Graham was right behind Eddie.

Behind Graham was a woman that I had never seen before. She was beautiful. Incredibly beautiful. It was enough to almost pull me into what felt like some kind of trance.

When Graham stepped back, he must've seen me and the woman staring at each other.

"(Y/n), this is Karen," he said. "She's our new keyboardist. This is (Y/n). They're an old friend from home."

"Nice to meet you," Karen grinned at me, holding out a hand for me to shake.

"You too," I replied, trying to ignore how warm my face was.

I had a million and one other things to be worried about. The last thing that I should have been focusing on was this gorgeous person in front of me.

Before I could spend any more time focusing on Karen, Billy and Camila walked into the room.

Camila's smile only seemed to widen as she hugged me. "How have you been?"

"I'm alright," I quietly promised as I hugged her back. She knew more than the others. She was the first person I had called when I felt like everything was going wrong.

I stepped back and smiled at Billy. He carefully passed their baby over to Camila so he could hug me.

"How are you doing," I asked.

"I'm good," he replied as he stepped back. "Better than I have been in a long time."

"Good," I nodded.

Camila spoke up again, "Well, I'll be honest with you, we don't have a lot of space in here. You have a few options. There's another bed in Graham's room or the couch."

I looked at Graham. "Do you mind?"

"Not at all," he shook his head.

Camila may have been who I had called first, but I had been friends with the Dunne brothers before anyone else. Our families had lived next to each other for years. While they were running off and chasing their dreams, I got stuck at home.

That's all to say that I didn't have any trouble staying in the same room as Graham as long as he didn't mind having me there.

I tried to hold onto the idea that staying with the band was a temporary arrangement. Just a way to get on my feet.

They were all kind to me.

They acted like no time had passed at all. Like they had no idea what had happened. Camila was the only one to ever ask about my life while they were gone, and she understood when I didn't want to talk about it much.

It was simply easier to pretend that those years between seeing each other just never happened.

I did my best to adjust on my own. I thought that everything that had happened to me was private. It was my problem to deal with. Telling anyone else would just be me burdening them with something that they didn't deserve to be burdened with.

That desire to fix myself and to avoid pushing my issues onto anyone else led me to spend a lot of time on my own. There were only so many times that you could do that in a house with so many people in it. Late at night.

I would spend a lot of my nights sitting out on the patio or simply on the couch. I would draw some new sketches when I had the inspiration. I had started writing down my thoughts. I needed to be able to release my emotions somehow. That was simply my solution.

A few weeks after I had moved into the house, I was sitting out on the porch. I was looking out over the view. My book of sketches was sitting open in front of me. I had started off drawing, but I was having trouble continuing. As if drawing was actually becoming exhausting to me.

I heard the floorboards creak behind me. I turned my head to see Karen standing nearby.

"Hey," she greeted. "What are you doing up so late?"

"I could ask you the same question," I replied.

"Well, you could, but I asked you first," she shrugged.

I chuckled and shook my head. "I was drawing. Got distracted by the view."

She hummed as she stepped forward. Her hand grabbed the book before I could even think of stopping her.

"They're nothing special. Just clothes," I explained, downplaying the entire thing.

"You were drawing clothes," she asked.

I nodded. "I have been for years now. Well, I did. I just recently started again."

"Why'd you stop?"

I paused. The emotions and panic behind why I hesitated must have been clearly written on my face.

"Sorry," she added. "It's just that these are really good. I didn't mean to be invasive or anything."

"It's... It's alright," I replied. "I... I stopped when I got engaged."

"Engaged?"

"You didn't think that I moved out here just for the fun of it, did you?"

"I... I thought it was because these guys were your friends."

There was something incredibly comforting about knowing that Camila hadn't gone around and shared my personal business with everyone. I didn't mind them knowing but it was hard to talk about.

"You don't have to tell me anything," she continued. "It's your business. You've known me for a few weeks. I'm not going to sit here and force you to tell me-"

"It's alright," I stopped her. "I was engaged for a while. It was why I never came out here before. We had met in school, dated. It was... It was all very normal.

"And then, after we got engaged, something just... changed. I kind of stopped existing, if that makes sense. I became an extension instead of a whole separate person. I stopped drawing, I pulled away from my friends... I was lonely and empty.

"I thought about leaving for a while. We had been fighting about everything. When I finally felt like I could, my parents made it very clear that they saw the entire thing as selfish. I knew that staying there after it all ended would lead to nothing but more pain and guilt and... I couldn't do that.

"I called Camila and told her everything, which I hadn't done yet. She talked to the guys, called me back, and told me to pack my stuff and get out there. I left in the middle of the night. I called my parents from a payphone somewhere but that was it. And now, I'm here."

Karen sat in silence for a while.

"Sorry," I said after a while. "I know that it's all a bit much-"

"You have nothing to apologize for. What happened to you was shit."

I felt a shocked chuckle escape me. "Alright then."

"You know what," she seemed to regain whatever confidence had been lost earlier when she first heard my story. "You need to put down some roots. And have some fun."

"Is that right?"

"Yup," she nodded. "I propose a deal."

"Oh, God-"

"Come out with me for a night and I'll wear...," she paused to flick through the pages of my drawings, "this shirt here."

"This deal sounds like a win-win deal for you... you get a night out and a free shirt."

"No," she shook her head. "I get to bring you on your first night out in the city while you get a chance to rediscover something that you clearly love."

I felt a smile pull at my lips. "Fine. Get me the fabric and I'll do it."

"Deal."

Karen placed my book down before going to walk back inside. I let out a quiet breath as I thought about everything that had just happened. How had I walked into that situation?

It took a little while to properly get the shirt made. It was an easy enough product to make but getting it to fit Karen the way that I wanted it to was another problem. She was patient. She would stand still and compliment my work enough that I would have to sometimes take a moment to step away to calm my nerves.

When it was finally done, Karen excitedly dragged me out for the night.

It was a better night than I could have anticipated.

There was something about being around Karen that made me feel so different. I finally was with someone that could connect me with more than who I was before moving.

And Karen was right. I needed this.

I needed to have something new and separate.

It made me feel whole. It was the first time in ages that I truly had fun.

At the end of the night, I felt like I had weight rolling off of my shoulders. It was everything. I had been under the impression that spending my time like this was selfish and foolish. A waste of precious time. But it was anything but.

And I had Karen to thank for all of that.

She grabbed a hold of my hand as we walked to the car.

For the first time in what felt like ages, I was walking around with a large smile on my face. One that didn't feel forced or like it was hiding something or like it was merely happening because I was avoiding something. It was a smile for the sake of smiling.

"How are you feeling," Karen asked as we made it to the car.

"Good," I replied, nodding. "Really good, actually. Great."

"Good," she chuckled at me.

"Thank you." I grinned. "For everything."

She tilted her head a bit. Could she not see what all of this had done for me?

"You're the only person in the house that doesn't look at me like I'm some wounded animal," I explained. "You respect me and my work and it is just really nice to have someone do that."

"Oh," she muttered. I didn't think it was possible for Karen to be speechless, even if it was for a matter of seconds. "It was worth it for the clothes."

I scoffed. "I'll make you all of the clothes you want after tonight."

"Is that right," she asked jokingly. I laughed a bit and looked down for a moment.

I looked back at her as my laughter died off to see the most genuine look on her face. One that felt like it knocked the breath out of me. I couldn't tell what she was thinking or feeling; I just knew that it was overwhelming.

"You deserve it," she said after a moment. "All of it."

I let out a small breath as the words sat in the air between us. It felt as if the remaining air was sucked out of the space between us. All that was left was this silence that refused to be moved by anything that we could do or say.

I don't know what compelled me to move forward. I just knew that I suddenly felt a need to. I leaned forward and pressed my lips to hers.

It lasted a matter of seconds. And those seconds were some of the most peaceful I had ever experienced up to that point.

Karen pulled away suddenly, eyes wide and jaw sitting open.

I immediately felt a shred of regret stab into my chest.

"We should... We should head back," she muttered after a moment.

I nodded awkwardly. "Yeah, yeah, that's a good idea."

She walked around to the other side of the car. I closed my eyes and sighed before going to get into the car. I knew then that the drive home was going to feel incredibly long, incredibly quiet, and incredibly tense.

And throughout the very quiet, very tense car ride, all I could do was hope that I hadn't screwed up the best thing I had found in years.

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#fanfiction #x reader #imagine #karen sirko x reader #karen sirko fanfiction #karen sirko imagine #daisy jones and the six fanfiction #daisy jones and the six x reader #daisy jones and the six imagine

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justm3di0cr3 · 2 months

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Anyways sending this bc Addie told me I should... It's very big guys it's 2k words don't tell me I didn't warn ya💀 @viilpstick

Anyways this happens like a few years after Daisy and Ruggie graduate NRC, Daisy is living in the Shaftlands (I think) with Trein as he decided to be her guardian while Ruggie is working and still living with his grandma at Sunset Savannah; Daisy is planning to move there so they can see each other more often and end the long distance aspect of their relationship (yes I thought about this way too much)

"I'm home.” Ruggie said, taking off his shoes and stretching his arms. His ears twitched at the sound of footsteps getting closer fast, was his grandma running? He told her to take it easy…

They continued to get louder until the familiar face of his girlfriend showed up at the end of the hallway, a big grin on her face as she looked at him and he stared at her in shock and confusion.

“Don't just stand there, give me a hug!” Daisy joked, opening her arms right after, and Ruggie ran towards her, holding her tightly in his arms and nearly making them fall in the process. The blonde laughed at him and kissed his shoulder.

“When did you get here? I thought you would come visit next week.” he separated himself from her, but kept her in his arms, his hands caressing her face as she leaned into his touch.

“I decided to make a surprise.” Daisy smiled. “Mozus told me I could visit you guys sooner, especially since I've been planning to move to Sunset Savannah so…”

“I still can't get over the fact that Mr. Trein basically adopted you.” Ruggie laughed at the memory. “Don't call him by his first name, it feels weird.”

"Oh shush, he likes it when I call him by his name. So get used to it, will you? He’ll be your father-in-law one day.” Daisy stood on her tiptoes and gave him a quick kiss, Ruggie chuckled.

Father-in-law, huh…

“I see you two are catching up already.” Granny Bucchi stood at the end of the hallway, hand on her mouth as she laughed at the couple in front of her.

“Grammy, how long have you been there?” Ruggie complained, embarrassed, separating himself from Daisy but still holding her hand, as if if he let go she would run away.

“Enough time, enough time… now come my dears, dinner’s ready!” The old woman slowly but surely made her way to the kitchen, as Daisy ran to help her walk and Ruggie followed behind with a smile on his face. He couldn't believe his two favorite people in the entire world were with him right now…

“Don't worry, Ruggie, I brought all the food with me. I basically forced granny Bucchi here to not waste anything from your stock.”

“Oh, nonsense, I would’ve gladly used our food to make a meal for my grandson’s girlfriend.” She said as she pinched Daisy’s cheeks, making the girl giggle. “You deserve every inch of it.”

“Don't waste your breath, Grammy… Daisy never listens.” Ruggie teased after pulling her and his grandma’s chair, letting them sit down first. Daisy stuck her tongue out to him in a childish manner, and the whole room was filled with laughter and joy as they ate a wonderful meal together.

Truly, this was heaven.

•••

“Sorry ‘bout that, we really don't have any other rooms… not a big house, as you’ve seen…” Ruggie apologized as he helped Daisy set her baggage in his room, the blonde followed him, embarrassed to have to go to sleep in the same room as him.

“That's totally fine, really. There's no need to apologize.” Ruggie gave her a soft smile, going to his small wardrobe and taking out a thin sheet, setting it on the floor as a makeshift bed. “Wha- love, what are you doing?”

Ruggie’s ear twitched at the affectionate nickname. “Preparing a place for me to sleep. You can sleep on my bed, I don't mind.”

“What? No, you don't need to do that! We can just sleep together.” Daisy said, matter of factly, but after Ruggie stared at her with his eyes widened, she blushed and looked away, finally realizing the meaning of her words. “I mean- I-I mean literally sleeping! I wou-wouldn’t want you to sleep on the floor at your own house!” Daisy fidgeted with her fingers as Ruggie’s eyes softened and he started to chuckle. “O-or if you're not comfortable I could sleep on the floor…”

“That's out of the question!" Ruggie said, then, he folded the sheet once again, setting it aside and grabbing his girlfriend’s hands. “Sure. Let's sleep together. If you're ok with it.”

Daisy still refused to make eye contact, but nodded, squeezing his hands in return. Ruggie smiled at her and guided her to his bed, telling her he would change in the bathroom and that she could have the room to herself so she could change and they could go to sleep. With that, he left with a few clothes, leaving Daisy alone in his room.

After the girl got changed, she sat on his bed, waiting for Ruggie to return. She looked around his room, it was small, somehow very similar yet very different to his former room at NRC… she looked at his worn down night stand, smiling at a picture of him as a child and his grandma. She giggled at how cute he was as just a kid, he really did grow up to be such an incredible man.

She tilted her head, seeing something with a velvet texture behind the frame. Carefully, she grabbed the object, realizing it was a box, and her heart started beating at the sight of it. Why would Ruggie have a velvet box in his room? Could it be-

No. She mustn’t get carried away.

Well… but there wasn't harm in making sure, right? She opened the box carefully, scared it could somehow break. Daisy's brown eyes widened in shock as she gasped, a hiccup following it right after.

Inside there stood a small golden ring, very simple, with a few details adorning it. There was no jewel, but it was beautiful regardless, its simplicity being enough to make Daisy’s heart skip a beat.

Wha- was Ruggie- no. They were so young still, he couldn't- he probably didn't- I mean-

Another hiccup.

“Daisy.” Ruggie’s voice was heard from behind the door and the girl immediately put the box right where she found it. She started fanning herself to calm down and to make the obvious blush on her cheeks go away. “Can I come in?”

“Yes–” she hiccupped again and Ruggie laughed as soon as he got in.

“You’ve got hiccups?” Daisy nodded, looking away from him and staring at her hands. She couldn't face him after seeing what she saw. “You want me to bring you a cup of water or?”

“N-no, I'm alright–” another one. She put her hand in her mouth as she frowned.

“Are you sure?”

“Yes. Let's just go to sleep.”

With that, Ruggie decided to let the subject die, climbing onto his bed and laying down with Daisy by his side. They laid a bit far from each other, — or as far as they could, given that just like the actual house, Ruggie’s bed was very small — Daisy fidgeting with the thin blanket and looking in the opposite direction from where Ruggie was. The man in question looked at his girlfriend in confusion.

“Why are you so far away?”

“I'm not.” Another hiccup. Ruggie chuckled and grabbed her face gently, making her look at him.

“Come on, we’ve cuddled in bed before, it's not that different, really.” The hyena beastmen opened his arms and Daisy stared at him, her cheeks flustered. She slowly got closer to him, making herself comfortable in his arms, and basically melting into him as he started playing with her hair. “Why are you so nervous? If you're uncomfortable I can sleep on the floor. I really don't mind.”

“It's not that.” she said, squeezing him tight as she glanced at his night stand. “I… Ruggie, c-can I ask you something?”

“Anything ya want.”

“What… what's up with the ring on your night stand?” Ruggie’s hand stopped moving and scratching her head, he was frozen as he realized he was caught red handed.

“Uh… what ring?”

“Ruggie.”

“Alright, alright, you got me!” He said, rolling to lay on his back as Daisy stayed where she was, staring at the beastman laying next to her. His cheeks were red and he looked extremely nervous, his ears couldn't stop moving and Daisy smiled, he looked really cute. “I… I bought that a few months ago…”

“Months?!” Daisy sat down on the bed, looking down at him in shock. “You had it for months?”

“I wanted time to think about how I would ask you, ok?” He pouted, his blue eyes staring at her. “I've been saving for it ever since I left NRC, I figured I’d want to buy a ring one day so I could ask for your hand…”

“Right after– you're crazy.” Daisy chuckled nervously, a hand on her mouth trying to hide her sheepish smile.

“A guy needs a plan of life, ok? Is it that surprising to think about marriage when you’ve been dating for years? And it's not like I was gonna propose right after school, I just wanted to plan ahead.” Ruggie defended himself. “I had a whole plan to do it as well… now it's all ruined.”

“No, it's not.” the blonde said, laying on the bed again as she tried to encourage him. “You can still do it. What did you have in mind?”

“Well…” Ruggie started, looking at the ceiling as to avoid the woman’s gaze. “My plan was to cook you something nice when you visited next week…”

“You were gonna ask me next week?”

“Can I finish?” Ruggie looked at her as he chuckled and Daisy just pouted at him. “I would sneak the box in your pocket or your purse and wait until you found it just to mess with you a bit, so once you opened it I would do the whole cringy stuff of getting on one knee and blah blah blah–”

“It's not cringy, it's romantic! And even in your proposal you can't be normal, huh?” She joked and Ruggie turned his body to her as she laughed, a smile on both of their faces. “It's a cute idea though… you can still do it, you know.”

“I can't, you found out about the ring and about my plan, it's not going to be genuine anymore…” Ruggie sighed, closing his eyes in defeat. Daisy caressed his cheek, her thumb moving in circle motions making Ruggie purr.

“Isn’t there another way to fix the situation? I do want you to ask me.”

Ruggie opened his eyes, his gaze locked with hers for a moment, until a mischievous grin formed on his lips. Daisy knew there was something up the moment he looked at her, but it was too late, a second later the man had moved on top of her, hands holding her wrists as he pinned her down, a smirk on his lips as he moved his face closer to hers.

“Well… I mean, there might be.”

Daisy hiccupped. Again. She thought it had gone away… Ruggie’s eyes widened in surprise as he giggled and she looked away, embarrassed by herself. His hand moved towards her chin, making her look at him, his clawed finger slightly touching her lip.

“Eléa.” He tried, and hoped that his pronunciation was correct this time, just this one time he wanted to say her name without mistakes… “I want to marry you.” The blonde held her breath. “So… will you?”

Hiccup. Ruggie laughed and Daisy told him to stop as she hiccupped again and the man laughed even more, his grip on her loosening. In annoyance, Daisy managed to free herself from him only to grab his neck and force him to move closer to her, kissing him right then and there. It wasn't very long, wasn't deep either, but it was full of love and affection, a demonstration of what she actually wanted to tell him, that she’d go absolutely anywhere as long as he promised to go with her. After all, he was her home.

“Yes.” She whispered between kisses. “I will.” She locked their gazes once they were separated, both flustered but extremely happy, and she held him close for a hug, which he reciprocated right away, giving her small kisses on her shoulder.

“Wait–” he murmured as he gently separated himself from her and got up. Daisy sat on the bed, looking as the beastman grabbed the box and sat down next to her. He opened it, getting her left hand and putting the ring on her finger, smiling stupidly at it. “I guess we’re engaged now.”

“It seems so.” Daisy giggled, admiring her ring and gently passing a finger on it. “It's perfect.”

“Nah, you deserve more.”

“No, I love it.” She reassured him, giving him a quick kiss. “We need to tell your grandma about this tomorrow, and Leona too, and Jack and Ace, Deuce, Grim and–”

“Shh, I get it, I get it. Let's just sleep now, ok? I want my fiancée all to myself for now.”

OMG BARBS WE WON?? THEY ARE GETTING MARRIED OMG DAIGGIE KISS WE GIT IM SOBINNG THUS IS SO CUTE I LOVE THEM SM DAIGGIE NATION WE ARE WINING ‼️‼️WE ARE BEING FED 5 COURSE MEALS ‼️‼️‼️

They are so cute omg, I got butterflies reading this cuz they are so pookie (adorable)

LIKE YES WE NEEDED AND GRANDMA BUCCHI BEING TH SLAY SHE IS

#˚₊‧꒰ა Moots ໒꒱ ‧₊˚#˚₊‧꒰ა Mah ໒꒱ ‧₊˚

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spacecadet-ticklesinspace · 1 year

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Prompt idea..?

Peter 3 is the type to come home from work in the happiest mood you can imagine! He has to get out some of his energy and the only way he can do that is with Peter 1! I can see him coming through the door and picking peter 1 up in a huge hug, making him think he just wants to love him...than going into full tickle monster mode!

Ler!Peter 3 lee!peter1

Sentence starter: "HONEY IM HOME" (which btw i think is the most Peter 3 phrase)

(That is the most accurate depiction of this man 😆 Thank you Anon! This turned out a bit more fluffy than inted, but I hope you enjoy ❤️)

"HONEY I'M HOME!"

Peter 1 squeaked as he he was suddenly wrapped in a hug from behind. He had just been putting away the last of the dishes when he was suddenly grabbed.

Two arms swung him back and forth. "And how is my precious baby bean today?"

One rolled his eyes. "Threhee, Ihim not aha babYYYYY!"

During his rant, Peter Three tossed One up and made him spin around so he was facing forward.

Peter One squealed at the change. His eyes were wide in surprise as he stared at his brother.

Peter 3 then lifted Peter 1 in the air above his head and spun him around. "I missed my baby bean sow much! Yes I did!"

"Ah! Three! P-puhut me dohown!"

In response, Peter 3 tossed the youngest up in the air a few times. "Aaaand upsie daisy! Aaaaand upsie daisy!"

Peter 1 squealed at each toss. Spider strength made for very high tosses.

After one final toss, Peter 3 pulled his baby brother back into a hug, but his feet still dangled off of the floor. The excess movement made his legs sway back and forth like a little kid's.

"I missed you so much!" Peter Three cooed.

Peter 1 rolled his eyes as he finally returned the hug. "Missed yohou tohoo ya gohoof, buhut can you put me dohown now?"

Three shook his head. "No!"

"Three!"

The tallest Spiderman whined. "You've been walking all day! I want to hold you now!"

One blushed. "Three! Yohou've hugged mehe long enohough!"

The oldest smirked before readjusting his hold so he could look at One's face. "Who said this was a hug?"

The youngest's eyes widened comically.

Before Peter One could get away, Three tipped him back and nuzzled into his neck and face.

"Nahaha! Threhehehee!"

"Rrrrr! I love youuuuuuu so muuuuuuch!"

The youngest snorted and flailed his limbs as he tried to coordinate a push back. "Yohou're soho weheird!"

Three moved to rubbing his nose into One's cheek as he pulled him back up. "I juwst woooooove youuuuuw sow muuuch!"

After coaking one more snort out of his baby brother, Three finally paused his attack. He loved babying the youngest just to see that flustered face and happy grin.

Three playfully growled as he brought their foreheads together. "Now you listen here. When I open my eyes, you better stop being so cute, or I'm getting your tummy next."

One squeaked. His bit his lip to try to stifle his giggles.

Three closed his eyes. "One."

"Wahait! Wahait!"

"Two!"

Another squeak.

"Three!"

When the tallest Spiderman opened his eyes, he took one look at his baby brother's face.

"Um . . . Hi."

Three clicked his tongue. "Tsk! I warned you."

Before One could respond, Peter 3 lifted him up into the air again. This time, his head disappeared underneath One's sweatshirt.

"AHH! YOUR FAHACE IS FREEZIHING!"

Three nuzzled into One's tummy. "It's warm nooooow."

"NAHAHAHAA! MEHEANIE!"

Peter 3 slipped his head out long enough to make eye contact. "Aww, your tummy has goosebumps. . . I should warm it up!"

"Whahat!"

The tallest Spiderman slipped his head back under the shirt to blow raspberries into his younger brother's tummy.

The loudest squeal yet left Peter 1's mouth as he placed his hand on Three's head. "YOHOU JERK!"

Three chuckled as he popped his head back out of One's shirt. The youngest was an adorable shade of red as giggles bubbled out of him.

The middle Peter cooed. "Wook at youw."

One's ears now matched his face. "Noho! No bahaby tahalk!"

Three smirked as he lowered One towards him. "Awww, doews it make youwr tummy newrvous?"

The youngest instinctively tried to pull his sweatshirt back over his exposed tummy. "Yohou leave him ahalone!"

Three raised an eyebrow. "Leheave him alone?"

The blush got darker. "Yohou knohow what I mehean!"

"Okahay." Three pulled One close. "Ihiw'll juwst hug youw!"

"Don't say ihit."

"And wove youw!"

"Three!"

"And caww youw!"

"Threhee!"

The middle Peter squeezed the youngest's close. "Ahand call you my baby behean."

Although One gave Three some looks, they weren't angry looks. Slightly annoyed, but not angry. He couldn't stay mad at his brother.

After a brief pause, Peter 1 wrapped his arms around Peter 3. "Ihi love yohou tooho you big oahoaf."

The two enjoyed the embrace for a moment longer before One pulled back. "Are yohou ever going to put mehe down?"

"Nope!" Three headed to the living room.

"But Three---."

"Ah ah ah!" The tallest Peter put somethings away. "Tell me about your day."

"What?"

"You know. Tell me all the things." Three dropped his keys onto the tray in the entry way. "How many people did you get to meet? What did you learn at school? What did you eat today?"

Peter 1 fondly rolled his eyes. His brother could be a smothering dork sometimes, but it let Peter 1 know he wasn't alone. Someone loved enough to ask and cared to know.

So he relaxed in the hold and told Peter 3 what had happened during his day.

#lee peter 1 #ler peter 3 #ticklefic

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inaris-mage-of-storms · 1 year

Text

The farmboy AU continues! Read part one here. Warning for coarse language.

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Jimmy didn't have a clue about half of what Scott and his grandfather were talking about while they discussed the best care for the flowerbeds, but he settled against the porch steps to whittle and was happy to listen to Scott talk all the same. Scott's face seemed brighter while he chattered about the best soil pH and sun exposures for oxeye daisies and rosebushes, and Jimmy's knife slipped and almost nicked his fingers when Scott glanced over and gave him a soft smile.

Jimmy could feel the flush creep up his neck and turned his attention back to his carving. He was just trying to decide if he should shorten the llama's ears when three riders came up the path. "Hello, sheriff," said Jimmy's grandfather to the man in front, in a level voice with all of the caution and none of the warmth it had carried in his greeting to Scott a few days ago. "To what do we owe the pleasure?"

The big man looked down at him from the saddle, and the deputies behind him placed a hand casually over their guns. "Oh, just making the rounds, checking up on business," he said. "Records show you ain't paid any taxes lately, Jack."

"We're not part of the mesa," said Jimmy's grandfather. "Haven't you said plenty of times, that your territory extends everywhere the terracotta does? I left Tumble Town a long time ago."

"See, I've been doing some thinking about that," said the sheriff, "and I reckon, being this close and all, that if I were to kick up some of this sorry excuse for soil then there'd be terracotta not far underneath it." His eyes traveled over the three of them and lingered on Scott. "Seems you're not doing too bad on coin if you've got a new farmhand, anyway."

"He's not a farmhand," said Jack, "just a wanderer who's helping out a little in exchange for a roof and a meal."

"A wanderer, huh?" said the sheriff. "What's your name, kid? Where you from?"

"Nowhere in particular," said Scott. His voice was casual but his back was ramrod stiff. "Was up north for a while, visited the goblin caves, explored the old ruins."

"If you don't have any further business," said Jack, taking a step to the side and partially blocking Scott from the sheriff's view, "we've still got plenty of weeding and watering to get to today."

"Look, for old times' sake, I won't even take back taxes into account," said the sheriff. "Just the ones for this year. Tumble Town's really struggling lately, and everyone's gotta pitch in if it's to keep growing."

"He already said we aren't part of your stupid town!" exclaimed Jimmy. "We're out here minding our own business, so maybe you and your thugs should do the same!"

"Jimmy," said his grandfather warningly.

"Hah!" exclaimed the sheriff sharply. "Is that how you've raised your boy to talk to his betters, Jack?" He looked at Jimmy like he'd stepped in something behind the barn. "Well, can't be helped I suppose. You can't have expected much from a little bastard your whore daughter dropped in your lap."

Jimmy's face twisted in anger and he leaped to his feet, but his grandfather put a hand across his chest. "I apologize for my grandson's behavior, sir," he said to the sheriff. "I'll have a talk with him."

"A beating would be better suited," said the sheriff, "but I doubt it would do much good." He straightened in the saddle and picked up the reins. "I'll be back in six weeks to collect your taxes. And teach that boy some manners before he winds up in my jail, or dead." He gave Jimmy another glare and Scott another considering look before wheeling his horse around and leaving, his deputies right behind him.

"Hey. Take a breath and relax," said Scott against Jimmy's ear, and his cool hand touched Jimmy's clenched fist. He coaxed the whittling knife out of Jimmy's grip and replaced it with his own hand, entwining their fingers and giving a comforting squeeze.

Jimmy's grandfather was still staring after the retreating riders. "I... I'm sorry, Granddad," said Jimmy hesitantly to the broad back before him. "I didn't mean to - "

"It's all right," said Jack, cutting him off. "We'd best get that weeding done, and I think the beets are ready for harvest." He turned around finally, and Scott dropped Jimmy's hand. "Lots to do in the next few weeks."

"What? You're not seriously thinking about paying him, are you?" demanded Jimmy. "We're not part of the mesa! It's just extortion!"

"Go clear the weeds from the wheat field," said his grandfather instead of answering his question, picking up an empty basket from the porch. "And when you're done go teach our guest what's forageable in this area like you promised."

"But - !"

Jack was already on his way to the patch of beetroot, and Scott took Jimmy's hand again. "Come on," he said. "Some of those weeds are definitely dandelions, and they'll make a great salad." He tugged lightly, and Jimmy sighed but followed him to the field.

#okay NOW I'm going to bed i promise #flower husbands #empires shipping #empiresshipping #esmp #empires smp #esmp fanfic #farmboy au #file: storm writes things

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jobean12-blog · 1 year

Text

For You Always

Pairing: Bucky Barnes x reader (CEO!Bucky)

Word Count: 1.690

Summary: Bucky works hard, really hard, but you always come first and he’ll do anything to make you happy.

Author’s Note: This is just some random little idea that popped into my head when I saw this photo of Seb. Made me think of him being so soft for his wife and busting his butt working hard but just being perfect. Also, the puppy was necessary haha thank you all so much for reading! Much love always! ❤️❤️❤️Divider by my sweet Daisy @firefly-graphics thank you love!

Warnings: Soft and sweet fluffy fluff :)

The light shining from under his office door indicates he’s still awake and working so you tip toe closer and gently push it open.

His glasses are sliding down his nose and when he looks up at your presence he presses them back onto his face.

“Hi baby doll,” he says gruffly. “Why are you awake?”

You shuffle into the room, your hands twisting into his tee shirt that you’re wearing, and move around his large desk.

“Miss you.”

He swivels on his chair, spreading his legs wide and holding his arms out and open.

You fall into them and bury your face in his neck, kissing his scruffy cheek before sliding your fingers down and toying with the open buttons of his shirt.

“Miss you too doll. I’m sorry this is taking so long.”

“It’s ok,” you whisper, curling your legs up when he pulls you into his lap.

“I should be done in about an hour,” he informs you as he smooths his hand up and down your back.

“Can I get you anything?” you ask him, looking up to meet his eyes.

“I could use some kisses,” he answers with a soft smile.

You press your lips to his and take his face in your hands. The kiss starts out slow and soft but when his hand slips under your shirt and caresses your skin you moan into his mouth and he pulls away.

“Think you can wait a little longer so I can take you to bed?” he asks with a smirk.

You nod and kiss him again, this time nibbling on his bottom lip when you pull away.

“Mm,” he hums, chasing your lips. “Hurry up and get out of here before I never finish.”

He helps you off his lap and gives your ass a playful smack.

You twinkle your fingers over your shoulder as you leave and head for the kitchen.

A few minutes later you come back into his office with water and some fruit.

“Just in case,” you say quietly as you set it on his desk.

He grabs your hand before you turn to leave and brushes his lips across your knuckles.

“Thank you angel.”

You take note of the time and head back upstairs to read. Once an hour has passed you drop your book and make your way back to his office.

“Bucky?” you ask as you push the door open.

He smiles and holds up a finger, motioning to the cell pressed to his ear. You move behind his chair and knead your fingers into his shoulders, the tense muscles instantly relaxing under your touch. He pulls his glasses off and drops his head to his chest, closing his eyes.

When he ends the call the phone falls from his fingers and onto the desk. You continue your ministrations until he reaches back and covers one of yours hands with his.

“Come on doll face,” he murmurs. “Let’s get to bed. I need you.”

The next day you wake to an empty bed and let out a long exhale, your fingertips dancing over the cold sheets. With a languid stretch you slide from the

mattress and grab Bucky’s button down, draping it over your shoulders and closing a few buttons in the middle.

As you walk down the steps you smell pancakes and start to smile.

“Good morning angel,” Bucky croons from the stove. “Hungry?”

He’s standing there in nothing but his boxer briefs and slippers and you let your eyes wander over every inch of him appreciatively.

“For breakfast?” you ask playfully.

“And dessert,” he simpers, calling you over with a crook of his finger.

He feeds you a piece of pancake that rests on the plate and you moan at the delicious taste.

“Let’s eat,” he winks.

After breakfast and the best kind of dessert you share a shower and Bucky heads back to his office to finish up some work.

He’s only been busy for an hour or so when you wander in.

“Everything ok?” he asks right away, his concern for you always first on his mind.

“Everything’s fine,” you assure him.

He’s dressed for meetings today and you slide your fingers over his silky tie, straightening it slightly before giving it a tug to pull him in for a kiss.

With a smile against your lips he murmurs a soft “I love you.”

“I love you too,” you whisper.

You straighten up and walk back to the door, blowing him one last kiss.

“That’s it doll face? Just came in for kisses?” he smiles with a wink.

You give him a demure shrug and disappear down the hallway.

Not long after you find yourself by his office door again and this time you can hear him on phone. You wait until he ends the call before you go in.

Without hesitation he beckons for you with open arms and you melt into him.

He peppers your face with kisses and pulls you closer with his hands settled on your waist.

“More kisses?” he teases.

You nod and plant one on his lips, knocking his glasses sideways.

“Sorry,” you giggle. “Want some lunch?”

“Sure baby doll. Anything that’s easy is good, thanks.”

You leave him to his work and go make lunch, returning with an ooey gooey grilled cheese and some soup.

“Oh wow,” he beams. “That looks and smells so good.”

You set it down on his desk and sit on the edge, lifting the spoon and lightly blowing on the hot soup. When it’s cool you feed him a bite.

He takes the spoon in his mouth, his eyes trained on you, and hums happily. You feed him some bites of the sandwich before handing him his water.

“You don’t have to sit here and feed me doll,” he says with a frown.

“I know, but I worry you won’t eat and you’ll just work right through lunch.”

He lifts his hand and rests it along your thigh, sliding his fingers higher to caress your smooth skin.

“What would I do without you?” he croons.

Once lunch is cleaned up you try to do some more reading but you’re distracted by a recent idea that will not leave your mind.

You need to talk to Bucky but you don’t want to keep disturbing him.

Your knee keeps bouncing and you can’t sit still so before you lose your mind you hop off the couch and silently creep down to his office.

With your fingers twisted together and your face pinched in thought you hover just outside the door.

“Doll face? What are you doin’ dancing around outside my office?”

His tone is soft and sweet and when you push open the door he’s smiling knowingly.

“Come ‘ere,” he says patting his thigh. “Talk to me.”

You rush over and sit, chewing on your bottom lip.

He reaches up and pulls it free with his thumb.

“Tell me what’s on been on your mind.”

You stare at him, taking in every inch of his gorgeous face.

“I want to get a dog!” you blurt out.

His expression changes to a look of surprise and you instantly start to back track but he stops your ramblings with a press of his finger to your lips.

“Don’t baby doll. I just wasn’t expecting that. We can get a dog. I think it’s a great idea.”

“Really?” you ask, your eyes wide.

“Yea, of course! It will be nice knowing you have someone here with you when I’m at the office or on a business trip.”

“Oh my god Bucky! When can we go? Tomorrow? Please?”

He chuckles at your enthusiasm and looks down at his computer.

“Tell you what? Let me just finish this up and we’ll go before dinner!”

You throw your arms around his neck and press kisses all over his face.

“I can’t wait,” you squeal and hop off him. “I know just what rescue shelter to go to!”

“Good doll face,” he says with a genuine smile. “I’ll be ready soon.”

~Later that same week~

“Bucky,” you call sleepily from the couch.

You sit up with a yawn and search for Bucky and Beans. You find neither and you call their names again.

Nothing.

With the blanket wrapped around your shoulders you get up and head toward Bucky’s office. You hear him whispering softly but you can’t tell if he’s on the phone or not. You peer through the small crack in the door, your eyes brightening with emotion at the scene before you.

Bucky’s seated in his chair behind his desk, his tie hangs loosely around his neck and his shirt is unbuttoned. He has the Beans nuzzled against his chest and sleeping soundly cradled in the crook of his arm.

He talks softly to the puppy, murmuring sweet words as he gently pets under her belly.

You step inside quietly and Bucky looks up with a smile, pressing his finger to his lips.

“Shhh mama, the baby’s asleep.”

You whip out your phone and snap a picture of them, needing to capture this moment forever.

“I was wondering where she went,” you whisper.

“I came out to get a drink and you two were sleeping on the couch so I covered you with the blanket but on my way back in here Beans was whimpering so I think she was having a bad dream. I didn’t want her to wake you so I took her back with me and she fell asleep while I was working.”

He explains it all softly, looking from you to the dog and back to you.

“She’s so soft,” he says.

“You’re so soft,” you answer and slip between his spread legs and the desk. “Look at you two. I can’t.”

He holds his free arm out for you and you carefully climb onto his lap. You lay your head against his shoulder and gently smooth your fingers over Beans silky ear.

“Thank you for agreeing to this,” you say quietly, still patting the dog.

“Hey,” Bucky says softly, pulling your attention up to his eyes.

“Always angel. I’ll do anything for you.”

@book-dragon-13 @dreamlessinparis @goldylions @hiddles-rose @loki-laufeyson-1054 @lookiamtrying @flordeamatista @nano--raptor @randomfandompenguin @seitmai

#bucky barnes x reader #bucky barnes #bucky barnes x you #bucky barnes x female reader #ceo!bucky #ceo!bucky x reader #bucky barnes au #bucky barnes x y/n #bucky barnes fanfiction #bucky barnes imagine #sebastian stan x reader

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mimisempai · 1 year

Text

Thankful

When it comes to Dream, Hob and Death, of course I need more than a hundred words :D

On Ao3

"I see, now you two are fattening up the pigeons!"

Dream and Hob turned around together to see Death coming over, wearing a wide smile.

In fact Hob couldn't remember ever seeing her not smile.

She approached and wrapped her arms around their necks then hugged them before coming over to sit next to them on the bench.

Dream's bench that had become Dream and Hob's bench.

Dream leaned over to look at his sister and asked, "To what do we owe the honor of your visit, big sister?"

Death's smile diminished slightly as she replied, "I was passing through the neighborhood for my 'work' so I thought I'd take the opportunity to visit you."

"Watch out!"

A little girl's scream interrupted him and drew their attention as a ball flew straight towards Hob's face. The balloon was intercepted by Death and Dream at the same time because they had put their hands in front of Hob's face to protect him.

Dream retrieved the balloon and got up to give it back to the children who were afraid to approach.

Hob and Death watched with amusement as the children managed to draw Dream into a ball game.

Hob murmured softly, turning his head to Death, "I never got a chance to say thank you."

Death looked at him quizzically as Hob went on, "I know you're the one responsible for me not... dying." He continued with a sheepish smile, "Besides I'm also sorry I said you were stupid by the way."

Death chuckled slightly, "No offense taken. You'd think I'd heard worse about myself over the millennia. But I'm surprised you're thanking me. Because this gift is a bit poisoned, isn't it? Sure you live longer, but you also get to suffer more."

Hob shrugged, "I don't deny it. I've had my share of... hard times... but..."

He paused and watched as Dream leaned over to a little girl who put a daisy on the lord of dreams' ear. There was nothing more beautiful at that moment than the smile that bloomed on Dream's face.

"But..." insisted Death.

Without looking away from Dream, Hob smiled and replied, "But the happiness more than made up for the unhappy moments. Thank you for that too, because I know that without your intervention, I probably never would have met him."

Then Death put her hand on Hob's forearm, making him turn to her.

"It is also I who must say thank you, Hob Gadling. I may have been instrumental in your meeting, but the one who made him bond and stay was you. You may or may not know it, but he was a little lost after his being locked up by Burgess and tracking down his tools. But after I straightened him out a bit, just before we parted, he told me, he too had an appointment to attend. It was the day he met you at the New Inn. The look on his face, that barely concealed hope and joy, I hadn't seen in ages. You gave him that, so thank you."

Hob nodded and suddenly felt a light pressure on his shoulder as Dream's voice echoed above him, "Are you talking about me?"

Death smiled mischievously, "Only in a good way, rest assured little brother."

Hob leaned against Dream behind him and grasped his hand on his shoulder. Then, looking up at Dream, he repeated Death's words, "Only in a good way."

A little later, as they walked home, hand in hand, Dream couldn't help but ask out of curiosity, "You don't have to answer, of course, but what were you and my sister talking about?"

Hob replied softly, "We thanked each other. I thanked her for making me immortal and thus making you and I meet. And she thanked me for... how do I put this... making you happy?"

Now that he was saying it like that, it could really sound presumptuous to say that he was responsible for Dream's happiness.

Dream, who had followed the path of his lover's thoughts, brought Hob's hand to his lips, and whispered, "Don't doubt it. You do make me happy."

They walked for a few seconds in silence, then Dream continued, "I too should thank you both. She for being the instrument of my happiness and you for being that happiness."

He chuckled softly and added, "And both of you are absolutely responsible for my excessive sentimentalism."

Hob squeezed his hand and replied playfully, "Don't worry, we'll keep your secret well. No one will know that the lord of dreams is also the lord of sappiness."

He laughed at Dream's falsely threatening stare and they went on their way.

After a few steps, Dream whispered, "Thank you."

And in that thank you resonated more than just gratitude for a well kept secret.

_________

Still not beta'd

Still not my native language

Still hoping you'll enjoy this story 🥰

Still thanking you for bearing with me 😝

Dreamling Masterlist here

#the sandman #the sandman netflix #dream of the endless #hob gadling #dreamling #dreamling fic #centennial husbands #centennial boyfriends #morpheus #morpheus x hob #hob x morpheus #dream x hob #hob x dream

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the-al-chemist · 1 year

Text

Unfogging the Future

This month’s theme for @hp-12monthsofmagic is “Anything’s Possible”. This story features my next generation OC Saffron Summers, who is considering the all the possibilities that are open to her.

Warnings: None.

The morning sun had not long risen, and its beams were almost blinding as they reflected on the glass panes of the greenhouses. As Saffron stepped out of the doors of the castle, she lifted her face skywards and closed her eyes for a few moments, her lips curving into a small, blissful, smile.

“Saff, come on,” her friend Teddy called out from beside Greenhouse One. “We’re going to be late.”

Saffron opened her eyes and skipped towards him, pausing only to pick a daisy from the grass, which she tucked behind Teddy’s ear as she caught up with him.

“Here,” she said. “It’s yellow, like your aura.”

“Thanks.”

Teddy opened the door of the greenhouse and held it for Saffron to skip through and inside, where their Head of House was waiting for them. Professor Sprout was a stout, elderly witch with kind eyes, grey hair, and perpetually grubby fingernails. Her aura was always hued in calming shades of blue and green, and she never got angry, not even the time Saffron’s rabbit Gavin escaped from the dormitory and ate one of her Slug-Eating Lettuces.

Today, Professor Sprout had removed her plant pots from a table to make way for several leaflets and pamphlets, which several of Saffron’s classmates were in the process of reading. Their auras were all painted in anxious shades of red and orange, as they had been ever since the start of fifth year, and had been growing increasingly tense as the O.W.L.s approached.

As Teddy began to look through a leaflet about working at St Mungo’s Hospital, Saffron picked up another and read it with mild curiosity.

“Now, what are you looking at, Saffron?” Professor Sprout asked her. She peered at the leaflet in her hands. “I didn’t know you were interested in goblin liaisons.”

“Oh,” Saffron tilted her head to one side. “I suppose I didn’t, either. This is the first time I’ve read about it.”

“And now that you have read about it, do you think it might be something you’d be interested in pursuing as a career?”

Saffron thought about it for a moment. “Oh, no. Not necessarily.”

Professor Sprout inclined her head. “So, have you given any thought to what you would like to do?”

“Do when?”

“After you leave Hogwarts.” When Saffron frowned and said nothing, Professor Sprout continued, “Is there anything in particular you’d like to be when you’re older?”

Saffron considered the question for almost a minute, before she decided on an answer.

“Happy.”

“Happy?”

“Oh, yes. I’d definitely like to be happy,” Saffron nodded her head emphatically, and Professor Sprout let out a deep sigh.

“I was thinking more along the lines of a career plan,” she told her. “Do you have any idea of what job you might want to have?” Saffron shook her head in response, and Professor Sprout smiled kindly. “Well, that’s okay. You don’t have to decide right here and now. You can have a think in your own time about what things you enjoy and are good at, and then the two of us can have a chat and come up with a plan together. Does that sound good to you?”

Not wanting to hurt Professor Sprout’s feelings, Saffron nodded her head, but in truth, she was not certain that it did sound good to her at all. After she had left the greenhouse, she found herself growing increasingly doubtful.

It was always difficult, planning for the future. Saffron’s dad liked to do it, it made him feel safe and secure when he attempted to design his own fate. Saffron’s mother, on the other hand, took the view that making plans was useless, that the universe had its own plans for everyone, and so the future should always be left up to the fates.

Saffron wasn’t sure what she thought, nor what she should do.

For now, though, she didn’t have to do anything, because as the fates would have it, it was time for her Divination lesson. She made her way through the ground floor of the castle to the large classroom that inside appeared like a clearing in a forest, with the night sky and all its stars twinkling on the ceiling above.

Normally, Divination was Saffron’s favourite subject, but today she struggled to concentrate, her mind still unsettled by her conversation with Professor Sprout about her future. She was so caught up in her own thoughts that she didn’t notice when the lesson had ended, nor that her classmates had left her lying face up on the classroom floor, until the face of Firenze, a centaur and her Divination teacher, appeared over her and blocked her view of the ceiling.

“Why are you still here?” he asked her. “The class is over.”

“Oh.” Saffron sat up. “I didn’t realise. My mind was… elsewhere, I suppose.”

“And where was this mind of yours?”

“In another now, maybe. I’m not sure. No,” Saffron decided. “It was not in any now at all. It was in the future.” Her eyebrows furrowed as she looked up at the centaur. “Firenze, sir, you know about the future, don’t you?”

“As much as anyone can know,” replied Firenze. “Why do you ask?”

“Oh, well, we have been asked to consider what jobs we want to have when we are older.”

“And this bothers you?”

“In a way, I suppose it does a little,” Saffron admitted. “Everyone keeps saying that we need to start making plans now, but I’m not sure why, because fate does not care for our plans, does it?”

“Perhaps not. But then, do our plans not affect our fate?”

“What do you mean?”

“Look up,” said Firenze, and Saffron did so. “Look at the sky, for it is a reflection of the earth. Now, look at the stars. If you look closely at their movements, you will see patterns. As you become accustomed to these patterns, you will be able to predict what their movements shall be next. The same can be said for those of us beneath the sky. We all move in patterns which we ourselves do not understand, and yet in those movements, we reveal what movements are to come later.”

“Oh,” Saffron said, not looking away from the stars. “But is our future not already decided? You know, the other day, when we were reading tea leaves-”

“Tea leaves are what is left behind after you have finished drinking your tea. As you drink, you move the cup in your hands. You may have a steady hand, you may swirl the liquid, you may drink faster or slower. You will do all of this without noticing, but as you do, you change the pattern of your leaves. So it is with fate. Destiny is not written in stone, it is written in stars and other changeable things, and so what has come before is what decides what has yet to come.”

Saffron lowered her gaze to meet Firenze’s own.

“So, what you mean is that I can make my plans, and even if they don’t work out, my making them will help the universe to decide its own plan for me?” she asked, and Firenze bowed his head slowly. “Oh. I suppose that does make sense. Yes.” Saffron climbed up onto her feet, took a smooth purple stone from her pocket, and handed it to Firenze.

“What is this?”

“Oh. It’s amethyst. For gratitude,” she told him. “Thank you, Firenze.”

“You are welcome, Saffron.”

Smiling, Saffron left the starlit classroom and stepped out into the corridor outside, where bright sunshine streamed through the arched castle windows onto the sandstone floor. Saffron twirled in the sunbeams, watching the way the little specks of dust floated in the light as she moved, each step she took bringing her closer to her own future.

#hp12mom #harry potter next gen fic #saffron summers #firenze #teddy lupin #professor sprout

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needleclanclangen · 1 year

Text

MOON 0 - FIRST NIGHT

"... So the second parts of their names are either for appearance, or for a skill, or their personality..." Petunia meowed, ears perked up with interest. "Huh. That actually sounds rather nice."

Speckle, at Finchstar's other side, was quiet. He looked to be deep in thought. Finchstar glanced over to him, frowning. "You okay, Speckle?"

"... I had those dreams, before you joined me." He mumbled. "But- ancestors interacting with our every move? I don't know if I like that." Speckle glanced up to Finchstar, and his fur caught the sun for a moment. "But I do have... some knowledge of herbs." Speckle frowned, once again out of the light. "Not sure if I quite have enough, though..."

"You'll learn." Finchstar said, brushing past a bush. With that, they were near her den- and near the camp. Finchstar could see why this was once used in the past, even with some of the dens no longer being there. She smiled, hopping up the tree that made up her den. "Alright, clan cats! Come and gather!"

Daisy, the cream she-cat with a single darker stripe down her back, who had taken the kits from Finchstar when informed of what their parents had done, pulled the kits along with her. The black and white kit with mismatched eyes, Riverkit, cuddled up to Daisy, and the speckled pale tom with copper eyes, Currentkit, stared up at where Finchstar was.

There was a sparkly presence at her side. Finchstar focused in front of her, ignoring it. "We are gathered here, in our future Clan's camp. Thank you for sticking with me through... all of that." A few laughs from the small crowd. "Today, we become a part of a whole. Today... I'm granting you your new names."

"Shouldn't we name the clan?" Lightning said, loudly. Lichen's tail stuck straight up.

"Maybe. But what I want to do is to name ourselves first, then name our clan, making our first step as a clan as our new selves. Yeah?" Finchstar nodded. "Yeah. So... first off... our kits."

Daisy used her tail to nudge the kits forward a little. "Their mothers should be ashamed of themselves." She spat. "Leaving River and Current behind?"

"They will be Riverkit and Currentkit. Our young will have those names." Finchstar nodded to Lichen next. "Those of..."

A whisper. Six moons.

"Six moons and older, and training under another are our Apprentices. Apprentices..." Finchstar met eyes with Lichen. "Have the second part of their names be paw. Lichen, you are Lichenpaw, and you will still be training under me."

Lichenpaw nodded, smiling.

Finchstar glanced at the other two cats who were young, but not kit age young. Lightning, the orange cat with a striped tail, and Holly, a pale gray dappled tom who stared up with amber eyes.

"Lightning, you are now Lightningpaw. You will train under..." Her eyes met with Whisker, the white and gray spotted tom. "Whisker.

Lightningpaw blinked, then padded over to Whisker. The two of them stared for a bit, before Whisker touched noses with him. Whisker purred. "A pleasure, Finchstar."

"Holly. You are Hollypaw." Hollypaw stood to attention. "You will train under Daisy."

She seemed reliable and caring. Hollypaw, taking from Lightningpaw's lead, stumbled over to Daisy and touched noses with her. He then moved to sit beside the kits.

"Now, our fighters." Finchstar lashed her tail. "You will be more complicated." She stood up. "After all, I just met some of you last moon!" She laughed. Whisker and Petunia both laughed as well. Daisy just tilted her head. Speckle sighed. "But I will try my best to name all of you."

"Petunia. You will be Petuniaclaw." Finchstar hopped down from one branch. "Whisker, you will be Whiskershadow. Daisy, Daisyshadow."

"Why are we sharing names." Daisyshadow said, curt.

"Both of you surprised me when we met." Finchstar said, and Whiskershadow snorted. Daisyshadow rolled her eyes. "Besides, it's only a part of your name. The whole is different." Another hop down a branch. "Speckle... You will be Speckleback."

Speckleback glanced at his back. Then back to Finchstar. "Clever...?"

"I know, I am." Finchstar responded, back down on even ground with the others. "Everyone can rest for today. Tomorrow, we wake up a new clan... and we can think of what we're named."

#clangen #clangen oc #clangen fanclan #warrior cats #warrior cats oc #warrior cats fanclan #needleclan #needleclan clangen #Moon 0 #Finchstar #Petuniaclaw #Speckleback #Lichenpaw #Lightningpaw #Hollypaw #Whiskershadow #Daisyshadow #Riverkit #Currentkit

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singlequantumevent · 10 months

Text

Dogtown: Part One

Content Warnings | Next Chapter

There’s this place up in Massachusetts called Dog Town. It was home to a group of widows, sailors’ wives, witches (if you believed the rumors), and the dogs they kept for safety. They say that after the inhabitants died, the dogs left behind became feral, ghosts, or werewolf-like beings that stalked the town.

I don’t know how much of that is true. But with my life being what it is? It wouldn’t surprise me if it were.

“Hey, little lady. How’re you?”

The dog in the kennel wagged her tail fiercely. She had been in that kennel for about five months now. This didn't surprise Bo; the dog, Daisy, was a Pit Bull mix. Not full Pit Bull (there was probably some kind of retriever in her), but she looked just enough like one to scare off potential adopters. It was a shame. Daisy was one of the sweetest dogs in the shelter. She barked the least, too.

“Look, Daisy, I know you’re happy to see me, but I need to replace your blankets. Can you let me in?” After a few more seconds of tail-wagging, Daisy backed away from the door. “Thank you.”

Bo stepped inside. Almost immediately, Daisy jumped up like she was trying to climb into his lap. “Whoa, hey, big girl.” He knew he had ten other kennels to clean, but Bo couldn’t resist kneeling down to give Daisy some attention. “I’m glad to see you too, sweetheart.”

It really did suck that she was still there. Bo would adopt Daisy if he could, but his apartment only allowed small dogs. Which was...ironic, all things considered.

If they only knew.

Bo scratched behind Daisy’s ears and smiled. “Okay, big girl. You going to let me take those blankets without turning it into tug-of-war?”

The big, goofy grin on her face said she made no promises.

II.

Bo didn’t own a car.

On the one hand, he didn’t see the need to own one. He was within biking distance from his job, he didn’t have to pay for gas or auto insurance, and he didn’t have to deal with Florida’s shitty drivers. On the other hand, it was hotter than the earth’s core most days. He worked up a sweat getting to work, he worked up a sweat at work, and he worked up a sweat on the way back from work. By the time his day was over, he just wanted to lie on the floor and do nothing.

Unfortunately, not everyone was as lazy as he was.

“Not tonight, Ginge, I have to work tomorrow.” Bo rubbed his eyes. “Sunday. I have Sunday off. Yes, the whole day. Uh-huh…okay…” He scratched furiously at his scalp, mussing up already sweat-slicked dark hair. “I can do Saturday night, too. Should be good beach weather. It’s too damn hot for anywhere without water.” He listened to the voice on the other end and laughed. “Yeah, skinny dipping. Of course. I’ll see you then. ‘Bye, Ginger.”

Once he hung up, Bo sank back to the floor. The linoleum tiles were cool from the past fifteen minutes of concentrated air conditioning. They felt blessedly cold against his skin. “This year,” he said to himself. “This year, I’m getting a car.”

Not likely. He said the same thing every year, and it hadn’t happened yet.

III.

There were a lot of strays in the area. Most of them were cats. You saw them everywhere: lounging under cars at the Wal-Mart, perched on walls, watching with distrustful eyes. Cat gangs, Bo always thought when he saw them. He didn’t trust them.

Every now and again, though, he would see a stray dog. As a proud employee of the local Humane Society branch, Bo felt it was his civic duty to pursue these animals before they got hurt. This was easier said than done. He might’ve trusted the dogs more than he trusted the cats, but damn if the dogs didn’t make things difficult.

“C’mon!” he said aloud as the dog ducked into someone else’s yard. “Work with me, here!”

The dog was not working with him. In fact, she seemed very intent on working against him as much as possible. Bo couldn’t blame the dog for that. There was always a chance that the stray in question had been hurt by humans. She had no way of knowing she wasn't going to hurt him.

If it weren’t the middle of the day and if I were closer to home…

Bo shook his head. No sense in thinking about it. After all, there was no guarantee that Plan D would work any better. All he could do was keep chasing the dog and hope he didn’t get yelled at for being on someone else’s property.

“Hey…” Bo advanced warily into the yard. “Look, buddy, I’m trying to help.”

The dog's ears perked up at the sound of his voice, but she didn’t run. Good. Please, no more running. “That’s it…c’mon…” He kept moving forward, very slowly, trying not to make any sudden movements. “Steady, girl…”

He and the dog locked eyes. He could feel her sizing him up, smelling him, trying to decide if he was friend or foe. He willed her to come closer with everything he had in him. Please, please, please…

She considered his pleas. Then, she took off.

Oh, come on!

Bo took off after her, but he knew it was a lost cause. The dog was much faster than he was. She was out of sight within seconds.

He wasn’t sure what was worse—the fact that he had lost the dog, or the fact that he was probably going to be late for work now.

I swear to God, if some punkass bastard stole my bike…

IV:

No one had stolen his bike, and he made it to work on time.Bo’s supervisor for the day took one look at his beet-red face and let him take a few minutes to sit down. “What the hell happened to you?” he asked as he passed Bo a water bottle.

“Almost late.” Bo slurped noisily from the water bottle, not caring how much ran down his chin and neck. It felt good. “I was trying to catch a stray.”

The supervisor didn’t look phased by this. Trying to catch strays was one of Bo’s unofficial duties at the shelter. “You can bike a bit more slowly next time,” he said. “I mean, what’s the point in being on time if you collapse from heat exhaustion?”

“Right. Right, I’ll keep that in mind.”

Bo still felt overheated when he got started. He took a second to douse his head with the water hose before using it for its intended purpose: re-filling the dogs’ bowls. “Don’t look at me like that,” he told the dogs as he walked down the row. “I was trying to save one of you. She wouldn’t listen.”

The dogs didn’t care. Most were just happy to get some water.

Daisy was still in her kennel when Bo reached it. He’d expected that, but he was still disappointed. “Hey, Miss Daisy.” She licked his hand when he held it out to her. “Hard day?” Her tail wagged slightly. “Me too, girl. Me too.”

Then came the weekend.

Bo considered bailing several times Saturday morning. He’d had a long week, and the idea of spending the evening playing video games in air-conditioned splendor sounded heavenly. But he’d said he would show, and it had been a while since he’d seen his friends. Anyway, arrangements had already been made for Fred to give him a ride. Fred did not take no for an answer.

“You smell like shit." Fred was also very intrusive about people’s personal hygiene, though what counted as smelling bad for him was a bit different than it was for normal people. “Did you take a bath of straight Old Spice or something?”

“Would you rather I smell like kennel?” Bo shot back.

“Over whatever that is, yeah.” Fred’s tone was as blunt as his features—slight underbite, nose with a broken look to it, hair cropped short. “We’re driving with the windows down.”

“Whatever, man.”

They made the drive to the beach in silence, save for the sound of the air rushing by and the occasionally labored sound of Fred’s breathing. He sounded like that sometimes—rough and snuffly, as though he were perpetually congested. Bo tried not to worry about it. Fred always insisted he was fine. Then again, you could set Fred on fire and his only response would be a mildly annoyed sigh. He wasn’t one for complaining. Bo admired that.

When they arrived at the beach, it was getting close to off-hours. Technically, they weren’t supposed to be there, but Ginger knew a guy. Ginger was an I know a guy kind of gal. Three cars were waiting in the parking lot when they arrived. There was an older car that, while sporty-looking, had clearly seen better days; a pickup truck with a perpetual forest smell to it; and, finally, a bright yellow VW bug. He recognized their owners as well—Artemis, Ginger, and Dot. Also with them was Olaf. He must’ve hitched a ride with Ginger. His car had been on the fritz lately.

“Gang’s all here,” said Bo as he got out of the car. “Hey, G—oof!”

And there, as usual, was one of Ginger’s overly enthusiastic hugs. She actually managed to pick him up a bit. “You work too much,” she told Bo as she put him back down.

“Good to see you, too.” Just as Bo was starting to recover from Ginger’s hug, he was picked up again, this time by Olaf. “Whoa, hey, big guy!”

“Try that on me, and I’ll bite you,” Fred grumbled.

“Oh my gosh, don’t be such a baby,” said Dot. She lightly punched Fred’s arm. “We missed you, too.”

Fred grunted. If you knew where to look, you could see the smile forming on his face.

Artemis’s hug was much gentler. “I’m glad you could make it,” she said. “We all really missed you.”

“I missed you guys, too.” And he had. He really had. “Is the beach all clear?”

“Just about,” said Ginger. “Only a few stragglers left.”

Those few stragglers took about twenty minutes to leave. The pack spent that time passing around a bottle of beer and chatting. Bo updated them on the shelter situation, who had come, who was gone, who remained. There was a collective groan of disappointment when he mentioned that Daisy was still there. “So, that aside,” said Fred as he tossed the bottle into a nearby recycling bin, “anything interesting?”

“Well…I failed to catch a dog?”

The rest of the pack looked at him with similar startled expressions. “You?” said Dot skeptically. “The premiere dog catcher in the area?”

Olaf giggled at her choice of emphasis. Bo rolled his eyes. “I have my off days too, you know.”

“Did you try…?”

“I was in the middle of someone else’s neighborhood. I couldn’t.”

“Boo.”

“I’ll find her eventually,” Bo said. I hope.

The last of the stragglers walked by. The second they were in their car, the pack made a break for the beach. “Finally!” whooped Olaf, who somehow managed to take off his shoes while he ran. “I thought they’d never—hot sand! Hot sand!”

Bo laughed, though he immediately felt bad for it. “Easy, big guy.” He glanced over his shoulder one more time before starting to take off his shirt. “Don’t kill yourself.”

The rest of his clothes came off, deposited in a heap in the sand. His skin felt too tight. It came off next, deposited in the sand on top of his clothes.

The sand was hot against his paws, so he ran to the ocean. Ginger followed, her golden fur shining in the setting sun. Dot overtook both of them, despite the stubbiness of her legs. Olaf trundled behind, high-stepping to avoid scorching his massive paws, and Artemis followed him, holding back from her usually considerable speed. Finally, at the back, was Fred, trundling along.

They ran through the water, chasing waves and each other until the sun went down. But not even that slowed them down. They didn’t need the sun to see.

Not when they were like this.

#of myth and legend #dogtown

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littlemissnoname13 · 3 years

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Hello can I request where draco in fourth year having a crush on a hufflepuff reader but acts as arsehole cuz he doesn’t know how to show affection , leading it to her avoiding him which makes him depressed about what did he do wrong ?

Hi love. Thanks for the request.💕

I love writing Draco x hufflepuff!reader stories! I am a sucker for a slytherin x hufflepuff pairing.

I added a few extra details here and here. Hope you like it. X

Hopeful (Draco Malfoy x Hufflepuff!Reader)

Word count: 2100 sorry got a bit carried away. 😅

Warnings: None. Soft!Draco being an absolute blubbering idiot.

Draco’s thoughts are written in green

Spring had arrived.

It could be felt in the cool and gentle zephyr that made the shiny new leaves on top of the once barren and dead trees rustle.

Daisies were in full bloom and the wind had managed to carry some of the petals away—making them fall to the ground, acting like a harbinger of the fast approaching summer.

Draco couldn’t be bothered if it was spring, or autumn or winter.

In that particular moment, all he wanted to do was get away from the Slytherin common room and Pansy Parkinson.

He had taken her to the Yule ball and things had sort of fizzled out afterwards. He couldn’t get himself to see her as anything other than a friend.

Having ran all the way to a far and secluded area of the Hogwarts grounds, Draco leaned against a tree trunk and panted heavily in an attempt to catch his breath.

“Are you—are you alright?”

Your voice startled him and he quickly stood up straight to look around.

You were sitting criss-crossed on the grass with your transfigurations textbook opened on your lap. Your shirt sleeves were rolled up and your yellow and black tie hugged very loosely around your neck.

“Fine.” He muttered as he slowly sat down noticing a single daisy tucked behind your ears.

After sitting there in complete silence for the next few minutes, he finally spoke up.

“What are you even doing here anyway?”

“Just wanted some peace and quiet to be honest.” You said, shrugging your shoulders. “It’s a beautiful day.”

Draco just hummed in response and kept staring at the daisy in your hair that swayed lightly with the breeze.

“What?” You asked when you noticed.

“You have—you have a twig stuck in your hair.”

“A daisy.” You corrected him as you closed your book and moved a bit closer to where he was sitting. “It’s a daisy.”

“Yeah I know that. I’m not stupid.” He said quickly. “But why?”

"Well, Daisies are essentially two flowers blended together in complete harmony." You said pulling the daisy out of your free falling hair before putting your hand forward to hand it to him.

“And?” Draco reluctantly took the flower from you and blinked his eyes in confusion.

“They are said to resemble innocence—true love even.” You explained getting comfortable next to him.

“You believe in all that?” Draco scoffed, twirling the flower between his index finger and thumb. He couldn’t tell if the floral fragrance was coming from you or the air but it made him slightly queasy nonetheless.

“Merlin. No.” You scrunched up your nose. “It just gives me hope I guess.”

Draco gave you another hum in response. For someone who came up with snarky and sometimes witty comments on the spot, he found himself weirdly tongue tied.

“I know you were hiding from Pansy by the way.” You remarked, making a small smile pull at his lips.

“How come?”

“What do you mean how come?” You rolled your eyes. “Everyone can see that she is obsessed with you for some reason that I personally can't seem to comprehend.”

~~~~~

The next day during potions class, Draco slowly opened his book and started to absently doodle on it with his quill while Snape talked about the upcoming potions essay that had to be done in pairs.

Draco knew he should be paying attention but he just couldn’t get the interaction between you two out of his head.

And just when he took a deep breath and decided to focus, a familiar scent started to fill his lungs up.

Fruity, almost spicy notes of strawberry and pink grapefruit mixed with gardenias, vanilla and musk. It felt like someone had tossed a huge bouquet into the room.

He knew it was you without even bothering to look up from my book.

"Ah, Miss y/l/n. Late again." Snape muttered. “Five points from Hufflepuff house.”

You quietly sat down next to your friend with your head hung low and Draco fought an unexplainable urge to give you a hug.

"The essay must be done in pairs.." Snape said.

Great.

"Ronald Weasley and Gregory Goyle."

This is exactly what I needed right now. Thanks Snape.

"Blaise Zabini and Hannah Abott."

The last thing I need is someone weighing my essay down.

"Draco Malfoy and y/n y/l/n."

What?

You turned back to look at Draco and gave him an apologetic smile and he didn't understand why you kept smiling at him. It's not like the both of you had suddenly formed an unlikely bond with each other.

Draco scowled at you in return and quickly raised his hand. "May I work on my essay alone?"

"No. You may not Mr. Malfoy."

~~~~~~~~~~~~~

You and Draco had been studying in the library for almost an hour. Because you were quietly sitting next to him, his elbows and knees slightly brushed yours every few seconds and as much as he hated to admit it, He secretly enjoyed it.

Contrary to yesterday, Draco was trying very hard to make a conversation with you. You seemed somewhat offended that he had asked Snape to work on the essay alone.

“I am happy to do most of the writing if you can look up all the ingredients.” You offered.

You don’t have to do all of that yourself. I am happy to help with the writing too. Is what he should have said.

“Fine whatever.” He said instead as he reached for a copy of One Thousand Magical Herbs and Fungi.

That night, Draco stayed up tossing and turning in his bed before giving up on getting any sleep for the night.

He lethargically walked towards his dresser and put his hands in his blazer pocket pulling out the now dried and pressed daisy from the other day.

Taking a deep breath, he put the flower in between the pages of his copy of One Thousand Magical Herbs and Fungi.

You were drawing him in, undoing him, unraveling him even.

He knew that.

But did you?

~~~~~~~~~~~~~

"Draco! Open up."

His head jolted towards the door and He quickly walked over to open it.

You stood on the other end with books tucked in your arms, wearing your denim shorts and a plain white tank top—looking like summer personified.

The more time he spent with you, the more he started to notice your quirks. Like that the way your skin glowed as the days got warmer.

Compliment her. Do it. It’s not Difficult.

“Did you do something different to your hair?”

“Uh—no why are you asking.”

“It just looks a bit strange.” He commented wanting to slap himself.

"Okay, well are you going to let me in?" You questioned, wondering why he was blocking the way and asking you about your hair.

Why did you have to wear that God damned tank top-

"Sorry?" You asked stepping inside making his cheeks burn when he realized he wasn’t meaning to say that out loud.

"Just shut up and get back to working in the essay or whatever it is that you were doing." Draco grumbled feeling embarrassed as he grabbed some fresh parchment.

Okay. Focus. The Strengthening solution requires...

You stretched a little and pushed your hair away from your face.

several days to mature...

"Staring is rude Draco." You suddenly interrupted his thoughts as you set your eyes on his—peering right into his soul.

Draco felt like he was giving you some sort of power over him and the possibility of you using that power and leaving him heartbroken made him feel so very vulnerable.

He couldn't take the vulnerability a second longer.

"I don't think we should study together anymore." He blurted quickly standing up. “It's for the best.”

"Huh?" You stood up contorting your face in total confusion—wondering just what you had done to piss him off. "What's wrong Draco? Did I do something wrong?"

"Leave. Now." He muttered with his teeth clenched.

Please don’t go.

"Just go—leave please."

You couldn’t help but feel a sharp sting burning your insides as you gathered all the books that were on the floor and ran made your way towards hufflepuff dormitories with tears threatening to flood your eyes.

As soon as you ran off, he punched his wall and muttered out the plethora of angry curses when the impact bruised his knuckles.

~~~~~~~~~~~

During the following week, Draco failed to show up to any of your shared classes after you had refused to talk to him after what happened.

Even if you did manage to see him walking down the halls or walking with Crabbe and Goyle, you noticed that he looked like he hadn’t eaten or slept in days.

On a Tuesday, Draco looked at the Hufflepuff table during breakfast and when you caught his eye, all you did was look away.

Everyone at school had their opinions about him—most of them weren’t good opinions.

But when you were with him under that tree, he seemed different. His smirk was more playful than condescending. It managed to charm you in a way.

You took a final bite of your toast and gathered all your books, walking to your Potions class.

His seat still remained empty and you shook your head, trying to snap away from the thoughts of him as you flipped open your book.

Only it wasn’t your book.

You didn’t remember writing on the margins and making annotations on your book.

Running your fingertips along the pages, you flipped to the very first page of the book.

D. Malfoy was written in ridiculously neat handwriting and you shook your head when you realized that you had grabbed his book with you that day by mistake.

And just when you were about to put his book away, something fell from in between the pages and fell onto your desk.

It was the daisy you had woven into your hair the other day. Even in its dried state, the petals remained intact like her had done something to keep them that way.

When class was finally over, you made a quick beeline towards the slytherin dungeons, bumping into people along the way.

~~~~~~~~~

“Some hufflepuff girl is standing outside the dungeons asking to see you.” Theo shrugged when he saw Draco at the common room sofa. “Says it's urgent.”

He felt terrified yet so elated as he quickly stood up and made his way outside.

“Here’s your book.” You said taking a step towards him. “You never told me what’s wrong by the way.”

“Thank you.” Draco quickly took his book from you and stared at the ground.

“Why did you stop talking to me y/n?”

“You told me to go away—If I remember correctly.” You said shaking your head at him. “Tell me Draco, what’s wrong?”

“Everything.” He said quietly, meeting your gaze.

"What do you mean?"

"You make me feel all weak.....and smiley...and I hate it." He looked at you with agitation.

"Weak?" You ran your fingers through your hair in confusion.

"And your ridiculous white tank top." Draco half yelled.

"What's wrong with my top?" You asked, raising your voice slightly as if you had had enough of this.

"Nothing is wrong except for the fact that you look stunning in it.” He blurted involuntarily. "It is absolutely distracting when one is trying to study!."

He watched you open your mouth in shock and close it. Before he could spend another minute trying to solve the riddle that was your expression, you grabbed him by his tie and placed your lips on his.

His brows furrowed as he kissed you back tenderly. Tasting the sweetness of your lips—pouring out every bit of suppressed passion and adoration he felt for you with his lips.

There was something so strange and euphoric about finally kissing someone he had been longing to kiss for so long.

Something so magical about holding the person that fits perfectly into his arms.

Freaking Finally.

He was slightly disappointed when you slowly backed away, but the glow on your skin and the glossy ness in your eyes made him smile.

"I guess I'll leave before I realize the consequences of what I have just done." You said softly as you held his face and placed a small peck on his lips.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~

The next day, you found a tiny box and an envelope on your desk when you woke up. Your roommate let you know that Draco Malfoy had stopped by late last night when you were asleep and half begged and half threatened her to leave the box on your desk.

You slowly opened the box and found a bedazzled and whimsical looking daisy necklace, encrusted with gems.

A Daisy for my daisy.

You give me hope.

- D.M

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Draco Taglist: @dracomalfoyisindahouse @dracomalfoys-wh0re @maybesandohnos @justfangirlthingies @desiredmalfoy @dlmmdl @trainintersection @fa-me @dracoswhore007 @paulina1998 @wh0re4blaise @marrymetheonott @quacksonsssandtea @letoof @rvaldez7569 @loloo22 @emma67 @berriemalfoy @thegaudess @itchywitch33 @louweasleymalfoy @lunar0se10 @savagelysarcasticslytherin @fleursbabe @teawineaddict @thebitchybeatle @malfoyxxdraco23 @fantasyfairysworld @trashyvicks @h0ggyw0ggyh0gwarts @l0vely-lupin @linasylveon @amwitherspoon @the-bisexual-bitch

Love you all sm. (if i was unable to tag you, please look into your privacy settings)

Fell free to send me reuests. My other stories can be found here.

Join my taglist here.

- violet-Anne

#harry potter #draco malfoy imagine #draco malfoy x reader #draco x reader #draco malfoy #slytherin #draco lucius malfoy #draco one shot #draco x hufflepuff!reader #draco fluff

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