#-around as you lie to her. she is nothing but a punching bag for you.

[cloudcountry]

there is no way the ikevamp guys are being such assholes in jean's route i must be dreaming

#auburn talks ikevamp <3 #like idk dont take it from me but first sebastian lies to her about there being vampires #then they lie to her AGAIN saying the mansion is on fire just so they can get her out of her room #jean fucking BIT HER and comte did NOTHING to ensure her safety #MOZART gives her sass and then shoves her so hard into jean's room that she lands on her hands and knees #and then pulls out the “i wont let my friend be so misunderstood.” LIKE HE DIDNT FUCKING BITE HER #let me tell you if i played jean first i would have hated EVERY SINGLE PERSON in this FUCKING MANSION aside from isaac #comte. get me a new residence immediately please. i do not want to live with you and your ASSHOLE SONS #why are they treating the absolute WORST in jean's route is what i want to understand. like you are quite literally pushing her- #-around as you lie to her. she is nothing but a punching bag for you. #AND MAY I REMIND YOU she is a WOMAN in a mansion full of MEN. #and there is not even a SHRED of sympathy for her situation from these fucking idiots. #jean's route is just. ugh. it's not vibing with me. i hate it so far. stop treating this poor girl like she's nothing but garbage- #-under your shoe. have some human compassion you absolute barbarians. im disappointed in all of you.

[dilemmaontwolegs]

The Nickname Runs in the Family || CL16

Summary: When you end up crying on your father’s shoulder over a boy, Kimi enlists the help of Charles to teach him a lesson. Charles Leclerc x Raikkonen!Reader Warnings: nsfw, fighting, mentions of sex, WC: 2.9k

To the outside world Kimi was known as ‘The Iceman’, garnered for his cold personality in the media and how he never let anything bother him, at home however he was just called isä or dad. You really could have done with more of The Iceman persona because when it came to his family your father was anything but cool and collected.

“Tell me what happened,” Kimi demanded, your tears only streaming faster down your cheeks.

“Nothing happened, dad.”

“Something happened, tytär, don’t lie to me.”

It was stupid to go there after what happened. You should have just returned to your student accommodation at the college but you needed the comfort of home and someone you trusted. Now all of Monaco was going to hear just how hotheaded The Iceman got while your step-mother tried to put your baby half-sister back to sleep.

“Nothing happened!” you sobbed, burying your face in your hands as embarrassment flamed across your cheeks. “I said no, okay. I said no and he called me a frigid bitch before dumping me and leaving me at the party.”

You expected to hear something break, or at least his heavy stomps storming towards the front door. You didn’t expect your dad to throw his head back and laugh, a deep belly laugh that echoed around the quiet living room. 

“Ah, that’s my girl,” he laughed as he bundled you into a hug. “I like that, Frigid Bitch. It’s good.”

You snorted a laugh despite the hurt and wiped your tears on his shoulder. “I thought you would be angry.”

“Oh, I am,” he admitted somberly. He placed a kiss on your head before standing up and pulling his phone out of his pocket. You didn’t see who he was calling so late at night but groaned when it was answered. “Hello, Charles. You know everyone in Monaco, where does Devereux Laurent live?”

“Isä! No!”

Your father ignored you as he grabbed his car keys and his jacket, his phone shoved between his shoulder and his ear. “I’m not going to kill the little bastard, fuck, Charles, I just want to have a chat.”

The door slammed shut behind him and you collapsed back onto the sofa with a groan about keeping your mouth shut next time. You were still ruminating over your life choices when the doorbell rang an hour later. 

“Charles?” You frowned at the man panting in your doorway like he sprinted across the city before your eyes widened at the split lip he sported. “What are you doing here? What happened?”

“Kimi.”

“Fuck.” 

“Yeah.”

You grabbed your purse that had been discarded on the kitchen table when you arrived. “Where is he?” 

“The police station.”

“Shit, he didn’t do that to you, did he?”

Charles reeled back, clearly offended. “No, you’re asshole boyfriend hit me.”

“I don’t have a boyfriend,” you clarified as you dragged him inside and grabbed a tea towel to wrap a bag of peas from the freezer. Charles flinched as you gently pressed the ice pack to his lips and you sighed. “I’m sorry my dad got you involved in this.”

“It’s okay,” he murmured, taking the pack from your hand to place it on his swollen knuckles that you hadn’t noticed. “I got myself involved when I heard what Dev did. Are you okay?”

“I didn’t get punched in the face,” you said as you playfully rolled your eyes, however you soon sobered. “It's nothing a few drinks and a bad romcom can’t fix, after I’ve bailed dad out first. It’s not like we were together long enough to get heartbroken. Do you want me to drop you off on the way?”

“I’ll drive.” He snatched a set of keys from the hook by the door, but you caught his wrist and took them back.

“That’s Minttu’s minivan.” You hung the keys back on the hook and grabbed a set for your dad’s Rolls Royce Wraith instead. The empty hook beside it was where the keys to his Ferrari Pista usually hung. “She wouldn’t be happy if you crashed her car again.”

“I didn’t crash her car,” he argued as he pocketed the keys and opened the door. “You were driving!”

“I had a shit instructor. You were too busy checking yourself out in the mirror to teach me.”

His finger jabbed the call button for the elevator as he scoffed. “You only know that because you were too busy checking me out to watch the road.”

The elevator arrived but you held a hand out to block him as you stepped into the small space. “Sorry, your inflated ego is too big to fit in here.” 

“That wasn’t a denial.”

You ignored him and jutted your head to the fireproof door. “Try the stairs.”

“But we’re on the top floor.”

You smirked as the doors started to close but he darted inside before they sealed shut.

“You’re still not denying it.”

“So you really went swinging for my honour?” you deflected as he hit the button for the garage level, exposing his swollen fist again.

“You sound surprised.” He leaned back against the wall and looked at his hand, massaging the tender bruises. “When I saw he was still at the party…”

You frowned, first at the fact that Dev went back after leaving you there, asshole, then at the fact Charles knew where he was. Charles was definitely not at the party, if he was then you would have heard the women going feral for him. “How did you know he was there? You don’t follow him on Instagram.”

“Not on my main account,” he said with a shrug. Anyone that Charles followed on social media made sure to announce the news like it was an instant ticket to ViP treatment, and Dev would have been no different. It was also the exact reason you went by Y/L/N, your mother’s surname, instead of Raikkonen. You didn’t want to be used by people for the name you carried. 

“You hate him, why would you follow him?”

“It doesn’t matter why.”

“It does to me.” 

Unfortunately the doors opened and he pushed off from the wall to stride past without an answer. A flash of lights responded to the click of the button on the keys and Charles slowed his steps for you as he led the way to the sedan parked in a secluded corner, the space beside it empty of your fathers red Pista. Charles stopped at your door and opened it for you, his eyes scanning the open space that was empty and quiet save for the whine of the elevator leaving the level. 

“For you,” he admitted as you slipped into the leather seat. “I followed him to keep an eye on you.”

The door closed and you watched him walk around the car, dropping into the driver’s seat before pushing it back to suit his longer legs. He then silently adjusted the mirrors and turned down the heavy rock music that blasted when the engine started. You didn’t know what to say, all you had were more questions that could only lead to more confusion.

“You deserve better,” Charles said, breaking the awkward silence as he pulled out into the street. 

“He was just drunk.” 

“That’s not an excuse. You deserve someone who will wait until you are ready to have sex, not try it on drunk and at a party.” His words were seething by the time he finished and his knuckles turned white from the tight grasp he had on the steering wheel.

“Uh, Charles, I was joking about my honour…I’m not a virgin.”

“Wait, what?” The car slammed to a halt and he earned a toot from the Lamborghini behind before it drove around when Charles didn’t move. “Since when?” he asked as he turned in his seat to face you.

“I didn’t realise it was such a big deal. Was I meant to stand at the corner and hold a sign that said ‘deflowered’ in Times New Roman or Comic Sans?”

He didn’t even blink at your icy tone and heavy sarcasm. “But Dev said he dumped you because you didn’t want to have sex. He didn’t force himself on you, did he?”

“Oh my god, no! I can’t believe we are having this conversation, Charles.” You figured it couldn't get any more awkward as you looked out the window into the sleeping city. “Sex wasn’t the problem, he was upset because I didn’t want to have sex with him.”

“Oh…oh.” He cleared his throat and put the car back into drive before continuing his way to the police station. “So, uh, is there anyone you do want to, um, have sex with at the moment?” 

“Why? Are you offering?” It was meant to sound teasing but there was too much curiosity in it.

His face flushed pink and his lips parted two twice before his voice worked. “I don’t do casual.”

It wasn’t a no, and that somehow made things both better and worse as a new possibility began to worm its way into your mind. You didn’t like the hope that fluttered in your stomach. Charles was a friend. Charles was someone your father trusted after Seb vouched for him. Charles was off limits. 

By the time you had filtered through the thoughts he had induced, Charles was pulling into the police station and you hoped your dad was fairing well behind bars. It turned out you had no reason to worry as you walked inside and heard his voice from behind the glass wall. 

Kimi was being well taken care of by the officers. He had a coffee in one hand, a pastry in the other and was answering questions that had nothing to do with Dev. You cringed as he recounted why he missed meeting Pelé years ago, but Charles chuckled along with the policemen as you knocked on the door.

The Monégasques fawned over their hometown hero while you watched Kimi pull himself to his feet, cracking his back that had stiffen while he was sat down. 

“I thought you would be in maximum security by now,” you said as he pulled you into a hug. “What did you do?”

He patted your cheek and smiled mischievously. “I like Charles even more now.”

He gave you nothing else but that was expected. Whatever happened was obviously not on the record and you wanted to keep it that way, especially since he didn’t have a single scratch on him - like he hadn’t been in a fight at all. You were quietly contemplating that knowledge when you climbed into the backseat of the Wraith and your father readjusted everything on the driver's side back to how he had it.

“You took the fall for Charles, didn’t you?”

They both swivelled back to look at you. Charles’ eyes widened, while your father’s narrowed. 

“Fucking hell, I’m not going to tell anyone,” you growled as you threw your arms up in exasperation. “I just want to know what actually happened tonight.”

Charles waited to see if your dad wasn’t going to explain as the car pulled out of the station car park. After a moment of hesitation he took a breath and started to rattle off the truth.

“I called Kimi when I realised Dev was still at the party. It was only a block away so I thought I would meet him there to point him out.”

“I was just about at the address he gave me when he called. I got there as fast as I could but Charles was already inside,” Kimi said with a proud chortle. “Got a few good hits on the little bastard too.”

“Iså,” you warned as he enjoyed the violence just a bit too much and Charles looked sheepishly down at his hands. “Why did you fight?”

“You know why. I couldn’t stand by and let him talk about you that way.”

“Good man,” Kimi said with a stern nod. 

“And you, what did you do, dad?”

“What I had to do,” he said with a shrug. “I’m retired, Charles has a career.”

You stretched the seatbelt and leaned forward to hug your dad and kiss his cheek before doing the same to Charles. “Thank you.” Your eyes lingered on Charles as his eyes said everything he couldn’t with your father in the car. 

“He’s not pressing charges but there may be some questions if anyone caught the fight on camera. You might want to give your PR team a heads up.”

It took a moment to realise where you were and why the car had stopped outside the venue where the party was still in full swing. Drunken revellers could be heard behind the velvet curtain hanging over the door and your father handed his keys over to Charles with a shake. “Make sure she gets home safe. I’ll pick it up in the morning, no scratches.”

“Yes, sir,” Charles promised with a nod before getting out.

“You’re trusting him with your Pista?”

“I trust him with you, the car I can replace.”

You surprised him with another hug as your door opened, your voice thick with emotion as you said, “thank you.”

“Do you want to come home?” he asked quietly. “I can make up the sofa bed.”

“No, it’s fine. I don’t think I’ll want to get out of my bed tomorrow.”

“Fair enough. Love you.”

“Love you too.” You stepped out and Charles closed the door, placing his hand on the small of your back and guiding you to your father’s favourite car. “He doesn’t even let me drive this, you know.”

“Maybe that’s because you don’t support Ferrari,” Charles teased as you buckled yourself in.

“I support it now.”

“What changed your mind?”

You dared to look at him and met his green eyes. “You.”

—

“Awww, she called her little puppy,” Dev taunted as he spotted Charles walking towards him.

Charles chuckled, but it held no humour and his smile was dark. You had never seen that look in his eye and your thighs clenched in response. “At least she will still call me. You just lost the best thing you never deserved.”

“Well you can have the frigid bitch, good luck getting her to put out though. Fucking cocktease.” The snort Dev made was cut off by the fist that crashed into his nose and then the both of them were going to the floor, grappling and twisting until Kimi darted into the fray and grabbed Charles.

“Go, she’s at home,” Kimi ordered as he pushed Charles back the way he came. “I’ve got it from here, kid.”

The video looped back to the start and you watched it twice more before determining you were fucked. It hit you like a train, the pressure slamming into your chest as you realised you were in love with Charles. No one had ever stood up for you like that, or taken a punch for you or risked their career. But he had.

You stayed cocooned in your blankets for most of the morning, watching the video footage from the night before and it became your new favourite binge worthy entertainment. It would probably be classed as insanity if anyone knew you had become addicted to it, but it was only the fact someone knocked at your door that you placed your phone down.

“Charles? I’m getting a little déjà-vu here,” you commented as you opened the door and found him sweating.

“Will you go on a date with me?” he blurted out. “Please.”

Your brows shot up at the outburst and you checked the student halls were empty before pulling him into your room. “Uh, you do realise who my father is, right?”

“I do, thank you for your concern,” he chuckled. “I was actually just with him. I wanted his permission to ask you on a date.”

“Well that explains why it looks like you’ve been running for your life.” You looked at your door expecting to see it kicked in. “Was he chasing you?”

“What? No, I wasn’t running. Fuck,” he groaned as he ran his hands over his jeans to dry his clammy palms. “I was just nervous about asking you out. You still haven’t answered my question.”

“I will.”

“Answer the question or go out with me?”

“I will go out with you,” you clarified with a laugh.

Relieved, he took a seat at the edge of your bed and sighed happily. “I have been waiting years to ask.”

“Seriously?”

He nodded before flopping himself down comfortably and you dropped down beside him. “Your dad scared me,” he admitted as he took your hand in his.

“But not anymore.”

Charles smiled and it was one so similar to the video that was still playing on loop. He seemed to recognise the muffled sound coming from the blanket at the same time you remembered it was there and fished it out. “You’ve seen it.”

“Once or twice,” you lied. “I see why you’re not afraid anymore. That’s one hell of a right hook.”

“Oh no I am definitely still afraid of Kimi,” he corrected as he rolled on his side to face you. “But I am done watching you date assholes when I know exactly how you deserve to be treated. I want to give you the world, if you’ll let me.”

#charles leclerc fanfic #charles leclerc x reader #charles leclerc imagine #f1 fanfic #f1 imagine #formula one imagine #formula 1 fanfic #formula one fanfiction

[ravenromanova]

Come back to me Pt.1

Pairings: 616 Wanda x Vision, 616 Wanda x female reader, 838 Wanda x female reader

Warnings: None really for this part.

Masterlist - Send me requests!!!

This fic came from this request!!! enjoy :) I also have no idea how many chapters i’m gonna write so just sit back and enjoy :)

~

This wasn’t how it was supposed to be. She was supposed to be with you not him. Watching her hands all over him was like a knife to the gut. You kept wondering how you got here, how he was better for her than you. The world felt so much darker as you watch them cuddle up together on the couch.

*Flashback to a few days ago*

You were laying in your bed when you heard a soft knock on the door. You called out for whoever it was to come in and when the door opened it revealed a distressed looking Wanda. She shut the door behind her before she sat on the edge of your bed.

“I uh need to tell you something” Her voice was soft but hoarse as she spoke which made you nervous.

“You can tell me anything Wands” Wanda smiled at your words but she still didn’t know how to tell you what she needed to.

“Well uh. Vision asked me to be his girlfriend” Your eyes went wide at her words. “And i said yes” That was the moment you felt your heart break and a lump form in your throat.

“That’s great Wands! I’m so happy for you!” You lie as you put on your best happy face. Wanda felt like you were upset but she wasn’t going to push you to talk.

Your mind was going a million miles an hour and your heart was racing. The two of you talked for another few minutes before she left your room and you broke down.

That night you skipped out on dinner which Wanda made and opted for a mental breakdown instead.

*End flashback*

And that brings us to a few days ago. Team movie night. Aka the night you dread the most because you had to watch Wanda and Vison be all lovey dovey. You thought that after a few days the feeling of hurt and rejection would go away but it didn’t. If anything your heart broke more anytime you saw her or them together.

So in the days after Wanda and Vision were official you took a major step back and distanced yourself from Wanda. It took her by surprise when you told her you weren’t in the mood for your weekly movie night on tuesday. She didn’t understand why you were being so distant so she decided to corner you in the training room for answers.

Wanda walked into the training room determined to get answers.

“Y/n” Her voice made you take a step back from the punching bag and make eye contact with her.

“Yea Wands?” Your voice was gravelly and hoarse causing a shiver to go down her spine.

“Why are you avoiding me” Your brows furrowed at her bluntness and you stood there confused.

“I-I’m not” You said trying to defend yourself. She scoffed a little a crossed her arms over her chest.

“Really? Because you’ve turned me down for our movie night, you started training with Nat instead of me, you don’t sit next to me at dinner anymore and we haven’t gone to lunch in days” Wanda said pouting a little and you felt your heart strings tug a little.

“I’ve just been busy” Was all the explanation you gave her and she huffed in annoyance.

“Y/n please!” She begged feeling her eyes well up with tears. “I miss you” Her words made you sigh as you grabbed your water bottle.

“Wanda please..It’s nothing to do with you i’ve just had a lot going on that’s all” You said softly looking into her soft green eyes.

“Okay…I’m sorry” Was all she said before she abruptly left you in the training room. You turned around to say something but the doors shut before you could.

You stood there as your thoughts ran wild and you felt a lump in your throat. It was all too much for you to handle so you just gathered your things and went back to your room hoping to sleep it off.

When you got to your room you were quick to turn the shower on and step into the warm water. The water cascaded down your skin melting away some of the tension in your muscles. You tried to shake the thoughts of Wanda out of your head as you washed your body then hair. You took your time with each step not wanting to leave the warmth and safety of the shower.

Once you were fully satisfied with your shower you stepped out and wrapped yourself in your fluffy robe. You changed into your favorite sweats and hoodie before slipping into bed just wanting to sleep away your problems. So that’s what’s you did you turned on The Vampire Diaries before you drifted off into unconsciousness state.

*Your dream*

The sun shined on your face causing you to groan a little before you slowly opened your eyes. You looked around and noticed that you weren’t in your room. You slowly uncovered yourself and walked around the room. There were small trinkets scattered around along with pretty paintings on the walls. But your heart stopped when you saw the picture on the nightstand. It was of you and Wanda with two baby boys smiling at the park.

Your heart started to beat faster and your hands started to sweat as you stared at the picture. After a minute of staring at it you put it back down and grabbed the robe on the door before walking to what you assume was the kitchen.

The sounds of giggling filled your ears as you approached the kitchen. And you couldn’t believe what you saw when you walked in. There Wanda was sitting at the kitchen table with two boys who looked around five and they were eating breakfast.

“Morning malysh” She greeted as she stood up from the table to grab the plate she made you. You walked up to her with a small smile on your face not really understanding what was going on but loving it nonetheless. Wanda handed you the plate with a small kiss on your cheek and you sat down next to one of the boys.

“Morning mommy” The little boy in a blue shirt said giving you a side hug when you sat down. Your eyes widened a little and you looked at Wanda who had a little smirk on her face.

“Uh morning honey” You said giving the boy a kiss on the head before you started eating along with them.

“How’d you sleep?” Wanda asked sitting back down at the table. She gave you a look as you asked making you wonder if she knew you were confused.

“I slept okay” You said tilting your head in confusion at the look she gave you. Wanda just nodded at your words and continued to eat her breakfast.

The four of you ate breakfast and you learned the boys names Billy and Tommy. You were still confused as to what was going on after you cleaned up from eating. Wanda had sent the boys to their room after you finished eating so she could talk to you for a moment.

“Malysh?” You felt a pair of hands wrap around your waist when you heard her voice. You turned around in her arms to face her making her smile a little.

“Yea?” You said in a soft voice making Wanda damn near melt.

“Are you okay?” She asked knowingly.

“Not really…I’m confused. One minute i fell asleep in my room at the compound and then the next i’m here with you and…and our kids?” As the words left your mouth you grew even more confused as to how this happened.

“Well if it makes it easier to understand this is a dream” Your eyes widened at her words.

“What?!” You said completely bewildered not comprehending what the fuck was going on.

“Well it’s a dream of our future” She said as she took you to the couch. The both of you sat on the couch and you waited for her to continue.

“I’m not the Wanda from your universe to start. In my universe i made the same mistake as the Wanda from your universe. I chose Vision in my universe just like yours did and i regretted it immediately but i felt stuck. And it wasn’t until…You uh died in my universe that i knew i made the biggest mistake of my life. I’ve spent the last two years trying to find a universe with you in it. Most universes have a you but you’re normally already with Wanda except in this universe…” You felt like you got whiplash from her words as you sat there and listened.

You sat there for a few minutes before you found the courage to speak. “So you’re not my Wanda and you’re from another universe? And i died in your universe? how? when? I-I and are the boys real? or are they just in the dream?” Wanda took your hand to stop you from having a panic attack.

“Breathe malysh breathe” She said calmly. “You died on a mission two years ago when we were taking down a hydra base and we got ambushed. We did everything we could to save you but it didn’t work. And yes in most universes the boys exist. We used a sperm donor to have them. You carried billy and i carried tommy.” Her words calmed you down a little.

Your thoughts were running rampant as you looked at the woman you loved. “I- Wow” Was all you were able to say making the witch laugh a little.

“I know this is a shot in the dark but w-would you come back to my universe with me? I-I can’t keep living without you” Wanda begged holding your hand a little tighter.

“But won’t that ruin the multiverse?” You asked a little nervous. It’s not that you didn’t wanna go it’s that you were scared and also thought that you were going crazy.

“No it won’t. I can make it to where you don’t exist in this universe. I can make it to where no one even knows your gone.” She said quickly to make sure that you didnt say no.

“Okay” You nodded your head. Wanda smiled and brought you in for a passionate kiss. And that’s when everything went blank.

*End of your dream*

You woke up and rubbed your eyes and looked around the room to make sure you were in your own room. It took you a few minutes to realize where you were and that you were okay. You shook off the dream assuming that it was just your brain playing games with you.

The clock read 12:02 when you saw a portal open in your room. You rubbed your eyes again as the portal opened and Wanda walked through.

“Wanda? What are you doing?” You asked still half asleep.

“I’m bringing you home Malysh”

~The end of part 1~

A/n Sorry not sorry for the cliff hanger 💋 I love yall and i’ll see you in the next part :)

#ravenromanova #wanda maximoff #marvel x reader #wanda x reader #dark wanda maximoff #wanda maximoff x you #wanda maximoff x reader #wanda x female reader #wanda maximoff fluff #wanda maximoff x female reader #wanda maximoff imagine #wanda maximoff fanfiction #wanda x y/n #wanda x vision #wanda x you

[writerscall]

bruises.

spiderwoman!hazel au. she's known about hazel's little secret for a while now and she's done giving her excuses a free pass.

author's note/s: 1.2k words. trigger warning for talk of injuries, switched to the use of 'you' here for reader cause third person wasn't working for me

It's routine for you to replenish the contents of the first-aid kit in your bedside table's drawer now. You even keep one in your locker and have had many silent debates with yourself on keeping a small one in your bag, just in case. For the past four months, Hazel Callahan has been climbing up to your window to ask for your help with treating a bruise or two. Because of that new women's self-defense club - the "fight club" that started up at school, she said.

Which was incidentally formed about a week after the first news headline came out about some masked vigilante swinging around the city. Fighting crime and saving civilians and beating up bad guys and all that.

Now coincidental rather than incidental for you though, since the day you saw Hazel rushing into her house then saw the infamous Spiderwoman spring out of her bedroom window mere seconds later. You were stunned, but it wasn't hard for you to connect the dots. Your already had your suspicions about some of the bruises Hazel supposedly got from her club; you doubt any of the girls there could actually land a hit that could damage her that badly.

But it's not an easy thing to bring up or just ask about, so you've kept quiet about it. Until that night, however.

You're half-asleep when you hears the incessant knocking at her window. You try not to groan as you throw back the covers and get up, knowing exactly who it is, but whatever irritation you have is gone once you see Hazel's face in the moonlight.

"Jesus Christ," you mutter as you pull her inside, hurriedly moving across the room to switch the light on. "Are you okay?"

"Pretty sure I've been better." Hazel smiles, actually smiles with that joke. But you can only sigh at her in response. Hazel literally looked like she got her face smashed into a wall or to the ground repeatedly - considering the people and things you've seen her fight against, that might've been what happened. There was a bruise along her jawline that you were sure you wouldn't be able to help cover up with make-up the next day and a cut on her forehead where a previous one just healed.

"Let me guess. It's from fight club again?" You manage not to make air quotations at 'fight club' but can't help the disbelieving tone when you say it. There's no way she expects you to believe that.

But as usual, she does. "I was just caught off guard cause we were practicing 'til late at night today and... and I was tired, cause you know, we had a whole day of school earlier and," Hazel stumbles out. The tone you used clearly got to her. "And when I fell it was to the ground and not the mat cause Sylvie got in a really, really good punch. You should've seen it actually."

You say nothing as you let her sit on the side of your bed and take the first-aid kit out, still quiet as you start wiping her face gently. She watches you intently, mouth opening and closing a few times before finally saying, "Don't be so worried. It's not the first time you've seen me like this and I'm always fine after."

"Yeah, sure." Until it happens again, you want to add. You get up to throw the wipes and tissues away and you can feel her eyes on you with every step. Hazel's never been good at dealing with friends being angry with her; you knew how sensitive she could be, which was why you were always quick to reassure her whenever it seemed like she was taking something to heart. It's why you've been patient for so long with her keeping the whole Spiderwoman thing a secret, but you didn't know how much longer you could take seeing her all beaten up and hear one lie after the other on how she supposedly got them.

"Please don't be mad—"

"When are you going to stop lying to me?"

Something shifts in the air at your question. You don't have to look at her to know how her eyes have widened and how her mouth was probably hanging open in shock, or how her mind was definitely racing at what you could possibly be talking about. Even though deep down, she knew.

You turn back around, sighing. "I know, Hazel. About your secret web-slinging life."

Hazel sits up straighter at your admission then stands up abruptly to pace the room, a panicked look on her face. "When did you— how did you even—"

"Does it matter? Why didn't you tell me?" You walk towards her and grab her by the arms, forcing her to stop. "You know you can trust me. I would never, ever tell anyone."

"That's not the point!" She shakes out of your grasp. "That's not the point," she repeats in a softer voice, continuing with, "You can't know. Nobody can because anybody who knows gets put in danger, and they'll come after you eventually to get to me, and I can't let that happen. Not to you, not to my mom, not to any of the girls in fight club. Especially not to you."

Your chest tightens at that. Quietly, you ask, "Why?"

There's a resigned, expectant look on her face when she says, "You know why."

And you do. The two of you have always been great friends but there's always been something else there, something a little more that neither of you were brave enough to acknowledge in fear of ruining what you had. You'd be lying if you said you never noticed the drop in her energy and expression every time you so much as made a passing comment that one of your classmates was cute, and you'd also be lying if you said you never thought anything about the weird feeling you got in your stomach when you saw how much closer she and Stella-Rebecca have gotten since joining the fight club together.

"I need you safe," Hazel says after a moment.

"You'll keep me safe. You'll protect me." You walk towards her again, reaching out to hold her roughed-up face in your hands. Almost instinctively, Hazel leans her cheek into your left palm. "I know you will because you would've done it whether I knew your secret or not. Because you're a good person and a fantastic superhero, Hazel."

Hazel just looks at you for a moment, clearly having some internal argument with herself, before she surges forward to kiss you. You press your lips firmly against hers, kissing her back soundly in case she'd panic and pull away too soon. But Hazel only pulls you in closer, a relieved sigh escaping her as she tilts her head to the side for a different angle.

If a kiss between the two of you was ever going to happen, then it was bound to be in some big reveal moment like this.

Reluctantly, you push her away after a moment because you couldn't let her or yourself get carried away; that first-aid couldn't be put away just yet, plus, your parents might've been dead asleep but they were still home. Both of you would have to put a raincheck on... whatever could've come next.

"Can I stay over tonight?" Hazel asks breathlessly, still eyeing your lips. You smile at her fondly and let out a chuckle, pushing her bangs away from her face.

"Yeah. I still need to fix up that cute face of yours, you know."

#hazel callahan x reader #hazel callahan imagine #hazel callahan x you #hazel callahan fanfic #hazel callahan #spider hazel #spider!hazel #spiderwoman!hazel

[atinylittlepain]

I've Got You - A Joel Miller Story

Joel Miller x f!reader/f!oc

joel miller masterlist

She and Joel are partners in business. Nothing more. But they’ll both have to come to terms with this lie they’ve been telling themselves when something unspeakable happens.

warnings | 18+ angst, very dark themes (near SA, canon-typical violence), smut

Joel was difficult to talk to, so it was a good thing she didn’t have much to say. She figured that’s why they worked so well together. 

She had been in the Boston QZ since she was a teenager, since the beginning of all this really. Had set up a solid business in smuggling, finding it easy to go out into the open since she had nothing to lose, all her family gone in the first few days of the outbreak. It had hardened her, being on her own for so long, so when she found out she had competition from two newcomers, she was quick to make Joel’s and Tess’ acquaintance, knife in hand. If it hadn’t been for Tess’ diplomatic nature, she’s certain her and Joel would have killed each other then and there, two loose cannons butting heads. But, they had worked it out, merging their “business” and soon enough, they were the predominant smugglers of Boston, exerting a wide and powerful influence when they needed to.

Tess handled the deals, while she and Joel handled the actual runs. They could both go days without speaking, trailing each other along the crumbling highways, filling their packs with salvaged goods to take back. She didn’t know much about him, just that he had lost something big, just like her, just like most folks still alive. But they were comfortable with each other, an unwavering trust that had developed over months of successful jobs.

They were wrapping up another successful trip, about two day’s out from the QZ. They’d stop at Bill and Frank’s tomorrow, get a trade in before heading back. Night was starting to slip over the woods and they had set up camp in a thicket of trees. She took the first watch while Joel hunched into the side of his sleeping bag, trying to get some sleep. She blames it on herself, really, for letting her guard down when she should’ve been on alert. But they had never run into trouble in this area, and, to be quite honest, she was fucking exhausted after five days on the road. Even sitting up, hands around her shins, she was starting to fade in and out of sleep. 

That didn’t last long though, when suddenly she was being yanked up and back by her hair. Her shriek was cut off quick by a knife being pressed flat against her throat. She could feel the man’s beard scratching against the side of her face as he held her up against him. There were two others, one of whom had his gun trained on Joel who had been startled awake by the sound. Hunters, from the looks of them.

Joel had sat up, holding his palms out, his eyes darting between the mouth of the gun and her. The man with the gun spoke first.

“Don’t want no trouble, pal.” She could see the muscles in Joel’s cheek tick as he sized the man up.

“Doesn’t look that way to me, pal.” The man holding her up chuckled.

“Now, now, no need to get all worked up. Just gonna want some of whatever you got in those packs.” He paused for a moment, bringing his other hand to caress down the side of her body. She shuddered under his sickening touch. “And maybe a little turn with your girl here.” 

Joel was on his feet fast at that, but the other two men moved quick to grab hold of him. He struggled in their grip but the one punched him, hard, in the stomach, forcing him to double over.

She writhed under the man’s grip but he pressed the blade firmer into her throat.

“Easy, little bird. Why don’t you and I go have some alone time, huh? And if you’re real nice to me, I’ll think about not blowing your boyfriend’s brains out? That sound good to you?” She huffs as he jostles her in his grip, keeping a sneer across her face even though she nods. What the fuck else can she do?

“Be right back, gentlemen. Don’t y’all go nowhere.” He hoists her around, shoving her forward until they’re deeper into the woods, the glow of their camping lantern just a speck amongst the trees. He throws her down to the ground, quick to straddle her hips, pressing a knee into each of her wrists to keep her prone underneath him. There’s a rushing in her ears and her whole body’s shaking as he wrenches her jeans and underwear down her thighs. The man grunts behind her.

“Such a pretty little thing, aren’t ya? Think I ought to leave you with a little souvenir of our time together, huh?” She has no clue what he means, his voice sounding muffled as her mind continues to go hazy. But then there’s a searing pain in her low back and she realizes he’s carving something into her skin. She lets out a broken scream but he cuts her off by shoving a wad of cloth into her mouth. It’s agonizing until it’s not anymore, until her body goes slack under his hold. She realizes he’s carving letters into her skin. He’s carving initials. He finishes his work, she hears him throw the knife down beside them. He whistles low.

“Even prettier, little bird. Giving me something real nice to look at while I fuck you.” She feels frozen, numb, only startling slightly at the sound of gunshots in the distance. Her mind offers up a single thought like a mote of dust floating in the dim light. Joel. She picks up the fight again, as best she can, squirming under his hold, but he grabs a hold of her hair, forcing her head back.

“Watch it, little bird. Or I won’t be so sweet to you no more.” He drops her head, her face smearing in the rotting leaves of the forest floor. 

She can hear him undoing his belt in the gloom and she braces herself for what’s coming, her whole body tensing. But just then, another gunshot rings out, and she feels the man above her go slack, falling off to the side. Her wrists ache where he had been pressing them into the dirt. She heaves, huge rolling gasps leaving her shuddering ribcage as she tries to press herself up.

She hears her name being called through the rushing in her ears, feels a pair of hands gently pulling her jeans back up her legs. And then she sees Joel in the corner of her blurry vision, leaning down to search her face. She lets out a bone-rattling sob of his name and he gathers her up in his arms, sitting down on the ground and pulling her into him. There’s blood spattered across his shirt, but she doesn’t care, digging her face into his chest. He still smells like him.

“I’m so sorry, baby, I’m so sorry. It’s ok, it’s ok. You’re safe now. I’ve got you, I’ve got you. Not gonna let anything else happen to you. I’ve got you.” 

…

Somehow, they manage to get to Bill and Frank’s the next day. Joel had overpowered the men last night, killing them all handily by the time he got to her. She hadn’t spoken since he’d found her, mutely walking alongside him, keeping her eyes on the road. Her hands wouldn’t stop shaking.

When they met the two men at the fence, they both looked taken aback by her demeanor. Bill later told Joel he thought she looked like a spooked horse, wild eyes not quite making contact, jerky, stiff movements. Frank immediately took her under his arm, guiding her into the house to tend to her bruised wrists. The couple always had a soft spot for her, had been working with her long before Joel came around, and they treated her like a daughter. Joel and Bill were left standing there, staring each other down. Bill asked him what happened but all Joel could do was shake his head, a deep sigh rumbling through his chest as he scrubbed harshly at his jaw.

Bill offered him a shower and a clean set of clothes, which he gladly accepted, watching the rust-colored water swirl around the drain. All cleaned up, he ran into Frank in the hallway as he was coming out of the bathroom.

“She’s sleeping. I gave her some painkillers, to get her some rest, at least. She told me what happened.” Joel shifts in his boots, looking down at the floor, trying to hold onto whatever restraint he has left, to not crumple in front of Frank.

Frank brings his hand to Joel’s shoulder, giving it a squeeze.

“Thank you, for what you did, Joel. For her.” Joel clears his throat.

“Didn’t do enough– should’ve– I should’ve–” Frank cuts him off with another squeeze to his shoulder.

“You did what you could. Listen, Bill won’t ever admit it. But that girl? She’s like family to us. Thank you for saving her. You did. You saved her.” All Joel can do is nod, trying to not let the thick feeling in his throat roll into tears.

…

The sun has already set. As always, Bill and Frank had cooked a mind-boggling meal, but she didn’t join them for dinner. Frank had taken a plate up to her before they sat down, and when he came back downstairs he told them that she was awake, that she was feeling ok.

After dinner, Joel excused himself as the couple settled at the piano together, telling them he wanted to turn in early. The room they had set him up in was across the hall from where she was and before he could think better of it, he was lightly knocking on her door.

She called for him to come in, and when he saw her, he was shocked at how much relief he felt in seeing her again. She was sitting on the side of the bed in a worn-looking t-shirt and sweatpants that Frank must have given her. She glanced quickly at him before looking down at her feet.

“Are you alright?” He’s taken aback from her question, softly shutting the door before turning back to look at her.

“You’re asking me if I’m alright?” She just shrugs, still not looking up at him.

“Frank sort of whisked me away this morning. Haven’t seen you since then, just wondering.” Joel tentatively sits down next to her, resting his forearms on his thighs, he looks at her over his shoulder.

“I’m fine. Are you alright?” She shakes her head.

“Don’t– don’t start treating me different, Joel.” “Not treating you different, I–”

“Yes you are, you’re treating me like I’m broken.” She scoffs before continuing, “I’m not that fragile. Thought you knew that by now. Christ, nothing even happened. You killed that-that bastard before he could really do anything.” Her breath shudders as she exhales.

“I know you’re not broken. And you’re certainly not fragile. Made of tougher stuff than most.” She shakes her head at that but he stops her.

“Hey. I also know that you’re a fucking human being. And you and I both know that even though nothing happened, something still did. Before I– before I could get to you.” It’s his turn to sigh now, wringing his hands that rest over his knees.

“Don’t, Joel. You did what you could, that’s enough.” He scoffs.

“Yeah, I did what I could. But it kills me that I didn’t do it quicker. When I saw him– on top of you, I– god, I– I’d rather die than see you hurt, do you get that?” Her head whips up to look at him, finally meeting his gaze.

“What?” He swallows hard, already regretting the words he just said, the dangerous confession he just gave to her.

“Look, I– I shouldn’t have said that, I should go,” he goes to stand but her hand reaches out to hold onto his and he freezes in place. His heart clenches when he looks at the mottled bruises long her wrist.

She turns to face him on the bed, cautiously raising her other hand to let her palm slide over his cheek. It comes out as a whisper when she says his name and something in Joel breaks.

He knows it’s rash, and maybe just plain stupid, but he still surges forward and when they kiss it’s not gentle or sweet, it’s desperate, it’s two people holding onto each other because it’s all they have. They move quickly, he wraps his arms around her, pulling her into his lap as she cards her fingers through his hair and when they kiss, they kiss ugly. All tongues and teeth and gasping breaths between. His fingers dig into her hips as she starts to press down onto his growing length. He pulls away, looking into her blown out eyes.

“I want you, Joel.” Afraid of what he might say in reply, he dives back in for her mouth, slowly starting to shift them until he’s laying her out on the bed with his legs slotted between her thighs.

He keeps his weight off her, seeing her slight wince with each movement, not wanting to hurt or overwhelm her. But she pulls him down by his shoulder blades, pressing him against her.

“Please, I just– I need to feel you, please.” He pauses, breathing heavily as he looks into her eyes, just nodding.

“You’ve got me, darlin’. I’m right here.” He shifts a bit closer to her, coming down onto his forearms as he kisses along her jaw, down her neck and across her collarbone. She sighs underneath him.

He feels her hands fumbling at the hem of his shirt and he leans back to shrug it off over his head. What he wasn’t expecting was for her to do the same with her own, and when he’s met with the sight of her bare chest, his breath catches in his throat. She reaches out for him but he’s still frozen in place, taking her in. He lets his hands slide up her sides, fingertips grazing over her nipples in a way that makes her shiver. He murmurs the only word he can think to before meeting her in another kiss.

“Beautiful.”

They press skin to skin now and the feeling, the warmth makes Joel shudder. He feels like he can’t get enough of her, the way she’s running her palms up and down the planes of his back, the little sounds she makes as he kisses her. She takes one of his hands and brings it to the waist of her sweatpants. His fingers halt there as he looks up to her, asking without saying anything, she just nods.

He slips his fingers under the band, skimming down to her folds. He groans at the pooling wetness there. She’s keening into his hand as he strokes her, dipping into her entrance before swirling her arousal around her clit.

“You’re perfect, baby. S’fucking perfect. Does that feel good?” She just nods, gasping his name when his fingers dip inside her again.

“J-Joel, please. Wanna feel you. W-want you inside me.” His head spins at her words and stops what he’s doing, splaying his palm across the soft swell of her stomach.

“Are you sure?” 

“I am.” He hangs his head, letting his forehead rest below her sternum, squeezing his eyes shut for a moment, making sure this is real.

“Christ, ok. Ok, darlin’. I’ve got you.” He presses up off the bed, unbuttoning his jeans and sliding them down along with his boxers. He thinks he might melt under her gaze, the way she takes in the sight of him.

He kneels at the end of the bed, bringing his hands to the waistband of her pants, looking up to her one more time, one more confirmation before he gently slides her pants and underwear off her legs. He sighs at the sight of her, bare beneath him, before framing her head with his forearms, laying over her and pressing in for a kiss. He guides the head of his cock through her folds and they both groan at the contact. She draws her knee up to his hip, spreading herself out for him just a bit more.

“You’ll tell me if I do anything you don’t like, yeah?” She nods, brushing his hair back away from his eyes before settling her hand on his cheek. He turns his head and lays a kiss in the middle of her palm before he starts to press into her. She gasps and he freezes immediately, but then she keens.

“D-don’t stop, please. Want you to keep going.” He huffs, pressing a bit deeper, taking in the way her back arches into him. Her nails dig into the muscle of his shoulder where she’s wrapped her arm.

Finally, his hips settle against hers, and they both sigh at the feeling of him being fully sheathed in her. Joel’s afraid that if he moves, this will be over before it’s even started. He dips his nose into her neck, smelling the soap Frank gave her to clean up with, but also just smelling her. Her heel digs a little into his low back, he looks up at her.

“You can move, baby.” Joel holds back a whimper at her words. He shifts his hips back, finding a slow roll back into her that has them both moaning. It’s a slow, deep pace they find, pushing and pulling against each other, lips smearing in barely-coherent kisses. 

He feels the pleasure pulling tight, ready to snap, but he needs to get her there first. He brings his fingers down, circling her clit a bit harshly. She whines at the contact and he can feel her pulse around him.

“Just let go, baby. I’ve got you. Let go for me, please.” She lets out a broken cry of his name before coming undone, and it’s enough to send Joel over the edge as well, quickly pulling out and painting her stomach with his spend. He’s panting as he leans in for a chaste kiss, pulling back to take in her flushed figure, the softly heaving swells of her body. He whispers that he’ll be right back, moving over to the attached bathroom to find a towel to clean her up with. He sits back on the bed, daubing away the mess he made. She’s smiling softly around a “thank you.” 

He passes her her t-shirt to slip back on while he tugs his boxers back up his legs before they both get under the covers, immediately tangling up in each other. There’s nothing to say, it’s unspoken what has just passed between them. Joel knows that from now on, he’s hers, and she’s his. 

Her breathing evens out before his, falling asleep in his arms. He lets his palm wander up her shirt, gently skating down her back. He pauses at the gauze bandage that sits at the base of her spine. He had seen what that man had done to her, the letters gruesomely carved into her skin. It made him wish he hadn’t just shot the man, that he had kept him alive to make him suffer, only giving him the mercy of death when he was begging for it. 

#joel miller angst #joel miller fanfiction #joel miller #joel miller x reader #joel miller smut #the last of us #tlou #tlou fanfiction #joel miller one shot #fanfic

[dontcare77ghj]

Baby Fever

Tony x reader x Steve x Bucky

Parenting Universe

"Mom?"

"Da?"

"Did you ever think about being a mother again after Ohio?" You asked, internally wincing as your mother froze.

"I didn't stop being a mother after we were separated, dorogoy," Melina said, turning towards you as she leaned against the sink. "I spent all my time keeping you girls safe from what Dreykov wanted to do to you all. And then when he was gone, it didn't feel right to fill that hole." She told you. 

"Right." You said slowly, nodding in understanding.

"Besides, I had the pigs. I was busy enough. Why do you ask?" She asked, raising a brow.

"It doesn't matter. It's nothing." You shrugged, focusing on the mug in your hands.

"Don't lie to your mother. She can smell them like bloodhound." Alexi said, entering the kitchen with a bloody bag from the butchers.

"You know me so well." Melina smiled, patting Alexi on the cheek as she took the bag from him. "And yet you never remember the wine." She tsked, moving towards the fridge.

"Ah, not this time!" Alexi exclaimed, pulling a bottle of red wine from behind his back.

"If that was from your pants, I'm not drinking it." You were quick to say.

"Oh hush, is still good." Melina waved you off, kissing Alexi as she took the bottle. "Now, out with it. Why the baby talk? You're not pregnant. Is Peter pregnant?"

"Mama, Peter's a boy."

"I know that I can see, dorogoy, but we don't know all his spider powers, do we?"

"Oh my God, Mom, Peter is not pregnant!" You hid your face in your hands, wishing your sisters would hurry up and get here. "I only asked because the boys and I were talking about maybe adopting another." You admitted with a sigh.

"That's fantastic! Melina, we're going to be grandparents again!" Alexi exclaimed, rushing to pull you into his chest.

"Nothing's set in stone yet, Dad." You groaned as your lungs started to collapse.

"Why not? Malysh, Y/N." He whined.

"We're trying to work things out, Dad. We've still got to ask Peter, and work out logistically how it would work with work, and" You started to explain, only for Melina to wave you off.

"Oh, you think too much. You don't have to think about children. You have children. You have other children. It is life." 

"You know we were all technically abducted from an orphanage, right?" You asked, raising a brow.

"The point is life happens, and sometimes you don't have time to think it through," Melina told you.

"Yes, life happens, roll with punches, all good. Now hurry up and decide your mother and I are getting old. We want to meet the new grandbaby. We want to see great-grandbabies. We want to see it all." Alexi said with a clap.

"Great-grandbaby? Is Peter pregnant?" Yelena exclaimed, entering the room with Natasha behind her.

"Someone kill me." You groaned, smacking your head against the table.

"This feels like an intervention." Tony sighed, slipping into a seat beside Bucky.

"You would know." You snorted, sipping your smoothie.

"In all fairness, the last one did work." Bucky pointed out, wrapping his arm around Tony's waist. "He hasn't had raw cookie dough in seven months."

"I miss it."

"Seriously, Tony?" Steve sighed, lifting your legs and placing them on his lap when he sat.

"Oh, lighten up, med." You said, offering the blonde your smoothie as FRIDAY announced Peter's arrival.

"Underoos, take a seat," Tony said, nodding to the bean bag you'd placed before the four of you.

"Okay, if this is about the putty arrows, it was entirely Clint's fault," Peter said, raising his hands innocently. "I told him not to do it. I told him it would piss off people, and he made me help. I am very susceptible to peer pressure,"

"Okay, I am going to stop you right there," Tony said, holding up a hand. "This isn't about the arrows, though we are gonna circle back to that later,"

"And talk about peer pressure," Steve added, causing Peter to groan.

"No more Rappin' with Cap. I've seen enough." Peter complained, collapsing onto the beanbag. "Okay, if it's not the arrows, what did I do wrong this time?"

"Why do you just assume you're in trouble?" You cocked your head.

"Because this feels like an intervention."

"What did I say?" 

"Don't yell in my ear, Tones."

"You don't kill people you love. You don't kill people you love. You don't kill people you love." You muttered to yourself, rubbing the space between your eyes as the two continued to argue.

"Getting back on topic," Steve said, causing Bucky and Tony to fall silent. "We just want to get your opinion on something, and we want you to be completely honest with us."

"Honest like we are about Mama's driving, or honest like we are Dad's cooking?"

"You're grounded."

"What's wrong with my cooking?"

"The driving one, kiddo." Bucky chuckled. 

"We have been talking, the four of us, and we would like to expand this family. Our family." Steve explained, watching Peter's face carefully.

"You want to have a baby?" Peter gasped. "Wait, no. That doesn't make sense." He said after a second thought.

"Med, we're thinking of adopting." You told the teen.

"And, just for clarity, bud, it's not happening yet," Bucky spoke.

"Yeah, right now, we're just laying the groundwork, seeing what happens." Tony nodded. "And your opinion matters here, so be honest, you know,"

"I'd get to be a big brother?" Peter cut Tony off, looking between the four of you with glassy eyes.

"If that's what you want, of course, med." You nodded.

"I'm gonna be a big brother!" Peter screamed, launching from the beanbag and towards you and Steve. The teen wrapped his arms around both your necks, squeezing you both tightly before moving on to do the same to Tony and Bucky.

"I take it you're okay with this?" Bucky clarified as Tony fake choked.

"Yes!" Peter exclaimed, pulling away. "Are we thinking boy? Girl? Twins? Triplets? Oh! I could make them a suit." He gasped. "I love you guys! I'm really excited, but I gotta call Ned!" He said, blowing kisses before turning on his heel and rushing from the room.

"Well, I guess we have Pete's approval." You smiled, hearing the sound of his door slamming shut.

"See, there was nothing to worry about," Tony said, rising to a stand. "This calls for a celebratory drink, but since I'm sober, who wants coffee?"

"Nat, I need a drink." You huffed, falling face-first onto Natasha's couch.

"You need to get your feet off my couch," Natasha said, wacking your legs with a magazine. "Who raised you and Lena?"

"Murderers." You said, shfting to sit upright.

"Why are you moping? Why are you moping on my floor? I'm trying to watch my movie." Natasha sighed.

"Well, I can't mope in my room because Steve's doing some mindfulness meditation yoga bullshit that's making me question my marriage to him in there." You said, running your hand over your face. "And Tony's hiding in the lab, and Bucky took Pete to the Lego store, so you're all I've got."

"Alright. Alright." Natasha said, pausing her movie to turn to you. "What happened?" 

"We got another rejection letter." You sighed, letting your head hit the back of the couch. "No one wants us to adopt."

"Well, that's bullshit. Why?" Natasha asked, moving towards her drinks cart.

"One wouldn't take us because of Tony's past, another for me and Buck's, a lot said no because we're poly, and there's a few that won't take us because we're avengers." You told your sister as she poured two drinks.

"That's the stupidest thing I've ever heard." She said, handing you your drink. 

"To be fair a lot of people are dead because of me."

"Oh yes, terrorists and murderers. A lot of human traffickers on that list as well."

"Nat,"

"What have we talked about?" Natasha cut you off, taking your free hand. "C'mon, say it."

"For as much bad as we've done, we're trying to do the same good." You sighed, trying to believe your words meant something.

"Look, every reason they have listed is bullshit, and I'm surprised Tony's not suing to be honest," Natasha told you.

"Steve's handling the lawyers." You said before downing your drink. The burn a familiar and comforting feeling.

"It's probably for the best." Natasha hummed. "I don't get it. There weren't this many problems with Pete."

"We were his legal guardians. May made it very clear in her will." You shook your head. "According to the lawyers, it would have been a lot harder without that."

"Look, Y/N, you guys are great parents, which is surprising given how you all grew up,"

"Buck and Steve had stable childhoods."

"As stable as it could have been in the forties, sure." Natasha amended. "But you four are good parents. Peter loves you, and you are doing better than your best to keep him alive and in school. There are other adoption agencies, and any kid would be lucky to have the five of you."

"Thanks. I love you, Nat." You said, leaning over to hug your sister.

"Love you too," Natasha said, patting your back. "You want to get drunk and watch the rest of this with me?"

"God, yes."

"I'm ready to just call it a year." Bucky sighed, laying his head on your lap. 

"It's March, med." You reminded the brunette as you tangled your fingers in his hair.

"It's been March for six years." He groaned.

"I know." You sighed. "You think either of them are going to come down for lunch?"

"Steve was still on the phone with the lawyers when I checked." Bucky shook his head. "He was starting on the risking our lives tangent so he'll be a while."

"Tony had three cars pulled apart when I went to check on him." You said, causing Bucky to roll his eyes. 

"Married life. You feel the bliss yet?" Bucky asked, causing you to chuckle.

"Well, I think it's too late to leave ya, so I must love you lot."

"Mom? Pops?" Bucky pulled himself upright and the two of you turned to see Peter hovering in the doorway.

"Hey, bud. I thought you were out with Ned." Bucky said, gesturing for the teen to come in.

"I was, but it looks like he got what his sister had last week because he upchucked halfway through the movie," Peter said, settling onto the recliner beside the couch.

"Hm, lovely." You wrinkled your nose.

"Yeah, but at least it wasn't on my lap this time, like when we went to Coney Island. So, that's something." Peter shrugged as Bucky chuckled.

"Your Dad wasn't exactly thrilled to have you in the car after that one." 

"Well, I'd let you into my car, but I wouldn't be thrilled." You told the teen.

"Your Ma doesn't like vomit." Bucky teased.

"No, I don't. And I'll thank you to keep that to yourself. I don't need terrorists finding that out and vomiting on me." You shuddered, poking Bucky's side before turning to Peter. "Well, since you're home, you want to have lunch with us?"

"Yeah, sure. Are Dad and Pa going to join us?" Peter wondered.

"I don't think so, bud," Bucky said after hesitating. Peter frowned at the words but didn't say anything.

"Pete, everything okay?"

"I wanted to ask, is everything okay?" Peter asked, causing you and Bucky to share a look.

"What do you mean, dorogoy?"

"It's just that it's been a while since we talked about you guys adopting, and nothing's happened, but you seem upset," Peter said, shifting uncomfortably.

"Come sit, kid," Bucky said, shifting and patting the space between the two of you. Your arm wrapped around his shoulders, and Peter relaxed into your side.

"There are just a few people who aren't exactly keen to let us adopt, but it's alright, it's just a couple of setbacks. We're working through it." Bucky explained, placing his hand on yours.

"I'm sorry." Peter frowned

"There's nothing to be sorry for, Pete. It's not your fault." You promised, squeezing the teen's shoulder.

"I know, but I know that you wanted this," Peter said, looking between you both. "I know you wanted a family."

"We have a family, and we love our family." You promised, kissing the side of his head. "Having another child was just an idea." You added, sharing a sad look with Bucky.

"Yeah, just a thought. But we're pretty happy with how things are right now." Bucky told the teen, pulling him into a side hug. 

"You know what? I am going to get the boys. Family lunch, no excuses." You said, jumping to a stand and rushing from the room.

When you were safely in the elevator, and the doors closed behind you, you allowed yourself to curl in on yourself and let out a half-sob.

It was just an idea.

Life continued to move on. Six months later, you, Tony, Steve and Bucky came to an uneasy acceptance of the situation and, for the most part, put it behind you.

You had the Avengers, your family, Peter, and each other and that was all that mattered.

And unfortunately for you all, the world still needed your help.

"Spider-Man, I swear if you jump in front of another bullet, you are so grounded." Tony snapped over the coms. "I'm too young to have another heart attack."

"It's not my fault. I'm trying to neutralize like you asked me to. I didn't ask to be shot at." Peter snarked, causing laughter to be heard over the gunfire as Tony gasped.

"Sass back! Oh, you are so grounded!"

"If you two are done, I found an exposed vent. I'm going in." You interrupted the two.

"Exposed? That sounds risky, doll." Steve worried.

"Oh, it wasn't exposed before now, don't worry." You said, shimming into the hole you'd created.

"Oh yeah, because blowing a hole in the wall is real subtle." You could just hear Tony rolling his eyes.

"Unlike you, Tones, I don't blow holes in walls." You said, slowly crawling through the vent.

"Damn, Stark, what did you get up to in your playboy days?" 

"Y/N, there's a heat signiture coming from your left." Bruce spoke, watching through FRIDAY and guiding people where he could.

"You see anything weird up there, all knowing one?" You asked, turning left.

"It's a small heat signiture if that counts." Bruce said as you came up to a grate. You kept just behind the vent for a moment, trying to hear if anyone was outside, but when you heard nothing, you ventured to peak through the mesh.

"There's a lot of blankets out there." You frowned, seeing nothing else in the sparse room. 

"Maybe it's just a rat." Steve suggested as you watched a blanket move and something peek out.

"Oh shit." You swore, quickly pulling the vent free and jumping to the ground.

"What, you scared of a little rat, Y/N?" Clint teased as you knelt down. 

"Shut the fuck up, Barton." You swore, staring unblinking at the bundle before you. "I'm gonna need medical and some help in here." 

"Y/N, what happened?"

"On my way, Mama."

"Speak to us, Y/N."

"There's a baby here. A live one." You said as the baby before you started to cry.

"Live?"

"There's a lot that aren't." You said, reaching out to pull the baby into your arms and shield them from the sight. "Someone's gonna have to call Xavier. I think these were all mutant children." You said, brushing tears from the baby's blue skin.

"I'll handle it," Bruce assured you as you started to bounce the baby soothingly.

"It's okay, malen'kiy. You're safe. I have you." You hushed, fixing the blanket with one hand. "No one I don't know is coming through that door, okay? Anyone bad tries to touch you again, and I will shoot them." You promised.

"It's not what you say to a baby, Y/N."

The baby let out a snuffling sound as it reached a hand from the blanket and rested it on your collarbone.

And for the first time in so many years, you wereactually surprised at what happened next.

"Holy fuck."

"The files definitely indicate female at birth," Tony said, placing the manilla back on the table. "So we can stop calling her it."

"FRIDAY, did the files help turn up on any living family?" You asked as Bucky played got your nose with the baby in your hold.

"No boss spider." FRIDAY replied. "I found the death certificates for an Elijiah, Mila and Raven Darkholme as well as the burial plots for Elijiah and Mila."

"I'm going with they faked Raven's death certificate." Bucky commented.

"I have also concluded the same for the six other children found today." FRIDAY informed you all.

"I hate HYDRA." Peter shivered, looking down to Raven who had taken his thumb and was getting salivia all over it.

"Well the social worker said she can stay with us until they find a home to take her." Steve said, reentering the room. "She said it might take longer than normal."

"What? Why?"

"There's not a lot of orphanages for mutants, Pete." You said, smiling when the baby made her hair look like yours.

"Yeah, unsurprisingly she had space until I mentioned that part." Steve shook his head, sitting on the coffee table before you. "Doesn't Charles have space for her?" 

"Wheels doesn't have a space for babies yet," Tony said, reaching out to take the baby from you. "You're holding her wrong."

"We'll have to order some supplies." You commented, laughing when Raven copied Tony's goatee.

"How are we supposed to know how much we need in supplies?" Bucky asked, looking to Steve, who frowned.

"Depends on how much the social worker was exaggerating." Steve scowled.

"So, she just goes into the system?" Peter asked, causing you all to turn to him. "Into a home where there's no one like her? Where she may not even get adopted?" He clenched his fists.

"Pete," Tony started, stepping closer.

"It's not fair, Dad." Peter shook his head. 

"We know, dorogoy." You said, reaching out to take his hand. "That's why they want her to stay here until they can find her a home with other mutants. So she doesn't grow up alone."

"Why can't you take her?" Peter asked, causing the four of you to look between each other.

"We can't just claim a child, Peter." Steve shook his head. "She's not a lost pen."

"No, but you could adopt her. Like you did me."

"Pete,"

"She deserves a family who'll love her, and you've always made me feel loved."

"Aw, kiddo."

"And you know she wouldn't be alone in this family. We're all different kinds of different."

"Well, you do eat cereal on the ceiling."

"And I would be the best big brother. I'll teach her to love Star Wars, the perfect amount of butter to put on popcorn, and I'll teach her all the best ways to avoid FRIDAY for when she's a teenager."

"You know, you were doing real great until you got to that, right?"

"You took me in when I had no family left, and you gave me a family. Why can't we give that to her?" Peter asked, smiling when Raven let out a coo.

For a moment, you all stayed silent. Contemplating Peter's words before,

"You know I don't go to church much anymore, but ma would call this a blessing." Steve commented. "She would call her a little blessing." He nodded to the baby in Tony's arms.

"No matter where she goes, HYDRA will be after her." Bucky murmured, placing his hands under his chin. "We could keep her safe. Try to give her a childhood that they can't take from her."

"Buck." Tony gently handed Peter Raven as he sat beside Bucky, wrappping his arms around the super-soldier.

"Dad? What do you think?" Peter asked, adjusting his hold on Raven.

"I think she grows a better beard than you do, and you're almost seventeen." Tony was quick to quip.

"Dad,"

"Look, this is what we wanted, right? To give you a sibling? To expand our family? Why are we looking the gifthorse in the mouth?" Tony shook his head. "I say we take the chance. It may be our last one."

"Mama?" Peter turned to you.

"When I got out of the Red Room, I knew I could never have children after what they did to us. And I didn't think after all we've done, that I deserved any." You admitted, staring at the wall behind Peter's head, where a photo from your last beach trip hung proudly.

"Mama,"

"But you changed my mind." You said, looking to Peter with a smile. "You are my child, and I would burn the world down if you asked me to, and as soon as that little girl looked at me with those same trusting eyes, I knew I would do the same for her."

"Y/N?"

"Call the lawyers in the morning. They can start making arrangments." You smiled, reaching out to take Raven from Peter. "I guess this is welcome home, malen'kiy."

"Y/N!"

"Be quiet, Alexi!"

"Don't hit, Melina! Yelena, you see the abuse your mother heaps on me?"

"Please get him to lower everything." You sighed, looking to the bedroom door.

"Why? He's your father." Tony smirked, coming up behind you and wrapping his arms around your waist.

"Your father-in-law. I didn't have a choice, you had a choice." You said, leaning into the hold.

"You love him."

"I love him, but if he wakes Raven, I will kill him." You promised, causing Tony to chuckle.

"Go, I got this." Tony said, kissing you before heading towards the sound of your other family.

It had been two months since that fateful day you had found Raven and your family had been completed. Surprisingly, everything had gone smoothly with the adoption.

Your heart hurt to think of the children like Raven who were struggling to find a home, so you, along with the Avengers were working with Charles Xaviers school to make this less of a reality.

And now you were free to watch your children together and only allow yourself to feel happiness.

Both your children lived in rooms down the hall from you, Peter a little further down because no mater how much you soundproofed his room, sometimes he could still hear the four of you.

And while you were happy that meant you'd always hear Raven cry, you worried that Pete would still have to to.

As you neared Raven's room, you heard a familiar sniffling but before you could enter the room intent on drying your daughters tears, you heard something that made your heart swell.

"It's alright." Peter cooed. "Dedushka is pretty loud, but he makes up for it with pretty great hugs. Babushuka's probably already warned him to be careful with you, so you don't have to worry about crushed ribs." You peaked around the doorway to see Peter holding Raven and making faces at her.

Raven let out a laugh as she attached her hands to Peter's face, taking on his hair and eye color.

"You know, I don't like loud things either, but we'll talk to Dad, and he'll be able to make something for you like he did for me." Peter said, bouncing back and forth. "Did you know our family are superheroes? Yeah! They save the world. They saved you and they saved me too in a way. And you know what, this family is never going to let anything happen to you.

We're really lucky, you and me. We got picked by the best family because no matter what we do, they're always gonna love us. And I meant it when I promised to be the best big brother. You are never going to hate me a day in your life, and I am always going to be here."

Peter finished his speech by pressing a kiss to Raven's hairline, causing her to flash him a big gummy smile.

"Should we tell Mama we know she's in the doorway?" Peter asked, turning to face you with a smirk. "You're slipping, Mama."

"Not a spy here." You shook your head. "Just a very happy mother." You smiled, walking over to embrace your children. "I love you, Pete."

"Love you too, mama."

"And I love you, malen'kiy, but I do have to make you suffer through your dedushka." You spoke to Raven in a high pitched tone.

"You love dedushka." Peter accused as the two of you made your way to the living room.

"I do, but it's fun to tease him." 

Remember, all Taglists are open, as are requests. Taglists include the main taglist, individual characters, all male/female, and venom stories.

Taglist

@rvgrsbrns @smilexcaptainx @hopingforbarnes @starlingelliot @piper-koko-barnes-rogers @jelly-fishy-babie @skeletoresinthebasement @agent-barnes40 @reann-shitposting @skadikh @summergeezburr @buckybarton03 @sunshinepower17 @bindythedemon @natasharomanoffismywife @keenmarvellover @bbybarness @storiesbystarlight @buckybarnesplumwhore @bromieeomieee @marvelmenarebeautiful @niki-is-a-thing@pauloonig @beautybyfire @officalmarvelbaby @acertainredhead @reapersan @adoreyou976 @casperlikej @songbirdcannabe @montygator17 @cecedrake2217 @nyx2021 @black-dhalias @idontwannagomrstarkk@chiyongberry @bunnyweasley23 @ratzy @taylorsm1dnights

Tony Stark Taglist

@mxxmochaa

#avengers x reader #avengers x you #tony stark #tony stark x reader #tony stark x you #iron man #iron man x reader #bucky barnes #bucky barnes x reader #bucky barnes x you #steve rogers #steve rogers x reader #steve rogers x you #captain america #captain america x reader #winter soldier #winter soldier x reader #peter parker #spiderman #black widow reader #stucky x reader #stucky #stony #stony x reader #stuckony

[kaynothanks]

Tape From Hell

Billy Hargrove x Fem!Reader, more

Ask: @hargrove-stan: Can I request an imagine where the reader and Billy are dating and instead of billy getting possessed by the mind flayer it’s the reader? And billy is the one trying to free the reader from the mind flayer’s possession in star court mall? Reader doesn’t die!

Warnings: NSFW! swearing (like a lot), t o x i c relationship, SMUT, oral (f receiving), p in v, choking, dirty talk, a hint of degradation, billy being bat shit? Idk if it's a part of his personality comes with the package, crying, angst, sad shit, violence! (not from Billy for a change), it's dark I ain't gonna lie, minors dnr

Word-Count: 14k (I know she’s a long one but it’s worth it)

There were a few things about Billy that had you seething with anger for a big part of your relationship. For one, Billy Hargrove was one big asshole. He could be oh so selfish and self-obsessed and sneaky as hell. Something about his way just played into one’s annoyance just right. Perhaps it was a talent, really, for him to be able to change someone’s mood from happy to sour with only a few words and calculated looks. Just like he had done to you only half an hour prior, leaving you to sit in your car, anger brooding in the back of your mind.

You had been on your way home, punching your steering wheel furiously, as you cussed him out, the mixtape he had made for you playing loudly in the background when you almost hit a tree. Deciding it was better to stop for a few moments and calm yourself, you now sat at the side of the road, head thrown back against the seat, eyes closed as you forced yourself to stand over it.

Everything had been just fine; you knew his temper and his habits of flirting. You knew and it was fine. But when you came to the Hawkins Community Pool, where you had planned to surprise him with some food and a new bikini, which you knew he would drool over, only find him grinning down at Karen Wheeler, while biting his lip and moving his hand to gallantly pull at the strap of her swimsuit – which was quite unsuitable for a woman her age, by the way. He had seen you then, after giving a wink to one of her lady friends. And he knew what he had done too, for the sly smile had frozen on his lips and his limbs seemed to stiffen dramatically. You had turned around then, walking back to your car with the two milkshakes and bag of food in hand. He had run after you, too, and you thought had he not done so, you would have been less angry now. It was nothing, he had said. They just like to look, no need to overreact. That one had gotten you and God you had reacted, for he had pulled such shit, too, back when you were both still in high school.

All images of him ever flirting with other girls and women while you two were dating flashed in your mind. And Jesus, they were a lot, but you knew what you were getting into when you first started seeing him. You knew and you didn’t care, because all that Billy was, he was good, too. He was so very good sometimes that your heart sputtered over with love and happiness, so much you had never felt anything to compare it to. Sipping the milkshake that hadn't landed on top of his head, you started up the engine of your car again, continuing your drive further into the town. You had just gotten off one of your jobs, where you worked as a secretary for men, who showed not a single bit of respect for you, only to gain further humiliation at your second job having to wear an orange-shaped head, while selling orangey beverages all evening long.

You parked the car, which once had belonged to your father, in a sunny spot close to the entrance of Starcourt Mall. Your head plopped down against the steering wheel, eyes lazily turning to your passenger seat. A pout worked its way to your lips at the orange, green-collared, pink-buttoned work uniform. With a huff you stripped of the fine shirt you were currently wearing, leaving you in the bikini top you had purchased. For Billy.

You rolled your eyes and slipped on the orange piece of pure torture, gripping the silly hat and locking your car. There was another half hour before you had to start your shift, so instead of heading straight for Orange Julius you went up the stairs, ready to bother the shit out of your one friend.

Ignoring the people whispering upon noticing your fast pace, you vanished inside the little shop, crossing it in seconds as you pulled a chair up to the counter, causing it to screech.

"Jeez," Robin stared down at you, as you let yourself fall on the uncomfortable plastic that made the skin of your thighs stick to it. You groaned at her look, pressing your face against the cold surface of the counter, barely missing the little bell there.

She pressed her palm flat to your forehead and lifted your head. "You know how many disgusting toddler hands were all over that surface? Remember the acne you had freshman year? Be ready to embrace it 'cause it's coming for round two, baby."

"Wheeler," you whined. "Goddamn, he was flirting with her."

"Nancy?" She clicked her tongue. "Can't blame him."

"No," you moaned ready to press your face back to the counter, but her hand stopped you. "Mrs. Wheeler." You pulled back then to lean against the chair, pushing back strands of hair. "I mean, what is it? Am I- I not wrinkly enough? Do I need to put on old people's clothes?" Your hand reached for her arm as you pulled her closer. "I'm not ready to look like an old lady, Robin."

She flicked at your hand so you would let go of her. "Ah, yeah, Hargrove. Such a nice guy," she mused sarcastically. "Been telling you how much I like him, right?" She grinned falsely, batting her eyelashes. "Dreamboat waiting to sail. Nothing wrong with that guy." She rested her elbows on the counter. "One could think you are a bull with how much you go for the red flags."

You rolled your eyes, before letting them wander over the different sorts of ice-creams. "Worst thing, I spent money for him. Again."

"Did you buy him shitty expensive cologne again? 'Cause everybody needs that in their life."

"Okay, firstly, it was his birthday and he liked it. Secondly, no I didn’t. Thirdly…" You quieted as you thought.

A chuckle from behind Robin got your attention. "You don’t have a third point, do you?"

You narrowed your eyes at the brunette. "You haven’t gotten your dick wet yet, have you?"

Robin snorted. "I should make a new scoreboard. This happens way too often for there not to be a scoreboard."

"What did you spend the money on, though?" Steve questioned. You shamelessly unbuttoned a bit of the work uniform which had Steve chocking on his own spit. Pulling away the orange fabric, you showed off the bikini.

"That is…" Robin cocked her head, her hand dangling in front of her own chest as she tried to gesticulate. "Tiny… very… strappy?"

"It's hot," you argued, buttoning the uniform back up. Pointing to Steve, you gave Robin a triumphing grin. "Shut Harrington up and he didn’t even see the bottoms. Two words for you; tiny and strappy."

Robin, too, gave a glimpse over her shoulder at her colleague. "Talking about scoreboards," she mumbled, getting the whiteboard from the back. With her teeth, she pulled off the marker's cap and drew a thick line on the YOU SUCK side of the scoreboard. Your eyes landed on the empty YOU RULE part.

"Why don’t you just dump him?" Steve inquired, coming to stand beside your friend. "I haven't seen him since school ended and let me tell you, the guy's not very miss-able."

You pouted. "Because I lo-"

"No!" Robin groaned, shielding her ears dramatically. "I had to listen to three months of whining because he wouldn’t take you out. I went through that and took it like a mother-effing champ. Don’t say the other thing. I can’t take that yet."

"Robin, Billy and I have been dating for a while, you know? Pretty sure you should get ready for hearing the L-Word."

"What, it's been like a month. Big deal."

"A year," you spoke slowly. "We have been dating for a year."

"Huh," she made. "Guess time moves differently with one foot in hell."

"Did you just call my relationship hell?"

"Yup."

You crossed your arms. "You owe me free ice cream now."

"No freebies for you anymore," Steve grumbled.

You frowned. "C'mon," you whined, patting the counter expectingly. "Give me the scoops, Ahoy Boy."

"No," he squeaked, scrunching up his face. "Not after last time." The last time he had lost a bet with you, saying he would be able to get some girl's number. He hadn’t been able to do that, winning you all the ice cream you wanted for a day, straight out of his pocket. You hadn’t held back, going home with a crucial tummy ache that evening.

"Doesn’t your shift at OJ's start like four minutes ago?" Robin chimed in, still playing with the marker between her fingers.

Once more a pout grazed your lips as you stood. "This isn't over yet, Harrington. I'm going to get my scoops."

Pushing the chair back where it belonged, you waved to Robin – the one friend you had had through High School before Billy had shown up from California. You had noticed him the second he pulled up in that beautiful Camaro of his. Unlike the car that you owned, his was polished and treated with care. Treated with love.

Billy didn’t hold love more many things in this life but his car surely was one of them.

After his big entrance, everyone around you had his name in their mouths, with the rumor-mill stirring like crazy. Before the first period had even started, you knew his name, age, and half of his family history. And he had known absolutely nothing about you. Not even known you existed – until later in the week.

You had been on your period, you remembered that. Remembered the ache in your lower abdomen, and that you had been forced to change pants after the gym class which the teacher hadn’t allowed you to sit out. So, you were walking the halls of Hawkins High in an already sour mood that had gotten significantly worse about halfway through Miss Click's history class. She had given back a surprise test that you hadn’t studied for, which was pretty clear after you saw the grade.

To say you were a bit feral that day – big understatement. When Billy Hargrove then ran into you after his afternoon basketball practice, you exploded into a fit of rage that the school hallways had never witnessed from you before.

"Are you blind? Or just blind stupid?" You had hissed at him. "I mean, understandable. That big goddamn ego of yours must be leaving no place for even just part of a brain, is it?"

As Billy spotted the crease between your brows and the furious fluttering of your nostrils and how you still just looked just so damn sweet, he knew he needed to have the devil in angel's clothing. No matter how much you resented him at first. He had managed to make you want him, so much that you spent months ranting about him to Robin. How he had managed it, you still didn’t know.

After receiving shit about the five minutes you were late, you took your spot and hat and filled the beverages in round glasses for the customers to enjoy. Once they were done, you were there to gather the dirty dishes and bring them to the back. It went on for about an hour until a perfectly styled mullet entered your vision.

"No," you said flatly as you saw his little grin. "I'm working and I don’t feel like talking right now."

His hand reached out to tug at the embarrassingly big hat you wore, which you slapped away with a huff. Mrs. Wheeler surely didn’t have to wear something so stupid. You took a step back and crossed your arms, watching as he harshly bit down on the minty chewing gum. He turned his back to you, giving you a second to freely roll your eyes, as he changed the sign on the glass door from open to closed.

"Billy," you warned. "I'm working. I don’t have time to listen to you try to talk yourself out of the deep shit you're in."

"Oh, Sweetheart," he mused, showing off his pearly whites. "Never said anything about talking, now, did I?" His fingers went up to pull out the piece of chewing gum which had probably already lost its taste.

"I swear to god, if you put that down somewhere without properly throwing it away, I will stick it to your forehead," you warned, already scrunching up your nose at the thought of having to scrub gum off any more surfaces. The ones beneath the tables were disgusting enough to clean each month.

"Princess," he spoke up, stalking closer which made you shift from foot to foot. You wanted to close your eyes and hit your head against one of the mixers to remind yourself not to let him get to you.

"No," you insisted, putting a hand out to push him away. "I don’t want your apology."

Seeing the seething red in your eyes, he sighed and finally took a step back. He leaned his back against the wall across from you, clenching and unclenching his fingers. You knew he did so to center himself, slightly pushing his nails into his skin as a reminder not to blow up when talking to the people important to him. "I'm sorry."

You lifted a brow. "For what?"

His mouth opened unsurely. "Everything."

"Everything," you whispered to yourself, before a light chuckle escaped you, with a shake of your head. "You're a bad liar, you know that?" As he went to argue about your statement, you lifted a finger, signaling him to just stop with the whole goddamn charade. You gripped the orange-shaped hat from your head and flung it aside, as you stepped further into the back. Distance was needed before you got close to bursting into tears from all your pent-up frustration with him. In front of the giant fridge, you stopped, far out of his reach, out of his sight. Both of your hands went to your face. You wanted to shout into a pillow, like you had done back in Highschool when something angered you. Or perhaps punching something, anything that would have eased what you were feeling.

Your name sounded from his lips as he rounded the corner, causing you to straighten your back. "Talk to me," he spoke, confusion in his voice as though he had no idea whatsoever of what was going on inside of your head; your heart.

"Fine," you hissed and turned to face him; angry tears stinging in your eyes. "You act like nothing's wrong when it clearly is! And I keep trying to tell myself that all of… all of your shit is just that. Your shit. And that it's going to stop at some point. That you will grow out of whatever egoistical trip you're on. But no matter how long I wait and how much I tell myself the wait is worth it, somehow, it's always a losing game with you!"

"I'm sorry," he repeated, eyes averted to the checkered floor.

"Oh, stop it." That got him to look up. "You're not. Because this is what you enjoy, Billy. God knows why but you fucking love me screaming at you, you like seeing me angry, you like us fighting."

"What the fuck are you talking about?" He growled, unable to stop his own fury from rising. "I work at the goddamn swimming pool. I wear swimming trunks and I can’t fucking help them ogling me!"

"That's not even what this is about anymore!"

"What the fuck is it about then?!"

"You treating me like shit, Billy!" You shouted, throat hurting with the tone you were hitting. "What the fuck happened to all of your promises? I will take care of you, I promise to love you, I can’t wait to start a life with you," you spat in his face, ready to grip some of the filled cups that you had falsely made – in your occupation of mind - and were sent back, just to see something run down that goddamn annoyingly pretty face of his. Even if you had already smashed a milkshake on his head only hours prior.

Angry tears were pricking at your waterline, eyes burning. Or perhaps they weren't simple angry tears at all. They were a realization that somewhere along the way so much had gone wrong and still you couldn't bring yourself to give him up. You couldn't bring yourself to turn your back on the bad seemingly following your relationship because every time you tried, all the good moments invaded your thoughts, as though it was a sign that your relationship still could be everything you had hoped for.

You knew he could be. You were certain of it, had seen it in the way his eyes would make sure you were alright after coming home from a stressful day of work; In the way he checked if you had gotten enough water over the day since you tended to forget. Or how he brought back tapes which he thought you would like when it was actually him that had wanted some new music for blasting in his car.

He had a well-tuned stereo in his room, boxes placed so the center of the room would be hit with the perfect tune. You had laid on the floor the first time he played you a tape and he didn't question it, didn't look at you with anything else but adoration before joining you.

Not wanting him to see you cry, you turned with your head hung low, one hand pressed against your lips in case an uncontrollable sob tried forcing its way from your throat, while your other hand wiped at your eyes. Arms snaked around you from behind, pressing you tightly against his solid front.

"I'm sorry," he whispered over and over again, nosing at the side of your face as he pressed a kiss to your temple. You shut your eyes, turning your face to the left, away from him, and yet he continued. Admitting to being an asshole, admitting he didn't deserve you, admitting he loved you. Your heart ached until suddenly you couldn't help it as you turned your head to the other side, his kisses now falling to your cheek.

"I'm so fucking sorry," Billy murmured once more and you craned your neck then. His lips found yours immediately. Desperate and scared of losing you. Of having finally crossed the line after coming so, so close too many times to count. He couldn't understand why he was so intent on fucking up the thing he thought was the most precious achievement he had ever made. He didn't care about being popular, didn't care about making people gawk after him, not really. He cared about you so fucking much it scared him.

There were so many things in your relationship he was afraid of and somehow, he had already managed to do half the things he tried avoiding so furiously. He knew you deserved so much more, so many things better than him, better than this goddamned town. He had meant it when saying he wanted to start a new life with you somewhere else, had started circling ads for houses or apartments in newspapers that he usually wouldn't bother giving a second glance to. He had started saving up, too. Though money was one thing he couldn't say he had a fair share of.

"I'll be better," he promised, hushing it against the sweet flush on your lips which his kisses had caused. "You deserve better."

"I know," you whispered, promising yourself this was the last chance you were granting him as he turned your form in his arms. His hands, calloused by basketball and weight-lifting, fell to either side of your face, and once more his mouth was on yours; no less desperate, no less scared, no less guilty.

It was in the snap of a second that the softness faded and all the pain and betrayal was put into a messy clash of tongue and teeth. Your arms circled his shoulders as he backed you up against one of the metal tables. He tugged at the polo shirt you were wearing, almost tearing it over your head as he carelessly threw it over his shoulders.

The decorative orange and green lighting was a blur as he heaved you onto the cool surface. He halted for a moment, letting his eyes wander to the newest addition to your closet. A grin spread on his lips as he gave a swift tug on the fabric.

"Did you get that for me, baby?" His face was molten with a hint of cockiness, shaped slyly by his lopsided smirk. "Wanted me to tell you how pretty you are?" Billy questioned, lips hovering over yours before he dipped in for a soft peck. "You are, baby. My perfect girl."

My girl. Your breathing picked up and not a second you had his hair in your grasp, pulling him in close. His lips smashed onto yours in a forceful kiss. With expert fingers he snapped open the bikini top, making it join your shirt on the floor. Billy's rough hands found your hips as he pushed you closer to the ache pressing needily against the prisoning material of his jeans. One of his hands trailed up along your naked waist, finding one of your sensitive peaks, letting his thumb brush over it until he gave it a sudden pinch. You gasped.

"You liked that, baby?" He questioned against your lips, deepening the kiss before you could answer. His nose tenderly landed on your cheek, trailing down further. A small, innocent kiss was pressed against your neck as simultaneously his left hand tightened, digging into the flesh of your hip. With the tip of his tongue, Billy trailed along your pulse point, causing your eyelids to fall shut. There was no denying the comfortableness you felt when being in his arms, his kisses something to give you bliss and steal your breath.

"Billy," you sighed, the name falling from your tongue coated in all the sweetness you weren't sure he deserved. Your head felt as though it was rising to the clouds and every stroke of his tongue across your skin lulled you in contentment.

Though suddenly his mouth left your skin. You opened your eyes in confusion, only to find him sinking to his knees. "I'm gonna show you just how sorry I am."

Your thighs tensed, his bigger hands around them, spreading them however he desired, while your hands unconsciously followed the feel of his soft, blonde locks. Lightheadedness struck you as his breath fanned over the sensitive insides of your bare thighs. You didn't like a lot about your work uniform but the skirt you were growing quite fond of. The warmth caused your legs to clench as something deep in your lower tummy tightened.

"I don't care about any of them," he told you and you knew he meant the ogling women while his hands were squeezing and lifting your leg onto his shoulder. He brought your ankle to his lips, eyes boring into your own before he slowly worked his way up. "Only thing I want is you," he murmured, words smeared against the heated skin of your thighs. "Having those pretty legs spread just for me." He teethed incautiously against your sensitive spots that he knew oh so well. Again, a bright smirk spread across his face. "Getting to hear those perfect little noises from that smart mouth of yours when I make you cum."

Your legs shook as his hands bunched up the fabric of your skirt, hearing him suck in a sharp breath at the tiny bikini bottom barely covering your core. "You were going to wear that to the public pool, baby? Show everyone how pretty you look for me, how much of a whore Hawkins good girl really is?"

You swore silently as he gave a slap to your inner thigh, arching your back to press your core close to him. He gazed up at you through his gorgeous collection of thick, dark lashes that you had adored from the first moment of noticing them. "Billy- please, need it," you mumbled, brows furrowed.

He huffed out an amused chuckle. "Hold on, darling." Within seconds he had loosened the little bows and ripped away the bikini bottoms; him almost sending you from the edge of the counter, though before you could get far, he had you caged between the prodding muscles of his arms. There was little time for preparation as he pressed a messy kiss to your most sensitive bud. Your leg jolted at the sudden surge of pleasure that ascended from the very tips of your toes all the way up your spine, your nipples hardening. The hand in his locks tightened, forcing a groan from his lips, sending vibrations of his dark rumble through your core. There was no question that Billy knew what he was doing. No doubt as he parted your lower lips with his sinful tongue, exploring your pussy with a growling hunger. You shifted, the raw sensation of his muscles circling your clit too much but his arms kept you locked tightly against his tongue.

You whined loudly, forgetting about the masses of people outside the paper-thin walls, as his tongue prodded at your clenched hole, nose bumping into your glistering wetness. Billy flattened his tongue against your mound, nuzzling in messily with a slight shake of his head. His lapping at your folds didn't cease, the lower part of his face drenched in your slick.

Your hips bucked, and you weren't sure if you were trying to get away from the overwhelming stimulation or get impossibly closer to the pleasure he was giving you. You moaned out his name, purposefully tugging him closer by his blonde mullet. He sucked your clit into his mouth, your legs clenching before he let go of it with a pop.

"You're so fiery, princess- makes me want to fuck you so hard." With his teeth, he tugged on your throbbing bundle of nerves causing you to jerk forwards with a surprised moan. "You gonna let me do that, huh? Let me make you cry for the right reasons, baby?"

You nodded furiously, pleas escaping your swollen lips, easing up only at the sound of his belt unbuckling. Your ears picked up the ripping of plastic before his warmth returned between your thighs. His thick hardness nudged at your sopping entrance, as one of his hands pulled your face to his, fingers digging into your neck. "Tell me I belong to you."

You opened your mouth and though he had pressed you for a response he pushed in in one swift motion, rendering you utterly speechless.

"Tell me I belong to you," he whispered against your ear, pulling out until no more than the tip was left in your clenching core before he dove forward with no hesitation. You wetly gasped his name, nails digging into his broad shoulders but he remained relentless. "You're not gonna tell me, baby?" He teased. "Can't even think with my cock stretching that tight little cunt, huh?" Whining, one of your hands fell to his forearm while the other searched for something to hold on to behind you. It was all too much; the filthiness of his words paired with thrusts so deep your tummy felt as though it was bound to burst. "I still wanna hear it, baby," he insisted, hand circling your throat as he gave it a warning squeeze. Billy brought your ear to his lips. "Be a good girl."

"Fuck, Billy," you whined as he hit a certain spot deep in your cunt. "You bel-ah! belong to me."

"There were go, darling." His teeth tugged at your earlobe, delivering another sharp thrust that had tears pricking at the corners of your eyes. "Know how you feel, princess. If anyone looks at you- fuck- touches you, I'm gonna fucking kill them," he whispered, tightening his grip on your neck ere his tongue licked at the sweaty skin of your neck where his hand didn't reach. You clenched around him, head falling back in defeat as his length continued to split you open.

"Are you close, princess? Can feel you squeezing me."

"Uh-uh," you whimpered, nodding your head. "So close."

Billy landed a spank on your ass as he yanked you closer onto his cock. His hips stuttered when you tightened at the stinging sensation, tip slamming into your spot, making you choke on your moan. "Cum for me, princess, be a good girl."

Your toes curled in pleasure, thighs trembling under his every action. You cried out his name, your sudden orgasm leaving your lungs empty of air; voice broken as Billy continued his forceful thrusts for a few moments before a low rumble of a curse fell from his lips and he stilled. He lifted his head, resting his forehead against yours, thumb stroking your throat which he had been gripping with no remorse mere seconds ago.

With one more kiss on your forehead, he pulled out carefully, asking you where you kept your towels. You wordlessly pointed to a drawer of freshly washed cloths, not sure if you could trust your voice just yet. Watchful eyes followed Billy's every move while he took out what he deemed to be the softest towel, as he moved on to wet it in the sink before stalking back to you. He gave a quiet tsk as a sign for you to open up your thighs. Unnaturally gentle, he cleaned up the mess he had forced out of you in the best ways possible and expertly threw the wet towel into the laundry basket across the room; ever the basketball star.

Billy took his place between your thighs, gripping them though tender and attentive - nothing like the bruising digging of his fingers from before. "I'll be better," he promised once more, followed by a small peck on the lips.

You grimaced, encircling his neck with your arms. "You can say it over and over again, Billy. It won't change anything. I need you to show me."

"I—"

Knock, knock, knock, knock.

Both him and you groaned simultaneously, heads dropping at the interruption. You jumped down from the metal surface, now sticky with sweat and you knew you would have to thoroughly clean and disinfect everything before leaving that evening. Hastily you pulled on the bikini top and shirt Billy held out for you, waiting for him to hand you the panties only to stare dumbly as he shoved them into the back pocket of his jeans.

"Billy," you stated with a tone to let him know you wanted them back now, though you were met with his cocky, pearly-white grin.

"You didn't think we were done, did you, princess?" He stepped closer, hand finding your bum as he gave a few innocent pats. "Haven't made you cry yet, now, have I?" He brought his lips to a level with yours. "Kiss."

With a pout you obeyed, agreeing to meet him back at his place later, since Neil and Susan wouldn't be there, going on a date night which Susan had insisted on.

...

After your shift – and another half an hour of cleaning – you closed the store, exiting the partly dark Starcourt Mall. On the drive home, you tried getting the static out of your old car radio, frustration clawing at you, you barely caught what was in front of you. You hit the brakes; heart-rate picking up as you understood that this situation could have ended so much worse.

Almost comical that Billy now seemed to be the better driver out of the two of you. He sure as hell wouldn't have almost hit the massive tree blocking the street. You rolled your eyes, knowing that now you would have to take the biggest detour of all. It was an almost complete round of the town to some old industrial district with many abandoned buildings and factories.

With a sigh, you turned the car around and headed in the other direction.

One of the tapes Billy had given to you was playing just loud enough for you to be able to blend out your own singing. Your fingers were tapping on the steering wheel as you squinted your eyes at the next factory you were to pass. Brimborn. You noted though it was too dark to make out what was written smaller below.

Ere you could get a second look something hit your windshield, shattering it. You turned the wheel in shock, the wheels of the car slipping on the sandy street, making you drift out of control as you once more hit the brakes until the car stilled. Cursing out every swear word you had ever heard, something dripped from your forehead. You lifted your hand carefully to your skin, finding it covered in red as you examined it.

Growling your clenched your hands into fists and pushed open the car door to get a look at your car. Smoke was rising from the engine hood which made you weary to even get close but then your eyes caught something weird. Brows furrowed, you stepped closer to the windshield an eerie cold running over your back as your fingers touched the gooey liquid covering the glass.

What in the holy hells did you hit? A jumbo toad?

Leaves rustled. You turned sharply, pressing closer to the smoking hood. It seemed better than being hacked up by an axe murderer from behind. A weird gurgling screech came from the dark.

"Oh, hell no," you whispered to yourself, rounding the car, and heading for the door. You pulled and rattled but the damn thing was bent shut from whatever it was that hit you. Something snaked around your ankle. You gasped about to look down when you were yanked from your feet. Screeching you tried digging into the ground to keep from being pulled into the factory by whatever this thing was. Your hand caught the iron of a handrail as you strained with all your might against the force of whatever dread awaited you in the dark.

The iron gave a creak. Your eyes shot up. It was in the blink of an eye that the iron gave and nothing of you remained in the light.

The stone floors were icy when you next opened your eyes. It was as though no more than two seconds had passed when you ripped yourself free from whatever had you in its grip. With a furiously beating heart, you dashed for the creaky metal stairs illuminated dimly by old street lamps. The gurgling of that thing still close on your heels, you took the steps two at a time, tripping when you finally reached the upside.

A shout of terror flew from your mouth as you thought it would get you once more and you hastily scrambled back to your feet and out of the steel mill. You opened the passenger side of your car and climbed through to the driver's seat, making a run with screeching tires.

Blood tickled into your eyes from the wound on your forehead. You went to wipe it away as you took in your hand covered in glinting red. Breathing picking up, you turned the rear-view mirror, a sunflower pendant Billy had gifted you dangling from it.

A figure covered in red stared back at you from the backseat. You screeched and hit the brakes. A hand shot forward from the backseat and you dodged it barely. Rattling on the dented car door curses flew from your mouth before you gripped the door handle and with full force rammed your shoulder against it. It fell open and you toppled out onto the street. Your eyes went back to the car, though the figure was there no longer.

The street lights went black. Tears of dread fell onto your cheeks, not able to see your own hand in front of you. You stumbled back to your car, tripping over something as your hand landed on the grimy surface of the engine hood.

"Build."

You whirled around and out of the black shot a streak of red lighting. The sky was lit up in a second as white flakes started to rain down from above. An eerie cold surrounded you and out of desperation, your eyes fell shut, trying to escape what was happening around the same way a child hid when being frightened.

A vision of rats zipped over your inner eye. The monster that had taken you; as its appalling arm loomed over your form back at Brimstone mere moments before everything went dark.

With a gasp, your eyes shot back open only to find the figure from your backseat grinning at you. You squinted your eyes, trying to make out who or what it was, as the horror inside your gut found a sudden surge of courage.

"What the hell do you want?!" You shouted but the figure did no more than chuckle darkly.

"Build." "Build." "Build."

The whispers came from everywhere around you. There were no more places left to hide as the figure dripping with blood moved toward you. Another sinister bold of lighting struck and the air flew from your lungs as your own face loomed back at you. The creature might have worn your face but the darkness in it was nothing you could have ever conjured.

This creature was a nightmare sent from the darkest of realms, you were sure of it, and for a second you contemplated whether it was the devil itself standing across from you.

"Build," she stated and leaped.

...

You shot up utterly breathless and disoriented in a way you had never experienced before. There was a ringing in your ears, a distortion in your vision and it took you a few minutes to understand you were at home. The room was dark, curtains shut completely which was unusual for you since you liked sleeping with the moon bringing a bit of light.

The ringing in your ears was joined by the unsteady thumbing of your heartbeat. You stumbled out of bed and into the bathroom across the hall which your mother had remodeled in an obnoxious shade of lime green. Gasping, you shielded your eyes from the sun streaming in and turned on the cold water. Your eyes caught your reflection in the mirror over the sink. The wounds on your face were gone. You cocked your head, furrowing your brows. Something was off. You lifted your hand, moving it toward your reflection and the second your skin came into contact with the cold surface, the bathroom was dipped into darkness. Black vines were running over the furniture and the floor and those white fragments filled the air. You let go and it all vanished. Shaking your head, you spattered some cold water onto your face before deciding on taking a shower.

No amount of droplets splattering against your shoulders helped you clear your mind as you exited and wrapped a towel around your body. You brushed your teeth as you did every day and applied some sun protection on your face as your vision stopped at the right side of the mirror. The cabinet stacked with your mothers cleaning supplies. As though you were caught in a trance, you set down the yellow tube and turned. Your mind was empty of thoughts or will, the only thing filling your thoughts was a spur of purpose that was not your own. You reached out and opened the lime-painted cabinet door, grasping a bottle of tile cleaner.

A concerned shout of your name went through the house. You staggered back just as your mother knocked on the door, the cap of the cleaner in your other hand. "Honey? You're going to be late for work."

You shut the cleaner, leaving the bathroom in a hurry, almost running over your mother, as you slammed the door of your room shut behind you. You pressed your hands to your face, fingers pressing into your scalp, as you pushed down the eerie cold inside of you. For the first time since you awoke, your mind felt free. You went on to get dressed and grabbed your car keys ere making your way downstairs. Close to the front door, your mother called for you once more. You stilled; the ringing lowly returned as you turned your head to the side.

"Build."

Your feet moved by themselves and before you knew what you were doing, you found yourself in the kitchen, the handle of a frying pan clutched in your hand. You took a swing, just as your mother turned to you, a plate of eggs in her grip. The plate clattered to the tiled floor and your mother yelled out with wide eyes as the pan found its mark for a second time.

You stared for a second at the unconscious form of your mother. There was no remorse or any other emotion in your bones. Making your way to the garage through the connecting door in the kitchen you searched your father's man-cave for some duct tape. You put a piece over her mouth and bound her arms and legs with it. Carelessly you let it fall to the ground before you took a hold of her legs and pulled her sleeping form after you. Opening the trunk of your car, you heaved her up into it with grunts and straining muscles and shut it after the deed was done.

You pressed the button in the corner of the room which opened the garage door and sat in the driver's seat before hitting the gas pedal; the garage door just opened enough for the car to fit through. The pace you were going was something you would have scolded Billy for with no end in sight as you entered a familiar area close to your destination. Brimborn, the sign read as your car came to a halt. For a few moments, you stayed seated as a sense of wrongness crossed over your shoulders, but in the blink of an eye, it was gone and you were pulling your mother's writhing body out of your car trunk. She hit the floor with a dull thud, leaving behind a trail in the dirt as you pulled her inside and down the flight of rusted stairs until reaching the bottom.  

Shushing her whimpering you noted a streak of blood running from her head that you were the cause of. Your hand tentatively ran over her face. "No need to be afraid, Mom," you whispered. "I need you to stay still, okay?" A tear escaped her. You caught it with your forefinger and once more let out a shushing sound. "Don't cry. It's gonna be over soon." You pulled off the piece of tape on her mouth and stepped back. Unnatural snarling emerged from the darkest corner and your mother turned her head toward it slowly. The creature roared lowly in approval of what you had brought, its barely made legs bringing it forward as an arm extended from the gooey mass.

Your mother gave a scream of terror before the arm crept over her face and any noise stopped. Something like horror scratched at the back of your mind as you watched the scene and involuntary tears pooled at your waterline. The hint of emotion was snatched away then and you turned, going on about your day.

...

When reaching the Starcourt Mall, the sun was blazing high up in the sky. Sweat soaked your work uniform the second you stepped out of your car. Shielding your eyes you hurried inside, the sun burning on your skin as though someone was trying to brandmark you. Your shoulder rammed into someone making you stumbled as they complained and threw an insult your way. Looking forward you found a crowd of people in and outside the mall. Your breathing picked up; vision blurred and skin burning from the exposure to the sun.

Pushing open the glass door of the Orange Julius shop and headed straight for the back, ignoring your boss shouting after you that you were more than half an hour late. A few customers were seated out front and after making sure that everyone was served, he followed you. You ripped open the door to the walk-in-freezer, grabbing a few packs of ice which you held to your neck, trying to calm down the throbbing of your skin.

"Do you hear me?" His hand landed on your shoulder. Your head snapped up at the gruff voice of your boss. "One more time and you're fired."

"Build."

He turned to walk away and you followed with quick steps, grabbing one of the aprons of the hook used by only a few co-workers. You wrapped one end of the string around your hand as you jumped on his back and pulled it tightly against his neck. He stumbled and your feet landed on the floor, while his hands pulled at the fabric around his neck, but the strength you possessed was not your own. Soon his movements slowed and he, too, fell into unconsciousness. You bound his limbs using whatever you found and stuffed a rag into his mouth before pushing him into a storage closet.

Taking one of the stupid hats, you wiped some sweat from your forehead and placed the orange-shaped cap on your head before making your way to the front of the store. Two customers you served, expression bland and words sparse until Billy's sister entered the store.

Her smile was bright as her eyes landed on you. She greeted you happily and introduced you to her wide-eyed friend. It had been a while back since Max had thanked you for dating her brother. She said she had never seen him being less of an asshole and their relationship had taken on a civil level. You tried paying attention to what she was telling you but your eyes fell back to her friend. Something inside of you thought you recognized her as a feeling of anger and want for violence zipped through you. Hatred, you noted.

Her eyebrows twitched as she found you staring. Max's repeating of your name snapped you out of it. "You okay?" She questioned. You blinked at her before giving a short nod and making the order she had given you. Your eyes still resting on the girl, you watched as they skipped away hand in hand.

At the end of your shift, you put the chairs up on the table and gave the floor a quick sweep before you locked up and went to the back. Your boss – no longer unconscious – was begging and squirming, trying to free himself from the knots you had bound around his arms and legs. After making sure he hadn't loosened anything, you excited through the back entrance of the Orange Julius with him in tow. It was usually used for bringing in massive amounts of oranges and down the hallway was an elevator, big enough for you and Billy to have had some fun in it.

On the level below, you stepped out of the elevator, dragging your boss after you. It was so late, you were certain no one else would be back here, as you opened the door and pushed him outside. You left him there for the time being as you went to get your car from the parking lot. The area was almost completely empty, except for the car of the cleaning people, your own, and the blue Camaro beside it. Billy was leaning against it, a cigarette hanging from his lips. The second his eyes landed on yours, he plucked the smoke from his lips and threw it aside.

Your steps ceased, heart racing. Pressing your eyes shut, you shook your head. The whispers in your mind didn't stop their churning. Whirling around you moved away from him but he shouted after you, big steps hot on your heels. A hand wrapped around your wrist and he yanked you to face him.

The ringing in your ears exploded. "Build."

"No!" You shouted, ripping yourself away from him. With fists, you hammered against your head, the ringing hurting. A pressure engulfed your head, feeling as though it was bound to split open. You screamed, falling to your knees, head clutched in your hands. Billy was at your side, concern running through his body in a way he had never thought it possible as he gripped your shoulders and shouted your name, not knowing what else he could do.

"No, no, no," you continued to plead as the whispers within got louder. Determined you steadied your breath. "No," you stated once more and the whispers subsided, the ringing eased and the pressure on your mind vanished. You sobbed as he took your face in his hands, kneeling in front of you. "Please," you cried. "I don't want to hurt you. Leave...please, please."

He pulled you against his chest as you begged him to leave, your hand grasping his wrist to feel the throbbing of his pulse beneath his skin. You could feel how fast his heart was beating; scared for you. "What's wrong, baby?" he pressed again after you distanced yourself enough to look at his face. Billy wiped away your tears, eyebrows furrowed at what was going on with you. "C'mon, Y/n, talk to me."

"He... He is inside my head, Billy," you whimpered. "I didn't want to hurt them, I promise, he made me." Tears blurred your vision. "He made me hurt them," you repeated just as a sliver of the ringing returned. In panic, you pushed him back and scrambled to your feet. As he tried going after you, you held out your hand in warning. "Stay away from me."

He stepped forward again. The ringing picked up. "Y/n—"

"Leave!" You screeched and he halted in shock. "Leave me the fuck alone!"

"No!" He belted out. "I'm not just going to—"

"I don't want you here!" You shouted back at him; your heart breaking just a bit. "I don't want you." You swallowed hard as hurt flashed in his eyes. "Just leave!"

Whispers crept in. "Build."

His nostrils flared and you saw a hint of a nod as he flexed his jaw. Billy turned on his heels, returning to his car and slamming shut the door behind him. The Camaro roared to life and Billy sped out the parking lot with tires screeching in protest.

"Build." The hurting in your chest was gone. You cocked your head as you looked after the car for a second longer before returning to what you were told. Building.

At Brimborn you brought your boss down the metal stairs, ignoring his cries and please. You removed the rag from his mouth and shushed him, telling him the same thing you had told your mother. It would all be over soon. The thing in your mind stirred, sensing something that shouldn't be there. Following its senses, you turned, squinting your eyes at the blurred figure of a girl.

"Her." The thing seemed to whisper and you took a step closer. Just as you went to reach for her, she was gone. You stared after her as a vision clouded your eyes. The girl all by herself shutting it out. Locking it away before it was able to do what it came here to do.

When you got home that night, your father was just taking off his jacket, and turning on the TV. He greeted you, asking how your day was to which you barely gave a reply. You found your mother in the kitchen, a row of empty plastic bottles of cleaning supplies on the table. She turned to you with a smile and a tenderizer in one hand.

"Could I borrow your car, honey?" She asked and waited, straight-backed.

"Of course." You handed her the keys and she went into the living room, still smiling as she took her first swing at your father's head. Leaning against the door frame, you watched and as the ringing got louder you, too, found yourself smiling.

...

Later that evening a storm was raging over Hawkins and your mother had taken your father into the car and left, while you threw out the empty bottles. You took the bloody tenderizer from the sink and let the water run over it. Humming to yourself, you took the dish soap and a sponge and scrubbed at the metal kitchen tool.

"Y/n?"

Your humming halted before you turned off the water. "Max," you spoke questionably and faced the ginger girl. And her friend. "El, " you greeted and had to force yourself to look away from her. "What are you doing here?"

"Where is he?" The other girl spoke. Your eyes fell back onto El and the girl repeated her question. She knew.

"Who?" You inquired and smiled at them.

"Your bo-"

"Boyfriend!" Max interrupted, though you could see that was not what El had wanted to ask. "We were looking for Billy. I, uhm, was, uh, concerned. When he came home before he was really mad and, uh, kinda out of it. He left in a hurry and I thought that maybe he might be here?"

"No," you clicked your tongue and smiled. "But it is so nice to see you getting along like that. That you are concerned about him." Your gaze flickered to El. Challenging almost ere looking back to Max. "Oh, excuse me. Are you two thirsty? I might have some cherry coke in the garage."

"Uh, no, we should be going," Max said quickly. "Thanks though."

"Are you sure you want to go out in such terrible weather?"

"Oh, it's no problem. You know, since we live so close by."

"Do you want me to take you? I could take my father's car," you smiled as your fingers found the metal handle of the tenderizer in the sink behind you.

"No, thank you!" Max exclaimed and took El's hand. They passed by the couch and you noted Max slowing before picking up her pace again. You followed after them when they had closed the door and watched them leave from the window. When they were out of sight, you went up to the couch, taking the bloody cushion with you.

...

The next day you went on just the way you had done the day before; working and spending your break in the freezer and in the evening, you went home. You had hardly put down your keys when the telephone rang.

"Hello?" Your name was said, followed by a small whimper. Confused you tried placing the voice until it made click. "Max?" You questioned. "Is everything all right?"

"Billy," she sobbed. "He was really angry and started shouting." Another sob was heard. "He left me at the pool. No one's here. Can you come and pick me up, please? My mom is not answering the phone and I didn't know who else to call."

Ringing entered your ears which wasn't there before. "Build."

"Sure," you replied. "I'll be right there." Smiling you hung up the phone and picked up your car keys. And so, the building would go on.

When you arrived at the pool, you expected her to be standing outside, waiting for you. Instead, the gate of the pool was opened widely. Huffing, you turned off the car's engine and went inside. "Max?" You shouted as a door slammed shut in the direction of the showers. Once more you called out for her. When no answer came you went inside the building where the showers and lockers were located.

No later you could clearly make out sobs. Following the sound, you went past the shower stalls and past the lockers to the far back. You saw a light on in the sauna, the door, too, open. When you got closer, your gaze dropped to the hooded figure bundled up in the corner. Your worry for the young girl exceeded the ringing and whispers. "Max? Are you okay?" You hurried forward, putting a hand on her shoulder as you turned her toward you. Confused you stared into the face of a puppet. The sauna door slammed shut behind you.

You whirled around, eyes landing on a group of children. Including Max and El.

"Her," he whispered in your mind, trying to take away the confusion and worry, but you pushed him away.  

"Max?" You questioned; your voice unsure. "Why are you doing this?" Laying your hand on the door, you peeked out the window in the sauna's door – trying to focus on her, but he was so curious about her that you couldn't help the glances in El's direction.

"Do it," the blonde spoke then. A boy went forward at her command, turning up the heat. Anger flared up inside you which wasn't your own. You stumbled back as heat filled the small room, sitting on one of the benches. The room was quiet, filled with nothing but your labored breathing as sweat started soaking through your work uniform.

"Please," you whimpered desperately; your skin on fire. "Please, Max. It hurts." Your hands rubbed over your skin irritated, attempting to soothe the ache. "Please, it's too hot for him, Max. It's hurting him. Me. It hurts so much."

Max stepped up to the window. "It's too hot for whom?"

"The darkness," you whispered with a shuddering breath. "He is inside my mind, Max. He made me do so many bad things." Wiping away the sweat that was running into your eyes, you stood and moved toward the door. Your eyes flickered downward to where a web of blackness spread under your skin and his anger coursed through your insides.

A door slammed shut as a furious shout followed. Billy. Max turned toward her brother, gaping with a wide mouth. "What the hell are you doing here?"

"I went to get my wallet and find you here with a group of boys? Is that what you have been doing, hm, Max? Do you th-" His eyes landed on you and all color drained from his face. "What the- Let her out!" He roared, pushing past the group of children and taking out the metal bar from the door handle.

"No, Billy, don't!" Max shouted and pushed aside her brother when he started fiddling with the metal chain working as an insurance lock.

"I feel him," another boy in the back spoke, but your hand had already balled into a first, slamming through the thick glass in one hit as you went for Max's throat. A sudden surge of unseen power slammed you back against the tiled wall. Landing on the ground, you gasped for air, nostrils flaring in fury as you pushed yourself to your knees.

Her. Nothing like you had ever felt circled through your veins as the lights all around you started flickering. The shadow loomed in and found root deeper than before; webs spread around your body fully. You roared, throwing yourself against the door with an unnatural force. From the outside you heard Billy's angry shouts at Max, demanding to know why and what they had done to you, before you threw yourself against the door a second time, the metal of the chain creaking. Stepping back, you heaved, and for the last time your body connected with the thick iron door. The chain snapped. You came face to face with her.

She screamed and you were ripped from her feet, back smashing into a wall, a barbell flying toward you; caging you. It pressed against your neck and again Billy shouted out in terror.

"Her." "Her." "Her."

Your hands pressed against the bar, teeth clenched tightly, as you pushed against the invisible force until it gave. You hurled the barbell toward the girl, throwing her to the floor. One of the boys rushed forward, a broken pipe in hand as he went to hit you, but Billy caught the pipe and pushed back the lanky boy. Grinning you stalked toward the girl. But before you could get there, she lifted her hand. In the blink of an eye, her nose started bleeding more and she yelled out in strain before flinging you aside with such a might, you broke through the brick wall.

Bones inside your body cracked, setting themselves back together as you lifted yourself onto your feet and ran. Ran to the place you knew safety awaited you. Brimborn. You gave a full report of what had happened, letting them know that now she knew about you. "She could have killed me."

Your mother brushed your forehead and nodded to the darkness. "But not us." Your eyes followed hers to the crowd of people – all of them him. "Not us."

You gazed past them all, at the body, he had built for himself as he straightened and roared. "It's time." You stood, which had your mother give you a questioning look. "She is a curious thing, that girl. She will come looking. And this time, I'll be ready." You walked home then, with no tiredness or muscle ache. Numbness filled your being as your body healed from the fight with the girl; the shadow made sure of it. In your room, you took a seat, grabbed a trashy magazine and waited.

It wasn't long until you felt it. Her; tucking at the strings of your mind as her voice carried through, distorted but there nonetheless.

Can you hear me? It echoed lowly. Can you show me what happened to you? Your eyes snapped up to her, your hand going for her arm. She gasped. The corner of your mouth lifted as you pushed her back and she fell into the depths of your mind. In concentration, you watched her cross through, allowing her a little insight into the past you had lived before she came to the turning point of it all; the day of the car accident and your big fight with Billy. You closed your eyes and waited for a moment - just as she was about to leave, open her mind back up, you lunched.

When your eyes opened you found yourself in the bedroom encased by wooden walls.

"Mike?" Her voice questioned in panic at the sudden emptiness.

"He can't hear you," you spoke dimly, stalking out of the room, causing her the take a few steps back. "You shouldn't have come looking for me. Because now..." You smiled even though you didn't want to do so. "I see you." You cocked your head eerily. "You let us in and now, you're going to have to let us stay." The more she distanced herself from you, the closer you tried to get. You fought to stop yourself, strained on the inside for some kind of power. "Don't you see? We've been building it." Bringing your left hand to your chest, a sighed. And below it all, not even your heartbeat was your own. Running at a pace too slow for any human being to survive. "All that work and now... it's time. Time to end it. And then, we are going to end you." The meaning behind the words sunk in, something that had been in the air, between the lines, from the first moment you – he – had laid eyes on her. There weren't many steps for her left to go, you noted, three more and she would be backed up against the kitchen's sink. "And when you're gone, we're going to end everyone." A tear trickled from your cheek, the only sign that whatever mind you possessed hadn't fully been canceled out by the giant shadow in the front of your mind. That you weren't him. Not yet.

"No!" She screamed and with one sharp tug, ripped herself from him, the way you hadn't been able to do, no matter how hard you had tried it.

Alone in your room, he didn't leave you alone like he usually did. Instead, there was something new he needed you for. You felt as the others joined him, became him, and went to find her. There was an unexplainable connection between the shadow and everyone he had taken. A pain that wasn't your own seized your body. You roared out in pain, gripping the duvet as you waited for the strange torture to end; and for your new mission to find its beginning. The abnormal net of darkness unfurled under your skin and you watched helplessly – caged inside your own mind - as it took over every inch of you. His intentions became your own and his drive for revenge moved you. Within seconds you were seated in your car, engine scorching as you followed the call of the hive mind.

He had fought her once more; you knew, somehow. She had won once more, though this time it was a close call, getting injured when trying to hold her ground – getting infected. And you followed that part of you, of them, of him, inside her being. Your car slowed to a stop outside Bradley's Big Buy, watching to see for any movement inside, though the shop seemed to be dipped in dead silence.

Directly upon setting foot inside the deserted space your gaze caught the flickering lights and the groceries strewn carelessly over the floors. You took a deep breath, plucking out the tinge of fresh blood in the air and following it. Gauze, half-empty water bottles, and other medical supplies were sitting on the floor surrounded by small puddles of glinting red liquid. Crouching down, your finger dipped into the enticing redness. Your breathing picked up as you rubbed it between your fingers; she.

"Close," the whisper echoed and dreadful, unfamiliar joy spread in your chest. "So close." Your eyes fell shut, concentrating on where they had moved on to. Leaving back the chaos, you took a seat behind the wall and hit the gas.

You screamed but no sound made it to the outside. His plan, now unfolded shamelessly in your mind, left you with little hope – little power. But as you screamed internally and the ringing was drowned out by the throat-ripping screech, your fingers on the steering wheel cramped up and a small trickle of blood flowed from your nostril.

The mall, even illuminated by countless signs so late at night, stood proud and new as you turned into the parking lot. The well-known blue Camaro stood aslant in one of the parking spots beside a car which you had seen Mrs. Wheeler take to the pool. Whistling you turned off the engine, stepping out and up to the closest car. As your hands went to tear open the hood of Billy's car, some sense of what was happening filled you, and your movements wavered for just a split second. The aluminum of the hood was pleasantly cool under your skin as you pried it open and ripped out what Billy had once explained to you to be the ignition cable.

Once more your actions slowed to a stop as a memory of you two flashed before your eyes. It was at the beginning of the school year after you had miserably failed the first math test of the season and were utterly certain you wouldn't be receiving your diploma with the rest of the class of '85. Billy had offered you a ride home, gave Max money for the arcade – which you had found incredibly odd – and had taken off at a pace too fast for the small people of Hawkins. You had gaped when he kidnapped you in the other direction of your home, refusing to answer any of your questions. Instead, he had given you a bright smile. "Can't have my baby frowning all day long," he had said and taken you to a diner far outside of Hawkins, pushing you to order anything you wanted and more. With four bags of take-out, the drive had continued to a quiet spot, where you spent the rest of the night sitting between his legs on the hood of this car.

"Have you ever seen the ocean, princess?" He had questioned out of nowhere, to which you shook your head, plucking at a cold fry. "I'm going to show it to you one day," he had promised. "Gonna show you everything you want to see."

Warm, salty droplets fell to your cheeks as you closed the hood and moved on to the Wheeler's car, ripping out the second cable to leave them trapped, too, inside a small space with nowhere to go. And God did you know the feeling.

...

Billy paced inside Starcourt Mall at a safe distance away from the group of freak kids and airhead Harrington with his parade of nobodies. You had levitated, he thought again, turning once more beside the unconscious Russians – or something -  to start his circling anew. His girlfriend had levitated and had been thrown through a wall of bricks and had continued running. The quick rundown of the shitshow going on behind the backs of Hawkins' citizens Maxine had involuntarily given him - after he was about to go out and search for you – did not help him understand shit.

"She is possessed!" Max had shouted after he hadn't stopped raging at her which had gotten him to shut up. Though only for a moment before he had started laughing at the absurdity of it all. "Billy!" Susan's daughter had stomped her foot and pulled his collar down, catching him off guard. He was about to grip her the same way, anger present on his face when she stared into his eyes. "She is in danger."

He had been forced to listen then, listen to the hundred possible ways you could die or could kill them, listen to what that thing – the Mind Flayer – was doing to you.

Wailing from behind him caused Billy to turn, finding the girl, whose name he couldn't remember, writhing on the ground. The other freak Byers was standing over her with a knife in hand and Billy blinked at the scene dumbly as all the other kids gripped the young girl to stop moving. Even he flinched as the older Byers made the cut, trying to pull something out of the wound with his fingers. The weird wonder girl took charge, screeching as she extended her hand and he watched unmoving as a piece of gooey mass was lifted out of the wound by some invisible hand. She flung it aside and he carried on speechlessly staring as the alive mass robbed forward on the floor.

A foot landed on the gooey thing. His eyes followed up the leg and beer belly to the familiar dickwit's face that had cost him more money than he had earned in the few weeks of being a lifeguard. Sheriff Hopper. To his right stood a lanky woman whom he had seen around town once or twice and on the sheriff's left someone that looked as though he belonged in the '70s porn industry.  

What the actual fuck was going on?

He sat on a bench, head reeling. Face planted in his hands his breathing was uneven, heartbeat thumping irritatingly in his ears. You might die. A voice reminded him. Yet again he might lose someone he loved. His chest ached. You might die and he hadn't kept any of his promises. He had made you cry the last time you had been yourself, hadn't taken what you had said too seriously. Instead, he had hidden that he cared so much for you that he didn't know how to handle himself and had taken it for granted.

At the end of the night, he might not ever get another chance with you ever again.

"Billy!" Max called out and when he looked up, half of the group was gone and the ones that were left were trying to carry the girl to the outside. He wiped at the wetness in his eyes and joined them wordlessly.

...

Your attention picked up as a group of people left the mall and your smile faded, hidden in your car by the darkness of the night when you didn't catch sight of her in their midst. The engine of your car gave a loud howl after they had seated themselves in the Wheeler's car, while Billy went to his beloved Camaro; their head snapping toward you as the lighting of your floodlights blinded them. In vain they tried starting their cars only for both Jonathan and Billy to hastily pop their hoods.

The grin on your face returned at the dread in theirs as they hurried back into the mall, the place they thought to be safe. And you stayed back. Silent and waiting. As he entered proximity your skin prickled. With unblinking orbs, you watched as he climbed onto the full height of Starcourt Mall and broke through the glass roof. Your eyelid twitches, hearing its frustrated roars and screeches until out of nowhere, the group of kids poured from the back door, dashing for the car.

Your foot pressed down and once more the engine bellowed. Nancy Wheeler lifted a handgun with the precise aim as though she had done so all her life and took her first shoot. The bullet hit the windshield, splintering it, as it went past your shoulder. Fear settled into your bones. Your very own. And the next bullet hit.

Not able to witness the scene playing out in front of him, Billy gripped Nancy's arm, trying to wrangle the gun from her grasp and suddenly your car took off in their direction. Your heart rate skyrocketed no matter how much he tried to control it as you saw the headlights reflect in Billy's glassy eyes. Not able to stop it, your eyes fell shut, blood seeping down to your lips; your mouth filling with the metallic flavor.

The breath was wrung from your lungs as you flew to the side, head smashing against the car window. A male screech of your name faintly entered your ears but your limbs felt too heavy to lift, mind too foggy to respond. Your car door was ripped open and you fell. No harsh floor collided with your side, instead, you were engulfed in a loving embrace.

You didn't need to see his face to know who it was that even after everything you had done, tried to keep you safe. A sob fell from your lips out loud and no longer locked inside. "I told you to leave," you whimpered and the shadow loomed over your shoulder.

"When have I ever done what you told me?" He joked, choking on his words.

"Please," you cried. "He is coming. And I don't think this time he is going to go away again." You kept repeating your please as Billy's arm slid beneath your knees about to pick you up when your gaze caught hers. In one flash, each vein in your body was dipped in black and Billy gasped as you swung him aside. You rose to your feet, no matter how many broken bones were left in your body. They ran and you followed them into the back entrance of the mall.

The lights flickered as you followed the sound of reverberating footsteps in the emptiness of the halls until you a bolt of ginger hair rounded the corner. Max turned to you, eye flitting to her friends still struggling to get away. "Y/n, please, stop," she begged. "Remember! You are Y/n, you let me stay at your house when my parents fight. You love Billy no matter what shit he pulls. Please, remember- I'm Max and you treat me like your little sis—"

With no remorse, no hesitation you had smashed her head into the wall and brought your focus back to her. The lanky boy you flicked aside with no strength needed whatsoever, his head hitting against waterpipes. The girl threw out her hand and you felt the pressure of her powers, though before she had time to react, you gripped her head and pushed it back against the wall. Unconscious, she fell. You took a hold of her feet and dragged her into the elevator and into the center of all shops. Presenting her to him. Kneeling you leaned toward her ear.

"No need to be afraid," you spoke. "I need you to stay still. It's gonna be over soon." Her eyelids fluttered open and snarling he turned. You stood and watched as an arm broke loose from the mass and dove for her. Before it could reach her, an explosion rang through the mall, and a torturing burning spread across your back. You fell to your knees, screeching in sync with the creature as explosion after explosion hit. The girls scrambled away and you just so managed to grasp at her ankle and pull her back.

Arms slung around you from behind, rendering you unable to move as you trashed in the embrace you had always found to be a safe place. "Help her!" Billy cried out to the girl still laying on her back on the floor.

"I—" She scrambled to her feet at his anguished tone. Her eyes bore into yours as she tried to find a way, her powers as good as gone from the strain of having to fight him off. "Tell her," she spoke after a heartbeat of recalling what she had seen in your head when wandering through your memories. "Of the night you met her parents. Her happiest memory."

With one straining grunt, he forced your trashing form against the dirt-covered floor, caging you with his body; your wrists in his hands pressed beside your head.

"Graduation night," he started. "You were going crazy because you thought your parents would kill you for having a boyfriend." He grinned through the throbbing in his chest, recalling that night. "You remember how your dad's face dropped when you brought me into the kitchen?" He chuckled. "And your mom... she just knew all along, didn't she?" A tear dropped from his eye, hitting your cheek. "I heard her, you know? When your dad took me out back for a man-on-man talk. What she said." You writhing ceased at that. "She told you she knew that look on your face. Because it was the look she wore when she decided she would marry your dad." He laughed then. "And when I asked you what you two talked about, you turned so red you looked like a tomato. And that's when I thought she had to be right because I couldn't see myself with anyone else but you." His hand let go of your wrists, encircling your cheeks, while his thumb tenderly cleaned away the blood on your face. He brought his forehead against your icy one and for the first time in so long you longed for warmth.

You wept as you pressed closer to him, drowning out the screeches of a dying creature, as that thing inside you lending you its power vanished and you were left to feel what was broken. "Everything hurts," you cried. "I don't wanna die, Billy."

"No, no, no." He shook his head furiously. "You won't, you won't." Billy looked around at the strewn kids and teenagers, cradling you closer. "Someone get a fucking ambulance!"

From the outside light flooded the mall as soldiers equipped heavily with different kinds of weaponry stormed in. Sirens of ambulances and firetrucks sounded. More and more people rushed in, as someone loaded you onto a stretcher and Billy thanked every god from above and below for the chance to fulfill his promises to you.

...

One year later

"You're holding it wrong," Billy complained as you sushed him. His hand went out but you dodged out of the way, smacking his fingers. "We're going to end up driving off a cliff," he huffed to himself.

"You concentrate on driving," you stated stubbornly. "I'll handle this."

"But you are holding it wrong!"

"Maybe you just have no sense of direction."

"I might not but I know for sure that the N for North isn't supposed to be at the bottom!"

Your eyes fell to the bottom of the map, where indeed an N stood on its head. "I just have a different way of reading maps," you declared but he drove to the side of the road nonetheless, where there was a designated spot for stopping.

"Gimme."

You pouted, reluctantly handing him the map. He turned it the right way around, giving you a triumphing side-eye as you leaned over with a roll of your eyes, placing your hands on his shoulder. "You know what?" He hummed in question and you continued. "I want to visit every art museum on the way and look at paintings I don't understand the meaning of and I want to speak to people who know lots about lots."

"Any other wishes?"

You bit your lips, trying to keep your smile at bay. "I want you to teach me how to surf, meaning you'll need to save me from drowning several times. That's it for now." You sighed. "I can't wait to see the ocean."

He smiled, taking your right hand and pressing a kiss to it, as his thumb tenderly grazed the diamond-studded ring there, and he looked at you like you were the only thing worth having eyes for. "I'm gonna show you everything you want to see."

#billy hargrove x reader #billy hargrove #billy hargrove smut #eddie munson x reader #Eddie Munson smut #eddie munson #stranger things #billy hargrove x y/n #steve harrington x reader

[artists-ally]

{Train Wreck} Azriel x Cassian!Sister {Pt.1}

I am in love with this song, Train Wreck by Divide the Day and cannot get it out of my head. I feel like Azriel loves a good broken girl because she can relate to all of him. So here is the first part of that! Enjoy my loves!! lmk what you think!! (i got too excited waiting for the poll to end)

Word Count: 7,947

Warnings: Modern AU, OFC, angst, mentions of crimes, mentions of trauma, language, alcohol.

Summary: It has been far too long since Ira has seen her brother. They meet again under neither of their own terms and struggle to find any room in their hearts for pleasantries. But at least there is a hot, dark-haired, hot, buffer to focus on instead.

Tagging: @bubybubsters @librafairy @needylilgal022

Part Two

~~~~~~~~

“He’s going to say no.” No response from the peanut gallery in the front seat. “Seriously, he’s not going to be okay with this. You might as well let me out of the car now.”

“Will you just be quiet?” Arthur snapped, eyes locking with mine from the rearview mirror. “Need I remind you that this is your fault. You’ve left us with no other option.”

“I told you, it wasn’t me. That was-” “Cal, I remember the story. And that’s all that it is. A story, a fabrication that Arthur and I are no longer going to be entangled in. You may be able to fool the police with that lie, but you can’t fool us, Ira,” Dana snapped, whirling around to shoot me some daggers. She couldn’t look intimidating if she tried; her face was like a bunny, and every time she frowned it just looked like she smelled something rotten.

I rolled my eyes, crossing my arms. There was no way he was going to take me. We hadn’t spoken in almost five years, I didn’t even know he was alive until three months ago when I heard about his engagement. How fucking rude of him not to tell me. I had to find out through a friend of a friend.

Fifteen years growing up together meant nothing to him, I guess.

The big riverside house came into view at the end of an equally impressive driveway. A shame for whoever had to go and collect the mail every morning. 

“Stay here, in the car,” Arthur barked. 

I opened the door and got out of the car, kicking a few stones. Man this place was flashy; a big fountain in the circular driveway, a line of cars over by a garage. Not to mention the very obvious multi-million dollar mansion that never seemed to end.

“Lord, give me the strength to not strangle this child,” Arthur sighed, marching to the front door. I snickered, he was always so uptight.

“Not a child, Arthur,” I countered. “Just turned 21. You’d know that if you ever bothered to check up.”

“Give it a rest, Ira. We’re trying to help you since you clearly don’t understand the basic human morals of being a functioning member of society,” Dana said, opening the trunk, catching a bag as it tumbled from the stack.

“Sorry that I don’t like to conform to the idealistic fantasy that is modern society.” 

Was it my plan to break into that restaurant and pose as waiters to make a few extra dollars? Yes, it absolutely was. And it was genius plan that if someone didn’t fuck up, it would’ve worked flawlessly. It ended with me in handcuffs and my ass sitting on the curb until Dana came to pick me up. 

Was it also my idea to drive four fucking hours away from my hometown to the middle of nowhere to be babysat? Abso-fucking-lutely not. 

“Get your stuff,” Dana dropped a few things to the ground. 

I came around the side of the car and heard the door open, and that lovely voice of his ring through my head. 

Great. This is going to go fantastic.

“Arthur? W-What are you doing here?” Cassian said. 

Cassian, six-foot-five and one hell of a bastard. He knew just how to get under your skin and make you want to punch him in the face. Which I had done on more than one occasion when he dug too deep. 

“Cassian, good to see you,” the old man said, extending his hand. “We uhh… we have something for you.”

“I don’t understand.”

I could hear the crunch of gravel and I knew what was about to happen. Any second now I was about to be publicly humiliated. I wish it was still the 1500’s where they parade you down the street and then execute you so I could at least see all the resentment on everyone’s faces.

“Dana!” I could practically hear that obnoxious grin in his voice before I could see it. “I was not expecting you guys, come in this is so awesome to-”

“She’s not the surprise, Cass,” Arthur clapped him on the shoulder and walked to the back of the car. There was a sharp yank on my elbow and I damn near tripped over him. He must’ve grown again because he was a lot taller than the last time I saw him. “She is.” “Ira?” He squinted, as if he could ever mistake me for someone else. “Holy shit, I didn’t even know you were still around.” “You’d know that if you ever bothered to check up on me,” I couldn’t be bothered to be pleasant. Nothing about this would be fucking pleasent.

Cassian looked from Arthur to Dana, then back to me. And to the duffle bag that I was holding on to. I could see him connecting the dots inside his thick-ass skull. “No. No no no.”

“Cassian, she needs someone to look after her,” Dana expressed, chasing after him when he turned inside. 

“You cannot just plop her on my doorstep like some stray dog,” Cass shouted, throwing his arms in the air and all around.

“She’s your sister, for fucks sake,” Arthur joined. “She needs you to look after her. Since you left Ira has done nothing but cause me a headache and gray hairs.”

“I’m right here, you know,” I walked over, throwing the bag down. “And I’d appreciate if you talked about me like a fucking human being, not some gag gift that is always shuffled around at christmas because no one wants it.”

“I have a family to take care of, I cannot take you in, Ira. I have too much going on.”

“Some things never change,” I huffed. “See, I told you he wouldn’t give me the time of day.”

“Now, let's just take this down a couple of notches, okay? It has been a long drive so why don’t we just go inside and-”

“Cass? What’s going on?” 

Cassian scrunched his face, and my eyes went to the door, a pretty woman standing there with her arms folded. She had a scowl on her face and narrow eyes. Her long brown hair was braided over her shoulder. 

“Nothing, these people were just-”

“Who’s here?” Another voice, a man, asked next. Now, if I had died and gone to heaven and you told me that was an angel, I’d believe you. 

Cassian muttered something under his breath and rubbed his forehead. “Nesta, Rhys, this is Arthur and Dana. My foster parents from years ago. And this… this is my sister.”

“Your sister?” Both of them exclaimed at the same time. He didn’t even tell them about me? Some fucking brother he is. I didn’t want to be here, but now I really wanted to see where this was going to go. It could be entertaining.

“They were just-” “Come in come in,” the man stepped down and shook Arthur's hand. “I am Rhysand, call me Rhys. Welcome, we are so pleased to have you. Cassian never mentioned having visitors today.”

“It wasn’t planned,” Dana let out the fakest laugh I’ve ever heard. She was one of those people who, when nervous, laughed after every sentence. Like come on lady, grow a set and just say what you really mean it’s not that hard. 

I smiled victoriously as Arthur and Dana were escorted inside. When I looked up at Cassian, he had rage in his eyes. “Good to see you too, Cassie.”

“Do not,” he pointed at me. “You are not staying here, whenever this little tour is over, you’re gone with them.”

“Gladly.” 

I closed the trunk and followed behind a storming Cassian. His shoulders might as well have been pinned to his ears. It looked like a stick was shoved up his ass. 

The house was absolutely massive. I thought shit like this only existed in fairytales, not… wherever the fuck we were. Certainly not my normal run-down streets I was used to. There were cabinets filled with fine dishes and things were on display. Everywhere. I don’t think I have seen so many things before in my life. 

While Cassian pouted in the corner, the man named Rhys showed us all around. He pointed and spoke, but I received a text on my phone. 

Cal: your a piece of shit I hope you know that

Me: You’re* but it’s fine.

Cal: i cannot believe you fucking left me

Me: Whoops. Sorry bud, I couldn’t stick around. You dicked me over so… guess that karma’s a bitch.

Cal: you know I’m bad with names

Me: WE USED EACH OTHERS!!!!!! HOW HARD CAN IT BE TO FORGET MY NAME!

Cal: hopefully pretty fucking easy because I don’t ever want to fucking see you ever again. fuck you ira

Me: Right back atcha, asshole.

Great, now the only person that I had remotely trusted was out of my life. I had no one back in my hometown. No one to remember or care for me. I don’t think I ever had someone in the first place. What happens when you don’t have anyone to teach you right from wrong? What do you get when you mix a traumatized teenager in a city with nothing to do? A hot mess. A hot fucking mess. 

“Oh, and this is my wife Feyre. My darling, this is Arthur, Dana, and Ira, Cassian’s foster parents and his sister,” Rhys spared me a glance and I scrunched my face. Had Cassian really never bothered to tell them about me?

“Wow,” she had a small smile on her pretty face. Why was everyone here so pretty? “You look just like him. You both have the same eyes. And the same hair.”

“Great, what I’ve always wanted to be. Cassian's clone.” I couldn’t stop the eye roll.

“Ira,” Dana hissed. “Some manners?”

“Thank you, your Royal Highness.”

Dana smacked her forehead, mumbling something about gray hairs and a headache again. I chuckled. I thought it was funny. Especially the curtsy. 

“Why don’t you all stay for dinner, I wouldn’t mind getting to know some of Cassian’s family,” Feyre said, that small smile still on her lips. We had all meandered outside to look at their yard, at the fountain in the front of the house. 

To no one's surprise, there was a matching one in the back by the pool. 

“Oh, we really have to get back on the road,” Arthur said, folding his hands together and swaying on his feet. “It was a pleasure getting to meet all of you, it makes me happy knowing that Cassian has found such a great group of successful, intelligent people.”

That last part was vehemently directed at me. 

“Why are you looking at me? Cassian already said that I couldn’t stay.”

“Well I am sure that-”

“Why wouldn’t you stay?” Rhys asked, folding his arms against his chest. 

I looked at Dana and Arthur, patiently waiting for someone to explain it. No takers? Guess it’s my time to shine. “Well, I think it’s because he doesn’t give a flying fuck about-”

“Okay okay,” Cassian interjected, and a devious grin spread across my lips. “Stay for dinner.”

What a two faced son of a bitch. It wasn’t me who decided to leave, it was him. And he’s pissed at me? Not fucking fair. We all went inside, but Cassian lingered at the back of the pack. While Rhys took Dana and Arthur around to the kitchen, Cassian yanked me– why was everyone throwing me around– into a room off to the side. 

“What the fuck did you do this time?”

“Wow, Cassie-”

“Do not call me that.” 

He used to hate it when I called him Cassie. Especially around his friends because they would make fun of him for days after. I loved that. 

“No hi, how are you? No ‘it's good to see that my sister is alive and doing well?’” “Clearly not well enough since they dragged you all the way out here. How the hell did you even find me?” Cassian’s eyes were full of fire. Looks like he still had that canyon of a line between his bushy-ass-eyebrows when he was upset. 

“I know a guy,” I shrugged. Antoine is an amazing man. “But that’s besides the point. Wait… were you purposefully trying to disappear so I wouldn’t be able to find you?”

“What. Did. You. Do?”

I swallowed, I hated when he scolded me. “It wasn’t even that bad. They just gave me community service.”

“Jesus Christ, Ira. What did they want to give you?” Cassian shouted for the whole house to hear. 

“Doesn’t matter, I got myself out of it. Like I always do, without your fucking help. I am capable of taking care of myself without you.”

“Yeah you seem to be doing a swell job,” Cassian looked me up and down, clearly judging my tangled hair and ripped up jeans that I’ve probably had since middle school. “I thought all of this was behind you, Ira. When I left you were-”

“Abandoned. You didn’t leave, you abandoned me.”

Cassian relaxed his shoulders. “You know if I could’ve taken you with me I would’ve.”

“No you wouldn’t have.” I was waiting for him to argue, to deny that fact. But he didn’t, and his haunting silence was enough of an answer. I scoffed, a hard, bitter noise. “You know I don’t blame you, no one would want to take a juvenile delinquent anywhere, especially somewhere like this place.”

“Ira-” “Save you’re fucking breath, Cass. You don’t have to pretend around me, you’ve never had to. Just play along with it for one night and I’ll be gone by the morning. Then I won’t have to be your liability to shoulder ever again.”

I didn’t wait around to see his response. Somewhere deep inside I was actually excited to see him. To meet the person my scrawny, gangly brother had turned into. Now he was… a man. Like a real man. I never thought I’d see him with long hair, but here we are. He was tall and muscular and had long hair. Shoulder length, but the longest I’ve ever seen it. It suited him. 

He looked healthy. He looked happy. For fucks sake he was engaged. Albeit to the most terrifying looking woman I’ve ever seen, but they looked like they somehow worked. I feel like Nesta and I would be great friends. Cause a lot of trouble together. Piss off Cass together

I found Dana and Arthur with glasses of wine around a large table, two other women that I hadn’t met yet. 

“Ahh, this is her,” Rhys stood up, putting his hands on my shoulders. “This is Ira, Cassian’s sister.”

“After all this time,” a pretty blonde woman spoke, looking at me from head to toe. “Who knew Cassian could keep you a secret.”

“You look just like him,” a girl who looked similarly to Feyre said, eyes wide. “I’m Elain. And that’s Morrigan.”

“Mor is fine, dear,” Mor smiled, coming over to me and Rhys. “Would you like to see the rest of the house?”

“Absolutely,” I grinned, linking her elbow with mine when she offered. I knew Cassian had walked into the room because of his massive feet against the floor. He said something, but I didn’t care because I was giggling with Mor as we rounded a corner to a set of stairs. 

“I know Elain said this already, but fuck you look like Cassian,” she laughed, opening a room and revealing a giant bed with a balcony on the other side of some french doors. 

“It gets really fucking annoying,” I rolled my eyes. “You don’t have something I could change into, do you?”

“Oh, of course. Let's go find you something. You were saying about Cassian?”

“Right, it’s a constant reminder of that prick every time I look in the mirror.”

“Uh oh, trouble in paradise?”

“Trouble in a goddamn nightmare,” I groaned, sitting on the corner of her bed while she rummaged through a closet. “I mean, it has been five years since I’ve seen the guy, and he still looks like the same idiot who used to pay me to do his laundry.”

“He what?” Mor gasped.

“Yeah. He threw one red sock in with the whites and vowed to neer do it again. So I, the natural entrepreneur, snagged up the opportunity to take his allowance. Five bucks a wash was a good deal considering he needed to have a load done twice a week. And god did it smell.”

“Well, in the five years since I’ve known him, it hasn’t gotten any better. And suddenly it makes a lot more sense when I see Rhys doing more laundry than anyone else. Interesting.”

I shook my head. I guess things haven't really changed. I’ve been saying that way too much in the past half hour we’ve been here. Could this go any slower? Like seriously, why couldn’t Dana and Arthur leave, then I would pretend to be good for a few hours until the sun goes down. I’ll make my way to the nearest bus stop and hitch-hike it all the way back. 

Mor came out and held up a gorgeous top; it was a powder blue color with a square neckline and long, puff sleeves. She tossed it my way and then ran back in there for something on the bottom. 

“What’s your style? Skirt? Jeans? Leggings?” Mor called, and by the muffled noise, I could tell her closet was huge. 

A dream. 

“I’ll take a skirt if you have one,” I said, rubbing the fabric between my fingers. “Leather maybe? Or just black.”

“You’ve got good taste,” she smirked, coming out and handing me a black leather skirt. “Exactly what I would’ve gone with. The bathroom is right through there, I’m gonna head back down stairs and just come down whenever you’re ready. Oh, and if you want to do your hair, everything is in the drawer in the vanity. The big one on the right.”

I looked at her with soft eyes. I’ve always wanted to have a sister to do all that girly shit with. To gossip and do makeup at three in the morning, giggling and laughing until we can’t breathe. 

But I can’t get too attached. She’s clearly just being nice, just being a good person. I know nothing about her, I can’t just trust her. 

So I nodded, heading off and closing the door behind me. Fuck. This was a big ass bathroom. A huge freestanding tub and an equally impressive shower. 

I shed my shirt and folded it up haphazardly, same with my jeans. The shirt she gave me made my boobs look fantastic. There wasn’t a ton there, but more than enough to fill out the shirt. The skirt was a bit of a different story. Clearly Mor had never been to a gym because there was no way my ass was fitting in that. 

Thankfully I had learned a trick from a friend. That friend was the internet. And that trick was a skill I had developed from stealing whatever clothes I could get my hands on. I had to make it work somehow. But I found a hair tie and looped it through the hole where the button was in the middle, hooking it around the button and back through. 

As good as it was going to get. 

My hair wasn’t awful, just a little greasy and wind blown from being outside. There was some dry shampoo and a comb. It would do the trick. 

Much like everyone has already pointed out, the hair that Cassian and I shared was a little unruly. It only curled through the ends and was wavy the rest of the way. And the baby hairs? Forget about it, I was better just cutting them off. 

I looked in the mirror. Well… it was certainly an outfit. I definitely had an appropriate amount of clothes on my body for a family dinner. The shirt only came up to my underboob and the skirt barely covered where my ass met my thighs. 

It did wonders for my self confidence. Guess it’ll have to do.

When I got back downstairs, there was a light chatter in the air. But it stopped the second I walked in the room. Especially when Dana saw what I was wearing. 

No one spoke as I sat down and poured some water from the pitcher into my glass. I made sure to make my sip as obnoxious and dramatic as possible. Man I was starving.  

Thankfully conversation between Rhys, Feyre, and Dana resumed and the silence wasn’t eating me alive. I took out my phone and scrolled through instagram, posting a picture of a lake I had taken on my up here. It was a semi nice drive, very peaceful, but very very far from the shit-hole I used to call home. 

“How do all of you know each other?” Arthur asked. 

“Well I met Cassian when we were in high school, as well as our other friend Azriel. We made a deal with each other that when we graduate, we would do everything in our power to become the most powerful business owners we could. As you can see, that little pact is working quite well.” “How long have you lived here?” Dana asked next, clearly eyeing up Rhys. 

“For about three years now?” Mor answered, Rhys nodded. “We kind of all found each other on the same paths and stuck together. We sort of own and share everything around here.”

“That is lovely,” Dana smiled. “And what do you do?”

“I own a casino and a neighboring hotel,” Rhys smiled. All the alarm bells were going off in my head. A big cartoon ‘cha-ching’ right there with it. He ran a casino? And a hotel? Oh boy this could be good. “Cassian runs the whole thing, and Azriel kind of has his own thing.”

“Who’s Azriel?” Arthur unfolded the napkin and laid it across his lap. 

“He is our other friend,” Cassian butted in, lips pressed in that line that I remembered. “He’ll be by later.”

“Great,” I rolled my eyes. “More people.”

“Will you please be polite for once in your life?” Dana whisper-yelled, clearly not being discrete enough since everyone looked at us. 

I just shut my mouth, grinding my teeth. It’s not worth it, it's not worth it, I told myself. A few moments later, a large tray with some type of bird on it came out. It was too big to be a chicken, but too small to be a turkey? Duck maybe? I don’t know, it didn’t matter. It was food. 

Everyone around me took their time while I ate like a heathen. Putting a little bit of everything on my plate and scarfing it down like someone was going to take it away from me. 

It was so funny to see the look of pure hatred and disgust on Cassian’s stupid face. 

I swear, pissing off a sibling, especially an older one, has got to be the most satisfying thing in the world. Except for maybe sex. That was a close second.

And whatever this food was was a close third. 

“So, Ira. What do you like to do?”

Here we go. 

“I kind of have many hobbies.” I could see Cassian’s eyes narrow from across the table. 

“Like?” Rhys stuck a green bean in his mouth.

“Uhh, f-fashion. And I’m very good at handling money. Other people's money. As well as picking locks and hotwiring cars-”

“She’s joking,” Cassian gave the fakest laugh– besides Dana’s– that I’ve ever heard. “We used to play cops and robbers when we were little, she always wanted to be the robber.”

“Did I?’”

“Yes,” he practically growled. “You did.”

This was crazy. This was actually crazy to be doing this right now. If I had any particular feeling about the things I did, guilty and ashamed were not some of them. Who gave a fuck if I stole from Walmart or faked being a waitress to make a few extra bucks? If anything they should be thanking me for the extra set of hands. Which they didn’t have to pay for. 

It wasn’t like I stole the Mona Lisa for fucks sake. 

“I guess I did.” 

“What was Cassian like growing up? I can only imagine some of the stories you have,” Nesta chimed in from next to Cassian.

“Oh my god one time, Cassian was making a peanut butter and jelly sandwich-”

“Do not-”

“And he thought that the peanut butter was in the fridge for some reason. Turns out he grabbed a bottle of dijon mustard and used that instead. He took one bite and threw up everywhere. It took Dana a week to get the smell out of the kitchen.”

Everyone grimaced, poking fun at Cassian for making a jelly-mustard sandwich. “I guess that explains the nausea every time I make one.”

“You still can’t stomach even the smell?” My eyes were a little wide. That had to have been from when we were still in elementary school.

“Nope,” Cassian’s tone was harsh, fork forceful as it went into his mouth. 

“Ira told me that you used to pay her to do your laundry because you fucked it up one time,” Mor snickered from her corner, Elain covering her lips with her hand to keep the water inside her mouth. 

“Seriously?” Cassian glared at me. 

“Hey, she asked. Those are trade sibling secrets, I wouldn’t dare give those away without something in return,” I gestured to my new outfit. Just and FYI, I would’ve told Mor regardless.

“Yes you would.” 

Yes, I absolutely would. “Lighten up,” here it comes, “Cassie.”

Cheers and laughs raised in the air, Rhys punching Cassian in the shoulder and saying the nickname over and over again. He gave me the nastiest look, but I just tipped my glass towards him. 

“What is everyone laughing about?” A new voice said from over my shoulder. When I turned to look… holy mother of Jesus fucking-

“Azriel,” Rhys, still in a fit of laughter. “Listen to this. Our beloved Cassie used to pay his sister to do his laundry. And I found out the reason he runs away whenever any of us set peanut butter on the counter.”

“Sister?” 

Okay, I was surely in heaven. Or hell, and he was some sort of demon prince because… someone help me. If I thought Rhys was attractive then… fuck he’s hot. Unnaturally hot. Otherworldly hot.

“Azriel, this is my sister. Ira,” Cassian gestured to me without looking. “This is Azriel.”

He was so hot. That was the only thing going through my mind. He was exactly my type. And he was fucking ripped. I could tell. I didn’t need to see under the shirt he was barely wearing. It was so tight in all the right places. Fuck he was pretty to look at. 

“Nice to meet you,” I tumbled out. 

Azriel gave a not-so-subtle look at me, but didn’t say anything as he moved to sit with us. Unfortunately he sat on the other side of Mor, who was to my left so I wouldn’t be able to look at him. That’s all I wanted to do was just drink him in and think about those massive fucking hands on my-

A sharp kick to my shin had me wincing. When I looked up, Cassian met my heated gaze. 

Don’t even think about it, he mouthed, sliding a thumb across his throat.

One raise of my eyebrow told him I was up for the challenge. I could see his jaw clench, and that only made me more enticed. Azriel was hot, and so was I. I’d make it happen one way or another. 

I couldn’t have told you what happened next, I was far too busy thinking about Azriel. Man he was… he was so fucking good looking. He had these lighter colored eyes, hazel I think. And a dark mess of hair. I’m sure he looked like a Greek god under those clothes of his, too. 

“And you’re engaged? That’s wonderful, Cassian. I am so happy for you,” Dana gushed while looking at Nesta’s ring. “Congratulations, you two. Do you have a date picked out?”

“No,” Nesta said sternly. “We are just going to wait things out. Until both of us feel ready.”

Cassian nodded, not offering up any words. 

“What would you guys like for dessert?” Rhys asked, listing off a few options. I stopped paying attention after chocolate cake because who would want to hear anything else?

“I’m afraid we better get on the road, it is a long drive back to our home. Thank you for dinner, it was delicious,” Arthur stood up from the table, shaking Rhys’s hand. “Cassian, a word, please?”

With a deep breath, Cassian stood up and followed the old man out of the room. 

“Okay, now that he’s gone, can we all agree that there is something wrong with him? I’ve never seen him so… so rigid in my life,” Mor blew out air from her lips, shaking her head. 

“I think I better uhh… better explain a little bit.” My heart sped up a bit. “Dana and Arthur are kind of fed up with me so they’re just gonna take off. And leave me here. But don’t worry, I’m just gonna find a bus stop in the morning and be gone before any of you wake up. No biggie.”

The room was silent except for my fork scratching on the plate. When I looked up, everyone was looking at me funny.

“Ira, what? They’re gonna leave you here?” “It is a long story. And they think I need a role model to get my life together. Why Cassian is that role model I’ll never understand because the last I knew of him he was just as irresponsible as I was.”

Rhys took a sip of wine, “How long has it been since you’ve seen each other?”

“Five-six years now I think? I don’t know, I stopped counting after eight months,” I shrugged. Truth is I haven’t stopped counting the days since he left. I took a big piece of this chocolate cake into my mouth. “Fuck, this is good.”

“What happened?”

“We are lightyears away from you being able to ask that,” I laughed. “No offense but, it’s none of your fucking business.”

Again, the room was silent, except for a small snort at the end of the table. It wasn’t Elain because she was so red she looked like she was gonna pass out. And the only other one was Azriel. 

“Hint taken,” Rhys pressed his lips in a flat line. “Well, you are Cassian’s family, so you are always welcome in our home.”

“Trust me, I don’t want to be here any more than you want me to be. I’ll figure it out, I always have. It’ll be like I was never here,” I took another forkful and shoved it in. Damn, I was gonna miss this cake. “So, Rhys, you own a casino and a hotel. What do the rest of you do?” 

“Well, Cassian runs the casino and hotel,” Rhys pointed out again. “Azriel owns and runs the adjacent club attached. We basically have our own empire here.”

“Sounds fun,” I smirked. He owned a club? Could he get any hotter? “What about you Mor.”

“I am the best fucking bartender this place has seen,” her grin matched my own. “And I model here and there.” “Badass.” “I have an art studio. I teach classes and do some workshops,” Feyre said. “But most of the time I am at home with our son Nyx. He is… he’s a handful. A spoiled handful.”

“Hey,” Mor said, “to be fair, he is the first kid in our group, what did you expect?”

“He’s barely two, he doesn’t need designer clothes that he won’t fit into after a few months anyway. It's a waste of money.”

“Feyre, darling, I don’t know if you’ve looked around, but we kind of have a lot of money. It could use some wasting,” Rhys patted her thigh under the table. 

I can only hope to have enough financial security to be able to say sentences like that. They could probably retire right now, all of them, and never make a dent in their fortune. Lucky bastards. 

“What is it that you do, Ira?” Azriel poked his head from around Mor. 

“Oh,” fuck fuck fuck fuck. What the hell was I supposed to say? Certainly the fact that I commit petty crimes won’t go over well. “I’ve had a lot of jobs. I don’t have a set career yet.”

“So hot-wiring cars is just a hobby then?” 

A stream of water shot out of Mor’s mouth and onto the table. How did he even hear that?

“It’s a skill. Don’t come crying to me when your battery dies and you don’t wanna pay a hundred and fifty dollars for Triple A to come and pick up your ass,” I deflected. Another skill I had built up over the years. 

“And the locks?” Wow, he was kind of an asshole with supersonic hearing. I could see why he and Cassian hung around together. 

“I was a locksmith,” I mustered up my best smile and scooted my chair so I was sitting at an angle.

“Ah, so it wasn’t just the ‘cops and robbers’ you and Cassie used to play growing up. Good to know,” Azriel wiped the corners of his mouth with his napkin. He stood up, saying something about having to leave because he had to open up. Just as he was walking by, I stuck my toe into the walkway and he tripped over me. 

Azriel all but went through the wall, Cassian coming around at the last second and catching his arm. 

“You alright?” He asked as Azriel straightened himself out. 

“Yup. Fine.” The glare he gave me sent a shiver down my spine and a smirk curled at my lips. Two can play that game, mother fucker. 

I, very gracefully, scratched the corner of my nose with my middle finger. He got the message. But so did Cassian.

“Your stuff is in the driveway. Go get it and meet me upstairs.” Cassian looked so pissed off. His shoulders were pinned to his ears again as he stalked away, that silence settling back in the room. 

“Guess that’s my cue to get a move on. Thank you everyone, a pleasure to meet you all,” I said with a genuine tone. They were all cool, and some part of me wishes I could have what they all have. Trust in one another. 

The three duffle bags and backpack were not light as I carried them up the stairs, trying not to knock over all the decorations and pictures on the wall. One of them didn’t survive. It crashed all the way down and shattered on the hardwood floor. Cassian cursed from somewhere. 

With a thud, I let go of all the bags in some random room at the end of the hall. It was barely big enough to call a hobbit hole. There wasn’t a window or a real bed, just some cot with a pillow and a blanket. “Glamourous.”

“It’s the best that I could do,” Cassian all but rolled his eyes. 

“A couch would’ve been better,” I plopped down on the taught fabric, bouncing a little. “Sorry about the frame.” “It’s fine,” he pinched the bridge of his nose. “Look, Ira I’m sorry about how I left you.” “Yeah well apologies don’t mean a fucking thing to me unless you fix it, Cassian,” I folded my arms over my chest. “And for the record, I would’ve understood if you would’ve just fucking told me what was going on. Instead, not only did you not tell me, you ghosted me.” “I know.” I just blinked up at him, waiting for an explanation. “Well?”

Nothing. Not even a strangled breath. “I just had to.”

“That’s the best you can do? Are you seriously still that fucking thick in the head?” “I didn’t have a choice, Ira,” he shouted. 

“Yes,” I nodded. “You absolutely had a choice. You could’ve at least left me a fucking note with a number on it so I could talk to you. You were all I had, Cass. All I fucking had and you just disappeared. What did you expect me to do?"

Cassian shrugged, shoving his hands in his pockets. “I-I don’t know. I thought you’d get yourself together and make it out too. Build your own empire, like the one we have here.”

“In case you forgot, I didn’t get to finish school like you did.”

“Well that’s not my fault.”

The fucking nerve. I stood up, barely coming to his chest, and smacked him across the face. His head jerked to the side, and his mouth fell open. I shoved him into the wall on the other side of the hallway and he fell into it. 

“You are a piece of fucking shit Cassian.”

“Ira-” “Did you really think that I would end up alright without you there? Could you really be that fucking stupid?”

“I didn’t think that-”

“Of course you didn’t. You never have. You’ve only ever thought about yourself and what would benefit you. You never gave a shit about me, I was just a burden you couldn’t get rid of.” “That’s not true,” he gritted his teeth. 

“Tell me that I am not a constant reminder of dad. Or mom. Tell me.” I waited for a response. When nothing came, I felt the nausea roll through my body. “You are one sorry son of a bitch Cassian.”

“Jesus Ira you think I wanted to abandon you?” “You haven’t given me one other reason to believe anything different,” I was screaming now. I didn’t care if anyone else heard. “The last memory I have of you is seeing you packing a fucking bag and climbing out your window, what else am I supposed to believe about you?”

A door clicked open, and Azriel emerged. He looked at us with raised eyebrows. He had changed into all black. Fuck him and his good looks and his perpetually messy hair that I wanted to tug on. 

“Everything alright?” 

No, you fucking prick. 

“Just re-kindling our sibling rivalry,” I gave a mocking look, staring down Azriel. “Mind your own damn business. This doesn’t concern you.”

“Ira,” Cassian said, somewhat appalled. 

“Just fuck off, Cassian,” I waved my hand at him. “Like I said, I’ll be gone in the morning and you don’t ever have to worry about making it up to me again because you won’t be able to. Hope you are happy living in your perfect little bubble with your perfectly little circle. Hope they’re all more important to you than I ever was.”

I slammed the door shut quicker than he could get a response out, leaning against it. I hadn’t ever realized that I was shaking.

Whatever. Fuck him too. I don’t need Cassian. I haven’t needed him for the past six years. God, had it really been that long?

There was no use in unpacking so I just piled the bags in the corner of the room. And there was also nothing to do besides lay down simply because there wasn’t enough room to do anything else. 

Maybe when everyone has gone to sleep, or home, I’ll go sneak around. Take something just to piss him off. Nothing too valuable, but something really inconvenient like all the salt and pepper shakers or all the spoons. Or one of the Corvettes in the driveway. 

I could easily pick out which one was his; the yellow one with the black stripes on the hood. He always loved to be bold. How he fit in there I’ll never know.

My mind was racing with thoughts, but eventually I had fallen asleep because the sun was peeking through the crack under my door. I stirred and sat up, tucking my boob back into the shirt since it slipped out. Not my proudest moment for sure. 

I changed into a hoodie and some other jeans, folding the shirt and skirt up to give back to Mor. It didn’t feel right to take them. She didn’t do anything wrong. 

With far more precision, I made it downstairs to the front door. It unlocked easily, thankfully no alarm system went off. The chill of the early morning greeted me and I slipped out silently. 

Fuck, this driveway was long. Couldn’t they be normal and have a normal fucking sized driveway? It was so unnecessary. 

And of course there was nothing at the end of it. Just the road and nothing else. Not another house or anything. Who knows how far it could be until a bus station. Hopefully this place wasn’t filled with a bunch of weirdos and I wouldn’t get kidnapped. 

The thought of carrying all these bags for miles would tear up my back and shoulders. I didn’t have that much but… I needed all of it. 

“Ira!”

I whirled around and saw a Cassian shaped silhouette coming down the driveway. Oh great. 

“Come to demand I pay for the broken frame?” “Stay.”

What? “What?”

Cassian breathed heavily, “Stay. I-I am so sorry for what I said. And you’re right, I don’t ever think of anyone other than myself. And I’m sorry I never told you where I was going. I want to fix it, but I can’t if you don’t at least let me try.”

I dropped the bags, totally not believing what I was hearing. “And what if I don’t give a flying fuck if you want to or not?”

Cassian completely deflated. “Please, Ira. I made a promise to Dana and Robert that I would look after you. I miss you. There hasn’t been a day that’s gone by where I don’t feel like a piece of shit for what I did."

So what if he made a promise to Dana and Arthur? He made a promise to me first. To always stick together. To always be there. He hung me out to dry before I even had a chance to notice. 

I fucking hated Cassian. More than anything right now I wanted to watch him be boiled alive. Could he really even help me anyway? What was the fucking point of any of this? I was already humiliated, and dragging innocent people into my bullshit surely didn’t help. 

Throw Cassian back into the mix and my kleptomaniac behaviors will definitely skyrockets. 

“Why should I?”

“Because what other option do you realistically have?” 

“That is not fair,” I flare my nostrils. “You have no right to waltz back into my life and pretend you give a shit about me.”

“You were the one who was dropped on my doorstep,” Cassian pointed out, making my stomach drop. 

“You know, you’re doing a shit job at showing that you legitimately want me to stay, asshole.” I was getting a little angry. Good things did not happen when I felt betrayed. “And for the record, I tried to talk them out of bringing me here, but they went around me and got a fucking court order. So, whether you want to believe it or not, it was not my choice to be here. I can’t even go back with Dana and Arthur because there will be a warrant out for my arrest.”

“Shit…” Cassian dragged a hand over his face. “Ira I’m-”

“Sorry. I know. But you lost the privilege of my forgiveness long ago. It is gonna take a hell of a lot more than ‘I’m sorry’ to fix what you’ve done to me.”

“I know, I know,” Cassian softened his eyes and his voice, standing tall in front of me. “Just… give me something. Anything, and I will never betray you ever again.”

Should I believe him? I have no fucking idea what to do. All my alarm bells are telling me to run and don’t look back, but that gaping pit in my stomach is melting into him and those stupid fucking puppy dog eyes of his. So unfair. 

This was gonna be a rough fucking time. Nothing about this was going to be easy, but… he was right. I didn’t have another option. And maybe there was something salvageable between Cassian and I. It would take a hell of a lot of convincing to be able to trust him ever again, but he was still Cassie. That same smug son of a bitch who gave the best hugs in the world. 

If he wanted me to stay, there were going to have to be some sacrifices on his end. Mostly just to piss him off and make him sulk. 

“I want a real fucking room.”

“Any one in the house.”

“I want yours.”

“Absolutely not,” Cassian furrowed his brow. “Plus, I don’t even live here anymore. Just Rhys, Feyre and Nyx. Nesta, Azriel and I live in the next town.”

“So what, you all just visit together and pretend to be a big happy family?” I scoffed, kicking a stone. 

“We don’t pretend, Ira,” he didn’t say it rudely, but more matter of fact-ly. And he looked at me like I had never known what a family was. I guess he forgot that when he left it kind of ruined me. Or again maybe he just didn’t care what it would do to me back then. 

Cassian looked sad. Not depressed or upset, just sad. 

“Your room or I’m gonna walk away right now.” There was no room for negotiating in my voice. I could see the conflict in his eyes, but with a sigh he gave in. 

“Fine, you can have my room here,” Cassian rolled his eyes dramatically. 

“Was that so hard?”

“Yes,” he nodded. “Actually it was. I spent weeks designing that room. All for it to go to fucking waste.” “Sucks to suck I guess,” I smirked, shouldering two of my bags. “I’m gonna work hard, you know. I’m tired of always being in the fucking mud.”

“Yes, you are going to work hard. You’re going to have to follow some rules and check in. And you’re gonna have a curfew.”

“A curfew? What am I, thirteen?”

“Until you can prove to me that you’re not gonna go and rob a bank, yes, you’ll have a curfew,” Cassian picked up my other bags and started walking back to the house. “We’re gonna find you a job because I will not be funding your operation.”

“What happened to ‘we have a lot of money. It could use some wasting’?”

“Rhys wasn’t wrong,” Cassian said. “But just because we have it doesn’t mean you get access to it.”

“Jeez, sorry I brought it up, grumpy pants,” my turn to roll my eyes. “And what kind of rules anyway?”

“We’ll talk about it later. Some of us like to get a full eight hours of sleep every day so I am going back to bed. You’re not allowed to leave the house until I say so, so find something to do.”

“Or someone,” I whispered to myself. But Cassian heard. “A joke.”

“Don’t think I didn’t notice you eye fucking Azriel,” Cassian practically gagged. “That is one of your rules. You are not allowed to be engaged with him in any type of way. The last thing he needs right now is you.”

“Right to the heart.”

“I mean it, he’s been through a lot the past year and a half. It took him a long time to get to where he is and I won’t let you ruin it for him,” Cassian said possessively. “He, along with everyone else, is my family. Fuck with them and you’re dealing with me.” “News flash, buddy, so am I. We share the same DNA, and hair and eyes according to everyone else on the fucking planet,” I genuinely could not see it. 

“Ira, I’m serious. If you fuck around with Azriel and I find out I sweat to-”

“Jesus, calm down Vengeance. Gotham is safe from the Joker,” I followed him inside, clicking the door shut behind me. “I won’t get involved with Azriel.”

“Good.”

Life is too short to not fuck who you want, who gives a shit about what other people think. Sorry Cassian, but I am gonna fucking break that promise if it’s the last thing I do. And so help me god when I do get my hands on him because I’ll never let go.

#acotar fanfic #acotar fanfiction #azriel #acotar fandom #acotar #azriel shadowsinger #azriel acotar #azriel x ofc #azriel x oc #a court of thorns and roses #acosf #cassian acotar #acomaf #acowar #acotar fic

[birdiewriteslit]

wildest dreams au

luke hughes x abigail abernathy

masterlist

sorry in advance for asshole luke it’s for plot purposes

Abigail woke up the next morning with a pit in her stomach, knowing the conversation that was an ahead of her. Reluctantly, she pulled back the covers on the bed and went into the kitchen for some breakfast. Although, the butterflies swarming in her belly didn’t give her much of an appetite.

Luke was at the island, eating a bowl of cereal. He glanced up at Abigail quickly before looking back down. “Morning,” he mumbled.

Abigail felt shifted on her feet uncomfortably. “Where’s Jack?” she asked.

“Out. Errands,” Luke said shortly. He stood from the stool and placed his empty bowl in the sink, not even looking at Abigail as he made his way back to his room.

She put a hand on his arm, stopping him. “Luke, stop. We need to talk.”

He barely looked over his shoulder. “You want to talk now?” he scoffed.

She took a deep breath to gain some courage. “We need to talk about New Year’s.”

Luke turned to fully face her, and she dropped his arm. “It’s been a week,” he said quietly.

“Yeah, about time, right?” Abigail smiled a little, hoping to lighten the mood.

Luke rolled his eyes. “I thought you didn’t care about that. It was a one time thing. Look, I don’t care if you hook up with Rudy, just don’t rub it in my face.”

Her eyebrows drew together, surprised by his attitude. “You’re being an asshole, Luke. I’m not fucking Rudy. We’re friends. Our relationship is professional.”

Luke gave a bitter laugh. “You went out in public with him and you got yourself seen. Real fucking professional, Abigail. Don’t act like you didn’t know what was going to happen.”

Abigail’s face felt hot. “Are you seriously upset about rumors on Twitter? Has it ever occurred to you that maybe I don’t want to date every guy I hang out around?”

Luke’s jaw tightened as his eyes flickered to the ceiling, as if he might regret what he was going to say. “Believe it or not, it actually has.”

Abigail’s face relaxed in realization. “Is that supposed to mean something?” she whispered.

“No, just like that kiss meant nothing to you.” Luke said harshly, turning on his heel and slamming the door to his bedroom.

Abigail pulled at her hair in frustration, hitting her fist against the wall. “I’m trying to fucking talk to you about it! Stop being a dick and listen to me!” she yelled.

“Go home, Abigail!” Luke shouted through the wall. “Go the fuck home.”

Abigail wiped desperately at the tears fighting to escape her eyes. Jesus Christ, she didn’t fucking get it. Luke had never yelled at her like that.

She didn’t know why he wouldn’t listen to her, and she didn’t understand why he wouldn’t believe that kissing him meant something to her. God, it meant everything.

Abigail wasn’t stupid. Luke had always been jealous to some degree, never like this, but always protective of Abigail and aware of who she hung around with. She knew what his jealousy of Rudy meant, and that’s why she knew he felt exactly the same way she did when they kissed.

She also figured him punching her favorite hockey player in the face had something to do with it.

The lock clicked and Jack walked through the door with grocery bags in hand. He spotted Abigail and immediately frowned when he noticed the tears falling down her face.

“What happened?” He put the bags on the counter and rushed over to where she stood.

“I’m going back to Boston. Let me know when your brother stops being such an asshole,” she said, brushing past Jack to head to her room and pack her things.

glamorousgail🔒

Liked by jackhughes and 26 others

glamorousgail home sweet home

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jackhughes ANSWER YOUR TEXTS NOW

_quinnhughes why tf did you leave jersey early

_quinnhughes 🤨🤨

rudeth i don’t miss the snow

jamie.drysdale philly’s better

glamorousgail @/jamie.drysdale me when i lie

January 7, 2024

—

missed call from quinn 2:45 pm

missed call from jack 3:23 pm

missed call from jack 5:36 pm

missed call from jack 6:15 pm

messages 6:18 pm

jack: abigail answer the phone

jack: what did luke do??

jack: he won’t talk to me either

jack: seriously abby

jack: ABIGAIL

—

Abigail left Jack on read and set her phone down beside her on the bed. She pressed her palms into her eyes. All day she’d been thinking about Luke.

She thought about calling him, picked up the phone, stared at his contact, and put the phone down again.

“Fuck it,” she muttered, grabbing the phone again and dialing Luke’s number. It rung until it went to voicemail. She sighed.

After the tone, she said, “Luke, I know you’re not busy right now. Please call me back. I get that you’re upset, but, for the record, it did mean a lot to me. You know that it’s hard for me to say, but I do love you. Talk to me, Moose.”

Abigail ended the voicemail and put her phone face down on the nightstand. She turned over in her bed, deciding that an early bedtime was better than dealing with her issues.

—

MWAHAHAHA HOW DO YOU LIKE ANGST

#birdiewriteslit #birdiewritesfics #birdie’s aus #birdie’s edits #wildest dreams au #luke hughes x abigail abernathy #abigail abernathy #luke hughes x oc #luke hughes fic #luke hughes #nhl fic #nhl #nj devils #media edit #smau #jack hughes #quinn hughes

[zoeykallus]

Hey there! I was wondering if you could write about a female reader, traveling with the batch. She suffers from anxiety and depression, coming in phases. There are good and bad days, but she manages to keep it to herself, until she has a really terrible one. And she has feelings for Tech and the other way around, but they haven't addressed it yet, and he is the one realizing something is off with her, trying to comfort her. Some Angst/Fluff stuff... Please? ❤

Hm, this one hits home. Ouch. Sure I can, I actually love the opportunity to comfort myself while writing, especially with Tech 😋😅

Let me see what I can do for us you 😊

Tech x Fem!Reader - The Lowest Low

Warnings: Angst/Mention Of Anxiety/Mention And Description Of Depression Symptoms/Panic Attack/Comfort/Fluff/Soft, Shy, Gentle Tech

____________

Until now, you have always been able to hide it, but suddenly the deepest low in a long time hits you, and you can't hide it anymore. Tech tries to understand what's going on with you.

_____________

So far you have always been able to prevent it, to hide it, even from Hunter. You always withdrew in time when the bad episodes came, you have learned to act by now, to pretend that everything is wonderful, while inside you feel panic, fear, and a deep inexplicable, lonely sadness.

But this one episode is particularly horrible. You blew the last job, a panic attack overtook you, threw you off track, and forced you to retreat. Much to the surprise of the guys, who looked after you in complete bewilderment as you simply cleared the field. This time, none of your breathing exercises or mental retreats helped.

Your back is tense, your muscles tight as if expecting to take a punch at any moment. Your fingers stiffen, a feeling of pressure on your chest, one uncomfortable goose bump after another chases across your body.

A lump forms in your throat and a slaying wave of sadness washes over you. This helpless feeling is awful, you feel guilty of just ditching the guys, on such a simple mission. Nothing special happened, not that you can remember, no specific trigger.

You feel burning pressure behind the bridge of your nose and eyes, tears held back. Your cramped fingers cling to the collar of your shirt as if expecting to be strangled by the fabric at any moment.

The air you breathe is like lead, heavy on your body and hard to get into your lungs. You feel dizzy. An all-encompassing fear has you in its grip, the feeling of being helplessly exposed to everything around you is overpowering. You want to scream, but it seems there isn't even enough air to breath.

You are trembling, your breathing is irregular and heavy. You have retreated to a quiet corner, somewhere behind the landing pad of the Marauder. You are so preoccupied with your condition that you don't hear someone approaching.

Startled, you look up, your heart almost stopping as you hear Tech say your name.

He's standing there, for the first time in a long time not holding the datapad, his helmet tucked under his right arm.

"Sorry, I didn't mean to startle you. Are you not feeling well? You're pale and look tense, almost panicked."

You feel a single tear run down your face, then a second, but your expression is strangely blank, you feel it yourself.

Tech is looking at you, obviously trying to understand what's going on with you, to make sense of your behavior.

You never wanted anyone to see you like this, especially not Tech. But you sense that the cat is out of the bag, and any white lie would only make him feel like you don't trust him.

"No, Tech," you say softly, "I'm not feeling well."

He blinks, standing there indecisively for a moment. He glances over his shoulder as if to make sure the two of you are really alone. Finally, he looks at you again and asks, "May I come closer?"

You manage to smile at him and nod.

"Of course, I always like having you near me".

A small smile twitches at the corners of his mouth, then he moves closer and sits next to you with some courtesy distance, his long legs bent. Tech sets his helmet down on the ground beside him and looks at you.

"Is there anything I can do to help?"

You sigh softly and say, "I don't see how. That's something I don't want to burden you with."

He frowns thoughtfully and says, "It's not a burden. All I see is a person I care about suffering, and I want to counteract that. You said you like having me around, the feeling is mutual. Maybe I can help you in some way with my presence?"

You smile, feeling touched by how cautiously Tech approaches the matter, although he usually wants to go straight to the point.

You swallow nervously, smile cautiously, and ask him, "Would you mind holding my hand?"

Tech blinks in surprise, he seems a little shy, but he moves a little closer and gently grips your hand with his, closing your fingers with gentle pressure.

He thinks for a while, then says thoughtfully, "You need contact, with something or someone that will give you security, peace, safety, an anchor that will ground you, so you can get out of this slump you seem to be in."

You nod and breathe a sigh of relief, the pressure on your chest slowly easing. You block out the irrationally felt fear, feeling less exposed.

"That's why I asked you to hold my hand," you say softly.

Tech tightens his shoulders, sits up a little straighter and smiles, a very gentle, shy, but sincere smile.

"I'm honored," he says, squeezing your hand a tiny bit tighter to emphasize his presence at your side.

You slowly take a few deeper breaths, a few more tears running down your cheeks.

"Isn't it getting better?" he asks, concerned.

Your smile widens a bit, though tears are still streaming down your face.

"Oh yes it is, that's the relief, Tech. That… Tension I've been feeling has been exceedingly intense, all consuming. When it subsides, it's so relieving that I cry sometimes."

He blinks, thinking about what you said, trying to understand.

"It must be scary to feel that intensely," he says thoughtfully.

You nod in agreement.

"Yes, very much so. But there are sometimes very special bright spots that I would never want to miss"

Surprised, he looks at you.

"Such as?"

You feel warmth rise in your tear-stained cheeks as you say, "What I feel for you is intense, too. The joy of your presence or your attention. The peace and security you radiate to me. The incredible affection I feel when I see you smile."

Tech blinks several times in a row, as if he needs to reload his system. His ears turn red, and he looks shyly away to the side.

"Oh," he says softly.

You swallow, afraid you might scare him off, but he's still gently holding your hand, making no move to let you go.

You clear your throat carefully, wanting to say something else, but not daring to. After a while of quiet, Tech breaks the silence that has developed.

"You like me," he says softly, almost in a whisper, like a statement he can't quite grasp yet.

"Yes, indeed."

His eyes dart briefly in your direction with a quick smirk, then he glances shyly at his shoes again.

"Do you like me, too?" you ask softly.

His ears seem to get even redder.

"You could certainly put it that way, yes," he says with a nervous clearing of his throat.

His comm beeps and Hunter's voice is heard, "How's it looking? Is our girl okay?"

Tech glances at you briefly before answering, "She's doing better, but it's recommended to give her some more quiet time."

Hunter says understandingly, "Okay, take your time".

You realize that Hunter, of all of them, probably noticed the most when your low overtook you.

Tech barely noticeably moves a little closer, his thumb stroking your hand that he is still holding.

"Would you do me a favor?" he asks seriously.

"Of course."

He looks directly at you and says, "If you feel like this again, give me a sign, come to me. If it helps you, I always like to hold your hand. Maybe, long hugs will help too?"

Your heart really jumps out to him as you see the gentle expression on his face.

"I'd love to, Tech."

After a brief pause, he asks, "How are you feeling now?"

"Much better."

He raises his brows and asks, "Are you sure? Maybe we should try a hug just to test if it works"

You smile, having to suppress a grin.

"Now that you mention it, maybe we really should."

He moves closer, letting go of your hand. A bit over-cautious and awkward, he puts first one then the other arm around you. But as you lean against him, his embrace naturally adjusts to your posture.

"That's good," he says, "I mean, that should certainly help."

You grin contentedly to yourself, all at once very happy, at least for the moment.

"That's really very good, Tech"

Ko-Fi (If you feel like giving me some coffee)

@rintheemolion

@andyoufollowyourheart @clone-whore-99

@brynhildrmimi @kaliel2310

@misogirl828 @tech-deck

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@hunterssecretrecipe

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@hated-by-me

@hunterxcrosshair

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@echos-girlfriend

@cpnt616

@dangraccoon

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@pb-jellybeans

@antishadow2021

@starwarsnerd111

#star wars #the bad batch #tbb #clone force 99 #sw tbb #tech #tbb tech #bad batch tech #clone trooper tech #tbb tech x reader #tech bad batch #tech tbb #depression #anxiety #angst #clone trooper tech x reader #tech tuesday #tech x you #tech x reader #tech the bad batch #the bad batch tech

[romanoffsbish]

Fall With Me…

Florence Pugh x Fem!Reader

18+ | Minors DNI!!

Warnings: Feelings of hopelessness, lack of appetite, ‘depression room’, rough break up, alluded to dysfunctional family. Insecurities.

Hurt/Comfort 🥺❤️

Smut: SOFT!!!, Flo tops 🥵, Marking, Oral(R), Fingering(R/F), Specialty Vibe/Dildo (R). Heavy Praise. Thigh fixation if you squint. Squirting 💦.

A heavy sigh falls from your lips as you punch in your employee badge number, your head falling against the corresponding wall while you search for the energy to take yourself to the car for the insufferable drive home. This week, or better yet this year has been nothing short of treacherous, everything you once knew turned out to be a lie, and now everyday is a chore.

——I hate the readmore bs——

——I hate the readmore bs——

All you ever wanted was to be loved, and for the longest time you thought you were, but it turned out you were just an entity she was using to pass the time until something far more worthy of her love came along, and that hurt. To know you weren't ever going to be enough for the girl you were willing to move mountains for didn't really leave you in a great headspace. Add onto that the shitty nine to five, a family that's only purpose is to wreak chaos over your life, and best friends who are constantly out of town doing big dream things, and it's like the misery finds its home perfectly in your heart.

As they say, misery loves company, so here you are in the snack section of the local superstore, but the longer you stare at the selection of food the idea of eating starts to feel like a turn off.  So you instead make your way over to the adult toy section in search of a turn on, finding a new device to hopefully bring meaning into your life once again, it even has little beads that rotate—the first exciting thing to enter your life in ages honestly, and if you were to let yourself think about that for too long it's a bit pathetic.

You settled your bags into the passenger seat of your junky car, a few miscellaneous candy bars that caught your eyes at the checkout floating around the bags will have to suffice for dinner tonight, then you drove off with thoughts of hijacking your cats peace with stories of your day, and forced cuddles... It's no wonder the poor little tabby has been staring longingly at the front door when you leave every morning.

—

Florence was across the world filming for Marvel when she got the good news that you were finally single again, she absolutely hated Lacy with her entire being, and was happy to see her go. Still, even though she hated her, she loved you too much to be that excited, and she did her very best over the past year to reach out to you from the unfavorable miles away, but it was never enough for her, or for you either. 

Deep down the Brit knew you weren't doing well—she always did have a knack for that; your replies were far too short, the daily photos you used to send her of your good day stopped, then when your mutual friends recently told her they hadn't seen you in actual months she knew it was bad. She's used to your depressive patterns, having been around all this time, but that's just it, normally she'd be there for you, and it shatters her soul to know she wasn't.

Then last week she saw you'd actually shown up to Hailee's party via posted photos on Insta, and she cursed her agent for double booking her because when she saw your smile she knew it was simply masking a world of hurt. It was only confirmed when Hailee called her later with her own list of observed concerns, and she knew it was imperative that she fly back to you.

When she had entered your apartment this morning after watching you drive off she gasped, and shot her leg out to stop Toby from making his great escape., "You little bugger.," she'd muttered as she scooped the feline up., "I'm aware these aren't exactly ideal living situations, but let's not pretend you don't live a lavish life.," she continues while motioning to the actual palace structure you've set up for him in the corner of your apartment.

The space you've been occupying held none of your usual luster, it was instead tainted by what could only be described as absolute filth. Inches of dust covered every surface, and Flo just knew you couldn't be faring well with those pesky allergies of yours. Clothing was strewn about the front room as if you never even made it passed the couch, and it seemed to be the case too as there was a person sized indent in the cushions. The messes didn't stop there either, they were all over the place, it was a stark contrast to your usual put togetherness.

It took her three hours to deep clean the entire space, but once it was inhabitable she began to brainstorm., "Oh Tobes, what am I to do with the place, hm?," the cat snuggled into her chest, purring like crazy., "You're right little guy, just give me a few minutes to rest.," and within the minute she was out, dreaming of your beautiful, smiling face coming home.

After a well deserved afternoon nap Florence set out on the city to pull together a miracle. It was Fall, the both of yours favorite season, so when she arrived to the supermarket to see it decked out in displays full of reds and oranges she was excitedly filling her cart to the brim. Candles that smell of cinnamon and apples to set the mood, various gourds and faux leaves, and even some of those silly "Fall" plaques. Meticulously selected ingredients for a stew were added to the cart as well, as she has now seen your kitchen full of only fruits, and candy. Still, she also added the ingredients for an apple pie to the mix, a pint of vanilla ice cream to accompany it, oh, and a whole lot of booze.

Tonight will be a night for the taking!

—

When you tiredly settled the key into your knob you immediately froze, beneath your feet there was a "Welcome Home, Pumpkin." mat, and a sweet medley of music was faintly audible just beyond the closed door. After triple checking this was indeed your building your mind knew exactly what to expect behind the door.

Florence is here...

A few tears fell down your face, shame fueled your body for all of one minute before apathy took over; she'd seen this before, most likely expected it, and you knew she'd never judge. More tears fell though when you realized just how dearly you'd missed your friend from across the pond. It had been exactly three hundred and eighty nine days since you last saw her, but who's counting, certainly not you.

When you finally went to turn the knob the door flew open, so hard actually you don't know how it didn't fly off the hinges, or why Florence was cast as Yelena and not She-Hulk. The short haired blonde pulled your now sobbing form right on into the apartment, and then right into her embrace, you wrapped your arms around her waist, settled your head to her shoulder and sighed in relief at the contact.

"Flo...," she shushed you, not all that interested in talking, all she wanted was to hold you close. "I missed you.," you slur, your cheek having been pressed to her chest a bit too tightly., "God, missed is such an understatement.," she admits, and tightens her arms hold on you, you melt even further into the offered comfort.

Against her hearts pull Flo pulls back from you, "Okay, now you're going to take a shower, then meet me back in the living room for dinner and an array of Halloween themed movies!" She cheerily instructs, her hands now on your shoulders as she lightly shakes you to get you pumped up., "Okay, damn, had no clue I smelled that bad.," you teased before running off to freshen up, and her belly laughter from behind made you genuinely beam.

Of course your bedroom was in pristine condition when you entered, you choked back further sobs at the sight of the care basket. "Sweater Weather" was the themed fragrance of all the new bath products, and Flo certainly had good taste because the smell was divine. Memories of the both of you picking apples, and frolicking through forests leaves you feeling incredibly warm as the fragrance seeped into your pores, her choice making even more sense now that it clouded the bathroom.

—

When you arrived in the living room in just a tank, and sleep shorts with dripping hair Flo literally choked on her wine, turning her head away in the hopes that you didn't catch it, but to her misfortune you surely did., "What?," Truth be told she was incredibly distracted by your glimmering thighs, and pert nipples, but in an attempt not to make you uncomfortable she manages another thought., "Did your mother never teach you how to dry your hair?,"

"Nah, she was a bit busy being a menace.," you jest while plopping down beside her, giggling maniacally when she gasps, droplets of water from your hair having splattered onto her, and if only to add insult to injury you stole the wine right from her hand., "Yeah, I'm starting to see the resemblance.," she lightly jokes, and your knowing smirk over the glass has her rolling her eyes and leaving the room.

Though you'd protested, Florence refused to start Practical Magic until your hair was dry, fearful that the chill seeping through the walls would make you sick if she didn't do it for you. So now your head was being haphazardly thrashed around as the blonde handled you. Florence chuckled when you still tried to drink, but the shaking only spilled the wine on your legs., "Y/N, the wine's going nowhere, calm yourself.," you huffed, slumping into the couch when she relinquished her hold on you, and Flo found your little pout beyond adorable as your—her—empty glass was promptly lifted up in a silent plea for more.

She topped you off, filled her own up, then she passed you over a bowl of soup, watching you dip your spoon in without any hesitation made her feel rather accomplished., "Mmm, Flo.," she turned towards the TV to hide her blushing cheeks, cursing the world for how easily she finds herself affected by your innocent moans. With every passing minute your body slowly moved closer to hers; empty bowls on the coffee table, and your head in her lap, she ran her hand through your hair mindlessly while splitting her attention between your face and the movie she couldn't really keep up with.

Especially not when she felt your tears rolling down her knee as the movie came to an end, it seemed to be a happy one, but your pained expression made her think she might've missed something., "Hey, what's wrong baby girl?," you abruptly moved about until your arms were around her shoulders, and your face was pressed to her chest as the tears failed to dry., "I-I, I'm so tired of being alone Flossie, am I really that unlovable?," her heart instantly shattered at your pained words, the same one that secretly belonged to you, then thoughts of ringing Lacy's neck flooded her troubled mind.

"Y/N, hey, look at me please!," she lifted her hand up to cup the left side of your face, her thumb tenderly ushered away the tears that threatened to stain your cheeks, and even in your most vulnerable state she thought you looked stunning., "You are not unlovable!!," she softly smiled down at your skeptical face., "In fact, I happen to know many people who love you.," you shook your head in disbelief., "Well, Hail's loves you, and goodness me my family loves you more than me.," your muffled giggles made her heart swell., "Billie girl is obsessed, and I have to tell you—so am I."

Something in her glistening green eyes told you there was a bit more to her words than that of a friendly means., "Fuck anyone whoever made you think otherwise. You're perfect, anyone would be more than lucky to have you Y/N.," You knew how pathetic you probably looked, but fuck, you wanted that anyone to be her. "Help me forget.," the slight buzz encouraged you to push for her., "Please Flo.," if only for tonight you were hoping to feel what it was like to be truly loved., "I need you so bad."

Every ounce of her self control went right out the window when you expressed your need to her with not only words but those pleading eyes. Her lips briefly trembled before she gently pressed them to yours as she tested the waters out, the momentum picking right up when you parted your lips for her without any prompting. Every dream she'd ever had of this moment could never compare to the real thing, your lips fit perfectly to hers—like two pieces of a corresponding locket, they might be forced to be apart from time to time, but it's undeniable that they belong together.

When her tongue slipped over yours, there was a collective set of moans, you tasted just how she expected—sweet as can be, but with the wine from before there was a bitter overlap that really just enhanced your natural essence. Hands freely roamed over your incredibly thin cami, thumbs harshly digging into your hips when you began to grind down against her. She's not sure when it happened but you were now straddling her lap, not that she was complaining when her strong arms hoisted you up, her lips never once parting from yours as she expertly made her way to your room with you, gently laying you down on the mattress, and only then did your bodies lose contact. Paying your whimpers no mind she takes in a shaky breath., "Y/N, baby, are you sure?," her eyes were near black so you knew it was taking everything in her to stop to ensure you were in.

"Flo, I've never been more sure in my entire life. Please, show me what love really is.," clothing was immediately discarded, Flo taking in a sharp breath when met with your body in all of its naked glory, her eyes took their sweet ass time drinking you in too. No inch of your skin was spared, starting at your shoulders she slowly trailed her eyes down over the swell of your breasts, to the skin of your stomach that looked like the prime canvas for her markings. Once she lands on your thighs she's a goner, perfectly plush and absolutely glistening with your arousal, and she doesn't care to hold back anymore as she climbs to hover over you.

"You're a masterpiece baby.," she genuinely relays before her lips press to yours gently, and her fingers delicately trace down your sides until her hands settle over your hips firmly., "I've been waiting so long to have you, promise to be gentle baby, going to love you so well.," she whispers as her lips ghost over yours, the tender look in her eyes has you near to crying her sudden revelation leaves your mind dizzy, and her lips on your neck has you whimpering.

Flo travels down your body, her lips sparing no expanse of skin, taking extra care to mark up your breasts, her thumbs flicking over your sensitive nipples that were desperate for the touch, but her mouth pays them no mind on its hasty journey towards your lower region. Tasting you being one of her wildest dreams come true, and the hint of your essence on your delectable thighs has her bordering feral as her hands move from your hips to grip at the soft, pliable flesh to keep yours perfectly spread.

She breathes you in; long, deep breaths to aide her in smelling your delicious essence, the release of the hot breathe against your folds has you squirming impatiently, and though she'd love nothing more than to tease you, to make you beg for it, that's not tonights goal., "Sweetest, I love you so...," she groans, eyes on your hooded set but you're not entirely sure she isn't talking directly to your exposed cunt.

Then she dives in, her tongue working you over embarrassingly fast, within only a minute you are already teetering over the edge, all of her previous building you up clearly paying off. Many times you'd tried to close your legs, the pleasure she's provided you almost too much, but you were no match for her strong hold. Florence was in absolute heaven; the way you tasted a true blessing, your moans that never stopped leaving her in a state herself, and how strongly your walls tried to hold to her tongue.

Her thumb pressing into, and rubbing tight circles against your clit was what sent you over, walls fluttered around her wet muscle like crazy, and she went absolutely insane when your arousal coated her tongue in abundance., “You taste heavenly baby.,” she panted in between lapping at your folds, the way she hummed in satisfaction against you sent a new wave of arousal straight to your core.

The blonde smirked against your thigh when she witnessed you clench around nothing, two of her fingers slipped into you to remedy the situation, and you moaned at the unexpected but absolutely welcome intrusion. Her lips traveled back up your body, leaving behind new marks over the skin that was previously spared on her journey back up to your lips as if they’d been magnetized to hers.

She kisses you with passion as her fingers are relentless with their movements to bring you over, she’s gentle with you while also making sure to give your greedy cunt the pounding it needs, the woman is a skilled love maker, and your inability to keep up with her kiss is proof of that. Your head lolled to the side, cheek to the mattress while you did your best to pull in any air you could, the pressure within your abdomen was blinding, but that mattered little to Florence., “No pretty girl, look at me...," she hotly whispers as she guides your face back to hers, eyes fluttering open to see the intense way hers observe your face all the while her fingers are working you over the edge of bliss; it's almost all too much for you to bare.

"I want to see you coming undone baby.," and just like that with a precise curve of her fingers against your innermost sensitive spots you're thrown into a far more exhausting orgasm than the one prior, your body shakes with pleasure as you're cumming unbelievably hard, your arousal spreading out all over her palm and coating her slender fingers., "Fuck, such a perfect girl for me, my perfect, sweet girl."

Too lost in the moment you don't hear the way she seeks to claim you, not that you'd protest when she has the power to make you feel so many things you'd never known possible. Watching the way she slips your digits into her mouth to clean off your sticky arousal, with eyes that never for a second leave yours, you feel like all the air around you'd been removed. You swear you could come again right there without her even having to make another move to touch you, but that's not something you have to ponder long as she leaves you alone in bed.

"Oh baby girl, shh, I'm right here.," she calls out as she hears you sniffle, the fear of being left in such a vulnerable place lent you to cry at the sudden loss of her body heat, but her words then following smiling face settled you just as fast., "Not to be a snoop, but I saw what you brought home from the store honey, and I thought we could try it out on you together."

The toy slips beyond your entrance with no resistance, your previous orgasms remnants more than enough to help it pass through. Florence gives you a moment to get used to feeling full before she's pulling out and softly slamming it back into you, your back arching off the bed at the teasing sensation of the raised, beaded tip rubbing against your walls. Flo smirked when she saw you with your mouth agape, the way your body reacted to the simplest of sensations honestly amused her.

"Doing so good for me pretty girl.," she coo'd, chuckling when your walls clenched so tightly around the toy at the praise. She turned the toy on, and your eyes slammed shut as the balls in the tip began to pulsate and spin around, the constant vibrations leaving you an absolute mess, and fuck you looked absolutely perfect. Chest heaving as breathing was becoming hard, all your moans coming out strangled, your hands were balled up into fists around the mussed up sheets, and your legs were shaking., "You're so beautiful baby, I really meant it when I said you're a masterpiece, belong in the Louvre honey—you're certainly my muse."

Florence stared at you wide eyed, your body thrashing about uncontrollably as what she deemed to be your final high of the night washed over you, the evidence spraying across her forearm, your thighs and the sheets below., “Shit, that was so incredibly hot baby girl.,” she groaned, the sight of you so blissed out and squirting had her drenching her own panties and clenching her thighs together for relief.

Your body didn’t stop quivering though, so she shook herself free from her own needy state to lay atop of your body, using her weight to ground you in place, and laying her head over your rapidly beating heart. The thumping was calming for her, regardless of how irregular it was it brought her to a state of total serenity. Her mind no longer clouded with lust was now wondering what this whole ordeal meant.

To her this was absolutely everything—you are everything, but she wondered if this was just a means to forget for you like you’d said.

Did she really allow you to use her for something like that when she knew her feelings for you were beyond and then some?

When your heart had returned to normal, your chest no longer heaving uncontrollably beneath her head, she knew it was now or never for her. Either she told you how she felt, and you turn her down, or she tells you and it all works out., "Come home with me.," she desperately pleads as she hovers above you, her eyes brimming with tears effectively breaking your resolve., "Flo…," she shakes her head., "No, don't say it." Her swift dismissal had shocked you, the fear in her tone doubling that uneasy feeling, and you could tell she had so much more left to say, so you shut right up.

"I've watched you give everything to a world of people who never deserved you.," a shaky breath fanned across your skin as she briefly paused, but then her eyes were peering into yours with the intensity of a thousand suns., "I just wish to be the one you'd give it all to Y/N, because I know without a shadow of a doubt that I'd give you all of me if you'd accept that.,” the way her voice shook physically pained you.

"I've loved you through every phase of my life, and this moment we have shared, it'll never be enough for me Y/N, I want all of you always.," The way Flo stared at you had the power to make you feel like you always belonged, even when so many others told you much to the contrary. Whether you were in a room full of your mutual peers, or her big leagued actor friends all she ever saw was you, and she never really understood how you didn't see that. It was far from a secret; the entire friend group always joked that you two would be perfect together in the hopes that you'd finally see her, but you always giggled away what you believed to be an unobtainable dream.

There was no plausible way Flo wanted you...

Up until now you just didn't get it, you had Lacy in your ear with her lies of forever, and you curse yourself for that very thing. So many years spent with someone giving you the bare minimum when you had someone who was ready to give you it all with no questions asked. While you reached your epiphany, Florence herself was on the verge of a breakdown when you remained stoically silent; your eyes full of unreadable emotions staring into hers full of pure love made her feel uneasy, and even far more exposed than her currently bare form.

"I-I'm going to go, I have an early flight to catch.," she rambles off, her hand quick to wipe the tears away before she shimmies down the bed and off your body. It takes a minute for you to register what she'd said, and just before she could reach the door you were blocking her., "Flo, my sweetest girl.," you coo'd while lifting her face by her chin, then shifting to cup her cheeks., "Please don't need to go...," you settled soft kisses to the tears tracks that covered her cheeks., "Not without me that is.," you flash her the sweetest smile, and she feels a warmth blossoming through her body.

There was a hesitation in her features, like she couldn't believe that you were being serious, and that alone amplified the guilt in your heart., "I mean, we could just stay in my bed too, because my home is wherever you are.," Her deep throaty laughter settled you, the same way it always had, and you admired the way her puffy eyes crinkled, a true show of how quickly you'd been able to turn her mood., "Really, it's a comfy bed, lots of blankets...,"

"An abundance of pillows, you sure I'll fit?," you chuckled at her teasing commentary, "Yeah, I'll always make the room for you.," Florence buried her face into the crook of your neck as she let your words truly sink in, the deeper meaning far from lost on her., "You've always been my home Y/N/N, I've loved you in secret for years, and I never want to again."

"I'm sorry I never believed it, seemed crazy to think you'd ever love me back, but had I just opened my eyes I'd have seen the blatant truth." Flo pulled back to narrow her eyes at you., "Excuse me?! Back as in you could've been mine all along had I just grown a pair?," you nod sheepishly under her intense stare.

"Well ain't that some serious shit." She curses, and you giggle at her annoyed expression., "Yeah, but hey, it's the perfect season for this revelation.," with her hands on your hips and a quirked brow she silently urges you to go on., "Florence, there's no need to fall in love with you, because I'm already irrevocably there.," Flo eyes you with the upmost suspicion when you pause to lean your forehead onto hers., "Care to continue falling with me though?,"

"You goof, I'm already there too! But yes, how about you fall with me into this comfy bed.," Florence slaps your chest playfully then drags you over to the bed, but before she could pull you down you pushed her, then you climbed to hover over her, and the smirk you flashed had her body shivering., "Thought it was only fair that I returned the favor darling.," you husked, and Florence whimpered when your cold hands slid underneath her shirt, lips now hovering over hers., "Probably going to miss your flight though...," you teased before softly kissing her.

Plans to make the night last at the front of your mind as your hands did the job of wandering., "Can always rebook for a later date my love, we have our whole lives to figure it all out now.," your tone was soft and sweet, but Florence saw right through you, your dark eyes more honest. The both of you groaned in tandem when the fingers you effortlessly slid into her wet heat were welcomed without question by her warm, velvety smooth walls.

Yeah, you were definitely right at home...

————-

4,750 Words

I can die happily now, enjoy ❤️

❤️ Kaitlyn 💋

#florence pugh #florence x y/n #florence x you #florence x fem!reader #florence x reader #florence pugh oneshot #florence pugh pov #florence pugh fluff #florence pugh imagine #florence pugh smut #florence pugh x you #florence pugh x reader #florence pugh x y/n #florence pugh x female reader

[klbwriting]

Broken Prism

Chapter 24

Fandom: Red Hood

Pairing: Jason Todd x f!reader

Warnings: descriptions of mutilation, slight torture, body horror

Summary: the Batfamily interrogates their prisoner and he leads them to a horrifying sight and you are done with everything, including Jason

Dick and Bruce strung the Professor Pyg knock off in a corner room off the garage on a chain, facing the wall so he couldn’t identify where he was at. They were going to take him to the GCPD but wanted to ask their own questions first, so they used the chain from the ceiling and secured his hands, searching him using a kind of x-ray gun based on Superman’s powers. He had a tracking device installed in his bicep, so Tim shorted it out using a less than kind electric shock. The man didn’t react. They tried to pull off the mask, but it didn’t move, it was sewn into his skin. Jason couldn’t lie, that was smart but gross. The bag Pyg had been carrying sat on a lab table near by being investigated by Dick and YN. The hearts of those at the bar were inside.

“Are you part of the group that has been committing the murders around the city aimed at Red Hood?” Batman asked. The man nodded. “Tell us everything you know, or this experience will be less pleasant than it already is.” There came a laugh from under the mask.

“I do not care about unpleasantness Bruce Wayne,” he said. The air seemed to go out of the room. Even though everyone was aware that this group knew who they were to hear one speak the name of Batman out loud was still a shock. It still made them freeze and look around, wondering who had let the secret out, whose fault it was that they were now targets, not their alter egos. “You may all remove your masks; we know all of you.”

“And who is we?” Batman asked, keeping his cowl in place. Pyg let out another laugh. This whole situation was apparently hilarious to the creature. Batman balled his fist and threw it, hitting him in the face. The mask sustained more damage, a tear showing just a hint of pallid skin beneath it. Other that a sharp exhale at the impact of the punch there was no other indication something happened. No grunt of pain, no increase of heartrate on Tim’s monitors, nothing. It was like he didn’t feel it.

“We are those who want to see how far we can push the Hood, we knew he was from the Wayne family, but we were very surprised to see that he was the long thought dead Jason Todd. What kind of man comes back from the dead? What does that do to the mind? The Doctor is very interested in what will make him break, especially now that his quest for the blood of his killer is complete. What else matters now? The children he wants to spare? The old friends he used to have before death? The new brother from after his return? Perhaps his new fiancé? Will see be the final piece to destroy him? The doctor is not so sure. He wants to talk to the Red Hood, really understand how he ticks,” the voice behind the mask said. Batman frowned.

“Where is this doctor? I’ll pay him a visit,” Jason said, getting tired of this guy’s attitude. He hated this dramatic monologue bullshit. The Pyg looked at him. “He wants to chat tell me where he is.”

“O you will not find him, he will find you when he wants. You cannot even enter his office only we few have the privilege. And he is always watching,” he said. Jason nodded and aimed a gun at the Pyg’s head.

“Always watching? Think whatever camera he’s watching from will work with a bullet in there?” he asked, snarling. Batman shot him a look.

“Red Hood, we’re not done with him,” he said. Jason snarled but put the gun away, turning to pace. He was starting to feel caged, the pit rage burning through his veins, dying to be released. He could feel himself starting to lose control. His eyes found YN like they always did in these situations, and she looked back at him. He watched her, seeing her slow her breathing, his matching it. He was burning still but it had dulled just a little at the sight of her face. It was enough for him to keep control of himself for now.

“He does have a transmitter in the mask, but if I short it out the shock will kill him,” Tim said, still looking at his tablet. Jason shrugged.

“Seems like a win-win to me,” he grumbled. Batman once again gave him a disapproving look, but Jason didn’t care. He was too angry to worry about Bruce’s moral code at the moment. When he got his hands on these guys they were dead, all of them.

“All this time this is taking, such a waste,” Pyg said. “I already decided to dieeeeeee,” he sang out, now swinging on the chain that held him up. “It’s slow and it’s burning me from the inside out, but it’s giving us time.”

“Time for what?” Dick asked, looking up from cataloging the heart evidence.

“The Wayne family isn’t the only family involved. There is also YN and her little family, the one she left alone and so very vulnerable. Do you think they need you now? Those you called your sisters?” Pyg asked. YN’s face paled. There was a laugh from behind the mask that started to sound like gurgling, then the Pyg fell silent.

“He’s dead,” Tim said. He started trying to track a feed location from the camera and dug the tracker out his bicep. “I’m going to fix this, see if I can get the last location from this too.”

“I need to go see if Jocelyn and Aura are alright,” YN said, face pale. She ran out of the room, getting into the McLaren and leaving before even Jason could catch up. He hopped on his bike and followed.

You ran up the stairs, the elevator seeming too slow. You approached the door and your breath hitched, seeing the door cracked just a little. It opened to a horror scene and everything in your world seemed to stop. There was a buzzing in your ear, your eyes couldn’t focus. Blood was everywhere. Jocelyn lay on the couch, reclined like she was watching TV, hand even holding the remote. Only the skin of her face was missing, her chest ripped open, a gaping hole where her heart should have been. Aura was at the table, bowl in front of her, both hearts in it. Her face was also missing. You smelled something burning but couldn’t get your mind to think process anything beyond the sight of your best friends, dead and posed like dolls in some sick playhouse. You weren’t sure when you fell to your knees, you didn’t feel the pain of them hitting linoleum. You didn’t even know when Jason got there, his arms suddenly around you as he tried to pull you back out the door. You let out a cry as he yanked you out, gripping you close as everything finally slammed into you. The buzzing had been the beeping of the smoke alarm from the burning faces on the stove. The smell the melting flesh of your friends’ identities stolen from them. The floor had a message in their blood.

We will take everything from you Red Hood

You looked at yourself, seeing blood on your clothes from you kneeling in it. You let out a cry of horror. You didn’t care when the blood on you was from yourself, but this was your best friends, your sisters. Jason hugged you again, whispering anything in your ear to try and calm you. After several minutes you finally were able to gain some control of yourself, just in time for the GCPD to arrive.

“YN,” Jim said softly, looking at you as his investigators entered the apartment. You stared at him, still not sure if everything that was happening was real or not. “YN, let’s go downstairs.” You nodded slowly and followed him, your brain moving quickly as you started to think of a plan that Jason would hate but considering they wanted to break him it might be the only way to find these monsters.

Jason had been quiet driving you back to the cave. He had said he would get his bike later, now he just wanted you safe. You stared straight ahead, mind empty of everything but the sight of Jocelyn and Aura, mutilated and humiliated in their deaths in a way that would never leave you. You could never imagine closing your eyes again without seeing that destruction. You wondered when you would stop smelling their blood mixed with the burning flesh on the stove. You needed a shower, but there would be time for that later. You needed to end this.

Dick was there to help you out of the car when you were back in the garage. You heard Jason get out and he took of his helmet. You rounded on him, fury in your eyes.

“THIS IS ALL YOUR FAULT!” you screamed, eyes blazing. Jason stood, shocked, staring at you, first confused, then hurt. “They were innocent, and you let them…they tortured them Jason all because you had to go after Joker!” You walked over, fist balling, until you were close enough to throw it at his face. He reeled from the unexpected impact.

“YN…I didn’t mean for this to happen…” he said, trying to scramble, think of anything to make you stop. You knew this would kill him, but you needed to do this.

“You didn’t mean for it to happen? Or course not Jason, you never do anything, everything just happens to you. You don’t mean for me to get kidnapped by Black Mask and drown, you just stupidly showed up at my door, leading them to me! And Poison Ivy? If you had just, I don’t know, pulled a fire alarm when you got to the lounge instead of having to find me like an idiot, more people would have lived! You are the reason these things happen, and I was so stupid to think that I could help you, that maybe if I sat by long enough and let you see the messes you made you would finally realize that everything was better without you. I’d rather never see a single color again than have you in my life,” you said, taking off the ring and throwing it at him. He caught it and stared after you as you ran over to Tim, hugging him, hammering the last painful nail into the coffin. Let Jason see that he was being replaced again. Tim kept his arm around you and walked away, dropping the Pyg mask he had been carrying that had just watched everything unfold. Watched as you imploded Jason’s world and your own.

#jasontodd #jason todd #jason todd x reader #jason todd x you #jason todd x y/n #red hood #redhood #red hood x reader #red hood x you #red hood x y/n #brokenprism

[spahhzy]

Weiss: Jaune may I have a word with you.

Jaune stopped swinging at the punching bag as he sighed, wiping the sweat from his brow. He grabbed his bottle of water and a towel as he walked over to the heiress.

Jaune: What's up Weiss?

Weiss: I-i was just a bit worried about you. The battle with Cinder was won, but she escaped, and you seemed...

CC: Angry? Frustrated? Depressed? Why is he all that and more!

Weiss: Upset.

Jaune ignored the cat, who was busy prancing around the room.

Jaune: It's nothing Weiss. I know we'll catch her and put an end to this madness, Salem won't have any more pawns left to hide behind.

Weiss: I know Cinder is a 'touchy' subject, Jaune, but you are surrounded by friends you can talk to us.

Jaune: I had no one to talk to for twenty years. I think I'll be okay, Weiss.

Weiss flinched at that, and Jaune felt like a complete jackass. She was only trying to help.

Jaune: I'm s-sorry my mind has been stressed out, I don't mean to take it out on you.

Weiss: it's okay, though you certainly seem to take that frustration out on the Grimm, no doubt. You're a little more...uh brutal in slaying the Grimm lately.

Jaune: Really? I haven't noticed.

CC: All the sublty and nuance of a jabberwocky.

Weiss: You usually are more reserved and tactful, but lately, you've been actively hunting them down relentlessly...n-not that I was p-paying attention or anything!

CC: Oh, I knew there was another reason I didn't like her. She is acting like one of those girls in those comic books you read a tsu...tsunnnn? Ah, hold on, it's at the tip of my tongue, oh ah Tsundere! Icky. Always knew their was something else by sides her smart mouth that made me loooooaath her.

Jaune: I appreciate you checking on me, Weiss, but I'm fine just dealing with some nagging issues, that's all.

CC: How RUDE! I thought we were so much more than that, Jauney!

Weiss: Promise me you'll come talk to any of us about what's going on?

Jaune: I promise.

Weiss: Arc-promise?

Jaune: Hahaha, Yes, I promise under the name of the Arc that if I have anything on my mind I'll go see you guys.

Weiss: Good...have a good night Jaune.

Jaune: Have a good night, Weiss.

Weiss waves and leaves the room as Jaune takes another swig of his water.

CC: You'd think she'd believe you about your chronic case of curiosity~ "Don't worry, Jauney, there is no cure for me.

Jaune said nothing as he got ready to lie down but found it rather difficult to get some sleep.

CC: Aww, feeling tired, well, don't you worry, Jaune, let me whisk you away with a song~

Jaune said nothing just closing his eyes and ignoring the cat.

CC: 'Only you can make this world seem right,

Only you can make the darkness bright.

Only you and you alone can thrill me like you do

And fill my heart with love for only you~

Only you can make all this change in me

For ita true, you are my destiny.

When you hold my hand

I understand the magic that you do

Your my dream come true, my one and only you~

Only you can make this change in me

For its true, you are my destiny.

When you hold my hand

I understand the magic that you do

Your my dream come true my one and only you~'

Jaune didn't get any sleep that night.

#jaune arc #weiss schnee #curious cat

[yrluvjane]

Perfect.

Regulus x fem!reader

Regulus Black was nothing short of perfect. At least that was what Y/n saw. She saw perfection in the smallest things.

Y/n was the type of person that liked to see wonder in the world, she was also way too observent. If you asked her what she saw in a glass of water, she'd say a clean glass of water.

What she saw in Bowtruckles? Their tiny hands, their playful and mischievous personality, their sensitive feelings hidden behind confidence, their vibrant green colours and so on.

Y/n saw things in a light not many see in. She believed everything was beautiful in its own way. And this belief made her see perfection in Regulus Arcturus Black.

The way his messy curls fell when he spoke, disobeying his perfect pureblood posture.

The way his eyes sparkled when he spoke of the stars.

How he narrowed his grey eyes and slightly sucked his cheeks when he concentrated.

How he always drummed his finger against his cup in the morning as he listened to Lucius ramble.

How he only hummed in response when he didn't concentrate but still tried to be polite.

How whenever he's angry or irritated, he'd swear in french under his breath because he didn't like loud voices.

How he was beyond patient and always trying to calm himself down if he was being pushed to the limits.

How he'd run his hands through his hair to try and tame it but it always betrayed him and fell.

Or run his hands down his face making you finally realise the dark bags under his eyes.

But there were somethings she knew that broke her every time.

She knew he liked to compare himself to his brother, Sirius.

She knew he was always tested by his Slytherin roomates to where his loyalties lied.

She knew that sometimes it was too much for him. Sometimes, when the stress and pressure was to much, it would break his walls.

And it broke her.

After an hour or so of pleading and begging for him to let her in, to let her hold him, comfort him.

Telling him that they could share the pain, that this relationship wasn't one but two. She knew that he feared that she'd leave him if she saw him like this but it was the complete opposite.

She had once punched Lucius just to make a point. Of course it had cost her detentions but she didn't care. Anything was worth seeing his almost visible smile.

When he'd finally let her in, she would hold him in her arms. She'd rest his head on he lap as he tried to hide his face and silence his cries.

She run her hands through his curls and tell him its okay. "It's okay to cry, it doesn't make you weak. It just means you've been strong for too long."

She'd kiss his hand, his head, his shoulder. She'd run her hands down his back soothingly. She'd push his hair back and kiss his forehead, his temples, his cheek.

She'd tell him how perfect he is. How wonderful, and happy he made her feel. How she had many friends that made her feel loved but with him she felt special. How he was special.

She'd read to him.

He'd be too tired to object to a muggle book but she knew the next day, he'd go back to his normal denying self.

And at some time would come over to her and point out how ridiculous the muggle book was and everything that didn't make sense.

The book held up by magic, while one hand intertwined with his and the other combing through his hair, she'd read to him till he cried himself dry.

She'd feel he's eyes fall and struggle to stay awake. She whisper good night to him and sweet dreams with a small smile when his eyes finally shut.

She'd place the book down and wrap her arms around him reminding his safe, she wait an hour or so to check he didn't have nightmares.

If he did, she'd lie there with him and draw small circles in his palm telling him some of her most embarrassing moments or muggle jokes that Regulus believed were pathetic but still smile because of how pathetic they were.

But in either situations she'd wake up early and personally make them breakfast, knowing he'd wish to go to class right away and avoid his 'friends'.

He'd thank her, kiss her and ramble of how she shouldn't have done that but she'd only look at him with a genuine smile and tell him it was nothing.

He'd motion for her to sit next to him and most of the time, they'd eat in silence but every time after they ate and got ready he'd thank her, kiss her, tell her he didn't deserve her and that she was beyond perfect and whisper the three words that made Y/n fall for him deeper every moment of the day.

"I love you."

#regulus black #regulus black x reader #regulus black blurb #regulus black fluff #regulus black x female reader #regulus x reader #regulus headcanon #regulus arcturus black #harry potter x reader #regulus x you #regulus black x you #fluff #blurb #marauders era #regulus black angst

[hyubg]

(She's just beautiful!)

Prounouns: He/Him

Jules vaughn x Male reader!

You were lying on your room hearing your fathers Scream at eachother and insult as you scroll on your phone trying to ignore them and the sad feeling starting to get on your gut then you start hearing heavy foot steps going to your room you door get open and you see your father angry starting at you.

You were begin dragged to the living room and then trow at the floor you look Up at you mother Who had an unexpresed face then your father grab your face hard and punch you in the face making you spit some Blood on the floor <<"This is the son i have!?">> —He yelled as he Kick you in the gut making you groan <<"a fucking loser who is in love with a guy!? This is your son bitch!">> —He yelled at your mother Who was sitting there saying nothing as he keep hitting you <<"She's not a Guy!">> —You yelled protecting your girlfriend and that make your father laugh as he hit your face as you feel your nose breaking <<"He's a goddamn boy!">> —He say as he grab you by the neck chocking you slowly as he hit your face <<"She's.....not">> —You say as your face continue getting punch like a boxing bag.

You slowly start getting Up from the door your face bleeding you grab the table behind you as you stare at your mother Who was sitting in the couch looking to her phone <<"Why you didn't say anything">> —You ask her with your voice breaking as tears start falling out of your red cheeks the only thing you recived was silence <<"Can you answer me?" Cause i'm your son">> —You say hoping your mother say something but she stays silence and you nod as you start getting out of your House almost falling.

The Sun start to fall out as you slowly walk somewhere you sit on the hard floor as the dry Blood Paint your face and you knew It you see the river Next to jules House and walk to It to clean your face.

You knock on jules House and waited as Mr. Vaughn open the door with a smile that Fade seeing the state you were <<"What happend to you?">> —He ask as you shook your head as he guide you inside <<"Some jock beat me Up">> —You lie don't telling him that 'jock' was your father you look around <<"is jules home?">> —Mr. Vaughn nod as he says she's upststairs you nod and say a low 'thanks' and start walking Up hearing the soft music inside her room you knock on the door and open It seeing jules and rue with their tongues in eachother mouth as they were naked you stay there shocked as rue slap lighly on jules arm as she kiss her stomach as she goes down.

Jules turn around and see you her eyes wide open and mouth starting to open a little <<"This isn't like it's looks like">> she says as she notice your beat Up face you laugh a little how stupid of you thinking if you defend your girlfriend in front of your father he stops doing It <<"He was right">> —You let out softly as you look her death in the eyes <<"Why you do it? I wasn't enough?">> —You ask as you start getting out of the room not wanting to hear her reasons you get out of the House as you walk across some streets your legs feels heavy and the Next thing you knew It was that your face was on the hard floor and you feel tears start going down your face.

#x male reader #euphoria #jules vaughn x reader #jules vaughn

[metamorphosisff]

|One| Friends, How Many of Us Have Them?

“You don’t have to have such a bad attitude.”

The sound of the deep voice speaking in my direction caused me to whip my head around. I was already sweaty and annoyed, having been under the pissy underbelly of the Verrazano bridge picking up trash for the last two hours. The absolute last thing I wanted was a conversation with anyone, let alone one of the supervisors who made sure the derelicts of society like me showed up for their court appointed community service. Xavier was always trying to be nice to everyone and that got on my nerves. No one was nice without ulterior motives, definitely not the cookie cutter type he seemed to be. That’s why when he asked me questions I often waved him off refusing to engage like now. Well not now because I fully intended to give him a piece of my mind for offering unsolicited commentary.

“Gee I wonder what gave that away, the court mandate or this snazzy orange reflective vest I’m sporting,” I hissed, causing the older woman who was nearby to snicker. Her name was Jazz, picked up for soliciting a trucking stop in Hunts Point. Picking up trash was supposed to teach her not to sell pussy and me not to punch people in the face when they pissed me off. We got along well enough, often working side by side in my preferred silence, sometimes falling into conversation when we both felt like it. 

“No, more so how you treat people when they attempt to be friendly,” he said, bypassing the dig.

“Didn’t ask for a friend,” I replied, stabbing a chip bag with my poker to stuff into the trash bag tied to a belt loop.

“You didn’t but everyone can use one or at least, a little kindness their way,” he said, stuffing his hands in his pocket. The clipboard with today’s sign in sheet and all of our court documents wedged underneath was tucked underneath a bulky arm. 

“Take all that kindness, bottle it up, and sell it to someone who gives a fuck,” I said, pairing my words with a smile and head tilt.

He chuckled, giving me a real smile in earnest which confused me. He was supposed to be mad and stomp off, giving into my request to be left alone. Instead he appeared to be amused. “Not gonna lie, that’s the funniest way I’ve been told to fuck off this week. Thanks for the laugh.”

With that he walked off to check on an older white man who was doing more sitting than working. I looked over to my right to see Jazz grinning at me.

“Why are you giving me that look?” I asked, smirking myself. Jazz had a way of making anything funny so I was genuinely interested in what she had to say.

“That man likes you,” she said, her six foot three frame leaning to the side so she could place a hand on her hip. “It’s all in his eyes.”

I take it back. I was no longer interested in what she had to say.

“There must be something in your eyes Jazz,” I said, using the collar of my shirt to wipe up sweat. It was a humid day in June, which meant rain was on the horizon in the midst of all this heat. I prayed to at least be on the train before the storm unfurled. 

“Yeah twenty years in the business of men. Mr. Clipboard wants you,” she said.

“Well I bet people in hell want ice water. We don’t always get what we want,” I replied, stabbing at another piece of trash.

Six weeks down, four more to go until I was free of this punishment. Though this was arguably one of the lowest points of my life, I regretted nothing, and said as much to the judge. That flippant remark tacked on the extra eight weeks to the prosecutors original two which was worked out in a deal from my public defender. It was worth it though, my coworker deserved everything I dished out that day and sometimes, I wished I could do it again. Clearly picking up trash on the side of the road had yet to teach me the lesson it was supposed to.

“Ain’t that the truth child, ain’t that the truth,” Jazz sighed, doing the same.

That was the end of our conversation as we each fell into our own thoughts. Thirty minutes later we were back on the van that brought us out this way and after another forty in the cramped vehicle, we were dumped in Midtown. I bid Jazz a farewell once we entered the subway on 49th, she was taking the D back Uptown while I was taking the F back to Brooklyn. 

The humidity was worse underground and was no better on the crowded train because the AC was barely felt. By the time I made it to York street my shirt was sticking to me. It is almost seven o’clock in the evening but the neighborhood hums with activity. Kids fill the parks while middle aged white women hurried into the condos built across the street from the projects with Wegman tote bags. I had another fifteen minute walk ahead of me before I reached the five story walk up I called home. Before I go inside, I stop at the bodega for some chips, a big red icee, a few rolls of toilet paper, and dish soap. My total is a whopping eight fifty. I had twenty dollars left for my budget this week. My new part time job at a warehouse paid enough to pay the bills, for me to get there, and little else. Once my community service stint was over, I would be back on the grind for a new call center job. I preferred offices over manual labor. Since this misdemeanor would be wiped clean once my community service is finished, it should not take me long to get one with my resume. Until recently, my work history is spotless with no complaints from past employers.

Still, I have to wait and that is a problem. I was just starting to feel like I was getting ahead when this whole thing happened. Shaking my head, I refused to fall into that song and dance with my thoughts again. I reach into my bag and pull out the icee, and focus on using my teeth to tear it open instead. I was turning onto my block when my eyes locked onto a familiar fifth grader hanging around a bunch of teens he had no business being around. His boyish features stood out like a sore thumb.

“PAPI,” I yelled, causing all six heads to snap in my direction.

Everyone in this neighborhood knew I was not one to play with. As soon as they saw me marching closer, they shoved the ten year old in my direction before scattering off on bikes and hoverboards.

The sun kissed brown face I hated to love was scrunched up by the time I made it to him. “You know I don’t give a damn,” I said, in reference to his attitude. “Inside. Ahora.”

“I wasn’t doing nothing’,” he huffed, stomping towards the dilapidated structure that was our building. The bricks out front were loose in several places and the automatic door did not work which resulted in packages being stolen often.

“And you won’t be as long as I have something to do with it,” I said, as we walked side by side to the fourth floor.

His mother, Marissa, was the closest thing I had to family. We had grown up in this building side by side, losing hope, losing family, creating a new one with each other and the little trouble maker beside me, in an effort to restore all of those losses. She worked two jobs meaning that after school Papi had a lot of free time. With the summer coming up we were both nervous about what things he could possibly land himself into. I made a mental note to look for more summer camps to sign him up for. So far I had been waitlisted for the six I had already applied to but if it came down to having to pay, then I’d keep the warehouse part time, and switch to nights so I could work full time during the day. We couldn’t afford to have him taken from us too. 

Fishing his keys out of his pockets, he opened up the door, and stepped inside. “I can handle myself, you know. You don’t have to wait for me.”

“I wait for you because unfortunately for us both I love you,” I cracked, causing him to grin.

“I love you too Auntie Mila,” he said.

“Take a shower before you eat,” I instructed. He smelled like outside.

“Okay. ‘Night,” he said, before closing the door.

I nodded my head and proceeded to open my own door. Nothing but silence greets me as I kick off my shoes and turn on the lights. There was a point in time when too many voices filled these walls. Now they barely heard mine. Dropping my bounty from the bodega on the kitchenette counter, I keep going until I reach the bathroom. I empty my pockets in the basket on the counter, dropping my mini wallet, lip gloss, phone, mask and keys into it. I tried not to wear purses to community service because I didn’t want to be robbed on top of having to serve out my punishment. Next, I tossed my braids up in a high bun before undressing and placing my clothes right into the dirty hamper. The hot water on my skin feels great as it works to free me from the sweat and dirt of the day. Grabbing my loofa, I use my favorite body wash to help with that mission before getting out. I couldn’t afford to spend all night underneath the water but the ten minutes I got were enough to help me feel better.

As I slip into my clothes I hear my phone vibrate from the bathroom. Padding back towards that direction, I grab the device from the basket before going back into the kitchen. There was leftover meatloaf and rice waiting to be heated up. I was pulling out the containers while squinting at the somewhat familiar number that texted me. Not drawing any names or faces from the number alone, I finally take the plunge, and open the message. It’s a picture of Jazz and me from earlier, she’s giving me the grin before sharing her theory about Xavier, and it almost looks like I’m smiling back. Except I don’t smile because I refuse to let my lips stretch that far. When I’m done looking over the photo, my eyes drop to the short message underneath it: Everyone needs friends.

I roll my eyes at his corny sentiment before closing the message. It’s obvious he’s plucked my number from the group chat we have to make sure everyone is accounted for when we’re out in some of the rougher areas of the city. Placing my phone down on the counter, I scoop out a portion from each container that wasn’t enough to fill me but enough to make sure I didn’t starve. There were three more days until I got paid again. This would have to last until then. Plopping the plate in the microwave, I drum my fingers as I think about Xavier’s messages. I didn’t get the point he was trying to prove.

Within seconds I had the thread opened up and typed back: So go get some.

It was like he was waiting for my response because his reply came in an instant: I’m trying. Meet me halfway?

If I was a normal girl, his message might seem endearing but I wasn’t. Xavier and I came from two different worlds. I had seen his diplomas in the tiny box he called an office. He had worked out a significant career in social work that extended beyond his day job of baby sitting us. He taught as an adjunct professor at three different colleges in the city. I was the daughter of crack addicts who fought tooth and nail just to make it through the day, not to live but to survive. Anything more than that required too much of me.

Biting down on my lip I wrote back: Try with somebody else.

After that, I muted his notifications so I wouldn’t get alerts and proceeded to eat my dinner in the silence I had become accustomed to. I didn’t need any more noise.

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#metamorphasisff #black fiction #black romance #zendaya x mjb