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andydrysdalerogers · 7 months

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Your Submissively ~ Adjudication

Steve Rogers X OFC Isabella Davis

Summary: Five Years after the events of Civil War, Steve Rogers has moved on from avenging and has started his own business, Grant Inc. He has a secret that would turn his world upside down. And he's good at keep that secret. Until he meets the woman with violet eyes that could bring him to his knees. Now his mission is to make her, his. But she is the key that could bring the world into balance... or chaos.

And she has no idea.

Series Warnings: slow burn at the beginning, smut, angst, sexual themes of BDSM, dom/sub dynamics, kidnapping, loss of virginity, (and a bunch of others that will come up)

A/N: the taglist is open!

Dividers by @firefly-graphics

I do NOT give permission for my work to be translated or reposted on here or any other site, even if you give me credit. DO NOT REPOST MY FICS. Reblogs, comments, likes, and feedback ALWAYS appreciated

Previous: Innuendo

Series Masterlist ~ Main Masterlist

“I’ve noticed. We’re so comfortable that you forgot to put a condom on, and I had to get plan b.” Belle stopped and covered her mouth.

“What did you just say?” Steve looked at her with disbelief.

“i… I…” Belle didn’t know what to say. She hadn’t meant to tell Steve like that.

Steve took her hand and dragged her back to the party. He found Bucky. “We need to go.”

“I was going to head to Lila’s parents for dinner after dropping you off.” Bucky looked for her.

“It’s fine Buck. I’ll just take a cab. Enjoy your time with your girl.” Steve turned and continued to pull Belle.

“Steve, please.”

“No. We are not communicating like we promised so we need to go somewhere and talk.” They made it to the main road and Steve flagged a cab down. Once they got on the road, Steve and Belle sat quietly.

“Steve…”

“No. not right now. Belle, just, let me process this right now.” Steve felt horrible. He thought back to Friday where he remembered to put protection on but he couldn’t remember if he did on Saturday. He was always responsible. He always had a plan. But he fucked up royally with this. At the same time, he was furious with Belle for keeping this from him. He would have done everything for her, made sure she wasn’t alone in this.

They made it to Manhattan in good time. Steve paid the driver and they went up to his apartment. When they walked in, Belle gasped. Steve had forgotten and a small smile graced his face.

The apartment was decorated with balloons and roses were every on every surface of the living room. A banner of ‘Congratulations’ hung over the fireplace. “Steve…”

“I wanted to celebrate you tonight. I’m proud of you. I wanted to make sure you knew how proud I was.” He shuffled his feet. “I didn’t see us coming back to argue.” He looked up. “Why? Why didn’t you tell me?”

“I don’t know.”

“That’s not a good enough answer Isabella.”

“What do you want me to say Steve? I was scared. You’re the only person I’ve ever been with.”

“You should have said something.” Steve ran his hands through his hair. “What happens next?”

“I take a test in four weeks just to be sure.” Belle hugged herself. “Steve, what did you expect? I never went on birth control. We weren’t careful. We haven’t talked.” Belle held in her sob in. “We never talked about any of this.”

Steve stopped breathing. She was right we never talked about it. In fact, they hadn’t talked about much. “I’m sorry. You’re right, we haven’t stopped and talked about this.”

“No, we haven’t. I haven’t signed yet but we haven’t even discussed anything beyond me not wanting to be marked.”

“This isn’t about the contract!”

“This has everything to do with it.”

“What does that mean?”

“It means that I’m not sure if I want this life. To be worried that you won’t be there, that I’ll be alone again. I don’t want to be alone. I want to sleep next to you and we can’t because of some stupid contract. So no, I don’t think I can do this.”

“Isabella, you don’t mean that.”

“I don’t know that I don’t. everything about this is different. I want more. I want to have people who stay in my life. Can you promise me that?”

“I told you from the beginning that I didn’t want that.” Steve was trying not to show his feelings. The very real feelings he had developed for the violet eyed beauty. She rocked his world off his axis and he didn’t want to go back. But he couldn’t. To place her in the line of fire. Because of her position. As his partner, his love, his wife.

“Well, you don’t act like it.” Belle wanted to cry. “I should go.” She turned to leave.

“No, don’t.” Steve pleaded. He pulled her roughly in and kissed her hard. “Don’t leave me.” He picked her up and took her to his room.

“Steve,” she whispered.

“Sweet pea, let me love you.” Steve laid her on his bed. He kneeled down in front of her and removed her heels gently. He massaged the insole of her feet and she groaned. He kissed her ankle and moved up.

Belle watched as he moved upward, kiss her skin. She ran her hand in his hair, feeling how soft it was. Steve growled when she pulled slightly. “What are you doing sweet pea?”

“I want to kiss you.” Her eyes darken, turning her violet eyes to an almost black with lust. She could see only a sliver of ocean blue in his eyes.

“Don’t leave me,” he whispered.

“Amore, please.”

Steve lifted her up to her feet and spun her to pull the zipper down. He kissed her shoulders as the straps fell, pooling the dress at her feet. He ran his finger over the edge of her strapless bra before i clipping it and letting it fall. “You’re beautiful,” he whispered.

It was slow, sensual. He took his time, kissing her skin, tasting every inch of her. She in turn touched every piece of skin she reaches, memorizing every ridge, every vein on his body. He laid her down and tugged her panties off. He undressed quickly and took her in his arms. He pulled her on top of him so he can stare.

He lifted her up and guided her on him. She sank down and the moaned together. He guided her hips to rise up and down until she got used to the feeling. “Steve,” she moaned.

“God baby, you feel so good.” She rocked her hips and he hissed. “Belle, please.” She moved faster, moaning louder. Steve placed his thumb on her clit and she started to moan louder. Steve felt himself getting close. “Belle, you need to slow down.”

“No, no, I need this.”

Steve flipped them and kept going bring her to the brink. “Steve!” She screamed as she reached her climax. His thrusts became sloppy and he pulled out. He cummed on her belly. He collapsed next to her, both breathing deep. He got up and grabbed a towel to clean Belle up. He held her until she was asleep. He looked at Belle, his sweet pea. He took her to her room so he could clean up.

After dressing her in a shirt, he went back to his room to change the sheets. He took a glass of brandy with him. He sat for a moment. He decided in that moment that he needed more as well. He closed his eyes for just a second. And fell quickly asleep.

Belle woke up disoriented. She wasn’t in Steve’s room any longer but in her at the apartment. It broke her. When he pleaded with her not to leave, she assumed that things would change. They wouldn’t. She got up and took a shower, dressing in her clothes, not the ones Steve gave her. She packed a few things she would need at home. Her bunny, her blanket. She left the perfume, unsure if she could smell it again and not think of the romantic nights with Steve. She sat at the desk and pulled a sheet of paper.

Steve, This is really hard to write. You were the unexpected. You changed my world. You are amazing. First I want to say thank you. Thank you for taking care of me when I needed it. Thank you for being there for me. The last few weeks have been a dream. I don’t regret anything about our time together. Except for a few things. I need more. I know you said that it wouldn’t be more than this. But I need more. I need the security of knowing my partner will sleep beside me, will hold my hand, will never be too busy for me. When I lost my dad, I lost my compass, my direction. I thought I found it with you. I’m sorry. I fell in love with you and I’m sorry. I know that wasn’t what you wanted but I can’t lie to myself anymore. I don’t know how you feel but I can assume as I sit in my room alone that you don’t. I’ve left everything you provided in its place. I can’t do this. I can’t be what you wanted. I can’t fulfill your needs. I will send you a message when I know the results. I wouldn’t want to leave you in the dark. Please be good and well. It would break me to know that you didn’t. This is not a reflection of you, just of your needs. I’m sorry I wasn’t good enough. I love you Steven G Rogers. I hope you find what you are looking for. With all of my love, amore. Belle.

Belle left the letter on her desk and made it out to the living room. She took in the decorations once more and noticed a velvet box on the table. She opened it out of curiosity and saw a diamond tennis bracelet with a single letter in the middle. S. It was to be her marker, his show of possession for her. It was beautiful and simple. But no longer hers. She wiped a single team away and walked to the door. She made it to the elevator and out to the front of the building.

It was still early, about 5 AM, the city relatively quiet. She walked to the subway and sat, making her way to Jersey. She thought about how she still needed to pack. She hadn’t had the chance to mention to Steve that she had found a place in Manhattan with Lila to be closer to work. No need now. As she walked the few blocks to her apartment, she took in the cool and calm morning. It was May and the flowers were on display.

She made it to the apartment to find it vacant. Lila must have stayed at her folks. That was better. She needed time. Time to process, time to mourn. Time to forget about the loss of the love of her life. She took out the bunny, clutched it to her chest and cried.

Taglist:

@patzammit

@texmexdarling

@slutforchrisjamalevans

@firephotogrl74

@tinkerbelle67

@before-we-get-started

@bunnyforhim

@alexakeyloveloki

@sunnyhummingbee

@whiskeytangofoxtrot555

#andy's hea #andy's shenanigans #yours submissively #chris evans fanfiction #steve rogers au #steve rogers smut #steve rogers fanfiction #Steve Rogers x OFC #Bucky barnes #chris evans #mcu fanfiction #Steve rogers #steve rogers imagine #chris evans au #avengers au

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taizi · 10 months

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soft ground, claiming moon

out-monster the monster

@natsumeweek 2023 day 1; sun/moon read on ao3

(next)

The worst part about all of this is that Shuuichi found out by accident.

Natsume was uncharacteristically energetic on the phone. Not so much excited as anxious, and not overly so by any normal person’s standards, but Shuuichi knew him just well enough to tell.

It wasn’t his place to pry. But Shuuichi spent a good chunk of his time worrying about that boy, small and overshadowed and terribly lonely, so maybe he was entitled to prying just a little.

“Any big plans this weekend?” he said conversationally.

“Oh, uh, I don’t know if you’d call them ‘big,’” Natsume replied, with the slightest trip in his tone that would have been a huff of laughter if Shuuichi was talking to anyone else. “All of us are staying at the temple. Tanuma’s place, I mean. Even Ogata and Shibata are going to be there.”

“So it’s a party,” Shuuichi teased, something in his heart going soft the way it always does when he’s reminded that Natsume has a big group of chaotic, good-natured friends who are happy to go out of their way to spend time with him. “I didn’t know you had it in you! Especially since you fight tooth and nail to avoid going to all the ones I invite you to.”

This time, Natsume really did breathe out a laugh. It was a big personal win for Shuuichi.

“Definitely not a party,” the kid said dryly. “At least, not by your standards.”

“Well, it’s at least partly a party if the whole gang’s getting together. What’s the occasion?”

“The full moon rises on Saturday,” Natsume explained, as if that was a very normal thing that normal people were both aware of and planned events around.

“If you tell me Taki has finally turned you into a witch, I’ll be very disappointed,” Shuuichi said, only half-joking.

“I don’t want to be a witch or an exorcist, thanks. I have enough on my plate as it is, don’t you think?”

Considering one half of his bloodline’s very storied history, and the gift—or curse—his heritage granted him, Shuuichi has to admit that Natsume makes a compelling argument. It’s a mark of how far they’ve come that they’re able to joke about it with each other on the phone.

“Satchan’s probably going to be too tired to do much of anything,” Natsume was saying. “I think we’ll mostly wind up napping and watching movies.”

Ah, the small-town mountain life, Shuuichi thought to himself, not unkindly. He would have gone insane with boredom if he was stuck in Hitoyoshi at fourteen, but Natsume, who has lived in a dozen different places in half as many years, genuinely seems to love it. At least there’s relatively less trouble for him to find out there.

At least he’s well-protected from people like Shuuichi out there—people who made a career out of hunting down people like Natsume.

Shaking away the grimmer thoughts, Shuuichi asked, “Do I know Satchan?”

He was familiar with the names of Natsume’s friends, given how often Natsume talked about them, but that one wasn’t ringing a bell.

“Oh, uh, I meant Nishimura,” Natsume said quickly. He sounded embarrassed. “That’s—Kitamoto calls him that.”

Saving the cutesy nickname as mockery material for another day—they would definitely be revisiting that—Shuuichi said, “Ah, your friend with the excellent taste in movies! Is he not well?”

“He’s fine.” Natsume’s tone took an oddly defensive turn. “We’re taking care of him.”

Something about that pinged in Shuuichi’s brain as very weird, but a lot of conversations with Natsume did that. If he stopped and wondered about every strange thing his young friend said, he’d never get anything done.

It’s not until much, much later, when Shuuichi is juggling emails from his agent about his role in an upcoming period piece and exorcist correspondence regarding a grudge in Osaka, that it occurs to him what weirdness, exactly, the back of his mind had picked up.

A few weeks ago, there was an animal attack out in the forest that all the children frequented. Shuuichi found out through Touko, who called him to explain why Natsume would not be making the trip to Tokyo to visit him on set after all. Satoru was in the hospital, she told him. Natsume hadn’t gone to school in days, camping in the boy’s hospital room with their friends. They could hardly be budged.

It was so strange, Touko had said tearfully, because no one in town had a dog anywhere near big enough to do that kind of damage. And there certainly weren’t any wolves left in Japan.

He had reached out to Natsume the next day, sending him a paper man that delivered the question, Do you need my expertise?

He was a monster hunter, and it was a simple, unacknowledged way to ask if there were monsters at large in Kyushu. Natsume’s reply came within the hour, the talisman paper turned brittle with the powerful signature of his magic. It was ozone and static electricity, the wildness of nature. The touch of it contained the barest hint of a threat.

No, it read. We’re taking care of him.

“Fuck,” Shuuichi says out loud, to Sasago and Hiiragi’s disdain and Urihime’s delight. He’s up and moving a second later, barking over his shoulder for the familiars to begin sealing the doors and windows, setting up the barrier, preparing the house for an extended absence. One never knew how long a job might take.

Shuuichi yanks open a cabinet door in his workshop. A neat row of silver tools glint with promise beneath the warm lamp light.

There is at least one wolf left in Japan.

#natsumeweek #natsume yuujinchou #natsuyuu #natsume takashi #natori shuuichi #my writing #natsuyuu fic #im a day behind :')#soft ground claiming moon

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punchdrunkdoc · 6 months

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Part 3, Chapter 3

Summary: After the events of S3, Matt Murdock is trying to once again balance life as a lawyer and a vigilante. But he’s been scarred by loss and betrayal - will a mysterious new neighbour help him heal? Or will her secrets drag him back into the darkness?

Notes: This is a slow burn romance with an original female character, told in 3 (maybe 4??) parts. There is mystery, intrigue, action/violence and angst - all the good stuff!

Also available on AO3 and Wattpad

Masterlist

Reference pics

————–

PART 3

Chapter 3

The next morning, Matt smiled as he walked passed the florist on his way to work, the rich, heady scent of roses filling the air.

Yesterday, that fragrant reminder of the upcoming romantic celebration had only added to his bad mood - the bad mood caused by a week spent worrying about Calina and her strange phone call, and a month and a half spent missing her. The fact that Valentine’s Day was approaching meant he was bitterly reminded of what was taken from them, and what other couple’s took for granted - the chance to be with each other.

But today, he was actually feeling…optimistic.

Calina may have been a few days early, but she’d given him the perfect Valentine’s gift:

Hope.

Her brief visit last night had spurned him out of his morose despondency. It was the catalyst he’d needed to realise that it was time to stop dwelling on the negatives and obsessing over what they’d lost.

Instead, it was time to focus on the positives. They were both still alive. Still healthy. And still fighting for each other. Distance didn’t matter. Being temporarily separated didn’t matter. They loved each other. They would have the rest of their lives together. A few months apart was nothing compared to the years to come.

Matt had been dealt some crap hands throughout his life - losing his sight. Losing his father. Losing again and again. But he’d always found a reason to stay in the game. To accept the defeats and find the will to carry on playing.

This was no different.

He just had to have faith that God’s plan would reveal itself.

And this morning, he felt like he was finally getting a glimpse of the tapestry. He was finally seeing the beauty in the chaos. This separation would only strengthen them as a couple. It would serve to reinforce their bond, and ensure that they never took each other - or their happiness together - for granted.

“You seem…better,” Karen commented when Matt reached the office.

Matt shrugged. “I feel better.”

“That’s good.” She gifted him with a wide smile, and Foggy patted him on the shoulder.

It made Matt realise how much his foul mood had been impacting his friends and their workplace. “I’m sorry, guys,” he said. “For being such a miserable bastard the last couple of months.”

“I wouldn’t say ‘miserable bastard’,” Foggy replied. “That’s a bit harsh. ‘Forlorn asshole’, maybe. Or ‘wretched son of a bitch’ would be more accurate.”

Matt laughed. “Okay, okay, I get it. I’ll try to be more upbeat from now on.”

“What brought on this sudden change in attitude?” Foggy asked.

Matt couldn’t help his smile. “I saw Calina last night.”

“So you got laid! That explains everything!”

Karen slapped Foggy’s chest with the back of her hand. “God, Foggy.”

Matt just laughed. “No, it was just a quick visit. But it helped give me some perspective. It’s like you said, Fog - this is just a long distance relationship. It won’t last forever…and other couples go through similar experiences all the time.”

“Exactly, man. Astronauts.”

Matt smiled. “Yeah. Astronauts.”

“She’s Neil Armstrong, and you’re the little lady waiting back on earth.”

Matt rolled his eyes. “Something like that.”

“Okay,” Foggy said, rubbing his hands together. “Well, since you’re in such a good mood, you can take point on the meeting with the new nightmare client, while I finish off the brief for the Chisholm case.”

“Nightmare client?” Matt asked.

“Yeah, a tenant dispute case. They’re arriving at 10.”

“Fine,” Matt agreed. Liaising with a difficult client was the least he could do to make up for his less than stellar performance the last couple of months. “But I have something to do first.” He held up the USB drive that Calina had slipped to him last night.

“What’s that?” Karen asked.

“I’ll let you know as soon as I do.”

Matt booted up his computer and plugged in the device. It contained a single large document which he printed off in braille and started scanning through. At first there was just a list of chemicals - the results of the analysis by the Widow scientist - but then Calina added some context.

And it changed everything.

“Guys?” he called out. “You gotta hear this.”

“What is it?” Karen said, taking a seat on the other side of his desk. Foggy joined them a moment later and leaned against the door frame.

“Calina found something.” Matt spun his monitor around to show the document on the screen. “Apparently, one of the main ingredients of the fear pheromone is something called Arsonium bromide. Its a chemical that environmental groups have been calling for greater regulation on, because it’s disposal has been linked to soil contamination which is affecting agriculture yields across the country. Those environmental groups were successful in convincing a prominent politician to lobby their cause to the EPA last year.”

“Okay,” Karen said slowly. “How does this help us?”

“That prominent politician was Governor Andrew Benson.”

“The guy Calina was supposed to assassinate?”

“Yes.” Matt leaned forward as he laid out Calina’s theory. “Two days after the failed assassination, Benson suddenly, and without warning, withdrew his petition to the EPA, and walked back all his previous objections to the chemical.”

“Somebody got to him,” Karen added. “Somebody with a vested interest in the use of Arsonium bromide.”

“Exactly. With Benson’s support, the environmental groups were gaining traction in their fight. So someone tried to take Benson out. And when that failed, they likely played off the assassination attempt as a warning.”

“Do as we say, or next time it’ll be for real,” Foggy guessed. “Which means whoever is behind the manufacture of the fear pheromone-”

“Is the same person who arranged for Calina to be reactivated,” Karen finished.

“It’s all connected,” Matt said. “If we find out who created the pheromone, we find out who ordered Calina’s mind control. And vice versa - if we can find out who paid to have their very own Widow assassin, we find our pheromone guy.”

“Holy shit,” Karen whispered, tilting the monitor so she could read through the information on the screen.

“I take it the Widows are concentrating on finding out who bought Calina’s ‘services’, for want of a better term?” Foggy asked, reading the screen over Karen’s shoulder.

“As much as they can - but they’re more focussed on hunting down Volkov. He’s the bigger threat to them right now. Which means we’ll be doing them a favour if we find this information first.”

“So where do we begin?” Foggy asked.

“I say we concentrate on researching this chemical. Where its manufactured, who buys it, and how.”

“I’ll start today,” Karen answered, scribbling in her notebook.

“What does this mean?” Foggy said, pointing to something on Matt’s screen.

“Which part?” Matt asked, shuffling through his print outs.

“The last sentence. It says, ‘I hope this helps, shereen-am.’ What is ‘shereen-am’?”

Matt tried to control his reaction. “It’s nothing. Just an inside joke.”

It wasn’t nothing. And it wasn’t a joke. But it was something private, just between Matt and Calina. He’d googled the phrase before calling the others into his office and found that it was a Persian term of endearment. Roughly translated from Farsi into English it meant ‘Honey’.

By using that term, Calina was reminding him of Christmas Day, when she’d whispered all those terms of endearment into his ear as they’d made love on the couch.

She was reminding him of a happier time, to help get him through the dark and lonely days to come.

Matt smiled as he skimmed his fingers over that word again: Shereen-am.

Calina’s visit last night had given him hope. The information on the USB had given him a lead. And the affectionate nickname on the end of her message had given him a glimpse of how things would be between them in the future.

It was a promise, of better times ahead.

———

“And then he grabbed her and kissed her!”

“It was like something out of a movie - the way he dipped her back, and with the two of them bathed in the moonlight with the stars twinkling overhead…”

Calina groaned and sank into her chair as Katya and Inessa gushed to the other Widows about Matt’s antics on the boat last night. The three of them had arrived back at the mansion at dawn, and after a brief nap, they were now debriefing the rest of the team.

But it had gotten a little side-tracked.

“‘Bathed in the moonlight’?” Sofia repeated. “Come on, Inessa, I think you’ve been reading too many of those romance novels.”

“But that’s exactly what it was like!” the younger Widow protested. “It was the most romantic, swoon-worthy thing I’ve ever seen!”

“That’s not really saying much, given the way we were raised,” Viktoria commented.

Inessa rolled her eyes, and opened her mouth to respond but Anya cut her off. “Enough about Calina’s love life. Did you find the warehouse?”

Calina sat up again. “Yes, enough about me. Tell them what you found.”

Anya had found mention on Ranieri’s laptop of a recent real estate transaction. Which wasn’t unusual in itself - the Ranieri family seemed to prioritise property and commercial investments over gambling on the stock market. But while the rest of Salvatore’s portfolio made sense for a party guy in his late twenties - night clubs, bars, trendy apartments in major cities across the world - a former wholesale carpet warehouse in an industrial estate in New Jersey did not.

So Katya and Inessa had been tasked with scoping it out.

Katya tossed a USB stick to Anya. “Photographs and schematics as requested. The place was deserted - no personnel on the grounds - but it was spotless, with signs of a recent professional clean. It’s definitely being prepped for something.”

“Like a lab to manufacture the mind control serum,” Sofia guessed.

“Possibly,” Yelena interjected. “But we can’t get ahead of ourselves. We need more evidence. We need to be sure before we make any moves.”

“Agreed,” Anya chimed in.

“Which is why we planted a few cameras,” Inessa said with a cocky grin. “And several bugs. We’ll know soon enough what the plan is for that building.”

“Good,” Yelena responded. She looked around the room at the rest of the Widows. And a rare smile graced her face. “I know I just told you all to be cautious…but I have a good feeling about this. I think this is how we get Volkov. I think this will all be over soon.”

Several of the women whooped and cheered in response - a sign that Calina wasn’t the only one who was looking forward to this confinement ending.

And it also proved to Calina how much the Widows had come out of their shells over the last few months. They laughed more readily now. They expressed their emotions without prompting. Conversations flowed instead of stuttered, and there was an easy camaraderie between everyone.

The stilted, angry, and bitter atmosphere that often pervaded the base in South Carolina didn’t exist here in Maine. And Calina knew it had nothing to do with the change in scenery - the weather outside the mansion was dark and grey and wet these days, holding little of the sunny, vibrant beauty of Charleston.

Time was the reason.

They’d been given time to start the healing process. To learn about themselves and the world around them. Time to find their little moments of joy.

Joy that even Volkov couldn’t take away. If anything, the looming threat that he posed had the opposite effect - as if the Widows were defiantly enjoying themselves even more to spite him and his attempts to force them back into an emotionless, violent existence.

Calina would be sorry to leave this place when the time came. She no longer felt the need to escape this environment. Not like in the beginning, when she’d first been freed. Back then, she’d felt suffocated by all the pain and rage around her. She’d wanted to strike out on her own and discover who she was away from that toxic environment.

But everything was different now. Now she would miss living here with all her sisters.

Though not as much as she missed Matt.

Seeing him last night had been a rollercoaster ride. She’d swung from the lowest low of wanting to escape his presence, to the highest high from that kiss. Because as much as it made Calina cringe, Inessa’s description had been spot-on - it had been the most wonderful, romantic, swoon-worthy gesture in the history of the world.

But on the journey back to Maine, the high had worn off. And all her doubts and fears - and all the guilt - had come flooding back.

And all of it boiled down to one thing - she didn’t feel worthy of him.

She didn’t feel worthy of the kind of man who would fly a hundred feet through the air just to kiss her. She didn’t feel worthy of a man as amazing and kind and smart as Matt. A man who fiercely protected the strangers in his city, and could touch her with such reverent tenderness.

The kiss had made her forget all that. It had short-circuited her brain and over-rode all her negative emotions, until the only thing left was passion. She’d given in to the moment, to the feel of being in Matt’s arms again.

Which she’d known would happen. It was the reason she’d chosen that cramped, awkward crane jib as their meeting point in the first place. She’d known that if they’d met in his apartment, or on the pier - or anywhere else out in the open - he would have taken her in his arms and she would have been powerless to resist. She would have accepted his embrace and returned his kiss all the while feeling undeserving of him.

So she’d chosen that metal cage instead, as a way to deny herself.

As a punishment.

But he’d gotten around her little ploy. He’d kissed the life out of her on that boat deck, and everything else had faded away. How guilty she felt about Italy. How scared she was that if he truly knew her and everything she’d done as a Widow that he’d hate her.

How terrified she was that they were too good to be true.

“Calina!”

Calina lifted her head at the sound of her name. The other widows were all staring at her. “Huh?” she asked.

“You spaced out there,” Inessa explained.

“Sorry. Just tired,” she lied. “I’m going to head back to bed.”

The chorus of ‘Byes’ and ‘Sleep wells’ from her sisters followed Calina up the stairs, but she was already lost in thought again.

She didn’t know what to do about Matt and all these doubts she was having.

Did she share them with him? Admit her fears about not being worthy of his love? Could she even explain them without having to divulge all the dirty secrets of her past? Wouldn’t that just bring about the end of their relationship and defeat the purpose of the whole ‘sharing’ thing?

Calina fell forward onto her bed and smothered her frustrated groan with her pillow. Then she flipped onto her back and stared up at the ceiling as she contemplated the alternative scenario: being with Matt, with this constant pit of worry in her stomach. Revelling in his affection and his love whilst always waiting for the other shoe to drop.

A tear leaked from the corner of Calina’s eye as she wrestled with all of these unfamiliar emotions. A tiny part of her longed for the days of being an unfeeling automaton…but she quickly squashed that treacherous notion.

This was better.

Despite all the uncertainty and pain and confusion, dealing with these emotions was far better than living as a shell of a human being under the Red Room’s control.

“Hey, you okay?”

Calina hastily wiped away the tear as Katya entered their room. “Yeah, I’m fine.”

“Liar,” Katya teased, taking a seat on the edge of the bed. “You’ve not been okay since Italy. Did something else happen there?”

Calina levered herself up to rest against the headboard. “What do you mean?”

“Well, when you debriefed us after the mission you said Ranieri just got a bit handsy. Did something…more…happen that night? You can tell me.”

Calina shook her head. “No, nothing else happened.”

“So what is it? What’s going on with you?”

Calina’s first instinct was to lie again. To keep everything to herself. It was the way she was raised - the way they all had been. Even before the mind control serum took away their emotions they were trained to hide them. To bury their sadness and their loneliness and their pain. To never confide in anyone how they were feeling.

It was a difficult habit to break, but Calina was determined to tear away this next layer of Red Room conditioning. So she took a deep breath and told Katya everything. How she’d called Matt before the party in Italy. How having Ranieri’s hands on her felt. And how it was all messing with her head. “I know intellectually that nothing really happened,” she explained. “It was just a few unwanted gropes and a kiss on the neck - I’ve been through much worse on missions like that - but I just feel so…guilty. I keep imagining if it was Matt in that situation, and he’d let some other woman touch him. I would hate it. Which means I can’t tell him, because then he’d hate me.”

“You don’t know that for sure,” Katya interjected. “If you just explain to him that it was a mission and you were playing a role-”

“But that would just open up this whole can of worms. About all the other roles I’ve played in the past, and the things I’ve done-”

“While under mind control, Calina.”

“Again, I know that intellectually…but don’t you still feel guilty about everything you did while under the serum?”

Katya smiled. “I feel guilty for stabbing you in Seoul.”

Calina rolled her eyes. “I’m being serious. We all did some really messed up shit for Dreykov. Doesn’t that…stick with you at all?”

Katya looked down as she picked at a loose thread in the bedspread. “Occasionally. Usually at night - my dreams are sometimes…not fun.”

Calina placed her hand over Katya’s remembering what it was like when she first arrived in New York - the endless nights spent pacing the rooftop, unable to sleep. “I’m sorry.”

Katya shrugged. “It’s fine. They’re just memories. The important thing is that I don’t blame myself for it. And you’re not to blame either. We were kids when we were brainwashed, and then we were forced against our will to commit all those acts.”

“But what about now? We’re acting on our own free will, and we’re still murdering and stealing-”

“Yes, to stop the bad guys!” Katya protested. “We’re on the side of good now. And we have the rest of our lives to be on that good side, and to make up for everything we’ve done”

“Can we, though? Can we possibly balance a ledger with so much red in it?”

“Now you sound like Natasha. And look what she’s accomplished. She’s an Avenger. Little girls all over the world want to be like her, because she’s a hero. We can be like that too.”

“I don’t think I’ll ever feel like a hero. Matt’s a hero, and he-”

It was Katya’s turn to roll her eyes. “You know I like Matt, but he’s not exactly squeaky-clean. He’s a vigilante - he breaks the law every night.”

“It’s different. He has a moral code. One I’ve violated again and again. If he ever found out the truth about me, he’d hate me.”

Katya studied her for a few moments, a frown marring her face. “Calina, what is the ‘truth’ about you?”

Calina swallowed harshly. When she finally answered, her voice was small and shaky. “That I’m not a good person.”

Katya reared back. “That’s ridiculous! You were brainwashed and under mind control-”

“I’m not talking about that! Since leaving the Red Room, I’ve abandoned my sisters, I’ve lied to everyone I’ve met, I’ve killed people, and I- I cheated on my boyfriend!”

“You didn’t cheat!”

“What would you call it?”

“I call it necessary! We’re fighting a war here, Calina. And wars are messy, and they involve sacrifice and difficult decisions. Killing the men who came after you, lying to protect your identity and going undercover to steal from Ranieri were difficult decisions, but necessary.”

“But-”

“I’m not finished!”

Calina snapped her mouth closed. She’d never seen Katya like this - so agitated and…loud. She’d always been one of the quieter, more rational Widows.

“As to your other ‘sin’,” Katya continued. “You did not abandon us. You came to save me in Korea - you risked your life to save me. That’s not abandonment. And the other widows told me what you were like after you were freed - they could all see you were struggling. Moving to New York was another necessary decision. You know why?”

“Why?”

“Because you’re a good person. You were never cut out for this kind of life. Even as kids we realised that you were too sweet and sensitive. And the Red Room persisted in trying to beat that out of you, but they never could. Despite what you’ve been through and what you were forced to do, you’re still that same sweet, sensitive, good person. It’s why you’re feeling all of this so much more than the rest of us. And while we all appreciate your help with taking down Volkov, if you want to leave again, not one person would blame you.”

She bumped her shoulder against Calina’s. “We love you, Calina. You are worthy of love. You just need to convince yourself of that.”

————–

So do we think Katya got through to Calina? Does she believe now that she's worthy of Matt?

Read chapter 4 to find out...

Tag list: @hollandorks @stilldreaming666 @yanna-banana @chezagnes @tearoseart-blog @acharliecoxedfan @freckledbabyyy

If you’d like to be added - let me know!

#daredevil #daredevil fic #tabula rasa #daredevil fanfic #daredevil fanfiction #matt murdock #daredevil x original female character #marvel's daredevil #matt murdock fanfic #daredevil fandom #matt murdock x oc

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yuurei20 · 1 year

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Vil Info Compilation Part 2: Beanfest

Vil plays a large part in Beanfest, which Pomefiore prepares for with pre-event stretches, where Vil notices Rook’s recent increase in muscle mass (Rook responds, “Imagining the rush of exhilaration I’ll feel when I capture you is going to keep me up all night!”)

Vil begins the event by not wearing fragrance (as members of the opposing team like Rook and Jack are known to have particularly acute senses of smell) and beating a pair of Savanaclaw students into submission (with an insult for Leona of “Your handler is utterly incompetent”) so that they agree to team with him, and quote: “You are in the presence of royalty. Now KNEEL.”

The Savanaclaw students are surprised by Vil’s physical prowess, and Vil explains that his personal trainer is a former kickboxing world champion.

(Note: in the NA version the Savanaclaw students start calling Vil “boss-man”. In the original dialogue they call him "aniki”, which is a gender-neutral term for an older sibling, but not sure what an equivalent would be in English…are there perhaps more gender-neutral ways to express things in Japanese than in English? This also happens where Vil is correcting Epel’s behavior in a different vignette. Considering Vil’s dislike for separating words, clothes, interests, etc, along gender lines and Epel's problems with toxic masculinity, the addition of the word “man” to Vil’s dialogue in a scene where he is correcting Epel is kind of ironic. If it were any other character, then changing the phrasing to the English-language idiom “clothes make the man” probably would have been fine, but the fact that it is specifically Vil speaking to Epel is the perfect storm of “he really wouldn’t say that” ww)

Vil gives his Savanaclaw team fashion tips during the event that they promise to “pass on” to Leona, as they are “sure he’ll appreciate it”.

In a vignette it is revealed that Vil’s team members would rather not be following his orders at all. Vil saves Silver from a 10-member monster-team attack single-handedly and is betrayed by a group of Octavinelle students who had offered to join him.

They recruit Vil’s band of Savanalcaw students, but it is revealed that Vil suspected their motives from the start: he physically overpowers and ties up all the Octavinelle and Savanaclaw students, explaining that he was onto them all from the moment he saw them.

Vil explains talks about a time a costume of his ended up ripped and sabotaged by a veteran actor who had kindly shared acting tips with him, so “spending time among wolves in sheep’s clothing put (him) in the habit of gauging others’ true intentions”. He says, “Spotting betrayals is trivial for me.”

Silver requests permission to go to Malleus, which Vil grants, leaving Vil alone to use the Octavinelle and Savanaclaw students as bait. Vil successfully bluffs his way out of a confrontation with Jack and Azul, and Epel says that it is “kind of scary how seriously the monster team is taking this…”

Vil explains, “We’ll never get a chance to play a game of tag on such a massive scale again once we age into adulthood. I saw we seize this transient, chaotic day.”

Vil adopts Floyd into their group by physically tossing him to the ground, impressing Floyd extremely. Floyd agrees to join them with Vil’s promise to teach him the self-defense technique he used, in exchange.

Later on Floyd naturally expresses reluctance to obey, and Vil invokes Azul in order to force Floyd’s cooperation.

Rook discovers Vil and dismisses Trey in order to take Vil on alone. Thanks to his stamina Rook ultimately wins their fight, but Vil isn’t particularly bothered, saying, “I played to the fullest of my abilities and still lost. That’s simply how it goes sometimes.”

#VilFacts #TwstVil #TwstFacts #twisted wonderland #Vil Schoenheit

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thecameronchronicles · 2 years

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Collateral

TW: DarkRafe! Rough Sex. Dominance. Degrading Language. Public sex. Language. Smut.

SUMMARY: Following the events of Rafe getting scorched by Barry after he’d taken his bike as collateral for an unpaid debt, he sets his sights on you to get even in the only way he knows how…

WORD COUNT: 1600

*Requested*

Collateral

Love was messy. Sex was fun. This is all you needed to know and it was exactly what Barry gave you. You always got exactly what you were looking for when coming to him, leaving as a satisfied customer, parting with a kiss and a lingering promise of a return. Without strings or expectations, it was perfect to rival the existence of your otherwise tainted heart.

Finishing yet another exchange of afternoon delight, coming down from a high first intercepted when you’d arrived by his generous use of marijuana you were granted from his attempts at being chivalrous, you prepared to leave his trailer before feeling him take hold of your wrist.

“Always here when you need another hit, Prada-” This was the name he had given you due to having first met draped in the designer brand; everything from your perfume to your shoes, and it simply stuck. You grinned at how it offered a bit of sweetness to your exchange, just the right amount of being personal without actual emotion complicating what this was; drugs with benefits. You leaned upwards, offering one final kiss before turning to leave.

“Hey…” A voice pulled your focus from the collection of keys tangled in their multitude of one too many keychains. As your eyes pulled upwards to meet with none other than Rafe Cameron. His identity was anything but a mystery as you'd seen him linger for his own fix every so often as you would be wrapped around Barry. But you’d never spoken more than a glance to one another, and even that was fleeting as you only ever saw him as a mindless, trust fund kid working out his cocaine frustrations one line at a time-dare you say, even timid.

How wrong you were…

“Can I-uh, give you a ride?” He offered, motioning to the bike set at his back, its recently charged engine still humming as you held up your keys, hoping this would serve as your polite rejection. But in your attempts to move to the car stationed just off center of the front of the trailer, he’d collect your wrist.

“Wasn’t a request…”

“Let go of me-”

“You see, your boyfriend decided to take something of mine,” There was something almost erotic in the flames behind his eyes as he spoke to you, you couldn’t help but admire it as you knew the same burned behind yours on occasion. And yet, you knew where Barry was inconsequential, someone like Rafe Cameron was anything but.

“And now I intend to take what’s his-”

“Sorry to disappoint you, But I’m nobody’s-” He took a step closer, taking your jaw within his hand before walking you to the hood of your own car, pushing you down against it as you’d made note of the burn mark, still fresh, on his left wrist. You recalled Barry telling you about this and how it was debt paid with interest still waiting to be received, but you never imagined it would ever involve you.,

“Wrong again. Right now, you’re my whore-” You were turned against the hood, bent over, with his leg between your own to keep you from running away while he forced you down by a hand to the back of your neck, fingers eating painfully so into your skin as you grunted.

“Got a pretty smart mouth…Be good and it’ll get to stay pretty,” He threatened, leaving a sense of ambiguity if this meant disfigurement or using it for his cock, but either way, frightening you enough to stay silent.

“Did you let him come inside of you?” You kept silent, not wanting to endorse his actions while also not wanting to anger him as you were well aware he was able to use you as he saw fit, something validated in how you were unable to move less than five seconds after an unofficial first interaction.

“That’s fine, I’ll find out for myself-” He removed his knee to investigate your core, allowing you the chance to take your body weight upwards and slip from his grasp.

But he was swift, managing to take you back under his thrall, with a chuckle of mischief no less, before taking you back towards the car. But without the ability to pin you against anything, he was left struggling to keep you behaved, not that he had expected you to be. Because of this, he’d decide to surprise you into submission, taking you against him with a passionate kiss that made you temporarily breathless.

As much as you wanted to hate him and curse him from beneath his actions, you couldn’t deny how this brazen action was arousing to a fault. For just a moment, you’d reciprocated, the full need behind his kiss keeping you there, as it was all he needed to use it against you.

“I knew it…No way he could fuck you like I could…” He scoffed, lifting you off of your feet by wrapping you against him and moving you back to the hood of the car.

“He wants to take my bike, I’m gonna fuck his girl-fair’s fair…” He seemed to speak more to himself than to you, either way, a comment which would be left lingering in the air, before you were undressed, more willing than not, which was infuriating for your morality. But what you expected to find in trembling fingers and a novice lover was rivaled with possession and necessity brought to you in such a way that you never knew you needed until now. It was noted by him in the flickers of excitement behind your gaze and weakening reservation-all he needed to continue.

“You gonna take my cock like a good fucking slut and go back to him dripping with me and MAYBE I’ll let you come-” He explained, bringing a slap to your ass as you winced, half aroused and half in pain as he was cruel, compassion existing only in a distant regret of having not done this when he’d seen you sooner.

“You’re gonna be so fucking sore-” He muttered, unlatching his belt and sheathing himself in to you, enough lubrication to keep you from belting out in pain from his initial actions, but his thrusts bottoming out inside leaving you clawing at the hood of your car.

“Fuck, baby-he’s not taking care of you, is he? You’re so desperate for it and you don’t even know me…” He laughed.

“But you’ll know my cock by the time I’m done with you-” Another slap to your ass brought another gasp as he took your chin and bent you backwards until he could tower over you.

“Open-” He spoke quickly, winded from his own thrusts as you obliged, too overtaken with lust to care. After all, you belonged to nobody but yourself and Rafe was another distraction you could allow from your own trials and tribulations. A very BIG and thorough distraction at that…

“Tongue out, bitch, come on.” A spurt of saliva was projected into your mouth once you’d obeyed, his grip pulling even tighter in your acquiescence.

“Swallow. I want him to taste ME on EVERY part of you-” He grunted, releasing your hair and altering his focus to your neck, cutting off your oxygen as he saw you smile in the glass before you.

“Yeah, you like being fucked like this, don’t you? You like that anyone can see how good you take it?” You felt him choke you even sharper, enough to bring stars behind your eyes as you nodded.

“Dirty whore…” He shook his own head, returning to his thrusts before quickening them, making you tremble before withdrawing.

“I want you to see how good you take it…” You were taken on your back, legs pulled to his waist as he aligned himself inside of you once again. But he wasn’t quick in these plummets. Instead, he’d thrust once and pull back everything but the tip as his other hand took your hair to guide you upwards.

“See how fucking wet you are! See how badly you needed me?” Your mouth came open in silent moans, the sensations, the eroticims, the borderline exhibitionsim having left you on the verge of your own high.

“Watch it!” He ordered as your eyes sprung open, fluttering against the fight to close from how deep he had been inside of you. Your nails reached to his stomach, leaving claw marks behind as he’d now resume his pace.

“He bigger than me, baby? Huh? He make you arch your back and cry like this?” He questioned, weighing himself down onto your torso as you shook your head.

“Don’t tell me-Tell him! Fuckin’ tell him!”

“YOU!”

“Not my name, baby-come on, you aren’t THAT stupid…”

“Rafe!”

“Who?!”

“YOU RAFE, GOD, YOU!” He chuckled before fading into an expression of pleasure, your clenching having been too much for him to endure without expulsion, his warm excess in spurts as he finalized these motions before releasing your hair, turning back to find Barry standing in the threshold of his screen door.

“Now we’re even-” Without a word, you were left suddenly parted from Rafe, your body in need of a release he refused to give as you watched him leave the scene with a sinister smirk, a signature of sorts before taking his departure.

Taglist: @hopebaker @iovdrew @penny4yourthoughts @magnificantmermaid @pickingviolets @lovedetlost

#outer banks #obx #outerbanks #obx fanfiction #rafe cameron #drew starkey #netflix #outer banks smut #rafecameron #rafe cameron smut #rafecameron x reader #obxsmut

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toujokaname · 1 year

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Princess Kaguya / Epilogue 1

Author: Kino Seitaro with Akira

Characters: Arashi, Tatsumi, Hokuto, Kanata, Hiyori

"The death of the idol Tomoe Hiyori is the birth of a new Tomoe Hiyori—"

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Location: Princess Kaguya Stage

Season: Winter

Time: Time goes by. The day of the recording.

Arashi: Look, look, this outfit! It makes me feel like I'm wearing a haregi kimono[1]...♪

The design was already cute in the sketch, but it feels even more like Princess Kaguya when worn in person ♪

Tatsumi: A gorgeous haori combined with modern innerwear.... Indeed, these garments are the very embodiment of the "modern arrangement of a classical work" concept.

Hokuto: I must take my hat off to the staff for their hard work.

It's rare to see such a large-scale set. It seems like a waste to use it for a one-time recording.

Kanata: Yes. I was also surprised at the "elevator"-like "mechanism".

Hokuto: As one would expect from such a popular program, the budget and the skills of the staff are outstanding.

Hiyori: Mhm, mhm. Wonderful costumes, a magnificent stage—it's suitable for my last job!

I can proudly tell my fans that this will be my "last job".

Tatsumi: Yes. It's time to display the fruits of all our practice so far. From living together, to granting "wishes"—and, having fun while playing at an amusement park with all the members.

All of it, it became our source of nourishment. I want this reading drama to make everyone feel that way.

Goodness, when I talk like that, it sounds like I'm giving a sermon. Now that the program is about to start, would the leader like to say a few words in closing?

Hiyori: That's right. At the end, the leader has to wrap things up on behalf of the unit.

I'm going to ramble a little bit, is that okay?

Arashi: Of course. It's the leader's last speech, so don't even worry about it.

Hiyori: Well then, I won't hold back—

Hiyori: Eh~ Ehem, ehem. (Clearing his throat)

Looking back on the immediate aftermath of the unit's gathering, it was truly the worst!

Living together for the Shuffle Unit failed, and I couldn't even look at ourselves anymore!

I thought it was appropriate for my last job, so I eagerly volunteered for the leadership position.

But then you immediately regretted having to live together and thought of it as a mistake, didn't you?

Kanata: Fufu. You really aren't "holding back"~♪

That is how deep our "connection" has become, is it not?

Hiyori: Yup. That's what Shuffle Units are for.

Suddenly being put into a unit with one job as the goal—it's normal for people to not get along with each other. I forgot about that.

It was the same when I was in fine, and when I joined Eden. Honestly, I didn't like the way in which Ibara ordered me to do this and that.

But now I get along well with them. I think it was fate that I was asked to participate in this Shuffle Project for the ending.

Hiyori: Ah. Of course, I haven't forgiven Eichi-kun yet!

He's the only one that I'll never reconcile with, you know? If Eichi-kun and I ever get along, it'll be a harbinger of cataclysmic events ♪

Hokuto: Tenshouin-senpai and Tomoe-senpai are like two sides of the same coin. It would be a shame if they never work together again.

Hiyori: Hm~ I wonder? Even after I quit being an idol, he'll still be a part of my life for some reason or another...

Just thinking about it now is depressing. Terrible weather!

Tatsumi: Ahaha. Eichi-san and Hiyori-san have a really interesting relationship.

Hokuto: But, I'd like to see a Tomoe-senpai who's no longer an idol. I'm sure you'll be able to get around in high society.

You're a skillful and graceful person. You'll be fine wherever you go.

Standing side by side on stage together, I can guarantee it.

Hiyori: Ahaha. You seem to have a lot of confidence in my future, don't you?

But, I'll do my best. Though I'm a little reluctant to leave the entertainment industry, which is always getting more and more interesting.

Hiyori: The death of the idol Tomoe Hiyori is the birth of a new Tomoe Hiyori—

I will live my life only looking forward. That's how I've always done it.

I'll leave ES the same way I left Yumenosaki Academy. There'll be a different light shining in the future, and I'll inherit a part of it.

So, don't be sad when this job is over, and move on.

This is my last stage as an idol.

Getto Spectacle—may the moonlight shine upon us.

Haregi are a type of expensive kimono people wear in special occasions, most often for New Year's, but also in weddings and coming-of-age ceremonies.

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#kino seitaro #akira #event story #princess kaguya #arashi #tatsumi #hokuto #kanata #hiyori

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unfortunate-arrow · 1 year

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𝒲𝑒𝑒𝓀𝑒𝓃𝒹 𝓌𝒾𝓉𝒽 𝓉𝒽𝑒 𝒢𝓇𝒶𝓎𝓈 → Day 2: The Welcome Ball 2.0

Event by @endlessly-cursed, who also owns Prim (and Adonis)

8:01 pm

“Mr. Devlin, William. You’re the first to arrive,” Prim exclaims, offering him a smile.

“The ball begins at 8 pm,” William responds.

“You’ve never liked when they tell you an event begins at one time, but the expectation is to arrive later.”

“It makes no sense. Why not just say it begins at the later time?”

“Well, have a nice time. And, save me a dance, I suppose.”

“Isn’t that supposed to be my line?”

“That may be, but as I know you, you’ll leave a third of the way through. Do know, though, that I won’t tolerate anyone saying negative things about you, William.”

His lips quirk up in a half-smile. “You cannot control it all, Prim.”

“Ah, I know. But do try to enjoy yourself.”

“I shall endeavor to enjoy myself tonight. If no one makes mention of our dissolved engagement, then it shall at least be partly successful.”

“Ah, that farce. Do not remind me, but we are to show that it has not impacted relations between our titles. I still cannot believe how long these legal proceedings are taking.”

“Yes,” William sighs. “I know.”

9:15 pm

Simon surveys the crush as he makes his way towards the host and hostesses, like a good earl and a good third son. He stops for a word or two with many of his fellow peers, asking him about his opinions on this or that. Not that the words of a teenaged earl mean much to them, but they’ll likely spread the word about the reclusive earl of Wexford’s politics. And be repulsed by most of what he decides to champion, not that he has a seat in Parliament as he’s a peer of Ireland and not one selected to serve in government.

“Lord Gray. Lady Gray. Miss Gray,” Simon says, offering a quick bow once he approaches the family.

“Lord Wexford. How nice it is for you to attend. We missed you last year,” Lord Gray says.

“Ah, yes. Something came up that could not be ignored. I apologize that my regrets came so late.”

“Don’t worry about it, Wexford. I’m sure that everyone here shall find you infinitely fascinating. The reclusive earl of Wexford, finally showing his face at a society event.”

“You grant me too much intrigue. I am not nearly as interesting as one would think. The rumors have gotten a little out of hand.”

Simon doesn’t know how much the viscount or his daughter knew about the rumors. Well, specifically the horrifying rumor that stated that Simon had been the one to set the fire that had killed his entire family. That one was probably the result of Horace wanting to keep Simon hidden… and probably because Horace was still itching to get his greasy fingers on Simon’s title. Therefore, the fewer people knew Simon, the better, in Horace Dormer’s view.

9:47 pm

Minerva slips through the crowd, ducking beneath arms until she nearly runs smack into Adonis Demiurgos’s back. Her arms fly out, as she steadies herself. In that moment, though, Adonis turns around and Minerva loses whatever balance she had had previously garnered. The momentum has her falling forward, but his arms come forward, landing on her shoulders to steady her.

“Are you alright, Minerva?” he asks, his hands lingering on her shoulders.

“I’m fine,” Minerva replies, studying his face and appearance. There’s something different about him, but she cannot place what it is. “I was going to say hello to our hostess. My mother would have my head if I breached that protocol.”

“How is your family?”

“They’re good. Ned’s at home dealing with something or other. I didn’t pay attention to what it was. Ned rambles too much for my taste when it comes to that.”

Adonis laughed softly. “Well, I wouldn’t want your mother to have your head, so I’ll let you go… but before you do, could I get a dance?”

“A dance?”

“Yes, you know, what they do when music plays.”

“I know what a dance is, you clodpole.”

Adonis shakes his head, a small smile forming on his lips.

10:24 pm

“Thank you for adhering to my wishes about the Gryffindor Lynch boy, Prim,” Niamh says, upon finally having a moment with her fellow Ravenclaw.

“I wouldn't pressure you. I admire your dedication to establishing a career first, Niamh. And, the Lynch brothers both declined, something about other plans,” Prim replies.

“I suppose I’m just lucky that my parents are supportive of my plan and aren’t pressuring me to marry.”

“Yes, I’d say you are. What are your plans? I cannot believe we have never discussed that.”

“My plan is to become an auror.”

“Wow. I wish you the best of luck, but I’m sure this type of conversation will come up again.”

“I suppose it will,” Niamh says. “Also, this has been quite a lovely hall. I must admit, though, that I am a bit out of my depths. A Catholic farm girl from Mayo isn’t necessarily someone you imagine at a hall.”

“Thank you. And you fit in just as well as everyone else, even if you are a Catholic farm girl from Ireland.”

#weekendwiththegrays #wwtg22 #william devlin #simon battersea #minerva kennedy #niamh kelly #adonis demiurgos #aderva #minerva x adonis #hphl #hogwarts legacy #my ocs #other people’s ocs #my aesthetic #my writing #hope the little aderva scene makes up for not being able to write their meetcute #and the idea is that both lord gray & lord carlisle are covering their asses when dissolving the marriage contract to avoid suing #because even though it was fairly mutual they both want be covered #also that they didn’t really do any events together that summer so now at this event they need to put on that face

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hockey-x-imagines · 2 years

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Made to Last || Tyler Seguin Pt. 20

A/N: I’m baaaccckkk!! After writing and rewriting this part, I’ve come to a crossroads. I can either keep this a Tyler Seguin fic or switch to Jamie Benn. I’m leaning more towards switching it up, mainly because I’m fed up with Tyler in this story. Let me know what you think! Sorry it’s so short, that’s mainly because I wasn’t sure which direction to go in. Feedback is always welcome.

Song Inspo: Made to Last by Issues

Paring: Tyler x Reader

P.O.V: Reader

Word Count: 714

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His words hurt more than you can describe. Does he really think that little of you? It's times like this you really wish you could go back in time and never have met him in the first place. As you sit and stare at the door, you try to comprehend what just happened, but you can't. Your brain fails to understand how the man sitting in the living room could be the loving caring Tyler you once knew. How did all the ups and downs lead to him accusing you of cheating on him? How could he look you in the face after telling him you're carrying his child and ask if it was his? Footsteps down the hall have you racing to lock the door. As if he could hear the lock, his footsteps stop and turn the other way before fading off. You don't know what to do, so you do the only thing that makes even a little sense to you. Call Jamie.

Y/N? What's going on?

Well for starters, I'm pregnant.

Really? Congratulations! You guys must be excited.

Jamie please stop. Your voice breaks and tears start to run down your cheeks yet again. You're so done with crying.

Y/N what happened?

Tyler asked me if the baby was his. This was after he accused me of cheating at the stupid fucking charity event when he was the one with someone else on his arm. When did he become like this? Is this really who he is now? Jamie I so fucking tired.

Wait, wait, wait, what the hell did he say? The tone in Jamie's voice immediately changed.

He asked me if the baby was his. At this point, you're full on ugly crying. I don't know what to do or how to move on from this. I just sold my cabin, I really don't have a place to go permanently. Please tell me what to do.

Y/N I don't really know what to say to help. You're more than welcome to come stay with me until you figure out what to do next.

I can't ask you to do that. I don't want to ruin your relationship with Tyler.

Trust me, you're not. He's doing that just fine by himself.

Jamie, please don't let me be the reason your friendship with Tyler falls apart.

Y/N listen to me right now. It doesn't matter if it's you or someone else, I can't be friends with someone who treats people the way he's been treating you. Granted, it doesn't help that I love you.

Woah wait, what?

Shit. I didn't mean for that to come out. Please don't get freaked out. Can we maybe have this conversation face to face, please?

Uh yeah, I guess so. Let me finish packing and I'll be over.

Mindlessly you continued to pack your things while your thoughts ran wild in your head. Once everything you had was either packed or put in one place so you could easily come get it later, you took a deep breath and tried to prepare yourself to face Tyler again. What you weren't prepared for was to see Nessa straddling him. Of fucking course, she would be.

Ever so quietly you exited the house, after all you wouldn't want to disturb them. Once you made it to your car, you expected the tears to start up again, but they didn't. Maybe you were finally emotionally drained, or maybe you were finally past the point of caring about what or who he did.

Pulling up outside Jamie's house you take a moment to compose yourself. You really aren't sure if you're ready for the conversation that's about to take place. Never in your wildest dreams had you ever thought Jamie had or would have feelings for you. At the same time, it almost made sense. Not a lot of sense, because he had tried to get you and Tyler back together. At the same time, he had always been there and had always offered a shoulder to cry on and what not. Never once had Jamie made you cry. To be fair, he didn't say he was in love with you, maybe he just meant he loves you like a sister. Maybe you were just making something out of nothing.

#made to last #Tyler Seguin #tyler seguin fic #tyler seguin imagines #tyler seguin one shot #tyler seguin imagine #nhl #nhl fic #nhl imagine #dallas stars #dallas stars fic

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shogikappa · 1 year

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The Walled City

“They say dreams are a door to your subconsciousness. This door is a gateway to another dimension, a dimension of thoughts. What kind of world will we discover this time? One and all, I welcome you to step through and find out... in Alice’s Dreamland.” - Alice Watling

“To-night’s story is from a dream I had. Dreams can sometimes be a better writer than our conscious mind, wouldn’t you agree? To-night, we take a look at the life of an unsuccessful person, who ventures into a secluded society to turn things around, but will Dreamland really grant what we want?”

My life has not been very successful. After quitting my second job, I have remained unemployed. I spend my days reading books, eating lunch, and sleeping. Nothing eventful ever happens.

One day, I heard about this... Walled City. It is a community secluded from the rest of the world. It is self-sufficient, with a kind of farm of its own, places to live... It promises good opportunities. Maybe I’ll be able to find work there, and have a change of pace. That’s how I ended up going to the Walled City.

The walled city is perhaps a bit of a misnomer. It is pretty much entirely cut off from the outside world aside from its glass gates - the structure has a ceiling, and there are no windows, so technically we aren’t getting any sunlight. However, the people there have developed a kind of technology that allows plants to grow there, and the artificial lighting supplies an almost natural sunlight kind of radiance. The community here does not really care for the outside world, although anyone could leave at any time they want through the glass gates, and anyone could join the community, provided they are not here to cause harm.

*****

It’s been several months since my stay at the Walled City started. I have a decent life in there, selling food. It is not much, but it is something that isn’t very stressful.

At some point, there had been a big snowstorm, and the glass gates had gotten frozen shut. No one could get out, and no one could come in. We were at first slightly troubled, but eventually we decided that we’re all happy with our life inside this space, and that we don’t really care to get back out. And so, the gates remained frozen, and we returned to our lives.

*****

As more time passes, the more it weighs on me. Is this really fine? Do we not want to know what the outside world has become, any progress it has made that could benefit us? Any new developments in technology or medicine. I gathered people around where I lived, and I told them my thoughts. For all intents and purposes, this will be our universe. We will know nothing about the outside. The Walled City is going to become a graveyard. We’d eventually just all die here. Are we really happy with that? It seems this has resonated with many of the residents, so they gathered more and more people around. While we wanted to live in a secluded society, it was never our intention to turn a complete blind eye to any development the outside world has.

Eventually, we all agreed to use a makeshift battering ram to knock down the frozen gates, that have remained frozen this whole time. Once again, we will be open to the outside world again. Perhaps, for the first time, we will learn of some new breakthrough that we could use.

Heave, ho, heave, ho. We slam the battering ram against the gates until they crack and crack. Just a bit more...

The gate is shattered. We made it. The gate is now broken, and we’re free to exit once more. But suddenly, the walls of the structure started shaking. It would seem that the gates somehow were holding the structure together, and that breaking it is causing the structure to collapse. We hurry everyone out before it all comes crashing down on us.

A few of us sustained some minor injuries, but all of us made it out alive. Now, what awaits us in this-

Wait. Everywhere we look, there are flying saucers. The place is desolate. We don’t see any people around, only UFOs flying all over the place. A newspaper blown around by the wind informed us that aliens have taken over the planet at some point since the gates were frozen shut, and now they’re here to hunt and eat us.

One of the UFOs discovered us. We all panicked and ran in different directions, but it was no use. Each of us eventually got beamed up by the spacecrafts, and we hear their shrieks of terror as they got sucked into the ships.

My group ran, but we didn’t last very long. Eventually, we were cornered by several UFOs. That’s when it occurred to me. We should have been content with life inside the Walled City. It was protecting us from these aliens, and I never should have suggested that we come out...

As the UFOs closed in on us, we awaited the inevitable end...

“I woke up and looked at my clock. 4:37am. Seems I haven’t been sleeping for very long. So this time, we saw the life of someone who was not content with what they had and pursued more, only to realize what they had was also what protected them. A harsh lesson from the deep stretches... of Dreamland... I should go back to sleep. I still need to wake up at 7am to get to work. I hope I can catch some more Zs, and I will meet you again next time... in Dreamland. Ta ta for now.”

#twilight zone #tangentg writes #alice's dreamland

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fandsart · 1 year

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Where the 20 Chain Links Lead

Also on Ao3: Chapter 3 [full chapter]

[Chapter 1] [Chapter 2] [Chapter 3.1] [Chapter 3.2] [Chapter 4]

Chapter 3.1: The Fluctuation of Bonds and the Events of 1984

On October 22nd, Steve and Nancy are supposed to have a dinner with the Hollands- Barbara’s parents. Steve can’t make himself start the car, and he’s supposed to pick up Nancy. He can’t make himself face them after his party was the last place she was seen alive. He doesn’t understand why he can’t today, when he’s already had dinner with them almost every other week for the past seven months or so. Maybe it’s because it’s getting close to a year since she was last seen.

He’s pretty certain her death wouldn’t have happened if she’d never been at the party. Nancy told her to leave early. It must have gotten her on the road as she drove back, or walked back to her car, which was apparently a few blocks away.

He doesn’t know how long he’s sitting at the wheel when Nancy knocks on his window. She’d biked over to his place after she didn’t pick him up. She must have been waiting a long time. She looks frustrated until she sees his face. She calls the Hollands to tell them they can’t make it. She doesn’t go to the dinner that night either.

She spends the evening reassuring him that there’s no way he could have known that would happen, and as long as he doesn’t take his growth for granted he isn’t taking anything from anyone. He’s keeping Nancy from grieving her friend, and the Hollands from mourning their daughter and it’s not fair.

↞⬡+¤+⬡↠

It’s Hallows’ Eve. It’s nearing a year since the last link that changed his life, and Nancy’s looking over his college application essays.

“It’s crap, I know,” he says.

“No, it’s not crap,” she says, as if calling him an idiot wasn’t practically her catchphrase for a good while.

“It’s not good.”

“It’s going to be,” she reassures, only succeeding in admitting her previous lie. He quickly chastised himself for thinking like that. She’s saying it’s between crap and good, idiot asshole.

She critiques his essay and god is he tired. She tries to insist he doesn’t need to start from scratch, clearly aware of how tired he is. He asks her to help her with it that night, but they have a dinner that night. Of course he forgot about it idiot.

“You don’t have to go,” Nancy says. “Just work on this.”

“No, no, no.” He snatches the paper away and crumples it. “What’s the point?”

“Hey, calm down.”

“I’m calm. I’m calm. I’m just being honest. You know, I mean… I’ll end up working for my dad anyway.”His father had salesmen under him and Steve had the charisma for it. His father would let him, if only to keep up appearances.

“That’s not true.”

“I don’t know, Nance. Is that such a bad thing? There’s insurance and benefits and all that adult stuff. And if I took it, you know, I could be around for your senior year.”

“Steve…”

“Just to look after you a little bit. Make sure you don’t forget about this pretty face.” She chuckles. “Nance, I’m serious.” She just looks at him, so he leans in and kisses her. “I love you.” She smiles.

↞⬡+¤+⬡↠

They both go to the dinner that night. They’d skipped the previous one the week before, and it was Steve’s fault. Which is exactly the reason he needs to be here tonight. He’d forget about his college applications. Even if he miraculously got into one, he knows he’d never graduate without Nancy’s help.

As they sit down to eat Mrs. Holland excuses herself for serving KFC, explaining that time really got away from her. They reassure her that it’s fine before Nancy asks about the For Sale sign they saw on the way in.

“We hired a man named Murray Bauman,” Mrs. Holland begins explaining. “Have either of you heard of him?”

“No,” Nancy says, looking at him for his answer.

“No, I don’t think so,” he says. Because if he’s honest he can’t be sure. His parents are always bringing people over or discussing people they swear he’s met, but that he has no memory of.

“He was an investigative journalist for the Chicago Sun-Times,” she continues. Steve is handed a business card for the man she’s describing by Mr. Holland, who quickly drops that he’s pretty well known. Steve hands the card to Nancy as Mrs. Holland continues. “Anyway, he’s freelance now, and he agreed to take the case.”

“Oh, that’s… That’s great,” he says, because they look so pleased to be telling them this. He’s happy for them. He hasn’t seen them this hopeful since he started joining them, and he doubts that would have extended to the dinners they had when he wasn’t there. “No, that’s really… That’s great, right?”

“Um, what exactly does that mean?” Nancy asks, and thank god she does, because Steve is probably more lost than she is, genius that she is. They explain that Murray is supposed to help them look for Barb, and Steve can practically feel Nancy’s guilt cloud the room. He and Nancy haven’t exactly talked about it, but she herself had been insistent on finding Barb until they killed that monster and Will came back. Steve was pretty sure he knew what happened, and he’s sure Nancy got confirmation about it.

The Hollands keep talking about how hopeful they are that this ‘Murray’ will find their little girl and Nancy looks increasingly more worried, and Steve’s stomach is slowly sinking to the floor. He hopes he’s doing a better job at hiding it than Nancy is. The Hollands clearly see some concern, because she’s reassuring Nancy not to worry about their financial situation. That Murray is worth selling the house for; as long as he gets them answers.

He decides that he’s definitely hiding it better especially when she excuses herself from the table. Not that he’s feeling this anywhere near the level she is. There’s an uncomfortable silence that follows shortly after she leaves, chewing noises filling the air.

“We just want to let you know,” Mr. Holland finally says, filling the void, “we really appreciate you coming.”

“Oh, and especially for this long,” Mrs. Holland asks.

“We know you didn’t know our Barb all that well. The fact that you continue to show up is a real testament to your character.”

Steve hesitates. “It’s kind of my fault we couldn’t come last week.”

“Honestly,” Mrs. Holland reasons, “if you thought we were unprepared this week,” she gestures to the KFC, “if you’d have shown up last week we wouldn’t have known what to do. We’ve been so frazzled lately. We hired Murray knowing it’s nearing a year since she disappeared, and… last week became a very emotional time. Guests wouldn’t have helped.” So they’d had the same issue he did. Although, maybe he shouldn’t even make that comparison. He can’t imagine he’s anywhere near as distraught as they are.

“You know she was last seen at my place, right?” he asks. This isn’t something he’s spoken with them about; too nervous about what they’d think of him. He liked them and he didn’t need them thinking that if he hadn’t thrown that party she’d be alive still. He already thinks about it too often.

“Yes. I don’t see why that should make a difference. There’s no way you could have possibly known. We know the cops already ruled you out—you and your family—as suspects.” Hopper didn’t need to search his place. He already knew what happened.

“I thought you didn’t trust Hopper for this case.”

“It’s not that we think he’s not thorough. If he says he looked into someone and they definitely had nothing to do with it, he’s probably right. He just… keeps putting it off. He refuses to take the initiative to continue searching.” Steve feels the shame he knows Nancy feels. He’s not entirely sure what happened to her, but he does know that Hopper does. He can’t tell them that, or everyone could be in trouble with… whoever is involved. He still thinks it might be some government, for them to be as powerful as Hopper makes them out to be. He looks towards the hall Nancy disappeared down. Which government, he has no idea. Russia maybe?

“Do you think I should check on her?” he asks. Really though, he’d like to join her in getting away for a moment.

“No, give her some time. She’s digesting the development.”

“Ok.” Nancy returns just a minute later, so Steve doesn’t get the opportunity to shake off the nausea until he drops her off at home.

↞⬡+¤+⬡↠

The next day is Halloween. He has a study hall with Nancy in the library. The school librarian is a bit of a stereotype, accepting hardly any talking at all, so Nancy can’t help him with her regular teaching methods. So instead they work separately—and Steve doesn’t want to drag her work down with him anyway—and she tells him they can go over his sheet at lunch. She does slide him a paper with a flier for Tina Jenkins’ Halloween party that would be happening later that day, but other than that, they hardly interact for the first half of study hall.

At some point during the second half of the period Nancy breaks her pencil and gets up to sharpen it. He peers up at her once she’s been away a few seconds too long. He sees her absolutely zoned out, continuing to sharpen her pencil on autopilot. He goes up to snap her out of it.

“Nancy,” he says, as he takes her shoulder. He tries to be gentle and quiet, but she startles hard anyway. “What’s going on? Are you ok?” Nancy turns back to the only other woman in the room and Steve follows her gaze. The woman’s hair and body type were very similar to how he remembers Barb looking. He understands the association she’s making, but isn’t entirely sure where her mind is, but she looks incredibly distressed, so he silently directs her to one of the private study rooms.

“I can’t keep doing this,” Nancy tells them as soon as they enter the room.

“Doing what?”

“Pretending like everything’s ok. It’s like everyone forgot about Barbara. It’s like nobody cares. Except her parents. And now they’re selling their house.” She’s spiraling and he tries to interrupt, but she just keeps talking. “And they’re going to spend the rest of their lives looking for her. It’s destroying them.”

“I know. Ok? I get it. But listen, there’s nothing we can do about it.”

“Yeah, we could tell them the truth.”

“Well, you know we can’t do that.”

“We don’t have to tell them everything.”

“This isn’t some game, Nance. If they found out that we told any-” He cuts himself off to close the blinds to the study room in an attempt at keeping the conversation as private as possible. “They could put us in jail. Ok? Or worse, they could destroy our families.” He knows she already knows this stuff, because he’s basically just bullet-pointing everything Hopper told him. “They could do anything they want. Ok? Just think about what you’re saying.”

She starts shaking her head and looking down, and Steve feels a wave of guilt. It’s not like he could have encouraged her, and he can tell from the look on her face that she knows he’s right. He needs to comfort her now, but he’s never been all that good at that. It’s his fault she’s feeling this way. He should have been more gentle. So instead he offers a distraction.

“Hey, it’s… It’s hard, but let’s… let’s just go to Tina’s stupid party… wear our stupid costumes that we’ve been working on for a stupid amount of time, and just pretend like we’re stupid teenagers, ok? Can we just do that, just for tonight?”

“Ok,” she says.

“Come here,” he says and draws her into a hug. He’s not great at comforting people with words, but this is something he can do.

↞⬡+¤+⬡↠

They’ve barely just arrived at the party in their Risky Business costumes when Tommy H and one of the freshman basketball players he can hardly be bothered to remember the name of start gloating about how the new kid beat his keg stand record and became the new king. Nancy walks away before he can respond to them, so instead of rebutting he just follows her.

He catches up to her at the punch bowl where Gabriel S is screaming about how it contains ‘pure full!’ Nancy immediately dunks a cup into the red liquid. He would have just let her get a cup if she didn’t look so oddly desperate about it.

“Hey-Whoa, whoa! Hey-Whoa whoa whoa! Take it easy. Take it easy, Nance.”

“We’re just being stupid teenagers for the night. Wasn’t that the deal?” She downs the drink before marching back into the crowd.

↞⬡+¤+⬡↠

Link 13: Nancy thinks he’s bullshit.

↞⬡+¤+⬡↠

A half an hour after he left, he returns to Tina’s house. He was Nancy’s ride, and she’s very drunk, so he needs to at least take her home. When he gets back to the party he’s told Jonathan showed up and already brought her home.

That night he lays awake in bed, staring at the ceiling for a good three hours, his sorrow remolding into anger. He’s seething and he’s not entirely sure if it’s directed at Nancy or at his own stupidity.

↞⬡+¤+⬡↠

He’s in PE the next day and he’s trying to use his tumultuous emotional state to push him in the basketball game, but he can’t focus. It doesn’t help that the new kid—Bill?—keeps getting in his face.

“Harrington, right?” he asks as he tries to take the ball from Steve. “I heard you used to run this school. That true?” It’s ridiculous how he’s still talking, pressing up against his back as Steve tries to push him off and keep the ball away from him. “King Steve, they used to call you, huh? Then you turned bitch.”

“Hey, maybe you should just shut up and just play the game.” He seems to take the suggestion, completely knocking Steve to the ground as he takes the ball. He throws it under his leg before swishing it. Christ, he’s a show off.

“That’s what I’m talking about!” someone whoops.

“Steve?” he hears from behind him. He turns and there’s Nancy, looking mad. She’s mad at him. Now that’s bullshit.

↞⬡+¤+⬡↠

Steve considers himself lucky his Coach Miller likes him, because he allows Nancy to take him out of the class. She takes him outside and they stand between the school and the separate gym room.

“What are you doing here?” he asks.

“What do you think?” she asks in return. “Where were you this morning? I missed first period.”

“I figured Jonathan would take you.”

“Wha… What are you talking about?”

He scoffs. “Jesus, you really can’t handle your alcohol.” She’d only drunk like two cups. He is genuinely surprised Jonathan didn’t stick around for her. If he dropped her off at home, he obviously knew something happened between them, and Steve knows he knows he drives her to school every day. “You remember going to Tina’s party last night, right?”

“Yes.”

“And then what?”

“I remember dancing and… spilling some punch. You got mad at me because I was drunk… and then you took me home.”

“No, see, that’s where your mind gets a little bit fuzzy. That was your other boyfriend. That was… That was Jonathan.”

“I don’t understand.”

“It’s pretty simple, Nancy. You were just telling it like it is.”

“What?”

“Uh… Apparently, uh… we killed Barb and I don’t care, ‘cause I’m bullshit… and our whole… our whole relationship is bullshit, and… I mean, pretty much everything is just bullshit, bullshit, bullshit.” He taps his fingers at each ‘bullshit’ like he’s counting them; making a point as to how much bullshit there is. “Oh, yeah, also, you don’t love me.”

“I was drunk, Steve. I don’t remember any of that.”

“So that makes everything you said… It’s what? Just bullshit, too?”

“Yes,” she says, firmly.

“Well, then tell me.”

“Tell you what?”

“You love me.”

She looks exasperated. “Are you serious?” she asks, rhetorically.

“So you- What? You just can’t, then,” he asks. There’s a silence that fills the air. “Please.”

“Steve…”

“Nancy, we've been dating for, like, a year now. I’ve been saying it for months. If you didn’t feel the same thing… I just… I wish you’d have just told me.” He’s been very vocal about his admiration for her, and if she’d just been going along with it the whole time… it’s mortifying. “I thought maybe you just weren’t ready to say it, but if you just don’t… why are we even still…” There’s a tension in the air now. A very different tension than they usually hold between them. “I think we should take a break,” he says, “until you figure out what you want.”

She says nothing as he heads back to class.

“Dude!” Gabriel S calls. “Where have you been? That douchebag is killing us.”

“Yeah, yeah, yeah.”

↞⬡+¤+⬡↠

Steve coasts through the next few days. His mind isn’t fogged over like it had been after the events of the previous year, but he was still in a bit of a haze, moving on autopilot. The only thing that sticks out in his mind for the remainder of the week is Billy and Tommy harassing him in the locker room about Nancy skipping class with Jonathan. This information certainly does not help the haze he’s been moving in.

↞⬡+¤+⬡↠

Saturday arrives, and he spends a good chunk of it practicing with the hoop in his backyard. He does a load of laundry before heading to the shower so he can get the clothes in the dryer while he uses the water. He takes his time with the shower. He has quite a bit of weekend homework and may or may not be procrastinating. Not only is Nancy not there to make the work easier, but doing the work would only make her absence all the more notable.

He takes the laundry out of the dryer and starts putting the clothes away. Halfway through the load he comes across one of Nancy’s shirts. Oh, right. She’d changed into her Halloween costume at his house. He swears under his breath, digging through the basket to find the rest of her clothes.

She had shoes too, right? Yes, he remembers. She was just going to wear them to school, but said they were too uncomfortable for the whole eight hours.

It only takes him a good ten minutes of digging around his house to remember she left them in his trunk.

Whenever he’s going anywhere that isn’t school, he takes his nail bat with him. Frankly, he has to restrain himself from taking it to school, and only manages to do so when he considers the possibility that his car might get searched. It’s happened before, when someone with a grudge accused him of being in possession of drugs. This time though, he moves to bring Nancy’s clothes back to her house and almost forgets the bat, before he’s in his car and the nervousness sets in. He wonders if forgetting is progress or if he’s just getting stupider.

He puts the bat in the trunk when he grabs Nancy’s shoes, which he puts in the passenger seat with her other clothes.

↞⬡+¤+⬡↠

He pulls up to the Wheeler house, bringing Nancy’s clothes with him. He’s nervous to see her, given that she hasn’t contacted him since their argument. So he’s dragging his feet as he crosses the yard to the house.

“Steve,” he hears a young voice call. It’s one of the little rugrats always running around the place. The kid with the hat and some condition that he doesn’t remember the name of. Steve thinks his name is Dylan, but he’s not willing to bet on it. “Nancy’s not here, you know,” he says. Steve feels relieved, and he’s not even trying to convince himself he’s not just procrastinating anymore.

“I don’t really need her to be here,” Steve says. “Just dropping these off.” He holds up her clothes.

“Great,” he responds with an oddly mischievous smile. “Go do that then.”

Steve hesitantly complies, a bit suspicious of the younger boy. He hands the clothes off to Mr. Wheeler, who sneers as he takes them. He tries to explain that she’d just changed from them into her halloween costume, but he didn’t seem to be having any of it. When Steve turns back to his car, the kid is sitting in the passenger seat. He marches up and opens the passenger side door.

“What the hell,” he says more than asks.

“You don’t look busy,” Dylan says, like he’s deduced something, “so you’re going to be helping me.”

“Excuse me?”

“Look, I’m in a bit of an emergency situation, and I can’t get a hold of anyone, so you’re going to help me.”

“Wha- With what?”

The kid looks somewhat awkward before simply asking “Do you still have that bat?”

Steve lets the words sink in. “Oh no…”

“You don’t?” He seems stressed. Steve sighs aggressively, closing the door, before opening the trunk and bringing the bat with him to the front seat. He tosses it to the floor behind the front seats. “So you do,” Dylan almost laughs.

“Shut it. Now just-” he takes a deep breath, in an attempt to keep his nerves down. “How urgent is this?”

“Uh, pretty damn urgent.”

“Great.” Steve sets the car in gear.

↞⬡+¤+⬡↠

Dylan explains the situation. He found some kind of slug thing. He couldn’t figure out what it was, after doing ‘a shit ton of research’ so he was ready to call it a new scientific discovery. Until it started growing at an excessive rate, and now he’s pretty sure it’s connected to the Upside Down.

“The what?”

“The Upside Down,” Dylan spoke slowly, like he was simply trying to jog his memory. “The place Will disappeared to last year.” Steve glanced at him for as long as he dared while driving, before attempting to blink away his confusion- as if that’s ever worked. “Wait, you didn’t know?”

“No. Apparently I’m ‘safer’ if I don’t know anything!”

“Shit, that sucks, man.” There’s a silence as neither of them know how to continue.

“Ok, so how big did this thing get?”

“First it was like that,” he says, sizing it out between his fingers, with maybe three inches between them. “Now he’s like this.” He has to use both hands to size this time, with maybe two feet in between.

↞⬡+¤+⬡↠

Link 14: Dart isn’t a prank.

Dylan directs Steve to a storm cellar by his house. He doesn’t hear anything—even as he hits his bat against the door—and goes down to inspect it. The creature is gone, leaving behind a goopy layer of skin and an entrance to the tunnel it used to dig its way out.

Steve suggests reconvening the next day, but Dylan is reasonably nervous staying the night at his home alone. Dart—which is short for… something, and apparently what he named the thing—is familiar with his house and where it is. Steve offers him to spend the night at his house.

“No,” he refuses. “I’m not just gonna leave my mom here alone either. And there’s no way I’ll be able to convince her to just… go somewhere else for the night.” He looks at Steve with pleading eyes.

“You want me to stay here tonight.”

“Preferably doing lookout shifts with me; yes.” Steve lets his head fall back, facing up, knowing he was about to agree. Dart had already eaten Dylan’s cat, and he was only getting bigger— possibly smarter.

“Fine.”

↞⬡+¤+⬡↠

They walk into the house and when they see Dylan’s mom sitting in the living room, it occurs to both of them simultaneously that they don’t have a set up excuse for Steve to be staying there.

“Sweetie, who’s this?” she asks.

“Oh, this is Steve,” Dylan practically yells. The kid’s a terrible liar. He hasn’t lied yet, but they both knew he was about to. “He’s been…” he sucks in a breath through his nose, “helping me with homework,” he finishes, sounding ashamed. Steve can understand how that might be an embarrassing lie, given their only other interaction.

“What?” she asks, sounding almost sad. “Are you struggling?”

“No! Nope! Not really!” He’s visibly jittery. “But we’re learning some harder stuff- and extra help just saves time. Steve’s been through the class, so he knows what he’s doing.”

“You decided to get help with your homework at 10:00 PM?”

“No! No, see- I was doing the homework at Mike’s—Steve is his older sister’s boyfriend—so we were both there at the same time, and he helped me with it. Then I told him about some of the robotics stuff I’ve worked on and he’s just super interested. Right, Steve?”

“Yeah,” he lies, “science is my favorite class.” He silently curses himself for the worst way he could have possibly worded that, but if she falls for Dylan’s lies, he should be in the clear.

“So, I’m gonna show him some of that, and- and he agreed to stay over, so first thing in the morning we can go look for Mews!” Steve felt his eyes widen slightly. The kid hadn’t told his mom the cat was dead? The woman coos at Steve.

“Oh, that’s so sweet,” she says.

“Yeah, no problem, Mrs. uuuuh…” He wishes he’d thought that sentence out before starting it.

“Ms.” she corrects, “Henderson.”

↞⬡+¤+⬡↠

Dylan leads them to his room where—if anyone asks—he’s showing Steve some circuit boards or something.

“You don’t know my last name?” he probes.

“You’re my girlfriend’s brother’s friend. One of many. Should I know your last name? I barely know your first name.”

“You don’t know my first name?”

“Am I supposed to?” He’s trying to be quiet, but this kid is getting on his nerves. Instead of exclaiming, he manages to add a layer of sternness to his words.

“I know your name.”

“Yeah, ‘cause I’m ‘King Steve’ or whatever.”

“You could have asked.”

“You could have introduced yourself.”

“Ok, that’s fair. To be honest, I didn’t even know you were called King Steve. I mostly only know your name because Mike hates you. So yeah, that’s fair.”

“Mike hates me?”

“Oh,” Dylan (probably not ‘Dylan’) draws out the word. “You didn’t know that?”

“No. Why would he hate me?”

“I don’t know. You’re dating his sister. That’s gotta be… I dunno, weird? You really don’t know my name though?”

“Uh… maybe? I’ve just been calling you Dylan in my head.”

“That’s actually pretty close.” He sounds almost impressed, and Steve almost thanks him, but decides, yeah, that’s pathetic. “It’s Dustin.” Dustin rhymes with dust bin. Steve could remember that.

↞⬡+¤+⬡↠

It’s nearing the end of Steve’s shift when he hears Ms. Henderson’s bedroom door open.

“Oh, you’re awake already!” she said when she saw him on the couch. “Is Dusty up yet?”

“Uh, should he be?” his sleep deprived brain is getting to him. “I mean, I can get him up.”

She hums. “He’s usually up by now. Yes, you can go ahead and wake him.” Steve stands up from the couch. “I’ll start breakfast. Do you like eggs?”

“No,” he says. “Also, you don’t need to make anything for me. Actually, I can pick something up for Dustin too when we look for uh…”

“Mews. And no,” she sighs, “I’m not going to let either of you have breakfast at some fast food restaurant. Besides, I think I owe you one. Oh! What about a breakfast sandwich? I can put some turkey and cheese in a bagel. Is that something you’d enjoy?”

“Yeah, that works,” he says. Even if it didn’t sound like something he’d like, she sounded so enthusiastic to try it, he would have probably forced it down anyway. He goes to wake Dustin up, who begrudgingly gets up upon hearing that his mom is making breakfast.

He finds that Ms. Henderson doesn’t half-ass a meal. She uses salted bagels and toasts them in the oven, with the ingredients already between them, melting the cheese. It’s better than he expects, and he’ll definitely need to start fixing up his own bagels this way sometimes. He’d done bacon, cheese, and egg (which goes down easier with all the other ingredients)—in fact that’s what he had for most of junior year—but he hadn’t done turkey.

↞⬡+¤+⬡↠

They’re both incredibly sleep deprived after staying up half the night, so they excuse themselves to look for Mews, and make their way back to Steve’s house where they immediately fall back to sleep.

They don’t actually start their trek to track down Dart until 2:00PM, and even then it’s mostly planning and gearing up. Dustin gets in contact with one of his friends and recruits him to help just before they actually get going.

↞⬡+¤+⬡↠

“Why do you wear the hat again?” Steve asked, after the first few minutes of walking, and trailing meat. The silence had been driving him insane. Dustin gave him a confused side eye. “Like you mentioned when we first talked.”

“I have cleidocranial dysplasia.”

“Yeah, if you expect me to know what that is, we’re even more strangers than I thought.”

“Yeah, well,” he sighs. “I’m kind of trying to avoid talking about it.” Steve thinks for a moment.

“Ok,” he says. The silence that follows is more comfortable now. Also much shorter. Dustin starts talking again in under a minute.

“So, it’s a condition I have- it’s the reason my adult teeth aren’t in yet.” Steve startles and looks at him. He sees clearly that he does have teeth. He gives a questioning look. “These are falses,” Dustin informs him. “I only really just got them, so I didn’t have them when we first spoke.”

“Oh,” Steve says. “I didn’t notice.”

“Ok, well… It also makes my skull just a little bit deformed. I know some people with it have it worse, and you probably already can’t see it through my hair, but… I like the security.”

“That sucks man. I mean, insecurity. That’s something I can understand.”

“Oh really?” he asks, jokingly. “You?”

“You don’t get popular without something driving you to get there…” Dustin lags in his steps for a second.

“Yeah, well. It’s not all bad.” He gets a mischievous grin on his face. “Wanna see something gross?”

“Uh… Do I?”

Dustin doesn’t answer, just stops in his tracks—Steve stopping in response—and takes off his backpack. He draws his shoulders forward until they touch, and Steve has to avert his eyes entirely.

“Jesus, man!” he exclaims. “What the hell?”

“Sorry,” he says, even though he’s clearly trying not to laugh. “I know I should have told you what I was doing, but the first reaction is always so funny.” Steve turns around when he hears Dustin grabbing his pack and bucket back up, and he flicks the back of his head. Dustin laughs.

“Ok,” Dustin says, sobering up. “Time to catch you up.”

↞⬡+¤+⬡↠

So Steve was right about one thing. It is a government that they should be afraid of. The American government. Which is so much more terrifying than he'd even thought. Their own government was the one who was (is?) doing human experiments. An escaped experiment, given the moniker Eleven, had been the reason for Will's return.

“So, what happened to Eleven then? I mean, I haven’t exactly seen her around Nancy’s. Unless you’re still hiding her, but why would-” then it occurs to him. “Or is the lab looking to get her back? Or did they get her back?”

“No, she uh,” Dustin sucks in a breath. “The demogorgon came back to where we were—the party—after you guys took it down the first time. She destroyed it. Officially I think, but she also disappeared with it. Like, right in front of us. It was nuts…”

“Oh…”

They sit in the melancholy for a moment before Dustin starts to fill him in on the current situation.

↞⬡+¤+⬡↠

“Alright, so let me get this straight,” Steve says. “You kept something you knew was probably dangerous in order to impress a girl who… who you just met?”

“Alright, that’s grossly oversimplifying things,” Dustin defends.

“I mean, why would a girl like some nasty slug anyway?”

“An interdimensional slug? Because it’s awesome.”

“Well, even if she thought it was cool, which she didn’t, I- I just… I don’t know. I just feel like you’re trying way too hard.”

“Well, not everyone can have your perfect hair, alright?”

“It’s not about the hair, man. The key with girls is just… just acting like you don’t care.”

“Even if you do?”

“Yeah, exactly. It drives them nuts.”

“Then what?”

“You just wait until, uh…” Oh, god, he’s about to have this conversation with a middle schooler isn’t he? “until you feel it.”

“Feel what?” Steve attempts to talk around it for as long as he can.

“It’s like before it’s gonna storm, you know? You can’t see it, but you can feel it, like this electricity, you know?” The kid starts doing some rundown as to what it is about a storm that lets you feel it and Steve has to interrupt him. “No, no, no, no, no. Like a…” Well, he tried to talk around it. “Like a sexual electricity.”

“Oh!” He sounds surprised, but not like he doesn’t understand; just like he didn’t expect Steve to drop it on him.

“You feel that and then you make your move.”

“So that’s when you kiss her?”

“No, whoa, whoa. Slow down, Romeo.”

“Sorry.”

“Sure, ok, some girls, yeah, they want you to be aggressive. You know, strong, hot and heavy, like a…” another sentence he should have thought through. “I don’t know, like a lion.” That’s so stupid, he thinks. But the kid just hums in acknowledgment, taking his word for what it is and not dwelling on the terrible comparison. “But others, you gotta be slow, you gotta be stealthy, like a ninja.” He knows the simile is even worse when he already established the first as being a lion, and those two things aren’t that comparable, but Dustin takes it in stride anyway.

“What type is Nancy?” he asks.

“Nancy’s different. She’s different than the other girls.”

“Yeah, she seems pretty special, I guess.”

“Yeah. Yeah, she is.”

“But this girl’s special too, you know. It’s just, like, something about her.”

“Whoa, whoa, whoa. Hey, hey, hey.”

“What?”

“You’re not falling in love with this girl, are you?”

“Uh, no. No,” he’s quick to assure.

“Ok, good. You’re way too young to be dealing with this complicated… actual relationship stuff.”

“Well, when did you start?” He says it like he’s challenging him. Like he expects him to be hypocritical about it.

“Nancy was my first actual relationship. Before that, you just explore where you’re going. Right now, it’s your time to figure out what you want and how you want to get it.” He doesn’t tell him how he got to do that, and he hopes he keeps the step simple enough that Dustin doesn’t feel the need to do the same. “So don’t go falling in love yet.”

“I won’t.”

Steve looks over at the kid who’s sulking now. He sighs. “Fabergé,” he admits.

“What?”

“It’s Fabergé Organics,” he gestures to his hair. “Use the shampoo and conditioner, and when your hair’s damp- It’s not wet, ok?” he stresses. “When it’s damp, you do four puffs of the Farrah Fawcett spray.”

“Farrah Fawcett spray?”

“Yeah, Farrah Fawcett.” He stops and moves to stress his next point. “You tell anyone. I just told you that. And your ass is grass. You’re dead, Henderson. Do you understand?”

“Yup.” They start to move again, continuing to trail meat behind them.

↞⬡+¤+⬡↠

They arrive at some junkyard, more open than he expected when Dustin suggested the spot. It would work. They’ve only just started setting up when Dustin’s friend—Lucas, Steve is pretty sure—meets up with them, with some random girl. She shows up and it’s clear by the look on Dustin’s face that this was the girl he’d been trying to impress. Now he’s in a mess, and she’s tagging along with his friend. Tough luck.

They set up the junkyard to lure and burn Dart, making a gasoline trail they’d light from the safety of the fortified bus. This would work.

But it doesn’t. Dart arrives at the entrance of the junkyard, but doesn’t take the bait covered in gasoline. Steve takes it upon himself to bait them himself. He doesn’t realize there’s more than one.

He books it back to the bus, managing to close the door before they become surrounded on all sides. The bus is shaking and the girl screams. Steve runs between her and the screeching monster at her from the open fire escape. Then it stops, and the monsters surrounding them retreat at once.

“What happened?” Lucas asks.

“Steve scared ‘em off?” Dustin suggests.

“No,” Steve says. “No way. They’re going somewhere.”

↞⬡+¤+⬡↠

They follow the screeching to the lab.

“They were going back home,” Lucas says.

They get there, shocked to find Nancy and Jonathan at the entrance. It’s not long after they finally get the gate open that a car starts careening through from the inside. Not a car, a truck; Hopper’s police cruiser. It stops beside them and Hopper rolls down the window.

“Let’s go,” he orders, leaving no room for argument.

↞⬡+¤+⬡↠

Hopper gave some updates as they returned. As it turns out, Will and Mike had both been in the lab, as had Hopper, Mrs. Byers, and someone named Bob (someone Hopper doesn’t expand on). The only survivors of the lab that night, all of the workers going down to the beasts. Also Will had been dealing with some mental connection with a presence from the Upside Down. A dark presence.

They reconvene at the Byers home, which is about as wrecked as it was the first time he was there. This time instead of Christmas lights covering every wall, there are sheets of paper, veining along the walls in some sort of pattern, scribbled lines connecting in a trail.

Will is unconscious on the couch and Jonathan is crouched by him, Nancy’s hand on his shoulder. There’s an air of hopelessness settling into the house. The collective thought of Now what? echoing unsaid. So Steve stares at the scribbles on the wall, because what else is he going to do, and wait-

“Is that supposed to be Lovers’ Lake?” he asks out loud.

“Yes!” he hears someone enthusiastically voice behind him. “It is!” He turns to see a stout man he wasn’t familiar with. “Bob Newby,” the man introduces, offering his hand. Finally, someone with the decency to introduce themself.

“Steve,” he takes the man’s hand, shaking it. He actively stops himself from giving his last name, knowing it would likely be recognized. He’s not entirely sure why he stops himself. Bob goes on a rant about the drawings and what they mean. It’s a map of Hawkins. Apparently the papers are tunnels mapped out by Will, using his mind connection with the Upside Down presence. Bob shows him all the different lakes and rivers that work as landmarks which can be used to ‘triangulate’ locations.

Steve lets him rant, even though he’s barely keeping up. He’d only really recognized Lovers’ Lake from the summers he would spend with Tommy and Carol. Two summers, going there at least every other day; the lumpy almost-heart shape was hard to mistake. The man keeps ringing his hands together as he goes on, and Steve thinks he needs this, after everything suddenly fell into his lap, and he apparently almost died. At some point he’s interrupted from his rambling.

“It’s an army!” Mike bursts. Everyone turns to look at him, because, yeah, that was pretty much established. “His army,” he stresses, as if that explains anything. “Maybe if we stop him, we can stop his army, too.” He grabs a drawing of some spider-like monster.

“The shadow monster,” Dustin says in realization.

↞⬡+¤+⬡↠

Hopper enters the room, ordering them to get away from the windows. He’s carrying two guns.

“Do you know how to use this?” he asks Jonathan, holding up the shotgun.

“What?” Jonathan asks, uneasy.

“Can you use this?” he stresses.

“I can,” Nancy jumps in. Hopper tosses her the gun. They all brace themselves. Guns, bat, wrist rocket, and everyone else behind that first line.

“Where are they?” he hears a shaky voice ask, as roaring continues outside, but never moves to the house. There’s a loud thud and everyone startles towards it, to their right. Still nothing actually comes.

“What are they doing?” Nancy asks no one in particular. The bushes just outside the window rustle. They’re all on alert as another roaring sounds, turning them back towards the front. The growls are close enough now to make out the guttural, raspy noises that accompany their growls. Then it stops.

It’s all calm for a good five minutes before the window breaks, and one of them hurdles into the room.

But it’s not moving, in a heap on the floor.

“Holy shit,” Dustin breathes.

“Is it dead?” the girl asks. Hopper nudges it with his foot, to no response.

There’s a creaking sound behind them and they all turn to face it. The lock on the door clicks, leaving the group more vulnerable. Weapons are up again, as the chain lock slides off its station. The door opens.

It’s a girl.

She’s dressed like she just came back from a heavy metal concert. She reminds Steve of Eddie in that way, but way younger. Probably the same age as Dustin. He doesn’t recognize her, but everyone else seems to, lowering their weapons. Steve follows suit.

“Eleven,” Mike says, rushing forward.

↞⬡+¤+⬡↠

“We missed you,” Lucas says.

“I missed you too,” she says.

“We talked about you pretty much everyday,” Dustin tells her, as they pull away from the hug. Eleven looks oddly at Dustin as he smiles and almost immediately jabs a thumb into his mouth before dropping it again, startling just about everyone.

“Teeth,” she says.

“What?”

“You have teeth.”

Dustin and Lucas share a smile before Dustin says, “Oh, you like these pearls?” Then he purrs like a weirdo. The red-head walks up and introduces herself as Max, and god, finally. Eleven doesn’t even acknowledge her.

“Hey,” Bob says quietly behind him, as to not disrupt the scene, as Eleven moves to hug Mrs. Byers. “I’m feeling a little out of the loop.”

“Yeah, I’m not much better.” He gestures through the archway separating the rooms, to Eleven. “Uh, government experiment, from the lab you guys just escaped from. Her name’s Eleven, and she has superpowers.”

“Superpowers? Are you sure?”

“We just saw her unlock the door,” he says, just to remind him. He seems less skeptical as he does disbelieving. “She can move things with her mind and… find people, I guess?”

“Find people?”

“I don’t know. I’ve never actually met her before. I’ve really only heard a little.”

“Well what happened to the other ones?”

“The other what?”

“Well, it sounds like she was the Eleventh experiment. So what happened to the other ten?”

“Oh!” Steve blinks, and he’s a fucking idiot. “I don’t know, man.”

“I’ll ask Joyce once this is all over. Assuming…”

“Mrs. Byers? How do you know her anyway? I mean- I don’t really know how you got dragged into this.”

“Well, we technically met way back in school, but we only recently started uh… dating. Sorry, is it weird for an oldie like me to be telling you about this?”

“Oh, no. I mean, good for you man. She didn’t tell you about Eleven?”

“She didn’t tell me anything really. I got pulled into it when the lab got overrun.”

“Yeah,” he sighs. “Nancy told me jackshit too.”

“The Wheeler girl? You two are a couple?”

“God I hope so. But I don’t think so… anymore. She’s been…” He decides to simplify the situation, “distant lately.”

“Well, I hope things work out for you.”

“What are they doing?” he asks as he notices everyone else moving, huddled, towards the dining room. They both move over to the group. “What’s going on, guys?”

“El might be able to close the gate.”

↞⬡+¤+⬡↠

It’s close to time to move out. Hopper is directing Jonathan to a place he knows, getting Will to the car. Mrs. Byers mentioned having some heaters that were in the shed before they cleared it out, so Steve and Nancy go looking through the pile in the yard, while everyone else searches through the house for things they can use.

“You should go with him,” Steve tells her.

“What?”

“With Jonathan.”

“No, I’m… I’m not just gonna leave Mike.”

“No one’s leaving anyone.” He moves to help her with something she’s struggling with. “I may be a pretty shitty boyfriend, but… turns out I’m actually a pretty damn good babysitter.” He grabs the heater she couldn’t reach from under the fan she was lifting. He hands her the heater.

“Steve…”

“It’s ok Nance… It’s ok.” She looks at him, her big blue eyes burrowing into his soul and he can’t take it anymore. He leaves as she’s about to say something.

Masterlist

3.2 >>

#steve harrington #stranger things #fanfiction #fanfic #fic #dustin henderson #Max Mayfield #bob newby #nancy wheeler #steve and dustin #dustin and steve #stranger things fanfiction #stranger things fanfic #stranger things fic #angst #steve harrington angst #self deprecation #20 chain links #fandsart

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scarlet-fantasies · 2 years

Note

Head cannons of Eren and his newborn son

Hi anon,

Sorry this has been taking so long. I hope you like this. :)

-Scarlet

Eren and his newborn son HCS

::𝐖𝐚𝐫𝐧𝐢𝐧𝐠𝐬::

*words are censored to respect tumblr guidelines

𝐹𝑙𝑢𝑓𝑓

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

𝑃𝑟𝑜𝑚𝑝𝑡

𝐼𝑛𝑏𝑜𝑥 𝑖𝑠 𝑜𝑝𝑒𝑛

𝐶𝑙𝑖𝑐𝑘 𝑡𝑜 𝑗𝑜𝑖𝑛 --> 𝑇𝑎𝑔𝑙𝑖𝑠𝑡

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

Okay, so when you found out you were having this baby you and Eren made a bet on what gender it was. He really wanted a boy and you really wanted a girl. Of course, he got what he wanted.

So your bet was about who could guess the gender of the baby and the one who wins gets to make the loser do what they want, and they get to design the nursery.

Since Eren won he is going to get you to watch every painstaking movie he likes and that you dislike. He’d also come up with the theme of nursery since you guys had multiple ideas.

“So it looks like I get to pick out the color of his room too.” He’d joke, whilst leaning down to put a k*ss on your stomach as you sat on the couch.

You pouted before answering, “Shut up, green isn’t even a baby color, at least make it blue.”

“You’re just mad you lost the bet, babe.” He’d laugh pinching your cheek.

“Please make it a baby elephant room, nothing with action or sci-fi stuff, please. He’s too young for that.”

“Hey, you’re forgetting I won the bet.” He’d point out.

“Yeah but--”

“It matters that much to you? Babe, if it does you know I’ll do whatever you want.”

“No, it's fine . . . I just really thought we were having a girl.” You’d mumble being sad, he’d see this and feel bad about it all.

“Aww, babe. I promise we’ll have a girl next time, okay?” He’d smile, k*ssing your hairline.

“Next time?”

“Yeah, next time.” He’d wink.

“Okay. . .” You’d mumble being left flustered.

Anyways when the baby was born you weren’t too surprised that it looked like Eren but you were a little surprised that it looked exactly like him.

It bummed you out that your kid seemed nothing like you, either way you loved him nonetheless.

You probably named him Eren since he looks so much like him.

You two were probably going to name him something else but when you saw the baby you just thought it should be named after its father.

When your son was first born and Eren got to hold him he may have cried, his brother did. LOL

I really see him crying though if he had a little girl.

Anyway, he was excited to hold his son and was just happy you both made it through labor.

He’d probably talk to his curious newborn. “Hi buddy, your mom and I have been waiting for you. I know your mom thinks you look just like me but I think you're going to learn a lot of great things from her.” He’d say this, smiling as he held his kid whilst having him look at you sleeping after such an event.

Of course, the baby didn’t understand anything Eren was saying but it was still a very cute moment.

He probably sat in the chair next to your hospital bed with the baby in his arms as he’d just watch the both of you kinda nap.

It’s a moment he never forgets tbh, and he can’t wait to take you and the baby home. But he will stay there for as long as he needs. Once you got discharged he was happy to take you and the baby home.

While he was driving I see that both you and baby fell asleep on the way home and he just smiled seeing how you both were exhausted. He has so much concern here he even turns down the music of the radio completely to have you both sleep.

He would wake you up so that you could bring the baby and settle him in his crib and stuff.

Granted this was probably the first time you get to see the nursery cause Eren insisted it was a surprise. The sweet part was that your newborn was awake to see it.

Eren probably stuck to green as the main color but he made the nursery have a safari theme so there were lots of cute animal plushies and stuff all of the baby to interact with once it got older. The best part is that he made the place very comfortable for you and the baby.

Like he even has a hanging chair with soft pillows and a soft rug with some baby toys around.

He totally got his son building blocks.

The crib looks so cute, the baby mobile plays calming sounds and has a bunch of safari animals.

There is definitely a mural of an animal, probably a baby elephant or something. And everything is just done perfectly you have nothing to say.

So before he showed you he asked you to close your eyes whilst he placed the carry-on basket down somewhere safe since your son was still a little sleepy. (sorry I forget what it’s called. I haven't seen a baby in my family for like a long time.)

“Okay, you can open them.” He’d smile watching you look around a little surprised.

“I know you hated green but I know that when you said stuff about baby elephants I started thinking and I just thought blue was so typical and I wanted something special for our son so, why not a safari theme?”

You didn’t say anything but looked around until noticing the mural of the wall by the crib.

“Zeke offered to help and so he painted the elephant, I had Connie and Sasha helped pick out the toys and stuff, Armin and Mikasa helped me paint the place too. Jean helped me baby-proof everything and my mom got our son some extra clothes other than the ones you bought him.”

You’d look at him surprised, possibly with watery eyes and a hand over your mouth. “You did all that?”

“Yeah, I know you need to be comfortable when taking care of him and I want him to be comfortable too plus you’ve been feeling sick all this time so you deserve this—-aww babe, please don’t cry.”

He noticed a few tears running down your cheeks, you were getting emotional. Mostly due to the hormones and drugs that were in your system a little still.

“I’m sorry, I just don't know what to say. Everything is perfect and I feel bad I couldn’t pitch in for him.” You’d say wiping your tears away.

“Hey, you bringing him into this world was enough work, that’s why you deserve this. I wanted to do something for you both. Plus, that’s why I’m here—so you too are even more comfortable.”

“Now I know why you were coming to bed late all the time, I thought you just didn’t like sleeping next to me.”

“Oh babe, no. Did you really think I stopped loving you cause you were pregnant?”

“I don’t know, maybe.”

“Hey, look at me. I love you, and this baby. So I don’t want you to cry anymore, okay?” He’d smile bringing you in for a hug. You nodded while being in his embrace and wiped your tears afterwards.

It was then your newborn decided to have an outburst and began crying and you were about to take care of it but instead, Eren picked him up from the basket and held him which seemed like it worked.

Although your child still looked pretty scared and ready to cry any second so of course, Eren brought him to the stuffed animals near his crib so he could show him the toys to hopefully get him to calm down.

“Hey buddy, look what’s here? It’s an elephant.” Your son seemed to be a little scared still but the more his father kept talking to him and handing him the toy his worry seemed to subside.

“And here’s a giraffe, and this one’s a zebra.” Eren would say pointing to the little stuffed toys on the baby mobile.

Seeing this your child would get curious and just look at the stuff he was being shown and eventually kinda smiled and calmed down completely being in Eren’s arms and all.

You approached them both with a smile on your face as you noticed them bonding so quickly. The baby even tried to hold the fur on one of the stuffed animals thanks to Eren encouraging him.

Apart from like the first day of bringing the baby home you both had to get used to long nights and luckily Eren was willing to take turns and he didn’t mind.

Sometimes he’s fallen asleep in the comfy chair with the kid in his arms and you’d put a blanket on them. Sometimes all he had to do was put the baby mobile to have the songs lull the baby back to sleep.

However, if it concerned breast*feeding he’d wake you up and help you with it.

But don’t worry he’s matured, well a little. He will joke about his son sucking on you too much.

“Damn you don’t give mommy a break, do you?”

“Leave him alone, he's just hungry. He can’t help it.” You’d smile looking down at your son.

“You know you were right about him being like me.”

“Oh really? And how’s that?”

“He’s good at sucking.” He’d wink.

“Stop it!” You’d shout, turning the other direction and shielding your baby and your chest away from him. He’d laugh only to lean in and k*ss your forehead.

“You can’t say it’s not true.”

“Eren!”

Okay because you only asked about what he’s like with his newborn son, I’m sticking to newborn concepts only. I’ll try to anyway.

So I think that Eren isn’t bad at parenting but he isn’t the greatest. Granted, this is his first baby so cut him some slack.

But he is doing well, some things he does better than you.

Like when it comes to distracting the kid he’s probably better at it than you are. He’s also the type that makes the baby laugh a lot.

Is pretty good at spoon-feeding his kid or rather helping you with it since he gets the kid excited.

He makes the airplane noises and stuff all for the kid to be surprised whilst you put the spoon up to the kid's mouth.

Sometimes his kid does spit carrots at him tho.

And you laugh and he does too but he is a little upset that you’re laughing he tries to get food on you for it and it turns into a food fight in front of the baby which gets it to laugh.

When Eren is in charge of feeding it's a nightmare because he lets the baby make a mess and sometimes even be naked so you, of course, have to fix everything and scold him.

Usually, you put the baby to sleep because you know that Eren has difficulty doing this the most. So in the beginning when he’d try the baby would end up either crying or just wide awake.

So you had to give him a few lessons on parenting.

“He likes you better.”

“Don’t be ridiculous, he loves you too.”

“You're his mother, y/n. He knows your scent and everything. He falls asleep better being in your arms.”

“It’s not true, it's just that you come home late so he’s used to my rocking.” You’d say whilst looking at your child which was in your arms. You smiled at him before k*ssing it’s head gently.

“Yeah, I guess you’re right. . . You know this whole mom thing, it’s really grown on you.”

“What?”

“It’s cute.”

“Quit teasing —look, I’m sure he’ll warm up to you more. Why don’t you try putting him to sleep, he's almost there?” You’d say offering him to hold your son.

He took hold of his baby which began to open its eyes again and whimper seeing it wasn’t in the same arms.

“Hey, hey don’t cry little guy. Look mom’s right there she’s with us too.” Eren would say turning the baby’s direction towards you. It seemed to work a little bit. The kid was still teary eyed and wanted you instead.

He’d pat the back of the baby to give it some comfort and he’d give the baby one of its stuffed toys which didn’t work this time.

Didn’t notice that the baby took interest in his hand instead and tried to hold his fingers. Of course he wouldn’t succeed because his hand is much bigger but it was a very cute moment.

This made you very heartfelt that he was successful. Eventually the baby became more comfortable and drifted off to sleep by Eren rocking him in a way that felt right to the baby.

I see that he likes to read to the baby so even if it can’t understand it, Eren likes to show mini Eren picture books. And it’s just cute that he reads to him, in fact he’ll even read him children's books that are in German.

He does speak to the baby in German sometimes it just kinda depends. So he kinda changes it up. But I mean it’s cute to see them bond.

Eren even puts on Elmo and watches it with his baby. He watches a lot of baby shows with his kid and it’s just 😭😭🤧🤧

When they kid grew up a bit and they started to play hide and seek your son thought that by putting a blanket over himself would count. 😂 (like the photo above)

The baby really loves his dad and enjoys all the time he spends.

Although Eren gives you a scare when he throws your son in the air and catches him. “Eren, be careful please.”

“Alright babe.”

He never picks out the right clothes and always gets the nice ones dirty.

Chases after his baby (when it could walk obviously) a lot and makes him win.

He even chases you, for some reason or another your child seems to love it when you two get playful like that.

Like even if Eren is just putting you over his shoulders (yes he still does this to you even though you two have a baby now) to catch you off guard and you freak out which makes the baby laugh at your guys' interaction.

The kid tends to like it when Eren is messing with you for some reason, however sometimes he doesn’t think Eren’s teasing towards you is good so then he gets sad and worried for you even tho you're fine.

Will start to cry if you or Eren get hurt or if you two are fighting.

Eren likes to tickle his son too.

He also likes teaching it because he gets to see his son be curious.

I think that if the kid has some of your attributes Eren smiles when he sees it on his son.

He does try to get the baby to say Dada before Mama cause he’s just petty.

Loves to play peek-a-boo but would be mortified if someone walked in on him.

“You’re a hot mom, you know that?”

“Eren.” You’d say with an upset tone but also smiling because he laughed at your reaction.

“It’s the truth.”

“Oh so you’re into mommies now?” You laughed.

He approached you from behind, placing his hands on your waist. “No, I’m only into this mama.” He’d say before giving you a k*ss.

@bi-effing-simp @sofijaeger @lucifugovs @xxghoulishspritexx @sp00ksic0la @keithandlevi-ontheroof @songbirdgardensworld

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#attack on titan headcanons #attack on titan #snk #aot #aot headcanons #eren headcanons #aot eren #eren yeager #eren x reader #eren jaeger #anime #eren attack on titan #eren yaeger headcanons #eren yeager hcs #attack on titan hcs

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hiddles-and-skittles · 3 years

Text

Ride

Pairing: Bucky x fem!reader

Word Count: 1,585

Summary: Gatherings can't be that bad, right? Especially if your boyfriend convinces you to ditch early for a ride home on his motorcycle. It's just unfortunate he's gotta rile you up beforehand.. .

Warnings: 18+, kinda masturbation/edging by motorcycle???, teasing, pet names; sweetheart, doll, cocky Bucky (what? He's definitely a warning)

Notes: This idea came to me and I absolutely could NOT put it down. I don't typically write smut or anything along those lines, so any feedback is appreciated! This is way out of my comfort zone😅

____________

"Come on, Sam is waiting on us."

You roll your eyes and dramatically throw yourself back on the bed. "Yeah well, Sam can wait. I don't even want to be there."

"And you think I do?" He calls to you, pulling on his gloves and nearly stomping back towards your room.

"Bucky, I don't want to go." He stands in your doorway and you pout at him, making him sigh.

He cocks an eyebrow at you. "I know. But who says we gotta stay all night?" At this, you raise up from your mopey position. "We make an appearance, talk to Sam for a little while, then get lost in the crowd and disappear. He won't even notice."

You hum thoughtfully. "Good point." You swing your legs over the bed and slip into your Converse shoes, plastering a smile to your face and gleefully skipping due to the fact you'll get to leave early.

Sam was having a reunion party with some buddies from his Afghanistan tours. It was a huge event downtown, but neither you nor Bucky was a big fan of crowds. So the two of you only considered going in support of Sam.

Bucky stopped on the apartment complex's steps, narrowing his eyes at an empty parking spot. "He took my bike."

You snorted. "Cab it is."

________

Shortly you arrive at the event and he opens the cab door for you, his knuckles grazing down your arm to catch your hand in his. The action sends a shudder through your body and he smirks, stopping to give you a scheming look.

"What?" you ask him, furrowing your eyebrows and squeezing his hand.

"Nothing," he simpers.

You decide to be suspicious of him for the rest of the evening.

There are a plethora of people but you both advance through the crowd in search of Sam, Bucky stopping you to point out that Sam is quite preoccupied. He nudges you towards the most empty table he can find so you can sit down. On either side of you both is an empty seat, and the rest of the chairs are filled by half-drunk, burly men sporting drinks.

One of them turns to you and introduces himself and his comrades. A few of them take quick note of Bucky's name, quoting something Sam has mentioned about him before then thanking Bucky for his service. You wrap your arm around his middle and look up at him with pride, nuzzling yourself closer to your soldier.

You're both quiet as the vets around you continue their chatter about their best times, their laughter making the atmosphere light. You have to admit, you might actually be enjoying yourself. You're lost in a story about a guy teaching his kid how to hot wire a car when a hand squeezes your thigh.

Your knee immediately jerks and hits the table and you have to bite your bottom lip to stifle a yelp. A few heads turn in your direction and as you feel the warmth spreading to your face, you feign a sneeze, apologizing for the interruption. Bucky remains dead panned, although the sides of his mouth subtly quirk up. You glare at him. "Bless you, sweetheart," he patronizes. You shift uncomfortably as the men return to their conversations.

His hand makes its way back to your thigh and you inhale sharply through your nose. "Bucky," you whimper, swallowing hard.

"Gotta keep quiet for me, doll, or I'll stop," he tuts lowly. Instinctively you spread your legs a little to make enough room for his hand. Your breath hitches as he circles your clit with his middle finger, lightly tracing down your clothed mound. You curse yourself for wearing jeans, because the thickness of the denim heavily affects the way he feels against you.

But you want more.

He presses harder until Sam struts over to the table, and Bucky innocuously throws his arm around your shoulder. You huff in frustration and he chuckles.

"Surprised you two haven't left yet," Sam laughs, sipping a beer and slapping a hand over Bucky's shoulder.

"Why would we do that?" Bucky asks sarcastically.

Sam rolls his eyes playfully. "Stay awhile, enjoy the sunset and have a drink. They're all on the house." You both pause in thought. "I knew that would convince you!"

"Well," you start. "The sky is gorgeous right now. Maybe just one drink till the sun sets."

Someone then calls for Sam and he excuses himself, telling you he'll see you back at home later. You watch him disappear into the crowd, reality hitting you that you're still worked up from Bucky's teasing. And all it takes is a devious look from him to get you riled up again. You shoot up from your seat to thank the vets around you for their service, and tell them that it was nice to meet them, but you have some personal matters to attend to at home. Bucky follows suit, grabbing your hand.

You try to push your way through the crowd without an obvious, horny spring in your step, and as you pass by a table, Bucky fishes a beer with his free hand without stopping.

"I'll call the cab back here and we can-"

"No."

"What?" You stop in your tracks and Bucky lets go of you, continuing to walk to where his motorcycle is parked. He beckons you over with a crooked finger as he mounts the bike, and you fold your arms over your chest, cocking an eyebrow.

"What? It's not like he'll be able to drive tonight anyway." He foots the kick stand, placing his beer in the back compartment then bringing his hands up to twist around the handlebars. "Come on, let's go watch the sunset."

"The-the sunset?" You ask incredulously.

"What? You said it was pretty, let's go get a closer look." Your eye twitches at his feigned ignorance.

"Bucky I swear to god if you don't take me right now-"

He grins. "Then I just won't take you at all." He revs the engine once to accentuate his threat and you groan. "Come on or I'll leave you."

"Fine."

You march over to him and swing your leg over the bike, nestling yourself into his back and situating your hands on top of his shoulders. The engine roars to life, the heads of onlookers catching your eye and in one swift motion he kicks it into gear and you're off.

The winds whips your hair and licks at your face, causing you to constantly tear it away from your eyes. Once free, you take in the view before you, ever amazed at how the sun sets on the water; the sky glows with an orange and pink hue, making it look like a painting. And for a moment you forget about your throbbing lower half until you shift to get a little more comfortable on the seat and oh. Oh.

Your hands impulsively tighten around his shoulders and your jaw goes slack, gasping as the vibration from the motorcycle hits just the right spot. You let out a light moan and no sooner clap a hand over your mouth, hoping Bucky hasn't heard you. Your head slumps forward on his back.

"You good back there?" He yells over his shoulder.

"Y-yeah! Uh-all good!" you wheeze, attempting not to sound too out of sorts. The street is bare as he stops at a red light, and you try to breathe so as not to let the pleasure overtake you. It's not that you don't want to let go, it's just that you know you'll never hear the end of it from him of you do.

When the light turns green, he revs the engine so many times you lose count. Your mind is swirling in ecstacy and you start to pant faster, clinging onto Bucky for dear life as you near your release.

You screw your eyes shut, the coil finally snapping while you bite down harshly on the shoulder of his leather jacket. By this point you're unabashedly gasping and moaning, your hips bucking wildly into the seat as your clit is overstimulated to the point it hurts.

You pray for the ride to your apartment to end while he speeds up, causing you to sob into the waves of pleasure the vibrations are granting you. You claw mindlessly at his torso until he finally slows to a stop, and you catch your breath to come to your senses. You can't help the nagging, coherent thought that the ride home had taken a lot longer than usual and you realize the sky is now completely black and littered with stars.

He knew. That fucker knew.

Bucky dismounts the vehicle and stands before you with a hand on his hip and a smug demeanor. You lean forward on your hands, still heaving to try and even out your breath.

"Enjoy the ride?" Bucky taunts, flat lining his lips.

"Fuck-" pant "-you," you nearly spit. He chuckles darkly. "You were edging me, with a goddamn motorcycle."

He scratches the back of his head. "I might have added a little extra something just for you."

You raise your head. "Why don't we go upstairs and you let me get my revenge?"

He huffs. "What's the point? You already came all over my seat."

"It wasn't your cock," you retort, untangling your wobbly legs from the bike. Bucky reaches out to steady you, pulling you to him by your waist.

"Fair point, pretty girl."

#marvel #bucky barnes #bucky barnes fluff #bucky barnes x reader #marvel cinematic universe #bucky x reader #bucky barnes imagine #bucky x y/n #bucky barnes fanfiction #bucky x female reader #fanfiction #my writing #my fic #bucky x reader smut #bucky barnes x reader smut #james buchanan barnes #james bucky barnes #the winter soldier #tfatws

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