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#2 cries for the price of one or whatever

frogchiro · 7 months

Note

HII HII ur writing is perf 4 this idea but you don’t hav 2 do it !! i js thought of u <3 little red riding hood reader & big bad wolf (ko, ghost, price) any cod guy & i think it’s js soo cute !!!

[art by doujinpearl]

ARE YOU KIDDING ME THIS IS SO CUTE??? YOU NEVER MISS LOVE!!! And thank you it really means a lot to me that you like my silly writing <33

tw// horror elements and this has like one mention of a 'off-screen' death but no one major

I think I'm gonna go with König for this one?? Bc something about him just screams big bad wolf to me y'know? Also for the sake of this story, König is described like on the pics above, so his lower half is life a literal werewolf.

okay also i'm putting this under the cut because this somehow grew into a whole fic?? My dear @9irly9irl if you see this know that I love you and this was so. freaking. enjoyable to write??? I love this so much??? Also I'm sorry for the horror themes but I'm getting ready for October and the gloomy weather outside made me do this. I hope you still enjoy and PLEASE send me more for this au!!

Big bad wolf König who is on the prowl for some time now, he's on a hunt for you, the sweet girl who lives alone with her mother on the edge of the dark forest your good old momma always tells you to stay away from and for good reason. The townsfolk from the villages around whisper in fear and dread about a monster lurking in the woods, half man-half wolf with an insatiable taste for blood; they call the beast König, the undisputed King.

And honestly? König likes that rep. It means less annoying pests wandering around his territory safe for a groups of young guys from time to time who think they have the balls to try and 'kill the beast' but they are dealt with...pretty quickly.

But no, König has his glowing eyes set on something more...Exquisite. On something soft and pliable, sweet smelling and so so pretty. Namely on you. The werewolf guesses he has to be thanking his lucky starts or whatever bullshit that while sniffing around your cottage he overheard your mother talking about going out into the forest to bring her sickly mother, your grandma, a basket full of food and some other supplies and being the sweet little thing that you are, you of course cried and volunteered to go yourself, that your mother is already older and that you will make quick work of it.

König swears that day that his blood never rushed downward to his dick so fast. You, soft little you, all alone in his forest? His territory?? It's like you're begging to get taken and mated! The trek from your cottage to your grandma's home would take you about 2-3 days as she lives deep in the woods, the perfect timing for him to reveal himself and take you away for himself into his den in the darkest parts of the forest where you will have the perfect life with him! No more worrying about food or warmth during the cold, dreary winter months, he is more than a capable provider for his future mate, not to mention your future litter of happy yipping pups you will birth for him! It's a perfect plan!

And so he waits. And waits. And waits until the day you finally leave with your cute basket in tow and a tearful goodbye with your mommy dear that you will return as soon as possible. Yea, sure sweetheart.

I think he'd reveal himself by the time it's getting nighttime, when the sun sets, the air is getting cold and a ominous darkness sets over the forest where your trembling body sits in a makeshift nest made of a blanket and a thick animal pelt under a old, big tree. Everything seems so loud, the cries of nocturnal animals sound much more bleak and unnerving, not to mention the weird, chilling feeling of...something following you. Like there were a pair of eyes trained on you since a few weeks ago but you never mentioned this to your poor mother as you didn't want to worry her, but the feeling only amplified ever since you left your home and went on a trip to your grandmother.

You couldn't help the loud yelp you let out when suddenly a pair of glowing golden eyes appeared in the small clearing around the tree; a pair of glowing, unblinking orbs that seemed to be suspended in the air in the surrounding darkness, the weak fireplace you managed to make doing basically nothing to light up the area and your poor little heart started to beat like crazy when you noticed the eyes moving forward, closer and closer to you until the light finally caught what was moving towards you...or more like who.

It was an enormous man, easily over 7ft tall, his broad, bulky shoulders moving as he stood from the position he was in to his full height and those ominous glowing eyes still were unblinking as they stared at you like you were just some lamb and...you probably were.

The one thing that somehow stood out the most, even amidst literally everything else unnatural about this man, were a pair of ear on top of his head, which only now you noticed was covered in some sort of tattered old hood with holes for the eyes and ears, and a huge fluffy tail which was wagging faster anytime you seemed to look the man over, but what really brought it all together was his lower half...it-it was all fur. His legs were that of some bipedal wolf and in that moment a silent scream tried to make its way out of your throat; it was König, the brutal and unforgiving beast that resided in the surrounding forests, the one that people tell horror stories about around campfire and...he was here. He was here before you to tear you apart and leave nothing behind, not even bones.

Tears were streaming down your face, a look of utter defeat on it because after all, what more could you do? You can't possibly fight him, you can't outrun him, hiding is out of the picture too...You were ready to feel the unimaginable pain of those jaws locking themselves on your throat and draining you of your life but the you felt...warmth? A slick, warm feeling on your cheek and when you opened your eyes a bit you saw what it was. It was König, or more like his long tongue licking away at your cheek in an almost comforting matter, his wide unblinking eyes still trained on you though his pupils seemed to grow in size, now taking over most of the glowing yellow and when he deemed you to be clean of your tears, a large crooked nose with a scar running across it nudged into your cheek and took a deep sniff to get your scent. A stray thought ran through your mind when you took a closer look at his uncovered face and noticed another huge scar across his face and a few smaller ones, who or what in their right mind got close enough to inflict such wounds on someone like König?

When you stayed still and just stared at him wide eyed and out of breath König let out a deep growl like purr of content; he could hear your small aborted breaths still coming out quick and your heart fluttering in your chest like a small erratic bird but he could see that you were a tiny bit calmer now and not on the brink of hysterics like a few seconds before. He couldn't help but grin in delight, a nasty, wide thing that revealed rows of sharp teeth. He finally had you. He had you exactly where he wanted and now you were his. Well not completely yet, you two would need to mate first but still, everyone had to start somewhere right? For now he had you calmed down even for a bit, showed you that he wasn't a threat to you and wasn't going to hurt you. It was still only the night of the first day of your travels and he will offer to guide you, he couldn't possibly allow such a cute young lady to just wander around the deep dark forest all alone, right?

Of course he won't mention it that he will be herding you away from the path and instead guide you deeper and deeper into the heart of the woods where his den in. He won't mention it that he will be making very obvious and insistent advances at you, insisting on staying close at all times and wrapping his huge body around you at night for warmth, nosing and nudging at you to cover you in his scent and maybe make you a little bit hot under that deliciously low neckline of the dress that you're wearing, the cape in a lovely shade of red acting like a blanket to shield you away when König is nosing at your neck and bosom, greedy for all the tiny, shy, flustered noises you make, greedy for making you all hot and ready for him.

And of course he certainly won't mention to you about your poor old granny's corpse, rotting for weeks already in her old, decaying house where she died of some illness or old age. No, no, your new life is here, with him. Forever.

#kin speaks #asks #interactions #cod mw x reader #cod x reader #hybrid au #werewolf!könig #red riding hood au #könig x reader #könig #konig x reader

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callofdudes · 1 year

Text

What are you reading??

A/N: this was requested by @thicc-plum so I hope y'all enjoy my friend. This took way too long, please let me know if you catch any spelling mistakes.

This includes 141, Alejandro & Rodolfo.

Summary: The reader gets caught reading a smut book and the boys tease the hell out of her.

CW: Brief depictions of sexual interactions, the boys 'teasing' you.

Y'all really want a part 2 huh... I've made you a lil part 2 for y'all.

You were sitting alone at a table in the canteen. Lunch was almost over but you hadn't busied yourself with food. You were sitting in the corner with one of your books in hand. You always loved to read, but this book in particular you had refrained from reading around the others. It was... A different kind of book. Not one with little swordsmen going on long adventures to sweep away their friends from the perils of danger.

It was one with tension, heat. The kind that nestled in your stomach and bubbled up through your chest, making you feel a small, almost tangible piece of the intimacy you read about.

You were engrossed in the book. The atmosphere around you was drowned out as you read.

His hand guided her thigh, skirt riding up past her hip and their eyes met. Their breaths tangled in the warm bedroom, sweat soaking into the sheets-

"What are you reading??"

You gasp and slam your book shut. Your hands tremble as you push it away from you.

Johnny smirks, laughing as he sits down. "Oh you should see your face!"

You scoff. "Not funny Johnny."

Johnny grabs the book from your trembling hands and examines the cover.

"Oh~ what is this risque piece of artwork??" He flips through the pages, reading over some of the sentences. You attempt to grab the book back but Johnny puts his elbow up to keep you away while he reads.

His eyes go wide. "Woah!! That's some descriptive oral- my goodness!"

"Johnny!!" You jump and grab the book back, pulling it to your chest.

Your cheeks go red. "Don't tell the others, please??"

"Depends, can I borrow the book??"

"What are you going to do with it??"

"Read it, obviously. It looks good."

He gives you his signature smirk and you can't help but feel inclined to agree. You grumble under your breath. "whatever, I'll finish and then you can read it. But please return it!!"

Johnny nods. "Of course."

"By the way, you're late for your meeting with Price. You don't want me to tell him you're late because of an innocent little book, would you??"

He grins. "Wouldn't want dear old captain to know you're doing such naughty little things." He squeezes your thigh.

He stands from his chair.

Your cheeks burn redder, but the time manages to take your attention.

You look at your watch and curse. "Don't tell anyone Johnny! I'm serious!!"

He winks at you as he walks away. "You can count on me y/n!"

You grumble and hold your book close. Why on earth would Johnny want to read it?? Was he messing with you?? Or was he actually interested.

You rush out of the canteen and shove your book in your bag. You just hope Johnny wouldn't tell anyone what he saw you reading.

You will admit, yes, you had it coming. You weren't doing your paperwork as it had gotten too boring too quickly and you'd given up for a bit. No one likes doing paperwork. The only ones who didn't complain about it happened to be Price, Ghost, and Gaz. You were none of them.

So you'd kicked up your feet and started to read your book. It was a book you'd gotten on leave and you had kept it fairly secret from the others, it wasn't a book you wanted them to know about.

It was better than doing paperwork. And much more fun.

You must have lost track while reading however, getting too caught up in the endless pages of sticky hot mess.

"He latched onto her neck, sucking a deep hickey into her supple throat. She cried out his name softly into the night, arms wrapping tightly around his shoulders-"

There was a knock on the door.

You shot up, scrambling immediately to bring your feet off your desk and straighten up. You slam your book back into the desk drawer.

"Come in!"

Price enters, making you gulp.

"Y/n, we haven't seen you for a while, I wanted to see how things are coming along in here."

He sees the enormous pile of paperwork on your desk and crosses his arms. You immediately look down and away, knowing you would probably be in trouble for this.

He sighs and comes around the corner of the desk, seeing the still open drawer with your book in It. He sees the very risque cover and pulls it out before you can stop him.

"Was this what had your attention??"

You gulp, getting anxious as he flips through the pages.

He hums thoughtfully. He flips the pages and reads through some of the things, his facial expressions changing with each new scenario played out in the book.

He eventually closes it and places it in one of his pockets.

"Captain-"

"Shh, I've seen enough. If this is what you'd like to occupy your time with, very well then."

"I'm sorry."

He tuts. "Be a good girl and finish your paperwork. When you're done, we can discuss this little book of yours."

Your cheeks burn red and you look away.

"Yes Captain."

"That's a good girl."

Price walked off, leaving a heavy feeling in your stomach. You had a weird new motivation to finish your paperwork though.

The evening was quiet and the others were out. It was just you and Gaz on base and you were relishing in the quiet environment. Wrapped up in a blanket, the fireplace crackling a few feet away from you, nothing better.

With a book in hand the world could only be perfect. Your eyes feel tired, even as you read the book that always makes your stomach drop and your emotions rise.

You thought Gaz had gone to bed, so you felt comfortable reading it without the others around. You would always read this book in your room, it never saw the light of day around the guys.

"He whispered low in her ear, nipping at the corner of her lobe. His hands groped down across her collar, fingers tangling in her necklace..."

You continued to read, barely registering the creak of the floorboards. You'd assumed it was the house settling since you hadn't heard the door. Nor had you noticed the shadow bast behind you, soft brown eyes reading each delicately picked word with you.

Suddenly, you feel breathing near your ear. Your heartbeat quickens and your fingers feel tense. The feeling in your stomach growls hotter with each second.

"That seems a little naughty to be reading out here, don't you think sweetheart?"

You jump, nearly screaming as a voice cuts through your concentration, shattering the perfect dream of being wrapped in an embrace just as addictive as the words in your book.

Gaz grins, his hand touching your shoulder and running down your arm to flip the page of the book.

"K-Kyle- I didn't realize you were-"

"Shh. Read it out loud."

Your cheeks turn deep red. "W-what-??"

"Read it out loud to me sweetheart."

Your heart rate quickens and your voice catches in your throat. You want to say yes just as badly as you want to say no. But the way Kyle strokes his thumb over your hand made you willing.

"S-sure..."

Kyle hums. "Good. I think you'll want to finish this next chapter before the others return. You wouldn't want them to hear all the things you've been reading about."

You gulp, but you reluctantly start to read.

You couldn't sleep. So naturally in the early hours of the morning when you figured no one else was awake, you turned to the kitchen for a snack.

You patter through the hallway with your book in hand. You turn on the kitchen light and make yourself some tea to soothe your body, considering you were sore from the lack of sleep.

You sat down at the kitchen table with your tea and opened your book. The cover was bright red with dazzling shiny line work around two figures. One holding the other in a more suggestive manner. Each chapter displaying a new set of characters put through taboo and risque situations. All of them leading to a spicy climax.

Literally.

You sunk into the quiet atmosphere and started to read. Your eyes drowned into the words, hands holding the book firmly.

"He pulled her back, his large hand wrapped tightly around her throat. His sneer could almost look evil to anyone who wasn't her. Treated like a doll in his large hands, putting so much trust into his punishments."

You gulp, not realizing how heavy your breathing had gotten until a hand wraps around your throat.

It catches you so off guard you whine. Thumb and forefinger pressing into the sensitive parts under your jaw, making your insides coil and twist.

You bite your lip, hands trembling.

Warm breath whisps over your cheek and Ghost's rough Manchester voice breaks the silence.

"I always knew you were into some weird shit."

His other hand reaches out and takes the book from you, inspecting the cover.

"Ghost-"

His hand tightens on your throat, making you moan quietly.

He hums, flipping through some of the pages.

Your cheeks start to burn, watching out of the corner of your eye as he flips. You can't see his face, you can't gauge his reaction. All you know is his hand is wrapped so nicely around your throat, body hidden in the shadows it makes you feel as small as the girl in the story.

He gets to a certain page and chuckles. "You are into some weird shit."

You grab his wrist, wanting to pry him away and wanting him closer. It feels like a dream how it is all playing out, you are scared you want more.

He places the book down and squeezes your throat, getting another soft moan out of you.

He lets go and chuckles. "I could do better than he can."

It makes you want to pass out. He lets you go and when you turn around he's already walking away. Your arms and legs are shaking but you rush after him, wanting to know what he meant.

He doesn't lock his door when he disappears, and you know all too well it's an invitation into the book you'd just been reading.

(also I love this gif, look at Rodolfo just effortlessly toss that crate- boy you are amazing and I love you)

Look, everyone on base knew you were a little freaky at times. It was no secret to anyone. And it also wasn't a secret you might have a teensy tiny little thing for your colonel and the sergeant major.

That was not the point however.

You had just finished up a long day of training with the Vaqueros. You'd been out all afternoon, which was why you were a bit surprised you were being called into Alejandro and Rodolfo's office for a little chat.

What this chat was about, you weren't entirely sure.

But you finished up your routines and set off for their office.

You knock on the door, hearing Alejandro's voice beckon you in. When you open the door you're greeted by both Alejandro and Rodolfo. Alejandro is sitting while Rodolfo is standing next to him with something in his hands.

You would know that velvet patterned trophy book anywhere.

Your blood turns cold.

"Take a seat y/n." Alejandro smiles at you with that smile. The one that makes your heart flutter and your stomach flop.

You nod and take a seat. "What's this about?"

Rodolfo leans over and places the book in front of you. "Look familiar? It has your name written on the inside cover."

You gulp and nod, your cheeks going a bit red. "Yes sir sergeant, I know the book quite well."

"I think you would, considering how worn it, must get read a lot."

By now Rodolfo has come around to your side, one hand snaking up your arm to your shoulder and squeezing the muscles.

You gulp again.

Alejandro opens the book and flips through the pages. "Such a filthy book y/n, there's only one reason you could read this book so much."

You look away bashfully.

"Does it give you a high, Y/n??"

"N-no colonel!"

Alejandro stands and flips to a certain page. He taps the frame of the book and bends down in front of you, guiding your gaze back to his with his thumb and forefinger.

"Care to explain this then?"

You look down at the page he points to, you know it well. Rereading it over and over. It had crinkled edges from your sweaty fingers and dirt makes from the small traces your nails would leave.

You reread the words you practically knew by heart.

"She cries loudly, voice broken into sobs. The man behind her keeps a firm grip in her hair and tugs her back against him. The second man gazes down into her teary eyes, letting her breathe a fresh breath of air before plunging back into her throat."

Your cheeks were red enough, tainted deeper when you saw the scribbled names of your colonel and sergeant major at the bottom of the page.

Rodolfo's hand curls in your hair, his soft voice near your ear. "Considere esto su castigo por leer tal suciedad."

Your brow wobbles, but you can't run from them, you never could.

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cordeliawhohung · 1 month

Text

Leftovers [2/3]

Simon Riley x fem!Reader | a non-canon addition to my mafia!141 series

part 1 | part 3

warnings: unhealthy relationships, anxiety and depression, minor smut, possessive Simon, abusive behavior

you're his, now

wc: 4.6k

It had been months since the night your life ended and started again.

For the longest time, you were livid. Inconsolably upset at everything. A special type of betrayal festered in your chest where it rattled and raged against the hollow cavern between your ribs. That betrayal quickly revealed itself to be grief as the days went on. That utter melancholia threatened to suffocate you every time you thought about your old partners, The Prices. How they kept you like a pet, to be played and toyed with. How they decided to have a child without your input. How they only told you when they announced it to all their friends, like you were nothing more than a guest in their lives.

Then, there was Simon. Your savior. Or, at least that’s what he liked to call himself. It didn’t feel like salvation when he ripped you from the grasp of your old partner's bitter and unloving hands, not when you realized the cost of it. Lying wasn’t supposed to be synonymous with loving, and yet it was the very thing that had put you in the palm of Simon’s hands, made you so pliable for him as he fucked and marked you that night, making it impossible for you to ever return to your old life.

There was nothing but poison waiting for you with your old lovers, if you could even call them that. But being force fed the antidote hurt just as bad when that corruption had become the only comfort you had ever known.

Simon had a way of making things feel better, which usually consisted of him being anchored between your legs. If there was an issue he couldn’t fix by talking or kissing it away, then he would fuck it out of you, and you hated that it worked as well as it did. When you wanted to be mad at him for lying to you, for tricking you into giving yourself to him, his cock always ended up burrowing into your cunt. Your breath would be lost, stolen from your very lungs, and your words along with it. He had grown to know you so well that he was able to pull orgasms out of you with his eyes closed, rendering your brain numb and incapable of argument or resentment.

This cycle continued for what felt like forever. Your days would pass by with you rotting in bed in frustration and anguish as you choked on that antidote and feeling of betrayal, and when Simon had enough of your unresponsiveness, he would fuck you into submission. Coo and embrace you like a true lover would. It created some sort of dissonance within your very being. You were supposed to be mad at him for tricking you, and yet it felt divine being held against him. You couldn’t get enough of the searing sensation of his lips along your skin, or his breath caressing your ear as he slept.

It was agony being torn apart; forever caught between the gravity of your old lovers and the man that stole you from them.

Eventually, you woke up one day and it didn’t hurt anymore. Whatever frustration or anger that burrowed underneath your skin dissipated; vanished into thin air as if it had never existed in the first place. Things seemed brighter, you cried less, and Simon looked at you with adoration rather than pity for your shattered mental state.

Perhaps it was the ignorance that made things better. Without any access to the Prices, you had no knowledge at all of how they handled your absence, if they even cared at all. All you knew was that you had managed to find solace within Simon, despite the terrible start to your relationship. He really did take care of you, just like he said he would. He insisted on paying for everything, refusing to let you work, and provided you with everything you would ever need.

After all, you were his now.

Which was why you found yourself in front of a boiling pot of water in the kitchen of his apartment. Without the use of your phone, Simon had given you an old CD player to keep you occupied as you cooked or went about your day. Radiohead’s album In Rainbows droned on in the background as you mixed the pasta around the pot to keep them from sticking together. Spicy marinara bubbled on the next burner over, and its heavy aroma hung thick in the air around you, leaving you in a mouthwatering stupor.

Just as the alarm on the stove went off signaling the pasta was cooked, the deadbolt began to jingle behind you. After you turned the burners off, you quickly slipped out of the kitchen to greet Simon, who flashed you an entertained smirk. Exhaustion pulled at his eyes, yet they always seemed to light up when they landed on you, and you couldn’t help but grin up at him. It wasn’t often that he got home before ten, as his new job often kept him late, so you were ecstatic that he arrived just as you finished cooking up dinner.

“Smells like you’ve been busy,” he chuckled as he locked the door behind him.

“I thought I would have to leave some out for you again,” you admitted. His hands found your hips and he drew you closer, catching you in his gravity. “I’m glad you’re home.”

Before he allowed himself to respond, Simon squeezed your hips as his lips descended onto yours. It was the way he always greeted you when he arrived home from work, like he couldn’t get enough of you, or more accurately, like he knew you couldn’t get enough of him. You could taste the stale cigarettes on his breath, and the slight hint of mint that he used to attempt to cover it, and it took everything in you not to moan at the flavor. He was the one to pull away first, and your lips curved into a smile as his thumbs rubbed soothing circles along your hips.

“Let’s eat, yeah?” he prompted.

It didn’t take long for dishes to be served and for both you and Simon to settle on the couch in the living room while some programme droned on in the background. Even during meals you always huddled close to him as if you would die without his heat. Your leg laid pressed against his as you leaned into his side, and had Simon not been as large of a man as he was, you certainly would have smothered him with your presence.

“How was work?” you questioned once half your plate had been emptied.

“Was alright,” Simon replied with his mouth full of pasta. “Bit slow.”

“That why you’re home early?”

“Mhm.”

Simon never seemed like much of a talker, and neither were you until recently. A majority of your life had been spent in silent pining for your basic needs and desires, but once Simon had stolen you away, it was like all you ever wanted to do was talk. Perhaps it was because he genuinely seemed to care about what you had to say. Or maybe it was because some sort of loneliness still managed to creep into your life, like a ghost that haunted you.

“I’m glad you’re home early,” you admitted. “I’ve been missing you all day.”

“I missed you too, sweetheart. I always try to come home as soon as I can,” Simon assured you.

A twinge of exhaustion lurked underneath his tone, screaming at you that despite the fact he got off early, he certainly had a long day. He always seemed drained after arriving home, proving to you just how hard he worked in order to support you, to give you the life he told you that you deserved. You always had someone who would crawl into bed with you, someone who wasn’t ashamed to show you affection and love, someone to truly take care of you. Despite the circumstance, Simon was everything you could have ever asked for. Everything you would ever need.

So why did it feel like something was missing?

That night after the dishes were washed and the lights were turned down low, you and Simon hid underneath the covers where your limbs intertwined with one another. For some reason he always insisted that you sleep naked, and though you weren’t sure why, you didn’t really mind. In fact, feeling the warmth of his body seep into you was so intoxicating you probably would have come to that conclusion even without his prompting. You couldn’t get enough of his scent, or how his skin felt against yours, and even though the two of you had laid in bed for nearly twenty minutes you buzzed.

Nothing could satiate your need for him. You wouldn’t be satisfied until you were able to crawl into him and hide yourself away underneath his very flesh. You wanted to shrink yourself down, become some small thing, and tuck yourself into his pocket to be forever stuck with him. A vile yearning for him tainted your very essence, and yet you wished it would destroy you all the same.

“What’cha so wiggly for?” Simon questioned, half awake yet still teasing.

“I missed you,” you whined as you buried your face further into his bare chest.

His chuckle sounded low and grumbly in his throat as his arms wrapped firmly around your center. Wandering hands caressed along your hips and down your thighs, traversing and memorizing every single dimple of your flesh like it was the only story he ever wanted to know.

“I’m here now, love,” he hummed.

“I know, I just get so lonely when you’re gone,” you admitted with a pout. “You’re gone forever at work, and I just wanna talk to you. I was thinking that maybe if I had my phone back I could message you-”

“What did I say about your phone?”

The tone Simon used to cut you off was sharper than anything you had ever heard from him before, and it stopped you in your tracks. There was a fatigued sort of frustration that drenched his words which left a part of you wishing that you had never opened your mouth in the first place. He was too tired, too irritated to have a conversation, especially one like that, and you were afraid you had pushed his buttons a bit too much.

You swallowed hard as Simon’s hands moved to your chin, forcing you to look up at him through the dim light rather than keep your face hidden in his chest. Darkness obscured his face, making it near impossible to truly read his expression, and yet you found your bottom lip quivering all the same.

“Sweetheart,” he urged, softer that time, “what did I say about your phone?”

“That it’s… better if I don’t have it,” you answered as your teeth bit into the inside of your cheek.

“Yeah?” His hand moved from your chin to your cheek where his thumb gently rubbed at your skin. The notion was comforting, soothing even, yet you knew he was truly checking for tears. “And why’s that?”

“Because then the Prices won’t be able to contact me.”

Just like that, your mood was ruined. Any reminder of your past lovers was a painful one. Even after all those months they still seemed to have some sort of control over you, and the fact that they could sour your mood with just a simple memory was dehumanizing. Your somberness was so potent it exuded from your body like fine mist, and Simon’s caressing of your face increased tenfold in an attempt to calm you before things became catastrophic. You were his sweet, fragile girl, after all.

“Right. And it’s better that way, isn’t it sweetheart?” he concluded softly. “It’s better here with me, because I take care of you, don’t I? I don’t neglect you, or treat you like some pet.”

Although he was right, it didn’t make the bitter ache in your chest go away. Simon did his best to sooth the pain with his hands and words, and you shivered as his fingertips traversed from your face, to your shoulders, and down your waist. He had to find some way to distract you, some way to remind you that he was the only one you needed, and that you had to stay far away from Price and his trophy wife. You were too good for them; he needed you to know that.

“You’re mine, and I’m yours, that’s what we agreed on, yeah?” he continued. His hand began to dip lower, moving from your waist, over your stomach, and between your legs. Your breath caught in your throat as his fingers burrowed between your thighs, searching for access to your not quite slick cunt. Your emotions were too high for you to be wet, Simon was well aware, but you both knew he could change that within an instant. “They’ll never see you again, never get to abuse you again because I’m here to protect you. I love you in a way they never did.”

Right as he spoke those last few words, his fingers greedily swiped against your clit, and your legs had no choice but to fall apart and grant him greater access. A gentle tremor shook the bed as Simon repositioned himself, pushing you on your back so that he could hover over your exposed body like it was a fresh meal just for him. Famished lips descended onto your neck as his fingers prodded against your entrance, forcing your mind to go blank with longing.

“Needy thing, aren’t you? Need my full attention? I’m sorry, sweetheart, shoulda fucked you the moment I got home, huh? I’m all yours, and you’re all mine. Say it,” Simon urged as he still withheld himself from you.

Squirming, you reached out for him with wanting hands as you snaked your arms around his neck. This was how he healed you, with his fingers teasing your cunt and his saccharine words plugging your ears. There was nothing else in the world you needed besides Simon. Every chord of your body yearned for him as if he was the only sustenance your body craved. This was how he healed you. With honeyed words and a worshiping mantra reminding you of who you belonged to.

“I’m yours.”

That night only added on to the other countless evenings spent with Simon tucked between your legs to voraciously consume you whole. There was no thinking to be done when he could mercifully do it for you, and you were content with that. At least, you thought you were. Things always became difficult when Simon vanished off to work, and he would do his best to make it up to you when he arrived home, to distract you from the empty feeling that seemed to fester inside of your chest. But no matter what he gave you, what he did for you when he was home, your mind always wandered when he was away.

You couldn’t help but think back to when you lived with the Prices, how cold and lonely that house was, and how colder still your lovers were. Mr. Price — no, John — had sent you over to Simon like a bitch; some obedient pup meant for entertaining but not for loving, and it didn’t make sense. He had sent you over to comfort Simon so flippantly, yet acted as if the world had ended when you never returned back to them that terrible night. Was there some sort of miscommunication? Was that never his intention at all? And still, they left you out of the imperative conversation about their pregnancy like it never concerned you at all.

You were spiraling again, and Simon was able to pick up on it just as easily as he could sniff out a bad wound. He could only keep you caged up so long, and he knew he needed to remedy it before he was back at the beginning with you. So you shouldn’t have been surprised when he arrived home one day with a gift. Beautiful, blush pink cloth sewn into a perfect sundress sat underneath delicate tissue paper, and you had a hard time hiding your awe and surprise when you revealed the astonishing dress. Simon’s eyes seemed more dilated than normal when he saw you hold it up to your body, and you caught onto his small smirk.

Without hesitation, you slipped into the dress at his prompting, and you were ecstatic to find that it fit perfectly. Simon had gotten used to your sizing after having to buy you a whole new wardrobe after you escaped the Prices, but even then you were impressed at how well it formed to your measurements. It was as if Simon had every inch of your body memorized after the months you had spent together to the point that there was no way he could mess up your sizing. You couldn’t help but smile knowing that no one else had ever done that for you before.

It didn’t end there. With Simon having to work longer hours that night than normal, he insisted on taking you out to lunch, which was something you couldn’t ever recall doing. Ages had passed since you had even stepped foot out of Simon’s apartment, and you couldn’t remember the last time you felt the sun on your skin. You didn’t know why he hadn’t taken you out sooner, but if you had to guess, you were certain it was for the same reason he did everything else; to keep you safe from the Prices.

The restaurant Simon took you to was the fanciest you had ever seen before. Several art pieces adorned the walls with such vibrant shades you were convinced that the art itself cost more than whatever it took for them to construct the building itself. Crystal chandeliers hung high above your heads, and before either of you could order the waiter had filled your glasses with the finest of wines. The menu itself didn’t even have any prices, but Simon didn’t seem at all concerned with it, and insisted that you ordered whatever you wanted.

There was something deliciously domestic about being there with him. You belonged to him, and he belonged to you, that much was evident, but there was something exciting about being able to show that fact in public. To prove that someone loved you enough to show it off, rather than hide you away. No matter how hard you tried, you couldn’t wipe that grin off your face as the two of you talked about nothing while eating the mouthwatering meals on your plates. For a moment, you two were the only beings in the world.

For a moment.

A flash of something caught your attention. Maybe it was a giggle, or the cooing and awing, but all you knew was that your eyes suddenly glued themselves on the patrons a few tables away from you. For a split second, you thought you saw them. John and his wife. It wasn’t them at all, but you realized you only feared that because this woman, this beautiful woman with her glowing skin and healthy laugh, was pregnant. Obviously so, too, as her stomach swelled and stretched with the growing life inside of her. Her husband could hardly take his eyes off of her, constantly reaching across the table to hold her hand despite her attempt at trying to enjoy her lunch. It was… stomach lurching.

By that point, Mrs. Price would be four months along. Or, no, more than that for sure. It had been four months since you had been taken from them, since you had even heard from them. Four months without closure, or the opportunity to talk and get answers. A part of you needed to know why things happened the way they did, but you were completely in the dark. All you had received was whatever Simon spoon fed you, but it wasn’t enough. You weren’t sure if it would ever be enough. Maybe you had been empty for too long to ever be full again.

“Everythin’ alright, sweetheart?”

Your eyes tore away from the unsuspecting couple and landed back on Simon. He studied you carefully with a neutral expression, but you saw the slight press of his lips. Dark red wine faintly stained his pale skin, yet you couldn’t find yourself able to appreciate the beauty of it. All you had was a rotten feeling in your stomach and the sudden urge to vomit.

“Yeah, of course,” you lied.

Things got bad again when Simon left for work that night. Maybe it was the knowledge that he wouldn’t be home until late that made your brain ceaselessly buzz. Or maybe it was the image of that pregnant woman at the restaurant, the one that reminded you of the suffering you had to endure all those months ago. You attempted to silence that incessant sound in your mind as best as you could, because you knew you couldn’t afford to blow up, so you did anything to distract yourself. Music blasted through the CD player louder than it ever had, certainly to the annoyance of your neighbors, but for once you found yourself incapable of caring about anyone but yourself.

When that didn’t work, you put on a movie instead. It wasn’t one you recognized, just something you had flipped to when you were browsing through streaming services. You had gotten dressed in one of Simon’s plain tees in an attempt to drown yourself in his scent, and yet that didn’t dull the ache either. All you could think of while the images flashed in front of you on the screen were the movie nights at the Prices. How John would make you cuddle up next to Simon, how the only comfort you could find was in his beating heart as he held you close to him…

There had to be a reason for it all.

When the movie ended and there was nothing to accompany you but silence and the sound of your own breathing, that’s when you knew you couldn’t handle it anymore. You needed something. You needed answers.

Like a feral rat, you began to search every nook and cranny of the apartment for your phone. If you could find it, maybe you could get some answers from John. Even if Simon said it was bad for you, you knew you needed closure, no matter how much it hurt. Wherever Simon had put it, it was well hidden. You nearly tore apart his dresser, every drawer in the kitchen, the corners of the bedroom closet; everywhere you could think of, and it wasn’t there.

Just when you were about ready to tear the floor up, you finally found it. Really, you had half expected him to have thrown it away, yet there it sat underneath the bathroom vanity, hidden behind a myriad of cleaning supplies so far back the overhead light couldn’t illuminate it. When you finally had it in your grasp, you nearly cried, and you weren’t sure why. A fit of emotions bubbled in your stomach, each of them violently conflicting, yet frustration took over when you attempted to turn the phone on and the screen wouldn’t light up. Of course it wouldn’t, it hadn’t been used for months.

Rushing off to the bedroom, you quickly borrowed Simon’s charger and let your phone sit on the nightstand as it ever so slowly charged. Answers almost within your reach, and yet your anxiety bubbled up more than ever as you waited for that black screen to flicker to life.

It took ages for the thing to fully load up once it was charged enough to turn on, and you held the device in your shaking hands. All your old apps appeared on the screen, countless pictures that you had taken over the years, but the most eyecatching of them all was the amount of notifications you had for your text messages. 172, all within the last four months.

When you clicked on the app, you quickly realized that all of those messages had been sent by John, and you hated the way your stomach dropped. But this was what you wanted, wasn’t it? Answers? To have him explain why he did what he did? To make it stop hurting? With a heavy breath, you clicked on his name, and the app instantly scrolled up to the very first message he had sent in his cluster over the last few months, and it was then that you noticed something was wrong. Just before his onslaught of messages, there was a reply sent by you, one you didn’t remember sending.

Don’t contact me again.

This wasn’t you. That had to have been Simon, because he had taken your phone from you before you ever got the chance to respond to them yourself. Their worried messages, their pleading for you to come home, to know that you were okay. It didn’t work, obviously. The next few messages after that one was full of John pleading to speak with you, of several missed calls, of him apologizing for anything they did to upset you. The texts dated back only hours, sometimes minutes apart, and it was strange. You had never seen him so desperate before. Not for you.

Eventually they seemed to stop for a while, only to start back up again weeks later. There were plenty of comments saying how much they missed you, how they wished you would change your mind and come home, and it felt… wrong. Hadn’t Simon told them that you were with him? He told you he did. He had even quit his job with Price because he didn’t want any bad blood, so why did they act as if you were lost? Like they didn’t know where you were at?

Confused, you continued scrolling, eyes glossing over at the repetitive messages, until eventually you stumbled across pictures. Baby clothes. Cute little shoes. Ultrasounds. Pregnancy announcements. A gender reveal. They were having a girl, and they painted the nursery a cute shade of pink, just like the dress Simon had gotten for you that day. And then there was a video. It was short, and though it wasn’t visually stimulating, it had a rhythmic pulse accompanying the audio. The baby’s heartbeat.

Wish you were here to share these moments with us.

You weren’t able to stop the tears streaming down your face, or the food that came back up to say hello. Indignifying as it was, you sobbed on the cold bathroom floor as you vomited and continued to dry heave the emptied contents of your stomach. Everything crashed down on you all at once, and yet you felt numb at the same time. Nothing made sense. Why were they still trying to talk to you after all that time, like there was still a chance you would return?

Then, you suddenly thought back to the morning Simon admitted his lie to you. How he had done it so easily and without remorse. How he grabbed at your cunt like he… owned you. You would have thrown up again at that thought if you had more food in your stomach, but you instead rose from the cold tile to rinse your mouth. You didn’t feel like a lover. You didn’t feel cared for. For the first time in months, you felt like a pet.

So you did the only thing you had ever been good at doing: you ran. You ran just like you did back at John’s club, and every other time your emotions conflicted so bad you swore you would die. After you gathered a small bag full of personal items, your phone and wallet included, you rushed out the door and didn’t bother to look back as it closed behind you.

an: this was only ever supposed to be a one shot, but i decided to expand on the story a little more, as i felt the first part wasn't able to fully convey the story i was trying to tell. once the 3rd part is posted though, that'll be it, so please don't harass me about more parts again (: gives me anxiety

#simon riley x reader #ghost x reader #simon ghost riley x reader #simon riley smut #ghost smut #f!reader

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lycheedr3ams · 11 months

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Situationship with Konig (Part 1)

fem!reader x situationship!konig

MDNI

Part 2

more of a drabble than anything. smut mentioned in detail. brief mention of konig beating people up. drinking. angst, no comfort :(

this turned out to be much longer than i thought. i just had an idea and rolled with it. i love angst

It all started when Konig first was recruited to 141 for his skills as a soldier. The moment you, the shy civilian-employee IT girl, laid eyes on him, you knew you were ruined. And Konig knew it too.

after a few drunken nights of just talking, he finally started getting handsy. in the middle of a passionate make-out session, with his cock throbbing against your clothed crotch, he told you he's not looking for a relationship. just some fun, and nothing more. you lied and said you wanted the same, you said that it was okay. that you would be the person he can have fun with whenever he needed.

your conversations - if they could even be called that - mostly happened behind locked doors in late hours of the night, whispered words of "fuck me", "just like that" and similar iterations. no one could hear the way konig unraveled you against his mattress while tearing you heart apart at the same time.

konig would do his missions with 141 and then be gone for whatever KorTac wanted him to do. he'd usually say goodbye to you, just a polite nod of his hooded head to acknowledge your existence. you wanted to call him when he was gone. but you didn't have his number. you laid in your bed and cried about it for so long, and you swore that the next time you saw him, you wouldn't even so much as breathe in his direction.

it seems your body, and maybe some other part of you deep down, had other plans. no matter how mad you were at him, you kept going back to him. maybe it was the way his hands held your waist as he pounded you from behind, or the way he'd kiss your neck gently when he entered you. maybe it was how he held your hand as he fucked you sometimes that made you think there was a chance for something more.

if konig ever needed help with his computer, or other piece of technology, he'd go to you. but his questions would be short, if he even spoke to you at all. sometimes, he'd just hand you the tablet or device he needed help with, and expected you to know what the issue was. despite something screaming at you inside to tell him to fuck off, you always took the device from him with a smile. maybe it was the way his eyes lingered on you as you worked, or how he'd watch as you walked around the mess hall during mealtimes, that convinced you there was a chance.

before this whole thing happened, you two would converse often, and maybe even could have called each other friends. but konig seemed to change after you got more involved. you convinced yourself it was because he had feelings for you, and he was nervous. but he'd stare lustfully at other women on base, just like he would at you. but maybe it was that one night, when he was so fucking drunk and insisted you ride him, that he told you you're his first and you're the only one he links with. or maybe it was when he instinctively got possessive over you when some guys were hitting on you at a bar. maybe it was the way he beat the shit out of them in the nearby alleyway, that made you think you had a chance.

and so when he told you that he had been dismissed from 141, you convinced yourself that you were okay. you nodded at him and said "take care of yourself", and his gaze lingered on you the last time he ever saw you. Gaz, Soap, Ghost, even Price, they all knew you were sad over something.

"You know he left on his own, don't ya?" Soap told you when he found you crying alone somewhere on base.

your heart stopped.

"what are you talking about?" you asked Soap.

"Konig left on his own. he didn't want to be on the team anymore."

your heart dropped in your chest.

he had lied to you.

and you never knew that Konig carried that burden. that deep in his heart, he believed that he could never be good enough for you, that he couldn't give you what you deserved. so he was a coward, and he left. he couldn't look you in the eye anymore.

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daze4all · 3 months

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Imagine: Wedding Crasher! Blade

Imagine: Wedding Crasher! Blade kidnaps Groom! Dan Heng’s bride as in “Your wife is my wife” because we were once married, I have the jade bracers and earrings as proof. Lol.

Serious Take: Traditional red Chinese wedding vs comedic white western classic wedding gone wrong scenario

Blade defeats the guard escorting the wedding procession defeats guard and steals bride away from wedding palanquin

Does so to confront Dan Heng in fight/talk

Originally bride worried about Dan Heng past and now it come to haunt them both in Blade who says must pay the price.

Red wedding veil curation move aisde think it intended bridegroom but instead jealous blade.

Dan Heng goes to save bride reader confront blade.

Somehow end happily?

10x funnier if bride is Trailblazer MC for 10x chaos

Blade Steals the bride in a bridal carry and Dan Heng spars to get her back or he scoop up Dan Heng instead and stelle chases after lol

Silver wolf & Kafka outside waiting with getaway car.

Comedic : In a comedic white western classic wedding gone wrong scenario:

Perfect white wedding all character there, belabogs gepard and bronya, and crew, the loufu jing yuan and yanqing .

Front pew as fam the star rail crew march best bridesmaid, himeko happy mother-in-law

dad welt blowing his nose as proud father said wasn’t going to cry but is at omg my kids getting married thank god.

-The priest! loucha asking couple to say vows and if anyone object speak now or hold your piece

-and up comes Wedding Crasher! Blade walking slowly and purposely up the aisle says I object with sword by his side

- What why? Chaos as people get to feet ready to fight as he pointa his sword at the couple and say “there is price to pay” and something Dan Heng not being honest and technically already married due to some loufu law which Jing yuan reluctantly confirms.

- However another weird rule on loufu is that its all okay if they technically are all married lol . Basically my wife is your wife.

- Dan Heng not okay with this, Blade pushing it for his revenge, and chaotic! Stelle like okay a 2 for one deal don’t worry Dan Heng I love you enough to marry Blade too.

- Basically, the Yandere! Ex! Blade not over and likes to hold their past relationship over Dan Heng/Feng vs Dan Heng who wants to move on

Dan Heng aghast and against this sudden revelation.

Blade Steals the bride in bridal carry and Dan Heng spars to get her back

Or Blade scoops Dang Heng up and yeets as Stelle chases after Blade murder in her eyes. no one upset the bridezilla on her wedding day lol

Silver wolf & Kafka outside waiting with getaway car.

10x funnier if bride is Trailblazer MC for 10x chaos

+Devolves into a bet for the bride fighting chaos.

Gambler! Sampo taking bets on who will win the bride

Photographer! March shocked cries out “Dan Heng, I never knew you had secret lover!” while taking pictures to document Dan heng big day gone worng.

Best Parents! Himeko & Welt run up to support Dan Heng “We’ll Support you in whatever choice you make” understanding parent think their kid is gay/polymerous/has secret lover where Dan Heng is like “I need battle support! Not mental support.”

Groom! Dan Heng denying “I don’t! I don’t remember this man”

Modern AU a weird amnesia situation maybe where Dan Heng once married to Blade but hit head coma accident lost but found Stelle they fell in love go married but blade shows up to object at wedding .

Jing yuan coughing on the sidelines be like “I tried to tell him….”

Other guys Objecting the marriage saying they like Stelle too in a weird reverse harem situation.

Jing yuan want to Join maybe cuz they all friends lol.

Gepard the gallant childhood friend who never got to confess his feelings until now the worst moment lol “Since everyone else is professing their feelings and if I don’t now I’ll never get to and will regret it. I-”

“NO Gepard don’t bad timing “ Serval his sister interrupting and saving him embrassement

Bailu and Clara in the background cutely confused ask “I thought this was one wedding rather than one with multiple people?”

“Normally that is the case…but at this rate my calculations say no one will be getting married” Mr. Sampo analyzing the situation as chaos unfolds.

#dan heng #honkai star rail x reader #honkai star rail imagines #honkai star rail #male yandere x reader #hsr blade #yandere imagines #stelle hsr #stelle x dan heng #stelle honkai star rail #hsr stelle #stelle #renheng #hsr chaos #honkai star rail mc

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agentkeegan · 7 months

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Exile -- John price x reader

Pairing : John price x Nb! Reader Warnings : Hardcore Angst Wordcount : 1143 Summary : It wouldn't have worked. No matter how hard you tried. The signs were there since the beginning, you gave him signs, that he couldn't see. You've seen this go down before. And you never liked the ending. So pack it up, and go. [PART 1] [PART 2] [PART 3] ----------------------------------------------------------- <3

“JOHN,WAIT!” You wailed, choking on a sob mid sentence. You got up from your chair to race after him. “FUCK OFF!” He hollered, slamming the door shut behind him. The walls shook, just like you were. You were shaking and crying. It was another fight. The ones that happened every time he got home from a mission. The ones that happened every time he came home drunk. The fights that happened if you asked him what was wrong. The ones that happened daily. It honestly started to become too much. He acts like you can read his mind. But, nobody has super powers. You walked back to the table, tears trailing down your face. Your eyes, bloodshot, and the mascara that was smudged made you look like you did a shitty job at applying it in the first place. Crossing your hands on the table, you dropped your head down onto them. Trying to muffle your cries. You have done everything to make it work. You have made him home cooked meals, cleaned the house, got him gifts. But was that never enough? You have understood his job. You didn’t care he would be gone most of the time. You prayed to whatever god was up there that he would return home. But, he never returned the favor. He wouldn’t care if you left, he wouldn’t listen to you when you asked for something, he didn’t even want to share a bed anymore. Bringing your hand to your ring finger, you tugged at the precious rings given to you. The ones that heard the vows said on your wedding day. The ones that reminded you of those vows. Those empty vows. Tilting your head up, so you no longer faced the wood table, you looked at the pictures that filled the walls. One of him and his team, all huddled together. The photo next to it, of you and him on your first date. It was at a little diner. Poor quality selfie, but it was an amazing moment. You smiled to yourself, as the memory of that day came flooding into your head. —---------------------------------------------------------------- <3 The bell went off as you entered the diner. Letting people in the diner know you were there. “Welcome in!” A lady shouted from the kitchen. You scanned around the diner, where was he? Maybe you got there a bit early, so you found a booth and sat down. You shifted your feet nervously, and looked around again. Not here. Hearing a chime from your purse, you unzipped it trying to find the source of the noise. The source being your phone. Flipping it open and looking at the notifications. In big bold letters read “JOHN, CO-WORKER”. It was a message from him. You lifted your finger to press the notifications. It opened, and it read the following. “Sorry! Traffic caught me. There was a road accident. I’ll be there in 5 minutes. :)” The smiley face at the end made you chuckle. He was so sweet… And just like he said, 5 minutes. The bell rang, you looked over to see who it was. It was him. The beard, the build, his cheeky smile as the woman welcomed him in. The smile you fell in love with. He moved his head around in search of you, and when he found you, your eyes locked. Before he closed them to give you a huge smile and wave. ---------------------------------------------- <3 The tears began to flood your face once more. You both were so happy. Why did it have to come to this? Why couldn’t things just be talked out and fixed? Why couldn’t he just listen? The promises to defend one another. The promises to always be by each other's sides The promises to never betray one another. The empty promises in those empty vows. They weren’t always empty. Once they were filled with hope, with love, and with light. Yet it's empty and filled with dust .—----------------------------------------------------------------- <3 Now here you are, a few days later. A Divorce paper in your hand, and the rings off. You place the paper on the table, and the rings beside it. “It’s for the best.” You whispered to yourself. John went out on a mission after the fight. He didn’t say anything about his leave. He was just gone. You found out when you woke up to John's stuff gone and his door wide open. Not a single goodbye. Not even a note.

But, you're better than that. You actually leave a note. Maybe it's not long. But the divorce papers cover that. The note was on a flash card, 12 words. One sentence. All for him. Your stuff was already packed up. Everything you owned, which was most of it. Since, he basically just slept and ate there. Took showers as well. But other than that, it was a ghost town. You looked at the apartment one last time. All the photos on the wall. All the memories. Good and bad. The apartment was bland. No more bright colors. But that was no longer your problem now, was it? —----------------------------------------------------------------- <3 John got home a few days later. It was a rough mission. He was half asleep, looked like a zombie, and couldn’t wait to get home. Or maybe he didn’t. His partner would probably pick a fight again. Nothing, some whiskey couldn’t drown out later on. He pulled up the drive way, and parked his car. Your car wasn’t there. That’s fine, probably went to hang out with some friends. He opened the car door and grabbed his stuff from the passenger seat before grabbing his keys. And jingling them into the lock to open them. The door opened with a squeak, it was dark and quiet. Nothing unusual. He knocked off his shoes and threw his bag down on the floor. He reached his hand towards the wall feeling around for a light switch. Once he found it he flicked it on, took a hot second for them to turn on. But once they did. John was no longer a walking zombie, no longer half awake. Your stuff is gone. He quickly looked around, running to the bathroom looking for anything that was your own. He couldn’t find anything. But the stuff on the table. He sat down and picked up the rings, the ones he gave to you when he proposed and when he married you. The ones that carried those vows that tied you to one another. The divorce paper underneath it. The one you signed and left for him to fill out. And the note. The note that will stick with him. He sighed, looking down at the stuff once more. The person he held dear that he pushed away left. And The note that said that one sentence. I have seen this film before, but I didn’t like the ending. --------------------------------------------------------------<3

A/N : This was kinda rushed??? I'm still new at writing but I wanted to start a series. Saw @redactedhimbo asked someone to make a anyone from 141 x reader based off the song exile from Taylor swift. I got major ideas so I decided to start a series based off of it.

#cod #call of duty #cod x reader #john price #captain price #price #callofduty #141 #warzone #price x reader #price x you #captain john price #cod mwii #cod mw2

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n4m3l3ss-c10wn · 18 days

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Ok so- the damn oneshot with Calupoh I've mentioned. . .

"Sleepwalker"

2:35 A.M.

Tw: implied self harm, maybe psychological horror? Idk if it's gonna count for derealization or something else. Drowning (metaphorically) would it count if I didn't know how to write a British accent?? 💀

I don't know if any warnings apply to this tbh 😭 so I'm sorry if it's gonna trigger something

I tried, I didn't feel like writing this tbh, I hope it's good.

. . .

It was dark.

Nothing anywhere, just a void of emptiness that surrounded him, as far as the eye could see, it was just darkness.

Was he dead? No, no... It wasn't that.

Calupoh got up from the ground or whatever it was he was now standing on and started to walk without any real sense of direction or a clue where he was going.

He heard voices, faded whispers of people, cries for help, false promises of things getting better, the faint crackling of flames somewhere where he couldn't see.

It felt cold, like the waters of the ocean. So cold that his breath fogged in the air, that the Lt felt his bones tremble and shake. . .

Why was he gasping for air? He couldn't breathe anymore. It felt like he was drowning, he felt something around his neck, his throat, it was cold.

Why were his hands bloody? Cuts adorning his forearms to accompany old burns from the past, all red and itchy and. . .

Quick, shallow and empty attempts of breathing all to no avail, to no results. Calupoh fell backwards, why did he fall? Did he trip on something or bump into something?

Hands holding his own shook him violently, but no one else was in the void... But it felt like there was but he just couldn't see

"WAKE UP!"

A gruff, thick British voice practically yelled at him, seeming panicked or frustrated, maybe even scared.

Calupoh gasped, tears welling up in his eyes and falling without a pause, a lump in his throat, looking around frantically like a scared animal with no way to escape before he realized where he was and calmed down just the tiniest bit. His breath ragged but slowly steadied as the hangover of sleep faded away from his fogged mind. He sniffled, wiping his eyes as the tears were getting to blur his vision.

He looked at who was the one behind the voice. Price, John Price... His Captain...

'Fucken' hell. . .'

The thought rang in the Lieutenant's tired mind. Glancing at his bloody arms, a knife in the sink of the kitchen.

That explained it.

Sleepwalking, again. Never was with knives before.

"Gave me a bloody heart attack, ya muppet." Price huffed with a shake of his head, tense but seeming relieved for Calupoh to be awake but concerned.

"On your feet, gotta get you cleaned up." The Captain spoke, maybe trying to be soft for once, to not be as tough and be more of a support to lean on.

Calupoh followed, without word or protest, and they went to the bathroom. John cleaned the blood away, disinfected the fresh cuts and gashes and bandaged them up to help with their healing.

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urfavstargirl1 · 1 year

Text

don't dream it's over

Part 6 to the series Chemistry, Part 2, Part 3, Part 4 , Part 5-- Eddie Munson x Fem!Reader

stranger things masterlist | Spotify playlist

summary: thanks to Eddie Munson, Y/N faces the consequences of breaking her parents number one rule: no boys allowed. After a month of no fun, no friends, and no boyfriends, Y/N makes a harrowing realization about just how much she misses the "freak" of Hawkins High

cw: angst, fluff, anxiety, hurt/comfort, shy/nerdy!reader, pre-ST4, cocky!Eddie, swearing, strict parents,

a/n: this chapter was a long time coming so I thank you all so much for waiting patiently. I also meant to end the story at the 6th chapter but my last chapter did mitosis again and this isn't the end (just yet), but for now enjoy this extra long chapter

“Eddie,” Y/N cries out in despair.

“It’s ok sweetheart. I’m right here.” Eddie replies.

He tightens his arm locked around her waist and pulls her body closer to his. He breathes in the scent of her hair. Feels the warmth of her body pressed against his as they lay in his bed.

“I-I need you,” she calls out to him, too afraid to turn over and look him in the eyes.

“It’s ok, I need you too.”

“But I can’t. I-I’ve never needed someone like this before…”

***

When Y/N woke, there was a brief moment of reprieve.

Her swollen eyes struggled to widen amidst the soft sunlight peeking through her blinds. She breathed deeply, barely on the brink of consciousness to relish the last waking moment she would have before remembering the horrors of the past twelve hours.

Soon enough, the look on her mom’s face and the tone of her dad’s voice came flooding back to her. The memories loom accompanied by an intense pounding in her head.

She’s reminded of the tears she had cried throughout the night, but now, there’s only silence.

Numbness overcomes her, and for the rest of the day, Y/N simply floats by, barely interacting with the world around her.

At breakfast, lunch, and dinner, she looks down at her plate and only opens her mouth to take a few bites of whatever is in front of her.

In the calm clear morning air, her parents reinstate her month long punishment with the new addition of having her phone privileges taken away too.

Y/N knows from her sister’s many moments of being grounded that the punishment usually entails promptly coming home from school, with the exception of extracurricular activities, and only leaving the house for family outings. But for the first time, it’s Y/N’s turn to be on house arrest. Forbidden from seeing Eddie and any of her friends.

And if it wasn’t drilled into her head before, the whole, “no fun, no friends, and no boyfriends” thing was permanently embedded in her skull. That and the idea that those are all worthless distractions from the only thing that does matter: doing well in school.

Y/N almost wants to complain. A thread of anger in her shouts that this is all unfair, but a bigger, much louder part of her knows the harsh reality: life isn’t fair. And this is exactly what would happen by doing something as stupid as falling in love in a house that forbids it.

Now, she’ll have to pay the price for her idiotic actions and make sure nothing like this happens again.

Even when she hears a faint tapping on her window later that night, only to discover Eddie climbing up the roof of her house.

Y/N starts hyperventilating and feeling the blood in her veins scream.

“Eddie, what are you doing,” she whisper yells, from the window cracked slightly ajar.

Eddie, with his tongue slightly poking out of his full lips, lost in focus from trying not to fall and quietly make his way to her window, doesn’t hear her.

As he climbs Rapunzel’s tower, a small part of Y/N can’t help but feel her heart soar. On this cool autumn night, here Eddie is, climbing the edge of her parents house in his signature leather jacket he fills out so well and chunky ring clad fingers clutching the railing.

As Eddie nears her windowsill, Y/N stands in front of it like a guard, blocking his attempted entrance.

“Hey sweetheart,” he reaches forward and caresses her cheek with one calloused hand while the other holds him upright, balancing carefully on the rooftop. “You didn’t call. I was starting to get worried.”

“Eddie, you can’t be here right now,” Y/N frantically states before looking over her shoulder. “My parents could hear you. I could get in trouble for this.” “I know,” He sighs, “But I wanted to see you.”

Eddie smiles at her, not in that million dollar gleam way he always does that she loves so much, but in that bashful heart warming way that makes her stomach do a whole gymnastics routine.

Y/N shakes her head and firmly states, “I don’t care. You need to go home Eddie.”

Eddie frowns, partially at her words and also at the sudden realization that her cheeks have been stained with what were presumably tears.

“Eddie, please.” Y/N shoos him away. The pleading sense of urgency is audible in her voice.

Eddie takes a beat, realizing the events are not unfolding like he imagined they would have.

He knew it might take some convincing. Nothing with Y/N has been easy, but he thought throwing rocks at a girl’s window always worked, at least in the movies it does.

But the frazzled look on her face and the shaky look in her eyes right now say otherwise.

“Eddie, please, I’m serious. You need to go home, right now.”

She looks like she could be on the verge of tears and that alone is enough to make Eddie stop. His heart absolutely broke at the sound of her cries over the phone last night. It would practically kill him to be the one bringing tears to her mesmerizing eyes.

“Ok,” he replies reluctantly before slowly making his descent down the side of the house.

When his muddy Reebok sneakers hit the pavement, he’s left disoriented. Not that the climb had any effect on him, but Y/N’s mood was just so off putting.

He knew she would at least be bummed. He imagined her parents would get mad and maybe even ground her and that’d be enough to have her properly pissed off, but he didn’t expect her to be so… perturbed.

Maybe it should come as no surprise, given how anxious she was before she got home last night. And you’d think after all the things Eddie’s cynical eyes have seen, he would know better than to have hope, but something in him can’t help himself. For once, he wanted his expectation to meet his reality no matter how much he wished he didn’t.

For Y/N, all sense of hope disintegrated the night before. It feels like nothing even matters. Once in a tug of war between her parents wishes and her own, the rope got yanked out of her hands making her fall in the mud.

She couldn’t run away. She couldn’t fight it. All she could do was freeze. Freeze and retreat into a hole of safety and familiarity which was obeying her parents and keeping any hope of something with Eddie tucked away at the back of her bleeding heart.

***

The silence continued the next day at school, where a cloud of doom loomed over her incessantly. Y/N breezed by, narrowly escaping the minimum amount of effort required of her classes and demands of friends or teachers.

Until chemistry class.

As soon as she walked in, Eddie, who normally arrives as the bell rings, was already there waiting for her. He rushed over to her and engulfed her in a warm hug.

“Sweetheart, what happened? Are you okay?”

Y/N pulled away, acutely aware of the odd stares from her classmates. But those were pinpricks compared to the blistering pain of her parents' wrath.

“I don’t want to talk about it.”

He frowns.

She shrugs his touch away, “Meet me in the woods behind the school during lunch.”

Like clockwork, Eddie finds her sitting on the shoddy wooden bench in the clearing out past the track and field. The sound of his footsteps with leaves crunching under his feet and the chain swinging along his jeans announcing his arrival.

“Hey smarty pants,” he greets, gently teasing. He slides in the spot next to her and wraps a protective arm around her hunched over shoulders. He kisses the top of her head and the proximity of his actions brings the scent of soap and the sort of musky scent she doesn’t know what to call other than just, boy, to her nostrils. It makes her close her eyes and shoulders drop slightly.

“I was worried about you yesterday. Was hoping you might call, sweetheart,” he sweetly says as he cups her cheek.

Y/N turns the other cheek and looks down at her lap. His touch is too tempting. Her body yearns for him, but she can’t. She has to be strong enough to resist.

“My parents took my phone away. I’m not even allowed to use the main phone in the kitchen unless it's for an emergency,” Y/N glumly replies.

“I think a quick call to your local dungeon master counts as an emergency,” he teases.

“Eddie,” She looks up at him sullenly, “It’s not funny.”

Y/N looks down and Eddie frowns.

“Hey, look at me,” he softly instructs, turning her shoulders towards him.

She holds her breath and looks into his warm eyes. They’re so beautiful, she wishes she could just jump into his irises and swim in the warm lagoon of their honey hue.

“We’re gonna figure this out, okay?”

“How? My phone privileges were taken away and I’m grounded for a month. I’m pretty much not allowed to do anything but go to school.”

“Seriously,” he asks, arms tensing at the thought.

“Yeah,” she looks down dejectedly.

“That’s bullshit. Are you kidding me?”

Y/N frowns angrily and huffs. Like she doesn’t already know that.

“Those’re the rules, Eddie” she shrugs glumly. “I have to follow them.”

Eddie exhales through his nostrils. “And what if you don’t?”

Y/N looks at him incredulously, “Eddie are you serious? I got the ass-chewing of a lifetime. I’ve never gotten in trouble like this before. I-I feel horrible for what I did.”

“Well, you shouldn’t.”

“Eddie, what are you talking about?”

“Y/N did nothing wrong. Your parents are just blowing this way outta proportion. Teenage rebellion is good. Healthy even.”

“Look Eddie, just because you can get away with being rebellious doesn’t mean I can.”

Eddie huffs in frustration. “I’m just saying, you need to stand up for yourself. Your parents are only gonna keep controlling you if you let them.”

Y/N opens her mouth to say something but nothing comes out.

“And besides, who are your parents to stop you? I mean, think about it. The first time you do something like that, it’ll shock them, but the more you do it, the more they’ll get used to it. Then they’ll have no choice but to face the fact that we want to be together.”

Y/N looks at him in disgust and shakes her head before looking up at him with fear in her eyes, “Eddie, what the hell? I barely made it out of there alive.”

Eddie drops his shoulders he hadn’t realized were tensed up.

“You just don’t understand. It’s never gonna get any better. And even if it did, I… I wouldn’t want my parents to just put up with us dating. I love my parents and I don’t want to disappoint them any more than I already have.”

Eddie looks her square in the eye and throws the curveball of a question, “Y/N are you really disappointing them or are you finally doing what makes you happy?”

Y/N jerks her head back. She doesn’t know why his words cut as sharply as a knife as they do, but it stings nonetheless.

“It doesn’t matter. What matters to me is being with you, the right way. I want my parents to accept us.”

“And what if they don’t?”

Eddie looks into Y/N’s eyes.

“Are you only ever going to do things they approve of?”

Y/N’s teeth clench and her lips purse. She grabs onto the wooden table for stability as she feels tears threatening to spring from her eyes, but she can’t let Eddie see her cry. She can’t.

The question in her mind that has her on the verge of explosion: Is it really so wrong for me to want to date Eddie and have my parent’s approval too?

Eddie’s features soften at the sight of her state of deep tension. He has to remind himself that Y/N isn’t the one he should be mad at, it’s her parents. Even though Y/N is the one freely letting her parents drive the wedge between them even deeper.

A small part of him is envious. He almost admires Y/N’s willingness to obey her parents. And the way she doesn’t hate them for what they’ve done. She hasn’t even thought to continue dating him just to spite them.

And yet, the bigger part of him, full of spite and resentment he has toward his own parents, is angry, both at and for her. He crashed and burned trying to get his own father’s acceptance way back when and doesn’t want her to do the same.

“Look, I’m just… I hate seeing you like this,” he presses a palm to her back and gently rubs. “I know you really care about what your parents have to say, but they’re wrong about us, about you,” he whispers as he brings a hand forward to caress her hair. “Y/N, listen, you didn’t do anything wrong, okay?”

Y/N breathes in deeply, “Eddie… You didn’t see the look on their faces. It was like-like I’d taken their hearts and just smashed them into tiny little pieces, right in front of them.”

Eddie wants to say something, but is rendered speechless. He wants to complain about how unfair her parents are being or how ridiculous it all is, but he can see how upset she already is. He doesn’t want to be the one to bring any more tears to her precious eyes.

He wraps his arms around her and whispers in her hair, “I know.”

Y/N leans into his touch but doesn’t wrap her arms around him back.

Eddie takes a deep breath in and slowly pulls away. “So what are we gonna do now?”

Y/N peers up at him, through her curled lashes. Her eyes like falling stars.

“I think we need to call it.”

“W-What?” He chokes.

“I can’t,” Y/N sniffles and shakes her head, “I don’t think I can do this.”

“What?” He sighs and frustratedly runs a hand through his hair, “Is this really what you want?”

Y/N shakes her head, “No, but I–”

“Sweetheart,” Eddie calls out to her, making her heart constrict. Y/N looks at him from the corner of her eye. “Remember what I said to you that night, on the phone?”

Eddie cocks an eyebrow at Y/N awaiting her answer as she reluctantly nods.

“I meant it, okay? Every word. I’ll do whatever it takes for us to be together. To have a shot at finding out whatever this is, it’s the least we deserve, right?”

He moves his head to meet her gaze.

“I want,” his voice cracks and he clears his throat. If Eddie starts crying then Y/N will surely cry too and absolutely none of that can happen.

“I need you in my life, Y/N. And I know you feel the same way too.”

Y/N’s breath hitches in her throat. Hearing Eddie say he needs her in almost the same way she did to him in the dream she’d had that night makes her heart drop to her stomach, but only for a moment.

“Eddie, it doesn’t matter what I feel. And there’s nothing you can do to change the fact that my parents won’t let us be together.”

Eddie takes one good look at her. The creases in her forehead. The tension in her shoulders. The pout on her pretty lips. And the nervous look in her eyes. The kind of look you have when you need to be on guard. Before, it was just her heart she had to guard, but now it’s her spirit too.

“And besides, what’s the end game here?”

“What?” Eddie shakes his head in confusion.

“I mean, even if we did… date, how long could it possibly last?”

Eddie blinks, completely thrown for a loop by her question. “I don’t know, as long as we can keep it going I guess.”

“Eddie, what’ll happen when we graduate? When I go off to college?”

“I-I don’t know. I hadn’t really planned out our relationship Y/N,” Eddie says in a snappier tone than he’d meant. He knows Y/N likes to plan ahead, but even for something like this?

“Maybe they’re doing us a favor. Saving us the trouble.”

Eddie tenses, fighting his lip from quivering at the thought.

“Do you really believe that,” Eddie’s voice cracks and Y/N looks away.

She wishes her father’s words could go away. That they could’ve just gone in one ear and out the other. But they didn’t. They stuck to her. And as much as she’d like to believe in the little dream that anything is possible, she knows it's better, safer to be realistic.

For Eddie, it doesn’t matter if their relationship lasts 10 days or 10 years. And yeah it’ll hurt like hell when it’s over either way, but for her, he’s willing to take that chance. Or so he thought

“So that’s it? We’re not even going to try and see what this could be?” He asks in a steady and calculated voice.

Y/N frowns and looks away. When he puts it like that, she feels ridiculous, idiotic. Like a fool for not even trying. But how could she? How could she be brave enough to stand up to her parents? To stand tall in the face of adversity?

To cower in fear and hide away is what she’s always done. She did it whenever her sister did something rebellious and had to face the ugly consequences.

Y/N thought she could avoid that fate. All she had to do was obey her parents. If she did what she was told her life was easy, familiar, and safe.

“Eddie, I just…”

Y/N can feel her heart being torn down the middle. It’s killing her to let the people she loves down. If it’s not Eddie then it’s her parents. But she can stand to disappoint Eddie. She can’t stand to disappoint her parents anymore than she already has. She never wants to experience that ridicule again.

“For the first time in my life, I felt brave. You made me feel brave. You made me feel alive. And happy. But maybe it was all too much because then…then it all blew up in my face. And now, I’m scared.

I'm scared it’ll happen again. I’m scared that even wanting something like this makes me a bad person. I’m scared that I’ll lose you again because of something I have no control over.

So yeah, I’m sorry if that’s not the answer you want, but it’s the only one I’ve got.”

Eddie’s eyes widen. He’s surprised by her answer. And if she wasn’t giving him the worst news possible, he would be proud of how assertive she’s being. If only she could channel that energy toward her parents.

“I think it would be best if we just acted like none of this ever happened. Now that our chemistry assignment is over and done with, I think we should just go our separate ways.”

And before he even has a chance to say anything, Y/N gets up from the table and runs away in the direction of the school.

Her muscle memory has her making her way to the cafeteria, but as soon as she sees her friends sitting at their usual spot, she freezes in her tracks, almost bumping into someone walking with their lunch tray.

“Watch where you’re going,” they spit at her.

Y/N tenses up and looks back at her friends smiling and laughing. It should make her happy to see her friends so happy, but at this moment, all she can feel is the fragile lines of her heart cracking into broken pieces.

She can’t do it. She thought she could at least handle lunch with them, but not today.

She makes the great escape from the cafeteria till her legs bring her to the safe haven of the school’s library.

She takes a spot towards the back, behind rows and rows of bookshelves by a window with a view of the student parking lot.

She spots a few of the jocks cutting class. For a moment, she almost hopes Eddie might come and find her. But more than anything, she just wants to scream.

***

For the rest of the week, Y/N avoids Eddie like the plague. Much to her chagrin, Eddie’s persistence has resulted in many a chicken scratch written note in her locker.

Y/N please, can we talk? I miss you like crazy. If you change your mind, I’ll be waiting by my van after school today (p.s. I promise I’ll be on time).

You didn’t show up yesterday. I guess you had an after school thing. One of those clubs you’re in that I forgot about. Ever the lovely smarty pants. Anyway, I have to stay after school for Hellfire today. Just so you know, the drama club doors are always open.

I know you won’t talk to me, but I just wanted to say you look really pretty today. Well, you look pretty everyday, but especially today.

I listened to the mixtape you made me. I wish I could tell you in person, but I think I might not hate the Thompson Twins (Don’t tell the Hellfire boys though).

I miss you sweetheart, please don’t shut me out.

Y/N crumbles each of them up and shoves them into her bag, letting them collect at the bottom. It takes every ounce of energy she has not to succumb to Eddie’s poetic ways.

In the meantime, Y/N continues to laser focus on school and avoid her friends.

She stopped eating lunch in the cafeteria and came up with an excuse to get out of any conversation with them in class.

Y/N didn’t want to have to explain what happened or pretend like everything was normal to anyone, so instead she’s choosing to walk the paved path before her alone.

Whenever Y/N comes home, she hides away in her room like a crab hiding in its shell, only coming out at meal times or to leave for school in the morning.

By the end of that long miserable week, Y/N asks her sister to take her to the Radio Shack. She’s been saving up her birthday money for an emergency and this was as much of an emergency as anything.

Normally her sister would object to chauffeuring her around, but even she felt a little bad for Y/N.

Luckily, because her sister would accompany her, Y/N’s parents allowed the little field trip.

A brand new Walkman and a few tapes of her favorite albums might be the only beacon of hope she has for a while, at least until this all passes. If it passes. Unlike the storm that night in the back of Eddie’s van, she fears this torment may never pass.

Eddie feels equally tormented by the whole thing. For one, he never expected to fall for a girl like Y/N. And now that he has, she’s just out of reach. Just his luck.

He knows the universe is just laughing at him like it always does, because for the first time in a long time, he actually had hope. Hope that even he can have a happy ending. But it’s long gone now.

As the days fly by and there’s no sign of change, he realizes this isn’t just a setback anymore. That there really might be nothing he can say or do to change her parents' minds. To change her mind.

And even if by a miracle, they could be together, he can’t help but feel sort of hurt and rejected by Y/N's insistence on avoiding each other and acting like what they had means nothing.

Her act of obedience is not only taking her own happiness away, but his too.

It hurt, but he hated letting it show. So he exchanged his pain for irritability or anger.

He would lash out at the boys from Hellfire Club for the littlest things. He would drive home to the loudest most brash music he owned a cassette too.

At the trailer, he would angrily pluck away at his guitar. And sometimes, on the more difficult days, he would even pick fights with angry drunks at the hideout just to feel something.

When it inevitably didn’t, all he had to do was turn to that lucky little black tackle box to take his pain and anger away. And oh, what a familiar delight that was.

Anything to numb the pain of losing her. And what could have been.

As Eddie began to turn to his vices for comfort, Y/N found comfort in a few bad habits of her own.

Self-imposed isolation in times of turmoil was one. She hardly spoke to anyone at home or school. She couldn’t be seen without her headphones on or the Walkman attached to her hip.

It probably would have killed Eddie to know she couldn’t listen to Prince anymore. If she so much as listened to the first 3 seconds of any track on Purple Rain, she would fall apart.

But, on a hard day, she’ll pop in that one tape, lie in bed with the covers over her, and sob into her pillow as the ballad of Purple Rain flows into her ears like medicine.

The rest of her days include hiding away in her room or the library at school. She makes excuses to get out of hanging out with her friends. She cries at night and sleeps a lot during the weekends.

Another bad habit she turned to was extreme focus. All her newfound time and energy was devoted to the one and only thing in her life she could control: academics.

The self-imposed torture was alarming to many of the people in her life.

During the first week of her punishment, her parents were taken aback at her change of temperament, but figured she was just upset. But the longer it went on, the more worried they got. So did her friends and teachers.

When they all tried checking in on her she gave the same excuse that she was just stressed about college applications, which to a degree was true.

However, she could fool her teachers or her parents, but she couldn’t fool her friends.

Michelle especially knew something was up. Even though Y/N hadn’t told her anything about what happened that weekend with Eddie, Michelle figured it must have something to do with the reason Y/N was acting so weird.

And even though Y/N wanted it to be kept a secret, Michelle told the rest of the girls in their friend group, out of concern.

Just like Y/N thought, they were shocked at first, but she would be surprised to learn just how happy they were for her. Happy that Y/N finally found someone, even if it was a freak like Eddie Munson.

Immediately, they knew they had to talk to Eddie. Michelle was already at the defense, prepared to interrogate Eddie and literally fight him if he had done anything that would hurt Y/N.

Little did they know that what hurt Y/N the most was not being with him at all.

***

After her one month punishment was served, Y/N the zombie still hadn’t left. She continued to shut the world out.

Her parents tried to talk to her, wanting to understand why she was acting this way but she wouldn’t budge. She was giving them what they wanted, right? Anything more would be a death sentence.

And with early decision applications due soon, Y/N was in no place to waste time with friends or family or anything else that would distract her.

She mustered up the energy to craft them to perfection. With near perfect SAT scores and gpa, all that was left was to refine her resume and essays.

It only took many a sleepless night, but by the time she had a decent application together, she put them through an extensive review process.

She reviewed them with her current English teacher and every English teacher she had since she started high school.

She found another school counselor who could review them and even reviewed them with the school librarian.

And just when she thought they might be good enough, she even went to review them with the librarian at the public library in town.

Countless hours of editing, hundreds of pencil shavings, and red pen ink stains later and she was almost there.

Before she knew it, that dreaded November day was upon her. If she wanted her application to arrive by the deadline, she would have to mail them in soon.

One fateful Saturday morning, she sat in her room and rifled through her materials at least ten times to make sure every element of her application was present and accounted for, pristine, and completed to perfection.

She put them in the envelope and sealed it shut. With the packet addressed and ready to go, she left the house and bicycled over to the post office.

She walked through the doors setting off a jingling noise to her ears. She walked over to the counter and handed over the packet to the person working there.

In the blink of an eye, she sent three and a half years worth of work off its merry way to be scrutinized for her aptitude at the University of Chicago.

She had time before she would submit applications to her safety and reach schools. And with an application perfect enough for U Chicago, she knew she could reuse those same materials.

But this was it. All those hours studying, volunteering, and working built up to this moment. And suddenly, the pressure built on herself was free to flow from her shoulders down to her hands into that packet and on their way to Chicago, IL.

As she walks out the door and the bell chimes again, a sudden and intense pang feeling hits her chest.

Like a bomb, this gut level feeling hits her: she has no more control at this point. Between now and the time admission decisions get released, there is nothing she can do.

There is nothing now.

As she reaches the bike stand, she begins to weep and instinctively, her hand flies to cover her mouth.

At first it was a few hot tears quietly slipping their way down her cheeks. But then it became a deep seated cry, starting from her lungs and chest working their way up to her throat then her eyes and finally her head.

It had been weeks of crying, but now it felt explosive. For the first time since that dreadful night, she truly feels lost and alone.

Without a goal to keep her company or give her hope anymore, she’s never felt so small.

As she hops on her bike and cycles past a park, she wanders through a clearing in the woods. She finds access to a stream and hops off her bike to gently kneel before it, watching as the current lazily washes over the rocks. The light breeze in the air swooshes against her hair.

For a moment, she can see her muddled reflection in the water. Her teary eyes blinking rapidly and her cheeks red hot.

Once she was sure no one was around, she let it all out. No holding back. She held her head in her hands as she cried and screamed till her cheeks and lungs burned.

All these years, she’d spent 110% of her effort trying to be perfect for others, to submit to their scrutiny. It took every ounce of energy she had. The weight of it all that's been crushing her down all these years is suddenly gone.

For the first time, the pressure is gone. The need to be perfect, at an all time low.

It doesn’t matter what she does. Whatever is meant to happen will happen. The earth will still spin on its axis at a 23 degree angle. The sun will rise and fall no matter what she does. Or who she is.

At the very least, she’ll want to maintain her gpa to graduate as number 3 in her class, but otherwise… She doesn’t really have to do anything to prove herself anymore.

She can finally breathe.

She lowers her hands and looks at her reflection in the water. She laughs aloud and sighs.

When there were no tears left to cry, she regains her breath, dusts herself off and cycles back home.

***

Y/N feels a shift in her spirit. Like she's a new person, well, sort of. She’s no longer the girl that grinds herself to shreds to achieve her goals, well not until the next goal presents itself. But for now, she can relax. She can surrender to life.

What sort of person will she become with this newfound freedom? She doesn’t quite know.

When she gets home, she ignores the sounds of her parents and sister and goes upstairs. She locks herself in her room and searches through her closet. She takes out the dusty old half-used sketchbook. She sits at her desk, puts on her headphones, and starts her Walkman.

She takes out a perfectly sharpened, long, yellow, number two pencil. She lets the pencil hit the paper and it flies.

She draws and draws and draws for the rest of the day.

Without even thinking, she just draws whatever her hand feels like drawing. She fills pages and pages of the sketchbook. She never stops to eat or drink or even use the bathroom. She has years worth of drawing she needs to let out.

She draws pictures of Hawkins, her friends, memories of Chicago, her favorite album covers, her room the way it is now, her room the way she wished it had been decorated, her favorite movie posters, outfits she’s seen other people wear that she thought looked cool, people from school, landscapes of school, college applications, the stress of maintaining a perfect gpa, herself when she graduates, and Eddie.

She draws so many pictures of Eddie. Eddie in the library, Eddie at the diner, Eddie in his van, Eddie at the lake, Eddie and his beautiful long hair, Eddie’s lovely hands adorned with chunky rings, Eddie's tattoos, the new tattoos she had drawn on him that day, Eddie in a Hellfire shirt, Eddie in his Metallica crop top, Eddie in that jacket he wears like a uniform, Eddie with the chain on the jeans hung loose on his hips, Eddie with a bandana hanging out of his back pocket, Eddie in his room, Eddie playing guitar for her, Eddie teaching her how to play guitar.

Eddie Munson, the first boy to ever steal her heart.

It all comes out of her so fiercely. It takes over her like a spell. She was in the zone. She didn’t realize the magnitude of the force of her drawing till she woke up the next day still seated at her desk. Light seeping through the slits of the curtains. She turns to the side and sees a plate of what must have been dinner off to the side of the desk.

What? Who brought her that? When did they come in? Was Y/N already asleep? Surely they wouldn’t have left it if she was asleep. How did she not notice them?

She looks back at the clock on her wall that reads 12:36.

Y/N’s never woken up this late. What happened yesterday?

She looks down at the sketchbook opened at a page with a drawing of the Grease movie poster reimagined with her and Eddie smudged at different places.

Her desk is littered with pencil shavings, eraser filings, and broken or shorter pencils.

She flips through the pages filled with at least dozens of new drawings. Some are messy and crude while others are bright and beautiful.

She closes the sketchbook and holds it to her chest. She smiles and starts crying. She’s confused by the tears despite feeling relieved and realizes they’re tears of joy.

After all these years, she’s still got it. More than ever before, drawing has brought her so much joy. Joy she almost forgot even existed.

She takes a deep breath in satisfaction. This alone is enough to keep her happy. Even if she never makes a penny on her drawings, she’ll continue to do them. She doesn’t care what kind of job she has, as long as it can afford her to live comfortably and have time for this. Drawing. It’s what makes her happy. It’s what feeds her soul. It’s what makes her spirit soar.

She loves it so much, she just wishes she could share it with someone. But who? Her parents never cared for her talent. Her friends might think it’s cool the first few drawings but after that? Who knows.

Someone knocks on her door and slowly opens it. And for some reason, Y/N’s mind instantly runs to Eddie.

But it’s her sister who peeks through the crack in the door before sighing in relief and opening it all the way.

“Phew, you’re awake. And conscious.”

“What happened?”

“You stomped home and shut yourself in your room which is what you usually do now, but whenever we called you for lunch and dinner you didn’t answer so we checked in on you to see a drawing demon possessed you.”

Y/N looks around her desk.

“Are mom and dad mad?”

“Nah. They were weirded out at first but then they were just glad you weren’t crying or sleeping.”

“Oh,” Y/N replies, not sure if her parents' reaction is a good thing or a bad thing.

“Is everything okay? You’ve been acting really weird.”

Y/N glares at her sister. So much for the, now short lived, joy of drawing.

“It’s nothing.” Her sister would never understand.

“Is it because mom and dad won’t let you date? Just do it in secret. They won’t know the difference.”

“That was me trying to date him in secret,” Y/N offhandedly admits to herself. “Guess I’m no good at it.”

“It sucks, but you’ll get over it and then next thing you’ll know, you’ll have moved on to the next guy.”

Y/N shakes her head. “I don’t want to move into the next guy. I couldn’t even if I wanted to. You of all people should know that it’s not about which boy I date, but about not getting to date period.”

“You get better about hiding the more you do it.” Her sister shrugs.

“I don’t want to have to hide or lie about it. I hate doing that. I always feel horrible after.”

What Y/N wants is for her parents to be cool with her dating like her other friends' parents are. Y/N doesn’t want to feel like a bad daughter for falling in love.

Before her sister can respond, her mom calls out from downstairs.

“Is Y/N awake?”

“Yes,” her sister yells out.

“Come down, lunch is getting cold.”

Y/N’s sister raises her eyebrows before turning around and heading down stairs.

Y/N sullenly follows suit, trudging down the stairs. As she walks into the kitchen, she sees her family sitting at the table. Her mom's eyes light up when she sees Y/N.

Y/N begrudgingly takes a seat.

“Good afternoon sleeping beauty,” her mom teasingly greets. The words make Y/N cringe, but she musters a half smile.

“How are you feeling?”

Y/N shoves a fork into her food, “Fine”.

Y/N’s mom pointedly looks at her dad.

“We’re going to go to the grocery store after this, want to come? We can get your favorite cereal,” her mom excitedly offers.

What is Y/N, five years old?

“No thanks, I’m okay.”

“Are you sure? You’ve been up in your room an awful lot. Maybe it’ll do you good to go outside. Get some fresh air.”

Y/N shakes her head, “What’s the point? It’s not like I’m allowed to do anything fun right?”

“Drop the attitude Y/N,” her dad scolds.

“Y/N, you can’t be mad forever. There’ll be plenty of opportunities to have fun after high school.”

For a moment, Y/N thought she was in the clear. She thought things would get better again. But it turns out drawing was just the bandaid on a bullet wound.

The next day at school, Y/N’s mood slightly improves, only if she’s scribbling in her sketchbook.

Eddie notices her pulling it out in class and he could just cry. He’s so proud of her for getting into drawing again. He wishes he could say something to her or ask to see one of her drawings, but he knows there’s a line that’d be crossed if he did.

Later that day, Michelle and the rest of Y/N’s friends decide to finally talk to Eddie.

“You’re Eddie Munson, right?” Michelle asks as she approaches Eddie at his table at lunch.

“Who’s asking,” Eddie defensively replies.

“I’m Michelle, a friend of Y/N’s,” Michelle says and Eddie’s eyes soften. “We need to talk.”

Michelle leads him over to their lunch table where Y/N is undoubtedly gone again.

As Eddie sits down, the other girls stare at him, some confusingly, others surprisingly.

“What’s going on with Y/N. Is she okay?”

Michelle looks at him cautiously, “We could ask you the same thing Munson?”

“What are you talking about?” Eddie asks in confusion.

“We know something’s wrong with Y/N and we know you have something to do with it.”

“Uh, I’d say it’s more her parents fault than anything.”

The girls look at each other confused. Eddie furrows his own eyebrows in confusion.

“What do you mean?” Michelle asks.

“I mean, I know I’m kind of at fault for not being careful enough, but I just didn’t think her parents were going to find out, you know.”

“Y/N’s parents found out about you?!”

“Yeah,” Eddie responds looking at them curiously, “Did she not tell you?”

“Y/N hasn’t said a word to us since that weekend,” Michelle says. “Any idea why that is?”

“No,” Eddie shakes his head, “ I mean, I know why she’s avoiding me, but I don’t know why she would avoid you guys. She was grounded for a while and her parents wouldn’t let her go out or use the phone, but I’m pretty sure she could still talk to you at school.”

The girls look at each other in shock.

“Eddie, what exactly happened between you and Y/N that weekend,” Michelle asks. And Eddie tells the girls everything.

He tells them about how it all started with a simple chemistry assignment. That they’d seen each other practically every day after school. How she wanted to see him again, even though she was afraid of being caught. How much they’d grown to like each other, especially after that day at the lake.

But when he brought her home only thirty minutes past curfew, her parents absolutely flipped out. Her mom was outside waiting for her and saw Eddie. He had no idea what happened after that.

But when she’d called him later that night, she was crying. She’d sounded so heartbroken. And the following Monday at school, she called it off. And he hasn’t heard from her since.

“We need to go find Y/N right now,” Michelle declares as she stands up.

“And do what Michelle, interrogate her? It’s obvious she wants to be left alone.”

“She’s been left alone long enough. She needs us. All of us,” Michelle adds, looking pointedly at Eddie.

“And you, why didn’t you say anything? Why didn’t you do anything? You left her to deal with all that alone?” Michelle asks Eddie.

Eddie stands up and scowls, “Listen princess, you don’t know a thing about me, okay?”

Michelle and the other girls look at him with wide eyes and slack jaws.

“And I didn’t… I didn’t leave her to deal with it alone. I wanted to deal with it together, but she wouldn’t let me. She kept… pushing me away,” he mutters the last words through gritted teeth. He looks up at her, and she sees the pain and torment in his eyes.

Michelle looks at him with pity. She doesn’t know Eddie well, but it comes as a shock to see his tough guy persona facade crackling right in front of her very eyes.

She sits back down and takes a deep breath. Eddie sits down with her.

“Guys, what are we going to do?”

“Michelle’s right, maybe we should go talk to her, see what’s going on. Let her know we’re here for her.” One girl says.

“I don’t think it should be all of us though. I think she might get freaked out. You said she didn’t even want us to know right?” Another girl adds and Michelle nods.

“Maybe you should talk to her, Michelle. I think if it’s just you, she might be willing to open up.”

The lines in her forehead crease and she contemplates. “I don’t even know where to find her. I’ve seen her hide out in the library a few times and even then she always avoids me.”

“If she’s not there, she might be in the woods just past the school,” Eddie suggests.

“I think she has honor society meetings on Wednesdays too,” one girl adds.

“That’s today,” Michelle exclaims. “Okay, I know just what to do.”

“Wait,” Eddie juts his hand out.

“What?” Michelle asks.

Eddie’s eyebrows furrow and straighten. He blinks and opens his mouth, “I…”

The girls all look at him as he searches his brain for the right words to say.

“If you see Y/N, could you tell her that… I would let the whole world know I love Prince if it meant we could be together.”

***

For the rest of the school day, Michelle is lost in thought, planning out just what she’ll say to Y/N. A small part of her is worried the plan won’t work, but a bigger more determined part knows it will.

She knows Y/N tends to retreat inward when times get tough. That she hates letting it show when she has a moment of weakness, but that was usually over a bad test grade or minor problem she was having with someone in honor society. It’s never gotten this bad before.

Michelle waits for Y/N outside the honor society meeting room, nervously checking her watch. To her luck, Y/N is one of the last few to leave the room.

When Y/N walks out of the room, she doesn’t notice Michelle at first. Michelle stands straight and calls Y/N’s name. Y/N stops, like a deer frozen in headlights.

Michelle walks up to her and nervously smiles, “Hey.”

“Hi,” Y/N squeaks.

“Can we talk?” Michelle asks. Y/N looks at her nervously. “I was thinking we could go for a drive? I can give you a ride home too, so you don’t have to walk in the cold.”

Now that is an offer Y/N can’t refuse. But she still blinks nervously. “Ok.”

The two walk to the front of the school. “How was honor society today?”

“It was alright. We’re getting ready for winter formal.”

“Oh, that’s exciting,” Michelle says, “and stressful?”

“Exciting, yes,” Y/N laughs, “Stressful? Should be, but I just don’t have it in me to care anymore.”

“What?” Michelle asks in amused surprise. “Y/N, not caring about something school related? Who are you and what have you done with my best friend?”

Y/N weakly laughs. “It’s exhausting to care so much”

“Yeah, I hear that one” Michelle says as they get into her car.

They continue to make small talk as Michelle pulls into the parking lot of the public park by their houses. It’s the park they used to go to all the time as kids.

Michelle parks the car and looks over at Y/N.

“Hey girl, is everything okay? You’ve been really distant. The girls and I are starting to get worried about you.”

“Oh, haha, that?” Y/N laughs nervously, “sorry about that. I was just really caught up in college application season, you know? I just wanted to put all my time and effort into having the perfect application for U Chicago and didn’t want anything to distract me from it.”

Michelle sees through Y/N instantly. She knows there’s some truth in her explanation, but it’s not enough to explain the emotional distance too. But before she fully interrogates her, she decides to ease her way in.

“So how do you feel about your application? Have you submitted it yet?”

“Yeah, I submitted it over the weekend. I, um, I feel pretty good about it. I know I did the best I could. Just sort of worried it still won’t be…”

“Good enough?”

Y/N presses her lips together and nods.

“Y/N if U Chicago can’t see what a superstar you are, it is their loss, you hear me?”

Y/N smiles meekly, letting out a breathy laugh.

“Seriously. They’d be so lucky to have you as a student. You’re the smartest, most hardworking and talented person I know.”

“Thanks Michelle,” Y/N softly smiles. “It’s all just really nerve-wracking.”

“I know, but we all believe in you. You need to believe in yourself too, okay?”

“Yeah, I’m… trying,” Y/N smiles weakly.

Michelle looks down at the sketchbook in Y/N’s lap and smiles up at her.

“You’re drawing again?”

Y/N’s eyes widen, “Oh, um, yeah.”

“That’s awesome!” Michelle compliments, looking Y/N sincerely in the eye.

Y/N smiles shyly and looks away, “Yeah, um, now that I don’t have to worry about college applications that much anymore, I have more time for, um, this.”

“That’s really great. I’m happy you’re drawing again. I know how much you missed it.”

Y/N winces and smiles. “Yeah.”

Michelle leans over and peeks at the pages between Y/N’s fingers “Can I see one?”

Y/N’s head shoots up and her eyes grow to the size of golf balls. She clutches the sketchbook to her chest and tenses her shoulders.

Michelle nervously laughs and leans back, “I mean, if you ever wanted to, I’d love to see what you’ve drawn.”

Y/N loosens her grip and looks down. In a dream world, no one would ever bear witness to her creations. To live inside her mind this way would be too invasive. But at the same time, what’s the use of creating something if it isn’t meant to be shared with the world. As scary as the world is, her best friend might be a good start.

She opens the book slowly and flips through the pages to find one she knows Michelle will like.

It’s a picture of all the girls together at Starcourt mall. The day they went to see Footloose together. She even drew the movie poster in the corner.

She puts the book on display for Michelle and shs grabs the ends.

“Y/N,” Michelle squeaks, eyes widened in awe. “I love it.”

“Portraits and faces aren’t really my forte, but it’s a bit easier to draw things from memory.”

“No, no it’s perfect. The girls would love it too.”

Y/N frowns and Michelle tenses. “I mean, if you ever wanted to show them.”

Y/N presses her lips together.

“Y/N, I miss you Y/N. We all do. Why don’t you come sit with us at lunch anymore?”

Y/N opens her mouth to reply but nothing comes out.

“Did we do something to upset you?” Michelle asks cautiously.

“No, no,” Y/N shakes her head. “I’m just… I’ve just been busy, is all.”

“Y/N,” Michelle scolds.

“I-I am.” Y/N shrugs.

Michelle takes a deep breath in, “I know you’ve been busy with college applications and everything, butThis… This wouldn’t have anything to do with a certain member of the Hellfire Club, would it?”

Y/N eyes nearly pop out of her head as every muscle in her body tenses. “What?” She mutters between gritted teeth.

“I noticed you started avoiding us after that weekend you said you were going out with him. Did something happen?”

“Um, no, no. Nothing happened,” Y/N says nervously.

Michelle cocks an eyebrow, “Y/N, did Eddie do anything to… hurt you?”

“What?! No! No… Quite the opposite actually.”

“Oh, so what happened?”

“What happened?”

“Yeah, what happened with you and Eddie that weekend?”

“Um, it was… I just realized he wasn’t the right guy for me,” Y/N replies as she looks down and fidgets with the corners of her sketchbook.

Michelle glares at Y/N. Y/N peers up at Michelle.

“What?” Y/N asks innocently.

“Why are you lying?”

“I-I’m no—“

“Bullshit Y/N. I know what happened. Eddie told us everything.”

Y/N gasps, “You talked to Eddie?”

Michelle nods.

Y/N grows teary eyed imagining Eddie tell her friends about the moments they shared together in his trailer, at the diner, at the lake, in the back of his van.

“He told you… Everything?”

Michelle grabs Y/N’s hand and squeezes, “Everything.”

Y/N wiggles her hand out of Michelle’s grasp and brings both to cover her face. She hangs her head in her hands and starts sobbing.

“Y/N,” Michelle says endearingly. She wraps her arms around her and hugs her tightly. Y/N leans into her touch and continues to sob. Her teardrops run down her cheeks as her palms squish them flat.

“I know, I know. It’s okay,” Michelle comfortingly hums as she strokes Y/N’s hair.

She’s never seen Y/N like this before. She knows Y/N hates crying in front of others, so it must be something bad enough to make her act like this.

When some of her sobs soften, Michelle says, “Y/N I’m sorry things didn’t turn out the way you wanted it to, but you were so brave for putting yourself out there. It took a lot of courage.”

Y/N sniffles and sobs even harder. “It was so hard. It hurts so much.”

“I know, I know. It took a lot of guts. I’m proud of you for even trying.”

Y/N sheds a few more tears before moving her hands away and looking at Michelle.

“Really?”

Michelle smiles at Y/N’s puffy eyes and blotchy cheeks.

“Of course! I know how you are. And I know how your parents are. For someone who hardly ever listens to their heart, I’m glad you did this time. I know it must’ve been scary, but not a lot of people have the courage to follow their heart and do what makes you happy, especially when no one else understands.”

Y/N raises her eyebrows. Michelle places a hand on Y/N’s shoulder, “You deserve to be happy Y/N, even if it’s the school freak causing it ”

Y/N looks away and laughs. She mutters, “it doesn’t feel that way. My parents made sure of that.”

“Have you tried talking to them?”

Y/N glares at Michelle, “Not since the night it happened. They made it pretty clear they won’t budge on their stance.”

“Things are different now, right? Maybe that night they were just caught up in the heat of the moment. Maybe it’d be different if you tried talking to them now.”

“And what would I say? Hey mom, dad, can I please have a boyfriend? Pretty, please? All my friends have one.”

“No,” Michelle rolls her eyes and chuckles, “I’m just saying, let your parents know where you’re coming from. You’re a great daughter. They have every reason to trust you. And they should trust they raised a responsible girl.”

“Michelle,” Y/N shakes her head. “There’s no way I can do that. My parents aren’t like the parents you see on tv or in movies. I can’t just negotiate things with them. What they say is law and I have to abide by that if I want to make it out of there alive.”

Michelle frowns, “What if we were there with you?”

“Huh,” Y/N wipes her cheek.

“What if the girls and I were there with you while you talked to your parents? For moral support. And evidence of how great of a person you are to support your case.”

Y/N rolls her eyes, “you still have 4 years till you go to law school Miche, you don’t need to practice your lawyer skills on me.”

Michelle rolls her eyes and smiles. “It’s not like that, I’m simply exercising my human right to support my friends. So what if the scales of justice propel my life?”

Y/N laughs. “Thanks, but, in all honesty, I don’t think it’d be worth it. We’d all be wasting our time. My parents tell my sister and I time and time again that they’re not one of our friends. I doubt they’d care what you all have to say.”

Michelle searches Y/N’s eyes. She won’t take no for an answer. If not this way, then she'll find another, but she has to know. “If you knew there was a chance they might listen to what you have to say, and that you could convince them, would you want that?”

“What do you mean?”

“For arguments sake, let’s just say you could somehow convince your parents to let you date Eddie and actually change their minds about the whole thing.”

“Okay?”

“Would you want that to happen? To be able to change their minds?”

Without hesitation Y/N says, “Of course.”

Michelle grabs her hand and pauses for a moment before asking, “Do you miss Eddie?”

Y/N peers up at Michelle before looking down at her lap, brows furrowed. “I’m trying really hard not to.”

“I think he is too.”

“What,” Y/N eagerly looks at Michelle.

“Yeah. That boy has a real soft spot for you.”

Y/N scrunches her nose, “I don’t know about that.”

“He wanted me to tell you he really did love Purple Rain. Wouldn’t have pegged him for a Prince fan, personally.”

Y/N sniffles and laughs, “I guess that’s kind of my doing. We don’t really like the same music, but Prince became the one thing we could agree on.”

Michelle smiles at her.

“He learned to play a few songs for me too. It was really sweet,” Y/N sighs happily before her features turn down again. “Anytime I listen to his music, I think of Eddie and it makes me really sad.”

Michelle sighs. Y/N, who’s always been so strong, has never looked more weak and defeated.

Y/N might have lost hope, but Michelle hasn’t. She knows they can find a way to make things right. But for now, she doesn’t exactly know what that way is.

***

For the rest of the week, Y/N carries on like usual. She starts making brief appearances at lunch, but she usually comes up with some excuse to leave early.

When Y/N’s gone, Michelle tells the girls what happened when she talked to Y/N. “I don’t know how we’re going to do it, but we are going to make sure Y/N’s parents let her date Eddie.”

“How exactly are we going to do that?” One girl asks.

“I don’t know,” Michelle slumps in her seat. “I really think they’d hear Y/N out if one of us was there too. Especially if all of us are there. She needs our moral support and there’s strength in numbers.”

“Wouldn’t her parents just think we’re ambushing them?” Another girl asks.

“Maybe,” Michelle contemplates, “But maybe it wouldn’t be a complete ambush if Y/N didn’t know.”

“What?”Another girl asks. “Wouldn’t that be worse to just walk up to their door like, surprise! Now will you please give us ten minutes to convince you why our best friend should have a boyfriend?”

“Not exactly. But I think if we showed up and really talked to them, we could find common ground saying how we’ve been concerned about Y/N from the way she’s been acting and wanted to check on her. We heard what’s happened with Eddie and wanted to let you know how great of a guy he is for her.” Michelle explains.

“Shouldn’t Eddie be here for this conversation then?” One girl asks.

“I don’t know, should he?” Another chimes in.

“Yeah, he probably should. I mean, we are trying to get them back together right?”

“Yeah, let me go get him,” Michelle says. She walks over to Eddie’s table and summons him back to theirs.

“Here’s the deal Eddie, I talked to Y/N and she’s doing a lot better, but she’s still really broken up by this whole situation. So, I propose we all go to her house and talk to her parents to see if we can convince them to let you two date.”

“What? Are you out of your mind?” Eddie scowls. “No way. It’s a miracle I left her house in one piece that night.”

“Eddie, don’t tell me you’re scared of Mr. and Mrs. Y/L/N?”

“I’m not… scared. I just know what I’m up against. I know her parents don’t like me and don’t want us to be together.”

“Well, I can’t guarantee they’ll like you any more after this, but if you want to date their daughter, they’ll at least need to respect you.”

Eddie sneers. In what world could any of this possibly work?

“And we’ll be right there with you. They like us, so you’ll get like ten points by association.”

Eddie shakes his head. He can at least pretend to entertain the thought that talking to her parents could work. “Okay, so what do I have to do?”

“You need to come with us, be presentable and on your best behavior, and help us convince Y/N’s parents to let her date you.”

Eddie rolls his eyes. “What? You want me to grovel to her parents? No way.”

“Eddie c’mon.”

“No, not happening. Why should I be the one to kiss their asses? Why should I have to change myself for their approval? I swore to myself I’d never do that shit again.”

“Eddie, we’re not asking you to change yourself. It’s obvious Y/N likes you just the way you are. We’re not messing with that. We just need to show her parents… your good side.”

“My good side?”

“Yeah. Show them what a gentleman you are. That you’re gonna take care of their daughter and treat her with respect. That you’ll be a good influence on her.”

Eddie scowls in disgust. “What else? Do you want me in a monkey suit too? Cut my hair to a suitable non-Beatle length?”

“Eddie, work with us, okay? We’re on the same team.”

Eddie sighs and runs a hand through his hair.

“Look, let’s try a little role play. I’ll be her parents and you just answer as yourself.”

“Not the kind of role play I’d willingly get into but okay.”

“Eddie.”

“I was talking about D&D,” Eddie snickers.

Michelle rolls her eyes, “Okay, Eddie, is it. What are your intentions with our daughter?”

“To corrupt her. Stray her away from the path of God. Convert her into a super senior freak like me,” he answers confidently and smiles crazily with his tongue hanging out.

Michelle smacks his arm, “Eddie, I know you think you’re being funny right now, but this is serious. Do you want to be with Y/N yes or no?”

Eddie sighs and looks away, muttering, “Yes.”

“Okay, let’s try this again. Eddie, what are your intentions with our daughter?”

Eddie closes his eyes and breathes in. He opens them and looks straight into Michelle’s eyes. “I want to date your daughter. I know she isn’t normally allowed, but I care about her a lot and want to have an honest conversation about why I should.”

“Ooh,” the girls all coo.

Michelle raises her brows and nods, “Okay, that’s a start.”

“Ugh,” Eddie sneers. “I feel like I’m in court, pleading my case.”

“In a way, you are Munson. Her parents are the judge and we’re all witnesses. But lucky for you, I’m your attorney.”

“What?” Eddie asks with disdain.

“I want to be a lawyer when I’m older. I’ve been able to argue my way out of pretty much anything since I was 5.”

“Where were you the night we got caught?” Eddie rolls his eyes.

Michelle shakes her head. “Okay, let’s try another one. Eddie, our darling Y/N is a stellar student on the way to becoming a freshman at the University of Chicago. How are you doing in school? What are your plans after graduation?”

Eddie begins sweating, throat growing dry. “I don’t know what to say.”

“What do you mean?”

“I know the answer to that question isn’t something they want to hear.”

“Here we’ll workshop it. Just give me the real answer and we’ll work on the wording together.”

“Um, this is my third senior year and I don’t even know if I’ll graduate so I haven’t even thought that far enough?”

“Yikes, okay—“

Eddie rubs a palm over his face, “See! This is stupid there’s no way they’re gonna say yes to this,” Eddie comments as he points to his face.

“Eddie, get a grip, okay,” Michelle orders as she grabs his shoulders and shakes him. “It’s really starting to piss me off how hopeless you and Y/N are being about this.”

Eddie scoffs, “I hate this. I never care what anyone thinks about me. But for Y/N… for some reason, I do. It was enough of a miracle for her to like me. And I normally wouldn’t care what her parents think either, but it means enough to her for me to.”

Michelle looks at him understandingly.

“And her parents… I barely met her mom so not enough to get a real impression. But from what Y/N’s told me… I’m terrified. I mean, you've met her parents right? How are you not afraid of them?”

“Well for one, I know how to kiss ass to get what I want. But two, I’m not really afraid of anyone. If someone doesn’t like me that’s their problem. And if they make it my problem, I know I can just change their minds. It’s really not that hard. Just takes a little work.”

“For you, maybe,” Eddie spits.

“That’s what I keep trying to tell you Eddie. I’m here to help you and Y/N. We only have a fighting chance if we all combine our strengths together.”

Eddie humphs knowing Michelle is right.

“So what should I say?”

“Well, you can admit that academics aren’t your strong suit in the way Y/N’s are. It sounds nice and it’s the truth. Then just tell them what other things you’re good at.”

“Um, so I could just say… Can you repeat the question?”

“Sure. What are you like in school Eddie? Any big plans after graduation?”

“Um, school is… okay… but not exactly where I shine. I leave that all to Y/N,” Eddie laughs nervously.

“That’s good,” one girl encourages.

“She’s right, that was good,” Michelle says. “Go on.”

“I, um, play guitar. I’ve been playing for as long as I can remember. I used to play for the school band, but stopped so I could form my own band. We, um, have a gig at a small venue just outside town every Tuesday.”

“That’s good. What about life after graduation?”

“Um, as for after graduation. I… won’t be going to college. I plan to start working. I used to, um… help my dad work on cars when I was younger. I still do it sometimes with my Uncle so I think I’ll probably try to become a mechanic.”

The girls look at him and contemplate his answer.

Eddie nervously looks across their faces, “How was that? Was that… good?”

Michelle looks off into space, “Yeah, I’m just trying to think if there’s anything they might find an issue with but no I think that answer was good.”

Eddie nods.

“And just so you know, humility goes a long way with them. Having confidence is good, but if you get cocky with them they’re gonna hate it. The nervous ums and stuff will help.”

Eddie quirks his eyebrow. “Remind me to hire you when you pass the bar.”

Michelle mocks salutes, “Will do Munson.”

“So, what else do you think they’ll ask?”

“Well they’ll probably just try to get to know you. Know what their daughter is getting into. They might ask you about your interests and hobbies or your family and friends.”

Eddie sharply inhales.

“Listen, you don’t have to tell them anything you don’t want to, but give them enough. They’ll want to know what Y/N’s getting herself into and trust that she’ll be okay.”

“No pressure right?” Eddie uncomfortably jokes.

“Eddie, the most important question you’ll need to answer is: why should we let you date our daughter?”

Eddie gulps. His forehead creases as he tries to find the right words.

“Because… I really like her. And… she’s a great girl.” Eddie winces and shrugs

Michelle furrows her eyebrows and leans forward, “Eddie, dig deep. Is that really all you’ve got?”

“No, I'm just… I don’t know what to say, man. I’m not good with words.”

“Well you better find them. This is your only shot at getting Y/N back and I’d hate to see you blow it.”

Eddie scowls at Michelle. She’s annoying, but she’s right. What other choice does he have? If he can’t change Y/N’s mind, maybe he can change her parent’s minds.

Will they be reasonable people? Who the hell knows. But he’ll be damned if he doesn’t even try.

“Fine, let me try again,” He sys through partially gritted teeth. Michelle gives him a small encouraging smile. She takes a beat and repeats the question, “So Eddie, why should we let you date our daughter?”

Eddie takes a deep breath in. He furrows his eyebrows in concentration.

“Well Mr. and Mrs. Y/L/N,” he cringes at the formality, “Dating Y/N is an honor I’m not quite sure I even deserve. Believe me, I don’t take it for granted one second that a beautiful girl like her, as smart as she is, even likes someone like me. Does Y/N deserve a guy like me? Probably not. She deserves the damn world. And I’ll do everything I can to give it to her.”

The girls all widen their eyes and say their “aw’s”

Eddie flinches, “And, um, I promise to take care of her. To respect her. To listen to her. To support her. Whatever she needs, I want to give that to her and more.”

Michelle nods, “That’s it.”

***

The next day drones on as usual, till Y/N stays after school for tutoring. After her session with a boy on the basketball team is over, she clears up her desk and packs her things in her bag.

“Good work Travis, I’ll see you next week,” she waves him off as he leaves his desk and exits the classroom.

She exits the classroom soon after and makes her way down the empty hall. She turns into a different hallway and nears the drama room. She slows down her pace to a stop before the closed door. She takes a deep breath in and edges closer to the small window on the door, only to find an empty room with the light turned odd. She lets a breath out and sullenly walks toward the front of the school.

She opens the doors and tightens her jacket to her chest as a blast of cold air hits her in the face. She grits her teeth, bracing for the cold, and nearly chokes on the scent of cigarette smoke nearby.

As she approaches the parking lot, a cloud of smoke presents the nearby offender, no doubt leaning against the pillar. She cranes her head in an attempt to see who it might be, but the view is blocked.

She shrugs it off and continues to walk, not caring enough to investigate further. She has to get home and out of this wretched cold. November is off to quite a frigid start.

“Y/N?” A voice undoubtedly coming from the smoker calls out to her.

Y/N freezes in her tracks. She should just ignore him and keep walking, but her body won’t let her.

“Y/N,” the voice calls out again and Y/N turn over her heels. She finds Eddie leaning against the pillar, one leg bent, foot pressed against the cinderblock. He drops the cigarette in his hand and lowers his foot to stomp it out. His hair shakes and the chain on his jeans jingle in the process.

Y/N’s throat dries as she nervously watches him, still very frozen in place.

Eddie cautiously walks, no struts, over to her, reeboks stomping against the pavement in the process, and offers her the smallest smile. Even after all this time, just seeing him like this is enough to make her heart skip a beat.

Shut up heart, It’s just Eddie.

“Hey,” Eddie whispers in a raspy voice, peering deep into her eyes.

“Hey,” Y/N squeaks, surprising herself by returning his strong gaze. She hasn’t spoken to Eddie in weeks.

They stare blankly at each other for a moment before Y/N is the first to break the silence. “What are you doing here?”

“Needed to clear my head,” he shrugs casually.

Y/N cocks an eyebrow up, “On school grounds, when last class let out an hour ago?”

Eddie shrugs painfully, “Yeah.”

Y/N gives him an unconvinced look.

“Was supposed to be at Hellfire, but I cut the meeting short.”

“Oh,” Y/N whispers, “What happened?”

Eddie presses his lips together, “The boys were just… their heads weren’t in the game, you know?”

Not really, but she nods as if she does. The tension in his eyebrows and clenched jaw tell her it wouldn’t be such a good idea to poke the bear.

“What about you?” Eddie asks.

“Tutoring,” Y/N meekly responds.

Eddie nods and notices the way Y/N tightens her arms crossed over her chest and the slight shivering of her shoulders.

“You headed home?”

Y/N turns over her shoulder and nods at him.

Eddie reaches back and scratches at the back of his neck. “Could I, uh, give you a ride home? If that’s okay?”

“I don’t know if that’s such a good idea,” Y/N mumbles.

“C’mon, it’s freezing out. Can’t have my local smart pants getting sick on my watch.”

Y/N slightly snorts at his comment and it brings a grin to Eddie’s face.

“Thanks Eddie, but I-”

“C’mon,” He gently grabs her wrist, “You’re off probation right?”

He winks and she surprisingly finds the humor in a joke about the longest month of her life.

Y/N nods and Eddie tugs, leading her to his van. “Your chariot awaits.”

Y/N complies in a stunned silence. As she climbs into the van, the worn seats feel foreign under her skin. They can’t be the same seats she sat in a little over a month ago.

But much like Hawkins, nothing in this van has changed, only her.

Eddie starts the car and remains stationary to let the vehicle warm up. They sit in a comfortable silence as Eddie tunes the radio to Y/N’s favorite station even though a commercial is on. Y/N refrains from smiling despite the tug she feels at the corner of her mouth.

Once the van has warmed up, Eddie pulls out of the parking lot and off to Y/N’s house. His rough slender fingers curled around the steering wheel.

The two remain in comfortable silence till they reach a stop light and suddenly, Cyndi Lauper’s Time After Time comes on.

Both Eddie and Y/N instantly look at each other when the melancholy rhythm fills their ears. Before the first verse is sung, the light turns green and Eddie’s attention is back on the road while Y/N’s is on her lap. She can feel the blood pumping in her veins along the beat of the song

Lying in my bed, I hear the clock tick and think of you

Caught up in circles

Confusion is nothing new

Flashback, warm nights

Almost left behind

Suitcase of memories

Time after

Sometimes you picture me

I'm walking too far ahead

You're calling to me, I can't hear

What you've said

Then you say, "go slow"

And I fall behind

The second hand unwinds

But before Cyndi can sing the heartfelt lyrics, “If you're lost you can look and you will find me, time after time,” Y/N lowers the volume to silence.

She looks up at him, “That song is…”

Eddie nervously laughs, “Yeah, ha, I know.”

He awkwardly looks back onto the road before him.

Y/N’s a bit surprised he even knows the song. She guesses no one can escape the heartfelt words of Cyndi Lauper, but they just ring too close to home, in a car ride with Eddie no less.

In a matter of minutes, Eddie is pulling up to Y/N’s house. She’s simultaneously thankful this carride is almost over and disappointed that this is all the time she’ll get with Eddie.

She looks out the window and glances at the red brick home. This time with a noticeable lack of tension in her shoulders or heart rate that would alarm several doctors. This time, she feels nothing.

She turns over and looks at Eddie who is intently observing her reaction. “Everything okay?”

Y/N nods sullenly. Eddie looks at her, waiting to see what she’ll do next.

Y/N looks out the window again and sees a few of the neighborhood children out riding their bikes. She turns back to Eddie and curves her lips upward slightly.

“Thanks for the ride Eddie.”

Eddie looks at her puzzled, but more relieved than anything that she’s not ardently avoiding him.

“No problem,” he nods, “I’ll always have your back.”

Y/N cocks her head to the side before shaking it and unbuckling her seatbelt.

“Goodbye Eddie,” she sweetly says as she opens the door.

“Goodbye sweetheart,” Eddie says. Y/N freezes for a slight second, feeling her heart constrict in her chest. She recovers by climbing out of the vehicle and shoving her bag over her back. She closes the door behind her and smiles at Eddie. He nods and waits for her to enter the home.

She slowly walks to the door. There’s no reason to rush and avoid the risk of being caught. She already has been.

She opens the door to the house and turns over her shoulder to see Eddie wave and drive off.

She steps inside, embracing the welcomed heat.

“Hey honey, how was school?” Her mom calls from the kitchen. For a second, her brain is on red alert, worried that her mom might’ve seen Eddie’s car. But as quickly as the thought enters her head, it leaves. What’s the worst that could happen? She gets grounded again? Her parents put some restraining order on Eddie?

“Hey mom. School was fine,” Y/N neutrally responds.

“Learn anything exciting?”

“Not really,” Y/N responds truthfully before excusing herself to go upstairs and work on some homework before dinner.

At the back of her head, she worried her mom might’ve seen Eddie and was just waiting to bring it up later, but as the evening turned into night, nothing ever happened.

Either she didn’t know or she wasn’t bothered enough to say anything.

***

When Friday night rolled around, Y/N enjoyed the refuge of her own bedroom, as she had for the past several weeks. But this time, she felt more restless than usual.

None of the songs on her tape deck sounded right. None of her drawings were coming out quite right. Even when she went downstairs to rummage through the pantry, none of the snacks appealed to her despite the loud rumbling coming from her stomach.

She trudged back up the stairs and into her room and decided to do something she hadn’t done in a really long time. She closed the door and turned off all the lights. She walked over to the window and opened the curtain. For a second, she almost hoped to find Eddie down below, throwing rocks at her window once again.

She brought her desk chair near the window and sat on it. She closed her eyes and took in a deep breath. She sat in silence like that for a few breaths before opening her eyes and gazing out at the stars above her.

A lot of the streetlights were on, so it was hard to see, but the few she could, she decided to count them.

One. Two. Three. Four. Five Six. Seven.

She closed her eyes and pleaded to the stars, asking for answers as to what she should do.

The ritual began when she was a young girl, praying to God for an A on her test or for her parents to stop fighting. Over the years it turned into harder questions she couldn’t ask anyone else but the stars up above.

Something about starry skies was more comforting to her spirit than any church could ever be. Oftentimes, they had better answers too.

But tonight, there was only silence.

“Please, I need to know,” Y/N pleaded. She rubbed her palms over her face and rested her chin in her hands.

She wished the stars could tell her what to do. She wished they could give her an answer.

Ever since she’d spoken to Michelle and ran into Eddie, Y/N had been feeling conflicted. Once the heat simmered down and she served her sentence, Y/N kept laying low. School and drawing took up a majority of her time and she thought she would be fine with that. But Michelle and Eddie reminded her just how much she’d missed the people in her life.

She knows that Michelle and her other friends will always be in her corner. Sometimes she needs time alone to figure things out, but they’ll always be there when she comes back.

But Eddie… She almost lost him forever. Her car ride with him confirmed just how big that almost was, but she knows they’re on thin ice.

She looks out to the stars, hoping for an answer. They glimmer against the dark night sky, but say little else.

She wants Eddie back in her life, even if she can’t date him which she knows is impossible. But, since her parents don’t seem to be too upset anymore, Y/N’s willing to bet they might tolerate Eddie as a friend.

She knows it might take some begging and pleading, but she knows she’s earned it. And that Eddie would be worth fighting for.

But before she does any of that, maybe it would be a good idea to see Eddie and talk to him first. She knows she could call him up, but this is a conversation that needs to be had in person.

Maybe she could surprise him at the trailer tomorrow. She doesn’t know if it’ll go well, but it’s worth a shot.

***

The next morning Eddie and Y/N’s friends meet up at Michelle’s house.

“Glad you could finally show up,” Michelle greets Eddie as she lets him through the front door. “Even though you smell like an ashtray.”

Eddie huffs as he follows Michelle, “Excuse me for wanting to calm my jangled nerves.”

Michelle leads him to her room where the rest of the girls are hanging out. “Relax Eddie, we have your back. And with a few adjustments, you’ll be ready to go.”

Eddie cocks his eyebrow and looks over at the other girls milling about the room.

“Take a seat,” Michelle gestures toward her bed. Eddie cautiously sits at the edge and looks up at the other girls in confusion.

“Good to know you have a pair of pants without holes in them,” one of the girls quips as another starts working on his hair.

“Is it that hard to believe,” Eddie asks sarcastically.

“Little bit,” she winks and smiles. Eddie nervously chuckles and lets out a small sigh of relief.

“I’m not crazy about the Black Sabbath shirt though,” Michelle complains as one of the girls gently combs through Eddie’s hair.

“This is all I have. Sorry I can’t be Tom Cruise.”

“Well, you don’t need to be Tommy Lee either.”

Eddie scoffs and narrows his eyes, “You insult me.”

“Stop moving,” the girl doing his hair orders. She brings a hand to block his face and sprays water along his locks before combing through and applying a gel.

“And this jacket situation has got to go,” one of the girls comments as she glares at his leather jacket and jean vest.

Eddie rolls his eyes, “Cmon, it’s the only jacket I have. It’s a part of me.”

“Keep still,” The girl doing his hair orders as she scrunches at the damp locks, creating a more defined curl to his tresses.

“Not to worry, you can still be you even without your metal uniform. I bet there’s a jacket my brother left behind that you can borrow.”

“Huh?”

“He’s off at Indiana State, so what he doesn’t know won’t hurt him.”

Eddie shrugs as Michelle rummages through the coat closet down the hall.

“At least it covers your tattoos. Y/N’s parents… aren’t the most fond of those,” one of the other girls comments.

Michelle walks over with a maroon cable knit sweater and cream colored carpenter jacket.

“When your hair is done, put these on.”

Eddie reaches out and touches the knit fabric, masking a look of disgust in his face, “I feel like I should be on the cast of Happy Days.”

“Take off your shoes too.”

“What?”

“Take off your shoes.”

“Why?”

“So we can clean them. Muddy Reeboks are very punk rock but that won’t impress Y/N’s parents.”

“Punk? Please, you insult me,” Eddie snarls. “There’s a very big difference between punk and metal.”

“Why don’t you tell that to Y/N’s parents,” one of the girls sarcastically snickers.

“Why don’t you bite me,” Eddie snarls.

“Eddie,” Michelle gasps.

“And you,” Michelle looks pointedly at the girl, “Knock it off.”

“Girls, could I have a moment alone with Eddie,” Michelle pleads.

“Fine, okay,” the girls grumble.

“I’m done with your hair Eddie. I kept it natural, but a little more defined at the curls. They’re gonna love it, and so will Y/N,” the last girl to leave pats Eddie on the shoulder and smiles.

Eddie’s shoulders relax and he smiles back at her as she leaves the room.

Michelle pulls the chair from her desk and sets it in front of Eddie. She takes a seat and tries to look Eddie in the eye despite his avoidant gaze.

“Eddie,” Michelle calls out to him. Eddie looks at her from the corner of his eye. “Look, it’s just us, okay?”

Eddie sighs exasperatedly. “What?”

“Eddie, relax okay. I know you’re nervous but–”

“I’m not nervous.”

“Then what are you Eddie? ‘Cause you’re acting really weird.”

Eddie widens his eyes and furrows his eyebrows. He turns away and reaches to scratch the back of his neck, “I don’t know man. Just feels weird.”

“What feels weird?”

“All of it. Feels like I’m about to take a test or something. I mean, this isn’t me. Changing my hair?”

“Well, your hair doesn’t look that different, just a little neater.”

“Changing my clothes?”

Michelle gazes at the sweater and jacket laid out next to him.

“Changing myself?”

Michelle’s eyes turn down.

“I know, we’re asking a lot of you. But we wouldn’t be asking this if we knew it wouldn’t make Y/N happy… We’re on your side.”

Eddie furrows his eyebrows and nods.

“What’s wrong Eddie?”

Eddie shakes his head, “I mean we’re doing all this, but what’s the point? What if I’m still not good enough for them?”

Or good enough for her.

Michelle sighs and pats his knee. “Eddie, look, I don’t know you that well, but what I do know is that you’re a fighter.”

“Bullshit,” Eddie laughs.

“I’m no fighter. See this guy?” Eddie points to himself. “Textbook runner. When the going gets tough I… always seem to run.”

Michelle takes a cold hard look at him. “What are you running from?”

“What?”

“You said you’re a runner right? So what exactly are you running from?”

Eddie shrugs, “I don’t know.”

“There’s gotta be something.”

Eddie stares at her blankly.

“I mean, do you even want us to do this anymore?”

Eddie nods and looks at her, in a way she can’t decipher.

“So, what is it Eddie?”

Eddie can’t tell her he runs away because he’s scared. He’s afraid to fight because he’s afraid he’ll lose. That the voice of his old man still looms in his head telling him so.

“What have you got to lose?” Michelle asks.

Eddie thinks about it for a moment. He supposes there’s nothing to lose at this point. The worst her parents could say is no, again. That he’d spend another excruciating day without Y/N.

“Look, you gotta promise this stays between us, alright?”

Michelle nods and takes a finger to make a cross motion over her chest. “Cross my heart.”

“You flap your lips about this to anyone and your ass is grass you hear that?”

Michelle stifles a laugh, sensing the seriousness in Eddie’s tone. “Okay.”

“I know what people in this no good town think of me. I know it’s not great. And as much as I hate to admit, it’s a lot harder to let it roll off my back than I’d like.”

Michelle nods in understanding.

“I want Y/N’s parents to… accept me. It’s stupid and ridiculous, but I do. But I don’t want it to come at the cost of conformity.”

“Eddie, I don’t think you give yourself enough credit. You’re a surprisingly likable person. In all your dorky metal loving glory.”

Eddie chuckles and rolls his eyes.

“I think that’s why Y/N probably likes you so much. You’re someone who isn’t afraid to be themselves. And I think she is, but you show her how not to be.”

Eddie’s eyes soften at the surprising observation.

“When you’re not so guarded or sarcastic or cocky, you’re not such a bad guy. And I think Y/N’s deserve a chance to see that side of you. They might even surprise you.” Michelle adds.

Eddie thinks about it. He wonders if Y/N’s parents could truly surprise him.

“But besides that, this isn’t all just about you, you know? I mean, I know your ass is on the line, but so is Y/N’s. This is a battle Y/N’s been fighting her parents forever on and she needs our help.”

Eddie purses his lips and furrows his brows.

“So what do you say, hot shot? Are you just gonna sit there or are you gonna stand up and fight for your girl?” Michelle roars

Eddie's eyes widen. He feels as though a literal fire has been sparked inside him.

His girl.

He doesn’t want to be a runner. Not anymore. He wants to be a fighter. If not for him, then for his girl.

“Alright. Okay,” Eddie nods.

“That’s not good enough. I need to hear you say it Eddie.”

“I’m gonna fight.”

“You’re gonna what?”

“I’m gonna fight,” Eddie exclaims.

“Who are you gonna fight for Eddie?”

“For Y/N!”

“And?”

“For us!”

“And?”

“Who else are you fighting for?”

“Uh, love?”

“No silly,” Michelle pokes harshly at his chest, “You’re fighting for you too.”

----------------------------------------------

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foxes-that-run · 7 months

Text

Cruel summer (and when was it)

Cruel Summer tells of an affair that ends with loving someone other than a significant other. When Cruel Summer went to #1 on 19 October 2033 Taylor released this top photo which is reminiscent of the Cannes Sunset referred to in Lover also.

Lyrics

[Verse 1] Fever dream high in the quiet of the night You know that I caught it (Oh yeah, you're right, I want it) Bad, bad boy, shiny toy with a price You know that I bought it (Oh yeah, you're right, I want it)

Middle of the night reminds us of Wish you would.

A bad boy is referred to in Blank Space and bad ones in End Game.

Shiny toy separates the muse of this song and paper rings where she sings “I like shiny things but I’ll marry you with paper rings”.

With a price refers the Haylor theme of paying a price

[Pre-Chorus] Killing me slow, out the window I'm always waiting for you to be waiting below Devils roll the dice, angels roll their eyes What doesn't kill me makes me want you more

Here the muse is the same as in Wish you would, Harry drove past her house at night, and style he picked her up during the night.

Taylor used Devil/angel about Harry before, in the intro to the thematically similar Trouble: “how can the devil be pulling you toward someone who looks so much like an angel when he smiles at you?” Here she takes chances having an affair. This line appeared in a game of the Lover video.

[Chorus] And it's new, the shape of your body It's blue, the feeling I've got And it's ooh, woah-oh It's a cruel summer It's cool, that's what I tell 'em No rules in breakable heaven But ooh, woah-oh It's a cruel summer with you

The shape of his body means different to her boyfriend. Harry also changed to low impact training post 1d and his body did change, but I hear it as a different person

Blue was the colour of the 1989 album, depression and Harry is called “sad boy” in Question…?

No rules, breakable heaven - their love is fragile and they make their own rule.

[Verse 2] Hang your head low in the glow of the vending machine I'm not dying (Oh yeah, you're right, I want it) We say that we'll just screw it up in these trying times We're not trying (Oh yeah, you're right, I want it)

vending machine glow places it in hotel

Another reference to buying (as in Fine Line) and that they are not trying to avoid being together, again similar to Fine Line

Screwing it up in trying times is reminiscent of Sign of the Times

[Pre-Chorus] So cut the headlights, summer's a knife I'm always waiting for you just to cut to the bone Devils roll the dice, angels roll their eyes And if I bleed, you'll be the last to know, oh

Style has cutting headlights to go undetected when picking her up

Summers a knife/cut to the bone tells us this person is someone with a history that she has feelings for. Willow has a similar line: “I’m like the water rough on the surface but you cut through like a knife”

If I bleed is saying she won’t share her feelings with the muse

It's a cruel summer with you [Bridge] I'm drunk in the back of the car And I cried like a baby comin' home from the bar (Oh) Said, "I'm fine," but it wasn't true I don't wanna keep secrets just to keep you And I snuck in through the garden gate Every night that summer just to seal my fate (Oh) And I scream, "For whatever it's worth I love you, ain't that the worst thing you ever heard?" He looks up, grinnin' like a devil

Taylor has pay the price, crying in the way home. “Get drunk but you’re still not my baby” from Death by a thousand cuts,

Keeping secrets and Sneaking in through the garden gate confirm this is an affair, the garden is in many Haylor songs.

The Garden Gate to me is a metaphor for sneaking around, not the front door but through the garden to not be seen. However I’ve also heard it could be a physical gate or may actually be a pub in Hampstead Health, it’s close to Harry’s house and where Joe and Taylor rented. Taylor was seen in Hampstead Heath several times. The beer garden and red brick wall look to me like the promo photos for Lover. If it is a literal location I still think its use in the song is to indicate being hidden and shifty.

“he looks so pretty” … similar to Style and "pretty face" in Slut!

“I love you ain’t that the worst thing you’ve heard” sounds like something said to/by a person who is not your significant other.

Why 2018 seems like the time period to me

29 January - Fine line written with similar meaning.

12 April - both in london, Harry chipper, on stage

11 March first medicine, ever, the crowd don’t say tasted 🥺

19 March - Harry cried in MMIH, he sang twice the Gotta get betters and no 'Cause nothing else will do' and left.

22 June - Harry teared up during Sweet Creature, and sang Still the One by Shauna Twain, setlist changes rare on that tour.

1 July - when Taylor in US he smiled on the same line and replaced 'running with the wolves' with 'running with you'.

July - Me! Video features Harry’s LOR US suits June - July.

The next week, Harry’s shows were energetic, Medicine Saint Paul is here, grinning during Woman, speaking clearer in Dining table, Me! references his ‘enthusiasm’ during Medicine in California

4 July Taylor and Joe at Turks and Caicos, lots of photos

21 July Harry Camille break up announced

Falling, to be so lonely and Afterglow recorded by September 2018.

October 2018 Harry went to Tokyo and was still there when the Rep last show was there 21 November. Taylor played Haylor songs. HS wrote Little Freak. Then Taylor went to UK with Joe, HS stayed

#haylor #lover album #cruel summer

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separatedleoau · 1 year

Text

I'm pairing these together because they are kind of related

Prices? not really, he did give one his blue scarf and gave in to addinig blue accents to his uniform because he likes blue

As One grew up Draxum kept track of his growth and his physical needs, how much he needs to eat, to sleep, etc. etc. So he he build up a special diet so One can have all the nutrients he needs. What exactly? I have no idea lmao

The turtle pellets is fun so yeah, as a very small turtle that's probably all he are, but as he grew bigger he was proven to need more than that. Also now I'm imagining One snaking on turtle pellets so is canon now that he keeps some around to snack on

there was a post with a whole "anatomical study" of the rise turtles and I think it mentioned something about how it would make sense for them to eat so much pizza because they need a lot of carbs on their diet or something like that. idk if it would actually make sense but it resonated with me and made me go "yeah, canon now" so yeah, I guess his diet does consist in a lot of carbs but whatever Draxum considers more "healthy"

(I'm gonna try to find that post to link it here)

As a kid he wasn't really allowed to eat candy (the goyles still gave him some if he kept quiet and didn't tell the boss), for the most part he is actually very disciplined when it comes to keeping his diet (occasionally breaking it because of the goyles bad influence and later on because of the Mad Dogs)

And Draxum does let him eat whatever he wants on Fridays, he chooses pizza most of the time but he also goes to the Hidden City's market sometimes to pick something up with the goyles.

Baby One my beloved

One mimicking the goyles is adorable and it fits into the "he learnt to call Draxum "Boss" from them" thing I've already said so yeah!

As adorable as him leting them sleep on his bed is, the little menace would see them on the doggy bed, think is comfy and climb there and kick the goyles out and claim the bed as his. This happened multiple times, the goyles always ended up kicking him out of there

One trying to eat the goyles? no. the goyles trying to eat tiny One? yes

Draxum would just put him somewhere he could not get out from (baby jail lmao) and leave him there until One's tantrum passed. Sometimes he would leave him there for hours while One cried his little heart out :(

I've already talked a bit about this here but I have ✨New Thoughts✨ so this is One's insomnia part 2: electric boogaloo or as I like to call it "is not a bug, is a feature"

Basically since Draxum lost his other experiments, One becomes the "standard" of what he could have got from the other turtles and any other mutation experiment with Lou's DNA he wished could have make.

While growing up Draxum realized One was developing at the same rate a human would would, so he would compare what a human should be able to do and andure at those ages with One.

As One grows and his problems with sleep start showing uo, Draxum at first would try to force him to keep his usual sleeping schedule, but then realizes One's sleeping "problems" could not be a problem at all, it migh be a result from the mutation he had not contemplated.

He made the mutagen specifically to create an army and what's best than having soldiers who can be more hours active, who don't need to waste so much time on resting or sleeping?

#slau asks #slau childhood #slau one #slau draxum #slau goyles

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alyjojo · 6 months

Text

November 😶‍🌫️ 2023 Monthly - Capricorn

Whole of your energy: The Hanged Man rev

In your meditation, your glyph ♑️ was on the door, the little circle turned into a Scorpion 🦂 tail trying to sting me. May or may not resonate, could be dealing with a Sco. I whacked it hard with a book I was holding, and it cried and went back into its spot, like it never happened. Inside the door was the same loooong stairway I always see, starting at the top with bright illumination, so bright it hurt my eyes to look anywhere but the stairs. It went down, a long long way, and about midway down it was just getting darker, colder, the air was heavier. There was a clear barrier, I couldn’t go down any further, and I didn’t want to. That’s where you were, I couldn’t reach you.

The Hanged Man in rev can mean several things, in this case it seems to be about an impending ego death, because a decision you’ve deliberated on has been made for you. You’ve missed the boat in some way, and while there is a feeling of freedom that comes with it, not having to make the decision at all, it’s like you’re unhappy because it’s not what you want. But you never decided what you want, and part of this is maybe considering that had you even gotten what “you want”, would you have even wanted that? Or this instead? It feels like no decision would’ve *felt* right, but I’m not sure if you’re conscious of that yet.

What’s going on in November:

2 Pentacles:

You’ve gone back and forth weighing your options about something, while you have options to weigh. You were considering releasing whatever is being released now, it’s not really news to you. I think it’s more that the decision wasn’t yours that bothers you. For some, you could be losing money because you didn’t save up for something or didn’t act when you needed to. This doesn’t have to be as serious as it sounds, you could’ve seen something on sale at the store for 75% off and then the next week yours actually breaks and when you need it, it’s full price *and then* some. Go figure right? In other cases this could be a working relationship with someone valuable, helpful, and an opportunity they’ve offered is what you’re letting slip because you’re just not sure how to act, or what to do about it. If it’s already occurred, then you’re deliberating how to respond to this change, which may be unexpected. I’m not sure you have a choice.

The Chariot:

I heard “it’s moving on without you”, whatever that is. Possibly a job opportunity, that’s what I’m getting most from this whole reading. Could be a current job, if you’re losing a job, with 10 Swords in the last row, but that’s not for everyone…hopefully it’s not for anyone 💯 It’s like you’re scrambling to pull things together and reconcile a separation of some kind after a decision has been made, but I don’t see it working out. These could be car repairs costing you quite a bit of money. Things put off now stopping you when you need to take action. If you have two cars, you could be needing to make it work with one, or even using public transportation, which means rescheduling and maneuvering around both of your everything’s in order to make that happen. Or allowing for way more time waiting around. Could be the same or a similar situation with a job as well.

5 Pentacles:

This is a card of feeling left out in the cold, left behind (which is what I heard with The Chariot), abandonment and debt. There are a lot of very sad, emotional, even betrayed emotions that come along with this. You could be losing a lot of money, or money you were relying on, and it’s like you feel completely trapped and powerless to do anything about it now. Say you had a temporary job, and you knew that, you may have browsed several days for jobs but ultimately acted uninterested and didn’t go for any of them. Then something happens, you need one now, and the pickins are slimmer than they even were the first time around. Divorce is possible, job loss is possible, I’m not wishing any of that on anyone - if it doesn’t sound like you just leave it lie. Could be a large purchase, debt, or repair you didn’t intend on or save up for. By the time you realize the hole that’s been dug in some sense, it feels too deep to climb out of on your own, and it could be the “help” that’s fleeting too. Could definitely be dealing with a Sco or have that in your chart, the readings are very similar in ways, yours being more material.

Queen of Cups rev:

Having to leave a situation behind has you in an extremely emotional, possibly even hysterical state. Could be someone else too. It feels like a dream of some kind is being crushed. The energy is really heavy, just like the meditation, some are going to resonate with the deeper versions of the read, and some are just losing their shit over…you thought you could work out a payment plan for several months and need the whole amount TODAY, which could show needing to leave behind some intention or goal altogether, because you just can’t do it, handle it, afford it. If not a dream, you’re just trying to remain positive no matter the circumstances, which are very difficult for you no matter which area of life this regards.

10 Swords & 6 Swords:

You feel betrayed, this ending seems unexpected, there’s nothing you can do about it, except to move on to calmer waters. All you want is to remain positive, balanced, keeping your head on straight, and that’s going to be hard for you to do right now because you just feel out of control & out of your element. There is a bit of feeling sorry for yourself, and in some cases that’s completely justified, I can’t even blame you for feeling emotional. You’re losing something you had that made you feel stable, and a Capricorn that doesn’t feel stable is a very unhappy & burdened person. For now anyway.

Advice because I can’t just leave it like that:

The Emperor & 4 Wands. Could be a parent and needing to move in with them, probably because of financial reasons. It feels like you needing to take charge and be the decision maker for your own stability, or family, however that applies to your situation. It’s like “quit feeling sorry for yourself and do something”, which is something I don’t even say. Like that’s rude Spirit. I have faith they know what they’re doing, they always do. If a house is in trouble, fix it. If it’s a relationship, do whatever is required. If it’s job, find one. I don’t feel like you’d be getting tough love for no reason, it doesn’t usually come out like this. Maybe that’s how you operate idk. It’s within your control to do something, that’s fair to say. There is a small group of Caps that are dealing with something very painful that don’t apply to the tough love group, that are having to make the best of a very difficult situation…and there is a level of self-awareness with that, that you didn’t want to see, you tried not to. You didn’t make whatever decision - got you here, but you can & need to keep moving forward, if there’s a lesson here it’s that. Don’t give your power away, or if you do, don’t be mad where you go when other people are driving the boat. Sheesh 🤦‍♀️ Caps are out there like “harder Daddy”, why are you like this? That’s not me, idgaf what you do or don’t, with love ❤️

8888 is here as either news you’re hearing or messages you’re getting that make you feel powerless, needing to take fast action regarding something you’ve acted like your hands are tied with but they really aren’t. Maybe not getting a message at all, that’s possible, or being blocked if a relationship is involved. Moving towards a dream, away from one, or towards healing & a more positive mindset/situation in any case. 8’s are taking action. Now is not the time to be stuck in your head.

Signs you may be dealing with:

Cancer, Capricorn, Sagittarius, Pisces, Gemini & Aquarius

Oracles: ✨

10 Burden 🫠

Many times we take on the stress of those we love and care for. We see it as the ultimate sacrifice. We take on others’ burden to save them the trouble or heartache. Ironically, the way energy and the universe work makes this a very counterproductive way of operating. When we take on the burdens of others, we deny them the ability to learn and grow from their own lessons. We also interfere with divine planning and timing. Never one to be thwarted - any lessons circumvented will absolutely reappear - sometimes with much more force than what was originally intended.

Ask yourself if you or another is taking on troubles and lessons not belonging to them out of a need to be needed. This stems from the fear that you (or they) are fundamentally not enough. This is not true, you are created perfect. Your fears and doubts keep you separated from this truth. This is the separation one can feel from Spirit. Once you accept and believe you are perfect and worthy, the tendency to make yourself invaluable to others through your help and assistance will go away. Your relationships can then be based on truth and not manipulation.

We enter into November as:

Emaciated Periwinkle ⚖️:

“I must create before the opportunity disappears.”

This card is a good indication that something is out of balance in your life. You may be too focused in one area and therefore neglecting another. Change takes place in proper time. Slow down. With balance we gain the love and support we need to take risks. Periwinkle is also an indication you need to look at your eating habits. This could be a plea from your body to take better care of yourself. This can also point out workaholism or any compulsive behavior that has you feeling out of whack. Is there a part of your life that needs serious attention from you? This card wishes to remind you that...you take you wherever you go.

What is to be learned in November:

Rose Without Thorns 🌹:

“It is time to face my true feelings.”

You are most fortunate. As we mature, we learn that to enjoy the beauty of a rose, we must occasionally risk getting pricked by a thorn. You are not facing “the same situation”, this is the dawn of feelings being awakened and a new truth being born. You’re being presented with a different way to live. Trust you will know what to do. Stay open. Time changes us all if we’re lucky, it’s time to surrender and make the change. The best incentive to change is often love.

Red may be a lucky color ❤️

#capricorn #monthly tarot reading #November 2023 #astrology #tarot #tarot blog #tarotblr

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lunarosewood23 · 3 months

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"Never underestimate the power of song, of a voice. For when one cries out, many more can and often will rise to join in its chorus."

THANK YOU SO MUCH @joshua-beeking FOR THIS GORGEOUS ART OF RAVEN AND RATATOSKR!!!! I am legit still in absolute awe over this gorgeous piece!! He did an absolutely beautiful job with the piece and he is a very sweet human. If you want a commission from him, his comms are open (his prices are here!)

Some nifty little lore bits under the cut for crossover chaos. Warning, XIV spoilers under the cut

Ratatoskr is the Eikon of Sound in crossover chaos. Most of the time her Dominants are bards, but in Raven's case she weaves elemental magic into her songs in the form of Eikonic music, which she mixes lyrics and melodies from both in Valisthea and back home in Eorzea. FE: Wind magic she mixes the melody from XIV!Garuda with the lyrics of XVI!Garuda. (Her voice channels the magic while her staff channels the elemental power)

The meteor shower "weather" condition is a reference to several things in XIV, between it being the logo of FFXIV, a reference to the Seventh Umbral Calamity, the Final Days, the very fact that she isn't from there, and that the fire of the meteors is a reference to the fact that Clive Rosfield is her shard.

While not planned, the fact that there are six meteors here tickles me bc this is the exact number of people who fall into Valisthea.

The light in her hand is meant to be a reference to how the first Dominant she befriended in Valisthea is Dion Lesage, who she calls oath brother basically on sight and she adopts him, his partner and his dragoons as her own.

Raven is basically what happens when you take Songstress from X-2 and mix it with elemental magic. I have a slide in her powerpoint with her lyrics, including Leviathan, though that's probably gonna get updated with whatever happens in The Rising Tide DLC

#Raven Cross #Ratatoskr #final fantasy xiv #ffxiv #XIV -> XVI crossover

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cookies-over-yonder · 9 months

Text

disconnected memory

Willy's forearm disintegrates into nothingness, and the effect slowly travels up to his shoulder.

Flesh shifts in colour to a dark shade of red, before crumbling into fine bits of dust that vanish into thin air.

And whatever happens to Willy… happens to Cass.

⋆ or ⋆

The spell Scary casts on Willy goes awry, and Taylor is the one who pays the price

this is the first fic for my new au: My Mom DIED... and came back as a DEMON!? a.k.a. demon!cass au!!!

shout out to @llumimoon for helping me come up with the summary and also for being my brainstorm buddy for this au (and for being amazing in general🥰💖)

ao3

1 | 2

2. fear

⭒

The tension is so thick in the catbus, Nicky could slice it with his sword.

Taylor is sitting sandwiched between Nicky and Link. He's shaking, and there's a faraway look on his face. Every time Link has said anything to him, he's neither moved nor spoken.

Nicky knows better than to even try.

Taylor is out of it, and if Nicky's being completely honest with himself, everything is kind of fuzzy for him, too.

Before Nicky knows it, he and Link are helping Taylor out of the bus because the kid still can't stand up straight.

And now, here they stand at the front door of the Swift household.

Link asks Taylor for his keys, and a second later, he fishes them out of Taylor's backpack himself.

As Link slips the key in and unlocks the door, Nicky notices that his hands have a slight tremble to them.

As soon as the door is open, Nicky's stomach drops.

This was a bad idea.

This was a bad idea, because Cassandra's laptop is open on the coffee table.

This was a bad idea, because her wedding ring is on the couch cushion.

This was a bad idea, because once they walk in, Taylor is screaming.

And sobbing.

Nick Close never screamed, and Nick Close never cried.

" Taylor! " Link calls.

He's running, despite his unsteady feet, he's running into every room. Opening and shutting doors so fast they can barely follow. This is a gigantic house.

He trips on the first step up to the second floor and yelps. Nicky and Link run over and help him up. Nicky picks him up this time, and holds him tightly, because he's keen on escaping his grasp to continue running around this house.

"What is it?" Link says, and it's at that point that Nicky realizes Taylor has been muttering something.

"Where is she?" he asks.

Link and Nicky exchange a wide-eyed glance.

"We need to—" he tries once more to squirm his way out of Nicky's grasp before settling for shouting. "Put me down! We need to find her! "

Nicky sighs lightly. "Taylor, I… I don't thi—"

"Just fucking let me keep looking!" Taylor yells, and Nicky thinks he can see his eyes glowing for a second as he glares daggers, and he feels hotter than before.

Link puts up his hands in a placating motion.

"Taylor—"

" What , Link!?" Taylor snaps.

Nicky hears Link's breath catch, and his eyes go wide. "Uh…"

"Okay, okay, we can check the other rooms slowly ," Nicky starts up the steps with Taylor in his arm. Link walks beside him, silent.

Once they're at the stop of the staircase, Taylor squirms again. "Can you put me down now?" he asks, and all the fervor he had a moment ago is diminished.

Link hands Taylor his cane—Nicky hadn't even noticed until now that he'd been holding onto it this whole time.

When Taylor's feet touch the floor, his legs wobble and he collapses against Link almost immediately.

Taylor sucks in a breath through his teeth and the hyperventilating starts up again.

"Hey, hey, hey, okay, you're okay, Taylor, you're okay" Link hushes him with a sort of half-hug while holding him steady.

Link is good with soothing words. The way he says them, the tone of his voice, his actions, his expression, it all looks so right.

Nicky has no idea how to do that.

Did he learn it from Grant?

Come to think of it, back when they were still… talking—back before the world got fucked up, Nicky remembers that while he mostly felt very little, Grant would sort of… flip-flop. It was concerning, to say the least. There would be times when the light was lost from his eyes and his words had no soul to them, and other times when Nicky would see him barely keeping his breaths steady and most of the time, failing to.

Maybe it does… make sense for Link to somewhat know how to handle something like this.

"How're your pain levels?" Link asks so softly Nicky almost doesn't hear it over his own racing thoughts.

"Really bad," Taylor mumbles.

"Okay, that's okay, maybe you should let your dad keep carrying you then, right?"

Taylor nods, so Nicky picks him up again, and he calms down the tiniest bit.

Taylor is insistent on seeing the inside of every single room himself, so Link stays close as they peek through each door and Taylor scans each room.

The last place to check is Taylor's bedroom.

Link slowly opens the door, and again, Nicky notices the way his hand shakes.

Once the door opens, Taylor squeaks. It sounds like a squeak. It's some high noise from the back of his throat.

Then he lets out a breath.

And his voice is so small when he speaks.

"I thought…"

I saw her , Nicky knows. Nicky knows all too well.

He knows, and he holds Taylor closer.

"We—we should check downstairs one more… one more…"

"Taylor, I'm sorry, she's not here," Nicky steps into Taylor's bedroom, and he can feel Taylor tense up.

"No—I—I can't… I can't…" his breathing gets fast again, and Nicky is quick to take him back out of the room.

"Okay, you're okay," Nicky says, and he takes Taylor back down the steps. Taylor looks too out of it to notice, so Nicky seizes this opportunity to shut Cass's laptop with his foot, and kick the ring off the couch and as close to the trash can as possible. He'll take care of it later.

Taylor's hands are wet and clammy holding onto the back of Nicky's neck. His mouth is agape, his eyes are wide with a faraway gaze, and his face is red and stained with tears. His breathing is still staggered, and Nicky can feel his whole body trembling violently.

This environment is probably doing more harm than good.

"I have a, uh, I have an idea," Link says, and his voice is so small it's barely audible.

And before Nicky knows it, there they are, at the Oak-Swallows-Garcia household…

…for a sleepover.

⋆

#demon!cass au #dndads au #dndads #taylor swift dndads #nicky freeman #lincoln li-wilson #cassandra swift #angst #fic #cookies writes and cookies wrongs

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marieabubb08 · 11 months

Text

Playlist

Songs I associate with Haikyuu characters:

Taylor Swift Ver.

Kageyama Tobio - Gorgeous (Reputation Album)

OCEAN BLUE EYES-

ITS ALREADY INDICATED IN THERE HONEY

But for real the song screams tsundere and Kags is EXACTLY that

The chorus with the "You're so gorgeous" and "Cause look at your face" fits well too

LIKE DONT LIE TO ME, KAGEYAMA IS TOO PRETTY LIKE WHA-

Now does he listen to this song? Probably not

I don't see Kageyama liking music too much

He may like some songs but he doesn't religiously listen to them

Oikawa Tooru - All of The Girls You've Loved Before (Lover Album)

We all know Oikawa is a bit of a playboy

Therefore, no matter what you say I would always believe that he has A LONG LIST OF EX LOVERS Blank Space Style

Now why didn't I choose Blank Space?

Well I dont really see him as someone toxic

Well yeah, he is annoying in the show and all but I do believe that he is a gentleman especially to girls.

HE HAS A SISTER WHAT DID YOU EXPECT?!

(I always notice that men with sister/s especially if they are really close, are gentlemen)

And seeing how he's close with his nephew means he is close with his sister.

AND HE IS A HUGE MAMA'S BOY, IF YOU DO NOT AGREE WITH ME PLEASE RESPECTFULLY SHUT UP

Now would he listen to this?

YES, YES HE WOULD

Probably because he's heard someone he knows (ahem ahem Makki ahem ahem) listening to this and immediately liked it

Its not his favourite, but definitely its on his playlist

Sugawara Koushi - Cruel Summer (Lover Album)

okay okay okAY OKAY HEAR ME OUT-

It doesnt symbolise Suga that much

Well except for the bridge part, because it kind of screams him

But speAKING OF THE BRIDGE

I KID YOU NOT HE SCREAMS THAT SHIT ON THE TOP OF HIS LUNGS

Imagine you're his neighbour and at 2 in the morning he starts screaming "HE LOOKS UP GRINNING LIKE A DEVIL-"

Tell me he wont do it, because he would

But like I said earlier, I do believe the bridge fits him

"I'm drunk in the back of the car and I cried like a baby coming home from the bar. Said I'm fine but it wasnt true. I dont want to keep secrets just to keep you and I snuck in through the garden gates every night that summer just to seal my fate. I scream for whatever it's worth, "I love you" aint that the worst thing you've ever heard. He looks up grinning like a devil"

I had to type all that-

BUT THIS LINE JUST SCREAMMMMS SUGAWARA KOUSHI TO ME

Akaashi Keiji - Willow (Evermore Album)

OKAY I'M EXCITED FOR THIS

I was about to choose Enchanted but Willow feels more up his alley

I could just probably put up the whole Evermore and Folklore album for this man and it would fit

And btw those two are probably what he considers one of the best albums ever

Timeskip spoilers!

We all know he majored in literature and so he is probably into deep metaphors and similes and Willow has that.

He also seems like the type to like old and magical themes which is WILLOW wow who knew

But really, this would be on his playlist along with Cardigan, some old 80s music and Radwimps

NOW THE SONG JUST FITS HIM SOOOO MUCH

The instrumental of the song is so simple yet very dimensional

AND THE THAT'S MY MAN LINE, LIKE YESSS HE IS THAT MAN

Akaashi Keji is definitely that price we'd cheat to win, don't lie

Kuroo Tetsurou - Getaway Car (Reputation Album)

THIS SCREAAAAMSSS KUROO TETSUROU

From the music to the lyrics dAMN IT-

He is the best of times and the worst of crimes ISTG-

(But I'd defo not be the first to leave if I was with THE Kuroo Tetsurou)

BUT ANOTHER ONE WHERE HE SHOUTS THE LYRICS DEADASS IN THE MIDDLE OF THE FUCKING NIGHT

Bet when he comes early for practice, you can hear him screeching "X MARKS THE SPOT WHERE WE FELL APART" inside the gym

Scared the crap out of Lev once tbh

It's definitely one of his most replayed songs in his playlist

He isnt much of a fan of Taylor, but he just vibes with the song

The type of vibe where he'll dance like a worm when the chorus hits

But Getaway Car just screams Kuroo to me idk why

Atsumu Miya - Back to December (Speak Now Album)

wait wait waIT WAIT-

I know you might be asking WHY THIS SONG?

To which my answer is....

I DONT KNOW

He just feels like a person who would listen to sad/heartbreak songs

He's sappy like that

Probably listens to this, Heartbreak Anniversary, Secret Love Song etc etc

When he listens to this, he would start pulling up with the sad face like he's in a FOOKING MUSIC VIDEO

DONT TELL ME HE DOESNT LISTEN TO THIS AS HE WALKS SLOW WITH A FROWN LIKE HE'S STARRING IN AN MV

But when he's at home he definitely sings this peacefully until the bridge part.

"Back to December all the time........I MISS YOUR TANNED SKIN! YOUR SWEET SMILE!! SO GOOD TO ME SO RIGHTT!"

Lmfao it always wakes Osamu up from his naps so hey its all good for him only

Miya Osamu - Lover (Lover Album)

It is basically cannon that the twins are absolute opposites of each other.

And so, I am sure their music preference are also different.

While Atsumu likes those heartbreaking, Whitney Houston-like lyrics with high energy backgrounds, Osamu likes those romantic, suave songs with acoustic guitars and small drums on the instrumentals.

So Lover was my number one pick.

This MAN IS A ROMANTIC IN MY HEADCANNON, DO NOT CHANGE MY MIND

Can you jussttttt imagine him cooking whilst swaying his hips oN THIS SONG AHBSHSVSHWVWHWV FANGIRLING HARD RN FAM

But yeah, I feel like the whole Lover album is up his alley.

But unlike Atsumu, his singing is pretty chill, no unnecessary screeching and screaming.

Tsukishima Kei - Mastermind (Midnights Album)

So we all agree that this song is Tsukishima's, right?

HAVE YOU SEEN THAT ICONIC MOMENT FROM SEASON 3? GODDAMN HE PLANNED THAT SHIT FROM THE BEGINNING I CANNAT-

Back to the regular programming-

What I am saying is that he felt like a mastermind in that episode😉

JUST FROM THE LINES: "What if I told you none of it was accidental?" or "I laid the groundwork and then, just like clockwork the dominoes cascaded in a line."

Sums up his whole character probably

HE LISTENS TO THIS AGREE TO DISAGREE

I feel like the whole aesthetic of Midnights fit him

HE IS LITERALLY THE ANTI-HERO OF HAIKYUU DO NOT TALK TO ME-

Mastermind is not his favourite but he doesn't hate or dislike it, its in the middle category for him.

Him listening to Vigilante Shit on those white Apple headphones

Tendo Satori - Shake It Off (1989 Album)

TENDO IS A SWIFTIE, HE IS OKAY!

Shake it off is a fun ass song and there is no way he doesnt love this bop

HE DANCES TO THIS RELGIOUSLY OKAY

The lyrics also moves his heart

We all know that his childhood was pretty rough due to bullies (And maybe even when he was in high school he still had them)

So with the lyrics' positivity, it makes his heart lighter.

HE HUMS THIS WHILE HE WRAPS HIS FINGERS WITH TAPE BEFORE PRACTICING HIS BLOCKS

Let me bet you that Ushijima asked him once what the song was because he sings it EVERYDAY, and Ushijima already memorised the harmony AHAHAHAH

He becomes EXCITED and started babbling about Taylor and how he should consider being a Swiftie while Ushijima listens

He may or may not have converted Ushijima into one

HAIL LORD TENDO, THE BEST ADVERTISER TO TAYLOR AFTER USHIJIMA TO SHIRATORIZAWA

Just noticed almost all of these were the setters- Definitely not intentional😶

Part two?

Not Edited

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missvelvetsstuff · 1 year

Text

Where you goin, Star?

Bucky Barnes x Reader

Chapter 6

Warnings: swearing, violence, angst

Notes: sorry this took so long, it's been hectic here. The good news is I finished this one and am halfway thru the next chapter of Guarded Heart so hopefully tomorrow or Wednesday.

FYI, the title and nickname come from Lost Boys. When I was in college I worked at a movie theater with a guy named Jimmy who I became very close to, interestingly enough he called me doll. He was kinda goth before it became a thing in our valley. When Lost Boys came out we watched it so many times and he started calling me Star and quoting David's line when she is with Michael "Where you goin, Star?" Yeah, I'm old. I know. Whatever.

Likes, comments and shares are always appreciated.

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

When Bucky's cab pulled up across from the Pierce's house he saw multiple cars in front. He wasn't expecting a crowd and started second guessing himself. If John was there, that would mean at least 2 more armed bodyguards. While he was thinking, he heard a motorcycle pull up and turned to see Nick Fury.

Bucky nodded "Nick"

Nick looked him over "Barnes. I figured you'd be getting yourself into trouble when Rogers told me where you had gone." Nick turned and pulled a helmet from one of his saddlebags, offering it to Bucky.

Bucky shook his head "Nick, I need to-"

Nick shut him down "No, you don't need to nothing. You go in there with Rumlow, Rollins, Barton and whoever else is watching Walker and your girl and you'll only get both of you hurt and you will end up in jail. Then Stark pulls out of your deal and you're just another criminal while Star suffers even more at her husbands hands and you can't do nothin about it."

Bucky sighed and went to pull the helmet on.

Nick continued "You gotta wait for your moment, the opportune time, if you will. Otherwise you'll just make things worse for all involved. I know you haven't spent the last 3 years working and planning your return so carefully to fuck it up now."

Bucky nodded and climbed onto the back of the bike. "I know, I just.....fuck. It's all such a mess and Star has had it worse than I imagined. Why didn't you tell me, Nick?"

Nick scoffed "You think I have access to Congressman John Walker's personal life? Like I could just drop by for tea? If I had known, and I told you. What would you have done? Raced back here for a confrontation before you were ready? Put a price on his head? You know as well as I do that her father would have just found someone worse to marry her off to. She's never been anything but a pawn to him.

You should have taken her with you when you left but you made your call and now you have to see your plan through to the end."

Bucky grunted, thinking to himself about his next steps when Nick asked

"Buy you a drink?"

Bucky sighed, frustrated but stuck for now. " Yeah, sure."

They stopped by the bar where the club went when they needed a change from the clubhouse. Peter was tending bar and Wanda and Pietro were playing darts. The place went silent when the regulars realized who came in with Nick.

Suddenly it became raucous with cries of 'welcome back' and 'hey, Bucky"

Bucky felt a warm feeling of belonging and chatted with the people he knew.

Wanda came up and gave him a hug "It's about time Barnes. Your Star is in bad shape. I've tried to talk to her but she kinda hates all of us since you disappeared and no one would tell her anything."

Bucky hugged her back, fighting back tears "I know, fuck I know. I'm gonna get her back."

A familiar voice that didn't belong in their bar spoke up "Over my dead body"

Bucky turned towards the door to see John Walker, Clint at his side. Bucky gave him credit for bravery but took it back for plain arrogant stupidity.

He smiled widely "That's how this ends."

John laughed "I'm sure you think so but the arrangements I've made will end her life if anything happens to me. I don't know if Brock will actually go through with it but if he doesn't kill her he'll keep her for himself. He's gotten her well trained over the years. She thinks I don't know about her drug problem or unapproved visits to her horses but Brock tells me everything. Your Star is very talented." He grinned wickedly.

"I'm honestly surprised you didn't hurt Brock when you had the chance. I mean considering what he did." John paused like he was thinking "Oh. Right. You weren't here so don't know what he did."

He chuckled "Did you know she was pregnant when you left? She cried so prettyly to her daddy about how she loved you and wanted to have your baby."

Bucky's eyes grew huge before John tossed out his zinger "Brock took care of that, at her father's orders."

Bucky doubled over and exhaled painfully, like he had been hit.

John laughed at his distress "I think Brock might have gotten carried away because she hasn't gotten pregnant yet." He shrugged.

"You sonofabitch." Bucky seethed, jaw clenched, left arm whirring as he opened and closed his fist.

Nick placed a hand on Bucky's shoulder and spoke softly so only Bucky could hear "Now isn't the time or place, Sarge, too many innocents, too many witnesses. I promise we will get to him but you need to be patient."

Bucky nodded curtly "Fine, Colonel but I ain't waiting forever." And knocked back his drink before sitting down in his seat, arms crossed across his chest. His emotions were overwhelming but he plastered a stoic mask over his face and stared coldly at John.

John laughed again but it sounded more nervous than before "Just stay away from my wife Barnes. Final warning" and quickly left.

Nick looked at Bucky grimly. "Let's get you back to your hotel. I hear you've got a big morning planned."

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

At her fathers house, after John left, Y/N was locked in her old bedroom laying on the bed with an ice pack over the Right side of her face, hoping to stop the swelling. She had a meeting with her father's attorneys in the morning and John would blame and punish her if any blemishes were visible. Dr Zola had come to the house after John left and put her left wrist in a cast, flesh colored so hopefully no one would notice. He expected a perfect and polished wife at all times no matter what he did to her.

She took a drink from the bottle she grabbed from her fathers bar, not even caring what it was, pulled a shoe box out from under the bed and set it on the bed next to her, pulling the lid off. She had grabbed it from her old house after Bucky left her stable earlier. One at a time she pulled items out and carefully examined each one.

Ticket stubs from Lost Boys, pictures from a school carnival upstate, a playbill from an off, off Broadway play they went to, pictures from the weekend in a B&B upstate. All the little pieces and memories from the happiest time in her life.

She took an oxy and a xanax, washing them down with a long pull from the bottle. She didn't even realize she was crying until a tear fell on a picture of them.

The first few months after Bucky left, she hoped he would come back or contact her to explain and save her somehow. Once she was married to John she gave up. She accepted that this was her life and had no hope of any relief until she turned 30 and had her own money. Then she would disappear to another part of the world, where John Walker and her father didn't have any power.

"Fuck! Why did he come back?" She yelled. Until she realized why. That million Her father gave him must have run out by now. Her inheritance from her grandmother would make her independently wealthy in her own right. Not to mention her fathers money, once the will was settled.

Too much of a coincidence, she scoffed angrily, convinced that he was here to see how much more of her money he could get his hands on. She promised herself he wouldn't get anything from her before she passed out from the alcohol or maybe the drugs or all of the above.

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

The next morning Bucky woke up with a hangover, he wasn't used to drinking like that anymore. He sat up slowly, going over what he could remember from last night. He definitely remembered John Walker and felt his stomach seize up at the memory of what he said. Hoping it wasn't true, that John just said it to hurt him more but accepting it very well could be.

He was starting to feel like he should do what he could to help Star and step out of the way. How could they be happy again when his actions had brought her so much pain. Did he even deserve to be happy with her again?

As he stepped into a hot shower he decided to take it all one step at a time. Today was for celebrating with Steve and Sam. Once the groundbreaking was done, he would be able to figure out what to do about Star.

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

Star woke abruptly when cold water hit her face and chest.

"Come on you lazy whore, time to get up."

She looked up through bleary eyes, substances still running through her system.

John was standing over her with a big smile on his face. "We're going to the lawyers but after I have a surprise for you. Official congressional business" he laughed. "Make sure you cover up those bruises and cast. Long sleeves would probably be best. Shame because it's supposed to be warm out today." He grabbed her arm, not caring about the pain from the fracture he caused last night, and pulled her off of the bed onto the floor.

"Ok, ok. I'm up. I'll be ready in 30 minutes." And groaned as she climbed up the bed till she was standing and limped towards the bathroom. Once inside the bathroom with the door closed she took her drugs and finished what was left in her flask, making a note to refill it before she left the house.

After a quick bath and some creative make up she stepped into the bedroom and released a sigh of relief that John wasn't there.

At the attorneys office Star was shocked and angry at what she was hearing.

"Your father contested the terms of your grandmother's will and made it clear that he expected Mr Walker to pursue it if anything happened to him. That money is expected to go to Mr Walker when everything is said and done. In addition, Mrs Walker, you only get your father's inheritance as long as you stay married to Mr Walker and have a child. If you leave him or haven't at least gotten pregnant within the next 2 years the money will revert to Mr Walker."

"What right did my father have to contest the will? It wasn't his mother. I can't believe he is still trying to control me when he's dead." Star fumed.

John smiled "No sweetheart, he knew you needed a strong hand to keep you from doing anything stupid, like run off with some biker."

She glared at him "This isn't over, John." She spat and left the office.

John smiled at the attorney "Women. Think they can take care of themselves. Silly" and left chuckling.

He grabbed her arm when he caught up with her and shoved her into the SUV Clint was driving. "I told you I'm not going to put up with that kind of behavior, sweetheart. I don't want to have to punish you again, we have too much to do. Maybe you'll feel better when you see my surprise." His grin made her stomach drop, it wasn't a good surprise but nothing ever was with him.

After a short drive the SUV pulled up to an empty lot near Nick's shop. The area was crowded with people, news crews and balloons everywhere.

Star looked at him nervously "What is all this, John?"

He gave her a wide grin "Just political kissing babies kinda stuff. Make the people believe we care about them and their lives."

John helped her out when they stopped, gently taking her hand, knowing there were too many people around and he had to be careful.

He kept Star tucked into his side so she couldn't see the people at the center of the excitement. Then she heard a voice welcoming everyone, a voice she knew,

Tony Stark. She tried to look past John but still couldn't get a clear view.

Tony boomed "I'm so pleased to welcome back some hometown heroes who are going to make a positive difference in this community. James Barnes, Steve Rogers and Sam Wilson who will be running their new garage BRW Harley Davidson sales, repair and customizations. Today marks one of many steps that I have watched these boys make to improve themselves and their hometown, since they left the military. I'm proud to be a partner to their business and look forward to a prosperous future with them."

Steve stepped up and made some comments about coming home and making it better. Sam and Bucky tossed a coin and Sam won so he took the fancy honorary shovel and made the fist dig. The audience cheered and the sound of champagne popping filled the air.

Tony stepped back up "I've been notified that we have a special guest today. Congressman John Walker and his lovely wife Y/N. Please welcome them up here."

The audience cheered but Bucky and his friends felt a chill seeing Star trailing behind John like an abused puppy. She didn't look at anyone simply murmuring "thank you" and shaking Tony's hand after John.

Bucky stared at her, willing Star to look at him but she kept her eyes on the ground. She barely looked like the beautiful carefree woman that he had fallen in love with. In the sunlight it was easier to see how much she had changed. Dressed in a long sleeve, high collar dress that wasn't her style at all, with big sunglasses on her pinched face. When she smiled it was forced and it broke his heart even more.

He promised himself he would do everything he could to help her and then back off if that's what she wanted.

Star looked over at Bucky, he was so handsome even with the specks of grey in his stubble and his suit fit him perfectly. She felt an ache that she hadn't felt since her wedding. A longing for the love they once had. She forced herself to stop that train of thought and remind herself that he was only after her money. Not that she actually had any but he didn't know that. Star straightened her shoulders and looked straight in his eye with all the hatred she could muster.

When Bucky saw the look she was giving him he turned away, the guilt was too much. He spoke softly with Sam and Steve, trying to figure out how to get Star alone with Bucky and get her to listen to him.

Steve saw John deep in conversation with Tony and went to do what he could to keep John occupied. Tony picked up on what was going on and insisted on telling one story after another without letting John get a word in.

Sam went up to Rumlow and Rollins to talk about bikes and show them a couple that they had worked on.

Bucky followed Star as she found a quiet spot in the alley behind the building next door, without all the attention on her.

He called to her softly "Star. Please can we talk? Everything isn't as it seems. I really do want to help."

She looked at him warily, exhausted from recent events "Not here, Brock will be looking for me soon. Tonite, at my parents house. Brock always checks on me at 11pm when he locks up. I'll meet you on the corner at 1am."

She sighed "I'll get my ass kicked if I'm caught so it better be more than another lame apology."

She quickly turned away and headed back towards the crowd, hoping no one noticed.

Chapter 7

Bucky sighed, at least she was giving him a chance. He would deal with her husband and body guards once he had set everything straight with her. He headed back towards the crowd, accepting a glass of champagne from Steve but his head was swimming with thoughts of Star.

#bucky barnes x reader #bucky barnes fanfiction #james bucky barnes x reader #james bucky barnes #bucky barnes x you #angst with a happy ending #biker bucky #biker au

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