#I’ve missed these characters so much it’s wringing out my heart like a rag

[max-is-tired]

Magic Mirror (Mirror’s Magic) Chapter 1

Pairing: Romantic Royality

Characters: Patton Sanders, Roman Sanders, various OCs

Words: 5.002

Warnings: angst, blood, war, crying, magic, loneliness

Notes: Welp, here it comes! This is part of my fic for the TS Big Bang 2019! Or at least, it should have been -as I said, I haven’t quite managed to finish writing the whole thing, so I can’t post it all today. But I still wanted you guys to see it by the end of the month, so here we go, everyone hop on the angst train!! :D

Hit me up if you want to be added to the taglist and let me know if you liked this, reblogs, comments and asks are always very welcome and much appreciated! And if you would consider buying this broke college student a coffee (link in description) you’ll have my eternal gratitude and a thank-you ficlet of your choice, so there’s that.

(This story is heavily inspired by two Vocaloid songs. This chapter specifically is inspired by this cover of Rin’s Magical Mirror, by SirHamnet)

Commission me!!

Read on AO3

Go check @keuwibird‘s amazing art for this fic here!!!

First || Next

Sometimes, Patton finds himself dreaming of laughter and happiness, of sunny days and chirping birds. He dreams of a faraway land, untouched by war or famine, by misfortune or death.

He dreams and dreams and dreams, running through endless fields without a care in the world.

Those are the times when waking up hurts the most, when the memories fade away and all that remains is nothing but pain and an ache where his heart should be.

On days like those, it’s difficult to remain optimistic. Memories linger in the back of his mind, echoes of his old life filling the small wooden cottage he now calls his home.

On days like those, when Patton looks in the mirror, all he sees is a tired boy with blue, dull eyes staring back at him.

(Sometimes he wonders what his mother would say, if only she could see him now -his hair a mess, scrapes and dirt covering his body, his clothes reduced and nothing more than rags. She’d probably go full mother-hen on him, he muses with a small smile. Then he closes his eyes and shakes his head, locking those thoughts in some dark corner of his mind -he can’t think of her, of his family, of what he has lost and will never get back. If he does, he’s not sure he’ll be able to get back up again.)

Today, though, Patton can’t help but wish it was one of those days. He wishes his dreams could have been filled with bittersweet happiness, with long lost smiles, with the faces of those he had once loved most. Anything, but the memories of that cursed day.

An explosion, that’s how it starts.

Screams, yells, the clashing of swords and shields filling the halls of the castle, blood splattering to the ground as the enemy’s force advances inexorably.

“Mother! Father!” Patton screams, desperate, confused, afraid.

“Run, Patton! Quick, before they find you!”

And he does, heart thundering in his chest as he turns and bolts towards the secret passage behind the throne -he found it when he was five, when everything was well and war was something he only heard about in fairytales.

He runs without looking back, emerging in the forest behind his home and not stopping until he trips on a branch, tumbling to the ground with a startled shout.

Patton lays there for what feels like an eternity, staring at the sky as sobs rack through his body -searching for a reason, just one, for all this violence and hatred and blood plaguing his home and destroying everything in its path.

“Why?” he chokes out, tears rolling down his cheek.

The moon stares back at him, silent, and Patton feels something inside him break and crumble to a million pieces.

Patton shakes his head, squeezing his eyes shut to stop the tears from escaping out. He can’t let himself fall down that rabbit hole, because he knows there’s a great chance he might do something stupid -like give in to despair and finally let himself rot away, all alone in that abandoned cottage in the middle of nowhere.

Taking in a steadying breath, Patton stands up and stretches his arms up, eyes sweeping on his surroundings.

He still remembers the state this cottage had been in when he’d first found it, crying and freezing in the middle of the night. Patton had basically passed out as soon as he had gotten inside, but once he’d woken up again, the light of the day had helped him better take in the place –it had been abandoned for a while already, clutter and dust filling the cottage and sending Patton into more than one sneezing fit.

He had spent the day cleaning and sweeping, trying to keep his mind off of everything –not that it had worked, in the end. Everything was still too fresh in his mind, the cries and blood and fire screaming endlessly in his head.

The first days had been… hard. After the first night, sleep had become its own hell. Between the nightmares, flashbacks, and loneliness, Patton had found himself hitting rock bottom hard and fast –sleep-deprivation and grief smashing and merging in his heart until all he could do was curl up on himself and let the tears fall.

Things had slowly gotten better though, mourning leaving the place to numbness, like a thick fog settling on his heart and never letting go. That had left too, with time –not completely, of course, he can still feel it creeping at the edge of his mind, but now it feels less like hopelessness and more like melancholy.

The cottage had become Patton’s home, the forest around him his entire world, the deer, squirrels and rabbits living in it his only companions. The war had kept raging in the distance, the only proof of its existence being the columns of smoke he would sometimes spot on the horizon or the occasional soldier passing through the woods –they somehow always missed the small cottage, blissfully unaware of the boy cowering inside of it with tears in his eyes and memories flashing in his head.

Almost a year has passed since the day Patton ran into the woods, and for the first time –despite the nightmares, despite the sadness and grief still dancing in his heart- there’s a tiny, sincere smile on his face as he lets the memories wash over him. Maybe, just maybe, he can finally start to move on.

Then, he lets his eyes sweep over the dusty mirror in the corner and lets out a shriek of surprise, ungracefully falling down the bed.

Patton blinks, eyes boring a hole through the wooden ceiling as he tries to make sense to what he’s just seen. He’s awake, right? He must still be dreaming, obviously, because Patton’s pretty sure that the boy who was staring back at him from the mirror a few seconds ago was, in fact, not him at all.

Patton frowns, pinching his arm and immediately after letting out a pained hiss. Nope, definitely not a dream. Then, what –or rather, who- did he just see, exactly?

Patton slowly gets up, nerves buzzing under his skin as he slowly approaches the mirror. Gulping, he moves to stand in front of it, eyes closed and heart beating wildly in his chest. He’s probably just being silly, he knows that. It was probably just a trick of the light, with the help of his still-half asleep brain. Now, he’s gonna open his eyes and all he’ll see will be his own reflection, same as every morning-

“So, are you ever going to show me those lovely eyes of yours?” comes a sudden voice from in front of him, drawing a surprised yelp out of Patton as he takes a few startled steps back. Eyes snapping open, Patton finds himself meeting the gaze of a boy who’s very much not him, white, red and golden robes flowing with a breeze he cannot feel as a pair of amused, forest green eyes stare back at him.

“There they are,” the boy chuckles, cocking his head to the side with a small smile, “I know I called them lovely mere seconds ago, but I have to admit that it doesn’t even come close to how breathtaking your eyes are. Only fitting for someone as stunningly beautiful as you, truly.”

Patton can distinctly feel his cheeks growing warmer by the second, wringing his hands in front of his chest as confusion, fear and a hint of curiosity clash and merge in his head.

“Who- Who are you?” he asks, his voice small and uncertain.

“You can call me Ro,” the boy says with a bow and a wink, the golden details of his robes catching on the sunlight coming from the open window, “I’m a magician, and wishes are my specialty. What about you, my dear?”

"I’m Prince P-” Patton starts, the familiar introduction already on the tip of his tongue, before catching himself, “ I’m Patton,” he finally says with a sad smile on his face, “just Patton. It’s a pleasure to meet you, I’ve never met a magician before.”

“Patton, mh?” the boy –Ro- hums, tentatively rolling the name on his tongue, “a name almost as gorgeous as you, my prince.”

That last part makes Patton look away, smile turning bitter on his lips despite the small blush still present on his cheeks. “I’m sorry, but… I’m not a prince. Not anymore, at least.”

“You sure about that?” Ro asks, a chuckle escaping his lips as Patton snaps his head towards him in surprise. “I told you, my job is to grant wishes. Just say the word, prince Patton, and everything you’ve ever wanted will be finally yours.”

“Wha- for real?!” Patton exclaims, excitement evident in his voice as he unconsciously leans towards the mirror. “You’re not lying?”

“Of course not, my dear,” Ro says with a grin, “after all, I’m a magician meant just for you.”

“For me…?” Patton whispers, slightly in awe, “but- why me? I’m just a prince without a kingdom, a coward who ran away and left everything behind, I’m sure there are so many other people in the world who could use a blessing like this far more than I ever could!”

Patton doesn’t notice it, but Ro flinches almost imperceptibly at his words, sadness and something else flashing in his gaze for a second before he conceals it behind a kind smile. “Trust me, Patton, there is no one else in this world who deserves it more than you.”

“Are- are you sure?”

“Positive, my heart,” Ro says, “now, Patton, tell me –what does your heart desire most?”

For a moment, Patton feels overwhelmed, a million possibilities stretching in front of him. What do you ask for when you can wish for every single thing your heart ever wanted?

Then, he thinks of war and blood, of sorrow and pain. He thinks of his family, his kingdom, of happiness and laughter echoing in the halls of the castle, and slowly places his hand on the mirror’s surface, gaze bordering on pleading as he looks up at the magician.

“What can I ask for?” he asks, a spark of something growing in his soul –it makes excitement flow through his veins and his heart beat wildly in his chest.

“I shall grant anything that you wish for-” Ro answers as he places his own hand in front of Patton’s, a charming smile on his face and eyes full of a million promises –for a single instant, just one, Patton can almost feel the ghost of a touch on the tip of his fingers, warmth traveling up from his palm to his chest-  “so won’t you chant for me from the other side of the mirror?”

Patton lets a grin stretch out on his face, eyes sparkling in barely concealed delight. He feels like somewhere far, far away from that little cottage in the woods, the wheels and gears of fate have just started turning.

“I think I know what my first wish will be!”

The spark in his soul is starting to feel a little bit like hope.

+++

“Can I wish for everything to go back the way it was before the war?”

“Well, there’s no limit to what you can ask, but-” Ro’s gaze turns hesitant, doubt flashing in his eyes as he turns his head to the side- “time is… tricky. It’s powerful, ancient, more than magic itself. Messing with it is dangerous, my heart. If I grant that kind of wish, you need to be aware –not even I can fully anticipate what the end result may come out to be.”

Patton’s smile dims but doesn’t disappear. “That’s alright,” he hums, nodding, “I can work with that.”

+++

“I wish for the war to stop.”

After Patton makes his first wish, Ro gives him a warning –he can fulfill it no problem, but it won’t be an immediate change. He’s a powerful magician, yes, but things like this don’t happen overnight.  To see the results, they need to be patient.

“That’s okay!” Patton says, smiling at the young magician. “If it means the war will end, then I’ll wait for as long as it takes.”

Ro nods, smiling in response, and waves his hands in the air, foreign words slipping out of his mouth as red sparks fly around him –Patton can almost feel the moment the magic happens, like a switch being turned as something new clicks into place in the fabric of the universe.

After that, they wait –but not for long.

The news arrives around a week later, in the form of a caravan passing through the woods, bringing to the people of the kingdom the joyous news of a peace treaty finally being signed between the two fighting forces. They don’t see Patton, as it always happens, but Patton sees and hears them, a grin stretching on his face as he sprints back into the cottage.

“Thank you thank you thank you!!” he yells as he hugs the mirror, tears streaming down his face –for the first time in a long while, they’re tears of joy, heart bursting with happiness in his chest as the realization that this awful nightmare is finally over dawns upon him.

“There’s no need to thank me, Patton,” Ro says, a soft smile on his face, “it’s your wish that did this.”

Patton sniffs, shaking his head. “But your magic is what made it possible in the first place! Without it, this might have never happened. I- goodness, I don’t think there are enough words to express how grateful I am, you- I’m-”

Tears blur Patton’s already foggy eyesight, the occasional sobs making it difficult for him to keep talking. Inside the mirror, Ro’s smile turns softer still, murmured words slipping from his lips as his magic takes the form of a gentle red wisp. With a wave of the magician’s hand, the wisp flies out of the mirror towards Patton’s face, softly caressing his cheeks.

Patton gasps at the sensation, letting out a startled laugh as he feels the magic tenderly wipe away the falling tears.

“Awwww!” he coos, watching the red wisp fly in the air around him and rubbing his eyes with the back of his hand. The magic feels playful as it glides around, wiggling as zipping through the air and messing Patton’s hair up. The boy lets out a giggle, tears forgotten as he spins around to follow its path.

“Your smile shines more brightly than a thousand suns, my prince,” Ro says, smile so soft and gaze so earnest it makes something warm spread in Patton’s chest. “Happiness looks amazing on you. I can only be humbled by having been able to bring something so beautiful to the world.”

“Oh, shut it, you flatterer,” Patton grins, gaze focusing on the red wisp of magic still flying through the air of the cottage as his cheeks burn a pretty shade of red.

“Is it flattery if I’m only saying the truth?”

The way Patton’s eyes widen and his cheeks bloom an even brighter shade of red makes Ro only want to compliment him more, a boisterous laugh escaping his mouth as he watches the boy sputter and wave his arms around in embarrassment.

 Distantly, he wonders how long has it been since someone told Patton how beautiful he is.

+++

“I wish for my parents to be alive and well.”

News of its beloved king and queen’s fates travels through the kingdom rather quickly, moving from village to village as the story of their imprisonment by enemy forces reaches even the farthest border in less than a week. The news of their freeing thanks to the treaty makes even the poorest farmer rejoice, making the realization finally sink in even for the most skeptical: the war has finally ended.

They’re free.

Festivities run rampant in the kingdom, people working on rebuilding what was destroyed and mourning what was lost. The royal family works hard to give its wounded kingdom and people what they need to put themselves back on their feet and finally start working towards recovery, but both the queen and king are also mourning the loss of their son, the prince, whose fate no one seems to know.

Their pain is short-lived, though. As soon as the news reaches his ears, Patton basically sprints out of the cottage and into the woods, jumping branches and zipping through the trees with the expertise only someone who has grown to know the forest like the back of their hand can have.

He doesn’t slow down even as he runs through the capital and people call for him with startled shouts and surprisingly delighted yells, his blonde hair and blue eyes impossible not to recognize. He doesn’t slow down as he passes through the gate of the royal castle, the guards too stunned to think of stopping him, or as he dashes through the familiar hallways of his old home, his quick steps and heavy breathing bouncing on its still crumbling walls as he makes his way towards where he hopes his parents will be.

Patton only stops when he not-so-gently barges into the throne room, where his parents and what remains of the royal council seem to be discussing something important –not that it matters too much, the king and queen immediately dropping everything as soon as their eyes land on Patton.

The prince stares at them, panting and sweating, before something between a sob and a wail leaves his lips and his legs push him forward once more.

His parents meet him in the middle, his mother enveloping him in a crushing hug as tears fall freely down both of their faces. Patton feels his father’s strong arms enveloping them both, his laugh resonating in the room as he lifts them both and starts spinning them around the room.

Patton’s delighted laugh mixes with his mother’s, happiness exploding in his chest like a million fireworks, and he wonders how will he ever be able to repay Ro for all he’s been doing for him.

(Over the throne room, hidden by the shadows of the crumbling ceiling, a familiar red wisp of magic zips through the air, watching over the reunited family.)

(Far away from the castle, inside a little cottage in the woods, Ro looks through the wisp at Patton’s smile and lets his own tug at his lips, in stark contrast with the fresh tears falling down his cheeks. Quiet happiness and raging sadness clash and collide in his chest, squeezing his heart like a million vines, and he gives himself a moment to just let himself feel, pain and guilt running rampant in his soul with the silence of the woods as his only companion. Then, he steels himself once again, wiping away the tears with the edge of his sleeves. After all, there’s still some work to do.)

+++

“I wish for our resources to be enough to feed our people and rebuild our kingdom, for sickness to not touch us, for famine to be far away from our land.”

Our land is strong and fertile, most say as the earth keeps giving and resources never dim.

It’s a miracle, the people whisper as the sick and frail all recover and get back on their feet.

It’s a blessing, the kingdom cries as what was destroyed gets rebuilt and all traces of the war slowly disappear.

No, Patton thinks as his home flourishes one again in front of his eyes, tears prickling at his eyes and a knowing smile on his lips, this is magic.

+++

During his first night back in the castle, after reuniting with his parents in the throne room, Patton tells them about his escape through the forest, about the little cottage in the woods and the year of loneliness he went through. He tells them about the woods that had grown to be his home, about the animals that had kept him company even in the darkest of nights, about the river flowing just a few feet behind the house and those little bushes who were incredibly difficult to find, but bore the sweetest of berries.

What he doesn’t tell them about, is the mysterious magician living inside the mirror, the young boy with twinkling green eyes and a dizzying smile who has given Patton so much and asked for nothing in return.

Not that he doesn’t want to! It’s just… he doesn’t even know how to start explaining everything and besides, his dad has never been too fond of magic and Patton doesn’t want to make him worry or worse, have a fight with him –not now that they’ve just reunited, not after a year believing he would never see his parents again.

So he keeps Ro’s existence to himself, holding this little secret tight to his chest as he tells them about the dusty, old mirror sitting in the corner of the cottage, about how he got attached to it and he would really like to have it with him, in his chambers at the castle.

His parents are more than a little confused by his request, if not somewhat suspicious. Patton doesn’t miss the wariness flashing in his father’s eyes, the way his expression turns into a pensive frown as he shares an uncertain glance with his wife. For a moment, he fears they’ll call out his bluff and demand an explanation, press and press until the truth comes out –he fears they’ll take the mirror away, forbid him from seeing Ro ever again.

But that doesn’t happen, the wariness replaced by soft sighs and a nod. They may not understand, but that mirror seems to be really important for their son –that’s a more than enough reason for them to grant his wish.

And so here he is, not even two months after his first wish has been granted, sitting in his room as he giggles at something Ro has said. They’re both happy, grins stretching on their faces as laughter fills the atmosphere around them.

There’s something burning in Patton’s chest, a feeling that sparked to life when he met those deep, green eyes for the first time and only grew with every grin, every laugh, every quiet moment shared in that little cottage in the woods.

It feels like amber flames licking at his soul, like warmth spreading through his body, like butterflies in his stomach and happiness in his heart.

It feels like love, and it makes Patton’s heart ache and yearn like nothing else.

+++

“Are you happy, Patton?” Ro asks sometime later, startling the prince out of his thoughts.

“Of course I am!” Patton says, clearly confused. “Why wouldn’t I be?”

“You looked… distant, for a second,” Ro explains, searching for the words to best describe what he means, “melancholic, I’d say.”

Patton blinks, taken aback. “Oh,” he says, because how do you respond to something like that when he hasn’t even noticed it himself?

“Is there…” Ro tentatively begins, hesitant in his question as he gives the other a questioning glance, “is there maybe another wish you want me to fulfill for you? You know I won’t mind, right? It’s the reason I came to you, after all.”

Patton thinks about the surge of warmth he feels every time he looks at Ro, about the dreams filling his nights and those wishes he hasn’t shared even with the boy he now calls his best friend. He thinks about the arms he wishes could surround him, about the hands he wishes he could hold and the smile he wishes he could kiss.

Then, he smiles, shaking his head.

“As long as you’re with me, there’s nothing else I could ever wish for.”

(Little does Patton know, that’s the moment Ro feels his heart shatter in his chest.)

+++

The last six months have felt like something straight out of a fairytale for Patton, like the ones his mother used to tell him when he was a kid, just before tucking him in bed and kissing his hair, before sleep overtook him and dreams filled his head.

Patton feels like he’s finally found he prince of his dreams –he sees him every time a pair of forest green eyes meet his gaze, every time white, red and golden robes glint behind the surface of the old mirror in the corner of his room, every time red wisps of magic fill the air and a dazzling grin makes his heart race in his chest.

But like every story his mother told him, even this one has to reach his ending.

And this time, there’s no happy ending in store for him.

+++

“… What?”

Ro gives him a sad smile, eyes melancholic as he repeats one more time those four cursed words.

“I have to go, Patton.”

“But… where? Why??” Patton asks, clearly taken aback, “when will you be back?”

Ro shakes his head, looking away. “I won’t, my prince.”

“No…” Patton whispers, before throwing himself toward the mirror and placing his hands on the glass, “no, please! You can’t leave just yet, not like this.”

“Patton, please-”

“No!” he yells, tears flowing down his cheeks, “I refuse to say goodbye- I won’t!”

Ro looks on the verge of tears, eyes wet and sad as he puts his hands in front of Patton’s –for a second, they’re back at the beginning, in that little cottage in the woods where Ro smiled at Patton and everything changed forever. For a second, they both find themselves wishing they could go back to that single, magical moment.

Sadly, this is one wish Ro cannot make come true.

“Please-” Patton begs, voice breaking as sobs rack through his body- “please, don’t leave my side.”

Ro shakes his head, his own tears falling down his cheeks as his smile turns downright heartbroken.

“I’m sorry,” he whispers, leaning his forehead on the mirror, “I’m so sorry, Patton.”

“Why?” Patton asks, desperate.

“Because if I don’t, then it will all have been for nothing.” Ro answers, “because if I stay, I will only hurt you, and I can’t bear the mere thought of it.”

“You’re hurting me by going away!” Patton argues and yeah, maybe it’s petty and unfair and absolutely, utterly selfish, but he can barely bring himself to care. if it means Ro will stay, then he’s ready to do almost anything. “Please, I can’t- I can’t lose you. Please.”

He can see the resolve breaking in Ro’s eyes, the heartbroken expression taking over the magician’s face as he seems to be physically restraining himself from breaking down completely.

“Patton, if I stay, everything will go back to how it was before.” Ro finally reveals, gaze falling to his feet as his arms wrap around his waist in a desperate attempt to hold himself together. “All your wishes, all the good and happiness they brought… it’ll all disappear, forever. I can’t let that happen, Patton, I can’t be the cause of your despair. Not again.”

It’s Patton’s turn to fall silent now, tears still falling down his cheeks as he registers Ro’s words.

“What?” he whispers, taken aback. “Not again? You’ve never hurt me, Ro, what are you talking about?”

This time, Patton doesn’t miss the way Ro tenses at his words, arms tightening around his waist as he hunches on himself and shakes his head -as if trying to physically protect himself from something buried deep inside his mind.

Still confused, the prince stares as Ro takes in a few deep breaths, slowly straightening his back as he appears to steel himself –for what, Patton doesn’t know, and a little, frightened voice inside himself whispers that he really, really doesn’t want to find out.

“I was scared,” Ro finally whispers, eyes still fixed to the ground, “I was scared, alone, and so, so tired. Everything was crumbling, my life, my home… I just wanted it all to stop. When he arrived, he gave me someone to blame, someone to be angry at –and like a fool, I believed him.”

When Ro finally looks up, his eyes are red and puffy, fresh tears streaking down his cheeks. “I was selfish, I was greedy, and because of that I hurt you in ways I will never forgive myself for.” He lets out a melancholy chuckle, lips stretching into a bittersweet smile. “Everything that I gave, was only given to repay. You showed me a side of life I would have never dreamed to see –your kindness and love will always, always inspire me to do better, be better.”

With a wave of Ro’s hand, a familiar wisp of red magic leaves the mirror, flying to Patton’s face and tenderly wiping away his tears. “I will never forget your smile, your laugh, that twinkle in your eyes you get when something makes you happy. And I won’t forget your tears, your sorrow, even if they break my heart –so that I’ll never make the same mistakes again.” His expression morphs then, sadness momentarily leaving the place to tenderness as his gaze turns fonder still. “May I ask for one last promise, my heart?”

Patton wants to shake his head, vehemently say that no, he won’t promise anything because Ro can’t go, not yet, not now that all Patton wishes for is to have him by his side forever –as his consultant, as his best friend, as his soulmate.

And yet, he doesn’t, doing his best to keep his sobs at bay as he gives Ro a small, shaky nod.

“Keep me in your memories, my sunshine, and think of me, once in a while. But never with sadness or grief. Think of me as you would of an old friend, with fondness and maybe love, if you believe me worthy of it.”

Ro smiles, bowing at Patton as cracks start to appear on the surface of the mirror.

“I love you, prince Patton. Goodbye.”

Crash!

#sanders sides #royality #patton sanders #roman sanders #patton angst #roman angst #(more in the next chapter eheheheheheh) #angst #angst with a happy ending #crying #blood mention #war #magic #magic mirror au #fanfiction #ts fanfiction #sanders sides fanfiction #maxiswriting

[rhetoricalrogue]

Comforting kisses for the squishes ❤️

This is from our Fake Married Trope story we’ve been yelling back and forth to the other about where Vincent is the Inquisitor and the rest of the Cousins Trevelyan are companions.  Takes place directly after events from In Hushed Whispers.  Mentions of dark timeline character death.  As always, Roz is @alittlestarling‘s smol to my Vincent’s tol squish mage.

Roz didn’t have many memories of the Gull and Lantern from her short stay in Redcliffe.  She recalled the first time she had entered, her charges huddled about her, hands clutching at her skirts as they tried to peer through the dimly lit room for familiar faces.  There were no little ones here to keep safe this time, only a set of stairs that led to the man who had offered sanctuary to every single mage currently hurriedly packing their meager belongings into sacks or bags or whatever they could find before the journey to Haven in the morning.

Roz didn’t know exactly what had happened in those brief breathless minutes that Vincent had been away, all she knew was that he had come back, wounded with bloodied clothing and the end of his staff at Alexius’ throat, snarling and vibrating with rage as the magister knelt in defeat.  Roz had never seen him in such a state before, and if she were honest with herself, it had frightened her a little.  She’d called out to him, hoping that maybe hearing a familiar voice would snap him out of it and it seemed as if it had worked, or at least it had calmed his anger somewhat.  Before she knew it, Vincent had dropped his staff and rushed to her side to roughly gather her in his arms for a hug that had bordered on the side of painful.  

Events had happened so quickly after that: the King and Queen’s arrival, the arrangements made to transport all of the mages to Haven, talk of what do to with the rift in the sky now that they had extra magical support…Vincent had been swept away from her amid all of it, and she guessed that as the Herald, it was to be expected.

It didn’t mean that she had to like it, not when Vincent had looked at her over the heads of others as if she was a lifeline.  She longed to cross the distance between them and offer him whatever comfort she could, but instead had nodded and let him go.

She busied herself while he was off doing whatever it was they expected him to do.  She helped people pack, made some quick herbal remedies from ingredients already set out to prepare them, and caught up with several of the people she had gotten to know during her brief time in Redcliffe.  When she saw Rolfe, who thankfully hadn’t left his brother’s side, emerge from a nearby shop with a newly purchased dagger in his hand, she knew it was time to find Vincent.

“He’s at the inn,” Rolfe said without explanation as she drew near, tucking away his new blade into an empty sheath at his boot and nodding in satisfaction at how it fit.  Reaching into a pouch at his belt, he pulled out a short wooden pipe and began stuffing it with tobacco. “Mind a light?”

Without much focus, Roz touched her finger to the bowl of the pipe and willed a small flame.  She watched as Rolfe slowly circled the bowl around her finger to make sure all the tobacco was lit before leaning back, a puff of smoke escaping his lips.  “Well, that was an interesting turn of events.”

“I honestly don’t know what to think of it yet,” she replied.  “It hasn’t sunk in.”

Another puff of smoke.  “That you’re going to have a large number of people effectively tossed out of an entire country with nowhere to go but a tiny little outpost I would struggle to even call a village that’s lacking proper shelter or resources?”

The victorious feeling diminished somewhat. “Oh.  I hadn’t thought of that yet.”  Well, it had been on her mind, but relief that these people weren’t any longer under Tevinter influence had been at the forefront of her mind.  Obviously, making sure they were free had been the main priority, as was the fact that whoever was using strange time magic was contained.  “People can’t eat on freedom and ideals alone.”

“No, but I wouldn’t worry much.  Ambassador Montilyet is clever and resourceful, I’m sure she’ll figure something out.”  He shifted his weight onto one leg and thoughtfully blew out a rather impressive smoke ring.  “I’ll get with my cousin Ada once we get back.  Her father is a well known merchant with many connections, especially around agriculture and whatnot. I bet he can pull some strings to get produce and livestock sent our way.”

“We’ll have to figure something out for housing.”

“What? Aren’t you lot used to being packed in like sardines?  I’m sure we can fit at least thirty mages in Vincent’s cabin alone.”

Roz gave him a dirty look before noticing that he was teasing, the smirk he gave her causing a dimple to appear at his right cheek.  “I could ask Vincent to write to his father, see if there’s any help there.”

Smoke shot out of Rolfe’s nostrils as he snorted dismissively, his smile quickly dissolving.  “As if he’d get any help from him.”

“Why wouldn’t he? Do you have any idea…”

“The lengths he’s gone through and amount of coin Philip Trevelyan has already spent on his precious boy to keep him on the highest shelf in that ivory tower he was shoved in just because he can set things on fire with his mind?  Yes, I do.  I’m a spy and a bastard lovechild, of course I’ve looked into my darling father to see what I missed out on.”

“I still believe that Philip has no knowledge of you.  If he had, he would have moved Thedas itself to bring you to Wycome.  You don’t know him like I do.”

Rolfe crossed his arms in front of his chest and frowned, his posture closing off.  “Believe what you wish, my lady.  In my experience, nobility will choose to hide any ugly stain under a rug and ignore it rather than bring it out in the light of day.”  He puffed angrily at his pipe, then, almost like taking a towel and wringing out any water it held, he tucked away all his emotions until his face smoothed into what Roz liked to call his default mode, his expression neutral, aloof and slightly bored.  She had a feeling that unless someone was familiar with him, they wouldn’t be able to see it as the mask it actually was.  “But enough about me and my absentee parent issues. As I said, Vincent’s up on the second floor of the inn, last room on the right.  No windows, easily defendable, I already swept it for threats.”

There was more that Roz wanted to say, but she knew when someone didn’t want to continue.  She considered herself lucky enough that Rolfe had shared what he already had with her.  “Thank you.”

Rolfe reached out and put a hand on her arm.  “He may have popped away for only a brief moment for us, but I have a feeling that he was gone for quite a bit longer.  I couldn’t get him to open up much about what he saw aside from the information important to the Inquisition, but maybe you’ll have better luck.”

And that was how Roz found herself pressing her palm against the wood of Vincent’s door, wondering if she should knock first or merely enter the room as she had done for what seemed most of her life.  In the end, she decided to do both, softly knocking as she carefully opened the door.

She found him perched on the edge of the bed, his head in his hands and his shoulders shaking.  He started at the sound of the door and Roz felt her heart breaking at the sight of wet tracks across his cheeks.  He barely breathed her name and she was across the room, standing between his knees and gathering him in her arms as he pressed his face against the side of her neck, his breath warm against her skin.

“Shhh,” she whispered, her fingers running through his hair, her lips finding his forehead as his arms circled her waist, big hands splaying across her back only to grab fistfuls of her blouse as if to ground himself there in the moment.  “It’s okay, I’m here for you.”

Vincent didn’t say anything as he leaned back, his eyes closing as Roz gently wiped tears away with the pads of her thumbs.  He looked utterly exhausted, as if he had aged years in between the time they had walked up to Redcliffe Castle and now.  “Tell me what happened, Vincent.  Please.”

“Two years,” he croaked.  “Alexius sent Dorian and I into the future and I saw that it hadn’t taken the Elder One long at all to bring ruin to the world.”

Roz tried to form questions, but they all wound up jumbling together.  Did Vincent spend two years in the future, or did he merely land there?  What was the Elder One?  What sort of ruin did he see?  She listened as his story unfolded, moving from standing in front of him to sitting on the bed beside him.

“You were there too.”  It was quiet, his voice tight as if he wanted to voice what horrors he had seen and yet wanting to spare her from learning about her fate in that doomed place.

“Whatever happened, it wasn’t me.”

“They gave you magebane, to keep you from casting.  They hadn’t started mining red lyrium from your body, but they’d used it to corrupt you.”

Roz reached for his hand and threaded her fingers with his.  “But you saved that version of me, didn’t you?  We fought together?”

Vincent closed his eyes and bowed his head.  With his free hand, he gestured towards the used basin sitting at the room’s side table.  From her spot near him, she could see the rag draped over the bowl was stained a washed out red.  “Most of that is yours.”  He clenched his hands into fists, the hand she held squeezing around her fingers.  “I…you…”  He took a breath and turned to look her in the eye.  “A desire demon.  I had to…”

Roz couldn’t help the sharp intake of breath.  “Oh, Vincent.”  She reached out to touch his face, but he flinched and jerked away.

“She gave you back, right…right before.  I held you as you died, then I had to leave you.  Out of everything that I’ve ever done in my life, being forced to kill my best friend…”  He looked away, fresh tears sliding down his cheeks.  “I don’t want to ever do that again.”

This time he didn’t flinch when she cupped his cheek in her palm.  “You won’t have to, I promise.  Demons have to have a way in; I won’t give them one.”

Vincent gently took her hand away from his cheek.  “You already have.”  Slowly and purposely, he turned her palm over and traced the still healing slash over her palm, the mark made out of desperation as rogue templars had surrounded her in the hinterlands, her death all but imminent had Vincent not discovered her in time.  Not breaking eye contact, Vincent slid the loose sleeve of her blouse up, exposing the faint, silvery scars that still lay on her freckled skin.  She’d been so careful to hide what healing magic hadn’t quite erased yet, spending a little time each day to make certain the injuries faded.  Eventually they’d disappear completely, but until then, she’d been so careful to only nick herself as she and Alderis had practiced in the dark hours of the night inside the Circle, any discovered cuts easily disguised as scratches she could have gotten from any number of plants they kept in the greenhouses. 

“I didn’t want you to know about that.”

“I think I always knew.  I had suspicions; that dark future only confirmed them.”

She withdrew her hand from him and moved her sleeve back in place.  “You must think…”  she stood up, lip trembling.  “I’ll leave in the morning.”

He straightened.  “What?  Roz, no.”  Vincent grabbed onto her hands to keep her from bolting out the room.  “I didn’t tell you that I knew in order to drive you away.  You are the most important person in my life, blood magic won’t change that.”  He stood up with her and pressed his forehead against hers.  “I would have moved all of Thedas if I had the chance to see you one last time, had our places been reversed.”

Roz let out a shaky breath, her arms wrapping around his waist as his lips pressed against her cheek, once, then twice.  “I can stay?”

It was his turn to brush an errant tear away before he gathered her in his arms.  “Always.  Stay with me, Rosalind.  Please.”

She nodded, her hands sliding across his back.  “Always.”  She stepped back and a wave of her hand extinguished the candles save for the one by the bed.  “Rest, you had a long day.”  She saw the question in his eyes before he asked it.  Wordlessly, she took off her shoes and crawled into bed, her back hitting the wall it was shoved against as she made room for both of them to fit on the narrow mattress.

“It’s going to get a lot longer before the end of this.”  It was supposed to be a joke, but Vincent thought of the army of demons and assassination attempts that still needed to be stopped and suddenly felt overwhelmed. He wasn’t a savior, someone Andraste Herself had sent to save the world.  He was a reluctant battlemage, forced to train and fight in battles not of his making.  He was a Senior Enchanter, tasked with teaching young mages how to use their magic and more comfortable in the classroom than out in the field.  He was…

He was only one man.

“Stop thinking, Vincent,” Roz gently told him, her hand brushing hair out of his eyes.  The last of the light went out as she extinguished the candle near the bed, leaving them in the dark.  “All the things you saw that we’ll need to prevent will still be there in the morning.”

“You’re right.”  He settled into the pillow before stiffening.  “The morning.  We need to find places for…”

Roz blindly reached out and pressed her fingers against his lips.  “We’ll find a way to work through hurdles when we get to them.  It may not look like it, but you don’t have to do things all on your own, you know.”

Without thinking, he kissed her fingers.  “I do forget that.  Thanks for reminding me I’m not alone.”

They were quiet, slowly dozing off to sleep, when Roz spoke next.  “You’ll never be alone, not as long as I’m around.  You aren’t the only one who would move mountains to get back to the people important to you.”

Vincent didn’t reply, but he drew her closer, the warmth from her body and soft, vaguely floral scent that wafted from her hair grounding him in the present.

Whatever happened tomorrow, they’d face it.  Together.

Types of kisses

#otp: sometimes home has a heartbeat #vincent trevelyan #rosalind trevelyan #alittlestarling

[make-it-mavis]

Ghost Towns

Wreck-it Ralph/Ralph Breaks the Internet AU 2010 words Characters: Make-it Mavis (the narrator, who describes Vanellope, Ralph, Turbo, Felix, and implies Maribo, @nijimarii‘s OC) Content warnings: Major character death, cruel words, non-graphic descriptions of violence and mild blood

Premise: Make-it Mavis was sentenced to cabinet arrest in Fix-it Felix Jr. for life after living under disguise in Sugar Rush with Turbo for fifteen years. Too tired and heartbroken for any more villainy, she resigned herself to living out the rest of her days with her cousin in a relatively dormant state. That is, until acts of carelessness in 2018 lead to Sugar Rush being unplugged, and her vengeful outrage reawakens something terrible. She recounts her actions in one final letter to the man she loved and lost.

>Fanfic title is a reference to this song<

22/11/2018

4:53 AM

Hey.

So… it’s been a while since I did one of these, huh. Hope you haven’t found some way to be pissed about that. I like singing to you better, but I don’t know if you could hear me from down here. Not that you could read this letter, either, but… just let me forget I’m talking to myself for a few minutes. I just miss you so damn much. I wish you were here with me -- I’ve never felt so lost and alone in my life.

I’m not sure where to begin explaining where I am and how I got here. It’s so unreal. It’s fantastic and horrifying all at once. It’s like an arcade that goes on forever in all directions, but with thousands upon thousands of games inside it, bunched up in clusters and stacked into massive towers. There are sprites out here, but they’re not sprites. Gamers, but not gamers. We always wondered what the world outside Litwak’s Fun Center must be like, and… I think this is it. I think the very Devs themselves live out here.

I guess that means I made it out. I’ve been dreaming of this since I was plugged in. My lifelong dream… doesn’t feel like a dream right now. Unless it’s some buff-induced trip.

As I write this, I’m nowhere good. They call it the “Dark Web.” It’s dark, it smells, and its cramped. The only colors around are from the “colorful” characters that stalk around down here, and I mean that in the most metaphorical sense. It’s like the arcade’s reject horror game enemies came down here to nest in their own filth. I hate it down here, but I can’t seem to leave. There’s a whole lot of world up there that I don’t feel ready to face.

The thing is… I can never go back to the arcade now.

I did something. I had to do it, but no one back at the arcade would understand that. I’m sure you would have, if you heard why. So I’ll tell you why.

Sugar Rush was unplugged.

Yeah. The remaining cabinet’s wheel broke in half. Litwak pulled the plug right away. Not all the candy citizens made it out. I can barely stand to think about the ones we lost. So many of my performers, all the animals, even that special kid of mine… gone.

All the big racers made it out, at least. I wanted so badly to be with my kids and find a way to make them smile, even just to see them again, but you can imagine why I wasn’t allowed to. Instead, Felix and his wife elected to adopt them. My kids. Our kids. Cramped up in a tiny apartment, no cars, in a game without a track. No way to race. No way to follow their code. Thinking of them going through the same code withdrawal that you did just breaks my heart. They don’t deserve that. They didn’t deserve any of this.

And guess whose fault it was.

Guess who didn’t even CARE.

Six freakin’ years was all it took for the rotten little glitch to decide she was bored of Sugar Rush. After fifteen years of wanting nothing more than to race on its track. She had no freakin’ concept of the gift that kingdom was. No idea what an honor it is to rule over it. You and I worked so hard, risked our freakin’ lives for Sugar Rush, and even after the invasion of 2012 that unmasked me and literally killed you, what does she do? She bitches and moans and whines until that insecure, selfish, nine-foot dumbass of hers game-jumps to literally punch a detour into the ground so Princess President wouldn’t be bummed out.

She had a choice to make, there. She could have realized that as the game’s leader, she had a responsibility to keep it safe, even more than any other racer. She could have finished the race and waited until the arcade closed to go try out Wreck-it’s new track. She could have done the absolute bare minimum to protect the game that she was so lucky to have.

No.

She defied the gamer and drove off course. In-game.

She had our entire world in her hands. My one real home. Everything left in the world that I loved.

And she killed it.

Out of boredom. With no remorse for the lives she ruined, for all the lives that didn’t make it out. All she wanted to do was cry about not being able to race anymore. That alone was motivation for her and her lumbering dumbass friend to run off into the internet on some impossible quest to give her back what she never deserved in the first place.

But… I followed them.

I convinced Surge to let me into the internet if I promised to never come back. Have it be my exile that gave me freedom and gave the arcade safety. It was an easy promise to make. There’s nothing left for me in the arcade. I was locked up in a game I never loved, with sprites who never loved me. I never had any visitors. I had no purpose. I had no… you. My memories and a good view of Sugar Rush were all I had. Even through my rage over what Wreck-it and the glitch had done to you, to me, to our world… the one thing I could hold onto was the fact that Sugar Rush was still standing, and someone was looking after it. That was the only thing keeping me from wringing the little glitch’s neck. Sugar Rush needed her.

With that gone… nothing was stopping me anymore.

So I did what I had to do. I left what remained of my world behind. I came to this insane internet world. I tracked those two down.

I made them pay for what they did.

The fight wasn’t easy. It wasn’t quick and quiet like it was with King Candy. It was an ugly mess. There was screaming, there was crying, there were short chases, there were chunks of metal and building parts hurled at me. But in the end, I won. I had them both trapped under my thumb, so much that I could have slit both their throats and went on my way. But they didn't deserve that. They deserved so much worse, and in their last moments, I made sure they knew why. While she was still alive to hear it, someone had to hold Von Schweetz accountable for what she'd done. Just once.

And Wreck-it… back in 2012, he tore my whole life away from me. He killed the man I'd loved for thirty years. He gave my home to a child who could not care for it, then came back to help her destroy it.

In my head, I'd already sentenced him to death six years ago. But for him, I could think of no punishment more fitting than to kill her first.

Like we should have done twenty years ago.

So, here I am now… finally free of their poison. I'm sitting alone in a dark alley, splattered with blood, processing it all. It’s barely been a few hours since I did it. I can only tell because most of the little “sites” down here have clocks… otherwise, it feels like time’s stood still. Like reality’s just taking too long to load. It’s not that I’m freaked out by what I’ve done. Not at all. I expected to feel something, but… I kinda don't. I’d known Wreck-it my whole life. We were coworkers. We used to go for drinks at Tapper's and rag on Gene together. But as I carved into him, felt the spray of his blood, watched the life leave his eyes… he was a stranger to me. I felt nothing. I felt like I was finally taking care of a chore that had been on my to-do list for too long. I’m not sure what that says about me, but I don’t really care. Good or bad isn't real anymore. They deserved to die, and I killed them. I'm not sorry for that.

I’m not sure why I’m hiding down here. There’s no way anyone could find me in the internet, even if I was implicated, which I won’t be. I killed them in a pretty badass-looking racing game, and their bodies glitched away. There was only one witness -- some weird little sprite that I convinced to help me find them. I kinda liked her, so I didn't kill her. But she won’t be telling anyone anytime soon. I made sure of that.

Maybe the sprites back at Litwak’s will make assumptions when Wreck-it and Von Schweetz don’t come back, since it’s no secret that I’ve hated them for years. Maybe. Fix-it Felix Jr. will be unplugged for sure, and I think that's my one regret. Felix doesn't deserve to lose his game. He's the last living sprite who still loves me… but the whole world loves him. He'll be okay. He’s got his wife, the Nicelanders, and the entire arcade to support him. I just hope he looks after the kids. I miss those sweet little monsters.

Sugar Rush will be wheeled away out the door and out of existence. And as far as the arcade’s concerned, I’ll be going with it. I feel like that's only fitting. That was the world I truly belonged in. If my world is leaving the arcade forever, then… I am too. Just like I always dreamed.

It's just that I always pictured you coming with me. The fact that you're not here right now feels so wrong, it hurts.

I don’t know where I’m gonna go or what I’m gonna do after this. Right now, all I can think about is you. Because I found the weirdest thing down here. The site just across the way… is called “Turbo Torrent.” And I don’t know why or how, but… their sign has a picture of your face. I guess some people outside the arcade really do still remember you. I hope you know that, wherever you are. You gotta know that you're remembered. I wonder if they remember what you did. Some of them must have told their friends what happened to Roadblasters, right? I'll probably never know why, but that’s definitely your face… and that’s what inspired me to write to you again. Even in this grimey, dank place, I feel weirdly close to you in the light of that sign. Like I was supposed to come here.

Maybe that’s why I’m having trouble leaving.

Wherever I end up going, I’ll be thinking of you. It’s gonna be an adventure for me, but those were always better with you. I think we could have done well in the internet. Never a dull moment, hardly any walls to hold us back. I’m sure you would have found a way to be the center of attention, even in a place that goes on forever. I miss the way you’d bring a room to life when you entered it. I miss everything about you, even the annoying parts.

I guess what I’m saying is, I’m leaving everything I knew about the world behind, but in whatever way I can, I’m taking you with me. I promised I’d never forget you, and I meant it. So if any part of you really is still with me, get ready for a whole new life we never expected. I'm going to wander this world until I finally burn out. I don't know what's out there, but I know deep in my heart that nothing will ever be the same again. No more Easter Egg. No more yanks from a joystick. No more shouting, “We Can Make It!” And that’s all well and good, because we didn’t, in the end.

But I will.

I miss you, sugar. I’ll love you ‘til my last conscious thought.

Pinky promise.

-- Cherry Bomb

#wreck it ralph #ralph breaks the internet #wreck it ralph 2 #make it mavis #turbo #fanfiction #fanfic #angst #keeps naming fics after radical face songs #i swear i'll write something happy soon #murder au just wouldnt leave my head

[saltbaes]

Overview: After getting kicked out of MIT, Raven’s best friend (Clarke) offers her a place to stay and a job at her boyfriend’s (Bellamy) bar “Arkadia.” While there she reunites with a former frenemy from high school, John Murphy. You can also read it on AO3 Modern AU: Takes place in present day. Clarke’s in Med school. Bellamy owns the bar. Murphy bar-tends, along with Jasper and Monty. Pairings: (Main) Murphy x Raven, mentions of Bellarke Characters: (The 100) John Murphy, Raven Reyes, Clarke Griffin, Bellamy Blake, Finn Collins, Zeke Shaw, Jasper Jordan, Monty Green Rating: M (adult language + situations) Previous Chapter: 1 | 2 |  Chapter: Three

Raven checks her phone for a fourth time as she sits alone in the vinyl booth. She should’ve known when Clarke said to meet her at her favorite restaurant at one o’clock she really meant two. From her seat she has a view of the entrance, only couples and groups of friends come and left. She sighs to herself as she fidgets in her spot, adjusting the strap of her shirt before perusing the menu.

Clarke invited the beautiful brunette out for lunch to celebrate Raven’s completion of her first week at the bar. It initially started out as a joke, Raven making a passing comment about how she was utterly shocked she survived a week working side by side with Murphy, Jasper and Monty. Clarke admitted it was surprising none of the boys were murdered yet but felt it was reason enough to celebrate. If not for work then for the sheer fact that she missed her best friend and just wanted to catch up.  

Raven allows herself to soak in the ambient music, not quite able to make out what the lyrics were but they offered a nice distraction. Just as she’s about to pull out her phone for a fifth time she spots a familiar tuft of blonde hair make its way through the door.  

“Clarke.” She motions her friend over, standing to hug her once the petite blonde is an arm's length away. “You better have a good reason you’re late. I’m fucking starving.”

“Actually --” Clarke smirks as she slides in across from Raven. She slowly raises her left hand into view, showcasing a sparkly diamond ring adorning her finger. “I do.”

Raven’s jaw drops as she reaches over, yanking Clarke’s hand closer to her face. “Bellamy proposed?!”

Clarke nods enthusiastically, biting down on her lip to keep herself from giggling like a school girl. “He asked me last night and well... the celebrating kinda rolled over into today which is why I’m so late.”

Raven chuckles, shaking her head in disbelief. “I’m really happy for you.”

“Good.” Clarke smirks as she reached over and squeezes Raven’s hand. “Because there’s something else.”

“I swear to God if you tell me you’re pregnant.”

“No no no, definitely not pregnant.” Clarke laughs, shaking her head adamantly. “It’s more of a question... for you.”

Raven knits her brows together, looking at the blonde incredulously. “Oh no, what is it?”

Clarke smiles. “Will you be my maid of honor?”

“Oh my God!” Raven grins, “Of course! I’d love to.”

Before either of them could get anything else out the waitress walks over with what looks like a mini tablet, ready to take their order. As they speak she taps the screen to transmit their order straight to the kitchen before beaming at them with enthusiasm. “Anything else?”

“Put it all on my tab.” A man’s voice cuts in, causing both Raven and Clarke to look up. He was classically handsome and visibly fit with a bright white smile that was only semi distracting. Raven blinks several times before she glances in Clarke’s direction.  

“Zeke, hi!” The petite blonde says excitedly as she pulls him in for a friendly embrace.  

“Hope you don’t mind I kind of overheard your conversation.” He smiles again, flashing his perfect teeth. “Congratulations, Clarke.”

“Thank you.” She returns the smile before returning her attention to the brunette sitting quietly (and confused) at the booth. “Raven this is Zeke, he’s a surgical resident at Seymour.” She crosses over to slide next to Raven, leaving the opposite side of the booth empty for him. “You should sit and have lunch with us.”

Raven glares at Clarke only then realizing what was happening. She naively thought this was just two friends catching up over lunch. She mutters an incoherent sentence under her breath about murdering the blonde but tries not to let on that she was suddenly feeling very uncomfortable. Zeke seemed nice enough but she really was just looking forward to chatting with her friend.

She mentally kicks herself for thinking otherwise. Ever since she started dating Bellamy, Clarke has made it her mission to find someone for Raven. Deep down, Raven knew that it was out of guilt over what happened with Finn but she knew her friends' heart was in the right place so she learned to swallow the awkwardness and go with the flow.

She manages to make it through the small talk, pretending not to notice that Clarke would only chime in when the conversation was lagging. And as the lunch date came to an end she felt as though she had a good idea about who this guy was.

Zeke Shaw is incredibly intelligent and well spoken. He was in ROTC and is now well on his way to becoming a doctor. He drives a motorcycle and according to Clarke is the smartest guy she knows. Emphasis on guy. Truth be told, on paper, he was perfect. Perfect job, perfect skin, perfect smile.  

“So, what’d you think?” Clarke asks as she walks Raven to her car.

The brunette shrugs indifferently, shoving her hands into her back pockets. “He’s kind of... too good to be true.”

Clarke frowns ever so slightly, “You say that like it’s a bad thing.”

“Not bad per say.” Raven muses. “It’s just... I want something real.”

Clarke pouts, “You know I would never try to hook you up with someone without substance, right?” She asks, “I really think he’s perfect for you. Maybe just give him a chance?”

There it was again. That word. Perfect. Raven rocks back and forth on her heels as she considers it. She knew from experience that when something seemed too good to be true it usually was. Even still, she didn’t see the harm in trying. Maybe Clarke was right. Maybe he is perfect for her.

“Okay, fine.” She sighs as she unlocks her car door. “I will.”

__________________

The atmosphere at the bar was significantly more cheerful than usual when news broke about Bellamy and Clarke's engagement. After Murphy's mock offense of not being chosen as Bell's best man and several shots were consumed things slowly returned to its natural rhythm of chaos as Arkadia got increasingly busier.  

Murphy couldn’t help but notice Raven was uncharacteristically quiet as the night progressed. She smiled politely at the patrons, worked quickly and efficiently but that was about it. Normally she’d be firing sarcastic remarks at him or playfully rolling her eyes at Jasper and Monty’s antics.

He hesitates as he makes his way over to her. She made it perfectly clear in the past that she has no interest in him swooping in to try and help her. Even though his brain was screaming at him to leave her alone his urge to make sure she was okay won out in the end. He clears his throat before lightly nudging her in her side, “Reyes, you alright?”

“Hm?” She doesn’t bother looking up but her brows furrow together like she heard his voice but didn’t understand what he had just asked her. “Oh...yeah, why?”

Murphy shrugs, wringing his bar rag in his hands as his eyes look everywhere but her. “You seem kind of off --”

“Did someone complain about their drink?” She finally looks up, forcing him to meet her gaze. He realizes then that she’s mistaking his concern for criticism. “Was it the guy with the long island ice tea? That drink is a nightmare --”

“No, you’re fine. No one complained. I was just...” He allows his voice to trail off not really willing to finish his sentence. She probably wouldn’t believe him if he told her he was worried. She finds nothing sincere about him, that much is clear. But her mocha colored eyes are boring into his and he suddenly can’t form a cohesive thought.  

She must realize what he’s getting at because her features soften, her eyes flicker down towards his lips before returning to meet his gaze once more. “I just... have a lot on my mind. It’s been a weird day.”

Murphy nods. “If you’re not up for being maid of honor I will gladly take over for you. Give Clarke a bachelorette party she’ll never forget.” He smirks, a glint of mischief in his eyes. To his surprise Raven genuinely smiles at his joke.

“Only if you wear the bridesmaid dress.” She plays along, her smile growing.  

Murphy pretends to consider it, unable to wipe the grin off his face. “And upstage the bride? I don’t think she’d be too happy about that.”

“Yeah cause that’s where she’d draw the line,” Raven says sarcastically with a smile, “You wearing a dress.”

Murphy chuckles. He tries not to get caught up in the moment. He knows for her she’s just passing the time with a meaningless conversation to distract her from whatever's plaguing her mind. Even though for him it feels like making a connection, he won’t allow himself to think much of it. Just chuck it up as banter between two coworkers. Nothing more. Nothing less.

He wants to ask her about what’s on her mind but he doesn’t want to push it. He’s certain the second he asks the smile on her face will disappear faster than it came.  

Much to his dismay a familiar voice has a similar effect. His jaw clenches as they turn, in unison, to face the man on the other side of the bar. Immediately he’s filled with rage. Either Finn has the worst timing in the world or he knew what he was doing and didn’t care. The smug look on his face told Murphy it was the latter.  

Murphy glances over to Raven trying to read her expression. She didn’t seem surprised to see him but she certainly didn’t seem happy either. It was more like uninterested disdain. “Go away.” Raven says simply, sighing exaggeratively. “Are there no other bars in a ten-block radius that you can infest with your presence? Must you come here?”

“I’ve been coming to Arkadia long before you ever started working here. Technically you're in my territory.” Finn takes the empty barstool in front of him, folding his arms on the countertop as if to say he wasn’t going anywhere.  

“Territory?” Raven scoffs. “What're you, a dog?”

Finn winks, a smirk coloring his face.  

Raven’s face changes from disdain to pure disgust as she begins to walk away. Finn reaches out and grabs her arm forcefully, yanking her back in the process. Raven winces in pain but before she has the chance to stumble back Murphy’s prying Finn’s hands off her. “Don’t ever fucking touch her.”

“Mind your business dude.” Finn replies with a forceful shove. “This has nothing to do with you.”

“It’s not about me, asswipe. I think she’s made herself pretty clear.” Murphy snarls, returning the shove. “Take a hint. She doesn’t want anything to do with you.”

“Oh, so you speak for her now?” Finn raises an eyebrow, catching his balance.

Murphy makes his way around the counter, the situation now catching the attention of the other bartenders. Murphy can hear Bellamy calling out his name, warning him to relax but he can’t. This feels long overdue.

“No, I don’t speak for her but since you don’t listen when she does speak I’m going to go ahead and help you out.” Murphy pushes him with more force than before, sending him flying into a nearby table.  

“Murphy!” Bellamy’s voice rings in his ear. “I said that’s enough!”

Reluctantly he pulls back, glaring at his boss before pushing past everyone else and heading for the back.

Bellamy’s voice echoes after him as he reaches the stairs. “Another outburst like that and you’re fired.” Murphy turns to look him in the eye. He can tell he isn’t bluffing but he has a hard time caring about anything at the moment. “I mean it Murphy. Don’t lose your job over a pissing contest.”

“The guys a piece of shit. He --”

“A piece of shit that can sue.” Bellamy cuts him off before he has the chance to explain what happened. “And neither of us can afford a lawsuit. This is your last warning, Murphy. Are we clear?”

Murphy clenches his jaw, eyes locking with Raven as she steps into the backroom. “Crystal.” He answers, the snarky tone in his voice hard to ignore, hoping that was enough to get his boss to walk away. Bellamy knows not to expect anything more, so he accepts his answer at face value before returning to the front.

Raven stared into his bright blue eyes burning with anger and everything fell silent. He could tell she was racking her brain, trying to find a cohesive thought but nothing came out. Her brown eyes desperately searched his, secretly hoping he would say something first.  

The silence began to eat at him, Murphy sighs, running a hand through his hair. “I’m sorry.”

Caught off guard, Raven knits her brows together in confusion. “What’re you --”

“I know you said before that you don’t need my help and that you can fight your own battles.” He recalls, realization crossing her face. “But if it helps I’ve wanted to kick his ass long before you ever showed up.”

Raven smiles ever so slightly, eyes falling to the ground. “You don’t need to apologize Murphy.”

“Yeah, well...” He allows his voice to trail off before meeting her gaze again. “You better get back out there.”

“You’re not coming back out?”

“Nah I think it’ll be better for everyone if I just disappear for the night.”  

Raven nods in understanding watching as he turns to walk away from her and up the stairs. Halfway up she calls out to him, she can see him pause as if he’s contemplating whether or not to face her. Finally he does, his eyes tired and unexpecting.

“Thank you.” Raven manages to get out. To her surprise he doesn’t respond, he simply nods his head once and continues on his way. Even more surprising was the feeling in her stomach when she realizes she has to work the rest of the shift without him. A familiar feeling: disappointment.  

#me? updating a fic? its more likely than you think #ive missed them #murven #oasis fic #oasis chapter 3 #murven fic #murven fanfic #raven x murphy #cockroach mechanic #otp: said the cockroach to the raven #john murphy #raven reyes #the 100

[shimmershaewrites]

Waltzing's for Dreamers, Chapter 16. (a Walking Dead story, Caryl AU).

Title:  Waltzing’s for Dreamers

Rating:  PG?  PG-13 maybe?

Warnings:  some adult language.  Innuendo. 

Characters/Pairings:  Daryl Dixon/Carol Peletier, Sophia Peletier, Dale Horvath, Arat, Jessie Anderson, Sam Anderson, mention of Ron Anderson, Lori Grimes, Carl Grimes, Siddiq, mentions of Michonne, Merle Dixon, Dr. S.   

  Waltzing’s for Dreamers

      More than a year after Vegas.  Early September.

      The call comes in while Daryl’s at work. 

  He’s elbow deep in the engine of an old clunker better suited for the junk yard.  Has been for the better part of the afternoon and the woman that brought the car in keeps sneaking fretful peeks at him around its hood.  Giving a play by play to her husband over the phone even though it’s painfully obvious she don’t know what the shit he’s doing.  Looks like she’s got other things on her mind, like keeping the squirming toddler on her hip from making a break for it.  And for once?  He’s grateful for Arat’s obnoxious taste in music because it’s full on blaring.  The bass tugging at his gut and making his tools rattle whenever he sets one down.  It gives him the out he’s looking for when she bites her lip and offers the phone to him.  He shakes his head, makes a show of not being able to hear a damn thing and it ain’t no lie.  Really ain’t.  Still.  He can’t suppress the twinge of guilt when she tucks the phone back between her shoulder and her ear with a wince, bounces the whining kid in her arms and turns her back to him.  Walks away. 

  “Looks like we got another penny pincher on our hands.” 

  “Grade A asshole,” Daryl agrees, wiping his hands on the red rag sticking out of the front pocket of his navy coveralls.  “Turn that shit down.” 

  Arat smirks.  “Sounds like somebody needs to loosen up your buttons, Dixon.  Pretty little wife not doing it for you?  Could always invite me over.  Three’s not such a crowd anymore.” 

  His neck goes hot at the suggestion and a growl rumbles deep in his chest.  “How many times…” 

  “You know I’d make it good for you both.” 

  “Fuck off.”  She cackles as she retreats to the back of the garage, singing along when the tune changes on cue to one Daryl figures should be her anthem.  His brother’s, too.  Although Merle sticks to chasing skirts.  On more than one occasion, Arat’s proven she ain’t as discriminating.  Backed up all that bold talk with the people she brings around.  “Old Man ain’t fundin’ your sexual harassment.” 

  “Just having a little fun.” 

  “Well, I ain’t,” Daryl mutters.  “So get on back to work.” 

  “Um.  Excuse me?” 

  It’s the frazzled mother again, this time minus the kid.  A quick glance toward the office shows him the old man hamming it up with the moon-eyed toddler and the corner of Daryl’s mouth lifts when he sees a smile break out on the shy little boy’s face.  “Ma’am?” 

  Wringing her hands, the woman sighs.  

  She chews on her words so long Daryl takes pity on her.  “Lemme guess.  No lifesaving measures.” 

  “What’s the cheapest quick fix?  I need to pick my other son up from school soon.” 

  Scratching absently at the back of his head, Daryl lays out the truth for her.  “Be no better than plugging a leak on the Hoover dam with a wad of bubblegum.” 

  “Pete won’t agree to anything else.” 

  “Alright.  Okay.  I’ll get you hooked up.  I’ll…shit.  Snuck up on me, Old Man,” he grumbles.  “What’s the matter?  Look like you seen a ghost or something.”  

  The woman steps between them, holds out her arms for her son.  “Sam, come here.  Come to Mommy.”   

  Soon as that boy’s in her arms, Daryl steps closer to Dale even though Arat has killed the volume on the radio and is currently walking toward them, shepherding the woman and her child outside to give them some privacy and it’s a good thing.  Because Daryl don’t like the look on his boss’s pale face.  He don’t like the way his bushy brows are bunched in worry. 

  “Sophia’s school called.  They couldn’t reach Carol.” 

  “Got that test today.  Been studying for it for weeks.  Dale?  What’d they say?” 

  “That’s just it.  They wouldn’t tell me anything.  Other than she was in an accident and she’s been taken to the hospital.” 

  “Fuck.  Fuck.  I need to…” 

  “Go,” Dale cuts him off.  “Just don’t get yourself killed trying to get to her.” 

  Daryl tries to mind the old man’s instruction as he races toward the hospital, but he breaks at least ten different traffic laws before he skids to a crooked stop in the parking lot.  Forgets to even lock the truck’s door before he sprints to the ER entrance and rushes inside.  Nearly collides with a pair of EMTs on their way back out.  He only realizes his hands are shaking when he grabs the arm of the first person he sees wearing scrubs.  “I’m looking for my little girl.  Her school called and…”  About that time, he catches a glimpse of a familiar figure in front of a row of vending machines, lets go of the puzzled hospital employee and calls out to her.  “Lori!” 

  Lori whirls around.  Tucks her phone and a couple packets of candy back in her purse and meets him halfway, her brown eyes bright but calm. 

  “What the hell happened?” Daryl demands to know, not even giving her a chance to say anything.  “Where is she?  What the fuck are you…” 

  “Even doing here when I’m still responsible for a class full of six-year-olds?” Lori finishes for him when he runs out of steam.  “Walk with me.  I can explain.” 

  By the time they reach Sophia’s cubicle, he’s heard the whole ugly story and he’s calmer, yeah.  At least marginally but he also has this passing urge to whip some first grade ass, his own history notwithstanding.  “Something needs to be done ‘bout that kid.  Little terror’s been bullyin’ ‘Phia long as I’ve known her.  This so-called playground scuffle ain’t his first go-round.”  

  “Trust me,” Lori sighs.  “I’m aware.”  Combing her hair back behind her ears, she reaches for the privacy curtain but waits for his cue before pulling it back. 

  Daryl nods and suddenly there she is.  Looking so damn tiny and defenseless in that huge stretcher he feels his knees go weak. 

  Her freckles stand out in stark relief against the paleness of her skin, the small butterfly bandages that follow the line of her strawberry brow and disappear into her hairline.  Blood and dirt smudge the front of her favorite rainbow shirt and a neon green cast extends from her short fingers all the way above her right elbow. 

  He’s so busy silently cataloguing her hurts that he doesn’t notice he’s been spotted until the young man in a lab coat recaps the black Sharpie in his hand and relinquishes it to Sophia with a smile. 

  “Looks like Dad’s here just in time.” 

  “He’s not her…” 

  Lori’s quick to shush her boy.  Taking him by his skinny shoulders and pulling him to her.  “Carl.” 

  Daryl’s grateful because he can’t find his fuckin’ voice to do it himself.  He’s on autopilot, being pulled in by the magic of Sophia’s shy smile.  He feels his heart squeeze with overwhelming affection when her pink tongue pokes through the gap left by her missing baby teeth and his calloused hand reaches out to cover her foot.  “Had me worried, Ladybug.  Nearly gave me a heart attack.” 

  “M’sorry.” 

  “Wasn’t your fault,” Carl’s quick to interject.  “Was Ron’s.  He’s a big mean bu–”

  The little shithead scowls when his mama’s hand closes over his mouth just in time, looks mighty fierce with that impressive shiner blacking his eye and Daryl smirks when Sophia giggles.  Nods at the young doctor when he likewise smiles.  “Thanks.  For takin’ care of her.  Know her mama’d appreciate it.  Know I damn well do.” 

  Lori echoes the sentiment.  “Thanks, Siddiq.”    

  “I just helped put on the cast.  Sophia did all the hard, brave work.” 

  “Still,” Daryl insists.  “Thank you, Man.” 

  “You’re welcome.  If you’ll excuse me, I’ll go see if I can round up Dr. S so he can get your discharge paperwork started.” 

  “Carl and I should get going, too.  Now that Daryl’s here.”  Leaning over the stretcher’s rail, she places a careful kiss atop Sophia’s hair.  Reaches out and briefly touches Daryl’s forearm before digging through her purse and offering up a package of M&M’s for later.  “You did good, sweet girl.  I’ll see you back in class Monday, okay?  I’ll bring more markers so everybody can sign your cast.” 

  “Okay,” she murmurs in response. 

  “Your mama will be here soon.  Michonne’s going to go get her soon as her test is over and bring her here so she doesn’t have to drive.”

  “So she won’t worry?” 

  “So she won’t worry as much,” Lori gently corrects.  “Bye, Sweetie.  Why don’t you close your eyes and rest?  I know you’re tired.”    

   “I’m here,” Daryl reminds her.  “Ain’t goin’ nowhere.”  

  “Promise?” 

  “With pinkies and everything,” he says gruffly. 

  “Pinkies and everything?” 

  “Yep.  Now close them pretty eyes.  I’ll still be here when they open back up and your little friend Carl?  Well, he’ll finally be gone.” That comment earns him a giggle.  From Sophia, then Lori, and eventually the boy himself, who just shrugs when he offers up a halfhearted apology.  Then they’re gone and it’s just him and ‘Phia and he thinks she’s drifted off until she mumbles his name. 

  “Daryl?” 

  “Hmm, Ladybug?” 

   “Dr. Siddiq called you my dad.” 

  “I heard.”   

  “I don’t want to call you that.” 

  “Don’t have to call me anything you don’t wanna.  Daryl’s just fine.” 

  She falls quiet again, her breath evens and slows and then.  “What ‘bout Daddy?  S’that okay?” 

  It takes him a minute.  Damn lump makes it hard to swallow, much less speak.  But eventually he husks a response, “Even better.” 

#The Walking Dead #Caryl fanfiction #Caryl #Carol x Daryl #Waltzing's for Dreamers #aka What Happens in Vegas Stays in Vegas fic #stuff that I write #Dale Horvath #Arat #mention of Merle Dixon #Jessie Anderson #Sam Anderson #mention of Pete Anderson #Ron Anderson #Lori Grimes #Carl Grimes #Sophia Peletier #mention of Michonne #Dr. S. #Siddiq

[even-strangerthings]

Wish You Were Here. Billy Hargrove imagine.

(Pictures inside of the edit are NOT mine. The edit is mine)

Warning: A lot of sadness (I’m sorry), mentions of death, cursing

Pairing: Billy Hargrove X OFC Character, Vanessa

Word count: 6,311 (It’s super long.)

A/N: Normal text is present time, italic text are flashbacks. 

Based off the song “Wish You Were Here” by Neck Deep

I had to repost this because somehow the one I posted this morning got deleted. Don’t let this flop because I worked really hard on this.

Cause a picture is all that I have to remind me that you’re never coming back

Before Vanessa and Billy had started going out he was infatuated with her, and she was infatuated with him as well. She was the happiest, most bubbly person he had ever seen. She was always so friendly to everyone, even Billy. As much as he tried to walk around school and act like he was a tough macho man, Vanessa saw through it. She was a people watcher, and she would see Billy by himself every once and a while and she could see that he had a vulnerable side. He would watch her too sometimes in class, the way she would play with the ring she wore on her middle finger during class. He would see her walk home some days after school and he wanted to offer her a ride, but he didn’t want her to reject him. She wanted to figure out what made him tick and what went on in that head of his. One day after school she had to pass through the gym to get to her P.E. locker to get something out of there, when she opened the door she saw Billy by himself on the court dribbling the basketball. She walked along the sidelines watching as he shot the ball up toward the basket, making it in the hoop. He turned to grab the ball and saw Vanessa walking, stopping what he was doing and watching her instead.

“Sorry. I didn’t mean to disrupt you.”

She said, bending down to pick the ball off the ground as it rolled to her. Billy smiled cockily at her, shrugging his shoulders and began to walk over to her.

“Oh, you’re fine. You’re Vanessa, right?”

She had no idea he knew who she was, he never gave her a second look that she had noticed, so she was surprised that he knew her name. Vanessa nods her head, throwing the ball to him. Billy smiles at her, looking at her longingly.

“You have really pretty eyes, has anyone ever told you that?”

“I could say the same about yours.”

She responds, nervously playing with her hands.

“Why are you here by yourself? It’s it easier to play basketball with another person?”

“Yeah, we can play together, if you want to.”

He says, dribbling the ball against the hardwood floor. Vanessa smiles, putting her stuff off to the side on the bleachers, tying her hair up.

“Alright Hargrove, you’re on. Let’s make it interesting why don’t we, hmm? The first one to get to let’s say… 15 points gets to pick a punishment for the other.”

The two were laughing up and down the court as they both tried to block each other’s shots and steal the ball. Vanessa had ended up getting the ball from him, both of them only needing one more point to make it to 15. She sprinted across the court, dribbling the ball, she feels herself getting picked off the ground, a pair of arms wrapping around her waist. Vanessa squeals as Billy puts her down, stealing the ball from her. He runs in the opposite direction and throws the ball, making it in the hoop with ease. Vanessa laughs, shaking her head and putting her hands on her hips. Billy cheers, throwing his hands up in the air in victory.

“That was a foul and you know it.”

“We never said we had to play by the rules, sweetheart. Now if I’m not mistaken, I have to pick a punishment out for you.”

He says, rubbing his hands together.

“I’m not doing anything that has to do with me getting naked, Hargrove.”

“Damn, well now I got to think of something else… I got it, you have to go on a date with me.”

He says, looking nervous for suggesting it.

“That’s not a punishment, but I would love to go on a date with you.”

Billy looks at her with wide eyes, almost in disbelief.

“Really? You really would go on a date with me?”

“Yeah? Why do you sound so surprised?”

Vanessa asks, wiping the sweat from her forehead.

“You don’t find me intimidating like everyone else does around here. You’ve never not smiled at me when I walk into class, or when you see me in the hallway.”

“I see through your tough boy facade, thats why. I know you put up a front for everyone here, so no, I’m not scared of you. I know there’s more to you then the hot car, hot body, and good hair.”

Billy softly smiles at her. Vanessa walks back to the bleachers and rips out a piece of paper out of her notebook, scribbling her phone number and address on it, handing it to Billy.

“Pick me up tonight at 8?”

He takes the paper and nods his head.

“I’ll see you later beautiful.”

“Looking forward to it, hermoso.”

He watches her walk away and out of his view before he jumps in the air and throws his fist in the air because he got her to go on a date with him.

Vanessa looks at her clock sitting next to her, saying that it was already 3am. She puts her notebook down after she had finished writing down the story of her and Billy’s first encounter. She looks out of her window seat in her room at the stars twinkling in the sky, her eyes were dry, impossible for anymore tears to escape her. Her chest tightened as she tried to catch her breath. She clung onto the chain of Billy’s necklace that he had given her that night, lacing it through her fingers on her right hand, the pendant resting in the palm of her hand. Vanessa missed being with Billy this late at night laying out at the school football field watching the stars and trying to point out the constellations in the sky. She missed resting her head against his chest while he would be playing with her hair, twisting random strands around his finger.

“That can be our star.”

Vanessa says, pointing to a cluster of stars in the sky.

“Which one?”

“The brightest star up in the sky right now. I’ve read about that one it’s called Vega. The story is that her parents liked the person she was with, but didn’t like how much time she spent with them, and they both started to neglect things that were important to them. So the parents arranged to separate the two by a river. They only got to spend one night a year together.”

She explained, turning onto her stomach, caressing Billy’s face. He smiles over at her quickly, looking back up at the sky. She looked at how beautiful he looked, the way the moon casted light against his soft face.

“Hmm, sounds familiar, except your parents barely tolerate me, my dad hates you, and if he had it his way he wouldn’t even let me see you once a year. I’m lucky I can sneak out of the house as often as I can to come see you.”

“Only 7 more months until we can get out of here mi corazón. And we can go to New York like we’ve been talking about.”

Vanessa says, getting up and straddling Billy’s lap, he sits up and wraps his arms around her, burying his face in her neck. She hugged him back, enjoying the warmth of his body against hers. She picked her head up and rested her forehead against his, playing with the collar of his shirt.

“Alright, that’s our star. On nights we can’t come out here and do this, I’ll look up in the sky and think of you.”

“Who knew that the keg king of Hawkins is so romantic and deep?”

Billy rolls his ocean blue eyes at her, trying to shield his smile from her.

“And if you ever tell anyone your ass is grass, Nessa.”

She laughed at him, shaking her head because she knew that she could murder someone in cold blood and he would still think she was an angel.

“Sure thing tough guy. I won’t let anybody know that you have other feelings other than being grumpy.”

“I have a question. Would you ever marry me?”

Her mouth hangs open, surprised at his question. The two of them talked about a lot of things, but marriage was something they hadn’t really touched on.

“Shit, I shouldn’t have said anything… sorry.”

“No, no, no. I was just kinda blindsided because we never talked about it. But to answer your question, I would marry you in a heartbeat.”

Billy smiles is almost to big for his face once he hears her answer. He reaches over to his denim jacket and pulls something small out of his jacket pocket, playing with it in the palm of his hand.

“So, will you marry me?”

Vanessa laughs nervously, cupping her hand over her mouth.

“What? Are you serious? Billy… I didn’t know you were serious… oh my god.”

He flashes her the ring, diamonds weaved through the silver band. His hand was shaking as he held his hand out.

“It was my mom’s. One of the many things I stole from my dad after she died.”

Vanessa looks up at him, meeting his blue eyes. She laughs, hugging him again.

“I can’t believe you. You’re impulsiveness is showing hard right now.”

“Sooooo… is that a yes?”

Billy asks.

“Yes. But not until we get out to New York. That way our parents can’t stop us.”

“Trust me, nobody is going to stop me from making you my wife. I love you, with all my heart.”

Billy takes Vanessa’s left hand and slips the ring onto the fourth finger.

“I love you too, siempre mi corazón.”

“Hold the bag of peas on your face while I wash the blood out of your shirt..”

Vanessa says, handing him the frozen bag and taking his light blue shirt with her to the sink in the kitchen, filling it up with water and submerging it into the cold water to let it soak. Billy holds the peas to the skin on his face, wincing feeling the cold against his eyebrow.

“This wasn’t my fault this time, Nessa. Evan put his hands on me first so I defended myself. My mom didn’t raise no bitch.”

Vanessa holds in her laugh, rolling her eyes. She wets a rag in the running water, wringing out the excess water, walking back to Billy and wiping the half dried blood from his nose.

“I know. But you have to cool it with your temper just a little bit. I don’t want to be bailing you out of jail because you got in a fight. Let me see your face.”

Billy moves the bag of peas from his eye, surprisingly he wasn’t going to be left with a black eye, but he was going to have a nasty bruise above his eyebrow.

“Is it bad doc?”

“No, you’ll live. Maybe he Evan knocked some sense into that head of yours.”

She jokes, kissing his forehead and walking back to the sink to clean his shirt. Billy comes up behind her and rests his chin on her shoulder.

“He was talking bad about you.”

He explains, wrapping his arms around her. She rests her head against his, knowing how sensitive he was when anyone talked bad about her.

“He said that you were a nice piece of ass and that I needed to watch where you were because someone else was going to end up snagging you up. I told him to shut his mouth, he grabbed me by my jacket, so I punched him in the jaw.”

Vanessa can’t help but laugh at him, shaking her head again.

“I appreciate you defending me, but you can’t go around punching anybody who has something to say about me. If I went around and fought everyone who talked bad about you I would be fighting people all day everyday.”

“I do it because I lo… uhh.”

He picks his head up quickly, his eyes wide. Vanessa knew what he was about to say but she was just as shocked as he was.

“I um… I do it… I did what I did because I like you… I umm…”

Billy quickly walks back to the chair at the kitchen table, putting the peas back on his face. Vanessa beams hearing him almost say he loved her, she wanted to say it back but she was nervous to make the first move. She turns around and slowly walks over to him, straddling his hips.

“Oh you just like me? That’s all?”

Billy cocks his brow, taking a deep breath and taking the bag off his face again and resting it on the table. He rests his hands on her hips and licks his lips.

“Yeah, I like you a lot.”

“Hmm, that’s weird because ‘lo’ doesn’t sound like “like”. It sounds like a different word.”

She shakes her head and kisses his cheek, getting off of his lap.

“Sorry, never mind.”

Billy grabs her hand, pulling her back to him and helping her sit back on his lap.

“I love you. I’ve loved you since our first date. Obviously I couldn’t tell you that on our first date because that’s creepy, but it’s the truth. I love you, Vanessa.”

He says, cupping her face with his hands, his rings cool against her cheek. She smiles sheepishly, her cheeks turning dark red.

“I love you too, Billy.”

“I can’t believe that the girl of my dreams loves me.”

Finally Vanessa’s eyes close after hours of her tossing and turning, not being able to shake Billy from her mind. Her mom was already getting home from work and decided that Vanessa could have one more day off from school since she didn’t get any sleep. As she fell into a deep sleep, the sound of her dad getting ready in the room next to hers subsided and she drifted off to sleep.

Vanessa grabs her bag off of the floor in her room, shutting her lights off and walking into the kitchen. Both her mom and dad were sitting at the kitchen table, which was odd because her mom was usually asleep because she worked graveyard shift at the hospital in town, and her dad was getting ready to go to work.

“Good morning. Why aren’t you sleeping mom?”

She asks, leaning down to give them both a kiss on the cheek. Her mom sighs shakily, looking up at her daughter, worry written all over her face.

“Mija, I need you to sit down for a second.”

Vanessa looks at her parents with concern, slowly sinking into the chair next to her mom. Her mom grabs Vanessa’s hand, rubbing her thumb over Vanessa’s knuckles.

“When I was leaving this morning around 5, Billy was brought in by ambulance because he was in a serious car accident. His car was a mangled mess, and it took the fire department a long time to get to him because he was trapped so badly… I don’t think he’s going to make it mija. He broke a lot of his ribs, he’s bleeding internally.”

Vanessa’s heart began to race, her hands becoming clammy. Her mind was racing a mile a minute while she tried to process all the information her mom was telling her.

“They can’t go in and do surgery on him? Help him stop bleeding? They can’t do anything for him?”

“If they operated on him he would bleed out in seconds. I think it’s a good idea for you to go down there and go see him… before…”

Vanessa jumps out of the chair, grabbing her car keys and rushing out the door. She tried to keep herself together the car ride there, trying to think positively so she didn’t freak herself out. Once she got there the lady at the front desk directed her to Billy’s hospital room, she was practically sprinting to the room, she rounded a corner and saw Max standing in the hallway up against the wall, her arms crossed over her chest.

“Max? Is he…”

She asked, not wanting to ask the question because she was afraid that she was too late at this point. Max’s eyes were puffy and red, dried tear marks on both sides of her cheeks.

“He’s conscious. My mom is in there right now. I can’t see him like this right now, that’s why I’m out here. He’s been asking for you though.”

“What happened?”

Vanessa asks, realizing she didn’t get the chance to ask her mom.

“He went to that girl Tina’s party and he had been drinking. He thought he was fine enough to drive but he was going too fast and took the curved road too fast. He spun out, some old lady side swiped him once he stopped spinning and pinned the car into a tree.”

Vanessa was mentally kicking herself. She told Billy he could go to Tina’s party because he wanted to go, but not without her. She insisted that she didn’t want to go and she would be fine with him going.

“I’m going to go see him, okay? I’ll be back.”

She says, giving her a tight hug. Vanessa knocks on the door lightly, hearing a female voice from inside telling her to come in. She pulls the door open, slowly walking in. Her eyes meet Susan first, then at Billy, the sight of him making her breath hitch in her throat. She turned back behind the curtain, covering her mouth with her hand, not expecting him to look as bad as he did. Tears filled her eyes almost instantly, biting her lip to suppress the sob she wanted to let out. Susan walked over to her, bringing her in for a hug.

“He’s been asking for you. He’ll be happy to see you. I’m going to go check on Maxine, and I’ll leave you two alone.”

Vanessa nodded her head, noticing that Billy’s father wasn’t in the room.

“Susan, where’s Neil?”

“He’s meeting with people from the funeral home, he wanted to get things ready early.”

Susan saw the displeasure in her face that his own father wasn’t here to say goodbye to his son, and quickly exited the room. Vanessa took deep breaths and walked back past the curtain, looking at how small he looked in the bed.

“Billy?”

His head moved toward her, his face not even looking like his face because it was so disfigured by the cuts and bruises on it.

“Hey beautiful.”

He croaks out, trying to sit up. Vanessa rushes over to him, trying to help him lay back down.

“Hey, you can’t be doing all that. You’re fragile now. They told me you crashed your baby?”

“Yeah, don’t remind me, I’m pissed. Totalled my fucking car.”

He sighs, looking up at the ceiling. Vanessa sat next to him in the chair, taking his hand into hers. Tears began to fall from her eyes, realizing this was going to have to be her goodbye to him. He looks over at her, squeezing her hand weakly.  

“They told you I’m on my way out huh?”

“Yeah, my mom told me… I thought that if I ever had to do this we’d be like 90 years old.”

She stayed silent for a few seconds, trying to swallow the lump in her throat so she could speak.

“I don’t know how I’m supposed to do this Billy. How am I just supposed to let you go, I didn’t have you as long as I wanted with you.”

“I’m sorry, Nessa. I really am. Fuck baby I’m so sorry. I’m an idiot. I screwed up everything.”

They both openly sobbed, looking each other in the eyes.

“My medal. Bring it to me?”

Pointing his finger over to the corner of the room where there was a bag full of clothes. Vanessa got up off the chair, wiping tears from her eyes as she dug through the bag until she found the chain with the pendant on it. She walks back to Billy, placing it in his hand.

“No, I want you to have it. To remember me by.”

“Billy, I can’t. It was your mom’s. You should be bu… you should take it with you.”

He shakes his head.

“What good is it going to do me? I want you to have it. As long as you have it, I know that you’ll be safe. It kept me safe up until this morning… but I guess my mom missed me too much and wants me to come home. I want you to do good in your life, babe.”

“Billy…”

She sobs, not wanting to have this conversation with him.

“Vanessa, listen to me please. I don’t want you to dwell on this forever, I want you to go out and enjoy your life, meet someone else, start a good life with them, make sure they treat you like a queen because it’s what you deserve. I’m going to be watching over you, I won’t be far away from you, ever okay? Thank you for giving a piece of shit like me a chance to be with someone as beautiful and wonderful as you. My mom would have loved you, I know it.”

He lifted his arm high enough to reach for her face to wipe the tears away.

“I love you Vanessa. With all of my heart. I love you.”

“I love you too Billy. Mi corazón.”

She stared at his face as his long eyelashes began to close for longer periods of time. Her vision became more and more blurry as they filled with tears. She knew he was hurting, and she wished she could stop the pain in his body. Billy blinked one last time, his eyes remaining shut. She watched the monitor on the other side of his bed as the beeping slowed.

“I love you.”

She repeated over and over again, rocking back and forth in the chair. She felt one last squeeze of Billy’s hand before the beeping flatlined. Violent sobs emerged through her body once he was gone, covering her face with the sleeves of her jacket. The door opened, 2 nurses walking in and checking his pulse. Vanessa felt someone wrapping themselves around her, patting her back. She removed her hands from her face to see Max’s red hair in her line of sight, low sobs coming from her too.

“Come on girls, let’s get some air.”

Susan says, wiping tears from her own eyes. Max stands up first, sinking into her mom’s side as Susan helps Vanessa out of the chair.

“I’m going to call my mom. I don’t think I can drive back home right now.”

“Okay, Maxine, honey walk with her.”

Max follows her to the desk on the floor, asking one of the nurses if she could use the phone. Her mom answers and tells her she’ll be there right away to pick her up. Max waits with her out in the parking lot until Vanessa’s mom drives up, both of them hugging each other the whole time.

“Will you call me once you find out details about the funeral?”

Max nods her head, waving as the car drives off. Vanessa’s mom pulls out of the parking lot only to pull into the parking lot next to it, holding her as her daughter cries.

Her eyes open frantically, her body quickly launching up from the mattress. She looks around her room, realizing she was all alone.

“Fuck. Get it together Vanessa. Pull yourself together, you can’t do this to yourself.”

She says to herself, rubbing her eyes.

Vanessa sat in the car in the parking lot of the cemetery for the first time since the funeral. She had been staring at the entrance for almost 20 minutes trying to work up the courage to get out of the car, but she couldn’t figure out how to move her limbs. She saw red hair, the all too familiar red hair of Billy’s step sister riding her skateboard through the parking lot and toward the entrance. Finally Vanessa had snapped out of her mood and opened the car door.

“Max!”

She yelled out, running to her to catch up. Max hopped off the skateboard, turning around to see Vanessa, a smile appearing on her face.

“Hey you. Long time no see.”

Vanessa says, hugging the girl.

“Yeah, I go straight home after school, my mom and Neil freak out if I’m a minute late. How… how are you?”

Max asks, her demeanor changing. Vanessa sighs, not even sure herself of how she was having one of her bad days or one of her even worse days.

“I’m… getting through it. Slowly. I’m hoping that me coming here helps with things. Maybe we can get through this together?”

Max nods her head. Vanessa wraps her arm around Max’s shoulder and walks with her through the cemetery, talking about how school was going and how things at home were going. They reach the row Billy was located at, both of them going silent as they walked past the random headstones in the row until they reached his. It had only been a month so he didn’t have a headstone yet, only a plastic plaque that read:

“William Hargrove. November 15 1968 - March 20th, 1986.”

There were still flowers on the mound of dirt from the funeral sitting there. Vanessa’s eyes well up with tears, choking back tears as she stares at the grave. She hears Max sniffle next to her, Max taking a seat next to the top of the grave.

“We might have had our problems, and I might have told him how much of a dick he was, but him and I had good times, occasionally. I still loved and cared about him.”

Max says, looking up at Vanessa. Vanessa sits next to her, rubbing her nails up and down Max’s back comforting her.

“I know, I saw him be nice to you a few times. He cared about you, deep, deep down he did. He just had an awful way of showing it.”

She laughs softly, pulling her knees into her chest.

“It’s not fair. He knew he shouldn’t have been driving while he drank, but he did. If he hadn’t gone to the party that night he would still be here. If I would have just went with him he would still be…”

Vanessa trailed off, the lump in her throat making it hard for her to continue. She sobbed harshly, wiping her tears with the sleeves of the sweater that used to belong to Billy. Max looks at her sympathetically, tears filling her eyes as well.

“I’ve been writing about him a lot. Like about our good memories and stuff, my mom said it should help me with grieving, but I feel like it’s only making it worse. I had a flashback to the day he died. I didn’t think we would only have a short time together. I thought we still had forever. We had so much planned Max. He wanted to marry me. I told him yes, but not until we graduated. We wanted to move to New York after we had road tripped there last summer. Ugh, I’m sorry.”

Vanessa says, holding the fabric against her eyes to soak up the tears.

“At least you have those memories with him. If you ever start to miss him you can just think about all the good times you had together. Your memories of him won’t ever fade.”  

Max says, now comforting Vanessa. She nods her head at her, wiping more tears from her eyes. The girls sit in silence, the wind blowing through their hair.

“Neil has been pissed since the funeral. I can hear him yelling at my mom some nights. He’ll throw things around the living room or their bedroom, he’ll tell her that if it wasn’t for his screw up of a son that he wouldn’t have had to transfer out here and he wouldn’t be in a hole in the ground.”

Vanessa bites the inside of her cheek, trying her hardest not to get angry over what Max is telling her.

“Does he ever yell at you? Because if he does you need to tell me. I won’t let him do what he did to Billy for so many years.”

Max had no idea about Neil beating the shit out of Billy like clockwork, but that was because he would do it when Max wasn’t around. She didn’t know until she saw a huge cut on Billy’s back from his dad throwing him up against the full length mirror Billy had in his room, shards of glass breaking into his skin. Max had called Vanessa telling her to get over to their house because he was hurt. Billy finally told Max all about the abuse he had been suffering since he was 7.

“No he usually waits to blow up until I’m asleep. Or until he thinks I’m asleep. Neil boxed up Billy’s stuff the day of the funeral and he started to throw away the stuff that had to do with you and Billy.”

Vanessa rolls her eyes, she knew how much Neil disliked her even though he never said it to her face. He was nice to her face, too nice where Vanessa felt like he was coming off fake. Billy would relay the things that his dad had said about her while his dad argued with Billy about breaking up with her. The more Billy had refused the more Neil would talk negatively about her, especially about her ethnic background. Vanessa was somewhat immune to hearing it because growing up in a predominately white, republican community, with parents who were more comfortable talking in spanish than in english, she heard her fair share of comments in her lifetime.

“I managed to get a lot of the stuff out of the trash though. I have pictures, mixtapes you made him, letters you had written him. I’ve been wanting to give them to you, but I haven’t seen you.”

“Really? Thank you so much Max. I really appreciate that. How about we go into town and get a bite to eat, and I’ll drive you home?”

Max smiles softly, nodding her head. She says her goodbyes to Billy, leaving Vanessa by herself to say hers. Vanessa stands up, cleaning the dirt off herself.

“I’ll see you later mi amor. Come visit me in my dreams later please. I love you.”

The sun had started to come down by the time Max and Vanessa had gotten out of the diner. She drove along the street to Billy’s house for the first time since he had passed away. If her grip on the steering wheel wasn’t so tight she knew that her hands would be shaking at this point. She pulls up to the white house, parking in the street. It made her heart hurt that the blue Camaro wasn’t parked in its usual place. Max ran into the house to retrieve Billy’s belongings for her, Vanessa obviously not feeling comfortable enough to go in the house for more reasons that one. A minute or two later Max comes back out of the house with a small box in her hand. Vanessa gets out of her car and meets her halfway up the walkway.

“I know it’s not much that I managed to save but…”

“This is more than I thought I was ever going to get. Thank you so much Max. I’m going to head out, but if you ever need anything from me, you have my number, you know where I live, and you know that I’ll be there for you for whatever, okay?”

She gives Max a tight hug before saying bye to her and walking back to her car and driving off. The box sat in the passenger side seat on the way back to her house. Her dad greeted her once she got inside telling her that dinner was almost ready. She went up to her room and started to take things out of the box one by one. There were polaroid pictures scattered around on the bottom of the box, a few of Billy’s favorite books, 2 mixtapes she had made for him, some of his rings that were way too big to fit, but she would just keep them in her jewelry box. Max had managed to sneak in 2 of Billy’s t-shirts that still smelled like him, his cologne, and his silver lighter. Max was definitely going to get a call later thanking her for putting this stuff aside for her. She pulled out one of pictures from the bottom of the box that was of herself smelling a flower that Billy had given her for her birthday. On the white part of the picture he had scribbled “Beautiful girl, beautiful flower.” The next one she picked out was of the engagement ring he had given to her. And the last one was one that Vanessa had taken in the school parking lot. He was in his denim jacket and denim jeans, a look she was always a fan of, with his signature cigarette between his lips. “Mi corazón. December ‘85 written in her handwriting. Vanessa had a copy as well so she was glad that she now had 2. The other two made Vanessa blush because they were such intimate pictures that she was embarrassed Max had to see. She taped the pictures on the wall next to others that were already there. It was going to take a long time to forget about the love of her life, but she was glad she had some things to remember him by.

It was the first night in a month that she had actually fallen asleep without crying. She didn’t struggle at all, and she was relieved because she desperately needed it. Once she fell into a deep sleep she noticed she was in Billy’s car in the passenger seat. She looked over at him and smiled at Billy, throwing her arms around his neck, laughing and crying in disbelief. She couldn’t make out where the car was parked exactly, but she knew for sure it wasn’t Hawkins.

“Oh my god. You’re here. You’re really here.”

Vanessa wept, her hands cupping around his face, bringing their foreheads close to each other. Billy smiles and kisses her nose.

“Only for a little while babe. I came to see you because I saw you at the cemetery with Max. And I know you’ve been having a hard time letting go.”

He responds, stroking her cheek with his thumb.

“I can’t help it, I miss you. This wasn’t part of our plan, Billy. We were supposed to get out of Hawkins together, I’m not supposed to go by myself.”

Vanessa cries. Billy sighs, hugging her into his chest once again, softly shushing her.

“It’s time you move on, baby. You can’t mourn over me forever.”

“I have to go on living the rest of my life without you, without going through with the stuff we had planned for our lives. How am I supposed to do that?”

Billy touches the pendant on the necklace that used to be his resting against her chest.

“I’ll always be here for you when you’re going through a hard time. As long as you have this I’ll always be close to your heart. That’s why I gave this to you. My mom told me the same thing before she passed. You might physically go through your life without me, but I’ll always be with you. When you graduate next month, when you go off to college in New York, when you get married one day and have beautiful babies, I’ll be there watching over you.”

“It’s not the same. I don’t want anyone else. I want you. I’m not going to be able to see your face everyday, hug you, smell your cologne, hear your voice, have you annoy me everyday.”

Vanessa was full on sobbing at this point, a lump in her throat forming throughout every word she speaks. She didn’t want to let go of this moment, she wished she could stay in his arms forever because that’s where she belonged.

“Stop crying, baby girl. Look at the bright side, I’m not hurting anymore. My dad can’t hurt me anymore.”

Her body shakes with her loud hiccup. His grey shirt was soaked from her tears, she could feel his finger twirling around her hair, his other hand rubbing circles around the back of her arm.

“Why did you have to be driving so fast that night? Why did you have to be drinking?”

She asks through her cries, she picks her head up and looks into his eyes, sorrow filling them.

“I’m an idiot, that’s why. I knew I shouldn’t have been, but I thought I was good, my house was only a mile away… I didn’t see the curved road sign. I’m sorry baby. I’m sorry I put you through all this heartbreak.”

“Te amo siempre mi corazón.”

Billy smiles and kisses her lips.

“You know, I was right. My mom loves you.”

“I’m glad. I can’t wait to meet her one day. She did a good job raising you.”

Vanessa says, running her hand over Billy’s cheek.

“I’m going to go now, okay? No more crying. I’ll come by and see you every once and a while.”

Vanessa nods her head and smiles, kissing him one last time before she wakes up. She sits up in bed and touches the necklace around her neck.

“I love you Billy.”

#billy hargrove #billy hargrove fanfiction #billy hargrove imagine #billy hargrove headcanons #dacre Montgomery #dacre montgomery fanfic #dacre montgomery imagine #dacre montgomery headcanons #stranger things #stranger things fan fiction #stranger things imagine #stranger things headcanons #dacreoos #my imagine

[strangerererthings]

peaches ix

Summary: What if Bob had an adopted daughter?  What happens now?

Pairing: Billy Hargrove x Reader

Disclaimer: I don’t own the show or the characters, surprise, surprise!

Author’s Note: So much angst.  Also, I believe there’s going to be one more chapter after this and then an epilogue.

Warnings: Abuse, Blood.  It’s all under the cut.

Word Count: 1,871

part one/part two/part three/part four/part five/part six/part seven/part eight/part ten/part eleven/epilogue

It happened on Thanksgiving.

The few days before the holiday had been spent in a blur of the Party, helping Joyce and Hopper cook, and Billy.  Always Billy.  He’d randomly appear while you were in the kitchen, wrapping his arms around your waist and trying to distract you from the turkey you were marinating.  He’d whisper sweet things in your ear before suddenly tickling you, leading you to squirt marinade all over him.  He had just laughed and pulled you to him, getting it all over you as well.

But then came Thanksgiving.  It was nearing 8:30 PM, which is the time that everyone was supposed to be there by.  Joyce and Jonathan were already there, with Nancy in tow.  Dustin, Will, Mike, Lucas, and Max were all there.  They had even convinced Steve to come along.

But there was no Billy.

You watched the door anxiously, biting your lip.  He had told you he would most likely be there early as long as he could get away with it.  With the way his grades had been raising, he’d been in the clear a little bit more often than not.  He had been there a lot during your lessons with El, and somehow it ended up with you helping him as well.

“Y/N?” Hopper called, and you glanced back at him.  He smiled, clearly trying to calm you down.  “I’m sure he’s fine.  He’s probably just running late with family things.”

You nodded, but turned back to the window, unconvinced.  Steve watched you quietly.  He had already given Billy the shovel talk, and while they didn’t get along perfectly, they managed to be civil and even have a friendly conversation every once in a while.  It was unavoidable if you were going to be in both of their lives.

You scowled even more as you looked at the clock.  8:43 PM.  Billy had never been late in the entirety of the time you two had been together.  If he even thought he might be, he would call you on the home phone or the record store phone and more often than not, he was no more than thirty seconds late.

The only time he had ever missed anything was that night at the record shop when his dad...

You turned and practically ran into the kitchen, holding out your hand.  “Hopper, I need the keys.”  He looked at you in shock, and opened his mouth to say something before you cut him off.  “Hopper, something’s wrong.  I can feel it.”  You swallowed as you tried to hold back your tears, and Hopper slowly placed the keys in your hand.

You were already practically out the door as soon as the keys were in your hand, almost missing Hopper calling out after you.  “Don’t do anything stupid.”

You threw open the door to Hopper’s car, jamming the keys into the ignition and peeling out of there.  Your hands were trembling the entire drive over to the Hargrove’s.  You made a left onto Cherry, where they lived off of.  They were almost at the very end of the street.  You parked by the mailbox, quickly getting out before you stopped to look at the house in front of you.  All the lights were on except Max’s.  When there would usually be the sound of rock playing from Billy’s radio, there was silence.

There was almost an ominous feeling about it as you ran up to the front door.  You could hear shouting inside that silenced as soon as you knocked.  There were heavy footsteps before the door flung itself open.  An older man that you recognized as Neil Hargrove was standing in front of you.  “What do you want?” He almost growled, a sneer on his lips.

“Is Billy here?”  Your voice cracked slightly, and you cursed yourself.

Your eyes wandered down to Neil’s hands which were covered with blood.  “No, he’s not home.  Probably off fucking some whore.”

You looked back up at him slowly, before pushing past him and running into the house.  “Billy?!  Billy, where are you?!”  You began to throw open doors, your heart pounding.

Suddenly, you felt the back of your sweater being grabbed and you yelped as you were thrown backwards to the ground.  Your head hit the side table and you groaned, looking up with terrified eyes as you realized Neil Hargrove was coming towards you.  You could see the murder in his eyes as he gripped your hair in his hands.  You let out a blood curdling scream as he kicked you in the side, wrenching your head sideways as he did so.  He was shouting things like little slut, whore, bitch, and even cunt.  Everything sounded fuzzy.  Like you were underwater.

“Y/N!”

You managed to turn your head a bit to see Billy in the doorway.  Before you could see his physical wellbeing, he was on Neil, tackling him to the ground.  Fists were flying and you laid there, tears streaming down your cheeks.  God.  Everything fucking hurt.  “B-Billy...,” you choked out.

The front door suddenly burst open.  Hopper was standing there in the doorway with three other policeman.  You felt a wave of relief crash over you as he went to Billy, catching his shoulder.  The boy was holding his father down to the floor by his neck, tears streaming from his eyes.  “Billy, let go, alright?”  Hopper’s voice was gentle, but firm.  Two of the policemen began to search the rest of the house while the one left kept his gun trained on Neil.  “I suggest you don’t move, sir,” Hopper snapped as he got Billy to slowly get up.

As soon as he was away from Neil, Billy turned and ran to you.  He pulled you onto his lap, cradling you like a baby.  “I’m so sorry.  So sorry, baby.”  He was sobbing over you as you clutched onto him, crying as well.  “You shouldn’t have come here.  It’s my fault you were hurt...”  He pulled back, running his hands over your face.  “Where does it hurt?  What all happened?”

You shook your head, checking on him instead.  He had several cuts on his face and bruises were forming around both of his eyes.  Blood was trickling from his busted lip.  “Baby...”  You kissed him gently, the taste of blood lingering on your lips as you pulled away.  “I had to come.  I could feel it.  Something was wrong.”

He shook his head, laughing as he pulled you to him tightly.  “My little idiot.”  He continued to hold you flush against him as Neil was put in handcuffs and put into the back of a police car.  “What would I do without you?”

The sound of someone clearing their throat broke the two of you from your reverie.  Hopper was standing there a bit awkwardly.  “So, I know we have a bunch of paperwork to fill out, but it’s Thanksgiving.”  He held out his hands for the two of you to take.  “Let’s get you two home.”

Billy looked at you, kissing your forehead before the two of you stood.  You and Billy climbed into his Camaro while Hopper took back his police car.  There was a comfortable, relieved, but exhausted silence in the car as you took the winding roads back to Hopper’s.  Billy’s hand clutched onto yours, kissing your fingertips every few minutes.

You walked into the cabin together, everyone jumping up and running to you in a panic.  They were all shouting and reaching and you instinctively hid behind Billy a bit.

“Give ‘em some space,” Joyce shouted, and all of them immediately backed off.  What Joyce wanted, Joyce got.  Partially because they were all scared of her.

Once they were all off of you guys, you took Billy’s hand and led him to the bathroom, shutting the door.  Everyone stayed silent as they watched the two of you go.  You sat him on the toilet, noticing how he winced anytime he moved.  You wet a wash rag, wringing it out a little before gently touching it to his forehead.  He did his best not to react anytime you touched one of his many, many injuries.  “I could feel that something was wrong,” you murmured, concentrating on cleaning his busted lip.  “My skin felt like it was crawling.”  You laughed a bit as you continued, your other hand cupping his cheek gently.  “I knew it was stupid to run in there shouting for you, but I couldn’t stop myself.”

“I love you.”

You froze as you looked at him, not sure if you heard him right.

He looked you dead in the eyes though, his hand moving to cup your cheek as he repeated with complete sincerity.  “I love you, Y/N.”

Your mouth dropped open a bit, your heart racing in your chest.  “I love you, too.”  He pulled you down into a kiss, sitting you on his lap.  He then pulled away, giggling a bit.  “Do you still have a drawer of my clothes?”

“Like I’ve gotten rid of it since yesterday,” you teased as you stood up.  You fixed your hair a bit, wincing as you felt the tenderness from where you had hit the table.

The both of you left the bathroom, Billy going to your room to change and you going to the kitchen.  “There’s our little fighter,” Steve joked as you rolled your eyes, your cheeks going pink.

“I’m hardly a fighter.”  You took a seat next to El, ruffling her curls as you did.

She looked at you with narrowed eyes.  “You got hurt.”  You sighed, biting your lip as she shook her head.  “We’re not stupid, Y/N.”

Hopper burst into laughter, nodding as he stabbed a piece of turkey with his fork.  “She’s right.  We’re not stupid, Y/N.  Maybe you should learn.”

“Sometimes stupid is smart.”  You pointed the serving spoon for the mashed potatoes at Hopper.  “You should know about that.”

“Did you at least kick him in the balls?!” Dustin suddenly blurted.  Him and other boys’ eyes were lit up in excitement.

“No, she didn’t.  But that doesn’t make her any less of a fighter.”  You turned to see Billy in the doorway, leaning against the frame.  He had changed out of his bloodstained shirt into a fresh blue one, the top buttons almost completely done up for once.  He walked over, sitting between you and Max, pressing a kiss to your forehead.  You couldn’t help but notice that he limped anytime he walked.  You scowled, making a note to ask him about it as Max hugged him around the side.

“I’m glad you’re not dead.”  Her voice was muffled, but his laugh was booming and warm.

“Me, too, kiddo.”  He ruffled her hair before everyone began to dig into their food once more.  As you spooned mashed potatoes onto his plate for him, he caught your eye, mouthing “I love you.”

“I love you, too,” you mouthed back.

#billy hargrove #billy hargrove x reader #billy x reader #steve harrington #stranger things #stranger things 2 #stranger things fanfiction #fanfiction #reader insert #trigger warning #blood tw #abuse tw