#|| I actually taught them out of drumming the door so... | Explore Tumblr Posts and Blogs

faulty-writes · 10 months

Note

hiiii, i was wondering if it was possible to write something about adhd!reader (fem! preferably) that has a hyperfixation with mushrooms that’s dating bakugo? if not just delete this message :)!

[ So this was actually an interesting challenge. As a psychology student, I took this idea of hyperfixation and applied it in a different way. I had the reader basically thinking of mushrooms and being increasingly happy whenever she is near them. Regardless, I hope you enjoy this piece! ]

“Damn it, pay attention!” Katsuki snapped, dropping the drumsticks, and grabbing your wrists. The only reason he was sitting with you in his lap in front of a drum set was that you insisted you wanted to learn how to play them.

But, due to your hyperactivity and tendency to get distracted easily, your thoughts were focused on things far from what you were currently doing. That is until Katsuki yelled “Dumbass, you were the one that wanted to learn how to drum in the first place!” and snapped you back to reality.

You nervously chuckled and ignored his death glare. “Sorry,” you replied sheepishly. “I got a little bored and then I started thinking of mushrooms and how cute they are and-” he clenched his jaw. “Again, with the damn mushrooms!?” he snapped, aware of your fixation on them.

Although it wasn't wrong, he thought he would at least be able to keep your attention. Guess he was wrong. You pouted and slowly turned in his lap to face him. “Please don't be mad,” you pleaded as you hugged him and rested your head on his shoulder.

He sighed, almost hating his soft spot for you. But regardless, he returned your hug and lifted you into his arms as he walked away from the drumset. “Huh?” You blinked and leaned back, looking at him although his eyes were focused forward.

“Where are we going?” you asked as he shifted his gaze toward you. “My room. Where else?” he hissed in response. “Um, your room?” you asked, tilting your head cluelessly. “Yeah, my room, damn it! Maybe you’ll pay more attention there!” he snapped, making you pout.

You knew he didn’t mean to pick on you, he was just very particular about tutoring. Eijirou had told you horror stories about it, but unlike him, you weren’t getting beat over the head with a rolled-up newspaper. He kicked open the door and stomped to his bed, dropping you onto it without a care.

“Ah, hey!” you replied but noticed his smirk as he closed the door. You sighed and leaned back, moving your legs impatiently. You weren’t known for sitting still for long. Katsuki walked over and climbed behind you, stretching his legs out by your sides.

“Come here,” he demanded, wrapping his arms around your waist to pull you against him. “Maybe you’ll pay attention if I do this,” he said, grabbing your wrists. “Pretend you’re in front of the damn drum set. Here are your tom toms,” he said moving your hands to the left and right.

“Your snare drum is here, and your cymbals are here,” he said stretching your arms in the opposite directions. “Now play what I taught you before,” he demanded. “Um,” you glanced at him. “I, uh, I kind of forgot?” you replied.

“Fine,” he growled, guiding your hands to where the “pretend” drums and tom toms were and going through the motions of the song. “There, now show me,” he said. “Okay?” you replied, repeating what he had just done although your mind soon drifted back to mushrooms.

Katsuki raised his eyebrow when he noticed that familiar dreamy look on your face. Your hands slowed and eventually fell onto your lap. He sighed and leaned back. Frankly, you meant a lot to him. However, he couldn’t help but feel jealous at the fact that your thoughts were filled with damn mushrooms instead of him.

He scowled as he wrapped his arms around your waist, pulling you back and onto your side. “What are you doing!?” you cried. “Pff, oh you’re finally back huh!? Not daydreaming anymore?” he replied, and you weren't sure if he was angry or just teasing you.

The heat of his body and his hot breath against your ear made you squirm causing him to tighten his grip. “Let me go!” he chuckled. “I finally have your attention, why would I let you go?” he pressed a few kisses to the side of your neck, making you squeal in response.

“Katsuki!” you shouted before being silenced by his hand. You turned, looking at him with wide eyes and raised eyebrows. “Don’t shout my name dumbass! You want everyone to hear!?” he snapped, baring his teeth at you.

You knit your eyebrows and reach up, forcing his hand away from your mouth. “What time is it?” you asked. “Are people sleeping?” you added. Katsuki sighed and reached for his phone, checking the time. “I should probably head to my room and sleep too if that’s the case,” you said, trying to remove his arm from around your waist.

“You’re gonna sleep here tonight,” he replied lowering his phone with a snarl. “What!?” you exclaimed. “What did I just say!?” he screamed back, ironically knowing he was doing the very opposite of what he told you to do and that others probably heard him.

“If I let you sleep alone, you’re going to spend all night thinking about those damned mushrooms again and get no sleep! So shut up and get comfortable,” he said before nuzzling the back of your head. For a moment you wondered if there was an alternative motive to this.

Did he actually want you to sleep with him? Was he feeling lonely or truly concerned about your sleeping habits? “We have that damned training exercise tomorrow, so you need rest,” he said, making you pout. You had forgotten that you had a training exercise, against Class B no less.

You sighed in defeat and although you weren’t sure how you’d sleep with Katsuki’s arms wrapped around you, this wasn’t anything new. The two of you shared simple moments like this many times and you loved being this close to him.

It made you feel safe, wanted, and normal. Yes, everyone had their own version of normal, but Katsuki was the first to accept the way you were and while he still made comments about your mushroom obsession, you knew he wasn’t planning to leave you anytime soon.

Katsuki had a certain way about him. While most viewed him as “an angry boy” he was also organized, creative, and only played by his own rules when he saw fit. One of which was waking up an hour before class started which you struggled with considering you weren’t much of a morning person.

“Did we really have to wake up this early!?” you whined, walking into the kitchen with him. “Quiet!” he snapped, opening the fridge to pull out a carton of eggs and then the cabinet for a bag of rice. You pouted and crossed your arms. “I hate waking up early!” you declared ignoring his glare.

“Do you want breakfast or not!?” he snapped, and you rolled your eyes. “Of course, I do!” you replied, sitting on the counter stool. Guess it was pleasant to have a boyfriend that could cook, and Katsuki’s cooking was delicious, maybe even worth waking up early for.

The rest of the morning seemed to go by fast, as usual, you wrapped yourself around Katsuki’s arm as the two of you walked to Yuuei and he pulled you along whenever you happened to spot a mushroom or two on the ground.

In class, you kept swinging your legs back and forth and focusing your gaze out the window when you daydreamed. As a result, you got scolded by the teachers. While most of them let you off with a warning, Mr. Yamada was the only one that gave you some sound advice.

“Get your head in the game girlie! You have training next, ya dig? Can’t be a hero if ya can’t stay focused!” This was followed by several rapid pokes to your forehead. As luck would have it, while you were competing against Class B, you were doing it in pairs, and Katsuki and you happened to be paired up by chance.

That excited you enough, but finding out you were competing against Kinoko Komori or “Shemage” sent you over the top. Not only did her quirk allow her to grow mushrooms at will, but her costume made her look like a mushroom. Frankly, you thought it was the cutest thing.

“I can’t believe it!” you squealed, dancing on your toes with your arms pressed against your chest. Katsuki growled, from his position on his knees crouched behind one of the many metal pipes that made up Ground Gamma.

“Shut it or you’ll give our location away, damn it!” he said, looking around paranoidly. “I can’t help it!” you said, cupping your flushed face. “We’re versing Shemage! And her cute little mushrooms!” you declared, yet again squeaking happily.

“Yeah, we’re also versing Lizardy, so keep your eyes out!” he demanded, once again scanning the area. He had fought against her before and while nobody was a real challenge for him, he had to switch to more tactical thinking when versing her given her quirk was tricky.

“Pff, I’m not interested in fighting her,” you replied, waving Katsuki’s words away. “What the hell do you mean you’re not interested!? It’s a damn verse match, dumbass!” he snapped, with his hair standing on end and his eyes blazing against his black mask.

You pouted and crossed your arms. “I just want to see Shemage’s cute mushrooms!” you stated, stomping your foot against the ground. You were completely unaware of the impending danger coming your way until you felt two hands grab at your ankles.

Before you could react, you were dragged away. You let out a scream and dug your nails into the concrete metal floor. However, this did not slow you down and you grunted as you were pulled between the numerous cranes and pipelines.

“Hey, get back here!” you heard Katsuki’s voice echo followed by his explosions. When you finally stopped, you groaned and turned over, feeling how tender the front of your body was. You clenched your jaw, staring at the sky or what was visible through the piping.

“So, you wanna see Shemage huh?” came Setsuna’s voice before numerous body parts materialized in front of you. Her hands grabbed your wrists, pinning them above your head as she loomed over you. “Well, you can see my cute face instead!” she laughed.

You looked at her with wide eyes. This whole situation was unexpected, and as usual, your oblivious nature was to blame. Seriously, is something wrong with you? Well other than the obvious. You needed to focus now more than ever, even if mushrooms were still on your mind.

“I don’t want to see your cute face!” you replied, trying to break free of her grip. You grunted, struggling to bring your leg up and kick her in the face. “Hey, dumbass!” Katsuki’s voice came closer this time and his explosions reflected off the metal landscape surrounding you, temporarily irritating your vision.

“Get away from her! Damn it!” he growled, using his quirk to propel himself toward you and Setsuna. “DIE!” he screamed, and a frightening chill ran through you knowing what he would do. While you trusted that he knew better than to hurt you, the fact was that he got competitive during training exercises and disregarded rules.

However, instead of feeling the heat and pain from the explosion, you felt the impact of it clashing against something else. You also felt the vibrations of it rattle through Ground Gamma. You took this chance to kick Setsuna off of you and staggered to your feet.

That's when your nose caught the scent of burnt mushrooms accompanied by smoke that billowed through the air. You coughed, waving your hand in front of your face before realizing what was in front of you...a giant pile of mushrooms.

“What the hell!?” Katsuki snapped, landing on the ground roughly. “Heh, thanks to your quirk's humidity, my mushrooms can grow rapidly!” Your head immediately turned to the source of the voice, and you gasped when you saw Shemage.

Before you could register your actions, you wrapped your arms around her and nuzzled the top of her mushroom-shaped hat. “Jeez,” Setsuna hissed, rubbing her sore face. “You have some kick,” she commented, before realizing the gravity of the situation.

“Uh…” she watched as Kinoko tried her hardest to pry you off her which caused mushrooms to grow across your skin, but you squealed in delight at this. “What the hell is wrong with your girlfriend!?” Setsuna shouted as Katsuki ground his teeth together.

“None of your damn business!” He snapped in reply before stomping over to you and Kinoko. “Get the hell off her! She's our enemy!” he demanded, grabbing your arm but you whined in retaliation. “You’re never going to get her off that way,” Setsuna commented, with her hands on her hips.

“You have any other damn suggestions!?” Katsuki snapped, trying to ignore the mushrooms growing across his hands. “Well, I don’t know what her obsession with mushrooms is but…” she looked at Kinoko with a smirk. “Let’s win this!” she declared.

The world around you was muted because all you cared about was being close to the cutest-looking mushroom girl, that could create them at will. What more could someone want? Kinoko smiled and nodded before looking at Katsuki who clenched his jaw.

“Damn it!” He wanted to win but couldn't leave you behind. He growled and grabbed the top of your head, curling his fingers into your hair and forcing you to turn your head. Mushrooms continued to grow across his skin and yours, but you failed to notice this until your eyes were forced to look at him.

“Snap out of it! I’m your damn boyfriend, pay attention to me!” he screamed into your face, and for once you seemed to acknowledge what he wanted. You removed your arms from around Kinoko who then used her quirk at full capacity.

Mushrooms grew across the ground, covering your shoes and ankles and decorating the metal poles with a variety of colors that reflected off the sunlight and created colorful hues. “Eh?” Katsuki raised his eyebrow, looking around as if he was in a foreign place.

“Oh wow,” you said, folding your hands in front of you as you approached Katsuki who turned his head back. “What the hell are you looking at!?” he snapped before realizing mushrooms were still sprouting across his arms and chest, and one mushroom was sticking out of the tip of his nose.

“You look so cute!” you screamed before pouncing on him and knocking him off his feet. “Get off me!” he snapped, but you remained sprawled on top of him, kissing one side of his cheek while cupping the opposite. Setsuna and Kinoko both exchanged a puzzling look before smiling.

“I think I’ll stick around and watch this,” Setsuna said, and Kinoko nodded in agreement. Your lips were sore by the time the teachers pulled the two of you apart. Katsuki’s hands were slightly burned because he had overused his quirk trying to get you off him and destroy the mushrooms that surrounded you.

Class B won the training exercise. This was a major hit to Katsuki’s ego and after you had time to process your actions, you felt embarrassed and shameful. You knew how much victory meant to him, and he refused to talk to you until the two of you were getting ready for bed.

You frowned and curled your hands in your lap while waiting for Katsuki to return from the bathroom. You sighed, leaning over, and cupping your face. ‘What is wrong with me?’ you thought, being critical of yourself. Your feet kicked against Katsuki's bedframe because, as usual, you couldn’t sit still.

Was that another problem you had? Was it normal to be this distracted and absent-minded? This obsessed with mushrooms!? It was your fault that you lost the match today. However, in your defense, you didn’t know you’d be facing someone that literally created the very thing you were obsessed with.

You frowned, feeling your eyes water over. This constant internal argument was annoying. You raised your head when you heard the door open, and Katsuki stepped through. He narrowed his eyes, immediately feeling the saddened atmosphere in the air. Maybe it was his fault.

He was harsh on you after you lost the training round, but he sensed something else was bothering you. Turning away, you took a deep breath and sighed. “Look about today-” Katsuki walked over, and slammed his hand over your mouth making you jump.

“Hm?!” You looked at him, eyes still glistening and filled with sadness. “It’s already over don’t worry about that stupid match,” he replied, anger seeping from his voice. He lowered his hand and sat down next to you.

“What the hell else is bothering you, eh!?” he demanded, and while you knew you shouldn’t be surprised, it also sucked that you were so transparent to him. “N-nothing I just-” you crossed your arms, trying to ignore his growl.

“Don’t tell me it’s nothing dumbass!” he snapped, reaching over to grab your chin, and forcing you to look at him. “Tell me right now, damn it. I’m not able to sleep until I know you’re okay,” the fact that he cared so much made a few tears roll down your cheeks, but you quickly wiped them away.

“It’s just…” you sighed. “I sometimes wonder what’s wrong with me, I mean…am I weird? I can’t sit still, I can’t pay attention in class, I love mushrooms so damn much!” you said, again getting that dreamy expression in your eye.

“Uh, I mean of course I don’t love them more than you!” a nervous chuckle left your mouth. “It’s just that uh, well-” his hand clamped over your mouth again. “I get it,” he replied sternly before lowering his hand. “Who the hell cares if you’re weird?” he replied in a serious tone.

“Class isn’t that important, being the best damn hero that you can is, and if anyone talks shit about you, I’ll take care of them,” he promised, while his words were somewhat encouraging you had some minor doubts about your hero abilities.

But you also knew that Katsuki would be there to guide you as well as your teachers. But even your teachers didn’t accept you as Katsuki did. “Feel better yet?” he asked, ruffling your hair. “Mm, I guess,” you replied shrugging. Katsuki seemed satisfied with your answer.

“Come on,” he said, half-heartedly lying down and spreading his arms out. You turned to look at him, and more importantly, the shirt he was wearing. It was colored white with a large red mushroom on it, and a small frog was sitting on top of the said mushroom, smiling.

How did you not notice that when he walked in? Well, at least it made you smile. “Hurry the hell up!” he demanded, knowing you noticed his shirt but refused to comment. “Okay!” you said, happily falling onto him and nuzzling your head against his mushroom-themed shirt.

#katsuki x reader #bakugou x reader #bakugo x reader #katsuki x you #bakugou x y/n #bakugo x you #bakugo x y/n #katsuki x y/n #bnha x reader #bnha x y/n #bnha x you #faulty writes: katsuki bakugou: 23 #faulty writes: katsuki bakugou: one shot: 23

175 notes · View notes

thenerdykneazle · 6 months

Text

Dear Diary

Summary: You stumble across Garreth's rather scandalizing diary while waiting for him to meet up with you.

Garreth Weasley x Gryffindor F!MC

Warnings: 18+, explicit sexual content, 7th year, aged-up characters

Word count: 2263

You sat on the edge of the fourposter bed. The maroon curtains were tied back, leaving it open. You looked around the room. It resembled your own, having the same beds with the exception that these were numbered. Garreth also had one more roommate than you did, though the room was smaller than yours. The five beds were packed into the small room at the top of Gryffindor tower. It also lacked the sitting area yours had, though a similar enchanted mirror stood near the door. The room was cleaner than you had ever seen it, too, as most of its residents were away for the holidays. The sole exception was Garreth. He had retuned just after Christmas to spend time with his aunt. As such, his desk was as strewn with papers as ever. It was filled with books, a few for his actual classes but most were various extracurricular tomes on potions and herbology. A portrait of the last Gryffindor captain to win the quidditch cup was hung above it.

Currently, you were waiting for Garreth to return from getting lunch with his aunt. You flopped back, lying sideways across the bed as you stared at the ceiling in boredom. You yawned as you stretched your limbs as far as you could reach them. Perhaps you would sneak in a nap while you waited. The break had been wonderfully peaceful – a stark contrast to your usually hectic schedule. Not a single soul had come to you in crisis, which meant you had been using a lot of time to catch up on much-needed sleep.

However, you decided against the nap since Garreth was set to return shortly. You got up and sat at his desk, looking through the pages of notes on his newest experiment. While you refused to be his guineapig, the concoctions did intrigue you. You drummed your fingers on the desk absentmindedly, tapping to the tune of one of the numerous Chudley Cannons cheers Garreth had taught you over the summer. Suddenly, a drawer you had never noticed in the desk slid open.

“And who are you?” you said as you plucked the lone book out of the drawer before sliding it shut.

You flicked it open, and your eyes scanned the black scrawl on the pages. A diary! You glanced at the door before returning your gaze to the book. Your heart rate accelerated with excitement. You knew you should put it back. Clearly these were private thoughts, hidden away behind a charm. Although, it wasn’t your fault the book practically thrust itself into your lap. You were flipping through the pages as you dialogued with yourself on the morality of perusing something so personal to your friend.

You held the book in both hands as you read the most recent entry. It was a sweet musing about Garreth’s excitement for break. He talked about missing his family and looking forward to quality time with his aunt. He also wrote a bit about the potion he hoped to perfect over break, a fizzing beverage that makes the drinker burp bubbles. You smiled as you read the words. You worked your way backwards, reading through complaints about classes and teachers, especially Professor Sharp. Though, despite his frustrations with him, he clearly had admiration for the man, as well.

An entry from two weeks prior gave you pause.

I had the best dream last night. It was about her, of course. In it, we spent the day in Hogsmeade, browsing Honeydukes and Zonko’s, before spending the night drinking at the Three Broomsticks. We stayed in the private room above the tavern, and she was all over me, kissing my neck and grabbing my hair. I got her knickers off, and she was so wet for me. I swear I could feel her slick now. It was so vivid.

Before I knew it, we were naked on the bed. She was under me as I slid into her. She moaned my name as I thrust sharply into her over and over. She mewled and pleaded for more, and I gave it to her. Merlin, I loved the way her voice cracked as she came, calling my name again. I was surprised I hadn’t actually spilled my seed when I woke up. What I wouldn’t give to hear her moaning my name in the waking world. I do so love the sound of it on her lips in her innocent greetings. Oh, how deliciously it would echo in my ears as she fell apart. Gods, I hope the memories of this dream never fade.

Wide-eyed, you looked around the room again, ensuring you were still alone. The sordid words shocked you. You would never have expected such vulgarity from the genial boy. Well, he wasn’t a boy anymore, you supposed. Well into your seventh year, you had both matured over the last two years. For Garreth, that meant filling out considerably. His broad shoulders and muscular arms served him well on the quidditch pitch. His strong forearms exposed from perpetually rolled-up sleeves were rather distracting in class. So was the way he loosened his tie in potions as the steaming cauldrons heated the room.

It was a small mercy that the woman in his dream went unnamed. It would be too much to know who had stolen the affections of the boy you cared for so ardently. Though, that didn’t stop you from rifling through the diary to try to find it out, against your better judgment. You found several other recountings of his wet dreams. He wrote of dreaming about her riding him and “watching her impale herself on [his] prick.” He wrote of another dream where he bent her over one of the potions stations and pounded into her from behind. An entry on a dream about eating her out in the astronomy tower after meeting her to fill out star charts brought a particularly strong blush to your cheeks. Yet not once did he mention her name.

You had made it all the way back to entries from the beginning of sixth year. It was there that you found the entry that sealed your fate.

She was driving me mad today. I swear she does it on purpose, leaning over tables so that her arse sticks out, begging to be grasped, and biting her lip to draw my eye to it. Even the lightest touch on my arm or brush of her fingers on my hand sets my skin ablaze. Gods, I’m desperate to tell her how I feel. I need to know if she feels the same. Yet, I cannot. We’ve become such good friends, and I couldn’t bear to make her uncomfortable if she doesn’t feel the same. Besides, she and Aunt Matilda are so close. I know my aunt loves me, but she is certain I would lead her into trouble. Aunt Matilda told me as much herself when she first arrived last year. Can’t imagine why she thinks so, though. I’m sure my aunt already warned her against me, and, even if she would give me a chance despite it, Aunt Matilda would never approve.

You almost missed it. The key phrase that made everything click into place: when she first arrived last year. He was talking about you. Fantasizing about you. Your skin tingled as a thrill ran up your spine. You were desperate to read more, but the sound of someone ascending the steps had you snapping the book shut. You tried to pull the drawer open, but it didn’t budge. You shoved the diary between random tomes on one of the desk’s shelves just before the door swung open. You were trembling with adrenaline.

“Good afternoon! Sorry I’m late. Aunt Matilda was extra chatty today,” he said brightly.

“Hi! No need to apologize, Garreth,” you replied as naturally as you could while feeling breathless and like your heart was about to beat out of your throat.

You saw his smile brighten a bit at the use of his name, and you couldn’t help the smirk that played on your lips. “Ready to ring in the new year?” he asked.

It was December 31st, and you two had plans to attend a party in Hogsmeade.

“Actually, Garreth, I was thinking we could hang out here for a while,” you said. You were eager to experiment with the knowledge you had gained. “I don’t want to start partying too early.”

Garreth sat on the side of his bed, facing you. His knee was mere inches from yours. “Okay. What would you like to do? We could bundle up and play summoner’s court, or we could nick some hot cocoa from the kitchens and hang out in the common room by the fire.”

As you looked in his emerald eyes, it was like you had never really seen them. You had always averted your gaze so quickly, afraid he’d see into your soul and reveal the feelings you worked so hard to keep hidden. Now as you gazed into them, you could see the adoration with which he looked at you. “I figured we could just stay up here for a while, Garreth,” you said. You wanted privacy.

He tilted his head as he smiled at you. “Why do you keep saying my name?” he asked, bemused.

You shrugged. “It’s a nice name. Very strong. Masculine,” you said. “Don’t you think, Garreth?”

A blush crept onto his freckled cheeks. “I guess so,” he said sheepishly.

You chucked. “I can stop if you’d rather, though,” you said seriously.

“No,” he blurted out far too quickly. “I mean…you don’t have to.”

The corners of your mouth ticked up again. “Good,” you said. “Because I like saying your name, Garreth.” You let your knee bump against his.

Garreth’s heart was racing. He didn’t know what was going on, but he knew that he liked it, whatever it was.

You let your fingers rest on his forearm. “Do you like it?” you asked.

His gaze shifted from your hand to your eyes. He looked at you with a furrowed brow. “What?”

You gave him your most innocent expression. “Do you like it? When I say your name?”

He stared at you, wide-eyed and lips parted. Was he dreaming? He felt like he was awake, but surely you would only say such things in his dreams. He just nodded, unable to find any words.

Your smirk grew. You were loving the effect you were having on the ginger lad. “What about watching me impale myself on your prick? Would you like that?”

Garreth may well have been part mooncalf with how wide his eyes were now. He had reread his own words enough times to recognize them immediately. His eyes flicked to his desk, searching for the familiar cover. He spotted it quickly on the shelf – very much not where he had left it. “I can explain,” he said in a panicked tone.

You pressed your lips into a thin line, the corners turned down. “Seemed pretty self-explanatory to me,” you mused.

“Where was–I mean, how did you–?” he stammered to his shoes.

“I was just tapping on your desk as I read through some notes, and the drawer popped open,” you said.

He shook his head in disbelief at his bad luck. “I’m so sorry you had to read that,” he said, his gaze still downcast.

You couldn’t help but roll your eyes at your frantic friend. “Garreth, look at me,” you said.

He winced as his eyes flitted up to your face. He was surprised by what he saw. He expected you to be scowling, maybe borderline murderous. Instead, he found an amused, slightly arrogant smile. Your eyes scanned his face, lingering on his lips. You trapped your own lip between your teeth as you stared at him with unmistakable lust.

Your eyes met his as you spoke. “I’m not sorry at all that I read it. In fact, I was hoping to read more before I heard you coming.”

He could feel the desire burning in his stomach immediately. He repeated your words in his mind several times, checking if there was any possibility that he could be misinterpreting them. Once he was certain he understood you correctly, he was leaning over you, his hands resting on the edges of your chair. His face hovered a few treacherous inches from yours as he looked at you with heavy-lidded eyes.

“Why don’t I show you instead, love?” he asked.

You grabbed his tie and pulled him down so his lips met yours. You tangled a hand in his ginger curls, and his hands slid up your thighs as he kissed you back fiercely. He ran his tongue along your lower lip, entreating you for entry. Your lips parted, and his tongue slid along your own, exploring your mouth. Garreth pulled back beaming at you. You were both panting for air.

“So, I’ll take that as a ‘yes’?” he teased.

You bit your lip again as you nodded. “I’m quite curious about your dream in the astronomy tower,” you said as you gazed into his verdant eyes.

He gave you a devilish smile before hoisting you straight up from the chair. You let out a surprised squeal before giggling. He was careful not to hit your head as he laid you on his bed. His tongue darted out across his lips as he looked down at you like a starved chimera at a rabbit. His eyes glinted with desire. “I’ve been rather curious about it myself.”

#garreth weasley #hogwarts legacy #garreth weasley x mc #garreth weasley x reader #garreth weasley x f!mc #hogwarts legacy fanfic #hogwarts legacy fanfiction #garreth weasley fanfic #garreth weasley fanfiction

66 notes · View notes

ceilingfan5 · 1 year

Text

@taznovembercelebration sweet

“That music store guy hates my guts,” Taako announces, to no one in particular. You know, for the good of the order. Taako update from Taako central. “I’m either gonna kiss him or kill him.”

“If you’re going to verb him at all, I suggest ignore,” Barry replies dryly.

“Oh, I’m gonna verb him, alright.”

There’s a chorus of disgusted reactions. Taako doesn’t let it get him down.

“He’s gorgeous, for one, and plays the guitar, which is both a selling point but also a drawback.”

“Does he get good gas mileage?” Lup hollers from the back, where she’s chopping image candies at light speed. Barry is watching her around the corner and rearranging the gummy shelf meticulously, again. Oh no, the gummy pizza is out of alignment. Whatever will the gummy rat the size of a burrito the size of a baby do.

“This is just like that one musical where the two people that love each other can’t be together,” Taako miserates, staring out the window.

“Mhm,” Julia says. “The one,” snicker, “The, the one-”

“Yeah, Jules, you know, the only musical that ever had love in it.” Taako puts his hands on his hips. “Too many people work at this fucking candy store.”

“Some of us work at the fucking soda shop portion, sir,” Angus pipes up. “Besides, I thought you were rivals with the music store guy, whose name is actually Kravitz!”

“How did you know that, Abner.” Taako turns very slowly and dramatically. Everybody else would be sick of his bullshit, if anything else was going on, but it’s like one thirty on a Wednesday and they’re all sort of fucking off here. “What devil sacrifice did you make.”

“Only the devil sacrifice what taught me how to read,” Angus deadpans. Teens. “He wears a nametag, because he works in a store.”

“And?” Taako points at his own. “My name is clearly Julius Sleazor. You know, like the Pokemon.”

“Scizor?” Barry pushes up his glasses and makes a face.

“Kleavor, maybe?” Angus counters, like it’s running commentary rather than word noises Taako can hear with his ear cavities.

“No, I’m right,” Taako affirms. “Anyway, he can barely look at me. And he did that thing guys do when they ask what music you listen to so they can say they like better stuff.”

“Ew,” Lup says, wiping her hands and joining the rest of them. “Bear, your gummies aren’t symmetrical. But anyway, are you sure that’s why?”

“Yeah, maybe he just wanted to know what you’re into.” Julia shrugs. She taps a drum solo on the counter with the pens that look like lollipops, you know, for signing receipts. And getting super duper stolen but good, all the time. “Did you think of that?”

“He could be crafting you a mixed tape as we speak,” Angus says somberly. “You may only have hours to live.”

“Is he wooing me or plotting my death???”

“Both?” Lup looks at Barry.

“Both,” he agrees. “You’ll make a lovely drum, though. You’ll be remembered as bongos.”

“Man, fuck all y’all.” Taako leans on the counter. “I’m super gonna verb him when I get off work, you watch.”

“Ew,” everyone agrees, laughing, and as a customer jingles the door, they get back to looking busy. Taako can’t help but stare out the window, though. He has to know.

#taakitz #i guess?#taakitz fic #taz #taz b #tazb #taz balance #the adventure zone #the adventure zone balance #fan5fics #taznc

459 notes · View notes

takemealivelh · 21 days

Text

heart is gonna flatline || l.h.

tour puts luke and lucy's feelings to the test. addiction to sex, alcohol and weed for when things get hard. SMUT.

this was so fun to write ! loved to participate in the @5sos-fic-fest this year. hope you enjoy this. here's the ao3 link.

7.1 k

FEEDBACK IS ENCOURAGED AND APPRECIATED

Prompt Au where the characters are both famous musicians with their own projects who have a well-documented public friendship. When they announce a tour together fans go crazy, as do the shippers. As the tour progresses, maybe the shippers are on to something…

Pop-rockers 5SOS and Latina indie-rocker Lucía Huerta announce tour together Last year, there were rumors about the frontman of the Australian band -Luke Hemmings, 27- and relatively new sensation Lucía "Lucy" Huerta, 28. They'd been caught leaving West Hollywood bars together, late at night, on numerous occasions. They put the speculation to a stop when in June 2023 Lucy uploaded an Instagram story of her and the blond having a drink. She tagged Hemmings and wrote "that's the homie", to which Luke replied in his own stories "that's me :)". They've been seen hanging out repeatedly since then, but it doesn't seem any more platonic than work friends. And speaking of work friends, 5 Seconds of Summer and Huerta just announced a 2024 tour that definitely excited fans, not just because of the vibrant shows they expect to see later in the year, but also because they want to see how the relationship of the two stars will develop during the four-month North American dates. Here at Music Getaway, we'll definitely keep a close eye on them.

"i'm not ready to tell them yet," lucy says to his boyfriend as she leaves the coffee cup on the kitchen counter next to them. they've been dating for eight months. it's been hard to hide their relationship from the press, and luke isn't too keen on the idea. he actually hates it. but he loves lucy. he loves that she's a talented musician, her laugh, her jokes and her business smarts. and he just can't enjoy this in peace, not with being so secretive.

"you've been saying that for months now. when are you gonna be okay with this? with us?" luke doesn't get it. why hide when they go out on dates and he can finally press a hand on her ass in public to stop the thirst traps people seem to tag her on. hoping to get a chance with her? fuck no. the blond wants her all to himself, he can't deny that.

lucy twists her lips, stalling. the smell of freshly brewed breakfast coffee dancing around them. "you don't understand." she finally says, reaching a hand to touch his arm for a few seconds. the thought of being out in the open with luke would change everything. "people will treat me differently. they might not respect me anymore."

"what are you talking about?"

"luke, come on. i got my own interview with kelly clarkson and then i played the iheartradio festival." they'd been incredible opportunities. "all of my hard work goes away the minute they know we're together. they'll say oh she was fucking the rockstar and he got her those big breaks. i don't want that. i don't want people to minimize my efforts."

luke sighs and shakes his head. "is that what's more important?" lucy shrugs. "okay," he finally says.

"okay?"

"yeah. it's fine. i get it. i won't bring it up again."

lucy throws her arms around his neck. "thank you," she whispers before kissing his lips softly. "i love you."

luke sits with ashton outside the rehearsal room. they've been playing for nearly two hours and they need a breather, especially because luke's mind is spinning. "i don't know, man. it sucks." they hear chattering on the other side of the door, a few guitar riffs and then laughter.

"of course it sucks, mate," ashton tells his friend. "she doesn't want to be in your shadow. it really fucking sucks and you better not fuck this up for her. you know how hard she's been working." he had grown fond of lucy. she was as much of a fan of drums as he was. he taught her a few fills and she invited him to do yoga and get high, ending up talking about how the unconscious force of creativity is beyond any of us. ashton doesn't want to see her heartbroken because of her boyfriend's, his best friend's inability to trust someone who really loves him.

luke's insecure, there's no question about that. after his marriage fell apart, he fell into a depression. and when he got better, he found this woman in the venue of the iheartradio festival, she was wearing cool sunglasses and stevie nicks-looking clothes. hippie goth he would've dared to say. they were watching the soundcheck of another band and started talking after she took out a cigarette from her backpack and asked him for a lighter.

"sorry, no. i don't smoke."

"that's okay," she smiled.

that was all she said before looking for -and eventually finding- a lighter in the outside pocket of her small backpack.

the man looked up at the sky, the sun shining bright and the warm air of the field. he squinted one eye and turned to her. "they sound pretty good," he said of the band that was talking onstage, between songs. she nodded her head. "do you know them?"

"not personally, no," she replied and blew smoke out in a thin line. "but i've been a fan of them for a while now. they're one of my favorite indie bands."

that got them talking, eventually introducing themselves and catching up later after each other’s set. there was chemistry and flirting. luke's band immediately caught up to what was happening, when he said he was gonna congratulate lucy and be right back. but he didn't and it took them a full while to find him, thirty minutes before they went up and played.

"you got a lighter?"

calum nods and lights the cigarette for her. the smoking area of the building being a small parking lot.

"thanks," she breathes out. "you out here on your own?"

the bassist nods. "it's a good place to think."

lucy smiles and rolls her eyes. “cheesy,” she says with a grin.

"where's loverboy?" he asks, a cheeky smile on his face. calum was the first one to see them kissing. it was an afterparty at his band photographer's place. he'd gone to the kitchen when everyone started leaving, eight in the morning. when he went back to the living room with a cup of coffee, he saw lucy snuggled up to luke, smiling at him. luke smiled back and leaned in to kiss her. "aren't you guys glued to the hip anymore?"

lucy chuckles, "i don't know. there's... a lot happening."

"i'm listening."

"uh... okay. so... we decided to not tell everyone yet that we're dating. Not even with the tour. and i think he's mad at me."

"why do you say that?"

"he's been more... distant. and i don't know if that's what i wanted but it feels like... payback. like, you banned us and now i'm gonna make sure you feel it type of thing."

"i'm sure it's not that."

a bitter chuckle leaves her lips. "helpful as usual, cal."

cincinatti, first stop of the you don't go to parties tour. lucy had laughed when they first told her the name of the tour, but she eventually grew to like it and even embrace it. it's 6 pm and her soundcheck just ended. security lets fans in for a q&a with 5sos. she walks over to her boyfriend and smiles at him, wanting to kiss him good luck, or maybe just because she loves him. but luke stops her before she can even tilt her head up to reach his lips.

"we can't now. remember?"

it leaves her heart sore. she stands still as luke enters the stage and is greeted with the cheering of the fans. the rest of the guys are already seated on the small stairs of the set. she watches him ignore her and the questions about her. michael replies to one of them by saying she's our friend and we care for her and we're pretty inspired by her work as well, so it seemed like a good idea to, like, join forces and do this tour together.

lucy hopes luke will acknowledge her at some point, but he doesn't. when they start playing talk fast for the few lucky seventy fans in the audience, she twists her lips and leaves, heading backstage.

he doesn't see her until she's onstage again, playing her set of amazing songs for the 16,000 people attending the show. they dance and scream the lyrics back to her. she plays her guitar and sings with her raspy grunge-style voice over the indie-pop-rock arrangements her backing band provides. his heart beats faster as she approaches the microphone and starts talking.

"and thank you to my friends in 5sos who have been kind enough to invite me to co-headline this tour. the you don't go to parties tour seemed a little odd to me at first because this is definitely a party, isn't it?" she smiles as the crowd cheers. "so thank you guys," lucy turns to the left of the stage and sees luke standing next to her guitar tech. "i really fucking love you."

because of technical issues, the band can't perform the whole setlist. sometimes it happens. ashton is always pissed. "they're missing the whole experience!"

"yeah, well. nothing we can do. venue told us we could do the whole hour and a half but because of the issue with the speakers, they can't last that long. you have to cut two songs."

the tour manager tries to hold this thing together as ashton and michael complain. calum offers suggestions.

"i guess we could lose um... we could lose babylon, right? just this once and... flatline maybe?" the bassist looks over at luke.

flatline is the one song they had never played live before and it’d be a surprise for the audience. especially because lucy would come onstage to sing it with them. play the rhythmic guitar while luke walks around, hyping up the crowd. they'd rehearsed it several times and she was excited about it. they both were. allegedly.

"sure," luke replies as he drinks a glass of tequila, setting it down on a table and making sure his guitar is properly tuned. "let's cut them."

michael and ashton look at each other and then at luke. the frontman shrugs and his friends tell the tour manager that they will cut babylon and flatline.

all of the musicians have separate rooms in the hotels. even luke and lucy. she'd insisted it'd be easier. luke hated it. and he didn't expect her to show up at his room, unannounced, with a frown on her forehead and breathing hard.

"you cut our song," she steps inside the white room with the white walls, white bed and white comforter. looking at luke, the woman crosses her arms.

"we had to," he simply states. as if he wasn't the one greenlighting the whole thing.

"you could've told me, though. i was looking stupid next to the stage, waiting for you to introduce me. and it never happened."

"is that all that matters to you? how you look in front of other people? we had to cut two songs, lucy. the surprise's gonna be even bigger in the next show. fans will appreciate that."

lucy twists her lips and walks straight past him towards the door. "you're an asshole," she says before closing it behind her.

the beginning of the flight to boston is awkward. the whole twelve -the bands and the crew- can sense the tension inside the plane. it stems from luke and lucy, obviously. when did everything get so uneasy?

twenty minutes into the duration of the flight, though, luke slides into the seat next to his girlfriend. she doesn't look at him.

"i should've told you."

"yeah, you should've."

her heart beats faster as he places a hand on her cheek, guiding her eyes towards his own. he looks inside the brown hues and decides he can't keep hurting her. but she hurt him first. he wants to grow up and let it go. it's proving to be harder than he thought. maturity hasn't caught up to him easily yet. "i'm sorry." she closes her eyes and luke leans in to kiss her. "i'm sorry," he repeats.

a hand on his wrist, lucy is sad. looking into his eyes makes her sad. "it's okay," she finally says.

"and now we've got a pretty special surprise for you," michael grins into the microphone as the whole venue screams. "it's time to invite lucy huerta back on stage!" he shouts with a smile.

luke thinks lucy looks so fucking edible in those tight pants and that see-through top. her smile is big as she waves to the audience and settles on the center of the stage, where luke usually is. he gets another microphone from one of the roadies before ashton counts to four with his hi-hat.

should've seen me like a year ago, year ago/i was someone you don't even know, even know/dark times kept me all alone, all alone/you were shining like a heart of gold, heart of gold

he steals glances at her as she smiles into the crowd that’s going wild, her acoustic guitar hanging from her shoulders.

luke was depressed after the divorce, staying home and drinking himself to sleep. then he got his shit together (half of it at least), went to the studio and worked through his issues by writing songs. when he met lucy, luke thought she was the most wonderful person on the planet. she had the kindest heart and was an overall joy to have around. he sings the pre-chorus and is taken aback by her strong voice as she takes over the song with her playing and her singing.

ooh, i'm falling for the first time/heart is gonna flatline/now i can't even look at you/you're like staring at the sunshine, burning into my mind/now i can't even look at you

and she doesn't. she doesn't look at him as she sings, unlike rehearsals when they couldn't stop singing to each other. it breaks his heart, considering it's their song. he wrote this for her.

"thank you!" lucy shouts and then leaves the stage waving everybody goodbye.

after the show, luke showed up to her hotel room. the bands were out clubbing and when he heard lucy wasn’t gonna join them, he immediately took an uber back to where they were staying.

“let me in, please,” he says after knocking on her door three times. when she finally appears, she’s wearing a towel around her body and another one around her hair. she looks tired. “can i come in?”

without saying a word, lucy steps aside and luke walks into her room. she closes the door behind her and approaches him.

“talk to me,” he basically begs. reading her mind is like an unsolvable sudoku, the man can’t get his head around it. “I love you.”

“i love you, too,” she whispers, looking down at his messy converse sneakers.

luke quickly grabs her face and kisses her. it’s passionate and arousing and she can feel herself melting under his touch. she knows they should actually talk about it, instead of making out and falling on the bed, her towels discarded somewhere on the floor. she can’t help it. they’re both sex addicts. lucy rips his thin black shirt open and kisses down his chest, leaving his skin wet with the droplets that run down her hair. his breathing grows heavier and his pants grow tighter in the crotch area. he closes his eyes as she trails the kisses back up to his face. “take it off,” she pleads and sits next to him. luke quickly reincorporates himself to toss his shirt, his slacks and his underwear out of the way. he’s big and pulsating and lucy swallows hard, he turns her on so much.

when the last item of clothing hits the floor, one of his shoes, the man licks his upper lip and straddles her body, hovering over her. “you really want me, huh?” his smirk is cocky, as if he’s forgotten everything about these past few days. it’s like nothing ever happened and they’re still in their love bubble. she so desperately wants to go back to it, so she nods and wraps her arms around his neck, bringing him to her lips as she parts her legs. luke hooks an elbow on her knee and spreads her wider, watching her folds throb for him. so slick and ready. he kisses her once more before carefully dropping her leg onto the bed. “condom,” he says. “i need to fuck you now.”

lucy reaches out to the bag she keeps on the nightstand. eyeliner, pills and condoms. she hands him one and it doesn’t take long before his cock is ready. luke smirks and kisses her, lining himself against her entrance with one hand, he takes a deep breath and penetrates her.

her gasp shouldn’t come as a surprise, given that it’s the same sound every time, not at all used to having him being so big and thick yet, even after all these months. she closes her eyes and bites her lower lip as luke runs a hand through his damp curls, letting her adjust to his size. he groans as he feels her walls engulfing him. “i want you so much,” he offers a low moan and starts picking up the pace of his thrusts. bringing one of her legs over his shoulder, the man reaches a deeper spot that makes her moan out.

“fuck,” she pants as the bed bounces underneath their bodies. luke’s strength and determination to fuck her stupid works. her eyes roll to the back and she digs her short nails into his naked back. “more,” she begs and is immediately met with a hand around her throat. “more,” her plead is inaudible as she feels like she can’t breathe from the pleasure.

luke’s pupils are dilated in a way she’s never seen before. he tightens her grip around her throat and around her leg. gulping down at the sight of his girl falling apart under him, he tries to restrain louder moans but how can he? how can he fuck her quietly when she looks and feels so fucking good? “say you’re mine,” he orders. “say you’re mine.”

the morning sun shines through the window and rests its light on lucy’s face. She scrunches her nose and opens her eyes. she’s lying on luke’s chest, they’re both naked. he doesn’t seem to notice her shifting. the woman looks up at him, wondering when things got so complicated. she loves him. she truly loves him. he’s the first man she’s ever loved, in a real way, not a platonic crush way. the fact that he makes her laugh and his skills when making music and also in bed are extraordinary. he’s a sensitive soul and it’s such a wonder when he lowers down the walls he builds up around people. letting them in but not all the way. not in the way he does with her. or did. “why can’t you trust me with your thoughts anymore?” lucy wonders in a soft whisper before pressing a kiss to his sternum and getting up. she goes to the bathroom and takes a shower. when she opens the door that leads to the bedroom, luke is up and scrolling through his phone. “hi,” she smiles softly. her boyfriend’s hair is a mess and there’s still sleep inside his eyes.

“hey,” the man smiles back, putting his phone away. “flight’s at 6. you wanna do something today?”

lucy leans against the frame of the bathroom door. she crosses her arms in front of her chest and thinks for a moment while twisting her lips. “what do you have in mind?”

they both go down in the elevator, not touching, and it’s killing them. when they reach the hotel’s diner, they find calum and ashton sitting at one of the tables, drinking orange juice and eating bagels.

“you guys had fun last night,” calum smirks as the couple sits down with a plate of waffles and two cups of coffee.

lucy blushes and luke has to stop every inch of his urgent body to wrap an arm around her shoulders. “shut up,” they both say in unison. there’s a soft smile on their faces.

after michael drops by to have a quick breakfast and then leaves to facetime his wife and his baby daughter, the rest of them decide that it would be cool to go out and explore the city. so they do that. they go to a park and sit around, smoking and drinking warm water because of the summer heat upon them. a couple of fans stumble across them and ask for pictures. they stay for around ten minutes before leaving off to continue their day, the musicians keep on enjoying the sun and the fresh air. if you ignore calum and lucy’s cigarettes, that is.

they go to lunch at a nearby restaurant and order pasta salads. lucy looks over at luke across the table, he’s laughing at one of ashton’s jokes and she sighs almost imperceptibly, looking down at her empty plate. there’s a single ravioli and two tomato slices on it. she looks up when she feels a foot against her ankle and sees luke smiling softly at her.

they can’t help but fuck in the restaurant’s bathroom. locked into a single stall, she drops to her knees and sucks him off. luke pins her against the door and buries his head on her neck to muffle the sounds when he slides into her. she’s got a leg wrapped around his waist and she swallows hard to hush the sounds she wants to make.

when they reach back the table, they find that ashton and calum have deserted them, leaving them with the bill. “assholes,” she says and luke laughs.

Seen out: Luke Hemmings and Lucía Huerta have an off day in Boston

The pair walked out of the Intercontinental Hotel with Ashton Irwin (5SOS’ drummer) and Calum Hood (5SOS’ bassist). They were seen by fans at Fenway Park and they took pictures with them. Luke looks tired in the photos, but he seems happy. He wears roughed-up sneakers and a white tank top. Lucy wears short denim shorts and a black top with flowy sleeves. The fans that tagged them in the Instagram posts spoke about how nice they were and how exciting it was to meet them. Hemmings and Huerta were both seen leaving Tenderoni’s Fenway restaurant and getting into an Uber. According to inside sources, the pair haven’t been able to keep their hands off each other during this tour so far. We hope it stays that way.

“fuck,” lucy’s frustration about the latest hollywood gossip blog post seems to go unnoticed on the plane. but luke can tell, and he wraps an arm around her the minute they both sit down. “they know. they seem to know,” she hands him her phone so he can read the writing piece. she hates it. she hates it so much. “inside sources can suck my dick.” this statement makes luke giggle. “what’s so funny?” she asks, annoyed.

“nothing.”

the next cities go by in a time whirlwind. lucy’s been distant since the article and it breaks luke’s heart. she refused to hold his hand and kiss him outside hotel rooms. even concerts’ backstages.

a few months after they met, they attended a house party in santa monica. the sparks between them were something everybody noticed, but they didn’t seem to think much of it. they’re rockstars, they’re the same age, of course they’re gonna flirt. luke fucked her in the spare bedroom, door locked. she gasped when she felt his cock for the first time, knowing he’d just made her addicted to it. he’d ruined every other man for her.

“we should head back downstairs.”

“i wanna stay here with you.”

“luke.” his name was rough against her lips as she hooked her bra back on.

“alright, i’m up.”

looking back, that should’ve been a red flag for him, but he chose to ignore it. because she made him feel good and he didn’t want her to leave him for somebody else. he didn’t want to be left again. he’d loved his ex-wife, and it was hard to get over her after she cheated on him. lucy had never been in a relationship, just random hookups, a friend with benefits and two weeks of winter love. she feared intimacy and luke could tell after the second time they had sex. spend the night, he’d said. lucy shook her head and told him she needed to get up early in the morning for an interview, which was a lie.

by the time the first month rolls around, they’re barely talking. It’s all sex and pretending onstage. pretending to have fun, pretending that they’re not hurt. their hearts break in silence. well, sort of.

“i told you not to fuck it up.”

“she won’t let me in. she won’t talk to me about it.”

“fix it.”

someone just like you, no one else/lights will guide you so, run like hell

the screaming fans can’t get enough of the energy onstage. michael jumping around, calum throwing his head back to expose his neck to the crowd, ashton beasting out on the drums. luke crouches in front of the crowd with a wide smile and lucy plays guitar while she sings her heart out. the lights radiate orange and red colors on the stage, the bass resonates in their bodies and there’s so much adrenaline going on that she has a moment of weakness. she looks over at luke, who has walked over to michael’s side of the stage as he sings the second verse. he wears a silver shirt that makes his shoulders look so spectacularly broad. she looks at him a little too long and when the camera pans over to her, showing her true feelings on the giant screen, fans seem to lose it even more. luke walks back to her and sings directly into her eyes, as if he can feel his way back to his girl. finally. a sad smile appears on her face for a split second before she starts dancing while playing the post-chorus instrumental outro. her long wavy hair hides her face and no one notices a single tear rolling down her cheek. when the song ends, she pretends to be emotional about the crowd, about how much they seem to love the show. which she is very grateful for. but on the other side of the coin, she just fucked up everything for herself. her career. and it’s clear when luke approaches her with a reassuring smile and one fan screams KISS! KISS! and then the whole venue is yelling the same word over and over again. michael and calum look at each other, ashton wipes off the sweat from his forehead and when the chanting doesn’t seem to stop, he grabs his mic.

“alright, alright. calm your asses down,” the drummer laughs and the crowd follows suit. a distraction. he starts talking about how they recorded the song and thanking lucy for putting on a fantastic show with them for the beautiful souls in the audience.

lucy twists her lips, trying not to break down in front of thousands of people. so, she just waves and quickly exits the stage. luke takes a deep breath. he wants to run after her, make sure she’s okay. but she would never forgive him for giving the fans more reasons to speculate about their relationship.

lucy cries backstage, alone. she takes off her makeup and sees dark circles underneath her eyes. why the fuck is she such a mess? why can’t she be in love like a normal person?

the show ends and the first person to knock on her dressing room is, obviously, luke. “are you okay?” he opens the door and sees his girlfriend lying on the sofa, sleeping. her makeup’s off and he can better appreciate the freckles on her nose that she gets in the summer. he stays with her, sitting on the chair in front of the mirror. the man looks at her as she wrinkles her nose in her sleep. he loves her so much. but what if this it? what if this is the end for them?

michael opens the door, “what’s going on? is she okay?”

“she’s okay,” luke smiles weakly. “she’s sleeping.”

lucy holds a pillow to her chest. she’s covered by luke’s jacket. michael decides he should probably leave them alone. “good luck, man,” he says as he pats luke’s shoulder, then he leaves the door closed after stepping back out.

luke could really use a joint right now. all these thoughts and feelings. wondering what she may be dreaming. or what she does with her days when they’re not together. he hates being so possessive, it makes him feel like a child. but how can you blame him?

“good luck with what?” lucy’s yawn startles him. she rubs one eye open.

michael meant well, but he also wanted to protect luke from heartbreak. lucy’s given him that for months now. all the guys -at least in the bands- knew lucy has a bit of… issues. she believes in things to be too black or white, good or bad, yes or no. no space for grey areas in her life. and that’s frustrating to deal with, but luke had fallen in love because she was so intense and so hardheaded when it came to defending her values. He admired that about her. “I honestly have no idea,” he lies behind a chuckle, playing it off as usual band nonsense. “do you wanna go back to the hotel and sleep?”

she’s too tired to get into an argument about taking separate cars, so she just nods. “Yeah.”

when they get to the hotel room, luke tucks her in and pours her a glass of water that he leaves on her nightstand. he looks for ibuprofen in her small bag with pills and condoms and sets two next to the water.

“i’m sorry for being such a bitch to you,” lucy says with her eyes closed, lying on her side.

she looks so out of it. as if she’d just drank an entire bottle of vodka and then smoked weed. he feels bad. he never meant for her to feel like this when they got into a relationship. but touring always makes things hard. especially if you’re playing shows every night with the person you love. the man sighs and sits next to her. “don’t worry about me. get some sleep,” he whispers and kisses her temple.

before he can stand up, lucy grabs his arm. “can you stay with me? please.”

a soft smile sets on his lips. “of course.”

after landing in the next city, lucy calls her mom.

there are three knocks on his hotel room door. “luke?” her voice is soft. as if she’s embarrassed. she doesn’t want her mother’s words to haunt her. the man opens the door without his shirt. just sweatpants. he was probably gonna go to bed. she might as well ruin his night too.

“hey.” there’s a small pause. “what’s up?” he steps aside so she can come in. the tv’s on in the background and there’s a tray with an empty plate and a glass of tequila, just resting on his nightstand.

lucy nods her head and walks inside. “i wanna talk.”

“okay…”

“about us.”

Love Is All Around: It’s Insta-Official

Two months ago, the You Don’t Go To Parties Tour hit the stage. And last night, Lucía Huerta and Luke Hemmings provided some much-needed proof of their romance. “Ten months with you feel like a second. Magic. I love you.”

lucy sighs as she reads the article.

“are you okay?” luke asks her.

“yeah,” she replies. “just… scared, i guess.”

“it’s gonna be okay, love,” he kisses the top of her head and sits next to her on the sofa. “everything’s gonna be alright.” the dressing room is big and no one else is around. it’s noon.

tons of notifications have been hitting their phones for the past fourteen hours. some are mean comments, others are encouraging words from fans. either way, it makes lucy anxious. “do you wanna get high?” she asks her boyfriend. maybe weed isn’t the solution to every problem ever, but it helps.

the man smiles. “sure,” he says.

they go to the private parking lot of the venue. luke rolls a joint while lucy smokes a cigarette. she flicks the ashes onto the concrete, fidgeting her fingers around the cancer stick. luke isn’t the biggest fan of her smoking. and she's been smoking more as the days go by. but he understands she’s going through a lot, so he says nothing. he gets a text from calum, wondering where he and his girlfriend are. we’re gonna have lunch, join us? but the blond dismisses the message and lights the joint. he takes two hits before handing it to lucy. she brings it immediately to her lips, the slightly spicy smoke going down her throat smoothly.

it’s so easy to talk to each other. sometimes. but their words have been stunted lately. they don’t know what the other’s thinking. and yes, last night they had a good conversation. but now what? does everything go back to normal now? how? they both feel anxious around each other, and that’s never ever happened before. they both hate it.

“what do you…”

“do you ever…”

they open their mouths simultaneously, quickly chuckling at the awkwardness of their interaction. lucy nods her head, letting him know that he can finish his thought.

luke smiles. “i was gonna ask you if you ever feel like… like things are going so good between us and suddenly we get so quiet and you worry? is that… is that something you feel?”

lucy smiles back. “yeah,” she says. “i don’t really know how to explain it. i mean, i love you. you know i really fucking love you, luke. but sometimes i worry we get too inside our heads. because i think we’re really similar like that. and i… i wanna be someone you can count on…”

“i want that too,” he replies. she hands him back the joint and he smokes some more.

“and sometimes i worry i’m not that someone you deserve,” she finally confesses.

it makes him sad to hear her say that, because there’s no better person for him than her. no one has made him feel this way before. the ups and downs seem to be heightened and it’s a beautiful way to live, he doesn’t want anyone else. there’s only room in his heart for this woman. this is the hardest he’s ever fallen in love, and he can’t imagine his life without her. a bit dramatic, but hey, that’s just who he is. “i don’t deserve anyone, lucy. i just want to be with you,” he says and takes her hand, intertwining his fingers with hers. “all the time. every single fucking day.”

the woman looks down at their hands. matching red nail polish and silver-colored rings. this is scary. it’s scary to love and need someone so much that you feel like you’d die if they ever left you. please, don’t leave me. ever. lucy sighs and squeezes his hand in hers. “right back at ya,” she smiles softly and looks up to find his baby blues staring at her with so much love in them that she can’t help the weakness she feels in her knees.

the silence is barely uncomfortable anymore. unlike the ones they’ve been experiencing for countless weeks now. it’s all out in the open. their love for each other burning brighter than ever. neither want this moment to end. and since there’s only one way to stop time, they lean into each other and kiss. it’s soft at first, like a goodnight kiss. and it escalates quickly to an i-never-wanna-be-without-you one. she grabs fistfuls of his shirt, bringing him closer to her body. luke places both hands on her face as his tongue traces her bottom lip. their eyes are red and their hunger is raw.

they can’t get to his hotel room fast enough. fuck having lunch with friends, they need to satiate this urge so they can go on for the rest of the day. “i want you so bad,” she whines against his throat, leaving wet and sloppy kisses along his jawline. he’s already big and leaking with precum, grinding his hips against hers. unhooking her bra, luke immediately buries his head between her breasts and she whines again. those beautiful sounds he can’t get enough of.

“ride me, babe. i wanna see these titties bounce,” he whispers against her skin. hands gripping her hips. bulge so hard he feels like he’s gonna explode. they’re naked and he already has a condom wrapping his shaft. lucy bites her lower lip and lines him against her slit. he’s throbbing in her hand and that drives her insane. the moan he drags out as she strokes him is paradise. The filthiest love they’ve ever experienced. Both always wanting to fuck each other. It’s her waist, it’s his broad shoulders. The way they move on stage, wanting to look sexy for the other.

lucy sinks into his cock and lets out a whine, “fuuck.” his thick size feels so good. luke grabs her ass and spreads her cheeks open so he can penetrate her better.

“you like that?”

“yes.” her mouth hangs open and her eyes roll to the back of her head. luke has always thought of her as his pretty little pornstar. even before they started dating, the way she danced with him at the club. her back pressed to his body as his hands rested on her hips and stomach. both sweaty and a bit embarrassed when they went back to the booth with their friends.

the woman, as per requested, starts bouncing on his cock. titties moving up and down. “fuck, girl.”

“is it better to feel this or feel nothing at all?”

ever since the news got out about their relationship, lucy’s been a mess. interviewers can be assholes. they suddenly stopped asking about her music, her achievements. all they wanted to know about was her clothes and her boyfriend. like everything she worked for just disappeared in the blink of an eye.

she lays on her side on the hotel bed after playing a festival in latin america. luke spoons her, holding her close to his body. he doesn’t know what to say. he’s surprised by the outcome. hadn’t expected people to diminish her work, to ignore she just played the 6 pm slot, which is a hard spot to get. you need a lot of people to stay for the whole set. and she’d killed it.

“i don’t understand what happened,” luke sighs against her neck and squeezes her tighter. “i’m really sorry.”

lucy closes her eyes, feeling a bit less anxious with him. “it’s okay. the industry’s fucked up.”

“yeah,” he chuckles weakly. “it is.”

“so it’s true? you and luke are engaged?”

the questions about her relationship don’t seem to cease. even a year later. they go together to events and people seem to be more excited about them together than their work. it’s annoying, but what are you gonna do? “yeah, we are,” lucy smiles. “we’re also dropping a new song together next month.”

“ooh, tell us about it.”

lucy has become good at deflecting. luke taught her that.

“how was the interview?” luke asks after he greets his fianceé with a kiss and hands her a cup of coffee from her favorite shop.

“it was alright,” lucy shrugs. it’s definitely been a learning experience, dodging questions about her personal life. but luke has been so supportive and sweet throughout the whole thing. she’s grateful to marry her man in six months. “how was the recording session?” she asks as she sips the hot beverage.

the blond had written things throughout the tour. enough things to make an ep. “it was good,” he smiles softly.

the song luke and lucy release is a hit. a 90s-inspired track with her raspy vocals and his whiny ones make for an interesting texture that captures hearts everywhere. they play it on several shows, the crowds go insane every time.

a month later, lucy releases her second album. it's a hit. she's invited to play festivals and there are rumors of a grammy nomination.

"here's to my girl," luke smiles as he raises a glass of wine in front of her and their friends. "she showed the world she's a powerhouse, an amazing songwriter and performer. she's the best thing that's ever happened to me and i'm so proud of you." his gaze sets on lucy, who's blushing like crazy and smiling like an idiot. "i really fucking love you."

"right back at ya," the woman grins and stands up from the table to kiss her man. everyone cheers.

the night goes by fast. the celebration turns into a party in luke and lucy's new place in west hollywood. but the couple soon disappears into their shared bedroom. fucking until the sun comes up and their friends leave.

luke pants as his orgasm washes over him. "fuck," he breathes out, collapsing next to her on their bed.

"yeah," lucy chuckles. her body is sweaty and she wraps an arm around his torso as she snuggles up to him. looking up at his face, the man's glistening. he's the most beautiful man. he's got the biggest heart and he's never been jealous or threatened by her successes. she appreciates that. "wanna eat me out?" lucy smirks, her leg now over his, her wet pussy making contact with his thigh and she grinds into him.

"give me a second," luke lets out a soft laugh. "you really wore me out. my pretty slutty angel." he strokes her hair, hand soon trailing down to her ass. a small slap to it that makes her bite down on her lip. "okay, come on. legs spread, i'm diving in," he grins.

she does what she's told. opening her legs so luke can attach his lips to her swollen clit and start licking her folds. so sloppy. so fucking nasty. lucy groans as her breath hitches. "you're so good."

he smirks against her entrance before exploring her walls with his tongue. so fucking skilled.

grammy nominations announcement. luke and lucy's song gets one for song of the year. her album gets one for album of the year. they're ecstatic. it's all happening.

#5sosficfest2024 #luke hemmings #luke hemming fic #luke hemming smut #i absolutely loved writing this and feeling *pain*#lmfaoo

16 notes · View notes

listerbirdloml · 9 months

Text

The Death of Your Dog, The Stretch of Our Skin.

Summary: At fourteen, Rowan's dog died. At fifteen, Jimmy's grandmother died. And now, at twenty, Lister has lost his father.

Characters: Alister 'Lister' Bird, Jimmy Kaga-Ricci, Rowan Omondi, Piero Ricci, Chiara Ricci, Graham Duncan, Mention of Cecily Wills and Louise Bird.

Warnings: Death of an animal, grief, self effacing thoughts, strong language, minor violence, someone says the wh*re word, someone also tries to say a racial slur but they do not manage to.

Ships: Bicci kiss teehee

Word Count: 4.6k

just a little thing I wrote about the ark boys comforting one another through different types of grief. PLEASE BE KIND IVE NEVER PUBLISHED ANY WRITING BEFORE LMAO

Tilly Omondi.

When they were fourteen, Rowans dog died.

It had been a truly unremarkable day at school. They played in the music room, ate their lunch, attended their afternoon lessons, and then walked to Rowans. He had the better gaming system out of him and Jimmy, and he even had the new Red Dead Redemption game. He’d gotten his mum to buy it the day it came out, and now they were all excited to see how it was. Especially Lister, since he didn’t have a play station or anything of his own.

As they walked down the road to Rowans, conversation flew freely among them. Per usual, it was dominated by Lister and whatever random topic entered his mind. Jimmy was content to sit back and listen, chipping in whenever he thought of something relevant to say. Meanwhile, Rowan was more than happy to shut down particularly stupid conversations Lister started or rise up to the challenge whenever Lister turned to teasing him.

When they arrived at Rowans home, the three boys began untying their show laces and shucking off their winter coats. It wasn’t exactly freezing anymore, but it was cold enough for the jackets to still shelter them from the Kent winds. Earlier in the winter, Rowan noticed Listers coat wasn’t the warmest, so he’d given him one of his own under the guise of wanting to get rid of it.

When Rowan opened the door, the lack of four legs bounding towards them was immediately noticeable. Tilly, the Omondi family dog, was a little white Jack Russell with the sweetest of nature. She was a lap dog at heart, rarely barking. She was always found greeting anyone who entered their home at the door, her little tail wagging while she waited to be greeted in return.

"Mum?" Rowan called out pensively, thinking perhaps she’d taken an impromptu walk with the little dog. There was noise from the kitchen, as though someone was startled at the idea of Rowan being home at the time he was.

"Hi sweetheart." Came the call from Rowans mother, but she didn’t leave the kitchen. Lister thought he could hear a waver in her voice. But then again, he was starting to believe he was hardwired to detect the negative emotions people portrayed. even if they weren’t there. "Uh, Ro, can you come to the kitchen, please?" Rowan glanced at his two friends who waited in the doorway, all three clearly confused. With a gesture signalling the other two to wait, Rowan headed down the hallway and disappeared into his kitchen.

Standing just the two of them, Lister suddenly ran out of words. He was entirely focused on a loose thread in his school shirt, and Jimmy was too nervous to start a conversation himself. If it wasn’t in band practise or their shared history lesson, Jimmy found it difficult to talk with Lister. He found the other equally intimidating as he was admirable.

The blonde had definitely made huge progress with his confidence around the two friends, but deep down he was still pretty shy. He still held the fear that he was only there because he knew how to play the drums. He was a friend of convenience until Jimmy and Rowan could afford another drummer or even meet a better one. A drummer who wasn’t self-taught like he was, someone who could actually afford the lessons needed to become successful. While he still had these fears and and worries, he had begun to use them for the better. He was worried about being replaced in their band, and so he practised as hard as possible. He was worried about being replaced in their lives, and so he made as big a space for himself as he could. A space big enough that they would sorely miss him should he leave it.

"So uh-" Biting the bullet, Lister had gone to say something. But as he did, Rowan reappeared down the hallway, shoulders slumped, and face a mixture of shock and tears. All trace of nerves or awkwardness had immediately subsided from the two left in the hallway, both meeting Rowan half way. Jimmy put a hand on his shoulder, his own face contorted with worry. Lister didn’t doubt that Jimmy had thought up every single worst-case scenario he could.

"Tilly died."

There were two sharp inhales, and then silence.

Neither seemed particularly sure how to continue, but they both knew that their friend needed them. And so in a fluid motion, Lister and Jimmy had wrapped Rowan in a big group hug, pretending not to notice the way his body was wracked with sobs.

"There was a- a car." Rowans explanation was met with shushes. Lister knew that talking about it more would just upset Rowan, and he had plenty of time in the upcoming days to process the loss. Right now, he was allowed to just feel it. Feel it, with the safety of his two closest friends.

They stood in the Omondi garden, with Lister on one side of Rowan and Jimmy on the other. They both had a head leaning on Rowans shoulders, arms around his middle as he cried. His mother and sister had cried too, but nowhere near as much as Rowan. He had always been particularly close to the little dog.

His dad had just rested Tilly in the ground and let Rowan lay her favourite toys and treats with her before he began to refill the dirt.

Lister had never been to a funeral. Neither had Jimmy.

When Lister was ten, his grandmother on his dad's side passed away. Even though he had been very close with her, his dad didn’t want him at the funeral. He didn’t want Lister to have to stay the few days at his new home; his wife and new kids clearly objected to the older boy’s presence in what was their family home. It wasn’t exactly like he could own a pet either, the landlord of the flat he lived in with his mum was very clear about that.

Jimmy had never been to a funeral because no one in his family had died yet. There had been the rare distant aunty or several times great grand-something or other, but no one closely related to him. The thought alone of losing anyone in his family made him want to lie in the ground alongside Tilly.

"It’s okay, mate." It was Lister speaking, which wasn’t always the safest bet in a rocky situation. But Rowan was too upset to form words, and Jimmy was too scared he’d say the wrong ones.

There’s silence between the trio for a moment, until Lister starts speaking again. "Hey Jim?"

"Yeah?"

"Can dogs go to heaven?"

"Well... they’re creatures made by God? So, I would assume so."

"Me too! I think if any creature on earth should enjoy an eternity of peace and happiness, it’s dogs. Not humans." He turned his body to face Rowan. "And when your time comes, you can wave up at her."

There’s silence before Rowan chokes out a loud and abrupt laugh. He covers his mouth, his shoulders shaking from laughter even as the tears freely flow down his cheeks. Jimmy can’t help but begin to chuckle too, even if he himself had been tearing up. And when Lister joined them, they came together again in a group hug, sandwiching Rowan.

Joan Ricci.

Jimmy wasn’t in school today.

While Lister himself had missed more classes this year than possibly anyone else in their school, and Rowan wasn’t immune to the odd sick day, Jimmy was never sick. And even if he was, he made his way to school for fear of missing anything important and having his schoolwork snowball.

The most concerning thing about his absence, however, was that he hadn’t responded to any texts from the two boys. He hadn’t even read their group chat either. And now, at four o’clock in the afternoon, the two were headed to the Ricci house, sat on the bus in silence. Thankfully, Lister no longer felt awkward in the presence of one of them alone. He still felt incredibly aware of the split between them, between childhood best friends and drummer, but it no longer prevented him from connecting with either Jimmy or Rowan.

He had just come to accept that he would forever be the odd one out. the one who lived on the council estate, the one whose mum had him as a teen, the one with an estranged dad. He could never compare to Jimmy and Rowan, with their private music lessons and middle-class homes. The kind that weren’t even attached to the houses next to it and were made of the fancy looking red brick.

"What if he's, like, dead?" Rowan interrupted the silence, looking down at his still-unanswered text to their friend. Lister sighed and lightly shoved the bassist on the shoulder. They were almost at the bus stop near Jimmy's grandparents home.

"Mate, you sound like Jimmy when you think like that.

With a reluctant sigh of agreement, Rowan followed Lister out of their seats and down the aisle of the bus to wait at the door for the driver to let them off.

As they walked the last few minutes to the Ricci household, Lister could feel dread settling in his stomach. He didn’t know what for, or why it decided to make itself at home in his gut, but he almost had to stop walking. Something was wrong. Something was really wrong. He wasn’t sure if it was with Jimmy or what, but he was definitely more eager to pick up the pace to the Riccis to ensure their singer and best friend were okay.

The first thing they noticed about the Ricci household was the cars parked outside. Neither of Jimmy's grandparents could drive anymore, and Jimmy wasn’t even old enough for a provisional licence yet, let alone a car.

But for some reason, there was four or five cars around the driveway and road in front. Lister glanced at Rowan, the taller one seeming confused as well. But instead of looking at Lister, he kept walking, jogging up the steps, and ringing the doorbell. Lister soon joined him, hands wringing together uncharacteristically. Through the stained glass of the front door, he was sure he could hear soft murmurs from the living room. way more voices than the three inhabitants of the Ricci home. Soon a figure from the inside was moving down the hallway to open the door, and it was immediately apparent it wasn’t Pierreo or Joan. This person moved far too quickly, and before Lister could say anything else, the door was opened.

It was a woman that Lister had never met before, but he could tell instantly who she was. She was tall, about the only thing that didn’t resemble their friend. But the shape of her eyes, the curve of her nose, and the slant of her jaw was almost entirely Jimmy. The grumpy frown was the splitting image.

She had only glanced at their uniforms before she sighed and went to shut the door. "Jimmy can’t come out right now."

"Wait!" Lister cried out, sticking his foot in the doorway. The woman looked mildly infuriated, and distantly, Lister couldn’t help but think this was a terrible first impression with Jimmy's mother. "Is he okay? He hasn’t answered us, and he wasn’t at school. We were just…" Lister trailed off as he caught sight of Piero walking out of the living room.

"Pierro?" Rowan called out, and Lister could hear the apprehension in his tone. The old man’s face had sunken even since they’d seen him at the weekend. They’d been celebrating Rowans fifteenth a week early, and Joan had managed to get out of bed to bake him a huge cake before they had band practise. But now, Pierros eyes looked red-rimmed, and he was leaning heavily on his walking stick with every step.

"Boys," he sighed, joining his daughter in the doorway. Lister was the closest to him, with his foot still in the door. Pierro opened up the arm not relying on the cane, and Lister quickly accepted it for what it was: a hug.

"Is Jimmy okay? Did something happen?" It was Rowan again, and as he pulled away from the old man and glanced at Jimmy's mum, who still stood watching, Lister couldn’t blame the worry in his voice. If Rowan was feeling anything as unease’d as Lister in the presence of the usually aloof CEO, then Lister was unsure how Rowan was so well at hiding it.

"Boys." It seemed that Pierro couldn’t say anything else; his voice was fading. "This morning… Joan passed this morning."

The dread in Listers stomach had spread to his whole body, his heart aching as it pounded a mile a minute in his chest. He couldn’t form words, but tears had begun to well in his eyes.

"What? no… No she… What?" Rowan was scrambling to find the right words. He hadn’t begun to cry yet, but Lister knew it was from shock. His own tears were spilling onto his cheeks already.

"I’m sorry, boys." Pierro shook his head, and as though they were driven by the same force, Rowan and Lister descended on the old man with bone-crushing hugs. He tried his best to reciprocate them, but Lister could feel the quiver of his hands and the shallowness of his breath.

When they pulled apart, Lister wiped at his face a little too aggressively, but his shoulders were still high to his face, and he was still shivering from the force of his tears.

"Jimmys upstairs. I think he might like to see the both of you."

When they opened the door on the furthest end of the upstairs corridor, they noticed the lights were off and the curtains were drawn. There was a figure sitting up on the bed, a blanket draped over their head as they seemingly stared into space.

Pushing the door over further, the creak of it and the intrusion of the hallway light made Jimmy turn his head, the blanket falling to instead rest on his shoulders. His face was void of emotion, but even from where he stood in the doorway, Lister could see how puffy and red it looked compared to normal. Cheeks that still carried baby fat were raw with tears and the motions of wiping them away. Rowan and Lister had only just managed to compose themselves.

No one of the trio said anything; instead, the two newest additions to the room made their way over and sat on either side of the singer. He managed a small smile, trying to convey his appreciation for their attempts at comfort.

"She died." He croaked out, looking between them. Lister had a hand up to Jimmy's face, carefully moving some of Jimmy's shaggy hair out of the way of his face and behind his ear.

"We know, Jimjam." His voice was so foreign, even to himself. It was soft in a way he didn’t know he possessed anymore. He couldn’t help but think he almost sounded like his mum. The hand that had been fixing Jimmy's hair now rested gently on his shoulder, and he used it to bring the smaller one into a hug.

They could feel Rowans arms wrap around them, Jimmy circled. If Lister wasn’t the token atheist of their little group, he would think that it was symbolic or something. The wings of an angel maybe.

They should write a song about that.

Alister Bird.

Bringing a hand up to his earpiece and pulling it out, the full noise of the crowd hit Lister instantly. It was the end of their first show back, and now only Lister stood on the stage. Jimmy and Rowan had already made their exit, and now, standing up from his drum kit and holding his sticks in the air, it was Lister's turn.

He was panting, and he’s sure he looked like a sweaty mess, but the crowd was losing their minds, and he had never felt more alive. He jumped down from the platform where his drum kit was stationed and exited off the side of the stage towards Rowan and Jimmy, who were waiting for him. They both were panting and sweaty, but the grins on their faces resembled their thirteen-year-old selves so much that Lister didn’t care about it when he dragged them into a group hug, jumping up and down from excitement.

"That was fucking class." Lister managed out, his arm still wrapped around Jimmy's shoulders when they pulled away, his boyfriend (boyfriend!) leaning onto him.

"Profound as always, Alister." Rowan teased, the both of them pretending to fight for a moment or so longer before they were all ushered away from the backstage area and towards the dressing rooms.

Jimmy held a firm grip on his hand, and when they found an area secluded enough, he used it to detour them into a hidden crevice. His hands balled into fists around Listers shirt, and he used it to push him against the wall.

Lister laughed, but his chest was still heaving. "Jimjam, slow down." He could see the way the singers eyes drooped, the way they seemed fully focused on the way Listers lips moved around his words. He kept leaning in to try and kiss them, but Lister was feeling mischievous. He kept holding the singer away.

"Lis, I swear to God." He had a glare on his face, trying to appear intimidating. He failed to realise that to Lister, he did the exact opposite. Feeling empathy for the clearly desperate singer and giving into his own urge to kiss his boyfriend stupid, Lister leaned down and pressed their lips together.

He could feel Jimmy relaxing in his hold. He could feel the heat radiating from the frontman's body after the long show, and he could still hear the commotion of the crowd as the lights were turned on and they were ushered out of the venue. It was hard for Lister to believe that he was lucky enough to experience this. Not just the resurrection of his passion for music, but also the chance he’d been given to live a life by Jimmy's side. He’d lived in the frontman's shadow all these years, but now he had been given permission to love him. To kiss him freely without the guilt of another drunken mishap. To hug him without feeling that he had ill intentions.

He hoped the way he held Jimmy could convey all this. It was difficult to show the full extent of your love with only one arm around the middle. To share your soul with someone in the hopes they’ll accept it and, in turn, share their own.

His hands were in Jimmy's hair now, tugging at the strands on the back of his neck. Jimmy's hair had thankfully recovered from the years in which he straightened it, and now it was styled in its more natural waves. It was thick and bushy, and when Lister needed something to do with his hands, he would try to braid it. It wasn’t quite long enough for that, though, as Jimmy still preferred it short.

"Mr Bird."

The voice made both stars jump, with Lister keeping hold of Jimmy until he could see who it was who had interrupted them. He only hoped to God that it wasn’t a fan. But then again, not many Ark fans were middle-aged, bald white men with security written in bold letters over their chests. If this was a disguise to get backstage, it was a damn good one.

"Sorry to bother you, sir. But there’s a gentleman here who says he needs to talk with you." The man held a hand to his earpiece, turning away slightly as he likely received more information. Lister's thoughts had begun to run wild. He wasn’t sure who it could possibly be. He hadn’t spoken to any hookups in months and hadn’t initiated any since he and Jimmy had been talking. The guard turned back to them, ignoring Jimmy entirely. "A Graham Duncan, sir."

While it was clear the name didn’t ring any bells to Jimmy, Lister had sucked in a breath through his teeth so deeply that Jimmy could feel his chest move with it. Lister gently nudged at Jimmy's shoulder, urging him to back up so that Lister could move away from the wall.

"How did he get in?"

"His ID, Mr. Bird. Miss Cecily has a list of approved names, and he was on it, sir."

Lister sighed and rubbed at his forehead, post-show high clearly gone as he looked back to Jimmy.

"There he is!"

There’s excitement in the voice, but the room is silent around him. Rowan was sat on the couch farthest from the door, Lister stood from where he’d been sitting on the sofa, and Jimmy still sat next to his old spot. The father and son stared at each other for a few tense moments. Listers face was unreadable as he crossed his arms over his chest. Graham looked as though he'd been here to joke around with his son, coming close and punching him lightly on the shoulder.

"What you been up to then, boyo?" Lister could see Rowan raise an eyebrow at this, his face screaming, 'What does it look like we’ve been up to?' But Graham didn’t seem bothered by waiting for a response from Lister. He looked around at the two other members of the band, likely not wanting a crowd for his conversation with his oldest son.

"What do you want?" There was no pleasantry in Listers tone. He felt no need to pretend. To act like he and his dad had spoken since he’d turned ten, since his half brother was born and he himself was thrown to the side. Lister was the child born from a teenage mistake to the woman Graham had married for only two years before cheating with another woman. He wasn’t something Graham wanted to remember. And yet, he stood in their dressing room as though they were old buddies.

Graham laughed, spluttering on words for a moment as he clearly struggled to find what to say. "I can’t come see you then?" He landed on, earning a scoff from Lister, who walked away from the older man and made his way to the refreshment table in the corner. It was obvious to those who knew him that he was acting on instinct. Looking for something to drink. Looking for something to take the pressure of the situation off. But of course, there was no alcohol on the table anymore. Just water and juice. The juice would have to do.

"Ally, don’t be like that. You’ve no seen your auld man in donkeys, and this is how you want to act?"

"Lister." It was Rowan who had corrected him, sitting up on the couch and levelling Graham with a glare. While he knew very little of Listers family, he knew that this man was no father. He had just so happened to be Listers biological parent. There was nothing more between them.

"What do you want?" Lister asked again, holding the juice bottle to his lips and drinking almost half of it in one go.

Graham once again looked like he was about to obfuscate, but dropped it when Lister went to turn away from him again. "The house, Alister. It’s gone up... Me and Maria are struggling."

Rowan and Jimmy looked at each other, utter disbelief written over their features. The gaul of the man who had neglected their friend since he was a toddler to then come to him and ask for financial aid?

It would appear Lister also caught the irony, laughing bitterly as he finished the rest of his drink. "The house I have never been to? The house the woman you cheated on my mother with asked you to buy, so that you could play happy families while me and mum rotted away in a fucking council flat?" With each sentence, Listers voice rose higher and higher. "That fucking house?" He rounded the sofas to once again stand in front of the now angry man.

"You can fuck right off." Lister hissed, pointing to the door.

"I am your father, Alister. I helped raise you. You might look back on it now and scoff with all your multi-millions, but it was the damned best I could do." He was shouting too now, poking lister repeatedly on the chest. Rowan and Jimmy had stood up, fearing the worst with Lister's temper.

"You gave my mum fifteen fucking quid a month."

"It was all I had, Alister!" But Lister wouldn’t accept that. He threw the bottle across the room, watching as it grazzed past his father's head.

"Get out!"

"You are fucking pathetic. Your mother did about as much as I did, and you bought the stupid bitch a house? You give her money so she can prance about like she wasn’t some little fucking whore. And now, you’re acting like some big rockstar." He looked at Rowan and Jimmy. "But its just you and two fucking da-"

Graham Duncan didn't get to finish whatever hateful words he had wished to shout, as Lister had slammed his fist right into the centre of his face, feeling satisfied at the crunch of bone he felt and the cry that carried out through the room. The older man seemed to be torn between hitting back and staggering away, but the door was already open, and security was swarming Graham, dragging him out.

"Lis." Jimmy’s hand was on Listers shoulder from behind him, and Rowan was also taking a step closer so that he could make sure his friend was okay. Listers shoulders were hunched, and his face contorted as though he were in physical pain.

"Why... why doesn’t he care? Why does he..." He had begun to cry, and Jimmy was quick to tug him down by the shoulders in a hug. He rubbed at the drummer's back as he cried, shushing him gently to try and calm him down. Rowan also had a hand on Lister's shoulder.

"It's okay, Lis. he's gone." The bassist reassured. The drummer turned his head to look at Rowan, a small and appreciative smile on his tear-stained face.

"Well, he seemed lovely." Jimmy sighed, and Lister couldn’t stop the wet laugh he let out, rubbing at his eyes.

"A fucking delight, right?"

The three of them can’t help their giggles. Rowan quickly checked Lister's fist to be sure he hadn’t hurt it.

No matter how much it had hurt Lister to be confronted by his father, he felt comfort in the fact that he’d always been right about the man. He didn’t care about Lister or his mother. He only cared about himself and what he could get out of people. Perhaps it was a good thing that Lister had been raised by his hard-working and considerate mother. As much as he used to long for a father in his life, he knew now he was better off without him. It was his job to grow up to be a better man. not because of his father, but to spite him, to show him that not everyone was doomed to fall headfirst into the bottle and to never make it out. No. he had reason to live. to live happily.

"If I ever become a dad, I am never asking him for advice." Lister sniffed out, Rowan and Jimmy laughing as they pulled him in for a group hug.

#i was born for this #iwbft #lister bird #jimmy kaga ricci #rowan omondi #the ark #osemanverse #boo we hate listers dad #Pierro Ricci #pls be kind i’m so scared to post this LOL #name is from view between villages by noah kahan

54 notes · View notes

it-happened-one-fic · 1 year

Text

A Strange World of Wonder and Beauty - Malleus

Author Notes: This one was actually written to the "Strangers Like Me" song from Tarzan. In a weird kind of a way, I though it fit Malleus and so, a fic was born. To be honest, I was actually rather unsure about writing another Malleus fic after my last one since I wasn't sure I could do as good of a job. But, here we are anyway. As per usual Reader is gender-neutral

Type: Fluff/romance

Word count: 944 words

Malleus had found his days gradually changing since he’d met the Prefect of Ramshackle Dorm.

Before, it had been the usual hum-drum of going to classes and then going home, being guarded all the while. Before his only escape had been when he’d sneak out to look at gargoyles, which was, of course, beyond enjoyable. But now….

Now he found himself sneaking out more often, testing his limits as he went on yet another venture to see his friend.

Lilia was, of course, onto him. But Sebek and Silver were thus far clueless as to where he disappeared off to for such lengthy periods. And it was liberating.

He had a secret that few people knew of. He had a friend who did not care about the pomp and circumstance of his status. They didn’t even care about who he was. It was a blissful relationship, unimpeded by rank or ceremony.

They’d learned his name and had taken it in stride, continuing to refer to him as Hornton rather than some clunky title or even by his own name. And he found that he was gradually growing to prefer Hornton to his other titles. It was more than just an alias. It was a pet name and, in Malleus’s eyes, the most venerable title he possessed.

Green lights flickered into existence around him as he teleported and felt a grin slide onto his face. A childish show of petty pleasure at having eluded his bodyguards yet again as he slipped through the dead trees.

Ramshackle Dorm was not a pretty sight. Though it had once been a grand house, at this point it was…well…ramshackle. Run-down. Dilapidated. There were many words for it but none of them implied attractiveness.

And yet, despite its less than glamorous appearance, it was a sight that Malleus quite liked. Even before meeting you, he’d enjoyed this little haunt. But now he’d come to delight in the sight of the building even more, because the sight of it had become synonymous with both escape and seeing you.

Now he waited, wandering the grounds of your dorm as he awaited your appearance. And, right on cue, your door opened, and you emerged. A smile on your precious little face as your eyes met his.

All at once, he felt it. That warm feeling that seemed to spread from his very core and envelop his entire person whenever he saw you. It wasn’t an unpleasant warmth, but one that left him chasing the sensation and appearing before your person more and more frequently.

He stepped up onto the porch, joining you as you gestured through the door you held open to let him into your home. Your smile and invitation were a clear sign of your lack of fear and full trust in him.

He found himself hesitating though, pausing before he entered and turning to you with a grin on his face, “Child of man… I wonder if you would like to accompany me for today?”

You tilted your head, expression curious as he held out his hand, a silent but impulsive invitation.

Why was he inviting you?

Perhaps because you’d invited him into your home and your life, making him a piece of your world, and now he wanted to do the same.

Hiding his identity had initially been a bit of fun, but it had swelled into something different when you’d shown him that his status didn’t matter to you. You’d taught him a great deal about the ways of humans and provided him with companionship, so now he wanted to show you everything and hold nothing back.

With a slight smile you slipped your hand into his and he let his gloved fingers curl around yours. Holding your hand like it was mere glass and precious beyond belief.

His smile spread as green lights flickered around the two of you, and you glanced around. Enchanted.

Strange how you looked at such a minor spell with such wonder when it was mundane to him. But then he supposed you viewed him the same way. Enchanted by things that were most likely ordinary and run-of-the-mill to you.

Your hair stirred in the wind that he conjured around the two of you and your eyes widened as your surroundings changed. Transforming from the aged exterior of Ramshackle to the gothic interior of Diasomnia. A dead forest to a looming castle in an instant.

You stepped forward, seemingly forgetting his presence for the moment as you looked around in awe at the vaulted ceilings and impossibly high walls. Green flames flickered in sconces and upon candles, the only light present. It was a dark, dreary atmosphere, but you gazed at it all with eyes full of wonder.

Malleus felt himself smiling, not his usual smug smirk, but a far tenderer expression that seldom graced his face.

It seemed to be appearing more now that you were in his life, a precious piece of his world.

“Hornton, it’s…” You trailed off, turning to him with a wide smile that had him chuckling to himself.

He reached, hesitating and stopping himself just before he touched your face. Your eyes were wide with confusion, but he only smiled and shook his head. He wanted to explore this warm feeling and look at the world with a new viewpoint from beside you.

Aborting his previous gesture, he stepped back. Holding out his hand like a gentleman asking a lady for a dance, “Come, there is much I would like to show you.”

Yours was a strange world of wonder and beauty. A world he could hardly imagine, but one he desperately wanted to live in nonetheless.

245 notes · View notes

spid3rpunksimp · 8 months

Note

Hi! This is my first time requesting, you may ignore if you felt uncomfortable 🫶🏻

May I request a Black! Reader x Hobie please? The reader is actually Mile's older sister and also in a band (a hella good drummer if you don't mind👀) Tysm!

Alright I usually don’t want to do these cause I want everyone to be able to read my stuff no matter their differences but because it’s a Miles’s sister sorta thing I’ll do it

Hobie brown x fem! Black! Reader

Beat of the drums

You liked the drums. NO, you loved them. The way that you could hit them and let out all your anger on them without a care in the world made you feel like life is just a little bit easier. You often did it whenever Miles was gone. Being his older sister, you two did fight, but you loved him. You were only a year older than him, and you knew how hard he was trying to please your parents.

While you were caught up in your taughts you didn't even realize your phone buzzing quickly. The drums had your full attention. As you hit the drums in front of you harder and harder, pounding the bottom drum, you eventually heard a loud "Y/N" coming from the kitchen in the same voice of Mrs. Morales, your mom.

You quickly dropped the drum sticks and ran outside of your room to listen to her request, knowing shes probably been calling your name for the past 30 minutes. "Uhh-Yeah, sorry mom, what'd you need?" you said to her as she put her hands on her hips and looked at you. "Mija, do you know what time it is? You have your little concert thing in 45 minutes."

Your eyes popped open as you realized the times. "Oh sh-crap! Sorry mom, I gotta go." you said as you ran into your room grabbing your car keys and your phone, 10 calls from your band mate, and best friend, Kylie. You ran through the house out the door as you pressed the call back button, her voice erupting from the phone almost immediately. "Girl, where the fuck are you?" she said in what sounded like a panicked voice. "I'm sorry I got caught up in playing, I'm on my way."

As you pulled into the parking lot of where you were going to be playing you felt surprised that you weren't pulled over, you were 100% speeding the entire time. Looking at the time you realized you had 20 minutes to get ready, praying that they had already practiced without you.

"Look who finally decided to show up." you heard the familiar voice of your brother behind you. Wipping your head around you began to explain yourself. "Miles, I got caught up in playing don't ev-" immediately you stopped what you were saying as an older man was standing next to him. He was tall and skinny, however he seemed to be pretty strong. He had awesome large, gravity defying wicks that you could not miss. He was wearing a black vest with many different home made pins. He was wearing black ripped jeans and a band shirt. "Who's this?" you asked Miles with a questioning facial expression. "Oh. This is Hobie." he said as he smacked his back, giving him a smile.

"Nice to meet 'cha, luv." he said as he gave you a guy nod, looking you in the eyes. He had a very noticeable British accent, you just assumed he was a transfer student or his parents moved not too long ago. You felt your face get warm as you looked back at Miles and then back at Hobie,"Nice to meet you Hobie, I'm Y/N and I'm about to be late so sorry but I gatta go." you said as you turned and speed walk-ran over to the backstage doors.

Opening them you were met by groans of releaf as your band walked over to you. "Where have you been?!" one of your friends asked you as you walked past them and put your stuff down. "Traffic." you responded, the image of Hobie stuck in your mind."

----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

As you walked out of the backstage doors, you let out a sigh of relief and began to head over to your car, ready to go to bed. 'Should I get an Uber? I mean I am kinda tired. Nah, I'm good' you thought to yourself as you neared your car but began to hear the sound of someone jogging up to you. Turning around you pulled out your tazzer which you practically carried with you everywhere only to see Hobie hold his hands up and back away a little bit. Putting your tazzer down you gave him a tired smile,"Sorry, I thought you were some sorta creep." you said turning around and going to unlock your car and put your stuff inside. "Its 'ight, luv. Just came to say that was some bloody good drummin I heard ya doin" he said as he gave you a smirk. The heat of your cheeks coming back.

"Oh, thank you. I didn't do the best tonight cause of the rush to get here but I mean, it wasn't horrible." you said as you put your hand on one hip and leaned over to the side a bit, resting your body weight on one foot. "Do ya mind if I get ya number?" you heard him abruptly say in a kind tone. Your eyes went wide as you looked for any sense of joking in his expression. "You're joking right? What for, ya gonna ask me on a date or something?" you said in a joking tone as you felt your skin begin to burn. "Ma'be. Ya never know." he said as he shrugged his shoulders and held out his phone, already opened and on the contact page.

You grabbed it and put in your number giving the phone back after you were done. "Thanks." he said as he gave his phone a toothy grin. "No problem." you said as you turned to get into your car, not being able to take this experience any longer.

As you sat into you car you felt your wrist get tugged on as Hobie pulled you back out and kissed you on the cheek. "Make sure ya get to bed, ight? Ya need tha rest." he said as he let go of you and stepped back allowing you to get into your car and drive away. You simply nodded at him in return before getting in thought.

Oh what were you going to tell Miles

----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

I'm so sorry if anything in this sounds offensive or racist or if it wasn't what you wanted. I am not personally black but I do have friends of color and I used how they and their parents act for this once again I'm so sorry.

26 notes · View notes

indigosunsetao3 · 14 days

Text

A Reason To Try

Chapter 2 - Overrun

Masterlist of Chapters

Warnings: 18+ - No minors Please read the tags on AO3 for any of your triggers

Alex Keller X Original FMC 6.9k words - AO3 Link

“I know E,” Mads said quietly as her nephew whined in the backseat. He did not want to get up, having only been asleep a few hours. He cried the whole time and had an absolute meltdown when Madeline tried to get him to put on proper pants. She had conceded to pajama pants, his favorite Batman ones, if he would put his shoes on himself. She didn’t say a word when they ended up being a pair of mismatched sandals, she just threw his sneakers into the duffle. She barely had the capacity herself to throw on weather appropriate clothes herself, her head pounding from the stress and the start of a hangover.

“It’s still dark out.” Everett stated as he wiped at his face. He had started to come around a bit and had been able to buckle himself in the booster as Madeline pulled out of the parking garage. It was under the apartment building and they hadn’t seen a single person as she threw their bags into the trunk. She had forgotten to zip up Josephine’s from earlier and had to scoop the pill bottles and some other items back into it hoping she hadn’t missed anything. “Where are we going?”

“Mom found some friends to take us to her office in Georgia,” Madeline answered as she waited for the automatic garage door to open up. When it clicked into place she pulled out and found that there wasn’t a single person outside, too early for even the runners to be out. The roads remained empty as she rounded out of the apartment complex and Madeline blew the redlight to make the left onto the main road. Her sister had emphasized they had to go right now and she wasn’t going to waste any time waiting for no reason.

“Why are they going so early?” Everett asked with a groan as he threw his head back against the booster seat. He had certainly learned his dramatics from her.

“They’re in a hurry is all,” Madeline said as she pressed her foot harder on the pedal as the GPS told her she’d arrive in nineteen minutes. “And if we want to go with them, we need to hurry as well.”

Everett didn’t answer after that, he just huffed and turned his head to look out the window. Madeline kept her eye on him in the rearview mirror as she cruised through the streets, knowing she would be pulled over in an instant if the police saw her. It drove Josephine crazy how fast she was when she drove, stating she followed too close and darted around enough to make her sick, which meant Josephine usually drove when they were together. Madeline had been taught how to drive by a car enthusiast when she was sixteen, the guy old enough to go to jail if he had been caught with her. His method was if you weren’t leading the pack, you were going too slow and Madeline followed that same mentality now.

The further she delved into Boston though, she found there was more activity, people were actually out and about and she had to slow down. The bar scene was just starting to wrap in some places and Madeline watched as a group stumbled out and headed down the sidewalk. She drummed her fingers on the steering wheel impatiently waiting for them to cross the street when a taxi came flying down the road from the opposite way. She knew what was going to happen an instant before it did. She screamed and hit the horn as a last-ditch effort to warn them right before the car plowed down the group.

“Cover your eyes!” Madeline yelled to Everett whose eyes were wide as he stared at the building where the car eventually stopped. “E!” Madeline yelled as she turned around and nudged his knee, “look away from it.” When he turned to look at her, she faced the accident. Despite being in a rush Madeline found herself sitting there staring in shock.

The driver of the car pushed the door open and fell out and she watched them jerk uncontrollably as they fell to the ground, hands scrabbling at their throat where blood was pouring. Their passenger got out a moment later and ran flatfooted at the people that were making their way toward the scene to help. Then the passenger, a young woman, leapt on a man twice her size and tackled him to the ground and began ripping at him with her hands. Others tried to pull her off but she was unstoppable as she snarled and fought them, biting and ripping at them.

“Oh my God,” Madeline muttered as she stared, feeling as if she were in a dream. The taxi driver was up and had grabbed the closest person to him and sank his teeth into their throat. He didn’t hesitate, didn’t finch as blood coated his skin, he just moved onto the next person. People were realizing what was happening and started to scatter instead of helping. She was so busy watching one side she didn’t see another person run up at her car.

“Oh fuck,” she nearly screamed as someone started beating on the driver’s window and kicking at the door. She hit the gas before thinking and the car squealed at the sudden power surge. Everett was screaming in the back and Madeline joined him as she swerved around a small group of people running to the accident. They certainly didn’t look like they were coming to help, based on the blood all over their clothes and the crazed looks in their eyes.

“What’s happening?” Everett asked, crying again, as he turned to try and look back behind them. “Aunt Mads why are those people hurting one another?” His eyes were wide as he waited for an answer and his hands were holding onto the booster seat arms like a lifeline.

“I don’t know,” Madeline answered truthfully, her eyes darting over to her window that had blood running down it from the person’s bloody hands pounding on it. “I don’t know what is happening E,” she continued as she slammed the brakes hard when a police car came down a side street and cut them off with lights and sirens going. She groaned at the yank of the seatbelt before hitting the gas, foot to the floor, to get to their destination. She hoped wherever this place was that they were headed to wasn’t dealing with this. She had no idea what she would do if they couldn’t get out. “Just sit back in your seat and close your eyes, yeah?” She said looking up at him in the mirror again, “we’ll be out of here soon.”

------------------------------------------------------------------------------

“Come on Farah,” Alex muttered as he paced the empty room holding the phone to his ear. He had called three times now and it just continue to ring. “Pick up,” he muttered before hanging up with a frustrated sigh. Things were moving quick, too quick, and he was second guessing leaving her for the umpteenth time. He had been uneasy about it from the start and now that things were already much worse than they thought, him being here was useless. They didn’t need him or his resources to help get down to Venezuela, they just needed to sneak in and extract without all the political fanfare.

He was staring out the window, mentally going through a list of what he could do. What resources he could tap and favors he could call in to get back to Farah. He was about to hit dial again when the phone rang instead and he answered it before it had a change to even finish the first one.

“Farah,” he said a bit relieved and agitated. “Where have you been?” He asked as his eyes darted up to the clock and figure out the time difference. It was almost eleven in the morning there.

“Busy,” Farah answered and she sounded rushed. “Alex, it’s already a disaster,” she stated as he heard people yelling in the background. “We’ve been lied to, it’s spread everywhere. Russian forces pulled out right after you left. They left everything behind and just disappeared.” He heard her yell an order, muffled so she must have tilted the phone against her chest.

“Goddamn it,” Alex said as he turned heel and reached for the door. He was leaving. He wasn’t going to wait here and let her struggle and suffer on her own. “Is the sickness there?” He asked as he jogged down some steps to try and find Price. People were running around the place like mad and he had to press himself up against a wall to avoid being bowled over by a man sprinting down the hall with cases of weapons.

“I haven’t seen it,” Farah answered and Alex breathed a small sigh of relief at that. “But sick people have been seen in the city,” she cut off and Alex heard someone talking to her in rapid succession. “I have to get back and save those we can.”

“Farah, no,” Alex stated harshly. “You need to stay away from it. You need to stay alive and lead the people,” he reasoned and he heard her huff. “I’m coming back,” he stated not knowing how he was going to manage it just yet. He had done many favors for people over the years and never asked for anything in return. It was time to start cashing them in, beginning with Laswell. “I’ll find the first flight.”

“You are not,” Farah answered sternly. “You have a job to do. I sent you on it, you will finish it.”

Alex shut his eyes at the command. He had defied orders before, to stay with her, so he could defy them again to get back to her. How many times had he bled for her, almost died for her, broken his own heart over and over just for her. This wasn’t any different. Everything had done these past few years had been for her and he wasn’t about to stop that now.

“I am,” Alex said as he yanked open a stairwell door. “You can’t do this alone.” He knew he was being a bit irrational at his haste but the panic of her being there without him had been consuming him for a while now.

“I am not alone,” Farah answered, her voice taking an icy tone that he had only been on the receiving end of one other time and it had nearly shattered him then. “I survived without you before Alex, and I can do it now. Do not doubt my abilities, or my team.” There was a pause before, “I do not need you.” The silence was a long one and the stab of hurt made Alex’s steps slow to a halt again as he gripped the phone hard to his ear. “You are my second, I have given you a command. You will finish the mission.”

“Farah,” Alex tried as he stared ahead not really seeing, his mind’s eye picturing her face. The same face she had given him when he had confessed he couldn’t just be a bedwarmer for her anymore the last time they had been together. That his feelings were eating him alive and he needed to know what she was thinking. She had told him that she couldn’t be anything more to him than that. Stated he needed to accept her position, that it wasn’t going to change, and he should move on. Her ambitions were too high, life too busy, to even think about settling down; especially with her second. Feelings would make things a disaster and she gave him the ultimatum of figuring it out or leave. “Please,” he finally tacked on knowing it was futile.

“We will be fine. Call me when the job is complete,” she stated and Alex couldn’t tell if she actually was masking her hurt at her own words, or was just that disconnected between her job and her heart. “Goodbye Alex.”

The phone disconnected and Alex sighed, curling his hands in a frustrated gesture feeling the phone digging into his fingers. He knew she was done with the conversation and there would be no changing her mind. When her brother had betrayed her, she had declared him an enemy without a second thought and they were family that had grown up and survived together. Alex hadn’t been around that long and he knew she would not hesitate to push Alex away if it came between her and her goals. Shoving the phone into his pocket he headed back to the office to gather his belongings and head to the transport.

------------------------------------------------------------------------------

“We’re here,” Madeline breathed out as she looked at the GPS. She had made it in the nineteen-minute time frame it originally predicted, even after stopping and watching the horrific scene at the bar. She had pulled over to parallel park on the street, ignoring the no parking sign. Her sister could pay that stupid ticket. “Let me get the stuff from the trunk, do not get out before I come get you,” Madeline instructed as she killed the engine and shoved the keys in her coat pocket. Everett nodded, he had been quiet the rest of the car ride, only sniffling every now and again.

With shaking hands Madeline opened the car door and looked around before darting to the trunk to dig out the bags. She had to adjust the strap on her sisters backpack a few times before slinging the duffle over her shoulder and shoving it behind her. She looked around again before slamming the trunk shut and hurrying around to the side of the car and yanked open the door. Everett was already out of his seat waiting for her and his hand clasped hers hard as she helped him out.

Their feet crunched over the salt pellets someone had poured out over the sidewalk as they went. The buildings along the street were dark, all of them office buildings and warehouses. Madeline glanced at the scribbled post it in her other hand to make sure she had the right address. She hadn’t even thought to ask her sister what the place was, and honestly who the hell John Price was anyway. Was he another scientist? Doctor? She was pretty sure it wasn’t Josephine’s boss; his name was something like Bart which still made Madeline laugh because that did not sound like a stuffy scientist name.

“There’s a man lying on the sidewalk,” Everett blurted out suddenly and Madeline glanced down at him before following where he was pointing. There, in fact, was a man lying on the sidewalk and Madeline froze her steps to look at him. He was bundled under a blanket and had a few layers of clothes on that she could see. She narrowed her eyes a bit trying to determine if he was just a person that had found the least hard part of the ground to sleep on for the evening, or if it was something else.

“We just need to go around him quietly,” Madeline reasoned as she scooted Everett around her to walk on the side closest to the road now. “He’s probably just sleeping,” she stated giving Everett a reassuring smile as they got closer.

“I want to sleep,” Everett muttered before seeing Madeline put a finger to her lips to indicate for him to be quiet.

They sidestepped the man and he didn’t move, and Madeline held the breath she had been holding. She tried to look at him to see if he was even breathing, unable to tell with all the layers, not that there was anything she could do anyway. Once they were around him Madeline found a break in the wall they had been following. There was a gate that was propped half-open and she saw the number drilled into the brick, this was the address. Shifting the bag on her shoulder a bit she headed through it, quickening her steps as she saw people through the windows bustling about. They were the first people she had seen since they left the house that didn’t look crazed, or dead.

“Stop,” came a voice as Madeline reached the door and yanked it open. She blinked a few times as a flashlight blinded her and she winced away. She quickly let go of the door and stepped back as a man dressed in a solid black military uniform aimed the light beam onto Everett who pressed hard into her side.

“I’m here to see John Price,” Madeline said, grateful her voice didn’t shake like she knew the rest of her body was doing. “Do you know where he is?”

The man didn’t answer her, but spoke into a microphone on his headset stating two people were looking for Captain Price. He watched the two of them as he listened to whoever was on the other end talk. She moved her hand from Everett’s to gently rub his head, realizing she hadn’t put him in hat and it was freezing outside. His ears were like little icicles and she pressed her hand over one, pushing the other into her leg, to try and warm them a bit. Her eyes darted to the building where people were moving around still and she shifted on her feet.

“Can we wait inside?” She asked as they continued to stand in silence for a few seconds. “It’s freezing out here,” she tacked on as the guy glared at her. “And I’ve, well, it wasn’t a fun ride over here and I’d much rather be inside.”

The guy looked her up and down one more time before nodding his head toward the door indicating she could step inside. She shifted and pulled the door open before gently pushing Everett through, he was clinging to her hard and she had to shuffle step in before the warmth hit them. She looked around the room, it was a big open space with a reception desk that had someone behind it and she walked over. The man that had stopped them had stayed outside on some sort of guard duty.

“Hello,” Madeline said as she rested a hand on the counter, which was up to her chest. It reminded her of an old police precinct, eerily similar to one where she had visited too often to bail out yet another ex. “I, ah, don’t know if he told you,” she continued pointing with her thumb to the guy outside the window. “I’m here to see John Price?” The woman looked up at her with a disinterested glance and didn’t say anything so Madeline continued, “my sister Josephine Martin sent us, said for me to ask for him. We’re on a bit of a tight schedule.” That caught the woman’s attention.

“Do you have IDs?” She asked as she moved to lean over the counter edge and glanced down at Everett who was staring up at her.

“Oh yeah, hang on,” Madeline answered as she quickly let her duffle fall to the ground with a thump and she bent down to dig around. It was a disaster inside, and she had to pull a few things out before she found the first passport, Everett’s. She handed him his before she dug around some more and found her own before standing up and taking E’s back and handing them to the woman. “I’m Madeline, he’s Everett,” she said a bit lamely as the woman flipped open each of them.

“Everett Martin,” she said and closed Everett’s, “and Madeline Torres,” she finished not sounding impressed. She looked at the passport for a moment before flicking her eyes up to Madeline then back down again.

“Yes,” Madeline answered a bit confused. “I’m Josephine’s sister. She asked me to come here, and ask for John Price.” Were all these people dense Madeline wondered as she looked around.

“We have clearance for two Martins,” the woman answered. Madeline felt her stomach plummet as she looked at Everett for a second. “Where’s the boy’s father?”

“What? His father isn’t around, asshole has been gone for over a year.” She normally tried not to talk bad about Everett’s father in front of him but she was too worried to really think about it. “I’m Everett’s Aunt, I’ve been taking care of him while my sister has been working,” she babbled and moved to dig out her phone. “I’ll just call her and she’ll-” she started but the woman cut her off.

“I only have clearance for him. No one mentioned Torres,” she explained a bit clipped.

“Josephine’s maiden name is Torres, she never changed it after the divorce,” the woman just stared at her. “You’re expecting me to send my six-year-old nephew alone with you?” Madeline snapped as Everett grabbed her even harder. “Let me just call Josephine,” she continued as she fumbled in her pocket. “Or get John down here,” she tacked on a bit snippily, “I’m sure Josephine gave him our names.”

“How do I know you didn’t just take him and left his father behind?” The woman asked and Madeline was sure she felt her eyes bug out of her head.

“I’m sorry, are you insane?” Madeline asked a bit sarcastically as she let her hand hang limply for a second out of the shock of the outlandish accusation. “I am his Aunt, I live with them. I want to talk to someone else because you clearly are not getting it.” She finally got her phone out of her pocket and swiped through it to call Josephine and hit dial. The phone rang. And rang. And rang. The woman just watched her before calling someone else over and explained what was happening to them.

“We can take him to John. He’s upstairs,” the new person stated. “But until we get approval you will have to wait,” he stated. He was at least a little nicer than the woman.

“I,” Madeline started as she glanced at Everett. She couldn’t risk him not being able to leave and get to his mom but she didn’t want to send him alone either. She really needed Josephine to pick up. She tried calling again, wedging her phone between her shoulder and ear to squat down in front of Everett. The phone just kept ringing. “Everett, you are going to have to go with them,” she stated and winced as she saw the tears start up again. “I know, I’m sorry. I’ll be right behind you, we just have to work out paperwork,” she tried explaining and Everett clung to her.

“No,” Everett said firmly as he clung to her and she glanced up at the two people who were being impossibly thick about the whole situation. She knew her face was portraying a ‘see I told you’ look but they didn’t budge. “I’m scared Aunt Maddy,” Everett wailed and she sighed, peeling her phone off her ear and dialed again before wrapping Everett up in a hug.

“I know E,” Madeline answered as she rubbed his back gently, “I am too but it’s okay.” She was lying, this wasn’t okay but she didn’t need him to have a meltdown again. “I’ll be right behind you. They are going to take you to mommy’s friend,” another lie she was presuming, “and John will make sure you are okay.” She stared at the two adults who didn’t seem to have an ounce of empathy in them as they just watched the scene in front of them. “Damn it,” she muttered as Josephine still didn’t pick up.

“Can’t I wait with you?” Everett asked as he looked up at the two people watching. “If you’re coming anyway,” he tacked on. Too smart for his own good.

“You need to get situated,” Madeline answered as she pointed at his mismatched shoes, “and put on proper sneakers. I promise I am right behind you,” she said as she stood up and glared at the woman as she shoved the duffle at them. “His shoes are in there,” she instructed as she snatched up her own passport again and threw Everett’s in the bag. “You’ll need to carry it; he won’t be able to.”

Everett lost it when the man came around the counter to take him upstairs and Madeline slammed her cellphone down on the counter and grabbed him. He was howling and she hefted him up as he wrapped his arms and legs around her tightly. He was overly tired, stressed, and was probably still trying to process the shit they had seen on the way over. Now he was being told he had to go with intimidating looking strangers which was the final straw for him.

“You tell John Price to come down here, right fucking now,” Madeline demanded of the woman, done trying to play nice. “No,” she interrupted the woman when she opened her mouth, “right now. I don’t care if you have to drag him down by his goddamn ear. My nephew is not going until I talk to him. Maybe he understands what happens when someone gets married, they get a new name from their sister. I don’t understand why they is such a hard concept for you.”

At the same time Alex was in the stairwell just a floor up and he heard the faint sound of a child crying. It was been enough to catch his attention. There was only one child that would be around at this point, the scientist’s kid, which meant they had somehow made it after all. He called over his comms that the civilians they were escorting had arrived before pushing open the door to the main room. He caught the very frazzled woman’s rant and couldn’t help but smirk, despite himself, at the thought of anyone dragging Price down by his ear. She certainly looked like she would try it though, and Price may cow to it out of sheer surprise.

“Someone looking for Price?” Came a voice and Madeline turned on her heel to see a man walking over, having appeared from a stairwell at the end of the room.

“Yes,” Madeline said quickly, stepping away from the counter toward the guy. He was tall and she had to tilt her head back up to see him fully. He was dressed differently than the other people she had been speaking with. He was in a simple pair of jeans, though he had a thigh holster with a pistol in it, and a t-shirt over another long shirt and a brown military vest topping it all off. She noted the American flag on the vest and an insignia of some sort on his shoulder guards. Maybe Price was a military man. Josephine really should have given her more details.

“Are you him?” She asked but the guy shook his head quickly so she continued talking before he could interrupt. “Do you know where he is? My sister Josephine Martin sent me here,” Madeline said trying to talk a little louder than Everett who was still wailing. “They’re telling me that because my name is different, I can’t go,” she sighed and rubbed Everett’s back as his little fingers dug hard into her back at her last words. “I’m Madeline, Everett’s aunt. My last name is Torres, it’s Josephine’s maiden name. She never changed her name back after she got divorced.” She knew she sounded desperate and probably giving this guy way more information than he needed, or wanted, but she didn’t care. “And his last name is Martin like his mom.” She finished indicating Everett whose face was thoroughly burrowed in her hair.

Alex took in the scene before him and he stared at the woman behind the counter who seemed like she was being defiant for the sake of it. It was obvious the boy was stuck to this woman, Madeline, like glue. Price had stated that it was Josephine’s sister bringing her son which meant this had to be the aunt. He didn’t know why the shadow was being so obtuse, especially given the situation that was rapidly unfolding outside and around the city. Who else would be showing up at this hour asking for John Price except for someone that was sent specifically to find him.

“Let’s go. I’ll take you to Price,” Alex stated and the woman behind the counter opened her mouth but shut it as Alex glared at her. “This your bag?” He asked and Madeline nodded as he snatched it up and slung it over his shoulder without hesitation, cutting the shadow one more side-eye as she crossed her arms watching him. “I’m Alex, I’m working with Price on this,” he explained as he gestured for her to follow him. “The Shadows are a bit robotic, afraid to do anything their operator doesn’t tell them explicitly to do,” he tacked on loud enough for the those behind the counter to hear him.

“Seem a bit idiotic,” Madeline answered truthfully, having no idea what Shadows meant, perhaps that was another military thing. Everett adjusted to twist his head out of where he had buried it to look around when he realized they were walking. “Think you can walk now bud?” Madeline asked him as he rested his cheek on her shoulder. “I love you but you ate too much spaghetti last night,” she teased as he wiggled against her even more, locking his ankles around her waist, he was not going to let her put him down. “Fine,” she said and adjusted her grip a bit.

They were about to clear the door to the stairs when there was the sound of gun fire and breaking glass. Madeline instantly flinched, ducking down to her knees and twisting Everett so her back was to the where the sound of the gunfire came from to protect him. She was curled around her nephew, her hand on the back of his head to hold him close as he shrieked. The sounds were echoing and Madeline resisted pressing her hands over her own ears as the shouts erupted from the soldiers in the room.

Alex saw it all happen in rapid succession. The glass blew out when it was pelted with gunfire from a rogue gun being fired as the guard outside was attacked. The idiot hadn’t lifted his finger off the trigger as he was flung back into the window. Alex also flinched and ducked a bit, moving himself out of instinct to cover Madeline’s back with his own body. He had thrown the duffle down on the ground in favor to get his pistol out of the holster and safety off in as he assessed the escalating situation.

“You hurt?” Alex asked, not taking his eyes off the windows seeing more movement outside. People were rushing about outside but he wasn’t sure if that was the Shadows or something else.

“No,” Madeline answered as she felt Alex pressed up against her back. “No, we’re alright,” she continued as she checked her hands to make sure there was no blood on them.

“Good-” Alex stated before cutting off as someone leaped through a broken window and made a beeline for the soldiers behind the counter. The intruder was covered in blood, one arm ripped to bloody ribbons and snarling. He raised his gun and took a shot, catching them in the shoulder so they wheeled to the side a bit from the hit, but they didn’t slow. It was one of those things.

“Get in the stairwell,” he instructed suddenly. He stood up fully and grabbed Madeline under the arm to heft her up, bodily dragging her back to her feet without much effort.

Madeline glanced over her shoulder at Alex to ask him where to go after getting in there when she saw the soldier that was on guard duty outside hanging halfway through one of the windows. He was leaned impossibly far back with a person, the guy that was sleeping on the sidewalk, on his chest scratching and clawing at his face as he screamed. She was transfixed as the soldier screamed, his helmet knocked off and his impossibly young face contorted in fear and pain as the other guy tore him apart.

“Go,” Alex said a bit more urgently as he shoved Madeline again with one hand on her shoulder to snap her out of her daze. As the screaming from the young soldier died, he twisted back around to take a shot at the man who had attacked him. This shot didn’t miss its intended target. He hit the guy right in the temple, the blood spraying everywhere on impact.

The attacker fell instantly back out the window but the man he was attacking was jerking around and Madeline heard a feral sounding growl come from him. That was enough for her to finally get moving. She bent down and scooped up her duffle and bolted for the stairs. It was hard work trying to go up the steps with Everett in her arms and the duffle dragging along each step as she went. Her legs were burning with effort as she barely cleared the first seven stairs to the halfway mark to the second floor when she heard Alex fire again. The snarling and screaming seemed to be echoing in her skull before the stairwell door slammed shut muffling the chaos. She looked over the railing to see Alex standing there for a moment preparing to shoot if anyone came through but after a few seconds he backed up toward the steps.

“They’ve breached the building,” Alex said into his comms as he kept his back pressed to the railing as he went up the stairs rapidly. “I’ve got the civilians, the kid and his aunt,” he tacked on waiting for Price to come back. “We’re in the stairwell on our way to you.”

“Get to the transport,” came Price’s voice quickly. “Graves has the cars outside ready. No time to finish prepping,” he said before cursing. “They’re all over the damn place, where did they come from?”

“They’re probably drawn by the gunfire. Shit infects them quick,” Alex answered before a loud bang on the stairwell door made him jump. His eyes shot to the hollow metal door before glancing up at Madeline who had frozen in her trek. He quickly put a finger to his lips before digging into one of his vest pockets. He pulled out a new magazine and clipped it into the pistol, putting the half spent one away in another pocket to reload later. He had no idea how he was going to get out to the transport with two civilians and just a sidearm for protection.

“We’re getting overrun,” came Graves. “Put a little pep in your step boys.”

“We’re almost there,” Price answered, “where are you Echo?” There was gunfire in the background of his comms and Alex could also hear it coming from outside the stairwell.

Alex didn’t answer as the banging on the door intensified, the pounding rabid and only getting louder as more fists and feet joined it. They had to get out of there and outside quickly, their only option an emergency exit that had a big red sign on it that it would sound an alarm if opened. They were going to just put a big neon on sign on their backs when that high-pitched wailing started. He weighed his options before waving his hand to indicate for Madeline to come to him.

“You’ve got two fucking minutes,” Graves snapped before someone in the background shouted in terror.

“Echo 3-1,” came Price again. “Do you copy? Get to the goddamn transport.”

“Copy,” Alex barely whispered and Price seemed to get the hint. He didn’t come back again.

Madeline shuffled down the steps as quietly as she could, shifting Everett back to her already exhausted left arm to try and get a breather. She slipped the duffle at Alex’s feet before flinching as the door groaned under the assault from the other side. Despite the chill, sweat was running down her back and she felt flustered, flushed and completely overwhelmed. Everett wasn’t helping either, not that it was his fault but his panic was ricocheting hers up tenfold. He was whimpering and she shifted him again, feeling like her arms were going to give out, her legs shaking from the exertion.

“We have to get to the transport,” Alex said very quietly, his eyes never leaving the door where the threat was just on the other side. It was lucky their predators didn’t know how to use doorhandles, at least not yet anyway. “It’s outside around the back of the building. A few SUVs,” he continued to explain and he saw Madeline’s eyes widen at the thought of having to run outside. “It’s not far if we go out that door,” he nodded his head at the emergency exit.

“The second we open that door the alarm will sound,” Madeline said, having seen the warning signs on it. “They will be all over us,” she gasped. “I can’t run, not with him,” the panic was starting to tighten around her throat with a stranglehold. “Can we go upstairs? Just barricade...barricade in until,” she stated, her voice a hoarse whisper as she felt her body begin to vibrate with impending doom. “I can’t...we’ll never,” she was heaving for breath and shifted for the stairs. He could run for it, she wasn’t doing it.

“Give him to me,” Alex said, his eyes staring hard into hers, keeping his tone even but with an edge of command. “I can carry him. You’ll need to get the door, and then get behind me. Hold onto my vest and don’t let go,” he stated and he saw her shake her head in fear. “Listen to me,” he put a hand on her shoulder and gripped hard, giving her something to ground and focus on aside from the adrenaline that was coursing through her veins. “I know you’re scared, but you need to fight through it. We need to get to those cars, to the team. We stay here, we’re done for. They will not wait for us,” he nodded his head at the emergency door. “We have a minute left. It’s now or never.”

Madeline felt the panic whine in her throat before she heard it. Everett was holding onto her like a leach but she nodded once at Alex willing to go with his plan even if her instincts were screaming to go hide. He had helped this far so she had no choice but to trust him now. If she didn’t they were dead and his plan at least gave them a shot.

Alex didn’t wait for her to say anything in confirmation as one of his hands came around Everett’s waist, snaking its way between his little body and hers. Madeline felt her nephew attempt to hang on tighter but Alex wrenched him free relatively easily and the boy screamed. The pounding on the other side kicked up a notch and snarling joined the sound which drew all of their eyes for a moment.

“It’s okay, E,” Madeline said quickly as she scooped up the duffle. She would ditch it if it got in the way of running but she needed to try and keep it, all their clothes and other items were in there. “He’s going to help us, just hold onto him, alright? I’ll be right behind you, yeah? We get to the car and you can sit in my lap.” She rubbed his back absently as he stared at her with watery eyes before nodding. Under normal circumstances her nephew had never met a stranger, a small blessing since she was sure if he was shy of other people this would be ten times harder.

Alex didn’t give Everett a chance to say if he was okay with this, there wasn’t time to coddle. He shifted Everett more on his side, grabbing his tiny wrist with his hand that held his pistol to wrap it around his neck. The boy seemed to get the memo and his other arm looped around the back of Alex’s neck and he held his hands tight together, burrowing into his side almost painfully tight.

“If something happens you get him there,” Madeline ordered as Alex situated Everett, the boy was too distracted by his own hiccupping and crying to pay attention to what Madeline was saying. “Just…keep him alive. He's priority.” Her eyes darted to her nephew before she let out a shaky breath knowing that she just signed off on allowing him to leave her for dead.

“I’m keeping you both alive,” Alex said as he held onto the kid with his left arm and prayed that his bullets would hold out and he hadn’t just lied. “Get the door.”

Madeline nodded before her shaking hands pushed on the red paddle on the door. She felt it resist for a moment, as if the mechanism was questioning if she really wanted to do this. She continued to press and there was a click as the lock gave way then a half a second later the piercing alarm started. The cold air hit her face like a slap and Alex quickly pushed past her shouldering the door open more. The hand with the pistol grabbed hers and securely tucked it around one of the loops of his vest before he raised it in front of them and they began to run.

#fanfic #fanfiction #ao3 fanfic #ao3 author #ao3 writer #call of duty #call of duty fanfic #cod fanfic #cod #my fic #alex keller fanfic #alex keller cod #alex cod #cod alex #alex keller x oc #a reason to try

7 notes · View notes

lordofthenerds97 · 11 months

Text

Wasting Away: Chapter 6

Rating: M for eventual chapters, mild cursing, and nonexplicit sexual content Pairing: Eddie x Reader, Past Billy x Reader, and onesided Steve x Reader if you squint Summary: You were broken. Falling apart. Trying to put yourself back together. Whatever the hell they wanted to call it. All you knew was you were hurting. The Upside Down had been the bane of your existence for a long time. But now you had a reason to hate it. Will your hatred be enough to help take down the latest in a long line of monsters? TW FOR THIS CHAPTER: • Mild Panic Attack • Survivor's Guilt • Mentions of Therapy Masterlist

The bell dinged above you as you walked into the small mechanic’s shop. You paused for a moment, the smell of motor oil, grease, and fumes hitting your nose.

“Hold on!”

You barely registered the voice calling out to you as you looked around. Things had changed since the last time you’d been in there. The shelves had been moved around, other racks had been added, and there were even displays set up. The small and miscellaneous parts had been organized and were hanging in their proper places with the price tags displayed neatly above them. “Damn,” you muttered. Before Mack’s wife, Helen, had retired, the place was more well kept than what Mack himself would do. But you hadn’t ever seen it like this.

The last time you’d been in there with Billy, you had to help him dig through multiple bins to find the right wrenches and screws he needed.

Mack’s small shop had definitely gotten an upgrade.

“Hey sweetheart,”

You looked up from the shelf at the sound of the familiar voice. “Eddie?”

He had poked his head through the door leading to the actual shop, grinning at you. “What’s up?”

“I didn’t know you worked here,” you said dumbly. You were pretty sure the expression on your face matched the tone of your voice.

He chuckled. “What, do you think Mack managed to do all this himself?” he asked as he stepped behind the counter. His hair was tied into a messy bun at the base of his neck to keep it out of his face as he worked. He looked at the oil filter you were holding. “That all you need, doll?”

You smiled. That explained all the upgrades. But then his question registered, and you pursed your lips. “Actually, no…”

He raised an eyebrow and crossed his arms as he leaned against the old counter beside the register. “I’m at your service.”

Taking a breath, you looked at him hopefully. “I need to see about ordering some specialty parts, and how much it’s going to cost.”

That caught his interest. “Really? What are you working on?”

You sighed. “A pet project…one that’s going to take a long time to finish.”

Hearing the tone of your voice, Eddie softened. “Alrighty. Whatcha need?”

Realizing he wasn’t going to push you for more information, your eyes lit up and you smiled at him. You wanted to tell him about the “surprise” that Dustin and Steve had set up for you. But if you were being honest with yourself, you were still trying to wrap your head around what they had done. “A few things. Let’s start with a four barrel Holley carburetor.”

Eddie grabbed a notepad from the opposite side of the register and began writing. “Uh huh,”

“Rear drum brakes for a ‘78 Chevy,”

“Mhm.”

“Probably a new vacuum modulator.”

He continued to scribble as you listed off a few more parts. He listened patiently as you went down the list. You couldn’t help but wince as you continued telling him what you needed. It was a long list. And it was going to be expensive.

“That should be it.”

He looked at the list and let out a low whistle. “Damn, sweetheart. Looks like you’ve got a hell of a project going on.”

You let out a snort. “Bit of an understatement,” you muttered. In actuality, you were pretty much rebuilding the entire thing from scratch. And at the moment, you were thanking God above that Billy had taught you so much about his car. “Gonna take me a while.”

Eddie pursed his lips and read over the list. “Well, I think I might have a spare modulator laying around. Just changed a few out and we ordered some extras. ‘78, you said, right?”

You nodded.

“Cool. Drum brakes were going to be on our next order, we just ran out. That Holley is probably gonna not take the prettiest penny.”

You nodded. That wasn’t a surprise.

“All in all sweetheart…you’re looking at about $2,500, give or take.”

That was actually a little less than you had been expecting, considering the amount of parts you needed to get. “Not bad,” you said.

Eddie looked at you. “Are you gonna want to order now or wait a bit?”

You paused for a moment, chewing on your bottom lip as you thought. “I’ll get the modulator, the filter, and preorder the brakes for now.”

He nodded. “Gotcha. Both sets?”

“Yep.”

“Cool. I’ll make sure we order those today. They should be here the end of the week.”

“Nice.”

He grabbed a binder from under the counter and flipped through it, looking for what you assumed was the part numbers. He mumbled to himself as he scanned the laminated pages and tapped a few things into the register. “Three hundred twenty five and thirty-two cents.” he said, looking up at you. “That okay?”

You nodded, setting your small bag onto the counter to dig through and find your wallet. “How long have you worked here?” you asked.

He shrugged. “A year or so. Mack liked to keep me in the back for a while. He needed an extra set of hands in the shop. Said he couldn’t find any mechanics worth a shit.”

You snorted. “Sounds like Mack.”

“Not to sound like a stereotype,” he said, looking up at you as you handed him four hundred. “But where’d you learn to work on cars?”

Your throat tightened momentarily. You cleared it before you spoke. “Billy,” you said. “He was determined to teach me everything he could. Said he wanted me to know what was going on and to make sure that I wouldn’t get swindled. It helped that he was always working on his car. I learned a lot.”

He nodded. “Good. Thankfully Mack isn’t like a lot of other mechanics, but I’ve seen plenty of assholes in my time try and take advantage of a woman who doesn’t know shit about her car. I’m glad you know what you’re doing.”

You laughed. “I don’t think I know exactly what I’m doing, but I think I can wing it for the most part.”

Eddie chuckled and rolled his eyes. “Sweetheart, I don’t think this pet project is something you should wing. Sounds important. And expensive.”

“Eh, we’ll see.” you said with a smile. “Thanks Eddie.”

“No problem.” He grinned at you. “Aside from working on your special project, what else are you up to on this fine afternoon?”

You sighed and took the bag that he offered you. “Trying to catch up on homework. I managed most of what Dusty brought me when I missed a few days last week. Now I just have to try and stomach the assignments I have tonight.”

Eddie snorted. “I understand. Seems to me like teachers should spend more time teaching us what will actually get us by in this world instead of the infinite numbers of pi.”

“Seriously,” you said. “I’m trying to keep up with what I have, plus trying to keep my grades up while I look at different colleges.”

He raised an eyebrow and resumed his casual stance leaning against the counter. “College? I didn’t think that was an aspiration of yours.”

You shrugged. “Honestly, it’s more to keep my parents happy than anything. I don’t particularly want to go to college, but hey, there’s always something to learn.”

“Any idea on what you’d want to study?”

A sigh escaped your lips. “I don’t know…I love science though. If I did actually go, I’d probably pick something in that area.” You laughed before adding on, “Honestly, you’d probably think I’m crazy if I told you the type of reading I do for fun.”

His expression turned serious. “Sweetheart, I’ve seen and heard a lot out of you, and I haven’t ever thought you’re crazy. I doubt there’s anything you could say that would make me think that.”

What if I told you there was an alternate dimension that has portals in Hawkins and has repeatedly split the fabric of the universe apart? What if I told you that it wasn’t an explosion that killed Billy, it was a telepathic monster made of the flesh and bones of the humans it had him lure to it’s lair?

You fought back the intrusive thoughts and tried to laugh. “You really wanna know?” you asked.

He nodded enthusiastically. “If you’re interested in it, then its got to be something worth knowing about.”

You snorted and laughed. “Fine. I like reading about nuclear physics and quantum mechanics.”

His expression was more than a little shocked. “You wanna run that by me again, sweetheart? Just to make sure I heard you right?”

“Um…nuclear physics and quantum mechanics?”

Eddie shook his head. “How the hell did you get into that?”

The Upside Down. Finding a way to stop it.

You shrugged. “There’s a lot in this world we don’t understand. But one day I’d like to be able to. Plus, when you actually read and research, it’s not that hard to understand.”

He nodded. “I think if someone sets their mind to something, then nothing is impossible.”

“Exactly!” You grinned at him. Then an idea popped into your head. “Hey, what’re you doing Saturday night?”

He shrugged. “Not a lot. Coffin has a gig at 12, but before that I’m probably just going to be sitting at home. Why? What’s up?”

“My parents are having some old friends over. I don’t really want to be there, but I promised my mom I would try. She said I could have a friend over too. Would you…would you want to come?”

“Are you asking me on a date, sweetheart? And meeting your parents already?” he teased.

You laughed. “Talk about moving fast.” you said with a chuckle. “Honestly, I need someone that’s not going to make me feel like jumping off the roof instead of socializing.”

He nodded. “I understand. Getting yourself back out there after being isolated for so long can be hard.”

“Yeah…and right now I want nothing to do with anyone.”

Eddie laughed. “I understand that too. What time?”

“You’ll come?” you asked hopefully.

“Yeah sweetheart, I’ll come. But you gotta let me know what I’m walking into.” he said with a chuckle. “I’m not exactly everyone’s favorite person.”

Reaching beside him, you grabbed the notebook and pencil he’d been using earlier. “Really nice couple. Known my parents for a long time. They have a kid, but she’s actually pretty cool. Kind of reminds me of Dustin.” After writing down your address, you slid the paper back to him. “They’re gonna love you.”

He raised an eyebrow when he saw the street name, realizing you lived in one of the more upscale areas of Hawkins. “Sounds like fun.”

You beamed at him and he couldn’t help but smile back. “They’re supposed to come at six. But if you want to come a little earlier, I can introduce you to my parents.”

“Sure. I’ll be there.”

~*~*~*~

“Honey? You home?”

“Yeah mom!” you called as you shut the front door behind you. You slipped out of your converse and put them on the rack. “I just went by Mack’s.”

She came around the corner to meet you, wiping her hands on a dish towel. “Did you get what you needed?” Her expression was hopeful and you smiled.

“Not all of it, but I got a good start! Eddie was really helpful. Shocked at how much it was gonna cost, but helpful.”

“Oh, the mechanic? He changed the oil in the Jeep for me last week. Seems to be a nice kid.”

You nodded. “I go to school with him.” you said. “Actually…I think I might be making friends?”

She raised an eyebrow. “Oh?”

“Yeah…funny story, actually.”

Your mom grinned and took the bag from your hands. “Come on. Tell me about it.”

You chuckled and followed her into the kitchen. She grabbed two cans of coke from the fridge and handed you one before settling in her chair and looking at you expectantly.

“So you know the Hellfire Club? The DnD club Dustin and the guys joined?”

She nodded before rolling her eyes. “You wouldn’t believe the rumors circulating about it.”

You snorted. “I’m sure they’re al saying that it’s a cult and they’re worshipping the devil.”

Your mom laughed. “Pretty much.”

“Doesn’t surprise me.”

“Me either. Anyways, continue.”

You cracked open the soda and took a sip. “Eddie is the Dungeon Master. I’ve heard Dustin rant and rave about him. He and Mike have been trying to get me to join a campaign soon, which is happened next weekend by the way. Dustin was hanging around with me during lunch last week and out of nowhere Eddie drops down at our table being all loud ‘n shit. Scares the bejesus out of me and sends me into an attack.”

The concern on her face warmed your cheeks.

“Dustin kind of blanked…it was actually Eddie that coached me through. Surprised me, really. And he even checked on me after school to make sure I was okay.”

She nodded. “I don’t know much about him, just some small talk after he changed the oil, but he seems like a good kid.”

You nodded. “Dustin has nothing but good to say about him. People at school? Not so much. But he’s actually really great.” You bit your lip, not knowing how much you should divulge. “He lost some family…that’s why he’s with his uncle. Someone he was close to used to have panic attacks…he was the only one who could get them through.”

Your mom hummed quietly. “I’m glad he’s helped you.”

“Me too.” You smiled slightly. “He’s brought me breakfast at school to make sure I’m eating. I guess Dustin was a little tattle tale.”

She chuckled. “He’s just watching out for you, honey. I for one, am glad he is.”

You rolled your eyes. “With how many people are ‘watching out for me’, I feel like I’m under a microscope.”

She snorted. “You’re too pretty to be a specimen.”

That actually made you laugh. “Thanks.”

“Oh, did you get a chance to talk to Steve about Saturday? I saw him in the store earlier, he was asking about you.”

“Actually…I thought about asking Eddie to come?”

She raised an eyebrow. “Are you saying that as a statement or a question?”

You shrugged. “Well, what do you think? I feel pretty comfortable around him, and I know he can help me through a panic attack.”

She hummed again. “I’d say I want you to think about it.” she said honestly.

You frowned. “What do you mean?”

“Well,” she started, “You’ve been pretty private since the accident. You barely talk to Steve, and I know Nancy and Robin don’t come around as much as they used to. Dustin has pretty much been the only one who can talk you into doing something.”

Your frown only deepened.

Sensing that she was dancing around the point, your mom sighed. “Do you want me to put it bluntly?”

You nodded.

“Honey, you haven’t been social with anyone since Billy died. Do you think you’re trying to put something on Eddie that he doesn’t need to carry?”

Then it hit you. Your immediate reaction was to get angry. You were pretty sure the expression on your face reflected that. But you closed your eyes and took a deep breath. “Mom.” you said. “Billy isn’t replaceable. I loved him.” You held up your left hand, “I was going to marry him after I graduated. If I was ever going to think about dating someone again, it wouldn’t be this soon, and it sure as hell wouldn’t be anyone from this shitty town.”

Tears were flowing freely at this point and you didn’t bother to hold them back. You didn’t think you’d be able to even if you tried. “I know I’ve been a terrible friend for everyone, Max most of all, but I’ve been trying. And since I’ve started trying, I’ve been having more and more panic attacks. I’m putting myself out there again. Sure, I know them, but that doesn’t make a difference. I love all of them, and I would lose my goddamn mind if anything happened to them. Especially after the accident. I can’t lose anyone else. That’s why I was trying to keep my distance. That’s why I closed myself off to them.”

She could tell that you were starting to hyperventilate. She reached for your hand, which you latched onto. Your chest tightened as you continued pushing the words out. “Eddie definitely reminds me of Billy, which is why its hard to be around him sometimes. But he’s his own person. No one can ever take Billy’s place.” You took a deep breath and tried to calm yourself down. If you kept going at this pace, you knew it would end in another panic attack. And that was something you were desperately trying to avoid.

“Eddie didn’t judge me when I fell apart in front of him. Instead, he helped me get myself together and made sure I was okay afterwards. I don’t feel like I have to hide my feelings around him. He’s had a similar loss and understands what’s going on up in my head. I’m not okay more than half the time. But Eddie has gone out of his way to make sure that I’m okay around him.”

You let out a choked sob and began to curl in on yourself.

Stop, you scolded yourself. This isn’t helping anyone. Take a deep breath and shove those feelings back into their box.

You’d had inklings of feelings similar to your mother’s. You needed your own verbal assurance that Eddie wasn’t taking Billy’s place in your life. His death had left a massive hole. In your heart, in your head, in your life. There wasn’t anything that anyone could do or say that would ever fill it. You knew that.

She got up from her seat across from you and walked around the island, kneeling down and grabbing your other hand. “Look at me, baby girl. It’s okay.”

You focused on her for a moment before taking a deep breath and struggling to pull your mind out of the dark pit it was trying to crawl into. It sent a shiver down your spine as you fought it, but you managed to haul yourself back to reality.

You sniffled and took one of your hands out of your mom’s to grab a napkin from the island. “Sorry,” you mumbled.”

She shook her head. “There’s nothing to apologize for.”

You looked back at her, eyes wide as you searched her face. You knew she had a valid point in her thoughts about Eddie. From an outsider’s perspective, you couldn’t blame her for having that suspicion. “Do you understand what I’m trying to say?” you asked cautiously.

She was quiet for a moment before she nodded. “I think I do.” While she wasn’t completely in your shoes, she could understand the need to be around someone who had experienced something similar in the past and made it through. “I do. And honestly, I’m glad you feel okay with him. I never really understood why you were pushing everyone away instead of leaning on them for support. But now I do. And I’m so sorry I wasn’t able to help you with that sooner.”

You shrugged slowly. “It wasn’t something I really talked about…not even with Allie.”

She raised an eyebrow. “I think that’s something you need to talk about in your next session. I’m not a specialist, but this definitely sounds like something that’s hindering you.”

She was right, of course, which made you sigh. “Okay.” you agreed. You looked up at your mom, exhaustion seeping through you. “But for now can we make some popcorn and watch a movie?”and pressed a kiss to the side of your head, holding you as sobs racked your body. As you slowly calmed down, your head began to clear. “I’m sorry,” you said quietly.

Your mom shook her head. “Nothing to be sorry about, honey. I’m the one who should apologize. I know it hasn’t been easy for you at all. But I’m so happy you’re finding a friend in Eddie. And if he understands, then I’m even happier.”

You gave her a soft smile and wiped your eyes again. “Thanks mom.”

Taglist: @yourdailymemedelivery@1-fuzzy-squirrels@shiggay@chrisevansmarvelmcu@mrsyixingunicorn10@rebelcthulhu @ethen-often @liv-raines@inthemindofaweirdo@mystrangerfics@mattysheelies@hargrovesprincess@ssstutteringbbbill@fuchsia-knight@gooddoggodrogo @jaaxely@sebastiansloserclub@acthenerd@dollface-80 @prettyboyhargrove@uncle-keery@sydneyisnotawriter

#eddie munson #eddie munson x reader #stranger things #billy hargrove #billy hargrove x reader #steve harrington #original characters #eddie is a softy #stranger things eddie #stranger things 4

19 notes · View notes