#those summer outfits have me in a chokehold | Explore Tumblr Posts and Blogs

ashes-writing · 2 years

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wild one pt six | stranger things ; g.emerson

tag list babes || req rules / fandoms+characters || got a req? || masterlist

CHAPTERS ;

one two three four five can all be found by clicking. my stranger things masterlist is here.

AUTHORS NOTES;

This chapter went in four fucking different directions before I finally settled on this one. And I thought it was cute, so.. I had to go for it. I'm gonna try to do even more domestic-y fluff for the next one though so if you're interested.. Also, have lowkey established that the whole 'fight' that did take place on the actual show will probably happen here -aka in this fic, though it'll be wildly different and have different reasons for occurring and the way it looks, there miiiight be a fight leading up to that fight but idk yet. Like I said, this story has put me in a fucking chokehold and I have zero regrets.

Huuuuge hugs and lots of kisses to everyone because you have no idea just how much the interaction / your choice to read -and tolerate my bullshit even encourages me to begin with, I cannot say it enough, you guys are so so so so amazing and I love you so much. All the likes / comments / reblogs / reblogs with tags, ugh.. They always blow me away and I can't properly express how much it means to me.

SUMMARY;

-- cheerleaders and drummers / freaks.. they don't mix.. right?

PAIRING;

Gareth Emerson x Fem!Reader ( beyond vague outfit / hairstyle mentions and having female parts + personality, she's blank. )

WARNINGS;

there aren't really any warnings here. Swearing and that's about it. Just two lil babies being cute / oblivious / slightly awkward.

TAGLIST;

@AURUMBELIS

@ALLELITESMUT

@ARIES-ARCADE

@COLE22ANN

@EBONYBLOOM

@HEYAITSKLAUDIA

@HCLOANGCLS

@HOESHII

@ICEQUEEN1371

@KRYS-ORION

@LETSBEDRAGONSTOGETHER

@LOUDERFORTHEBACK

@MUSICHEALSSCARS

@SECRETSICANTHIDEANYMORE

@SCOOBIESSNACKS

@THECHOICESLOOKGRIMM

@UNTITLEDAREA - these are all the names on my stranger things taglist. if you’d like to be added, please click the link at the top of the post.

OTHER STUFF;

set in the summer before S4, will go through S4 but will not have Upside Down, Vecna, deaths. Starcourt Mall + other things still exist here. Gareth is 18 in this, just so we're all clear.

“Okay, we all know what we’re here for, right? In and out, no bullshit.” Eddie gazes at his three best friends and then briefly back at the giant building behind him in the parking lot that houses Starcourt Mall. He absolutely loathes this place for the most part, but venturing out to it today is a necessary evil.

Gareth isn’t exactly thrilled to be at the mall and blue eyes dart around warily. He tells himself he’s trying not to look for you or anything but it goes without saying, yes. Yes he is.

He knows you’re found here sometimes and it’s been about three days since you babysat his little sisters. Three days since he’s seen you at all and truth be told, it’s made him more than a little irritable. This is something that the three boys standing in a lazy circle with him have all picked up on and have been teasing him about relentlessly.

They’re all heading into the mall when he hears your loud laughter nearby and he stops, mid-walk.

You’re in line at Sbarro’s with El and your stepsister, your best friend Emma and two other girls he recognizes from school.

And you’re wearing another one of those little cropped things and a pair of high waisted jean shorts that almost look as if they’ve been painted on, with rips in sporadic places over the legs. The fact that you’re wearing biker boots with cutoffs has him gulping just like it always does. But none of this is what has him staring, transfixed on you as you stand across the food court. What really gets him is the flannel shirt carelessly tied around your waist. That flannel looks almost exactly identical to one he has sitting tucked away in his closet at home. It just actually has sleeves to it unlike his others.

Grant clears his throat. “Go talk to her.”

“Nah.” Gareth shakes his head. “She’s got people with her.”

“Oh come on.” Eddie’s smirking, he’s taunting just a little, maybe he enjoys pushing Gareth Emerson’s buttons about the crush Gareth tries to turn himself inside out to deny. “It’s literally just Red, Red’s little friend and that crazy chick, Emma.”

“And two of the other girls on the squad. I’ll pass, I’m good.” Gareth answers with a calm glare of warning. But his gaze is on you again not even a second later and he watches as you sit down at a table in the middle of the food court, legs reclined against its edge. You’re laughing, talking with your hands at the same time as Max and every now and then you’ll take a sip out of a cup with the Sbarro branding on its side.

The others have all wandered off to get what they came for. Gareth is on a direct trajectory to the music store because he needs to replace his drumsticks, he broke one during a show at the Hideout earlier in the week. He figures you don’t even see him, so he walks right past.

What he’s not expecting is for you to call out to him as he does it.

He stops in the middle of the area, frozen in place and he doesn’t dare look back.

Max is giggling and she nudges you, nodding to the flannel around your waist. “Y’think he’ll recognize it?”

“I have no idea.” you mumble, staring at Gareth Emerson’s turned back intently. “Is he gonna come over here?” you wonder aloud as you take a long sip from the fountain drink inside your cup and sit the cup on the table.

Your stomach churns a little because this isn’t the pool, this isn’t the park or his house. This is Starcourt Mall. Where people will see him if he talks to you or vice versa and you have just enough time to wonder if maybe being thrust into your path most of the summer hasn’t finally gotten on his nerves. But then just as you’ve convinced yourself that he has no interest in being seen talking to you in public and you’ve turned your attention back to your huge slice of deep dish pizza to take another bite, you hear his throat clear from right behind you. His hand is on the back of your chair.

You pretend not to notice but as you feel his knuckle graze right up against your skin you nearly choke on a pepperoni. “Shit. Wrong pipe!” you cough out, recovering. But you can see Max giving you one of her little looks and a headshake. Gareth is lightly hitting you between your shoulders as he gazes down at you in concern. Which then turns into staring. Blushing like an idiot, he can feel the heat in his face.

And Emma’s giving you a shit-eating grin across the table as she slurps into her straw obnoxiously.

“You okay, little chaos demon?” Gareth asks and he wants to punch himself when the private nickname he’s bestowed upon you when he talks about you to the guys slips out, right there, right in public. And there’s his tone too, a little firm. Concerned. He already wishes he’d just kept walking because he just knows he’s making an entire mess out of this interaction.

You turn back to glance up at him and you’re grinning. It’s that same cute and sweet little grin he saw countless times a few nights ago when you babysat his little sisters and you hung around for an hour after, teaching him how to play poker while he tried to explain the finer points of Dungeons and Dragons to you.

It’s the little smile he’d do literally anything for and sadly, this is a fact that he’s just trying to come to grips with. Because he doesn’t think he’ll ever have you, but he can have the little smiles. Or that damn giggle that’s seared into his mind and has him reacting to it every single time he hears it as if it’s now muscle memory.

He’s distracted, just a little. So distracted that he totally misses you reaching down and pressing something into his hand while giggling. You let your hand linger over his before pulling away, reaching back to pick up your soda and like Em was doing seconds before, you’re blowing bubbles into the drink through your straw as you stare up at him for a second or two.

Gareth is snapped back to reality by your soft laughter as you snap fingers in his face to get his attention. You nod to his closed hand and he looks down. Opening it to reveal two pins and a patch. His face is on fire and he wants to die because he hates the fact that he blushes so goddamn easily, he really does. If he had the confidence that Eddie has. Or one of the douchebags on the basketball team, he thinks to himself, blushing wouldn’t be an issue.

“Thanks.” it’s said in this quiet voice, because he’s stunned and he can’t think of anything else to say.

One of them is a Metallica pin. There’s a Motley Crue pin and a Motorhead patch and you give him that cute little grin again, shrugging as if what you’ve just done in gifting him the pins and patch isn’t a big deal but it is. It’s kind of huge, actually.

Because it hits him like a brick wall. This means you were thinking about him. Him.

Emma keeps staring at the flannel around your waist and smirking at you and you’re giving her pleading looks not to say anything to tip him off because you still can’t believe you actually just had it on, wearing it casually as you cleaned up around the house for his parents so his mom wouldn’t have to the next morning. Or that you managed to forget and grab it when you grabbed your own shirt when you went to leave that night.

To be fair, you’d spilled orange Kool Aid all over the Chicago Bears shirt you’d been wearing over the sports bra that night to begin with and you didn’t really want to run around in the sports bra by itself. And his shirt was sitting right there, on the dryer. Taunting you.

But you should have returned the damn thing and explained the situation and yet, somehow, every time you tell yourself you’re going to do it, you just can’t. And now, it’s been a few days and if you say a thing, if you let on what happened you have absolutely no doubt that things will be awkward.

And they’re already awkward enough, what with your penchant for managing to make an ass of yourself nearly every single time he’s thrown into your path.

Gareth happens to see Emma staring intently at the flannel around your waist and he glances down. It looks almost exactly like the one he has that still has sleeves, the resemblance is so much that he’s standing there and he’s picturing you wandering around his room in only the flannel and little else. And now he’s hard and he’s shuffling his sneakers as he tries to will the situation back under control.

He knows it’s not his flannel, it can’t be.

But if it was, oh god.

He’s not even sure how he’d deal with you wearing his clothes beyond his obvious reaction to only a mental image of that happening.

He’s in a daze and you catch him staring at the flannel shirt around your waist and for just a second or two, you think you’re caught, you worry that you have to be. You’re fidgeting, he’s staring and at one point, Max nudges Em and leans in to her side with El doing the same so she can hear what’s said, “Do they do this a lot?”

“Mhm. Usually when one or the other isn’t looking? Are you two feeling like you can’t breathe right now too? Because holy fuck.. Me.” Emma takes a sip as she glances at the two younger girls, “Y’know.” she teases Max gently, “You’re probably gonna be like.. Her second maid of honor at their wedding one day.”

Max laughs, scoffs about it and Emma shrugs. “Don’t believe me then. I’m telling you. That boy is one of those who probably dates for life.”

“And my stepsister just doesn’t date. I mean, she hasn't since I've known her...” Max insists. Emma laughs. “She would if she thought he liked her though. Said it herself last time we were all out playing hide and seek at night, remember?”

“Well yeah, but..” Max mulls it over and shrugs. El laughs quietly. “I can kind of see it. They’re cute.”

“They need to get a room. The tension is driving me crazy.” April fans herself with the stack of napkins she’d grabbed to eat with her burger when you all sat down.

“Totally, oh my god. I think I’m honestly sexually frustrated on her behalf.” Cass admits, slurping her milkshake. “Think the idiot has realized it’s his shirt around her waist yet?”

“No but it’s so fucking fun watching her squirm about it right now.” April laughs.

“I know!”

“They’re okay, right?” you ask the question as you tilt your head slightly and gaze up at him. Gareth clears his throat and nods, giving you what he hopes is a good smile and not one that looks like he’s trying to chew glass. Now that he’s been made aware of the things his face likes to do on it’s own, he’s afraid to risk it around you, truth be told. But he wants you to know he liked them.

So he chuckles quietly and nods. “Yeah, I uh.. I was actually thinking about getting the patch last time I went in.” he drags a hand through his hair and as the light overhead glints off of his ring, your eye catches on it. You take a sip of your soda and nod.

And then Emma, because she just has to be a shit, she smirks. “Show him what you got yourself, trouble. Do it. I can’t wait to watch Caroline and her merry band of idiots lose their shit when you wear them. Or when I wear my own stuff.”

You’re giggling. Grinning as you dig around in a bag with the music store’s logo on it. You pluck out a black Metallica shirt and a gray Motorhead one, then a white Motley Crue shirt with the logo done in neon colors. “She never should have told me I dress like a grungy little whore?” you shrug and Gareth laughs.

“She actually said that?” Gareth asks, grumbling to himself about her lack of room to talk.

“Mhm. But it’s fine, totally fine. I mean.. I’m not the one who's been parking with every boy on the football team this summer.” you take a sip as you say it.

“She started a war when she said it, just doesn’t realize it yet.” Cass speaks up, glancing from you to Gareth as Emma interjects, “If she thinks for one goddamn second I’m not gonna take her criticism as an excuse to pull out all the stops, she’s lost her mind. Even Cunningham is sick of her and Chrissy tries to love everybody.”

“Damn.” Gareth laughs.

“We all called it. She got co-captain last year and we all had a sleepover that very night and said it was gonna go straight to her massive head.” you muse. Standing and stretching.

‘Hey, trouble.. We’re gonna go down to that arcade they just opened in here. Max owes me a round of air hockey. And Cass and April wanted to go to that lingerie store, see if they have better quality fishnets for the plan….”

Before Max can protest because she wants to stick around and be nosy and El wants to do that too, Emma has both girls and they’re all rushing away, leaving you alone with Gareth in the middle of the food court.

“What plan?” Gareth asks after a second or two of staring at you. You raise up and fluff at his hair and his breath catches and hangs all over again because this makes you brush up against him. Then you’re giggling and shrugging. “Just watch and see.”

“ Do I even want to know?“ Gareth questions as he steps closer and all the space between you is gone. “You won’t like.. Get in trouble, right?”

“Sir, you are aware that I’m on a first name basis with trouble, right?” you laugh and shake your head no. “I'll probably get laps or get bitched at, but that’ll probably be all that comes of it.” you answer, going quiet.

Eddie spots him and starts to make his way over. And knowing that Eddie has a tendency to just say things without thinking, he is not willing to risk Eddie saying anything that might reveal the crush he has on you that he’s trying to ignore and forget.

“I’ll see you around.” Gareth smiles as he says it, nodding in Eddie’s direction. You smile and nod, winking as you play with the collar of his shirt because you’re distracted and staring up at him again like an ass and you can’t seem to keep your hands to yourself, as usual. “Okay. I’ll see you around.” you step away and start to walk off but you stop and call out to him with a laugh as you do, “Hey, kick ass tonight.. At that game thing?”

Gareth grins and nods. “Yeah., at DnD. I will. Don't hitchhike or anything, got it?”

And as you slink away, disappearing into the lingerie store down from the food court, Eddie clears his throat and nods in your direction, smirking at Gareth. “You did it after all. Good.”

“Actually, she kind of stopped me.” Gareth admits.

Eddie’s brow quirks. “Oh?”

“Yeah.”

He chuckles. “I told you, didn’t I? Absolutely no reason to keep fighting it, Emerson. None at all.”

And whether he likes it or not, Eddie’s little statement just won’t leave him alone or be buried this time.

Eddie notices the pins and the patch and takes them, looking at them.

“She uh.. She gave me those.” Gareth admits, dragging his hand over fluffy curls. Eddie’s mouth drops open and then he’s practically howling in laughter. “Oh my god, Emerson.”

“Fuck you, Munson.” Gareth grumbles, glaring up at his friend as he grabs for them to take them back. "Give me those."

“You’re a special kind of clueless, Emerson. A very special kind. Girls don’t just buy things for us, especially y’know, us” he gestures to himself and then Gareth, “the freaks, without a damn good reason. She likes you. I’m telling you, idiot.”

“There’s no fucking way.” Gareth insists.

“Okay, then explain why she’s got the exact same shirt you own tied around her waist right now, roaming this mall as we speak?” Eddie gazes at Gareth calmly, waiting on an answer. “It honestly looks like one of yours, man. I almost asked you when she got her hands on your shirt.”

“It’s not. So what, she has the same flannel.” and he tries again to shrug it off, push everything his best friend is stubbornly suggesting down as deep as it’ll go.

Eddie grumbles, rubbing his hand over his face. “Forget it, reasoning with you is like reasoning with a brick wall.”

#gareth emerson #gareth the great #gareth emerson imagine #gareth emerson fanfiction #gareth emerson x reader #gareth emerson x fem!reader #// just wait.. it's gonna pick up. + more domesticity type stuff ahead.

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toptenthingsihateabouteverything · 1 year

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home

home. a place which many find comfort in. the sigh of relief which escapes most peoples’ lips when the thought of going home crosses their mind. the small packed selection of clothes becoming a form of torture when creating outfits; hangers and a wardrobe becoming a distant memory. the longing for the true comfort of ones home. i however, do not miss my home at all. dont get me wrong, i designed my room to be my own personalised safe haven. yet those four walls which contain physical aspects which resemble those that reside in my mind, have one flaw; that room isn’t the real world. my house is a house within the many houses in my area. this house is located within a mile of my school, where enough trauma happened already. so let me explain my dilemma to you. in poland, at my grandma’s house in małopolska, i am approximately 2000miles away from my house, which in retrospect, i am 2000miles away from my problems. that type of distance can allow a person to not only think about oneself and reflect upon any issue they desire, but it also allows a person to detach from their problems that they left in their faraway home. so with that being said, why the fuck are you still slivering through the cracks into my fucking life only to disturb my peace and wellbeing. when i fucking cut you off and blocked you on everything and ignored you and blocked your friend and unfollowed any of your friends that may cause me to backtrack, it could possibly symbolise me wanting nothing to fucking do with you. not only was your fucking apology halfassed as fuck, NO ONE CHANGES THEIR MORALS AND THEIR BELIEFS WITHIN A SHITTY MONTH. especially after you were fucking HARASSING me for three months with homophobic, xenophobic, sexist, generally sensitive and offensive “jokes”, EVEN when i told you to stop and be nicer or to stop being a fucking dick. you also proceeded to be an a-class dickhead to people i care about. PEOPLE DON’T DO FULL FUCKING 180s IN ONE FUCKING MONTH YOU PIECE OF SHIT. so my question is, what is your motive? what are you planning to do with everything that you’ve been doing these past months? there’s gotta be something because this is some psychopath level shit. are you like fucking obsessed with me or some shit? is this like leading up to you confessing something? why are you randomly apologises in the middle of summer about shit that you are definitely not sorry about? are you ticking people off some list, to get some stupid guilt off your chest? well im sure as fuck not accepting any apology from you because im not giving you any satisfaction of me being just ok with everything that you’ve said and done. i know it hurts you. i know it’s drilling a hole inside your head and eating you alive. i know your thinking about it every day, night, moment where you are left alone with your thoughts. and it will continue hurting and i hope it continues hurting. i wished happiness for you a few days ago. now i hope you feel that pain, i hope you choke on your own tears as you feel the pain becoming so intense that sadness begins pouring out onto your physical attributes. i hope your desperation eats your brain alive. you’re desperate for a relief, a bit of breathing air where you can feel no chokehold of pain. i know this feeling all too well. and i wish you luck trying to get rid of it because i will only make it harder for you. don’t you worry. you want me in your life so badly? ok sure. i will be there every time you feel something remotely happy, as a reminder. i will be the walking talking reminder of what happiness used to be, simply a distant memory. you will regret making my home something i don’t want to go back to. welcome to the end, f.

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wozwaid · 3 years

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Genshin Boys Sleep Habits

requests are always open so go off ig

ALSO I GOT THE VACCINE TODAY POGGG

Kaeya

- contrary to popular belief, he isnt always a little shit

- the only time you get to see a less annoying kaeya is when hes fast asleep

- hes a genuinely respectful sleeper and stays on his side

- even if he isnt sleeping next to someone, he still stays on his designated side (practice maybe?)

- he’s naturally cold so sleeping in bed with him is AWESOME CUZ WHO DOESNT LOVE A COLD BED??? BOTH SIDES OF THE PILLOW ARE COLD TOO ITS AMAZING-

Diluc

- k hear me out

- i dont think he sleeps

- i cant see him wearing pajamas like i refuse to

- he doesnt change out of that leather outfit thingy

- lying down = vulnerable and diluc doesnt like either of those things

- but not in the “sleep is for the weak” sort of way, i think he just kinda forgets

- me too

Chongyun

OEIJAFPEIODKPIO MY BELOVED

- yunnie sleeps on his back

- and he doesnt move a muscle

- like if you saw him sleeping you might think that hes dead

- however during summer... chongyun is a sleep walker

its the funniest god damn thing ive ever seen in my brain

- his positive energy gets triggered by the heat so he stays cold, but its hard in the summer and for once in his life, chongyun gave up

- he walks around liyue at night and throws salt at people trying to exercise (spelling?) them

- he almost got into a fight with hu tao when he was sleep walking cuz she tried to wake him up

BIG. MISTAKE. never wake up a sleep walker

- the reason i said “almost” was because he tried to swing at her with his claymore but he didnt have it so he was just spinning in circles until he passed out.

Xiao

- voluntary insomniac

- “you can die from lack of sleep? lol ok bet”

in another lifeee

- i mean he says he doesnt sleep cuz he doesnt need to but lets be honest: the bags under his eyes are heavier than his emotional baggage

- i feel like he would sleep standing up

- or with his eyes open

- OR BOTH

- maybe xiao is just constantly asleep and we just dont know it

- he isnt a sleep walker, he just likes killing things so much that he can LITERALLY do it in his sleep.

catboy xiao

Albedo

- isnt he like... clay?

- i dont fucking know

Tar-Tar-taglia

- little. shit.

- he takes up the entire fucking bed

- and hes AWARE OF IT

- its not even a romantic thing where he could go “aw you can lie on top of me or something!”

- no. he jumps in the middle of the bed and stares at you with that look you get from 3 year olds when theyre about to do something that they know annoys u

- he sleep kicks too

- and sleep talks

- i feel like he leaks sometimes

wow that didnt make sense idk im on meds cuz im incredibly sore rn

- hes a cuddler but not hte good kind

- its not even cuddling its like hes putting you in a chokehold

anyways fuck you ed sheeran

k my arm hurts and i cant think or type anymore gn send requests for what u want me to write next

#genshin impact #genshin impact x reader #chongyun x reader #kaeya x reader #albedo x reader #xiao x reader #tartaglia x reader #childe x reader

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magicalforcesau · 3 years

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Dancing With Ghosts in Your Garden~ Chapter 12 - Year 2: Summer

(ao3 link)

He was coming.

Dressed all in black and poised as a knight in glimmering darkness would be. His power was overwhelming: unforeseen before this day and age and nearly unstoppable. Nothing in his path would be saved.

Friends, foes, strangers… All of them dead and not to the passion of yellow eyes of hatred, but hopeless and never-ending black lenses.

He would be their undoing.

“If you are not with me… You are my enemy.”

He snapped into full consciousness.

Other screams echoed down the hall from him, residual aftershocks from a recent admin to the highest security level of Azkaban. It was here that only the most vile prisoners existed- those that committed such atrocities that deemed them unworthy of ever seeing light ever again- not even by the means of a small window.

This, he concluded, was wise, because no space would be too small for him to worm his way through.

The dementors were coming.

What could they take from someone who never had anything?

Glowing yellow eyes bore into the wall across his cell, finding their focal point in a small newspaper cutout that billowed slightly in the ever-present wind that consistently raged through the prison. Over the ticking years of his capture, he learned that it was wise to always maintain focus- lest the physicality of the drains become too consuming. That was never to say it was pleasant, but he prided himself in never requiring positivity or happiness to thrive.

Unlike many of the bottom-dwellers that filled the triangular structure in the middle of the North Sea, he knew he had a purpose.

And that purpose had always been to stay hungry; so mind-numbingly starved that it was impossible to satisfy his appetite. He thrived in the sort of lust that was always searching, but never fulfilled in true. That was the mind of the hunter.

The impenetrable gate to his cell swung open, yet he remained seated patiently with crossed legs on the floor- back to his enemies- as he always did. He used to fight, because that’s what the hunter did: they fought. However, extended torture offered him something convenient: it offered him the perspective of the prey.

He never had anything to give the dementors- no happiness or positivity of his own, leaving them often dry and unsatisfied from their routine visits to his block. This time, as the writhing flow of darkness and despair filled the space of his soul, finding corners and pockets once inhabited, he had to fight back a smile.

His imprisoners would call him crazy- driven to the brink at their own hand- and would laugh merrily at the mere thought of it, because he deserved what he got. But he knew above all else that they were fools for not killing him dead in the first place. Instead, they allowed his search of purpose to fester in the obscurity until grasping it with unyielding fingers.

He dropped to the ground unceremoniously, gasping for breath and keeping his head down. He could get up. He could fight, but he learned something about hunger over his capture and that was the control of keeping it at bay.

Their time would come.

His skin itched at the blissful thought of ripping them apart.

After the shrouded floating embodiments of torture drifted down the hall to a more promising victim, he lifted his head to gaze up at that singular picture on his wall.

A boy smiled widely with a fluttering owl on his shoulder- full of life… hope… destiny. It was the picturesque sort of Daily Prophet image that foolish readers ate up in efforts to forget about the perils of their world.

This boy was the one to fulfil the great ambitions of the Sith, to bring Salazar Slytherin’s true vision into place with complete superiority. It seemed impossible to see in such youth, but he didn’t doubt his master’s foresight for one moment. Sidious was always operating several steps ahead of everyone else. He had once believed that he was to be a crucial part of Sidious’ plans, but was cast aside like a worthless sea urchin.

His stomach growled and he rose to his feet.

“You should have killed me, master.” He said softly, never taking his eyes off the picture, feeling that pleasant swell of burning hatred coursing through his veins. It was so overwhelming that he almost laughed, but such a display would draw attention that he could not risk.

He never had his own happiness, but was always ravenous for someone else’s. And with that, his purpose was renewed.

He would take and take until there was nothing left of his master’s plan- until there was nothing left of this boy.

Anakin Skywalker would soon find that Maul was not unlike a dementor.

***

It was an uncharacteristically sunny day as young Anakin Skywalker raced across the street. Several paces back was his mother who managed to grab his arm and pull him back just in time to save him from an oncoming bicycle.

“Anakin, be careful,” She chided, guiding him rather purposely onto the sidewalk.

“I had it under control!” Anakin declared although his heart was still beating a little too fast. After all, Anakin and his mother weren’t normal pedestrians, they were wizards. What’s the worst that could happen to someone like them? Anakin may not know many spells yet, as he was only about to begin his second year. However, when he looked up at the faded sign dangling haphazardly above them, he knew where he could find much more skilled magic users if something were to happen.

“I’m beginning to wonder if I should accompany you after all,” His mother was looking down at him with concern.

“No, no! I’m old enough!” He stood a little straighter, maybe leaned forward on the tips of his toes a bit, “I’m already 12! All I have to get is a bunch of new books anyways, not like last time,” He bounced a little bit, eager at just the thought of what other sorts of wizard things he might get a chance to look at unsupervised, “And if anyone knows where to buy books, Obi-Wan does.”

“Well alright dear,” Shmi smiled as he staggered a little. She ran her fingers through his hair, likely trying to flatten it down as it was always rather unruly, “I suppose when I was your age I was allowed to traverse Diagon Alley by myself,” Anakin gazed up at her with curious eyes. His mother still never spoke much of her own time in the wizarding world, “I hope this doesn’t mean you’re too old for your dear mother,” He shook his head frantically, hugging her tightly around the waist.

“I’ll never be too old for you!” He admonished and she laughed, pressing a kiss to the top of his head.

“Off you go, Ani,” His mother sighed, but when he pulled away, she was giving him a firm look, “It would hardly be proper for you to be late,” He nodded in excitement before pulling open the door to the pub, but not without one last wave back.

The inside of the Leaky Cauldron was just as dim as last time. However, this time he felt a few pairs of eyes flicker towards him, whispers he couldn’t quite make out hung in the air. He wasn’t sure if they would be talking about how he was part of the group of students to oust Dooku, or about his status as the chosen one.

Either way he puffed his chest a little bit and walked through the room like he’d been there hundreds of times before. He tapped into the bricks in the back just as he’d practiced a dozen times before in his room and the wall melted before him. Bricks turned and fell until there was a good-sized hole in the wall. His mum had insisted they walk there, as Floo Powder was a luxury and she said she only kept some for emergencies. It didn’t bother Anakin as he was completely fine with reliving the charming experience that he’d first witnessed last year.

Not much had changed about Diagon Alley and he doubted it ever really did, like a time capsule. Older witches and wizards still walked around in ridiculous outfits while the young wore muggle clothes to seem more inconspicuous or school robes to break them in. Anakin had grown a little bit and was probably due to exchange his old robe for one of a bigger size, though his mother was sure he’d grow out of it again by the end of the year. Perhaps he could learn a spell to make clothes bigger, that would surely impress her.

“Anakin!” He turned and saw Rex Fett waving at him from in front of a little red shop on the right.

“Rex!” He ran over quickly and found himself in a chokehold alongside his best friend.

“There’s my star beater,” Cody greeted him before dropping the both of them, “I hope you’ve still got it because I’ve spent all summer planning the perfect comeback for Gryffindor!”

“That and running me ragged,” Rex complained, but he was grinning as he turned to Anakin in excitement, “Dad gave me money for my own broom!”

“That’s great!” Anakin, though happy for his friend, felt a little green with envy as he thought about the dusty old brooms at Hogwarts.

“I can’t wait to try out for the team, then we can beat the other houses together!”

“Sounds great!” Anakin nodded, “Do you-”

Before he could continue the wall to Diagon Alley opened again. Satine tucked her wand in her hair when her eyes landed on their little trio.

“Satine!” Cody pushed past the younger boys to crush his friend in a hug.

“Already visited the Quidditch store I see?” She smiled glancing around, “Ben’s not here yet?”

“Gotta make sure I’m up to date on all the new gear,” Cody stated as if he ever wouldn’t be, “Not yet, but I’m sure he’s just caught in Floo Powder traffic or something,” Anakin opened his mouth to ask about how such a thing would work anyways when something caught his eye. Turning, he watched as a shopkeeper pulled down the old broom displayed in the window.

“Oh no way,” Rex’s eyes lit up, “They weren’t supposed to come out with a new model until spring!”

“What’s this one?” Anakin followed Rex up to the window.

“Oh!” Cody pressed close to the glass, “This handle shape can really only mean it’s a Randolph Spudmore!” Rex nodded and Anakin looked at them in exasperation.

“Am I supposed to know what that means?” He gazed down the length of the broom, it certainly looked impressive either way, but just what sort of differences could there really be between brooms.

“It has to be the Firebolt Supreme,” Cody gushed, “Rumored to fly up to 200 miles per hour, much faster than its predecessor, non-slip grip and impressive ironwork!”

“The Bulgarian Quidditch team already stated they wanted some before they were even announced,” Rex told him, “It’s supposed to be the smoothest broom experience ever, a potential game changer.”

“Wow,” Anakin felt like he was seeing the thing in an all new light, if this broom was that impressive it definitely felt like something he would love to ride, “Rex you should get this one!” Rex gave a startled laugh and looked at him like he’d grown antlers.

“This broom is going to cost an arm and a leg,” Rex shook his head, “No way that’s affordable for a school-aged kid.”

“I wish,” Cody said longingly, “Still, we’ll get ya something worth riding, Rexy. Maybe last year's Cleansweep model, or a Starsweeper. I’m quite partial to the Thunderbolt line myself.”

“Cody, you have a Comet 295,” Rex crossed his arms.

“Obsolete!” Cody waved a dismissive hand, “We gotta get you a broom that’ll last mate, they don’t grow on trees after all.”

“Well, they are made of wood,” Anakin pointed out and Rex laughed.

“Maybe we should make our own,” He suggested much to Cody’s look of annoyance, “It could be revolutionary.”

“Yeah ‘cause the next best broom is really gonna come from a couple 2nd years who barely know how to charm a teacup,” Cody huffed, “Broom making is an art-”

“We could call it the Skywalker,” Anakin continued for Rex, “Who knows, I am supposed to be all powerful, that might include making my own super broom.”

“Right mate,” Rex rolled his eyes.

“Where’s Obi-Wan when you need him,” Anakin gazed back at the Firebolt Supreme, “He’s rich, maybe he’s taking requests for Christmas presents.”

“Yeah, your Christmas present for the rest of your life maybe,” Cody crossed his arms, “In case you’ve forgotten he already had to get a new broom himself last year.”

“What’d he pick anyways?” Anakin asked.

“Nimbus line, 2005” Cody answered with a shrug, “He’s always had a Nimbus, figured he wouldn’t want to try anything else.”

They turned back to oogle the broom once more before sighing.

“I suppose we should save the fun shopping for last,” Rex lamented pulling the same list Anakin had received in the mail out of his pocket.

“Boo,” Cody complained, “But alright, why don’t you two run along and I’ll go hunt down my missing friends,” Anakin looked up to see that Satine was nowhere in sight. Perhaps she’d gone off in search of Obi-Wan in lieu of talking brooms. Anakin couldn’t really bring himself to care much about it, they’d surely all run into each other again.

***

“Diagon Alley,” Obi-Wan spoke in a firm, clear voice. Loud enough for the green flames before him to teleport him to his location, but soft enough that they wouldn’t echo throughout Kenobi mansion. His parents wouldn’t be too pleased if he interrupted them with his departure. The Floo network was second nature to him at this point in his life, although Satine, who had only gotten to try it once or twice, claimed it to be an odd out of body experience.

Obi-Wan deftly stepped out from the fireplace. Peering around, it seemed he had landed himself in the robes shop. Nodding towards the wizards measuring students for their new robes, he dusted himself off and stepped out on the cobblestone street. Despite what many would assume, he didn’t spend a great deal of time in Diagon Alley. There were other wizarding areas his mother used to take him shopping at, and it was really only once or twice a year he was able to come to Diagon Alley on his own account. It was such a great coincidence that he managed to plan such a trip when his friends would be there. Though he supposed his parents would be interested to hear that he met Anakin on his day out.

“There you are,” His heart leapt in his chest as he turned. It was Satine as expected, but there was something a little bit more elegant about her. Gone was any lankiness or lingering awkwardness, instead she looked exceptionally radiant in a way he hadn’t seen prior. It was rare indeed that he saw her dressed down to a casual muggle look and he tried desperately not to stare.

“Satine, it’s-”

“You’ve got a little something there,” She leaned into his personal bubble with practiced ease and scrubbed at his nose with her thumb, “Really now,” She stepped back as if admiring her work, “I’m disappointed that even someone as prim as you can’t manage the Floo Network without getting soot stained.”

“Prim? I think not,” He crossed his arms, “At least I know it’s best not to store my wand so haphazardly.”

“Really you don’t think it suits me?” She tipped her head to the side and he frowned.

“What suits you best is your head still attached to your shoulders,” Though the light brown shade of her wand did look rather beautiful in contrast to her blonde waves.

“Have you no faith of my magical control?” She countered.

“Even the most talented witch could accidentally cast a spell,” He chastised.

“Good to see you again too,” She rolled her eyes and tugged him gently by the arm as they started moving further down Diagon Alley.

“How’s your summer been?” He asked her, eager to hear what sorts of fun muggle activities she’d been privy to.

“Bo was off to camp again,” She shrugged when he winced, “Left a lot of time for me to catch up on my readings I suppose.”

“Did we not finish the summer’s readings prior to leaving Hogwarts?” He asked and she nodded.

“I’m talking about muggle readings,” She explained, “You know our dusty old wizard school can only teach us so much. I want to keep track of a little science knowledge, biology, and a little chemistry at least,” Such things Obi-Wan wasn’t privy to knowing about, but he committed to memory to ask her a million questions about it on the train.

“Surely you did more than just read over the summer?” Obi-Wan prompted and she glanced at him.

“That’s rather rich coming from you,” And he knew this would be the most she referenced his own summer vacation.

“I’m only curious,” He grinned innocently, “If you’d rather tell me about biology, I’m all ears,” Her cheeks had gone a little red for some reason. He hoped they weren’t walking too fast.

“I did go on a short holiday with my mum,” She shrugged, “Nothing fancy just down to Brighton for the beaches,” She studied him a moment before nodding and continuing, “You would have liked it I’m sure, there were lots of quaint, little stores.”

“I’d love to see such a sight,” He was sure of it, even if he had no real visual to what Satine was talking about.

“There was this tall observation tower,” She tried to explain, “You ride an elevator up and can see 360 degrees. It feels like you can see for miles,” He nodded trying to figure out what such a structure would look like.

“Fascinating!” She looked at him with a small smile.

“Perhaps one day we could go together?” She suggested and Obi-Wan grinned at the thought.

“That would be rather wonderful. I’d love to travel.”

“But you’ve travelled,” Satine easily put him under scrutiny.

“A few times yes, but never anywhere really new,” He shrugged, “Wizarding towns are very similar, you know,” She nodded slowly, before looking into a shop window with not very well disguised disgust.

“What the bloody hell do wizards need an entire store revolving around jellied eels for?” She wrinkled her nose and he couldn’t help but laugh at her expression.

“An eel can be a delicacy, my dear,” Obi-Wan gestured towards a rather offending pie in the window, “Surely you’ve had a meat pie?”

“I’m not so sheltered,” Though she looked a little green as she stared into the beady dead eyes of the eels, “Though I’m pretty sure this is a crime against food.”

“You could say that,” A newcomer came up behind them and Obi-Wan turned with a smile.

“I thought you’d eat near anything, Cody,” He greeted and Cody shook his head.

“I don’t like the way they’re looking at me,” He grimaced, “Have you ever eaten them?”

“I have,” He admitted and both of his friends took a step away from him, “Hey! No need to act like I’ve committed some crime.”

“I dunno mate,” Cody looked towards Satine.

“It should be,” Satine looked at him like he was some poor ill cat, “We’ll get you some real food one day.”

“I believe I’ve had plenty of real food,” He crossed his arms and Cody and Satine both shook their heads much to his chagrin.

“Eating the Great Hall out of sweets doesn’t really count.”

***

“Alright now we just have to find copies of the Standard Book of Spells, Grade 2,” Rex read off his list as Anakin juggled two stacks of books.

“We’re going to spend all this money on books we won’t even want to read,” Anakin complained as he tripped over his own feet and the books went sliding across the floor.

“Bloody hell,” Rex sighed, bending down to help Anakin pick them up.

“Hey what’s this?” Anakin picked up a faded and incredibly yellowed journal-styled book. Rex took it from him and inspected the front and back and then flipped through the pages.

“Doesn’t look like much, mate,” He shrugged, “It’s likely a magilingist’s journal,” At Anakin’s confused look he clarified as he tucked the book back into a shelf at random, “They travel around studying other languages of magic. There’s not much of a market for it, but there are usually a few copies created.”

“So there are different types of magic?” Anakin asked as he stood again, this time letting Rex carry his own stack.

“Yes and no,” Rex clarified, “There are debates about it, but all magic seems to connect at its core. There are different ways to use magic however. England sure isn’t the only country with magic.”

“So are there other magic schools?” Anakin asked as Rex beelined towards the charm’s textbooks.

“Yeah, Hogwarts has been known to do events with some of the European schools like Beauxbaton, which is in France,” Rex answered as he dropped the rather heavy grade 2 textbook into Anakin’s unexpecting arms.

“Oof!” Anakin wavered, but managed not to drop the books again, “Does the French school learn different spells then? Are they all in French?”

“I think they're Latin based like us,” Rex shrugged around his books, “If you’re so interested maybe you should buy that journal.”

“More reading? No thanks!” Anakin laughed, “I want to save any extra sickles for some sweets from Sugarplum’s.”

“Maybe save it for the trolley witch,” Rex suggested, “It’s a long train ride.”

***

“Ben, is this any good?” Satine held up what she could only assume to be some sort of Wizard romance novel.

“Do you really expect me to have read all these books already?” He asked her exasperated, but still he looked at the cover and cringed, “Get this one instead,” He pulled a different book from above his head and handed it down to her. It seemed to be a romance between a wizard and a mermaid if the cover art was to be trusted.

“It’s bad enough we have to buy textbooks,” Cody complained as he leaned against the shelf between them, “But why must we shop for additional books?”

“Because-” Satine began, but Cody didn’t even let her finish before groaning dramatically and sinking to the floor.

“Ok, ok! I know! But why am I here?” Satine looked down at him and tapped him lightly on the head with the novel.

“Because, we need someone who can reach the top shelf and it certainly isn’t going to be Ben.”

“Excuse me, I can reach!” Ben was looking at her with a rather offended expression, but there was something about his disposition that made her laugh. Maybe it was because he looked like the youngest professor ever with his sweater vest and slacks combo.

“You’re hardly going to be as tall as Qui-Gon,” She shrugged.

“Maybe I will!” He yanked out a book with more force than was necessary and almost stumbled backwards, “I’m certainly taller than you!”

“Yes, and?” Satine raised an eyebrow, “You’re still shorter than Cody.”

“Magic!” Ben spat out suddenly, “We’re wizards, we can use magic to reach the top shelf.”

“That’s a fair point actually,” Cody perked up, “So I’ll just leave and-”

“Don’t you dare,” Satine pointed a finger at him, “We’re almost done here. I don’t want to hunt you down again.”

“Hunt me down? You’re the one who left me to find him,” Cody jabbed a thumb at Ben.

“I didn’t want him to get lost!” Satine tried, her cheeks felt a little too warm so she turned swiftly and pulled another book at random.

“I’m certain, Mr. Pureblood here, is not about to get lost in Diagon Alley,” Cody teased.

“Certainly not,” Ben sided with Cody.

“Ok we’re done here,” Satine set off towards the register, “I’m in need of a butterbeer before we meet up with Anakin and Rex.”

“Why on earth would she think I’d be lost?” She overheard Ben murmur to Cody and she felt her cheeks practically glow as Cody responded.

“She didn’t, she just missed you,” Cody chuckled.

It took little time to check out and then books were deposited in their respective bags, all enchanted to hold many things and weigh almost nothing. The sun was edging towards late afternoon, but still shone brightly off the silver barrel of the butterbeer store.

“Oh, Satine look,” Ben pointed out with a smile, “I’ve never really noticed that it’s referencing the Fountain of Fair Fortune, just like our Halloween ensemble,” Satine was caught up in his expression and the sound of her rapidly beating heart. She found herself unable to respond for a couple seconds.

“Ah, yes, I- I’ve not noticed that before either,” She hid the stumble in her speech with a cough.

“It’s a much better connotation now,” Ben said and she felt Cody’s eyes flick between the two of them, “Since I know the real story.”

“Yes, no muggle murder here,” Satine tried to give him a smile rather than choke on her memories of that night.

“Quite excellent,” He pondered the sign once more, “Let’s go in shall we?”

***

“You got Butterbeer without us?” Rex was much more offended than Anakin, though he craved trying the famed drink.

“You weren’t around,” Cody shrugged as he drank the last bit of his before Rex could yank it from his hands.

“It’s still a little sweeter than I expect,” Satine commented, “I’m surprised every time.”

“It’s wonderful,” Obi-Wan looked extremely pleased at the thought, his own glass sat empty in front of him.

“That’s because of your incessant sweet tooth,” Satine complained though she slid the last bit of hers over to him anyways.

“There’s still time don’t you think?” Rex pleaded, “Can’t I get one to go?”

“Sorry little bro,” Cody shrugged, “Hevy expects us back in about 5 minutes and if we’re not there you know he’ll come searching. Plus we gotta stop by Quality Quidditch Supplies on the way out.”

“I must be off too,” Obi-Wan lamented. He finished off Satine’s drink as she watched him just a little too closely, “My parents do expect me to be home for dinner.”

“Don’t worry, Rex,” Anakin whispered, though maybe a little too loudly, “We’ll find a way when we get to school.”

“I rather hope you’re not planning to sneak into Hogsmeade in front of two prefects,” Obi-Wan frowned. Yes, he’d definitely whispered too loudly.

“Of course not, Obi-Wan,” Anakin gave him a very serious look, “I’d never break the rules.”

“That’s the worst lie I’ve ever heard,” Cody laughed before standing up, “Well, Kenobi, Satine, I’ll see you lot on the train.”

“Likewise,” Obi-Wan stood nodding to Cody and Satine, before sticking Anakin with a stare, “Do be on time.”

“I’m not going to miss the train Obi-Wan,” Anakin rolled his eyes.

“See ya, Anakin!” Rex waved as they departed leaving Anakin alone with Satine.

“I suppose we should head out as well,” Satine nodded towards the wall as she stood.

“This place is so cool,” Anakin took one last look around, “I almost never want to leave!”

“I had the same feeling coming here the first few times,” A nostalgic look fell across her face, “I suppose in a way that feeling never leaves. It’s not the same way of seeing things as Ben or the Clones.”

Even if Anakin had grown up with such sights, he wasn’t sure he’d ever run out of things to look at. Still he watched the wall fall closed behind him with a sigh and followed Satine through the Leaky Cauldron. The customer base seemed to be growing as it reached sundown, but they paid him little mind, more interested in their drinks this go around.

“Ani,” His mum waved at him from the street corner just outside of the door. He ran to her with a smile, “Did you get all your things?” He nodded.

“Yep, I’m ready to go!” Grabbing his mum’s hand they set off.

#the clone wars #anakin skywalker #obi-wan kenobi #obitine #anidala #star wars #harry potter au #magical forces au #YEAR 2 BABY!!!!

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ashes-writing · 2 years

Text

wild one pt seven | stranger things ; g.emerson

tag list babes || req rules / fandoms+characters || got a req? || masterlist

CHAPTERS ;

one two three four five six can be found by clicking. stranger things masterlist is here -be warned, it's a clusterfuck rn.

AUTHORS NOTES;

This story still has me in a chokehold.

So... I'm thinking two of you miiight maaaybe possibly...be a little happy with what happens in this part. Honestly, they needed to take a huge leap because summer doesn't last forever y'know. I'm gonna give a shoutout to @pin-down-rainbow and @50shadesofjayden because your comments kind of inspired the huge long winded thing that came to me this time and I love you both for it.

Huge thanks to everybody putting up with -and indulging, my bullshit thus far. The interactions have given me life and they've been keeping me inspire and you don't know how much everything, from likes to comments t reblogs with tags and reblogs they mean the world to me and you guys just have me mind blown rn.

SUMMARY;

-- cheerleaders and drummers aren't supposed to mix. but maybe sometimes, they do.

PAIRING;

Gareth Emerson x Fem!Reader (female parts, personality / outfit descriptions, is a blank slate beyond these things. Or as blank as I could get. I'm still learning this.)

WARNINGS;

swearing, jocks -they are the warning, teenage girls doing dumb things (climbing a water tower to sit and stargaze), more swearing, uh... certain kinks are hinted at if you squint (sir / dominance /etc), meddling stepsisters with loud voices, teeeniest hint of will byers lil crush on mikey boy but it's not integral, that's kind of everything.

TAGLIST;

@littlestarfighter03

TAGLIST;

@AURUMBELIS

@ALLELITESMUT

@ARIES-ARCADE

@COLE22ANN

@ebonybloom

@HEYAITSKLAUDIA

@HCLOANGCLS

@hoeshii

@hotgirlsshareaccounts

@ICEQUEEN1371

@KRYS-ORION

@LETSBEDRAGONSTOGETHER

@LOUDERFORTHEBACK

@MUSICHEALSSCARS

@SECRETSICANTHIDEANYMORE

@SCOOBIESSNACKS

@THECHOICESLOOKGRIMM

@UNTITLEDAREA - these are all the names on my stranger things taglist. if you’d like to be added, please click the link at the top of the post.

OTHER STUFF;

Set in S4 -with none of the Upside Down monsters / Vecna and past instances of the Upside down or deaths. Slice of life kinda stuff, ya know? Gareth is aged up to 18 here. JSYK.

Timeline here is half one night, the rest of the chapter the next day.

“Ugh, I know, I knowwww.” you laugh and tip your head back, gazing up at the twinkling stars overhead. The sleeves of his flannel shirt just manage to graze your fingertips and there’s a distinct chill in the air tonight that subtly tells you the end of summer is coming.

As the breeze picks up just a little, you hug into the flannel shirt and reach out to the little case of sodas sitting between you and Emma. “I know I need to give this back I just…” you laugh and fidget with the sleeve of the flannel a little as you add in a quieter tone, “I can’t, okay? I’ve tried, oh my god. But then I panic. Or I smell him on me because I’m wearin it and my brain shuts down.” you fall back against metal scaffolding and dramatically throw your hand up to your forehead. “What the fuck is wrong with me, Em?”

“You’re a romantic. And,” Emma pauses to take a sip from her own glass soda bottle, “You’re also a chickenshit. And those two things don’t play well together.”

You flip her off and pull yourself to your feet, leaning out over the rail around the water tower’s scaffolding to peer down at the ground below. “Wow. This is really fucking high when you stop to think about it.” you muse, pulling yourself back. Emma nods to a familiar cream colored K5 as it parks. “Chief is here.”

From the ground, Jim Hopper grumbles to himself and cups his hands around his mouth to holler up to the two of you, “Ladies… How many times are we gonna go through this, huh? Water tower’s not safe to climb up and sit on. Can’t ya have your fuckin smoke breaks on the ground? Where it’s safe?”

“Sorry, Hop!”

“Sorry! We’ll come down!” you call out. The two of you gather your cigarettes and sodas and start to carefully make your way back down the ladder. You skip the bottom two rungs on the steel ladder and laugh, gazing up at the older man.

“You give your dad every single one of his grays, don’tcha?” Hopper’s joking, of course. You shrug and laugh quietly. “I mean I’m not tryin to, sir.”

“Don’t let her lie! She lives for chaos.”

“Okay, well.. I’ve gotta get home to the wife. Stop climbing the damn tower, girls. I mean it. You scare Ms. Rosen shitless every single time she looks out and sees it, okay?” Hopper uses his firmest tone and it… Doesn’t have the effect that a similar one when used by a certain Corroded Coffin drummer always has.

You giggle upon the realization, your hand flying up to your mouth because you’re gaping about it.

“What the hell is wrong with you, woman?”

You laugh and shrug. “I was just thinking.”

– ( Gareth’s garage )

It doesn’t register until much later what you called him hours before. But when it does, he fumbles his drumsticks mid-twirl and they hit the concrete with a loud clatter. The missed beat prompts Eddie to sit down his guitar and chuckle, gazing his way patiently. “You gonna be okay, Gare?”

“Fuck.” Gareth mutters, his mind looping what you called him on repeat. Distracted. “Fuck.” is uttered in a quieter and more thoughtful tone as soon as Gareth begins to realize that he liked it. He liked it a lot more than he probably should, truth be told. Just thinking about it now, hours after the fact, it has him straining hard against the black denim he’s wearing. Gareth shifts around on the stool seated behind his drum kit and drags his hand through thick curls. “Just give me a minute, alright? Shit.”

Jeff and Grant exchange puzzled looks and Eddie, determined to get to the bottom of whatever’s going on with his drummer, clears his throat. “Wanna share with the rest of us, maybe?”

“I’m gonna uh.. Smoke.” Gareth snatches up his cigarettes and either Jeff or Eddie’s lighter and he rushes out of the garage, sitting on the concrete in front of it.

“Fuck it. Smoke break, guys?” Eddie asks the other two.

“Yeah.”

“Yeah, definitely.”

The three remaining members of Corroded Coffin file out of the garage.

“Okay, spit it out, Gare.”

“Yeah.”

“Just tell us already.”

Gareth takes a drag and shakes his head no. “Yeah, not happening. You assholes give me enough shit already.”

“We won’t.”

“I swear.”

“On Ozzy, man. Just tell us. I’ll beg, dude.” Eddie moves like he’ll grab hold of Gareth’s outstretched leg and goes to lie on the concrete and Gareth backs up a little, laughing and rolling his eyes. “Fine.” he laughs. “It’s dumb.”

After taking a deep breath, he says it fast. In a rush that has his three best friends trying to figure out what he said until Eddie gets him to repeat it. Gareth repeats it with a laugh. “I just realized she called me something earlier, okay? And it’s weird, like.. Fuck.” he shifts the way he’s sitting and takes a very deep breath before puffing the cigarette again, exhaling shaky a few seconds later as he stares up at the sky, “She called me sir. And now I can’t stop fucking thinking about it.”

The three of them try not to laugh, they really do, but Eddie is the first one to crack, his boisterous laugh echoing off the night as he clutches his side. Jeff is almost crying as he nudges Gareth and wheezes out, “Oh hell, you really do have it bad, buddy. It’s baaad.”

Grant is the slower of the three to catch on but when he does, he grins and his laughter immediately worsens. “Holy shit, man. I mean, I suppose I can’t blame you for missing an entire section of beats now, that’s.. Whew.” he fans himself with his t-shirt and raises a beefy arm to rub across his forehead.

“Fuck you. All of you. Now all I’m thinking about is how fuckin flustered I’m gonna be when I’m around her. Fuck!” Gareth thumps the cigarette out into the road and leans back on his elbows, laughing a little at himself. “It was so fucking hot though.”

“Okay, alright.”

“Do not… go any further with that.”

“Yeah, how about we just push this conversation into a bottle and throw it in the ocean, buddy?” Jeff snorts in laughter.

“I always kind of thought you were a kinky little shit, Emerson.” Eddie loops an arm around his friend lazily and Gareth glares, flipping him off as he nudges the arm right back down. “Oh hahafuckyouhaha.” he laughs quietly.

An engine’s roar up at the corner of the street catches their attention and as the red Trans Am whizzes past, Gareth rubs a hand over his face and nods to it. “She drives like she’s got a thousand goddamn lives to spare. I thought Eddie couldn’t fucking drive. Like… she’s my girl but she can’t drive. At all.”

“Hey, asshole.”

“What? It’s true! I wanna kiss the fucking ground every time I get outta your van.” Gareth shrugs as he says it, laughing.

“He’s not lying, Munson.” Grant laughs, ducking away from Eddie.

“Fuck both of y’.” Eddie flips them off, laughing. Thumping his own cigarette out into the street. The Trans Am whizzes past again, the faintest sound of Ace of Spades by Motorhead floating out the car’s interior as it passes.

–(next day, at Hawkins Pool)

You’re easy to spot, the flannel over your new red and white striped bikini stands out amongst all of the other people walking around in various states of undress. You’re leaning against the vending machine and you’re talking to Emma and Chrissy Cunningham.

Gareth is still thinking about the day before.

And the fact that you’re wearing a flannel almost exactly like one he owns, yet again.

It’s a lot. Frankly, his mind is blown.

And his friends keep telling him to just go for it. They do have a damn good point, this is senior year, if he doesn’t go for it now, when?

And he’s so damn tired of reigning in his own feelings.

Across the pool, Max and Eleven are talking quietly.

“Do you think she’ll actually give him his shirt back today?”

“Considering she went the long way home to drop Emma off last night just to do that and still came back wearing it, I doubt it, El.” Max laughs and shakes her head, raising to a sitting position. She nudges Will and Will lowers his battered copy of The Shining to look at her. “Sunscreen, Byers.”

Will passes her the bottle of sunscreen and Max motions for Eleven to turn facing her. “You’re really starting to burn, El.”

“Yeah.” Eleven laughs softly. “We could tell him.. About the flannel.”

Will puts down the book and gazes out into the pool where Gareth Emerson is standing, with his friends. Will chuckles. “We could. I mean.. It needs to come out. And there’s nothing else to do.”

Max laughs softly. “You’re on our side of this then, huh?”

Will grins, nodding. “Mhm. I know Lucas, Mike and Dustin mentioned that it’s better to just let things happen, that it’ll be funnier, but like… Look at them, damn it.”

“Aww, you big softie.”

Will shrugs.

Eleven gives Will a little look. If he’d just apply this logic to his own situation with Mike.. She could say it, but she keeps it to herself. For the moment. But it does need to come out sooner or later and she knows it. She wants it to.

Andy and his noisy friends invade the water, splashing and yelling, roughhousing. Max flips Andy off at one point because he sends up a splash that soaks her and Andy swims over, smirking. “You got a problem, doll?”

“Yeah. You.” Max calls out, glaring when she’s splashed again. “Assholes.”

Andy and his friends go back to roughhousing elsewhere in the pool and Max turns her attention back to the current discussion at hand.

“She’s never going to give him back his flannel shirt at this rate, look at her.” Max nudges Will, who looks up from his book just in time to see you hugging into the flannel because Andy’s doing the thing where he’s lurking again and out of habit, because Andy scares the everlasting fuck out of you even if you’d die before admitting it, you’re huddling into the flannel and scowling.

Andy sends up an obnoxious splash at you and you flip him off, rolling your eyes about it. Huddled into that shirt like it’s a lifeline.

“The creep’s scaring her.” Will nods to you and El nods. “She’s scared of him, she just acts like she’s not.” and Max nods in agreement, locking eyes with you as she nods to Gareth and then the flannel you’re wearing as a cover up.

You swallow hard and take a shaky breath, gazing out where Gareth and his friends are sitting in a row along the edge of the pool. “You said you were going to give it back.” Emma points out with a soft laugh. Chrissy smiles at you, “You don’t want to, huh?”

You sigh and shake your head, cringing a little. Gulping because you know damn well that telling him now will be awkward as hell. “No, actually, I don’t. I mean… Not only for obvious reasons, but it’ll be kind of weird, I mean… I barely know him and I have and am wearing his shirt.”

“Little pervert.” Emma teases, making Chrissy laugh and shake her head. “No, it’s sweet! I always thought you were too badass to get a crush on somebody? It’s cute, though.”

“I’m a whole mess, okay?” you laugh, rolling your eyes as you palm at your face.

And across the pool, Max grumbles and throws up her hands. “I knew it! I knew she wasn’t going to give it back to Gareth! She’d better not even try to pretend she doesn’t like the guy, she’s had his damn shirt for a week now. And she slept in it last night, even! Said and to quote her words exactly, “It’s soft. It smells like him. It’s like he’s close. Stop giving me shit, Max.” ” Max’s outburst has Will laughing and Eleven snickers about it.

What Max doesn’t realize is that while she wasn’t that loud when she said it, she was loud enough that a certain drummer happened to overhear every single word. As did his three best friends, on top of it.

Gareth chokes on the sip of Dr. Pepper he’s just taken as his eyes widen almost comically and Eddie’s laughing, hitting him on the back as he muses with a smug grin, “Cat’s out of the bag now, I suppose.”

“That’s..” Gareth stammers, mind blown. Staring intently now that Max has said it, realizing that it has to be his shirt, there’s even a bleach stain on the elbow on the left sleeve. “That’s my shirt. Fuck.”

“So, in light of this little plot twist, Gareth the Great… Any clue what you’re going to do about it?” Eddie asks, chuckling as he gazes at his very shocked best friend.

Gareth is turning redder and redder in the face. He’s only barely gotten it processed that you called him Sir the day before at Starcourt -and he loved it, it gave him this sense of power when he normally feels like he has none, but now.. Oh god, now. Not only did you somehow manage to get hold of one of his shirts but you’ve been wearing it a little over a week now, right in front of him. And you apparently have a real hard time giving it back.

Giving his shirt back is honestly the last thing he wants you to do now that he’s aware of the fact that you have it. He’s staring at you intently, watching the way you fidget with the sleeves. The way it hangs on you, stopping just below the middle of your thighs. The way it’s slipping down off of one shoulder as you laugh and talk and bounce around on your feet while standing with your two best friends Emma and Chrissy.

“Fuckin hell.” he rakes his hand over his eyes and takes several long and deep breaths.

“I think he’s broken now. Yep,” Eddie chuckles, “His brain is totally scrambled.”

“Fried, man.”

“Dude, you have to do something. You have to, man.” Grant insists.

“Yeah. Alright, alright. Shit.”

Laughter and yelling from your direction has him looking over, just in time to watch you climb the ladder for the high dive, having shed the flannel. Chrissy is holding it for you, Gareth notices when she holds it up as if to reassure you that she’s holding it and it didn’t just get thrown somewhere. You give Chrissy a thumbs up as you slink out to the edge of the board and Emma yells up, “The handstand!”

“Yeah, yeah! Alright, okay, shit.” you call down to her before going into a handstand. As you right yourself and dive off of the board a few seconds later, you hit the water with a big splash and come up shaking your hair at Emma who leaps back, shrieking, “I did not ask for a shower, damn it! Hey! Knock it off, trouble, c’mon.”

You pout a little and pull yourself up onto the concrete, taking the shirt back from Chrissy to put back on. You happen to lock eyes with Andy, who winks and gives you one of his lewd stares.

“Not gonna happen, Weber, fuck right off.” you cup your hands around your mouth to call out to the brunet jock.

“Hey, did they have Sprites or are they still out?” you ask as Chrissy turns her attention to the machine, working to straighten the bill she’s trying to put in. “I think they have them this time.” she answers, slipping the dollar in.

Scowling when she spots Jason, Andy and Chance making their way over.

“I’m not talking to you, Jason. Go away.”

“Aw, princess, don’t be that way. I was just trying to look out for you. You have an image, princess.” as Jason says it, he glares at you and Emma and the two of you double over laughing. “Is he serious?”

“He looks like it, hell.” you answer, rolling your eyes as you say it.

Your laughter dies and you fix your gaze on Jason, arms folded. “What you’re gonna do now, Carver, is walk away. Chrissy needs space. She’s getting it, one way or another.” you step up. He glares down at you and chuckles. “She needs to talk to me. If I were you, I’d stay out of her business.” and this is when Emma steps up, a hand on her hip. “Y’know…you’re real stupid for somebody with a 3,8 GPA, Carver. How many times does she need to say it out of her own mouth? She doesn’t want to talk to you. And you’re not the king ruler of all.”

“You two are nothing but a bad influence.” Jason’s voice is clenched and he’s giving both of you his most stern and humorless gaze as he says it. “Chrissy knows I’m only trying to help her. You two are trying to corrupt her, I mean… You with your obnoxious behavior..” he rolls his eyes at you and Emma, “Have never taken the honor it is to be a part of something like this serious, not even for one second.”

Emma laughs and so do you. “And? Die mad about it. Do you really think it’ll matter in five years, Carver?” Emma shoves past him as she says it. Chrissy is between the two of you as the three of you walk past and find three sun loungers to flop into. Chrissy manages a smile. “Thank you.”

You and Emma shrug. “No big deal, I mean. You’re our friend.” you answer, quick to add, “And probably the sweetest person we know.”

“Caroline said she’s my friend too and then she proceeded to stay on the phone with me for three hours to explain why I needed to give Jason a chance to talk.”

“Please tell me you hung up.” Emma groans out, pinching at the bridge of her nose as she tilts her head back, squeezing her eyes against the sun. “Ugh, the bullshit alone almost makes me want to tell the coach where to shove my pom poms. And it’s gotten worse with Caroline as co-captain.”

“Unplugged the phone, actually.” Chrissy laughs softly, twisting strands around her finger. “It really has, hasn’t it? Or maybe it’s always been this bad, we just never noticed it until now.” she shrugs and sighs. “Either way, you two need to watch your backs. She’s already foaming at the mouth to find ways to get you thrown off the squad somehow.”

“Let her say one word to me. She won’t have to invent something, I’ll give her one.” you laugh when you say it, you’ve been thinking about quitting all summer and the more you think about it, the more you wonder if maybe it’s not a good idea.

You pull your hair out from beneath you to let it dangle over the back of the chair and turn so that your legs are draped over an arm. “I can’t believe we’re going into our senior year… Wow.”

“Me either.” Emma laughs. “Only a few months and we’ll be leaving this hellhole. Maybe.”

“It feels so weird, right?” Chrissy muses.

“It really does.” you admit.

Emma gazes over at you. “Y’know if you don’t do something soon, time will run out.”

You rub your forehead, your eyes squeezed shut. “I know, I knowwww. But what do I do, I mean… We’re speaking now? It’s a start?”

“Do you really want to let the chance slip through your fingers though? I mean, is that really what you want? He’s oblivious, woman. Sweet, but oblivious. We live in a new age. You can totally make the first move.”

“How?” you ask, laughing at her. “You’re the one who happens to be good at this crap, Em!”

“Just figure something out!” Emma laughs as she says it and you roll your eyes, flipping her off as you finish off your Sprite. “You say it like it’s easy, Em. Every single time I turn around, I’m doing dumb stuff. Like covering him in vomit or falling on top of him, then there’s the drowning incident I mean, I fucking froze up and he had to get me.... Or stealing his shirt, purely by accident, I swear to God you two better stop looking at me that way,” you rub your temples as you trail off, “I mean.. I’m an actual disaster at this, alright?”

“That was not an accident and you know it. You could’ve worn the sports bra, you were the only one there with his sisters, it’s not like it’s a big deal. Gretchen walks around like that all the time at home and seeing her like that as a child didn’t scar me.” Emma points out calmly. “Maybe you could ask Susan. She landed your father, duh.”

“Em, ick.” you wrinkle your nose, “I still can’t believe you have a crush on Wes.” you shake your head, laughing.

“He’s hot!”

“He’s my father, fuckin hell!” you pout at her, laughing. “I’m getting in the water, I cannot with you right now. You wanna come out, Chrissy?”

“You two go right ahead. I’m staying up here. Where it’s dry. I am not messing up my hair and making a mess out of my mascara, alright? I’m not.” Emma insists when Chrissy glances over at her.

“We’re drenching her.”

“We are.” Chrissy laughs, smiling just a little as you two fall into the pool water and pop up, sending up an obnoxious spray that drenches your friend Emma. Emma scowls, folding her arms. “Fuck you both.”

“Aw, love you too, storm cloud.” you laugh out.

“I love you significantly less, heathen.” Emma retorts, laughing as she flips you off.

As you pull yourself to a standing position, prepared to launch your body at the lounge chair, you find yourself body to body with Gareth. He swallows hard and you shuffle your feet, toying with the sleeves on a shirt you stole from him.

Your brain keeps telling you to open your mouth and just confess, because it’s honestly silly, but your mouth is frozen and the words aren’t coming.

“Hey.” you tilt your head just slightly, gazing up at him as you raise a hand and twist damp strands around your finger. You grin when you notice the pins you brought him and the Motorhead patch on the front of his flannel and before you can stop yourself, you’ve got a hand resting against his chest, your finger dragging over the stitching of the patch. “Oh hey, you got it on there after all!” you’re grinning up at him.

He is still frantically trying to process, but he does manage to step close. And then closer. And then, all the way into you so that there’s no space left between your bodies. You swallow hard, skin on fire and it’s not just from the hot afternoon sun.

He opens his mouth to say something but nothing comes out. He’s doing it again, the thing where he dominates the space between you two entirely and you can only feel yourself burn hotter because it somehow manages to both fluster you and make you feel safe all at once. Every single time he does it. Your free hand raises, catching in messy and wet hair. It occurs to you that maybe he wants to walk past you, but for some reason you don’t step back to let him pass by.

Gareth takes a deep breath. You’re wearing his shirt and you’re pressed against him and you haven’t moved yet and it’s thrown him straight into a daze. He can feel all three of his friends staring at him intently, willing him to do something, anything at this rate would be awesome. The longer he stands there, the hotter he can feel his cheeks getting and he wants the ground to open up and swallow him. In all honesty, he came up to you with every intention of just saying it, telling you that he knows but that’s long fled his brain.

“Jesus christ, if they don’t get a room, I swear to God.” Eddie grumbles and he’s a breath away from just hollering out but Jeff gives him a silencing head shake after nudging him in the side. “He’s gotta do this himself, Munson.”

“He could do it faster, holy shit.” Eddie grumbles.

Emma’s watching you both and she nudges Chrissy. “I am so tempted to just knock into them and make them bump into each other. I swear, it’s like when we used to play dolls, y’know? Shoving their heads together so they’d kiss? That. I wanna do that right now.”

Gareth rubs a hand over his face after a second or two.

“Gareth?” you smile up at him. You’re playing with the ends of the sleeves on his flannel again and maybe it drew his attention because maybe he’s starting to realize you’re flustered right now too and he doesn’t know what to do with that knowledge.

“Yeah.” he questions, unintentionally using that tone that always flusters you and realizing it, instantly wanting to kick himself because he did not mean to sound… however it was that he sounded. The last thing he wants is for you to think he’s annoyed by you or doesn’t want you around because neither thing could be farther from the truth.

“Nothing…” you bite your bottom lip as you say it and his eyes hone in on the way your lip is caught between your teeth. You were just about to tell him, explain the whole thing and laugh it off, because it’s so silly, you taking his shirt, right?

The words get hung in your throat just like they always seem to lately.

“There’s a gig at the Hideout.. It’s uh.. Tonight..” he’s fully aware that he’s rambling and he wants to punch himself for it. He takes a deep breath, tries it again with less stammering this time. “You can come.. I mean if you want to?”

Christ, he thinks to himself, I am going to completely fuck this up.

But then you’re playing with the patch on his shirt pocket and dazed. And now that he’s fully aware of the situation in its entirety, he can see what the guys have been saying for at least three weeks now. You really are flustered by him and it’s kind of mind-blowing because of anybody he knows, you are not the girl he’d think anybody could fluster like this, especially not him.

“I could.” you answer, glancing up at him as you lick your lips, “But do you want me to?” you ask, immediately wanting to vanish on the spot because your voice came out so flirty, so much more like Em or Chrissy than you that it throws you for a loop for a little bit.

“Mhm. I really do.” he’s distracted again, the sun overhead is glinting off of that little silver necklace with the switchblade charm you’re always wearing. You catch on to his distraction and reach up, gripping his jaw gently. Guiding his face -and his eyes so that they’re fixed on yours as you giggle about it. “My eyes are up here, Gareth.”

“Shit. I’m..” he laughs quietly. “Sorry.” he’s shuffling his feet against the concrete. You shrug. “It’s okay.”

It is because he’s not Andy or Chance or one of the other boys and you know he’s not an asshole, he wasn’t intentionally staring at your tits to make you feel creeped out or anything.

“Is that a switchblade? On your necklace?” he wants to punch himself when he asks the question but you laugh quietly and nod. “Yeah.. Wes, he went on a trip and saw it, and presented it to me as a 16th birthday thing? It’s actually kind of stabby too.” you’re the one rambling now and your words trail off as you wait patiently on the concrete to open below your feet and Satan himself to pull you down to Hell.

“Cool.” Gareth laughs quietly.

“So uh.. Your show? What time is it?” you ask, shifting around, fidgeting under his intent gaze. Burning up all over again the second you realize that his eyes are roaming and there’s this wild gleam to them and it’s hot, you’re definitely into it. He smiles, drags his hand over thick, wet curls. “It starts at 9. You’ll have to tell the guy at the door you’re there for it.”

You laugh softly. “Doubtful. The bartender, she uh.. Used to babysit me when they had pool tournaments there on the weekend. She’ll let me in.”

Gareth grins a little brighter. “Awesome.”

And you keep trying to make yourself just do it, just give him back his flannel, but then he’s walking back over to his friends, walking away and you didn’t do it, yet again.

“Fuck.” you fan yourself as you fall back into the lounge chair. “Nobody speak to me for like.. At least an hour, I need to uh… Yeah.” your dazed words make Chrissy and Emma clutch each other and laugh as Emma asks, “What’d he say? Woman you are.. So flustered right now.”

“Fuck off, Em!” you laugh out, pouting at her as you look over to the chair she’s sitting in. “I uh… He asked me if I wanted to come and watch their band play tonight.”

“Well?”

“I’m going!”

“And the flannel?”

“I,uh…” you palm your face and laugh. “I tried, okay? I did try.”

“Mhm. Tell that to somebody who believes you, you perverted little heathen.”

#gareth emerson #gareth the great #gareth emerson imagine #gareth emerson fanfiction #gareth emerson x reader #gareth emerson x fem!reader #// so uh... we have kind of arrived at..something #// hopefully you guys like this. i loved writing it out #// im excite for the future parts tbh

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