#why is internal security so fuck shit at their jobs
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how did taam continue to use jainan’s account for embezzling after jainan’s security clearance was revoked and all his messages monitored for two years?
#i’m only halfway through this book so idk if this will become clear later#but i started yesterday and read a bunch and then woke up today like wait a second#winter’s orbit#if taam was using his own account but interfacing through jainan’s or whatever#then it should be relatively easy to prove it was taam not jainan doing the embezzling#or if the reason jainan’s clearance was revoked was bc of the embezzling#how was he not cleared again after the embezzling continued to happen#why is internal security so fuck shit at their jobs#anyways i’m sure this all gets answered later but it’s bothering me NOW#this book is very YA
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#387
“Hey Michael, do we really need to go through all this? You know why you are here, right?… Yeah you are here to be an intern, but did your dad tell you what you would be doing?… Jesus! He didn’t! Well shit! I’m just going to be blunt; there’s no reason to be coy here….
“Do you recognize me?… We met a few years ago at the company Fourth of July picnic. Yeah, I’m the Chief Security Officer of the company your dad works for. When your dad was in my office, going over this very last-minute two-week business trip to Vegas, he was saying that he was worried about you being alone for all that time. I reminded him that you are of age and should be responsible to be alone. He started going on and on that he was worried about you getting in with the wrong crowd. I laughed and said you spend most of your afternoons in the back theater of Ruby’s bookstore taking dick after dick and that the wrong crowd would be all the tradies who work the docks.
“Ha ha. If your dad didn’t know you were a sperm burper, he does now. The panicked look on your face says that you didn’t tell him. Oh well not my problem. He didn’t seem too phased by it though.
“A bit later we were talking about the expansion of our sites in Amsterdam and Munich. He started dropping hints that he wanted a promotion. I started to laugh. I told him that the Executive team, especially the CEO, Bryce Mullins, doesn’t think he’s upper management material. Your dad asked what he could do to change Bryce’s mind. I told him point blank, ‘Offer Bryce your son to fuck.’
“Oh yeah, we were talking about you. I bet he didn’t tell you all that when he said you that you could get an internship with us, now did he?… I didn’t think so. Yeah, if your dad allowed the CEO of the company to breed your cute little ass, he might just get that promotion and raise.
“And it’s not just Bryce, but me too…. What? You think I would conduct an interview for a legitimate intern at my private residence wearing a pair of swimming trunks?… Seriously, you would think that? Bryce and I go back decades to when we were both in the Corps. We would pick up a faggot like you just off base and take him to our motel room and fuck that cunt good. After the Corps, we met Ben Tutwiler who shares our affinity of using and abusing boys like you. The three of us formed this company. He’s the Chief Operating Officer, and he’s going to fuck you this week as well. Although, it will probably just a few times. He’s grown closer to his own faggot.
“Yeah, our company is founded by three fag fuckers. About five or six years ago we brought on our fourth fag fucking executive, our Chief Financial Officer Gary Roberts. Now you probably don’t realize this, but he’s already fucked you a few times. He’s a frequent patron of the same Ruby’s bookstore as you. How do you think we first heard about you being a cum dump whore? In case you were wondering, he’s the one who holds you head firmly in place while he instructs the men to back their asses onto your tongue.
“…Oh that got a smile out of you. You know who he is, hunh? Good. The four of us have specific tastes in our faggots. And each one of us will… interview you.
“We start now. Get naked faggot.
“…You can instantly follow orders. That’s good. Should you get hired as our intern, you won’t be wearing much around here. Come to think about it, you won’t have many possessions.
“Hell, like any other intern you work for free. Don’t worry, we’ll pay off your debts, which isn’t much.
“Nice body. You shaved? That’s a bonus. You will be kept hairless; Bryce will insist on it. Nice ass. Bend over and show me your cunt. Goddamned! You’re wearing a plug? I love it. Shit it out….
“Oh wait a moment, you’re loaded up! When was the last time you got fucked?… Lunchtime? At Ruby’s? How many loads are in you now? You don’t know!
“HA! I fucking love it. You come to what you think is a legitimate job interview, with your cunt loaded and plugged up. That’s fucking great. Take it out but clamp down. I want those loads to ferment in you a little longer…. Good. Good. That’s an interesting plug. It’s very stumpy. Perfect size for it to go in your mouth. You do realize that anything that comes out of your cunt should be cleaned off in your mouth? No, don’t lick it, just hold it in place.
“Follow me. Here let me give you something to look at, my ass. I may be fifty-nine, but my ass is still beefy like a 30-year-old who works out three hours a day. I don’t see you, but I know you are thinking about eating it. Don’t worry, like Gary, I love getting tongue fucked. You will be licking my shithole several times a day along with every other sweaty part of my body.
“OK. This pool house will be where you are going to be for the next couple weeks. I purchased this estate because of it. I put a lot of money into this space so that the four of us have a place to go to use faggots however and whenever we want. Mostly it will be you. Sometimes on game day, Ben will bring his boy over and both of you will serve and service us. It usually ends with a fuck fest of four on two.
“The two bedrooms are converted into a play space and a gym. You’ll sleep in the walk-in closet on a cot. The closet also doubles as a sling room when needed.
“Don’t be intimidated by all the sex furniture we have in here. Most of the time it goes unused, except for parties. The fuck bench is probably what you will spend most of your time on. Gary will definitely have you under the rimseat here or there’s another one in the bathroom. Ben will have you on the St. Andrew’s cross. That cupboard over there is nothing but various ropes, chains, leather restraints, plastic ties, rubber, and so on. If there’s a way to tie you up, Ben has it here.
“Speaking of which, here help me put these wrist and ankle cuffs on. You’ll have these on the entire time. It’ll make securing you into different positions easier. Ben likes to see them on the faggots we have here. He has had them on his boy for as long as they have been together. Here, let me put the padlocks on; we will be the ones to control when they come off…. Good. You’ll get to try them out on the St. Andrew’s cross over there.
“On your knees and lean forward. While Ben will like tie you down, Bryce likes to control you. This collar symbolizes that. When a faggot cunt is collared, it knows that it is not in charge, that it is owned, and that it is merely an object for real men to use. And that click of the lock now cements everything.
“I can see you are excited about this. Your pecker is leaking. You know what? So is mine. Look at it. I want you to beat off. This will be the first and last time you are cumming while here. So make it good. A pecker cage will be going on after you shoot.
“Then I’m gonna use your cum as my lube. Get your knees spread wide. Fuck this is beautiful. I have a faggot to play with for the next few weeks, maybe longer. Three of my best buds will share in your holes. You really have me leaking back here. I’m enjoying the view of your ass and back, thinking how good my arm would look going up your cunt.
“But I need to do this first. Hold your head still. This is a strap that will hold that plug in your mouth.
“Damn! That arm is going a mile a minute. Somehow let me know when you are close to cumming. I want to know the exact moment.
“Just think about your time here. You will be serving four men pretty much non-stop. Other men will be brought by. We may work you at the same time, but more often than not it’s done one-on-one.
“I want to fuck that cunt of yours, but I want your load first. So hurry the fuck up. My cock is ready to explode.
“From you grunts, you about to cum?… Good. Remember to collect it in your hand. I want you to cum on the count of five. One… Two… Three… Get ready. Four… And FIVE! Shoot!
“…Ha Ha Ha! You weren’t expecting that ball kick from behind, were ya? You faggots never do. Did you get any cum in your hand?… No? That sucks for you.
“What’s wrong? Your neck? Ohhhh. I forgot to mention. That collar is wired up. We can deliver painful shocks to you at any time. In case you were wondering, the shock was probably delivered by Bryce who is also in Vegas. This place is wired up with over one hundred cameras with microphones. Like any one of us, he has the ability of watching and probably was. I’m surprised he hasn’t said anything; the speaker system can broadcast orders to you, from anywhere in the world, and from any one of us.
“Roll over on your stomach and get your ass up in the air. I don’t give a shit that you are in pain from my ball kick and a shock from your collar. I want your cunt. You know what? I need a spreader bar first…. This one will do.
“I have nearly forty years in security and surveillance. There are sensors all over my property. You are to stay here or the pool area unless I give you permission. The collar will not allow you to go any further than this building, the pool, and the sauna hut. Oh, and that collar is waterproof. When I need you up in the main building, I’ll have the sensors turned off for that area.
“Monitoring faggots is so easy these days. I have been surveilling you for the past couple of months. Oh yeah, I know everywhere you went since Gary first connected with a bookstore cum dump whore, one that just happened to be the son of one of our employees. I ran a full background on you. I was able to hack into your phone, and I observed. I know the older men you try to connect with on Grindr and Scruff. I see the porn you watch. And you watch a lot of daddy porn, cruising porn, gang bang porn, ass eating porn, and so on.
“I know where you go. You hit the bookstore at lunchtime on Tuesdays, Thursdays, and Fridays. On Fridays you stay back there to hit the after-work crowd. On Mondays and Wednesdays, on your way back from your community college, you hit the rest area.
“During this time, I did an extensive background check on your dad just as I did on you. Your dad has some issues with workplace security that are being addressed today by Bryce in Vegas. Trust me, your dad will not interfere in your internship. This was all planned, faggot. Every moment you thought you had a choice, we chose it for you.
“Now the spreader bar is in place set to painfully wide. Since you didn’t catch your load, I’m going in dry.
“With your wrists clipped behind your back, you aren’t going anywhere.
“Are you crying? You are. And you look panicked! Feel like you have no control over anything? Good!
“Fuck it’s not going to take me long to cum. I’m ready to burst.
“Jesus! You are loose! And sloppy! The cum stew feels good. Oh man.
“Not going to take long at all…. Oh faggot, you are made to be a cum dump faggot whore. This cunt belongs to me.
“Get ready. Get ready. Here I cum. Fuck! Fuck! Fuuuuccccckkkkk!
“Shit! That was good. You got my load added to the cum stew you’re brewing.
“Your gaping hole could be tightened up. Clamp down on me…. That’s it? We’ll need to start cunt training on you. Get those pussy muscles back to providing pleasure.
“Hold still. I got to piss…. Oh man. Does this feel good. It feels right. You are a natural toilet. Gary said he pissed down your throat a few times. Toilet service will be expected of you. Mostly Gary and I are into it, but Bryce and Ben will use your mouth on game day.
“I’m gonna pull out. You need to keep this slop in you. Clamp down. It’s going to be tough, but do not spill one single drop. You do, you will regret disobeying me.
“You are a sight. I’m gonna lift up the spreader bar to the motorized pulley. Suspended upside down should keep that sludge in. The butt plug gag needs to come out. My cock needs to be cleaned off, and your mouth is at the right height.
“That’s it. Swirl your tongue around. Just like that. Faggot, you’re going to do fine here.
“Ok. I got to do some paperwork in the main house. I’ll be back in a while. If you need to be let down, respectfully call out. If one of us is watching you, we can let you down remotely.”
This story continues in Story #389, Story #394, and Story #400
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Really contemplating the possibilities of yandere Vox but you meet him as his employee
--"this could've been an email" but it's your yandere boss constantly forcing you into unnecessary company Zoom calls which may not be occasionally just the two of you and he may or may not try and make himself look more cool/handsome with some sort of dumb filter or trick of his (and also your coworkers can kinda lowkey tell why they're suddenly getting pulled into calls where your boss is making them cringe trying to make your oblivious ass laugh or something and they all kinda hate you for making their jobs more annoying actually 😅 so then you have Vox potentially being a shoulder to cry on if people are being mean to you--)
Actually, about that office bullying.... something like... you overhear your coworkers in another room or around a corner or something talking shit and making fun of you to the point you start to cry and you turn around and Vox is there watching you totally about to boo hoo baby sob and you like, have to borderline run away from him because you're crying and you're hurting and just want to get away from everyone, but you also don't want to embarrass yourself and make some sort of scene where they'll mock you even more, so you're just, excusing yourself in tears, not even talking to Vox, not even confronting the others.
Here's Vox, just ever so casually popping his head into the room where your coworkers are still mocking you, "hey you guys? :) you're fired! :D and also? Since I own your souls, how about you do as I say aaaaaand go tell Valentino he's allowed to shoot you?" and Vox then goes to comfort you and says the gunshots are "like, a trespasser or something, it's so weird, so, um, anyways, I was thinking maybe you and I could--"
--VoxTek already having or suddenly installing crazy biometric surveillance state level equipment all over their portion of the tower, which includes a security camera in every office/workspace (which of course means there's ESPECIALLY one in yours). This man would be all but drooling over your retina scans, talking about how gorgeous your eyes are, all counting every pore or hair or scale you have on your face in extreme up close detail
--One on one training where if you mention even the slightest interest in something, he's completely indulging you or at least hearing you out. You wanna learn something coding-related? You wanna learn about music production? Oh, you say you have a product idea? And an idea for a commercial for it too? And if you're actually GOOD? If you, at the very least, give him solid ideas to build off of? Now you're getting an even bigger promotion to, say, his executive creator director or something! Maybe he'll invent some new position just for you and absolutely no one in the company will tell you about it because they're threatened with something much much worse than termination if they do
He does want his boo to feel important and special 🥺❤️ like he's a grown man from the 50s, he's older than you no matter what, but especially he's kinda coddling you a little if you're in your 20s or especially young like 18, he's got major cute aggression for you
--You're just in the company break room trying to enjoy your lunch and.... why is the head of the company in here with the normies? Oh, of course it's to sit with you. I can't help but think he probably eats a really shitty, processed, kinda typical modern gamer diet despite having the money to indulge himself, probably does on occasion, but, I can really see him appreciating a home cooked meal and ESPECIALLY if it's by you.
D'ya.... d'ya think he'd just... stick his fork in your lunch... and you wouldn't feel like you could say anything because He's A Fucking Overlord
--Imagine you've been employed like MONTHS before he becomes aware of your presence as an employee and, you started as a barely paid intern or, something real low level, SO low level that, Vox doesn't actually own your soul. So. After several MORE months of buttering you up, really giving you some good raises, some absolutely AMAZING fun times, he's dropping the bomb on you: everyone else at the company has their soul signed over, and you're the only one, and, honey, it's kind of company policy, so--
When I say I would love the idea of Employee Reader just IMMEDIATELY "w wait you wanna... What the fuck do you mean you wanna 'own my soul', why, why the fuck would you-- you know what, nah, I'm, I quit? I quit." And you're literally fleeing the fucking room, potentially having to jump out a window in case Vox has some sort of, lockdown defense mechanism, maybe one to keep angels out, but, you escape, and next thing Vox hears?
"Wait, what do you fucking MEAN 'THEY'RE A SOUND MIXER FOR THE RADIO DEMON NOW'--"
#alastor can mix on my sound til i *static noise sound effect*#yandere x reader#vox x reader#yandere hazbin hotel#hh#sinprompts
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NO BUNNY BUT YOU! 🐰
petsitter! wonbin x fem! reader
series synopsis: your friends refuse to look after your bunnies, tokki and dokki, while you’re on an overseas programme for a week. luckily, winter knows the right person for the job.
series masterlist
part four: maybe bunnies aren’t that bad
you had finally reached your accommodation after a long and tiring flight and endless security checks that never seemed to end. you checked the time on your phone, it was around evening time which meant wonbin was most likely over and taking care of tokki and dokki. you’re not sure why you were nervous but you kept retyping and deleting your text to him. it was just a simple “how are the bunnies?” text but for some reason, your heart was doing backflips at the thought of sending wonbin a text. letting out a sharp exhale, you hit send on the message, placing your phone face down. almost immediately, your phone started ringing with a call from wonbin.
fuck shit fuck why is he facetiming me now, i’m not ready!!!!
before you could even process what was happening, you accidentally pressed the accept call button and was now connected to wonbin. “h-hey?” your voice cracked as you internally cursed at yourself, already embarrassing yourself with one word.
“hiiii, y/n!! how was your flight? i hope it was good! tokki misses you especially.”
wonbin waved to you before directing the camera to tokki who seemed to recognise you through the screen. even thiugh you were exhausted from the travelling, you couldn’t help but smile at the sight of tokki’s nose twitching as wonbin gently scratched the side of her face. soon the awkwardness faded and you were both telling each other about your days. you listened to wonbin telling you about how the bunnies missed your scent and would cuddle up near your pillows, responding with soft mhm’s, his voice almost lulling you to sleep. the call continued until the bunnies eventually tired themselves out and fell asleep, meaning wonbin would have to go back to his dorm. you were slightly sad that the call ended so soon but wonbin assured you that he would call you again the next day and keep you updated on your fur babies.
laying in your bed and staring at the ceiling, you couldn’t wait for the next day to come. not because you were eager to see tokki and dokki, but instead looking forward to seeing their cute petsitter.
the next few days went the same, you would spend the day taking part in events and programmes and wonbin would send you updates of the bunnies in the morning before he went off to his class. in the evening when you were finally free to relax, you would be on facetime with wonbin, telling him about the fun stuff you did today while he and the bunnies listened intently. your calls would last for hours until tokki and dokki fell asleep. wonbin would stay on call with you as he locked up your dorm and walked back to his own, telling you about his day and how his roommate, sungchan, was still torturing him and making his life living hell over the flowerpot incident.
you enjoyed these late night calls with wonbin, it felt very domestic and nothing like you’ve ever experienced before. you thought the highlight about your overseas trip would be the new experiences but no, the highlight was seeing wonbin being all cuddly with your bunnies and hearing his sleepy voice as it got later in the night.
tonight was the last night before you flew back and as usual, you were on call with wonbin. he seemed sleepier than normal today, his words slurring and voice softer. he told you that he was just tired from sungchan waking him up early in the morning because of an insect in the bathroom. “he’s sucha wimp, i swear… but i’m not!” you giggled as wonbin tried to prove his courage and braveness in attempt to win you over. “then i’ll make sure to call you the next time tokki brings a grasshopper to me.”
“mhm, that’s good. don’t call anyone else, okay?”
you could tell wonbin was getting even sleepier, tokki already curled up by his side. wonbin was dozing off slightly, eyes staying shut longer during his blinks. as much as you liked hearing his sleepy voice, you knew he had to get some rest. “you should head back to your dorm soon, yknow? you’re already so tired.”
“mm, so lazy though…”
“then you can sleep at mine. i don’t mind and ‘s not like i’m there anyways.”
“reaaaally? you’re the best, y/n. your couch’s so comfy.”
wonbin eventually dozed off, too tired to even end the call, soft snores escaping his parted lips. you couldn’t help but to take a screenshot, he looked so pretty. his lips were so kissable. you couldn’t wait to be back tomorrow.
taglist: @istphanie @snowyseungs @nyuoqi @myizhous @jhskluv @babigriin @revehosh
#riize#riize fluff#riize imagines#riize x reader#park wonbin#riize smau#riize wonbin x reader#riize wonbin#wonbin smau#wonbin fluff#wonbin x reader#wonbin imagines#wonbin
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Need You
Need You
You and Leon have been a little more than friends with benefits for awhile and he struggles with what he wants it to be.
Word count: 3k (almost 4)
Mentions of alcohol, slightly possessive Leon, over protective Leon, angst, fluff (??kinda??), happy ending, not proofread very well if it all.
A/N: HELLO!! How are you all doing? Good I hope. I’ve been gone for more than a hot minute. It took me a lot longer than what I thought it would to get back into the groove of things. With that being said, this is not that great. Kinda boring, but hey, sometimes things are boring. This is just kind of to get me in the groove of uploading and writing again.
Part three and request are in the works. They are coming!! I just need a little practice before I start actually going at it again.
With all my heart, I hope you are having a fantastic day!! Enjoy!!
Time had never moved so slow as Leon anxiously bounced his leg underneath the cheap break room table. His tired eyes glanced to the clock and then back down to the untouched styrofoam cup of coffee.
Leon hated a lot of things about his job, but at this moment debriefing was his least favorite. He detested having to explain everything that happened on missions before he officially had time to process how they happened to him. Not that he ever truly enjoyed thinking about the things he had to do in order to survive, but he liked to have an understanding on why he did this or that. Why he chose to go left instead of right.
He had just spent nearly three days fighting his way through the deep Rocky Mountains; B.O.W’s at every turn, and he didn’t even get the information he was expected to return with. The whole thing was a waste of his damn time. He was sent to follow a lead that only set the operation two steps back and whatever up and coming supervillain, or want to be Umbrella Corporation, or extremist cult one leap forward. All while defense was wounded and information scrounged for a thread to pull to loosen the seam on the shit show they were currently trying to clean up.
He was annoyed and beyond frustrated with everything. On top of the emotional stress he also was not in the best shape physically- it wasn’t anything major all things considered- but, broken ribs, internal bruising and external bruising causing almost his whole torso to be a deep purple almost gray hue, and the bandaged up gashes on his limbs and slight cuts on his face only kept adding straws to the camel's back. He felt like it was only a matter of time before he snapped, he felt like he could only sit here for a few seconds more before he stormed out the door and out of this damn stale sterile building that was too clean.
He took a deep breath before adjusting himself to sit up straight in the deep blue plastic chair. As he exhaled he closed his eyes and saw the face he’s seen behind his eyelids since he landed, desperate to see it in person. To touch the soft warm flesh of someone he could never get enough of, regardless of the fact that he tried so hard not to get addicted to. Each hit of you more potent than the last, each high allowing him to forget for a little longer, each graze of his skin against yours permitting him to daydream of a life he has always ached for. Even if you didn’t long for the same things he did, he saw you with everything he had ever wanted. It was cruel and yet he continued to do it to himself.
He had bought you a burner phone with his number and his alone. You were not to use the phone for anything other than to communicate with him. He had asked you to carry it with you at all times, lying and saying he didn’t bug it. He told you that with his line of work that it would make your meetings more secure, that it would keep you off the radar. In a lapse of poor judgment you took the phone and him up on his proposal to make him an official fuck buddy. Who could blame you? It was a scene straight out of a movie and boosted your ego. It made you feel special that someone so important took such an interest in someone like you. Someone who lived such an exhaustingly normal life. It kept you on cloud nine for at least a week and a half after receiving it.
It was a purely physical relationship that didn’t require any emotional attachment regardless of the deep emotions that sunk into the both of you too quickly for comfort. Each rendezvous lasted longer than the previous one. Him staying at your place for days, while you both interacted like domesticated adults. Not quite like a married couple, not as casual as friends, and nowhere near as uptight as roommates; it was such an odd relationship, but it wasn’t uncomfortable. Oftentimes by the end of his stay he left you with more questions than answers. Your knowledge of his life was barley skin deep and you were left to piece it together from fragments he dropped you.
He on the other hand knew everything about you. He couldn’t help himself. All your information was at his fingertips; your past, your present, and a vague idea of your future. In hindsight he should have left it alone and maybe if he did he wouldn’t be stuck in this current predicament. Maybe wouldn’t be digging in his pocket for the phone that held only one contact number, a phone number that he had memorized even though he shouldn’t have. He leaned forward in the chair as he typed only two words.
‘Need you.’
He didn’t think about the impact they could have, he didn’t think of the weight they carried, he just sent the message. Not a part of him even considering the fact that you would think it was the truth. He needed you. Rather you are below him or watching some low brow television show that networks pumped out to dumb down the population. He just needed you within reach, he needed the comfort of your presence to ease the buzzing of the world he lived in.
He sat the phone on the table as he crossed his arms and sat back, anxiously awaiting a reply. He didn’t get a chance to glance at the clock before the phone buzzed against the table.
‘Busy.’
The message read and he couldn’t help but to scoff as his hand ran through freshly washed damp hair.
‘With what?’
He asked in his reply as he sent it. His jaw tightening in annoyed agitation. What part of need did you not understand? He took a deep breath and reminded himself of the nature of the relationship. As he went to follow up his demanding question with a meeting time and place the break room door opened and he shoved the phone back into his pocket.
“Mr.Kennedy,” A rather thin man with tired eyes and a disheveled navy blue suit sighed out, “I’m sorry, we know you are exhausted, we just have a few more questions. Can you stay for another thirty minutes? No more, no less.”
Leon forced a polite smile as he stood, “Lead the way.”
“Thank you so much, Mr. Kennedy.”
“Please, call me Leon.” Leon insisted as he took the door from the man and just like that he followed the man down the hall and into an elevator; leaving behind a hot cup of coffee to grow cold on a cheap linoleum covered piece of wood where it would eventually be washed down the drain by night janitorial staff.
It had been an hour since Leon set foot in that room and not much of anything had come out of his answers. He was out of the building now and almost free as his hand found the handle of his car door, but a buzz in his pants pocket caused him to let go of it immediately. As he unlocked the phone he noticed he was left with a voice memo and not a message, which he found odd but not alarming. He couldn’t help but to smile, ready to hear your voice. He pressed play and heard the hustling of feet and an unrecognizable song in the background.
“She said she was busy, Le-on. Take a hint.”
A low masculine voice came out of the speaker as he gripped the phone. He pulled it away from his ear with a snarl as he looked at the phone screen. It took every fiber of his being to not shatter the phone right there; it took every remaining ounce of sanity that he had to not let this red hot anger consume him. This little voice in his head pleaded for him to think rationally.
He opened the car door and slammed it shut behind him as he got in, it was a miracle the car door window didn’t break from the force. He was quick to pull up your location and an airy laugh left him as he knew the location too well. A dive bar on the outskirts of the city, the same exact bar he had found you in. It was tragically comical.
He didn’t bother with a seat belt as he backed out of his parking spot and hit the gas and drove off after you. The speed limit was a mere suggestion as city lights passed him just as quickly as they appeared. He was livid as his knuckles turned white as he gripped the steering wheel. He was angry. He was angry that you had the audacity to be out with someone at the bar that he met you at. He was furious that you were busy with some asshole who had the nerve to address him by his first name. He was livid that he didn’t just leave work and go to you as soon as he landed. He was heartbroken because even though he was lost in this haze of consuming rage he had no right to feel this way. You weren’t his, but he was yours.
As Leon quickly pulled into the parking lot he parked his car with no regard to the faded white lines that were supposed to indicate parking spots. He left the car running as he slammed the car door shut, making a bigger scene than the screeching sound his tires made against the asphalt when he parked. He could feel the eyes of smokers burning a hole in his frame as he took quick strides to the front doors of the bar.
“Nice ride-.” A voice started but was cut off by the beep of Leon locking the car. Normally Leon would nod politely, but he didn’t bother to spare a glance to whoever made the comment. His brows furrowed and a glare that could kill adorning his face as he stepped into the warm bar.
“Hey!” Zack yelled, the bartender was shouting as Leon watched him scurry from behind the bar and over to a crowded table. Men and some women of varying ages were crowded around the table cheering. “Give that back! How did you even-?” Zack tried to reason as some guy held him back from the table. Leon proceeded with some caution as he approached Zack.
“Let it go, buddy. He’ll give it right back and pay for the shots as soon as he’s done.” A stranger said as he tried to keep Zack back. “He’ll even pay extra if this chick handles her liquor the way she says she can.”
That got Leon’s attention faster as he pushed his way closer to the front of the table. His eyes locked on your frame laying on the tabletop with your head leaning off the end as another guy poured vodka down your throat.
“Yeah! That’s what I’m talking about!” The man screamed before putting the bottle to his mouth and taking a shot straight from the bottle.
Your laugh rang through the bar as you began to try and sit up, but the man was quicker than you were as he bent down to meet you, his arm wrapping around your shoulders to keep you in place. His lips graze yours as he spit his shot into your mouth. Your throat burning as you tried to push him off of you. For a second you thought your weak effort was successful as his lips left yours, but when you gained some composure you heard the shattering of glass and saw people back away quickly from the table.
“Get the fuck off of her!” A voice yelled, that voice, you knew that voice all too well. You sat up as your eyes found Leon’s frame. His shoulders tense as they fell up and down with his labored breathing. His fist clenched and jaw tightened as he threatened in a deep low growl, “Touch her again and I’ll break your fucking spine.” He was in no condition to fight, he was barely standing. He was utterly exhausted and his limbs ached, but the angry adrenaline that coursed through his veins kept him upright.
“Leon.” You dryly got out as you sat up on the table. You repeated his name but he didn’t even glance in your direction.
“Leon? Jesus Christ. Look, she already-.” The man spoke and Leon recognized the voice immediately from the voice message. Leon’s eyes darkened with rage as he looked at this pathetic excuse of a man.
Busy.
“Where is her phone?” Leon asked as he roughly grabbed the man by his shirt collar, “Where is her damn phone?”
“Here, here! Take it!” The man shook as he pulled the phone out of his pocket and handed it to Leon. Leon snatched it from his hand before pushing the man roughly to the ground. Leon towered over him as the man shook, Leon’s unbridled rage causing the bar to grow freezing cold.
“Stay away from her.” Leon turned from the man and his gaze softened only slightly as it landed on you. Your eyes locked with his for only a moment before he avoided your gaze and approached you. His hand found your arm as he helped you off of the table. He wrapped an arm around your waist as the crowd parted like the Red Sea. All eyes were on the both of you as you walked out of the bar.
“I can take it from here.” You said agitated as you tried to push yourself away from Leon.
“I don’t care. I’m taking you home.” Leon said as he unlocked his car. That aggression he felt still resting on the tip of his tongue. He opens the passenger door and with a deep sigh you get in his car. After he just opened the door you took a deep breath before running your hand through your hair. A bottomless pit settled in your stomach before you sat back against the seat.
“Seatbelt.” You heard him say as he got in the car, pulling you out of your thoughts. You compiled as he started to drive out of the parking lot and turned right out of the parking lot.
You raise an eyebrow before looking at him and confusingly confront him, “You were supposed to turn left.”
“I said I’m taking you home. I know where I’m going.” Leon glared ahead and for once wished you wouldn’t say a damn word. He was heated.
“How did you know where I was?”
“Can you not ask questions right now?”
“No, because you’re freaking me out. First, you know where to find me and second, you hook a right when you know my place is left. Where are we going?” You stated in a matter of fact tone as you crossed your arms. You could tell he was angry, but you didn’t care because you were angry too. You never disclosed your location to him, he nearly started a fight, and he continued to treat you like you were something more to him regardless of the fact that he made it clear that you would never be anything more.
“My place. It’s closer and I’m too tired to drive further than what I have too.” He admitted as he sent you a quick glance.
“Your place?” You rolled your eyes, “You’re telling me that your place is closer and we’ve spent all this time at mine?”
“Yeah.” Leon sighed with irritation.
“How is that fair? How is it fair that you know all this shit about me, but I know nothing about you?” You asked flat out and annoyed. Normally after going an extended time without seeing Leon you didn’t ask any questions, you just tended to him until he was ready to talk. He loved that about you, you never pushed him. Leon grunted knowing that it was the alcohol and a mix of unconfronted emotions made you bold.
“We talked about this-.”
“Yeah, we did, but you tracking my location wasn’t in that conversation.” Leon took his eyes off the road as the car came to a stop at a stoplight and he looked at you. He opened his mouth to speak, to defend himself, but you cut him off. “Cut the shit, I know it’s a bugged phone. I had it looked at and your sudden appearance tonight only proved it.”
“It’s only bugged for your protection.” Leon got out through gritted teeth.
“My protection? What the fuck are you even talking about? If anything it’s so you can keep your whores straight and away from your wife.” You spit at him with venom. You knew Leon wasn’t the type of guy to run around town like that, he was a one woman type of guy. You were just angry and confused at why you would be enough to protect but not enough to be his.
Leon’s face turned up in pained disgust and he went to say something, but the blaring of a car horn called his attention back to the road and a green light. You huffed as you turned away from him and he continued to drive onward to his place.
The rest of the car ride was silent, giving you time to feel bad about what you said and how you said it. Your face falling and your anger simmering out as your eyes felt heavy with the weight of fresh tears threatening to spill. You refused to cry though as you sniffed and he pulled into his driveway.
A two story house that was too big for just him, but old enough for you to believe that it was a house that was left to him in some family members' will. Or he could’ve bought it himself easily with the way you’ve seen him treat money; like it was something that grew on trees. He was a complete and utter mystery to you and it drove you insane that you could still fall for someone who you knew so little about. At this point you were more mad at yourself than you were at him. You knew of his interests and hobbies, his likes and dislikes, you saw his heart; but you didn’t have a clue about his day to day life. It was like he existed only to you and no one else. No criminal record, no traceable family; he seemed to have nothing. All you had were snippets of an article about Raccoon City that left you with more questions than answers.
“Don’t worry, the wife’s not home.” Leon muttered through gritted teeth and you winced as he got out of the car. You went and got out of the car alongside him as you followed closely behind him.
“I’m sorry, I didn’t mean that.” He opened the front door and you followed him in, shutting and locking it behind you. Your body now shaking as his focus remained straight ahead. He was so cold and you knew you deserved it. “I know that’s not you. I just…” you hesitated as you could feel your throat beginning to clog, knowing that your voice was going to waver and your next words were going to come out broken if you didn’t get a grip.
“I’ve got a guest room, but I haven’t found time to clean it out so there is a bunch of junk and shit in there. You can take my bed and I’ll take the guest room.” Your heart broke, thinking he didn’t even want to be near you and you couldn’t blame him.
“I think we should call this off.” Your voice still broke as you said it and Leon quickly turned to you. His gaze softened immediately as soon as he saw your big glassy doe eyes. He stood frozen as his heart shattered. He was losing you and it wasn’t to some unforeseen force, he did this. His refusal to let you in completely had pushed you away.
Leon was a fighter, it was his job. He stood up for what was right, he fought for people who couldn’t fight for themselves, he fought so people who weren’t fighters never had too. But did he ever fight for his own selfish desires? At the end of the day was he willing to fight for the first good thing he’s had in his life for a while? At the bar he was ready. He was ready to push his exhaustion aside and fight the object that stood between him and you; but now? Fighting you, the person he desired the most.
“Look, it’s not anything personal…I just…this isn’t working for me.” You nervously blabbered out, the silence killing you. You took a deep breath as your hands found your hips, “I mean the Pretty Women aspect of it was fun, I had fun. I don’t know, I guess, I mean…” you stumbled over your own words.
“Alright.” He said and you looked away from him as your arms wrapped around yourself trying to comfort yourself. The floodgates of your tears threatening to spill as your eyes darted around the room.
“Okay. Good. I’ll sleep on the couch and grab a cab and be gone before the sun comes up.” You voice low as you head to the couch but Leon catches you by your elbow. The sudden connection of your bare skin against the palm of his hand sends a chill up his spine.
“I want to start again. I want to make it right.” He said as he slowly looked at you, his own eyes glassy. You study his face now and how exhausted he looked. “I’ll tell you everything. Let me start over. Let me make it right.” Your brows knitted together as you relaxed slightly and your other hand cupped his cheek. Tears fell from your eyes as you stifled a pained groan. “Please.” He begged and how could you say no?
Your lips found him in a hesitant kiss that he returned with desperation. The moment your lips sparked against his he was ready to fight again. His hand trailed down your arm and before it found your waist. He pulled you close to him as your arms wrapped around his neck. Sweet desperate kisses turned into feverishly hungry ones.
“Need you.” He admitted softly against your lips; hoping that you understood. Hoping that the feeling was returned. Hoping that right now that he said enough, that those two words meant enough. As you melted against him he knew that you understood.
For the first time in a long time Leon was ready to give his all to something besides work.
#resident evil leon#hayley writes a bit#resident evil x reader#leon kennedy resident evil#resident evil fanfic#resident evil fanfiction#resident evil#leon kennedy x you#leon x reader#leon kennedy x reader#leon s kennedy#writing romance#writing angst#writing#romance#fluff??#i don’t even know#he’s just my baby
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What You Meant To Me // Eddie Munson
I saw this on @creativepromptsforwriting and IMMEDIATELY thought of Eddie.
Prompt: Person A is a famous celebrity who is being stalked by someone. Their team doesn’t want to make it obvious that they hired a bodyguard, but to explain why Person B would be with Person A all the time, they act like they are Person A’s new lover.
exes to strangers to bodyguard to ???? || Masterlist || AO3
tags: Mayfield! Adopted Female Reader, angsty bitches, running from Big Feelings™, Rockstar! Eddie, Post S4, ten years later, canon compliant, light smut at the end, implied sexual content, bodyguard reader
///
“YOU’VE got to be shitting me,” Eddie said, eyes going to Robin. “Buckley-”’
“It’s out of my hands Munson,” she said, crossing her arms, “besides, this isn’t a joke. This is the fourth time these people have tried something.”
Eddie rubbed a hand down his face. “It’s just a couple of fans! This is ridiculous. The guys aren’t getting some person following them around.”
“The guys didn’t come back to their home and find a girl naked in their bed-”
“-that’s a gross simplification-”
“She had a knife, Eddie,” Robin snapped, her voice shaking. Eddie glanced up at his friend and manager. She glanced around the room to the rest of his publicity team. “Can you guys give us a moment?”
Eddie watched Robin’s hand tremble just slightly as the rest of the interns, managers, and coordinators filed out the room – Mike shot him a sympathetic look before closing the door behind him.
“I am assigning you a bodyguard for around the clock watch until the end of the tour,” she started, explaining the process and how it’ll be from now on.
Groaning, Eddie let his head loll to the side and watched as Robin continued, ignoring him like the professional she was.
He had to give it to her – she wasn’t wrong per say. He was starting to get major mental instability vibes from these two. It was always the same couple – a man and a woman who sent him unnerving amounts of fan mail about how God had sent them a message that he was meant to join them in a throuple. All he had wanted to do was play guitar for a living, now he had clinically insane people breaking into his apartment and taking fucking naps in his hotel room.
There was a small part of him, a very small part, that was a little relieved. It was extremely unsettling to have people be so obsessed with any morsel of information that they could find about you. Eddie had fought hard to have a peaceful life and he didn’t relish in feeling the need to look over his shoulder every two seconds again.
A sharp thwack to his head had him stumbling out his thoughts. “Ouch! Robin!” He hissed, rubbing his ear.
“Are you listening to me?”
“Honestly, no,” Eddie admitted. “All I heard was you’re getting an undercover bodyguard and she’ll pretend to be your girlfriend so you’re not stabbed to death in some ritual. This person is going to have to be following after me every second of the day – that’s…you know how I feel about new people in our circle.”
Robin sighed, shooting him a knowing look. “I know you all value your privacy and it’s my job to help protect that. But we still have two months left on this leg of the tour. They keep fucking finding you and we have no idea how. The security the label keeps sending is baffled at how they’re doing it – we don’t need a professional, we need an expert.”
“Robin-”
“I didn’t help carry you out of that hellhole and keep you from bleeding out on Harrington’s seats for you to get stabbed on me now,” Robin said softly, her eyes betraying her anxiety. Eddie sighed. Jesus Christ, she’d pulled out the big guns. “International dates go on sale at the end of this month – you four are just going to get more popular at this rate. The rest of this leg is officially sold out; this is what happens when you’re good, Munson – you’re famous now. Everything is changing. We need to take precautions.”
The pain in his temple took another jab at him. “Alright, alright. I’ll play along and be part of a happy couple or whatever.”
Robin grinned and he sighed. “Great. I’ve already called a company and they’re sending their best employee over tomorrow. We’ll meet her at nine, sharp. Do not be late.”
“Tomorrow?” Eddie sputtered. Wasn’t the point of this meeting to get his approval?
She shot him a look as she stood and walked to the door. “I’m sorry, did you think you were in charge here? You signed a losing deal the day you agreed to let me be your manager Munson. Suck it up, Buttercup. You got yourself a bodyguard.”
///
You hated being left in the dark.
The whole nature of your job – your profession – was to know everything at every moment. You were hypervigilant; a side effect of being a pseudo monster hunter for a good chunk of your childhood.
So, when Hopper called you up for a special assignment, you found it odd that he’d refused to give you any details. There was no file, no briefing, no notes for you to have any idea on what this assignment was about. He said they needed an experienced female agent, that it was very under wraps, and they were currently in Atlanta for the next two days - which what a coincidence, there you were. You’d been closing out the paperwork on your previous assignment – the youngest daughter of a senator – when he’d called.
Not one to shy away from a challenge, but not liking the secrecy, you had asked Hopper to assign it to someone else. You had a few years of experience on Johnson but you’d trained her yourself – she wouldn’t let anyone down.
“It has to be you, Mayfield,” Hopper said, voice tinny like it always was when he called from Hawkins. “Do it for me.”
Hopper never called in favors. Never. So, you were both interested and mildly disgruntled as you rode up a fancy glass elevator into a massive building. It was clear they – whoever they were – had money and needed discretion. But that wasn’t new to you.
By the sight of the rented office, your guess was either musician or a writer.
You had barely put a foot out the elevator when a blur of dark blonde hair slammed into you. It was only the familiar sound of someone screaming your name that kept you from body slamming her into the floor next to you.
“Robin?” You asked incredulously. “Holy shit, I haven’t seen you in-”
“Years? Three to be exact,” she said, squeezing you once more before stepping back and shooting you a knowing look. “Once you get running, you really don’t stop do you?”
You rolled your eyes at the jab. You had a standing weekly phone call with Robin and Harrington, the three of you adamant on not losing touch despite the fact that two of you travelled so often. Wait, the reason Robin hadn’t been around to meet up was because she’d become…
Straightening, you barely controlled the scowl on your face. “I’m going to kill Hopper.”
Completely unbothered, Robin linked her arm through yours. “If we told you – you wouldn’t have come. I don’t know why you two avoid each other like the plague but it needs to be you. We need someone we can trust. Please, just hear us out?”
“Robin,” you groaned.
“I wouldn’t be asking if it wasn’t serious.”
At that, you perked up. She was right, she didn’t know – no one knew – what had happened between you two but she had always been respectful of the boundaries you’d set. No matter how stupid. So, if she was asking, it was important.
“Fine. I’ll hear you out,” you promised, rolling your eyes when she grinned like she’d already won.
Who were you kidding? You’d do anything for Robin – for any of them. It was part of the trauma bond at this point. Without giving you a chance to change your mind, Robin led you down a hall and into a massive conference room.
You squinted at the brightness, the entire room looked like it was made from glass, the view of downtown Atlanta impressive and beautiful. As your eyes adjusted, you knew that no amount of preparation or notes would’ve prepared you for the sight of Eddie Munson.
It’d been ten years and your heart still jumped up at his presence.
His dark gaze was on yours immediately and it brought you back to the last time you’d seen him. He’d been cleared of all charges and given the green light to go home. You’d walked in on him while he was adjusting to walking again, torso littered with bandages. You’d gone to tell him you were leaving and you’d never forget the look in his eyes-
“Mayfield!”
You found yourself in the middle of a group hug, one led by Gareth – someone you’d actually seen in the past few years. Jeff was at your side while Liam and Mike were squishing themselves in the best they could.
“Hey boys,” you said, not able to keep your laugh down. “It’s been a long time.”
“I saw you two months ago,” Mike said and you watched Eddie’s eyes narrow at that.
Jeff snorted. “It’s been a good handful of years for me. Last I saw of you, you were kicking someone’s ass on Hollywood Boulevard.”
“In my defense-”
“- they started it,” Jeff and Liam chorused.
You grinned, happy to be around people who you knew so well. People that knew you – before…before it all went to shit. They all herded you over to the table, sitting you down next to Robin.
Eddie, across the table nodded. “Mayfield.”
“Munson,” you said, just as detached.
“This is going to be fun,” Gareth whispered.
Eddie shot him a withering glare and you decided to be the only adult in the room and ignored them all.
“This is our plan,” Robin said, sliding you the thick file.
With a grimace, you pulled a pair of glasses from your small purse and shot Jeff a pointed look when he giggled.
“Didn’t know you wore glasses,” Robin said, her own teasing smile growing.
“I usually wear contacts but today was supposed to be my day off,” you said, pointedly, and shrugged. “I only need them at night or when I’m tired. I – well, Harrington and I had one too many concussions it seems.”
Robin and Mike nodded, sympathetic and understanding. Eddie, however, stilled.
“So, what do you think? I put together the plan after the most recent incident.
“Who’s seen this?” You asked.
Robin glanced at the band and Mike. “Everyone in this room.”
“That’s it?”
She nodded. “I don’t know how they keep getting to them – obviously Eddie’s is the more dire but, I’m keeping my cards close.”
Distracted by the most recent bout of disturbing fan mail, you nodded. The words ‘FAKE GIRLFRIEND, UNDERCOVER’ blared at you. Grip tightening on the file, you frowned. You couldn’t be his girlfriend – it wasn’t…surely at this point it wasn’t ethical. You both hadn’t been around each other since you packed up, wrapped your little sister in metaphorical bubble wrap, and got the hell out of Hawkins. You were about to tell Robin that you couldn’t do it, that your subordinate would be more than capable – when you saw Eddie’s statement.
Officer F. Jacobs: What happened after that?
E. Munson: Nothing happened, I ran out of there and called the fucking cops. This is so violating; she was in my house man! She touched my shit. I don’t know if anything is missing or if he did anything to my stuff – this is the third time I’ve found them. I just want to be left alone.
Your chest tightened at the crime scene photos, clearly of Eddie’s apartment with the front doorknob unscrewed from its hinge. You’d clearly taken too long to respond because Robin had launched into a pitch on how they really needed your help.
“It pays really well!” She added on, her brows jumping up when you shot her a look. “Mayfield, please-”
Eddie straightened. “She clearly doesn’t want to do it, Robin, just let her-”
Fucking shit, you cursed. You might’ve left Hawkins behind but your loyalty to this group ran deep and you knew that Hopper knew that.
“I’ll do it,” you said, interrupting the growing fight between Robin and Eddie. Silence fell, everyone’s eyes swinging around to you. “I’ll need to fly back to Headquarters – whatever. I can do it I just need a few hours to get everything in order. I need a schedule of every single stop you have from here until the end of the tour.”
“That file is your copy, the only copy, and it has all the information you’ll need,” Robin said, looking delighted.
“Uh, wait-” Eddie sputtered but you all ignored him.
“The proposal here indicates that you want our office to completely overhaul your security protocol?” You asked, blinking down at the text in your hands. “Are you sure? What about the record label?”
Robin’s eyes flashed. “They’re clearly incompetent and if we’re going to be spending money, I want to spend it on people I trust.”
“They’re willing to foot the bill? For an overhaul? And my tailing him for two months?”
Nodding, Robin crossed her arms. “Corroded Coffin has had a very sudden and very quick rise to popularity. Six songs from their second album are on the top one hundred charts. It’s only going to grow from there. We’ve officially sold out the remainder of this tour and will likely sell out the international one. Anyone we have on staff now is trustworthy because they’ve grown with us. The security the label keeps sending are idiots and I don’t trust them.”
You sighed, trying to work out who was on roster back in Los Angeles. “Well, we don’t specify in full team security, I’ll tell you that. We’re a small company and we work internationally – there’s only about five I can call from California on hand now. Everyone else is on assignment. Shit, half of us are scattered around western Europe. Actually, make that four because I need to assign someone to the jobs I now can’t take. I do…know people who can lend a helping hand though. People you can trust,” you assured her.
Hares Security was not the biggest company but in the past ten years you’d been able to cultivate a loyal list of clients. Hopper started the private security firm a few years after the…earthquake. He hadn’t wanted to return to public service and being a cop was all he knew. He’d offered you a job straight out of college and had been grooming you to take over as head of the company for when he’d go into retirement.
You knew he needed someone he could trust to keep everything afloat since he’d started bouncing between Hawkins, California, and Rhode Island – where Will was a master’s student at the Rhode Island School of Design.
Jesus, this was an entire overhaul of their system. Not that they had a good one in place to start with. From the looks of it, the security team that had been assigned to them were all inexperienced and practically useless. Some had mall experience. Who the hell hired these people?
“Okay, I’ll sound the alarm and we’ll have people incoming in the next twenty-four hours. I need to talk to Hopper though and let him know what I’ve got in mind. Is this the hotel you’re all staying at?” You asked, brows rising at the fancy hotel downtown.
Robin’s head bobbed. “They’ve got some recording to do this afternoon but we’ll be there by eight for an early night. We have an morning flight to New York City.”
“Alright,” you said, standing and tucking the file under your arm. You reached out to ruffle Mike’s hair – smiling when he grumbled. “I’m going to make some calls, fly back home and gather the arsenal. I’ll see you all in New York.”
Pointedly ignoring Eddie’s stare, you pressed a quick kiss to Robin’s head and walked out the room.
The doors to the elevator had barely closed when you pulled out your StarTAC and aggressively punched in Hopper’s number.
“Hey kiddo.”
You scowled, hoping he could hear it. “This was low. Even for you.”
“I see you’ve found out the details of your new assignment.”
“How do you know I’ve even taken it? What if I’m reassigning it to Johnson?”
“Because it’s you. You never do things half-assed.”
Fucking fuck, you hated how well Hopper knew you sometimes. “This is wildly unprofessional.”
“So is my favoritism to you but you never complain about that.”
You sputtered and growled when his tinny laugh echoed through your phone. “Asshole.”
“Listen, I don’t know what the hell happened with Munson but they need your help. Help I know only you can give. If you really want out, let me know and I’ll fly down there myself.”
Jesus, this really was bad if Hopper himself was willing to sub in.
“I can do it,” you said, mildly insulted, “I’m a professional unlike some people.”
“Right,” he said, tone amused.
Rolling your eyes, you cradled the phone between your shoulder and stalked out the lobby. “This is going to be a major lift, Hop, I’m going to need all hands-on deck and outsource some general security. People we can trust and maybe some military experience for some of the larger concerts. This is…gonna be a lot.”
“Fly out whoever you need to. Buckley and the suit at the label assured me that there’s no limit. You know where to find me if you need me.”
Rubbing the headache blooming at your temples, you shut your phone and sighed. You could do this. You could protect and be Eddie’s security detail. You were a goddamn professional.
///
“I can’t believe you got Henderson to fly out for cyber security,” Robin said, watching from the lighting control stage as Gareth let Dustin mess around on the drums.
You bit back a smile when you saw Jeff wrap him up in a headlock. Immature children, all of them. “They all owe me favors until the day I kick it,” you said, turning to her, “including you.”
“Hey!”
“Besides, NASA’s headquarters is in D.C., that’s a short train ride. Dustin’s the best at this stuff, whatever he comes up with has been Suzie approved and between the two of them any holes you have in any virtual world will be covered.”
Footsteps alerted you to someone approaching. “Mayfield?” A familiar voice called out. You turned to see Johnson approaching you, clipboard in hand.
“Everything set?”
“Yes. Julian’s team should be here shortly and we’ll help them familiarize themselves with the venue,” she said, handing over the clipboard.
Glancing down at your checklist, you were pleased to see that the small team you’d assembled had already covered a lot of ground. Yang had even sent someone ahead to the Texas venue to scout out any major possible issues.
“Good job Johnson,” you said, watching as she stood up a little straighter, “you’ve got all the angles covered. I’m placing you in charge of anything I can’t get ahold of while I’m on personal security. You’ve got my number, call me if anything comes up.”
“Sure boss,” she said, jetting off towards the loading dock.
You could practically feel Robin’s grin. “Just say it,” you sighed.
“I knew you were practically the head of the company, it’s just so different to see it in action. You’re someone’s boss,” Robin said.
Rolling your eyes, you turned to her. “You’re the manager of one of the biggest bands at the moment, isn’t that the pot calling the kettle black?”
“Uh no, you have like – a gun,” she whispered, “you’re like a karate master or something. I still trip over their mic wires sometimes.”
At that, you couldn’t help but laugh. “I’m a black belt in Judo, not Karate and I distinctly remember all three of us in blue sailor uniforms serving ice cream at Starcourt. Once you’ve been humbled that profoundly, there’s no coming back.”
“That’s true,” Robin snorted, bumping her shoulder with yours. “So, you ready for the next two months?”
“Nope, but I’m here anyway.”
“And that’s why I love you the most,” Robin said, ducking when you reached out to whack her.
///
No amount of warning or prepping could’ve prepared you for being alone with Eddie for the first time, in a decade.
“I’m sorry,” Robin said, eyes apologetic. “I didn’t know if you’d accept and there were no rooms left available at the hotel. I was going to try to move us to downtown but our flight is after the show – it’s only a few hours-”
Stopping her increasingly frantic stumbling, you’d grabbed her hands and assured her that you could make do for the night. She almost folded under the gratitude and swore you’d always have the requested adjoining room from now on.
“Alright, see you two tomorrow,” Gareth said, swiping his card to the room and disappearing through it.
Eddie cleared his throat and you sighed. Okay, you could be the mature one if you needed to be. Holding out your hand, Eddie blinked at you. “What?”
“Give me the card.”
His brow quirked. “I can open the door on my own.”
“I know, smartass, I need to do a sweep of the room before you go in,” you said, “did you read the file I gave you?”
Eddie crossed his arms defensively. “I- it was a big file!”
Biting back a laugh, not wanting to encourage the bad behavior, you wiggled your hand again and he sighed. Opening the room, you shoot him a death stare when he went to step behind you. Sticking his hands up, he stood by the door as you made your way through the sitting room, the bathroom, the closet, and the bedroom.
“It’s clear,” you told him, ducking to double check under the bed. Eddie walked in, eyes zeroing in on your shoulder piece as you stood back up.
“Is that a gun?” His voice squeaked towards the end.
Nodding, you made way towards the sitting room and plopped down onto the sofa. “I don’t usually carry one but your situation is a bit different.”
“Enough to warrant a gun?”
Your eyes shot to his and you crossed your arms. “I’m head of your security and these people squirmed their way in with a knife, Eddie. What about that are you not understanding?”
Eddie grumbled something inaudible.
“Is it because I’m a girl or because I’m…me?”
His eyes raised to yours and he shook his head. “Neither,” he said adamantly, “you’ve always – even back then – you…you never liked bullies.” He made his way over to his duffel bag and grabbed a handful of clothes. Hesitating by the bathroom, he turned to you and you waved a hand.
“You can take the bathroom first,” you assured him, “I’m going to confirm everything is set for our ride to JFK.”
By the time you’d confirmed everything for tomorrow, showered, and had your nightly tea, you were exhausted. Eddie popped out from the bathroom, smelling like mint, and you couldn’t stop your eyes from dropping to his now bare arms.
The scars were clearly old, healed, but they were still visible enough for you to see from your position on the floor. Guilt roared in your chest and a lump settled in your throat.
“What are you doing?” He asked, feet coming to a stop by your head.
“I’m getting ready for bed?” You said, propping yourself up on your elbow from the makeshift bed you’d made from extra pillows and some of the couch cushions.
“That’s on the floor,” he said, glancing at the bed, “you can just take-”
“Eddie.”
“-you can’t just sleep on the floor-”
“Eddie…”
“-you have a bad shoulder, I remember. Besides you can’t always guard me from the floor-”
“Eddie!” You watched his jaw snap closed and you nodded towards the bed. “Listen, after this one time we’ll have adjoining rooms – that we’ll need to keep open – but I promise not to ruin your love life or whatever. I’ve done this for years now. I know how to make myself scarce and as unintrusive as possible so my clients don’t feel like their lives are turned around.”
You watched in fascination as his skin turned a violent shade of red. “That’s – I don’t – I wouldn’t – I’m not-” he stuttered, hands flailing around.
“Right, you’re the only celibate rockstar in the industry,” you said, goading him. Eddie’s flailing increased as he tried to explain what he meant.
A pang of nostalgia shot through you as he stammered through his explanation poorly. Money, fame, music aside – it was comforting to see that even after all these years, Eddie was still Eddie.
His stammering stopped as he saw your smile and he rolled his eyes. “You little shit.”
“How dare you,” you said, fluffing up your pillow, glad that some of the ice between you two had cracked. Like it or not, you were going to be his shadow for the next two months.
“You were fucking with me,” he said, gaping. “I – Mayfield.”
“Go to sleep, we’ll be up in five hours anyway to start the interviews then we’re on a flight to Texas,” you told him, gently nudging him away with your hand. He stumbled, as if burned, and hesitatingly sat on the bed.
“Are you sure-”
“Ed’,” you said, the old nickname rolling off your tongue, “go to sleep. I’ve slept in worst places than a four-star hotel’s floor.”
His brows rose, shock flittering across his expression before settling. “Yeah?”
You nodded, turning onto your side so the door was in your sight. “Last year I was on a team for a minor royal, she had no qualms about who was present during her sexual escapades.”
Eddie laughed and your stomach fluttered. Shutting your eyes tightly, you beat the sudden rise of emotion back into submission.
You were going to kill Hopper when this was over.
///
Late night talk shows were the worst, you decided. Anxiety ricocheting as the studio’s security argued with your team behind you.
Forgetting that you were playing a part, you’d almost stepped in when the security guard shouted at Johnson. Forcing yourself to smile and walk in with the band, you reminded yourself to take a few more undercover assignments in the future – your skills were getting rusty.
“You don’t at all look like you want to murder someone,” Mike said, stepping up next to you from the wings of the stage.
“Is it that obvious?”
Mike snorted. “I don’t think you’ve taken your eyes off of him from the moment we got in.”
“They’re being stubborn. Doesn’t all talent have their own security team?” You asked, glancing over your shoulder and watching Johnson hold her own. “What’s the issue with us? Besides, I’ve counted like three massive holes in their system.”
“Calm down Terminator,” he said, bumping your shoulder. Eddie’s laughter drew your attention back to him as the audio assistant set him up with a mic and explained how the cues were going to go.
The boys were on the second stage to the left, assuring themselves that their equipment had all arrived unscathed and were tuned to perfection.
“Hey, Boss!” You turned towards your newly acquired nickname – thanks to Jeff who had refused to listen to you until you’d let him know you were the boss. You were never living it down – and saw Eddie waving you over.
“This is uh, my girlfriend,” Eddie said, introducing you to Conan O’Brien.
You stepped forward, smile settled in your features, and shook his hand. Coming to Eddie’s side, you mumbled, “you’re a natural,” as Conan settled into his chair.
“Shut up,” he muttered.
“You call your girlfriend Boss?” Conan joked. “That’s either really smart or sarcastic enough to earn me a slap.”
Smiling and stepping forward, you cross your arms playfully. “He knows who’s in charge,” you winked. Eating it up, Conan guffawed.
Eddie grumbled awkwardly behind you and you smacked his shoulder with the back of your hand. “Besides, he brings me everywhere – we can’t live without each other, right pumpkin?”
“Right,” he said dryly.
Conan began talking about his own girlfriend, sitting in the green room backstage, when something in the corner of your eye caught your attention.
Your instinct won and you turned to find a woman with blonde hair running straight to you. Without much thought, your training kicked in and before anyone could step in, you had her on her stomach with a knee to her back.
“Eddie! Eddie! I love you!” She screamed, hysterically crying despite the pressure you applied to her spine. Jesus, she had a set of lungs on her. You were impressed.
A portly man shuffled forward, his eyes wide as saucers, “Uh, Miss, I can take it from here.”
“Oh,” you remembered, eyes darting up to Eddie’s. His brown eyes were dilated, mouth gaping a little, and he was frozen. Stumbling at his reaction, you tried to dust yourself off and shot a bewildered Conan a grin. “Sorry about that!”
“That’s some form you’ve got there!” Conan exclaimed, hands going up. “Man, the Giants could sure use some defense like you.” His eyes darted down your figure and you fought the urge to roll your eyes when a warm hand came across your shoulders.
“Yeah, she’s something alright,” Eddie said, pulling you into his side. “I’m lucky to have her.”
Message clearly received, you shot up a surprised look and let yourself be ushered off stage by a PA. Robin had arrived, standing there with an impressed glint in her eyes.
“Shut up,” you muttered at her.
She held her hands up, her suit moving with her, “I didn’t say anything!”
“Are you okay?” You spun around and almost stumbled into Eddie, his hands coming out to steady you.
“Uh, yeah, I’m fine. I’m sorry – it was instinct. I didn’t mean – I shouldn’t have hit her so hard,” you said, feeling weirdly off kilter.
Eddie scratched the back of his head, a sign you knew was a habit for when he was feeling uncomfortable. “It’s okay. I just, was worried you – uh, for you,” he said, stilted.
“For fuck’s sake,” Robin said, blowing air out of her lips, “you two are so awkward it’s actually painful. You’re not strangers, you were friends at some point, just pop the goddamn elephant you two have in the room and get over it. Nothing about this, screams romance.”
With a dramatic hair flip and a roll of his eyes, Eddie ignored her, shot you another look, and walked off when you’d nodded.
Robin sighed. “Jesus, it’s like we’re in high school all over again. I can’t deal with the tension a second time around Mayfield, I can’t.” She continued to grumble but you kept your eyes on Eddie as he climbed up the sound stage and settled his guitar over his shoulder.
Robin’s words echoed in your mind - you were friends at some point.
Your history with Eddie Munson was a little more complicated than most knew. Eddie had been your friend but he’d been more than your friend. He was your almost.
The first few chords rung through the stage and everyone in the audience went wild. You closed your eyes and bit the inside of your cheek. “Hello New York City! I’m guessing by the sound of that you know what song we’re going to play. Don’t be shy now, sing along!”
Now and then I think of when we were together
Like when you said you felt so happy you could die
Like the best kind of torture, you watched Eddie’s fingers wrap around the mic, his eyes sliding closed.
You can get addicted to a certain kind of sadness
Like resignation to the end, always the end
You’d heard the song, because of course you had you didn’t live under a rock. Hearing it live, however, cut a little deeper than your stereo at home. At least at home you could have a drink in hand.
But you didn't have to cut me off
Make out like it never happened and that we were nothing
And I don't even need your love
But you treat me like a stranger, and that feels so rough
Robin’s eyes slid to you and they felt like two honing signals. You didn’t want to watch anything dawn on her – you hadn’t made it this far to fall apart now. Not over a song.
“I’m going to go wait in the green room, okay?” Robin nodded, her eyes following you as you left.
Now you're just somebody that I used to know
///
The flight to Texas had been long and after the day you’d had – you were dead on your feet. But, because the universe didn’t know how ever give you a break, you found yourself doing a sweep of Eddie’s hotel room before herding him inside.
Gareth’s room had needed sudden repairs and while he’d offered up to bunk with Jeff – you’d given him your adjoining room. It was only for a night, his room would be available tomorrow morning, and you knew that being close to the client was never a bad thing.
You’d shower in the morning, unable to think of more than just brushing your teeth and falling face first into your pillow. Especially considering that you had an early wake up call to go take a look at the new venue.
“What are you doing?” Eddie asked, watching you settle into the sofa in the makeshift sitting room. This one was actually big enough that you could use as a bed for the night – it was a step up from the floor.
Not this again. “Munson, I’ll be fine.”
Eddie scowled and you felt your pulse jump. “It’s a California king mattress Mayfield, just get up here.”
“No,” you said, stubbornly.
Sighing, Eddie flopped onto the bed and you thought that would be the end of it until – “We’ve slept in the same bed before. One much smaller than this. In a trailer park. For months. Get your ass up here.”
“Eddie-”
“I saw you twinge. I know your back probably hurts from that defensive tackle.”
Eye twitching at the memories of you curled around Eddie in his small bedroom, you sat up. “What do you know about sports?”
“It’s been ten years,” he said, deadpan.
“Tigers don’t change their stripes.”
“For fuck’s sake – just get up here,” he groaned, flopping back down onto the pillow.
The twinge in your shoulder screamed for the softness of the bed but your mind was telling you this was a bad idea. It didn’t matter that you’d shared beds before – this was still a client.
“I know how to keep my hands to myself,” he said, tone defensive.
“Oh my God,” you scowled, despite knowing that he was playing you. You got up and padded over to the other side of the – admittedly – huge bed. “Fine!”
Grinning Eddie revealed a small heating pad. “I asked the front desk to have one sent up. It helps me with my shoulder too. After a while they get sore from performing so often,” he said, handing it over a little sheepishly.
Completely bowled over and shocked, you reached for it and arranged it onto your sore shoulder. The heat immediately soothed the surface ache and you smiled at him. “Thank you,” you said.
Awkward, and a little embarrassed with your earnest tone, the two of you broke eye contact.
“I’ll shut off the lights,” Eddie mumbled, hauling himself out and returning once the room had gone dark.
Two minutes in you knew there was no way either of you were going to get any sleep with the tension as thick as it was.
Put your big girl pants on, you shouted at yourself. But your tongue felt stuck to the roof of your mouth.
“Robin’s right,” Eddie said, breaking the silence first.
You nodded, despite the fact that you knew he couldn’t see you. “Yeah, we should…talk about it?”
There was a beat of silence before Eddie exhaled. “I wrote that song a long, long time ago. I was in a different head space and of course, it became one of our hits from the debut album.”
Shutting your eyes, you realized you had finally gotten the answer to a question you didn’t know you’d even wanted an answer for.
“It’s okay,” you said, because it was.
Eddie continued, a hand shooting up in the air, illuminated by the soft moonlight. “I just needed a way to cope with your absence and-”
You reached out, touching his hand softly. “You’re a great songwriter, Eddie. I would never hold that against you.”
“Oh,” he breathed, a small sigh coming out after. “Thanks.”
It seemed that even after all these years, you still knew Eddie well enough. “Just ask me,” you said softly into the silence.
“Why?” He asked eventually.
“Why what?”
“Why was I the only one who you avoided? When you left…you said you needed to get out and I tried really hard not to feel like I was being abandoned but, after a few years everyone seemed to reconnect with you. Except for me.”
Turning onto your side to face him, you watched him turn his head towards you – eyes incredibly sad.
“I didn’t, at least not purposefully,” you admitted. “When we left, I hid away. I left my mom and Max and buried myself in school. I became a shell of a person, I-I’m not proud of things I did but I was in survival mode. I started studying to become a psychologist and that was my life for four years. As horrible as it sounds, I didn’t really reach out to everyone else. They found me - they forced me back into being a human. They searched me out and once I was back among the living it felt like it’d been too long to just pick up where we had left off. How did I start to apologize for just leaving like that?”
Eddie smiled sadly at you. “I understand, in a way. We weren’t exactly easy to find either, you in California and me traveling around with the guys. I…I asked Steve once,” he admitted, “I knew you’d given me an abbreviated story about what had happened before ’86. After he told me, I wasn’t as mad, I was just…sad. You really undersold the story in that little shack.”
“I’m not belittling what we’ve been through, what you’ve been through, but Vecna was my fourth round,” you said, breathing unsteady, “so many people died. Barb…she hurt the most. I could tell Billy’s death had cut Max deeper than she was letting on.”
Eddie’s hand came up to yours and you realized you were shaking.
“The definition of insanity is doing the same thing over and over and expecting a different outcome. I stayed in that town after everything, after Billy, and I know it’s not an excuse but it feels like Hawkins is cursed. I saw you on the floor, in Dustin’s lap, and my world just crumbled.”
His eyes softened. “Sweetheart…”
“We took you to the hospital and I sat there for days going back and forth between your room and Max’s. I just – I couldn’t let that town take anyone else from me. I wouldn’t survive it. I’m sorry, I’m so sorry that I let so much time go by before I woke up. I’m sorry I didn’t push my way back into your life like I should’ve.”
Shaking his head, Eddie’s hand squeezed yours. “I’m sorry for not trying harder. For not seeing how deeply you hurt and only focusing on my own.”
Despite your restraint, you felt tears burn your eyes. “We made a mess of it.”
“Yeah, but even messes can be beautiful in their own way.”
Because of course he’d say the right thing. The ice around you two cracked and more pieces fell to the waiting ocean below. Eyes slipping closed, you had a brief burst of relief in your chest.
Which was promptly stomped upon when your alarm jerked you awake a few hours later. Lifting your arm, you patted around the night table until you hit something warm.
“Ouch,” Eddie grunted, “turn it off.”
Lifting your head, confused, last night came back to you in a rush. Glancing down, you realized that the pressure around your waist was Eddie’s arm. You were tucked into his chest, your legs tangled, and head tucked under his chin. The same way you used to when you’d climb in through his window in the trailer park. Like no time had passed. Then you were suddenly aware of another insistent pressure on your waist.
“Turn it off,” Eddie grumbled again, voice muffled by your hair.
“Uh,” you cleared your throat, “I need you to let me go.”
Eddie’s grip tightened before it immediately disappeared and you both flung yourselves to opposite ends of the bed.
“I’m sorry – uh, oh shit,” he tumbled off the bed, popping up awkwardly. “I’m just going – I’m – I need a shower. Right. Okay.”
You watched him scurry into the ensuite and dropped your head back down to the bed, groaning. You knew you should’ve slept on the fucking floor.
So much for less awkward.
///
Robin cornered you both during rehearsals.
“What is this?” She said, smacking a magazine down. There, on a spread in the pages, were you and Eddie looking like you barely knew each other.
TROUBLE IN PARADISE?
“It’s been a week since they’ve known about me,” you huffed, looking through the poor pictures of you. “How could they know? Oh look, it says we’ve been dating for two years. Apparently, sources say you met me at a coffee shop. How quaint.”
Eddie grunted, eyes darting across the pages.
“Yeah, and who the hell is going to believe that with you two looking like you’d rather be dead?” Robin exclaimed.
“That feels like an exaggerated statement, and that’s coming from me,” Eddie said, frowning.
Robin’s hands came out to snatch the magazine from under your noses. You flinched and Eddie’s hand came up to steady you. “We need to stage some shots. You’ll need to go on a date. Something under the radar, cute, ‘they’re just like us’ type of thing.”
“I am technically just like them,” you pointed out to deaf ears. Eddie’s hand squeezed your shoulder and his small smile made your chest tighten.
“Don’t you think that’s a little gross? Staging shots?” Eddie asked.
“That’s how we get ahead of this. We control the narrative. There’s something else too – this was mailed to the office,” Robin said, clearing her throat. She placed a large manila envelope down and you sorted through it.
“Oh!” You said, straightening, “it’s hate-mail!”
Eddie’s brows flew up. “And you’re happy about that?”
“It means we’re doing something right,” you hummed, looking at the crude images and chunks of hair taped to the letter. “Robin might be right. We should do this and see if we aggravate them further.”
“Are you insane?”
You frowned. “It’s how people get caught. They get sloppy and besides you’ll be safe – I’m here all the time,” you assured him. “We haven’t had any incidents so far these past two weeks.”
“That’s true!” Robin said, perking up. “I’ve seen her decapitate an interdimensional superpowered human. Two regular humans should be easy for her.”
The memory of your machete going straight through Vecna’s neck flashed through your mind and you frowned.
“I’m not afraid for me – oh my God, you two are insufferable,” Eddie muttered, walking off towards the audio guy who was waving him down.
“Jeez, what’s up his butt?” You grumbled, looking through the mail and pointedly ignoring Robin’s knowing smile.
///
He hated to admit that Robin was right. Eddie would never actually say it out loud – she’d never let him forget it. But…the photos looked good. Eddie flipped the page and the image of you with your head thrown back making him smile.
“I feel like we should be laughing, isn’t everyone in those tabloids always laughing?”
Eddie snorted. “Did you need me to tell you a joke?”
“I can fake laugh, look,” you chortled, laugh sounding horrendously fake even to his ears. Eddie couldn’t help but actually laugh at your attempt.
“That was bad,” he said between laughter.
You grinned; Jesus did your smile make his heart sing. “Made you laugh though.”
The both of you had agreed to go for ice cream in downtown Dallas. You’d tossed your arms around him, practically touching him at every opportunity, and Eddie wasn’t stupid enough to try and lie about how it made him feel.
In fact, everything about your arrival had him feeling like he’d been turned upside down. It’d been painfully awkward at first, it still was sometimes, but you were both slowly learning how to be around each other again. And Eddie wasn’t sure if that was such a good thing in the long run. Or if he was just setting himself up to be hurt again.
The last photo, one where you were reaching out to wipe the corner of his mouth, made him smile. His eyes were on you and even he could see that you both looked like a couple very much in love.
“They look good,” Gareth said, leaning against the doorframe. Eddie slammed the magazine shut and straightened. “Well now, that wasn’t suspicious at all.”
“Shut up,” Eddie said, rubbing a hand down his face. “It was set up; you know it was.”
“Riiight.”
“Gareth.”
He laughed. “Dude, it’s me. I’ve known you since I was a freshman in high school. You can’t lie to me. I was there when you met her. She was in my class originally remember? She’s my friend too.”
You had been – that’s how he’d met you. Gareth had failed history junior year and his teacher had assigned him you at the beginning of senior year for tutoring. As cliché as it sounded, you had taken one look at him and he was gone. You were so nice to him, to all of his friends, and repeatedly defended anyone in Hellfire against bullies.
Dustin had mentioned you before – Mike usually rode home with you – but he just hadn’t really noticed you. He couldn’t fathom how because it’d taken one offer for you to come out to the Hide Out and your friendship had all but solidified.
There was rarely a day Eddie wasn’t attached to your hip. Sometimes, it’d felt like he was your shadow, following you around like a lost puppy.
He knew he loved you on Halloween. It was a wonder that it took him so long. You’d told him that you loved him on Valentine’s Day. He still had the card you’d handed to him, flustered and shy. His heart felt like it was going to beat out his chest that day.
There were things he didn’t understand - before everything exploded during spring break – like the times you’d sneak into his trailer, tears in your eyes and panic shaking your body. He’d assumed that you just had nightmares after the fire at Starcourt since you had been in there when it burned. You hadn’t like to talk about but, he quickly found out why.
Eddie had tried his best to be comforting, to be a safe space, and for a moment – a brief moment, he’d thought that you were his future.
Then Vecna had stolen that from him too.
In hindsight, he should’ve known better. He’d cut the rope in the trailer that night because he knew you needed time to kill him. He’d done it for you. Because he couldn’t run away when he didn’t know if you were safe or not. Even if that had been what caused you to run after, he didn’t regret it. Not even in the winter when the scars and his joints hurt the most.
But…he missed you. He’d forgotten that. Forgotten how easy it was with you – how much he wanted to breathe you in and follow you around like that lost nineteen-year-old. There were things he knew about you, whether or not they were still true, that he didn’t know what to do with.
Eddie knew that you liked to have tea before bed. He knew that you liked your coffee with an ungodly amount of sugar. That you thought waffles were superior to pancakes. Your order at the diner was etched into his memory, alongside the way you were ticklish on the soft part of your thighs. The fact that you were a good daughter but an even better sister.
He knew the noises you made when he sucked on the sensitive patch of skin on your neck. He knew that you liked to take charge, never one to be bowled over. He knew just how to twist his fingers, where to touch, to get you to scream. He knew that you liked to pull his hair, that it drove you crazy when he tied it up in a bun.
But he also knew that the sounds of your sobs echoed, the ones that haunted his dreams, while he tried to claw his way through the darkness back to you. He knew what you looked like, begging him to forgive you for not being able to stay while he was still attached to monitors at the hospital. He knew that you’d loved him, once upon a time, and that it’d hurt more than he thought possible to have it taken away.
“I’m scared,” Eddie said, thoughts jumbling together, “what if I get used to her being back?”
Gareth nodded. “That could happen.”
“I don’t – I-” Eddie sighed.
“Listen, she ran after those earthquakes and you let her go. This was something that fell apart that you both let fall. You’re adults now – you’re both grown-ups, ugh,” he said, wrinkling his nose at the thought, “you gotta decide on what you want. Once you figure that out, you’ll know what to do. But…don’t jerk her around. She wasn’t doing good for a while and this is the happiest I’ve seen her in a long time. She’s settled now and she deserves to be at peace Eddie, so do you frankly.”
Before Eddie could even think of a response, let alone soak that in, Robin popped her head in the door.
“Hey! You have the magazine! What do you think?”
Eddie stood up and shrugged. “Looks good to me.”
“Right? I’m a genius! We should do a few more once we land in Chicago, to keep up pretenses,” she said, tapping her chin. “We’ve gotten a ton of fan mail for her. A few job opportunities too, apparently people like her style.”
Of course, they did. Because everyone loved you. How could they not?
“Munson? Gareth? We’re ready for you two. We need to do a final sound check.”
Gareth shot him a look and Eddie sighed again. “Let’s do it.”
As the four of them walk towards the stage, Eddie spotted a few of your team members securing the hallways. Smiling at the woman who never went anywhere without her earpiece or clipboard, Eddie wondered how you two had met.
As if summoned, Eddie caught sight of you as you spoke to one of the outsourced security teams. Julian? He faintly remembered you mentioning a second, much larger, security firm lending a hand. You were pointing at the doors to your left and the man nodded, attention solely on you. Eddie could relate. His eyes wandered down, your jeans tightly curving around your hips-
“Eddie!”
Eddie blinked, turning towards Jeff who was staring at him worriedly. “What?” He said, clearing his throat. “Sorry, what’d you say?”
“He asked if you were ready,” Gareth said from his spot behind the drums, fingers twirling a drumstick while his eyes were light with laughter.
Eddie glared at him before nodding at Jeff. “Sorry man, I’m ready. Want to start off from the last song?”
.
Pacing the length of the green room, Eddie tried his best to calm his nerves.
“You alright man?” Jeff asked, eyeing him. “I don’t think I’ve ever seen you this nervous before a concert.”
“Uh,” Eddie said smartly, not sure how to word that he wasn’t really nervous about performing – more like he was nervous about the fact that this was the first night since you’d joined that he’d be performing that song. It was stupid, he was sure you’d heard it before and he’d gotten away with excluding it for the last few concerts but, it was popular enough that it couldn’t be ignored forever.
Gareth snorted at his indecision. “She’s never heard him sing Got Away,” Gareth said. Eddie whipped his head around and Gareth rolled his eyes. “Dude, they were there while you two pretended not to be obsessed with each other. They’re here now while you two awkwardly try to pretend like you’re not staring at the other. We’re metalheads, not blind.”
Jeff rolled his eyes. “Anyone can see you both have it bad for each other.”
“I don’t know what you’re talking about,” Eddie said.
“Sure,” Liam said, chuckling from his place on the couch, “and I’m Ozzy Osbourne.”
Eddie stood up, feeling overstimulated and overwhelmed. “For my own sanity, just for this performance, can we please drop it?”
Jeff, ever the mediator, nodded but Eddie watched Gareth quirk a brow and shake his head. “The more you ignore it, the worst it’s going to be later.”
“I’m sure she’s heard it anyway,” Liam said, “at this point she’s gotta know you wrote most of that album about her anyway. Most of downtown Hawkins knows.”
“Jesus, remember the songs that fall?” Gareth snorted. “He made that girl in the audience cry.”
Eddie hated how well his bandmates knew him sometimes.
The PA from earlier knocked on the door. “We’re ready for you guys!”
Jumping at the chance, Eddie hurried out the door. He shook his arms out, hooking his guitar around his chest and nodded. It was just another concert.
The sound of fans chanting made him smile. Grabbing the mic handed to him by the audio guy, he caught sight of you on the other end of the stage. You waved, giving him a thumbs up and Eddie hated the fact that it did something to his chest. He shot you a smile before bringing the mic up to his lips.
“Hello Dallas!”
The roar of the crowd drowned out all his thoughts. The curtains dropped, the audience screamed louder, and Eddie reveled in the energy.
“We’re going to start you off with a crowd favorite, is that alright?”
Glancing back at Gareth, he nodded once before raising his drumsticks into the air.
At the first chords, the crowd went wild. Focusing on the audience, Eddie managed to keep his eyes forward, and voice steady for most of the song.
We'd keep all our promises, be us against the world
In another life, I would make you stay
So I don't have to say you were the one that got away
The one that got away
As the bridge approached, Eddie couldn’t help but give into his urge, eyes swinging around to you. He wasn’t prepared for the way you were already looking at him, eyes wide and awed. Your hands were intertwined, pressed up against your chin. At the sight of his glance, you smiled a small little sad thing that had his own heart stuttering.
All this money can't buy me a time machine, no
Can't replace you with a million rings, no
I should've told you what you meant to me, whoa
'Cause now I pay the price
Dragging his eyes back to the crowd, ignoring the pang in his chest, he let the last chorus fade and picked right back up with the next song.
///
You were mildly embarrassed at how quickly, and in such a short amount of time, you got used to being in Eddie’s presence again. You might even go so far as to say that in the rare moment you found yourself without him, you felt a little off.
It was mortifying really. You were a professional and all it took was one assignment to ruin your spotless record. Just barely four weeks into this detail and you were incredibly used to him being the first person you saw in the mornings and the last before bed.
In your incredibly weak defense, there was something intimate about being part of someone’s daily routine. It’s something you taught everyone who joined the firm. There’s bound to be a connection to the people you’re protecting. No matter how short the time, it’s only human to grow attached. It’s a major factor into why your clientele was so loyal. Most of your jobs were reoccurring or past clients. You’d created a bond with all of yours, and you’d hoped – desperately – that it wouldn’t happen here. Honestly, you should’ve known better.
“Is this necessary? We were just here,” Eddie said, yawning from the door.
You got down on your knees and lifted the bed skirt. Flashing your light, you confirmed that the room was clear. When you didn’t immediately hear Eddie’s footsteps, you turned to glance at him from over your shoulder. He shuffled in, eyes on the ground, cheeks pink.
“Fucking hell, is it only eight? Why am I so tired?” Eddie groaned, flopping onto his bed. You perched yourself at the furthest edge, massaging your bad knee and rolling your eyes.
“Because you’re nearly thirty and traveling across the country is exhausting?”
Eddie lifted his head and glared at you. “Don’t you ever mention my descent into death again.”
You laughed and shook your head. “Has anyone ever told you that you’re incredibly dramatic?”
“Once, a girl I knew from high school,” he joked when you shot him a look. “She was wrong, obviously. I’m a completely rational person. If anything, I underreact.”
“Wow,” you said, deadpan.
“What?”
“I’ve never met someone so delusional – oomph,” you grunted as a small pillow hit your shoulder.
Eddie groaned as he sat up. “I’m hungry,” he grumbled, reaching out to check the messages on the hotel phone.
“Me too,” you chimed, already thinking of places you could order from. Eddie seemed fond of the burgers from yesterday. They’d also been cleared by Michaels and Yang as a safe spot to order from for the duration of your stay.
“Robin says we’re all cleared for the night,” Eddie stood suddenly, letting the phone drop back down to the receiver. “I say we go out for dinner.”
“What?” You balked. “We have an early call time; I think our flight is at eight to Chicago.”
Eddie rounded the bed, placing his hands on his knees and bending down to your height. “Come on Mayfield, live a little.”
“It’s not safe – I’d need another person with me. Maybe Johnson is still awake? Maybe a man would look better? What if you’re recognized-” Eddie lifted a hand, his eyes going wide and pleading.
“Come on, boss, live a little. We’ll go somewhere nearby. I’ll wear a disguise! Look,” he said, pointing to the hotel’s massive windows. “The beach is right there! We haven’t, and won’t, get a chance to see it if we don’t go now.”
“We never get the chance to see anything in any city,” you said, brows raising. “It’s just a beach.”
“Mayfield.”
Feeling yourself give a little, you sighed. “What kind of disguise?”
Eddie grinned, one that you knew meant he knew that he was winning you over. “We’re in Miami, trust me – it’s easier to hide in a bigger city.” He hesitated for a moment before gathering his curls into a ponytail, wrapping it around the base, a high bun sat at the top of his head.
Something incredibly close to butterflies, but felt more like velociraptors, roared away in your stomach. Shit, you’d forgotten how good he looked with his hair up. Eddie glanced at you quickly before stuffing his hair under a baseball cap. Pushing a pair of sunglasses onto his face, he opened his arms and did a twirl.
“It’s night out, only weirdos wear sunglasses at night,” you said, laughing when he snorted.
“It’s Miami.”
You laughed. “Alright, fine, you win. I’m bringing back-up though,” you said, going to the safe and grabbing your handgun.
“Do you really need to bring that?” Eddie frowned.
“Eddie, I’m here for your protection,” you stressed, not liking it either. “There are literal deranged fanatics trying to kill you.”
He sighed but relented as you placed it in its holder and pulled a hoodie over it. “What if they just want an autograph? They could be completely rational people.”
“Someone sent me a package last week that we had to scan for explosives, Edward,” you said, opening the door.
Shrugging, he relented. “You know, sometimes you’re right.”
“Sometimes? More like all the times. Hey, no detours, okay?”
Eddie crossed his heart and held up four fingers. “Scout’s honor!”
“You were never a scout and they use their right hand to salute. It’s also three fingers not four,” you said, watching Eddie smirk as the elevator took you both down to the lobby.
Skin itching at the busy streets, you kept alert and vigilant. Eddie’s elbow bumped into yours and you frowned. “Come on, loosen up a little, we’re fine,” Eddie said, tugging his hat on lower.
“For now,” you muttered, sticking your hands into your pockets.
“You’re just a ray of sunshine,” Eddie said, leading you towards the pizzeria at the corner. “Has anyone told you that?”
Raising a brow, you watched him hold the door open for a couple and ushered you in. “You know what I do for a living, right?”
“One cheese pie to go please,” Eddie said, placing a few bills on the counter.
“To go?” You said. “Thought you wanted to live a little?”
Eddie smiled at your imitation of him. “We are, we’re gonna eat on the boardwalk.”
“Eddie,” you groaned. At least a restaurant had less variables you needed to watch over.
“Ah, ah, ah,” he said, thanking the cashier as he handed over the pizza box, “we’re going.”
The beach was visible from the pizzeria. You could smell the saltwater – hear the ocean crashing into the shore. “Eddie-”
“Oh, come on,” he said, grabbing your hand and tugging you forward. Your skin tingled and at the sight of a few people eyeing Eddie curiously, you intertwined your fingers together. He blinked down at your hands, shooting you a surprised look. Darting your eyes to the attention you were getting; Eddie nodded and pulled your joined hands closer as he pulled you under his arm.
This close to him, your sides bumping as you walked, you got hit face first with his scent. It hadn’t changed much since you’d last been this close to him. Woodsy, a bit minty, and something uniquely Eddie.
Smoke, you realized, he didn’t smell like cigarettes anymore. Now that you realized, you hadn’t seen him smoke at all.
“Did you quit smoking?” You asked.
Eddie smiled. “I was wondering when you’d ask,” he said, “yeah, a long time ago now. When we still lived in Hawkins.”
“Really,” you said, raising your brows. “I’m proud of you.”
“Thanks,” he said, sitting down cross-legged on the wooden bench facing the water. Despite the crowded streets, it seemed that the beach was mostly empty. A couple to the far left were walking away from you, two little specks in the distance. “Since you asked a question, do I get to ask one back?”
You picked up your slice and nodded. “Twenty questions?” You asked around a mouthful.
Eddie nodded, swallowing his own bite. “Do you still talk to everyone from home?”
“I didn’t have many friends outside the party,” you said, surprised that that was his first question. “Not after Will disappeared. I – I don’t regularly keep up with most of our friends either. Robin, Steve and I have a weekly phone call where I mostly listen to them bicker-” Eddie laughed and nodded.
“That sounds like them.”
You shrugged. “Aside from El, Max, and Lucas – I don’t speak to anyone else that often. Hopper, obviously, but Will is off doing his own things. Being adults,” you said, shooting him a look, “Will’s stuff is beautiful. I managed to catch his last gallery and he sent me my favorite piece in the mail. It hangs in my living room and I love it.”
“Yeah,” Eddie said, looking out to the ocean. “He’s really good.”
“Dustin is busy being a literal genius and Mike, well, is-”
“-usually around me?” He finished for you.
Smiling sheepishly, you nodded. “Gareth is the only one I called semi-regularly. He sends me postcards from wherever you guys are, you know?”
“I didn’t, the little shit,” he said, frowning. “I guess it’s nice to know that I’m not the only one.”
“The only one what?”
“The only one left out,” he said with a self-deprecating smile that just about broke your heart. Before you the shards could surface, Eddie stood and dusted the crumbs off his shirt. “Want to take a walk?”
Lump in your throat growing, you nodded.
“It’s your turn,” he said, tucking his hands into his pockets. With a quick glance around, you slipped your flats off and let your toes dig into the sand. Feeling a little more calibrated, you let your gaze fall to the push and pull of the ocean.
“When did you know things were changing for the better with the band?” You asked, betraying the tiny piece of you that craved answers and the small details of the time you’d missed.
Eddie smiled. “The first time someone recognized me on the street. We’d been doing a lot of opening acts for moderately known bands on tour. We generated enough interest that we started working on a debut album. I was writing a ton and our label decided to give us a very tentative shot. We were out for some food and this guy tapped me on the shoulder and asked me if I was Eddie Munson from Corroded Coffin.” Eddie mimed his head exploding and you grin.
“I would’ve paid to have seen your face,” you said, bumping your elbow with his, “you guys deserve it.”
“Thanks,” he said, ducking his head like he wasn’t an international rockstar at this point. “How did you get into security? Last I remember, you wanted to be a teacher but you studied psychology?”
You shrugged, memories bubbling to the surface. “I think Hopper just found me at the right time. I was so…angry all the time. I’d shifted from sad to just pissed off – even Max steered clear of me for a while. I needed an outlet, so my roommate pushed me to tag along to her self-defense class. It was Krav Maga and I learned how to take someone down that day. It felt exhilarating.”
Eddie snickered. “Only you’d get excited about violence sweetheart.”
“Shut up,” you said, flustered, “the point is, I’d started picking up a few things and the instructor asked if I’d ever considered Judo. I said no, I didn’t really have the time, but I went to a class once a week for a year. I think, I was just fed up with feeling helpless. I’d watched so many of our friends fight for their lives, I wanted to feel like…well, like I had some sort of control I guess.”
“That makes sense, given the circumstances,” Eddie said, looking pensive. “Wanting control in a situation where you felt like you had none.”
“Exactly!” You said, smacking his shoulder excitedly. Eddie shot you a grin and you stumbled. “Well, Hopper found me right as I was graduating. He’d just started his company and needed help. I went from a class a week to four a week and a boatload of training. I helped scout some people and it went off from there.”
Eddie smiled at you, the moonlight casting a shimmer to his skin. “Who would’ve thought, Mayfield, a professional ass-kicker,” you shoved him and he laughed, the sound shooting down your spine. “It suits you though, you look happy.”
“I am,” you said, shrugging, “at least with my career. I’ve been in some tight situations but the people I’ve saved or protected, they’re all great people. It’s thrilling really.”
“I can imagine.”
A question bounced around your mind, reminiscent of an old conversation with Steve, and you pushed yourself to ask. “Who was your first after…after I left?”
Eddie stumbled and you instinctively reached out to steady him. “Jeez, Mayfield, you really choose the hard hitters.”
Mortified, you straightened. “Sorry, you don’t have to-”
“No, no, it’s fine. We…we were friends for longer than we were anything else. Even after everything, after all the years, you can always ask me anything. Time and complicated feelings don’t change the fact that we were friends. We are friends.”
“Yeah?” You asked, both embarrassed at the earnest tone in your voice and pleased.
And for the first time since you’d seen each other, without any cameras present, Eddie pulled you into his arms. He hooked his chin over your shoulder and exhaled. “Yeah. We might be the weirdest, most complicated friends to exist, but what we went through was too strong to be destroyed by something as finnicky as time.”
Embarrassed by the sudden pressure behind your eyes, you squeezed Eddie tightly. “I’m sorry, Eddie.” You wondered if the words would ever be enough.
“I’m sorry too.” After a minute, you both stepped back and continued walking forward. “And to answer your question – her name was Emily. She was, predictably, your complete opposite. It took a while but she was good for me.”
“What happened?” You asked.
Eddie shrugged, a flicker of regret flashing through his expression. “A whole mix of things. Our schedule was starting to pick up and in the early days we had to go where the shows were. You know how that goes, so much time away – she couldn’t always come with, and I don’t know. We just fell apart. Can I tell you a secret though?”
“Always.”
“I was going to propose the week we broke up,” Eddie laughed and you stared at him incredulously. “No, really. It’s crazy how a week can change your entire life. Well, I learned that years ago but, it’s old news by now.”
“That sucks,” you sighed, surprised by the complete lack of jealousy you felt. It really did suck; you’d gone through enough break ups to know they always hurt.
“What about you?”
You bit back a smile. “What about me?”
Eddie groaned and waved a hand in the air. “Come on, don’t make me drag it out of you.”
“Alright, alright,” you said, glancing back out to the water, “I…didn’t really have one serious relationship. Robin says she thinks I run from commitment but it’s deeper than that. I have a whole chunk of myself that’s permanently changed because of what I’ve been through. How do you cultivate something without sharing that?”
“You should, you know, share it,” Eddie said.
“I know but, no one felt right,” you sighed. “Steve’s favorite is this financial guy I dated for three months. He actually proposed to me.”
Eddie sputtered; expression shocked. “After three months? Did he even know you?”
“Hey!”
“Mayfield, we met the first week of our senior year and it took us almost the entire year to confess that we liked each other,” Eddie said, laughing when you balked.
“Yeah, and I was the one who confessed first! You don’t get any credit for that!”
Hands out, placating, he agreed. “You’re right, you’re right – sorry, continue.”
Stopping at a nearby boulder, Eddie plopped down and you followed suit. “It’s your turn,” you said softly, not wanting to break the easy mood you both had created.
“I promised myself I wouldn’t ever ask you this,” Eddie said, mouth twisting, “but it’s been eating at me. Why didn’t you ask me to come with you?”
The familiar inky grip of guilt tightened in your chest and you struggled to breathe through it. “Because Wayne was in Hawkins. He had a really good job there and everyone else stayed behind. The kids still finished out school, Robin went to college nearby, you needed that. Look, it took me years of therapy to realize this but, you needed to heal through your support system. They were there, in Hawkins. I needed to heal by finally creating distance. If you would’ve asked me to stay, I would’ve,” the admission was torn from your mouth before you could stop it.
Eddie’s surprise eclipsed his face. At his silence, you swallowed around the lump in your throat.
“I would’ve ended up resenting you for it. My sister almost died. She still has a limp, you know? She tries to hide it but I know her bones ache and there are scars that time won’t ever heal. We all have ghosts but I couldn’t keep living in the same house as mine. I knew you deserved more than a broken girl who would’ve turned into a broken woman.”
“I think I knew that on some level, it was just always easier to be the wounded one,” Eddie admitted.
“I don’t blame you for however you needed to cope,” you said, reaching out for his hand, “we do what we need to, to survive. Eventually though, life needs to be more than just surviving and you’re doing that.”
Eddie’s fingers trailed across your palm, tickling your skin and you sighed. “You do have the makings of a good shrink you know.”
“I know,” you said, laughing when he shot you a look. “Tell me a secret.”
“That’s not a question.”
“Will you tell me a secret?”
He huffed a soft laugh and nodded. “I kept the card you gave me that Valentine’s Day,” he whispered, his words almost drowned out by the waves, “it’s in my apartment in New York but, it’s in a box next to my diploma and other important stuff. I couldn’t bring myself to throw it out.” Pulling one of his hands from yours, he pulled one of his necklaces out from under his collar and your eyes zeroed in on the red guitar pick.
“I can’t believe you still have that,” you said, fingers reaching out to touch the warm plastic. Eddie’s inhale was sharp and you immediately brought your hand back.
“I wear it on the days I feel like I need an extra bit of courage,” he admitted.
You smiled, a little confused. “What?”
“Don’t you know?” Eddie asked, tilting his head back, eyes knowing. “You’re the bravest person I know, Mayfield.” The wind blew his bangs around his temples, the hair whipping from beneath the cap. “I wear it when I feel like I need to borrow some of that bravery.”
The intimacy of the admission made you shiver. Your skin brimming to the edge with the words, Eddie’s eyes betraying his accidental vulnerability.
Not one to be outdone, you tried to even the playing field. “I kept one of your Hellfire t-shirts. I wear it when I need comfort. It’s soft as shit and reminds me of happier times. My neighbor even knows I wear it when I feel like crap. It just…helps after one of those days where just about everything goes wrong, you know?”
“Yeah, boss, I know,” he said, gazes catching. Something you couldn’t decipher shifted in his eyes and you felt those damn velociraptors flutter awake. “We’re a mess,” he said, repeating your words from that second night.
“We’re definitely something,” you said, smiling when he snorted. You both watched the water for a few minutes, the line between ocean and sky blurred.
“We…we could’ve had something right? It wasn’t just me? I think about it sometimes, get lost in my own head about whether I’ve imagined our connection. If the depth of us was just one-sided or if we ever really had anything at all.”
Your chest hurt at the sound of his voice wavering, but you kept your eyes on the missing horizon as you answered. “Yeah. We could’ve. We’re an almost and those hurt more than tangible things sometimes. Because you know that if it had the right environment, it would’ve bloomed into the best flower out of the bunch. And you…you, Eddie Munson, are the best, most painful kind of almost.”
“That’s a new one,” Eddie said, eyes burning into you. “I went to see you once. At the California office.”
“What?” You said, shocked.
“You weren’t there. You were on some assignment in New York, ironically. Hopper said it was for some pianist?”
Ah, George Shearing.
“I saw Max though – she’d just started college and swore she could teach me to surf in weekend,” he laughed, stuck in the memory, “I told her not to tell you. I took it as a sign – we could only try so many times, you know?”
You hadn’t known that he’d tried to see you – that if you’d only just delayed that trip for a week you would have.
“Are those songs about me? I don’t want to be that girl who assumes but, I’d always wondered,” you admitted, not able to bring yourself to look at him.
In your peripheral, you watched Eddie smile with a relieved sort of expression. “All my good songs are about you, Mayfield. How could they not be? You’re seared into my memory, into who I am now.” He stood after that, dusting his pants off, and offered his hand. “If we’re an almost, then you’re my favorite almost.”
Taking the offered hand, you let him haul you back to your feet. “You’re my favorite almost, too.”
Eddie grinned, the unhindered, wild grin that you remembered. “It seems we’ve made a habit of having all our serious conversations by a beach,” he said.
Where the hell was he? You frowned, checking the time. Digging your toes further into the sand, you sighed and watched the lake ripple as a duck landed onto the surface. A flash of bright lights had you scrambling to your feet.
“Hey, I’m sorry,” Eddie said, tripping out his van. “I – had a shift at the shop run late, someone brought their shitty mustang in and then I was trying to find any store that was open, but of course none were, I mean - whatever, it doesn’t matter.”
Confused at the speed of his words, you watched him walk over to you. “Eddie?”
“Yeah, sorry. I got your, uh, gift,” Eddie said, words stumbling over each other. You heart leapt into your throat and your eyes immediately dropped to your feet.
“And?”
A soft finger at your chin tilted your face back up to his. His eyes were molten in the moonlight, wide and curious. “Did you mean it?”
“Mean what?”
Eddie smiled half-heartedly, recognizing your teasing. “Are you going to make me say it?”
Nodding, you bit the inside of your cheek and tried to drudge up every bit of your courage.
“Do you…do you really love me?” Eddie’s voice cracked and your stomach fluttered dangerously at it.
“Yeah, I think I have for a while now,” you admitted. “I know we haven’t been friends for as long as you and the guys have – honestly, I don’t know how we never noticed each other before senior year. I-I don’t know when it changed, only that it did.”
Eddie’s thumb traced your bottom lip and his gaze deepened. Squaring your shoulders, you inhaled. “I love you, Eddie.”
His answering smile crashed into you like waves onto the shore. “I love you too, sweetheart.”
Elated, you brought your hands up to his wrists. “Really?” You breathed.
His eyes darted between yours, eyelashes kissing his cheeks. “Yes,” he whispered right before pressing your lips to his.
Shaking your head, clearing the memory from the front of your mind, you dusted sand off your clothes. “Come on, we both need to wash off this sand and we still have that early call time,” you said, nudging him forward.
“This sand?” He asked.
You turned to look at him at the same moment he kicked some up at your legs. You gaped. “Did you just-” you sputtered as he kicked up more sand towards you. Without waiting for your response, he cackled and darted up towards the boardwalk.
“Come back here you shithead!” You screamed, laughing as you chased him back up the beach.
///
“You, Robin, and Dustin could really rule the world, you know,” Eddie said from the sofa in his hotel room, where he was gazing at you lazily.
Rain pelted the thick glass to your left, the curtains pulled open so that you could both watch in fascination as the sudden tropical storm wreaked havoc against the river in downtown Chicago.
Smiling, you glanced around at his dark hotel room – the glow sticks and lanterns from your emergency kit casting a warm low light against the walls. You’d all barely returned from another rehearsal and security walkthrough when the lights had suddenly cut out. It’d taken you ten seconds to slam the adjoining door open and run towards Eddie, who had been face planted into his bed and half asleep.
Immediately calling Robin, you both figured out that the power was out to whole hotel. Julian’s team had reached out to assure you that the floors had been cleared, your and Dustin’s protocol followed down to the smallest instruction, and confirmed that it was a city-wide issue. The ETA for the power being back on was two hours. The hotel generator was only managing to keep common areas on, and the elevators, and anyone was welcome downstairs for some light and free food.
“Don’t you forget it,” you said, pointing to him, the phone still cradled between your shoulder and your ear.
The receptionist tinny voice echoed in your ear. “Ms. Mayfield? Yes, apologies for the wait. Your food delivery is in the lobby. Would you like us to receive it and bill the room?”
“No, thank you,” you answered, “I’ll be right down. Tell him I’ll just be a minute!”
“Of course.”
Grabbing your wallet, you pointed at the door. “Lock it behind me and do not open-”
“-the door for anyone that isn’t you, I know,” he said, propping his chin onto his hand. “I’m going to hop in for a quick shower anyway. Just take my key.”
Ignoring him, a thought suddenly came to mind. “I should probably call and check on the venue, see if there’s any damage,” you mused to yourself, reaching out for paper to write that down.
“Or,” Eddie called out, “you let the storm blow over, relax for a minute, and check on them in the morning.”
Grumbling at his laughter, you made your way downstairs.
The deliveryman gaped at you, soaked to the bone, as you handed him a generous tip. “Are you sure?” He sputtered, looking barely out of high school.
“Be safe, okay?” You said, turning to share a smile with the receptionist sitting close by. She placed the pack of cards on the table, next to monopoly, and you smiled. “Thank you!”
“No problem Ms. Mayfield. If you need anything else, please let us know.”
You waited a fair bit for the only working elevator, the attendant apologizing every few minutes. Waving away his apology, you offered him a spring roll from the massive takeout bag. Surprised, he shook his head, but smiled at your offer. Taking a bite out of your own, you smiled at a few kids running out and towards the sitting room behind you.
“Ow, hot, hot,” you grimaced as you accidentally shifted the bag in your arms too far. Dropping the rest of your spring roll into the bag, you wiped your hands on your pants and pulled out the key card.
Throwing the door open with your foot, you took another bite of your spring roll before placing the bag down on the low coffee table. “Food’s here!” You shouted, eyes catching on the video you’d both wanted to watch after dinner. Shit. “We’re going to have to return the movie and hope they’ve got a Family Video or something by the hotel. I really wanted to watch this one-” choking around your mouthful, you blinked as Eddie emerged from the bathroom.
The white towel hung low around his hips and you became intoxicated with the rivulets of water that sped down his chest from his hair. Swallowing around the sudden lump in your throat, it wasn’t the surprising clear definition of his muscles, or the hair – Jesus Christ on a stick the hair – that caught your attention. It was the scars that were littered across his chest.
The pale, jagged, lines most notable on his ribs and across his hip. And as if against your will, your eyes started to well up. You’d seen Eddie shirtless a few times before…before and seeing him after just reminded you of how close he’d been to death. You’d held the skin together on the one around his ribs, your jacket pressed against his wounds.
“Eddie, open your eyes – keep your eyes on me! Eddie! Sweetheart, please, please, don’t leave me too, you can’t! Nance, the blood – the blood-”
“Mayfield?” Eddie’s confused eyes swam into your blurred vision, crossing the room to stand by you. “Hey, what’s wrong?”
Wordlessly, you reached out a hand and trailed a finger across a small scar by his collarbone. Shivering, Eddie froze in place. “Oh,” he said, glancing down at himself as if he’d forgotten he was half-naked. “Yeah, you haven’t – you didn’t see them before. Aren’t they something?”
“You’re beautiful Eddie, with and without them,” you said adamantly, surprised by your own tone. It didn’t matter in the end, because you couldn’t live in a world where Eddie didn’t know that he deserved the world.
His warm, ringless, hand hesitated before cradling your cheek. “Why are you crying?” He asked, this thumb catching the tear that had managed to escape.
“I don’t know,” you said, tentatively placing your palm on his side. He inhaled sharply, eyes fluttering for a moment before settling back on you. “I was so mad at you. When I saw you lying in Dustin’s lap, I was so mad and so scared…”
“I’m okay,” he said, ducking to catch your gaze. “Hey, I’m okay. I’m like a cockroach. Some ol’ demon isn’t going to get me.”
You half-smiled at him and his ridiculous brow wiggle.
“I’m pretty sure you’re the one who kept this one together,” Eddie said, voicing your thoughts, pointing at where your hand rested. “I never said thanks for that, you know.”
Shaking your head, you found yourself ducking down. The only explanation you had was the fact that a ghost must have possessed you because, before you knew it, you had pressed your lips to the large scar.
As you straightened, Eddie’s grip on your arm tightened, his shoulders trembling. You darted your eyes up to his, about to apologize for your temporary insanity, when your mouth dried.
His eyes were heated, a look that shot directly to your chest and traveled down to your belly. Toes curling in your sneakers, you swallowed thickly. Your tongue darted out in a desperate attempt to wet your lips but as his eyes followed the motion, your mind went fuzzy.
Both of you swayed forward and you realized he was close enough that you could see the faint lines around his eyes. You gazed at him, categorizing the subtle differences ten years made and nearly smiled when you saw the two familiar small freckles at his neck.
“These were always my favorite,” you whispered, a confession meant to be kept to yourself. Suddenly, a memory of you worrying them between your teeth flashed through your mind and you brought your eyes back up to his. You watched, fascinated, as his Adam’s apple bobbed once.
“Sweetheart,” he said, voice an absolute wreck, as his hand fell to his side, “you’re killing me.”
Cupping his jaw, thumb caressing his cheek, you jumped when his hand came up to your wrist. He kept your hand there, his eyes darkening, and you felt your breathing turn shallow. Jesus, you wanted to rake your hands through the hair in his chest so badly you were practically salivating.
The silence of the room was suffocating, you wanted to crawl out your skin. His eyes branded you as they darted across your face, as if memorizing you, and you bit the inside of your lip.
Both of you swayed again, inching closer.
Then, suddenly enough to startle you, the lights in the room flickered on. The electricity in the building seemed to hum in unison for a moment, before settling.
What the fuck were you doing?
You blinked, realizing just how close you’d gotten, and you jumped back. Wrapping your arms around yourself like armor, you kept your eyes on the floor and shook your head. “I-I’m so sorry. I, uh, the food’s on the table. I’m not – I’m going to go back to my room.” Without waiting for a reply, you turned on your heel and started for the adjoining door.
Quick footsteps and a hand wrapping itself around your wrist stopped you. Closing your eyes for a moment, you begged yourself to stay professional before turning to Eddie.
“The food,” he said, after a beat of silence, “you didn’t eat.”
Shit. “Right, uh, I’ll just grab my-”
“And the power is back on, so we can watch that movie you wanted,” he said, hand dropping from yours. You watched him rub his neck and you realized he was actually nervous. Eddie Munson was awkwardly nervous.
Stunned, you blinked at him.
“We both have a late start tomorrow, for the first time this entire tour,” he said taking a few steps back towards the bathroom. “Besides, you owe me.”
Indignation flashed through you. “What?” You sputtered, awkwardness falling away. “How the hell do I owe you? I’m the one who kept that crazy fan off you this morning.” You crossed your arms.
Eddie beamed, shaking off his own uncertainty, and shrugged. “You just do. Get the movie on, Mayfield. I’ll be…right back,” he said, grabbing a change of clothes and you absolutely did not watch his shoulder blades shift in fascination as he walked away.
Grabbing the food out the bag, you settled on the couch, crossing your legs. What the fuck was that? You asked yourself, barely resisting the urge to rub a hand down your face. For fuck’s sake, you kissed his chest. Had you actually lost your mind?
It didn’t look like he’d minded, your mind supplied unhelpfully.
Shut up, you told it.
But the damage was done, your mind was reeling, and you realized it hadn’t looked like he minded. In fact, it looked like he’d been leaning down-
“You better not have eaten all the spring rolls,” Eddie said, grabbing the remote and flipping the lights off. He flopped down onto the cushion next to yours and you quirked your brow. “What? No one watches movies with the lights on, Mayfield.”
Shooting him a look he ignored, you smiled when he placed another spring roll into your container. The opening credits started and you laughed as Eddie ran commentary, as always.
After quickly eating most the food, you both sunk into the cushions comfortably. Halfway through the film, you felt his hand come up to yours. He nudged you and you blinked up at him, confused. He nudged you again and you let him intertwine your fingers. Eddie’s answering smile warmed you.
Without overthinking, you let your head come down to Eddie’s shoulder.
The character on screen pressed a kiss to her daughter’s head as she ran out the door. You weren’t sure when you’d forgotten how easy it was to just…exist with Eddie. The way he radiated sunshine and how its rays warmed you from the inside out. You didn’t know how you’d existed without it for so long. It was easy to forget when you didn’t have it within your grasp, but now that you did – you didn’t think wanted to let it go.
///
“Hey!” Robin said as you opened the door to your hotel. She was dressed in an incredibly tailored suit and you let out a low whistle. She waved a hand, giving you a knowing grin. “I look good, right?”
“So humble too,” you teased, letting her in. “You’re early.”
She shrugged, draping herself across your unmade bed. “I got ready quicker than I needed to. Thought I’d come down and bother my favorite person in the hotel.”
“I’m telling Eddie you said that,” you joked.
Robin’s brows wiggled. “Talking about Eddie…”
You groaned, clasping the necklace you’d bought in Chicago around your neck. “Robin, please.”
“I can’t help but notice that you two have been getting along recently.”
“We’re friends.”
“Right, and friends always check out the other’s rack when they think no one is looking?” Robin asked, propping herself up on her elbow.
Hands stumbling, you dropped one of your converse onto the floor. “Jesus Christ Buckley, why don’t you just scream it?”
“Scream what?” A second voice asked. You jumped, shrieking when you saw Gareth leaning against the doorframe of the connecting door.
“Gareth!” You said, chucking a brush at him. “What have we said?”
He sighed. “It’s not smart to scare you because you could karate chop my head off my shoulders,” he said, pouting like a ten-year-old.
“Don’t worry Gareth, we were just talking about how close her and Eddie seemed to have gotten this past week,” Robin said, glint in her eyes. You closed your eyes, reminding yourself that you’d eventually miss Robin if you killed her.
“I have a bet going with the rest of the guys,” Gareth whispered loudly, “Jeff’s winning.”
“Excuse me?” You sputtered.
Gareth shrugged. “I thought the two of you were braver than you are.”
“I-I-” Words failed, really they did. “I have no idea what you’re talking about.”
“No? Considering earlier today at breakfast you came in from working out and Gareth had to practically reattach Eddie’s jaw back to his face after seeing you in a sports bra.”
“Plenty of people wear sports bras to work out!” You said defensively.
Snorting, Robin nodded. “I know, you’re just the only one he’s got eyes for.”
You felt yourself grow flustered, not able to really handle anymore. You’d known that things had shifted after that night. You’d spent the last four days going over it in your mind. You were both playing with fire and you wanted to be sure that – if anything shifted – you wanted this. You’d already left a town of people behind; you weren’t going to make the same mistake twice.
Unfortunately, you hadn’t gotten any closer to an answer, to any type of resolution to all of this. But it seemed to help that Eddie sounded just as confused.
What didn’t help was that you could practically feel his eyes on you, like a physical touch, and you couldn’t exactly keep your own eyes to yourself. Something had changed, or changed back, and you didn’t know what to do with that.
Gareth and Mike had already separately brought it up and you were mortified. Robin, as always, took great pleasure in fucking with you.
Saving you, the hotel phone rang and you dove for it. “Hello?”
“Good evening, Ms. Mayfield,” the receptionist greeted. “I’m calling to inform you that your party has started to arrive.”
“Thank you, we’ll be right down,” you said, hanging up the phone. “Everyone’s starting to arrive.”
You’d landed in Indianapolis early morning and had spent all day prepping as usual. Robin, like the mastermind she was, had managed to reserve a private room in the popular restaurant downstairs. She’d all but blackmailed the party into flying out for the concert tomorrow.
“Eddie,” you called out, “everyone’s downstairs!”
“Coming!” He answered, his head popping through the doorframe a minute later. His eyes found yours first, as always. “You look great.”
Opening your mouth – Robin beat you to it. “Thanks Munson,” she said, swinging an arm around his shoulders. You watched as a blush crawled up from his neck.
Rolling your eyes, you grabbed your bag and opened the door. “Come on, Dustin and Lucas will eat through the entire restaurant if we don’t hurry up.”
“I’m telling him you said that,” Gareth said.
Without much maneuvering, you had him a headlock the entire ride down. Robin and Eddie laughed as you walked out into the lobby with him still in your grasp.
“I’m going to pass out,” he complained, his hands reaching out to tickle your sides.
Jumping away, you growled. “That’s cheating!”
Dramatically gasping for air, he ran a hand through his hair and glared.
“Watch yourself, that’s my sister you’re scowling at,” a voice called out behind you both. Whipping your head around, you found the familiar red hair and freckled face. Not wasting a second, you ran towards her.
Slamming into each other, you wrapped your arms tightly around her small frame. The smell of her shampoo surrounded you and you felt yourself ease. “Hey Mad Max,” you whispered, leaning back to get a good look at her.
It’d only been four months since you’d seen her last, but you always felt like a piece of you slotted into place when you did.
“Hey boss,” she teased, laughing when you peppered her cheek with kisses. She squealed, the sound making you grin and you ruffled her hair. “Where’s- oomph.”
A blur of blue slammed into your side and you kept a hand on Max’s shoulder for balance. El’s wide smile beamed up at you and you grinned. “Ellie,” you said, laughing when your silly nickname caused her smile to widen. “I haven’t seen you since Christmas,” you said, wrapping your arms around her small waist and lifting her up off the ground. She laughed, the sound filling you with warmth. If anyone deserved complete unrestrained happiness, it was Eleven.
“I missed you,” she said, squeezing you once before letting you go.
“I missed you too.”
Another voice joined. “Why don’t I ever get greeted like that? It’s always move Sinclair, you’re blocking my sister,” Lucas mimicked.
Rolling your eyes, you smacked the back of his head before bringing him in for hug. “How’re the Lakers?”
“Good, got an earful from my coach about keeping to my diet,” he said, scrunching his nose.
“Well, well, well, if it isn’t my favorite employee,” Hopper’s voice boomed in the lobby.
You whipped your head around and narrowed your eyes. “If it isn’t my severely unprofessional boss,” you said, cracking and letting him bring you into a hug.
He leaned away, eyes darting across your face. “You seem different.”
“Yeah, I’m probably going prematurely grey from the stress these idiots give me,” you said.
Hopper shook his head. “You look happy, like you’ve lost some of those weights off your legs.”
“Don’t start,” you said, holding a hand up. “You’ll all be the death of me before the night is over.”
Robin clapped her hands twice, Steve Harrington already at her side – as per usual. He shot you a wide grin when you caught his eye. “This is all wonderful and everything but we got reservations I had to trade a kidney for. So, move it or lose it nerds!”
You all sat down, doors separating you from the rest of the restaurant firmly closed, and you thanked Julian’s guys stationed at the front.
Feeling a weird sense of déjà vu, you watched everyone you cared about bicker, catch up, and hug each other. Nancy sat to your left; her arm linked through yours as she told Will about her most recent news story.
The food had only just arrived when you realized there was a steak on a plate on Eddie’s right. “Hey, who’s that-”
“Sorry I’m late everyone, the traffic on the highway was a bitch.”
Spine straightening, you stood and watched Wayne walk through the doors. His eyes found yours and you almost broke in two at the way they softened for you. Turning to glance at Eddie, you watched him shoot you a small knowing smile.
For most of your last year in Hawkins, Wayne Munson had been the only responsible parental figure you, Eddie, or Max had. You’d lost the number of times he’d cook you two breakfast or given you a ride to work when Eddie wasn’t home. Affection hadn’t come easy to him but he’d never turned you away when you reached for a hug. His scruff would tickle as he pressed a quick kiss to the top of your head before leaving for work most nights.
Wayne Munson was the man who’d displayed the Christmas card you’d given him when the one you’d tried to send to your dad was sent back with a bright red RETURN TO SENDER. The mug you’d gotten him was displayed right in the middle of that old trailer.
“Well, look at you, all grown up,” Wayne said, hands going to his hips. “You lost my number or something? Just because my kid probably done and messed things up didn’t mean you couldn’t have called me once or twice among the years. I’ve saved your postcards though, every single one.”
Tears building in your eyes, you flung yourself into his arms and it took everything in you not to immediately break out into tears. “I’m sorry,” you said quietly, “I didn’t mean to stay away for so long.”
“That’s alright,” he said, thumping you twice on the back. “You’re here now and from what I hear, you been running a tight ship.”
Feeling merciful, the guys nodded, complaining instantly about your overboard security measures. Walking back down to your seat, you swiped a finger below your eyes and smiled when Wayne pressed a kiss to Max’s temple. “Hey Red.”
“Hi Wayne,” she said, beaming up at him. “Haven’t seen you since the summer. The new television holding up okay?”
“Course, you’re the one who helped me fix it,” he said, ruffling her hair. Wayne made his way down the table towards Eddie, settling down next to him.
Eddie’s eyes found yours again, concern swimming in them. You smiled, letting him know you were okay, just a little overwhelmed.
Halfway through dinner, you felt Hopper’s arm settle on the top of your chair behind you. “You can thank me with some scotch for the assignment,” he said, the glint in his eyes teasing.
“Right, and what am I thanking you for?”
Hopper rolled his eyes. “That, Mayfield, is the look of a man in love,” he said and you couldn’t help but glance towards Eddie, who was – in fact – looking at you. He smiled and you whipped your gaze back to Hopper. “You can’t be that blind,” he huffed. “You’re a smart girl. You’ll catch up eventually.”
“We did,” Joyce said, her soft voice coming from Hopper’s right. She smiled at you, her hand reaching for yours. “Don’t let him bully you.”
“Although,” Nancy said, joining the quiet conversation. “I really would’ve sworn that you two would’ve ended up together.”
“They would’ve, they still probably will,” Lucas, across from you said, voice a touch too loud for your liking. “You all see the way they stare at each other, right? It’s been two hours and I’m sick of it.”
“This is a job,” you insisted, “I’m suppose to make sure he’s – they’re all okay.”
“Not now,” Nancy insisted, “back then. When we were all still in high school.”
Your heart stopped and you felt your arms go numb. The two of you hadn’t told anyone – it’d only barely just happened when shit hit the fan. Then you turned and ran out of town before the leaves could settle.
“Shit, yeah,” Robin huffed, “do you remember the looks? God the yearning we had to put up with.”
Mike snorted. “It was, and still is, annoying. The campaigns always ended early when she sat in on them, like Eddie couldn’t wait to get rid of us.” Your pulse echoed in your ears and you darted a nervous look to the opposite end of the table. Eddie was in a deep conversation with the band, Dustin laughing at something Jeff had said.
“Remember Valentine’s Day? They got worse after that,” Lucas said. “Eddie practically ditched us every week.”
“And the nicknames?” Nancy added. “I thought it was sweet.”
Not able to handle more, you stood abruptly and you cleared your throat. “I’m going to go…to the bathroom. I’ll be right back,” you said, scurrying off before you could meet anyone’s eyes.
The hurried footsteps behind you let you know that you weren’t alone. Hands reaching for the sink, you tightened your grip on the edges. Looking up into the mirror, you saw Robin, Nancy, and Max’s worried faces.
“Was it too far? I’m sorry,” Nancy said immediately, her hands coming out to yours.
Robin, however, tilted her head. “No, that’s not it. What’s wrong?” Goddamn her.
Max answered for you. “They did date,” she said, coming up to your other side.
Your eyes shot up to her knowing ones and you balked. “What?” Robin sputtered, looking completely shocked. “I spent almost everyday with you. When the fuck did you two date?”
“How did you know?” You asked Max.
She shrugged, her hair falling to her back. “We lived across from his trailer, I could literally see you sneak out his window when Wayne would get home in the morning sometimes. Besides, it’s like they all said, anyone with eyes could see you two were gone for each other,” she said. “I know something changed in February. You two were different. I always felt guilty, after we moved, I felt like I…like I’d robbed you something.”
You’d moved to her side before you could even think. “You didn’t. Even if we had gotten together earlier, I wouldn’t have stayed in Hawkins. I couldn’t. I still can’t.”
Max smiled weakly, but you saw her nod before burrowing into your arms. “I’m sorry, we need to rewind a second,” Robin said, her voice a little too loud.
“I locked the door,” Nancy reassured you.
“What the fuck, why didn’t you tell me? Oh my God! I made you guys go on so many fucking dates just to fuck with you guys. Jesus Christ. I thought this was stupid yearning, a maybe we-kissed-once-while-drunk-or-high thing. Not that you guys actually dated!” Robin said, rubbing a hand down her face. “Holy shit.”
“They definitely did more than kiss,” Max said, laughing when you shot her a glare. “What? The trailer walls were thin and you were loud. Well, he was loud. Actually, you both were.”
“I’ll smother you,” you threatened, fighting the urge to run in mortification.
The three of them grinned, even Nancy, and you sighed. “This has been a bit much for me tonight. I – I need a moment.”
“Right,” Nancy said, ever the mediator. She gripped Robin’s arm and herded her out the door. “We’ll see you all tomorrow and the day after. I’ll tell everyone you have a stomachache and went upstairs.”
“Thank you,” you said, squeezing her hand.
“But- wait- I have more questions!”
“Which can wait for tomorrow,” Nancy whispered back. “Come on Buckley, we still have dessert to go through and I’ve got to grill you about Laura.”
“What! Who told!?” You managed to smile when Robin’s voice squeaked.
Splashing some water on your face, you hurried up to your room and almost jumped out your skin when a knock echoed a few minutes later.
Checking the peephole, you let your forehead drop against the door. Of course.
“Yes?” You said, opening it a few deep breaths later.
His concern evident, he took a few steps in and shut the door behind him. “Are you okay? Robin said you were throwing up?” His hands flew to your arms.
You reminded yourself to give her a good punch to the shoulder. “I’m fine,” you told him, opening your door to his room and giving it a sweep to have something to do.
“Wait, hold on a second,” he said, moving to follow after you and stopping once you sent him a glare.
Taking more than the necessary second to check through his hotel room, your thoughts bounced around wildly in your head.
What was he doing here? Did you really want to go down this rabbit hole again? Could the two of you even be friends again? How’d you feel if you saw him dating someone else? Did he want to even do this? What if you were getting ahead of yourself?
“I can hear you overthinking from out here,” he called out.
Shit.
You walked out, eyes landing on him in the doorframe immediately. The second you met his eyes, you felt something in the air shift.
“You’re not sick,” he said softly, almost like he didn’t want to disrupt anything.
Shaking your head, you wrung your hands together – suddenly nervous. You’d unarmed mercenaries before, other highly trained security personnel, shit – you’d decapitated a monster that had almost killed your sister. You’d stared down Russian soldiers in the face and spat at them.
But this, Eddie standing in the doorway, made you hesitate.
“Are we going to talk about it?” He asked, taking a step towards you.
You broke the eye contact, looking down at your fumbling hands. “About what?”
“You know what,” he said, taking another few steps into the room. He sighed when you didn’t look up at him. “Sweetheart, if you don’t – if I’ve read this wrong-”
Not able to let him think that he was alone in this, not again, you rushed to explain. “You haven’t. Read this wrong. At least I don’t think,” you threw your hands up, “I don’t know exactly what there is to read, Eddie. I’m…it’s been so long and what if we mess this up again?”
His entire expression transformed. “Mayfield.”
“What?” You huffed, crossing your arms.
Eddie smiled, brow rising, and you suddenly felt the urge to smack him. “Do you want to date me?”
“I’m scared,” you admitted. Eddie’s teasing expression softened into understanding.
“Me too. We can be scared together,” he said, outstretching his hand. You hesitated for a moment before intertwining your fingers together. “We can make up the rules as we go. It doesn’t need to be serious, or heavy, it can be whatever we want. We can relearn who we are now, see how these versions of us fit together.”
“I want that,” you said, the words some of the scariest you’ve said in a while.
Eddie beamed at you, his face practically splitting in two. “Yeah?”
“Yeah,” you said, because how could you not? Ever since you’d seen him lying there on the floor, your world had been spinning out of control. You had tried to steer it for a while but now you realized, it had just been spinning back to him. “I do.”
Both of you stood like idiots, smiling at the other, until Eddie’s eyes darted down to your lips.
The air crackled immediately in response; a soft current rippled through you. Unable to stop yourself, your own eyes dropped to his lips. You briefly wondered if he still made that noise when you bit down on his neck.
As if reading your mind, his hands trailed down to your hips, pulling you in. For a moment, a small moment, you let yourself be led – but clarity quickly slammed into you and you dodged his kiss.
Hurt, he turned around to look at you. “What – was that too fast?”
“No,�� you said, breathing like you’d run a marathon. “I- we can’t.”
“Because?”
You shot him an incredulous look. “You’re a client! If we – if anything – it’d be unprofessional. I’m your employee. I’m literally being paid to be with you right now.”
“I mean technically you’re the label’s employee- ouch!” Eddie huffed, glaring at the pillow you’d tossed at him.
“No. There are no technicalities here. Not if it comes down to your safety,” you grumbled. “Shit, maybe I should reassign someone.”
Eddie straightened. “You can’t!”
“But-”
“The world already thinks you’re my girlfriend,” Eddie’s eyes sparkled at the word, “it wouldn’t make sense to reassign you. You can’t reassign this.”
You sighed when you realized he was right. Shit, were you compromised? Turning to argue, you watched something flash across his expression before he managed to school it back to neural. But this was you and him. You knew him too well. No one like to feel rejected, even if it was for a good reason.
Wanting to soothe any ache you’d inflicted, even if necessary or accidental, you walked up to him again. Placing a hand to his chest, you assured him. “If I wasn’t working, if I wasn’t on assignment. I would. I- you…you have a scar right here,” you said, tapping the edge of his collar.
“They’re everywhere, Mayfield,” he said with a ghost of a smile.
Closing your eyes, you let yourself have this one moment. Your index finger reached out to trace the scar. His skin prickled at the touch, hair standing on end. “It’s shaped like half a heart,” you said, tracing it over and over again. “I want to know what it tastes like. What it feels like under my tongue. I want to know if you still make the same noise when you’re desperate and needy. I want to know so badly it’s been driving me insane trying to deny that truth for the last two months.”
Eddie’s eyes darkened and you felt a small thrill trail down your spine at being able to have done so. “That’s not fair,” he said, voice hoarse.
“I wasn’t trying to be,” you said, not hiding behind your usual wall.
Eddie groaned at your look. “Fuck me,” he sighed, head thumping against the wall.
“I already told you,” you said, smiling cheekily, “I can’t.”
His eyes darkened further and your restraint was seconds from snapping. You waved a hand in the air and put more distance between the two of you. “Okay, okay, walk it off Munson.”
“Stop teasing me then,” he said, baring his teeth.
Alright, fair.
“There’s only a week left of this assignment. Seattle and then LA.”
Eddie nodded. “Then we’re free.”
“Yeah,” you said, both thrill and nervous, “then we’re free.”
///
“No!” A shout from the open doorway pulled you from your uneasy slumber. Sleep clung to your eyes, making everything a little fuzzy, but you let instinct take over. Grabbing the nearest weapon, you all but ran into Eddie’s room.
From a quick glance, you didn’t see anything out of place. Eddie laid on his side on the right, facing the door. You glanced into the bathroom and the open shower. When you glanced back at him, eyes and head clearer, you realized he was asleep. His face scrunched, expression a little anguished. You sat at the edge of the bed, hand coming up to his arm. “Eddie,” you said quietly, shaking him softly. “Eddie, it’s a dream. You’re dreaming.”
His eyes flew open, breath coming in scared pants, and he grabbed your arms tightly. “Are you – is everyone okay?” He stammered.
“Hey, hey, it’s okay,” you assured him, “it was a nightmare. It was just a nightmare.”
Except you knew that things were never just a nightmare.
“I’m sorry,” he croaked, voice rough. “Did I wake you? Was I screaming?”
You shook your head, waving away his apologies. Running a hand down his head, you took his hand with the other. “We all get them. Are they – do they happen often?”
“Not as much as before,” he admitted, “they always come back when I’m finally feeling okay. Then they strike. It’s like they hide in the shadows for the right time.”
You smoothed the hair away from his face and traced a nonsensical shape into his palm. “I get it,” you told him, because you really, really did. “Do you need me to get you anything?”
Eddie hesitated and you frowned.
“What is it?”
“Can you – can you stay?” He asked a little shyly. “I won’t try anything, I swear.”
“A perfect gentleman?” You teased, knowing already that you wouldn’t be able to say no to him. He crossed his heart and you nodded. “If your hands wander, I’m smacking you in the morning.”
“That’s fine,” he said, pulling the blankets up to your chin. “Thank you.”
“Of course,” you said, yawning.
///
You woke up slowly, burrowing your face into your pillow, you tried to fight off the day for a few more minutes.
Moving to shift onto your back after a few minutes, you found yourself unable to. You cracked open one eye and realized you weren’t in your bed. Head perking up, last night came back to you in a rush and you looked down to see an arm keeping you securely tucked. Eddie’s chest was practically molded into your back, his nose buried in your neck and breath tickling your skin.
Glancing at the time, you groaned. Shit, you needed to be up and downstairs in a few minutes. “Eddie,” you tapped his wrist softly, “I gotta get up.”
Groaning in response, Eddie pulled you tighter to him, his cheek coming to rest on your head. You, however, blinked at the new sudden pressure you felt against your hip. Trying your best to shift away, you ended up rubbing against him.
A sharp inhale hit your skin and you shut your eyes. Experimentally, you pressed back again, the curve of your hip hitting at the right angle. Eddie’s gritty voice hit your ear. “If you keep doing that, this will get interesting really quickly.”
Eddie’s grip on your waist loosened and you instinctively turned to face him. You both groaned this time, when it was now trapped between you. Eddie rocked forward, almost unconsciously, and you clenched your thighs.
“Eddie,” you said, eyes catching his. You watched, fascinated, as his pupils dilated. Unable to help yourself, you rocked your hips forward again. This time, Eddie panted, his breath hitting your cheeks and you realized your grip on his arm was painful.
“Mayfield,” he hissed, grip on your hip tightening.
Shaking your head, you rolled off the side of the bed and landed in a heap on the floor.
“Mayfield?” He called out, coming over to glance at you over the edge. “Are you okay?”
“Yes,” you said, trying to calm the embers in your – well, entire body. “We both need cold showers, breakfast, and to get going to the venue. Shit, I might need a drink at this rate.”
Eddie groaned, flopping back down onto the bed. “You and me both.”
You really couldn’t help but laugh.
///
Being back in California settled your nerves from the past week like a wave returning to the ocean. There was something about your home, the city you were born in, that calmed you.
Glancing around the packed club, the one the record label had rented out to celebrate the last concert of the national tour, you took note of all the exits again.
“You look like you’re having fun,” Robin said, dropping herself into the seat next to yours. Her elbow hit you in the side and you hissed. “Sorry, sorry, this place is fucking packed. The next person that accidentally bumps me is getting smacked.”
Suddenly, the booth you were in was surrounded. Everyone had returned with their drinks in hand, Eddie taking your other side and the guys sitting around the table. “Man, everyone from the tour is here! This is great!” Jeff said, excitedly sipping his pina colada. You smiled from behind your hand, his drink of choice hadn’t changed from high school and you couldn’t help but find it endearing.
Robin straightened. “Wait, this is it,” she said, glancing at you and Eddie. “You’re leaving us after tonight.”
“Well, technically I get a week off and then I think I’ve got a politician’s daughter who needs me for the next month.”
“What?” Eddie said, turning to glance at you. “I thought you were taking a few weeks off. I’ll be in town until we leave for London.”
Oh. You thought he’d be going back to New York after your week off. Robin, clearly picking up on both your tones, stood up. “We need a round of shots. Hey! Can I get a round of shots?”
The entire group groaned and she shot you each a look. A waitress brought them over on a tray and she waved over the few of Julian’s team that had opted to come. The guys and girls smiled and picked up a few shots when Robin urged.
“I want to toast to the woman who swooped in and saved our ass these last two months. Mayfield,” she raised her shot glass, “you’re irreplaceable, the best of the best, and we’re sad to see you go but goddamn, do we love to watch you walk away.”
You sputtered, laugh loud enough to rival the bass coming from the speakers.
“To our new guys,” she said, turning to Julian’s crew, “we’re so glad you’re staying with us. Welcome to Hell. You’ll love it here.” With a salacious wink, she threw back two shots.
The entire group cheered, lifting their glasses and drinking to an end and new beginning.
“God damn,” you hissed, the tequila stinging on it’s way down. Burying your face into Eddie’s shoulder, his hand came up to the back of your head and you felt his laughter beneath your cheek.
“Want something to wash it down with?” He asked, offering up his beer. You scrunched your nose and pointed to the bar.
“Save my seat? I’m going to go get something else. I think I burned my tastebuds off, what the hell was that?” You hissed, kissing his cheek and walking off towards the bar.
The blonde at the end of the counter spotted you and shot you a warm smile. “Can I get you anything?”
Ordering a drink, you added an appetizer as an afterthought. “Actually, can I have two?” She nodded, placing the orders for you and asking what table you were sitting at. Waving away her offer, you pulled yourself onto a barstool. “I can wait, no worries!”
A Corroded Coffin song came on and you grinned as the entire room erupted into cheers. You bopped your head at your seat, singing softly along to the words. A hand came up to your back and you smiled. “I’m just waiting on the-” your voice trailed off when you realized it wasn’t Eddie. “Oh. Uh, hi?”
“Hello,” the guy said, eyes dropping to your chest. You scrunched your nose and pulled back. “Did we meet at that party in Beverly Hills?”
Shaking his hand off your body, you straightened. “No, we did not. Please don’t touch me.”
Instead of insulted, his eyes sparkled – as if rising to a challenge you hadn’t announced. “I’m sure I’ve seen you before – you’re gorgeous.”
“Right,” you said, turning to hop off the stool. You were not going to hurt the stranger because it would kill the mood, you reminded yourself, unclenching your fists. As you took another deep breath, your eyes flew open when a firm grip pulled you into his chest. Shrieking, you went stumbling into his arms. “What the fuck?”
“I like girls who have a little heat,” he said, fingers practically bruising your wrist. “I saw it the moment you sat down. Besides, who wears an outfit like that and doesn’t want to get noticed?”
Trying to keep your temper in check, an image of you flipping him over your shoulder and slamming him into the ground flashed through your mind. Anger somewhat mollified, you were about to rip your arm from his and maybe break his index finger in the process, when you felt a hand on your shoulder. Stumbling into another chest, you glanced around to see Eddie’s fierce expression.
“I suggest you get your hands off my girlfriend before I break yours,” he said, tone leaving no room for arguments. Annoyance flashed across the guy’s expression before recognition dawned on him.
“Shit man, I didn’t know that was your girl, honest,” he said, taking a few steps back. His face paled as he stumbled away from the bar and towards the booths on the right. Not releasing his hold on you, Eddie stalked over to Johnson, who was two seconds from climbing onto table to dance.
“Who is that?” He asked her. Her glazed look disappeared at the sound of his tone.
“Plus one from a suit at the label. Want him out?” She said, all traces of inebriation vanishing at will. A bit of pride shot through you at that.
Eddie rubbed a hand down his face. “I know it’s your night off but he was feeling Mayfield up-”
Johnson’s brows flew up. “And his limbs aren’t broken?”
“I was trying not to make a scene,” you hissed, glaring at Eddie, and smiling at the few concerned looks you were getting.
Eddie’s eyes turned to you for the first time since the bar. Surprised at what you saw, you blinked. “Some things are worth making a scene for,” he turned to Johnson who smiled knowingly.
“I can take care of it,” she assured you both, “with pleasure.”
You turned to Eddie and he spoke before you could. “People are looking, darling, smile.”
“Do not tell me to smile,” you snarked. “I had that handled.”
Not dignifying you with a response, he pulled you into one of the semi-private booths. You growled at him. “Don’t manhandle me like that, I had it covered. It’s literally my job.”
Eddie ran a frustrated hand through his hair. “I know. I’m sorry, I know you could’ve handled it but-” he hesitated, brows furrowing, “sometimes other people can take care of you, you know?”
You leaned back. “What?”
“Just because you can do it, doesn’t mean someone else can’t help. I know you could probably kick my ass-”
“-not probably, I definitely can-”
“-but I’ve still got your back. Even if you don’t need it.”
He was jealous, you realized, finally recognizing the emotion brewing in his eyes.
Oh.
“I…okay,” you said, taking his fingers and intertwining them with yours across the table.
Eddie frowned. “Okay?”
“Yeah,” you nodded.
Suspicious, he leaned forward. “I just – I didn’t like how he had his hands on you. I wanted to punch his stupid face.”
It was very in character that the sentiment made your heart skip a beat.
“Who goes around just grabbing people like that? The way he pulled you- and his stupid suit-” he exhaled harshly. “I’m sorry if I pulled you too hard. I know we haven’t defined anything between us yet-”
“Hey,” you interrupted his nervous rambling. “I can get jealous too you know.”
“Yeah?”
You nodded, remembering that stupidly pretty bartender at the Hide Out. The way she’d place her hand on his arm, tracing his tattoos. Blinking away the memory, you raised your eyes up to Eddie’s and felt that first crackle of electricity. “I’ve got to share you with everyone you know,” you teased, “you’re Eddie Munson, famous rockstar now.”
Instead of laughing, Eddie’s eyes shifted and you felt the tension deepen. The current snapped louder, practically visible. “Yeah, but you wanted me when I was that kid planning campaigns and standing on lunch tables. Nothing, not even sold-out stadiums and big fancy international tours can change that. You were the first.”
“Eddie,” you breathed, fingers digging into his skin, and you suddenly got the urge to kiss him.
He smiled, a soft, excited little thing. “I don’t know if you’ve realized but,” he licked his lip and you followed the motion. “I regret to inform you that your employment for Corroded Coffin has come to an end.”
“Technically it’s to the end of the night,” you joked, laughing when he shot you a half-hearted glare, “but, yes, I do know.”
“So, what do you say we get out of here?” He said, wiggling his brows like the dork he really was. Your heart sung, wanting to reach out and bury itself beneath his skin.
You leaned forward, pressing a kiss to his knuckles. “I’m pretty sure this party isn’t even halfway through.”
Eddie groaned, head lolling to the side. “You’re killing me Mayfield, you’re actually killing me.”
“I’m not,” you huffed, “I’d be a little ruthless if I mentioned that I’m wearing something a bit lacy underneath this all.”
Popping his head up to glare at you, you watched with unrestrained laughter as his eyes lowered – dazed. “That’s not fair,” he grumbled. “Fuck the party, let’s just go. I’ve been waiting years for this.”
“It’s only been two months,” you reminded him, “and we can’t – you have a speech to make with the guys. Robin will kill you if you miss it.”
Eddie’s desperate gaze softened into something tangible. Something real you could almost grasp in your hands. It reached out and stole your breath, leaving you gasping. “No, sweetheart, I’ve been waiting on you for years. I just didn’t realize until last month,” he stood, resting his weight on his forearms to lean into your space, “and I’ve never been one not to go for what I want. And right now, that’s you.”
With a dip of his head, he licked a strip up your neck and nipped at your jaw before hovering just far away enough from your lips. Your heart dropped into your stomach and the velociraptors in your stomach awoke with a vengeance.
“Okay?”
“Okay,” you heard yourself say, sounding incredibly breathless.
With one last heated look, he slid out the booth and sauntered through the gauzy curtains. You blinked, watching him walk back towards your friends. That little punk. You groaned, heat swirling through your belly, and you clenched your thighs together.
An hour, tops, and you were dragging that man – rockstar or not – back to your room.
Straightening your shoulders, you stood and made your way over to bar for your drink. The bartender let you know she sent the forgotten appetizers to your table and you nodded, dazed. Making your way to Robin, sipping on your cocktail, you sat next to her.
She grinned at you.
“What?” You groaned around the straw.
“That looked like a heated conversation.”
You shrugged, crossing your legs. “It might’ve been.”
“It had to have been considering the speech the guys are making is suppose to be in an hour.”
Humming, you looked at her a little confused. To be fair, you were still drowning in a cloud of Eddie’s cologne and the memory of his gaze. She pointed to the makeshift stage at the edge of the dance floor where the DJ stood. Gareth was thanking everyone on the tour for their help.
“He came over to let me know they were gonna bump up the speech and ‘do not fucking knock on our door until tomorrow afternoon even if the hotel is burning down’ or else he was plucking eyes out.”
Eddie’s voice came through the mic next and you immediately started choking on your drink, you coughed and thumped your chest, trying to dislodge the ice cube you’d just accidentally inhaled.
“I know,” Robin said, amusedly watching you choke to death. “From now until the afternoon? That’s ambitious. Just try not to break the bed, this is an expensive hotel.”
Glaring at her as you cleared your throat, she cackled. “I better be your best man.”
“Robin!” You gasped, needing a reprieve.
“What?” She huffed. “As if you two would ever end up with anyone else? Please. But seriously, Max gets maid of honor but I’m the best man. Best maid? Whatever. I’ll get to rub it in Steve’s face for years.”
The sarcastic quip on your tongue died as a hand circled your wrist and hauled you to your feet. Glass hitting the table, you stood and whirled to see Eddie’s wild eyes. “Come on.”
“Did you basically announce that we’re together to the whole group?” You hissed, following his lead – you were indignant, not stupid – and turned to glare at Robin as she wolf whistled. “Jeff isn’t even done speaking!”
Eddie, ignoring your words, kept weaving through the crowd. You reached the elevators and you opened your mouth but Eddie shot you a look. “For once, in your life, don’t argue with me,” he said, nipping at your ear and successfully shutting you up.
You were used to being the one that took the lead, Eddie had always encouraged you to do so. So when the elevator shut behind him and his lips crashed into yours for the first time in almost ten years, your legs immediately turned into jelly. Your arms went to his neck, securing him to you as his teeth bit down into your bottom lip. Groaning into his mouth, you ran your fingers through his hair and tugged sharply.
Eddie’s moan echoed in the elevator, reverberating in your bones. His eyes flashed and you shivered, thrilled at the sight. His hand came to your neck and your shoulders hit the back panel. Panting, you stared up at him defiantly and you watched him smile at your – do doubt – swollen lips. His thumb caressed the underside of your jaw and you tried to keep yourself from letting him know how much you enjoyed it.
The glint in his eyes let you know you’d failed but you didn’t mind, especially not when the elevators opened and he all but ran you to the end of the corridor. Not able to keep your hands to yourself, you pushed him against the door and finally, fucking finally, lapped at the scar on his collarbone. His head thumped at the door and you let your hand trail down to palm him through his black jeans. Eddie buckled, pupils blown wide, hands scrambling for the upper hand but you kept him pressed against the door.
Mouth traveling up to the meaty part of his neck, you worried the sensitive skin there and pressed harder. Eddie’s choked whine hit your ear and he panted. “Sweetheart, this is going to be over really soon if you don’t stop teasing me.”
“Oh yeah?” You said, eyeing the red skin at his neck with satisfaction. Eddie’s chest rose quickly, a dazed smile on his face. “Fuck,” you huffed, pushing your disheveled hair from your face.
“What?” He asked, fingers pulling the key card from his pocket.
“You’re sort of beautiful, Munson,” you said, not stepping through the door as he opened it. Surprised at your comment, he glanced back at you and you smiled. “It’s almost unfair.”
Heat doubling in his expression, Eddie pulled you through the doorway and caged you in on the wall. “You can’t say shit like that to me when you look like that,” he groaned, his lips coming down to your neck this time. You gasped when his hand slipped underneath your top, deft fingers pulling down your bra and palming your chest. “Fuck, I want you so bad.” You whimpered when he brought a knee up between your legs and hissed at the sudden pressure.
Jesus Christ, you needed to take his clothes off, now. You both needed to be in bed, on the floor, against this fucking wall – whatever. But it needed to be soon. Your edges were frayed after this past week of building tension.
Nails digging into his back, you rocked your hips desperately seeking any type of friction. “Eddie,” you mumbled, mind completely gone and eyes opening. You took a moment to adjust the candlelight and then blinked. Candlelight? Wait, what?
The haze in your mind cleared for a moment and your sixth sense popped it’s head up.
“Wait, hold on,” you said, nudging him back – his scent was intoxicating and you needed a breath of clean air. As your brain rebooted, you took a few steps towards the massive sitting room and immediately the hairs on your arm stood on end.
Something was wrong. Really wrong. Fuck. You hadn’t swept the room before you stepped in. “Get out – Eddie, run-”
Eddie’s brows furrowed, confused, and the idiot took a step towards you instead. Acting on pure instinct, you whirled around and didn’t have enough time to bring your hands up. A punch to your face and the subsequent crunch let you know that your nose was broken. Blood instantly gushed down to your mouth. You heard Eddie scream your name, panicked.
Dazed and sprawled on the floor, you watched Eddie launch himself at the man and they went tumbling into the wall. The woman, who had been laid out on the bed, stalked up to you. Her platform heels clacked against the floors and it took you a moment to stop seeing double. Heaving for air, you felt her sharp heel come up to your face. Your head snapped back, sight going hazy again.
“Did you really think we wouldn’t come for you, stupid bitch?” She hissed. “He’s too good for you. I don’t know what he saw in you but we’re finally here. You can’t keep us apart anymore.”
“Fuck you,” you spat, blood dribbling down your chin.
“We suspected you were security, you know,” she said, twirling the knife in her hand, “considering the previous guards were easy to bribe to let us into the hotels and venues. Your guys though, I have to give them credit, clocked us in a second. But we’re devoted. He’s ours.”
You glanced back at where the woman’s companion had Eddie in a headlock, clearly trying to keep from hurting him. Eddie’s eyes caught yours and you tried to will him into collaborating.
“He’s the love of our lives,” she said, looking back at Eddie and blowing him a kiss. “We were all married in our past life.”
With a well-practiced move, you swung you leg out and collided with her. She screamed, tumbling to the ground and you pounced. Your foot came down to her hand with the knife and you leaned your entire weight onto it.
The crunching sound beneath your own heels, and her panicked pained screams, let you know you’d returned the favor and broken her wrist. “Fuck you,” you spat, rearing your hand back and bringing it down onto her temple twice before she went limp.
A fist came down to your hair and dragged you up. The man’s tight grip drew your arm back furiously. With a deep breath, you opened your mouth and unleashed a guttural scream. Throwing your head back, you heard the man shout. He released his grip on you and you turned to face him. He threw his arm out towards you but you side stepped him, using his own momentum, you leaned backwards and hooked your foot around his. In a move your Sensei would be proud of, you twisted and landed hard atop of him. Unfortunately, the man managed to fold your arm in the process and you knew by the exploding pain that if something was dislocated – you’d be lucky.
Already looking for something to grab, you barely managed to sideswipe the lamp Eddie brought down onto the man’s jaw. Going limp, you panted, and swung off of him.
Eddie’s panicked eyes darted over to you. Cradling your bad arm, you pointed to your room. “Go get my duffel bag. The blue one. I have zip ties in there, tie these two to the radiator on the wall.”
“But – Mayfield, the blood – did she – fuck-” he stammered and you looked down to realize he was right. It looked like someone had been stabbed and for a brief moment of panic, you reached out towards Eddie with your right hand. “It’s not me – I’m fucking fine – it’s you!”
You brought your hand up to your face and winced when you felt the cut on your cheekbone and temple. “That bitch caught me when she kicked me,” you said, “head wounds bleed a lot. I’m fine. Eddie, focus – go get the zip ties.”
His breathing was a little shallow, and his skin too pale, but he nodded. Running into your room, you used his absence to heave yourself up. Groaning as the room spun, you limped over towards the phone.
Before you could get there, you watched the door slam open. Martin and Johnson stood in the doorframe, eyes widening as they took you in. “Boss, shit, are you alright?” Johnson said, at your side in an instant.
“Where’s Munson?” Martin asked, already ducking into your room, where Eddie was holding the zip ties in his hands.
“I found them!” He shouted, letting Martin take them from him. At the sight of other people, Eddie darted back over to you.
“Sweep the building, make sure everything is secure,” you told Johnson, the broken nose and hit to your temple starting to make you dizzy.
Martin tied their arms behind their backs and marched over to the phone. “I’ll call you an ambulance boss,” he said, a speck of blood on his cheek and the knife in his hand.
Johnson wrapped your good arm around her neck and guided you out to your room. “How did you know?” You asked, inhaling sharply when you jostled your arm.
“Neighbors called in a complaint about screaming downstairs. Robin sent us up as a joke but we heard your scream from the elevator banks,” she said, face twisting. “I don’t know how they got passed security.”
“I do,” Martin said, holding up a large duffel and some maintenance uniforms. “Medics and police are on their way boss.”
“I want to charge them with everything fucking possible,” Eddie snarled, his hand on your leg. “Jesus Christ, look at the blood.”
Johnson nodded. “Head wounds bleed a lot; it doesn’t look too bad. What’s another few more stitches?” She joked, clinical eyes taking in your nose. “Looks clean but definitely broken.”
“You don’t say,” you snipped, watching through heavy eyes as Johnson smiled.
“She’ll be alright,” she said and you knew it was more for Eddie’s benefit than your own. “She’s got enough in her to still be a sarcastic punk.”
You huffed weakly. “I’m still your boss.”
“Yeah, yeah,” Johnson straightened, “hey now, stay awake.”
“Mayfield?” Eddie said, his hand coming out to shake you. Johnson’s fingers smacked your cheek a little but it was futile. Exhaustion and adrenaline swept through you, knocking you down and encompassing you in the dark.
///
You awoke in the ambulance a few minutes later. It seemed that not eating, drinking shitty tequila, and taking a few hits to the head wasn’t a good mix. The EMT had greeted you with a wide smile.
Robin, however, had looked like she was ready to vibrate into a different dimension when she was finally allowed into your room. She stepped in, her suit wrinkled and her expression tight. You were still a little loopy from the pain meds but a nurse had helped you raise the bed so you were at least sitting for the debrief you knew you’d have to give.
“Jesus fucking Christ,” she hissed, her fingers coming out to your good wrist.
“It looks worse than it is,” you said, knowing that your face must be bruised to shit. The swelling had already started to set in and you knew that the nose was going to look bad for at least two weeks.
“The nurse said you’d broken something but I thought it was your fucking arm – not everything else!” She said, hand hovering in the air like she was scared to touch you.
You bridged the gap for her and curled your fingers around hers. “Rob, I’m okay. I’ve had worse.”
That didn’t seem to be the right thing to say because she paled. Taking the opportunity, you squeezed her hand and tried to blink back your tears. “I’m sorry,” you said, voice thin, “I am so sorry. I was distracted and didn’t check before we went in. Eddie could’ve been hurt and I-” This time your voice did crack and you tried to swallow around it. The guilt had been eating you alive for the entire time you’d sat in this bed.
How could you have not gone in and cleared the room? You’d been doing it for two months, every day, and you’d forgotten. Everyone made mistakes but mistakes in your field got people killed.
“Sorry?” Robin sputtered incredulously. “Mayfield, you saved his life. You saved both your lives! You’re a fucking hero.”
You shook your head, wincing when it brought a sharp throb of pain.
“Is that why the nurse said I was the only visitor cleared? Eddie’s been driving himself crazy in the waiting room – he’s a wreck out there,” she said, squeezing your hand tightly. “This wasn’t your fault.”
“This is my job!” You exclaimed.
Robin’s eyes softened. “The assignment was up yesterday, boss. Besides, they’ve been arrested and slapped with so many charges I’ll be surprised if they’re not in there for a good chunk of years.”
“But I shouldn’t have let my guard down. We were distracted- I let him distract me-”
She smiled sadly at you. “Don’t do this, I know what you’re doing – how you’re working yourself up. Don’t do this to him.”
“Robin, I- I can’t,” you said pathetically, feeling like you were going to throw up.
“Listen to me. You two have always been inevitable. That’s – part of the reason I was insistent on hiring you. I knew that you both were each other’s person. Admittedly, I thought you were both just being stubborn, I didn’t know you’d actually dated. You both just needed the right circumstances and two good nudges. Obviously, you were someone I trusted but…you had to have known. Everyone who looked at you two knew.”
“Knew what?”
“That it was never pretend. It took three nurses to keep him in the waiting room, Mayfield. He’s – he was losing his mind when they wouldn’t let him ride in the ambulance. Shit, when I saw all the blood, I had a panic attack. It looked like – like when Eddie-” her breath went shallow and she winced at the rattle in her chest. “Fucking PTSD.”
“Fucking PTSD,” you agreed, empathizing completely.
“This wasn’t your fault, is what I’m trying to say. The fact that you two finally came to your senses and got lost in the moment was what we all wanted! For years. Please, don’t hide away from him again.”
The guilt piled on you in epic proportions but you were anything if not stubborn.
You’d almost gotten Eddie killed – except this time it was your fault. You were the one who’d forgotten to double check. You were the one who was suppose to know better. You weren’t dumb kids in over their heads.
Robin sighed, pressing a kiss to your forehead and patting your hand. “I’ll let them know you’re staying over for observations and you can’t have any visitors until the morning, okay?”
“Thank you,” you said, ashamed and relieved all at once.
That night, with your kind nurse checking you once an hour for any signs of a concussion, you watched the stars through your window.
You’d tried and lost, again. You knew that you shouldn’t have taken this job – panic threatened to overwhelm you. It felt like you’d been dropping into the ocean in the middle of a storm. Waves crashed into you, pulling you under.
Like a coward, you’d already asked Max to come get you upon your discharge. You’d heard the hesitation in her voice but she agreed to pick you up from the back. You needed to make it a clean break. Eddie would go off to do better things because he deserved better than you and the baggage you came with.
Chest aching and tears burning, you realize that you had almost made it this time. You’d had what you wanted within reach, fingertips grazing it, until it was snatched away from you again.
You’d learned something though. The second time around hurt more than the first. But at this point, running was second nature.
///
In hindsight, you should’ve known that your patchwork, flimsy at best, plan wouldn’t work. Hiding out for a week in Lucas’ spare bedroom helped you keep up the illusion that you weren’t being the biggest coward in all of existence. Max, like the best little sister in the world, hadn’t brought up the topic and let you mope around as you got used to maneuvering around with a cast on your arm – again.
The phone rang and you instinctively flinched. You heard Max answer and sighed when she called out your name from the kitchen.
“It’s Hopper,” she said, coming to the doorframe. “I promise.”
Grumbling, you picked the phone up from the receiver. “Do you ever pick up the phone?” Hopper asked. “Jesus. I had to hear from Robin that you’re not dead in a hospital somewhere?”
“Sorry,” you grunted, feeling like a kid getting scolded by their parents.
“Listen, I need a favor,” he said.
You groaned. “Hopper, I broke my arm,” you whined.
“And then disappeared off the face of the planet for a week. Joyce was ready to call Murray.”
Sighing, you frowned. “I’m on leave for at least a month – I can work with the cast but my nose needs to heal.”
“Calm down tiger, I just need you to go into the office and meet with some of the suits from the label. They want to hear what happened from your end. It shouldn’t take more than ten minutes.”
“Can’t I do it over the phone?”
“Would I be calling you if you could?”
And that’s how you found yourself on your way to headquarters on a Saturday morning.
Jessica, the office admin, greeted you with a warm smile when you arrived. “That looks painful,” she said, whistling.
“You should see the other guy,” you joked weakly.
Her brows rose. “They’re still alive?” She smiled when you laughed. “Come on, they’re already here.”
“Shit,” you glanced at your watch. “I thought I was early.”
“Don’t worry, they haven’t been here long,” she reassured you. She grabbed your bag and opened the door to the largest conference room.
You took a step into the room and froze. Eddie stood, arms crossed, leaning against the large wooden table. Glancing back at the door, Jessica smiled knowingly. “I’ll be outside if you need me.”
The silence was painful and you sighed. “Eddie-”
“Please don’t be mad at me, I’m so sorry for doing this. You deserve the best and that isn’t me,” he said, eyeing your cast with a guarded expression.
“What?” You said, headache blooming at your temples. You were going to kill Hopper. No, you were going to quit and then kill him.
Eddie nodded to the folded letter next to him on the table. The one you’d asked a nurse to give to him before you’d slipped out the back. He was quoting what you’d written.
“You had some audacity, you know?”
Sighing, you settled into the nearest chair and waved a hand in the air. “What did you want me to do?”
“To fight, for fuck’s sake, fight for us!” He exclaimed. “I know you love me; I know you do. You don’t have to say it, I know you better than you know yourself.”
“It’s in my blood! What do you want me to do? From the first time I fought with the kids, to that last battle. I run, it’s what I do. I don’t – I don’t know how to stop,” you said, voice anguished.
“That’s fine, but let me run with you. I don’t want to catch you, I don’t want to change you into something you’re not – but let me be by your side,” Eddie said, throwing his hand out. “Did you really think you could hand me a letter and think I’d just let it go?”
You didn’t answer because, yeah, that’s what you had thought.
“I let you go once because I thought it was what you wanted – I’m not making the same mistake again,” he said, reverent. “I realized now that you’re scared but, I’m scared too.”
“I almost got you killed,” you said, like a broken record. “I’m sorry. I’m so sorry – for everything.”
Eddie sighed. “Mayfield.”
Something snapped within you. “No, Eddie, no – I can’t do this. I can’t – I don’t know why. Maybe that’s all we’re destined to be. An almost. A beautiful, wonderful almost.”
“We were never an almost,” he said, coming up to you, “this is just our story. And this isn’t the end of it - you weren’t the one that got away, you’re the one period. We might’ve worked before but we might’ve not. But those kids in Hawkins? They weren’t an almost. We weren’t almost something. We were something. But this us? Right now? We’re right where we need to be. We were meant for this. This is our story.”
Weak excuses falling at your feet, you gazed up at Eddie’s eyes and stripped yourself bare. “I do love you, I do,” you admitted painfully, “I didn’t think that we’d fit together the same way we did before but we did and I didn’t know what to do with it. Then, the beach happened, the storm – I’m scared. I’m broken, that time in Hawkins broke me and I don’t know how to stay. I don’t know how to plant roots.”
“I do though and I can do it for the both of us until you learn,” Eddie said, eyes looking at your cast sadly. “Do you want this?”
Tears welled in your eyes and you considered lying again. But you couldn’t – not a third time. Against every blaring alarm in you, you nodded. “Yes. I want you more than anything I’ve ever wanted before. But – I’m different Eddie, I’m…”
“If you say broken,” he scowled, “you’re not fucking broken.”
“I’m different. I’m haunted. It’s been ten years and it still won’t go away. It gets easier but it’s always there. The assignments I’ve gone on – the shit I’ve seen. I- I can’t cope sometimes. The shadows always come when the sun goes away,” you admitted, saying the words for the first time in years.
“Share them with me. I can help you chase the shadows away. That’s what we do, right? Tell me every terrible thing you ever did, and let me love you anyway.”*
At your shock, Eddie smiled softly, kneeling so that he was looking up at you.
“When are you going to learn?” He mused, eyes dancing between yours. “I’m yours. I’ve always been yours. I don’t deserve better because you’re the best of us, Mayfield. You’re the best person I’ve ever met and I refuse to let you think otherwise. Because I know you’re brave. I’ve seen it. I can see it now. Let yourself be loved.”
Heart cracking open, you felt tears roll down your cheeks. Your good hand came up to his cheek and you leaned your forehead against his. Taking a deep breath, you steeled your shoulders and batted at the shadows. How stupid of you to think you could outrun him, the same man who stared a tornado of demobats and stood to fight.
“Okay,” you said, “I’d kiss you but I’m scared you’ll bump my nose.”
Eddie’s answering grin was blinding.
///
“I could take a look at the security plans if you want,” you said lightly, inching towards the files on the table and leaning forward.
Yang shut the file closed and shot you a look. “You’re here as a guest of the band’s, Mayfield. Not as security.” She smiled when you pouted.
“Oh come on, you know I’m good,” you whined.
She shook her head. “What you are, is a control freak,” she teased. “Your boyfriend was looking for you a few minutes ago. I’m assuming he went to the stage next.”
You scowled and stuck out your tongue before taking off towards the main stage. Fighting back your smile, you wrapped your arms around yourself. Hearing other people refer to Eddie as your boyfriend, an official boyfriend, always made the velociraptors in your stomach yawn awake. Even after six months.
“There you are!” A pair of arms wrapped around your waist and you jumped.
Turning in the arms, you smiled up at Eddie. “Here I am,” you said, reaching up to press a kiss to his lips. “Where’d you go?”
“Robin needed me. I’m good for the next hour, I wanted to see if you were hungry.”
You quirked your brow. “You have a concert in three hours and they’re letting you leave?” You asked.
“I’ve got you with me,” he said, grinning, “they always trust me more when you’re around.”
Laughing, you tucked yourself under his arm and curled an arm around his waist. “Gee, I wonder why,” you said. Eddie’s finger trailed down your nose and you scrunched it at him.
“Let’s go wander Barcelona,” you said, eyes tracing his movements when he tucked his hair into a baseball cap.
Eddie smiled knowingly when he caught you blatantly checking him out. “Don’t look at me like that,” he said, ducking for another kiss.
“You two are disgusting,” Mike called out, carrying the backup guitars towards the stage. “Get a room!”
“I’ll remember that the next time you see El!” You shouted back, laughing when he stuck his tongue out.
“I haven’t seen you in a month,” Eddie huffed, “I’m allowed to be dramatic about it.”
You pulled him towards the side exit. “You’ve never needed permission, Munson, don’t start now.”
Finding a small park a few blocks away, you bought yourself some gelato and sat cross legged on a bench. “Want some?” You asked, offering up a spoonful. Eddie rarely ate this close to a performance but your stomach flipped as you watched his tongue dart out to catch some of the creamy goodness. His tongue managed to swipe your thumb and he smirked.
“Tastes delicious,” he said, leaning closer.
“Don’t start something you can’t finish,” you teased, tilting your head back further so he could nip at your neck. The current flickered for a moment, lying dormant when he leaned away.
The look in his eyes was fond when you couldn’t help but kiss his jaw. “What’s that look for?”
“Nothing, I’m just happy to have you here,” he said, resting an arm on your knee. “Are we going to talk about it?”
You rolled your eyes. “Between the two of us, you’re the one that’s having a harder time accepting this.”
“She’s a kid!”
“Max is an adult, Edward, and may I remind you that you and I were doing a lot worse things when we were younger than her?”
Eddie huffed, squeezing your shoulder. “I just keep picturing them as my little lost sheep, you know?”
“How do you think I feel?” You said. “I can still picture her all tiny and chubby limbs. But he makes her happy, you know? They’ve made it this long anyway – if anything, he took his time.”
“I still can’t believe he asked me for my blessing,” he said and you remembered how Eddie had teared up the day Lucas had asked you for permission to propose to Max. You’d cried, then laughed about how you were going to tell her he’d asked for permission like she was cattle. He’d gotten flustered the more you teased and you honestly wished you would’ve recorded it.
“I bet she cries,” you said, tearing up at the thought. Your little sister was getting married.
Eddie kicked a leg out. “Nah, she’ll probably tackle him to the floor while he cries.”
“Also likely,” you admitted. “Hey, you think we’ll ever get married?”
Choking, Eddie turned to you, shock all over his face. He sputtered a few times, mouth gaping.
“What? You planning on breaking up with me?” You asked, curled your tongue around the plastic spoon.
At that, he reanimated. “No, of course not,” he said. “I just – I didn’t think you’d want…to do that.”
That was fair. Considering your history.
“Would you want that?” You asked, curious. You didn’t have a preference really; your parents had been married and then your mother had married Neil. That was enough to remind you that marriage wasn’t the end all.
“A few years ago, I would’ve said no,” Eddie confessed, “but, I gotta admit, I want everything with you, sweetheart.”
Biting back a grin, you nodded. “Then, let’s do it.”
“Did you just propose to me?” Eddie asked, laughing and ducking when you swatted at him.
“No, doofus,” you rolled your eyes, “I meant let’s do it eventually. I want a ring and to actually be asked.”
“That’s weirdly traditional for you,” he teased.
You shrugged. “I want everything with you too,” you said, delighting in the way his eyes went soft and gooey, “besides, I want you down on one knee.”
Eddie wiggled his brows. “You have me down on my knees a lot sweetheart, doesn’t take much.”
Ignoring him, you jabbed him with a finger. “Don’t you dare ask either of my parents for permission.”
“Noted.”
“Maybe I’ll propose to you, we both know Wayne would say yes.” You thought about it and wondered what kind of ring he’d like.
Eddie rolled his eyes, all suffering. “We get it, you’re the favorite.”
“Don’t forget it,” you said, bumping your arm into him. “You’re my favorite, if that’s any consolation.”
“Yeah,” he said, looking down at you. “It is.”
Checking your watch, you stood. “Come on, we’re cutting it close. Yang’ll want to run through a few perimeters checks and she said I could help.”
Grabbing your hand, Eddie let you lead. “Isn’t this supposed to be a vacation?” He asked.
“Hey, I’m all yours after this,” you said, “last concert of the tour and we get a month to ourselves in Europe.”
Eddie grinned, kissing your temple. “There’s this bakery in Florence that I know you’re going to love. I want to take you so many places. Oh, there’s a bookstore Gareth found in Lisbon!”
You watched his face come alive as he recounted his tour of the Eiffel Tour. Yeah, you thought to yourself, you might not believe much in marriage, but you believed in Eddie.
///
“Muchas gracias Barcelona!” Eddie said, waving to the crowd as they screamed themselves hoarse. You felt tears prickle at the corner of your eyes. They’d done it – they’d finished the first part of their world tour.
The label had given the green light for another six months in the next year but this one had been a success in ways no one could’ve predicted.
Gareth darted past you first, falling into the arms of his new girlfriend. You, ready for it, found your arms filled with a practically buzzing Eddie. He hugged you tightly. “We did it!”
“You did it, I’m so proud of you,” you said, shouting a little to be heard over the fans.
You walked deeper into the side stage and took Eddie’s hand in yours. “Sorry, I’m all sweaty,” he said, bouncing on his toes. The boys were always energetic post-concert, you knew it was the adrenaline of performing. Eddie had once told you he’d hoped that the novelty would never fade.
“It’s never bothered me before,” you said, doing a perfect impersonation of his eyebrow wiggle. Eddie, however, stilled. His hair was frizzy, wild, and his smile was just a little unhinged.
“I love you, Eddie Munson,” you said, you loved all versions of him. “I’ll love you forever.”
His smiled turned into something soft. You beamed back at him, knowing that he reveled in it every time you said it. And it was so easy to give him what he wanted, because Eddie was, by far one of the easiest people to love. He was the man you’d love for the rest of your life. It was hard sometimes but, you made it work.
Eddie’s fingers came up to your chin and tilted your face up to his. “Say it again,” he demanded.
“I love you, I love you, I love you,” you echoed, peppering his face with kisses. He laughed, delighted, and then – like a switch had flipped – they turned. His eyes were ravenous and hands everywhere.
His lips trailed open mouth kisses down your throat, his hands going lower and lower-
“Jesus Christ, I’m fucking blind,” Dustin cried, hands coming up to slap against his eyes. “This is a public area! Can you two get a goddamn room?”
Eddie’s insistent hand pulled you off towards an empty one down the hall. “Good idea Henderson.” Powered to ten, the electricity between you two popped, tying you together.
Dustin gagged but you’re too enamored to care much. “We’ll catch up!” You shouted over your shoulder.
“Not likely,” Eddie said, pushing you into the room and locking the door behind you. “Now, where were we?”
As he pounced, your back hit the velvet sofa, you laughed. His teeth nipped at your neck and you wrapped your arms around him. Just before your mind went fuzzy, you had one last rational thought.
Maybe you did owe Hopper a bottle of scotch.
A/N: remember when I said I was learning to write shorter stuff? lol me @ me you played yourself
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Two Can Play
🔞Minors Do Not Interact🔞
A/N: So this is my first Lo'ak fic and I'm really hoping it came out well. It's a little shorter than the other chapters since this one is really just to introduce the premise. Huge thanks to @pandorxxx for the inspiration. If you haven't read her Search & Rescue series, you should absolutely check it out. All characters are aged up.
Next Part
Pairing: Lo'ak x Fem!Omatikaya!Reader
Warnings: Smut, P in V (really quickly), Sexual Tension, that should be it for this chapter
Word Count: 2.7k
Summary: You have a reputation for getting around, but there is one person you refuse to give in to. What happens when you both make a bet to see who will fall for the other first?
“Ooooh fuck, Tetxi!” you moan as your head falls back reveling in your third orgasm of the night. He held on to your hips rocking them back and forth wanting to reach his own release.
“Shit, I’m so close!” he says through gritted teeth. That was your cue to hop off and finish him off with your hand. He groans at the loss of contact with your warmth, but he’s quickly thrown back into his pleasure with the touch of your skillful strokes. After only 3 quick pumps, his hot seed spilled all over your hands. Too easy. Beads of sweat trailed down the sides of his face as he tried to catch his breath.
While he’s still regaining his composure, you’re already getting your clothes back on.
“Leaving so soon?” he asks half-jokingly.
“Well, it is time for dinner.” You tie your top together behind your back wanting to leave this conversation quickly. Tetxi swings his legs around to stand up, “Here, I’ll go with you.”
Sheesh, not this situation again. “That’s okay. I’m a big girl, I can go by myself.”
His face drops, “So that’s it? We just fuck and then you’re running off?”
You internally roll your eyes struggling to keep your patience, “Look, it’s not that big of a deal. We just did what we came here to do and we had fun and now it’s done.”
You make sure that your loincloth is tightly secured around your hips and take your leave bidding him a swift and short ‘bye!’.
You walk through the gathering crowd looking for your best friend, Ako. You spot her signature half-up, half-down braids off to the side and run up behind her to throw your arms around her, “Found you!”
She jumps and squeals in shock at first before realizing it’s you. “Eywa, you nearly scared the life out of me!” a laugh laces through her words. She cocks her eyebrow at you, “So how was your night?”
“Average. Tetxi was fun and he got the job done, but ultimately, nothing really special.” You shrug your shoulders recounting the event.
This was a regular occurrence. You had a bit of a reputation in the clan for getting around. You didn’t let it bother you since it was true and you felt no real shame about it. You were young and trying new things. What was so wrong with that? There would be plenty of time for settling down and having a family later, but that was nothing you really needed to concern yourself with right now. Especially with so many attractive males in your clan, how were you supposed to choose just one right now? It only made sense to try them out before you made a final decision, didn’t it? They say that no man will want to take a mate who’s been passed around so much, but as far as you’re concerned, the right guy for you won’t care. Who cares if other people don’t like it? It’s not their choice. That’s why Ako was your best friend, she never judged you for your decisions. She was clear that your lifestyle wasn’t for her, but she respected your way of doing things. What more could you really ask for than that?
You had to admit, though, it was starting to get old. You had gone through all your top picks, second choices, backup plans, and even the drunk picks. Most of them were nice enough, but a lot of them just wanted to see if the rumors about you were true and were delighted when they found out they were. The real issue was that about half of them always wanted something more. They would want to see you more often, they would get possessive over you and your time, or they would ask you to be their girlfriend. You had clear boundaries around your escapades, though. You weren’t going to be their girlfriend, there was no pillow talking, no saying the L word, and absolutely no cumming inside of you.
There was really only one boy in the whole clan that you were insistent on not sleeping with.
“Don’t look now, but your favorite guy is coming this way” Ako jokingly nudges your shoulder.
You roll your eyes and groan already knowing who it was without even turning around. A big slender arm drapes itself around your shoulders, “Hello ladies.” He coos.
“Hello Lo’ak.”
Ako grins playfully at your expression.
“Aw don’t be like that, sevin.” His fingers find your chin to guide your face to his, “When are you gonna stop giving me the cold shoulder and let me actually make you feel good?”
This was also a regular occurrence. If anybody’s reputation rivaled yours, it was definitely Lo’ak. He had run through just about every girl in the clan at least twice. As the Olo’eyktan’s son, he got away with it. People didn’t judge him the way they did you. It drove him crazy that you were the only girl he couldn’t smooth talk his way into her cloth and you enjoyed having that kind of power over him.
You playfully lean your face into his and glance down at his lips, “In your wet dreams, Lo’ak.” You make sure to say his name extra sensually just to fuck with him. He feigns a pained look on his face. As much as it drove him crazy that you wouldn’t fuck him, it also drove him crazy. He liked this little game you two played. It just made him want you more. He loved a challenge. The other girls that would willingly fall at his feet were no real fun for him. He used to love how easily girls would flock to him, but he grew bored of it.
“Come on, Ako, let’s go grab some meat before it’s all gone.” You use your tail to gently push Lo’ak off of you as you intertwine your arm with your best friend and walk away. Lo’ak can’t help but lick his lips at the way your hips sway from left to right when you walk. You may or may not have done that purposefully to tease him a little more.
Dinner carried on per usual. At one point, you did catch Tetxi glaring at you through the crowd. He was upset and that was understandable. He wanted something more with you; something emotional, but that wasn’t going to happen. There wasn’t anything wrong with him, he would make a good mate for anyone, just not you. He wasn’t your perfect fit. From the look on his face, you figure he wouldn’t want anything to do with you for a while, so you make a mental note to yourself to take him off the roster.
It wasn’t necessarily that you kept a steady rotation. More often than not, the guys would approach you first. It did make you feel just the tiniest bit guilty hurting his feelings, though. Oh well, that was neither here nor there at this point.
…
The next day, you offered to help Ako gather fruit in the forest.
“I just don’t get it. A lot of the guys you’ve been with weren’t even half as handsome as Lo’ak and he clearly likes you. So, you won’t fuck him because….?” Ako questions.
“Because…” you continue for her, “Lo’ak doesn’t like me; he barely knows me. He likes the idea of having me just like Tetxi, Rokew, Veki, Pxayul, and a ton of others. They all want to be ‘the one to change me’ and that’s not going to happen. Besides, there’s no way Lo’ak could handle me.”
“Wanna bet?” his voice chimes in through the bushes. He walks through the foliage to the clearing where you two were.
Here we go again. Ako smiles and raises her eyebrows at you, “I think I saw some yovo fruit over there that was ripe. I’m gonna go grab those.” She walks off to give you both some privacy. You silently curse her for leaving you alone with him.
“You spying on me now?” you shift your weight to one side and rest your basket on your hip.
“Not spying, just happened to be strolling by and heard you running that pretty little mouth of yours.” His smirk is smug as all hell. “I think it’s cute that you think I couldn’t keep up with you.”
“Sweetheart, I know you couldn’t and I don’t feel like making you fall in love with me.” you’re even more smug than he is.
He gets closer to you, “Care to test that theory out?” he walks in a slow circle around you eyeing your body up and down.
You don’t make any attempt to stop him. Let him see what he couldn’t have. “What exactly did you have in mind?” You couldn’t deny that your curiosity was piqued.
He comes back around to your front looking down at you cocking his head to the side. “It’s simple. We challenge each other to see who falls first. First one to cave has to admit defeat.”
Taking one step forward, your chest presses against his, “You’re on.”
He leans his lips down to your ear, “Oh, yawne, you have no fucking idea what you’re in for.” He presses a quick kiss to the shell of your ear. It makes your core tremble, but you knew better than to let that show, especially to Lo’ak. Your poker face was unbeatable. When he pulls back to look at your face, you hold a sly smirk on your face. “You’re gonna have to do better than that…” you reach around to stroke to base of his queue, “yawne.” You whisper the last word.
You could see the way his body reacted to your touch. His jaw clenched and he huffed out a big breath. You had this in the bag.
You push him back with your hand on his chest, “I had better get going. These fruits aren’t gonna harvest themselves.” He steps back still looking over your body flashing the tips of his canines when he smiles, “I’ll see you at dinner.”
“Maybe.”
You set of into the same direction Ako went, fighting the urge to turn and look at Lo’ak’s face. You could practically feel the way his eyes bore into the back of your body, but you have to uphold your appearance of indifference. You can’t help the smile that creeps its way onto your face.
Ako notices the look on your face and is surprised to see a pleasant smile instead of your usual exasperation that you wore after an interaction with Lo’ak. “What is that face?”
“What face? There is no face. This is just my face.” You try to sound as aloof as you can.
“Mhmmm” she knew better than to believe you, but she also knew you’d tell her in due time.
You both continue to harvest until your baskets are full and it’s time to head back to Home Tree. You had some free time so you both decide to stick around and help prepare the food for dinner. Lo’ak is standing around talking with his brother and some of their friends. He looks over at you often. And when you would catch him looking, he would shoot you a wink and you’d shake your head to yourself turning your attention back to what you were working on. Ako catches these little interactions you two have and her eyebrows come together in confusion while she’s trying to put the pieces together.
“Okay, what the hell is going on? What happened in the forest?” she finally asks you straight out.
Ako was observant and you knew you wouldn’t be able to get something this big past her.
“Just a little wager that we have going on. He thinks that I’ll fall for him before he falls for me. But this is already a done deal as far as I’m concerned.”
She eyes you for a moment processing the new information. A smile breaks out on her face. “If you don’t think you’ll fall, then why does your tail keep swishing when he looks at you?”
You scoff, “I don’t know what you’re talking about.”
“Oh, come on. I know you well enough to know that your tail only moves like that when you’re actually happy.”
Your ears flatten against your head suddenly acutely aware of your body movements, ��Don’t you have more vegetables to chop?”
She raises her hands in mock surrender and goes back to what she was doing.
Once it’s time for dinner, you sit with Ako as usual and right on time, Lo’ak approaches you. “Mind if I join?” the question is for both of you, but his eyes are focused on you.
“We don’t mind” you give him a sickeningly sweet smile.
He situates himself right next to you, his knee just barely touching yours. The slight brush of his leg against yours wasn’t lost on you. He’s testing the waters, but it would take more than some fleeting touches to get your attention.
You grab a piece of meat and moan lightly when you place it in your mouth. “Mmh…it’s so good tonight.” You act like you’re casually talking to Ako, but Lo’ak’s eyes snap to your face at the noise you made. And he watches intently when you lick the flavor slowly from your fingers. This was too easy. It’s harder to stifle your own laugh than it is to get in his head.
Ako sits on the other side of you enjoying the little show you two are providing her with. She decides to help stir the pot a little.
“Hey Lo’ak, could you pass me that bowl next to you?” she gestures to a small bowl of fruit next to him. He grabs it and passes it to her behind you. His hand runs across the small of your back when he pulls his hand back and his touch leaves goosebumps on your skin in its wake. You shake the hair out of your face trying to fight back the shudder in your body. You see how Lo’ak smiles to himself next to you and you continue to eat your food trying to look unphased.
You both continue on like this for the rest of the dinner. When it’s time to return home, Lo’ak offers to walk you back and Ako nearly pushes you into his arms accepting the offer for you. You shoot daggers at her with your stare, but she just giggles back at you before walking off into the direction of her own home.
Walking back home with Lo’ak is full of a lot of silence, but it’s not an awkward silence. You wonder how long this little game of yours will carry on for. If you were being honest, you gave him maybe a week or two at most until he was completely head over heels for you. There was no way you were losing this. If for no other reason, you were one of the most stubborn people you knew. Once you set your mind on something, there’s no getting you out of it.
You come out of your thoughts just in time to realize that you’ve reached your home. Lo’ak turns to face you and dramatically gestures to your tent, “We have arrived.”
“Oh, why thank you, sir” you say equally as dramatic making you both laugh.
You start to walk towards the opening, when he speaks again.
“Do I get a reward for getting you home safe? I mean I protected you from tripping on all those loose branches and everything.” He teases.
You roll your eyes playfully and slowly walk up to him. “Oh, I’m just so grateful,” You coo. You rest your hand on his chest and lift yourself up on your toes to just barely brush your lips against his. “I could show you just how grateful I am,” your hand glides down his body to rest at the waistband of his loincloth. You can feel how his breath fans your face just a little faster. A smile pulls on your lips. “Good night, Lo’ak.”
You fall back onto your heels and walk into your tent. Lo’ak stands stunned outside your tent for a little longer than a moment.
It’s now that Lo’ak realizes that he’s really going to have to step it up to get to you. He needs to get creative if he’s going to make any kind of progress. That’s something that he can worry about later, though. Right now, he needs to get back home and take care of his growing bulge while your voice and touch is still fresh in his mind.
#avatar#avatar the way of water#awow#avatar smut#avatar fic#lo'ak#loak#loak x reader#loak smut#loak sully#atwow loak#loak fic#avatar loak#loak fanfiction#avatar twow#atwow#awow smut
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Love this post from @ofdreamsanddoodles about Buddy Daddies and had to add my own ideas:
Rei and Kazuki use different cosmetic procedures/hair & nail salon terms for killing people so Miri won't get suspicious about their actual jobs. Like "manicure" stands for torturing people for info by breaking their fingers/hands, "nose job" means an "inside job" from internal conflicts within enemy lines. "Fillers" mean assassinating a smuggling ring. "Perm" is for gunshots to the heads i.e. swift and quick kills. "On the go" means the assassinations are on a 'side quest' basis and aren't high priority missions. "Undercut" means covert/under cover missions.
Miri is convinced her dads are beauticians.
Whenever they bring Miri over to daycare, Miri always excitedly tells everyone how her dads give so many people "perms" and that this week especially many customers wanted "fillers" & "manicures" "on the go". Kazuki and Rei are embarrassed af
The daycare/kindergarten staff actually believe Miri's dads are beauticians of some sort bc of the flashy get-up they donned on her first day
Rei accidentally throws a whole head of lettuce at a bad guy's head thinking it was a grenade
Kazuki had beaten up gangsters with a carrot or celery stick more times than he cares to admit
It gets so bad that Rei accidentally gave the cashier at their local market mini explosive devices instead of coins to pay for Miri's candies. "Um...sorry, wrong change." (quickly pockets the literal mini bombs and leaves)
Kazuki gathers all the necessary intel for their next assassination but he accidentally writes an ingredients list instead of the goods the drug cartel wants to smuggle. Rei reading the list over:"What the fuck is 'pomelo' supposed to stand for and why does the cartel want to smuggle it to Italy?" Kazuki:"Oh shit."
Have Kazuki buy an oversized baby carrier, he playfully carries Miri around on his back when she wants to be carried, that way his hands are free to shoot people. Miri sometimes hands him ammunition from the back bc Kazuki accidentally lined his bullet belt with Miri's baby carrots (the only carrots she will eat without a fuss)
Rei and Miri have this (not) game where Rei secures all his and Kazuki's weapons to places that are out of reach for Miri. Miri always tries to get to them anyway. It gets to the point where Rei just tapes all the weapons to the ceiling and has to figure out a way how to reach his weapons himself
Rei and Kazuki have codes with their colleagues at work but they mix them up with the codes they developed for Miri.
Rei:"We don't have much to do today. Just a "perm" and some "manicures on the go"." A fellow assassin:"A what and...a what on the go?"
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the company a family member works at is in hot water for using slave labor but in the most absurd way possible that makes me confused about how the world even works.
because like, they didn't know they were using slave labor. they try to be a rather ethical company, they have awards and shit for this
only what happened is on the other side of the world somewhere a buncha guys got together and started collecting peoples info, social security numbers, green card info, and the like in order to make convincing profiles for a few "people". These "people" both do technically exist somewhere and also never existed at all but are an amalgamation of digital traits purchased and put on resumes to look like real people. Then they made these fake people they made up apply to a bunch of jobs for a ton of distance-based positions at the company my family works at and a bunch of other companies for the USD pay. Then they built a call-center style computer set up and BOUGHT a bunch of people to rotate being these fake people, doing zoom interviews, and outsourcing otherwise splitting up the work to slaves who have had their papers confiscated so they can't leave the "company". This slave business got caught because my family member raised the question "why are you black today, and also you accent has changed" to someone who started crying on zoom and powered down only to come back the next day as a different race and accent again having no memory of the previous day. It turns out that "Akeem" has been a role forcibly played by dozens and dozens of people in an office on the other side of the world, and they rotate between these roles. Its now turning into a huge international incident for them because the company has no idea how many of their distance-based employees are real people and how many are part of this obscene modern botfarm of slaves and everyone is disgusted and horrified and has no idea what to do about it. Its super fucked
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The Remarried Empress Post
A Huge tangent from my usual posts, because I have some thoughts. Especially about the whole Navier vs Rashta thing. This may not be coherent, and I am sorry for that in advance.
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Firstly, I wanna talk about something that often goes ignored by the wider TRE fandom. Navier is, while a fantastic ruler, a deeply hurt young woman who has had to effectively rebuild her whole life. It's seen in season three of the webtoon that, in order, three men confess love to Navier: Heinrey - her husband, Kaufman - an international ally, and Sovieshu - her ex-husband. And, most tragically, Navier doesn't believe either of them to be honest. We know that Heinrey means it truthfully, but Navier doesn't, why not? Well, she views herself as fundamentally unlovable. She brushes Kaufman off due to him being under the influence of a love potion, but her former and current husbands' confessions do rock her.
We see first that Navier is thrown for a loop when Heinrey confesses to her after their wedding. Ever since she divorced, she's been bracing for another Rashta. For her new husband to have picked her for convenience, and then take a mistress on for love. After all of Rashta's wiles, Navier has come to see herself as boring and unlovable. Good for ruling with and governing, but not much else. From the novel, we also see that Navier doesn't even think much of her own appearance, from her diet being so controlled so as to avoid weight gain, she believes those around her are only calling her beautiful because they're obligated to due to her position. And, with Rashta being so loudly praised for her 'wildflower' beauty, Navier was made to feel very insecure by comparison. How fucking tragic for a woman who is meant to be in the prime of her life, could you imagine how awful you'd feel if this shit was all you'd ever known of marriage? If everyday you were waiting for your own husband to abandon you for someone else?
As for Sovieshu's confession. Boy, what the fuck are you on that makes you think you have any right to say this shit? For one, he breaks protocol. A foreign emperor, a guest with diplomatic status, tells a newly minted Empress of the empire that's kindly hosting him and his ungrateful wife, that he loves her, excuse you sir, but get your royal shit together! You're an emperor, act like one! Second, you are her ex-husband, who at every juncture: put Navier down, insulted and humiliated her, did horrible shit on Rashta's behalf to hurt her, instigated the divorce for the unborn baby of your undisciplined and uneducated mistress, exiled her brother, and banned her from writing to the one friend she had left after the Nianne fiasco. If that's how you love Navier, no wonder she broke down crying. I would have too.
As for the legions of Rashta apologists who point to Heinrey's sketchy actions to excuse Rashta. Are you lot stupid or what? No, I don't agree with everything Heinrey does, and I do think he should be more transparent with Navier now they're married. But, there's a huge difference between a prince/king/emperor doing what he feels he must to secure the future of his nation. And some girl from nowhere; lying, embezzling money, abusing innocent animals, and ordering the torture of staff, as well as selling a young lady into slavery because she doesn't like her. And then trying to pass her baby with a previous lover off as the heir to the throne. Heinrey, while not perfect, is at least competent at his job, and has a wife who he can trust to share the load. Rashta can't go two minutes without causing drama, and has a husband who actively doesn't trust her to do anything without breaking everything.
And, how can Rashta apologists justify her hiring a hitman to kill the man who helped her escape from slavery? And then to direct that hitman to kill Navier's parents for no real reason? Or doing nothing as empress to make things better for slaves? At least some of Rashta's actions as mistress can be explained as a need to survive, like paying the duke and viscount to bury her past. But, she's won her little war against Navier, she's got the man, the palace, the title, the unending wealth. Navier is gone, married to someone else, ruling another empire with him, and is now (as of the webtoon) expecting their babies. So, why does Rashta continue to allow Navier to live in her head like this?
As for Sovieshu, the real villain of this story, how anyone can justify his actions is beyond me. The cookie incident. He abandons his wife for someone he met in a forest, as far as anyone knows he knocks her up, forces his wife to live alongside his mistress, and host a party for her unborn baby. plans to spring a divorce on her and remarry her, bans her from writing to Heinrey (as well as burns the letters he sent her), the cooked bird incident. Then, decides he wants her back? Sovieshu never loved Navier, never valued her, never saw her as important. Until she found someone who did. She's not the love of his life as Sovieshu apologists say, she's an object he wants control over.
I dunno, Sovieshu and Rashta just piss me off. I hate it when people don't learn from past mistakes, and when they don't listen to external voices, and the idiot duo do neither. Like, Navier takes her overtrust of courtly structure into her new life, and works hard to set her new court to rights. Heinrey learns from his impulsiveness, and matures into a good man, husband, father, and emperor. But, when do we ever see a mea culpa from either of Sovieshu or Rashta? Never, unless they're doing it for their own gain.
This is all to say; I just don't understand how anyone can read this story, and still sympathise with Sovieshu or Rashta. Because, as far as I can see, they've done nothing to earn any reader sympathy.
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Luke's POV x F! Reader - Part 3
Warning: Dark Content!
Including but not limited to references to prostitution, child neglect and abuse, war and death, PTSD, flashbacks, nightmares, suicidal ideation, and historically accurate ages for relations. The dark content is almost entirely drawn from/same as Luke's route.
Themes: protection, hurt and comfort, mutual healing, learning to trust, letting yourself feel, and eventually giving into love. Everything is written from Luke's POV.
Part 2
“I've never had cake before!” she beams back.
It stings more that you're not surprised by this than the fact she's never tried cake.
____________________________________________________
“Luke! There you are! We heard you liked the girl at Rosey’s so much you took her home! Lucky son of a bitch! Where'd you get the money for that when we all work the same job?” one of your colleagues calls from across the room as you step in the building.
“Is that why you didn't show up to work yesterday? Too wrecked from all that fun?” another cackles, elbowing you in the ribs.
“Ah! You know he doesn't fuck and tell, mate. No point trying to wring it out of him,” a third one quips.
“Gonna bring her around sometime? Let us all have a go, eh?” the first jibes, the other two laughing as a few other men around the room join in and comment on what fun that would be.
It takes everything he ever taught you to keep calm and laugh it off while visions of murder dance in your head.
Y’ really shouldn't care ‘bout the shit they say, Luke.
Joke or not, it's not like she's important to y’.
In fact, she's completely useless.
Y’ only brought her back on a whim…
Right?
Right. The sooner she's on her way the better…
Despite reciting this internal monologue daily, you find yourself coming home earlier after work than before. You used to stay out and drink. Not that you particularly enjoyed the company of your colleagues, but keeping informed is essential to your mission and gossip is a good source.
More than anything, it was a distraction from the dark memories that haunt you at all waking and sleeping hours. But now you can talk with her, which is far more pleasant than forcing yourself to pay attention to your drunk comrades.
Especially so when the conversation is over a hot homemade meal. Though you didn't ask her to earn her food and shelter, she's taken to preparing dinner for the two of you every night. Her skills can't compete with yours, but she's also never seen most of the ingredients your pantry is stocked with.
You avoid the subject of her home life because you don't want to talk about yours, but you notice from the things she can and can't do that her childhood was similarly neglectful. Unlike you however, a deep seeded fear lurks in her cautious actions. One obviously instilled by years of abuse.
Because she thinks she doesn't deserve anything but such horrific treatment she's easy to spoil. After her feet healed, the first thing you did was take her to the cobbler. You made an apron and a coat for her not even a week after the kirtle. This time with a matching handbag.
Her apologetic and sheepish reactions to being given things of her own is gradually shifting to grateful smiles and thank yous. The brightest smile you've seen so far has to have been last night when she tried cake for the first time.
When you aren't off at clandestine anti-royalist rallies, most nights after dinner you've been teaching her to read and write so that she has something to keep herself occupied while you're at work. She struggles, but she's a bright enough girl that you know she'll be able to enjoy books soon. Most importantly, if she can read and write she'll be able to secure a good job and find a place to live where she can be free and safe.
For now, you've been working through a cookbook because the vocabulary is familiar and the instructions are short and simple. That's how you ended up baking cake with her late into the night.
“Wow!! This sounds so yummy!” she squeaks after successfully reading through the recipe.
“Nonnettes, huh? I remember they were popular where I grew up. Gingerbread spices, rye flour, honey, eggs, and jam. I think I have everythin’. You wanna try makin’ ‘em?”
“No, no! I don't want to bother you, Luke! I'm sorry I said anything! Please forget it!” she babbles, wide-eyed as she waves her hands dismissively.
“Stop it, Honey,” you chide and grab her wrists. “I suggested bakin’. If I didn't wanna do it, I wouldn't have offered. I love sweets and y’ know I'll eat everythin’ with honey in it. But more importantly, y’ need to learn that it's okay to ask for things y’ want.”
“Really? Are you sure it's not too much trouble…?” she queries hesitantly, shoulders curling up to her ears now that you've arrested her flailing arms.
“Yes. It'll be fun and we get to eat it all afterwards too!” you smile at the thought of fresh pastries.
“I've never had cake before!” she beams back.
It stings more that you're not surprised by this than the fact she's never tried cake.
“Do y’ like spiced things?” you ask knowing not everyone enjoys cinnamon and ginger.
“I don't know… We could never afford anything but salt…”
“Guess we'll find out then, won't we,” you smile and stand to fetch the ingredients from the pantry.
“I have lots of honey, but what kinna jam does the recipe call for?” you ask over your shoulder as you gather up little boxes of dried spices.
“It says or..or…”
“Orange?”
“Yes! Orange mar..ma..lade, or fruits like ap..ri..cot.”
“Oranges are for the bourgeoisie. Can't buy ‘em at market, so marmalade is out. I have black currant jam though.”
“Sounds delicious! We also need butter, rye, water and spices.”
While you measure out the spices, she warms the honey and butter to mix into the leavened rye dough you always have handy. In the days after you brought her here you picked up extra dishes and cutlery, so at least you have bowls to bake and eat with now.
With the jam tucked into the centre of each little cake you set them over the coals to bake, and return to her writing practice as the next hour or so passes. Though your eyes linger on the wobbly shape of her letters you aren't really seeing the ink. Teaching her basics like this reminds you of all the ways he looked after you.
You know he took special care of you to ensure you'd be a well-equipped pawn, but that doesn't change the fact that he did care for you. As manipulative and conniving as he is, he's gentle in some ways… and for better or worse, he did save your life.
If he saw me now, would he be disappointed?
Would he think me a fool for lookin’ after somebody so obviously worthless to my ambitions?
Would he think I've gone soft?
If he thought I'd lost my resolve, would he cut me down ‘cause I know too much?
Or would he be happy for me… like that time I told him I was getting along with the kids at the military academy…
“Luke? Luke!” she calls and waves her hand in front of your eyes.
Startling from your daydream you hum inquisitively.
“I think the nonnettes are done…”
There's a concerned look in her eyes when she tells you this, but you brush it off by ruffling her hair as you rise to fetch the baked goods. By the time you've each finished your first cake, her genuinely radiant smile has you enchanted and you've forgotten those worries.
Part 4
#why do i do this to myself#why do I love dark x comfort#ikemen prince#ikepri#ikemen luke#ikemen prince luke randolph#luke randolph#ikemen prince luke#ikepri luke#ikepri fanfiction#fanfiction#ikemen prince fanfiction#ikepri fanfic
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He was silent. Always was, new people just trying to do their job or so that's what he's gathered from how many have come. They all come and go, some die others are lucky. Selling things they find to meet some kind of quota set by the entity they report to. Tarhos would never pretend to understand it, but... for everyone else he's seen. This one was different and he couldn't tell why. Perhaps that's why he was staring for so long, leaning out of the door way just out of sight until he turned around.
The creature could feel his pulse- the audible gasp, how they sweat probably clung to his brow beneath the mask. Yet.. he stared despite every instinct in his body telling him to run. Find a different position to strike from- it was his nature. Food was food and yet... he couldn't bring himself to hurt this one. No. "What do you want?" His spines shifted as he tilted his head. What did he want...? Tarhos wasn't sure himself. Still... slowly he crept across the metal grating to sit on the floor and stare up at him.
Maybe he'd seem less intimidating if he was smaller, but... he could still feel how his pulse quickened by just being this close. How many others of his kind had he seen? Killed even? "Can you understand me?" Of course he could. The creatures head nodded... but it wasn't as if he could speak back to him. His vocal cords couldn't mimic the same speech that he used. - the stupid af bracken!Tar and employee!Haru fanfic joke but reality just for u
── 𝐔𝐍𝐏𝐑𝐎𝐌𝐏𝐓𝐄𝐃 𝐈𝐍𝐓𝐄𝐑𝐀𝐂𝐓𝐈𝐎𝐍𝐒 ──
LETHAL VERSE (I cb we made this shit NFGKJNKJ)
The Bracken's submission did little to quell Haruko's rampaging emotions, he couldn't suppress the thunderous beating of his heart or relax his tensed muscles. How many of his friends had this sort of thing killed? Why didn't he take the time now to bash its head in and secure the building from at least one more freak of nature? His thoughts swirled and began to cook to a boil, their roars eclipsing the metallic clanging of a nearby fan and the gentle hum of the facility. Frankly he had no idea what to do. If he turned around to tell towards his coworkers would this thing get aggressive again and try to break his neck? Haruko mentally cursed; feeling his heart rate skyrocket - unsure to fight or to flee.
"Well - I - My buddies will probably try to kill you if they see you and I ... " He sighed, "I don't want any bullshit, ok? Back off and I won't hurt you, and you won't hurt me. Truce. - or ...whatever is the equivalent in your culture. If you have a culture - whatever that isn't important right now. Just - we promise not to hurt one another!" Haru sputtered out quickly, still quite flustered after nearly having the absolute shit scared out of him. He was going to hold out a hand to the creature but decided against it once he realized it might find that as an aggressive gesture - frankly he wasn't in the mood to bash this things brains in - so he'd behave. "I'm going to - errr - walk to my ... friends." He cringed internally, ugh - friends? Half of the time he questioned if he should have taken animal linguistics before coming on this mission since half the crew seemed to be speaking a different fucking language 75% of the time! " ... And bring them here. Do not hurt them or try any shit, do you understand?" Haruko's brows furrowed and his nose crinkled as he regarded Tarhos - mentally he took note of its beetlike color and ... flora adorning its shoulders and spine.
"Just stay here. I'll be riiiiiiiiiiiight back." The worker took a few steps backwards, keeping his eyes on Tarhos until he stepped into another hallway and let out a gasp of relief. His gloved hand rested atop his chest as a low groan followed his slowing breaths, "Fuuuuuuuckkkk, why me? Why me?" He whined and his shrill whimpering echoed through the facilities vent system. "Ok - ok, its fine. It's fine its just a sentient Bracken who understands English and at least basic human communication!" He brought his shoulders up and shrugged in a half pitched failure of trying to keep his head level. "Yeah! Yeah - it's ... it's not like they can ... "
Haru paused. The last clang of his boot against the steel beams under him bounced through the hallway; only to bring about an eerie wave of dread once everything had fallen silent.
Could they all communicate? ... Had they just been killing ... sentient life forms? Without any thought to them? Shit. Would the Company get sued? Could Bracken sue? Did they have a legal system?
"Really not in the mood to be having a existential crisis right now, brain."
Sorry.
"It's fine. Now where is the entrance ... ! Hey! Walter! Come here I found some freaky ass shit and I need someone to tell me I haven't finally lost it. I know I know "that's been long gone Haru" yada yada - I get it. I don't want to tell you what it is because you'll think I'm making it up! Just - just get the other guys and meet me back here."
#ℍ𝔸ℝ𝕌𝕂𝕆 ℕ𝔸𝕂𝔸𝕊𝕆ℕ𝔼 ... 【 ᴛʜᴇ ᴛᴀᴛᴛᴏᴏ ᴀʀᴛɪꜱᴛ 】#ic#rp#verse: lethal#bells of black sunday#my god#what a nightmare
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Name: Didier Travert
Age: 33
Gender + pronouns: Man, he/him
Occupation: Media. Boots on ground even for his day job at WNS, where it’s mostly following around politicians or corpo press conferences, or at most, a bit of light espionage and breaking into corpo offices. Prefers his moonlighting, where being in the field means chasing down NCPD alerts, recording firefights and clashes, and what goes on behind them, all with his old cam. Written up and posted online anonymously.
Cyberware: His left eye is a cybereye with MicroVideo and TeleOptic enhancements - but paid for by WNS and designed to be undetectable under most visual inspections to get away with discreet recording. Also has an audio suite with a recorder, scrambler and sound amplifier.
Sexuality: Bi
He was sent out by WNS to work in the city after it became the ‘free’ international city it was. A hub of corporate control and even more rampant political corruption than he grew up with. In case the name wasn’t a tip off, Didi isn’t an NC native. He’s from Bordeaux. One of two kids, with a mother who entered into politics after a protest she helped organize, turned into a riot she also helped instigate, gained a lot of attention. When you realize you want to be a media because of riots and unrest, and you’re raised keeping your head on a swivel and not believing shit you’re told by authority, you grow up knowing you’re living in interesting times with plenty that needs bringing to the surface.
Despite all that, Night City was still one hell of a culture shock. For most of his life, corps haven’t had a particularly strong strangle-hold on his home. Present, sure, but ousted in all the ways they show off in NC. Not allowed to be so blatant, so violent, so involved. Not that life is peachy without them, his early days as a reporter was just video of frequent physical fights and violence in government buildings over the most ridiculously mundane decisions.
The cybereye and optical cyberware are all technically property of WNS. Meaning, if he loses his job, he loses the eye. They also get access to whatever footage is recorded from it, nearly immediately, uploaded through their secure net connections the second he’s in range, so he can’t record anything he isn’t happy with higher ups, or potentially, the general public seeing. Hence using the head mounted cam for his personal work.
Earns a decent amount in his job, and came from what I’d call a middle class background. Not buy and sell you wealthy by any means, but he can buy you a very nice dinner without having to look at the prices.
A big believer in the power of a brick, a molotov, and a large group full of righteous anger, to get things done. Wants to tell stories that make people care and pay attention, or show them that how things are, aren’t ‘normal’ or universal, and that they can change. Not that he sees that ever happening in NC, fuck no, he’s got enough sense to see a city that’s set in its ways and it would take a lot to shock it out of rhythm. Which might be why he latches on to Ivan, Adiel, and the relic, the second there are rumors. Maybe it wont be enough, but at the very least, the answer to ‘Where’s Johnny?’, would hopefully get enough eyes on the story to make a few more people question. Plus, come on, who could resist?
My god do i ship him and River. They compliment each other so well. The two of them running into each other on and off over the years, and then it's when Didi's working with Ivan, tagging along on the first job from the Peralez's, and it's the first time they really connect on a non-work level. Then he's the one who runs around with River doing that quest line. Probably a good thing cause neither Adiel nor Ivan would let the kids win the AR game.
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Personal: Scam or No Scam, Cats, Gothmas Phase 1 Begins
Wednesday I was dragged out of a particularly interesting supernatural adventure dream by a different person calling to tray to get me to move out of my apartment. It was 10AM, less than two hours into what was already a short sleep cycle. I started my Do Not Call List banishing chant and he hung up. (Saturday's asshole was a woman.
In my exhaustion I could not remember the block number code before a person who could have either been a Medicare person or a medicare scammer called me. I had to engage them in a long dialog to tell which, which was unusual. Scammers are usually faster and more transparent. This one had enough information about who she was calling to keep me on the line, because medicare makes a ton of annoying and intrusive early sleep cycle calls including one last week trying to talk me into a home inspection I don't need or want. I can't afford to accidentally block Medicare, so I needed to trick her into disambiguating. she sounded a lot like last week's lady. Very similar voice, identical regional accent, but her background sound was slightly off. Her reason for calling was plausible. I did my usual thing where I make them tell me my own details, which she could do, but so did the try to make me move person that had just called, so I'm guessing an online registry or bought data base. No social security number or other id number though.
Then she tried to talk me into going to get my medicare card out so she could "verify my information was correct." Me, internally: Aha! Got her! So I pressed her on why she needed me to do that when she could just read me what's in her computer and I could say if it was correct or not. She tried the hard sell. I hung up. Very tricksey, she was. Sometimes real medicare wants proof I'm me, but I can also get them to mail me things or call them back on an official line I verify myself.
I am annoying as fuck to the endless people from assorted departments and subcontractors and what have you, because I don't trust shit. I know the scripts for the annoying flock of intrusive mandatory wake me up phone calls Medicare does. Every time a new department or service contacts me they get the third degree because I get so many identity theft attempt phone calls. I once hung up on the same new bullshit hassle call thing multiple times a week for approximately three months, because instead of properly identifying themselves as medicare and explaining immediately what they wanted, they started a long byzantine thing that sounded like half sales pitch and half identity theft fishing and after the first time I wasted five minutes of sleep trying to play scam or no scam and getting no straight answers as to what they actually wanted, I would recognize the opening sentences and hang right up. I didn't block them because they were ambiguous. I figured if it were actually important they'd contact me and tell me what they wanted instead of wasting my time. Eventually, I got a frantic sounding lady was like "This is medicare. Please don't hang up, it's important." And then she actually told me why she was calling specifically and demonstrated and actual knowledge of who she was calling. It was real. I've no idea why they were trying to sound like scammers when the thing was something straightforward we were able to clear up in less time than their opener took before I gave up on it the first time they called.
If this thing Wednesday morning was real, bet I'll get a letter. Betting it's not though. I am 95% sure it was a scammer who was doing a well above average job at mimicking medicare.
…And then I got a couple more calls spaced to prevent REM sleep for medical things. Sigh. So I started out tired. People still have not remembered how to drive with other cars on the roads particularly at dusk and i nearly saw a car T-Boned when I stopped at the bank drivethru ATM, but the car stopped inches from the driver side door. There were lines everywhere. There were cars and people everywhere. It was so loud and crowded at the grocery that every baby and toddler under the age of four that we saw started screaming because it was so overwhelming and we didn't blame them.
We ended up skipping two stops and going back to my place the fast way. Poor New Millennial was waiting in the dark as i haven't gotten them a key yet and spaced turning on the Millennial Signal lights before I went out. Goth Millennial had alerted them we were coming but running late and had pizza making stuff for dinner. We all worked together to square things away and while we were waiting for thing to cook, we were sitting quietly in the living room chatting.
There was a moth that had gotten in! Imagine the excitement amounst the feline population of the apartment. The Imperial couple were so excited that they hunted it together in the living room. This is a thing that does not happen. Tavy loves catching bugs, but his balance issues mean he basically has to corner something against the screen where it is damaged or confused enough not to fly away. Livia is, of course, a first rate hunter of any and all live prey that foolishly enters her domain, so even though New Millennial was right there on the sofa, she went right past. She managed to damage the wing, which meant Tavy had a chance! He could hunt too! He ended up having the best time hunting it. Meanwhile, Livia spotted a Live Thing on the Porch, so she got really into menacing whatever it was, then they both sat on the widow bench to watch outside things and wonder what that noise was, which is a thing he does when visitors are here, but she doesn't normally do because she has to turn her back on the Visitors. So Brave!
Goth Millennials got great pictures which I will post when I have them.
After dinner, Goth Millennial did crafter surgery on poor Geoff Peterson Jr. who is starting to come apart. He's a fifteen year old cheap plastic skeleton and these things happen. They redressed him and were taking him outside when his bottom half came off. I was like, we should try displaying him like that as a Beetlejuice tribute, so we are experimenting with that.
Meanwhile, New Millennial put the plastic cloth we are trying this year on the widow bench and secured the Halloween trees against cat panic. Prezzies started arriving this week, so they displayed them there as is the custom. None of the other decorations were up, but this was a lot for us given the givens.
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And with that, our mega-project is done!!! @ejunkiet and I are proud to present the conclusion of An Honest Man Like Yourself.
Basically, this is the fic equivalent of a get-along shirt for Milo and Colm Greer. Smol Wolfs need to love and support each other, dammit!
From: [email protected]
Date: November 4, 2021
Subject: Favor
Hey Pop-
Thanks for letting us borrow the kayak last week. My mate really liked it, even though I think they had more fun trying to scare the shit out of me, making me think we were gonna tip over, than they did actually paddling.
I’m worried about them, though. That’s why they needed that weekend away. They’ve been coming home dead tired lately, and when I asked them, they said they’ve been freaking out over some breach at the Department. Is there anything you can do for them over there at the office? Maybe see about assigning them some extra help or something? I’d really appreciate it.
Also, you remember that member of our pack whose family joined up from Washington back when I was a teenager? (I don’t know if you do. You were already out of the house a lot by then, but I think you might.) Well, anyway, they’re back, and they got a problem. So now we got a problem. What do you know about dealing with vampires who don’t follow the rules?
See you tomorrow,
Milo
***
November 4, 2021
12:14 P.M.
Pop: Call me please. We need to talk about that email.
Milo: why? what’s the matter?
Pop: Just call me. ASAP
***Calling… Colm Greer***
“Hey, Pop. What’s wrong?”
“I’ll tell you what’s wrong! You can’t send shit like that to my work email. What the fuck are you thinking?”
“What are you talking about?”
“Well, for one thing, do you realize how much trouble your mate could get in if the Department found out they’d disclosed all those case details to you? What are you, stupid?!”
“No! I just–”
“I can’t believe you’d put them at risk like that. Of all the careless, brainless, impulsive—”
“Hey, wait a minute! I’m the one lookin’ out for them. You won’t even lift a finger, Deputy Commissioner. Fat lot of good that fancy title does any of us!”
“How am I supposed to do anything for anybody when you’re putting your foot and your nose and your goddamn emails where they don’t belong?! Jesus, Milo. You never learn to shut your mouth! You got no filter!”
“You should talk! Listen to you!”
“No, you know what? I’m not done… You’re the one who doesn’t know when to shut up. What was all that about vampires? Did you even read that before you sent it? Do you realize how that sounded? If I get anybody from Internal Affairs reading my messages, they’re gonna think our whole pack is made up of bigots who call people ‘Feeders’. I raised you better than that!”
“I didn’t even write that! I never called anybody a feeder in my life! And who’s gonna read your message, Pop? You’re fuckin’ paranoid, that’s what you are!”
“No. I’m not. It happens more than you’d think. That’s why I gotta stay in the lines. That’s just the job. And I’m sure your mate understands that. We can’t all work for ritzy private security companies and take only the jobs we like. Some of us have to deal with whatever comes our way.”
Read the rest on AO3
#Frenchie and EJ writin’ besties#redacted asmr#redacted fanfic#redactedverse#redacted marie#redacted milo#redacted colm#redacted shaw pack#let the healing conclude#now kiss#father/son#I love them ok#Colm Greer secretly best boi#how do you think Milo got to be Milo y’all?#oh I hope the mobile app let me do the keep reading thingy right…
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The State of Western Politic (or why I woke up pissed at 7 am on my day off)
I tend to get overtly pissy about CPUSA’s statement to “Vote out fascism” like that’s what antifascists have done in the past. You think the polls got Mussolini hung? You think ballots put that bullet in Hitler’s fucking head?
Like we are in between two stages of fascism according to George Jackson (I use his analysis because it isn’t as rigid a study as most academics would cling onto): ‘in power, but not secure’ and ‘in power and secure’. The rise of fascism in the mainstream has helped to vote in people who go beyond the alt right. And yes their statements are almost radical and anti-capitalist, but note that their critiques are aimed at changing liberal bourgeois democracy and limiting those freedoms to a specific sect of the capitalist class. They aren’t against capitalism but rather against the way capital operates.
Many in the global north have unfortunately fallen for their rhetoric because there isn’t any other alternative to the failures of neoliberal democracy both domestically and internationally. The deepening of the wage gap, the crumbling of health and living infrastructure, inflation and the like aren’t necessarily the best confidence builders. These decaying conditions, combined with the failure of international expansionism under the guise of ‘democracy’ to make for good nationalist propaganda, create a sense of loss in identity and desperation for mental and material stability. And in desperation people search for something else to make sense of the havoc (or coming havoc for those who have been spared from the last few years, I have a feeling this winter is going to be cruel and unforgiving). Some distract, which is unfortunately is an easy path into alt right pipelines thanks to useless mass media shoving brands and specific narratives depending on which sect of capital controls what. Tiktok’s algorithms go from kittens to why trans kids deserve to die in minutes (sometimes just to get you interacting and riled up, even if you are a transphobic piece of shit) and YouTube and Tumblr do not care about what is platformed as long as their stock numbers go up.
And this is where organizations like CPUSA and CPCanada fail to offer up a true revolutionary alternative. A word used in socialist spaces is ‘revisionist’, I would prefer to use cowardly. They tail the familiarity of liberal democracy, as if people aren’t moderately aware of the failures of the current system and are tired of being told to maintain it for the fear of the fascists coming in. The current material conditions created the fascist revival! Why the hell would you want to maintain the decay that brought this in the first place?!
We need to think *beyond* the current system and build up something better while we figure out how to tear the old. Lenin rightly criticized the social democrats in the Russian Tsarist government from going into reformist government and falling into the bureaucratic trap of the status quo, all to ‘preserve the state’. (There are more specific critique’s but this is getting long and I need lunch so here is State and Revolution Chapter 3)
We have a big job to do. The coming years are going to change things significantly. We don’t have time to waste on empty platitudes of maintaining status quo. We need to be revolutionary.
#socialism#Jackson Speaks!#jackson writes!#fascism#lenin#cpusa#cpcanada#cpc#revisionism#liberal#politic#politics#george jackson#democracy#writing#rants and rambles#but seriously I need mental help bc my eyes cracked open and I started beefing with CPUSA dudes#'voting out fascism'#my siblings in christ they wanna kill us
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