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sheisjoeschateau · 3 months

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"Oh, so we DO love Steve..." | PART IV

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Steve Harrington x Bauman!fem!reader enemies to lovers, heavy angst, hurt/comfort, upside down mayhem, S2-S4, post S4 universe hot-take, end-of-the-world / dystopian setting, ugly fights turned smut (...but with hella plot). 18+

CHAPTER WARNINGS: major character death (?), more plot-driven smut, strong language, anxiety-inducing themes, panic attacks, co-dependency, hot n heavy but low-key emotional s*x. MINORS, DNI. 18+

⁺₊⋆ ☾⋆⁺₊⋆ SERIES MASTERLIST ⋆⁺₊⋆ ☾⋆⁺₊⋆

When you do manage to get yourself out of bed and dressed for the day, which consists of an oversized long sleeved shirt that you stole from your uncle (because you liked it) along with some leggings and long white socks, you tell yourself to take a deep breath and accept whatever fate awaits you.

You've made your bed (literally, and figuratively speaking) so now you have to... well, not lie in it...

Anyway.

You walk downstairs to smell Steve at work in the kitchen, cooking up something delicious. Eddie sees you first, on the couch.

He grins and waves. "Mornin’, princess.”

You smile and give him a little wave. "Howdy."

Robin walks in with a first aid kit to give him fresh bandages, visibly sagging with relief when she sees you.

“Oh thank God, you’re up. These kids are already on one...”

You can’t help but snort a laugh at that, taking in her frazzled state, and you ask her what you can do to help but she just says in a desperate voice, “Coffee, please, I love you.” You grin and nod, hearing her and Eddie fussing over his dressing as you make for a hot cup of coffee.

You can hear the kids all around the corner, chirping lively from the kitchen. Even El is in there participating. Hopper’s voice is in the mix somewhere, grunting something about “indoor voices.” Your uncle is arguing over something with Erica, balls deep in a heated debate.

When you round the corner, your eyes first land on Nancy. She’s sitting at the bar with Jonathan. She smiles at you shyly. Jonathan greets you out loud.

“Bauman Squared is up.”

The kids all get in a tizzy of excitement. Erica’s excitement is short-lived, given her intense debate with your uncle. But Dustin is rushing over to you, blabbering about something pertaining to the lifespan of canned goods, and Mike is chiming in from the table saying, “No, Dustin, hold up, okay? So, Bauman, this is actually how it started.”

But your uncle cuts him off, asking them why they call you that when you both share the same last name. Joyce teasingly points out that he’s Murray and you’re Bauman.

Hopper adds to that, “yeah man, get with the program. Your niece is our favorite.” He shoots you a wink, and you give him a finger gun of approval.

Your uncle is rolling his eyes, but shoots you a desperate look — “Coffee. Black. Strong. Gracias.” Erica resumes her debate with him.

You grin as you move to go get your uncle a much needed cup of coffee, finding that Steve has stopped flipping the pancakes to look at you with a soft smile and scooting over a hot mug of coffee to you.

But it’s not for your uncle. It’s for you.

“Two sugar, light cream, right?”

The way that Steve murmurs the question to you makes you weak in the knees. You settle for giving him a tight-lipped grin and nod.

“Yeah, thank you,” you murmur back.

Steve moves to grab another mug, moving to pour another cup of straight black coffee for your uncle. You can’t help but notice the curve of his biceps as he does, secretly admiring his face while the coffee pours from the pot. The way his white t-shirt fits him just right, his gray sweatpants sitting at the jusssst right point of his hips.

You swallow. Fuck.

You get a hold of yourself before he’s handing it over to you. He winks. “It’s strong. I promise.”

You smirk back at him, raising the glass in thanks before walking it over to your uncle.

You don’t notice the way that Steve tries to hide the overwhelming thoughts in his brain, signaling his evolving feelings for you.

And you also don’t notice now Nancy catches it, or how it uncomfortably makes her heart seize...

But you do notice your uncle staring at you with those damn all-knowing-eyes, while Erica incessantly jabbers on about whatever the hell they’re debating. You and Murray exchange the quietest but most intense glares.

And Hopper's got half a donut hanging out of his mouth as he happens to catch the tail end of this. He wants to ask, but decides it’s best to hold off on that.

***

The day goes well. The house is always staying busy, so it keeps you all that way. Hopper is calling for a family meeting in the living room, which gets everyone in a tizzy.

The boys will always, at some point, try to take over. It takes both Joyce and Hopper to set them straight.

Your uncle makes sure to throw in his usual statement: “peanut gallery hours will follow the meeting, thank you.”

This meeting is no exception, and it goes exactly like that.

Will makes great points, as always — and he is allowed to, along with El, given their ties to the supernatural.

Jonathan and Nancy always listen the best. One of them takes notes.

Normally, you sit next to your uncle or Eddie while Steve always takes a seat next to Robin.

But this time, as you sit next to Murray at the end of the couch listening to Hopper try to push through his conference lecture while Dustin interjects like crazy, your heart flutters as Steve moves from the staircase over to sit on the arm of the couch -- next to you.

You sit still, not letting yourself react or look up at him. But you also forget to breathe. Thankfully, he’s too busy telling Dustin to can it so he doesn’t notice.

Robin is slowly shifting back in her seated position in the large loveseat, having been prepared to make room for Steve. She’s too grateful to have it to herself to feel suspicious yet.

Eddie, however, clocks it. What “it” is, necessarily? He doesn’t know. Like honestly, he’s not even in the ballpark. But still, he notices so yay gold star.

Nancy does know what “it” is, though, when she catches it. Or at least she has an inkling. She’s not the note taker today, so she’s able to catch it. She wonders to herself if maybe she is just overthinking it, given her conflicted feelings for Steve while still with Jonathan.

Steve is actively participating in the conversation with the adults, and you chime in as well. Once you’ve gotten a grip on yourself.

Something is being said about needing to go on a supply run, but also how they need to get over to the main field and see what is happening at the lab — which is now squared off with all electric fencing. The kids are LOUD, demanding it be them. Hopper shuts that down real fast.

“So help me Goddddd, listentome.” — Hopper

“Kids, shh, calm down…” — Joyce

“FETUSES, SILENCIO.” — Murray

The kids relent with rolled eyes and groans of displeasure. Hopper rubs his temples, resetting. Then speaking —

“I will be assigning roles. You will hear them, and you will accept them. Deal?”

Everyone nods, agreeing. Even the kids. Great, you think, so they’ve learned to know better than push their luck that far…

Hopper is assigning 4 separate groups to 4 separate tasks.

In one group: Robin, Nancy, Will and Joyce. They will be making the supply run.

In the 2nd group: Dustin, Erica and Murray will be staying here to run the command center. Murray’s the boss. He grins, but also wants to jump off a cliff for the fact he has been assigned the responsibility of managing the two loudest kids in the group. Lucas will also stay with Max, while on lookout at base.

In the 3rd group: Hopper, El, Mike and Argyle as the driver. They’ll be assessing the damage done, pertaining to the gate re-opening. They’re on Vecna patrol.

In the 4th group: Jonathan, Steve, you and Eddie. You’ll all be venturing over the fence to spy on the lab and get a look at what is happening over there, while reporting back to Group 2.

This sends Dustin to a fit of determination, as he insists that he joins your group so that he can help with the walkie-talkie communication since Lucas and Erica can man the fort. (Murray definitely takes offense to that.)

Hopper huffs but doesn’t disagree with the suggestion. “Don’t let this give you any sort of false pretenses, kid. This is the one suggestion you’ve made that is sensible.”

Dustin just grins like a dopey idiot. Then he looks at Steve. “Yay!”

Steve rolls his eyes but honestly, he’s cool with having his buddy.

The plan is to go into effect early tomorrow morning. Meaning, everyone needs to get some good ass sleep and tuck in early.

You’re in your room now, having just showered and put on your pajamas with freshly brushed teeth. You’re putting together your combat outfit for tomorrow when there’s a knock at your door.

You expect it to be your uncle, since earlier he was going over strategies with you for an obscenely long time — which is his very awkward way of indirectly saying, “hey, you’re my niece and I love you and I’m worried about you because that’s what family does.” So you figure he’s drawn up another 10 plans to run by you, and you're happy to humor him on them.

But it’s Steve on the other side, looking shy and like he might’ve had to talk himself into doing this in fear of how you might react.

You give him a surprised but pleasant smile. He stands there, returning it timidly. There is a silence that falls over both of you. Then finally —

“Can I sleep in here tonight?”

You have to literally restrain yourself from jumping at that question with a way-too-eager oh thank god, yes. Instead, you just give him a polite grin.

“Yeah, of course,” you say.

Steve lets himself in, and he looks over to see your outfit set aside for tomorrow. He nods at it as he sits on the edge of the bed.

“Tryna look badass?”

You smirk. “I am a badass. I’m a Bauman.”

You expect Steve to scoff. To roll his eyes. Make some snide remark. But he doesn’t. He just looks at you, with that same look on his face that he had this morning while you two laid in bed together. You can’t break away your gaze for a moment, almost hypnotized.

God, he is so beautiful. Why the fuck is he so beautiful?

Finally, you break the stare down by moving to get your combat boots out from the closet and place them beside the clothes.

And that’s when you feel it. His fingers brushing the edge of your t-shirt, hooking onto it so that you turn around. You do, letting him turn you to face him. He’s looking at you intently, and slowly he pulls you towards him to cage you between his spread legs as he sits on the edge of the bed. It’s half shy, half confident. Gentle but assertive. You stare down into his doe eyes, and you hold your breath when his fingers splay across your hips as they grip onto you. You’re so close to him now, too close yet somehow not close enough. You can’t breathe.

After soaking you in, Steve reaches one arm up to pull your neck down to his face so that he can brush the tip of his nose against yours, just like you did last night. Ever so slowly, be nuzzles. Eskimo kiss.

And then his lips are finding their way to be against yours.

Steve kisses you softly, taking his time and just breathing you in. Then he sighs into your mouth as he stands so that he can lift you up, making you swing your legs to wrap around his waist and hold yourself to him there. He turns you both around, effortlessly walking you over to sit on top of the chest of drawers. Damn, he's strong. Steve places you there, lips still on yours, before he finally pulls back. His hands glide down to the bottom of your shirt. Please, his eyes ask. But this time, he wrenches your shirt off of you with more vigor than last night. It’s urgent, and it’s still urgent when his lips crash back into yours before wrenching himself back again so that you can tug his shirt over his own head. He grunts impatiently, wanting to not be apart from you yet needing to be skin to skin. He paws and grabs at you, needy and greedy, but something about it feels a whole lot more like love than lust.

Steve tastes like summer. Sunscreen, popsicles and June. He smells like pool water and boyfriend. And he looks like a dream.

You wonder how in the world he would have felt if he’d been told during his King Steve era that one day, he’d be having sex with that one student who graduated a year early and didn’t belong to any niche crowd or group or clique. You wonder if he would scoff at that, wave it off. Say, nah, that girl? Never.

But the way that Steve keens into your neck right now, murmuring sinful names for you like angel and baby, makes you wonder if King Steve wouldn’t be able to understand that the new and improved Steve Harrington might just happen to be into things he never was into before. Maybe he’d gotten close with Nancy. Maybe you were a rebound. But he didn’t kiss you like that. Or treat you like that after your first time, for that matter...

And the second time was just as euphoric as the first time, just different. Steve was more in control, clinging to you and unafraid to go for it.

Before you know it, you’re up against the wall with your bare chest against it and your legs spread widely and his mouth on your ear. Tugging at your earlobe with his teeth and his shaky breathing, infused with his pleasured grunting humming inside of your eardrums. You pant and bite back the screams that you so fucking badly want to release. but you don't, not wanting to wake the entire household or get the attention anyone awake. However, you made sure that he knew you were in pure fucking bliss with the way you arched your back into him and dripped all over his girth.

“Been wanting to be here inside you all day,” he rasped, thrusting against you. “Didn’t wanna leave this room.” His words break up as he pounds himself deeper into your guts. “Needed to — to — n-n-need you —”

You throw your head back against him, climaxing at his words for the second time in a row tonight. His arm linked around your waist tightens, gripping you like a lifeline, and he chokes into your ears — which only sends you into an orgasm unlike anything you’ve ever felt in your life. And Steve shares the exact same experience as you do when he ejaculates inside of you.

You both pant and gasp for air, your heart rates racing at lightning speed and trying to level out. You’re both slick with sweat and sex, and as Steve rests his head against your shoulder it sends chills up your arms when his hair flops and tickles your bare skin.

Steve pulls out of you, and you shiver as you feel him leave your body, inch by inch. The loss of him is overwhelming, and your legs shake. But before you can even move to catch yourself, Steve is already turning you to him with a steady grasp on you.

The way that Steve strokes your hair, moving it out of your face as he stares into your eyes again, is priceless. You can’t help it…

“You’re beautiful, Steve Harrington.” You breathe it against his face, still catching your breath. The corners of your lips twitch, almost like you want to laugh or smile. “I can’t stand you.”

Steve looks at you like you’re all that matters in this world. The pads of his thumbs stroke the skin under your eyes, softly, gingerly. He moves to press his lips to the corner of your mouth, breathing against it, “I can’t stand you either.”

Feather-like kisses are pressed to the corner of your mouth and cheek, and you revel in the glory of it, pressing your skull into the wall with your eyes fluttering shut.

Steve falls asleep first that night, with you tucked underneath his chin and with his arms holding you protectively. You let the sound of his steady breathing lull you to sleep.

***

The next morning comes sooner than you’d like.

You feel someone squeeze you tightly to them, pressing their lips to the crown of your hair before they roll out of bed. You watch as Steve’s back muscles flex while he tugs his sweatpants back over his boxers, then throws his shirt back on and heads to your little en-suite bathroom for a few minutes. You force yourself to sit up, knowing that it’s time and you’ll need to get ready.

Hopper would be so mad if he knew about the 5 hours of sleep you got, versus the 8.

You’re pulling out a pair of socks to go with your boots when Steve emerges from the bathroom, and before you can stand up and move to switch places — he’s cupping your cheeks to kiss your forehead in two lingering pecks. You smile under his touch.

You give him the shyest of looks before going to brush your teeth, re-shower and get changed.

Steve quietly murmurs to you the promise of coffee as he leaves. And he is all you think about in the shower.

You get changed into your army pants, combat boots, and fitted t-shirt. You grab yourself a windbreaker and throw your go-bag over your shoulder, ready to face the day.

Dustin is securing the command center with Murray and Erica, while Mike comes over to you carrying snacks.

“Here, I set extra aside so that you have plenty.” Mike always treated you more like a sister than Nancy, and it doesn’t go unnoticed by her. You ruffle his hair and give him a quick squeeze, grateful.

Lucas and Will are asking you questions about the trip, along with Mike, and you assure your kiddos that you’ll all be fine.

Hopper comes over to you with Murray, entrusting you with one of their guns. “You’re the group's team lead today, along with Steve.”

Steve’s got his nail bat, along with a pistol.

Murray is going over the inner workings of the lab’s field layout with you and your group.

“The break switch is in this building,' he's saying. "But thanks to Erica and Dustin, we’ve got a way of hacking into it at exactly this time. You’ll have this much time to mount the electric fence and get to the other side. Seize. Those. Minutes. Haul ass. Get to the other side. No asking why the chicken crossed the road. Capiché?”

The way that Jonathan, Eddie and Steve repeat the word back to him makes you visibly bite back a laugh.

Joyce is giving everyone the nurturing mama bear talk, hugging everyone too many times — especially Jonathan. She has Will in her group, so she’ll be a little more sane in the head thankfully.

Nancy and Jonathan are giving each other an affectionate goodbye that Steve doesn’t even notice. Nancy wonders if he does. Silently, and selfishly, she hopes he does. But he doesn’t.

Robin is rambling about something having to do with a jump-ship plan in case the jump-ship plan doesn’t work, and if they need to establish not only a 2nd abort —

“— but maybe even a 3rd abort? and wait is there really enough backpacks that they’re taking to fit all the supplies and can goods that they — ”

“Oh my god, Robin, please breathe,” Steve cuts her off.

“Wait, what’s the jump ship plan?” Argyle’s question makes everyone whip their head in his direction with incredulous looks on their faces.

Hopper looks ready to slug someone but also like a nervous dad. After he goes back over the plan for everyone, giving the bullet points, he tells you all to eat your breakfasts and be by the front door within 30 minutes or else.

Lucas takes his plate up to sit with Max. El comes over to talk with you about the day, saying that she’ll send a signal if she sees anything dangerous headed your way at the lab. She gives you a tight hug, which tugs at Hopper’s heart. He and Murray share a very rare, quiet moment with an exchange in their eyes. Our girls.

Steve is telling the boys and Erica to follow him upstairs to Max’s room to join Lucas for a motherly pep talk, and they all follow him like chicks following a mother hen.

Eddie is being given strict instructions by Robin to follow orders and not rip his stitches that she’s worked hard at keeping in tact by mounting the wall --

...“and be on the damn lookout only so help me god or else I’ll rip them back open myself,” she threatens him.

Eddie visibly swallows and nods at that, believing her.

Suddenly Nancy is walking up to you, as you stand there still hugging El while looking over Murray’s shoulder at his computer system setup. She looks nervous as you turn to her.

“Hey, umm, keep an eye on them, will you?” she asks shyly, sheepishly. “I worry about them. Especially Dustin.”

You know she meant Steve. “Yeah. Of course.”

Nancy nods awkwardly, grateful you didn’t correct her and a little embarrassed. She points to the gun on your back, giving you a tight-lipped grin. “Glad it’s you handling that bad boy.”

She flashes the same one across her back. You chuckle lightly, agreeing with her. “Yeah, the last thing we need is for Eddie to get his hands on this or else he’ll murder the whole town.”

Nancy giggles.

Eddie snickers at the joke, appreciating your dark humor. He gives you a wry smile. “Thanks princess, but I only prefer bone crushing, eye sucking curses.”

You all eat some whole wheat eggos (even El) and some scrambled eggs. Plenty of water, plus some coffee.

Steve walks in to scoop up his plate during the last 10 minutes, and Hopper takes pity on him — given that he’s been with the kids.

“You get an extra 5,” Hopper tells him.

“Appreciate it, Hop.”

Steve carries his plate over to the table, moving to sit by you and Murray — who does his best to just stare down at his coffee and ignore catching this in his peripheral vision. Sip, slurp.

It’s a quiet breakfast. Tense. Stiff. Everyone is nervous. This stuff never does get easier…

***

The kids all boom back down the stairs, loud as ever.

And everyone is out the door on time, minus the extra 5 minutes that Hopper secretly gave for Steve’s benefit. Thankfully, it goes unremarked but the kids.

You all put their hands in a circle because Dustin insisted a while back that you cannot all part ways without a group huddle. So it’s now become tradition. Everyone fist bumps in unison, and the four groups embark on their separate journeys.

Group 1 does well, making it into town. They have the bottom tier level of risk, which Hopper did intentionally for Joyce and Will's sakes because those are his hearts. He also adores the two girls, Nancy and Robin, of course. They carefully fill up Joyce’s car in doses, trying not to attract attention as everyone has a strict evacuation mandate that goes into place next week along with a food supply limit. They’re ahead of the game, doing everything not to give away what Dr. Owens warned them about.

Group 2 is in full swing, back at Casa Harrington. Erica and Murray bicker like a married couple, but they also high five. Lucas makes sure that Max is safely tucked in, giving her a kiss on the forehead and a promise to be back upstairs in a few hours.

Group 3 is cautious. They have to calculate every single move, given the risks. El uses her senses to tap in, blindfold on and static on the van's radio ringing throughout the car. Mike keeps watch, along with Argyle at the wheel — and Hopper navigates.

Group 4, your group, is en route. You have the longest journey to make on foot, making sure to keep their strength. Jonathan keeps watch of time, and Dustin hangs into the walkie-talkie to keep contact. You scan the area, and so does Steve, as you all walk. Eddie sings to himself to keep from wigging out, and it’s definitely giving mumbled panic.

You are telling everyone the ETA, using the compass. Steve tells the gang to keep the same pace so that they make sure they aren’t there too soon or too late, wanting to time it right with Group 2’s orders.

At some point, you gesture for everyone to pivot directions, and when Steve steps in your direction — he instinctively reaches out to brush the small of your back. It’s so subtle… yet so telling.

Eddie cocks an eyebrow mid-song, ceasing the mumbling altogether for about 2 solid seconds, before resuming as he walks. Even Jonathan raises an eyebrow, silently smirking.

Dustin misses it entirely.

Then Dustin starts communicating back and forth on the walkie-talkie with Erica, and as they start to bicker Steve interjects.

“Hey, dingus, cool it and listen to what she’s saying, please.”

Dustin huffs, whining, “but she’s wronnnng...”

You squint in the sunlight as you look back at him, saying simply, “Listen to your mother.”

Steve doesn’t even flinch. You both just look back at your son expectantly. Dustin sighs but obeys.

Oh that definitely makes Eddie and Jonathan share a look.

Back at base, Murray is struggling to access the switch for the electric fence closest to where Group 4 (you guys) is approaching. He and Erica work hard at it, and Lucas helps as he keeps open the line of communication with Dustin via the walkie-talkie.

“This east side gate is a bitch,” Murray is griping over the channel. “Hang tight, just pause when you guys make it there.”

Dustin and Lucas are going back and forth, while Jonathan tries to keep up with what they are all saying.

You can see the fence up ahead, and so does Steve.

Eddie’s singing gets louder.

Nancy speaks over the walkie-talkie channel: “Group 1, reporting. Over.”

Dustin speaks. “Group 4, tuned in. Over.”

The other groups tune in, too. Nancy continues in a hushed voice. “Food supply is running low so we’re going to double up. The mandate will be really strict. Can’t take chances. Over.”

Jonathan tells her to keep them posted with the ETA.

El comes onto the walkie-talkie, asking for you.

You take it, speaking: “Bauman squared, I copy. Over.”

Eleven tells you that she can see you all headed there to the lab, and that no one is nearby. You’re safe.

Hopper adds: “But Eddie, make sure that you stay tuned into this channel and relay it to Dustin just in case. Over.”

Eddie’s song of woe dies on his lips with an anxious exhale. “Roger that, over.”

Steve speaks up, “Alright guys, we’re here.”

Dustin signals Murray, right on cue. You all stare up at the looming electric fence in front of you. It’s tall. At least 30 feet up. You gulp. So does Jonathan. For Steve, it’s easy. For Dustin, well, it’s exciting.

Jonathan adds to the relayed info, addressing Murray, saying, “Yeah, uhhh, it’s pretty high up man?”

Murray’s tone comes through, crisp. “How high is high?”

Jonathan visibly shrinks back as he squints in the sunlight. “Like...25-30 feet?”

Murray curses on the other side, frustrated. “Alright, hold please.”

Steve turns over to face you all, starting with you. “It’s gonna be a helluva climb.”

You nod. “We’ll have to double up the speed, guys. But for safety, let’s just do two at a time.”

Jonathan’s brow furrows. “Why?”

You tell them it’s safest this way. This way, two people can gauge the timing of it just in case. Dustin immediately demands to go in the first group, which Steve shuts down promptly — like all good mothers would with their favorite child. He starts to onboard Jonathan, but you’re already saying you’ll go as you tighten up your bag. Steve looks at you, hesitant.

You look back at him, giving him a nod. “No arguments.”

Steve sighs through his nose. “Yeah, I figured as much.”

He’s so sexy when he isn't actually hating you, and instead just consistently miffed with you…

“Group 4, listen up,” Murray’s voice comes over the walkie-talkie. “I’m signaling the switch now. On my mark, it will take exactly 3 minutes for it to activate. You’ll have 60 seconds to climb it. Up and down. That’s it. Remember what I said: haul ass.”

Dustin responded back with a sigh, “Steve and Bauman Squared insist on going two at a time so…” He dreads the next question, cringing before asking. “Any chance you guys can…do it…twice?”

You turn around, waiting to hear your uncle’s reply and wondering if you’ll need to step in. His befuddled response confirms, yes you will, and you walk over to take the walkie.

“Uncle Murray, it’s not very sturdy. It’s too big a risk, four at a time. If you can’t do it, then just me and Steve will go. What can we do? Over.”

You speak matter-of-factly, which Steve appreciates. He stands with his hands on his hips and tongue between his teeth, all hot and mom-like. Even though for you...he’s giving daddy.

Eddie has been pacing a trough into the grass. Please let me have company, he thinks.

Jonathan’s just quiet, wondering if now is a good time to tell everyone that he’s actually afraid of heights.

Dustin just wants to fucking climb already.

“Workin’ on it. Standby.” Your uncle’s monotone voice makes you all wait.

You stare up at the fence while you do. Then, turning your face over in Steve’s direction, you find that he’s already gazing over at you. That fondness in his eyes is back, and you feel your cheeks flush under the sun. But it’s not the sun making you blush. Steve's hands are still on his tips, and he gives you a tiny wink before turning to look back at Dustin with the walkie-talkie. He tells his kid not to stress about it if they can’t come, which only starts a back-and-forth argument between mother and son. But Erica’s voice cuts through it over the walkie.

“Group 4 nerds, listen up. We found a way to do it. Over.”

Dustin pumps his fist in glee. Jonathan doesn’t. Eddie realizes he’s doomed, back to being there all alone.

Steve takes the walkie, asking, “Same timeframes, Murray? Over?”

Your uncle confirms it, but then Lucas is in the background saying, “Wait, are you sure this will give them 60 seconds?”

Steve raises an eyebrow at that. But you’re looking at the top of the fence. The end of the other side of the line is quiet for a hot minute. No doubt, Murray and the kids are beefing. Re-calculating. Beefing some more. Getting attitudes. Then finally —

“Erica to group 4, confirming. Timeframes are exact. Wait for us to signal the 2nd climb. Standby and brace for 1st climb. Over.”

You and Steve look at each other. Here we go. He fastens his backpack, reaching out a hand to you and telling you to hand over yours. You go to protest, but he’s just insisting without budging and reaching anyway. It isn’t until his hand starts to slide the strap down your shoulder that you huff and relent.

“30 seconds to climb.”

“There’s a ledge up there, wide enough to stand on.” You nod up at it as you tell Steve. “If we run low on time, we hang there until the 2nd climb.”

Steve nods at you, agreeing. He turns and relays that to a very anxious Jonathan and a very antsy Dustin. You gesture over to Dustin, telling him to toss you his backpack. Steve goes to argue but you hold up a hand.

“Better me than him," you say quickly. It’s a parental thing that he would insist on too, so he lets you win that one.

Dustin obeys after seeing mom agree with…um…dad? Are you dad?

“10 seconds to climb.”

Steve talks fast, in position to pounce. “Eddie, on go, toss that branch to hit the fence. Double check for sparks.” Eddie nods, picking up the large branch nearby. You get in position with Steve.

“5…4…3…2…1…climb!”

Eddie tosses the branch. No electric shock. All systems go.

You and Steve hop as high as you can, climbing up like champs. You both hustle, swiftly making the climb like pro climbers. Steve is faster, planning to reach down and lift you the rest of the way if he gets to the top first. But you’re almost right at the same level with him, almost at the top.

…until your bag catches.

The strap of Dustin’s bag pulls you back down. Air catches in your throat, no scream escaping your mouth as it swings you around, unhooks and makes you fall back some feet. But you latch back onto the wall, back down to midway. Fuck.

Dustin gasps, Jonathan shouts your name. Eddie starts his shit-shit-shit chant.

You look down, realizing that it’s way too far of a drop to just fall back down and start over. You are literally back to the mid-way point.

You make up your mind within a few seconds: keep going.

Steve is hoisting himself up onto the thick ledge as this is happening, and when he turns to see you lower his heart stops.

“Bauman, what happened??"

But you keep climbing, shouting, “Steve, just keep going.”

But Steve is not having that. He’ll fucking wait. Hell, he’ll wait for Dustin too. He’s staying put. He shakes his head, clapping his hands and reaching for you even though you still have another fourth of the wall to mount before you reach him.

“30 more seconds.” Oh thank God, that’s plenty.

”You got this, Bauman, c’mon...” Steve’s ready to hold you again. Anxious. So fucking anxious.

Dustin is cheering too, along with Eddie and Jonathan. You’re fine. Almost there.

You look at Steve at the top, leaning over the side looking down at you. You can see the anxious anticipation in his brown eyed gaze.

“20 more seconds. Group 2, don’t forget to wait for our signal.”

But right as Murray stops talking — the wall buzzes.

Everything happens in slow motion. One second feels like a whole minute for all 5 of you in your group. Your ears perk up at the sound. That wasn’t an insect. That’s mechanic. That’s —

“Was that —” Eddie barely started to ask the question you were all wondering.

“Fuck, Bauman — !!! ” Jonathan’s voice is panicked with realization.

Steve’s brow furrowed, alarm and horror sweeping across his entire face.

You feel a scorch so hot, fire itself couldn’t have burned as badly as the electric shock that shot through your entire body did.

In that single second, you felt your brain short circuit.

You felt your hands get shoved away from the wall, throwing you off with blinding force.

You felt your throat snap, and you felt your heart rumble inside of your chest...

And then you felt it stop.

*****************************

:( im sorry, Steve.

author notes: I am sure that the fence thing might be weird and not accurate, but it helped my vision for how this chapter goes down. so I hope you all will be kind and not find it too "unrealistic." had to watch some stuff like the OG Jurassic Park, and get ideas for it.

tag list: @erastourvip @get0ut0fmyr00m @xprloki @eddiemuns0nl0ver @marrowfrog00 @poppet05 @wiltedflowersundertowers

#steve harrington #steve harrington x reader #steve harrington angst #steve harrington imagine #steve harrington x you #steve harrington fanfic #steve harrington stranger things #dustin henderson #stranger things fanfiction #murray bauman #enemies to lovers

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randombush3 · 3 months

Text

me tengo que ir

ona batlle x reader

i’m honestly not quite sure what this is but i’ve been obsessed w me tengo que ir by karol g for the past few days and couldn’t get it out of my head

i doubt this makes ANY sense and i’m sorry that all the dialogue is in spanish but it felt weird for them to have this convo in english and so it’s all weird and spanglish-y but it’s just me being (slightly) tired of writing various other things and needing a mental break

[…]

Ona comes at night, covered by the darkness, comforted by the blanket it brings. It is black enough for her to look down and not see the red on her hands, not see the words spelled out in front of her. She chooses not to see the crime she has committed, but she knows that she is the one who created a law to break.

It was one thing to date a Madrid player while she wore black and red, safely tucked away in Manchester where she could support your enemy through the TV. It is another thing to continue the secret while she dons the jersey of your opposition, or vice versa.

And so, Ona comes at night.

Your family home, somewhere along the train tracks of Barcelona to Zaragoza, is unlit when her knuckles rap on its grand wooden door.

Once upon a time, seeing you would have set her heart ablaze. Her heart would race and her ears turn pink, and you’d laugh, call her sweet, maybe tease her for being so affected.

But now it is different, because Ona playing for Barcelona and you playing for Madrid is not the same as mysterious flights out to Manchester or extended stays in Spain. Is she embarrassed that two colours have come between you? Perhaps, but it is not like anyone will ever find out.

You don’t finish your greeting before Ona is kissing you. Halfway over the threshold of an old home and the dark outdoors, she cups your cheeks, your neck, the jut of your hips as you push yourself into her.

When her lips hit yours, tongue hungry, teeth unforgiving, you have to shut your eyes so that you do not cry.

You no longer feel anything.

Later, sweaty and lounging in bed, Ona’s smooth legs free themselves from the fabric of the bedsheets. You are just about to fall asleep, feeling alone although Ona is by your side, but you stir at the movement. At her restlessness.

Before, you struggled to convince her not to stay. You’d pry off clingy fingers and wandering hands, and then pack a suitcase with the added weight of an extra body hanging off your own. You would never let her miss her flight home – it was a mutually kept secret – but she would never be able to leave without saying the longest of goodbyes.

“Me tengo que ir,” Ona grants you as her feet hit the tiled floor of the guest bedroom, careful to not wake the dogs your parents have left you to look after while they visit your aunt in the city for the night.

“¿Ahora?” Your question remains practical for now, and you would like to keep it that way until the conversation crosses the line of breaking up. She dares to look you in the eye. “¿Cómo vas a llegar a casa?”

“En coche.”

“¿El coche de quien?”

“El mío,” she mutters. “Cupra Formentor.”

Ah.

A Barcelona car.

“Sabes que puedes dormir aquí, conmigo,” your question fails to fall into its category. It sounds more like an accusation and she prickles underneath the slight frustration in your tone.

“Eso no quiero,” comes Ona’s whispered response. “Puede que duermas conmigo, pero ya no te siento, bebé. Entonces, ya me tengo que ir.”

“No tienes que irte. Nunca tienes–”

“¡No fue suficiente!”

You both saw this coming a while ago. You were not privy to the calls she made, nor the contracts drafted to bring her home, but you sensed their existence and watched as the end of your relationship came hurtling towards you.

You let her get settled, even played your first match against each other in a sold-out stadium. You overlooked how her eyes would not meet yours as you lined up, and how she seemed to avoid the softness of your embrace until the very moment your Madrid colours were removed and you no longer were her enemy.

You are not sure how you became Ona’s enemy.

“Haré que sea suficiente. Podemos hacerlo suficiente juntas.” Ona watches as you gauge the severity of her words, watches as you surge upright and drop the sheets from your naked body in sheer desperation. “Tú me amas, y yo te amo. Ningún equipo de fútbol se interpondrá entre nosotras. Ningún compañero te pedirá que me dejes como si fueras Romeo y yo Juliet.”

Ona’s jumper is pulled over her head, the material rubbing away her tears. “Es un bonito cuento de hadas que me cuentas, pero esto no vale el cuento que me inventes.”

“Eres mi todo, Ona.”

“Vivimos como si no nos conocemos. Estamos grandes, bebé. Date un favor.”

“¡Era el secreto tuyo! De Alexia, de Mapi, de Leila.” Your voice breaks and you notice through the tears in your eyes that she is fully dressed and you are exposed like a worthless mistress in some medieval brothel, abandoned by her knight in shining armour and left to fend for herself. Which is absurd for you to feel, because you are not that kind of person and Ona should not be able to cause you this amount of devastation. “Era tu secreto y yo estaba de acuerdo porque te quer–”

She doesn’t let you finish. She doesn’t want to hear you say it. “No me voy sin dispedir, pero tú sabes que me toca ir.”

You think back to the turns you have taken. Left, right, dodging obstacles. Arguments, misunderstandings, pleas to be something proper – pleas from both sides. Moments in which someone else almost knew, was almost told… Was never told.

It reminds you of something someone once asked you. A stupid philosophical question sent into an awkward silence just to spark a conversation at a forgettable first date long before Ona and you ever considered sleeping together. If a tree falls in the woods and no one hears it, does it make a sound?

If a relationship is born and dies, but no one knows about it, does it even exist? Does it matter, does it mean anything?

Ona looks so small against the high arch of the doorway separating her from her way out. Shoulders hunched, eyes barely managing to stay open, let alone meet yours that would get on their knees if they were able to.

You realise that you have taken so many turns that you have gotten lost. In doing so, one of you lost.

(You.)

And suddenly, you come to another realisation: life is tough. Life is tough and it sucks and girls like Ona will fuck you up as though a year and half is worth a lackluster three hours of sex and a watery goodbye that is more hurtful because neither side has the desire to fight any harder for the failing relationship you are holding onto.

Your words grow empty from where they linger in the air. Maybe they always were.

“Me tengo que ir,” Ona finally repeats, breaking the thoughtful silence. “Hay un partido mañana y… pues es tarde.” She catches your sentence before you speak it. “No me voy a quedar aquí. Ya no vamos a hacer esto. Vamos a dejarlo.” You nod. “Me vas a dejar, y yo, tú.”

“No me amas.”

“Tampoco fue que no intentamos.”

“Pero no me amas.”

Ona falters; she does not wish to tell a lie. But she is standing here, in your family home, and she does not want these walls to see your confusion tear you apart.

“No te amo.” Silence. “Ya me tengo que ir.”

#woso x reader #woso imagines #woso #woso fanfics #barca femeni #ona batlle x reader #ona batlle #randombush3

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ellsbclls · 1 year

Text

can’t stop thinking about ellie finding a strap while she’s on patrol . . . ( 18+ minors please for the love of god don’t interact )

stumbles upon this desolate ‘adult world’ where, in an odd and rare display of post-apocalyptic serendipity, it’s last breath clings to the still blinking open sign. waves at her with red and blue fingers that say “we’ve got what you need!” and while jesse flattens a wrinkled maid costume against his lean frame, she manages to stuff the harness into her bag before he could see it and give her a whole patrol’s worth of regret

can’t stop thinking about how shy she gets when she first brings it up to you, because there are a slew of things that ellie is, and shy has never been one of them. so it ticks you off at first, puts you into high gear, squares your shoulders and tightens your spine until you finally see what she’s talking about — long, and girthy, and so shiny that the fluorescents drown out the pseudo-veins. the only reason you laugh is because you’re trying to cover a flustered sigh.

can’t stop thinking about ellie making a home between your thighs. one arm hooked around the dip where your tummy meets your leg, thumb stroking against your clit, sending you up the fucking wall with how feather light her touch is. absent minded. and the other is pulling at your lip , clearing a path for her tongue to lap at your folds, your sweet little hole, all nice and lazy with it . she’d be at it for minutes, hours, fucking days if that’s what it took to make you wet enough for her, all “gotta make sure you can take it, bug.” and “you can barely take my fingers, know you’re gonna strangle this fucking cock.” know your pussy just drools with a mixture of her spit and your own slick, to the point where her chin is painted in it, her throat, hell — the collar of her wife beater.

can’t stop thinking about when she finally puts it in. how you had to beg her, give her a flash of those big, wet doe eyes that make her crumble oh so fast, and just like that you’re both fumbling with the dildo. giggling. trying to figure out how the fuck it goes on the harness itself and “if it comes off in the middle of this i’m gonna kill myself .” and “you’re gonna make me finish myself?” but no sooner than you figuring it out does she line herself up. lays a tender kiss behind your knee as you swallow the tip and murmur a low “it’s so big, els. it’s too fucking big” and she nearly fucking stops. the furrow in your brows and the waver in your voice is enough to make her go into fight or flight, but you lock eyes with her and you’re anything but scared. hell, you’re somewhere else, hazy and sated with enough love and trust to let her keep going. so she keeps burrowing between those snug little walls, huffs a low “that’s it, that’s my girl.”

cleans the tears littering your cheeks with sweet kisses, and you take the opportunity to coax more out of her, whisper “i’m all yours, show me i’m all yours.” because you feel so fucking full, but you could feel fuller, and with every inch by suffocating inch that stretches you out, lights up every nerve it presses into by the minute, nothing compares to the jolt of lightning that shoots up your spine when her hips stutter. hard. bottoms out in a clean sweep and prompts strangled moans from the both of you.

can’t stop thinking about the slick sound that accompanies her thrusts, from tentative to greedy. how it gets louder when she hooks your knee just over her waist. this wet, sloppy puddle that spreads over your thighs, over her thighs each time she plunges into you, and pulls back with spindles of it tethered together. how it’s drowned out by the raspy little grunts she punches out of you. a part of you wonders what you were so scared about, panting underneath her, teeth bared each time she prods against that devastating spot that you can barely reach on your own because it’s just so fucking perfect

#ellie williams x reader #ellie williams #ellie williams x reader smut #ellie williams smut #tlou #ellie williams blurb #ellie williams x reader blurb #ellie thots

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skalfy · 4 months

Text

A Reputation for Good Taste

Misa x Reader, ~3.5k words, part 2/?

Part 1 here

Another part! Again, deeply unproofread, so apologies for any errors.

“I’m sorry, what??” Your friend made a show of rolling over to look directly at you where you lay, bundled in her bed. “You’re telling me that Alma cheated on you, then you drove her mistress home and somehow ended up seducing her into giving you free tickets to a football match? Actually, I’m not surprised about the Alma thing, sorry, but the rest is beyond me.”

“Maya!” You blushed hard. “None of that is what I said! Well, except for the Alma thing. I did not seduce María, and please don’t call her Alma’s mistress. All I did was drive her home and probably make her uncomfortable by crying about how I’m a bad aunt. She definitely only offered the tickets because she feels bad that my girlfriend cheated on me with her. It was so obvious that she thought she needed to do something to apologise.”

“If all she felt was guilty about Alma I hardly think she would go to the lengths she did, but out of courtesy to your broken heart,” she fixed you with a look, “I won’t argue about this right now.”

“Thank you, Maya.” You mumbled, then, “I don’t even know if my heart is broken. I’m angry at Alma for doing something so stupid to both of us, but it’s really been getting worse for a while, hasn’t it?”

“Oh honey, it has, but that doesn’t mean it doesn’t hurt.” She lifted the covers between you. “Now come here and let me cuddle you.”

You rolled over and let her pull you against her chest, relaxing into the comfort of your friend’s arms.

“I think my heart broke a while ago, but I really wish we would talked instead of this.” She just squeezed you tighter and you drifted to sleep.

You awoke the next morning alone in Maya’s bed, the sounds of her in the kitchen with Marc, her boyfriend, faintly audible from through the closed door. Your first thought was about Alma, and whether she had bothered to say anything to you since you left the flat. You quickly found your phone and unlocked it, opening the messages app. At the top there was an unread message, but it wasn’t from Alma. You tapped it open anyway.

María: Hi, good morning! I hope you are feeling okay and that your friend is taking care of you. I talked to the club and the tickets will be no problem and no cost. I’ll give you the details later :)

María: Do you have a jersey for the game?

Maria: It’s El Clásico, you have to wear one.

You felt a blush rise as you read the first message. It was sweet, but you were also a little embarrassed to think that María knew you needed taking care of. You quickly typed out a reply.

Me: Thank you so much, you have saved my aunt reputation and Luisa’s trip! And I am okay, thank you for asking. Between my old friend and a certain new friend who has gone out of her way to do me a big favor I’m feeling better.

You wrote and deleted the last line several times before hitting send, unsure how María would take it. You didn’t have to wait long to find out, the little dots that showed she was typing popped up after just a few seconds.

María: I think your new friend would be very glad to hear that, and glad to hear she is your friend, even if the circumstances you met in were not ideal.

María: You didn’t answer my question, do you have a jersey?

There was no resisting the grin that spread on your face as you read her message.

Me: Luisa definitely has a jersey, I got her one for Christmas.

María: I didn’t ask if Luisa had one, I asked if you did ;)

Me: Hmm, I think I have an old Barça one lying around somewhere.

You figured if she worked for worked for Real Madrid she must have a healthy animosity for the rival club, and it wouldn’t hurt to have a little fun about it.

María: We will discuss that later, but I might let it slide if it’s an Alexia kit. Sounds like you are in need of something to wear on Saturday. Green or white?

Me: Green?

María: Yes, it will bring out your eyes. Good choice!

María: Meet me for coffee? I will give you the jersey. Before you ask, it doesn’t cost me, I promise :)

Your head was spinning, but somehow you didn’t really mind. You weren’t about to turn down the offer for coffee, if for no other reason than to buy María acoffee as a thank you.

Me: I’d love to. Let me know when and where, I am off work today so anytime works.

She sent a link to a cute looking coffee shop and said to meet her there at 3 before signing off to get back to some work. You were still giving your phone a bewildered smile when Maya opened the door to her room to check in on you.

“My god, please don’t tell me Alma has sent you some ridiculous make up text that has you falling back under her spell!” You looked up at her words, startled and confused.

“What are you talking about?”

“I’m talking about the lovesick smile you were just giving your phone when I walked in.” You scoffed in response to Maya’s words, but still felt a sudden urge to keep your conversation with María to yourself until you had a better idea of what was going on.

“I’m just smiling at the death march sightseeing tour mum has the family on today. I was planning to meet up with them, but the play by play is equal parts funny and frightening.” It wasn’t really a lie, you knew your mother well enough to know that your prediction was probably true, and you really were going to meet up with them. It just wasn’t exactly what had you smiling, or the afternoon plan you were most looking forward to.

Maya looked like she might say something more, but a particularly loud clang from the kitchen had her hurrying quickly back out. Alone again, you decided it was long time to get yourself ready for the day.

Dressed and showered, you caught Maya and Marc as both were headed out the door to work. Maya had instructed you to be back for dinner with the two of them, but otherwise you had free reign and your spare key. Sipping the cup of coffee one of them had left on the counter for you, you pulled out your phone and called your mum.

A short itinerary run-down later, you had plans to meet up outside their hotel and a half day of sightseeing between you and your unexpected coffee plans. That left only one other call to make, and it was one you didn’t want hanging over your head any longer. You dialed the number and listened as it rang through three times before you heard the other end pick up. When she didn’t say anything, you spoke first.

“Alma.”

“I know, I’m sorry.” She answered, the guilt unmistakeable in her voice.

“I’m sorry, too.” You sighed. “It was a shitty thing to do, though. I didn’t deserve that.”

“You didn’t.”

“Did you want me to see? You had to have known I wouldn’t be out that late.” You couldn’t help but ask. Her silence was all the answer you needed. “Okay. I’ll stay at Maya’s another night, but can you have your things out after that?” Thankfully, she had moved in with you only a few months back when her lease ended. Almost everything was yours, and you wouldn’t have the added insult of losing your flat along with your girlfriend.

“Yeah, I’ll pack everything today. I really am sorry.” You could hear her holding back tears, and you were struck by a pang of affection and sympathy for her. As cruel as cheating on you was, the last few months had been hard for both of you, and falling out of love with her first hadn’t been particularly kind either.

“Thank you, Alma. I hope things work out for you.”

“You too. I’ll miss you.” She ended the call, and you felt the weight on your chest ease.

It had been a long morning with your family, but you were immensely happy to have spent the time with them. Mum’s heavy-handed tourguiding made everyone laugh, but she had done her research well, and you were glad for it. Even after living in Madrid for three years, you still hadn’t taken the time to see all the sights. Plus, everything was more enjoyable with Luisa dragging you along to point out the best bits. You walked double the steps, but it was worth it to be honored as the most interesting adult, and you loved any opportunity to hear more about what her latest activities and interests were.

Having arrived a few minutes early to the coffee shop, you were lost in reflection on your family’s antics when the light touch of a hand on your elbow pulled you into the present. You jumped a little at the contact, and felt the hand grip a little tighter to steady you. It only took you a moment to look up and catch the owner’s warm brown eyes. As soon as you recognized her, María tugged you forward gently into a hug, and you sunk into the contact.

“Hi.” She said, releasing you to arm’s length.

“Hi, how are you?” You responded a little breathlessly as her hands finally fell away from your arms.

“Better now.” She answered you with a smile. “Have you been here before?” You shook your head no, returning her smile. “Good. It’s my favorite and I’m glad I get to introduce you to it. Come!” She pulled the door open and gestured for you to step inside. Stepping through the entrance, you were hit immediately by the rich smell of coffee, and you paused to appreciate it. You looked over your shoulder as María entered behind you and spoke with joking reverence.

“I think I’m in love already.” She chuckled and nudged you ahead with her own shoulder.

“You haven’t even tried it yet, keep walking!”

The two of you approached the counter and greeted the barista. You inclined your head to María to order first, and after a moment’s hesitation, she requested a café con leche Before the barista could give her a total, you ordered your cortado, card already in hand to cover both. You turned to look at the woman next to you and she raised her hands in mock surrender.

“Any pastries you recommend?” You asked, still looking at her.

“Everything is good, but my favorite is probably the pear tart.” She answered, and you looked back to the barista.

“One of those too, please.” She nodded, then recited the total and let you hand her your card. After ringing you up, she retrieved your pastry and passed it over on a plate with two forks.

You followed María to a quiet corner with an empty table. She pulled out one chair before walking to the other side and sitting down.

“Can’t risk you dropping our tart.” She said with a wink when you gave her a look. You rolled your eyes, but still felt a blush as you set the plate down carefully and took your seat. Her fingertips quickly snagged the edge of the plate, sliding it to her side of the table. It didn’t exactly bother you, but with her earlier chivalry you weren’t expecting her to immediately lay claim to the shared treat. You watched as she industriously carved out a bite with one of the forks, clearly taking care to perfect the crust to filling ratio and center a perfect slice of pear on the wedge she cut. Her focus was charming, but your mouth was nearly watering waiting for your turn.

“You have to have the perfect first bite, my reputation for having good taste could be on the line here if you aren’t impressed.” She spoke as she finally lifted her fork, extending it toward you with a shy smile. There was a burst of warmth in your chest as you realized the care she had taken was for you, even if it was only to prove she made the best choice. You opened your mouth and closed your eyes, leaning forward slightly to meet her over the table. Her free hand was loosely cupped under the fork to catch any crumbs, and it brushed your chin gently as you closed your lips over the forkful of tart. You tilted your head back as María pulled the fork away, instinctively raising your own hand as well. The back of her hand was soft where your palm met it, and she let it rest against yours for a moment before pulling away. Her trailing fingers were far from your mind, however, as soon as you began to chew the bite of tart. The flavor was divine, sharp and sweet and fresh all at once, paired with a perfectly buttery-flaky-crisp crust. María let out a burst of laughter and a fist pump at the wide-eyed nod you gave her when she asked if her reputation was secure, which in turn had you covering your mouth as you tried to swallow through a growing smile.

A barista calling out your orders had María quickly standing, waving off your offer to help, and gave you a chance to sneak a second bite and collect your thoughts for a moment. You felt silly for being so charmed by María’s kindness, from her it seemed more like second nature. Her actions, while some were a little over the top, felt like they came from a combination of genuine thoughtfulness and her desire to make you laugh. It struck you after a second, you felt taken care of. Not in the big-gesture way that Alma always wanted you to exhibit, hinting at big gifts and dramatic arrivals at her office to sweep her away to Ibiza, but something much gentler. It was nice, you realized-- both to be taken care of and for the acts to be so unpretentious.

“For you,” a hand touched your shoulder and your cortado was placed in front of you, “and for me!” María set her own cup down and took her seat, smiling and waving her hand dismissively as you thanked her.

The conversation flowed once again between the two of you, and you enjoyed it even more than you had the previous evening in your car. You managed to draw out the tart, each taking smaller and smaller bites until finally María nudged the plate toward you and insisted you take the final piece. You brought out a chuckle from her by solemnly confessing that you’d taken an extra bite while she fetched the coffees, and she happily stole the plate back to finish it off herself. With the food out of the way, you were both focused on each other, and you felt the heat of her gaze as she listened carefully to everything you said.

You covered a wide variety of topics, learning about her family and friends, her love for music, and the meaning behind some of her tattoos. She didn’t speak much about her work, but you could tell she was driven and passionate. You shared plenty in return, her open interest in what you said and thoughtful questions leading you down plenty of tangents, including a retelling of your family’s antics that had you both laughing. The two of you were so engrossed in the conversation, that it wasn’t until your phone started ringing that you realized how much time had passed.

“It’s the friend I’m staying with, I better answer.” You told María, who gave you a thumbs up as you stood to move a few paces from the table before you answered. “Hi Maya.”

“Girl, where are you?” She asked, skipping over any greeting. You looked down at your watch and realized it was after six. Not time for dinner yet, but Maya was no doubt expecting you to be there when she returned from work. You caught María’s eyes on you and rolled your own dramatically at her as you replied.

“Sorry Mum, I’m out with a friend and we lost track of time. I’ll be back soon. Do you need me to pick anything up on the way?” You could very nearly hear Maya’s eyes narrowing on the other end of the line.

“What friend? I know all your friends, they’re my friends. Unless…” You winced as she trailed off, realizing you didn’t want to have this conversation within earshot of María. “You’re with Alma? Or Alma’s m—”

“Okay! We can talk about this later!” You cut her off firmly, feeling your face heat as you wondered how audible Maya’s voice was from your phone speaker. “Also,” you continued, thinking it might be best to clarify once and for all, “I ended things with Alma officially this morning, so safe to assume I’m not with her.” Maya’s honest-to-god cheer was a bit embarrassing, but you did feel a little like cheering yourself, so you chose not to mention it.

“I’ll expect all the details when you get here. Be safe until then, love you!”

“Love you too.” You ended the call, looking down at your phone a few moments longer than necessary before raising your head to look at María. She had an unreadable expression, but quirked an eyebrow at you when you met her eyes.

“Your friend seems very fun.” She said, then after a pause, “sorry to hear about Alma.” It felt like she was giving you the option to choose whether you wanted to talk about it, which you appreciated.

“I’m not really sorry,” you said, “it should have happened a long time ago.” María kept her gaze on you, not interjecting, face carefully neutral. It reminded you of when you first looked at her in your lobby. In a quieter voice, you continued. “I don’t wish it did, though.” María’s easy smile was familiar to you already, but her lips didn’t curve this time. You felt a strong urge to leave quickly, or even better, for the floor to open up beneath you. Closing your eyes, you heard the chair scrape as she stood. How predictably thoughtful of her to leave you to recover from your embarrassment. Just as you listened for her departing footsteps, you were caught off guard by two strong arms wrapping around you in a tight embrace. Your eyes opened in surprise, but it didn’t take you long to squeeze just as tightly back, relief coursing through you. María’s face pressed into the side of your neck, and you felt her speak, but the words were too muffled to hear. The two of you held each other close a while longer, before she pulled back enough to look at you.

“This might be the strangest friendship I’ve had, but I’m so glad I met you.” She said, smiling softly. You returned her smile, and couldn’t resist saying,

“maybe Alma did both of us a favor in the end.” She gave your shoulders a squeeze in lieu of answering, but spoke after a moment.

“I had better send you back to your friend before she grounds you, I would hate for you to miss the game because you aren’t allowed to leave your room for a week.” It made you laugh, but the possibility is more likely than you’d like to admit. Maya had a greater chance of grounding you than your own mother did, in all honesty. It’s enough to spur you into action, and, after returning your dishes to the counter, the two of you made your way out of the cafe. You hugged one more time, then parted ways, but a shout of your name had you turning around before you made it to your car.

“I almost forgot to give you this!” María held out a folded piece of bright green fabric to you. “It’s the whole reason I dragged you out here after all.” You took it from her and unfolded it, quickly realizing it was a Real Madrid jersey, though not in the colors you were used to seeing.

“I thought you were joking when you said green!” She laughed in response to your confusion and explained that it was a goalkeeper’s jersey, hence the bright color.

“I brought a regular one as well if you prefer.” She added, sounding a little uncertain.

“No way, this is much better,” you held it up to your chest, “does it bring out my eyes like you said?” She leaned in a little closer, reaching out to lift the fabric up to your cheek.

“Absolutely.”

That evening after you returned to Maya’s and took a longer look at the jersey you sent María a text with a picture of the back of the jersey.

Me: This Misa better be good if I’m wearing her name on my back

María: Don’t worry, I wouldn’t let you wear her name if she wasn’t

#woso x reader #misa rodriguez x reader #woso imagine #woso community #woso #woso fanfics

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stewieonthewall · 14 days

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🚨🚨 calling all pazzi enjoyers 🚨🚨

here’s another covid fic snippet that no one asked for bc i feel the need to defend myself atp 😭😭 let it be known that this was written in MARCH ok? also no warnings for this or anything it’s just silly

•••

Looking around for her phone, Azzi takes two photos. The first shows the curtain of blonde hair doing little to hide all the points of contact between Paige’s face and Azzi’s neck. The second shows the pale hand nearly digging into Azzi’s exposed side, the pushed up hoodie (she’d always recognize it as Paige’s) making it look even more suggestive.

She knows it’s a bad idea, maybe even a terrible one, but she tells herself that she’s going to use them for something productive, like sending them to Imani (whoever she is) and telling her to back off. It doesn’t even sound convincing to her. She’s fucking ridiculous.

Sighing, she stands up and makes her way to the bathroom. Soothed by the familiar morning routines of washing her face and brushing her teeth (the bitter aftertaste in her mouth taking a while to go away), Azzi is able to look at her reflection without wanting to scream.

Making fun of herself has always been her best defence mechanism, so she does a stupid pose and takes a stupid photo of herself in Paige’s hoodie and posts a stupid ‘Who wore it better?’ poll on her private story. Less than three minutes later, a FaceTime from Colleen covers her phone screen.

Azzi is quick to answer, not even getting a greeting in before her friend blurts out, “So what’s up with you and Paige?”

Eyes widening, Azzi rushes to find headphones, frantically mashing the volume button down before Colleen can say anything else.

“What are you even talking about?” She whispers once she’s settled back in the bathroom.

The other girl shrugs. “Did something happen between you two?”

Azzi still doesn’t get it. “Like, a fight? We’re fine, I promise. Why are you asking, though? Did Paige say something to you?” She hopes her voice doesn’t sound as paranoid as she feels. It’s been a long 24 hours.

“Your story? It looks a bit… y’know,” Colleen smirks. “I figured it was only a matter of time, but I didn’t think you’d post it like that. I have to say, though, I thought Paige would be the type to leave hickies. Unless they’re just somewhere el-”

“SHUT UP!” Azzi shrieks, immediately slapping her hand over her mouth. “How are you getting all of this from a photo? You we’ve never even kissed!”

Colleen has the decency to look slightly apologetic. “Sorry, I guess you wouldn’t see it that way. Look at the photo again, Az. Try to understand, because I promise I’m not the only one.”

“Fine.” Azzi clicks on her story. Shit. Her hair is messy, her tongue is out in what she realizes now looks like a smug smile, and Paige’s hoodie is hanging off her in a way that makes it look like she’s not wearing anything else. Colleen is totally right.

#covid fic #writing era #pazzi #i may be a prophet #sella knows things #don’t ask how

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communistchilchuck · 20 days

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Hamza’s brother Zain reached out to me to help share Hamza’s fundraiser. Hamza is a Palestinian nurse urgently raising money to help evacuate he and his family from Rafah. He has only made $2,129 out of his $35,000 goal! Please share and donate, and if you can’t donate, please still share!

Hamza’s Twitter/X account: @almofty_hamza

From Hamza’s GFM:

Hi, my name is Hamza, and I am raising funds to rebuild my family's home and support my loved ones during this war.

As you may already know, more than 30,000 Palestinians have been killed in Gaza. I have lost more than a hundred relatives, many still missing, and my family trapped in Gaza can attest to countless more coworkers, community members, and friends they have seen killed firsthand.

Prior to the war, I was an active member of the community. I have a passion for helping others, and for this reason, I was a nurse practicing in hospitals around Gaza. Outside of nursing, I was also a volleyball player for the Palestinian national team. After the war broke out, I volunteered at hospitals to treat those injured in the airstrikes until I was forced to stop to move with his family.

My brother, Zein El Dein, had taken courses in web development and dreamt of becoming a programmer. His dreams were cut short after the school he went to was destroyed and flipped his entire life around.

My sister, Islam, earned top marks in school that landed her in a program for engineering at her local university. Her studies were paused during the war, and with the bombardment of that university, she is trying to find somewhere outside of Gaza to continue her education and pursuit of that dream.

Omar and Mariam are both children who were still in grade school when the war broke out. Their education was not only put on pause, but were forced to grow up and try to understand why they were being displaced, why they struggled to get food, and why their friends and neighbors were being killed in airstrikes.

My father, Talaat, was pursuing a PHD in nursing at the time the war broke out. The university has been destroyed, and he has been trying to take care of his family since.

We are currently staying in Rafah, and below are pictures of my original home, now destroyed.

Many of the people that used to be around me are either confirmed dead, missing because they are trapped under the rubble, or displaced just like us. These are people who played alongside me on the national team, classmates who were pursuing their passion for nursing just like I was, and people who volunteered at hospitals when the war broke out.

Losing so many of the close friends each of us had to this war has only added to the suffering of the destruction of our home and our displacement to the refugee camps in Rafah.

As you can imagine, I cannot watch my family continue to be in this miserable condition after we lost what was everything. So, I turn to this fundraiser, and to the global community to rebuild what was destroyed and relieve my family of their suffering with financial support.

Please donate generously, share this widely, and pray for their safety and evacuation. Anything helps, and all contributions, no matter the sum, bring us closer to the goal of achieving our dream.

Thank you, salam

#i trust this fundraiser is legitimate & looked into it myself #palestine #gaza #free palestine

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carolperkinsexgirlfriend · 3 months

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Steddie Upside-Down AU Part 87

Part 1 Part 86

Mom’s hovering in front of the door, a knife in her hand, trying to get the rest of them to get away from the window. It’s not working. If anything, Max’s nose only presses more firmly to the glass with every request she makes.

Will’s hovering just behind her, desperate to keep Steve and Eddie in his line of sight. He can just barely see the wisp of a curl through the side window of the van, bouncing as Eddie moves around inside.

He squints, trying to keep the hair in sight as the movement becomes more erratic.

Will hears glass breaking just as he loses sight of Eddie entirely, wisps and all.

He rushes past his Mom, using the weight of his body to open the door, even as she stands in the way. It’s almost involuntary, a compulsion to follow the thread that Eddie’d pulled him by.

“Will, don’t!” she cries, but it’s too late. He’s out, and through.

Mike calls after him, too, and there’s the sound of tennis shoes stampeding out of the house behind him. Will only hopes he’s not leading them all to their impending doom.

Bodies slump into the driveway, none of them human. They’re like if the Demogorgon had followed a different evolutionary chain. Dustin would find it fascinating. Will just wants Eddie and Steve back.

Wayne’s still standing sentry, looking out across the street, waiting for more monsters to creep in from the darkness, Barbara by his side.

Shielding the entrance to the van, is El.

“El!” It’s Mike, because it always is. He sounds so genuinely elated that something curdles and dies in his throat. He swallows it down, hopes it decomposes in his stomach, so he never has to look directly at it. “You came!”

El smiles, happily at Mike, then around to all of them. “Of course.” She looks over at Max, and she’s frowning now, that way she does when she doesn’t understand something. It used to happen all the time. Now, it’s rare.

Will doesn’t care, can’t when Eddie’s too quiet in the van somewhere Will can’t see. He pushes past her, too.

There’s a misshapen, monstrous foot sticking out of the broken window. He stares at it for a second before swinging the door open. It wrenches the foot strangely, makes it crack and tear with the resistance of the door before it breaks free, black blood flowing like the thing’s still alive.

It stays still.

Will looks past it, and finds Eddie’s pale face.

There’s glass in his hair, and his palms are bleeding where they’re held in front of him, but he’s breathing. Alive. And he’s looking up at El like she’s answered all his prayers. Will and Eddie have been sharing the same prayers from the same broken pews for so long that for a second, Will thinks Steve is back.

He scrambles over the dead thing blocking his entrance. It’s cold against his palms, flesh barely giving as he crawls hand over feet atop it. But, Steve’s still just sitting there, blinking, Carol huddled into his side like he can protect her, even like this.

“Steve needs your help,” Eddie says, plaintive. Begging with both voice and unblinking eyes, gaze locked on El’s own until she breaks it to look at where Steve still sits, unbothered.

Her brow furrows, eyes squinting like she’s peeling off layers of skin and meat to get to whatever’s underneath. “He’s lost?” she asks.

Carol is squinting at El like the words aren’t clicking for her. She looks back to Steve, then back to El, brow furrowing with anger.

Eddie nods. Will clears his throat. “Not like last time,” he clarifies. “He’s here, but his mind isn’t.”

El nods, decisive. “I will help.”

“What the hell are you all talking about!” Carol demands, even as people scatter around her, setting up for El’s latest rescue mission. “He’s right there!”

She’s not looking at Will, though. She’s looking at Eddie like it’s all his fault. Still, when Steve doesn’t say anything, her lip wobbles as she turns and asks, “right Steve?”

He doesn’t answer, even as she calls again. Will looks away when she bites her lips, eyes wide.

It’s easier this time. They don’t have to break into the school, don’t have to find a pool. El just sits cross-legged in front of Steve on the carpet, careful to stay away from the broken glass and the dead thing. Mike covers her eyes with Wayne’s flannel while the man himself switches the radio dial until he finds one with enough white noise to satisfy.

He can’t quite tune out the murmured conversation between Eddie and Carol, though, no matter how hard he tries. Eddie explains, in clipped, emotionless words, that something, one of the monsters from the other place she’d just gotten a taste of, has taken over Steve.

“But we’re getting him back?” she asks, voice shrill and breaking, contrasting with Eddie’s own even tone. A veteran to the newbie in the warzone.

Will, suddenly, feels terribly old.

“Quiet now,” El demands.

Eddie looks away from Carol without answering. There is no answer to that question when they’re all subsisting off hope, and not much else.

“Tell him we’re coming, okay?” Eddie asks. He’s looking down at his own bloody palms now, like he can’t bear to look at their last bastion of hope and wait for it to flame and go out.

“Ask ‘im how to stop the thing taking ‘im over,” Wayne interjects.

Eddie’s lip wobbles. Will knows how he feels. He doesn’t want Steve to know, if he’s in there at all, that they don’t know what to do. Neither does Will. He wants to save Steve. He always wants to save Steve.

But, Eddie finally looks up, meeting Will’s eyes before nodding. The movement knocks a tear free, but his voice sounds clear when he says, “Ask him how we kill the fucker.”

El nods, shoulders settling as she reaches out to take Steve’s hand. The white noise blankets them all. Will settles down to wait.

That’s what they always do, when Steve is dying: they wait. This time is no different.

Part 88

Taglist: @deany-baby @estrellami-1 @altocumulustranslucidus @evillittleguy @carlprocastinator1000 @hallucinatedjosten @goodolefashionedloverboi @newtstabber @lunabyrd @cinnamon-mushroomabomination @manda-panda-monium @disrespectedgoatman @finntheehumaneater @ive-been-bamboozled @harringrieve @grimmfitzz @is-emily-real @dontstealmycake @angeldreamsoffanfic @a-couchpotato @5ammi90 @mac-attack19 @genderless-spoon @kas-eddie-munson @louismeds @imhereforthelolzdontyellatme @pansexuality-activated @ellietheasexylibrarian @nebulainajar @mightbeasleep @neonfruitbowl @beth--b @silenzioperso @best-selling-show @v3lv3tf0x @bookworm0690 @paintsplatteredandimperfect @wonderland-girl143-blog @nerdsconquerall @sharingisntkaren @canmargesimpson @bananahoneycomb

#steddie #steve harrington #eddie munson #steddie upsidedown au #will byers #my fic #Jonthan and Nancy aren't here for Multiple Reasons. 1. I think it would be funny if they were just at Nancy's house hanging out with no ide #what is going on. and also. Nancy's specific drive with the upside-down has NOT been activated because Barb is alive. So she didn't do\#the whole Muarry expose the lab plot. and Jon is SLIGHTLY chiller because there are more people looking out for Will so he doesn't feel lik #every single thing has something to do with him. This would also make the season 3 plot smacking them hard and fast sooo much worse #this isn't plot relavant really. it will Not come up i don't think. I just think it's funy.#Also 2. that is just too many characters. I had to put a few back in the box. I have difficulty with any more than like 5? this scene #WITHOUT those two has what. 11??????? And it Shows I think. So no more

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archiveikemen · 1 month

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Ellis Twilight Main Story: Chapter 1

This is a fan-made translation solely for entertainment purposes with no guaranteed perfection. I do not own any of the original content. Please support CYBIRD by buying their stories and playing their games. Reblogs appreciated.

❥･• Warnings and FAQ

[ Ellis POV ]

— What is happiness?

The moment I burned that image into my eyes, it changed like the colours of the sky at twilight.

Even though it left a deep impression in my heart that would stay forever, I can never get the exact same feeling ever again.

Time, stop.

So that this happiness will never fade.

…

[Kate POV]

(Starting from today, I’ll be under the surveillance of “Crown”, a group of assassins who conquer evil with evil.)

(My job as a “fairytale keeper” is to document their sins— this is my only lifeline.)

I tidied myself up in front of the mirror and gave myself another encouraging pep talk.

(It honestly scares me to think I’ll have to watch them “sin” again, but…)

(So far, I’ve had my fair share of harsh situations; from handling customer complaints at the post office, to making deliveries at extremely chaotic scenes of carnage.)

(Everything will be fine. I get through this, one way or another.)

Kate: Only for one month. You can do this, Kate. You’ve got this. … Alright.

Saying words of encouragement to myself as though I were chanting a scripture, I opened my room door and took an enthusiastic step into the hallway—

…

???: Whoa.

Kate: Kyaa!?

The tip of my nose bumped into the chest of someone who was standing in front of my room.

Kate: I-I’m so sorry…!

Ellis: I’m sorry too. … Are you hurt?

(Ah… this man is—)

– Flashback Start –

Last night, I found out about the Queen’s secret group of assassins “Crown”.

Harrison: … Now that she’s known way too much, what do you intend to do with her, Victor?

Victor: Hmm. Let me think…

Ellis: Do we kill her?

(Wha—?)

Ellis: She doesn't look happy at all, but I’ll do it if it’s for work.

– Flashback End –

(He was the first person to suggest killing me.)

(But, after that…)

– Flashback Start –

Ellis: I’m Ellis.

Kate: Nice to meet you… Ellis.

Ellis: Mm… nice to meet you too. I often go out of town with Jude to attend to some business, but I’ll make you as happy as possible while I’m here.

– Flashback End –

(Why is Ellis standing in front of my bedroom…?)

(Oh, right. My surveillance has started.)

A single wrong move could cost me my life.

Memories of the amount of fear I felt the night before flashed into my mind, causing me to straighten my back sharply.

(I can’t keep my usual attitude.)

(This is a whole different world I’ve stepped into.)

Kate: Ellis, right? I look forward to working with you from today on.

Ellis: Yeah, I’m Ellis Twilight. A pleasure to meet you too… also, there’s no need for you to be so tense.

Ellis gave a small chuckle and peered into my face with a concerned expression.

Ellis: … Your nose is red.

Ellis: Sorry for that. The door flew open right when I was about to knock, so I couldn’t dodge in time.

He leaned against the door with a long, slender arm.

Hidden behind his curly hair was a pair of eyes the colour of twilight — just like his name.

Surprised by the sudden lack of distance between us, I gasped and hastily apologised.

Kate: It's not your fault! It’s mine for getting too motivated and jumping out of my room…

Ellis: Motivated? What for?

Kate: Ehh!? Uhh…

(“I was giving myself a motivational boost because I was afraid of living together with the people here.”)

(I can’t say that to his face…)

Kate: It’s kind of like being transferred to a department I know nothing about… um…

Kate: HURRAH! Something like this…!

Ellis: Hurrah…

Ellis blinked in surprise.

(That sounded too unnatural…)

Ellis: … You’re so cute.

Kate: Uhh… it’s fine, you didn't have to cover for me…

(I should be relieved he could find an excuse for me, but it’s still embarrassing…)

As my gaze wandered around my surroundings, searching for somewhere for me to go, Ellis’ face turned serious again and he whispered to me,

Ellis: I want to assign you your very first task in this “new department”... may I?

…

Kate: — Wow…

(What a beautiful garden.)

Ellis led me outside to the castle’s courtyard…

Before me was a large English garden that looked very carefully maintained.

The seasonal flowers were in full bloom, filling the air with a heavenly smell.

(Last night, this castle towering over me appeared solemn and dangerous, and yet…)

(It also has such a peaceful place in it.)

I followed behind Ellis along the path while admiring the beautiful garden, until we arrived at a gazebo.

Tea and scones were arranged on a table, it seemed like there was a tea party about to begin.

Ellis: Here.

Kate: Uh… t-thank you.

I was puzzled when Ellis pulled out a chair for me, but I took a seat as invited and he went to sit opposite me.

(He mentioned something about giving me a task just now…)

Kate: Is this where my first task will be?

Ellis: Yup. … Your first task is to have breakfast together with me.

(... Huh?)

Ellis: Tell me about yourself while we enjoy the delicious food. I’ll tell you about myself too.

Ellis: If you write them down, it’ll count as a “Fairytale Keeper” report. Right?

Kate: I’d appreciate that, but… wouldn't that be too much of a bother to you?

Ellis: I don’t think so. Why do you ask?

He seemed to genuinely want to help me.

Ellis: I’ll tell you about the other members of Crown too.

Ellis: I know it must be terrifying to live with people who are complete strangers.

Kate: …!

(Could it be that my “first task”...)

Kate: Did you invite me here to soothe my nerves?

Ellis: … You’re partially right.

Kate: “Partially”?

Ellis: The other reason is that I want to chat with you. … So that’s where you’re partially wrong.

His lips lifted into a faint smile.

(Was the impression I formed of Ellis last night all a misunderstanding?)

Last night, I felt uneasy — like something was staring at me from the darkness, giving me the chills.

(I’m not getting that feeling from Ellis in front of me right now.)

(Perhaps last night’s uneasiness was only because I just witnessed a murder scene…)

I pushed those thoughts aside, deciding not to bother with them.

— Thinking back to it later on, I realised that was a mistake.

(Anyway, Ellis made the effort to make all these arrangements for me.)

(I should accept his offer and hear him out.)

Kate: Thank you, Ellis.

Ellis: I didn’t do anything to deserve your thanks.

Ellis: Do you like sweets? Victor baked these scones this morning.

Kate: Oh? Victor can cook…?

Ellis: Yup, it’s a hobby. Al is a good cook too.

Ellis: Al taught me to make clotted cream previously, so I made this myself.

Ellis: I bought this jam because Liam recommended it to me.

Ellis: As a stage actor, Liam always knows what’s popular.

Ellis: This meat pie is from the restaurant Roger took me to for lunch a while back. He treats me to meals often.

Kate: Whoa, slow down a little. I want to write all of that down…!

I took my little notebook out of my pocket and started jotting down the things Ellis told me about the members or Crown.

Kate: Oh, I know about that apricot crumble place too! It’s always busy with lots of customers.

Ellis: I bought it together with Harry. He may not look like it, but Harry has a sweet tooth and has an eye for good dessert places.

Kate: Fufu… the members of Crown seem very close.

(Even though they made me feel as though we were people from two very different worlds…)

(At the end of the day, they’re just human beings living in the same London as I am… and that feels somewhat reassuring to know.)

(This is all thanks to Ellis.)

Ellis: Kate.

Kate: Yes…?

With natural movements, Ellis reached his large palm towards my face—

Ellis: … You got cream in your hair.

Kate: Huh? Oh…

(I really did get cream in my hair. I didn't notice.)

Ellis gently tucked my hair behind my ear.

Kate: Thank you.

Ellis: You’re welcome. … Is the food so delicious that you got too absorbed in enjoying them?

Ellis rested his chin in his hand and gazed at me with a smile.

Kate: … Yes, it’s delicious.

Ellis: Glad to hear that.

(Being able to pull off this sort of thing so effortlessly… Ellis must be very popular with ladies.)

I suddenly became conscious of my heart beating faster and tried to calm my racing heart.

Kate: You put in a lot of effort into setting up this breakfast, and you’ve also been very concerned about my wellbeing so far…

Kate: Why are you being this kind towards me?

(I don’t remember doing anything worth receiving such kindness from Ellis for…)

Ellis: It’s because you’ve been looking unhappy since last night.

Ellis: I only want the people around me to be as happy as they can be.

(That’s all…?)

(But I’m merely a stranger to Ellis…)

Kate: Do you treat everyone the same way? Even complete strangers?

Ellis: Huh…? Hmm… I don’t think so.

He seemed bewildered by my simple question.

(Ellis is indeed a rather strange person.)

(But…)

Kate: … This makes me happy.

(I definitely feel much more at ease now, thanks to Ellis.)

Ellis: I see… I'm glad you don't find it unpleasant.

— My feelings of wariness melted away by the end of our pleasant breakfast together.

Ellis: Are you a fan of theatre?

Kate: Yes. Actually, I volunteered to do an extra shift last night to earn some extra cash for tickets to a play…

Ellis: Fufu… you’re quite a passionate fan.

My conversation with Ellis went smoothly, like we’ve been close friends for a long time.

Just then, I heard another set of footsteps.

Victor: Hi! It’s looking lively out here!

Ellis: Victor.

Kate: …! Good morning.

Victor: Ah, no need to stand for me! I didn't mean to interrupt your conversation.

Victor: Ellis offered to help prepare breakfast this morning… did it make you feel better?

Victor gazed at me searchingly with a smile.

The air of mystery I sensed around him last night vanished, leaving only the feeling of warmth from his eyes resembling gemstones.

(My “first task” from Ellis must’ve really helped soothe my nerves.)

Kate: Yes. It’s all thanks to Ellis and the delicious scones you baked.

Victor: …

Victor looked slightly surprised when I thanked him with a smile, but his expression quickly switched into a bright smile.

Victor: Your relaxed smile is basically saying “I’m so happy to be Crown’s exclusive fairytale keeper”!

Ellis: … She never said that.

Kate: … Fufu.

My shoulders shook a little as I giggled at their exchange. Victor’s eyes narrowed.

Victor: Now, there are two things I ask of you, our fairytale keeper. One is to keep our secret, and the other is to record our sins.

Victor: The first task is very straightforward and I see no problem with it; but I don't wish for you to be confused by the second task, so I’d like to guide you a little.

Victor: May I give you a brief explanation of the task?

Kate: Yes, please.

Victor: It’s not a difficult job, actually. All you have to do is to observe the members and record what you think is a sin.

Victor: I leave it up to you to decide how you’d like to do it.

Victor: You can rotate amongst them and observe multiple members, or you can focus on just one member and accompany him in his activities.

(Observe the members of Crown, and the method is entirely up to me… I see.)

Kate: Understood. … Um, may I also know to what extent I’m being watched?

Victor: Even though we say we’re keeping you under surveillance, we don't wish to restrict your freedom. Except going outside alone, you’re free to do as you wish.

Victor: You may be asked to follow us on missions sometimes, but your free time is yours to spend freely.

I nodded, relieved to know that I wasn’t being watched as strictly as I had expected.

Kate: Understood. Thank you for the clarification.

Victor: … To be honest, I was surprised to see you smile just now. I never expected to see your smile so soon.

Victor: We’re an organisation that commits terrible deeds and we had you witness a horrifying scene last night, so I thought you wouldn't exactly feel “at ease”.

Victor gave me a cheeky wink.

He then squinted his eyes like he was looking at the sun.

Victor: I hope that the darkness you’ll be subjected to against your will from now on, will never steal your smile.

Strangely, because of the tone of his words, I couldn't dismiss them as a lie.

(There’s no denying that the members of Crown are scary people who kill without hesitation and dwell in the shadows.)

However— at the bottom of my heart, I had a feeling that I’d understand them better if I just looked closely enough.

Victor: Well then, I shall take my leave. Being the Queen’s Aide is quite busy.

It seemed that Victor was only there to check on me, and so he left the garden without joining us at the table.

(I have to closely observe the members of Crown if I want to record their sins, right?)

If that’s the case— I think my best option would be to start with getting to know Ellis.

That thought came to me almost naturally.

Kate: Um, Ellis… what are your plans for today?

However, I was interrupted by someone’s voice.

Jude: What are you doing, slacking off when you have work to do? I’ll punch you.

Ellis • Kate: !

The deep voice startled me, making me jump.

(This voice—)

I timidly turned around to see Jude standing there with his arms crossed and looking clearly ticked off.

(H-He’s furious…!)

Ellis: Sorry, I’ll go right away.

Ellis shot Jude a casual glance and responded without even leaving his seat.

(He’s so relaxed about it…)

Jude clicked his tongue and strode out of the garden with a flip of his jacket.

Ellis: … There you have it. My plans for today.

(Jude is the president of the trading company Ellis works at as his assistant… right.)

(I intended to observe Ellis today, but I guess I’d be better off postponing that plan.)

Kate: Thank you for taking time off your work for me. Good luck at work.

Ellis: ...

Ellis stared at me in silence, pondering about something—

Kate: Uhh?

Ellis: If it's okay with you, do you want to come along?

#ikemen villains #ikemen series #cybird ikemen #otome #cybird otome #ikevil main story #ellis main story #ellis twilight #aikm translation

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bubbles-for-all-of-us · 1 year

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The storms within us

summery: Joel is out on patrol when a snowstorm hits, leaving Ellie longing to be in her dad's presence again. You try to bring a bit of happiness to her by surprising her with the DVD's that you found. But will that be enough or the comfort that she needs can only be brought by Joel himself?

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Ellie stood in front of her bedroom window. It was pitch black outside. The lanterns in the streets were little help against the amount of snow that was blazing. She enjoyed snowy nights, but not on days like this. Because in a way, it didn't feel right for Ellie to cozy up in her window nook and read or sit by the fire downstairs while you knit. No, she couldn't. Not with Joel out on patrol in weather like this.

Ellie's mind was as frantic as the snowstorm outside. What if Joel slipped? What if he didn't hear someone coming when the wind was so strong? What if he was somewhere slumped up against the tree, freezing to death? A cold shiver ran down Ellie's back at that thought. In the beginning, she hated herself for becoming so dependent. So attached. So needy for the love you and Joel gave her. But she couldn't help it. Every cell in her body craved it. A warm embrace. A kiss on the forehead. A laugh over dinner. A warm smile that greeted her. Proud looks on your and Joel's faces when she did well in school.

You and Joel made her feel like she wasn't a broken kid after all. Not just an unlovable orphan. No, she was enough. That's what you always told her. "Look in the mirror, you're a worrier. The strength you hold in your heart is beyond this world, bean", you would mutter in her hair while squeezing her shoulders. Even when Ellie didn't believe it herself, you always made her feel like she could. Could be enough. But Ellie was more like Joel. She also preferred to let her emotions go in silence. Ellie still remembered how she stumbled back downstairs to get a glass of water, giving up on sleep after two hours of tossing and turning.

She found Joel sitting on the sofa with his arms on his knees, just staring ahead. Ellie thought about turning back, but instead, she walked closer to Joel. She waited for him to question why she wasn't sleeping. Why was she out of bed at such late hours of the night? But instead, Joel stretched out an arm towards her, inviting her into his embrace. Ellie had never moved quicker. Curling up into his side, Joel wrapped her up in his strong arms. A gentle kiss grazed her forehead. They didn't talk. But they didn't have to. They knew about their demons and why they were up in the first place. Words would just make it cheap. However, their silence and the hold they had on one another spoke volumes.

"Oh, El, no, honey", your voice made the girl jump, snapping her out of her thoughts. You rushed forward, "You'll get sick, love. What were you doing?" After closing the fully open window, you turned to her. Not mad - worried. Ellie didn't remember when she had opened it. Nor did she feel the bitter cold or the snow hitting her cheeks. You quickly moved your sleeve up your palm, dabbing her cheeks dry. "Is Joel back?", Ellie muttered under her breath. Your heart swelled. The past day has been extremely difficult for Ellie. She seemed fine at first, but then her worries seemed to grow at an astronomical speed. Not to mention the look on her face when the snowstorm broke out.

"Not yet, baby. But I'm sure they are making their way back", yet this answer no longer satisfied the longing need to see Joel back home. The patrol shift was supposed to change twelve hours ago. Twelve. And it hadn't because they hadn't come back. What if they never come back? What if no one would find them? What if she would never get to see him again? "Hey, hey, look at me," you said to the sight of Ellie's chest starting to rise more frantically as you gently cupped her face, "Bab, Joel is fine. Look where that man got us! If anyone is capable of coming back in this kind of weather, it's him", yet she just shook her head and said, "How can you be so sure? He could be dying out there", Ellie quickly gestured to the window.

She was extremely protective of you two. She began worrying about the smallest of things, and while it was adorable at first, you could see that it was what led her to overthink. "Who says that I'm sure?", you asked as you sat down on her bed, letting your own eyes wander toward the bitter cold. "I'm as scared. But you have to keep the faith. Emotions like this can quickly eat you up", you said quietly, as Ellie moved to sit beside you. "Remember the rule Joel and I told you about?", you questioned. Ellie nodded her head. You had first told her about it when Joel had to leave for the first time since you got to Jackson. Life in QZ was different, of course. Much more challenging than it was here. There, it was a miracle if you crossed a street without getting hit by someone.

Joel had gone on a smuggling trip that was supposed to be daylong at best. You had just started properly seeing each other then. He didn't come back for a whole week. You were ready to bury him. Weep for the loss of your loved one. Sure that he had either been shot by a soldier or was bitten by an infected. When you heard the door open, you were convinced that you were imagining it. When the street lights illuminated Joel's tired face, you thought that you had gone mad. But then all the emotion came rolling back, and you just strolled up to him, hitting his chest over and over again as you cried.

"You don't make promises of survival, but don't live like you're losing the one you love until you know that you are", Ellie rasped out. It was a sad rule. But the world wasn't the happiest place. "You've got to keep the love strong. He can feel it. Send him love, not fear, baby girl", you said, bringing Ellie closer to your chest as you squeezed her just a bit tighter. An action that she as well returned.

"Now let's go. I have something to show you", Ellie gave you a puzzled look but did not argue back. You had kept this tucked away from her birthday, but considering the situation now, you figured that this might be better timing. You handed Elie a corner of a white sheet, showing her how to tie it on the wooden beam before lifting the self-constructed pole toward the ceiling. Ellie watched you still. It reminded her of the projector in the main hall, but then again, it was a rare occasion that she went there.

"Any clue?", you asked her, but she just shrugged her shoulders. You've seen this side of her. The dissociated, scared girl. It broke your heart, but you were determined to change it. Stepping off the chair, you reached for a box that was placed by the fireplace. Handing it to Ellie and encouraging her to open it. She pulled the ribbon off. Lifting the lid off carefully.

"I've been collecting them for a while, and since you love movies and it's been a while… I thought we could have movie nights at home from now on", you said, watching as she turned different DVDs in her hands. A sense of sadness was still there, and you wondered if it was a good choice to show this to her now. Especially since you knew this would have been something she would have wanted to do with both you and Joel. "Oh, that's my favorite. Little Miss Sunshine. I'm convinced you would love it; it's quite funny, you know," you said, beaming at the sight of your favorite one. "Wanna watch that tonight?", you asked, but Ellie shook her head. "With dad", she muttered, putting the DVD to the side. You felt your own eyes starting to sting.

Reaching for her hand, you kneeled in front of her. Ellie wasted no time as she wrapped her arms around your neck as quiet sobs escaped her lips. You wrapped your hands around her as well, running your palms up and down her back. "Let it out, baby, let it out", you muttered into her hair. "What if I don't get to tell him that I love him?", she choked out, pulling away slightly. "Of course, you will. Many times. He's coming back, angel. You know why?", you asked, looking her in the eyes as she shook her head, "Because you are his whole world, and he just as much wants to tell you how much he loves you".

More tears spilled down Ellie's cheeks. She clung to your words. Letting herself see a glimpse of hope in them. You moved to stand up, letting go of her, and Ellie instantly reached for you again. "I'll be right back", you said gently. Quickly stepping back upstairs to ruffle through the drawers before getting back to the still-crying girl. "Put this on, baby", you told her, handing her one of Joel's warmer winter flannels. One of his favorites. One that he usually wore around the house. One that Ellie instantly recognized. She took it into her hands carefully, as if it was one of her most prized possessions. Pushing the material closer to her nose, Ellie breathed in the familiar smell. Smell that belonged to Joel. Smell that reminded her of home. That was part of her home. Slipping her arms through the sleeves, Ellie wrapped the material around herself. A wash of ease floated through her body. "Ravioli?", you asked, running your fingers through her hair. Hoping to make her eat at least something tonight. "With extra cheese?", Ellie asked, making you let out a quiet laugh, "Say no more, bean".

Empty plates were now laid out on the side table, cleaned to the last bit. A random finding about the galaxy was played on the screen. Ellie's eyes were focused on the movie that played. She seemed calmer. You were laying on your side, with Ellie in front of you. Your arm was protectively wrapped around the girl. She was playing with your fingers casually. Twisting the wedding band on your finger, slipping it off and on at times. You watched her carefully. Nuzzling just a bit closer.

"Do you think there's wind on the moon?", she asked you casually, her eyes not leaving the screen. "I doubt it, but they better have canned macaroni because what will you eat when you get there?", you tickled her side gently, making her chuckle slightly. "Well, isn't the moon just a giant cheese?", "Right, right, so you just need pasta shapes". Ellie shook her head with a giggle, pulling your arm closer to herself.

The room soon turned quiet. The fire was dying down slowly, but you didn't dare to move. Ellie had fallen asleep. It was an uneasy one, but it was better than nothing. You glanced at the door quickly. Letting your mind wander for a moment. You didn't want to let the thought of Joel not coming fully set it, but then again, you couldn't help it. Pushing those thoughts to the back of your head, you settled down yourself. Letting the sound of Ellie's breathing lull you into a slumber.

Joel hadn't stopped thinking about you two ever since the snowstorm started. He feared. Not because he was freezing, but because he knew you two were worried sick. He wished there would have been a way to reach you. Let you know that he was well. He and Tommy stopped by an abandoned farm when it all picked up. He wasn't just wandering through the woods. Joel needed you to know that he was coming back. That he would always come back. "They are fine, Joel,", Tommy cut into the train of thought that Joel was lost in. "You don't know them as I do", Joel argued back. A silence fell around them until Joel raised his hands to blow warm air at his palms, "And I didn't even say goodbye to Ellie", "Joel, she will be fine". Yet Joel knew Ellie was probably far from well. Of course, you were with her. That he was thankful for, and he knew that she would find peace in you, but he hated being the reason why she would be feeling worried. Joel found himself in Ellie. Found a purpose to live.

When he finally stumbled back to Jackson, he didn't give the rest of the crew a second glance. Not caring much about giving reports. Some of them tried to call after him, but Tommy just shook his head and said, "Let him go; he's needed at home". It was an odd feeling. For some reason, Joel found himself wondering. What if you two weren't there? What ifs were the most dangerous questions for a reason. They could make any, even the strongest one, crumble slightly.

Fidgeting with the key, Joel stepped inside, quickly closing the door behind him in an attempt to keep the cold out of the place. The house seemed quiet, but then again, it was past 3 a.m., if not later. Joel shrugged off his damp jacket. Making his way deeper into the house. His stomach rambled; he hadn't eaten properly in over a day. But first, he had to see you two. Had to make sure that you were well. That you were here. That everything was just how he left it the morning he left.

Joel's eyes first fell onto the big makeshift screen that still had a movie playing on it. Different planets were twirling around the screen, illuminating the room in a dim, blueish light. Stepping closer, he looked over the back of the sofa. Heart skipped a beat at the sight. His precious girls cuddled up together. Joel noticed the grip Ellie had on you first. Even in her sleep, she was holding onto you as if you were about to slip away. Then he noticed a slight frown on her face and the flannel that she wrapped herself in. His flannel. Joel's jaw clenched in an attempt to keep his emotions at bay. How worried would she have been if you had offered her his shirt to wear?

Stepping in front of Ellie, Joel kneeled carefully. Brushing his fingers through the stray hair that had fallen onto her face. She stirred instantly as if sensing his presence. Eyes opened ever so slightly, "Dad?", she muttered, Joel's heart nearly jumping out of his chest. He knew that she referred to him like that while talking to you, but she had never said it straight to his face. "Yeah, baby girl, I'm here", Joel said, smiling softly. "Dad…", Ellie almost cried out this time, tiredly reaching out for Joel. "It's okay, I've got you", he muttered in response. Bearing out to embrace her, "Easy sweet girl", he tried to soothe her fears as he held her close to him.

"Don't leave me", Ellie's arms wrapped around Joel's shoulders as she clung to him even more, "Why would I? I'll be here when you wake up; I'll hold you till you fall asleep", her hands gripped him even closer. Joel didn't even think about letting go. He needed to ground himself. Rocking her slightly, Joel smiled when Ellie's breathing evened out a little. "Bring her to our bed", the sound of your voice made him look up. Your eyes were tired, yet you smiled at him as if he was one of the world's wonders.

Joel reached out for your hand, which you took instantly, squeezing it gently. "You two are okay?", he asked before carefully standing up with Ellie in his arms. You gathered up the blanket that kept you two warm for the night, "Now that you're here, we are", to which Joel gave you a knowing look before nodding for you to step up the stairs first. He was here, and he was going to shelter you two from the wildest of storms. More than ready to go that extra mile to keep you both safe.

Joel laid Ellie in the middle of the bed, and you quickly pulled a blanket over her body. "Are you laying on my other side?", Joel asked, and you shook your head. "She needs us tonight, well, you mostly, but I think it's better if she stays in the middle", Joel nodded his head. Coming up to your side, cupping your face as he leaned in to kiss you softly. Breathing you in before wrapping his arms around you for the first time that night, "You seriously need to stop disappearing, or I'll grow gray myself", Joel chuckled slightly at your words, "Can't have that. There's only one space for a silver fox in this house".

#joel miller x reader #joel miller imagine #joel x ellie #the last of us imagine #the last of us x reader #joel miller x you #pedro pascal x reader

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jellyfishbeansontoast · 9 months

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10 things I hate about you

I hate the way you talk to me, and the way you cut your hair

ok this is the first part of the series so i hope you enjoy!! a massive thank you to @demxters for literally everything to do with this <3 Word count: 1023

“I’m gonna do it” Mike declares at the lunch table, sliding into his usual chair in the process.

“Do what?” Lucas asks.

Mike looks around quickly before leaning into the group, “Ask her out.”

“Who? El? Good luck with that one.” Dustin teased.

“What do you mean? Do you not think she’ll say yes?” hurt and insecurity flashes across Mike’s face, his previous confident demeanour disappearing.

“Oh I’m sure she’ll want to say yes but she’s not allowed until Y/n starts dating, Hopper’s rules.”

Mike almost chokes on his sandwich “but she’s like really scary, has she ever even dated anyone?” he looks around the group in desperation “Maybe she’ll say yes anyway? Hopper doesn’t have to know?”

“You can try your luck if you want” Dustin nods his head to a vending machine at the back of the cafeteria where El’s standing, cursing at the machine. Mike stands up, anxiously wiping his palms on his trousers before walking towards El. He turns to the group before he reaches her and mouths a hurried ‘wish me luck’.

“Need assistance?”

“It won’t give me my stuff” she grumbles.

“Yeah you kind of have to-” he shakes the machine until the chocolate bar that was previously teetering over the precipice finally falls to the bottom, he retrieves the bar and hands it over to the now much happier girl in front.

“Thank you Mikey! I owe you, do you want some?” He’s caught off guard by the nickname, coughing and spluttering in a way he can only imagine is wildly unattractive, just what he needs right now.

“No, thank you though,” he fidgets with his hands “I was wondering if you wanted to go out with me somewhere-” he takes a nervous breath “like a date?”

“I’d love to,” Mike almost cheers aloud but realises it’s too soon for celebration when he notices her chewing on her lip “but Hopper won’t let me till Y/n starts dating, and there’s no way she’ll date anyone, she’s scared off like every guy who’s ever asked.”

“I get it, don’t worry about it.” he mumbles, feigning indifference. She smiles apologetically and they begin to make their way to the table, the rest of the group pretending not to have watched the whole interaction.

“So?” Dustin elbows him in the ribs as soon as Mike sits down, although he’s sure he already knows the answer.

“Hopper” Mike replies in a dejected whisper, careful not to let El hear, after all he doesn’t want her feeling bad for something she can’t control.

Dustin’s face contorts almost as if he’s in pain. “Woah you okay over there?” Lucas calls from the other end of the table, earning a few snorts of laughter from around the table.

“Shut up I’m thinking”

“Oh that’s what that is?”

The curly haired boy holds up a finger in retort, cutting him off from any further rude remarks. “What if-” he begins, a sly smile sneaking onto his face as he looks between El and Mike “we got someone to date Y/n, then according to Hopper’s rule you two would be free to date and we wouldn’t have to hear Mike pining about you anymore.” He directs the last comment towards El.

Mike hangs his head, a furious blush spreading over his cheeks “I don’t pine.”

“Sure you don’t.”

“But we don’t have anyone who’ll date Y/n” El points out.

“So quick to doubt my plan” he shakes his head with a playful tut, “Steve.”

“Steve?” comes the incredulous response from everyone around the table, even Will who had refrained from taking part in the plan making so far.

“What? You don’t think I can bribe him? The man needs the cash and also, I saw him checking out ‘Sixteen candles’ for himself the other day.”

“We’re gonna pay someone to date my sister?”

“Got a better idea?”

She shakes her head resignedly “Fine, but she can’t find out, I don’t want her getting hurt.” Dustin imitates zipping his lips before the conversation turns to something DnD related.

“Steve” The older boy looks up at the line of teenagers forming in front of him “ We need your help.”

Steve looks around the almost empty Family Video store checking for customers “You want me to rent an age restricted film for you again? I’ll do it one last time but don’t come to me when it freaks you out like the Poltergeist did, I warned you”

“We don’t need a movie.” Dustin cuts in.

“Oh? What do you want then” He rests his elbows on the counter, settling his chin on his hands.

“We need you to date Y/n.”

“No chance, anything else I can help you with today?” Steve folds his arms across his chest.

“You haven’t even heard what’s in it for you” he complains.

“I heard the last man to try and take Y/n out on a date ended up with his car keyed and his tyres slashed,” He flits his eyes towards his car in the parking lot “that can’t happen to my baby.”

“It was just the tyres” corrects El, her nose wrinkling in disgust at the pet name usage for Steve’s car.

Dustin leans across the counter, coming face to face with Steve, “I saw you check out Sixteen Candles, what would people think of King Steve renting out a chick flick?”

“King Steve is long gone, now I hang out with kids” he sighs dejectedly.

It’s Mike’s turn to beg “Please Steve, Hopper won’t let me date El until Y/n’s dating someone, you’re our only chance.”

“What’s in it for me?” finally they’re getting somewhere.

“Cash?”

Steve groans, already regretting what he’s about to do. “I’ll do it.” The group cheer in sync “But only because this lovesick thing you two have going on is disgusting”

“Yeah yeah, thanks for your help.”

Taglist: @johnricharddeacy

#stranger things #steve harrington x you #steve harrington x reader #steve harrington x y/n #steve x you #steve x y/n #steve x reader #steve harrington #y/n will be in the next part i promise lol

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aidaronan · 1 year

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Alt season one El meeting punk!Steve. She slowly goes to touch one of the spikes on his jacket the same way someone might reach for a feral cat. Like she's not sure if they're teeth or not, if they'll hurt her. Steve's patient. The kids had to tell him some things after he tried to call someone for help and they tore the phone from his hand. So he knows to be still, to let her be curious. "You look different." "Oh," he says. "I'm punk." She crinkles her forehead. "What is 'punk?'" Steve pauses to think. A lot of people have asked him why he dresses the way he does, why he shaves parts of his hair and spikes the rest with Elmer's glue, why he has safety pins in his leather jacket and metal through his face. He's even been asked if he's "goth" about 50 times. But a genuine question about what it means for him to have adopted this persona? This lifestyle? Specifically what it means for him, Steve Harrington, would-be heir of Harrington Investments, to be punk? No one has asked that. He thinks of the stories the kids have told, of the power company that isn't and a scared little girl. "Punk is when someone realizes the people who run our lives don't know what we want or need or even care. Punk is telling those people to go to hell." El goes quiet, very thoughtful. She nods. "Understand." The next day Steve is there, bleeding on the floor of the Wheeler's basement while an older man holds his hand out toward El. "It's time to come home and put an end to this." The man speaks softly, evenly. The kind of man who's used to not hearing 'no.' The kind of man Steve hates. Steve wants to tell this man to leave her alone, that it's sick to keep children locked up like lab rats. But there's a shoe digging into the bones between Steve's shoulders and he can barely breathe. "I always cared for you, didn't I, Eleven?" A pair of young eyes dart toward Steve, gasping on the ground. They flit toward the kids all gripped tightly in unkind arms. They find the old man again and narrow into slits. And here's the thing... When El glares daggers, she backs them up. "Eleven..." "Go to hell." After it's done, it's Steve who wipes the blood from her nose and wraps her in a studded leather jacket, carrying her somewhere safe. Weeks later, it's also Steve who stands with her at a store where she turns a waffle patch over and over in her hands. "Is this punk?" she asks, her eyes big and hopeful. He adjusts her little leather jacket, the one he spent hours studding just for her. "You're goddamn right it is."

#punk!steve #steve harrington #el hopper #steve harrington & el hopper #drabble #kind of?#mine

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voidclrx · 3 months

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— pairing : valeria 'el sin nombre' garza x fem!reader

— cw : wlw, a little bit of angst, arguments, suggestive situation,

— a/n : hi guys, i know its been a while since i post writings here and this one was sleeping in my draft... first of all, this fic is small lmao but im so bad at writing smut. and sorry for any mistakes, i just forgot how to properly write a fic💀 i dont know if i will continue to write due to my heavy schedule as im now enlisted in the army but maybe i'll try sometimes just to improve my english. im completely open to some suggestions/tips !

being a cartel leader’s girlfriend is obviously not an easy task for anyone, and you were no exception. in fact, you spend a lot of your time alone since valeria is on mission. she leave you in her penthouse with some of her men to keep you safe.

“i’ll be back in around 1 month, princesa" is what she tells you before going on a new mission, and it was again a lie. you were waiting for her for 3 weeks now and there is no valeria. and this situation was annoying for you because you needed her with you ; not somewhere, risking her life.

right now, you were on the couch of the living room, watching some stupid tv show you found while zapping. you couldn’t stop thinking about valeria, what is she doing ? when the fuck is she going to come back ? this situation made you think that you weren’t that important to her, you knew what it would be like when you started to date her but you didn’t know it could be that hard.

after 1 hour of watching tv, you heard noises coming from the entry of your house. you knew it was her just by hearing the footsteps. but for once, you weren’t going to get up and happily hugging her as if she wasn’t gone for 2 months. this time you decided to talk with her about it.

"hello, sweetheart. i'm home" shit. you'd be lying to yourself if hearing her voice didn't affect you because you missed her. but for once, you didn't want to do her the favor of not telling her about her tardiness, which by the way, is one of the many others when she's away on mission.

"mmh hello? is someone here? baby?" you know she was searching for you.

"yeah yeah. i'm in the living room". you said.

you heard her almost running to you. she enters the living room, only to open her arms wanting a hug. but you didn't move, you arms were crossed and you looked at her with a raised eyebrow. valeria look at you, confused. she didn't know why you refused her hug.

"princesa? are you ok?". she asked confuse.

this time you decided to let it out.

"yeah, i have a problem actually. 2 months. 2 fucking months without knowing where you were, if you were okay. i was almost asking myself if you weren't dead." you snapped.

valeria was still looking at you, this time she seems shocked. it was the first time since you both met that you speak to her like this.

she retorted. "really? the first thing you do when you saw me is saying that? like you couldn't just wait tomorrow for telling me this? we didn't saw each other since 2 months and you attack me. i-"

she couldn't end her sentence that you cut her off.

"no i couldn't just wait tomorrow for telling you this". you imitated her. "i'm tired of your lies, you told me before leaving that you were going to be back 1 month later. but what was my surprise when you weren't there the following month. as if i'm not used to you lying about when you'll be back."

valeria took a deep breath, relaxing herself before talking, she wanted to stay calm for once because she knew this time she was in the wrong

"okay listen. i'm sorry but let me exp-". you cut her off again.

"not you're not sorry, you're sorry i'm arguing with you"

"for fuck sake, y/n stop cutting me off. stop being immature and let me talk". valeria reposted.

the tension between you started to rise. someone outside the scene could even notice the sexual tension that was building up too.

"being immature for what? for telling you about the problem? and maybe finding a solution? or because i tell about that problem right now and not tomorrow, huh?".

valeria didn’t even know what to answer. the only thing she has done at that moment was to instinctively kiss you to shut you up. the kiss was kinda rough but still full of caring.

"it’s not going to solve our problem". you said between a break.

"i know babe, we both know that arguing right now is not going to help us. so let me just taste these lips that i missed. i promise you that we're going to talk about it tomorrow" valeria said while trapping you against the wall and going down on your neck. she perfectly know it is your weak spot.

you wanted to say something but you couldn't, and once again the hold she has on you erases anger to give a way to desire

"p-please val". you moaned slightly.

your moans give valeria butterflies, it’s been a long time since she heard them, so she wants to enjoy them for the night.

hearing your moans gives valeria butterflies

her body is tense and kinda screaming for you. for the moment, she just want to feel you, she need it. she knows she’s in wrong for not telling you that the mission was gonna take much longer but she just want to forget this at this moment and just be near you.

you both headed to the shared room and valeria lay you down on the bed and put herself on the top of you. she bend down and just stop near your lips, only a few inches are separating them. at this moment, you could feel your heart rate pretty fast as you feel valeria’s breath against your lips.

"tonight is going to be your night amor, so let me make it up to you" she said, as she finally press her lips against yours.

#valeria garza x reader #valeria x reader #valeria garza #cod mw2 #wlw

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steddiealltheway · 1 year

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Part Four of Not-So-Secret Secret Admirer!!!! Part One. Part Three. AO3 Link.

Eddie stares at the note and resists the urge to crumple it up. It’s been three days since he’s gotten it and somehow it remains as the only thing on his mind. Every time he reads it, it makes his heart race even though there really isn’t much to it. But just seeing Steve’s signed name makes him feel... giddy.

He’s struggling to find a way to distance himself from the elusive E.R. while trying to keep the identity similar to himself so he doesn’t screw up on a fact check in the future. So, he needs to come up with something vague that doesn’t give himself away. Easy.

It is not easy. Things that make Eddie smile are his sweetheart, metal music, DnD, and Steve... plus all his other friends. Maybe he could mention his sweetheart. E.R. could play the guitar, right? I mean, he is E.R. so of course they do. Gosh, this stuff makes his head swim.

He looks at the note again. Something that makes him smile... does he give him something as a gift? A guitar pick? Eddie fiddles with his necklace and looks down. Definitely not a guitar pick – too obvious.

He needs to clear his head or something. He shrugs on his leather jacket and leaves his uncle a note saying he’ll be back in a bit. Hopefully he’ll get back when he’s still napping so he won’t try to pry about why he left. Yeah, Eddie definitely needs some air.

He grabs his car keys on the way out and quickly is driving off. He doesn’t know where he’s going until he finds himself turning into a somewhat hidden backroad and knows exactly where he’s automatically driving to. A few minutes later he’s climbing out of his van and walking towards the top of a grassy hill to sit down and look out at the hills of trees.

He takes a deep breath and smiles. He forgets how nice it is to sit up here and hear how quiet it can get. Somehow the silence isn’t overbearing and tense – it's soothing. For once, Eddie feels like his head isn’t absolutely racing with thoughts. It would be nice to have someone up here with him though.

Something that makes him smile...

Eddie laughs softly then again loud enough to startle a bird out of the tree near him. He knows exactly what he’s going to do.

-:-:-:-:-:-

On his way to the Family Video, Eddie picks up the rest of The Party who insisted he needed to drive them so they could pick up a tape for their movie night. But then El and Max are giggling and whispering about something that makes Eddie a bit suspicious.

“Hey, Red, what’s going on?”

He looks in the rearview mirror only to find Max staring back with a smirk. That’s a terrifying sight. “We’re wondering what you got for Steve.”

“I told you that that’s a secret!” Dustin shrieks out.

“A secret to keep from Steve,” El argues back. She definitely has been spending time with Max who high fives her. “So, what did you get him?” El asks with a big grin.

Eddie sighs. “I didn’t get him anything this time.”

It’s as if he told everyone in the car that he’s going to try to open another gate to the upside down by the way they’re all yelling at him. “Jesus H. Christ!” Eddie yells. “I’m taking him somewhere that his secret admirer – that apparently everyone knows about – wants to take him.”

“So, where you want to take him,” Max presses, and Eddie catches Lucas covering a laugh behind his hand when they get to a red light.

Eddie fixes him with a look and says, “Do you want to be the one who breaks it to Steve that his secret admirer doesn’t exist?” He cringes and turns to find the light has turned green. He takes off as a silence settles over the car. “Let’s just... let this little admirer thing die off once he actually meets some girl.”

“What if he starts turning down girls because he’s hoping this thing works out?” Will cuts into the conversation with some logic that Eddie was not prepared to think about.

“Then I’ll develop a person that Steve would never fall for.” So, he will make E.R. entirely like himself. He pulls into the parking lot and gets out of the van before any of them can argue with him.

Luckily, the teens dedicate their time to finding a movie instead of harassing Eddie about Steve. He takes the break to slip Steve a note from E.R. which Eddie tries not to cringe at as he rereads it upside down.

Steve,

I’m glad to hear that I make you smile because it’s my favorite smile in any world. One thing about me is that my brain never stops running, but there’s a place I go to that makes it all stop – and it makes me smile.

I hope you enjoy it as much as I do,

Eddie’s eyes widen as they get to the signature. How did he forget to finish it? He read it over at least a hundred times, but somehow, he didn’t catch it? He looks up at Steve and tries to smooth out his features but finds himself smiling as Steve gestures excitedly to the letter, the silver of the ring Eddie gave him glinting in the light. Eddie’s heart flutters as he realizes he kept it.

“E! I can now eliminate anyone with a double first name like ‘Emma Rose’ or ‘Evan Ray,’” Steve says excitedly. And Eddie’s heart stutters.

Evan Ray... Steve is no longer eliminating guys from his mind.

“You okay?”

Eddie blinks a few times and runs a hand over his face. “Yeah, man. Just... zoned out for a second there.” Steve nods with a soft smile and looks back at the note. Eddie tries not to sigh in relief.

“So,” Steve says awkwardly, running a hand through his hair, “Not to sound greedy or anything, but no gift today?”

Eddie nearly facepalms. He needs to get a grip. Instead, he smiles and asks, “Are you doing anything after your shift?”

Steve shakes his head.

“Prepare, Harrington,” Eddie says with a wink then glances over to the kids who are all staring at him. “Jesus,” Eddie mutters.

Before he can tell them to stop staring, Steve says, “Are you guys getting a tape or just standing around to stare at Eddie.”

“You’re the only one who’s staring,” Max says with a smirk then rushes off with a giggling El to the romance section which has all the boys groaning.

Eddie turns back to Steve and finds him to be a little red. “Careful, you’ll make this E person jealous.”

“Maybe they should be,” Steve says looking a bit too serious for Eddie’s heart to handle.

“Got one!” Dustin yells as he breaks the moment and slams a tape down that causes Steve to go into a lecture about the way he treats the tapes in the shop.

By the end of the rant, the other kids are already dragging Eddie out the door to give them a ride to the Seven Eleven for snacks. Eddie glances over his shoulder and gives Steve a parting help me look. Steve just winks in response which makes Eddie trip over his feet earning him a knowing look from Max. He sighs and prepares himself for the rest of this car ride.

-:-:-:-:-:-

Eddie stares at himself in the rearview as he waits for Steve to end his shift. It’s not a date. It’s not a date. It really isn’t. He’s just taking Steve to his favorite spot – no, E.R.’s favorite spot. Maybe he didn’t think this through. He probably has enough time to get a random gift from the gas station or something.

There’s a knock on the window. Too late.

Eddie reaches over and opens the door for Steve and does his best to act natural. “Hey, man, how’s it hanging?”

Steve turns and gives him a look. Okay, maybe Eddie doesn’t know how to act natural. “Fine?” Steve replies as he tugs his seatbelt on. “Where are we going?”

Right. “Somewhere incredible,” Eddie says with a wide smile then rapidly corrects himself. “Somewhere that your secret admirer showed me.” Which he needs to go to now if he wants to make it in time. He drives off and cranks up his music to calm his nerves and not give Steve a chance to ask him about E.

Gosh, this is such a bad idea.

Eventually, Steve is relaxing into the music and even nodding his head in what Eddie would call a minuscule headbang, but he tries really hard not to think about how attractive he finds it. Soon enough, they’re pulling into Eddie’s favorite spot. Eddie curses under his breath as the sun begins to blind him.

Steve glances over at him and gives him an indecipherable look. Eddie’s eyebrows furrow. “What?”

Steve shakes his head in response and climbs out. Eddie takes a deep breath and reaches behind him to grab two large blankets and pillows. It’s a bit of a struggle getting out of the van, but Steve appears in front of him to grab the pillows out of his hand. He glances at Eddie and gives him a questioning look.

“Follow me,” Eddie says and makes the short trek up the hill and towards his favorite tree where he lays the first blanket out. Luckily it hasn’t rained recently so the ground was fairly dry. He sits down and pats the spot next to him. Steve sits close enough that their arms and legs are pressed together, and Eddie couldn’t shift closer if he wanted to.

But then Steve is shifting forward and leaning away to push a pillow behind him which means their arms are no longer touching. It’s as if Steve can read Eddie’s thoughts because then he shoves a pillow at Eddie for him to use. As Eddie adjusts the pillow Steve comments, “It’s kind of chilly out.”

And what else can Eddie do but drape the blanket over them and huddle closer to Steve – although he’s kind of sweating with how humid it is outside. Steve hums and leans against Eddie and stares out at the view. “I see what they mean about the view,” Steve says.

“Peaceful,” Eddie replies. His heart is racing as the sun begins to set. He turns to Steve and stares at him instead. “Most beautiful view I’ve seen in a long time,” Eddie says without thinking.

Steve turns to Eddie and his eyes widen as he registers what he means. “Yeah?” Steve asks with a big smile.

“That- That’s what they told me to tell you,” Eddie stutters out. Smooth Eddie. Real smooth.

Steve smile slightly falters but then he’s asking, “Can you tell me one thing about them?”

Eddie swallows and looks away. Can he? Before he can answer, Steve continues, “Are they anything like you?”

Eddie takes a deep breath and turns to Steve. “Just like me.”

“I’ll definitely like them then.”

Eddie stares at Steve who quickly looks away. What in the world does that mean? What the-

“Hey, Eddie?”

“Hmm?”

“Tell me something that makes you smile.”

Eddie smiles and automatically replies, “You.” Jesus H. Christ what is wrong with him tonight?

There’s a shift next to him and suddenly Steve’s hand is tracing down his arm under the blanket and latching onto his hand – the metal of their rings brush together. “Thank you,” Steve replies and leans his head against the crook of Eddie’s neck.

Eddie squeezes his hand in response and tilts his head to rest it on top of Steve’s, not trusting himself to answer. He’s in so deep now, and he has no idea how to feel. He knows that Steve is just projecting his romantic feelings for E.R. onto him since they aren’t there, but he is E.R.. Is there a possibility that all this could be real? And if so, would Eddie want that knowing he deceived Steve in the first place.

His heart races as him and Steve continue to watch the sunset in comfortable silence. But Eddie’s head continues to race in the one place it usually doesn’t, so much so that when the sun is finally down, Eddie is whispering. “Steve, I need to tell you. And I’m sorry that it took me so long, but... I’m E.R.. Eddie Robin to be exact. And at first, I thought nothing of it, but as time has gone on I think it’s made me realize I have these feelings for you. Really deep feelings, and I’m sorry that I had to deceive you in order to get here. But here I am. And I’m sorry. But I really do like you. So much, Steve. So much.” He holds him breath and waits for a response.

But there is no answer. So Eddie leans his head back up and glances down to see what Steve’s thinking because there’s no hiding it on his face. But then he notices it. The steady rise and fall of his chest, the lax grip on his hand, the soft snores that are unbearably endearing.

Steve hasn’t heard a single word.

Eddie sighs and gives him a soft kiss on the forehead. It was probably for the best then. He waits a few moments before he slowly shakes Steve awake – not wanting him to think he had been watching him sleep. Steve groans and cracks an eye open at him then he smiles. “Five more minutes?”

Eddie smiles softly and says, “How about we get you home?”

Steve’s arms come up to wrap around Eddie’s torso and bury his head into his chest. “Wanna stay here forever.”

Eddie’s heart thuds. He knows now that he can never tell Steve about this secret admirer stuff because he can’t stand the thought of losing this. Maybe with time he’ll forget about them, and maybe in time Eddie with have the guts to admit his feelings for Steve. For now, he wraps his arms around Steve and helps him up and back to his van.

The drive back is quiet as Steve begins to doze off again. It isn’t late, but Eddie knows that getting Steve to fall asleep can sometimes be a miracle – he holds the world on his shoulder too often.

Eddie helps a half-asleep Steve into his empty house and leaves a note on his bedside table telling him that it was Eddie who got him back safely, and he’s happy to fill in any gaps. He signs it and drives back to his own trailer. He has no idea what to do, but he knows he needs Robin’s help. For now, he needs to figure out how detrimental it is if E.R. doesn’t give Steve something after five days.

Part five

Hello!! I swear I haven't forgotten about this. I've just been busy ahhhh. Sorry tag list for the delay:

@wrenisflying @gobbledy-gluk-gluk @swimmingbirdrunningrock @ghostlyjax @wheatnoodle @yet-still-more-banched @moonshadows-13 @princessstevemunson @adankrivervalleynearyou @manda-panda-monium @brassreign @bornonthesavage @unclewaynemunson @bird-with-pencils @themardlonk @fangirltofangod @csinnamon-fox @mightbeasleep @theysherobinbuckley

@writtenbyancientskeletonhats @nagitoeatsnillacharms73 @duckyreads @hellykelly @glittergluekintsugi @rainydays35 @thatonespacek1d @frankenstein-ate-my-left-shoe @paperbackribs @anaibis @adaydreamaway08 @steviesbicrisis @madaboutmunson2 @goose-on-the-loose @dangdirtydemons @whimsicalwitchm @aftermidnightwriting @toasted-ghosty @queerbeansworld @aryakanojiaa @imhereforthelolzdontyellatme @queerriotgrrrl @iwouldsail @hellomynameismoo @r0semaryyy @hopefulcookieoperatorpersona @pomegranatebb @piningapple @love-kurdt @wallpaper-inside-my-heart @eddiesbabe95 @isaacisunsure @adankrivervalleynearyou @sleepdeprivedflower @gay-little-bitch @ely-seum @tillystealeaves @yes-im-your-mom @ceaselessly-watching @evix-syne666 @sweetharmonychilde @myhorseis-regularsized @homosexual-having-tea @anything-thats-rock-and-roll @henderdads

@spectrum-spectre @phantypurple @britishmysteries @mad-h-w @marivictal @gamerdano @cutiecusp @staninggaycouples @doctorqueensanatomy @virgil-is-a-cutie @sleepy-time @adankrivervalleynearyou @satan-is-obsessed @novelnovella @lottaweirdnameshere @bidisastersworld @justreadingabooksstuff @me-1-2 @shinekocreator @e-dollly @thelittleclare @ajeff855 @estrellami-1 @haluton @hoffmannwrites

#steddie #steddie fanfic #steve harrington #eddie munson #steddie fic #secret admirer #stranger things

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